Taste of Portugal

Well, the cycling tour is over and after breakfast it was first goodbye to the early group who were heading out to catch a flight back to Canada and then the 'later' group made the 1.5 hour trip back to Lisbon through intermittent rain.  But once dropped off in the old center by my hotel, the rain stopped and though I had my umbrella with me the rest of the day, it was not needed.

I secured a ticket to "A night with Amalia", a musical play featuring many of the songs of Fado singer Amalia Rodriguez.  The play is set in the mid 1960s and is an evening at Amalia's house with poets and other musicians.  There are political discussions which were only hinted at in the English subtitles.  The play was a very interesting look into Portuguese culture, not only from the actions and music from the stage, but the behaviour of the audience -- from the pushing to get into the theatre, the people who sat in seats other than their own and gave the ushers a very hard time when they needed to move, the talking throughout the performance, the cheering of some audience member who also signed autographs during intermission, etc.  Quite strange for a Canadian to see.

And, of course, the theatric taste of the culture was not the only one.  Today's picture is of me enjoying a shot of a type of cherry brandy that is sold in tiny little holes for 1.25 euro.

And the other foods that have been tasty experiences this last week:
-the custard tarts (national dessert I think)
-different cookies, many of them made with almonds and almond paste
-spaghetti squash -- candied and in tarts (strange)
-chocolate salami
-almond tarts
-sweets made with almonds and eggs
-roca pears -- fantastic
-portuguese buns and chewy bread
-cod with spinach
-cod with carrots
- migas --side dish of bread and asparagus
-quail eggs
-black eyed peas salad with tuna
-sheep cheeses
-black pork fed on acorns
-cured ham
-olives and olive oil
-vintage port
-roasted chestnuts with wild deer
-muscatel wine
-different olive oils

I'm sure that I have forgotten some, but they will come back to me sometime. And certainly some of them I will try and duplicate and put into my cooking repertoire.

My taste of Portuguese culture, countryside, foods, drink, hospitality, history, plants, etc, etc,  certainly has me hoping for more.

High Fives!

Yes, there were congratulations and high fives all around as we pulled into the Timeless Charm Hotel in Evora.  Aside from the driveway at the convent (I walked up the same part that I had not dared to ride down yesterday afternoon), it was quite an easy ride today and short -- only 24 km.  The countryside is predominantly in farms, the most unusual feature being the huge rock piles around the base of the olive trees.  I guess centuries of clearing the fields have resulted in these unique farms.  The serious ploughing was being done with a tracked bulldozer!

Evora has been declared a Unesco World Heritage centre.  There are many churches, a serious aqueduct, a medieval wall all around, narrow cobble streets, and lots of little souvenir shops focused on cork products.  The main design motif for Portugal is the rooster.  There is a legend about a pilgrim wrongly accused of a crime and about to be killed.  He declares that if he is innocent, then the chicken dinner of the judge should stand up and crow and of course, it does.

We had one local activity before our final dinner together -- it was a wine tour and tasting at a local vineyard owned and run by a foundation whose mission is to promote sustainability and interest in Evora.  May of the things I have seen before -- French Oak barrels, videos of production etc., but never before have I done aroma analysis.  There were liquids to simulate five different grapes, you stuck a little strip of paper in each and then smelled it.  Quite remarkable differences and preferences.  Afterwards, we tried some of their wines and olive oils --also a unique experience.  And by the time we had finished there, it started to rain.

It rained all evening and is scheduled to rain all day tomorrow.  We have been incredibly lucky with the weather and I am very glad that I will not be trying to navigate a narrow road tire on wet cobbles tomorrow morning. Some of our group fly out tomorrow and have an early date for the airport.  I have one more evening in Lisbon and so do not need to be in the first transport.

Art asked me what I found most surprising and I had to admit that it was my ability to climb.  I don't like it any more than before this trip, but I can do it and it doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the ride!

For all the Saints

There is a song for every situation, and, today being All Saint's Day, the song of the above title has come to mind several times.  That could also be that my mind needed something to concentrate on other than the climbing.  There was 'only' 900 m today, but I guess the cumulative effect is having its toll on my legs.  However, the only point where I have walked, was last thing this afternoon on the way DOWN into the converted convent where we are staying this evening.  The steepest hill and cobbles were too much for me and I did walk about half way down that driveway.

And today is the birthday for my sister Elisabeth, my son-in-law Sham and for Roseanne, one of the ladies here on our cycling tour.!!  Happy Birthday all and I wish you "good luck and blessings on the next year of your life", (my Mom's wish to the birthday people, translated from the German).  And so, of course, the passage of time and friends and family has been on my mind from that point of view also.  I sat in the chapel of the convent here, still a 'working' church, and thought of the nuns who inhabited this place -- their joy and work in the gardens, walking the cloisters, and working on the tapestries.  This particular area is renowned for its handmade tapestries and there are old and new examples of the work around the hotel.  The one thing about a convent like this is that all sounds echo, so maybe that's why the vow of silence.  Just had to think of that as the waiter dropped a glass and it resounded everywhere.  Today's photo is the chapel of our convent hotel.  (the chapel is the old wonder, but my bathroom done in black and white marble is the modern wonder).

The Portuguese have much more of a sense of history than Canada -- comes with a much older country.  I don't know if looking up at medieval walls helps them put things in perspective, but it sure makes me think in a longer time frame.

Mishaps, marble, mountains

Technical problems to start the day.  The guy on the ebike was having some difficulty as the battery was not charging, so in the end, the leader took the problem bike, and Paul rode Jose's bike.  Now Paul had not been planning to ride seriously, but he did a great job and only opted out at the very last climb.  Way to go Paul!

Well, we certainly warmed up quite quickly with some climbing (a total of 1020m) today.  The countryside has become much more green and there are pastures everywhere with mainly cows now, attesting to the improved fertility of the soil.  The fences are actually wire and the farms are a lovely white dotting the green hillsides.  Trees of cork, are roadside and in the field, with their numbers to show the year of the last cutting.  There are lots of olive orchards too, and many vineyards.  It seems a very productive area.

Lunch was in Vila Viscoa followed by a nice warm cappucino while we were waiting for the marble museum to open.  Some incredible sculptures and samples of the marble from the hills of this area were on display along with old and current machinery used to cut the blocks.  But not even the video showing the extraction process could prepare me for the mindboggling experience of looking into one of the working open pit mines with huge excavators down about 30 stories, Art figured.  It's the only video I have taken so far because otherwise I just couldn't get the scope of the blocks being cut.  Picture today will tempt you!

Up another mountain and then into a pottery studio to see forming and painting and then pick up a sample of the beautiful, handmade wares.

Last 10 km of today's 62, finished with 2 km up to our hotel, a former convent.  The place has over 54,000 blue and white tiles lining all the walls and depicting life here and in monastaries elsewhere.  There are oil lamps along the walls, and the cloisters have orange trees.  Sampled a tiny windfall -- tangy!

I have been quite delightfully surprised by my ability to get up the hills -- not fast or beautifully, but thanks, kids, for the spinning suggestion which I have passed on.  I made it!

I didn't know........I did know

I didn't know:
-that clouds and rain come and go so quickly.  It wasn't raining at 7 am, was at 8 am but by 9 am was clearing, fog lifting and sun coming out.  We followed the rain most of the morning, riding on wet roads but never in the rain
-that cork trees are a variety of oak tree producing acorns -- very long ones -- and not having conventional oak leaves.  Note the latin name for oak -- quercus and how similar it is to "cork".  The trees need to be 25 years old before first cork harvest and after that can be reharvested every 9 years.  In the year of the harvest, the trees appear red due to a secretion which also helps remove the layer of cork from the tree
-that the colossal olives did not just grow in Spain
-that only white sheet get a bell, and not even all of them (based just on some observation this afternoon  and more research is necessary before this can be seen as a generality)
-that there were still aqueducts in use.  Elvas has a 4 tier one still bringing water into the city.
-that persimmons grow in the southern part of Portugal
-that almonds also grow in the Algarve
-that if you buy a beer in a bar (thought it was just a little store), you have to drink it there rather than taking it back to your hotel room.  They do, however, give you something to snack with it -- I had marinated broad beans, tasty.
-that things in Portugal are quite cheap (outside of Lisbon) -- my beer was 1 euro.  Yesterday my coffee and pastry were only 1.60

I did know:
- that riding uphill on cobbles would be hard, but didn't realize how hard
-that you can do lots of uphill (980m) on a day that is mostly rolling
-that spinning in a low gear is the best way to climb hills -- some of the guys still insist on just powering up and that destroys your legs
-that centuries of walking on marble stairs can make them wavy, but had never seen it in a hotel before
-that spending a long time standing at the counter,by yourself, with about 10 guys, after dark, is not a good idea, so I drank my beer and headed back to the hotel (it was only about 6 pm, so no worries)
-that the best pork comes from pigs which eat acorns, but I didn't know that they were all black skinned
-that all around the world, London Plane trees are used to majestically line roadways -- even here
-that medieval towns were on the itinerary for this trip, but didn't realize that I would be cycling over a drawbridge.

This is the longest climb of the day

....words I am not anxious to hear as it means (a) a really long climb -- about 5 km total--(a section like Sydenham hill stuck at the end) and b) there will be more hills, though not as long.

But I need to put the day in order.  After a brief walk on the ramparts(!!!) and a lovely breakfast, we met our trusty iron horses.  Mine, M1, is a roadbike, ultegra groupo, bags under the seatand under the crossbar, clip pedals -- a nice bike to ride!

We took a walk up to the castle of Marvao -- incredible views as this is the highest altitude village in Portugal.  Good thing as it meant the first 7.5 km were downhill on a good road but complete with switchbacks.  The riding was great, even with the aforementioned climb and the following lesser climbs.  With the granny gear (Oma gear?), it wasn't too bad.  Rosanne (the ironman) and Richard (the Brit who cycles the Alps) were, of course, the first up, but it wasn't as bad as I feared. Total today,  700m of climbing.

We were treated to a tasty picnic of bread, salad, cheese, roca pears and custard tarts to finish at an incredible viewpoint over the lower land all around.  Fairly perfect.The ride down was through small 2-3 home farm collections.  The fences are piles of stones which they have in abundance and there was a gentle jingle of sheep and goat bells to be heard. This area is designated a nature park meaning that a granite quarry had to be abandoned, but the logging for maintenance is ongoing.

Castelo de Vide indeed has a castle, complete with a fortress and medieval village where people still live within the 13/14 century walls, even though their green bins show they are modern too.  The town is quite vibrant with many little shops in ancient buildings and there were old and young out on the streets enjoying the sunny day.  Today's photo is a view from the castle.The hill in the distance is where we started the day.

My room on the ground floor of our BandB is very nice, but the the bathroom made of marble with a vaulted ceiling, is amazing.  Dinner this evening featured wild deer (from Spain) and chestnuts.  Yum!  Too bad I won't be here for the Chestnut festival in a few weeks.

Thinking of all of you being affected by the hurricane.  We have a bit of rain, which may be finished by the morning -- hoping!

Inside the fortress walls

Just a short update to let you know that I got picked up for the tour and now we are here in Marvao -- the village with the greatest altitude in all of Portugal -- just 6 km from the Spanish border, basically NE of Lisbon.  It was a long drive through very hilly (even mountainous)  countryside with eucalyptus, olive and cork trees.

We arrived in Marvao at 6 pm and the temperature had dropped to 5 degrees (altitude).  The van just fit into the opening in the fortress wall and with the bikes on top, just barely got under the arch.  We had a briefing on general procedure, bikes, trip segments each day and a glass of vintage port to celebrate the start of our tour.  Then it was on to dinner at this lovely little hotel stuck on the top of the mountain.

This should be exciting, especially down the mountain first thing tomorrow morning!  It is quite a diverse group, so that part will be interesting as well.

Updated Lisbon

In case you were wondering if all of Lisbon was centuries old, there is a whole district east of the old city centre (called 'Oriente', surprise!) which boasts both private and public buildings on the cutting edge of modern architecture.  The area was developed for the 1998 Lisbon World Expo and besides monuments, an amazing suspended concrete roof, buildings all done in ship motifs (the theme of the Expo was the world's oceans), a new avante garde train/metro station and a restored stack from the oil refineries which used to occupy the real estate, there is a spectacular Oceanarium featuring the second largest tank in the world.  None of these I visited, just took the tour bus through the area --maybe another time.

I had contemplated visiting the Tile museum, but my guidebook indicated that the best modern tiles were to be found in practical use on buildings and especially in train/metro stations.  Today's picture is a typical tile, in the traditional blue and white motif, which is actually the sign for an antique shop across from my hotel.

As the next part of my adventure begins with the pickup for the cycling tour (about 45 min. from now), I am not sure when I will be blogging again.  I hope that most (all) of the lodging spots over the next week will have wifi, but one is never sure in medieval villages.

With the prospect of travelling back in time several hundred years, I am glad to know that I have had this afternoon, a slice of 'the world's best chocolate cake'. (I would give it an 8.5)

Seeing the sights

The hotel works very well for a downtown home base -- nothing elaborate in terms of room or breakfast, but adequate to the cause!

The Yellow hop-on bus leaves just a few blocks from the hotel and I was out there when they started.  I   began on the Tagus line which wove it way around the central avenue and up into a newer section before turning back to the south (by the river Tagus) and heading along the north shore to Belem.  Many of the historic buildings are located west of the city as the ruler who survived the 1755 earthquake vowed not to live in a stone building again and established a "Royal Hut" out of the city.  That meant, of course, that Belem had to be included in the city proper, but the royal palace was built in Belem.  This was also from where most of the explorers set sail and the new monument to those brave adventurers is spectacular.  But the much older tower of Belem, built as a fortification on the river is as  impressive in a much older style.  There are museums for art, ancient architecture, astronomy, naval matters, etc.  I chose to visit the Coach museum (claiming to be the best in the world, though I think the British one is superior) which enlightened my about the evolution of carriage design.

The waterfront here is that wonderful combination of leisure, tourism, entertainment and function.  (Hamilton, can we finally get it together?)  Today I saw an 8s rowing boat, huge freighters, new sail boats, and even some vintage multimasted schooners.  The water seems to have quite a current, judging from the waves and the jellyfish.  The suspension bridge (Vasco de Gama) built in the 1960s is both for cars and trains, reaches the opposite shore close to the statue of Christ with open arms.  The south shoreline is much less developed than the north.

Today's picture is of a church I visited late this afternoon.  It was not the only church on my itinerary today, but it was the most unique in that it was an archaeological site.  Much of the building was destroyed by the 1755 earthquake and the restoration projects ran out of money.  Therefore, the main part of the church is without a roof, though the ribs from the pillars are still present in some places.

So far, I have chosen not to try the typical Portuguese custard tart, nor had any fish.  I am assuming that will be common in the next week.  I did however, same some lovely cookies at a pasteleria in Belem.  Love what they do with almonds!

If Europe is in economic crisis.....

If Europe is in economic crisis, then no one has told the airports.  Construction is everywhere at Heathrow so that travelling from one terminal to another by bus is a maze-like adventure through fenced and pyloned paths, around new multilevel parking garages and glassed terminal structures.  Almost every flight out of Terminal 1 today was delayed -- we actually left almost 3 hours late for Lisbon.  And we had been stacked up in the air for about 15 minutes coming in, so the problems just multiply. There were travellers everywhere.   Maybe choosing London as my transfer point instead of Newark, was not such a good idea.

Lisbon airport is also undergoing improvements on many fronts.  But the 20 degrees at touchdown and the palms greeting you on the tarmac, make for a very different feeling.  There is a bit more easy-going feeling, but maybe that was me -- treking into town on the bus like a local.  I guess I missed the 'backpack through Europe' phase in my 20s, and am making up for it a bit now.  All of the officials and service people here speak English well, so there is no problem with finding the right bus and bus stop.

Did my favourite supper -- bread and cheese!  Had a hard time finding darker bread, not nearly so common here as in Germany.  And so far, the local cheese have been quite mild.  However, add the Iberian touch -- a litre of gazpacho to accompany!  Hotel is basic but fine and close to the main routes I wish to access tomorrow.  

Ah yes, some sleep -- managed only a total of 3 hours in the last 24.

You've come a long way, baby

Sorry, but no picture with this post.

I am sitting here at the airport contemplating how air travel has changed in the last years.  I booked this flight strictly online, choosing from a variety of routes and carriers that were searched for me; the hotel was an online booking, not chosen from the internet but rather recommended by a friend, the 'hop-on-hop-off' ticket was found and done online and the tour which I will be taking was booked in cyberspace.  Through email, I have conversed with the hotel people, the bus people and the cycling tour leaders, having questions answered and conditions clarified.  I paid for all these items while comfortably sitting at my desk, with just my credit card or in some cases, Paypal.    I love the internet.

I checked in at a kiosk, got boarding passes for both legs of my trip and a luggage tag for my suitcase all the way to Lisbon.  Around me there are dozens of people with their computers, tablets or smart phones, and the TV just had a blurb about the launch of Windows 8.  Thanks to American Express, there is free Wifi here and Terminal 1   has lots of plugs for power.  I am no Steve Jobs with a vision of where we go from here, but it is exciting and I don't want to be left behind.  (OK, my cell phone is a dinosaur.)

Hope you all are optimistic about the future too!  And of course, I am looking forward to this particular new adventure.

Coming home richer

The travel day is never our favourite, but everything from the checkout, to the train, to the plane all went as well as could be expected.  We arrived in Toronto at 8:45 pm, and we in our car by 9:50, home at 11.  And, I managed to sleep a solid 6 hours. Today's picture shows that there are some relaxing times even in a travel day.

So, we brought back some wine, a new spatzle press, a new slicer gadget, a new sharpening gadget (recognize a theme here?), and a few gifts, but it is, of course, the memories that are the most precious souveniers:  a variety of river cycling, cathedrals, castles, boats, fountains, federweisser, pastries and dairy products.

Remember, if you want to join us for pictures and discussion, put Friday, Oct. 12, 7 pm on your calendar and let me know you are coming.

Finally, ON the Rhine

Since being here, we have cycled beside the river, cycled over the river, trained over the river, ridden a cable-car over the river, walked by the river and today, finally, been on a boat ON the river.  Between spitting showers, we took a nice one hour tour of the Rhine and the Mosel with a guide pointing out some of the highlights.  It was a lovely way to cap off our last day here.

And now to answer the questions some of you have undoubtably been asking:
Yes, Federweisser does improve with age.
Yes, the Germans love to shop -- a new shopping centre opened today and the advertisement for the Forum Middelrhein was that it was not a shopping area, but your new home!
Yes, there is a bakery on every block! (with fresh savouries and sweets).
Yes, there is decent wine for 2 euros a bottle!
Yes, the kanelbulle at Ikea in Germany have cardamom, just like in Sweden.
No, it's not hats, but everyone, male and female, wears a neck scarf.
No, happy hour is not about half price drinks, but about half price entrees.
Yes, the Germans still do icewein, for 8 euros a half bottle (about $10).
Yes, the trains run all night (our hotel is close to the tracks).

So, if you have enjoyed my blog and wish to join us to see all the pictures or have some other questions, put Friday, October 12 on your calendar -- our house 7 pm.  Let me know if you are planning to come.

Not my usual K day

With rain forecast in varying amounts for the whole day, we decided to take a train north and visit Koln -- aka Cologne (or just K whereas Koblenz is KO).  The leisurely regional train went up the east side of the Rhine,  went through woods and small towns, by vineyards and finally into the flat fields that characterize the region beyond Bonn.  We came into Koln via the bridge with thousands of locks fastened to it -- lovers put their names on the lock, lock it to the bridge fencing and then throw the key into the Rhine.  And as one leaves the Hbf, there it is, the number one attraction of the area, towering over you at 157 m, Kolner Dom (today's picture).  The gothic structure with incredible vaulting and flying buttresses for support is simply awesome.  One could go into detail about the windows, the choir, the organ pipes, the side chapels, the golden case for the relics of the magi, the incredible treasures in the Schatzkammer, but nothing will amaze you like standing before the structure and feeling your own insignificance.

Also in the city, is the major art museum of the Rhine region -- the Wallraf- Richartz Museum.  The permanent collections of medieval, and baroque are extensive and well displayed (even english!), and currently there is an impressionist exhibition which includes Monet, Gauguin, Cezanne and Van Gogh.  Certainly worth the visit!

It was commuter time by the time we headed back south, but the folk are pleasant and most were gone by Bonn so we could enjoy a nice view seated together.  Even though there was really no rain, we don't regret our choice of day's activities.

(P.S., my usual K day is a day spent with Kieran, and there are no regrets there either!!)

High over KO

The forecast for the next 3 days varies only in the amount of rain is predicted for each day.  So, we dropped off the bikes and then headed up to the Ehrenbreitstein fortress which is on the east shore of the river.  There is a seilbahn (cable car) which affords a unique aerial view of the city, river and surrounding area as one rises from the west shore.

There were not many people at the fortress.  It dates back to 500 BC but serious building started with the Romans.  Imagine standing where the legions had been.  Amazing!  There were many more exhibits from the ages since 400 AD, including a restoration of the post WWII apartments which were up there.  An amazing view which we enjoyed over a delicious lunch choosing items from the pfifferling (local, wild mushroom) menu.  By the time we were ready to head back down, the rain had done another serious pounding and together with the wind, it made for a wobbly ride in the cable car.  Evidently the operators thought so too for they closed the ride about 15 min. just as we were getting out.

We are getting to know the city fairly well and find all the necessities without difficulty.  We bought the train ticket for heading back to Frankfurt so that is settled.  11 am Thursday morning we will head out.

Today's picture is one of the many taken from the cable car.  Come to see the rest of them on a time we will organize after we get back.

Any party will do

The forecast for Monday and Tuesday is not great, so we decided today should be a riding day.

Just south of Koblenz, there is a river that empties into the Rhine -- the Lahn.  There is a bike trail that goes along that river (and, I suspect along almost every other river in Germany), heading east.  A bicycle friendly bridge took us to the east side of the Rhine and we headed south.  At Lahnstein the route proceeded east along a very lazy river.  There were several little locks in the 27 kms we travelled   to Nassau, sometimes directly along the river, other times through a Sunday-closed town, or on a tree-canopied path through the woods.

We arrived in Nassau to discover it was the 100 anniversary of some market feast we had never heard of, but any party will do.  This was what we had hoped for yesterday in Urmitz, but it was unexpected today.  There were little tents selling everything from clothing (I think all of Germany needs neck scarves) to brushes I had no idea there were so many shapes, sizes and varieties), to grinding stones (Ian sucked in), to kitchen gadgets (my weakness), to 1/2 meter sausages in buns, etc, etc.  The picture today gives a little bit of the flavour of this well-attended festival.  Kids were doing rides and eating zuker watte (cotton candy) just like at Rockton fair.

But unlike Rockton, the regional train station has at least one train every hour back to Koblenz and though there were only 3 cars, 2 of them accepted bicycles and we were back at the Hbf by 5 pm.  Unfortunately, but nicely, most of the town is closed on Sunday.  We managed a couple of buns and a donair, so no problems.

going local

OK, today was a 'take it easy day'.  We started by wandering around the downtown, poking into stores, picking up items on our list.  Our aim was to get to a certain church at 12:30 for a choral concert.  The two choirs did a nice job in a church started in the 5th century -- but after two songs (modern) Ian heard a band outside and excused himself.  There was a sax solo of "I will follow him" which I fully expected to erupt into a full Sister Act "I love him", but did not.

We had seen a sign for an early Oktoberfest celebration tonight and tomorrow evening in the town of Urmitz where we had been on Wednesday.  They also had a Bauhaus (european Home Depot), so we decided to ride up there and check them out.  We rode in local attire -- no cycling shorts, helmets, jerseys, bags. Ian even got a neckscarf for the occasion. Thanks to a friendly older couple on folding bikes, we did find the Bauhaus (3 different underpasses).  I love the European style, especially in bathrooms.  Also, they are starting to carry the new LED lamps.  We need more light in our dining area and something like that would be lovely.

The Oktoberfest was just a drinking party in the evening and we couldn't see negotiating the train (with bicycles) or cycling back along the Rhine after such an adventure, so we didn't go that native!  We rode back and had a traditional dinner -- sauerbraten and spatzle with speck and zwiebeln in Kaserahm sause (german version of spaghetti carbonara) while watching the barges head up and down the river.  Life is good and this vacation is great!

Here we are at the Deutches Eck -- corner where the Mosel joins the Rhine and the most important Koblenz location.

Moseying on the Mosel

Ian wasn't feeling too well and since we had missed a number of pictures on our cycle along the Mosel yesterday, I decided to retrace our steps (pedals, I guess), take the photos (with an SD card in the camera this time), and go on a bit.

Vineyards hanging on hillsides are just awe inspiring.  This year the harvest is not ready while I am here, so there are no little machines slowly cogging their way up the monotrack (shown in the photo with my red water bottle for size reference), no eastern Europeans with big baskets on their backs, and no sweet smell in the vineyards.  Summer has been quite cool and rainy here, so they are delayed.  But there are lots of bunches just waiting for those few more sunny days so I am not too worried about the harvest.

In the 50 km that I rode along the Mosel today, there was one dam with lock system.  Obviously this is not enough as in a number of towns there were high water marks on the buildings which were significantly over my head! And this was not a long time ago -- one of the worst floods was just in 1993.

I took the train back -- yes, the car I got into showed room for 8 bicycles.  What a nice system that provides for frequency and variety of trains on many routes.  It took me back to Koblenz Hbf (Hauptbahnhof -- main train station) which is less than 1 km from our hotel.

We are still exploring the city with its many statues and very interesting fountains.  And we continue to sample cheeses and breads and meats and beer and Federweissen (actually both red and white).  I bet you wish you were here.

Historic bumps

We decided to go in a different direction today, so it was to the southwest along the Mosel. This is a much quieter, lazier cousin to the bustling Rhine, but the tour boats have found this lovely river too.  The Mosel cycle path follows the train line for much of this first part, except where you are directed into some of the little towns and tempted to stop for a coffee or a glass of the local fermentation.  Winningen is very picturesque with grape vines growing across the streets at about the first story height.

Thanks to a little store in Gondorf, the scraping brake pads problem on Ian's bike was fixed fairly easily -- or at least dealt with until we got back to Koblenz where he traded bikes.  Picnic sitting on a little wall holding up a grape vine terrace -- unforgettable!

As he is still getting over his cold, Ian took it easy in the afternoon while I did some more riding to the south along the Rhine.  I had done this last year, but coming the other way.  Today's picture is of one of the cobbles sections along that route -- another reminder of the history around you at every turn and every bump in this case.

We had dinner in a basement room of the Alt Coblenz restaurant, which must have been a storage cellar, complete with arched ceiling.  Food was authentic too, and very tasty!

River Rhine

Although we had picked up the bicycles last evening, we had to stop at the bike store for pump and repair kit and another lock.  Helmets for 3 euros a day when the bicycle is only 8?!  No thanks -picked up one for 14 euros at a department store.

North over the Mosel bridge and then onto the cycle path along the river.  Going downstream, the barges are just a bit faster than we leisure cyclists -- (on the way back with the tailwind for us, we beat them easily going upstream).  I am still delighted by the usage on the river -- personal craft to immensely long double barges laden with coal or containers.  And the bridges tell of different eras and technologies -- none go back to Julius Caesar, but there are many Roman ruins clearly visible.  One of my favourite bridges is the one in today's photo  -- a gorgeous new suspension span.

We prowled around Koblenz after we returned about 4 pm (about 40 km today).  Watching the cruise barges dock and jockey around each other is fascinating.  There was even a ship building works on one bank with the planking for launching on completion.  Solved the card reader problem on the computer and so I can now put in a teasing picture (so that you come to see all the photos).

For a second evening, we did the bread and cheese thing in our room, which is very modern and lovely.  We had eaten lunch out on the road and it was getting a bit cool to eat outside, which would be my preference.  Besides, the bread and cheese here are fabulous and the federweiss is available for take out (just remember to transport the unsealed bottle of fermenting grape juice standing up!).

Riding into history

The flight to Frankfurt was uneventful -- good!
The new adventure started with the locating of the long distance rail station.  It is in a beautiful modern building,  housing hotels and shopping along with the rail.  How fitting that the ICE (inter city express) which glides effortlessly and quietly along the rails, should have a building which is as sleek and aerodynamic looking as the train itself.

And then we got to the Rhine - whisked by the vineyards literally hanging on the sides of the mountains, spoke the classic names of Rudesheim, Bingen, St. Goar, marvelled at the ruins of castles still perched on their rocky peaks, repeated the Lorelei story at the rocky curve in the river.  Many have gone before us and we are looking forward to treading (and riding) on those ancient routes.

I did take a picture of the ICE train in order to insert into this blog, but the little computer is not reading the SD card from my camera, sorry.

a little piece of Sweden

Remember I was discussing with Kieran about how Sweden is different from Canada?  Here is the list of my unique Swedish souvenier items:
Gevalia coffee roasted in Gavle;
baking mats that I have no idea of the material, but they are more durable than parchment and less sticky than silicone;
swedish limpa bread mix;
moomin frig magnets;
serious pear cider;
an amber bracelet;
long silicone oven mitts;

There may be a few more things we add tomorrow as we walk down to catch the train to Arlanda airport just after 11 am, but that's the stuff I can't get easily at home.

Be Swedish!

That call to the Swedish people was from their first King and is still ingrained in the culture today.  We buy Swedish strawberries, though they cost 25% more than the ones from Belgium.  We will miss the midsummer festivities, but the traditional celebrations will be on Friday and Saturday.  Even Ikea has the traditional swedish summer buffet.  And no apologies are made for being traditional, so in many ways, that is nice, coming from the Canadian society where tradition is being thrown out in education, holidays, and national dishes.  Too bad.

I have SO enjoyed the functional cycling -- to the grocery store, to the train museum, to downtown, to the garden center, to the bank, to the liquor store, etc.  I may find one of those uncool front baskets for my little green bike.  With the distances around town being about 5 km to anywhere, one does not need to 'gear up' -- including no helmets as most of the riding is on cycle paths or the sidewalk which is shared with pedestrians.  I think that is probably the key to better integrating cycling into our urban culture -- teach the walkers and riders to co-exist as they can talk to each other.  That's not really possible with the cars.

We were walking with Kieran this morning and pointing out how Sweden is different from home.  That's why I travel -- I want to see what is different in other parts of the world.  He noticed that cars here have big fog lights in front, the compost bins are brown, mailboxes at the houses are blue, etc.  Even now, he is gaining an appreciation for alternative lifestyles.

Wonderful railway museum complete with minitrain!  And, the cake buffet at Hemlingsby was very tasty -- only 60 K (complete with unlimited coffee or tea), very strange when a coffee anywhere is easily 20K.  But Hemlingsby is the municipal outdoor recreational area where Richard runs hill repeats on the ski hill, and outdoor activity is encouraged for all age groups.   Bonus encouragement!

Playing in Swedish dirt

Gardening is joyful no matter where you do it.  For the past few days, I have had the delight of rooting through Jennie and Richard's garden.  Most of the plants I recognize, and most of the weeds.  I even had some help from Kieran today as he collected the discards and tossed them into the compost.  (He is a good helper!)  I envy the little bellis (english daisies) that are everywhere in the garden and throughout the lawn.  I hate pulling them out even when it is necessary as they are crowding some other desirable species.

Today we had the adventure of cycling to Hemlingby where Richard does a lot of his running training (and sees a variety of the lovely and dangerous wildlife of Sweden).  It is always so nice to experience a place that you have heard about many times and now can add your own understanding to the discussion.  A bonus was the lovely soup and bread lunch in the restaurant at the top of the hill.  (Thanks Gord, for the recommendation.)

I love the cycle paths that connect everywhere so that shopping, sightseeing, commuting, and exercise can all be done for the most part without the hassle of cars.  And they are great for walking too.  Sunset at 10:23 this evening.

There is no bad weather.....

only bad clothes.  The Swedes do not let rain, or cold, or snow, or ice, or darkness stop them.  One has a long raincoat, a lined raincoat, a breathable raincoat, a super-light raincoat..... you get the picture.  Totally admirable coming from a society where people caught in the rain can't even get to their cars from Tim's.

Friday was moving day.  We had to be out of the apartment by 11, so Sham and all our luggage hung out at the central station while the rest of us watched the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace.  We were fortunate that the regiment currently on duty is a mounted regiment, complete with a mounted band -- one of only two in the world, according to Ian.  The pomp and pagentry was magnificent, interesting the kids for the whole 45 minute presentation.

The changing of the guard was right on time, but the train to Gavle was delayed.  However, we, and all our luggage, arrived in Gavle and were met by Richard and Jennie.  Their house is wonderful.  It is a combination of Swedish efficiency (hot water heated by the city system!), the loving touches of the former owners (stained glass accents and triple pane windows), and Jennie's superb artistic talent (repainting of walls for a lovely bright living room that feels like you are sitting in the garden).  Joanna and family are conveniently lodged in the lower level suite, cleverly separated by curtains.  Ian and I are upstairs (in a gorgeous bedroom given up by Richard and Jennie who have moved into Richard's study for the week), beside the office room.  The kitchen accommodates two tables and 8 people very comfortably, not even encroaching upon the cooking and prep area.  There is a huge back porch off the deck and a lovely garden beyond.

Saturday was Hogobo day -- it being 25 km away and we only having the extra car for this weekend.  This is a lovely area featuring small lakes, walking (and skiing) trails, boats for hire, artisans working on site, a hotel, cottages, a cafeteria and a wonderful restaurant.  We all spent the afternoon and then Joanna, Sham and kids went home for pasta supper while Ian, Jennie, Richard and I have a fantastic meal which culminates in a cheese board and then dessert buffet of some of the most interesting flavour combinations -- all done in tiny amounts.

Today was Ikea visit and there are some subtle differences -- had to have the silicone gloves which I have never seen at home.

And Jennie and Richard have a garden.  There is all the excitement of seeing what comes up in a new garden and trying to identify as desirable or weed, some of the large clumps.  Raspberries have a prominent spot and there are pockets of herbs amongst the flowers.  Delightful.

It's been sun and rain and sprinkle, but we are trying to adopt that Swedish motto -- no bad weather, just bad clothes!

Steeped in history

The official birthday of Stockholm is August 1252, but that's only the first mention of the city in a letter written by the King and he was writing from a city, so who knows when it actually started.  But whenever it was, the place certainly has history in your face, around every corner.  Stockholm boasts 84 museums and today we skimmed the surface of 2.

From Gamla Stan, the original old town where our apartment is located, one can ferry to many of the other islands accessible by bridges also, but with a long walk.  We boated over to the island which has a number of historic sites and walked to the Vassa Museum.  This entire museum is for the royal military boat -- the Vassa which sank in the late 1600s after 1,300 m on its maiden voyage.  That's right -- less than 2 km and a gust of wind broadside tipped, the top-heavy boat to the point where the (unfortunately still open after the cannon salute) gun holes were immersed, the ship took on water and sank, killing about 30 of the 500 on board.  At the end of the 20th century it was raised and painstakingly reconstructed.  Most of the ship on display is original and the carvings and design features are beautiful to behold, but first and foremost, a ship has to be able to manage the seas.  OOPS!

The second dose of history was the Ridderholm Church.  It is the oldest building in Stockholm dating from the 1260s.  Started by Franciscan monks, it lost much of its prestige after the turn from Catholicism and became a church for burials.  The Royal dynasties build elaborate chapels on the sides of the church, but common folk could be buried under the church floor if they could manage the price.  Our guide was passionate about the topic and we could have gone on long after the one hour tour if it had not been closing time.

Ian and I poked around the city this afternoon and it is good to know that we can find some of the interesting spots from our previous trip, -- makes Stockholm an old friend to visit again and again.

Stockholm at 2 am

With the clouds lit up from a bright horizon, it looks like dusk.  The buildings and trees are still quite visible.  The crescent moon looks unusually large, still being low in the sky.  Certainly the lights reflecting in the water make a big difference too, but the view from the window is incredible for 2 am.  And I guess the Swedes feel the same way, as there are still pedestrians and cars passing by below.  One needs to make up for the endless winter.

We had a great day, starting with a boat tour around a number of the islands and through some of the old canals.  Ian, the boat enthusiast among us, was snapping pictures everywhere of the lovely wooden boats close to shore on simple docks.  We passed under a variety of Stockholm's bridges from simple low arches to a high triple span (two for cars, one for rail).  No garbage!

After the kids' nap, we were off, first to have 'tea' at a little chocolate shop -- oh so decadent!, and then to see the boat elevator (lock) which is just at the southern tip of this island.  It only lifts/lowers the boats by about a meter, but Kieran still enjoyed it, especially when the policemen in the police boat said hi to him on their trip through.

Nothing beats dinner outdoors, but put the table on a slanted cobblestone base and you have a unique experience.  Add reindeer, arctic char, and Versterbotten pie and you have a memory.  Finally, throw in a street busker juggling, and this was a an adventure.

And on such a lovely night, the guys went out for a nightcap while the girls stayed in and watched a video from the collection here at the apartment.  Nice day!  (and incredible night)

stockholm in the rain

I am sitting here in the bay window of our 4th floor apartment, looking over the boats and harbour of Stockholm.  It is currently raining fairly heavily, but that does not stop the ferries, the sightseeing boats, the cyclists, the pedestrians or anything about the progress of the day.  It is a frequent, usually short, part of the day, and already the clouds are moving on and brighter sky is visible out over the arm of the ocean where the cruise boats enter the harbour.

The apartment which we have rented for the week, is huge -- a real living space with a big eat-in kitchen, a formal dining room, a little alcove where Kieran sleeps, the front foyer, a big parlour with only a piano and a few chairs around the perimeter (K has designated it as the dancing room and there would be space for at least 4 couples to dance), a big living room, a library which is where Ian and I sleep, a big bedroom for Joanna, Sham and Clara, and then a laundry area plus 1.5 bathrooms.  No certainly not roughing it!  We opted for this arrangement rather than 2 or 3 hotel rooms as it makes travelling with the little ones so much easier.

Ian and I arrived yesterday afternoon,  exactly on schedule.  We took a taxi from the airport which, while being more costly, made the trip with extra luggage (Rich and Jenn's stuff) ,much easier.  It was   a long day and everyone went to bed early.

Joanna and company had already done some of the attractions and so this morning was designated "boat tour" which Ian and I have not done as our other visits to Stockholm have been in November.  Today the boat ride up the canals between some of the islands, was spectacular.  And bonus, most of the small pleasure boats and seasonal houseboats were all about, adding to the history and stories related by the tour company. I think there is a trip to the locks planned for after nap-- yes, that's another great aspects of vacation -- of the six of us, I am the only one not napping at this time.  But the apartment is big enough and the time lazy enough for each of us to indulge in whatever we want to do.

This window on the city is fascinating.  Last evening we watched as one of the tour boats readied to leave.  There were the little ferries which shuttled people back and for to the dock, doing their final unloading and then being hoisted beside the lifeboats; the anchors being hauled up while the tug turned the boat around; and finally the big ship sailing out.  But the huge cruise boats are only a small fraction of the water traffic.  Every size of watercraft -- right down to single person kayaks, use the waterways.  The street below has bicycles and pedestrians on the sidewalk, cars on on the outer lanes and only city buses on the centre lanes.  There's a creative way to move traffic through a city!

Well, another rain shower has just finished.  Time to get the kids up and find a nice afternoon coffee.

You've got to have a dream.....

If you don't have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?  You don't have to be a 'lutellen' to see the logic in that statement.

But what is an appropriate dream?  Here in Honduras I have met a couple of people who are following a dream.  The first is a couple who, 9 months ago, sold everything in Edmonton and bought a little coffee shop here iin West Bay.  She is the barrista while he manages things I guess.  She does some baking as they sell some pastries with the coffee.  There are also beans available, but the reason we walked in was the wifi -- $5 for half an hour, or a free half hour if you buy something totalling $5 or more.  No kids involved makes the move a little easier, but they were still easing their way into the Roatan way of life, planning some renovations (she wants to have a wine bar along side the coffee), but following a dream.  The other lady is also an ex-pat Canadian -- a marine biologist from St. Catharines (Brock U) who traded the Great Lakes for the Carribean where she does the commentary on the glass-bottom boat tours.  A knowledgeable lady who also has no intentions of going back.  Making the dream come true.

I admire these people almost as much as my Dad and Mom who at 39 and 27 years old respectively, left house, home, family, culture and language to follow their dream of their own farm.  And they had to drag 3 kids under 3 along for the ride.  I know it wasn't easy, but the dream was strong and so was their determination.  My family has now been 50 years on the farm outside Niagara Falls, and I have a video of my Dad doing a tour of his farm for his brothers and sisters who were in Germany and who I was visiting.  He was a man who achieved his dream!

So what is an appropriate dream for me?  I used to do 5 and 10 year plans, but reality shattered the planning out of life.  I am not looking for New Year's resolutions, because a dream is more a life-long thing.

It was a gorgeous day here with warm sunshine most of the day.  The ocean was calm and the water had settled after the storms of the beginning of the week.  In other words, the water was clear and bright and the view onto the coral, fantastic.  There were many of the fish that I have seen before, and even some growth on the coral that was new to me.  I swam through a large school of sargent majors and chased a couple of parrot fish.  Sometimes I came to the surface to laugh aloud at the sheer delight of the activity.  And then there was swimming this afternoon-- with almost noone in the water -- a whole peaceful world all to myself.  Joy, that contentment coupled with delight, is certainly a valid aspect of a dream.

And today I add:  Went for a nice long walk with a lady who came down on the same plane.  We checked out the end of the island and the gorgeous houses there.  She was most certain that it was her dream to retire there.  Turns out she is a doctor in Toronto, and so will probably be able to make that dream come true.  But I knew for certain, that is not my dream.  Certainly I enjoyed the sun, sea, surf and the magnificent structures, but the main thoughts are how the people that I love would enjoy this or that.  Richard, there were tidal pools like little craters in the coral.  Joanna, the water is lovely -- I have done more swimming in the last two days than in the last 6 months.  Ian, there are lots of places to sit and watch the world with a beer -- and the beer is relatively cheap, and talk -- LOTS of people love to talk.  Kieran, there is sand and lots of kids playing in the sand and the surf --even watched one eating sand today.  Shammie, there is fantastic diving and lots to see not far off shore.  Jennie, there are hills that would keep you happy running or mountain biking --and even a spot just around the corner to get a mountain bike for reasonable -- and a decent Schwinn!  Clara, there was a little one crying when placed in the water, but I think you would love the gently rolling water.

Dreaming?  yes and trying to come up with the essence of the dream.

Significant relaxation

OK, the resort is not the most landscaped that I have been to (though the grounds are mature and beautifully kept), the buildings not the most modern (though almost everything is authentic Honduran mahagony, polished to a beautiful sheen), the room not the most elegant (though it is immaculately clean and in great repair as this resort just re-opened before Christmas after a major renovation with an inroom safe and even a mini frig), the beach not the most expansive (though even at high tide there is lots of space and one can walk extensively in either direction), the bar doesn't serve Alphonso 13 (though there are 4 local beers and lots of rum based drinks that I have never even heard of and they have some of the most unusual shell-shaped glasses), the restaurants not the most varied (though they do different theme nights, last evening we were around a pool with flowers floating and tonight we will be at the beach bar and breakfast is here under the palm trees by the other pool), the food not the most interesting or varied (though there are always some salads, a couple of protein dishes and about 2 desserts and what they do, they do very well except for beef cuts and there was a fish at lunch today that has to be one of the best pieces of fish I have ever had), the entertainment quite simple (though there are local singers with keyboards most of the time at the beach bar and last night at dinner too), but this place is great for relaxation, which is just what Joan and I were looking for.

The wifi works fairly well, managed to skype and show K the palms, coconuts and me sticking my feet into the pool.  The tour we took today to a glass bottom boat, butterflies and birds, iguanas was great and we saw about half of the island. Some people are running to a different place every day, but we have spent most of the time here, except for the tour and a water taxi trip up to West End yesterday.

And I have been reading -- good recommendation for a book, Ian, and doing sudoku puzzles -- even have Joan trying some of them.  One dishcloth has been knitted and as for the rest of the time, it has been just relaxing and this week, that is the aim.

Talking to our tourguide this morning we learned a bit more about Honduras -- he readily puts the local problems of lack of education (only schools for about a third of the kids on this island!) planning and infrastructure (no island-wide purified water, poor roads), and poor medical facilities at the feet of a very corrupt government -- and we saw the elegant mansions to prove it.  We can be thankful to live in Canada -- and just vacation here.

A Rainy Day in Paradise

Or maybe it should be 'a rainy day at paradise' since we are here on Roatan at the Paradise Beach club.  But which ever preposition you choose, it is most definitely raining --off and on all day.  And when it rains,   it is the torrential type downpour that one associates with the tropics.  The island is one of the most lush places I have ever been.  We saw forests of palms and bamboo on the drive here from the airport.  The lady at the coffee shop where we are sitting is from Edmonton and she says that by now it should be hot and sunny.  And it will be, but the rain is not a hardship.

The Paradise Beach Club is actually the improved Paradise Beach Club, having just opened after a renovation.  The hotel is getting its act together.  It is small, and so has limited facilities, but the people are very pleasant and accommodating.  It will not, unfortunately work as a beach vacation destination with the kids.  The water from the tap is not purified and so you need bottled water to even brush your teeth.  There is a limited selection at dinner, but we are not here for the food.

But we do not wash dishes, nor do the cooking.  So, it is relaxing and time to stroll along the beach.  Life is good.

The Significant Adventure

It is New Year's Day and one of the readings at St. Andrew's this morning was about a 'significant' new year rather than a 'happy' new year.  And, though I do not subscribe to official New Year's resolutions, this is the time of year when one considers the important aspects of life......which brings me to today's post. 

Tomorrow morning (very early), I am off to Roatan, Honduras with Joan.  It's a place I have never been before and therefore promises to be a new adventure.  But sitting here, I know that I am on a much more significant adventure without leaving the house. 

This week we had the delight and challenge of Joanna and family visiting for 5 days.  Kieran has a bad cold and so the hectic schedule of visits in Toronto, Hamilton, Stoney Creek and Niagara took their toll on the little guy.  He had difficulty settling downstairs for his night's sleep and one time, I was the one down there with him.  He didn't want me to leave -- "another story", "sing Twinkle two times here", and finally "hold your hand".  He wanted to fall asleep, under his binket, with one thumb in his mouth and the other chubby little hand holding my hand.  The trust and openness of child tugs at the hardest of hearts.  Is it not amazing that this is the analogy of God's relationship with us, his children?

This adventure, first with my own children, and now with Kieran and Clara (who is becoming an engaging young miss), is a most significant adventure. 

I wish you a significant New Year!