Saturday morning our group of 16 boarded our 44 passenger bus for our trip north to Kanchanaburi Thailand. Along the way we stopped at a coconut plantation that also offered an in house view of a 100 year old home built of teak wood. The home owner also offered an opportunity to hold his pet python snake. I contemplated taking him up on his offer to hold it and allow it to wrap around my neck, but Michael shared his story of a friend how received a severe bite on his face in a similar situation. If I’d been in Birmingham close to Kirkland Clinic I might have been able to offer a picture, but the risk and reward equation just didn’t work out.
Further up the road we stopped at the Floating Market of Damnern Saduak, the market has changed over the years. Originally it served as a market for those living on the river to paddle up the river to purchase their daily needs. Today the Floating Market serves the tourist busses that bring a steady stream of tourists to buy their souvenirs. As we looked at all the stuff, and we already have all the stuff that we need, we recalled our trips to Florida where we had to have a Coconut Head, a set of castanets, and a rubber alligator. Nothing changes the stuff just changes.
Our next stop was a wood carving studio; the work was beautifully done in teak and rosewood so the prices reflected the quality of the work. Nita and I debated the purchase of a 10 foot teak elephant that would look magnificent adjacent to our back yard patio, but there were so many to choose from and we’re going to a fabulous night market in several days. Confident that we could do better then %8,000 plus shipping and handling we boarded our bus to continue our Magical Mystery Tour.
We’re currently watching an on–bus video about the building of the bridge over the River Kwai. In the summer of 1942 the Allies were cutting off the Japanese sea supply routes to their troops in Burma. They decided to build a railway that followed the River Kwai through the jungle. They enslaved 200,000 Asian labors and 61, 000 Allied POW’s to build the 260 mile stretch of rail. A total of 100,000 Asians and 20,000 POW’s died over the three years of construction.
We walked the current bridge which has turned into a Tourist destination and offered little incite in to the history of the area. We then went to a museum and cemetery that got far fewer visitors that properly portrayed the hardships and perils of the ordeal. The conditions brought to mind the pictures that I’ve seen of the Holocaust.
We checked into our Spa Resort Hotel, a magnificent facility that was built 15 to 20 years ago as a convention center for the local political establishment and Thai travelers. The architecture the grounds and the layout would challenge any resort hotel that you may have stayed in, but as a result of lack of maintenance and repair the hotel has deteriated. Our room was not clean the shower flooded the bathroom floor the food was substandard and the grounds were eroding. Luckily were stayed here only two days then traveled further north.
Our second day in this area started with a boat ride up the river. The boats hold eight people and are powered by a suspended car engine that drives a prop at the end of a 20 foot shaft. We slid through the water for about an hour passing river motels where the Thai vacationers come to relax. Although several looked inviting most had no electricity, cold showers, and plenty of bugs and mosquitoes. Our decaying hotel quickly looked much better. At the end of the boat trip be hoped into the back of a pick-up truck and climbed the hill to the entrance of Hell Fire Pass; a cut through the mountain side of rock to accommodate the railroad tracks laid by the POW’s. It was mind numbing to imagine men cutting through the rock by hand in some areas 50 feet deep. The work was done with hand tools, the heat and humidity was unbearable and the food was mineable. It’s easy to see why the death toll was so high, the bulk of the Allied troops working to the railroad were Australian. We climbed 500 steps up to a museum run by the Australian government that provided a beautiful view of the valley.
We stopped at Salyok Noi Waterfall to find many Thai enjoying the cool water and a Sunday Picnic; we opted for a light lunch at a adjoining restraint that featured a flaming dish of a local vegetable. While eating I heard the first mention of a “Big Mac”.
After lunch we jumped onto a train to travel the rails that we had learned so much about over the last two days. The trains are a free form of transportation for the Thai people while foreigners are charged 100 Baht ($3.00). A half hour on a rundown non air-conditioned train was just enough, 5 hours back to Bangkok would be tough.
Monday morning we’re back on the bus for a five hour journey to Sukhothai the 13th century capital of Thailand. Our trip included several stops along the highway, the first what our tour guide called a culture shock. At this road side stand they were selling the bounty of the rice fields not to include any rice, rats, mongoose, snake, birds. We were lucky to be there while a skinned rat delivery was make, thus be saw before and after BBQ’ed. Down the road a piece we visited a family factory that made painted and fired Benjaron, Srimuck and Raikam ware. A number of the woman purchased candle sticks, while they objected to the men buying a mid morning snack of BBQ rat. (it’s a man thing)
Back on the bus Poupee, our guide, told us we wold be stopping at a local market to shop for our lunch ingredients that we would be having on a rice barge. Each of us were handed a paper with a few basic Thai words and the ingredient that we were responsible for fetching, it was up to us to communicate with the local merchants to find what was on our shopping list. As I stepped off the bus I spotted an elder well dressed lady sitting on a bench outside a store. I went over, sat next to her and said “Tee Nai Bai Kra Praow”, she gave me a questioning look and I repeated, “Tee Nai Bai Kra Praow”. I was able to establish that she understood Tee Nai as where but the rest was falling apart with my translation. I worked on Bai Kra Praw changing the emphasis on different syllables, a light went off, she grabbed my arm and led me from vendor to vendor until she found a lady selling fresh basil, I hugged her as the vendor collected 2 baht for my purchase. Nita had a harder time but did find a “temple offering for 190 baht the we will take to a monk tomorrow. Jerry came back with a live turtle, Michael an eel, Bill a live catfish and Ed two live frogs. Everyone else have things like pumpkin, fruits, and vegetables. Back on the bus we headed for the riverside to board the rice barge and make our meal, but before getting on board Poupee explained that the first rule of a good Buddhist was to never kill a living creature. Understanding that sometimes it’s necessary to kill varmints and pests you can make amends and extend your life by releasing captured creatures, so we released the turtle, frogs, fish and eel into the river before boarding the barge for lunch.
Heading further north we stop at the most elaborate Buddhist temple that I have ever seen. As I understand it was built in recognition of a monk that died about 12 years ago and is now the home of 54 monks from the area.
Our hotel in Phitsanulok is much better than the preceding two nights, we had an extensive buffet dinner including a wide assortment of Sushi and deserts as well as the traditional Thai food.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Angkor Wat and Bahgkok
We spent the afternoon at Angkor Wat; it’s massive and surprisingly well preserved for what it with stood over the 700 years of neglect. We spent four hours in the temple and came to the understanding that this massive structure was solely for the purpose of paying homage to the king of the era and the gods that he worshiped, no one lived in the temple and once the king died all work stopped and the temple became passé as the new king started construction on his own temple to honor himself.
We stayed at Angkor Wat until sunset so as to catch the opportunity to photograph the temple in the setting sun light as its image reflected by the pools in its foreground. Our guide Thai and driver Mr. Sun provides wine, beef jerky and the best cashews I have ever had to toast our visit to Angkor Wat.
I feel luck that I had the opportunity to see Angkor Wat before it becomes fully commercialized; I have no doubt that if the Cambodian government shows some stability over the next several years international investors will come forward with money, knowledge and ambitions to turn Angkor Wat into one of the worlds premier tourist attractions. Currently Germany, Italy, Japan, France, and the U.S. all lead restoration efforts on one of the temples locate in the Angkor area, thus establishing some level of involvement in the future of the area.
Wednesday morning we were on our own so we made our way to the Angkor National Museum. I regret that we did not go to the museum on the first day that we arrived in Siem Reap. The museum did an outstanding job of putting the history, the religious influence, and the meaning of many of the icons in focus. We stopped on the way back to our hotel for lunch which cost $3.75, a meal that would have cost $18.00 in Birmingham.
Our afternoon was spent at the killing fields where over 3000 people were killed and buried; this was one of 3200 such locations that served as execution mills between 1975 and 1979 as the Khmer Rouge attempted to rid Cambodia of anyone who resisted or was opposed to the revolution. They took over the high school building and turned it into a prison. After a three step interigation designed to get the prisoner to revel 10 other enemies of the revelation 30 to 40 prisoners were marched a quarter of a mile to an open field with strip pits where their heads were bashed and throats slit by the soldiers who were between 15 and 20 years old. The bodies were dumped in shallow graves and the process was continued each night from 6 pm to 12 am. The killing fields are now home to a Buddhist Monastery as well as a memorial to the victims. It was an excursion that I could have lived without but the trip would not have been complete if we had not gone.
I would highly recommend a visit to Cambodia; if you’re adventurous and interested in one of the 7 manmade wonders of the world. This part of our trip could be done on your own without the assistance of a tour company. The hotels are all new and inexpensive, the local transportation is cheap and the food is good and inexpensive. The only irritant is the street argents, young children selling postcards, local crafts, and books. They latch on to you, give you a well rehearsed sales pitch and then a hard close, that all failing they attempt to physically wear you down until you either buy or find refuge in your bus or van. Upon telling a 10 year old girl, “Sorry I don’t want your postcards,” she replied, “Sorry dosen’t pay the bills.”
Our excursion to Cambodia complete we caught an hour flight back to Bangkok.
Bangkok is a big city, 6 million people all trying to get from here to there. We added 5 more travelers for the balance of our trip, a Brooklyn couple now retired in Fort Lauderdale, a Hawaiian couple and Victor a 60ish gentleman from Chile now living in Miami. Victor and I will get along well. Our group from the Cambodian leg includes a couple from the Palm Springs area, our friend Michael and Marcia and Jerry and Jennifer all from Vero Beach, Bill from Green Bay and Deb. I need to elaborate on Deb; she’s a delight, from Washington DC works for the United Health Organization, 45 years old, attractive, physically fit, and Jewish, looking for the right man. I just may know someone that she should consider, Deb and I have been talking about my friend currently living in Chicago.
Today we went through the flower market, a general market, and a food market all full of activity, color and accommodating people. Then we were off to catch our boat that took us through the extensive canal and river system that was a major part of Bangkok’s transportation system in its early days. Today the river serves to move heavy cargo and the canals to supply daily markets throughout the city. Our first stop was at Aura Temple, a series of ornate towers the tallest of which stood about 100 feet tall. Deb and I climbed to the 70 ft point, as high as you could go for a magnificent view of the river and the Royal Palace. The steps were at a 70 degree angle producing a real thigh burning climb in the 97 degree heat. At mid day we stopped by “Rurn Kyun Yaai” for a cooking demonstration followed by lunch. The cooking demonstration was on Red Curry Rice and our hostess Surajit Rmphansaeng should have her own TV cooking show. We were in her home right on the canal which had been a wedding gift from her in-laws. This was not of the quality of your home but a far cry from the two homes that we visited in Cambodia. The upstairs was full of musical instruments, and attractive furniture. Surajit’s son, Basketball, assisted with the preparation and serving and her daughter, Book, attended the University. (the names are correct) Lunch consisted of five courses and was far superior to the Thai food that we get in Birmingham and we have good Thai restaurants in Birmingham. I presented Basketball with one of my Best of Us – Best of US ball caps which brought a big smile to the 15 year olds face.
Back in the boat we wound our way back into the heart of Bangkok stopping at the Royal Barge Museum. This is collection of decorative longboats that the numerous Kings of Thailand used to move up and down the river; there were no pictures allowed in an effort to promote postcard sales. We bid farewell to our boat driver and hoped on the bus stopping at a tailor shop. Needing a new blue blazer I told Jack, a young salesman, that I wanted the highest quality fabric and finest workmanship. This warranted a trip upstairs to see the good stuff. My blazer “top quality blazer” started at $345 but after several trips to the front door by me we setteled at a price of $250 and a pair of tailored slacks for $57. I have to go back tomorrow evening for a fitting and my new duds should be ready the following evening before we leave Bangkok. I realize it’s all a bit of a sales gimmick for the tour company to collect a commission but I think I made a good deal, besides they served “Elephant Beer” as we were being sold so I got a bit of a buzz for my $307 as well.
Friday morning started at 6am with a walk to the park where we joined 3000 other people for morning exercise. Just as we saw in China two years ago morning exercise is an important part of the Thai people’s life. There were hundreds of groups dressed in different colored tee-shirts doing different forms of exercise, some with fans, some with swords and others doing conventional forms of exercise. The six of us joined a group of about 100 people doing stretching and breathing exercise. After a half hour we introduced ourselves to the leader and the 83 year old coach and were offered front row positions the next time we attended.
Our tour was offering an optional tour for the day but we opted out and chose to find our own way around Bangkok. Our group wanted to experience the public transportation system and not be tied to regimented schedule. We found the subway system to be clean easy to understand and foreigner friendly. We emerged not far from Chinatown where we became emerged in the hustle and bustle of Bangkok daily life. For two hours we rubbed shoulders with the citizens of Bangkok, I saw no more than a half dozen people who were tourists, we asked questions, photographed, and moved through their crowded stalls of merchandise and were never hassled, threatened or treated rudely. The Asian people don’t get mad, they are always kind, and greet you with hands together below their chin and a bow.
With more ground to cover and temperatures in the mid 90’s we contracted with two Tut-tut drivers to shuttle us from site to site. They agreed to carry the seven of us for an hour for 50 baht per Tut-tut this is equal to $1.50. We went to the Standing Buddha, the Lucky Buddha, and one of the key temples in the city. We then went to the Expo Center a tourist jewelry scam, that if we stayed over 5 minutes our Tut-tut drivers got a gasoline voucher. For lunch Michael had found a restaurant that had been written up in the New York Times and Washington Post as a real find. The place seated no more than 20 people and we were the only patrons at 12:30 pm. We were greeted by a plump woman who obviously owned and ran the establishment. The menu became a problem, so she announced that she was going to prepare the food put it on the table and we could eat what we wanted and leave what we didn’t like. We were presented sticky rice, stir fry vegetables, yellow curry chicken, sweet pork, sweet and sour fish, something banana, crispy noodles, and red curry pork. Michael and I had two 24oz beers everyone else had sparkling water of soda. It was a magnificent meal, everything was eaten and Nita and my share of the bill came to 456 Baht or $14.50 including tip.
We caught two more Tut-tuts and resumed our sight-seeing.
We stayed at Angkor Wat until sunset so as to catch the opportunity to photograph the temple in the setting sun light as its image reflected by the pools in its foreground. Our guide Thai and driver Mr. Sun provides wine, beef jerky and the best cashews I have ever had to toast our visit to Angkor Wat.
I feel luck that I had the opportunity to see Angkor Wat before it becomes fully commercialized; I have no doubt that if the Cambodian government shows some stability over the next several years international investors will come forward with money, knowledge and ambitions to turn Angkor Wat into one of the worlds premier tourist attractions. Currently Germany, Italy, Japan, France, and the U.S. all lead restoration efforts on one of the temples locate in the Angkor area, thus establishing some level of involvement in the future of the area.
Wednesday morning we were on our own so we made our way to the Angkor National Museum. I regret that we did not go to the museum on the first day that we arrived in Siem Reap. The museum did an outstanding job of putting the history, the religious influence, and the meaning of many of the icons in focus. We stopped on the way back to our hotel for lunch which cost $3.75, a meal that would have cost $18.00 in Birmingham.
Our afternoon was spent at the killing fields where over 3000 people were killed and buried; this was one of 3200 such locations that served as execution mills between 1975 and 1979 as the Khmer Rouge attempted to rid Cambodia of anyone who resisted or was opposed to the revolution. They took over the high school building and turned it into a prison. After a three step interigation designed to get the prisoner to revel 10 other enemies of the revelation 30 to 40 prisoners were marched a quarter of a mile to an open field with strip pits where their heads were bashed and throats slit by the soldiers who were between 15 and 20 years old. The bodies were dumped in shallow graves and the process was continued each night from 6 pm to 12 am. The killing fields are now home to a Buddhist Monastery as well as a memorial to the victims. It was an excursion that I could have lived without but the trip would not have been complete if we had not gone.
I would highly recommend a visit to Cambodia; if you’re adventurous and interested in one of the 7 manmade wonders of the world. This part of our trip could be done on your own without the assistance of a tour company. The hotels are all new and inexpensive, the local transportation is cheap and the food is good and inexpensive. The only irritant is the street argents, young children selling postcards, local crafts, and books. They latch on to you, give you a well rehearsed sales pitch and then a hard close, that all failing they attempt to physically wear you down until you either buy or find refuge in your bus or van. Upon telling a 10 year old girl, “Sorry I don’t want your postcards,” she replied, “Sorry dosen’t pay the bills.”
Our excursion to Cambodia complete we caught an hour flight back to Bangkok.
Bangkok is a big city, 6 million people all trying to get from here to there. We added 5 more travelers for the balance of our trip, a Brooklyn couple now retired in Fort Lauderdale, a Hawaiian couple and Victor a 60ish gentleman from Chile now living in Miami. Victor and I will get along well. Our group from the Cambodian leg includes a couple from the Palm Springs area, our friend Michael and Marcia and Jerry and Jennifer all from Vero Beach, Bill from Green Bay and Deb. I need to elaborate on Deb; she’s a delight, from Washington DC works for the United Health Organization, 45 years old, attractive, physically fit, and Jewish, looking for the right man. I just may know someone that she should consider, Deb and I have been talking about my friend currently living in Chicago.
Today we went through the flower market, a general market, and a food market all full of activity, color and accommodating people. Then we were off to catch our boat that took us through the extensive canal and river system that was a major part of Bangkok’s transportation system in its early days. Today the river serves to move heavy cargo and the canals to supply daily markets throughout the city. Our first stop was at Aura Temple, a series of ornate towers the tallest of which stood about 100 feet tall. Deb and I climbed to the 70 ft point, as high as you could go for a magnificent view of the river and the Royal Palace. The steps were at a 70 degree angle producing a real thigh burning climb in the 97 degree heat. At mid day we stopped by “Rurn Kyun Yaai” for a cooking demonstration followed by lunch. The cooking demonstration was on Red Curry Rice and our hostess Surajit Rmphansaeng should have her own TV cooking show. We were in her home right on the canal which had been a wedding gift from her in-laws. This was not of the quality of your home but a far cry from the two homes that we visited in Cambodia. The upstairs was full of musical instruments, and attractive furniture. Surajit’s son, Basketball, assisted with the preparation and serving and her daughter, Book, attended the University. (the names are correct) Lunch consisted of five courses and was far superior to the Thai food that we get in Birmingham and we have good Thai restaurants in Birmingham. I presented Basketball with one of my Best of Us – Best of US ball caps which brought a big smile to the 15 year olds face.
Back in the boat we wound our way back into the heart of Bangkok stopping at the Royal Barge Museum. This is collection of decorative longboats that the numerous Kings of Thailand used to move up and down the river; there were no pictures allowed in an effort to promote postcard sales. We bid farewell to our boat driver and hoped on the bus stopping at a tailor shop. Needing a new blue blazer I told Jack, a young salesman, that I wanted the highest quality fabric and finest workmanship. This warranted a trip upstairs to see the good stuff. My blazer “top quality blazer” started at $345 but after several trips to the front door by me we setteled at a price of $250 and a pair of tailored slacks for $57. I have to go back tomorrow evening for a fitting and my new duds should be ready the following evening before we leave Bangkok. I realize it’s all a bit of a sales gimmick for the tour company to collect a commission but I think I made a good deal, besides they served “Elephant Beer” as we were being sold so I got a bit of a buzz for my $307 as well.
Friday morning started at 6am with a walk to the park where we joined 3000 other people for morning exercise. Just as we saw in China two years ago morning exercise is an important part of the Thai people’s life. There were hundreds of groups dressed in different colored tee-shirts doing different forms of exercise, some with fans, some with swords and others doing conventional forms of exercise. The six of us joined a group of about 100 people doing stretching and breathing exercise. After a half hour we introduced ourselves to the leader and the 83 year old coach and were offered front row positions the next time we attended.
Our tour was offering an optional tour for the day but we opted out and chose to find our own way around Bangkok. Our group wanted to experience the public transportation system and not be tied to regimented schedule. We found the subway system to be clean easy to understand and foreigner friendly. We emerged not far from Chinatown where we became emerged in the hustle and bustle of Bangkok daily life. For two hours we rubbed shoulders with the citizens of Bangkok, I saw no more than a half dozen people who were tourists, we asked questions, photographed, and moved through their crowded stalls of merchandise and were never hassled, threatened or treated rudely. The Asian people don’t get mad, they are always kind, and greet you with hands together below their chin and a bow.
With more ground to cover and temperatures in the mid 90’s we contracted with two Tut-tut drivers to shuttle us from site to site. They agreed to carry the seven of us for an hour for 50 baht per Tut-tut this is equal to $1.50. We went to the Standing Buddha, the Lucky Buddha, and one of the key temples in the city. We then went to the Expo Center a tourist jewelry scam, that if we stayed over 5 minutes our Tut-tut drivers got a gasoline voucher. For lunch Michael had found a restaurant that had been written up in the New York Times and Washington Post as a real find. The place seated no more than 20 people and we were the only patrons at 12:30 pm. We were greeted by a plump woman who obviously owned and ran the establishment. The menu became a problem, so she announced that she was going to prepare the food put it on the table and we could eat what we wanted and leave what we didn’t like. We were presented sticky rice, stir fry vegetables, yellow curry chicken, sweet pork, sweet and sour fish, something banana, crispy noodles, and red curry pork. Michael and I had two 24oz beers everyone else had sparkling water of soda. It was a magnificent meal, everything was eaten and Nita and my share of the bill came to 456 Baht or $14.50 including tip.
We caught two more Tut-tuts and resumed our sight-seeing.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Birmingham to Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia
We arrived in Bangkok at 1:30 AM on Sunday morning. Exhausted we checked into our hotel, gathered our bags and headed for our room. We were joined in the elevator with a 30 year old Asian woman dressed in faded jeans, stiletto heels a tight sweater, I pushed the 16th floor and asked her “your floor?” which only drew a smile. I looked at Nita and got a questioned look, both thinking she didn’t understand English and would select her own floor. She did not. Upon arrival at the 16th floor Nita and I exited the elevator and headed for our room, I turned to find that the young lady was following us. Making eye contact it became clear to both Nita and me what was going on. I looked to Nita and got that look. I turned to the young lady smiled and shook my head no. She turned and re-entered the elevator. In the room I asked Nita, “do you know what that was all about?” I got that look again.
We were in bed, just the two of us, within five minutes, “What a country!” I fell asleep thinking of “what if, then I remembered David Carradine, that was in Bangkok, things happen for a reason.” Our room was a suite with full kitchen fruit on the table flat screen TV, balcony overlooking the city and a Hugh bath, but we had to catch a plane to Cambodia at 11:00 am, we’ll be back here in four days.
Sunday morning we caught a plane to Siem Reap Cambodia. We soon discovered that Cambodia is possibly the poorest country we have ever been in. A population of 6million with an average age of 36, as a result of the massive killings at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. A country that found itself in 1978 with no doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, no carpenters, electricians or plumbers; they had all been killed. Over the past 40 years the currency has failed 18 times, thus no one trust the banking system and any money that is accumulated is kept in your house. The country reminds me a lot of China except its dirty, the rivers are polluted mostly for human waste. Yet the people are friendly and non threatening their just trying to get by.
This afternoon we visited the city market and learned what the people ate, a lot of dried meats, fruits and vegetables. The common family doesn’t have refrigeration and cooks over an open flame. Later we toured their river village and saw how they lived. I thought I knew what poverty looked like but today I acquire a new definition of poverty, but because these people know no different they appear to be quite happy. We took a ride in an Ox cart which ended at the drivers home where we met his wife and two children. Their home was built on stilts 20 feet off the ground, because the river will flood, inside was a living room which contained a hammock in one corner and a table with a TV in the other the wood floors were polished clean as were the walls, the room was lit by the outside light coming through the windows with no glass. The bedroom contained two more hammocks and a box which I assumed contained any change of clothes.
“Where’s your kitchen I asked.” I had to do this with sigh language because they spoke no English and my Cambodian was limited. The man of the house took me under the house where we found the kitchen table, no chairs, and behind that a stick shed containing an open fire several pots and a few cooking utensils. “Where’s your bathroom.” I’ll let you imagine the sign language. He took me deeper onto his lot and pointed to a clump of trees.
He farmed 2 acres of land that he had inherited from his father, he owned two ox which had pulled us on our ride. If he had two good crops a year he’s earn $1200 and feed his family. They live on top of each other with no plumbing no electricity and a shared well for water. They did all have a TV, run off a car battery which they could get recharged each week for 50 cents. The discouraging part was that the children had no hope of improving their lot in life. They would be lucky if they made it through middle school, the daughter will marry and possibly have a house built on the back of her parents lot, her husband would help farm and the two of them would look after her parents in their old age. Our family didn’t have any parents to look after, they were killed 30 years ago.
Tuesday we took our van, there are only 10 of us on this leg of our journey to spend our morning on the water to see how the people on the lake live. The floating village of over 2 million people living on or in the water on lake Tonle Sap; a 30 mile by 100 mile moving body of water. The lake is fed by the overflow of the Mekon Delta which is fed by several rivers coming from China and Laos. In the rainy season the lake flows north as it fills from the over flow, in the dry season it flows south as it drains into the Delta locate in Vietnam. The people take 350,000 tons of fish out of the lake each year, and yet in four hour on the lake I never saw a fishing pole or a commercial fishing boat, it all done with traps. I saw people living as their ancestors did for the proceeding 500 years. The home all looked rough but relatively new, because with each war they would be burnt out and run off only to come back and rebuild when things setteled down. Children aged 5 to 12 paddled boats in blue and white uniforms to and from school, we could see open class rooms in the building along the shore line. Each village had its own Buddhist Monastery where young boys studied and learned their religion. They are taught by the full time monks and the priests. A priest is a plus 50 year old man who has lost his usefulness to the village. He could no longer fish or farm or perform any other useful task, he could no longer participate in sex, and he could not add to the family’s wellbeing, so he is sent to the Monastery to live out the balance of his life.
We drove back to the hotel for lunch, Nita and I have not been impressed with the Cambodian food other then I like the hot pot for breakfast. After lunch we had some free time so 6 of us hired a cab and went an hour east to see some of the temple ruins. These are massive temple built by the Hindus’ 700 years ago. There are no Hindus left in Cambodia today, you have to be born and Hindu and all the Hindus were killed 40 years ago, so the country is predominantly Buddhist today. The temples are impressive, having not seen the Pyramids I have never seen such a massive building effort; we’ll learn more about how this was achieved tomorrow when we visit Angkor Wat.
We spent the evening in downtown eating at the Red Piano, where Angelina and Brad eat when their in town, and then went to the night market where you can buy anything for next to nothing. Shopping done we hopped into a Tut-Tut, a Rickshaw pulled by a motorcycle, and were in bed by 10 pm to ready ourselves for another eventful day.
Tuesday we are off to see the temples, in the morning we visited several of the lesser temples Ta Prohm and Angkor Thom. These temples date back to the Khmer Empire 802 AD through 1431 AD; after 1431 they were abandoned as a result of wars and repeated invasions from Siamese. At that point the environment took over; the jungle overgrew them for the next 600 years. Then in 1860 the French began clearing the dense forest for the next 30 years. Around 1925 the French started to restore some of the temples until WWII then were forced to leave in 1968 because of civil war. The Anqkor Wat area became a war zone and much of the grounds were covered with land mines installed by the Khmer Rouge and the Viet Kong. In 1991 -1994 Princes Diana led an effort to have the land mines removed resulting in the Angkor area being opened to tourists in 1995.
The temples evolved through a progression of religions including Animism, Hindu and the Buddhist. The walls, statues and stone carvings give a look back into over 1400 years of civilization. Today Angkor Wat stands as the largest religious structure of the world, if you add in the other 76 temples in the adjacent area, it’s months of potential windows into the past. This is a case where a picture is worth a 1000 words.
For lunch today we were invited into a local families home, it was agreed by all ten of us that it was the best meal we’ve had thus far on our journey.
We were in bed, just the two of us, within five minutes, “What a country!” I fell asleep thinking of “what if, then I remembered David Carradine, that was in Bangkok, things happen for a reason.” Our room was a suite with full kitchen fruit on the table flat screen TV, balcony overlooking the city and a Hugh bath, but we had to catch a plane to Cambodia at 11:00 am, we’ll be back here in four days.
Sunday morning we caught a plane to Siem Reap Cambodia. We soon discovered that Cambodia is possibly the poorest country we have ever been in. A population of 6million with an average age of 36, as a result of the massive killings at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. A country that found itself in 1978 with no doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, no carpenters, electricians or plumbers; they had all been killed. Over the past 40 years the currency has failed 18 times, thus no one trust the banking system and any money that is accumulated is kept in your house. The country reminds me a lot of China except its dirty, the rivers are polluted mostly for human waste. Yet the people are friendly and non threatening their just trying to get by.
This afternoon we visited the city market and learned what the people ate, a lot of dried meats, fruits and vegetables. The common family doesn’t have refrigeration and cooks over an open flame. Later we toured their river village and saw how they lived. I thought I knew what poverty looked like but today I acquire a new definition of poverty, but because these people know no different they appear to be quite happy. We took a ride in an Ox cart which ended at the drivers home where we met his wife and two children. Their home was built on stilts 20 feet off the ground, because the river will flood, inside was a living room which contained a hammock in one corner and a table with a TV in the other the wood floors were polished clean as were the walls, the room was lit by the outside light coming through the windows with no glass. The bedroom contained two more hammocks and a box which I assumed contained any change of clothes.
“Where’s your kitchen I asked.” I had to do this with sigh language because they spoke no English and my Cambodian was limited. The man of the house took me under the house where we found the kitchen table, no chairs, and behind that a stick shed containing an open fire several pots and a few cooking utensils. “Where’s your bathroom.” I’ll let you imagine the sign language. He took me deeper onto his lot and pointed to a clump of trees.
He farmed 2 acres of land that he had inherited from his father, he owned two ox which had pulled us on our ride. If he had two good crops a year he’s earn $1200 and feed his family. They live on top of each other with no plumbing no electricity and a shared well for water. They did all have a TV, run off a car battery which they could get recharged each week for 50 cents. The discouraging part was that the children had no hope of improving their lot in life. They would be lucky if they made it through middle school, the daughter will marry and possibly have a house built on the back of her parents lot, her husband would help farm and the two of them would look after her parents in their old age. Our family didn’t have any parents to look after, they were killed 30 years ago.
Tuesday we took our van, there are only 10 of us on this leg of our journey to spend our morning on the water to see how the people on the lake live. The floating village of over 2 million people living on or in the water on lake Tonle Sap; a 30 mile by 100 mile moving body of water. The lake is fed by the overflow of the Mekon Delta which is fed by several rivers coming from China and Laos. In the rainy season the lake flows north as it fills from the over flow, in the dry season it flows south as it drains into the Delta locate in Vietnam. The people take 350,000 tons of fish out of the lake each year, and yet in four hour on the lake I never saw a fishing pole or a commercial fishing boat, it all done with traps. I saw people living as their ancestors did for the proceeding 500 years. The home all looked rough but relatively new, because with each war they would be burnt out and run off only to come back and rebuild when things setteled down. Children aged 5 to 12 paddled boats in blue and white uniforms to and from school, we could see open class rooms in the building along the shore line. Each village had its own Buddhist Monastery where young boys studied and learned their religion. They are taught by the full time monks and the priests. A priest is a plus 50 year old man who has lost his usefulness to the village. He could no longer fish or farm or perform any other useful task, he could no longer participate in sex, and he could not add to the family’s wellbeing, so he is sent to the Monastery to live out the balance of his life.
We drove back to the hotel for lunch, Nita and I have not been impressed with the Cambodian food other then I like the hot pot for breakfast. After lunch we had some free time so 6 of us hired a cab and went an hour east to see some of the temple ruins. These are massive temple built by the Hindus’ 700 years ago. There are no Hindus left in Cambodia today, you have to be born and Hindu and all the Hindus were killed 40 years ago, so the country is predominantly Buddhist today. The temples are impressive, having not seen the Pyramids I have never seen such a massive building effort; we’ll learn more about how this was achieved tomorrow when we visit Angkor Wat.
We spent the evening in downtown eating at the Red Piano, where Angelina and Brad eat when their in town, and then went to the night market where you can buy anything for next to nothing. Shopping done we hopped into a Tut-Tut, a Rickshaw pulled by a motorcycle, and were in bed by 10 pm to ready ourselves for another eventful day.
Tuesday we are off to see the temples, in the morning we visited several of the lesser temples Ta Prohm and Angkor Thom. These temples date back to the Khmer Empire 802 AD through 1431 AD; after 1431 they were abandoned as a result of wars and repeated invasions from Siamese. At that point the environment took over; the jungle overgrew them for the next 600 years. Then in 1860 the French began clearing the dense forest for the next 30 years. Around 1925 the French started to restore some of the temples until WWII then were forced to leave in 1968 because of civil war. The Anqkor Wat area became a war zone and much of the grounds were covered with land mines installed by the Khmer Rouge and the Viet Kong. In 1991 -1994 Princes Diana led an effort to have the land mines removed resulting in the Angkor area being opened to tourists in 1995.
The temples evolved through a progression of religions including Animism, Hindu and the Buddhist. The walls, statues and stone carvings give a look back into over 1400 years of civilization. Today Angkor Wat stands as the largest religious structure of the world, if you add in the other 76 temples in the adjacent area, it’s months of potential windows into the past. This is a case where a picture is worth a 1000 words.
For lunch today we were invited into a local families home, it was agreed by all ten of us that it was the best meal we’ve had thus far on our journey.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Another Great Adventure
Nita and I are readying ourselves for another Great Adventure. We leave the end of August for a month long adventure in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. We'll be traveling with thirteen other travelers, four that we met and befriended in 2007 on our China trip. We'll be traveling with Mike and Marcia Zimmer and Jerry and Jennifer Saulter.
You may have noticed that we've not been as active this year as last, this is in part to the fact that Nita broke her foot (took three screws to put it back together) in March and she has been immobilized until recently. We have spent some time in Atlanta, Indianapolis (I ran the Indy Mini Marathon with my brother Jerry) and the beach, but this will be our big trip this year. As in the past I will be carrying a computer and digital camera, both new and lighter, and will be making daily entries into my blog and downloading pictures into my Picasa Web Album.
I've created a new blog, http://bestofustravelers.blogspot.com/-- World Travelers Kerry and Nita Grinkmeyer. Nita feels I've gone over the top with my blog title, but that's what it is. I've moved my past entries over, so this will be my travel blog from now on, the old one is devoted to my business enterprises.
I've been asked about setting up blogs, I'm now up to 12, I use blogspot a Google product and WordPress. I feel blogspot is easier to work with but WordPress has more features if your serious about marketing your blog. WordPress seems to be more search engine friendly, meaning that more strangers and spammers will find you on the WordPress blogs. I encourage everyone to start a blog and a web album; it's a way to leave something behind. Mine will serve as a way for my great-great-great grandchildren to get to know me, a privilege which I do not have. I know more about Hitler then I know about my great grandfather both from Germany (that's a sad thing).
So you go for it: blogspot = www.bloger.com and WordPress = www.wordpress.org
I realize that some of you are on my Traveler Log List because of our past travels with Ron and Avie; there will be more travels with Ron and Avie next year and years to follow but this year they're headed to Canada while we're going to the far east. I will get Ron on an airplane again, he hasn't seen Italy or Germany.
Here's my plan, I'll send a general email when I enter my first post, it'll probably be from Thailand, then from that point on if you choose to follow our path through Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam you'll have to go, if you choose, to my blog site. Put it in your Favorites (click on the gold star top right while your on the blog, click Add To, and it'll be added to your Favorites List. If none of this makes sense to you, ask your grandchildren) then it'll be easy to access.
You may have noticed that we've not been as active this year as last, this is in part to the fact that Nita broke her foot (took three screws to put it back together) in March and she has been immobilized until recently. We have spent some time in Atlanta, Indianapolis (I ran the Indy Mini Marathon with my brother Jerry) and the beach, but this will be our big trip this year. As in the past I will be carrying a computer and digital camera, both new and lighter, and will be making daily entries into my blog and downloading pictures into my Picasa Web Album.
I've created a new blog, http://bestofustravelers.blogspot.com/-- World Travelers Kerry and Nita Grinkmeyer. Nita feels I've gone over the top with my blog title, but that's what it is. I've moved my past entries over, so this will be my travel blog from now on, the old one is devoted to my business enterprises.
I've been asked about setting up blogs, I'm now up to 12, I use blogspot a Google product and WordPress. I feel blogspot is easier to work with but WordPress has more features if your serious about marketing your blog. WordPress seems to be more search engine friendly, meaning that more strangers and spammers will find you on the WordPress blogs. I encourage everyone to start a blog and a web album; it's a way to leave something behind. Mine will serve as a way for my great-great-great grandchildren to get to know me, a privilege which I do not have. I know more about Hitler then I know about my great grandfather both from Germany (that's a sad thing).
So you go for it: blogspot = www.bloger.com and WordPress = www.wordpress.org
I realize that some of you are on my Traveler Log List because of our past travels with Ron and Avie; there will be more travels with Ron and Avie next year and years to follow but this year they're headed to Canada while we're going to the far east. I will get Ron on an airplane again, he hasn't seen Italy or Germany.
Here's my plan, I'll send a general email when I enter my first post, it'll probably be from Thailand, then from that point on if you choose to follow our path through Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam you'll have to go, if you choose, to my blog site. Put it in your Favorites (click on the gold star top right while your on the blog, click Add To, and it'll be added to your Favorites List. If none of this makes sense to you, ask your grandchildren) then it'll be easy to access.
The Train Trip Home
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Train Trip Home
09/28/2008 I got up at 5:30 AM got dressed and ran up the steps to the upper decks. A crowd was gathering, I could see the lights off in a distance, it was a foggy morning. Out of nowhere the Verrazono Narrows Bridge appeared overhead it was my first realization of big city life, it just appeared overhead full of traffic and streaking lights, it was a rush. We moved up the Hudson River New Jersey on our left New York on our right. Ellis Island was barley vi sable through the fog; we passing the Statue of Liberty at 6:02 AM. The photo opportunities were not good but I got my statue shots back in June at Jennifer and Arie’s wedding.
Getting off ship was easy and we caught a cab to Jennifer and Arie’s infamous New York City apartment. Although it’s only 473 square feet it is very comfortable in a beautiful west side building and neighborhood that makes living in New York City understandable. We walked to brunch at Isabella’s, a popular weekend eatery for a delightful brunch. The vegetable and flower vendors on the streets brought back memories of the Rambles in Barcelona, Spain, the side walk cafes brought back memories of Helsinki, Finland, but I didn’t see any sardines being served. Spending time with Arie and Jennifer brought thoughts of living a movie script life to a Midwesterner/ Southerner who until recently was very uncomfortable in such big city surroundings.
We then caught a cab to Penn Station to catch our train back to Birmingham. Being a 22 hour trip we opted for a room-et, which is a small sleeper. The operative word here is small, we thought our cabin on the ship was small but this was two beds and a toilet/sink in 32 square feet. (see pictures) We stopped for thirty minutes in Washington DC and Nita, Ron and I got off to go in and see Union Station. It was spectacular as we had remembered but we were all disappointed in the amount of trash in the fountain and grounds outside, we saw nothing like this in Europe. Dinner was served after our stop in Washington DC in the dinning car. (6:45 PM). Nita and I had the steak and Ron and Avie had the chicken; we all agreed that the food was better then any airline food that we had ever had but not as good as ship food. Sleeping on the train in our 32sq. ft. room-et went surprisingly well. All of us got about eight hours of sleep and cleaned up and went to breakfast at 6:30 AM.
We’re now on the final leg of our trip pulling out of Atlanta on our way to Birmingham. We’ve been advised from several e-mailers that we might be better off staying our of the USA because of it’s growing financial woes; but that is not an option. We’re back in the “real world.”
The Train Trip Home
09/28/2008 I got up at 5:30 AM got dressed and ran up the steps to the upper decks. A crowd was gathering, I could see the lights off in a distance, it was a foggy morning. Out of nowhere the Verrazono Narrows Bridge appeared overhead it was my first realization of big city life, it just appeared overhead full of traffic and streaking lights, it was a rush. We moved up the Hudson River New Jersey on our left New York on our right. Ellis Island was barley vi sable through the fog; we passing the Statue of Liberty at 6:02 AM. The photo opportunities were not good but I got my statue shots back in June at Jennifer and Arie’s wedding.
Getting off ship was easy and we caught a cab to Jennifer and Arie’s infamous New York City apartment. Although it’s only 473 square feet it is very comfortable in a beautiful west side building and neighborhood that makes living in New York City understandable. We walked to brunch at Isabella’s, a popular weekend eatery for a delightful brunch. The vegetable and flower vendors on the streets brought back memories of the Rambles in Barcelona, Spain, the side walk cafes brought back memories of Helsinki, Finland, but I didn’t see any sardines being served. Spending time with Arie and Jennifer brought thoughts of living a movie script life to a Midwesterner/ Southerner who until recently was very uncomfortable in such big city surroundings.
We then caught a cab to Penn Station to catch our train back to Birmingham. Being a 22 hour trip we opted for a room-et, which is a small sleeper. The operative word here is small, we thought our cabin on the ship was small but this was two beds and a toilet/sink in 32 square feet. (see pictures) We stopped for thirty minutes in Washington DC and Nita, Ron and I got off to go in and see Union Station. It was spectacular as we had remembered but we were all disappointed in the amount of trash in the fountain and grounds outside, we saw nothing like this in Europe. Dinner was served after our stop in Washington DC in the dinning car. (6:45 PM). Nita and I had the steak and Ron and Avie had the chicken; we all agreed that the food was better then any airline food that we had ever had but not as good as ship food. Sleeping on the train in our 32sq. ft. room-et went surprisingly well. All of us got about eight hours of sleep and cleaned up and went to breakfast at 6:30 AM.
We’re now on the final leg of our trip pulling out of Atlanta on our way to Birmingham. We’ve been advised from several e-mailers that we might be better off staying our of the USA because of it’s growing financial woes; but that is not an option. We’re back in the “real world.”
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Halifax, Nova Scotia
09/26/2008 It is obvious that we are getting closer to Alabama, the weather is getting much better; 66F and sunny skies in Halifax. Halifax is a small city and our ship docked about one mile from the city center so it's a easy walk into town. Stay close to the waters edge and it will lead you to most of what you'll want to see in Halifax, then take an off the waters edge route back and you'll see everything worth seeing.
Settled in 1749 by Governor Edward Cornwall, Halifax is now the capital of Nova Scotia (New Scotland). It is a modern city with select remnants of its past; some of the early architecture remains but most of the old town was destroyed in the harbor explosion of 1917, which leveled the town killing 3,600 of its residents and injured another 20,000. (Google if you want more info. Very interesting.) Halifax played an instrumental role is both World Wars I & II as a safe harbor for ships crossing the Atlantic. It maintained its importance throughout the Cold War years.
We visited the Maritime Museum witch gave us incite into the cities development as a port and fishing city. The highlight of the museum for me was the information on Halifax’s role in the rescue efforts resulting from the sinking of the Titanic. They do an excellent job of depicting the conditions aboard the Titanic and how where you were housed played a big part on your survival. Having seen the movie The Titanic several times this was very interesting and informative for me.
After the museum we climbed the hill, about six blocks, up to the Citadel and learned all the Nova Scotia history that didn’t take in 4th grade. Did you know that the U.S. made several military efforts in the 1700’s and early 1800’s to make Nova Scotia a part of the United States, and how Nova Scotia threw out the Arcadian's, and how the Brits used Halifax to control the North Atlantic. I must have slept through both 4th and 5th grades.
Re-educated we went down to the harbor to look for lunch and a good view of the harbor activity. We found a lively carnival atmosphere with food vendors, art and craft stores and colorful clean surroundings. We chose McKekvue's at 1680 Lower Waterfront, a family and people friendly restaurant which was recommended by a local. The food was delicious, fresh lobster, the service was friendly and the beer was cold. This is something that should happen more often in my life. Bellies full, tanned, and happy (check out the shoes) we made our way back to our ship chatting with several of the singers and dancers from the ship who attend Spinning Class with us. We had no idea how sorry the crew is to see us leave. Within sight is the ship we found a Walmart type store where were able to pick-up some needed items for our final trip home. Saturday will be our last Sea Day then it’s into New York and up the Hudson River.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
09/26/2008 It is obvious that we are getting closer to Alabama, the weather is getting much better; 66F and sunny skies in Halifax. Halifax is a small city and our ship docked about one mile from the city center so it's a easy walk into town. Stay close to the waters edge and it will lead you to most of what you'll want to see in Halifax, then take an off the waters edge route back and you'll see everything worth seeing.
Settled in 1749 by Governor Edward Cornwall, Halifax is now the capital of Nova Scotia (New Scotland). It is a modern city with select remnants of its past; some of the early architecture remains but most of the old town was destroyed in the harbor explosion of 1917, which leveled the town killing 3,600 of its residents and injured another 20,000. (Google if you want more info. Very interesting.) Halifax played an instrumental role is both World Wars I & II as a safe harbor for ships crossing the Atlantic. It maintained its importance throughout the Cold War years.
We visited the Maritime Museum witch gave us incite into the cities development as a port and fishing city. The highlight of the museum for me was the information on Halifax’s role in the rescue efforts resulting from the sinking of the Titanic. They do an excellent job of depicting the conditions aboard the Titanic and how where you were housed played a big part on your survival. Having seen the movie The Titanic several times this was very interesting and informative for me.
After the museum we climbed the hill, about six blocks, up to the Citadel and learned all the Nova Scotia history that didn’t take in 4th grade. Did you know that the U.S. made several military efforts in the 1700’s and early 1800’s to make Nova Scotia a part of the United States, and how Nova Scotia threw out the Arcadian's, and how the Brits used Halifax to control the North Atlantic. I must have slept through both 4th and 5th grades.
Re-educated we went down to the harbor to look for lunch and a good view of the harbor activity. We found a lively carnival atmosphere with food vendors, art and craft stores and colorful clean surroundings. We chose McKekvue's at 1680 Lower Waterfront, a family and people friendly restaurant which was recommended by a local. The food was delicious, fresh lobster, the service was friendly and the beer was cold. This is something that should happen more often in my life. Bellies full, tanned, and happy (check out the shoes) we made our way back to our ship chatting with several of the singers and dancers from the ship who attend Spinning Class with us. We had no idea how sorry the crew is to see us leave. Within sight is the ship we found a Walmart type store where were able to pick-up some needed items for our final trip home. Saturday will be our last Sea Day then it’s into New York and up the Hudson River.
Saint Johns Newfoundland
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Saint Johns Newfoundland
09/24/2008 We were met at the dock by Wayne Evans, one of Avie’s Clayton College Students, who gave us a full day tour of Saint Johns. Wayne went the extra mile. We saw all the sights; Signal Hill and Cabot Tower (1901 Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic radio signal, John Alcock and Arthur Brown took off from here for first non stop flight across the Atlantic in 1919, Amelia Earhart also took off from here.), Cape Spear (most easterly point in north America, Oldest lighthouse in the Providence 1826 and most easterly urinals in North America), The Basilica of Saint John the Baptist, Petty Harbor (Commercial Cod Fishing village) , and the Royal Canadian Yacht Club where we had fresh fish and chips a local beer and met Donny. Donny and Wayne together will be my personification of Newfoundland, people who enjoy the land and all it has to offer, a slower pace of life, and a enjoyment so everything that is presented to them every day. I will try to make it back to St. Johns to go fishing with Wayne and Donny. (I must meet Donny’s wife) We also experience all of Newfoundland’s weathers in a six hour period; sun and clear skies, overcast and rain, gal winds, and a hail storm. As I said Wayne went the extra mile for us.
Saint Johns Newfoundland
09/24/2008 We were met at the dock by Wayne Evans, one of Avie’s Clayton College Students, who gave us a full day tour of Saint Johns. Wayne went the extra mile. We saw all the sights; Signal Hill and Cabot Tower (1901 Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic radio signal, John Alcock and Arthur Brown took off from here for first non stop flight across the Atlantic in 1919, Amelia Earhart also took off from here.), Cape Spear (most easterly point in north America, Oldest lighthouse in the Providence 1826 and most easterly urinals in North America), The Basilica of Saint John the Baptist, Petty Harbor (Commercial Cod Fishing village) , and the Royal Canadian Yacht Club where we had fresh fish and chips a local beer and met Donny. Donny and Wayne together will be my personification of Newfoundland, people who enjoy the land and all it has to offer, a slower pace of life, and a enjoyment so everything that is presented to them every day. I will try to make it back to St. Johns to go fishing with Wayne and Donny. (I must meet Donny’s wife) We also experience all of Newfoundland’s weathers in a six hour period; sun and clear skies, overcast and rain, gal winds, and a hail storm. As I said Wayne went the extra mile for us.
Sea Days
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Sea Days
09/22/2008 Sea Day. The North Atlantic remains rough and the base drum continues to beat. This morning Nita, Ron and I were some of the few who made it to early breakfast and workout. Avie is feeling OK, just a later riser. We did move our clocks up 1 ½ hours; that’s right, so that may be why so few passengers are up at 8:00 am. We’re back to our Sea Day routine: Eating, workout, Internet, meeting people, Trivia, eating, computer, cookies at 2:00, Spinning Class, eating, show, bed.
09/23/2008 Sea Day, Cloudy 48F. The North Atlantic has settled down as we approach Canada, we’ll arrive tomorrow morning. I've met two women who are on the cruise as part of NCL”U”. One gives a talk each sea day on computers and technology and the other on Bridge. I've expressed my interest in their arrangements with NCL and they both gave me the name of their agent who books them on these cruises as speakers. The Bridge Director has been on 120 cruises teaching Bridge. I just submitted my Speaker Application over the Internet, it sounds like a good way to see the rest of the world… we'll see.
Sea Days
09/22/2008 Sea Day. The North Atlantic remains rough and the base drum continues to beat. This morning Nita, Ron and I were some of the few who made it to early breakfast and workout. Avie is feeling OK, just a later riser. We did move our clocks up 1 ½ hours; that’s right, so that may be why so few passengers are up at 8:00 am. We’re back to our Sea Day routine: Eating, workout, Internet, meeting people, Trivia, eating, computer, cookies at 2:00, Spinning Class, eating, show, bed.
09/23/2008 Sea Day, Cloudy 48F. The North Atlantic has settled down as we approach Canada, we’ll arrive tomorrow morning. I've met two women who are on the cruise as part of NCL”U”. One gives a talk each sea day on computers and technology and the other on Bridge. I've expressed my interest in their arrangements with NCL and they both gave me the name of their agent who books them on these cruises as speakers. The Bridge Director has been on 120 cruises teaching Bridge. I just submitted my Speaker Application over the Internet, it sounds like a good way to see the rest of the world… we'll see.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Monday, September 22, 2008
Reykjavik, Iceland
09/21/2008 Yesterday was a tough day at sea; fifteen foot swells that produced a bang like a base drum as the bow of the ship slammed to the water. The bang echoed through the cabins and the rest of the ship all day. The bow heaved up and the stern thrust down then reversed motions. Ron and Avie are in the front of the ship, Nita and I in the middle. We didn’t see Avie all day; she was in her cab dealing with sea sickness. This morning we landed in Reykjavik (Smoky Bay), Iceland the capital of Iceland, a city of 200,000. It’s a windy and rainy Sunday (43 degrees), and everything is closed in downtown Reykjavick. It didn’t look that great anyway so Nita and I caught a bus out to the Blue Lagoon. Ron and Avie are going on their own, Ron said at breakfast that Avie was feeling better but he wasn’t sure what they were going to do today. It turned out that Avie had regained her sea legs and they caught a disappointing afternoon ship excursion. Our 45 minute ride out to the Lagoon gave us a different look at Iceland; it’s a rugged land, mostly black volcanic rock covered in green moss and a pounding sea (no trees). If someone tells you they’re from Iceland they have to be hardy souls. The Blue Lagoon is an extensive series of baby blue salt water ponds that are fed by one of the many geothermal salt water streams that heat the homes in Reykjavick and generate their electricity. It is a contrasting sight; steaming blue pools amongst the black volcanic rock covered in green moss with about one thousand tourists from around the world soaking in the 104+ degree therapeutic waters. As I soaked in the geothermal waters I had a conversation with several Germans, Brits, and a group from China. I covered my face with a white paste that was guaranteed to take fifteen years off my face; I am looking much younger this evening, I also seem to be losing weight….RIGHT. While having an Icelandic Hot Dog for lunch Nita and I met a member of the Faroe Islands Parliament who was on his way to NYC for a two week meeting at the United Nations. We now have a place to stay the next time we’re in the Faroe Islands. The word on the ship is that the waters in front of us are rougher then those that we experienced yesterday, if so the cruise lines will be saving a lot of money on unconsumed food.
Reykjavik, Iceland
09/21/2008 Yesterday was a tough day at sea; fifteen foot swells that produced a bang like a base drum as the bow of the ship slammed to the water. The bang echoed through the cabins and the rest of the ship all day. The bow heaved up and the stern thrust down then reversed motions. Ron and Avie are in the front of the ship, Nita and I in the middle. We didn’t see Avie all day; she was in her cab dealing with sea sickness. This morning we landed in Reykjavik (Smoky Bay), Iceland the capital of Iceland, a city of 200,000. It’s a windy and rainy Sunday (43 degrees), and everything is closed in downtown Reykjavick. It didn’t look that great anyway so Nita and I caught a bus out to the Blue Lagoon. Ron and Avie are going on their own, Ron said at breakfast that Avie was feeling better but he wasn’t sure what they were going to do today. It turned out that Avie had regained her sea legs and they caught a disappointing afternoon ship excursion. Our 45 minute ride out to the Lagoon gave us a different look at Iceland; it’s a rugged land, mostly black volcanic rock covered in green moss and a pounding sea (no trees). If someone tells you they’re from Iceland they have to be hardy souls. The Blue Lagoon is an extensive series of baby blue salt water ponds that are fed by one of the many geothermal salt water streams that heat the homes in Reykjavick and generate their electricity. It is a contrasting sight; steaming blue pools amongst the black volcanic rock covered in green moss with about one thousand tourists from around the world soaking in the 104+ degree therapeutic waters. As I soaked in the geothermal waters I had a conversation with several Germans, Brits, and a group from China. I covered my face with a white paste that was guaranteed to take fifteen years off my face; I am looking much younger this evening, I also seem to be losing weight….RIGHT. While having an Icelandic Hot Dog for lunch Nita and I met a member of the Faroe Islands Parliament who was on his way to NYC for a two week meeting at the United Nations. We now have a place to stay the next time we’re in the Faroe Islands. The word on the ship is that the waters in front of us are rougher then those that we experienced yesterday, if so the cruise lines will be saving a lot of money on unconsumed food.
Lerwick, Shetland Islands
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Lerwick, Shetland Islands
09/19/2008 Yesterday I started the task of editing and rewriting the novel that I wrote last year. (The Stock Lord) I have attempted to find an agent, with no success, but I feel that with today’s turbulent stock market there might be a regenerated interest in the behind the scenes workings of the stock market. Besides it gives me something productive to do on our Sea Days. We’re in Lerwick, Shetland Islands today a town of 7,500, founded in the 17th century by the Dutch herring fleets. Because of it’s illegal dealings and immortality the town was destroyed by order of the Scalloway court in 1615 and 1625. The Dutch then burnt the fort in 1673 and the French set it on fire in 1702. This could explain why all the current buildings are made of stone and that there are no trees; or maybe it’s the fierce gales of the winter months. We were tethered into the town and walked through a clean friendly city. We all agreed that we could make a commitment to live here for one year then would have to evaluate our ability to deal with the isolation and the weather. We had a fish and chips lunch downtown and a local shared her local vegetable, deep-fat-fried oatmeal, with us. Ron has been looking for another book written by Vince Flynn in Dover and Lerwich with no success. On a whim we went into the Lerwick Library where he found three paperbacks. He asked the librarian if he could check it out on this Birmingham Library card. After a lot of kidding and laughing the librarian told him to go ahead and take it; would that happen in your town. Now you can see why the four of us are considering moving to Lerwick, Shetland Islands. It’s Saturday morning, another Sea Day, and we are on our way to Reykjavik, Iceland. The ship is rocking, rolling, creaking and popping. I estimate the population of the ship has decreased by half as many of our fellow passengers are choosing to stay in their cabins. There probably will not be much deck activity today.
Lerwick, Shetland Islands
09/19/2008 Yesterday I started the task of editing and rewriting the novel that I wrote last year. (The Stock Lord) I have attempted to find an agent, with no success, but I feel that with today’s turbulent stock market there might be a regenerated interest in the behind the scenes workings of the stock market. Besides it gives me something productive to do on our Sea Days. We’re in Lerwick, Shetland Islands today a town of 7,500, founded in the 17th century by the Dutch herring fleets. Because of it’s illegal dealings and immortality the town was destroyed by order of the Scalloway court in 1615 and 1625. The Dutch then burnt the fort in 1673 and the French set it on fire in 1702. This could explain why all the current buildings are made of stone and that there are no trees; or maybe it’s the fierce gales of the winter months. We were tethered into the town and walked through a clean friendly city. We all agreed that we could make a commitment to live here for one year then would have to evaluate our ability to deal with the isolation and the weather. We had a fish and chips lunch downtown and a local shared her local vegetable, deep-fat-fried oatmeal, with us. Ron has been looking for another book written by Vince Flynn in Dover and Lerwich with no success. On a whim we went into the Lerwick Library where he found three paperbacks. He asked the librarian if he could check it out on this Birmingham Library card. After a lot of kidding and laughing the librarian told him to go ahead and take it; would that happen in your town. Now you can see why the four of us are considering moving to Lerwick, Shetland Islands. It’s Saturday morning, another Sea Day, and we are on our way to Reykjavik, Iceland. The ship is rocking, rolling, creaking and popping. I estimate the population of the ship has decreased by half as many of our fellow passengers are choosing to stay in their cabins. There probably will not be much deck activity today.
Back in Dover England
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Back in Dover England
09/16&17&18/2008 We are heading back to Dover and the end of this leg of our trip. I seems like a along time ago that we bused from Gatwick to Dover. The day was spent relaxing, saying good-bye to people that we know we will never see again; Bill and Sue, the English couple that were so stand-off-ish that would later become our cycling buddies, Sam the Indian/English guy that I had to give the Heimlich maneuver to, the happy couple from South Africa, and Ken and Jane from Toronto (red driving shoes) that trained to Berlin with.
Preparing for the Dover to NYC leg we had to change cabins, get upgraded to a “Latitudes” cruising status, and brag to all new passengers that we are “back to back cruisers”. We did take the afternoon for a walk to Dover and up to the Dover Castle, where the English had dug caves into the chalk cliffs of Dover to set up a military facility to fend off Napoleon in the 1700’s and the Germans in WWII.
We’ll sail today to Lerwich, in the Shetland Islands and enjoy another Sea Day. Nita and I have decided to take the dance lessons and Avie has signed up to join Ron and me in the spinning class. It’s going to be hard to get our of the habits that we are forming.
Back in Dover England
09/16&17&18/2008 We are heading back to Dover and the end of this leg of our trip. I seems like a along time ago that we bused from Gatwick to Dover. The day was spent relaxing, saying good-bye to people that we know we will never see again; Bill and Sue, the English couple that were so stand-off-ish that would later become our cycling buddies, Sam the Indian/English guy that I had to give the Heimlich maneuver to, the happy couple from South Africa, and Ken and Jane from Toronto (red driving shoes) that trained to Berlin with.
Preparing for the Dover to NYC leg we had to change cabins, get upgraded to a “Latitudes” cruising status, and brag to all new passengers that we are “back to back cruisers”. We did take the afternoon for a walk to Dover and up to the Dover Castle, where the English had dug caves into the chalk cliffs of Dover to set up a military facility to fend off Napoleon in the 1700’s and the Germans in WWII.
We’ll sail today to Lerwich, in the Shetland Islands and enjoy another Sea Day. Nita and I have decided to take the dance lessons and Avie has signed up to join Ron and me in the spinning class. It’s going to be hard to get our of the habits that we are forming.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Oslo, Norway
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Oslo, Norway
09/14/2008 Today is a Sea Day, “Thank you!”; we all need the slower pace, but were still up at 5:30 for our normal routine. This gives me time to download my photos, write my blog, check-up on the stock market, and do my other computer work. This afternoon I’m going to a talk on setting up a business on the internet. I spoke the presenter the other day and she told me that the cruise ships of looking for people to come on cruises to talk about using the internet and other technology in exchange for free passage. This could turn into a travel opportunity for Nita and I; I’ll be looking into it when we get home.
09/15/2008 Oslo, Norway We tied up in Oslo at the base of the Akershus Fortress built in 1300, it’s castle dates back to the 1700’s. The rest of Oslo is a very cosmopolitan city with a lot of retail at very high prices. As in most of the countries that we have gone to they have their own currency but are happy to accept the dollar, it just doesn’t go very far anymore. Avie opted to take one of the ships tours while Ron, Nita and I chose to walk the town and try to meet the people. As is Ron and my policy we only approached attractive women for directions; we had no problem finding our way around. We did stop at a bakery for two cookies, a small apple pie and three coffees = $30 US. As I said, Norway is a very expensive and highly taxed country.
If I could come back to only one of the six countries that we visited on this first leg of our trip it would be Russia. This is because Russia is so different culturally and is so important to history and our future. When I think of Russia I have two images that come to mind: the thousands of young people ascending from the subway station dressed in brown, and the art and opulence in the Hermitage. Some how, some day I feel certain that those young people will claim the Hermitage and it’s contents as theirs.
Oslo, Norway
09/14/2008 Today is a Sea Day, “Thank you!”; we all need the slower pace, but were still up at 5:30 for our normal routine. This gives me time to download my photos, write my blog, check-up on the stock market, and do my other computer work. This afternoon I’m going to a talk on setting up a business on the internet. I spoke the presenter the other day and she told me that the cruise ships of looking for people to come on cruises to talk about using the internet and other technology in exchange for free passage. This could turn into a travel opportunity for Nita and I; I’ll be looking into it when we get home.
09/15/2008 Oslo, Norway We tied up in Oslo at the base of the Akershus Fortress built in 1300, it’s castle dates back to the 1700’s. The rest of Oslo is a very cosmopolitan city with a lot of retail at very high prices. As in most of the countries that we have gone to they have their own currency but are happy to accept the dollar, it just doesn’t go very far anymore. Avie opted to take one of the ships tours while Ron, Nita and I chose to walk the town and try to meet the people. As is Ron and my policy we only approached attractive women for directions; we had no problem finding our way around. We did stop at a bakery for two cookies, a small apple pie and three coffees = $30 US. As I said, Norway is a very expensive and highly taxed country.
If I could come back to only one of the six countries that we visited on this first leg of our trip it would be Russia. This is because Russia is so different culturally and is so important to history and our future. When I think of Russia I have two images that come to mind: the thousands of young people ascending from the subway station dressed in brown, and the art and opulence in the Hermitage. Some how, some day I feel certain that those young people will claim the Hermitage and it’s contents as theirs.
Stockholm, Sweden
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Stockholm, Sweden
09/13/2008 Stockholm, Sweden the capital, a city of 1.5 million is a beautiful city that took us five hours to find as our ship entered a maze of what looked like rivers, and lakes winding through small and large islands. As we got closer to Stockholm the islands started to fill with summer homes then larger permanent residences each with a flag pole and a small white pennant flying from the top; we never did find out the significance of this pennant. My biggest regret concerning Stockholm was that we did not get to stay longer. Stockholm is built on 14 separate islands, so today our Hop-On-Hop-Off was a boat, a nice change, which shuttled us from one location to another. Although it was efficient if minimized our contact with the Swedish people, not a good thing. Stockholm is a medieval city, modern city, and sea port and you are never more then five minutes from any of it’s diverse parts. We visited the Royal Palace; I am palaced out, where we toured the Royal Apartments. Our guide made the tour; he injected humor and insight of both past and current royalty that brought the apartment to life. We then went to the Vasavarvet, where the grand warship of 1628 is on display. The story is that the King of Sweden had this warship, the largest warship ever built, built and on it’s maiden voyage it sunk in the harbor with a crew of 144 because the King had demanded that it have “more cannons” and was thus top heavy. When the wind caught its sails it flipped over and went to the bottom of the harbor. The wreckage of the Vasa was not discovered until 1956 in 40,000 cubic yards of mud. The mud actually helped to preserve the ship and its contents and thus makes for a phenomenal display of a 17th century warship. The entertainment onboard has been exceptional. Each night we have dinner at 6:30, a stage show at 8:00, then Nita and I go up for a bit of dancing, then to bed by 10:30. Our morning starts between 5:30 and 6:00, up to the Garden Café for coffee, to the gym for a workout, then the Blue Lagoon for breakfast (s small intimate café rather then the cattle call us at the Garden Café where Ron and Avie go, Ron needs to meet “new people” everyday, we then meet for our excursions or lunch on Sea Days)
Stockholm, Sweden
09/13/2008 Stockholm, Sweden the capital, a city of 1.5 million is a beautiful city that took us five hours to find as our ship entered a maze of what looked like rivers, and lakes winding through small and large islands. As we got closer to Stockholm the islands started to fill with summer homes then larger permanent residences each with a flag pole and a small white pennant flying from the top; we never did find out the significance of this pennant. My biggest regret concerning Stockholm was that we did not get to stay longer. Stockholm is built on 14 separate islands, so today our Hop-On-Hop-Off was a boat, a nice change, which shuttled us from one location to another. Although it was efficient if minimized our contact with the Swedish people, not a good thing. Stockholm is a medieval city, modern city, and sea port and you are never more then five minutes from any of it’s diverse parts. We visited the Royal Palace; I am palaced out, where we toured the Royal Apartments. Our guide made the tour; he injected humor and insight of both past and current royalty that brought the apartment to life. We then went to the Vasavarvet, where the grand warship of 1628 is on display. The story is that the King of Sweden had this warship, the largest warship ever built, built and on it’s maiden voyage it sunk in the harbor with a crew of 144 because the King had demanded that it have “more cannons” and was thus top heavy. When the wind caught its sails it flipped over and went to the bottom of the harbor. The wreckage of the Vasa was not discovered until 1956 in 40,000 cubic yards of mud. The mud actually helped to preserve the ship and its contents and thus makes for a phenomenal display of a 17th century warship. The entertainment onboard has been exceptional. Each night we have dinner at 6:30, a stage show at 8:00, then Nita and I go up for a bit of dancing, then to bed by 10:30. Our morning starts between 5:30 and 6:00, up to the Garden Café for coffee, to the gym for a workout, then the Blue Lagoon for breakfast (s small intimate café rather then the cattle call us at the Garden Café where Ron and Avie go, Ron needs to meet “new people” everyday, we then meet for our excursions or lunch on Sea Days)
Helsinki, Finland
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Helsinki, Finland
09/12/2008 Helsinki, Finland…it must be Friday. We caught a Hop On-Hop Off bus at the dock, $37.00 each ( the weak dollar is killing us). It was a two hour, 10 stop trip around Helsinki, a city of 1.3 million, 25% of the of Finland’s population (94% Finish, 6% Russian).
Helsinki was founded in 1550 as a rival city of Tallinn by King Gustav I of Sweden. The cities growth was stifled by the Plague of 1710 which took the lives of 2/3 of the cities residents. Today Helsinki has eight universities and 6 technology parks. It is the center of the new world Finland. The highlight of our bus trip was the stop at the city market; here we found many fruits and berries that we didn’t recognize, hot food (lot of sardines) and many Finland made arts and crafts. It was a Friday morning and the market was crawling with people, the harbor bordered the market so the fisherman pulled their boats up to the pier and sold their catch off the back of their boats.
We made our way on foot two blockd from the market and went to the Temppeliaukio Church, a Lutheran church, designed by Carl Ludvic Engal and known as The Cathedral, that was stark but inviting relative to the Russian Orthodox churches of the prior days. It sits in the center of the downtown area and within Senate Square.
Back on the bus through a clean, busy city and off at the Sibelius Monument, dedicated to Finland’s greatest composer. This was a striking arrangement of stainless steel pipes and tubes possibly providing music in the strong winter winds.
Then we crossed the park and made our way to the site of the 1952 Summer Olympics. Helsinki was to host the 1940 Olympics but the games were canceled due to WWII and pushed back to 1952. This was the first Olympics which the Soviet Union participated in and was the depute of Israel. Bob Mathias, of Wheaties Box fame, was able to successfully defend his decathlon title and the USA and Russia won the most metals followed by Hungry with 42 metals.
Our visit to Helsinki ended with a snack at a sidewalk café and a walk through a combination shopping mall and bus station; the cleanest and most organized bus station I have ever seen. If we ever recognize the value of train travel in the United States we could learn a lot from the Helsinki train station. We found it expensive getting around and buying in Helsinki and were told it will get more expensive as we get to Stockholm and Oslo.
“These are very highly taxed countries, they provide well for their citizens and they have no hesitation in subsidizing their coffers from visiting tourists.” None-the-less I would recommend a visit to Helsinki it’s only 150 sea miles from Saint Petersburg, but decades apart in feel, look, and color. Helsinki is green, blue, white, and violet, Helsinki is comfortable.
Helsinki, Finland
09/12/2008 Helsinki, Finland…it must be Friday. We caught a Hop On-Hop Off bus at the dock, $37.00 each ( the weak dollar is killing us). It was a two hour, 10 stop trip around Helsinki, a city of 1.3 million, 25% of the of Finland’s population (94% Finish, 6% Russian).
Helsinki was founded in 1550 as a rival city of Tallinn by King Gustav I of Sweden. The cities growth was stifled by the Plague of 1710 which took the lives of 2/3 of the cities residents. Today Helsinki has eight universities and 6 technology parks. It is the center of the new world Finland. The highlight of our bus trip was the stop at the city market; here we found many fruits and berries that we didn’t recognize, hot food (lot of sardines) and many Finland made arts and crafts. It was a Friday morning and the market was crawling with people, the harbor bordered the market so the fisherman pulled their boats up to the pier and sold their catch off the back of their boats.
We made our way on foot two blockd from the market and went to the Temppeliaukio Church, a Lutheran church, designed by Carl Ludvic Engal and known as The Cathedral, that was stark but inviting relative to the Russian Orthodox churches of the prior days. It sits in the center of the downtown area and within Senate Square.
Back on the bus through a clean, busy city and off at the Sibelius Monument, dedicated to Finland’s greatest composer. This was a striking arrangement of stainless steel pipes and tubes possibly providing music in the strong winter winds.
Then we crossed the park and made our way to the site of the 1952 Summer Olympics. Helsinki was to host the 1940 Olympics but the games were canceled due to WWII and pushed back to 1952. This was the first Olympics which the Soviet Union participated in and was the depute of Israel. Bob Mathias, of Wheaties Box fame, was able to successfully defend his decathlon title and the USA and Russia won the most metals followed by Hungry with 42 metals.
Our visit to Helsinki ended with a snack at a sidewalk café and a walk through a combination shopping mall and bus station; the cleanest and most organized bus station I have ever seen. If we ever recognize the value of train travel in the United States we could learn a lot from the Helsinki train station. We found it expensive getting around and buying in Helsinki and were told it will get more expensive as we get to Stockholm and Oslo.
“These are very highly taxed countries, they provide well for their citizens and they have no hesitation in subsidizing their coffers from visiting tourists.” None-the-less I would recommend a visit to Helsinki it’s only 150 sea miles from Saint Petersburg, but decades apart in feel, look, and color. Helsinki is green, blue, white, and violet, Helsinki is comfortable.
Saint Petersburg Day Two
Friday, September 12, 2008
Saint Petersburg Day Two
09/11/2008 Our second day in Saint Petersburg started with a ride on the subway, built in 1955. The Russian subway stations reflect an effort by Khrushchev to share the beautiful things so common to the wealthy with the common people. He had focused on the industrial development of Russia and wanted the workers to share in Russia beauty as they moved to and from the factories. Each station platform is elaborately decorated in marble or steel sculptures, they are very clean and bright, and they are the deepest in the world.
We descended on a very fast escalator all standing to the right so that those in a hurry could pass us on the left. To our left was another escalator ascending from the depths of the platform, as we approached the bottom I saw a mass of humanity funneling to the single ascending escalator. I immediately observed that there was no one over the age of 40, the mass was a combination of brown, beige, and black; no bright colors, all white faces, all pressing forward to fulfill their dream, but no one over 40.
We then went to Peterhof, the summer palace, named for the first Emperor Peter the Great, built in 1710, located 20 miles outside of the city, consuming 2500 acres. The palace is a display of extreme opulence making the Lenin Revolution totally understandable. The well manicured grounds contain 157 magnificent fountains, 20 smaller palaces and other pavilions and 7 parks all for the use of the chosen few. Lunch consisted of borsch, a salad of unknown makings, chicken in a cream sauce, champagne, and of course Vodka. We were then off to St Isaac’s Cathedral, the pictures tell the story. The Russians make the most beautiful churches in the world. The people may have lived in poverty and at the edge of death but they had magnificent churches and palaces. We finished our day at the Yusupov Palace built in 1760 by the wealthiest family in Russia at the time. It real claim to fame is that it was the site of the assassination of the mystic Rasputin. If you’re interested I refer you to wickapiedia.
Saint Petersburg is a must see and a city that I want to see more of. I'll do that when I come back to see more of Russia. On the top of my list to see in Saint Petersburg on my next trip is Catherine Palace and the Amber Room.
I'd like to share a few observations. I've been in over a dozen major cities around the world in the past 18 months, including Beijing, New York, Barcelona, Athens, Berlin, Florence, Atlanta, and Chicago. In these cities as I took pictures I had to avoid sky cranes building new buildings, in Saint Petersburg I had to avoid trolley car and electric wires. In the harbors of other cities I saw pleasure craft, none in Saint Petersburg. I think of China and I see red, yellow, green and blue. I think of Saint Petersburg and I see brown, black, beige, and olive; only the Palaces are yellow and white. In Beijing, Athens, Barcelona and New York the elderly were seen celebrating their life, in Saint Petersburg the elderly were absent.
Sixteen years ago Russia changed, it appears that only those that were 24 or younger in 1991 are actively participating in the change. As an investor I’ll put my money on China and the US.
Saint Petersburg Day Two
09/11/2008 Our second day in Saint Petersburg started with a ride on the subway, built in 1955. The Russian subway stations reflect an effort by Khrushchev to share the beautiful things so common to the wealthy with the common people. He had focused on the industrial development of Russia and wanted the workers to share in Russia beauty as they moved to and from the factories. Each station platform is elaborately decorated in marble or steel sculptures, they are very clean and bright, and they are the deepest in the world.
We descended on a very fast escalator all standing to the right so that those in a hurry could pass us on the left. To our left was another escalator ascending from the depths of the platform, as we approached the bottom I saw a mass of humanity funneling to the single ascending escalator. I immediately observed that there was no one over the age of 40, the mass was a combination of brown, beige, and black; no bright colors, all white faces, all pressing forward to fulfill their dream, but no one over 40.
We then went to Peterhof, the summer palace, named for the first Emperor Peter the Great, built in 1710, located 20 miles outside of the city, consuming 2500 acres. The palace is a display of extreme opulence making the Lenin Revolution totally understandable. The well manicured grounds contain 157 magnificent fountains, 20 smaller palaces and other pavilions and 7 parks all for the use of the chosen few. Lunch consisted of borsch, a salad of unknown makings, chicken in a cream sauce, champagne, and of course Vodka. We were then off to St Isaac’s Cathedral, the pictures tell the story. The Russians make the most beautiful churches in the world. The people may have lived in poverty and at the edge of death but they had magnificent churches and palaces. We finished our day at the Yusupov Palace built in 1760 by the wealthiest family in Russia at the time. It real claim to fame is that it was the site of the assassination of the mystic Rasputin. If you’re interested I refer you to wickapiedia.
Saint Petersburg is a must see and a city that I want to see more of. I'll do that when I come back to see more of Russia. On the top of my list to see in Saint Petersburg on my next trip is Catherine Palace and the Amber Room.
I'd like to share a few observations. I've been in over a dozen major cities around the world in the past 18 months, including Beijing, New York, Barcelona, Athens, Berlin, Florence, Atlanta, and Chicago. In these cities as I took pictures I had to avoid sky cranes building new buildings, in Saint Petersburg I had to avoid trolley car and electric wires. In the harbors of other cities I saw pleasure craft, none in Saint Petersburg. I think of China and I see red, yellow, green and blue. I think of Saint Petersburg and I see brown, black, beige, and olive; only the Palaces are yellow and white. In Beijing, Athens, Barcelona and New York the elderly were seen celebrating their life, in Saint Petersburg the elderly were absent.
Sixteen years ago Russia changed, it appears that only those that were 24 or younger in 1991 are actively participating in the change. As an investor I’ll put my money on China and the US.
Saint Petersburg
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Saints Petersburg
09/10/2008 We docked in an industrial harbor, I was up early and caught of beautiful sunrise off the bow of the ship. Before our trip I had booked our excursion over the Internet with DenRus Tours and was able to get the two day guided tour for 66% of what the ship was charging. They picked us up at the dock and got us back both days in plenty of time. Our guide, a young woman, was very knowledgeable, open and informative not only about the sites but also about the past and current life in Russia. The cruise lines leads you to believe that you will have difficulty getting off the ship if you don't use their excursions but it is just not true. We had no difficulty.
Saint Petersburg is a beautiful city, the Czars and Czarinas set out to build the most beautiful city in Europe and they achieved their goal. The first half of our day was spent driving through the city for photo opportunities off the cities boulevards and a river cruise; then a champagne lunch of beef stroganoff with a Vodka chaser.
I had no idea that Saint Petersburg had such an elaborate system of rivers and canals. We were lucky and had one of Saint Petersburg’s 60 sunny days each year. The afternoon was spent in the Hermitage, the winter home, for the pleasure of the ruling class from 1754 through 1839 when it was opened to the public. It is now the world’s largest art museum with over 3 million displays. The pintings by Picassa were overwelming to me who loves his work. I have been to many exibisions but I hav never seen a display to match this. I saw more Picasso’s, Monet’s, and Matisse then I have seen in any prior museum, I was blown away, I didn’t want to leave, I wanted to stay and study.
Saint Petersburg is a city of over 9 million and the center of the city is as it was 200 years ago, a Russian Venice.
Saints Petersburg
09/10/2008 We docked in an industrial harbor, I was up early and caught of beautiful sunrise off the bow of the ship. Before our trip I had booked our excursion over the Internet with DenRus Tours and was able to get the two day guided tour for 66% of what the ship was charging. They picked us up at the dock and got us back both days in plenty of time. Our guide, a young woman, was very knowledgeable, open and informative not only about the sites but also about the past and current life in Russia. The cruise lines leads you to believe that you will have difficulty getting off the ship if you don't use their excursions but it is just not true. We had no difficulty.
Saint Petersburg is a beautiful city, the Czars and Czarinas set out to build the most beautiful city in Europe and they achieved their goal. The first half of our day was spent driving through the city for photo opportunities off the cities boulevards and a river cruise; then a champagne lunch of beef stroganoff with a Vodka chaser.
I had no idea that Saint Petersburg had such an elaborate system of rivers and canals. We were lucky and had one of Saint Petersburg’s 60 sunny days each year. The afternoon was spent in the Hermitage, the winter home, for the pleasure of the ruling class from 1754 through 1839 when it was opened to the public. It is now the world’s largest art museum with over 3 million displays. The pintings by Picassa were overwelming to me who loves his work. I have been to many exibisions but I hav never seen a display to match this. I saw more Picasso’s, Monet’s, and Matisse then I have seen in any prior museum, I was blown away, I didn’t want to leave, I wanted to stay and study.
Saint Petersburg is a city of over 9 million and the center of the city is as it was 200 years ago, a Russian Venice.
Tallinn, Estonia
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Tallinn, Estonia
09/09/2008 Nita and I set off for Tallinn at 8:30 AM and Ron and Avie at 11:00 AM; No our friendship has not come to an end, or differing departure times were dictated by body needs. I’ll leave it at that. Tallinn dates back to the 10th. Century, its advantageous position relative to the sea turned into a motive for continuous warfare. In 1219 it was invaded by the Danish, then 100 years later they sold it to Germany for 19 silver marks. 200 years later it passed to the Swedes and then Russia. Estonia declared its first independents in 1918 which lasted until 1940 followed by Nazi occupation in 1941 then back to the Soviet Union in 1944. Sixteen years ago Estonia achieved full freedom with the fall of the Soviet Republics. Tallinn is now enjoying high speed growth while catching up for its lost years. Today Tallinn is a beautiful town with its medieval Old Town. Its cobblestone streets led us through medieval houses, churches and shops that remain intact. The red tile roofs, cobblestone streets and onion top church steeples provide for a fairy-tail setting for a walk in the rain. The Russian Orthodox church was one of the most beautiful and inviting churches I have ever seen. The Russian icons, gold antiquities were in stark contrast to the red and white marble floors and the devout worshipers. There were no pews, the worshipers knelt and stood on the hard floors. They made us Catholics with our kneeling padded rails look like wimps. I was lucky to witness several parishioners approach a long grey bearded elderly priest, he draped their heads with a holy cloth, they kissed his cross touched his bible then leaned into his neck and whispered their confession into his ear, he crossed them and sent them on their day with Gods blessing. I have never seen religious worship brought to such a personal exchange as I saw today
Tallinn, Estonia
09/09/2008 Nita and I set off for Tallinn at 8:30 AM and Ron and Avie at 11:00 AM; No our friendship has not come to an end, or differing departure times were dictated by body needs. I’ll leave it at that. Tallinn dates back to the 10th. Century, its advantageous position relative to the sea turned into a motive for continuous warfare. In 1219 it was invaded by the Danish, then 100 years later they sold it to Germany for 19 silver marks. 200 years later it passed to the Swedes and then Russia. Estonia declared its first independents in 1918 which lasted until 1940 followed by Nazi occupation in 1941 then back to the Soviet Union in 1944. Sixteen years ago Estonia achieved full freedom with the fall of the Soviet Republics. Tallinn is now enjoying high speed growth while catching up for its lost years. Today Tallinn is a beautiful town with its medieval Old Town. Its cobblestone streets led us through medieval houses, churches and shops that remain intact. The red tile roofs, cobblestone streets and onion top church steeples provide for a fairy-tail setting for a walk in the rain. The Russian Orthodox church was one of the most beautiful and inviting churches I have ever seen. The Russian icons, gold antiquities were in stark contrast to the red and white marble floors and the devout worshipers. There were no pews, the worshipers knelt and stood on the hard floors. They made us Catholics with our kneeling padded rails look like wimps. I was lucky to witness several parishioners approach a long grey bearded elderly priest, he draped their heads with a holy cloth, they kissed his cross touched his bible then leaned into his neck and whispered their confession into his ear, he crossed them and sent them on their day with Gods blessing. I have never seen religious worship brought to such a personal exchange as I saw today
Wet Track = "PUSH"
Friday, August 15, 2008
Wet Track = "PUSH"
It was an overcast damp day, the track was still wet from the early morning rain.
"Be careful out there, the carts are going to push in the turns."
"What does "PUSH" mean?" I'd heard it on NASCAR, but wasn't sure.
"When you turn into a turn the go-cart will want to go straight; straight off the track."
"Should we go home and come back another day?"
"Nah, it'll be a driving experience. You'll enjoy it. Oh, and you'll see we just cut the grass, there's a little debris on the track."
This was how we started our second trip to our new "playground", this time we brought another playmate, Phil Teninbaum for his first ever high speed driving experience.
Derick was right the carts did push and the debris was bad, "real bad". As you pulled up behind another cart you faced a shower of rocks, grass, and bark pelting your arms, chest and helmet, but you pressed on. The whole idea is to go as fast as you can and that ment getting around that slower cart.
Ron and I both found our way off the track ("PUSH"), through the wet grass, through the mud and into water puddles. "Maybe we should have brought a change of clothes."
"When you guys come back, let me know. I'd like to do this again."
Looks like Phil's a player.
Wet Track = "PUSH"
It was an overcast damp day, the track was still wet from the early morning rain.
"Be careful out there, the carts are going to push in the turns."
"What does "PUSH" mean?" I'd heard it on NASCAR, but wasn't sure.
"When you turn into a turn the go-cart will want to go straight; straight off the track."
"Should we go home and come back another day?"
"Nah, it'll be a driving experience. You'll enjoy it. Oh, and you'll see we just cut the grass, there's a little debris on the track."
This was how we started our second trip to our new "playground", this time we brought another playmate, Phil Teninbaum for his first ever high speed driving experience.
Derick was right the carts did push and the debris was bad, "real bad". As you pulled up behind another cart you faced a shower of rocks, grass, and bark pelting your arms, chest and helmet, but you pressed on. The whole idea is to go as fast as you can and that ment getting around that slower cart.
Ron and I both found our way off the track ("PUSH"), through the wet grass, through the mud and into water puddles. "Maybe we should have brought a change of clothes."
"When you guys come back, let me know. I'd like to do this again."
Looks like Phil's a player.
Gentleman Start Your Engines
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Gentleman Start Your Engines
I came out of turn nine three quarter throttle and slight brake. Ron is sitting in the infield having spun out and stalled his engine. I drive to the inside of the track off the brake and throttle to the floor turning right through turn one. My rear tires squeal and I accelerate down the short shoot setting up turn three going hard into the top of the turn before I dive to the bottom of the track and accelerate down the back stretch, but wait I’m to high and my right front tire is off the track in the dirt, off the brake and throttle to the floor, rear tires grab but follow the front off the track. Dirt flies, gravel stings my bare arms, and ping off my helmet; I can see my front tires but that’s all... I’m in a cloud of dirt as I do a 360. “I’ve seen this before; I’ve seen Jimmy Johnson do this in NASCAR.”
Well you really didn’t think Ron and I would sit at home and lick our wounds from our weeks work on the Appalachian Trail did you? Trent, my son had told me about a Go-Cart track in Columbiana, 25 miles south of Birmingham, where you could go and drive their go-carts as fast as you wanted, that right no speed limit
“Sure I want to go, let’s do it next week.” Ron was in.
The track is a half mile road course with nine turns and a hundred and twenty meter back stretch. It sits right off highway 26, with a nice club house, flat screen TV, locker room with showers they even sell purple and grey racing shoes. “These people are serious; this isn’t a Panama City go-cart track.”
Derek, the mechanic and track marshal, fitted us with helmets and neck braces. “Yes, neck braces... These people are serious.” Derek walked us through the track layout on a white board emphasizing where to cut back our speed and what to do if you get off the track. Then he took us over to go over the Go-Carts.
“These are Arrow AX9-4S 6.5 HP racing carts; they’ll do 50 MPH down the back stretch, their set-up to give you maximum control. In other words, they’ll go where ever you steer them. Take it easy at first, the tire temperature needs to get up to 140 degrees for maximum grip. “I knew that; I watch NASCAR.”
I led off with Ron close behind. As Derek suggested we took it easy the first two laps to get the feel of the track and to “get the tire temperature up.” Even did some squiggly driving to “scrub” off the tires. Then it was “let’s see what this baby will do.”
I’ve done the Richard Petty Driving Experience, 170 MPH at Talladega, and I’ve been instructed on a skid pad by the Skip Barber Driving School. I’ve even driven a Viper at my full speed around the Barber Race Course. So I’ve experienced speed, I’ve felt a car get away from me, and I’ve muscled a steering wheel to get a car back under control, but I’ve never done it for fifteen minutes straight. We're one and a half inches off the ground, as we crossed the apex of turn six, the G Force on our body is at 3 times the force of gravity, push the throttle to the floor and the engine screams to its maximum speed, 50 MPH, into turn seven.
“Don’t let up, the cart can hold the track,” the tires slide, pull the front back into the turn, the rear of the cart drifts through the turn and it's back to full speed. Within thirty meters into turn nine, a hair pin, hard on the brake while keeping the throttle down in order to keep the engine’s RPM’s up, slide through the turn, the rear end wants to pass the front, jerk the steering wheel straight, off the brake and full throttle. The tires bite and it's back into turn one.
Hot, sweaty, and dirty we pry ourselves out of our race carts. “That hurts your arms, fighting the steering wheel.”
“What happened to you over in the dirt, you’re filthy?”
“Were you ever scared?” “Nah, you couldn’t turn those over if you tried.”
“Should we check it off our Bucket List?”
“You can check it off if you want, but I’m coming back.”
“Next week?”
“Sure. Who can we get to come with us?”
Gentleman Start Your Engines
I came out of turn nine three quarter throttle and slight brake. Ron is sitting in the infield having spun out and stalled his engine. I drive to the inside of the track off the brake and throttle to the floor turning right through turn one. My rear tires squeal and I accelerate down the short shoot setting up turn three going hard into the top of the turn before I dive to the bottom of the track and accelerate down the back stretch, but wait I’m to high and my right front tire is off the track in the dirt, off the brake and throttle to the floor, rear tires grab but follow the front off the track. Dirt flies, gravel stings my bare arms, and ping off my helmet; I can see my front tires but that’s all... I’m in a cloud of dirt as I do a 360. “I’ve seen this before; I’ve seen Jimmy Johnson do this in NASCAR.”
Well you really didn’t think Ron and I would sit at home and lick our wounds from our weeks work on the Appalachian Trail did you? Trent, my son had told me about a Go-Cart track in Columbiana, 25 miles south of Birmingham, where you could go and drive their go-carts as fast as you wanted, that right no speed limit
“Sure I want to go, let’s do it next week.” Ron was in.
The track is a half mile road course with nine turns and a hundred and twenty meter back stretch. It sits right off highway 26, with a nice club house, flat screen TV, locker room with showers they even sell purple and grey racing shoes. “These people are serious; this isn’t a Panama City go-cart track.”
Derek, the mechanic and track marshal, fitted us with helmets and neck braces. “Yes, neck braces... These people are serious.” Derek walked us through the track layout on a white board emphasizing where to cut back our speed and what to do if you get off the track. Then he took us over to go over the Go-Carts.
“These are Arrow AX9-4S 6.5 HP racing carts; they’ll do 50 MPH down the back stretch, their set-up to give you maximum control. In other words, they’ll go where ever you steer them. Take it easy at first, the tire temperature needs to get up to 140 degrees for maximum grip. “I knew that; I watch NASCAR.”
I led off with Ron close behind. As Derek suggested we took it easy the first two laps to get the feel of the track and to “get the tire temperature up.” Even did some squiggly driving to “scrub” off the tires. Then it was “let’s see what this baby will do.”
I’ve done the Richard Petty Driving Experience, 170 MPH at Talladega, and I’ve been instructed on a skid pad by the Skip Barber Driving School. I’ve even driven a Viper at my full speed around the Barber Race Course. So I’ve experienced speed, I’ve felt a car get away from me, and I’ve muscled a steering wheel to get a car back under control, but I’ve never done it for fifteen minutes straight. We're one and a half inches off the ground, as we crossed the apex of turn six, the G Force on our body is at 3 times the force of gravity, push the throttle to the floor and the engine screams to its maximum speed, 50 MPH, into turn seven.
“Don’t let up, the cart can hold the track,” the tires slide, pull the front back into the turn, the rear of the cart drifts through the turn and it's back to full speed. Within thirty meters into turn nine, a hair pin, hard on the brake while keeping the throttle down in order to keep the engine’s RPM’s up, slide through the turn, the rear end wants to pass the front, jerk the steering wheel straight, off the brake and full throttle. The tires bite and it's back into turn one.
Hot, sweaty, and dirty we pry ourselves out of our race carts. “That hurts your arms, fighting the steering wheel.”
“What happened to you over in the dirt, you’re filthy?”
“Were you ever scared?” “Nah, you couldn’t turn those over if you tried.”
“Should we check it off our Bucket List?”
“You can check it off if you want, but I’m coming back.”
“Next week?”
“Sure. Who can we get to come with us?”
Appalachian Trail Volunteers
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Appalachian Trail Volunteers
A Walk Up The Mountain
It started with an article in USA Today about doing volunteer work. I first looked at going to Cambodia to teach village children english. Although it sounded noble and interesting further investigation revealed that it would cost me about $2,000 to get there, an enrollment fee of $1,200 and a lot of shots. Thus I looked to start on a smaller scale. I found that the Appalachian Trail was looking for volunteers to work on the maintenance and refurbishment of the 2,250 mile trail from north Georgia to Maine. Not wanting to go on such a venture by myself I asked my “playmate” Ron Cohen if he would be interested. “Sure sign us up, it sounds like fun.”
Our trip north on July 2, 2008 included a planned stop at the Mayfield Dairy in Athens, TN for ice cream, with a promise to return on our way home. We then drove on to Sugar Grove, Virginia, about 15 miles off interstate 81 to find the Konnarock Trail Maintenance Crew. We joined 14 other volunteers that would break into two crews to spend a week on the trail doing maintenance work. The pre-trip literature explained that we would spend our first night in “Base Camp” then be bused out into the “field” where we would set up camp and work on the trail.
Base Camp reminded me of where you might go for a religious retreat, consisting of about twelve small cabins, which Konnarock called Pods, a meeting hall, a kitchen and two bathing and toilet facilities. The Pods were basic, one room with three beds, a light bulb, an electrical outlet, screen door, three screened cutouts and a tin roof. This was close to what I had expected but not quite up to what Ron had been accustomed to considering that within the past 90 days we had been on an ocean cruise, stayed at the Alhambra Palace in Granada Spain, and the Embassy Suites Battery Park, New York City, none costing less then $350.00 per night.
The other volunteers ranged in age from 18 to 65, with a median age of 37. Ron quickly established that he was the oldest volunteer. The first evening was spent in orientation, and getting to know each other. Camping equipment was available for all that needed it, with most checking out a tent. Needing a tent I went to the supply room and asked for a tent and two water bottles. “Let’s share a tent.” Ron suggested. “No, everyone is getting single tents.” “I have a three man tent,” the manager offered. Knowing that Ron didn’t have a clue as to how to put up a tent, but not realizing that everyone in camp suspected Ron and I were gay, having removed our wedding rings on the trip down so as to not damage them or our hands while working in the dirt, I agreed.
Heidi, a 65 year old high school German teacher best typified a veteran AT volunteer. She came to the U.S. in 1966 got a college degree at 45 and became Texas’s best German teacher. She had done this type of work over eleven times all over the country. The first morning I walked into the pavilion at 6:00 AM to find Heidi trying to get a knot out of Ron’s pant draw string with a fork. “Not to worry Kerry, Heidi is forking me.”
The trail head was five hours from Base Camp near Fontana Dam in North Carolina. The ride gave us an opportunity to get to know our fellow crew members. Our crew was made up of four women and four men, from Florida, Michigan, Washington D.C., Texas, Michigan, Alabama and the U.K. Christine, 29 years old, our trail leader proved to know her stuff, be an excellent manager, and an outdoorsman. Something I have no desire to become; I have to bathe… everyday. She was assisted by Dannon a 30 year old ex-marine who would prove he could out work us all.
It was normal for the crew to camp at the trail head near or adjacent to the Appalachian Trail, but that would not be possible this week. Instead we were to stay at a State Park camp ground. This provided both positive aspects and negative aspects. First we would not be experiencing the solitude and tranquility of camping out in the woods; on the other hand we did have access to toilets and showers. I knew that Ron and I would miss the opportunity of conducting our morning activities in the depths of the forest into a cat hole and bathing with sterile wipes, but we agreed that we could live with it and still call the experience an adventure.
It puzzled me that David came all the way from England to work on the AT, and he was going to do it for three weeks then spend one week seeing another part of the U. S. “David I can see that you marvel at the country side.” … “Yes, it beautiful, it’s so different from England.”… “It could have been all yours David if your ancestors had not screwed up.” Ron added. … “Right, if the French had stayed out of it, it would have been ours.” …“You could have had that place right there, Duke David’s Place.” David’s a city planner for a small town outside of London; he’s been coming to the U.S. to work on the AT for three years now. “It’s a cheap vacation and I get to see the U.S. as well.”
We pull into the state park camp site and pitched our tents. Fifty feet behind Ron and my tent Bubba and Bertha, and two other couples, had squatted for the 4th. of July weekend. Not only do we get free transportation, free food, a free walk in the woods but we also get evening entertainment that lasts to 3:00 AM every night. The entertainment includes both male and female redneck vulgarity, but an inside look at how rednecks live including how long you are detained by the police for a DUI after “blowing 16.” The $500 worth of fireworks that they brought and a barking dog served as a break in the nonstop profanity. None-the-less Ron and I were up at 5:30 to make coffee for the crew and we hit the road for the trail at 8:00 AM.
The trail started at a forest access road just above Fontana Lake, North Carolina. Our work site was 2.7 miles in front and 2500 feet above us. Besides getting ourselves up the mountain we had to carry our tools up; sledgehammers, pick-o-matics, loppers, a chainsaw and gas, and pulaskies. Each crew member carried an extra 20 pounds of equipment. The walk in the wood took two hours including numerous stops to catch your breath and ask your body, “Why the hell am I doing this?” The response was always the same, “This is an adventure, and you are creating a memory.” I also felt that if Tracy could do it I could do it, she was no more then five feet tall and maybe she weighed 100 pounds. “She’s carrying 20% of her weight in tools.” I would later learn that she’s a marathon runner but preferred races in the 50 mile range.
The work was interesting and dirty. The trail had eroded over the years so we were to rehab it. This involved several steps. First Christine or Jim Lowe had to fell a tree, usually anywhere from 16 to 24 inches in diameter. They would cut them in lengths of 7 to 16 feet. We would then drag the logs out of the woods onto the trail; here we would strip them of their bark with the sledges of the pulaskies. We then carried the stripped log down the trail to where another crew member had dug out a perpendicular trench to hold the log forming a step which would reestablish the trail structure. The larger logs were used to create water bars; structures similar to the steps but placed at an angle so as to divert any running water off the trail. I made the mistake of suggesting to Leah that it was a man’s job to carry the logs down the trail, I soon learned that Leah could hoist any log that I could hoist. Me having acknowledged, we shared a mutual respect. In all I recall that we installed 24 steps and 8 water bars over our three days of work on the trail.
The second day was much like the first day except we didn’t have to carry the tools up, having left them hidden off the trail over night. We walked up the mountain in a down pour, sure that the days work would be canceled for safety reasons, but shortly after we reached the top the rain stopped and with the sun came more workers. A hiking club out of Knoxville, responsible for this section of the Appalachian Trail, came up the mountain to help us. There were 10 in all, eight men and two women. Eleanor, a NC senior, blond hair, red bandanna, blue coveralls, and blue eyes brought sunshine to Preston’s day. This could have been Preston’s lucky day.
The club hosted a Bar-B-Q dinner after the work day with beans, slaw, watermelon and cantaloupe. It was an appreciated treat. As we walked to the van Preston and David carried a grey plastic basket containing a watermelon and two cantaloupes. I approached them to help them with the van door and David in his English way gave me an odd look. “What?” “I was going to make a joke about nice melons but it wouldn’t be appropriate for a man.” David said with a disappointed grin. “Well Elizabeth has some nice melons,” I added.
We arrived in camp forty minutes later and I was organizing my gear at my tent readying for the night. “Kerry, thank you for the compliment on my melons,” Elizabeth hollered my way.
I sought out David, “What did you say to Elizabeth?” “I told her that Kerry said she had nice melons.” “David!”
Just before dinner, a Sherriff car pulled up to our kitchen site, followed by a Park Ranger, and a plain clothed detective. They had a conversation with Christine, and then walked past Ron and my tent to have a meeting with Bubba and Bertha and the two other couples. They left after issuing three tickets for discharging fireworks in a state park, $100 each. “Ron, our tent just might burn tonight, put anything you value in the back of the van.”
Our tent didn’t burn but we did learn that the group had also received a $400 ticket for misuse of their Wave Runners on the lake earlier in the day. “I think the police have it in for us.” Bubba declared.
We loaded the van in the morning, and there was that grey plastic basket in the back of the van. I looked into it saw it was empty and declared, “Wow I thought you were going to ask us to carry those melons up the mountain today.” A voice came from the inside of the van. “I carry them up the mountain every day.”
Our time up had dropped to an hour and a half and our time down was around an hour, so we were able to put in a good five hour of work on the trail each day. I actually enjoyed the work, seeing what we accomplished, and working with good people as a team. I felt the walk up and down the mountain was good for me, and offered a sizable challenge at this point in my life; but I hated sleeping on the ground.
The best part of the Konnarock Adventure was the people and the relationships. In five days Ron and I laughed, shared life stories, saw lives change, and made new friends who we most likely will never see again.
David will spend two more weeks working the trail then a week seeing another part of the U.S. before heading back to the U.K.
Tracy headed back to Michigan and has promised to join Ron and I when we run the Indy 500 Half Marathon next May.
Leah signed on to do another week and will then go back to Wisconsin to teach kindergarten and help maintain the Ice Age Trail.
Preston was off to visit his parents in Boone before returning to D.C. and his job at IBM. He also is considering doing a through hike of the Appalachian Trail next year.
Heidi signed on for another week and will most likely find another adventure to pursue. Hopefully it won’t involve a truck driver.
Elizabeth went back to Tallahassee, her three children, Jeffery and her high school chemistry class. She is certain to find another project next year to fulfill her quest for more knowledge.
Christine will move on to the Smokey Mountain Trail for a full time position with benefits as she continues her carrier and passion for the outdoors.
Dannon will no doubt rise up the ranks of the Konnarock organization with his enthusiasm and commitment. I hope he gives up smoking.
Ron and I have checked Trail Maintenance off our Bucket List and will find another adventure next year to satisfy our quest for eternal youth. I came home, after stopping for ice cream in Athens, with a memory that I will keep for the rest of my life.
Appalachian Trail Volunteers
A Walk Up The Mountain
It started with an article in USA Today about doing volunteer work. I first looked at going to Cambodia to teach village children english. Although it sounded noble and interesting further investigation revealed that it would cost me about $2,000 to get there, an enrollment fee of $1,200 and a lot of shots. Thus I looked to start on a smaller scale. I found that the Appalachian Trail was looking for volunteers to work on the maintenance and refurbishment of the 2,250 mile trail from north Georgia to Maine. Not wanting to go on such a venture by myself I asked my “playmate” Ron Cohen if he would be interested. “Sure sign us up, it sounds like fun.”
Our trip north on July 2, 2008 included a planned stop at the Mayfield Dairy in Athens, TN for ice cream, with a promise to return on our way home. We then drove on to Sugar Grove, Virginia, about 15 miles off interstate 81 to find the Konnarock Trail Maintenance Crew. We joined 14 other volunteers that would break into two crews to spend a week on the trail doing maintenance work. The pre-trip literature explained that we would spend our first night in “Base Camp” then be bused out into the “field” where we would set up camp and work on the trail.
Base Camp reminded me of where you might go for a religious retreat, consisting of about twelve small cabins, which Konnarock called Pods, a meeting hall, a kitchen and two bathing and toilet facilities. The Pods were basic, one room with three beds, a light bulb, an electrical outlet, screen door, three screened cutouts and a tin roof. This was close to what I had expected but not quite up to what Ron had been accustomed to considering that within the past 90 days we had been on an ocean cruise, stayed at the Alhambra Palace in Granada Spain, and the Embassy Suites Battery Park, New York City, none costing less then $350.00 per night.
The other volunteers ranged in age from 18 to 65, with a median age of 37. Ron quickly established that he was the oldest volunteer. The first evening was spent in orientation, and getting to know each other. Camping equipment was available for all that needed it, with most checking out a tent. Needing a tent I went to the supply room and asked for a tent and two water bottles. “Let’s share a tent.” Ron suggested. “No, everyone is getting single tents.” “I have a three man tent,” the manager offered. Knowing that Ron didn’t have a clue as to how to put up a tent, but not realizing that everyone in camp suspected Ron and I were gay, having removed our wedding rings on the trip down so as to not damage them or our hands while working in the dirt, I agreed.
Heidi, a 65 year old high school German teacher best typified a veteran AT volunteer. She came to the U.S. in 1966 got a college degree at 45 and became Texas’s best German teacher. She had done this type of work over eleven times all over the country. The first morning I walked into the pavilion at 6:00 AM to find Heidi trying to get a knot out of Ron’s pant draw string with a fork. “Not to worry Kerry, Heidi is forking me.”
The trail head was five hours from Base Camp near Fontana Dam in North Carolina. The ride gave us an opportunity to get to know our fellow crew members. Our crew was made up of four women and four men, from Florida, Michigan, Washington D.C., Texas, Michigan, Alabama and the U.K. Christine, 29 years old, our trail leader proved to know her stuff, be an excellent manager, and an outdoorsman. Something I have no desire to become; I have to bathe… everyday. She was assisted by Dannon a 30 year old ex-marine who would prove he could out work us all.
It was normal for the crew to camp at the trail head near or adjacent to the Appalachian Trail, but that would not be possible this week. Instead we were to stay at a State Park camp ground. This provided both positive aspects and negative aspects. First we would not be experiencing the solitude and tranquility of camping out in the woods; on the other hand we did have access to toilets and showers. I knew that Ron and I would miss the opportunity of conducting our morning activities in the depths of the forest into a cat hole and bathing with sterile wipes, but we agreed that we could live with it and still call the experience an adventure.
It puzzled me that David came all the way from England to work on the AT, and he was going to do it for three weeks then spend one week seeing another part of the U. S. “David I can see that you marvel at the country side.” … “Yes, it beautiful, it’s so different from England.”… “It could have been all yours David if your ancestors had not screwed up.” Ron added. … “Right, if the French had stayed out of it, it would have been ours.” …“You could have had that place right there, Duke David’s Place.” David’s a city planner for a small town outside of London; he’s been coming to the U.S. to work on the AT for three years now. “It’s a cheap vacation and I get to see the U.S. as well.”
We pull into the state park camp site and pitched our tents. Fifty feet behind Ron and my tent Bubba and Bertha, and two other couples, had squatted for the 4th. of July weekend. Not only do we get free transportation, free food, a free walk in the woods but we also get evening entertainment that lasts to 3:00 AM every night. The entertainment includes both male and female redneck vulgarity, but an inside look at how rednecks live including how long you are detained by the police for a DUI after “blowing 16.” The $500 worth of fireworks that they brought and a barking dog served as a break in the nonstop profanity. None-the-less Ron and I were up at 5:30 to make coffee for the crew and we hit the road for the trail at 8:00 AM.
The trail started at a forest access road just above Fontana Lake, North Carolina. Our work site was 2.7 miles in front and 2500 feet above us. Besides getting ourselves up the mountain we had to carry our tools up; sledgehammers, pick-o-matics, loppers, a chainsaw and gas, and pulaskies. Each crew member carried an extra 20 pounds of equipment. The walk in the wood took two hours including numerous stops to catch your breath and ask your body, “Why the hell am I doing this?” The response was always the same, “This is an adventure, and you are creating a memory.” I also felt that if Tracy could do it I could do it, she was no more then five feet tall and maybe she weighed 100 pounds. “She’s carrying 20% of her weight in tools.” I would later learn that she’s a marathon runner but preferred races in the 50 mile range.
The work was interesting and dirty. The trail had eroded over the years so we were to rehab it. This involved several steps. First Christine or Jim Lowe had to fell a tree, usually anywhere from 16 to 24 inches in diameter. They would cut them in lengths of 7 to 16 feet. We would then drag the logs out of the woods onto the trail; here we would strip them of their bark with the sledges of the pulaskies. We then carried the stripped log down the trail to where another crew member had dug out a perpendicular trench to hold the log forming a step which would reestablish the trail structure. The larger logs were used to create water bars; structures similar to the steps but placed at an angle so as to divert any running water off the trail. I made the mistake of suggesting to Leah that it was a man’s job to carry the logs down the trail, I soon learned that Leah could hoist any log that I could hoist. Me having acknowledged, we shared a mutual respect. In all I recall that we installed 24 steps and 8 water bars over our three days of work on the trail.
The second day was much like the first day except we didn’t have to carry the tools up, having left them hidden off the trail over night. We walked up the mountain in a down pour, sure that the days work would be canceled for safety reasons, but shortly after we reached the top the rain stopped and with the sun came more workers. A hiking club out of Knoxville, responsible for this section of the Appalachian Trail, came up the mountain to help us. There were 10 in all, eight men and two women. Eleanor, a NC senior, blond hair, red bandanna, blue coveralls, and blue eyes brought sunshine to Preston’s day. This could have been Preston’s lucky day.
The club hosted a Bar-B-Q dinner after the work day with beans, slaw, watermelon and cantaloupe. It was an appreciated treat. As we walked to the van Preston and David carried a grey plastic basket containing a watermelon and two cantaloupes. I approached them to help them with the van door and David in his English way gave me an odd look. “What?” “I was going to make a joke about nice melons but it wouldn’t be appropriate for a man.” David said with a disappointed grin. “Well Elizabeth has some nice melons,” I added.
We arrived in camp forty minutes later and I was organizing my gear at my tent readying for the night. “Kerry, thank you for the compliment on my melons,” Elizabeth hollered my way.
I sought out David, “What did you say to Elizabeth?” “I told her that Kerry said she had nice melons.” “David!”
Just before dinner, a Sherriff car pulled up to our kitchen site, followed by a Park Ranger, and a plain clothed detective. They had a conversation with Christine, and then walked past Ron and my tent to have a meeting with Bubba and Bertha and the two other couples. They left after issuing three tickets for discharging fireworks in a state park, $100 each. “Ron, our tent just might burn tonight, put anything you value in the back of the van.”
Our tent didn’t burn but we did learn that the group had also received a $400 ticket for misuse of their Wave Runners on the lake earlier in the day. “I think the police have it in for us.” Bubba declared.
We loaded the van in the morning, and there was that grey plastic basket in the back of the van. I looked into it saw it was empty and declared, “Wow I thought you were going to ask us to carry those melons up the mountain today.” A voice came from the inside of the van. “I carry them up the mountain every day.”
Our time up had dropped to an hour and a half and our time down was around an hour, so we were able to put in a good five hour of work on the trail each day. I actually enjoyed the work, seeing what we accomplished, and working with good people as a team. I felt the walk up and down the mountain was good for me, and offered a sizable challenge at this point in my life; but I hated sleeping on the ground.
The best part of the Konnarock Adventure was the people and the relationships. In five days Ron and I laughed, shared life stories, saw lives change, and made new friends who we most likely will never see again.
David will spend two more weeks working the trail then a week seeing another part of the U.S. before heading back to the U.K.
Tracy headed back to Michigan and has promised to join Ron and I when we run the Indy 500 Half Marathon next May.
Leah signed on to do another week and will then go back to Wisconsin to teach kindergarten and help maintain the Ice Age Trail.
Preston was off to visit his parents in Boone before returning to D.C. and his job at IBM. He also is considering doing a through hike of the Appalachian Trail next year.
Heidi signed on for another week and will most likely find another adventure to pursue. Hopefully it won’t involve a truck driver.
Elizabeth went back to Tallahassee, her three children, Jeffery and her high school chemistry class. She is certain to find another project next year to fulfill her quest for more knowledge.
Christine will move on to the Smokey Mountain Trail for a full time position with benefits as she continues her carrier and passion for the outdoors.
Dannon will no doubt rise up the ranks of the Konnarock organization with his enthusiasm and commitment. I hope he gives up smoking.
Ron and I have checked Trail Maintenance off our Bucket List and will find another adventure next year to satisfy our quest for eternal youth. I came home, after stopping for ice cream in Athens, with a memory that I will keep for the rest of my life.
Spain Adventure
Spain Adventure
Our Trip to Spain:
Day one: A long and uneventful drive from Birmingham to Juno Beach FL. We did have a delightful lunch in Macon GA , at The Margarita Grill off of Presidential Blvd. We highly recommend it if your passing through Macon . We arrived in Juno Beach about 10:30 EST and found a Hampton Inn had rooms, had failed to find rooms in two other cities via cell phone calls on the highway, but Ron came through. Six hours sleep and back on the road. Good night….
Day two: An hour drive into Miami to drop off the car and shuttle to the ship, Voyager of the Sea. This is a fantastic ship, I’ve never been on a ship this grand and well appointed. We met a waiter, Jin, from China and shared our memories of our month in China last year. We left Miami and sailed into the Atlantic for a 10 day voyage to Spain . Our table mates are two couple traveling together from southern Mississippi , transplanted form Louisiana so Ron has plenty to talk about and they are full of stories. Tonight’s entertainment was three Argentina Gauchos who presented their native dance and music, a very energetic performance that was totally entertaining.
Day three: We have started what looks like will be our daily routine. The morning is exercise. Up at 6:45 and in the Windjammer Grill for coffee then off to the gym or deck track for a 2 to three mile run ( Kerry 2, Ron 2, Avie 3 mile walk, Nita 2 mile walk), back to the Windjammer Grill for breakfast then back to the gym for weight lifting of a full assortment of machines. At 10:15 Kerry, Nita, and Avie are in an hour seminar on living healthy; Ron says he knows all this; I’m not sure where he goes. At 11:15 I go to a drawing class and the others go in their own directions then we meet at 12:30 for lunch; really it’s 1:30 because each day we move our clocks ahead an hour at noon . Dinner is at 6:00 and we’re off to a show; tonight it was an Australian version of Billy Joel, he was quite good.
Day four: Same routine, this moving the clock ahead one hour each day means we’re getting up one hour earlier relative to Birmingham time. Avie is sleeping later and Ron is making me look bad, he gets coffee and a muffin and takes it back to the room for Avie; what a guy! There was no floor show tonight so we sat in a lounge and made friends with a Texas English Lit professor who was traveling with a California English professor that he had met several years earlier before his wife died, (it’s a long story, and one of many that we have heard.
Day five: Our Healthy living instructor tells us that we should be eating 5 to 6 times per day and should always eat before we exercise, that if we want to loose weight we need to be lifting weights and the running and walking is a waste of time if our heart rate is not 70% to 80% of our maximum heart rate. (220 – Age X 80%). This afternoon we went to an Ice Show, that’s right they have an ice rink on this ship. The show was full of lifts, double and triple saulcows and even a back flip on ice. The performers were from Russia, Poland, Minnesota, all over the world, the arena sat about 600 so their will be more performances and we all agreed that we wanted to get tickets for another performance, the tickets are free. What a vacation! Our head waiter informed us that we needed to be on the lookout for “The Dinning room Gigolo.” This guy approaches your table if you have an empty seat and a bottle of wine and asks if he can join you for dinner. By the end of the meal he has drank most of your wine and moved on to his next victim. “You’ll recognize him; he’s a big guy with a handle bar mustache. Don’t let him sit with you”. After dinner we went to see LaRaf, an illusionist that left the audience asking, “How did they do that?” The show was followed by a 70’s Street Party on the Promenade Deck, and a Chocolate Buffet. Being committed Healthy Living disciples we looked, took pictures and went to bed.
Day six: We’re now on a 5 to 6 feedings per day schedule. Small snack before gym workout, then breakfast, then cardio workout, lunch, small afternoon snack (fruit), dinner, and a before bed snack (preferably red wine and cheese). This keeps the body furnace burning fat, turning it into muscle prompted my the heavy exercise schedule. We’re now 5 hours ahead of home, (we’re up at 7:00 am , it’s 2:00 am at home) naps are becoming a part of our day. Tonight’s entertainment was J.C. Fisher of Kansas City , a tenor who when the act need help called upon the soprano from Birmingham , Avie Cohen.
Day seven: Today’s a great day; I was able to send the Travel Journal and the Web Album this morning… mission accomplished. We are off to Porta Delgada, we can see it off the bow. We’re scheduled to arrive at 12:00 noon . One of the waiters said, “its good body electricity to walk on land.” OK….? We took an excursion onto Porta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island, Portugal. The islands main industry is dairy, there are 142,309 people on the island and there are 142,309 cows. They don’t have barns; because the weather is constant between 46 to 72 they are able to milk the cows twice a day in the filed. Their second industry is pineapples followed by tourism. The island is mountainous, green and very clean. The people are friendly and welcoming, it is a quite island that you could escape into and raise cows if you don’t mind going into the pastures twice a day to milk. Maybe not…… Our entertainment tonight was Pete Matthews, comedy juggler. I almost didn’t go, “how entertaining could a comedy juggler be?” It’s been a long time since I have laughed that hard, he is a high energy, talented, funny man.
Day eight: Avie and I, Nita, went to a private consultation on Detoxing of the body. The staff here preaches that weight control is achieved 15% through exercise, 35% nutrition, and 50% through detoxing. We were each given an EKG type test to determine the body fat, lean weight, basal metabolic rate, good vs bad water and hydration. My results indicated that I needed to loose some body fat weight and put on some lean weight. With this information I was told that it would take three months of supplements to detox my body so that my exercise and nutrition programs could work at maximum efficiency, and guess what… they had just the pill that I would need, green algae, to put me on the right track and it would cost me only $308.00. They also suggested that I go upstairs to the Spa for a red algae body enhancement treatment for $150 which would also involve a follow-up program to which I could subscribe. Good news, I declined all their offers, best news my current weight is right on target… I can eat all I want on this cruise and just keep walking and pumping a little iron.
After Nita had her body composition analysis, I (Avie) had one and was told that my body had 13 poinds of hidden fat and 6 pounds of toxic water! But, I only needed to loose 6 pounds to reach my target weight. I could accomplish this by a SIX month detox program consisting of several different daily capsules of blue-green algae, along with a daily body scrub. Or I could do an algae soak twice a week along with the algae capsules. I did give this plan due consideration (I sure don’t want that hidden fat and toxic water!!), but had to decline the purchase, since I don’t have room in my suitcase to carry the products all over Spain for the next few weeks. However, I, unlike Nita, couldn’t resist the Ionithermie Algae Cellulite Treatment. I got it for a “reduced” price one day and let them slather me with some greenish-black stuff and apply some kind of energy thru electrodes. This was guaranteed to remove 1-8 inches of cellulite and/or belly fat. After the procedure, which was kind of tickly and not uncomfortable, the technician proudly stated that I had “lost” 3 inches from three separate measurements across my belly. I couldn’t tell any difference either visibly or when I tried to button my jeans later. I kind of felt like I was taken, but really do believe the concept of how the process works has some validity. The stuff applied to the body is red algaie, and they recommend continuing at home with daily treatments for only $400 for about three months!! I didn’t sign up for the follow-up! So, the bottom line is that I am leaving the cruise with my same cellulite and belly fat that I embarked with.
Words from Ron: My weight is holding! No midnight buffets, but I am doubling up on desserts at dinner. I’M RUNNING each morning and after my cereal and lox, bagel, cr.cheese, onion sandwich, I’M off to the gym for some body weights. I say keep me on this ship!
Wed 04/30/08
Day nine: Our table mates have turned out to be a lot of fun. Jack and Jerry are spitting images of Ralph Cramdon and Ed Norton of the TV “Honeymooners”. They are a perfect match: Jack is loud and of strong opinion while Jerry is reserved and accommodating. They and their wives have shared their family stories and life experiences each evening over dinner. We will hold fond memories of the gasoline blender, the coffee maker, the ex-nun, and the fisher lady.
For the first four nights of the cruise the “seat squatters” would arrive early to the theater, place a squatter on each end of a row of seats and reject all comers with the announcement; “These seats are saved.” Their companions would then arrive three minutes before the curtain went up and consume the entire row. This was repeatedly done for four night even though there is a clearly stated policy that there was no “saving of seats in the theater”. On the fifth night the “squatters” were once again in place when Joan stepped forward. Joan is a single Jewish lady from Philadelphia traveling alone but sharing a cabin with another woman that she met over the Internet solely for the purpose of sharing a cabin on this cruise. (The match is not working out, but that’s another story.) Joan confronts Squatter #1 and informs him that “saving seats is not allowed” to which he replies “These seats are saved!” With every ounce of defiance Joan can muster she replies “Bull Shit,” loud enough for the first ten rows, who are all watching the encounter with delight having been put off by the squatters themselves. Another “Bull Shit” from Joan and her supporters start to chant “No Saving Seats… Bull Shit.” The squatters got their way that evening but we haven’t seen them since, and each night someone saves Joan a seat. I had the pleasure of her company Wednesday night.
George is a retired professor of Elizabethan Literature, at a small Texas University . He and Ann were an item twenty years ago. They were something of a scandal at this small Texas University . They find themselves widow and widower now. George, still living in Taxes, is a professional bridge player and Ann still teaches in California . They have recently rekindled the relationship and totally enjoy each others company now. “You don’t always get what you want, but if you give it time you will find you get what you need.”
Day ten: Today we were up early and arrived in Cartagena , Spain at 8:00am . We took a tour to Santuario de la Fuensanta, a monetary outside of the city of Murcia . The chapel was small and beautiful, it reminded us all of Sister Angelica’s church in Haleyville , AL . Then we took the bus into Murcia and visited the Cathedral de Murcia. This was the first time I have seen a Catholic church which was divided into 10 to 12 smaller chapels each with iron bars across the front. Our guide told us that each of these chapels are owned by separate wealthy families and corporations for their personal use. It seems that the church is divided and for the use of the wealthy. I don’t know how the balance of the Catholic community fits into the use of this Cathedral. Back on the ship we said good-by to all our new friends, readied ourselves for the next leg of the Great Spain Adventure.
Day eleven: We disembarked at 7:45 am in Barcelona and took a taxi to our B&B on the harbor. The B&B is five rooms in an apartment building run by Jose, a gracious host who works hard to make us happy. The rooms are spacious (remember I just got off a ship), well appointed and clean. We ventured out into Barcelona down the Ramblas on a cold rainy morning; we made our way into the Market which was a visual delight, with so many fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, and people. Being Saturday morning it was shoulder to shoulder with shoppers filling their hand carts with their weekend needs. As we moved down the isles the smells and chatter in Spanish filled our senses. We will make this a morning stop while in Barcelona for fruit and juice; it will be a destination of our morning exercise routine. We then found our way, in the rain, to the Catedral de Barcelona, again we found numerous alters behind bars. The outside of the church appeared to be elaborate and very Gothic but it was wrapped due to restoration that started in the first century and continues today. We then struck out to find the Picasso Museum only to find a line a quarter mile long, in the rain, for tickets; we decided to try later in the week. It was off to another church Santa Maria Del Mar, just in time for the wedding. Wishing the bride and groom the best we found a nice tapas bar for lunch, (10 tapas for 16 Euro). Met a nice couple and daughter, hear at the B&B, on their way to Prague for an older daughters wedding. The ten tapas were enough went out for Gelato this evening.
Sun 05/11/08
Barcelona
Day twelve: Last night I heard from Michael and Marcia Zimmer, a couple that we met on our China trip last year, and they are in Barcelona finishing up their holiday. We are going to meet them on the steps of the Cathedral of Barcelona this morning. We started the morning on Barcelona Bus Turistic which offered us three routes around the city with 44 stops. We did the green and blue routes today which took us through the port area, the Olympic Village (now a high rent residential are,), through the Gothic area, the shopping area, and the Olympic venues. We also met Michael and Marcia in front of the Cathedral Barcelona for a dance preformed by the locals, and then had lunch with them. It was a full day of site seeing tapas and laughs. The tapas were varied Avie made a good selection of Scrambled eggs with veggies and prawns, while I made a bad selection of Fried small fish. What I ended up with was fried bait fish, heads tails and all. Ron did well with Grilled chicken kebabs, I did a follow-up order of the same to fill the void left by the fried bait fish and Marcia shared her Steamed mussels with me. After our first full day in Barcelona, a 2000 year old city, we all agreed that it is beautiful, big and friendly; it would be a nice place to live or to have an extended stay.
The foundation of Barcelona is supported by two different legends. The first attributes the founding of the city to Hercules 400 years before the building of Rome, and that it was rebuilt by the Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who named the city Barcino after his family, in the 3rd century BC. The second legend attributes the foundation directly to Hamilcar Barca. Barcelona is the capital and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,605,602 in 2006, while the population of the Metropolitan Area was 3,161,081. It is located on the Meditrranean coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besos, and is boardered to the west by the Serra de Collserola ridge (1,680 ft).
Mon 05/12/08
Gaudi Day
Day thirteen: Today was Gaudi day. Antonio Gaudi was born June 25, 1852. He was a Spanish architect who belonged to Art Nouveau movement and was famous for his unique style and highly individualistic designs. Gaudi was an ardent Catholic, to the point that in his later years, he abandoned secular work and devoted his life to Catholicism and his Sagrada Familia. He designed it to have 18 towers, 12 for the 12 apostles, 4 for the 4 evangelists, one for Mary and one for Jesus.
On June 7, 1926 Gaudi was run over by a tram. Because of his ragged attire and empty pockets, many cab drivers refused to pick him up for fear that he would be unable to pay the fare. He was eventually taken to a pauper's hospital in Barcelona. Nobody recognized the injured artist until his friends found him the next day. When they tried to move him into a nicer hospital, Gaudi refused, reportedly saying "I belong here among the poor." He died three days later on June 10, 1926, half of Barcelona mourning his death. He was buried in bastment of la Sagrada Familia.
The Sagrada Familia started in 1892 and at this point I would say it is 66% completed, officials estimate that it will be completed in 2026 but that is optmistic. The back of Sagrada Familia is Gaudi’s work while the front is the work of several archatects that followed him after his death. It is like nothing that I have ever seen before and a must for anyone who wants to see the best that the world has to offer. You’ll see in my pictures the grand scale of this church and the unique desigh. The audio discription which is available is a must and two to three hours of your time. After the Sagrada Familia we went to Park Guell, a garden complex with architecural elements situated on the hill of el Carmel in the Gracia district. It was designed by the Gaudi and built in the years 1900 to 1914. Befor reaching the park we stoped at a neighborhood restraunt La Salud and had our best meal in Barcelona for 9.75 Euro. Mine consisted of a greek tuna salid, pearch with potatoes, icream, and drink, which was a bottle of wine for me to drink as much as I wanted. (3 glasses). Ron had tuna, Avie Lamb Shank, and Nita Ham croket. After the park we went to an apartment building designed by Gaudi, Casa Mila, which again displayes his unique style as well as his arcitecural genius. While there we saw an art display of Zoran Music,.In 1944, he was sent by the Nazis to the Dachau, where he made 200 sketches of life in the camp under extremely difficult circumstances. From the drawings executed in May 1945, he managed to save around seventy. These drawing and paintings derived from the drawings were part of the exibit as well as other painting of Venice and other subjects. After a long day we had desert in the Gothic area and made it home around 10:00 pm, a long but enjoyable day.
Tue 05/13/08 (day 14)
Day fourteen: Ron and I rented bicycles and rode the beach cycle path (about 5 miles) then hooked up with a group of 14 and 15 year old students for the ride back into town. As you’ll notice in the pictures we made friends and saw a lot of beautiful Barcelona. I really didn’t expect to enjoy Barcelona as much as I am. After we turned in the bikes we caught the subway, yes we learned to use the subway speaking no Spanish, and met the ladies for lunch out at Espania. They had spent the morning taking a cable car ride up to a fortress overlooking Barcelona. They felt they had had the better morning and we allowed them to believe that they had. After lunch we climbed the steps to the National Museum of Art built in 1929 for the Worlds Fair. Although I was not familiar with many of the Spanish artists other then Picasso and Dali, I did find several that I would like to learn more about, Josep de Togores, Lluis Mariera and Ramon Cavas. You’ll find their work in my pictures. We then took the subway, Avie had to make sure the ticket machine gave her the correct change, back to the Rambles and found Dulcinea noted for it’s hot chocolate (I had a beer) and sought out by all worldly travelers.
Tomorrow we pick-up our car and head for northern Spain, let the fun begin. We will get lost, we will argue, we will have an adventure, we will laugh hard, and we will never forget these coming days.
Wed 05/14/08 (day 15)
Drive to Hondariba
Day fifteen: Ron and I took the subway to the University station, involved a transfer from green to pink line, but it was no task for world travelers. We got a Citron C4 Picasso, which is a van that held all our luggage. It was a tense drive to get out of Barcelona, but we made it onto the highways, 4 lane for the most part through beautiful country. We saw a lot of agriculture and many wind farms and solar farms generating electricity. It appears the Spanish are way ahead of the US in switching to alternative energy. It was a six and a half hour drive with the last hour in the Pyrenees Mountains. In Ron's words, “This is beautiful…. Look at those colors….. Look at the sun on those mountians… I’ve never seen such beautiful mountains.” Then when we arrived at the Parador in Hondariba, a fifteenty century castle. “This is no Hampton Inn.” I will leave the pictures that I will be posting over the next several days to fill your eyes with the magnificent place that we find ourselves enjoying. Ron's only complaint is that the coffee is not hot enough and they serve hot milk for his cereal, but he is induring.
Thu 05/15/08 (day 16)
Day sixteen: Today we got getting lost out of the way. An hour drive to Bilbao turned into an hour and a half of high frustration. Finding the Guggenheim in Bilbao was not as easy as the desk clerk assured. Once we found it finding a parking place was almost as hard. There is a lack of signs and a lack of parking. The building lives up to its billing as the architectural achievement of the 21st. century. It is something to see; it’s like a silver ship in the sun, painted by Picasso, sailing up the Ria de Bilbao. Once you enter the museum the art displayed is a disappointment. Most of it is devoted to Surrealism and it leaves a lot to be desired. The second floor was closed for a rework; maybe that was what carries the interest but everyone that we spoke to was as disappointed as we were. We made our way back to Hondarribia and had wine and cheese on the patio before getting ready for dinner; restaurants don’t open until 8:00 pm. You’ll see in my pictures; the view from our room…. that’s France on the other side of the harbor. This place is a piece of paradise.
Day seventeen: We decided to have an easy day, get up late and not do any long driving. At eleven we drove over the boarder to Saint Jean de Luz, France for lunch; about a fifteen minute drive. After we walked around the town we ventured into what appeared to be a welcoming restaurant; before sitting down I asked the waiter to help me identify what another customer was eating. His response was one of a “French Smart Ass”; we collectively decided not to spend any money in France and went back to Hondarribia for lunch and a walk on the beach. Hondarribia is a wonderful place to stay if you find yourself in northern Spain, it is beautiful, close to many other attractions and friendly. Each morning Ron and I get up and run along the sea wall as the fisherman head out to sea and back through the town as the shopkeepers are opening their stores and the grocers are putting out their fresh vegetables. I think I could live here if I had a better Internet connection.
Day eighteen: Twenty minute drive on N1 to San Sebaastain, Spain, a beautiful sea side town. We entered from the south along a tree lined Boulavard along the Urumea River. It is a very European city larger then we had expected. Being Saturday morning it was crowded and hard to find parking, but after sitting in a Que for fifteen minutes we made it into a garage and were able to park. We were issued a ticket as we entered and as we left we place our ticket into a machine and it asked for our fee, we placed the ticket in another machine as we came to the gate and it opened to let us out; no humans involved, easy and efficient. What a country! The old town was busy and clean, we stopped at an Internet Cafe and were able to check email and communicate home for 60 cents. Lunch in Old Town, with a waiter that spoke perfect English, some shopping and we were back on our way to Hondarribia. Ron has assumed the role of driver and I am acting as navigator with the help of Nita and Avie. So far we have made it back to our beds each night so I guess we are doing well
Sun 05/18/08 (day 19)
Day nineteen: Today was another driving day; 564km or 348 miles from Hondarriba to Toledo . Our trip took us through the mountains on two lane highways sharing the road with Sunday cyclists climbing the hills up to a memorial at the top then coasting back home as we went on towards Madrid . I drove into Madrid while Ron assured us that he could navigate us through the big city. “My dad taught me that you need only find a sign to Toledo and don’t worry about using a map; it’s not a problem.” “But Ron,” we asked; “when you’re driving into Atlanta when do you first see a sign to Macon ?” As we approached Madrid Ron turned to our map, a map of the full country of Spain , a big map, he fought with it in the front seat. Avie told him, from the back seat, “You need to find A-42, which is the highway that will take us to Toledo .” We spotted the high-rises of downtown Madrid , thank God it was Sunday afternoon, “Head for those buildings, don’t worry, and he pushed the map over his head into the back seat, “this thing is worthless.” Three of us feared we were heading to Portugal , when we spotted a sign for Toledo . “See Ron was right, just look for the sign, you can depend on Ron, Ron wasn’t panicking, the three of you were panicking. Now find me a restroom, I have to pee.” We arrived in Toledo and found our Parador on top of a hill overlooking the old city. We will explore Toledo tomorrow.
Tue 05/20/08 (day 21)
Day twenty: Today we explored Toledo , a city built on a hill overlooking the river. As in most 2000 year old cities it was built around a system of churches, in this case Catholic, Jewish, and Muslin. The city grew in harmony until the mid 1400’s when the Spanish government expelled the Arabs and the Jews. Today there are no Arabs or Jews living in Toledo jet their heritage has been restored as a part of the cities history. Today we visited three Catholic Cathedrals and two Jewish Sinagogs. The Cathedral de Toledo, built over 1226 to 1493, was magnificent and more accessible then those visited earlier on the trip but they did not allow any photography. Sculptors Narcisco Tome’s famed hole in the ceiling and depiction of The Last Supper were grand. The biggest bonus for me was the art by Greco, Van Dyke, Goya and other noted artists paintings. The biggest turn-off for me was all the gold gilded monstrance, allegedly made from gold brought back by Christopher Columbus. We all decided the Greco painted all the Apostles with his own facial features and body structure; either that of he was a direct descendent of all 12 of them. The Iglesia de Santo Tome is a small chapel which contains El Greco’s painting The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, well worth seeing and filled with self images. Sinagoga del Transto and Sinagoga de Santa Maria La Blanca were of particular interest to Nita and me because the history and explanation of the religion filled in a lot of holes in our understanding to the evolution of the Jewish faith. I suspect the same was true for Ron and Avie relative to the Catholic faith. After a long day in the old city I insisted that we drive into the newer part of town to see the bull ring. It was closed and we could not get in, but it was quite old and smaller then we and each imagined. Our lunch was from the ‘Menu of the Day’ for a bright clean restaurant in old town, you’ll see in my “pictures of the day” my Salmon with clams, shrimp, and red and green peppers, this was preceded by a serving of two fried eggs and French fries, (you read that right) and followed by a piece of chocolate cake, and of course wine, all for 12.50 Euro. Tomorrow we go further south to Carmona, three nights, outside of Seville , this is a change in plans; we had been scheduled to go to Cordoba but I moved us closer to Seville because of the concentration of our activities in the Seville area.
Day twenty-one: We said good-bye to Toledo and headed southwest to Carmona, 24 miles east of Seville . Our drive took us through varied terrain; starting with a red earth and rock landscape with the bulk of the land used to raise olive trees and some grape vines. Ron and I got out of the car along the highway, at the protest of Nita and Avie, to go into the fields to examine the olive trees; you’ll see a picture of baby olives in the photo album. As we went further south we climbed mountains and started to see different kinds of cultivated trees, we believe them to be almond trees. Further south the villages turned whitewash and the field turned green and brown, grain mostly wheat, then they turned yellow, sunflowers as far as you could see. We turned into Montoro; see the photos, which is in a time warp dating 1808 Spain . Take away the cars; add horses and wagons and nothing has changed in 200 years. South of Cordoba we found our turnoff for Carmon which turned out to be a hill top village that has a history dating back 5000 years. The architecture is Moorish, with horseshoe arches and painted tile. Our Parador is in the remains of a Moorish fortress situated at the back side of the village of small streets; turn your mirrors in if you can as you pass through the double stone arched gate into the Parador square. Our rooms are overlooking the current agriculture of the area. As I sit here I hear a roster crowing, a dog barking, and I see the goats and sheep grazing in the fields below. For the past week we have stepped back 2000 to 5000 years into history with all the connivances of modern day, (flush toilets, electric lights, and modern meals) but our surroundings and the pace of life definitely has a link to the past. Spain is different, no billboards along the highways, no pick-up trucks, solar and wind farms, menu of the day, 2000 to 5000 year history, quaint villages, and the Espana Bull.
Thu 05/22/08 (day 23)
Seville
Day twenty-two: We spent the day in Seville , The Cathedral de Sevilla and Giralda Tower , Plaza de Espana, and the Maestranza Bullring were the only sites that we saw today. First we had to familiarize ourselves with the city. We drove in to the railroad station where we parked, avoiding the heavy traffic of the city, took a city bus, the C1, to the Plaza de Espana, where we caught a double decker tour bus from which we got a tour of the city. The Cathedral, the largest Gothic structure in the world, Nita and I had seen the second largest when we visited the Doma in Milan last November, and the third largest church in Europe, was spectacular but disappointing because of its exterior presentation compared to the Doma. The interior, to me was once again a display of opulence, it was grand, spectacular, beautiful, and impressive as you will see in my pictures but when you compared all it had to how the people lived it’s hard for me to understand and get too excited about. We did climb the Giralda Tower , a 35 floor assent to the top which provides a magnificent view of Sevilla while among the bells. Lucky we weren’t there at the hour. The bullring was interesting; I gained a better understanding of how the bull fight and matador grading works and why the people of Spain are so enthralled with bullfighting. There is a bullfight tonight, and the King of Spain, Juan Carlos will attend, but the Juan will have to deal with our absence. While in Toledo I found a bottle of 1993 Cabernet for 2 Euro. It doesn’t have the character that I had expected but I am resolved to finish it non-the-less. Most of the wine that I have drank is what is served with our meals as a part of the meal and is thus not Spain’s best, but I find it quite good and comparable with California wines. When I look at the wine selection in stores I find the same labels that I have seen in the US for about half the price. We will not be bringing wine home; we have made that mistake before.
Day twenty-three. It was our intention to go back to Seville for a second day to see the Alazar (the king’s palace) and the Flamingo Museum . As we entered Seville we all noticed something different; there was less traffic, more parking available, and many police in the train station and few people on the bus. In Old Town there were more people; locals all dressed up, many church bells, and a heavy smell of incense. Having Avie seek out some locals we discovered that today is a Holiday , the celebration of Corpus Christy, to recognize the poor and downtrodden and their suffering. Each Parish had its own celebration in its respective plaza. The celebration consisted of a precision of the church elders, alter boys, former alter boys, and a display. The procession wound through the city streets as the onlookers, many parish members stood at streets edge throwing smoking rosemary into the streets ahead of the procession. The elders and alter boys carried little candle shafts and medallions, most in dark suits and some in church robes. The entire procession marched to the beat of a bugle and drum band. The street was filled with the smell of burning rosemary, the music of the band, the cheers of the onlookers, and most important the orders of the display Captains. The display had to weigh 2000 pounds and it moved through the winding streets at a methodic pace. As best as I could determine there were as many as 48 small boys, probably 13 to 15 years old carrying the display through the narrow winding streets. They could not see where they were going so the Captains, older men, would lean into the side of the display and shout orders into the lifters. It reminded me of the movies I have seen where men with oars moved massive war ships into battle. We never did see the Alazar (closed) or the Flamingo Museum (closed by the time we found it).
Fri 05/23/08 (day 24)
Jerez Spain
Day twenty-four: Today we drove from Carmona to Jerez , about 80 miles south west, almost to the southern coast line of Spain . We cane to Jerez for two destinations the home of Sherry wine and the home of Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. The equestrian school is devoted to conserving the ancestral abilities of the Andalusian horse, , maintaining the classical traditions of Spanish horsemanship, preparing horses and riders for international competitions, and providing education in all aspects of horsemanship, coachdriving, blacksmithing, the care and breeding of horses, saddlery, and the manufacture and care of harness. The school is comparable to the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria which Nita and I visited several years ago. Like the Spanish Riding School, the Royal Andalusian School is well-known for its "dancing stallions" shows for the tourists. Sherry is a fortified wine, made in and around the town of Jerez, and hence in Spanish it is called "Vino de Jerez," in fact the word "sherry" is an Anglicized version of "Jerez." According to Spanish law, Sherry must come from the triangular area of the province of Cadiz between Jerez, Sanlucar and El Puerto de Santa Maria. Sherry differs from other wines because of how it is treated after fermentation. After fermentation is complete, it is fortified with brandy. Because the fortification takes place after fermentation, all natural sherries are dry; any sweetness is applied later. In contrast, port wine is fortified halfway through fermentation, stopping fermentation so not all the sugars are allowed to turn into alcohol and so leaving a sweet wine. I must admit, I was the only one of our group that got into the tasting; Nita, Ron and Avie didn’t really have any desire to aquire a taste for Sherry. After the horses and the Sherry we walked Jerez; saw a busy town of 196,000 dating back to 1030. Like all Spanish towns everything closed down from 1:30 to 5:30 pm, but we are exausted and are calling it an early night.
Fri 05/23/08 (day 24)
Ronda
Day twenty-five: Ronda retains much of its historic charm, particularly its old town. The views from our Parador are fantastic, see the pictures. We are adjacent to the deep El Tajo gorge that carries the rio Guadalevín through the city center. Ron and I hiked to the bottom for the photos while Avie and Nita scouted out the town. Outside our front door is the 18th century Puente Nuevo 'new' bridge, which straddles the 300 foot chasm below, providing an unparalleled view over the Serranía de Ronda mountains.
Ronda is also famous as the birthplace of modern bullfighting, but the bullring is used olny once a year at the spectacular Feria Goyesca. Held at the beginning of September, here fighters and some of the audience dress in the manner of Goya's sketches of life in the region. Legendary Rondeño bullfighter Pedro Romero broke away from the prevailing Jerez 'school' of horseback bullfighting in the 18th century to found a style of bullfighting in which matadors stood their ground against the bull on foot. In 2006 royalty and movie stars were helicoptered in for the Goyesca's 50th anniversary celebrations in its small bullring, while thousands jammed the streets and parks outside. Otherwise the bullring, Plaza de Toros, is now a museum, which we did not visit having visited the bullring in Seville.
Across the bridge, is an elegant cloistered 16th century convent which is now an art museum. The cobbled alley to the Mondragón leads naturally on to Ronda's loveliest public space, the leafy Plaza Duquesa de Parcent, which boasts a convent, two churches, including the toytown bell tower of the iglesia Santa Maria de Mayor, and the handsome arched ayuntamiento (council) building. Nita, Avie and I found our way there Saturday night as the parishioners prepared for their celebration of the Corpus Holiday with a precession through the city streets. Like the one we witnessed in Seville it was composed of bands, a Christian display, the church parishioners, but this one centered its attention on the young children dresses in their finest. We ended the day with desert, tee, hot chocolate and a Jack Daniels to celebrate Avie's birthday; I’ll leave it to you to decide who had what.
Sun 05/25/08 (day 26)
Ronda to Granada
Day twenty-six: We drove from Ronda to Granada over winding and narrow roads part of the way. Once again we were impressed by the amount of land devoted to raising olives. I encourage you all to keep cooking in olive oil and eating olives, Spain is counting on you. We are not staying in the Granada Parador, it is always booked a year in advance, so we are in the Alhambra Place Hotel, which was built in 1929 and has a view to challenge any that we have had thus far. The common areas are very Moorish consisting of large spaces, colorful tiles and Asian rugs, see the pictures. We walked down the hill for a great Spanish lunch then hiked back up the hill. Tomorrow we will have a guided tour through the Alhambra , and will attend a Gypsy demonstration of the Flamingo. Ron is experiencing some gastrointestinal distress, but is keeping his spirits high. Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonized southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon.
Wed 05/28/08 (day 29)
Adventure Ends
Day twenty-six: We drove from Ronda to Granada over winding and narrow roads for an hour before we reached a major highway. Once again we were amazed by the amount of land devoted to raising olives. I encourage you all to keep cooking with olive oil and eating olives, Spain is counting on you. We are not staying in the Granada Parador, it is always booked a year in advance, it only has 40 rooms and 20 are being renovated, so we are in the Alhambra Place Hotel, which was built in 1910 and has a view of both the old and new city . The common areas are very Moorish consisting of large spaces, colorful tiles and Asian rugs, see the pictures. We walked down the hill for a great Spanish lunch then hiked back up the hill. This evening we went and found the Parador and are glad we are at the Place. Tomorrow we will have a guided tour through the Alhambra , tour the city, and in the evening will attend a Gypsy demonstration of the Flamingo. Ron is experiencing some gastrointestinal distress, but is keeping his spirits high and his butt low. Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonized southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon.
Day twenty-seven: Our morning started as usual with a full breakfast at our hotel, convenient but pricy at 15 Euro per person. We departed our hotel for a guided tour of the Alhambra; the architectural jewel of Granada is not all of Spain. The compound situated on one of the two hills of Granada consists of a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th. Century. The cornerstone of the Alhambra is the summer palace called Generalife, what impressed me the most was the detailed plaster carvings that covered the walls and ceilings of almost every room. Each series of rooms had its own patio and fountain. The Moors used water, which came from the Sierra Nevada Mountains through a series of aqueducts to feed theses fountains. Many of which operated still today using the natural force of the flowing water to create spouts and sprays in their patios. Surrounding the summer palace was the remains of the city that grew around it over the years, including the Monastery of La Cartuja, now the Parador, many churches, and the fortresses for protection and the city wall. The second dominate building is the massive Place of Charles V, an example of Spanish Renaissance architecture, which was started in the early 1400’s but was never completed or lived in by anyone. Today its center courtyard is used for concerts and receptions. Overall the Alhambra was quite impressive for its size, its detailed craftsmanship, and the quality of its preservation; what was missing was the furnishings and decorations that must have been there 1000 years ago.
This evening we were picked up by what we thought was a small bus to go to the other side of Granada for a Gypsy dancing and cultural program. We soon found that our small bus was quite large for maneuvering through the narrow streets of Granada. We maneuvered down one of Granadas two hills and up the other and came to rest in front of a Gypsy Cave dwelling. We were escorted into the cave, no more then twelve feet in with and what appeared to be sixty feet deep. This contained a kitchen, living space, bed room and bath; the living space would serve as the stage and seating area for our evenings entertainment. Within minutes the chairs in the back and down the sides were full and the family of entertainers gathered at the far end of the room from which the staged their production. Mom organized the affair while dad attended to the tickets and refreshments, son #1 handled the announcements, son #2 played the guitar, and son-in-law did the singing while the daughters, daughter-in-laws, and granddaughter did the dancing. The pictures can tell the story better then I can. We ended the evening about midnight all feeling that it was a fitting end to our adventure through Spain.
Day twenty-nine: Today we made a short drive to Malaga. Malaga sits on the Mediterranean Sea; our Paradora overlooks the city providing a panoramic view, but that’s where this Paradora and city’s charms end. Maybe it’s because we’re burnt-out and ready to come home or maybe the past 28 days has set a standard that Malaga is not capable of meeting. We’ll be up at 4:00 am tomorrow morning to get to the airport, drop off the car, and catch a 7:30 am flight to Madrid and arrive in Birmingham 19 hours later at 9:30 pm.
Day thirty: We were up at 4:00am and on the road at 5:00am on our way to the airport. After a short drive down a one way street the wrong way and a shorter trip down a sidewalk to get off the one way street we were on the main thoroughfare which we were told would take us directly to the airport. Ron commented that the cab in front of us “must be going to the airport, there’s a guy in the back seat where else would they be going at this time in the morning?” Three miles later we were greeted by a red flashing sign directing us off the highway, “Road Construction.” …. “Follow the cab.”….. “There are no signs for the airport.”….. “Follow the cab.” The cab wound through side streets, roundabouts, back onto a main road and still no signs for the airport. “Maybe he’s taking that guy home after a hot night.”…. “We’ve got no other options now, follow the cab.” The cab led us on to another interstate, still no signs for the airport. “We need to turn around and get directions; we’re heading out of town.”….. “Let’s follow the cab a bit further, we have time, and there’s no one out to ask directions.”….. Two miles further on the interstate, exit signs but no airport signs, four worried travelers. “There’s a sign for the airport, below the sign for Madrid, follow the cab.” We made it to the Malaga airport in plenty of time, but I don’t know what would have happened if that cab and that guy had not been going to the airport at 5:15am in Malaga Spain on May 28, 2008.
Trip Summary: Spain is a diverse, beautiful, friendly an old country. In our 18 days I can not recall a rude person, oh there were some who were a bit intolerant of our inability to speak their language while we were expecting them to speak our, but that’s the American way. I found Spain a romantic country and I think that was because we chose not to stay in large modern cities after we left Barcelona; instead we stayed in villages and hamlets, most often adjacent to cobblestone streets, thousand year old buildings and beautiful vistas. Spain, for me will be about olives, wine, old towns, whitewashed villages on hillsides, beautiful mountains, fishing villages, art and history. I wish I knew more Spanish. I’ll learn more about the Moors, the Jews, Gypsy’s and the Christians of Spain, I’ll drink more Spanish wine, eat more Spanish olives and I’ll cherish the memories that Nita and have gathered with Ron and Avie over this past month.
Each time I travel overseas I ask myself, “are we doing it right, are we living life the way it was meant to be lived, is there a better way, a slower less hectic way?” Is too late for me to change my lot, but if I had it to do over I would like live in a city like Hondarriba pursue painting, writing, and a different pace. I’d fish more I spend more time with nature and I’d pay more attention to a smaller world.
I’m sitting on the Madrid airport floor listening to James Blunt on my I-Pod plugged into an outlet recharging my computer and I-Pod before I get on our six hour flight. From down here I see people of all colors, varied dress, I hear many languages, some are in a rush some meandering. We are all just trying to get some where today, no one is trying to take my stuff or tell me what to believe or how to live, and as they walk by they look down at the 63 year old kid, grin and move on. Why can’t the rest of the world learn from those of us in the Madrid airport today? We’ll all get to where we want to go.
Posted by Kerry Grink at 1:53 PM
Labels: Travel
Our Trip to Spain:
Day one: A long and uneventful drive from Birmingham to Juno Beach FL. We did have a delightful lunch in Macon GA , at The Margarita Grill off of Presidential Blvd. We highly recommend it if your passing through Macon . We arrived in Juno Beach about 10:30 EST and found a Hampton Inn had rooms, had failed to find rooms in two other cities via cell phone calls on the highway, but Ron came through. Six hours sleep and back on the road. Good night….
Day two: An hour drive into Miami to drop off the car and shuttle to the ship, Voyager of the Sea. This is a fantastic ship, I’ve never been on a ship this grand and well appointed. We met a waiter, Jin, from China and shared our memories of our month in China last year. We left Miami and sailed into the Atlantic for a 10 day voyage to Spain . Our table mates are two couple traveling together from southern Mississippi , transplanted form Louisiana so Ron has plenty to talk about and they are full of stories. Tonight’s entertainment was three Argentina Gauchos who presented their native dance and music, a very energetic performance that was totally entertaining.
Day three: We have started what looks like will be our daily routine. The morning is exercise. Up at 6:45 and in the Windjammer Grill for coffee then off to the gym or deck track for a 2 to three mile run ( Kerry 2, Ron 2, Avie 3 mile walk, Nita 2 mile walk), back to the Windjammer Grill for breakfast then back to the gym for weight lifting of a full assortment of machines. At 10:15 Kerry, Nita, and Avie are in an hour seminar on living healthy; Ron says he knows all this; I’m not sure where he goes. At 11:15 I go to a drawing class and the others go in their own directions then we meet at 12:30 for lunch; really it’s 1:30 because each day we move our clocks ahead an hour at noon . Dinner is at 6:00 and we’re off to a show; tonight it was an Australian version of Billy Joel, he was quite good.
Day four: Same routine, this moving the clock ahead one hour each day means we’re getting up one hour earlier relative to Birmingham time. Avie is sleeping later and Ron is making me look bad, he gets coffee and a muffin and takes it back to the room for Avie; what a guy! There was no floor show tonight so we sat in a lounge and made friends with a Texas English Lit professor who was traveling with a California English professor that he had met several years earlier before his wife died, (it’s a long story, and one of many that we have heard.
Day five: Our Healthy living instructor tells us that we should be eating 5 to 6 times per day and should always eat before we exercise, that if we want to loose weight we need to be lifting weights and the running and walking is a waste of time if our heart rate is not 70% to 80% of our maximum heart rate. (220 – Age X 80%). This afternoon we went to an Ice Show, that’s right they have an ice rink on this ship. The show was full of lifts, double and triple saulcows and even a back flip on ice. The performers were from Russia, Poland, Minnesota, all over the world, the arena sat about 600 so their will be more performances and we all agreed that we wanted to get tickets for another performance, the tickets are free. What a vacation! Our head waiter informed us that we needed to be on the lookout for “The Dinning room Gigolo.” This guy approaches your table if you have an empty seat and a bottle of wine and asks if he can join you for dinner. By the end of the meal he has drank most of your wine and moved on to his next victim. “You’ll recognize him; he’s a big guy with a handle bar mustache. Don’t let him sit with you”. After dinner we went to see LaRaf, an illusionist that left the audience asking, “How did they do that?” The show was followed by a 70’s Street Party on the Promenade Deck, and a Chocolate Buffet. Being committed Healthy Living disciples we looked, took pictures and went to bed.
Day six: We’re now on a 5 to 6 feedings per day schedule. Small snack before gym workout, then breakfast, then cardio workout, lunch, small afternoon snack (fruit), dinner, and a before bed snack (preferably red wine and cheese). This keeps the body furnace burning fat, turning it into muscle prompted my the heavy exercise schedule. We’re now 5 hours ahead of home, (we’re up at 7:00 am , it’s 2:00 am at home) naps are becoming a part of our day. Tonight’s entertainment was J.C. Fisher of Kansas City , a tenor who when the act need help called upon the soprano from Birmingham , Avie Cohen.
Day seven: Today’s a great day; I was able to send the Travel Journal and the Web Album this morning… mission accomplished. We are off to Porta Delgada, we can see it off the bow. We’re scheduled to arrive at 12:00 noon . One of the waiters said, “its good body electricity to walk on land.” OK….? We took an excursion onto Porta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island, Portugal. The islands main industry is dairy, there are 142,309 people on the island and there are 142,309 cows. They don’t have barns; because the weather is constant between 46 to 72 they are able to milk the cows twice a day in the filed. Their second industry is pineapples followed by tourism. The island is mountainous, green and very clean. The people are friendly and welcoming, it is a quite island that you could escape into and raise cows if you don’t mind going into the pastures twice a day to milk. Maybe not…… Our entertainment tonight was Pete Matthews, comedy juggler. I almost didn’t go, “how entertaining could a comedy juggler be?” It’s been a long time since I have laughed that hard, he is a high energy, talented, funny man.
Day eight: Avie and I, Nita, went to a private consultation on Detoxing of the body. The staff here preaches that weight control is achieved 15% through exercise, 35% nutrition, and 50% through detoxing. We were each given an EKG type test to determine the body fat, lean weight, basal metabolic rate, good vs bad water and hydration. My results indicated that I needed to loose some body fat weight and put on some lean weight. With this information I was told that it would take three months of supplements to detox my body so that my exercise and nutrition programs could work at maximum efficiency, and guess what… they had just the pill that I would need, green algae, to put me on the right track and it would cost me only $308.00. They also suggested that I go upstairs to the Spa for a red algae body enhancement treatment for $150 which would also involve a follow-up program to which I could subscribe. Good news, I declined all their offers, best news my current weight is right on target… I can eat all I want on this cruise and just keep walking and pumping a little iron.
After Nita had her body composition analysis, I (Avie) had one and was told that my body had 13 poinds of hidden fat and 6 pounds of toxic water! But, I only needed to loose 6 pounds to reach my target weight. I could accomplish this by a SIX month detox program consisting of several different daily capsules of blue-green algae, along with a daily body scrub. Or I could do an algae soak twice a week along with the algae capsules. I did give this plan due consideration (I sure don’t want that hidden fat and toxic water!!), but had to decline the purchase, since I don’t have room in my suitcase to carry the products all over Spain for the next few weeks. However, I, unlike Nita, couldn’t resist the Ionithermie Algae Cellulite Treatment. I got it for a “reduced” price one day and let them slather me with some greenish-black stuff and apply some kind of energy thru electrodes. This was guaranteed to remove 1-8 inches of cellulite and/or belly fat. After the procedure, which was kind of tickly and not uncomfortable, the technician proudly stated that I had “lost” 3 inches from three separate measurements across my belly. I couldn’t tell any difference either visibly or when I tried to button my jeans later. I kind of felt like I was taken, but really do believe the concept of how the process works has some validity. The stuff applied to the body is red algaie, and they recommend continuing at home with daily treatments for only $400 for about three months!! I didn’t sign up for the follow-up! So, the bottom line is that I am leaving the cruise with my same cellulite and belly fat that I embarked with.
Words from Ron: My weight is holding! No midnight buffets, but I am doubling up on desserts at dinner. I’M RUNNING each morning and after my cereal and lox, bagel, cr.cheese, onion sandwich, I’M off to the gym for some body weights. I say keep me on this ship!
Wed 04/30/08
Day nine: Our table mates have turned out to be a lot of fun. Jack and Jerry are spitting images of Ralph Cramdon and Ed Norton of the TV “Honeymooners”. They are a perfect match: Jack is loud and of strong opinion while Jerry is reserved and accommodating. They and their wives have shared their family stories and life experiences each evening over dinner. We will hold fond memories of the gasoline blender, the coffee maker, the ex-nun, and the fisher lady.
For the first four nights of the cruise the “seat squatters” would arrive early to the theater, place a squatter on each end of a row of seats and reject all comers with the announcement; “These seats are saved.” Their companions would then arrive three minutes before the curtain went up and consume the entire row. This was repeatedly done for four night even though there is a clearly stated policy that there was no “saving of seats in the theater”. On the fifth night the “squatters” were once again in place when Joan stepped forward. Joan is a single Jewish lady from Philadelphia traveling alone but sharing a cabin with another woman that she met over the Internet solely for the purpose of sharing a cabin on this cruise. (The match is not working out, but that’s another story.) Joan confronts Squatter #1 and informs him that “saving seats is not allowed” to which he replies “These seats are saved!” With every ounce of defiance Joan can muster she replies “Bull Shit,” loud enough for the first ten rows, who are all watching the encounter with delight having been put off by the squatters themselves. Another “Bull Shit” from Joan and her supporters start to chant “No Saving Seats… Bull Shit.” The squatters got their way that evening but we haven’t seen them since, and each night someone saves Joan a seat. I had the pleasure of her company Wednesday night.
George is a retired professor of Elizabethan Literature, at a small Texas University . He and Ann were an item twenty years ago. They were something of a scandal at this small Texas University . They find themselves widow and widower now. George, still living in Taxes, is a professional bridge player and Ann still teaches in California . They have recently rekindled the relationship and totally enjoy each others company now. “You don’t always get what you want, but if you give it time you will find you get what you need.”
Day ten: Today we were up early and arrived in Cartagena , Spain at 8:00am . We took a tour to Santuario de la Fuensanta, a monetary outside of the city of Murcia . The chapel was small and beautiful, it reminded us all of Sister Angelica’s church in Haleyville , AL . Then we took the bus into Murcia and visited the Cathedral de Murcia. This was the first time I have seen a Catholic church which was divided into 10 to 12 smaller chapels each with iron bars across the front. Our guide told us that each of these chapels are owned by separate wealthy families and corporations for their personal use. It seems that the church is divided and for the use of the wealthy. I don’t know how the balance of the Catholic community fits into the use of this Cathedral. Back on the ship we said good-by to all our new friends, readied ourselves for the next leg of the Great Spain Adventure.
Day eleven: We disembarked at 7:45 am in Barcelona and took a taxi to our B&B on the harbor. The B&B is five rooms in an apartment building run by Jose, a gracious host who works hard to make us happy. The rooms are spacious (remember I just got off a ship), well appointed and clean. We ventured out into Barcelona down the Ramblas on a cold rainy morning; we made our way into the Market which was a visual delight, with so many fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, and people. Being Saturday morning it was shoulder to shoulder with shoppers filling their hand carts with their weekend needs. As we moved down the isles the smells and chatter in Spanish filled our senses. We will make this a morning stop while in Barcelona for fruit and juice; it will be a destination of our morning exercise routine. We then found our way, in the rain, to the Catedral de Barcelona, again we found numerous alters behind bars. The outside of the church appeared to be elaborate and very Gothic but it was wrapped due to restoration that started in the first century and continues today. We then struck out to find the Picasso Museum only to find a line a quarter mile long, in the rain, for tickets; we decided to try later in the week. It was off to another church Santa Maria Del Mar, just in time for the wedding. Wishing the bride and groom the best we found a nice tapas bar for lunch, (10 tapas for 16 Euro). Met a nice couple and daughter, hear at the B&B, on their way to Prague for an older daughters wedding. The ten tapas were enough went out for Gelato this evening.
Sun 05/11/08
Barcelona
Day twelve: Last night I heard from Michael and Marcia Zimmer, a couple that we met on our China trip last year, and they are in Barcelona finishing up their holiday. We are going to meet them on the steps of the Cathedral of Barcelona this morning. We started the morning on Barcelona Bus Turistic which offered us three routes around the city with 44 stops. We did the green and blue routes today which took us through the port area, the Olympic Village (now a high rent residential are,), through the Gothic area, the shopping area, and the Olympic venues. We also met Michael and Marcia in front of the Cathedral Barcelona for a dance preformed by the locals, and then had lunch with them. It was a full day of site seeing tapas and laughs. The tapas were varied Avie made a good selection of Scrambled eggs with veggies and prawns, while I made a bad selection of Fried small fish. What I ended up with was fried bait fish, heads tails and all. Ron did well with Grilled chicken kebabs, I did a follow-up order of the same to fill the void left by the fried bait fish and Marcia shared her Steamed mussels with me. After our first full day in Barcelona, a 2000 year old city, we all agreed that it is beautiful, big and friendly; it would be a nice place to live or to have an extended stay.
The foundation of Barcelona is supported by two different legends. The first attributes the founding of the city to Hercules 400 years before the building of Rome, and that it was rebuilt by the Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who named the city Barcino after his family, in the 3rd century BC. The second legend attributes the foundation directly to Hamilcar Barca. Barcelona is the capital and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,605,602 in 2006, while the population of the Metropolitan Area was 3,161,081. It is located on the Meditrranean coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besos, and is boardered to the west by the Serra de Collserola ridge (1,680 ft).
Mon 05/12/08
Gaudi Day
Day thirteen: Today was Gaudi day. Antonio Gaudi was born June 25, 1852. He was a Spanish architect who belonged to Art Nouveau movement and was famous for his unique style and highly individualistic designs. Gaudi was an ardent Catholic, to the point that in his later years, he abandoned secular work and devoted his life to Catholicism and his Sagrada Familia. He designed it to have 18 towers, 12 for the 12 apostles, 4 for the 4 evangelists, one for Mary and one for Jesus.
On June 7, 1926 Gaudi was run over by a tram. Because of his ragged attire and empty pockets, many cab drivers refused to pick him up for fear that he would be unable to pay the fare. He was eventually taken to a pauper's hospital in Barcelona. Nobody recognized the injured artist until his friends found him the next day. When they tried to move him into a nicer hospital, Gaudi refused, reportedly saying "I belong here among the poor." He died three days later on June 10, 1926, half of Barcelona mourning his death. He was buried in bastment of la Sagrada Familia.
The Sagrada Familia started in 1892 and at this point I would say it is 66% completed, officials estimate that it will be completed in 2026 but that is optmistic. The back of Sagrada Familia is Gaudi’s work while the front is the work of several archatects that followed him after his death. It is like nothing that I have ever seen before and a must for anyone who wants to see the best that the world has to offer. You’ll see in my pictures the grand scale of this church and the unique desigh. The audio discription which is available is a must and two to three hours of your time. After the Sagrada Familia we went to Park Guell, a garden complex with architecural elements situated on the hill of el Carmel in the Gracia district. It was designed by the Gaudi and built in the years 1900 to 1914. Befor reaching the park we stoped at a neighborhood restraunt La Salud and had our best meal in Barcelona for 9.75 Euro. Mine consisted of a greek tuna salid, pearch with potatoes, icream, and drink, which was a bottle of wine for me to drink as much as I wanted. (3 glasses). Ron had tuna, Avie Lamb Shank, and Nita Ham croket. After the park we went to an apartment building designed by Gaudi, Casa Mila, which again displayes his unique style as well as his arcitecural genius. While there we saw an art display of Zoran Music,.In 1944, he was sent by the Nazis to the Dachau, where he made 200 sketches of life in the camp under extremely difficult circumstances. From the drawings executed in May 1945, he managed to save around seventy. These drawing and paintings derived from the drawings were part of the exibit as well as other painting of Venice and other subjects. After a long day we had desert in the Gothic area and made it home around 10:00 pm, a long but enjoyable day.
Tue 05/13/08 (day 14)
Day fourteen: Ron and I rented bicycles and rode the beach cycle path (about 5 miles) then hooked up with a group of 14 and 15 year old students for the ride back into town. As you’ll notice in the pictures we made friends and saw a lot of beautiful Barcelona. I really didn’t expect to enjoy Barcelona as much as I am. After we turned in the bikes we caught the subway, yes we learned to use the subway speaking no Spanish, and met the ladies for lunch out at Espania. They had spent the morning taking a cable car ride up to a fortress overlooking Barcelona. They felt they had had the better morning and we allowed them to believe that they had. After lunch we climbed the steps to the National Museum of Art built in 1929 for the Worlds Fair. Although I was not familiar with many of the Spanish artists other then Picasso and Dali, I did find several that I would like to learn more about, Josep de Togores, Lluis Mariera and Ramon Cavas. You’ll find their work in my pictures. We then took the subway, Avie had to make sure the ticket machine gave her the correct change, back to the Rambles and found Dulcinea noted for it’s hot chocolate (I had a beer) and sought out by all worldly travelers.
Tomorrow we pick-up our car and head for northern Spain, let the fun begin. We will get lost, we will argue, we will have an adventure, we will laugh hard, and we will never forget these coming days.
Wed 05/14/08 (day 15)
Drive to Hondariba
Day fifteen: Ron and I took the subway to the University station, involved a transfer from green to pink line, but it was no task for world travelers. We got a Citron C4 Picasso, which is a van that held all our luggage. It was a tense drive to get out of Barcelona, but we made it onto the highways, 4 lane for the most part through beautiful country. We saw a lot of agriculture and many wind farms and solar farms generating electricity. It appears the Spanish are way ahead of the US in switching to alternative energy. It was a six and a half hour drive with the last hour in the Pyrenees Mountains. In Ron's words, “This is beautiful…. Look at those colors….. Look at the sun on those mountians… I’ve never seen such beautiful mountains.” Then when we arrived at the Parador in Hondariba, a fifteenty century castle. “This is no Hampton Inn.” I will leave the pictures that I will be posting over the next several days to fill your eyes with the magnificent place that we find ourselves enjoying. Ron's only complaint is that the coffee is not hot enough and they serve hot milk for his cereal, but he is induring.
Thu 05/15/08 (day 16)
Day sixteen: Today we got getting lost out of the way. An hour drive to Bilbao turned into an hour and a half of high frustration. Finding the Guggenheim in Bilbao was not as easy as the desk clerk assured. Once we found it finding a parking place was almost as hard. There is a lack of signs and a lack of parking. The building lives up to its billing as the architectural achievement of the 21st. century. It is something to see; it’s like a silver ship in the sun, painted by Picasso, sailing up the Ria de Bilbao. Once you enter the museum the art displayed is a disappointment. Most of it is devoted to Surrealism and it leaves a lot to be desired. The second floor was closed for a rework; maybe that was what carries the interest but everyone that we spoke to was as disappointed as we were. We made our way back to Hondarribia and had wine and cheese on the patio before getting ready for dinner; restaurants don’t open until 8:00 pm. You’ll see in my pictures; the view from our room…. that’s France on the other side of the harbor. This place is a piece of paradise.
Day seventeen: We decided to have an easy day, get up late and not do any long driving. At eleven we drove over the boarder to Saint Jean de Luz, France for lunch; about a fifteen minute drive. After we walked around the town we ventured into what appeared to be a welcoming restaurant; before sitting down I asked the waiter to help me identify what another customer was eating. His response was one of a “French Smart Ass”; we collectively decided not to spend any money in France and went back to Hondarribia for lunch and a walk on the beach. Hondarribia is a wonderful place to stay if you find yourself in northern Spain, it is beautiful, close to many other attractions and friendly. Each morning Ron and I get up and run along the sea wall as the fisherman head out to sea and back through the town as the shopkeepers are opening their stores and the grocers are putting out their fresh vegetables. I think I could live here if I had a better Internet connection.
Day eighteen: Twenty minute drive on N1 to San Sebaastain, Spain, a beautiful sea side town. We entered from the south along a tree lined Boulavard along the Urumea River. It is a very European city larger then we had expected. Being Saturday morning it was crowded and hard to find parking, but after sitting in a Que for fifteen minutes we made it into a garage and were able to park. We were issued a ticket as we entered and as we left we place our ticket into a machine and it asked for our fee, we placed the ticket in another machine as we came to the gate and it opened to let us out; no humans involved, easy and efficient. What a country! The old town was busy and clean, we stopped at an Internet Cafe and were able to check email and communicate home for 60 cents. Lunch in Old Town, with a waiter that spoke perfect English, some shopping and we were back on our way to Hondarribia. Ron has assumed the role of driver and I am acting as navigator with the help of Nita and Avie. So far we have made it back to our beds each night so I guess we are doing well
Sun 05/18/08 (day 19)
Day nineteen: Today was another driving day; 564km or 348 miles from Hondarriba to Toledo . Our trip took us through the mountains on two lane highways sharing the road with Sunday cyclists climbing the hills up to a memorial at the top then coasting back home as we went on towards Madrid . I drove into Madrid while Ron assured us that he could navigate us through the big city. “My dad taught me that you need only find a sign to Toledo and don’t worry about using a map; it’s not a problem.” “But Ron,” we asked; “when you’re driving into Atlanta when do you first see a sign to Macon ?” As we approached Madrid Ron turned to our map, a map of the full country of Spain , a big map, he fought with it in the front seat. Avie told him, from the back seat, “You need to find A-42, which is the highway that will take us to Toledo .” We spotted the high-rises of downtown Madrid , thank God it was Sunday afternoon, “Head for those buildings, don’t worry, and he pushed the map over his head into the back seat, “this thing is worthless.” Three of us feared we were heading to Portugal , when we spotted a sign for Toledo . “See Ron was right, just look for the sign, you can depend on Ron, Ron wasn’t panicking, the three of you were panicking. Now find me a restroom, I have to pee.” We arrived in Toledo and found our Parador on top of a hill overlooking the old city. We will explore Toledo tomorrow.
Tue 05/20/08 (day 21)
Day twenty: Today we explored Toledo , a city built on a hill overlooking the river. As in most 2000 year old cities it was built around a system of churches, in this case Catholic, Jewish, and Muslin. The city grew in harmony until the mid 1400’s when the Spanish government expelled the Arabs and the Jews. Today there are no Arabs or Jews living in Toledo jet their heritage has been restored as a part of the cities history. Today we visited three Catholic Cathedrals and two Jewish Sinagogs. The Cathedral de Toledo, built over 1226 to 1493, was magnificent and more accessible then those visited earlier on the trip but they did not allow any photography. Sculptors Narcisco Tome’s famed hole in the ceiling and depiction of The Last Supper were grand. The biggest bonus for me was the art by Greco, Van Dyke, Goya and other noted artists paintings. The biggest turn-off for me was all the gold gilded monstrance, allegedly made from gold brought back by Christopher Columbus. We all decided the Greco painted all the Apostles with his own facial features and body structure; either that of he was a direct descendent of all 12 of them. The Iglesia de Santo Tome is a small chapel which contains El Greco’s painting The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, well worth seeing and filled with self images. Sinagoga del Transto and Sinagoga de Santa Maria La Blanca were of particular interest to Nita and me because the history and explanation of the religion filled in a lot of holes in our understanding to the evolution of the Jewish faith. I suspect the same was true for Ron and Avie relative to the Catholic faith. After a long day in the old city I insisted that we drive into the newer part of town to see the bull ring. It was closed and we could not get in, but it was quite old and smaller then we and each imagined. Our lunch was from the ‘Menu of the Day’ for a bright clean restaurant in old town, you’ll see in my “pictures of the day” my Salmon with clams, shrimp, and red and green peppers, this was preceded by a serving of two fried eggs and French fries, (you read that right) and followed by a piece of chocolate cake, and of course wine, all for 12.50 Euro. Tomorrow we go further south to Carmona, three nights, outside of Seville , this is a change in plans; we had been scheduled to go to Cordoba but I moved us closer to Seville because of the concentration of our activities in the Seville area.
Day twenty-one: We said good-bye to Toledo and headed southwest to Carmona, 24 miles east of Seville . Our drive took us through varied terrain; starting with a red earth and rock landscape with the bulk of the land used to raise olive trees and some grape vines. Ron and I got out of the car along the highway, at the protest of Nita and Avie, to go into the fields to examine the olive trees; you’ll see a picture of baby olives in the photo album. As we went further south we climbed mountains and started to see different kinds of cultivated trees, we believe them to be almond trees. Further south the villages turned whitewash and the field turned green and brown, grain mostly wheat, then they turned yellow, sunflowers as far as you could see. We turned into Montoro; see the photos, which is in a time warp dating 1808 Spain . Take away the cars; add horses and wagons and nothing has changed in 200 years. South of Cordoba we found our turnoff for Carmon which turned out to be a hill top village that has a history dating back 5000 years. The architecture is Moorish, with horseshoe arches and painted tile. Our Parador is in the remains of a Moorish fortress situated at the back side of the village of small streets; turn your mirrors in if you can as you pass through the double stone arched gate into the Parador square. Our rooms are overlooking the current agriculture of the area. As I sit here I hear a roster crowing, a dog barking, and I see the goats and sheep grazing in the fields below. For the past week we have stepped back 2000 to 5000 years into history with all the connivances of modern day, (flush toilets, electric lights, and modern meals) but our surroundings and the pace of life definitely has a link to the past. Spain is different, no billboards along the highways, no pick-up trucks, solar and wind farms, menu of the day, 2000 to 5000 year history, quaint villages, and the Espana Bull.
Thu 05/22/08 (day 23)
Seville
Day twenty-two: We spent the day in Seville , The Cathedral de Sevilla and Giralda Tower , Plaza de Espana, and the Maestranza Bullring were the only sites that we saw today. First we had to familiarize ourselves with the city. We drove in to the railroad station where we parked, avoiding the heavy traffic of the city, took a city bus, the C1, to the Plaza de Espana, where we caught a double decker tour bus from which we got a tour of the city. The Cathedral, the largest Gothic structure in the world, Nita and I had seen the second largest when we visited the Doma in Milan last November, and the third largest church in Europe, was spectacular but disappointing because of its exterior presentation compared to the Doma. The interior, to me was once again a display of opulence, it was grand, spectacular, beautiful, and impressive as you will see in my pictures but when you compared all it had to how the people lived it’s hard for me to understand and get too excited about. We did climb the Giralda Tower , a 35 floor assent to the top which provides a magnificent view of Sevilla while among the bells. Lucky we weren’t there at the hour. The bullring was interesting; I gained a better understanding of how the bull fight and matador grading works and why the people of Spain are so enthralled with bullfighting. There is a bullfight tonight, and the King of Spain, Juan Carlos will attend, but the Juan will have to deal with our absence. While in Toledo I found a bottle of 1993 Cabernet for 2 Euro. It doesn’t have the character that I had expected but I am resolved to finish it non-the-less. Most of the wine that I have drank is what is served with our meals as a part of the meal and is thus not Spain’s best, but I find it quite good and comparable with California wines. When I look at the wine selection in stores I find the same labels that I have seen in the US for about half the price. We will not be bringing wine home; we have made that mistake before.
Day twenty-three. It was our intention to go back to Seville for a second day to see the Alazar (the king’s palace) and the Flamingo Museum . As we entered Seville we all noticed something different; there was less traffic, more parking available, and many police in the train station and few people on the bus. In Old Town there were more people; locals all dressed up, many church bells, and a heavy smell of incense. Having Avie seek out some locals we discovered that today is a Holiday , the celebration of Corpus Christy, to recognize the poor and downtrodden and their suffering. Each Parish had its own celebration in its respective plaza. The celebration consisted of a precision of the church elders, alter boys, former alter boys, and a display. The procession wound through the city streets as the onlookers, many parish members stood at streets edge throwing smoking rosemary into the streets ahead of the procession. The elders and alter boys carried little candle shafts and medallions, most in dark suits and some in church robes. The entire procession marched to the beat of a bugle and drum band. The street was filled with the smell of burning rosemary, the music of the band, the cheers of the onlookers, and most important the orders of the display Captains. The display had to weigh 2000 pounds and it moved through the winding streets at a methodic pace. As best as I could determine there were as many as 48 small boys, probably 13 to 15 years old carrying the display through the narrow winding streets. They could not see where they were going so the Captains, older men, would lean into the side of the display and shout orders into the lifters. It reminded me of the movies I have seen where men with oars moved massive war ships into battle. We never did see the Alazar (closed) or the Flamingo Museum (closed by the time we found it).
Fri 05/23/08 (day 24)
Jerez Spain
Day twenty-four: Today we drove from Carmona to Jerez , about 80 miles south west, almost to the southern coast line of Spain . We cane to Jerez for two destinations the home of Sherry wine and the home of Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. The equestrian school is devoted to conserving the ancestral abilities of the Andalusian horse, , maintaining the classical traditions of Spanish horsemanship, preparing horses and riders for international competitions, and providing education in all aspects of horsemanship, coachdriving, blacksmithing, the care and breeding of horses, saddlery, and the manufacture and care of harness. The school is comparable to the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria which Nita and I visited several years ago. Like the Spanish Riding School, the Royal Andalusian School is well-known for its "dancing stallions" shows for the tourists. Sherry is a fortified wine, made in and around the town of Jerez, and hence in Spanish it is called "Vino de Jerez," in fact the word "sherry" is an Anglicized version of "Jerez." According to Spanish law, Sherry must come from the triangular area of the province of Cadiz between Jerez, Sanlucar and El Puerto de Santa Maria. Sherry differs from other wines because of how it is treated after fermentation. After fermentation is complete, it is fortified with brandy. Because the fortification takes place after fermentation, all natural sherries are dry; any sweetness is applied later. In contrast, port wine is fortified halfway through fermentation, stopping fermentation so not all the sugars are allowed to turn into alcohol and so leaving a sweet wine. I must admit, I was the only one of our group that got into the tasting; Nita, Ron and Avie didn’t really have any desire to aquire a taste for Sherry. After the horses and the Sherry we walked Jerez; saw a busy town of 196,000 dating back to 1030. Like all Spanish towns everything closed down from 1:30 to 5:30 pm, but we are exausted and are calling it an early night.
Fri 05/23/08 (day 24)
Ronda
Day twenty-five: Ronda retains much of its historic charm, particularly its old town. The views from our Parador are fantastic, see the pictures. We are adjacent to the deep El Tajo gorge that carries the rio Guadalevín through the city center. Ron and I hiked to the bottom for the photos while Avie and Nita scouted out the town. Outside our front door is the 18th century Puente Nuevo 'new' bridge, which straddles the 300 foot chasm below, providing an unparalleled view over the Serranía de Ronda mountains.
Ronda is also famous as the birthplace of modern bullfighting, but the bullring is used olny once a year at the spectacular Feria Goyesca. Held at the beginning of September, here fighters and some of the audience dress in the manner of Goya's sketches of life in the region. Legendary Rondeño bullfighter Pedro Romero broke away from the prevailing Jerez 'school' of horseback bullfighting in the 18th century to found a style of bullfighting in which matadors stood their ground against the bull on foot. In 2006 royalty and movie stars were helicoptered in for the Goyesca's 50th anniversary celebrations in its small bullring, while thousands jammed the streets and parks outside. Otherwise the bullring, Plaza de Toros, is now a museum, which we did not visit having visited the bullring in Seville.
Across the bridge, is an elegant cloistered 16th century convent which is now an art museum. The cobbled alley to the Mondragón leads naturally on to Ronda's loveliest public space, the leafy Plaza Duquesa de Parcent, which boasts a convent, two churches, including the toytown bell tower of the iglesia Santa Maria de Mayor, and the handsome arched ayuntamiento (council) building. Nita, Avie and I found our way there Saturday night as the parishioners prepared for their celebration of the Corpus Holiday with a precession through the city streets. Like the one we witnessed in Seville it was composed of bands, a Christian display, the church parishioners, but this one centered its attention on the young children dresses in their finest. We ended the day with desert, tee, hot chocolate and a Jack Daniels to celebrate Avie's birthday; I’ll leave it to you to decide who had what.
Sun 05/25/08 (day 26)
Ronda to Granada
Day twenty-six: We drove from Ronda to Granada over winding and narrow roads part of the way. Once again we were impressed by the amount of land devoted to raising olives. I encourage you all to keep cooking in olive oil and eating olives, Spain is counting on you. We are not staying in the Granada Parador, it is always booked a year in advance, so we are in the Alhambra Place Hotel, which was built in 1929 and has a view to challenge any that we have had thus far. The common areas are very Moorish consisting of large spaces, colorful tiles and Asian rugs, see the pictures. We walked down the hill for a great Spanish lunch then hiked back up the hill. Tomorrow we will have a guided tour through the Alhambra , and will attend a Gypsy demonstration of the Flamingo. Ron is experiencing some gastrointestinal distress, but is keeping his spirits high. Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonized southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon.
Wed 05/28/08 (day 29)
Adventure Ends
Day twenty-six: We drove from Ronda to Granada over winding and narrow roads for an hour before we reached a major highway. Once again we were amazed by the amount of land devoted to raising olives. I encourage you all to keep cooking with olive oil and eating olives, Spain is counting on you. We are not staying in the Granada Parador, it is always booked a year in advance, it only has 40 rooms and 20 are being renovated, so we are in the Alhambra Place Hotel, which was built in 1910 and has a view of both the old and new city . The common areas are very Moorish consisting of large spaces, colorful tiles and Asian rugs, see the pictures. We walked down the hill for a great Spanish lunch then hiked back up the hill. This evening we went and found the Parador and are glad we are at the Place. Tomorrow we will have a guided tour through the Alhambra , tour the city, and in the evening will attend a Gypsy demonstration of the Flamingo. Ron is experiencing some gastrointestinal distress, but is keeping his spirits high and his butt low. Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonized southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon.
Day twenty-seven: Our morning started as usual with a full breakfast at our hotel, convenient but pricy at 15 Euro per person. We departed our hotel for a guided tour of the Alhambra; the architectural jewel of Granada is not all of Spain. The compound situated on one of the two hills of Granada consists of a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th. Century. The cornerstone of the Alhambra is the summer palace called Generalife, what impressed me the most was the detailed plaster carvings that covered the walls and ceilings of almost every room. Each series of rooms had its own patio and fountain. The Moors used water, which came from the Sierra Nevada Mountains through a series of aqueducts to feed theses fountains. Many of which operated still today using the natural force of the flowing water to create spouts and sprays in their patios. Surrounding the summer palace was the remains of the city that grew around it over the years, including the Monastery of La Cartuja, now the Parador, many churches, and the fortresses for protection and the city wall. The second dominate building is the massive Place of Charles V, an example of Spanish Renaissance architecture, which was started in the early 1400’s but was never completed or lived in by anyone. Today its center courtyard is used for concerts and receptions. Overall the Alhambra was quite impressive for its size, its detailed craftsmanship, and the quality of its preservation; what was missing was the furnishings and decorations that must have been there 1000 years ago.
This evening we were picked up by what we thought was a small bus to go to the other side of Granada for a Gypsy dancing and cultural program. We soon found that our small bus was quite large for maneuvering through the narrow streets of Granada. We maneuvered down one of Granadas two hills and up the other and came to rest in front of a Gypsy Cave dwelling. We were escorted into the cave, no more then twelve feet in with and what appeared to be sixty feet deep. This contained a kitchen, living space, bed room and bath; the living space would serve as the stage and seating area for our evenings entertainment. Within minutes the chairs in the back and down the sides were full and the family of entertainers gathered at the far end of the room from which the staged their production. Mom organized the affair while dad attended to the tickets and refreshments, son #1 handled the announcements, son #2 played the guitar, and son-in-law did the singing while the daughters, daughter-in-laws, and granddaughter did the dancing. The pictures can tell the story better then I can. We ended the evening about midnight all feeling that it was a fitting end to our adventure through Spain.
Day twenty-nine: Today we made a short drive to Malaga. Malaga sits on the Mediterranean Sea; our Paradora overlooks the city providing a panoramic view, but that’s where this Paradora and city’s charms end. Maybe it’s because we’re burnt-out and ready to come home or maybe the past 28 days has set a standard that Malaga is not capable of meeting. We’ll be up at 4:00 am tomorrow morning to get to the airport, drop off the car, and catch a 7:30 am flight to Madrid and arrive in Birmingham 19 hours later at 9:30 pm.
Day thirty: We were up at 4:00am and on the road at 5:00am on our way to the airport. After a short drive down a one way street the wrong way and a shorter trip down a sidewalk to get off the one way street we were on the main thoroughfare which we were told would take us directly to the airport. Ron commented that the cab in front of us “must be going to the airport, there’s a guy in the back seat where else would they be going at this time in the morning?” Three miles later we were greeted by a red flashing sign directing us off the highway, “Road Construction.” …. “Follow the cab.”….. “There are no signs for the airport.”….. “Follow the cab.” The cab wound through side streets, roundabouts, back onto a main road and still no signs for the airport. “Maybe he’s taking that guy home after a hot night.”…. “We’ve got no other options now, follow the cab.” The cab led us on to another interstate, still no signs for the airport. “We need to turn around and get directions; we’re heading out of town.”….. “Let’s follow the cab a bit further, we have time, and there’s no one out to ask directions.”….. Two miles further on the interstate, exit signs but no airport signs, four worried travelers. “There’s a sign for the airport, below the sign for Madrid, follow the cab.” We made it to the Malaga airport in plenty of time, but I don’t know what would have happened if that cab and that guy had not been going to the airport at 5:15am in Malaga Spain on May 28, 2008.
Trip Summary: Spain is a diverse, beautiful, friendly an old country. In our 18 days I can not recall a rude person, oh there were some who were a bit intolerant of our inability to speak their language while we were expecting them to speak our, but that’s the American way. I found Spain a romantic country and I think that was because we chose not to stay in large modern cities after we left Barcelona; instead we stayed in villages and hamlets, most often adjacent to cobblestone streets, thousand year old buildings and beautiful vistas. Spain, for me will be about olives, wine, old towns, whitewashed villages on hillsides, beautiful mountains, fishing villages, art and history. I wish I knew more Spanish. I’ll learn more about the Moors, the Jews, Gypsy’s and the Christians of Spain, I’ll drink more Spanish wine, eat more Spanish olives and I’ll cherish the memories that Nita and have gathered with Ron and Avie over this past month.
Each time I travel overseas I ask myself, “are we doing it right, are we living life the way it was meant to be lived, is there a better way, a slower less hectic way?” Is too late for me to change my lot, but if I had it to do over I would like live in a city like Hondarriba pursue painting, writing, and a different pace. I’d fish more I spend more time with nature and I’d pay more attention to a smaller world.
I’m sitting on the Madrid airport floor listening to James Blunt on my I-Pod plugged into an outlet recharging my computer and I-Pod before I get on our six hour flight. From down here I see people of all colors, varied dress, I hear many languages, some are in a rush some meandering. We are all just trying to get some where today, no one is trying to take my stuff or tell me what to believe or how to live, and as they walk by they look down at the 63 year old kid, grin and move on. Why can’t the rest of the world learn from those of us in the Madrid airport today? We’ll all get to where we want to go.
Posted by Kerry Grink at 1:53 PM
Labels: Travel
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