September 14th (sunny and just as lovely as it was in Holland the final day)
Sorry I did not call anyone or write about our surprise return, but thought it would be more exciting reading it "live" on our blog.
I look forward to talking with and seeing many of you very soon.
Affectionately, your friends,
Georg and Sandra Nerreter
Friday, September 14, 2007
September 13
September 13th (sunny and cooler)
After a better sleep, I awoke in a better mood now that I was also more resigned to the fact that we would be returning home a little earlier than was planned. Making the decision to return home so suddenly seemed so anticlimactic compared to all the hype and long-term planning when we came to Europe in May. I believe I personally just needed time to digest the spontaneity of the decision and deep down I was in agreement with Georg – it really was time to go home.
We immediately completed the last of the packing and cleaning of the van to be certain that it would be returned in much better condition than we had received it. When that was done and the gate to the campground was opened for us at 9 am, we drove the one hour to Utrecht and this time were able to find Donna's place immediately. Georg had listed the issues concerning the van along with a list of all the extras we were including with the sale of Susi. We are hoping to receive approx. 2,000 – 2,500 E’s upon resale -- 65% of the purchase price on consignment.
Donna was pleased with the foodstuffs and alcohol we gave her and after finalizing the paperwork and exchanging a few stories, she drove us to the Utrecht train station. We bid farewell to her and Susi and were on the train and going to the Shiphol airport within ten minutes. I had a bit of an accident when we got off the train. I backed up and fell over my backpack like a ton of bricks. My concern was that I looked like such a goof and once Georg and I determined that I had not done any damage, we both laughed. I was glad there was absolutely no one that saw it happen.
We had disposed of some of our belongings which made our knapsacks a little lighter than when we arrived in May. Off we marched through the airport to the KLM counter and paid the $200.Can each to change the date of our departure and what do you know, we were on the airplane within three hours and heading home. KLM is a great airline to fly with – the stewardesses are lovely and the service was great. The day went exactly as we had planned with everything falling into place perfectly.
We were hoping to get into our home without anyone knowing that we had returned early, but Georg did not have a house key. Reached Lucas by cell and he was able to pick us up returning home from work. Caught up on some of the latest with the kids, had a couple of beers and when Luke left, we had our first bath in four months, (we always showered), and collapsed into bed.
Unbelievable day, but just as Dorothy says, “There’s no place like home!”
After a better sleep, I awoke in a better mood now that I was also more resigned to the fact that we would be returning home a little earlier than was planned. Making the decision to return home so suddenly seemed so anticlimactic compared to all the hype and long-term planning when we came to Europe in May. I believe I personally just needed time to digest the spontaneity of the decision and deep down I was in agreement with Georg – it really was time to go home.
We immediately completed the last of the packing and cleaning of the van to be certain that it would be returned in much better condition than we had received it. When that was done and the gate to the campground was opened for us at 9 am, we drove the one hour to Utrecht and this time were able to find Donna's place immediately. Georg had listed the issues concerning the van along with a list of all the extras we were including with the sale of Susi. We are hoping to receive approx. 2,000 – 2,500 E’s upon resale -- 65% of the purchase price on consignment.
Donna was pleased with the foodstuffs and alcohol we gave her and after finalizing the paperwork and exchanging a few stories, she drove us to the Utrecht train station. We bid farewell to her and Susi and were on the train and going to the Shiphol airport within ten minutes. I had a bit of an accident when we got off the train. I backed up and fell over my backpack like a ton of bricks. My concern was that I looked like such a goof and once Georg and I determined that I had not done any damage, we both laughed. I was glad there was absolutely no one that saw it happen.
We had disposed of some of our belongings which made our knapsacks a little lighter than when we arrived in May. Off we marched through the airport to the KLM counter and paid the $200.Can each to change the date of our departure and what do you know, we were on the airplane within three hours and heading home. KLM is a great airline to fly with – the stewardesses are lovely and the service was great. The day went exactly as we had planned with everything falling into place perfectly.
We were hoping to get into our home without anyone knowing that we had returned early, but Georg did not have a house key. Reached Lucas by cell and he was able to pick us up returning home from work. Caught up on some of the latest with the kids, had a couple of beers and when Luke left, we had our first bath in four months, (we always showered), and collapsed into bed.
Unbelievable day, but just as Dorothy says, “There’s no place like home!”
September 12
September 12th (sunny and cooler)
Woke up very early and found that Georg’s back was in spasms. He stayed in the back of the car lying down and I closed everything up and began driving towards Paris. Just before Paris and the toll, Georg managed to get up and help with navigating through the city. Alas, we got lost and ‘round and ‘round we went until we saw the `Charles de Gaulle’ airport directions. With that beacon, we managed to find our way out of the city two hours after we entered it.
We drove another 680 kms today and camped 70 kms south of Utrecht and began to organize our bags and tidy the van for tomorrow morning. Georg called Donna Turner yesterday and confirmed that it was OK to bring the van around tomorrow for our planned departure.
Woke up very early and found that Georg’s back was in spasms. He stayed in the back of the car lying down and I closed everything up and began driving towards Paris. Just before Paris and the toll, Georg managed to get up and help with navigating through the city. Alas, we got lost and ‘round and ‘round we went until we saw the `Charles de Gaulle’ airport directions. With that beacon, we managed to find our way out of the city two hours after we entered it.
We drove another 680 kms today and camped 70 kms south of Utrecht and began to organize our bags and tidy the van for tomorrow morning. Georg called Donna Turner yesterday and confirmed that it was OK to bring the van around tomorrow for our planned departure.
September 11
September 11th (sunny and warm)
Both of us woke up in a bit of a sour mood in that this was not exactly the way we wanted to end our tour of Europe. As mentioned, we decided that we were not going to just sit on the beach for the next couple of weeks and sun tan, so basically what was the use of prolonging our trip. We have seen so much and everything now would be a “repeat” basically. I remember my mom telling me that “one day sitting in the sun and just tanning will not be that important any more”. She was right – I do not get such a bang out of burning myself brown.
We disagreed as to the ‘exit plan’ though. Georg’s was to drive until you drop until you get to Utrecht. I really was not sure what my idea of “finished” was, but I never thought that we would drive quite so much today – 780 kms. None of you know Georg as well as me and when he is finished he is like the horse racing back to the barn. I guess most of us are the same, but I felt like I needed to finish stuff – like the rest of the food and supplies, etc. I am a bit obsessive-compulsive that way.
I was in agreement with him in that we really have had a very full and exciting time travelling, but all of a sudden we both felt it was time to return home. Things like Else falling off a ladder and breaking her leg, my father being without my mother and hopefully needing me to talk with, our children and our friends to name a few. We are a very lucky couple in that we have such a wonderful network of family and friends and we hope that they have missed us as much as we have them.
Since it was very late by the time we finished driving, I thought we should free camp where all the truckers stay. During our whole trip, Georg has been adamant about not “free camping” unless it is an emergency. I felt that this was an appropriate time and again, we totally disagreed, but stayed with the truckers tonight anyway. He was so cranky that I was ready for a divorce. Georg gave me the name of a lawyer we can use. I must admit, it was noisier than I expected with the trucks coming and going, but it was alright for one night.
Both of us woke up in a bit of a sour mood in that this was not exactly the way we wanted to end our tour of Europe. As mentioned, we decided that we were not going to just sit on the beach for the next couple of weeks and sun tan, so basically what was the use of prolonging our trip. We have seen so much and everything now would be a “repeat” basically. I remember my mom telling me that “one day sitting in the sun and just tanning will not be that important any more”. She was right – I do not get such a bang out of burning myself brown.
We disagreed as to the ‘exit plan’ though. Georg’s was to drive until you drop until you get to Utrecht. I really was not sure what my idea of “finished” was, but I never thought that we would drive quite so much today – 780 kms. None of you know Georg as well as me and when he is finished he is like the horse racing back to the barn. I guess most of us are the same, but I felt like I needed to finish stuff – like the rest of the food and supplies, etc. I am a bit obsessive-compulsive that way.
I was in agreement with him in that we really have had a very full and exciting time travelling, but all of a sudden we both felt it was time to return home. Things like Else falling off a ladder and breaking her leg, my father being without my mother and hopefully needing me to talk with, our children and our friends to name a few. We are a very lucky couple in that we have such a wonderful network of family and friends and we hope that they have missed us as much as we have them.
Since it was very late by the time we finished driving, I thought we should free camp where all the truckers stay. During our whole trip, Georg has been adamant about not “free camping” unless it is an emergency. I felt that this was an appropriate time and again, we totally disagreed, but stayed with the truckers tonight anyway. He was so cranky that I was ready for a divorce. Georg gave me the name of a lawyer we can use. I must admit, it was noisier than I expected with the trucks coming and going, but it was alright for one night.
September 10
September 10th (sunny and getting warmer)
Being that we were just about the only people at the campground, we packed up early and were on the road towards southern France before 9 am. The scenery we drove through today was certainly not the prettiest we have encountered and the more south we drove, the more it resembled Arizona, even the homes.
As clean as Switzerland was, the opposite for this area of France – lots of garbage and messy piles of junk everywhere. In most of Europe, the recycling program for plastic and bottles is not like home – there is no deposit and refund program for the recyclables, therefore the incentive is not there for most people. I am sure if there was a “cash” return policy, there would not be as much lying around.
Today it seemed like we were continuously climbing with Susi, not as steep as some of the mountains, but all day. She performed perfectly again – lights blinking the whole way. At one point, it was like a light show beating along with the music.
By the time we settled at a large campground on the Mediterranean in France, the temperature was near 30. Very nice weather, but now comes the news. We have decided that since all of our planned objectives on this tour have been met, along with some unplanned side trips, there really isn’t too much left for us to see in Europe. We have decided to head north through the centre of France and come home.
Also the ongoing uncertainty with the van has also contributed to our decision as is the fact that both of us are not into sitting on the beach for another six weeks marking time. The $6,000 or so that we would be spending can be spent on another vacation at a later date.
Notables for the day: south of France must have been very hot, as it was in Greece because we passed through many burned-out areas. We saw flocks of “real”, as opposed to “plastic” pink flamingoes and the campground we stayed at on the Mediterranean outside of Sete now only charges 18E/night instead of 40E/night. However, the 1,000 pitch site is scheduled to close down the end of this week as are most sites – that could be another difficulty for us – finding one that is open.
Our plans are to be in Utrecht by this time next week – September 18th and be home approx. five days after that.
Being that we were just about the only people at the campground, we packed up early and were on the road towards southern France before 9 am. The scenery we drove through today was certainly not the prettiest we have encountered and the more south we drove, the more it resembled Arizona, even the homes.
As clean as Switzerland was, the opposite for this area of France – lots of garbage and messy piles of junk everywhere. In most of Europe, the recycling program for plastic and bottles is not like home – there is no deposit and refund program for the recyclables, therefore the incentive is not there for most people. I am sure if there was a “cash” return policy, there would not be as much lying around.
Today it seemed like we were continuously climbing with Susi, not as steep as some of the mountains, but all day. She performed perfectly again – lights blinking the whole way. At one point, it was like a light show beating along with the music.
By the time we settled at a large campground on the Mediterranean in France, the temperature was near 30. Very nice weather, but now comes the news. We have decided that since all of our planned objectives on this tour have been met, along with some unplanned side trips, there really isn’t too much left for us to see in Europe. We have decided to head north through the centre of France and come home.
Also the ongoing uncertainty with the van has also contributed to our decision as is the fact that both of us are not into sitting on the beach for another six weeks marking time. The $6,000 or so that we would be spending can be spent on another vacation at a later date.
Notables for the day: south of France must have been very hot, as it was in Greece because we passed through many burned-out areas. We saw flocks of “real”, as opposed to “plastic” pink flamingoes and the campground we stayed at on the Mediterranean outside of Sete now only charges 18E/night instead of 40E/night. However, the 1,000 pitch site is scheduled to close down the end of this week as are most sites – that could be another difficulty for us – finding one that is open.
Our plans are to be in Utrecht by this time next week – September 18th and be home approx. five days after that.
September 9
September 9th (sunny and cooler)
Before we left heading towards the Grenoble area in France, we walked down to take one last look at the Wasserfahlers. From the sounds of grunts and groans coming from the men pushing their way along the rocks, we know the competition will be intense today. We did not need to drive very far before we were out of Switzerland and into France, (for the third time this trip). We left Bern and drove through Lausanne, passed Geneva and Chambery and are parked about 50 kms from Grenoble. We will continue heading towards the south of France and then on towards Spain.
The campsite somewhat resembles a “ghost town” as lots of tents and trailers are here empty and are used on weekends only. There are only about six people here beside us. Susi ran well, but the “idiot lights”, as Lucas called them, were flashing on and off all day. Seems their old van did the same thing when they were here six years ago.
Our memories of Switzerland are the length tunnels – most expensive per kilometer system in the world. The many lakes and rivers, all glacial-blue in color, with most of the population of Switzerland living around the perimeters of these lakes. Monstrously high mountains and deep, tight valleys; very friendly, multilingual people; very organized and affluent society – the downside being that it is very expensive, i.e. one egg 75 cents, can of coke $3.25 out of a machine.
All in all, Switzerland has been the most beautiful country we have been.
Before we left heading towards the Grenoble area in France, we walked down to take one last look at the Wasserfahlers. From the sounds of grunts and groans coming from the men pushing their way along the rocks, we know the competition will be intense today. We did not need to drive very far before we were out of Switzerland and into France, (for the third time this trip). We left Bern and drove through Lausanne, passed Geneva and Chambery and are parked about 50 kms from Grenoble. We will continue heading towards the south of France and then on towards Spain.
The campsite somewhat resembles a “ghost town” as lots of tents and trailers are here empty and are used on weekends only. There are only about six people here beside us. Susi ran well, but the “idiot lights”, as Lucas called them, were flashing on and off all day. Seems their old van did the same thing when they were here six years ago.
Our memories of Switzerland are the length tunnels – most expensive per kilometer system in the world. The many lakes and rivers, all glacial-blue in color, with most of the population of Switzerland living around the perimeters of these lakes. Monstrously high mountains and deep, tight valleys; very friendly, multilingual people; very organized and affluent society – the downside being that it is very expensive, i.e. one egg 75 cents, can of coke $3.25 out of a machine.
All in all, Switzerland has been the most beautiful country we have been.
September 8
September 8th (sunny and cooler)
We woke up, had breakfast and did the 25-minute walk along the Aare River into Bern. Georg, not being a very good sleeper, was disturbed by the young couple who were serenading each other until 3 in the morning. Georg did not say anything just in case we got another flat tire.
At the end of the walk along the river, which runs at about 20 kms/hr, we came across an outdoor pool centre which had about six pools right adjacent to the river with the city of Bern rising up the hills around it. It was at this point that sirens began and we were witness to a river rescue attempt. Unfortunately, the river runs so fast that we were not able to see whether they rescued the person or even found him. That aside, we saw a lot of people swimming in the river – more like floating with the current. I noticed right away that this city, even though it is touted to be a ‘World Heritage Site’ is not as pristine as Lucerne. It could be that it is twice as big, but these were our first impressions.
We walked for about five hours through the old section of the city, up and down hills, in and through passageways and found it to be a most wonderful city to visit. In the main pedestrian area, we noticed what used to be street access to the basement have been converted to shops underground. Must say that this city’s shopping area is more crammed than any we have seen, but still delightful to walk through.
We returned via the river again and stopped to take in the 75th Annual Wasserfahrverein (Water Ride Clubs) two-man Swiss championships. This is only a Swiss event – a very grueling sport which has its origins in history as their mode of transportation up and down the rivers and lakes. The crafts are made with a shallow draft and uplifted ends somewhat like a flat gondola. The object of the competition is to navigate up, across and down the river circuit twice – best time wins. Had some beer and enjoyed the camaraderie of the “wasserfahren people”.
Returned to our site, had dinner, phoned our boys to wish Matthew a Happy 28th Birthday. Sounds like everything is AOK at home but Georg detected a need of his project coordinating skills to finalize their apartment renovation. Georg was particularly interested in the World Rugby cup and heard that Argentina upset the host country, France. As we are heading to France tomorrow, he is looking forward to possibly taking in some of the matches on TV at a pub somewhere.
We woke up, had breakfast and did the 25-minute walk along the Aare River into Bern. Georg, not being a very good sleeper, was disturbed by the young couple who were serenading each other until 3 in the morning. Georg did not say anything just in case we got another flat tire.
At the end of the walk along the river, which runs at about 20 kms/hr, we came across an outdoor pool centre which had about six pools right adjacent to the river with the city of Bern rising up the hills around it. It was at this point that sirens began and we were witness to a river rescue attempt. Unfortunately, the river runs so fast that we were not able to see whether they rescued the person or even found him. That aside, we saw a lot of people swimming in the river – more like floating with the current. I noticed right away that this city, even though it is touted to be a ‘World Heritage Site’ is not as pristine as Lucerne. It could be that it is twice as big, but these were our first impressions.
We walked for about five hours through the old section of the city, up and down hills, in and through passageways and found it to be a most wonderful city to visit. In the main pedestrian area, we noticed what used to be street access to the basement have been converted to shops underground. Must say that this city’s shopping area is more crammed than any we have seen, but still delightful to walk through.
We returned via the river again and stopped to take in the 75th Annual Wasserfahrverein (Water Ride Clubs) two-man Swiss championships. This is only a Swiss event – a very grueling sport which has its origins in history as their mode of transportation up and down the rivers and lakes. The crafts are made with a shallow draft and uplifted ends somewhat like a flat gondola. The object of the competition is to navigate up, across and down the river circuit twice – best time wins. Had some beer and enjoyed the camaraderie of the “wasserfahren people”.
Returned to our site, had dinner, phoned our boys to wish Matthew a Happy 28th Birthday. Sounds like everything is AOK at home but Georg detected a need of his project coordinating skills to finalize their apartment renovation. Georg was particularly interested in the World Rugby cup and heard that Argentina upset the host country, France. As we are heading to France tomorrow, he is looking forward to possibly taking in some of the matches on TV at a pub somewhere.
September 7
September 7th (sunny and slightly cooler)
The day started out with news from Carla via email that Oma broke her leg falling from a ladder and was in the Comox hospital. At first, Georg was angry in that, at the age of 82, she still hasn’t learned to stay off of ladders. We were a little concerned, to say the least. We will attempt to make contact with someone back home before the end of the day.
After we got underway, the scenery was the most beautiful we have ever witnessed. The drive through the Interlaken area was like “driving through a continuous post card”. We took a side trip to Gimmelwald, not Grindelwald, where all the tourists go. Rick Steve’s recommended this two-street, 700-year-old village situated halfway up the mountain as the quintessential Swiss village to visit. The only access is by gondola and I was a little weak-kneed looking straight down 4,800 meters.
We could have taken two more gondolas further up to visit the revolving restaurant where James Bond’s “007” movie was filmed, but we have already experienced a high-altitude gondola. We preferred to spend more time walking through the village of Gimmelwald. Interesting note – the 130 townfolk share three surnames – Allmen, Brunner and Feuz. The area was absolutely awe-inspiring. We also watched paragliders jump from about the 6,000 meter mark and float down the valley and land right next to our van. Looks something we might take up when we get home – ha ha!
As Gimmelwald is situated above a dead-end road, we had the pleasure of driving back through this wonderful valley. From there, we drove to Bern, found our campsite, which was virtually empty as the children are all back in school. We strolled around after dinner and noted that some type of a traditional two-man boating competition is being held right outside our campground on the River Aare.
We managed to get in touch with Gerlinde by phone and it turns out that Georg’s mom jumped off an unstable ladder whilst picking apples before their planned trip to Winnipeg. Regardless, her leg has been ‘pinned’ and consequently, the trip back east is now off. Ed, her son-in-law, with a dry sense of humour, brought a gift to her this morning to the hospital – an apple. The recovery should take about six months. We hope Georg’s mom has the patience.
The day started out with news from Carla via email that Oma broke her leg falling from a ladder and was in the Comox hospital. At first, Georg was angry in that, at the age of 82, she still hasn’t learned to stay off of ladders. We were a little concerned, to say the least. We will attempt to make contact with someone back home before the end of the day.
After we got underway, the scenery was the most beautiful we have ever witnessed. The drive through the Interlaken area was like “driving through a continuous post card”. We took a side trip to Gimmelwald, not Grindelwald, where all the tourists go. Rick Steve’s recommended this two-street, 700-year-old village situated halfway up the mountain as the quintessential Swiss village to visit. The only access is by gondola and I was a little weak-kneed looking straight down 4,800 meters.
We could have taken two more gondolas further up to visit the revolving restaurant where James Bond’s “007” movie was filmed, but we have already experienced a high-altitude gondola. We preferred to spend more time walking through the village of Gimmelwald. Interesting note – the 130 townfolk share three surnames – Allmen, Brunner and Feuz. The area was absolutely awe-inspiring. We also watched paragliders jump from about the 6,000 meter mark and float down the valley and land right next to our van. Looks something we might take up when we get home – ha ha!
As Gimmelwald is situated above a dead-end road, we had the pleasure of driving back through this wonderful valley. From there, we drove to Bern, found our campsite, which was virtually empty as the children are all back in school. We strolled around after dinner and noted that some type of a traditional two-man boating competition is being held right outside our campground on the River Aare.
We managed to get in touch with Gerlinde by phone and it turns out that Georg’s mom jumped off an unstable ladder whilst picking apples before their planned trip to Winnipeg. Regardless, her leg has been ‘pinned’ and consequently, the trip back east is now off. Ed, her son-in-law, with a dry sense of humour, brought a gift to her this morning to the hospital – an apple. The recovery should take about six months. We hope Georg’s mom has the patience.
September 6
September 6th (sunny and warm)
Woke up to about 3 degrees; all activity in a heightened state in order to get warm. After our breakfast, I packed a lunch and we took a short bus ride into Lucerne. We were immediately taken with its charm including the Chapel Bridge which we found out from some locals was destroyed in 1993 by Swiss hooligans who set fire to a barge underneath the 1300’s wooden structure. 95% of the bridge was totally destroyed along with about 70 period-paintings. One thing to note is that the river running through Lucerne is absolutely crystal clear.
Georg enjoyed using his new “old” camera again. We spent the day walking over bridges, along ramparts, through cobblestone streets and once in awhile sitting and watching the people go by. As mentioned to us by Rudolf, the kids’ vacations throughout Europe are scheduled in staggered times in order to decrease traffic congestion. At this time, the Swiss kids in this area are back in school. Kids, like anywhere else -- some are adorable and others you could just kick in the ass.
Items to note about Switzerland that we found interesting: 20% of the population are non-residents. That has a potential of some political unrest down the road. Also, was interesting to note that the Swiss nation, even though being neutral during two World Wars, is at a very high state of preparedness for its own defense. There are concealed, strategic bunkers at every pass and bottleneck. Every bridge is built with an internal, explosive charge which can be detonated at any time if the nation is invaded. Additionally, 90% of all the citizens have gone through the military and carry, or are in possession of, semi-automatic weapons and ammunition in their homes. That being said, the murder rate is nowhere near what we have in Canada even though there is `gun control’.
After dinner, we took advantage of the internet, went for a last long walk along the lake, watched some men fishing, played cards and went to bed.
Woke up to about 3 degrees; all activity in a heightened state in order to get warm. After our breakfast, I packed a lunch and we took a short bus ride into Lucerne. We were immediately taken with its charm including the Chapel Bridge which we found out from some locals was destroyed in 1993 by Swiss hooligans who set fire to a barge underneath the 1300’s wooden structure. 95% of the bridge was totally destroyed along with about 70 period-paintings. One thing to note is that the river running through Lucerne is absolutely crystal clear.
Georg enjoyed using his new “old” camera again. We spent the day walking over bridges, along ramparts, through cobblestone streets and once in awhile sitting and watching the people go by. As mentioned to us by Rudolf, the kids’ vacations throughout Europe are scheduled in staggered times in order to decrease traffic congestion. At this time, the Swiss kids in this area are back in school. Kids, like anywhere else -- some are adorable and others you could just kick in the ass.
Items to note about Switzerland that we found interesting: 20% of the population are non-residents. That has a potential of some political unrest down the road. Also, was interesting to note that the Swiss nation, even though being neutral during two World Wars, is at a very high state of preparedness for its own defense. There are concealed, strategic bunkers at every pass and bottleneck. Every bridge is built with an internal, explosive charge which can be detonated at any time if the nation is invaded. Additionally, 90% of all the citizens have gone through the military and carry, or are in possession of, semi-automatic weapons and ammunition in their homes. That being said, the murder rate is nowhere near what we have in Canada even though there is `gun control’.
After dinner, we took advantage of the internet, went for a last long walk along the lake, watched some men fishing, played cards and went to bed.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
September 5
September 5th (sunny, warm – cold and snow)
Our plans were to stop overnight at Chur, however upon checking the weather report on the internet, it was going to be -2 and snowing. We decided that we’ve taken enough risks with the van and will forego camping at Chur tonight and our brief foray into Liechtenstein. Instead, we will stick to the main road: the road we chose was to drive the highway instead of the byways even though they were parallel to each other because the highway barreled through the mountains with tunnels whereas the byways zigzagged their way up and down putting undue stress on Susi. We are very cautious as to the roads we use due to the “red light” syndrome.
Unfortunately the day started off a little stressful because the red light on the temperature gauge was blinking immediately at the get-go from Locarno. Again, taking into account of what the mechanic said, we carried on, but we still had our doubts. True to the weather forecast, it became cold, cloudy and yes – it started to snow upon reaching San Bernardino in the Alps. The blanket of white added impact to the already beautiful scenery that surpasses even our Rocky Mountains. At one of the high-altitude rest stops, we found out how cold it really was and how silly we looked running around in our shorts, short-sleeves and sandals. We quickly changed clothes.
As the weather has changed our itinerary, our new destination of the day was Lucerne, a city of approx. 60,000 inhabitants. In our travels towards the city, we passed a few lakes and over here the lakes are huge. The two large ones we passed were over 60 kms long. We even drove through an officially designated area called “Heidiland”. At one point in time, we were actually 60 – 70 kms drive away from Immenstadt where Seb, Susi and Steff live. Upon reaching our destination, we were taken aback by the unbelievable setting of Lucerne. Looking forward to hoofing around town tomorrow in what is expected to be a sunny day.
Before we went to bed, one interesting thing happened. As we have internet access, Georg decided to get more background associated with his first Canon camera which broke down in Nurnberg. He turned on the camera so that he could see the error message displayed on the screen and to his surprise when he turned it on, the lens actually worked. Upon several successful “on and offs”, we now have two working cameras although the original one still has some lens problems.
Our plans were to stop overnight at Chur, however upon checking the weather report on the internet, it was going to be -2 and snowing. We decided that we’ve taken enough risks with the van and will forego camping at Chur tonight and our brief foray into Liechtenstein. Instead, we will stick to the main road: the road we chose was to drive the highway instead of the byways even though they were parallel to each other because the highway barreled through the mountains with tunnels whereas the byways zigzagged their way up and down putting undue stress on Susi. We are very cautious as to the roads we use due to the “red light” syndrome.
Unfortunately the day started off a little stressful because the red light on the temperature gauge was blinking immediately at the get-go from Locarno. Again, taking into account of what the mechanic said, we carried on, but we still had our doubts. True to the weather forecast, it became cold, cloudy and yes – it started to snow upon reaching San Bernardino in the Alps. The blanket of white added impact to the already beautiful scenery that surpasses even our Rocky Mountains. At one of the high-altitude rest stops, we found out how cold it really was and how silly we looked running around in our shorts, short-sleeves and sandals. We quickly changed clothes.
As the weather has changed our itinerary, our new destination of the day was Lucerne, a city of approx. 60,000 inhabitants. In our travels towards the city, we passed a few lakes and over here the lakes are huge. The two large ones we passed were over 60 kms long. We even drove through an officially designated area called “Heidiland”. At one point in time, we were actually 60 – 70 kms drive away from Immenstadt where Seb, Susi and Steff live. Upon reaching our destination, we were taken aback by the unbelievable setting of Lucerne. Looking forward to hoofing around town tomorrow in what is expected to be a sunny day.
Before we went to bed, one interesting thing happened. As we have internet access, Georg decided to get more background associated with his first Canon camera which broke down in Nurnberg. He turned on the camera so that he could see the error message displayed on the screen and to his surprise when he turned it on, the lens actually worked. Upon several successful “on and offs”, we now have two working cameras although the original one still has some lens problems.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
September 4
September 4th (sunny and warm)
This campground at Locarno is extremely large; in fact there are 600 sites. At approx. $35 Can/site and every spot is filled for six months of the year that is ½ million/month. Take into account the store and all the other amenities; I believe owning a campground is a lucrative business. Anybody interested in a partnership?
We woke up to another beautiful day with scenery around us that doesn’t get any better. This has to be one of the most gorgeous settings in the world – a very large turquoise-colored lake surrounded by mountains all around. Locarno has a population of 14,500 and it seems there is a fair amount of money here. Everywhere are casinos, expensive restaurants, high-class hotels and stores.
There is a free boat service from various locations on the lake to Locarno centre. We began our day at 10 am and took the boat over to walk the town before riding the tram, then gondola, then chairlift up to the summit, around 2,600 meters, to enjoy our packed lunch. On the way up we noticed a lot of people wearing long jackets and pants. We found out why very quickly – it was freezing up there. The scenery overlooking the lake and the distant snow-covered Alps and surrounding mountains and valleys was extraordinary. With the aid of the binoculars we were able to hone in on some of the mountainside villages scattered throughout the region. These small villages, only accessible on foot, are the high-altitude cheese-making points.
After a fabulous afternoon walking and enjoying this most spectacular scenery, we returned to our camping spot via the bus. Georg made a comment that we reached a point where living out of 60 sq. ft. with a 2 ½ ft. ceiling in the bedroom area and a 6 ft. ceiling in the dining/kitchen area, is all we know.
We are that short of becoming perpetual `vagabonds’. I had a serendipity moment after devouring another huge plate of pasta with Van Morrison singing in the background, Georg asked me to lift up my top to see my girth. Just at that moment the Van Morrison lyrics went something like – “It gets larger all the time”. We both laughed.
We will be driving towards Chur and then Liechtenstein on to Lucerne and other points. Susi’s mileage hit 15,000 the other day and we hope she continues to be dependable.
This campground at Locarno is extremely large; in fact there are 600 sites. At approx. $35 Can/site and every spot is filled for six months of the year that is ½ million/month. Take into account the store and all the other amenities; I believe owning a campground is a lucrative business. Anybody interested in a partnership?
We woke up to another beautiful day with scenery around us that doesn’t get any better. This has to be one of the most gorgeous settings in the world – a very large turquoise-colored lake surrounded by mountains all around. Locarno has a population of 14,500 and it seems there is a fair amount of money here. Everywhere are casinos, expensive restaurants, high-class hotels and stores.
There is a free boat service from various locations on the lake to Locarno centre. We began our day at 10 am and took the boat over to walk the town before riding the tram, then gondola, then chairlift up to the summit, around 2,600 meters, to enjoy our packed lunch. On the way up we noticed a lot of people wearing long jackets and pants. We found out why very quickly – it was freezing up there. The scenery overlooking the lake and the distant snow-covered Alps and surrounding mountains and valleys was extraordinary. With the aid of the binoculars we were able to hone in on some of the mountainside villages scattered throughout the region. These small villages, only accessible on foot, are the high-altitude cheese-making points.
After a fabulous afternoon walking and enjoying this most spectacular scenery, we returned to our camping spot via the bus. Georg made a comment that we reached a point where living out of 60 sq. ft. with a 2 ½ ft. ceiling in the bedroom area and a 6 ft. ceiling in the dining/kitchen area, is all we know.
We are that short of becoming perpetual `vagabonds’. I had a serendipity moment after devouring another huge plate of pasta with Van Morrison singing in the background, Georg asked me to lift up my top to see my girth. Just at that moment the Van Morrison lyrics went something like – “It gets larger all the time”. We both laughed.
We will be driving towards Chur and then Liechtenstein on to Lucerne and other points. Susi’s mileage hit 15,000 the other day and we hope she continues to be dependable.
September 3
September 3rd (sunny and warm)
With sadness we left Levanto and ultimately Italy, and travelled towards Switzerland. Our memories of Italy are summed up as follows: happy, helpful, talkative and demonstrative people; warm weather and the beautiful, turquoise Mediterranean Sea; great ice cream (gelato); fragrances of cooking, especially pizza; long tunnels through the mountains; Piaggios; gold and orange buildings with green shutters and terraced gardens and homes on top of or on the sides of mountains. Simple Georg’s observations amount to: great beer and well-dressed, big-breasted women!
We decided to give Susi and break and drove the toll highways instead of the winding off-road alternates. She performed extremely well and we did not see a light all day (except the light at the end of each tunnel – ha hah!). We found the drive from Genoa to Milan quite drab. After Milan things started looking better. Once we crossed into Switzerland at 2 pm, the road was uphill all the way.
Just before Como, we were treated to a spectacular vista of a lake surrounded by deep, steep mountains which took us quite by surprise. Unfortunately, the highway systems over here do not afford stop-offs for picture taking. We hope that something similar would come our way in order for Georg to capture it on camera. The trip from Como to the Locarno campground was a wonderful ride through the Swiss countryside. Unfortunately, at an intersection just before Locarno, Georg confused it with “Lugano” and we found ourselves twenty minutes later heading back from whence we came. Eventually, we found our campsite. We are parked right up against Lago Maggiore, a lake which is about seventy kilometers long and has a spectacular view – quite a distinct change from the Mediterranean. We noticed that this campground is occupied predominantly by Germans. It is basically the southern-most part of a Germanic-speaking country which has palm trees and high mountains and skiing in the winter. Can’t get any better than that!
While I was preparing dinner, Georg took a long walk to obtain some Swiss francs and groceries. We had a wonderful dinner, found the site had internet access, did some updating and off to bed.
With sadness we left Levanto and ultimately Italy, and travelled towards Switzerland. Our memories of Italy are summed up as follows: happy, helpful, talkative and demonstrative people; warm weather and the beautiful, turquoise Mediterranean Sea; great ice cream (gelato); fragrances of cooking, especially pizza; long tunnels through the mountains; Piaggios; gold and orange buildings with green shutters and terraced gardens and homes on top of or on the sides of mountains. Simple Georg’s observations amount to: great beer and well-dressed, big-breasted women!
We decided to give Susi and break and drove the toll highways instead of the winding off-road alternates. She performed extremely well and we did not see a light all day (except the light at the end of each tunnel – ha hah!). We found the drive from Genoa to Milan quite drab. After Milan things started looking better. Once we crossed into Switzerland at 2 pm, the road was uphill all the way.
Just before Como, we were treated to a spectacular vista of a lake surrounded by deep, steep mountains which took us quite by surprise. Unfortunately, the highway systems over here do not afford stop-offs for picture taking. We hope that something similar would come our way in order for Georg to capture it on camera. The trip from Como to the Locarno campground was a wonderful ride through the Swiss countryside. Unfortunately, at an intersection just before Locarno, Georg confused it with “Lugano” and we found ourselves twenty minutes later heading back from whence we came. Eventually, we found our campsite. We are parked right up against Lago Maggiore, a lake which is about seventy kilometers long and has a spectacular view – quite a distinct change from the Mediterranean. We noticed that this campground is occupied predominantly by Germans. It is basically the southern-most part of a Germanic-speaking country which has palm trees and high mountains and skiing in the winter. Can’t get any better than that!
While I was preparing dinner, Georg took a long walk to obtain some Swiss francs and groceries. We had a wonderful dinner, found the site had internet access, did some updating and off to bed.
September 2
September 2nd (sunny and warm)
Our day today was pretty much the same as yesterday in that we spent about four hours at the beach and the rest walking about Levanto and eating great food and drinking good Italian beer and wines. It is a lovely spot and the weather has been perfect – high 20’s. Watching the elderly people in the evenings all dressed up and sitting in their separate groups, i.e. males together and females together chatting and sitting in the shade made me think about my friend at Telus, Josie Spartano, talking about her father enjoying his pals in our “little Italy” at home. Also, she would often mention what a great cook her sister-in-law was.
On one of our walks into Levanto, Georg saw a soccer game at a bar, we decided to go in, have a beer and watch the game. Right next to us sat a couple, Ian and Jenn Banks, Canadians from Deep Cove from all places. They flew in and are doing the five-day trek of Cinque Terre with overnight stops in each of the villages and then a Mediterranean cruise. We touched bases on a lot of subjects including the apparent lousy weather in Vancouver and Sam Sullivan’s premature involvement in the garbage strike.
We ended the day with another walk on the beach towards the three villas, owned by Fiat, (ownership of property other than by the locals is a thorny issue in this region). Topped it off with one more gelato. Bottom line for this stage of our tour – we would recommend this area to anyone – fly in, stay a week in a pension and enjoy the surrounding area.
Our day today was pretty much the same as yesterday in that we spent about four hours at the beach and the rest walking about Levanto and eating great food and drinking good Italian beer and wines. It is a lovely spot and the weather has been perfect – high 20’s. Watching the elderly people in the evenings all dressed up and sitting in their separate groups, i.e. males together and females together chatting and sitting in the shade made me think about my friend at Telus, Josie Spartano, talking about her father enjoying his pals in our “little Italy” at home. Also, she would often mention what a great cook her sister-in-law was.
On one of our walks into Levanto, Georg saw a soccer game at a bar, we decided to go in, have a beer and watch the game. Right next to us sat a couple, Ian and Jenn Banks, Canadians from Deep Cove from all places. They flew in and are doing the five-day trek of Cinque Terre with overnight stops in each of the villages and then a Mediterranean cruise. We touched bases on a lot of subjects including the apparent lousy weather in Vancouver and Sam Sullivan’s premature involvement in the garbage strike.
We ended the day with another walk on the beach towards the three villas, owned by Fiat, (ownership of property other than by the locals is a thorny issue in this region). Topped it off with one more gelato. Bottom line for this stage of our tour – we would recommend this area to anyone – fly in, stay a week in a pension and enjoy the surrounding area.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
September 1
September 1st (sunny and warm)
I woke up early this morning, put on the coffee as usual, showered, washed some clothes and read while Georg snoozed a little longer. First we had our coffee and then walked to buy some fresh bread for breakfast and to enjoy observing Levanto’s residents begin their day. We both agree that you could spend more time here enjoying the beach and the surrounding area, especially the Cinque Terre towns.
After breakfast, we quickly got into our bathing suits and wandered the short distance to the beach where we planted ourselves for the next four hours. We brought along reading material, but with all the happenings around us, including the fabulous ocean, it was pretty hard to focus on a book. Georg had no problems getting into the water and playing amongst the waves, however I still had the “Jaws” theme-song embedded in my brain since 1975. It took me a bit longer, but I eventually got out to the breakwater and had lots of fun in the big waves. It was especially enjoyable watching the family interaction on the beach. This was not just Italians as there are many tourists in the mix. Europeans, in general, seem to be more family-oriented than North Americans.
We enjoyed a home-cooked dinner of fresh spinach-ricotta ravioli with walnut sauce. The ravioli here is definitely more delicious. We also purchased some prosciutto which Georg likes, but I am not a real fan of, but upon sampling Levanto’s version, it was something to die for. When we return home we will definitely take our time to do daily shopping in the various ethnic areas of Vancouver, including the Commerical Drive area.
We closed the evening by meeting two families from Germany, one from Ravensburg, near Lake Constance and the other near the Algau, where Susi and Seb are from. After exchanging email addresses and notes, we decided to alter our next leg and take in Switzerland before heading towards Spain through southern France. I am obsessed with the chance of seeing the annual migration of the dairy cows adorned with flowers on their horns from the high hills down into the villages. This migration is celebrated throughout the Alpine regions of Europe.
I woke up early this morning, put on the coffee as usual, showered, washed some clothes and read while Georg snoozed a little longer. First we had our coffee and then walked to buy some fresh bread for breakfast and to enjoy observing Levanto’s residents begin their day. We both agree that you could spend more time here enjoying the beach and the surrounding area, especially the Cinque Terre towns.
After breakfast, we quickly got into our bathing suits and wandered the short distance to the beach where we planted ourselves for the next four hours. We brought along reading material, but with all the happenings around us, including the fabulous ocean, it was pretty hard to focus on a book. Georg had no problems getting into the water and playing amongst the waves, however I still had the “Jaws” theme-song embedded in my brain since 1975. It took me a bit longer, but I eventually got out to the breakwater and had lots of fun in the big waves. It was especially enjoyable watching the family interaction on the beach. This was not just Italians as there are many tourists in the mix. Europeans, in general, seem to be more family-oriented than North Americans.
We enjoyed a home-cooked dinner of fresh spinach-ricotta ravioli with walnut sauce. The ravioli here is definitely more delicious. We also purchased some prosciutto which Georg likes, but I am not a real fan of, but upon sampling Levanto’s version, it was something to die for. When we return home we will definitely take our time to do daily shopping in the various ethnic areas of Vancouver, including the Commerical Drive area.
We closed the evening by meeting two families from Germany, one from Ravensburg, near Lake Constance and the other near the Algau, where Susi and Seb are from. After exchanging email addresses and notes, we decided to alter our next leg and take in Switzerland before heading towards Spain through southern France. I am obsessed with the chance of seeing the annual migration of the dairy cows adorned with flowers on their horns from the high hills down into the villages. This migration is celebrated throughout the Alpine regions of Europe.
August 31
August 31st (sunny and warm)
Another beautiful day in paradise! Started off kind of funny in that I thought there was a scorpion, rattler, (or any other beastie that makes a rattling kind of sound) in my toiletry bag. After Georg gingerly picked it up with a stick, we checked inside to find that my battery-operated trimmer had started by itself. I am petrified of bugs, spiders or anything like that so it was quite amusing.
We were excited by our Cinque Terre excursion. The five cliff-hanging villages are connected by either small, tight, single-lane roads, walking paths, train or motorboat launch and only pedestrians are allowed. The residents have managed to resist corporate pressures to build hotels. Travelers, content to rent a room in a private home or simple pension, enjoy a land where the villages have almost no choice by to go about their business as if the surrounding vineyards are the very edge of the earth. Cinque Terre means “five lands” and is five villages clinging to the most inaccessible bit of the beautiful Riviera coastline. Our train took us from Levanto, where we are camping, to the five villages called, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. We were able to walk for an hour in each place with a train ride of about four minutes between stops. If you chose to walk Cinque Terre, it will take you at least ten hours of walking and looking. Most people take in the five villages over a five-day period either by staying at each place overnight or returning to a home base and starting again the next day.
Lots of walking, we were tired and ready to come back for a cold beer and dinner after a wonderful day. After dinner, we walked to the beach, watched the surfers, wake boarders, people enjoying the beach and the huge waves. The water is a beautiful turquoise and very warm.
Oh – have I mentioned how much I am enjoying the bread, fresh pasta, pizza, beer and everything else Italian? Loving it! Ciao for now!
Another beautiful day in paradise! Started off kind of funny in that I thought there was a scorpion, rattler, (or any other beastie that makes a rattling kind of sound) in my toiletry bag. After Georg gingerly picked it up with a stick, we checked inside to find that my battery-operated trimmer had started by itself. I am petrified of bugs, spiders or anything like that so it was quite amusing.
We were excited by our Cinque Terre excursion. The five cliff-hanging villages are connected by either small, tight, single-lane roads, walking paths, train or motorboat launch and only pedestrians are allowed. The residents have managed to resist corporate pressures to build hotels. Travelers, content to rent a room in a private home or simple pension, enjoy a land where the villages have almost no choice by to go about their business as if the surrounding vineyards are the very edge of the earth. Cinque Terre means “five lands” and is five villages clinging to the most inaccessible bit of the beautiful Riviera coastline. Our train took us from Levanto, where we are camping, to the five villages called, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. We were able to walk for an hour in each place with a train ride of about four minutes between stops. If you chose to walk Cinque Terre, it will take you at least ten hours of walking and looking. Most people take in the five villages over a five-day period either by staying at each place overnight or returning to a home base and starting again the next day.
Lots of walking, we were tired and ready to come back for a cold beer and dinner after a wonderful day. After dinner, we walked to the beach, watched the surfers, wake boarders, people enjoying the beach and the huge waves. The water is a beautiful turquoise and very warm.
Oh – have I mentioned how much I am enjoying the bread, fresh pasta, pizza, beer and everything else Italian? Loving it! Ciao for now!
August 30
August 30th (sunny and warm)
Left Florence using the smaller roads instead of the highway. The going was much slower, but very picturesque driving through vineyards and olive groves towards the town of San Gimignano which is situated high on a hill which at one time had seventy-five towers of which only fifteen are left standing. These towers were the defensive positions for the feuding families of the area. Lot of anger here at one time.
The climb was tough on the van and walking through the hilly streets was tough on my knee. Seems Georg is stuck with two `gimpy’ women. Susi ran well considering the heat of the day and the distance we covered. After visiting San Gimignano, we drove through Volterra, which was the plateau of this highway. After that, we were driving downhill the rest of the time which was good for the van.
We decided to bypass Pisa as everything was extremely smoggy and we have seen the Tower. Heading north on the highway we passed through the area where Carrarra marble is quarried. You could mistake the hills to have snow on them – this is how white the marble is.
We broke off the highway to get to our campsite in Lavanto. The drive was quite spectacular from the highway down to the fifteen kilometer drive into town. We have never had so many switchbacks and elevation drops – quite spectacular. Lavanto is situated in a bay, which when we arrived had sea mist surrounding the hills making it quite an eerie sight. The temperature and the air are quite different – Mediterranean air and cool mist and no bugs.
After setting up and having a delicious spaghetti dinner, we went for a long walk through the town. The enjoyment that we had during our walk again reinforced our belief that small towns are much more pleasing than larger cities. We walked through the back lanes at dusk listening to Italian families carry on conversations and took in the fragrances of the Italian kitchens.
Tomorrow we are planning to take the train through the five towns that make up Cinque Terre and because the weather is so fantastic and the Mediterranean so warm, we will probably stay longer than our normal two days at a site.
Left Florence using the smaller roads instead of the highway. The going was much slower, but very picturesque driving through vineyards and olive groves towards the town of San Gimignano which is situated high on a hill which at one time had seventy-five towers of which only fifteen are left standing. These towers were the defensive positions for the feuding families of the area. Lot of anger here at one time.
The climb was tough on the van and walking through the hilly streets was tough on my knee. Seems Georg is stuck with two `gimpy’ women. Susi ran well considering the heat of the day and the distance we covered. After visiting San Gimignano, we drove through Volterra, which was the plateau of this highway. After that, we were driving downhill the rest of the time which was good for the van.
We decided to bypass Pisa as everything was extremely smoggy and we have seen the Tower. Heading north on the highway we passed through the area where Carrarra marble is quarried. You could mistake the hills to have snow on them – this is how white the marble is.
We broke off the highway to get to our campsite in Lavanto. The drive was quite spectacular from the highway down to the fifteen kilometer drive into town. We have never had so many switchbacks and elevation drops – quite spectacular. Lavanto is situated in a bay, which when we arrived had sea mist surrounding the hills making it quite an eerie sight. The temperature and the air are quite different – Mediterranean air and cool mist and no bugs.
After setting up and having a delicious spaghetti dinner, we went for a long walk through the town. The enjoyment that we had during our walk again reinforced our belief that small towns are much more pleasing than larger cities. We walked through the back lanes at dusk listening to Italian families carry on conversations and took in the fragrances of the Italian kitchens.
Tomorrow we are planning to take the train through the five towns that make up Cinque Terre and because the weather is so fantastic and the Mediterranean so warm, we will probably stay longer than our normal two days at a site.
August 29
August 29th (sunny and warm)
Tried to make a call to Lucas this morning, but no answer. Not sure if his cell is working or not. Then we took the bus right outside our campsite to Florence and began walking the old city. Although it is still as beautiful as we remember, it has become just too `touristy’. We were entertained throughout the day by the ongoing interaction between the police and the illegal street venders, mostly Nigerian.
Today was very hot and muggy, but we managed to stay cool via the use of a towel that we continually soaked in cold water. On the way back to our site, Georg somehow lost our return bus tickets so we hoofed it up the hills which afforded us a vista we would never have seen had we taken the bus.
During the evening, we met up with the same “Top Deck” group of travelers at the camp restaurant that we had seen in Venice. Top Deck is a travel company that caters to a younger crowd using a tour bus, chef and tour guide in a campground setting. They are expected to make and break camp, do dishes and everything else is done for them. Enjoyed talking with all of them, especially a young couple from Toronto that we believe will rethink having children in the future. Before we knew it, we all realized we had not had dinner and it was close to 10 pm, so Georg and I returned to our van.
The evening ended with lovely conversation with the Italian family next to us.
Tried to make a call to Lucas this morning, but no answer. Not sure if his cell is working or not. Then we took the bus right outside our campsite to Florence and began walking the old city. Although it is still as beautiful as we remember, it has become just too `touristy’. We were entertained throughout the day by the ongoing interaction between the police and the illegal street venders, mostly Nigerian.
Today was very hot and muggy, but we managed to stay cool via the use of a towel that we continually soaked in cold water. On the way back to our site, Georg somehow lost our return bus tickets so we hoofed it up the hills which afforded us a vista we would never have seen had we taken the bus.
During the evening, we met up with the same “Top Deck” group of travelers at the camp restaurant that we had seen in Venice. Top Deck is a travel company that caters to a younger crowd using a tour bus, chef and tour guide in a campground setting. They are expected to make and break camp, do dishes and everything else is done for them. Enjoyed talking with all of them, especially a young couple from Toronto that we believe will rethink having children in the future. Before we knew it, we all realized we had not had dinner and it was close to 10 pm, so Georg and I returned to our van.
The evening ended with lovely conversation with the Italian family next to us.
August 28
August 28th (sunny and warm)
After a very nice couple of days in Venezia, we left for the 300k drive to Firenze (Florence) – Georg’s favourite city in 1972. As I have written before, it is amazing how differently we view our surroundings thirty-five years later. Priorities definitely change. You must be certain to look beyond the shops and tourists to see the beauty of a city like Venice. I never miss a `gelato’ shop though – the best ice cream ever. Before we left, I had a talk with the New Zealander who has been on the road for eight years and working this campsite for three months. He told us that the temperature a couple of weeks ago reached mid-40’s with 900 people on the site. That is a strain on their sanitary system.
Most of the drive was rather bland as far as landscape goes until we entered the Tuscany region. The Italian highway system is equal to some of the best in Europe as long as you discount their tolls. This just puts another `bottleneck’ into the system. Just like Austria, we pass through many tunnels. As we are taking it easy on Susi, we have decided to stick to the larger highways which use tunnels to level out the grade instead of the side roads which wind up and down the mountain passes. We will continue to use side roads in areas where the terrain is relatively flat. Susi ran exceptionally well today, with one of the lights flashing at the end of the day.
Hit our campsite around 3 pm up in the hills overlooking Florence. This is the same site we stayed at thirty-five years ago, except the olive trees have become much larger. We enjoyed ‘Happy Hour” with a couple of Scottish lassies, made some calls home to Diane, Bill and Echo and Tony and Carla. In conversation with Carla, she mentioned that she was using a personal trainer for her fitness. This elicited a comment from Georg that we are going to get a personal trainer as well – or a mortician.
Sat around looking at the stars – no bugs, no heat and nice breeze. Had a late dinner and too much red wine.
After a very nice couple of days in Venezia, we left for the 300k drive to Firenze (Florence) – Georg’s favourite city in 1972. As I have written before, it is amazing how differently we view our surroundings thirty-five years later. Priorities definitely change. You must be certain to look beyond the shops and tourists to see the beauty of a city like Venice. I never miss a `gelato’ shop though – the best ice cream ever. Before we left, I had a talk with the New Zealander who has been on the road for eight years and working this campsite for three months. He told us that the temperature a couple of weeks ago reached mid-40’s with 900 people on the site. That is a strain on their sanitary system.
Most of the drive was rather bland as far as landscape goes until we entered the Tuscany region. The Italian highway system is equal to some of the best in Europe as long as you discount their tolls. This just puts another `bottleneck’ into the system. Just like Austria, we pass through many tunnels. As we are taking it easy on Susi, we have decided to stick to the larger highways which use tunnels to level out the grade instead of the side roads which wind up and down the mountain passes. We will continue to use side roads in areas where the terrain is relatively flat. Susi ran exceptionally well today, with one of the lights flashing at the end of the day.
Hit our campsite around 3 pm up in the hills overlooking Florence. This is the same site we stayed at thirty-five years ago, except the olive trees have become much larger. We enjoyed ‘Happy Hour” with a couple of Scottish lassies, made some calls home to Diane, Bill and Echo and Tony and Carla. In conversation with Carla, she mentioned that she was using a personal trainer for her fitness. This elicited a comment from Georg that we are going to get a personal trainer as well – or a mortician.
Sat around looking at the stars – no bugs, no heat and nice breeze. Had a late dinner and too much red wine.
August 27
August 27th (sunny and very warm)
After beating Georg at crib again last evening, (I am on a winning streak), killing all the mosquitoes and finally cooling off, we had a great sleep. There is a fair amount of late-night partying here, but everyone kept the noise down considering. This campground has a round-trip shuttle service to old Venice in a big, beautiful air-conditioned tour bus. No sooner did we sit down and Georg mentioned that this was “stress-free driving”.
We arrived in town at 10 am and began our walking tour of Venice. Instead of following a prescribed walking tour, we just let the streets do the talking to us knowing full well that on an island, you are bound to run out of land sooner or later. I must say, Venice is very unique and there is really no other city that we have seen like it. We did not notice any stench coming from the water as we did 35 years ago. We do believe there are more pigeons here though.
We had a great lunch – Georg managed to blow the budget by having a $20 liter glass of beer along with a very delicious pizza. We also had the best ice cream (gelati) we have ever had. In fact, all the ice cream in Europe is exceptional. Sitting at the sidewalk café surrounded by the buildings in Venice, Georg noticed what we deem to be derelict looking, they look at it as being classic. Somewhere there, is a fine line.
We took a fifteen-minute bus ferry back through the Grand Canal and just managed to hook up with our return bus to the campsite. As it is around 37 degrees and quite humid, so when we returned to our van, we had a cold shower, a couple of beer and chilled. Today I taught a South Korean young man how to swim. With his persistency, he went from almost drowning to swimming the full length in two days.
While we were sitting enjoying the night air, one of our `neighbours’ asked if he could borrow a pot to cook spaghetti. Turns out they are travelling around the world with bare minimum supplies, i.e. their rangetop consisted of a 4” electrical probe. I took pity on them and cooked their noodles for them. I also let them have a couple of bowls and spoons to eat with. Nice young people, but I insisted that get more organized in the cooking department.
After beating Georg at crib again last evening, (I am on a winning streak), killing all the mosquitoes and finally cooling off, we had a great sleep. There is a fair amount of late-night partying here, but everyone kept the noise down considering. This campground has a round-trip shuttle service to old Venice in a big, beautiful air-conditioned tour bus. No sooner did we sit down and Georg mentioned that this was “stress-free driving”.
We arrived in town at 10 am and began our walking tour of Venice. Instead of following a prescribed walking tour, we just let the streets do the talking to us knowing full well that on an island, you are bound to run out of land sooner or later. I must say, Venice is very unique and there is really no other city that we have seen like it. We did not notice any stench coming from the water as we did 35 years ago. We do believe there are more pigeons here though.
We had a great lunch – Georg managed to blow the budget by having a $20 liter glass of beer along with a very delicious pizza. We also had the best ice cream (gelati) we have ever had. In fact, all the ice cream in Europe is exceptional. Sitting at the sidewalk café surrounded by the buildings in Venice, Georg noticed what we deem to be derelict looking, they look at it as being classic. Somewhere there, is a fine line.
We took a fifteen-minute bus ferry back through the Grand Canal and just managed to hook up with our return bus to the campsite. As it is around 37 degrees and quite humid, so when we returned to our van, we had a cold shower, a couple of beer and chilled. Today I taught a South Korean young man how to swim. With his persistency, he went from almost drowning to swimming the full length in two days.
While we were sitting enjoying the night air, one of our `neighbours’ asked if he could borrow a pot to cook spaghetti. Turns out they are travelling around the world with bare minimum supplies, i.e. their rangetop consisted of a 4” electrical probe. I took pity on them and cooked their noodles for them. I also let them have a couple of bowls and spoons to eat with. Nice young people, but I insisted that get more organized in the cooking department.
August 26
August 26th (sunny and very warm)
We said our goodbyes to the family from Israel next to us and packed up from a wonderful stay in Klagenfurt. We chose to take the small roads around the Worthersee this morning and head off into the mountain passes towards Italy. We stopped many times along the way to take in the spectacular scenery as well as stopping for our lunch at an equestrian demonstration. Again, we could not resist the bratwurst and potato salad that was being served. The restaurant hospitality industry in all of Europe is going full bore.
This corner of Austria reminds us again of “Heidi” land with the gorgeous flower-box displays and the Bavarian-style homes. We entered into Italy through the Alps and many ski resorts and then chose to take one of their “super toll” highways as we wanted to reach Venezia before the heavy weekend traffic. Then, it happened again. The temperature gauge was madly blinking away making us both very nervous. We stopped in a rest area options. I reminded Georg of what the first mechanic had said to us regarding the water temperature gauge – “if it blinks, but the temperature gauge does not rise, then it is probably an electrical malfunction”. He had sort of forgotten that.
After getting Susi cooled down a bit, Georg was a bit skeptical about continuing and asked me “What do you want to do?” I thought about it and immediately answered “Let’s continue!” That meant revising the computer again. The balance of the day towards Venice was uneventful other than the temperature reached about 38 degrees. About 20 kms from our freeway exit, the traffic started to back up and it never abated for the next two hours. Guess what it was? In Italy, they built these super toll highways so that you can drive from point A to B in rapid time. However, at the end they have toll booths with unmarked holding areas where people over a 500-meter range try to cross over eleven lanes. Utter chaos! We would have got here sooner had we taken a donkey over the mountain passes.
Finally arrived in a very large, youth-filled campground. Georg and I looked at each other and said, “Yahoo – we are in Venice again!” We spent the evening finding ways to cool down, sat by the pool, chatted with people and Georg called Bubi to let him know that we will not be in Nurnberg on Monday as we are continuing on with our tour as planned. Bubi mentioned that he has some reservations about purchasing the vehicle because of its age and the new laws coming down in Germany which doubled the insurance on vehicles of this type. We agreed to make contact beginning of October. Georg’s suggestion was that we forego the sale to him and take it straight back to Utrecht.
We said our goodbyes to the family from Israel next to us and packed up from a wonderful stay in Klagenfurt. We chose to take the small roads around the Worthersee this morning and head off into the mountain passes towards Italy. We stopped many times along the way to take in the spectacular scenery as well as stopping for our lunch at an equestrian demonstration. Again, we could not resist the bratwurst and potato salad that was being served. The restaurant hospitality industry in all of Europe is going full bore.
This corner of Austria reminds us again of “Heidi” land with the gorgeous flower-box displays and the Bavarian-style homes. We entered into Italy through the Alps and many ski resorts and then chose to take one of their “super toll” highways as we wanted to reach Venezia before the heavy weekend traffic. Then, it happened again. The temperature gauge was madly blinking away making us both very nervous. We stopped in a rest area options. I reminded Georg of what the first mechanic had said to us regarding the water temperature gauge – “if it blinks, but the temperature gauge does not rise, then it is probably an electrical malfunction”. He had sort of forgotten that.
After getting Susi cooled down a bit, Georg was a bit skeptical about continuing and asked me “What do you want to do?” I thought about it and immediately answered “Let’s continue!” That meant revising the computer again. The balance of the day towards Venice was uneventful other than the temperature reached about 38 degrees. About 20 kms from our freeway exit, the traffic started to back up and it never abated for the next two hours. Guess what it was? In Italy, they built these super toll highways so that you can drive from point A to B in rapid time. However, at the end they have toll booths with unmarked holding areas where people over a 500-meter range try to cross over eleven lanes. Utter chaos! We would have got here sooner had we taken a donkey over the mountain passes.
Finally arrived in a very large, youth-filled campground. Georg and I looked at each other and said, “Yahoo – we are in Venice again!” We spent the evening finding ways to cool down, sat by the pool, chatted with people and Georg called Bubi to let him know that we will not be in Nurnberg on Monday as we are continuing on with our tour as planned. Bubi mentioned that he has some reservations about purchasing the vehicle because of its age and the new laws coming down in Germany which doubled the insurance on vehicles of this type. We agreed to make contact beginning of October. Georg’s suggestion was that we forego the sale to him and take it straight back to Utrecht.
August 25
August 25th (sunny)
This morning, we purchased tickets for the bus and took in the sights of Klagenfurt. Both of us remembered visiting “Minimundus” when we drove through in ‘72. It is a miniature version of the most famous monuments and areas of the world and to our surprise, it was still there. Klagenfurt has 80,000 people and is a perfect size for sightseeing. Next year the European Soccer Championships will be held here, but today they had their annual flea market and every street was full of people selling everything from their attics and basements. Our friend, Echo would have gone into rapture had she seen this.
We successfully resisted the culinary temptations, purchased fresh produce from the market, returned home for lunch and spent time sitting on the Worthersee lakeside people-watching, swimming and wading. We found out that this was the biggest festival weekend of the year called Altstadtmesse, (Summer Festival), and there would be all types of music and lots of food and beer all weekend. As one local put it, “Nothing happens in Klagenfurt all year except for this weekend and then, all Hell breaks loose!”
After dinner, we hopped on the bus again into Klagenfurt and were amazed at how orderly the jam-packed venues were. Everybody was out having a great time and the weather cooperated perfectly. We walked around listening to everything from rock-and-roll, opera, traditional Austrian oompah-pah, jazz and even bagpipe and drums. Of course, we chatted with different people we met and one lovely lady, Isabella, told us she has a friend in the logging business in Vancouver. His name is Friedl (Gottfried) Brukermann. Wouldn’t it be a coincidence if our good friend Ken Pringle knew him?
The food and beer was flowing and everyone was having a wonderful evening. The only downfall was that we had to wait over one hour for a bus back to the camp. When we did get back after midnight, we both crashed.
We both agree that Klagenfurt turned out to be a most memorable stopover.
This morning, we purchased tickets for the bus and took in the sights of Klagenfurt. Both of us remembered visiting “Minimundus” when we drove through in ‘72. It is a miniature version of the most famous monuments and areas of the world and to our surprise, it was still there. Klagenfurt has 80,000 people and is a perfect size for sightseeing. Next year the European Soccer Championships will be held here, but today they had their annual flea market and every street was full of people selling everything from their attics and basements. Our friend, Echo would have gone into rapture had she seen this.
We successfully resisted the culinary temptations, purchased fresh produce from the market, returned home for lunch and spent time sitting on the Worthersee lakeside people-watching, swimming and wading. We found out that this was the biggest festival weekend of the year called Altstadtmesse, (Summer Festival), and there would be all types of music and lots of food and beer all weekend. As one local put it, “Nothing happens in Klagenfurt all year except for this weekend and then, all Hell breaks loose!”
After dinner, we hopped on the bus again into Klagenfurt and were amazed at how orderly the jam-packed venues were. Everybody was out having a great time and the weather cooperated perfectly. We walked around listening to everything from rock-and-roll, opera, traditional Austrian oompah-pah, jazz and even bagpipe and drums. Of course, we chatted with different people we met and one lovely lady, Isabella, told us she has a friend in the logging business in Vancouver. His name is Friedl (Gottfried) Brukermann. Wouldn’t it be a coincidence if our good friend Ken Pringle knew him?
The food and beer was flowing and everyone was having a wonderful evening. The only downfall was that we had to wait over one hour for a bus back to the camp. When we did get back after midnight, we both crashed.
We both agree that Klagenfurt turned out to be a most memorable stopover.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
August 24
August 24th (sunny)
Both Georg and I did not sleep very well last night worrying about what might be.
First order of business was to find a VW dealership and have a mechanic give us a professional opinion. Fortunately, we found a dealership quickly and with help of Richard, the head serviceman, we left Susi in his hands. We arranged to have them investigate the oil pressure light problem and give us an oil and filter change and new speedo cable. They gave us two all-day tram passes so we took advantage of the time and tickets and spent four hours exploring old town of Graz. It is as beautiful as we remember it from 35 years ago.
Georg and the mechanic agreed to make contact by phone, which he did, and was pleasantly surprised to hear that Susi was ready to be picked up. Turns out that the oil and water dash lights have nothing to do with the motor. It is apparently an electrical malfunction which we can comfortably ignore. Oil was changed, speedo cable replaced and she was give a “clean bill of health”, so plans have changed and off towards Italy we go.
Now that we were back and committed to the rest of our tour, we had a more enjoyable drive. As we meandered our way through high mountain passes on the super highway and also on very small country roads, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. Arrived at Klagenfurt around 3 pm, set up camp close to Worthersee. Before dinner we walked to the beach and checked out the local sights. Such a nice place, we have decided to stay two nights. After dinner, we walked to a concert of a popular German singer called Max Raabe. Turns out his style of music was not our “cup of tea”. My knee is a mess today – have been walking a little too much.
Went to bed with a lot less on our minds. Need to rearrange our itinerary tomorrow and get in touch with Bubi.
Both Georg and I did not sleep very well last night worrying about what might be.
First order of business was to find a VW dealership and have a mechanic give us a professional opinion. Fortunately, we found a dealership quickly and with help of Richard, the head serviceman, we left Susi in his hands. We arranged to have them investigate the oil pressure light problem and give us an oil and filter change and new speedo cable. They gave us two all-day tram passes so we took advantage of the time and tickets and spent four hours exploring old town of Graz. It is as beautiful as we remember it from 35 years ago.
Georg and the mechanic agreed to make contact by phone, which he did, and was pleasantly surprised to hear that Susi was ready to be picked up. Turns out that the oil and water dash lights have nothing to do with the motor. It is apparently an electrical malfunction which we can comfortably ignore. Oil was changed, speedo cable replaced and she was give a “clean bill of health”, so plans have changed and off towards Italy we go.
Now that we were back and committed to the rest of our tour, we had a more enjoyable drive. As we meandered our way through high mountain passes on the super highway and also on very small country roads, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. Arrived at Klagenfurt around 3 pm, set up camp close to Worthersee. Before dinner we walked to the beach and checked out the local sights. Such a nice place, we have decided to stay two nights. After dinner, we walked to a concert of a popular German singer called Max Raabe. Turns out his style of music was not our “cup of tea”. My knee is a mess today – have been walking a little too much.
Went to bed with a lot less on our minds. Need to rearrange our itinerary tomorrow and get in touch with Bubi.
August 23
August 23rd (sunny)
Woke up in our “own” campground to a beautiful morning with warm air hitting us from over the mountains, probably from Italy. Looking forward to our drive to Graz, but noticed a rattling sound emanating from the speedometer. Along with the blinking red oil pressure light, it was a bit unnerving.
Our drive consisted of switch-back mountain and valley roads. Stopped at the side of a river to have lunch and Georg took a nosedive down the hill. Speedometer cable stopped working and the interior lights and water pump also stopped. We tried the first VW dealership we came across, but they were too busy to help us. Continued on to Graz and the oil pressure gauge light was blinking steadily now. At that point, Georg said “enough is enough! This is getting too aggravating.”
Before Graz we entered the longest tunnel we have experienced to date, (at least 8 kms long). Needless to say, we were a little nervous that the van would conk out in it. Found the campsite with a fabulous “lake” swimming pool. Georg took a swim and immediately realized just how out of shape he is. I probably would have drowned.
As we have decided to terminate our trip, Georg called Bubi to see if he is still interested in the van even if there is a possibility of problems. He replied that he was and would like to have his mechanic look at it so we have arranged to meet with him in Nurnberg on Monday. We will take Susi in for the “once over” at the VW dealership first thing tomorrow morning to see if she is roadworthy enough to get to Nurnberg or back to Utrecht for an early departure.
Georg decided to further investigate the interior light problem and by chance, again found a “short” in the circuit. This time, he used a bigger screw and more torsion and “Voila!”, the sink water pump, the interior lights and the battery component of the refrigerator are all working at 100%.
Woke up in our “own” campground to a beautiful morning with warm air hitting us from over the mountains, probably from Italy. Looking forward to our drive to Graz, but noticed a rattling sound emanating from the speedometer. Along with the blinking red oil pressure light, it was a bit unnerving.
Our drive consisted of switch-back mountain and valley roads. Stopped at the side of a river to have lunch and Georg took a nosedive down the hill. Speedometer cable stopped working and the interior lights and water pump also stopped. We tried the first VW dealership we came across, but they were too busy to help us. Continued on to Graz and the oil pressure gauge light was blinking steadily now. At that point, Georg said “enough is enough! This is getting too aggravating.”
Before Graz we entered the longest tunnel we have experienced to date, (at least 8 kms long). Needless to say, we were a little nervous that the van would conk out in it. Found the campsite with a fabulous “lake” swimming pool. Georg took a swim and immediately realized just how out of shape he is. I probably would have drowned.
As we have decided to terminate our trip, Georg called Bubi to see if he is still interested in the van even if there is a possibility of problems. He replied that he was and would like to have his mechanic look at it so we have arranged to meet with him in Nurnberg on Monday. We will take Susi in for the “once over” at the VW dealership first thing tomorrow morning to see if she is roadworthy enough to get to Nurnberg or back to Utrecht for an early departure.
Georg decided to further investigate the interior light problem and by chance, again found a “short” in the circuit. This time, he used a bigger screw and more torsion and “Voila!”, the sink water pump, the interior lights and the battery component of the refrigerator are all working at 100%.
Augustt 22
August 22nd (sunny and warm)
After saying goodbye and exchanging email addresses with Raewyn and Julian from New Zealand and having a look at their deluxe motor home, we drove into the town of Cesky Krumlov. Wow! This is a definite “must see” for anyone. The setting of the castle and church and the river running through and around the town, plus the old centre being very compact, made this one of the most enjoyable days we have had on tour.
Even our lunch was something to write home about. We ordered a “Grill for Two” and we swear that it was enough for “Four”. But what the heck, we sat on the outside terrace watching the people, drinking beer and nibbling on our meal. We brought home the leftovers of course.
In an internet café today, we updated our blog and read our emails from home, two of which contained wishes to join up with us somewhere on the remainder of our trip. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the mechanical-electrical issues we have with the car, it would be way too “chancy” to make commitments with anyone. For all we know, because of the mechanical issues, we could possibly be coming home earlier than planned. That remains to be seen.
Susi ran great today – no blinking lights and the water pump is working. We headed towards the Austrian border which we crossed at 3:30 pm. Immediately, we noticed the difference in the buildings, roads and farmland. You can tell you are no longer in an eastern European country.
We had no problems finding our campsite, which at first glance, we wondered if it was still in operation as there was not a single sole there, including at the reception. With the aid of a local, we picked a spot and set up and just enjoyed being surrounded by the Austrian mountains and rivers. We were surprised to see in the stream running through our campsite the unbelievable amount of trout – some of which were about 18 inches long.
We had dinner and played cards by candlelight as the electrical is still suspect. At the end of the day, we were still the only people in the campsite. You can feel autumn in the air.
After saying goodbye and exchanging email addresses with Raewyn and Julian from New Zealand and having a look at their deluxe motor home, we drove into the town of Cesky Krumlov. Wow! This is a definite “must see” for anyone. The setting of the castle and church and the river running through and around the town, plus the old centre being very compact, made this one of the most enjoyable days we have had on tour.
Even our lunch was something to write home about. We ordered a “Grill for Two” and we swear that it was enough for “Four”. But what the heck, we sat on the outside terrace watching the people, drinking beer and nibbling on our meal. We brought home the leftovers of course.
In an internet café today, we updated our blog and read our emails from home, two of which contained wishes to join up with us somewhere on the remainder of our trip. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the mechanical-electrical issues we have with the car, it would be way too “chancy” to make commitments with anyone. For all we know, because of the mechanical issues, we could possibly be coming home earlier than planned. That remains to be seen.
Susi ran great today – no blinking lights and the water pump is working. We headed towards the Austrian border which we crossed at 3:30 pm. Immediately, we noticed the difference in the buildings, roads and farmland. You can tell you are no longer in an eastern European country.
We had no problems finding our campsite, which at first glance, we wondered if it was still in operation as there was not a single sole there, including at the reception. With the aid of a local, we picked a spot and set up and just enjoyed being surrounded by the Austrian mountains and rivers. We were surprised to see in the stream running through our campsite the unbelievable amount of trout – some of which were about 18 inches long.
We had dinner and played cards by candlelight as the electrical is still suspect. At the end of the day, we were still the only people in the campsite. You can feel autumn in the air.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
August 21
August 21st (sunny)
Georg didn’t sleep well at all worried about the fact our inside electrical didn’t seem to work. I thought that possibly they weren’t working because we had sat idle in Prague. To compound our worries, we noticed that the heat indicator light was blinking and would not stop. Georg thought that we could possibly have a water pump problem. Good side of the morning is that our two new tires are still inflated. We decided that because of our 10:30 brewery tour time, we would search out a VW dealership afterwards.
We were fortunate to be assigned to an earlier tour with a very nice group from Taiwan. The tour was exceptionally informative. Interesting to see how much manpower that new technology has replaced. We were tempted to buy souveniers, but stuck to our guns – pictures only. Upon completion of the tour, we drove through Plenz looking for a VW dealership with the red light still blinking and the battery-operated lights and water pump not working. Georg’s words – “Sandra managed to find a dealership using her charming, delightful personality”.
The manager told us that if parts were required for a van this old, it would take about four days. He brought a mechanic to us who spoke German and Georg quizzed him about the car’s water pump, etc. and the first thing the mechanic said after he saw the van was “You’re driving a piece of history!”. He assured us that if it was a water pump problem we would not have been able to cover the 20 mile drive without it overheating and that it was probably just an electrical hiccup. We decided to take the gamble and drive to Cesky Krumlov near the Austrian border.
On the way there, Georg had enough. The ongoing repairs and issues with the van the last couple of days have made the trip not pleasurable to him. I was a little taken aback, but after some thinking, told him that whatever he decided, we would do. We noticed at a gas station prior to our end destination that the blinking red light had disappeared and the internal lights and water tap on the sink worked. This heightened our spirits. We found the campsite and set up hoping that we have turned a corner with Susi’s issues.
Georg didn’t sleep well at all worried about the fact our inside electrical didn’t seem to work. I thought that possibly they weren’t working because we had sat idle in Prague. To compound our worries, we noticed that the heat indicator light was blinking and would not stop. Georg thought that we could possibly have a water pump problem. Good side of the morning is that our two new tires are still inflated. We decided that because of our 10:30 brewery tour time, we would search out a VW dealership afterwards.
We were fortunate to be assigned to an earlier tour with a very nice group from Taiwan. The tour was exceptionally informative. Interesting to see how much manpower that new technology has replaced. We were tempted to buy souveniers, but stuck to our guns – pictures only. Upon completion of the tour, we drove through Plenz looking for a VW dealership with the red light still blinking and the battery-operated lights and water pump not working. Georg’s words – “Sandra managed to find a dealership using her charming, delightful personality”.
The manager told us that if parts were required for a van this old, it would take about four days. He brought a mechanic to us who spoke German and Georg quizzed him about the car’s water pump, etc. and the first thing the mechanic said after he saw the van was “You’re driving a piece of history!”. He assured us that if it was a water pump problem we would not have been able to cover the 20 mile drive without it overheating and that it was probably just an electrical hiccup. We decided to take the gamble and drive to Cesky Krumlov near the Austrian border.
On the way there, Georg had enough. The ongoing repairs and issues with the van the last couple of days have made the trip not pleasurable to him. I was a little taken aback, but after some thinking, told him that whatever he decided, we would do. We noticed at a gas station prior to our end destination that the blinking red light had disappeared and the internal lights and water tap on the sink worked. This heightened our spirits. We found the campsite and set up hoping that we have turned a corner with Susi’s issues.
August 20
August 20th (sunny)
This morning we were awoken again at 4:30 am by our Italian neighbours. Went back to sleep until 7 am. Georg got up and was definitely on edge worrying about the tires. At about 8 am he went and checked with the mechanic next door and fortunately he spoke English. Georg explained the problem and the mechanic told us that he would have two new tires ready by noon. Georg and I killed the time by breaking down the car and washing Susi. Once one of the tires was fixed, Georg replaced it with the flat and then we drove the vehicle to the garage for them to attempt the rest of the tire repairs.
Unfortunately, the problem with the over-tightened tire lugs was not able to be resolved. They were on way too tight. However, the spare tire was replaced with a new one and after paying for the exorbitant camping fees, we headed towards Plzen (Pilsen). About halfway there, we heard the sound of plastic rolling and tumbling on the highway. Right away, we both thought that one of the hubcaps had fallen off. We were right.
We had no problems finding the camping site in Plzen, but when Georg went to hook up the electrical, he realized that he had left the adaptor extension hooked on to the transformer back in Prague. He was beside himself. We broke camp, drove into town to a large shopping centre where he found bits and pieces required to make the adaptor, plus one new hubcap. On the way there, we also saw a tire repair shop so on our way back, we stopped in and had them switch the spare tire to the rear and loosen the other lug nuts on the other three tires. We were absolutely amazed at the tenacity of the young man that did the work as two of the nuts had to be chiseled off by hand which took 45 minutes of hard manual work.
The tires were done, the bills were paid and we returned to purchase matching new hubcaps which certainly made Susi look ‘groovy’.
When we returned to the camp, we discovered that the battery power was operating at about 10%. No matter how you slice and dice it, we believe that we have had our third “bad” event. Georg was just beginning to relax when he was hit with this other problem to solve. I kept myself busy cooking. So tonight we are typing our blog with the aid of about ten candles. Looking forward to tomorrow and the Plzen Urquell Brewery tour and an easy resolution to the electrical problem
This morning we were awoken again at 4:30 am by our Italian neighbours. Went back to sleep until 7 am. Georg got up and was definitely on edge worrying about the tires. At about 8 am he went and checked with the mechanic next door and fortunately he spoke English. Georg explained the problem and the mechanic told us that he would have two new tires ready by noon. Georg and I killed the time by breaking down the car and washing Susi. Once one of the tires was fixed, Georg replaced it with the flat and then we drove the vehicle to the garage for them to attempt the rest of the tire repairs.
Unfortunately, the problem with the over-tightened tire lugs was not able to be resolved. They were on way too tight. However, the spare tire was replaced with a new one and after paying for the exorbitant camping fees, we headed towards Plzen (Pilsen). About halfway there, we heard the sound of plastic rolling and tumbling on the highway. Right away, we both thought that one of the hubcaps had fallen off. We were right.
We had no problems finding the camping site in Plzen, but when Georg went to hook up the electrical, he realized that he had left the adaptor extension hooked on to the transformer back in Prague. He was beside himself. We broke camp, drove into town to a large shopping centre where he found bits and pieces required to make the adaptor, plus one new hubcap. On the way there, we also saw a tire repair shop so on our way back, we stopped in and had them switch the spare tire to the rear and loosen the other lug nuts on the other three tires. We were absolutely amazed at the tenacity of the young man that did the work as two of the nuts had to be chiseled off by hand which took 45 minutes of hard manual work.
The tires were done, the bills were paid and we returned to purchase matching new hubcaps which certainly made Susi look ‘groovy’.
When we returned to the camp, we discovered that the battery power was operating at about 10%. No matter how you slice and dice it, we believe that we have had our third “bad” event. Georg was just beginning to relax when he was hit with this other problem to solve. I kept myself busy cooking. So tonight we are typing our blog with the aid of about ten candles. Looking forward to tomorrow and the Plzen Urquell Brewery tour and an easy resolution to the electrical problem
August 19
August 19th (sunny day – thunderstorms evening)
Woke up knowing that there was nothing we could do until tomorrow about our two flat tires and eighteen tire lugs that were put on so tight that two people with tire irons and extension bars could not remove. (Georg has a real serious issue with Donna Turner and her “mechanic”.) Also, the six Italian boys next to us returned home at 4:30 am for the third night in a row. They make a bit of noise, but it doesn’t last for long and they do not get up until 2 pm.
Regardless of the fact that nothing can be done about the tires, Georg left for an hour and a half scouting out alternate plans if the mechanics next door could not handle the problem. He also got more money at a bank machine just in case. After he returned, I informed him that I was going to have a “snooze” because my stomach has been bothering me a bit. My snooze turned out to be a three-hour deep sleep.
After dinner, we noticed monstrous black clouds heading towards us. We decided that we would go for a walk to an abandoned golf course next to us. Bad idea! Halfway back we got absolutely drenched. The torrential rains, lightning and thunder lasted for over five hours. This was undoubtedly the biggest storm we have sat through. We judge the size of storms not only by duration, but by the amount of water we collect in a pail from our tarp in order to keep the surrounding area relatively dry. After 25 gallons of water, we gave up and went to bed.
Woke up knowing that there was nothing we could do until tomorrow about our two flat tires and eighteen tire lugs that were put on so tight that two people with tire irons and extension bars could not remove. (Georg has a real serious issue with Donna Turner and her “mechanic”.) Also, the six Italian boys next to us returned home at 4:30 am for the third night in a row. They make a bit of noise, but it doesn’t last for long and they do not get up until 2 pm.
Regardless of the fact that nothing can be done about the tires, Georg left for an hour and a half scouting out alternate plans if the mechanics next door could not handle the problem. He also got more money at a bank machine just in case. After he returned, I informed him that I was going to have a “snooze” because my stomach has been bothering me a bit. My snooze turned out to be a three-hour deep sleep.
After dinner, we noticed monstrous black clouds heading towards us. We decided that we would go for a walk to an abandoned golf course next to us. Bad idea! Halfway back we got absolutely drenched. The torrential rains, lightning and thunder lasted for over five hours. This was undoubtedly the biggest storm we have sat through. We judge the size of storms not only by duration, but by the amount of water we collect in a pail from our tarp in order to keep the surrounding area relatively dry. After 25 gallons of water, we gave up and went to bed.
August 18
August 18th (sunny and warm)
Took the tram into the centre of Prague again. Georg and I both commented that the rapid transit systems in most of Europe are excellent and that waiting times are minimal. We enjoyed walking over the bridge to tour the Hrad Castle high over the city. The city is absolutely beautiful and it is very easy to get around even amongst the tens of thousands of German, Italian, and French and of course, Czech tourists.
After walking for hours, we had an interesting lunch that resembled scalloped potatoes made with eggs instead of a white or cheese sauce that along with a beer, really hit the spot. We ventured back to the main town square for one last look. By this time, my feet and knee were terrible -- those darn cobblestones.
Upon returning to the site, another camper reminded us that they had seen us in Budapest and Bratislava. They also pointed out that we had a flat left-rear tire. Great! We had heard what sounded like a gunshot on the highway before Prague. Georg didn’t think that was it because the tire would have been deflated a lot sooner. What was a real bummer in this whole episode is that “Insane”, the mechanic-wannabe in Utrecht, had tightened the nuts so tight that no one could remove the tire and when Georg looked at the spare, it was also flat. Double Great! What was also a bit unusual is that the tires have tubes. To make things worse, there was no way of getting any help until Monday and it is Saturday evening.
Georg reminded me that “mishaps happen in three”. What would be next? Georg will speak with the receptionist tomorrow to see if she can help us find a mechanic to come to the campground tomorrow with the proper equipment to remove the tire. Decided we would not talk or worry about it any longer this evening (as it could have been a lot worse – it could have happened on the highway). We had our dinner, played cards and I won again. Also reminded ourselves that we have been very lucky so far and that this was just a minor setback.
Took the tram into the centre of Prague again. Georg and I both commented that the rapid transit systems in most of Europe are excellent and that waiting times are minimal. We enjoyed walking over the bridge to tour the Hrad Castle high over the city. The city is absolutely beautiful and it is very easy to get around even amongst the tens of thousands of German, Italian, and French and of course, Czech tourists.
After walking for hours, we had an interesting lunch that resembled scalloped potatoes made with eggs instead of a white or cheese sauce that along with a beer, really hit the spot. We ventured back to the main town square for one last look. By this time, my feet and knee were terrible -- those darn cobblestones.
Upon returning to the site, another camper reminded us that they had seen us in Budapest and Bratislava. They also pointed out that we had a flat left-rear tire. Great! We had heard what sounded like a gunshot on the highway before Prague. Georg didn’t think that was it because the tire would have been deflated a lot sooner. What was a real bummer in this whole episode is that “Insane”, the mechanic-wannabe in Utrecht, had tightened the nuts so tight that no one could remove the tire and when Georg looked at the spare, it was also flat. Double Great! What was also a bit unusual is that the tires have tubes. To make things worse, there was no way of getting any help until Monday and it is Saturday evening.
Georg reminded me that “mishaps happen in three”. What would be next? Georg will speak with the receptionist tomorrow to see if she can help us find a mechanic to come to the campground tomorrow with the proper equipment to remove the tire. Decided we would not talk or worry about it any longer this evening (as it could have been a lot worse – it could have happened on the highway). We had our dinner, played cards and I won again. Also reminded ourselves that we have been very lucky so far and that this was just a minor setback.
August 17
August 17th (cloudy, little rain)
We took the tram which was just outside the gates for a ten-minute ride into the centre of Prague. Got money from the “hole in the wall” and proceeded to find a tourist office. It was a pleasant surprise that navigating through the compact old town was easy and pedestrian-friendly. We were going to take a bus tour, but decided it was not necessary as we could cover what we needed on foot. We had a lunch in the main town square and witnessed a very obnoxious American making life miserable for a waiter. We waited for ten minutes and then explained to the manager what a “jackass” the American had been and that the waiter had done nothing wrong to warrant the tongue-thrashing he was given.
Even though Prague was packed with tourists, it seemed to add to the ambiance. We walked most of the afternoon and returned to our site around four for drinks and met up with a couple from Stuttgart that we later joined for a snack and beer in the camp’s restaurant.
I confronted the reception that this is the most we have ever paid anywhere in Europe and not only is the pool a grungy mess, there is no hot water for showers. She was a little huffy with me even if I was trying to be very polite and give constructive criticism. Must keep reminding ourselves that these countries are still behind the times.
We took the tram which was just outside the gates for a ten-minute ride into the centre of Prague. Got money from the “hole in the wall” and proceeded to find a tourist office. It was a pleasant surprise that navigating through the compact old town was easy and pedestrian-friendly. We were going to take a bus tour, but decided it was not necessary as we could cover what we needed on foot. We had a lunch in the main town square and witnessed a very obnoxious American making life miserable for a waiter. We waited for ten minutes and then explained to the manager what a “jackass” the American had been and that the waiter had done nothing wrong to warrant the tongue-thrashing he was given.
Even though Prague was packed with tourists, it seemed to add to the ambiance. We walked most of the afternoon and returned to our site around four for drinks and met up with a couple from Stuttgart that we later joined for a snack and beer in the camp’s restaurant.
I confronted the reception that this is the most we have ever paid anywhere in Europe and not only is the pool a grungy mess, there is no hot water for showers. She was a little huffy with me even if I was trying to be very polite and give constructive criticism. Must keep reminding ourselves that these countries are still behind the times.
August 16
August 16th (sunny)
Georg sat up half the night because he couldn’t sleep – too hot and too many mozzies. I guess the lack of sleep contributed to his first accident. While backing up to leave, he turned too sharply and glanced a tree. Minor cosmetic damage – hope this is the last – knock on wood (ha ha).
After a little difficulty finding our way out of Bratislava, we reached the highway en route to Prague. Our plan was to stop at Brno, however when we arrived, we decided to carry on to Prague which we reached at 2:30 in the afternoon. The Czech Republic is the thirteenth country and our odometer just passed 13,000.
If it wasn’t for the reputation that Prague has, we would probably not have visited, based on our past experiences with big cities. The campground we chose advertised a swimming pool. True to form, eastern European campsites are not up to a standard which their exorbitant rates command. Swimming pool is there, but full of algae water. As the tram is right out the door and the old core of Prague is fifteen minutes away, we reluctantly decided to stay.
Before we settled down for the evening, we went for a “little” walk. With George as the guide, we managed to find our way back just before dark. We noticed a change of weather. It is definitely a lot cooler here, but appears the clouds are moving in. Not again – looks like rain tomorrow. After another win at crib for me, we hit the sack.
Georg sat up half the night because he couldn’t sleep – too hot and too many mozzies. I guess the lack of sleep contributed to his first accident. While backing up to leave, he turned too sharply and glanced a tree. Minor cosmetic damage – hope this is the last – knock on wood (ha ha).
After a little difficulty finding our way out of Bratislava, we reached the highway en route to Prague. Our plan was to stop at Brno, however when we arrived, we decided to carry on to Prague which we reached at 2:30 in the afternoon. The Czech Republic is the thirteenth country and our odometer just passed 13,000.
If it wasn’t for the reputation that Prague has, we would probably not have visited, based on our past experiences with big cities. The campground we chose advertised a swimming pool. True to form, eastern European campsites are not up to a standard which their exorbitant rates command. Swimming pool is there, but full of algae water. As the tram is right out the door and the old core of Prague is fifteen minutes away, we reluctantly decided to stay.
Before we settled down for the evening, we went for a “little” walk. With George as the guide, we managed to find our way back just before dark. We noticed a change of weather. It is definitely a lot cooler here, but appears the clouds are moving in. Not again – looks like rain tomorrow. After another win at crib for me, we hit the sack.
August 15
August 15th (very warm and sunny)
For the first time, it was almost too warm for a comfortable sleep and if we kept the sliding door open, the mosquitoes would have eaten us alive. This campground is over-booked and very noisy as well.
We boarded the tram to the city centre of Bratislava and immediately felt more comfortable than we had in Budapest. Of course, the fact that the population is less than half made a difference, but the most obvious was that we could walk everywhere in the “old centre” and see everything we wanted.
After a very pleasant afternoon sightseeing this most delightful city, (I overdosed on my anti-inflammatory drugs and iced my knee continually), we boarded the tram back. We stopped at the very large grocery chain called Tesco and picked up groceries for a barbecue to celebrate three months on the road. Our Dutch neighbors suffered through the paranoia that Georg has – lost keys. Somehow one of the employees maneuvered himself through the top vent of his trailer to open the door. Thank goodness there was another set of keys inside.After a delicious chicken barbecue and Greek salad and a late-night walk, we sat outside as it was still very warm. Georg especially has difficulty sleeping. I crashed
For the first time, it was almost too warm for a comfortable sleep and if we kept the sliding door open, the mosquitoes would have eaten us alive. This campground is over-booked and very noisy as well.
We boarded the tram to the city centre of Bratislava and immediately felt more comfortable than we had in Budapest. Of course, the fact that the population is less than half made a difference, but the most obvious was that we could walk everywhere in the “old centre” and see everything we wanted.
After a very pleasant afternoon sightseeing this most delightful city, (I overdosed on my anti-inflammatory drugs and iced my knee continually), we boarded the tram back. We stopped at the very large grocery chain called Tesco and picked up groceries for a barbecue to celebrate three months on the road. Our Dutch neighbors suffered through the paranoia that Georg has – lost keys. Somehow one of the employees maneuvered himself through the top vent of his trailer to open the door. Thank goodness there was another set of keys inside.After a delicious chicken barbecue and Greek salad and a late-night walk, we sat outside as it was still very warm. Georg especially has difficulty sleeping. I crashed
August 14
August 14th (sunny and warm)
Today we drove approx. 300kms to Bratislava, Slovakia en route to Prague. We have read that it is a recommended spot for stopovers between Budapest and Prague. The drive was quite pleasant – one of the few days we have not been rained upon. When we arrived at the campground, we found a shady spot as it was quite warm and Georg proceeded to jump in the lake nearby.
Again, definitely see that the eastern bloc countries are way behind our standard of living. Things are built, but not maintained – quite similar to Mexico, except that Mexico seems to be catering to its tourists more. George noted that most of the campsites in the eastern bloc countries are charging the same as the western bloc countries. That being the case, they are a huge rip off because everything is in a shambles.
There was an interesting water ski and wakeboard facility built using overhead cables built on a circuit from structures embedded in the lake bottom that pulled people along the water instead of power boats. This idea might work in our lakes; no noise – no gas. The rest of the day was spent visiting with other campers and doing our usual reading and crib playing before going to bed. This is the worst excuse for a campground yet. No hot showers and everything else very primitive to say the least.
Today we drove approx. 300kms to Bratislava, Slovakia en route to Prague. We have read that it is a recommended spot for stopovers between Budapest and Prague. The drive was quite pleasant – one of the few days we have not been rained upon. When we arrived at the campground, we found a shady spot as it was quite warm and Georg proceeded to jump in the lake nearby.
Again, definitely see that the eastern bloc countries are way behind our standard of living. Things are built, but not maintained – quite similar to Mexico, except that Mexico seems to be catering to its tourists more. George noted that most of the campsites in the eastern bloc countries are charging the same as the western bloc countries. That being the case, they are a huge rip off because everything is in a shambles.
There was an interesting water ski and wakeboard facility built using overhead cables built on a circuit from structures embedded in the lake bottom that pulled people along the water instead of power boats. This idea might work in our lakes; no noise – no gas. The rest of the day was spent visiting with other campers and doing our usual reading and crib playing before going to bed. This is the worst excuse for a campground yet. No hot showers and everything else very primitive to say the least.
August 13
August 13th (sunny and warm)
Although it is a nice gesture to offer free breakfast, it wasn’t exactly anything to write home about. Tomorrow I will grab some of the bread and make French toast and good coffee is very important to us.
We were told that there was no need to purchase bus or tram tickets because they are free to Hungarians and no one else is ever checked. Our first priority was to find a city tour bus because my knee is totally “f_____” from all the walking lately and the hot weather causes it to swell even more.
Budapest was particularly difficult for us today as soon as we arrived into the centre of the city. We could not find a tourist information office anywhere and had to walk what seemed miles to find one. By then, we were hungry so we stopped and had a very average-tasting lunch which cost 7,200. We spent almost two hours just trying to get our bearings about us and decided that Budapest was definitely not one of our favorite cities. As mentioned before, most large cities are just that – large cities. This one was particularly difficult because there are two centres, one in “Buda” and the other, across the Danube, in “Pest”, therefore everything is spread out in a city of 1.8 million people.
We took pictures, thought about taking the open-air city tour bus, the station which we finally located only to find out that George did not have enough cash as they did not take credit cards. So for the next, hour and a half he tried to find a bank machine. Once we found one and got enough cash, we said “enough is enough” and decided there was no reason to pay the $30.ea for the time remaining in the day. We contemplated going in tomorrow, but the experience today just gave us bad vibes.
Needless to say, we were very happy to return to Susi and the quietude in the campground. The city is extremely noisy and George commented that he would go stark-raving crazy in Budapest – sorry to Gsa Gsa.
Today we met the first English-speaking (Australian) long-term travelers who were on a six-month trip as well – and they were our age.
Although it is a nice gesture to offer free breakfast, it wasn’t exactly anything to write home about. Tomorrow I will grab some of the bread and make French toast and good coffee is very important to us.
We were told that there was no need to purchase bus or tram tickets because they are free to Hungarians and no one else is ever checked. Our first priority was to find a city tour bus because my knee is totally “f_____” from all the walking lately and the hot weather causes it to swell even more.
Budapest was particularly difficult for us today as soon as we arrived into the centre of the city. We could not find a tourist information office anywhere and had to walk what seemed miles to find one. By then, we were hungry so we stopped and had a very average-tasting lunch which cost 7,200. We spent almost two hours just trying to get our bearings about us and decided that Budapest was definitely not one of our favorite cities. As mentioned before, most large cities are just that – large cities. This one was particularly difficult because there are two centres, one in “Buda” and the other, across the Danube, in “Pest”, therefore everything is spread out in a city of 1.8 million people.
We took pictures, thought about taking the open-air city tour bus, the station which we finally located only to find out that George did not have enough cash as they did not take credit cards. So for the next, hour and a half he tried to find a bank machine. Once we found one and got enough cash, we said “enough is enough” and decided there was no reason to pay the $30.ea for the time remaining in the day. We contemplated going in tomorrow, but the experience today just gave us bad vibes.
Needless to say, we were very happy to return to Susi and the quietude in the campground. The city is extremely noisy and George commented that he would go stark-raving crazy in Budapest – sorry to Gsa Gsa.
Today we met the first English-speaking (Australian) long-term travelers who were on a six-month trip as well – and they were our age.
Monday, August 13, 2007
August 12
August 12th (torrential downpours)
We were a bit in slow motion this morning and did not get on the road until 11 am which is a little late considering we had a long drive to Budapest. It was absolutely pouring all through the alpine area of Poland (south of Krakow) which made it quite impossible to enjoy the scenery. This is their skiing area and is set up for summer and winter tourism and seems to be a more affluent area of Poland. We passed through many towns where the churches were beyond capacity. These churches are huge and still there are people standing outside in the rain.
Today we drove into Slovakia at 1:15 pm and were through and into Hungary three hours later. This is a first for us – we went through a country without spending a cent. We should also note that we have noticed that the leaves are changing – Fall is coming.
Georg had picked a campsite in the centre of Budapest which turned out to be in the dead centre of “slumsville” and it was very over-crowded to say the least. Quickly adapted to ‘plan B’ and found another site at the other end of town, but getting there was a bit traumatic between Georg and I. Our initial impression of Budapest was “Holy Cow” – the main streets are eight lanes across, the Danube River is quite wide and looks like we are going to have some fun here. It is the first time we had a 10,000 note in our pocket -- the highest being 20,000. To put it into perspective, the camping is 6,700/night. We were both under the impression that more countries were using the euro, but turns out only the western countries in Europe.
Finally hunkered down, showered and ate dinner. This place is also very crowded and we plan on moving closer to the amenities in the morning. What is nice here is that there is free internet and breakfast.
We were a bit in slow motion this morning and did not get on the road until 11 am which is a little late considering we had a long drive to Budapest. It was absolutely pouring all through the alpine area of Poland (south of Krakow) which made it quite impossible to enjoy the scenery. This is their skiing area and is set up for summer and winter tourism and seems to be a more affluent area of Poland. We passed through many towns where the churches were beyond capacity. These churches are huge and still there are people standing outside in the rain.
Today we drove into Slovakia at 1:15 pm and were through and into Hungary three hours later. This is a first for us – we went through a country without spending a cent. We should also note that we have noticed that the leaves are changing – Fall is coming.
Georg had picked a campsite in the centre of Budapest which turned out to be in the dead centre of “slumsville” and it was very over-crowded to say the least. Quickly adapted to ‘plan B’ and found another site at the other end of town, but getting there was a bit traumatic between Georg and I. Our initial impression of Budapest was “Holy Cow” – the main streets are eight lanes across, the Danube River is quite wide and looks like we are going to have some fun here. It is the first time we had a 10,000 note in our pocket -- the highest being 20,000. To put it into perspective, the camping is 6,700/night. We were both under the impression that more countries were using the euro, but turns out only the western countries in Europe.
Finally hunkered down, showered and ate dinner. This place is also very crowded and we plan on moving closer to the amenities in the morning. What is nice here is that there is free internet and breakfast.
August 11
August 11th (sunny, bit of rain and then perfect)
This morning after Georg again figured out the train and rail system into Krakow, we quickly boarded a city tour bus. Although the city did not warrant us taking a tour bus because most of the activity happens in and around the “oldest medieval city square in Europe”, it worked out fine in that it was showering a little and my knee was particularly sore. I have noticed that whenever we walk a lot on cobblestones especially, I really pay for it for a couple of days after.
Back to Krakow – Wow! Did we ever have a great day! Poland has been a delight to visit, but especially this city with all the fantastic restaurants, music and entertainment happening all around. We spent the day touring and walking, had lunch and did more touring to the old castle, but were totally taken in by the charm of the old section of Krakow. It is Saturday night and again we were witness to many weddings. These ones also included a traditional procession through the streets of the old town, either by walking or some couples choose to ride in open horse-drawn carriages.
On the way out, we decided to have some appetizers and beer in a sidewalk restaurant right in the market square and people watched and took in the entertainment happening at the outside stage. Doing this was so much fun that we decided to stay a little longer which turned into a lot longer when we walked past the Irish Pub and Georg noticed the England-France rugby match was on the TV. We went in, had a couple of beers, met some crazy Englishmen who left their wives in Nice, France and were here for three days. After more beer and vodka shooters, I was treated by one of the fellows who does some kind of ‘hands-on therapy’ for my knee, we headed out into the dark to catch our bus and train home.
The huge town square with all the people and performers at night took on a totally different character – even more splendid at night. We managed to find our way back with the aid of an English family and had a rum and grapefruit nightcap – this time with “ice” for the first time in this van.
This morning after Georg again figured out the train and rail system into Krakow, we quickly boarded a city tour bus. Although the city did not warrant us taking a tour bus because most of the activity happens in and around the “oldest medieval city square in Europe”, it worked out fine in that it was showering a little and my knee was particularly sore. I have noticed that whenever we walk a lot on cobblestones especially, I really pay for it for a couple of days after.
Back to Krakow – Wow! Did we ever have a great day! Poland has been a delight to visit, but especially this city with all the fantastic restaurants, music and entertainment happening all around. We spent the day touring and walking, had lunch and did more touring to the old castle, but were totally taken in by the charm of the old section of Krakow. It is Saturday night and again we were witness to many weddings. These ones also included a traditional procession through the streets of the old town, either by walking or some couples choose to ride in open horse-drawn carriages.
On the way out, we decided to have some appetizers and beer in a sidewalk restaurant right in the market square and people watched and took in the entertainment happening at the outside stage. Doing this was so much fun that we decided to stay a little longer which turned into a lot longer when we walked past the Irish Pub and Georg noticed the England-France rugby match was on the TV. We went in, had a couple of beers, met some crazy Englishmen who left their wives in Nice, France and were here for three days. After more beer and vodka shooters, I was treated by one of the fellows who does some kind of ‘hands-on therapy’ for my knee, we headed out into the dark to catch our bus and train home.
The huge town square with all the people and performers at night took on a totally different character – even more splendid at night. We managed to find our way back with the aid of an English family and had a rum and grapefruit nightcap – this time with “ice” for the first time in this van.
August 10
August 10th (sunny and extreme downpours of rain)
On the road by 8:30 and drove over 300 kms through torrential rain and endless highway construction – it turned into a long drive. Because of the constant, heavy truck traffic and questionable road building techniques, the ruts in the roads have become so deep that the car feels like it is on ‘auto steer’. Unfortunately, during times of heavy rains, the ruts are full of water that we are at times totally inundated by a twenty-foot wall of water when oncoming trucks pass us.
Notables for today’s travel: countryside 40 kms north of Krakow changed to higher elevation, rolling hills and many, many farms. This area is definitely more cultivated than the Poland we have seen to date and the standard of living seems to have improved.As with any larger city, we struggled a little to locate the campground that Georg had chosen. Upon arrival, it was muggy and hot so we both showered. Georg set up the blue tarp for shade and we proceeded to drink too much today. He also changed our route again – our next stop will be Budapest, then Prague
On the road by 8:30 and drove over 300 kms through torrential rain and endless highway construction – it turned into a long drive. Because of the constant, heavy truck traffic and questionable road building techniques, the ruts in the roads have become so deep that the car feels like it is on ‘auto steer’. Unfortunately, during times of heavy rains, the ruts are full of water that we are at times totally inundated by a twenty-foot wall of water when oncoming trucks pass us.
Notables for today’s travel: countryside 40 kms north of Krakow changed to higher elevation, rolling hills and many, many farms. This area is definitely more cultivated than the Poland we have seen to date and the standard of living seems to have improved.As with any larger city, we struggled a little to locate the campground that Georg had chosen. Upon arrival, it was muggy and hot so we both showered. Georg set up the blue tarp for shade and we proceeded to drink too much today. He also changed our route again – our next stop will be Budapest, then Prague
August 9
August 9th (sunny, warm and a downpour)
After a good sleep and breakfast, we walked over to the bus stop across a large field and with help from the locals, figured out the bus schedule to the centre of Warsaw. There are no tour buses like we were able to find in the other major cities except for a car tour amounting to approx. $70 Cdn each and we were not about to do that. My knee bothers me especially walking on cobblestones so I needed to pop a few pills today. After locating the tourist information office, we spent the next seven hours walking through and around the ‘old’ city of Warsaw. Interesting to note that everything we were looking at was post-1945 because the whole city was devastated during the War. Unfortunately for Poland most of the initial reconstruction was never improved upon as they were under the Communist umbrella. Speaking of “umbrella”, we were so lucky to be near cover when we were hit with a thirty-minute downpour of rain like we have never seen before (except on this trip).
I asked the young lady in the tourist office for a place to have perogies and traditional Polish food and she told us of a wonderful little restaurant where we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. Walking back to the bus stop, we walked through a huge outlet selling everything in the way of clothing and other miscellaneous goods, but it was too warm to stay and shop for anything other than food. It became apparent that in Warsaw that the affluent shop on one side of the street and the ‘average Joe’ shops on the other. We returned the four kms back to our Camp 123 site and after a shower, it was so nice to just sit and relax and read and have a beer.
Talked to a gentleman from Grenoble, France who was originally from Montreal. Nice to speak English with someone else. Also, I have been on a bit of a winning streak with crib.
After a good sleep and breakfast, we walked over to the bus stop across a large field and with help from the locals, figured out the bus schedule to the centre of Warsaw. There are no tour buses like we were able to find in the other major cities except for a car tour amounting to approx. $70 Cdn each and we were not about to do that. My knee bothers me especially walking on cobblestones so I needed to pop a few pills today. After locating the tourist information office, we spent the next seven hours walking through and around the ‘old’ city of Warsaw. Interesting to note that everything we were looking at was post-1945 because the whole city was devastated during the War. Unfortunately for Poland most of the initial reconstruction was never improved upon as they were under the Communist umbrella. Speaking of “umbrella”, we were so lucky to be near cover when we were hit with a thirty-minute downpour of rain like we have never seen before (except on this trip).
I asked the young lady in the tourist office for a place to have perogies and traditional Polish food and she told us of a wonderful little restaurant where we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. Walking back to the bus stop, we walked through a huge outlet selling everything in the way of clothing and other miscellaneous goods, but it was too warm to stay and shop for anything other than food. It became apparent that in Warsaw that the affluent shop on one side of the street and the ‘average Joe’ shops on the other. We returned the four kms back to our Camp 123 site and after a shower, it was so nice to just sit and relax and read and have a beer.
Talked to a gentleman from Grenoble, France who was originally from Montreal. Nice to speak English with someone else. Also, I have been on a bit of a winning streak with crib.
August 8
August 8th (sunny and warm)
We enjoyed breakfast and cleaned up and were on the road by nine again this morning heading southeast towards Warsaw along mainly rural roads. The people of Poland seem very happy, are polite and appear surprised when we open our mouths and speak English. Only some of the children have any command of English at all so we have been using our eastern European phrase book a little lately and we have still been getting surprised looks. Could it be our pronunciation is a little off?
The camping spots in Poland are a little unsanitary and remind Georg and I of Bulgaria in the 70’s when we travelled. Also, we have been comparing Poland with Mexico a little in that everywhere are half-finished buildings, roads and the infrastructure in general. Even though they are well behind western standards, Polish people display themselves with style and grace. As with anywhere else in the world, however, there are the slum areas through which some of them we travelled that are very, very depressing.
Along our drive today, we stopped at a marketplace in Dzialdowo where people looked at us like we were from outer space while we struggled to purchase different grocery items. I know I am repeating myself, but it is quite a lot of fun to buy such delicious-looking and tasting vegetables, bakery goods, etc. Needless to say, we are eating very well – thus the XXXL shorts I purchased today. All Georg could say was “what’s next? -- is there a Jones Tent and Awning in Poland?”
So far we have fared quite well in getting around Poland without the full use of the AutoRoute software, however it has resulted in some tension-filled moments. Today was one of the first times that I took a quick, direct instruction from Georg without debating. Had we not, we would have missed the one and only campsite in Warsaw in rush-hour traffic. Georg has revamped the next phase of our route to Budapest. Instead of heading south, we are taking in Prague first after Krakow, but that again can change. No solid plans on this trip.
We settled in, had a delicious potato salad and the smoked salmon from Leba was the best we have ever had. In our short walkabout of our immediate surroundings, we came across a soccer game where both sides were Orientals. This struck us as rather odd so I enquired and found out that it was the Vietnamese Immigration League. It appears that as Polish youths leave for other countries of the EU for better-paying jobs, people from other countries such as Vietnam are coming in to fill their places.
Also, next to us is a huge enclosed area with soccer pitches, Olympic swimming pool, large buildings, etc. and seeing that one of the buildings has an Olympic logo on it, we were wondering if the Olympics were ever held in Warsaw.
We enjoyed breakfast and cleaned up and were on the road by nine again this morning heading southeast towards Warsaw along mainly rural roads. The people of Poland seem very happy, are polite and appear surprised when we open our mouths and speak English. Only some of the children have any command of English at all so we have been using our eastern European phrase book a little lately and we have still been getting surprised looks. Could it be our pronunciation is a little off?
The camping spots in Poland are a little unsanitary and remind Georg and I of Bulgaria in the 70’s when we travelled. Also, we have been comparing Poland with Mexico a little in that everywhere are half-finished buildings, roads and the infrastructure in general. Even though they are well behind western standards, Polish people display themselves with style and grace. As with anywhere else in the world, however, there are the slum areas through which some of them we travelled that are very, very depressing.
Along our drive today, we stopped at a marketplace in Dzialdowo where people looked at us like we were from outer space while we struggled to purchase different grocery items. I know I am repeating myself, but it is quite a lot of fun to buy such delicious-looking and tasting vegetables, bakery goods, etc. Needless to say, we are eating very well – thus the XXXL shorts I purchased today. All Georg could say was “what’s next? -- is there a Jones Tent and Awning in Poland?”
So far we have fared quite well in getting around Poland without the full use of the AutoRoute software, however it has resulted in some tension-filled moments. Today was one of the first times that I took a quick, direct instruction from Georg without debating. Had we not, we would have missed the one and only campsite in Warsaw in rush-hour traffic. Georg has revamped the next phase of our route to Budapest. Instead of heading south, we are taking in Prague first after Krakow, but that again can change. No solid plans on this trip.
We settled in, had a delicious potato salad and the smoked salmon from Leba was the best we have ever had. In our short walkabout of our immediate surroundings, we came across a soccer game where both sides were Orientals. This struck us as rather odd so I enquired and found out that it was the Vietnamese Immigration League. It appears that as Polish youths leave for other countries of the EU for better-paying jobs, people from other countries such as Vietnam are coming in to fill their places.
Also, next to us is a huge enclosed area with soccer pitches, Olympic swimming pool, large buildings, etc. and seeing that one of the buildings has an Olympic logo on it, we were wondering if the Olympics were ever held in Warsaw.
August 7
August 7th (sunny)
After another good sleep, we were packed and driving by nine. Today, we drove in the direction of Warsaw and stopped halfway at a place called Itawa. We took small rural roads and found the countryside engaged in farming activities that in most western countries are already outdated. Besides watching storks in their nests, we also saw tobacco being harvested and dried. Cigarettes are quite inexpensive here (about $2.00 Cdn/package) and the Poles seem to smoke more than any country we have been to.
Georg noticed that the number of wind generators in Poland are not anywhere near what we have seen in other countries. We also saw a lot of lakes today driving through many national parks. Another interesting observation was that the soil even 100 miles south of the Baltic Sea is sandy like the beach.
We are settled into a treed campsite that resembles ours at home. We watched a semi-pro soccer team practice and Georg watched some smaller children play soccer. Had a delicious chicken dinner, went for a walk to the lake and looking forward to our drive to Warsaw tomorrow.
After another good sleep, we were packed and driving by nine. Today, we drove in the direction of Warsaw and stopped halfway at a place called Itawa. We took small rural roads and found the countryside engaged in farming activities that in most western countries are already outdated. Besides watching storks in their nests, we also saw tobacco being harvested and dried. Cigarettes are quite inexpensive here (about $2.00 Cdn/package) and the Poles seem to smoke more than any country we have been to.
Georg noticed that the number of wind generators in Poland are not anywhere near what we have seen in other countries. We also saw a lot of lakes today driving through many national parks. Another interesting observation was that the soil even 100 miles south of the Baltic Sea is sandy like the beach.
We are settled into a treed campsite that resembles ours at home. We watched a semi-pro soccer team practice and Georg watched some smaller children play soccer. Had a delicious chicken dinner, went for a walk to the lake and looking forward to our drive to Warsaw tomorrow.
August 6
August 6th (sunny and warm)
We were a little slow this morning. I was totally engrossed in reading the end of Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy and couldn’t put it down. As most of you know, I do not read very much, but I really like her books. We did not need too much more sun today so we did not get down to the beach until noon and stayed until around 3. Georg is quite enjoying the Polish “eye candy” at the beach. The women are either very beautiful in their skimpy bikinis or extremely fat. The men are generally quite large and that can also mean quite fat.
We decided to eat at a restaurant today and really enjoyed our food. Fresh or smoked fish is one of the mainstays of their diet in this part of Poland. Prices are quite good in Poland, but not as inexpensive as we had heard. We also found an internet café, had some delicious gelato and walked around the very vibrant town of Leba.
We also noted that the strong family values are present everywhere here and are keeping children well behaved and always at play at things that we used to do unlike the “electronic” generation back home. Sometimes being poorer has a silver lining.
We were a little slow this morning. I was totally engrossed in reading the end of Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy and couldn’t put it down. As most of you know, I do not read very much, but I really like her books. We did not need too much more sun today so we did not get down to the beach until noon and stayed until around 3. Georg is quite enjoying the Polish “eye candy” at the beach. The women are either very beautiful in their skimpy bikinis or extremely fat. The men are generally quite large and that can also mean quite fat.
We decided to eat at a restaurant today and really enjoyed our food. Fresh or smoked fish is one of the mainstays of their diet in this part of Poland. Prices are quite good in Poland, but not as inexpensive as we had heard. We also found an internet café, had some delicious gelato and walked around the very vibrant town of Leba.
We also noted that the strong family values are present everywhere here and are keeping children well behaved and always at play at things that we used to do unlike the “electronic” generation back home. Sometimes being poorer has a silver lining.
August 5
August 5th (sunny and warm)
We left Rewal around 10 am and said our goodbyes to the lovely family from Hannover camped beside us. They actually invited us to visit them in Hannover, but that definitely could not happen. It was very pleasant to drive the secondary roads again passing through many small villages and towns along the way to Leba, also on the Baltic Sea coast. Leba is one of the most popular seaside resorts in Poland and there are thousands of people here. On top of the weather finally turning for the better, there was the professional windsurfing tour here over the weekend that also attracted many more people to the area.
The beach and ocean is even nicer than the last place. Along with walking along the beach, we walked into the town along with the thousands of other tourists, had an ice cream, came back and showered and played our usual cards. Georg wanted me to mention that he is now ten games up on me.
Some interesting observations today: cows chained while grazing in the field in lieu of perimeter fencing; the land seems quite unkempt and many villages and roads look like Germany did 40 years ago. As we drove, the sound of crickets never abated and storks everywhere. Headlights and tail-lights on the car must be on at all times. To date, we have not seen one vehicle with a “Canada – USA – Australia – England”, etc. identification as we did in 1972. Tourists are either travelling on bus tours or not coming to Europe at all.
Georg made another philosophical observation after again seeing the unexpected farmland and forests and the interdependence on the eco-system that God made everything right except one thing – mankind.
We left Rewal around 10 am and said our goodbyes to the lovely family from Hannover camped beside us. They actually invited us to visit them in Hannover, but that definitely could not happen. It was very pleasant to drive the secondary roads again passing through many small villages and towns along the way to Leba, also on the Baltic Sea coast. Leba is one of the most popular seaside resorts in Poland and there are thousands of people here. On top of the weather finally turning for the better, there was the professional windsurfing tour here over the weekend that also attracted many more people to the area.
The beach and ocean is even nicer than the last place. Along with walking along the beach, we walked into the town along with the thousands of other tourists, had an ice cream, came back and showered and played our usual cards. Georg wanted me to mention that he is now ten games up on me.
Some interesting observations today: cows chained while grazing in the field in lieu of perimeter fencing; the land seems quite unkempt and many villages and roads look like Germany did 40 years ago. As we drove, the sound of crickets never abated and storks everywhere. Headlights and tail-lights on the car must be on at all times. To date, we have not seen one vehicle with a “Canada – USA – Australia – England”, etc. identification as we did in 1972. Tourists are either travelling on bus tours or not coming to Europe at all.
Georg made another philosophical observation after again seeing the unexpected farmland and forests and the interdependence on the eco-system that God made everything right except one thing – mankind.
Monday, August 6, 2007
August 4
August 4th (sunny and warm)
We woke up to sunshine through the canopy of our VW van. What a wonderful sight. As we have been craving to enjoy summer in Europe, we are taking advantage of the weather and staying an extra day at Rewal just to sit in our lawn chairs at the beach. At around 11 am, we took our chairs to the beach and found thousands of other people with the same idea. There were a whole lot of Poles there. We settled down to people watching. George went in for an occasional swim and I walked along the beach and enjoyed the surf.
Before getting too sunburned, we returned back mid-afternoon for a few beers and walked to the action of this beachside resort. After dinner, we went back to enjoy Saturday night in Poland.
We woke up to sunshine through the canopy of our VW van. What a wonderful sight. As we have been craving to enjoy summer in Europe, we are taking advantage of the weather and staying an extra day at Rewal just to sit in our lawn chairs at the beach. At around 11 am, we took our chairs to the beach and found thousands of other people with the same idea. There were a whole lot of Poles there. We settled down to people watching. George went in for an occasional swim and I walked along the beach and enjoyed the surf.
Before getting too sunburned, we returned back mid-afternoon for a few beers and walked to the action of this beachside resort. After dinner, we went back to enjoy Saturday night in Poland.
August 3
August 3rd (sunny with rainy periods)
We drove out of Germany today into Poland, our tenth country visited to date. We were a little worried about our gas as we were almost empty and had heard that prices were a lot less in Poland. Luckily, gas was available right after the border crossing and the prices were not that much different – approx. $2.00 Cnd/liter. First impressions of Poland – foggy and smoggy on the highway and some of the roads are in dire need of repair, thus confirming our van needs shocks.
On the road to Rewal on the Baltic Sea, we passed hundreds of vendors on the side of the road selling honey, pickles, jams and chanterelle mushrooms. They have the spirit of free enterprise, however the marketing aspect has a long way to go. Also, noticed some chickens running freely on the highway.
We arrived at Rewal, a seaside resort town, around 4 pm. We walked into the town and found ourselves amongst thousands of Poles and other tourists, mainly from Germany. We found out from a local that the seaside resorts here go seven days a week for three months, non-stop. Music, drinking, entertainment, etc. Took in a karaoke show and a beer and had a wonderful first day in Poland.
We drove out of Germany today into Poland, our tenth country visited to date. We were a little worried about our gas as we were almost empty and had heard that prices were a lot less in Poland. Luckily, gas was available right after the border crossing and the prices were not that much different – approx. $2.00 Cnd/liter. First impressions of Poland – foggy and smoggy on the highway and some of the roads are in dire need of repair, thus confirming our van needs shocks.
On the road to Rewal on the Baltic Sea, we passed hundreds of vendors on the side of the road selling honey, pickles, jams and chanterelle mushrooms. They have the spirit of free enterprise, however the marketing aspect has a long way to go. Also, noticed some chickens running freely on the highway.
We arrived at Rewal, a seaside resort town, around 4 pm. We walked into the town and found ourselves amongst thousands of Poles and other tourists, mainly from Germany. We found out from a local that the seaside resorts here go seven days a week for three months, non-stop. Music, drinking, entertainment, etc. Took in a karaoke show and a beer and had a wonderful first day in Poland.
August 2
August 2nd (sunny and warm)
Woke up to a clear blue sky. We took our time having breakfast and getting ready for our train trip into Berlin. We decided to do the “Park and Ride” from the station approx. 25 miles outside of Berlin. The trip in took about one hour and when we arrived, we had a quick snack at a restaurant before taking a double-decker bus tour.
One thing we noticed right away was that the Berlin tour was much different than the London or Paris version mainly because the city was totally destroyed in WW II. What you see now is a vibrant city with new architecture and massive renovation projects. It really does not have the “charm” of a Paris. We enjoyed the day, bought some groceries and returned to our van for a quiet evening prior to our sojourn into Poland starting tomorrow.
So far, we have yet to experience pangs of homesickness. Looking forward to visiting countries which we have never been to.
Woke up to a clear blue sky. We took our time having breakfast and getting ready for our train trip into Berlin. We decided to do the “Park and Ride” from the station approx. 25 miles outside of Berlin. The trip in took about one hour and when we arrived, we had a quick snack at a restaurant before taking a double-decker bus tour.
One thing we noticed right away was that the Berlin tour was much different than the London or Paris version mainly because the city was totally destroyed in WW II. What you see now is a vibrant city with new architecture and massive renovation projects. It really does not have the “charm” of a Paris. We enjoyed the day, bought some groceries and returned to our van for a quiet evening prior to our sojourn into Poland starting tomorrow.
So far, we have yet to experience pangs of homesickness. Looking forward to visiting countries which we have never been to.
August 1
August 1st (sunny – seriously)
Again, as we said before, saying goodbye is never easy especially to these very special people. Our six nights spent with Rudolf and Irmgard were fantastic in the extreme. Our final breakfast was followed by a quick visit to the computer to download the latest blog and check messages and show Rudolf how to use the free translation service. They must have thought we were going to outer Siberia with the amount of foodstuffs they gave us for our travels. This type of hospitality has been shown to us by our friends and relatives. After an emotional goodbye, we were off to Berlin.
One thing we noticed was the definite difference as far as the infrastructure in old East/West Germany. The East German side still has remnants of the second WW destruction. As lovely as it was visiting every evening, it was nice to get back to our travel routine and “Susi”. George noticed that the software that we have been using for navigating does not extend to the eastern bloc countries so we will have to adlib as we go. We are excited about touring Berlin tomorrow.
Again, as we said before, saying goodbye is never easy especially to these very special people. Our six nights spent with Rudolf and Irmgard were fantastic in the extreme. Our final breakfast was followed by a quick visit to the computer to download the latest blog and check messages and show Rudolf how to use the free translation service. They must have thought we were going to outer Siberia with the amount of foodstuffs they gave us for our travels. This type of hospitality has been shown to us by our friends and relatives. After an emotional goodbye, we were off to Berlin.
One thing we noticed was the definite difference as far as the infrastructure in old East/West Germany. The East German side still has remnants of the second WW destruction. As lovely as it was visiting every evening, it was nice to get back to our travel routine and “Susi”. George noticed that the software that we have been using for navigating does not extend to the eastern bloc countries so we will have to adlib as we go. We are excited about touring Berlin tomorrow.
July 31
July 31st (sunny, windy)
We drove into the heart of Hamburg, parked and saw the 100-year-old Elbe Tunnel. It was quite fascinating to watch cars in a giant elevator being taken to a road underneath the Elbe River. We also saw where Georg and his family sailed on the “Italia” in 1956 when they immigrated to Canada. After driving through the huge warehouse district and observing some of the monstrous construction sites, we tried to get into some of the museums. Unfortunately, parking was difficult and the museum lineups were too long, therefore, we continued with our car tour of Hamburg including stops at Michael’s Church and some quaint, old houses in a secluded part of Hamburg. Our tour ended with a trip to a part of Hamburg that most tourists do not see; rows of exclusive houses and hillside homes overlooking the Elbe, after which we enjoyed a beer, coffee and snacks on top of a hill overlooking Hamburg and the river.
On the way back, we bought bratwurst and buns as part of our last dinner together. The evening was capped off with Rudolf showing us some magic tricks and interesting physics experiments. They were most enjoyable. He is truly a “gentleman and a scholar”.
We drove into the heart of Hamburg, parked and saw the 100-year-old Elbe Tunnel. It was quite fascinating to watch cars in a giant elevator being taken to a road underneath the Elbe River. We also saw where Georg and his family sailed on the “Italia” in 1956 when they immigrated to Canada. After driving through the huge warehouse district and observing some of the monstrous construction sites, we tried to get into some of the museums. Unfortunately, parking was difficult and the museum lineups were too long, therefore, we continued with our car tour of Hamburg including stops at Michael’s Church and some quaint, old houses in a secluded part of Hamburg. Our tour ended with a trip to a part of Hamburg that most tourists do not see; rows of exclusive houses and hillside homes overlooking the Elbe, after which we enjoyed a beer, coffee and snacks on top of a hill overlooking Hamburg and the river.
On the way back, we bought bratwurst and buns as part of our last dinner together. The evening was capped off with Rudolf showing us some magic tricks and interesting physics experiments. They were most enjoyable. He is truly a “gentleman and a scholar”.
July 30
July 30th (rainy with sunny breaks)
Today, after another wonderful breakfast, we drove to the Viking Museum in Schleswig. This museum is located on the site where Northern Europe’s largest town Hedeby, (now Schleswig), stood more than one thousand years ago. It was amazing to see how advanced the Viking society was at that time. Their craftsmanship for seafaring and landlocked items was superb. The excavation is still in progress and unearthing many items including two large Viking vessels. It was absolutely pouring with rain so this was a great way to spend a couple of hours.
We ate our packed lunch out of the car because of the weather before going on to see the Schleswig-Holstein’s Open Air Museum. The weather broke a little allowing us to view farmhouses, cottages, barns and village workshops from all over Schleswig-Holstein. All these structures and land upon which they now stand were donated by people. The buildings were removed, piece-by-piece, labeled, transported and reconstructed on the new 60-acre site outfitted with period pieces of that era. We thoroughly enjoyed the animals, especially the family of pigs that were slopping around in the mud.
We were all quite exhausted from all the walking and sightseeing and after a couple of drinks, dinner and good conversation, we collapsed into bed. It was another great day with a very hospitable couple.
Today, after another wonderful breakfast, we drove to the Viking Museum in Schleswig. This museum is located on the site where Northern Europe’s largest town Hedeby, (now Schleswig), stood more than one thousand years ago. It was amazing to see how advanced the Viking society was at that time. Their craftsmanship for seafaring and landlocked items was superb. The excavation is still in progress and unearthing many items including two large Viking vessels. It was absolutely pouring with rain so this was a great way to spend a couple of hours.
We ate our packed lunch out of the car because of the weather before going on to see the Schleswig-Holstein’s Open Air Museum. The weather broke a little allowing us to view farmhouses, cottages, barns and village workshops from all over Schleswig-Holstein. All these structures and land upon which they now stand were donated by people. The buildings were removed, piece-by-piece, labeled, transported and reconstructed on the new 60-acre site outfitted with period pieces of that era. We thoroughly enjoyed the animals, especially the family of pigs that were slopping around in the mud.
We were all quite exhausted from all the walking and sightseeing and after a couple of drinks, dinner and good conversation, we collapsed into bed. It was another great day with a very hospitable couple.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
july 29
July 29th (cool and rainy)
This morning, after breakfast, we walked behind Rudolf and Irmgard’s home to a pottery exhibition. The quality was exceptional and it was too bad that the weather was not cooperating in order for the day to be more successful for the artists. We returned home and left Irmgard to be alone as she wanted to get a few chores done and make us a delicious lunch for when we returned from our drive to various places of interest to Rudolf.
He was born in Elmshorn and his father was a policeman after serving in the war. Rudolf was able to show us his school, where he played as a boy and where he worked while putting himself through university. He must have been an excellent teacher. He has a real gift with words and is very informative about so many subjects. He speaks very good English considering he had not spoken it since the last time we were here. With my broken German and Irmgard’s command of English, we manage to figure things out as well.
The weather was not very pleasant again so it was best that we drove around most of the day enjoying the beautiful countryside and some of the smaller towns in the area around Uetersen. Irmgard stayed home today and greeted us with a delicious dinner consisting of eggs and shrimp. We enjoyed watching 8 mm films of their 1968 trip to Cinq a Terra and old films of the family.
This morning, after breakfast, we walked behind Rudolf and Irmgard’s home to a pottery exhibition. The quality was exceptional and it was too bad that the weather was not cooperating in order for the day to be more successful for the artists. We returned home and left Irmgard to be alone as she wanted to get a few chores done and make us a delicious lunch for when we returned from our drive to various places of interest to Rudolf.
He was born in Elmshorn and his father was a policeman after serving in the war. Rudolf was able to show us his school, where he played as a boy and where he worked while putting himself through university. He must have been an excellent teacher. He has a real gift with words and is very informative about so many subjects. He speaks very good English considering he had not spoken it since the last time we were here. With my broken German and Irmgard’s command of English, we manage to figure things out as well.
The weather was not very pleasant again so it was best that we drove around most of the day enjoying the beautiful countryside and some of the smaller towns in the area around Uetersen. Irmgard stayed home today and greeted us with a delicious dinner consisting of eggs and shrimp. We enjoyed watching 8 mm films of their 1968 trip to Cinq a Terra and old films of the family.
july 28
July 28th (windy, sunny and a little cool)
This morning we were awoken earlier than usual because Rudolf and Irmgard wanted to take us on a very educational escorted tour of the St. Peter-Ording resort area of the Everschop pensinsula in Schleswig-Holstein. It was quite cool and very windy, but we thoroughly enjoyed walking and driving through the four different areas. Rudolf must have been a very good teacher because not only does he speak very good English, he is very informative and educated about so many different subjects. He is also passionate about this area where he was born and raised and lived his whole life. There is a Dutch influence in the architecture and because most of the land mass is below sea level, therefore dykes and ditches everywhere. The bulk of that work hundreds of years ago was done by religiously persecuted Dutchmen who were granted sanctuary by the Danish king in lieu of their work.
Our first stop after driving 190 kms/hr on the autobahn was the North Ost Sea canal built by 40,000 men using only shovels and wheelbarrels. It is 100 kms long, 40 feet deep and approx. 300 yards wide and is the busiest canal in the world. We visited the harbor at Tonning followed by a stop at a historical “six-post” enormously large farmhouse which had 99 windows with the 100th window being a very interesting tale told by Rudolf. After visiting the farmhouse, we drove on to a lighthouse where we enjoyed a scrumptuous lambwurst in a bun.
Following that, we saw where the two of them spend their Spring vacations and then on to one of the most spectacular beaches that we have ever seen. The fourteen-km-long stretch of pure-white-sand beach is dotted with restaurants set on pilings and only accessible at low tide. People park their vehicles right on the beach as you used to be able to at Long Beach in Vancouver Island. The beach was full of people wind and kite surfing. We were treated to a special drink called “Pharisieha” drink by Rudolf and Irmgard. The rum-coffee-whipping cream drink also had another tale associated with it which dealt with an overbearing tea-tottling priest.
We continued on to the other southern end of the beach where wind cart races are held annually. The speeds can at times reach 80 kms/hr. We visited a Bernstein (amber) museum, had wonderful Friesen torte and coffee. We ended the tour with a light snack at a very old restaurant in a natural reserve where Rudolf again treated us with a local drink translated means “egg grog”.
The final stop was the massive tidal dam just below Katinger Watt. This strategic dam was built to regulate the flow of the Eider River and the tides of the North Sea. Our way home was a lot faster as the traffic was minimal and George and I became comfortable with the driving speeds of 190 kms/hr. In fact, people were still passing us at estimated speeds of 240.
We spent the evening enjoying each other’s company, viewing pictures, having a couple of drinks and falling into bed after a very full and interesting day. It was agreed that we will stay here until Wednesday because Rudolf and Irmgard have a lot planned for us while we are here.
This morning we were awoken earlier than usual because Rudolf and Irmgard wanted to take us on a very educational escorted tour of the St. Peter-Ording resort area of the Everschop pensinsula in Schleswig-Holstein. It was quite cool and very windy, but we thoroughly enjoyed walking and driving through the four different areas. Rudolf must have been a very good teacher because not only does he speak very good English, he is very informative and educated about so many different subjects. He is also passionate about this area where he was born and raised and lived his whole life. There is a Dutch influence in the architecture and because most of the land mass is below sea level, therefore dykes and ditches everywhere. The bulk of that work hundreds of years ago was done by religiously persecuted Dutchmen who were granted sanctuary by the Danish king in lieu of their work.
Our first stop after driving 190 kms/hr on the autobahn was the North Ost Sea canal built by 40,000 men using only shovels and wheelbarrels. It is 100 kms long, 40 feet deep and approx. 300 yards wide and is the busiest canal in the world. We visited the harbor at Tonning followed by a stop at a historical “six-post” enormously large farmhouse which had 99 windows with the 100th window being a very interesting tale told by Rudolf. After visiting the farmhouse, we drove on to a lighthouse where we enjoyed a scrumptuous lambwurst in a bun.
Following that, we saw where the two of them spend their Spring vacations and then on to one of the most spectacular beaches that we have ever seen. The fourteen-km-long stretch of pure-white-sand beach is dotted with restaurants set on pilings and only accessible at low tide. People park their vehicles right on the beach as you used to be able to at Long Beach in Vancouver Island. The beach was full of people wind and kite surfing. We were treated to a special drink called “Pharisieha” drink by Rudolf and Irmgard. The rum-coffee-whipping cream drink also had another tale associated with it which dealt with an overbearing tea-tottling priest.
We continued on to the other southern end of the beach where wind cart races are held annually. The speeds can at times reach 80 kms/hr. We visited a Bernstein (amber) museum, had wonderful Friesen torte and coffee. We ended the tour with a light snack at a very old restaurant in a natural reserve where Rudolf again treated us with a local drink translated means “egg grog”.
The final stop was the massive tidal dam just below Katinger Watt. This strategic dam was built to regulate the flow of the Eider River and the tides of the North Sea. Our way home was a lot faster as the traffic was minimal and George and I became comfortable with the driving speeds of 190 kms/hr. In fact, people were still passing us at estimated speeds of 240.
We spent the evening enjoying each other’s company, viewing pictures, having a couple of drinks and falling into bed after a very full and interesting day. It was agreed that we will stay here until Wednesday because Rudolf and Irmgard have a lot planned for us while we are here.
july 27
July 27th (wind, rain and sun)
Got up to a splendid breakfast before the four of us went to the Uetersen weekly market in the centre of town. Uetersen has approx. 20,000 people and is about 25 kms from Hamburg. They use much more brick in all the homes and buildings and there are many thatched roofs which make the homes look like they are from the Hansel and Gretel storybook.
Irmgard and Rudolf are very environmentally and organically sensitive people. They are totally in love with each other and treat everyone with the utmost consideration whether total strangers or friends and family. They have a lovely home with many beautiful possessions with “a place for everything and everything in its place”. I have mentioned to Georg that we will look at the decorating of our home in a different light when we return home.
After the market, we went for a walk to a rosarium. It is interesting to find out that most of the almost 500 various hybrids of roses in the world were propagated in this district of Germany. We also visited an an old kloster (monastery) for nuns along with some very old heritage buildings and then on to Rudolf and Irmgard’s favorite coffee and torte restaurant. I believe that the German cakes baked by a good konditor are the best in the world. Also, coffee seems to also taste better than anywhere else.
We finished our interesting day by stopping by the Uetersen airport to watch a few small planes taking off and landing before we headed home to a lovely dinner and evening together.
Got up to a splendid breakfast before the four of us went to the Uetersen weekly market in the centre of town. Uetersen has approx. 20,000 people and is about 25 kms from Hamburg. They use much more brick in all the homes and buildings and there are many thatched roofs which make the homes look like they are from the Hansel and Gretel storybook.
Irmgard and Rudolf are very environmentally and organically sensitive people. They are totally in love with each other and treat everyone with the utmost consideration whether total strangers or friends and family. They have a lovely home with many beautiful possessions with “a place for everything and everything in its place”. I have mentioned to Georg that we will look at the decorating of our home in a different light when we return home.
After the market, we went for a walk to a rosarium. It is interesting to find out that most of the almost 500 various hybrids of roses in the world were propagated in this district of Germany. We also visited an an old kloster (monastery) for nuns along with some very old heritage buildings and then on to Rudolf and Irmgard’s favorite coffee and torte restaurant. I believe that the German cakes baked by a good konditor are the best in the world. Also, coffee seems to also taste better than anywhere else.
We finished our interesting day by stopping by the Uetersen airport to watch a few small planes taking off and landing before we headed home to a lovely dinner and evening together.
july 26
July 26th (sunny and cloudy)
It was a lovely morning and we were able to have breakfast outside. We drove into Magdeburg because George was interested in seeing the famous church which had its origins around 800 AD. The cathedral was immense in stature and lots of renovations underway including a couple of archeological digs around the alter base. We have also noticed in the city a definite eastern European architecture similar to what we saw in Bulgaria 35 years ago.
From Magdeburg, on our way to Uetersen to visit Georg’s cousin Irmgard and Rudolph, we made a couple of observations about the old “east” German region. First of all, it seems that the big corporations are taking advantage of the cheap land prices and are building enormous factories everywhere and also, the number of wind generators are more than we have seen anywhere. Furthermore, the land holdings here are not small parcels like in other parts of Europe – they are extensive tracks of land as a result of the communal philosophy of the communists.
About ten minutes outside of Magdeburg, we were stuck in a traffic jam on the autobahn that lasted two and a half hours. Georg also noticed that in the five hours that we were on the road today, we must have encountered over 2,000 large transport trucks. These are the only vehicles that we ever pass on the highway. Most cars are going passed us at more than 200 km/hr.
We arrived at Uetersen around 4 pm to see Rudolph at the front of their lovely home saying that he was expecting us the day before. We seem to have a habit of confusing people about our arrival times. We had a wonderful evening trying to catch up on almost thirty years. Their home is outstanding and very interesting in that it was a prefab home from Denmark which has technological elements in it, i.e. heating, ventilation and plumbing that were way ahead of its time. The house still remains in pristine condition with a beautiful garden which has a stream running through the property. We have our own living quarters, the run of the house and we are extremely comfortable here.
It was a lovely morning and we were able to have breakfast outside. We drove into Magdeburg because George was interested in seeing the famous church which had its origins around 800 AD. The cathedral was immense in stature and lots of renovations underway including a couple of archeological digs around the alter base. We have also noticed in the city a definite eastern European architecture similar to what we saw in Bulgaria 35 years ago.
From Magdeburg, on our way to Uetersen to visit Georg’s cousin Irmgard and Rudolph, we made a couple of observations about the old “east” German region. First of all, it seems that the big corporations are taking advantage of the cheap land prices and are building enormous factories everywhere and also, the number of wind generators are more than we have seen anywhere. Furthermore, the land holdings here are not small parcels like in other parts of Europe – they are extensive tracks of land as a result of the communal philosophy of the communists.
About ten minutes outside of Magdeburg, we were stuck in a traffic jam on the autobahn that lasted two and a half hours. Georg also noticed that in the five hours that we were on the road today, we must have encountered over 2,000 large transport trucks. These are the only vehicles that we ever pass on the highway. Most cars are going passed us at more than 200 km/hr.
We arrived at Uetersen around 4 pm to see Rudolph at the front of their lovely home saying that he was expecting us the day before. We seem to have a habit of confusing people about our arrival times. We had a wonderful evening trying to catch up on almost thirty years. Their home is outstanding and very interesting in that it was a prefab home from Denmark which has technological elements in it, i.e. heating, ventilation and plumbing that were way ahead of its time. The house still remains in pristine condition with a beautiful garden which has a stream running through the property. We have our own living quarters, the run of the house and we are extremely comfortable here.
july 25
July 24th (sunny with rain)
Bubi had a lovely breakfast table set for us, including flowers and traditional music playing. It has been 35 years since we have seen Bubi and he seems genuinely excited to see us and talk about old times. Bubi is a batchelor living alone in the house and his main interest in life is travel. He has been around the world five times by ship and everywhere in the house are souvenirs of his travels.
After breakfast, we drove in our van around the perimeter of Nurnberg avoiding the traffic congestion. We visited the house, Geismann’s Hof, which the entire Nerreter rented for approx. nine years immediately after the war as their house was totally flattened by bombing. Then we drove into the old section of Nurnberg and Bubi took us on a “blitz” tour of the city. One interesting stop was Jakob’s Church in which both Bubi and Jurgen (Georg) were baptized. That was a bit of an emotional moment.
We returned to Bubi’s house where we tapped a keg of Austrian beer and ate a meat salad appetizer that Georg totally enjoyed anticipating Helmut’s visit. Helmut, Bubi and Lewis all travelled throughout North America and Mexico in 1963 for three months using, at that time, a Greyhound promotion – “$1.00 a day”. Bubi prepared a delicious potato dumpling, roast pork and salad dinner followed by some Oktoberfest beer which he had saved for us. After draining the keg of beer, plus the specialty beers and wines and cognacs, I was kaput by 9:30. Georg lasted another hour. He was not kaput from the alcohol, but from the food and thought he was going to explode.
Bubi had a lovely breakfast table set for us, including flowers and traditional music playing. It has been 35 years since we have seen Bubi and he seems genuinely excited to see us and talk about old times. Bubi is a batchelor living alone in the house and his main interest in life is travel. He has been around the world five times by ship and everywhere in the house are souvenirs of his travels.
After breakfast, we drove in our van around the perimeter of Nurnberg avoiding the traffic congestion. We visited the house, Geismann’s Hof, which the entire Nerreter rented for approx. nine years immediately after the war as their house was totally flattened by bombing. Then we drove into the old section of Nurnberg and Bubi took us on a “blitz” tour of the city. One interesting stop was Jakob’s Church in which both Bubi and Jurgen (Georg) were baptized. That was a bit of an emotional moment.
We returned to Bubi’s house where we tapped a keg of Austrian beer and ate a meat salad appetizer that Georg totally enjoyed anticipating Helmut’s visit. Helmut, Bubi and Lewis all travelled throughout North America and Mexico in 1963 for three months using, at that time, a Greyhound promotion – “$1.00 a day”. Bubi prepared a delicious potato dumpling, roast pork and salad dinner followed by some Oktoberfest beer which he had saved for us. After draining the keg of beer, plus the specialty beers and wines and cognacs, I was kaput by 9:30. Georg lasted another hour. He was not kaput from the alcohol, but from the food and thought he was going to explode.
july 24
July 24th (sunny with rain)
Bubi had a lovely breakfast table set for us, including flowers and traditional music playing. It has been 35 years since we have seen Bubi and he seems genuinely excited to see us and talk about old times. Bubi is a batchelor living alone in the house and his main interest in life is travel. He has been around the world five times by ship and everywhere in the house are souvenirs of his travels.
After breakfast, we drove in our van around the perimeter of Nurnberg avoiding the traffic congestion. We visited the house, Geismann’s Hof, which the entire Nerreter rented for approx. nine years immediately after the war as their house was totally flattened by bombing. Then we drove into the old section of Nurnberg and Bubi took us on a “blitz” tour of the city. One interesting stop was Jakob’s Church in which both Bubi and Jurgen (Georg) were baptized. That was a bit of an emotional moment.
We returned to Bubi’s house where we tapped a keg of Austrian beer and ate a meat salad appetizer that Georg totally enjoyed anticipating Helmut’s visit. Helmut, Bubi and Lewis all travelled throughout North America and Mexico in 1963 for three months using, at that time, a Greyhound promotion – “$1.00 a day”. Bubi prepared a delicious potato dumpling, roast pork and salad dinner followed by some Oktoberfest beer which he had saved for us. After draining the keg of beer, plus the specialty beers and wines and cognacs, I was kaput by 9:30. Georg lasted another hour. He was not kaput from the alcohol, but from the food and thought he was going to explode.
Bubi had a lovely breakfast table set for us, including flowers and traditional music playing. It has been 35 years since we have seen Bubi and he seems genuinely excited to see us and talk about old times. Bubi is a batchelor living alone in the house and his main interest in life is travel. He has been around the world five times by ship and everywhere in the house are souvenirs of his travels.
After breakfast, we drove in our van around the perimeter of Nurnberg avoiding the traffic congestion. We visited the house, Geismann’s Hof, which the entire Nerreter rented for approx. nine years immediately after the war as their house was totally flattened by bombing. Then we drove into the old section of Nurnberg and Bubi took us on a “blitz” tour of the city. One interesting stop was Jakob’s Church in which both Bubi and Jurgen (Georg) were baptized. That was a bit of an emotional moment.
We returned to Bubi’s house where we tapped a keg of Austrian beer and ate a meat salad appetizer that Georg totally enjoyed anticipating Helmut’s visit. Helmut, Bubi and Lewis all travelled throughout North America and Mexico in 1963 for three months using, at that time, a Greyhound promotion – “$1.00 a day”. Bubi prepared a delicious potato dumpling, roast pork and salad dinner followed by some Oktoberfest beer which he had saved for us. After draining the keg of beer, plus the specialty beers and wines and cognacs, I was kaput by 9:30. Georg lasted another hour. He was not kaput from the alcohol, but from the food and thought he was going to explode.
july 23
July 23 (sunny, bit of rain)
Left the very crowded campground towards Georg’s family home on Zuhfurestrasse in downtown Nurnberg. It was very important that Georg be able to walk around the places he remembers as a child. After wanting to take pictures, we drove into the city centre to find an internet café to check the “E18 error message” and to email Canon to inform them of the problem. It turns out that the E18 message is part of a current lawsuit underway and to fix it would cost approx. $300 US $’s and six-weeks waiting time. In order for the camera pictures to be downloaded to our computer, he had to purchase another Canon. I am sure that we will not have a problem getting our money back from Costco upon our return.
We did not stay long in the city and about 3 pm arrived at Julius’ (Bubi) house on Tannenbergstrasse. During the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, my brother Billy, Georg’s sister, Gerlinde and Georg and I stayed with “Bubi” and his mother, Aunt Reta . Although Georg’s father, Stefan, was one of fifteen children, Lucas and Matthew are the only two men to carry on the “Nerreter” name.
When we arrived, Bubi had Canadian and German flags around the garden as well as a beautiful bouquet of red roses for me. After a delicious dinner of weisswurst, bratwurst and sauerkraut and many specialty beers, we fell into bed. Again, we had our own area including bathroom for privacy.
Left the very crowded campground towards Georg’s family home on Zuhfurestrasse in downtown Nurnberg. It was very important that Georg be able to walk around the places he remembers as a child. After wanting to take pictures, we drove into the city centre to find an internet café to check the “E18 error message” and to email Canon to inform them of the problem. It turns out that the E18 message is part of a current lawsuit underway and to fix it would cost approx. $300 US $’s and six-weeks waiting time. In order for the camera pictures to be downloaded to our computer, he had to purchase another Canon. I am sure that we will not have a problem getting our money back from Costco upon our return.
We did not stay long in the city and about 3 pm arrived at Julius’ (Bubi) house on Tannenbergstrasse. During the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, my brother Billy, Georg’s sister, Gerlinde and Georg and I stayed with “Bubi” and his mother, Aunt Reta . Although Georg’s father, Stefan, was one of fifteen children, Lucas and Matthew are the only two men to carry on the “Nerreter” name.
When we arrived, Bubi had Canadian and German flags around the garden as well as a beautiful bouquet of red roses for me. After a delicious dinner of weisswurst, bratwurst and sauerkraut and many specialty beers, we fell into bed. Again, we had our own area including bathroom for privacy.
july 22
July 22nd (sunny, but not as warm)]
Alfred and Anneliese, determined to keep us as long as possible, insisted that we not only have breakfast, but must stay for a roast beef, potato dumplings and blaukraut (red cabbage) lunch. It will be so nice to be able to leave a monetary gift in the mailbox for them to see tomorrow after we leave because they have been so very generous to us. As well as a box of alcohol and homemade jams, a variety of specialty canned foods, sausage and cheese, she made food for us to eat along the way including cake.
Immediately after breakfast, we followed up the invitation to the Storck’s home to see a traditional dress of the Hessen area worn by their 15-year-old daughter Katerina. They were very hospitable and we hope to see them again one day.
Finally, in the mid-afternoon, after pictures and emotional goodbyes, we hit the backroads towards Nurnberg. The drive was very pleasant and it was nice to be on our own again. Finally arrived in the only campground in Nurnberg. It was extremely crowded and we were lucky just to find a spot to park.
Georg was a little upset to discover his camera was not working anymore and would be looking to get it fixed tomorrow or purchase another.
Alfred and Anneliese, determined to keep us as long as possible, insisted that we not only have breakfast, but must stay for a roast beef, potato dumplings and blaukraut (red cabbage) lunch. It will be so nice to be able to leave a monetary gift in the mailbox for them to see tomorrow after we leave because they have been so very generous to us. As well as a box of alcohol and homemade jams, a variety of specialty canned foods, sausage and cheese, she made food for us to eat along the way including cake.
Immediately after breakfast, we followed up the invitation to the Storck’s home to see a traditional dress of the Hessen area worn by their 15-year-old daughter Katerina. They were very hospitable and we hope to see them again one day.
Finally, in the mid-afternoon, after pictures and emotional goodbyes, we hit the backroads towards Nurnberg. The drive was very pleasant and it was nice to be on our own again. Finally arrived in the only campground in Nurnberg. It was extremely crowded and we were lucky just to find a spot to park.
Georg was a little upset to discover his camera was not working anymore and would be looking to get it fixed tomorrow or purchase another.
july 21
July 21st (sunny and warm)
Georg and I drove into Hersfeld this morning, but Anneliese was insistent that we return by lunch as she was planning to make a special treat for us – Green Sauce over potatoes. I have been collecting a few recipes along the way and this was one for the books. As I have mentioned, I am growing by the day and this kind of food certainly does not help the waistline. George and I have both hit all-time highs – George at 216 and I am at 184.
We did not do too much else today except go for a few walks, read and catch up on the computer. Later in the evening we were invited to another birthday in Mechbah, 2 kms from Mecklar, with unbelievable food and a never-ending flow of beer, wine and snaps. Beer tents were set up in the backyard in preparation for the torrential rains, lightning and thunder that came throughout the evening. It was a great time with good conversation, lots of laughs and occasional singing. It was also a pleasure to meet and speak English with Joachim and Edithe Storck and be invited to their home tomorrow.
Georg and I drove into Hersfeld this morning, but Anneliese was insistent that we return by lunch as she was planning to make a special treat for us – Green Sauce over potatoes. I have been collecting a few recipes along the way and this was one for the books. As I have mentioned, I am growing by the day and this kind of food certainly does not help the waistline. George and I have both hit all-time highs – George at 216 and I am at 184.
We did not do too much else today except go for a few walks, read and catch up on the computer. Later in the evening we were invited to another birthday in Mechbah, 2 kms from Mecklar, with unbelievable food and a never-ending flow of beer, wine and snaps. Beer tents were set up in the backyard in preparation for the torrential rains, lightning and thunder that came throughout the evening. It was a great time with good conversation, lots of laughs and occasional singing. It was also a pleasure to meet and speak English with Joachim and Edithe Storck and be invited to their home tomorrow.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
July 20
July 20th (sunny with thunder showers)
The four of us and the French exchange student, Romain , had a lovely drive today in and around the Ludwidsau district comprising thirteen small villages. Alfred took us on a tour of Point Alpha which used to be an American observation station overlooking the previous east German border barrier. At its zenith, the border ran the length of Germany approx. 1,400 kms with walls of steel, barbed wire and one of solid concrete 10 feet high. The “no man’s land” was heavily mined and patrolled by guard dogs and machine gun stations. As we were touring the museum at Point Alpha, one of the biggest thunder storms we have ever witnessed came upon us. The earth shook and the rain was beyond torrential.
When we were in the parking lot ready to leave, a shepherd was bringing his very large flock across the meadows and allowing his sheepdog to perform its duties. From there we drove to a Gasthaus well-known in the area for the huge, delicious cakes and coffee. Overall, we have not found Germany overly expensive, but by far, the food and beer is the best.
After stopping here and there and enjoying the drive, we stopped again at a very old Guest House and restaurant where we had authentic German essen (food) and delicious beer. The day was fantastic and we are very appreciative of the time and attention extended to us. Alfred and Anneliese would like us to stay longer, but we are on our way Sunday to Nurnberg. It is time to move on.
The four of us and the French exchange student, Romain , had a lovely drive today in and around the Ludwidsau district comprising thirteen small villages. Alfred took us on a tour of Point Alpha which used to be an American observation station overlooking the previous east German border barrier. At its zenith, the border ran the length of Germany approx. 1,400 kms with walls of steel, barbed wire and one of solid concrete 10 feet high. The “no man’s land” was heavily mined and patrolled by guard dogs and machine gun stations. As we were touring the museum at Point Alpha, one of the biggest thunder storms we have ever witnessed came upon us. The earth shook and the rain was beyond torrential.
When we were in the parking lot ready to leave, a shepherd was bringing his very large flock across the meadows and allowing his sheepdog to perform its duties. From there we drove to a Gasthaus well-known in the area for the huge, delicious cakes and coffee. Overall, we have not found Germany overly expensive, but by far, the food and beer is the best.
After stopping here and there and enjoying the drive, we stopped again at a very old Guest House and restaurant where we had authentic German essen (food) and delicious beer. The day was fantastic and we are very appreciative of the time and attention extended to us. Alfred and Anneliese would like us to stay longer, but we are on our way Sunday to Nurnberg. It is time to move on.
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