Europe – Page 5 – Destination NOW

Northern Italy and the Dolomites

What could be better that Northern Italy in the fall? Right now, nothing comes to mind, which is a good thing, because that’s where we will be for 19 glorious days.

We arrive in Milan 4 days before our OAT trip starts. How in the world did it happen that one of the least fashion savvy women on this planet will be in Milan during fashion week? I imagine the streets will be loaded with even more beautiful people than usual, wearing exquisite clothes. Will that change my determination to travel with only a carry on and backpack? The answer to that question is “not a chance”. Initially the plan was for us to exit the plane and head for the train without a detour to baggage claim, but then we got a call from our trip leader. She reminded us that although it will be warm in Milan and Tirano, temperatures will drop during our visits to the Swiss Alps and the Dolomites. So, that means we will need bulkier items. I was able to fit everything into my trusty Eagle Creek carry on, but Mike’s clothes are considerably larger than mine. So, one of us will be checking luggage. That’s okay. I’ll get a chance to see whether international flights are as picky as domestic ones about carry on size. On our last domestic flight, I discovered that United has changed the dimensions for allowable carry ons to 9″ x 15″ x 21″. My trusty Eagle Creek bag is 10″ x 13″ x 22″, or 2,860 cubic inches, versus an allowable 2,835 cubic inches. Really? Will the gate person play hard ball? Because we will be waiting at baggage claim anyway, it doesn’t really matter. I’m determined to pack light regardless, because after our first night in Milan, Mike and I will be going our separate ways, and I will be traveling solo by train, bus and boat.

Mike is heading off to Stradavari’s old stomping grounds –Cremona–to hang out with his violin making buddies. While he’s there, I’ll be in Tremezzo, on Lake Como. Wonder if George and Amal will need a baby sitter for the twins? And will I have packed the proper outfit?

Ah yes, packing. I did my usual clothes “auditioning”. It didn’t take long for me to realize I needed to amp up my quick drying wardrobe.
For my last “one bag” trip, I used a laundry service midway, because I spent half of the trip in just one place–Beja, Portugal. This trip, however, I will wash as I go, because over 19 days, we will be staying in 8 different hotels. This also took some serious retooling of my laundry aids. The expandable clothes line I packed last time was pretty worthless when I couldn’t find two suitable attachment points that would also allow me use of the bathroom (thus the need for laundry service).

Thanks to my travel buddy Sally, I now own “clothespins” that can be looped over shower bars, and foldable hangers.

What I had never done before is something that bloggers Terri and James of Gallivance recommend: try living out of the bag for a week. Of course, they were preparing for an around the world trip lasting several months, while I’m just going to one country for less than three weeks, so I didn’t feel the need to literally live out of my bag. Instead, what I HAVE been doing is limiting myself to the clothes that I plan on taking and washing them out in the sink. So far so good. My LL Bean travel pants have been drying in less than 8 hours!

Some travelers swear by packing cubes. In the past, I relied on my jumbo zip lock bags instead and they have served me well, but this time I decided to give a packing cube a try. This cube opens on both sides, and is divided into two compartments–perfect for stashing things that I will be using on a daily basis. To my surprise, I was able to fit pajamas, underwear, toiletry bag and laundry supplies, plus a few small items–jewelry and scarves. So, I can pull this out in every hotel, and I have the equivalent of two bureau drawers. Take a look.

Side 1

Side 2

Best of all, it fits nicely into my carry on, leaving just enough room for everything else. If you are interested in what I was able to jam into my bag, here’s a link to the Google spreadsheet.

Of course, this list could come in handy in the event that my luggage is lost. (Which it was, briefly, on my trip to Portugal and Spain earlier this year.)

I suspect the reason I haven’t used packing cubes was my carry on is already divided into neat sections. As for whether I folded or rolled, the answer is, I did both.

Okay, so enough with the packing. Full disclosure, although I sincerely hope that what I share is helpful to others, I REALLY have recorded it to help me, because I tend to forget what I took, what worked, what didn’t, if I have’t written it down. Yes, a mind is a terrible thing to lose, or waste, or whatever is going on with that empty space atop my shoulders.

On to the other preparations. I got tickets for the train from the airport to our first hotel, from this very helpful website. There are others, but I found Trainline easy to use. Who wants to deal with unfamiliar ticket machines, in another language, while jet lagged? Not me. Being a bit obsessive compulsive, I also got tickets for when I’m traveling solo to lower my anxiety level. From the Como train station, I have a choice of taking either a ferry or a bus to my hotel in Tremezzo. Thanks to the internet, I have the schedules for both, and can decide which option is most appealing once I get there.

What a difference from my travel days in my early 20’s, when I got on a plane to Colorado without any reservations, with very little money, and only a vague idea of where I was going and what I was going to do when I arrived. With google maps, trip advisor and the internet’s search options, I can be somewhat spontaneous, while limiting the risk of bad decisions. (The thought that a bad decision was possible never crossed my mind in my younger days!)

Hope you’ll follow along on this next adventure.

Traveling to Iceland? These Tips Are For You

Well, full disclosure–these tips are MAINLY for OAT travelers who will be taking the Untamed Iceland trip, BUT some of the information just might be useful to everyone, even those of you who decide to “do it yourself”.

Arrival
If you opt to arrive early, or you purchase airfare on your own, you will not be met at the airport by an OAT representative. Not a problem. It is relatively easy to get from the airport to downtown Reykjavik and to the Hilton Nordica.

One of the many corrugated iron buildings in Reykjavik

Although you COULD take a taxi, that is an expensive option, especially given that Airport Express (the Gray Line) and Flybus offer convenient and cost effective alternatives. More importantly, you don’t really save a lot of time taking a taxi.

We chose the Gray Line, which has buses leaving on the hour and the half hour. Click here for their web site, if you want to purchase your ticket on line. You can also buy your ticket when you arrive, but why add one more thing to do when you are jet lagged? If you happen to be delayed and miss your time slot, it is not a problem. You just get on the next bus.

When you clear customs and enter the arrival hall, look to the far left. The Gray Line representative will be standing there, wearing a bright orange jacket. He checks you in, asks where you are staying and directs you to the bus. (You go out the door, follow the covered walkway ALL the way to the end, where it veers to the left.) If you miss him, that’s not a problem either–just walk to the bus and you will get checked in there. When you arrive at the bus terminal in Reykjavik, smaller vans are waiting for you. The staff moves your luggage to the correct van, and off you go, directly to your lodging. Our cost was $26 per person and the van dropped us at our hotel within minutes.

What to Pack
Layers, layers, layers. Even in the summer, it is cold (and wet) in Iceland.

Many of the activities (ATV, horseback riding, whale watching) provide “outfits” for you to use. The blue “jumpsuits” we wore during our ATV ride made us look like we were either auditioning for a Ghostbusters movie, or preparing for a lunar landing. The best part is they were fleece lined.

Still, you need to bring along warm clothes that can be layered. Wool socks are wonderful for keeping your feet warm.

Walking sticks are a matter of preference. I used mine on a walk behind a waterfall,

Can you see the people walking alongside the falls? Look for dots. They are actually colored jackets.

through a volcanic crater, and to the glacier.

They are especially helpful when you are walking through mud or on slippery surfaces. (What isn’t obvious from the waterfall shot above is how slippery and uneven the rocks were getting to and from it, but we all did just fine and were glad to have had the experience.)
If I hadn’t brought the walking stick, I would have been okay. (If I pack it, then damn it, I’m USING it!)

Comfortable, waterproof hiking boots are critical. You don’t need the real heavy duty ones. I was happy with my Merrill boots that are slightly higher than a pair of sneakers. I wore them every day.

At one time, OAT forum posters had recommended bringing water shoes and towels to the Blue Lagoon. Both are no longer necessary. What you DO need is shampoo, unless you are content using the gel that Icelanders use for hair, body, and whatever else you want to wash. That and conditioner are the only hair products the Blue Lagoon supplies in the locker room.

You should also bring your credit card and leave it in your locker, because you can buy drinks while you are in the water. You get an wrist bracelet that acts as a key to your locker, your “cash” while in the lagoon, and your way to exit…after making good on any purchases, that is, which is why you need that credit card. I LOVED the Blue Lagoon. Fun fact: our guide told us the name was inspired by the old Brooke Shield movie.

bus — Debby and Laurence, enjoying Icelandic beer

It is a good idea to keep your rain pants, buff, gloves, and binoculars in a zip lock bag that you either take with you every day, or leave on the bus. The bus is big enough for everyone to have their own seat, which makes travel very pleasant and comfy, and there is plenty of room for your “stuff”.

We enjoyed a “beer tasting” on the bus. Surprisingly, given the composition of our group, no one started singing “ninety nine bottles of beer” on the bus.

A bug head net is useful. I wore mine over a baseball cap, which kept the net off my face, and the net kept the bugs out of my eyes and mouth. I wish I’d kept the net with me, in my pocket, because those bugs had a way of showing up unexpectedly, sometimes when I’d left the net on the bus.

There is something you DON’T need to bring. All of the hotels have hair dryers. Normally, I bring my own because I hate dryers attached to the wall (and all except the Hilton had the wall-attached dryers). Given the weather in Iceland, it is a mistake to be concerned about hair. Between the rain and the wind, your hair is going to go wild anyway.

Food
Yes, it is expensive. Take a look at what $58.80 will get you: two cups of soup, two baguettes, no drinks. (It is very wise to carry a refillable water bottle).

As you can tell from the cutlery and the tray, this was not a chi-chi restaurant. Nope. This was purchased at a gas station/rest area/gift shop/snack bar.

I must admit, though, the soup was absolutely delicious, and I’m a picky eater. No fermented shark for ME.

We were on our own for dinner the second night of our stay in Stykkisholmur. Because we’re a group of friends traveling together, we all chose the same restaurant, Narfeyrarstofa, for the variety on the menu–not just fish entrees, they also had hamburgers. The food was excellent. Check out the way the scallops were presented — on a board!

Mike and I chose the same thing: lamb, which was absolutely delicious, and a glass of red wine. Our total (just got our credit card bill) was $105, which I thought was reasonable for what we got. But then, I’m used to New York/New Jersey food prices.

We had another “on our own” night in Akureyri and once again, found an excellent restaurant. Strykid is on the 4th floor of a building, facing the water, so the view is every bit as wonderful as the food. For about $74 per person, we got a three course dinner–delicious cauliflower soup, chicken breast and chocolate cake. No food photos. We were too busy laughing and talking to pull out our cameras, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Odds and Ends
My iPhone 7 took great photos when the light was tricky or when it was rainy or misty. Unlike my Panasonic Lumix, it didn’t fog up or get raindrops on the lens. The top two photos were taken on a rainy day with my iPhone; the bottom one with my Lumix. Of course, the iPhone doesn’t have a powerful zoom, and photos get pixilated when you enlarge them too much. Still, I was glad I had it with me.

It was raining during ALL of the above photos.

Hold on to your coins. Many of the rest rooms charge 200 kroner (about $2.00). You need to insert the coins into a turnstile to access the rest room, so you can’t do what we did when we were poor college students in Boston–hold the door open for your friends. There ARE machines where you can insert your credit card to get change at most places, but if you buy anything using Icelandic kroners, you are probably going to end up with change, and this is a good way to use it.

Trolls welcome you to the center of Akureyri

The hotel in Akureyri is at the top of a hill, but the hill is walkable if you are in reasonably good shape. You just take your time, maybe stop off to check out the botanical garden before continuing up. The other options are a taxi, which will cost about $26 for the .6 mile between the hotel and the center of town ( according to my fitbit) OR a free bus – number 6- which runs every hour and only travels in one direction. For the trip back to the hotel, the bus takes the scenic route. I missed that experience, choosing to walk up and down, but others rode the bus, and reported that it takes about 20 minutes to get back to the Icelandair Hotel.

Horseback riding was a fantastic optional event. We were picked up at the hotel and transported to the horse farm, which is located in a very scenic area. The cost for transportation, an hour’s ride, and the necessary gear (Helmets, gloves, and if desired, snazzy orange or green jackets) was $90. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take photos while we were riding, but the views were breathtaking. The horses were very used to inexperienced riders, so there were no mishaps AND the horses are closer to the ground, which helps with mounting and dismounting.

For the flight from Akureyri to Reykjavik you might want to keep your good camera handy. Mine was packed away, so I used my iPhone to take this shot of the scenery. My Lumix would have been a better choice. It is a short flight, and is a great way to see the interesting topography of the countryside.

Be sure to check out Air Iceland Connect’s seat pocket. They put a little journal in each row so travelers can add comments. I particularly enjoyed this one.

On our departure day, most of us had flights leaving around 5 PM, so we had time to spend in Reykjavik. What a difference it makes when you aren’t jet lagged. We all went off in different directions. Some took in a concert at the Harpa, others enjoyed an art museum. Four of us took a cab to the Volcano House (2600 kroners each way) where we saw two films that chronicled Iceland’s last two big eruptions. The films last about an hour and are very well done.

After that we walked around the town, successfully completing our quest for a Christmas store. To me, these cute ornaments are the perfect gift–unique, representative of the country, small enough to pack and something that I know the recipients will use. Now I’m wishing that I bought more.

For those that want to stay close to the hotel, there is a sculpture garden within two blocks, and the botanical garden is only slightly further away. The night before, after our farewell dinner, four of us took advantage of good weather and long daylight to walk to both places. We were still out after 10 PM, hoping to catch a sunset. (I gave up).

Overall, this was a very interesting trip, with fascinating landscapes, and lots of memorable experiences. The best part, for me, however, was being with an incredible group of fun people.

If you would like a day to day account of the OAT Iceland trip, including great photos, I suggest you check out this blog by my friend, Nancy.

Happy travels!

The Roads to Stykkishólmur and Akureyri

Growing up, I remember watching an old Bob Hope/Bing Crosby movie entitled “The Road to Morocco”. It may have been the first “buddy” road trip movie ever made. It was a comedy that got its laughs from the strange costumes and mishaps that the two “buddies”encountered during their travel.

You’re probably thinking “yeah, so what’s the point? Well, unlike my usual digressions, there actually IS a point, that point being that at times I FEEL like I’m in a buddy movie. Perhaps that’s what happens when you travel with 14 of your friends.

We haven’t had as many mishaps as Bing and Bob, but we HAVE had our share of comedic moments.

Those of us who didn’t feast on fermented shark were greatly entertained by the facial expressions of Sam and Nancy. Believe me, they definitely weren’t acting.

SOME of us hiked to a nature reserve in a volcanic crater, on the coast. The hard part was SUPPOSED to be the climb down to the “flat”area, except the FLAT area was actually a bed of mud with rocks poking up haphazardly.

8569B9BA-76D7-42BE-A476-958DFAB97BE1 — At times, it felt like elves were hiding below the surface, trying to suck the boots off our feet.

We, however, were undaunted. A bit muddy, a bit wet, but definitely undaunted.

CEDF9846-B957-4082-B50A-04AF47687DF8 — Look, we are still smiling . Helen is using Sam as a wind shield. It is difficult to get a good group photo while standing in mud, being buffeted by wind.

Odd costumes? Yep, we had a few of those.

45D513C6-C8FC-4D4A-8831-374313FA8C3E — The Galapagos have blue footed Boobies; WE have blue footed buddies.

If YOU had been experiencing misty, windy weather, would you want to get on a boat to go chasing after whales? Neither did 10 of us. Instead, we elected to have a leisurely breakfast, a stroll through the botanical garden, and lunch in town. No mishaps and no funny costumes for us.

The whale watchers, on the other hand, had both. Sorry. No photos of them in their bright blue jump suits. All we got were very vivid descriptions of the experience from our participants. Sharmon reported sighting “two whales and nineteen puking passengers”. Fortunately none of our five were in her head count. Even more fortunate, the sea sick whale watchers had the foresight to come equipped with plastic bags. That presents another question. If you thought you were going to need them, would YOU get on the boat?

In the afternoon, eleven of us (including four from the morning adventure) decided to try our luck riding Icelandic horses. I’m happy to say that there was not a single incidence of motion sickness. We DID manage to model some pretty funky outfits.

D2886E63-FBFD-4AFF-9E21-0CC8ED617957 — Karen, Diane, Sam, Kathy, Carol, John, Helen, Sue, me. (Sharmon and Luis were still getting suited up).

Is it my imagination, or do some of us look like we are on our way to fight a fire?

Our ride took us through magnificent scenery. The air was clear and fresh smelling, unless you happened to be riding behind Diane. HER horse was desperately in need of the equine version of bean-o, emitting noises that would have had most third graders in hysterics. (Okay, so WE laughed too. )

F1FCCC78-6A54-4411-B6E1-D8C7FA8F1787 — But he looks so innocent!

Because we took so long getting fitted with helmets, choosing our trusty steeds, mounting and dismounting, we were running late for our dinner reservation. Modern technology came to the rescue. A google search for the restaurant phone number and a quick call via cell phone, and voila, problem solved.

We ended our “buddy movie” on a high note, having a great dinner at Strikiò Restaurant.

001896FC-8623-4DDD-B417-395304ED1EFE — Does this look like a rowdy group?

Three Wish Mountain

We were on a mission, leaving rainy Reykjavík in search of sunshine. Would we need to squander one of our three wishes on a request for some respite from the rain? Read on, if you want to find out.

First up on our way to Stykkishólmur was a stop at a wool studio.

When I had initially learned that the itinerary would exchange a visit to a waterfall for a wool demonstration, I was a bit distressed. Was I ever wrong! The presentation was quite wonderful. The explanation of the chemistry involved in dyeing wool was fascinating. In the OLD days, cow’s urine was a key ingredient; it has since been replaced with ammonia, and not just because of the smell, although that alone was a good enough reason for me. The problem is today it is too difficult to collect. The cows are allowed to roam free and don’t take too kindly to someone following them around with a bucket. The urine of old women also had characteristics that produced a particular color. I don’t remember the color or the age requirement, I DO remember several of us volunteered to donate.

Our next stop was at the Settlement Center in Borgarnes, where we were treated to a very interesting Norse history, including an opportunity to stand on the bow of a moving Viking ship.

Lunch in the second floor restaurant was delicious: a choice of tomato or lamb soup and a salad bar chock full of my favorite items. A nice surprise was that this lunch was now included, where at one time it wasn’t. Given the high price of food in Iceland, this was a welcome change.

Today’s drive was a long one, blessedly broken up by several stops. Here we are viewing vertical lava flows. Our guide explained the geology behind this particular effect. I promptly forgot it.

396BE91C-D9AF-4906-A865-58AB18F96F5A — Luis is posing for all of the photography enthusiasts. By now, I can identify everyone from the back. From left: Karen, Kathy and Nancy ( and the fuscia arm in the far left corner is either Helen or Debby)

Finally, we arrived at Mount Helgafell, where, if you climb to the top without speaking and don’t look back, you can face the east and make three wishes. They have to be of positive intent, and you can’t tell anyone what they are.

6A3880C0-A91C-4DEE-BD32-FFCC9CDB83F3 — I’m facing the east, have made my wishes, and am now allowed to look behind me.

Being a generous soul, I gave one of my wishes for the good of our entire planet, (excluding Russia), one for Mike and me and one for a family member in need of a wish. We’ll see if the Viking version of prayer works. (At least none of us got turned into a pillar of salt!)

Mt Helgafell deserves a few more photos, so here goes:

The ascent was rather easy, because the path was well maintained, and the view was worth every step. Although we hadn’t really found the sun, at least it wasn’t raining, and there were some patches of blue in the sky.

49E3DE40-C69F-42EC-98D5-68A69852CF44 — The two Canadians: My blogging buddy Nancy (in red) and my newest friend, Sue.

Our second day on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula was also quite full, starting with a visit to a waterfall. This short video, done by Mike, captures the beauty of the waterfall better than any of my photos, but if you don’t want to hop over to YouTube, this is for you.

F33D1211-FA1F-49D3-9611-448DE3BD1DA8 — There’s one in every crowd. OURS is called Luis.

Kathy expressed an interest in bird life, so Hlynur took her for a little walk in a nesting area. Wonder what happened? Mike managed to get this action shot of Kathy being dive bombed by an angry mama bird.

It looked like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie. You know which one.

To be continued…

Reykjavik, Iceland

If your idea of the perfect vacation is warm days full of continuous sunshine, then Iceland should definitely NOT be on your bucket list. If, however, you are intrigued by quirky experiences, visually spectacular landscapes, geology, elves and trolls, go ahead and book your trip.

59A46220-4E2D-4D6D-BEF5-4A10E67F2C17 — I was amazed that the plants were thriving in this cold, gray weather!

Those of you that have been following me know that I am a lazy, somewhat random blogger, but my friend Nancy is not. If you want interesting, timely accounts of our trip, hop on over to her blog. She’s done such a fine job, There is no need for me to take you over the same ground. Instead, my post is a loose collection of whatever caught my eye.

Although Mike and I arrived in Reykjavik a day before the tour officially started, we took it slow, using our extra time TRYING (and failing ) to get over jet lag.

The one in the middle belonged to a giraffe

While in Reykjavik we DID manage to make it to the museum Nancy (intentionally and wisely) missed. Unless you are particularly intrigued by pickled whale penises, I recommend you do likewise. Save your $15,000 kroners admission fee ($10,000 for seniors) and buy a glass of wine instead. Good news: You can tour the gift shop for free.

My family will be pleased to know I did NOT do any Christmas shopping there.

I am particularly fond of outdoor art and Reykjavik had plenty of it, both traditional, like the statue of Leif Erikson ( a gift from the USA), and unconventional (on the sides of buildings).

Icelanders are hearty souls. Check out this sign above one of the restaurants. For those of us not familiar with the metric system, 5 degrees Celsius translates to a balmy 41 degrees Fahrenheit. While we were in town, the mercury skyrocketed all the way up to 52 degrees, still WE drank our coffee inside!

The Hilton Reykjavik is a lovely hotel some distance from the town center. No matter. During our stay, we were content to spend our evenings at the hotel. One night, Mike organized a surprise party to celebrate the start of the last year I’ll be in my sixties. Yes, that banner DOES light up and yes, it WILL be used again for the August birthday girl in my life.

The second night at the hotel, everyone was gathered either around the big screen TV in the lobby area, or by the smaller one in the bar, to watch Croatia win the soccer semifinals.

FD6764FA-8791-4A53-A5D1-A1DDC1CF9479 — No restaurant meal for THESE soccer enthusiasts!

Although ours is an organized tour, it is possible to go off on your own. Sam did just that, hiring a guide to take him salmon fishing on a “two rod river”. What is THAT, you ask? Well, for that one day, Sam and the guide (2 rods) “owned” the river. No one else was allowed to fish there. Was he successful? Well, OUR tour guide took home two of Sam’s three salmon. (Photos courtesy of Sam’s guide).

While Sam was fishing, the rest of us were touring the Ocean Cluster House, an absolutely fascinating place. With most of my family still living in or near New Bedford, Massachusetts, I am well aware of the impact changes in the fishing industry can make on an area’s economy. Icelanders dealt with fishing restrictions very creatively. They don’t (can’t) catch as many fish, so they have figured out how to extract maximum value from every pound of fish they are allowed to catch.
This jacket is made entirely of processed fish skin. It is incredibly soft. Yes, I touched it.

Fish skin is also being used as bandages. Apparently, the fibers in cod skin are more similar to human skin than the skin of pigs, so the bandage can be absorbed into the body.

Other products are used for cosmetics—fish intestines for hand cream, because (according to the Ocean Cluster House guide) someone noticed that Icelandic fishermen have very soft hands, and figured they got that way from handling fish intestines. (My Dad must have steered clear of fish intestines!)

Even fish heads are utilized. They are dried and exported to Nigeria for use in soup!? By using all parts of the fish, Icelanders have upped the value from $8 per pound to about $3000.

Better yet, because these products are manufactured in Iceland, they have created new industries and new jobs. That’s a good thing, because today’s Icelandic trawlers are able to catch 200 metric tons in one trip, with far fewer fishermen, doing very little actual fishing; they now just monitor computers that run the equipment.

Our last stop was at the National Museum, an incredibly beautiful building, where we learned Iceland’s history through artifacts, clothing and household items. Given that we will be riding Icelandic horses in a few days, I was particularly interested in the saddle exhibit.

Fortunately women are no longer required to ride sidesaddle or wear corseted riding habits.

Next stop, Stykkishólmur. Okay, so we have already been there for two days, and are now in Aqua-ree-ray (That’s how it is SAID, not how it is spelled). I’m just having too much fun to keep current!

Fire and Ice Fun for Fifteen Friends

Some people collect stamps or coins or shoes. Me, I collect people. Once I decide I like someone, it is hard to get me to let go. So what do you do when people you really like are scattered all over North America? Why, you plan a trip with that assortment of very interesting souls.

Are you curious about what happens when you put 15 friends together for 12 days on an island, coming within 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle? Me too. For all you inquiring minds out there, I have good news. One of my traveling buddies is also a blogging buddy, so for THIS trip, you will have two, yes TWO blogs to peruse–this one, and the Canadian version of our Iceland Adventure. Nancy is a fantastic photographer who always provides excellent information about the places she visits. Another plus: her blog keeps pace with the trip, while I usually lag far behind. (Translated: Nancy will likely be doing MOST of the blogging). If you sign up to follow her posts, they will be delivered automatically to your in-basket, just click on that blue link above to be transferred over.

Some demographics: Our group is composed of 5 men and 10 women: 4 from Boston, 4 from New Jersey, 2 from Ohio, 2 from California, 1 from Oregon and 2 from British Columbia. 6 have never been on a group trip before, and 8 have never been on an OAT trip before. 11 of us are retired. 2 of the husbands were foreign-born: (Argentina and Jordan). I’ve known some members of the group for decades (the longest friendship is 53 years,) but others are newer relationships, including 1 traveler who I’ll be meeting for the first time when we arrive in Iceland.

Where will we be going, you ask? After exploring Reykjavik, we will be traveling west and north to places with unpronounceable names. Akureyri, I am told, is located just 40 miles off the Arctic Circle, in case you were wondering. We then are flying back to Reykjavik, for a visit to the Golden Circle, before heading home.

For all you visual people out there, I have included a map, of sorts.

I’m excited about seeing the wonders of Iceland–the land of fire and ice. But I’m equally excited about spending time with this great group.

Several of us decided to fly in a day early, arriving at Keflavik airport around (groan) 6 AM. It takes about an hour to get luggage and emerge from customs, then roughly another hour to get to our hotel. I think it is a pretty safe bet that our rooms won’t be available at 8 AM, or for at LEAST several hours, so I have loaded up on suggestions from the OAT Forum of what to do in Reykjavik till we can crash in our hotel rooms.

Hope you join us for what we expect to be a very fun party!

At Least Ten Reasons to become a Portugal Global Volunteer

Are you considering becoming a Global Volunteer? Wondering which program is best for you? I’ve volunteered six times, in five different countries: St Lucia, Vietnam, the Cook Islands & Mexico, where I volunteered twice, and most recently Portugal. I’ve done blog posts about four of them, describing how each program was wonderful in its own way, and oh, so very rewarding.
Because I get sucked into all of the “top 10” lists, I decided to do one that will encourage you to consider spending two very worthwhile weeks in that fantastic part of the world known as Portugal.

Highly motivated, interesting students:
My assignment was English conversation at the Polytechnic Institute of Beja,My group, seven of the twenty four members of our class

where I spent evenings chatting with adults who already had an impressive grasp of English, but wanted the opportunity to practice and to improve their pronunciation.
Three of us taught together, breaking the students into smaller groups after the first forty five minutes of the two hour nightly class.
Other volunteers taught at the high school, middle schools and the prison. Some tutored restaurant owners and staff.
Interestingly, we each thought that WE had gotten the best assignment, which leads me to the next reason.

An Incredible team Leader:
Joe has been leading teams to Beja, Portugal for many years, and his extensive experience really shows. He quickly sized up the 10 of us and figured out which volunteer best matched which assignment. He’d give Match.com a run for their money, if he ever decided to get into the dating business!
Joe knows all Beja’s historical sights, the most fun restaurants, the best excursions for the weekend, the cultural events, where you can get your laundry inexpensively done…everything you need to know to thoroughly enjoy your non-volunteering hours.Our leader, Joe, in the black tee shirt, left front

Interaction with the Community:
When I say that Joe knows everybody in Beja, I’m not exaggerating. One night, we enjoyed dinner with Beja’s mayor and councilwoman. And yes, those are gifts the councilwoman is holding.

What was in the bag? Lots of local goodies, including my favorite–chocolate from the shop down the street.

Lasting friendships:
Laurie, Jeanne and I met when we volunteered in St. Lucia in 2012.
Although Jeanne and I volunteered together in Mexico in 2017, this was the first time since that first meeting that I had had the pleasure of spending time with Laurie. Having her as my “partner” at the University made it even more fun!
The best part? I now have SEVEN new volunteers who I would be thrilled to see on a future assignment.

Shared Experiences:
It almost felt like I was back in college. Because we pretty much took over the first floor of the Hotel Bejense, I knew just about everyone in every room on that floor. There was always someone to play with, just like back in the dorm. Want to have a chat over a cup of tea? No problem. Just walk down the hall, to the breakfast room and along the way, you are sure to bump into a buddy or two.
The hotel also had a cozy lounge, in which we gathered every night to share our experiences, before heading off to dinner. As you can see, experiences weren’t the ONLY things we were sharing! Our fee for Global Volunteers covers our housing, food, transportation to the work site but not wine. Again, no problem. We took turns purchasing wine, cheese and other snacks to make our evening meetings more enjoyable.

Serpa Cheese Festival:
Okay, so there is no guarantee that a future program will take place during the Cheese Festival. We just happened to luck out. (That cheese in the photo above was purchased at the festival by one of the volunteers.)
There were LOTS of free samples of cheese AND wine AND chocolate!
Not only that, but we got to experience “Cante Alentejano”. Okay, so I will never make my fortune as a videographer, but this 33 second clip will give you an idea of this very stylized art form.

Evora:
Global Volunteers are free to travel during the weekends. Because public transportation is reliable, comfortable and inexpensive, we took the bus on Sunday to the beautiful city of Evora, spending the day enjoying all that it had to offer, like the Roman Temple,

the Chapel of Bones.

and even more music!
Beja:

There is so much to say about this lovely place that I devoted an entire blog post just to Beja. Click here if you want a closer look at this delightful town. It is so worth visiting.

Lisbon
It is also impossible to list all that Lisbon has to offer as one entry in a 10 item list. So, Lisbon ALSO has its own post. But here’s the best part: It is SO easy to get from Beja to Lisbon by bus. The bus station is just a short walk from the hotel. I was surprised that it was so inexpensive–just 14 Euros to ride in comfort with access to free wifi. Notice the stop in Evora.
Venture Outside of Your Comfort Zone:
Why not stretch your limits? Try something new and exciting? You may make new friends, accumulate lots of memories and experience another culture in a way that is not possible when you are just passing through, visiting the usual tourist sites.

Is Lisbon on Your Bucket List?

If Lisbon isn’t on your bucket list, you need to get it on there. Right now.

Why? Great food, amazing history, beautiful sights, wonderful side trips, friendly people, affordable hotels, great public transportation, and relatively painless flights–what more could you want?

Our stay in Lisbon was just long enough to convince us that we have to return to spend more time taking in everything that it has to offer.

Although the weather wasn’t perfect during our visit, it certainly was better than what we are experiencing today, the day after Easter, here in New Jersey! But then, snow days are made for us retirees to look through our travel photos and blog about our sojourn. Am I right?

Because we were on a Grand Circle Tour (Sister company of Overseas Adventure) our time was planned for us, with a guided tour that included Lisbon’s more popular sights.

The Parque of Eduardo VII was a great vantage point, offering a panoramic view of the city and the Tagus River.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a European city tour unless you stopped at a cathedral. This one, at the Jeronimos Monastery, happens to be Vasco de Gama’s final resting spot. It is also the place where explorers and sailors went to pray before heading off on their journeys to the edge of the earth.

To honor those seamen, the cathedral roof was designed to resemble sailors ropes and knots. You can’t tell from the photo–you’ll just have to trust me on that one.

At the end of our visit, JuanJo, our tour guide, surprised us with a special treat, the custard tart for which Portugal is famous. This particular bakery is supposedly the one that does it best because it was the sole recipient of a super secret recipe, developed by monks. This recipe is as closely guarded as the coca cola formula, or so we were told. I didn’t have the heart to share that I had equally delicious custard tarts from a bakery in Beja. I was told the nuns developed THEIR recipe to use up egg yokes. Why? Because they used the egg whites to starch their colors and headgear, so had a mountain of excess yokes they didn’t want to waste. On our drive to Belem Tower, we passed this street art, made entirely of garbage. The raccoon’s eyes are discarded tires!

Sorry the photo is so pixilated–it was shot from the bus, with my iPhone. But I hope you can see that this is a beautiful and imaginative piece. The artist, Artur Bordalo, has created many murals throughout Lisbon. What I didn’t realize was that I had seen his work already, in beautiful Beja. Remember the rooster from my earlier post? Check out Bordalo’s signature at the bottom right. I loved that rooster even BEFORE I learned it was constructed out of cast off materials.

The Belem Tower was built in the early 1500’s near the mouth of the Tagus river to defend Lisbon from the bad guys. Really? THIS is what their fortress looks like? All decorative and ornate? It looks more like Cinderella’s Castle than Fort Apache!

The second landmark on this side of the Targus River is the Monument to the Discoveries, created in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator.

What is really cool is the pavement in front of the monument, a mosaic map of the world, complete with ships and mermaids.

Climbing the sides of the monument are important Portuguese historical figures, like Vasco da Gama, Magellan and of course, Prince Henry at the front. St Francis Xavier made it onto the monument, but not into my photo.

Across the Tagus you can see what looks like a cross. It is actually a statue of Christ, with arms outspread like the one in Brazil.
Also notice the bridge. Remind you of any place in the USA?

After hitting many of Lisbon’s “must see” attractions in the morning, we had the afternoon to wander. Our hotel, the Mundial, was ideally located near cafes, shops, restaurants, and beautiful squares, perfect for people watching while munching on one of those delightful pastries.

Believe it or not, this square is perfectly flat. Those “waves” are a pavement optical illusion!

Dinner that evening was in a former Moorish palace that was briefly a casino before becoming the restaurant– La Casa Do Alentejo. We dined in the gorgeous private room on the third floor.

Okay, so I had a little wine before taking this picture, but I at least I DID get the decorative ceiling and the mirrors on the walls!

The second floor was beautiful too, with tiled walls

The next day we visited the Royal Palace in Sintra. Sintra is a lovely little city an easy day trip from Lisbon.

As one would expect, the Royal Palace was filled with beautiful art and treasures of all kinds. I particularly liked this chandelier. Hard to believe, but my iPhone 7 took a better photo than my Panasonic Lumix.

The other unique item that caught my eye was this painting. That sure looks like a negligee that he’s (our guide said it was St. John the Baptist–but who knows) either wearing or holding in front of him, and is that a toy horse? If not, then what is it? This has to be one of the strangest paintings I’ve seen in a LOOOONG time!

On our way back to Lisbon, we stopped at Cascais, a lovely seaside town, which is even closer to Lisbon, and is serviced by frequent trains. We arrived just in time for the heavens to open in a colossal downpour, but no biggie. We were with 36 new friends, so several of us ducked into a restaurant where we enjoyed delicious roasted chicken, great wine and even better companionship. No photos of our bedraggled, sodden group will ever be posted. I promise!

Because I had spent two weeks with Global Volunteers before joining the tour, I was able to visit Evora, another great site about an hour by bus from Lisbon. But I’ll save that for another post.

Portugal in general and Lisbon in particular will not disappoint!

Spectacular Seville

So what if it rains in Spain? Seville is still glorious! I LOVE this city. Yes, we did get caught in a cloudburst or two, or three, but that just made us appreciate the sun even more.

High winds prevented us from entering the Plaza de España at the scheduled time, but we got lucky. As we were leaving Seville, JuanJo noticed that the plaza had been reopened, so off we went. Because we were there so early, we had the plaza to ourselves.

JuanJo explaining the significance of the tiles in the Plaza de España

What made Sevilla so wonderful? Well, the city preserved the incredibly beautiful buildings from the 1929 World Exposition. The architecture is beautiful— even better than Disney World!

For the history lovers, a visit to the Cathedral is a must.

25A5FF6A-984E-4C76-8B10-C0243FFB2D4E — Yet another recycled mosque, with a minaret converted to bell tower. This one has a Phoenician goddess atop

It is here that you will find the massive tomb of Columbus. And yes, he really IS in that big box. National Geographic did a story about the DNA analysis that was performed on the box’s contents. It matched the DNA of Chris’ son and brother. (There had been some doubt about who those bones REALLY belonged to).

The people standing beside the tomb will give you an idea of how enormous this memorial is.

Columbus set sail for the new world from Seville, and it was here that he (and others) brought all the gold plundered from south and Central America.

49FC7798-DFD5-4131-A16C-47D83AB439BD — It was impossible to capture ALL of the grandeur of the main altar in a photo

Seville has its legendary martyrs. Justa and Rufina, two sisters, are honored with a stained glass window and in a painting.

Their story? They refused to sell their pottery for a pagan festival, so after much crockery breakage, (on both sides), the sisters were imprisoned, stretched on the rack, made to walk barefoot to the nearest mountain range without water or granola bars. Justa died of hunger and thirst,
but Rufina hung in, only to be tossed to the lions.

As you can see from the painting, the lion didn’t finish her off. Finally, she was either strangled or beheaded (or both, it isn’t clear). It was hard to keep a good woman down back then!

If history and religion doesn’t do it for you, not to worry. Seville offers much more:

Cobblestone streets lined with shops and restaurants,

Carriage rides around the old town,

and FLAMENCO!

We weren’t here long enough. Seems like I’m saying that a lot on this trip.

Next stop, Portugal.

Spain Smorgasbord

By the 8th day of our Grand Circle tour, we had visited Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Cordoba, and Torremolinos, with a side trip to the very British Gibraltar. Next on our itinerary was Malaga, but Mike and I decided to engage in an Australian tradition and “Chuck A Sickie”. For those of you that didn’t have the pleasure of spending two weeks with an Australian Global Volunteer, that term roughly translates to “Playing Hooky”.

Although the Costa del Sol averages over 300 days of sunshine per year, today was the first time I needed to wear my sun hat.

I’m sure our fellow travelers had a perfectly marvelous day enjoying the sights of Malaga, and the home hosted lunch in a nearby village as much as Mike and I enjoyed spending the morning strolling along the beach, taking in sights like this.

I would have loved to see what this tribute to Elvis looked like before the rain decapitated him.

But what about those other glorious cities? Don’t worry, I’ll do a little flashback, with visuals.

We got just enough of a taste to determine that one of these days, we will be back to those lovely cities, and next time, we will linger.

Our time in Toledo was limited to a few hours enroute to Granada. The old city sits 6 escalator rides above the new city, and let me tell you, we were all very grateful we didn’t have to climb all the way up the hill in the rain.

89F0FDF4-3849-4C49-9C3B-456075D8304B — Even after we arrived at the “top”, we still had some hills to climb.

Our stroll through Toledo’s Jewish quarter ended at the oldest synagogue in Europe. This unique building was constructed by Moors, because at that time they were reputed to be the best builders. Of course, they were not familiar with synagogue construction, so the Jews ended up with a building that had a distinctive Muslim flavor.

E8355D59-2D68-482E-811D-B74CD818E62B — Notice the cross? This building is a reminder that at one time, all three religions were able to peacefully coexist—pre Ferdinand and Isabella reign.

For anyone planning a trip to Toledo, please be aware it is much more than amazing history, great food and panoramic vistas. Thrill seekers, take a look.

46619F4D-03D6-4F01-A66F-07326B9C9868 — Maybe next time, if it isn’t raining…

One of the many things that I love about traveling with Grand Circle and OAT is the unexpected stops along the way. We had a bathroom and refreshment break in Puerto Lápice, a little village in Castille La Mancha, where we discovered a three room Don Quixote museum.

I love that Don Quixote is sculptured out of words

Who would expect such art in a little village museum? Not me.

Because I spent so much time in the museum, I had to order my glass of wine “to go”, which I proudly did in Spanish. An important phrase: “para llevar”. But the effect was spoiled, just a bit, when the bartender started speaking to me in perfect English.

Not surprisingly, most of our time in Granada was spent at the Alhambra. Okay, so we all know that Washington Irving wrote “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, but how many know that he also was instrumental in saving the Alhambra from being destroyed? His “Tales of the Alhambra” caused the Spaniards to take a second look at what is now the most visited attraction in Spain.

Alhambra ( Al = “the” in Arabic ) is a palace, a fortress, a small city, overlooking Granada. Unfortunately, when Napoleon conquered Spain, his soldiers removed all of the furniture, rugs and tapestries, ( I believe the correct term is “looted”) but the walls, ceilings and courtyards give you a hint of the grandeur that once existed. Check out the ceiling in the women’s quarters.

The exteriors of Moorish buildings were very plain. All of the ornamentation was inside, in the private spaces, like these beautiful courtyards.

The Moors ruled Spain for almost 800 years, and their impact on the Spanish language continues today. Many places begin with “Gua”, like Guadalcanal, Guatemala, Guanajuato — all derived from the Arabic word for water.

Another city with beautiful Moslem architecture is Cordoba. The Roman temple/Church/Mosque/Cathedral is an architectural wonder. Walking through its spacious interior, you literally travel through time, starting with the preserved Roman tiles, below the existing floor—

to the former mosque, built with recycled columns, which was wisely preserved by the Catholics —

and now is in the center of the mosque.

6AA5DFC2-3591-4072-A721-B998D76F6B2C — In this photo, you can see the Mosque’s red and white arches next to the cathedral’s main altar.

Cordoba is magnificent!

888B3959-5065-4EB2-A63B-EE68B3F22773 — The church’s bell tower was constructed around the minaret.

I guess some place has to be the least favorite, and for me, Gibraltar gets that honor. Maybe it was because the limestone WW2 tunnels were dripping water, and were dark and gloomy,

10D2E378-922D-4EE3-8D99-55E710F3883D — One of the few places that wasn’t too dark or wet to photograph

as was the weather.

Whatever the reason, I was not as wowed as I was by the other places we’d visited. Even the Barbary apes were a disappointment. We only saw four.

Two more days in Spain, three in Portugal, and then we are back to the USA.

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