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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. )

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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.

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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.  CBAC040C-4A7C-4401-8DCE-BC4E43710BA3

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

 

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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…

 

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.IMG_6247Our 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.  IMG_5699Want 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!
IMG_5757Not 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,
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the Chapel of Bones.
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and even more music!
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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.  
IMG_5725Venture 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.

Beja, Week One

Our first week in Beja has concluded, and what a wonderful week it was!

I’ve been asked many times about the kind of person who does a Global Volunteer project, so here’s a brief description of the 10 fantastic people with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working, complete with a visual.

Cisco (front row) is the first Australian Global Volunteer I’ve ever encountered. (He could possibly be the first Australian in Global Volunteer’s history). We all LOVE this extremely creative and talented guy. A graphic art designer by training, he has done so many other things, it is hard to believe he is only 31 years old. I suspect his Beja students are most impressed by his disc jockey experience, but I love hearing about the awards he won while working on a Disney cruise ship. He is “bloody ripper”. (Yes, Cisco is teaching me to speak Aussie).

Also in the front row is our fearless leader, Joe. It feels like EVERYBODY in Beja knows Joe. Coming here for ten years, leading two teams per year (February and September), Joe knows all of the assignments, and has done an amazing job matching us up so everyone is happy.

Joe has sampled just about every eating establishment in the area, so we are enjoying a wide variety of delicious cuisines.

Weekends are usually free time, however Joe very graciously organized a guided tour of Beja on Saturday morning, followed by an excursion to the Serpa cheese festival in the afternoon. Sunday we spent the day visiting the historic town of Evora.

My dear friend Jeanne is in row 2. Jeanne has decades of middle school experience, so she was paired with Heidi ( back row), who is a first time volunteer. Any trip with Jeanne is guaranteed to be fun. Her positive outlook on life is the gift that keeps on giving.

Next to Jeanne is Cindy, from Connecticut. She is a retired Spanish teacher, who has spent last week working in a variety of schools with Dale (last row, Heidi’s husband). Cindy has done a number of GV trips, and is returning to Queretaro, Mexico this October. For those of you who wonder if you could volunteer as a single woman, Cindy is your role model.

Laurie is between Cindy and me. Jeanne, Laurie and I all met Continue reading Beja, Week One