photography – Page 9 – Destination NOW

Fantastic Florence

Although this is a trip that focuses on hilltop Tuscan towns, no visit to Tuscany would be complete without a stop in the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence.
My sister Sandy and I were lucky enough to spend two days in Florence in July, 2012, and Mike and I had done a day trip about 10 years ago, so we didn’t feel compelled to “do it all” this time around. Instead, we were satisfied with a leisurely and informative stroll with our wonderful local guide, Fernanda.
The evening before Fernanda had given us a fascinating overview of the Medici family, Renaissance art and the connections between the two. I’m sure I heard it all before in various history classes, but Fernanda really made it come to life during the lecture, and again, the next day during our stroll through Florence.

The Piazza Della Signoria was the first home of an important Medici couple, Eleonora and Cosimo I. This arranged match was not off to a great start. Those in the know wondered why this Spanish old maid was not spoken for? (She was 17). The groom didn’t even make it to his own wedding, so they were married by proxy. Fortunately, things improved greatly after that: it turned out to be a love match that produced 11 children.

Well, Eleanora was not happy with her “starter home”. It was devoid of gardens for the children to play in, so Eleanora used her own money (how cool is that–a woman with $$$ of her own back in the 1400’s) to purchase from the Pitti family a little “cottage” across the river.

The interior of the "starter" house — The interior of the “starter” house

Sandy and I spent a day wandering through the Pitti Palace, a glorious edifice, which now houses 6 or 7 museums. The Pitti Palace does indeed have spectacular gardens, plus a breathtaking view of the river and the duomo. No photos of the Pitti from this trip, because there was no time to visit it. You’ll just have to take my word for it that it was grand.
But I digress. Back to the Piazza Della Signoria . In front of the “starter home” is a replica of Michelangelo’s David. The original was moved from there to the protection of the Academia, but it was not initially created for that plaza. Instead, it was supposed to be placed on the facade of the Duomo. Fernanda explained that was why the hands are so enormous. When viewed from below, the hands would be correctly proportioned.

Formulating his Goliath slaying strategy

There are lots of other wonderful sculptures, but my favorite is below–the rape of the Sabine women.

We had considered visiting a museum during our free time. Instead, we decided to take Anna’s advice not to succumb to “Stendhal Syndrome” and become over saturated with culture.
After a fantastic lunch at Boccadama, Mike and I stopped for gelato, then wandered up an alley near the church of Santa Croce to visit Italian Loves, a wonderful little shop.
The proprietor allows you to sample his wares. You can taste the olive oil, the balsamic vinegar and the wine. I was deeply regretting having a gelato BEFORE visiting Italian Loves. What to do? Why, buy a little of everything. Those near and dear to me know what THAT means. Yes, there just MAY be a gift in your future.

Yes, that wine was wonderful-and yes, we have already polished it off

Although my BLOG is only on our second day in Tuscany, WE are actually in Sorrento. The problem with posts lagging well behind the visits is one can get confused. Particularly when that “one” is me. If you are following my posts, true confession time. We didn’t stop at the American cemetery after our feast at Giuseppe’s Pianciorciano Cheese Factory. It was after this visit to Florence, which is only important if you want to find the cemetery. You’d have a hell of a time if you were looking in the Radicofani area, because it is located between Florence and Chianciano Terme. Ah well. Accuracy is a small price to pay for all the wine drinking and cafe sitting done instead of blogging, right?

“A Joy That’s Shared is a Joy Made Double”

Nothing would have made me happier than to have all my favorite people with me on this trip. Although I was unsuccessful in recruiting all of you (not from lack of trying), I DID manage to convince our good friends, Owen and Shirley to “double our joy”. For those of you that are making the journey with us via this blog (especially my sister, Sue, who refuses to fly), I’m so glad to have you riding along.
Now, back to our first full day in Tuscany. After Radicofani, we made our way to Giuseppi’s (Pepe’s) sheep farm. Unfortunately, according to Pepe the sheep had a “party” five months ago, which resulted in a lot of very pregnant sheep, so for a reason I have since forgotten (but was definitely connected to the party) the sheep were all in the barn. Too bad. It would no doubt have made for a lovely photo op. Instead, the photo at the top of this post just shows you the picturesque fields. Take a look at the lengths I go to so you don’t have cars or garbage cans cluttering up your view.

Back to the sheep that we didn’t see. They are Sardinian sheep, because that breed produces the milk that makes the VERY best pecorino cheese. In case you haven’t guessed, Pepe and his family are from Sardinia. Like Silvana, Pepe was highly amusing and quite informative.

Of course we had to sample some of that wonderful cheese. Eight different kinds. Washed down with wine, accompanied by prosciutto and salami and bread.

According to the official itinerary, we were done for the day, but Anna had a little surprise for us. We stopped at a cemetery for Americans killed during World War II, just in time for a brief lecture about the military campaign, the men buried there and the MIA. After taps, the flag was lowered. A very sobering experience, especially given the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It made me think about the differences: WWII was the pain and sacrifice was shared by all. The recent wars are so very different. A small percentage of our population is giving so much, while the rest of us go about our normal lives.

Normally I like to end on an upbeat note, but for this post all I can say is “Thanks for your service”.

A Tale of Two Cities, Part One

“It was the BEST of times…” Charles Dickens

That’s it. There was no “worst of times”. Lucky me. But good times do not make good novelists, so fortunately I’m content to be a sometimes blogger.

My other posts have all been about Querétaro, a delightful historic city–and I am far from done talking about it. But this post is about a SECOND undiscovered gem. Undiscovered by most USA tourists, that is.

Global Volunteers are free on the weekend, so several of us took a bus to Guanajuato, a two and a half hour ride from Querétaro.

And what a bus it was! I only wish airplane seats were so comfortable. Imagine being able to recline your seat without incurring the wrath of the person behind you. How about having a foot rest so you can stretch your legs out, just like you are in your favorite Lazy boy. Throw in free movies on your individual TV. Of course, you have to watch Renee Zellweger speaking Spanish, with her very full lips out of synch with her words. That’s the Premiera Plus ( the name of the bus company) experience. I preferred watching the countryside flash by, but that’s generally how I roll.

The bus stations In both cities had snack bars, clean bathrooms (the 5 peso entry fee gets you the best seat in the house, toilet paper, soap and paper towels), and comfortable waiting rooms, for those of you that care about such things. (I’m definitely in that category.)

Taxis to the historic center were plentiful and inexpensive — 50 pesos, or a little more than $3.00 –got us delivered to our hotel off La Plaza de La Paz.

Check out my luxurious room. The bathroom was also beautiful--complete with hair dryer, and huge towels. — Check out my luxurious room. The bathroom was also beautiful–complete with hair dryer, and huge towels.

Like Querétaro, Guanajuato is safe, clean, inexpensive, beautiful, friendly, musical, historic—AND it has a miradora–a panoramic view, something I can’t resist.

The pale blue building to the left of the yellow/orange cathedral is our hotel. The hotel de la Paz

I rode the funicular to the top of the hill, the site of the statue of el Pipila, who is clearly visible from just about everywhere in the city.

Those so inclined can climb inside, sorta like the Statue of Liberty. I decided to take one for the team, so I climbed to the top, and I’m going to tell you–the view’s not worth it.

See how narrow the stairs are? The ladder to the top is even narrower, and just a tad scary.
So, how did el Pipila get his very own statue at summit of Guanajuato? Are you getting tired of the history trivia? I hope not, because I’m going to tell you.

The Mexicans decided they had had quite enough of Spanish rule, so they started a rebellion (actually this is more of a Querétaro story, which will be a future post, but I’m drinking wine while I’m writing this, so let’s just go with it. Okay?)
El Pipila put a flat stone on his back to protect him from the Spaniards, who were holed up in a granary and tossing dreadful, dangerous things at him. He set fire to the door of the granary, which allowed the Mexicans to enter, slay with Spaniards and win the battle. Oh my God. Am I REALLY talking about battles and wars? Has it come to that?

Time to change the subject.
Guanajuato has an abundance of museums, and I was able to visit several of them. The things hanging on the walls were all very lovely, but what floats my boat are the buildings that house the exhibits. The Diego Riviera Museum is his childhood home.

I don’t know whether he and Frieda actually slept there, but who cares? The architecture is fantastic, and the cutouts weren’t half bad.
Guanajuato has its fair share of churches, and if there is a wedding happening, I never miss an opportunity to crash it. This lovely bride’s veil was pinned to her groom’s shoulder. After the ceremony was completed, they were unpinned. Don’t know the background, but I thought it was an interesting custom.

What else can I tell you about Guanajuato? The food was excellent. The Mexican wine was delicious, and of course I felt compelled to take photos of everything, so you can see for yourself.

Enchiladas with mole (my guy's favorite) and green sauce, with frijoles. For less than $12...including that great bread Nd a cappuccino! — Enchiladas with mole (my guy’s favorite) and green sauce, with frijoles. For less than $12…including that great bread and a cappuccino!

Mexican wineries? Who knew their wine could be so delicious?

I could keep posting photos till your eyes roll back into your heads. But I won’t. I’d encourage you to enjoy visiting this amazing city and will leave you with just two more photos.

I'm not sure why Don Quixotes is so big in Guanajuanto. That's my Ssignment for my next visit. — I’m not sure why Don Quixote is is so big in Guanajuato. That’s my assignment for my next visit.

I’m almost out of power, so I’ll post. Please forgive the typos…drink a little wine, and this will all make sense to you. Visit this wonderful city and fall in love with it!

Ready for My Close Up

Okay, gang, so here’s the background:

Every day, one of the Global Volunteers writes a journal entry, accompanied by a thought for the day. These are read aloud when our group meets–either in the morning at breakfast or in the evening before dinner. As I was the first to arrive in Querétaro, our leader asked me to do the first entry. Well, guess what–it made it on to the Global Volunteers website, accompanied by photos taken yesterday while I was working at school.

Yes, I know that some of you think I spend all my time cruising the ‘calles’ (that’s ‘streets’ for those of you that don’t share my oh so vast knowledge of the Spanish language; I’m easily as fluent as the average Mexican two year old) but no, I actually DO do something that vaguely resembles work. Here’s proof:

I tried to imbed a link to the site into this post, but my iPad is cranky this morning, so instead, a copy of my journal entry follows.

However, I encourage you to wander on over to GlobalVolunteers.org to check out all the wonderful opportunities for personal growth that this organization offers. I’m kinda hoping that when you see how much fun and how worthwhile the projects are, some of you will be inspired to sign on. Who knows, maybe we’ll be together on a future trip!

Journal entry for Sunday, February 8, 2015

Thought for the Day
“Before you try to change the world, let the world change you.”

Volunteers arriving yesterday were greeted by a fiesta going full blast in Hotel Hidalgo’s courtyard. A father of 15 was celebrating his 90th birthday, with 80 of his direct descendants. Perhaps the secret to a long life is to know how to party hearty? Not a bad way to kick off our time in Mexico–with music, dancing and very happy people.

The "birthday boy" is wearing a white hat, and waiting for his guests to arrive. — The “birthday boy” is wearing a white suit. He’s waiting for his guests to arrive.

Our leader, Pam, has a dedicated group of followers who enjoy serving with her. This is the 7th time Bill has volunteered in Mexico, followed by Roger who is on his 4th tour of duty. Eunice, Mary#1, Joe and Mary #2 will be serving here for the 3rd time. You don’t have to be with Pam for very long to figure out why she inspires such loyalty.

Although this will be the first time in Mexico for Shannon, Leslie and me(Shelley), we have all served in other countries. Lorraine is our “official newbie” and we are all delighted that she has joined the team.

During breakfast in the hotel, we introduced ourselves, then got a well organized and thorough orientation from Pam. Mary and Joe very thoughtfully had obtained brochures and maps IN ENGLISH for all of us. Although Querétaro is a tourist destination, most of the visitors are from other parts of Mexico, so there is not an abundance of English materials. Thanks to Mary and Joe, we can easily view the many appealing options the area offers for our free time.

Carolina, the head of the language department at U. Tech, joined us after breakfast. A warm, inspirational woman, who speaks beautiful English, Carolina shared information about the school and described the positive impact GV has had on the students.

Our meeting concluded with GV’s traditional team building exercises. First, we described fourteen characteristics of an effective team. If our ability to quickly identify those characteristics is any indication, this team will be highly effective indeed. Next, Pam asked us to think about why we signed on for this particular project. In other words, what were our goals. We each wrote three goals on separate index cards, took turns reading them aloud, then Pam grouped similar goals into categories. These were:
Help students
Cultural exchange
Personal growth

After a wonderful lunch, we were free to settle in, explore or rest until we meet for dinner at 7 PM.

Statues, Fountains, Churches and Party Dresses

If we were playing jeopardy, the correct response to the title of this blog post would be “what do you find in every plaza in Querétaro”?

Remember a couple of posts ago, how excited I was about those green patches I saw on my Google map? Well, turns out, this place is even better than I ever expected. There are plazas aplenty here! Far more than what appeared on the map. These squares are truly the hearts of the community–beautiful public spaces, with statues, fountains, vendors, music and happy people. There is a whole lot of living going on in this town, much of it taking place in these wonderful plazas.

Here is a brief tour of just a few of Querétaro’s plazas. If you want to see more, you may just have to come here yourself.

This cool sculpture represents an Otomi warrior. The Otomi were living in Querétaro when the Spanish arrived.

I had expected The Plaza de las Armas to have a military theme. Instead of cannons and guns, however, this beautiful fountain dominates the square. I’ve seen lots of creative ways to get water gushing forth, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen it coming from dogs’ mouths.

You don’t have to walk very far in this town to stumble upon a church. The interiors are much the same–crucifixes and lots of gold, but I found the exteriors rather compelling.

I particularly like the Templo of Santa Cruz. (I have no idea why they are called ‘templos’ here instead of iglesias. Maybe that terminology is particular to Mexico?) Anyway, this Templo has it all–fountains, a convent,

a statue representing the indigenous population the missionaries were sent to “save”,

and a replica of the stone cross that the Spanish and the locals saw in the sky on July 26,1531, during “the battle for domination”.

According to legend, that day, there was a total eclipse of the sun, followed by the appearance St. James, riding a white horse across the sky and carrying such a cross, (sans serape, I would expect). The legend states that this celestial event frightened the Otomi and their allies, resulting in a Spanish victory.

Okay, so enough of the history. On to the party dresses. They are EVERYWHERE.

Which reminds me. Time to go shopping!

Queretaro, Mexico

Okay, for those of you that have visions of me basking in the sun, with a cerveza in one hand and sangria in the other, while you shiver amid the snow flakes, let me disabuse you of that notion. This morning started on the nippy side—39 degrees, according to Weatherbug.

I hit the street early, looking for an ATM. The good news–people on the street understood my Spanish. The bad news? They thought I could actually speak the language, so they went into “rapid” mode for giving directions, but quite fortunately accompanied it with LOTS of pointing.

Those green spots on the map in the last post? They are indeed lovely squares.

Check out what the locals are wearing. See, I wasn’t kidding about the temperature.

On the taxi ride from the airport, I got the night view of the bustling city of Queretaro, as we roared along the six lane highway. From what little I could see, it appears to be quite large and modern.

Our hotel is in el centro, the historic district. No cars are allowed on the street in front of the hotel, so the taxi driver very kindly walked me the half block to my destination.

That yellow building is where I’ll be hanging my hat for the next 17 days.

My room is on the second floor, 31 steps up. There is no elevator, so I was grateful that I had taken Pam’s advice and packed light. And I’m happy to have this built in opportunity for exercise.

My room is small, but very clean, and the bed is extra firm, which is my preference. The best part–the wi-fi seems to be working really well from my room.

Okay, so after looking at those photos, wouldn’t you think that my room is windowless? Well, that’s what I thought too, till I stepped into the shower this morning, and found one hiding in there. Not only do I have a window, but it was open all last night!
However, between the blankie on my bed, and el Diablo, I managed to stay quite warm.

Off to explore the old town!

Getting Ready for Global Volunteers

Tomorrow, if the snow gods allow, I will be winging my way toward my fourth Global Volunteers experience, in Queretaro, Mexico. Although I’ll be sticking to North America, and will have no jet lag to contend with, I’m still giving myself a couple of days to acclimate to my new surroundings. And what wonderful surroundings they will be!

I will freely admit to having extremely limited knowledge of our southern neighbor’s geography. I signed on without having any idea where Queretaro is, or anything else about the area, for that matter. But that is all changing. In the past two days, I’ve been cruising the internet, like a college student at exam time, trying to learn everything I can about the place I’ll call home for the next 17 days. And I’m more than happy to share this new-found knowledge with you–oh, my loved ones.

In the past, my experiences with Mexico were confined to the coasts: Cabo San Lucas and Playa del Carmen. This time, I’ll be in the interior of the country, so no need for bathing suit or flip-flops. Here’s a visual, for those of you, like me, who need to see where you are going, with Texas providing a point of reference.

Queretaro is right smack dab under that red dot. The city and the state share the same name–although the city is officially called Santiago de Queretaro. I didn’t even know that Mexico was broken into states–I just thought of that land mass as “Mexico”. But there are 31 of them, and Queretaro is one of the smallest, as you have probably figured out by its obliteration under the dot. It’s about two and a half hours from Mexico City, to give you an idea of distances and scale.

As with other things in life, don’t be fooled by size. Queretaro may be small in territory, but it has a lot going for it. It is chock full of beautiful 17th and 18th century buildings, enough to be named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Many were former churches, convents and missions, (not surprising given the Franciscans founded the city in 1531, looonnnng before those Pilgrims and Puritans set foot up north). There’s scads of history in them thar hills, but I’m saving all that for future posts and possibly a quiz or two.

Here’s a sneak peek at my new world. I’ll be staying at the Hotel Hidalgo, which unlike the Casa de la Marquesa, probably didn’t give Google any advertising dollars. Still, what did we do before Google maps?!

my world

The green patch in the bottom right corner is the street market, which I will undoubtedly visit. I also checked out Jardin Zenea, and that looks to be quite lovely. I’m thinking I’ll have plenty of photo ops on my days off.

In the upper left hand corner is where I’ll be working: the Technological University of Queretaro (UTEQ), giving the students opportunities to practice English. (I am reluctant to describe what I do as “teaching” English, given my lack of teaching experience…but hey, I sure know how to talk and to listen!)

This will be quite a change of pace for me. For my other three projects, I worked with either preschool or elementary school children. This time, I’ll working with adolescents and will be following a varied schedule. To accommodate early and late classes, some days we’ll go from 7AM to 2 PM and others from 3 PM to 9 PM. Because the volunteers are in such demand, and the need is so great, we will not see the same class twice, something else that will be quite different for me.

I’m lucky enough to have an Ecuadorian sister-in-law, who humors me by letting me practice my Spanish on her. Any time yo hablo espanol, it is guaranteed to get a laugh out of mi hermana preferida. I’m sure it is because of her amazement and admiration of my fluency. We’ll see how it goes with the students. I’m betting I’ll be able to pick up a phrase or two from them to completely dazzle and amaze the folks back home.

I’m not sure about the internet capabilities in the hotel, or MY capabilities given the work schedule, but I plan on posting whenever I am able.

Hasta luego!

Top Ten Reasons for Biking with VBT

There is something about a list with a number alongside that is SO compelling–100 top colleges, 25 top attractions, 15 fool proof ways to excite a man. They just shout “READ ME”, don’t they? So, I figured why not?
Drum roll, please.
The Ten Top Reasons for biking with VBT, not necessarily in order of importance–just in the order that my somewhat addled brain extracts them.

1. Fantastic guides!
I’ve taken three VBT trips; each one has had delightful local guides, who do everything in their power to make sure we have an amazing experience. They are entertaining, knowledgeable and SKILLED!

Flat tire? No problem…one of them will fix it for you. Andi DID demonstrate how to change a tire so that we would know what to do back home. I was quite happy that should the need arise, all I had to do was wait until whichever one was “sweeping” (riding at the back of the group to make sure we were all okay) to catch up and rescue me. But thanks anyway, Andi. I hope I never have to put my new knowledge to the test

Here's Andi, ready for ANY emergency! — Here’s Andi, ready for ANY emergency!

I’m posting this photo of Hana, seriously studying for her law exam (no, not during our trip…she emailed it to us later) because it shows her dog, Candy, helping her concentrate. Candy is a Maltese, just like Lilly, my sister Sue’s dog.

2. Wonderful New Friends
On every trip, we have managed to meet interesting, fun people. Some, like Victoria from our Slovenia trip, continue the friendship even after the biking trip is a distant memory.

We hope that will be true for this trip also. Mike would have really enjoyed talking with Peter because they have so much in common: an interest in meteorites, ancient coins, research, writing, photography. Mike is not a biker–but maybe there will be other opportunities for them to meet in the future.

The Midwestern Ladies have already appeared in previous posts, but I have to mention them again. They were beyond fantastic biking companions! We made them “honorary biker chicks” a title that is definitely not easy to come by.

The Connecticut Contingent: Peter and Joan in the lead, followed by Julia and Tom

3. Van stops, exactly when you need them
How great is it not to have to worry about getting your belongings from town to town? It also helps to know that riding the van is always an option if you get too tired, or too wet.

Beth, enthusiastically making her way to the van. Those curls were really bobbing up and down! — Beth is enthusiastically making her way to the van. Those curls were really bobbing up and down!

4. Breath-taking scenery
It is true that the scenery in this area is amazing regardless of how you travel across it, but there is something special about being able to stop whenever you want, to savor the beauty and to take a photo or two.

I found this old tree fascinating. Probably it was alive when Napoleon was running wild, conquering surrounding countries!

This shot was taken from the center of a dam that we rode across on our way to Austria. The dam isn't all that visually compelling, so I'll spare you. — This shot was taken from the center of the dam that we rode across on our way to Austria. The dam isn’t all that visually compelling, so I’ll spare you.

5. Alternate Modes of Transportation
Much as I enjoy biking, it is nice to give your hindquarters a little break. On this trip, we traveled by train and by boat. The ride down the Danube offered a different view of the little town of Passau, where the waters of the Inn, the Ilz and the Danube converge, each one a different color.

A view of Passau from the river. You can NEVER have too many churches–or to many clock towers!

6. Exploration Options
We always had sufficient free time to explore the little towns and villages; to pursue whatever interests we might have, whether it be using the zip line at a playground, listening to a concert in the local church, shopping, trying out the local delicacies, or doing all of the above.

Sorry sisters and cousins...I didn't buy any of these. It was too early in the trip. They would have either melted, or been eaten before I got home. (Probably eaten) — Sorry sisters and cousins…I didn’t buy any of these. It was too early in the trip. They would have either melted, or been eaten before I got home. (Probably eaten)

7. Mind Expansion!
You always absorb interesting facts about the countries you visit, and you might even REMEMBER some of what you learned!

Unfortunately, my camera didn’t have a wide enough angle to capture the three different colors of the water coming from the three different rivers that converge at Passau. That image only resides in the space between my ears. Instead, I offer this description.

The waters really WERE different colors!

8. Dining in Unusual Places
We probably wouldn’t have found this restaurant in a cellar in Cesky Krumlov. (Or was it a cave?). Getting there was part of the experience. The taller members of the group had to stay scrunched over as we descended the winding, steep steps. There wasn’t a lot of headroom! But the dinner was SO worth it!

Katie, the youngest biker, with Karla from the Midwest and Kim, Katies mother — Katie, the youngest biker, with Karla from the Midwest and Kim, Katie’s mother

9. Pre and Post Trip Extensions
The trips always start and end in great locations, so if you have the time (and many of us did), you can opt for the pre and/or post trips. I’ve already posted about Prague, and if I get the energy, will also share Vienna highlights—but here is one photo from each place.

Prague, viewed from the top of the Charles Bridge Tower. (141 steps to the top, and through a little narrow door). I just can’t resist a tower!

Sally (Biker Chick who had other travel plans this year) had perfect timing. She emailed us the night before our last day in Vienna, suggesting that we visit the Hundertwasser Museum. It is always wise to take Sally’s (and Marilyn’s) recommendations.

Not only did we spend a morning in the museum, but we also found Hundertwasser’s village.

Vienna -- This will give you an idea of what Hundertwasser's art is like. — Vienna — This will give you an idea of what Hundertwasser’s art is like.

I particularly enjoyed Hundertwasser’s philosophical statements. Two of my favorites:
“If we do not honor our past, we lose our future. If we destroy our roots, we cannot grow”.

“A dead person is entitled to reincarnation in the form of, for example, a tree that grows on top of him and through him. The result would be a sacred forest of living dead. A garden of the happy dead.”
He asked to be buried without a coffin, to encourage decomposition.

10. Renewing Old Friendships
I know, I already talked about NEW friendships–but being with the other Biker Chicks deserves its very own reason number. Wouldn’t you agree?
For this trip, what was especially special was spending time with the “other” Karen, a college friend that I hadn’t seen in more than 4 decades!

Our Biking Group: The Connecticut Contingent, the Coloradians, the midwest Ladies, the Biker Chicks, and the “Katie” family, plus our super duper guides

We are all home now, doing laundry, readjusting to time zones, and having to cook our own meals.

Maybe there will be a quiz over the coming days? You never know…

Memorable VBT Moments

Vermont Bike Trips does an amazing job hiring personable, charming and helpful guides, organizing interesting routes, and making sure that there are options for all skill levels.

I’ve been asked how far someone rides on a typical day, and the short answer is as far as you want. For me, the total mileage was 120 miles over 6 days or an average of 20 miles per day. But some days were longer, others were shorter. For example, the first day is always short, because you are getting used to the bike and warming up. That first day,we all rode less than 10 miles. My longest ride was 29 miles, through Sumava, the Czech Republic’s largest national park.

It was uphill a fair part of the morning, because we were crossing the continental divide.

Beth and Denise put the pedal to the metal and powered up the hill.

Fortunately what goes UP must come down, so our ride after lunch was quite delightful. I felt like I was sitting on a motor scooter, zipping through the woods. No pedaling required for a couple of miles–I just held on and coasted.
But then we had a few anxious moments when the path we were following was roped off. Did we make a wrong turn? Were we going to have to retrace our wheels (they definitely weren’t steps), except going UPHILL for those “motor scooter” miles?
As we pondered our dilemma, it soon became clear. We heard the thunder of hooves, and realized that the ropes functioned as a type of traffic light. By the time I got my camera out, I was only able to capture this last guy.

The bike path is also the path for an earlier mode of transportation.

If I had been quicker retrieving my camera, you would have seen these guys in action. They were quite beautiful, galloping from one field to the other.

We enjoyed two days in Passau, Germany, a gorgeous little town on the Danube. During. Walk through town, I noticed the playground had a little zip line. You’d walk up a slight incline, hop onto a rope with a little seat type contraption, get a little momentum going and zip across to the others side, where you would smash into a big tire that would then fling you back at least halfway. Maybe the kids could get further…MY best distance was halfway. Sorry, no photos. I waited till it was dark, when the kids had all gone home.
I DO have photos of our ride along the River Inn, to the little town of Scharding. This was the morning that stopped raining just as we headed out. From the look of my legs, you can probably surmise that the trail was just a tiny bit muddy.

The bridge between Germany and Austria. I have a foot in each country.

This statue symbolizes the warm, loving feelings Germany and Austria have for each other.

The kissing statue. As you can see, I am very much in favor of loving kindness between nations.

It was a BEAUTIFUL ride, not too hot, not too cold, with the mist rising from the river making it very scenic.

I hope you really like this photo. While taking it, I managed to knock my bike off the path, into the mud. Good thing I had dismounted!

One last photo of Passau before I call it quits for the night. I don’t want to run out of my Internet allotment!

Passau's ancient tower at sunset — Passau’s ancient tower at sunset

About that Castle…

Cesky Krumlov is a lovely medieval town perched on the top of a high hill, filled with restaurants, shops, and a castle with a story, which I now know.

The castle was built around 1250 by the Rosenbergs, who lived there for about 600 years till the Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolph II took a fancy to it. I’m sure there were lots of battles and other really important historical events connected with the castle, but the story that I liked the most was about the Rosenberg son who married for love, against the wishes of his father. That marriage was annulled, so that son could make a more appropriate match, one that came with a large dowry. Unfortunately, there was a bit of a delay in the payment of the dowry, so son (whose name escapes me, but I’ll bet you don’t care either) sent his blushing bride home. It took about 10 years, numerous bake sales and car washes for the family to come up with the requisite sum. By the time the two love birds got together, Mrs. Rosenburg was getting on in years. She consulted a priest or some other magical power fellow, so when she gave birth at age 42, it was declared a miracle, resulting in canonization of the miracle worker. (No, not the husband, the magical fellow). Personally, I think if anyone should have been canonized, it should have been Mrs. Rosenburg, for putting up with that nonsense. I had a good look at The Lord of the manor, and let me tell you, he was no prize. If I had been sent home, I would have stayed there and used the dowry money to travel. But maybe that’s just me.

The view from the castle is spectacular, well worth the climb up the hill.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t take photos IN the castle, so I’ll have to describe the coat of arms of one of the later families, who moved in when the Hapsburgs tired of it. Picture a severed head, sporting a fu Manchu mustache dangling at an angle, with a black bird pecking at his eyes. That’s because the Schwartzenbergs defeated the Turks and the grateful emperor rewarded them with that stunning visual.

After much wandering, discussions, and menu viewing, the biker chicks decided to dine at our hotel. We had drinks and appetizers on the terrace, then moved inside for dinner once it got cold.

On our last day in Cesky Krumlov, we took a train part way through the forest, then biked across what was once the iron curtain, so of course we took advantage of the photo op.

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