travel – Page 12 – Destination NOW

Mantua and Trent

Well, we are getting ready to hit the road (the one that leads to the airport) soon, so I figured if I had anything further to say about last fall’s trip to Northern Italy, now is the time to say it.

My last post was about the city of Verona. Although it was a lovely city, it was a bit crowded, so when we had the choice of spending another day in Verona, or going on an optional trip to Mantua, we (and everyone else on our tour) opted for the optional, and we were glad we did.

Yes, Mantua had the requisite castle, with beautiful frescoes, but the castle also had something I’d never seen before — a moat with lovely sculptures plopped in it. Were they ballerina or fairy costumes? I have no idea; either one works for me.

Mantua also had the mandatory clock tower, but this one was so beautiful, I felt compelled to include two photos of it- the one below to give you a sense of its placement and scale, and the one atop this post to show the beautiful craftsmanship. Just think how amazing it must have been before the frescoes were damaged.

Can you tell this tower has been repaired more than once?

Like other cities, Mantua has an object, which, if rubbed, promises thAt the rub-ee will grant the rub-er good luck. In Verona, it is Juliet’s right breast. In Mantua, it is Rigoletto’s hump. We avoided the fake Juliet balcony and statue, but we ladies couldn’t resist Rigoletto.

What was MOST memorable to me, however, was the “relic” in the Basilica of Saint Andrew. According to the plaque, the soldier that stabbed Christ (Who later became a saint –Longino– but not all that popular, because I’d never heard of him before. Had you?) was prescient enough to know that the blood soaked earth was worth preserving, so he did. For thousands of years. Quite a story, and I’ll leave it at that.

The artist’s interpretation of the event

Our next stop was Trento, the site of the Council of Trent, where Catholic bishops got together and did something important that I learned about in high school but have since forgotten. Here too, we encountered a magnificent cathedral. Could this be The Stairway to Heaven that Led Zeppelin sang about? Take a look. It sure doesn’t seem to lead anywhere else. If you took a tumble from the top, Heaven may be where you’d land, but probably only if you went to confession first.

Right outside the church, beside Neptune’s fountain, it was quite festive. Lots of young people holding flowers and plaques, wearing laurel wreaths on their heads were milling about.

Our group is nothing, if not astute. We immediately figured this was some kind of commencement celebration. I’ll tell ya, if I had been given the choice, I definitely would have gone with the laurel wreath instead of the mortarboard monstrosity we had to put on our heads.

If this cold weather continues, I may get it together to do one final post: the last days of our trip in the Dolomites and Alpine villages. Ciao!

The Land of The Lombards

When you think Italy, what comes to mind? Art in Florence, Rome’s colosseum, the Amalfi Coast? Bet you didn’t immediately think of the Lombard region, and that’s too bad, because it is pretty special. This post will introduce you to three gems of Lombardy: one well known, the other two less so.

Lake Isola
Remember Christo, whose 2005 spectacular Gates in Central Park had New Yorkers smiling even during a frigid February? (If you don’t, that’s okay. It isn’t essential to the post. I just happen to have fond memories of the event, so why not throw it in?)
Well, in 2016, he created the Floating Piers in Lake Isola. So, ya gotta figure this area must be pretty terrific for Christo to travel all the way across the Atlantic to Italy to create one of his massive installations.

These posters give you an idea of the scope of Christo’s project.

Even though our visit was post-Christo art exhibition, it was still worth spending time in the Isola Lake area. Check out what the little island looks like “unwrapped”. It was once a monastery, but now it probably is privately owned, by someone who is fantastically wealthy, who wants to escape people like us ogling his/ her (probably his) property.

Franciacorta
Almost everyone has heard of Prosecco. But what about Franciacorta? This sparkling wine, made from the Franciacorta region’s grapes, is equally delightful. I suspect that, like the Lombardy region, it just hasn’t been successfully marketed.

We walked through the Berlucci Vineyards, to their winery, where we enjoyed a tour, wine tasting and a great lunch.

Our hotel, the Relais Franciacorta was absolutely beautiful. It was rather far out, in the countryside, which was fine with us. We loved the gardens and all the hotel’s little nooks and crannies, one of which was the perfect venue for sharing the bottle of Franciacorta purchased at the vineyard.

And, as a bonus, a huge motorcycle group was holding an event at the hotel, giving us an opportunity to view totally unique bikes, like this one. I’m guessing that’s the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) riding shotgun (or would that position be called “front gun”? They didn’t have motorcycles during those Wild West days, so who knows.)

Verona
One of the big attractions in Verona is “Juliet’s Balcony”. Yeah, Shakespeare’s Juliet. There was a long line at the entrance to the jam-packed courtyard where Roméo was supposed to have stood while gazing at Juliet, who was above, on that legendary balcony. But this “balcony” was actually a movie set, created several decades ago. We figured if we wanted to see movie sets, we could go to Universal studios, so we skipped that attraction. Instead, we visited the Juliet Society.

The Juliet Society is a group of volunteers who answer letters written to Juliet that come from all over the world, like the one below.

Still, even we couldn’t escape Hollywood’s reach. You see, the Juliet Society was used as inspiration for the movie, Letters to Juliet.
Okay, I’ll confess, when I got home I borrowed the movie from our library, and it was really, really sappy. It’s all about a letter that had been lost for several decades, was found by a volunteer, who then went on a mission to find and reunite both the writer and the intended recipient of the letter. I don’t have to tell you how it ends. I’m sure you just know.

The actual site, the one WE visited, bore no resemblance to the movie set. For the movie, the Juliet Society was housed in a gorgeous villa, complete with mamas in an adjoining kitchen, cooking great lunches for the volunteers. How surprising that Hollywood’s “take” is so very, very different from reality.

When in Italy, I usually find it difficult to decide which meal was THE BEST and which restaurant experience was THE BEST, but this time I had no problem proclaiming that Il Punto Rosa Hosteria deserves both titles. This little gem is on a side street, and it isn’t very big, but between Google and Trip Advisor, I’m sure you’d be able to find it. If we ever get back to Verona, you can bet we will be having dinner there!

Time for a couple of random photos of Verona, a heartfelt confession, and we’ll call this post done.

First the confession. I am a lazy blogger, who lives the Quaker philosophy of “when the spirit moves you“. (Okay so that’s one of the only two things I know about Quakers. The other being that they are pacifists. Oh wait. I just thought of one more. Richard Nixon was supposedly a Quaker. But I digress.) The point of that digression is I blog when the spirit moves me. And it didn’t move me last October, during the second half of our trip. It took a frigid January day in New Jersey to get me hankering to revisit those glorious Italian fall days. What could be better than reliving wonderful days in Italy when it is icy outside? Nothing, right?
We were in Verona on day 9 and 10 of a 15 day trip, so who knows? If it is cold again this week, we may just taking another trip down memory lane, to Brixen, Bassano del Grappa and the Dolomites.

Okay, so here are those random Verona photos I promised earlier.

We walked past the mob waiting to get in to see the fake Juliet balcony. What’s with the sticky notes, you ask? The sappy movie erroneously led viewers to believe that the Juliets pluck them from the wall, then answer them. They don’t.

As with most Italian cities, Verona has its share of beautiful buildings, and statues, but hey, just look at what else you can experience while there.

Verona has it all. Go shopping for cannabis “light” first, then wander down to the Colosseum. Yes, Verona has one too. If you get wasted enough, you might actually believe you are in Rome, doing battle with gladiators. One more thing to cross off your bucket list.

Speaking of bucket lists, I sure hope Lombardy is now on yours.

Torino and the Bernina Express

Why visit Torino, a charming little town close to the Swiss border? How about vineyards, apple farms, lakes, mountains, a beautiful cathedral, archaeological sites, cobbled streets and a train station from which you can board a single gauge train? Are those reasons enough?

Enroute from Milan, we stopped at Orrido di Bellano, to view the gorge and waterfall,then headed to Varenna for lunch alongside Lake Como. Dinner was in the wine cellar of a restored old Torino villa.

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The first two days were great and action packed, but the BEST day was the third, when we boarded the Bernina Express. Theoretically, we could have ridden it all the way to St. Mortitz, but instead we disembarked in Diavolezza to take a cable car part way up the mountain to a terrace and restaurant.

The view was spectacular from there, but some of us wanted an even better glimpse of the glacier, so off we went. I was very glad I had packed my hiking boots, because we had to get past a couple of icy patches to reach the summit.

245294A1-0624-4CF4-B5B5-ED6B0DCED501 — From left: me, Ellen, Julie and Elisa. Can you figure out which one is the guide?

What a great place for a photo op!

The Divine Duomo

See how happy she is, wearing her new dress?

We’ve all been told you have to dress appropriately if you want to tour the Duomo. That isn’t entirely true. If you happen to be wearing something a bit too revealing, no worries. The Duomo staff will give you a lovely, suitable outfit to wear. Best of all, you get to keep it when you leave. Take a look.

If you have been following this blog, you’ll recall that I toured the Duomo a few days ago, while in Milan on my own. I am now on the OAT trip, which started with a walking tour of Milan, including a guided tour of the Duomo. I’m glad I did both, because different tour guides emphasize different things, so YOU, dear reader, get the benefit of both, without having to endure an overnight flight.

Both guides cited identical facts and figures: when construction started (1386), how long it was under construction (centuries), and on and on. The main fact I retained was the Duomo has 52 columns. Bet you can figure out why.

As you can see, each column is topped with statues of saints, but I have no idea who is who, and neither guide (quite wisely) bothered to tell us.

Only one called our attention to the beautiful marble floor’s embedded sun dial, with figures of the zodiac appropriately placed. Check out Aries the Ram.

As usual, the Duomo showcases art representing saints that died horrific deaths. Catholics seem to have a deep appreciation for pain and suffering.

I missed the portrait of St Agatha on the first tour. We had seen many portraits of her in Sicily, in the process of having her breasts chopped off. In Milan, the painting isn’t quite so graphic. St Agatha is shown being healed by St. Peter, who visited her in prison. As you can see from her bloody garment, he is just starting to work his miracle.

BOTH guides made sure we saw the statue of St. Bartholomew. HE was skinned alive and HIS statue leaves little to the imagination.

In case you’re wondering, that’s his skin draped over his shoulder. Look to the right of his elbow. His face managed to stay intact, and every hair on his head and beard is still in place. Pretty terrifying for young Catholic children, wouldn’t you say. No wonder we grew up so twisted.

Those Romans certainly dreamed up creative ways to launch Christians into the afterlife!

While touring the Duomo terraces a few days ago, I noticed what looked like a rooftop restaurant. I figured it was probably super expensive and rather exclusive.

What a nice surprise when our OAT guide brought us over there for a drink and cookies. We enjoyed yet another view of the Duomo, while sipping our cappuccinos. Here’s Elisa, our guide, explaining where we are going next. Check out the chocolate shoes for sale at gourmet chocolate shop inside.

Time to stop blogging and start experiencing…so I leave you with some Milan highlights.

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Two Days in Tremezzo

I LOVE Italy’s mass transit system. Functional AND beautiful, Milan’s train station mixes old architecture with modern technology. How appropriate to have an Apple sculpture in front of that classic building!

This was my starting point for my two day solo adventure to Tremezzo. Never heard of it? Neither had I, prior to planning this trip, but Rick Steves recommended it, and I figured he knew what he was talking about. The Hotel Villa Marie was reasonably priced, highly rated by Trip Advisor, within walking distance of the ferry and bus line. It sounded like the perfect spot to, as they say in Italy “fare niente”, do nothing.

Well, I didn’t exactly do nothing, but I DID take it slower than usual.

This lakeside park is located between the Villa Marie and the center of Tremezzo. I didn’t stop at the cafe in the park—there were too many other choices, but had I stayed in Tremezzo a few more days, I would have savored a Bellini by the shore.

Had I known there were going to be fireworks, I would have climbed to the terrace to watch the show. Instead I leaned out my window and tried out the fireworks setting on my new point and shoot Canon.

E1D7FC20-9974-4C5A-95CB-1B7AB94042EB — The tower made it easy to identify the Villa Marie

F6EB1FCA-9181-4857-8A84-A05EB1A48784 — The terrace is a romantic spot. Too bad I was here without my sweetheart.

C9ABB42F-954B-4CB1-9077-8102654610AA — I have no idea what we were celebrating. My visit?

The Grand Hotel is indeed quite grand. At €600 per night, I decided I could do without the grandeur. I DID, however, have lunch there. Soup, one Bellini and a bottle of water came to €52, but the view and the music were free. A high point was when the pianist looked at me, played “New York, New York” then waved. How did he know? I hung around to watch him play the sax, but left before he got to the guitar.

My favorite spot was the majestic Villa Carlotta. According to guide books, most people spend 45 minutes there. For me, it was two and a half hours, wandering along the trails, ogling the flowers and exotic plants, and visiting the mansion.

Lucky for me, there was a free concert, with different orchestras, playing very different music—from the Beatles to the William Tell Overture—during my visit.

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Although I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Tremezzo, I much prefer traveling with a buddy (or buddies). It just is more fun making memories with someone else by your side. And, I will confess, after navigating the train, ferry and metro with back pack and wheeled carry on, I very much like having someone else handle my luggage and logistics. It was a great two days, but I was quite ready to meet up with my man in Milano!

I’ll end this post with a few random photos of lovely Tremezzo.

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Two Days in Milan

Day One

I’ll be honest. The first day of every overseas trip is always a wipe out, which is exactly why we try to arrive before a tour begins. So, not too many photos from day one, but a couple of tips.

The train from the airport to Milan’s central station is an easy and inexpensive option. Just be sure to buy your ticket in advance. We were feeling pretty smug when we walked by the long line at the ticket window. Although you select a particular time, fortunately you don’t have to get it right. You can take any train within a three hour window of the time on your ticket. Our flight arrived early (how often does THAT happen?), so we were able to board an earlier train than the one we were ticketed for.

We stayed at the Hotel Sanpi, which is within walking distance of the train station, although we opted to take a taxi. Those €6 were well spent! We were TIRED. The Hotel Sanpi was recommended by one of the posters on the OAT Forum (thank you, Ted). It was a great choice.

After a quick nap and lunch, we headed to the nearby public gardens. We walked past an art museum, a planetarium, and the Museum of Natural History, whose exterior reminded me of a Muslim mosque we’d seen in Spain. We didn’t have the energy to go inside ANY of those places. In fact, a good part of the afternoon was spent on a park bench, staring glassy eyed at I can’t remember what.

There are lots of restaurants close to Hotel Sanpi. We didn’t like Il Carpaccio, where we had our first bad meal in Italy (I make better risotto), but the Azzurra Grill more than made up for our lousy lunch. The veal chop with white wine and artichoke sauce was amazing, as were the profiteroles.

Day Two

Mike was up and out early, headed to Cremona to spend the next three days hanging out with his violin buddies. As for me, I planned on going wild in Milano.

Step 1: purchase the €4.50 24 hour metro pass, and head for Milan’s hot spot—the Duomo. Hey, you go wild YOUR way, and I’ll go wild mine.

With my iPhone in hand, eyes fixed on my downloaded google map, I was able to find my way to the metro station a few blocks away. For a normal person, it would have been an easy task, but I have always been directionally challenged.

As I was headed toward the Duomo’s ticket window, a young woman representing Gladiator Tours, wearing killer palazzo pants (I really should have gotten a photo of them) sold me a package tour, including “skip the line” for the terraces, the cathedral and the museum, all for €30. Was that a good deal? Initially I didn’t think so, after I saw the prices at the ticket window, AND learned that my ticket didn’t include the elevator. (180 steps to the top). BUT, I was mistakenly sent to the wrong door, so as an apology, Gladiator Tours gave me the elevator ride for free. All good, so far.

But wait, there’s more. “Skip the line”doesn’t mean that you actually don’t wait in ANY line. You still have to go through security, being wanded, one by one, AND then you wait for the elevator, which fits ten people at a time (one of the ten being a staff member). THAT took almost 20 minutes.

Here’s what I saw when I exited the elevator.

Yep, lots of repairs. After walking as far as I could, I encountered yet ANOTHER line. This one was for the elevator down. Well, I backtracked, and when I did, I discovered you could walk through a passage to get to the Duomo’s OTHER side, which was FAR more interesting. If you took the stairs up, that is the side you would have initially encountered.

If you are so inclined, you can climb 80 more steps to get to the rooftop. (Yes, I have a thing about counting steps. I can’t help it. It’s what I do.)

Ready for the GOOD photos?

What’s HIS story?

okay, here’s a religious statue.

I decided to REALLY skip the line, and walk down the steps to meet the Gladiator guide for the tour of the interior of the Duomo. She was FANTASTIC, even though she wasn’t wearing gorgeous palazzo pants. Of course, our OAT trip will include a Duomo tour, (but not the roof), so I can do an instant replay. I’ll wait till then to share my interior photo, even if I decide to skip the tour and go to the mall for gelato and people watching. It never gets old.

11337780-EAAD-450A-B785-F6527F1DF16E — Wonder if they do your “make over” while still on skates? I wasn’t curious enough to find out.

Anyway, after the interior tour (with “whisperers”, so we could easily hear the guide), I figured that the €30 was not such a bad deal. I skipped the Duomo museum, opting instead to take advantage of my metro pass to cruise around Milan on the tram and underground.

I THOUGHT I’d prefer the tram. Nope. You can’t really see THAT much. It is impossible to understand what the conductor is saying, plus there are no maps on the trams, AND the stops are not clearly marked. So yes, I got lost. But no big deal. I hopped off, crossed the tracks, and kept walking till I found another stop. I had MUCH better luck with the subway, which WAS clearly marked AND had maps.

Rick Steves suggested visiting Naviglio Grande, which he described as “Milan’s old canal port — once a working-class zone, now an atmospheric nightspot for dinner or drinks”. Who am I to ignore a recommendation from Rick? So, off I went.

The canal was interesting, for about five minutes. I admired the “love locks” that European cities seem to fancy.

Not so sure about the nightlife. Maybe I was too early.

Here’s the only other patron at my sidewalk cafe. Looks like he is also drinking an aperol spritzer.

Check out the buildings across the way. Don’t you want to do unspeakable violence to the inventor of spray paint? (And I’m a pacifist at heart.) What possesses someone to mark up buildings and other random surfaces? Makes me think of dogs, trees, and fire hydrants. But I digress.

Including my little jaunt to the canal, I ended up getting 5 trips out of my 24 hour pass. That’s much better than paying €1.5 per trip, wouldn’t you say? Bet you didn’t expect math would be in this post.

I’ll leave you to ponder graffiti, sidewalk cafes and metro passes. On to Tremezzo…

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.

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!

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