That’s right. That’s the slogan for Chianciano Terme, our home for the next six days. Although my liver doesn’t need to be cured–at least not yet, if it ever ails me, I’m definitely coming back to this sweet Tuscan hill town. Twenty years ago, before socialized medicine stopped covering spa treatments, people came here for a week or two to drink and soak in the mineral waters. One hopes they were not drinking the water they were sitting in, but who knows? For some reason, once the treatments were no longer free, business dropped off dramatically, so now it is a much quieter place, which suits us just fine.
Our family owned and operated hotel is cute and comfortable. If you are wondering why I am including the following photo, it is because the shutter visible on the top of the door to the balcony rolls up and down with the press of a button, just like a garage door opener.
I don’t know why, but I find that enchanting.
This time, we didn’t win the room assignment sweepstakes. Our balcony overlooks the parking lot, while those on the other side view the rolling hills. But no matter. Our bus rides offer us views aplenty.
The first half of our trip focuses on hilltop towns of Tuscany. First up is the lovely hilltop town of Radicofani, a stopping place for pilgrims enroute to Rome.
Here’s Anna, our wonderful guide, pointing out the Pilgrim icon on the side of one of the buildings.
Ghino di Tacco, Radicofani’s most famous resident made his living robbing those pilgrims, but he did it with class. He made sure he left the poor ones enough to eat. But still, he was a robber. So how come he is immortalized with a statue on the outskirts of town?
Ghino di Tacco
All was forgiven after he kidnapped an Abbott, who had digestive problems (perhaps on his way to Chianciano Terme to get a liver tune up?). Instead, after living on bread, water and dried beans, the Abbott was miraculously cured of whatever ailed him, was released, made his way to Rome, and convinced the pope to make Ghino a knight of the Order of St. John. Who says crime doesn’t pay?
Here are a few more images of this hidden gem of a town.
One of the many reasons I’m loving this tour with Grand Circle is because of the experiences I never would have had if we were on our own. Silvana is one of those experiences. We stopped for a snack at her shop. Silvana not only fed us, she kept us entertained with a monologue (translated by Anna) that Jerry Seinfeld would have envied.
Anna with Silvana, Radicofani’s stand up comic. Check out those pastries!
Silvana is the youngest resident of Radicofani. Her 78 year old mama is still working, taking care of 5 of her “elderly” neighbors.
Mama, saying hello from the window over the shop.
Our trip to the sheep farm will have to wait till tomorrow, or I’ll never get this post finished!
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!
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 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 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)
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, 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.
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…
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.Following Karen through the forest
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!
Although the weather reports had been predicting rain, rain and more rain, for the first five biking days we had been really fortunate. The rain DID come, but it was either at night, or in the early morning, ending before we started riding, until our last biking day. But we were READY. We all donned our foul weather gear, and Diane improvised–using the hotel shower cap to cover her helmet.
My poncho was flapping wildly in the wind. As they whipped past, my co-bikers shouted that I looked like: the Red Baron, ET, the flying nun, Batman, –but the most popular was the witch from the Wizard of Oz. That got a couple of votes. I admired their creativity, but wondered why Karen didn’t get similar comments on HER poncho. Her theory? She didn’t look quite so ridiculous. Unfortunately, with the rain coming down, we weren’t able to get action shots, so you could see for yourself, and offer YOUR opinion.
Our wonderful guides, Hana and Andy, gave us several options that weren’t part of the day’s original plan. Several of us chose the newest option, a SHORT ride –9 miles. Our mother/ daughter team (Beth and Susan) are real troopers (or masochists), riding the full 16 miles to Melk.
One of the bonuses of our VBT trips is the people we meet. We all loved the Midwestern ladies. Beth was especially grateful for Jessie, who made the return trip from Melk with Susan. Marcia, Jessie’s sister, was equally grateful for Susan. Otherwise, Beth and Marcia would have felt compelled to ride back, in the RAIN, with their crazed biker relative.
Our new Midwestern friends: Jessie, Marcia, Karla, and Mary
We’ve declared the Midwestern ladies honorary “Biker Chicks” and hope that they will join us for our ride in 2016. Here’s Jessie, atop St. Michael’s church tower.
Back in the day, churches were multipurpose, serving as fortresses AND places of worship. Why not use good time management and fit in a few prayers while you are shooting your arrows?
The tower has been modernized, with lovely art work, so you have something to gaze upon as you climb to the top.
Inside St. michael’s church tower
Also on the ride from our hotel in Weissenkirchen to Melk was a 25,000 year old statue of Venus. But she was high on the hill, it was raining, so I figured I’d just google her. When I did, I learned the one atop the hill is a replica and the real one is here in Vienna! Wise decision on my part, wouldn’t you say?
Melk was yet another over the top example of the wealth of the Catholic Church. Our guide explained that God had to be greater than the emperor, so the churches, and his chosen ones had to have the proper wardrobe. There were capes that Elvis could have worn, Michael Jackson gloves, and Liberace shoes.
The gloves
Here are a few more shots of Melk which will likely use up my Internet allotment for the day.
My friends and sisters would be shocked. I’m on my SECOND beer! No, not my second beer today–my second beer in three days–but still. Plus, I’m drinking alone, although in my mind, I am with YOU, my blogging buddies. That counts, right?
What’s next? Smoking cigarettes?
Drinking beer again?
Our group is meeting our guide in an hour for a tour of the Cesky Krumlov castle, so I decided this is the perfect time to hang in an outdoor cafe. It’s relatively near our meeting spot and equipped with wifi. Who could ask for anything more?
Unlike the good ol USA, in the Czech Republic, cafés don’t rush you and the servers don’t circle around,trying to get you to spend more money. I’m the only one here who is not speaking Czech, so I suspect I had the good fortune to stumble into a place that only the locals patronize. Sometimes having a lousy sense of direction turns out to be a good thing.
But I am indeed on a bike trip, and ride we did this morning. Here’s proof. The two Karens and Susan are doing their Czech imitation, while I am flashing my “American smile”. That actually is a term here in the Czech Republic. Hana, our guide, explains that the Czech don’t smile much, so to them, we Americans appear always to be grinning broadly. And why not? When THEY see us, we are on vacation, enjoying their beautiful country.
The Czech countryside is lovely, with lots of rolling hills, farmland and woods. One of those rolling hills today was a KILLER. I made it halfway and walked the rest of the way to the top, as did many in our group. But at least we tried.
This cow was just BEGGING to have her photo taken.
We had a wonderful lunch at a home in the little town of Plav.
Tom, one of the four men in our group (out of twenty participants) took a little spin on the tractor, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to back it into the “garage”. A wise decision on his part.
About half of us decided to get back to Cesky Krumlov via 4 wheels instead of 2, so we’d have time to explore (or blog and drink beer).
I don’t know anything yet about the castle that dominates the skyline, other than that a bear lives in what I imagine was once the moat.
Bet you thought I was kidding about the bear.
Tomorrow morning, we will take a train to Passau, Germany and will spend the rest of the day riding there. At some point there WILL be a quiz and the usual historical stuff, but for now, I’m just experiencing the culture of the country, where Pilsner was invented, and Budweiser got its start.
Three days in Prague were not nearly enough. Such a beautiful, interesting city deserves a return trip, but next time it will be with Mike. That’s why I intentionally didn’t do the historical things that I know he’d enjoy. For example, although we did visit the castle complex, we didn’t take a tour. Instead, we did a quick circuit around the exterior, content to enjoy the panoramic view.
Although we received tram passes as part of our Vermont Bike Trip package, we used leg power to get to the castle. ALL the way up…ALL those stairs, just like his majesty’s subjects must have done, in the days of old.
And what a warm welcome they received! Check out the entrance to the palace.
This fine fellow is on the left of the entrance. And this guy is on the right.Do you think Charles IV was a bit ambivalent about guests? Perhaps he wanted to make sure they didn’t wear out their welcome?
We skipped the art and the churches, only stopping to see the throne room.
Only kidding…
that’s actually my bathroom at our hotel in Cesky Krumlov. Hotel Ruze was once a Jesuit school, which doesn’t explain the choice of plumbing fixtures, it just explains some of the guests.
So, we now have left Prague, had our first bike ride (which started out on narrow, winding, cobblestone streets and included more than one big hill), enjoyed meeting our biking companions during a champagne reception and finished a magnificent dinner in a little cavern. Time to call it a night!
Yep, it’s time for the biker chicks to saddle up. Thankfully, though, we have 3 days in Prague first, to recover from jet lag and to convince ourselves that after weeks of non-activity, seeing parts of Europe by bike is a GOOD idea.
These biker chicks decided to sit this trip out, but they will be with us in spirit. Marilyn wants us to drink the local beer, so we will hoist our glasses in a toast to all three of you…probably more than once…or twice…
Marilyn, Sally and Victoria, we will MISS you! Who is going to make sure I don’t lose my glasses???
BUT, we have added two new members. Denise and Karen are taking their first trip with VBT, joining us oh, so very cool bikers.
Karen P., Denise, Diane, Karen H and Beth. Jet lagged, but undaunted.
And we DEFINITELY will be cool, possibly even cold, and probably a bit damp, because the weather forecast for the next 10 days is rain, rain and more rain. Known as “pula” in Botswana, a rainy day is a joyous occasion. The Botswanians (if that is the correct term) like rain so much, the word “pula” means rain AND money AND is an all purpose greeting. So, if rain drops keep fallin on my head, as they did a couple of times this afternoon, I’ll just tell myself I’m still in Africa and rain is cause for celebration. (We’ll see how THAT works out!)
Yes, we were tired today, after flying all last night, but we managed to march ourselves thither and yon this afternoon, ducking into churches and a restaurant to avoid intermittent sprinkles.
Enough of my babbling. Time for more photos of this lovely city.
I kept looking UP. The tops of buildings are magnificent!I was also looking DOWN, at the wonderful sidewalks. That looks to me like the Star of David and a cross, peacefully sharing space on the sidewalk.
The statues are rather fascinating.
I’m guessing that the guy with the turban and curved sword hails from the Ottoman Empire. But why is he the only one with midriff bulge? Why does that stag have a gold cross growing out of his head? And what’s with the handcuffs, and the guy on the right with his hand on the other guy’s knee?
Oh SO many questions, and this isn’t even a quiz! ( Mainly because I don’t know the answers and I’m punchy because I can’t sleep, though I NEED to, except my body has NO bloody idea what time zone it is in. )
How about THIS one?
The details in the statues are intriguing.
I’m SOOOO glad I’m not biking tomorrow! Although, if the truth be told, ( which, on this blog, happens occasionally) these are not supposed to be very taxing bike rides. Here’s the map showing the ground we will cover.
Notice the red squiggly lines? THAT’S the biking part. Not so bad, eh.
One last photo and a good night to all. Aren’t you glad I kept looking up?
Well, you surprised me. I never thought you’d figure out this first one, but Sue, Lindy and Sandy know poop when they see it.
1. The can attached to the bumper of the jeep contained elephant dung. It is set on fire and acts as a VERY effective mosquito repellant. So glad we didn’t have to rub it on our skin!
Is there no end to the number of uses for elephant dung? With so much of it around, you might as well find a way to use it! I was continually impressed by the inventiveness and creativity of Africans.
2. This is the sink in the ladies’ room at Phalaborwa Airport. The water bubbles up from holes in the sink’s surface. All you have to do is turn that brown knob on the right to get the water going. WE probably never would have figured that out, except a local lady happened to be washing her hands while we were there.
And what a cute airport Phalaborwa is! A South Africa copper mining town, it appears to generate enough revenue so the government can afford to make the airport quite lovely and comfortable, with great animal sculptures.
Note that not ALL airports were like Phalaborwa.
Maureen and Jeanne at the “airport” on our way to the Okavango Delta, Botswana.
What you see in the photo above is what you get– a landing strip and a little shed with ax, fire extinguisher and stretcher. Oh yeah, and a few huge termite mounds. Did you notice the big one on the right?
The airport for Lufupa, the Zambian camp, was a bit larger–it had TWO structures.
The bathroom is the smaller structure on the far right.
3. The connections among these objects? The mopane worm feeds on those leaves, which are from (no surprise) the mopane tree. The worms are a delicacy, so much so that they are featured on the coins of Botswana.
Hey, before you get all judgmental on me, remember, we eat lobsters and crabs–and don’t even get me started on that rubbery stuff we call calamari!
But don’t think that we were just eating worms and warthogs. Check out this feast…I mean snack.
Our 3:30 PM “snack” before the afternoon game drive. Can we make it till our “sundowner” break at 6:00? What about dinner at 7:30?
4. The Nobel Peace Prize winners were Chief Luthulu, Archbishop Tutu, De Klerk, and Nelson Mandela.
At Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town
The long flights, plus time spent hanging in airports, gave me ample opportunity to read all 600+ pages of Nelson Mandela’s Autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom”.
What an incredible man-to be imprisoned for 27 years and still be able to forgive his captors because he knew that was the only way for his country to heal and to move forward. He makes our red/blue, right/left, Democratic/Republican disagreements look so very petty and silly.
Travel is such a broadening experience. Seeing how far South Africa has come since apartheid and comparing it to Zimbabwe under Mugabe further underscores Mandela’s greatness and the power of forgiveness. We could learn so much from Mandela.
Tutu in front of a photo of Mandela, at St. George’s Cathedral. Cape Town.
5. Cecil Rhodes managed to accomplish so much during a rather short life time.
Although he died before his 49th birthday, Rhodes amassed quite a fortune from his success mining diamonds. Some noteworthy accomplishments: He bequeathed the land that became the Kirstenbosch Gardens to South Africa, he got the bridge over Victoria Falls built, he established a trust that funds Rhodes Scholars, oh yeah, and he did manage to get a country named after himself (Or was that TWO countries? What is now Zambia was Northern Rhodesia, and Zimbabwe was known as Rhodesia.)
Time to take a break from Africa and move to another continent. Hope you’ll come along!
With any luck, I’ll be able to get this uploaded before we have to leave for the airport.
This is the “all creatures, great and small” post.
We found these babies in the middle of the road. Our guide moved them to safety.
They made me think of the babies in MY life—Jamie, Bonnie, Kate, Jack and Ava, and I started to wonder whether THEIR children will be able to view these magnificent creatures roaming free in their natural environment, a hundred years from now. I fervently hope so!
Here are photos of just a few of the incredible animals we have seen over the past two weeks.
This post is for all you kids out there, regardless of age, and especially for my great nieces and nephews–my family’s newest generation.
Come to Africa! Spend money! Help the locals earn a living preserving this wonderful experience for the generations that follow us.
HyenaOstrichZebraRed breasted beautiful bird. (My own terminology)Crocodile
August 3, 2014
Today will be a travel day. We leave Victoria Falls, change planes in Johannesburg, and end up in Cape Town tonight.
I loved YOUR answers to Quiz #2 — and you definitely get points for creativity!
Here are MY answers.
1. Yes, deer have antlers and antelopes have horns. The horns are actually part of the animal’s skull. Antlers are shed every year.
We didn’t see any deer during our safari. Guess I’ll just have to wait till I get home and look on my back yard for one of them!
2. That is a termite mound! Africans use it to build their homes. Termites are edible, but our guide, Sondy chose not to demonstrate. He just dug into the mound with that stick and pulled a couple out for show and tell.
3. The two names are Wildebeest or Gnu hanging out with his buddies, the impalas.
4. Can you see the eagle peeking out of his nest?
5. The impala was dragged up the tree by a leopard who wanted to keep his dinner safe from other predators.
6. There are two correct answers for this one: lower jaw of a hippo, or African bush toilet.
Just flip it over, prop the back up with a stick, and you’re in business!
That’s all for today. Thanks to all who have been playing along. I hope it’s been as good for you as it was for me!
Destination NOW 