vacation – Page 11 – Destination NOW

Our Last Day in the Czech Republic

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?

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

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 it his guy is on the right. — 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!

Biker Chicks Ride Again!

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??? — 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?

Answers to Africa Quiz #3

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.

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.

4. The Nobel Peace Prize winners were Chief Luthulu, Archbishop Tutu, De Klerk, and Nelson Mandela.

At Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, CapeTown

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!

For All the Babies

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.

Red breasted beautiful bird. (My own terminology)

Answer to Quiz #2

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!

Africa Quiz #2

We had so much fun with the last quiz ( and I believe I am using the papal “we” here), I figured we’d do it again.

1. What is the difference between an antelope and a deer?

2. Which creature built this structure? Hint: the one with the hat is NOT the correct answer!

3. This animal has two popular names. Do you know what they are?

4. What creature built THIS structure?
5. How did this impala get into the tree?

6. What do you think THIS is?

Good luck!
Answers when we get to Cape Town.

Karongwe River Lodge

Spectacular, unexpected, luxurious, exciting, thrilling, educational….I could continue to pump out the adjectives and still not do justice to this incredible place! So, I’m going to give my words a bit of a rest and let the photos do the bulk of the communication.

How fantastic is this room? We have a private deck overlooking the river. — How great is this room? We have a private deck overlooking the river.

If you think the tub is great, just wait till you see the shower!

Yep, that IS a huge window inside the shower. You can look out at the river and be grateful you don't have to bathe in it! — Yep, that IS a huge window inside the shower. You can look out at the river and be grateful you don’t have to bathe in it!

We had springbok filet which was absolutely delicious, plus more standard fare, like caramelized parsnips

We had our picnics during our two daily game drives: coffee and pastries to tide us over till our huge breakfast, and "sundowners" (beverage of choice--mine was wine) in the afternoon. — We had our picnics during our two daily game drives: coffee and pastries to tide us over till our huge breakfast, and “sundowners” (beverage of choice–mine was wine) in the afternoon. Setepi and Sondy, our driver and tracker

But it really was all about the animals, so I’m going to upload a couple of shots before the Internet shuts down on me. Here goes…

Saving the best for last…

Two Hours Till Blast Off

Remember that standard issue duffel bag? The one that all OAT travelers get? I decided I didn’t want to waste time at baggage areas determining which of the identical bags belonged to me, so I did a bit of “bag enhancement”.I know, I know…I probably should have given it some thought BEFORE I went wild with the sharpie markers, but hey, I figured I dramatically decreased the odds that this bag will be stolen. What self respecting thief would want to be seen dragging this along? Besides, a smart thief would suspect the bag’s contents would be equally jumbled and lacking in style.

I very thoughtfully had a “go” at Mike’s bag. A bit less exuberantly, but enough to provide the afore mentioned advantages.

We will be flying almost 8,000 miles. To put that into perspective, it is the equivalent of 2.5 flights from NJ to California, and it will take about the same length of time–15 hours.

We spend the night in Johannesburg then leave the following morning for Karongwe, a game reserve close to Kruger National Park. For all the map lovers, here’s a visual.

Three nights later, we return to Johannesburg. If I’m lucky, I’ll have wildlife photos to post.

Over and out!

Packing for A Month in Africa

OAT’s (Overseas Adventure Travel’s) wonderfully helpful website is loaded with lots of hints from those that have gone before. Thanks to them, I have a good idea of what to pack, and equally important, what NOT to pack.

I need to be prepared for cold mornings and evenings, high mid-day temperatures, and a school visit. Then after the tour ends, Mike and I are on our own in Cape Town for several days.

Suggestions for what to bring for the school visit included uninflated soccer balls and flip-flops plus the usual books, crayons, paper, pens and pencils. I also like to bring along a few frivolous things, like small stuffed animals.

The camps do our laundry every night, so 3 changes of clothes will do the trick, but I also needed a warm jacket, a hat, gloves, plus shorts and tee shirts and a bathing suit. Dressing in layers is key. I also need to plan for our time in Cape Town when we will be without daily laundry service.

I found jumbo zip lock bags at the supermarket and am using them to organize my wardrobe. But will all this, plus toiletries, fit into the duffel bag?

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to. One traveler suggested putting the duffel inside a much bigger bag, then packing everything into that one large suitcase. I tried that, but I easily exceeded the 50 pound weight limit. THEN I decided to check out South African Air’s luggage rules and was very excited to learn that in addition to my carry on, I can have TWO checked bags!!! I’m so used to the United Airlines restrictions, it didn’t occur to me that another airline’s checked baggage policy could be more liberal.

Being able to bring that second bag meant another trip to the Dollar Store for toothbrushes, combs and LOTS more school supplies, plus any odds and ends that I thought might be useful. I packed it all in an old suitcase that I plan to leave in Africa.

So, now my duffel will only contain MY stuff–plus another small duffel that I will use to bring back any purchases I make–good news for sisters, hermana preferida, cousins and other loved ones!

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