vacation – Page 2 – Destination NOW

Udaipur

What an incredible hotel! I know, I know, I have been saying that about every hotel on this trip, but every time I say it, it’s the TRUTH and I have photos to prove it.

I’m running out of adjectives to describe how grand the Oberoi hotels are, so you’ll just have to see for yourself.

I’m so glad we are staying here for three nights because that gives us the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful pool area,

fully appreciate the interior of the hotel,

and stroll along the magnificent grounds by the lake.

We had fantastic outdoor dining at the hotel two of our three nights in Udaipur.

Dinner on our last night in Udaipur was at the home of the grandson of a former prime minister. The grandson is a chef, who prepared a selection of wonderful Indian foods, mostly vegetarian, but including mutton and chicken dishes.

Prior to dinner, we were dressed in saris and turbans. Yes, we HAD to be dressed by an expert, because none of us would have been able to master the tucks and twirls on our own.

These are my new friends from Naples, Florida. You can see we each have been wrapped differently.

When we arrived in Udaipur, we immediately headed for lunch at the Lily Court, which was also an art gallery and sculpture garden. This was my favorite piece.

Next stop was the Nagda Temple, which was constructed in the 11th century, and partially destroyed by Muslims who objected to the erotic wall decorations.

This complex, dedicated to Vishnu, is known as the Sas-Bahu Temple.

On our second day, we strolled through the market, then headed for the garden constructed for the king’s harem.

We were so very lucky that the rain held off until we were back in our rickshaws. I shared my rickshaw with Jennifer, our trip leader, so I heard her talking to our local guide as they tried to figure out whether the downpour would continue, requiring them to cancel our walk through the garden.

Magically, the rain stopped, so we were able to enjoy the gardens with their beautiful fountains.

Each couple got their own rickshaw, so as a single, I got my own. The driver would take us wherever we wanted to go. We could choose to shop for jewelry, textiles, cashmere, or go to lunch, to an ATM, or back to the hotel.

Believe it or not, I was able to do all of the above, probably because I had zero interest in fine gems. I DID find a cashmere wrap that was different from anything I’d ever seen.

While in Udaipur, we enjoyed a cruise on Lake Pichola. It has some naturally occurring “islands” that are now sites for incredibly gorgeous hotels. Doesn’t it appear to float on the water?

After our boat ride, a tourist train took us to the city palace entrance.

Of course, the palace was richly decorated, with mosaics covering the walls.

The rooms were interconnected by very narrow winding passages, with head smashing doorways for the taller people in the group. (Bet you’ve figured out how I know that!)

What struck me was the distance between the Kings and the queen’s bedrooms.

I had assumed that the KING was making the journey along the dark passages to get to the Queen. Wrong. When I asked, our guide told me the king would SUMMON the Queen, and SHE would have to find her way along the dark, narrow passages.

In my defense, I thought the queen’s bedroom was far more interesting. I had no trouble imagining the king taking full advantage of that swing. Sorry. That’s just how my mind works.

Elephants were an important part of defense. This statue commemorates how they “worked out” every day.

We leave this wonderful location for an all day journey to Cochin, also known as Kochi, which requires two flights connecting in Bangalore.

Jaipur

Just when I thought “this trip couldn’t POSSIBLY get any better”, it does!

Our hotel, the Oberoi Rajvillas is even more magnificent than the Leela Palace in Delhi. How is that even possible? Well, check out my room.

That’s nothing. The bathroom is even more spectacular.

I was the only woman who chose to return to the hotel rather than shop for jewelry during our free afternoon.

Display at our hotel—a bit too ornate for me

Why? So I’d have time to take a bath and use the pool.

Although it LOOKS like a maharajah’s palace, the Oberoi Rajvillas is actually a luxury hotel that was built to resemble a palace.

The Rambagh Palace, where we had dinner, was the REAL deal. Built in 1835, it became the principal residence of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and his wife, Maharani Gayatri Devi. After India became independent in 1947, the Maharaja converted Rambagh Palace into India’s first luxury “palace hotel”.

Check out how we were greeted and escorted in for dinner.

As one might expect, dinner was incredible. The wine flowed freely, so freely that when Jennifer asked for a volunteer to dance with the professionals, I rose to the occasion, thinking other members of the group would join in. They didn’t. Instead my friend Bill, took this video.

This style of dancing is called Kathak and it is extremely difficult to follow, because the foot stomping pattern changes unexpectedly. I gave up trying and instead decided to go “free style”. At least my travel companions were amused.

Jaipur was noisy, crowded, chaotic and beautiful.

Crossing the street was even more hair raising than crossing in Hanoi, because in Vietnam the streets are not as wide.

I’ll confess to being challenged to find just a few photos of the many incredible things we experienced. This is my attempt to give a feel for the wonder of Jaipur without posting so many photos that your eyes roll back into your head.

Before our dinner at the Rambagh Palace, we took a jeep to the Amber Fort.

Every time we went over a bump, Jeff and I hit our heads on the jeep’s ceiling. We were glad it was made of cloth instead of metal!

On our way, we visited this water source.

The Amber Fort is a popular site for wedding photos. This was actually a “practice shoot” pre-wedding, to make sure the real thing turns out perfectly.

The “fort” contains a gorgeous garden with fountains.

Check out the mirrored designs on the fort’s walls.

You could get a panoramic view of Jaipur from the fort.

We toured the Jantar Mantar Observatory and the City Palace Museum on our second day in Jaipur. The photo atop this post is of the throne room in the palace.

Our lunch at the Raj Palace was extraordinary. My only regret was that I didn’t know the names of these wonderful dishes so that I could order them again.

We ended the evening by visiting the 18th-century Shiva temple, where this group photo was taken.

Next stop, Udaipur.

Agra

By the time we arrived in Agra, it was after 8 PM, too dark for the promised view of the Taj Mahal from my hotel’s window. Instead, I enjoyed the night view of the hotel’s entrance and pool area.

Here’s what I was able to see during daylight. My eyes are far better than my iPhone’s camera, but you get the idea.

My room was exactly what I needed after a very long day,

especially since our scheduled departure was at 6:10 AM, so we could get to the Taj Mahal in time for sunrise. Once again, the weather didn’t cooperate; it was too cloudy to see the sun, but it was still rather wonderful.

Yes, we all have seen many photos of this gorgeous building. But none of the photos I’ve ever seen have been able to capture the fine detail. Take a look at the exquisite carvings,

the colors of the precious stones forming the inlaid designs,

then try to visualize the complexity of the designs covering the entire edifice.

The interior was equally breathtaking. Although we were able to enter the mausoleum, us “common folks” aren’t allowed to photograph the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and his wife, Mumtaz. Clearly someone was granted permission, because YouTube videos of the interior exist. If you want to sneak a peek, just do a google search.

When we arrived, we witnessed why we were told not to bring food into the grounds. This guy seemed to thoroughly enjoy his pilfered granola bar.

The red sandstone entrance housed a photographic history of the Taj Mahal.

I wasn’t aware that this wonder of the world had been abandoned during the late 1800’s. The vegetation that was growing wildly over the grounds almost obscured the mausoleum.

Sorry about the reflections on the photo

Next, we toured a very small percentage of the Agra Fort. That was where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his youngest son until his death. That son also knocked off his brothers so that he could seize power and rule as emperor.

Shah Jahan was able to view the distant Taj Mahal from the windows of his quarters at the Agra Fort. Not bad for a prison cell, wouldn’t you say? One of his daughters was allowed to stay in the adjoining room to take care of dad.

For those unfamiliar with the story, Shah Jahan and his wife, Mumtaz Mahal were married for 20 years, during which she gave birth 14 times and had two miscarriages. Yikes! SIXTEEN pregnancies within 20 years! After she died giving birth to her 14th child, at age 39, Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a reminder of the love they had shared.

Next stop, Jaipur, butts in the bus by 7:45 AM.

How lucky am I to be traveling with such a wonderful, interesting group! I’m thoroughly enjoying getting to know each one of them.

Varanasi

Initially I was NOT impressed with Varanasi, because of the crowds, traffic, trash in the streets, wandering cows and stray dogs. It was hard for me to believe that Varanasi is considered one of India’s most sacred cities. But after our evening and morning cruises on the Ganges, I changed my mind!

Hindus believe that if you are cremated on this special ghat ( the one with the “everlasting flame” ) by the Ganges, you are released from the cycle of death and rebirth, earning an “express pass” to nirvana. We witnessed the full cremation ceremony from our riverboat.

It reminded me of the Catholics’ belief in the 9 first Fridays. So, for those who didn’t go to Catholic school, here’s the scoop. If you go to mass and communion for the first Friday of the month, NINE times in a ROW, you are guaranteed that a priest would pop up just before you die to give you the last rites. That means you have the chance to confess your sins and be forgiven. You might have to spend a little time in Purgatory, but at least you won’t go to hell.

Varanasi is to devout Hindu what Mecca represents to Muslims, and Jerusalem to Jews. Supposedly, most Hindus want to make a pilgrimage to Varanasi, at least once in their lifetime, to take an early morning “dip” into the Ganges. For those unable to make the trip, perhaps they might persuade someone to do it for them; that person would have to go underwater multiple times to ensure their friends are completely purified.

After our flight from Delhi to Varanasi, and our evening cruise, I briefly considered skipping the sunrise rituals, which required getting up at 5 AM. I’m so glad that I didn’t!

Twenty five years ago my friend celebrated her birthday by submerging herself in the Ganges. Back then, the river was polluted with dead animals, ashes, and miscellaneous bacteria floating along among the multitudes of humans bathing there. Since then, treatment towers ( the yellow structures) have been built, so the water is much cleaner.

Good thing, because water from the Ganges is considered “purifying” and holy. Devout Hindus sprinkle Ganges water in their homes first thing in the morning and again before sunset, then blow a conch shell to banish negativity.

During our college years, my friend (the Ganges bather) celebrated St Patrick’s day by skinny dipping in Boston’s Charles River. Of course, that was after she consumed prodigious amounts of green beer. Sorry, no iPhones back then, so no video of Boston’s “ finest” plucking her from the river.

But I digress. Let’s get back to Varanasi. Not only is the city sacred to Hindus, it is also important to Buddhists because Buddha gave his first sermon in Varanasi, at Sarnath.

The following photos are of a Bodhi tree, which can be identified by its heart shaped leaves. When the Buddha stood underneath the Bodhi tree, he achieved enlightenment. Sadly, when I planted myself firmly under that same tree, no such thing happened to me. Maybe I needed to stand there longer?

The on site museum at Sarnath houses finds from Archaeological digs, including this statue of four lions.

Anyone who has visited the Alhambra in Granada, Spain might be reminded of the Lion Court which has similar statuary.

On the way to the sunrise ceremony, our guide warned us to be on the lookout for cow dung. He explained that the cows we have seen roaming the streets all have owners. The owners allow the cows to roam freely during the day, after they have been fed and milked. In the evening, the cows return home and are sheltered overnight.

Our guide told us the cows are fed during the day by some of the locals. If the cows are fed two or three times, they return to that house regularly, at the same time every day. If the residents aren’t waiting, with food, the cow uses its horns to knock on the door.

Sadly, it was a cloudy morning, so we didn’t get to see the sunrise. What I did get was a photo of the hotel where George Harrison stayed. He was there long enough to experience a gorgeous sunrise which inspired him to compose the song “ here comes the sun”. It was in Varanasi that Harrison met and collaborated with Ravi Shankar.

Our early morning walk through the center of Varanasi was a visual feast. The statues on the buildings presented opportunities for our guide to educate us about the three main Hindu gods: Brahma the creator, Vishnu, the maintainer and Shiva, the destroyer of evil.

After returning to the hotel for breakfast, we departed to visit a silk production center where we were able to view looms and engage in retail therapy. We then headed to the airport for a return flight to Delhi, and a long drive to Agra. We arrived at our beautiful hotel around 8 PM, with barely enough energy to have dinner, and go to bed.

We saw and experienced a lot during our less than 24 hour stay in Varanasi!

The Tauck Trip Commences!

After a quick lunch (I discovered that room service is the only way to get just a bowl of soup here!) I met up with the group and was pleased to learn that instead of the anticipated 25, there are only 17 of us.

Two couples are from Australia (Jeff & Pam, Dave & Dee) . Unlike my past OAT trips, I am the only solo traveler. I guess Tauck’s hefty single supplement encourages solo travelers to look elsewhere. There are two female friends traveling together ( Gloria and Sue from Naples, FL) and a mother/ daughter duo (Suzy and Whitney from Vail, CO).

Gloria, Sue and I enjoyed a fantastic welcome dinner at the hotel’s Indian restaurant. We shared the table with Jim & Sherrie and Tom & Alison, 2 couples from the greater Washington DC area, who travel together.

The menu. I wanted to remember the names of the food we had, because everything was delicious. I’d have it again!

The remaining couples are Joann & Don from Racine, WI and Pat & Bill from Brookline, MA.

Pat and Bill are a “ new” couple who got together after Pat’s husband died.

Yesterday afternoon, we toured the place where Gandhi was assassinated. By then, the morning’s Bollywood session and lack of sleep had caught up with me. I was exhausted, so instead of touring the site, I watched the monkeys, including this fine fellow.

Luckily, I got my second wind in time for the evening’s cocktail hour, and the aforementioned dinner, during which the wine flowed freely. So freely, that when I awoke at 11PM, I thought it was morning. It took me a while to realize the room was bright, not from the sun, but because I fell asleep ( passed out?) with the lights on. Fortunately, I was able to go right back to sleep. This time, with the lights out.

Our day was spent touring the cities that comprised old and new Delhi. Our guide explained about the 10 cities of Delhi, but it was confusing and frankly not all that interesting to me, so I didn’t pay attention. I was too busy being wowed by all the lush greenery, the gardens and the fabulous murals lining the roadway. It was NOT what I expected!

Our first stop was the UNESCO World Heritage site, Humayun’s Tomb. It dates back to the late 1500’s. The photo heading this post is of the tomb.

Here’s another view of this spectacular sandstone and marble building. Our guide told us it inspired the Taj Mahal.

The tomb contains 100 bodies, and since it was Muslim, the bodies were buried, not cremated.

Our next site visit was to the 18-story stone Qutub Minar Victory Tower. This minaret was built more than eight centuries ago, and is located in one of the earliest surviving mosque complexes in India.

By then, we had all worked up quite an appetite, so we were delighted by the feast at the Olive Restaurant. We all had slices of the wonderful thin crust pizza and tomato soup, but then we were able to choose our own entrees. I selected the roasted butternut squash, with Kalamata olives. It was so great, eating it was almost a religious experience! Everyone else was equally enthusiastic about their choices. By the time we had finished dessert, we were so full, ( and it was so late in the day) dinner seemed excessive. Sorry, no food photos. My phone’s battery was almost as exhausted as I was yesterday!

Tomorrow we fly to Varanasi, so had to separate our belongings, taking enough for an overnight, with the rest of our luggage being driven to Agra.

Delhi On My Own

Oh my God! Or should I say “Oh my Buddha”? I think I just stumbled into Paradise.

For the price of a mediocre hotel room in New York I got all this:

PLUS an included breakfast! And what a breakfast it IS!

That is just a small sample of the delights offered at the buffet.

I’ll be lucky if I only gain my usual 5 trip pounds!

My Indian friends have introduced me to their wonderful cuisine, but I can’t remember the names of my favorite foods. The dish on the right is called Doha—at least that’s what I THINK it’s called. Here’s my problem: The Indians here are all very soft spoken. Throw in their accent and my piss poor hearing, and I’m challenged to understand what I’m being told.

The service is truly amazing. I’ve been “namasted” countless times since arrival. When you ask for directions, the staff doesn’t just point, they ESCORT you to wherever you want to go. Good thing, because I never, ever would have found the ATM. It’s in the basement, down three flights, and behind an unmarked door.

I’ve toured the spa and used the exercise facility, and enjoyed the infinity pool on the 11th floor. I figure I should take advantage of the pool while I can still fit into my bathing suit!

Never before have I been given a cooler with cold cloths and drinks. In fact, at some hotels in my past, I was lucky to get a chair and a towel.

The bathrobe and the covered chair were not made for jumbo sized Americans, but I’ve learned to scrunch.

TWO photos of me in this post. (You happy, Jean? These are for you. You see, I DO take requests).

I have NO desire to leave this heaven on earth today. Tomorrow, I have a Bollywood class before the official start of the tour. That’s why I needed to go to the ATM. The 1 hour Bollywood class is 3,800 rupees, or about $44, and they wanted cash.

The concierge wasn’t able to hide his surprise when I told him that’s what I wanted to do. I guess they don’t get many requests for Bollywood classes. At least not from someone my age.

I loved the breakfast buffet so much, I decided to return to the same restaurant for lunch. The food was so beautifully presented, I wanted to sample EVERYTHING, which meant I made a colossal pig of myself. So much so, that I was really not in the mood for a big dinner. Although Le Cirque’s menu shows only prix fixe options, I inquired, and I was allowed to order only the soup of the day and a glass of wine. I didn’t even have a reservation! Good thing they aim to please at this hotel.

Tomorrow I hope to complete my transition to India time. I leave for my Bollywood class at 9:30 AM returning in time for lunch and to meet my new travel buddies at 1:30 PM.

India with Tauck

I know, i know. I was supposed to finish writing about August’s fantastic trip to Canada, and maybe at some point, I’ll attempt to do justice to that wonderful country, terrific itinerary, amazing tour guide and congenial companions. Somehow time managed to slip away and sadly, inspiration never hit during that slippery time.

So here I am, at Newark airport, with an hour and a half until I board my United flight to Delhi, India.

This will be my first trip with Tauck. It is significantly more expensive than my usual travel company, OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel). However, the Tauck trip has a more expansive itinerary , made possible because travel between cities is mainly via air.

Just in case you can’t see the map atop this post, these are the areas we will be visiting over the next three weeks.

I’m lucky to have two good friends who were born in India. I asked both to review the itinerary and both gave it two thumbs up. They also informed me that traveling with a company known for luxury was the best way to experience India.

Our United flight departs at 9:20 PM and is supposed to land in Delhi at 9:30 PM tomorrow. No, I’m not flying for 24 hours (thank God!) It’s a 14 hour flight, with a nine and a half hour time difference.

Because I wouldn’t want to spend my arrival night sitting in the lobby waiting to check in the following day, I booked into the Tauck hotel two nights before the trip officially starts. I’m guessing I’ll need at least that amount of time to recover from the flight and time difference.

Almost ten years ago, I stopped in Delhi on my way to Bhutan just long enough to take a Bollywood class. I’m hoping to do that again and will compare the videos to see what the ravages of time have done to my body and my ability to shake, shake, shake.

Although I had hoped to use points to upgrade to business, that didn’t work out, so no lay flat seat for me. At least I was able to get into economy plus. I TRIED to get into Newark’s Polaris lounge, because it is so very nice. I thought that with gold status and an international destination, it was worth a shot. But without my boarding pass identifying me as a business passenger, I was sent to the domestic lounge. However, I learned something: passengers with gold status don’t need to pay or use United passes to get into the lounge. Your boarding pass is all you need.

Newsflash! I was standing in line, waiting to board and I happened to look up at the upgrade screen. Yes, Mol.S is ME! Yippee! Yes, it WAS at the very last minute, but I’ll take it.

Okay, so I missed out on the Polaris lounge, and my luggage may not be tagged as priority, but at least I got wonderful food and a comfortable flight. This trip is off to a GREAT start.

I hope you’ll spend the next three weeks traveling along with me! I may run out of blogging steam along the way, ( I usually do) but at least I’m starting out with good intentions.

Montreal

Well, we were SUPPOSED to fly from Montreal to Halifax today, but the Air Canada flight attendants decided to be rebellious and ignore the “back to work” orders from the Canadian government.

Instead, we are rolling along the highway with our Croatian driver for the next 13 hours.

Our two nights in Montreal got off to a promising start. Although we experienced torrential rain as we were leaving Quebec City, it was less of a downpour by the time we got to the “Sugar Shack”. At that stop along the way, we learned about the intricacies of maple syrup creation and got to sample maple taffy.

The taffy is made by drizzling very thick maple syrup on ice or snow, then wrapping the hardening substance around what looks like a tongue depressor

By the time we arrived in Montreal, and finished lunch, the rain had stopped. Our lunch was a Canadian specialty – delicious smoked meat (it tasted like corned beef).

The sandwich was so huge, I had to take it apart to eat it! Before I had finished half of what was served, I was full.

Before we arrived at the hotel, we had a bus tour of Montreal’s highlights. Good thing we were on a bus, because after that huge lunch, I was ready for a nap. Walking was out of the question!

Even if we’d had enough time ( we didn’t) and even if Barbara, my travel buddy had been with me ( she wasn’t), there was no way I was going to climb those steps to see the interior of yet another cathedral! ( So I didn’t).

Originally, I had booked a dinner with Chef Rob for my first night in Montreal, at the recommendation of my Canadian friend, Nancy. Unfortunately, Chef Rob had a family emergency, and had to cancel, but Laurie, our tour guide provided us with multiple attractive alternatives for dinner on our own.

I liked the Universel Déjeuners et Grillades, (especially the Mimosa Margarita, which is one of their specialty drinks) so much that I had dinner there BOTH nights.

I know, how boring. Here I am in one of the great “foodie” cities, and I go to the same restaurant TWICE? What can I say. It was close to our hotel, and the wine pours were generous.

Our one full day in Montreal was unstructured, but Laurie provided options for us.

After 15 minutes, I’d seen enough of the market.

Although I have seen plenty of markets, I decided to join her, mainly so I could get the hang of Montreal’s metro system. It is EASY! Color coded lines ( like Boston) and oh so CLEAN! I have to admit it. Americans are SLOBS.

There was no graffiti, no trash, no urine smell, just artwork. How do they DO that?

Do they ban spray paint? The buildings and highways were clean too. We’ve been driving along the highway for hours, without my spotting a single piece of trash. Trust me. I’ve been looking.

But back to my day in Montreal. When Mike and I were there in 2019, we visited the biosphere, which is located close to the Botanical Gardens. Had it not been a cold, cloudy day, we would have spent it wandering through that gorgeous place. It took 6 years, but FINALLY I got to spend about 4 hours enjoying the greenhouses, exhibits and special gardens.

My favorite was the Chinese Garden. I loved the fantastic sculptures in the pond.

The greenhouses were equally impressive, with waterfalls and orchids.

We ended our day with “Aura”, a light and sound show in the Notre Dame Basilica.

I felt like SUCH a big girl, finding my way via metro from the Botanical Gardens to the Basilica all by myself!

While awaiting the rest of my group to arrive, I enjoyed the musicians and performers in the square. there was a little of everything: dancers, violinists, singers.

The show started at 5:30PM and lasted for 30 glorious minutes. I highly recommend it! Please keep in mind, I’ve seen enough churches, cathedrals and basilicas to last 5 lifetimes! But this was truly special.

These two statues are supposed to represent the cultural divide between the French and English Canadians.

The snooty Englishman is turning his nose up at the Basilica, which represents French Catholicism and the French lady on the opposite corner of the square is gazing scornfully at the symbol of English power, the Bank of Montreal.

UPDATE: We arrived in Halifax a little before 1AM, so it actually took almost SIXTEEN hours by car. I don’t recommend it.

Oh Canada!

Normally, when I travel I arrive a day before the tour begins, but not THIS time. I figured I wasn’t changing time zones, so no jet lag to overcome, and with the short flight, I would arrive in the early afternoon. What could possibly go wrong? Well, I knew I didn’t have to worry about snowstorms closing the airport, but I completely forgot about thunderstorms and possible flooding. Oh yeah, I also forgot about airline strikes.

I don’t know whether it was the strike or the weather that got my flight canceled, but I was VERY grateful that United notified me the night before I was due to depart. That gave me enough time to notify my driver, rebook my flight from home and best of all, I avoided hanging out at the airport for hours, desperately hoping that the planes would fly again sometime soon.

Actually, the delay worked out for me, because on my recent trip to Massachusetts, my friend Jean and I inadvertently picked up each other’s credit cards. Although Jean attempted to overnight my card, the post office only CHARGED her for 1 day delivery–it actually took TWO days, so I was at home when my card finally arrived.

The header of this post is the map for the main trip. I am now on the pre-trip, which originally comprised three nights in Quebec City (now 2 for me), then Montreal for 2 nights. Whether the flight attendants’ strike will be settled by the time we are due to fly to Halifax is anybody’s guess. That’s why I’m glad I’m on a tour. I don’t have to figure anything out. That’s the trip leader’s job.

There are eight of us on the pre-trip, so finding alternative modes of transportation should be a lot easier than making sure the 30 main trip participants are able to get into Halifax.

But enough about the future—let’s focus on the present.

Our welcome dinner took place in the Hotel Clarendon, where we enjoyed singing along with the accordion player.

The morning of my one full day in Quebec City was spent the touring the parliament building, which was architecturally interesting. I loved the stained glass archway.

This corridor linking the old and new buildings synthesized art, music, architecture and technology . As people walked through the corridor, music played and flashing lights changed color.

Laurie, our trip leader took our first group shot outside of the parliament building.

Joanne, me, Kathy, Tony, Betsy, Mike, Nancy, Melinda

I had heard so much about poutine, I decided to try it for lunch at the Fairmont Hotel. What is poutine, you ask? Well, you take French fries, dump some kind of brown sauce all over them, then top with cheese curds and bacon bits. After a few forkfuls, I’d had enough, so I offered the rest to my travel buddies. They shared my side dish AND my lack of enthusiasm for this “delicacy”.

After lunch we were on our own, so I took advantage of the perfect weather to explore the city, walking atop the city walls. It took me a while to figure out how to get up there. Hint: There are steps along the city gates.

The view of the St Lawrence River was spectacular.

Instead of railings, we had signs.

Because we were here in the weekend, there were lots of street musicians and entertainers.

My assessment: Quebec City is lovely in the summer, and a great place to visit, but once is enough for me.

On to Montreal!

Pisek, Czech Republic

What a delightful surprise our lunch stop in Pisek turned out to be!

This blog is not a chronological record of my OAT itinerary. It continues to be whatever I feel like writing about. And I feel like writing about this sweet little undiscovered town.

We’ve been to Dresden, which was our final stop on the pre-trip, then we spent the first three days of the main trip in Prague. Both of these fascinating cities deserve posts of their own, and I’ll get to them eventually. There have just been far too many distractions for me to give them the attention they deserve.

Pisek is quite beautiful. Its old stone bridge predates Prague’s Charles Bridge by at least a century. Somehow, the bridge managed to survive several centuries worth of floods. The statues on the bridge weren’t so lucky. The originals were damaged and have since been repaired or replaced.

Don’t be fooled. Pisak also has MODERN attractions, like this one. I’ve seen pedal bars in Nashville, but I never have seen a Prosecco van. What a great concept!

Despite this vehicle’s obvious appeal, I found the sand sculptures even more compelling.

The header on this post describes the theme for this year’s sand sculptures — Freedom and Liberty, intended to commemorate the town’s 80th anniversary of their liberation after World War 2.

Did you recognize Gulliver, struggling to break free?

Lady Liberty has packed her bags. I’m hoping she’s not leaving the USA.

To me, the most compelling sculpture was this one, especially after being in Berlin. What a powerful demonstration of how much JFK’s words meant to the people in this part of our planet. .

Then I took a good look at the front of the sculpture. It shows Putin driving a car manufactured in East Germany by the Soviets. The Trabant had an engine that was likened to a lawn mower—about as powerful and just as smelly. East Germans would use trabants to escape to the Czech Republic, and then abandon the car in the street.

Take a close look at who is kissing up to Putin. Clearly he is not in the driver’s seat.

If you don’t recognize the iconic hair style, the sculptor has given us a hint. He has “king” written alongside his image. ( I would have added “wannabe” before the word “king”).

Why is it that Europeans can see so clearly what many Americans cannot? Perhaps because they have lived through Facism and Communism, they have a deep understanding of how fragile democracy can be and how important it is to preserve it, in every means possible, including the creation of sand sculptures.

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