DELIGHTFUL AUSTRIA

GREIN, AUSTRIA

Approaching Grein we biked over part of the old horse path where decades ago horses trod pulling barges up and down the river. That was a first.

Grein is a picturesque little village providing wonderful Kodak moments.

          Our 700-year old hotel had been in the same family since 1912 and was furnished with antiques. The hotel was small but completely modernized. Across the street from the hotel was a bike shop and I didn’t waste any time getting there to buy a sheepskin seat cover for my bike. I hoped it would provide some relief. Unbelievably this had seemed like a pretty easy 40-mile day. Maybe it was the strudel.

          The village of Grein, established in 1147, presently had a population of 3000. The town hall, built in 1563, is still in use. Over a century ago the townspeople elected to move the cemetery out of town, as they wanted a more traditional church plaza.

            At this point the Danube is narrow with many rock outcroppings. In years past it was not uncommon for ships to run aground here and of course there is a legend about a beautiful mermaid sitting on the rocks distracting the ship’s crew. (I’ve heard a similar story several times in different places, but---) By the 12^th and 13^th centuries shipping had increased so much that piloting of ships became a booming business. In addition to the rock outcroppings large swells and dangerous whirlpools added to the danger. In 1489 the piloting business was taken over by two brothers who were friends with Fredric II. Fredric gave the village permission to incorporate in 1491.In 1847 the first steamboat started a new era of shipping.

          In the 1950s the stone outcroppings in the S curve of the river were blown up to provide safer shipping. Locks and an electrical generating plant were built in 1958.

            Immediately after breakfast the next morning we took a walking field trip to the castle high on the hill; the view of the river and countryside from the top was spectacular. The castle is still occupied by the prince who owns it. In 1489, 500 volunteers who were indebted to the king spent five years building the castle. The present prince likes to bowl so he had a special building erected to house a bowling alley and entertainment room. If one did not know the history one could speculate for a long time on the purpose of such an odd shaped building.

            During WW II the city was over-run by Russians who occupied the castle. They destroyed many of the furnishings and removed even more. The castle has been only partially restored.

            In 1642 a fire destroyed 73 of the 83 homes in Grein plus the church tower. The owner of the restaurant was found responsible for the fire and had to pay all damages.

             The most recent flood, in 1991, flooded all the waterfront homes where water reached ceiling level. All had been restored. It’s a charming small Austrian village.

SLOVIKIA

              Bratislava

The first time I rode by Slovakia on the way to Budapest  I remember seeing a lot of communist-era concrete apartments in the distance . They really are ugly, but they did provide quick housing for a lot of people. Now 65 years later they are deteriorating and hopefully will be torn down and replaced with something more pleasing to the eye. I also remember seeing acres and acres of sunflowers. That was a pretty sight.

Slovakia became an independent nation in 1993 after the ‘velvet divorce’ which separated the Czech Republic and Slovakia from Czechoslovakia which itself only came into being in 1918 after WW I. Bratislava is one of the youngest capitals in Europe and few people know that during the10^th century when it was called Pressburg or Pozsony  it was one of the most important cities in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  A newcomer on the European map Slovakia is one of ten young democracies. A member of the European Union, it went on the Euro (€) in  2009. Bratislava,  the capital of Slovakia,  has a history that goes back to Celtic and Roman times.

Slovakia is a country of natural beauty with nine national parks, over 100 medieval castles, many historic towns, 150 castle ruins and unique structures and churches. More than 4000 caves are registered in the country, but only a dozen of them are open to the public.

It seems every city along the Danube was in the crossroad of the east-west trade route. Although Celts, Romans and Slavs have inhabited the area, the golden era was during the reign of Maria Teresa. She was crowned queen in Pressburg, as were ten other kings over a period of 300 years.

The country now is taxing consumption rather than income with a 19% VAT tax which actually increased the tax coffers. The gross national product increased 8% in 1996 and continues to rise. In 2000 the unemployment rate was 21 %, by 1997 nationwide it was 9% and in the capital city only 2%.

I fell in love with Bratislava during my first happen-chance visit, so I jumped on the chance to visit the quaint city again three years later. The second time I indulged in a rich chocolate dessert, saw new and different parts of the city and had great fun in photographing some of the city’s whimsical statuary.      

I also learned that the Maximilian Fountain was built in 1572 in the Austrian stone workshop of Andreas Lutringer, with a financial contribution from Hungary's King Maximilian II. However, it is better known as Roland’s Fountain. It consists of a massive 9-meter  diameter circular tank that houses  a 10.5-meter-high column topped by a statue of a knight in armor. Many believe the statue represents the knight Roland, a legendary defender of the city's rights. Others consider the  statue  to be Maximilian II.

To this day, a legend still attaches to the fountain. The knight normally stands with his face turned towards the town hall. However, once a year, precisely at the stroke of midnight at New Year, he turns and bows in the direction of the former town hall, honoring the twelve councilors who in the past gave their lives in order to save the city. He is also rumored to come to life on Good Friday when he moves in broad daylight from his pedestal and waves his sword, Durandal, in all four directions, to show the town that it still enjoys his protection. However, it is said that when he does so he can be seen only by a born-and-bred citizen of Bratislava, one with a pure heart who has never harmed anyone. Aren't legends fun?

ARDASTRA GARDENS AND ZOO

                                                A Delightful Nassau Visit

            While in the Bahamas the dolphins and rays were my granddaughter's choices, the gardens and zoo were mine. We spent a delightful morning on a warm sunny day. After the jitney (small local bus) let us off we had  a 10 minute walk to the entrance. The big attraction here is the flamingo parade which takes place three times a day. We were aiming for the 10 AM show.

The brain child of Hedley Vivian Edwards, a Jamaican horticulturalist, the garden opened to the public in 1937.  Edwards wanted to create a luscious garden in the heart of Nassau which was not an easy task as the area in those days was more of a marshland than a lush garden. The name Ardastra comes from the Latin, Ardua astrum, literally meaning Striving for the stars.

In 1982 Norman Solomon, a Bahamian, bought the gardens and   added a zoo. The area covers five acres. The zoo is a rescue center and nature preserve. Winding pathways weave around lovely tropical grounds. Little hidden treasures, maybe an inviting bench, wait periodically around bends in the pathways.

We walked part of the gardens before show time.  Seeing a pair of black swans I read on an information board, “A male swan is called a cob, a female a pen and a baby a cygnet.”

A caracal (small cat) was pacing in his enclosure. He’s named for a Turkish word meaning black ears. The serval (African wild cat) has the longest legs and largest ears in proportion to his body of any other animal. (Had to come home and Google these two animals to learn more.)

After visiting with the meerkats it was time to make it to the arena. Flamingos were over hunted for meat in the 1940s and 50s, but their numbers have recovered. They are shy by nature, but the birds at the zoo are used to people. There were 25-30 in the parade and they ranged in age from six months to 41 years.  The average lifespan in the wild is four years.

There are six species of flamingos and they have an average wing span of five feet. The largest part of their mouth is on the bottom as they are bottom feeders.  A female lays one egg a year and both male and female incubate and then care for the baby. They have web feet and can fly up to 40 miles at a speed of 25 miles per hour!   The parade birds respond to the commands of march, right, turn and stop.It was fun and pretty funny at times to watch this parade.

Afterward,  we continued wandering and saw several species of Iguana. The green iguana is a common pet, but when it gets big it is often abandoned by its owners and it often becomes a threat to native wildlife.  The capybaras were dry and eating from a bowl. The only other capybara I’ve ever seen was in Montreal, Canada and he was wet and stayed near the water. This semi-aquatic animal is the largest of all rodents and has incisors 6-inches long! You don’t want to get bit! They can dive and can stay under water for five minutes.

There were several macaws in the gardens. These colorful gorgeous birds can live 50-100 years often outliving their owners. We spent a fair amount of time watching Sheba and Sasha a pair of jaguar sisters. One was cross-eyed and they are permanent residents of the zoo. What beautiful animals!

When we were finished at Ardastra we walked back to catch the jitney for a late lunch down town.

GERMAN FOOD AND DRINK EXPERIENCES

                New Experiences

           

            In Bamberg, Germany, population 70,000, there are nine breweries. In 1800 with a population of only 15,000 there were 64 breweries! There are eight miles of beer caves. The city is known for rauchbier, smokey beer. In 1678, a fire in a brewery sent smoke into the area where the hops and other beer ingredients were stored. Not about to lose a whole years’ harvest, they brewed the beer anyway. That year’s brew had a distinctive smokey aroma and taste, and as they say the rest is history.

It was late morning when we visited the brewhaus for a glass of the famous beer. It is a taste one either loves or hates. But no matter it was different and interesting.

             ******************* 

In Munich at lunch we were served a huge plate of thinly sliced white radish. We had this often, but more as a garnish than a whole plate full. They have a mild taste and must grow pretty big. Tennis ball sized dumplings and pigs’ knuckles, called stelze, followed. The pork was tender. Later we viewed the pigs’ knuckles turning on a spit in the kitchen window. In Germany everyone wanted to serve us apflestrudel and it ranged from fair to very good. This one was very good, but I have yet to taste an apple strudel any better than the one I had in Eizendorf seven or eight years earlier!

        ************************ 

At the Heidelberg Castle restaurant we were served a students’ lunch which started with a large green salad. This was followed with mouth pockets, which were large ravioli-like pastas filled with  cheese, spinach and meat. They were very different, and I really liked them. It just seemed strange not to have a marina sause over them.

       ************************* 

On an all day of river cruising  at 10:30 AM we participated in fruhschoppen.  It was explained that this is the time of day citizens congregate at a local establishment for beer, sausage and camaraderie.

       *************************

In Wurzburg the coolness was noticeable as we entered the 750-foot-long wine cellar, the largest wine cellar in Germany. Sitting at long tables we found wine glasses and a basket of white bread at each seat. While we sampled three different and delicious wines we were told, “We still use oak barrels which cost about $2000 each, but we feel it is worth it to give our wines a wooden kiss. There are 220 barrels in the cellar and all but ten are full of wine.

“Years ago the public was allowed in the wine cellar and they would thump on the barrel to determine the fullness. This gave them a bit of bargaining power for the cost of the wine. Of course today everything is bottled.  The barrels are cleaned each year, usually in August, before the new grape harvest.  As you pass through the cellar you will see some barrels with carved fronts. Those are commemorative barrels designed for a special event. There is one fairly new one which is lighted for photo ops.”

A TIGHT SCHEDULE

 In a Hurry In London

On each of several trips to London I did and saw different things. In February  ’99 a friend of mine spent a week in England visiting friends. She talked me into meeting her in London for a week afterward. She wanted to do some genealogy research and see some shows.  I agreed and we had a fun week.

We saw a show every evening and during the day while she was doing her research I spent the time sightseeing.   We stayed in a B&B just off Leicester Square (pronounced Lester).    On this trip Stonehenge was on my list. Since our B&B did not have a concierge, I walked over to a Thistle Hotel one evening to book my trip for the next morning.

Because of a tube strike (subway) we were a good half hour late in getting started as we had to wait for a few late arrivals to get through the traffic snarls. We ran late everywhere we went on a full and busy day. We left Bath a bit after 5:00 PM ---in rush hour---for the two hour drive back to London. Normally that would not be a problem, but I had tickets to see Chicago that evening.

That morning we each put our theater ticket in our pocket and agreed if I was not back by 7:30 my friend would head to the theater and I’d meet her there.

That was a smart move!

On the  bus the guide asked if anyone had plans for the evening. As we approached London he told me, “The driver can let you out at the Hammersmith tube station and you’ll probably make it back to the city quicker by tube than if you stay on the bus.”

 Since we had walked to the theater to buy the tickets for the sold-out show I knew it was a good ten minute walk. I decided to take the guide’s advice.

The tube is quick. I exited the subway at the proper  city stop and found the entrance nearest to our B&B’s street. When I spotted an empty cab I flagged him down and asked, “Please take me to the B&B so I can off load these books, then I need to go to the Adelphi Theater.”

“The B&B is just down the street.”

“I know, but I’m really pushing the clock”  It already was 7:37. The cabbie shrugged his shoulders as I jumped in the cab.

I ran up the entrance stairs of the B&B and hopped in the elevator. When exiting I put a chair in the elevator door to hold it on my floor while I ran in the room and dropped my parcels. A quick down elevator ride and out the door I found my cabbie waiting for me and we were off. He dropped me off just before the theater saying, “The theater is about 20 yards around the corner. Thank you love. Enjoy the show.”

After a quick restroom stop I practically ran down the aisle and was in my seat 3 minutes before curtain time. After a full and interesting day I took a deep breath, relaxed and enjoyed the show!

All about Stonehenge another day.

SCANDINAVIA

                     General Impressions

      Except for Finland, that is on the Euro, each country has its own currency and about 5-6 crowns equal 1 US dollar. Americans were welcome everywhere and English is common. The tourist industry is booming and all the capitals accommodate cruise ships.

           In summer, daylight hours are long. Cities and restrooms are spotlessly clean.     Each city had numerous parks and there is lots of statuary in towns, made from granite or bronze. Buildings are of stone and outdoor cafés are popular. Although public transport is good, fast, and efficient, the major cities are very walkable and easily seen on foot. Cars and trucks tend to be small, but buses are large tourist ones. One rarely hears a car horn. Cabs take credit cards.

            Open air fresh produce and fish markets are in all cities. We were actually encouraged to make a sandwich for lunch at breakfast---A first! Hotel beds all had duvets and it was common to see men with ponytails.

        
 Helsinki is a low-rise city with wide streets, but watch the drivers who would just as soon   run you over as not. Do not assume the driver will stop if you step into the street! Winter winds blow ice to the area so ice breakers are commonly seen working. Finns are not chocolate eaters but like licorice which comes in many flavors.

  In Copenhagen bicycles are everywhere. The Danish are friendly. The city is full of gorgeous architecture. Picturesque thatched roofs are common in the countryside. In the city one will pay to pee. The Stroget is the famous mile-long pedestrian shopping area.

Sweden is very expensive. It is common to see people eating while walking along the street. It seems everyone was smoking. The drivers were more pedestrian friendly than in Finland. The harbor was full of boats, both moored and sailing.

 Norway was also full of smokers. It is also a very expensive country for the tourist. The streets are narrow and there are a few high-rise buildings. Drivers are courteous and give pedestrians a break. Fountains in parks were a big thing. The city is full of chestnut trees. Public restrooms were frequent. Mornings started out misty but it cleared mid morning. Restaurants were not service oriented---or at least we didn’t find any that were. The country is full of tunnels and they were all dry! The Danes know how to build tunnels!

      It was interesting to observe each city’s idiosyncrasies. This trip was a pleasant respite from the Texas summer heat!Lots more info on each country to come.

PULTENEY BRIDGE

                  An Old Historic Bridge 

Years ago many European bridges had sidewalks and shops. Today the only bridge in England that still has shops on it is the Pulteney Bridge, built in 1773. It spans the River Avon in Bath, England.

The bridge, designed by Robert Adam is one of only four bridges in the world with shops on both sides across the full span.  It is named after the heiress, Frances Pulteney,  in 1767, who was heiress of  Bathwick, an estate across the river from Bath. Bathwick was a simple village in a rural setting, but Frances's husband  William could see its potential. He made plans to create a new town, which would become a suburb to the historic city of Bath. First he needed a better river crossing than the existing ferry, hence the bridge.

The Pulteney Bridge stood for less than 20 years in the form that Adam created. In 1792 alterations to enlarge the shops marred the elegance of the façades. Floods in 1799 and 1800 damaged the north side of the bridge, which had been constructed with inadequate support. It was rebuilt in a less ambitious version of Adam's design. During the 19th-century shopkeepers altered windows or cantilevered out over the river. The western end pavilion on the south side was demolished in 1903 for road widening and its replacement was not an exact match of the previous one.

I had some spare time so I walked the bridge for a look-see in the shops. Shop personnel were friendly and tried to answer my questions; the web filled in dates.

In 1936 the bridge became a national monument, with plans for the restoration of the original façade. I hope this means the nearly lost custom of old shop bridges will remain for years to come.

PS: The Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy is one of the other four bridges in the world with shops that I have visited. I missed the one in Florence, Italy and I’m not sure where the fourth bridge is located.

BIKING IN EUROPE

European Biking for Americans--II

“My idea of a vacation certainly isn’t sitting on a bicycle all day and peddling miles and miles!” my sister said to me over the phone one day.

            “Well it sure sounds like fun to me. What better way to see a country,” I argued.

While in Belize my roommates and I were talking about some of the trips each of us had taken. One talked about a European bike trip she had taken the previous year. That sure sounded like fun to me, so when I got home I immediately pulled the catalog to see where I could go.

To bike from Munich to Vienna along the Danube River in Germany and Austria sparked my imagination. Over 200,000 people bike from Passau, on the German side of the German-Austria border, to Vienna every year. That is a lot of bikers so I reasoned that the bike trails must be in good condition. Then again 35-40 miles a day on a bike made me hesitate—just a little bit.

            However,  my logical mind reasoned that I walked four miles an hour, surely I could bike twice that fast. Eight miles times five hours equals forty miles. That shouldn’t be too hard—and it wouldn’t even take all day. So much for logical reasoning! Little did I know we’d be stopping for pastries and coffee, to see a church or to visit some other point of interest.

I liked the idea that the bicycles were already in Europe. Three speeds was manageable. Although I had never ridden anything but a single speed bike, I was game. The thought of someone else taking care of any bike problems was a great comfort. No worries about flat tires or broken chains, someone else could fix them.

After moving to the country in Texas 15 years earlier I’d parked my bike under a tree for about two years before giving it away. Our dirt road and then the narrow country road was a hazard to walk and suicide to bike. Years later,during the six weeks home between trips I sold a house and moved from a small town to a larger, but small, city. I did buy a bike with good intentions of getting in shape, but in reality I managed to get about ten miles on the bike before it was time for me to pack and take off. My children thought I had absolutely gone over the edge, but nothing could dampen my excitement. Even the rainy weather most of the time in Europe couldn’t lessen my enthusiasm.

Talk about being innocent and naive! Being strictly a recreational biker, I knew nothing about biking equipment. And to top it all off I was in a group of avid serious bikers. But all turned out well. They were most helpful in educating me on gear as well as sharing a lot of other information. Since I was always the last person in, which meant that I got no rest period, no one ever complained about having to wait for me. I took my time, although steady as she goes, stopped to take pictures and to enjoy the wonderful scenery and quaint villages.

The next year I was much more knowledgeable and better prepared. That year, and the one after, I started off and ended in the middle of the pack.  I had improved with age!

NUREMBERG FOUNTAIN

Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain).

The pulse of Nuremberg, Germany beats at the market square Hauptmarkt. The lively square is dominated by the beautiful Church Frauenkirche and the Gothic fountain Schöner Brunnen.

This ornate and richly painted fountain was the work of master builder Heinrich Beheimby. Built in the 1370s, the three-tiered Beautiful Fountain, looking much like a Gothic church spire, stands in an octagonal water basin. The stone pyramid fountain soaring nearly 60-feet upward features 40 sculptured figures which reflect the world-view of the Holy Roman Empire. The pool is decorated with figures representing philosophy and the seven liberal arts and above them are the four Evangelists and the four Church Fathers.  In the middle are the Seven Electors and Nine Worthies and above them Moses and Seven Prophets.

The wrought-iron grille was added in 1587. The iron-smith who made the wrought iron fence surrounding the fountain had an apprentice who fell in love with a nobleman’s daughter. Naturally the dad objected to the match. One evening the apprentice disappeared never to be heard from again, but he left a golden journeyman’s ring on the fence. (Now a representative ring is embedded in the railing.) It is said that   if one turns the ring it will bring him good luck. Tour guides bend the legend to mean that you will return to Nuremberg.  The rather small ring is not noticeable on first sight. It is such a popular thing for tourists to do that periodically the ring has to be replaced due to wear and tear. We were told that on one occasion it was a black ring. I’m not sure when that was though, why, or for how long the black ring remained.

            This fountain is unique and if absorbed in small sections I could handle it but en masse in the whole it was very baroque and in my mind gaudy. But when in the area it is definitely a must-see.

            Art exhibits are often displayed in the square and at the time of my visit there were thousands of rabbits lined in many long rows. The sight of all those rabbits had to make you smile!

CUBA

               OLD HAVANA

Old Havana was designated a UNESCO site in 1982, and UNESCO has been instrumental in helping restore Habana Vieja. Slums are sometimes hidden behind colonial facades. Architecture in the old city included 1600s  pre-baroque, 1700s baroque, and 1800s neo-classical and neo-gothic buildings.

There are numerous old buildings and mansions many of which now  house museums. At one time shipbuilding here was the largest in Latin America. Many of the high ceilings in old buildings were built by shipwrights and resemble an inverted ship’s hull. We did see many beautiful ceilings. If one wanted to take pictures  in museums you were required to pay a dollar to someone or other---often an attendant.

Colonialism, capitalism, and communism have merged into one. One-fifth of Cuba’s population lives in Havana.  The tree lined boulevards of this once wealthy city are tranquil and the least threatening of any in Latin America. Music was everywhere---all the time—in the many parks, on the streets near or in the restaurants. That was nice. At no time did I feel uneasy, threatened, or intimidated anywhere in the country. Policemen or guards, not sure which, were seen on street corners in Old Havana. They were usually in pairs, conversing, bothered no one and any guns certainly were not visible or threatening.

On the east side of Havana Harbor lies Regla, a small fishing village that didn’t look very prosperous. Riding through an industrial and railroad area we saw many ship containers, large and small, and oil storage tanks. In colonial days that area developed into a smuggler’s port. Pirates made a living stealing off American yachts anchored in the harbor. It was also the setting for Havana’s bullfights. Today the main electricity generating plant for Havana is located in Regla, as well as petrochemical works. There is a well preserved church in the area.  Facing the waterfront the church was built in 1810. The gilded altar under an arched ceiling is legendary.

Castro’s policy concentrated on rural rather than on urban areas. When there was a housing shortage, a building campaign removed the unhealthy shanty towns. After the Russians pulled out, supplies and money to improve buildings were lacking and such areas began to reappear. In 1959 Castro closed the strip clubs, brothels, and casinos. Wealthy Cubans started an exodus. Tourism stopped, and the hotel and restaurant businesses suffered tremendously.

One afternoon we attended a lecture at the Hotel Mundo where for $2 a day Hemingway lived in room # 501. Historic and nostalgic.

Education through college is free in Cuba. Many teach school for the required number of years and then leave teaching to work in the tourist industry---where the money is. Every day when we returned to our hotel room the TV had been tuned to the BBC. Obviously the maid had been listening to the news while she worked. Was she an ex schoolteacher? Very possibly.  School children wore uniforms and whenever we saw children they were well behaved. Cuba’s literacy rate is high.

I loved old Havana and wished to have an extra couple of days to spend there.

CUBA OPENING UP FOR AMERICANS

GETTING TO CUBA

For the past decade, since the end of 2003, visiting Cuba has been forbidden for Americans. Everybody in the world, except Americans, could travel to Cuba. In 1996 the U.S. Treasury Department issued licenses to a handful of companies such as Global Exchange and Cross Cultures for sanctioned travel to Cuba for educational and cultural purposes.

          People participating in these programs usually had to fly via Canada or Cancun, Mexico. Sometimes, if the group was large enough, there would be a chartered plane from Miami.

            Then several travel /tour agencies decided to jump on the bandwagon to obtain a Treasury license. It didn’t take long for the Treasury Department to realize that along the way the educational and cultural components of these companies’ trips had gotten lost.

            By December 31, 2003 when licenses expired none would be renewed essentially cutting off all such travel for Americans. I was lucky to move off a waiting list and able to visit Cuba in mid-November of ’03. I booked a flight through Cancun where I met several others and our guide.

            Literature I received informed me that the climate is tropical and temperate. Walking shorts certainly were acceptable. No credit cards, ATMs, or personal or travelers’ checks could be used in Cuba. One must carry all the cash one anticipates needing. There are two currencies: the peso and the US dollar, however only Cubans used pesos. There were both dollar and peso stores. We found that everyone was most happy to accept the American dollar!

One was allowed to bring back goods worth $100, which included tobacco and liquor. Twenty-five cigars were permitted within that allowance. Cuban cigars are supposed to be some of the best in the world. I did a bit of cigar research to know what I was talking about when buying a few for friends.  Bottled water was recommended; even to brush one’s teeth.  I’d been down that road before. It was best to avoid ice, even though most ice is made from purified water. I’d been down that road many times before too.

We were to expect cobblestones and walking up to three miles over rough sidewalks in disrepair, sometimes hilly terrain and good walking shoes were essential. The literature strongly suggested that to enjoy the adventure, flexibility and a large supply of patience would be most helpful to cope with situations quite different than in the U. S. The literature was accurate and it was nice to be forewarned.

As people learned about my impending trip I experienced a variety of comments ranging from, “Wow, I wish I could go” and “So you’re going before they shut it down, good for you,” to “Why do you want to go there. I’d never go to Cuba. It’s too scary.”  When I asked that person why, she responded, “It’s full of Communists.”  Stymied I just shook my head and cut the conversation short.

This turned out to be a fantastic trip, full of wonderful lectures, walking tours, travel throughout the country, good accommodations and better food than I’d expected. It was also my introduction to the flavorful mojito. Lots more about Cuba  to come.

REYKJAVIK LANDMARKS

                            Two Unusual Buildings

            One of the main reasons Reykjavik, Iceland is such a clean city is because the city it totally heated and powered geothemically. It was interesting to tour the ten-story Perlan, Pearl Building, built in 1990,  where all the heated water and power is supplied to the city. 

The building sits on six huge storage tanks. On the fourth deck of the building is an observation platform that offers wonderful views of the city. A revolving restaurant is on the top floor and a café below that.

It was an easy walk in this very walkable city to the famous Hallgrimskirkja Church.  Completed in 1986, the church is designed to look like a mountain of lava and is the city’s most unusual structure. The parish built the church taking 40 years to complete. Architect Samulson, who was the first  architectural school  graduate, designed the church  in 1920 as well as  many other city buildings in later years.   The church, named for a poet, has a 246-foot tower which affords a panoramic view of the city.

Outside the church is a statue of Leif Erickson presented by the US in 1930.  The plaza surrounding the church is paved with 9-inch charcoal and gray tiles that are laid to form several crosses in the design.

Many think the Lutheran church interior is stark, but I rather think it is elegant in its simplicity. The all white interior makes it very light inside.

The church is the tallest building in the city, but I understand an office building is in the process of being built that will be slightly higher.

The day I walked back from the Botanical Gardens I heard the organ play Here comes the Bride as I approached the church. On the patio of the church sat a old ‘52 Hudson to carry the new couple away. I sat on a bench, but after awhile when the bride did not appear, I left and walked back to the hotel.

The City Hall, Radhus, was controversial when it was built. Located on the north end of the lake, its front pillars are actually in the lake so part of the building is suspended over the water. It is an unusual building. The lake, Tjornin, is in the city center and is more of a pond than a lake.

XI'AN, CHINA

XI’AN

I always wondered how to pronounce Xi’an, China. Once I learned, it is easy. It sounds like she han. Now probably most people in the world know Xi’an is where the terra cotta army was discovered.

During my rather extensive trip to China we arrived in Xi’an by train, and let me tell you about that train ride.

Our train was delayed so instead of wasting the time in the Beijing train station our guide took us to Beijing's  underground city---more about that another time.

       We boarded the train at 8 PM. The compartments hold two bunk beds and you could be bunked with anyone. Fortunately we had bought the entire cabin so we could sleep on the lower bunks and be comfortable with only two people per small cabin. This new train had been in service for two weeks, was an express from Beijing to Xian and had a capacity for 592 passengers. A small TV was at the foot of each bunk.

My cabin was only one cabin away from the western toilet, which was fortunate for me as I was up several times during the night. How lucky could one get! Four or five sinks lined the wall just outside the commode.The eastern toilet was at the other end of the car.

The bunks were hard. I tossed and turned all night and was mighty glad to see daylight. The train was quiet, but none of us slept well. A thermos of hot water was in our cabin when we boarded. The next morning I was stunned to find the water still hot! It wasn’t boiling but was pleasantly hot enough to wash up and even make a fairly hot cup of coffee. If only I could have found such a thermos anywhere to buy! I enjoyed a couple cups of coffee as I watched the scenery flash by and the farmers  out tending their crops.

It took eleven and a half-hours to make the 1200 kilometer (720 miles) trip.

The train pulled into the 5000 year old walled city of Xi’an, capitol of Shaanzi Province, at 8 o’clock in the morning. We immediately found ourselves in throngs of people. Somehow in the mob of humanity in a light rain our guide found our local city guide, who directed us to our bus.

Xi’an was gateway to the Silk Road that 2000 years ago connected China with Persia, Rome and the world beyond. The city is an important economic and cultural crossroads between east and west. Once called Chang’an it was the political center of China, as well as the center of Buddhists scholars, monks, and artists.

Our local guide told us, “In ancient times before clocks, a bell located on the east side of the village, rang in the new day. Xian’s 600-year-old bell tower, built during the Ming era, was re-built in 1769 during the Qing Dynasty. A drum, located on the west side of the village beat the end of the day. The Drum Tower, smaller than the Bell Tower, marks the beginning of the Muslim part of the city. One of the largest mosques in China is located in Xi’an. With a 60,000 Moslem population the 18^th century mosque is an active one today."

The walled part of Xi’an is the geographic center of the city. The old city wall (1374-1378) dating back to the Ming Dynasty is built over the old wall foundation. The 12-meter high wall is also 12 meters wide and contains four huge gates and 164 watchtowers. The 14 kilometers of the nearly complete wall are in the shape of a rectangle. It surrounded the inner city for the emperor

Air raid shelters were hollowed out of the walls when the Japanese bombed the city, and during the Cultural Revolution caves were dug into the wall to store grain. The outer city wall is nine times longer but is mostly gone. The west part of the city is home to an electronics industry and the east side houses textile, aircraft, chemical, and military factories.

The traffic was horrendous. City cabs were a lime green---different. Tourism has grown into a major industry for the city since the discovery of the Terra Cotta Army. Our adventure in Xi’an had begun! 

FOOD AND DRINK

Strudel and Coffee

When biking Austria we stopped each day mid-morning for coffee and in mid-afternoon for pastry. One day our guide told us, “I’ve called ahead to a fellow I know in Eizendorf. He makes the best apple strudel and he said to come  and have some. You can have it with or without schlag (real whipped cream). I highly recommend it.”

           He got no argument form any of us and we were on our way. The strudel  was warm, right out of the oven, as if they made it special for us. Without a doubt it was the best I have ever eaten, before or since.

**************  

Crepes are common in France and we ate many of them. A breakfast burrito or taco was about the same only in a flatter and larger crepe. We had the equivalent of a dinner casserole in a crepe and of course we had all sorts of desert crepes. Somehow, a crepe tastes best in France and especially in an outdoor café!.

   ***************  

I’d been touring Europe for nearly two weeks and had switched to drinking tea as I’d found the coffee too strong for my taste. When I entered the chalet gift shop on top of Strassehorn, Switzerland,  behind the counter I spotted coffee on a hot plate . 
“Is that hot water there beside the coffee?” I asked the young man.

            “Yes.”

            “Good. I’d like a half cup of coffee and then I’d like you to fill the cup with hot water,” I instructed.

            “No, no. This coffee, we make to put  liqueur in. It is good.”

            “Just the coffee please.”

            “OK, if you insist.”

            I sat in the sun on the terrace 6000 feet up  a mountain enjoying the only really good cup of coffee I had on the entire trip. It was worth the three dollars to just enjoy my brew while listening to the cow bell serenade from the alpine valley below.

YORK TRIVIA

MORE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT YORK

York, England city’s medieval wall was built on top of the old Roman wall using it as a foundation, a fairly common practice, in those days throughout Europe. Every-thing remained inside the walled city—garbage, bodies, everything. Eventually the ground and the city level became elevated.

Although the wall was level we could see areas where its height was shorter on the inside due to the inside ground level.

            Years ago the ancient wall was naturally in need of repair, and the city wanted to simply tear it down. Some wise and concerned conservationists said NO, and the end result was that the wall was saved and repaired. In some areas a couple rows of stones were removed and a concrete cap added, but the wall remains. We walked part of it—just because.

The Shambles, now a tourist section of the city, was once a market area. Shambles referred to a meat shelf, later it came to mean a meat store or butchery. As time went on the non-edible parts of the meat trade were thrown into the street (alley) to rot and thus shambles now means a mess.

            A red devil sits on the corner of a building on the corner of Stonegate (street).  He’s a pretty cute little devil, all red and grinning.  It seems years ago a printer set his type and when absent or  his back  was turned youngsters would rearrange some of the letters. (Boys will be boys) The printer would scold the boys and call them little devils.

Now Stonegate, the ancient through-way alley, is a pedestrian mall where visitors can shop and enjoy a rich medley of medieval and Georgian architecture.

The Castle Museum occupies three huge multi-story buildings. One can view and walk in recreations of British life over the past 300 years; many of the displays extensive.  Victorian Kirkgate is the oldest recreated street in any museum in the world and offered  great  19^th century window-shopping.  The Half Moon Court offered insights into Edwardian life. Prison life 200 years ago? It was there. I’ve walked many a cobbled street, but never one in a museum.

            We found the chocolate exhibit fascinating. We even lifted up all the answer panels meant for kids. The UK spends a staggering 360,000 pounds (dollar equivalent) an hour on chocolate! It has the largest chocolate consumption in the world.  I’ve heard other such claims but the above is a huge expenditure

INTERESTING ENGLISH CITY

YORK, ENGLAND

The first thing we learned in York, England  was that the ancient gates to the city are called bars because they bar anyone from entering the walled city.

A local docent told us, “Bootham Bar is the defensible  bastion for the north road. Micklegate Bar on the south was traditionally the monarch entrance, and the place where traitor’s heads were displayed. Monk Bar, the last bar built, is the tallest and has kept its portcullis (iron grating) in working order. It has a couple of levels and each one is defendable. A tax door is at  street level as  everything entering the city was taxed. Walmgate Bar is the only town gate in England to have preserved its barbican, a funnel-like approach forcing attackers to bunch together.

            “York’s streets are called gates from the Viking word. So gates are bars and streets are gates, some people find this confusing.”

We walked a good part of the three mile ancient wall surrounding the inner city. The population inside the walled city is 2000, the city’s population reaches 60,000 and greater York approaches 150,000. Romans were in the area from 71-400s when the city was a Roman military center. Anglo Saxons followed, Vikings appeared 866-1066 and then came the Normans.

The rivers Foss and Ouse flow through the city. William the Conqueror took the River Foss for his private fishing pond. Quirky as it may seem, use of the river still belongs to the Queen, and the city of York pays three pounds fifty annually to the crown for the use of the river. This amount has never been increased, but the Queen keeps the money which today equals approximately $6.

St. Leonard’s was a hospital built and run by monks and nuns in 937. At the time it was the largest in Europe. It not only accommodated the sick, but  it was also a haven for the aged and poor---ancient social security. William the Conqueror took care of all that, and eventually alms houses were built for the needy.

St. William’s College, 1465, was built for poor chancellor priests of the York Minster. These priests came to the church as children for food and shelter. However, when they became adults they decided they did not want to be celibate. They were locked in the residence each night where the windows were very small. Legend says that the street of the residence was nicknamed Little Alice Lane. Apparently Little Alice was wee enough to make it through the window in the darkness of night!

IINTERESTING RIDES

                                                 A Camel Ride

In the Australian outback the camel handler gave us some advice on what it would feel like when the camel got up and down. We decided to ride together in the double saddle.

A camel gets up on his hind legs first, which tends to propel one a bit forward, then up goes his front legs. There wasn’t too much of a jolt as the camel got up, but going down Jan let out a whoop! When lying down   the camel puts his front legs down first! Then the hind legs go down with a plop. We both were propelled forward, but we managed to stay in the saddle.

The ride is different than riding a horse. You don’t bounce like on a horse. I wouldn’t want to ride a camel very far, but it was fun and an interesting experience.

Australia is the largest producer of camels in the world, and exports them all over the globe.

   *****************

A Slow Slippery Ride

Due to recent rains in Belize it was questionable whether we would be able to make it to the ancient Mayan ruins Caracol. The rainy season started early that year and the archaeologists left the area two weeks early. The final decision would not be made until  morning. Since this was the main purpose of my staying over in Belize,  I whispered a silent prayer.

            At breakfast we learned the trip was a thumbs up! The road, and I use the term very loosely, through the jungle was like clay and very slippery. We did our share of slipping and sliding but stayed on the ‘road’ as there was nowhere else to go. No gutters to fall into!

            Our young driver told us, “Unlike the US, most of our young people do not drive.” This young man was good and he kept us from getting stuck, although at times we had pause to wonder.

            As we inched along, I tried to visualize what it must have been like to cut a path through the jungle during wartime. The jungle does not stay at bay long and grows back quickly--like overnight!.

            We heard several toucans while riding but never did see one. These beautiful birds were too high up in the tree canopy.     After almost three hours, in which we had traveled 18-20 miles, we sighted a ruin and then we were suddenly in a large clearing—the entrance to Caracol! 

THE GREEN MACAW

     Beautiful Birds

           

The owner of our hotel in Sarapiqui, Costa Rica belonged to a volunteer organization trying to save the green macaw.

She told us, “Because of deforestation and rapid colonization, the habitat of the Great Green Macaw has been reduced from 12,460 hectares to 529 hectares. Five years ago there were only 25 mating pairs, now they have increased to 100 pairs.

           “The Great Green Macaw is still endangered. On the black market one sells for $3000.  That is a great deal of money to someone making $300 a month.”                

The bird mates for life. They live exclusively in the almond tree in the tall canopy of the forest. The almond tree grows 30-50 meters tall. As the leaves fall from the tree, it creates a natural cavity for the bird. The nut is very hard, but the macaw has a very strong beak and can crack the nut.

She continued, “Almond wood is very hard and a desirable building material. People cut the trees on their property to sell the wood. Our organization has started paying property owners an annual sum      to take care of and nurture their almond trees and not  cut them down. It seems to be working.”

            A macaw reproduces at five years of age and has one to three chicks a year. They can live to be 60 years old. Owls and the African bee are the predators of the macaw chicks.

She concluded, “It is recommended that 1000 trees per hectare is ideal. Seven years ago this ten acres was pasture land. We have planted every plant on the grounds. We also planted many almond trees, and it is our hope that someday macaws will be all over this area.”

We saw many green macaws during our visit.  Our Chachagua hotel had a resident green macaw. Her mate had died and she was a cantankerous little bird. Well, she wasn’t very little. She would perch on the dining room rail during meal times. She was cranky enough to make visitors aware to keep their distance. She was lovely to look at though and you couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.