On the Road,oops, SEA Again!

True, I'm on the sea again, this time I have sailed away from Southampton, and this time in the company of friends! Diana and Alec have joined me for this exciting British Isles cruise and the fun has begun! However no more time to write now, time for this wimpy American to go to bed! Maybe more tomorrow when we arrive in the Channel Islands, Guernsey to be exact. 10 ports in 12 days, not much time to write, but maybe a few things will make it into print. Our last stop is in Le Havre, one of my favorite places, France again! And then I added a short trip to Portugal at the end, and then I return home to become a member of reality again. Until then, more adventures await!

More???

Yes, it's true, more travel is on the way. I start my new job near the end of July and I just needed ONE MORE TRIP before that! Okay, maybe I didn't NEED it, but what fun it will be!

I have booked the wonderful British Isles cruise and will visit many new places and experience many different aspects of the countries. I'm very excited about it. I was lucky enough to get a nonstop flight from Denver to London Heathrow, seems like a piece of cake after the connections I usually have to make! An easy commute to reach the ship! And my friends Alec and Diana, who drove to Dover to meet me and then watched the ship float past without docking, will be joining me on the cruise! Everything fell together so easily, it was just meant to happen!

It's a short trip, this time, only a 12 day cruise, stopping at 10 or 11 ports. I'll spend an extra day in London at each end of the trip and try to see a little more of London that way. Now that I've been on the tram alone in Belgium with only Flemish speaking people, I can probably handle the tube alone!

And so in a little more than a month, I will be heading out on a new adventure! Any suggestions of what to see on this trip?

Ciao for now!

Hasta Luego Europa

Saying goodbye is never easy for me and it seems to get harder, the older I get. How does one say goodbye at the end of an adventure like this? And so instead of goodbye, I decided to use the Spanish term for ¨"until later" with the hopes that it won't be long before I am back in Europe again. Travel, as I have experienced becomes an addiction and before one adventure is over, I am hungry for the next! But for now, this is it, no future plans have developed and so leaving is a little harder I think!

But what a wonderful stay I had in Copenhagen, made so by the kind young man I met exactly 2 years ago on this same trip when it ended here. Travelling alone does have it's challenges, but as one absolutely beautiful lady told me the last night, so does spending 30 days with one's spouse! It was cute, and her much older husband looked on in disbelief as she went on and on about the challenges of being in such close quarters with anyone, no matter how much you love them. But the joys of both situations on a trip like this definitely outweigh the challenges.


I was in no hurry to get off the ship when it arrived and that in itself was a nice change. The busses began leaving for the airport at 5:30 AM I heard. I had a nice leisurely breakfast and disembarked about 8AM, knowing that Tue wouldn't be at the hotel to greet me until after 8. When I walked in he smiled and welcomed me and it was so comfortable. The lobby was lovely and I was immediately happy to see the hotel had elevators, my suitcases weigh a lot, and I know some hotels don't have lifts and what a long walk up that would have been! He checked me into my lovely room and I realized I was exhausted so I crawled into the comfy bed to rest and found it was wonderfully comfortable, just as was the bed in Rome! Tue had explained I had free pay tv, but there was no way to block the adult tv. So cute, I assured him I was an adult and could handle it! Later I told him that it was a good thing I had the 'adult' tv because most of the stations were in Danish but those I could understand. He laughed at that. Actually it was similar to Portugal in that some of the shows are in English and subtitled in Danish which makes it fun to try to learn some of the words as you watch.

The day was cold and rainy and so plans to visit the Tivoli Gardens were traded for a trip around the city in the hop on-off bus. I've seen a lot of it before, so I decided to rest again for the afternoon. I went into the store next to the hotel and they were unable to use my visa so I went back to the hotel and told Tue my dilemma, I didn't have any Danish kroner. He managed to give me some and put it on my room charge and was so sweet. He told me that was why he wanted me staying at his hotel so that he could take care of me and help me with any thing I needed! How sweet of him and how nice it felt to be taken care of! So I went back and purchased the dog magazine in Danish. I have bought something in every country in that language to share with the kids at my new school. Tue's girlfriend met us at the hotel and we had an incredible dinner and sat and chatted for almost 3 hrs. The food was excellent and he was happy to take me to dinner although I fought that the whole time! The creme brulee was the best I've ever tasted anywhere! Copenhagen is quite expensive so at least he got the half price discount for being a supervisor there. They are a delightful couple and so young to have accomplished so much!

While I was in the lobby I was listening to a group of people talking and told them I wasn't eavesdropping, but just loved hearing their accents! They asked if I knew where it was from and of course I did recognize their Irish accents. They started talking to me and one lady was amazed that I travelled alone and loved my stories. They were the historical society of Ireland and are here on a short trip. They had a reception at the embassy there. They meet and travel once a year to different places. We had a delightful conversation and they left for Tivoli Gardens. This morning the main lady I talked to, insisted I get her address and phone number so I could call her when I make it to Dublin. I told her I show up when people invite me so be sure about that. She said she loved my stories and the way I travel and would love to have me as a guest at her 14 bedroom home in the countryside of Ireland. And I had just been thinking I was returning home with no new friends to keep in touch with. And now I have Therese of Ireland. Tue laughed that I'd made a new friend in such a short time in the lobby of his hotel. One never knows what will happen on an adventure!

And after a great night's sleep and a deicious breakfast, who can top having a danish in Denmark, I said a fond farewell to my dear friend of 2 years and he helped me to the taxi with all of my things and here I am at the Copenhagen airport waiting for my flight home. It is a long journey ahead and I know that I will arrive home safely with many memories and over 1,000 new pictures to support them.

And so, once again, hasta luego Europa!

Safe Journey Ahead

And so, the trip is almost over. Hard to believe that 17 days has passed and I've once again seen such amazing places around the world. Such mixed feelings, sad that it is over and glad to be headed home once again. Everyone is hoping for a safe journey and I can remember the fear I experienced 2 years ago at the end of this cruise when I was facing my first transatlantic flight. Now I know I will be safe and only dread the airport hassles, which are just a part of flying these days. I remember the fear I experienced when I was left all alone at the big white tent near the airport, when the kind kid, Tue, stuck his head in and offered to help me. Now he will be at the hotel to greet me tomorrow when I arrive there. This will be the first time I stay at a small hotel, but he promised I would like it and he would give me a very nice room. We will be going to dinner tomorrow night and he will have some suggestions for my day of sightseeing when I get there. This is the first time I've taken a taxi at the end of the cruise, but I am confident that all will go well and I will arrive at the hotel with no problems. The next morning I will head to the airport and the long flight home, but at least will be rested and ready. And then late on Sunday night I will be home, back to reality.

Today was a wonderful last day! We were told it would be the coldest port but to everyone's surprise and pleasure, it was a warm, bright sunny Norwegian day. I loved the ride into the countryside and enjoyed the beautiful setting of Hadeland Glass Factory once again. The Viking Ship Museum is amazing, even after having visited there several times. So much history here, so much beauty! The 'royal' yacht was in the water, near our ship but we had no sighting of the royal family. A beautiful day in Oslo is over once again.

And home sweet home is waiting!

Beauty Beyond Words

4:00AM - what is there to do? I woke up and noticed a light under the dark drapes, got up to just peek out and see the early sunrise now that we are in the North Sea before I turned over and went back to sleep. What awaited me beyond the blinds brings tears to my eyes! A beauty so intense that I could just stare. The ship is no longer in the North Sea, we are floating up the Oslo Fjord and I had somehow forgotten the beauty that kept me awake for days when I was on my Norwegian cruise to the top of the European continent. So many emotions flooded back, so many thoughts! I grabbed my camera and was out taking pictures in the cold of the Norwegian morning in my gown, no time to waste getting dressed! First of all, the wooded hillsides covered in white houses is stunning in itself. But add to that the pinks, purples reds and oranges of the sunrise in the sky and clouds behind that and you have one of nature's most beautiful paintings! I stood mesmerized by the beauty I faced and tears filled my eyes. How lucky I am to experience such amazing and beautiful sights around the world!

Tulips in Holland

My mother had a flower shop in Houston for a few years when I graduated from college. That inspired me to go to floral design school and when I completed the program I worked at a florist shop in Denver and helped my mom for years at her little shop on holidays and when she went on her vacations to Las Vegas. She always made a big deal about getting her tulips from Holland. And of course I always saw pictures of the tulips in Holland and couldn't imagine seeing that beauty in person. Two years ago when I took this same cruise I was signedup ahead of time for the tour of Keukenhof Tulip Gardens. Before we reached Rotterdam they made an announcement that the tulips had bloomed early and weren't there so we could change our tour. I decided to go to Amsterdam instead and although I enjoyed it a lot, it wasn't tulips in Holland, so that desire was still inside. This time I knew that nothing would stop me from seeing tulips in Holland! (Of course if the weather had prevented a landing, I know that would have delayed that dream becoming a reality.) But weather decided to cooperate this time and we reached the dock with no troubles at all.

This was my 3rd visit to The Netherlands, and I know the terminal well and right where to go to find the things I want to take home. This was another tour that started in the afternoon and I just couldn't wait all morning on the ship. I had also taken the ship's shuttle into town here too and didn't find a lot to do so I knew I had a couple of hours and needed another new adventure. What was there to do and see? Well the only thing I kept thinking of was the area called Kinderdijk (spelling?) In this area there are many original windmills along a dike. I decided to try to take a taxi to see them. I am a little nervous about doing that alone, but it was worth it to see original windmills in Holland! After all, windmills, clogs and tulips are what Holland is all about, right? And I see a man making clogs in the ship's terminal each time I am there, so that I've seen. Time to see the rest! I had to talk to the taxi drivers about getting me there and back and after they found out I didn't have 3 hours, nor would I pay 300 euros, I was able to find a man who would take me for 2 hours and charge 110 euros. It is a lot, but seeing the windmills was a desire that just had to be satisfied. So off we headed. Turns out he had only been there once years ago and had to call his father for directions. We had to drive onto a tiny ferry to go across a small waterway, held about 6-9 cars at a time and took less than 5 minutes. We finally found them and how exciting to see 2rows of windmills! They were along a narrow waterway and beautiful although I am sure the pictures did not capture the beauty! I didn't spend long there, I knew we didn't have a lot of time and I wanted to get back to the ship in plenty of time for the tour to the tulip gardens. I got 'home' safely and with such an exciting new experience to tell about!

I had a quick lunch and headed out to the buses for the tour about 20 minutes early. I got to the parking lot on the shore and was shocked, all 5 buses were already filled with people! My friend, the tour manager, told me that people had been there almost an hour. I know so many people were excited to be going to the tulips and they were on the ship all morning just waiting. He assured me 2 more buses were coming and they were late, but did arrive and got filled and we were on our way. We got to the gardens much later, the traffic was terrible, and we still had to meet at the same time that the other buses who arrived way before us had to meet. I requested a few extra minutes and was told no, we had to get back to the ship in time to sail. I walked as fast as I could the whole time, less than 2 hours, and still didn't see everything. (My legs are very sore today!) I even missed seeing the famous windmill there!! That was disappointing, but I did get a calendar with a picture of it so that will have to do for now.

The tulips were incredible! You could see where probably half of them had already been cut back, I cannot imagine the beauty just a few weeks ago! Such beautiful colors and a variety of sizes and heights. The pinks, reds, yellows and purples were stunning! There were a variety of other flowers around, but tulips were the focal point! There are millions of bulbs there, from all over the world. I didn't hear this, but the gardens are open on the first of April and close by the end of May. Two short months for acres of gorgeous flowers. The gardens were filled with people, but it was not as crowded as Monet's Garden was. A truly spectacular sight! I am not sure how much earlier one should visit the gardens to see the fields of color on the drive to the gardens and to see the gardens at their best, but I am sure someday I will make a trip to Amsterdam and take a whole day to enjoy the gardens, earlier in the spring.

And until then, the visit to Oslo will have to be enough to enjoy. So tomorrow we arrive there and I will once again be driving through the countryside to the Hadeland Glass Factory, set in a valley next to a lake at the foot of a mountain. Tomorrow, Norway splendor!

Before I know it, I will be flying from Copenhagen to home, via D.C. And in my mind will remain the incredible sights of this vacation, so many beautiful things to see in the world!

Beautiful Belgium

Tuesday, May 12 we actually were able to dock and see Belgium. Passengers were happy to be on land and although it was a cold, windy, and sometimes rainy day, we were in a port to see more and that was great! My tour was of Brugges, my favorite place in the world, and it began at 12:30 so I had the morning free. Most people just hang out on the ship and wait for the tours in the afternoon but I hate spending time in Europe on a ship. I've taken the shuttle to Blankensberg before and I've walked down the long main street to the beach there. This time I watched the port lecture on Zeebrugge, the seaport we docked at, several times and knew I had to do something new. There was a tram that went along the beach for 20 minutes, I thought, to a town of Oostend (not spelled correctly). I decided I could do that in the 2 hours I had before I had to get to the ship for the afternoon tour. So I took the shuttle into Blankensberg, crossed the churchyard, street and square and found the tram station on the other side, bought a ticket and waited. Luckily I was sitting next to a 17 yr old girl who spoke some very broken English and she was going to OOstend for school so she would show me how to go. Well, the tram was 15 minutes late, which she said never happens and as we left I saw no beach and there were small hills between the tram and the beautiful white sand beaches of Belgium. AND the tram stopped along the way but no one else seemed to speak English, so there Iwas all alone on a tram going somewhere I'd never been. No beach to be seen, just traffic and a few little villages. The tram stopped at places where you could cross the street and climb over the dunes to get to the beach, but I didn't know how I would get back from the middle of nowhere. It was not scenic at all and finally, after a 50 minute ride I was in the city of Oostend. Now what? I only had a couple of minutes before I had to get on the tram back so I wouldn't miss Brugges. I was nervous! I walked a little ways down a street and saw a bookstore. This trip I have gotten something written in every language to share with kids and I was able to pick up some cute books on numbers, letters, colors and words in Flemish. I needed to go to the bathroom before heading back for the long trip so I went into a little restaurant and asked if they had good hot chocolate, after all it was Belgium, and the lady said it was melted chocolate so I ordered a cup. It was the best in the world, I am sure!!! It was so delicious, maybe even better than what we had in Musee d'Orsey in Paris. I savored it quickly, visted the restroom and rushed down the street to the tram stop. I had only gone 1/2 a block, someday I will go back and spend longer. I waited a few minutes for the tram, not one person spoke English, but I knew which one I wanted and off I went, for the50 minute ride back to Blankensberg. I rushed back to where the ship shuttle was, and watched it drive away! I was worried then! But I chatted with a nice couple from Argentina who are on the ship too and when the bus came and loaded we went to the ship without a wait. I arrived 10 minutes before the bus left for Brugges! Enough time to run in and drop off my packages at the purser's desk and go to the bathroom and get on the next bus. And off I went for another glorious day in Brugges!

Arriving in Brugges, you have to park at the edge of the city and walk in. They say it is a mile, but I think it is less. They always go to the same place and tell you they will meet you there in 3 hours. Luckily the meeting place is right across the street from my favorite waffle stand! It is a tiny restaurant and even though it was a cold,cloudy day, the tables were out on the street. I ordered the waffle I love, savored that incredible taste, and then headed off to explore my town! I always recommend Lily's to everyone I talk to and no one has been disappointed in their waffles yet! One couple told me they should pay me for being such a great travel consultant, everything I told them to do was wonderful. I wandered around the town and ended up in front of a different 'friete' stand so decided to have frites (fries) with tartare sauce on them, and they were delicious! I met a couple on that side of town and told them about the waffle place and before my group left, they arrived there and ordered their waffle. I always get back to the meeting place early, time for one last waffle! This time I talked to the owner/manager and he remembered me. He asked me if Ihadn't been there earlier andI said I go twice a visit! He said he remembers me saying one time I was a pig for eating 2. Actually that was the time I took 2 to César back on the ship and said I wasn't a pig really, they were for a friend. Whatever, he did remember me! And he thanked me for sending so many of the cruise passengers to his restaurant, he said you are the one aren't you? And I said I was! So after enjoying one last delicious, to die for waffle, I left with the group for the walk back to the bus. It was a cold, windy day, but it was in Brugges, so how could that ever be a bad day? A dream, and I think it was my 5th visit there. Hopefully, not my last! There is still so much of Brugges I haven't seen yet! Maybe I should just arrange to fly to Brussels, and take a train to Brugges for a few days, that would be delighful!

So that was my day off the bus in Belgium! New adventures, familiar favorites and a new place to go for the best hot chocolate in the world!!