Suzanne Louise Dantzler, my oldest daughter, graduated summa cum laude from Central Washington University Saturday. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with specializations in Marketing Management and Finance. She also minored in Economics. (Now that is a mouthful.)

She accomplished many things in the last 4 years. Two of the highlights are:

·         Purchasing a condo to live in while attending college and renting rooms to others to subsidize her living expenses.

·         Starting an organization, Giving With Love www.giving-with-love.org , that collects textbooks that bookstores won’t buy back from students, posting and selling them online, then donating to various organization to help improve the quality of life in developing countries and through the local Young Life program.

Graduating Day was full of memorable moments. Suzanne was bursting with excitement and pride. Friends and family sat right next to the fence and were able to see her smiling face as she entered the stadium. The view was perfect to see her and friends wait in line for their diploma. As her name was announced I blew an air horn to express my overwhelming pride while those around me cheered. She spread her arms high over her head with diploma in hand as she sprang down the ramp – a college graduate.

A fun and exhilarating moment for Kayla, my daughter, and I was a trip to Safeway to buy flowers and a balloon.  After Suzanne received her diploma I realized I hadn’t bought flowers. When I mentioned this to Kayla she suggested we “run” to the store to get some. (I was very touched by this gesture, Kayla is a great sister!!) So with only 3 rows of graduates left to receive their diplomas off we RAN to the car and then to the store. We were exhausted by the time we reached the car, Kayla and I strategized the best route to take, talking traffic lights into changing to green quickly. When we arrived at Safeway, I ran into the store and grabbed the flowers and a balloon, while Kayla got into line. While she was in line I gave her the items and ran to the car to pick her up. We parked the car back at the stadium and ran back to our seats near the fence, out of breathe but just in time to see the end and watch the graduates throw their caps into the air!!  We were both still breathing hard as we presented the flowers and balloon to the new college graduate.

After the ceremony, Suzanne had a party at her Dad’s house on Lake Tapps. The party was great with many family members and friends attending. A few special guests included: her fourth grade teacher, Pat de la Torre; her 2^nd cousin Wayne from Nashville with his step daughter Kinsey; and a childhood friend, Brianne with her mom and sister.

At the end of the party after the gifts were opened and most of the guests had left, Suzanne had some advice to pass on to her cousin Tyler. She said, “Just so you know it is much more profitable to graduate from college then high school.”

Suzanne has had two interviews and is hoping to hear some positive news from one this week.

Suzanne was highlighted in the local newspaper and in the college newsletter this quarter to read more go to: http://www.cwu.edu/~relation/pr-june5-08.html

Skiing this year in France is an adventure. We are enjoying ourselves. Being in Europe is always enjoyable. The Euro is very strong so our spending is limited.

We started this adventure spending the day in Copenhagen because that was the most efficient connection. Last year we didn’t find Copenhagen very appealing and this year it really left a bad taste in my mouth. It is amazing how one bad experience can affect your whole attitude toward a place. The experience was being pick-pocketed.  I take the blame for the amount of cash the pick-pocketer got but not the act itself. They are very good at what they do. They unzipped 3 zippers on my purse I had slung over my shoulder before they got to my cash. I was lucky that they didn’t take my credit cash, debit card or passport. I never felt a thing but know it happened while waiting to cross the crosswalk. I didn’t lisen to my gut that said to zip my purse in my coat when I left the hotel. That is why I was so upset at myself, besides not separating my cash so I wasn’t carrying so much.

After a day in Copenhagen we headed to Lyon, France. We enjoyed this city. We went on a tour learning about the silk industry and how it was the focus of the city for centuries. They considered themselves the end of the Silk Road. Many pieces were weaved there for decades but now they only print on silk. Duke did buy me a scarf but the prices were outrageous.  Lyon is a nice walking town with outdoor cafes, bridges that cross the rivers and old town.

After two nights we took a bus to Val d’Isere were we are to ski for a week. Sunday was sunny and beautiful. I was very happy with my skiing skill since I haven’t been on skies since last March. On Monday the clouds came in and I got vertigo on the first run. YUCK! I took a break in the a lodge and sat by the fire while Duke went on a few runs by himself but the visibility didn’t improve and during the next run all I wanted to do is GET OFF THE MOUNTAIN! So I took the gondola down.

A few people from our group, the Seattle Mountaineers, were playing the card game Bridge, so I thought it would be a fun thing to learn. So the following day I played Bridge all day and had a great time, because it snowed all day long. The falling snow was beautiful and it was fun to take a walk in it to dinner.

Today the weather didn’t improve. The snow was heavy, the wind was strong and the visibility was poor. I was hoping my Bridge friends would be playing again but no luck so I spent the day on the computer. One member of our group broken her leg today so I will be having a Bridge player to play with during bad weather the rest of the trip if she doesn’t go home.

Tonight I am looking forward to having meat fondue for dinner. Bonjour!

Training Camp!

I love surprises, especially when they are fun getaway weekends planned carefully with fun for me in mind. Duke did an outstanding job of planning just that. He was so excited giving me hints and clues for weeks before the 3 day weekend getaway. One of the clues was, “KaBoom!” another was to let me know we were bringing our mountain bikes. Usually I am a great guesser but for some reason absolutely nothing was coming to mind. After he practically gave me the directions to the location I finally figured it out. KaBoom of course was for cannon an obvious clue since he loves Cannon Beach.

So Friday morning with our mountain bikes, rain gear, camera gear and goodies to eat all packed we headed to Cannon Beach, OR. We arrived just after 1pm to a gorgeous sunny afternoon. From our room we had a view of puffy clouds in the sky, people setting up for an on the beach wedding ceremony and little children running barefoot at the ocean’s shore. I was ready for a long walk on the beach.

I must explain a little more in detail why Duke picked this scenic spot for a long weekend getaway. For those of you who haven’t been to this particular beach; it is very picturesque with Haystack Rocks jutting out of the sand near the low tide mark and it is a very long flat beach with the shoreline covered by private homes and beautiful hotels. One of the reasons Duke picked this particular place was so I could have the perfect location to start training for a triathlon, a mini one that is, with a ¼ mile swim, 12 mile bike ride and 2 mile run.

If you recall from a previous email, I get severe shin splints when I run. For those of you who have never experienced shin splints consider yourself blessed. They are extremely painful and once you get them they keep you wake at night throbbing. Also as explained in the previous email, I was able to run on sandy beaches after walking as a warm up. So Duke planned this weekend as a celebration to start my training. So train I did.

We started with a swift walk on the beach with lots of activity surrounding us. Since it was a beautiful day everyone was out enjoying it. We walked for about an hour and then I ran a short distance a couple times until I was completely out of breath (out of shape!). After a short rest in our room we rode our mountain bikes into town to do some window shopping and to go out for dinner.

This was our first experience with riding our bikes on the beach and it was soooo much fun. You didn’t have to worry about traffic or staying on the trail. You were free to go anywhere you wanted. So I zigzagged my way down the beach on the hard packed sand. Then I did circles, around and around; making the circumference smaller and smaller until I could turn any tighter. I went fast and I went slow. I followed the ocean’s edge and I went through the streams. All while I had a big smile on my face! Duke loves it when the kid in me comes out and she was beaming.

Riding our bikes back along the beach in the dark after dinner while the waves pounded the shore in the distance and the stars twinkled in the sky was another great adventure. Once we reluctantly (I was having too much fun on my bike) arrived to our hotel from dinner I enjoyed a nice hot Jacuzzi bath. Heaven!

The next morning we woke up to clouds and a slight breeze. I however was feeling great and ready to go for our morning walk. After spending two hours walking and running we went back to the hotel and had the best scones in the continental breakfast. They were yummy!!! Cranberry and white chocolate. I didn’t know if this was a training weekend or an eating weekend since I couldn’t resist the scones or the cookies they had in a cookie jar set out for hotel guest, more yum!  But we did need to get some real food in our system so we headed into town on our mountain bike to have breakfast.

Keeping up with training, we took a long bike ride after breakfast while fighting a slight headwind. I was working pretty hard to pedal against the wind and looked forward to taking a nap back in the room. I must also mention that I know how to nap very well. Basically once my head hits the pillow I am out and sleeping soundly. This afternoon was no exception, I slept for two hours, and when I woke up I was afraid that I had slept the whole afternoon. Thankfully I hadn’t, it was only 3pm. I took a shower and Duke and I went into town, this time by vehicle since it looked like it might rain.

We walked around town a bit and saw some wonderful galleries. Cannon Beach has become quite an expensive destination resort town. The prices are high and the quality is too. Tonight Duke not only treated me to dinner but also to a wonderful small theatre play. It was a 3 actor comedy that was funny and very well done. I had a great a fulfilling day.

We woke up Sunday morning to a dramatic change in the weather. Not only had the wind picked up considerably but it was raining too. I was not the least bit discouraged. I was here to train and I had brought the clothing for this type of weather so with warm tights, smart wool socks and tennis shoes, Capilene, fleece and a rain coat on top, and gloves and a hat I was off to face the elements. I wanted to head into the wind straight off so it would be easier to walk back, so instantly the front of me was wet from waist to toe. The raincoat was doing a great job on my upper half. I walked with my head down, only seeing 10 feet in front of me so the rain wouldn’t sting my face. When I approached a stream heading down to the ocean I cautiously jumped over it not to get my shoes too wet. After the second jump I felt the cold water enter my shoe and from then on walked through the steams purposely not caring about the extra moisture in my shoes.

When it was time to turn around it seemed like a completely different day. With the wind and rain now at my back I was flying as I ran joyfully down the beach. My stride was long, my head high and my pace fast; at least it was until I was out of breath. I spent the rest of the morning running and walking as if I was unaware of the storm at my back. Needless to say the beach was mostly deserted this morning with only a few brave souls joining us. Returning once again to the warm haven of our hotel room, I enjoyed a hot Jacuzzi and breakfast in the tub!

It was sad to leave my first train site just after breakfast after such a great start. I must admit that I am a little sore, but not on my shins. I look forward to all my other training destinations that will help prepare me for my first Triathlon.

Thanks My Duke!

Sturgis, the world’s largest motorcycle rally

For those who have heard of this event, many images may pop into your head. I had many photographs I hoped to capture; the rough gnarly guys riding their hogs, the tattooed and pierced faces, the wild parties, the tricked-out motorcycles and of course the beautiful women dressed in black leather. I also hoped to listen to great bands and dance the night away while having a few drinks with my friends.

This trip to Sturgis presented itself because my childhood friend Linnea was visiting with her husband and 3 South African friends to spend 18 days on motorcycles traveling throughout Canada and the US. Since they planned on spending a few days in Sturgis I chose to join them.

What I found Sturgis to be didn’t live up to my expectations. I found that most guys were just a bunch of Harley lover’s using this event to spend the week together and possibly take on another persona for the week. I would guess that 90% of the motorcycles were Harley’s or custom bikes. Also 90% of the riders didn’t wear helmets; it is not the law in South Dakota. Many people spend the week riding throughout the country side on one if not all the curvy, smooth, Black Hill roads that lead to such places as Mt Rushmore, Devil’s Tower or the Badland’s. 

Everyone seems to spend at least a day cruisin’ through Sturgis looking at the latest and greatest bikes, eating fair type food, stoppin’ at the saloon to order a cold beer from a female bartender that is dressed in lacy undergarments, buy this year’s “Sturgis” t-shirt and some even add a tattoo to their collection.

This rally isn’t boring by any stretch of the imagination. I had a great conversation with a Harley riding gentleman who introduced himself to me as “Blood”. This was his 8^th rally and he was very willing to show me Sturgis and make sure I enjoyed myself. I kindly passed on his offer and through our conversation discovered that he worked for the state of Nebraska when he wasn’t “Blood” during his week in Sturgis. I also met 4 gentlemen, 3 from Kansas and 1 from Florida that used to party at “Full Throttle” but were “too old for that now” and enjoyed the friendship and riding around the Black Hills during their week at Sturgis.

Dave, the gentleman from Florida, was living part time in a 1971 converted Trailways bus. My friends from South Africa were fascinated by this concept and wanted a tour of the inside of this home on wheels. Dave was very accommodating showing us that the inside included such items as a washer and dryer and dishwasher. However he surprised us with a modification he made to one of the storage compartments in the belly of the bus. The modification allowed for his Harley to be stored there due to a hydraulic lift platform. (Please see photos for a better understanding.) It was fascinating to watch him drive his motorcycle into the bus!

My final thoughts are that even though I never saw the rough part of Sturgis, I didn’t dance to good music, and I never found my gnarly man to photograph; I still enjoyed myself and would like to go again to spend more time focused on my photography and enjoying new friendships. 

RAGBRAI

Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa

WHY? Why would you go on vacation to ride your bicycle during the hot humid heat of July in Iowa?

This question comes up a lot when I tell people I am going to Iowa. I hope this short story of a day during RAGBRAI explains my answer a bit. It isn’t a bicycle ride it is an experience of life, people and the heart of America.

I awake at 5:30 am a little sore from the previous days riding. I have ridden 78 miles on the first day and 100 on the second. Outside the camper I can already hear bicycles whizzing past on their way to the next Iowan town. I stretch a bit and put on my damp riding clothes since they don’t dry completely on the clothes line in the humidity.

By 6:30am I have eaten Kashi cereal and rice milk for breakfast, had 3T of Amino Fuel for muscle repair, had my 5 hour energy drink, put on sunscreen, cleaned my sunglasses, put today’s route on my bicycle; packed my cell phone, some cash for homemade pie, my camera and some protein energy bars. Duke has gotten our water bottles ready with Citomax energy drink, cleaned the bikes, oiled the chains and aired up the tires. I put on my shoes and helmet and we our off to find our place in the pack of 10,000 riders.

On this morning the sun is shining just above the horizon casting long shadows of all types and sizes of bicycles across the road. As we depart this small town I say, “Good morning.” at least 20 times to various people as they sit on their porches, coffee in hand, thanking us for coming and wishing us a safe journey. Only in Iowa I think with a big smile on my face.

At first the bicycles are packed in pretty close together as we take up two lanes of traffic. I pedal with the crowd so my legs can get warmed up and stretched out a bit. I take my camera out of the back of my riding jersey and take photographs of people riding and the countryside. It is quite tricky to pedal and shoot at the same time so I am grateful when 1 out of 10 looks good. The air is crisp and the fields have a slight fog rising from them. I feel invigorated by the energy of all the people around me. It is a wonderful morning.

About 15 miles into the ride, at the first town, many people stop for breakfast. Along the way a promise of eggs, sausage, pancakes, and coffee entice many riders to stop and stand in the long line. Duke and I get off our bike and walk through town, it is about 7:30am and 68 degrees, perfect riding weather. As you walk along Main Street of this one street town you are tempted with homemade cinnamon rolls, watermelon, cookies, bananas, breakfast burrito, smoothies, pizza, turkey legs, corn on the cob and many choices of energy drinks at various booths set up by some fundraising group. RAGBRAI is a traveling fundraiser for the state of Iowa with Boy Scouts, cheerleaders, Lodges, churches, and children with lemonade stands getting their share of the dollars being spent.

Being the serious riders that Duke and I are we usually wait for the second half of the ride before we start eating anything but our boring energy bars. However at the last town before the end of the day I usually stop for homemade pie. One of my favorite memories was when I was looking for pie. About 8 miles back a series of signs promised us homemade pie. Grandma’s Homemade Pie. So at the 8 mile mark I was actively looking for this treat. As I looked to my right I saw some people sitting on gorgeous lawn eating PIE and just as I got ready to turn into the driveway I saw this beautiful 4 year old girl with soft curls blowing in the wind holding a sign that said “Grandma’s Pie.” However what I loved most was her strong determined voice saying, “Grandma’s pie! BEST PIE EVERRRRR.” How could you not stop?! And yes the pie was great and the crust was light and flaky.

The crowd of bicycles begin to thin out after the second town. Many riders have stopped for breakfast or just to rest. However this is the time when Duke and I have the most fun. We begin to kick it into high gear pedaling at between 18 to 24 mph up and down the rolling hills. A challanging experience is to get into a pace line. They are best when the wind is at your face and all the riders in front of you break the wind and pull you along, usually at 20+mph. It is an awesome way to pass time and miles.

I know this story is getting long but I can’t leave out some of the details that make RAGBRAI so unique from anything else I have ever done.

After Jeremy, our “Sag Wagon” driver, gets to the destination town; he would get on his bike and ride against traffic to meet up with us. He was able to get in about 200 miles for the week this way; more bicycle riding then he had ever done before. When we do arrive in our destination town about 11:30 am Duke and I have pedaled about 70 miles. It is always a welcome site to find the camper and get off the bikes for the day. Right away we eat some protein based meal; pre-made cold chili or spaghetti sauces are the favorites, quick and easy. We then have more Amino Fuel, vitamins, fruit and lots of water. Next a shower and nap are always needed.

The perfect RAGBRAI day is when you get to spend the afternoon sitting at a picnic table in the grassy treed town square and watch various local dance studios perform, listen to a great band, eat some homemade pie and talk to the locals. Two gentleman farmers, Burdeen and Dale, were our favorites this year. They both were fascinated by the concept of riding a bicycle across Iowa. Both were in their 70’s and had lived in a nearby town their whole lives as corn and soybean growers. I will always remember their smiles and the unique Iowan way they welcomed you to their town. Dale was excited to spend the evening, until midnight, listening to the band playing rock and roll in the beer garden. Burdeen had his 15 year old grandson with him, and couldn’t imagine not having family living in the house. The following day we were going to be riding through their hometown about 20 miles into the ride. Both gentleman said they looked forward to waving at us as we past through. Burdeen said he would be in a gray pick-up truck and Dale would be in the park. As you can imagine I was skeptical that we would see each other again.

While Duke and I were in the park visiting, Jeremy needed to do some laundry. So he knocked on the door of an Iowan home and asked if he could use their hose to fill his bucket so he could wash his clothes. The lady of the house promptly took that bucket of clothes from Jeremy and proceeded to wash, dry and fold them for him instead. Jeremy was thrilled and amazed at the hospitality.

When it started to get dark, Duke and I took a walk through the town. Jeremy would walk with us and sometimes go do his own thing. It was very easy to be around him. What I appreciated most was that he was sure to get the camper to the destination on time; he never complained and showed appreciation for the opportunity to be there in many ways. On this particular night the band was great, so we stayed up to dance in the street to a few songs. I loved the evening.

The next morning the routine started all over again, getting up at 5:30am to ride to the next destination town. However this morning was a little different because we had two new friends to find, Burdeen and Dale. So after pedaling 20 miles, just as promised, Burdeen was parked on a side street in his gray truck with his grandson. They both got out of the vehicle and greeted us like long lost friends. Next we looked for Dale in the park. He was very easy to spot sitting in a lawn chair, “in the same shirt and hat he wore yesterday” so we could easily spot him. Once again we were greeted like long time friends.

So what is RAGBRAI? I believe it is a moment in time when everyone is friends – no matter where you come from and no matter what you do; Iowans open their yards, homes, and hearts to everyone who comes to visit. I am grateful to have been apart of the bicycle ride, the ride into the heart of America - Iowa.

The Pest side of Budapest

We really enjoyed Prague and all the history. Four full days walking around and looking at the city was enough. Any more time and we would have wanted to tour outside of the city.

For our last train ride from Prague to Budapest Duke chose to buy first class ticket, this way we could sit anywhere. So are you wondering where we sat? We entered the car that had a 1 on it and there was no compartments this time just a long hallway with seats on each side. We sat facing forward, always a good idea so I don’t get motion sick. When our tickets were collected this time nothing was said so… we must have sat in the correct spot. Finally!

We arrived in Budapest late in the afternoon after a 6 hour train ride through Slovakia. Once again I entered the address of our hotel into the GPS and we took off walking, luggage and shopping bags in tow. After following the arrow on the GPS zigzagging through neighborhood like streets for 20 minute I decided to double check exactly where we were heading to by zooming out to our destination. My legs were tired, my back was wet with sweat, my bags were getting increasingly heavier AND we were heading in the wrong direction. All the great things I had said about the GPS suddenly were forgotten and this new technology was worthless. A simple map would have worked so much better!!! Since no taxi’s or bus service was to be seen we continued to walk, in the correct direction. After an hour and a quick stop for a pastry we arrived at the Intercontinental exhausted.

As I mentioned in an earlier story there is actually two cities’ of Budapest, Buda and Pest.  Our hotel room had a wonderful view of the Danube River and Castle Hill in Pest. Since we were hungry and didn’t have to drag our luggage anymore, and only had two day to visit we decided to take a walk and look around. We found a square for walker’s only that had a yummy looking pastry similar to one we saw in Prague, and decided we would give into temptation this time. Since we still didn’t have any forints (Hungarian money) we needed to find a cash machine before we could buy this treat.  We found it easiest to get money from a cash machine in the countries we were visiting than bring traveler’s checks or exchange American dollars at a bank, regardless of where we were traveling in Europe. Yes you do need to pay an exchange fee at the cash machine but the banks also charge the fee and bank machines are available 24 hours a day and abundant!

We went back to the square where homemade goods, fresh pastries and café’s enticed us. The pastry was made of a doughy mixture then wrapped on a metal rolling pin like item. After the rolling pin was covered with 3 or 4, the dough was rolled into a mixture of sugar and spices then baked over open coals spinning around like a rotisserie chicken. It was so yummy with the golden sugary crust that we immediately went back for seconds. Glad we didn’t start eating these in Prague because we would have put on 5 extra pounds, lol.

After a quick dinner of fair like food in the square and looking at a few shops we went back to the room. Since it was now dark the glow of Castle Hill from across the river was gorgeous. I took a few photos and we once again went out to enjoy the evening light. Walking along the river was beautiful and peaceful in the moon light. We walked to the next bridge and back.

With only one full day to enjoy Budapest we chose immediately to limit our destinations to one’s that Erik Bodor had recommended. The Parliament, St Stephen’s Basilica and the farmer’s market, all on the Pest side and gratefully within walking distance.

The Parliament is an incredible building architecturally, built in 1904. Only guided tours with limited amount of tickets distributed per day are given. Thankfully we found out this information the night before and were promptly in line at 8:45am for the 9am tour in English.  The inside of the building was extravagant with lots of gold paint.  Copy and paste press ctrl and left click the following link for much more information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Parliament

It was a short walk from the Parliament building to St Stephen’s Basilica. The outside of the building is gorgeous with many details in the stone work. Inside it has a large cupola that towers into the sky. Very impressive. Once again here is a link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Stephen%27s_Basilica

As we walked to the farmer’s market we had to pass through the square and have our new favorite pastry, yum. This market reminded me a little of Pike Place Market with all the local specialties being sold amongst local souvenirs and local crafts. The difference was the cured meats. I only wish I could have brought home a large leg of ham (prosciutto) to eat for the next year. There were many fruits and vegetables that I hadn’t seen before and definitely couldn’t pronounce (in Hungarian). I kept looking for a radish type of vegetable that we enjoyed so much at the Bodor Castle - stuffed with meat – oh I wish I could have it again! I took some photos but will never be sure if I saw it. Upstairs there were many handmade types of linen. Beautiful colors and well made.

After the market we stopped at an outdoor café along the walking only shopping district. I love enjoying a meal in this environment. As we sat there people watching, having the poor approach us selling their wares and eating I thought about how unique this experience was. I wondered why Seattle or many other cities didn’t offer this type of outdoor seating. (Yes I know it rains in Seattle a lot.) I then realized how everyone dresses differently in Europe than in the US. Everyone dresses for the outdoors, in a warm coat, scarf (always a scarf) and smart walking shoes. They are use to walking. Walking from their house to the train, the train to work, work to the market, etc. In the US we drive everywhere, they walk. It shows in their weigh too. Obesity is very minimal.

During our flights home we had a 6 hour layover in Copenhagen. We were excited to not only to get out and stretch our legs but to take this opportunity to sightsee a bit. So as soon as our flight landed we asked the information desk where we could store our carry-on luggage and which train to take to get to downtown. They spoke great English and in no time we were on the train heading to see the famous Mermaid. We walked around the park near where the mermaid was and I missed it. Walked right past it. So off to the shopping district we went on another train ride. We were very surprised to see how quiet this area was. Duke commented on how it wasn’t much of a shopping area. I agreed but thought we must be walking down the wrong street. After several blocks of nearly empty streets and mostly closed stores we finally found an open gelato store (last one). We ask why all the shop were closed they said because of the Easter Holiday. Is was Thursday??!! Yes Easter seems to be a 4 or 5 day holiday for them. I guess shopping must be done ahead of the season. This is much different than the US. So we got on the train again, collected our carryon baggage and sat in the waiting area in the airport for 4 hours. So much for touring Copenhagen!

Thanks again for reading about my trip. I will be traveling soon to Hawaii with my father, Aloha!

Discovering Prague by Foot

The first thought I had when we arrived in Prague was, “So this is where all the young tourists are.” The sidewalks and squares were full of them. People from every part of the world were speaking their native tongue. It was fascinating. Next I thought, “I have lots to discover so what’s first.” I read a little bit about this place from a travel book I brought with us. The only thing I knew for sure is I wanted to walk. Getting exercise was important but not missing a thing was also very appealing.

The train ride was 7 hours from Salzburg. Since we had left so early, 4:20am, we were grateful to have our 2^nd class compartment all to ourselves to sleep. We both had 3 seats to lie down on and quickly fell asleep. Around 8am we were woken by the foreign speaking gentleman requesting our tickets. (He could have spoke German or Czech I am not sure.) Once again he studied the tickets carefully and said, “1^st class.” Duke and I looked at each other confused knowing that we got on the car marked with a 2. He then pointed to the “1” on our compartment door. Not again, how could that be? So once any we asked if we had to move. He once again spoke so little English that we were having trouble communicating. Eventually after we spent sometime trying to understand each other, he wrote on a piece of paper, “12:05 – 12:15”. Hummmm, I guess we didn’t have to move until we arrived at 12:05 - 12:15! No problem. (Later we discovered that both 1^st and 2^nd class compartments were in the train car marked with a “2”.) Hopefully we’ll get it right next time!

Once again we used our GPS to lead us to our hotel’s front door, the KK Fenix Hotel, about a ½ mile away. Anxious to take a look around we headed straight to “Old Town”. Our first stop was the “Old Town Hall and Astronomical Clock Tower.” There were mechanical figures that parade above the clock on the hour. This event causes quite a crowd. I enjoyed walking up the stairs to the top of the tower for my first bird’s eye view of the city. I took photographs in every direction. It was another beautiful clear spring day.

Since it was Easter week many vendors were set up in the square selling their wares and food. Yes more food. So what did we enjoy trying this time? German Sausages and Gelato. Also a stage was set up where various different musical performances entertained us all week. 

We continued to walk around until dinner time. Tonight we decided to be adventurous when finding a place to eat. As we walked down a steep stairway deep under the city, where the ceilings were low and arched we were greeted by knights in shining armor. The restaurant brightly lit and very appealing because many locals were eating there, so we decided to stay. The food was wonderful. So far everything has been great to eat.

The next day I wanted to wake up early and walk through the city before the crowds arrived. We headed for Charles Bridge, then to the Prague Castle by 9am so we could be first into Saint Vitus Cathedral. This was an architectural magnificent creation, whose foundation was first laid in 1344. Again we went up to the top of the tower, all 378 steps, for a terrific view. We spend most of the morning looking at various structures within the castle walls. We also watch a 30 minute movie on the building of Saint Vitus twice, first in Czech and then in English. It was a great way to rest our feet.

That night I saw my first Symphony performance. It was held in the beautifully restored Smetana Hall of The Municipal House. Duke was very concerned about his dress attire, “501 Blues, casual sweater and tennis shoes.” It was no problem however. It is amazing how casual things have become. Sometime I do miss “dressing up”. Two nights later we attended another concert featuring a traveling public high school from North Carolina. We were both amazed at the talent they all possessed.

On our third day of walking Prague we went hunting for museums. We started at the Natural History Museum, full of the usual bones, artifacts, animals and fossils. Next we went to a few art museums – however none of them impressed us much. What did catch both of our attention was the bright yellow Lamborghini casually parked near a café. We weren’t the only ones impressed, a few people even stopped so they could have their picture taken with it.

We walked so much that day, I begged Duke to stop and let me rest my tired feet. And my feet were tired. So we spent the afternoon in our room where I cuddled up on the bed and took a two hour nap. So I could be ready to walk again that night, shopping for crystal and glassware. Along the streets in Prague, especially in the pedestrian’s only zones, there are crystal shops everywhere. After a while you realize that they must be all owned by the same company because they seem to carry the same items and all have a similar “sale”. We couldn’t pass up the great deals however and bought two sets of wine glasses – one white and one red. Duke also bought a modern piece of striking red and black colored glass.

My favorite part of our visit to Prague was on the last day. We decided to go to the Jewish part of Old Town. It was fascinating to visit the different Mosques. In one the walls were covered with neatly printed names of the local Jews who died in concentration camps, everywhere you turned names upon names where listed. Another was filled with antique treasures of many families. One room in another mosque had children’s artwork; drawing and colorings showing moments in time while living in the concentration camps. The cemetery that we visited was the most unique I have ever seen. Thousands of tombstones were practically piled on top of another where sometimes 20 bodies were buried on top of each other. It was a very somber time for me.

We ended our visit to Prague with a walk to the west side of the river. We walked up a very steep hill to get a fantastic view of the city and then finished with a stroll across the Charles Bridge one last time. The sun was low in the sky and I was able to capture some soft light on the statues that lined the bridge. That night we found a quiet outdoor restaurant to have some terrific pizza.

Traveling by train to Salzburg

When we arrived in Hungary one of the first questions Nicholas asked us was what we had planned for the next 10 days after our visit with him. Well our answer was simple, “Nothing.” We had no plans, no reservations and no tickets. Neither Duke nor I were concerned however Nicholas was quick to point out how beautiful Budapest was and how we must spend some time in his capital city. With a big smile, we promised we would at the end of our journey since our flight reservations included flying from Budapest to Copenhagen to Seattle on April 5^th.

On the last morning at the castle we were graciously driven to the train station by Tibor, Nicholas’ driver. Tibor was extremely helpful at making sure were got the correct tickets to the correct location and for the correct time. So where did we decide to go? Salzburg, Austria – 1^st class, platform 13 at 1:05pm.

This was the first European train ride for both of us. It was very comfortable, quiet and smooth. Since we each had a wheeled duffle bag and backpack to transport around and either fit under the seat we took up more than our share of the six seat compartment.  About 2 hours into the 6 hour ride we were asked to show our tickets to a Hungarian speaking gentleman. He looked them over carefully and said, “1^st class!” Yes, we agreed nodding. He repeated, “1^st class” and pointed down the train’s corridor and then pointed to a 2 on our compartment door. We both looked at each other thinking, “Aren’t we in 1^st class? Apparently not! But we are very comfortable.” So we asked if we had to move in English with lots of hand gestures. He shrugged and went on his way to collect the next tickets. So Duke walked down to 1^st class and came back to report that the first class compartments had a table but were actually smaller. So we stayed put.

We arrived to Salzburg on time at 7:20pm. Yesterday I had used the internet to make reservations at the Renaissance Hotel near the train station in Salzburg. When we arrived I got out our handy GPS complete with European maps and language guide, set our destination and started walking in the direction of the arrow. Sure enough 3 blocks later we were standing at the front door of our hotel. Great investment! We were hungry and tired of sitting so after dropping off our bags in the room we took a walk. Most places were closed but it was still light enough to see a bit of the town that night. We finished our evening eating dinner in the hotel.

The next morning with GPS in hand we were off to explore. I had visited Salzburg in 2004 with my daughters and mom so I knew some of the sights that I wanted to show Duke. The fortress that stood high on the hill, the beautiful shopping district and of course a few of the cathedrals. Salzburg is famous for many things: Mozart’s birth place, it is a World’s Heritage Site and the wealthy townspeople due to the trade of salt.

Duke fell in love with Salzburg’s beauty. It is a very clean, walking and biking friendly area. One of our favorite memories in Salzburg was watching a very proper lady in her 70’s with her overcoat, hat and dress shoes; riding her bicycle through a busy intersection sitting very upright and knowing that she definitely had the right-a-way. What a great town.

We spent two full days walking, shopping, touring and eating our way through Salzburg. Loving the open markets, the quaint shops and apple strudel. Yes, we had a new vise to add to chocolate and candy – Apple Strudel. Our mission if we chose to accept it (and we did accept it) was to see what café made the best Apple Strudel.

On the second afternoon we took a tour in a van to the Austrian Salt Mines. It is amazing to me that simple salt created such wealth for this area. The tour was great and included a ride on the salt train through a small 2 mile tunnel, two fun wooden slides and finished with a short trip in a funicular – along with an education on how the mines work to extract the salt.

On the last evening in Salzburg we had dinner at an India restaurant, we stopped there because it was a non smoking restaurant, a rare breed in Austira. The chicken curry dish was delicious. After dinner we took one last walk through the cobble stone streets for pedestrians only still amazed at all the beauty.

We had a train to catch to Prague, Czech Republic the next morning at 4:20am so early to bed.

Next 3b – Discovering Prague by foot

A Friend’s Hungarian Castle

My life is full of experiences, learning and love.

Duke and I are in the Geneva airport with our European skiing friends, they are flying home to Seattle and we are flying to Hungary. When we arrive a driver will be picking us up and bringing us to a friend’s castle in a small village about one hour north of Budapest. Pinch me; I want to make sure this is real!

Nicholas and Sheryl are two gracious, accomplished, wonderful people we met on our Antarctica Expedition. While getting to know them we found out that they had just spent 2½ years remodeling their castle in Hungary. Nicholas is a proud naïve Hungarian that met and married Sheryl while in Texas. Sheryl kept us in stitches with humorous stories and amazed me with her grace.

We mentioned to them about the ski trip we had planned in March to Europe and how we would love to stop by and see the castle. This set into motion an event in my life that I will treasure and feel very fortunate to have experienced. Not only did I get to spend three nights in a beautiful, private, stately castle; I also experienced a family’s dynamics of pride, mutual respect and love.

As we arrived at the airport we saw the sign, “Teri and Duke”, our driver was holding. We were whisked away in our Mercedes, with a short private tour of Budapest, on our way to the “Bodor Kastely”. You could easily see the influence of the 45 years of Communist rule. Did you know that Budapest is really two cities divided by The Danube River? Buda on the west and Pest on the east of the river. After leaving the city we were driving amongst the farmlands of the darkest soil I have ever seen and past villages whose names I couldn’t even attempt to pronounce.

Nicholas greeted me in his evening coat with a warm hug and kiss on the cheek. Duke received a strong hand shake and hug. Erik, Sheryl and Nicholas son, greeted us as we entered. Unfortunately Sheryl wasn’t able to come to Europe so instead we were honored with getting to met and share conversations with Erik.

We were shown to our room where our luggage already arrived. It was a large beautifully Hungarian decorated room with water waiting on a tray for us. The bathroom was brightly lit completely in marble with a LARGE tub. Large handmade area rugs, sparkling refurbished chandeliers, soft down comforters on the bed; everything was perfect. Just as I would expect, even though I didn’t really expect anything at all.

You see even though I knew I was going to be honored with this experience I didn’t put any expectations on it. I knew without a doubt that it would be perfect no matter what. I knew this because of my previous experience with the Bodor’s. I wanted to live in the moment. Be completely surprised and grateful. I just kept wondering and still do wonder, “Why me?” What did I do so right in my life that I deserved this experience?

We spent the evening in the sitting room drinking homemade plum brandy, eating a wonderful Hungarian meal prepared by the cook, Agnes, that was accompanied with sweet white wine, (just like I like it (Nicholas remembered)), getting a tour of every room in the castle and ending easily with time upstairs in front of the extra large TV complete with English speaking Discovery Channel.

Nicholas spent some time looking at castles to purchase throughout Hungary. Sheryl’s only request was that it was to have towers; a castle had to have towers. The castle was in ruins from years of neglect when Nicholas purchased it. This castle was a community center during the Communist rule complete with, Theatre, dance hall, pharmacy etc. Nicholas made all the design and decorating decisions himself all while meeting the Historical Registry’s requirements. He did a terrific job. He didn’t give himself enough credit for the tough job he had of hiring and trusting the people who worked for him. The amount of work and the decisions that needed to be made are endless with a project like this.

Duke was in awe, asked many questions and complimented Nicholas on every detail. It was great to see them interact; Nicholas, an accomplished chemist who is highly respected in his field and has 190 patents; and Duke, an accomplished mountain climber, skier and contractor; sharing stories and experiences with interest. As this visit progressed I saw more and more how many similarities they both had. Especially their love and devotion to their sons, the closeness and care, the way they give guidance and advice. 

We spent two full days with Nicholas and Erik visiting a fortress and the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage village of Holloko, climbing to the highest point in Hungary, eating traditional Hungarian lunches at various restaurants, going on trips to purchase wine, and visiting a local farm with very rare purebred cattle and furry pigs. Also, we ate traditional Hungarian breakfasts and dinners at the castle while enjoying long conversations and sipping wine. (I enjoyed this so much that I want to add wine to my dinners more often. I find that it is a great slow time of conversation, something I hadn’t experienced before.)

I could share many more details of this time in the presence of the Bodor’s but they seem too personal. Something I don’t want to broadcast on the internet. These are stories to be told with a human voice. I will finish with this simple conclusion: I do know what it is like to live as a princess and want to thank the Bodor’s and Duke for that opportunity.

Next – Part 3 – Traveling on foot and by train

Skiing in Italy and France

A new adventure brings lots of questions: Why must we arrive at the airport 4 hours early? How long is this flight? How many flights do we have? How long of bus ride? Are the hotels nice, in a good location? What is there to do in the towns we are visiting? Oh! and how are the snow conditions?

The difference between this trip and many others I have been on is I didn’t plan a thing. Usually I make all the airline, hotel, bus, car, etc reservations and determinations for Duke and me. This time we were going with the Seattle Mountaineers – a lady named Patti made all the plans, she had done so for 25 years – we were in good hands. It was nice to just relax and enjoy.

A group of 21 ski enthusiasts, some who had been many times before, and others like us were first timers heading to Europe to ski. I kept hearing concerns that maybe there wasn’t going to be enough snow but I felt it didn’t really matter much since I was going to get on the plane and go regardless. I knew from prior experience that there was always something to do; we were going to Europe for goodness sake.

So after a really long time on 3 different airplanes and a short bus ride that I swear went around in circles since everything looked so foreign and all the same, we arrived to our hotel in Torino or Turin as the Italians call it. The hotel was very nice, the beds were comfortable and I was ready to sleep.

Patti had planned to spend two nights in this city where last year’s winter Olympics was held. A good plan, since it would allow us to recover from jet lag before heading to the slopes for 11 days of skiing.

Walking through Torino (his first European city) with Duke was so much fun. I was excited to share this experience with him. Even though we are on vacation, Duke the contractor is always looking, touching, knocking and even kicking various parts of the buildings as we pass by. He envisions, appreciates and understands what it took architecturally to construct such feats so long ago. Sometimes he just shares in awe. Once while looking at a large restoration he exclaims, “Do you see that? There are only two bolts holding up all that scaffolding. They better be through bolts.” Then walks up to take a better to look and after careful inspection returns shaking his head and says, “I wouldn’t be standing up there.”

So after experiencing much of Torino on foot we were off to Sestriere for our European skiing adventure. We each had a suitcase, a boot bag, a ski bag and a backpack so getting everything into the bus was always tight. But somehow it always worked out even when the bus driver didn’t speak English and no one’s French was very good. The arrival to our hotel in this Italian Alps resort was very warm and welcoming by the owner. We went to our rooms, each with a private bath and unpacked. At “Happy Hour” every night, the half hour before dinner, we were given details of what to expect the next day. Tomorrow we were to meet outside the hotel at 8:15 am with gear on, skies, poles and tickets in hand.

So how were the snow conditions? Simply put, without snow making this resort would be closed up and cursing Mother Nature, but thanks to one of man’s many useful inventions we were on the slopes by 9am turning them right and turning them left. Duke and I had only skied twice this season but were both in good shape from much exercise so I felt strong and Duke, well what can I say, was in top form gliding down the mountain. He is so good. We spend about 6 hours a day skiing. Moving around the mountain to find the best snow, looking for spots the sun had a chance to soften up.

The breakfasts in Europe can vary from bread and coffee to a large selection of cereals, cheeses, yogurt to a gourmet made to order omelet with champagne. Well at 3 star resort hotels they are adequate but lacking whole grains and protein Duke was hoping to get. So we solved that by shopping for a muesli cereal at the local grocery store. Lunches on the slopes were great. Good variety of pastas, salads and desserts, which I avoided at first but finally broke down and had the chocolate mousse. Dinners were yummy. Starting with soup and bread (always lots of bread), the main dish would be covered in some delicious cream sauce, next would be the cheese basket and lastly dessert. A couple times we had a dessert bar full of 20 plus choices. Those nights I was in heaven and tried way too many things – all chocolate of course.

Since snow was lacking at this Italian ski resort Patti did some research and found a bus that would take us to nearby resorts higher in the French Alps where there was more snow. She was always on top of things working hard to please everyone and going the extra mile for some. Skiing was definitely better in France this year, higher mountains up to 11,000 feet.

Every night different stories about that day’s skiing were shared during dinner. It was always good to hear that everyone felt they had found the best snow to ski on for the day. One of the best stories was told by Mike, an excellent fellow Mountaineer skier. - Taking a wrong turn when skiing to the bottom of the mountain proved to be quite an incident for Mike. This wasn’t a little mistake under the low snow conditions. You see there wasn’t a chair lift of any sort when the snow ran out at the bottom of the valley. So instead he had to hike the rest of the way down the mountain, skies and poles in hand. This tour included a trip through a muddy farm, a climb over a fence and a close encounter with a donkey. (We teased him continually about the this side trip.)

We skied for 11 days total in Sestriere, Sauze D’oulx, Sansicario, Montgenevre, Serre Chevalier and Les 2 Alps. After 5 days in Italy we took a bus to Les 2 Alps for the final 6 nights. Les 2 Alps was a much busier place full of many teenagers and young 20’s groups. There was much more to see and do in this town but we were defiantly in ski resort towns. Along the street you would see a restaurant, ski shop, pub, chocolate shop, ski shop, pub, pastry shop, restaurant, ski shop, etc. The chocolate was to die for and the pastries were always yummy. We also stopped in the town of Briancon, the highest European city, for the afternoon while traveling from Sestriere to Les 2 Alps. There we toured a castle, walked within narrow cobblestone streets and had a cheese and ham crepe for lunch. It was a nice afternoon break allowing our legs to rest a bit.

Most ski days were sunny, a few we woke up to fresh powder and two were very windy and cold. I improved with each day, started to feel some sort of rhythm and carved a few linking turns. Once I will admit I snow plowed the entire way down the mountain to the mid station because the light was so flat I was just avoiding getting vertigo. My favorites were the powder mornings because I got to watch Duke, float down the mountain with the skill he perfected so long ago. I made it down the mountain even figure-eighting his turns once but I can only envy what it must feel like to be really good at it.

Another part I wanted to mention was the variety of ways to move us up the mountain. Gondolas, trams for up to 50 people, eggshells for four close friends, platter lifts, t-bars, old 1940 vintage one seat chair lifts, 2, 4 and 6 person chair lifts and my favorite the 8 pack detachable high speed high back chair that made a turn at mid station. The approaches to the lift were always an experience in itself. The most unique being the moving conveyor belt that moved a bit slower then you as approaching which causes you to pitch forward and just as you got your balance back the chair hits you on the back of the legs practically throwing you into it. I did master that experience before the end of the trip..:)

As you can see from the photos the views were amazing. Having lunch with that view was worth the whole trip, mostly on sunny days sitting on the deck. Everywhere you turned you looked at a tall snow covered peaks. I felt very small in such an ominous place.

Even though it was a ski trip and we had plenty of wonderful times on the slopes it was mostly a learning experience for me. Learned a little more about people, culture and life in general in the two weeks we were with the group. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys getting fresh air while gliding through the white stuff.

Next – Part 2  - Bodor Kastely

Teri