Winding down

My 6 week odyssey is ending and at this point I am looking forward to being home again. It has been a great trip with amazingly beautiful weather, lots of wonderful memories, and time spent with good friends. I have enjoyed every moment.

The following is a quick review of hotels I stayed in along the way.
Paris - Hotel des Arts Bastille ($95 per night) small, clean, extremely basic room and bathroom - would recommend Comfort Hotel Mouffetard Quartier Latin for a little more money.
Provence, St Cecile les Vignes - Hotel La Farigoule ($70 per night) charming, pretty hotel with a nice restaurant.
Provence, Bonnieux - Hotel Cesar ($110 per night) Amazing view but would not recommend. Try Le Clos du Buis - very nice hotel with same view and a swimming pool. St Andre restaurant was good and there is an excellent patisserie at the bottom of the village for breakfast.
Barcelona, Hotel Market ($95 per night) the best hotel I stayed in. Spacious, chic, room and bathroom, great service and a wonderful restaurant.
Madrid, Hotel Lusso Infantas ($130 per night) very nice hotel, lovely room and bathroom, in a good location.
Seville, Hotel Dona Manuela Casa Modesto ( $100 per night) nice, spotless hotel with spanish decor. Spacious room and lovely tiled bathroom.
Lisbon, Hotel Excelsior ($75 per night incl. breakfast) rather shabby, would not recommend.
All in all I did pretty well!

Panic!!!

My bus ride to Portugal was long but uneventful, and I was met at the station by an old friend. It was not until later in the afternoon that I realised I had left my lovely watercolor, purchased in Provence, on the shelf in the bus.

We rushed to the bus station but of course the bus had already left for the return journey to Seville. No amount of phone calls or messages left on the internet got any response so we decided to be at the station the next day when the bus came in. Luckily it was the same driver and he said they had found the painting and it was at the office in Seville. Now to get it back to Lagos where I was staying. He said he would try to make arrangements to have it on the bus the next day, so we are hoping, but I feel very confident that it will all work out.

A night of Flamenco

I have discovered that about nine or ten days is my limit on traveling alone, I simply get tired of my own company. I was therefore grateful when after finishing dinner at a small restaurant in Seville, a young woman who had also eaten alone, approached me and asked if I spoke english and did I have plans for the evening.

She was Australian, in Seville for the first time and had tracked down a Flamenco place that is not on the tourist circuit. We decided to try it and after wandering down some narrow streets we arrived at 2 large, red, barn doors with no signs whatsoever. Inside was a large open space with wooden benches and a small stage, and behind that a lovely, cool, old courtyard with tables and chairs and huge trees.
After discovering that the show would not start until 11pm, we ordered sangria and whiled away the time chatting.

Once the show started the first act was a male singer with a very soulful voice who was accompanied by guitar and the clapping of the women who was to dance later. Then it was her turn. She was a woman around 40,not a beautiful, young, willowy girl, but the passion and earthiness of her performance was stunning.

A wonderful evening was provided by a chance encounter and the willingness of one stranger to approach another.

Stumbling around in Madrid

When you don't speak the language it is sometimes hard to know what is happening in a foreign city. While strolling around I noticed a number of large white screens being set up and I thought they must be having a movie night. After eating dinner I walked out of the restaurant into La Noche en Blanco. The whole center of Madrid was closed to traffic and thousands of people wandered the streets being entertained by films and free admission to certain buildings, all in the name of sustainability for the earth. It was quite a party and went on until 4am so I did not get much sleep.

The next day I noticed a bike race in progress and watched a few riders go by, but not until I turned on the TV at my hotel did I realise it was the Tour d'Espagne!

My birthday!

Thanks for all the greetings, both email and phone. It did feel a little strange being alone on my birthday but I decided to take the train to the monastery Montserrat, high in the hills behind Barcelona. The train ride itself was rather uninteresting until we changed to the cog wheel train which zigzagged up the mountain for a good 20 minutes. It was an impressive climb, and the rock formations and views were spectacular.

The next day involved another of those luxurious 1st class train rides - this time Barcelona to Madrid. I think I have finally figured out that if I paid a little more for my reservation I get the wonderful breakfast. Yeah!

Sometimes I feel as if this blog centers a little too much around food.

Super chic in Barcelona

Our Market Hotel in Barcelona is just as chic as it appears on the web and for a great price! All in black, red, and white with a very modern take on a chinese theme, it is perfect and quite luxurious. Free green apples and bottled water, free use of a laptop with internet, BBC world news on the flatscreen in our room, and a wonderful restaurant where some of the young and hip Barcelonians come to eat, simply completes the picture.

Barcelona is a great city to visit; lovely markets, an interesting mix of architecture, a nicely developed harbor area, and of course the Ramblas where one can meander through the center of town watching the living art or sit at a cafe watching the world go by.

I am now by myself for the next 10 days and decided to spend one of my remaining days in Barcelona visiting the Gaudi structures, the Pedrera house and La Sagrada Familia - his ornate cathedral begun in 1882 and still being finished today.
There is plenty of shopping here and the price of everything is less than in France, but unfortunately when you are carrying everything on your back, each purchase is additional weight so I have really limited myself. Sorry everyone, there will be no gifts!

I have now been traveling for a month - 2 weeks to go - and so far only 3 days with rain showers. I could not have asked for better weather, so here´s hoping it continues.

Provence

Our first stop for 3 nights was at La Farigoule (wild Thyme) a charming little hotel in St Cecile les Vignes, Provence. It also had a lovely restaurant where we ate dinner each evening after spending the day visiting different small villages in the area, and browsing the open air markets for cheese and olives to have a picnic lunch.
In Carpentras I tried to find the maternity hospital where my son was born 32 years ago, but people said it is now a school and is not recognisable. Much has changed in the 30 years since I left Provence. They have caught on to the money that can be made from tourists, and have made paying destinations of places that we simply drove up to in our little old car.

Our next hotel in Bonniex was not as successful except for the amazing view over the Luberon Valley from a small balcony. I did however check out a nice place, Le Clos de Buis which for just a little more had the same beautiful view and a swimming pool! We also enjoyed our meal at St Andre in the center of town. It was market day during our stay and I bought a lovely water-color which had been painted on the date of my birthday which is coming up soon.

After visiting so many of my favorite places and enjoying the most wonderful weather, returning our car in Montpellier turned out to be a nightmare but luckily we had allowed plenty of time. It was the kind of situation where if you did not speak French you were done for, so my friend Deb was really grateful that I do!

A visit with an old friend and his wife

After three days in Paris it was time for the train to Avignon where we picked up our car and drove to visit a friend who I have known for 30 years. I spent 2 years living in a small Provencal village where he was the dentist, but he is retired and now lives in Viviers where he grew up. His family home is a beautiful old mansion from 1870 with 3 hectares of land - in other words a lot of work.

His wife prepared a wonderful french dinner, and after champagne and both red and white wines I had a small hangover the next day but that was cured by large bowls of steaming coffee and baguette with homemade fig jam. C'est la vie en France!

First class on the TGV

For those who know me well it will be a total surprise that I am traveling first class on the trains. I do not know why, it just happened, but I have to admit it is a wonderful treat. After settling into my luxurious seat on the TGV bullet train from Munich, I was informed that as I was going all the way to Paris breakfast was included in my ticket. It came in a beautiful raspberry striped box and included smoked salmon with two poached eggs, fresh yoghurt with a black-currant mousse, and a croissant with a small jar of apricot jam.

Had the afternoon and evening in Paris by myself as Debbie was not arriving until the following morning, so I did the Eiffel Tower and Champs Elysee then ate a wonderful lamb shank with a puree of celery root and potatoes at a Bistro close to the hotel. The perfect ending to my day.

Surfing in the city

Near the city center of Munich is a huge park called the English Garden, and as the Sunday morning weather was beautiful we decided to take a stroll. Imagine my surprise when we passed a huge, open, grassy area and Rosie informed me that it is a place to sunbathe in the nude. There were already a number of people sprawled on the grass in full view of any passerby who wished to look. I don't ever remember being in a city center which allowed nudity.

The park however had another surprise feature. At one point, the river Isar which begins in Austria and has an extremely strong current, rushes out from a low stone bridge and hits underwater boulders causing powerful waves, one after the other. At their own risk, a group of surfers have made these waves their challenge, and unlike riding one wave in as they do at the beach, they surf quickly back and forth between two stone walls without hesitating as each wave is quickly replaced by another. I am sure it is an adrenalin rush, but it has proven deadly for some, and local surfers tell beginners to go find some other way to kill themselves.

A night on the rails

My day in Copenhagen was spent browsing along the Ströget and eating at one of the many outdoor restaurants in Nyhavn. Thirty some years ago the Ströget was classy and Nyhavn was the sailors haunt where they could get a tatoo and a drink. Today the rolls are reversed; stretches of the Ströget were full of cheap stores, while Nyhavn is trendy and chic with hardly any tatoo parlors.

Come evening it was time to take the overnight train to Munich, and I had reserved a couchette in a compartment for 6 people. As I was alone in the compartment for the first 2 hours, I laid out my sheet, pillow, and blanket on the bottom of the three berths, but at the next stop three 30-something people got on and with German precision informed me that my place was in the top bunk. I politely suggested that as they were younger maybe one of them could take the top bunk, but they were quite adamant and I had to climb the ladder to the top!

It is a strange feeling speeding through the darkness, and one man snored so it wasn't exactly a peaceful night. However, I survived and was met by my friend at the main railway station in Munich.

Late summer in Sweden

The end of August in Sweden means time to eat Kräftor (crayfish) and of course drink snaps. It involves a lot of loud sucking to retrieve every little morsel, and it is quite definitely messy but oh so good! I will try and find a photo to add but as tomorrow is my last day in Sweden it might be difficult. I missed my chance for a photo when we ate them, but I will blame that on the snaps.

My last two days have been spent in the south of Sweden known as Skåne - I hope you have all been noticing the letters Å, Ä, and Ö in my blog. These are three extra letters with very peculiar sounds which I have on the keyboard of my friends laptop, and which make for an interesting typing experience.

Friday I take the train over to Copenhagen and then on to Munich.

On my way

After a slightly delayed flight I have arrived in Stockholm, Sweden. Having lived and worked here between 1965 and 1975, it feels a little like coming home, and the amazing thing is that after more than 30 years I am still fluent in Swedish.

I am staying with old friends and enjoying get-togethers with other friends, so we have already had two nights of dining and drinking the Swedish way. This means sill(herring), new potatoes, hard bread with cheese and of course bränvin(schnaps), not to mention a wonderful veal roast with murklor(a type of mushroom)sauce.

This is my third trip back over the last 30 years and Stockholm has changed significantly. However, it is still an extremely beautiful city which one can always feel comfortable in as everyone speaks excellent english. In a couple of days we are driving down to Skåne which is the southern part of Sweden, as my friends have a small house there and it is the perfect jumping off point for the next leg of my journey.

Sweating the details

As I leave on August 19th it is time for the small details. Let your credit card company know that you will be traveling, that way they don't suspect that your card has been stolen when you purchase extravagant souvenirs. Make a list of your card and passport numbers, and the phone numbers to call if you lose them - then keep it separately in a safe place. Leave your itinerary with a relative or friend. Check that your travel alarm has a fresh battery - the last thing you need is to miss a train or flight! Make sure you have a travel adapter set if you need to recharge your phone or Ipod, a great one is included with the purchase of a Mobal phone.
I am sure I will think of a few other suggestions before I leave, but if so I'll let you know!

To take or not to take…..

This is where most people stumble. They always think they have to have their complete matchy-matchy wardrobe with them when in reality you can easily get by with very little. It can even be refreshing not to have so many choices and you will enjoy not carrying all that weight. I once made a 5 week trip to 4 different countries at opposite ends of the globe, all with a small carry-on bag. Yes I went to the opera in Sydney in my jeans, but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of The Magic Flute!

Start by making a list of everything which is absolutely necessary then if there’s room you can add a few extras. Stick to a couple of basic colors and change the look with a few splashes of color; scarves, jewelry, fun t-shirts. Just make sure you have at least one outfit for cold weather in case the weather gods are not with you. Every day might not be hot and sunny, and there is nothing worse than feeling cold and wet when you are trying to enjoy yourself. Remember you can always be warm by wearing layers.

Think about your feet and keep them happy! A good pair of sneakers, some comfortable walking sandals and a pair of pretty strappy sandals will get you through the trip. If you plan to hike a lot, exchange the sneakers for a pair of good all-terrain hiking shoes.

Don’t forget the little things; tiny travel sewing kit, a compass, a small flashlight, a small first aid kit, a tiny umbrella and a few teabags for that evening cup of tea.

Last but not least, check that you have the items you cannot purchase when you get there. Without your passport, drivers license, credit cards and money you are going nowhere.

Purchases for trip

Being able to easily get on and off trains made my decision to travel with a backpack an easy one. I found a great pack at Eagle Creek, The Maiden Voyage 70L which is framed for a female, goes as carry-on on the plane, has an extra day-pack which can attach to the exterior, and holds enough gear to satisfy me for 6 weeks with a laundry stop. It is now discontinued – replaced by the Thrive 75L - but can still be found at Amazon.com. I made a 2 week trip dry run recently to test the pack, and it passed with flying colors. I did not even completely fill it, and still came back with items I had not worn.

I resolved the ‘How do I stay in touch and what if I have an emergency?’ situation with a Mobal phone which works most anywhere in the world and does not require a monthly fee. You buy the phone, own it forever, and pay for minutes as you use them. A great investment for any traveler! A smaller purchase was a Spork - a spoon, fork and knife in one - (Walmart has them) which makes eating a picnic lunch easier and cheaper than stopping for a restaurant meal.

Decisions, decisions!

Ever wanted or needed to travel alone but were afraid to try? Don’t know how to make arrangements and what to take? Over the next couple of months I’ll walk you through my upcoming 6 week travel experience.

My plan is to leave on August 19th and spend 6 weeks in Europe, commencing in Sweden and moving south through Germany, France, Spain and Portugal. Being in my sixties, I have decided I am too old for hostels or hitch-hiking so am going to use a Eurail Pass for transportation, and stay in small hotels or with friends along the way.

Luckily, my airline ticket to Stockholm and returning from Lisbon was a freebee thanks to frequent-flyer miles - I always save my miles for the big trips instead of using them on short hops - and after plotting my route it was time to order my train pass and make some seat reservations. Using DB Bahn (a train timetable for Europe), I was able to check that there actually were train connections between the stopovers I had chosen, and if not, make adjustments to my plans. Eurail passes come in a variety of types and the people at All Europe Rail made choosing the right one easy. They then took care of arranging the pass and all the train reservations, and were extremely helpful.

I decided to rent a car for the week I am spending in Provence, as traveling between villages would be otherwise difficult. In major cities I prefer to use the Metro or buses, and find the best way to see the sights and enjoy the atmosphere, is by walking.

My criteria for choosing a hotel from the myriad available on the web were, safe location, level of comfort, and price. I don’t need five-star luxury and in fact prefer charm, cleanliness and a friendly atmosphere, but I do want my own bathroom. I checked out most of them on Trip Advisor and the prices of the hotels I chose range from $76 to $124 per night for a double room as singles were generally non-existent. I will let you know how each one worked out as I travel.