David and Karen Journey – DNKJOURNEY

Bali the “island of the Gods” has plenty of charm: temples, beaches, diving, spa treatments and handicrafts at bargain prices. Even so, the island’s most indispensable attribute is its people; their warmth, generosity and dedication to preserving their culture are what set the place apart.

Mostly famous for its landscapes that are both dramatic and exotic, rice paddies in Bali are part of the people’s heritage. The centuries-old traditional irrigation cooperative lives on through such artistry in nature. We saw the Jatiluwih rice terraces, recognized by UNESCO on its world cultural landscapes list. (Jatiluwih means extraordinary in Indonesian.)

The rice fields comprise over 1,500 acres, which follow the cascading hillside topography of the highlands and are maintained by the local village cooperative. The Balinese people have depended on this method of agriculture for almost 2,000 years. The terraced rice fields were carved by hand, and with the help of some simple tools and have been maintained by succeeding generations. It is an impressive “sea of green”. They give a new meaning to the word green. They crawl up the sides of the hills like steps leading you towards the sky. And like so much of Bali, the terraces are equally as empty as beautiful.

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a magical dwelling bustling with life. Wildlife. The ancient grandfather looking long-tailed macaques lounge among massive holy trees surrounding the overgrown temples. Their grand babies tromp around in troops, some swinging secretly overhead spying down on the tourists in the lush greenery. Their wide eyed parents nibble on sweet potatoes and mangoes while people watching. There is an overwhelming sense of Mother Nature combined with a true Balinese place of worship. This is Bali, I thought, only in Bali.

The UBUD Monkey Forest 30.8 acre area, has been around for so long that its history was determined by an analysis of the site. Based on the research, the temple’s construction dates back to the 14th century making the Ubud Monkey forest older than its home country, Indonesia. During that era, the area that forms Indonesia was governed by separate ancient kingdoms. Research shows, Ubud and surrounds was a royal neighborhood where royal families live in grand palaces, unfortunately, no records are available to know who exactly built or designed the site.

The temple is built upon the Balinese traditional philosophy “three causes of well-being” that includes harmony with God, with other people, and with nature. Here you can find temples for worship, lush forest and hundreds of monkeys. About 600 monkeys live in the forest area, more specifically known as the Balinese long-tail Macaque or Crab eating Macaque as they are properly known.

We watched playful monkeys in their natural habitat, swinging through canopies, racing along pathways or feeding on bananas. The monkeys are so accustomed to humans that they generally ignore you when you walk by. The best way to get up close to the monkeys is with bananas, (they climb you like a tree) which were sold at the entry gate. The “brave banana man” in our pictures is Jerry, the coordinator of the excursion, and a fellow with an infinite sense of humor.

We saw mothers who were holding babies close, feeding and grooming them while juveniles ran around and large males watched from above. We heard lots of laughter as the monkeys jump on people who’ve brought them bananas. Shutters click continuously as people snap photos of the long tailed felons. And the tiny almost hairless babies suckling from their mothers are adorable.

Dance and drama play a historically important role in Balinese society. Through this medium, people learn about the epic stories from Balinese history, but since we did not speak the language, we just enjoyed the color and movement. Wearing glittering headdresses, the dancers move in perfect stylized sync, emotions vividly expressed by only darting eyes. Other parts of the story seem to have an element of slapstick humor, and the costumes are so colorful. The dance performance accompanied by a gamelan orchestra, or a percussion ensemble. The gamelan is a collection of gongs, xylophones and drums.

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan is the most photographed temple on the island and is a rather iconic construction of Bali. Standing on the shore of Lake Bratan, it gives an illusion of floating on the water. The temple is based on a beautiful Balinese concept of balance of two opposites. Pura Ulun Danu Batur is regarded as feminine while Pura Besakih is masculine. Therefore, the two temples complete the Universal Balance. The God of water bodies, Dewi Danu is worshipped here. The temple has 11 stories and the architecture is truly awe-inspiring. The sheer beauty of the magnificent structure, calmness of the water around and backdrop of mountains, altogether creates a surreal experience. Bali is primarily known for its gorgeous locations, and this temple is one gem of its vast natural treasures.

2 of Bali’s 11 mountains are active volcanoes Mount Batur and Mount Agung. We enjoyed lunch within view of Mount Batur; which erupted in 2000, Mount Agung erupted in 2017 (3 months ago!) The top however, remained in the clouds for much of the day. There are tours which lead you to the top, but looking at it from afar was fine for me.

A trip to Bali wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of its many coffee plantations—heaven for coffee (and tea) lovers alike. We visited a coffee plantation, the visitor center had a garden identifying the plants and fruits grown for their coffee and tea label. We heard about and tried a cup of Bali’s famous Kopi Luwak. The coffee gets its unique flavor by going through the digestive process of a civet (a cat-like, nocturnal mammal). That’s right, Kopi Luwak seeds are only ready after they’ve made it all the way through a civet’s digestive tract! It is the world’s most expensive and exotic coffee.

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Along with Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Myanmar, Java’s Borobudur makes the rest of Southeast Asia’s spectacular sites seem almost incidental. Looming out of a patchwork of bottle-green paddies and swaying palms, this colossal Buddhist monument has survived volcanic eruptions, terrorist bombs and an earthquake to remain as enigmatic and as beautiful as it must have been 1200 years ago.

From a distance Borobudur gives the appearance of a step pyramid: row upon ascending row of stone galleries, built upon a hill that dominates the plains and rice fields of south-central Java. Pilgrims have been coming here for 1,200 years to marvel at the thousands of sculptured figures carved into the lower tiers of Borobudur. These figures are meant to teach. Like the narrative statuary crowding the walls of a Cathedral, Borobudur’s carvings conveyed the insights of faith in a sequential storytelling framework that would have been accessible to the educated and unlettered alike.

The vast 9th century structure is the world’s largest Buddhist temple. Almost 90 feet high and decorated with more than 500 Buddha statues, it includes three central platforms adorned with 72 Buddhas, each one seated inside a huge, perforated stone stupa. Borobudur is built from two million stone blocks in the form of a massive symmetrical stupa, literally wrapped around a small hill. Standing on a 360 x 360 foot base, its six square terraces are topped by three circular ones, with four stairways leading up through carved gateways to the top. The top platforms are circular, signifying never ending nirvana. Viewed from the air, the structure resembles a colossal three-dimensional tantric mandala. Although Borobudur is impressive for its sheer bulk, the delicate sculptural work when viewed up close is exquisite. There are nearly 1460 richly decorated narrative panels and 1212 decorative panels in which the sculptors have carved a virtual textbook of Buddhist doctrines as well as many aspects of Javanese life 1000 years ago — a continual procession of ships and elephants, musicians and dancing girls, warriors and kings. Many other panels are related to Buddhist concepts of cause and effect or karma.

Prominent among Borobudur’s sculptured tales are “birth stories” starting in the everyday world and spiraling up to nirvana, or enlightenment. These are legends that tell of Siddhartha’s earlier incarnations before he became the Buddha. In many of these tales the Buddha acquires merit by sacrificing his own selfish interests for the good of the other animals or humans he encounters. Most visitors, us included, hurry up the stairs to those monument’s summit. Here repose numerous statues of the Buddha shown seated in meditation. The Buddhas look out over palm groves and drops of tobacco and sugar cane to a horizon of limestone hills and volcanic mountains. Understandably, Borobudur is the most visited tourist site in Indonesia. With its palpable spirituality and striking architectural beauty, the huge stone temple draws pilgrims and tourists from around the globe. It is the kind of place that stays with you long after your return home.

The travel component took us about 60 miles in each direction between the dock and Borobudur. It is a journey that would take less than an hour on America’s interstate highway system but one that can take several hours on Central Java’s chaotic roads. Upon seeing a traffic jam during rush hour on our journey, one couple from Southern California remarked, “Los Angeles is nothing compared to this.”

Imagine a four-lane road with two lanes intended for travel in one direction and two intended for travel in the other. In most countries, this system works well. In Central Java, however, cars, trucks, busses and motorbikes often use all four lanes for travel in the direction that they are going. That solid white line running down the center of the road? In other countries, the line indicates that drivers should not cross over it and into the other lane. Here, the white line is merely a suggestion — and one that is often ignored. So how does a cruise company navigate three motor coaches through the maze of traffic? Meet the police escort.

Lights Flashing, Sirens Blasting

Holland America had arranged for a police escort to lead and accompany our 15 motor coaches from the dock in Semarang to Borobudur and back. With their blue lights flashing and sirens singing, one police car led the way with our motor coaches giving chase and another police car followed in pursuit. For two hours on the way to Borobudur, our busses wove in and out of traffic, across white lines, around cars and trucks — and often toward oncoming traffic, which pulled off the road to allow us to pass. “My husband normally naps on these long bus trips,” one woman told me at the end of the day. “He didn’t this time.”

Indeed, the journey was one not to be missed. Motorbikes came daringly close alongside and cut between our bus and other vehicles, with what appeared to be only inches to spare. Just in the nick of time, oncoming transport trucks obligingly pulled off the roads as we used their lanes to pass traffic. No anger, no road rage. Rather than resent us, many Javanese waved and smiled as we passed them. Nor did I get the sense that those on our busses feared for their safety. Quite the opposite. The experience was a bit like a thrill ride, a harrowing adventure along roads flanked by the busy life of Central Java and punctuated by beautiful rice terraces and tropical trees. Even with the police escort, covering 60 miles took about two hours, with a 15-minute coffee, snack (included) and restroom break built in about halfway along the journey.

Due to the traffic having the police escort was invaluable. The buses were able to use both sides of the road and went right through the traffic lights – no matter the color. For us, getting to/from the temple turned out to be the best part of the tour. It was was one of the most incredible drive. The police were unbelievable as they moved the traffic and maneuvered through trucks, motor bikes, ducks and cattle on the road was a wonder.

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It is difficult to get our heads around the denominations of their currency. For instance an average lunch for 2 costs 100,000 Indonesian Rupiah. Our first thought is, Whaaaaat??? Then laugh when we realize it is only $8 US Dollars.

The Holland America cruise Part II took us through 8 different locations in Indonesia. Two are famous: Borobudur and Bali, which are so photogenic they deserve their own blog. This blog is the “rest of the Indonesian story.” More than 1/3 of the staff from the ship were born in Indonesia. So “coming home” is a big deal. The ship has local music and dancers greet us at every port, they have Indonesian lunches where the wait staff can explain every ingredient on the plate in front of you, they quietly share it doesn’t taste as good as their mom’s cooking. The staff has dance and music performance on the main stage and you cheer especially hard for the faces you recognize. And of course, they have traditional costumes you can try on, David is a natural in this regard.

Colorful, beautiful, confusing, crowded, awe-inspiring, terrifying …overwhelming. All these words came to mind those first few moments of my local market visit in Lombok, Indonesia. It was a hot, sticky afternoon and the humid air was thick with the weirdly tantalizing olfactory mix of exotic street food, horse dung and car exhaust. That days guide in Lombok took us to see all the expected Hindu temples, and then said we needed to see the “real people” of Indonesia. The local market was a crowded warren of brightly colored stalls where they sell fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, spices, dry goods and household items. The stalls continued in all directions, with open air between (better access for the flies). We dodged puddles of stale water alongside bushels of produce, rich assortments of meat and overly pungent fruits. It was really a hidden gem, I tried to find one word to describe the market. Each smell, sound, taste, and sight brought me to one word: mesmerizing. You have to enter these markets with reckless abandon. You have to close your eyes, open your heart, and welcome every experience — no mater how overwhelming — this is how most of the world shops for their daily meal. Now my air conditioned supermarket feels very sterile.

Also near Jakarta, we strolled among rows of traditional Bugis Phinisi Schooner ships tied at dock; which are still used to move products from a city to the 9,000 inhabited Indonesian islands. The captains and mates were friendly, while I was working out that the two large poles coming from the ship was really an access ladder, we were invited aboard for a cup of tea. Fascinating as that sounds, we had only a 15 minute window of free time to explore though if I was an independent traveler, who knows the mess I would gotten into. These old, ironwood ships, left from the Dutch and British East India Companies era, have seen a lifetime of stories and storms, their character is etched on the paint laden, scratched, rusty and worn keels.

When most people think of Jakarta they think of traffic, noise, pollution, congestion. And for the most part they’re right. Jakarta is noisy, and polluted and crowded. And the traffic is horrendous. Sounds pretty interesting to me, it’s worth checking out. Jakarta is a dynamic city, The locals here are friendly, welcoming and positive. Because Jakarta is usually not on the radar of tourists, there’s an authenticity to much of it that is hard to avoid. Dutch colonial influences stand alongside those of the dominant Islam religion. We went to the old town of Batavia (now called Kota) once the hub of Dutch Colonial Indonesia. The 1.8 acre central square is teeming with tourists, both Indonesian and foreign. The activity in the central square are rows of fortune tellers, and souvenir sellers. A few Rupiah will buy a five minutes on fluorescent colored bicycles complete with helmets for gents and bonnets for ladies, or a pedal bike with a grinning fellow pumping away. We are approached by groups of giggly, polite high school students who want to have a selfie with a couple of aging Americans, which we happily oblige.

Si Jaguar Cannon has been remade from 16 smaller cannons, placed by the Dutch and gathered from around Indonesia. It has a unique and artistic end piece. The thumb appears from the fist, penetrated between the index finger and the middle finger. This kind of fist (a fig) is a vulgar sign. Placed in the heart of the Jakarta city square, F*CK you, say the Indonesians to the Dutch after 300 years of colonial rule.

Also located in Kota Square, the Wayang Museum boasts, 5,147 puppets, collected from all over Indonesia and many other parts of the world. There are two types of puppets used in Indonesia, one-dimensional paper or water buffalo leather, and three dimensional puppets of wood. The UNESCO recognized shadow puppet theaters as part of the Indonesian cultural heritage. We were lead to a workshop which doubles as a school for puppeteer apprentices for an authentic puppet show. The puppet master explained there are over one thousand characters in a puppet show, with each show lasting about nine hours. Thankfully, we got the 15 minute version, not the nine hour show. We toured the Jakarta History Museum and found a mural: In the center wall, a Dutchman holds court at a grand party, looking dapper in a white suit and tie. Javanese servants, clad in traditional lurik cloth and caps, are occupied with trays of food. Soldiers in gallant uniforms gather together while Dutch ladies in genteel kebaya sip tea and pick at hor d’oeuvres. The complete mural covers 3 walls and was painted 40 years ago and only discovered in a back room in 2010. The artist was trying to recreate life under the Dutch colonizers.

It is the national monument of the Republic of Indonesia, built to commemorate the struggle for Indonesian independence. It is based on the rice pestle and rice mortar. It is topped by a flame in gold foil.

The Indonesian archipelago is gorgeous. A few days later, as we cruised toward Komodo Island you don’t know whether to look left or right, there is so much natural beauty, and much of it is surreal. There are mountainous islands that are arid and brown, but their neighbor could have outcrops of trees and be technicolor green, a visual feast — and that’s before we meet the island’s resident Komodo dragons.

“The Komodo sat motionless under the broiling Indonesian sun. 8 feet and 170 pounds of malevolence wrapped in loose, leathery skin, from the tip of a tail so mighty it could knock a buffalo off its feet, to a mouth that dripped with fetid, bacteria filled saliva”, wrote one travel writer who fed my imagination before l could see it for myself. I was enthralled.

The Komodo dragon is a creature of legend, looking as it does, a lot like the planet’s last dinosaur left stranded in a small pocket of islands in the Indian Ocean. They are said to have lived here for at least a million years. Stories abound of the dragons attacks on those who have visited their isolated home over the years.

The Komodo dragon, the world’s largest monitor lizard, may grow to over 10 feet in length, though most males average 8.5 feet and between 170 and 200 pounds. Females are smaller than males, growing an average of 7.5 feet and weighting in at 150 to 160 pounds. Reports vary, but estimates generally put 2,500 to 5,000 Komodo dragons remain in the wild (among 4 islands), of which only about 350 may be breeding females. They are found almost everywhere on the islands. They can be found in the forest, in the savanna, on the beach, in the mangrove swamp, in the burrows or even in the trees. The younger Komodo or baby Komodo that survive hatch (their mothers know where they laid the egg, and wait at hatch to eat their young) once they crack through their shells, they will quickly climb into the trees, where they live for the next 2 to 4 years to avoid being eaten by larger dragons or other predators such as wild boar and feral pigs.

With their fearsome reputation in mind, you naturally stay back. At first sight, they do appear “lifeless” — like large seals wearing crocodile skin. When they move, they crawl on their bellies and then suddenly rear up sphinx-like, sticking out their forked tongues and making a distinctive hissing sound. There are five dragons in the group near the watering hole, the day we were there. They are grouped around each other, occasionally standing up, walking a few steps and hissing. The guides stand near with a V shaped stick, which they will use to keep the dragons back in the event that they come near us. The park itself is lovely, dappled and full of interesting trees and plants. The path is flat and smooth — a lovely walk in the woods.

A Komodo dragon’s favored method of attack is to lie in the bushes and long grass and then pounce on their prey, usually deer, feral pigs or water buffalo. Generally, they attack their prey but don’t kill it there and then. They have a poisonous saliva full of about 80 species of bacteria. So in a couple of days septicemia sets in and the prey dies. Then they can eat casually, and at their convenience. Also, they are strong swimmers, so they could follow a fleeing human into the sea. This last point was explained in detail by the security officers when asked if we could take a little swim.

The island of Lombok is just 27 miles east of Bali. It is home to two cultures, the Balinese Hindu and the Sasak Muslim. The Sasaks, who came from northern India centuries ago, their religious practices are more animist and Hindu than Muslim.

We visited Pura Meru, the largest Balinese temple on Lombok. Constructed in 1720, Pura Meru is arranged around three courtyards full of small Meru shrines. The three most important — those to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma are in the central courtyard. We went to Suranadi, a hill town whose Hindu temple is especially venerated for its spring water and eels. Both promise good fortune. Narmada Taman, Lombok most famous temple palace complex. I note the names mostly so I can look them up again.

What was truly fascinating is how all this fits together in one spiritual place. All over Lombok you see black and white checkered cloth draped over trees, statues and worn by people in ceremonies. This special cloth has spiritual meaning. The outermost layer of spiritualism is an area where the difference between “black and white” is still visible and obvious. Those that can easily differentiate between good and evil, right and wrong, happiness and sorrow are considered to have a spiritual level that is still within the outer layer. People can be swayed between 2 opposites. That is why this cloth is only used in the outer area of temples or worn by people during ceremonies that takes place in the outer area.

The deeper someone’s spiritual understanding gets the less obvious the lines between “black and white”. They can see that sorrow is part of happiness, find enlightenment in past mistakes, understand that nothing is truly bad, and can accept both sorrow and joy as God’s gift.

Sometimes you can see it draped over a tree on the side of the road. In this case it is used to mark the tree to show that a spirit resides within it. The locals then pay their respect in some way when they pass this tree, for example, say a quick prayer. All things have a deep seated and singular spiritual component. So you bless these things every day, never taking them for granted. Little hand woven baskets filled with fruit, petals and rice grain offerings, and incense. Local women make the basket offerings fresh every morning. Then they put on a beautiful sarong & waist sash, grab incense sticks and their baskets and proceed to place them at key points around their home, garden, private temples and properties. This is an important, integral part of daily life. These little baskets of flowers and incense sticks are what make Bali/ Lombok so wonderfully unique and fragrant.

If you enter a temple, they expect you are there for a spiritual purpose, not tourism. So you are required to have religious dress: The Hindu Council says those who pray to God must put on at least a white or yellow sash over a clean garment, and cover obscene parts of the body, which for men and women is the arm pit and the back of the knee. Thus the phrase, No sarong, no sash, no service.

Within the temple there is the lucky fountain where you throw a coin, and the underground springs that bubble up into pools and baths; the pure water is used for rituals and cleansing and an extra benefit of being a fountain of youth, guaranteed to remove 10 years from your age. As it happened, our dinner table mates were visiting the same temple and saw me ritually cleaning my hands and washing my face. The man remarked that it must have worked, I don’t look a day under 70 any longer. After a horrifying look from me, and a wink from David, he dutifully changed that malicious remark to a day under 40. We continued to let him eat after our table, after much apology.

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A Buddha face in the tree roots, located at Ayutthaya, is such an interesting and stunning piece of history to see. It is no wonder this is an iconic image, the whole area is beautiful but this particular image is quite moving, to think that despite the tress growing around the head it can still be seen and the tree appears to be cradling it.

Ayutthaya, once an ancient Thailand capital and the trading capital of Asia was founded in 1350. In its day, Ayutthaya was filled with enormous monasteries, exquisite temples and gold filled palaces in a city considered one of the finest in the world. By the 17th century, it was the proud, wealthy home to reportedly over a million residents — more than London’s population then, making it the largest city in the world. It had an astonishing 2,000 Buddhist temples, or wats, as they are called in Thai. Here many majestic, rambling temple ruins stand stoically, reminiscent of Ayutthaya’s days of grandeur.

It is believed that Buddha attained supreme enlightenment under a Bodi/Peepal tree, so ever since I saw the picture of a Buddha Head entangled in the roots, it was very high on my photographic wish list. It is located at Wat Mahathat within Historical Ayutthaya, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

No one is 100% sure how the Buddha head got entangled in the roots of the Bodi Tree. The most accepted theory is that in 1767, when the Burmese army vandalized the 14th century temple, the head fell and the tree grew around the Buddha during the neglect the site suffered in the intervening hundreds of years. Another theory is that a thief was carrying the head but did not carry it far; hid it under the tree to come back, but never reappeared and in the course of time the roots of the tree grew around the head of the Buddha.

Whatever the reason, today this Buddha head in the roots of the Bodhi/Peepal Tree is one of the most iconic images of Thailand.

Located 20 minutes (by vehicle) from Ayutthaya Historical Park, a glorious palace proves Thai people can be romantic. It’s history traces back to an ancient king shipwrecked on an island in the river and met a local woman living there. They fell in love, they beget a son, who in time became chief minister and later king. In 1632 this son, King Prasat Thong, decided to build his summer palace on the small island where his mother was born. He named it Bang Pa-In.

Unfortunately, Bang Pa-In shared the terrible fate of the nearby royal capital Ayutthaya. It was attacked by Burmese troops in 1767, left in shambles and abandoned.

King Rama V began refurbishing the compound in 1872. King Rama V’s love for European architecture gave the monarch the idea of turning this royal compound into his summer residence. Rama V used the Palace of Versailles as his inspiration for the manicured lawns, gardens and statues. The “floating pavilion, is a tribute to the first palace of Bang Pa-In.

Romance is often associated with tragedy, and Bang Pa-In is no exception to that cliche. The year was 1881 and on the way to the summer palace at Bang Pa-In, Rama V’s royal raft capsized. Back then, it was punishable by death to touch a member of the royal family so everyone was scared to help them … the queen and three of the children sunk to the bottom of the river in front of all those terrified sets of eyes and helpless limbs. Heartbroken, King Rama V had a commemorative marble obelisk built in the garden, with a poem written by the King, integrated into the memorial. The king changed the law such that people can officially touch them — in case of emergency.

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Trip Report, Part Deux . . . . . We embarked on another Dam ship (Holland America Volendam) for a 28 day journey, down the coast of Vietnam, quickly in and out of Thailand, and Singapore, then another 2 weeks in Indonesia. Here is what we saw in Vietnam . . .

In northern Vietnam, Halong Bay is a collection of some 1,600 limestone monoliths (up to 300 feet high), so breathtaking it was designated a world heritage site by UNESCO in the mid 1990’s. We experienced Halong in all its natural beauty by boat. Even though the weather was not at its best, the boat motored along and brought us to Hang Dau Go – meaning wooden stakes cave – which is the largest cave with three soaring chambers filled with a plethora of stalactites and stalagmites. With the mist, the islands looked ethereal. We were lucky, and spotted wild monkeys playing on the cliffs along the way.

From Da Nang, we spent the day at Marble Mountain. A cluster of five hills made from limestone and marble, they are named after the elements metal, wood, fire, water and earth. Artists extract marble from the mountain and so this is a center for sculpture and stone cutting. The tour took us there to see if we wanted to order anything, — special price for you — we ship anywhere in the world! Everyone needs a 15 foot Buddha for their garden!

During the Vietnam war (known in Vietnam as the “War of American Aggression”) the jungle covered marble mountains were a hideout for the Northern soldiers who used the natural camouflage to shoot at airplanes flying over Da Nang, spy on soldiers working at the military base or relaxing on China Beach below; you can still see bullet holes.

Now it has returned to a Buddhist Sanctuary, with many pagoda temples (some dating back to the 17th century). The tall pagoda is Pho Dong built in 1825. Many other caves and grottos, with the requisite alters and incense, carry the peaceful, prayerful, atmosphere that you would find in places of worship.

We had lunch in Hoi An, a local restaurant served the best Pho I have ever tasted. (Pho is like chicken noodle soup.) The old town is Hoi An’s main attraction, the Venice of Vietnam. Chinese lanterns float above alleyways and canals are flanked by shopfronts, so picturesque it almost looks like a film set! The city consists of three short streets running parallel to the sleepy river.

Hoi An has a history of attracting outsiders; from the 16th to the19th century it became one of Asia’s most important trading ports. In return they imprinted a distinct cultural overlay, Japanese arched bridges, French wooden shutters and Chinese Pagodas. The Chinese merchants, from whom many families trace their ancestry today, built community assembly halls, still used by the offspring. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, thankfully banned cars from the old center, a merciful relief after visiting other Vietnamese cities, where crossing the road is akin to Russian roulette. Check out the photo of the bicycle built out of bamboo.

Nah Trang brought one of our favorite memories from our 2011 trip in Vietnam. Then, and now we enjoyed the day in a mud bath. I know the term mud bath seems paradoxical, how do you bathe in something that makes you dirty? And why would you? Well for one — it gives you a great case of the giggles, mud on your nose, mud on your toes. Secondly, it is part of a beauty regimen, rejuvenate and stimulate skin cells (ok, I read the brochure). Mostly, it was a resort where we could kick back for a couple of hours, we saw no one from the cruise ship, and we could remember when we just traveled thru this region sampling quirky, local ways to spend a day.

Then came Ho Chi Minh City, the beating heart of Vietnam. Architectural highlights include the Saigon Opera House, a flamboyant, rose-tinted building which still hosts events and Notre Dam Cathedral, the 19th century redbrick masterpiece. Another colonial gem is the General Post Office which has been in service since 1880’s. It’s opulent vaulted ceilings are certainly one of the more glamorous places you’ll ever post a letter. Certainly, the Reunification Palace is one of the most perfectly preserved examples of 1960’s government architecture you’ll see anywhere in the world. The Rex Hotel, famous as an American reporters hangout, is literally a block away from the Vietnamese Government Ruling House. All these things are in the “older” District 1, aka as Saigon. HCMC has 13 districts, but most of the sights are concentrated in Saigon (District 1).

We spent much time at Pagoda of the Lady Thien Hau. It is regarded as one of the oldest, largest, and most beautiful temples in HCM City. The temple is dedicated to the Lady of the Sea. People go there to pray for safe travel, which in 1760, was most likely by sea. It is accessed by an iron gate and crossing a small courtyard. The roof is decorated with small, delicately fashioned porcelain figurines expressing themes from Chinese religion and legends. Of course, incense is all about. The cruise coordinator lit an incense for us travelers to continue a good trip. It was so close to Lunar New Year (celebrated starting Feb 13 for 1 week) that many people were dressed in their finest and getting their photo taken, others were making special prayers and presenting gifts as is the custom at this time of year.

Our guide arranged for us to be transported by trishaw, a pedicab, across town, down the flower alley, up the chicken and bird alley, thru a life threatening intersection or two. Wow! The 45 minute rickshaw ride was one of the most incredible experiences — one of sheer fear and exhilaration! It was orchestrated chaos! The drivers were oblivious to red traffic lights, going the wrong way up one way streets and never gave a moments thought to pedestrians who dared to cross the road in front of our madcap drivers. David was the first passenger of our group, he got some great film of near misses and objects that were bigger, faster and noisier than his flimsy contraption of light, rusty metal. It was one of the highlights of our day in Saigon.

Another unexpected highlight was the Water Puppet Theatre. There are a lot of different kinds of puppet shows, but none like this — it has its roots in the 11th century when water puppet theatre was performed in the rice fields with puppets laying over the water. The show is done in a pool of water, and the puppets are controlled by puppeteers hiding behind a bamboo screen. The show consists of short sketches, with colorful characters, who take the audience on a journey to daily life of the farmers: cultivating, tending buffalo, catching fish . . ., to an adaptation of fairy tails and to dances with mythical creatures. This is accompanied by live folk singers and musicians. The whole thing was utterly charming, and showcases Vietnamese traditions preserved for today’s young (and young at heart).

Forty years after millions of Vietnamese were killed in the war, locals bear little animosity toward the US. Vietnamese millennials have grown up without direct experience of what they call “the American War,” though many have lost grandparents in the fighting. They say their parents reminisce but young people are just not interested. Young people in Vietnam grew up in the communist country that the war created. Vietnam has become one of SE Asia’s fastest growing economies. The student textbooks reflect a hard but glorious struggle to defeat the American invaders. They learn that even though the US Army was mighty and their weapons modern, the Vietnamese country united and stood up for their freedom. While the specter of communism drew the United States into the war and communist forces ultimately won it, political ideology means little to the ordinary Vietnamese. Young people care more for their own careers and their own dreams. Still it was jarring to see the hammer and sickle portrayed next to the Vietnamese flag. I guess this is why we travel, keeps you on your toes.

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That is what we were called in Thailand. In Myanmar, our guide asked us to be his parents in his next life. The Thai people always greet you with a smile and “Sà wàtdii ka” from a woman and “Sà wàtdii kap” from a man with their hands together in front of them with a bow. You return the same and the smile gets bigger. What a way to start the day. Oh yes, you must say thank you in Thai, kob-khun ka or kob-khun kap, again with a smile and a bow.

We began our journey to SE Asia from Tampa on January 5th. Our total enroute time was 30 hours, taking us to 3 major airports: Dulles; Tokyo; Bangkok. We arrived in Bangkok at 1am on January 7, stayed at a hotel near the airport, got a few hours of sleep and shower. We continued our journey 10 hours later with a short flight at 1pm on January 7 took us to Yangon, Myanmar. At 6PM on January 7, we joined up with our tour guide Peter and 5 other folks to begin a 9 day journey through Myanmar. One of member of our group is from Fort Collins, Colorado.

It was a fascinating and educational journey through Myanmar. One of the highlights was an early morning hot air balloon flight over Pagodas in Bagan. Check out more highlights in our blog at www.dnkjourney.com.

The tour ended on January 15, when we returned to Bangkok for an overnight. Our lovely hotel villa near the Bangkok airport was AT Residence Suvarnabhumi. The folks here no matter what time you arrive greet you with a Sà wàtdii and great big smile. We stayed in one of their villas during our 3 stays in Bangkok.

Our journey continued the next day, January 16, on a flight from Bangkok to Phuket. Once arriving in Phuket, we met our driver who took us on a 90 minute drive up the coast to Koh Lak. We stayed in Koh Lak for 5 days at the Fanari Resort. Remember the movie “The Impossible”, about the 2004 Tsunami at a Koh Lak Resort, well that was not too far from our resort. In fact, we visited the Tsunami museum close to our resort. Remains from the devastation can be seen through out the area. In the 5 days, we enjoyed relaxing around the pool, renting a motor bike for the day and laying on White Sands beach, about a 10 mile journey north. We took a soak in the bath warm water, soaked in the sun and take in some suds from Chang beer. Koh Lak is a small town where we enjoyed authentic Thai food at the many restaurants close to the resort.

At the end of the 5 days we took a 2 hour shared van ride to the west to Krabi. The van dropped us off in the middle of Krabi and directed us to another van that took us to our destination in Ao Nang, the Deevana Resort. When we arrived our room was not ready so they directed us to the bar for another Chang beer. David noticed a commercial pilot sitting nearby and asked where he was flying, he said, in a heavy Russian accent, to Russia where it is a minus 20 degrees. In Ao Nang at our arrival it was 90. In Ao Nang, for the next 5 days we visited islands, enjoyed the beach and pool time.

We returned to Bangkok the third and last time for 3 days. Our first afternoon was taken up doing some laundry, updating the blog and deciding what we should do the following day as it will be a full day in the city of Bangkok. We took a Uber to the Jim Thompson House and Museum in the heart of Bangkok. The Jim Thompson House is the home of James H.W. Thompson, a self-made American entrepreneur who was the founder of the world renowned Jim Thompson Thai Silk Company. Thompson’s achievements during his 25 year stay in the Kingdom of Thailand have won him much fame as the “Legendary American of Thailand”. From the museum, we took a 30 minute walk to Bangkok’s high end hotel district where enjoyed a lovely Italian lunch. After three weeks of Thai food, our taste buds were anxious for something different. We ended our great lunch and took a tuk tuk to Siam Niramit for a live theatre production. The show was about Siam which was home of diverse cultures, a cross-road where civilizations meet. This was an enchanted evening – first the charming village life of Thailand and then the amazing and impressive show with the most unusual special effects.

We returned to our hotel close to the airport via a Uber arriving at 11 pm. The next day we slept in and took a 1030 shuttle to the Bangkok airport for a flight to Hong Kong, leaving the sunny and hot temperatures behind. This was a first for us as we have never flown in the Airbus 380 (double decker) huge airplane and on Emirates Airlines. The airplane can hold up to 800 passengers. It was amazing it took only 30 minutes to board all the multi cultural passengers in the airplane and we were off for the 2 and ½ hour flight to another country in SE Asia.

We arrived at dark in the early evening and found our way to the airport express train to Hong Kong with temperature hugging around 50. The 30 minute train ride ended at a terminal where we got on the airport express bus which took us to our hotel. At checkin, we received an upgraded room on the 7th floor overlooking Hong Kong harbor. Every night there is a laser light show illuminating the sky over the harbor. Our hotel window overlooks the harbor and the Hong Kong Cultural Center. In front of the center are bronze statues dressed as tourists with yellow raincoats. The first morning, David looks out the window and tells Karen there is a group of tourists out in the rain with yellow raincoats. 30 minutes later he told Karen they have not moved and other tourists are taking pictures with them. It took another half hour for David to discover that they were bronze statues.

During our three days in 50 degree weather in Hong Kong we visited many of the tourist spots including a mall which had an entire floor dedicated to electronics. One other highlight was the Hong Kong Apple Store. David spent some Hong Kong dollars and bought Bose headphones from a Bose factory store.

The real highlight in Hong Kong was High Tea at the Peninsula Hotel. There is nothing more quintessentially iconic of Hong Kong than experiencing the acclaimed Peninsula Classic Afternoon Tea. Served daily in The Lobby, which has long been recognized as one of the most elegant meeting places in Hong Kong.

Our three days in Hong Kong ended on January 31, where we began a new chapter by embarking on a 28 day Holland America cruise through more of SE Asia. More to follow………

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As I entered the wide expanse of Inle Lake at the end of a narrow feeder channel, two fishermen appeared performing what I could best make out as a slow-motion, over-the-water ballet with oars for props—all while balanced on the bows of their boats. It was absolutely enthralling.

Life on the shallow, 13.5-mile freshwater lake is utterly captivating: With no roads or sidewalks to speak of, locals and visitors alike get around in one-person-wide wooden boats outfitted with outboard propellers, which emit a noisy whine when at full throttle and can be raised and lowered depending on water levels. Villages of rustic single- and two-story wooden stilt houses straddle active waterways. Houses surrounded by the family vegetable gardens in the shallow waters around their house. Fishermen work the lake, using a mesmerizing one-legged paddling technique you won’t see anywhere else in the world. Hydroponic tomato farming is also big here, based on an aqua biotic system in use since the 1960s. Cruising along channels hemmed in by floating gardens is simply sublime.

Inle Lake has been a major Myanmar weaving center for over a century. You’ll hear the looms clacking away through open-air windows as you come in to dock. It’s a big enterprise by Myanmar standards, with several tidy buildings housing twenty-plus looms apiece. Everything, from the dyes to the finished scarves and longhis (the Myanmar sarong), is done here by hand, by women of all ages (they’re allegedly more precise than men). There’s no retiring age, either: The eldest women approve designs and dying techniques, their experience and taste still invaluable, even as their eyes fail on the looms.

While woven textiles can be found throughout Southeast Asia, Myanmar is the only place to make lotus fabric—and Inle Lake is ground zero for it, as its shallow waters create ideal growing conditions for the flowering plant. The lotus stem contain fibers which are harvested and twined into one string, which is dried, dyed and used in the weaving of silk and lotus scarfs! The stalks are then replanted to harvest additional lotus flowers and stalks. Nothing is waisted here. Did you notice the old bicycle wheels as the spinning wheel? Padaung long neck women in Inle Lake also weave scarves and have a cottage industry to earn additional income. They are happy to visit with people about their lifestyle and customs.

We watched the silversmith explain how they extracted silver from rock and pour the 98.5 percent pure silver into molds. After the demonstration, David and Karen purchased new travel wedding rings. Karen’s hands have swollen with arthritis, so new rings were needed. Another highlight of this region is an impressive complex of thousands of crumbling stupas, most constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries, and vary in colors, from earth tones to the restored golden ones which glisten in the afternoon sun.

The last event of Inle Lake was our group found a lovely rooftop bar with a fire pit and three pitchers of beer and four pizzas later, our western taste buds were happy.

The last day of the tour was spent in Yangon. There are two remaining sites to share: the reclining Buddha and Shwedagon Pagoda. Housed in an open sided steel and corrugated iron structure that looked more likely to host a rock concert, the Buddha gazed down on the handful of Burmese worshippers gathered around at the base of its face. The Buddha itself was quite mesmerizing to look at. At first I thought it was horribly gaudy, with the bright red lips and white skin and pink toenails – but the more I looked at it, the more it seemed to make sense. Certainly, the amount of photos I took during my hour there indicate how I couldn’t stop looking at the Buddha. (The length of the pedestal is 230 feet; the circumference of the head is 90 feet).

In the afternoon, we visited the 2,500-year-old Shwedagon Pagoda; Burma’s most sacred site enshrining 8 strands of Buddha’s hair and other holy relics. With a base perimeter of 1420 feet and rising 330 feet, Shwedagon Pagoda is plated with 22,000 solid gold bars worth roughly US$ 3.2 billion. The top of the stupa is encrusted with 4,531 diamonds; the largest 72 carats. Repeatedly damaged by earthquakes over the centuries, the top collapsed in 1768, but such is the importance of Shwedagon that it is repaired again and again, the gold donated by royalty and the wealthy.

Reached by four covered walkways guarded by lion-dog statues, the massive central pagoda is surrounded by a complex of hundreds of smaller temples. The grounds throng with thousands of families praying, eating, socializing, and sleeping. Yet what makes Shwedagon so special is not its height or gold, but the fact that it is not a monument to past piety but a living expression of it. Visitors go to Shwedagon everyday, decked out brightly, walking around the platform with not graveness but gaiety. Karen wears her longi, (sarong) a traditional Burmese dress made from silk and cotton. Turning any corner you are as likely to see meditating monks as you are snap-chatting teenagers and toddlers squawking raucously on tottering legs. It is in this communal good cheer, rather than in solemn silence, that Buddhism in Myanmar is most commonly displayed.

The Theravada Buddhism of Myanmar, has earning merit at its core. Since we are in one of the world’s most holy Buddhist shrines, we (down to 3 in the group) needed to earn merit! We lit over 200 candles in honor of Buddha. It was really work! But beautiful in the end that the photos meant something much more tangible.

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A sunny morning’s float down the Irrawaddy River is good for many things: letting your face bask in the sunshine, visiting with other guests whilst drinking tea; watching river life; or traveling up river to the town of Mingun. In Mingun, we photographed the local ice cream man on his bicycle and visited an assisted living facility for the elderly.

Pagodas are everywhere in Myanmar. Like everywhere else, they are constructed for family or village centered worship, or a memorial for a loved ones who has died. Like the Taj Mahal story, a consort of the king dies in Mingun while traveling, a large a lavish pagoda is created in her memory. The wavy 7-tiers represent the mountains and the center, the mythological Mt Meru (according to Buddhists, the center of all the physical, metaphysical and spiritual universes). Built in 1861 to celebrate the life of Princess Hsinbyume, who was his first consort and died in childbirth with her first child. This woman was loved, but the King wanted to build something bigger for himself!

Nearby, the king wanted to create the worlds largest pagoda: a height of 150 meters. Like the Taj Mahal, first a memorial project was built then a personal construction project, together, they took a heavy toll on the kingdom builders and it’s financial resources. A prophecy that when the temple was done the king would die was rumored, just to slow him down! Then the 1839 earthquake caused a large crack down the front of the king’s pagoda. Additional weight of the bell shaped stupa and a forged bell, could not be sustained by the damaged structure and the pagoda was never finalized. It is used today as a simple temple where the local monks pray. The king did get his wish to create a world record; it does hold the record for the largest pile of bricks in the world!

If you are going to create the largest pagoda, then it needs the largest bell. The Mingun Bell was the heaviest functioning bell from 1810 until 1902. The supports failed during the earthquake in 1839 and it slipped to second place for a few years to fix the supports (the bell was fine however, just not functioning). In 1902, the Japanese forged a larger bell, but melted it in 1942 in support of the war, so the Mingun Bell reigned again as the largest bell until the year 2000. For 190 years this was the largest functioning bell in the world. And as David can attest, it sounds pretty good! Mingun was one of my favorite places to visit with its tranquility, its oxen “taxi” which was an absolute hoot to ride, the always courteous and friendly market sellers.

In Mandalay, the Kuthodaw Pagoda, contains the worlds largest book! Surrounding the pagoda are 729 shrines each containing a single marble slab inscribed in both sides in Burmese script. Together, the 729 slabs are called “the world’s largest book”, each stone slab representing one of its pages is encased in a stone pagoda. The slabs are inscribed with the teachings of the Buddha written in ancient Pali language. The white shrines are lined in rows around the complex, with corridors in between wide enough to walk through.

If you read one day (8 hours long), it would take over one year and three months (450 days totally) to complete it. It is called “World Biggest Book” When the tablets were unveiled in 1868, each line of writing had been filled with golden ink and the stones were decorated with precious stones including rubies and diamonds. Unfortunately, after the British invaded in the mid-1880s, the troops looted the temple site, stripping the slabs of their gold ink and gems. Today the sprawling book still stands, and the writing has been refilled with simple black ink so that while the opulent glory may have disappeared, the messages of the writings themselves live on for future generations. The ancient writing is intriguing and beautiful!

But at the end of the day, literally, the sunsets are magnificent. We took them at U Bein Bridge and the top of Monastery Hill.

The U Bien Bridge is 1.2 km long and is made out of complete teakwood. The bridge is in good shape and usable condition even today after more than 170 years of construction. The place is teeming with tourists in the evening time during the sunset. The sunset scene from the water in long boats is breathtaking.

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Pagodas of Pagan – Established on the eastern bank of the Irrawaddy River, Pagan was a great capital and wealthy trading port while Europe was still in the Dark Ages. It was already a sizable metropolis in the 9th century, when it was inhabited by tribes who had migrated to the area in preceding centuries. In A.D. 1057, King Anawrahta defeated the Mon Kingdom to the south, creating an empire that was nearly the shape and size of present-day Myanmar.

Not long after defeating the Mon and unifying Burma’s ethnic groups in the 11th century, King Anawrahta converted to Theravada Buddhism (based on Karma) and embarked on a merit-earning, temple-building frenzy that was carried on by his son and their successors. Many Buddhists believe that those who contribute to the construction of a temple are rewarded with “merit” that improves their fate when they are reincarnated. Most of the temples that stand in Pagan today were built in the 12th century at a rate of one or two a month, along with libraries, monasteries and housing for pilgrims. When Burmese civilization was at its zenith the great Pagan area was home to a perhaps a half million people, including pagoda slaves, who maintained the temples and their artwork.

The Mongol army of Kublai Khan, attacked in 1287, defeated the Burmese. The king was forced to flee and a new capital in Yangon was established. However, Kublai Khan respected Buddhism and he ordered his troops not to destroy or loot the temples or their religious objects, so many still stand today. Estimates are more than 10,000 pagodas were built, only 2,200 remain standing today.

Pagan’s monuments are made mostly from fired red bricks, often with little or no mortar. Some are heaps of rubble. Some are crumbling but intact ruins. Others are working temples with monks and worshipers. Many remain in good condition because they are still regarded as sacred by pilgrims, who continue to visit Pagan and take care of its religious buildings long after the city outlived its usefulness as a political or economic center. Pagan is filled with pagodas because each wealthy family had to outdo the other in their devotion.

There are three kinds of religious monuments at Pagan: stupas and temples (known collectively as pagodas) and monasteries. Stupas are generally solid, bell-shaped structures that contain holy relics such as hairs or teeth from Buddha or a sacred Buddhist scriptures. Some have objects related to famous monks. Temples are places of worship. They generally contain images of Buddha and are places where Buddhists practice devotional activities. Monasteries contains living quarters and meditation cells for monks.

The ancient bricks and mortar were more durable than those used now. Even today, the old bricks are stronger than the new ones. Bang one of each kind together and it’s the new one that breaks. The original bricks were made with clay and rice husks and, according to legend, kneaded by elephants. The mortar was made of molasses, buffalo leather, cotton and fermented peanut oil, archeologists say. The old mortar was put on as thin as superglue; the modern cement is laid on thick.

Burma’s (Myanmar since 1989) isolation, since independence from Britain in 1948, has prevented independent archeologists from working at Pagan (changed to Bagan after independence). Most government funds allocated for work at Bagan has been earmarked for restoring monuments destroyed by a huge earthquake in 1975. The bamboo covering indicates restoration is occurring. Many of these damaged pagodas underwent restorations in the 1990s by the military government, which sought to make Bagan an international tourist destination. However, the restoration efforts instead drew widespread condemnation from art historians and preservationists worldwide. Critics are aghast that the restorations paid little attention to original architectural styles, and used modern materials, and that the government has also established a golf course, a paved highway, and built a 200-foot watchtower. Although the government believed that the ancient capital’s hundreds of (unrestored) temples and large corpus of stone inscriptions were more than sufficient to win the designation of UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city has not been so designated, allegedly mainly on account of the restorations. In August 2016, a major earthquake again shook Bagan. Much of the repair accomplished in the 1990’s was destroyed and The Bagan Archaeological Department has started a survey and reconstruction effort with the help of UNESCO experts.

The tour group bicycled to and thru the pagodas, which are also used as central marketplaces. The people put Thanaka, a natural sunscreen made form the bark of a tree, which you will see all Burmese women – and some men – wearing on their faces. Our guide said, this is a sign of a “good girl” to wear this traditional cover. Of course, Karen had to try it as it became available at other locations. During free time, we went out to catch some pagodas with the evening light! Dave was brave enough to take a scooter on the dirt roads, Karen opted to walk around town. In this amazing place you can’t go anywhere without finding a sacred shrine.

Ananda Temple is the large white temple at the beginning of the post. It was built in the 11th century and is an active and bustling place. It contains 4 Buddhas, one to the NSEW which shows Buddha is everywhere. 10 centuries (1,000 years) this structure has been hosting visitors, how amazing is that!

The funniest group activity in Bagan was a traditional Burmese cooking class. This very organized lady had 10 cooking stations and kept the entire group, 7 distracted adults, chopping, stirring, browning and having a very good visit. At the end, we enjoyed perhaps the best meal of the trip, and she sent us the recipes.

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Few travel experiences compare with flying over Bagan in a hot air balloon. With over 2,200 temples and pagodas, there is no better way to take in the incredible history spread across the plains of Bagan. The layers of wind push us past Buddhist monuments built between the 10th and 14th centuries; the spires of thousands of pagodas spread in the distance and the Irrawaddy River appearing in the west.

Once the sun was up, the temples and pagodas were set ablaze by the golden rays of the sun. Ranging from magnificent large complexes to tiny, crumbling structures, as well as those buildings experiencing restoration work. Who knew that bamboo scaffolding could be so beautiful?

The temples and pagodas are the final markers of what was once a thriving kingdom. The plains of Bagan, covering 26 square miles, are home to the largest concentration of religious buildings in the world and, in addition to the religious and spiritual significance, the region holds special meaning for archaeologists, historians, seismologists, architects, linguists, and artists. To say that there is truly nothing like it in the world would be an understatement.

We’re close enough to wave to families breakfasting on the ground or starting their days work in the fields. They wave back. MINGALABA ! ! — hello in Burmese, is shouted back and forth. Dogs chase each other and pelt through the fields. We fly over grassy fields and farms growing millet, melons, sesame and peanuts.

Our Canadian built wooden bus (our transport about town, see picture) was brought over in World War II for the purposes of transporting troops. At the end of the war, the cost of shipping all the buses back to Canada was prohibitive and so they were left behind. Today the fleet has been lovingly restored and they must be some of the most unique buses in the world!

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Our European journey began on August 1, flying from Atlanta to Moscow. On October 30 we embarked on a transatlantic cruise arriving in Tampa on November 13. We boarded the ship with all our luggage and our two kids, our two e-bikes that we purchased in Germany. Today while visiting our final port (Funchal, Maderia, Portugal) in the EU, we got the necessary form stamped allowing us to get the VAT tax refund for our bicycle purchases. They needed to see the goods, so while we had the bikes off the ship a short ride around Funchal was in order.

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For two weeks we enjoyed the manic of Barcelona. We attended concerts, rode bikes by the beach, ate tapas and drank Sangria. We lived in an apartment in one of the residential neighborhoods and tried to blend in. The Castilian people are vying for a new European country of Catalonia, and you see their patriotism hanging from balconies. The locals hold folk dancing every Friday and Saturday night and have resurrected their original language. When we were in Barcelona three side trips really stood out to us:

Montserrat

We arrived in the pre-dawn dusk – the sun came up over a huge bank of clouds. The views of, and from the top of the mountain are stunning. The mountain juts up out of the earth in an other-worldly way, and it is easy to see why over the centuries this was considered a holy site.

One of the most famous tourist attractions in Catalunya in the northeast part of the Iberian peninsula is the Monastery on Montserrat. Set on top of a craggy mountain (Montserrat means, literally, “Saw Mountain” in the Catalan language) the Benedictine abbey is known for its famous boys choir and the Virgin of Montserrat, a statue of a black Madonna and child that has been attracting pilgrims to the mountain for many centuries.

It is one of the black Madonnas of Europe, hence its familiar Catalan name, la Moreneta (“The little dark-skinned one”). Believed by some to have been carved in Jerusalem in the early days of the church, it is a Romanesque sculpture in wood from the late 12th century. Legend has it that the Benedictine monks could not move the statue to construct their monastery, choosing to instead build around it. The statue’s sanctuary is located at the rear of the chapel, where an altar of gold surrounds the icon, and is now a site of pilgrimage.

Girona and Figueres (Dali)

Salvador Dalí, the genius of the surrealism art movement was a Spanish Catalan artist, illustrator, sculptor, author and film maker. Dalí was of one of most famous artists of the 20th century and he changed the world with his fabulous surrealist imagery and flamboyant personality. The main Dalí museum is called the Dalí Theatre-Museum and is in Figueres which is 2 hours north of Barcelona. The Dali Theatre museum was created by Salvador Dalí himself in his home town. It is the biggest surrealist work of art in the world and perhaps the most fun, original and creative art museum in the world. The museum is structured like a circular maze with many crisscrossing paths. Whether you like Dali or not hands down the most batshit and amazing museum I’ve ever visited. Dali was a real character, and you see it within every detail of the museum.

Girona is a beautiful city, nestled on the banks of the Onyar River. It is located in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain, about one hour’s drive from Barcelona. It was chosen by the HBO Seris Game of Thrones. There are 6 or 7 locations from season six of the show, for example, from the scenes outside the sept in Kings Landing to where Arya fought and ran from the assassin in Westeros. It was cool to compare how the locations look now versus scenes from the show.

The medieval sector was once home to the Jewish Quarter or Call. It consists of a labyrinth of narrow streets and patios that have maintained their medieval atmosphere. It is one of the best preserved Jewish quarters in the world and clear evidence of the importance of the Jewish culture in Girona.

Begun in the 5th century, by the 12th century, Girona was home to a large Jewish community. and one of the most important Kabbalistic schools in Europe here. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella demanded all their subjects convert to Christianity. The Jewish population refused and so were expelled from Girona in 1492. Members of the community believed they would return one day, so they blocked off their properties and streets in hopes of reclaiming them in the future. The Christian neighbors who were left behind were reluctant to move into these vacant homes for fears of being labeled secret Jews by the Catholic Church. As a result the homes remained unoccupied for 500 years. With time the Call was completely buried under subsequent construction projects. In the 1970’s, the old town of Girona began to be gentrified. A businessman bought the 11th century buildings to create a restaurant. During work on the building they discovered an important Kabbalistic site and sparked preservation and education of a Jewish site in Spain.

We visited the Jewish History Museum which aims to tell the story of the Jewish Communities of Catalonia, which throughout the entire medieval period formed part of and made decisive contribution to the history of the country and its cultural and scientific development.

Sagrada Familia. (Holy Family Basilica)

The Sagrada Familia, inspired by nature and faith, has been under construction since 1882. Six new towers are being added to this Catholic basilica in Barcelona, bringing the total to 18 and — at long last — finishing the work begun by Antoni Gaudi. When asked why the project was taking so long, the pious Gaudi was fond of saying “my client is not in a hurry.” He was talking about God. When asked why he lavished so much care on the tops of the spires, which no one would see from close up, Gaudi answered: “The angels will see them.”

The first thing a visitor notices upon entering is the size of the main chamber,. With a stunning array of columns that are constructed to look like trees growing inside the basilica, the roof stretches far above the viewer, to a height that’s almost vertigo-inspiring from below. It all contributes to a sensation that although one is standing indoors, one could just as easily be outside, in a crisp white forest ringed by some of the most intensely colorful stained glass windows you’ve ever seen.

The church as 3 stunning facades. The Nativity facade, featuring the holy family, the Passion facade featuring sculptures from the last days of Christ’s life and the Glory facade (which will access the central nave) will be dedicated to the celestial glory of Jesus, in his death and resurrection. (Still under construction)

The stone spires are represented as trees and built with different stone to represent diversity in nature. They vary in color and load bearing strength. Essentially none of the interior surfaces are flat. The branching columns, as well as have a structural function, reflect Gaudi’s idea that the inside of the temple should be like a wood that invites prayer and is fitting for celebrating the Eucharist.

To lesson the load of the roof and bring light into the building, the skylights in between the columns, are built using pieces of golden and green glass to reflect daylight inside. All the stained glass in the apse follows a plan of graduated tones to create an atmosphere suitable for introspection. As the sun moves across the sky, its light further emphasizes the qualities of each facade. Gaudi said that the sun is the best painter and that light from the windows flows over the stones like a stream. The shape and placement of windows create the mottled effect one would see with the sunlight pouring through the branches of a thick forest.

The church is a fever dream of spires and vivid stained glass, ornate facades and ornamental arches. The basilica is a vision inspired by faith and love of nature. He understood that the natural world is rife with curved forms, not straight lines. He noticed that natural construction tends to favor sinewy materials such as wood, muscle and tendon. The lesson of Gaudi is not to copy his solutions but rather to look at nature for inspiration … nature does not go out of fashion.

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“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike” – John F Kennedy

One day, we learned about electric bikes and it made all the difference. In Santiago, Chile we rented our first electric bike and toured the city — loved it, and with the assistance of that electric motor you could conquer hills that would normally make your legs burn.

An e-bike is a bike with a battery powered motor that will provide extra power when you’re pedaling. Ours has three levels of additional support: 100% ECO; 190% STD; or 280% HIGH; with a range of up to 80 miles. Of course, the more assistance you use, the quicker the battery depletes. This is the key to bicycle touring! We read e-bikes are common in Europe, so that was the beginning of the plan. We pre-purchased a Eurail ticket, before we left USA, which provided 11 days of First Class unlimited train travel in France and Spain for 2 people, for $1,000.

David has always wanted to do an overseas bike tour. In the USA he has completed several tours, mostly in Colorado — but they were durability and stamina events, not sightseeing events. Karen has always wanted to do an overseas bike tour, however, the specter of being the last person to arrive every day seemed to take the fun away.

We went to Eurobike, International Bike Show, in Friedrichstafen Germany to speak with manufacturers about warranties and maintenance consistency on both sides of the Atlantic. The majority of e-bikes use either the Bosch or Yamaha system. We met with the Bosch folks, the leading motor manufacturer, who told us that European version of their system would not be authorized to be exported to the US due to regulations and hardware differences. We met with other manufactures that indicated the same issues as Bosch. We were getting frustrated, ready to give in that our dream of purchasing an e-bikes in Europe was quickly fading. Karen went to listen to music while David continued the mission. As he was wandering, the vast halls of manufactures, he came across Haibike. David knew in advance that this German manufacturer exports bikes to the US. He spent over an hour meeting with them and was assured that their SDURO trekking bike offered the best in service, warranty, quality and price. They even called a local bicycle store in Friedrichshafen and made an appointment for us. This was Saturday, we had to wait to Monday to meet with the store owner. David was getting anxious. We kept busy that weekend and visited the bicycle store first thing Monday morning. When we arrived, there were no trekking bikes in stock. We spoke to the owner and asked if he could locate the bikes in another store. He called around and found the exact bikes at a distributor about 150 miles from his store. He was able to make arrangements to get the bikes to his store, we extended our stay in Friedrichshafen, and on Wednesday we were owners of 2016 Haibike SDURO Trekking RC bicycles.

We wanted to bike in the wine country of France. Which wine country . . . . Well, all of them. Our process was to study the bike routes in an area (e.g. Burgundy) and recommendations of a small to midsize town with good train connections. Then find an AirBnB house or apartment in that town for 1 week.

First, the trains. On long distance trains, you need to make a reservation for your bike, and a seat reservation for yourself. We would try and map out the options ourselves on Captain Train, a French online travel agency which provides a platform for booking train tickets in Europe. However, we always purchased the seat and bicycle reservation at the train station. (The cost of the ticket was pre-paid) Buying tickets from an agent at the station ensured we were always on a train that allowed bicycles and that we had a ticket for our bikes. Most trains have a car designated for bicycles but some trains carry only 4 bikes so this is critical. Traveling with bicycles in Europe typically require traveling by regional trains. These trains a little slower but still reach a speed of over 100mph. The high speed trains travel at 180mph and the bicycles are strapped to a row of seats. In our journeys, we had the luxury of three high speed trains.

Buy a bike ticket and load your cycle onto the train yourself. Well load, 2 people, 2 bikes and 2 suitcases and a pannier. Up 3 narrow train stairs, and through an electric door, in less than 90 seconds. I never took any pictures of this part because we were always scrambling. The only down side is the heaviness of the bicycles (velos or bici) (50 lbs) and that comes into play loading and unloading them on trains and “hanging” them on bike racks. It took two of us to lift the bike on the hangar. Train stations are in the center of cities, and we picked small cities. You can roll down to the station, board your train, and enjoy the ride and the view as you read, nap, listen to a podcast, or catch up on blogs.

The AirBnB portion of the planning was pretty straight-forward. We always wrote our hosts to confirm they were comfortable with bikes and had secure storage. Everyone was, with a balcony or a garage where we could leave them in a covered safety. From our experience, our hosts got a kick out of the fact that we were traveling in such a unique and healthy way.

One week per region seemed the right amount. It would equate to 3-4 days of riding, a day of touring with an outfitter, a day for the local sites and the market (always amazing) and another day or 2 for rest or inclement weather. We were traveling and living, not a bike tour which must keep a schedule rain or shine. Then a travel day . . . . This trip we traveled thru Burgundy, Provence, Rivera, Bordeaux, Loire and Toulouse before heading to Barcelona.

Despite challenges, planning our own bike tour gave us flexibility, got us off the beaten path, and made us self-reliant. And although there was no SAG wagon, we were not completely unsupported: our hosts were great sources of information, lots of friendly bike shops, accurate maps and bike apps, and delicious food in every town. The local Tourist Information office would give you a plethora of maps and brochures on the tours that could not be completed on two wheels.

We relied on France’s railways to visit a wider range of places than we could have by bicycle alone. In France, we never had a problem showing up at a train station and buying a ticket for the same day. The regional trains (TER in France) stop at each small town along the way, and bikes do not need a reservation, because they travel free! We traveled to someplace interesting, cycled and toured all day, or started at one station, ended at another catching the train back “home”. The pattern was always the same: spot the designated bike car as the train arrives, make a dash for it, and get the bikes on board and stowed, possibly removing the panniers in the process. Having a bungy cord or a piece of nylon webbing with a buckle to help stabilize the bikes, and lock them together, it gave us peace of mind if we couldn’t sit near them.

I should mention that getting from the street level to the train was often the most adventurous. To and from the street level into the platform tunnel we would find escalators or elevators. One bike, then the luggage, then the second bike. Only once did the unaccompanied luggage fall over — the victim had a wonderful sense of humor! Lots of times, it was a two person carry from the bottom of the train tunnel to the top of the platform.

The only thing left to do is get these bikes home. Lithium batteries are not allowed on airplanes, so we depart by cruise ship on the Norwegian Jade from Barcelona and will arrive in Tampa 14 days later. Our departure date is 89 days after we entered the European Union (they have a 90 day max). On the last EU port, (Maderia, Portugal) we will get a customs stamp and a 20% refund of the price we paid – the VAT refund, that is not applicable to goods purchased by travelers and taken out of the EU. We are lucky to have family in Florida to hold the bikes till we retrieve them. Then bike trails of the USA, here we come!

Being our own tour planners was more effort but it was also well worth it. Researching the trip ahead of time added to the anticipation and helped us learn more about the places we considered going. On the road, we knew we had the essentials with us and that the rest would be available along the way. Each day, we’d wake up, pick a spot on the map, and pedal towards it. In the end, it was an adventure that we were proud to have arranged ourselves.

The last photo in this blog post shows where we have been in France and Germany. We begin our journey to the US from Barcelona, Spain, by cruise ship, at the end of October.

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Chateaux of the Loire – Being homeless, this was a great opportunity to do some house hunting in France, fortunately for us and our budget none were for sale. These castles originated in the 9th and 10th centuries, when territory in France was divided among individual lords and princes. These nobles built castles to control the area immediately surrounding them, and were both offensive and defensive structures; they provided a base from which raids could be launched as well as protection from enemies. The structures also served as centers of administration and symbols of power. Urban castles were used to control the local populace and important travel routes, and rural castles were often situated near features that were integral to life in the community, such as mills and fertile land. Lords and nobles moved from place to place for months at a time conducting business, so they left their wives and children in the most secure location. Additionally, it was common practice in these days to have a mistress or two, and each woman would expect to be kept in their own castle befitting the man’s status.

Under a king, the raiding and feuding ceased. In this new era, the fortress was either torn down, remodeled, or a new summer home/hunting camp built into what is today the architectural style known as the Chateaux. For example, King Francois 1 grew up in the Fortress of Amboise, and remodeled it to a spacious and homey chateaux. Its place on the River Loire was strategic, since Francois’ administrators could keep track of goods headed on barges to Paris up the Loire, and then to levy the appropriate “import” taxes.

In the mid 1600’s King Francois 1 shifted the center of power in France from the Loire back to the ancient capital of Paris. With him went the great architects, but the Loire Valley continued to be the place where most of the French royalty preferred to spend the bulk of their time. The ascension to the throne of King Louis XIV in the middle of the 17th century made Paris the permanent site for great royal châteaux when he built the Palace of Versailles. Nonetheless, those who gained the king’s favor and the wealthy bourgeoisie continued to renovate their existing châteaux or build lavish new ones as their summer residence in the Loire.

The châteaux’s of the Loire look like a vision straight out of a fairy tale, with their gables, dormer windows, chimneys, turrets and pinnacles. But their back stories involve money, jealousies, envy, corruption, foreclosures and all the things middle age soap opera.

Some chateaux’s are still occupied by the family, they may have one wing furnished in family antiques and occupy another. Other places were ransacked during the French Revolution; the furniture carted away and auctioned off, ultimately, those were given back to the community. The community must charge admission just to keep up with mounting maintenance costs. We observed a wedding at one chateaux chapel and I asked our guide how a bride/groom reserves these grounds and she answered: you must be a resident of this town, no one else can be married in this chapel.

All together we saw 5 chateaux : Chenonceaux, Amboise, Chaumont sur Loire, Chambord and Cheverny. It was a balanced mix of homey, luxurious, remodeled, structures built over successive occupants. . . .

I think my favorite was the red brick guest house of Amboise Castle. King Francois 1 enjoyed companionship with Leonardo DaVinci for the last 3 years of Leonardo’s life. The guest house provided for him has remained intact. Leonardo’s workshop, painting studio, the places Leonardo used as background settings for portraits. Today, the curators have built many of his inventions and have staged them on site: swinging bridges, that were pre-manufactured, and carried to “war” used temporarily and then removed to another crossing. DaVinci’s war implements like a tank or a machine gun. (In the mid-1700’s) It was amazing to see how far reaching his mind worked. Of course, this is where he finished the Mona Lisa (he presented it to King Francois 1) and the museum has a gallery wall where various abstractions of the Mona, perhaps the best known painting in the world, have been created.

Full size photos are available by clicking on the thumbnails.

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Vins de Bordeaux – Nature has been kind to Bordeaux this year. A bumper crop of grapes, a fine harvest – calculated on the lifecycle of the vine, in other words the sugar content and the ripeness of the grape skins, harvests take several days, or even weeks, depending on the size of the plots. In the Bordeaux vineyards, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are not harvested on the same date, because they don’t ripen at exactly the same time.

The harvests come at the time of year when the grapes are picked, and this determines the vintage of the wine, the harvest year which will be shown on the label: this means that vintage 2016 was harvested in 2016. Most Bordeaux wines are blends that include one or more noble grape varieties. A noble grape is a grape that can produce great wine, without blending. However, the vast majority of Bordeaux wines are produced from blends. Review the map included in our photos for the vast different wine regions in Bordeaux area.

Since we arrived in France we’ve had fresh mornings and glorious days, perfect for cycling — combined with the excitement of the harvest season we really enjoyed cycling the Dordogne River to and around St Emilion; the the Garonne River on the first cycleway in France and the Gironde River and castle hopping in the Medoc Region.

Arriving into St. Emilion by bike is an experience to savor: lush rolling hills, vineyards as far as the eye can see, medieval houses and ramparts, cobblestone streets, picture-perfect piazzas. A photo couldn’t quite capture the amazing beauty of the landscape, so I just stopped along the way to enjoy the experience. The harvest period makes its mark on the wine-growing landscape. In fact, the winding routes down the hillsides are busy with tractors carrying crates of grapes to the presses, while an army of humans moves through the rows of vines.

One day we went castle hunting. The stunning Médoc region, north of Bordeaux, following the left bank of the river Garonne which becomes the Gironde. The south-western French version of the route 66 is known as the Départementale 2. It may have less of a ring to it, and is much shorter (100km), but if you can allow for a long afternoon pedaling – and it takes you though some of France’s most famous winery villages and wine appellations such as Margaux, St.Julien and Pauillac.

One chateau showed us their wine press. They still place grapes into a barrel and hand press the skins for the final juices. They maintain total control over the quality of their product using this final pressing. The intense juices adjust the final product into a satisfying wine experience. One of the many interesting things we learned is that Bordeaux wines are always a red and always blended wine. It is a requirement of their appellation that a winegrower use their unique blend of wines to create a Bordeaux red. With microclimates, microsoils, curing and oak barreling plus winemaker choice on the percentage of merlot, cab sav, and other red grapes, Bordeaux produces thousands of options, all of them great.

We smiled the entire time in Bordeaux. It was exciting to share the wine harvest and this exquisite bicycling area. The wine producers are smiling too, as they start the most exciting time of the year.

We really wanted to explore one more area in this region. A bicycle route that travels down the west coast of France, past a few national parks and the sand dunes of France. However, not all things go picture perfect. The David and Karen Journey requires some quick thinking . . . Fall maintenance on the rail line meant that we traveled by bus to Arachon. Once there, mid week, when summer operators back off the tourist high season — well, we ended up in a tour boat on the Bassin d’Arachon. We forgot, somehow that it would be completely in French, so for three hours we just enjoyed a sunny day, snapped a few pictures, enjoyed some French cuisine and of course, some wine.

Karen
(303) 810-8925

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Riviera is an Italian word for coastline. The French Riviera (Cote d’Azur) is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. It also means super yachts, villas of the rich and famous, Princess Grace, beautiful coastline, Monte Carlo Casino and Monaco.

We did it all.

We stayed outside the city of Antibes, 3 blocks from the Mediterranean and a half mile from a cycleway which runs next to the sea for over 15 miles. We rode through Nice on its famous Promedade des Anglais and said a prayer at the shrine to the people who lost their lives during the horrific terrorism attack that took place on Bastille Day 2016.

We used the regional train system to move us up and down the coast. One complete day was spent in Monaco. The Oceanographic Museum, a brainchild of Jacques Cousteau, is located there. Next to each water tank is an ipad which educates and shows videos of the animals found inside that tank – available in 7 languages. I figured if Jacques created the aquarium and Monaco funded the project, it would be the highest caliber. It was. Of course, you cannot visit Monaco without encountering the glamour of Princess Grace. Her oldest son, Albert, is the reigning monarch. The historical side of the palace (throne room, reception rooms, etc) is open to the public but no pictures. . . . . And finally, I was able to play black jack in the Monte Carlo Casino. What you cannot appreciate is all the Rolls Royce, Ferraris and Porsche parked outside, and the uniformed chauffeurs waiting for their charges. Again no pictures inside the casino, but you could wander wherever you want. (Karen lost 10€ and David lost 5€ — not large gamblers, and no Rolls Royce sitting outside). We did get our pictures taken in front of the Monte Carlo billboard, such movie stars we are!

The cycleways in France are just excellent. This particular cycle track allows you to follow the wide road for miles, alongside pastel-colored buildings, 30 beaches, endless palm trees and the sparkling turquoise Mediterranean. You get to soak in the beach bathers, the joggers, the sun shining on the super yachts just offshore and punctuate the ride with a stops for drinks at one of the many beach bars right on the Bay of Angels.

One day we took a boat tour of the bays and coastline of Nice. Saw the villas of kings and queens, Sean Connery and Elton John, and the “stone castle” next to the water is reportedly the most expensive house in the world by square foot, though it has been “in the family” for generations.

We visited the Musée Marc Chagall, a French national museum dedicated to the work of painter Marc Chagall – essentially his works inspired by religion – located in Nice in the Alpes-Maritimes. The permanent collection is the biggest public collection of works by Marc Chagall. It is organized around the set of works produced by the painter on the Old Testament themes, supplemented by a large number of works of secular or religious inspiration: over 400 painting, gouaches, drawings, wash drawings and pastels. The museum offers the visitor a first room containing twelve large-size paintings illustrating the first two books of the Old Testament, Genesis and Exodus. In a second, smaller hexagonal room are five compositions on the theme of the Song of Songs, another Old Testament book. Audio-guides in French, English, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Chinese.

Finally, we included a picture of what it is like to travel by train with the bikes. The TGV has 4 bike spaces: 2 each in 2 cars. When you reserve your bike, it comes with assigned seating nearby. It is really a convenient way to travel long distances, the worst part is hoisting 2 bikes and 3 bags in the 1 minute or so that the train is waiting in the station.

Please click on each photo to view a full sized photo.

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Of course, when we first think of Provence, we think of lavender, sunflowers and sitting under a plane tree drinking rosé while munching on olives from the market and cooling off by the fountain. Unfortunately, the lavender and sunflowers are harvested in mid-August and we were in Provence in mid-September, but fall days are glorious in their own right, sun kissed days and walking in history’s footsteps.

The other thing you quickly learn about Provence is its gale force winds. Mistral winds are cold, dry and blow through the Rhone valley on their way to the Mediterranean. We explored the area around Avignon and the Isle de Barthelasse by bike, but the long, hilly vineyard rides were left to David while Karen bought a new sweater and sipped hot chocolate. David battled the winds, thankful for an electric motor on his bike.

Home to seven successive popes, Avignon is the heart of the medieval Christian world, scene of several sieges, this unique palace played a vital role in European history and has UNESCO World Heritage status. From 1309 to 1376, Popes based their court in Avignon instead of Rome; their legacy is a monumental building and the world’s biggest Gothic Palace (the Vatican of France) along side Notre Dame des Doms, the St Peter’s Cathedral of its day. It is impressive in its architecture, even today. The now partial bridge lead directly into the lands and city controlled by the Vatican. It was for many years the only stone bridge along the 186 mile stretch of the Rhône between Lyon and the Mediterranean. So if you elect to cross it, the Vatican would know who you are, what you are transporting, and would collect a tariff. Like other medieval towns, you can imagine toll takers collecting their fees, merchants and peasants passing on the cobblestone streets, people collecting water from the well in the square, meat roasting in the fireplaces, and sumptuous banquets in the great hall.

The evening at the Popes Palace is where magic happens. In a 360° screening that lights up the medieval walls of the inner courtyard, an extraordinary 3D light show reviews the dramatic history of the Avignon Popes and the central role of the Palace. It makes history, the Hundred Years War, the mafia, the royal guests, come alive and explains the human and political dynamics of WHY the Papal Palace was built in France, and WHY it was compelled to return to Rome. It was the finest sound and light show I have ever seen.

Our time in Avignon was short, and very windy. We are constantly reminded that you need to make choices . . . You could wander around France for a year and still not see it all, but we did come to a new and profound appreciation for rosé wine and sitting in a small cafe enjoying your days.

Click on each photo below to see the full image.

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Once inside the wonderful Beaune apartment, we surveyed the cabinets to make our grocery list. We found 2 coffee cups, 2 juice glasses and 6 wine glasses (2 for red, 2 for white, 2 for champagne). HONEY, I said, we must be in France! Wine (glasses) rules. Beaune is a half-hour south of Dijon and the heart of Burgundy winemaking. Home of great Chablis and Rose wines. This lovely, walled city was our home for a week.

Just like kids on Christmas morning, we beamed when we got the new bikes, but now we get to play with them! The wine routes through the small villages was spectacular. Shared with farm equipment, the paved paths went from estates to wineries. One chateau beckoned riders by offering wine by the glass via chilled dispenser, and a lovely garden in the shade, or take advantage of their lounge chairs. Others offered the full wine tasting experience. Along the route, we would find the entrance to one of 3,000 grape growers, the domain of Famille DuBois, the domain of Famille Franc, many have been the family vineyard for generations. We rode the bikes to several Chatteaus (vineyards). We also rode along canals, in a 10 mile stretch where there were 10 locks. We took photos of a pair of boats rising in a lock and barges along the canal.

Karen, unfortunately, had a little accident. (It always seems to happen). She was putting her bike into the rack, it fell and the falling motion propelled her over the top of the bike. A bummed knee and a road rash face was the worst of the injuries. Now that the bike has scratches, I know it is really mine, I don’t have to worry about that pristine look. Whew, thank goodness.

No French town exists without the market. Twice a week, the main street is a myriad of stalls selling a huge variety of goods. We bought picnic food: olives, cheese, meat, nougat, fruit and of course wine. Karen slipped in a bit of jewelry and perhaps a new blouse. We thoroughly enjoyed the tasting, buying, packaging and moving to the next vendor and doing it all over again. I now know where Costco got the idea. Taste it, buy it. Mmmm good.

Finally, we toured the local highlight: Hotel Dieu. This hospital/hospice was founded in 1443 as a hospital for the poor, with another wing for “paying patients”. It remained an active hospital until the late 1970’s, which is how the building stayed in such good condition. The hospital was built near the end of The Hundred Years War (HYW treaty was 1445) and the majority of the town was destitute and suffering from the plague. Burgundy, at that time, was ruled by Duke Phillip the Good, and Beaune was selected because the building site sits on top a river, to provide ample fresh water for the patients. This hospital was built with the mindset of providing the finest possible care to the patients. It was ahead of its time for sanitation, establishing a nursing school, X-rays, and a well equipped pharmacy. The colorful roof pattern is its distinctive feature, the founder wanted all patients to feel as welcomed and cared for as any royalty, the decorations inside and out were the finest, another way the poor were welcomed as an equal child of God.. Along the way many donations, farms, property and of course vineyards were made to Hotel Dieu by grateful families and generous benefactors. The hospital has its own vineyards and is today, as for the past 600-700 years, financially independent and remains free for any who are in need of medical care.

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A lot can happen in one week.

Lake Constance is bordered by three countries: Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The Euro Bike Show; the everything bicycle trade show, held in the Lake Constance area is 5 convention halls of EVERYTHING bicycle. Parts, clothing, cycle trips and many manufacturers. Our goal was to meet manufacturers of electric bikes and ascertain if products purchased in Europe would be warrantied in the United States. The bottom line is one manufacturer met our specifications, re: warranty and component quality. Haibike, a relative newcomer to the US market, had an exceptional product and introduced us to a store owner.

There was free time amid this bike shopping event. Room for a few good German beers, some schnitzel some history lessons. Konstanz, the town, is located on its namesake lake, and is physically abuts Switzerland. It is a lovely German town, with medieval buildings intact and traditional German architecture, pedestrian malls, and small outdoor cafes. The original buildings survived the war. You know why? Because the town fathers told everyone to keep their lights on; bomber pilots could not tell the difference where Switzerland ended and Germany began, and in an abundance of caution, left the town completely untouched.

The other side of the lake, Friedrichshafen, was leveled for two reasons: it was Germany, and it was a military/aviation center. The first zeppelin in the world took off from there in 1900, and remains one of two places in the world where they are built today. (The second place is the US Navy). Aviation attracts aerospace engineers, who attract experts in structures, electronics and engines, etc. Friedrichstafen (and zeppelins) attracted a brilliant engineer named Claude Dornier. The museum exhibits his aircraft designs, the work of the Dornier company and aerospace products of the Airbus Group. A MUST SEE for the aerospace person in our life, David. It was a very impressive museum, and even I sense how complex/brilliant the work is.

The museum is co-located on Friedrichshafen airport. Well the aerospace person would just go take a look, and then you having coffee with other pilots, a couple phone calls are made and then you are climbing into the right seat of a Cessna 172 preparing to fly over Lake Constance. Yep David gets to fly in Germany. (Life is good). We were able to see the Swiss alps in the distance. The Rhine River coming out of the foothills and drain into Constance (the lake). (You can see how they built the silt-way so far into the lake). Lovely Constance (the town) from the air, and Lantau both parts of cycleway around the lake. Austria was so velvet green.

Then, after all the aviation, OUR BIKES WERE DELIVERED. We celebrated with a beer on the lakeside, and an announcement on Facebook. We named them Hansel and Gretel because they were born in Germany. Like “kids on Christmas morning” we smiled as our first ride was on the cycle way to the local therme in Meersburg. A therme is a large hot springs pool open to the public, and where you can soak, swim or relax.

I guess we needed an afternoon of relaxation, because we and our electric bikes are off to the French wine country. Remember: pedal, pedal, sip, sip.

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When Louis XIV was a small boy he lived in the Palace which today is the Louvre. He would go to the countryside with his father, and stay in a small hunting lodge. That small lodge became the basis of the Versailles Chateau. Louis XIV built this opulent palace, filled it with art, luxury and imposed glory and power on its visitors. It was built to impress.   The gardens and fountains were built simultaneously, and were part of the overall effect the Chateau was to have on its visitors.  This palace inspired other greats such as Catherine and Peter to build their palaces in Russia, which we describe in earlier blog posts.

Versailles became a symbol of the height of aristocratic indulgences; Louis XIV often held parties here and invited the nobles to stay.  By keeping them away from their estates and in the midst of luxury, Louis XIV reduced the power of the nobles and allowed himself to have more direct rule over France.  The Palace allowed only the public rooms to be toured. There were mobs of people, so the vast majority of the pictures were the impressive ceilings found in the ante rooms, ball rooms, and why there was a bed in the public room (I asked myself). I guess the King had a bedroom suite installed to separate his throne room visitors (whose questions and answers were public knowledge) and those with whom he bestowed a more intimate friendship by meeting with them in his private rooms.

While the Palace was grand and luxurious, it was also impossibly expensive to maintain. Historians estimate that maintaining the Palace, including the care and feeding of its staff and the Royal Family, consumed as much as 25% of the entire national income of the country of France.

Which is why the French Revolution began at Versailles! (Albeit, a couple generations later)

In search of a solution to the serious financial crisis his government was going through, Louis XVI convoked a meeting of the Estates General in the spring of 1789, i.e. a meeting of the three orders – the Nobility, the Clergy and the wealthy business class. The wealthy business class were hoping for reforms. They were quickly disappointed and refused to submit to royal power.

The business class was aware of the success the American colonies had against the British Empire back in 1776. They joined forces with some of the clergy to comprise the National Assembly on 17 June 1789. The King opposed this Assembly by closing the room at Versailles, where they were meeting. Finding the doors closed on 20 June, the deputies went to a nearby gymnasium and took the famous Jeu de Paume Oath:

“We swear not to separate and to reassemble wherever circumstances require,
until the Constitution of the Kingdom is established and built on solid foundations.”

The founding event of French democracy, the Jeu de Paume Oath is the origin of the separation of powers and national sovereignty.

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Traveling brings insight into words and history.
 
For example: What does “D-day” mean? Hints of the true meaning can be found long before WWII in a U.S. Army Field Order. The order stated that “The First Army will attack at H hour on D day with the object of . . . The use of D-day allows military personnel to easily plan for a combat mission ahead of time without knowing the exact date that it will occur. Given that planning for the most famous of all D-day’s in June of 1944 started way back in 1943, and that, due to factors like optimal tides, only a few days in a given month were suitable for the launch of the invasion, trying to fix a firm date in the planning process was pointless, even close to the time of the attack.

Seeing the realities soldiers of the free world and the peoples of France had to face was a real life history lesson to David and I. Since we did not have any first hand experience of World War II, no family members story, we opted for an high level tour of Omaha and Utah Beaches and a view of the world from the members of “The Band of Brothers” and Saving Private Ryan. We had a homework assignment from our tour group: to watch and be familiar with the docu-series and movie depicting realistic stories from the invasion.

Code-named ‘Operation Overlord’, the D-Day landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history. Early on the morning of 6 June 1944, swarms of landing craft – part of an armada of more than 6000 ships and boats – hit the beaches of northern Normandy and tens of thousands of Allied soldiers began pouring onto French soil.

At 7.10am on 6 June 1944, 225 US Army Rangers scaled the impossibly steep, 30m-high cliffs of Pointe du Hoc. The first Army Ranger accomplished this mission in 5 short minutes using their daggers to help propel them up the cliff. Their objective was to disable five 155mm German artillery guns perfectly placed to rain shells onto the beaches of Utah and Omaha. They managed to locate the massive artillery pieces and put them out of action. By the time the Rangers were finally relieved on 8 June – after repelling fierce German counterattacks for two days – 81 of the rangers had been killed and 58 more had been wounded.

Today the site, which France turned over to the US government in 1979, looks much as it did right after the battle, with the earth still pitted with huge bomb craters. The German command post (topped by a dagger-shaped memorial) and several concrete bunkers and casemates, scarred by bullet holes and blackened by flame-throwers, can be explored. As you face the sea, Utah Beach is 14km to the left.

We roamed the bunkers, with some placements out to sea, to disrupt soldiers on the beach or to sink personnel transport boats before their men could land. The Germans had other gun placements parallel to the beach to shoot in an arc that prevents movement up the beachhead and impede progress toward the headland.

We learned so much about the humanity of war, ships that landed at the wrong beach, missed signals, tanks that could not move forward and act as a shield because of mines planted in the sand, of brave actions of some incredible men, and death, the byproduct of war. We saw small French towns (we stayed in Bayeux) which was liberated by the British and then the Americans and the debt of gratitude these small towns still feel today. Band of Brothers helped us imagine a tank rolling down these ancient, cobblestone roads to the main square.

We visited the Normandy American Cemetery, occupied on land donated from France to the USA to bury our dead if their family agreed to keep their loved ones on the soil where they sacrificed their life. White marble crosses and Stars of David stretch off in seemingly endless rows, situated on a now-serene bluff overlooking the bitterly contested sands of Omaha Beach. Featured in the opening scenes of Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, this place of pilgrimage is one of the largest American war cemeteries in Europe. It contains the graves of 9,387 American soldiers, including 33 pairs of brothers who are buried side-by-side (another 12 pairs of brothers are buried separately or memorialized here). Only about 40% of American war dead from the fighting in Normandy are interred in this cemetery – the rest were repatriated at the request of their families.

The Band of Brothers provided more context, we saw where the airborne division landed away from their designated drop zone and one guy was stranded on a church tower; he played dead for two hours rather than get shot. Where members of Easy Company performed a perfect flanking exercise on the enemy position. Where a church became a field hospital, and the medics treated all wounded (German, French and American) and when the real estate changed sides, the Germans respected the humanitarian efforts there and kept their guards outside to protect American medics and the wounded. The French placed stained glass windows in this same small country church to remember that effort and the young American medic who visited this town for years after the war, chose ultimately to be buried in that French churchyard, because it was then and there he spent his finest hours.

Overall it was a sobering day, the price and the value of freedom. Thanksgiving. Small towns that were destroyed and rebuilt. Visions of armored tanks moving down the main streets of these tiny villages, church bell towers as the lookout point. Pictures of GI Joes handing out candy and kissing women after years of hostage under the German Army. An entire generation changed.

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On an island located less than a half a mile off the coast of Normandy, lies one of the most incredible castles the world has ever seen. Due to its uniquely strategic position, Mont Saint-Michel has survived countless monarchies and wars since its construction in the 13th century.

The Romanesque abbey church was founded over a set of crypts where the rock comes to an apex in the heart of an immense bay invaded by the highest tides in Europe. The sand below the water acts as quicksand in many places. In the 14th century, the Hundred Years War made it necessary to protect the abbey behind a set of military constructions, enabling it to hold out against a siege lasting 30 years. This great spiritual and intellectual centre, was one of the most important pilgrimage places in Medieval times. The Abbey was turned into a prison during the days of the French Revolution and Empire, and was restored before the end of the 19th century. UNESCO classed the Mont Saint-Michel as a world heritage site in 1979.

Today there is a pedestrian bridge that connects the abbey to the mainland. You meander through the old town and then this amazing architectural building appears (after many steps). There was much damage during the French Revolution, the faces of all the saints and Angels in the plaster was hacked away. The view seemed to go on forever. We arrived at low tide (you can see the mud flats) and left as the water was still coming in. We are so glad we got to see this world renowned place from Bayeux France. Other tours from Bayeux include Normandy D-day beaches, which will be shown and described in our next post.

A short, 2 minute film, is below. Just copy and paste the link into your URL or click on link. No need to enter an email address after clicking.

Le-Mont-Saint-Michel

http://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/articles/mont-saint-michel-298-2.html

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Paris by bike, by night, and by God, it was fantastic

Our first lucky break was the location of the hotel! Staying at the Left Bank Hotel was perfect, it was 2 minutes from the metro station, and no more than 20 minutes walk to the Louvre, Notre Dame, l’Orsay and steps away from the Paris cafe scene. The hotel was one of the 5 “charming boutique hotels in Paris” and will be my go to option again.

We took an e-bike tour of Paris entitled the charms and secrets of Paris. This offbeat, back roads, and untraditional glimpse of a world class city.

Our photos of the Louvre without people were achieved on this day. We walked to the bike tour at 7:30 am, the Louvre square was EMPTY. That never happens! So a few pictures were in order.

As a group we met at a royal square (Place Vendome built in 1699). Part of the King’s city planning was to create a courtyard or large green area with controlled access, the nobility or royalty of the time could meet, socialize, and enjoy outdoor venues/concerts without the worry of pickpockets or other unsavory people. The city has 5 royal squares remaining, and afford the traveler a place to enjoy both air and light in the middle of a big city. An over life-size equestrian statue of the king [Louis XIV] was set up in its centre, but it was destroyed during the French Revolution. Today, the green column celebrates the victory of Napoleon over Europe. Its veneer of 425 spiraling bas-relief bronze plates was made out of cannon (180 cannon were captured and melted down) taken from the combined armies of Europe.

La Procope, originated in 1686, is the name of the restaurant connected to our hotel and one of the highlights of the cycle tour. Although we “lived” next door, we did not realize its historical significance. The restaurant was the hangout of the forward minded thinkers of the day. It is known that Benjamin Franklin wrote the 1st draft of the Declaration of Independence while hanging out at this restaurant. It was the total hangout of Napolean, they have his hat encased by the front door; the desk and the picture overhead in the photoblog is the picture of Voltaire and his desk, who was also a frequent guest. The French Revolution was rooted in this place, you walk on the carpet covered in fleur de lis, the universal symbol of the King or Royalty.

Our guide told us about a plan to expand the streets in Paris and when the construction crews began digging they found an Roman arena in Paris. Constructed in the 1st century, it hosted gladiatorial combats, theatrical productions and mock naval battles. Victor Hugo, an intellectual in Paris was part of a preservation committee in Paris and spearheaded the effort to save the arena. (Victor had also recently had good luck with saving Notre Dame cathedral by writing the book “Hunchback of Notre Dame” so there was a renewed interest in the church.)

The church of Saint Sulpice is most well known for its organ. The sound and musical effects achieved in this instrument are almost unparalleled. An organ concert is performed after church services on Sunday, which of course, we enjoyed very much. This church is also known for their Delacroix Frescoes; it contains hidden metaphors for the Knights Templar. (Delacroix was a Masonic member.) I am not sure I can name them all but this church and its fountains were used in the Dan Brown book and subsequent filming of the Da Vinci Code. You might recognize the fountain!

We visited the church that the French Revolution forgot. During the French Revolution all visible of signs of Christianity were removed from churches by revolutionary armies eager to seek revenge against the wealthy and the powerful. Stained glass windows were smashed, statues and works of art were destroyed, and buildings like churches or palaces were converted to stables or warehouses. La Congregation du Saint-Espirit was earmarked for vandalism, but when the mob arrived, the nun invited them all to the wine cellar to enjoy a glass of wine. The mob drank and toasted the Revolution all night. Thoroughly drunk and probably with a headache, they went home to sleep it off. They forgot to vandalize the church that night and they never came back. So this small missionary community is the only church in the entirety of France that retains all its original stained glass (donated by Marie Antoinette), paintings, decorations. Isn’t it beautiful.

Saint Chapelle. This Royal chapel was finished in 1248, it served as part of the Kings residence until the 14th century. It was built to house the the Kings prized possession: Jesus’ Crown of Thorns. As you enter you are greeted by walls of stained glass, everywhere you look. In my opinion this is the prettiest church in France. It was damaged by the French Revolution, but still remains the largest amount of 13th century stained glass collection in the world. The church hosts classical concerts every evening. Brahms, Mozart, and the sun setting through those windows, only in Paris!

The Arc de Triumph du Carrousel is half the size of the famous Arc de Triumph de l’Etoile, includes similar reliefs, sculptures on the Arc pillars as well as a nice group of statues and gilded figure on the top of the Arc. It affords an unobstructed view west towards its sister arc and is perfectly aligned with the obelisk in Place de la Concorde,Champs Elysees. It also aligns with the “big wheel” which normally sees guests at Christmas time, but was still offering the best view of Paris because France was the host of the summer’s European soccer championship just before we arrived.

We used the city bike program to ride to the historic Arc de Triumph down the Champs Elysees. It was a great way to capture this monument without walking. Did I mention we walked an average of 5 miles every day we were in Paris. We were there for 10 days, do the math.

Mr Eiffel’s Tower, built as the entrance for the 1889 world’s fair, but has become a global icon for France and the rest of the world. David and I scored the “skip the line” tickets at 10pm one night and managed to get to all available floors of the tower, including the very tippy top, The view is incredible. At midnight, people are still buzzing from the view, from pinching themselves that they are at the TOP OF THE WORLD!

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