Saturday Nov 12 Antwerp

Saturday was our last full day of cruising and fun and we made the most of it.  In the morning we had a tour of the city with an ex-NYC guy who is living in Antwerp now.  Full of tons of good info, suggestions and more.  It was also the day that St Nicholas (Sinter Klaus) was arriving in Antwerp.  He arrives by boat with his (politically incorrect as pointed out by some teachers) black Peters.  The city square was full of kids and families out to enjoy the day.  We learned that the city used to have almost 500 statues set up on buildings of the Madonna and now approximately 200 remain.  Their architecture was great and we were sad to miss the cathedral but a funeral for an important person was going on.

We tried frites & mayonnaise and I got to introduce my American friends to the joys of mayonnaise with chips.  In the afternoon, I enjoyed some lovely sunshine on the top deck and Mum and I wrestled our luggage into submission stuffed full of goodies to bring home.  I was relieved to find a hobby train store-after 5 countries-located in a parking garage of all places.  A good friend of mine collects them and cannot get the specialty catalogues at home. 

In the evening we had a lovely dinner with the great group of friends we made on the ship and lots of laughs after dinner until we all had to get to bed. 

Pictures from Brugge

We've been having challenges on the trip uploading pictures.  We promise more when we get home.

Friday Nov 11, Remembrance Day in Belgium

This morning we were off to Brugges which Canadian troops liberated in September, 1944.  Belgium fondly remembers all the great efforts of our military forces. 

When we arrived early, it was before the crowds got in and we enjoyed some lovely sights including their cathdral with a Michaelangelo statue that he had been commissioned to do, the church did not pay him so he took it back and sold it to a private collector.  It ended up in Brugges as a donation from the heir of the original purchaser.  It was a stunning piece.  At the police station, we saw that they were prepaing for their Remembrance Day ceremony of laying a wreath.

We walked and walked as our tour guide was not very good so we struck out on our own.  We found a lovely chocolate shop called Dumon and let's just say some of our spare Euros found a new home.  We treated ourselves to Cafe au Lait and a waffle with chocolate, strawberries and cream-so decadent!

This afternoon Mum went to Ghent with the group and I stayed back to ice my knee.  She says it was beautiful, castle in the middle of town, lots of churchs, really lovely.

This evening was the captain's dinner and everyone got dressed up.  Odd to see everyone who was in jeans all week suddenly gussied up.  Mum and I won a prize in the raffle of Christmas decorations.  Tomorrow is our last day (boo hooo!) and then we'll be home Sunday night.

Thurs Nov 10 Rotterdam & Kinderdyjk or, where did the warm weather go??

The day started off beautifully with a nice sleep in as we had no morning tour.  We were in Rotterdam until noon but the weather was so lovely that we headed to the top deck for sunshine and warmth.  Nov 10th and in sandals and shirt sleeves on the top.  After lunch we headed to Kinderdyjk but the weather took a turn sharply downwards and we were all bundled up for the afternoon tour to see the windmills, learn about the area and how the canals work.  The local municipality did an amazing job with their presentation center and their information movie was fun and multi media. 

We strolled (quickly in the cold) down the boardwalk to see the windmill in action but due to the large amount of people in our group, we passed on the climb up the windmill.  Even in the mist though, the windmills looked like quiet sentinels waiting to wage war on the water.  They said without water management, it would take only 3 months for the land to be flooded again. We spent the late afternoon and evening in the company of our new friends and our table in the dining room can often be found with many giggles and lots of good conversation.  Hard to believe we only have 2 days left.

Wed Nov 9 Gouda & Rotterdam a/k/ our love affair with cheese continues

Oh cheese, how I love thee!  From the tasty samplings on the buffet in the morning to the cheese board at night, I have learned to adore good cheese again.  From the creamy camembert to the gouda to the herbed goat cheese, the munsters, ahhhhh!!.

Yesterday was a trek to the town of Gouda which was almost an hour from the ship but worth every moment of travel.  St Jans Church was spectacular.  Their collection of stained glass windows dating back to 1555 are awe inspiring.  The church started off as Catholic and is now a Protestant church and almost appears as a church split in two.  The organist was practicing on the large pipe organ while we were there and the sound was so fantastic. 

Their town hall dates from 1450 and has wonderful stone carvings decorating large parts of it plus a whimsical version of a cuckoo clock with a king. 

From there we went to a farm and saw Gouda cheese production.  It is a raw milk cheese that they produce and the flavour is wonderful.  I'm coming home with two large goudas (only 6 euros each) in my bags. 

In the afternoon, a lot of people went into Rotterdam but the extensive walking from the day before got to me and the 2 hour nap was much needed.  A silversmith came to the ship in the afternoon to demonstrate his filigree work which was exquisite.  I indulged in a necklace with two silver endings that are modeled after the silver tips they used to have on their knitting needles.  In the evening we had a real treat with the local Sea Shanty Choir.  It's a group of approximately 25 men and 1 woman who sing mainly old ship songs but they are great.  The average age was between 65 and 80 but their enthusiasm and wonderful choral style brought much of the guests to their feet.

Tues, Nov 8 Amsterdam or the day of walking and walking

Sorry we're behind in our blog but internet connections are a bit spotty over the past couple of days.  We started off the day on a glass topped canal cruise.  It was interesting and wow, I cannot believe some of those houseboats are worth the equivalent of $1M Cdn in some cases.  Some of the old houses that still stand from the 1600 where the merchants would be by the water to see their wares come in are amazing with their facades. 

From there it was off to the flower market and cannabis seed starter kits were everywhere.  In the afternoon, Peter, a fellow I met on ship who is traveling with his 80 year old mother, and I set off for a walkiing tour.  3.5 hours of walking around was great.  We saw the Venetian Mask Shop, the Condomeria where you can get a statue of liberty condom (not recommended for birth control), the red light district, coffee houses and more.  In the evening we had a tour with the group of the red light district but stayed on later with Ross, a NYC doctor who is a sexologist and she took us on a great tour.  We saw the Erotic Museum-great artwork-spoke to a few prostitutes (she is always doing research), got offered a family special at the sex shop and finally back to the ship.  After walking for almost 7 hours, I was completely wiped out.  And no, Mum stayed back on the ship being a good girl and missed the RLD.

Monday Nov 7, 2011 Arnhem WWII museum

Today has been a gray and dreary day and kind of suiting for today's tours.  We went to the WWII museum and then the Canadian War Cemetary.  Both are well tended by Dutch volunteers and provide a lot of information about a sad time with a large loss of life.  But, it provides good perspective and reminds us to be thankful for the sacrifices of those who came before us.

The Canadian War cemetary was beautiful, each grave has 3 plants and each headstone has a quote from the family, if they wished, of the person buried there.  Some dates were from after the war but when people died due to wounds they received in the war.  As I stood there and saw people from our tour looking amongst the graves at the names, the sayings and seeing the list of names of all the Canadians and other commonwealth men, it was very moving. 

I chose to stay in this afternoon but Mum explored Arnhem with some friends we have met on the tour and they found a coffee house.  Not a coffee house like we're used to but a coffee house that specializies in marijuana and other soft drugs.  They had a good giggle but assure me they did not go in...hmmm.

Today's picture is a group of friends we have met on the trip.  Joanne and Peter are mother and son and this is her 80th birthday trip.  Steve and Cathy are a couple and she is a retired nurse and he is a watercolour artist.  All 4 are from Pennsylvania and met on a tour of Italy a couple of years ago. They have added such a lot to our enjoyment on this cruise.

Sunday Nov 6 Kolm/Cologne and chocolate, sweet chocolate

Sunday was a great day full of lots of walking and as usual, good food and good company.  In the morning we had a nice long walking tour of Kolm including the archaeological dig on the ancient mitzvah, the first cologne store, the amazing art gallery, the cathedral and a bit of the Roman Museum.  The cathedral we only saw a bit as mass was going on b ut it is truly amazing just from a size standpoint.  The Roman Museum was fabulous but we only got to see a part and were coming back in the afternoon but ran out of time.  They have an incredible mosiac that would put any naysayer to shame who says the romans were not amazingly talented in their art. 

The afternoon held the Chocolate Museum and we got to see vintage chocolate dispensers, boxes, how chocolate is made and packaged.  Ahh Lindt, you are my friend.  Needless to say the gift shop saw some of our money as they had beautiful little tin boxes and some flavours that I had not imagined in combination.

In the evening, we were treated to yet another amazing meal.  They offer a vegetarian option each night and two main entree selections.  To give you an idea, last night's dinner for me was Feta and Tomato Salad, Roasted Eggplant & Garlic Soup, Broiled Salmon with White Mean Paste and Tomato, Apple Strudel with Vanilla sauce and a cheese plate.  Each day I pray my pants will do up. 

Some photos from Cochem and Marksberg Castle

Saturday Nov 5 2011-Cochem a/k/a locks and lox

The weather was great again today, we keep waiting for it to get colder but so far it's been amazing.  It's about 13 and sunny today.  This morning we were into Cochem for a tour and some shopping.  I found an amazing little yarn shop where I picked up some funky aqua marine fun yarn and some mohair/wool/acrylic mix, 450 m for only 13 euros.   Mum and Peter, one of the fellows we've met on the trip, stayed in town a little longer and surprise, surprise-they found the strudel and coffee shop. 

Breakfasts on board are a great way to start the day.  They offer a great buffet with eggs, bacon, mushrooms, french toast, pancakes, oatmeal, bircher muesli, lox (fantastic!), yogurts of every sort, cheese trays that would make us cry at home for the cholesterol and so much more.  The service is great which really enhances the whole experience.  There are a number of people on board who seem to be determined to complain but for the most part, people are pleasant.  This afternoon was more time on top visiting and photographing castles and countryside.  I'm getting a lot of inspiration for a new felting project.  We just finished this afternoon's tea because you know, you must have to eat even more goodies!  All in all, the trip has been relaxing and wonderful.

Friday, Nov 4-Rudesheim to Koblenz or Castles yeah!!!

Today's trek was Rudesheim to Koblenz in the morning down the Rhine.  It's all a Unesco protected area so no bridges are built between the two across the Rhine.  There were tons of castles, keeps and more.  I think I must have taken 72 pics in the morning alone.  The weather was breezy but it was so great being up top for the whole morning.  In the afternoon, Mum and I took the trip to Marksburg Castle which is a fortress above the town of Braubach.  It has never been destroyed and is a maze of small doorways, archers slits and moats.  It was great and tons of pics however, it really tested the legs as the walk up would have been good for mountain sheep.

Evening was another great meal and a display of dancing by some local Moselle Folklore dancers.  Lots of fun but I have come to realize that I must cut back on the desserts or they will be rolling me off the ship.

Thursday, November 3 2011 Fun day a/k/a Mom making bevvies

Today was a relatively relaxed day.  We had a tour in the morning of the Heidelberg castle which was truly stunning.  The figures and the restoration work they have done is amazing.  We had a nice tour of the town and of course, some lovely pastries.  The whole trip appears to be eating, walking, relaxing and repeat.

In the afternoon, we were travelling down the Rhine to Rudesheim.  They put on a display of how to make the famous Rudesheim coffee.  Mum (Faye) volunteered and for the first time in my life, I saw my mother chug back a shot of brandy.  The coffee had brandy, whipped cream, chocolate shavings and coffee.  It was a relaxing afternoon of just cruising, having pastries and poor Mum after two shots of brandy had to have a quick nap.  In the evening, our new friends went to town on a little train to a traditional german meal but we stayed on board.  While a quiet cruise, we have met some lovely people and have managed to stay up late a lot of nights laughing and sharing stories so it's all good.

November 2 Strasbourg, France a/k/a the best gelato ever!!

Strasbourg is a lovely city but we didn't see much on our way in due to the large amount of fog.  We had a great walk in the Old Town and in the Cathedral Square.  The cathedral was lovely but so huge and gothic.  It houses an astronomical clock which we were lucky enough to see in action.  The figures in the stonework outside were stunning and it is amazing to think of what it looked like when first constructed. 

In the afternoon, we had a culinary tour in Alsace and saw an artisinal gingerbread factory plus a lovely small winery which had some amazing creme champagne and gerwurztraminer (sp?).  Some of the casks dated back hundreds of years with the oldest (not used anymore) being from the 1700s that has the family coat of arms. 

November 1 Black Forest

The weather has been great over the past few days with temperatures around 15C.  Today we went to the mountains of the Black Forest, saw giant cuckoo clocks and some great schnapps.

Today was a holiday in Germany so the shops were closed but in the afternoon, we went into Colmar, which is a village in the Alsace region.  We saw the Maison des Tetes (House of Heads, 111 on it) and some beautiful half timbered houses.  A local artist in the 2nd world war did not like working for the Germans and he did postcard art and signs for various businesses.  He always seemed to be able to get digs in everywhere with colour and satire.

October 31 Happy Halloween

Today is day two and if breakfast is anything to judge by, we need to get a lot of walking in each day to keep our girly figures.  The food is all fresh and yummy!  We had a walking tour for a few hours this morning in Basel .  We saw the gorgeaus cathedral with tons of influences from all through the medieval times.  The stone work is just stunning.  At the city hall, there was a beautiful fresco with Lanskeneckt (sp?) pictures all through.  The open air market was a treat with the smells of lovely cheeses, cured meats and fresh pastries. 

Now if we can only somehow find a subtle way to ask some of the people around us to cut down on the amount of perfume they are wearing on the ship...it's enough to choke you. 

Tonight should be fun as the crew has decorated the dining room with carved pumpkins, we have the captain's reception and dancing. 

October 30th Day one on the ship

Sunday started off great with a lovely breakfast (although we're glad it was included with the hotel rate) which normally is 32 swiss frances or the equivalent of $40 Cdn!  After that we packed and then met my previous and most favourite GM Brigitte Fritz for coffee and a chat.  She is looking fantastic and is loving living in Basel. 

After that we hopped a cab to the ship and got settled in.  Our room is small but has lots of hidey spots for things and a window that opens so that is great. Dinner was lovely and we met some nice people for our first dinner.  The food was nice and light and Toberlone chocolate bars were the centerpieces so how can you go wrong.  I settled into some fresh air on the top deck but moved to the bar at which I found I was the only patron to be found.

Today's picture is Mum on the old bridge connected the old town to the newer part. Enjoy!

October 29th or the day that would not end

Mum and I got on the airplane at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and while KLM is wonderful for service, I would definitely recommend upgrading to Comfort Plus for those extra inches of space.  We had the very last seat in the row and sleep was impossible but I cannot say enough good things about their flight attendants.  Plus an airline that offers wine with dinner and then liqueurs for free is all good. 

We got into Amsterdam early and had 6 hours layover at the airport at which the seats are not conducive to sleeping.  We stayed awake by taking turns walking laps and watching the people go by-I love people watching!

We flew into Basel at 2 p.m. (flight was early) and it's a neat airport-it has 3 exits, one for Switzerland, one for Germany, one for France.  Into the cab and onto the Swissotel at which we had a complimentary upgrade to a junior suite.  Mum and I were so tired, we just crawled into our beds and slept for 2 hours.  After that we had a great walk around old Basel and found the chocolate shop that Julie recommended (yeah for dark chocolate).  We got back to the hotel to find a lovely cheese and wine tray gift from a friend. 

Packing or how the heck do we get all this into our bags?

Why is it that when packing clothes expand? I swear they do.  We have done the packing shuffle this morning and you really have to wonder when your mother's cosmetic bag is 10 lbs.  However, that being said Mum is packing stuff for both of us.  As this is a once in a lifetime trip, we are not skimping on our packing too much.  Nothing worse than being uncomfortable. 

Greg and Jes got home from England yesterday and it was so great to hear my brother talk about seeing London, all the amazing architecture, the places, people, etc. 

We are both looking forward to the break plus the opportunity to see so many amazing new places.  We hope that you'll enjoy our fun as we go along and know that we carry you all in our hearts.

Map of where we are going

So on Friday we fly to Basel and overnight at the Swissotel and I'm excited for the stay in Basel but also the opportunity to see Brigitte Fritz who is one of my all time favourite hotel GMs as Basel is her home now.  My friend Julie has also recommended an amazing chocolate shop so of course that will have to be a stop and a train store to look for goodies for one of my friends. 

We're travelling on Viking River Cruises on the Viking Sun and the trip is called Treasures of the Rhine.

Faye and PA's Big Adventure 2011-5 more sleeps!

So on October 28th, 2011, Mum (Faye) and I will fly to Basel, Switzerland for the night and then the next day join our ship, Viking Sun for the Treasures of the Rhine.  This is my small way of thanking Mum for all her help and support over the years but truly we can never really thank our Mums.