Chiasson Family

The 'Best' Part!!

Witha & Dieter Best

 
Dieter picked us up on Wednesday afternoon at the Frankfurt International Airport.
We haven't seen the Best's for over 21 years...and they look great! Dieter's belt is a little looser than it used to be & Witha hasn't changed at all...she takes very good care of herself and it shows!
 
The first night we got ourselves reacquainted and Witha made us a  nice German dinner of Frankfurters and another form of sausage along with German Potato salad. It was great having a home cooked meal!
 
Unfortunately, our luck the weather hasn't improved - but we are making the most of it, as usual!!
Our first full day we headed north to a small village set-up like Heritage Park or the Acadian Village. The Park here is called Hessen Park & some of the properties on the site date back to the late 1500's , but I would say the majority seem to have been constructed during the 17th & 18th century. 
All of the homes were moved here are from  Hessen State, which may be a clue as to why it's called Hessen Park (hahah!!). However, the reason I bring this up is, that regarless of how near or far these places came from....Moving them to this location must have been extremely complicated work! Hey - Leave it to the Germans to figure it out and the job will get done right!!
 
Furl Gasthaus is very well known in these parts for its Apfelwein (Apple Wine) and for their kitchen. The Best's made us reservations for dinner & I'm glad they did as the place was packed, inside & out (it truly was not nice enough to be outside...& I wasn't!)
Chris had his first swinehochen...and now he knows why it's a favourite of mine :-)
The food was very good & I think the three of them finished off a couple of bembles of the Apple Wine; so that must have been good toooooo!!
What makes the Furl especially nice is; it was within 5 minutes walking distance. As my old friend Gerry (Chris' Dad)  used to say " you can't beat that with a stick"!
 
The next day we had a slight change in plans as Kirsten and her daughter Saskia & her eldest son Marc-Andre ended up driving down into Frankfurt to see us. (In Nue Eisenburgh) 
It was a great reunion! It's been 21 years since our last visit with Kirsten (as well) and Saskia was 4 months old the last time we saw her - she hadn't changed a bit hahahah. It was our first time meeting Marc-Andre and he's an extremely nice & handsome young man! 
Saskia has grown into a real beauty and she's extremely pleasant! Both her and Marc-Andre speak English very well, so we all had a fun visit & we got to share some war stories with the kids... and honestly some of those stories seem a lot more resent in my recollection than they do on the calendar ( if you know what I mean!). 
 
Our last day of Vacation we spent sightseeing in the Centre of Frankfurt. We walked through a new pedestrian mall downtown that took us into the Römer. Which is otherwise known as City Hall..
In  Römer Square, there are a number of older buildings (all connected), built in the Timber Framed Style (Fuchwerkhaus) of the 1500's. Actually, one of the Gasthaus buildings has a plaque from 1479... &they look just the way I imagined them to look; some with thatched roofs & all!
After lunch in the Square, we walked down to the Mein River and hopped on a River Boat Tour, which gave us a much better view and perspective on all the old & new area's of downtown Frankfurt. 
For dinner, we headed over to Witha's Brother In-laws Restaurant. Enzo is an Italian Gentleman; married to Witha's sister Addie. All three of Rosewitha's Sister's joined us! so the party consisted of Linda & her Son Lukas and Diana & her husband Heinz, Addie and their daughter Rosaria ( who works in the Bistro with her Father). 
We had a blast! The food was very good and once the wine and homemade Grappa took effect...well it just seemed like the language barrier became a non issue!
 
We had to say adios to our long time friends this morning and we're on our long ride  home (9 hours & 20 min to be exact!)
 
As much as we have enjoyed our lovely trip - it really is time to get home!!
We miss our family and friends and I'm actually looking forward to getting back to work!
What I'm truly grateful for is that I would do it all again if given the chance..
It was an incredible vacation!
 
Thank you Chris ...I love you!!!
 
 
 
 
 
Chris outside the Best residence
Chris, Roswitha and Dieter Best
The whole Gang at Enzo's for dinner
Dieter, Cindy and Witha
Chris and Dieter

Barcelona

Barcelona, art museum

May 29th Barcelona

 
Wow, Barcelona is beautiful!!
Chris & I don't have as much time here as we originally planned for. That is total our doing though...
We've decided to head north to Roswitha & Dieter's a day early. 
Germany has a national holiday on Thursday (May 30th), and we decided it would be fun to be there and enjoy the day with the Best Family. Kirsten, (Witha & Dieter's Daughter) has moved to a small location about 140 Km from Frankfurt, and with us coming up a day earlier, we have more time to drive up for a visit....well, thats the plan anyway!
 
Barcelona was (is) fantastic! The architecture is amazing, and the city is just full of life!!
Quite a contrast from our time in Oliva , where there wasn't anyone around & yet its not the party town that Sitges turned out to be.(Although, I must admit that Sitges did calm down considerably after we got through the weekend!)
 
We drove in from Sitges yesterday morning & we were very impressed with the highway. We had two optional routes. The first one took us along the coastline, the second was the toll road...we chose the toll road; since the only directions we had to the airport (to drop off the car) were off of it... And sometimes,You have to work with whatever you've  got!
 
We drove a few Km along the coastal route, cause we were lost (hahaha!) & now that I know (with certainty) that it hooks up with the toll road (C32) once you're in the city; I would highly recommend this route; as the scenery is spectacular!! That said however, the toll road is an engineering marvel and well worth experiencing! There are several tunnels between Sitges and Barcelona that are truly amazing...
It makes me wonder how we can be so behind in our own highway infrastructure at home! The toll road was 6€ and The roadway was very busy, so obviously cost is not a detraction ; and we can't put in a toll road into Fort McMurray? Or finish the TransCanada off properly? Really...damn Politicians....grrrr!
 
Anyway, I digress; Barcelona....
We made it in, safe & sound - with no problems whatsoever! Then, just to add a little adventure we opted for taking the bus into town vs a cab. The price variance is considerable ( 6€ each for the bus or 35€ for a taxi).  Lets be honest, it wasn't about the cost, it was about proving we could do it! And we almost succeeded ..But not quite!!! We had to jump in a cab & we soon found out that we were only around the corner and down a block...(figures!). We had stood on the corner (half a block away) from the hotel and not seen it!! We didn't feel too ashamed...after we we realized that even the Cabbies had no idea where we needed to be & once we located it (with the address of course!) we found out that the hotel has only been open for about 3 weeks...that explained why no one was able to provide us with any directional help...!
 
The Hotel Catalonia (Passiage Garcia) is a very nice, very modern & as I just mentioned a very new hotel; centrally located about 2 blocks from the Catalyna Square. 
We really like it!!
Once we got checked in and settled, we took off for the square and got ourselves onto a double-decker Tour Bus and we were off to see the sights! 
Have I mentioned how beautiful Barcelona is?? It really is...!!!
The tour bus took us along the waterfront and up to the Olympic Stadiums and then through the classic architectural districts, where a few of the mansions were designed by Gaudi (spelling?)..who's work was very unique. Not really my cup of tea, in fact I found them rather weird....but kinda neat to see!
 
We went around by the Bull Fighting Pavilion and of course the Football (soccer) Stadium, that holds up to 100,000 Spectators - can you imagine!!!!it could hold all of Saint John & still have wiggle room for Rothsay & Quispamsis...
Its quite a place!!
 
Towards the end of the tour, Chris and I jumped ship & headed into one of the major shopping centres. The styles and fashion are really something to see...
(OH..What I wouldn't do to be 25 and 110 lbs again! Of course in those days, I couldn't have afforded to be here. Life can be so cruel sometimes!!!)
 
Well, after our stroll through the mall ( which was really a failed excursion in search of a movie theatre haha) we jumped back on the next tour bus & headed back towards Catalyna Square and found a nice Tapa's bar - which turned out to be where we had our dinner! 
 
We sure enjoyed Barcelona, it is a very scenic and well kept City - more so than I ever imagined it to be..
Next time I would like to spend more time in Barcelona, before we head to Oliva !
Overall - I loved Spain!!!

 

Sitges & Oliva

Sitges - May 25th

 
It's been a day or two since my last update & as some of you know; Chris & I didn't have anything previously booked for this week. Well, we decided to drive up & visit Sitges, which is a popular seaside resort about 30 km south of Barcelona. 
Chris visited this small city with his cousin Jacque Paulin in 1971...& he's really enjoying being back!! I don't blame him - it's my first time and I love this place! it's wonderful to see the old town preserved so well! Of course, the city is sprawled out in every direction since Chris' last visit, but the spirit of the place is still in tact!
 
Our last few days in San Fernando turned into way to much fun!! We met some great people in the village, and they all made us feel incredibly welcome! 
Alan (aka Senior Fox) & Karen along with Paul & Lauren from the Bar Sargantana, really helped steer us in the right direction... ensuring we made the most of what there was to see & do in the Oliva Region. (Valencia Province)
 
We shared some good laughs at a joint called Pepe'swhile we were there with Alan & Karen - Pepe's is the beach bar close to the apartment; its about a 10 minute walk along the beach ...
We were really happy to be let in on this little piece of paradise! ! 
It has a great elevated patio right at the beach & as Alan told us (when he suggested that we meet him & Karen there) "You can just sit with your feet up and enjoy the world as it passes on by!!" That describes it nicely! I would add that you can also enjoy a cold one and get a little sun while you're at it!!
 
On our last night, we all hooked up again at the Bar Sargantana ( the Pub) to watch a local group perform. Turns out the Band was very talented & we all had a really good time!! They had the place rocking and I shared a dance with my new Amiga's Karen & Jan....it was all goood!!!
Karen is from the Isle of Guernsey & Jan (& her Husband Mike) are from York Shire. 
 
So far, I've told you about our experiences venturing north & south. Well, we went inland on Thursday & it was different again...
This time we went straight up!! And I mean - straight up!! The road we took the other day that took us into Javea was a piece of cake compared to this Goat trail....
The view was spectacular, but getting there was another story! Check out the pictures - they will do the place more justice then my babble..
 
About half way up, we came upon a restaurant right in the middle of know-where... So, we pulled in; 
if someone is going to take the time to set something up on this road...it would be terribly rude to just drive by - Seriously!!
Turns out, the place was charming, rather formal considering where it was, and it was as clean as a whistle and the food was great - go figure?
I found out afterwards from Karen, that at the summit there is another restaurant...I can't imagine that they get much company? Apparently, they only keep the kitchen open for dinner (supper) if they have a reservation...Pardon Mi ??? I don't know who would venture up this road at night, but I would sooner walk down, than drive it at night ...I can assure you of that!
( Note: We were only about a km from the top when we turned around - we thought the building at the top was a private residence)
 
Anyway, I'm glad we went up the mountain and saw the trails & the views - the scenery was well worth the trek !
 
It was especially nice getting to know Alan & Karen! They introduced us to some very nice people that also have vacation properties in the community (like Jurgen and Petra) and they really made us feel at home. We've invited them to Calgary & we hope they take us up on our offer! We would love to return some of that hospitality!
 
So now we're in Sitges - we pulled in mid afternoon and found the hotel no problem. Drove right to it in fact; which was just pure unadulterated luck!!!
Having the rental car has been great! Getting around here is really quite easy and the roads are nicer than at home.  They drive a lot faster than we're accustom to - but hey...when in Rome...🙂
 
May 27th, 
Well, our first night here we hit the perfect storm! 
I was very tired and I had caught a chill while we were out for dinner; I just needed a good nights sleep...
 
Chris & I got back to the room and got settled in to watch a movie. We had a lovely room with 15' ceiling ( with a chandelier) and a nice balcony over the front street ( pedestrian traffic only).
What we didn't know; was that there was an outdoor concert next door. which really got going...Oh, about the same time we hit the sheets....it was lovely!
 
The noise on the street was so loud, it sounded like they were on our balcony! There were people yelling in the hallways & in all honesty..it got to the point that we didn't know ( or care) where it was all coming from?
It was unbelievable! We didn't stand a chance of getting any sleep...so that was us! We laid there listening to it all until 5:00 ish ( in the AM of course)...
Needless to say, but I will anyway...I was Super Pissed & ready to high tail it back to Oliva...or wherever. It didn't much matter to me at that point. 
Chris was all the voice of reason (thank Goodness!) and got me satisfied with another room (not as nice), but hidden in the interior and very quiet!
Our second day here wasn't what it could have or should have been, as I was pretty cranky & a bit difficult to please. As such, we walked the waterfront aimlessly all day....
 
But I'm Curious - what do you do with an irrational, cranky Old Bag...thats out looking for about a thousand party goers; that she fully intends to shoot in the ear hole? Just wondering??
 
Anyway, you'll be happy to know that I'm past that noise and back to my passive self today...
 
So, today we walked the waterfront aimlessly ( in the other direction!)...but we enjoyed it today! 
Yesterday, we went North and walked as far as the Sitges Marina. which is about 3 or  4 miles up the coastline. It was a nice walk and we got to see some pretty bazar sights along the beach. 
There really is something to be said for bathing-suits & some self awareness (hahah!!). What I don't get is - its not warm enough to be on the beach!!! I'm cold with a coat on and these crazy beggars are running around on the beach and they're in splashing around in the Ocean...brrrrrr!!!
Oh well....I can't be everyones Mom!!
  
Today it was quite a bit warmer & we got away from the yachts and into the mansions of Sitges. There is some serious money in these parts....
We couldn't afford the driveways on some of these places - they really are spectacular.
It was a quiet day again & Chris & I are ready for the action of Barcelona!
We are heading there tomorrow morning, which means I've got to get to bed! It's 2:00 and here I am still drafting this post...
Well, next post will either be from Barcelona or Frankfurt...
Bye for now & my love to all ❤
Personal Note: something to read Ginny! Take care ...I'll buy you a sticker for your cast.

 

Beach Oliva Nova
Oliva Marina
Alan and Karen
Raffa Fox-Hamon!(our special friend!)
Me at Pepe's
Alan and Chris
Lauren and Paul
Chris driving on the Goat Trail
Me at Cullera Castle
Chris at the view point
Mountain in Valencia (east via Pego)

The Rain in Spain...

San Fernando, Oliva, Spain

 
Sunday, May 19th
 
We arrived in Spain in good order.
The airport in Paris is incredibly lacking in Services! For the amount of people that go through that place -  Chris & I anticipated that we would be able to sit down to breakfast prior to our flight...no such luck! We found a half assed cafeteria that served up bad pastry (in France this is considered criminal!), bad sandwiches and bad coffee. We know all of this because we spent 40 Euro researching it!
 
As I said, we arrived into Valencia Airport right on time (at 12:30) & our first impressions were great! We picked up our (wee) rental car & hit the road for Oliva, which is approximately 90km south of the city of Valencia. 
With the assistance of my trusty Map App - we were here in about an hour ( which included a pit stop along the way for Ice Cream!)...
Once we got into the general area of the Condo, things got a bit tricky, since we didn't really understand how to put in the proper address - the original one that I entered got us all the way to Oliva & into the proper neighbourhood; but dropped us on a dead-end, completely vacant street. So, I had to fall back onto some old fashioned technology and read the directions. However, there was really only one of us in the car that liked the directions well enough to follow them....the other one decided that going to the Pub and bribing the Bartender would get us there sooner. It seems both would have worked it, as Her (Lauren's)) directions were pretty similar to what we had on the rental documents ..imagine!!
 
The Condo is homey! It's far from new, but its very clean & we are very comfortable here!
Downstairs we have a small grocery store, a laundry Mat & a restaurant that specializes in Paella (mmmmmm!!) & OH! Did I mention - the beach is across the street!!!!! Its all goooood....
 
Last night, we hung out here at the Condo! We were in dire need of some clean clothes. So, I made Chris' day when I told him that we needed to stay in and get some laundry done! For those of you thinking that I'm just joking- Yeah, well I'm not! Chris is my go to guy when I need a clean pair of socks...you know what I'm sayin - he thrives on getting the stains out!
 
Today, we hit the road late! It's actually our day off ( from our vacation)  - we just need to catch our breath a bit! I know you're all feeling terrible for our troubles...! Anyway, we went into Oliva - just to check out the townsite. Its quite nice and I can see by the beautiful beaches as to why it's such a popular resort destination!
 
The Marina had a small regalia underway this afternoon & we got to see a little of it while we enjoyed our late lunch of Paella....oh, it was sooooo gooood!!!!
 
We found the golf course and it looks very nice. We're considering getting a round in while we're here - but the weather will have to improve for that to happen.
 
Before dinner, we walked a good chunk of beach and watched the sunset...
A whole lot of nothing really.....
 
Chris is a tad anxious about the communication gap we've got going on; as our Spanish sucks. I'm not to bent about it though; My French also leaves a lot to be desired & we did just fine in Paris! So, I think we'll manage.
 
Its a huge swing in environment being here in comparison to NYC, London or Paris - there's nobody here & its very laid back & extremely quiet! 
I will include some pictures & please notice that this place has everything, but people! 
 
Day 2
 
The morning was lovely, so we walked a mile or so down the beach and found a little restaurant. Where we had coffee and shared a breakfast sandwich.
(By lovely, I mean sunny and I only have to wear sweats, a hoodie & a vest)
 
On the way back from the little gem of a cafe we found, the weather started to cool down, so we jumped in the car and headed south along the coast. 
There are beautiful homes and condo complexes all along the way as well as plenty of lovely scenery! 
We took a little cut-off between Denia & Javea and it was extremely steep and windy - we both had a nervous giggle going the whole time we were on it...it was kinda fun, but we didn't go looking for it on the way back (hahaha!) it was probably a 20 minutes stretch of road & Chris just kept saying..."Blair would love this", " I've gotta tell Blair about this", "Blair's gotta try this!!"
 So, Blair - take highway N332 south through Denia and follow the signs to Javea; you can't miss it! Wear your seatbelt!
 
Javea is probably the oldest little city in Spain that we've been in so far. It was very beautiful! The locals aren't as crazy about it as we were, since it apparently attracts a lot of Expats - Yeah, now that we've seen it; we get that & it didn't bother us a bit!
 
After our adventure south, we stopped by the local Pub that's owned & operated by a Gent (Paul) from Bristol, England. 
Paul & Lauren are good company and help us navigate through the region..& its fun to have a captive audience to share our adventures with!
 
May 22nd - Golf day
Well the weather has finally smartened up & Chris & I took advantage of an offer to play golf with a Gentleman (Alan) we met from the Isle of Guernsey. He & his special Lady - Karen, have a home here and get to enjoy themselves at least a couple of times a year in this neck of the woods - how nice is that!!
Alan is a member at the local golf course and was kind enough to invite us out with him for a round today... Which we jumped on right away!! ( we didn't give him any wiggle room to change his mind, if you know what I mean!!!)
It was wonderful! The course is beautifully  groomed and just like everything else we do around here; we had the place darn near all to ourselves...
I'm not complaining - that's just the way it is down here right now.
 
Yesterday the weather was cool and the forecast for this immediate area was for rain. So, we jumped back in the car and drove North this time. We drove as far as Valencia, which is a out 100km. Well, it was nothing like our adventure South! 
The further North we went the busier the roads became and the less we saw to enjoy...It was unanimous that after about 45 minutes of struggling with traffic in Valencia - we weren't having any fun...so, we steered ourselves South and took up the coastal route. 
I'm sure glad we did, we came across 3 old castles. 
The one is Cullera is actually a church. What I don't know is if it was always a church or if the Fortress has been converted into a church..I'm struggling with spanish &'the intranet, so Its a challenge getting information about the historical sites. Chris & I are finding information for tourists lacking in these parts. However, I believe that has everything to do with this being the slow season...they just don't expect anyone to be here hahahah!!
 😎

Paris

Friday, May 17th

 
It was our last day in Paris and we made the most of the nicest (weather wise) day we've had since we left Calgary.
I checked my weather App on my phone yesterday  & I was pretty discouraged to see that everywhere in Alberta is warmer than anything we've seen since our departure. However, I'm not feeling too hard done by as the scenery makes up for a lot of things...
 
Today we took a departure from our normal beat and headed off in a new direction of the City.
It started with a walk through IL St. Louis (a small island on the Seine, close to Notre Dam)
It's very quaint and full of boutique shops and Small Hotels. Chris and I would like to stay in this area if we are ever blessed with a second visit. It was a pleasant surprise - since we had no idea what to expect.
The Picasso Museum is where we were heading, and it was a really pleasant walk through a couple of very nice districts. The bummer was when we actually got there - we found it closed & under major renovations. 
So, we took off in search of a cab to take us up to Sacra Cour (Mont Martre)..
Its the Sacred Heart Cathedral (in English) on the highest point of Paris. 
 
Monday is Pentecost (Whit Monday) and as such the city has really picked up with tourist.
I think this is why Chris & I had to walk for a couple of miles (or more) before successfully landing a cab. They were all busy or going in the opposite direction (grrrr!). By the time we finally did get a cab, we were in a really seedy area!!
Not seedy like at home, where there isn't much traffic (human or otherwise) and the buildings look old &'rundown...here the buildings are all really old ( regardless of area), but these ones were centuries old and the place was swarming (literally) with every nationality known to man and they all looked tough as nails! There were people plying their trades (especially the earliest known one!!)  in every nook & cranny. We could tell none of the cabbies wanted to stop for us, but we finally got lucky...whew ! we couldn't get out of there soon enough!! Honestly, it was the roughest area Chris & I've ever (knowingly) been in.
 
Anyway, we enjoyed going up to the top of the City, the view was very nice and the Church its self was spectacular. It was very congested with Tourist, which is something Chris and I usually avoid by travelling in May (we like Tourists, just not to many at once!!)
 
From there we headed over to Pere Lachaise Cemetery to visit Jim Morrison's Grave. We also stopped by Fredrick Chopin's and I wanted to go to Oscar Wilde's as well, but the Cemetery was closing and we had to get the hell outta there before they locked us in - that would not have been good! The place gave me the willies!!!
 
Well, thats us in Paris! We had a nice dinner and then packed our bags - its off to Spain in the morning...oh, I can't wait!!!
I found 2 small vials of bubbles from Amy & Matthews wedding in my purse - shows how often I use my fancy, going out somewhere special purse!!!. Anyway, Chris & I just blew them out our window here in Paris; with loving thoughts of my niece & her beautiful family!!
 

Thursday, May 16th

 
We got off to a slow start to day. We slept in a bit and relaxed in the room until close to noon. Hey, we're on holidays!!!
We started off with a walk up St.Germaine towards all the shops and stumbled upon a Canadian Pub. It was rather authentic in that the menu had a variety of Poutine & Burgers and most of the beer was Moose Head. The young lady working the bar is from Toronto & she told us a bit about her own experiences since moving to Paris.
The WHL Tournament was playing while we were there. Canada played Sweden tonight at 8:00 our time, but we were a little closer to the Hotel having dinner by then...
 
The misty rain started while we were in the the pub and it seemed that every-time we came out of a venue it had rained - this went on all day. The good news is; we missed pretty much all of it! 
For lunch we headed over to the Place Concorde area and went to the Brassiere  Flotte. This restaurant came highly recommended by a French couple we met in New York at the the Carnegie Deli. I'm glad they shared this local haunt with us. It as primarily locals, but the lady serving us spoke a bit of English and we did our best imitation of french & we all made it work ( her English was pretty good actually - heavy accent, but pretty good all the same!)
 
Afterwards we walked the distance of the Champs Elysee; checking out all the new fashion trends in the windows of the shops and on all the young hard bodies walking the strip...
All very attractive!!!
We strolled through that end of town until early evening & then headed closer to the Hotel for dinner. We were pretty tired, so we just went back to the Beaurepaire were we had dinner last night & as anticipated it was lovely! (1 rue de la Bucherie)
 
In the Rick Steves Travel Book, it suggests hiring a cab one night and doing a circuit through the City to view the prominent sights all lite up! As usual - he was right!! Thats why we get his videos & books ; his advice is always right on!
We hired a cab right outside the Notre Dam Cathedral ( just like Rick suggested!) and the fella (Joel) that agreed to tour us around was really into it & he did a great job. We made a few picture taking stops; one at Napoleon's Tomb, again at the Eiffel Tower, then the Arch de Triumph and then  back to the Eiffel Tower for the light show at 11:00 - which is well worth the price of the cab....
We had a few laughs with Joel along the way, but when we pulled up next to the Disco Bus & saw the DJ rocking the party bus with the stobe light & disco ball swirling around with Paris' finest young adults swinging around the bus (wrapped around the passenger poles & hanging from the straps) we lost it!! 
The bus past by our Hotel as we arrived back from our night tour ....so, we got a second look and cheered them on as they past - Party on Paris!!!
 

Paris, France

 
Chris and I arrived by train yesterday (May 14th). The weather is a wee bit better here...at least it's sunny. The temperature is probably around 10c. Maybe a little better?
 
We arrived mid afternoon, so we strolled through the neighbourhood; up past the Sorbonne University to the Pantheon  Abby then down to Notre Dam Cathedral (where we went to Mass.)
The churches here - like in Italy are larger than life & worth their weight in paintings, fresco's and sculptures.
Our Hotel ( the Abbatial - St.Germain) was originally built in the mid 1700's as a part of the Abby that now resides across the street from. The neighbourhood is one of the oldest in Paris. We like it here! Its nice, clean & tons of character - no space, but lots of character!
 
After visiting a couple of sites, we happened upon a hotel restaurant that we thought looked interesting. Turned out to be a gourmet Sushi Restaurant & it was fantastic & very original!!! We're going to try to get back there before we leave...
 
Today is day 2 (May 15th) and we walked for hours again today & it was worth it!!!
We walked along the Seine until we arrived at the Louvre - its not right on the Seine, but its very close.
We went in and visited the Mona Lisa and saw a few other irreplaceable little gems..
There is so much to see in the Louvre that we could book an entire vacation around doing  nothing but touring within the Louvre itself!
We managed to get through one wing...whew!
 
From there we continued along the Seine until we reached a boat tour, which we gladly hopped on ( our bodies were aching from head to toe from all the walking!). This took us further up river; until we reached the Eiffel Tower. 
Chris & I jumped off the boat & scrambled up to the Tower to see how bad the queue was to get in (or up!)...It wasn't too bad, so off we went.....WHAT A VIEW! It wasn't too cold, but we didn't hang around waiting to get cold either!   It's one of those places that once you're there; you take a couple of pictures - then you get in line for the elevator down. Its worth doing, you just need to understand that its about the experience!
 
Went for dinner to a Restaurant (across from the sushi place) that specializes in beef, sausage & fish. It was very good - but it didn't beat out the Gourmet Sushi...( that would be tough!!)
 
Look for more news tomorrow!
 

Queen Mary 2 & England

The Queen It Is

 
Highlights
- Pete & Katherine
- Tim & Bob
- Stacey & Andrew
- Maureen & John
- Louise - the Best Stylist EVER!
- The Gowns!!!
 
Wow! This is nice!!!
There's no muss, no fuss with the crew on board this ship. They have the service truly polished into a form of art! We were on board and ready to go in no time at all - what a nice surprise!
 
While In the queue to check in; we met Pete & Katherine. A younger couple than most aboard the ship, who had just finished a great adventure of riding their BMW bikes from the southern tip of South America to NYC & are now on their way home to ?????, England.
 
We were pretty taken back ( pretty friggin disappointed!!) when we arrived to our Stateroom and realized that we had a balcony; without a view. There was a huge lifeboat braced right in front of our cabin...we couldn't see anything but sunlight! Okay - I had to fix this somehow!!! So, in my usual fashion - with a smile and a gentle demeanour (that I certainly had to fake!!) I went to work & had everything straightened out that evening...
Thank goodness...
We are now on the 11th floor (the ship is 12 stories high).
 
Our dinner bell is set at 6:00 in the Britannia Room - which is like everything else on the ship - Lovely!
Our table mates are Tim & Bob, who are a retired couple from Connecticut.  Tim is a retired Professor and Bob is a retired psychologist - we get along great with them both & it always makes for a pleasant dinner & a few laughs.  
 
I find the friendliness of the other passengers on this cruise significantly different from the other two we've taken; in that everyone is amiable and sincerely interested in visiting with their fellow shipmates. On the other cruises, we always found someone to visit with over dinner or drinks at the bar. But in this crowd, we all seem to behave like friendly neighbours in a rather secluded community. 
Chris and I bought a pass to the Spa that covers us for the duration of the cruise. It was the best $100.00 we've spent since leaving home! The spa is equipped with two mineral pools, a eucalyptus steam sauna, a dry sauna, a finnish shower, foot bathes - I think you get the picture!! We've spent a bit of time here during the day and we're making sure we get our moneys worth out of the place (hahah!)
 
The sea has been pretty rocky and the weather's been a mix of just about everything. On Sunday night the ship blasted the fog horn from about 10:30 at night until around 6:00 the next morning. I realize that it sounds troublesome or at least annoying, but it was actual kind of cool to listen to & Chris and I listened to it well into the night with delight...
 
Due to the large swells, there's been a fair share of folks with motion sickness on board. On the second day of the voyage, We met a very nice couple in the coffee bar from NY. Stacey & Andy - both of which have been part & parcel of the sick crew. It makes for tough days...and nights!
Stacey is a  school Teacher in East Bronc's ( admirable!!) and Andy is a wonderful Musician, currently employed with the Juilliard  School of Music and he's been playing a few sets here on the ship for our overall enjoyment! 
They are a lovely couple and Chris & I are thoroughly enjoying their company!
 
The level of entertainment on board is absolutely marvellous!  The Jazz Club is packed every night and for good reason! As are the nightly live entertainment programs held in the theatre - which seats probably 5 or 6 hundred guests. 
There's been a Gent performing on stage from the UK ( Phillip Brown) that's previously appeared in The Lion King, Ragtime and a few other live productions in London.  He has a baritone voice and is very entertaining!
Additionally, there are two young ladies from Bath & London are very accomplished violinist....they really make them sing and Chris & I've got a real kick out of them!!
The Jazz Bar had a set of Jazz Poetry the other night. Neither of us had a  clue what that was going to be all about - but it was great!! Its basically, reciting poems or a variety of limericks in rhythm with various jazz tunes...very entertaining!!!
 
Every night in the Queen's Room the Big Band plays swing music & the dancing begins. 
It breaks my heart that - that all I can do now a days is watch, as my darn feet just don't allow me to participate anymore....but it's still nice to watch!
  
Today is my Birthday! That means it's the 8th of May...
Last night Chris and I had dinner in the Todd English Dining Room. 
It's all fine dining on board - this is just another notch up. We were thinking of going tonight for my Birthday but Bob & Tim have something planned for me tonight and I don't want to miss whatever it is ....hmmmm????
 
England/London Highlights
- Stonehenge
- Bath
- the Roman Bathes
- Windsor Castle
- Royal Horse Guard
- Blair Marshall
- Karen Ainge & Mark
- Let it Be
- Bus Tour of London
- Trafalgar Square
- Covent Garden
- Piccadilly Circus
- the Savoy  
 
May 10th - Dale's 50th Birthday!!
Just left the QM2 and had a quick stop in Salisbury to see the Cathedral ...
We just arrived in Stonehenge, and we're a bit early - the gates open in a half hour. So I thought I would update my journal.
Our last couple days on board were really nice. My birthday held several surprises; Chris bought me a lovely pendant, our Table Mates - Tim & Bob, bought me a Fleece with QM2 embroidered on the back, and we had B'day cake for desert at dinner...it was all very thoughtful!
Last night we spent getting together with all of the Shipmates we befriended over the course of the week. 
Andy & Stacey met us in the Chart Room and we had the pleasure of hearing Andy play the base fiddle; he truly  is a very talented musician!!
We really enjoyed their company throughout the voyage. Stacey is a very accomplished women in her own right and they have two children Ben & Sydney.
We hope to see them again!
 
Stonehenge is a true Wonder....
I caught some good pic's and there weren't too many other tourists there - which was nice for picture taking!!
It was a bit chilly, so we didn't hang around for long; but we did enjoying seeing the Stones.
Bath - now thats one place that we simply must do over! (Shawn & Gin - when we come; we need to come here for at least a couple of days).
The Roman Baths are similar to the hot springs in Banff only 2000 & some odd years older. It is a really cool spot & some of the pools remain functional (no longer used, but functinal) the world is an amazing place!
Some of the architecture in town (not just in the bathes) dates back a couple of millennia. 
I believe the better part of the existent housing in the core of town would date back to the 1700's. 
We stopped into the old Pump House - the side thats been converted into a dining room and we had a light lunch. Next time; we're going for Tea or dinner - the food was brilliant!
 
We're travelling by coach today & it's a big honking bus...with 6 guests! I can only image what the "Lawrence - Part of eight" would be like aboard this cruiser! It wouldn't be as quite as it is now; I can assure you!!!
The scenery is vast country farm lands between each Metro area. Its green, green, green and the orchard tree's are all in bloom! I didn't anticipate all this open countryside, its a nice surprise!
Hope we're not making you too homesick Bruce?? We've been thinking about you & Helen since we arrived...so far we love your neck of the "New woods"! (Thats the name of one of the forests close to Salisbury)
 
Windsor Castle was much larger than I thought it would be. The Queen was in residence while we were there...as the Royal Standard was flying .
We only had a couple of hours to get through the Palace and St Georges Abby. I felt rushed, as there is so much to see! I would like to go back and spend a bit of time in the small town as well. There are approximately 17,000 residence in the village; which looked very quaint.
 
May 11th - We spent the day with Blair Marshall today - what a treat!!
We met up at the Eye and then headed south along the Jubilee walk (the river walk) until we reached the London Tower Bridge. From there we crossed over into "the City" which is the root of the original city. 
Blair is a great tour guide and for only being here for 10 months, has a great take on getting around! From the London Tower, Blair got us on the Tube and we scooted over to Soho for some lunch in one of his favourite places to eat. It was a Mexican place...and we agree with Blair & Sarah...the food was very good!!!
Chinatown is adjacent to Soho & not as vast a community as I assumed it would be. According to Blair, the food isn't as good as it is in Calgary...too bad!
Our Bud's-  Karen & Mark met up with us (Blair, Chris & I) at the Punch & Judy Pub in Covent Garden District (the theatre district) & we headed off for a light dinner before the "let it Be" show at the Strand. 
We tried to get into the Jamie Oliver venue in the area ; but Saturday Night in this town is hopping & we were lucky to get into a small Bistro, let alone a named location. Regardless, we had a nice dinner (hosted by Mark & Karen) and then headed for the show. 
The show was a band stage show, depicting the music of the Beatles over the span of their careers in the band. They were very talented and did a great job of replicating the Beatles, in character & musically....they had us all in our feet, belting out "Hey Jude" and songs like their trade mark song "Let it Be"...it was awesome!! 
 
We spent Sunday (May 12th) on the BIG Tour Bus - we had to do the double decker; ride on top -  scenic tour of London. You do get a better view from this standpoint - but we froze our keesters off!! 
Regardless, we did get to see most of the highlights of London this way, and it was a nice break from walking. Chris & I have averaged at least 6 to 8 hours of walking each day...helps take the guilt away from the lovely meals we've been having!
Speaking of which, we were given some sound advice from a couple of our shipmates ( Pete & Katherine) about some cool spots in London. One of them being a Pub called the Cheshire Cheese - it was renovated in 1667...Seriously!!!
It has a great ambiance and its layered into about 4 levels below grade. We had lunch in the Cellar with Blair and the food was top notch! I highly recommend this place for anyone visiting the area; if you want to see some original architecture with character!
The pub is only a couple of blocks from St.Paul's (on fleet street) - so, we killed two birds, by heading to the church after lunch. We decided not to take in the guided tour of St.Paul's...as there is a lot to see just by visiting the Nave and it was getting late in the day for us. For those that do take in the tour, it's only 240 odd stairs to the observation deck...I'm sure the view is lovely !
 
We said adieu to Blair yesterday afternoon and Chris & I headed back to the Royal Horse Guard Hotel - its very close to the Parliament Buildings, WestminsterAbby & the London Eye. I went for High Tea and my Beloved had a snooze. 
Afterwards, we walked over to Piccadilly Circus and went to the late showing of Iron Man 3....Chris needed a fix (hahaha!!)
 
France
 
We just came through the Chunnel - it doesnt take long 20 minutes maybe..anyway - Paris here we come!!!
I hope the weather is an improvement over the UK!

New York

 

Highlights of New York
- Central Park
- The Dakota
- Anthony Bordain's les Halles (411 Park Aveune South)
- Essex House - Marriott  (160 Central Park South)
- Carnegie Deli (7th ave, kitty corner from Carnegie Hall)
- Ground Zero
- Empire State Building
- The Downtown Tour
- Carmine's Italian Restaurant
 - Carny Pub
- 5th ave Shopping
- Frank's Clothiers...Robert Graham
 
April 30th, 2013 - sunny & warm (20c)
 
Whewhoo!!! Westjet set-down right on time at 4:00 at the LaGuardia Airport on Long Island. Right in time for rush hour!! Or so we thought...
What we learned quite quickly is that the traffic in NY really is crazy  & for some reason, it is what it is - and nobody really pays any notice. Its actually fun to sit back & watch how the local's behave in the chaos of it all!
 
Our first night we cabbed it over to Anthony Bordain's Restaurant for dinner.  Les Halles (411 Park Aveune South).
In true Anthony Style, its was crowded, noisy and dark & of course casual. The service was very professional and our meal was wonderful! 
The couple seated next to us was (and still are) from Winnipeg.  They are also fans of Anthony Bordain's TV Series and as it turned out we had several other things in common, so we shared a few laughs & had a really nice evening!
 
Our first impression of the Essex House was -Wow!!! Location, location, location!!
 ( 160 Central Park South)
We found ourselves across from Central Park, a block from Broadway and within walking distance of Time Square, 5th Ave, Radio City, Ed Sullivan Theatre, Carnegie Hall and so much more...
Wednesday (May 1st) - we started the day with a fresh/sunny morning walk through Central Park. The Park is beautiful!! Green grass, flowers....all the things I've been longing for since last October.  Walking hand in hand with Chris & sharing such a beautiful spot....hmmm, does it get any better?
We headed over to visit the Dakota, the building where John Lennon & Yoko lived. Its a very unique building with a distinct architectural design. However, with all its glamour there's a quiet sense of sadness about the old place - I don't mind sharing with you that I shed a tear....
John's now famous Strawberry Fields lay directly across the street from the Apartment. It was all very nice.
 
From there we headed further down Central Park West & we soon realized that we were deep into the residential section. Meaning no public rest areas & Chris and I were both getting a little anxious. So, when we came upon the the New York Historical Museum we jumped at the opportunity to visit....whew!
We watched a really good movie about the history of NYC and region and I made sure I peed twice before we left!!
In search of a "Hop on, Hop off" City Bus Tour we headed South. As it turned out we ended up walking all the way back to Time Square. ( about 2 miles or so!). It was Wonderful!! Our walk took us along the West End, past one of the Trump Towers, down Broadway, over to 7th and straight into the Carnegie Deli for one of the best Pastrami Sandwiches in NYC! We decided to share one, and I'm glad we did! We could have fed a family of 4 with the meat piled between two thin slices if rye...but we gave it our all and got through it just fine!
Afterwards, we boarded the bus and visited the Garment district, Soho, Greenwich Village and Ground Zero . We found that there wasn't much to see there right now, as the memorial is still under construction and so is the New Freedom Tower. 
The night before over dinner, the couple we met from Winnipeg convinced us to try the subway & Chris noticed that Les Halles also had an Oyster special over happy hour - so we hopped on the subway and headed back to Anthony Bordain's establishment for Oysters.
The subway experience was alright, we had to transfer trains twice; which was a wee bit nerve wracking - but we made it! The subway system isn't as intuitive as some others we've used & I thinks its fine in the daylight, but even then it feels a bit sketchy..
For certain ; it was constructed long before ones Personal Safety became fashionable!
I get sidetracked - anyway;
Oysters and enormous shrimp became dinner, at Anthony's for the second night in a row...oh well!
From there we walked the 10 blocks or so to the Empire State Building and we arrived well in time to catch the Sunset. I'll need Pictures to help explain this experience...
 
Day 3 - we headed out rather early, in effort to catch the "Hop on, Hop off" Tour Bus when we came across the Ed Sullivan Theatre .  This is where David Letterman hosts his show & as we were walking by we noticed they were offering tickets out for the show. You know the saying -"if its too good to be true..." well that applies here!
Basically, they put our name into a lottery for the tickets & guess what - We won!! Whoohew!!! 
The folks from the show called to say we'd won and that we had to get back to the theatre before 2:00 --at  2:01 the tickets became void apparently??. It was all very weird and suffice it to say that we waited in one form or another of a queued line-up for the better part of the afternoon and just to the end the pain of reflecting on this any longer....the show started at 3:30 and it was cool to see the live production. Paris Hilton was the guest - could it possibly get any worse....?
That evening we tried a rather popular Italian place for dinner that goes by the name of Carmines; where everything is served  family style.  Meaning, in this case that everything comes out of the kitchen in large serving  platters intended (truly) to feed a family of 4.  
We had the Linguine & clam sauce & chocolate cannoli - it was great!!!!
We waddled back to the Hotel! 
 
Our last day in the "Big Apple" was spent shopping along 5th ave. Chris bought a new designer pair of sunglasses & I bought a couple of tops at the Gap...it was all very civilized.
We picked up two Robert Graham shirts at a little shop around the corner from our hotel. We found this place when Chris realized that he didnt really have a clue on how to tie his bow-tie.  So we stopped in for a lesson...it was an expensive class!!!
 
The trip to Brooklyn to catch the QM 2 was a rush....
We struggled to get a taxi  because none of the Cabbies are interested in going to Brooklyn; its too far....OMG its only across the Brooklyn Bridge. It was all toll about a 45 minute fare through the shite traffic. So, by our standards a decent fare; but in NY they want the quick trips... The ones our cabbies will give you directions for & then tell you to get out & walk - strange days indeed!
Well, we ended up with a young Fella from Ghana, who knew where Brooklyn was; he just didn't know how to get there (seriously!!) However, between his GPS & my IPhone Maps we made it there and we only took one wrong right turn - it was onto the FDR and it took as 20 minutes to get turned around...but we got there.
Truly, cabs were speeding away from our doorman at the hotel at the mention of Brooklyn..in hindsight it was hilarious & our doorman (2 of them) basically jacked this guys cab; they threw our luggage in the trunk and told him he was taking us...even when he explained that he didn't know where he was going...they shoved an address through the window & told him to get going. Hahaha....it really was that crazy!!!

Aaira 02.12.2019 09:10

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Laurel Snodgrass 30.08.2019 10:41

New York City is a credible city to visit in the USA due to its skyline, nightlife, and landmarks. I am in love with this. Times Square is my favorite there.

Suzy Larkin 04.07.2019 07:07

I love New York for nightlife, skyline, Parks, shopping malls & museums. I visited this place before my https://www.goldenbustours.com/seattle-tour-packages/

Doris 10.05.2019 07:25

This stuff will be nice to read will must share this with other too after last minute weekend getaways from dc.

James 08.05.2019 04:09

I love this article and really happy after getting stuff about this in this way. I will try to go there and enjoy it after my NYC tour.

susan 29.05.2013 18:53

WOW!!!! This travel log is amazing. Miss you both!

Ginny 28.05.2013 17:34

Sorry to disappoint you Cindy I have no cast only plate and 5 screws!!! Trip stil sounds fabulous

Wendy 25.05.2013 01:36

Hey you two! Thanks for the fabulous travelogue: we have really enjoyed the adventure so far. You're missing cold wet weather (100 mm) rain today xo

Ginny 23.05.2013 00:17

Well everything looks beautiful except for the weather Curious to see how golf game went Chris did you get those soxs cleaned lol Keep the blogs coming.

Jennifer Ulaszonek 21.05.2013 16:18

Hey Auntie and Uncle.. Miss you guys, I love reading your posts and seeing you guys have been up to. :) Love Yah

Gisele 20.05.2013 01:49

What a wonderful trip, guys - I'm so happy for you.

Ginny 18.05.2013 18:46

Well Guys Sounds like a trip of a life time wish we were there Cindy your posts are great! Pictures are great feels like we are there (yeah right) Love yah

Shane Loughery 18.05.2013 17:33

I hope you are having Fun ???? Excellent ! Love the picture on the ship...will need a copy of that one. Be Safe, Love ya's- ShaneBear

Jennifer Ulaszonek 17.05.2013 23:23

Hey Aunite and Uncle
How you guys must be having the time of your lives, visiting all the places you have been. Makes me want to go so bad! Love you guys :)

Val 17.05.2013 05:41

Hi guys, I'm so glad I've been checking this site every couple of days, your posts are FANTASTIC Cindy, and I really feel like I'm sharing with you. Love

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