The land of H.C. Andersen

Until I saw all the references to Hans Christian Andersen I'd forgotten that he was Danish.  I immediately had the story of "Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates" fill my head and I haven't thought of that for years.  The statue of The Little Mermaid at the harbor is 100 years old this year and I can tell you that she is not showing her age at all, still a beautiful maid.

Copenhagen is full of beautiful parks with lakes and fountains.  Walking through them is a joy and though it is definitely autumn there is still plenty of beauty.  There are bicycles in abundance and they are truly a major mode of transportation.  Many streets have separate bike lanes defined by a curb from the car lanes and sometimes another curb that defines the pedestrian way.  Sometimes it is all flat but marked by different kinds of paving stones and sometimes just by paint.  Many of the bicyclists drive very fast so it was a quick learning process of where not to walk.

The bicycles are designed for carrying multiples of kids or groceries or other cargo with large tubs between the bicyclist's seat and the front wheel.  There is even a race for 'cargo' bikes to determine best speed design so don't think of them as slow moving!  One morning a bride was in the tub in her long white gown and the well-dressed groom was happily pedaling them to their destination.

The National Museum is huge and it is free.  Even the special exhibit, Vikings, is free.  The Viking exhibit was a very lengthy history of their lives, their plunders, and their treasures.  The Danes have a law that is several hundred years old that says any treasure found belongs to the State.  Some of the medieval and earlier treasures have, such as pots of silver money ( like a Leprechaun's pot ) have been found hidden under ancient floor boards.  A couple of magnificent gold cloak pins from the Viking era were found at the bottom of a fence post hole.  It was an extensive exhibit and all of the descriptions were in English as well as Danish.

When it rains in Denmark find a space to have some brew.  The weather patterns are known to the natives so just watch for when they vacate the outdoor tables en masse.

The Copper House

There is something about being on the same turf where my father was raised that forces a higher level of ancestral awareness.  What were my grandparent's dreams when they had this home in Berlin built?  Did they realize then that a copper-sided, basically pre-fabricated home would last a long, long time? The style of house they chose is now a topic for many discussions and and some thesis papers.  A web search for "Kupferhaus" will bring up a variety of articles.  One of the articles has my grandparent's named as original owners.

The exterior of this home is very close to how it was originally.  The current owner has put a lot of effort into bringing it back to the original look. The exterior has been stripped of its white paint.  The original embossed steel walls and ceilings on the interior of the house have been uncovered allowing magnets to be used anywhere for putting up art.  The inside has some changes as I would expect to happen over time.  A different and larger room is now the kitchen and my father's bedroom is now a modern bathroom.

Though the backyard property line has been shortened over time, it wasn't difficult to envision my father and aunt and my grandparents making this a home.  The old photos we have help me make the transition between then and now.  If there hadn't been political issues, especially against Jews, how long might my grandparents have lived in the home they built?

Berlin ?

My father's fears must have made quite an impression on me in my early years.  Now I am trying to grasp and reconcile what I saw in Berlin with what he felt about Germany.
As usual, there is a free walking tour where the guides live on their tips.  They relate the short version of what happened during the cruces of Hitler's rise, war, Cold War, wall up, airlift, wall down, re-unification.

Beginning when I was a child I heard my father's intermittent and vehement statements of concern that America was headed down the path that Hitler had taken Germany.  I piece together bits of remembered stories of how my father's family, though safely fled to Turkey, was never able to fully reconstruct what they'd had in Berlin.  My father left for the USA as a teenager and didn't see his parents, sibling, aunts/uncles again until many, many years later.  My father embraced the USA and he did quite well in this land of opportunity and its freedoms.

Now that I've visited this city I've still only an inkling of what transpired back then.  The walls that separated east and west are now visible in only one segment and there is talk of removing that.  I vote for what remains of the walls to stay so that the visual acts as a greater reminder of history.  I prefer to use the plural because it was not a single wall but multiple walls that were constructed to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to leave.  You might get over one wall but not 2 or 3.  And the distance between the walls gave ample opportunity for soldiers to kill escape attemptors.

When I first went to Germany in the early 70s my father forbade me to go to Berlin.  The trip was on his nickel and I had no burning desire to go there so I didn't see how Berlin was.  Now I understand why he feared he could lose a daughter if I went to Berlin and, at that moment, politics changed for the worse.  Being raised in the land of the free I had no perception of worst case possibilities.  There is a potential penalty for that lack of knowledge.  As I consider the continuing loss of citizens freedoms due to a governmental 'concern' for citizens safety the seriousness of politics becomes a whale in my goldfish bowl.

Brno and Praha and . . .

The Czech Republic has such classic beauty in its cities and in its rural areas.  Whether I'm walking through a city's main plaza or watching the fields and small towns passing as I ride through on the train, there is more of a fairy tale aspect here than I feel in other places.

Though Brno has s population of 400,000 or so there is a small town feeling about it.  Everything is intimate in its proximity to the center where the daily farmer's market flourishes.  The folk festival we located by following our ears to find the entrance to an internal courtyard was great fun.  The minimal amount of traffic encountered during our wandering has me wonder where everybody is.

Zlin is famous for Bata shoes and the shoe manufacturing has been outsourced to lower-labor-cost countries.  So now the huge stretch of warehouse-sized buildings are being converted to other uses such as the university's consolidation.  From the middle of town, which has a large amount of parks, you can see the forests and grass climbing the hills surrounding this area.  Our interpreter owns a cooking school here and has world class chefs come in as instructors.  Yes, there are occasionally classes in English!

Praha ( aka Prague ) is the largest city in CZ, the capital, and it is bustling.  Yes, a farmer's market was there and had delicious produce.  The Lobkowicz Palace and its story of Nazi occupation and then the 1986 overthrow is well worth the price of admission.  The palace grounds contain St. Vitus Cathedral which is wondrous as well.  A boat ride on the Vltava River as darkness falls and the lights come on is great way to end the day.

This past spring the Vltava flooded and ruined the ground floor of many of the buildings that line the river. All that today's tourist sees is an extensive exhibit of poster-size photos in the river park showing the height of the flood waters and, if you take the time to notice, it is evident that the lowest levels of buildings have fresher paint.

It all projects a fairy tale quality for me and I would not be too surprised to suddenly become a Connecticut Yankee a la Mark Twain.

Doležal family roots

Tuesday, 3 September, 2013, was the day for the long awaited visit to the town where Gary's father was born and raised.  Gary and his father had tried to make this same trip in 1968 and then the Soviets closed the Czech border just weeks before their departure; it was a huge disappointment.  Now it is Gary and I who are visiting this very small agricultural community.  The reception we were given was wonderful and heartening due to the generosity of strangers; strangers that are now friends.

We were met at the train station by Zuzka, our interpreter for the day, and we immediately drove the few minutes to the Oldrichovice town hall where we were met by the Mayor and her 2nd in command.  It was raining slightly and they came out to the car with umbrellas to shepherd us inside.  We immediately were guided to a conference table set with traditional pastries and offered tea and coffee.  As introductions were being made some lovely and delicious open-faced sandwiches were also set on the table.  Soon there was slivovitz on the table; so what if it was only 10:30 in the morning and we are drinking a serious liquor.  It was homemade and smoother than anything I'd ever tasted from a commercial distillery.

We talked some of the Doležal family and how land records didn't exist anymore or were tucked away in another city's archive location.  Zuzka was doing quite well with interpreting in both directions and everyone was having fun.  More than an hour's time flew by as we talked, then the interpreter, then they talked, then the interpreter, and so on.  After we'd taken some photos of us with the Mayor, Marie Bartková, and we took photos of the aerial view photo of the town as well as of the Accessor's plat.  A phone call was made to the current owners of the Doležal farm and we walked the short distance to meet them.

Mr. Zelik, the current owner of the farm, was at the street to greet us.  Mr. Zelik is the son of the man that bought this farm from Gary's grandfather.  He is 3 years younger than Gary and has some knowledge of the old times.  Though the original buildings are gone the current storage shed was built over the original vaulted root cellar.  There are sections of the original kitchen linoleum being used outside to cover a muddy area from a water tap.  Then it was inside for more Czech hospitality.

Pastries, weinerschneitzel, potato salad, and more slivovitz.  Mrs. Zelik is a fine cook as everything was so delicious.  And then more homemade slivovitz, and more.  We laughed and joked with each
other as Zuzka translated.  The Zeliks gave photos to us that had been given or sent to the elder Mr. Zelik by Gary's grandfather, some of which we'd never seen.  It was more than we'd hoped for and we are so happy that we made this trip.

More Istanbul

Istanbul's population is roughly 20 million people which is about the same size as Beijing.  Another comparison would be that New York, the state not NYC, has about 20 million people.
The blend of all the sounds from so many people is surprisingly easy on the ear.  I wonder if the sounds are softened ( in relative terms ) due to the hilly topography, being surrounded and split by so much water, or a lack of skyscrapers.  At any rate, it was loud but not like I recall NYC.

We went to Istanbul for a family reunion; the family that my father's sister married into makes me ever so slightly familialy attached and we were thoroughly included.  Gastronomic tours, museum tours, a trip on the Bosphorus, group meals and various walks through different parts of the city.

The Hagia Sophia is amazing and splendid and the architectural wonder of its time due to the immensity of the domed ceiling and so few pillars to hold it all up.  It's beuatiful and awe inspiring and though I'd seen photos of it before visiting that is nothing compared to reality.  The tile mosaics are wondrous and many are hidden under a layer of plaster since Muslims don't allow any images of humans or animals and this used to be a mosque.

We also visited the Chora which is the Byzantine version of Christianity.  Small and tucked into a residential area in the western part of Istanbul the tile mosaics are from a later period than the Hagia Sophia and the detail that was then possible is a defining factor.  The Byzantine era mosaics show Mary being given to Joseph and the subsequent dismay when, though Joseph has been away from home traveling for many months, she knows that she is pregnant.  So many lovely detailed mosaics cover many of the walls and ceilings.  The artists were still learning depth perception so some of the mosaics make me look twice to figure out what is amiss.

The gift shop has books in many languages and one is about the Chora and the Hagia Sophia.  I took a photo of the ISBN so I can try to borrow it from the library.

There is so much I didn't see that would require another visit.  And then I would repeat the Gastronomic tour with Megan!

Eastward to Istanbul

From Madrid to La Alberca to Salamanca to Coimbra to Oporto, to return to Madrid and leave the Iberian Peninsula.  We me with 3 of our Pueblo Inglés friends during our one night in Madrid and enjoyed an evening of remembrances and stories and future possibilities.  What a splendid 3 weeks it has been and we certainly our thinking of returning soon.

Istanbul is where the Arndt family reunion is occurring and is the center point of our trip.  We arrived  about 17:30 and after buying our Turkish visa, passing through Border Control, etc., we took the trams to our hostel.  We were immediately offered tea, a detailed explanation of what this hostel offers its guests, and we were invited to join others for the evening meal of a yogurt cucumber soup and a delicious rice and potato pilaf.

The next day was the Gastronomic Tour one of my cousins had organized ( a thank you to Prue) that was led by a long-time friend of my Arndt aunt and uncle.  We met at the eastern end of the Gallata Bridge and then began our walking / talking / eating tour of Istanbul.  Included was walking into one of the few Hans remaining in Istanbul which are very similar in construction as the Houtongs we saw in Beijing a few years ago.  The primary difference is that Hans are where similar types of businesses are in operation and the Houtongs tend to be residences.  My cousin noted that from Istanbul into western China, the language is Turkish or a dialect thereof.

Our 2nd breakfast began with a bread circle that was the size of a large American Pretzel covered with roasted sesame seeds and served with clotted cream and honey.  Sliced tomatoes, cucumbers as well as tea was served and it was difficult to not eat everything.  The next food presentation was after we'd taken the ferry to Asia and from there it was an endless array of different shops and foods.  Megan has sent the list to us of all the places and foods so I can try to recreate, as much as possible, what is so enjoyable here.  Pistachio is king and is typically in and around most every food.  The pistachios here  are very green in colour and the flavor doesn't remind me of what I've eaten in the USA so it could be a challenge to find this in Colorado.

We ended with Turkish ice cream which uses an orchid root for the binder.  Though it was delicious, for me their ice cream paled in comparison to the foods and sweets we had eaten earlier in the day.  And a word to those who enjoy baklava; the original recipes didn't use honey.

I need to eat lightly tomorrow as my consumption today was immense, especially the pistachios.

Douro upper valley and Port wine

We took a tour into the upper Douro River valley to see the vineyards from whence all that lovely port wine is created.  The lack of what I would call soil and yet hundreds of acres of vines terraced into the steep hillsides is a testament to the tenacity of these people and the grapes themselves.

The oldest vineyards are single lengthy rows of vines and the soiled is chewed-up chist.  The newer terraces have been bulldozed from the hillside and are two lengthy rows of vines just wide enough apart for use of miniature-sized mechanization to help take care of the vines.  The newest vines of all are planted in rows from the top of the hill to the bottom instead of along the contours as they can fit in 1/3 more vines and increase the production levels accordingly.  This also allows the vines to get more consistent sun.

And heat takes on a whole new meaning when you're walking on top of sun-baked chist.  The evaporation rate from my body means drinking copious amounts of water as well as the port wines.  White port and tonic water are incredibly refreshing but I don't know if I can buy white port in the USA.

Our tour was about 50 kilometers up-valley and then an hour trip on the river which had beautiful views of the many, many vineyards.  The Douro used to be a very treacherous trip until the dams and locks were put in and this was the only transportation for the large barrels of port wine to make their way to winery caves at the mouth of this river.

The hospitality of the two vineyards we visited was outstanding.  One of them had already begun a Saturday night family barbecue and insisted we have food as well as his port.  The views were spectacular despite the smoke from the down-valley wildfires.

Our trip back to Oporto took much longer than usual as our guide drove significantly north of the usual route in an effort to avoid the worst of the smoked and fires.  As it was, we had a few views of flaming trees on either side of our route and at one point the trees just by the road were now just vertical glowing sticks of former trees.  That was closer than I liked.

Safely back in Oporto about 23:00 and the next day we made our pilgrimage to the Graham's winery. We treated ourselves to tasting 6 of their ports that we would never buy, not at 100€ per bottle and up.  We enjoyed ourselves for a couple of hours just tasting 6 ports.  They must've have liked us because our guide then offered us a small taste of the 50 year old that was bottled for Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee.  It was the best, absolutely the best, of flavors and viscosity.  I was born in a very good year!

Oporto, Portugal

Oporto old garden

This is a fantasy city.  I stopped as soon as I got off the train to view the beauty of the track area.  I stopped again upon entering the main station and seeing the huge and beautiful tile murals depicting some of Portugal's history.  I stopped again when I first saw the buildings perched on hillsides immediately outside of the doorway of the train station.  It doesn't end.
The city's age is as old as Portugal itself and the range of construction from old to older to oldest is not so much in one part of the city as sprinkled throughout the many hills, narrow streets, and narrower stairways.  New, to Oporto, begins about the 17th century; the U.S.A. is so young.
We have discovered many wonderful and unexpected views of narrow winding streets that drop precipitously just by following our noses in the general direction we want to go instead of staying with the busier streets.

Oporto old city

Though many here speak English we have wandered our way into the older residential areas and have used our inadequate Spanish with their Portuguese and as much pantomime as needed to find what we desire.  In some instances the purchase of a postcard, locating where to buy a stamp, and then mailing from a post office takes us into areas we might not otherwise see. This, for me, is one of the best parts of traveling.
A few days ago I was engaged in at least 30 minutes of conversation with a university student with topics ranging from pleasantries to politics, and what is the culture she would find if she traveled in my country.  How do I begin to explain the variety of cultures and biases and the excellent and the not-so-grand?  I gave my best effort to describe my homeland and her English was superb so I think we both enjoyed our time; I hope her wish to travel to NYC and other places comes true soon.

Figs on the tree.

Forty-eight

That's how many boards are in the ceiling, 48.

Higher Education

 Yesterday began with a very early morning arrival in Combria, Portugal.  We dawdled around at the local cafe until 7:30 and then we could drop our luggage off at the Hostal and then we began walking.    There is a lovely pedestrian bridge and at least two other bridges crossing the wide and lovely Mondego river.  The early morning humidity is palpable and the air temperature is comfortably cool which will not make up for later in the day when it is in the high 90s.

Organ

Much of Combria is built on the sides of a substantial hill with the university capping the top, truly higher education.  Though the university is not in session until next month we did see some students wearing the traditional ankle-length black capes.  Until about 1960 students were expected to wear their capes nearly all the time to distinguish them from the general populace though it reminds me of Hogwarts. Now the capes are just for special occasions.

Cork is Portugal and Portugal is cork.  So many items are available in cork (usually bonded to leather or fabric): purses, shoes, belts, postcards, hip flasks, etc. and I now have a cork belt.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are in season and delicious with many vendors to choose from in the alley-wide streets.  Pastries are everywhere and the classic recipes come from the many convents that were in this area during past centuries.  Churches are everywhere and though some are, in relative terms, plainer than others they are all amazingly beautiful.

The majority of churches use minimal artificial light unless mass is being held and the low light adds to the majesty of the many plaster and wood sculptures. While I was exiting from one of these churches, one near the onion market, I stepped into the white glare of the afternoon sun, from a comfortable temperature to perspiring in a second of time.  I also walked from a flat surface onto a  shallow step and went tumbling down.  Thankfully, nothing seemed amiss so we kept on and enjoyed more shops  and sights.  We eventually headed back to the Hostal for a much needed siesta and shower.

About 5 pm we joined up with our gastronomic tour.  As we walked from pastry shops to restaurants we learned some history more of the area's history.  My foot was aching more and more and I dccided  that continuing this tour was impossible.  Then a taxi to the hospital, 4 x-rays, and an ortho doc who told me that nothing was broken but I needed to stop walking for about 72 hours.  I am so glad that I walked around so much before this happened and Gary will have to take lots of photos while I stay
off my foot.

Ah, Portugal

And forty-eight?  That's the number of boards in the ceiling of our room in the Hostal.  I've counted them several times since I began resting my foot.  Next stop is Porto and I want to be walking well.

This is the week that was.

Public Library in Salamenca, Spain

My 8 days with Pueblo Inglés have ended and I am the better for it.  My hope is that all of the Spaniards I met and worked with feel similarly.

The daily schedule began with an 8:15 wake-up call and typically ended after midnight, how long after midnight depended on the vitality of those involved. Some of the participants (Anglos and Spaniards) were teachers with a goodly mix of business people and a few retirees.  Though the tension was noticeable, especially for the Spaniards, we all were set to give our best during the coming days.  The majority of us rode the bus from Madrid to La Alberca and began to get to know each other.

Anyone who has taken a language class knows that the first topics learned are family descriptions and the early conversations tended to follow the same sequence.  The Spaniards had various levels of ability and had to contend with accents from Ireland, England, Tobago/Trinidad, U.S.A. and Indian (Hindi).  Sometimes I had trouble comprehending the various English accents so I can only imagine the strain on those attempting to learn the language.

The M.C. and Program Director excelled and kept people and events on the move, no boredom allowed within a country mile.  After the initial days of "1 on 1"s and skits and presentations we all walked to town for a demonstration of Master Ham Carving and an excellent lunch.
This locale is renowned for how they cure the meat from the black pig which is a minimum % of specific DNA and the quality of the meat is also affected by what the black pig is allowed to eat.   The Master Carvers have competitions for slicing amazingly thin pieces of meat for serving with bread, cheese and wine.  Yes, I was in my version of heaven.  I doubt that the American pork industry can match my new standard.

Midday Break

Atypical adventure

Restaurant time

Last Thursday as we wandered happily through Madrid came the inevitable need for a restroom. We happened to be near one of the busier museums so there were a large number of restaurants to choose from and, as everyone is aware, you must purchase food to use the facilities so we chose a table and put in our order.
The lighting in the restrooms is all on timers so as I entered I pressed the switch for light in the sink area and then went into the stall and pressed that switch.  After I'd completed nature's call came the fun of figuring out how to flush the bowl.  This unit did not have a water tank on it, there was not a floor pedal to be seen, there was no button on any on the walls.  That left only one surface on the inside of this cube so I looked up to the ceiling.  It was plain except for a 6" square vent for a fan which was running and a very lightweight chain; think of the kind that is attached to an unlucky rabbit's foot.  Said chain came out of the ceiling about 2" from the vent and the end of it was significantly above my head.  With no other opportunity I stood on my toes, pulled the chain and heard the success of water flowing through the bowl.
It is indeed the little things that keep life interesting.

There is now Here.

Filled to the brim with anticipation! Of course there's always time for kissing.

I feel that we traveled for 2 full days but it's less than 24 hours.  All of the many kiddies on the flight slept like the babes they are and I recommend British Airways to everyone. We are happily ensconced in Hostal Santa Barbara, Madrid.

The restaurant food we have had is delicious, the Pilsner style beer flows and flows, it's near midnight and the cafe tables are full, it's comfortably warm and our floor to ceiling window in our room is wide open.
Locating an inexpensive phone has been an interesting task.  It turns out that, at least in Spain, we should have stopped at a kiosk which is located somewhere in the Metro (subway) at the airport.  I'm inclined to not have a phone at all at this point.

 

madrid fashion

It was easy to buy a 3-day metro pass at the airport and make our way to the correct plaza.  Then the fun began as street addresses are not in sequential order and the few people we asked hadn't heard of this place.  I've overheard only a very small amount of English while we walked around and the part of Madrid we are in is clean and well kept.
Breakfast was a delicious multi-layered sandwich of fried egg, tomatoes, lettuce, and ham that was so large we shared.  With 2 coffees and a water the price was all of 7.25€.

sándwich de huevos

Blue skies, 26 C, and I'm drinking water like crazy.  Today we found the Library Museum which had exhibits on the history of writing implements, books, presses.  Items included feather pens, old typewriters, to an early Apple.  The range of book examples included scratched metal pages.  My crude translations gave me an overview if not the exact detail of what I was 'reading'.
Another exhibit was La Transicíon de Tinta China and had plenty of political cartoons from the Spanish Civil War to late 20th century.  The majority of these took only a knowledge of history to understand.  Political satire is universal.

recatadas damas

Almost ready

Whatever is not done is not going to be done before we fly out tomorrow.  That's as close to preparedness as I can be and keep my emphasis on the more desirable enjoyment of the pre-trip partying with friends and family.
We left home last Friday after gathering with friends and hearing of their travels and sharing our travels and gorging on experiences.  Now we're in Denver and enjoying more of the same for what has become a splendid send-off.
Over the last 48 hours we have filled in the remaining gaps for lodging in a variety of hostels for the initial 30 days. The other reservations will have to be made later and we hope there is still room at the inn.
I'm slightly incredulous at what we have planned and I'm thoroughly ecstatic about the adventures that can't be planned and just happen.
Earlier today I found a Gastronomic tour in Coimbra, Portugal, that is a walking tour of local history mingled with multiple restaurants featuring local specialities.  How could it be better?

Sethra the Good