Growing up in the 1950's

 The 1950's were a wonderful time. As children we had more freedom then any generation that came after us. We also had a way of life that most people today cannot understand. Things were very different in the 50's.

This was our house 800 square feet. Two bedrooms 20 x 12 and 20 x 8 which my grandfather subdivided down to 4 (12x12 and 8x12) and (12x8 and 8x8). We had 1/2 a basement the other half was dirt 4 feet high but there was an access point that I used to crawl through just to explore. The living room, dining room, bathroom and kitchen/laundry room took up the rest of the house 20x20. Four girls slept in one double bed until Grampa divided the room, then Peggy and I had bunkbeds She was top and I was bottom. When we moved in there was no stove and no furnace. We had a potbelly stove called a Quebec heater in the living room, a pump for water from the cistern in the kitchen and I believe a pail-a-day toilet (I know we didn't have an outhouse) in the bathroom. I had baths in the wash tub that first year. I don't remember a bathtub. There was no running water. No Television. Seven people were stuffed into that house and we had fun.

Grampa also added shelves in the stairwell going down to the basement to use as a pantry. He said the house wasn't safe so he changed a window in the back to a door so we could escape a fire. He was a wonderful carpenter and had worked for the railroad building bunkhouses for the men building the railway across the country. He always said there was a rock named Leonard's Rock up by Copper Cliff in Northern Ontario that was named for him. 

Until after my father died we did not have a car. We walked everywhere and even took walks for fun on Sunday afternoons. When I got tired Dad would carry me on his shoulders. Dad worked in retail for United Cigar Stores so the only full day he had off was Sunday. During the week he might work days or afternoons. When we moved to Richmond Hill (June 1950) he started hitchhiking to Toronto to work. He work at St. Clair and Yonge for several years and at College and Yonge Street other years. This store was right near Maple Leaf Gardens and he knew many of the hockey players when he worked there.

Up until sometime in the 60's door to door delivery was normal and free. We didn't really need a car day-to-day because everything came to the house. On Thursday night the grocery sales came out so Mom would walk to the store and might take a taxi back if she had too many groceries. 

Milk was delivered to our door most mornings except Sunday. I would get up in the morning and bring in the quarts of milk from the front steps. I loved it in the winter when the milk would freeze and the cardboard lid would pop up in the air and the solid, snowy milk would be peeking out of the bottle. Who ever was ready for breakfast first got to spoon this on top of their cereal. Peggy and I took turns as the rest were too old to do this.

We had a Scottish delivery man for bakery items. He came a couple of days a week and delivered bread, buns, and specials like a Chelsea Bun or Danish pastries. His accent was so thick that for many years my younger sister said "gels" instead of girls. I learned the word "glaikit" and used it often as others didn't know it was derogatory. In summer we chased the "Lake Simcoe" ice man down the street so we could get chips of ice he chopped off a block to make it fit in your icebox. No refrigerators, we had an icebox. I always took the company name literally and wanted to know what part of Lake Simcoe was permanently frozen year round. Last but not least we had beer delivered. Once a week the beer truck came and dropped off a 2-4 for dad. 

None of these deliveries were unusual. They were part of our everyday life like having a man in uniform pump our gas and check your oil. All these services were free.

2023 Hot Air Balloon

 I decided this year I wanted a hot sir balloon ride. Last year one of the balloon companies said I was too old to go up. This year I found a newer smaller company that said if I was in good health of course I could fly.

I booked the trip but it was a when the weather is good we will call you. Well today they called and said I could go tonight. 

We met at Woodstock flying club and they inflated the balloon, first using a big fan and then heating the air so the balloon came upright and I climbed aboard.

At first the balloon didn't want to leave the airport. It went up and hung over the launch site. I gave us time to look around and take in the view from all points on the compass. It is so quiet up there. The only noise is the igniter that gets turned on to heat the air and make the balloon rise.

We slowly started drifting south east. I saw a river I didn't know was between highway 2 and the railway track. People waved and calle up to us as we floated over their houses. I waved and yelled back. It was so much fun.

First Very Full Day in Amsterdam

We started the day with a big buffet breakfast at the hotel. Bacon, ham, scrambled eggs, toast and baked beans along with orange juice and coffee were all on the menu.  Set us up nicely for the day.
We walked to the tram station and headed down to the Centraal Station. Our tram station is Baden Powell Weg.
We saw lots of interesting buildings along the way. Once downtown we walked to the maritime museum which is shaped like a boat. Took the elevator to the roof to get a view of the city. The observation point showed what you were looking at as you looked in each direction. We walked down the long outside stairs and started to roam the city. We walked past nineteenth century sailing ships and seventeenth century warehouses and found the statue of the Barbarian. Just down the street was a small bridge and lift gate. Further along were wooden gates in the canal that could be closed if the water level was too high.
This area had the most beautiful old houses with lovely iron work gates and fences. There were bicycles and flowers everywhere. We walked over several bridges over canals and found a great canal side market. The stalls are like small garages. When the seller goes home he pulls everything into the garage and shuts the door. The doors are decorated according to what he sells.
Next we headed to the flower market. Tulips, hydrangea, and tons of flowers I don't know the names of. Poor Greg could feel his sinuses filling up. He liked the wooden flowers best.
We walked over to Westkirk and the Anne Frank house. No more 2 hour lineups. All bookings are online so you get a time. The church is under renovation and we didn't think we didn't get a reservation on that short notice.
We walked past a clock tower nicknamed happy jack because it's clock never told the right time.
Next on the list were the Cheese and Cow Museums and the Magic Mushroom which sells cannabis and other stuff. We had fun looking but we can't bring any of the good stuff back.
We stopped for coffee and then for macaroons later. Greg thought he didn't like them until he had some made by a proper European baker.
A canal boat tour took up an hour of our afternoon. It was a great ride and the tour guide was good. It took us out into the harbour as well. After the tour we walked to Centraal Station, took a few pictures of St Nicholas Cathedral along the way. At Central Station we found out the harbour boat was free so we went to the other side. There is a building there with a swing on top that swings out past the building. We wanted to go up but decided against when we discovered the entrance fee to the roof was three times the amount for the swing. We came back and took the Metro several stops to see where it went. Turns out it crosses our tram and will take time off our journey downtown. All this is covered in the 3 day transit ticket we bought.
We went to Magna Plaza. This building appears to be about 100 years old. It has been redesigned inside to house multiple stores but the interior has not been gutted. It has instead been kept but using glass dividers the new and old co-exist.
Last adventure of the day was to visit the condomerie and the red light district. They really do have red lights over the windows with scantily clad girls vying for attention inside. After that it was home and relax.
Total steps 28,500 and that makes 22 kilometres. I could do a marathon but it would take me all day.

Travelling to and arriving in Europe

 

Travelling began with being driven to Toronto airport. I thought we had lots of time until we got to Milton and the highway was a dead stop. A bit of a delay but we had allowed lots of time, so we were ok.
We went into security and we were pulled over and Greg got checked. It put us in a shorter line so I was happy. Greg forgot the water in his water bottle so he had to go back and dump it. We found the lounge.  This is the way to go, especially when it is free. A hot meal, beer or wine, snacks and comfy chairs in a quiet atmosphere.
Went downstairs for boarding and found we got on first. It was a good flight to Iceland and they used two doors for exits so we got off first as well. A slight mixup sent us to the wrong gate but the proper one was only 2 gates away.
We arrived in Amsterdam on time. Construction in the airport was confusing but everyone was very helpful, even the bus driver who called out our hotel for us. After exploring the area and finding pizza and dessert we returned to the hotel and fell asleep. It is tiring translating the toppings on a pizza. We will head into central Amsterdam tomorrow morning. We are staying in the sticks.

Shopping

My blog isn't very exciting as most of the time I am relaxing, swimming, eating, napping, REPEAT.
Yesterday we swam in the morning. Then Jeff came and took us to lunch and dropped us off at Central Festival which is an outdoor two storey mall built around Central department store and a cinema. We walked through the mall checking out all the stalls and then did a circuit of the surrounding streets. I found a few small items, bargained down some prices and bought myself a sarong. I have been wearing it over my bathing suit. It has large red hibiscus flowers on it. I love it. We took a taxi home and made supper from groceries we bought at Tops market at Central Festival. It has rained here but it usually last less than half an hour and is a warm rain.

Thailand

The trip was long, but I slept on the longest leg so it was good. I got fed every time I turned around. Three meals on the first flight and one each on the next two. I posted pictures of the Taipei Airport and the Bangkok airport on Facebook. The trip takes about 20 hours but you cross the international date line so it appears to take an extra day. Fran and Jeff met me at the airport. Thailand is a drive on the other side of the road place.
Jeff took us to a Thai restaurant for supper and we stopped and visited a market square and the French bakery. They were out of croissants so Jeff ordered some for the next day. Jeff's friend is letting us stay at her villa for a few days as no friends are visiting.
Yesterday I slept until 10:00 and we lounged at the pool all day. It is a small pool but I'm not an Olympic swimmer so I just float around in it.
Jeff took us out to dinner for steak last night. A huge tbone and it cost about $8.00 each.

Today we are going to a three storey shopping mall called Central Festival Samui. I will post pictures on Facebook.

Heading to Thailand

Well, on the spur of the moment with 4 weeks notice I decided to follow a friend and visit her and her son in Thailand.
I'm now sitting in Pearson Airport waiting for a flight to Bangkok with a connection in Taipei, Taiwan. The weather this week in Koh Samui - the island I am going to has been 88 degrees all week. No rain so far and the place seems wonderful.

In the airport I showed my Dublin pictures to a man from Colombia and he showed me pictures of Cartagena. He was heading for Dublin and had never been to Europe.

Can't load pictures. See Facebook.

Ready to go to China

It is Sunday afternoon and I think that 99% of everything is packed. I can't pack the electronics until this evening.
At a few minutes to 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning I will be heading for the meeting place for the bus to pick up all the people going on the tour to China. We are flying from Toronto to Beijing - a thirteen hour flight. We will visit Beijing, Xi'an, Suzchou and Shanghai.
I have decided to take a smallish (large carry-on size) suitcase, a backpack and my purse. We can get laundry done in the hotels. I just don't want to have to drag around a big suitcase.
So here I go - Fresh haircut, clothes, camera, snacks, purse, tickets, Chinese currency, US Dollars, Passport and Chinese Visa. I'm ready to go!

Nov. 6 - Rotterdam.

This morning Leonie and I set off to explore Rotterdam. Most of Rotterdam especially the harbour area was destroyed in WWII.  Therefore unlike other cities in Europe Rotterdam is a new city with innovative and sometimes weird buildings. There is a lot of new sculpture some of which makes you ask " Is this art or can I cart it away?" I took lots of pictures until my camera died and then Leonie took some. There are still some on their way.
The highlights of the day were the new Market building, the poffertjes and the marine museum display of boats in the water. We walked along the Maas, we watched the water taxis going at break-neck speed. I investigated the cube houses. They were very strange and topsy turvy. All the rooms are weird shapes and windows can look down on the street or up but rarely straight across to your neighbour. I think that some of the corners woul be hard to clean and the stairs are quite steep, but it is an innovative idea.

Nov 5th last day in Portugal

I saved the best for last. Today I travelled back in time. At one o'clock in the afternoon I left Spain by zip line and landed one mile later in Portugal at 12:01 p.m.


Ana and Paulo had been keeping me busy all week and it was lovely. Ana asked me what I wanted to do. I checked all the brochures and found that there was a way to zip line from Spain to Portugal. What a thrill!
This morning we left for Alcoutim. Ana checked and we could take a local boat across the river and we would be right at the office for Limitezero, the zip line people. We were fitted with safety gear and helmets. Paulo and I and two people in charge of sending us off the hill got in a Jeep and drove almost straight up to the top of the hill behind the office. We received a number of safety instructions and had the gear tightened.  The guide took our picture and Paulo shot a movie as I was launched into space and flew from one country to another. I travelled back in time. I left Spain at 1:00 pm and landed in Portugal 59 minutes earlier at 12:01 pm. It was the thrill of the trip. I am so glad I did it.
Ana had my camera and took some pictures but I also bought the official one.

After the adventure we walked around town and then headed for Mertola a town farther north which has a beautiful restored castle.  Mertola is farther up the river and is the first bridge across the Guadiana River since Castelo Marim. The distance between the two bridges is 62 kilometres. This castle is quite old but it has been renovate quite a bit. There is a one section that has been excavated to show the ancient ruins. The gentleman at the site was very pleased to talk to us about the site and the history. We climbed the walls and took pictures from each side. The amazing thing is that attached to the Castelo is a cemetery that is in use today. In order to get to the castle all roads led upward. I was a little worried about the cobblestones going down as they can be quite slick and there are no railings or hand holds. Paulo went down and brought the car up as he saw cars coming up to the castle. 

We thought we were fine for time to get me to the airport early for the flight to Amsterdam. Paulo and Ana decided to take a route across country which would be a bit shorter but slower as there was no highway. After a few miles we decided to pretend we were in a video game as the roads resembled Mario-kart. It would say winding road for 600 metres, then it would be windy for 2 kilometres, straight for 600 metres and then windy for two more kilometres.  Every five kilometres it would announce winding road 600 metres. Paulo would say - what do they think the rest of the winding road is?

All of a sudden partridge would run across the road. Ana would laugh and more partridge would waddle fast across the road. We stopped because we saw deer very close to the road and of course partridge running between them. Ana said there was a partridge festival in Alcoutim - maybe they were running away. We also saw cork piled by the side of the road and Paulo stopped so I could take pictures of the trees. They peel the bark (cork) up to the first branches which makes the tree two colours. All this starting and starting made me a little late but European airports and schedules are different from Canadian. I dropped off my bag and said goodbye to Ana and Paulo. I went through security and had about 1O minutes before boarding. If I was in Canada I would be hurrying and worried. In Europe the waiting room hadn't opened yet. People were sitting in the hall waiting for the attendants to arrive and open the doors. Finally we boarded and my row was the only one with an empty seat.  We arrived without incident in Amsterdam and caught a train to Rotterdam and a taxi to Leonie's house. Quickly to bed after a long day.

Nov 4th, Sevilla Cathedral, Real Alcazar, and Spanish Square

Paulo and Ana decided that today was the day to go to Spain. We are going to Sevilla and we will visit the cathedral, Alcazar, the Spanish Square and IKEA.
I am a little disappointed with the European Union. I don't end up with passport stamps.
When we arrived in Sevilla we drove around looking for the underground parking. It gave me a chance to see the city which is a mix of old and new. Strange round skyscrapers and old bull fighting rings. We parked in the underground in the centre of town and started our tour.
There is a very old large post office with concrete decorations that are mailboxes on the side of the building. Opposite the post office is the beginning of the cathedral. We walked around it and I discovered that just like Salamanca, graduates of the University had written their names (400 years ago) on the side of the building in bull's blood. You can still see the writing today. I went inside and took a few pictures. The outside was more impressive then the inside. It was beautiful but I expected the nave to be bigger.
We walked around the old city which included some of the outside walls of the Alcazar. We found a lovely restaurant. Ana and Paulo shared a variety of tapas but I missed having Paella when I was in Spain before so I had a seafood paella. It was delicious. Now it was time to go to Real Alcazar. We rented audio guides. Mine was in English. We travelled together for a few rooms and then we split up. Room after room opened to new splendours. The ceilings were gorgeous. The gardens were lovely. I got pictures of the peacocks, the fountains, the tile work, the ceilings, the carved walls. I loved it all. I decided it was time to make my way to the exit to find Ana and Paulo. Then I got lost. I kept heading in the right direction and ending up back where I started. People told me to go straight and turn left. I did it again and there I was again, back where I started. Finally a man told me to go straight through two doorways before I turned left. I made it to the exit and found Ana and Paulo. There are almost a hundred pictures of Alcazar on Facebook, I just couldn't stop taking pictures.
We had to walk about a kilometre to the Spanish Square but it was worth the walk. It is a beautiful half circle of building with an impressive square that was big enough that there were several bridges and a canal with boats in it. There are horse drawn coaches giving people rides around the centre of the square. Another wonderful attraction.
We headed back toward the old city and the car.
We had to stop for churros and chocolate before heading to IKEA. All IKEAs are so huge and you must follow around in a circle to find the exit, I was not surprised when Ana said that we had walked 11 kilometres over the whole day.

Nov. 3, Bone Chapel, Estoi, and Cerro de S. Miguel

November 3rd
We decided to go back to Faro because we discovered that the Bone Chapel we visited was a small one and not far away was one with the bones of 1245 monks. The first gypsies I had seen were sitting in the entrance to the Igraja do Carmo. We entered through the church and I took pictures of the altar and the organ. We went out into the walled garden and found the chapel (s) as there were two of them. One large with bones in the walls and ceilings and one small with only one wall facing you and the bones inserted in it. This is a way to respect the dead and preserve the bones that are found in unmarked, ancient or mass graves. The tombstones of some of the bodies have been preserved as paving stones.
Outside the church was a carob tree and strewn on the ground were carob pods. I knew people substituted carob for chocolate but I had never seen carob before.
We headed for the little town of Estoi. There is a castle there that is more modern than the ones we have been looking at. It is probably more like a rich estate than a castle. It is a heritage building but it is now also a hotel. E hotel has to preserve the outside and integrity of the building but they have turned the inside into hotel rooms. We walked all around it and I took pictures of the gates and towers. The last picture is of a room off to the side at the back. It appears to be a public laundry area. The blue tile portrays a woman with her laundry and there is still water in the various pools.
We now headed to Cerra de S. Miguel which is a height of land in the area. On the way I took a picture of cork trees. We found better ones a few days later but these were the first I got pictures of. Paulo drove up the hill and it was quite steep and windy. On top there were aerials and phone and TV towers. We parked and walked around and took some pictures of the valleys and of sunset. While we were there, Ana and Paulo did a Geocache which I signed onto as well. Will report it when I get back to Canada.
We drove back down the hill just as the sun was setting on another wonderful day. Off home to send a few postcards and then to bed.

November 2nd Silves Castelo

When I woke up this morning I was happy to see that there were patches of blue sky, even if there were still grey clouds when you looked different directions. We were not going to stay inside today. We were off on another set of adventures. Ana and Paulo would tell me that we were going one place but we usually end up seeing several things along the way. I never know what the adventure will be.

They told me today that we were off to see a castle or castelo. Along the way we changed directions so that we could see Our Lady of the Rocks Chapel. In this part of Portugal the cliffs are a sheer drop down to the sea with a small beach at the bottom of the cliffs usually accessible only by many stairs. It was very windy and there were pools of water along the paths and the chapel was perched out on the farthest point on the cliff. The chapel itself was closed but I took a picture through the glass door. We walked along the path but turned back when the pools of water flooded the way.

Castelo Silves
On we continued until we reached Silves. We pulled over at a lookout point so I could get a picture of the castle silhouetted on the hill. On the way to the castle we stepped inside the Cathedral which is very close to it. The choir was practicing the hymns they would sing for the Mass and I took one picture with no flash because I didn't want to disturb them. In church the pictures always turn out better without flash. We toured the castle and climbed the walls. Some areas have been renovated and some are still being dug out. They have handrails in some places and none in other. Paulo offered help when we were going down wet staircases with no handholds. In the center of the castle courtyard there is a building underground that is devoted to Iberian Lynx. They have a breeding and release program trying to repopulate the area. It was very interesting. The battlements were very old but there were fantastic views of the surrounding city from the heights.

For lunch we stopped at a restaurant that people had told Ana and Paulo about. There is no menu. They serve Portuguese grilled chicken. Delicious, fabulous grilled chicken. Of course this is Portugal so first comes the cold starter - Olives, cooked spiced carrots, pickled cabbage and some peppers. Then the salad of tomatoes, lettuce, onions and a few minor veggies. The plate of chicken (one whole chicken split open and grilled on an outdoor barbecue type grill and then chopped in pieces) arrived with a large platter of beautifully done french fries. They were crisp on the outside and hot and tender on the inside. When we asked for the bill we were treated to a plate of fresh and dried fruit. We had figs with almonds in them, melon, and orange slices with cinnamon sprinkled on them. I think it was the best restaurant meal I have had in Europe. The bill was about $10.00 each in Canadian money. I love Portugal.

We drove to the town of Loulé and decided to take a walking tour. We found the local market. We had taken too much time over lunch so the stalls were mostly closed up but I took pictures of the building and the halloween decorations. There was a statue of an old woman representing the market sellers. We toured the old town and found historical plaques telling us about the designs of the windows and the arches etc, We stopped in a little cafe and had coffee and Portuguese custard tarts. The food here is wonderful.

Before heading home Paulo drove us to a modern round church on a hill overlooking the town. The church was not open but it is the outside architecture that is so interesting. The previous church was saved and is on the same property.

We headed home just in time as the sky opened up and it started to rain again.

November 1st Nanaimo Bars and visiting friends.

Early Nov. 1st Ana and I went grocery shopping to find missing ingredients for the Nanaimo Bars. We needed wafers to replace the graham cracker crumbs, icing sugar and more butter. We will use cornstarch and real vanilla from vanilla pods to replace the custard powder.

We had a wonderful time making the bars. She did most of the work and I supervised. Paulo was happy to eat them. The whole experiment has been declared a success and Portugal now has Nanaimo Bars.

We spent a quiet afternoon. I sent some postcards and Paulo and Ana were busy with the website. Around 4 o'clock we headed out to visit friends for a birthday. It had rained most of the day but we thought the worst was past. Half way to the friends we discovered that there was a road washed out and we had to detour to higher ground to avoid the flooding.

We arrived safely and I was made to feel very welcome. One of the couples had just returned from Calgary, where they had spent the last two years. There was lots of food including Ana's special carrots, quiche, leek pie, apple pie, potato chips, beetroot chips, roast chestnuts, olives, iberico ham, cheese, and regular ham. Everything was delicious and I learned to eat roast chestnuts by dipping them in coarse salt. I was treated to Mateus Rose and we finished off the night with Birthday cake.
The ride home was uneventful as no roads were flooded and the rain held off until we were safe and sound.

October 31st. Market Day.

Market Day in Olhão

Today was Market day. Olhão is not far from here and has a beautiful fish, fruit and vegetable market. Outside the building there were people selling clothing and handbags etc and there were beautiful tile benches. Inside there was every kind of fish you could think of. Big ones, small ones, some whole, some in filets and steaks. Dorado, cuttle fish, Crab, salmon, tuna, octopus, squid, sword fish, eel and even shark. Then we moved on to the fruit and vegetables. Pomegranates, oranges, mangoes, apples, grapes, figs, sweet potatoes, avocados and many more. I kept asking "What is that one" Sometimes we could figure it out but one or two did not translate to English.

We stopped for coffee with Flávio and Ana and then had fun buying vegetables for dinner. Paulo bought some figs and I bought some raspberries and some churros which we shared as we walked around.

The weather had turned cold so we headed back home for lunch.  On the way we stopped at Canada- that is Rua da Canada and Edificio Canada which is an Apartment complex near here.  We spent the afternoon discussing places and food from Canada. We found there is a place called Faro in the Yukon but it is very far from everywhere. We also had a discussion about Canadian food and decided that we should introduce Nanaimo bars to Portugal. Late in the afternoon there was a beautiful sunset so we went up on the rooftop terrace to watch the sun go down.

October 30 Fishing Village, Salt Ponds and the Old Town of Faro

Arraial Ferreira Neto or Vila Gale Albacore
First thing in the morning we headed out for this site. it was a Tuna fishing Village originally that was only inhabited during fishing season. Once the tuna hanged their annual course and didn't come this way anymore the village was abandoned. Portugal made it a National Historic Site but in order to preserve it they have allowed a resort to renovate and renew the site. The resort allows people to visit; they have a small museum on the premises and all the fisherman's housing has been transformed into the hotel rooms.  When you walk through the area you are looking at the village as it was 75 years ag. The chapel is still there and the school is now the children's activity center. Except for the reception area everything is the same. the large anchors used to tie down the nets are still along the walls.

Salt Evaporation Ponds
Every day we had driven past large white piles along the roads and there seemed to be a lot of man made ponds beside the roadways as well. Today we went to get a closer look at the Salt Evaporation Ponds or Desalination ponds. Portugal gets quite a bit of its salt both for industrial use and for cooking and gourmet uses from desalination. The salt we saw is industrial grade. It reminded me of the salt piles we have for salting the roads in the winter. The salt water is pumped into the pond area and allowed to evaporate. The salt remains behind and is scooped up for use in industrial processes.

Back home for lunch. Delicious as always. After lunch we headed for the old town.

Old Town of Faro
The Old Town of Faro was established in 1269 and the main gateway is the Arco de Repouso or the Resting Arch which of course leads to Rua Do Repouso.

We followed the street past colourful tiles and beautiful ironwork balconies to the statue of Alfonso III and the town square. We turned to the side and saw Stork nests and storks on top of the church.

I love the decorative street lights as well. Even the doors are inlaid with metal work and lovely door knockers. We wandered past parks and a marina and the local firehall and found the New Gate which is only 400 years old. The flowers are all still in bloom.
We headed for the Faro Cathedral. This church was originally built in 1251 but redesigned when it became the seat of the diocese of the Algarve in 1577. At that time they modernized it and added the medieval elements including the bell tower and the two cross chapels.  We went up in the tower and saw the bells - some are still working but others have no clappers.

There is a marvelous view of the town and the sea from all sides of the tower. The chimney pot on the roof is quite ornate.
I took some pictures of the altars and the organ and outside there are two chapels. One is devoted to St. Michel and the other is a Bone chapel.

This probably sounds weird but the chapel is full of bones and skulls, probably of unidentified bodies that were buried in the area between 1269 and the 1577 date of reconstruction. At the back of the cathedral is a beautiful wall with Gargoyles at the top. I love gargoyles. As we walked back to the car we saw an outdoor public gym, so I had to take two pictures of that.

Tavira, Vila Real Santo Antonio, Castelo Marim and Cacela Velha Oct 29

In the morning Ana and Paulo worked on the website and made sure everything was working as it should. After that we headed off to the old centre of Tavira. There are supposed to be 37 churches here but we didn't look for them all. I love to saunter through old towns like this and see the heart of the community and get a feel for it.
We crossed the river Gilao that runs through the town to go to the town square. The tide was out and the river which goes to the Atlantic was very low. The town is full of beautiful tile walls and very old buildings. The iron work on balconies is intricate and there are blooming bushes and trees all around. We investigated the Castelo which is now the walls of the old castle surrounding a beautiful garden.
The town square is full of beautiful sculptures and statues. Many of the walls are covered in the blue and white tiles so familiar in Portugal. While we walked back to the car we watched the river bed looking for crabs scuttling in the mud and fish the size of sardines in small schools swimming in the pools. Many of the walls have raised decorations which I tried to capture.
We visited a beautiful Church in Tavira. Igreja da Misericordia has a museum attached to it as well. The interior is all blue and white tile. The altar is very ornate with gold leaf and the organ is magnificent. Part of the museum dealt with the soldiers from the village who were conscripted by Napoleon. No one ever remembers the losing side; they only remember the winner and the losing commander.

 

Next we drove to the Spanish border and to the river Guadiana and visited Vila Real de Santo Antonio. We stayed on the Portuguese side of the river but walked along the river bank. The first thing you notice is the decorative cobblestones. They have pictures of lobster, fish and anchors in different colour stones. The older buildings including the old customs house are covered in wonderful decorative tiles and pictures made up of tiles. The harbour is full of sailboats, moored along the banks. As we walked up the street we found that the art was a mixture of old statues dedicated to heroes of the past and some very strange statues that were modern.  There are orange trees everywhere in Portugal and a few lemon and lime trees as well. We wander up and down the pedestrian streets taking in all the sites. One building that is now a public washroom used to be a public bath so the sign still reads the same. They have tried to beautify the city and in spite of the graffiti it is very nice - even the garbage cans are pretty. We passed some domed buildings that might be part of the moorish influence.
Next we were off to Castelo Marim. From the highway you can see the walls of the two fortresses that guarded the area hundreds of years ago. They are now ruins but still very interesting. We climbed up to the entrance to the Castelo and even outside the gates the view is beautiful. We went inside for free because it was late and it was closing soon. There are reenactments carried out here during the year. We climbed the walls to see out over towards Spain. We could see the town we had visited earlier. It was a spectacular view.
On the way home the sun was in Paulo's eyes so of course we had to detour to watch the sun go down. We visited the little town of Cacela Velha which is right on the ocean but is protected by islands and a spit of land that form a long narrow lagoon. We could see the tide rushing out as we watched the sun go down.

Over the last few days we have seen several black cats. Since the weather has called for rain and we haven't had any I think the black cats are a good sign not a bad one.

Oct. 28th Basel and Arriving in Portugal

I woke up early and finished packing for the plane trip to Portugal. This meant that everything had to fit in my suitcase. I kept my large purse and a few things out but I made sure there was room to pack everything in when I got to the airport. Easyjet says one item only, so no purse. Well I have the little one that slides under my sweater and doesn't show. It has my passport, credit card holder and boarding pass. On the plane my iPad will fit into the purple sweater inside pocket so I will have that as well.
I left Sabrina's key in her mailbox and left it on a Canadian key chain. I walked to the bus for the last time and headed off to the train station. I took the train to Zurich, bought a banana and a croissant to eat on the train and off I went to Basel. Once in Basel I knew I had several hours before I had to go to the airport. I hopped on a tram and headed downtown hoping to find the pedestrian streets. A few blocks later I exited the tram when I saw some carnival rides. Right across the road was the beginning of the old town and the pedestrian streets. I love the winding streets in these areas and the very old architecture. The decoration on the building is lovely and the building could not be duplicated today. I spent some time window shopping and finding all the interesting spots including a park with lots of mechanical machines like large toys in a reflecting pool. There was a gorgeous church a few blocks away. I took pictures of the outside but there was a young lady giving a concert on the inside so no pictures. I started to follow the signs for the hauptbahnhof but after a few blocks I gave up and hopped on another trolley. Of course it was going the wrong way. I rested on the trolley for several stops and finally decided to get off and go back. It turned out I was only 3 stops from the central station if I had gone the other way to start with. I took the airport bus and arrived at the airport about 2 hours before the flight. I didn't realize how small the airport was. Security was a breeze compared to Toronto, Amsterdam or most other airports. I stopped at this point and packed my purse and things into my suitcase or my pockets. The flight was uneventful. When I arrived in Faro, Ana and Paulo were waiting for me. I passed through a gate that said customs but didn't see anyone and walked out to join them. We drove to Tavira and nice warm soup was waiting for us. Relaxed for the evening and we will start our adventures tomorrow.

Winterthur and Liechtenstein October 27

I headed out nice and early so I could explore a bit of Winterthur and then off to Liechtenstein. I had only seen Winterthur either in the dark or on the train which isn't very much. I took a picture of Sabrina's building - very new and one of the older style one beside her. I caught the bus at the round about and headed to the station. The buses and trains in Europe usually have a TV screen at the front that shows the next three or four stations. It is great because if you don't hear or understand the announcement you can read it on the screen. Less chance of getting lost, though I can "take the scenic route" (get lost) anywhere.

I found the pedestrian streets and all the bicycles. It was very early so not much was open. I headed back to the station and found people dressed like bananas handing out Bananas....... Maybe they were supposed to be Minions handing out bananas. Something to eat on the way to Zurich. The white lines on the street are used by blind or partially sighted people to find their way around the stations and bus stops. There is always a patch of white lines where the doors open. Also they lead from the bus into the station. I took a picture of the inside of a truck because the cards were arriving already shrink wrapped onto the card stand. I had never seen that before.

Off on a train to Sargens and then a bus to Liechtenstein. On the train I met a woman who had recently visited Canada and she pointed things out to me. I took some pictures of the lakes and the beginning of the mountains through the train windows. Not the best but the only option I had. When I arrived in Sargens the lady made sure I was heading in the right direction for my bus. I thanked her and I was off on another adventure. I got on the bus and asked if the driver could let me know when I was in Liechtenstein. As we crossed a bridge a few miles later she showed me the flags in the middle marking the border. About a mile further I asked if I could get off the bus and take the next one as I saw this beautiful castle on the hill. Of course I could so here I was in Balser not Vaduz taking pictures. I couldn't see a way up to the castle but it was still beautiful. On to Vaduz.

Next bus came and I was off to Vaduz. The closer we got the more the horizon was dominated by mountain ridges. Probably not the highest mountains but very dramatic. I got off in Vaduz and visited the church near the bus stop. It was very pretty and I took pictures inside and out including a gargoyle head. From the church you could follow the pedestrian way and it was dominated by many forms of art - metal sculpture, colourful heads, bronze works, granite etc. as you walked along, every time you looked up you saw the Schloss were the Prince lives. I found the Post Office and their postcards of Liechtenstein were reasonable so I bought some and sent them to the people I had stayed with. The stamps were beautiful. I wish I could have sent one to everyone I knew. I wander up the street, checked out the Postal Museum and the tourist shops. I stopped and had a bite to eat and decided I had to walk up to the Schloss or I would always regret it. What a climb. The lady in the tourist office said 20 - 25 minutes. It took me 50 going up and 25 coming down. Part of the way down was cobblestone and didn't have a handrail so I had to be extra careful. The views going up were spectacular. A camera can not properly capture them. There were benches along the way and a railing once you were on the actual Schloss trail. I stopped at the lookout point and took more pictures, some looking down. The tree with the red berries I took pictures of is a holly tree. I was a bit disappointed at the top as the trail stopped at the back of the Schloss and I was hoping the grounds around it were open. I took some pictures and headed back down. I caught the bus back to Sargens and after a train delay I made my way back to Zurich and Winterthur.
Sabrina had made a wonderful chicken dinner and after dinner I started packing as I leave for Portugal tomorrow.
More later - thanks for reading.

October 26th Zurich

In Zurich early this morning. I wanted to explore the old city, go down to the waterfront area, go up the Uetliberg and explore the part of the old city on the opposite side of the river.

Started off at the Hauptbahnhof and saw the Blue Angel hanging from the ceiling. Filled my water bottle from the boy with the alligator and off I went. The broad yellow lines are pedestrian crossings and give you the right of way if there is no light. I love the little covered balconies that hang over the road. Every one is individually designed so I took lots of pictures. There were also paintings right on the walls plus statues and fountains. i found some beautiful old churches. No pictures allowed inside. I walked down to the waterfront and found people feeding the swans and ducks. I caught a tram that I thought was heading north but it went to the side so I hopped off just past the opera. I went into the grocery store and bought lunch. A sandwich and a banana. I walked back to the Opera house. There is a big plaza there with lots of chairs. They chain two chairs together so people won't steal them. I was watching the fountain and eating. It was a warm day and the sun was shining. Could I ask for anything more?
After lunch I took a tram back up to the station to go up the Uetliberg. It is a high hill outside of Zurich - not a mountain. It helps if you get on the right train. I didn't. So I had to come back and start over. Luckily it was only a twenty minute ride for each trip - the wrong one and the right one. After you get off the train you are only about half way up. Now you start climbing. That is what it felt like as the road was on a steep incline. I made it and after taking some pictures I decided I had better climb the tower or I would regret it. There are 9 flights of 17 steps each and 3 straight landing platforms. It is 180 metres high. Tough climb but I made it. Another adventure and victory chalked up!
I returned to the city and explored the opposite side of the old city. There is another old church filled with Marc Chagall stained glass windows - no pictures allowed. I went outside and discovered that the banners hanging from the light standards were copies of the stained glass windows inside. So I took pictures of them. I wandered through the narrow curved streets window shopping and taking pictures of every unique thing I saw. I ended up near the station on a bridge with the beginning of a love lock collection.
I headed back to Sabrina's house and made dinner of Spaghetti Bolonaise for us. More adventures tomorrow as I go to Liechtenstein.