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.

October 25th

Egni, Nissimor and I left Einshlingen around 6:00 a.m. by taxi for the hauptbahnhof of Bielefeld to catch a train to Zurich. At first I was wondering why I had chosen to leave so early but later I was glad. We had coffee and a bite to eat in the station and caught our train. I fell asleep and woke up with a jerk and asked the man beside me "Are we ther yet?" Of course the answer was not for several more hours. I got to see the cathedral in Koln or Cologne in English. It is just outside the train station so I saw it as we entered and when we left. A couple of hours later Egni told me that the announcement in German said we were an hour late and we had to switch trains in Freiburg not Basel. What would I have done if I was travelling alone? They give two sentences in English and 25 sentences in German.
Nissimor missed her rehearsal for the concert tonight by her choir. Egni let her husband know that the train was running late.
When I arrived in Switzerland I found the prices were quite high compared to Germany or Canada. A cup of tea or coffee can be 4 Swiss francs or Euros  which is about $6.00 Canadian and double what it was in Germany. A locker was 6 Swiss francs or about $9.00. I dragged my suitcase around and explored the area around the station. Straight out the main doors is the new city but there is a lovely stream with spots for people to sit and enjoy the waterfowl only a block away. To the left across the bridge over the river is the old town. I love the amazing buildings and the decorations that have lasted four hundred years or more. The crosswalks here are marked with yellow lines. If there is no light the cars have to stop if you step off the curb. Watch out for trams as they have the right of way it seems and stop for no one. In Canada if the light turns yellow and then red the cars will wait for you to clear the street. Not here, if the light changes get off the street because the cars barrel into the intersection the moment it changes.
I found a water fountain of a boy holding an alligator and filled my water bottle. I bought a bun and cheese at one of the shops for lunch. I fought with a ticket machine to get a train ticket. I bought a Switzerland t-shirt and a Zurich card for the next day.
I headed for Winterthur, arrived, found Starbucks, bought a tea, figured out the iPad charging stations and read while I waited for Sabrina.
Sabrina arrived, a little late but I was reading so I didn't care. We took a taxi home; had a bite to eat; figured out what I was doing the next day and made up the couch as a bed and hit the sheets to get some rest. More tomorrow.

Oct 23 & 24th in Bielefeld

I slept in until 9:00. I woke to a European breakfast of juice, coffee, a variety of buns and bread with cheese, meat or jam to put on them.  After breakfast we made our plans for the day. I signed cards in the morning. I love looking at the variety of cards that people bring. Many of these aren't available in Canada. Everyone here loves our nature views and complains about not finding them in Europe. They love the cards of trees in autumn. LadyP says all she gets are Mounties and Squirrels and she would like some view cards please.
After a hot spaghetti lunch with chocolate pudding for dessert Leonie, Desmonia, Killiwips and I went to downtown Bielefeld for a shopping expedition. A large factory in Bielefeld is the Dr. Oetker plant. I buy Dr. Oetker food in Canada. Downtown we found the pedestrian streets. I love Europe because of the pedestrian streets. No traffic lights you can wander across the road. It's great. I had a chocolate and vanilla softserve ice cream. Best buy so far. It was huge and inexpensive. I only bought a small. We did a lot of window shopping and the others bought some postcards. I have too many as you get a pile free when you come and I will buy some from the postcard people who come to the event and give us a discount.
Back to Einshlingen for more signing, a glass of wine and supper. Pixelpups is a teenage boy who comes with his mom and gets bored so he plays the piano for hours. It is very relaxing to sit and talk and stamp some postcards with piano music in the background.

Oct 24th

More of the same during the day. I took a walk through the park area here for a break. Sometimes the house is full of laughter and sometimes the noise level gets high.
In the afternoon there is a lottery which is really just a present exchange. I got a lovely gift bag of stickers and tape and stamps and Stroopwaffels, so I know it came from Leonie. She will take it and a bag of extra things to the Netherlands for me so I keep the packing light on the way to Portugal.

In the evening I packed as I am up early to catch the train to Switzerland. We all sat around and read off weird Canadian place names off the internet. Everyone here loves Crispy Crunch chocolate bars. I may have to send some for Christmas. Everyone said goodbye tonight. Lots of hugs and of course everyone wants me to come back next year. I don't think so. We will see.

Bielefeld

Oct. 22nd

We started out by car after breakfast. Nicole left her husband and two sons at home, but we will drop Larissa her daughter off at her aunt Martine's house for the weekend. This is school break week so there is no school today and tomorrow. Martine's house is in Neustadt about 2/3 of the way to Bielefeld. She doesn't speak English but was very welcoming to me and fed us a hot meal of noodles and meatballs with peppers in a red sauce with chocolate pudding for dessert. We said good by and we were off again.

I don't think I have been hugged as much as I was when we arrived in Bielefeld. Everyone remembered me and was happy to see me again. I found my room, I am sharing with MissMaple and Roos. It's on the first floor so no stairs to climb this year. I found Egni and Nissimor. We are travelling to Switzerland together. I am sitting with the same group from last year. They are always finding something to laugh about. I keep telling them they are having too much fun. Off to bed around 10:00 but I sat up reading for awhile. It is very relaxing here. I stamped about 500 cards tonight. My stamp has a Canadian flag and my name - LyndaC.