Travels with My Doug

Bird Watching - Return to Parc Montsouris

2011-09-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

What's Up?

Lake at Parc Montsouris

Paris had no summer according to our family here. They have made up for it this last week – hasbeen in the 80s. We only had rain onenight this month. So much for briningsweaters, raincoats, and warm clothes!

The 80s may not sound like much but heat in Paris is not thesame – buses are not air conditioned – or the Metro – and of course I do NOTlike heat. Looks like it is even hot inNormandy where we are heading next. But –it is predicted to cool down by early next week.

This is our transportation to the Park - a minibus through the neighborhood.

Today we did errands getting ready to leave on Saturday. In the afternoon we went back to Parc Montsouris to read in the shade and watch the parade of humanity around the lake. It was less crowded than our last visit on a Sunday but it was still “kid city!” So much fun! We had a great bench by the lake and although we were going to read, we spent a lot of time bird watching – yes – in the middle of Paris. Thought I would just post the pictures and end this blog post early!

Montmartre – Place du Tertre – Sacré Cœur

2011-09-29T02:49:00.000-07:00

Is Montmartre crowded, touristy, expensive, and a caricature ofitself? Yes. Isit a fun place to go? ABSOLUTELY! We go every time we are in Paris. The Place du Tertre is part Disneyland part history. The artists that lived here are mostly gone due to high rents and tourists but the "feel" and appeal are evident.

There are several ways to get to the top ofthe hill.

By walking…

No thanks!

By riding the Montmartrobus (Mini-bus) – a real "E" ride over thecobblestone streets zigzagging up the hill….

By Funicular – (requires a Metro/Bus ticket)….

We usually take the Mini-bus up the hill from Place Pigalle anddescend via the Funicular - (the line forcoming up is usually a long wait). Thestairs were eliminated as an option years ago!

You can escape the crowds by wandering the back streets ofMontmartre. One of the last vineyards inParis is on the hill. The Windmill of Galletteis on a backstreet – it was painted by Renoir, Van Gogh, and Pissarro.

Renoir - Moulin Gallette

Due to its height, the hill was once the siteof many windmills. The patron saint ofParis is St. Denis who was martyred on the hill in 250 A.D. by the Romans. Therefore, it became known as the “Hill (Mount)of the Martyrs” – Montmartre.

From an architectural basis, Basilica Sacré Coeur is one of themost visible buildings in Paris due to its height and its design that many referto as “like a wedding cake.” The combination Neo-Byzantine - Neo-Romanesque architectureis a sharp contrast to other buildings in Paris in my view. It was builtbetween 1875 and 1914 – dedicated after WWI. According to some, the reason for its construction was to give penancefor the excesses of the Second Empire. It is also seen as a monument to the excesses of the Commune of 1871-72after the Franco-Prussian War. Theconstruction caused great debate between secularists/socialists on one side andmonarchist/devout Catholics on the other. It was built entirely with private contributions.

Our day on “the hill” started with a bumpy ride on theMontmartrobus and then a stroll around Place du Tertre with swarms of tourists,painters, roaming silhouette artists, and portrait painters. We bought our obligatory watercolor of aParis scene for our hallway collection and we ate a crepe in the outdoor café inthe middle of the Square. After a timein Sacré Coeur, we wound our way through the hordes on the steps of theBasilica to the funicular to end our day on the Mount of Martyrs.

Jacquemart-André Mansion/Museum

2011-09-27T02:39:00.000-07:00

Part of the front of the Mansion

This is one of ourfavorite places to visit in Paris. It is not an art museum per sealthough it has a marvelous collection of Italian art, sculpture, mantelpieces,paneling, furniture, etc. There are also Tiepolo ceilings and frescoesfrom a Venetian palace. The mansion is a home - an example of an upper classbourgeois residence in Nineteenth century Paris.

Tiepolo Fresco

You enter the home of a couple who were inveterateart collectors. You see their art in the context of where they lived theirdaily lives and entertained on a grand scale. The upper floor is their private museum where only their best friendswere invited.

The architect was the runner-up in the competition for the Paris Opera House

There are other pluses to Jacquemart-André. The admission includes an excellent audioguide. You can either do a quick tourwith only general room explanations or you can listen to more detailed descriptionsof the life of the couple, information on paintings and artists, or just walkthrough the home and enjoy the overall ambiance. For €3 we added descriptions of the specialexhibit – well worth the price! You coulddownload audio guides to your I-Phone or Android for €1 – this is a trend inFrance.

The Mansion is also the site of many special exhibits. We just missed one on the Caillebottebrothers that we would have loved. Yes -there were brothers! The lesser known,Martial, was a photographer – who knew?

We did get to see the new exhibit on Fra Angelico – the 15^thcentury Italian artist. Renaissance Italianreligious art is not my usual cup of tea – but this was a fascinating exhibit –the first retrospective in a French museum. Paintings and illustrated manuscripts came from museums and collectionsfrom all over Europe. Several paintingshad been restored for this exhibit. Thecolors and the use of light were amazing.

Edouard André and Nélie Jacquemart left their home to theInstitute of France which opened the home to the public in 1913. Edouard was the heir to a large bankingfamily. He built the mansion in1875. Nélie was a well-known portraitartist who first met Edouard when she painted his portrait.

The Mansion/Museum is open 365 days and stays open late some evenings. It is a good place to remember if you find yourself in Paris on a Holiday.

Two More Parks – Parc de Bercy and Luxembourg Gardens

2011-09-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

Luxembourg Palace in Luxembourg Gardens

Visiting Paris parks is one of our favorite thingsto do – as you can tell from this blog. They are very different in size, age, history, and design. These two parks are examples of thesedifferences.

Parc de Bercy

A quiet spot in Parc de Bercy

The Parc de Bercy was opened in 1994 in the 12^tharrondissement near the Palais Omnisport de Paris The Park started out asfeudal estate in the 12^th century. In the 1800s the area became a large wine depot for wines arriving fromBurgundy via the Seine. In fact, therails that helped transport the wine from the river to the warehouses have beenleft intact in the Park as well as other features of this era. The guardhouse, storehouse, and cobbledwalkways are also preserved – giving us a step back in time. There is also a vineyard to add to theatmosphere. The wine storehouses wereabandoned in the 1970s and the area unused for many years until the park wasestablished.

The vineyard in the Park

Pubic Art

Parc de Bercy is a quiet area with paths and lawns in keepingwith the original linear design of the wine depot. There are orchards, vegetable gardens, benchesaround flower gardens, places to sit on the grass, etc. The park has a teaching element – schoolchildren tend the vegetable gardens.

We found a bench in the shade to read and watch the world goby. In contrast to other park visits,this was a quiet place – our parade of humanity more sporadic than a steadystream – far different than the Luxembourg Gardens but just as enjoyable.

Luxembourg Gardens

Those fabulous chairs in the Luxembourg Gardens - and in many other Paris parks

Enjoying the Park on a summer-like day

The Luxembourg Gardens are my favorite space in Paris. There are so many things going on – so manydistinct areas and uses – such a mix of locals, tourists, students, children, parents,grandparents, nannies with their charges – a real mix of humanity. There are people sitting in the sun, reading,gossiping, feeding the ducks, playing pétanque/tennis/basketball,watching a marionette performance, sailing toy boats on the lake, eating at theoutdoor café, etc. The Gardens are the definitionof a multi-use park – something for everyone.

The Park started out as the gardens of the Luxembourg Palacewhich is now the home of the French Senate.

The site started out as a Roman camp – then a convent in the 13^thcentury. After the assassination ofHenry IV in the 17^th century, his widow, Marie de Medici, had thepalace built. It later became a prisonduring the French Revolution. It was theheadquarters of the Luftwaffe during World War II.

I just learned something new about Thomas Paine. He was imprisoned In the Luxembourg Palaceafter he moved to Paris to be part of the French Revolution. At first he was given the hero’s welcome andmade an honorary citizen – but things turned against him and he was chargedwith treason. The reasons areinteresting. Paine was opposed to allforms of capital punishment which was contrary to the actions of therevolutionaries who were sending hundreds to the guillotine. Paine would not be popular with the Tea Partytoday or with the State of Georgia! Hisnew book the Age of Reason suggested that God did not influence people’sactions and that science and rationality would win out over religion andsuperstition. These writings eventuallyturned Americans against him – he was called the anti-Christ and died inpoverty in New York. I must read moreabout him!

Enough of the sidebar….

Our most recent afternoon at the Luxembourg Gardens was one of our best here. The sun and blue sky were fabulous. We found two chairs and moved them to the shade of a boxed palm tree. (The gardens have a greenhouse and plants are moved in and out depending on the season.) The temperature was in the low to mid-70s. We were near the large pond so we could see kids feeding the ducks. Unfortunately, the concession that rents sailboats to kids (and adults) only operates on weekends and Wednesday afternoons when schools are closed. But – there were a few people with their own boats. There was the usual parade of people and even a class doing timed foot races around the park. As usual, I only read part of the time since I was so fascinated with the “scenery” passing in front of my chair. Another perfect day in the Luxembourg Gardens!

Feeding the ducks

One of many sculptures in the Gardens

Fall Comes to the Luxembourg Gardens

A Blog Post - Mostly for St. Paul’s Parishioners – Visiting the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Paris

2011-09-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral - Rue George V Paris

Elisabeth and I went to the Episcopal Churchin Paris yesterday – yes there is one here! The Church of the Holy Trinity is the Pro-Cathedral for the Convocationof Episcopal Churches in Europe which is connected with Region II in New York.

Holy Trinity is on the rue George V in the 8^tharrondissement – just down the street from the Four Seasons George V Hotel – a verynice part of Paris. We have attendedhere in the past when staying in Paris. Since I am missing two Chapter Meetings at St. Paul’s, I definitelyneeded to do a “make up!” To redeemmyself a little, I was able to collect information on Holy Trinity’s activitiesat their annual Ministry Fair.

Ministry Fair - There was food at every table to entice you into volunteering!

Entering Holy Trinity is an interesting experiencein itself. One minute you are walking alonga Parisian street and then you step inside Holy Trinity and suddenly you are transportedacross the Pond! The church is similarto St. Paul’s in San Diego but smaller with a more embellished Gothic Revivalarchitectural style. The nave is linedwith flags of various American states. Instead of a kneeling rail there are individual stools embroidered withdifferent patterns and names of states – I had South Dakota yesterday! Even thebulletin looked like St. Paul’s except they actually use the 1982 Hymnal in theservice. Although this will be heresy atSt. Paul’s, I prefer using the hymnal itself – never saw myself as such atraditionalist before!

The Nave

The choir at Holy Trinity is excellent –about 30-40 members. Yesterday’s Offertory Anthem was very different from thenorm on our previous visits - a Spiritual – “Ain’t That Good News” – arrangedby Moses Hogan. In the past, music hasbeen traditional in the St. Paul’s style – “lots of Bach!” After receiving the Eucharist, the choir singsthe communion anthem from the back of the nave – this week it was by FrancescoGuerrerro – “Simile est regnum.”

Since the Memorial Organ is a popular currenttopic at St. Paul’s, the following is information from Holy Trinity’s websiteon their “Grand Orgue” that you may find interesting.

The Cathedral's GrandOrgue , built in 1887 by the prestigious French firm Aristide Cavaillé-Coll,was inaugurated on October 5, 1887, by Alexandre Guilmant. It has beensuggested that Marcel Dupré is the person most responsible for the evolution ofthe instrument, which is still one of the largest in Paris: it was Dupré whoacted as consultant, first in 1922, again in 1930, then again in the 1950s,with Maurice Duruflé. The latest restoration was completed in 1993 by the organfirm of Bernard Dargassies with the generous support of the Paulé Foundationand other Cathedral members. The organ was re-dedicated on February 21, 1993,and re-inaugurated on May 18, 1993, by Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, and on May 30,1993, by Marilyn Keiser.

Yes – their organ was built and inauguratedin the same year as St. Paul’s Memorial Organ!

Not only were the origins of the two organs from1887 but they are also similar in other respects – they seem to be channelingeach other’s behavior. The following describedthe need for the organ rehabilitation in the Holy Trinity Capital Campaignbrochure:

Ourhistoric Cavaille-Coll organ, built in 1887, now consistently malfunctions;indeed it has developed a frustrating “mind of its own.”

On Sunday the organ decided to play noteswhenever it wanted – thought I was back at St. Paul’s!

Holy Trinity is about to start on a 5 millionEuro construction and rehabilitation project of the Cathedral including the “GrandOrgue.” The fundraising started in 2008and then stopped due to the financial crash – sound familiar St. Paul’s?

The Sermon on Sunday was by Canon ElizabethHendrick with Dean Zachary Fleetwood presiding. The Dean, a graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary, is retiring and taking on a ministry with the Episcopal Church of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Excellent sermon – very much “a la Allisyn” in style. There was even the “Wherever you are on thejourney of faith…” introduction with the announcements. The congregation is very welcoming soeverything about Holy Trinity makes you feel right at home – even the organ plays without an organist!

The history of Holy Trinity isinteresting. It was established in the1830s for the American community in Paris. The first home of the church is now the official residence of the PrimeMinister of France. The rector in the1870s, a cousin of J.P. Morgan, successfully completed a capital campaign thatresulted in the purchase of the current site and the construction of thepresent church. It was dedicated onThanksgiving Day 1886 coinciding with the dedication of the Statue of Libertyin New York. The church became thePro-Cathedral in 1922 – it is the seat of the bishop in charge of the AmericanEpiscopal Churches in Europe. This “Convocation”acts like a Diocese – but isn’t – as I understand it – there is no specificterritory. There are eight parishes andseveral mission churches. The Convocationalso supports a “house church” for Episcopalians in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Who knew?

If anyone from St. Paul’s is in Paris, HolyTrinity can be a home away from home!

The beautiful triptych behind the alter is by Arthur E. Street and Edwin A. Abbey. The latter painted murals for the Boston Public Library along with John Singer Sargent

Chocolate and Architecture

2011-09-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

So what do chocolate and architecture have to do with each other? Both are museums we visited in Paris this trip. We decided to try new museums and to visit some we had not been to in several years. Paris has museums on every subject– from stamps to Picasso to crystal to science to Balzac to dolls to eroticism.

The Chocolate Museum –Le Musée Gourmand du Chocolat (Museum of the Chocolate Lovers) is new in Paris. It seems a little odd to go to a museum on chocolate in Paris run by a chocolate maker from Belgium, but when we saw a special exhibit on the health benefits of chocolate listed in Pariscope, we HAD to go! Any excuse for chocolate consumption!

The museum is not for someone who is new to Paris in my view – our visit was more of a lark. It is not cheap - 9€ - plus 3€ for a hot chocolate at the end. Oh well – to justify chocolate as healthy – why not?

The museum is in an out-of-the-way location in the 10^th arrondissement. The three floors contain a history of the cocoa bean, where it grows, how it is processed, its history in the New World, the importance of the bean in Aztec and pre-Columbian America, etc. The introduction of cocoa into Europe is also traced as well as displays of chocolate cups, pots, chocolatiers, porcelain figurines…all things chocolate.

There is also a demonstration area where the process of making chocolate candy is explained – including how filled chocolates are made – yes there were samples!

At the end of the visit, the hot chocolate was supposed to be available. When I saw what looked like an automatic hot chocolate machine I was not happy. As it turned out, this was just for heated milk. We were then given a choice of several flavors – dark chocolate, hazelnut, Aztec, Spanish, etc. We were given a stick with a square of chocolate on the end that we stirred in the warm milk to create our own hot chocolate. Not as good as Angelina’s or Ladurée but good. The Aztec flavor was my choice – it had a slight kick of cayenne and other spices.

Before I forget, yes – there were several displays on the myths about chocolate and the health benefits. No mom – chocolate does not worsen teenage acne – where were the experts when I was 14!

Chocolate has many of the same benefits of red wine.

“Research suggests that red wine and chocolate are good for the mind. It is thought that polyphenols - plant chemicals abundant in dark chocolate and wines - widen blood vessels, speeding the supply of blood to the brain,” according to a study at Northumbria University.

What's even more encouraging is that....

“Researchers at Oxford University reported better cognitive performance and test scores among older people who regularly consumed chocolate, wine, and tea all foods that are high in flavonoids.”

Let’s hear it for flavonoids and us old folks. Red wine and chocolate – I’m convinced!

Cité de l'Architecture et Patrimoine (Heritage) is located in the Palais Chaillot – built for the International Exposition of 1937. It is on a hill across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower.This museum was always the first place Elisabeth took her college students during her 10 years of bringing classes to summer school at the Sorbonne. Not the Louvre, not the Musée d’Orsay, not Notre Dame! Why?

The museum gives you the opportunity to see examples of many centuries of French architecture in one place – to identify the differences between Romanesque (Norman, Provence, Auvergne, Burgundy), Early Gothic, High Gothic, Flamboyant Gothic, Renaissance, etc. This gave the students a guide to what they would be seeing in Paris and France.Although it may seem strange to go to a museum with models of important architectural features instead of looking at the real thing in Paris, it is all in one place making it easier to see the differences. Oh - and the view of the Eiffel Tower isn't bad either!

In 1997, I had joined Elisabeth in Paris at the end of her July program. On one of the last nights, we took the students on an evening Seine cruise on a Bateau Mouche. As we approached the Eiffel Tower, we noticed black smoke coming from a building on the right bank – it was the Architecture Museum in the Palais Chaillot! The Museum suffered major damage. After 10 years of work, the museum reopened in 2007. This was our first time back since it reopened.

There are new additions on the second floor (third American) of modern architecture. A temporary exhibit of the construction of the Millau Motorway Bridge over the River Tarn was interesting – a film including time lapse photography was very well done. The design of the bridge was awarded through a competition and won by a British architect and French engineer – it is one of the tallest in the world. One of the reasons this fascinated me was that we used the motorway to the south of France in the 1990s and were stuck in the typical huge traffic jam caused by the gap in the motorway. We wound our way down to the town of Millau in the gorge of the River Tarn and then up the other side of the valley – it took forever. Years later we sped over the new bridge in minutes!

Millau is famous for another reason. In 1999 an anti-globalization activist demolished a McDonald’s just days before it was to open – as a protest against fast food, Americanization, and genetically altered food. The McDonald’s was eventually rebuilt and years later President Chirac pardoned the activist. Ah France – they love their strikes, marches, and protests!

VIVE LA FRANCE!

Parks of Paris - Tuileries and Monceau

2011-09-16T02:58:00.000-07:00

Parc Monceau

Paris has so many wonderful parks, squares, gardens, and open spaces. They range in design and size from the classic to the modern – from small areas tucked in out of the way neighborhoods to massive spaces like the Bois de Boulogne or the Bois de Vincennes on the east and west sides of the City. We love them all! Some have playgrounds, carousels, public art, pétanque courts, concession stands, restaurants, ponds, lakes, flowers….you name it – and you’ll probably find it in a Parisian Park.

One of our favorite activities on this or any trip to Paris is to visit our favorite open spaces but we also like to try new ones. We like to explore for a while and then find a bench in the shade. Mostly we read – doze - and people watch. What a parade of humanity of all ages - kids on pony rides – kids on carousels – walkers with several dogs in tow – well dressed matrons on their afternoon stroll - young people walking hand in hand – police patrols on horseback – pick-up soccer games…..

Faire un Promenade avec mes petits amis a quatre pattes!

Parisians have small apartments and few have their own green space except for the occasional balcony or roof garden so open space is especially important - as it is in most large cities. Marie-Elisabeth grew up in an apartment with 4 sisters – six people in about 1,100 square feet AND they had a large apartment by Paris standards. Her twin sisters used to ride tricycles around in circles between two rooms and the central hallway. Getting out of the house and going to an open space is a necessity. In the afternoons, you can always see moms, grandparents, and nannies with kids in the parks. On Wednesday afternoons most schools are not in session so this is a great time to see “kids in action” in the parks, squares, and open spaces.

So far this trip we have gone to the Tuileries, Luxembourg Gardens, Parc Monceau, Parc Montsouris, and today – Parc Bercy. More are on the list – especially one of my favorites – the Place des Vosges.

I’ve already written about Parc Monsouris so today I will add a few comments on some of the others.

The Tuileries are known to most Parisian visitors – the linear space between the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre. Actually it is part of the axis that runs from the Louvre all the way to La Defense in the west of Paris. André Le Nôtre designed the space in the 1660s – he is also the landscape designer of the gardens at Versailles. There are many modern sculptures in the space – some that defy explanation – at a distance we thought that a tree had fallen – we could see the exposed root system on its side – but on closer inspection it was a sculpture!

The art museum Jeu de Paume that houses a collection of Impressionist Art sits at one end of the space. On our first full day in Paris we installed ourselves in chairs to read and relax just above the museum overlooking a pond with fountain. Many Parisian parks have movable chairs for visitors – some with arms, some without, and some that are in a reclining position. I have to avoid the reclining chairs or I would spend the afternoon asleep on our first day in Paris.

Our spot in the Tuileries

BTW - A good trick for curing jet lag is to be sure you are out in the light to get your Cicardian Rhythm in working order. I had almost no jet lag this trip and have not had much of a problem in a few years – of course now it will be bad when I come home for saying this. I also avoided coffee and alcohol on this flight – well one glass of champagne to get in the Paris mood - and I always set my watch ahead to the time of my destination and never think to myself what time it is at home. I have it – Denial as a Jet Lag cure!

The Parc Monceau in the 8^th arrondissement is a medium sized space set in an upper class neighborhood. The park had its beginning in the late 1760s but took its present form after expansion. Actually its earliest design was by an English landscape architect. It was opened to the public after the revolution but it was not until 1860 that it was acquired by the City of Paris. At that time Barron Haussmann and his landscape architect shaped it into the space it is today. Yes – Haussmann is everywhere in today’s Paris – some say for the good – some say he destroyed the “real” Paris. Personally I like the wide boulevards and the Haussmannian buildings but the old Paris of the Left Bank and the Marais have their charms – I guess I’ll take both.

Of course maybe I'm prejudiced with my urban studies background. I did not always embrace the "new" planning of my colleagues - too much sameness in places like Irvine and south Orange County where I first worked in Planning.

We spent a great afternoon in the Parc Monceau – munching a sandwich on a bench while watching the Wednesday afternoon kids on the carousel.

There were many modern sculptures on display – a temporary exhibition of Chinese artists – many very strange – like the one with a tall stack of butcher ready to buy chickens standing on each other’s shoulder – if chicken’s have shoulders? The name of the sculpture is odd – Décrocher la Lune – or Detaching the Moon – of course the whole thing was odd.

Art?

I’ll get to the other parks later – places to go people to see!

New Museum – Pinacotheque de Paris

2011-09-15T02:27:00.000-07:00

Why a picture of Fauchon at the beginning of a blog post on a museum? I like the graphic – Fauchon has good things to buy/eat – It is across the street from this new museum near the Place de la Madeleine.

The Pinacotheque is a new private museum in Paris established in 2007– its new space only opening in January 2011. We went to see the special exhibit of the treasures of the Romanovs but ended up finding the permanent collection to be quite interesting as well.

But first the exhibit – the theme was the birth of a museum. The Romanovs built one of the world’s finest art collections within a period of 200 years. The collection started with Peter I (Peter the Great) and continued with Catherine II, Alexander I, and finally Nicolas I. They built a modern museum – the Hermitage – which was opened to the public in 1805. The exhibit places the Hermitage as part of the rise of the modern museum – along with the Louvre, British Museum, Uffizi, etc.

The permanent collection is fascinating – more from the standpoint of how it is displayed. The style of the museum is called transversal – it abandons the traditional approach of displaying art by period, country, style, etc. It is more closely related to how an art collector would display a collection. There are themes of presentation – works by Monet, Van Dyk, Breughel, Pollock, and Modigliani hang side by side!

The art historian Marc Restellini is the inspiration and curator of the museum – he has shaken up the Paris art scene. His exhibitions are outselling those of the established state-run museums and without subsidies. As a result, he is not appreciated by the art establishment. According to an article in the British newspaper the Independent, several museums in Paris tried to stop the loan of pictures by Munch for a recent exhibit.

As he said in the article,

"The publicly owned exhibition spaces in Paris are firmly enclosed in their allotted periods and certainties," Mr Restellini said. "They have, poor things, to deal with all kinds of political pressures, financial pressures and a huge cultural bureaucracy. They have no interest in the transversal – in other words, in making connections outside their own domains.

But art does not fall into neat periods. Artists don't think that way. The public doesn't think that way. Artists draw their inspiration from different periods and approaches and then make a synthesis to inspire their own work. This is what you see in the work of Edvard Munch."

Restillini also individually lights each piece of art which is becoming more common around the museum world. It was quite obvious that the lighting was amazing. The museum is a must for anyone interested in art! It is a big hit with Parisians who are saturated with museums and art galleries!

Parc Montsouris – Saturday September 10, 2011

2011-09-10T14:54:00.000-07:00

I’m jumping ahead a few days and will do a flashback to the earlier part of the week later. We’re having our usual Paris problem – stay up late, get up late, lazy mornings, and late starts on the day – but it is vacation! By the time we got ourselves organized it was after 2pm before we left the apartment.

Today was a beautiful summer-like day with blue skies and a few clouds that appeared and disappeared without warning. We decided to continue our idle ways with a trip to the Parc Montsouris – (Park of the Mountain of Mice). But - there is no Mountain or even a hill. So why the name?

The theory is that there were many rodents when there was a gypsum mine in the area. The residents of the neighborhood would say – “The mice don’t bother me.” “Je m’en moque les souris.” Legend says the area first became known as Moquesouris then Mont Souris later – works for me.

Half of Paris was in the Park today – the hillsides of grass were filled with people enjoying the sunny day – this is one of those parks without ubiquitous “pelouse inderdite” signs. Sit on the grass without a problem. We found a nice bench by the side of the lake under a tree. We read, dozed, read, watched the parade of Parisians walking around the lake path, read, enjoyed the sun….idyllic.

This was “Kid City” today – but unlike the kids from Hell on the flight from San Diego – these were well-behaved kids having a good time. There were several birthday parties – one just behind us. Three adults with 10-12 kids – no problems!

If you wanted to participate in the walking parade around the lake, it was nearly required to have a baby – in a stroller, back-pack, toddling along hand-in-hand with mom, dad, grandparents – or all of the above. The variety of strollers was an example of great European design! A concession nearby had ponies so every once in a while we were treated to a “défilé” of a happy kid being led by mom or dad.

And now for something totally off the subject – or maybe not – there is a slight connection – in a stream of consciousness kind of way….

Plane to Paris, Movie on Plane, Midnight in Paris, 1920s authors, reading by the Lake in Parc Montsouris.....

I almost never watch a movie twice – very few exceptions. But – Midnight in Paris is one I have now seen twice. Woody’s homage to Paris and the Lost Generation is a favorite. I was hooked from the opening scenes – a travelogue of the City of Light – to the clever inclusion of the artists and writers of the ‘20s. I’ve added a few works from the Lost Generation on my Kindle to keep in the mood.

Today I was finishing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s This Side of Paradise when I ran across this conversation between Amory and his friend Tom - and it reminded me of our own times.

“People try so hard to believe in leaders now, pitifully hard. But we no sooner get a popular reformer or politician or soldier or writer or philosopher…than the cross currents of criticism wash him away. My Lord no man can stand prominence these days. It’s the surest path to obscurity. People get sick of hearing the same name over and over.”

“Then you blame it on the press.”

“Absolutely. Look at you; you’re on…the most brilliant weekly in the country. What’s your business? Why, to be as clever, as interesting and as brilliantly cynical as possible about every man, doctrine, book, or policy that is assigned you to deal with. The more strong lights; the more spiritual scandal you can throw on the matter; the more money they pay you, the more people buy the issue.”

Written in 1920 – still sounds familiar!

San Diego To Paris!

2011-09-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

Our apartment building on Rue Remy Dumoncel in the 14th Arrondisement

We made it! San Diego – Washington D.C. – Paris on United. The first leg was the flight from hell but the frustration started before takeoff thanks to the good ol’TSA! First the usual screening with full-body scan – and everything out of pockets including paper – they mean EVERYTHING! Belts off! I haven’t flown in 6 months so maybe this is new – or I just look suspicious.

We arrived at the gate in time to see a gaggle of TSA officers arrive. They set up a table beside the gate – oh no – say it isn’t so! It looked like the time I flew 5 days after 9/11. Of course, I won the TSA lottery and was one of those pulled aside for more screening. Everything out of pockets again, belt, shoes, etc. This time it was full-body groping including running a gloved hand around the waistband of my underwear – (thanks to the underwear bomber!). Then everything I had taken off was tested for bomb making residue. With belt draped around my neck, I finally got to my seat!

I am now probably on the do-not-fly list after my comment to the TSA agent. He told me these were extra precautions to keep everyone safe – my response – “This makes me feel less safe since you apparently have no confidence in the full-body scanning and groping at the first security check.”

Is the extra screening at the gate for SHOW – a way to give us a sense (false?) of security? Why not do this extra screening along with the first security check – how could anyone become less safe between the first check and the gate? I just read that the TSA has not yet implemented 100% screening of cargo on passenger planes. It is supposed to be in effect by the end of the year BUT only for cargo loaded in the U.S. But – not to worry - the world is safe from my underwear. Glad I followed mom’s advice – yes it was clean!

Now for the bad part – the flight to Dulles was the flight from hell. Kids to the right of us – kids to the left of us – kids behind us. The four year old behind me was practicing for soccer – he didn’t need to practice – he kicks fine! The other kids were up and down constantly – never happy – “I’m bored!” “I don’t like this food!” Yelling, complaining, disrupting – and the parents you ask? Oblivious and enabling.

The flight attendant made several attempts to quiet them but to no avail. We never said anything - just put up with it since the flight attendant was already trying. At the end of the flight, a woman sitting behind the kids complimented the parents on their well-behaved kids. I looked at her and said, “You wouldn’t have said that if you had been sitting in my seat!” Maybe she was on another flight. What was very nice and unexpected was that the flight attendant handed each of us a card with an apology from United - and a website to fill out a form and receive a gift! Interesting. We both ended up selecting 3,000 miles to our United Mileage Plus account.

I know – Doug the Curmudgeon! I should break into a verse of “What’s the Matter with Kids Today?” Dating myself again – (for the young set – it’s from Bye Bye Birdie. But maybe you know the Simpsons’ parody of the song?) Please don’t say “What’s Bye Bye Birdie!” Philip flew to Europe for the first time at age 3 months – and many times after that! He never would have acted this way! The first time we flew with him to San Francisco when he was about 5 we got on the plane and he asked what the movie would be? No movie? What’s for dinner? No dinner? What kind of flight IS this? Any flight under 12 hours is nothing.

Washington Dulles to Paris was a dream. On time – quiet – 777 – watched Midnight in Paris again. Food was inedible but airline food is an oxymoron. We splurged for Economy Plus – those extra inches of legroom make the difference. Arrived Paris early and made it to the apartment by 8:45am. The “gardien” of the building (who had the key) thought we were coming at 10am so we had an hour to wait on the steps.

The apartment is in the 14th arrondisement near the metro stop Alesia. The apartment is great – not large but it has everything we need - kitchen is tiny but has a four burner ceramic top stove – full-sized oven, microwave, clothes washer, toaster, coffee maker, frig, etc. One cook at a time, please! Bedroom is large – comfy chair in a reading corner by the window – computer and phone with free calls to France and the U.S. Living/dining room is a good size – with an HD TV that is better than the one we have at home – cable with everything. Many channels (100+) from local French TV to BBC World, CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC (so we can watch our stocks tumble), Aljazeera in English and France 24 in French, English, and Arabic!

The best part, however, is the neighborhood. We have everything close by – our French bank has a branch downstairs in our building with an ATM. There are all kinds of stores nearby – great bus and metro connections within a block. The “shopping street” rue Daguerre is 5 minutes. This is a pedestrian zone street with every kind of specialty shop – butchers (horse and regular); cheese; vegetables and fruit,; fresh pasta store; fish shop; Greek and Italian ready to heat, olives and olive oil store; wine, etc. You name it – they have it. Paris is still Paris and we love it! More later….

Cheese anyone? Dessert? Fruit? Fresh Pasta?

Athens – November 3 to 8 – Our Apartment

2010-11-10T12:47:00.000-08:00

After the wild ride from the airport to Athens via taxi, we arrived at our apartment – home for 5 nights. Our street was narrow, one-way, and very quiet. The area was residential with shops down the hill – of course, everything in Athens is up the hill or down the hill. Very little is flat. The apartment itself was on the 5th floor – American. The flat was spacious with 2 bedrooms, living room, eat-in kitchen but, the best feature was the veranda – it was almost as big as the apartment, stretching the entire length of the apartment with doors that opened out from each room. We had a view of the neighborhood and the sea of TV antennae. At night we had a view of the Acropolis – well – actually it was the top one foot of the Acropolis – it was a little better view if you jumped up!

We shared the veranda with some brazen pigeons and doves. The railing of the veranda was equipped with pigeon-proof netting that the pigeons enjoyed as a comfortable place for perching. In the morning we opened the kitchen door and Elisabeth often sat on the veranda with her morning tea – the doves joined her and sat on the table next to her tea mug – others pecked their way along the Veranda and made moves to join me in the kitchen. Very little deterred them!

One of the best parts of the veranda was watching and listening to life in the neighborhood from adjoining balconies and windows. One morning we watched and listened to a coffee klatch of 7 older Greek women talking, laughing, and probably gossiping – just across the street from us. Other neighbors hung out their washing on balconies. We heard and saw the life of the community from our veranda observation post.
This is why we love to rent apartments instead of staying in hotels – we get to see what life is like. For less than the price of a good hotel we get all of this local color plus the ability to fix our own breakfast and other meals if the mood strikes us. Shopping in the neighborhood stores is another experience we enjoy – even though it means carrying bags up or down the streets.

The only negative about the apartment was the IKEA quality furnishings – oh for a comfortable chair! We survived, however. The first night Elisabeth turned on the stove and all the power went off – figured out how to get the power back on and then learned another burner barely got hot – so we only had a two burner stove – in effect. Fortunately we are adaptable! Greece is somewhere between first and second world in some respects. Every toilet we encountered in Greece – hotels included – did not allow toilet paper in the toilet. (Don’t ask!) Let’s just say that it is best to empty the trash frequently. Sidewalks in Athens are horrendous – must have very few lawyers – the trip and fall hazards would be an ambulance chasers dream at home. Don’t let this deter you from visiting Greece - it is a beautiful country with friendly people!

P.S. No pictures for now - on ship and satellite is so SLOW!

Nafplio and the Corinth Canal

2010-11-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

Nafplio proved to be a favorite stop in Greece – a charming seaside resort with a compact old town and friendly pedestrian zones for strolling. It is a favorite summer and weekend haunt for Athenians. At this time of year it was very quiet. We were the only guests in our hotel – a small family run place just off of the promenade along the waterfront.

The only problem with Nafplio is that we did not have enough time! Because we arrived late, we only had the next morning to explore the city. We would like to come back and use it as a base for seeing areas of the surrounding Peloponnese.

Nafplio was the capital of Greece for one year – in the early 1820s the Ottoman Empire was defeated and King Otto arrived from Bavaria to rule the newly independent Greece. The new King was a student of classical Greece and wanted to revive Athens to its past glory. He moved the capital there one year after arriving in Greece. King Otto’s statue stands in a square in Nafplio on the site of his former palace.

What is amazing is to realize that Athens only had a population of 4,000 in 1833. Today it is over 5 million about half the population of the country (about 11 million). The Greek Diaspora has resulted in anywhere from 3 to 7 million people of Greek descent living outside the country. The number is contentious and depends on definitions. Three million people in the United States claim Greek descent according to a 2009 U.S. Department of State Study.

Nafplio is filled with restaurants along the waterfront and in the narrow lanes nearby – restaurant spill out into the streets with sidewalk tables under canopies in case of rain. We had dinner in a traditional Taverna and ate typical Greek dishes – we had Feta Cheese in everything I think – baked in foil with tomatoes and bell peppers – in salad – in appetizers, etc. Fortunately Feta is a favorite. For Philip – a salad is not a salad without Feta!

After our morning walking tour, we left for Athens. We stopped to see the Corinth Canal. This canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Aegean Sea. It was built between 1881 and 1893 – considered an engineering marvel for its time. We walked across a pedestrian bridge on either side of the main bridge to get the full impact of the canal – it is only 79 feet wide but it is 170 feet from the top to the surface of the water.

We returned our rental car to the airport and took a taxi to the apartment we had rented in Athens – thank goodness we did not attempt to return the car to a location in the City – Athens traffic makes Paris look simple!

Delphi to Nafplio

2010-11-07T01:11:00.000-07:00

We finally got an early start for once – breakfast was done at 9:30! We arrived at the Museum for Delphi about 10am – we had been warned to come early before the tour buses with day-trippers arrived from Athens. It worked! There were 6 tourists in the Museums with 12 guards!

This Museum was fabulous – well lit with natural light – displays in Greek and English – well-spaced sculptures and displays. However, I have a confession. Although I can visit several cathedrals and many churches in one day, ancient ruins are not a favorite. Many people say, “If you see one Cathedral, you’ve seen them all!” Au contraire – I love to study the architecture – contemplate the stained glass, art, and sculptures, and to sit in peace soaking up the holiness of the setting. I find it very spiritual. No two cathedrals or churches in Europe are alike for me.

I may have been partially cured of my phobia against ruins by the travel writer Rick Steves. He recommended seeing the museum before the actual site to get an idea of what the ruins might have been like in their original context. It helped - especially for Delphi! It is amazing to see the sophistication of the sculptures produced in 400 BC. The most impressive aspect of the carving is the way that clothing is depicted – the draping of the fabrics which seems to be real – the tunics seem to be flowing in the wind. You expect the figures to come to life and walk right past you.

The most impressive part of Delphi – in my view – is the setting in a natural amphitheater - with cypress trees and a backdrop of gray and reddish rock. No wonder it was considered the center of the universe in ancient times. Pilgrims made their way here to seek advice from the prophetess – the Oracle – the earthly mouthpiece of Apollo. The Oracle revealed to us that Sarah Palin will not be elected President – WHEW!

We climbed the stairs – stepped over and around the rocks – and made our way up the switchbacks to the top of the site – or almost the top. We decided that the view of the amphitheater from the stage area was good enough! The ruins are impressive - especiallhy with the backdrop of the natural setting.

We decided to make our way to Napflio on the Peloponnese Peninsula by the long road. We drove along the north shore of the Bay of Corinth through a beautiful – if dry – landscape. Greece is more mountainous than many people realize – we saw beautiful views of the mountains on the Peninsula across the Bay. We took the relatively new suspension bridge linking the mainland to the Peloponnese near the City of Patras. From here we took the infamous two lane motorway along the north shore toward Corinth. We then headed south on a very modern and seemingly new motorway toward our destination of Napflio. More on this charming seaside resort in the next blog!

On the Way to Delphi – And the Oracle Said…..

2010-11-07T01:03:00.000-07:00

On Monday November 1 we drove the 5+ hours from Meteora to Delphi. It should have been less but we made our first wrong turn and had an adventure getting off the motorway and finding our way back to the right exit. In the off-season, Delphi closes early so we had to save the visit for the next morning.

As an alternative, we drove to the nearby Monastery of Osios Loukas – a World Heritage Site. There were very few tourists in the late afternoon so we could wander the area almost alone – coming off-season has its advantages. The monastery was founded in the 10th century and is the alleged site of St. Luke’s tomb. As a result, the monastery is a pilgrimage site. It is in a remote location – with wonderful views across valleys with olive groves.

Monastery of Osios Loukas

We arrived at our hotel – a simple 8 room place with a very friendly and helpful owner. The room had a balcony with a beautiful sunset view of the Bay of Corinth – not bad for 35 Euros for the night!

View from the Hotel Balcony

Since this was primarily a day of driving, let’s talk about Greek drivers! Everyone told me I was crazy to drive in Greece – dangerous roads – worst drivers in Europe. Since I have been driving in Britain and Europe for 40 years, I was not deterred. If I could drive in Italy, in Paris, and on the “wrong side of the road” in England for a year, why not drive in Greece? If I could brave the fast lane on the German Autobahn (also known as the flashing lights Mercedes/BMW lane), why not drive in Greece?

Well – it was not that bad but of course it was off-season and we were mainly driving mid-week. Fortunately our nephew had warned me about a couple of things that made the driving conditions less of a shock. Many Greek roads have wide paved shoulders – with a white line delineating their boundaries. The trick is to drive with at least the right two wheels on the paved shoulder. This gives the idiots passing on a curve plenty of space! Everyone drives partially on the shoulder – so “when in Rome” – I mean when in Greece drive like Greeks!!! This procedure also applies to motorways. The motorway (sic) from Patras to Corinth is mostly two lanes with the same wide shoulders – there is construction everywhere! I was told this was the worst road in Greece – but we made it! Other motorways are modern and in great condition.

Next Delphi!

Meteora – Another Bucket List Site Ticked Off the List!

2010-11-06T01:09:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a kid and saw pictures of Meteora, I wanted to go there! Many people have given me blank stares when I mention Meteora – but when I remind them of the opening scene in James Bond’s 1981 film For Your Eyes Only, they often know what I am talking about.

The area has many monasteries perched on rock pinnacles – in seemingly impossible locations for construction – especially considering they were built in the 14th century. It is almost like monateries being built on top of the spires in the Monument Valley of Arizona.

Originally there were hermits living in the rocks in the area but when the Roman Empire waned and the Turks came to the area, the monks built these monasteries on the pinnacles as protection. Originally access was by removable ladders. There were also baskets that were raised by ropes and winches for both supplies and people. Even today, we saw supplies being lifted via this system.

Today – there are steps carved in the rock for visitors – and I do mean steps and steps and steps. Who needs a Stairmaster in Meteora!

We stayed in a village at the foot of Meteora – Kastraki. Our “hotel” was excellent and only 50 Euros a night with breakfast. It was connected to a Taverna – a traditional type of Greek restaurant. Our balcony gave us a view of the town’s Greek Orthodox Church and the pinnacles in the background. We ate at the Taverna both nights we were here – the owner spoke English well so we had good advice. The first night the place was packed with locals watching an important Greek soccer match between rival Athens teams.

We had traditional Greek fare – saganaki – fried Greek cheese, Greek Salad, souvlaki – grilled kebab, baked Feta, and baklava – of course!

The first day we arrived in the late afternoon and drove the Meteora loop to see the monasteries perched on their impossible pinnacles in the afternoon and evening light. It is an “other worldly sight” – out of a science fiction tale. How could they have built these?

We spent the next day driving the loop road in every direction. We “hiked up” to the Monastery Varlaam in the morning. All of the monasteries have a similar plan – built around a central courtyard. The church designs are also similar – traditional Greek Orthodox – icons, paintings, small windows – Byzantine architecture. The views from the terraces were incredible. We also visited St. Stephen – a monastery currently housing an order of nuns. The nuns were much more organized than Varlaam – a gift shop with VISA!

This was a fabulous day – slow-paced and fascinating. We kept stopping at viewpoints to drink in the landscape. At one point we encountered a large herd of goats crossing the road guarded by 5 sheep dogs with no human in site. One dog stood right in front of our car – staring at us – as if to say, “Stay away from MY goats!” We obeyed and waited for the goats and dogs to scramble up the hill.

Next Delphi!

Finally a New Blog Entry – Saturday November 6, 2010

2010-11-06T00:06:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Greece 8 days ago – after three long flights. Of course, I really can’t complain too much since we had been able to upgrade to Business. The American flights from San Diego to Chicago to Brussels were excellent. We had long layovers in Chicago and Brussels – somewhat by design. The first option they gave me only had a 50 minute connection in Chicago which made us nervous so we ended up waiting for 3 hours – but with Business we were eligible for the Admirals Club which made it tolerable.

In Brussels it was a 6 hour wait due to Brussels Air’s flight schedule to Athens – we were again able to use their lounge but it was a long wait. Business Class on Brussels Air was hysterical – at least in hindsight. The plane was all coach seating – so Business was in the front with the middle seat not booked! Remind me to never pay for Business on Brussels Air – at least we were just using miles!!! On Southwest I always go to the back of the plane where there is a good chance of not having anyone in the seat next to me – didn’t know I was really in Business!!

When we arrived at the Athens airport, our nephew Romaric met us along with his significant other Maria Elena. Romaric is Elisabeth’s sister’s son. He is living and working in Athens. Romaric is an engineer for a Scandinavian company that makes and operates windmills for electricity generation. He is a specialist on the blades of the windmills and from Athens they have also sent him all over the world to work on problems. He met Maria Elena – who is from Peru – when working in Spain. He is now being moved to the Isle of Wight in England. Yes – this is an international family!!!

Finding our rental car and figuring out how to start it – in the dark – was our first adventure. Fortunately Romaric was "to the rescue!" After renting cars in Europe for 36years, I am pretty good at figuring things out – but in the dark and with instruction manuals all in the Greek alphabet it was not easy – it was Greek to me! There were no keys – just a “fob” – it turned out there was a small slot where the "fob" was inserted and then a button to push that started the car – as long as I remembered to put in the clutch!

The first night we stayed at a Bed and Breakfast a few miles from the airport. The owner was originally from England but had been in Greece for 34 years – she was married to a Greek. I kept thinking of the movie Shirley Valentine when talking to her!!! After being up for over 30 hours, bed was heaven! We both slept well and did not wake up until almost 10am – long after we had planned. After a Greek breakfast of cheese, bread, Greek Yogurt, etc. we were on our way to Meteora!

Departure from Vina del Mar

2009-04-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

Our time in Vina del Mar is coming to an end. We leave tomorrow for our cruise to San Diego on the Holland America ship Amsterdam. Although we are looking forward to 18 days of cruising, we are sorry to leave our condo in Vina. It has been a wonderful stay. I am writing this while looking out the window at another sunset over the bay of Valparaiso. Beautiful!

Today we had another tour with Juanita from Genercia Cultourachile. Our tour was of Valparaiso. This city is quite a contrast to Vina – its twin to the north. Valparaiso is gritty with wide contrasts. The city is perched on steep hills above the narrow band of flatland along the waterfront. Many funiculars have moved people up and down their hillside neighborhoods for many years. Unfortunately many of these “people-movers” have stopped operation – either through neglect or destruction due to questionable “progress.” Juanita is very knowledgeable about the City – she took us to the many ethnic neighborhoods with their colorful palettes of house colors.

The highlight was a tour of Pablo Neruda’s hillside home. Neruda was the Nobel Prize winning Chilean poet. He led a fascinating life as a poet, diplomat, ambassador, and politician. We visited Neruda’s home in Isla Negra in 2006 – it was interesting to see the similar interiors with his eclectic collections. Even though the homes are totally different in design, they have similarities. The Isla Negra home is set along the coast – basically on one level. The Valparaiso home is vertical – with many narrow stairways. Views of the bay were from every room. The views of the water tie the two together along with the interesting Neruda collections that were displayed in each home.

Our late lunch today was a return visit to the Austrian restaurant in Vina – I had to have more goulash soup! Now it is time to pack – my least favorite activity but at least we have no more flights and when we return to San Diego we only have a 10 minute taxi ride to home!

Vina del Mar, Chile

2009-03-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

Hello from Vina del Mar, Chile. We flew from Buenos Aires to Santiago last Thursday morning. Reba and Imre Quastler were there to greet us along with Victor Hugo. No – not the ghost of the French writer – our van driver Victor Hugo was taking us to Vina! He was an English school teacher who had changed to being a tour guide. Victor was more than a van driver – he gave us a running commentary on the sites along the way. In Vina, he took us to his favorite restaurant for lunch – before we went to our condo.

The restaurant turned out to be one of our favorites from our stay in Vina in 2006. The restaurant, Delicias del Mar, specializes in fish – of course. The owner is also a Marilyn Monroe fanatic! There are pictures, figurines, and all sorts of Marilyn memorabilia. The crab lasagna was also EXCELLENT! Chile has some of the best king crab in the world. Having tried both Alaskan and Chilean, I would have to vote for Chile – sorry Governor Pallin!!!

View from the Bedroom

After a great lunch, we drove to our “condo home” for the next week. When we saw our “digs,” I think our jaws all dropped to the floor. This is the nicest rental we have ever had from Vacation Rentals by Owner - http://www.vrbo.com/. The unit is on the 19th floor with stunning views of the city, ocean, and coastline. There are four bedrooms and three and a half baths. The kitchen is modern and large compared to others we have had, complete with dishwasher, washer/dryer, microwave, convection oven, and a large refrigerator/freezer. Talk about being spoiled. The condo is also within easy walking distance of many restaurants – and Bravissimo – the best gelateria this side of Italy!

A few days after arriving, we got an email from Jennifer Wilson, our Travel Agent extraordinaire at Sunshine Travel in Palm Desert, telling us that Holland America had upgraded all of us to Deluxe Verandah Suites on the Navigation Deck. They must have known that after our condo in Vina del Mar that a Deluxe Suite was required!!!

On Day 1 in Vina, we got a late start and only headed out in time for our main meal in the early afternoon. We went to an Austrian restaurant – Austriaco – yes Austrian in Vina del Mar! Chile has some local cuisine traditions but their food seems to be more a mixture of cooking styles from around the world. There are immigrants from all parts of Europe. The chef of the restaurant greeted us in excellent English and he checked on us frequently. We had a fabulous meal – the best wienerschnitzel I have had since being an exchange student in Austria in 1964. Antje and Georg gave it high marks for authenticity – high praise from German born Americans!!

Day 2 was a trip to Estancia El Cuadro – a vineyard in the Casablanca Valley a short distance from Vina. We were picked up by our guide Juanita from Genercia Cultourachile – based in Valparaiso. This is a tour company specializing in cultural tourism. Juanita is a pediatrician who works part of the week in her practice and the rest of the week with her tour company. She was a very interesting woman and more than willing to discuss anything that interested us. Juanita discussed the times of the Pinochet government candidly.

The New Grape Picker

El Cuadro is a recently developed facility that primarily caters to tourists – the vineyard has many varieties but they specialize in Chardonnay, Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon and blends.

The Carmenere grape has an interesting story. It was thought that the grape was lost to wine history - due to the phlox plague in France (and in much of the rest of the world) in the 19th century. Later it was discovered that the Carmenere grape had been combined with the Merlot grape in Chile. Chile is isolated from other areas – it has the Andes to the east, the driest desert on earth to the north, and the glaciers of Patagonia to the south. As a result, their agricultural areas have been immune to these world- wide agricultural diseases. They were eventually able to separate the Carmenere vine from the Merlot and to make this unique wine. The Chileans are good wine salesmen – they are proud of the fact that their vines are “pure” and not grafted onto other stock so that the root that goes down in the soil is the “real thing!”

We started our tour with a wagon ride around the property with a great guide. Josefina not only had a great personality and a great command of English, but she shared with us an obvious love for wine. She really knew her topic!

After the ride, we went into a large room with huge oak vats to sample the wines. Another employee – Andres – guided us through the process with exacting instructions on how to look at the color, smell the bouquet, and taste the wine – letting it swirl in the mouth so all the taste buds can enjoy the taste! The next stop was the wine museum that had led us through dioramas of the wine making process in the early days of Chile. We then went onto a lovely patio where we sampled pisco sours – the national drink of Chile (actually it originated in Peru). Pisco is a distilled grape product that is “fiery.” It is combined with sugar, lemon or lime juice, and a small amount of whipped egg white. Elisabeth had a Chardonnay Sour, a modern version of the traditional drink. We were serenaded by a Chilean musical group which was similar to a Mexican mariachi band. A Chilean “rodeo” was next. They demonstrated the horse skills of the huaso – the Chilean cowboy – their version of the Argentine gaucho.

Next came empanadas on the patio and then lunch in the dining room. The food was excellent – especially a desert of peaches, dried peaches, and barley. I know – it sounds strange but I assure you it was delicious! Our day at El Cuadro was wonderful, the weather was warm and dry, the wine excellent, and our hosts personable and welcoming.

Buenos Aires This and That and Other Ramblings

2009-03-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

Well this is our last day in Buenos Aires. We leave for Santiago in the morning and then on to Vina del Mar for a week before the cruise to San Diego. Buenos Aires is a wonderful city – with many things to do that could keep you busy for months. We feel we know it better and would recommend a stay here to anyone with a sense of adventure.

Some of the things we have done I have not mentioned so far in these blog entries. The museums are great and most are free. We visited the old Palais de Glace – yes the French word for ice skating rink. It is now an art museum with some very strange art! At a distance, the art looked like textured cloth. Up close it was small plastic baby dolls strung together with string – some were blue, white, pink, etc. Very odd!

The National Museum of Bellas Artes houses a large collection of 19th and 20th century Argentine art. The ground floor has a very good collection of European art – spanning several centuries. There were many sculptures by Rodin. Artists included Diego Rivera, Picasso, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Gaugin, Sisley, and other impressionists from Italy, Spain, etc.

The Malba Museum is housed in a strikingly modern structure in Palermo. We also ate lunch in their excellent restaurant which we highly recommend. This museum houses the collection – or at least part of the collection – of Eduardo Constantini, a Buenos Aires developer and entrepreneur. The collection is said to be the largest, most diverse, and most valuable collection of 19th and 20th century Latin American art in the world. There are many paintings by Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Lygia Clark….yes…Clark!. She was a Brazilian born artist – must be the Portuguese branch of the family!

The Museo de Arte Decorative is housed in a beautiful French style house once owned by the Alvear Family. The art is interesting but it is the house that is the real attraction. If you did not know you were in Buenos Aires, you would think you were in Paris. We also enjoyed a late afternoon coffee and snack in their outdoor tea room.

There is a lot of public art in Buenos Aires - from the monumental columns and statues to modern pieces like the Floralis Generica. This giant aluminum flower opens and closes with the sun!

We also visited the Evita Museum – which was very well done. The exhibits all have English translations and several films have English and Spanish descriptions above the news footage. Eva Peron is loved by many and hated by just as many. She was an intriguing woman who did a lot for Argentina – no matter what her motives might have been. The vote for woman and many social reforms were attributed to her. Some claimed that her Eva Peron Foundation was a way of funneling government money into Swiss bank accounts. Other experts refute this claim. Who knows? She is certainly an intriguing woman – made even more famous by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. Some claim she was just ahead of her time – people now accept movie actors in political roles! Ah…the cult of celebrity! We also tried their restaurant for an afternoon snack…do you see a pattern here? We also visited Eva Duarte Peron's grave in Recoleta - the story of how her body was secretly moved to Italy and then back to Argentina is a mystery story in itself.

Evita's Grave in Recoleta Cemetery

The Japanese Garden in Buenos Aires is claimed to be the largest outside of Japan. It was donated by the Japanese community in Argentina. Yes...we stopped for a drink and ice cream!

Buenos Aires is also a place for shopping, shopping, shopping. With the value of the dollar high (yes there is a place where the dollar goes far), there are many bargains. Avenida Florida is a pedestrian street in the Micro-Center with shop after shop.

When in Buenos Aires, always look down! Why – the sidewalks are terrible – must not be many lawyers here…lots of “trip and fall” cases if this was the US – spoken like a true retired City Manager!!

Taxis are so cheap – we used them constantly. Buses cost about 35 cents but when we tried to figure out how to use them we gave up. You have to know where you are getting off and the driver then tells you the amount. You must have the exact change. Most rides are one pesos 10 centavos. But…change is horded in Argentina and it is hard to get it. The subway is 17 cents but it does not come near Recoleta. So…taxis for us. From here to the main downtown area – about a 10 minute ride – cost about $3 US.

The dog walker! Yes there are 10 here!

Have to count the legs below the big dogs...

and divide by 4 and don't forget

the one in his arms!

Buenos Aires is a city of dogs! They are everywhere. Dog walking is a big business. Today we saw a walker with 10 dogs and he was carrying a puppy across the street with him. They are all so well-behaved. Have not seen a fight or much barking either! Cats are not around much except in Recoleta Cemetery and the one in church – of course.

We usually do a lot of cooking when we rent an apartment – but this time we ate out more. Why? It is so inexpensive. We tended to eat our main meal at lunch and then have a snack in the evening. Of course, breakfast was here at the apartment.

Well…that is it for fabulous Buenos Aires – staye tuned for reports from Vina del Mar, Chile!

Tigre and the Parana Delta

2009-03-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

On Monday March 23 we took a day excursion to the city of Tigre (named for the jaguars that were hunted here in the past) and the Delta of the Parana River. This area is so close to Buenos Aires but so far in terms of scenery and surroundings. The Delta of the Parana forms hundreds of small islands and is crisscrossed with tributaries and wetlands. Homes have been built along the waterways usually raised above the flood stage. Every home seemed to have its own dock – we were to learn why later on the trip into the Delta.

The journey started with a taxi ride from the apartment to the Tren de la Costa station at Libertador in Olivos. Although you can take a train from the main station in Buenos Aires and change to the Coastal Train, we decided it would be faster to take the cab. Although it was a long ride, the cost was only $9US so split between two couples it was inexpensive.

The Coastal Train travels through the exclusive neighborhoods of Buenos Aires along the Rio de Plata. The British built most of the railroads in Argentina in the 19th century which were nationalized by Juan Peron in 1948. The Coastal Train is really more like an above-ground subway line – with cars that remind me of the Metro in Paris. There are several interesting stops along the way but we did not have time to enjoy them – maybe next trip.

One of the locals on the boat - no - maybe a tourist?

Restaurante Gato Blanco Dock with a local "bus" on the river.

We read about a restaurant out in the Delta called the Gato Blanco (White Cat) that we wanted to try. Getting to the “Gato” was the best part of the day, requiring traveling by boat with the locals. What a great experience! In 2006, we had taken an excursion boat around the Delta with other tourists. This boat was local transportation for the residents. Some were on their way to or from Tigre with their shopping. Some children got on and were doing their homework as we sailed the river. The only tourists were the few going to the Gato Blanco. The boat stopped along the channels of the river to drop people off and pick up new riders. People would just come out on their dock and the captain seemed to know where people needed to be dropped and where to stop and pick up a new passenger. These “bus” riders had to be nimble – the captain would back the ship up to the dock’s staircase that extended into the water – the rider would then hop on or hop off while the engine raced. Fortunately, the captain gave the “Turistas” more time.

The canals and tributaries were busy with boats – some were floating grocery stores. We noticed items delivered to homes sitting on the docks – a bag of onions, water, fuel, etc. There were a few small shops and gas stations along the way as well as hotels and recreation sites. Many residents sat on their lawns or docks watching the world go by – what a complete contrasts with the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires! Although there are permanent Delta residents, we understand that many of the homes are for weekends and summer vacations for people from Buenos Aires. Considering the temperatures we have had in their “September,” we understand why the Delta is an attraction in summer.

Those lazy days of river life at Gato Blanco.

When we arrived at the Gato Blanco in about an hour, we were greeted by a….gato blanco! The restaurant was full – how could that be – there were only a few people on the boat? There was a large tour group that had come with their own boats. Fortunately they left shortly after we arrived. We were seated on the patio/deck under an umbrella, facing the river and a side tributary. The food was good – except for the new local “fish” Elisabeth decided to try. It was the first fish she ever disliked – I agree with her – it tasted liked the mud of the river! I rescued her with the chicken from my mixed grill brochette – that was huge!

We left on the 4pm boat that arrived at Gato Blanco at 4:30pm! The ride back to Tigre was another adventure – with a boat that was even more crowded with locals than the one coming out. So – back to the Coastal Train and then by taxi to the apartment. What a great adventure!!!

Back to civilization - or is it?

March 21 - Elisabeth's Birtday

2009-03-24T06:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday March 21 was Elisabeth’s birthday! I am now younger again!!! :) Our day was quiet but we did celebrate for lunch with Georg and Antje at the Restaurant Munich. Yes – Munich – but I cannot reproduce how they pronounce it in Buenos Aires!! This restaurant has been in Buenos Aires for many years. Entering Munich is like walking into a bistro in Paris – in fact it reminded me of Balzar on the Rue des Ecoles in the 5th arrondisement in Pairs. Even the waiters are interchangeable! The difference – the absolute best steak I have EVER eaten. Their creamed spinach is also fabulous. The steak was a chateaubriand – cooked perfectly – red in the middle and juicy! All for less than $15 – yes BA is inexpensive. 442 out of 444 on the most expensive cities in the WORLD! I’ve got to find 443 and 444 – or maybe I do not want to know??? Check out the before and after pictures!!

Since it was Saturday we walked around the weekend craft market near the Recoleta Cemetery and then rested at home until the evening. We then went to the Café Tortoni for their Tango Show. Café Tortoni is a Buenos Aires institution – now a bit of a tourist attraction. Café Tortoni is to Buenos Aires what Les Deux Maggots and Café Flor are to Paris. Anyone and everyone in Argentine history and literary society made this their “home.” The reason it is so French is that it was established by an immigrant from France in 1858 who named it after his favorite café on the Boulevard des Italiens in Paris.

We had been to a Las Vegas style Tango Show in Buenos Aries in 2006 so this time we were looking for something a little more authentic. We found it. The room only held 60+ people and we were at a table in the second row from the stage in the middle – only three tables wide in the room. A Tango Show is somewhat of a misnomer. They include singing, music, and dancing. In fact, a whole show of nothing but Tango would probably drive me crazy. I love the mix. The singer was obviously someone known to the residents. Many locals were in the audience and sang along when prompted. I watched one young woman – lip synch every word of the songs. The singer, Carlos Rossi, was excellent. The band was incredible – especially the pianist and the bandoneón player. This instrument is from the concertina family and differs from the accordion.

We had a great day and evening!!!

Colonia Sacramento Uruguay

2009-03-24T05:11:00.000-07:00

Our stay in Buenos Aires is coming to an end in two days so I better catch up on more of our adventures.

Last Friday we went to Colonia Sacramento, Uruguay, the oldest city in the country. (Old City Gate above). The historic quarter is a World Heritage site designated by UNESCO. The city was founded by the Portuguese in 1680 and the city has changed between the Spanish and Portuguese 9 times between then and 1821. Colonia was under Brazil from 1821 to 1828 when Uruguay became independent. As a result, the city is a mixture of architectural styles. It is a very charming place!

Our trip to Colonia from Buenos Aires was on a hydrofoil that took about an hour to cross the Rio de Plata. The River has the widest estuary in the world – ranging from 30 to 130 miles in width. The river is only 180 miles long – it is formed by two rivers – the Parana and the Uruguay River. The Parana drains 1/5 of South America. In Spanish, it means River of Silver but it is more like the River of Brown! Actually, the word Plata was not used to describe the river’s color but the riches of silver thought to be upstream. There is so much silt in the Rio de Plata that there is constant dredging to keep the port of Buenos Aires open.

The hydrofoil was very comfortable and included snacks like being on an airplane with flight attendants. We had first class seats since the tourist class was sold out – and since it was only a few dollars more – why not?

When we arrived in Colonia we found an open air shuttle to take us out of the port (more like an overgrown golf cart). From here we walked to the Tourist Office. Our friends from Poway, Bob and Linda Thomas, had been here earlier this year. They recommended going to the Tourist Office and finding a guide. What a good recommendation! We ended up with the same guide they had. As Linda said, “The guide was a spitfire!” Excellent description! We were taken on a walking tour of the old quarter before going by van to sites outside the City.

The old quarter is fabulous. There are many shops, restaurants, and hotels along with quiet squares, old houses, the Church of the Holy Sacrament, etc. When walking through the city, we found residents sitting in front of their houses sipping their mate, dogs sleeping in the shade, and charm around every corner.

Our guide recommended we eat at El Mesón de la Plaza – and it turned out to be a wonderful choice. (See pictures below.) We sat in the garden and had a great meal while listening to a guitarist/singer. We even bought his CD – something we rarely do! This leisurely lunch lasted until mid-afternoon just in time for shopping and going back to the hydrofoil. Our guide even came back to pick us up and take us to the port.

This is a great one day excursion for anyone staying in Buenos Aires. Highly recommended!

Our Buenos Aires Apartment

2009-03-21T05:59:00.000-07:00

It is about time I told you more about our “digs” in Buenos Aires. Our apartment is great. We are – near the corner of Vincente Lopez and Azcuenaga in the Recoleta District of Buenos Aires. We are on an upper floor – accessed by a classic old elevator that reminds us of being in an older building in Paris. It has real charm. It never stops exactly with the floor level – it stops and starts with a jerk and you have to pull shut two sliding doors before the elevator will work.

The apartment is modern (with WIFI) – one bedroom plus a Murphy Bed in the living room. The kitchen has a good sized refrigerator/freezer, stove with oven, and a microwave/toaster combination. Yes you read that right. Microwave/toaster! Actually it is a great idea for saving space - must look for one when we get home. It is perfect for high rise condo living in San Diego!

View from the Bedroom!

The best part of the apartment is the view – or I should say the views! All rooms – including the bathroom have incredible views of the Recoleta Cemetery – one of the most interesting sites in Buenos Aires. We can see the Rio de Plata – vaguely – in the distance. You can take a shower and look at the view. You can sit in the living room and look at the view. You can sit on the balcony and look at the view. You can lie in bed and look at the view. You can even sit on the toilet and look at the view!!! Absolutely wonderful – and with all the windows we have there are very nice breezes and cross ventilation.

Downstairs and two doors away is a market – not huge – but big enough for our needs. Larger markets are a few blocks away. Two blocks away is Recoleta Village – a very large cinema complex with restaurants on the front with sidewalk cafes. We have had drinks here in the evening listening to the sidewalk guitarist. The Cemetery entrance is a short walk from the apartment and the Basilica where we encountered the religious cat last Sunday is next to the Cemetery! There are other restaurants along a sidewalk near the Cemetery that are great people watching sites. La Biela – a famous Buenos Aires landmark – is in the area. The outdoor café is under a giant gum tree that is more than two hundred years old. We are also in walking distance of museums, the Rodeo Drive of Buenos Aires, and many excellent restaurants and shops.

Over 200 years old - THE TREE that is!!!

So how did we find this gem? On Vacation Rentals by Owner, of course! We have used this site for apartments in France, Italy, Argentina, and Chile. We have never been disappointed. This apartment is one of the best due to the owners - Valerie Watkins and Jim Millerick who live in Miami. They have been so helpful and accommodating. Their local manager, Frank, is an American who has lived here 5 years. He is very helpful and gave us a long list of his favorite restaurants. Valerie and Jim also own the apartment next door where our friends from Escondido, Antje and Georg Funke, are staying. Their apartment has been redecorated more recently and has some features that are better but their views are not as spectacular. The apartments can be found on VRBO at http://www.vrbo.com/59534 but be sure to click on the link toward the bottom of the page for Website with additional pictures and more information. We can recommend these apartments to anyone interested in a true Buenos Aires experience.

One note of warning – Buenos Aires is considered the 4th noisiest city in the world according to a World Health Organization study. They are right! Fortunately the apartment has air conditioning if it gets too noisy at night. The Portenos (resident of Buenos Aires) do not get started until very late and on the weekends they are still in the café below us at 4am!!! We are now sleeping well but it took some getting used to. One thing that helps is to follow their lifestyle – well – almost. We find ourselves staying up very late and getting up late – oh well – we ARE on vacation!

Mothers of the Plaza Mayo

2009-03-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the Plaza Mayo – a famous square in Buenos Aires and all of Argentina. The Plaza was the scene of the 1810 revolution that led to independence. It has been the center of politics ever since. The Casa Rosada – the Argentine equivalent of the White House – stands on one side of the square. The Persons – Juan and Eva – spoke to the masses from a balcony of the Casa.

Every Thursday at 3:30pm, the Mothers of the Plaza Mayo march around the central column., wearing their trademark white headscarves and carrying pictures of their "lost" children. They are the mothers of those who “disappeared” during the Dirty War of the military government from 1976 to 1983. It is estimated that the military government murdered up to 30,000 citizens - trade unionists, students, and anyone on the left or with connections, no matter how tenuous, with these people. Watching these women march is a moving experience. Those who started the marches in 1977 were very brave women – three of them also “disappeared.”
Seeing these women march, is a sobering experience!

A Day with the Gauchos!

2009-03-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

We did something touristy today – but it was a lot of fun! We went to the Estancia La Alameda about 120 kilometers outside Buenos Aires on the pampas. A bus picked us up at a hotel near our apartment for the drive to the Estancia. Most of our fellow passengers were from South America – Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, etc. We seemed to be the only Americans. The trip was interesting – first there were suburbs and then the pampas – very, very flat fertile farm land. It was like western Kansas but very green.

The Estancia is now a small hotel, only nine rooms. They put on day “entertainments” for the tourists. The day started with horse rides – but not for us – we settled for a ride on a wagon! Then it was empanadas and wine (above). Empanadas are wonderful – small meat pies in pastry. We have had them often in Argentina – beef, chicken, cheese, vegetables, etc. The wine was excellent!!

This was followed by free time around the ranch – of course a stop at the gift shop! Roaming the estancia were horses, colts, llamas, roosters, goats, and a pig or two. Elisabeth’s camera was busy!

We also spent time watching the “gaucho” cook while he barbecued lunch. The meat was on sticks placed near an open wood fire. Sausages and other meats were on a grill placed over hot coals. The smells were great.

Lunch was in a large Hall – with salads, wine, breads, and meat, meat, meat! Argentinean beef is fabulous – real taste! The meal ended with a type of crepe with leche dulce. Very sweet but good!

Next came a folkloric show – the dancers and singers were excellent. For some reason, I was not expecting much but I was very surprised – the quality was superb. After the show the gauchos put on a horse show – putting a small wooden peg through a small ring hanging on a wire while galloping at full speed. Quite the showman!

The Mate Drinker!

The day ended with a sampling of mate – a South American (mainly Argentina) drink made from Yerba Mate. It tasted like very strong tea. Actually I liked it – but I do like strong coffee and strong tea. Then it was back on the bus to Buenos Aires!

We had a great day on the pampas!!

The Cat Who Went To Church

2009-03-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

On Sunday March 15 we went to mass at Our Lady of Pilar Basilica in Buenos Aires. The 18th Century Basilica is a beautiful church built by the Jesuits. Built in 1732 it is considered one of the best examples of Argentine colonial architecture.

Toward the end of the mass, I looked up on the altar – at about the second story level – and out of a small hole came….a CAT! He/She walked to the center of the altar, sat down, and stared down on us. Look at me – bow down and worship!

I poked Elisabeth to show her and then others in the congregation saw the same thing and started pointing. The priest had his back to the altar – he must have wondered what was going on! At the end of the mass, someone showed the priest and he started laughing.

This reminded me of the old joke – Cats were worshipped in ancient Egypt – they have not forgotten! Our cat Jake would have been impressed but I do not think he is particularly religious! He sleeps in on Sundays – actually he sleeps in every day!

The Recoleta Cemetery which is adjacent to the Basilica is home to many cats – well fed and cared for by women in the neighborhood. The cats even have their own website.

I imagine our Catholic Cat came in from his cemetery haunt to see what the living were doing!!!

Au Revoir Iguazu Falls – Day Three!

2009-03-16T05:39:00.000-07:00

Another Dam Picture!

Our last day at Iguazu was a short half day! After checking out of the Pousada, Ricardo took us to the Itaipu Dam on the Parana River. The Dam is amazing - a joint venture of Paraguay and Brazil. The American Society of Civil Engineers has listed it as one of the Seven Wonder of the Modern World (along with the Panama Canal, Empire State Building, Chunnel, etc.). It is second in the world in generating capacity – only the new Three River Gorges dam in China produces more. 90% of Paraguay’s energy comes from the dam and almost 20% of the electricity for Brazil. This seems amazing considering that Brazil has a population of around 190,000,000. The dam spans the Parana River just outside Foz de Iguazu. Touring the dam is well organized with a visitor’s center where there are exhibits and a short film on the construction and history of the project. Group buses then leave the visitor center for a close up view of the dam and lake.

After our tour, we headed to a place to change travelers checks to pay our bill and then on to the airport in Argentina. Our return flight on LAN was just as good as the first and we were back to Buenos Aires 15 minutes early! GO LAN!!!

Back to our apartment and Eva Peron!

You say Iguacu and I say Iguazu….

2009-03-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

Day two at Iguazu started at 8:30am – but we were waiting for Ricardo at 7:30am – why? He forgot to tell us that Brazil went off of Daylight Savings Time at the beginning of the month – Argentina does not change until March 14/15. Oh well…at least we were not late.

We drove first to the Parque das Aves – a Bird Park. The Park was set in the natural jungle setting – there were some cages but mostly giant aviaries. It was a lot like the Wild Animal Park in Escondido/San Diego. The Parque also rehabilitates birds. Two Scarlett Macaws were there because poachers had cut out there wings for the feathers…how awful!!! The Park was well maintained and had explanations in Spanish, Portuguese, and English.

Next we drove to the Falls after stopping at a small museum at the entrance to the Brazilian National Park. Ricardo took us to the starting point of a pathway down into the canyon of the river. At the top we saw a large coatis – a raccoon like animal whose habitat runs from Central America to northern Argentina.

The walk down the path was spectacular. Since most of the Falls are actually on the Argentinean side, the views are really best from Brazil. The path continues to a natural ledge that is about half way down into the gorge of the Iguazu River. Views from here are spectacular – there is that word again! There are viewing platforms seemingly built out into thin air!

There is an elevator that takes you back to the top – where there are more viewing platforms and a restaurant. We again indulged in a great buffet lunch – which served as our main meal of the day. From here, we took a park bus back to where Ricardo’s car was parked at the hotel – the one inside the Park on the Brazilian side.

The last stop of the day was the BEST – the Macuco Safari by Boat. The trip starts with a ride through the jungle in a “wagon” type vehicle with seating for about 20 being pulled by a jeep. After a while, you switch to the back of a truck fitted with seats. Finally, you reach the river. On a floating dock, you take off your shoes and socks, put on a life preserver, and board the Zodiac with outboard motor. Off WE GO! The Zodiac flies down the river – what a great way to cool off. After a while, the Falls come into view – and the Devil’s Throat – what a sight from the floor of the canyon from the river! After waiting our turn, the Zodiac raced up the river toward the main part of the Falls. Along the side of the canyon there were three large falls. The “captain” swung around and we approached the water – suddenly we were really close to where the water hit the river. Drenched! Did I say “Drenched?” I mean soaked, drenched, water-logged!! No wonder we were told to take off our shoes and socks.

The unsuspecting Tourist about to be drenched!!

In our group of “boaters” were 5 “grandmas” from St. Louis having the times of their lives! Whooping and hollering like teenagers. What fun…and it sure cooled us off! We bought a DVD of our trip. Think I will look at it during the next heat wave in San Diego!!!

Back to the Pousada after another fabulous day at Iguazu Falls!

The Day of the Pickpocket and Our first day Iguacu Falls!

2009-03-15T09:17:00.001-07:00

I better get busy before I forget the details. There is a lot to catch up on. Before I go into our trip to Iguacu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina, I should fill you in on our grand adventure last Sunday, March 8. We went to mass at the Cathedral on the Plaza Mayo (See picture above - Was it a preview of things to come?). We walked around the square. The Casa Rosada – Argentina’s White House – is on the Plaza. We stopped at an ATM for some cash. From here we decided to walk to Puerto Madero to meet our friends Paul and Marilyn Whisenand for lunch. We decided to stroll around the back of the Casa Rosada to take pictures.

Suddenly, I felt and smelled that a bird had landed a “present” on me. I then broke all my rules. I let a “helpful” woman give me tissues and she started to help me clean off the mess. Next thing I knew Elisabeth had been “hit” by a bird too and the woman’s “friend” started helping Elisabeth clean up. Suddenly it HIT me. This was a scam. By the time we woke up, the two left and jumped in a taxi. You have it – pick pockets. They got some lose bills in my pocket but they unzipped Elisabeth’s purse she had around her neck and only took the large bills. Of course, we had just been to the ATM. The good side is that they took no credit cards and we do NOT carry our passports with us – only copies.

Back of Casa Rosada - Scene of the Crime!

I have foiled pick pockets in Paris by having a wallet that attaches to my belt and is carried inside my pants. We have warded off gypsy scam artists in Rome and Florence, etc. Why we went brain dead is what upsets us. After traveling together for 37 years, we know better. Never let anyone touch you for any reason! Carry large amounts of money after going to an ATM in a concealed wallet that attaches to you. It was a tough lesson – but one that will make us safer. If I had been thinking, I would have known that the bird had to be a Giant Condor considering the mess that was left! What is interesting is how the brain takes over and all you want to do is clean up and you forget to really THINK!

Our friend Marilyn Whisenand told us she never even carries a purse – she sees it as a target. She just carries a lipstick and a small amount of cash in a pocket. Not a bad idea. We later learned that the same bird scam was used on the previous renter of our apartment. However, he lost an entire wallet with credit cards, money, and passport. He spent a lot of his time in BA getting a new passport and dealing with credit card companies. NEVER carry your passport – unless it is a travel day. Just take a copy. We also have sent a PDF file of our passports to our son who has stored these on his computer so he can email them to us if necessary.

Now for the fun stuff – our trip to Iguacu Falls!!

One of our first view of Iguacu Falls - one of the 275 Falls in 2.5 kilometers!!!

We flew from the domestic airport in Buenos Aires to the airport on the Argentina side of the falls on LAN airlines. As an aside, LAN is a wonderful airline. It is part of the One World Alliance with American – so you can earn miles with them. Since I just hit the million mile club with American, I get bonus miles on all my travels.

Our “on time” domestic flights were an hour fifty minutes each way. No baggage fees, free food and drinks – even beer – wider seats, and more legroom than US airlines. American, United, Delta - are you listening? The service was excellent and the plane was spotless. While waiting for the return flight on Thursday, I noticed two full cleaning crews get on the plane after it landed and before we boarded. When was the last time you saw REAL cleaning crews get on a plane in the States?

When we landed our guide was waiting with a sign for us. Ricardo was born in Santiago but has lived in Brazil most of his adult life. He is married to a Brazilian. His English was excellent. I strongly urge a private guide in Iguacu. The price was not that much and a guide can arrange things so you see a lot more than if you did this on your own. We wanted to see as much as possible with only two nights – one full day and two half days of sightseeing. We packed a lot into the time.

Iguacu is fabulous! Both countries have National Parks around the falls – Brazil for 70 years and Argentina for 74. As a result, it is not commercialized. There is one hotel in each Park and a few concessions. It is nothing like the Disneyland atmosphere of Niagara. We have also been to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and we rate Iguacu higher. There is not as much water at Iguacu but the falls stretch over 2.5 kilometers. They say there are actually 275 falls – but Ricardo said that during a flood, there is only one! We also suggest that you go to both sides. Most of the falls are on the Argentina side so the viewing is best from Brazil. The main cataract is the Devil’s Throat and it is split between the two countries.

Our visit started with a walk through the semi-tropical jungle with views of butterflies, fish, birds, a caiman, and giant spiders. We took the upper circuit which takes you to several observation points – spectacular! We did not take the lower circuit on advice of the Whisenands and our guide. There are many slippery steps.

Next was a ride on a small tourist train (all covered in the admission to the Park) out to the starting point for a walk to the Devil's Throat (Above). What a sight!!! The platform is perched right over the major cataract of the Falls! Getting drenched is not an option – it just happens! It was an incredible experience. We ate lunch at a concession at the Park entrance – a fabulous buffet of all kinds of salads, entrees, and barbecued meat. We made this our main meal at about 3pm.

Next we crossed the border into Brazil on our way to our lodging. Our guide handled the formalities which was nice. To go into Brazil, you need a visa issued at one of their consulates. Fortunately, we had five year visas issued in 2006 for our trip up the Amazon.
Several South American countries have adopted so-called reciprocity fees for citizens from countries that charge their citizens for visas. In Brazil it is a visa and in Chile it is an entry fee paid at the airport. The price is the same their citizens pay for a US visa – right now about $130. The Chilean fee is good for the life of the passport. Argentina has adopted the same thing but it has not yet been implemented.

After crossing the border, we went to the town of Foz de Iguazu, Brazil – a town of about 300,000 that grew up with the building of the giant Itaipu Binacional Dam on the Parana River. We stayed at the Pousada El Shaddai – a sort of bed and breakfast. Our room was very basic – just two beds, one bench, but an air conditioner and TV. It was clean – if basic. The price was right - $56 for two with a great breakfast!

Our first day at Iguacu (or Iguazu in Portuguese) was over, we were tired, and we had lots of memories! We had seen the Falls from Argentina but now we were on the Brazil side. How would day 2 of the trip be? Stay tuned….

Happy Birthday to Me…..!

2009-03-06T17:45:00.000-08:00

I had the best birthday! The long saga of the missing suitcase came to a happy conclusion, but not after more frustration. The day started out with Mexicana not calling at 8am as promised so getting up “early” was a waste! Later in the day we called and called the airport baggage number. Again, no one answered. The main office of Mexicana opened but our new good “friend” Augustine was not in yet. Miracles of miracles the airport answered their phone about noon. Great…well….not great! No one was there who could help. Finally Elisabeth called back to the main office and talked to Augustine who was again very sympathetic. He was able to get Fernando to call us back – (yes…someone new in the mix). He said our claim had been closed! What!!!!! Our bag had been delivered. Excuse me – but that was only for one. I guess we had been calling for three days just for fun? He promised to contact Mexico City and get back to us on Saturday – but oops…he would not be working then but would have someone else call us. Sure! Of course, people had been promising us for days they would contact Mexico City.

About an hour later, Fernando called again and….surprise….the suitcase had been found!!! Wonderful birthday present! Where is it? In Buenos Aires! It was delivered to the apartment about 4:30pm. We have a feeling it was in BA all along. Well – now I feel human again. Clean everything.

I have had my first birthday ever with warm, balmy weather thanks to the southern Hemisphere! It was a beautiful warm day but with nice breezes through the apartment. At 6pm we went to the Hotel Alvear Palace for their famous Tea in the L'Orangerie Restaurant. The hotel is one of the most elegant in Buenos Aires if not South America. The Tea was served in an indoor garden in beautiful surrounding. When we ordered two teas, they advised to only order one – with an extra cup of tea. Good advice. First we chose from a long list of teas. The waitresses were dressed elegantly with white gloves. The teas were loose leaf and it was quite a production – hot water poured in the tea pot, steeping for 3 minutes, and then it was poured into elegant china. Then the food began – finger sandwiches, a three tier cake stand with scones, savory and sweet petit fours, lemon curd, marmalade, and strawberry jam. Well that was a feast…and…then they brought the dessert cart! The patisserie was as beautiful and as good as anything in France! Elisabeth agreed! So…did we break the bank? Mais non! This is Argentina. 112 Pesos for the two with tip….or…. (Drum roll)….about $15 a piece!

After tea we walked through the elegant shopping mall of the Hotel and then back toward our apartment. On the way we stopped at the BA Design Center – a shopping center but mostly with modern design shops – very interesting high style things. We then took our stroll with the rest of Recoleta in front of the Recoleta Village – outdoor cafes, cinema, etc. I was reminded of Spain on a summer evening. People watching was the BEST! Kids, dogs, old people, young people, families…a cross section of humanity. We stopped at a sidewalk café for something to drink and listened to a guitarist who was set up on the sidewalk. The breezes were balmy. The whole thing was like Paris – but warm! We got “home” about 11pm. So far - Buenos Aires is fabulous…and even better with a suitcase!!!

Journey to Buenos Aires!

2009-03-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

(One of the views from our balcony of Recoleta Cemetery - Eva Peron is looking at us!)

Our journey to Buenos Aires was fine until Mexico City.

We had gotten a ticket on Mexicana from San Diego to BA via DFW and Mexico City. Why you ask? Well…I found a deal! Since we were cruising back to San Diego from Chile, we needed a one way ticket which is often expensive. I found a one way ticket on Mexicana in Business Class for less than $1,000 from DFW to Buenos Aires – connecting in Mexico City. We bought a coach ticket from SAN to DFW making the whole trip less than most coach tickets. So the inconvenience of three flights seemed a small price to pay for going Business for the long flights DFW to MEX (less than 2 hours but 9 hours to BA from Mexico City.

In San Diego, AA gave us boarding passes for their two flights and said we needed to go to Mexicana in Mexico City for our boarding passes for Buenos Aires. Our luggage was checked all the way through. (A nice thought but more of this later.)

The first thing to be prepared for at the Mexico City airport is that everyone goes through immigration even if you are in transit. At first, they said we would not need a Customs form – more on this later in the blog too. The line for foreigners was very long and was inefficient. The sign said flights for North America, Asia, and Europe. We thought we were in the wrong line until an official said it was for South America too. If your connecting flight is less than an hour away, you can get in the line at desk 20 but if it is longer than that they will not let you in it. After finally getting through immigration after about 30 minutes of waiting, we went to the escalator for connecting flights but because we did not have a boarding pass we had to go out of the entry hall and to the Mexicana desk for check-in. Now we had to go through customs so we did need the form. The walk to Mexicana took a while. We got in the line for Elite Class – we asked about the flight to BA which was not listed. She waved us away and to the other side of the room.

The first person we talked to said we were too late that you had to check in an hour and a half before the flight. We were there one hour and 25 minutes before departure. We protested loudly in two or maybe it was three languages and asked for the supervisor. It was all confusion and he said “we have no responsibility for you because you were connecting from AA.” I said, "Yes YOU are responsible – we have a Mexicana ticket!" Fortunately I had made a copy of the Mexicana Invoice our Travel Agent gave us and I showed him my PROOF. Then he said it did not matter because the flight was canceled and they would not do anything for us for the night. More loud protests were delivered. He was not pleasant but took our invoice and passports to another woman. She was VERY nice! She rebooked us on the flight for the next day and we got two good seats in Business. We also asked her about what we were supposed to do for the night – she said with a slight grin on her face – “What would you like?” I said, “A place to sleep.” She told us to take our new boarding passes to the El Camino Real Hotel connected to the airport and Mexicana would pay. When we got there, a long line had formed behind a sign that said Mexicana. Everyone signed a check-in sheet and EVERYONE put Mexicana flight 1690! Mexicana also paid for our dinner and breakfast.

One thing that makes me suspicious (and several of the other passengers) is why the flight in the morning was not that full. Could it be that they canceled the evening flight because there were too few people? Maybe it was cheaper to put people up in a hotel than to fly a half empty plane.

Also be aware that the Mexico City airport is a maze with poor signage. We stopped people frequently to find out where Mexicana was located, the hotel, the boarding gates, etc. The signs take you the long way around BUT through the Duty Free shops! We did find a Santander bank in the airport to change some money for when our cruise stops in Mexico in April. We used this bank because it has a reciprocal agreement with the Bank of America so there is no ATM use charge.

When we arrived in Buenos Aires, 10 hours later than scheduled, our bags were not on the plane!!! They told us when we arrived that there were three bags that missed the plane and two were ours. Missed the plane? Ten hours to get bags from AA to Mexicana is not enough? This morning we got a call that one of the bags arrived on this morning’s flight – they are checking on the other bag which they “thought” would be on tonight’s flight. So we are stuck in the apartment waiting for luggage. Being stuck is not a problem, however, because it is raining and we are tired from the journey and the jet lag – 6 hours difference from San Diego.

Travel is full of adventures – this is not the first time this has happened to us. Several years ago British Air lost our suitcases and it took a week to catch up with us in Turkey. We were not a pretty sight – or smell! Our lesson was to never change planes at Heathrow. We have now added Mexico City to that list. Fortunately we have some things in our carry-on luggage but it is not enough for 7 weeks!!!

The flights themselves were great – except the coach from SAN to DFW of course! But…it was short and on time – we were on the side with 2 seats which makes it better. Mexicana was very good – spotless plane, great service, good (not great) food, and very nice flight attendants.

The apartment in the Recoleta district is great – ninth floor overlooking the famous Recoleta Cemetery. We have views from every room – including the bathroom. You can take a shower or sit on the toilet while looking at the graves in the cemetery. Hope the ghosts don’t mind!

News Flash - Elisabeth won the lottery - her bag just came - I now suspect American because the bag had an American red and white tag that said RUSH! I wonder if the bags did not make the plane in DFW? Of course, Mexicana and American will just point fingers at each other!

Here we go again!!!

2009-02-21T20:17:00.000-08:00

The roaming Clarks are about to take off again! This time we will be spending time in Buenos Aires, Argentina for about three weeks. We have rented an apartment in the Recoleta district of the capital. This area looks like Paris! Our apartment overlooks the famous Recoleta Cemetary where Eva Peron is buried. In 2006 we spent two days in Buenos Aires on a cruise and fell in love with the City. This time we hope to get to know BA well! Our friends from Escondido, Georg and Antje Funke will be renting an apartment next to ours for part of the time we are there.

We found the apartment on our favorite website for apartments Vacation Rentals by Owner. Our rentals in Assisi and Venice Italy last September and October were found on this website. The rental we like the most in Paris was also found at VRBO. There is nothing better than really getting to know a city or region by living in an apartment. We like to shop in local stores and "pretend" to be Venetians or Parisians. We like to cook for ourselves a lot of the time - it is so much fun shopping in both super markets and local open-air markets.

While in Buenos Aires, we will spend two nights and three days at Iguacu Falls on the Brazilian/Paraguayan/Argentinean border. Another day is planned for a trip to an estancia for a barbecue and horse show by the gauchos - probably touristy but it sounds like fun. We also want to take the hydrofoil across the Rio de la Plata to Colonia Sacramento in Uruguay - a World Heritage site.

After BA, we will fly to Santiago with Georg and Antje where we will meet the Quastlers - our cruising buddies from Coronado, CA. The three couples have rented an apartment in Vina del Mar, Chile for a week. Yes...another apartment from VRBO. Splitting the cost three ways of this 4 bedroom apartment in a high rise on the ocean will cost about $20 per person per night! Sure beats a hotel!

We have been to Vina before and love it! It is a lovely coastal city next to the more gritty Valparaiso - a major port for Chile. After a week in the apartment, the six of us leave on the Amsterdam - Holland America line - for an 18 day cruise back to San Diego. We have stops in La Serena and Arica Chile; Lima, Peru; Manta, Ecuador; Costa Rica; Puerto Chiapas, Huatalco, Acapulco, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

We leave a week from tomorrow - not long now. Of course, I have to go to northern California for consulting for three days - which means the bags will be packed at the last minute as usual!

Check back to see how our adventure progresses!