"On the Road" with Nancy Cutter & Betty Cowles

Follow our agents as they travel around the world

Coming Soon! Nancy Cutter's 2010 trip to Portugal, Crossing on the WindSpirit and St Martin

  • Wednesday Nov 17

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    Casa Chanceleros

  • Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010

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    Bryant at Casa Mateus

     

    Things were looking up this morning. BW’s knee was benefiting from the ice packs and the heat baths, so full of hope and Ibuprophen, we departed the hotel and now drove south. Next stop the Continente in Vila Real to replenish my food stash. I have no idea what the dining options might be once we reach the Douro, but I want to be prepared!
    Driving was much easier today  so we decided to make a visit to the famous Casa da Mateus.  Probably the only Portuguese wine most people are familiar with, with its short fat bottle, filled with a light rose wine.  The house was really not the site of the vineyards and used in a marketing program to give the wine an elegant  image.  The home and its gardens were really quite liveable and very delightful and retain almost all of the period furnishings.  All in all a very worthwhile stop!  Continuing south we soon found ourselves in Pinhao and following a gorgeous drive along the Douro to the well marked Casa Do Chanceleros. A cheery looking Portuguese woman speaking excellent English greeted us with a rather imposing looking bull dog at the front door.
     

    Once inside what lay before us was truly beautiful. A restored large home with a 180 degree view of the Douro vineyards. Cascading down from the rear were cobbled stone terraces and casitia with little sitting areas under arbors or palm trees. Centered around a large swimming pool , the paved paths continued 3 -4 levels further ending with a large clay tennis court. Everywhere were rose bushes, lavender and olive trees, a little paradise. We were shown to our casita room, , bright, airy, with a king bed and sitting area and a large terra cotta bathroom, fully fitted out and all spotlessly clean. We were tickled pink. Soon BW was down for a nap while I explored the property, but not before she uttered those magical words: will you be dining with us tonight? You are our only guests, but we have a lovely pork loin for tonight. Know we might be miles from any restaurants. We said we’d love to!

  • Monday, Nov 15, 2010

    1/7/20114:42:37 PM Link |  | Add comment

     

    This morning we could see that with the ice and the heat, we were on the right track, but he was far from out of the woods. After breakfast we went to the front desk and asked if the could get us into see a local dr. A few call and we were booked into an appt at 5pm in Chaves. This actually worked out with our now modified plans to abort the drive to Braganza. Even at this close distance, Braganza was still quite a trip, at least an 1.5 hr drive on another twisty road. No way now. To take advantage of the property, BW went back to the spa and I went for a bike ride along the property and the golf course edge. We finally left for Chaves around 130pm. Chaves was a straight shot about 20minutes north of Vidago, so by 2 we were parked and walking (under protest from BW that I was out to do him in) up a hill to one of their medieval towers. Chaves the city of keys, has always been an important town and numerous forts dot the city. After we had seen the eastern section, we returned back to the car to drive over to the Fort of San Francisco now a hotel on the other side of town (walking there was out of the question). This visit worked out well, we parked just opposite and entered the fort, now a 78 room hotel. Most of the medieval walls have been preserved and exposed to present them to their best advantage.
    The rooms, though not overly large, had pleasing traditional furniture and modern baths. After my tour, we retired to the hotel bar for a couple of beers and to kill the time until his appt.
     
    Following our directions, we arrived at the Dr’s office situated beside the hospital in a rather non-descript, rather bleak look building by 430pm. The waiting room was packed wall to wall with patients. Thank goodness, the receptionist was expecting us directed us to wait for “oh not more than 20 minutes” by my rough Portuguese translation. We opted to wait outside in the plaza area, in the quickly ensuing night. 30 minutes later, there was still no movement in the waiting patients. As I looked around, I noticed a variety of other orthopedic patients, but a surprising number of children as well. The office was obviously shared with a pediatrician, so I was a bit more hopefully 530, we asked again. 20minutes? BW and I both said we’ll wait until 6 but then we are out of here. At 6 we were still 2 patients away, and we stuck to our guns and left. By 630 we were back at the hotel and at 7 were in the spa.
     

    Since I knew we would not be out again, back in the room I reached into my goodie bag and whipped out our dinner of bread, salami, cheese, olives and fruit. Tom Cruise in Top Gun was on the sky channel and we were in for the night!

  • Sunday, Nov 14, 2010

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    Vidago Palace Hotel

     

    We awoke this morning to a fog, all of the wind and rain, had blown in a crisper air but had left a dense fog filling the valleys. After breakfast, we packed up the car, paid our bill and said our goodbyes. By this time the fog was thinning and I was planning our route to the east. Once again back on the N101, the way was slow and twisty on the mountain roads, but at Braga we were able to pick up the AP 11 and the AP 7 at Guimares. Sometimes you just don’t care what a toll road costs, to have a straight course to your destination. And by 1230pm to took the exit to Vidago. But now with some time on our hands we decided to delay our arrival a detour to Montelegre about 25 k to the north. We had both read about the border town and it well preserved castle, so we pressed on. The road was torture. Actually it was not so much the road but the constant downshifting on the turns. Sometime yesterday, BW knee started to swell and it was not looking good this morning. Actually, it looked pretty bad and I was having serious doubts on our decision to drive on. By the time we reached Montelegre, it was not good and BW could hardly get out of the car, much less walk up the slope to the castle. On a sunny warm day, this could have been worth it, but grey skies had followed us and a stiff breeze and misting rain dampened even my enthusiasm. It took me about 8 minutes to run up, look around (all of the tower doors were closed- obviously for the season) then to gingerly pick my way back down the hillside to our car. BW had opted out of the visit and was visibly grimacing. So it was back in the car and down the hill. We did take a few minutes out to fill up before driving our of the town. The trip back was horrendous. We opted for a shorter route, but it was filled with a hairpin turn every 10 feet. BW was now moaning with every turn as his knee was getting more inflamed by the second. We pulled in to the town of Vidago by 3pm. Was the trip to Montelegre worth it- no not in this situation, but now we don’t have to return to see what we missed. 
     
    Vidago sits in the cradle of a small valley, home of a posh spa built over 100 years ago for the King of Portugal. The water here sparkling similar to Perrier.
    The hotel once the height of fashion, hosted European nobility for years, but gradually declined with age. Several years ago it was shut down, sold and has now reopened totally renovated from the pavers to the rafters. It was stripped to the studs and is now armed with every modern convenience including 800 thread count sheets and with a state of the art spa facility this was the right place for us at the right time. Nestled amongst chestnut trees and a luscious 18 hole golf course the Vidago Palace hotel sits stately in all of pink glory.
     
    Within minutes we were whisked into our suite. Yup, the biggest one in the place right over the front door. BW went immedialty to bed and we ordered a large bag of ice – for his knee, and I set off to explore the hotel and grounds. I returned after an hour and even I could see BW knee now throbbing from across the room, I whipped out our swimsuits and marched us down to the spa.
    For the next hour we soaked in the outdoor thermal hot pool and the chilly indoor pool. The special treats were the sauna and steam room all completely lined in marble.   By 6pm we were back in the room, and BW was feeling much better. We chilled out until 7 and then decided to venture forth (with our car ) into the village for a restaurant. After a few drive bys, we settled on a little Pizza place. As it was Sunday, we didn’t have a lot of choice. I opted for the Margarita and BW went for fish. I came out the winner. 

    After dinner we made a quick return to the hotel and by 830 we were snugged in bed with a plasma tv and the sky channel. Sweet dreams.

  • Saturday, Nov 13, 2010

    1/7/20114:38:34 PM Link |  | Add comment

     We awoke this morning around 9am to a bit of sunlight streamlining in the window, but with clouds on the valley. We took our breakfast up on the 2nd floor- a large dining room with a fantastic view looking out on the front lawn. The colors of the trees and the lush grass below made for a colorful pastoral sight- I could have sat there for hours.   The housekeeper’s granddaughter soon followed us up and poured our Portuguese coffees with a steaming pot of hot milk. We breakfasted on breads, a bit of fruit and jams. Eager to get a start, we set off to visit the count’s property “Paco da Cavalerhos”. It was located just a short distance away and in about 15 minutes and after a few wrong turns, we found ourselves on the long drive entering the property, just as he was departing. He mentioned the evening before that he had a luncheon so we caught him just in time. He immediately turned around and led us up the grand stone steps to tour his ancestral home. Each of the quest rooms was immaculate and well planned with updated baths and period furniture. As we followed him outside the weather began to change and we scurried under umbrellas to view his newly constructed pool and the terraced gardens that fell down the slope before us.. Not to delay him any further from his luncheon, we said our goodbyes and soon found ourselves on the motorway north to Valenca It was a quick trip up the motorway under the sheeting rain that was all around us. Luckily the rain stopped just as we approached the town.

     
    With a few quick turns we soon were in the “old” city” center. Which fortunately had a fantastically positioned “free “ car park. We spent about about an hour wandering thru the narrow medieval streets and finally settled into a small café filled with ladies eating pastries and I enjoyed a coffee while BW had a beer. Now with a second wind we headed back to the car and headed out of town, now towards Moncao. Moncao, about 20 minutes to the east was cute but after 2 drives thru the town proved not really work stopping for. Now we turned back south along the N101 for 35 torturous twisting miles to Arcos de Valdevez. It was slooow going and took us over an hour. Once in Arcos, we started scoping out potential dinner options, but they proved hard to find. 
    It gets dark here just after 5 and its so much easier of you have at least one or two places in mind before you venture out in the dark, especially it you have to drive to a town for dinner. 
     
    Our return to Paco de Gloria was now from the east and locating Jolda from this direction was a real challenge, Even with my trusty 1:250000 map, we were on roads way too small to be listed. But we held our course and kept asking every 50 ft. One wrong turn here and you could find yourself up a road with no turnaround and a tricky reverse down a steep slope for a ¼ of a mile is not my idea of fun! But we pulled in just a 5pm which is when BW had advised the housekeeper we would return. After unloading our gear we discovered that she had lit a fire in the lounge, just a few steps from our room. 
    Soon BW had poured himself a scotch and I treated myself to a beer. All was perfect, except that the view to the fireplace was blocked by on oversized pool table. Shortly after we heard loud wind and rain whipping all around us. 
    To round out our cocktail time I read several chapters from a few of the books I brought for the cruise. Soon we realized that going out was not going to be a good option with the storm, so I went to gather a few items for a “picnic” dinner. I had the good foresight to pick up a container of vegetable soup yesterday, and this now came in handy for our dinner tonight. The housekeeper and her granddaughter were in the kitchen and so I asked if I could borrow a pot and a few bowls. Soon we were enjoying a dinner of steaming soup, bread, cheese, olives and fruit and by 8pm we were done for the night and retired to our room.

  • Friday, Nov 12, 2010

    1/7/20114:28:22 PM Link |  | Add comment

    The 15th c manor home of Paco da Gloria

     It was dark and raining when we arrived in Porto. We took a shuttle van to the Hertz location and pickup up our car. We noticed that the tank was not really full, so I took a photo of the gauge. We pulled out of the airport in a fine misty cool rain and drove about an hour north towards Viana do Castillo. I was keen to visit a grocery, as I was not sure what our options for snaking would bee in the wilds of the north. We located a small grocery in the small mall which was just behind a hotel we stayed in back in 2005. Only we arrived just a bit too early and had to wait for them to open, Once there , it really was not what we wanted, so we left and took endless turns to reach the Continente a few miles out of town., Here we loaded up on a variety of cheeses, breads, soda, water and fruit. Then we set off along the country roads towards Ponte de Lima, These are slow going roads. Paco da Gloria was listed at Arco de Valdevez, so we headed for that town, hoping to see directional signs, but none appeared, we did several loops, then finally out of frustration, I pulled out my iphone and let Google earth find me and my destination. I worked pretty well. With no real address for this place, I started with the next village listed and it pointed us in the right direction. Creeping along, when we reached the village, no Paco da Gloria, so we started asking. Eventually, we saw a sign up a road a donkey would be hard pressed to traverse. But we pressed on. Then we saw the arched stone gates and pulled in to find the owner milling about. He confessed that he thought we were coming on the 14th, I said no my email said the 12th and shoed him his reply confirmation. No matter we were the only ones there so all was prepared. We were shown around a charming but slightly crumbling grand Portuguese manor house.   Could see that great care had been taken several years back to update and modernize, and some of the furniture items were quite nice. We took the twin room as our choice, with a bright sunny window and a large stone bath. I was very cold and laid down for a quick nap.

    When I awoke, I was even colder and headed off for a hot shower. The shower was fine, just not hot enough to cast off the chill. With darkness ensuing we were off by 415 on our way to Ponte de Lima to look around and settle on a restaurant for dinner.
    Getting out was easier than arriving and we found ourselves in PDL in about 15 minutes. We parked and began walking around the town. I spied the tourist office and ducked in. Up a flight of stairs, I asked a fellow behind the desk for a map.. He said he didn’t have a map, as they were not the tourist office but the home office of Solares de Portugal; I was very surprised and said I’ve done business with your company, and I mentioned a few names. He said Maria was in the next office and introduced me. Then the director of the company walked in and I recognized them from the books fly leaf. We said we were at Paco da Gloria and they insisted that we tour the counts property the next day. With times set, we departed now onto the cold dark streets of PDL. Looking for restaurants was a bit hard as they were all closed, finally after wandering, we chose a less smoky bar to bide our time with a beer until the restaurants opened. Promptly at 7pm we set back off and chose one up on a 2nd floor in a prime spot overlooking the bridge. Bright and cheery we were seated by a woman who had a very bad cold. But had a lovely dinner of fresh fish and sautéed kale, with luck the owner ended up serving us and we didn’t see the woman again.
    Returning back to our hotel was a snap and soon we were snugged into our beds. With no TV in the room, BW dozed off immediately, but I opted to view a film on my phone. It was an early night.

  • Nov 11, 2010 - Thursday

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    Arrived in Newark with plenty of time, decided to take the tram shuttle to the terminal 1. Had to check in with TAP, tried to waste a bit of time before clearing security, but there really was no place to go, so we went thru security and took a front row seat next to the gate. 2 hrs dragged on a bit, but was worth the wait. The flight proved to be really only about half full and the rear of the plane was empty, so BW moved to the row behind me and we each had a 3 seater to our selves. The food was awful, luckily we stopped at Arbys on our way to the airport and I had half of my sandwich left, for breakfast they served a ridiculous white bread sandwich of ham and a slice of cheese. Good thing I had my bananas as well! 

Archives

Betty Cowles - Trip to Israel - February 2010

ISRAEL - A Life Changing Experience

Israel … Land of the Bible … Land of Faith …the Holy Land, revered throughout recorded history as the cradle of monotheistic religion. For a person of faith whose beliefs are rooted in the Bible, there is no place on earth like the Holy Land..
There are so many reasons why people are attracted to Israel. For some, it’s the sun-drenched climate. For others, it’s the rich variety of sites and sights - historical, archeological, religious or just beautiful. For still others,  it’s the fascinating contrast between the ancient and the modern. But for absolutely everyone, Israel has a special hard-to-define something - an extra dimension - that turns every visit into a truly memorable experience. When you visit Israel for the first time, you invariably experience an instant feeling of familiarity. So many of the names that appear on the road signs - Jerusalem, Sea of Galilee, Nazareth - have been familiar since childhood. You will also experience the special thrill of walking in the footsteps of history as you retrace the steps of Abraham 4,000 years ago. King David 3,000 years ago, Jesus 2,000 years ago, and the Crusades 1,000 years ago.
Israel is a modern country that combines a rich, illustrious history with a tourism infrastructure that caters to every vacation taste. Glorious beaches, Bustling cities, Nature reserves, Health spas, Religious shrines, Shopping malls, Markets, Artists’ colonies and Concerts in the park. Israel has a compact geography that enables you to get from place to place in no time at all. It takes less than an hour by car or bus from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, just two hours from Tel Aviv to the Sea of Galilee, and half an hour from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea.
OUR JOURNEY BEGINS:
WEDNESDAY: February 3, 2010
Our Christian Pilgrimage began today as Ann Rodriguez, Ronnie and I left Charlotte to meet our group
( 20 Travel Agents from all over the US) at NewarkAirport along with our host from Select International
To fly to Frankfurt then on to Tel Aviv.
Thursday: February 4, 2010
Arriving at the very modern, beautiful BenGurionAirport   outside of Tel Aviv. We were greeted by Gloria of the Israel Tourist Board, who arranged our tour and Rimone our guide, leader and teacher, He made the Bible come to life,and Edita Kruner of Select International, she arranged our study group.
We started our drive north among the lush, tropical orange and lemon groves to our first night in Netanya, “Rose of the Sharon” a wonderful resort town on the Mediterranean Sea, miles and miles of beautiful beaches, staying at the Seasons Hotel on the cliffs, oceanfront boutique style, all rooms have balconies overlooking the Sea. Dinner tonight at the neighboring KingSolomonHotel
Friday: February 5, 2010
After a delicious Israeli breakfast we continued up the coastline to the ancient Roman Port City of Caesarea, one of the largest archeological digs in Israel. The colossal building projects of Herod the Great. In creating this city and its adjacent splendid harbor, Herod named Caesarea in honor of his patron Augustus Caesar. This is where the Roman centurion Cornelius was baptized by Peter and became the first gentile convert to Christianity Then on to Haifa, the third largest city and most important port. Visited the Carmelite Monastery of Stella Maris. Here is Elijah’s grotto, and home of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Mount Carmel is associated with the prophets, Elijah and Elisha, a Christian holy site where Elijah performed miracles atop the mountain. Breath taking views atop Mount Carmel, then to Megiddo, or Armageddon, this is one of Israel’s loveliest regions. The JezreelValley is lush with farms, villages, pastures and meadows and is known as “Israel’s breadbasket.”Armageddon known in Hebrew as Megiddo, a giant fortress and city was built here by King Solomon, and is referred to as the site of the “final battle”. The fascinating hill, comprising 26 ancient civilizations superimposed on one another. We visited the excavations, stables and fortress. We crossed the valley to our hotel, RominimHotelMary’s Well - a Traditional city center in the old city of Nazareth, small and very charming. Tonight we had dinner at the Plaza Hotel Nazareth, perched high on the hill overlooking Nazareth, very modern high rise, 11 floors with a grand lobby and rooms, a beautiful 4 star property.
Saturday: February 6, 2010
We began our day in Nazareth, where our Lord spent the first 30 years of his life. Going to NazarethVillage, a re-creation of Nazareth as it was 2000 years ago, where Jesus spent his boyhood with Joseph and Mary. On to see Mary’s Well where the Angel Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to our Lord, Jesus Christ. Visiting St. Joseph’s Church and the Church of Annunciation. Travel to Cana to visit the WeddingChurch, site of Jesus first miracle - the transformation of water into wine. At the Wedding Feast, Jim & Agnes, Ronnie and I re-newed our Wedding Vows conducted by the Priest and witnessed by many in our group and the Nuns. On to one of the biblical sites  around the Sea of Galilee, the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. The Church of the Beatitudes was built in 1937, this black dome church and flower filled garden are a treat for visitors.
Tonight at RoyalPlaza Tiberas, this hotel has a grand entrance, lined by trees, very modern classic superior first class with GREAT Views of  the Sea of Galilee, this property exceeded all expectations, rooms, food and service. A very special night as we had dinner in a Christian restaurant and I had the opportunity to eat St. Peter’s Fish.
Sunday: February7, 2010
Today we spent the day literally in his footsteps, sailing across the Sea of Galilee, I sailed on the boat Faith - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. At the GinnosarMuseum we saw the 2000 year old “Jesus Boat” un-covered in 1986 from the mud of the seashore by a group of young boys.
At Capernaum, we had a Priest do Mass for our group and we saw the new church built on top of St. Peters’s house. North of Capernaum is Chorazin, which was rebuked by Jesus for its lack of faith and not following his teachings. On to Tabgha, Greek for Seven Springs and the Church of the Multiplication of Fishes and Loaves and the Church of St. Peter’s Primacy, where Jesus instructed Peter to “feed my sheep”. Continue to MountTabor and the Church of Transfiguration. We made a stop at Yardinit, the traditional Baptism site in the Jordan River. Proceeding down the JordanValley to Jericho, the world’s oldest city conquered by Joshua. We had lunch at Temptation Restaurant. On to Qumran, the Essenc settlement in whose caves was the site of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which lay undiscovered for 2,000 years. Discovered in 1947 by Bildouin Shepherds. We descended to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth 400 meters below sea level. We didn’t have enough day light to swim, but we waded in the un-sinkable highly saline water. Now on to Jerusalem for three nights at Leonard Plaza Hotel, a very large superior first class modern hotel in a great location. Dinner at CrownPlaza a 3 ½ star first class in the business district. Wonderful dinner and host, a favorite of the locals.
Monday: February 8, 2010
We started our day shopping at Kando Store in Bethlehem. Here we saw the jars in which he DeadSeas Scrolls were in and the owners grandson. Then on to the Church of Nativity, built over the birthplace of Our Lord and St. Catherine’s built over the tomb of St. Jerome. Continue to Yah Vashem( The Hall of Names), the site of the Holocaust Memorial. We traveled to the top of the Mount of Olives an unforgettable view of the entire city of Jerusalem. Visited the Church of Pater Noster and the Chapel of Ascension, then we walked down the Palm  Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane, stopping at Dominus Flevit (the Teardrop), where Jesus stopped and wept over Jerusalem. In the garden of Gethsemane we sat among the ancient olive trees and visited the beautiful Church of All Nations.  Dinner at Caesar’s, a first class 3 ½ star property in the business area.
Tuesday: February 9, 2010
We started with a drive around the old city walls and note each of the City Gates. They each contain a wealth of history and significances. We entered the OldCity via Zion Gate, to visit the Wailing Wall, TempleMount, and the actual streets that Jesus and his disciples walked on. On to the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, where the Apostle denied Christ three times. On to Mt.Zion to visit the Room of the Last Supper, King David’s Tomb and the Church of the Dormition, here the Holy Mother fell into eternal sleep.
Had lunch at Rimon’s son, Geo’s café inside old gate wall, then The Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross), this is a mile long route through the Old City of Jerusalem, leading from the Antonia Fortress, where Jesus was condemned by Pontius Pilate, to Golgotha (Calvary), the place of the crucifixion. The Via Dolorosa is marked by 14 stations, at each station there is a marker depicting an incident where he dropped the cross or fell to his knees in the final mortal journey. The Traditional site of Golgotha - Calvary is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Some Christians denominations consider the Garden Tomb, outside the OldCity Walls, to be the true site of Golgotha - Calvary.   Here, Jesus was crucified and hurriedly buried before the onset of the Sabbath. When the family of Jesus returned to the tomb after the Sabbath, they discovered it empty (on the back of the door or stone it reads “HE is not here for he has RISEN!!) it was 40 days later, from atop Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives, that Jesus is believed to have risen to heaven. In addition to locations related to the life of Jesus, holy sites in Jerusalem are connected with the lives of Mary and the disciples. It was in Jerusalem that the world’s first  Christian community was established. 
Current Facts about Jerusalem:
The PresentOldCity Walls were built by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th Century
Jerusalem was occupied by Britain in 1917
The State of Israel was declared in 1948, and Jerusalem was declared the capital in 1949
For 19 years, Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan, with Jews and Israelis of all faiths prohibited from visiting their holy places
Jerusalem was reunified in 1967 and rededicated as the eternal capital of the Jewish people, with freedom of worship and tourism for all reiligions.
This was an un-believable experience, Ronnie and I are so, so grateful for this opportunity and to experience “Walking In The Footsteps of our Lord”.
 
What makes the miracles of Jesus even more miraculous? Standing where they happened.
When you read the Scriptures on the Shores of Galilee …
When you walk in the footsteps of Jesus and his disciples ……
When you see the Bible come alive before your eyes ….
You will never be the same!

Nancy Cutter's Trip to Iceland

Click the animation to see a detailed map of Iceland!

  • Nov 11, 2010 - Thursday

    1/7/20114:22:57 PM Link |  | Add comment

    Arrived in Newark with plenty of time, decided to take the tram shuttle to the terminal 1. Had to check in with TAP, tried to waste a bit of time before clearing security, but there really was no place to go, so we went thru security and took a front row seat next to the gate. 2 hrs dragged on a bit, but was worth the wait. The flight proved to be really only about half full and the rear of the plane was empty, so BW moved to the row behind me and we each had a 3 seater to our selves. The food was awful, luckily we stopped at Arbys on our way to the airport and I had half of my sandwich left, for breakfast they served a ridiculous white bread sandwich of ham and a slice of cheese. Good thing I had my bananas as well! 

  • Sunday, August 30, 2009

    1/7/20113:54:11 PM Link |  | Add comment

     

    Tuesday- Vatnjokull.
     
    No time to waste as we awoke with the early morning dawn- we were down for a quick breakfast and a hurried checkout as we make our way to the meeting point a 30 minute drive down highway One. Pulling into the dirt parking lot we jointed a cluster of other assorted cars and mini-SUVs who were to be our companions for the day. Healthy looking tall and sturdy Icelandic boys were organizing us in to the massive super jeeps that were to be our rides up to the glaciers edge. Without delay we were off, with dust blowing from our tracks up t One. Pulling into the dirt parking lot we jointed a cluster of other assorted cars and mini-SUVs who were to be our companions for the day. Healthy looking tall and sturdy Icelandic boys were organizing us in to the massive super jeeps that were to be our rides up to the glaciers edge. Without delay we were off, with dust blowing from our tracks up the rough gravel road. Soon we were leaving the valley floor far below. With no shoulder to speak of, with each turn our stomachs twisted a bit tighter. As a back country road this was a true taste of “off roading- Icelandic style”. It’s amazing our breathtaking the scenery can become when a drop of 3000 feet lie just inches from your tires edge. I managed to comfort myself; by rationalizing that they did this every day and that I was behind the wheel with an experienced driver. The trip up the glaciers edge took well over 40 minutes and I felt that just that portion alone was worth the price we were paying for the entire snow mobile trip. We off loaded glad to have our feet back on terra firma- at a small wooden chalet building as the edge of the enormous glacier Vatnjokull. Soon they had us fitted out in our snow suits, helmets, boots and goggles. The night before I had packed a bag in prep for this excursion with some ski underwear- leggings and quarter zip top and thick socks. Feeling like Michelin tire dough boys we trudged off down the hill to our awaiting snow mobiles. After a quick set of hand signal instructions and strict orders not to stray from the pack line (for fear of crashing thru the ice to a cold death in a crevasse, we set off. Speeding over the glacier following our guide into the wild white unchartable glac believeable gas fumes ier in haling un I must note that each year not just one, but at least a dozen or so die out on these inhospitable snowy wildernesses. Vatnjokull is about the size of the state of Rhode Island and the weather can change in an instant. As ground zero for extreme adventure sports, the Icelanders are renown for their knowledge of how to survive in these hostile environments. After progressing along at a fairly steady pace we make several stops allowing the way for photos before we actually disembarked our smoking beasts to rest under the cornice of a snow ridge. Our red suits gave a great contrast to the white of the snow and the bright blue sky over our heads. But when you are in the middle of nowhere with nothing around your for miles but white, it doesn’t take long to get all of the photos you need, “kneeling, standing and jumping off the snowmobile before you are readier to get back on and return to the chalet for a warm-up. Now we had taken time to pack a few sandwiches, culled from the items off the breakfast buffet, but once we had returned our suites, we opted for one of the first SUV’s to return us to our car. The trip down the from the glacier was even more thrilling than the trip up! Each turn was met with a slight skid and a sharp inward breath as we realized just how high we had climbed to meet the glaciers edge. Slowly we make our way down- and all was well until we met an oncoming super jeep, then it became a bit of an Icelandic showdown, but their manners prevailed and we met on a straight stretch inches past each other millimeters from the edge. But soon we were back at the parking lot and made our way back to our car. As opting out of lunch at the glacier lodge had put us now ahead of schedule, we continued down the road on a more leisurely pace towards our next destination. 
     
    Now cruising down the road, on our right we had the glacier runs and on left a flat marshy open areas- stretched out to meet the sea. This section of Highway one was equally devoid of traffic, so we were able to just stop in the middle of the road to take photos of the numerous colonies of beautiful white swans that filled the marshes. After about an hours drive we reached our next stop the glacier lake of Jokulsarlon. Now this is a pretty bizarre place. Created only about 50 years ago, its where the glacier runoff has created a lake right up to the glaciers edge, and huge chunks of ice break off. But the lake is so close to the sea that there is a mixing of fresh and salt water, So these mini icebergs sail thru the lake on their way out to sea. Now if the whole situation is not strange enough- the combination of ice, salt and water, produce an unbelievable shade of milky blue which seems to “glow”. We pulled in to the “huge’ parking lot and I saw more cars in one place than I had for days-where had these people come from? In stark contrast to the ethereal setting, the parking lot was all business. A small building with picnic tables seemed to be the nerve center. Inside was a small café, souvenier ship and ticket office. The thing to do here is to take a combination land rover/ boat for a cruise around the lake to see the ice up close and personal. So I ponyed up the fare for us- received a “departure time” for our cruise and returned to the car. BW had parked us in a prime spot right at the lakes edge, so with a little time to kill, we laid out our lunch feast and got to making our sandwiches. Have I told you how good the bread is here? Well, its wonderful. A few days back I just bought a full loaf. A crunchy mix of an Icelandic version of a 7 grain. It wen’t perfectly whether we were having cheese, ham, or turkey. Also they like coleslaw and potato salad here, nicely portioned into small 1 and 2 cup containers- perfect for pickniking. They also had a few other items that I decided to pass on- their tuna fish salad, really didn’t look like anything I was familiar with. But we were getting very comfortable with hitting the mini supermarkets here and really didn’t pass one by without a quick stop.
     
    With lunch over, and still more time before our “cruise” we hit the lakes edge, trekking just close enough to avoid getting our shoes wet. And pausing here and there for photo ops. The beautiful blue sky was now gone as dark clouds began to roll in. I glanced at my watch and decided that we needed to hike over the hill to meet our boat. Now this boat has wheels. Bright yellow with wheels, it goes from cruising thru the water, straight onto the sand where the wheels ride it around like a mini bus. We piled on with the others and reached out to receive our neon orange life jackets- designed I might add by Helly Hansen. This was the first time I’ve ever had a designer life jacket on, and I have to say it still didn’t do anything for me. After a quick safety briefing we turned and plowed into the lake. Everyone jockeying for a stragic seat. A fellow in a zodiac was ahead of us and made a dramatic show of pushing the icebergs out of our way with the nose of craft. We wound our way thru small and large chucks of ice, in water so clear- you could not tell exactly where the water line was. After about 20 minutes of slowing picking our path. One of the guides, who had been giving us a “geo” history lesson, reached over and took a chunk of ice from the zodiac and proceeded to chop it up for us. Its not often you get to suck on an ice cube that’s been in the fridge for 50 thousand years! With our “tasting’ over, we began our cruise back to land. All in all we were out there for about 30 minutes—As one of the things they say you just have to do--a bit over hyped? Perhaps yes, but I’m glad we did it.  And we reached out car, just as big thick raindrops began to fall.

  • August 29, 2009 Eastern Iceland

    1/7/20113:50:07 PM Link |  | Add comment

    We woke this morning to a cool rain as we said our goodbye to Husavik and we headed towards Lake Myvatn and onwards to the east coast.  With luck the weather cleared by the time we arrived at the lake and we had another chance for photos of the Namaskar Pass from the car.

     

    Highway 1 now stretched before us as straight arrow ahead- a solid ribbon of lava blacktop carved straight from the surrounding lava fields..  As I knew we had a long days drive ahead of us – at least 6 hrs—I hopes we could use the road thru Iceland’s no man’s land to make good time.  With not a car in sight for miles- BW was up to the task!.  After about an hour of cruising at 75mph- it seemed a good time for a snack.  So I reached for our grab bag of goodies and fished out the Lays potato chips (yes they have invaded the pristine world of Iceland too!) and BW was just picking out a few chips when we spied a flashing blue light on the road ahead.  Totally perplexed, we slowed to a stop as he was blocking our lane.  Well it seemed that he had had us on radar for quite some time and had clocked us going about 6 miles over the limit!  It became immediately apparent that we had just driven thru one of the islands- biggest speed traps!  With no chance of appeal to the youngish trooper, we provided us with to options, pay the fine of follow him back to the stations- about 30 miles, off a turning on the right.  With a “schedule” to keep, following him and blowing an hour to file an appeal- sis not appeal to me- so I opted to pay the fine and flipped out my capital one card.  And based on my stressed calculations- it come out to be only a $40 fine..  With our carefree mood seriously damped, with our brush with the law.  We continued on our way towards the east coast.

     

    **Funny note.

    On arrival in Egilsstadir we pulled into a grocery for lunch provisions and a fillup-  While in the grocery we spied to trooper munching down on a hot dog—somehow I didn’t fee the urge to say “hi”.

     

     

    Highway One now not only changed direction ( we were heading south) but it also changed it personality.  Gone was the long straight stretch of smooth road by a crunch mix of lava gravel.  (this is the only section of the highway that is still not paved)  As we began our climb and our lengthy descent into the first of 5 fjords on our way to our final destination for the night Hopf

     

    Our decent into the first fjord was a 3000 ft switchback gravel road that had me hanging on for dear life with each turn,  It took 30 minutes to make it to the bottom—the views however were worth the effort.  With only one or two farms dotting the hillside- just us and the sheep to obstruct the view. 

     

    Now driving the fjords is a lengthy process and just cannot be rushed- we followed the contours of each fjord- long fingers that stretched out into the sea.  With only one road- we traced each of those fingers out and around- back to the inland side only to wind back out into the sea.  Huge sweeping vistas of ocean and amazing mountain landscapes rose and fell before us.  This road wend on for 100 miles and traveling at 34-45mpg the time we gained on the flats earlier were lost quickly as we carved our way south.  On one particularly spectacular stretch, we were greeted by a small herd of free range horses.  Since they appeared to be the only live creatures we had seen for hours- it seemed only right to pullover and meet the greeting committee.  Promptly the “gang” rushed over to meet us. At the edge of a low fence.  Jostling for position- they crowed in for a nose pat--  immediately it became clear that they each had different personalities. They peered at us thru their long owing manes, that draped seductively over their huge almond shaped big brown eyes.  Their small form and size make them very approachable and much less intimidating than the normal sized horses you commonly meet.  I only wish that I had had a crunchy snack to make their meet and greet worth their efforts.  One by one they came round- each coming in for a scratch.  It must get lonely for them.  Most of the Icelandic horses are turned out in the summers to roam “free” range on the huge farm steads.  They spend their summers munching on bright green grasses and the mountain bilberries that line the mountain slopes.  In fall, the farmers will round them up along with the sheep in huge corrals, marked, each owner will identify and then lead his herd home for the long winter ahead. 

     

    Now back in our car an on our way, it was close on 6pm when we rounded the final turn and the small southeast village of Hopf came into view.  We took a small detour to cruise the town on a scouting run for possible dinner options.  Compact and cheery the town of approx 6, 000 had a cute harbor and several dining establishments that looked promising.  Our lodging for the night lay, just a few miles out of town, off the main road.  The Foss Hotel Vatnjokull, had a cozy look and with 35 rooms, it was nestled between two large pastures with a stunning view of a glacier ice run in the distance,

    Once checked in, I just had to get out and go for a walk, so we decided to stretch our legs and soak in some of the scenery on foot.  Once again horses lay to the right and left as we walked the lane from the hotel to the main road.  The day had turned cloudless and the 7pmish sun was producing a rosy gold glow the landscape.  With a bit of “nip” in the air, we returned back to the hotel to evaluate the hotels restaurant.  Offering a predictable fare- we decided to return to the village of Hopf and try one of the livelier establishments.  We opted for a cheery packed “local” spot and within a short time were once again enjoying local Icelandic fish and a cold beer.  With an early morning ahead, now we have no time for late night partying.

     

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