Penguin and the Dolce Vida

Does Dolce Vida work for all of Italy or just one part? Have to admit, I do not know the answer to that.

Anyway, last month Penguin and I took a two and a half week rail trip through north-central Italy. We started in Lake Como and finished up in Assisi. It was a great time with some spectacular scenery.

The first stop was in Lake Como, noted for being the favorite holiday spot of the glitterati. It is so much more than a playground for the rich. The main city, Como, is lovely with some nice cafes and a stunning cathedral. This is where you will probably want to be based as it offers the best connections and services. It is worth spending a half a day.

There are myriad small towns around the lake, each with it’s own character. An excellent, albeit slow, ferry system connects the towns as does a decent bus system. I visited Bellagio, Varenna and Nesso. I stopped at a couple of others, but not for much longer than a ferry change. Bellagio is the most famous of the lake towns and was my least favorite. It is really a tourist trap and very crowded. It reminded me of those towns on an Alaskan Cruise where crappy shops hit you in the face as soon as you disembark. I would suggest skipping Bellagio. The nearby town of Menagio, just across the water, is rumored to be better, although ferry times didn’t allow me to visit.

The ferry ride itself is wonderful and scenic. The lake reminds you of fjords and the views of all the different towns never cease to impress. The towns Varenna and Nesso are both wonderful. Varenna has an amazing old villa (Villa Monastero) with beautiful gardens and stunning views of the lake. There are also old villas around town you can visit and the town waterfront is a great place to enjoy lunch and the views. Varenna easily warrants a full day. It is also one of the few towns where walking around is a relatively flat endeavor.

Nesso is a bit of a different experience. It is VERTICAL. You arrive lakeside where you can see a lovely bridge and a pretty little waterfall. If you want to see the town, you must climb. So, I climbed. At the top, you are rewarded with a lovely cafe and a stunning view. Up top, I walked along the road to see more of the area and then hopped a bus back to Como. Walking back DOWN the thing I had climbed up was not something my knees were up for.

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After getting back into town, I walked along the lake back to my hotel. There was speedboat race going on and this funny duck that kept trying to scratch himself. It occurs to me now that he may not have been well. I do hope he is, and that he finally got that itch.

Lake Como and her lovely towns warrant so much more than a few days. I would love to spend more time exploring farther up the lake. Another place to add to the list of return destinations. That list may be getting longer than the original bucket list.

After Como, I headed to Verona. I chose this town not because I had an overwhelming desire to see Verona but because it was conveniently located as a place to break up a train journey between Como and Cinque Terra.

Despite not being high on anyone’s list, Verona is lovely and I would recommend a visit. The city feels like a smaller version of Florence and Venice combined, and clearly has influences from both. There are several amazing churches to visit and the walk around town is nice. It also lacks the throngs of tourists that make so many other Italian locations unpleasant these days. I did NOT visit Juliet’s house as this is something just constructed for tourists.

Cinque Terra was the next stop and I have to tell you, I was underwhelmed. The towns are lovely, but there are SO MANY PEOPLE, and this was in October. I cannot even imagine what it must be like in high season. Also, the towns really all blend together. I was there for 4 days and it was a bit too much. I was able to visit Portofino as well, so that was a plus. I would say you could see absolutely EVERYTHING here in 3 days, including Portofino. You really don’t need that much time in each town.

Cinque Terra is actually a national park, although many people live and work there. It is famous for the beauty of the five towns (Cinque meaning five) and steepness of the hills on which the people have farmed for generations. Today, most of the commercial agriculture is viticulture and the local wines are lovely. The fourth picture in the slideshow below shows a vineyard on the impossibly steep hill. It might be worth it to return one day just to watch the harvest!!!

I stayed in La Spezia on the southern end of “the park” thinking it would make it easier to get around and offer better services than the smaller towns. I was right. I would recommend staying either in La Spezia in the south or Levanto in the north and then take the train and/or ferry to the different towns. If you only have one day, take the ferry . You will get much better views from the water. The train runs very frequently and it is very easy to get on and off. Get your tickets at any station. You can buy a day pass. The ferry sells single ticket or hop-on/off tickets. They are sold at the dock in each town. If you want to do the hike from between the towns (route closed due to a landslide at time of writing) you will need a permit which is available at any tourist office in any of the towns.

As I said, the views of the towns are best from the water and they ARE stunning. I can’t decide which one was my favorite. On my first day I got to Monterosso al Mare before sunrise which was wonderful. I really liked Riomaggiore.

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Since I had time, I also visited Portofino and I think I liked it better than any of the Cinque Terra towns. It is definitely a place geared for the wealthy, but in mid-October on an overcast day, it was lovely and calm. I enjoyed the walk through town and up to the church on the top of the hill. Penguin enjoyed seeing all the boats and being close to water.

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After the coast, I headed to what was my favorite stop on this trip: ASSISI (as in St Francis of…). It is twinned with my hometown of San Francisco and is even more of a challenge to walk up and down. Assisi is best known as a pilgrimage destination and definitely has a spiritual character. However, even non-religious and/or non-Catholics will appreciate the beauty of this old town on a hill. And, if the spirit moves you, there are plenty of places for quiet reflection and to ponder what St Francis means in 21st century life.

One of my best ideas on this stop was to get up before sunrise and enjoy the little city as it started to wake up. It also made for some of the best pictures. I love to walk around cities before dawn. It is gives you a different experience and you have the place almost to yourself!

The basilica itself is truly amazing, one of the most incredible churches I have EVER seen (and I have seen a LOT). Photos of the inside are not permitted, but I did manage to sneak a couple from the doorways. I understand why they are not permitted. During the pilgrimage period, with all the crowds, it would be a selfie stick nightmare. I am so happy I got to be there in the off season.

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The last stop in Italy was just a stopover: the mountain town of Domodossola. The town itself is nothing to get excited about. However, not far away is something worth seeing if you are in the area. In the town of Re there is an enormous church called the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Blood. (If you follow me on Instagram, you will remember I posted a picture of this church and said to check the blog for the story.) This is an enourmous structure in a very small town and there seems to be no reason why the church should be there. Well, it exists because of a miracle. In 1494 some boys throwing rocks at the local church when one hit a fresco of the Virgin Mary, called Nursing Madonna. The following morning, the Madonna in the fresco started to bleed and continued bleeding for 20 days. The church became a pilgrimage sight and was expanded and rebuilt several times. The church one sees today was completed in the mid 20th century. Local signage at the Sanctuary says the bleeding fresco is removed from the altar of the church every year on the anniversary of the miracle, so the faithful can experience it.

TRIP TIPS

1. In Como, try to arrive at the Como Lago train station and NOT the bigger San Giovani Station. Como Lago station is right in the center of where you want to be vs San Giovani, which is at the top of a steep hill accessible by stairs only (or car from the other side). See below map with arrow. There are direct trains to/from Como Lago and Milan.

2. The ferry company for Lake Como is the Navigazione Laghi. It operates year-round, but times differ by season. You will want to check the schedule in advance. You can find the information here: https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/risultati?lake=Como . However, times can change without notice, so only use the information as a guide. I do not recommend purchasing tickets in advance as the website is not very user friendly and information not very current. Just go REALLY EARLY (like 07:30) on the day you want to travel.

Review the map online of the route and plan where you want to go in advance. Have a backup in mind when you go to the ticket office. Your first ferry choice may be full.

As mentioned above, the ferries are SLOW. There is a fast boat which costs more. If you want to spend more time exploring the towns, the fast boat is your best option. When I visited October, 2022, you could ONLY purchase tickets on the fast boat the day-of and in person.

The buses run longer hours than the ferry. A good option is to take the ferry to the town you want to explore and then take the bus back. Bus stops are clearly marked in towns. Ask a local for help. Everyone here is very friendly and most speak at least a bit of English.

3. In Cinque Terra, you can travel by train or ferry. The train is the fastest and better for getting on and off to explore the towns. The ferry gives you the best views. If you only have one day (and you are staying in La Spezia), take the ferry and get off at one of the towns for lunch, explore a bit, and then return on by ferry. If you have two days, do both.

To purchase your tickets for the train go to: https://www.trenitalia.com/en/services/travel-around-5-terre.html . To purchase your ferry tickets online you can go to https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/boat-excursions ; however, it is easy to get them on the day.

If you are arriving in La Spezia on a cruise, book the earliest ferry (+/- 9am) in advance if possible. The cruise terminal is about 1/2 mile from the ferry stop over very easy FLAT pavement. This could save you some euro vs booking an excursion from the cruise line.

If you want to hike between the towns, check first if they are open by going to: https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/footpaths-cinqueterre . This site also has information about train and hiking fees, so it is probably a good source of information for planning. At time of writing, the cost for hiking was 7.50 euro/day, but only one path was open.

4. In Assisi, try to stay in the actual old town up on the hill. There is a good bus from the train station which runs every 30 minutes. Buy your ticket from tabak shop inside the station. The town with the train station is not very interesting and is a bit far from the sights. If you have a car, you can stay in the valley between the new city and the old, but I would not recommend it without a car. There are no amenities there so getting food or morning coffee.

The below map shows the bus route from the train station up to the hill and old city. Look for hotels near where the red stars are. The star on the left is the first stop just outside the city walls. There are a couple of hotels close to this stop but EVERYTHING from there is uphill. The star in the middle/top is the very last stop and is at the top of the hill. Everything from there is downhill. Keep in mind that all the streets are cobblestone. Only local cars are permitted inside the city walls. No rental cars. Also, it is unclear if taxis are allowed. I got mixed answers. The other stops along the blue line are just along the city wall and not ideal locations for a hotel.

Let’s Go Camping … in ICELAND

The title of this post became our mantra every time we were cold or were fighting with the sleeping area in the camper van. I went with my friend Deirdre (from Ireland) and we really did have a great time. A camper van is the best way to do Iceland if you want to see a lot and don’t want to spend a ton of Krona.

We started off in Akureyri, in the north of Iceland. Deirdre met me there when I got off the ship from Greenland. We walked around Akureyri for a bit and then headed out for a nine-night road trip along the East Coast of Iceland.

I am not going to write about the trip chronologically. That would be tedious and frankly almost impossible since most of the place names are (for us) unpronounceable and, when written, look like a bad Scrabble hand.

As I said, this was a road trip. The roads were generally good, but I didn’t do the driving. Every time we turned a bend, we were treated to scenery that was even more spectacular than before. The roads themselves seem to want to show you the beauty of this country.

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Iceland is the land of Fire & Ice. We didn’t get to the active volcanoes, but we did experience the effects of the “fire” in the thermal areas. Hot steam escapes from the earth creating an other-worldly landscape. This geothermal activity also gives Iceland about 99% of the energy it needs.

And in the south of the country, the energy escapes as water in the famed Geysir.

When researching this trip, there was one place I knew I wanted to go: Studlagil Canyon. It is a shallow canyon, but the basalt columns make it different from any other canyon you have ever seen. The river that runs through it is blue in the Spring, but we had to settle for the murky brown of Autumn. It was still incredible. Getting there is an all day detour from the coast road and requires a good walk from the parking area, but is definitely worth it. It’s location away from the main road and only being accessible by foot means no big tour buses. It does not, however, mean you will have the place all to yourself. The secret of this once hidden gem is out.

We happened upon another canyon during our drives. I don’t remember the name of it, but it was still impressive. Maybe Dierdre, when reading this post, will comment with the name. She took notes.

We got lucky to be there when the light was just about perfect.

Fjords aren’t something people always talk about when they sing Iceland’s praises. But they are there and they are stunning. Different than in Norway or New Zealand, but still stunning. The drive down to them was a bit harrowing and is not something Deirdre would like to repeat. We survived and were treated to magnificence.

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Waterfalls are what people talk about. There are a LOT of them; as many as 10,000 by some estimates. We certainly didn’t see even close to that many and I have not even included all the ones we did see. We did love them all, even the small ones.

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Godfoss
Skagafoss
Detifoss

Now, waterfalls are generally part of rivers. Rivers generally lead to the sea. In the Land of Fire & Ice, there is a glacier that calves in to a river which then carries large pieces of ice to the sea. Where this happens is called the Ice Lagoon. Even after seeing all the ice in Greenland, it was pretty cool!

The glacier that contributes all of this ice is enormous. In the picture below, look for the black dot just off the center, to the right of the floating blue ice. That is a zodiac boat. In case you are unfamiliar with zodiac boats, they are about 12 -15 feet (3.5 to 4.5 m) and about 7 feet (2.1 m) wide. Now, think about all that ice melting.

Believe it or not, there is more to Iceland then scenic splendor. The island’s most famous and loved inhabitants are the horses. They are small, sturdy and super friendly. In Iceland, they are long lived and relatively disease free. They have never had any predators, so they don’t spook easily. They enjoy protected status and no foreign horses are permitted in Iceland to maintain the purity of the line. Also, if an Icelandic horse every leaves Iceland it may not return. Pity the poor horse that wanted to explore and was never able to go home.. (Lisa M, I tried to bring one for you but it wouldn’t have been happy in my apartment until March)

On our final night camping, the island seemed to bid us farewell by treating us to an amazing moon. I can only describe it as a half-harvest moon. I had to scramble to get the gear set up to get the shot, but a couple came out. So with these snaps, I shall bid you a good night (or morning).

TRIP TIPS

It will take you longer than you think to drive between places. Distances look close but the speed limit is low (80kmh/48mph MAX). The roads, while good, are small, country, two lane roads with lots and lots of bends. You will also be stopping a lot to enjoy the views and take pictures. Budget your time accordingly. We did nine days and 1/2 the coastal parts of the country.

Do not EVEN THINK about going into the interior of the country without 4WD and the appropriate tires. There are signs telling you what types of vehicles are permitted on what roads. They are there for your safety.

There are many campervan rental outfits in Iceland. We chose CampEasy, since they were the most affordable. I am glad we did not go for the smallest option as this one was was a tight fit. It was fine for two people, although they advertise it as sleeping 4 (no idea how that would work). Look carefully at the pictures of the van you are considering and think about how you will all fit for sleeping and/or dining in bad weather. Get the largest one your budget can handle.

Google Maps works well in Iceland. There is no need to rent a GPS. Do download the map of Iceland to your phone for the few places there is no signal. You will get a good 4G signal in most parts of the main road.

Possibly the best sandwich to be had in Iceland is available from the langoustine truck in the parking lot of the Ice Lagoon. They do a gluten free version as well by putting all the good stuff in a bowl. Who needs bread when you have a bowl full of langoustine. Here is their website: https://heimahumar-local-langoustine-iceland.food96.com/

Watch your speed in all areas. There are speed cameras everywhere. It’s how they pay for the good roads. You don’t want to get a fine on your credit card after you get home.

There are two large grocery chains: Netto & Bonus. Netto is the better stocked chain with global brands. Bonus is cheaper but I didn’t see much in the way of fresh produce. There is a Netto in almost every town. Gluten Free options are easily found in Netto.

Wine, beer and spirits are ONLY available at the government run Vinbudin. Opening hours vary by town but rarely include weekends and almost always end by 5 or 6 pm. Plan ahead.

Campsites range in quality from horrific to quite nice. Google lists them with a little “tent” icon on the map. Look at the star rating and read the reviews. Almost all have kitchen facilities which are much better than cooking on the little burner thing that comes with your van. Campsites can also fill up, especially in summer. Try to pull in early, between 5 & 6pm, and get your spot in the kitchen.

If you have all the time in the world and want to bring your own car or camper, there IS a way to do it. There is a ferry from Denmark that stops first in the Faroe Islands and then continues to Iceland. It’s not cheap, but it is doable. I am thinking about the Faroe Islands in the future. Here’s the link to the ferry company: https://en.smyrilline.fo/

Dresden and an Amazing Park

Let me just say first, I really liked Dresden. It’s got a great vibe about it and is very easy to walk around. I can’t quite put my finger on what is so great. It’s fairly modern, since it was pretty much leveled during the war, but there are some reconstructed old buildings and churches to keep it interesting. The people are friendly and there are a ton of little cafes for coffee or wine. It’s one of those cities you could keep going back to just because…

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As I said, the city was pretty much flattened by Allied bombing during WWII. To add insult to injury, after war, the city was in the East, and did not get much assistance to rebuild. I’m pretty sure the GDR received no funds from the Marshall Plan and the Soviets sure as sh#t weren’t going to help the Germans. Knowing all of that, it’s amazing how far the city has come since reunification in 1990.

The stunning Dresden Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady, in central Dresden was destroyed by Allied bombs. From the end of the war until reunification, the rubble of the destroyed church lay in Dresden as a memorial. Reconstruction began in 1992 and used as many of the old, burned stones as possible. You can see them in the exterior of the church (picture in slide show below). The black stones are the old ones. When the church was rebuilt, the mangled cross from the dome was put inside as a memorial (and reminder). The cross that adorns the dome today was donated by the British. It was a British bomb that destroyed the church in 1945. Today, I think the church stands as a testament to peace, understanding and forgiveness.

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One of the best things on this stop was outside the city: The gorgeous Saxon Switzerland National Park. The park is on the border of Germany and the Czech Republic and is definitely worth a visit. I would have loved to have spent more time there. It is supposed to be stunning in Autumn, so I will have to make a plan to return for longer hikes in cooler temps. While Penguin did love being in nature, the heat was a little much for him. He, too, would like to return during a cooler time of the year.

Two of the days I was in Dresden were two of the hottest days of the year, 98F/36.5C and 101/38.3C. As I type this, we are in another heatwave. In Belgium, yesterday it hit 95F/35C and today it could reach 103F/39.4C. Europe is broiling, literally. I read yesterday that a runway melted at Luton airport in the UK. I am glad I bought that portable AC unit in April.

There should be some fun and interesting posts coming up in the next few weeks. Stay tuned and happy travels.

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TRIP TIPS

I used an online tour company to visit Saxon Switzerland Park. This is a good option if you are solo and don’t want to rent a car. The only problem with this approach is you have to follow someone else’s plan and you can only stay one day. If you have more time, rent a car and see more of the park. There are several options inside the park. If you want to stay in a town, Bad Schandau is a great option.

If you are going to go hiking and need any outdoor gear, there is a great shop in Dresden: Globetrotter Equipment. It is a German chain, similar to REI in the USA. The Dresden location is: Prager Str. 10, 01069 Dresden, Germany

Czech Republic

Prague alon the river — ***^{Prague, along the Vltava River}***

My final rail adventure of the Spring/Summer was to the Czech Republic and Dresden, Germany. When I first started planning the rail journey for June, Poland was on the itinerary. After what happened in in neighboring Ukraine, I figured the Polish people have more important things to deal with than tourists. I also didn’t want to take a bed that might be better used for someone fleeing violence. I’ve waited years to see Poland and I look forward to visiting in the near future.

After years of wanting to see Prague, I admit I was a bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong. The city IS stunningly beautiful. However, like so many places, it has suffered from its own fame and over tourism. Every street is packed with tourists, many of them stumbling and yelling after too many cheap beers in the city’s myriad bars. Every other shop is selling the exact same crappy tourist schlock that was made in China. Nothing felt Czech and I often felt like I was at a frat party at Epcot.

Even with the crowds and rowdy tourists, there are some great parts of the city. The architecture is stunning. Prague survived WWII with little bombing (Allies did mistake Prague for Dresden a couple of times) so almost every building warrants a gaze and possibly a photograph.

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The Charles Street Bridge is the famous one you see all the pictures of. The bridge is lined with incredible statues, mostly religious, and affords wonderful views of the city. There are always people there, but luckily it wasn’t jammed the day I went. This is one of the places where it would have been great to take a tour. Learning more about these statues would have been great. Can anyone tell me what the lettering on the Christ statue says? I can’t tell if it is Hebrew or Aramaic and yes, the latter would make more sense.

The Prague Castle is the crown jewel of the city and is said to be the largest castle compound in Europe. Within the compound walls there are streets, chapels, palaces of the nobility and a very impressive cathedral. The palace you can visit (separate entry ticket from the castle) is the Lobkowicz palace ( https://www.lobkowicz.cz/en/lobkowicz-palace ), which has an amazing history: twice confiscated by governments (first the Nazi’s then the Communists) and now back in the hands of the American descendants. The entire castle compound has been restored and takes an entire day to really see. You can buy your ticket online or at the ticket office on site. See trip tips, below.

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One of my favorite things in Prague was the walk DOWN the hill from the castle. More churches and more amazing views and architecture.

After four days in Prague, I hopped a sloooow train to Cesky Krumlov, one of the prettiest cities in the Czech Republic. And, keeping in Czech form, it has a great Castle.

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The history of the town is fairly calm, by European standards. Today, it has protected status and is truly a delightful city to walk around. Definitely spend time walking around the inside of the castle and the walled paths. If you are short on time, you can bypass the gardens. They have not gotten the same attention as the grounds. Also, close your eyes when walking past the bears. It might spoil your day.

My last stop in the Czech Republic was Karlovy Vary. I have no pictures as there really wasn’t much to photograph. I was told it was a favorite destination of Russian tourists and it has clearly suffered a lot over the past few years. A lot of it reminded me of the downtown’s of cities in the US south in the 80’s; before urban renewal. You can tell it was once a nice place to go but now it’s run down and a bit creepy.

If you are wondering about Penguin. He is fine. He was on the trip but the heat was too much for him. He hung out in the hotel and enjoyed hearing about each day from the comfort of air conditioning. He had a great time in Dresden at the Saxon Switzerland Park, our next stop.

TRIP TIPS

Buy your tickets for the Prague castle online and in advance. Click here for Castle Ticket info. The tickets are good for two days so you can take your time.
Do not use trains to get around the Czech Republic. They are infrequent and PAINFULLY slow. Connections in/out of Prague are fine but outside of that, you could ride a bike faster. I was traveling on a Rail Pass, which I now know is NOT a good plan. Take the bus. FlixBus ( click here )is Europe Wide and I have heard good things about it. My friend Cathy just took it and had good things to say about it. As on the train, keep an eye on your belongings.
In Prague, I stayed in a great Aparthotel called Orea Place Seno. Super nice staff and lovely studio apartments. The AC worked well, too. I would definitely recommend it.
The Hop-on/Hop-off bus is not worth it here. The trams are easy, efficient and cheap. You can take a trap UP to the castle and then walk down.

Scenic Rails in Switzerland

Bernina Express in Alp Grum — *_{The Bernina Express train near Alp Grum in the Swiss Alps}*

I‘m on the top of the wor-ld, lookin’ down on creation….. That song went through my head a lot while I was in Switzerland.

After our time in Alsace (FR), we headed for Switzerland. Fresh air, Mountain views…Ahhh. We took the Bernina Expess and the Glacier Express. These two train rides are considered among the most scenic in the world and are part of a network of scenic trains. On my next visit, which will be during winter months, I can connect all the scenic trains and see all the mountains. Can’t wait!

The Bernina Express connects the towns of CHUR and TIRANO (in Italy). I got off the train in Poschiavo, still in Switzerland.

Chur itself doesn’t have much that is terribly interesting, but it is a big enough town that you can get in and out on regular trains to see the surrounding areas. One of things that is close by and fabulous is the Rhine Gorge. It is called the “Grand Canyon of Switzerland” which I think is a bit inaccurate. This gorge IS amazing, but it is alpine and the Grand Canyon is desert. Anyway, It still loved it and loved the hike around it.

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After Chur I took the train to Poschiavo. This is a great little town. It’s in Switzerland, but the language and culture are all Italian. It is situated on a beautiful lake which made for nice walks. I loved everything about this little town and hope to visit again some day (again, when there is snow). From Poschiavo you can go back up in to the mountains to see the view you rode past on the way down. If you ever take the Bernina express, make mental notes of the towns that looked nice then go back on the local train.

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Close to Poschiavo is the wonderful Glacier Garden at Cavaglia. The local canton (Swiss for county) have spent a fortune making this place accessible and easy to visit. It’s only open in the summer months and as you walk around you understand why. It would be TREACHEROUS in ice.

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The mountains of Switzerland are truly amazing. I would have loved to have been there a month earlier for more snow views. I hope to return to see the areas in all their winter glory some day soon.

TRIP TIPS

Switzerland is VERY expensive. Your best option in this stunning country is self catering lodging; AirBnB or Aparthotels. Save money by cooking in your hotel. Even the simplest of lunches will run you $35/person. COOP is the local chain and I found most of them to be quite good.

Switzerland does not use the Euro. If you have a Euro debit/credit card, check foreign transaction fees before using.

The scenic trains like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express are lovely and have big, panoramic windows. However, they do not open. Taking a local train won’t have the same amenities, but you can open the windows to get better pictures. I think the best way to do this, if you have time, is to take the panoramic train and make notes then take a local train, getting on an off in the places that looked the nicest.

Walk Like an Egyptian

Penguin at the Great Pyramid — ***Penguin at Pyramid***

At the beginning of January, a friend posted one of those silly little quiz or question things on Facebook. It said something like, “whatever was the number one song the week of your 21^st birthday will be your motto for the year. Mine was, believe it or not, Walk Like an Egyptian. I arrived in Egypt a few days after that FB post for two weeks of nonstop travel with the Smithsonian. Never has a stupid internet post been so appropriate; well, at least not for me.

Cairo defines sensory overload. It is all at once noisy, spiritual, dirty, and beautiful. The never ending din of sirens, car horns and construction equipment create a kind of white noise that is somehow soothing. Over this cacophony, five times a day, the chant of call to prayer reminds you of the mysticism of this magical place. I can’t say I loved Cairo, but it did feel oddly familiar.

Islam is the primary faith of Egypt, but there are a number of Christians (Coptic) as well. Old Cairo shows its Coptic history with pride. There is even a significant Jewish population, but the old synagogue is currently closed for restoration.

But, let’s face it. We don’t visit Cairo for the beautiful mosques and churches. We come for the Pyramids. They do not disappoint. These structures, the only remaining wonders of the ancient world, were built over 4,500 years ago!!! Standing in front of them and walking around them simply takes your breath away.

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One benefit of travel during a pandemic is we had them ALMOST to ourselves. And before you get snarky, no I did not photoshop out the other tourists. I will also say that our amazing guide knew how to get us around to avoid crowds.

After a couple of days in Cairo, we boarded a pre-dawn flight (the first of several) to Aswan. Although we were now south of Cairo, we were in UPPER Egypt. It’s seemingly backwards because the Nile flows north.

The Nile created Egypt. The fertile land around its banks and established by the annual floods allowed an Empire to flourish for nearly three thousand years. Today, it’s waters are used both for sustenance and power but also for transport and recreation.

I loved the colorful boats that ferry people back and forth.

The feluccas, still an important mode of transport, are beautiful to see and fun to sail on.

This young boy followed us on a few trips.

The birds that also call the river their home made me happy each time I saw them.

I went out one day on our Nile cruise early in the morning to capture birds and was treated to baloons.

_If_{I ever get back to Egypt, I’m gonna take one of those balloon rides.}

Along the Nile are the temples and we visited a-LOT of them. Philea, Kom Ombo, Karnak, Abu Simbel, Luxor, the list goes on. We also went to Valley of the Kings and visited some more pyramids. I will save all that for the next post since I have to get myself organized to move in to my new apartment on Tuesday. It’s all very exciting!!!

Have a good weekend.

Sunrise along the Nile. January 2022 — ***_{Sunrise along the Nile with Date Palms}***

Botswana – It’s for the birds

Well, not completely. There are other animals and stunning scenery too. But, it is the birds that really impress in the Okavango Delta.

In the delta, we stayed at a wonderful camp/lodge called Mopiri Camp. I don’t often give a plug for businesses here, but this camp (glamping for sure) was so spectacular that I want others to be able to experience it as well. It is part of a small Botswanan group of lodges and camps under the name of “Roots & Journeys“. I only stayed at Mopiri but if the other properties are half as good, they will still be wonderful.

One of my favorite feathered friends was the Malachite Kingfisher. So colorful and difficult to capture in photos. They don’t stay still for very long.

Another stunner is the Bee Eater. He blends in perfectly with the grasses, so he is also difficult to both see and shoot. I got a couple, but nothing great.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Maranbou Stork. He’s one of the UGLY 5, and probably sits at the top of the list. Poor guy. We will see him again in Uganda.

Up until arriving in Botswana, I had only ever seen photos of the Spoonbill and always wanted to see one live. They are all over the delta and are as goofy looking as I thought they would be. You have to wonder what evolutionary advantage that bill gives him.

The Yellow Billed Stork likes to wade around with his bill in the water hoping something will swim in. Since there are lots of these birds, the strategy must work.

There are several types of egrets, but they all look the same to me. That does’t meat I didn’t love them all.

Clearly, the egrets are all smart, since they have figured out how to hitchhike on the buffalo and stay away from elephant feet.

I have no idea what this next bird is called. I even googled it. No luck. Don’t you think he’s one of the most interesting birds you’ve seen? If you know what he’s called, please comment. Also, what do you think those yellow things are for?

And here are some of the other birds in the Okavango.

The Okavango was also the first time I had seen papyrus growing. I knew it was a grass, but didn’t know it grew in water. It’s really quite beautiful.

The water lilies were also stunning.

In addition to the wonderful birds, there were some other wonderful animals. Lions, Elephants, and even a Crocodile.

And in case you were concerned, our little penguin enjoyed Botswana. He liked the fact that there was water everywhere and it would be harder for other creatures to eat him.

The next stop in the journey is Rwanda.

Zimbabwe – Victoria Falls

Some of you may already know this. Zimbabwe is in a state of true economic collapse. There is no money in the banks and no petrol at the gas stations. Mugabe was ousted in 2017 but his lovely legacy remains.

There are no farms to feed the people and no money to import anything. There used to be farms, but Mugabe’s unique system of Agrarian reform left fields to fallow…for a long time… We met a lovely woman who hosted our group for dinner. She grows her own food in her garden, which is the size of a normal urban garden.

So, you may wonder…How do people pay for things? Well, there is a local version of Bitcoin meets Veemo. This works okay for the locals, but is less convenient for tourists. Up until the week before we arrived, the US$ and the SA Rand were both accepted. They were outlawed just before we got there. COOL, right???? Thank goodness for global credit cards. I started having flashbacks to my days in Brazil with fictitious currencies (all hail the UFIR) and hyperinflation.

We met our new guide Patience at the Vic Falls airport. She is an angel and was perfectly named by her parents. She taught us a new phrase/acronym/word. T.I.A. This Is Africa. Basically, it means all sorts of shit is going to drive you nuts but you just have to suck it up. T. I. A. baby.

Despite the terrible situation in this country, the people are so very nice. Too nice. I asked Patience why the people weren’t rioting in the streets. “We don’t do that,” was the response. Hey Zimbabwe, I have some people on Hong Kong you need to meet. In the meantime, please pray to your favorite diety for the welfare of the Zimbabweans. I really did love them.

So, as the title of this post suggests, we were in Victoria Falls. One of the 7 natural wonders of the world. Can you name the other six? No Google cheating.

The falls are incredible. HOWEVER, photographing them is a challenge. The volume of water is no large and so strong, that there is an almost constant mist everywhere. The mist is so strong in some places that the guides hand out rain ponchos. Despite the challenge, I did manage a few good shots.

The best views of the falls actually came from the air. I am getting used to helicopters now.

The following day I woke up at dawn to go back to the falls in an attempt to capture a few long exposure shots. The mist was somehow stronger and I ended up with a lot of “raindrops” on my lens. I did get a couple of good shots.

Lisa M., does this remind you of Multnomah falls?

On this same day, my new friends Dan & Helen and I went on a bridge tour. We walked on the catwalk under this bridge, which was built 100 years ago. So very cool.

After our death-defying tour, we decide to walk to Zambia to see the falls from that side. TOTALLY worth it, assuming you got your Zambian visa together with your Zimbabwe visa. We did, so off we strode, across the bridge once again to another country. Quite the experience navigating an land border between two African countries with no tour guide, but we had fun. And, the Rainbow Falls section on the Zambian side was breathtaking.

So, folks, Vic Falls is definitely worth a visit if you are on this continent. And, make sure you check out both sides of the falls.

South Africa 1.0

South Africa is an amazing place, from the beauty and vibrancy of Cape Town to the game reserves in the eastern part of the country.

Cape Town is truly a world class city. Stunning scenery, gorgeous gardens, and a fabulous food and wine scene. One really needs a week to truly experience the city and surrounding areas. Unfortunately, I only had a few days.

My first day, I went to the game reserve of Inverdoorn. I am glad I did it because I got to practice with the new camera, but if you are visiting the country and planning to go east, you can skip the reserves near the Cape. Still, I managed to get a few choice pics.