Winter Trip 2014-2015 (Bernau)

Bernau

After just a few days in Amsterdam, Diane and I went to visit my cousin, Erika. She lives in Bavaria, in the small town of Bernau. It was a few degrees cooler there than Amsterdam with a bit more snow on the ground.

   She didn't really come to pick us up in this horse buggy - her BMW was around the corner.

            Bernau is adjacent to the Chiemsee, a large lake with islands and castles.

            Taking a break from the cold with a cup of Gluhwein (hot and spicy wine).

                                                     

                One of the lovely villages we drove through on our way to Berchtesgaten

On one of the full days we were there, we drove about an hour east to a place called Berchtesgaten, a national park but also a lovely village. On the way there, we drove through picturesque small villages and spotted lots of people skiing, some downhill, but most were cross-country skiers.

                        Erika and Diane 

                                                 At Konigssee (King's Sea)

                                                   At Berchtesgaten village.

                                        A walk through Berchtesgaten village

           At Berchtesgaten, there was a stairway upwards that pleaded to be walked....

           It provided beautiful panoramic views of the the village and the surrounding Alps.

    A typical Bavarian lunch entre - Weisswurst, a pretzel, sweet mustard and a glass of wine.

      After a brief but fun stay in Bernau, it was time to get back on the train to Munich.

Winter Trip 2014-2015 (Paris)

Paris

We arrived in Paris the day after Christmas on an AirFrance flight directly from LAX. The plane was one of those giant Airbus 380's. Quite impressive.

We spent a week with Meredith, Elliot and Isla at a comfortable Airbnb flat near the Bastille, a bustling neighborhood located close to all we needed - cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, shops, metro and on. We took walks, saw a few of the Paris sights, enjoyed baguettes, cheeses and wines. We had some nice dinners at home and also had meals out. 

In spite of the cool temperatures (as low as 1C), we had a wonderful stay in Paris (and of course unbeknownst to us, the tragic turn of events that were to occur a week or so later).

                                 Living room and dining area of the flat.

                            On one of our walks through the city, behind us is the Sarbonne.

                                               Waiting for the metro

   Jim Morrison's grave at Peche Lachaise Cemetery

                                 Stopping for some refreshments with Isla.

   The Champs Elysee near the Arc de Triomphe was crowded just before New Year's Eve.

    We weren't the only ones with the idea to visit 

     to the Sacre Coeur Basilica on New Year's Day.

          A stroll along the Champs Elysee with a few other revelers on New Year's Day.

               Getting ready to board the Thalys high-speed train (Paris to Amsterdam).

2014 - Cancun and Merida

Cancun Trip - 2014

This year's trip, besides staying at the Omni for a week, we decided to venture out to Merida as well. In Cancun, we had a room on one of the top floors, with a good view of the white sandy beach below. It was great just sitting on the balcony listening to the surf and watching the clouds go by. But we did manage to take a couple of fun, day-long excursions.

Rio Secreto was first. The secret river trip was thoroughly enjoyable and exciting. We planned it on our own, not with a tour operator. It required an early start from the hotel by public bus to the ADO bus station, downtown Cancun. From there we took another bus that dropped us off at the front entrance to the park. It did take a while to get there because the bus often stopped to drop off or pick up new passengers. In all, it took about two hours.

Since we could not bring cameras, none of these photos are mine.

After checking in, we and several other tourists were driven inland to cabanas where we were furnished wet suits and booties. There was clean and comfortable dressing room. Once suited, we were given helmets with headlamps and, for those who wanted them, walking sticks. With our female Russian tour guide, we proceeded to walk through a jungle path for a couple of hundred yards and came upon a Mayan man, who performed a short ritual to the gods of the underworld, dousing each of us with a smoky, sweet smelling incense. We were now ready to proceed into the cave.

Shortly after entering the cave we encountered the ankle-deep water of the underground river. As we got deeper into the cave, the river also became deeper. The cave was pitch black with only our headlamps and our tour guide's flashlight. 

We were soon surrounded by beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. Stalactites, the ones that hang from the cave's ceiling, look like icicles. Our guide explained that stalactites grow from water and calcium seeping through the limestone. Once inside the cave, the drips of water and calcium form a stalactite. It grows very slowly - about an inch every 250 years. Then, with water drops from the stalactites falling on the ground, the deposits create a stalagmite. Over time, some will form a cone-like shape high enough to meet the stalactite to form a what's known as a column. We saw several examples of the columns.

The tour only encompassed a small part of the twenty mile long cave. At times we had to swim through deep areas while at other times we walked on hard ground, always being cautious not to touch our delicate surroundings. 

We spent about two hours walking, wading and swimming through the cave. It was a fascinating adventure. Afterwards, they fed us a tasty Mexican lunch comprised of chicken, rice, beans, a cactus vegetable and fruit. 

The other tour we took while we were in Cancun was to Isla Contoy, a small island about an hour and a half north of Cancun. Isla Contoy is a marine reserve that has lots of bird life, as well as marine life.

Bird's eye view of Isla Contoy.

The boat trip was pretty rough due to strong winds and choppy seas. For those daring the upper deck seats, we got a good soaking. But it was warm - no problema! On our approach to the lee of the island, we were greeted by pristine white sandy beaches and crystal clear water.

A beautiful white sandy beach in Isla Contoy.

After docking we went for a walking tour of the narrow island. We visited one of the areas that frigate birds use for mating and nesting and saw some of the male birds with their engorged orange throat sacks that they use to attract the females. Another  interesting fact about frigate birds - they can stay aloft for a week with no food and water (and they are able to sleep while flying).

A friendly local iguana keeping an eye on me.

In the afternoon we lunched on barbecued fish, chicken, rice, beans, and salad. After the lunch settled a bit, we went snorkeling. Although we saw a variety of sea life, the highlight to me was seeing a 3-4 foot grouper that must have weighed hundreds of pounds.

On the docks of Isla Contoy.

Our return to Cancun was faster and smoother than on the way over. It had been another fun-filled adventure. 

After spending a week in the Cancun area we headed for Merida. To get there we took the ADO bus. It was about a four hour trip. The bus was a luxury class and offered movies with head phones, drinks and bathrooms. 

Our hotel, del Perigrino, was a twenty minute walk from the bus station, near the center of Merida. It was a friendly, comfortable and well located place, with a wholesome buffet breakfast.

Merida Cathedral

Palacio del Gobernador

Besides being the capital of the Yucatan, Merida is central to the Mayan culture. Since we were there for only four days, we opted to spend our days in town, rather than go on day-long side trips. We visited museums, cathedrals, parks, mercados, the nearby beach town of Progresso and attended an evening Mayan cultural dance.

Along the beach front in Progresso.

A delicious "Pescado Frito" dinner in Progresso.

Typical Mayan seat arrangement.

The Grand Square in Merida.

Colorfully painted buildings line streets of Merida.

An outside hallway in Casa de los Montejo museum.

The dining room in Casa de los Montejo museum.

At the hotel, we encountered lots of friendly and interesting fellow travelers from the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands and Germany. After our four day stay, we took the bus back to Cancun. We stayed at a downtown hotel, El Rey del Caribe, where we had stayed before. The following day we flew home.

Diane chilling with her iPad in a hammock at El Rey del Caribe.

At High Speed on the Audubon

Audubon Fund Raiser at the Halter Ranch Winery

This past weekend we went to a fund raiser for the Audubon Society with our friends, Darren, Jen and her mom. The event was held at Halter Ranch Winery in Paso Robles and offered a tour of the winery and its caves, wine, food and an auction.

Surprisingly, the president of Audubon, David Yarnold, attended the function. He gave an inspiring, yet brief, pep talk about the organization's history and mission. It's all about birds - saving them from extinction, which dates back to over 100 years ago.

It was an inspiring evening with lots of good conversation, food and wine. The Halter Winery itself inspiring, offered glimpses into what can be accomplished when the desire and money are there to build a state of the art winery that uses sustainable farming techniques.

The covered bridge leading to the winery.

Walking up to the winery actually takes you past a private mile-long airfield.

                                                        Their cave is state of the art and runs deep into the hills.

Part of their fermentation and aging facility.

    

Their multi-level crushing facility utilizes gravity flow whenever possible.

Besides gravity flow, the winery utilizes several other green techniques to keep the winery cool and for water conservation.

Lots of good food.

The president of Audubon, David Yarnold and the special guest, a brown pelican.