Aruba – One Happy Island

Aruba’s travel slogan  is “One Happy Island”.  I certainly was happy to visit Aruba again.  We visited Aruba on our first cruise in 2005.  However, we only did a little shopping and then I took a snorkeling excursion, so did not get to see much of the island.  For this stop, I booked a tour for us with Sonny Binns, a highly recommended tour guide.  Sonny definitely did not disappoint.  He was knowledgeable and engaging.  He had a small bus with room for 25 passengers.  This was the perfect size.  He took us to several sights on the island.  In between stops, he filled us in on Aruba history, customs and daily life.  One of the stops was to pick up some refreshments at a local grocery. Sonny advised trying the local beer. Dee and I decided to use the opportunity to see if we could find some distilled water.   After walking all over the store looking for distilled water, Sonny helped us find it. Who would have guessed it was in the auto supplies aisle!   On this island, they only use distilled water for car batteries.

At the end of our tour, Sonny dropped me and another tour attendee at one of the beautiful beaches, Eagle Beach.  He told us how to get the bus back to the cruise dock.  The beach was beautiful, with crystal clear turquoise water and soft, soft sand.  It was not crowded.  The only negative was my cellphone stopped working – I thought maybe it was too hot and humid. Needless to say, it never did work again.  It was not until we returned home that it was replaced.  One really learns how dependent one is on this little bit of technology when one is without it.  I had to buy a watch in order to tell time.

Arriving in Aruba

Dee and Steve (Mike with hat behind them) waiting to go ashore in Aruba

Our tour guide Sonny Binns

Collapsed Natural Bridge, Aruba

Beautiful Eagle Beach Aruba.

High Tea and Halloween at Sea

Our second sea day was much like the first.  On this day Dee and I decided we wanted to try the afternoon tea.  I am not sure what I expected, but it was enjoyable.  The wait staff all had white gloves on.  The tables were set up in groups of 8.  The two of us were seated with some nice people who we enjoyed chatting with.  Most of the tea attendees were women, although there were some adventurous men there also.  The wait staff served us hot tea out of shiny pots.  Then they brought around platters of all sorts of hors d’oeuvres – mini sandwiches, quiches and other such things.  Finally, they brought around the goodies; sweets of all types to tempt our palate. Mmmmm good!

This day was also Halloween.  I was curious whether there would be any revelry for the day.  During the day it was just like any other day with the only nod to the day was a fall display with carved pumpkins in the atrium.  Later at dinner some of the passengers came to dinner in costume.  There were also a few ship crew dressed in costumes with the ship photographer capturing the guests with these costumed crazies.  We had our pic snapped with Beetlejuice and some scary dame.  I would share the pic with you, but do not have my copy of it yet.   Later in the evening there was a costume party, but it was at 10 pm and past our bedtime. 🙂

Later we tried to go to a show, but it there was no room.  Instead we spent a little bit of time making our contributions to the ship’s casino.

Coral Princess Atrium

Early Morning clouds and Caribbean Sea.

Sea Days – The Ultimate in Relaxation

The other 2 cruises we have been on were what is called “port intensive” where we were in a different port every day except for the last day.  That kind of itinerary is not always relaxing. This cruise we had 5 sea days. I was very much looking forward to this.  A sea day is much more relaxing.  We would start our day with room service coffee for Mike and fruit for me.  Then later after sitting out on the balcony (or veranda, if you want to be snobby) enjoying the morning breezes with Dee and Steve, we would go to the dining room for breakfast. Ah what fun to have the waiters hold out our chairs, place our napkins in our laps and bring around trays of croissants and pastries while waiting for our breakfasts.

After breakfast the day was open for any activity.  Some of the options available on our first day – Bingo; make a poster; learn line dancing; movies; lectures; shopping highlights and a scavenger hunt.  However, the rest of the group decided to forego these delightful offering to enjoy napping the day away, while I  chose to go to the pool.    There were 2 pools, the Lido pool which was open to the elements and the Lotus Pool which was covered.  I went to the Lido pool.  I believe we were passing thorough the passage between the Florida Keys and Cuba at this time.  It was very HOT!   The pool was very COLD!  I heard someone comment that the Lotus pool was warmer.  As I discovered later, this was definitely the case.

That evening was the first formal night.  We dressed in all our finery and enjoyed a wonderful dinner.

Sea Day #2 – Repeat  Sea Day #1 without the dress up at dinner. Very relaxing.  I am now a big fan of sea days.  The photos are of evening of day 1 and sunrise day 2.

No sunset due to storm following us. Dramatic sky.

Sunrise day 2 at sea bound for Aruba.

Newest Adventure – Canal Journey- Part 1 Departure

As if I haven’t had all the travel adventure I can handle in 2014, we planned an adventure for  a Partial Transit Panama Canal on the beautiful Coral Princess cruise ship.  We ( hubby and I) headed to Ft. Lauderdale with our good friends Dee and Steve a day early at the end of October.  We flew Jetblue for the first time.  Very nice.  Mike was happy with the leg room in the basic coach seats.  They had Direct TV available to watch if you wanted. This kept Mikey occupied and out of trouble.   We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn near the airport, a very nice hotel. There was a free shuttle that took us to a restaurant for dinner (Rustic Inn -great for Crabs). They also took us to the KMart for some last minute supplies that we did not want to bring on the plane.

The next morning we caught the early shuttle to the cruise port. Because we were traveling with a wheelchair we did not have to wait in line and were able to check in right away.  Once through security, I had to take the wine to the wine table to get approved.  After a circular exchange with an untrained ship waiter about the number of bottles I had with me (2), the allowed number per passenger (1),  the number of passengers present (1) the other passenger across the room, the corkage fees that I and the others in line knew we did not have to pay, I took my bottles without the required stamp and met up with the rest of the group in the waiting area.  After a short wait, we were able to board around 12:30.  We quickly found our rooms and then went to get lunch at the buffet.

After lunch it was time for a nap.  We woke up in time to see the sailaway out of Ft Lauderdale.  We toasted our departure with champagne (bottle #1 of the wine).

Mike opening champagne

June’s Destination

 

Every summer since 1982 has been dedicated to an annual family reunion in Taylorville, IL, my father’s birthplace. We determined the official start of the Buckner reunion was for my Aunt Joyce and Uncle Wilbur’s 25th Wedding anniversary in August 1982. Prior to that whenever my parents visited my grandmother, there was an unofficial gathering of the clan. My grandmother or aunt would tell all that Henry and Marian were coming. Those who could, travelled to visit. In 1982, all 5 siblings were there, which did not always happen, so this was deemed a “Buckner Reunion”. Other family from far and wide were there also. I rode with my parents and we picked up my Uncle Ben in Columbus, OH. The trip was memorable as I travelled with a dozen red roses in a vase from my boyfriend and now husband, Mike. Our engagement was not public knowledge at the time. When my Aunt Joyce saw the roses, she exclaimed “so when’s the wedding?” Could not tell her that it was in the works, but I said that she may want to keep her next June open. I believe that the 1983 reunion was at Mike and my wedding. After that the reunion coincided with the Huffmaster family reunion. This is my grandmother’s line – the descendants of William Huffmaster born in 1929. Eventually, it moved to late June once my grandmother was no longer up to going to the Huffmaster gathering. My aunt Joyce kept notes (minutes) of all the fun that was had beginning in 1982. She continues that tradition to this day. At least once during each reunion we refer to the notes for some confirmation of some bit of trivia or a date. Now 32 years later, we are still gathering annually. The reunion is usually the last Saturday in June and we meet at my aunt’s place. Now we have moved from her cooking it all, to catering the meat and the sides and dessert provided by my generation and the next generation. Everyone chips in some cash to cover expenses. (Which reminds me I owe AJ some $) Our sides tend to have some repeats because of requests – potato salad (a group effort to make); Lucy’s chinese style slaw with crunchy Ramen noodles. I was supposed to make a dessert, but there was so much food, I ended up not making it. Maybe next year. I am not giving out the recipe until I get to make it! Part of our time is also spent discussing some of our more colorful ancestors and whether I have any new discoveries in the genealogy I have been researching off and on since 1991.

The above photo is from 2011

Weather Delays Journey Home

When we departed our hotel Tuesday morning, unbeknown to us there was a huge storm in our region of Germany.  We arrived at the train station to find the train was cancelled.  A quick inquiry at the information booth gave us another train to our destination, Dusseldorf Airport.  We boarded the train still not knowing about the storm.  At some point we find out that the train will not be going any further than Cologne, about 35 miles from our destination.  The ticket checker did not speak English, so I was only able to gather that we could get another train in Cologne.  Finally a train employee who spoke English explained that there were delays due to weather and we could find a train in Cologne to the airport.  All seemed well until we got to Cologne main train station.  There were people everywhere. Ok we are still clueless.  We find the train on the schedule and haul our luggage there.  The sign says the next train to Dusseldorf airport is 30 minutes late.  Judy asks a young man, who understands and speaks some English, about the delay.  He says he has been there 6 hours trying to get out and explains about the storm.  At this point we realize that we may not make our flight.  So we haul our luggage to go to the information desk.  Once we arrive the line is out the door and down the hall.   To our right is the car rental office, I decide that maybe we rent a car to the airport.  While in line, although it is shorter, Judy sees the Taxi stand and hightails it out there to check the cost.  100 Euro.  As this is close to cost of the rental, we again haul the luggage, after stopping at the Geldautomat (ATM), to the taxi stand.  The taxi stand is a zoo, finally Judy finds a driver to take us.  What a gem – he spoke flawless English and had a great sense of humor.  He had to call his wife and tell her he wouldn’t be able to deliver the bread he had for her in the trunk until later.  We had a great conversation with him about American music (his hobby) and cats and dogs.  There were some traffic delays due to aftereffects of the storm, but we arrived at the airport with enough time to get our flight.   We find the check in desk and get in line.  While in line, one of the desk employees announces the flight to New York (our flight) has been cancelled.  Not delayed, but cancelled. Could this get any worse?  They instruct us to go to the ticket counter for assistance in rebooking.  So again we haul the luggage to the ticket counter.  We get in the long line. At this point we decide to get a luggage cart. We make friends with a German lady about our age, who is going to New York, by herself for her first visit to the USA.  After 1 1/2 hours in line we get the the head of the line.  The desk person takes our passports and disappears.  She comes back 10 minutes later, carrying papers and our passports.  She has rebooked us on a 2:30 flight to Amsterdam on another airline, then from there we will get a flight to NYC and then to DC.  Arrival in DC 4 hours after original return.  Really in the scheme of things not too bad.  But she tells us we have to hurry to check in our luggage.  Off to the KLM counter.  They check us in and request the wheelchair for Judy in Amsterdam.  There is not enough time for one and still make the flight.  Off we go through security and to the gate.  Plane is boarding.  Now we go down 3 flights of stairs to get on a bus that takes us to the plane.  Up the stairs to the plane and we are off.  We arrive at Amsterdam, our “special assistance” is waiting, a special bus to the terminal.  Then a wheelchair to the little motorized transport.  I get to ride on this as I am the traveling companion. Thank goodness as it must have been a mile. The attendant stops by a snack shop so I can get us a drink and sandwich.  However, she informs us that we cannot take the drink on  board.  Judy and I quickly chug our beverage.  We go through passport control and get another stamp in our passport! Through security again.  Then a wheelchair to the gate.  Plane is boarding.  Whew.  Finally make it to our seats.  I am sitting next to a nice lady from Long Island.  Judy is in row behind me next to a young lady from Germany.  Then the pilot announces a slight mechanical delay.  Turns out they were loading 12 show jumping horses into the cargo hold and it was taking longer than expected.  Flight finally departs.  The flight was very nice with frequent beverage and food.  Little screen on chair back with lots of movies and TV.  However, 3 of the movies do not hold my attention. Finally watch Nebraska.  Talk to my neighbor for awhile. Take a little nap.  Read.  Then we are in NYC.  Off again on the race to get through customs and to the next flight.  The wheelchair lady helps us get our luggage, go through immigration and customs and recheck our luggage. Then she drops us off at security.  We get to go through priority screening and keep our shoes on!  A new wheelchair person meets us and takes off for the gate in order to make the boarding time.  I have a hard time keeping up with him as he is practically running.  We go up then down, then up, then down, through long corridors, we get to the gate, they are boarding.  Off we go.  They stop us and tell us there are mechanical issues go sit in waiting area but don’t go far, things will be fixed soon.  An hour later we board.  I call Mike and he leaves to come get us.  It is now after 10 PM.   We land and hope our luggage made it on the plane.   It did and was among first bags off the flight.   Call Mike and he finds us.  Made it home.  What a trip.

Ancestral Towns

One of my objectives on this trip was to visit the hometowns of my maternal great-grandparents.  Thanks to my newly found third cousin, Anna and her family, we received a tour of the region of my mom’s paternal grandparents.  The church in Dornum, they were christened and married was open.  The region was reclaimed marshland bordering on the North Sea. There were dikes and canals all through the countryside.  Windmills also were occasionally seen.  Very different than other areas of Germany.   Tiny villages are scattered throughout with the ocassional town, of which Dornum is one.  Everything we saw was clean and neat.  There were many little canals and drainage ditches throughout the landscape.  Some of the land is reclaimed land that used to be marshland.

The Wieskirche

One of the churches we visited was the Wieskirche.  It is in the middle of nowhere in southern Bavaria.  It was built in the 1740’s as a result of a need to house a holy sculpture which attracted many pilgrims.   There are still pilgrimages to this church with hundreds of people.  The church is decorated in the  Rococo style. Rococo is very ornate.  Words and pictures cannot adequately describe the experience.  It is no wonder that it is an UNESCO World heritage site.   Here are some pictures from that visit.

 

The People of Germany

I had been told that the German people were quite reserved and not friendly to Americans.  I can state that this is not what we experienced in any part of the country we visited.  The majority of people we encountered were friendly and helpful.  Most everyone knew we were not locals.  Although, there were instances where a person would start talking to me in German and I would explain that I only spoke a little German.  Several of the desk staff at the hotels we stayed in were so kind and accommodating.  Of particular note is a hotel we stayed in that was a business hotel, not usually used by tourists.  We were having trouble getting access to the wifi and asked the front desk for assistance.  While the clerk spoke some English, assisting with the wifi was beyond his language skill, so he called upon the manager for help.  The manager, Herr Winkelmann, said he would check into it and it would probably be the next morning before he would have any word. Herr Winkelmann must have felt sorry for us two old American women as he made an effort to check in with us each day we were there to ensure everything was ok.  He even told us about the secret washer and dryer so we could do our laundry.

The other people we encountered that made our trip so memorable – the desk clerk in Munich who told us where to go seek medical care for my bronchitis; the doctor in the ER and the one I finally saw; the hotel desk manager in Rothenburg who carried our luggage upstairs to our room and ensured we were comfortable; the breakfast waiter in the Rastatt Best Western who found Judy iced coffee; the evening waitress in the same hotel who helped us with the menu; the desk clerk in Trier; the waitress in the restaurant in Trier; the waiter in Koblenz; the taxi driver who drove us from Cologne to the airport; the waiter in Triberg who showed us an easier way to view the falls; and last but not least my new found relatives, who met us at the train just to take us to our hotel less than a mile away and then took a whole day to drive us around.   There were so many more we encountered, too numerous to list here.

Weindorf restaurant in Koblenz. Sehr Gut!

Some Other Observations

In Germany bicycles are everywhere.  They are more numerous than cars.  At times it seemed as if there were more bikes than people.  The cyclists bring them on the trains.   There are bike lanes everywhere.  There are bikes everywhere….. With all the bikes, this seems to be the only photo I took with bicycles in it.    There were bicyclists touring the countryside with tents strapped to the back.  School children rode their bikes to school.  The bicyclists were all ages.  People rode their bikes to work, to shop and in the rain.  They rode them up the hill to Neuschwanstein Castle.  There were hotels with bike garages for guests.  All the bikes and we never saw a bike store or repair shop.  Go figure.

Then there were the walkers/hikers.  Many people we saw were obviously doing some serious walking/hiking.  They would have walking sticks, a pair that looked like ski poles, serious hiking boots and loaded backpacks.  Then there were the casual day hikers with the poles and hiking boots and a bottle of water.  There were families walking, singles, couples, old and young walking. We saw these folks everywhere in the country.   When we went up the Zugspitze, there were hikers walking up the mountain in the snow and ice,  We saw people walking miles from any town, so we know they had to have been walking for a while.

Considering all the above, the Germans seemed very fit and health conscious, which makes the next observation  seem out of character. Cigarette smokers were also everywhere.  For a country where the residents seemed to be health conscious, there were a lot of smokers.  Fortunately, these were not permitted inside restaurants, hotels and trains.  However, you had to navigate the cloud of smoke to get to these smoke free oases.   Of course it was worse in the cities than it was in the countryside.  We also had to forgo eating outside in some of the cafes to avoid the smoke. As you can tell, I am not a big fan of cigarette smoke.  I think this was the only negative of our trip.