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Europe Travel

Island Hopping from Antiparos Greece

My Fab Fifties Island Girl Life

October 7, 2018

Laureen

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Location: South Aegean Greece

What a wonderful decision it was for us to spend three weeks on the tiny island of Antiparos in the south Aegean. We have truly loved our time here.

Antiparos

Delos

Using Antiparos as our home base for island hopping wasn’t really what we set out to do, but it worked out well for us to take short day trips to some of the other islands around the area. However, something to note – because of the unusual weather pattern (around the world) the ferry from Antiparos to Paros was shut down for two days due to wind while we were here. Something to think about if you plan to stay only a short time. We had lots of time so it did not affect our plans.

Santorini

You can hop to Santorini from here, but the off-season ferry schedule makes that tough. During the summer more boats run. But we had already spent three days there so no need to go back. But if you visit and want to do a day trip to Santorini check out both the ferry schedule as well as the privately operated tour boats. The private boats run more frequently. When we took the ferry from Santorini to Paros it costs us 58 Euro for both of us (one way) and took three hours, stopping at Ios along the way. We used Minoan ferry line for this trip.

Mykonos and Delos

Delos

Mykonos

We used a private tour boat to visit Delos and Mykonos together on one day. We took the ferry from Antiparos to Paros and we got on a van that transported us to Naousa (the van transfer was included in the tour price). Here we hopped on a boat that could carry about 200 people. It wasn’t full, but perhaps 100 people. It was an hour ride to Delos where we spent three hours touring this amazing island and its significant ancient ruins. Guided tours were available but we did the tour on our own and really enjoyed it.

Back on the boat we motored 15 minutes to Mykonos. We had three hours to wander here. We had a fantastic lunch at Salparo, sitting on the rocks overlooking the harbor. We then enjoyed sauntering around the historic blue and white village, visited historic sites and looked at shops. Three hours was just enough, since we had been to Mykonos once before eleven years ago.

That trip to Delos and Mykonos was an all-day adventure and costs us 50 euro each. We booked this through Polo Tours in Paros.

Paros

Naousa,Paros

Naousa, Paros

We visited the island of Paros twice. The first visit we had a car and we headed to Naousa in the north part of the island. The weather wasn’t great but we still enjoyed exploring the tiny alleys and hidden shops and homes in the old chora (village). Naousa also has a charming and picturesque port. We drove up into the mountains to visit the teeny village of Lefkes. This ancient town, far from the water, is unusual in how green it is, unlike most of the brown island landscape, and is home to a small agricultural population. Lefkes is one of the few remaining chora that retains its authentic roots.

The next time we visited Paros we spent several hours discovering Paroikia, the port town where the large ferries come and go. The port area is bustling and noisy, but hidden back behind it is an incredible old chora that many people miss. It once again had some fascinating buildings, tunnels and passageways, a spectacular old castle and temple of Athena, many lovely shops and of course, cats.

Naxos

We traveled on the lovely Blue Star Ferries to the island of Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades Islands, about a 45 minute ferry ride from Pariokia. We paid 42 Euro total for both of us round-trip. It was a very windy day and I worried about the boat ride, but the Blue Star line runs large, almost cruise-ship style boats, and I did fine with my motion sickness issue.

Pariokia, Paros

It was also very windy in Naxos, and this port town is very exposed, so we spent a lot of time wandering the old chora up to the ancient castle and trying to stay out of the wind. It’s another beautiful ancient town. We enjoyed having a drink at the rooftop of 1739, which was out of the wind and offered a spectacular panoramic view. We had a nice lunch of simple souvlaki at Yasouvlaki. We then braved the crashing waves to cross the pedestrian manmade causeway to walk out to the famous ancient portara (door), site of an unfinished temple from 530BC. We got wet. Like I said, it was very windy. But it was worth it. The Naxos Portara was worth it.

Antiparos

Naxos

At the end of the day in Naxos I told my husband that I have really enjoyed visiting all five of the islands, but in the end, I am so glad we stayed three weeks on Antiparos. It has everything we want; quiet and peaceful, small village, beautiful secluded beaches, a handful of shops and is still close enough to visit the surrounding islands.

I do hope to return here someday.

Where to next?

But now its time to leave. Next stop – ten-day tour of Egypt and Jordan. A definite bucket list destination for me ever since I was a child. We hope you will continue to follow along on our Fab Fifties Adventures.

Farewell Greece and Antiparos. I love you.

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Europe Travel

Our Return to Santorini

Eleven Years in the Making

September 14, 2018

Laureen

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Location: Santorini Greece

Two weeks shy of eleven years since we visited the incredible island of Santorini. And nearly everyday since we have wanted to return. Today that happens.

Santorini 2007

We only spent one day on Santorini, since we were on a Mediterranean cruise and it was one of our stops. We loved all of our stops on that cruise, but Santorini was, well, magical.

Santorini 2007

It was magical for its stunning beauty – that shot the world thinks of when they think of Greece. It was magical for the view – and one of the most memorable meals I ever had overlooking the crater. It was magical for the authentic villages – like a movie but better.

But more important than any of that, it was magical because that day I changed. It may seem silly, but it’s not silly to me. That magical day on Santorini I discovered a new person within myself. The beginning of finding my Fabulous Fifties Life.

See it happened like this:

Santorini 2007

Laying on the cruise ship at the pool the day before arriving in Santorini I was reading the guidebook about things to do in Santorini. In the book it suggested walking from Fira (where the ship tenders) to Oia on the far end of the island. The walk was six miles and went all along the crater rim.

Santorini 2007

As soon as I read it, I knew my husband would want to do it. Should I tell him? Should I keep it to myself? Hike six miles? Yikes I don’t think I can do it. In the hot sun? I was torn.

But I love my husband so I said “Honey, there is this hike on Santorini maybe we can do.” He was all over it.

Santorini 2007

That day I was nervous since I hadn’t done a hike in YEARS. But we left the ship really early and got started before the heat of the day – and well, the rest is history. That hike changed my life. Not only was it SPECTACULAR, but it was inspirational. We saw only two other people (today this rim walk is much more popular) as we maneuvered our way on this rocky island in the middle of the turquoise blue mediterranean sea. During that six miles and about three hours I became someone who could hike six miles, who could adventure in the unknown, who could feel alive and free in the wild. A new person emerged who had been hidden inside of me all those years.

And that is how it began. Without that hike I would never have tackled hiking from Cusco to Machu Picchu. I would never have tackled walking 486 miles on the Camino de Santiago. I would never have tackled many of the things I now do everyday, knowing I am capable and not afraid.

Magical Santorini shaped me and I’m going back to say

Santorini 2007

thank you. Just for three days this time, but long enough to remember and pay my respects. A beautiful and magical place where I was transformed, and my Fab Fifties Life was born.

Fabulous!

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Europe Travel

Transylvania Highlights Tour

Romania’s Beautiful Preserved Medieval Villages

September 12, 2018

Laureen

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Location: Transylvania, Romania

We could have easily spent a month in Romania. But we only had ten days, and so we decided to focus this time on a Transylvania Highlights Tour – Romania’s Beautiful Preserved Medieval Villages.

Map shows the three regions from 1648

We will come back again, because there is a lot more to see in this sleepy little country that tourist are just beginning to discover.

History

In the Middle Ages, what we know as Romania today, was split into three distinct regions; Wallachia in the south where today Bucharest is, Moldavia to the east, now split into Moldova and Romania and Transylvania in the west.

Map shows the Kingdom of Romania

Today these regions are often referred to as Greater Romania, the Kingdom of Romania. A growing interest is to reunite the region and bring Moldova back into the Romanian speaking states.

“Romanian is an Eastern Romance language, descended from Latin with some German, French, English, Greek, Slavic, and Hungarian borrowings. Romanians are by far the most numerous group of speakers of an Eastern Romance language today. It has been said that they constitute “an island of Latinity”^[5] in Eastern Europe, surrounded on all sides either by Slavic peoples or by the Hungarians.” (source Wikipedia)

View of Brasov from top of Mount Tampa

Our time in Transylvania was wonderful. We had good weather and enjoyed visiting four of the region’s main medieval towns; Brasov, Bran, Sighisoara and Sibiu.

Romania sustained minimal damage during World War II, relative to how much the rest of Europe sustained. Romania’s capital Bucharest was bombed as was the oil industry in the town of Ploiesti. Which means, luckily for us, the fairytale castles, medieval villages and citadels survived and are intact today.

If you had come here 25 years ago, just after the fall of communism, you would have found these villages much as they had been for centuries. A square in the center surrounded by tiny streets that spoke out to the high wall surrounding the fortification. The center square would likely have a church and a clock tower and the townspeople going about their daily business. Village folk would be selling the produce from the garden, the freshly made bread and cheese. There would still have been horses and carriages and local artisans. Think “Beauty and the Beast”. But today, these towns function primarily for the tourists, just like so many other places in Europe.

But despite that, we found the places we visited enjoyable, beautiful, friendly and full of wonderful history, architecture and food. Well worth a visit.

Architecture

Peles Castle, in Sinai, home to several generations of Romanian royals and still occupied today by Michael I of Romania

Bran Castle in Bran, occupied for generations by Romanian Royalty and the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula castle

Much of this area’s habitation is traced back to the Saxons arriving in the 12th century. They are responsible for developing many of the villages during the middle ages in Transylvania, including the towns we spent time in. The fortified towns, amazing castles and fortresses and churches and houses still standing hundreds of years later are a result of the craftsmanship and fortitude of the Saxons.

The Gothic style is prevalent in parts of Transylvania and seen distinctly in the 14th century Bran’s Castle in Bran (the castle that inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula), and the 14th century Black Church in Brasov.

The middle ages also brought the fortified towns to Transylvania, with Sibiu, Sighisoara and Brasov being exceptional examples of how the design focused on functionality and protection.

Brasov’s only remaining fortress gate

The city of Brasov today is a mix of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture representing the centuries of development in this mountain town.

Sighisoara is a nearly completely intact 15th century fortified citadel and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This tiny village is where Vlad the Impaler Dracul was born, the character that Bram Stoker turned into a fictional vampire. For the tourists, you’ll see some Dracula kitsch here, but luckily it is not overdone.

One of several fortified towers in the amazingly preserved town of Sighisoara

Houses in Sibiu

Sibiu is the grandest of the three towns, with a main square boasting a fabulous variety of Baroque and Renaissance as well as Gothic buildings and churches surrounded by parts of the remaining fortress and towers. Sibui was an important trade center with powerful guilds dominating the regional trade. Houses remain along the cobbled street and are brightly painted. The historic Journeyman house, where the wood carver guild once reigned, maintains the pole full of sharp objects often left for luck.

Beautiful mix of architecture in Sibiu

Food

Transylvania enjoys many of the same foods you can find throughout Romania, but it also has it’s regional specialities. While in Transylvania we enjoyed;

Mititei – small rolled sausages without casing grilled and served with mustard

Eggplant Salad

Eggplant Salad – we had this two ways, the first mixed with Mayonnaise, the second mixed with red peppers. Both were the consistence of dip like humus.

Pork Ciorba (soup)

Ciorba – means soup and the Romanians love soup. So filling, warm and delicious you can find many delicious soups including a bean soup often served in a bread bowl, chicken noodle soup ( a favorite of the locals), goulash soup, lamb stew, pork sour soup, cabbage soup and many, many more.

Sarmele is cabbage rolls, similar to cabbage rolls we have enjoyed in other Eastern European countries but slightly different with a sour rye taste and dill.

Cabbage rolls with polenta and pork

Jumari – deep-fried smoked pork belly or bacon. I couldn’t stop eating this.

Placinta – means pie and the word is used for a pastry filled cheese item, but also used for other kinds of pies including savory pies similar to Sheperds Pie.

Papanasi with sour cream and berries

Papanasi – possibly my favorite of all the foods we tried is this lovely little dessert. I’m actually not much of a dessert person but this one is so delicious. Translated as Romanian Donut, the cheese filled dough is deep-fried, crispy on the outside and very moist and delicious on the inside. Served hot and then covered with yogurt or sour cream and berries. We had it once with blackberries and once with blueberries and both times so yummy good.

We have learned so much during our short visit to this beautiful, interesting and delicious country. We will return again someday to explore more. But until that day, we thank Romania and its wonderful people for such a pleasant visit.

Thank you! Multumesc! Fabulos!

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Europe Travel

They March On To Die

My Time in Poland Learning About Hitler’s Extermination of European Jews

September 7, 2018

Laureen

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Location: Poland

No, God will not save them. Nor you, friend, nor I.
But let us not flinch, as they march on, to die.

-Wladyslaw Szlengel, Polish Jewish Poet of the Ghetto

Auschwitz famous gate

Why I Came to Poland

For many years I have wanted to come to Poland. My first realization of that desire was when I saw the movie Sophie’s Choice. My god. That movie changed me. I was only twenty-two years old I think. Very naive.

“Is it best to know about a child’s death, even one so horrible, or to know that the child lives but that you will never, never see him again?”
― William Styron, Sophie’s Choice

I don’t remember learning much about World War II or the Holocaust in high school. Was I absent that day? I remember Anne Frank however. We read that in junior high. We discussed it in class, but my memory of it being a bit edited as perhaps they thought we were too young. They were trying to protect us. But who protected Anne? No one.

What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it happening again. – Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

Shoes of the Auschwitz victims

I don’t think you can be too young to hear these stories. How else can the facts sink in, in a way that it becomes a part of our daily conscious where we naturally abhor intolerance and speak out against it? How else can our youth be fully informed, aware and not jaded – as the horrors of that time in history slip farther into the past?

Complacency

WWII had only been over for 15 years when I was born. It’s been longer than that since September 11th happened (17 years). Time is a convenient blanket, smothering the memories and protecting complacency.

Jewish families being herded out of Krakow

Complacency is the world’s evil and our world is full of it today, yesterday and always.

Auschwitz

Human Numbers

I am by no means a WWII or Shoah expert. But I have a place in my heart that aches for what happened here in this beautiful country of Poland that I have fallen in love with these past two weeks. I want to think of what happened here in human faces and real lives, but the numbers haunt me and I need to share;

Three MILLION Jews exterminated in Poland, half of the six million killed in total
Only 10% of Polish Jews survived
Another estimated but undocumented 1.5 million ethnic Poles killed – many for helping, aiding or hiding Jews

Suitcases of victims

Human beings like you and me. People with names. Birthdays. Lives. Goals and dreams. Doctors and lawyers. Teachers and housewives. Students. Rabbis. Men, women, children and entire families. Grandmothers. Beautiful young women. Little boys. For no reason other than hate.

“You kill yourself when you hate. It’s the worst disease in the world.”
― William Schiff

After I saw the movie Sophie’s Choice in 1982 I began to search out books and movies about the topic. Not just about Poland but about the war, and the death camps. As you are aware I read a lot. I have been deeply touched by many books – in fact many recently, that have come out about this topic. Although some of these books and movies are fictional, many are not. And there is so much to learn from both the non-fiction and fiction stories.

Jewish Cemetery Kazimierz (Krakow)

The Nazis

The Nazis invaded Poland in 1939. That first year they stripped Jews of their possessions and their jobs and herded them into walled off ghettos. The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest and contained more Jews than in all of France. More than 100,000 people starved to death in the Warsaw ghetto. Many more died of horrible disease such as typhoid, cholera and dysentery because medical care was unavailable. If you haven’t seen the movie The Pianist it’s a must. Haunting story of the Warsaw Ghetto.

“Humanity seems doomed to do more evil than good. The greatest ideal on earth is human love.”
― Wilm Hosenfeld, The Pianist: The Extraordinary Story of One Man’s Survival in Warsaw, 1939–45

By 1941 Hitler’s right hand man Himmler began his calculated plan to

Bullet riddled ghetto wall Warsaw

annihilate the Jews of Europe through genocide. Within two years 800,000 people had been shot to death and buried in mass graves.

But it had only started. The 1943 Wannsee Conference launched the final solution of the “Jewish question”. Six death camps began the mass extermination through gas chambers using Zyklon B. Auschwitz-Birkenau was one of these.

From the ghettos in Krakow, Warsaw and around Europe the Jews were loaded on trains – told to take minimum belongings and their valuables for their new life in the East. Thousands would die on the trains, suffocated and

The selection process at Auschwitz on arrival by cattle car

starved. Their valuables? Pilfered and to this day most unaccounted for.

Have you seen the movie The Women in Gold? It addresses the issue of the things the Nazi’s stole from their Jewish victims, particular a painting in this case by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt.

They’ll never admit to what they did, because if they admit to one thing, they’ll have to admit to it all.

– The Women in Gold

Cattle Car that brought victims to Auschwitz

Death Camps

Those who arrived at the death camps were quickly processed through selection. Most were dead within their first few hours at the camp, stripped and taken to the “showers” which of course were not showers. Anyone lame or old or young or unable to work was exterminated immediately. The rest would work to death.

The Paradise of Death

It was like an old religion
Dividing the saved from the damned.
Only that the saved went to hell.
The damned- to the paradise of death – Raquel Angel Nagler

Auschwitz was also home to the notorious Doctor Mengele who did unspeakable things to children, twins and other unusual “specimens” who he used as human guinea pigs for his “research”. Have you read the book Mischling? One of the most astonishing stories I have ever read. Astonishing and sickening.

“The whole world will never look back. And if they do, they’ll probably say that it never really happened.”
― Affinity Konar, Mischling

It’s disgusting to me there are still those who believe it never happened. Same people who think we didn’t land on the moon? Same people who don’t believe in Global Warming?

Idiots. This is fact;

1.5 million Jewish PEOPLE died at Auschwitz; 200,000 of them children

Memorial in Krakow for 65,000 Jews killed from that city

3 million Jewish PEOPLE exterminated in Poland

6 million Jewish PEOPLE murdered in WWII

150,000 Non Jewish Polish PEOPLE died

23,000 Roma Gypsy PEOPLE killed

15,000 Soviet POW PEOPLE killed

25,000 others GONE

Where the death camps were

Ignorance

Before the war began Poland had the largest Jewish Population in Europe. More than 3 million citizens whose ancestors had been in Poland for more than a thousand years. Only 10% of the Polish Jewish population survived WWII and the genocide.

Many ethnic Poles died trying to help the Jews. But others turned against them. It was similar in other countries. While there are many stories of resistance fighters in France and Poland there were other citizens who helped the Nazis. Recently I read the book Sarah’s Key and learned about the French Jewish Roundup in Paris in July 1942. I had never heard of this horrible thing before. Shame on all those whose smugness, prejudice and hate killed so many.

“The truth is harder than ignorance.” – Sarah’s Key

Where they burned the bodies

The thing I keep asking myself is why did we not help them? Where was the United States? Where was the League of Nations? Where was the Catholic Church? As early as 1941 it was common knowledge in the world leaders what was happening. People and governments looked away. Partly because they were afraid, or busy fighting other battles, but this was genocide. Pure and simple. And no one came.

The remains of the incinerators the Nazi’s destroyed at the end of the war

My time in Poland has been both lovely and gut-wrenching. The Poland I see as a visitor is beautiful. But I know, like all nations, there are underlying problems and anti-Semitism is here. As an American I am painfully aware of how ignorance begets hate and intolerance – rampant in my country. In the past, in the present and more likely than not in the future – there will be hate. People who can’t or WON’T tolerate anyone who is different from them.

I don’t believe hate is something you are born with. It is learned. Hate and prejudice is learned. Just like empathy and tolerance is also learned.

Educate Yourself

It brings me back to two things I promote on this blog;

TRAVEL – My message through this blog has always been one of inspiration. And inspiring anyone to pack a bag and go to an unknown place is my greatest goal. You will be changed. You will be full. You will be amazed, what travel can do to your life, your prejudice, your tolerance and your happiness. Just go.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” – Mark Twain

Those who didn’t die on arrival lived in hell

2. READ – My other message on this blog is to read, read, read. And if you can, learn to read outside your comfort zone. Read history, and fiction and non fiction and more. There is nothing so simple as reading a book that can open your mind to the world outside your door. Just read.

“Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.” —Malorie Blackman

Poland and Auschwitz are sacrosanct now. Everyone should come here to feel and remember the human lives. The very real human beings who became ashes.

One women.

But of course it’s not possible for everyone. So read. Watch films. Learn. And most importantly, remember. Remember a little girl. An old man. A family. Most importantly remember what we humans have allowed to happen in our recent past. Think about the Holocaust in names and people’s lives rather than numbers and dates. Don’t let that die. Otherwise, nothing was gained and we all are lost.

Books

(This is nowhere near all that is out there. Just some suggestions)

The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas by John Boyne
Mischling by Affinity Konar
Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Night by Elie Wiesel
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
Sophie’s Choice by William Styron
Ireana’s Children by Tilar J. Mazzeo
The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman
The Pianist by Wladyslaw Szpilman
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Maus by Art Spiegelman
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Where victims were sent

Movies

Schindler’s List
Sophie’s Choice
The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas
The Hiding Place
The Diary of Anne Frank
The Pianist
Life is Beaiutiful
Son of Saul
Maus
Immortal Bastards
Europa Europa
Au revoir les enfants
The Women in Gold
Fiddler on the Roof (not WWII but spectacular anyway)

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Europe Travel

Berlin for First Timers

The Grand Adventure

August 24, 2018

Laureen

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Location: Berlin Germany

Click on any photo for an enlarged version.

I have wanted to go to Berlin for years. I’m not sure why it took me so long. Since we have traveled to Germany, France and Italy several times, we haven’t made those countries a priority on the Grand Adventure so far. But Berlin was different. I had to go. Berlin for first timers was a whirlwind. And worth it.

We arrived on the Deutsche Bahn train from

Deutsch Bahn

Brugge via Brussels on a Sunday afternoon. It had been a very long journey involving three trains and 4:30am wake up. We checked into our Airbnb and headed out to the neighborhood market only to find everything shuttered on a Sunday. So we ate delicious Turkish food for dinner in our very Turkish neighborhood and then fell fast asleep.

With only three full days in Berlin we hit the ground running on Monday morning. Literally. We got up and did an early morning run through our neighborhood park. Refreshed, we stopped at the now open market for supplies before heading back to our apartment to get ready for our day.

Since we are training for the Camino we walked everywhere in Berlin, but Berlin for first timers is easy by subway, elevated train and bus system accessing most of the greater Berlin area. There is also a wonderful taxi system and Uber.

Brandenburg Gate

The wall

Our first day we walked and walked enjoying the Tiergarten, Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie and several sites where you can see and touch old remnants of the Berlin Wall. These included the Topography of Terror, Checkpoint Charlie Black Box Cold War Interpretive area, and Potsdam Plaza.

Currywurst with beer

Since we had already eaten one of Berliner’s favorite fast foods (Turkish kabob) we tried the also famous Currywurst . The invention of Currywurst is attributed to Herta Heuwer in Berlin in 1949, after she obtained ketchup (or possibly Worcestershire sauce) and curry powder from British soldiers in Germany. She mixed these ingredients with other spices and poured it over grilled pork sausage.. You can have Currywurst with skin or without (skin being the casing for the sausage before cooking ). We tried it both ways and I preferred with the skin – a nice crunchy texture. That said, Currywurst was not my favorite. On another day we also had Bockwurst. Served with potato salad and I really liked that.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Checkpoint Charlie a recreation

Day two began early with a visit to the Holocaust Memorial, officially titled Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. This controversial memorial encompasses 2711 concrete blocks of different heights taking up an entire square block of the city. Underground is a very poignant and somber, yet interesting and thoughtful museum that focuses on families and the humans who lost their lives during this evil period of history.

Black Box Cold War Interpretive Panels

On day two we also signed up for a Free Walking Tour, always one of the things we search out in any city. Of course Free Walking Tours aren’t really “free”. You pay the guide at the end what you think the tour was worth. And our Free Walking Tour in Berlin was the best one we ever did. Our guide Georgia was exceptional. We loved it and I highly recommend New Europe Tours.

Brandenburg Gate

On our tour we visited a lot of the same places we had seen the day before, but seeing them with Georgia our guide was a whole different experience. We learned amazing history starting with ancient history of the region right up through the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin wall and of course a great deal of history about Hitler and WWII. It was fascinating.

Car park over the bunker

By the way, throughout Berlin there is almost no reference to Hitler. That is by design. There is a point to not have his name included in most things. In fact, we stood on a car park that is on top of the bunker where he committed suicide. There is only a simple sign, added only recently when Berlin hosted the World Cup in 2006. Did you know Hitler’s remains were dug up from the original burial site in East Germany and dumped in a river? This is so there is no final resting place for this horrible human being and so no one can ever have a place to go and glorify him in any way. The Nazi Swastika is outlawed in Germany.

Eisbein

Weiner Schnitzel

Following our tour we headed for lunch. We wanted some good hearty German food so we ended up at Augustiner am Gendarmernmarkt. More Bavarian than Berliner but it was delicious. I had Wiener Schnitzel and my husband had a gigantic Eisbein (pork knuckle). No dinner was necessary after the delicious lunch!

Site of the Book Burning

Next we walked to Museum Island, just over the river you’ll find a gathering of Berlin museums. We stopped at the Bebelplatz, where famously the Nazis burned all the books. Here a unique memorial to that fateful event lays underground. Then we visited the Alte National Gallery – Berlin’s best regarded Art Museum. This is certainly no Louvre or Uffizi, but the museum is compact and easy to tour with a lot of German artists as well as nice collection of Impresionist from Renoir to Monet.

We ended our day taking a narrated boat ride on the river Spree. It was a beautiful day and it was fun to see the city from the water and enjoy the narration providing us even more interesting facts about Berlin. There are numerous locations around the city where you can start these boat tours.

The west side of the East Side Gallery Wall

Day three was a walking day. We had over the past couple of days enjoyed seeing some of the remains of the Berlin Wall that are in the city, but the longest remaining part of the wall is actually about six miles from the main city area. So we walked. It was hot, but we enjoyed the walk which took us through Alexanderplatz, where Berlin’s TV tower stands – an iconic modern soaring spire that includes a restaurant on top. You can see the tower from anywhere in the city.

The most famous mural at the Eastside Gallery

Our destination, the East Side Gallery is the name of the mile long portion of the wall, consisting of 105 paintings by artists from all over the world, painted in 1990 on the east side of the Berlin Wall. According to the Künstlerinitiative East Side Gallery e.V., an association of the artists involved in the project, “The East Side Gallery is understood as a monument to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the peaceful negotiation of borders and conventions between societies and people”, and has more than three million visitors per year.^[1] This was something I had seen so many times in photos and I really wanted to see it for myself. It was amazing. A highlight of our time.

Eastside Gallery

You don’t need to walk the six miles to the East Side Gallery. You can take the subway, busses, taxi or Uber as well as several local tours include it.

Pretzel

We wandered back along the river and stopped at the Tiergarten Biergarten to enjoy a couple of German beers as our amazing time in Berlin was coming to an end. The Biergarten in this beautiful park sits on a tiny little lake and you can enjoy pizza and pretzels, gelato and beer. You can also rent a little row boat and row around the lake. Such a pleasant way to spend a sunny day in this fascinating city.

Berlin for first timers could include a few
more things that we unfortunately didn’t have time to do, mainly going up into the observation dome at the Reichstag. You need to make a reservation to do this, and we just didn’t know that with enough advance notice. I wish we had because I understand it is really amazing. Do it if you can.

With a few more days we also would add some live performances. Berlin has a thriving theater and musical performance scenes including outdoor theatre, symphony and opera.

Biergarten

Finally, a great way to see the area would be by renting a bike. Berlin is as flat as it possibly can be, has literally hundreds of miles of bike lanes and paths, including beautiful paths through forested parks and along rivers. On a beautiful day seeing the city by bike would be a lot of fun.

The view from the River Spree

So there you have it, Berlin for First Timers. I really loved this gritty, indomitable city. Even with all the tourists it felt real and raw. I can’t think of another European city that has witnessed so much history and hosted so much strife and animosity and come out shining on the other side.

Berlin for First Timers. I highly recommend it. Fabulous. Fabelhaft!

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Fabulous Travel Wardrobe with Just One Suitcase

Looking and Feeling Grand on the Grand Adventure

July 13, 2018

Laureen

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Location: United States

After wearing the same clothes over and over on our Grand Adventure I was looking forward to some major shopping once I got back in the USA. I knew I could create a fabulous travel wardrobe that would fit in just one suitcase.

I’ve spent a lot of time over the past two months purging my old travel wardrobe and adding fresh new and fabulously fun and comfortable items. There are only five items from my previous wardrobe (excluding underwear) that make the cut for this next phase of my fabulous travel wardrobe.

The white dress five ways. This is from J. Jill. I’m gonna love this dress I think.

I have a really good understanding now of what works for me as a full-time traveler; what makes me feel good; is comfortable, pretty and easy to care for; what is well constructed and can withstand hand washing, sweat and constant wear; and most importantly what is versatile for many kinds of climates and all kinds of fabulous.

That’s what I look for in a fabulous travel wardrobe.

Black Dress six ways. This is a TravelSmith purchase, wrinkle free fabric. I love it. It made the cut for this next phase. Denim jacket is Levi. Black and white kimono scarf I bought in Bali. White tie blouse is from Macy’s.

Granted, most of the clothes I need are for warmer climates. However on this next phase we will see some cool weather, especially while we are in Spain and Portugal in late October and November. So I need to take this into consideration.

I’m basing my fabulous travel wardrobe on some anchor pieces including; one white dress, one black dress, one pink dress and one green dress. In addition I have added; one black linen drawstring pants, one white linen drawstring pants, one white walking shorts and one black walking shorts.

With these anchor pieces I have added multiple tank tops and t-shirts and blouses as well as one sweater, two cardigans and my denim jacket. I also have two kimono scarf wraps (one silk, one cotton) and two

The green dress four ways. This is another Travel Smith purchase. The silk Kimono scarf and the black leggings are from Sirvana

scarfs. All of these items together can create an endless array of options for me. The photos show just some of the ideas I have.

I also have a couple of fun hats and a small collection of versatile jewelry to mix and match. Although most of the time we aren’t getting dressed up, it’s nice to have some jewelry options for casual outfits as well.

My wardrobe includes

Pink dress four ways. I got this dress on a clearance rack at J.Jills. It’s linen – my favorite fabric. There is that Sirvana kimono again. Teal and pink scarf is from Target.

some handbags and six pairs of shoes. My shoe choices are flat or low heeled with excellent arch support and lots of comfort. Anything other than that doesn’t make the cut of a fabulous travel wardrobe.

In my suitcase you will also find my small collection of mix and match items that serve me for hiking, running and yoga. These activities are a big part of most every day in My Fab Fifties Life so making sure I am comfortable when I’m working out is a priority. Our fall hike of the Porto Camino will likely include some rainy days, so I am preparing with a better rain poncho

White pants and or shorts six ways. There are endless options here. Linen pants are Caslon from Nordstrom. The white shorts I have had for years. Black lace duster from Sirvana. Blue and white striped tank is DraperJane by Reece Witherspoon. White Lace tank from Travel Smith. Washed denim top from Marshalls and red top from StitchFix.

than the one I had last year on the Spain Camino.

I bought two of the same swimsuit but in different colors. This way I can wear the first one until it starts to fall apart and have a back up ready. I hated trying to shop for a swimsuit on our travels. And because I wear a suit almost every day, mostly in salt water, they really wear out. I’m also bringing my older one-piece suit that I found in storage. I prefer a one piece suit when snorkeling so I want to have it for those times.

Making the cut from last years wardrobe are my

Black pants and or shorts eight ways. Of course black is flattering, but these pants are also comfortable. Linen pants are Caslon from Nordstrom, black shorts I have had for years. Teal button up tank and print tank from J Jill. White top with black embellishment is from Macys. Mustard sweater is Coldwater Creek.

bold flowered print long sleeve gauze blouse. I love the color and comfort of this top and even though it’s long sleeved it is perfect in hot weather. It will come in handy in Muslim countries where I want to cover my arms.

My gear for running and yoga. Black shorts and shoes are Brooks. Leggings from Sirvana.

I’m also bringing my 12-year-old teal linen sundress which is my favorite and is a perfect beach coverup. I did some hand stitching to it this summer to fix the hem and some fraying. Good as new and ready to go again.

I have hiking options for all weather possibilities. And we likely will use them all! Most everything you see here is from REI. Poncho from Magellan. My hiking shoes are from Kuru- specifically designed for plantar fasciaitis.

In addition I’m throwing in my denim cropped white jeans. I’ve never had a more comfortable pair of jeans and they work in so many ways. A keeper for sure. My black shorts are also on the return list.

And finally, my black dress from Travel Smith I wore over and over on the last phase of our travels I will wear over and over on the next phase. This dress is a wonderful wrinkle free fabric and feels really good to wear.

There are a few other minor miscellaneous items I plan to bring, but I feel more pared-down than when we left two years ago. We both will continue to use our sturdy REI roller bags, now in their fourth year and who knows how many miles and baggage handlers they have endured. We had to change the wheels on one of them, and are carrying a set of wheels for the other bag just in case.

My swim attire – the blue and the green tops are identical except for color. I bought the Sarong in Bali and there is my old trusty teal linen sundress that has been around the world several times.

In addition Arne has his backpack and I have my new roller carry-on. I’m confident we will have plenty of room. Not only for our clothes but for all the other items (did you see the YouTube video we posted about packing non clothing items? We also posted a time-lapse on Youtube that is fun to watch).

The thing is, you would basically pack the same if you were going on a month-long vacation. Granted there are some things you wouldn’t need to pack (back up wheels for your suitcase or 12-months of contact lenses), but it’s essentially the same. I would most likely bring the same amount of clothes for a month as I am for a year, a fabulous travel wardrobe. It’s all about planning and knowing how to mix and match to feel and be your fabulous best. Everyday, every country, everywhere. Go. Be. Fabulous.

Launch is in T-minus 25 days!

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Preparing to Travel Full Time – It’s In The Details

The Grand Adventure

July 5, 2018

Laureen

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27 Comments

Location: United States

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Note – at the request of one of my friends, I have updated this blog, originally posted in November 2016, with fresh new information. Enjoy it again.

“How exactly do you prepare to leave the country and travel full-time?”

As our departure day to leave the USA again grows near, this is the recurring question. People we meet often show, interest, surprise, envy, jealousy, horror and confusion. But most of all they are curious. How exactly do you prepare to leave the country and travel full-time?

The Grand Adventure Thailand

So over the past couple of weeks I have been pulling together some details to share again. A lot of details. In fact, I would answer the above question with a simple sentence. “It’s in the details.”

Before we embarked on the first phase of the Grand Adventure we spent several years preparing. A younger person, like my son, can prepare more quickly, in a matter of months. But for Fab Fifty rock stars like me and my husband, it took more time.

For us about three years.

The Grand Adventure Morocco

When the idea first sprouted, I knew immediately we would do it. Without a question I knew it was right for us. All while knowing it isn’t right for everyone.

In fact, making a major life change like this should take some serious soul searching – are you cut out for a life of travel? What is your tolerance level? Consider everything from beds to cultural customs when considering your personal tolerance for living outside of the United States. Do you have phobias? Afraid of bugs? Snakes? Rodents or people not like you? Are you afraid of cultures where everyone isn’t white? Are you willing to eat new foods, communicate in languages other than English and squat to go to the bathroom? Give it a think because, a life of full-time travel isn’t for sissies or intolerant people. You gotta be open, willing and fairly fearless while being smart, observant and adventurous.

Once you know your tolerance level that in-turn will help you determine your budget. Because if you are only willing to stay in upscale American style hotels, then your budget will need to look very different

The Grand Adventure Vietnam

from ours. Our travels have us staying in primarily Airbnb’s that average about $70. And honestly if you are only willing to stay in American brand hotels with 300 thread count sheets and someone to cater to your every whim – well, you should just stay in the USA. Because you will miss the most rewarding part of travel – getting out of your comfort zone and expanding your world view.

We have a daily budget of $200 all-inclusive (transportation, lodging, food and misc). This is plenty for most places and not enough for a few places, but we are frugal and hope it all evens out. Because the

The Grand Adventure Spain

reality is if we can’t stay within our designated budget then the Grand Adventure will be over, sooner rather than later.

Speaking of timeline – we don’t have one. This of course would not work for everyone, but for us it fits. We will continue the vagabond life as long as we are having fun. As soon as it becomes anything other than fun, we will wrap it up. But so far, 99% fun.

So listed below are some “details” on how to prepare to leave the country and travel full-time. Most of these things we have had to learn on our own – so if this list can alleviate any work for someone else considering traveling abroad full-time in retirement, use it well.

PURGE – we started our purge process more than two years before we put our house on the market, as we let go of nearly every bit of fluff we owned, including house, cars, boats, trailer, furniture and more. We have a 10×12 storage unit now that is holding what remains of our stationary lifestyle and life’s memories. During this same period we worked to purge my Dad’s house, remodel his place and get it on the market as well as move him to a smaller place. It was a big goal to get him out of his large house before we left. It was a huge job but it needed to be done.

The Grand Adventure Cambodia

DOCUMENTS – we updated our passports even though they were not expired, so we would not have any issues with needing to do that from abroad. We also updated our Washington State Drivers License. We will carry a copy of our marriage certificate with us but not our birth certificates because the passport is sufficient. We have researched every possible country we think we might visit to learn the entry/visa requirements. We are carrying extra passport photos because some countries require obtaining a visa on entry with photo. We also carry International Drivers License, even though we have NEVER been asked for one.

SPREADSHEET – we created a spread sheet, which is evolving constantly and we can access via Google Drive, to track all of our travel including air and ground transportation and lodging. This spreadsheet includes notes regarding entry rules for countries. It’s also a fun tool for tracking so many things from miles traveled to beds slept in. The data we have is incredible.

MAIL – we are using a PO Box that belongs to my Mother-in-law, but we are trying hard not to receive

The Grand Adventure Croatia

any mail. We have notified our friends and family not to snail mail us, we have contacted magazines and catalogs to eliminate junk (not very successful however) and we have changed all of our banking, retirement and property related mail to online only. I canceled my 35 year subscription to Bon Apetit.

TECHNOLOGY – we have new smart phones, an iPad and my Brand new light weight Mac Book that will travel with us. In addition we will bring our old flip phone. For our smartphones (we each have an iPhone) we buy a sim card in each country for one of our phones to enable the phone to have a local phone number and data. We then also use our iPhones with wifi for things like blogging, Facebook and Instagram. The flip phone is programmed with our old Verizon phone number from the states. Although we don’t plan to use that number often, it keeps it active for emergency.

The Grand Adventure Seychelles

We also have our Bose noise-canceling headphones and our Bose SoundLink Mini speaker that measures about 6 in x 3 in. We carry this with us and it allows us to listen to music using Spotify and listen to Audible or other books.

APPS – We have a few travel apps we like especially Airbnb, Expedia and Google Maps. We also have a Google translate which is really cool. You can point your phone at a sign or menu item in another language and it will show you what it says in English. Love it. We use WhatsApp, an app that allows you to make overseas calls via the internet, this is primarily the way we communicate with our kids. To call our parents, who aren’t on WiFi, we use an app called TextNow which allows free phone calls from anywhere to the USA. We also use Kindle, Yelp, Uber, Get Your Guide and Trip Advisor.

The Grand Adventure New Zealand

CORDS AND CHARGERS – I honestly don’t understand why there isn’t a universal cord for all electronics, but alas wishful thinking. So we have organized and sorted all our cords, charges and adaptors to travel along. We research ahead to make sure we know what adaptors we need in each country. We have one packing cube we use for all of these items.

CREDIT CARDS – don’t you hate it when your credit card company announces suddenly that you are being mailed a new credit card because your card has been compromised? Well that would really screw us up if that happens. So we have FOUR credit cards. One is our primary and three are backups. Three cards have no foreign transaction fees (which is a killer). We also have multiple ATM cards. All credit and debit cards are chipped. VERY IMPORTANT is that we do not carry all these cards together in one place. That way, if our wallet or purse is lost or stolen, we will have back up cards available in a different location. We have contacted all of the card companies for both credit and debit and let them know we will be traveling abroad for an extended period. We have put a reminder on our calendar to do this again periodically. We carry several hundred US dollar in cash for emergencies.

The Grand Adventure Portugal

PRESCRIPTIONS – I take two prescriptions regularly. It’s been a challenge to get enough of my meds stocked up. My insurance company will allow, with a special doctor’s note, two 90 day vacation overrides. I have been stocking up in other ways too, but it’s not going to be enough. I will need to find access to these meds to fill the rest of the time, because we won’t be back in the US for a visit until next summer. Shipping prescriptions abroad is illegal. We have some people coming to visit us, so I may have them bring me my pills. But I am confident I can find the meds or an equivalent. I will need to pay cash for those at the time. I have also 12 months worth of contact lenses and we each have our glasses plus a back up pair.

DOCTORS – during the three months we have been in the USA we have had a ton of appointments; family physician for full physicals, new prescriptions and precautionary antibiotics; eye doctor for new contacts and glasses; dermatologist for annual check up; dentist for cleaning and some work; gynecologist for check up; and annual mammogram. I had my updated yellow fever, and DPT shot and did a round of typhoid and got a two month supply of malaria meds.

MEDIVAC INSURANCE – considering our age, we felt there was value in purchasing evacuation insurance. This insurance covers expenses to transport us back to the USA in case of a medical emergency that can’t be handled locally.

The Grand Adventure Spain

EXPEDIA AND AIRBNB – we love how these two
online websites allow us to keep files of all your bookings. This eliminates the need for printing and gives us easy access to our bookings. We use them both frequently.

DECIDING WHERE TO GO – After two years of non-stop travel we feel much more comfortable with our movement around the planet. It feels natural. We usually agree on where we want to go and make our decisions based on budget, weather, safety and interest. We love to go new places, but have a few favorites we return to. We take turns planing the itinerary, often taking a country each.

Although we aren’t completely booked yet, we have a plan for August 2018 through June 2019 that includes; Denmark (visiting Arne’s cousins), Belgium, Germany, Poland, Romania, Greece, Egypt &Jordan (the only countries currently where we are doing a tour), Portugal & Spain (where we will walk our second Camino de Santiago), Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru & Chile (these five countries on a cruise with Arne’s Mom), Brazil, Costa Rica (joined by our friends from Washington), El Salvador, Belize (joined by our two sons), Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic and Cuba.

The Grand Adventure Tunisia

GIRL STUFF – I’ve learned some things about myself over the past two years. Despite how easy it is to have long hair and wear it in a pony tail everyday, I just hate the look on me. So the budget will need to include more haircuts. Mostly I do my own nails and wear hardly no makeup, but I still like to have my eyebrows waxed from time to time. I have just a handful of earrings and necklaces I wear and of course the charm bracelet. I’ve just purchased a jewelry case that’s I hope will help my jewelry not take such a travel beating.

The Grand Adventure Australia

PACKING – this topic is by far the one most people ask about, and indeed one of the hardest. We will continue to use two large REI rolling bags. Arne will continue to use his backpack as a carry on. But this time my backpack will stay home and I just purchased a new rolling carry on. And packing cubes have changed my life. Organized and categorized I love using packing cubes.

It helps that we are traveling, for the most part, to warm climates or to areas during their warm season. We may see cool and rainy in Portugal and Spain in the late fall. Honestly the clothing choice has been easier than the shoes. And the bulkiest items are not clothes or shoes it’s toiletries and

The Grand Adventure Namibia

medicines. I just purchased a flat style toilette bag to replace the larger boxier cube style one we have been carrying. I’m hoping this will free up some space in the suitcase.

Without a doubt I am bringing twice the clothes as my husband, but I have learned so much this past two years for what works for me and what is comfortable and easy to maintain.

The Grand Adventure Laos

I threw out almost all the clothes I used the past two years and have replaced them with fresh, new and comfortable. Watch for a blog soon all about my new travel wardrobe. I think you’re gonna love it.

In addition we have our electronics and documents and toiletries, first aid and meds. We have our Scrabble game, our hiking poles, a selfie stick, an REI titanium French press, a can opener,a small knife, collapsible small cooler and colander. I have a new “butt cushion” to hopefully alleviate sciatic pain on long flights. I’ve thrown in some pens and pencils, scotch tape and packing tape, a bungee cord, cloths pens, plastic bags (multiple sizes) our headlamps and some extra batteries. Of course I don’t leave home without my Washington State University flag, my Seattle Seahawks flag and THE MUG.

So there you have it. The details. I’ve probably forgotten something. We feel more prepared and less anxious than when we left two years ago. We are looking forward to this next phase.

Ready to launch year three of the Grand Adventure! T minus 33 days.

I welcome your questions.

Fabulous!

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Follow us as we inspire you to live your best life now. We find inspiration in our Retired Midlife through travel and learning new cultures, writing and reading! What inspires you? I am a retired Grey Goddess on the Go, here to empower and inspire you through your Fabulous middle years! We write regular travel posts and book reviews and have been sharing this blog for 12 years!! Join our club and be fabulous too! You can find us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Threads. My Fab Fifties Life!