• Mộc Châu (day 2)

    23–24 Jan 2024, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    It was a chilly night, even dressed as we were with an extra blanket, and no additional heat... Sleep was fitul, and the roosters were excited to call out the new day. We stayed in bed much longer than usual to prolong the warm feeling.

    Once up, we packed and got ready for the day. Our host provided a delicious and simple European style breakfast; the bread was fresh and warm, and the fried banana pancake was heavenly!

    Our guide, S, took us on a little tour through the villages, and up though a narrow concrete road into the mountains, passing through many little villages. Eventually we came to a fork in the road, and took the dirt path. We crossed multiple RICKETY bridges, and a number of very muddy and slick sections or path. Our first time offroad riding so some minor tumbles for the bikes, but we were safe! We definitely worked up a sweat with all the hard and precarious riding. Thankfully we found a highway again that took us higher into the mountains, and cloud. A quick lunch stop for bowls of hot noodle soup, and we were on our way again.

    Not too far later we stopped for a coffee break. J noticed his motorcycle was having issues, and keep stalling. After we went off road again through some spectacular valleys lines with flowering plum trees. We came to the conclusion the clutch was finished after stalling out trying a few steep climbs. Our guide managed to limp us back to the main road, and finally to the evening's accommodations, Homestay A Của
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/bDHyJUSDiSdMDiDV6

    We settled into our new bungalow while our guide took the motorcycle to a mechanical shop for a repair. Our host sat us near the corn cob fire with a hot cup of fresh ginger tea, perfect for warming up! Though our room had a fireplace, no one offered to light it 🔥😔

    Dinner was scrumptious, though we ate alone as S was away until 10pm trying to fix the broken motorcycle. We enjoyed the fire's warmth until retiring to our cold room, and the forecasted 5C night 🥶. Our breath was visible. Crawling under the double stacked blankets we instantly realize our sleep wasn't going to be very good: mattress the firmness of wood 🪵😔

    Today's ride was 5.5 hours.
    https://calimoto.com/calimotour/t-VwBSvAd4hd
    Baca lagi

  • Viet Nhat: Tour Day 1

    22–23 Jan 2024, Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    An early start to the day due to jet lag; A was up around 2am,and J roused by 5am. The time was used productively to get the bags packed for the day ahead. After a quick breakfast at the hotel and final checks we were off to the motorcycle office.

    It was a wet morning with light rain as we walked a few blocks over to the tour company for 830am. They have a TINY office in a side alley 😯 After the paper worked was signed and the bikes loaded with our one duffle strapped to the rear seat, we were off. The private 16-day tour on Honda XR150L will be an adventure! Glad to have our guide navigate us out of Hanoi, a sprawling city of 10 million. We followed the Red River in a Northwest direction. We immediately learned that the concept of lanes, passing and traffic lights do not exist, only a suggestion! Eyes on a swivel, toot the horn often to let others know you are there and just go for it!

    The rain continued, so we stopped mid-morning for a coffee before continuing on. Eventually we took our route off road, and followed the dykes, and zig-zagged along narrow paths through rice fields. The most slippery sections being mushy muddy puddles recently torn up from heavy equipment construction trucks. This route didn't have many other travellers, though we crossed over main streets here and there.

    We eventually came to the mountains, and rode along a narrow (single track) concrete road through mountain villages. The vegetative landscape with the rock spires seemed magical in the low clouds. Sections of this mountain area had sugarcane fields. Friendly locals, especially the kids, had big smiles and waves.

    Before long we came upon a busy highway, and continues to climb in to the clouds, and over a pass, stopping for a hot lunch on the other side. We were completing drenched; feet hands saturated in our "waterproof" gear. A found his shirt drenched from the zipper despite the waterproof liner. 🫤

    The simple lunch spread of sauted greens, Fried salted pork belly, pork ribs, and tomato egg soup was very appreciated.
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/QDD8kpC1DrVvzdiFA

    Our route took us further west, only stopping for fuel, before arriving at the homestay (like a hostel B&B). On the way the high mountain pass was thick with cloud and very low visibility. Thank goodness for windscreen wiper 🧤😉

    Homestay No 9 Pom Coong
    https://g.co/kgs/rBtavKC

    Today's ride route
    https://calimoto.com/calimotour/t-N0eyMgWWks

    The hot shower and change to dry clothes was very welcome. A short walk in the area before dark to stretch our legs. Though sheltered, the wind continued to blow and chill the valley.
    Our hosts provided a fabulous meal, including very strong rice wine. We all retired shortly after to huddle under double blankets in our private unheated wooden room to keep warm for a much needed sleep. The forget temperature over was 5C. Felt like camping wearing night-pants, socks, sweater and a toque in bed 🏕️🙃
    Baca lagi

  • ❄️ Chilling in Victoria ☃️

    11–19 Jan 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ -1 °C

    Before heading oversees, decided to spend a week in the Victoria, BC area. Although regular winter had arrived at home, we were hoping to enjoy some mild island weather. As our luck would have it, Arctic outflows descend into Southern BC causing snow, and the usual havoc at YVR. Luckily we only suffered a couple of minor delays, and arrived at YYJ an hour later than expected.

    We were greeted with -10C in Victoria, and a few days later the region was blanketed in a heavy layer of slush-snow. We did go up island to visit friends before the snow fall. Sadly we missed seeing one friend due to after-hours repair work for failed heaters.

    All in all, a relaxing start to the trip, and many visits with friends and family. It was be to do some last-minute shopping for additional travel items for our trip to Vietnam 🇻🇳 and Thailand 🇹🇭 !
    Baca lagi

  • Cariboo Christmas

    22–27 Dis 2023, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

    Road trip to spend the holidays with family in the Miocene area of BC. Lots of visiting, games, and delicious meals. Christmas eve dinner was a ham. Christmas dinner was a 20 lbs turkey feast! Even met up with a friend that recently moved to the area.

    Like most areas of the Province it was unseasonably warm and lacking snow. We saw many a lake on our southbound drive with wet surfaces ontop of ice due to warm breezes, or even never having frozen!

    We assisted to setup and decorate the Christmas. Unfortunately it was leaning a bit forwards and tipped over! We secured it with a string to the furniture and didn't have a repeat event 🤓

    Acreage living always has a few things that need tending to, so we spend some time being handy.
    Baca lagi

  • Return to the North

    16–21 Dis 2023, Amerika Syarikat ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    We wrapped up our stay in Surprise, AZ. Rental car return was easy. Airport was pretty busy but we got our citrus baggage dropped off and through security without issue. The flight was enjoyable, especially with the extra room due to the empty seat between us. Lots of great views along the flight. During the layover in YVR we enjoyed another complimentary visit to a lounge thanks to our travel credit card.

    A few days later we picked up our cats from their temporary home. They were well cared for, but happy to be back home after the usual uncertainty of travel in car.

    We enjoyed relaxing at home with them and spending time with some friends.
    Baca lagi

  • White Tank & Petroglyphs

    15 Disember 2023, Amerika Syarikat ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    The usual start to the day with Russell and his walk before heading off to meet with P&G for a hike in White Tank Park. We thought to take him along, but as we learned the old boy powers out after 3km.

    Decided on a loop hike starting at the Black Rock trail up to the dry waterfall, and found Petroglyphs along the way. The indigenous Hohokam people lived in the area between 500-1100 AD.
    https://www.maricopacountyparks.net/park-locato…

    Going at a leasurely pace we enjoyed the gorgeous warm afternoon. We walked all the way to where water falls during the rainy season, and enjoyed a rest in the cool shaded dry Canyon. It must be impressive to see when the water is flowing! Not getting sun exposure the rock in the Canyon was cool to the touch too 🧊

    Realising that the chosen hike wasn't as long as we originally thought, decided to detour to another trail back to the car.

    Later we drove back south to Goodyear and had a social evening with P&G at thier place in Estrella. Russell joined us for the car ride and visit 🐕. A took him for his evening walk. Never having been in the area, he impressively remembered the off trail route back to the house 🤓
    Baca lagi

  • 🌵Desert Botanical Garden 🏜️

    14 Disember 2023, Amerika Syarikat ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Today's adventure took us across town to our second botanical garden of the year. Atlanta's was amazing, but so is this one! Founded around 1939, it's apparent the hours, love and thought that has gone into sharing this experience with visitors. There are plants from many desert areas near and far.

    Slowly exploring more than 4.5km of paths for almost 4 hours was a great way to spend the afternoon. It was a treat to not be visiting on a busy crowded day too.

    Afterwards we even got to experience afternoon rush hour on the Interstate 10 freeway. A lot of cars all heading to their after work destinations. Thankfully the HOV lane got us there a bit quicker 🚗 💨
    Baca lagi

  • Good 'n Goodyear

    8–10 Dis 2023, Amerika Syarikat ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Two restful nights in Goodyear. We did a trail run each morning right outside our door on the Corgett Trail. The dirt path was in great condition and we had it all to ourselves. Mild temperatures around 20C made it very enjoyable.

    Quail and woodpeckers entertained us. The group of young adult neighbors and their immature conversations about alcohol consumption and their social lives made us laugh. 🤣 It's the authentic experience of living in a postage-stamp subdivision with neighbours just on the other side of the cinder block wall.

    The air was cool/warm, but sunbeams roasty like being under a broiler 🔥. The weather UV report it said a Low rating, which was hard to believe. We read some digital books poolside and just took it easy.

    An afternoon hike in the Estrella Mountain Regional Park was perfect. We crossed paths with a few others, but had the trails all to ourselves most of the time. Little birds fluttered amongst the desert foliage. Cactus stood vigilant. Shrubs pretended to be soft while hiding their thorns.
    Baca lagi

  • Onwards to PHX

    7 Disember 2023, Amerika Syarikat ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Super early departure from the house at 345am! Not our preference, but inexpensive flight costs and a short travel duration swayed us. The quick transfer at YVR also included rescreening at security/customs. Wee! Journey was smooth and some great views of the country below us, including The Grand Canyon 😊. Seeing the Phoenix area from the sky revealed how sprawling of patchwork-quilted urban reality it is. Similar to a video game building a city to include all the right aspects.

    The car rental line moved quickly. They offered an upgrade for an additional 60% of what I paid, so I declined. I misunderstood the agent's insurance question and had to get him to adjust it after the receipt was printed 🙃 To our surprise when we exited to the parking lot they didn't have our category of car and "upgraded" us anyway to anything in the Intermediate row. It will cost a bit more in fuel, but those are the breaks. The Toyota we considered could not link to our phone for navigation, so we switched to a Malibu before checking out of the parking lot. It should be enjoyable enough for the week.

    Lunch was at a nearby Mexican restaurant. Nothing fancy, but delicious for our empty stomachs. Before getting to our accommodation we did a quick grocery shop at Fry's. It reminded us of the Superstore chain back home.

    Roads are nice and easy to navigate to Goodyear where we were staying at J's Aunt's place for two nights. Dinner was a massive BBQ T-bone steak to share with salad, mushroom caps, and corn 🌽🥗🍄😜
    Baca lagi

  • Tootle to Terrace

    15–27 Nov 2023, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C

    Some sleuthing on Trusted House Sitters found us a dog sit in Terrace, where J's parents live. The roads were horrible from Chetwynd to PowderKing 😱. Packed snow and super ice. We even got to do a little fish tail despite going 30% below the posted speed! Weeeee! Our plan to split the long drive over two days was a good one due to our slower speed. We stayed in Smithers.

    In Hazelton we zigged over to Hagwilget for a walk across the bridge. It's an impressive feat to see how the early bridges crossed such a high space. 😲

    The week was filled with relaxing time at the hosts' Lakelse Lake property for a few nights before staying in town. We had many dinners with the parents, walks, a couple runs between the constant drizzle of rain drops, and of course caring for sweet Millie and Cinder. J ventured on plan his own to the school band performance and endured the sounds of young folks learning how to find their tune. 🙉

    On our return drive we stopped by the parents' Francois Lake property for a night. BBQ burgers and a fun night of darts around the woodstove.

    One night's rest in Prince George was an experience. The Coast Hotel used to be comfortable, but is now showing its age 😔 We enjoyed a lazy night-in with takeout pizza and wings while watching a movie 📺🍕😜 The final drive home had much better roads over the Pine Pass.
    Baca lagi

  • Staycation: Acreage Fun

    2–15 Nov 2023, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C

    Stellar skies morning, day, evening and night! Our area of the planet never ceases to impress 🤗

    Enjoying the late-season mild weather we decided to do some garden cleanup. Weeds had impressively grown up, so we put a little heat into them 🔥😎 It was also a great time to harvest horseradish, as frost had occurred to sweeten up the root. Oh, man its aroma is powerful when grinding in the blender 🥹

    After over a year of poor water quality in our town we were able to give a satisfying clean out of our cistern. Never in the handful of years was it ever that grubby! As expected the taste was highly improved and less minerals now that the source is once again from the river 💦.

    Many months of travelling inspired A to resume roasting our own coffee at home. It doesn't take much time and you can't beat the fresh flavour ☕🤪
    Baca lagi

  • Ft Lauderdale, Florida

    22 Oktober 2023, Amerika Syarikat ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Another early morning as we needed to disembark the M.S. Rotterdam at 8am. We met with D at the Dutch cafe, followed by a trip up to deck 9 for breakfast at the buffet. M&T joined us for a last quick visit as we waited to disembark. There seemed to be some regulation mis-coordination, and we weren’t able to leave the ship on time. We eventually found our luggage and the bus terminal for our local day excursion, followed by an airport drop off.

    We headed west of Ft Lauderdale to the Everglades Holiday Park for an air boat ride, and to see a crocodile show. Our hostess was a bit too engaging on the bus, and was excited to educate us with facts on Florida, mostly reading a Wikipedia page with intermittent microphone issues 🙄. I wasn’t sure what to expect upon our arrival, but wasn’t surprised at the reality. I guess I figured we’d be in a more natural setting, something similar to what you see in the movies with mossy trees and narrow waterways. The reality was drudged canals with lock systems through open grasslands. The boat engines were also ridiculously loud when the operator opened up the throttle on wide stretches of water. We did see a plethora of birds, inclusive of turkey vultures, and fauna that had grown since the days of the Army Engineers attempts to drain the region. Alas, their attempts to drain the swamps failed as it is actually a very slow moving river 🙃 We also saw a couple of large wild crocodiles. We were informed there is a State Law forbidding the feeding of the crocodiles, but the reptiles were pretty quick to head to the boats 🤔

    Once back at the dock we were whisked over to the Crocodile show. Unfortunately the facility wasn’t paying much attention to the number of seats available in the stands, so many had to stand or didn't stay. The show was educational, but the host definitely had limited material and used his Beyoncé "put a ring in it" punch line too much. We were then usher through the zoo area with various animals displayed, then into the gift shop. All in all, a unique experience, but disappointing too.

    As our hostess is a grade school teacher, we got to enjoy a pop quiz on the previous bus ride trivial facts, followed by endless jokes 😫 We were happy to get to the airport, only to have to wait 4 hours till we could drop off our luggage and have our passports verified for the flight to Victoria, BC.
    Baca lagi

  • Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

    21 Oktober 2023, Bahamas ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    After nine days across the Atlantic Ocean enjoying various activities, lectures, and shows, we finally arrived at Half Moon Cay! It used to be known as Little San Salvador and is a private island reserved for the exclusive use of Carnival, who owns Holland America. No one lives on the island, so staff from a nearby island and the ship are busy providing for the guests.

    Up fairly early we decided to enjoy a coffee at the Dutch Cafe onboard. This is a tender port, so the ship drops anchors and the tenders shuttle folks to land. The water is the stunning blues and greens listed on the travel brochures!

    Though the past week was impressively smooth on the ship, it felt great to be on land once again. We enjoyed a short walk before our excursion we booked due to the cancelled Azores port. It was a very warm morning (late 20s), and slightly overcast, with a few rain drops. The skies quickly cleared into sun and fluffy little clouds.

    We met up with our new friends, and M was lucky enough to be able to join our earlier 10am group. Jet Skis! Combining 30mph, with fresh air and perfect weather is a great recipe for fun! We darted through the lagoon and out along the beach. We guessed they were speed governed as they did go faster then 32 mph. We diligently followed the guide in single file formation around the various buoys and shallow waters in the lagoon. The jet skis were a hoot, but definitely not as responsive as a motorcycle though they float much better than one! The freedom of no helmet was liberating.

    We headed to the beach to enjoy a swim in the shallow clear water of the Caribbean: the sand was amazing, so fine and flour-like. D decided to head back to the ship with M&T, and we went to the BBQ pit for lunch. They setup a delicious spread, and not easy considering they had to pack most of it over from the vessel. The "all aboard" time was 2:30pm, so we headed back to the ferry after lunch to avoid the passenger rush.

    That evening our meal in the dining room was noticeably louder than previous nights. Located on deck 2, above the two propellers, this evening's 18knt speed to get to Fort Lauderdale wasn't the quiet hum of the transatlantic 16knts 🙃
    Baca lagi

  • Ponta Delgada, Azores

    14 Oktober 2023, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    After a couple days at sea, finally arrived in the Azores. The previous day at sea had excellent weather, and minimal wave height. We had been warned a low pressure depression was building in the mid-Atlantic region, and that the route would need to be adjusted to avoid the +8mpredicted swells the day after our Azores visit 🌊 😱

    Unfortunately, a weather front had settled in around the islands, preventing the ship from making the scheduled docking 😭. Wind gusts were over 40knts, so the harbour pilot was not going to proceed until it settled down. While we waited we decided to spend our time on the observation deck. A&D played a few rounds of cribbage, which A deftly beat D...

    Unfortunately, the sustained poor weather conditions prevented the ship from docking, and at 11am, the Captain made the call to move on to the next port of call. 😢 Apparently in general it's a 50/50 chance of getting into this port due to the wind&seas. Alas, two sea-days behind us and here's to the next six days at sea! 🥳🤡 The food is amazing, crew fantastic, lots of things to keep busy with... it will be great!

    To placate the masses the ship soon set up some free drink tables for an hour in the afternoon. For those of us with beverage packages, who cannot use our 15 per day, this offering was cute. Folks paying per glass loved the opportunity to indulge. J soon got roped into a conversation with a thoroughly imbibed American trio... 😅 🍸🍻 He was saved by A with an invitation to go for a walk 🏃💨

    The day's schedule was quickly updated with more activities since all of us who had been expecting to be on shore excursions weren't going anywhere.
    Baca lagi

  • Brest, Brittany, France

    11 Oktober 2023, Perancis ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    Crossing the English channel back to France, we gained the hour back on the clock 😅. Unfortunately A was up much earlier than he wanted to be, and decided to use the time in the gym, where he met D. J just decided to relax in the cabin. As it got brighter out, and approaching the harbour near Brest, France, we decided to enjoyed a coffee and watch the ship docking from the Crow's Nest observation area, forward deck 12.

    After an early breakfast, decided to disembark and enjoy the complimentary shuttle in to Brest. We were greeted with a live band playing local folk songs while we walked towards the waiting buses. We were some of the first off the boat, and the line quickly lengthened during that brief time. We enjoyed a walk around a few of the streets and down the main Boulevard towards downtown before looping back.

    It was a nice day out, so enjoyed the the afternoon at the outdoor pool. Who knows if the many sea days ahead will provide such luxury! We decided on an early dinner so A&J could attend the 7:30 performance in the World Stage. Tom Crosbie: Performing Nerd. His routine of memory tricks and slight of hand Rubik's Cube solving was entertaining! We then found a spot by the large screen of the indoor pool area to watch the movie La Vie en Rose, a movie about the life of famous French singer Edith Piaf. A may have nodded off near the end of it; tired from reading the subtitles and lulled by the sloshing of the pool waves 😴
    Baca lagi

  • Weymouth, UK

    10 Oktober 2023, England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Strangely enough, we lost an hour as we made our way to Portland island, the port near Weymouth. Upon emerging from our interior cabin, we found that it was a grey day. Feeling energetic workout clothing was donned, but first to the Crow's Nest on forward deck 12 for coffee. Fuelled with caffeine, down to the fitness for a workout. Decided to try the other type of elliptical this morning; the first ones we tried had additional articulations that felt uncomfortable.

    The three of us left the boat and took advantage of the complimentary bus to Weymouth for an exploration of the seaside town. The Causeway linking Portland to Weymouth was essentially a gravel dune with a short bridge. Chisel Beach is along this area. As the bus weaved its way to the town centre we began to realize Weymouth was much larger than we had expected.

    We were dropped off in an area called "Brewers Quay" and followed the narrow streets to the waterfront walk, and then eventually to High Street. We stopped in to a couple stores, before carrying on to loop back along the beach. We encountered a troupe of performers all dressed up to advertise thier evening's production at the near by Pavillion Theatre.

    We were back on the boat by 3pm, where A&D scooted off to an origami class followed by trivia. After dinner in the dining hall A&J went to see the late performance of Cantaré, a men's signing quartet. They performed a range of songs through the decades, including the Folgers coffee advertising song ☕😅
    Baca lagi

  • Le Havre, France

    9 Oktober 2023, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Another fairly early morning port arrival. We took things easy and let the 🐢🐢turtle stampede follow its course; many shore excursion tours were offered. It was close to noon before our trio prepared to leave the ship. Picked up a couple of cold drinks on our way out to explore and enjoy the sunny day. As we were very close to the terminal building no shuttle bus was necessary. We walked along the port access road 'till we met up with the main walking promenade along the docks.

    We noticed a closed fish market across the road, and didn't think much of it until we could smell the dumpster where they tossed the scallop shells 🐚. The shells and flesh baked in the sun leaving an overwhelming odor 🤢

    We did not have a destination in mind, so meandered a few streets. Eventually, we popped out by the harbour and then along the boardwalk by the pebble beach. Starting our circular route back to the ship, passed through the centre of town. The park was still in full bloom, and the central water feature and Boulevard walk was very picturesque. We even passed near the war monument.

    Once back on the ship, had a late lunch, then A&D took off to attend the origami class to fold turkeys, J went to the aft outdoor pool. It was Canadian Thanksgiving, the ship thoughtfully put out a spread of turkey and tradional side dishes. It was very delicious.

    We ended a perfect day watching the sunset from the observation deck at the bow of the boat, and relaxing in the Crow's Nest lounge afterwords.
    Baca lagi

  • Zeebrugges, Belgium

    8 Oktober 2023, Belgium ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Had a decent sleep the first night of the cruise. J woke up in the early morning to close the ensuite shower door that was swinging from the ship sway. Decided to join the early stretching class in the fitness centre. It was surprisingly full for such an early start on the first full day of the cruise; unfortunately the room was much too warm. After the stretching, went on the elliptical for a while since we were already there.

    We met D on the way back to the rooms. A&D proceeded to the dinning room, but J went back to the room to clean up and get breakfast elsewhere.

    A&J took the shuttle to the Zeebrugges terminal and walked into town to explore the beachside. We thought it was cool that a draw bridge opened in front of us. Then we realized it wasn't closing soon. We had to detour 500m or so to get into town 😂It was definitely late in the season as a majority of stores were shuttered. Lots of folks out and about enjoying the sunny weather. Some sunning themselves in loungers on the beach. By mid-afternoon we were back on board, poolside and basking in the warm October sun.

    Met up with D later up at the outdoor sports court to learn about pickle ball. Followed by a Pride group meet & greet. Dinner back at the main dining room.

    D retired early for the evening, and A&J went to a late show (930) to see Harry the Piano. He's an impressive performer. The World Stage venue is fully equipped with comfortable seating.
    Baca lagi

  • Feeling Cruisey

    7 Oktober 2023, Belanda ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    The breakfast bar at the hostel wasn't very exciting 😌, but we had prepaid for it. After checkout and storing our luggage we went to explore Amsterdam. Surprisingly it was much warmer and sunnier out compared to our visit pervious in August! Thankfully the crowds were a fraction of those as well.

    We meandered along the various Canals and streets into the older part of the city center. We stopped and browsed the booths setup in Nieuwmarkt before reaching the Rokin. The tram ride back to the hostel was quick. With still some time before our cruise ship check-in at the terminal, we bought lunch from the nearby stores. A was instantly enamored and purchased some ribs, and J picked up a falafel wrap to share.

    By mid-afternoon we were taking an Uber to the Cruise Ship terminal. Check in was amazingly fast and we were aboard Holland America's MS Rotterdam! Our inside Stateroom is quite comfortable on this vessel which was only launched in November 2021. It was such a luxury to unpack our cloths and not be living out of a suitcase for the next 15 days. It's not as fast of a way to cross it Atlantic, but more adventure! Once the obligatory safety items were addressed, we met up with D to explore the ship, and find a place for dinner.
    Baca lagi

  • Amsterdam Again 🎊

    6 Oktober 2023, Belanda ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    For breakfast we enjoyed the nearby restaurant associated with the accommodations. Afterwards an exploration of the old Palace grounds since the crowds were sparse compared to the night before. A late checkout and Uber to the airport around 11am. The SPU airport is a decent size, but was very quiet; ghost town!

    Before long we were all loaded up on the plane bound for Amsterdam. The 2hr flight passed by quickly, and before we knew it we found ourselves on the train platform from the airport to a station near our evenings accommodation: Stayokay Hostel Oost. An economical way for us three to sleep in the most expensive European city 🇳🇱

    Onced checked in, and made our own beds 🤣, we headed to a local Middle East restaurant, Restaurant Nour, for dinner. It was quite an experience. The meal was delicious and fresh, and served faster than fast food! The flavours were incredible, especially after the good, but middle of the road fare in Croatia.
    Baca lagi

  • Diocletian Palace, Split

    5 Oktober 2023, Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Another bright and fresh morning, we chose to have our breakfast served out on the Hotel patio. It was an artistic and delicious spread! Leaving a bit later than usual, we rode across the short bridge to Murter Island across the way, looping through the towns of Murter and Betina, before crossing back to the mainland.

    Following the coastline south, we soon turned inland near Grebastica. The road up the shaded hillside was fun with its multiple switch backs. Sadly, the area experienced a forest fire not to long ago. Large pines got toasted. Hopefully they can recover some of the timber and put it to good use.

    Once we crested the low summit, our navigation app had a minor glitch, so had to double back a short ways. We stopped for a coffee in Siroke, and chatted with a German couple who were on their last day of a cycling holiday.

    Still meandering south as our evening destination was Split, we found our way back behind the Dalmatian mountains again, and along more paved narrowed farm roads. As we passed through a shaded stretch of shrubs and oak trees, decided to have a rest break to enjoy snacks and water.

    The final few stretches of fun country road curves brought us to a tight bend were we had to break hard as a local farmer decide to use the road to move the cattle herd. A few more switch backs brought us to another summit overlooking the bay between Split and Trogir. There appeared to be a walking path up to a view point, so parked the motorcycles and went fire a walk. It is the war memorial (Memorijalni park domovinskog rata – Malačka) honoring the lives lost during the Croatian Homeland War, with the names listed between 1995 and 1992... A very sad reminder that even today, we still continue these nonsensical wars, like what is occurring currently in the Ukraine. 😔

    We successfully made it back to Rent-a-GS through the rush hour traffic, stopping briefly for fuel before returning the motorcycles. We collected our luggage we had stored there and took a quick Uber ride to the old town of Split where our final stay was located, across from old Roman Diocletian Palace. Tifani Luxury Apartments were enjoyable, quiet and newly renovated.

    After A took the laundry for washing once he showered, and left J&D to freshen up and reorganize the luggage. J found a few restaurants in the old town, but the streets were pretty crouded, and restaurants busy. Ended up going to a place we had seen on our previous stay. It was a tiny and stuffy Mexican restaurant, and the one fellow cooking was kept vey bust with a continuous stream of people stopping in. A had the beef burrito while J&D each ordered a chimichanga (chicken and pulled pork fillings). While enjoying our dinner, it was interesting people watching, especially one fellow who danced with impatients. He also lacked personal boundary awareness, and was basically standing over D while he was eating... 🙃
    Baca lagi

  • Tisno

    4 Oktober 2023, Croatia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    In our self catering kitchen, A graciously made coffee and J made oatmeal for the crew; a simple and delicious breakfast to start the day! Sunflower buns, prosciutto and emmental cheese too. By nine we were navagating a fun circular route around a couple of lagoons and a deep river gulley that eventually took us back up the mountain side we rode down the previous afternoon. It was fairly windy, so it added a bit more challenge navigating the open corners. Before reaching the summit, we turn off and headed down a tight narrow and windy road. At the bottom we crossed a creek fed by more cascading pools near the old orthodox Krupa monastery; a Serbian monastery established in 1642.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krupa_monastery

    We circled back and headed south and west through various valleys. We did skip a suggested road that was gravel. Once back near the coast we rode along the flats near a large lake, Vranso Jezero. Making a quick stop for fuel and snacks, then in to the quaint seaside town of Tisno.

    We were on the top floor of Tisno Heritage Hotel. Built in 1898 it has been very well maintained and the friendliest staff work there. Once checked in we enjoyed the entire pool area to ourselves: only half of the nine rooms were filled during this offseason evening. The pool was very refreshing, but felt cooler than the indicated 22C.

    We decided to explore the town, enjoying the warm evening along the harbour promenade. A chose a pizzeria for dinner, sharing a large Greek salad and a couple of pizzas. The service was top notch and the meal delicious. We enjoyed a gelato cone on the walk home to the hotel. Orange scoop and something else fruity we cannot remember 😜
    Baca lagi

  • Rovanjska

    3 Oktober 2023, Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We were on the road by 9am in the refreshingly chilly 10C, and the helmet visors kept fogging up. Once the motorcycles were topped up with fuel we started our journey back to the coast.

    As we rode up into the morning sun it got warmer going up the valley. More twist and turns took us from one open grassland and wooded valley to the next. After passing through the more agricultural areas, we started passing through more small towns. Sadly many of which looked to be mostly abandoned, with relic buildings and industries of a bygone era. That said, the ranchers used many of the buildings to store hay.

    Eventually we came to the Dalmatian range where the landscape got rocky and drier. The view of the coast once we peaked the summit was spectacular. It was noticeably much warmer on the western face as we descend. The curvature of the road following the contours of the mountains provided some excellent riding. The afternoon heat (28C), made us welcome the straighter roads allowing us to cruise at the good speed to enjoy the air conditioning 😉

    Before long we found our way into Rovanjska, where A had booked us a B&B, minus the breakfast 🤣. The entry took a bit to find, but were successful in the end. The proprietors were gracious enough to have us park in their private driveway off the very steep street.

    Riding gear came off so we could cool down from the toasty sun rays in the 28C. We settling into our 2 bedroom unit and decided to go for a refreshing swim in the ocean. Found a nice shaded spot with a bench for D, and A&J jumped in to the cooler water. There seemed to be a fresh water source near by as the water had a neat mixing of the cooler fresh water near the beach with the warmer sea water.

    Apparently it was passed the tourist season as all the restaurants were closed with exception of two beachside cafe-bar kiosks. We had a good walk around town first to verify the questionable restaurant hours' information from Google maps. Our beachfront meal was nice. Our first time having a tomato salad consisting of only tomatoes 🤣

    The owner of the B&B helps the local cats who are sick. She has 26, and also 26 small turtles who roam the entry courtyard!
    Baca lagi

  • Plitvicka Jezera

    2 Oktober 2023, Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    The sun was shining, but most of the valley remained in the shade as we departed Skradin around 9am. We headed northeast, and zig-zagged through the Krka national park, with a nice road next to short cliffs above us. One area was called Roski Slap with gorgeous flowing mini-falls cascading through multiple shallow pools.

    Before long we were zipping along narrow roads back on the upper arid plateau. At one point there was the realization fuel would be a priority as A and D were running on fumes! The map said there was some 25km away, but distance is hard to rely on here. We enjoyed a coffee stop first before getting to Knin for a fuel up.

    As we continued north, the terrain changed from a rough and rocky brush landscape to more forested and open grasslands. Some fabulous twists and turns between Dnopolje and Frkašić. We continued through the town of Korenica, where A had booked our evenings accommodation, and continued north to the Plitvick Lakes National Park. It's world famous cascading required a visit!

    Surprisingly, for a late season mid-week arrival, there were people everywhere. Just couldn't imagine what this area looked like in the at the peak of the summer season...

    D stayed back with the motorcycles to rest in the shade while A&J went for a powerwalk through the park, opting for the shortest loop 'A'. The sun was glistening off the water, providing spectacular views. Although the rough wooden boardwalk and stairs were over three feet wide, congestion did happen on occasion as we walked around. The water was very warm, and had a slight aroma to that of a fish tank. It took us just over an hour to walk the 4.5km, instead of the suggested 2hours.

    Before long we were back in Korenica, checking in to the Bed and Breakfast. We walked to one of the local restaurants, and shared thier BBQ platter. In hindsight, we could have shared the platter for two instead of the extra cordon blue.

    After dinner, we continued to walk and explore the town. We had to stop and grab jackets as it really cooled down after sunset; inversion possibly due to thick smoke in the valley. A&D popped in to a Bakery and bought a couple pastries. Though very pretty looking, the flavour of the apple strudel indicated they perhaps mistook the crystal sprinkles on top as salt instead of sugar 🥺. Once back at the B&B, we settled in for the evening with A&D playing a couple rounds of cribbage.
    Baca lagi

  • Skradin

    1 Oktober 2023, Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We left the Heritage Hotel Kaštelet around 9am. It was a very blustery morning, and the strong gusts made riding a bit of a challenge. We continued along the scenic, but slower coastal route. Part way we veered off the highway and up the hillside. The track was narrow, and lots of tight turns up. The bulkieness of the BMW was again a challenge, but J managed the way up without much issue. The slope down was much more gradual, and provided great views of the coast.

    We arrived in Omis, a bustling little town, then started our trek inland through an amazing steep sloped gorge. Winding our way up the switch backs, shortly found our way into quasi arid upper plateau area. A had proposed a couple places to stop for a late morning coffee, but it seems many places were either closed for the season, or on a Sunday. Ended up taking a water and snack break next to the Cetina river near the town of Blato na Cetini.

    We followed the Cetini river valley for a bit, then criss-crossed the tolled highway a few times, and then winding our way deeper inland. Much of the landscape was rocky with low brush, and fairly open. A few sections were curvey, but others quite flat and straight, only obscured by the low brush. Almost at our destination in Skradin, but we were turned away due to a car rally race! The polite police officer provided some direction on an alternative route, but it would force us on to the toll highway.

    We headed more west, towards the coast than expected and decided to enjoy a cold drink at a bar and take a break from the afternoon heat, 28C. It was a great patio with a cool ocean breeze and shade under some trees to park the bikes.

    A thought he found an alternative route to bypass the tolled highway, but it ended up being a false lead; we each had to pay a grand total of €0.40 for the 8km section on highway 🤣 The detour added another 20km to the day of riding.

    Skradin is a cute little touristy village tucked into a tight valley, and along a narrowing inlet. Once parked and settled in to our hotel rooms, went for a walk to explore the area, and see what the dinner options were. Settled on a burger restaurant. A ordered the chicken salad, D ordered the classic burger, and J had the "Wild Animal" burger (mix of wild boar and venison. Back at the hotel A and his dad played a few rounds of cribbage before calling it a night.
    Baca lagi

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