• Bevin Heath Ansley
Şimdiki
  • Bevin Heath Ansley

RECONNECTING

25 years ago and now to meet again. Anke and Jaap will meet us at Prague airport and the fun will begin! Okumaya devam et
  • Son görülme 💤
    Bugün

    Leaving Tirol and heading home

    20 Ekim 2018, Kanada ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Up to yet another beautiful day, packed, one final phenomenal breakfast - 3 rooms of food will be missed LOL!

    Delighted to find heart gifts for the Library Board which a darling receptionist wrapped for us overnight. Had to bring a rucksack from this wonderful hotel (The Boglerhof) home! And a water bottle ❤️.

    Off to Munich, all went smoothly for dropping car and time for a German beer and pretzel, flight to Amsterdam was easy. Nice to know our way around Schiphol airport to our hotel. Appie supper in the cool Lobby bar with TWO €15 gorgeous gins and fell into bed.

    Thought of going into Amsterdam but chose to get all checked in (export tax receipts submitted etc.) and were glad we didn’t push to go into city - busy airport and lineups. Had a nice last time in massive Lounge then what seemed to be a quick flight back to Home.

    Just an excellent and happy two weeks!!
    Okumaya devam et

  • Ebiking fiends!

    19 Ekim 2018, Avusturya ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Up after another great sleep. Still puzzled why the church clock bells keep awakening us just before 7 am every day?? Funny. Another amazing breakfast, had the porridge which natch was awesome!

    Decided to grab 2 ebikes and headed out over the Middle road to Inneralpbach. Lovely lady along the way, piling one of those tidy even piles of wood said ”Yah, that’s the route (dirt path) and there will be a “mountain” “- oh yes, a mountain dirt path complete with cow pies 😝, pushed those bikes up very steep last part but then back on tarmac for a great ride into Inneralpbach. Looking for a Kaffe shop!! No such luck but saw lots of ski lifts connecting all these villages. Headed up the other side of the valley thinking we could cut across to main road to Alpbach but nope so back down and tried another route but that would have led us to the top of the gondola from yesterday! These bikes make us seem invincible in where we ride but that was too much lol. Back down to main road and took the cutoff back to our village.

    With bikes returned we popped into a wee cafe below our hotel and had a phenomenal pizza and beer as our reward sitting outside. Wonderful time on the ebike machines! The scenery as delightful as can be.

    A bit of a time in our lovely room before a swim and infra red then a massage. Massage was very relaxing but one of the weakest I’ve ever had!! No tip!

    Yesterday another incredible 5 course meal - too much though so we skipped the soup!
    Okumaya devam et

  • Climbing mountains!!

    18 Ekim 2018, Avusturya ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Incredible breakfast buffet - you could even make your own veggie smoothie if desired and oatmeal (tomorrow’s plan as I’d already put together a cereal mixture). Butter and fresh milk almost right from the cow!

    Decided to do the Wiedersberger Horn gondola and a hike around the top part - spectacular views! And fun to look at where the skiing was, between villages etc - it will be tempting!! to return! Fabulous spot for a St Johanns sausage with mustard and freshly grated horseradish - R a frankfurter and fries Lol. Quite liking their Almdudler soda - R a beer.

    Back down after a few hours up top. Talked to darling gal at front desk “No problem going this route on Ebikes”! Up up up, yes, the bikes are super but ya still have to pedal! Biked for about an hour then decided to turn back and find lower road, back to Alpbach to small road and along aways until time to head back, shadows getting longer.

    Nice rest in our beautiful room, showered and ready for another 5 course meal! And now finished - so full! Time to cut back! - best taste was the escarole - a smoked fish with small mousse bits - stunning presentations and ohhh that dessert buffet!!
    Okumaya devam et

  • Into the Alps!

    17 Ekim 2018, Avusturya ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Gorgeous haze over the water as we prepared to leave St Wolfgangsee. Decided to take the longer route rather than autobahn and yup - considerately longer! Weaving through wee villages, spectacular views of the Alps and precious white and wood with trailing geraniums houses everywhere. One big argument only!! on direction to go and the rest we managed perfectly!

    Beautiful Alpbachtal, in time for tea and snacks then booked massages for Friday and went for a swim....no sauna as they were minus “Textiles” LOL!

    Incredible 5 course meal with wonderful Gerner Veltliner wine= lovely eve. Great prawns with Asian veggies, starter of goat cheese “ice cream” and beetroot mousse my fav.
    Okumaya devam et

  • Exploring Bad Ischl & charming Hallstatt

    16 Ekim 2018, Avusturya ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Off to see what Bad Ischl is all about and we were surprised to find some lovely shopping. As R had found his treasures yesterday, I felt a purchase “coming on” ;). Found a gorgeous 4 seasons slight puffy black velvet jacket but the price scared me off. R found a cozy shirt, both German made and very cool.

    Sissi (note ref in next paragraph) was the wife of Emperor Frank Josef although they were mostly estranged. He spent many months here in Bad Ischl and in fact signed the declaration of war there with Serbia which started WW II.

    Back into car and off to Hallstatt - narrow but comfortable driving. Gorgeous scenes at every corner. All houses white with the brown wood and trailing geraniums. So cool. Alas, the usual Asian invasion at Hallstatt but not as heavy as it would have been in summer. Strolled along, very glad I had not booked the Heritage Hotel as initially planned. Had an amazingly good goulash meal there however, with “Sissi” pink Prosecco for lunch, R a great char and yup, a beer.

    Decided to rent one of the small electric boats and tour about a bit on the Lake. Was actually fun! and so amazingly warm yet again.

    That jacket was calling me so found our way back to parking lot in confusing Bad Ischl and it was just waiting there to come home with me - perfect fit!

    I drove back to St Wolfgang where we went for a swim and then had a more ‘difficult’ experience literally hiking to a different restaurant for a so-so meal but wine was great Gverner Veltliner - the best in Austria. An eve not to be repeated.
    Okumaya devam et

  • Sloooow day

    15 Ekim 2018, Avusturya ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Me feeling off today slowed us up today. Still wandered the street of St W for a bit - R found great casual shoes and Arkteryx pants on sale even and me a fleecy jacket with edelweiss on it :).

    Rested at noon for a bit then drove to St. Gilgen - very glad i had chosen St. Wolfgangsee to stay. Dinner in again with odd dinner partners (older German man with young Philippino “partner” and her poor teenage children) - kept us entertained.

    Think we needed a day like today. We have been very busy and “up” with A and J.

    Hoping for better health in the morn.
    Okumaya devam et

  • On to Austria

    14 Ekim 2018, Avusturya ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    So the day has come to leave Anke and Jaap. Sad but we know we will connect again in the future. I haven’t been so kindly treated by such wonderful people ever, I don’t think.

    Packed our final things and over we went for breakfast. My usual has been yogurt with seeds and then bread with liver pate and cheese. Today a boiled egg helped us get a good bit of protein so we’re ready for our trip - it will be a longer day.

    To the station in Tábor and actually caught an earlier train. I was glad as it was hard to fill time with the sad goodbye just waiting to happen.

    First adventure - off the train a few stops down the rails, onto a bus, then back to another train as there was construction on the rail line. Did it! luggage and all. Getting help along the way from kind strangers. Lots of nice knitting of Oliver’s scarf time. Next - into Linz and as we had been delayed, had the exercise of finding our train or another train to Salzburg. Found one that we thought could have been ours but definitely was the next one to Salzburg. Turns out it was a private train. We were the only ones but 1 in whole car - first class - very nice server explained our situation -50 euros and we just stayed on same quick train.

    To Salzburg, very quick and effective car rental and off to St Wolfgangsee. Easy drive with huge traffic jams going in opposite direction -likely due to phenom weather!

    Settled into the lovely Seevilla Hotel in St. Wolfgangsee. Nice to see more of Austria but we are already missing our dear friends.
    Okumaya devam et

  • Morning trip to lovely village of Bechyn

    13 Ekim 2018, Çek Cumhuriyeti ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Off to explore a new village this morning with first of all 2 stops to drop off/pick up things from Anke and Jaaps’ local friends. Poor sleep impacting moi but not a strenuous time. Anke suffering dreadfully from allergies - bit better today. I think we are feeling energy dropping as we know life will move back to our usual lives all too soon. It’s been an absolutely wonderful time on all fronts.

    Wandered through the streets of Bechyn, lovely buildings and yet another warm, actually hot day! Cannot believe our streak of weather and looks like it will continue right through next week too. Stopped for coffee and apple strudel first, wandered then light lunch of individual Camembert, cranberries and bread.

    Back home through just beautiful rolling countryside for rest and packing while Anke works away again at another great meal, this time an Indonesian dinner. Off tomorrow on our own without our tour and cultural guide and chef - amazing time with them but will miss them for sure!
    Okumaya devam et

  • At home 4

    12 Ekim 2018, Çek Cumhuriyeti ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The very best restaurant! Pure local delicious fare in food and such great people! All had a superb chicken dish. Incredible fun, fabulous discussions and what an experience!

  • At home with Anke and Jaap

    12 Ekim 2018, Çek Cumhuriyeti ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    A very slow rising, good set of stretches (dang neck!) and into the kitchen after 10 am. Loving the yogurt and seeds plus liver pate and cheese on bread breakfasts followed by a cappuccino.

    Off for a heavenly 6 1/2 km country walk, stopping now and then for pictures and a short visit to see another farmstead - all with quite the stories behind them. Anke and Jaap had stayed here a bit while theirs had been rebuilt but Anke did not like it because it once was the home of a secret agent for the Communists and the energy was still within the stone walls. The stories which must be within so much of this land.

    Back to delicious open-face tuna sandwiches, Communist coke (Kofola - which people got used to, so it continued -I like it!) and an afternoon in amazing weather and sun.

    OMG the evening was spectacular!! Small, pure Local restaurant -fabulous food and delightful encounters with all sorts of people, plus very enlightening and solid discussion about immigration and indigenous peoples. These are very special friends!
    Okumaya devam et