Copenhagen, Denmark

Sailing into Copenhagen

Denmark, the land from which Peder Jensen Pedersen at the age of 18 sailed with his older brother to America. He and his older brother left the port of Copenhagen Dec. 14 1904 and arrived at the port in New York on Dec. 26 of the same year. He entered Ellis Island stating that he was a 'lumber tally man.' OK, that is the end of the Pedersen family history lesson.

During the 16th century Denmark was the largest of the Scandinavian countries because it ruled all of Norway and parts of Sweden. Today however, it is the smallest country in  the Baltic area. Denmark was the home of the Vikings. We stayed two days in this lovely city and used the Hop On Hop Off bus to tour the city.

The six of us headed out to explore this fascinating waterfront city. In the end we saw Copenhagen by bus, on foot, and then by water taxi. You couldn't ask for anything better and the cost of a 24 hour Hop On Hop Off pass was relatively inexpensive. Weather was perfect.

Of course we went to Tivoli Garden which isn't a botanical garden at all...it is an amusement park! Everything inside is based upon stories from the famous writer, Hans Christian Andersen. The park is filled with rides, manicured gardens and lawns, bands, games, performance stages etc. But don't think Disneyland...nothing could be further. Some of the rides are original. Dan said one of the rides had a brakeman in each car to manually slow the car! Now that is scary!! The gardens and walkways were enchanting. After walking around the park for a bit, Dan and our friend, Pat, stayed to go on rides, while the rest of us headed out for the famous Stroget Street. This street is closed to cars and is filled with high-end shops, tourist souvenir shops, eateries, and street entertainment.  It was all cobblestone, so you needed to be aware of where you were stepping. We stumbled upon a tiny Christmas shop where intricate handmade paper cutouts were sold just like the ones H.C. Andersen had created. Needless to say, the Visa card was placed atop of a few new Christmas decorations that would be heading for the states!

We also spent time along the waterfront of the Nyhaven canal. It reminded us of Bergen, Norway with all of the Hanseatic buildings. This is where H.C. Andersen wrote his first stories. We strolled though the historic quay before having lunch at a little outdoor restaurant.  We then boarded one of the canal tour boats. From the sea we were able to see the Opera House (nothing compares with the one in Australia, though), we saw the Little Mermaid (saw her by land as well), the Royal Danish Playhouse, and  Holmen (an old naval area). Here's a fact: Did you know that the Little Mermaid was a gift from the brewing magnate, Carl Jacobsen (AKA Carlsberg Brewery) in 1909? She is still pining today for her lost love.

Old Stock Exchange

Denmark has steeples everywhere. None are the same in design or size. They are not limited to churches as you can see the beautiful on atop the Old Stock Exchange.

The Kiel Canal, Germany

The Kiel Canal is a 61 mile-long canal that links the North Sea at Brunsbuttel to the Baltic Sea at Kiel-Holtenau. If you use this canal you can save about 280 nautical miles instead of going around the Jutland Peninsula. This is a time saver, but more importantly to me, as a timid sea-going traveler, it avoids the potentially dangerous storm-prone seas. I had never heard of this canal and yet it is the world's busiest man-made waterway! We timed it just right to begin the series of locks early on the morning of June 13th. The captain had said that the wait could be hours long as ships cue up waiting the begin the long narrow passage. There are many detailed traffic rules as you might expect. Ships are categorized into 6 categories based upon their dimensions. Depending on the classification, some ships must use the assistance of a tugboat or accept the specialized pilots to come aboard. Most large, modern cruise ships cannot use this canal because of clearance under some bridges, but we were able too...just barely. As we approached one bridge we all held our breath, sure that the radar equipment and running track deck would be sheared off! We made no stops and it took us almost a full day to sail to our next port of Copenhagen, Denmark. It really was a beautiful day at sea even though the sun never came out.

The Baltic Trip

June 9, 2013 we flew from SD to JFK and then from there to Heathrow. Upon arrival in the UK, we boarded a bus and headed for the port located in Southampton, UK. It was great to see our old friend the Azamara Quest waiting for us to board her. This is the same 'small' ship we took to Southeastern Asia. It was one of those weird things where you leave on the 9th and arrive on the 9th. Already your biological time clock is being  messed with!

Taken at 8:00 pm!

We set sail later that day for Amsterdam and went through a series of locks since Amsterdam, Netherlands is located below sea level. It took us more than a day to get from Southampton and through the locks until we docked in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is known as the 'Venice of the North" because of all the canals and waterways. There are 165 canals with over 1,000 bridges crossing them! There are many museum there, although we did not have time to go into any. It is here that there is the greatest collection of Rembrandt's and Van Gogh's in the world. Unfortunately we did not get to the Ann Frank house either.

Anyway, on our first evening we participated in something called 'AzAmazing' where we went ashore and they took us 'back in time' to the recreated village of Zannse Schans for a walking tour. It was cool to see what life would have been like so long ago. The golden age of the Dutch Renaissance began in the 17th century and grew into a world empire. Remember learning about the Dutch East India Company way back in 7th grade? It was like being in Williamsburg if you have ever been there. The Netherlands has been a part of France, Spain, and Germany at one time or another. Today they are  an independent nation in Europe and use the Euro.

We also walked through some little shops and of course we saw lots of wooden shoes! I love this silly picture of Dan standing in those wooden babies. Look, he is even color coordinated! It was a relaxing evening and a way to adjust to the time change.

Master painter

The following morning we were up early and headed out for a guided tour of Holland. One of our stops was the famous Delft Factory...you know those famous blue plates? Did you know that the paint is actually black and when it is fired it turns to blue? Another factoid is that the painter takes the pattern he will be using and creates a stencil out of it by punching hundreds of tiny holes along the lines. Next it is placed over the item to be painted and then dusted with a fine powder. The stencil is then removed and the remaining faint design is used as a guide for the painting. A lot of work goes into every hand-painted piece!  It takes over 10 years to become a master painter. In the factory we saw tiles, vases, plates, shoes, tableware, bowls, frames, ornaments etc. all in the famous blue design with the flowers. Of course I was fascinated by the rack of porcelain thimbles that were just waiting to be painted and fired. I had to buy one for my collection!
Be warned, this was the first of many thimbles acquired on this trip...it was also one of the most expensive. But what a treasure :)

We also had the opportunity to walk along the canals. You can see that shops and restaurants line the canals and boats are parked along side. There are bicycles everywhere too. They have all sorts of baskets on them for carrying a myriad of things. Some even had metal boxes attached for hauling bigger items. It appeared that bicycles were also the favored transportation for pizza delivery men. People of all ages rode bikes. Since the land is flat, it seemed like an efficient way to get around.

This is a very cool old building that was in a square, but for the life of me I cannot remember what it was called. I remember it was one of the oldest buildings and it is still in use today. Maybe later I will find a picture of it in a guide book and can label it then. We also walked by The Hague and saw many embassies from the street.

Joey's Graduation

Joey and his love, Kristen

Graduation procession

My nephew Joey graduated yesterday from USD with his MBA! Way to go Joey.  We went to the Jenny Craig Pavilion to watch the ceremony and then headed back to Jay and Heidi's house for the party. It was a great opportunity to sort of christian their new house.



 The new patio was great. The table was under the pergola with the drinks under the shaded eves. Margey and Tom bought them a beautiful set of solar lights to line the edges of their lawn. Their yard is really coming together nicely. On the lawn we played some game where you toss 2 balls on a rope to a little stand with three bars on it. You play it in teams. Very fun game. Cannot remember the name of the game though. Suffering from OBS-Old Brain Memory.

Then came the Taco Man! OK, so two Mexican fellows arrived and set up a tent and two grills. They brought in coolers of meat, tortillas, and fixing's. The smoke sent amazing aromas into the air, and the meat cleaver chopped away at the steak and chicken. It was an all you can eat taco bar for 1.5 hours.

And we ate! I know I had 5 and I'm pretty sure most folks had at least that many. They were delicious. We cooked some beans and had chips and guacamole on the side. I made lemon cupcakes for dessert. There were margaritas, beer, wine, and Jack Daniels (Jay's drink of choice). Heidi and I had lemonade and tea.

It was fun to see all of Joey's roommates and buddies. Since Brian is here we were able to get a great family picture with Danny included. Beth is missing because she was home with bronchitis. The only thing missing from making this a perfect day!

Heidi, Jay, Tom, Joey, Margey, Katie, Dan Brian in the center with Danny Boy, wiener dog.

Frisbee Fun

Now that Danny Boy has a new backyard, I thought it would be fun to get a small Frisbee for him to race around with. Now we know that Danny isn't the sharpest dog, but once again his charming personality outshines what he might lack in the smarts department.

In the first days of Frisbee training he would let the thing hit him or would duck. No sense of what to do with the flying blue disk. Eventually he would begin to run after it once it landed, but would proceed to dig up the newly laid sod around it. Not a good move on his part.

After moving practice onto the patio, he would go fetch it once it landed and bring it back to you. That was some real progress. So we thought he would be ready to try the grass again.

Today, when I went to visit and play Frisbee, I see he will chase it on the grass with a mandatory two sharp barks. When the Frisbee lands he runs to it, but instead of picking it up and bringing it to you, he has to stop and chew some of the grass first. Can we say "side-tracked"?

His short attention span makes him all the more adorable! If you remind him to get the Frisbee and bring it to you, he will finish his last few bites, pick up the rubber disk, and trot to you with a wagging tail. Such love! We will not be entering any Frisbee contests in the foreseeable future.

Hi Grandma!

Well, it is official! Jay and Heidi are 6 months away from being parents. We are so excited for them and for ourselves as we become first time grandparents. I wish mom and dad were still alive to witness this wonderful event.

Here is a recap...July of 2011 they got married in a beautiful outdoor wedding. It was picture perfect!

June of 2012 they bought a house which is now fixed up really nice. New paint and baseboards, new recessed lighting, some new living room furniture and lots of little personal touches have been added to the inside.

They have completely re-done the front yard. With the help of Heidi's dad, Don, they took out all the Palm Springs - zero scape rock yard (can we say ugly) and added a retaining wall. Jay and his buddy Paul laid the sprinkling system and then put in the sod. The next big job will be the removal of the palm tree.

Just this week they finished the initial stages of the backyard make-over. That included clearing the canyon, installing the fire pit, running gas lines, having Pavers put in, laying sod, and constructing a Pergola for summer shade. It looks awesome. This does not resemble the original overgrown backyard in any way! We will be christening it this weekend with a graduation party for cousin Joey. 

And now the baby. The little peanut (because we don't know sex yet) is due the day after Thanksgiving. What a blessing! Love the little bib they gave us to announce the big news. They are both super excited. Danny Boy will not know what hit him, but I think he will take it all in stride and lick the new peanut to death. He just loves people!

They certainly have accomplished a lot in a short time. We are very proud and happy for them.

The Suitcase

Ugly but practical and durable!

Like the infamous "hat," I now have " the suitcase."  Dan and I have traveled enough now and it seems like with each trip, our reasonably priced suitcases are trashed by the airlines. No one wants to take responsibility for the damage either.

International travel has gotten super picky about the size and weight of suitcases too. The weight I understand--50lbs. But the length/width/height is now a consideration. I have a great 30" Samsonite as part of a lovely purple set that is ultimately 1 1/2 inches too big! And they measure!!

So, we header for a travel store called Bergner's in the local mall. I had never heard of it until just recently when I bought a new travel day pack. Of course what we liked, and what was the correct size, was outrageously expensive. The even worse part was we need 2 of them!! So Dan got the basic black and I got what they call "olive." Don't be fooled, it is puke green! But they are big and for our long cruises and travel they are the perfect size. Here is the best part: there is a lifetime guarantee to fix or replace any piece regardless of who has damaged the case. Now that guarantee is worth the extra right there. I think it is by Briggs and Riley and is huge inside. It isn't their super-lightweight line, but light enough. AND the bars for the handle are not inside the suitcase so it is easier to back. Of course I love the 4 wheel bottoms too. With that feature I am very self-sufficient managing my own luggage which makes things easier for Dan.

We also got a great little duffle by Eagle Creek that was on sale. It seems that on these trips we end up buying little (or not so little) souvigners and no room to get them home. Typically we do the best of our group. The last 2 trips we've been on people have actually gone and bought extra suitcases before heading home! LOL. So the little duffle can fit flat going over and be used as a carry-on on the return trip. If we need to use it fine and if not, no big deal. It will make a nice weekend bag too.

Where Did I Park the Car?

Brian is back in San Diego for a few months before moving on to his beloved Chile. It is great to have him back in San Diego. I am not sure how thrilled he is, however. Two days after being here his car was stolen! After a lunch with a friend over by Dan's office he went to get in his car and couldn't find it. Now Brian has a sense of direction like mine so he thought maybe he had parked elsewhere. He walked the area for about 30 minutes before grabbing his brother to canvas nearby streets. Alas, no car!

Fortunately, he had taken everything out of it. The police were called and it was reported stolen after determining it was not in a tow yard. For now he has a rental car and then while we are on vacation he will have our cars to choose from. Quite a bummer to deal with! Who knows, maybe it is in Mexico and will be driven back to the US side soon. Now what condition it is in is a whole other story! Thankfully he has good insurance and so far they have been very helpful.

A New Hat

I know you remember all about 'The Hat.' I love my Nordy's hat and I love it even more since they replaced it when some of the stitching broke down. That shocks me to this day that they would do that, but anyway, I decided not to risk taking it on the upcoming trip. Putting it in a suitcase may have been the culprit to the tear and I'm not willing to risk it again.








So off to that other famous store, Target, for a new "Hat." OK, it is straw and has a sort of bow on it, but the only real resemblance to the other hat is the color.

It is smaller and not near as cute, but cute enough and I can put it in the suitcase! $15 is a deal and if it falls apart, I will not fret. What do you think of this hat? It should do in a pinch. I also had to get new glasses because my purple ones broke and couldn't be fixed. Bummer. So these are brown and bigger. Very comfortable.

Travel to the "Land Down Under" Comes to an End

On our last full day we had a wonderful tour of Northern New Zealand. We are at the top of a bowl created by volcano (much like Hawaii) overlooking the Auckland Harbor. We are standing on Mt. Victoria. It is quite windy, but gives you a 360 view of the city. Our hotel was actually very close to that space needle you see in the distance.

In all we were gone 23 days. Fourteen were spent cruising with the remaining days spent touring by land. The group was fun to be with and we sure want to thank Carol our wonderful travel agent who put together all the specialty tours we went on. We all felt like we saw so much more than what the cruise line could have offered. New Zealand was an amazing place to look at, to be in the company of its people, and to see what life "down under" really is like.

What a blessing that we were able to take this trip. But hang on, in just 8 weeks we leave again on another 23 day trip. This time we head for the Baltic region of Europe and Scandinavia for 2 weeks on the Azamara Quest and then a full week in France via land explorations. There will be 8 of us instead of 12. We will be with the same group we went to Asia with. It should be some reunion!

Wine and Beer

While in New Zealand we had the opportunity to go to 3 wineries and a brewery. Our group consisted of beer drinkers, wine drinkers, and non-drinkers. We were an eclectic bunch!

In New Zealand we saw several wineries. This one produced award winning wine sold all over the world. The picture was taken from atop a third story tower that overlooked the vines. It was a spectacular view! Down in the basement there were hundreds of casks. Special wine tasting groups could go down there and sample the wines. We tasted wine in the main lobby and then went into a larger room for a delightful lunch.

From there, we went on to the Moa brewery. Dan was the one who really wanted to check out a brewery. The word Moa is the name of an ancient dinosaur bird who roamed the landscape of New Zealand.

You can see from Dan's happy smile he enjoyed the beer tasting. Good thing we had a tour bus taking us around because several in the group were a bit toasted!

Fiordland National Park

As we left Australia we sailed for 2 days and rounded the bottom of New Zealand. We spent a full day slowly cruising around Fiordland National Park. This would be like cruising through Glacier Bay if you were on an Alaskan cruise or through the Fjords of Norway. Beautiful scenery although after those majestic Fjords of Norway, these seemed small. It was cool to see the difference between the Fjords/Fiord's near the two different Poles. If I remember correctly, the ones in New Zealand are older, but don't quote me on that.

It was a beautiful morning to sail through the area. A Park Ranger got on the ship early in the morning and began his commentary about 8 a.m. and continued off and on until about 4 p.m. He said that this day was the clearest they had had all season (which began in October)and how lucky we were. It was indeed quite pretty. Compared with the Fjords of Norway these were tiny and not as magnificent. They were pretty none the less. The water was so still and pristine as we cruise through them. I think it would be so cool to have a permit to hike through the National Park.

That night we had "formal night" so everyone dressed up for dinner. It was fun to get a little dressed up and have a wonderful evening of dinner and music. Here's the whole group. Many nights we had 2 tables of 6 and we preferred it to the long table of 12 where you didn't really get to talk much...and you know how I like to talk!

Pahuto Geyser

In Tauronga, we went to the Te Puia Village which featured a recreated Maori Village, the Pahuto Geyser and the Thermal Mud Pools.
We got to see some authentic dancing and singing too. Very similar to the the South Pacific Islanders found in Hawaii. Since I have not seen 'Ole Faithful' here in the US, this was neat to see.

Grilled Pizza Night

How fun this meal was going to be! At our Bible study tonight we ate dinner first and what a meal it was! Lori started things off by stretching pizza dough out and put it on greased jellyroll pans. The she took them out to the heated BBQ (on medium low) and set the dough on it to cook. Took about 5 minutes to crisp up. Then she took them off and slid them  onto a wooden cutting board.

From there she took them into the kitchen and on the cooked dough side added pizza sauce or Alfredo sauce and then all the toppings. Back onto the grill it goes with the lid down for about 5 more minutes or until the cheese melts and the bottoms are cooked. Oh how yummy.

We baked 6 pizza combinations: Chipotle Chicken; Sausage & Pepperoni; Alfredo with Spinach and Onion; BBQ chicken; Canadian Bacon & Pineapple; and Vegetarian. Wow! It was so good and the thin crust was great. Just look at the feast we ate.

I'm going to do this when summer comes and it is too hot to turn the oven on.

Bible study and fellowship followed with full stomaches.

Antarctica

As you can see from this map of Antarctica, the North Island of New Zealand is getting pretty close to the pole. There is a place called Breakers Bay that is in a direct line to the pole and it often is hit with strong winds and freezing temperatures. Very rugged coastline.

Despite the proximity to the pole, New Zealand is a very green continent. The terrain and colors remind me a lot of Ireland. Hilly, rocky, and many shades of green...and lots of sheep!

After a morning touring the city of Christchurch and the destruction left by the 2010 earthquake, we went to the International Antarctic Center to learn about life in and around the pole. One exhibit had us going into a chamber for about 6-7 minutes that was designed to simulate the living conditions you might find there. Before entering we had to put on special rubber booties and a very heavy coat. Despite the gear, it was COLD. The lights were turned low to simulate the lack of sunlight, wind blew hard, and the temperature went to about 8 without the windchill. Guess that was their summer.

Because the center is set up like a museum, we wandered through many exhibits featuring native birds, type of rock under the snow, how exploration has been done over the years, and how different countries around the world have signed treaties not to exploit the South Pole for personal gain. Cool place for sure...no pun intended!

Sheer Beauty

Last night I got a call from Brian. He decided to take a walk from his house to his local Chicago neighborhood park since it was such a pretty night. It was about 10 I suppose when he went out, but he said it had been lightly snowing all day and he felt like going out to see it. Well, that would never occur to me at that time of night, but then he sent me the picture! WOW! So many descriptive words come to mind.

He is such a great photographer. Don't you think he has a good eye for layout and what will capture the viewer's senses? I would never have thought to take this picture from this angle. I will have to ask him if he used his SLR or his iPhone. Either way, I am envious of his talent. You haven't seen pictures like this in my blog, that's for sure.

My New Car

After much investigation and research, we decided to trade in my BMW and buy a new car that would hopefully hold its value more and would be easier to have maintenance done on. As a friend said to me yesterday, 'we went over to the dark side' and bought a Mercedes. It is a C250 sedan and is a dark metal gray with a light gray interior. And pretty!

The pros include riding higher in the driver's seat, great visibility, better sound system, navigation system, easier to get in and out of, enlarged trunk size, more leg room in backseat, more comfortable seats, heated seats, back-up camera, lighter upholstery, and better gas mileage. My car payment is considerably smaller as well. Hopefully this will be my last car. Dan loves driving it too.

The cons, well, it doesn't take turns like the Beemer and it does not accelerate as quickly. Of course the new car is a 4 cylinder and the BMW was a 6. Two very different cars for two different kind of drivers. I am more of a conservative driver, so the new car is better suited.

Today it is going for its first car wash. Ah....

The Hat

I am not a "hat person". I don't look good in hats. But a year and a half ago I bought a straw sun hat that would help keep the sun from my eyes (migraines) and the off my face (pre-cancer spots). I tried on zillions of hats and finally found one that I would actually wear consistently, however it was found at Nordstroms. You know where this is leading...it was way to expensive.

This hat is a joke in my family. The boys-mostly Jay- tease me all the time with comments like, "Mom, don't forget your hat" as we are leaving a restaurant or something. He has even hidden it, and then asked, "Mom, where's your hat?" I HAVE misplaced it before, so the jokes are somewhat fair.

I wore the hat all the time and even took it with me on the Australian trip! Well, it began to rip as some stitching came loose along the brim. Oh, I was crushed! But what to do? When we returned, I hopped in the car and drove to the mall, of course!

Well, thankfully I had purchased it on my Nordstrom credit card, because they looked it up and said, "Oh, this hat should have lasted you a lifetime." Well, the long and short of it is, I have a brand spanking new hat! No wonder I love to save up and shop there.

Melbourne

Back on ship for a good night's sleep and a full day at sea. Dan and I both had a lot of Bible reading for our Bible Studies to catch-up on, so this was a good time to dig in a bit.  We also attended a lecture about the city of Melbourne that was very interesting.

Melbourne is at the southern tip of Australia by the Tasman Sea and the Indian Ocean. Melbourne was Australia's first capital in 1901 when it became a part of the commonwealth of England. At this time it was settled as a Penal Colony. There are about 4 million people living there today.

One of the things we liked to do while with different tour guides was to listen for unusual saying.  If you want a hamburger, you could go to "Macca's". That's McDonalds.  Perhaps after eating you need to use the toilet--well it's called the 'dunny'.

Our first stop at this port was the Healesville Sanctuary. Seen one, seen 'em all. We saw 'roos',  and 'boomer's' (large kangaroos). There were also many birds as captured by this shot. It was very similar to the Featherdale Wildlife Center.






After what we considered too long a stay there, we headed for wine country in the Yarra Valley.

This valley produces award winning wines. We sat at outdoor tables and had a wine lesson and tasted 4 different wines. I passed on the wine, but everyone said it was great. We went inside the winery where they entertain guests and had a great lunch (that I did not pass on!).

Here is a little fact you might not know. Rose plants grow at the end of each row of vines. If the roses are healthy, then the soil and conditions of the grape plants will also be good. Growers use the roses as an indicator of the health of their vineyard. We left here and headed for another winery that wasn't near as good, but hey, free wine!

With a slight buzz, we loaded back on the bus and had a lovely tour of downtown Melbourne.
Dinner was back on the ship and we had time to chat with those who did not go on this outing. The evening ended with this great sunset at 8:45. Some folks went to the evening show and others went to listen to music or...

We prepared for two days at sea as we head for New Zealand and the Fiordland National Park. Unfortunately we couldn't go ashore, but would spend the day cruising by the Fiords. If you have ever gone on an Alaskan cruise, it would be like cruising through Glacier Bay. So basically we had 3 days at sea. More reading, lectures, cards, ship shopping opportunities (don't worry, I refrained and bought nothing), the gym and walking track, pool and sauna...well, you get the picture.