Wordless Wednesday: Morning Shadows
Morning Shadows
Posts from the ‘Photo Travel Themes’ category
Cady Luck Leedy’s Tuesday Travel Tips: #3
You Do Not Have to Travel Like a Hobo
Tip #3: You Have to Know How to Hold ‘Em and Know How to Fold ‘Em!
Traveling in the summer months is easier to pack for. Clothes weigh less and are not bulky. I make outfits that mix and match. For any trip over two weeks; seven tops and five slacks. Interchangeable. Period. This combo makes thirty five different outfits! For trips under two weeks; five tops and four slacks. Add a lightweight sweater that goes with anything, or a light-weight wrap. Remember you can’t enter most religious sites wearing shorts, or having bare shoulders. You’ll need a cover-up and appropriate clothing. I always have just two main color schemes, light and dark. My choice is black and tan. I choose tops than can go with all the slacks. My slacks are capri length or long. This makes a very big wardrobe and believe me it so much easier to deal with. To dress something up add a scarf! If I have a washer and dryer available on an extended trip I go with the 7/4 rule. Don’t be bogged down taking tons of clothes! You will tire of lugging them around, and will not wear most of them!
Sacs from Eagle Creek
The next best thing to soap is Compression Sacs from Eagle Creek, the kind that don’t need a vacuum to suck out the air. Put your clothes in it, and then roll the sack like you are rolling out a pie. The air escapes and it is flat as a pancake. A miracle! You will be amazed how much you can get into these sacs! The sacs come in three sizes. Small, medium and large. I take one large Compression Sac empty, to use for dirty laundry. I can separate the dirty from the clean stuff so I always know what is what. They are extremely durable and I have been known to mail home my dirty laundry in these sacs, when I bought too many goodies on vacation. (You’ ll still need to find a box to mail them in, but it will be a small one!) Also, if you go to a laundromat in Europe it is easier and less noticeable to carry your laundry to and fro in these sacs. Mark one for clean and one for dirty, so you can bring back clean clothes in a clean sac. Put dirty clothes in marked dirty sac, roll it up, squeeze out the air and place sacs in Veggie Borsa and off you go to wash! Scented laundry sheets are a real winner. Place them in the dirty clothes sac and in your suitcase and everything will smell heavenly!
Smart-Compression Sac
Envelopes
The other must have is the Eagle Creek Envelopes and it’s matching bags. These come in different shapes and sizes, the items shown here are the ones I use. One for pants, one for tops, one for underwear and one for toiletries. I love it because it keeps my clothes sorted and I don’t have to pull everything out of my suitcase to find something. Also, if I am staying in one spot for a long time I take the envelopes out and put them in the dresser drawers. Easy! It is amazing how your clothes stay freshly pressed in these envelopes too.
How to do the Shoes
For shoes, your new best friend, will be the plastic sleeves that the newspaper comes in. Perfect for shoes, slide the shoe in and pack them. Keeps everything clean. I wear my heaviest shoes on the airplane and pack another pair in Papa Borsa’s front pouch, which is easy to get to. I take three pair of shoes total. One pair of black sandals, for dressier occasions without extensive walking. Also, two pair of walking shoes. We tend to walk a lot, so comfortable shoes is a must. One tan pair, one black. Again they will go with all my outfits. Do not take white tennis shoes! You will stand out in the crowd as the loud, touristy American! They make all sorts of colored, fancy or not, walking shoes and they are stylish anywhere, so you will blend in. I also bring a small roll of duct tape in a bright color to make a fashion statement. Ha Ha! Place a strip on the back of your ankles before you leave home and you will never get a blister, no matter how far you walk!
Small plastic bags in assorted sizes come in most handy for makeup, lotions or hairspray that may leak. Place all toiletries in a plastic bag before it is put in the toiletry bag. Bring only what is necessary and in small plastic travel containers. A small bar of soap and detergent is handy to wash out underclothes in my room. I also bring a small nylon stretchy clothes line.
I never take a hair dryer, too bulky, no matter the size. Most hotels, and B&B’s offer one to use. If not, I go with my “whatever” hairdo! I am on vacation!
Stuff to carry in your purse at all times:
A Tide to Go pen. You want to get at a possible stain before it has time to set. Ever been to a bathroom to discover no toilet paper? Carry Handywipes and a No Rinse Hand Sanitizer. Carry a very small umbrella. If you have it with you, you will never need it. Enjoy your next vacation!
Cady Luck Leedy’s Tuesday Travel Tips: #2
Tip # 2. It is very important to carry the right bag! This is a little story about bags, one of the most important parts of traveling!
The Borse Family, Papa, Mama and Baby Borsa
There once were several Borse (Italian word for bags) that lived in “The End” cottage. They were very excited to be going on vacation! Papa Borsa was big, blue, and handsome, with lots of pockets. His favorite feature was a big pouch for an extra pair of shoes right on his front that was easily accessible. He could carry a newspaper, an umbrella, and all kinds of goodies in his side pouch. He also had a heart sleeve, a place he held dear, that carried the Mrs’s lipstick and chapstick and anything small that would make the Mrs look good at all times. All the small items are easy to get to without opening the main bag.
How to Do the Shoes
That’s why Mama Borsa fell in love with him at first sight. She knew he was the brains of the family and carried the computer, the Ipad, and IPhone and all their connectors, so he was always ready to compute. His big belly was ready for anything! Be sure to wrap the shoes in the plastic bags the newspaper comes in! You can never have enough plastic bags and newspaper bags are some of my favorites! Those bags are so handy! Papa Borsa was so thoughtful, with a plastic sturdy bottom on the outside, so he wouldn’t bring dirt into the cottage. He came from Lug and had lots of brothers and sisters in bright cheerful colors!
Mama Borsa was an organizer, she wasn’t too big or too small, but just right. She had lots of pockets and zips and came with several straps, so was very adjustable to all kinds of situations. Since she was in charge of the purse strings she had a small change purse for credit cards, money and identity cards that clipped to her innards and could never be dropped or left on tables to be lost. She came from the family of Baggallini’s. They were a family of zippy, deep pockets, and closures known for their endurance and strength. She was called Odessy by her family, but just Mama at home.
Papa and Mama Borsa, had many children, but they decided for every trip, that Veggie Borsa, should be one of the children to go. He was adopted from the check-out aisle at the market and was the baby and liked to carry lots of things with him all the time, because he was very stretchy. Mama had to keep an eye on him when shopping, if he left her side. He would be found with all kinds of gifts and goodies, and since he was so flexible he would stretch and stretch until he filled up. Mama and Papa were always surprised that he could carry so much and still not be too heavy to carry home. Papa Borsa was so proud of him! Especially when they went to market. With Baby Veggie Borsa along you didn’t need to pay for Papersacks Borsa to carry the groceries home. Baby Borsa was glad to help and never dropped or broke one thing! Even wet he never let the family down. He was a real bagger! After a big day when he was ready for his nap, he would fold up so tiny and could be tucked in almost anywhere! And he slept!
This year, the cousins Pacsafe and Secrid, were going on vacation too. Pacsafe was always so secretive!
One of the Pacsafe Cousins With Secrid
He had a very strong, wire-coiled exterior and strap that could not be cut through and tough locking straps so you could lock him to a chair or a post! Nothing was going to phase Pacsafe! No one would get away with him! Secrid was a small little fellow that always traveled with Pacsafe. When you saw one, you saw the other! He carried the credit cards and his strong aluminum shell prevented the theft of credit card numbers when no one was paying attention. But Secrid always paid attention! They were very happy to be joining the trip this year!
The Borse Family looked forward to the big plane ride. There was a big overhead bin where they all could cuddle. Papa hoped he would meet a briefcase to discuss the world in general. Mama hoped to delve into all the fashion and food of the world, with her new bag friends. And Baby Veggie thought he might be the only one along for the ride. Pacsafe hoped someone would try to steal him on vacation, so he could show his muscles, and Secrid was itching to go shopping and zip his cards through the machines! After meeting up with all their friends, they finished their snacks and settled in for a nice long flight! See you on vacation! Enjoy!
PS The Papa Borsa Bag sits easily on my small luggage and over the pull-out handle. Nothing to carry. My Mama Borsa Bag is a cross-over bag so it frees up my hands. Nothing to worry about leaving somewhere. I take Baby Borsa whenever I am out shopping or just going to the corner for baguettes!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Early Bird
An Iron Early Bird up with the vendors on the Buda side of Budapest, Hungary! I do believe I see the WORM too! My entry for the Weekly Photo Challenge! Enjoy!
The Iron Early Bird in Budapest, Hungary
Weekly Photo Challenge: Afloat
We’re off to Cesky Krumlof in the Czech Republic! Another fairy tale village. See you there! Enjoy!
We’re Afloat on the Vltava River in Cesky Krumlof, the Czech Republic
All Aboard for Amsterdam!
Living Along the Canals, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
We’ve left Brugge and made our way by train to Amsterdam! This is another city treasure built on millions of wooden pilings, that have held up for hundreds of years! The Royal Palace sits on 13,000 pilings, still solid after 350 years! The wood pilings hold up the buildings as long as it stays wet and is not exposed to air! Since WWII all new buildings have concrete pilings driven 60 feet deep through the first layer of sand, through more mud, and then a second layer of sand. Today’s biggest buildings sit on a foundation that goes down to 120 feet deep! So now that we know we won’t be sinking any time soon, let’s explore this beautiful city of canals, lined with trees and gabled townhouses.
The Icons of Holland: Windmills, wooden shoes and tulips.
The word “Netherlands” means lowland. In medieval times, the inhabitants of the lowland along the Amstel River built a system of dikes to protect their land from flooding. Amsterdam sits like a fan spread out with four surrounding canal rings. There are more canals in Amsterdam than Venice! The icon Dutch windmills were built to to harness energy to lift the water up out of enclosed areas and divert it into the canals and drain the land. They grew hardy plants that removed the salt from the soil, slowly turning mushy marshes into fertile farmland. Later the windmills were used to turn stone wheels to grind their grain.
Why do the dutch wear wooden shoes (Klompen)? Wooden shoes allowed farmers to walk across soggy fields and were easy to find if they came off in high water, because they float!
In the 1630’s Holland was gripped with “tulip mania.” Tulips were native to Turkey, (tulip comes from the turkish word for turban.) The Holy Roman Emperor’s ambassador to Constantinople first sent bulbs westward in the mid-1500’s. The harsh soil conditions of Holland turned out to be ideal for growing tulips. Financial speculators invested wildly in these rare plants, growing and selling exotic varieties. You could buy a house with just three tulip bulbs! Later, during WWII when the people of Amsterdam were starving, they dug up and ate tulip bulbs. Dutch people are known to be among the world’s most handsome people— tall, healthy and with very good posture. Like a tulip! Tulip anyone? Now let’s explore Amsterdam! It’s another great city to get to know on foot!
A Restaurant Along the Canals, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Along the Canals, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
There are 765,000 people in Amsterdam and just as many bikes! Everyone rides a bike here. Be very careful, look in all directions when crossing a lane!
Yikes, Bikes, in Amsterdam!
Bikes Everywhere!
Bike Seat to Sit On or Chain your Bike To!
Riding, Riding! Everyone is On a Bike!
Riding, Riding!
This is Why One Rides a Bike Here!
Cozy Amsterdam! More Bikes!
The buildings do shift a little, all leaning on each other!
Very Early Morning ! The Bikes are at Rest!
A Cosy Outdoor Cafe, Amsterdam
If you are very persistent and really must have a car, how about these? Such contrast!
Vintage Wheels!
Or Electric Car!
Or maybe this is your ride?
The Red Truck, Amsterdam
Or this?
Just Go Afloat!
Boat Tours, Amsterdam
Along Another Canal, Amsterdam!
Along the Walk in Amsterdam!
Calla and Tulip Stalls in Amsterdam!
Dogs, Please Don’t Water the Plants!
This Girl Is Very Tired! Get a Bike!
For our stay in Amsterdam we loved the Maes B&B. We had a bedroom, living room, and a fantastic bathroom! Very close to everything and located in one of the gabled townhouses, it was a delight to see what one of these buildings looks like on the inside! Every morning we were treated to a hearty, home made, cooked breakfast, with the staff meeting our every need. It was a great stay in Amsterdam! Check it out here, Maes B&B.
Home Away from Home, Maes B&B, Amsterdam
Our Room, Maes B&B, Amsterdam
The Bedroom Room, Maes B&B, Amsterdam
Sparkling Clean, Modern Bathoom, Maes B&B, Amsterdam
Enjoy Amsterdam!
Beautiful and Tropical? Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Cady Luck Leedy’s Tuesday Travel Tips
Tip # 1
The Knee Bone is Connected to the Thigh Bone. The Thigh Bone is Connected to a Headache.
Bellagio, Italy
I really want to talk about luggage here. See all the steps? What if you had to go from a) the bottom of that tiny stoned stairway to b) the top where your lodging is? Would you want to drag a large overgrown bear with you? Or better yet, could you carry that bear over your shoulders? Now let’s also throw in, it’s hot outside, you are tired and you are not even sure if this is the right stairway to heaven. Get the picture? Less is more. You can’t take it all with you. Italy, France, Turkey, Germany, (you fill in the blank) like any other place has stores. AND carrying too much will give you a headache to boot.
So you say you will rent a car? Well you still have to get from the airline terminal to the rental car agency. Sometimes in order to get there this will include stairs, tiny narrow escalators, long tunnels with more stairs at the end, or a combination of all of them. How much does that suitcase weigh? What about the Borse, how heavy are they? (See the next post about the Borse family) Some of the most beautiful villages in Italy are all uphill. Even downhill feels uphill to me. Be prepared to pull or carry. Light.
Varenna, Italy
Once after landing at the Florence, Italy airport I made my way to the car rental area and found myself in line behind a group of two men and three women, who were traveling together. Now I could sense this was going to be trouble from the get-go because the women were telling the men, in detail, what to do. One gentleman filled out all the paperwork, as instructed by the ladies and when the agent thought they were through and handing over the papers, the women decided the other gent should be added as a driver as well. Back to the beginning. I stood in line for over an hour and the line behind me got longer and longer.
“Hellooooo, my knee was saying. Why are we standing still for such a long time?” When it was my turn it took ten minutes and out the door I went. Note: Make all your car reservations at home and it will save you time and trouble. When I got outside I found my car parked right behind The Group and watched in awe as they tried to get fifteen pieces of luggage into a mid-sized sedan. Big luggage. They tried every which way under the sun, again at the direction of the ladies, and finally decided that the two large cases would have to go in the back seat of the car and the three women would sit on top of them. Bent over. Noses touching the seat in front of them. Those poor men! I hoped they didn’t have to go very far! How would they be when they arrived at their destination? I did not want to know.
I like to take the train most of the time. The trains that are “Mind the Gap” are easily accessible, just step from a platform over a small open space and you are easily on. Prince Charming is never around when you need him. Some trains in Italy are small. The trains in Italy may look like this: 1. Narrow entrance to get on and off . 2. Three or more giant steps that you must be prepared to hoist your luggage to and then yourself. For me it is luggage first than me. 3. Trains are on time (well Italian time) so you have to get a move on when the train comes to a halt. 4. Be prepared for the entrance to be crammed with people who do not want to move to a seat. Picture this. I was taking a train from the Zurich Airport by way of the local train. I had to take a train to get to another train. The train stopped, the door opened and all I saw were faces and piled high luggage. I quickly assessed the situation. The train was ready to depart so up went my case and I scrambled on behind it. Nobody moved. We were eyeball to eyeball with my suitcase squeezed between us. I couldn’t even turn around to face the door and just hoped my fanny would not get caught in it when it closed. I looked up and read the sign. Do not lean on the door. Luckily, I only had one stop to go before we all poured out.
Menaggio, Italy
Sometimes after you reach your destination in paradise there are stairs just waiting to greet you. So you have a room booked on the first floor? Well that will be the second floor in Europe. Most hotels do not have an elevator or if they do it is tiny, not room enough for you AND a large suitcase. You must be able to carry your luggage up the stairs. By the time you get there heavy luggage will make your knees weak, your legs screaming, your back aching, and give you a killer headache. You will need a drink! Or two, but won’t want to walk back down those stairs!
So what kind of luggage do I travel with? One on wheels, durable, but light weight. It measures 16X23 inches and has an easy to recognize name tag
My new best friend
and strong pull out handle to slip on Papa Borsa because he doesn’t like to be carried. Remember that your luggage does not like cobblestones, so it must have a durable handle that can lift it to carry and will not break easily. My favorite accessory is the luggage scale. Don’t leave home without it. You don’t want to get to the airport upon departure to have the smiling attendant say your ticket is now @$$%%^^^%#$$$$ because it is overweight. You will be directed to another line to take stuff out or re-arrange it. Re-arrange it to what? Use that scale beforehand and know how much the suitcase weighs. Practice walking with your suitcase full. Go up and down your stairs at home carrying it. Can you do it? Remember the knee bone is connected to the thigh bone and the thigh bone is connected to the back bone. All the way to your head. Save yourself a headache. Travel light. Now let’s get down the stairs! How about these?
Stairs in B&B, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Next….. what do I pack and how do I pack it?
One Word Photo Challenge: Copper
Beautiful copper tiles on the Chateau de La Rochepot! A fairy castle built on a rocky peak, became the home of Regnier and Phillippe Pot, both Knights of the Golden Fleece. Enjoy this little corner of France!
Chateau de la Rochepot, Near Beaune, France
Chateau de La Rochepot, Near Beaune, France
Travel Theme: Smooth
Here is my entry for the Travel Theme: Smooth! What a dreamy, romantic day in Le Petite Venise neighborhood of Colmar, France! For additional entries for Smooth, look at the blog, Where’s My Backpack, HERE. Enjoy!
Colmar, France
Triple Treat in Belgium
Along the Canal at Damme, Belgium
Doesn’t the picture above just convey what you dreamed the Netherlands would look like? It does to me and I was not disappointed! Today we are having a triple treat! We are taking the “Triple Treat Bus Tour,” offered by Quasimodo Tours. The day is overcast with occasional wind gusts and blowing rain, but nothing dampens our tour out into the countryside of Brugge. The Triple Treat Tour features several country homes, the village of Damme, the oldest gothic buildings in Flanders at the former monastery at Ter Doest, where we will have lunch, a tour of a chocolate factory, and last stop, a beer brewery! We are in for a day of fun which started when the Quasimodo Guides picked us up at our B&B and took us to the bus waiting for us in the town square.
The bus takes us out into “Burbs” of Brugge. Then down this narrow lane and deep into the wood, passing the grazing cows we come to the moated castle of Tillegem.
Through the Woods and Down a Narrow Lane!
The Cows in the Country at Tillegem, Belgium
Had to take a picture of the cows! And now for the Castle of Tillegem! Baldwin, the Iron Arm, first count of Flanders, constructed a wooden tower surrounded by battlements where the castle now stands. Since 1980 the castle and beautiful park has been the property of the province of West Flanders. I had to take a picture of the castle from every angle! The castle is not open to visitors.
The Moated Castle of Tillegem, Belgium
The Moated Castle of Tillegem, Belgium
The Moated Castle of Tillegem, Belgium
The Moated Castle of Tillegem, Belgium
The Moated Castle of Tillegem, Belgium
Next we drove to the neo-gothic Chateau of Loppem, full of artwork and other treasures! Built between 1859 and 1862 for Baron Charles Van Caloen and his family, the castle’s original architecture and interior decoration is remarkably well preserved. The park and castle are owned by the Jean van Caloen Foundation and is open to the public. I took so many pictures inside here, but they were dark, fuzzy and not too good. Trust me when I say this home was a delight to see.
Chateau of Loppem, Belgium
Chateau of Loppem, Belgium
It’s now pouring and really gusty as we get to Ter Doest!
Lambert, Lord of Lissewege, donated land to the Benedictus friers in 1106, to build a priory. In 1270 the Benedictines left and the Cistercienzers Order, who had ties to the Templer Knights, took over. In 1172, Richard, the Lionheart, one of my relatives, was captured by Leopold of Austria on his return from the Crusades. It is said that the abbot of Ter Doest paid the larger part of the ransom in order to get Richard out of prison. It is assumed he came to Ter Doest for a time after his release. He was in fact in Damme, where we are headed later today.
The gothic barn, built around 1280, is the largest remaining barn of its kind, and was used to store crops. In 1308 the barn and abbey were confiscated during protestant religious wars, so the farm we see today was built from the debris of the destroyed abbey. Today a lovely restaurant and B&B also sit on this site! Let’s go have lunch!
The Restaurant at Ter Doest, Belgium
The Old Barn and ArtWork at Ter Doest, Belgium
Artwork at Ter Doest, Belgium
After our great lunch at Ter Doest, we made our way to Damme. Situated right along the river Reie, the river has now been canalized into the long , straight, tree-lined and picturesque Damse Vaart Canal from Brugge, just 6 kilometers away, to the Dutch border in Sluis. This makes a great bike trip from the city. Even though it was raining and windy there were bikers doing just that! We all met up in Damme! What exquisite scenery!
Picture Perfect Along the Canal in Damme, Belgium
A Windmill Along the Canal in Damme, Belgium
The town is a favorite venue for eating and a destination for boat trips. It is also known for being a great “book town” with numerous bookshops and regular book fairs! Just so nice to explore too!
The Village of Damme, Belgium
The Village of Damme, Belgium
Wrought Iron Sculptured Art in Damme, Belgium
Our next stop was the tour of a Belgium Chocolate factory, but sad to say I was addicted to the Dumon’s Chocolates, and wanted to wait it out until evening to stock up on my favorites. Finally, our last stop back in Brugge, was The Fort Lapin Brewery. There was a variety of Belgium Beers to taste (included in price of tour) but my hand must have been busy holding those pints because I didn’t get any pictures! What a fabulous tour! Be sure to check Quasimodo Tours in Belgium. Enjoy!
The Travel Lady In Her Shoes 