Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Mix a handful of Americans, a couple of Brits, and a pinch of an Australian. Put them aboard a canal cruise boat flowing down the canals of Holland for several days. Add some interesting field-day trips along the way, feed them glorious food; morning, noon, and night. And what do you have? A fabulous cultural vacation in an European country with laughter and good food.

My travel writer husband, Ron, and I experienced such a trip last week. With six smiling crew members to take care of 11 guests, we felt quite pampered and well taken care of on the barge "Le Panache" courtesy of European Waterways. I wrote more about the daily routine on a barge canal cruise  in my forthcoming book The Travel Writer's Wife.

Visitors from other countries desire to see authentic windmills that will reassure them that they are truly in the Netherlands. We visited Alkmaar where several of these beauties were majestically  standing. Some were converted into souvenir shops where Dutch chocolates, cheeses, and trinkets are sold.

My favorite shop was the one selling wooden Dutch shoes. The walls displayed hundreds of these wooden clogs from ceiling to floors. I stopped for a moment peering over the crowds of people watching a young man demonstrate carving a clog ,using primitive tools and vintage machinery. Along with the traditional style I spotted a couple of clogs with a bit of a fashionista touch.

The main reason we for chose this particular itinerary was the fact that it is the tulip season in this country for several weeks. At the Keukenhof Gardens, over 30 acres of hundreds of varieties of tulips were gloriously on display. Everyone had their smart-phones out clicking way. It was nearly impossible to take a bad photo of these colorful flowers. Tulip cultivation has been on-going for nearly 400 years in Holland. Along with the new varieties, some bulbs date back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

We were fortunate enough to be in Holland on the annual national holiday of King's Day ( April 27th). The birthday of King
Willem-Alexander, from the House of Orange, is celebrated throughout the nation. The Panache hostesses got us into a celebration mood by decorating the interior of our barge with orange balloons, crepe paper streamers, and party hats. Orange 
t-shirts were provided for us to "fit" in with the crowds of the orange-dressed town's people.

Our adorable chef, Franke Schaart, served us typical picnic-style Dutch finger foods. We took a stroll through the town of Haarlem where music bands, food vendors, and a giant Ferris wheel added the the festivities, It was a happy, orangey day. 

My personal highlight of the week was a visit to the Aalsmeer Holland Flower Auction Market. It is located in the 4th largest building in the world. This gigantic warehouse is where more than 20 million flowers are shipped out to all points in the world-- daily! A long walkway for visitors is set up high with an overall view below. It looks like a busy beehive with people driving towed carts of crated flowers from one spot to another. Even painted dotted lanes and intersections are used to direct an orderly traffic.. A lovely fragrance from the gazillion flowers permeated throughout. An amazing sight; nothing like it in the U.S.A.

Along with the attentive Panache crew and a mixture of nationalities, we all temporarily forgot about the outside world, laughed a lot about silly things, and ate delicious food, wines and cheeses. In my travel journal I wrote: I will miss them; we made a good "traveling team". 

So here's to you all, my Panache boat-mates: Ronnie and Sue, Barbara, Nancy, Leslie and Tom, Marianna, Naomi and Kevin!

FTC Disclosure: This was a sponsored trip. All opinions herein are the authors. 

Take a Left at Iceland

Puffins, whales, 130 volcanoes, and chocolate covered licorice. Where am I? Well, Iceland, of course! We recently traveled to a part of the world that I didn't even have on my "travel-bucket" list. It seemed so far away and such an exotic place to visit, I never even considered going there.

IcelandAir  offers a great deal which is being termed "a stopover" for those flying east to Europe   (like we did) or  the western direction from Europe. You can stay for a seven-day layover without any extra charges.

Most tourists start their visit in Iceland's largest populated city of Reykjavik (about 200,000). The population of the entire country is 330,000. There are more than 700,000 Icelandic horses, so that makes the horses outnumber the people!

From the Keflavik Airport , we rode a coach bus of 50 minutes into the capital city of Reykjavik and checked into the Apotek Hotel. The hotel's decor is a modern style of soft grays and whites with accented black furniture. From the widows of our 4th floor corner suite we could see three main streets filled with interesting looking shops and restaurants.

A full itinerary for our three-day visit kept us busy exploring. Our guide, Heidi, definitely fit the description of the Icelandic people: fun, sweet, and speaking flawless English ( the second language on the island). She even laughed at all of my husband's silly American jokes!

We visited the outdoor open-air museum Arbaejarsafn, where a historical collection of authentic Icelandic houses from the 19th Century are on display. In the warmer months, festivals and activities are held there with people dressed in period costumes. I especially found the Turf houses interesting. Trees providing wood has always been scare on this island, so the inhabitants were resourceful in building the walls of their homes with stones and mud. The exteriors got a layer of grass turf for added warmth. People lived in Turf houses up to 1945, so something must have been working with this style of architecture!

We ate at two restaurants, the Matur & Drykuur and the Aatlo Bistro. These chefs are keeping up with the popular world trend of farm-to-table menu concept. Local fresh foods such as catch-of-the-day seafood, greenhouse mushrooms,and vegetables are used in their kitchens. The dishes were beautifully presented. Chef Kjartansson of Aatlo Bistro happens to be one of the sweetest chefs we've come across and was so gracious in personally serving us his delectable food creations.

Definitely taking one of the many bus tours offered will cover more outside areas than you could on your own. We rode with Sterna Tours on the all-day "Golden Circle" tour. I like tour guides that help inform you of what you're viewing along with historical facts. Our guide, Halldor, a native Reykjavik, even threw in some interesting folklore stories about  elves and trolls. Icelanders are quite proud of their mystic folklore stories.

We passed craters and volcanoes and acres of lava rocks covered with green moss. The terrain kept changing and at one point we were only yards away from a huge ice glacier. As out tour continued we saw fog, blue sunny skies, rainbows, snow, and low-hanging white fluffy clouds. Our warm winter garments kept having to come off and back on again.

Here listed are some of the interesting and oddity facts that I collected about Iceland.

• In the winter there is only about two hours of sunlight. In the summer, 24 hours of sun shine.
• Tourism is their biggest industry.
• The new Whale Museum has 23 full scale size of whales displayed.
• To keep golfers happy, there are 14 golf courses in Reykjavik and a total of 66 in the country with more being built.
• Bobby Fischer, the 1972 World Chess Championship Player, won his title in Reykjavik and is buried in Selfoss, Iceland. 
• Green houses produce a variety of vegetables year round along with a variety of roses and tulips. 
• The air is the cleanest in the world.
• The water is so pure, you can safely drink directly from the tap. (I drank lots!)
• The hearty bred Icelandic horses sleep sitting on the ground instead of standing.
• Lamb and seafood are the main foods. There are lots of sheep farmers and fishermen.
• The wildlife consists of rats, field mice, minks, reindeer, and arctic foxes. A word about the arctic fox. They are in abundance and create a great danger to sheep and other livestock. If you kill one, you take the fox's tail to the government office and get paid a fee!
• Iceland is warmer than New York in the winter.
• Rotten shark fish is a popular dish.
• Tipping (contrary to rumors) is allowed. It is not mandatory but definitely appreciated.
• Icelanders are the biggest Coca Cola drinkers in the world!

 The Icelanders are a jovial and friendly people who warmly welcome tourists. So, on your way east to Europe, take a sharp left to Iceland and experience a land of unspoiled treasures.

Waltzing Kangaroo Serves up Hot Meat Pies in Colorado

It's so amazingly delightful to find a true "treasure" practically in your backyard. Ron and I just returned from visiting one: Waltzing Kangaroo, serving handcrafted Australian food, right here in our own Fort Collins. I was so excited, I just had to get the words down as soon as we walked through our front door!

Upon entering the clean, bright, and modern open-kitchen premises, we noticed that the pastry cases were in short supply of their meat, chicken , and savory pies.That was because the lunch crowd wiped them out!  

No fret, because two large trays of various baked Australian pies were pulled out from the oven. A finishing touch of egg wash was applied on the tops with a pastry brush and popped back in for a further 8-minutes. Results: perfectly golden- baked crusts.

The owners, Steve ( Australian) and his wife, Aimee ( American) Phillips, put years of thought and precise planning to making their dream come true: opening an Australian meat pie shop and introducing these delectable pies to an American audience.

There has been no short cuts in the preparation of their menu. Everything, and I mean everything, is made from scratch: the shortcrust and pastry shells, sausage rolls, salad dressing, the slow-cooked beef stock, quiches, and the scrumptious sweets.

Great care was considered in serving the perfect cup of coffee. They refused to serve nothing less than the best Australian-style espresso. The local Coffee Registry found this to be an exciting new challenge to take on. According to Steve and Aimee, they hit right on target. Ron, who never ever drinks coffee, wouldn't leave my cup alone!

We shared a delicious Steak & Gravy pie containing chunks of tender steak swimming in a rich all-natural gravy. The Lamb & Rosemary pie had flavorful morsels of lamb in a rosemary and roasted garlic sauce. Three popular Australian sides helped to round out the meal: mash potatoes, sweet potato mash, and mushy peas. We fought over the peas, (I wished my mother could have seen that; I was the kid who hid my peas in the dinner paper napkin!)

Aimee had us taste the Australian Bundaberg Ginger Beer (no alcohol). Ron and I  "voted" it the best of all the ginger beers we have tried throughout our many travels. So far, no disappointments; the treasures just kept coming right on through to the in-house made desserts. All are made fresh from scratch and in ample servings. We tried the Profiteroles, made in a light choux pastry filled with creme patisserie. The popular Australian Vanilla Slice is filled with vanilla custard between puff pastry and topped with a delicate lemon icing.

By this time I was already making a check list of what I'm going to be ordering on our soon-to -be return trip. Without any doubt, The Waltzing Kangaroo will be Fort Collin's newest hidden gem. And we are so grateful that this American-Australian couple have made such efforts to share their love of these iconic foods with us!

A Seasonal Sail-Away

Most folks have seen the Viking Ship Cruise commercial where a soothing voice enticingly says, "When you glide through the heart of landscapes and cities on a river: a rare and unforgettable tale unfolds!"   

I was excited when I found out that Ron and I had a story to cover aboard one of these long ships in Europe. But I was not as enthused when I notice that it would be in the middle of December. All of a sudden I had a lot of precise planing for both the holiday "doings" along with packing for this two week trip.

When we arrived in Budapest, Hungary, we rode a taxi to the hotel. We needed a good night's rest before boarding the ship, Atla, the next afternoon. I learned something new: the hilly Buda is located on the north side of the River Danube and the flat city of Pest is on the south. In 1873, the two cities incorporated to become one. 

Viking Ships carry about 200 passengers. Our cabin was cozy, clean, and comfortable. It had a flat screen TV and a desk area with room to set up a laptop computer. The heated bathroom floor was a nice luxury on cold mornings. I liked that in the large dining area, one can choose to sit at any table. I "hopped " tables at every meal and as a result made friends with people from New Zealand, U.K., Canada, and America. We had a lot of laughs over our differences and similarities of life.   

The focus of this particular cruise was the famous Christmas Markets held in various cities throughout Europe. (I wrote more about Christmas Markets in my forthcoming book, The Travel Writer's Wife.) Ron and I walked to the one held on the Pest side of town. It was festive and crowded with happy people. I found it interesting to see the Hungarian food influence of cabbage rolls, goulash and chimney cake.  

When time is short, I like taking a guided bus tour to get a quick overall view of a city. Out guide was an ex-pat American with Hungarian roots. She spoke of Hungary's colorful history along with contemporary news. (Syrian refugees had just previously crossed through Budapest.)   

We drove past the Zoo, Hero's Corner, 18th century mansions, the Jewish quarter, the Parliament building, the House of Terror, and the Great Hall Market. Later on my own, I had the opportunity to visit the beautiful National Art Gallery. Echoing thru the vestibules were the voices of a children's choir singing Hungarian Christmas songs. The art collection was fabulous and an inspiration to me.   

Our next port stop was in Vienna, Austria. Unfortunately the weather was freezing cold, so our walk around the city was cut short. No matter, we enjoyed a thick hot chocolate and apple strudel at the famous Demel. Since 1888, this Viennese coffee house has been serving cream cakes, scones, and their famous Demel Sacher Tortes. In the evening we took a tour of the Schonbrunn Palace, a former Imperial summer residence. On the grounds of the glorious palace was a Christmas Market. Vienna was placed on my revisit list! 

Near Melk, Austria , we visited a 5th generation-owned winery and they served us a delicious lunch. The mascot cat, "Splash". was trying so hard to retrieve morsels of food from the visitors. We toured the Melk Abbey where monks live and the village children attend school.  

During a tour of Passau, Germany, we attended an interesting gingerbread demonstration and was delighted to partake of samples. After that was another festive Christmas Market to explore.  

At our boat's stop in Regensburg, Germany, I signed up for a walking tour that focused on the Jewish Quarters and the sad effects that World War II had on this city's Jewish population. I saw a building with a blue plaque on the side of an apartment building commemorating Oskar Schindler who lived at this location at one time. Impressive!  

In Nuremberg, Germany, our guided bus tour drove through this historical city. A stop at the Nazi Rally grounds where Hitler gave his notorious shouting and spitting speeches, was a bit eerie. 

In my journal I wrote, "Sometimes it's the small things that excite me the most when we travel. "Purchasing a set of Pigment Liner Pens from the Staedtler store was one of them. Good sketching pens! The Staedtler  company is known for exquisite writing instruments and is located on a main street in Nuremberg.  

In Nuremberg I visited three contemporary art museums,and joined a walking tour of the city. I stumbled along the cobblestone streets (so European!), while eating a bratwurst from the  Christmas Market. I bought some funny Santa hats, and a book about Germany's recovery after WWII: Germany 1945: From War to Peace, by Richard Bessel. (A good read of information.)                             
So what did I learn from this trip? I gained some more interesting European historical facts and that it was so peaceful to temporarily turn off from the world's sad events. And for a while, it was fun to feel like a tourist; without any heavy thinking to do! I should like to sail away again; soon!    

Back on Track

Oh dear! It's been several weeks since my last blog post. But I believe I have some good excuses for that:

1. The Christmas holidays

2.A trip to Europe

3.My forthcoming BOOK

If you're a woman, then you were probably the number one person in your family household responsible for the holidays. That may include the baking, the shopping, wrapping, and sending gifts along with the tree and decorations. Don't forget the Christmas cards too. Most of all; the timetable: getting it all done and on time!

On my refrigerator was taped a dozen lists of "things to do". That included the Viking Cruise trip on the River Danube. There's so much to do before turning on the front porch light and locking the door behind as you head out tho the airport. (I'll write a post on this trip soon.)

My book, The Travel Writer's Wife, is finished. Well, at least my part of it is. It took me a year and three weeks to write it. Of course not all the days during that time were devoted to the writing. I had a lot of travel and family obligations that deterred me away from it.

Most of the time I wasn't able to do a "Hemingway-sit-down-and-type-for-several-hours". My usual routine was to go to the library and feel content that I was able to put in 2-3 hours of writing. Little by little, it finally got done.

It was a challenging project for me because I don't consider myself a writer; I'm more visually an artist. But reflecting back, I learned a few things. My spelling improved. Especially regarding the words: definitely and inevitably.

My typing sped up considerably and I learned how to research facts on the internet although looking up factual information held me back. At times I would get so caught up reading interesting material regarding a subject that time would fly by without any writing getting completed!

I drew 136 illustrations just to perk up the pages a bit. When the last sketch was drawn and the last word of the epilogue typed, I resounded a big "YES!" It was a satisfying feeling indeed! The cover has been designed and when the printed versions are available, I' let it be known how to purchase a copy.

In the meantime, I plan to go over my list of projects that I've been desiring to get to. The laptop will be pushed to the side of my long desk and I think a blank canvas will be propped up waiting to be covered with some colorful paint. I look forward to it!

Art Wear Fashion Show at Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, CO

Coat designed by Lee Anderson- ArtWear Fashion Show

For 16 years I've seen the Art Wear Fashion Show advertised annually in our local paper. On the 17th October of this year, I finally went. What took me so long?!!  I cringe to think about all the lovely creative garments I missed seeing all those years.  

Fifty-four artists from around the country participated in the 2015 presentation. The one-of-a-kind hand-made wearable garments and accessories proudly strutted down the catwalk at the Lincoln Center here in my own backyard of Fort Collins, Colorado.

Coat designed by Mary Hertert- ArtWear Fashion Show

It was refreshing to see the models were "everyday" women; giving the audience a visual view to easily imagine themselves wearing these exquisite creations.

The stage was carefully designed with over-sized sails of fabric that gently moved but did not distract from the elegant creations. Soft reflective colored lights, a gentle mist, and upbeat music added to the ambiance of the fashion event.

Shown were embellished coats, jackets, dresses, pants, along with flowing wraps, fluid shawls and neck scarves. Some were reversible, buttoned, or the hemlines swooped dramatically in the back.Various fabric and textile techniques were used such as embroidery, silk-screening, weaving, and even digital-printing. Pushing the potential of fabrics, silk, felt, cotton, wool and chiffons were the "canvases" for the textile artists.

I went back to the Lincoln Center the next afternoon to get a better close-up  of the hand-work on the garments. The sales boutique was neatly arranged with the clothing modeled the previous night and available for purchase. A young pretty CSU fashion student, Taylor, graciously pointed out some 

garments with unique details that I would have missed.

Jacket and dress designed by Kevin Kessel- ArtWear Fashion Show

I asked her what area of fashion she wanted to pursue.She said that she was interested in designing lingerie and among her dreams was to live in Paris. I had just finished reading, "My Paris Dream" by Kate Betts, a memoir about a student involved in the fashion world. (note: Taylor, save your school cash and borrow the book from the library!)

The Artistic Director, Gary Hixon, said,"Clothes should be fun and hopefully we added some color to Fort Collins!" Not only was there lots of color but this year's Art Wear fashion show was entertaining and could easily rival any Paris catwalk. I'm already anticipating next year's presentation!

Introduction to Iris Apfel

Imagine being such a fascinating person at the age of 90, that a documentary is made about your life! I recently watched Albert Maysles' film simple called, Iris, about the life of Iris Apfel. Actually it focused mainly on her life now because so much is happening for her at this time.

Iris Apfel, born in 1921,a true New Yorker, is known for her eccentric but very stylish sense of fashion. She wears over-sized bangles and necklaces, furry scarves, multi-colored clothes, and her trademark large round glasses.

After marrying her husband, Carl, in 1948, they started a major textile firm and antiques business: Old World Weavers. Over the years they traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia. (After 68 years of marriage, sadly, Carl passed away in August, 2015.) All the while Iris kept busy with a interior designing which included work for nine presidents in the White House.

Following the 2005 exhibit of her massive collection of clothes and jewelry at the New York Metropolitan's Costume Institute, great interest in her personal style evolved. Unique opportunities presented themselves to Mrs. Apfel. She became a "face" of  MAC cosmetics at the age of 90, has a line of accessories with HSN, and a bright and bold jewelry line, RAVA ARIS, on the internet.

Iris likes timeless and traditional things, not so much trendy. She believes jewelry can be the fastest transformer for an outfit. This "geriatric" starlet has her own version of reality regarding her look, such as; "Getting old ain't for sissies. You have to push yourself when your'e older because its 's very easy to fall into the trap. Style is a personal thing, you have to be yourself." I just wanted to introduce this eclectic lady to you because we baby boomers need mentors and icons to keep us encouraged in our later years!