Split to Venice
Sunday in Split: Split is the 2nd largest city in Croatia (about 400,000). The main tourist site is the palace of Diocletian. Diocletian was the last pagan Emperor of Rome and built this 10 acre palace as his retirement home. The walls remain as well as several interior structures. Very impressive.
The girls of Croatia: While Dubrovnik was filled with tourists, Split (at least on Sunday) seemed to be filled with locals who paraded the beautiful boulevard along the waterfront or who sat in the many restaurants where they seemed to drink and never eat anything. The young women were lovely to watch. The dress code seemed to be short skirts, knee high boots, pantyhose, and fur jackets (despite temperatures in the high teens).
Long day in Italy: Yesterday (Monday) we docked in Ravenna, Italy for a two-day stop. Ravenna is known for mosaics and many chemical plants. We decided to skip the above (at least for the first day) and along with 20 or so others arranged a bus tour to San Marino. San Marino is an independent republic with only 31,000 citizens. Yet, it has a seat at the U.N. and also sends archers to the Olympics. It is very scenic and quite lovely. As it is a tax haven there is lots of money.
We were met at 8:30 a.m. by our tour guide who could easily pass for Attilla’s mother. She announced that we would drive to San Marino on the motorway and return on the small roads along the coast. This would have been a good plan except that there is light in the morning and she saved all the scenery until after dark. As the day progressed it became more and more clear that our guide knew little (the fact that the bus got lost twice was the first hint). Whenever anyone asked a question she either answered a different question or made stuff up. My favorite, however, was when she described Pope Alexander VI as a man of good works. Those of you who watch CBC will remember that Alexander VI is the infamous Borgia Pope who murdered his way onto the throne.
There was one bright spot, however, in an otherwise tedious day. Somewhere we stopped to visit a church. The entrance fee was 5 Euros. However, our guide told us that Canadians over 65 got in for free. Americans over 65 were to pay the full fare. I asked why this was so and she diplomatically responded: “Americans are rich, they can afford to pay.” You can imagine how that went over with a busload of mostly Americans.
A second bright spot perhaps was that we got back so late that there were no seats available in the Main Dining room. Consequently our group of six got upgraded to one of the specialty restaurants for which there is normally a surcharge.
Venice, then what? The sail into Venice this morning was very beautiful, past St. Mark’s Square, through the Lagoon, etc. Surely entering Venice by boat is the best way. We had lovely weather for our one day here and spent almost all of it getting lost, getting found, getting lost, etc. Now we are back on board with some unpaid credits so I guess I’ll have to order the Caymus.
We are scheduled to fly home tomorrow but the Italian Unions have declared a general strike beginning at midnight tonight. As far as I know we will be taken to the airport and then just sit there until we can get a plane out.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Corfu to Dubrovnik
Corfu to Dubrovnik
On Wednesday we docked in the Italian industrial city of Brindisi. As this city has little to offer we joined a group of people on a bus tour of Alberobello and Ostuni. Our group included an old couple (meaning really old-older than me) who got on the wrong bus thinking they were on a shuttle bus into town.
Both of these towns are in Puglia, a flat agricultural area that is relatively poor (but makes decent wine). Alberobello is famous for its Tulli houses which date from medieval times. These houses are made of stones and are cone-shaped. The town looks like a science-fiction version of an American movie about cowboys and Indians. Ostuni is a walled city that dates from the 12th century and all the buildings are white. This was the only day so far when it rained but we managed anyway.
On Thursday we dropped anchor in the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. To access Kotor we sailed for about 90 minutes up what is called Europe’s most southerly fjord. Although technically not a fjord because the river between the cliffs was not formed by glaciers, the effect is the same. This area is spectacularly beautiful, which is why it is visited by so many cruise ships. Just as well as Montenegro doesn’t seem to have much is the way of economic development and depends almost entirely on tourism. The city of Kotor is walled and quite lovely. We spent most of the day walking, with a stop to try the local wine.
We are still drinking lots of wine on the ship as the waiters continue to refill every partially empty glass. Each day there is one red and one white and the choice changes each day. This free wine is quite good with the exception of the night we were in Brindisi when the Chianti Classico was overly acidic. Last night was something called “white night” when everyone was supposed to dress in white clothes. I brought my 10-year old white pants with me but found that sitting down was a task of great difficulty. I didn’t get up on the dance floor for fear of a bursting and the exposure of my undershorts (also white).
Today we arrived in the stunning beautiful city of Dubrovnik. The walled city was bombed for 40 days by the Serbs in 1991, but has been almost completely rebuilt. One can tell which buildings were damaged by seeing whether or not the roof tiles are bright red (new tiles). The ancient walls are all intact and the standard tourist thing is to walk the top of the walls all the way around the city, which takes about an hour, and includes lots of stairs. Today was a nice sunny day and was 17 degrees. Even so we were quite exhausted after the climb. Wouldn’t want to do this in the 40-45 degree heat that they get here in the summer. The city was crowded with the usual tourists from the country which requires its citizens to take 300 pictures of each other each day. Since this is post tourist season I can’t imagine what it would be like in mid season. After our exercise we sat for a long time in a wine bar on the main drag and just people watched.
On Wednesday we docked in the Italian industrial city of Brindisi. As this city has little to offer we joined a group of people on a bus tour of Alberobello and Ostuni. Our group included an old couple (meaning really old-older than me) who got on the wrong bus thinking they were on a shuttle bus into town.
Both of these towns are in Puglia, a flat agricultural area that is relatively poor (but makes decent wine). Alberobello is famous for its Tulli houses which date from medieval times. These houses are made of stones and are cone-shaped. The town looks like a science-fiction version of an American movie about cowboys and Indians. Ostuni is a walled city that dates from the 12th century and all the buildings are white. This was the only day so far when it rained but we managed anyway.
On Thursday we dropped anchor in the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. To access Kotor we sailed for about 90 minutes up what is called Europe’s most southerly fjord. Although technically not a fjord because the river between the cliffs was not formed by glaciers, the effect is the same. This area is spectacularly beautiful, which is why it is visited by so many cruise ships. Just as well as Montenegro doesn’t seem to have much is the way of economic development and depends almost entirely on tourism. The city of Kotor is walled and quite lovely. We spent most of the day walking, with a stop to try the local wine.
We are still drinking lots of wine on the ship as the waiters continue to refill every partially empty glass. Each day there is one red and one white and the choice changes each day. This free wine is quite good with the exception of the night we were in Brindisi when the Chianti Classico was overly acidic. Last night was something called “white night” when everyone was supposed to dress in white clothes. I brought my 10-year old white pants with me but found that sitting down was a task of great difficulty. I didn’t get up on the dance floor for fear of a bursting and the exposure of my undershorts (also white).
Today we arrived in the stunning beautiful city of Dubrovnik. The walled city was bombed for 40 days by the Serbs in 1991, but has been almost completely rebuilt. One can tell which buildings were damaged by seeing whether or not the roof tiles are bright red (new tiles). The ancient walls are all intact and the standard tourist thing is to walk the top of the walls all the way around the city, which takes about an hour, and includes lots of stairs. Today was a nice sunny day and was 17 degrees. Even so we were quite exhausted after the climb. Wouldn’t want to do this in the 40-45 degree heat that they get here in the summer. The city was crowded with the usual tourists from the country which requires its citizens to take 300 pictures of each other each day. Since this is post tourist season I can’t imagine what it would be like in mid season. After our exercise we sat for a long time in a wine bar on the main drag and just people watched.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Crete to Corfu
Crete to Corfu
Before I begin this Whine let me pass along a message from my friend Marie-Claude who commented on my blog from Crete: “ C’est gentil que des Canadiens viennemt en Grece pour soutenir ce pays. Ca nous aidera, nous autru Europeans Nous aurons a faire pour les sortie de ce grand disaster economique dans lequel ils se sont mer.” But more on the Greek economy below.
Our boat didn’t sail into Katakolon (the jumping off point for Olympia) until late morning on Wednesday so I relaxed while Betty learned how to make risotto (and I thought all one had to do was buy a box of pre-mix).
The cruiseline wanted 89 Euros to take one to Olympia at the foot of Kronos Hill to see the archaeological site of the original Olympic games. However, on the advice of Cruise Critic we took a local bus which cost 10 Euros plus 6 Euros for an entrance fee. Of course, had we gone with the Cruise people we would have been given a free glass of Greek wine on the trip back.
The Olympic site was much more interesting than I expected and impressive in its size. The stadium is almost exactly as it was 2500 years ago.
When I paid 20 Euros for the bus tickets I didn’t look at the ticket until later. Clearly indicated on the ticket was that V.A.T. (Value Added Tax) was to be in addition to the 10 Euros. My friend Gerard had told me that Greeks rarely collect taxes (especially V.A.T.). How can a country that is bankrupt not collect a legitimate tax from a foreigner quite prepared to pay? Later I bought some shaving cream in Katakolon and again the tax was not collected.
Yesterday our boat sailed into Corfu (same name for the city as for the island). Corfu is the most northerly of the Greek islands and also the most green. We (and a couple from Saskatchewan) rented a Mercedes taxi with driver for the day. Our tour was very pleasant as the island is very beautiful. We did the usual tourist things (castle, monastery, mountain tops) and stopped for some bread and olive oil and some very strange liquids. Later in the afternoon we were dropped in the city, and after some shopping along the narrow pedestrian streets we caught a shuttle bus back to the pier.
I think the Greek economic crisis affects people differently. While there is rioting in Athens by laid off civil servants and by students, Corfu seems peaceful and prosperous. Our taxi driver said there is zero unemployment in the long summer due to the many tourists. Otherwise the island is primarily farming based and presumably the locals will still sell their olive oil, even if there is default.
The greatest fear on cruise ships is the outbreak of the Noro virus. Our ship had a few cases on its previous cruise and we are now on “heightened alert”. This means that as you walk around the boat you pass handwashing stations with staff to ensure you comply. If you use a public toilet you are asked to take a towel to open the door on leaving and then drop the towel in a laundry basket. Also, the passengers cannot touch anything in a dining room that another passenger might touch. Yesterday I forgot and tried to pick up a salt shaker (which is the waiter’s job). Guess “you can take the boy out of the country…..”
This morning we sail into Brindisi, Italy before recrossing the Adriatic for stops in Kofor, Montenegro, and Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia.
Before I begin this Whine let me pass along a message from my friend Marie-Claude who commented on my blog from Crete: “ C’est gentil que des Canadiens viennemt en Grece pour soutenir ce pays. Ca nous aidera, nous autru Europeans Nous aurons a faire pour les sortie de ce grand disaster economique dans lequel ils se sont mer.” But more on the Greek economy below.
Our boat didn’t sail into Katakolon (the jumping off point for Olympia) until late morning on Wednesday so I relaxed while Betty learned how to make risotto (and I thought all one had to do was buy a box of pre-mix).
The cruiseline wanted 89 Euros to take one to Olympia at the foot of Kronos Hill to see the archaeological site of the original Olympic games. However, on the advice of Cruise Critic we took a local bus which cost 10 Euros plus 6 Euros for an entrance fee. Of course, had we gone with the Cruise people we would have been given a free glass of Greek wine on the trip back.
The Olympic site was much more interesting than I expected and impressive in its size. The stadium is almost exactly as it was 2500 years ago.
When I paid 20 Euros for the bus tickets I didn’t look at the ticket until later. Clearly indicated on the ticket was that V.A.T. (Value Added Tax) was to be in addition to the 10 Euros. My friend Gerard had told me that Greeks rarely collect taxes (especially V.A.T.). How can a country that is bankrupt not collect a legitimate tax from a foreigner quite prepared to pay? Later I bought some shaving cream in Katakolon and again the tax was not collected.
Yesterday our boat sailed into Corfu (same name for the city as for the island). Corfu is the most northerly of the Greek islands and also the most green. We (and a couple from Saskatchewan) rented a Mercedes taxi with driver for the day. Our tour was very pleasant as the island is very beautiful. We did the usual tourist things (castle, monastery, mountain tops) and stopped for some bread and olive oil and some very strange liquids. Later in the afternoon we were dropped in the city, and after some shopping along the narrow pedestrian streets we caught a shuttle bus back to the pier.
I think the Greek economic crisis affects people differently. While there is rioting in Athens by laid off civil servants and by students, Corfu seems peaceful and prosperous. Our taxi driver said there is zero unemployment in the long summer due to the many tourists. Otherwise the island is primarily farming based and presumably the locals will still sell their olive oil, even if there is default.
The greatest fear on cruise ships is the outbreak of the Noro virus. Our ship had a few cases on its previous cruise and we are now on “heightened alert”. This means that as you walk around the boat you pass handwashing stations with staff to ensure you comply. If you use a public toilet you are asked to take a towel to open the door on leaving and then drop the towel in a laundry basket. Also, the passengers cannot touch anything in a dining room that another passenger might touch. Yesterday I forgot and tried to pick up a salt shaker (which is the waiter’s job). Guess “you can take the boy out of the country…..”
This morning we sail into Brindisi, Italy before recrossing the Adriatic for stops in Kofor, Montenegro, and Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Toronto to Crete
Travel Whine – Toronto to Crete
We left Toronto on Saturday night on British Airways to London. We had seats booked in steerage but when the computer wouldn’t accept our boarding passes we somehow got bumped up to World Traveler Class (something more than Economy but less that Business Class). With large seats and free drinks we got through the night.
After the London to Athens flight we got to our ship late afternoon. Our arrival, despite having not slept, was very welcoming with a bottle of French champagne, fresh flowers and fresh fruit awaiting us in our cabin. Also, awaiting us was $ 150. onboard credit, compliments of our travel agent. Betty soon found a dress in an on board shop to balance the books.
As we were the last passengers to board we couldn’t get a dinner reservation until 8:30. We passed the time at a private cocktail party for members of some on-line club to which Betty belongs. At dinner we sat with 6 Danes and there was much conversation about Greece and the Euro. However, I lost the train of the arguments as I entered into a minor confrontation with our waiter. On this cruise wine is included with the meals (fortunately not Greek—last night’s choice was a very good Australian shiraz). Our waiter seemed to believe that the table was only set if the wine glasses were full. I felt that the table looked better if the glasses were empty or close to same. However, after four delicious courses and many top-ups of the Shiraz I had to concede that the waiter had won the contest. With some luck I made it back to our cabin without falling overboard.
This morning we were scheduled for a tour of Crete that was arranged by someone named Judy (another internet pal of Betty’s). Getting out of bed was very difficult but we did manage to join the group. After tendering to the city of Chania, we had a lovely tour of the island, visiting some mountain villages where we ate bread and cheese for lunch washed down with Greek coffee (at least that part that was liquid) and some local Crete liquor called Tsikoudia; that would have been put to better use cleaning the rust off my fenders. This afternoon we did a walking tour of Chania where Betty managed to spend a few more of my Euros.
We left Toronto on Saturday night on British Airways to London. We had seats booked in steerage but when the computer wouldn’t accept our boarding passes we somehow got bumped up to World Traveler Class (something more than Economy but less that Business Class). With large seats and free drinks we got through the night.
After the London to Athens flight we got to our ship late afternoon. Our arrival, despite having not slept, was very welcoming with a bottle of French champagne, fresh flowers and fresh fruit awaiting us in our cabin. Also, awaiting us was $ 150. onboard credit, compliments of our travel agent. Betty soon found a dress in an on board shop to balance the books.
As we were the last passengers to board we couldn’t get a dinner reservation until 8:30. We passed the time at a private cocktail party for members of some on-line club to which Betty belongs. At dinner we sat with 6 Danes and there was much conversation about Greece and the Euro. However, I lost the train of the arguments as I entered into a minor confrontation with our waiter. On this cruise wine is included with the meals (fortunately not Greek—last night’s choice was a very good Australian shiraz). Our waiter seemed to believe that the table was only set if the wine glasses were full. I felt that the table looked better if the glasses were empty or close to same. However, after four delicious courses and many top-ups of the Shiraz I had to concede that the waiter had won the contest. With some luck I made it back to our cabin without falling overboard.
This morning we were scheduled for a tour of Crete that was arranged by someone named Judy (another internet pal of Betty’s). Getting out of bed was very difficult but we did manage to join the group. After tendering to the city of Chania, we had a lovely tour of the island, visiting some mountain villages where we ate bread and cheese for lunch washed down with Greek coffee (at least that part that was liquid) and some local Crete liquor called Tsikoudia; that would have been put to better use cleaning the rust off my fenders. This afternoon we did a walking tour of Chania where Betty managed to spend a few more of my Euros.
Friday, October 14, 2011
WHINE # 29
Welcome Nancy Sullivan from Ontario to the Whine.
Sipping Wine: Wine makes food taste better. Food makes wine taste better. Finding the right match between the food and the wine is one of those very pleasant challenges that we face almost daily. In fact, food and wine are so united that in some cultures wine is not drunk without food.
The question is what does one drink prior to the arrival of the food. In much of southern Europe the pre-dinner drink of choice is a bitter liqueur. In Provence the preferred aperitif is Pastis, while in much of Italy the favourite apertivo is Campari.
Here in North America many have moved away from the pre-dinner cocktail or the single malt as the pre-dinner drink. When the host asks “What can I get you to drink?” the response is frequently “red wine” or “white wine”.
What wine do you then serve pre-dinner, or any other time when the wine is to be sipped sans food? Sparkling wine is always an excellent choice. Starting the evening with a well-chilled Cava or a frigid Champagne is never a mistake. Still whites are also a good choice. Chablis would be my first choice in still whites.
All of this leads up to question “what is an appropriate red for the first wine, particularly prior to the arrival of any food?” The answer should be easy to remember: “Light and low in acidity”
A high acid wine such as a Tuscan Sangiovese may be wonderful when paired with a tomato-sauced pasta or with a perfect pizza. By itself it will burn all the way down. Similarly you should not start with a heavy tannic wine, such as an Australian or Californian Cabernet Sauvignon. These wines will gradually taste better as you drink more. Nonetheless, they are best kept for the meat course, when they will match perfectly with your medium-rare prime rib.
My choices for sipping wines are Merlot or Tempranillo. Pinot Noir can also be a good choice, but before you offer a Pinot make certain it is a good one. Cheap Pinot is rarely a hit, while an expensive Pinot is light and wonderfully complex.
They don’t drink wine in Yarmouth: This item comes with a warning. Although it is about ordering a bottle of wine, it is as much a political comment as it is a wine story. Many of you readers don’t vote for the parties that I support, so you may not care about the way I tell this story.
Betty and I found ourselves in the Nova Scotian town of Yarmouth on a Monday evening. We were staying in Meteghan River and we drove to Yarmouth looking for dinner. In the past we had some great meals at an Austrian restaurant and more recently discovered a wonderful little bistro on the main drag.
As many of you know Yarmouth has recently fallen on hard times. The final blow came when our newly elected provincial government cancelled the subsidy to the Yarmouth-Bar Harbour (Maine) ferry. This ferry was the life blood of both the tourism and trucking industry. This decision was made by the same politicians who dump millions into a foreign-owned railway that runs empty cars to Sydney on a daily basis. Go figure!
Back to my story. On arrival in Yarmouth we discovered that our Austrian restaurant is now closed on Mondays and Tuesday and that our Bistro has moved across the street and has become a pizza joint.
After travelling virtually every street looking for a restaurant that hadn’t gone out of business we ended down by the empty waterfront in a restaurant that is attached to a beautiful but closed hotel that went out of business when the ferry stopped.
Although the restaurant was soon to close we were greeted by a friendly waitress. There was one other table occupied and a large group of men were in another room working on their hockey pool.
I asked if they had any house wine by the glass and our waitress said there was but she had no idea what it was. Betty then asked if they had wine by the bottle and after responding positively the waitress went off to the bar to look. After rooting around under the bar she said that she couldn’t find any red wine. I noticed that there were three bottles above the bar mixed in with the hard liquors.
I chose the dusty bottle of Merlot and returned to our table. After struggling with the corkscrew the waitress apologized that she couldn’t get the cork out. I offered to help and removed the foil and then extracted the cork. The waitress was a tad embarrassed and commented that it must have been six months since anyone had ordered wine. I guess the unemployed of Yarmouth simply can’t afford wine.
The Merlot was fine and it went well both with Betty’s hot lobster sandwich and with my Rappie Pie (Rapture in Acadian French). By the way, Rappie Pie is a unique and wonderful dish that takes a few servings for one to learn to appreciate. Try it the next time you are in an Acadian part of southern Nova Scotia.
We left Yarmouth feeling somewhat sad. No wonder the government candidate ran a distant third in the last by-election.
Corkage Fee: Now that Nova Scotian restaurants are obliged to allow customers to bring their own wine, the result has not been consumer friendly. Many restaurants discourage the practice by establishing excessive fees ($25. or more). Thus it was a pleasant surprise to find that the lovely Tulloch Inn on the banks of Lake Ainslee on Cape Breton Island charged no corkage fee at all.
Opimian Offering # 205: This offering is exclusively from New Zealand and Australia. As I find New Zealand reds to be astringent and as the whites here offered are a tad pricey, I have no recommendations. As far as Australia goes my recommendations are all reds. First the 6386 GMH Meritage is a wine that I have found to be well worth the price. If you are unfamiliar with the term “Meritage” I suggest you scroll down to Whine # 17 and read the item there.
6306 96 Points should be an interesting wine for two reasons. One it is claimed to be ready to drink and two, the often overly spicy Australian Shiraz has been softened with a small amount of Viognier.
Finally, I shall go out on a limb and recommend a wine I have not tried. 6319 Reserve Cabernet Sauvigon from Coonawarra should be a classic Cabernet. Australian winemakers after all do know how to make Cabs.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Europe - 2011 - # 7
We are back home, but I thought I should add a couple of small, but pleasant anecdotes that ended our trip.
LAST NIGHT IN VIENNA: Following a pleasant "good-bye" meal with the other travellers on the tour we went to a chamber concert held in a beautiful hall that at one time housed the Austrian Stock Market. The state chamber orchestra performed; the concertmaster playing a Strad. Also on the program were two ballet dancers, a mezzo and a baritone.
In the second half the baritone sang a comic opera number that seemed vaguely familiar. During the chorus he asked the audience to join in. Betty and I had front row center seats and with a few glasses of weak Austrian wine in my gut I bellowed out in my best fake German. The baritone quickly turned his head to stare at this exuberant tourist. However, when he finished he walked to the edge of the stage and gave me a broad grin and a thumbs up. Some of our travelling companions were quite impressed.
FLIGHT HOME: The Dusseldorf to Toronto leg of the flight home was on Luftansa. We were offered a choice of a Haut Medoc or a Ribera del Duero. Betty and I both wisely choose the excellent Ribera and after each glass complemented the Steward on the fine wine. When we deplaned the Steward presented us with an unopened bottle as a reminder of the flight. Can't imagine Air Canada doing that.
DENTIST: I now am on stronger antibiotics prior to a root canel, and other procedures which should happen in a couple of days.
LAST NIGHT IN VIENNA: Following a pleasant "good-bye" meal with the other travellers on the tour we went to a chamber concert held in a beautiful hall that at one time housed the Austrian Stock Market. The state chamber orchestra performed; the concertmaster playing a Strad. Also on the program were two ballet dancers, a mezzo and a baritone.
In the second half the baritone sang a comic opera number that seemed vaguely familiar. During the chorus he asked the audience to join in. Betty and I had front row center seats and with a few glasses of weak Austrian wine in my gut I bellowed out in my best fake German. The baritone quickly turned his head to stare at this exuberant tourist. However, when he finished he walked to the edge of the stage and gave me a broad grin and a thumbs up. Some of our travelling companions were quite impressed.
FLIGHT HOME: The Dusseldorf to Toronto leg of the flight home was on Luftansa. We were offered a choice of a Haut Medoc or a Ribera del Duero. Betty and I both wisely choose the excellent Ribera and after each glass complemented the Steward on the fine wine. When we deplaned the Steward presented us with an unopened bottle as a reminder of the flight. Can't imagine Air Canada doing that.
DENTIST: I now am on stronger antibiotics prior to a root canel, and other procedures which should happen in a couple of days.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Europe - 2011 - # 6
FROM BERLIN TO PRAGUE: We enjoyed our 3 days in Germany; 2 in Berlin and a partial day in Dresden. Germany is a country filled with drivers of Mercedes, reving their engines in the hopes that a pedestrian will step off the curb.
Berlin is a very interesting city with lots and lots of construction going on. Some of the buildings are quite spectacular. We did lots of walking as our hotel was in a perfect location in the centre of things. We also enjoyed our 3 meals in German restaurants. I noted, however, in all three that no German wines were on the menus (primarily South American wines with some French). Although the Germans have trouble making wine, no one can fault them for their business sense.
DIFFICULT DAY: Yesterday was a difficult day for me as I have developed an infected tooth, causing great pain. Unfortunately it is a capped tooth that holds a crown. Yesterday, was a long struggle and by evening I retreated to our room with a cocktail of a double doze of anti-biotics and 3 different pain killers donated by various people on the bus. In the meantime, Betty enjoyed an evening out which everyone told me to involved dancing and singing. In fact, several called her the "Dancing Queen"
This morning, the throbbing has settled and the swelling in my face now only looks like I was hit with a small baseball bat, rather than a great mace. In any event I just managed a 6-hour tour of Prague including lunch on the river, with the obligatory Czech Pilsner.
PRAGUE: We have seen many beautiful and interesting cities on this tour. Pudapest is very memorable. However, none of them compare to Prague. The city is quite stunning; clearly the most beautiful capital that I have ever visited. The palace, St. Vidas Catherdral, the list goes on and on.
Our tour, however, is near the end. Tomorrow we drive back to Vienna and then fly home of Sunday. I hope my dentist is in on Monday.
Berlin is a very interesting city with lots and lots of construction going on. Some of the buildings are quite spectacular. We did lots of walking as our hotel was in a perfect location in the centre of things. We also enjoyed our 3 meals in German restaurants. I noted, however, in all three that no German wines were on the menus (primarily South American wines with some French). Although the Germans have trouble making wine, no one can fault them for their business sense.
DIFFICULT DAY: Yesterday was a difficult day for me as I have developed an infected tooth, causing great pain. Unfortunately it is a capped tooth that holds a crown. Yesterday, was a long struggle and by evening I retreated to our room with a cocktail of a double doze of anti-biotics and 3 different pain killers donated by various people on the bus. In the meantime, Betty enjoyed an evening out which everyone told me to involved dancing and singing. In fact, several called her the "Dancing Queen"
This morning, the throbbing has settled and the swelling in my face now only looks like I was hit with a small baseball bat, rather than a great mace. In any event I just managed a 6-hour tour of Prague including lunch on the river, with the obligatory Czech Pilsner.
PRAGUE: We have seen many beautiful and interesting cities on this tour. Pudapest is very memorable. However, none of them compare to Prague. The city is quite stunning; clearly the most beautiful capital that I have ever visited. The palace, St. Vidas Catherdral, the list goes on and on.
Our tour, however, is near the end. Tomorrow we drive back to Vienna and then fly home of Sunday. I hope my dentist is in on Monday.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Europe - 2011 - # 5
WARSAW TO BERLIN:
WARSAW: Although lacking in spectacular buildings Warsaw is quite lovely. The really amazing thing is that almost the entire city has been rebuilt since WWII. The most impressive is at the city centre where they rebuilt much of the old town as an exact replica of what was there before the war, using old photos and paintings as their guide.
We spent four days in Poland and were perogied out by the last night. Fortunately, Len, an Australian mate from the bus tour took Betty and me and another guy out to dinner on our last night in Warsaw. We went to a little French restaurant where we relished in frogs' legs, escargot, entrecote and all that other good French stuff.
LUNCH IN POZNAN: Yesterday was a very long day (11 hours) on the bus as we drove from Warsaw to Berlin. The road (which is the main route from Berlin to Moscow) is mostly under construction and there are 1000's of trucks clogging the highway in both directions.
At lunchtime we stopped at the Polish city of Poznan where we were dropped in the central city square and told we had 1 hour and 20 minutes to find lunch. We were advised that the restaurants tended to be slow, so only to order soup or salad.
Betty and I quickly crossed the main square and headed down a side street. I noticed a sign for "La Scala Ristorante" and as I had a pocket full of Zloties to spend before we left Poland I was not concerned by the prices. We entered the very upscale restaurant and were escorted up a winding stairwell to a private balcony with a view of the narrow street.
The waiter asked what we wanted something to drink and when we both asked for a glass of red wine he suggested a 1/2 bottle. He then suggested chianti and when I agreed he brought a 1/2 bottle of very fine wine. He then proceeded to extract the cork, place the cork on a silver plate for my inspection, taste the wine with much ceremony and then told us that we must wait 10 minutes for the wine to breathe before we could drink it.
We told him we had limited time and after 20 minutes or so our food arrived. I was enjoying my clams baked in herbed mozzeralla when I noticed out the window a young woman who appeared to be wearing nothing more than an open jacket and panties. She was accompanied by a young man with a large camera. She then stepped into a slight alcove off the street opened her jacket, exposing her voluptuous body and took a pose against the wall. I fear my clams were all but forgotten as I watched the rest of the photo shoot.
With seconds to spare we got out of the restaurant with only enough Zloties left for one last pee stop, and by running across the main square we got to the bus as it was preparing to leave.
BERLIN: This morning we did a tour of some highlights ending at the Check Point Charlie Museum. We now have a free afternoon for exploring before an evening ofGerman food, music, and beer, etc.
WARSAW: Although lacking in spectacular buildings Warsaw is quite lovely. The really amazing thing is that almost the entire city has been rebuilt since WWII. The most impressive is at the city centre where they rebuilt much of the old town as an exact replica of what was there before the war, using old photos and paintings as their guide.
We spent four days in Poland and were perogied out by the last night. Fortunately, Len, an Australian mate from the bus tour took Betty and me and another guy out to dinner on our last night in Warsaw. We went to a little French restaurant where we relished in frogs' legs, escargot, entrecote and all that other good French stuff.
LUNCH IN POZNAN: Yesterday was a very long day (11 hours) on the bus as we drove from Warsaw to Berlin. The road (which is the main route from Berlin to Moscow) is mostly under construction and there are 1000's of trucks clogging the highway in both directions.
At lunchtime we stopped at the Polish city of Poznan where we were dropped in the central city square and told we had 1 hour and 20 minutes to find lunch. We were advised that the restaurants tended to be slow, so only to order soup or salad.
Betty and I quickly crossed the main square and headed down a side street. I noticed a sign for "La Scala Ristorante" and as I had a pocket full of Zloties to spend before we left Poland I was not concerned by the prices. We entered the very upscale restaurant and were escorted up a winding stairwell to a private balcony with a view of the narrow street.
The waiter asked what we wanted something to drink and when we both asked for a glass of red wine he suggested a 1/2 bottle. He then suggested chianti and when I agreed he brought a 1/2 bottle of very fine wine. He then proceeded to extract the cork, place the cork on a silver plate for my inspection, taste the wine with much ceremony and then told us that we must wait 10 minutes for the wine to breathe before we could drink it.
We told him we had limited time and after 20 minutes or so our food arrived. I was enjoying my clams baked in herbed mozzeralla when I noticed out the window a young woman who appeared to be wearing nothing more than an open jacket and panties. She was accompanied by a young man with a large camera. She then stepped into a slight alcove off the street opened her jacket, exposing her voluptuous body and took a pose against the wall. I fear my clams were all but forgotten as I watched the rest of the photo shoot.
With seconds to spare we got out of the restaurant with only enough Zloties left for one last pee stop, and by running across the main square we got to the bus as it was preparing to leave.
BERLIN: This morning we did a tour of some highlights ending at the Check Point Charlie Museum. We now have a free afternoon for exploring before an evening ofGerman food, music, and beer, etc.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Europe -2011 - # 4
EUROPE: Europe is a continent of too many churches and not enough toilets. In Western Europe the armies of tourists invade the empty cathedrals armed with Nikons and Minoltas. However, in Eastern Europe the invaders must storm past the devote who are kneeling in the aisles.
POLAND: We have four days in Poland, a flat agricultural country that appears to be very prosperous. Apparently Poland is doing much better economically that much of Europe. Although part of the EU they have maintained their own currency.
We are visiting two cities. Krakow is the cultural capital of Poland and is very pleasant. The old city was spared during WWII and is quite lovely. Warsaw was 83% destroyed during the war but has rebuilt and is the business center.
RELIGION: The Poles are very religious. Yesterday we visited the site of the icon "The Black Madonna", which many Poles believe was painted by St. Luke. Thousands make pilgramages to the icon where they believe that their prayers will be answered. Many of them walk 100's of miles, doing the last mile on their knees. In the Nave where the icon is shown, masses are held continuously. Thus, our guide led us past literally 100's of worshippers during the mass itself. We stepped around crying, and kneeling worshippers while holding our cameras above the masses to try to photograph the Madonna. I felt a bit like Attila the Hun.
CUISINE: Polish cuisine seems to include cauliflour, cabbage, boiled perogies and anything else lacking in colour. Even the meat (pork) is white. For those of us who are overweight Poland is a chance to fast.
AUSCHWITZ: We visited Auschwitz and Birkenau yesterday. In my slightlty tongue-in-cheek travel blog I think a description of theses places would be disrespectful. Although we are all aware of the genocide that took place here, seeing the actual death chambers and other displays is a very emotional experience.
POLAND: We have four days in Poland, a flat agricultural country that appears to be very prosperous. Apparently Poland is doing much better economically that much of Europe. Although part of the EU they have maintained their own currency.
We are visiting two cities. Krakow is the cultural capital of Poland and is very pleasant. The old city was spared during WWII and is quite lovely. Warsaw was 83% destroyed during the war but has rebuilt and is the business center.
RELIGION: The Poles are very religious. Yesterday we visited the site of the icon "The Black Madonna", which many Poles believe was painted by St. Luke. Thousands make pilgramages to the icon where they believe that their prayers will be answered. Many of them walk 100's of miles, doing the last mile on their knees. In the Nave where the icon is shown, masses are held continuously. Thus, our guide led us past literally 100's of worshippers during the mass itself. We stepped around crying, and kneeling worshippers while holding our cameras above the masses to try to photograph the Madonna. I felt a bit like Attila the Hun.
CUISINE: Polish cuisine seems to include cauliflour, cabbage, boiled perogies and anything else lacking in colour. Even the meat (pork) is white. For those of us who are overweight Poland is a chance to fast.
AUSCHWITZ: We visited Auschwitz and Birkenau yesterday. In my slightlty tongue-in-cheek travel blog I think a description of theses places would be disrespectful. Although we are all aware of the genocide that took place here, seeing the actual death chambers and other displays is a very emotional experience.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Europe - 2011 - # 4
HUNGARY TO POLAND: We had two nice days in the old and beautiful city of Budapest. Actually it is two cities. Buda got its name when Attila the Hun's brother Buda captured the city in the 5th century. Attila was so annoyed with his brother for naming the city after himself that Buda was challenged to a duel and Attila killed him. However, the name stuck and Buda did not merge with Pest, the city on the other side of the Danube until the 19th century.
The first night we had a dinner cruise on the Danube. All of the spectacular buildings (churches, the palace, parliament) are along the river and lit up at night. The next day we had a guided walking tour of Buda and in the afternoon we skipped the optional tour and did Pest on our own, with the help of public transportation.
The second evening was a highlight as we had dinner in a small winery outside the city. In addition to tasting several good white wines and one red we ate a very good (not buffet) meal, starting with goulash soup. It was explained that goulash should never be served with potatoes and that it is properly eaten as a soup. Most of the group really enjoyed the evening and we ended with a semi-drunken sing-song in the bus on the way home. Of course, there were people that complained that there were too many wines, that there was too much talk of wine and that they wished they had been served tea. In a just world they would have been voted off the bus.
ECONOMIC MYSTERY: In Budapest as well as in Zagreb and Ljubljana, we noticed that people drove nice cars, were well dressed and the apartment buildings appeared to be well kept. Most things in stores seem to be at or slightly above Canadian prices. Yet, the average wage is only about $ 800 per month. Apartments cost between $ 80,000 and $ 800,000. Something doesn't add up.
SLOVAKIA: Yesterday on our way to Poland we drove across the small country of Slovakia (not to be confused with Slovenia), only stopping for lunch. This beautiful mountainous country did appear to be very poor and we were told that the standard of living was well below that of neighbouring Hungary and hugely below that of Poland.
KRAKOW: We arrived in Krakow just in time to take in an optional folklore dinner at a restaurant outside the city. Here we drank, ate, drank, danced, and drank some more. Our vodka glasses were never allowed to be empty. I think I understand why Poles like to drink so much vodka; it makes it possible to face the cabbage rolls and perogies. This evening was very special and aided by the fact that most of the tea drinkers chose to skip the evening and stay at the hotel. (Betty's note: Ron, "you're not going to get me up on that dance floor", was the first one up, once he was invited by the attractive Polish dancer.)
This morning there was an optional tour to a salt mine. We chose to sleep in past the usual 6:00 a.m. wake-up call. Now we are ready to explore what appears to be a very pleasant city.
The first night we had a dinner cruise on the Danube. All of the spectacular buildings (churches, the palace, parliament) are along the river and lit up at night. The next day we had a guided walking tour of Buda and in the afternoon we skipped the optional tour and did Pest on our own, with the help of public transportation.
The second evening was a highlight as we had dinner in a small winery outside the city. In addition to tasting several good white wines and one red we ate a very good (not buffet) meal, starting with goulash soup. It was explained that goulash should never be served with potatoes and that it is properly eaten as a soup. Most of the group really enjoyed the evening and we ended with a semi-drunken sing-song in the bus on the way home. Of course, there were people that complained that there were too many wines, that there was too much talk of wine and that they wished they had been served tea. In a just world they would have been voted off the bus.
ECONOMIC MYSTERY: In Budapest as well as in Zagreb and Ljubljana, we noticed that people drove nice cars, were well dressed and the apartment buildings appeared to be well kept. Most things in stores seem to be at or slightly above Canadian prices. Yet, the average wage is only about $ 800 per month. Apartments cost between $ 80,000 and $ 800,000. Something doesn't add up.
SLOVAKIA: Yesterday on our way to Poland we drove across the small country of Slovakia (not to be confused with Slovenia), only stopping for lunch. This beautiful mountainous country did appear to be very poor and we were told that the standard of living was well below that of neighbouring Hungary and hugely below that of Poland.
KRAKOW: We arrived in Krakow just in time to take in an optional folklore dinner at a restaurant outside the city. Here we drank, ate, drank, danced, and drank some more. Our vodka glasses were never allowed to be empty. I think I understand why Poles like to drink so much vodka; it makes it possible to face the cabbage rolls and perogies. This evening was very special and aided by the fact that most of the tea drinkers chose to skip the evening and stay at the hotel. (Betty's note: Ron, "you're not going to get me up on that dance floor", was the first one up, once he was invited by the attractive Polish dancer.)
This morning there was an optional tour to a salt mine. We chose to sleep in past the usual 6:00 a.m. wake-up call. Now we are ready to explore what appears to be a very pleasant city.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Europe 2011 # 3
SLOVENIA-CROATIA-HUNGARY: On Monday we left Slovenia after stopping for a visit to Ljubljana, the capital. This is a lovely and very clean city of only about 300,000. We started with a walking tour led by a local guide. However, she seemed only interested in telling us about visits by the Pope and other important Catholics, so we were happy to escape and stop for lunch at a lovely cafe on the banks of the river. Our waiter spoke accentless English and I asked him where he learned his English. "In high school" was his response. Later that evening we went into a pharmacy in Zagreb and Betty asked the pharmacist if she spoke English. The woman was clearly insulted by such a stupid question. What I am learning from this trip is that Shakespeare identified the wrong profession (lawyers) for extermination. It should be officials from any departments of education (political or academic) in Canada.
ZAGREB: Later on Monday we drove to the capital of Croatia. This is also a nice, although unspectacular city of about 800,000. Zagreb escaped the worst of the Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian war but the country is still recovering from a war that had 500,000 casualties. As most of you may know the war was partly religious and partly economic and partly caused by centuries old hatreds. Basically the Catholic Croatians fought with the Orthodox Serbians and the Orthodox Serbians fought with the Bosnians and people from Kosovo.
On Tuesday morning we did a walking tour of the city and then drove through the countryside to see Marshal Tito's birthplace (boring). We then had lunch at a country restaurant set in a vineyard, and were served local specialties. Perhaps the most interesting part of the meal was starting lunch with a large glass of honey brandy.
THE OLD LAMPLIGHTER: Those of you over 60 will remember the very romantic song "The old lamplighter". Well in a small part of Zagreb's "upper town" the streets are still lit by gas streetlamps, and Betty and I spent some time tracking down the lamplighter. We eventually found him. Unfortunately he was young, unlike in the song, but he did at least have his girlfriend accompanying him as he walked the old streets lighting the lamps. Later we had a nice meal in the center of the city accompanied by a spectacular wine (see below).
WINES OF CROATIA: Croatia has a very good terroir but has suffered from communist rule and then the bitter war with the Serbs. While in Croatia we had wine three times; once by buying a bottle at random in a corner store, and once as a house wine in the country restaurant. Both of these wines were virtually undrinkable, but it is nice to know that there are wineries in the world that make wine as distasteful as many vintners in Nova Scotia. However, Betty found an article on Croatian wine in a tourist magazine and it recommended that one should always order the Plavac Mali. The article suggested that the wine tasted something like Zinfandel. In the restaurant last night I found a bottle (for about $ 30.) on the wine list. It was absolutely superb and Betty supervised my pouring with great intensity.
BUDAPEST: We just arrived in Budapest after driving across the flat farmland of much of Hungary. We are now doing some laundry while waiting to join this evening's dinner cruise on the Danube.
ZAGREB: Later on Monday we drove to the capital of Croatia. This is also a nice, although unspectacular city of about 800,000. Zagreb escaped the worst of the Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian war but the country is still recovering from a war that had 500,000 casualties. As most of you may know the war was partly religious and partly economic and partly caused by centuries old hatreds. Basically the Catholic Croatians fought with the Orthodox Serbians and the Orthodox Serbians fought with the Bosnians and people from Kosovo.
On Tuesday morning we did a walking tour of the city and then drove through the countryside to see Marshal Tito's birthplace (boring). We then had lunch at a country restaurant set in a vineyard, and were served local specialties. Perhaps the most interesting part of the meal was starting lunch with a large glass of honey brandy.
THE OLD LAMPLIGHTER: Those of you over 60 will remember the very romantic song "The old lamplighter". Well in a small part of Zagreb's "upper town" the streets are still lit by gas streetlamps, and Betty and I spent some time tracking down the lamplighter. We eventually found him. Unfortunately he was young, unlike in the song, but he did at least have his girlfriend accompanying him as he walked the old streets lighting the lamps. Later we had a nice meal in the center of the city accompanied by a spectacular wine (see below).
WINES OF CROATIA: Croatia has a very good terroir but has suffered from communist rule and then the bitter war with the Serbs. While in Croatia we had wine three times; once by buying a bottle at random in a corner store, and once as a house wine in the country restaurant. Both of these wines were virtually undrinkable, but it is nice to know that there are wineries in the world that make wine as distasteful as many vintners in Nova Scotia. However, Betty found an article on Croatian wine in a tourist magazine and it recommended that one should always order the Plavac Mali. The article suggested that the wine tasted something like Zinfandel. In the restaurant last night I found a bottle (for about $ 30.) on the wine list. It was absolutely superb and Betty supervised my pouring with great intensity.
BUDAPEST: We just arrived in Budapest after driving across the flat farmland of much of Hungary. We are now doing some laundry while waiting to join this evening's dinner cruise on the Danube.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Europe 2011 # 2
FROM VIENNA TO LAKE BLED: We were sorry to leave Vienna as I felt a real affinity for the people. After all each person seemed to (1) drive a Mercedes; (2) speak English: and (3) eat at least 3 cones of ice cream per day.
SLOVENIA: We left early yesterday morning to drive through the Alps to the village of Lake Bled. Slovenia (not to be confused with Slovakia) is a spectacularly beautiful country. It only has a population of about 2 million, yet fiercely maintains its own language. After arrival at our lakeside hotel we first climbed to the castle. As it was Saturday there was a wedding taking place and it was interesting to see the Castle Master opening bottles of champagne with his sword. We then visited the castle wine cellar and made some purchases. Next we crossed the lake to visit the church on a small island. As powerboats are not allowed on the lake we were rowed across. There were 23 passengers and only one boatswain doing the rowing.
To get to the church one had to climb the 99 steps. A Slovenian custom is that a groom must carry his bride up the 99 steps. We did see a Japanese tourist complete this feat. On the other hand I fear that if I were a Slovenian I would still be a bachelor.
This morning we took a cable car up to near the mountain top and then we visited a couple of small farming villages. The scenery is much like that of Switzerland but perhaps even more spectacular.
WINE: The wine in Slovenian is mostly merlot and much superior to that of Austria. In fact it is more like new world wine and if I were tasting blind I would think it was from Chile or Argentina.
FOOD: We are skipping this afternoon's tour in favor of a liesurely lunch and a walk around the lake. We ate at a lakeside restaurant and had trout fresh caught from the lake itself. On the other hand, many of our meals are included in the tour. Unfortunately, they seem to be too frequently buffets. I think of buffets as something for the gastromically challenged. While watching people last night I was reminded of the neighbourhood cats coming to my compost pile. We feel great nostalgia for the meals on the cruiseships.
HUMOR: Slovenians have a very dry sense of humor. At the wine cellar yesterday I asked to see the master's best red. His comment was "Not after what Canada did to Slovenia in hockey". At lunch today, Betty asked our waiter "what comes with the trout?" His deadpan response was "a plate."
LEAVING SLOVENIA: Tomorrow we go to Croatia but we will be very sorry to leave this fantastic country. When paying the bill at lunch today the waiter asked us where we were from. When I said "Canada" he said "then we must have a drink together, come with me." We walked into the restaraunt from our patio table. He walked behind the bar and poured 3 glasses of some local liquor. After quickly downing the liquid, he returned to his work and we walked back to the hotel.
SLOVENIA: We left early yesterday morning to drive through the Alps to the village of Lake Bled. Slovenia (not to be confused with Slovakia) is a spectacularly beautiful country. It only has a population of about 2 million, yet fiercely maintains its own language. After arrival at our lakeside hotel we first climbed to the castle. As it was Saturday there was a wedding taking place and it was interesting to see the Castle Master opening bottles of champagne with his sword. We then visited the castle wine cellar and made some purchases. Next we crossed the lake to visit the church on a small island. As powerboats are not allowed on the lake we were rowed across. There were 23 passengers and only one boatswain doing the rowing.
To get to the church one had to climb the 99 steps. A Slovenian custom is that a groom must carry his bride up the 99 steps. We did see a Japanese tourist complete this feat. On the other hand I fear that if I were a Slovenian I would still be a bachelor.
WINE: The wine in Slovenian is mostly merlot and much superior to that of Austria. In fact it is more like new world wine and if I were tasting blind I would think it was from Chile or Argentina.
FOOD: We are skipping this afternoon's tour in favor of a liesurely lunch and a walk around the lake. We ate at a lakeside restaurant and had trout fresh caught from the lake itself. On the other hand, many of our meals are included in the tour. Unfortunately, they seem to be too frequently buffets. I think of buffets as something for the gastromically challenged. While watching people last night I was reminded of the neighbourhood cats coming to my compost pile. We feel great nostalgia for the meals on the cruiseships.
HUMOR: Slovenians have a very dry sense of humor. At the wine cellar yesterday I asked to see the master's best red. His comment was "Not after what Canada did to Slovenia in hockey". At lunch today, Betty asked our waiter "what comes with the trout?" His deadpan response was "a plate."
LEAVING SLOVENIA: Tomorrow we go to Croatia but we will be very sorry to leave this fantastic country. When paying the bill at lunch today the waiter asked us where we were from. When I said "Canada" he said "then we must have a drink together, come with me." We walked into the restaraunt from our patio table. He walked behind the bar and poured 3 glasses of some local liquor. After quickly downing the liquid, he returned to his work and we walked back to the hotel.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Europe 2012 # 1
We have begun our washroom tour of Eastern Europe. Like Western Europe the women have very large bladders, but the North American tourists spend their days haranging their husbands to find pee stops.
Wednesday: Spent 6 hours in the Toronto airport reading reports of the election (see below) before boarding our flight to Warsaw. Polish Airlines put us on perhaps the first plane ever built by Boeing. However, the wine list was excellent and everything was slightly politically incorrect. There was no vegetarian option for dinner (as if I wanted one) and we got bowls of peanuts with drinks. I guess the Polish aren't too sympathetic to Vegetarians or people with allergies.
We are spending two days in Vienna where we have a lovely room overlooking the Donau (Danube). We have been going around the city using an excellent subway system. The city is very pedestrian friendly. Yesterday we walked for hours before we settled on a hole-in-the-wall for traditional Wiener (Viennese) Schnitzel and local wine.
Today we took a 19th century ferris wheel ride for an overview of the city. This afternoon we will join up with our tour and then in the morning head to Slovenia.
Some thoughts on the Canadian Election: The Conservative majority represents the first time that a majority was won without the help of Quebec. The majority is larger than appears. Although the Tories had slightly under 40% of the popular vote they had about 47% outside of Quebec. Only one government in the past 140 years (Diefenbaker in 1958) won more than 50%.
Wednesday: Spent 6 hours in the Toronto airport reading reports of the election (see below) before boarding our flight to Warsaw. Polish Airlines put us on perhaps the first plane ever built by Boeing. However, the wine list was excellent and everything was slightly politically incorrect. There was no vegetarian option for dinner (as if I wanted one) and we got bowls of peanuts with drinks. I guess the Polish aren't too sympathetic to Vegetarians or people with allergies.
We are spending two days in Vienna where we have a lovely room overlooking the Donau (Danube). We have been going around the city using an excellent subway system. The city is very pedestrian friendly. Yesterday we walked for hours before we settled on a hole-in-the-wall for traditional Wiener (Viennese) Schnitzel and local wine.
Today we took a 19th century ferris wheel ride for an overview of the city. This afternoon we will join up with our tour and then in the morning head to Slovenia.
Some thoughts on the Canadian Election: The Conservative majority represents the first time that a majority was won without the help of Quebec. The majority is larger than appears. Although the Tories had slightly under 40% of the popular vote they had about 47% outside of Quebec. Only one government in the past 140 years (Diefenbaker in 1958) won more than 50%.
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