"You don't even have a tan"

Upon return from one of my trips to Europe in 2012, a neighbour asked me, "So what do you do when you're over there?  I mean, you don't even have a tan."

I actually did have some colour from hiking under the warm Italian sun in the Dolomites and along the Mediterranean coast.  And I even went swimming and spent some time on the beach while visiting the Cinque Terre.  But my goals in traveling to Europe are not related to acquiring a tan, and I had not put any conscious effort into deepening my pigmentation.

My neighbour has not been to Europe.  She has been to Mexico.  Multiple times.  I believe to the same resort.  And Hawaii.  And she, of course, comes back with a deep tan, as well as a sense of satisfaction and a relaxed demeanor.

I think when I come back from a trip, I definitely share that sense of satisfaction in time well spent, but I think my demeanor is usually one of excited anticipation - of sharing stories and photos (and beer and chocolate for the lucky ones) with friends and colleagues, and of, well, planning my next trip!

So when she asked me the question about what I do when I'm in Europe, she got a long and enthusiastic answer from this admittedly jet-lagged Europhile.  I talked about meeting new people, trying new Belgian brews, searching for a winery in the hills of Tuscany, walking lopsided out of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, cycling along canals past windmills, quiet moments of reflection in 800 year old cathedrals, being overwhelmed by the magnificent beauty of Botticelli's Birth of Venus, eating the freshest most flavourful pesto anyone has ever had anywhere at any time in a little restaurant in a little village on the west coast of Italy... and on and on and on.

Her response: "Wow, you must come back from vacation more worn out than when you left!"

True, my "vacations" are not really relaxing.  And most of the time when I'm overseas, I'm actually working (to provide a stress-free vacation for the people who are traveling with me) not vacationing.  But I'm not tired out when I come back.  I'm energized and invigorated.  And I can't wait to go again.

Have it all on your next vacation - Europe's got history, art, architecture, food and drink, great people, and even a few beaches where you can work on your tan if that's what you like!  This is Vernazza in the Cinque Terre region of Italy - part of the Grand Tour.

Sick of election campaigns?

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As frustrating and at times exacerbating as election campaigns can be, they are an intrinsic part of the freedom that is the core of our civilization. The right to take part in choosing your leader has not always been a right – through most of human history it was either non-existent or the “privilege” of certain powerful and wealthy classes of people.  On any given election day, my thoughts have turn to the House of Terror in Budapest, Hungary – a country that spent much of the 20^th century without free elections.

Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, was once the proud co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until the “age of empires” came to an end at the conclusion of First World War.  The new nation of Hungary emerged from the crumbling empire, but with many different groups vying for power, it lacked stability, and during the Second World War fell prey to the extreme nationalist ideology of the Arrow Cross Party.  The Arrow Cross believed in the “purity of the Hungarian race” and other such early 20^th century eugenics nonsense, and mimicked the German Nazi party in their hatred and persecution of minorities, especially Jews.  In the short time they ruled Hungary, they oversaw the attempted annihilation of the Jewish population, transporting hundreds of thousands of Jews to concentration camps, even as the war turned against them and defeat became inevitable.  

Arrow Cross fascist propaganda

In October 1944, with the German troops on the run and the Arrow Cross thoroughly defeated, Hungary was liberated. 

Liberated from one form of tyranny, replaced by another.  The Soviet army now controlled Budapest, and in the dividing up of Europe that occurred after the final defeat of the Nazis, Hungary found itself on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain.  Though an independent state in name, Hungary was essentially a satellite state of the USSR, and when stirrings of rebellion made their way back to Moscow in 1956, they sent in the tanks.  There are actually a large number of Hungarian-Canadians in the Fraser Valley (where I live) who immigrated to Canada in 1956 after escaping from the increasing tyranny.

How does a hated, unelected government maintain power over the citizens?  Indoctrination?  Yes.  But mostly terror.   Soldiers patrol the streets. “Traitors” are publically executed.  Neighbours just disappear.  During both the fascist and communist regimes, there was a building on Andrássy Street in Budapest that people talked about in hushed tones.  It was the place where surveillance of citizens was carried out. It was the place where those who “disappeared” ended up.  Some were eventually released, broken after days or weeks of torture.  Some were never seen again. 

The building is now a museum – The House of Terror. 

The House of Terror

 When you walk into the museum, you come face to face with a Soviet tank surrounded by an enormous wall filled with mugshots of some of the victims of tyranny.  Their faces are a haunting reminder that these people are not just statistics – they were sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters.  And they had one thing in common – a desire for freedom. 

A symbol and tool of repression

In 1989, the collective desire for freedom outweighed the will of the tyrants to control the people.  With communism collapsing all over Eastern Europe, the people of Hungary demanded and got their first free parliamentary elections in May 1990.  And that building on Andrássy Street lost its aura of terror.  But it didn’t lose its history, and so in 2002 it was opened to the public as the memorial and museum it is today.

Not just statistics

Interested in visiting the museum?  OneLife Tours Best of the East includes a three day stop in Budapest with tours of the House of Terror and many other highlights of this beautiful city.  Go to our website OneLifeTours.ca for more information.

A Ride Fit for an Empress

Lake Bled (as seen from the castle terrace) - its natural beauty has drawn visitors for centuries

Slovenia is a tiny country, even by European standards.  Driving from Austria to Italy?  You might not even realize that you’ve passed through another country, if not for the huge cold war era border stations – now completely empty, with no stop required – a monument to another era.  For much of the 20^th century, Slovenia was a province of Yugoslavia – a post WWII communist conglomeration held together more by their leader President Tito’s charisma than anything else.  But Slovenia has been a sovereign nation since the Slovenes declared their independence in 1991.  A brief conflict ensued, but Slovenia avoided the devastation that other parts of Yugoslavia suffered as it disintegrated.  

Today’s Slovenia is a peaceful, friendly mix of baroque elegance and natural beauty.  And nowhere is that natural beauty more stunning than on Lake Bled. 

Nestled in the Julian Alps, the lake is like a scene from a fairy tale – a castle on a cliff overlooks the town, and a beautiful baroque chapel sits majestically on Slovenia’s only island.  To get to the island, you can rent a row boat or take a ride on a pletna – a special keel-less wooden boat handcrafted by local artisans and operated by local families. The pletna captains have inherited the special rights to provide this service from the time of Maria Theresa – the Hapsburg Empress who ruled Slovenia as part of the vast Austro-Hungarian Empire.  During harsh economic times, the Empress granted 20 Bled families the right to not pay taxes they could ill-afford, but instead to provide a service – transporting pilgrims across the lake to worship at the island church.  Today, the descendants of those same families continue to fulfill their ancestors’ role, but sadly, they are no longer tax exempt! 

A traditional pletna, awaiting it's next group of pilgrims.

Robert Wilfan, expert plenta captain and friendly local guide.

A journey to the island and back takes about 90 - 120 minutes (depending on how much time you spend on the island).  While you are on the island, you will be encouraged by your pletna captain to ring the “wishing bell” in the church.  Robert Wilfan, one of the pletna captains and a great local guide, loves to share the legend of the bell with tourists.  Many of the captains speak English quite well, and somehow can fit in some excellent history between deep breaths as they row and you relax!  Make sure your camera has plenty of memory – photo opportunities abound.  

Slovenia's only island is small, but the church is grand!

 You will get a great view of the Bled Grad (castle) that clings precariously to a lakeside cliff while you are out on the water.  Don’t miss it – when you are back in the village head up the hill to the castle (a short uphill drive in a bus or car, or a steep walk!).  Commanding views await you from the upper terrace, and a visit to the Guttenberg printing press and the monk’s wine cellar, both of which are attended by museum workers in costume and in character, are fabulous parts of the castle experience.  The monk in particular has a great sense of humour, and a great passion for Slovenian wine – which is actually really good!  I have tried several of the wines he has in his cellar, and I favour the “house” white that you can bottle yourself – with the monks help.  

Wine is a spiritual experience for this Slovenian monk and his happy visitors!

 Back in the village, pop into a local restaurant or patisserie overlooking the lake and enjoy a piece of Kremna rezina – a Bled original.  In 1955, the pastry chef at the Park Hotel came up with a new recipe for cream cake – a mix of custard, whipped cream, and puff pastry.  Since then, they have served over 10 million of these delicious pastries!  You can go for the original at the Park Hotel, or get it at many other cafés and restaurants in town.  Afterwards, if you’re up for it, take a walk around the lake on the flat, well-maintained path – and during the hour or two it will take you, contemplate this beautiful little corner of the earth!

Interested in visiting Slovenia?  OneLife Tours Best of Eastern Europe will give you the full Lake Bled experience and more.  Check out our tours at www.onelifetours.ca

Pletna Captain Robert Wilfan and OneLife Tour Director Craig Bresett outside of the Bled castle museum.

Wild Surprises on Conwy Mountain

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North Wales is famous for its towering castles and rugged mountains.  The walled town of Conwy, with its fine old shell of a castle is a perfect place to visit for both.  Conwy is situated on the coast between the Irish Sea and  Snowdonia National Park (http://www.eryri-npa.gov.uk/home).  The big draw in the park is Wales’ highest peak, Snowdon, but a less touristy more serene hiking experience can be found just outside the walls of the town on Conwy Mountain, or Mynydd y Dref (“The Town’s Mountain” in Welsh). 

On a recent trip to Conwy, I set out for what I expected to be a brisk pre-breakfast walk along some of the roads outside of town, but found myself at a trailhead and decided to take it.  The first part of the “trail” actually went straight through a farmer’s field and past his house.  The feeling that I was trespassing was dispelled when the farmer, who was also up early (aren’t they always?) greeted me with a warm “bore da -good moornin’” as I walked past the barn.  Passing through a set of sheep-proof gates I meandered up the hill through the bell heather and rowan trees.  It wasn’t long until I was at a peak of sorts – and to my great surprise found myself standing in the ruins of an iron-age fort, Castell Caer Seion.  This fort had once ringed the peak and stood as a defensive position for the local Celtic tribe. 

From the peak the town and its castle looked small, and to the east, if I had binoculars, Liverpool would have been visible.  But the view over Conwy Bay and into the rest of Snowdonia was spectacular.  As I wandered around amongst the stones, I came across another surprise – a herd  of wild horses – actual wild horses!  They seemed completely unperturbed by my presence – as long as I didn’t get too close.  A little further down the trail (I took a different trail down) a flock of sheep blocked my path.  They moved en masse as I got closer, but stood just a few feet off of the trail and stared me down as I walked past.  I thanked the sheep for the wool they gave to make my newly purchased tweed jacket, and was on my way back to town.

There is something special about discovering a new place and having a new experience on your own – but at the same time I wanted to share it with others.  At breakfast that morning I told my group members about my early morning adventure – “Why didn’t you wake us up?” was asked more than once.   If I had known about the trails up the mountain, I would have!  And in fact, the next group I take to Britain will definitely have the opportunity to get up early in Conwy and join me on the mountain.  Go to www.OneLifeTours.ca to find out how you can be part of that group! 

Conwy Castle looks pretty small from up here.

Many shades of green in Wales.

Scared sheep.

Brave sheep.  "What are you lookin' at?"

Wild Horses couldn't keep me from returning to the town!