Business as unusual
We biked for 10 days from Schärding to Vienna along the Donau (Danube), mostly in Austria. About 60 kilometers (36-40 miles) a day.
Schärding pastels
Schärding: the Inn
Knight in shining armor
Engelhartszell
The ferry at Schlögen
The ferry at Schlögen
Tiefenbach, before Grein
St Michael, past Emmersdorf
Past Traismauer
Wiener Prater
A busker of a different color
Renske and Schönbrunn
Sisi’s garden, Schönbrunn
During a shower
With an all-out attack on slugs our garden is doing quite well, even after a vacation of 10 days and little rain. The only thing really new is that I’ve torn up the flower bed devoted to insects: it had been taken over by weeds. We’ve turned it into a bed of buckwheat.
Tomatillos and zucchini
Snowpeas (under nets) and beans
Buckwheat (cover crop)
Lettuce
Potatoes
Corn
Carrots
Beets
This was our balcony about a week ago.
We bring you liquid botanic sunshine.
Big Smile (Little Smile)
Ballynure to Larne to Glenarm
Ballynure to Larne
Ballynure to Larne
Entering the forest near Ballyboley
In the forest near Ballyboley
Ballynure to Larne
Out of the woods
Approaching Agnew’s Hill
Approaching Agnew’s Hill
Ballynure to Larne
Ballynure to Larne
The Manor House, Larne
Larne to Glenarm, along the hills and glens of Antrim
Antrim moor
On top of Black Hill
Glenarm
Ray had problems with his leg the previous night and we didn’t think that a long, hilly walk would be a good idea. Thanks to the people of Water’s Edge B&B we stayed in Glenarm and eventually got a taxi lift to Ballycastle, along with our backpacks.
Ballycastle to Portstewart
We went from Ballycastle to Ballintoy via the rope bridge of Carrick-a-Rede. The stay at Sheep Island View was a joke. Fullerton Arms prevented us from dying of hunger or stupid excuses.
approaching the rope bridge
approaching the rope bridge
Well guys, this is the rope bridge
Going back
He hasn’t looked this good in 20 years
It’s a long walk from Ballintoy to Bushmills. We were glad that the tide was out along the coast, otherwise we would have had to swim.
In Bushmills we were allowed to eat in “Tartine,” shortly after the head waiter chased us away.
Somewere past Ballintoy Harbour
Too warm: getting rid of clothes
And this was difficult
And suddenly we’re free
Don’t know what it is, but it’s my favorite picture
Looking back
Climbing over a stile
Two different stacks of basalt
So this is what all the noise is about…
…the Giant’s Causeway
We walk from Bushmills to Portstewart. Nice beaches! The hostel in Portstewart is another joke. We don’t even come across the owner. But it’s “sleep cheap.”
The cows were interested in Renske
Dunluce castle, past Portballintrae
Curran Strand, approaching Portrush
These could be basalt pillows
We have the whole day to go by bus to Coleraine and then by train to Belfast. Then from Belfast by bus first to Newry, then to Rostrevor. It rains, but we have few problems with that. We wind up at B&B Oystercatcher, with James, the most eccentic of our hosts. Renske didn’t think he was eccentic, just recently divorced and fairly sloppy.
In the train to Belfast
Rostrevor to Newcastle
We walk from Rostrevor via Hen Mountain to Hilltown. As you can see, the sky has turned grey. We wind up at Clonmurr B&B, run by Ciara Fegan. Ray likes her because she understands his sense of humor and throws her own back at him.
A lot of rough terrain on the way
On paths between the mountains
Ray reading “The Aeneid” in B&B The Clonmurr
It’s a nice long walk to Newcastle. This walk takes us over two peaks, maybe 500 meter high. For the rest it’s not too much up-and-down. Mountains in the mist!
Mountains in the mist
In the valley, closer to Newcastle
Newcastle to Downpatrick via Ardglass
It’s an easy walk from Newcastle to Dundrum, with the largest mountain, Slieve Donard, in view in the background. We go to Dundrum Castle with 60 (other) children. We stay at Carriage House B&B with Maureen and her cat Orca.
The stone walls in the whole country were interesting, especially those in Newcastle, which were topped by a double row of sharp stones.
Walls in Newcastle
More walls
On the beach
Behind Ray is Slieve Donard
Dundrum Castle with kids
Carriage House
We take a taxi from Dundrum to Ballykinler. And it’s a nice long walk to Ardglass. We stay at Burford Lodge B&B. On internet it sounded really chic, but it was simply a larger B&B with extra help.
A marker!
If you lived here, you’d be home by now: St. John’s Church
Finally at Burford Lodge
A change of plans: No busses ride on Sunday, taxi’s have to come from Downpatrick and there’s a soft rain. We decide to walk from Ardglass directly to Downpatick instead of to Strangford (and taxi to Downpatrick). We stay at B&B Number Nine. We drink and eat at Denvir’s. The pub was really bustling!
Ray reads books at Number Nine B&B
We bus back to Belfast and have plenty of time for a bus tour of the city: a good way to get to know it. The Unionist and Republican communities are really interesting. We drink and eat at the Crown Bar and disappear the next day.
The Titanic Museum
Murals about the Troubles
The Peace Wall between Falls Rd. & Shankill Rd.
Celebrating a vacation in Simpelveld, Limburg.
Renske in Limburg
We didn’t have a camera on Burns Night. Pity, it was really nice, cultural and entertaining. Here are two links to films on Youtube, one of the storytellers we saw and one of the actor Donald Smith reciting and performing Tam o’Shanter by Robert Burns. Check it out!
The view from our hotel room
Along the Water of Leith Walkway
On Princes Street
Just off Princes Street
West Princes Street Gardens
High Street, near Cockburn Street
The Castle from Old Town Grassmarket
Grassmarket
On the Esplanade in front of the Castle
Climbing Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park
The view from Holyrood Park
Lunch at the foot of Arthur’s Seat
A view from Rennies Isle, Leith
All good things come to an end. As we arrived at the airport, it started to rain. After four days of good weather.
One week Schiermonnikoog.
A quiet week on an island. Only one afternoon of rain. For the rest, plenty of sun.
Mik on the dike
Mik again
Looking at the village from the dike
A view of the ferry harbour
Ray on the bunker
Renske on the bunker
Cemetary for victims of WW II
The interior
The kitchen
The exterior
One week Schiermonnikoog.
A quiet week on an island. Only one afternoon of rain. For the rest, plenty of sun.
Lighthouse in the background
Which way?
sails on the beach
From 2 to 8 June we were in Lisboa, Portugal. A great city for walking. Definitely recommended! And a day-trip to Sintra, by train.
Trees in bloom, botanic garden
Remnants of an aquaduct in Rato
Looking over Park Eduard VII and Avenida da Liberdade
Narrow streets and places to eat in Bairro Alto
Tram 28
Alone on a hill: looking at Castelo from a viewpoint
Getting off the elevador da Gloria
At the river near Praça do Comercio
Looking at the arc of Victory from Rua Augusta
On our way to the Thieves’ Market
Castelo do São Jorge
Street art in Belém
Art in the Museum Collection Berardo, Belém
Same museum, different art, Ray doesn’t get it
The aquarium: beats Chicago!
Sintra National Palace, Sintra
Looking out over Sintra
Center of town, Sintra
Painting of “Maria Josefina” by Antonio Carneiro, Museum of Modern Art, Sintra
Taking a break in the Jardim da Estrela, across from the Basilique, Lisboa