Europe 2018

Holland 2/24/2018-3/11/18

UTRECHT & AMSTERDAM

            Brrrr. Our flight to Amsterdam was late starting & late finishing so we texted our Dutch friends, Cees & Nathalie, luckily catching them before they left their home in Utrecht to pick us up. We sat down, walked across to the info desk, heard of a second delay, texted them again, then sat down.... until the next delay when we got up to check the info screen, texted them, and sat down again. One more round of this relay & I had managed my daily exercise. With oodles of waiting time, I called my English third cousin Jan, who supports Brexit and some of Trump’s ideas. It is good to balance news sources! Finally, I kept my resolve to “ Talk across the aisle.”

             All the travel hassles were worth enjoying Utrecht & Amsterdam. Cees conjured up a fine French version of roast duck & (no longer sour) sauerkraut and bacon (with pork belly). Nathalie’s salad dressing was tasty enough to drink. Her photographs intrigue. She inserted a windmill image in a photo of a rustic window frame- a nod to the tourist penchant for photographing windmill after windmill. Our guest room was filled with books. Why count sheep when you can scrutinize Dutch language books & make a game guessing the English title from the author’s name?

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            Our visit to the newly remodeled Stedeljk Modern art Museum was amazing. Architects designed wooden dividers that serve as “cubbies” separating the art by artist. The cluster of Piet Mondrian was stunning & enlightening. The arrangement of art can confuse. Had I zigzagged between these dividers before? No harm revisiting an art piece, but where oh where is my husband in this labyrinth? We adjourned to the cafe for piping hot sausage croquettes dipped in mustard. My hot chocolate was delicious. The yummy duck and croquettes were just the beginning of our leaving The Mediterranean Diet in the dust!  Northern climes and very cold weather demand more calories.

            It was winter cold, but too early for The Ice Master to open skating season. While Mike and Cees sang and played their guitars, Nathalie and I walked in a lovely wood, noticing green leaves of spring emerging. Napoleon’s brother vacationed in the impressive stone house on the property. We saw an exhibit of Chinese hangings from the Qing Dynasty. Charming wallpaper from the Guangdong Museum and works from Dutch artist Armondo are interspersed showing similarities of subject & vertical composition.

             Later that day we rushed to Amsterdam to visit the Hermitage collection on loan to the Rijksmuseum to savor Rembrandt ‘s portraits of aged men with eyes having seen wisdom and challenges. Catherine the Great had more Dutch Master’s paintings than all of the Netherlands; she had purchased 2 million paintings during her time.

            Our dinner in view of the charmingly lit canals pretty much made me forget the bicycle dodging necessary for we ignorant tourists straying off the pedestrian path. Seeing parents juggling children while checking phones & whizzing by reminded me of a similar skill demonstrated by the Indians and Vietnamese on their motorbikes.

BRUSSELS

            Cees & Nathalie drove us to Rotterdam to catch our train to Brussels. Upon arrival we saw four guards, their rifles at the ready! Intimidating? Consoling? This fueled my anxiety when I was descending the stairs and a plastic container of half eaten lunch flew past me landing next to my feet! Kind people eagerly retrieved it for me.... but I insisted it was not mine. I looked all around and never saw the source. Took a taxi to the Thon Hotel Centrale. Oops, no reservation there. Took a second taxi to the Thon Hotel EU. There began a new awareness of the impact of the European Union. The EU cooperates on many levels. For example, when we were in Amsterdam, we learned some bridges needed to be widened to accommodate the wider trucks carrying bigger loads. Our hotel was in the midst of the EU buildings. Our host, Deidre, works there. Friends were abuzz with EU politics- who’s in who’s out. Who’s benefitting from Brexit, etc? Keeping the identities of each member state while achieving economy of scale is a slow & challenging task. I appreciated their silence about our politics. They were distracted yet very full of US news and fake news. I think that all countries must adapt to the economic upheaval that exists today.

            You know I’m a “foodie.” The Thon Hotel buffet breakfast was the best! Freshly squeezed orange juice and warm, crunchy Belgian waffles with soft insides, delicious hot chocolate, of course. One morning the receptionist was cheerful. One morning I felt like an inmate begging to be admitted. Two waiters explained that the former was from the South and the latter from the East of Belgium.

            Mike’s meeting was in an EU building. Many countries are represented. Project Notify is an effort to make transfusion and transplantation safer. He has been working on this for 8 years. I am interested in it, too. I attended part of the second meeting and was so impressed with the camaraderie and altruism of these many specialists. After proofing the second addition of the informative booklet several times (who’s complaining?) I became a fan. I thank my French teachers. The EU security at the meeting entrance wondered whether to admit me, a non-medical type. Texting was not working. They spoke only French. Finally, our multilingual EU friend, Deirdre appeared. I showed my passport, filled out a form and was admitted.

            Science has given us an abundance of wonderful friendships! Yes, as we age, we are realizing we may not see some of them again, so this whole trip is replete with reminiscence and appreciation for what we have learned from people all over the world. We are so lucky!

While Mike was working and warm in the Project Notify meeting, I was freezing everything touring nearby Ghent and Bruges. We had ice and frozen ponds. We had a cozy lunch by the fireplace. In between we toured well preserved medieval buildings and churches. The guilds and castles abound. Ghent was a major port, trading in wool and linen. These two cities are worth the side trip. So much history. Our guide kept us engaged from 9am-7pm. My friend, Carol, was with me on the tour and provided good company on the long bus trip despite her frozen feet. She mentioned this to a cafe owner who presented her with a coffee and a pair of new socks! That’s hospitality.

            Would you believe an entire baby whale skeleton hung from St. Bavo’s cathedral ceiling in Ghent? It was swept into their harbor. It is considered bad luck to have a whale swept ashore and dies. Guess they are hedging their bets. In the Chapel of the Blood, I saw an ornate vial of blood stained cloth proven to be from the 11th or 12th c. Legend claims it is Christ’s blood, brought from the Crusades. A priest sits beside it as follower’s process by.

            Back to Brussels, the meeting completed we stayed at Deirdre and Ray’s art-filled, beautiful apartment, we strolled together past a lovely park with swans and parakeets sitting on the icy sloughs and shopped at the outdoor market. Later we toured the Art Nouveau home of Victor Horta. I am grateful my friends alerted me to this gorgeous place. He designed jewelry, furniture, a jewelry shop and his home. The colors are bold and soothing at the same time. Door pulls are exquisite little sculptures.

            I promise I do not interview perspective friends regarding their culinary skills. However, each of the families we stayed with is a fabulous cook! Ray cooked an Indian feast for a gathering of friends. Deirdre fixed lunch and dinner.

            I promise I do not interview perspective friends regarding their art appreciation. However, each home abounds with art in many forms.

LAUSANNE

            The day before our departure both Brussels & Geneva’s airports were closed due to snow!

We were lucky to catch our flight to Geneva and our train to Lausanne where our friends, Guy and Rosemarie live on the banks of Lake Geneva. The setting and Rosemarie’s magic, natural garden equal a feast for the eyes and soul. We walked together along the lake, marveling at the gracefulness of swans flying by. Snowy, showy Alps in the background. I do understand my childhood dream to live in Switzerland. (Fueled by my reading the book Heidi)

            Yes, Guy and Rosemarie cooked us wonderful meals. We had cabbage soup on a cold day. We marveled at Rosemarie’s perfect Yorkshire pudding, tenderloin, endive and molten chocolate cake. The following morning, Guy did a pencil sketch of Mike that he had promised to do many years ago.

            At our request, they drove us through the United Nations Heritage site vineyards in the area where Guy grew up. In Vevey (highly recommended side trip) we envied the boulevard trees all snuggly wrapped in hand knitted ‘bracelets’ around their trunks. Then we tucked into a small cafe next to the library. After lunch, saw a Pastel exhibition at the nearby L’Hermitage Museum.

For dinner, they granted our request for wonderful, creamy, crunchy, tasty Raclette with cornichons, pearl onions, and potatoes and add in Fondu, and you have a classical Swiss meal. That evening, I viewed Rosemarie’s exquisite pastel painting in her home studio. She is preparing for an exhibition in May.

            Sad, but fond goodbyes to our Swiss friends of many years. We met them in the USA when we were all youngish parents in Maryland.

ROME

            What a wet, windy welcome to Rome! We dodged huge puddles in between the cobblestones as we made our way to our rented apartment on the second floor in an old building in Trastevere, via old worn, stone steps. It didn’t take long for us to shed our travel weariness. A cure came in the guise of Viale Gelateria where we almost always order hazelnut (nociola) and one other flavor. We ate dinner at Dar Poeta pizza restaurant nearby. A young Norwegian girl sat next to us. She has travelled afar and was meeting her boyfriend who was working on a farm in Hungary. They also planned to go onto Vietnam, traveling is much more accessible to young people in today’s world.

            Mike has been listening to an expat blog called “the Bittersweet Life.” One of the bloggers lives in Rome and has created a list of her must see places. We followed her advice and were intrigued by a museum in the Emperor Domiziano stadium UNDER Piazza Navona. Check it out. Every town on earth should have a piazza like Navona. A gathering of all ages, of artists and aspiring artists, of lovers and gawkers and good cheer. Of course, we stopped to dance to the music of a bossa nova Trio. A cluster of University of Rome students stopped to watch we two lovers, me with a backpack and clogs against the cobblestones. The best part was some of them tried to imitate our moves, laughing at their attempts. It was great to see them dancing and carrying on the tradition. We tucked into a shop and Mike bought a nice wool scarf. They were ubiquitous in this cold weather. The shopkeeper chatted with us about Trump, he is a fan, saying he will be good for U.S. business.

            On to our favorite Nonna Betta restaurant for grilled artichokes Jewish style (Carciofi alla Giudia). Mmmmmm.

Later we joined an Italian and a Greek friend for the world’s best bargain dinner (45 euros for 4) at Alfredo & Ada’s. Topped off the meal with a gelato from Giolletti’s. Definitely a family owned long lived business itself. Afterwards, Claudia secured a loan car which we picked up near the Pantheon. She drove us home. We had walked so many miles this trip!

            There was an odd exhibition at Palazzo Altemps, a Roman Museum.  Fornasetti, an architect, added modern and surprising elements to the ancient stone statues in this wonderful, elegant palace. My opinion is mixed. Did it enhance or detract?

            Our attempt to follow the Bittersweet Life blogger’s enthusiasm for some beautiful frescoes never materialized, alas! She said this room was opened to the public only on St. Francesca di Romano’s feast day March 9th. Ta dah! We set out on March 9th; walked for miles uphill, found her hospital, senior home, basilica, but not the frescoes. I insisted on opening a closed metal grill gate into the crypt of the basilica and therefore did see some nice, very old, frescoes, but learned online these were not the ones we sought. Never mind the inconvenience, we consoled ourselves with a gelato from Fata Morgana in Trastevere.

            We splurged on dinner at the Glass Osteria. Little portions, big price tag. Delicious, a bit pretentious. Fun to stare at the clientele. First woman chef to earn a Michelin star. Who knew one could start with a tablespoon full of: rock lobster bits, mayonnaise, and herbs; have lime sauced fettuccine, then steak with chocolate, puréed foie gras and mushrooms?

            Our last Roman breakfast was at Settimiana Bar in Trastevere. It is a favorite and right across from one of the prettiest garden restaurants, Romolo, Nel giardino di Trastevere. Each visit to Rome, I stop in to greet La Signora who presides over the restaurant from her station in a corner. She pretends to remember me- motto gentile! Her home was once the home of Raphael’s mistress. HIs frescoes decorate the nearby Villa Farnesina.

                Our last Roman dinner was with our friends Franco and Daniela at their favorite pizza restaurant. I’m feeling nostalgic about Italy, but also about Edmonds. Would you believe that Daniela prefers making American coffee at home? At the Rome airport, we saw signs advertising “American Coffee”! I must concentrate on which gelateria for our last gelato?

            This 15 day journey was replete with meaning. Yes, we saw fabulous landscapes and awesome museum art, but this particular trip focused on relishing our European friends. Thanks to every one of them!