TravelStream™ news feed for member nancy.chappell on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/nancy.chappell en-us Copyright ©2010 TravelPod.com Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:25:35 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1251836906/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1251836906/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1251836906/tpod.html Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:25:35 -0400 Nancy's European Adventures 2009

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Balnamore, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

It takes a long time to get from Gotland to Balnamore. I left the Island of Gotland by ferry at 7 am and got into Stockholm Center by noon. I then spent half a day sight-seeing until my host was able to host me-she worked until 10 pm. She was a friend of a friend and works with children with autism. As the school week has just started, there was much to do to get ready. So, at 10 pm I met Helena and Peter, who kindly put me up for one night and drove me the 15 minutes to the airport at 6 am the next morning. Helena hopes to come to the U.S. next spring to see Innisfree and the Va Institute of Autism. Hopefully I will be able to repay the kindness.

I flew to Heathrow and then had a 5 hour wait that turned into a 6 hour wait. I am down to my last foreign currency. Sweden is not on the Euro so that required Swedish Kroners. One gets spoiled by Euros and wishes everyone had them. It has always been very tricky to determine just how much to take out of the ATM machine at a time. I didn't spend that much in Sweden, had some Kroner to spend, so was able to splurge a little at the Stockholm airport. I actually bought a paperback and a real meal in a restaurant; two luxuries I hadn't allowed myself often.

I am back in Northern Ireland for the wedding of friends Carole Anderson and Ulf Keller. She was a volunteer at Innisfree in 1998. She left and worked at a camphill community in South Africa where she met Ulf, from Colditz (former DDR). They then came to Innisfree together from 01-02, worked a year in Maine and have lived in northern Ireland since then. They were coming to Innisfree on the morning of September 11, 2001 and their plane was over the Atlantic, when it was sent back to Frankfurt, only to be brought back to the U.S. a week later.

I got to Belfast City airport at 4 pm and was called by Carole's sister, Deb who was here for the wedding from South Africa. She was wondering where I was and she was at the wrong airport. Fortunately, the two Belfast airports are only 30 minutes apart. I arrived at Carole's at 5 and the household was a buzz. The wedding was the next day and the stress levels were very high. Carole is from northern Ireland and has 5 brothers and sisters all in the area except for Deb in South Africa. Ulf is from Germany and his parents, sister-in-law and niece all came over, were staying at Carole's and Ulf's and don't speak any English. Carole and Ulf have been together for 8 years and have two children, Ella 2 1/2 and Joe 9 months. They also have three teenaged foster kids. The house is hectic even in quiet times.

I did what I could to pitch in and keep Carole calm and Saturday morning we had the children ready and Deb and I (who were in charge of the children all day), got to the church. The church is the smallest in Ireland and perhaps in the world. It holds 11 people. So most of us were hanging around on the outside. The setting was stunning. The church is set into the side of a hill which is along the northern coast of Northern Ireland, close to the Giant's Causeway. Most locals have no idea it's there. The local minister for this church has the most unusual comb-over that I have ever seen. After some light refreshments, mostly during rain, the sun came out in time for the picture taking. At about 3 we all headed off for the reception/party which was held at Kilcranny House. Some of you may know this was originally started by the Peace People in the late 70's and is now a non-profit farm for residential groups and for peace and reconciliation work. Carole is on the board and it is a BVS project site-small world, huh? There was a large marquis with sides and carpeting that held all 100 or so of us for the next 6-8 hours. The food was delicious, the music was great, but I went to bed at 11 pm when we finally got Ella to go to bed. Many of us stayed over in the dormitory part so we didn't have to drive that night-this is northern Ireland, you know.

It was a terrific day and Mr. and Mrs. Keller seemed to have survived the stress and fuss of the day. We still have people coming and going but it is slowing down a bit. I am practicing some German with Oma and Opa and changing lots of nappies. I leave tomorrow and have two days in London before I head home. I have applied for a few more jobs this week, looked for a possible housemate (at least for the first few months) and spoke to Alex last night. I asked what he wanted me to bring him from London. He answered, "Just yourself." What a guy. Can't wait to see him. Happy September to one and all.


]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1251283747/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1251283747/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1251283747/tpod.html Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:57:23 -0400 Nancy's European Adventures 2009

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Visby, Gotland, Sweden

I am on the beautiful island of Gotland, in the Baltic Sea, east of the Swedish mainland. I flew into Stockholm and took several buses and trains to arrive at the ferry harbor of Nynäshamn. The ferry departed at 9pm and took 3 hours to reach Visby, the main town of Gotland. There were about 600 passengers on the ferry, about one third of the number in July when tourism is at its peak. I was met at the terminal by my friend Lena Lager, and a former Innisfree volunteer from 1999. She came with her husband and 2 teenagers to stay at Innisfree for one year. The kids are now adults, Karin is halfway thru medical school in Gothenburg and Simon works as a bartender and disc jockey in a nightclub in Visby. Lena and Stig have a companionable separation and live across the street from each other. I was lucky to see everybody this visit. Lena was still on her summer holidays so we went for bike rides and lay on the beach and even went in for a swim in the Baltic. The days have been bright and sunny, as my whole summer has been.

Visby has been around since the 900's at least, was a member of the Hanseatic League in the 1200's and still retains most of the city wall built in the 12 and 1300's. Lena lives inside the city wall and the houses are very beautiful and kept up nicely. There are also about 6 churches in the inner city which are left as ruins and are just part of the landscape.

A few things about Swedish people - they love coffee (any time of the day or night) and love the sun (perhaps because they don't get it very often). I saw many people lying on the beach, 60 years of age in bikini's and topless; working on their tan. Here on Gotland, they often prefer the bike to the car, as most things are close and the bike lanes are good and plentiful. Having a car inside the city walls is not very practical either. I have never been here in the winter, but imagine it is quite a different place. I brought Alex here 7 years ago, for the medieval festival, held early August of every year.

It has been a very relaxing time here. Coming from Brussels and Berlin, I immediately felt calm and stress-free when I saw the sea. This is a very beautiful place and I highly recommend it for a relaxing vacation. It does take some effort to get here tho. I have had a wonderful time visiting with Lena; riding bikes, sharing meals, talking about our lives/parents/children/lovelives,having coffee, and swimming in the sea. Tusen takk. (I know it's Norwegian and I hope it's also Swedish)

While here I also signed a lease for an apartment in Charlottesville and have applied for several jobs; I even had a phone interview. So, things are moving quickly now. I have a full day in Stockholm tomorrow, then fly to Belfast via London on friday. A wedding in N. Ireland on Saturday, a few more days there, then my last 2 days in London and flying home. I should manage one more entry in my summer's travel blog. Thanks for making the trip with me.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1251037731/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1251037731/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1251037731/tpod.html Sun, 23 Aug 2009 11:58:00 -0400 Nancy's European Adventures 2009

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Berlin, Germany

In looking for a cheap ride to Berlin from Belgium, I found hitchhikers.org (not really hitching, just ride sharing). So, for 10€, I got a lift from Brussels all the way to Berlin with 3 others; a woman from Colombia, S.Am, woman from So. Africa and the driver, a Belgian man. So, there we were 4 from 4 continents for the 10 hour drive to Berlin. Rest stops in Germany don't seem that much different from the stops along hiways in the US. What did seem different, was how long it takes to get places and how much time is spent on small roads going thru villages. Maybe the autobahns are not as well connected as our interstates. There were no speed limits on some stretches, but they were few and far between. Everyone I have driven with in Europe uses a GPS and it was rare to find people using a map. As a big map reader myself, I found it difficult to imagine the route we took. The roads are not marked by north, south, east or west, but by the next town you are going towards. So, if you don't know all the towns you pass thru, it's very hard to make sense of the directions.

I was able to stay with Elke, the former ARSP US Director in her flat in Kreuzeburg.One of the things I've enjoyed the most is to spend time with women friends (of a certain age) and share our stories. That has become more precious than sightseeing on this trip. I had spent a week in Berlin about 15 months ago and was fascinated by all the history and architecture. I still find it beautiful - and had great weather - but the time spent with friends was the best. I usually bought an all day transportation pass, so could ride buses and take the Ubahn and Sbahn all day, exploring parts of Berlin. I discovered how nice the various beer gardens are and that Berlin does a great job of green space. One is never far from a bench in a quiet park. It is also very biker friendly.

The World Championships in Track and Field were taking place while I was there and I caught some of the festivities down at the Brandenburg Gate. It was mobbed and there were many food vendors around on both sides of the gate.I visited 2 ARSP volunteers to Innisfree, Moritz and his son and Laura Fergin. Moritz was the first one, in 1998 and Laura one of the most recent. Moritz is making a good living creating music for TV, films and commercials, tho he's starting to find it uninspiring. They just had their second child. Laura is studying English and American literature and culture in Munster.

I enjoyed seeing the East Side Gallery which is a portion of the wall left standing, on which various artists have created works of art in 1990 and many have been touched up in 2009. So they have a fresh look. They are serious and quirky and I took pictures of some of my favorites.

The last 2 nights in Berlin, Elke was giving over her living room futon to another friend. I found Dagmar on couchsurfing and had 2 nice nights on her futon. The only problem was the 6th storey flat with no lift. I didn't go up and down many times in one day. Early on thursday morning I made my way thru town to the Tegel Airport to fly to Sweden. Many thanks, Elke for your generosity and the nice time we got to spend together in Berlin.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1250356792/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1250356792/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1250356792/tpod.html Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:29:57 -0400 Nancy's European Adventures 2009

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Namur, Wallonia, Belgium

I left Aleid in Utrecht, by taking a train to Namur. There is this little detail about riding trains in Europe. Sometimes, the train divides and the front goes one way and the back goes another way. Just pay attention to this next time you're in Europe. I was eventually met at the Namur train station by Stephanie and Olivier, plus Colin (2 1/2) and Eline (6 months). We only had a short drive before arriving at their little eco community they have joined with 10 other families. It reminded me of Blue Ridge Cohousing and when I showed them the website, they reminded me how great that community is and that I should probably join them (again). They joined their community after the homes were already planned, so they only had the possiblity to design the insides and to do some of that work themselves. They have 5 duplexes that open onto a common ground for a children's playground and shared and private gardens. The land also has many old apple and pear trees. The inside has some very beautiful designs that they've done themselves, including sort of mud daubed walls with all natural dyes and some walls of bamboo.
They had some family guests along with me and we had a barbeque outside since we are still enjoying great weather everywhere I go.

On Sunday we drove to the center of Namur and drove and walked around the citadel that looks down over the Sambre and Meuse Rivers. We then went down into the heart of the old city, looking for a drink, when we bumped into some acquaintances of mine. Jean and Karel Nankman are parents of my Dutch friend, Michiel. They live in central Holland and are spending 3 months boating the rivers and canals of Europe. They had just anchored at the Meuse River and wandered into Namur for a drink also. Small world, huh?
Enjoying holding babies and trying to talk 'toddler french', I enjoyed being with the de Tiege and van Hamme household. Then Marie-Eve arrived to pick me up and take me to her house, about 20 km away. She has 2 1/2 month old Selma whom she introduced to us and is a happy new mom.

Marie-Eve just married Sebastian last August and Selma came along 9 months later. She was another Innisfree volunteer, probably about 8 years ago, but I do lose track. After returning to Brussels from living in the US, M-E had the chance to convert her grandparents barn into her own home. Her parents were also converting the farm house into their retirement home. So, two homes in a small village, looking out over a Van Gogh landscape. M-E did much of the work herself, with her brother and it is a very comfortable, beautiful and roomy home. Sebastian just took up gardening for the first time and we had an abundance of tomatoes (he planted 70 varieties) haricot vert and courgettes to eat. Sebastian's english was about like my french, only he's more shy, so when M-E left the room, we struggled to have some decent communication.

We also went to see the downtown of Namur and had a lunch out in a very old and posh- seeming, but somehow affordable restaurant. We had a screaming baby before we were able to get to the dessert, but felt lucky to get thru the lunch. It was their first attempt at eating out with Selma in their family. We said our goodbyes and M-E got me onto a train for Brussels.

I was met at the Brussels train station by Florinda, my couch surfing host for 2 nights. She is a Hungarian/Italian who has been in Brussels for 5 months to head up a cycle lobbying group within the European Community. They have a pilot program to increase public awareness and promotion of bicycling in 5 European cities. She is a huge bike enthusiast herself and is loving her new job. I was also met by her two Polish couchsurfing host friends and their guests from Madrid. We were whisked off to have lunch in the European Parliament's cafeteria, with airport-like security systems. One of the Polish women has an EP job, so was able to get us in.
As Florinda went to work each day, I was free and given the roam of the flat and my own keys.
I had briefly been in Brussles some years ago, but didn't remember much. I spurged and took the hop on/hop off sightseeing double decker bus tour, to get an orientation to the city, learn a few facts and to also use as a form of public transportation. I got the guy to give me a reduced ticket and I got to use it for 2 days - so well worth the 13 euros.

I did have my first day of rain in almost 3 months - a light rain, that didn't stop me from wandering the streets. I finally had my Belgian waffle with chocolate and strawberries, overlooking the Grande Place. I had some relaxing time too in Brussels and even managed to do all my laundry.

Thanks to my nice friends in Belgium for their great hospitality.




]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1250173327/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1250173327/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1250173327/tpod.html Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:11:22 -0400 Nancy's European Adventures 2009

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Utrecht, Netherlands

Yikes, friends .....I`m getting behind. My very generous hosts in Trier decided they needed a holiday on the Dutch coast, so offered to drive me to Utrecht. This is pretty far for your average European to consider spontaneously. I am very grateful.

My good ol´ SCI and Innisfree friend, Aleid, came to meet me at the train station. It was only a 15 minute walk to her place, a very nice cottage like place in a small courtyard with no traffic, but very near the center. Aleid has 3 bikes - typical dutch - and I got to ride her new ´volvo´of the bike world, a large, solid, brightly colored thing. I managed to stay on the bike as we went around the Dom and then for a nice drive in the country to a pancake house on a canal. I recommend the spek und kaase. I seem to manage about 10km at a time on flat landscapes. The other unusual thing (for me), is that Aleid decided I needed some new clothes. So, something I normally hate, went quite well with Aleid´s cheerleading. I felt like someone in ´What Not to Wear ´. I bought 2 skirts and 2 tops, all for less than $50. Nothing secondhand, even.

I took one day to go into Amsterdam, on the train; only about 30 minutes away. Amsterdam is where I first landed in Europe in May, 1975. I can still remember a few highlights (and lowlights) from that time.

This time, I met with my friend Maria Johnson. Maria and I worked together at the Church of the Brethren offices in Elgin, IL back in 1981. We lost touch for some years and re-found each other about 5 years ago. At the age of 50, she met her love, in Amsterdam and is trying to live happily ever after. Maria brought her bike over on the ferry from North Amsterdam and we met for a drink and caught up with our lives. I wandered around Amsterdam for a few hours on my own - often sitting in parks and people watching since walking long distances is not possible these days. I then met with another Innisfree/SCI friend, Maarten Stam who lives there. We met at Dam Square. I told him I was the only one hanging out and knitting. (I find that having small knitting projects keeps me occupied and makes nice little gifts for my hosts.) We went out for a bite to eat and then he found a very out of the way place for a beer, along a canal. Very romantic spot.

I returned to Utrecht that evening. I got to try out and break in, a blow up air mattress at Aleid´s. I can say that I can highly recommend it. We had very nice chats in the back garden and drank some pots of tea and coffee, usually accompanied with a stroopwaffel. The next day I left for Belgium, but that is another chapter.

P.S. I will have to add photos when I have access to a computer that is not in an internet cafe.

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1249679297/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1249679297/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1249679297/tpod.html Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:44:24 -0400 Nancy's European Adventures 2009

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Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Leaving the Innisfree reunion in Kovenig, I traveled by train with my French friend, Corinne, to the Roman/medieval German city on the Mosel, Trier. I had never been there before and because it is right next to Luxembourg, it seems even many Germans have not been there. I was met by Uli and Donata Schwarz, parents of Nathanael, a current Innisfree volunteer. Their house is very beautiful, an old farm house of the 1800`s, that they bought cheap 20 years ago and have put many hours and € into over the years.

Uli and Donata are great tour guides. We started with an overview of Trier; seen from the foot of the statue of Mary, overlooking the city. Trier has buildings from the Romans til now all together on the east side of the river and from the last 2-300 years in west Trier. A roman bridge remains, one of three bridges crossing the Mosel here. We walked around downtown and inside the Basilika, the Domstadt and saw the Hauptmarkt and the Porta Nigra. A nice combination of old and new.

Uli is Director of Lebenshilfe, a state-run program for adults with disabilities; providing meaningful jobs for more than 300 adults in a series of day centers. I toured the facilities and saw products of wood, metal, electronics and also some beautiful artwork. It is quite an impressive operation.
They also have a farm with about 30 residential folks and raise cows, chickens, pigs, asparagus and fruits. I had some smoked turkey and fresh made sausages (on the premises) that was very good.

We also attended an open air museum outside of town; a great place to walk around on a warm summer`s day and imagine a Germany long past. I had schnitzel for lunch in the outdoor cafe. We also stopped in the beautiful village of Saarburg, where the River Saar has a terrific waterfall in the center of town, surrounded by cafes and overflowing flower boxes.

We had a full time for 2 and a half days. Then when I announced I was headed to the Netherlands next, Donata decided that a vacation in the Dutch sea was just what she needed. So, I got a free ride all the way to Utrecht. Trier was a beautiful city of 100,000 people and Uli and Donata made the visit really special. Many thanks.

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1249415189/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1249415189/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1249415189/tpod.html Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:58:55 -0400 Nancy's European Adventures 2009

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Kövenig, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

I had a dream.....many months ago, to gather as many former Innisfree volunteers together as possible; maybe in Germany. So, on Friday, July 31, we met up at a holiday house on the beautiful Mosel River in western Germany. I drove from near Hamburg with Florian and it took us 8 hours to get there. Ousmane came with his son, Arsene on a train, from Strasbourg. Karin and Paul drove from Oxford via the chunnel. Stefanie came by train from Switzerland by way of Dusseldorf. Dagmar came after work on Fri evening and arrived late at night by train. Stephanie and Olivier came the next day with their children Colin and Eline by car from Belgium (3 hours).Margit came by train from Stuttgart just on Sunday. I had invited a personal friend, Corinne, from France, when I realised the house was not full and we might not have another opportunity to meet up this summer. We were volunteers together at Glebe House N. Ireland in 1978, so she was tuned into the volunteer experience.

Florian had made some Innisfree granola which we brought and shared. We had swiss chocolate and cheese, belgian beer and waffles, homemade jams from germany and france and ... let's just say that we ate well. We felt obligated to try several bottles of the local Mosel valley wine - generally Rieslings, which were very nice. Kövenig is a small village, no shops, but the train stops there, a ferry runs from 9 am til 6pm (except for a 1 hour lunch break) and there were bikes to rent. We rode bicycles to Traben Trabach, which was 4 km away and started by taking the wrong road, which in fact was climbing a large hill. I fell off the bike, Florian's chain broke and Ousmane carrying Arsene on the back was not at all happy. We sorted all that, and managed to ride along the river Mosel successfully to the beautiful town of Traben trabach. The Mosel is very beautiful and winds from somewhere in France to join the Rhein in Koblenz. It is very wiggly with vineyards on both banks up very steep mountainsides - seems impossible to harvest.

We played games: SET, rummy, Settlers and Kubb. Talked, laughed, reminisced and watched some Innisfree videos. I am so happy that each and everyone came and yes there were many more we had hoped to see. Florian was terrific in helping me organize things, bringing supplies from his parents and helping me organize the money and signing the rental contract.
I think everyone who came had a really good time. I know that I did. Wunderbar.
Next stop Trier.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1249327275/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1249327275/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1249327275/tpod.html Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:52:53 -0400 Nancy's European Adventures 2009

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Hemmoor, Lower Saxony, Germany

I flew to Hamburg from Helsinki on July 27th and was met by Florian Gerdes, an Innisfree volunteer from only 2 years ago. He and his parents took me around to see Hamburg on the day I arrived. What a nice city! We rode a boat along the Elbe and had a river view of the city. Then we took the train and drove about 1 hour to their home in Hemmoor, which is in NiederSachsen (lower Saxony). My sister deb had been an exchange student in Bad Zwischenahn in '75 and this was quite close to that and reminded me of the time I spent there.

Uli and Silke have a beautiful home and the gardens are just pristine - this is everything one expects from the ultimate German garden. We had great weather and were able to take all the meals outside. We did such nice things together- rode our bikes to have a picnic, went swimming on the Elbe (too cold for me), played games, ate very well and saw the local countryside. This is very flat land, with many canals. Uli works as manager of the local water management and is in charge of something like 140 canals. This is beautiful farmland and there is a transporter bridge nearby. One of only 6 left in the world, a sort of ferry crossing the River Ost with a crane that takes a platform across and above the river. Silke works as a therapeutic teacher for chidren with learning difficulties, in the schools and in a private practice at home.

Florian and I rode bike to his grandparents where we had kaffee and kuchen with Oma and Opa and saw his grandfathers trophies for raising the best rabbit in German Another impeccable garden. Evidently it is quite the local thing, pride in ones garden and making sure it is perfect, especially in the front where the neighbors can see it. On Friday. the 31st, Florian and I drove together down towards the Mosel River; past Osnabruck, Dortmund, Köln and Koblenz. This was an 8 hour journey on the autobahn. I am really grateful to the Gerdes' for their kind hospitality. It was a wonderful 4 days.

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1248776400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1248776400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1248776400/tpod.html Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:40:11 -0400 Nancy's European Adventures 2009

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Vantaa, Southern Finland, Finland

After returning to Helsinki from the countryside, I was picked up by Anne Elojarvi, now Wright and taken to her home in Vantaa. Vantaa is near the airport and is the town where she grew up. I didn't know this before but Anne was one of the best figure skaters in Finland as a child and young teen. She still has the enviable figure of a skater. Anne was an Innisfree volunteer 10 years ago, until she met Jason Wright, a young Am. Marine, about 3 months into her stay at Innisfree. They married soon after and have been near Helsinki for about 6 years. Their daughters are Olivia (7)and Sofi (5). Their flat was quite small in Am. standards, but they were cosy in a one bedroom flat. Their neighborhood is filled with 4 storey apartment buildings and I had a terrible time telling them apart and finding my way home. There are playgrounds, bike paths, ponds and trees nearby so it's very pleasant. Everything is within a walk or a bike ride from their house.

We went on a picnic, shopping (I was shocked to find new shoes that I could afford - 4€) and to a local river so the girls could go fishing. Anne works at an elementary school as a social worker and Olivia will begin school in August as 7 year old. As is Finnish culture, she got her first mobile phone for her birthday. They did create Nokia, remember. Olivia also takes music lessons where she is learning a traditional Finnish instrument that looks quite like a lap dulcimer.

I enjoyed playing games with the girls and having talks on life and relationships with Anne. Many thanks for their hospitality and yummy food. I guess it was wishful thinking that I might lose weight on this adventure.......I have been lucky to have been visiting people for the last month who are all on vacation now. I leave Helsinki with Air Berlin and my next adventure will be from Hamburg.

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1248631449/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1248631449/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nancy.chappell/1/1248631449/tpod.html Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:36:35 -0400 Nancy's European Adventures 2009

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Pälkäne, Western Finland, Finland

I was happy to get the opportunity to go to the Finnish countryside and to visit Veli's parents and his family home. We were in a small village near to Pälkäne, which lies between Lahti and Tampere. It is still quite flat with farms, lakes, and fields of wheat, oats, barley and a nearby strawberry farm. In the summer, the joys of Finnish life seem to be picking berries, eating fresh fish and hunting for mushrooms. I got to do all these. I had never seen black currents growing before, though I had eaten them in jam and tea. We also picked enough wild blueberries for a tart. I enjoyed the sauna immensely and thought my skin felt extra clean afterwards. Having a beer and sitting outdoors in a slightly cool evening (warm to a finn), in only a towel, is quite refreshing and relaxing. Unfortunately, there is no lake next to the house, as jumping in a cool lake is the perfect complement to the sauna. We did go swimming in a beautiful turf lake close by and I have to admit that it took some persuading (I think a chocolate bribe was needed, actually) to get me to jump in.
Being a suburban American type, I find freshwater lakes a little creepy but think nothing of jumping into a chlorinated cement square - go figure. Nicole, Veli and I continued our 'tradition' of game playing long into the night.

After being together for 10 days and not seeming to be fed up with each other yet, Nicole and Veli delivered me to a local bus that returned me to Helsinki. A few things had to be decided while with them. One, I decided to mail my laptop back home as there was something wrong with the connection of the cord and I couldn't seem to fix it cheaply. It is just too heavy to carry if it doesn't work. The second was that I decided to come home about 5 weeks earlier than previously planned. 5 months is seeming kind of long. I can save a bit of money and also get started in earning again by returning in early September. I am very sorry to miss seeing Dayla and Michaelis in Greece and the community they live in. That just might need to be another trip. I am also feeling my age and miss my son. So, changing my flight was not difficult and I return to Dulles on September 4. I think Alex, will manage to drive to get me at the airport (probably the furthest he will have driven from home and the most lanes to navigate).

Thanks for listening and stay tuned.
Love,
Nancy





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