Portimão

Portimão is a coastal town in southern Portugal in the region of Portugal called Algarve (The West). 

Here you can see it on the map.  It is at the southern tip of Portugal on the North Atlantic Ocean.

A lemon orchard that I barely captured a photo of as we were driving from the airport.

Ross has been backpacking through Spain and Portugal for a few weeks and we decided to meet him for a weekend at the beach in Portimão Algarve called Praia da Rocha (Rock Beach).

While it is a tourist destination, it is the only place we've ever visited where we were 3 of a handful of native English speakers. I heard almost no English the entire weekend.

The weather here is like none we've ever seen before.  The high temperature each day was about 75F and the low about 65F . There was a cool breeze, not only at the beach, but also within the city.  And the best part, it was full sun all the time.

We ate some good seafood, got plenty of sun and sand, even swam in a salt water pool at the hotel. 

The resident mascot at the hotel is a macaw named Laura. 

If you got close to her she'd climb right on.  I kept my distance, but Jim got close and I feared she would be attracted to his glasses, but instead she immediately snapped a button off his shirt!

We decided to venture up to the top of the ridge you can see in the distance.  There was no easy access and we walked and climbed about 10 miles there and back.   

We got some great photos from the top, but it was a little scary to venture very close to the edge.

As with most picturesque European destinations, you are welcome to venture wherever you like and as I've mentioned before . . . with the added bonus of falling to your death should you forget you have a brain. 

Europeans, in general, are very comfortable with their bodies.  They are in no way inhibited or modest.  I was a little surprised (no longer shocked) that quite a few women were topless on the main beach and we even saw a few nude men, but they were in a less accessible beach area.  Muito obrigado.  That's Portuguese for "thank you very much". 

I opted not to photograph any of this.  Você é bem-vinda.  That's Portuguese for "you're welcome".

When we got to this bar we had it all to ourselves, but within a short time we were joined by:

twin Irish guys at least as old as me who had been drinking all day - by their own admission

and an adult guy with Down Syndrome who ordered only a water.  

The bar had two video screens playing classic songs from the '70's and '80's.  When the songs Summer Nights from Grease and Five Hundred Miles came on, all three of them sang along - loudly.  

At the end of Summer Nights, the guy with Down Syndrome finished it off with this Travolta move.  It was great.

What I would give for a video.  You really had to be there . . . but it may have been the highlight of our trip!


We also learned that we spend way too much time primping in the morning.  We're usually about a half hour from bed to door, but on the day we left Portimao, that was not an option.


The only practical way to get from the airport to the beach is by taxi so we asked the front desk to arrange a taxi (they call it a transfer) for the next morning at 6:45.  We were asleep when the phone rang and I heard Jim say . . . "The transfer is here?  Okay, we will be right there."   The alarm had failed us! 


Since we had to catch a plane, we brushed our teeth, threw on some clothes, grabbed our bags and were at the front desk in less than 5 minutes.  Fortunately we (and by "we", I mean "me") had packed our bags the night before.  So I realized I actually can go out without combing my hair and putting on makeup or shoes!

And here's a video of our photos . . .  after you click the arrow to play the video, you may want to make it full screen by clicking the "square" in the bottom right corner.


Hope you enjoy.

The Recipe

When I googled "recipe for . . .", the first thing that came up was banana bread, followed by sangria, then by meatloaf.  

Sounds like a good menu for the day.

Our only real experience with Belgian family life is through an occasional conversation Jim has at work or an invitation to dinner at our neighbors house.  

I read recently that, traditionally, a wife who is a good cook is a source of pride for a Belgian man.  I'm not sure if that's true anymore as family life has changed in the past few decades.  Women don't just cook, clean and raise the kids . . . but for some, it probably still has some significance.

For the record, Jim is not a Belgian man and I am not a good cook.  Here's the thing . . . I can cook, but you see, therein lies the difference.  Following a recipe or simply putting food on the table in no way constitutes a good cook.  Good cooks love to cook and it has nothing to do with just putting food on the table.

Jim is one of those good cooks.  Those kind of cooks who don't need a recipe, who taste what they cook, alter it, add to it, invent a new recipe out of it.  Like my brother used to say - Jim's gravy would make an old shoe taste good.

Well, he had a good teacher.  His mother.  She is not only a bonafide good cook, she is the best!

And that brings me to the most important thing about today, 25 July:  it is her birthday.  

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Frazier!  I wish I was sitting at your table eating pepper steak right now :)

Protest

"Stop the bad weather."

This past Saturday, about 900 people in Amsterdam signed up via Facebook to run a protest march against the prolonged bad weather.  If only I were a Facebooker, I might have joined them.

The chairman of the Action Committee to Stop the Bad Weather said "We want at least two weeks of sunshine and 25 degrees (77F).  We are already seeing some results, so now we have to persevere."

This demand seems reasonable given it is nearing the end of July.  We do still consider July a summer month, right?

The Amsterdam sun worshipers gathered at the statue of Rembrandt (he was born in Leiden, Netherlands - not too far from Amsterdam), then they marched down several streets, listened to a sun speech at the Heineken Cafe and ended with an after party and press conference.

It seems that simply planning the protest was enough because the sun is finally back.  And I don't know about Amsterdam, but in Hasselt it was nearly 25 degrees yesterday.

All I can say is thanks to the Amsterdamers for finally playing the magic pipe.

Hasselt, Belgium Weather

TodayJul 23

78^°F

60^°F

Sunny

CHANCE OF RAIN:

0%

 

WIND:

SE at 4 mph

Details

TueJul 24

78^°

62^°

Sunny

CHANCE OF RAIN:

0%

 

WIND:

E at 7 mph

Details

UV OD

Last weekend it rained.  All weekend - pausing only for the drizzle.  We contemplated seeing a movie, but the only ones showing before our bedtime were animated or Spiderman.

So we decided to give each other a haircut.

Which can mean only one of two things:

a. We have a new hobby for rainy weekends

b. We have had our hair cut in Belgium for so long we had nothing to lose

Answer: b

So in addition to the weekend, we also had an additional 2 solid days of rain, breaking for drizzle, of course, then a day of complete overcast.  Or as the Brits would spin it - "white cloud".

Have I mentioned we have never needed to water the hedge or the crocus?

But today.  Today the sun shone.  Not all day.  Don't be ridiculous, but it did shine all afternoon so I did my damnedest to get a sunburn.

Success!

Now I'm ready for whatever the weather brings.  I may have this thing figured out.

Drie jaar oud!

Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag!

Happy Birthday, Frazier!

Met veel liefde,

Oma & Opa

Summer, at last?

If global warming is for real, somebody forgot to tell Belgium.  Our weather is once again not reflecting a warming trend.

This was one of the headline stories in our local newspaper today.  The headline reads:

Eindelijk zomer in tweede helft van juli

Finally summer in the second half of July

07:49 WETENSCHAP

Is het einde van de rotweertunnel in zicht? Het einde van de maand belooft zeer zomers te worden.

Al moeten we eerst nog door het druilerige weekend. Zoveel regen als de afgelopen weken, dat kan niet meer normaal zijn. “Toch wel”, verkondigt weerman Michel Nulens. “De temperaturen zijn lichtjes aan de lage kant, maar de waarden van de voorbije week waren niet uitzonderlijk.”

“We zijn jaarlijks een korte periode van heel warm weer gewend”, verklaart de weerman. “En die hebben we tot nu toe nog niet gehad.”

Maar er is hoop! Maandag wordt het zo goed als droog en stijgen de temperaturen boven de 20 graden. Woensdag doen we daar zelfs nog 5 graden bovenop. De tweede helft van juli zal volgens de weerman de eerste veertien dagen compenseren.

Over augustus doet Nulens nog geen concrete uitspraken. “De indicaties zijn positief, maar we weten niet hoe die zich verder zullen ontwikkelen. Mocht augustus toch tegenvallen, dan zal het najaar mooi zijn. Slechte periodes worden immers afgewisseld door goede momenten.”

_____________________________________________________

Yes, we have had a warm day here and there, but it's still pretty chilly here - sweater weather at times! 

But it's July, isn't it? 

Here's what that article says in plain English .  . .

Is the end of the tunnel of bad weather in sight?  The end of the month promises to be very summery.  

All we need is the rainy weekend.  As much rain in recent weeks is not normal.  "It was," proclaims weatherman Michel Nulens. "The temperatures are slightly on the low side, but the values of the past week were not exceptional."

"We are accustomed to an annual short period of very hot weather," said the weatherman.  "And we have not had that so far."

But there is hope! Monday is as good as dry and the temperatures should rise above 20 degrees.  Wednesday it will be even 5 degrees more.  The second half of July, according to the weatherman will compensate for the first fortnight.

About August, Nulens has no concrete statements.  "The indications are positive, but we do not know how that will develop.  If August is disappointing, it will be a nice autumn.  Bad periods are indeed interspersed with good moments."

_____________________________________________________

Ah, Michel, Michel, what optimism.  Actually hoping for hot weather. Even happy to see 20C (that's 68F) or a possible 25C (77F)!  Or looking to the possibility of at least having a nice autumn?!  Talk about thinking ahead.

Well, Michel, I'm with you!  None of that "glass half empty" attitude.  Seriously.  I'm actually grateful it's not hot.  What is wrong with me?  Have I really lived closer to the Arctic Circle than the Equator that long?!

Well, I wouldn't go that far.  I'm ready to give up sleeping in socks.

Rainbows!

There was

a rainbow

nearly every day

this week.  So far!

The Capital of Wallonia

Wallonia is just another word for the southern half of Belgium - where they speak French and only French.

We visited the city of Namur in Wallonia last weekend.

As we were walking around the old citadel, a guy pulled up in a car and started speaking - French - very fast.  He was obviously an employee of the now-tourist attraction that is the citadel and surroundings.  We listened for a moment before we could interrupt to tell him we only spoke English.

Using a few hand gestures, he continued to speak French - and only French - because that's all they speak in Wallonia - as if somehow we were going to suddenly become fluent in French.  We didn't continue to tell him we only spoke English because . . . well, see line above.  We surmised he was trying to tell us he was about to lock the gate (because by some miracle Jim heard the word ferme' - one of the three French words we know) and we should probably go get our car.  So we did.

Ferme' (accent mark) = closed
Ferme (no accent mark) = farm

Namur is the capital of the Wallonian region.

The Meuse and Sambra rivers come together in Namur.  This made it an important city for trade with the Celts and later the Romans - all BC -so making it a very old city.  It really became important when the citadel was built.  The first stone walls date back to the early Middle Ages (5th century).

As we drove up and up the winding road to the citadel, this complex appears.

This huge structure was designed by architect George Hobe' and completed in 1910, before WWI. Leopold II had reduced the military in 1891 which gave way for other projects at the citadel.  The construction of this stadium and theatre was an effort to promote tourism. 

Here's a close up of it.  Those words mean something like patriotic games in Latin.

You can see the Grand Hotel (now the Chateau de Namur) in the distance which was part of the bigger plan for tourism in this area.

This is a part of the Citadel of Namur (a citadel is a fortress typically used for protecting a city).

The entire complex is big and sprawling.  We didn't stay too long because it was cold and windy.  Yes, cold.  In July.

Namur, Belgium

Elementary, my dear Watson

Ever heard of Watson, Louisiana?  Population 1965?

I think that may also be the year some of the good citizens of Watson are still living in.

Being a native Louisianian, I couldn't help finding both amusement and animosity in a story that recently made the news.

You may have read it too.

First - even if we aren't "worldly", we do know that "freedom of religion" in the States is for everybody, right? 

This brings me back to dear Watson.  Louisiana.  In Louisiana, I understand Governor Jindal pushed for a voucher program that would allow state funds to be used to pay for religious schools.  

The voters also thought it was a good idea.

Tax dollars at work.

Now, here's the part making news . . . Rep. Valarie Hodges from Watson (Louisiana) was all in favor of this voucher program until . . . she learned that Christianity isn't the only religion.

Holy she-ott!  There's more than one religion out there?  In Louisiana?

Yes.  She actually thought that "freedom of religion" meant only her own religion. 

Rep. Hodges said she had no idea that Gov. Jindal's educational overhaul would mean taxpayer support of all religious schools.

I imagine Rep. Hodges has since gotten a lesson on how the approximate numbers stack up around the world: 

- Somewhere between 30 and 35% of people in the world are Christian.
  
- That's over 2  billion people . . . 

which is slightly less than the approximate 37% who are Muslims and Hindus.

- These make up 23% and 14% respectively.

- Only about half a million people (6%) are Buddhist . . .

and over a billion people ( about 16%) are not religious at all.

Obviously a huge percentage of these huge percentages don't live in Louisiana.  And actually, most Christians live in Mexico and South America because they're almost all Catholic and Catholics make up more than half of all Christians.

It's a really big world out there with a lot of people in it.  Americans are a fraction of it at 4.5% and Louisiana is a fraction of that fraction.  Perhaps it isn't surprising that Rep. Hodges is in that little bubble that has forgotten about that other 95.5% of the rest of the world . . . or the 65 to 70% of people who worship differently or not at all.  Even in Louisiana.

As the article I read, by Rob Boston, stated . . . "Hodges' bigotry is perhaps only rivaled by her ignorance of constitutional and legal principles."  Elementary.  

What to do?  The author of the article I read had a good idea - let parochial schools - whatever they may be - pay for themselves.

After all, the Catholics have been doing it since the 1700's.

10 juli

Happy Birthday, Jim

Opa

Dad

Dad

and many more!

Ardennes American Cemetery

On the day we watched the Tour de France we also visited one of the American cemeteries in Europe. It is always a moving experience and this one was no exception.

We were the only people visiting the cemetery that day.  We had the whole place to ourselves which afforded us the opportunity to have a personal tour guide.

This is the superintendent for this cemetery - the Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial.  His name is Alan and we couldn't believe he is from Lafayette.  Louisiana!  He and his family have been living in Europe for 5 years.

He knew everything there was to know about the 5,323 American soldiers buried in this cemetery and more about WWII than anyone we've ever met.  

The picture he is holding is of Edward Loustalot - considered to be the first casualty of WWII.

More on that later.

There are 3 of these huge elaborate maps in this chapel - one on each wall - depicting the battles of WWII.  They are really beautiful works of art made of various kinds and colors of stones and metals.

The Stars and Stripes

Did you know that the British flag is the most recognized flag in the world? I think the American flag is the most beautiful.

These are the insignia for the major U.S. units represented at this cemetery.

TO THE SILENT HOST 

WHO ENDURED ALL AND GAVE ALL 

THAT MANKIND MIGHT LIVE 

IN FREEDOM AND IN PEACE

Have you ever heard of John J. Pershing?  He was the only person in his own lifetime to become General of the Armies - the highest rank.  He served during WWI, but he was regarded as a mentor to American generals who led the U. S. Army in Europe during WWII.  Generals like Patton and Eisenhower.

More on General Pershing later.

Alan told the interesting story about this reporter who was a Harvard graduate and who worked for the New York Times.  He and seven other reporters were selected to fly bomber missions with the U. S. Eighth Air Force over Germany.  They were called the Writing 69th.  This war correspondent flew his first and last mission on February 26, 1943 when the plane was shot down over Oldenburg, Germany.

You may recognize one or two of the other seven reporters who served with Robert Perkins Post in the Writing 69th:

Homer Bigart - New York Herald Tribune

Walter Cronkite - United Press

Gladwin Hill - Associated Press

Paul Manning - CBS Radio

Andy Rooney - Stars and Stripes

Denton Scott - Yank

William Wade - International News Service

This is the grave of the man pictured at the beginning of the blog post - Edward Loustalot.  He was the first American solider killed by the Germans in WWII and he was from Franklin, Louisiana.  

The grounds at every one of the American cemeteries that we've visited are immaculate. 

Alan told us that General John J. Pershing was given the task of deciding on the grave markers for the American military cemeteries in Europe.  Solid headstones, rounded on top were considered, but General Pershing made the decision for family members to choose between two things - a cross or a star of David.  

He felt these symbols would make more of an impact on visitors when they enter a cemetery.  

I agree.

No matter our thoughts on religion, I hope I would have done the same.

The 2-minute video below is from the ABMC (American Battle Monuments Commission) website and it is a fine presentation on this cemetery.

Incidentally, the ABMC manages the 24 permanent cemeteries here in Europe for the more than 125,000 American soldiers buried on foreign soil.  If you ever get the chance to visit one, you should.

There will be no additional American soldiers buried in a foreign land.  These American cemeteries throughout Europe are the last.

The Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial
Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium

Peloton

On Sunday, we drove south about a half an hour to Liege, Belgium where one stage of the Tour de France took place.  It's always an exciting annual event and every other year, the race begins outside of France.  So this year it started in Belgium.

A really patriotic American, I presume, with his flag on what looked like a super long cane pole.  Believe me, seeing someone carrying an American flag around is not common.

The Tour de France has 20 teams of 9 men (that's right - no women) for a total of 180 racers.  The last American to win this race was Lance Armstrong in 2005.

If you think you're in shape and a pretty good biker and also think you could compete in this race, consider this . . .

- the race lasts for 3 weeks with 2 rest days

- they travel a total of 3,430 kilometers through flat, curvy, hilly, mountainous terrain 


- 3,430 km?  That's over 2,000 miles


- how far is that?  About like riding your bike from Los Angeles to Atlanta


- each stage is about 125 miles per day - for 3 weeks


 - how far is that? About like riding your bike from Ruston to Longview - every day


- their average speed is around 25 mph


The word grueling comes to mind.

There must be at least one auto escort per racer with enough bikes for him to switch out about 10 times a day because there are a lot of these cars with bikes on top.

Thanks to Jim for filming this video and to Ross for editing it.

Oh, and what's a peloton?  You'll see it in slow motion at the one minute spot in this video.

Happy 4th and more

First, Happy 4th of July (or Independence Day, to be accurate) to all you Americans.  It is an ordinary day in Belgium, but we're planning to barbecue this evening so as not to break with tradition.  

The only thing missing from a traditional 4th of July barbecue will be the watermelon.  There is an abundance of fruit here, but not so much with watermelon.  And unfortunately the watermelons we do find at our grocery are round, smaller than a volleyball and cost about $8.

In case you forgot why you are celebrating . . . this is the day we Americans celebrate the Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain and declaring that speaking with a British accent would be forbidden.  Okay, maybe that last part isn't written down, but somehow crossing the pond put the quietus on it.  

Cheerio.

Changing the subject . . . this past weekend we visited Antwerp again.  We like it and it isn't quite as touristy as Brugge or Brussels, but we still heard plenty of English.

Jim and Ross at a cafe' on the River Scheldt.

And Winslow at a cafe' on the River Scheldt.

We had lunch at this Mexican restaurant.  I read that this restaurant operated in the States for about 30 years until it went bankrupt.  It is now a chain of restaurants in Europe and the Middle East.  The food was okay, but the margaritas were better.

This is one of the side entrances to the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal.  Did you notice Mary in the top right corner of this photo?

I just liked this cobblestone street and the cafe' with the ivy on this sunny day . . . and of course the Mary icon hanging on the corner of the building.

The Antwerp Stadhuis (City Hall)

This has nothing to do with Antwerp or the 4th of July, but it is our little apple tree - bearing fruit.

And last, Winslow enjoying some sushi.