Rasberries, Picnics and Kayaks...

On July 21st, Belgium celebrated its National Holiday. We had a great time w/friends Tori, Dirk, JD, LD, and Anna spending the holiday out in the Ardennes.

First, we headed out to Framboiseraie de Redu, a raspberry farm in the town of Redu. All of us had a lot of fun picking (and eating!) the raspberries in the field. Each family picked about a kilogram of raspberries where the shop weighs what you picked and charges you accordingly. We thought it was a great deal at 7euro's per kilo!! Especially with the "free" samples we ate out in the field!! We also bought a jar of raspberry jam and raspberry wine. Although we haven't tried the wine yet, the jam was/is delicious and I'm sure the wine will be just the same.

After having a nice lunch in town, we drove another 45 minutes to Durbuy (see our first visit here back in May, 2008) where we bought tickets to kayak down the River Ourthe. We decided to take an inflatable raft, which was able to hold all 9 of us as we trekked the 2 hour ride down the river. It was a lot of rowing, much more than I would have liked!, (especially for Dirk) who I believe did the bulk of the work!

The weather was beautiful--in the 80's--very warm with lots of sunshine. After finally getting to the end of our raft ride around 7pm!, we had a lakeside picnic dinner before heading home. As you would have guessed, the girls fell fast asleep as soon as we hit the road!

It turned out to be a wonderful summer outing...

A visit to the Holy Land

Any Porsche fan knows that Stuttgart, specifically, Zuffenhausen, is the home of all things Porsche! The company headquarters, the main factory and the Weissach R&D center are all here in Zuffenhausen. And since January, the brand-spankin' new Porsche Museum is here as well!

My girls were all nice enough to let Daddy call the shots on a recent free weekend, so we packed up the car and started on our five hour drive to Stuttgart. Immediately upon arrival, we headed into the city centre, to see what was going on.





As luck would have it, the Hamburg Fish Market, a 10 day celebration of Hamburg specialties was going on at Karlsplatz (Karl Square). We really enjoy eating the local specialties in an informal setting and these types of festivals are great! The Germans enjoy eating, and of course, drinking! There were plenty of both here at the Fish Market...





On Sunday, after a nice brunch at our hotel, we headed out into town to visit the Porsche museum. It's a beautifully modern building worthy of housing all of the exhibits, special vehicles, race cars and rolling works of art created at Porsche during the last 78 years.



Every former Porsche owner has the dream of getting another one someday and I guess I am no exception. Wonder if I can convince Jo Ann that the girls really don't need to go to college!...





After the visit to the museum, we headed back to the hotel to go for a swim in the indoor pool. DS and PS have been taking swim lessons and DS has improved immensely! PS is just plain dangerous, because she has no fear of the water and just dives right in. She also has a slight buoyency problem too!!! ("I'm a submarine, daddy", she says...)



The following morning, we checked out of our hotel and headed towards Strasbourg, France. On our way home from Italy last April, we had hoped to stop by this picturesque French town, but unfortunately, we were not able to. Today, however, we alotted enough time to see the city and stop for lunch.



As in many cities in Europe, the main focal point of the town is the cathedral, and Strasbourg is no different. The Cathedrale Notre Dame is over 600 years old and boasts the highest cathedral in France (over 142m, or about 465 feet) We went inside and took a look inside, and it was pretty spectacular...





Lunch was at an outdoor cafe, down the street from the cathedral. We ordered the tarte flambe for the girls. These are what you would describe as the "French version of pizza" and they happen to be a local specialty as well. The girls loved it!

Next, we went to see an area of Strasbourg called "Petite France". I was expecting a miniature city or something, but it turned to be a collection of stores and restaurants with unique architecture and built beside the canals. Unfortunately, the hour was getting late and we needed to get back on the road, so we cut our visit short. It is definitely worth a stop to see, if you are in the area.



This weekend, I was able to go somewhere that I have always wanted to see, Jo got to check off another European town from her European "to-do" list and the girls got to go swimming. All in all, a perfect weekend for all of us...

Tori's Turtles, Part 3 -- Certification, Baby!!

We did it! We recently just completed the final dive requirement needed to obtain our Padi Open Water Diver Certification!

The Saturday after returning from Greece, we headed out to Lake Eau d'Heure for the dive. Although my idea of an enjoyable dive are warm crystal clear waters, this Belgium Lake would have to do. Lake Eau d' Heure, an artificial lake with five dams and one hydro-electric station, is located in the Ardennes close to the French border.

Lake Eau d'Heure (after the sun came out)...

The plan was to have a picnic lunch with the kids before setting out for our dive, but due to the rain, we ate our picnic in the car while I contemplated the dive... In actuality, I was not looking forward to diving here as I hate swimming in cold water. However, with our 7mm semi-dry suits, the water was surprisingly warm!! Although Tori saw a school of fish, I missed it and did not see a single guppy out there! Even still, the dive was a lot better than I anticipated and I was jazzed to finish the course. I was even able to collect a few seashells (lakeshells?) for the girls who were eagerly awaiting our return. And what a neat experience to dive in a lake -- that's something I never expected to do...

We've come a long way since we first started our certification course -- see Tori's Turtles, Part 1 and Part 2... And now the real fun starts!!

Finishing up w/a glass of wine, Kriek, and yummy frites!!

Thanks, Tori, for the AWESOME experience!!

A visit to Pooh's Hundred Acre Woods

After two hours' sleep upon returning from Greece, I returned back to Brussels Airport to board a plane for London. I was there to do an evaluation drive of the soon-to-be-released RX450h hybrid SUV from London to Bristol and then back.



Our test course took us through East Sussex, England, where we made a rest stop in an area called Ashdown Forest. I struck up a conversation with one of the British chaps on the trip, who pointed out that this forest was the inspiration for an area called the Hundred Acre Woods in a popular children's book in the UK. I asked, "You mean Winnie the Pooh?" and he said, "Oh, you've heard of him back in the States?" C'mon, are you kidding me?

Anyways, A.A. Milne, the author of the Winnie the Pooh series, was raised in the area and based the home of Pooh and his friends on Ashdown Forest.



I couldn't believe he didn't know the popularity of Winnie the Pooh outside of the UK! But then again, I thought Winnie the Pooh was American...!!!

Back where we started: Athens, Greece, Part II

The final stop in our Greece adventure brought us back to Athens. Our flight from Santorini was short and we immediately headed to our hotel to check in. Dinner was at a local Italian restaurant for some pizza and afterwards, we just put the girls down to bed. Summertime in Athens can be very hot, so we were preparing ourselves for lots of sun and heat during our excursion into the city.

The next morning started off by walking through the Plaka, the oldest and historic heart of Athens. Here we found several pedestrianized streets, complete with shops, restaurants and picturesque ruins from the city's Roman era. After browsing through a few shops, we headed back up the hill, to enter the Acropolis.





Although inside the Acropolis was crowded with tourists, it was really amazing to see! Within the Acropolis, we saw such sights as the Theatre of Herodes Atticus, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheum and Parthenon (which is undergoing restoration).





In addition, the Acropolis offered us a panoramic view of Athens. We made sure to take plenty of pictures.



After exiting, we stopped for some frozen strawberry drinks to help us cool down from the hot Greek sun.



Next stop was the new Acropolis Museum. This amazing attraction, which had just opened in June, sits at the base of the Acropolis with a direct view of the Parthenon.



It was built directly over an archaeological excavation site and features glass floors that allow you to see the wonders underneath!



The site underneath was discovered in 2002 and was an early Christian settlement dating back to sometime between the 7th to 12th centuries. It was a fascinating museum which houses all of the amazing artifacts found at the Acropolis.



DS was amazed that some of the plates and bowls looked so "new"... how could they be that old?! But, the best part for the girls was looking beneath the glass floors.



After our visit to the museum, we walked over to the Hard Rock Cafe in Athens for a late lunch. Feeling rejuvenated, we proceeded to Hadrian's Arch and the Temple of Zeus, which were both just a short walk away! As you can imagine, Ray was just thrilled to do some more historic sightseeing!!! : )



Soon enough, it was back to the hotel to collect our baggage - but not before a stop to the Executive lounge to load up on some drinks and appetizers. Our stay in Athens was a perfect end to our whirlwind adventure in Greece.



By the time we flew back into Brussels and arrived home it was very late, close to midnight. And suddenly, it was back to business as usual. Ray had a plane to catch for the UK in 6 hours and the girls and I were scheduled to meet some friends at Tervuren Lake the next afternoon.

Which, by the way, resulted in us getting totally drenched from an unexpected downpour of rain while riding bikes at the lake. Welcome back to Belgium!!!

Click here for more on Athens...

Aaaaaaaah... Santorini!!

One of the largest volcanic eruptions on this planet occurred in the South Aegean sea, over 3,600 years ago. It wiped out an entire island, leaving in its place an underwater caldera. Lucky for us, it also formed what is now known as Santorini, an island group that is unquestionably one of the most beautiful places on Earth...

And because Santorini has been on my travel "to-do" list, it was a no-brainer to decide to get off our cruise ship and spend a few extra days on this beautiful island.



After finding our driver, it took us almost an hour to reach our destination, Oia, from the cruise port. We stayed in the heart of the village at Old Oia Houses. What a great find!!!



Our house was super-charming, spacious (2 BR, a dining area and a separate reading room) and in a superb location. And oh-my-gosh: THE VIEW!! When we stepped out onto our balcony, we were taken aback by the stunning view of the caldera and surrounding areas. It was truly breath-taking and as you would expect, we spent A LOT of time on that balcony!!!



At 8:00 that evening, we headed out to watch the famed Oia sunset that we have read and heard so much about. Many say it is the most beautiful sunset in the world. There was no mistaking of where to go - just follow the crowd!!!



As we started walking, we realized what a special place Santorini is. The endless array of white, blue and pastel cycladic architecture, winding along narrow streets perfectly framed the spectacular view from everywhere you looked. It was amazing!

All of the streets were lined with quaint shops, art galleries, markets, restaurants and taverna's. There were also lots of steps, many of them steep and not for the faint of heart -- after all, Oia is built on a cliff-side! However, this just adds to the charm of this lovely place.

We found a spot to watch the sun go down, and yes, it was beautiful! A little crowded, but nonetheless, absolutely gorgeous.



Afterwards, we headed back towards the direction of our house and stopped for dinner at Lotsa Restaurant, whose owners, Gil and Visilis, also own the place we were staying at. As we awaited our dinner, we sat in the outdoor courtyard overlooking the Caldera.

The following day, we walked down 291 (steep) steps to Armeni Harbour, where we found ourselves in a secluded oceanfront area (no doubt, due to the 291 steps!). Here, the girls enjoyed playing in the water before we had lunch at the one and only taverna in Armeni.



We enjoyed a delicious lunch featuring local specialties -- deep fried tomatoes, aubergines (eggplant), a wonderfully seasoned pork chop and souvlaki, a perfectly grilled skewer of meat and vegetables.



In addition, the owner brought out a shot of Raki, which is the local "hard stuff", made from what's left over after pressing grapes for wine-making. Although we were not particularly fond of it, it was another opportunity to try something new.

We really enjoyed having the taverna almost completely to ourselves. That, and the quiet charm of the locals made us feel welcomed. Our host even cranked up some Greek music in hopes that PS would continue her dancing in the taverna!



Returning to the village gave us the perfect opportunity to ride the famous Santorini donkeys. Used mainly to carry loads up and down the steep hills, they were a sight for our sore eyes, especially when you are facing 291 steep steps in 90F temperature with two tired little girls!



PS and I rode together on the front donkey, while DS and Ray rode together behind us. While PS and I were "woo-hooing" all the way up, as we looked down those steep cliffs, those donkey riders in back sure were awfully quiet!!! :)



PS was quite tired by the time we got back to the top, so we headed back to the house for her nap, while the rest of us hung out for some R&R (reading and relaxing) on the balcony.

On the way to dinner, we decided to check out more of the village and were treated to another beautiful sunset!!! I can see how the locals never tire of watching it!!!



After dinner at a nearby restaurant, we put the girls to bed while Ray and I spent a quiet evening on the balcony...

The next morning while Ray and DS slept in, PS and I took an early morning walk through the village. This is the best time to explore: before it got too warm and crowded. We walked to the old castle and explored parts of the village that we hadn't seen yet.



Later, we headed back to join Ray and DS for breakfast on the balcony. Love that view!



We stopped and had a wonderful lunch at Restaurant Skala before sightseeing through more of the village.



Following lunch, we stopped for yogurt and honey-- the local Santorini treat recommended by Rick Steves. This plain yogurt has the consistency of a Penguins frozen yogurt, drizzled with lots of honey on top - quite yummy!



Soon enough, it was time to leave beautiful Santorini and head for Athens. But, not before a little excitement at the airport.

Due to some miscommunication with the airlines regarding departure time, we arrived at Santorini airport to find that our plane was already loaded and ready to taxi off. After Ray exchanged a few animated words with the airline agents, we were rushed through security, whisked off in a private car to the tarmac and escorted to where our plane was idling, waiting for takeoff!



Stressful, but at least we were off with no waiting. Now it was onwards to Athens, and the final leg of our Greek holiday...!!!