Our first visit to Restaurant Bootshaus Mainz…

In my last post, I complained about the neverending winter weather and advised that winter was free to scram as soon as possible. Well… ask and you shall receive! This weekend, we’ve had beautiful sunny days with mild temperatures in the 50s. Since it had been awhile since my last outing, Bill invited me out to lunch at the Restaurant Bootshaus Mainz today. He made a 1:00 reservation, which was a good idea. Although the restaurant wasn’t completely full during our visit, it did get busy!

We found a parking spot somewhat close to the Bootshaus. The place has free spots for guests and employees. It’s near a couple of tennis courts, as well as the majestic Rhine/Rhein River. When we arrived, we were told to sit at any two top table that was open. I chose one near the door, which faced the big windows that offered a view of the river.

The table where we sat had one chair facing away from the river, and a bench full of pillows facing toward it. I chose the bench, but had to do some maneuvering to sit comfortably, thanks to all the pillows! Seriously the bench was full of them, and some were pretty big.

An English speaking waiter brought us menus in English. We don’t require English menus, but it’s nice that they had them. A couple of items were not available, including the duck croquettes, which Bill had specifically mentioned when he told me we were going to dine at the Bootshaus. Oh well… now we have a reason to go back! But I would have wanted to go back, anyway, because the food was very good!

I started with sea scallops that came with a luscious carrot puree. Bill had the burrata with fresh tomatoes and crispy bread. The scallops were perfectly grilled and not at all bitter. Bill raved about the burrata, which I also tried. I only wished they’d brought me a spoon, so I could have gotten all of the carrot puree in my dish.

Next, Bill had Saltimbocca made of chicken breast and wrapped with prosciutto, with polenta, broccoli, and jus. I went with the rainbow trout, which was (mostly) deboned and served with beurre blanc, roasted potatoes and spinach with lots of garlic. I loved that the spinach was perfectly cooked and not mushy. That’s not always a feat that kitchens get right. We also had a bottle of locally produced Sylvaner and some sparkling water.

They did not give us bread, but that could be ordered a la carte. Personally, I’m glad they didn’t bring it out, because it would have put me over the edge of being uncomfortably full. They also didn’t serve an amuse bouche, which is also fine with me. The place has a very casual feel, although the food is certainly not what you’d expect to find in a casual restaurant.

*My fish also came with beurre blanc– a lovely butter and white wine sauce for the trout.*

We had a long pause after we finished our main courses. At that point, the couple sitting at the table next to ours abruptly got up and moved to another table. It looked like they had finished eating, too. I wondered if they moved because we’re English speakers, but then I noticed the woman got up a few times and seemed to move stiffly. Bill said she’d been giving us a side eye, but for all we know, they wanted to free up that table for someone else. The table where they sat wasn’t set up for food. Anyway… I will assume they moved for benevolent reasons, and not because they resent us Yanks. 🤭 (of course, under the circumstances, I don’t know that I would blame them…)

For dessert, I had warm cheesecake with ice cream and candy apple cream. Bill had coconut semolina flummery with a pineapple sorbet and a mango ragout. Both desserts were delicious and not too much. However, the cheesecake was definitely served warm, rather than lukewarm. They did have a chocolate lava cake, but if you’ve been reading this blog, you already know how I feel about lava cakes. 🙄 Especially chocolate ones…

Two hours after lunch began, we were finished. The bill came to about 174 euros, before the tip. Bill paid with a credit card, and we made our way home. I might have taken a walk in the very pleasant weather, but I needed to pee, and this restaurant, unfortunately, requires a stout walk and climbing up two flights of stairs to get to the loo. After two trips, I decided I’d rather go at home. There is an elevator for those who can’t do the stairs.

Overall, we had a very nice time at the Bootshaus in Mainz. I think we’ll go back, provided we don’t get deported… 🤭 (I know… I shouldn’t laugh about that, but if I don’t laugh, I might cry…)

A few more photos… the restaurant is also close to the train tracks and the city park, where we attended the wine fest a few months ago. Keep in mind, although we live about twenty minutes away from Mainz, it’s in another state– Rhineland-Pfalz (or Palatinate, if you prefer).

blog news, German lifestyle, Hessen, holidays

Winter can scram now, bitte!

I’m just writing a quick post to update this blog, since it’s been 13 days since my last entry. The weather has been pretty crappy since my last post. This week, we had two snowstorms. One occurred Sunday, and though most of the snow had melted by the afternoon, Bill’s planned business trip to Prague was abruptly canceled.

The meeting he was supposed to attend still happened, but his flight was called off, and there was no way to get to Prague in a timely manner. I heard that not only was the weather bad in Prague, but there was also an airline strike. So I don’t know what actually caused the cancelation– the winter weather, or a strike. I was glad he missed his business trip, because I like it when Bill is home with me. However, it did kind of spoil Presidents Day weekend, which used to be a good time for short trips away.

*It’s been quite a winter in 2026. This is the kind of snow we experienced in BW. But it doesn’t hang around for as long up here.*

The other snowstorm happened on Thursday. A couple of inches were dropped and then promptly melted. Not quite all of the snow from the first storm was gone. The backyard is sodden, and the creek that runs through Breckenheim is very high right now.

Bill has another trip planned starting Monday. He’ll be gone until Thursday. It’s only to the Netherlands, though, so no airplanes are involved. Meanwhile, once again, a shipper has decided not to deliver to my house. I got an email letting me know that DPD tried to deliver yesterday, and wasn’t able to, because they didn’t have my full address. Of course, that’s not true… it seems like nowadays, shipping companies just want you to go schlep to a packstation. 🙄 The same thing happened last week.

Valentine’s Day was also pretty boring. Bill did send me 30 roses, but they didn’t last long. I think maybe it’s best not to get roses for Valentine’s Day. Maybe choose another flower, or get it a day or two ahead of time… or just buy diamond earrings. 🤣 My roses arrived on Friday, but they were pretty small. I remember last year, the florist sent a small bouquet, which they claimed was the “wrong order”. The roses were tiny and quickly wilted. The following week, they sent a new bouquet that was much better and lasted a lot longer.

*Sadly, these only lasted a couple of days before they were depressing to look at. But I did appreciate the lovely thought.*

Anyway, I’ve been giving some thought as to where I’d like to travel next. We will definitely go to Switzerland again this year, because of Bill’s studies at the Jung Institute. But I would like to go somewhere we haven’t been yet… providing that we don’t end up in another world war. So, I’m working on that, and waiting for the sun to come out again. Maybe we’ll go out and do something tomorrow… maybe not. But I do look forward to getting out and doing something fun in Germany, soon. The days are getting longer, so it won’t be long before spring arrives, and we can get out and about… then this blog will “spring” back to life. 😆

Hessen

The winter doldrums…

I don’t have much to write about life in Germany this week. It’s been cold, dreary, snowy, icy, and just all out yucky. We had snow and cold temperatures every day until Friday, when the temperature shot up about twenty degrees and everything suddenly melted, except for the water in the barrel in our backyard. It rained all day, and there was all of that melted snow, so the backyard was like a sloppy sewer, as I uncovered soggy piles of dog shit laid bare after the snow disappeared.

On Monday, the village’s Christmas tree was still up. It looked so pretty with the snow on it, so I got a photo, which is today’s featured image. The next day, the tree was gone, and there were several naked formerly living Christmas trees lying in the Dorfplatz, ready to be hauled away. It was a little sad, especially since there was dirty snow, ice, and remnants of fireworks lying nearby.

*A yearly ritual… disposing of formerly live Christmas trees…*

This time of year in the northern hemisphere pretty much sucks on many levels. The holidays are over, so everything is kind of blah… The weather tends to be grey, cold, dismal, and depressing. People’s moods are grim. Nights are long; days are short. Summer seems a long time away, although summer has its problems, too.

Sitting here in Germany, at the behest of my homeland, I’m watching with shock and dismay as tensions boil over and people get killed by so-called government officials. It’s distressing to watch, and embarrassing on many levels… And I know all too well that even though we are far away from home, we’re also here because of home. It really is enough to make me want to burrow under the covers and wait until things are “better” somehow.

I have been getting some enticing ads for travel possibilities. I’ve been researching the more interesting places, wondering if it’s even practical to plan for a visit. There’s no telling what the future will hold, as tempers flare and our leader does unthinkable things. So I continue to take one day at a time… and look forward to my next trip, which will be to the Stuttgart suburb of Waiblingen. It does look like a charming area, and the place where we’re staying has a very nice restaurant. We’re going there so we can finally get our teeth cleaned. It’s long overdue! But I’d like to be going somewhere more interesting.

Bill will take an online course or two from the Jung Institute while we’re down there for his new degree program. His analyst has said he should double up his hours in analysis with her, so he can quickly get the quantity of hours needed before he can take exams. I think she has noticed he’s a natural, and he’s not getting any younger. Neither is she. And we don’t know what the future holds. As we tragically found out this week, tomorrow is never promised to anyone.

I need to get a new driver’s license at some point in the next six months. I have one from Texas, but I might have to go back there to get a new one, since I renewed by mail last time. Or, maybe I’ll just trade it in for a German license. Or maybe we’ll finally move. 🥲 I really don’t know what’s going to happen. I sure don’t want to go to Texas.

The dogs also need dentals in a big way. Maybe that will happen next month.

One interesting thing I did do this week was try purple potatoes for the first time. Bill went to the Denn’s Biomarkt near where he buys our dog food for Noyzi and Charlie. A few years ago, I wrote a post about Denn’s, which is a chain market that sells organic food. Bill picked up the potatoes, thinking they were the usual white ones. He was surprised when they turned out to be the color of eggplants…

*We had pan seared Japanese sea scallops, green beans, and purple baked potatoes…*

I didn’t mind the purple potatoes. They tasted a lot like white ones, and are supposedly very healthy. I was reminded, though, of Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss, and how when I worked as the cook at a summer camp, some of the counselors would cook eggs and ham over a hire and dye them with green food coloring for a fun and educational activity. I guess it’s not exactly the same thing, but I was still reminded of it.

Anyway… I’m hoping this week will be better on all levels. Bill has to go on a business trip and will be leaving this afternoon. At this point in time, he still has a lot of work to do at his job… but again, things can change on a dime with Trump’s whims. We have very sunny weather today, but it’s extremely cold outside. I think I heard the rain and snow will be back tomorrow, too… 🫣

Ah well. Such is life. This too will pass.

Baden-Württemberg, German lifestyle, Hessen

Winter is definitely here now…

Featured photo is of our view from the front balcony…

I don’t have too much to write about today. I might have decided to go out and get my new banjo set up, but it’s snowing outside, and I can’t be bothered… As I’ve gotten older, I’m less inclined to go out in weather conditions that are less than perfect. In Germany, that means I’m a virtual shut in, especially during this time of year!

I did want to share a couple of photos, though, especially for my mother-in-law, who is stuck in hot old Texas. I don’t mind looking at the snow falling, but I don’t like walking or driving in it. I’m always afraid I’ll fall and break my ass!

Below are a couple of photos taken an hour after the featured photo. The snow is really falling right now!

We woke up to snow yesterday, and it fell off and on all day. I noticed a young man I’d never seen before, clearing a walkway to the trash bins. I also saw that he even cleared a path in front of our house. It wasn’t a lot of snow, but I appreciated his effort, just the same. Especially since he looked contented as he did it.

I remember living in Jettingen, where it snowed more often. Before I realized how compulsive our former landlady was, I’d usually clear a path on the driveway for the mail delivery. But one day, she showed up, unannounced, as usual, and furiously grabbed a snow shovel and cleared the whole driveway! I wasn’t going anywhere and my car was parked under the carport. I guess it really bugged her that I didn’t clear the whole thing. She seemed to expect me to adhere to her standards and know instinctively what they were.

Remembering that– and all of the other crap we dealt with down there– just makes me appreciate our current living situation all the more. Cheers to neighbors who are kind, helpful, considerate, and not inclined to be jerks. On the other hand, some of our neighbors seemed to want to set our house on fire with explosives on New Year’s Eve… 🤔

My German friend says that there were a few house fires this year on New Year’s Eve, thanks to the armageddon style fireworks. I’ve read that many Germans would like to ban them, and some neighboring countries already have. People do get really stupid on New Year’s Eve, especially when you combine alcohol with fireworks. A couple of people died in the house fires, and my friend also reported that there was a fire at a barn in nearby Mainz. Fourteen horses were left homeless, although thankfully, they were rescued before they were hurt or killed.

I’m glad that shit only goes on once a year!

Anyway, here’s to a new blogging year. Hopefully, we’ll be able to explore some new places and new aspects of German life. Can’t believe this has been my life for so long! Also can’t believe how fast the years have flown by… 👀

I think we’ll just enjoy the weather from inside… Maybe we’ll light a fire and drink some red wine. I’m up for coziness.

Hessen, Hofheim, holidays

How we spent Easter 2025…

A few days ago, Bill asked me if I’d like to go out for lunch on Easter. I agreed, so he found us a 12:45 reservation at Die Scheuer, a Michelin Guide mentioned restaurant in Hofheim am Taunus, a gorgeous town near where we currently live. Yesterday’s visit to Die Scheuer was our third. I think, if not for the pandemic, we would have been more regular patrons at this restaurant. It has a lot going for it. The food is excellent; the service is professional and kind; and the ambiance is very charming. Die Scheuer used to be a barn, hence its Swabian name. Now, it’s a very cozy and comfortable place for a leisurely meal.

Technically, our home is in Wiesbaden, but we only live about two kilometers from the Hofheim border. Likewise, when we lived in Jettingen, we were just near the border of Calw– maybe about two kilometers. Still, it’s a short drive to get to the center of Hofheim. Bill usually goes on the Autobahn, but I wish he’d take the back road. It reminds me that this part of Germany is also pretty, even if it doesn’t quite match the mesmerizing landscape of our previous stomping grounds.

We had beautiful weather on Easter morning, so after our usual morning routine, we headed to Hofheim. We were a little early for our appointment, so we walked around Hofheim. I got a few photos.

When we walked into the restaurant, the proprietor seemed to know who we were and greeted us by name. It could be we were the last of the people on her list, or maybe she remembered us from Thanksgiving. I assume we were the last ones she was expecting, although it’s not unheard of for us to become regulars at some places. For instance, when we go to Villa im Tal, we usually get greeted by name! We were seated upstairs, at a nice table next to a window. I really liked the bench seat. In fact, I was admiring the tables and chairs in the restaurant, which were very heavy duty wood tables, chairs, and benches. I told Bill I’d like to replace our Eckbank Gruppe with one of better quality. Maybe we’ll have the chance to shop for one soon.

I looked down at my napkin and saw that there was a colorful boiled egg nestled there. Bill also had one. His was pink, and mine was blue, and matched my dress. It was especially funny to see the eggs, since I just wrote a blog post on my main blog and made a video about how the Rewe Grocery Store was giving them out on Saturday. That gave me a laugh, since eggs are so precious in America right now.

The four course Easter menu was special; there was only a choice of the main course– lamb, chicken, or cod. Bill surprised me by ordering the fish, instead of the lamb. I had chicken, although I thought about getting the fish. We were both pleased with our choices. Below is a screenshot of the menu, all of which was agreeable to me. Bill was surprise, because I can be kind of picky sometimes.

*I don’t usually eat veal, but I will make exceptions sometimes.*

Below are some photos from the lunch. It was definitely hearty, but was presented at such a leisurely pace that we didn’t get too full. Bill ordered a bottle of Weissburgunder (pinot blanc) and sparkling water, and we both had aperitifs– a non-alcoholic ginger beer and mint concoction for him, and champagne for me.

*Veal with green sauce, quail egg, and wild greens*

Lunch lasted about two hours or so… and it was very nice. As we were eating, I told Bill that I feel so fortunate that we’ve been able to dine in so many excellent restaurants. We have been blessed with a wonderful European sojourn so far… And now, I think we’re trying to savor it even more, given what’s been happening in our country.

The bill came to a bit over 200 euros, which I don’t think was out of line for the quality and quantity of what we enjoyed. One thing I will mention is that the restroom at Die Scheuer is in the basement, which could be a challenge for anyone with mobility issues. I saw more than a couple of older folks being very careful going up and down the stairs. I also noticed some things for sale displayed by the restrooms…

I thanked the chef and his staff as we left the restaurant. They were gathered on the terrace for their well-deserved pause. I thought we were going to enjoy a beautiful afternoon at home, on our own terrace, with sunshine, warm temperatures, music playing, and wine flowing. Unfortunately, the weather turned crappy not long after we got home. We did manage to walk the dogs again. They were super happy to get two walks in one day, and I was glad to burn off some of that lunch!

For dinner, we enjoyed the eggs and some crackers we picked up on our trip to Italy. We really didn’t need much to tide us over after that delightful meal at Die Scheuer.

*These are so pretty. And yet, they are available year round in German grocery stores. They look like Easter eggs, but they’re dyed so we know they’ve been cooked.*

And then, as we were enjoying the evening music and wine, the sun came out during a rain storm, and we were rewarded with a very intense and beautiful rainbow… He is risen, indeed!

Easter was beautiful this year, in spite of everything… I am reminded of how very lucky we are, on so many levels. Charlie got to show Bill some love, too…

*I took this on Saturday, but it was too cute not to share…*

Bavaria, short breaks

Our cloudy Saturday in Bad Wörishofen… (part four)

A few days ago, I mentioned that there are a lot of attractions in the Bad Wörishofen area. There’s also a train station in the town that is easy to access, as well as lots of buses. We also had our trusty Volvo. I also mentioned that we might decide to just rest. Then I added that Bill needed rest a lot more than I did.

Well… guess who needed to rest.

We made our way to breakfast at about 8:30 AM, noting the cloudy, foggy, noticeably chillier conditions outside. Bill wanted to shop for a gift for one of his co-workers, who always brings him booze when he travels. Other than that, we didn’t really have much of an agenda. And although the waiter told us that the chef was ready to make us eggs if we wanted them, we decided to skip the hot dish and just graze from the breakfast buffet. We also skipped the super expensive fresh juices, especially since we own our own juicer and can make fresh squeezed orange juice at home.

After breakfast, we walked back into the town center and ducked into a few shops to see if Bill could find something for his friend. We weren’t lucky, even though most of the regular shops were open on Saturday. We did go into the city market and bought some liqueurs for us, but Bill wanted local whiskey or something similar for his friend. We didn’t find anything like that.

We walked around some more and I took some more photos. The pictures weren’t as pretty on Saturday, since we had no sunshine, but I did see some really cute dogs waiting outside the grocery store for their owners. And then, I started feeling a little lightheaded, almost like I was hungry and overheated at the same time.

*The Gasthof where we had dinner on Friday night.*

Since, by the time we’d taken our walk, it was getting close to lunchtime, and I was feeling kind of lightheaded, Bill decided we should go eat. It was about 12:30 PM by that time, anyway. So we looked around for a place to go… I did notice that there were a lot of closed businesses and empty rental spaces in Bad Wörishofen. November 1 is kind of when the low season starts, so it makes sense that some businesses would close. But I was surprised by the number of empty retail spaces. I don’t know what was up with that.

I saw an ad for an Italian place that looked appealing. It was called Rossini’s Restaurant, and it was located not far from the train station. Bill said he wasn’t sure if it would be open, but when we approached, we noticed there were lights on in the dining room. So we walked in and were invited to take a seat. I smiled at the couple who had brought their lovely, well behaved, shaggy dog with them. I love that dogs are welcome in many restaurants in Germany.

I thought the pizzas at Rossini’s looked really good, but I can never finish individual pizzas by myself. Bill and I both ended up ordering pasta. I had Tagliatelle Salmone, which was ribbon pasta paired with salmon and a light tomato cream sauce. Bill had Tagliolini Paglia e Fieno, which was green and white tagliatelle pasta with shrimp. We also had a bottle of Montepulciano and San Pellegrino. They gave us a house “shot” of prosecco, too, as an aperitif.

Business was rather slow on Saturday. Besides us, there were two couples, and an older man who came in alone and drank some beer. I think we were the last ones out at about 1:15 PM. Although lunch hours are advertised until 2:00 PM, we heard the waiter lock the front door as we left! I guess it wasn’t worth staying open. Even though it was a holiday weekend and there were some people visiting Bad Wörishofen, I wouldn’t say it was particularly crowded.

We decided to head back to the hotel. On the way there, we stopped at a quirky little produce shop that also had drinks and candy. The proprietor spoke English and was happy to help Bill pick out a couple of Italian wines and some chocolate. We made our way back to the room and I started to read a book. Before I knew it, I was sound asleep. I took a very long nap, while Bill sat in one of the Q-bert chairs! I guess I did need a rest, after all…

*A heart shaped bench in Bad Wörishofen…*

Because the weather wasn’t all that welcoming, we decided to just watch German TV, drink wine, and eat fruit and chocolate. Maybe it wasn’t the healthiest choice to make, but we were satisfied. And we slept well through the night, too.

adventure, Champagne Bucket trips, Iceland

Our first Icelandic adventure: From Frankfurt to Reykjavik– August 29, 2024 (part two)

On August 29, 2024, I wrote a blog post on this site about our much anticipated trip to Iceland. That day had been months in the making. I didn’t know what to expect that morning, as I packed my bags for our trip to a most unusual destination. In Germany, it had been very hot. It was still hot when we returned yesterday, although today it’s a bit stormy and much cooler. It seemed counterintuitive to pack sweaters, pants, and waterproof shoes in my bags. I also threw in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, just in case it was warmer than expected. I’d seen the rainy forecast for our trip, but I’d heard Iceland’s weather was unpredictable. Plus, not bringing cooler clothes when it was still so warm in Germany seemed wrong somehow.

Even though I did my best to plan my attire for the trip, I kind of failed in my preparations. I was missing waterproof clothes. Until we went to Iceland, I didn’t own a raincoat. I still don’t have waterproof trousers. I dread the idea of trying to shop for them, because clothes shopping is a massive pain in the ass for me. But, I may go ahead and look for them, even though our trip to Iceland is done now. I can use them in Germany, too… and I’ve learned that I really need to walk more.

I think the combination of the pandemic and menopause has done a real number on my body. I’ve gained weight and lost fitness, plus I recognize that when I walk, I physically feel better. Maybe if I walked more, I wouldn’t have to consider consulting another physician about these gut problems I’ve been having… since the last doctor blew me off. I noticed that when we were in Iceland, my gut bothered me much less. The symptoms didn’t go away completely, but they were much reduced. So now I think the German doctor’s diagnosis might have been correct… but I still can’t trust him again after he twice tried to do a colonoscopy before I was unconscious.

Anyway… after Bill took Noyzi and Charlie to the Hundepension Birkenhof, we ordered a taxi to the airport. Bill has determined that it’s a lot easier to get a cab to the airport than try to drive there himself and park. I can’t say I blame him for that, although the guy who picked us up seemed a bit clueless. The driver missed the exit for the airport, and I could see Bill getting upset, even though we had plenty of time to get to the gate. At least the cab driver knocked some euros off the fare.

Even though it was hot that day, I wore pants, because I knew it would be chilly in Iceland. I wasn’t wrong about that.

There was a large queue of people in line to check in for our flight to Iceland. I was surprised by that, but as I would come to learn on our trip, Iceland is a very popular tourist destination right now. It wasn’t always so. I think the proliferation of fantasy oriented television shows and movies have put Iceland on the map. But maybe I’m wrong about that.

Since I booked Saga Class (business) on Icelandair, we were able to check in using the business class line. It was quick and easy, as was getting through security. Once we did that, we were on our way to the Air France business lounge, which Icelandair Saga Class passengers are allowed to use at Frankfurt Airport.

Bill and I usually fly Lufthansa from Germany, since I am slowly collecting points. I could have booked Lufthansa again for this trip, but their prices were significantly higher, while their business class experience is nothing to write home about. I might have paid the extra money anyway, except the available flights weren’t offered at times convenient for us. I also wanted to experience a different airline.

Now that we’ve flown on Icelandair, I can say that I’m really pleased that I chose them over Lufthansa. Both of our flights were very pleasant, with good food, entertainment, and comfortable seats. The planes were very clean, and the service on board was attentive and friendly. I wouldn’t hesitate to book them again, especially for flights to and from Iceland. Below are few shots from the Frankfurt airport, along with the Air France lounge… It was no frills, but did the trick of refreshing us before our flight.

On the flight to Reykjavik, we were seated in seats 1D and 1F. Instead of giving passengers regular seats with a free spot between them, Icelandair offers deluxe seats, which are a bit larger. It was like flying first class in the USA. The seats were outfitted with pillows and bottled waters, and we were offered Bose headphones and blanket throws to use during the flight. Saga Class also offers free WiFi when it’s available, drinks, and food, along with a generous baggage allowance and use of the lounges. We had great weather going to Iceland, and. the flight was very smooth and comfortable. I think the business class product by Icelandair is better than what Lufthansa offers.

*They had a pretty good drink selection, including several interesting gins.*

We were told we’d be met by a driver who would be holding up a sign. It took a little while for us to get our luggage, but once we collected all of our bags, it was easy to find our first driver, a tall, handsome man who came to fetch us in a large, luxurious Mercedes van. He was holding a sign up with Bill’s name on it. I never caught the driver’s name, but he said he was an independent contractor. The driver obviously knew all about Iceland Luxury Tours, and was very friendly as he talked about how Iceland went from a place of punishment for the US sailors who were once based there, to a hot tourist destination. Wikipedia says that US forces have since returned to Iceland, since the base was closed in 2006, although I don’t think the US military presence is anything like what it once was.

We were fortunate on our ride to Reykjavik, as we passed an active volcano. I managed to get a few photos of the mountain, which by yesterday, was only sending off smoke, rather than lava. Below are some photos from our drive. This was the only active volcanic action we saw during our time in Iceland.

*I had to take this from a distance. I’m glad I had a zoom lens!*

Iceland Luxury Tours booked us for two nights in a deluxe room at Hotel Reykjavik Saga. This hotel is extremely convenient to downtown Reykjavik, which was a good thing for us. We had planned for Friday, August 30, to be a “free day”, to be spent wandering around the city and maybe doing some city tourist stuff on our own. Although we probably could have gone out and done something Thursday evening, we were kind of overwhelmed by the activities of the day. We decided to have dinner at the hotel restaurant and go to bed early.

I had been wanting a steak when we went to dinner. I don’t know why. I was just craving one. I ordered a rib-eye, while Bill had pasta made with squid ink and topped with shrimp. We paired it with a French red, and watched as one of the waiters kind of botched service with a European couple sitting near us. They had ordered a round of drinks that they wanted to enjoy before dinner.

Unfortunately, their waiter put the order for their food and wine in before they had their drinks. The food came out before the wine did, and before they had finished their cocktails. I could see the female half of the couple getting upset, and even begging for a few minutes to enjoy their drinks. I tried to explain what was happening on Facebook, but I think some of my American friends don’t understand that things tend to be less rushed in European restaurants. Wait staff don’t depend on tips to make a living, so there’s no need to turn tables fast.

Still, I got the sense that the waiter was in need of some training. This wasn’t a case of people obnoxiously taking their time, which a lot of Americans would fault them for. Even as an American server, I was taught to pace meals appropriately. I have a feeling that couple’s food ended up sitting under heat while they drank their mixed drinks, which may have made the food less enjoyable for them.

Then a huge group of people showed up, and the restaurant started to sound a bit like a middle school cafeteria. I wasn’t in the mood for that, so Bill and I finished up our desserts and went to our room for the night. I was surprised to find the TV had mostly British networks. It was kind of a treat to watch the BBC again. As for dinner, it was okay, but expensive for what it was. My steak was pretty small, and had kind of a weird flavor. Bill liked his pasta more. We didn’t have dinner at the hotel restaurant again. Its menu was a bit too limited.

So ends my report of our first day… Please stay tuned for more!

adventure, Champagne Bucket trips, Iceland, Nordic

Our first Icelandic adventure: How did we end up there? (part one)

Bill and I just got home from Iceland yesterday afternoon. I’ve been itching to write about our visit to the mysterious island nation for days now, but have held off on starting the series until we got home. Although I sometimes start writing before trips end, this time, this time I decided I needed to wait. I wanted to be near my desktop computer, where I have more tools to edit photos and make videos. I also find writing on the desktop much easier than writing on the laptop; that’s important, because I have a lot of ground to cover.

But, really, the main reason I waited was because we have been VERY busy. Seriously… it seems like we’ve been gone a month, even though our trip was only for about ten days. One of our drivers estimated we saw about 30 percent of Iceland on our trip. My guess is that we saw less than that, mainly because Bill and I are older and less willing to traipse through the wilderness. There’s a lot of wild country in Iceland, and the weather can be brutal, especially if you’re not adequately prepared.

I’m sorry to report, I was not quite ready for Iceland’s hostile climate. Bill had, at least, done some shopping on Bergfreunde.de for new shoes and a hat. Luckily, there are businesspeople in Iceland who anticipate tourists like me, and there are quite a few Icewear stores scattered about the more populated areas. When we stopped by Icewear, we saw many other people who were in the same situation we were… buying raincoats, shoes, beanies… and the smarter ones probably invested in waterproof pants. I sure wish I had!

Nevertheless, in spite of being somewhat underprepared, Bill and I managed to enjoy our visit unscathed. Neither of us got sick or injured. And… according to the pedometer app on my iPhone, we covered about 17 miles walking… which may not seem like a lot to younger, fitter people, but for a fatass housewife like me, it’s a pretty good deal. Especially when one considers the weather! It wasn’t super cold, but the rain and wind were incredible; I had never experienced anything like it before. I wasn’t prepared for that on this visit, but if we manage to go to Iceland again, I will definitely be more ready for it.

So how did we end up going to Iceland in the first place?

Bill and I have a ritual of choosing our vacations by luck. We used to be fans of Eurowings’ “blind booking” program, in which you book a flight somewhere, but don’t know where you’re going until after you’ve paid. We did that a few times when Eurowings was still called Germanwings. But then we later had more money, and less desire to fly places on the cheap. I’m sure my expanding ass had a lot to do with that. 😉

We also have two dogs who have to be accommodated by the local Hundpension, which makes it harder for us to be too spontaneous. When we still had our comparatively small beagles, Zane and Arran, it was sometimes easier to just take them with us when we went places. But now we have Noyzi, who takes up all the cargo space in the back of the Volvo. And we have Charlie, who is still kind of afraid of riding in the car. It’s better to board them when we go places.

We started planning trips with the same “surprise” idea of blind bookings, only instead of letting the airline decide, we let the champagne bucket choose. We put scraps of paper in the bucket and Bill picks one. If the selection is feasible for when we want to travel, we book it. At some point in the spring, he picked Iceland. We were delighted with that result, because Iceland was a place we both really wanted to visit before we shove off the mortal coil. Iceland isn’t cheap, so it’s good to go there when the cash flow is good… and it’s also potentially physically challenging, so it’s best to visit when one has the stamina and ability to get around somewhat easily.

I did have some worries about the weather, even though we were technically visiting in the summer… but then I saw memes like the one below…

*Don’t let that “green land” fool you… Bring a jacket!*

I got fooled into thinking Iceland is more temperate than it is. I mean, it is temperate, considering where it’s located, but it’s certainly not temperate like Germany is. When we left Germany, it was hot as the dickens! The funny thing is, when Bill went to Reykjavik in 2009, it was around the time of my June birthday. He brought me a wool scarf and a CD of Icelandic folk tunes sung acapella by people with very ordinary voices. I was confused by the wool scarf in June… until now. 😉

Finding Iceland Luxury Tours…

So anyway, Bill picked Iceland out of the bucket, and the responsibility came down to me to plan the trip. I don’t know why I was inspired to hire a guide for our visit to Iceland. We’ve never done a private tour before, although we have done at least one group tour together (which I’m not very good at). I guess, somewhere in my brain, I realized that visiting rugged Iceland, with its unpredictable weather and rough roads, might go better if we had a local doing the driving. I wasn’t as wise about the weather in terms of dressing, but I did at least have enough common sense to look into finding us a guide/driver. Somehow, in the process of planning, I came across Iceland Luxury Tours.

I’m a big believer in reading reviews, although I do realize that a lot of people tend to write them when they’re either pissed off or very happy. I found many positive reviews of Iceland Luxury Tours on multiple sources, including Trip Advisor, which in my experience, often turns out to be the most accurate source of all. I review most of our travel experiences, and I try to be as honest as possible, even if I’ve had a mediocre time. I was impressed that Iceland Luxury Tours had many five star reviews and glowing comments, and only three four star ratings. It had not been rated lower by anyone. On Google, there were far fewer reviews, but the ones they had were all raving. So I asked Bill to contact them to see what they could do for us.

Bill sent an inquiry to Iceland Luxury Tours, and the owner, Sveinn Sigurður Kjartansson, was quick to respond. After Bill offered a budget, Sveinn proposed some itineraries. Then we tweaked the trip to suit our interests. For example, I am a big time horse lover. Iceland is famous for its Icelandic horses (and they are horses– not ponies). Sveinn added a visit to a horse farm to our trip. We like spas, so he added a visit to the Sky Lagoon. We’re not super fit or thrill seeking, so those kinds of activities were omitted. Later, when I realized that flying home on Friday, as we’d planned, would be significantly more expensive, we added a day. Sveinn added activities for that extra day.

How much did it cost?

Well, folks… I’ll be honest. This was a very expensive trip. Iceland Luxury Tours planned everything for us, to include our luxury hotels, breakfasts, private tours/tickets to several attractions, transfers to and from the airport, transportation to the Sky Lagoon, and five full days with our guide, Ivar, and a very capable Toyota Land Cruiser. I think Bill said it all came to about $17,300 or so… And then I booked round trip Saga Class (business) tickets on Icelandair, which was well worth doing, but not a cheap endeavor. I think the tickets were about $2500 for the two of us, give or take $100. Fortunately, we had the money to cover it, and a new travel credit card from PenFed that offers generous travel benefits.

Now, I do realize we could have done this trip much more cheaply, even with a guide. We could have scaled down the budget significantly and still had a memorable experience. But these days, I like to travel in comfort. I’ve had my fill of traveling cheaply… and believe me, I’ve done plenty of that in my lifetime! Luckily, Bill doesn’t mind being more comfortable, and we currently have the means to travel that way.

Although we don’t usually spend that much on our trips, it did occur to me that last year, we spent a couple of weeks in Scandinavia and spent well over $20,000. That trip included about a week on our own in Norway, a week on the Regent Splendor, and then a couple of nights in Denmark. So, this trip to Iceland, which is probably going to be our one big vacation this year, isn’t that far out of line for us. But I do want to reiterate– you don’t have to spend that much yourself. You can do fewer days with a guide, concentrate in a smaller area, do group tours instead of private ones, eat cheaper food… and avoid drinking alcohol. 😉

I do recommend hiring a guide, though, especially if you want to go to any rugged parts of the country. There will be more on that in the coming posts. When I start sharing photos and videos, you’ll certainly see why!

So… now it’s time to write the story of our first trip to Iceland. I hope you’ll join me on this very bumpy but exhilarating ride!

trip planning

Winter came back to visit…

We didn’t do anything special over the weekend. It was too cold, and the weather was moody! It rained, sleeted, and even snow flurried a bit. Then the sun kept coming in and out, like a shy toddler hiding behind momma’s skirt.

Yuck!

Bill and I decided to stay home. I got some reading done, wrote two book reviews, and put together a new chair for my office. The chair is comfortable, but a little too low and reclined. I may not keep it as a desk chair, but move it to a bedroom. On the other hand, it may be easier to play guitar while sitting on it, since it doesn’t have arms.

*I also like that it doesn’t have wheels, so it won’t roll when I don’t want it to.*

*I ordered a cushion to give me a boost. Right now, I’m sitting on a folded cushion that was supposed to go with my outdoor chairs.*

Bill also did some cooking. He made a wonderful pizza on Saturday, and a girl drink for me. Yesterday, he baked cookies and homemade bread. Then, he made me a delightful breakfast this morning. We had toast made with the homemade bread, Black Forest ham, and a fried egg, garnished with fresh fruit. I am a very lucky person to have such a great guy in my life. He spoils me rotten.

We did get a quote from a tour company in Iceland this week. I think we will probably try to plan a trip there for 2024. I don’t know exactly when, but based on the proposal they sent us, I think it will be epic… and very expensive! But it’s a bucket list item, and I look forward to finding more photos for my blog.

It may be hard to believe, but over the weekend, Schauinsland, where we were a couple of weeks ago, was covered in snow! When we visited in early April, it was green and gorgeous, with spring bursting out all over the place and surprisingly warm temperatures. But the places we visited all got dumped with snow over this past weekend. I guess it just goes to show you that the weather in Germany can be very unpredictable, even when spring is well underway. Click here to see the current conditions on their Web cam. As I write this, it still looks like a winter wonderland!

I just went outside to deal with Noyzi’s “business”. It’s still quite cold outside, although at least the sun is shining. I’m about ready for this crappy weather to vamoose. I want to get back into enjoying Europe and planning more trips. But I’m sure this will be the last cold snap until September or so. Maybe. We’ll see.

I wish I had more to report, but our weekend was spent hanging out, eating, drinking, listening to music, watching YouTube, and listening to music. It wasn’t a bad way to spend the time, but it doesn’t make for the most exciting travel posts.

Edited to add: Here’s a tribute video I just put up in honor of Dickey Betts, of The Allman Brothers. It features waterfalls I’ve encountered on our travels in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia. But we didn’t always have “blue skies” when I did the filming…

Sometimes life in Europe doesn’t suck…

Hessen

One last winter blasting…

Well, true to the nature of weather in Germany at this time of year, the weather has sucked today and yesterday. We had a brief hailstorm yesterday that gave way to thunderstorm warnings. Today, it’s cold, wet, and blustery. Consequently, we’re holed up at home. Bill is making roasted garlic bread, and I’ve just reviewed Charles Spencer’s latest book, A Very Private School, which has made me glad I wasn’t born to British nobility.

I will be doing something travel related today, though, as we got confirmation that Noyzi has a spot at the Hundepension for April 5-9. That means we’re free to go away for a few days. I’ve been trying to decide where we should go, as there are so many places to choose from. I originally thought maybe we’d go to Switzerland… and maybe we still will. We do need to make a choice soon.

For now, I thought I’d share a few pictures of yesterday’s icy weather. It never fails. German weather in the early springtime is always very strange. We’ll get a couple more weeks of this weirdness until spring arrives for good.

This video may or may not work eventually. It’s just fifteen seconds of sleeting.

Anyway… hopefully, next weekend’s weather will be nicer. I am wanting to get out of the house and have some fun for a change.

Edited to add: Just as I posted this, the sun came out… but if today is like yesterday, it will soon disappear again.

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: weather