Driving The Great Northwest - A Taste of the Old West

It's April 1st and our route takes us north on US95 out of Las Vegas and our first two nights are spent in Tonopah Nevada.  I'm sure you're asking yourself "What the heck for?" Even though Tonopah has alot of history as the "Queen of the Silver Camps", we were actually staying because my youngest grandson was turning two and we had a birthday party to attend on Saturday.  After a nice Easter breakfast and watching Ryan hunt for some eggs, we continued north to Reno.

Because we arrived in Reno in the early afternoon I thought it would be great for Stijn to experience some more of the "Old West".  And what better place to see it then in "Virgina City".

Virginia City is only 23 miles from Reno and is a town of relics and memories and ghosts of the past.  So when we arrived it seemed fitting to head straight to "The Delta Saloon" to see the "Suicide Table".

It seemed really fitting to head into one of the bars and saddle up on a stool and have a drink.  And what better place to go and feel like you have stepped back in time to the old Comstock days then in the "Bucket of Blood Saloon"

After a little souvenir shopping we headed off the other side of the mountain into Carson City and made the loop back to Reno to stay the night with my dear friends Veronica and Rigo.

We are anxious to get an early start the next morning.....heading to the coast of California!

If you would like to see more pictures of our day just click here "Where's Debbie" and then click on the album "Reno and Virginia City"

Driving The Great Northwest - A Home Exchange in Vancouver Washington

It was so exciting for Stijn and I to plan a driving trip through the Northwest part of the United States and decide on some of the key places we wanted to visit and the things that we would want to do while on our trip.  During our planning we thought that it would be a great idea to see if we could do a home exchange somewhere in the area of Portland Oregon and stay awhile.  There is just so much to see and do in this area that it made sense to stay longer than just a few days.

I began searching on Home Exchange.com to see if I could find a place that would suit our needs and our dates.  After reading a few profiles I wrote an email to someone in Vancouver Washington and proposed a possible home exchange for April.

A couple of emails back and forth and April 8 through April 22 are the dates that we agreed upon for our exchange to Vancouver Washington.  Lucky for us, Terri was happy to do the exchange!  Vancouver is perfectly located just across the Columbia River from Portland Oregon.  Within just minutes or a few hours we can be in downtown Portland, on the Columbia Gorge hiking to waterfalls, shopping at Pikes Place Market in Seattle, or maybe doing a little snow skiing on Mt. Hood.  So many options!

So on April 1 we packed up the car, loaded our bikes on the back and started our trek north!

Washington State on Dwellable

   

Driving The Great Northwest

I've been back from a 2 month trip to Europe since February 27th 2010.  And if you've been following this blog you can see that I'm still trying to catch up with writing about what a wonderful time I had, from enjoying everyday life in Brussels to a home exchange in Ferragudo Portugal.

But as of this moment I am on another trip.  This time a whole lot closer to home too!

Stijn returned to America with me and he will be here for 6 months.  So of course we need to see some of the beautiful places in America while he's here.

Some of my favorite places to visit are the Northwestern States.  From the unmatched beauty of the Oregon Coast to Pike Place Market in Seattle and the Big Sky country of Montana to the majestic Teton Mountains of Wyoming.  The georgous National Parks like the California Redwoods, Montana Glacier Park and of course Yellowstone.  What better places to visit to show off what a beautiful Country America is.

So I'm anxious to start sharing with you our road trip and what we will be seeing and doing along the way while "Driving the Great Northwest"!

Living the Belgian Way of Life

The Christmas Market is over and the first few days of the New Year have past.

I was in Europe for 2 months so I needed to settle in and start getting accustomed to a Belgian way of life!  I've learned that it really isn't that much different then living in the United States.  Well except for maybe a few things. Like when you go to the grocery store to buy eggs, you are assured that what you are getting is unmistakably fresh! I'm pretty sure the chicken feather is not for looks.

Or that you could just walk up to a bike, pay 1.50 euro, ride it all day long, and then not even have to take it back to the place where you picked it up!  Pick another spot, they're all over the city! Alot of people use these to ride back and forth to work but if your a tourist it's a great way to see Brussels.

I know we have recycling in the States, but it is an absolute requirement here.  And you must separate the clear glass from the colored glass.  I love how there are recycle bins placed stratigicly throughout the city.

And in Belgium, everything is recyclable.  Are you remodeling, cleaning out the attic, doing some landscaping?  Pick your container and toss it in.

There is one thing that is universal......SHOPPING! Belgians love a good sale and when the first shopping day starts, which by the way is the first Saturday after New Years and lasts the whole month of January, you better get to the shopping streets early.  Oh yes, I said shopping streets.  This is where the only traffic you will see is pedestrian traffic....no vehicles allowed!

But what I am going to miss the most is the smell of a fresh hot waffle in the air that leads you straight to one of those great waffle vendors selling them right from the street.

 

I could get used to this!

Happy New Year From Brussels!

Okay, I know it's already the end of March 2010. But I just wanted to share with you how once again we spent our New Year's Eve together in Brussels.

The previous New Year's (2008) Stijn introduced me to a way of grilling that I have never experienced before and what I think is the most romantic way to bring in the New Year!

Our New Year's Eve day was not spent deciding where we would go to celebrate the New Year, it was spent making a list and shopping for meats, seafood and vegetables. And how will we prepare our choices? On an electric "Stone Raclette Grill" . This is the coolest thing! A piece of granite that you cover in olive oil and then heat it up. This sits perfectly on your table and you can grill what ever your little heart desires while sipping on a glass of wine. No one is in the kitchen!

There are even little trays below the granite where you can melt some cheese to put on your veggie's.

So once again, we celebrated bringing in the New Year in Brussels with a nice romantic dinner....Just the two of us!

Click here if you would like to read more about how we spent our 2008 New Year's Eve.

Starting The New Year Right, In Belgium

After returning home to Las Vegas after being in Europe for 3 weeks this past Oct/Nov 2009 for my birthday, I had only about 6 weeks to get myself ready to leave again!

And boy did December 28th come fast! This would be my longest trip ever as I was not coming home until February 27, 2010.

The minute I landed in Brussels, I knew my New Year was off to a great start. Even after a two hour delay in Las Vegas, there was Stijn standing there waiting patiently for me. Stijn always knows how to put a smile on my face and this time was no exception. Knowing how much I loved the Christmas Market last year during my visit, we headed straight to the heart of Brussels to get a glimpse before it closed for the night.

The Christmas Market has about 240 wooden chalets scattered throughout The Grand Place, The Bourse, Place Sainte Catherine and Marche aux Poissons. The exhibitors come from all over Europe to sell their crafts, food and drinks.

It's a bit chilly in December in Brussels so the first stop is at one of the MANY chalet's where they sell Gluhwein! That's hot wine people! And oooohhh that shot of Amaretto was perfect!

There are sooooo many chalets selling all types of food, that it makes it nearly impossible to decide what to eat. Since I am a big fan of eating dessert first, Stijn introduced me to these great little dough balls that are served hot in a paper cone and liberally sprinkled with powered sugar. Now these little gems go by three names, "Oliebollen" (Dutch), "Smoutebollen" (Flemmish) "Croustillons" (French).

Okay, now it was time to find something warm! I do love snails, but I was hoping for something a bit more hearty.

Tartiflette Savoyarde is just what I was looking for to keep the chill off. This is a great dish made in a creamy base with potatoes, onion and bacon.

Stijn had a little something different in mind for his meal. So we left the "Bourse" and walked through "Place Sainte Catherine" making our way to "Marche aux Poissons" (Fish Market) to a chalet where they grill up some great "Boudin Blanc".

There is so much to see..... and eat at the Christmas Market in Brussels. Since we had all that our stomachs could handle, we decided to end our evening by watching the light show back at the Grand Place.

And all this within just my first few hours in Belgium. It's going to be a great year!

To see more pictures just click here...."Where's Debbie" and then click on the album Brussels Christmas Market.

A Home Exchange to Portugal

Oh how I love home exchanging!!!

On November 20th 2009 I received an inquiry for a home exchange from a family in Portugal. It was actually a quite desperate one as they had an exchange confirmed with some other people here in Las Vegas, but ended up cancelling the exchange just a few days earlier.

So lucky for me, the family from Portugal contacted me through "HomeExchange.com" after reading my listing and took the chance that I would be able to do this exchange on such short notice.

Of course I can!!! Why? Because they wanted to come to Las Vegas on December 27th and stay until January 4th. And if you have been following this blog and read my last post, you know that I would be leaving Las Vegas on December 28th for 2 months. So this exchange works out perfect for both of us.

The exchange had the flexibility of a non-simultaneous exchange which means that I can go to Portugal at a later date. So I thought that I would take advantage of my half of the exchange sometime in the fall of 2010. But then Stijn was looking at airfares to Portugal and found some ridiculously low fares from Brussels to Portugal during the time that I would be in Brussels. So guess where we will be going on February 11th? Yep, "Ferragudo Portugal" for about 2 weeks. And the best news is that we will be there for Carnival!! That's Mardi Gras people!!

Well on December 27th I went to the aiport and picked up my family from Portugal and brought them back to my house and showed them where their "Home" would be for the next week.

I wasn't flying out until the evening of December 28th, so I was able to take them up to Mt. Charleston for a little lunch. They loved the snow as they don't get any of the white stuff in Ferragudo.

I hope you keep checking back here on my blog to see how my home exchange went to Portugal!

Maaaannnn, Do I Have To Go Home?

My three weeks in Europe came to an end this past November.....RATS!

I had arrived on Oct 22 and returned to Las Vegas on Monday, Nov 16. But I wasn't leaving without one more walk through the streets of Brussels, especially to the "Grand Place" to have myself one last hot Belgian waffle before leaving!

This trip was filled again with so many firsts for me....watching my first professional football (soccer) game, my first Belgian volleyball game, my first cycling race, and my first trip to the coast of Belgium.

And then of course another wonderful birthday surprise from my honey.....a trip to the "Alsace Region of France"!

So is there any doubt as to why I did not want to go home?

Awe, but there is always a happy ending. I will be returning to Belgium on December 29,2009 for the longest trip I have ever been on.....2 months!

Our Last Day in France

It was a wonderful three days in France, but sadly, my birthday present to the "Alsace Region" came to an end this past November. But the party wasn't over yet!

Our trip back to Brussels on the 14th included a stop of a few hours in the beautiful city of Strasbourg. "Strasbourg" sits right on the border of France and Germany and is where the Alsace region begins. Which by the way is very evident by the typical architecture with the half timbered buildings and cobblestone streets.

I had been to Strasbourg once before in 1998 for a very brief moment. And I mean brief. My sister and her family and I arrived late at night while driving from Italy to return back to her place in Germany. We saw this massive church tower lit up and peering over the city. So we found a place to park and took a look. We were there for probably about only 30 minutes. I've always wanted to go back and explore this city, and that is why Stijn made sure that I would see Strasbourg again.

But we must first find a place to park! I have to share with you that I think sometimes Europe has so much more going on then the US when it comes to, let's say, convenience, organization, planning. There are these signs that tell you where parking is available and how many parking spots they have left! What a concept! So you are not blindly choosing a parking garage only to find out that it's full.

The main thing I want to see is that Cathedral! But I'll tell you this, you don't need a map to find your way there because you can see it from everywhere as it rises above Strasbourg some 466 feet. (142m).

We began our trek through the cobbled streets of "La Petite France". This is a picturesque neighborhood that looks like it came right out of a storybook with it's quaint buildings overlooking the Ill River.

As we walked over bridges it made me feel like I was in Venice again. We continued to walk along streets passing shops and bakeries. And then there it is....Cathedrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg. From here on out our heads are in a back tilt position.

This Cathedral is so magnificent with all of it's carvings, statuary, and stained glass windows. I will just tell you right now, that if you want to see more pictures of the details of this Cathedral you will certainly get your fill by going to "Where's Debbie". But here are a few pictures to entice you.

And as luck would have it, we were at the Cathedral to hear the bells ring at 12:00pm.

As we made our way around to the side of the Cathedral we got to see a live demonstration of a working farm as it would have been centuries ago.

It seems our day turns out to just be filled with little surprises. And I love surprises!! We need to start heading back to the car because we still have a long drive ahead of us back to Brussels. While on our way we discover our first surprise. An outdoor market! I just love these things. Full of vendors selling fresh fish, vegetables, fruits and crafts right along the river.

Well today seems to be the day for outdoor markets. Because we stumble upon yet another market. But this one is full of people selling antiques!!! Oh now I am in heaven! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to leave behind these fabulous blue crock jugs?

Okay, let's eat! Since we had arrived in this region Stijn had been wanting me to try the "Flammenkucke". If you don't know me by now, I will tell you that I will try anything! We decide to have lunch at a little restaurant/pub called "Academie de la Biere" where they just happen to serve this flaky crust pizza like dish. Yes, this one is MINE!

I can't think of a better way to end my birthday surprise in the Alsace then with a birthday "Flammankucke". Sure beats a birthday cake!

If you would like to see more pictures of our time in Strasbourg just click here "Where's Debbie" and then click on the album "Brussels via Strasbourg".

A Symbol of Happiness

Our day of driving the vineyards along the "Routes des Vins d'Alsace this past November is not quite over yet.

As we drove off of the mountain leaving "Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg" we arrived in another little village, "St. Hippolyte", located at the foot of the Vosages Mountains. From here we continued through "Ribeauville" once again and then coming to a screeching halt in "Hunawihr" when I burst out to Stijn "Honey, there's a Stork nest!!!!"

I had been so hoping to see a Stork before we left this region. But hey, I'll take a nest. These nests are huge and can weigh up to 500 pounds!

Oh I was so excited and this had just made my day complete......I thought. We drove out of "Hunawihr" to get back on the "Wine Route" that would lead us back to our little village of Riquewihr, when we spot a field full of Storks!! Well Stijn couldn't stop fast enough so we had to make a U-turn to get back to see these magnificent birds. Because you know I must have pictures!

It actually turns out that these birds are right in front of "Parc Cigognes-Loutres" a nature reserve for Storks and otters.

After making it back to Riquewihr we enjoy dinner at the "Au Dolder" along with the friendly old lab who makes his rounds through the restaurant to let everyone have the chance to pet him.

They say the Stork is the "Symbol of Happiness". Well I am certainly filled with happiness after those 3 days in the spectacular region of the Alsace. And I make a toast to my honey for another unbelievable birthday gift!

Sadly we have to leave this beautiful place the next morning and head back to Brussels. But we are going back via "Strasbourg"!

If you would like to see more pictures of the end of our day, just click here "Where's Debbie" and then click on the album "Symbol of Happiness".