Orlando’s Jewel

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Susan Young

Having grown up in Orlando before the city was just a glimmer in the eye of Walt Disney, my parents would take family and friends visiting from the North to Lake Eola, in the heart of downtown. The lake’s green-domed fountain was a favorite of visitors and locals alike. A nighttime drive-by provided a colorful sight, complete with oohs and ahs as the jets of water shot to heights, not quite as soaring as Lake Geneve’s Jet D’Eau, but high enough to amaze and delight. A leisurely walk around the lake was usually in order during the day where one could hop on a Swan Boat to explore the fountain close-up and take in the sights along the shore.

Over the years the fountain has taken hits from lightning; the latest almost caused its permanent demise when funding was scarce to repair the electrical system and get the waterworks back in working order. However, successful fundraising got the job done and our showpiece was returned to its former glory, and then some.

Recently with the help of the non-profit See Art Orlando, private funds were collected to bring a gaggle of artistic sculptures along the perimeter of the lake, turning the area into a virtual arts-appreciation learning experience. See Art Orlando’s mission is “to enhance the aesthetic experience and cultural image of Downtown Orlando.” I’d say they achieved that worthy mission in spades.

My personal favorite, “Monument in Right Foot Major”, by Todji Kurtzman, resides in the southeast area of the park. Caste in bronze, it creates the look of determination but also might give one a feeling of being stuck in the mud, on a day when it is difficult just putting one foot in front of the other. Whatever the interpretation, I just know that it makes me feel good when I see it.

A few steps away you will encounter “Cedar of Lebanon”, by Jacob Harmeling of Orlando, a three-story high sculpted tree which is particularly impressive at night with its subtle lighting from within.

“Discovery Muse”, by artist Meg White, is an enormous body at rest with hand extended, as if inviting a weary traveler to rest in her palm. My visit on this day was during a cold snap which caused her to be blanketed with a sheet to keep the greenery covering her from the harsh temps. (Yes, Orlando winters sometimes dip into the twenties!)

Douwe Blumberg’s “Take Flight” represents a sight we have seen many times, a flock of birds, perhaps startled, suddenly flying into the air in a group. The visual experience of this sculpture changes with the setting sun and is dramatically lit at night.

The artist Ralfonso created “Union”, on the northeast corner of Lake Eola. He describes the sculpture as “wind-driven kinetic stainless steel/aluminum sculpture” with multiple “wings” moving with the breeze. A fellow admirer of this piece told me that he imagines the spirits of deceased loved ones causing the parts to move.

These are just a sampling of the many works of art surrounding our jewel of a lake in the middle of downtown Orlando. If you’re making the trip to central Florida for the I-Drive experience, you might enjoy getting away from the tourists and taking an afternoon to meet the “other” Orlando. The Swan Boats are still operating so hop on and experience Orlando like a local.

Switzerland Experience Published on AAA TravelViews

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Susan Young

Our wonderful month in Switzerland is described in the latest AAA TravelViews – the temps here in Florida make me yearn for that cool, crisp mountain air!

A love letter to La Chevrerie

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Susan Young

One of the many perks of home exchange is the aspect of living like a native in a foreign country. In most cases, the neighbors are as interested in us as we are in them. In Vermont we were looked at as those crazy people who left a Florida winter for two months in the frozen tundra of the North country. While in Germany we were lucky to spend time with our hosts and were given a lovely tour of Zirndorf as well as a taste of authentic German food. We were not disappointed in Switzerland, as we met many residents of La Chevrerie and treated to their hospitality, both gastronomic and geographic.

Our first neighborly encounter was with Helena, whose chalet sat just above ours. This generous lady, originally from Finland, took us under her wing, fed us and treated us to a wonderful morning in a French market. Our first meal with her, after a selection of wine and appetizers, was a fondue, or raclette, which brought back memories of the 70’s when no self-respecting cook was without a fondue pot full of gruyere mixed with white wine…one of the reasons we are on cholesterol meds now to clear out the arteries! The flavors were delightful and the conversation was amazing. We learned that our hostess has lived in La Chevrerie for several years, following the death of her husband. Her intent to downsize landed her in, what is lovingly referred to by friends, the Hobbit House. Walking into Helena’s home we immediately felt swept away into a warm, glowing ambience that was a welcome relief from the snowy walk up the hill from our chalet.

We heard stories of Helena’s past which included a road trip, in the 70’s, with two friends from Finland to Bangladesh. Just imagine the countries through which they traveled, which are now impassable without the threat of death. We also learned of a trip with her elderly aunt which led to her driving a taxi through the streets of Jerusalem. It would take a book to explain the details and tell the many stories this lovely woman has to tell. We feel so lucky to have met her and the others to whom we were introduced, who made an impact on us as well.

Christmas Eve is when the festivities of the holiday are held and our new BFF Helena invited us to join her and a family who were her neighbors in Arzier, before she moved to La Chevrerie. We met Patrick and Anne, along with their 16 year old son, Philip, who is Helena’s godson. What a lucky guy to have a godmother like Helena. One summer the two of them traveled to Finland for several weeks to enlighten Philip to his godmother’s heritage. The affection between the two was obvious as Philip helped with the traditional meal and jumped in to take on the part of St. Nick. We finally met a native Swiss in Patrick, the soft-spoken gentleman who carved the holiday ham and told stories of his life in Arzier and Geneva. His beautiful wife Anne, originally from Argentina, raised in the U.K., was inquisitive as to our interest in Europe and offered details about their country’s politics and society. It was the first time Charlie and I had been away from home on Christmas but we felt part of this family and enjoyed the warmth of their hospitality.

A couple of week’s later we missed Helena’s birthday celebration but were invited to a meal of “leftovers” which turned out to be a Swiss smorgasbord of appetizers, wine, salads, more wine, and a full array of cheeses served with, you guessed it, more wine. Another couple from the neighborhood were invited, this time an American, Duane, and his British wife, Joy. We found out that Duane is originally from Iowa but his travels as a civil engineer working to develop water systems in third world countries, has kept him traveling the world for decades. He met Joy in Tanzania where, along with her time in Nepal, she has established Mama Masai, a group of 200 women who create beaded items to sell through Fair Trade organizations. Needless to say, later when we realized we had complained about not having a clothes dryer, we felt like typical “ugly Americans” when comparing our “plight” to that of the abject poverty Joy and Duane have witnessed in their life work. Later, during a tour of their house, I was relieved to see that Joy does indeed enjoy modern amenities and owns a clothes-dryer!

The day before our departure, Joy took us on a hike which demonstrated her skill at attacking vertical stretches which left me breathless. Our only regret was that we didn’t start the walk earlier in the day as we had to turn back before we reached our destination of architectural ruins in the woods ahead. The sun was dropping below the mountains and we didn’t want to get caught in the dark with no flashlight!

So as we prepared to leave this little village overlooking Lake Geneva, we go with the knowledge that we made new friends, who opened our eyes to other parts of the world and renewed our realization that we want to further experience life outside the bubble of the U.S. Some societal and political issues which bog us down here mean nothing to those experiencing global issues happening around the world. We can all learn from each other and it’s my goal to keep learning as long as I’m able. Au revoir, sweet La Chevrerie.

Chamois surprise

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Susan Young

After 10 hours on the Goldenpass train, the day before, it was time for a hike. Charlie’s been talking about an area, he’s seen running, called Monteret. Just up, down, up again and over the mountain, are two large buildings which include group houses, owned by a couple of Presbyterian churches. They serve gatherings of children, adults, weddings, etc. One is a modern building which sleeps 50 people, the other is a castle-like house which was the original group home.

Our new friend, Joy, told us about the chamois gathering there to munch on the grass, so I was hoping to spot one or two along the way. Reaching the field in front of the houses, sure enough, I spotted two at the bottom of the hill. They took notice of me but did not run off and continued eating. The sun was behind them so photos were impossible. Only thing to do was head down the hill to the side of them, far enough away as not to scare them, but close enough to get a couple of pictures. This plan worked and they weren’t too nervous, but kept an eye on me while they munched the grass below.

After taking advantage of the photo opp, I decided it was time to head back up the hill. To my shock, upon turning around, there were a dozen more chamois behind me…they had silently come out of nowhere and my presence didn’t seem to bother their search for food. It was a surreal moment, standing there watching these beautiful animals forage in the ground. They are also called goat-deer and goat-antelope as they resemble both. The two I saw further out were much bigger than this group and had large horns…must’ve been the males off on their own.

I could have stood there all day but then Charlie came running around the bend and, when spotted by the chamois, they started to move on in a pack, walking across the grass onto a large patch of snow. This is a sight and experience I hope to remember forever…the cold, crisp air combined with the view of Mont Blanc, a thick, white layer of cloud hanging over Lake Geneva, and a herd of chamois grazing right in front of me. Life is good!

Still loving Switzerland

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Susan Young

Our last week in Switzerland and still so much to see. Last week we checked out Montreux and the Chateau Chillon. Very interesting stories surrounding these castles/forts…and dating back to the times of Game of Thrones. Difficult to imagine living in these freezing, stone fortresses. They must have had fires burning all over the structure, all year round, to stay warm, even in summer.

The streets of Montreux are filled with expensvie shopping areas and parks on the lake. We never see skyscrapers…would imagine Zurich is the place to see the larger office buildings. Everything here, and the other cities we’ve visited, are old buildings, each with their own character, and winding, narrow streets, which somehow still allow tiny cars to travel slowly. There are very few stop signs or red lights, instead, the intersections are made up of roundabouts which require driving with care and courtesy. Somehow it works, but I can’t imagine it in major intersections in the states. If a pedestrian steps into a crosswalk, the cars on the road automatically stop to allow them to cross…it’s standard operating procedure and, so far, we’ve seen everybody follow the rules.

We spent an afternoon shopping in Geneva, a city full of watches. It was my goal not to leave without a Swiss watchpiece and I was finally successful with this trip into town. They range in price from around $50 to $50,000. Swatch stores pop up everywhere, along with Swarovski products. I wound up finding a Swiss Military plain, black leather-banded, largish numbers, so I can actually see what time it is, and officially made in Switzerland. It feels good to know the time as we’ve been depending on Charlie’s dopey watch which jumps an hour or loses an hour at random so we can never depend on it…it’s been the joke of the trip, but not so funny when needing to get to the train on time.

Lunch was enjoyed at Chez Ma Cousine…a cafe that serves chicken, and only chicken (along with salad and the best, most crispy potatoes we’ve had)…your choice of half a roast poulet or chicken salad. We found it to be one of the most reasonable restaurants in terms of cost and the portions were generous and delicious. We have not eaten out much as the cost is exorbitant with $25 to $35 an entree being the standard, and how about a burger and fries for no less than $20. Pizza is very popular here as it is about the only dish which is affordable. Like Germany, it costs about the same to enjoy a glass of beer or wine as a diet coke or fizzy water, so you know what we chose.

The walk to the restaurant was strictly vertical as it sits in a courtyard close to the cathedral which is on the highest point in the city. From there the narrow streets go in all sorts of directions, eventually leading back to Lake Geneva. There are department stores which remind me of our Macy’s or Dillards, then there are the stores which are guarded by armed men who look like they could defend their merchandise from an army of jewelry thieves. Louis Vuitton has its own building, as does Cartier…the town is dripping in money. At a small boulangerie, we sat next to a young woman with a cute dog (they are allowed inside restaurants). The ring on her finger almost blinded me at one point when the light hit it just right. This frumpy American felt even more inadequate in the fashion department sitting next to such a fashion plate, and they’re everywhere.

Fur is the norm, and it doesn’t look faux, with no PETA protesters in sight. Charlie has a habit of rolling his pants up a bit when putting on his shoes. On this day he forgot to put them back down, which went unnoticed by me, but, stopping in for a coffee, I noticed a man giving Charlie a double take at the cuffs of his pants..maybe he thought it was a new American trend, haha. What’s funny is that when I brought it up to him, he did roll them back down but said that at his age he doesn’t give a damn! C’est la vie!

Ooh la la…Paris in Winter

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Susan Young

On our way to Paris, flying out of Geneva…it was a bit disconcerting that no one asked us for our passport or an ID of any kind on the flights from Geneva to Paris and Paris to Geneva…we printed out our boarding pass at a kiosk in the airport, where all we needed was our eticket number. All we had to show at the security checkpoints were our boarding passes. Interesting, too, that on Air France there are no announcements about “turning off all electronics.” On the take-off and landing those around us were tapping away on their devices.

Upon arrival at Charles De Gaul airport in Paris, there are Roissey bus stations easily available which, for 10 Euros, take you to the middle of the city at the Opera House, where there are several Metro stations ready to whisk you away to your hotel.

The “lift” only has room for 2, along with an ashtray in case you want to smoke up the joint (a relic from the old days).

Hotel Champ de Mars proved to be a good choice, thank you Rick Steves and TripAdvisor. It’s in the Rue Cler area, full of cafes, shops and just a short walk to the Eiffel Tower, which was visible from our room. Tiny accommodations but very clean and updated, comfortable. Very affable reception desk with only one complaint…the doggy bed was empty the entire three days. Apparently, when the owner/operators are present, they bring their puppy, who resides under a window.

After walking the city each day, we would collapse in our room and actually enjoy watching tv, since we are without it in Switzerland. We found a couple of stations running old American movies, in English., not to mention CNN, not that we wanted to watch that…good to get away from cable news.

The Eiffel Tower was awesome but the holiday crowds were too large to try to go for the top, and reservations were not available for a full week. Very disappointed that there were no fireworks or even light show on New Year’s Eve…we didn’t get the memo that fireworks have been canceled…not even a light show this year.

The first night there we had skipped lunch so were too hungry to shop around much for a good restaurant and chose the first one which printed their menu in French and English. We ordered steak and fries (yes, “French” fries) at a cafe around the corner – Charlie called it a “mis-steak” – we should have gone for something more French.

Oh well, there’s always dessert.

Next day, after a breakfast of croissant, orange juice and coffee, walked to the Champs Elysee at the Arc d’Triumph and all the way to the Louvre, passing through a huge market full of food shops, souvenirs and hand-made items. Once at the Louvre there was no chance at getting in, because of the crowds, but the architecture was awesome and just standing in the courtyard was impressive. It would take days to get through it, even if we could get in…would require a much longer visit.

From The Louvre we walked to the Notre Dame cathedral, which is celebrating its 850 year – again, impossible to get in but awesome architecture. The whole world must be visiting Paris this holiday! By this time we had lost track of how many miles we had covered and took Metro back to hotel. We have found that every big city just takes a little time to figure out the mass transit systems. Once you get past your initial feelings of inadequacy, you figure out the color coding and, voila, it’s an easy system.

Most of the nicer French restaurants were only open for a price fixe holiday meal, since it was New Year’s Eve, but found a local place, Tina Pizza, where we had osso bucco milanese…yummy but not as good as The Garlic back home. Pleasant people and good price, though.

Since I wanted to see the Champs Elysee lit up at night, we made our way to the Arc d’Triumph, which obviously was the place to be at midnight and the party had already started with thousands milling about. There was a major police presence, some with crazy uniforms and packing crazy weapons. The lights were gorgeous and the ambience reminded us of Times Square.

But, since we are old fogies we weren’t up for staying out til midnight and it was getting really cold, so we rode back to the hotel, learning that the metro was free after 5 pm as it was the official start of the holiday…stayed free til noon on Jan 1. So, we stayed awake til midnight and opened up the window, stuck our heads out and listened to people counting down, watching the top of the tower sparkle at midnight. Amazing we even stayed awake after trudging all over the city all day.

Next morning we found our way to the Galerie Lafayette, which is similar to our NYC Bloomingdale’s or Sax Fifth Ave., to see the awesome holiday windows. I have to say they rivaled NYC. Lots of animation and gorgeous colors. Would have loved to check out the stores but they were all closed for the day. Nature was calling so bravely tried one of the automated bathrooms, for which Paris is known. After each person completes his mission, steps out and closes the door, it self washes and disinfects. Seems to work because there was no odor and everything seemed freshly clean…and free.

Saw the Bastille Center, the Place des Vosges (home to Victor Hugo for a time) and the Rue de Rivoli and the Cathedral of Saints Paul and Louis, which was beautiful and overwhelming. Our last meal in Paris was at a cafe in the area called Sant Antonio, where I had the best eggplant parm ever and Charlie enjoyed a pizza (which are very popular over here)…and trading beer, wine and diet coke for the water “with gas”.

Now it’s time to head back to the hotel and meet the driver who will take us back to the airport for our departure to Geneva. Seeing Paris in just two and a half days is not recommended as there is just too much to see and one should spend time to savor the history and beauty of it all. Au revoir, gay Paree!

Hippies to Boomers

A little bit of this…a little bit of that for active Baby Boomer travelers

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