London- King's Cross Station

If only these were owls...

At King’s Cross international and national train station, Rob and Beth spotted the queue leading toward a brick wall marked ‘Platform 9¾’. Below the platform label is a fixture of a shopping cart with luggage and a birdcage that appears to be half embedded in the wall. Beth and Rob watched as mostly youth, and a few adults, waited patiently for their turn to stand in position for a photo op. They watched as each put on one of four scarves that represents each of the houses of Hogwarts School of Wizarding and Witchcraft, stood with hands grasping the shopping cart prop and jumped or kicked a leg as their photo was taken.

Ron in the final movie.

Beth hesitated to get in line despite being a Harry Potter fan as she was self conscious.

“Why don’t you get into line Beth?”

“No. I’d be the only adult in line and I'd feel silly anyway.”

“Look. There are a couple other adults. Get into the line. You know you want to.”

“No. I'm not sure that I do. Why don't you come with me? I'll do it then. I'm embarrassed going alone.”

Little known fact: Rob was a stand in
for Rupert.

“Nobody knows you here. What do you care? You’ve come looking for this platform and now this is your chance. Get in line!”

Reluctantly Beth joined the queue and immediately started up a conversation with another woman in line. Alas, as it turns out she was only waiting in line with her sons and wasn't actually getting her photo taken. As Beth watched the others jump up for the photo as the attendant tossed the scarf in the air she determined that she was not going to do that. At best she would just stand for the photo.

As she reached the front of the queue, Rob positioned himself while Beth, with the help of the conductor donned the Gryffindor house scarf and reluctantly posed hoping that Rob would be quick with the photo.

“Hey you’re supposed to be in Slytherin house. Give her the green scarf!”, Rob jested while holding the camera and waited for the appropriate time to snap a picture.

Hearing that, the conductor reached for the green Slytherin scarf and begun wrapping it around Rob’s neck as he stood motionless with camera at the ready. When he realized what the conductor was attempting to do, he began to chuck off the scarf with one hand while holding the camera in place with the other waiting for Beth to jump up.

“I’m not here to get my picture taken!" he quipped.

“I think she’d like you to go with her.” teased the conductor.

“What are you waiting for? Take the picture already.” Beth added while impatiently waiting to get through the embarrassing process. While the struggle between Rob and the conductor continued, Beth finally stepped away from the photo session and walked away. Rob who successfully evaded the scarf tussle, tried to stop her.

"I didn't take the picture. Go back."

“Are you kidding me? What were you waiting for?” Beth asked.

“I was waiting till they lifted your scarf and you jumped. Lets go back.". Rob insisted.

"I told them I wasn't going to do that. And, no, I'm not going back... That was embarrassing enough."

Thoughts on Backpacking

Before leaving on their trip, Beth and Rob were frequently asked questions such as, "Do you have everything planned?" "Are you booked at all the locations?" "Do you know where you are going?" To which they answered "Nope." "Nope." And "Nope."

In one instance a person went so far to say, "Please don't tell me you're backpacking. That's not good."

"Oh no. Of course we're not." Beth reassured her, although truthfully she thought that was exactly what they were doing.

Although they were confident that this was the way they wanted to travel, some doubt did creep in with the persistence of the questions.

"Are we sure we can make up our plans as we go along?"

"What if we get stuck somewhere with no place to stay"

They did have a general sketch of the places they wanted to visit and approximate times for when and how long, but they also wanted the ability to modify their plans as they went along. If they enjoyed a place they wanted to be able to stay longer or if something wasn't working out they wanted to be able to move on. So, as far as they could tell, they were "backpacking" through Europe. However after a few months of travelling, they realized there are about four things that might set them apart from what one may consider to be a "typical" backpacker.

1. Right from the start they decided to bring rolling suitcases instead of backpacks. Although this meant that one arm was no longer free when in transit, they recognized that rolling suitcases were easier on their aging backs than heavy packs. Also, except when camping, Beth doesn't like the fact that you basically had to shove all of your clothes into a backpack with no way to organize the contents. In fact, she is especially happy that her mother gave her "suitcase drawers" so that her luggage is organized with separate drawers for shoes, tops, pants and skirts, dresses and toiletries.

II. They both travel with a memory foam pillow. Years ago they converted to memory foam bed and pillows and generally they never sleep as well on the road as they find mattresses and pillows too soft, too lumpy, have no support, or they have sharp springs,... After only a few weeks of travel they each invested 15€ on a memory foam pillow. Thankfully because it compresses they are able to squeeze them into their suitcases without adding too much bulk.

III. Because they like to cook and appreciate homemade meals while on the road, they quickly realized that they would need to carry a few 'essential' kitchen supplies with them. In addition to an electric kettle for tea, they have accumulated a few herbs and spices (saffron, turmeric, cumin, oregano, dried chilli flakes, herbs de Provence, sage leaves, a Sicilian herb mixture, salt and pepper), oils and vinegars (virgin olive oil for cooking and cold-pressed olive oil for salads & greens, aged basalmic vinegar, white wine vinegar), misc. items (hot pepper paste, parmesan cheese, Brie, garlic cloves, vegetable boullion, honey, Nutella, chamomile tea, dried beans, arboreo rice, pasta, salted capers-when did that become a staple?) and a few plastic plates and utensils for picnicking. Although it adds weight when in transit, the delicious meals they make in their residences more than makes up for the temporary inconvenience.

IV. And finally, the accommodations that they typically stay in also distinguishes them from the typical backpacker. Typically, a person backpacking through Europe stays at hostels that cost anywhere from 15 to 25€ per person per night which provides someone with a bed in a room shared with six to ten other people or 70+€ for a private room. Rob and Beth, for the most part, have enjoyed entire apartments for roughly the cost of a hostel (average price 40€ for both). Like hostels, these places can be booked in very short notice in the off season, but unlike hostels, they can be viewed online at websites to judge their suitability. Although they lose some of the camaraderie of staying with other travellers, they can enjoy a private hot shower(sometimes a bath), real beds, laundry facilities, and they've met many great hosts who are local to the area.

It took a few weeks to ease into their modified backpacking life. At first they were planning two steps ahead booking apartments and buying train tickets. Now, they wait until they are at a place for a couple days to decide how long they wish to stay.

If she could go back in time, Beth would like to change her answer to "Yes. We are backpacking...but it may not be what you think."

Leaving Gant - A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad morning.

Last Night in Belgium

Beth said to Rob many times that she was anxious about going finally getting to the UK. "I don't know why... Maybe it's just that I've been waiting twelve years for this... I'm not sure what it is, but something doesn't feel right."

On the morning they were to leave everything started well. They were up early before the alarm and out the door right on time. The cold night froze the snowy slush so pulling luggage to the tram was easier than anticipated, and there were few people on tram (compared to the packed chaos the day before with student traffic). Things were going so smoothly they arrived more than an hour before their 9:45 departure.

"There's plenty of time so let's walk across the street for a coffee."

"Oh no! We forgot the Rijsttaart at the apartment!" (Note: Rijsttaart is a delicious Belgium delicacy. Beth describes it as 'rice pudding pie' and is one of her favourites. They have only ever found in Belgium and bought some the night before as a treat for the train.) "Oh well. If that's the worst that happens to us today, that's OK."

At 9:15 when their coffee was finished they looked at their tickets to check the boarding gate as the cafe had a TV monitor posting up-to-date train information for waiting passengers.

Coffee WAS relaxing...

"I can't figure out the ticket. I can only find the time the Eurostar leaves Brussels not when this train leaves Gant."

"Its OK. She wrote down the information." Rob murmured as he studied the ticket and accompanying printed material. "Shit. Our train's at 9:24." he called out as he ran towards the bar to pay the bill as Beth scrambled to grab their belongings they had spread out on the table.

"Did you pay for the coffee?" she asked as they headed for the door.

"I threw 10 € at them. " he called out as they ran across the cobbled street clutching at their belongings 

and up the stairs to track 9.

"No problem. We still have four minutes." Rob jested while wiping the sweat off his brow.

As they examined the tickets to determine which car to board Beth wondered out loud, "Why are there only two tickets?" They examined the ticket but could still only see the Eurostar segment from Brussels to London, not the part for Gant to Brussels.

Training in Belgium

"She only gave us tickets for the second part of the journey." they recognized too late as they glanced at the approaching train and in vain frantically began to look around for a ticket machine.

"Can we buy tickets on board?" Beth asked a passenger as they walked with the crowd toward the open train doors.

"Yes. But it may cost more. Let the conductor know as soon as you board."

"23 Euros. Not bad." said Rob as he settled down in the seat beside Beth with the newly purchased tickets.

"Well, this is the first time I ever got an ocular migraine brought on so directly by stress." Beth replied as blind spots formed in her vision. "I hope the rest of the trip is smoother."

At the Brussels station, where they were to catch the transfer, they turned into the Eurostar area to board the train that would take them through the Chunnel to London.

"It looks more like an airport." Beth observed as she looked around at the notices, security lineups and custom's booths.

They pulled out of the lineup to search in their luggage for their money belts continuing their passports. "Odd." thought Beth noting this is the first time they were in transit without both of them wearing their money belts.

They went through separate custom's lines and after Beth breezed through as the officer only gave her passport a cursory glance before stamping it, she waited on the other side for Rob. After several minutes she walked back to him.

"Is something wrong?"

"He's checking my stamps and dates. Evidently we are only allowed in Europe for three months." Rob said somewhat tersely.

Beth suddenly was overcome with a wave of anxiety and that, in addition to the man's heavy Belgium

 accent, muddled her ability to correctly piece together what the officer was telling Rob. Over the next few minutes she caught a few statements that only increased her level of stress.

"Only are only allowed to stay three months in a six month period..."

"If the customs officer is doing her job (tilting his head toward the UK customs stand) she will not let you in and you will send you immediately back to Canada."

" You will not be able to come back for five years..."

He continued to let Rob know how displeased he was at Rob's fragrant ignorance of the law as he typed information into the computer while consulting Rob's passport.

In shock, Beth looked anxiously across at the officer who waved her through wondering if he was going to realize his oversight and pull Beth aside as well. His response to her unspoken plea was to slightly shrug his shoulders and give, what she interpreted, as an apologetic smile for his colleague.

After about ten minutes from when Rob entered Belgium customs, the agent handed back Rob's passport and waved him through with a grunt. They moved slowly to the next counter to fill in an entry card before going to UK customs.

London Calling..

As they filled in the forms they spoke in hushed whispers about what had just transpired and wondered what was ahead of them. They left the part blank that asked for their U.K. contact address as they would be moving around for the next six weeks. However, they were able to complete the information on their flight home as they had just made arrangements two nights prior.

"Thank God we have our flight arranged. After what that customs agent said how would we explain why we had no exit plan?" 

As they moved toward the UK customs agent with trepidation, they were not sure what communication, if any, had been made between the two agents.

As she questioned where they were going because of their nervousness Rob and Beth made fools of themselves stumbling over the geography of the area.

"We are making a counterclockwise circle touring through the countries."

"...starting in London."

Looking both ways 

"...then going to Ireland...."

"...onto Scotland, York..."

She glanced down at their forms where it read that their occupation was educators. "You don't teach geography do you?" she asked with a smile.

Her pleasant attitude relaxed Rob and Beth and they were able to more or less intelligently answer the rest of her questions. She stamped their passports and bid them welcome to her country.

King's Cross Station

As they settled in the Eurostar for their trip through the Chunnel, Beth whispered to Rob "Don't say anything yet... I can't talk about it 'til we are safely on UK soil. There still may be another customs check when we get to the other side."

It wasn't until they passed by the agents who only requested to see passenger's train tickets did she begin to relax.

"Hey. This is King's Crossing station, Rob... Platform 9 3/4 is here."

Now it was time to once again focus on travel.

Gant, Gent, Ghent... Hunker down

Gent 

After
leaving their friends in Germany Rob and Beth headed for a short stopover in
Ghent, Belgium before starting the last leg of their trip touring the UK.
However, the weather in Ghent made them question the wisdom of the decision to
begin the northern part of their European travels. The day they arrived was
bitter cold and damp and it only warmed enough to drop 15 cm of snow that made
the days of sunny walks along the Mediterranean seem like a distant memory.
Some of the warm winter clothes they had packed for such an occasion, including
Rob's down coat, were on a transatlantic voyage back to Windsor. In their
desire to lighten their load they underestimated the need of cold protection in
March and mailed some items the week prior.
The Original 
Gulden Draak 




"This
is a completely freak storm." announced their host. "We haven't seen
snow like this for years."


View from the Belfry

When touring
the city during the subsequent days, Beth and Rob hustled in the cold alongside
the canals and rivers that give Gent the nickname ‘Venice of Belgium’. When
they walked the busy pedestrian streets they often sought refuge in merchandise
stores to warm up under the pretence of shopping, or if their timing was right,
entered one of the many medieval churches or buildings left behind from the
days when Ghent, a cloth and wool trading centre, was the richest city in
northern Europe.
Does it get 
more Belgian than waffles?


Enjoying local 
Beers 


When it was
particularly cold and windy they sought refuge in pubs sampling some of the
many excellent beers for which Belgium is known. They took advantage of this
downtime to catch up on "work" (i.e., edit photos, write in the
journal, write blog entries). One afternoon they spent a pleasant couple hours
in a pub called ‘The Out’.



"There's
only a men's toilet." announced Beth when she returned to the table.
"I used it anyway. I'm sure he doesn't mind." 




Gent Castle

While using
the free WiFi to plan the United Kingdom leg of their travels they enjoyed the
music that played. The bar's owner, who was a very sociable fellow, explained
that since the establishment was nearly empty during the day he could play the
kind of music he liked while in the evenings a younger crowd took over and the
less desirable dance music dominated. As they sat he suggested Gent beers that
suited their tastes - a fruitier, cloudy amber beer for Beth and the very strong
Gent ‘Gulden Draak’ for Rob. After only a couple beers sampled on an empty
stomach, they felt they’d reached their limit and ambled on to find a place for
lunch. 
Snowy walk



"What
better way to visit Belgium when it's storming than by touring the local establishments
meeting people and partaking in local flavour?"

Hückelhoven - "Homecoming" That Felt Like Christmas

Rob's return to Germany

Garfield wishes to drink

When Rob and Beth said goodbye to Hückelhoven after living there for four months on a house exchange in 2006 they didn't think that they would have an opportunity to return so soon.  Despite the plans they made a few months ago, it  still didn't feel real until after they arrived at four in the afternoon on a Thursday when they saw Michael waving at them from across the two tracks of the Erkelenz train station. 

As Michael drove them to Hückelhoven, they looked out at the farmlands and searched for familiar sites.  Everything was very familiar although there was a lot of the inevitable new construction that time and progress brings.

"Yes. They are expanding the train station as well as adding more buildings to the outskirts of Hückelhoven." confirmed Michael as he drove. "You will notice a lot of changes in Hückelhoven as well."

He dropped them off at Uwe and Rosi's where they would be staying for the weekend and made arrangements to meet for dinner later that evening.

Uwe and Uwe 2.0

Michael and Barbara:
Gracious Hosts

This was the beginning of what Rob described as a Christmas weekend in March. Over the next three days Rob and Beth visited, ate, drank, laughed, commiserated, ate, drank, visited and laughed and ate again! Like any good Christmas they enjoyed sharing good memories while making new ones.

On their first night, the Michael drove to an elegant, German fusion restaurant for their homecoming dinner. The fantastic food and atmosphere, a favourite of Michael and Barbara's, was chosen to host their Canadian friends in royal fashion. They spent a lovely evening catching up and once again they were surprised by the many parallels between their lives.   

Stopping at Wegberg fish farm

On Friday, after a large breakfast served by Rosi and Uwe, they saw Michael, Barbara, and Kevin for brunch which was served at the table Rob and Beth remembered dinning at regularly six years prior.  Michael and Barbara warmly welcomed Rob and Beth "home" and introduced them to Emily, the newest addition to their family. It was satisfying for Rob and Beth to catch up and see how much Kevin had grown and how well he maintained the English skills that were nurtured at school in Windsor!

Herbert watches his ice cream
disappear

In the afternoon much of their time was spent with Ingrid and Herbert, who like Rob and Beth, enjoy good food and treats in the middle of the day (Especially Wassenburg Ice cream!).  If only there was an ice cream parlour that was that creative a little closer to home!

Heinz and his wife left of the
bowling gang.

Rob and Beth spent the evening at Heinz's Restaurant/Pub/Bowling alley with some of the Kegel gang:  Ingrid, Herbert, Rosi, Uwe, Gaby, Uli, Oliver and Nils. Once again they were warmly welcomed into the Kegel family for an evening of fun, a little teasing and large portions of Heinz’s food.  Late in the evening Uwe announced, ”We have a new kegel pin (given to the winner of the evening).  If they forget it they must buy everyone a round of beer.  Did you remember to bring your pin?”

Beth, Garfield, and Rosi

Having travelled over four months with the Kegel award that they were granted last time they visited Germany, they happily brandished it to everyone's amusement.

On Saturday after a relaxing start to the morning, Rosi and Uwe's once again treated their guest to a German breakfast fit for a king.  Rob and Beth decided that they could travel anywhere with this couple.  Together they sat and enjoyed German staples complete with good cheeses, delicious breads, wurst, jams, perfectly timed hard-boiled eggs, and lots of brewed coffee.

At the Dutch market

Following their breakfast, Ingrid and Herbert arrived to chauffeur the Canadians, as they had done six years prior, to a Netherland's market where they sampled a Dutch fish fry and potato pancakes. On their return they stopped at a nearby Wegberg fish farm for smoked trout that Ingrid would prepare for that evening. Beth and Rob, had been looking forward to these outings with Ingrid and Herbert as they always share an appreciation and joy of good food!

Lots of empty plates = Good home cooking

On the final night in Hückelhoven, they spent a lovely dinner at Ingrid and Herbert's with Rosi, Uwe, and Oliver and Barbara. During the comfortable evening with friends, they gorged on the family style, home-cooked buffet that Ingrid prepared. Herbert, the always jovial bartender, did his best to ensure the glasses of all guests were filled with BitBurg Beer (Bitte eine Bit!) and Mosel wine. They laughed and drank together while Herbert told stories using few English words accompanied by emphatic charades which grew more comical with time and drinks.

Trying out the new
home  installments

On Sunday morning when they parted ways once again, they left feeling a few pounds heavier and, although their time together was short, they felt confident that it would only be a matter of time before they met again

Lyon: Little Lions

School kids of Lyon

As his chosen stop en route to meet friends in Nord-Rhein Wesphalen Germany, Rob was pleased that they were able to visit Lyon since they didn’t weren’t able to fit it in during their 2007 European tour. When they arrived, Rob stared perplexed at the self-service ticket machines at Metro line B trying to locate Metro line 1 which led to metro stop Guillotiére, located near their next accommodations. Glancing around the busy underground metro line, he met the eyes of a mature women and chose to ask her for assistance.  The women, though first willing assist, only shook her head and apologized with, “Sorry. Non Anglais.” before walking away. 

Beheading Medusa

Rob once again looked around and this time met the stare of a young boy of eleven or twelve who approached Rob with a metro ticket in hand and propositioned him.

“English? One fifty.”

Host Manon and Baptiste

Rob stared at the likely invalid ticket, evaluated the illegal intentions of the young boy and ignoring his offer responded with, “Do you know where Metro line 1 is?”

“ Oh.  Metro Line 1….” echoed the boy turning to his young friend who now stood near, digging through a pocket for a second ticket.

“No. No. WHERE is Metro Line 1?”  Rob asked a second time.

Beth at the Saone

Beth, who observed the interaction from across the metro entrance recognized the signs of a scam and was incredulous that Rob was interacting with the boys.  Ardently she called out to Rob in her stern teacher voice, “Kutaa!”

*** Kutaa, the Inuktitut name meaning ‘Big” was given to Rob by the Inuit of Kimmirut, Nunavut Territories, because he towered over everyone in town.  Beth will call Rob Kutaa in public situations as a code word when she doesn’t want surrounding ears to know that she is displeased with Rob’s behavior, or when she wants his immediate attention.

Hotel Dieu along the Rhone at night.

Rob turned and, seeing Beth anxiously watching him, moved away from the boys to join her across the crowded station.

“Are you crazy? Can’t you see that was a scam?” she scowled.

“I was only getting directions.” Rob sighed just seconds before five police officers streamed out of the crowd. They rounded up four boys, including the two Rob interacted with, pressed them against the wall for frisking, and put hand cuffs onto their wrists. Both surprised by the transpiring arrest, Beth and Rob watched for a minute before Rob approached one of the officers.

Fountain at Rue Del la Republique.

“Excuse me. Bonjour.  Sorry for bothering you. Do you know where metro line 1 is?”

The officer, surprised by the English question posed to him during an arrest by the tall stranger, turned and smiled before responding, “I’m sorry there is no Metro line 1. Do you mean T1”.

After affirming that it may be metro line one, the constable stepped away from the boys and continued in a pleasant, sociable manner, “The stop is outside across the square. Keep walking and walking until you see the tram station. You can buy a ticket there.”

*            *            *            *            *            *

Place Bellecour

The next morning Beth and Rob emerged from the residence 9 Rue de Marseille. The fourth floor apartment was situated in a Chinese neighborhood of Lyon. The nearby neighbourhood was decorated with Chinese lanterns that were strung on lines stretched across the streets. After passing the Chinese bars and Indian cuisine restaurants, they continued until they crossed over the Rhone on the Guillotiére Bridge arriving at the square Place Bellecour. There they watched one of many economic protests occurring throughout Europe during this unstable economic time.

St Jean Cathedral Square

Continuing across the Bonaparte Bridge that spans the Saone River they spent midday dining and touring in the old town of Lyon. They stopped at the gothic cathedral St. Jean to watch a Ptolemaic astrological clock strike the hour, which set off a roster and various puppet-like figures into motion, before leaving to climb the stairs to Lyon’s version of Notre Dame to enjoy the panoramic view of Lyon.  After returning to the Saone River, they meandered their way up stairs and rising streets where Lyon’s historic silk trade/manufacturing took place.  As the afternoon drew to a close they stopped for a beer in a café.

After taking a sip of beer Rob thought to ask “Beth, do you have any money on you?”

“No. Do you?”

“How are we going to pay for these beers? I don’t think they take credit cards.”

After a brief apology from the bartender for accepting cash only, Beth set off wandering the neighbourhood in search of a banking machine while Rob sipped his glass of Leffe beer while watching the pedestrian traffic walking up and down the stairs adjacent to the café patio in which he sat.

Notre Dame over looking Lyon below

In the forty minutes when Beth was gone, Rob was enthralled with the gregarious behavour of three young, darker skinned males that hung about a nearby alcove smoking.  The teens soon become acutely aware of Rob’s attention and often caught his glance as he very slowly consumed his beer.

Jawlensky's Medusa 

At one point, the largest teen, appearing to take a leadership role, pulled out a cell phone and texted, while one the smallest among them watched Rob who was now trying to appear to ignore them. Shortly Rob witnessed a black sports car with tinted windows come to a stop in the street at the base of the stairs, 75 metres away. In an apparently relaxed manner, an older, heavily built, Middle Eastern man emerged from the car and looked around before giving a signal to the boys with a whisle. Rob, aware of the signal exchange, tried to remain calm as two of the smaller teens left the alcove, walked very near him as they passed and continued down to the man for a handshake before they walked back.  Rob feeling a little guarded, watched as they examined the contents sprawled across his café table as they passed. A now empty beer glass and a city tourist map with pamphlets was all they saw. 

After a few brief moments of no activity, Rob was feeling a little less tense when the older man got back into his vehicle and sped away. Then again turning his attention to the remaining teen, Rob watched as two new youths ascended the stairs, turned into the alcove, and joined in conversation with their compadres who pointed out Rob waiting in the cafe.

Stair up the Silk Quarter

When she returned, Beth feeling relieved after being briefly lost, greeted Rob with a warm smile before entering the bar to pay the bill with a fresh 50€ bill.  They departed and turned left, began to climb the extensive stairs passing the youths on their way. Rob, glancing one last time as he passed caught their stares.  At that point he waved a slight courteous good-bye, sparking the three youths back into chatter.

“What was that for” asked Beth.

“Nothing.  Just keep walking”