Donna Cratsenburg-Scott – redhouseexperiences.com

August 16, 2021August 18, 2021

Day 11: Aveiro

Venturing Slightly Further Afield….Via Train

Last night we perused the train website (www.cp.pt) to plan a day trip to the coastal city of Aveiro (yet another spot-on recommendation from our daughter….thanks, Kathleen!). Thankfully this site offers both Portuguese and English language options. Porto has two train stations: Sao Bento (5-minute walk from our hotel) and Companha (25-minute walk from our hotel). As it turns out, Companha Station offers the more direct route to Aveiro. So…we opted to walk further to avoid the transfer (which would have taken longer, even taking the walk into consideration). With tickets purchased, we got a solid night’s sleep in preparation for another day of travel adventure.

Solid Start to the Day – Cafe Longo and Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice!

After a big breakfast (which, of course, included fresh-squeezed orange juice and cafe longo from my favorite machines in the hotel), we set out for the train station. It was a very easy route and we arrived ahead of schedule with no wrong turns (yay!!). The train station was very clean and easy to navigate and we found the correct platform quickly. Our train was regional (rather than urban), so we only stopped a couple of times on our hour-ish trip to Aveiro. The route ran along the ocean through largely rural landscape.

After arriving in Aveiro, we easily located the center of town (an quick 10-minute walk) and began to take in the sights. (Side note: there were two cow statues in the train station….not sure what that was about?). Aveiro, with its canals, is sometimes referred to as the “Venice of Portugal,” and is lovely! Shops and restaurants line the streets and canals, and canal tours are readily available. We wandered a bit and decided to indulge in a canal tour.

Touring the canals

Rather than the gondolas of Venice fame, the boats in Aveiro are called moliceiros. Moliceiros were traditionally used to transport algae/seaweed for use as fertilizer but are now primarily used as tour boats. Larger boats, called marcantels (I believe) were used for transporting merchandise. The vibrant painted decorations (two at the stem, two at the stern) on the moliceiros are typically reminiscent of Portuguese folk art and would have identified the boat owner.

Riding along in our moliceiro, we heard about the salt trade in Aveiro and saw many points of interest. From the oldest pedestrian bridge in the city to a very new bridge resembling a fishing net to the many art nouveau style buildings and turn-of-the-century pottery factory, it was a thoroughly enjoyable (and informative) 45 minute excursion.

After our tour we walked up and down the canal, taking in as much of this beautiful town as possible. From artwork to shops and interesting architecture, Aveiro has much to offer!

Side Note: our guide possessed amazing language skills! She repeated all information in three languages throughout the tour (Portuguese, English and Spanish). She also speaks French…but the French couple that initially boarded our boat transferred to another boat to accommodate a larger family.

The Most Beautiful Mall in Europe

While on our moliceiro tour, the guide informed us that the open air mall next to the canal (called Forum) was recently voted the most beautiful mall in Europe. And while we have only visited two other European malls, we can definitely see why! Atop the mall is a garden filled with olive trees. After our tour, we visited the olive garden (no relation to the US restaurant chain…), with its gazebo, benches and many walkways. It really was quite lovely!

Local Deliciousness

A brief internet search identified a couple of “must try” local delicacies: ovos moles de Aveiro and eel stew. We were not all that excited at the prospect of eel stew….but we are always excited to sample a new dessert! Ovos moles de Aveiro are DELICIOUS pastries made of egg yoks and sugar encased in a thin wafers in nautical shapes (usually shells). They originated at area convents, and nuns eventually passed their recipe to local women who then began selling ovos moles at the train station on the Lisbon-Porto line.

In lieu of eel stew, we opted for grilled fish with vegetables at a restaurant close to canal. Since we went with such a healthy option….we indulged in yet another sweet treat: crepes with ovos moles filling sprinkled with cinnamon. We regret nothing.

We’ll Be Back

A brief day trip to Aveiro was fun…but not nearly enough time to thoroughly enjoy the area. We would love to return and see the beach with its colorful houses and dunes, the museums, salt farm, monastery and many other amazing sights in this beautiful town.

But, for now, back to Porto.

August 12, 2021August 14, 2021

Porto Days 5-7: Just Enjoying Ourselves…Low Key

Day 5: More WOW (World of Wine)…The Chocolate Story and Porto Region Across the Ages

When we picked up tickets for WOW, we chose a package which gave us access to three museums at the complex. Thus far, we had only been to one of them (The Wine Experience)…so today we decided to use the remaining two museum passes. Our first stop for the day was “The Chocolate Story,” which covered everything from the history and culture of cacao to cacao varieties to cocoa production. The final portion of the museum took us through the Vinte Vinte Chocolate Factory production facility. We even enjoyed delicious cocoa beans and chocolate samples….YUM!

After finishing up the Chocolate Story and enjoying lunch outdoors with a great view, we moved on to Porto Region Across The Ages. We learned a TON about Porto (and Portugal’s) past. A couple of interesting facts: Portugal became a kingdom on 5 October 1143 per the Treaty of Zamora, and developed into a global influence by the late middle ages. Earlier in history, a quote typically attributed to Julius Caesar or Galba (Governor of Hispania) refers to the Lusitani (a tribe near what is now Porto) in the following manner: “There is a people who lives in the corner of the Iberian Peninsula who will not govern themselves and hate to be governed by others.” This theme of individualism and self-determination is one we have heard several times throughout our visit to the area.

At the end of the afternoon, we made our way back across the Luis I Bridge, up the many steps of the Escadas do Codecal (codecal scaffolding) while enjoying all the cool street art and back to our hotel room….where I promptly took a NAP!

Day 6: Igreja de Santo Ildefonso and Restaurante Salmao

We really took it easy on day six. What can we say? Multiple days of walking 7+ miles has a way of sneaking up on people (see “nap” photo above…)! Igreja de Santo Ildefonso stands less than a block from our hotel (in fact, we can see it from our balcony), and is open for tours! This Baroque style church was completed in 1739, and features beautiful tile work installed in the 1930s. An older chapel once occupied the same location dating from the late 1200s, but was demolished in 1709. (For more information, check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Saint_Ildefonso ). We toured the church and then decided to take a walk and maybe find dinner.

After stopping briefly at Jardim Marques de Oliveira (a cute little park near our hotel), we settled on dinner at Restaurante Salmao (offering traditional Portuguese cuisine per the sign). Dinner was delicious!! Donna tried seabream and Kevin settled on grilled sardines. We shared a liter of wine (hey, don’t judge) and splurged on olives, local bread and fish cakes as appetizers as well as chocolate mousse and a kind of creme brulee for desert. We enjoyed sitting outside on the patio, soaking up the sun before calling it a night. Life. Is. Good.

Day 7: It was okay.

Eh. Everybody has “meh” day once in a while. Unfortunately, our meh day happened on our 26th anniversary. Kevin (very sweetly) treated Donna to a 90-minute massage at a lovely spa around the corner, and we wound up eating dinner at a great little cafe on Rua de Santa Catarina (known for shopping….and also very near the Legendary Porto Hotel). Our vegetarian quiche and pasteis de nata (egg tarts) were delicious. Afterwards, we successfully managed to locate and navigate the completely foreign aisles of a local grocery and come away with snacks and wine for the room. With that, we headed up to our room and called it a night. We also managed to talk to all three of our adult children at some point in the day, so all things considered…life is good. And tomorrow is, indeed, another day.

Quiche and Wine on Rua de Santa Catarina

August 9, 2021August 13, 2021

Day 4: Porto Jardims (Gardens)

When we left the hotel today, we intended to visit Livraria Lello (one of the oldest, most popular and beautiful bookstores in Portugal, and, reportedly an inspiration for the Hogwarts Library of Harry Potter fame). It is a quick 10-minute walk from our hotel, and we LOVE books, so this was a perfect choice, right? When we saw the massive line of people waiting to enter….we quickly decided a change of plans was in order. So we found a fun little cafe down the street and considered our next move.

Take that, Napoleon!!

Kevin pointed out a circle of green on Google Maps and declared that it was the Praca de Mouzinho de Albuquerque (or, unoficially, Rotunda da Boavista). It is a large round park located in downtown Porto with a 150-foot monument in the center. We figured it was a walkable distance…the weather was beautiful….so why not?!? After a bit of additional Google Map consultation, we were on our way. It took us about half an hour to reach our destination, and the park was lovely! The monument in the center of the park celebrates the victory of Portuguese and British against French troops that invaded Portugal during the Peninsular War (1807-1814). The column is capped by a lion (symbolizing the Portuguese and British) defeating an eagle (symbolizing the French). Several sculptures decorate the base of the statue, some of which represent the 4000 people who died while fleeing Napoleon’s troops when the Ponte das Barcas collapsed. (For more info, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotunda_da_Boavista ). We sat and relaxed for a bit in the park and then headed back toward our hotel…with a quick stop at a nearby mall for necessities.

An Unexpected Find: Crystal Palace Gardens

On our return trip, we decided to stop at another garden/park: Crystal Palace Gardens. What a beautiful surprise!! Ornate gates and a sweet shop mark the entrance from a busy Porto street. After picking up a couple of delicious ice cream treats, we found a shaded bench and enjoyed the surroundings. Manicured flower beds, statues, fountains and stately trees provided a beautiful resting spot. We relaxed for a bit and then decided to check out the Super Bock Arena located adjacent to the park. Little did we know that a HUGE garden stretched out behind the arena. Fabulous find!! We will definitely visit this park again before we leave Porto. (If you want to read more about this park, check it out at https://portoalities.com/en/crystal-palace-gardens-in-porto/ ). If you find yourself in Porto….visit this park!!!!

Indulging in Sweet Treats at Crystal Palace Gardens

As we neared the Legendary Porto Hotel after our approximately 8 mile trek, we treated ourselves to a bottle of wine, regional tray of goat cheese, olives and meat, and dessert at a small cafe with outdoor seating. Our waiter cheerfully helped us with our pitiful Portuguese language skills and chatted with us about Michigan. A perfect ending to a truly enjoyable day…

August 8, 2021August 9, 2021

Porto – Day 3 (WOW)

Since this IS a vacation, a slower day seemed in order. We were both feeling something less than energetic, so we lazed about until the last possible minute before going to the hotel dining room for breakfast. Then, Donna hit the treadmill (after waiting for breakfast…brunch…to settle). Finally, around 3:30pm we sauntered out of the Legendary Porto Hotel and headed toward WOW (World of Wines). We purchased a 3-museum pass and thought we would hit the wine museum and enjoy either a wine tasting or just a glass of wine in Vila Nova de Gaia.

WOW (The World of Wine) is comprised of 7 museums in the Cultural District. Museum choices include: Porto Region Across the Ages, The Wine Experience (which is the one we checked out today), Planet Cork, The Chocolate Story, The Bridge Collection, Porto Fashion & Fabric Museum, and (for a limited time) The Francis Bacon Experience. WOW also offers a wine school, several restaurants and bars, and gift shops. (https://wow.pt)

After stopping along the way for lunch at a cafe on the river, we settled on The Wine Experience for today…and it was fun! The museum covered everything from growing grapes to wine regions in Portugal to making wine to wine barrels and wine bottles, labels and corks. There were several interactive exhibits that were pretty cool (what type of wine are you, difference between, taste and flavor, etc). The museum tour concluded with a tutorial on how to taste wine correctly. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience!

After concluding our museum visit (which, surprisingly, took an hour and a half), we sauntered along the Douro River and found a small bar/restaurant with outside seating, where we enjoyed a delicious small snack of portobello with goat cheese & honey with a glass of wine. Timing was perfect for us to enjoy sunset as we headed back to the hotel for the evening via the upper deck of the Luis I Bridge. Ahhh…..another successful vacation day!

Douro Sunset as we ascended the climb to Luis I Bridge’s upper walkway.

August 23, 2020

But…..they are Scottish flowers…..

Thistle….the quintessential Scottish flower

I LOVE plants, especially those of a flowering variety (just ask anyone who knows me well!). It does not much matter whether the blooms appear on commonly found plants along the roadside or in intricately maintained castle gardens; they are all lovely. And so, in the spirit of my affection for all flowering vegetation, please enjoy these flowers of Scotland in August 2020.

August 16, 2020September 13, 2020

Slains Castle and Bullars of Buchan

Our first trip to Slains Castle happened in April 2018. It was striking. A castle on the cliffs of the sea. At the time, the wind blew relentlessly and cold. One may have wondered whether the castle guarded against the sea, the land or the elements. Regardless, the castle must have been quite an impending sight in its zenith, because it was quite inspiring as ruins.

This time the weather for our visit was much more temperate, and the castle was just as striking. We didn’t explore inside the castle as much, because the site was well populated. But the nice weather allowed us to explore closer to the sea. There were some very nice green lawns around the grounds, and we sat down for a picnic lunch and enjoyed the food by the sea.

We also explored a bit down on the rocky crags by the sea. We found some flowers and scenic spots for pictures. We even found a number of very large jellyfish. Donna, Kathleen and I went in search of the sea caves that signage alluded to, but alas, we didn’t locate them. At least the hike was really beautiful anyway!

The castle inspired Bram Stoker for the setting for Dracula. Travel information can be found at https://www.visitabdn.com/listing/slains-castle. Historical information can be found at http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM3250 .

On the way back to Inverurie, we stopped at the Bullers of Buchan. What is a Buller, you ask? We asked the same question. Merriam-Webster defines buller as a whirlpool; where the sides rise and the center drops to form a low spot. This makes a bit of sense for the Bullers of Buchan, if you consider the center of the Bullers depressed to the sea. However the definition applies, the Bullers of Buchan are amazing. They are essentially cliffs that wrap around to meet (forming a land bridge), with an opening at the base towards the sea. The cliffs seem very tall (maybe 200-300 feet as a guess).

Sea gulls adorned the cliffs and the calls and echoes provide quite a cacophony. We captured several views, and fortunately the weather was very pleasant.

The Bullers of Buchan are perhaps a five minute car ride from Slains Castle, and well worth the stop.

And…Mo was kind enough to provide several self-portraits to add a more…ahem…personal touch for this post. Thanks, Mo!!

August 14, 2020August 24, 2020

Bennachie

After our two weeks’ quarantine, we were excited to get out and explore the Scottish countryside (in a socially distanced sort of way). Our first adventure, on August 14, was climbing Mither Tap (part of Bennachie – a range of hills in Aberdeenshire). Mither Tap stands at 1699 feet and offers gorgeous views of the surrounding area (www.walkhighlands.co.uk/aberdeenshire/mither-tap.shtml ) . Near the top, we passed through the remains of an undated fort that may have been build n the dark ages.

The hike up to Mither Tap from the Bennachie Visitor’s Center took a little over an hour and started easily enough. We passed a lovely stone wall that ran alongside what started out as a wide packed-earth path. Gorse (sadly, not in bloom this time of year), heather and a wide variety of other plants lined our slight ascent. Gradually the path narrowed and became a bit steeper, taking us through beautiful, tall trees. The final stretch was far steeper and rocky, but offered an absolutely beautiful view of purple heather.

July 28, 2020August 20, 2020

The Summer of ‘Rona

After arriving back in Michigan in mid-March, Kevin and I (along with pretty much the rest of the world) locked down at our home to ride out Covid-19. Kathleen’s wedding ceremony was postponed until summer 2021, along with her visit home from Scotland (with her fiance, Mo), our trip to Vegas to celebrate Morgan’s 21st birthday….and so on. You know, the stuff that drops by the wayside when a pandemic hits.

It wasn’t all bad. We played LOTS of card games with family and took the opportunity to finish up several pending home projects. Now we have a completed deck, entry patio (and walkway), concrete hot tub pad next to the deck, storage platform in the garage, a rebuilt Little Free Library….and a HUGE garden! We took a LOT of walks on the Heartland Trail (which is located alongside our property), enjoyed spring and summer flowers & critters…and Kevin tended to his bees. Donna also made a TON of masks (with occasional supervision from Pearl the Cat).

Throughout lockdown, we anxiously watched the news to see if we would be able to travel to Scotland for the month of August. (Even though the wedding celebration was postponed, we had already booked airline tickets for 5 weeks in Scotland). We were in luck!! Stay tuned for highlights from our 2-week quarantine with Kathleen & Mo, as well as our post-quarantine, socially-distanced exploration of the Scottish countryside.

2020 has been a wild ride…and it isn’t over yet!!

Flowers and critters (and a little backyard fun)

February 20, 2020March 1, 2020

Huntington, Utah….Family Time

Donna with her sister-in-law Lee and brother Clair

From Spokane we backtracked just a little in Washington and Oregon and headed down through Idaho and far-eastern Nevada on our way to Huntington, Utah. Where is Huntington…and why on earth would we go there, you ask?? Well, Huntington is a tiny town situated in central Utah, and it is the home of Donna’s brother Clair and his wife, Lee (and their super-cute dog, Maggie). Donna has been to Huntington in the past, but this was Kevin’s first visit. The weather was a little colder than we would have liked, but totally worth it to hang out with family for a little while.

While in Huntington we toured a really awesome old cabin that Clair is rebuilding. One of Lee’s ancestors once lived in the cabin but it has been uninhabited for 70+ years. So cool! Donna is a major family history geek, and Kevin has certainly done his share of home renovations over the years, so this was right up our ally. We can’t wait to come back and see the cabin once the project is complete!

Huntington State Park and Huntington Canyon are nearby scenic attractions (as you could likely surmise given their names…). We took a day to hike around the park and drive up the canyon. Midway through our drive up the canyon it started to snow (really lightly). From that point until we descended into town, Kevin refused to get out of the car.

We were also fortunate enough to catch up with Donna’s nephew Caleb and her niece Ora while in Huntington. AND we made a trip to Arches National Park in Moab (but that’s another post).

The original door to Lee’s family cabin…a small parting gift for Lee.

February 19, 2020March 1, 2020

Arches National Park – Moab, Utah

While visiting Donna’s brother in Huntington, we took the opportunity to drive a couple of hours down to Moab to see one of Donna’s nieces. As it so happens, there are a TON of amazing parks near Moab…so we stopped at one of them on our drive. We chose Arches National Park because, frankly, the scenery was positively stunning!!

Since we only had one afternoon, we chose to hike a couple of the shorter trails in different areas of the park (rather than just one longer hike). We chose Windows Trail, Landscape Arch and Wolfe Ranch (with view of Delicate Arch). Driving between our hikes we saw so, so many breathtaking sights….too many to mention. If you have a chance to visit Arches, do it!!

A little Arches trivia for you: In 1991 part of the underside of Landscape Arch (the widest of the arches in the park) fell. The part that fell was 60 feet long, 11 feet wide and weighed somewhere around 180 tons. You used to be able to hike underneath Landscape Arch…but…not anymore! Find out more about Arches National Park at https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm .