Travel – Page 13 – Tales and Travel

Back to Germany

Germany was my home for 28 years. Good times, wonderful memories – and fabulous friends. Husband Bob and I recently returned to reconnect with many of those friends, to visit old haunts, as well as other destinations that I will be writing about for the magazine German Life. (www.germanlife.com).

Maybe we’ve lived in the boondocks of rural France too long (since 2004). Here life is tranquil, serene, quiet. This time we found Germany a bit chaotic with monstrous traffic jams on the autobahns, construction sites almost everywhere and crowds of people in the city centers. It’s hard to imagine that anyone could be unemployed in Deutschland with so much building in progress.

We spent several nights with friends Klaus and Dagmar who live in Gerlingen just outside of Stuttgart. They urged us to take the U-bahn downtown to see the massive and controversial construction site for Stuttgart 21, the city’s new railway and urban development project which involves 57 kilometers of new railways, including some 30 kilometers of tunnels and 25 kilometers of high-speed lines. Protesters still demonstrate at the site every Monday. The project, which is estimated to cost as much as six billion Euros, won’t be completed until 2020. Another attraction adjacent to the site is the new library, a modern and dazzling wonder in white by architect Eun Young Yi which has been likened to a Rubik’s cube puzzle.

Dagmar invited several of our friends for an excellent dinner, an antipasti of grilled vegetables, followed by a Swabian favorite, stuffed breast of veal, all topped by our very favorite German dessert, Rote Grϋtze, a yummy compote of red fruits. Friend Heti also entertained us with an amazing meal of Peruvian delicacies: ceviche (fish marinated in lime juice) and veggies, gallina picante parmesana (chicken with aji -hot yellow pepper), quinoa risotto with veggies, and for dessert, coconut flan and Tonka bean mousse. All over the top. More on those beans to follow.

Heti is an inspiration, and not just in the kitchen. She recently lost 14 kilos on the Dukan diet combined with an hour of aqua jogging every day in the nearby Sindelfingen indoor pool. When I lived in the area, I frequently swam there year round. There are also several outdoor pools for summer months. Sadly, France is lacking in these first-class swimming facilities.

Klaus and Marianne, other friends from the Stuttgart area who frequently housesit for us in France, treated us to a delicious pasta lunch and a homemade Swabian apple pie at their new apartment.

We took a trip north to the Darmstadt area to see more friends. For years I worked for the military newspaper Stars and Stripes which was previously headquartered just outside the city. A group of former colleagues met us at an Italian restaurant for a fun evening. Special pal Andrea, whom I consider a surrogate step-daughter, and her husband Thiemo, joined us at Darmstadt’s famous brewery, Grohe, where we sat outside in the sunshine savoring the brew. Another Darmstadt friend, Wilma, invited us for a delicious salmon dinner and stimulating conversation with her friend Erik.

Our travels also took us to the Bergstrassee south of Darmstadt, Kaiserslautern, Augsburg, Munich and the Starnberg Lake district south of Munich.

For many years while I worked at Stars and Stripes, I lived in Jugenhiem at the northern end of the Bergstrasse in an apartment I called the “Treehouse.” It was the top two floors of a former seniors’ home at the edge of a forest and surrounded by tree tops. We stopped for a visit, and it’s still the same – an idyllic hideaway in a jungle of green.

The best of the visit to the Bergstrasse, which extends 70 kilometers south from Darmstadt to Heidelberg, and where many an ancient castle and castle ruins crown hilltops, was wine The Bergstrasse wine region is divided into two parts, vines in the south in the state of Baden Württemberg, and those in the north in Hessen. The former is Germany’s smallest wine region. German wines, as well as wines everywhere, have improved thanks to up-to-date knowledge and techniques, an expert told us.

For years German wines had a bad rep because “we exported the wrong wines, “ such as the sweet Blue Nun, explained Maria Zimmermann of the regional tourist board. Today German vintners are also well-educated, studying viniculture, not just learning the trade from their parents. We tasted some fine wines, and Bob made several purchases.

In the town of Weinheim, we toured a lovely garden followed by the best restaurant meal of the trip, an amuse bouche of scallops topping a pumpkin salad sprinkled with mandarin oil, and a Hirsch (venison) medallion with an elderberry sauce and Steinpilze (boletus), plus parsley root puree. It was perfection.

Heppenheim is the quintessential Bergstrasee town with a market place of well-preserved half-timbered houses. We joined an after-dark tour up and down the ancient streets and stairways, following a costumed story teller and her lantern carrying assistant. Periodically they stopped with the story teller relating charming tales and fables of the region, most translated from old German into an English that rhymed. Very impressive and a delightful, unusual experience.

The greatest number of Americans outside of the U.S., some 50,000 who are military or civilians working for the military, makes their home in the Kaiserslautern area. There I interviewed Wolfgang Tönnesmann, director of the Atlantic Academy, who had a life-size cardboard replica of Obama in his office. Like me, he is no doubt thrilled with the recent election results.

My quest to try local food specials in Kaiserslautern led us to the town’s only half-timbered building and the restaurant Spinnrädl. We were in the Rhineland Pfalz area and the restaurant served up Pfälzer dishes written in the local dialect on the menu: Brotworscht, Saumaa, Lewwer (Bloodwurst, potatowurst so named because it is stuffed into a pig’s stomach or Saumaa) and liverwurst. Hearty fare accompanied by Grumbeerstampes (mashed potatoes).

Jakob Fugger (1458 – 1525), a wealthy merchant (according to a guide, “he had more money than Bill Gates) put Augsburg on the map. The Fugger family, in particular Jakob, was into finance and trade. Jakob, known as the Empire’s banker, and not unlike Bill Gates, had a social conscience. He founded the Fuggerei, a section of the city for the town’s poor, the world’s oldest social housing which still exists with 140 apartments. Rent is 1 euro per year. We followed a fascinating tour of the area, and also visited a dazzling Rococo banquet hall, the Schaetzler Palais (1767), as well as other local attractions.

The Munich visit focused on food with visits to the city’s legendary outdoor market, the Viktualienmarkt, its classy food emporiums, Dallmayr and Käfer, as well as the food empire of Alfons Schuhbeck who has a collection of shops, including a Michelin starred restaurant, in the Platzl near the Hofbräuhaus. Friend Heti clued me in on Schuhbeck who is huge on the German food scene. It was at his incredible spice shop where she purchased the Tonka beans which come from South America for that exotic dessert.

Our visit wound up at the Starnberg Lake, one of several lovely lakes south of Munich. All the sailboats which blanket the lakes in summer had been put to bed, but the region had plenty of charms for a fall visit.

A must was a visit to the nearby Andechs Abbey above the Ammersee, another one of the regional lakes. After admiring the Abbey’s church and its stunning Rococo stucco décor and frescoes, we moved on to the terrace beer garden. Monks have been brewing beer at Andechs since 1455. These days seven different kinds of brew can be ordered, as well as Bavarian food favorites.

Other Starnberg highlights are the Baroque St. Mary’s Minister in the town of Diessen and the lakeside Buchheim Museum noted for its collection of Expressionist works. Last but not least, a wonderful bike ride following a cycle route along the Starnberg Lake with an outdoor lakeside lunch stop, as well as many breaks for postcard photos of the lake framed by distant Alpine peaks. (For more photos, see slide show to follow. Comments are welcome. )

For more information:

www.diebergstrassse.de

www.augsburg-tourismus.de

www.munich-tourist.de

www.sta5.de

www.andechs.de

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Down Under Delights – and Disappointments

“Be sure to climb the Sydney Bridge. It’s amazing,” friends advised. So, on our visit Down Under last November, we did —and are $524 Australian dollars poorer. (The Australian dollar is about at par with the U.S. dollar.)

Yes, $212 per person for this “once in a lifetime” experience. Who could afford to do it twice?

Our conclusion: A rip off. Not that the experience was without thrilling moments. And, the views are dynamite. But, think of the gourmet meals that $524 could have purchased.

We joined a group of 12 others for the 3 ½ hour adventure. The first hour was spent getting attired: a loose fitting protective body suit with a belt from which a carabiner dangled, a head set, a baseball cap. Then, practice. We had to climb and descend a ladder, attaching and releasing the carabiner to a cable. For security, climbers are attached to a cable throughout the climb. We listened to safety briefings, warnings etc. The adrenalin was in high gear.

At last we were off – a single file behind the guide who kept up a commentary heard on the head set. The first part in the guts of the mammoth steel structure was not too exciting, just lots of steps and long stretches across cat walks. Once we started climbing outdoors, precariously on the edge of the bridge, a strong wind whipped around us. We were so high, it seemed as if we could touch the sky, and the water below appeared to be miles and miles away. It was all exhilarating with spectacular views in every direction.

We stopped for photos. But, not with our cameras. Personal cameras are not permitted – too dangerous. An official bridge photographer was on the scene. Each couple or individual was photographed with the appropriate spectacular background. This took time, too much time. There were five of these stops, each with a slightly different background. And, we usually had to wait for the group ahead to finish before our group moved up to the perfect photo slot.

Plenty of time to ponder the scenery, and to look down. The Sydney Harbour Bridge, at 440 feet from top to water, is the world’s tallest steel arch bridge. That’s a huge drop, and scary to view. The guide added to the fright factor with tales of those who plunged to their deaths. Sixteen workers died during construction which was completed in 1932. The sight that amazed me during the climb was a lonely bird in his nest built on steel beams that had to be higher than any tree.

The finale of the “climb of your life” was aggravating. After we had changed back into our street clothes, we proceeded to a room with pretty young girls sitting behind computer monitors. Here’s where we could get those photos, we thought. We were right. Give your name and your individual photos pop up on the screen. For a mere extra $25.95 per photo, you could purchase a picture souvenir. We passed, content with the one complimentary group shot.

Others in the group (the elderly gentleman from Chicago, the honeymoon couple, the couple celebrating a birthday…) eagerly parted with the extra cash for the pricey souvenirs. They all seemed happy with their costly climb. Perhaps we’re jaded?

After the experience, we headed to a nearby pub for a much needed beer. We related our disappointment to the bartender. “I wouldn’t do it. You can walk across the bridge for free. It’s not worth it,” he said. We agree.

While the bridge climb left us somewhat underwhelmed, we were overwhelmed with the Sydney Opera House. During a guided tour, we learned the fascinating background to this iconic structure. Both inside and out, it seems so ultra modern. Yet, it was constructed between 1959 and 1973. Glass for the gigantic windows came from France. The ceramic tiles on the exterior are from Sweden. Its exotic shape of undulating sails permits self-cleaning by the rain. The acoustics in the large auditoriums are such that no microphones are needed….

Danish architect Jorn Utson designed the incredible structure. Building costs far exceeded original projections. In 1966 due to a conflict over finances with a new minister of public works, Utson resigned, vowing never to return to Australia. He died in 2008 without seeing his completed masterpiece, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.

Other delights of the Sydney visit included the city’s bustling fish market, a ferry excursion to Manly where we watched surfers – and our reasonable room ($135 per night) with an exceptional harbor view at the Macleay Apartment Hotel (www.themacleay.com).

We found Sydney – actually all of Australia – expensive. Here we had a mini kitchen so we could save on meal costs. The hotel location in Potts Point was ideal with both delis and a super market nearby for purchase of take-home, ready-to-eat meals.

Well-traveled friends also advised that we visit the Great Barrier Reef during our sojourn in Australia. Many, many year ago, I took the required course and earned scuba diver certification. I’ve only been on a few dives, but as the Great Barrier is said to be one of the world’s best diving sites, I had to experience it.

We flew from Sydney to Cairns where we rented a car for a 1 ½ hour drive north to Port Douglas, an inviting seaside town of restaurants, quaint shops – and excursion boats to the Great Barrier Reef. Husband Bob is not a diver, but he joined the party, 80 tourists, on the dive/snorkel boat.

I was nervous since I had not been diving in so long. I joined a “beginners” group and once in the water, my confidence returned. The coral formations were intriguing, even mystifying. But, they were dull — beige and bland in color. A far cry from the vivid colors of the postcards. And, the fish were not as plentiful as the postcards depict. I did see a gigantic clam, a ray glued to the bottom, some bright yellow fish. I submerged three different times, but each time returned to the surface a bit disillusioned.

I was not the only one. Several on board expressed the same feelings. One diver said there were too many of us. We scared the fish away. Later someone said the coral had been killed by El Nino. (According to an article on the web, El Nino bleaches the coral.) Jakob, the friendly proprietor of our Port Douglas hotel, said you need to get accustomed to the underwater surroundings, to adjust your eyes, and then you will see color. “All those postcard photos are made with strobe lights,” he explained.

I am still happy I had the chance to dive again, but what really made me happy was a swim in an idyllic pool at the Mossman Gorge in the Daintree National Park not far from Port Douglas. For me, swimming is right up there after skiing. This body of clear, cool water with huge granite boulders along the sides, as well as in the middle, surrounded by lush jungle, was a bit of paradise. The pool is in a section of the Mossman River, touted as “without crocodiles.” But, there were lots of birds, including a wild turkey poking among the picnickers along the shore.

We saw more feathered friends at Habitat, a fun place where you can dine in a large enclosed area among birds, small and large and brightly colored, who fly above, prance around on the ground, squeak, chirp, sing, and screech. A caretaker walks by and gladly perches a bird on your shoulder. Habitat also has more wildlife: kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, crocodiles.

We rented bikes for the trip to Habitat, just outside of Port Douglas, and rode back along the beach, which, except for a jogger or two, was deserted, even though it was a hot, sunny day. Jelly fish, we learned.

The Palm Villas, our home in Port Douglas, was ideal – reasonable, excellent location, lovely pool, helpful proprietor. We paid about $95 per night for a spacious studio apartment with kitchen and balcony on a quiet street. www.palmvillas.com.au

In case you’re tempted, more on Sydney Bridge climb at www.bridgeclimb.com More on diving excursions in the Great Barrier Reef: www.poseidonpcruises.com.au

Have you been to Australia, climbed the bridge, been diving at the Great Barrier Reef? Share your views. Click on “Leave a Reply” after the slideshow below.

If you’d like to read more of my tales and adventures, click on “Email Subscription” at top right of post. New Zealand’s magnificent Fiordland coming soon. And, a new recipe appears with each new post.

Learn about the famous melons of Provence. Try a tasty melon salad. See “Melon Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts” under recipes at right.

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Bicycling with Battery Power

Press a button on the bicycle handlebar. Whee…, you soar full speed ahead. It’s like magic, a thrilling sensation.

The power of electric bicycles. I was excited. Husband Bicycle Bob (BB), a hardcore macho cyclist, less so. Yet, we enjoyed our recent all-day excursion on these fun bicycles in the Luberon hills of France’s Provence.

Electric bicycling seems to be surging in popularity. Baby boomers getting too old and out-of-shape for demanding pedaling? More folks wanting a bicycle excursion without stress and sweat? Serious cyclists who want to cover many miles, including some steep ascents where a power boost would be welcome?

Whatever the reasons, electric bicycles offer an enjoyable and easy alternative to conventional pedaling. We rented these sturdy monsters for a day in the Provence town of Gordes with the company Sun-E-Bike which just started renting the bikes, valued at 1,300 euros each, at Easter.

Florian Machayekhi, who spoke English, gave us a briefing. You must pedal for the motor to be in operation, he explained. There are three settings for different levels of motor power. For steep hills, for example, you may wish to select the highest. When going downhill, or in the flats, you can press a button to switch off the motor and pedal as with a regular bike. Sun-E-Bikes have seven speeds.

We have done a lot of bicycling and did not intend to pedal with auxiliary power all the time. However, these bikes are heavy, 25 kilos, therefore not quite like your bike back home. I always shut the power off for downhills, and, lest being a real wimp, tried to keep it off in the flats. But, as this is Provence where the winds often blow, I was happy to press the power button to offset those nasty gusts produced by the Mistral. And, I was no martyr in the hills, loving the easy and effortless climbs. BB, of course, had to do it the hard way most of the time. For the first time on cycle trips, I beat him to the top. So, I cheated…it was still fun being first.

Florian had given us a map with a 40-kilometer itinerary through some Provence highlights: Fontaine de Vaucluse, Saumane de Vaucluse, Isle sur la Sorgue… He suggested we have lunch at the latter where we could exchange the batteries. The bike battery will last for 35 kilometers. When we arrived at Les Terrasses du Bassin, the restaurant/battery exchange point, our batteries still registered full – all four battery lights still glowing.

We enjoyed lunch on the restaurant terrace where the river forms a large pool of crystal water popular with hungry ducks, but did not bother to get a new battery. Almost a mistake. Several hours later when we neared Gordes, the quintessential perched village and our destination, my bike was down to one battery light. And, the last part was five kilometers all up hill. I kept the motor setting on the lowest, thus using less power, and said a prayer that it would get me all the way back to the rental station. I did not want to pedal that weighty bike up this killer ascent. Luck was with me. I made it back under battery power.

We cycled on May 8, a holiday in France, so the walkway through the forest to the scenic source of the Sorgue River at Fontaine de Vaucluse was crowded with strollers. Riding became too risky, so we pushed the bikes up the path along the raging river. Not easy, but the sounds and sights of the water below charging over rocks and boulders detracted from the effort.

Isle sur la Sorgue, known as the Venice of Provence, is a pleasant spot for a lunch break. The Sorgue River splits into numerous streams flowing through the town not unlike Venetian canals. Pedestrian bridges decorated with flower boxes and mossy waterwheels add to the picturesque ambience.

Between the towns on our itinerary we cycled past acres of vineyards, orchards, fields ablaze with wildflowers and weathered stone farm houses, all with the Luberon hills as a backdrop.

Pascal Hernoult welcomed us and the bikes back in Gordes. The new electric bike venture is “encouraging,” he said. “People return with big smiles. They say it’s ‘formidable.’ They are not tired.”

Count me among those happy electric bicyclists. Even BB admitted he was glad for the battery power to get back up that last long hill.

Watch the slideshow below for more photos. Enjoy a tasty treat of the season: Hsin’s Strawberry Cake. See recipe in column at right. Next blog post to focus on French health care — a first person account based on my upcoming knee replacement surgery. Don’t miss it. Click on “Email Subscription” at top of right column.

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Sun-E-Bike has 200 electric bicycles for rent at three different sites in Provence: Gordes, Bonnieux and Lauris. Cost for rental per day is 35 euros which includes a helmet and yellow safety vest. Half-day rental (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m): 22 euros. Insurance: 2 euros per day. A deposit of 200 euros or an ID card such as passport or driver’s license is required. Maps with suggested itineraries and battery exchange points are provided. Baby seats, baby trailers and panniers can be rented for an extra charge.

SuneE-Bike also offers bike rental for longer periods with hotel overnights and luggage transfer provided. See the web site for details: www.sun-e-bike.com

Meandering around Melbourne

This was the best part of our visit to Australia. It’s all due to the warm and generous hospitality of our friends Meg and Brendan Downie who took great pains to show us the sights and treat us to excellent meals and superb wines, not to mention comfortable accommodations at their attractive home in Donvale outside the city.

We met Meg and Brendan years ago when we lived in Germany where we were members of the Porsche Club. I had a Porsche 944 (considered by many not to be a real Porsche), but it was my baby, my pride and joy, which I drove for 17 happy years. Brendan had both a Porsche 356 and 911. He still has these, and a 1936 Ford. Attendance at a Porsche event was a highlight of our visit.

Plus, a spectacular drive through the Mornington Peninsula, the Yarra Valley, a visit to an animal sanctuary, an aborigine art gallery and more.

During a visit downtown, I had the opportunity to talk to John McGaw, senior business development manager with Destination Melbourne. “I’ve worked in the tourism and wine industry for years,” he said. “I’ve lived in Syndey, Adelaide and now Melbourne. I prefer Melbourne. It’s such a friendly city. Everything is easy here…We’re a shopping and dining capital.” The city has 80 different kinds of ethnic restaurants, he pointed out.

According to John, Melbourne, a city of almost four million, was just voted “the world’s most livable city.” “It’s as safe a city as you’ll find anywhere,” he boasted. Tourism is important to the multi-cultural city, with China considered the largest future market, followed by India. Then there’s Greece. John said that Melbourne has the second largest population of Greeks after Greece. “They’ve been coming here for 40 years.” The city’s Greek Quarter, as well as Chinatown, is fun to visit. For Vietnamese fare, there’s Victoria Street lined with noodle shops and grocery stores.

The downtown is lively, vibrant, with street entertainers, hucksters, and plenty to admire, including 50 shopping arcades, the oldest, the Black Arcade, dating to 1892. John recommended we visit an old world Victorian tea shop whose window was filled with luscious pastries. The place is so popular, we had to stand in line to wait for a seat.

Federation Square is an innovative mix of glass and steel structures with shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars — and the venue for some 2,000 events every year. Docklands on Victoria Harbor offers more shopping and dining opportunities. The Queen Victoria Market is food paradise. Meg and Brendan shop there every Saturday, visiting favorite stands for fruits and veggies, as well as delis and bakeries.

Within just 90 minutes of the city center, stunning scenery awaits. We made many photo stops on our drive through the Mornington Peninsula. The Yarra Valley, a wine growing region, is also picturesque with wineries where you can stop to taste fine chardonnays, pinot noirs and more. Our drives took us though areas devastated by the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009 which ravaged southeastern Australia —— past slope after slope of still barren trees.

Wildlife is a major attraction in Australia. Meg took time from her duties as ward councilor for a visit to friend Neil Abbott, a jovial farmer with 100 acres where 70 – 80 kangaroos usually hang out. As luck would have it, the beasts were missing the day we visited. The day before there had been a major fire drill with helicopters hovering over the area. The noise drove the kangaroos away, but we did spot one or two during a tour with Neil in his four-wheel drive vehicle through the hilly terrain. And, we learned about kangaroos.

“The aborigines used to eat them. The dingoes (Australian wild dog) used to eat them. But now they have no natural enemies,” Neil said. So, they proliferate and become pests, destroying trees and fences. They sharpen their claws on the tree bark. “Their claws are longer than your finger,” he explained. Some people shoot them, but this is an outrage. “People are up in arms about those who shoot our national emblem,” he said. He can no longer farm due to the kangaroo population on his land, but he won’t shoot the animals.

“The kangaroos are a wild animal. They should be in the bush. It’s cruel to have them in these areas where they are chased by dogs, where they ruin fences, and are a danger to cars and people… I believe there are a lot of accidents, people killed, veering to avoid hitting a kangaroo,” he said.

During our drive through his farm, Neil said he had a surprise for us. He knew where a wombat lived and would take us there. He got out and went ahead down a hill. “Be quiet…he’s here,” he told us. We crept behind, me with camera ready. Voila, I focused on a furry brown head. Wait, something seemed amiss. It did not move. It looked a bit suspicious. No wonder. It was a stuffed wombat Neil had buried under leaves – a joke he often plays on naïve visitors.

We saw more wildlife on a visit to the Healesville Sanctuary where demonstrations and lectures on the various critters are scheduled throughout the day. The Koalas drew big crowds.

Colin McKinnon is another friend Meg took us to visit. His Mia Mia Gallery features an amazing collection of beautiful aboriginal art. The gallery is owned by aborigines, and the profits are returned to aborigine communities. Colin, himself an aboriginal artist, explained the symbolism of many of the intricate and colorful works, and he generously gave me a print which now hangs in our living room, a treasured souvenir of our memorable visit to Melbourne.

More on the Mia Mia Gallery at www.miamiagallery.com

More on Melbourne at www.destinationmelbourne.com.au

More on the Healesville Sanctuary at www.zoo.org.au

For more views of Melbourne and surroundings, watch the following slideshow. For a taste of Greece, whose influence is prominent in Melbourne, try Meg’s Baklava, recipe in column at right.

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Turkey: from Istanbul to the ski slopes

Masses of people. Pouring through the squares. Walking four and five abreast on the sidewalks. Strolling almost body to body on the popular, wide pedestrian street, Istiklal Avenue, on a Saturday evening.

Istanbul 2012, home to 17 million and booming. I’d been to the city twice before, but long ago. The changes, the vibrant pulse of round the clock activity, choking traffic, five-star hotels and designer shops –all overwhelming.

My recent visit was with the Ski Club of International Journalists (SCIJ, www.scij.info). We were en route to our annual meeting, this year held on the slopes towering above the city of Erzurum in far eastern Turkey. Some 200 skiing journalists from 30 countries met to ski, race, party, and learn about this dynamic country from distinguished speakers.

Some of the facts:

• Fifty percent of the Turkish population of 75 million is under 30.

• There are more than 25 universities in Istanbul.

. • One million people visited Turkey last year – the country ranks 7th in the world in number of visitors.

• Turkey has been a model for the Arab Spring, a secular democracy with a Muslim population.

• In 1980, the country’s exports totaled $3 billion. Last year that figure was $130 billion.

• Turkey is the sixth largest economy in Europe, 16th largest in the world.

The media are thriving with some 1,000 daily newspapers, 100 television channels and two billion Internet users.

• But, all is not rosy. Freedom of the press is a hot issue. Between 50 and 100 journalists are said to be in jail for being critical of the government.

• 69 percent of the population wants Turkey to join the EU.

As one of our speakers said, “Turkey is the new kid in town.”

I arrived in Istanbul a day early and spent an afternoon at the Grand Bazaar, a shopper’s Mecca with hundreds of shops and stands offering gleaming gold jewelry, silver jewels, carpets, scarves, ceramics and more. Before setting off to the mountains, the group visited Istanbul’s star attractions: Hagia Sophia Museum, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. A Bosphorus cruise is a must

for an Istanbul visit. We were blessed with warm sunshine for our boat trip on this 30-kilometer stretch of water which connects the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea and separates Europe from Asia.

We savored excellent cuisine. Turkish Meze, small plates served as appetizers, are different and delicious, often seasoned cold vegetables, such as eggplant, zucchini, peppers… as well as stuffed grape leaves, cheese and a yogurt-garlic sauce for dipping. Kebabs of beef or lamb are a frequent main course. Baklava is a favorite dessert.

Not only a fabulous dinner, but over-the-top entertainment, was a highlight when we dined beneath the streets of Istanbul in an ancient cistern which was constructed in the 5^th century and is now used as a venue for special events. A well-known Turkish clarinet player and his band played non-stop for more than an hour and a half – an incredible performance. Then came the country’s famous belly dancer, Asena, whose sexy slithering and amazing body movements were mind boggling.

For me, the best of Istanbul was the hamman or Turkish bath, a soothing multi-step ritual which leaves you feeling ultra clean and relaxed. For the bath, we visited the historic Hurrem Sultan that dates back to the 16^th century but was restored in the 1950s. There are separate sections for men and women.

The surroundings are opulent – all white marble under a domed ceiling pierced with tiny windows to let in light. Each bather is assigned an attendant who first pours warm water over your naked body. The water is scooped from a basin under bronze faucets into embossed bowls –very classy. This goes on for some time, then you are led to a large room where bodies lie on towels in a circle under the grandiose ceiling. The attendants whirl a large cloth bag though the air, then, starting at the top of the bag, squeeze it until soap suds come out the open end at the bottom— mountains of white foam. The bodies soon look like mummies buried under mounds of cotton candy. The attendant gently massages the suds into the body from head to toe. It’s glorious. This is followed by an entire body scrub down with a rough mitt to remove dead skin. Then, more pouring of water, all ending with relaxation in a chaise lounge and a glass of rose hip tea. I liked it so much, I went for a repeat performance at our hotel in the mountains. There the surroundings were not quite as posh, but the experience was equally as heavenly.

For most of our group, the best part of the trip was no doubt the skiing – and theobligatory races (giant slalom and cross country). But, as I have a knee which is worn out (replacement surgery scheduled for May), I spent almost no time on the slopes. I had relaxing days at the hotel, and, in addition to the hamman, took advantage of the swimming pool.

Nation’s Night is a SCIJ tradition. Participants bring delicacies from their countries to share with the others. Airline restrictions make this more and more challenging, nonetheless the variety of food and drink offered is a tribute to the determination and innovation of these skiing journalists. Foie Gras from France. Raclette from Switzerland. Pasta from Italy… and Thanksgiving turkey for a meeting in Turkey from the US.

The turkey was the idea of the U.S. team captain, Risa Wyatt. Customs regulations prevented bringing turkey from the U.S., but the hotel did a commendable job of roasting two large birds. I made and brought cranberry chutney to serve with it. The beverage: Wild Turkey. It was a sensation.

We even had one bird leftover which we served at the end of the cross-country race, along with the legendary Dutch pea soup, the latter a popular tradition prepared every year, with much difficulty, on site by our colleagues from Holland.

Unfortunately the trip ended on a sad note for my Irish friend and roommate Isabel who broke her arm on a bad fall the last afternoon. She had to have surgery in the hospital in Erzurum. The Turkish organizers of our meet, the hospital staff and Turkish Airlines treated her like royalty. But, now that she’s back home in Belgium, she has learned that mistakes were made during the operation and it must be redone.

She’s depressed and says she won’t ski again. Skiing has been my passion, and I am worried that a new knee may not permit me to get back on the slopes. I told Isabel we must both give it a try – maybe sticking to the gentle slopes. Next year SCIJ will celebrate its 60^th anniversary in the Italian Dolomites – something not to miss.

For more on Turkey, see www.goturkey.com. For more on the Ski Club of International Journalists, see www.scij.info. See “Poached Chicken Breasts with Arugula Pesto Sauce” for a chicken recipe with a bit of green for St. Patrick’s Day. Watch the slide show to follow.

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