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Smokemont and the eastern portion of Smoky Mountain NP

We spent the last 4 nights in a creek side camping site in the Smokemont section. It was so peaceful. The creek ran steady, sounding like a gentle rain throughout the day and night.

The first evening we ventured up to Kuwohi to take in the views from the highest point in the Smokies. It was a short but steady upward climb to the observation tower but it was worth every step!

Forested mountains as far as the eye can see. Let’s keep it that way !

You can see 5 states from the observation tower!

It was very chilly at the top so we left before the sun was setting but this was our view when we descended the mountain!

Smokemont Campground was wonderfully peaceful. We occupied sites F42,F44 & F46 right along the running creek. There are no hookups but generators are allowed in the F loop from 8:00AM to 8:00PM. There is absolutely no cell coverage. It was a great way to unwind.

The Kephart Prong Trail followed the creek with 5 “foot log” crossings. It was a beautiful trail with steady elevation gain.

The beautiful Soco Falls within the Cherokee lands.

Again, forested mountains as far as you can see. Our national parks and forests are being threatened by the current administration. What a terrible loss it would be to lose the precious wilderness locations across our country. It is often said that our National Parks are America’s best idea. Let’s not loose sight of that🙏🏻

We bid farewell to the Smokies but we will be back!

The elk gathered to usher us out of the park.

Cades Cove, Smoky Mountains National Park…Bikes, Hikes, Butterflies, Bears, Dear Friends !

We have spent the last 4 days in Cades Cove, camping with the Riegels, the Wingfields and our favorite plus four (the Crowders and the Brauningers) staying in a delightful cabin in nearby Townsend. We had sites 20,21, and 22 of B loop which allowed us to use our generators between the hours of 8:00AM to 8:00PM. This was strictly enforced!

Our first full day we hiked the Middle Prong trail. It was perfect for our group of 10. It followed a creek and each segment was more beautiful than the next. The creek is a major habitat for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. It was remarkable how many we saw along the way!

The swallowtails were both playful and plentiful!

No visit to Cades Cove is complete without a drive around the loop. The Golden Girls had the best seats in the park! We saw at least 15 bears and the vistas along the way were stunning.

We were so fortunate that we were here on the first “Wonderful Wednesday”! The park service closes the loop and it is only open to bikes and hikers. What a pleasure it was to ride leisurely around the loop viewing the bears, the wild turkeys and the gorgeous scenery.

While riding we came across this large adolescent bear enjoying a lunch of leaves. We would have never spied him from a car. At least, that is until someone else did and the bear ham ensued.

Another nice hike makes for happy campers!

Before we left we enjoyed one last loop around the cove. I’m not sure our mode of transportation was park approved but it sure was fun!

One final day of cycling through the Dutch countryside but first the weekly cheese market in Alkmaal.

The Alkmaal Cheese Market held every Friday.

Our riding friends in front of our ship. We hope to meet again.

100 miles later (so glad we chose E-bikes), we bid farewell to the Magnifique. I hope it won’t be the last time on this small, but well appointed ship.

Flower Market, the North Sea and Tulips!

Yesterday started with a 6:00 AM wake up to be ready for a short bus ride to the largest flower market in Europe. The visit brought a whole new meaning to the beautiful bouquets and arrangements we enjoy at home.

The carts are stacked with certain types/colors of flowers and buyers bid on them virtually. The mobilized carts then load the flowers onto a buyers cart. It is a bit like Willie Wonka and the Flower Factory!

Next up was a fantastic 30 mile bike ride to the North Sea and through the Dutch countryside. It was an idyllic day.

Never, ever did I think I would touch the North Sea.

Our group of riders. We’ve made some new friends 😍

Through the National Dune Reserve. We are all in awe and more than envious of the designated bike trails throughout the country.

And hyacinths! Just imagine the smell from a field of these. That’s the joy of a bike ride.

We ended our ride in the beautiful city of Alkmaar.

Boat Bike Tours… Tulips🌷🌷🌷 Bucket List✅✅✅

We had a fabulous day today riding through the Dutch countryside (and navigating through several towns).

Our group of 37 riders was lead by two team leaders. We stayed to for the most part!

We rode about 16 miles to reach the Keukenhof Gardens

The display of spring bulbs was incredible. They actually only stay open to the public during the spring bulbs season. The rest of the year is spent preparing for the next! Seven million bulbs and over 800 varieties!

A well earned celebration after another 16 miles back to Harlem. Prost!🥂

We did not have enough time to really explore the city of Harlem , but it was both beautiful and vibrant. There were many beautiful buildings and lots of cafes and bars. We will be sure to spend a few nights here if we return to the. Netherlands.

Our accommodations for the week plus a little luggage!

Amsterdam, oh my

We have spent the last 36 hours exploring Amsterdam. What an incredible city. The canals are queen here and we have let ourselves get lost. What a pleasure! The diversity is noticeable and happiness seems to reign. And did I mention the diversity in cuisine is remarkable, especially after just visiting in Italy. 38,000 steps in 36 hours and we’ve barely scratched the surface.

The transportation system was extremely user friendly. First up was the tram. Tap your card getting on and tap it getting off. Ed was still on top of his game making sure we were heading in the right direction. I always appreciate his shepherding as I tend to get engrossed in my surroundings and overlook the small details like where to disembark.

We visited the Van Gogh Museum yesterday morning. We used Get Your Guide and booked a one hour tour which was filled with the tragic history of this artistic genius. After the tour we wandered the halls and took in the beauty of his works. It was very busy in spite of timed entries for all.

As a struggling artist Van Gogh often used both sides of his canvasses. These two paintings are on the same canvass. The still life was painted during his Dutch period, the self portrait during his years in France.

In the afternoon we took a semiprivate canal cruise on the Sophia, a boat built in 1919. She was a beauty!

Our Captain’s name was Fokko, pronounced like… you guessed it😂! He was a Dutchman with a wonderful sense of humor and a wealth of knowledge.

Ed’s sister just happened to be in Amsterdam on the same day so she joined us on the canal cruise. It’s alway a great day when we get to spend time with Marrian 🤗

Ed and I in front of the houseboat where Rebecca (think Ted Lasso) met her soulmate. Gezellig!!

If you are in Amsterdam be sure to look up Bow’s Journey. The entire cruise was terrific and much better than the larger tour boats.

Those of you who know me know that I have to mention the FOOD! It has been so delicious and I believe you could find any type cuisine you desire in this city! The first night we walked to Joordan district and enjoyed tapas (sorry, we were too travel weary to take pictures)

The next day we woke up refreshed and ready to explore.

We enjoyed a light breakfast of yoghurt in the park.

We enjoyed an amazing lunch at a small Nepalese restaurant called Bhatti Pasal on Voetboogstraat.

Nepali street style wok noodles with crispy fried chicken.

Our post cruise dinner was at an Indonesian restaurant named Long Pura. We enjoyed a communal rice table. 😋

And to end the night a Stroopwafle is a must!

We enjoyed an excellent breakfast at Motimer. The food was as delicious as the staff was welcoming. We have found that we like to eat breakfast out rather than pay twice the amount to have access to the hotel buffets.

One last meal in Amsterdam. We so enjoyed the quality and diversity of the choices. This was lunch at Dabka, a Lebanese restaurant. It was excellent!

No report of Amsterdam would be complete without a mention of the bicycles. They really are everywhere and you must use great caution when walking the streets. It is a bit of sensory overload!

This afternoon we board the Magnificent 4 for a four night bike and barge journey through the Dutch countryside. Stay tuned!

One last day in Apulia, bellisima!

We did not feel like venturing far from the Masseria on our last full day so we chose to stay closer to our home away from home.

A local bar where we enjoyed a cappuccino and a croissant.😋

Being beach people at heart, we decided to explore the local coastal town of Torre Santa Sabina. The water was beautiful but still a little too chilly for swimming.

In the evening we wandered into the old section of Ostuni. It is a good thing we hadn’t visited earlier. It was charming and there was lots of shopping 🤗

For our last night we dined at another Michelin recommended restaurant, Osteria Piazzetta Cattedrale. It was a quaint establishment, with the wife as the chef and the husband as the waiter. It was a fabulous way to end our trip.

Magical Ostuni

Apulia in April… Perfecto!

We have loved our week here at Masseria Annabella. April has been a wonderful time to visit Apulia with lush green landscapes, delightful temperates, and low crowds. This was the first house we reserved through the home exchange proton as Third Home and it has been a great experience!

The Masseria was beautiful and had many comfortable place to gather.

We enjoyed preparing light meals at the house many evenings after nice lunches out during the day. We even introduced Dorothy and Steve to the delicacy of gas station sandwiches in Italy!

Let’s Cook Apulian!!

One of our favorite things to do when visiting another country is to take a cooking class. We feel it is an excellent way to interact with local folks and learn more about their culture. Today’s was extra special as it was held in the home of a local family. We cooked with Agnes who translated for Angela, her mother, who is the primary cook of the family. It was like being invited as a special guest into their home. It was all hands on deck for the preparation of a delicious Apulian meal.

Some of these orecchiette pasta looked perfect… it wasn’t formed by any of us!

The batter was a simple combination of 00 flour, rice flour and sparkling water.

Handmade Orecchiette with pumpkin sauce and capocollo crisps.

Even Cosmo, the father, joined us for a delicious mid day meal.

The home and the property were charming and very functional. We so appreciated their hospitality.

Grazie mille for a fantastic experience!🫶🏼

Alberobello, the epicenter of Trulli, but 2 hours is enough

Yesterday we got an early start and drove to Alberobello. It is a fairytale like village of Trulli. Unfortunately, it has become very tourist driven with lots shops peddling the same souvenirs. We are still glad we visited and we were thankful to have arrived by 9:00 AM when the streets were quiet and charming. Even though the village has become commercialized, it is still worth a visit. We did download an audio guide through Gulliverway before arriving. It was quite informative and we were glad to have not paid for an expensive guide.

Amid the amazing architecture meant to avoid taxation because the trulli were not considered permanent structures.

We were glad to arrived early and practically had the village to ourselves.

Overlooking the Aia Picolla side of the village. It really is something out of a movie set!

Then it was off to an educational experience on the nuances quality olive oil. We now know how to determine if an olive oil is rancid and how to read labels to find high quality oil with strong Phenols.

There are over 600 trees on his land that are over 1,200 years old!