Dec 30, 2019: Athens

I was supposed to go running this morning, but Saturday I had left my running shoes in the train from Groningen to Athens*^(^%%$$!!)
It rained last night and some today. In the morning I walked from the apartment through Aeros Park to Omonia and Monastiraki.

The Akropolis is still there.

On my shopping list I had the following: Bread, meat, olive oil, salt, honey and walnuts.

also  a washing line and running shoes. I got all of it.
I took the metro from Monastiraki to Victoria, and from there I walked back home.

And this is my last post for 2019...Pola Chronia, Kali Chronia!!

Athens: Kafkasou 32

Here a video of the apartment I am renting from Dec 28, 2019 - Feb 29, 2020

Dec 28, 2019: Groningen-Schiphol-Athens

I took the train from Groningen to Schiphol Airport at 07.48, and at 10.15 checked in with Aegean airlines.

Waiting for my flight to Athens now.

Landed at Athens airport at 15.45, local time. After I got my luggage I walked to the metro stop, across the street. It was waiting and left at 16.25. I got off at the Ambelokopi station. From there I took a taxi.

It was only 3.75 euro to Kafasou 54, where I had to pickup the key for apartment on Kafasou 32. Efi, the cousin of the apartment's owner gave me the keys, I was in the apartment at 18.00.

There is an AB supermarket around the corner where I got some bread, yoghurt and crackers for tonight and tomorrow morning.

On sunday I am visting my friend Hara, who lives near Victoria Square. Her brother will be there as well.

The apartment has been renovated: new double glas windows and doors, new fridge, microwave , pizza oven and a conversion stove top.

The balcony is 2 1/2 meters wide and 12 meters long....

Tomorrow I will post a video.

The apartment has been renovated: new double glas windows and doors, new fridge, microwave , pizza oven and conversion cook top.

No television, but I am not interested in Greek television anyway. I have a collection of 300 films and tv show on a portable USB drive, and I have my e-reader.....

Dec 26, 2019: Groningen

It was very quiet on Christmas morning. I walked, saw nobody except 5 runners.

This morning I ran, best effort in the past month. Very quiet again.

My next run will be in Athens on Sunday.....

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Lights in Athens

Christmas is 12 days away, but here is a video of Christmas lights in Athens, Greece.

Alaska

Moose fight in Alaska

Dec 06, 2019: Groningen

St Nicolas has come and gone. Today is the first day rain since I have been here. On Monday I am going to Nijmegen for 2 days, visiting friends.

Nijmegen is in the East of Holland, close to Germany. I lived there from the age of 18-28.

There is a Nature reserve close by "The Ooy.

The Ooy, in 1998. All the sheep are dead now..

Nov 27, 2019: Groningen

I took the train from The Hague to Groningen on Monday. Still jetlag: waking up at 01.30 and stating up to 03.30 and then I slept again until 08.45.
Yesterday I went running, 3 miles, averaging 09.40 per mile. Slower than last year...

I am in Groningen until Dec 28, when I fly to Athens.

Nov 22, 2019: Flagstaff-Phoenix-Heathrow-Schiphol-The Hague

After 2 days of rain and, at night, snow, blue skies with white topped green leaved trees when I left Flagstaff this morning.
I took the shuttle from to Phoenix at 09.20, arriving at Phoenix airport at 12.30.
I waited until 17.00 when I could check in. British Airways from Phoenix to Heathrow and another flight from there to Schiphol in Holland. 3 hours to get through security at Heathrow, that should be enough...
I am taking the train from Schiphol to The Hague Central whenre my brother will pick me up.

Nov 16, 2019: Flagstaff

Winter is coming....but not yet.
Freezing early morning, around 18 degrees in the afternoon. When I am home in the morning I sit and read in my easy chair until the trailer is warm enough.

I adjusted my "intermittent diet". Eat everything (less carbs) from 11.00-19.00. So a period of 8 hours in which I eat and 16 hours in which I don't.

Nov 06,2019: Flagstaff

After 1 month of sunshine, rain this morning. It is dry now, but still a lot of clouds.
Counting of the days when I am flying to Holland....

Oct 23, 2019: Flagstaff

Around freezing at sunrise, about 22 degrees Celsius in the afternoon, Blue Skies forever....
Fall weather and landscape

Starting tomorrow it will cool off, winter is coming. But I won't be here, I will be in Europe (Holland from November 23, and Greece from December 28).
My Dell laptop had problems (not charging and real slow with the power cable plugged in) I had the power brick tested at Best Buy in Flagstaff, it was not functioning normal.
I ordered a replacement from Dell, it came in yesterday and the problems are solved. From now one I will always use a power surge protector!

Oct 12, 2019: Flagstaff

It was -2 degrees Celsius this morning and 22 Celsius in the afternoon. Here is the video I made on Thursday at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. No flying then, they did fly on Friday.

Oct 10: Albuquerque

Yesterday I drove to Albuquerque in New Mexico to visit my friends Jose & Gerard.
I left Flagstaf at 07.30 and arrived in Albuquerque at 14.30 Mountain time.

This morning we got up at at 04.30 to go to the Balloon Fiesta. After getting lost ( I was not driving) we accidentally arrived at the best parking lot at the best time.
There was too much wind and blowing the wrong direction (towards the Navajo reservation where they are not allowed to land for the balloons to go up in the air...
But this is what we saw on the ground.

Here a video that I made of the 2002 Red Rock Balloon Rally in Gallup.

and the Parade through Downtown Gallup.

Oct 05, 2019: Flagstaff

Yesterday I flew from Vancouver to Denver and another plane to Flagstaff. On the plane to Flagstaff a was friend of Julie, she gave me a ride to Groome Transportation where I had parked my car since September 3. Warm weather and no problem starting my car, I was home at 20.30.

About 5 degrees Celsius this morning, but now it is 18 degrees.
The laptop I had with me for the past month, starting to have a power problem the last 2 weeks: would not charge the battery and everything worked at less than half speed.
I changed the wall cable this morning and it charged! I am at the Bookman store this morning and it has charged 100%, and running at normal speed.

191103: Dirks Reisen

Oct 04: Vancouver - Frankfurt
Um 09.00 zum Flughafen. Ich muss um 12.20 fliegen nach Denver, die Gruppe fliegt um 13.30 nach Frankfurt. Auf wiedersehen!
Ein video: nicht alles, aber vieles haben wir gesehen...

Oct 03: Vancouver - Freizeit
Heute kein Program....
Am Abend gemeinsam gegessen beim Griechisch Restaurant.

Oct 02: Vancouver
Heute sind wir nach Steveson

 Lax in Dosen

und das Hard Rock Casino gegangen.
Um 15.00 Uhr waren wir zuruck in die Stadt.

Oct 01: Victoria-Vancouver
Wir fahren mit ein Boot nach Vancouver, anschliessend ein Stadtfahrt.

Durch Water Street gefahren

 Canada Place

 angehalten beim Olympische Flamme

 und dann zwei Stops in Stanley Park.

 Prospect Point: Loewe Brucke

Sep 30: Victoria
Heute Besuch von Butchart Gardens

und BC Museum, mit Maya Kultur

und First Nations (Indianer) Kultur

Sep 29: Victoria
Ausgeschlafen: Um 09.15 angefangen mit ein Stadt fahrt, bis 10.30. Ausgestiegen beim BC Museum

Und von dort uber die Government Strasse nach Chinatown gewandert.

 Empress Hotel

Um 13.00 Uhr sind 4 Leute mit ein Waalboot mitgegangen.

 Um 15.30 Uhr kamen die zuruck. Viel gesehen, ein Orca schwamm unter das Boot!

Es hat ein Polizei Memorial Parade gegeben.

Um 18.00 Uhr gegessen beim Frankie's Diner. Zuruck nach BC Museum gewandert.

Da in unsere Bus eingestiegen: Um 20.00 Uhr zuruck in unseres Hotel.

Sep 28: Jasper - Hope - Tsawassen - Victoria
Von Winter zuruck nach Sommer.
Kamloops nach Hope

Tsawassen (Vancouver Hafen)

Mit ein Boot nach Victoria, auf Vancouver Insel.

Sep 27: Jasper - Wells Grey Park - Kamloops
Heute sind wir von Alberta nach British Columbia gegangen.
Angehalten beim Mount Robson (Schaute leider nicht so aus). Dicke Nebel.

und Wells Grey Park, mit Wasserfalle

Picknick beim Helmcken Wasserfall.
Um 16.45 waren wir in Kamloops.

Sep 26: Banff - Columbia Icefield - Jasper
Um 08.00 Uhr weg. Angehalten bei Bow Lake
In Juni

Heute

Saskatchewan Crossing fur Kafe

und weiter,  uber die Icefield Parkway

Bis das Columbia Icefield ein bischen Regen, aber dann Schnee beim Icefield.

und weiter Nordlich, nach Jasper.

Athbascan Falls

um 17.00 Uhr waren wir in unseres Hotel.

Sep 25: Banff - Lake Louise - Banff
Heute besuchent wir Lake Louise

 Chateau Lake Louise

Moraine Lake

Wanderen in Johnson Canyon

 In August war es Sommer, Mitte September war es Herbst, und jetzt kommt Winter...Samstag

Sep 24: Calgary - Banff
Sonne in Calgary beim Abfahrt.
Angehalten beim Stampede Arena.

Weiter, auf Highway 1, Richtung Banff

In Banff angehalten beim Banff Springs Hotel

Nch ein Wanderung die Bow Fluss entlang. Mit unsere Bus auf Sulphur Mountain nach oben.
Banff Gondola

 erste 20 Minuten nur Nebel, Hagel und kein Aussicht. Und dnn plotslich war alles deutlich zu sehen.

Nch unten und mit usere Bus gefahren bis zum Stadtmitte. Angehalten beim Royal Hotel. Zwei Stunde freizeit. Wir wahren um 16.00 in unseres Hotel.

Sep 23: Frankfurt - Calgary
Ein andere Escort entfangt die Gruppe (alle 6 Leute) am Flughafen, setzt die in taxis nch ds Sndman South Hotel. Ich bin da und bezahle die Taxis. Heute war Abendessen in Hotel.