Tag Archives: Retirement abroad

Spain

Lleida Spain

We took one day and decide to go to the city of Lleida located in Catalonia. Like many places in Spain, it has a long and interesting history.

One of the highlights for us was exploring the historic centre and making our way up to the impressive  “La Seu Vella” known as The Castle of the King. The castle is located on the highest point and is referred to as the Sovereign Rock.

One of the arched entrances into the castle

The castle was large and impressive with views of the entire region. Built between the 12th and 14th century it was home to the visiting King and used as his fortress and palace when in Lleida.

View from inside the castle walls of Lleida

There was also a Gothic 12th century Cathedral located inside the castle walls.

Cathedral inside the castle walls

It dominated the centre of the castle along with the large bell tower. The inner courtyard of the Cathedral was impressive and open.

We explored the castle enjoying the views and just experiencing this historic site. We made our way to the bell tower and it did not disappoint.

The tower was so high that we had to angle of picture. (LOL)

Ray and Shelley at the Bell tower in Lleida

There’s something we love about visiting places that aren’t always on the tourist travel itinerary. You get to explore the pure Spanish culture and enjoy a city without feeling as though you’re following a crowd. We had a great day, enjoyed exploring the city and had a tasty authentic Spanish meal. Overall a great day in this unique city.

“Dondequiera que vayas, de alguna manera se convierte en parte de ti.” – Anita Desai

France

A Few Days in the South of France

We took a little break and headed across the border into the south of France for a few days.  We spent a few relaxing days exploring and spending time with friends.

We visited Elne, a charming historic town with its beautiful cathedral and cobblestone streets.

Cathedral in Elne France

We stayed there for a few days and explored the narrow streets and views of the town.

View of the Rue Principal of Elne France
The Elne Arch which dates back to 1569
View of the Pyrenees from the top of the hill where the Cathedral is located

Shelley stopped and took a moment to smell the roses.

Shelley checking out the wild rose

We then made our way to Perpignan for a day.  We wandered around the city centre, We stoped to admire the fortress and then went exploring inside the fortified walls of the former fortress.

Former fortress entrance in Perpignan

Now a bustling centre with shops and restaurants it was an enjoyable way to spend the day.

We took in the sights, enjoyed some good food and, of course, found time for a coffee or two along the way.

But the real highlight of the trip wasn’t sightseeing, it was simply  spending time with friends. There was plenty of talking, laughing, eating and enjoying the occasional glass of wine. Which, is a pretty good way to spend a few days in France!

” à la prochaine fois”

Portugal

A day along the duero river in Porto

Today our plan was to walk throughout the city exploring along the Duero River area.  We spent the first part of our day wandering through the streets near the river. We came to many interesting buildings and sites.  At lunch we decided to stop at a cute outdoor spot.

Janice, Shelley, Scott and Ray enjoying a refreshment before the meal.

The service there was awesome our waiter was supper attentive and he was so happy to meet 4 Canadians.

Our waiter with Scott and us

We decided to follow the river and just enjoy the scenery. The riverfront was alive with lots of people, restaurants and cafés.

We came to an outdoor market area selling every type of souvenir or Porto products.

We spent some time walking through the market and of course, we couldn’t walk past Porto without sampling some of the local Port wine.

We found a beautiful spot along the river, sat back with a glass, and decided that sightseeing was definitely better with wine!

As the afternoon started turning into evening, we made our way to the gondola.

We were told the best place to watch the sunset was on the bridge and the Gondola brought us almost to that very spot.

Janice and Scott on the Gondola ride to the top.

So we climbed aboard and slowly rose above the city.

Looking down at the river and across toward the famous bridges, we could really appreciate just how beautiful this city is. When we reached the top we found a spot near the bridge and settled in to watch the sun go down.

on the bridge waiting to see the sunset.

The light began to change, the buildings started glowing, and the river reflected the colours of the evening.

Our day had started with no particular plan and ended with a glass of Port, a gondola ride and a beautiful sunset over Porto. Not a bad way to spend a day!

“A vida é uma viagem, não um destino.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Finland

Viikinkiravintola Harald

As our time in Helsinki came to an end, Shelley and I wanted to make our final evening in Finland something special. After several wonderful days exploring the city, we decided to celebrate our last night with a memorable dining experience at Viking Restaurant Harald, known in Finnish as Viikinkiravintola Harald.


From the moment we walked through the doors, we felt as though we had stepped back in time to the days of the Vikings. The restaurant’s décor was authentic, featuring beautifully carved wooden seating, and lots of Viking-themed artifacts and paraphernalia.

Shields, weapons, carvings, and rustic furniture created the atmosphere of a traditional Viking longhouse. 



We sat down at our table and enjoyed a glass of wine in pottery glasses while wearing our Viking hats. The experience was much more than just the décor. The food was very good and it was an excelent experience.

We tried reindeer steak and salmon and both plates were delicious. We enjoyed our meal and took time to reminisce some of the highlights of our Helsinki trip. 

Some journeys are remembered for the places you see while others are remembered for the experiences you share. Helsinki was both for us.

“Jokainen matka alkaa ottamalla ensimmäisen askeleen.”

Finland

Detour adventure to Helsinki Finland

On the last day in Singapore Shelley and I were making our way home from Singapore, with Madrid as our intended destination. Everything was going smoothly until we learned that our flight had been cancelled. Like many other travellers facing disruptions, we suddenly found ourselves searching for alternatives.

Unfortunately, as a result of the war in Iran, there were very few direct flights available into Europe.  After exploring our options, we discovered seats on a flight to Helsinki. It wasn’t where we had planned to go, but it got us into Europe. So rather than rushing to find the quickest connection home, we decided to embrace the unexpected and spend the Easter weekend in Finland’s capital.

Scandic Grand Central Hotel in Helsinki,

We checked into the Scandic Grand Central Hotel in Helsinki, a beautiful spot in a beautifully restored historic building adjacent to the city’s central railway station. It was perfect, the hotel was large and had hundreds of rooms. Our room was at the end of one of the long wings of the hotel and it kind of reminded us of the movie “The Shining.”

Helsinki has some unique architecture and its own vibe. Our first day we explored the city centre and were so impressed.  We began by the central train station and walked towards the water front.

Central Train Station in Helsinki

The iconic statues along both sides of the main entrance are known locally as “The Stone Men.”  Their official name is Lyhdynkantajat.

The Stone Men of Helsinki Central Train Station

The centre city has a blend of historic and contemporary buildings and design. 

Shelley in the city centre area of Helsinki

While walking towards the waterfront, we came across the Helsinki Cathedral Church. It was built in 1852 and has a beautiful white facade. 

We arrived down at the waterfront near the market square which is located on the South Harbour of the city. It is one of the city’s best-known landmarks and a hub for daily commerce.

We came to an area with lots of different tent kiosks selling all kind of goods. We walked along checking out the different art and food on sale.

We came to a kiosk selling Salmon soup and it smelled soooo good, we had to try it.

It was amazing and tasted so good. In fact we came back the next day to have the soup again. After exploring all the kiosks, we went to the enclosed market located in a beautiful older building.

The inside was beautiful with wooden kiosks all the way down both sides of the building.

There were small restaurants, cafe shops and artisan stores selling all kind of goods, from Salmon sandwiches, reindeer meat to Caviar.

Kiosk selling Reindeer pelts, antlers and meats.
Kiosk selling different caviars and fish

 Our first day in Helsinki did not disappoint, it was a very enjoyable day and we loved the atmosphere of the city.  One of the joys of travelling is discovering places that aren’t necessarily in your original plans. Helsinki turned out to be one of those pleasant surprises.

“Embrace the detours” – Kevin Charbonnea