Time for another visit to Milford Connecticut!

It was time for our BBF to have another adventure with his BF’s in Milford, so bags got packed and we were locked into his hand luggage suitcase on the left.

Early in the Morning on Monday 11 August Petra and Vincent dropped us all off at Düsseldorf Airport. Our BBF had already checked in and had his Boarding Passes, so the actual Check-in went smoothly as did the Security Checks and then it was just a short wait for the first flight which took us to Dublin. It seems the norm now on European flights is that you have to pay for refreshments, so our BBF shut his eyes and dozed most of the way.

In Dublin he was keen to have a sit down meal in a restaurant, but this was not to happen. He discovered that the US Customs and Immigration had a facility at the airport so decided to go through them after ascertaining that there were places to get refreshments on the other side! Unlike the US Customs and Immigration in JFK New York there were little queues and it went quickly. Now, however, the only restaurant on this side was for First and Business Class Passengers! There was an Irish Pub which was full and one had to queue to get a place. There were a number of other cafe’s where one could get coffee and a sandwich. There was also a number of machines that dispensed drinks and sandwiches.

Our BBF got himself a chicken salad sandwich and a bottle of water and sat in the waiting area by the departure Gate to eat it.

Although it was mid morning there were not that many people in the hall which filled up as time went on. We had a total of five hours to wait, which if we had sat in a restaurant and had a proper meal would have flown by. As it was, it was a tedious wait. Time passed and when we boarded the hall was full of people. The Air Lingus flight was full and Alan had an aisle seat. The woman next to him coughed and sneezed all the way over! The food on the flight was the worst we have ever had and the entertainment system was not that inspiring either. The quality of the sound was poor as was the choice of movies. Our BBF gave it up as a bad job and did his best to doze instead. Arrival at JFK and leaving the aircraft went to smoothly and quickly. There were no further checks at all and we were out in record time. The flight was also early so we had a short wait for Brec to come and collect us.

It was dark by the time we arrived home in Milford and we were pleased to be released from the case to rest in our new bed.

Despite our jet lag the old friends sat and chatted well into the night. The next morning Brec was pleased to be able to use his new breakfast bowl and mug.

On Wednesday Brec and Sandy gave Alan the keys to the Truck and told him it was his to use while he was here. Needless to say after breakfast he took off in it.

He went to the Connecticut Post Mall shopping centre bought a charging cable for his iPhone so he could charge it while driving and then later a phone holder. He also discovered how to use the cruise control and coupled the phone with the car audio system via Bluetooth. In the Mall Alan now had lunch.

Alan then drove to Bridgeport East End Yacht Club to join Brec in doing some varnishing on OTTER.

He said that it was far too hot in the sun and that it felt like they were both back in Rebak Marina in Malaysia. Our BBF felt good and relaxed to be back just pottering around on a boat again. Once it was done Alan took off for home where he had a quick nap for the humans were all going out to dinner.

On Wednesdays at the Bridgehouse Restaurant Lobsters are on special! What is better than a lobster?……..Two lobsters, which our BBF felt was almost too much of a good thing, but he polished them off and enjoyed every morsel!

After dinner Brec had to go to his studio to complete a painting, while Sandy and Alan returned home alone, and drank Genever out of the Shipfaced glasses Alan bought in Cutty Hunk two years ago!

After Breakfast Sandy went into town to get the new Truck registered and licensed for the road. Brec took it anyway to go to the boat and do some varnishing. Alan was tasked with taking Brec’s car to a Muffler Repair Shop to get an estimate, as his exhaust was a little loud! The estimate was horrendous and since the car has over 418,000 miles on the clock, maybe it was time to get rid of it.

Alan returned to the house and with Sandy went shopping where  he bought a cheap pair of trousers and jeans with a couple of T-Shirts so that he could do dirty work on the boat.

Brec had invited his Lodger Bill, also a marine artist, from next door to dinner after which the male humans all went to Bill’s to watch a series about the war in the Pacific a bit like ‘Band of Brothers”. They drank whiskey and ate popcorn while watching it.

On Thursday Brec had to fly to Arizona to visit his sister who is slowly dying! Alan took the Truck and went for a drive. He ended up in Old Saybrook and went shopping in West Marine where he bought himself a set of new boat shoes. That night after dinner Sandy and Alan played Cribbage and drank more Genever!

 

Friday morning was a wellness day for the two humans and the cat! The humans went for a neck and foot massage at a Thai establishment which was very relaxing and much needed. After a quick roast beef sandwich for lunch they returned home to take the cat to the vet. Emma has been complaining to anyone who will listen. Our BBF just meows back! The Vet gave her the once over took blood for tests, but for a 19 year old cat Emma seemed in perfect condition. Maybe it was just senility creeping in!

On the way home now we had to go to the railway station to collect Sandy’s God son Jens. Sandy and Jens have this custom of binge watching “The Lord of the Rings” which they have been doing for some 11-15 years now. But before we could start doing that we had to go out to the Café in Milford for drinks and a meal, as well as meet Sandy’s friends and listen to the music.

 

Jens is an interesting young man. He is in his 30s, has a degree in political science and international relations and is moving to Vienna to work. He speaks some German which will clearly improve while he is there. Our BBF and he spoke a little German to each other during the evening.

Back home the binge watching started. Sandy has the whole of the Lord of the Rings Directors cut on six CDs. Alan watched the first two before going to bed. When he got up again in the morning they were already into the next session which lasted the rest of the day. At the end of the session Jens had to leave to catch his train home. 

When Sandy returned as there was an oyster festival in town she and our BBF went looking for oysters and some fizzy water. At the first place they chose there was standing room only and no parking spaces available! At the River View Bistro they found parking and space to sit at the bar.

It was to be Alan’s treat, they drank Prosecco, Sandy had Clam Chowder and Alan four Oysters. Yum!

After that it was off to the Irish Club in Milford where Sandy is a member as her great great grandmother was from Ireland. Alan was looking forward to Irish music, but the band played a mix of modern pop/rock.

 

They had some nibbles to eat which went down very well with the Guinness! When the band paused for a break after 90 minutes of playing Alan and Sandy returned home to play more Cribbage and drink Genever. It was a great card playing session with much drinking and merriment. Alan came to bed at least three sheets to the wind! 

There is no peace for the wicked and so our BBF was up early to shower and go to church the next day. As Brec had returned late in the night he was allowed to sleep in.

 

It was good service with a friendly congregation. Sandy and Alan drove home with the top down.

Later in the afternoon they went shopping and Alan treated Sandy and himself to the best ice cream in Milford at Scooby Doo’s!

Brec has now made a plan for sailing. Tomorrow, Monday two young women from Mönchengladbach are coming to stay for a week and Sandy will be picking them up in the afternoon, so we will have a full House here. 

Passendale and the Ypres Salient!

We traveled to Lille on Monday 7 October with our BBF to meet with Glenn and Gwen from Canada to visit the Battlefields of WWI. We had been before and wrote about it

Home Again!

Our BBF was annoyed and perplexed last night ( Monday 10 June ) when he couldn’t find affordable accommodation for our next night! His lack of fitness for maintaining 80-100 Kms per day meant that we would take longer and so the whole Adventure looked more expensive than first thought! The weather was far from perfect for rain was forecast on our route for the next two days. As we went to sleep our BBF announced that we would return home. He‘d rather spend money on outings with his patchwork families than on a cycle tour where only rain was our steady companion!

The next morning it was not raining yet which was a bonus. Alan was the only guest for breakfast after which he packed and then collected the bike! Once loaded we had a look at what Bergheim had to offer. 

As it was mildly sunny we Bears could sit where we too could enjoy the countryside. Bergheim, appeared to us to have far more Italian Ice Cafes than decent restaurants.

Once the right direction was found we headed out of town on a different route to the one we came in on. Eventually we did find and follow the Erft river again.

Without rain the ride was more entertaining and enjoyable! 

Once again we crossed over the river on small bridges! 

Occasionally we would see the odd human walking a dog, but we had the paths to ourselves! 

Then the route took us over a hill we did not cross before to find ourselves on the edge of a large windpark! 

Close by was also a brown coal fired power station. Later we came closer to one and found our small hut again!

It was cold on the bike which explains our BBF‘s head covering. Then it was on again until we reached home in good order. 

Alan left us to take a short walk into town to buy a few bits.

He didn’t fancy cooking so took himself off to Bowl Brothers for a meal. 

He was the only guest, though they appeared to do a brisk trade in takeout/deliveries! 


So ended a brief adventure. 

The Three Rivers Cycle Tour Day One

Our BBF was in need of an adventure and so he decided we would cycle a route following three rivers. The suggested route started in Cologne and follows the Rhine North then follows the Erft to more or less its source and then the Ahr back to the Rhine. This morning 10 June it was overcast and rain was in the offing. The thought did occur to us not to go, but if we put it off we’d never go.

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Coming from the North to join this circular route we cycled to Grevenbroich to pick it up, some 15 kms. The rain was light, but steady which meant our BBF put on all his oilies or what ever cyclists call their rain gear. It was good that he did as the rain didn’t stop. The route took us down Konstantinstrasse in Mönchengladbach where there is Stadler a large cycle shop. Our BBF stopped here to buy a rain cover for his helmet and a pair of new Galoshes. The ones he had were missing a strap and not the best one could buy. The first pair with his shoe size wouldn’t fit so he exchanged them for XL which did. Then after using their toilets we set off again. 

The route followed minor roads but with a fair amount of traffic which made it noisy. The cycle path out side of town was more often than not on the other side of the road. It got colder as we progressed so at a bus stop hut we stopped to put on another layer under the water proof jacket. In Grevenbroich we had a bit of a problem picking up the new route to follow the Erft, but eventually found the right way. 

Now the route was along one bank or the other of the river, through woodland where we were afforded some protection from the rain. At just the right time we came across a little hut with a bench where we stopped to have a sandwich lunch. Sadly opposite us was parked very a noisy soiled water tanker which had stopped to pump out the rain water drain. 

Were it not for the rain the route would have been pretty with places to stop and enjoy the river. We cycled on though. After some four hours of cycling our BBF was tiring and decided to find somewhere to stay. He found a small hotel in the middle of Bergheim and so we went there.

The hotel when we got there was all shut up, so after calling the proprietor we sat in the Italian ice cafe opposite to await his arrival. Our BBF indulged in a Coffee ice cream which was far larger than he expected!

The bike was parked in a garage and locked up and we made ourselves at home. After a wash and brush up our BBF had a nap. 

We found a Cafe not too far from our hotel for a meal and an isotonic drink. 

It has stopped raining as we write, but the forecast is for more of the same. Not nice but all part of life’s adventure our BBF says.

 

The long journey home!

Our BBF slept well, but woke early. He dozed and then got up at around 08:30 hrs. Showered, shaved, got dressed and packed the last suitcase. When he took it downstairs he found Brec and Sandy there and so he sat and had the last breakfast in Milford.

He loaded his two large suitcases into the back of Sandy’s car with Brec’s help! 

Then they gave each other a huge bear hug with watery eyes! Promises were made to return Insha’lla!!

It was a beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky as Sandy drove us all to JFK airport. There was much traffic on the road and it was good that we had left early.

When on the bridge over to Long Island we had a view of the New York sky line. 

Sandy dropped us off at Terminal 7 for Condor Airlines and then followed another tearful hug and grateful kisses for the generosity and the wonderful hospitality shown us!

Our BBF found the check in desk and dropped off his two suitcases. Then he had to go and pay for the second one, $118! 

The security took with the long queue about 30 minutes and he had to go through the X-Ray machine twice and be subjected to a body search as his artificial knee showed up on the scan!

Once belt, boots and everything had been gathered we were off to find lunch! Alan had one last Burger! Then it was just a matter of waiting till it was time to board!

The Air Tags seemed to show only one suitcase loaded on the plane! It says Backpack but it is a suitcase. We hope it’s a glitch and nothing more!

We boarded late and we Bears are in the shoulder bag under the seat in front!

The route to be taken we found interesting flying over the sea where we sailed just a few short weeks ago! We are amazed now that we sailed back and forth over that bit of ocean!

Our late take off from JFK we felt did not bode well for our onward journey! During the flight our BBF watched a film called A Wrinkle in Time about two children looking for their father! He then tried to sleep a bit but only rested his eyes. 

Another film was watched Fools Gold, and so the time passed till landing! 

Our BBF did his best to get across the airport to get his connecting flight to Düsseldorf, but failed as they had shut the plane doors a few minutes before! 

The Air Tag showed that one case is still in JFK! 

We were quickly booked onto another flight leaving at 08:35 hrs, so now went directly but slowly to that gate to wait! The family have been informed so now we just have to get to Düsseldorf to report the lost suitcase! 

And then the App told us that both suitcases had arrived in Frankfurt! Good news at least!

And then our BBF had a window seat, but tried to sleep!

We were in Düsseldorf in next to no time! 

And our Bags were there too!

Petra and Vincent were there to collect us and took us to Sigrid‘s for a welcome breakfast! Sigrid had her own surprise, birthday gifts for the sailor home from the sea! 

Back in our own four walls our BBF went to bed and we began telling the other Bears about our adventures! 

Alls well that ends well, now our BBF needs to recover from the adventure in America!