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Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html
Showing posts with label Relive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Relive. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Our Biking over 2022

 An overview of our biking in 2022
A very sunny Sunday in November, 2022
It was 21°C or 69.8°F
This was earlier in November. Sunny but chilly...
Wearing gloves and our skull cap under the helmet to protect the ears from the wind as we can go at a rather high speed on those E-bikes when going down hill.
On December 4, was my final E-bike ride for the year!
Pieter more often did run some errands and has biked far more frequently.
Pieter's E-bike rides over 2022:
1,550.5 km or 963 miles
A total of 93 rides... one for each year in age!
My E-bike rides over 2022 was 891.4 km or 554 miles
A total of 34 rides...

A bit more for both of us with the July bike rides at Jenny Lake in Wyoming and also recently in December Biking Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort ←(click link for Relive video) in Orlando, Florida .
And also a few short walks.
Planning to roll my bike again in 2023—did so far twice this month and Pieter five times.

Related link:

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Our Stay at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Florida

On December 26, I drove with my Pieter South on Interstate 75, towards Orlando, Florida...
Feeling good for having managed to get in the car after having been so sick for almost one week.
Even had to vomit after drinking more than 3 sips of water.
The traffic was horrible—standing still and the final stretch took us 2 hours more and arriving in the dark.
From the car I had to call and change our dinner reservation at the Four Flamingos Restaurant.
Not so good for arriving in the dark and driving full 8 hours instead of the calculated 6 but we were there!
Checking in and leaving our luggage still in the car, we went to the restaurant.
We opted for one Florida Seafood "Moqueca" with 
Jerk Spiced Cauliflower and it came with Coconut Steamed Rice
For me it is difficult to find some low potassium, low protein, low phosphorus food...
The small potato halves, inside the "Moqueca" I left for Pieter to eat.
But it was delicious!
Now we had our valet guy bring the car so we could unload and go to our room 1804 at the top floor. But this time we had no pool view like in 2003 on exact the same day—December 26 when we were there for 2 nights!
We were back again with Daughter Anita and her then fiancée on December 18, 19 and 20 of 2004 while visiting Kennedy Space Center, Epcot and Seaworld with them.
From there we went to Coconut Point, another Hyatt Resort in Bonita Springs, Florida towards Naples, FL.
And both of us once again for two free nights on April 26 and 27 in 2005.
It sure felt great for having this confirmation from October 20, 2022—otherwise no chance to find a room during the Christmas season.
We used Pieter's Hyatt points for free nights this time.
Our room with King Bed had a sunny balcony and view toward Orlando...
On December 24 it was very cold in Dublin, Georgia –10°C or 14°F and still several days of frost coming.
Here it was cool as well but we went to the pool on December 27, and it was a lovely heated pool!
What we both LOVED about this Hyatt Resort that you really are on vacation—no rush!
Other Hyatt Place and such, at times have breakfast till maximum 9:00 AM.
Here it is from 7:00–11:30 AM so we could make it leisurely into a kind of brunch.
Breakfast was at the Lakehouse Restaurant each morning and this is the view through one of its windows.
This I took from another window and it actually shows the huge lake.
You can canoe, sailboat, hydrobike and cayak.
From our brunch we walked to the area where they keep the bikes so we knew what they got and after Pieter took his nap, we would go biking. 
Look at that blue sky and Pieter is seen in his Royal Stewart tartan plaid shirt.
Just snapped this photo of the Hotel, from the Lake side—where the bikes were...
Water fowl standing right next to you...
And yes, that hydrobike would have been a fun activity as well!
We walked past the pool on this sunny day—where we swam the afternoon before...
When I'd gotten out of the water I noticed that my 22 karat gold toe ring was gone—after having worn it for 30 years!
I peered at the bottom and said to Pieter, one never finds that back!
Then Pieter spotted two Hyatt employees, and he talked to the gentlemen.
They said, well for that we got our vacuum cleaner and we will find it!
I'd swam into that cave the afternoon before (even though it was a lot colder in there!) and as we walked past this enormous lagoon–style pool around 11:40 AM we went back to our room.
Walking on our 18th floor and center right you can see one of the elevators going up.
The Christmas tree dwarfed...
A very interesting center part with metal pipes and glass roof top.
The Christmas tree with lots of Poinsettias...
Than at 12:26 Pieter took this photo of me—holding my 22 karat gold toe ring in my hand!
It just got delivered by two men that had indeed vacuumed it up in less than an hour since Pieter talked to them—WOW! 
What great courtesy in true Hyatt style!
Close to 2:00 PM from our balcony showing you our view.
And a photo from the balcony, showing you the lake...
We soon would be biking there, within the boundary of the Grand Cypress 535...
Pieter on his bike and the contrasts are far too strong with that sunshine and shade.
I just walked out of the shade for taking a picture of the Hyatt Regency from here.
Palm trees and lots of live oaks.
Pieter captured me and his own shade...
Hard to avoid in such weather!
My Campbell Soup cap shielded me from the sunshine.
Here we biked at the entrance side of the Hyatt Regency at the front of this huge 779 room hotel.
Beautiful grounds—so well kept!
Our 3rd and final dinner had come...
Time in Paradise passes fast!
We again went to the Four Flamingoes Restaurant.
This time we both shared a Surf & Turf
Half Lobster but we did have some very special high quality Filet without the Bacon with the Coconut Au Poivre and we went again for the Coconut Steamed Rice.
Walking past this fire pit on our way back from the Four Flamingos Restaurant, to the lobby...
A closeup view of the Christmas tree and the poinsettias.
And our final brunch...
My waffle with maple syrup and fresh berries and Pieter went for the continental (cold) buffet each morning.
We had received a one hour extension till noon and now we had to check out and also were able to cash in our anniversary Hyatt eGift Card of $ 100.
EVERYTHING here during this stay was just GRAND.
Now, I drove off to the Hyatt Regency in Sarasota...
Stay tuned.

Friday, November 11, 2022

After 34 Years Back to Cherokee, NC and Chimney Tops Overlook in Gatlinburg, TN

 Long before the Internet or GPS, on July 16 of 1988 we both went to Cherokee, North Carolina and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Just to show my Pieter the breathtaking views I'd seen when taking Mom & Dad up there in 1987.
Campbell Soup forced us to move within a couple of months—so we took our CHANCE.
Picture taken from Pieter on July 16, 1988 near Gatlinburg, along highway 441...
BUT back then there was no location indicated on our photos or slides.
AND there were hardly any signs at the locations...
But, I did find this old postcard on the Internet with the mention of Chimney Tops Overlook near Gatlinburg, Tennessee!
Complete with the huge rocks we were standing on...
We at that time did NOT know about Chimney Tops and it was rather hazy when we visited as you see from our photos.
But now we knew where we were heading towards and on Sunday morning, October 30 around 9:15 AM we started our journey up north—hoping for nice autumn colors as well.
A Rest Stop at Sanders Knob, North Carolina.
It looked rather cloudy but in the end it would turn out to be a perfect day.
We even started out with drizzle rain in the morning...
Once we'd crossed the state line from Georgia, going into North Carolina it was so beautiful.
I'd passed this old Water Mill and I turend quickly to come back for making a photo.
This was in Cherokee, North Carolina alongside the Oconaluftee River.
We spotted a restaurant, across from this water mill, so we drove there and after parking the car we walked a bit.
Lots of gift shops but no other restaurants on that side.
Now we view from the other side across the Oconaluftee River.
We had a good lunch and not even salty—at El Cajelito Mexican Restaurant on 1681 Acquoni Rd, Cherokee, NC 28719.
A much needed break for me as well!
We continued and saw the sign Elk viewing...
WOW what a very special BONUS was that!
The elk is the largest mammal in the Great Smoky Mountains!
They had become nearly extinct and got reintroduced.
Male elk or 'bulls' weigh around 600–700 pounds and the female or 'cows' weigh average 500 pounds.
Those trees had shed already lots of leaves during a week of rain, before we went there.
Yes, not far from the Oconaluftee River on Highway 441.
Then all of a sudden I was driving IN THE CLOUDS...
Made me feel sad as for having come that far in vain—with no view.
BUT that was only at the highest points!
Towards Gatlinburg Tennessee on the Newfound Gap Rd, I told Pieter, wow, this road almost makes me dizzy. 
Pieter replied that we'd made a full circle!
You can see that here above!
Chimney Tops Trail starts to the left...
This is LOOP–OVER base of Chimney Tops as seen on this old postcard.
You see that there is a small tunnel going underneath the LOOP-OVER!
Image got taken from the jagged peaks of the Chimney Tops—giving you this bird's–eye view of the Loop–Over on the spectacular Tennessee side of the Newfound Gap Highway — which crosses the center of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Around 16:00 o'cock I'd parked the car and we arrived with the most glorious light at Chimney Tops Overlook!
Pieter standing here in front of a tree with glorious autumn leaves... 🍂🍁
Turning to the other side—Chimney Tops is visible to the left!
Now you can find this huge information board—none was there in 1988...
Chimney Tops
Can you imagine smoke wafting from the chimney–like formations on this ridge? Nearly vertical holes in the tops of these jutting rocks make them look like natural chimney flues, and mountain people named them so—Chimney Tops. The Cherokees called the mountain Duniskwalguni, meaning 'forked antlers.'
The half–billion–year–old Chimney Tops, made of slates, schists, and phyllites, sit atop even older rock (Anakeesta Formtion) is softer than the sandstone, allowing rain, hail, and ice—over hundreds of millions of years—to fashion its chimney–shaped likeness.
Giving you an oversight of this beautiful Overlook...
It was rather crowded on Sunday—guess due to the weather.
But at a higher altitude the trees are already bare...!
Again an old picture postcard showing the rock formation on the other side of the road...
Those big rocks on the right were no longer there!
So I captured that side of the road as well.
SO happy for having reached our goal for the day and with perfect autumn leaves still visible and sunshine! 🌞
Pieter captured me standing behind the car.
Couldn't get enough of the light + autumn leaves...
We still had to drive a short distance to our Hyatt Place in Downtown Knoxville, TN
Enjoy short Relive Video below:
That was still a long drive of 493.8 km or 306.8 mi and a total of 6.5 hours solo behind the wheel...
But now I could REST for one day!

Related links:
SO Proud of my NONAGENARIAN | previous post by me when we climbed Clingmans Dome—the highest point on April 03, 2019

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MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS © 2009. All rights reserved - Text and images may not be copied for distribution or sale.

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