Vroom Droom Adventures

Hats off to you if you are still reading/following our adventure... 9 months have flown by and we are on our way back to Seattle, WA. Currently we are holed up in our first hotel room of this entire 9 month trip and we have Anika in tow. Tomorrow morning we fly from Brussels and have to be at the airport at 5 am, thus the airport hotel tonight. We cannot wait to see family and friends back in the states. With Covid restrictions easing, it is strange how the end of our trip, feels like a long awaited beginning... The past few weeks: We traveled for 8 days from Dordogne area in France back to The Netherlands. There are photos on Polarsteps: https://www.polarsteps.com/ElizabethVroom/3942839-vantrip-around-portugal?s=492389b7-f905-4668-b35b-386a513da336 Once back in The Netherlands we spent 5 wonderful days with our friends Clementine and Paul in the Maastricht area. Followed by a quick visit with Anika and Vita and then 7 (mostly rainy) days with Herman's parents near to the Veerseme...

It has been a while since we have posted a blog entry... We are currently in our final week of a 5 week stay in a gite (stone guest house) in exchange for helping on Tina and David's rural property (Le Petit Pourquet) in the Dordogne area of France. It has been a nice change to have the social contact and during our time here as the markets and businesses have reopened. It is great to see people out and about, filling the ancient market square in the center of one of the many bastide towns on market day.  During our stay we have been able to explore the nearby area and had a couple of days away to visit the area around Sarlat and camp along the Dordogne River.  In less than a week from now, we will be saying our goodbyes and traveling north through France back to the Netherlands. We plan to return to Washington in early July, but do not have our tickets booked yet.                 Donkeys: Destiny and Dream       ...

  For anyone who is interested in our travels through Portugal back into Spain, we have been using Polarsteps almost daily sharing our route and a few photos:  ‘Vantrip Portugal, Northern Spain, France 2021’ at  https://www.polarsteps.com/ ElizabethVroom/3942839- vantrip-around-portugal?s= 492389b7-f905-4668-b35b- 386a513da336 During our trip we came across these Granaries or Horreo's in Portugal and now finally found out more about them when we spotted larger ones in Spain. Here is a link to wikipedia in case you are interested in knowing more about them:  Hórreo

  We have been using the Polarsteps App to share short posts with our route and a few pictures, if you are interested in following that story, here is the information: ‘Vantrip around Portugal’ Check out the full story at  https://www.polarsteps.com/ ElizabethVroom/3942839- vantrip-around-portugal/ 30488111-mafra?s=492389b7- f905-4668-b35b-386a513da336 We had a somewhat rainy day trip exploring Lisbon. It turns out that April is a reliable month for rain in this area. Riding bikes from the graffiti adorned campground located inside the walls of an old ammunition factory, we headed out early in the morning in a steady light drizzle of rain.  View over Lisbon Ammunition Factory turned campground and restaurant 3 km from the center of Lisbon There are numerous large squares and lovely cobbled walking streets throughout the city. Every side street opens a new adventure. King João's long reign of 48 years, the most extensive of all Portuguese monarchs, saw the beginning of Por...

 Chapel of Bones in Evora We happened upon this creepy place that it turns out is the second most visited site in Evora! The chapel was built in the first half of the seventeenth century and is dedicated to the cult of the souls of purgatory. The bones used to construct this chapel are believed to have come from the convent that used to be a part of this building. We are the bones that are waiting here for yours Bench and wall tiles at the entrance to the chapel The following poem is also at the entrance: Where are you going in such a hurry, traveller? Stop...do not proceed any further; You have no greater concern, Than this one: that on which you focus your sight. Recall how many have passed from this world, Reflect upon your similar end,  There is good reason to reflect,  If only all did the same Ponder, you so influenced by fate, Among the many concerns of the world,  So little do you reflect upon death; If by chance you glance at this place, Stop...for the sake o...