Berlin Bahnhof and The Ulrike Charité Blues: Sunday, June 17th!

I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually. -James Baldwin, writer (1924-1987) 

Hi D, I hope your recovering from your fall and with or almost at Maggi’s. Today we would typically be together but I’ll cuddle the fur sibs, water the garden and spend some time at the office. It’s starting to get hot, 30+ all this coming week. I went to Sandaro yesterday and sent you pictures it’s really coming together.... very exciting. Hopefully I’ll be in early. 

Hi Pat and Corinne, We know how busy you guys are so wethought we'd extend an invitation to the lake on the Sept. long weekend. Hopefully, you don't have other plans already, if so we'll try to pick a different weekend to get together. Ruth

Hi Ruth, thanks for the invite, unfortunately I have 3 weddings booked around Penticton that weekend. I’m still in Manitoba with my mom but leave Wednesday to return home. Patrick gets back on July 10 from Europe. Do you have another weekend to suggest? Best Corinne Dad, where are you?? Maggi said you called and your in Berlin at a hospital. We are all very worried. I love you.

Chloe, It looks absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to live there when I retire!! Now if we could only get Poppa to let us know he's ok rather than making us go totally gray in one Father's Day afternoon From now on his only international bike trips should be limited to California Love to all and especially to Patrick James!! Good grief this family is stressing me out this summer Duke is dreaming about you! 

And he’s worried! Dad I hope your ok, Maggi messaged me and mom and they spoke on the phone. We know your in the hospital in Berlin but don’t know why? Or which hospital. Please get in touch and let us know what’s going on. In case you don’t have numbers, here is my cell. I love you so much.

Did you like Krakow? This is the only place I've seen where there can be 2 churches, a convent, and 2 more churches all in a row. Went in some during the multitude of Sunday services, and they all were packed. Makes one think it is compulsory. Far cry from Vancouver. Next stop, Ireland. Off to Limerick and Galway. Colin

Hello bridge friends, Since we have not played bridge for a while is anybody available to play Monday or Tuesday night this week? Looking forward to hear your positive reply and...I can host. Jos Hi Jos, I'm not home until late Wednesday night but hope to play soon, Hugs, Corinne Hi all, I would be able to play either Tuesday or Wednesday this week as we are off on Thursday on holidays until July 2nd. I would love to play again as it's been a long time since we've had a Bridge night. Hugs, Olga Polga

Hi friends players, I would love to play either day as it could be my last bridge till August. I have been very busy with big home projects, and later I will have a few visitors, so busy life (obviously, after all I am retired ). cheers.Okay, I have 3 players for Tuesday. We still need one more. Pam or Judy, or both? Jos I can play Tuesday nite, Jos. Looking forward to it! Judy Great!  We have 4 players for Tuesday night at my house, in Summerland. Judy, Olly, Mike and Jos. Looking forward to see you all at 6.30pm at my house tomorrow night. Jos See you there 😊 Mike Jos, Thank you for the invitation to play Bridge this week. I can't make Tuesday night. I have a meeting. Great to see you and Aart cycling on the KVR this morning 🚴😎 Pamela

Dear Patrick, Happy Father's Day! We are in Krakow now--express train trip from Warsaw was very pleasant and the weather has been excellent. I just love trains and they even served us tea and coffee. Observed such good farm land in Poland--long narrow fields of wheat, barley, strawberries etc. and it seems the farms are still small operations. The farm houses were interesting as well. English is understood here but not by many and we have been confounded by tunnels that go under freeways and tram tracks. World FIFA is all the rage in pubs and shopping centers. Other than that we have managed fairly well except some days we have been ready to kill each other as we try to navigate. 

Off to Krakow's old city to explore and hopefully we will hear the Royal Chamber Orchestra perform if we can find the church of St. Adalbert. The AirBNB where we are staying is very modern, tastefully decorated and large. Fortunately it has a small automatic washer and we have been able to wash clothes. It is a great place except we had to climb two flights of stairs to get to it. We thought we were going to die yesterday but yes we have survived. 

One of the Favorite places so far has been Riga in Latvia. Latvia is very beautiful and Riga is a city with wonderful trees--tall and large--suspect they are oak, alder not sure. The parks and fountains all along and in the Riga Canal were so pleasant and restful. The canal runs through the city and we took a canal boat tour which circled much of the city--and it went out to their sea channel and passed where the cruise ships dock. Boat rides are always so relaxing and it was a glorious day. Their National Library viewed from the boat was spectacular from the outside and I was sorry that we didn't have more time as I would have been sure to visit it. Riga's old city is gorgeous--buildings from late 1200's to 1300's --nothing was destroyed during WWII. Medieval beauty.

Had only a short time in Warsaw--visited the Chopin Museum. We fly to Berlin tomorrow but it really will only be a transit stop. Have figured out you need to almost book 3 nights in each place given that one's travel seems to take away a whole day and of course we don't have the energy to arrive and keep going like we used to?? or to leave before check out time. After Berlin it will be Ireland then home. Lots of love for now! Jo-Anne

Hi Fartograms, I am back and injured my left leg at the tennis court this week (!). Pretty painful, but as it happens, cycling does not seem to do any harm, or cause pain. So in talking to Tony, who is still caring for his knee, we decided to go cycling tomorrow. We will do the trail to the little Tunnel which, in earnest, offers just about the most beautiful views in the Okanagan. So, if you feel like it, please join us at 9:00AM (sharp) at the corner of Vancouver Place and Vancouver Avenue, which is very close to the trail head. Hope to see you there ... for ... well ... something a little different! Aarturo  

This is toootally unique, definitely the car of the future ... sell your Tesla stock! AarturoI guess the attachment didn't come through. Here it is. Aart  Dear Fartogram - thought you might like this car! Cheers - Valli A better car than Tesla? I’ve had it with Tesla ... a new technology is on the horizon ... something that all of us should have! There is even a job opportunity at the fill up station ...Enjoy.

Happy Fathers Day Miss having you to watch my family grow up. More to come. Wayne Marvin Angelo I’m sure he’s smiling down on us!

Prague Diaries: I woke up at just after 4:00 pm and knock came on my door about 4:30 am. Downstairs to collect my bike, (and a very tasty bag of sandwiches, fruit, etc.) and set off for station. Gathered everything from locker and made my way platform display board level, all by lift, scoped the day before. As soon as platform for train to Berlin showed I made my way towards it, #6. No lift there! I cannot honestly recall how I managed to get everything to train level. I know I did not unload my panniers so I can only assume that another Good Samaritan helped me move everything, bike and all, up the stairs. When train arrived more people helped load baggage and bike aboard and I was finally off to Berlin!

When there, the real story of My Angel of Mercy, Uhlrike, begins. When I was on my way to find out which platform to catch train for Hamburg, she asked if she could help and I waited, where, I was, while she went in search of platform number. Once back she stayed with me, up lifts and down, and then again, just for good measure, until we were at right platform. Even then, she thought I should go to hospital but I insisted that if I could just get on train to Hamburg, worst of difficult transfers should be over. At any rate, when train arrived, no boarding without a bike ticket and she had been told I didn’t need a reservation! 

She went off to see about reservation for bike and when she returned told me that there were no bike reservations for two days! Kapow! By then, at least emotionally, I was feeling pretty ground up so Uhlrike, bless her kind, kind heart, convinced me to have her call paramedics and then that whole, interminable process began! About an hour later, I was on my way to Charite U Hospital and when I arrived I was given a detailed note, by a staff member, from Uhlrike, whom I saw out of the corner of my eye as I was stretchered into hospital. She knew where I was to be taken and had made journey there for that purpose, as not being a relative, she could no visit.

Note detailed where my bike and bags were being kept under security and name of official to contact when I was ready to return to station. She had also left me 50 Euros! I tried to call her but hospital cell will not allow such outgoing numbers. At any rate, as soon as I have WiFi access I can hardly wait to thank her, as you can well imagine, Dear Reader!