I don't remember the date it started, but I could easily look it up. It's the forest fires (aka wildfires, a term my husband doesn't like).
This province has been on fire all of July and is still an inferno. Here, in Penticton, BC, where I live, we've been lucky. For the most part. First, before the fires started, we had rain and floods. I thought that would be a good thing, because this part of the world has wildfires every year--nothing new. So, with all the spring rain and run-offs and snow meltings, resulting in flooded basements for my neighbours (I don't have a basement) that would mean there wouldn't be fires. Unfortunately, the excess rain and flooding made the fire situation worse. Who would have thought? Apparently, the water made the grass in the forests grow faster and taller, so when the sun came out and heated everything up, the grass turned to tinder. Hence we have the worst wildfire situation in BC history.
As I said, we've been lucky. We weren't flooded, and as for the fires, the worst we've had is really nasty smoky air and all our beautiful mountains shrouded in grey smoke.
Today, and yesterday we had some blue skies. First time since last June, I think. But the fire hazard is still threatening. We could easily be the next fire victims. Thousands of people in the northern part of the province have been evacuated, and are living in temporary accommodations until heaven only knows when. All it would take to put us in that position, would be some idiot tossing a cigarette into the bush, or one simple thunderstorm complete with lightning. Yup, we're a risk, but lucky so far.
Showing posts with label 2017. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2017. Show all posts
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Rome to Prague
So, on our first day, January 9, 2017, we flew from Penticton to Vancouver, from Vancouver to Frankfurt, and from Frankfurt to Rome. Italy? I thought we'd cancelled Italy.
We landed in Rome, stayed overnight in the Hilton located in the airport, never breathed a breath of Italian air other than to walk from one part of the airport to another. The next morning we flew from Rome to Prague.
Have you looked at a map of Europe lately? If you were booking your own flights, would you go from Frankfurt to Prague by way of Rome? No, I didn't think so.
There were those same two issues I spoke of in my last entry. We had to rescue the items on that mysterious list that was none of my business. And there was, of course, the small matter of her commission.
Prague had never been on my bucket list, nor on my husband's, nor on our son's. However, in order to preserve whatever it was that had to be preserved, we went along with it. I bought a couple of guide books about the city, and watched Rick Steves' video, and was impressed with what I saw. It looked interesting, so we weren't really put out about being obliged to go there.
We landed in Rome, stayed overnight in the Hilton located in the airport, never breathed a breath of Italian air other than to walk from one part of the airport to another. The next morning we flew from Rome to Prague.
Have you looked at a map of Europe lately? If you were booking your own flights, would you go from Frankfurt to Prague by way of Rome? No, I didn't think so.
There were those same two issues I spoke of in my last entry. We had to rescue the items on that mysterious list that was none of my business. And there was, of course, the small matter of her commission.
Prague had never been on my bucket list, nor on my husband's, nor on our son's. However, in order to preserve whatever it was that had to be preserved, we went along with it. I bought a couple of guide books about the city, and watched Rick Steves' video, and was impressed with what I saw. It looked interesting, so we weren't really put out about being obliged to go there.
Frankfurt to Rome
Our first day of our recent trip began on January 9, 2017. We (my husband, who has numerous physical problems, and our son, who came to help my with his dad, and myself) had several places that we wanted to visit.
At first, we wanted to go to Assisi. Frank and I are Third Order Franciscans, and although I'd had a chance to visit Assisi, my husband had not. And as he is in his eighties and has health problems, we thought it would be now or never. Unfortunately, there was an earthquake in Umbria (the province where Assisi is located) and we were afraid there may be aftershocks and with his disabilities, we would be in serious jeopardy if anything like that happened. So, although we had told our travel agent that we wanted to go there, we contacted her as soon as possible and cancelled Italy.
"Oh no!" she said. "You can't do that. It's already paid for." Really? We hadn't had any conversation about how we'd get there or where we'd stay. As Franciscans, we'd planned to make our own accommodation arrangements, preferably with some members of our Order. But no. She'd already gone ahead and done all that. Oh yes, she had asked for my credit card, but I really thought I'd be consulted about details before she went on a spending spree. But there were two issues I hadn't counted on. First, that all indications were that she thought the details of our trip were none of my business. Second, there was the thing about her commission.
So, with Assisi cancelled, in order to "save some of what we'd already spent" we'd have to choose another destination on some list she had. She offered Barcelona or Prague. We picked Prague.
At first, we wanted to go to Assisi. Frank and I are Third Order Franciscans, and although I'd had a chance to visit Assisi, my husband had not. And as he is in his eighties and has health problems, we thought it would be now or never. Unfortunately, there was an earthquake in Umbria (the province where Assisi is located) and we were afraid there may be aftershocks and with his disabilities, we would be in serious jeopardy if anything like that happened. So, although we had told our travel agent that we wanted to go there, we contacted her as soon as possible and cancelled Italy.
"Oh no!" she said. "You can't do that. It's already paid for." Really? We hadn't had any conversation about how we'd get there or where we'd stay. As Franciscans, we'd planned to make our own accommodation arrangements, preferably with some members of our Order. But no. She'd already gone ahead and done all that. Oh yes, she had asked for my credit card, but I really thought I'd be consulted about details before she went on a spending spree. But there were two issues I hadn't counted on. First, that all indications were that she thought the details of our trip were none of my business. Second, there was the thing about her commission.
So, with Assisi cancelled, in order to "save some of what we'd already spent" we'd have to choose another destination on some list she had. She offered Barcelona or Prague. We picked Prague.
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