After a long and cold winter in northern Newfoundland, I left for Europe in May, hoping for some warmth and sun. I got it all, but not in the way I thought.
First, I flew with a friend to the Spanish Balearic island of Menorca, the neighboring island of Mallorca, to hike there. We both thought the island was beautiful, but it was so hot that we had to limit our hikes to two hours per day.
Instead, we swam in idyllic coves, of which Menorca has many. The water was fantastically clear and turquoise, we were able to cool off well and rest in the shade.
We visited historically significant sites, especially prehistoric excavations: the island of Menorca has the highest density of prehistoric sites in the world. Here, for example, a restored burial chamber.
We also found the towns of Ciutadella and Mahon to be beautiful and visited many of the villages that have retained their original character.
I then spent a month in Switzerland, where I visited family members and friends. I had hoped it would be cooler there, but it was even hotter! And the heat wave is still going on, in mid-July, and I’m already back in Newfoundland. Almost no rain has fallen for months in many European regions.
My visits to Switzerland are always very intense and emotional because I meet lovely people and thus revive earlier times in my first homeland. I love the Swiss food, the landscapes, the reliability, the language, the coziness.
I always try to weave in some hikes and, if possible, get to know new places, because of course there are still areas I’ve never been before. My hosts spoil me and spend time with me, because afterwards it will be at least a year, if not longer, until we see each other again.
After returning to northern Newfoundland, it takes a while until I’m really back there. But I appreciate the cooler weather, the rain, my daily routine, my own bed and the home with my favorite fisherman. Leah the cat and Maggie the dog are also happy that I’m back.
Now I continue with the new English crime thriller in the Calista Gates series. I had finished the translation before I left. Now it is in the expert hands of my copy-editor who will smoooth all the rough edges and make the book shine. Slowly I dive back into Calista’s world and greet the familiar characters in the book. A new German sequel is in the works, too. By the way, it is very cold in the German novel, a welcome contrast to the European record temperatures!
