Planning a trip

    Planning a trip may seem like a great deal of work, but it is also fun. Let's say you want to go to Europe but don't want to take a tour.

1. Choose what country or area you have always wanted to visit.

2. Look at your bank account. I do think you will wish to budget a minimum, but 

        you are not doing this every day so be generous. 

3. Look at the map, Lonely Planet, Rick Stevens and the internet. Make a list of             of must see places.

4. How much time do you have? You are better off spending quality time than                 limiting important of time. The Louvre? At very least five hours or you can             spend a lifetime.

5. How are you getting there? To Europe it is a plane. It is a 10 to12 hour flight             directedly from San Francisco and less from Dallas or New York. If it is your         first trip, I suggest looking at Premium Economy. and little more money but a         better experience. 

6. We fly Business Classfor the lounges but you can get them for an extra fee. You         have to justify the expense.

7. When you get there how are you going to get around? Contactig tour companies         in the area you wish to see or hiring a driver for a day is a great way to go.             Then go back if you need to see those of most.

8. We recommend a Hop-on, Hop-off Bus the first day. You are tired and it gives            you a chance to see an overview where you can go back for a longer visit.             Side benefit is sunlight if not raining.

9. We rent cars through Auto Europe who handles all rental agencies.

10. You may not wish to do this, but we carry a guidebook and look up B&B's             when we decide to stop our drive. You may wish to make reservations. If you         do you have to be limited to them.

11. In a hotel or B&B asked the desk or owner: "Where would you go to dinner?"     They usually have good ideas. Also ask them for places to see outside the                 guidbook.

12. Keep a journal or at least a list of places where you took pictures.

13. As for pictures, we use a camera and a phone. If you are using a cellphone            contact your carrier a month in advance of leaving and get a SIM card in the         country where you are going. That can save you hundreds of dollars.  If you         have Wifi where you are staying you can Facetime for free. Remember the time     difference.

14. If you are going to collect something, make it light. I collect the round paper         coasters under beer provided everywhere. Collecting rocks is not helpful.

15. Before you go, after you have done some planning, get together to some                 people who have taken the same trip and get their input!

 

Dan Brown: "Secret of Secrets" - Prague

"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"

"The de Vinci Code"

"The City of Falling Angels"

 Read before you go and again when you get back. "The de Vinci Code" was about Paris and the Louvre. "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" was about Savannah. There is a whole series of detective stories about Southern Africa. Well worth your time. The books come alive when you are there. The photo is just a street scene of Prague, but it all makes more sense after reading Dan Brown's book. When he talks about the Palace or a lonely street it will be in front of you.

 

A walk in the Black Forest that isn't black.

    Fall is a great time to visit Central and Eastern Europe. Most of the tourists are gone home and school has started. Those of us in California don't see Fall for long
but Hungary's and Germany's last a good while longer.

Golden Gate Park: Closer to Home

You will note that we enjoy traveling in Europe. That is true.

Yet, we live in one of the finest areas of the world. We live in Central California which is the world's most productive valley. From our home we can be at the beach in an hour and to the East is the Sierras, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite in about two hours by car. The photo above is taken in Golden Gate Park in the heart of San Francisco. We think the City is one of the great ones as it is urbane and sometimes silly.

Some years ago we ran in the Bay to Breakers which is a colorful and fun race where almost anything goes. You won't see this in Kansas.

 

Brussels and The Europe Union

 

When we took the train from Paris to Brussels we were surprized in the closeness of the two cities.  We are used to the vast distances in the United States.

Brussels is a pretty city with lots to do, but we were taken by its worldview. Brussels is the home of the European Union and it is obvious that they see and feel their close relationship to other countries.

This is the central square - indeed it was a rainy day.

On a walk in Barcelona a South American Bird

    Since my childhood disease I have not found walking fun. I hurt. But, that does not keep me from trying. Often I will need to stop while my wife walks on ahead. But there are many reasons to walk. We were in Barcelona returning from a visit to Park Guell. (Worthwhile visit. Get tickets online and be on time or else...)

    As I ambled around a bend (I always amble) I saw a parrot on a road closed gate. I like the windows. That was brought my eye there in the first place.  I find that parrots are only present in Spain when have escaped their cages. They are from South America. Enough have found freedom to have some small families in town.

 

Sidetracking

We were zooming along the road from Innsbruck to Liechtenstein when I proposed we take a quick trip into Germany so we could say we were there. We headed over the border not far to Mittenwald.  I need not have done that because since then we have spent a good portion of time in Germany. Coming back to Austria, I saw this village between the trees and stopped to take this photo. I just liked the scene.