The Danube - - by long ship

We began our trip on land visiting Prague and then from Passu to Budapest we took a long ship (a small one). I am sorry to hear from several people that they were not about to complete the trip without having to change boats.

The water level in the Danube is currently very low. 

We did not discover that.

This photo from the stern shows one of the bridges and how blue the Danube looks. It is, however, not that blue everywhere.

Our trip ended in Bavaria -Munich- and thus we saw five capitols of Europe.

 

On the road to Jasper, Alberta, Canada

Canada is our longtime friend and partner. My first trip there was when I was around eight years old. Coming from Illinois I was taken by the mountains. And, as the Mississippi River is anything but blue, I saw bright blue water.

On a road trip in 2013 we drove through a national park in the U.S. and two in Canada. Rangers explained about the color of Canadian water. It often  full of dust from the glaciers. Beautiful.

Newgrange, Ireland

Newgrange is a prehistoric(ca. 3000 b.c.e.) mound in County Meath, Ireland.

It is a short way from Dublin. If you don't want to drive there are bus tours from the city with stops at other interesting sites.

Look closely at the right side of the mound. Those are people waiting to go in.

The mound has a narrow (very) tunnel going inside.

It sets in such away that the sunlight strikes the back on December 21 - the Summer Solstice - or the longest day of the year. It was built to celebrate "the Birthday of the Sun" and a change from cold to the time for new crops.

 

Large Island off the coast of Norway

The ship was gliding along and the word went out that we would want to see something off the starboard bow.

A giant rock island sat before us and we noticed the hole in it and heard the myth of how it happened to be.

A natural wonder rather than being manmade. 

 

Sutter Buttes, California

One of the world's smallest mountain ranges, the Sutter Buttes rise out of the Sacramento Valley. You cannot hike them alone because they are on private land. They are volcanic in origin.  There is a company that leads tours.

This photo, taken from the window of an Alaska Airline jet, does not show how high and imposing the Buttes are.

 

Rome review

 

St. Peter's and the Vatican 

The conversation with a person just back from Rome concluded that they would never visit again. I tend to agree. There are some magical sights and great history. 

But, it is a long way between special things to see. From the Forum it is way across the city to the Vatican. Most of the places are good one or two time visits.

However, you must deal with crowds and noise and everyone in a hurry.

I suppose this is true with any big city, but I think more pronounced in Rome.

I remember a long cab ride in Vienna when I could actually see things as opposed to a cab ride in Rome that made it necessary to keep my eyes closed and pray.

Travel History: save it for your children

 

The Chain Bridge Budapest 

Let's explore why people, especially me, like to travel. I was born in the Midwest and raised to the age of 14 when we moved to California. From Illinois my family took many trips primarily to the East coast as a preteen. We went to New York several times, plus Boston and Washington D.C.. Each winter we would spend a week in Hot Springs, Arkansas. A vivid memory was a trip out to the National Parks in Colorado. I liked traveling except for the fact it was always me in the backseat feeling car sick. Lots of shorts trips in California is easy.

When we got married we both were in college working as apartment managers to pay the rent.  Travel was visiting our parents. Then came two girls to the family and we started taking road trips with them in the back seat feeling car sick. And, other trips to the East Coast. 

We made a list in those days. If we ever had the money we would go to____.  After forty years of work we had enough to travel and we packed up and went. First it was Scotland renting a car and covering much of the country.  We  have taken road trips through seven countries. Then we had a new style. Before going it alone we began booking tours. The tour helped us get a little of the language and the "vibe" and then we drove.

Then one day I had an idea -good or bad - we would take our four grandchildren anywhere they wanted to go  as a twelfth birthday gift. That was a dangerous gift. The first one took us to Paris and Normandy. The second brought us to five counties in Southern Africa on safari.  Number three chose Scotland and, as her sister had been to Paris, so was she.  Number four chose Tuscany and you guessed it - Paris. They gave us way more than they got.

Interspaced with their trips we took our own to Europe, just because. We traded our pensions for plane tickets. Given mobility problems we may be done, although we spent three weeks in Norway last month and I am in a wheelchair. Maybe not completely  done.