The Best Series

The best conversations at a bed and breakfast: At Toad Hall, Kirkcudbright, Scotland with Jacki the owner. At a bed and breakfast outside Galway Ireland with the couple from South Africa. At a small inn just outside Lancaster PA with a small group discussing the wonders of lightning bugs (fireflies).

The "Best" series

These are photos from the terrace of the Bella Vista Hotel across Lake Como from Lecco, Italy. The owner had staff prepare breakfast every morning, but he always made the toast. It was - honestly -  the best toast I've had. It was made with passion and care. We should all make toast like that.

Look up and look down

I am amazed by the details - the ceilings and floors. I have taken pictures of both in seven countries. I'll show more. Just know that these are the parts of life we take for granted and shouldn't be.

Slow food is better than fast food

In our travels we have happened upon a few McDonald's in surprising places but it has been Subway that seems to be growing internationally. We saw McDonald's in the big cities, but we found Subway in the smaller towns in England, Ireland and Italy.

We must note that we did not stop at many -- except when we were despirate for ice. That actually has happened twice. McDonald's almost always has ice. Subway may not. The people in Europe are not big on ice in their drinks.  I did discover and now enjoy "fizzy water". Naturally carbonated spring water. It is served cold, but without ice.



Traveler or tourist

There is, they say, a big difference between a traveler and a tourist. A traveler goes for the adventure, for the trip, for the experience. The tourist often goes to check off another place on their list or to pick up a cool shot-glass with a picture of where they have been.

At the same time, some of us enjoy sharing our travels and listening to the experiences of others. That is why I am a "Top Contributor" to Trip Advisor:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/members/Revrmm

But, I find that I am an easy grader. When I look at my ratings, I seem to find something good about every new place (or maybe I forget the bad and don't review it). Yet, I find the nit-picking tiresome. 

The truth is that the only place like home is home. European hotel rooms are small and the bathrooms smaller still. Disneyland is commercialized. It is hard to find nice toilets in the wilderness.

We are rarely disappointed in things. We are surprised, amused, confounded, bedazzled, but hardly ever disappointed. I guess you have to take my reviews with that in mind.

Travel is about the details

The real fun of traveling is to be found in the details, the small things, the surprising small discoveries.

Next Trip



Well, we made our reservations and are heading to the "American Alps".

Hmmm. Why did they name it that?

Haystack rock, Cannon Beach, Oregon

Lying Man island, Dingle, Ireland

 

 

The big pretty woman

So, we arrived at the Verona, Italy airport and left our rental car. The man at the desk did not speak English very well and our Italian is less. We asked him to call a phone number to have the shuttle to our hotel pick us up. They told him where we should be. He translated this as 'the big pretty woman". Okay. So, we thought that it must be a statue at the front of the airport. No. What could it be? Then, there she was --fifty feet tall -- big and beautiful. It is either a billboard or it covers a cell tower, but she helped us find our shuttle.

The Jewish Ghetto, Venice

The word "ghetto" means factory or foundry. It was into the factory area that the Jews were sent and forced to live in Venice.  The word has come to mean any area were a minority is made to stay. We were in the Ghetto for the Jewish Holy Days and enjoyed great food and good company. Oh, and the duck? They love U of O there too...

For St. Patrick's Day: 4 great pubs

More Ireland for St. Pat's

TEMPLE BAR - DUBLIN, IRELAND

Green Images of Ireland

In honor of St. Patrick's day here are some photos from our trip to the Irish Republic a couple of years back. They show a little of the green of Ireland.

Will pull out the orange ones tomorrow...

Working up on St.Patrick's Day

Ireland: near "The Vee"

Small town market

Kenmare Church

The Cliffs of Mohr

So, the Vatican has a new boss.

September 2012 - St. Peter's remodel

The world's largest dome

Pointing to the sky

The Arena, Verona, Italy

 

 Lions in the old days - opera today.

 



Glass from the British Museum, London

We are still making it the same way today.