Things are often scary out of context: La Villa, Italy

     These are the same picture. The top one is cropped to only show the gondola of the tram up to the top of the mountain above La Villa, Italy. We stayed in La Villa - the Dolomites -for five days. When I look at the two pictures the top one looks pretty scary. You cannot tell how high it is or what relationship it has to the earth. How big are the wires holding it up?
     In the longer shot, one can see the town below and another gondola about 100  feet behind (or in Italian "thirty meters"). A good deal of travel fear is like that. When you think of a place as if in isolation it may seem a little frightening. They don't speak English in La Villa. Who made those cables?
     In the large context we are all people with the same emotions, desires and concerns. We all share the same globe. We have lots more in common than we have differences. Kindness begets kindness. We are all in this together.

Kensington Gardens, London

We were walking across Kensington Gardens following the Dianna Princess of Wales Path. It makes its way along some ponds and in places of play for children. It was hot and muggy and I was taking it slow. As I watch to my right I though I saw an old stump in the water, but then I looked again. There was a heron in the center of London.  Planners of that city knew the need for green areas. While those areas started out often as hunting grounds for the king, they are still there and a blessing in such an otherwise congested city.

Favorite Photos: The Ghetto, Venice, Italy

          Why would these be "Favorite Photos"?   They are not well done. The lighting is all wrong, and they are not beautiful. 

          The Ghetto ("the foundry" in Italian) is a marvelous place. It is one of the oldest Jewish enclaves in the world. It is just tall apartments (compared to the rest of Venice).  The bottom photo is of the square in the center of the area. It is all cement except for the trees. But the kids are playing (kick ball and I helped corral some errant kicks) and the older folks (see lady in blue) are out for a walk. Two young women sit watching it all and likely will move on whether or not they are locals.
          There are a few shops and a synagogue. There is a very good restaurant - they serve deep fried stuffed olives to die for. When it grew evening the lovers came out and we with them (still lovers after all these years) and had prosecco and dinner in the courtyard. No one spoke English at any of the other tables -just as it should be.

Evening on the Columbia River, Eastern Oregon (Eastern Washington)

Pretty flat at this point near Idaho

San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, California

This is not my photo but one of the place I earned my Masters and Doctors Degrees. You can see why I just kept going back year and year. Ran out of degrees.

Feldkirch Austria - All in the details

          This is a photo of the rose window of the village church in Feldkirch, Austria. When people travel in a hurry they see the big picture, but I think they miss the very important details. We find that going more slowly we see fewer things, but see them more closely. A common theme on this blog is a warning not to bite off too much on your travels. On TripAdvisor people will say something like: "I'm flying to Berlin, Germany on July 16th and returning home to Austin on the 23rd. We have seven days and we want to see the highlights of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Please help with itinerary."

          I want to write something like: "1) You will have jet lag for the first day after arriving around noon so you actually have 6 days. 2) On the 26th you have to be back in Berlin three hours before your flight so you probably should just count on it being 5 days. 3) With your five days you will likely have to travel on each of them. You probably will take the train. So there is checking out of the hotel and getting to train station and then the trip. This will give you 1.5 days in each country. 4) Austin is a lovely city. Why not stay home?"

          If the question is: "I have seven days to see Berlin and some of the surrounding area, please help with my itinerary." That will work. Five beer halls in five days plus two travel days... sorry.

          I suspect you see the point. We spent around five evening hours in central Feldkirch visiting the church and having a great dinner as it was a stop at the end of a driving day from Innsbruck.  

Peyto Lake, Alberta, Canada

     What is it about water that makes us take out the camera? Is it the reflection or maybe the color? Almost every body of water has a different color. The Gulf of Mexico is really the same water as the Pacific Ocean off of California, but they look very different. Peyto Lake in Canada is water with glacier dust held in suspension. But, so is Lake Louise or Lake Moraine and they all are different.
     The photo above was taken in the summer and those are glaciers that are white. The movement of the glaciers make a "U" shaped area whereas a stream cuts a "V". The slide areas at the bottom of the cliffs are what is left of the glacier that came through.

Obligatory photos

There are just some pictures you have to have. One is of you pretending to hold up the Tower of Pisa. Then there is the one with the Eiffel Tower behind you and the one on the Golden Gate Bridge. There are the ones of Time Square or the photos of you on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Here is one of me with the Tower Bridge behind me as I stand in the stern of the tour boat on the Thames. Some people still think this is the the London Bridge. The Old London Bridge is in Arizona. There are lot of bridges in the London. This is the bridge at the Tower of London. This photo was taken a long time ago. I have not changed a bit, however. The scowl is due to the fact that, while overcast, the light is bright and I am suffering from acute jet lag.

Buckingham Palace

I would not like to live in Buckingham Palace (Balmoral is another story), but this big old place would just take too long to vacuum and dust for me.

Being flexible: Lismore, Ireland

The Vee

The Pine Tree House Bed and Breakfast, Lismore, Ireland

     Some people might think I over plan, but let me tell you that thinking ahead comes in handy sometimes. We had planned on driving from Kilkenny to the Rock of Cashel and then through the Vee and down to Cobh on the coast of the Irish sea -- all in one day. It is really not that far.

     Well, we left Kilkenny in good order and the weather was perfect. I had driven every inch of the road we were taking several times - ON GOGGLE EARTH - knew the way.

     The Rock of Cashel was a hit. Great views, interesting for photos and we had a nice lunch and were on our way. Stopped by Castle Cahir. What a surprise; we really liked seeing it, but we had better get going because road through the Vee (not often driven by visitors) was steep and narrow and, of course meant driving on the left.

     We were not prepared for the view with the expanse of greens. We stopped and took pictures and stopped again.

     I had driven the road - ON GOGGLE EARTH - but while I knew the road I had not seen the view. When we came down from the Vee it was growing late and we knew we'd not make Cobh until dark. But, there was the town of Lismore. It has a "castle" or manor house and lovely gardens. My research told me that it had a number of good places to dine. I also had considered it as a place to stop.

      The co-pilot wondered what we might do. "Trust me," I said. I knew that there was a newly built bed and breakfast just down the way and you turn left at the sign and you are there. You see, I had driven by it - ON GOGGLE EARTH.

     The Pine Tree House is nice. The views from it where beautiful as well as the discovery that it was landscaped with palm trees and succulents. (Southern Ireland gets the benefit of the warm Gulf Stream coming up from Cuba and Florida and across the Atlantic.)

     We had the next morning in Cobh and got to Kinsale just as planned. 

Passing Ferry at Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy

A great way to get around Lake Como. Just take the ferry. This one is just leaving Bellagio. 

Guard at the Tower of London

Don't mess with the Beef Eater he has an automatic weapon.

Downtown Dublin

One of my favorite photos. 

Living Wall, Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris, France

Air France Area 2E, CDG, Paris - we'll be there in 16 days.

Bonjour Paris!

The Dolomites, Sud Tyrol, Italy

 I do not know of anyone who has been through the Dolomites 

that was not amazing by their unique beauty.

Let's talk air travel

     I only chose this photo because it is one that shows the state of the art. The A380  is the biggest and finest in aircraft. Nothing against Air France specifically.
      Last week United Airlines made an unscheduled stop in Goosebay, Canada where the flight crew stayed in a hotel and the customers where put up in an unheated barracks.
      Aer Lingus may be getting better, but on the last flight I had with them they never turned off the lights so they could sell duty-free cigarettes.
      Alitalia felt no problem with splitting up families when their computer lost the seat assignments. Business class? ... sorry you will go to economy this time.
     The profits are up and the space is down and now they want to make the carry-on luggage allowance smaller so you either carry less or pay, say $50, to check your carry-on.  Many airlines have cut down the number of flights and thus fill every seat.  First Class seats get bigger and more expensive and economy seats get smaller and more expensive.
     I can afford First Class, but why should I? Do I want to pay $2,000 more for a 10 hour flight? That is $4,000 for a couple and just think about what you might buy with that. That is lots of peanuts and drinks and will pay for some really great meals. I cannot sleep in flight anyway so it matters not that my seat makes into a bed.
      Airports, for the most part, are pretty and welcoming, but the feeling one gets is more and more like the old bus depot. It is not fun.
      I have flown over a dozen airlines regularly in the last 50 years. Only a few of them make me feel comfortable and hardly any of them make me feel like I am getting a good deal. I think that they know that I cannot drive my car to Austria from San Francisco. Are we stuck? Guess so.

San Francisco at night

From the ferry.

Hurling Championship: Kilkenny Wins

Everyone posted their team's colors when Kilkenny won the hurling championship. Lots of Fun.

George Washington

     Is this Mount Vernon? - Washington D.C.? Nope.
     This statue of  George Washington stands in front of the National Gallery in London. The National Gallery is across from Trafalgar near St. Martins. He is at the center of London. Why? He was their enemy.
     He is also a symbol of the friendship we share and the common enemies we have faced. He was not just the first President of the United States, he was the one who stood up against an evil king. So, they rewrite history just like we do.

Florence and more: what to do after the "tourists" go to bed

     Sure, we are tourists, but we have ways of not always feeling like one. These pictures above were taken over several nights in Florence, Italy. The later it gets, the fewer tourists are out. That is true with Venice, London, Dublin or even cities in the United States. This is why we always try to take a walk after dinner and after dark. (This is tough in places like Scotland that do not get dark until 11 pm in the summer.)
     Do you want to pet the bronze pig in Florence, but cannot get there because of the crowds? No one  is around after ten pm. Everyone is back on their cruise ship in Venice for dinner and it leaves San Marcos nearly empty.
     Why walk in the central city of Dublin in the evening? First, Temple Bar comes alive. Second, most of the folks out are locals who work during the day. (Except in Dublin there are loads of Hen Parties that have come over from England.)
     We even do these walks in places like San Francisco and Boston.  We are aware of who is around and are careful wherever we may be. But, cities like Rome are completely different after the sun goes down.

The Half Penny Bridge, Dublin

Today's weather in Northern California reminds me of Ireland. A light shower coming through. Here everything stops, In Ireland (and in the U.K. for that matter) this wee bit of rain is why it is so green.

Venice by car?

Just got a message from AutoEurope (our preferred auto rental) and they are pushing Venice. I post the above photo I took to show all of the cars on the Grand Canal. Well. They even use boats as garbage haulers and have police and fire boats. The bus system is the Vaporetto which are small ferries.
     The only cars are in a lone parking structure at the end of the causeway.
     While I am at it, let me suggest that a car is a liability in other cities, as well. New York, San Francisco, London, Dublin, Rome, Florence, Paris are take the bus/taxi/walk cities. You do not need a car and having one is a pain. They all have great public transportation.
     For example, we fly in to London and visit then take the train to a smaller town outside of the city where we rent the car and drive the countryside and then return to the smaller place and reenter London on the train.
     Don't get me wrong, I love to drive -even on the left- but I also like to see things.

Tour de France - maybe

We will be in France for the Tour de France next month (probably will not get close enough to see it) but we were at the Tour de California as it was held not far from our home. You will note that it is not always sunny in "Sunny California".

The Bed and Breakfast

Castlegregory, Ireland

Verona, Italy
 

       Let's talk where to stay. While we have stayed in hotels near airports and rented homes or apartments, we generally stay in bed and breakfasts. We have stayed in them all over the United States and in +/- 12 countries around the world. Let me tell you why we like b@b's.

      In Ireland we had breakfast with a couple from South Africa and learned a good deal about their country. They were interesting folks and we would not have traded that for anything. In Banff, Canada we had a couple of mornings and pleasant evening with two couples from England - places where we had been. In Castlegregory we had a fun time with some folks from Limerick, Ireland - it is  long story. In northern Italy we made friends (temporarily) with some folks that spoke Italian and also spoke (as do we) eloquent hand-language. One of my personal favorites was sitting on the front porch with the owners of a b&b in Lampeter, PA sipping wine and watching the fireflies. We are social beings and travel not to see things, but to meet people. It is just our style.

Near Half Moon Bay

On the topic of bed and breakfast inns. The pictures above are not far from us (about an hour and 10 minutes). The top is a picture of the seaward side of a bed and breakfast just north of Half Moon Bay. The bottom photo is the view of the Pacific Ocean when I turned around. The point out there is a Federally protected site. This time of year not all days are this sunny.

Vaduz, Liechtenstein

I took this photo from a upper stairway by the central government building in Vaduz. The fountain was running and it was misting rain. I think I will be posting many pictures of water like this until our California drought is over. No fountains around here for a time.

Whithorn Priory, Scotland UK

     In southern Scotland, near my ancestral home, there are the villages of Wigtown, Isle of Whithorn and Whithorn. In the middle of the town of Whithorn there is a museum and Priory along with displays of ancient Celtic crosses. This is nearly surrounded by an old cemetery.
     Among the various buildings stands the one photographed above. Mr. Wilson is a joiner, that is, a cabinetmaker. One assumes from the sign that it was a small step into making caskets and from there to doing the whole job as undertaker.
   

The Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

     Along the west coast of the Republic of Ireland near the Burren are the Cliffs of Moher. They are a major tourist stop. There are trails and underground shops (so as not to spoil the view) and a visitor's center. As is almost always the case, I had worn out my legs by this time. Using a cane I went to the edge and took the top photo which is the view everyone seems to take. It reminded me of Big Sur in California. 

   After taking the photo I found a seat. A large bird landed on the flag pole near me and I photographed it. Upon reflection I realized that the other flag poles were of interest. The one on the left (not in great shape) is the flag of the Irish Republic. On the right is -well- the flag of the United States. The Cliffs of Moher are about as close to the U.S. as one can get in Ireland. They hold us in some regard as many of their families immigrated to our shores and we have returned twice to join them in war against the Germans. 

     

Love Locks? ... just metal graffiti

Love locks are coming down in Paris.

They are everywhere.

We have seen them in London, Rome, Florence, Venice, Dublin...

It is a nice, sweet idea that went terribly wrong.

What was once a romantic statement has become vandalism.

    The idea is to place a lock on a bridge with your names on it. Then you throw away the key into the water. It started around 2008 based on a story. Look what happened. Bridges are near failing from the extra weight. It became ugly and insensitive to those who live in those places.
     On the Halfpenny Bridge in Dublin they started patrolling it and taking them off as they were applied. No long term commitment between bridge and lock or him to her.
     At the Ponte Vecchio in Florence we saw maybe five or six and they would soon be gone.
     Some folks are upset that they are getting rid of them. I wonder how we would feel if someone decided to just to carve "John Loves Mary" on the Washington Monument; it won't really hurt would it?

Winter Olympic site, Calgary, Alberta Canada

The flags are still flying at the site of the Winter Olympics just outside Calgary. We have been to two Summer Olympics (LA and Atlanta) and have been to the actual venues of four Winter Olympics (Innsbruck, Austria; Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy; Squaw Valley, California; Calgary). We have been impressed that so many people of so many nationalities can get along so well. Doesn't seem to last.