Sailboarding in Lake Como

Just off our veranda on Lake Como, we could watch them sailboarding.

That is Lecco across the water.

Lock on a tomb in Verona, Italy

I like this close-up photo taken by Marietta McLellan.

Red Bus - Glacier National Park

(Photo by Mike McLellan, Lake MacDonald Parking Lot, Glacier National Park)

Britain takes A Turn

Photo by Mike McLellan ( Taken from the Thames)
Things are not complete O-K in the U-K.

Cliff dwelling outside Sedona, Arizona

Not easy for us older folks to get to,but we did and it was worth it.

British leave European Union - sad day

     We love our travels in the United Kingdom. Sorry that it is not so united as this is written. Every nation seems to have the same "I am better than thou" attitude as we in the United States have. Or, at least 1.6 percent more have it in the U.K. than don't have it. Scotland and Northern Ireland may drop out of the U.K. and go back to the EU. People dropping labels all over the place. I find it sad. I believe in unity and the fact that on this small speck in space we are all in this together. The EU has its problems. It is like the U.S. where Californians have to tolerate the behavior of Texans and Texans have to tolerate the behavior of folks from New York. Tolerance or not, together we are stronger than we are separately. We shall see what happens. We are looking forward to visiting our cousins across the Atlantic to see how they are doing.

The Dolomites of Northern, Italy

The Dolomites are one of my favorite places.

Statues in Florence Italy

 A reproduction (fake) in a Florence restaurant, (By ?) 

Mary Magdalene by Donatello, The Duomo Mueseum, Florence (real). 

Mont St. Michelle, France

Tides out. Mt. St. Michelle from the shuttle stop coming from the parking lot.

Mont St. Michelle from below

Looking up at the abbey at Mont St. Michelle, from the lower steps. (Photo: Mike McLellan) 

Cobh, Ireland

 Poster in the Cobh museum celebrating their ties to the sea

Building in the Cobh, Ireland harbour.

East Cork Town of Cobh was known for a time as Queensland, before going back to its old Irish name in 1922 - the Cobh (cove) of Cork. To say "Cobh" just say "cove".

Reflection pond in central Dublin, Ireland

Walking back to our hotel from attending church in Dublin, Ireland, we

passed this reflection pond and memorial in the center of the city.

I did not "clean up" the photo to make it brighter.

The day was overcast, gray and rainy.

San Francisco Photo - from the Golden Gate Bridge

We go to San Francisco often. We have lived near the city for many years, It is unique.

If you have not yet visited it, you need to make it high on your list.

Interior photos of Banff Hot Springs

Banff  Hot Springs, Alberta, Canada

Luxembourg Garden, Paris, France

Sailboat in the pond in Luxembourg Garden. Photo by Madison Boehringer. 

First evening in Rome

     Our first night in Rome was all that we might hope it would be. Meeting nice people. Having a good dinner. Sipping excellent wine on the rooftop of our hotel. Then, as the sun went down, we looked in the distance to see the dome of St. Peter's at The Vatican. 

Kenmare Harbor, Kenmare, Ireland

Certainly, one of my favorite towns in the Irish Republic is Kenmare. It is a gateway to the Ring of Kerry and most pleasing. It is real Ireland. There are standing stones and ancient bridges. There are great pubs and a delightful downtown. One evening, while we were visiting our bed and breakfast owners Mary and John, we walked out to a small park on the bay. It was quiet and one might say romantic. The sun was setting over the Kerry hills to the West. A powerboat lay moored in the harbor. It was, as simple as it is, very memorable. We recommend it. 

View from the Knockme(al)down Mountains of Ireland

Clouds paint the land- would you say that Ireland is green?

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada - get your passport and a jacket

     If you live in the United States, except in a few of the states bordering Canada, you need a passport to visit there. As a kid, I went to Canada a number of times and all they asked at the border was where you were born. Today, we need to make sure we have gotten a passport. If you live in a member of the European Union, you can travel all over Europe and never have to show a passport. These are countries that have actually been at war with one another in history. When crossing the border to our north I feel sad that we now have to show papers to do so.

     The photo above was taken from the Chateau at Lake Louise. The water has this color due to glacier dust suspended in the water. You can see boats out at a distance. The glacier is in the center and due to global warming is getting smaller.

     If you are traveling to Lake Louise ( or anywhere in Canada ) not only do you need a passport, you will also need a jacket. It is actually cool enough for a coat on most evenings, and some days, as well. No matter where I go, I carry a pack-able rain jacket that rolls up to the size of a burrito. It has come in handy in every European country I have gone been in - even in the summer. And, it has been handy too in Canada.

Europe's comments on the presidency

 American Flag on the coast of Ireland

American Flag on the coast of France

     The United States is no longer isolated from the rest of the world. Our economy, our information, our technology - and so much more - are entwined with the rest of the world. We are citizens on one globe. We travel widely and we have never felt like "ugly Americans". We have been welcomed and even thanked by people in other countries. I remember listening to the representative of the French government share appreciation and seeing that Ireland has a deep bond with us.

     However, often we were asked about the actions of George W. Bush and if the American people embraced the thinking of Dick Cheney. I have heard people wonder if Donald Trump represents the United States. We have also heard how much the people of Europe like Barack Obama. 

      They know what is going on in the United States. In the evening, listening to the foreign news, you know what they think about people in America. 

      While I do not think we should vote to keep the world liking us, I do think we must remember that we are not alone nor the only valuable nation on earth. 

June 6 - Anniversary of D-Day, Omaha Beach, France

Picture taken last year at Omaha Beach

(Sorry I missed posting this by two days. -still remembering.)

Austria - land of contrasts...

I have not spent near enough time in Austria, but what time I have spent has taught about its contrasts. Austria is orderly, with big mountains and big music. But it is also small valleys and quiet mornings. The photo above was taken along the road between Innsbruck and the Liechtenstein border/Switzerland. It is small village in a small valley. It is a place where, if I had the time, I could stay for a week and get to know more about life in this country that has been the center of attention by its neighbors for generations.

Italian Marble Floors

Sure, we Americans like Italian marble floors. 

Here are two real ones. 

Top in Rome. 

Bottom in Florence.

Sedona, Arizona, USA

Not knowing what the word "sedona" means, I'd guess it means "wow!" in some native American language. (Yes, you can Google it and find out the meaning.) This photo of the valley was taken from the airport lookout area. It shows the town below and a few of the rock formations. A friend says that she was raised just below the formation to the lower left that looks like a bell. Each formation has a name, but then, they all add up to "wow!".

Coit Tower, San Francisco, CA USA

Sometimes people question whether or not I am on the level.

Photo of Coit Tower from Upper Grant Street, San Francisco.

World's oldest continually functioning church: The Pantheon, Rome, Italy

Many people have taken nearly this same picture (although with different people in the foreground). But, what is important for me is that I took this photo. Being there is fun. 

The photos are my souvenirs.

The Seine without the awful flooding

The Seine floods from time to time. A Google search will give you photos. 

Right now, the Seine is over its banks and flooding the Orsay and the Louvre. 

Photo from last summer - Marietta McLellan

Palais Garnier

Two views of the Palais Garnier, the Paris Opera House. 

Top one is of me and my grand-daughter who shared the last Paris adventure.