Rick Steves is to blame

     There are many travel sites on the Internet and I read a good many of them. A couple of writers of late have encouraged people to stay away from Venice, Lake Como, and Pisa. They say that they are now overrun by tourists. When I was staying for a few days in Dingle, Ireland I heard locals complain that Rick Steves had raved so much about their place that there were foreigners with cameras everywhere. 

    My photo above is of Lake Como at Bellagio, Italy.  It doesn't look that busy to me, but then I was a tourist. I do know that it is a relief in Venice when everyone goes back to their cruise ship. When that happens (about dinner time) the city is a great deal less crowded.

     Many cities in the world would love to be overrun by tourists. What a boon to their economies that would be. Sure, on the downside, the locals would have to deal with the yokels. Tourists are a mixed blessing.

     But, don't blame the messenger.  When a travel writer likes a place and people read about it and show up, that is not the writer's fault. It is their job.  If a place is wonderful, it is attractive. That is just the way it is.

Liechtenstein in the rain

This is evidence, from four years ago, that I...

"do not have sense enough to come in out of the rain".

That umbrella has been in 12 countries!

Textures of The Alhambra

The Moorish Alcazar in The Alhambra is full of wonderful textures. The Muslims will not depict any living figure so their art is made up of symbols, words and designs. There is great beauty in it.

As one strolls - if you can call it that with all of those other folks in front and in back - you need to take in the world building, but also focus on the details.  The details are amazing.

Church near our hotel in Granada

Marietta taking a photo of the small church by our hotel in Granada.

Cooking Lessons in Barcelona

Sure. Those who know me will laugh.  He took cooking lessons? Indeed.

We went to a cooking school in the Gothic Section of Barcelona. Through narrow walkways and passed wonderfully old buildings until we came upon the modern and brightly lighted kitchen where two classes made lunch. A very complex recipe, but we had class A chefs and enough experience between us. I specialized in cutting up vegetables and making sure everyone had the right wine. They did let me stir a few things. Great meal, good experience, I will likely stick to art classes.  

La Sagrada Familia , Barcelona

Let there be light. (Photos by Mike McLellan)

Today is Thanksgiving and I am grateful for many things and many people.

Most importantly, I am grateful to God for another Thanksgiving.

Interior Alcazar, Seville, Spain

Photo by Marietta McLellan

There a many Moorish Palaces - alcazars - in Spain.

All are lovely. The one in Seville seems most restored.

On the rampart of Mont Saint-Michel

Mont Saint-Michel is on many folk's "bucket list". I know it was on mine. While nearly everyone climbs to the top, I suggest that you also make sure you walk the rampart. Great views  and few tourists to be found. As well, the local specialty of Steamed Mussels and Frites are not overrated. 

Ten things you must do in Europe...

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I read those lists of the Ten Things You Must Do in... and I wonder why I actually read them.

But, I have made up my own list.

When in Paris, London, Barcelona, Rome, Florence, Venice, Verona, Granada, Seville, or Dublin

you must take an evening stroll.

These cities (and that is true in the USA, as well) take on a different character. In Europe, people do not go to bed as early as we do. Thus, the tourists go back to their hotels or ships for dinner leaving the cities of Europe to the locals. This is when the natives leave work and get out and around. Things are less crowed and the lights give the streets a whole new look.

It is also romantic.

So, when traveling, set aside time to go for a stroll every evening.

Dante

Dante watches over his piazza in Verona, Italy.  (Photo by Marietta McLellan)

Alcazar, The Alhambra, Granada, Spain

This is a detail of the plaster work in the Moorish Palace in The Alhambra. The influence of Islamic occupation is wide spread in the Southern part of Spain. It is most pronounced in the Alcazars in Granada and Seville. It is lovely, airy, and clean.

Canada

     Why would anyone wish to move to Canada - despite the politics of the United States?  There was all that talk of heading north if Mr. Trump won the election. The immigration site for Canada even got swamped the day after the voting. The above photo is one I took of the river outside of Banff, Alberta. You might think that these kinds of views are reason enough to move. My impression is that folks in Canada are, for the most part, simply nice. They are busy working hard and supporting one another and don't have much time for the kind of behavior that went on during the U.S. elections and seems to be continuing. Sure, there are things that Canada doesn't have and the lack of those things makes it very attractive.

Spanish Musician

Street musician in Barcelona 

Make my stopover Paris

If you are going to have a stopover you might as well make it CDG in Paris.

I'm not sure how many hours over the years we have spent there, but the shops and food are worth it.

We fly Air France a good deal and they are partners with Air Europa to Barcelona.

I took the above photo at our connecting gate. 

You could connect in Atlanta or maybe Detroit, but why would you?

La Mancha

The Last picture we took in Spain. The windmills of La Mancha. Looking for Don Quixote.

On the way to the Madrid Airport we stopped off to say "goodbye".

Today we are going through our photos and maps and other papers from our trip to Spain. 

We took over 1200 pictures and had 256 printed. We are setting them out. 

We have to remember hard as we were gone over three weeks this time and stayed in five places. 

We went to three Alcazars. The Moorish palaces look somewhat alike. 

The countryside was varied so that helps the memory. 

I find it fun to relive our trips.

Artists collect other artist's works

This is a sculpture in the Gaudi designed house in Barcelona. We have been in a variety of homes of great artists and one thing is noticeable, artists collect the work of other artists. I suppose it is for two reasons. One, they know that artists need to sell pieces to live. And two, they appreciate the skill and work that goes into the work

Photo of The Alhambra from the Generalife

Photo of The Alhambra from the gardens above it. (Mike McLellan)

Veteran's Day

Photo from last year's visit to the beaches of Normandy. 

Quiet now, but on D-Day it must have been awful. 

The French are ever grateful to the U.S.A.

Pavellons Guell by Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona

A quiet place in the busy city of Barcelona...

...with the entrance guarded by a dragon.

Knights Templar

What looks like an average Spanish Church is said to have been a center

for the Knights Templar, a secret society.

This photo was taken by Marietta McLellan using a telephoto lens

from the Alcazar in Segovia. 

Park Guell, Barcelona, Spain

A couple of views of Park Guell in Barcelona, Spain. Designed by Gaudi for the Guell family, it is high on a hill overlooking the city. A great view. It has amazing works of art to walk in/through/around. The best way to get there is by cab (not expensive). We went to the base of the hill by double-decked bus and walked up. (Tough hike and coming down is just as bad.) The top photo looks like a building with columns out front. It is columns holding up a plaza. Note the people on top looking over the edge.

Did the Pyramid Ruin the Louvre?

(Photo my Mike McLellan)

     A great website "Leah Travels" ( http://leahtravels.com/ ) asks a question about whether or not the pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre ruined it. I admit that I have never been there when the pyramid wasn't there, but I think it makes a statement but how art continually challenges our notion of what is perfect. Art is subjective and it comes to us with questions. "Do you like it?" "How does it make you feel?" "What is it saying to you?" "What does it say to others?"

     A pyramid is a very old form. Glass has been around for thousands of years. Put the two together and put it in the central area of the Louvre and create a great underground mall and lobby and it asks you to struggle a bit. I have. I like it. I think it belongs there just like the Carousel and the Mona Lisa.      Actually, I like it better than the Mona Lisa. 

Winged Victory: The Louvre, Paris

The Louvre in Paris takes days to cover completely. The very building is a work of art.

As I walked up a stairway - watching my feet - I suddenly looked up and there was Winged Victory,

one of the world's most famous statues. I have long wanted to see it, but it still surprised me as

I was looking down. That is the wrong way to look in the Louvre!

(Photo by Mike McLellan)

Calgary Canada Light Rail

Calgary, Alberta, Canada has an excellent, low-cost light rail system 

which helps people getting around the city.