Le Mont-Saint-Michel, France

Looking up toward the abbey from the rampart of Mont-Saint-Michel.

The island was said to have been visited by Saint Michael the Archangel that, tradition says, banished Satan from heaven. This place has been a site that has drawn people to it for thousands of years. It stands alone, jutting up from the flat Normandy coastline.  It certainly seems like a miracle made it appear. It was made into a strong fortification and religious center.

I found the ramparts to be the best way to see it, because once up on the top you really only see the flat ocean stretching one way and the land stretching the other. But, it is a victory to climb to the top.

You have to imagine the massive amount of work to bring in the stones to build this.

Real Alcazar, Seville, Spain

Moorish palace, Seville (Sevilla, Espana) Spain. 

A really beauty place in a wonderful city.

Honfluer, France: Window Boxes

Chinese New Year

This Chinese New Year celebrates the year of the Rooster.

The picture above is a photo of a ceramic rooster in a restaurant in Montemartre a hill in Paris. 

The rooster is a symbol of France.

They can be seen everywhere.

Window boxes

Harbor area, Honfluer, France

Simple and I like the metal on the Juliet balconies.  

Window boxes

Paris

While I was taking this photo I saw a man (dressed in suit and tie) approach me and brushed by.

I immediately reached for my back pocket and got his hand.

I warned everyone with a loud "pickpocket!" 

and the man - and two others - took off in a hurry.

In the garden

Real and created trees in Phoenix. 

Window boxes

Window boxes, Segovia, Spain

Photo by Mike McLellan

Window boxes

I have a vast collection of photos of window boxes. I like them and they add so much to places.

This one was in La Villa, Italy

View of the Alhambra and Granada...

Just outside the gate of The Alhambra, atop the hill overlooking Granada Spain, is a wonderful garden and summer palace. The garden originally was a vegetable garden providing fresh food for the people of the fortress and Alcazar. Today it has been turned into a place for strolling among trees, shrubs, fountains, and flowers. Something that interested me is that this all turns out to be far different from what I imagined by looking at a two dimensional map. The map cannot capture the wonder of it all. Maybe this is why it is so much more exciting to see places in person than just in pictures. 

Note to the world

     The statistics for this blog reveal that it has been viewed by people all over the world.  Log-ins, besides the United States, are heavier in Central Europe, Asia and Russia. I appreciate the interest. We have had thousands of hits on this and my other posting sites. This blog is based on visits and revisits to many European and North American countries and thousands of miles logged. 

     I need to say that, on this day when a new President of the United States has been inaugurated, not all of us are as isolationist as it sounded. We value our relationships with other countries and what they have been able to teach us. To be sure, we are proud of being citizens of the United States of America, but those of us who travel appreciate that we are citizens of the world.  Our travels have called for humility as we hear what others think about our nation. We know people have generally cared for President Obama, were saddened by Bush-Cheney, and do not know what to think on this inauguration day. This is only one person's hope, but I believe it is shared by the majority, that each day brings us closer to citizenship in the human race, not just in our individual and parochial homelands. 

A Dog's Life

When traveling, the family member that stays home is our dog.

About two weeks into our trips I begin to miss him and the way I know that

is that I start taking photos of dogs. 

The top photo shows a pooch outside a store in Murano, Italy.

The bottom photo is of an old guy watching over a flea market in Bantry, Ireland.

Hyatt Regency, San Francisco

The outside of the Hyatt Regency near the Ferry Building

in San Francisco, Saw-tooth design.

SURPRISE!

I took the photo above because I thought it was amusing to see the

communications antenna top the Tower of London building.  New meets old.

I also noticed a bird or fleck in the photo in the upper right.

So, before using Photoshop to get rid of it, I blew the photo up and cropped it.

Surprise! I realized that when we had flown into London this time we flew right 

over the center city. The flight path for westerlys puts the plane over the Thames,

This is what I saw. 

Greenland as seen from 35,000 feet

   The first airplane flight I ever took was one from San Francisco to Los Angeles on Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA). I was going on a job interview. It was 47 years ago. I took an aisle seat and tried to forget I was up in the air. I was scared.

      I am not sure how many flights I have taken as of today, but I have moved closer to the window so I can look out, and hopefully see things from the air that I have never seen before.

     The photo above was taken on a flight back to San Francisco (SFO) from Dublin. Those flights go over Greenland. It was a clear day and the earth appeared to be a series of white circus tents. 

     One thing you notice is that Greenland is not green and Iceland is not just covered in ice.

     I actually plan flights (especially connecting flights) over certain areas during the day so I can see them from the air. It does not always work. I planned a flight from Verona Italy to Paris (CDG) for early afternoon because the flight goes right over Mount Blanc. It was the cloudiest, rainiest day over Switzerland. Darn.

The 100 Ton Gun on Gibraltar

I am just about the same weight as the shells this thing fires.

Conor Pass, Dingle

      Nothing is any more frightening than driving up the Rock of Gibraltar, but a close second is the road over the Conor Pass from Castlegregory to Dingle, Ireland. The photos above are of the summit where there is a cairn. A cairn is a pile of stones placed one at a time by pilgrims. This one is up a fairly steep slope. 

     So, we made it to the top in our rented Nissan Sentra with steering wheel on the right.  When I put my hand in my pocket to get the key to drive to Dingle I discovered the key to our bedroom at the B&B in Castlegregory. A lesser man would have just kept it, but I felt compelled to drive back down and return it. I was terrified on the way up and the way down was no better.  It is a one lane road with a steep drop off. When a lorry approaches you have to remember to go to the left side of it because, you see, people drive on the left.  Then, after returning the key, you get to drive it again.

      I was unable to take a photo of the actual road as my hands were glued to the steering wheel, so I will see if I can post one copied from the internet.

Muckross House

     I said I was sorry, but I actually wasn't. Okay - the rule that our young guide gave us was that no pictures where allowed in Muckross House in Ireland. We were done with the tour and standing in the kitchen and I spotted three platters above the fireplace. We have a platter just like the one in the middle. I could not help myself. I took the picture. The young girl gave me "the look" and I gave a false apology. I am guilty, but I have the photo. (Muckross House, Gardens & Traditional Farms, 

The National Park, Killarney, Co Kerry. Ireland).

Something about London

     There are many great cities in the world, but London is very high on my list of favorites.  It is not just because they speak English because they speak English in Detroit. It is not just the hustle because you cannot beat the vibe of New York.  I think it is because of the history, the openness of the people and how easy it is to get around. The photo I took above is of one of my favorite spots. It is at Trafalgar Square looking toward the National Gallery and to St. Martin in the Fields. We have found ourselves there each trip. Right up the street between the two buildings is the British Museum and near there a great pie (meat) shop and pub. I could go on, but I just think I should book a flight.

Is Ireland Green?

From the ridge that runs along the top of the mountains between Kilkenny and Lismore, this is the view. I took this picture to prove that Ireland is, in fact, green

The Roman Forum

We have been to the Forum in Rome a couple of times

and I find it, not only interesting, but a nice place to wander, think and

rest in the middle of  busy city.

Italian Police Cars

When we were in Italy in 2012, our grandson was "into" police cars and garbage trunks so  I took pictures of both. They seem small to those of us from the USA, although we have cars the same size - but not police cars. Yet, in Italian cities like these in Rome, the streets are narrow and the best way for police to get around is on fast motorcycles. These cars are actually big for some of those streets. 

Parasailing in the Alps

This photo, s you can see, was taken in 2012. We were driving in the Tyrolean Alps

and turned a corner to see  whole group of folks parasailing. 

Personally, it was scary to watch, but I still wanted to do it.

I didn't.

Close in Barcelona

I like narrow street photos - mine from Barcelona

Courtyard of the Louvre

Great place for people watching

Photo by Mike McLellan

Lake Moraine, Alberta, Canada - Calgary to Jasper

     Here is a suggested trip to Canada: Fly into Calgary (Alaska Airlines is great, especially from the West Coast. You will fly through Seattle.) Three nights in Calgary is time well spent. You will want to rent a car. There are some nice hotels in the area of the college and good places to eat, as well. Take the light rail and visit the downtown, the art museum, and then out to the Stampede grounds. 

      On the way to Banff, stop by the the Winter Olympics site. Banff has a good amount to see. Check out the river, the parks, and the hot springs. Lake Moraine is lovely. It is a very walkable town with many good eateries. A buffalo steak is excellent. 

      Then you can either stay at Lake Louise or make it a day trip. The Deer Lodge is close to the Lake, but not as nice (or as expensive) as Chateau Lake Louise. There is a hostel for those on a budget. One day is enough unless you wish to hike around the lake.

      Then, it is up the Ice Fields Parkway to Jasper. There are plenty of places to stop on the way. Great photo opportunities and the chance to walk on a glacier, but not many places to eat. We suggest bringing food for a picnic. Once in Jasper there are some great bed and breakfasts. Go out to the lake to the east and check out downtown. The visitor's center is super and in  small park. If you like trains there are some good rail yards to visit. One or two nights in Jasper before returning to either Banff, Canmore or Calgary. Figure 8 to 10 days.

      Our trip included driving to Waterton Lakes National Park, to Glacier National Park, around Flathead Lake, to Radium Hot Springs, back to Banff and then to Calgary to fly home. We, however, have three weeks to a month at a time to travel.  

Christopher Columbus...how did he find the New World?

     This is a photo of the Christopher Columbus monument in Barcelona, Spain. It is in the harbor and can be seen from substantial distances. The community is proud of Columbus. He made Spain great by beginning the plundering of North America. There are other memorials, such as in Seville where he is buried. The problem is, as noted by everyone, Columbus is pointing toward Africa, not North America. I believe he is pointing to the sea.