Lake Louise and Venice - more in common than water

          My daughter called last evening and we discussed mosquitoes. She had just returned from Eastern Oregon where she was bitten many times over. It reminded me that mosquitoes are listed as the national bird of Canada. As well, people are warned when going to Venice to be prepared.  As a boy growing up in Illinois I was sure that these small winged creatures had it out for me.

          We are ready to begin a trip through seven nations and three continents. Word from our facilitator in Africa is bring the DEET. They claim that their mosquitoes are the worst. Certainly there is West Nile, Zika, Yellow Fever and Malaria involved, but to be prepared is to be forearmed. Wear light colored clothing, long pants, and shirts with long sleeves. Do not wear heavy perfume. Take along DEET and benedryl and a tube of corizone cream. Wear white socks as the insects are attracted to dark colors.

           If you are hiking in the Kalahari and come upon a lion you do not have to run fast, just faster than one of your companions. If you come upon a mosquito you just cannot smell good or wear black socks.

Ronda, Spain

Ronda Spain is built on two high cliffs overlooking the countryside. There is a very old and large bridge to get cross the chasm between the two sides of town. One might think it is a poor place to build, but it is  beautiful. Top photo from the bridge looking across. Second photo from a park looking straight down. Fear of heights? Go to Ronda anyway.

Bellagio, Lake Como, and the Dolomites

This is certainly one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. The above photo was taken from a car park in Bellagio looking north toward the Dolomites in Northern, Italy. We met a another couple, they were from Sweden, and they took our photo and we took theirs. This photo swapping  always turns into a conversation - if the other folks speak English, because I can only get by with  very few phrases in the needed languages of Europe. But, thankfully, most Europeans are bilingual or trilingual  or more. No matter what language, Como is a WOW.

Abbey Saint Wandrille, France

Abbey de Saint Wandrille is a working abbey west of Rouen, France. 

While the number of men becoming monks is growing smaller, the abbey

maintains its work by being a retreat center and by accepting volunteers.

Off to one side of the abbey grounds is the cemetery.

The brothers live here and die here and are buried here.

The abbey is very old and some graves are unmarked.

     Much of the abbey is in disrepair and there is some effort to restore it. Sitting in the cloister of the old chapel is a quiet and wonderful place to be. Then, at the appointed hour, the monks, volunteers and visitors walk to the new chapel where there is a service of ancient chanting. This is a fairly long, but certainly wonderful visit. 

Sagrada Família as seen from Montjuïc Castle

      There is a fantastic view from Montjuic Castle that sits high above Barcelona. A good way to reach it is by Hop On Hop Off Bus or city bus and then take the gondola tram to the top. The castle is very near the venue from the Barcelona Summer Olympics. On one side of the castle you can see the cruise ships in the harbor and on the other side you can see the city. With a long lens you can photograph the Sagrada Familia (The Sacred Family). The castle was begun in the 17th century and the cathedral in the 19th.

Souvenirs - what to bring home

Watercolor done by street artist in Barcelona, 25 Euros

     So, what is there to bring home to remind you of the trip? Do you actually have to have something? Do you even want to spend time with photos? My answer in reverse order is: yes I want photos to share here and to remember special people/places by. Two, I do not have to have things to bring home as we have enough stuff. Three, what might we bring home? Well, from Spain we brought the watercolor painting that we watched be created on the street in Barcelona. We brought nothing from Madrid or Monte Gordo Portugal. We brought dental floss from Rome and a receipt from  car tour of Gibraltar. I do have some foot powder from Florence (it was hot there).

     We did bring a wineglass from Murano Italy (not sure it would make it).  I collected free beer coasters from all over Ireland.  There is a quaich (a vessel for sharing a wee dram) from the Isle of Iona in Scotland on the table in the front hall. England - cannot think of anything. France yielded a French cooking knife. We hit small craft places in some countries. I bought an antique beer bottle corkscrew near Dingle. When in Botswana the trick is to buy a small local basket. I know people who collect magnets or shot glasses or spoons. It is up to you. My wife collected flowers she pressed in her guidebook all over the UK.  I  prefer forgetting something so I have to go into a drug or grocery store to look around. I suppose it is up to the individual - we do not travel to shop.

Sacré-Cœur, Paris

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica. From the steps you can see much of the whole city. And from most places in the city you can see Sacre-Coeur. You do not have to walk up, there is a tram. Although my grand-daughter ran up the steps.

Sedona valley as seen from the airport

      There are many good places from which to see the valley where Sedona, Arizona sits. One of the best view points is the lookout near the airport which is a short drive from town. You park across the road and dodge tour buses to get to the best views, but it is worth it.  

Ceilings: The Alhambra, Granada Spain.

     The Alhambra was on my list of places to visit from the day I read "Tales of the Alhambra" by Washington Irving. You must get reservations and tickets are difficult to get in the summer.  It is easier to book a guide and the guide will book the tickets.  Having a guide is helpful in itself.  Our guide was a long time resident ex-pat who lives in Granada.  The group was about 24 people but we were all given listening devices which made it easy,
       The Alhambra is a collection of buildings surrounded by a wall and high atop a hill. It was built over a period of time.  I can say that reading the book (again) helped me to appreciate the place, but was not very helpful in understanding it. The guide helped me make sense of it all. Make sure you visit the Generalife. It is truly lovely.
     The best way to get up and back is by minibus from downtown Granada.  The signs are in English.

Ceilings: The Victoria and Albert, London, UK

Rather plain  - say Victorian - the inner dome of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

One of my favorite museums in Europe.

Ceilings: The famous gold ceiling: Doge's Palace, Venice

The Doge's Palace - sort of the governor's mansion - in Venice has a gold ceiling in the entry hall. It is said that it was there to impress visitors from other nations visiting the city. It impressed me. (Photos by Mike McLellan)

Ceilings: Shopping Mall in Innsbruck Austria

Marietta took this photo as we walked in a nearly vacant mall in downtown Innsbruck, Austria. It was a sunny Sunday and people were out in the street (street closed for walking) and the mall, itself, was also closed. This was a very 1960ish place in an older and lovely part of the city. The most fun was window shopping. When we go to Europe we see fashions in the stores that we will see in the U.S.A. next year. I notice the date on this photo. That is nearly five years ago. Seems like yesterday.

Ceilings: Galeries Lafayette, Paris, France

When shopping in Paris, look up.  Galeries Lafayette is worth a visit. If you do not shop you still have to go to the roof to see the view! I almost had to lay down on the floor to take this photo!

Ceilings: Alcazar, Segovia Spain

There are many Alcazars in Spain. They are palaces that were generally built by the Moors from North Africa. Each is different and each is beautiful. This is in Segovia, a town north of Madrid.

Ceilings: The Almudena Cathedral, Madrid, Spain

Almudena Cathedral (Santa María la Real de La Almudena) dominates the area across from the Palace in Madrid. It is very large and in some ways surprising. The ceiling is almost neo-modern although done a long time ago. It is a good visit especially on  warm day as the building is large a cool. Sitting for a while in the nave makes for a nice rest as well as a chance to see this lovely building.

Ceiling: The Venice Opera House

     The Fenice Opera house in Venice is the main character in the book City of Falling Angels and a beautiful place to visit.  I had read the book and put it on my bucket list in Venice. There were not many people there when we went - except for one man I will never forget. The stage was set for a piano performance. Center stage was a beautiful grand piano. What I took for a technician was tuning it. He hit each key over and over to get the sound right. We sat high up in the hall listening to the notes repeat their tone. He seemed satisfied and packed up his tools. But before leaving, he sat at the bench and played a glorious piece from Mozart. When done, he picked up his case and left.

Ceiling: The Baptistery, Florence , Italy

The baptistery is that building where people go before allowed into the cathedral. It is the place of baptism, profession of faith, and understanding the narrative.  In Florence the building's ceiling is the story of creation, life, punishment and resurrection done in gold leaf and mosaic. At the bottom of the dome you see (in Marietta McLellan's photo above) the small square windows. There is a secret door and a series of steps that allow some folks the opportunity to go up and see things closer.  We did that and this is what we saw.

Ceiling: Anthropology Museum, Dublin

     I have decided to create a "Ceiling Series" here for the next days. I like to look at details.  I did a window series and a door series and a window box series and a floor series. It is time to look up.

     The photo above was taken in the Anthropology Museum in Dublin, Ireland. I fear that the museum does not get the attention it deserves as tourists head off toward the shopping all around it. The surprise is the amount of ancient gold artifacts shown. Ireland was overrun by various people over the years and they left behind some remarkable objects. As well, Ireland has many standing stone rings and observatories which remind us that both faith and science got along even in the pre- history times.

Pardon me, sir, would you hold my wallet...

Florence Italy - by unknown photographer

     We do not have very expensive cameras. They are point and shoot digitals.  But, if you add the cost of the trip to the value of memories, those cameras mean a good deal. We often find ourselves somewhere that seems to call for a photo of the two of us with something important in the background.  We turn to a perfect stranger and asked them to take our photo. Or, as a means of getting our photo taken, I ask a perfect stranger if I can take their picture so that they will take mine. It surprises me how someone will hand me their expensive camera at such an offer. I can think of many times this has happened: Conner Pass in Ireland, Buckingham Palace in London, atop a pass in the Alps, the arena in Verona, a lake in Seville. What if they take my camera and run? Not sure what I'd do.  We do find that most often we ask someone from France - we do not speak French, but they understand what we want. A few times we have been surprised that we have asked an American. Many times lately we have chosen someone speaking English for no other reason than we can explain what we want. A sure bet for a good picture is asking someone from Japan. We have met some very nice people that way. You would not ask, "Pardon me, sir, would you hold my wallet?" But, we will say, "Here is my camera, would you take a photo of us?"

The Tower of London

     The Tower  of London is not exactly a tower today. It is a group of towers and other buildings surrounded by  great wall. You will want to visit. Get there before it opens and you can go right in and go directly to the Crown Jewels, otherwise the lines can be long. There is lots to see and people to meet including the Warder and the Beefeaters.  But, there are also smaller more intimate spots to see some interesting views.  The sight of the Tower Bridge from the wall is a super photo-op. But, the bottom shot is of a small courtyard near the Queen's meeting rooms as seen from the inside looking out.  This is a visit, if you are a history buff, that I would give at least four hours.  There is an okay cafe there for lunch, as well.

These are airplanes....

      These are airplanes. They are a way to get from place to place. The news says that people in them can be dangerous. They get unhappy and fight.  Please do not start a fight on a flight I am taking.

Cathedral in Granada, Spain

     A view of the cathedral near our bed and breakfast in Granada. I got low so I could show the sculpture in front as well as the bell tower.  There had been a special procession with a band and a group carrying a small statue of Mary into the building. It is interesting to see the rituals and culture of another place. 

     We had gone to Granada primarily to visit The Alhambra. It is worth the trip, but I must confess that I was taken by the whole city of Granada. It is a great place to visit and to see both the history and the future of Spain on display. 

     We were in a rental car out of Madrid which is a good way to see the country, but a car is a liability in a city. Especially in Granada it was easier to park in a garage and take public transportation.

France declines isolationism

         France has voted 70% to 30% to move away of the isolationism that has crept into some other nations such as Great Britain. They are a beacon (see top photo) of pride in being France, but realize that they are stronger when related to the European Union ( see flag on left in small French Village below). No nation, no matter how big, can go it alone in a world that today is so interrelated by transport and communications. Only the most arrogant of people can believe that it is better to go isolate itself from others.  We each have a great deal to learn from one another.  (Photoss by Mike McLellan)

Edinburgh, Scotland - The Royal Mile

     The Royal Mile is a main street in the old town area of Edinburgh. It runs from the Castle down to Holy Rood Palace. It is sort of Disneyland for Scot Presbyterians. In about the middle is St. Giles church pictured above. St. Giles is where John Knox preached during the Reformation. We went to the church twice while in the city and on one visit I took to the pulpit to see what it was like. The house of John Knox is just down the street. The Royal Mile is a place where you can get history, religion, trinkets and Scotch Whisky. (This photo is from an unknown source posted on Google and better than any I took.)

Ice Fields Parkway, Alberta, Canada

     There are many places to pull off along the beautiful road between Banff and Jasper in Alberta, Canada.  A simple picnic spot is not so simple to those of us who live outside the area.  The photo above was taken from an overlook of a river. The path crosses the water and follows along the bank. You can look back at the bridge. What may look like snow is a whitewater rapids and waterfall. The loud noise of the cascade cannot be reproduced in a photo.

House in Kilkenny, Ireland

     If you are a person who takes tours that cover three countries in a week, you likely would have missed this house in Kilkenny, Ireland. For one thing, it is on a side street and secondly you would need to have walked by, stopped, and noticed the two kinds of ivy (?) growing on the walls. It is very well kept and tidy. It appears to me that they bought a car to match the color of their home. I like the red door.  I found it very interesting.

     We recommend moving less and seeing more. It is true that we have the luxury of spending three weeks in a smaller country and can move slower, but in three weeks or a month some folks would cover the whole of Europe and not know what they have seen.

     Kilkenny is a town where you could easily stay a week or two and get to know it.  We spent a whole afternoon in a wine bar eating small "bites" and watching a parade go by. We do not have the folks we met there on our Christmas card list, but we bonded for four hours getting to know them and their community. A suggestion: stick with Irish beer. Their selection of wine - mostly South African - is limited. 

Seville (Sevilla) Spain - great city

     The above photo is one of the many horse drawn carriages that zip around the central city of Seville. Like taxis on an errand they travel around or take you for a tour. We hoofed it ourselves as it is a very easy city to walk - although in the oldest parts it is easy to get lost; but lost is not a bad thing. There are some wonderful places to visit not the least of which are the Alcazar and the cathedral where  Columbus is buried. Many good places to eat along the street bearing the light rail train. Be sure and visit the central area both in the day and in the evening; two different places. Along the side streets are some lovely courtyards in which to sit. Seville is a place to experience rather than to just visit.

Just a building in Granada Spain

A building entrance in Granada, Spain. The points of interest are the

plantings in the form of trees on both sides of the entrance.

Flooding possible in Calfornia

     This year the rains caused the reservoirs to fill up and for water to be let out into the rivers at a larger than average rate. With the rain also came a huge snow pack. California's central valley is a watershed for the Sierras, the Siskiyous and the southern Cascades. The warm weather is causing snow melt which is enlarging the rivers and forcing more water releases from the reservoirs. The river flow had dropped after the rains stopped and is now going back up with the melt. Those of us in California need to stay out of the cold and fast moving waters right now. It is dangerous.  Soon it will be steady and warmer.  Photo above is of Mount Shasta taken looking East from my brother-in-law's house. That snow is melting.

Foodies in Barcelona

La Rambla is not just a place to make human contact. It is also the location of  a grand

food court where the colors alone will leave you filled.

This is worth every moment. Sample a little. Take some back. 

This is Disneyland for foodies.