Catalonian Independence

     Last year as we walked around Barcelona there was an undercurrent of independence going on.    Even in the quiet backstreets there were displays of flags announcing people's loyalties. It was subtle but ever present. In California one only sees the California flag on public buildings, not on private homes and businesses. The Catalonian people are proud. I am not sure what will happen next. 

Tower in Verona Italy

      Let us talk about fear and traveling. Many people are scared of leaving the known of their own home and going to a far away place. I suppose that we were that way once, although lack of finances was more of a reason not to go places.
      We have gone into cities in Europe right after a bombing or riot. We have gone to places were we do not know the language or customs. We might have been in physical danger and not known it. We have driven on the "wrong" side of the road with natives and tried foods that were suspect.
     But, for the most part it is and continues to be worth it.
     The one thing, for me, that is an issue is my fear of heights. I am not fearful at 35,000 feet, but I break a sweat on bridges and towers and cliffs. The photo above is of a tower in the center of Verona, Italy. There is a elevator up and then a short flight of stairs. At the viewing platform there is a strong fence. My wife leans over and looks down. I stand in the center and consider holding on.
     Having confessed this, I still go up towers, on high bridges and to the edge of cliffs. I also try any food on a menu that I have not had before.  In Verona I ordered and ate donkey meat ragu; let me save you the trouble.

Hire a guide

     Yes, you can drive yourself around a major city or destination with a guidebook, but you cannot beat hiring a guide - someone who has lived in a place for many years or even grown up there. I have done lots of homework and driven in the countryside and it works well, but not for a visit in a special place with limited time. The photos above are the result of hiring a local guide.  Starting at the top: Daniel showed us around his home city of Brussels. We told what was of interest and he did the rest. Next is the back of Duncan's head. He lead us around the Chobe National Park in Botswana. There were maps available and rental cars, but no thanks. Three full days of game drives made it possible to see the game, not worry about hitting an elephant. Next is Tim the former Police Chief of Dingle, Ireland. A man with a ready wit and a great knowledge of the area. He even speaks Gaelic. The bottom photo is of the great cavern in the Rock of Gibraltar. Karl grew up in the city and was the right blend of lots of information and freedom to roam. He arranged for all the entry tickets and drove roads that scared me beyond words. Expensive? No. Not if you want to know what you are seeing after spending a bundle flying there.

Landmarks

Paris has a tower, London has a bridge, Barcelona has a church, Rome has a Colosseum, 

San Francisco has a bridge and Dublin has this wonderful spire pointing to the sky.

Catalonia Spain

     This view of Barcelona was taken from near the Olympic site. That vantage is close to the fortress that guards the harbor. Barcelona is the main city of Catalonia and that Spain province wishes to form its own nation and leave Spain. There are many reasons for that, one of which is that Spanish is their second language. We will wish to keep up on this as losing this area would have a huge impact on Spain.

Killing Africa

     Once upon a time, men took small boats into the heart of Africa.  They walked miles carrying a big rifle in order to shoot  rhino or an elephant. The meat went to the guides and helpers and the head went home to be mounted on a wall in a large house (it had to be a large house) as a trophy of bravery.

     Now, the herds are being depleted and men fly in or take a Land Rover and shoot a rhino or elephant and cut off the horn or tusks and leave the meat on the ground. These men take the horn or ivory and sell it to other men who believe (falsely) that there is medicine or magic in what has been stolen. 

     

Friends, Romans, Countrymen...

Photo: part of The Forum in Rome.

I am impressed by it all, but love those trees.

Paris, France

Paris is more than great views of the
Eiffel Tower. It is neighborhoods with
Tiffany next to a drugstore.

The Zambezi River

     This photo was taken from a small boat as we crossed from Botswana to Zambia and eventually Zimbabwe. There is a bridge being built, but right now the trucks go by ferry as do the cars. It takes about two days of waiting for the trucks to go across.  We took a small bus to the south shore and small boat across and were picked up by another small bus that took us to the David Livingstone Lodge. That bridge was long in coming. You need a visa to cross the river and another to go from Zambia to Zimbabwe.  They take cash only and in crisp one and five dollar bills (US). $30 each. You can see the bus waiting for us. It has a small trailer to carry our luggage; it is at left center.

Phoenix Arizona

Phoenix Arizona from the lookout on the mountain South of the city.

The Grand Place in Brussels Belgium

     Nearly every city has a central gathering spot. It is the place where people go at great times and bad time. The Grand Place is like that in Brussels. The City Hall is there, and so is history.  Our hotel was near there and so we walked through it often as we traveled the central city. Public transport and cabs will take you to outlying  areas for not much money. But, if you only have a few days this is the place to center your visit. The Belgian Waffles are as good as advertised as are Belgium fries.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Boats, houseboats, beautiful buildings, old churches, the Red Light District, pot shops - Amsterdam is a great city to visit.  The center city is walkable and there are some wonderful museums. We (my wife and I and our grandson) arrived and left by train from Paris. We stayed overlooking the bay. My twelve-year-old grandson learned about some things that maybe should have waited until he was eighteen, but then that is Amsterdam. Travel surprises but rarely hurts anyone.

Victoria Falls

     We saw Victoria Falls from three vantage points: the air, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The air - a helicopter - was judged the best. On the ground the Zimbabwe side is better, but the Zambia side is also amazing. It is expensive to take the helicopter and somewhat difficult to go across the border into Zimbabwe. Staying on the Zambia side is fine. But, having gone half way around the world to see the falls, it is worth it to see as much of it as possible. Called the "mist that roars", you'll know why.

Photos by Marietta McLellan

Venice

     It is obvious that Venice is very much a tourist destination. It was not designed as one, but it draws people to it. It is interesting. It is historical. It is fun. These are reasons why it has become so popular to people. The middle of the Sahara is not a tourist destination for a reason too. When something is attractive you have to deal with the crowds. You just do. But, if you want to see Venice without a crowd. Go and stay there. Go to a concert at the Fenice opera house. Go out at night when everyone else is back on their cruise ships. Late night in St. Mark's Square is wonderful.

Photo by Mike McLellan

Ferris Wheel

      The sky of above the Ferris Wheel in Honfleur, France was looking like something was going on. It was Bastille Day, July 14 and we were looking forward to the fireworks over the water. We hoped that it would clear (it did).  The wheel was not large like the London Eye, but large enough. My wife and grand-daughter were up and I was watching from ground level. It was reported that the buckets had no seat belts and the door of their unit swung open when touched. By USA standards it was dangerous, but my family loved the experience as they could see the harbor and town very well. I do better on the ground with my camera in hand. I especially like the photo on the right

Just 'n elephant

     After landing in Kasane, Botswana on a flight from Johannesburg, we drove down the road a short distance and boarded a small tour boat on the Chobe River. The plan was to get an introduction to the area. We would soon be out in the bush in a tent camp (actually I'd give it 4 stars due to the great staff). As we traveled the islands in the boat we saw all sorts of wildlife. As we approached one of the central islands there was a rather young elephant bathing. I think showing off is a better description. The driver of the boat was just whizzing by as if the huge animal was not there. I got the feeling that it was "Just another elephant" to him. But, we don't see that in Central California. 

     Odd how we take the wonders of our neighborhood for granted.

Down the Seine, France

     Taking a boat down the Seine is a leisurely way to see Northern France. There are surprises all along. I usually drive in Europe. This trip I saw more than the back of the cars in front of me.

Tongabezi School

     It is great to travel over or through an area. It is even better to stop and learn something. These photos are of The Tongabezi School in northern Zambia. The top photo shows three kids for every computer. The bottom is their mission statement. We went for a morning visit to meet the students and teachers and to drop off some books and supplies we had brought with us. The books are in English because that is the language of Zambia. The supplies are those things that are hard to get in the rural area of their country. We learned a good deal and in the end also discovered how grateful we should be and are for what we have.

Grain milling windmill, south of Madrid Spain

     High on a hill outside of Madrid (south of Toledo), there are a number of these windmills. They are near a castle that overlooks a wide valley. These are grain mills rather than others that might pump water. They are not in use, but serve as a reminder of Don Quixote. You would not see these from a bus on the motorway. You need a guidebook that tells you where they are and a car to get there (although there were tour buses there). This is a nice stop and good photo opportunity. If you are a painter just imagine this in oil or watercolor!

European makeup

I know I have a bunch of photos of these green crosses but cannot find one.

This is a cut and paste one from Goggle.

     Everyone seems to wish to bring something back with them from a trip abroad. I usually bring bar coasters - I am cheap. My wife likes European makeup.  She says that it has less chemicals. So, when she goes someplace like France, Italy or Spain she will have stopped at a drugstore (pharmacy or apothecary) and purchased makeup. She likes the smaller stores over the big ones like Harrod's or Printemps. She particularly liked a store in Gibraltar. Drugstores are marked by green crosses in Europe. 

      The only things I have brought home from a drugstore in Europe are dental floss, foot powder and acetaminophen. I did buy a great man's hairspray in Paris which I dropped and broke in Granada, but I do not count it as I never actually brought it home.  

Forence Italy

     I like this photo. We were in a very narrow street in Florence on our way to a dinner event. Two cars tried to go down it side by side. Did not work. The men got out and shouted and hollered and jumped up and down. Each one said he was right. Then one said that he lived right there and he was going to get a camera to photograph the situation. He went through a door and upstairs. The other driver, blocking the street, just got in his car and drove away - never to return.

      This photo is of two folks who had boxed seats to watch all of this. They enjoyed it very much. It was delightful excitement.  It was as fun watching them as it was watching the drivers fake fight.

Beach at Monte Gordo, Portugal

     We have seen few beaches as beautiful as the one at Monte Gordo, Portugal. The picture above was taken from the boardwalk which is just about center of the huge expanse of white sand. The area near the parking lot is populated with beach restaurants and bars. The area closer to the ocean has umbrellas and shelters. It is was beautiful day when we were there and you can see how crowded it was!

Alcazar Segovia Spain

     The Alcazar in Segovia, Spain is lovely from the outside. It sits on a point overlooking a valley. There is a moat in front and it is exactly as one would picture a castle in Spain. Inside, the details are splendid.  My habit is to look at ceilings and down to floors for some reason. It appears to me that they tell some special stories. These two photos are of a ceiling and an upper wall. The figures on the bottom one are just a few rulers of Spain. The upper one shows the Moorish influence with its emphasis on symmetry.  

Facebook Memories

     I opened my Facebook page and the "Memories" popped up. I clicked on it and there was a photo of a tapas bar in Barcelona, and the picture above of the White Tower in the Tower of London. When I opened Google to post this photo I found two more photos I took that they suggest I use. One of a rhino in Botswana and the other a lion in South Africa.  These photos remind me of great learning experiences. They also are a reminder that this world is greater than the small slice I live in day-to-day. I like my home. I am actually there more than I am gone, but it is not the center of the universe or even the world. Ours is a global society and we had better celebrate that.

Travel With Teenagers

     Traveling with teenagers can be tough as they get bored fast and are not as open to change as older folks. We have found that it is easier for all if: 1) They are involved in choosing the destination. This may even mean giving them a list of several to choose from. 2) They get to do research and choose a number of places that they what to visit on a trip. 3) They get some down time on their own each day.

    For example. we spent one  week of a trip to France with our Granddaughter in Paris. We wanted to see much of the art, but we did not lay that out for her. We had her study Paris and come up with a list of places she wanted to go. Well, she choose a few places which were, for us, pleasant surprises, but for the most part she took us to every gallery we wanted to go to. It was a win-win. 

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

      It was not possible to see what was directly under this canopy in La Safrada Familia (The Sacred Family Cathedral in Barcelona, Spain).  But, as a frequent church visitor I can guess it is over the altar or possibly the pulpit. It is more likely above the altar.  To the left are organ pipes. In the lower right you can see why I cannot tell what is going on. It is a wall protecting a construction area. The remarkable thing to me is that this building was designed by Gaudi over 100 years ago. It is not done. The architecture is beyond what we might call "modern" at the end of the 20th Century let alone the 19th. As magical as it is, I see a light bulb out. That is the pastor in me.

South Africa Adventure

     A trip through the countryside by car or train is a nice way to see the geography, but there are lessons to be learned from encounters with the people. The photo above is of my grandson with a bush scout. He is learning survival skills. Certainly he is unlikely to need to know how to make a fire in the Kalahari, however the major experience here was one to one learning from a local person in a remote area of South Africa. If we were just driving through we would have missed that man's wonderful accent, sense of humor, and desire to share the skills he had learned since being a boy.

Sacramento River from the Air

As the plane out of Sacramento Airport banks to gain altitude

you can sometimes see the river below.

Sedona, Arizona

People come from all around to see the rock formations and the art of Sedona.

Dante

Statue of Dante in a lovely courtyard in Florence, Italy

Stone Circle and Prayer Tree

     This is part of a stone circle in Kenmare,  Ireland.  The town is one of my favorites in my travels. It is just a nice, welcoming place. This circle includes a tree with prayers tied to the branches. It is an ancient religious site. It is very peaceful and a short walk from the center of town. 

     Ireland, like Scotland and England, has many such places. I suppose the most famous is Stonehenge. But, it is near a busy roadway with loads of tourists. Circles like this one retain their original character.