Planning trip

Photo of the screen on the back of the seat in front of me last year.

     Well, we are on our way to Paris again. This time it is for a week in a flat near the Eiffel Tower. It is an add on to our two week trip back to Edinburgh and the Highlands.  

     As I have noted, planning a trip is at least 42% of the fun. There is reading, contacts, comparing places to stay, making lists of possible things to see, and the gamble of packing. I say it is a gamble as you never actually know the weather and I like to travel light. Paris can be 80 to 90 degrees whereas Edinburgh can be 55 to 65 degrees. You plan for layers. Plus, always bring sunscreen and a hat. 

     My favorite item of wear is a roll-up windbreaker/raincoat which looks great on, but can be rolled up in a bag the size of  burrito. I also fly in a sport coat (travel coat with 12 inside pockets) and wear it if it is cool during the day or evening when I arrive. It is my purse.

Sea Lions sunning at Pigeon Point California

telephoto lens

Regular lens

High tower at the Rock of Cashel, Ireland

Aging causes skylights.

Extended stay - pick one place

Tapas Bar a block from our hotel in Barcelona

Street sign near a Savory Pastry Restaurant near our B&B in London

     One of the great things about traveling is meeting new people and trying new food. But, when we are having an extended stay, we tend to choose one place as our go-to place if it is good. Usually it is a pub or bar that serves food. There are benefits to doing this.

     One benefit is that you get to know the menu. Still another is that you likely get the same waiter and can build relationship - no matter how shallow. In Dublin here is something to be said for traveling around as we stayed near Temple Bar and there are many things to try. In London we found a great place serving pies (savory) and we wanted to try several. It is on Rathbone Street above a bar near the British Museum.

      In La Villa in the Italian Alps we found a place that was predictable and after our first visit were  assigned to a waitress that spoke English.

     Then there was the very attractive young waitress at a cafe in Rome. The first time we went we took an interest in her and her schooling. (Tipped her too, which is unnecessary in Rome.) Next time back we were coming in with a group and the woman came up and hugged me. (I let on to the folks that this happens all the time... young woman walk up and hug me for no reason.)

      When returning to a pub we had visited several times before taking a train from London to Scotland and back for a couple weeks, the female barkeep called out, "So where you been?" 

The American Flag

     This is a photo of the flag of the United States on the west coast of Ireland. (The Cliffs of Moher.) It is a symbol of our friendship and the many Irish who immigrated to the  U.S. You will find a similar flag flying on the west coast of France as they celebrate the courage of the U.S. forces that landed there to drive the Germans from France during World War Two.
      It is said that when Americans (read people of the United States because people from Mexico and Peru are also Americans) come to Europe it is easy to spot them. They look like tourists (which they are) and sometimes act like they know what is best for others. They  may wear a fanny pack and tennis shoes and a T-shirt emblazoned with their favorite American football team.
     There is nothing wrong with this. We live near Yosemite National Park and the Japanese visitors all wear baseball caps and carry huge cameras. But, the Japanese do not come to Yosemite to tell us how we could improve it. They do not expect us to speak Japanese. They come and when they are gone, they leave no trace.
      It is my hope that those of us from the United States can act that same way when in Europe or another continent. I have seen some Americans do something that made my skin crawl. Please do not pretend to be Canadian at a time like that. Be an American that is a humble visitor to another country. Do not demand ranch dressing in Zambia or shout English slowly to an innkeeper in Amsterdam expecting him to speak English. (They speak Dutch in The Netherlands and it is a perfectly good language.)
     Make the places you visit want to put out an American flag in honor of your visit.

Memorial Day Weekend 2018

     Memorial Day began as a day when the mother's of Confederate soldiers came to decorate and clean their children's graves.  It then grew to tending the graves of all soldiers lost in one of our many wars. When I was a child, we went to another county to tend the graves of my grandparents although none had been in the military. Today it is a day of remembering our military who have lost their lives in defending the United States.
     The most striking place I have seen is the American Cemetery in Normandy France. We laid a wreath at the memorial and walked among the crosses (and Stars of David and Muslim symbols) and considered how on D-Day these people gave their lives to drive back Fascism. It is solemn and a reminder of our own nation's potential drift into the belief that one nation is better, one race is better and one creed is better.

Normandy Winery, France

We had stopped for some "tasting" at a small winery in Normandy near Omaha Beach. It was a lovely chateau being renovated and restored. It has wonderful bones and I would hope to see the final product someday. The kids with us got to look over some souvenirs from the Invasion including various weapons while the adults sampled some product. I, on the other hand, went out along the old wall of the chateau and found this plant (resembles a "Red Hot Poker" plant in our mountains) with the old wall in the rear. It is a wonderful mini-memory for me.

The London Bridge - not this one

     Let's get this straight before you fly to London. The picture here is of the Tower Bridge. It is by the Tower of London. It is a draw bridge and is not old. The Old London Bridge is in Arizona - dismantled and rebuilt there. The New London Bridge is a fairly straight forward bridge down near Westminster. Then there is the "Weeble-Wobble" bridge  - a nearly new pedestrian crossing of the Thames. It weebles and wobbles and moves as you walk on it. There are a large number of bridges which can be seen while taking the Hop On Hop Off boat tour of the Thames. However, please do not call this the London Bridge. It is a bridge in London, but it is the Tower Bridge. Thank you.

At the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

     While the British Museum gets more notice, the Victoria and Albert is more friendly, including a very good cafe. The photo here is of a display of processional crosses which are ordinarily mounted on a staff and carried by a cleric into the sanctuary of a Roman or Anglican church at the beginning of the service.  The cross is the symbol of sacrifice and obedience. It is the sign of a humble self-giving love. I find the gold, silver and ornate nature of these incongruous with that meaning, but so is much else in the church. As a member of the clergy I like my vestments and stoles that obviously set me apart from those who did not attend seminary. Maybe we are all a work of incongruity. 

Some favorite photos are inside jokes

      This is not a great photo, but I still like it. I took it from the top deck of a tour bus in Barcelona, Spain. "Colon" is Christopher Columbus. He is high above the traffic. The statue is supposed to have him pointing to the new world which he will discover for Isabella and Ferdinand, monarchs of Spain. They would lay claim  to this new world.  Columbus would return a hero and then strike out for another voyage to the Western  Hemisphere. It makes for a romantic monument. However, Columbus is not pointing to the new world. As best as I can figure it, he is pointing to Africa. It could be that he is just pointing to the Mediterranean Sea which is where he went first, but it is not the new world he discovered. The second thing I always find interesting in this story is that Columbus is discovering America. No he didn't. He discovered some islands of the Americas and they were inhabited. How do you discover a place that has already been populated? In any case, I like the Spain-America connection and the lovely city of Barcelona. I discovered Spain and its wonderful cities two years ago. Maybe I should get a statue made - I'll have it pointing  to the Bering Strait.

Europe is two years ahead -for good or bad

     This is a store front in Innsbruck Austria. You will note that the photo was taken in 2012. These awful shoes were being introduce in Europe and in another two year would hit shelves in the United States.  Much of fashion works this way. Europe often leads the way. Unfortunately not all European inventions are positive. A woman in these shoes has a long way to fall and thus hurt herself. These shoes are now almost gone in America. What's next? I will report from the UK and Paris this summer.

San Francisco Bay to Breakers

Nineteen years ago the Bay to Breakers race  in San Francisco landed on by birthday. (My 56th to be exact.) If it were not for the Kenyan runners and 25,000 others, we would have won. As it was, we came in in the top 30%  of runners (walkers, drunks, nudists, Trans in high-heels etc.) which was pretty good for a race of around 120,000 people. It was great fun to go from the Bay at Montgomery street over the Hays Street Hill through the Golden Gate Park and down to the Pacific Ocean. You make a good many new friends. Today they are doing it for the 107th time. We are at church.

Red Bus, Glacier National Park, USA

Marietta McLellan asks some questions of the driver of a Red Bus

in Glacier National Park. Her  uncle drove one some 80 years ago.

Wood carving, David Livingstone Lodge, Zambia

     Art is everywhere just music is. We hear the one stringed instrument of the Botswana Contemporary Music and we encounter the carving skill of the Zambian artist.   The peasants create wonderful crafts and sell them for very little. But, that little is shared and the village prospers. True in Africa and true my own town in California.

The Land Only Don Quixote Could Love

View to the East from the Castle

La Mancha is where Don Quixote hails from and if you have ever wanted to visit it, the whole thing is very simple.  Going South on the main expressway (E5) toward Granada (go via Toledo) from Madrid you will see a substantial hill with a castle and windmills. You take the road off toward the hill and you will go through a prim little village and then up the hill. You will get the very best sight of both the windmills and La Mancha. The town looked deserted to us in most areas in midday and there was no English spoken at the cafe, but pull out a little High School Mexican and you can get a decent meal. The turn around visit off of the highway, without lunch, is about an hour and well worth it.

Why to contact the hotel directly

     I have talked to clerks at various hotels and they tell me that when I book through a travel site they have to pay a fee and the chances are that I will get the least nice room in the category. I have found this to be true the only two times I booked through a travel site. It seemed convenient, but at the same price I could get a better room by booking direct. I find that contacting the hotel directly also begins a relationship and allows me to get a feeling for the service there. I shop on the travel site and go to the hotel website and book. Trust me. (Photo of the hotel in Granada Spain where they confirmed what I suspected.)

"The City of Falling Angels" - Venice, Italy

     Because of the plaster angels that were falling from buildings in Venice, the town got a nick name. It is also the title of a book which features the great fire that brought down the Fenice, or opera house. The photo above is like so many that show the Rialto Bridge in Venice along with a variety of boats. The photo is easily taken as it is where gondolas turn around during a short paid trip.  It is an interesting and fun city, It may soon be under water because of global warming.

Toilet Talk

          We get accustomed to our toilets  and bathrooms, but a trip out of the United States will make you rethink what we take for granted. The photos above are from a hotel in Florence Italy. The top is a designer toilet which is square. The bottom photo is the bidet. Many places in Europe depend on a spray of water and a towel to clean yourself.

           In France, most of the facilities were fine except in public areas in the old centers of town where you will find squatting toilets (that is, a hole in the floor) and there may be a bucket nearby to flush.  Some of the street toilets in Paris are automatic; close the door as you leave and the floor gets washed down. In Amsterdam and some other countries, the men's rooms can be just a screen.  In fact, in one area of Amsterdam the urinals are the canals - just walk up to the side of the bridge...

          In Africa we find pretty potties in the hotels and porta-potties in the tent camps in the bush. Not bad.

          In the United Kingdom, my experience has been that the loo is lovely with the exception of the flush. Most toilets seem to be under pressure and you have a feeling you will be sucked out to sea ... sort of like the toilets in airplanes.

          In guidebooks, some people advise that you take your own toilet paper with you. We have never found that necessary, although some countries' sandpaper and toilet paper are very much alike.

          We are now seeing Japanese toilets imported to the U.S. They have mood lighting, seat warmers, and a host of other gadgets. Why, I do not know.

The Beach At Barcelona Spain

          There is so much to see and do in Barcelona, you might forget that it is on the Mediterranean Sea and  it has lovely beaches. There is lots to see, bars aplenty, and great views. Notice the ball in the air between the two young women playing beach tennis. I also will never forget the 80+ year old leathered and topless woman strolling on the beach - for a different reason.

Tree Trimmers Preparing for Work

Amsterdam - it is all in the details

     The world is full of interesting cities and Amsterdam is near the top. This city is not a place of high rise glass towers and giant stadiums - at least in the center. It is a place of bicycles and row houses and quietly standing on a bridge or watching a truck (see bottom photo) make its way across one of those bridges.  Amsterdam is a place of great art and shocking history (Anne Frank). It is progressive and accepting. Amsterdam is a place of pancakes and pot. It deserves more than a couple of night's visit.

Shoes for travel ... and other notes

     If this photo looks like what is behind a pretty hedge row on a road in Ireland you are wrong. It is the street in Temple Bar, Dublin. All over Europe, you will find that you will not likely be walking on newly poured concrete. Cobblestones have been there for generations and will likely be there for many more. Please wear sensible shoes. You will thank me for this.

    You are going to be doing a lot of walking on your trip. The people you will meet will not judge you by your footwear unless it is ridiculous or a pair of brand new white tennis shoes (known as trainers in the UK). Be comfortable and wear shoes that are broken in. 

    I have a great pair of black walking shoes that have gone thousands of miles. They polish up nicely, but they do not appear new - because they aren't.

    I am sure you will see some women in high heels in Rome, but they are only going a short distance. I am also sure that you will be tempted to wear flip-flops or open-toed sandals. This is not a good idea. Think practical. Take socks which are always useful and I pack a pair of slippers (IKEA $2) that take little room, fold to the size of an envelope and do not weigh much. Slippers are always a good idea.

     Now if you are from Texas and are determined to wear your custom made cowboy boots, take a large package of moleskin. Moleskin is always a good idea too.

On an animal reserve in South Africa

     Is find this an interesting photo as I took it in South Africa of animals who knew they would not be shot. Notice they are relaxed and getting along.

The Arena at Verona

     Once used for gladiators and lions, the arena (Colosseum) is now used for events like the opera. It is a great place to walk around and see how yesterday meets today. A floor and canopy have been added producing a stage.  You can see the modern seats built on the stone steps. There are still places to sit on the stone and the stone is ... well ... as hard as a rock. The bottom photo is from a vantage point directly across from the stage.  As I post this, I notice that the camera dates appear on the photos. It has been nearly six years - and many trips - since we visited Verona for the last time. I think Verona is one of my favorite cities in Italy - or at least right up there. It is small enough to get around and has plenty to see. We did not go to Juliette's house or grave as we realize that she is a fiction character. The balcony was added to a house some forty years ago as a place for tourists. Also skip the Blarney Stone and give your coins to a worthy charity instead of a wishing-well .

Parque del Buen Retiro. Madrid, Spain

In Central Madrid there is a beautiful park with a lake and many trails. There are places to eat, drink, and sit. Great people watching.

St. Peter's, The Vatican, as seen from rooftop in Rome

Trophy Hunting in Africa

     Sarcasm Department:  Wouldn't that tail look good hanging from my wall. I could put it next to the elephant tusks. Then, I could show folks my bottle of ground rhino horn. Does that make sense to you? It doesn't to me. We went to five countries in southern Africa with fully load digital cameras. We brought home somewhere around 3000 trophies stored on our computer that we can call up anytime we want. Nothing died, Nothing was killed. The economies of five countries, plus Air France were made more secure.

Sculpture in Paris' Royal Palace Courtyard

 Sculpture in the central area of the Royal Palace, Paris France.

Look carefully and you can see me taking the photo.

Square in Innsbruck Austria

A column in a square in central Innsbruck which is pedestrians only on Sunday.

In Segovia Spain

Here is Saint Juan de la Cruz in Segovia Spain. Segovia is only a short distance north of Madrid and I recommend it highly, The Alcazar is beautiful and it is a wonderful small town.

Where are we?

The gray marks are because these photo were taken out of the window of a car traveling along a road. This could be in the foothills of California, or in the northern part of Italy, or even in the hill country of France. These photos were taken on the road between Granada and Rhonda Spain.  The cities are very different from one another, but the crops of the common latitudes are much the same.