Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland

My granddaughter and hiking friends this last summer on Arthur's Seat 

overlooking Holyrood Palace and the rest of Edinburgh, Scotland. 

It is not an easy climb, but worthwhile.

Throne Room, Alcazar, Segovia Spain

When I walked into this room I thought to myself, 

"Even I would look like a king, sitting there."

Verona, Italy

      Okay, not sure about this. Something about this whale bone falling if a man who never lied walks under it. Or, was it a man who never told the truth.
      Things like this all over that link myths with reality.
      It did not fall when I walked under. It must have been that it only falls on a man who is not very, very handsome.

THE GROTTO NEAR PORTLAND OR.

IN THE UPPER CHAPEL OF THE GROTTO.

Close off the Royal Mile Edinburgh Scotland

Off of the Royal Mile (and many other streets in the United Kingdom) 

there are what are called "Closes"

which are like alleys. They are where people lived in former days.

Some are deep into the earth and dark. Some like the one above lead to pretty courtyards.

Check them out.

Not The Mona Lisa

You have to turn your monitor sideways for this. It is a ceiling panel from the Louvre. If you only go to see the Mona Lisa or Venus, you will miss this. Looking down at the map means you never look up.

Nothing SOMETHING special in Kilkenny

This is just a rock wall in Kilkenny, Ireland. Surprises everywhere.

Upper Falls of the McCloud River

In a light rain and snow mix we took several brief hikes to see Lower Falls, Middle Falls and Upper Fall of the McCloud River in Northern California.

View from the boat along the Seine

Going down the Seine from Paris to Honfluer by long boat is one of the

biggest surprises of my travels. Great food. Good side trips. Relaxing.

OK you don't fly Business Class but...

      We do not fly coach internationally, but this advice is for all people flying. You want to get better service? Dress up a little and act like you expect good service and -- you will likely get it. Look and act like you expect less than the best and you will get it. This goes for flights, restaurants and everything else.

Good News

It is raining in Northern California. The smoke is clearing.

Rental Cars in Europe

     We use Auto Europe, a broker, to rent our cars in Europe. You can also use them in Canada and other countries. They have always given us a good car at a reasonable price with good service.
     Not everyone wishes to drive. One example is this photo from Granada Spain. We had rented a VW Golf and this is the way to the garage for parking. The garage goes down around five stories under the old buildings. It may not be for the faint of heart.
     I drive, because I like to stop often to meet people and to see things not on the tourist list.
     I never drive in the cities. Taxis and  Uber are everywhere and the drivers often have lots of local information.

Favorite places: The Italian Dolomites

My wife's photo while we were exploring one of my favorite places: The Dolomites between Bolzano and Cortina, Italy. Take a leap....

Castle Garden, Northern Highlands, Scotland

Photos by Sarah Boehringer

We walked through a lovely, groomed Scot garden in Highland.

My granddaughter snapped a few quick photos.

Good eye for photography.

Looking toward Africa

A fuzzy photo of  Morocco, North Africa

taken from Gibraltar, Europe

Jenner's Department Store, Edinburgh, Scotland

Always nice to buy pretty things at a pretty store.

French Postcards

     Sorry to disappoint some of you with the title. But, these are photos taken in Paris a couple of months ago. I do not use stock photos. I carry a quality point-and-shoot plus my smart phone. I do not walk around looking at things through my camera. I only grab it when I want a shot or when I want to use it as a monocular and see something at a distance,

     The top photo is Mont Martre from the top of the Eiffel Tower. The second is the top of Monte Martre from the base of the steps leading into the cathedral.  This is one of my favorite spots and to the left of the church is a square with working artists. Down the hill to the right is a group of nightclubs and cafes that are charming.  There are plenty of pickpockets, but just be careful. They do not want to mug you, they just want your wallet. 

     

Looking toward Malibu, California

Right round that corner is Malibu.

The fires destroyed much beauty. 

Tulloch Castle, Scotland Highlands

     We stayed in this manor house/castle in the Highland of Scotland. It is haunted if you want it to be. The major way I found it haunted is if I wanted to go from place to place I often got lost. It was built in stages that did not make much sense to me. One good thing is I could always find the bar.

Flags Over American Cemetery, France

It was a rainy day, some three years ago, that we traveled to the American Cemetery in France. It is located not far from Omaha Beach and the other locations of D-Day. I post this because, as we laid a wreath at the memorial, a French official came out and shared how much the people of France appreciate what our country did for them in two wars. I post this too because two older folks and their preteen (at the time) granddaughter faced the rain that our current President could or would not. I try to come up with an excuse for him not going, but I am unable to find one. The people of Europe -in my experience - think Mr. Trump is inadequate and feel sorry for the American people having to deal with him. What bothers me is that our country was a leader of the world community only three years ago, and now has lost the confidence of the other nations.

The Prince of Wales Lodge at Waterton Lake Canada

     The bottom view is what you see while having afternoon tea at the Prince of Wales. This whole area is not particularly crowded. It is charming and beautiful and if you take a boat straight across this lake you need a passport to get off as it is the United States.
     While I highly recommend making reservations for afternoon tea and hanging out in the lobby, I do not recommend a stay at the Prince of Wales. The walls are thin and it is showing its age. It is historic and has that in its favor, but it is not that comfortable as a place to stay.

Phone Booth, Edinburgh Scotlan

Photo by Sarah Boehringer

The Royal Mile Reflected in Glass

In the Alcazar, The Alhambra, Granada Spain

Sedona, Arizona

Suit of Armor

      I have taken loads of photos of suits of armor. This one is from Segovia Spain. It is in the alcazar there.

Expanding the adventure

     Travel can mean seeing twenty cities in ten days or it can mean spending ten days getting to know one place. We like the latter. In order to do that you need to risk new things.

      The top photo is a cooking class we took in Barcelona. While others did the heavy lifting, I cut vegetables and opened the wine bottles.

      The bottom photo is me taking the opportunity to kiss an elephant in South Africa. This is not the best thing I have ever done. It was more fun to watch others do it.

Why we hire a driver or take a small tour

     We have done it in Paris, Gibraltar, Brussels, Amsterdam, and here in Ireland on the Dingle Peninsula. We hired a driver to show us around. Even though I like to drive and drive in most of these countries, I still want to see things other than the road. Plus, it is nice to have a local tell me what we are seeing. The van at top is driven by the retired police chief of Dingle and even he was impressed by the beautiful day. The bottom photo would have just been a picture of a sailboat and an island without him telling us that the island is a giant man laying down - see him? Sure.

Souvenirs and junk and prizes

     This is a photo from the apartment we rented last summer. It is one long block from the Seine and four blocks from the Eiffel Tower and across from the metro station. Not all that exciting. Besides pictures we often bring back things to remind us of our trips. Whenever we have rented a flat in Paris, we cook breakfast and have to buy food. In our cupboard we have two jars of white pepper to remind us of Paris.

     We do have a beautiful wine glass purchased on Murano Italy, but I also have a 2 Euro water glass made in Spain that I actually use for wine. Looking around I see free coasters from pubs in Ireland and Scotland, a bowl from Zambia, and a water bottle from Austria. It is not much from all the trips. But, I did not go on trips to buy things. I went to learn things and meet new friends. 

      Yes, we have bought things for family, but we hope that they have gotten the travel bug from us. New perspectives are the most important things we bring home.

Monet's House and Garden, Giverny, France

     We arrived by boat and were transferred by bus, but you can easily come by car from Paris. It is not far. I nice ride along the Seine and ample parking.

     The house is lovely and one can look out the windows on the gardens with their water features. It is pretty and one can see why Monet painted it. 

     When in Paris, you must stop at the  Musée de l'Orangerie. The museum has very large (surrounding) paintings of the water lilies at different seasons of the year. This, in my opinion, is one of the best museums in Paris along with the Picasso. The others are so big and full of people that it is difficult to see the art, although you would not wish to go to Paris without a stop at the Louvre. (Hint: use the Carousel entrance as it is rarely crowded and the lines are shorter. )  My granddaughter, at 12 years of age, loved the Impressionists and Pablo too.

Planning your own trip

Seat back screen on A380 shows flight progress to Paris

     I like to plan my own trips, although we do take Road Scholar educational programs. Even when taking a program, we add a week or two to travel on our own. The planning and research is lots of fun and gives us a better understanding of where we are going and how best to encounter the locals.

     There are a few hints, especially when going to Europe. 1) Get a couple of good guidebooks an read up on things. I like Lonely Planet and you cannot beat Rick Steve's book "Europe Through the Back Door" for hints. 2) Start reading TripAdvisor. If you find a great bed and breakfast or hotel, do not book with a booking company, call the place direct. You will get a better room for the same price. However, if booking through AirBandB you will deal with the company. It helps if there is something wrong. 3) Don't be afraid, be prepared. Yes, there are pick pockets in Rome (and other big cities including New York) but read up on how to protect yourself and watch YouTube videos about how they work. They are rarely violent and in Europe likely do not want to hurt you. They just want your wallet which you can protect. Aside: in Spain a person under 17 who commits a crime does not get jail, but a "ticket" of sorts. Thus, adults recruit kids to do the pick pocketing. Do not carry more than a day's money and use the ATM's on every corner to get day's expenses. 4) No matter how much you plan, something will go differently. It is fine. You can do it. Enjoy.

All Saints Day: St. Joan

The view from the top floor of the Joan of Arc Museum in Rouen France.

Joan was burned at the stake just down the street.

The Maid of Orleans made a lasting impact on her nation.

Great statue of her in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Photo by Mike McLellan