Notre Dame Before the fire, taken from the Seine

 

Favorite Travel Surprise: To Dream The Impossible Dream

 Returning from the West coast of the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal, Gibraltar,Seville), on our way back to Madrid, we saw this collection of windmills just above a pretty little town. Well off  the main road we got an opportunity to see the real rural area of Spain. Just to the right of this photo is an old fortress. From this hilltop was a grand view of the valley. These windmills were constructed to grind grain. not to pump water (as in The Netherlands or California). 

The White Tower, Tower of London

 

Get there at 10 (opening) head toward the crown jewels then

make your way back to the entrance. Nice cafe near the front.

Try it front to back with everyone else and you will not see everything.

Arizona

 Many times over the years we traveled northern Arizona visiting Native American

villages and ancient sites. We worked on the Navajo Nation and traveled the dusty Roads.

A couple of  years back we visited Phoenix, the  Red Rock Area, Sedona, and Prescott,  We

had often been near but never spent the time. Worth it.

Interesting tree near our tent village in Botswana

 Acacia

Keeping the germs away

 The airlines are doing better keeping their equipment clean, but we have our own plan. We put a large container of Wet Ones in our checked luggage and a small package with our carry on. We wipe down the armrests, the food tray, and the magazine sleeve on the back of  on the seat in front of us. You will be using wipes from the small package because the large one is over the cabin limit. Finish until the towelette is dry. 

The large container is for use in hotel rooms.

We also carry a small tube of Neosporin and place a small amount in our nostrils. This keeps our nose moist and we suspect kills germs. 

Fall in Oregon

 Remember the little girl that we took for about a month to France? She was 12 then but now she is 18 and a woman who sees the world as a place of adventure. 

Horizon Flight Sacamento River

 The Horizon Flights generally take off to the South before taking a big turn to the West and then North to Portland and Seattle. The Bombardier Airplane has the body and engines both suspended from the wing. Sitting at the wing gives you a view straight down and also one of the bottom of the engine.

Outside and inside the Arena in Verona, Italy

Still used for opera, plays and concerts, the arena is a great gift from former generations.

 

Facebook request for favorite photo

 A request came in for my favorite photo (personally taken) of an outdoor area. This is my post: pulled off on the side of the road on the way from Bolzano Italy to La Villa Italy in the Dolomites, Sud Tyrol.

The Alcazar In Segovia, Spain

 If you get to Madrid, I suggest that you rent a car, take a bus or high-speed train

to Segovia, Spain. It is a get visit and small enough to enjoy it.

Cooking Class in Barcelona

Took our granddaughter to a baking class in Paris, She loved it. It looked fun. So when we went to Spain I thought it might be a good thing to try.  I cannot cook and do not like to try, but in Barcelona we took a class cooking a whole meal including paella. This is not easy. I was called upon to stir the pot, open the wine, test the wine, and pour the wine. 
 

The Gardens of the Alhambra, Granada Spain

 

Our first rented flat in Paris

Across the street

/

Outside the door

Our first Paris flat, a number of years ago, was right across the street from the Louvre. It made everything we wanted to visit close at hand. The second flat, a number of years later, was just around the corner from the Eiffel Tower and on the metro line, Not to judge, but they were very different neighborhoods. The first one was closer to food and vegetable markets and the second was a very short 1/2 block from the Seine. It pays to do your homework, although the central city is not that large. Google Earth is a big help.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse, California

Takes about 1.5 hours from our house,

 

Night Landing At JFK New York

 

Halloween Month

 A Haunted Manor House near Loch Ness. If you do not

believe it, talk to my granddaughter..

Halloween in Northern California

 

Things are getting ready for Halloween.

Things we brought back from overseas

 We have brought home a couple of glasses (one from Murano and one from Barcelona) but generally we do not buy anything to bring home.  Somethings just happen and other things are purchased to replace things we brought and ran out of.

Percil laundry detergent . Had to do laundry in Paris and bought this stuff and now use in at home as it is now available. We also brought home small shakers of white pepper. Needed it on French eggs; had lots left over. Got a shampoo brush in Granada Spain. From Florence Italy I brought home some foot power without aluminum; hard to find. Still have an unopened package of 12 cough drops from Slovakia. 

Got a scarf in Prague as it was cold in October. 

Not sure how to count around 5,000 photographs. One above was taken while in corner cafe; lunch after going to the top of the tower.

Wild dogs make impala kill: Botswana

 These are animals which will likely attack and hurt you. They work in packs.

Dusk on Kenmare Bay, Ireland

 

 An hour of so, sitting by the large stone sculptures of the three musicians, looking

out over the bay at Kenmare, Ireland, is a great investment

"Not so big" cities"

 

     “Not so big” is a way to describe the cities that I like the best. These cities, in which I stayed and looked around, drew me in deeper than the larger ones that demand the spotlight. Granted that Paris, Rome, London, Prague, Budapest, and others their size, have much to explore, but the “not so big” cities are welcoming and friendly.

Some of my favorites are:

 Sterling, Scotland

Verona, Italy

Granada, Spain

Honfleur, France

And some larger as Brussels and Amsterdam.

     Germany and the Czech Republic have many and the South of England is full of them.

     So, what makes them attractive to me? I think the ability to get around. Verona is a very walkable place and lots to see. Sterling has great history and a wonderful castle. These places are also not packed with tourists leaving some space for me (a tourist). Granada is busy, but also has plenty of places to hide out. Honfleur has a vast amount of France in it.

      I suspect too, that each of these places had people who welcomed us, showed hospitality and kindness, and gave us a chance to ask questions.

Verona, Italy: from the bell tower and a hillside street.

Fall and Winter Wear

 For Fall traveling in Europe or Winter (Dry Season) in Southern Africa, I suggest layering. Warm shirt, bubble jacket, burrito rain jacket. Both the rain jacket and the bubble jacket roll up and are pack-able as the size of a shoe. Gloves are important.

Lakes off the Icefields Parkway, Alberta, Canada

 The water takes on a blue/green color as it draws in the glacier dust. This lake named for a a well-known member of the park personnel. The drive from Calgary to Jasper is beautiful, 

Victoria Falls, Zambia

 The closer to Victoria Falls, the less you can see of it.  Wearing ponchos is almost a must. The spray can be seen for miles. 

Our last flight to and fro Europe

 Our airline of choice is Air France. CDG airport is like coming home. This time we got a deal on Lufthansa out of SFO to Frankfurt.  We booked two seats in Premium as always. There being no sets left in Premium we were automatically bumped up to Business. Being frequent flyers helps, plus holding tickets marked Priority is okay too.

Business Class on Lufthansa was only a little better than Air France Premium although the Lounges are very nice. In Frankfurt we took a smaller plane First Class to Prague. 

On the way back to San Francisco we flew Premium from Munich Non-stop. OK flight.

Still, the best bet and deal is Air France which does not cost that much more than coach.

On The Danube. Austria

 Looked blue to me.

A year ago today we were beginning a week in Prague CZ

The Prague Astronomical Clock, or Prague Orloj is a medieval astronomical clock

 located in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.