Candy Store in Prague CZ

 Window full of macarons.

Simple Holocaust Memorial In Budapest

 With the Chain Bridge in the background, this simple bronze set of shoes is a graphic reminder of the Nazis and their victims. At this spot along the Danube, Jews were lined up and told to take off their shoes.  Shoe leather was not to be wasted. Then they were mowed down by rifle fire, falling into the river. There are men's shoes, women's shoes and the shoes of children. I have visited the prison camp pf Dachau  in Germany and while it is dramatic, it is not as emotionally overwhelming as this.

In the skies over Austria

 Taken from boat on the Danube River

(ultralight)

Mike's nearly-helpful hints

 So, I go to drugstores in countries I visit. You can learn a good deal about the culture there. I also need something from time to time. Make sure when going to  Europe that you take your own Tylenol as it is very expensive in places. But, mostly the things you need are reasonable.

As a warning: before you get too far away from the drugstore, write what it is on the box. The alternative is getting home and not having a clue what you have. The examples are above. The nice red box is one that I got in Slovakia  (Bratislava). I went into a very nice drugstore and ordered like three things I was low on.  This is not a prescription, but I don't remember what it is and the writing on the box doesn't help me. The one on the bottom is probably like Mucinex in the USA, but I am not sure. I got it at an Urgent Care in Munich for a sinus infection. I was two days from a 12 hour flight home and I needed an antibiotic. I got that. I did not open this box. I wish I had written on it dosage or name.

Scotland Sheep Dogs

 Fun thing to do: visit a real sheep ranch that has working dogs. Each dog responds to it's whistle from the shepherd. The dogs are marvelous. We went as a group to this well known farm and my granddaughter got to hold puppies and sheer sheep. Most 12 year-olds dream (except maybe the sheering, but she enjoyed it!)

Scenes along the Danube

 The shores along the Danube are dotted with pretty small towns and interesting buildings. Taking a cruise down the river (and back) gives you a chance to get off and explore. The photo above was taken in overcast during October. The colors are not true to life as these places are much more colorful.

One thing, for sure, is that you will get to see some wonderful churches as these building are, along with city hall, the heart of the communities/

Rouen France

This is a pretty building with a café on the ground floor in Rouen, Normandy, France. I am taking this photo from the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. There, next to the memorial to Joan of Arc, is a lovely church. The finest sculpture of Joan is to be found in Notre Dame in Paris with another lovely one at Mt. Saint Michelle at the middle chapel.                                            
 

Side Street, Brussels Belgium

 We were on our way from San Francisco to Johannesburg South Africa by way of Paris. We could have made connections in Atlanta, Miami, or D.C., but Paris is more fun. With a stop in Paris, I asked my grandson to look at a map and figure out a place to take a side trip on the way and on the way back using Paris as a marker. First place he chose was Brussels (we hired a car and driver for a long day) and it was a nice train ride and interesting visit. On the way back we headed to Amsterdam for four days. These side trips broke up the 25 hour flights and were good fun.

Cages of the Bird Sellers near Notre Dame, Paris

 They sell birds as well as flowers in the Flower Market

View from the stern of a research boat in Loch Ness, Scotland

 Besides the fact that my 12-year old granddaughter was allowed to steer the boat for a while, this was great fun and very informative. We had been to  Loch Ness before, but never ON it. It is beautiful in its own right and interesting to scan the bottom for any monster. The photo here is looking north toward Inverness and eventually back out to sea.

Tombs and Memorials for Wealthy Folk in Verona, Italy

 Amazingly ornate tombs along the street mark the resting places  of  Verona's Elite.

Cool water droplet.

Ferry, Lake Como Italy

Lake Como is, indeed, one of the prettiest places in the world.  Famous people live there. The homes are expensive. A major city is Bellagio.  It is also a nice day trip out of Lecco or  Milan. The photo above is one of my favorites. You can see tourists and residents in the front of the ferry. Looking straight up from the bow you can see white objects on the side of the hill. It is so clear that what you see is a smaller range in front of a large range of mountains to the right. On the smaller one, the marks are buildings. It is a small town overlooking the lake.
 

The Prado Museum, Madrid Spain

  Museo Nacional del Prado is in Central Madrid and is actually very old, but you cannot tell by looking at it. It houses the best collection of Spanish art in the world. I took classes in El Greco and Picasso in Collage. I have often wished to see Picasso's "Guernica" reflective of the Spanish Civil War.  When I finally stood before it, I was amazed. It is huge and actually has colors that do not appear in prints and copies. My party continued on and had to come back and get me.

Above is the church just outside the main entry to The Prado and below is a copy of "Guernica" (you must see the original to be impressed.)

Seville, Spain

                                                A lovely plaza in a lovely park, Seville, Spain'

The Louvre Paris

 One fun of the Louvre is the sudden discovery of a famous work of art. Like The Three Muses above, you walk down an aisle or turn a corner and there is something you have only seen in a book.

Village Church of La Villa, Italy

 These are photos of the Roman Catholic Church on the side of the hill overlooking La Villa, Italy. This is the South Tyrolean Alps or Dolomites. In the graveyard the graves are marked by wrought iron as much as stone.

The Royal Mile, Edinburgh

 I am not sure how many times we have walked the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. It extends from Holyrood Palace to the Castle. Each block has several things of interest. There are underground tours and a whisky sampling store. There is the Parliament Building and St. Giles Church. There are shops and cafes and much more. We also cross The Mound and see New Town. While there is much to see in the city, start with the Old Town and venture out.

O, the top photo is of a boar's head... the rest of which is carved into sandwiches. This is just up from the Parliament Building,

Three Coins In The Fountain

 In Rome you are to toss a coin in the fountain to guarantee your return.  In Florence, Italy you need to rub the pig's nose at the market to make sure of coming back. In Munich it is the right breast of Juliette and in Verona it is the same. The inanimate object helps you to get another chance at the delight of the cities. Not being superstitious, I did not get involved other than to watch. I did learn that if you want to do any of these things, go back at night and there is no line. We often wait until the tourists return to their ship or hotel to go out and see the sites. Maybe we actually see them uncrowded and thus have no need to return. I would, however, enjoy a month in any one of these places.

Tapas - Spain's contribution to civilization

These are an example of a larger than usual tapas for two. After a substantial breakfast, around 2 pm it is time for a break. Spain's answer to the British Afternoon Tea, this holds you (or me) until dinner which is at 8 pm. It sure beats a ten minute break with a cup of coffee which Americans accept as the norm. This break was taken at a favorite place in Barcelona. It is a small sandwich and Coke for my wife and a plate of squid and a beer for me.
 

Narrow Lane in Barcelona, Spain

I find the narrow spaces interesting. In the UK they call them "Closes". These were the streets in former days; times when people walked. Their closeness was a major liability in case of fire.

Gibraltar is a pretty city and one BIG rock

 

Look closely at this photo. "The Rock Of Gibraltar" dominates the picture, but now look at the lower left corner. Shown are 8 to 10 story apartment buildings. This helps with scale. You can, as we did, go to the top of the rock, but we hired a driver who took us by van to the top. The road is mostly on the other side. Lots of caves and tunnels to explore. Yes, it is scary at times.

Notre Dame, Paris, from the Seine before the fire

 Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris dominates the island of Lile de Paris in the middle of the Seine. This photo was taken not long before the fire did so much damage to the church. Sorry I did not get much of the spire in the frame . . . it is now gone.

Europe has lots of graffiti

 Along the streets and especially along the railroad tracks, one sees a great amount of "tagging" and graffiti in European cities. It was surprising to me the first time I arrived in Europe to find it when so many beautiful buildings had been around for generations.

The picture above is somewhat different. It is graffiti and appeared on the wall of a building on Montmartre, Paris. It more of a work of art. It may be a decal; I did not check.

Europe knew all along

 For the last five years, on every trip to Europe, we would pick up a newspaper or hear a newscast reflected by the one above in the Edinburgh Scotsman. They continually warned of the destructive nature of the American president.  The NATO community regretted his antipathy toward them. The morals he displayed bothered most others. We are finally getting up to speed with them. Maybe we have been too close.  Maybe we really believe that God would protect us. In whatever case, we were wrong.

Is the Danube really blue?

 The glacial lakes in Canada are really blue as they contain glacier dust. They are a delightful blue-green. 

When I was planning a trip down the Danube, I had friends who would warn me that it is not blue. As a volunteer children's art teacher, I did not explain to these friends about reflection and the fact that water is clear but takes on the  color of the sky.

The two photos above are examples. The top photo sees the river reflect the overcast. The river itself is not that clear from the ships' wakes, but the sky is gray thus the water is gray.  The bottom photo is of Budapest. It is a clear, sunny day. The water is very blue (bluer than this photo shows.)  

The Danube by long boat

The top photo is of our stateroom upon boarding the English registered ship, the Belvedere. We went aboard after a week in Prague and started a ten day trip down river and back from Passau, Germany. The room had a French Balcony and large sliding glass doors. The bottom photo is just one example of what could be seen from our room. Each night we made a stop and explored a new venue each day (although some were two days.)

I do not like the idea of cruising in a large ship. This kind of boat travel is great food at one sitting as the dining room holds the whole passenger list. There is no gambling, but an open bar. The land tours are all included and the passenger list almost all professional folks there to learn.

Our final week was exploring Munich and Bavaria. 
 

DANTE -celebrated in Verona, Italy

 When I was in Junior High, I got a copy of "The Inferno" by Dante. It effected me and I needed to find the meaning behind the words. While on our honeymoon, I picked up another copy of Dante's work in a rare book shop in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Then, eight years ago I encountered Dante again in a courtyard off the main square in Verona, Italy.

The Rock of Cashel

 A day trip, or part of a trek around the Republic of Ireland, the Rock of Cashel is a good stop. Not far from Dublin or Kilkenny, the top of the rock is a collection of ancient buildings. The views are wonderful and you can see why they speak of green when talking about Ireland. This is holy ground and not a fortification. Parking is at the bottom of the hill and  short walk up to the top of the Rock.

Barcelona from the fortress

 People will tell me that Barcelona is not a good visit because there are too many tourists. While I think they are right and enjoy a visit to Granada or Seville a little better, my argument is that interesting and beautiful places are always full of tourists.  If you want to stay away from tourists go to the Mojave Desert or to Calcutta, India. There is good reason there is room for more in the Mojave.