Durnstein Castle overlooking the Danube

Durnstein is a pretty little Austrian village which has turn itself into a tourist destination.

There are sites to visit, shops to check out, and such things as wine tasting,

 

Dusk on the Zambezi in Zambia/ Zimbabwe

 The Zambezi River separates Zambia from Zimbabwe. We had crossed from one the the other a couple of times. Here we were on an evening cocktail party boat enjoying the cool of the day and the sounds of nature.

Arches everywhere in Europe.

In cities all over Europe there are Aches celebrating events, The most famous is likely the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. One of my favorites is a large one in downtown Madrid by the park. The one above is in Brussels, Belgium and I thought I got the flag open, but it was so windy that day that what I got was a surprise. I get many of those. 

 

The Parliament Building in Budapest Hungary

The Parliament Building sits on the banks of the Danube on the Pest side. 

It is claimed by many travelers as the prettiest government building anywhere,

It is pretty and it is nicer from a distance, like looking as a great painting.

This photo was taken from the Chain Bridge.

 

Cheetah in South Africa

 We learned a good deal about cheetahs. They are related to leopards. Leopards are bigger but not as fast.  Both are dangerous although leopards are one of the Big Five. In reality, while both are dangerous, they are not as scary as the African wild dog.

The Roman Arena in Verona Italy

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There is a famous coliseum in Rome. Not much goes on there, but they are going to replace the flooring and again have events there. This is the arena in Verona. It has held events all along. The day we were there they were getting ready for an opera that night.

Family group near the top of the Rock of Gibraltar

 Sorry about the photo quality. I did not use any program to clean it up, but to the upper left you can see the city of Gibraltar. These guys are not monkeying around as they are apes.

The Bay Bridge (Oakland - San Francisco Bay Bridge)

This is the new Bay Bridge as seen from the Sausalito Ferry coming into the San Francisco Terminal.

Very pretty with lights at night. Very busy during the day with cars and trucks.

 

Too Close to Home

This is a sculpture at the Bay in San Francisco. I have lived near the city for five decades and it was the first time I was down at this part of S.F.     I lived for seven years in Long Beach California and on a clear day you could see Catalina Island, 26 miles off the coast. I never went.  After moving away and returning many years later I finally took the ferry out. I have lived in the Central Valley of California and could go to Yosemite any time I want, or to Lake Tahoe, or to the beach, but didn't. But, I gladly get on a plane and fly half way around the world to Paris. The other places are too close to home.

 

Cistern In the Alcazar, Seville Spain

The Alcazar in Seville is a pretty place with many places to sit and reflect. The cistern is one pf those places along with it being a cool area in a warm climate. There is plenty of shade there too. 
 

Loch Ness Research Boat

 Top photo is of the shore of Loch Ness To the right is an inlet that contains the boat harbor and the research center. From there we took a research boat making soundings of the loch and looking for "nessie" real or imagined. The bottom photo shows my granddaughter at the wheel driving the boat to another site. The lake is very large and it was a great day for weather.

Durnstein Snapshots

Durnstein is a quaint and tidy town on the Danube River in Austria. While known for the castle ruins

there is much to see which reflects a many centuries old village. One thing we did was  to sample their well-known wines.

Annual Zebra Migration

We were in Botswana on game drives. The islands in the Chobe were becoming populated by

hundreds and hundreds of zebra. It was an amazing group gathering for their annual

migration southward. 

 

The Willamette River, Portland Oregon USA

 The city of Portland is divided in half by the Willamette River. The photo above is taken just after sunset from the west bank near the Old Spaghetti Factory, Portland is, due to the river, a city of bridges.

Central Switzerland in the rain

 

We drove a big circle out of Verona Italy. Going north through the Dolomites we went across Austria

to Lichtenstein then down Switzerland to the Italian Lakes arriving back in Verona for a flight to Paris.

It was an good plan and worked well everywhere but in Switzerland where we encountered heavy rains and low clouds. This provides the perfect excuse to go back.

Lake Como, Italy

This photo is of Lake Como from near Lecco, Italy. 

A popular destination and you can see why.

 

Flying over the Cascades in Oregon

 I pulled up this picture after hearing many stories about passengers on various flights being problems. A nephew who is a captain with Horizon Air says that his job is not easy but he is at least protected by a bulletin proof steel door from the passengers. I am sure that is in some jest, but I have been on too many flights where people thought the attendants were personal slaves or that their ticket gave them power over the whole plane. If you don't behave well on the ground, at least stay there.

The Travel Diary

 Dear Diary: I used to keep a fairly detailed chronical of our trips. I put in many things. I would stay up at night writing history. Slowly my journals became shorter. In the evenings I spent more time making history. I am not sure why I stopped the long entries. I still keep a notebook, but it is more reflection than detail. Like this photo. I know I took it while traveling down the Danube. I know it is somewhere between Vienna and Budapest.  I am going to guess Budapest. My travels are now broad-brush experiences and when done we are busy planning the next trip. We no longer make photo albums and keep the photos on computer. Time changes. We change.

The American Bar in Prague

We, in the United States, have Mexican food, Italian food, etc. So, it should not seem odd that

there would be American cafes in other countries - but, it is.

As well, most of these places serve their own food with rebranding.

In Sterling Scotland, there is a large Texas Steak House that is not much like what we would find in Texas.  In Prague the American Bar is not very American.

But - I did not go to Prague to have McDonalds (which is available)!

 

The Chain Bridge at Night: Budapest

 This photo was taken from the top deck of a riverboat on the Danube. The Chain Bridge is a major landmark. Budapest is a pretty city and especially at night. Each side of the river is distinctive, but both sides have grand buildings. I could spend a week in this city on a visit anytime. Two days is too short.

Crossing the Shannon River by Ferry: Ireland

If not going to the town of Shannon and rather going toward the Cliffs of Mohr from the

Dingle area, you get to take a ferry across the Shannon River. The day we were there, it was cool

and windy during the crossing.

 

Crows In The Tower of London

 

Grandson Lucas outside Anne Frank's House

Lucas was 12 years old here. Today he turns 16.

This was our adventure together in Amsterdam.

 

My granddaughter, Sarah, and friends on the way up to Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh Scotland

 

Photo by Mike McLellan

Traveling teaches you about your own country.

      I am not sure that television and newspapers in Europe always reflect the United States I know, but they do give an idea about what people in other countries think of us. Since 2016 we have spent a good while in Europe and heard much about the president elected then. I was not surprised when there was dancing in the streets after the Biden win. Mr. Trump was not only the butt of jokes, he made people all over those countries feel sorry for the American people. It may be hard for some folks to swallow that other nations could feel that way about what was once the greatest nation in the world. The 2020 elections have brought back much of our standing once lost.  The photo is of a column (one of several) in the main Edinburgh newspaper, The Scotsman.
 

A favorite visit: Verona Italy

 

The Aqueduct at Segovia Spain

 It is the first marvelous thing of many marvelous things to see in Segovia.

Looking out of the central court of the Louvre, Paris

     We have been to the Louvre a couple of times over the years and still haven't seen the collection. It is huge. But, it is more than Venus, Winded Victory and the Mona Lisa. The ceilings, by themselves are wonderful. The buildings are gems (it started as a palace). You will see the Eiffel Tower - you cannot miss it, but you don't have to go in (up). You do need to go into the Louvre.