La Villa Italy Cemetery

This is a favorite photo. We stayed several days in La Villa which is in the Dolomites.

While on a walk we happened by an old cemetery.

It was lovely, well-tended and interesting.

Behind the caretaker's shed I found this. Not sure if it was due to resurrection

or non-payment or repair.

 

In The Garden of Rodin's House in Paris

Not far from Napoleon's Tomb there is a lovely home which has been turned into 

a museum. The house and gardens are filled with the works of Rodin.

It is very much worth a visit - a quiet breather from the bustle of Paris.

 

Another note on Scotland: Loch Ness

Do you want to search for Nessie? The vessels used in research

will gladly welcome you aboard. If no Nessie sighting the Loch Ness sighting is worth it.

 

MacLellan: Castle and Highland Games

MacLellan's castle is in Kirkcudbright, Scotland a town in the southwest.

As there is no way to put the line under the "C" the line in our name has been dropped.

MacLellan is the correct spelling and works with the line in longhand

We have travelled much of Scotland over the years and have grown to love it.

We gladly give helps and hints if you are traveling.

The Highland Games are this weekend (Labor Day) at Pleasanton California.

 

Coming Home Statue

This statue and others like it are found in several locations.

This one is outside the War Memorial in Caen, Normandy, France.

It is near the beachhead from WW2.

 

La Boqueria Las Ramblas Barcelona, Spain

Off La Ramblas (a walking mall in Barcelona) there is a wonderful market.

Just walking through it with the colors is worthwhile.

This is an example of one stall.

 

Not far from home

We travel I-5 a good deal as we spend 1/4 of our time in Portland.

This photo was taken at 70+ miles per hour

a few miles north of Corning, CA.

The Sierra Nevada mountains are just in sight.

The reason I took this is that the clouds reminded me of the Midwest.

 

Google Earth

There are  number of good things for which you can use Google Earth.

One that I do is to map out where we have gone.

Flights and road trips go on.

The other thing I have done is to pre-drive a road trip to get to know things.

In Ireland this habit helped us find a nice BNB when feeling lost.

I had already seen it on Google Earth/

 

Prague

E

Church along the stroll from the Charles Bridge to the Castle.

Prague CZ.

 

Gargoyles On Notre Dame Paris

Non-award winning photo of a few gargoyles at Notre Dame Cathedral. 

We have been to two worship services and visited other times.

A shame about the fire, but the rebuild is coming along.

 

AT the Edinburgh Zoo

At the zoo in Edinburgh Scotland there are a number of very interesting

displays. The one above is, of course, a giant panda.

There is also nearby a brown panda which is really rare.

Lots of things to see. One of note is the Parade of Penguins that  come right down the center of the zoo.

 

Eating in Europe

 

    Let's talk food. People on trips seem to take bunches of photos of food. I expect it is because it is often good and different from home. Have to say that if all else fails the world is filled with Subways

and McDonalds. But my appetite has been cured locally in Europe. There are snails in France (with enough garlic you will not notice the snails). In Germany is it the schnitzel. Chicken is my preferred. In Prague (see photo above) the sausage from a street vendor was wonderful. In Africa every meal means pap while in Europe it can be grits.  We have a favorite meat pie shop in London on Rathburn Street down from a super Indian Restaurant.   I will tell you that I like Haggis and black pudding despite knowing what they are made from. Skip the pig joint in Munich. It tastes good, but is difficult to eat. We had a great lunch in rural Spain - had to point to it on another table and it was super but I don't know what it is.

    Colcannon in Ireland is delightful but you can skip the donkey meat ragu in Italy. I could go on and on, but most importantly you need to sample new foods and enjoy. You can always come home to meatloaf.
 

Giraffe In Botswana

I tend to think this guy was was wondering about the strange animal with a camera.

 

The Concert Hall in Vienna

There are only three people besides me in the hall. The reason is that it

is intermission and a complimentary champagne  reception through the door on the left.

I just snuck back with my camera (and glass) to take this. 

 

Street Market in Munich

We have been to street markets in any number of places.

I suppose my favorite is The Portobella Market in London.

Yet, this one  in Munich was filled (in October) with Christmas decorations.

Cool.

 

The Louvre

Busy place, but wife and granddaughter found a quiet spot.

 

The beach at Monte Gordo, Portugal

A busy day at the white sands of Monte Gordo a city on the southern coast of Portugal.

Nice cafes along the beach.

 

The Alhambra sits atop of a hill in Granada Spain

You likely have seen photos of the Alhambra as it sits at the top of 

a hill above Granada, Spain.

It is a fortress and religious site.

Many photos are of the water features.

This is a photo of a single wall ornamentation inside.

It took years to create its wonderful interiors. 

 

Sedona and Red Rocks and Oak Creek Canyon

If you have never been to Sedona in the midst of the great red rocks, 

you should go. The Oak Creek Canyon highway takes you

from there to Flagstaff. It is a wonderful trip.

Fly into Phoenix and drive to Sedona. Take the Oak Creek Canyon and then turn west at Flagstaff.

Stop in Las Vegas and see a show and turn in your rental car.

Southwest Airlines has great flights to and from. 

 

Canada: A place where water dances

The various waterfalls and rivers in Alberta are wonderful.

This is along the road from Banff to Jasper.

Jasper area had a huge fire this year.

 

We missed the Fourth of JUly

We were in France for the 4th of July and, alas, no one seemed to celebrate it.

Down the Seine to Normandy we came to Honfluer on the coast.

We were there to celebrate Bastille Day.

The carnival and fireworks were fun. 

Independence Day 10 days late.

 

Paris Graffiti

Every big city has graffiti. It is all over places it should not be.

Walls of monuments, sides of churches: every where.

I do believe, however, that Paris has taggers that are more creative.

Small little pictures that are worth saving - here is one on a street sign.

It is a "do not enter" sign.

Here is another...

 

The Schmucks of Feldkirch, Austria

The Oxford Dictionary give a different definition of this than the owners

expected.  This family owns an good many stores in FeldKirch.

This city, on the edge of Liechtenstein is a great visit. 

 

Bratislava Slovakia

On the Danube sits another world capital which many have not heard of.

Bratislava became the capital of Slovakia when the Chez Republic

was formed. The city is filled with old and contemporary statues.

From Ronald Reagan to a man peering out of a manhole in the

sidewalk they are all over. This memorial stands at the riverfront

and I would tell you who it is if it was all in English. 

 

The Hofbrauhaus in Munich Germany

This an interior view of the famous Hofbrauhaus in Munich

where Octoberfest is at home. Note we were there in July for lunch.

Sure that the question might arise: I did, and a pretzel too. 

 

The Caledonian Canal Where It Enters Loch Ness

One of our favorite stops in Scotland, having returned to see it, is Fort Augustus where

the Caledonia Canal opens to Loch Ness.

True that we stayed at the B&B owned by Chris McLellan and his family.

But it is interesting to see the boats go through the locks as well.

 

Dachau Germany

Looks pleasant, but it is the crematorium at Dachau.

Worth a visit, but sobering.

 

The Olympics

Paris is a favorite place for us. We have flown in five or six times.

The Olympics have also been something we enjoy.

We have been to two Olympics and visited some eight sites.

In four years it will be close to home in Los Angeles.

We encourage you to plan now.

 

The Rock of Gibraltar

This sign is near the top of the Rock.

We suggest you stay two nights at a local hotel 

and spend a whole day exploring.

Gibraltar is more than just the rock.

 

Verona, Italy -A1

This photo is from the (almost) top of the central tower in

Verona. We really like Verona. It has much of what other cities

have, but with a slower pace. It is very walkable.

You do not have to go to Juliet's house and see the balcony

and no need to see her grave.

She was fictional. 

 

 

The Chain Bridge In Budapest

Budapest is one of the truly beautiful cities.

On the Danube, it a wonder at night.

This photo was taken from a dock on the Pest side.

 

Zimbabwe and the baboon - A short tale

 I have no photo of him. He was faster than I am. Fellow travelers and I were taking a break from walking around Victoria Falls. We had stopped at a small place that served people just like us - tired and sweaty. I got seated with the other two at a picnic bench (not sure what they call it). I had a Coke (the same the world over) and one of them had a package of cookies (let's say Oreos). Suddenly I was hit on the right side by a (I estimate) one hundred pound baboon. Felt like a linebacker. Quick as a flash he (she?) grabbed the cookies and was gone into the bush. It hurt. The worker at the little shop came out with a broom just in case. He told us that it happens all the time and not to worry about it. Easy for him to say. 

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

          This is Marietta McLellan's photo of the castle. It is much better than mine. To visit you can drive or take a bus from Munich or other large city. The building is on the top of a very high hill. You can walk it or take a horse cart or a bus to the top. We took the bus. We then walked back down the hill. It worked well, but it is difficult in places to walk down the slope.