Seville still likes Columbus

Christopher Columbus is no longer a big deal in the United States.

We know he didn't discover America although he did sail to the Americas.

But, two places that still celebrate him are Barcelona and Seville Spain.

Barcelona has a tower with a statue of Columbus pointing to America 

- only it posts more toward Africa.

In the big cathedral in Seville has his tomb.

 

Field of Sunflowers in Tuscany, Italy

When traveling it seems to me to be the little things that excite me.

Sure the Forum in Rome or the Edinburgh Castle are impressive.

Yet while everyone is looking there I people watch and look at dogs and see flowers.

 

Princess of Wales and Kensington Garden.

If you are trying to see all of the high spots of London you may miss some of the best of it.

Starting at the monument for Prince Albert erected by Queen Victoria 

take the Princess Diana walk across Kensington Garden 

you will see where busy Londoners can come to rest.

Along the way you will see this sculpture of Peter Pan (playing the pan pipe).

 

Castle Neuschwanstein Castle

Taking a bus from Munich is an easy way to get through the heart of Bavaria 

and to the base of the hill  upon which Neuschwanstein castle sits.

There is a shuttle from the base to the top or you can take a horse cart ride.

While the castle is wonderful, so is the view from there.

Our visit was in October just as the Fall color was coming out.

This photo was more about the color than the castle.

A glen on the walk down.

 

Rhino charge

One of the most frightening encounters with a wild animal was not in Africa.

It was when our car got charged by Jack the Rhino at Wildlife Safari in Winston Oregon.

 

The Tongabezi Trust School, Zambia

While in Zambia we visited a (very) rural school. We brought them books and school supplies.

Our group included four youngsters who had been pen pals to the Tongabezi students.

Here they are out in the recreation area spending time.

Our kids put on entertainment for the African school and they proved entertainment for us.

The students of the school speak English as well as a tribal language.

They have lessons on computers although when we were there it was three students to one unit.

Education for all.

 

Lismore Ireland by surprize

This is a "Close" or courtyard in Lismore Ireland.

When we are going to drive in a country (and I have driven nine in Europe)  I start with Google Earth.

I try to drive the roads or at least the cities and towns. It is fun, not work.

We had planned on driving from Kilkenny to Cobh but started seeing other places to stop.

We were only half way when we decided to call it a day.

I had "driven" Lismore on Google. I had checked out the BnB's just it case.

It gave me the opportunity to drive directly to our choice.

We were not lost, just taking a detour on our adventure.

This photo hangs on our wall.

 

Saint Canice's Cathedral Kilkenny Ireland: Obama's lineage

We know President Obama's father was from Kenya and his mother from Ireland.

In Kilkenny Ireland there is a cathedral called St. Canice's. A nice walk from the castle it dominates one end of the central city. In the crypt, buried in the wall, is Obama's relative on his mother's side. 

They are proud to say President Obama is really Black Irish but made in America. 

 

A view of the Alcazar (Castle) in Seville Spain

 

The Alcazar in Seville is lovely.

An Alcazar is a Moorish or Muslim fortress. There is one at the Alhambra in Granada

and another in Seville. They are beautifully decorated.

This photo shows a tower seen through the trees at Seville. Seville is a great visit.

The Muslims held land in southern Spain and left behind some wonderful places.

Now: if you try to get tickets to visit the two Alcazars and are unable to do so, sign up for a guided tour.

The tour guides buy up the tickets. We had reservations in Granada but just got in line in Seville and were offered a guided tour with a group. Yes, you pay a little more than the ticket price.

There are a number of other photos in this blog.

Fall along the Danube (Austria)

Taken this same date is a photo of the beginning of color change along the Danube in Austria. 

We had flown in from Connecticut expecting fall color there, but the first frost had not come.

So, as we travelled down the river we had hoped to see some color -no luck.

Our timing would have been right the former year, but not this one.

Planning sometimes does not help. still pretty even at that.

 

The Chapel of Trinity College, Dublin

 

Walking around the campus of Trinity College in Dublin I meet a young student

who saw my Rotary International lapel pin. He was in the process of applying for and International Fellowship from Rotary. We had a nice chat about the program and he directed us on our tour of campus. I am guessing he was on Work Study. This is the chapel at Trinity.

Favorite Museums

My favorite museums during travels:

The Apartheid Museum  in South Africa, The Bargello in Florence, The Uffizi in Florence, The Victoria and Albert in London, The Museum of Modern Art in Prague, The Borghese in Rome, The Musee d'Orsay in Paris, The Musee Rodin in Paris, The National Gallery in Edinburgh, the Prado in Madrid, The Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, and the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. 

Others will be featured here. 

 

Canals and Bikes: Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a city with many personas. It is known on one hand to be free wheeling with sex and drugs. On the other hand it is a lovely city of churches, waterways, and International trade. It has a very walkable central city. It is a city with more bicycles than people, and you will notice that when walking around. The canal maintenance people will tell you that an equal number of bikes are in the water. Getting into Amsterdam by train lets you see what the rural areas of Netherlands look like.
 

On African Safari: Botswana/Zambia

Sunset on the Zambezi River.

This photo was taken from a boat just west of Victoria Falls near the city of Livingstone. 

It is one of our last nights having traveled on this trip: through Paris, Belgium, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and home through Amsterdam. We realize that most people do not have the time to do this. And... when done we were tired. But it was a great adventure. Most of it we planned on our own. Tours are great, but we always add on before and after.

 

Top ten favorite places in Europe

 The Tyrolean Dolomites

Fort Augustus, Scotland

Verona, Italy

Seville, Spain

Kilkenny, Ireland

Kirkcudbright, Scotland

Prague, CZ

The Dolomites, Italy

Budapest, Hungary

Vienna, Austria

Paris, France

Caledonian Canal and Ft. Augustus Scotland

We have visited Fort Augustus twice. The first time we stayed at 

a hotel owned by the family of Chris McLellan. They were wonderful people and it is a nice bed and breakfast. Nothing beats an English/Scottish breakfast. I personally like black pudding and haggis. Not everyone's favorites.   In only a few hundred yards are the locks that control the Caledonian Canal as it dumps into Loch Ness. This photo is taken from the bridge at the lock looking at the Loch. ( A couple of words that sound alike.)This is one of my top ten favorite places.

 

The Treasury of the Residenz Palace Munich

The unheralded museums of Europe.

We are museum groupies. We find ourselves in lesser known places.

For example a visit to the Museum of Modern Art in Prague on a weekday means no crowds.

One we found interesting is The Treasury in Munich.

Here you will see the Crown Jewels on Bavaria and more 

 

Newgrange, Ireland

Newgrange was built by Stone Age farmers, the mound is 279ft in diameter and 43ft high, an area of about 1 acre. A passage measuring 62ft leads into a chamber with 3 alcoves. The passage and chamber are aligned with the rising sun on the mornings around the Winter Solstice.

Easiest is to take a tour out of Dublin. You will see other sites too.

This site may be older than the pyramids of Egypt.

You can go into the mound to the spot where the Winter Solstice sun aligns.

The passage way is narrow. Some folks have trouble fitting. We did not. 

The Famous Temple Bar, Dublin Ireland

The whole area goes by the name of the bar.

Beer and music in many venues.

 

Fascinating Water: Banff to Jasper, Alberta Canada

The drive from Banff  to Jasper is wonderful.

Of interest to me, everywhere on the drive you see water a vibrant 

shade of blue. It occurs due to the dust left from the grinding

of the receding glaciers.

 

Classes in Europe

We are involved in continual learning. Our travels are most often tours with classes.

We have made Gelato in Florence, Paella in Barcelona, this one is our our Granddaughter 

who chose as her outing in Paris to take a class in French Baking. 

 

The Juliet of Munich

Near the street markets, in front of a church, stands this statue.

The one of Juliet in Verona and the Pig in Florence each are magic

To rub them is to have good luck.

Almost every city in Europe has a sculpture to rub.

Notice the place worn down.

 

Baptismal Font in Munich Church

We visited a church in Munich (of course I stop at every church).

This is either a baptismal font or a holy water vessel. 

Either way, it is impressive.

 

Stairway near the Roman Theater in Verona Italy

Verona may be my most favorite city in Italy. While I love Venice and Florence, Verona is not filled with a host of tourists. I remind people that  Juliet is a fictional character so don't waste time looking at those sites.  The city is very walkable and it has nearly everything that you might find in Rome. It is not a big city, but a wonderful visit. Our BNB near Ponte Pietro (Peter's Bridge) was near the Roman Theater. While it is interesting, so are these steps to people's homes. Tough climb. 

 

Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, France

A marvelous chapel of light and color, Sainte-Chapelle is only a few blocks from Notre Dame.

The former is bright and the latter is dark and sullen.

You do not have to choose. Visit both.

 

Common picture taken at Park Guell, Barcelona, Spain

This is on tope of a steep hill.

We suggest a cab up and walking back down.

 

Sirmione, Lake Garda Italy - Baptismal figure in church at end of the ancient city

This sculpture is one baptismal fount of the church.

Lake Garda is the large lake Northwest of Verona

 

Baobab in the Chobe National Preserve, Zambia

 

Big enough for a bird's nest.

Rosh Hashanah = Prague's Jewish Cemetery

One of the most sobering places where we are called to remember Fascism is in Prague.

There is a cemetery in the Jewish section. A memorial holds the names of Jews killed in WWII.

Outside there are graves. Of interest to me, people put rocks on graves rather than flowers.

Flowers fade, socks do not.

This is a place to think about what immoral men of power can do.

May our world never let that memory fade.

 

Mount Saint Michel - France

I took this same photo but Google is better than mine.

Mt. Saint Michel is photographed so much that everyone knows it.

To get to the island you park and walk the long causeway.

As I did with the Mona Lisa (I showed the opposite wall.)

This is what it looks like going back to the mainland from Mount Saint Michel.

.

Airplane rides

Going to Europe by airplane is about 9-10 hours out of San Francisco.

By boat it is longer and all you see is water.

I   really like the maps on the screens on the back of the seats.

I keep track of the flight. I am never bored.