European Food and Drink

        Traveling means encountering new things. Some food and drink can we found at home in special restaurants, but are common in other counties. Many foods are surprisingly good. You may wonder why you haven't had them before.

 The full English/Scot breakfast which is also available in Ireland has canned beans. I leave those behind, but I love black pudding and white pudding too. In Scotland, if lucky, they will serve haggis. Just don't think about where it comes from. You likely eat hotdogs at home without thinking.

    The dish above is a pork knuckle ordered in Munich Germany. It tastes great but is very hard to eat as you need to cut much of it off the bone. However, you will have the opportunity for schnitzel all over. It is just made of chicken or veal. 

    Pasta is wonderful in Italy. Just be sure of the sauce. I had Donkey meat Rago and would not have it again.

    I suppose you will need to eat snails in France. It is easier when labeled "escargot". I do not care one way or the other. Garlic coverers everything.

    Embrace the adventure and stay away from MacDonalds which is all over Europe.

    
 

Noisiest Animal In Africa

                Just one man's opinion, but the noisiest animal in Africa is the hippo. Sure when you are out in a tent at night in Zambia the thought of lions, cheetahs and wild dogs might keep you awake . On the other hand the grunt-howl-scream of a hippo in the distance makes it hard for me to sleep. They are surprisingly fast and can be very unpleasant. Here is a family grouping of them on an island in  the Choe River.
 

Rodin Museum, Paris

        Rodin's home and gardens have been turned into a wonderful museum. You may have seen some of his works in the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco or in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Those are not the only places, but if you wished to see most of this bronzes the museum in Paris is the place. We all know "The Thinker" or "The Kiss", but there are lot more.

          The house and gardens are a short walk from Napoleon's Tomb and other sites.

 

Marble Canyon, Alberta, Canada

Just north of Banff on the way to Jasper you will find Marble Canyon. A great hike.

 

The Harbor at Barcelona

Many cruise and merchant ships in port. 

This photo taken from the hilltop fort near the Olympic stadium.

 

Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco, California USA

            In Golden Gate Park in San Francisco your will find  a nature break in the urban area. The park has at least three special places for the plant lover. There is the Tulip Garden, The Botanical Garden, and the Conservatory of Flowers. As we live near "The City" we have frequented them over the years. We recommend them as part of a visit along with the nearby museums.

 

Computers and airlines

I don't guess that I am getting old. I am old.

At one time I could call the airline and make a reservation.

No more. You communicate with a computer. The computer doesn't know me well.

I keep track of passwords but they may or may not like them.

I change it and they don't like the change.

I just what to talk to a live person.

Today the wait time to do that is one hour and forty minutes.

This is a photo of Air France. Never had trouble with them. Just an airline photo.

 

Small village in Botswana

Part of your trip was to bring school supplies and books to them.

While the people speak their nature tongue, 

many speak English as much of the area was part of the Commonwealth.

 

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is an easy city to walk in the old area.

However, the number one thing one notices is the bikes everywhere.

They say that there are more bikes than people in the city.

Lots of places that cannot be reached by car give the bike a leg up.

The canals are pretty. The people are nice. The food is excellent.

 

After going down the Seine we traveled around Normandy

One of the ways to travel the D-Day beaches is by vintage army personnel carrier.

Kids loved it. I found it uncomfortable. The soldiers must have not been all that comfortable either.

 

Banksy? In Paris

I am not sure that this is an original Banksy, but I sort of hope so.

It was on the wall were I was walking down the hill from Montmartre in Paris.

It was only steps away from where I caught and routed a pickpocket.

Memorable.

 

Always room for a few more: Kensington Gardens, London

        In London you are likely to think of rowhouses and large buildings. However, the planners of London decided to leave large natural areas before moving the town limits. Today there are at least two large parks to visit. Hyde Park with its Speakers Corner is more developed, I think. Kensington Garden is more natural. On a path dedicated to Princess Diana you can come upon a water feature. While walking along I found a place likely designated as a way to stop folks from using small boats. In this photo you can see what drew me there. On almost every post, a bird had taken up residence.

 

Where is your favorite place or what was your favorite trip?

Sculpture in the Municipal Building, Prague CZ

            People will ask where your favorite destination is. Especially if you travel a good deal. It is a question that I cannot answer easily. I can name my favorite museum or favorite bar or favorite Bed and Breakfast. Yet, the larger considerations are tough. We may in fact have many favorites. It is easier to tell stories of people you meet and places you have visited. For me it goes something like: a wine bar in Kilkenny, Ireland, the Livingstone resort in Zambia, Loch Ness, the Dolomites, New Orleans, and many others. In terms of fun, it is watching the eyes of granddaughters as they view Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower or see my grandson attempt a huge waffle in Brussels. Most times it is not where you are but rather who you are with. 

 

Take time to meet the people

I cannot cook or bake, but we have taken cooking and baking classes in Europe.

I missed the gelato class.

We take time to hang out in places where tourists rarely go because we are traveling to learn.

It is not enough to see pretty buildings or famous sites. It is the people.

This photo is of a flamenco dancer in a small cafe in Madrid.

I have no idea what the singers were saying, but it was still good fun.

 

Lake Garda, Northern Italy

While Lake Como gets the most press due to the population of Bellagio, there are two other wonderful lakes in the north of Italy. The largest is Lake Garda and the other Lake Maggiore. Even at that there are many smaller lakes.  There are many hotels and resorts around each of them. Sirmione is an ancient fortified (now commercial) town on the lower end of Garda. It is amazingly pretty. While in Milan, Verona or Como it is a fun place to stop.

 

Butte

The photo is one  of a butte on the road from the Bay Area of California to Portland Oregon.

We  have driven it many times over the years.

It was not my turn to drive so when I saw the view I had to take a picture.

It is poor. Needs a good deal of Photoshop.

It reminded me of a friend who went to Israel on a tour. They covered lots of ground.

Most of his slides (slides in those days) taken from a bus were blurred and hard to see.

During his slide show, each time it changed, he said, "If you could see this, it was..."

This is better.

 

A little bit of Barcelona

 

Barcelona is a place of public art.

This photo is of a shed in one small park.

Plaza de Espana, Seville Spain

            This photo does not due justice to the Plaza de Espana in Seville. This is the water feature and it is surrounded by a large and beautiful building with mosaics. We urge you to visit there. This is how we did it. We decided to take a walk to see the parks and landscapes of the city.  We had a general plan, but no agenda. We came around a corner and there it was. This is why I say that the surprises or even mistakes in travel can turn out a good experiences. Call this up on the Internet for better overall photos.

 

Sedona

Sedona Arizona and the red rock area are pleasant visits.

We came out of Phoenix on our way by car to Las Vegas and stayed in Sedona 

for a couple of days. It gave us a chance to explore some of the red rock area.

The photo here is in chance you do not know why it is called that.

 

Field Games in Ireland and the UK hockey sticks

        This is a photo of a polo game getting started in Dublin. It was just a short way from the Whitehouse of Ireland where the Prime Minister resides.  We don't see many polo games in the United States. As well, we were in Dublin during the "Hurling Championships". Hurling is played on what appears to be a soccer field. They use a hard ball like a baseball. Using sticks a little like hocky sticks, they run after the ball and one another.

            Kilkenny won. The next couple of days we were in Kilkenny for the winners' parade. Double decked  buses, people tossing beer, loud music and all. Lots of fun. We watched things from the shelter of a wine bar's front window. Strong men, pretty women and lots of Guinness.

                Then there are Rugby and football. 

 

Grave markers in Scotland

    Not everyone is interested in cemeteries. By occupation I have seen a good many. I find them a place of remembrance as well as a teller of history. The Jewish Cemetery in Prague, the Cemetery at Arrington both tell of conflict. In Scotland on the way up to see Nelson's Column in Edinburgh  there is a peaceful cemetery. It tells of former people and places. We have seen many Celtic Crosses in Ireland and Scotland, but this one is not on pretty, it is fine example.

 

Gathering for migration: The Zebras of Botswana

A few at a time the Zebras get together for their annal migration. I took this photo from across the Chobe River in Botswana. While we saw many close-up, we were amazed 

at the final number that gathered. Soon they got in line and headed south.

 

Traveling like a pilgrim: Bratislava

Memorial by the dock in Bratislava, Slovakia.

            I often go to the Road Scholar information site for hints and helps. We have gone on 5 or 6 tours with them. Recently some one posted their "hint" for getting the most out of travel. They said what I have been pushing all along: "Travel like a pilgrim and not like a tourist".    

            A tourist might be disappointed when disembarking at Bratislava because of the fog. A pilgrim knows that weather changes there as it does at home. I got off our river cruise at this spot. I had no idea who this person is. Others had gone off on a tour (they report that it was excellent) while I hung out around this statue. Many pubic art works all around. Just to the left in this photo was a beautiful modern mall. I made the rounds having no idea what the stores were named. Sitting for a time I got a feel of a modern Eastern European city. Important to note: they don't speak English but they are just like those of us who do.

 

Prague Astronomical Clock

Known as the Prague Orioj this clock is on the wall outside of the old town hall in Prague.

It was built in 1410 and crowds draw to hear it chime on the hour.

It shows the time, the position of the sun, and the moon and more.

A nice restaurant across the square gives you a good vantage and a good lunch. 

Rouen France and it's famous astronomical clock

On the way to the place where Joan of Arc was executed there is a happier place.

This clock is from the 14th Century (!) and has long told the people of Normandy the time

and more. 

It's name in French is the Gros-Horloge and the clock movement was made in 1389.

It just keeps on ticking.

 

Plazza Navona, Rome: Photo Bombs

 

Fountain of Neptune, Rome, Giacomo Della Porta

Good enough that you can fill your water bottle.

LOOK CLOSELY: In the upper center of the photo is a man looking out his window at the tourists.

There seems to be another man to his left.

Contrails over the Sutter Buttes

 

Out the window of the jet returning from Portland. The area seen just above the engine is Sutter Buttes, the world's smallest mountain range. In the distance there  are at least five contrails of other jets.

Beautiful day in the neighborhood. 

The Tower Bridge, London England

    The photo above was taken from the rampart of the Tower of London. The bridge, cross the Thames,  is called the Tower Bridge because of its location. Often it is misidentified as the London Bridge. There are two London bridges. One is a relatively new one over the Thames down river from this. The old Tower Bridge (where criminals like William Wallace ended up) is at Lake Havasu City Arizona. The original bridge (reworked many times) was disassembled stone by stone and brought to the U.S. The current assembled one at Havasu is it late 1800's variety. 

    You can walk over the bridge, but we suggest just looking at it from the Tower. The Tower is an excellent visit. Tours by Beefeaters are fun. You can see the crowd jewels and the local ravens. The best thing to do  is to be in line when it opens and upon entering head back to the jewels and then return back to the river. Everyone else will be going the other way. At noon the cafe is a good stop.

 

The Dolomites of Northern Italy

A trip to my happy place demands you bring a camera.  It is hard to know what to photograph. 

This is a photo of another hiker taking my photo on the way to a warming shed.

No need for warming on this beautiful day.

The Dolomites, South Tyrolean Alps, Italy.

 

Creek on the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper

From the big lakes to the small waterfalls the Icefield Parkway is beautiful.

Following a stop at Lake Louise it is continuing up north.

For us the surprising thing was the color of the water.

It is an aqua/blue caused by the glacier dust left from the Ice Age.

 

Neuschwanstein from Munich

Tours headed to Neuschwanstein leave from the Munich train station because it is central and easy to find. Even at that, they are on buses. It is a pleasant trip through Bavaria. You will be let out at the visitor's center at the base and to get to the top you either hike, take a tram (bus) or a horse drawn wagon. It may in fact be the model for the castle at Disneyland, other things may feel like you are there.

At the castle you can take a tour, but be warned that there are many steps. The best views for photos are from the bridge which is well signed. Many people walk back down, but it is a real hike.

 

Street Florists In Europe

        Every European city that we have been to has stalls with flowers for sale. We live near San Francisco and the same could be said for us. There are many in Paris, Madrid and other large cities. When the city is crowded and there is little room for a garden it is wonderful to have flowers in the home or apartment. This  photo is of a street vendor in Munich Germany. It was late fall and obvious that the flowers were not local. 

 

Chanting in the monastery

We have had the opportunity on several occasions to hear concerts in various cities in Europe.

Two of these were visits to monasteries listening to Georgian Chants.

One was atop a hill in Florence, Italy

and this one pictured was between Honfleur and Rouen France.  

 

More to Spain than Barcelona and Madrid

    The is nothing wrong in traveling to Spain and just visiting Barcelona and Madrid. Barcelona is a wonderful place with lots to see. Madrid has places like The Prado which should not be missed. But, limiting a visit to just these two places will give you the same feeling as a Spaniard visiting only Washington D.C. and New York City. There are some other cities that offer great experiences. Granada has The Alhambra which is not to be missed. Granada is a city full of life and more than the Alhambra. Segovia, north of Madrid, is a self-contained community with Roman influence. The Alcazar is wonderful. Seville is one of our favorites. Its Alcazar and active nightlife are grand. The photo above, taken in the Seville Cathedral is the tomb of Christopher Columbus. Other don't miss sites are the transit station - not kidding - and the blue mosaics of the Maria Luisa Park. And there is Ronda a city in Andalusia north of Malaga. Ronda is the home of the ancient bridge spanning the chasm separating the two parts of the city. It is one of those places on every calendar sold in Spain. Good cafe at the bridge and then walk along the ravine near the bullring.

. 

 

MORE HINTS ABOUT EUROPEAN TRAVEL

Seat back screen: Over Iceland on way to Greenland.

    More hints: 1) I have driven in England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The European drivers do drive fast, but they are good drivers. Aside from driving you can also hire a car and driver. The trains are fast and comfortable. We have taken them in Scotland, England, Spain, Italy and Germany. Clean and on time the whole of Europe is held together by rail. If you are only going to the heart of a city use the train. 2) A digital camera is better than your phone. I use both, but downloading a chip into my computer is a good deal easier. 3) Buy a museum pass. In most cities you can buy a pass that includes all of the important sites. The benefit we like is not waiting in line. The lines of tourists are long, you flash your pass and spend time in the museum or atop the Eiffel Tower rather than standing and waiting. 4) There are pickpockets in New York and Seattle too. When in large cities you need to be aware. Go on YouTube before you go to see what pickpockets are like and how to protect yourself from them. 5) You will see a good many Subway Sandwich shops and McDonalds. Look for a small cafe with only locals in them. You will be glad you did. 6) Stores generally close on time. In the U.S. closing time means locking the door and cleaning up. In Europe closing time is locking up and gone home. 7) Remember that in many European places everything closes at about 2 pm for Siesta. 8) If bored in Rome of Vienna (not sure how this could be) take a cab somewhere. It will raise your blood pressure, 9)...

 

Hints on traveling to Europe

    Air travel is just about the best way to start a visit to Europe. In our experience there are a few hints to make your trip better. 1) Do not over pack. With two of three interchangeable outfits you go a long way. Besides if you are traveling around no one will see you twice. 2) You do not have to carry a medicine chest. Take more than enough prescription pills, but know that you can find everything you need in Europe. I have aspirin from Germany, Tums from Slovakia, and foot powered from Italy at home. I bought them in Europe. If you get ill, medicine is Europe is first class and cheaper. 3) Do not over plan. Even if you are on a tour, list some things you would like to see if you have free time. Make sure that they are not necessarily where the crowds are. We have had most fun with local folks and in out of the way places. If I wanted to see Americans I would stay home. 4) Try to at least learn some of the language. A "good morning" and "where is the toilet" are handy. After you have tried many Europeans speak English. The only places I could not find someone speaking English were in a small town in Andalusia and in northern Scotland. 5) Remember you can shop at home. You are in Europe to see Europe not to see souvenirs (most of which are likely made in China). 6) Unless you go often, do not count pennies. Yes, keep to a realistic budget, but just relax in your spending. 7) Take your credit card. They are accepted most everywhere and will convert your charges to U.S. dollars for you. 8) Before you go get an International SIM card for your phone and tell your bank where you are going. 9)...

 

Loch Ness, Northern Scotland

     There are many famous lakes in the world. We are attracted to them as they are a source of water and thus a symbol of life. The Great Lakes, Lake Tahoe, Lake Pontchartrain, Crater Lake, and the Great Salt Lake in the U.S. draw visitors. In Italy we can attest to the beauty of Como and Largo. The are so many that charm us. Then, in the northern most part of Scotland their largest lake, Loch Ness is not only beautiful, it is filled with mystery. There just has to be a monster there. Several other bodies of water have their monsters but Ness has Nessie. We have been there a couple of times, but the last time we did not just look from the castle or the shore. We boarded a research vessel equipped with Sonar and sounding gear and went to explore. You have not read about us in the newspaper so you know we did not discover a strange creature. We did, however, discover a very pretty place nestled between green hills. You can charter the boat from the visitor's center next to the museum on the west shore. 

 

la Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

 

Many people know about the Church  of the Holy Family which has been in the process of being built for decades. It is interesting, if not beautiful. The stained glass is worth a visit. It can be crowded as it is one the most visited places in Barcelona, Spain.

I admit mixed emotions about spending that amount of money on a church building,

but it is amazing. For me, the highlight is the canopy over the altar as seen here.

You can also see some windows and the pipe organ in my photo.

PORTAL/GATE TO OLD CITY, PRAGUE CZ

Beyond this portal is pedestrians only. It leads to the old town square. There are several nice hotels on just a block or two from the gate. To the right is the Municipal Building hosting two good places to eat.

Beyond the gate you will find the famous astronomical clock and plenty more restaurants. Behind  the Municipal Building is a large church which hosts concerts which are good to experience. 

Amble around and feel the ambiance. 

 

Portobello Street Fair -London

Bucket List - Check

After seeing a Julia Roberts - Hugh Grant Movie "Notting Hill" we set out to see what the area is really like and found it fun. We also set up to visit the Portobella Street Fair. It was well worth it. Fortunately we had the time to see the major and "minor" sites in London. On the way to the fair we saw which has to be one of the best store names in London.