Mini-Europe, Brussels Belgium

We flew into CDG and took the train to Brussels. My grandson wanted to see Mini-Europe along with other places of his heritage.The above are models of famous buildings on the continent. Then it was back  to CDG and to South Africa.

 

Dingle Bay

Dingle is a town on the Atlantic side of Ireland.It was pretty much made famous by Rick Steves who did a story on it.It is a lovely town, and we must admit to staying in Steves' recommendation.The BNB was owned by the local chief of police and his wife.The police chief (retired) did van tours of the area which were very good.We came into Dingle by way of the Conner Pass from Castlegregory.Rough Point is a park that juts out into the bay - nice stop.We left for the north by way of Tralee

(Little known fact: Conner Pass Road is narrow and a little scary. If you forget to give the key back at the BNB in Castlegregory you will drive it 3 times.)

Victoria and Albert Museum, London England

When you are in London you will wish to see The British Museum. Our favorite BNB is close by at The University of London. Certainly it is worth your time.

However, we suggest you incude the Victoria and Albert on your list.

The photo above is of their storeroom stocked with copies of great European Art.

This is only a small view.

The museum also has a gallery of works by Rodin and much more.

The restrooms near the cafe are also works of art.

 

Pablo Picasso's Guernica

       I had taken art classes and even social studies classes that featured Picasso’s Guernica.

All the slides and photos were small and did not prepare me for walking into the Prada in Madrid and there it was. 30 feet across. People in my group had trouble pulling me away. Unforgetable.

 

Africa: a gathering

        Someone asked about the best time to go to Africa. I suggested July as it is the dry season there. It is also fall. (Take a light jacket). Our trip included South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Each one has something of special interest. South Africa outside Johannesburg has several preserves where you can stay the night and take tours during the day. Botswana is a great place to camp or glamp and have a guide take you out to see the Big Five. Zambia has plenty of elephants to see and joins Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls. No need to buy all beige clothing to look like a movie star. Jeans and shorts are just fine.

 

Favorite Photos: La Villa, Italy

In a small village in the Dolomites of the Southern Tyrol there 

is a well-tended cemetery.

When hiking around we discovered it and walked around the stones.

There was a old building there which was used by the caretaker.

I went snooping.

Behind the building was this pile and on the pile a tombstone.

Either it had been replaced, needed work, or did not pay.

There must be a story here.

 

Fortress atop the hill in Barcelona

Much of what you see in Barcelona is near the beach or in the old town. To the south rises a substatial hill which is not only some of the Olymic Games sites, but also a fortress built to protect the city. Take the tram.
 

October along the Danube

In October there are areas just turning and others in more shelter areas already full-on into Fall.

 

Jewish Cemetery in Prague CZ

The cemetery in Paris is a populat local visit as are the cemeteries in Normandy.There are beautifully kept ones on the hill leading to Nelson's Column in Edinburgh. None, however, is as striking as the Jewish Cemetery in Prague.You enter and see all of names of those who died by the hand of the Nazis. And you, if a man, are given a yarmulke for your head. You then make a circle around the gravestones. You see no flowers only small stones on the graves as stones are forever, and flowers die.

 

 

Scottish Highlands: Working Dogs

    Something fun and interesting to do is a visit to a sheep farm in the Scottish Highlands. Out in the large pasture are some sheep grazing. The farmer whistles and his dogs are out and running. Using just whistle commands the dogs bring the sheep up to the group watching them. The farmer shows you how to sheer them. (See the pile of wool on the lower right.) You can learn to do it. An added benefit for us was that one of the dogs had recently had puppies which would have been adopted in a heartbeat if there was a way through customs. The partnership of man and dog was amazing.

 

Buying a shirt in Granada Spain

Courtyard of the church near our B&B.

        Granada is famous for the Alhambra on top of one of its hills. It is more than that. It is lovely. There I was; however, walking passed a shop and I saw this shirt in the window display and had to have it. (I am wearing it as I write this.) They suggested I try it on because European sizes are different from American. The first one did not fit well so I went up a size. And then it happened. I felt like they were rushing me. They had been patient up to then. It was two pm and one of the clerks locked the door. Ah, Siesta. 

 

Sunset on the Zambezi (between Zambia an Zimbabwe) Favorite Photos

   What makes for a favorite photo? Sometimes it is how artistic it is. Sometimes it is the subject matter. Sometimes it is the location. Sometimes it is who you are with. Many factors in a favorite photo. I especially like this one. We were on a boat in the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls, Africa. I had never imagined traveling that far. We were sitting on the deck with a glass of wine. We had seen a hippo and a croc plus many beautiful birds. It was dusk on a busy day of being in a plane from South Africa and traveling. We had been in Africa about a week having spent some of that glamping in a safari on Botswana savannah. For us it had been an adventure and would not be over for a while. It seemed magical. I would never have guessed I would be there until our grandson chose that as his trip. S.F. to Paris to Brussels to southern Africa and back via Amsterdam. Great memories.

 

 

This is the entrance to the Ghetto in Venice

The Ghetto (the word means foundry) in Venice is somethingyou will wish to visit. There is a synagogue there as well and the high rise housing needed as the Jews were all in there.

We found a very nice restaurant there. Try the olives.

 

Visit a castle and tell them I sent you.

We stopped at almost every castle we saw.

Fun to collect those memories.

 

The Baptismal Across from The Duomo in Florence

Famous for the Golden Doors (real ones are in the Duomo Museum)venture into the Baptismal. The overhead artwork is impressive. If possible go up the stairs to the balcony and see the art close up.Tight stairway but worth the climb.

(Looking down from balcony.)

 

Ronald Reagan in Slovakia -Bratislava

In what once part of Yugoslavia, the capitol of Slovakia is Bratislava.

It is a city of art with many sculptures.

This surprising one is this of Ronald Reagan.

They love him there for it was he that said:

"Mr Gorbachev tear down this wall."

...and he did.

Tower of London - take your time

Tower of London: stop and chat with a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater). Watch the ravens. Go early and immediately to the back to see the crown jewels and then work forward. Have lunch the cafe. Check out the program in the chapel.

See where Mary was beheaded - or don't.

 Great visit and not just an hour or half a day.

 

The Icefield Parkway, Canada

Coming north from Banff toward Jasper you will see the wonders of nature.

Vast amounts of water splashing down creeks and rivers. Lovely lakes.

The water carries glacial dust which can make it blue in color.

One of the best things of the road is that they have built wide overpasses.

These are not for cars. They are for animals to safely cross the roadway.

That is what Canadians do.

 

My photo of a rainbow over the Clyde Dublin Ireland

Dublin is a fun visit especially near the river and Temple Bar.

There are river dance shows and Trinity College.

There are museums and a wonderful and charming retail area.

My biggest memory was how we flew into London and followed the signs that inducated if you were coming from Ireland you did not have to go through customs. Well, they meant Ireland and not the Republic of Ireland. On our way back to Dublin the officer had to validate our passports

 both in and out of England.

 

Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria Germany

Bavaria is a lovely area including Munich and much more.

When I was a child my parents talked about it in awe.

Clocks and woodcarvings and wild woods.

Neuschwanstein Castle is famous. It was built at just the right spot to be seen.

It is like a fairytale, but even if it were not, the trip takes you to beautiful sights.

You will need to have good shoes and likely take a bus to the top.

It is tough walking down the hill too.

The views are wonderful.

 

Street corner in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is known for its open morals.

That is too bad considering the morals are most held open by tourists

and not by residents.

 

Botswana Big Boy

I am glad this fellow stopped and allowed me to take this photo...

actual glad he stopped for any reason.

In the reserve we were travelling in around northern Botswana

we got many fairly close-up photos.

These Rhinos are guarded by with men with guns.

The men are there to keep people from harming them not the other way around.

 

Prague: One of our favorite cities

 

This is the photo everyone must take while in Prague.

It is the Old Town Hall, Astronomical Clock.

Everyone gathers to hear it strike the hour.

Don't join the crush. Just  across the plaza is a nice bistro with good beer.

Sit awhile and watch the clock and the tourists.

African Wild Dog

Does not look that bad, but in a pack it is very dangerous.

Photo from South African Reserve.

 

Cave in the Rock of Gibraltar

The Rock of Gibraltar looks solid, but it is not.

It has a variety of caves and caverns and tunnels dug by soldiers (mostly in 1770's).

As a public service: Stalactites are "tight to the ceiling above

and Stalagmites "might" go up some day.

 

Roman Aqueduct, Segovia Spain

11 miles long, the aqueduct of Segovia actually fed water to places in the city until 1973. It is remarkable and a place where visitors are welcomed to an interesting and beautiful city. Built in the first century AD and built to last.

 

Is Lake Como worth the hype?

   Lake Como in Italy gets a good deal of press. Famous people live there and love it. As the center of three lakes, stopping there allows you to visit the group. In this photo what appears as clouds in the distance is mountain. Small villages cling around the lake at heights.

    Coming from Milan or Switzerland it is easy to turn north and go to the town of Lecco. Granted, Lecco is not Bellagio, but it has some nice places to stay. We stayed at BNB across the bridge which allowed us to drive out to Bellagio and get this view. There are tour boats available. 

 

Innsbruck, Austria

We have been to Austria twice and have found Innsbruck to be a charming and welcoming city. It is clean and tourist friendly. It was home to the Winter Olympics and like the others, they have figured out hospitality.

The photo here is of the city center pedestrian plaza.

 

Warning: Expectations and Reality

In a circle drive from Italy through Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland

we had prepared to see the wonderful mountains of the Swiss. 

Well, here you see them in the rain and fog.

 

The Amazing Race: Prague

  If you are like me, I watch many travel shows on PBS and other channels. I enjoy seeing places I have not been as well as those where I have been. Rick Steves has many shows about Europe and as we spend most of our traveling there, we find him fun to watch. We learn a good deal but don't always take his suggestions. There is also a game show of sorts called The Amazing Race where couples compete in running around the world finding clues. Last night it featured Prague. This is one of our favorite cities. It is also featured in Dan Brown's latest novel. 

    Prague is historic and modern at the same time. You would want to spend several days first in the center city than hop a tram for other places like the castle and the Jewish Cemetery. It has wonderful galleries including one of modern art. Have a bowl of their soup while there.

    Picture above is one end of the Charles Bridge - walk it and see the statues.

 

Shot Glasses and Refrigerator Magnets.

When traveling we do not do a great deal of shopping. We will visit a street fair and come back empty handed (although if I find an old beer can opener I will buy it.) Today as I was getting dressed, I pondered what I do bring back from traveling. 

The shirt I have on was purchased in Munich because I ran out during our month in Europe. I stuck my wallet in my pants. The wallet was purchased in Seville to replace on old one purchased in Ireland. On my left hand I have a ring purchased in Florence as I have lost weight and I needed a ring to keep on my wedding which kept falling off. Over breakfast I will use a glass locally made in Madrid. Don't ask me why.

As I walked around I see a picnic knife from France (Paris) and some pain pills from Slovakia. I ran out of ink in Edinburgh so there is a pen next to another one I bought at Harrod's in London. Then there is the bottle openner with the face of the Pope I picked up in the Vatican.

There is more. I guess I do go shopping.