I collect beer can and bottle openers

        All over Europe and the U.S. I have been on the look out for old openers. I found a great beer bottle tap in a thrift shop on a backroad in Ireland. I grabbed a rare one in a second-hand store in Edinburgh, My favorites are three openers featuring the last three Popes from Rome.
 

Beer tasting

Ordinarily I am a wine drinker. I grew up close to the great wine producers of the Central Valley of California.  However, when in Rome ...

The European nations  pride themselves on the beer thus I needed to test them.

Guinness is the pride of Ireland and I don't like it. In Ireland my vote goes to Tennent's.  In much of Europe the house bottled beer is Heineken a product of the Dutch although they are starting breweries in other places. Italy and France are into wine production so you might as well join them. Peroni leads the way in Italy.

The photo shows some of my research in Munich. All around I would judge that the beer in Prague CZ all-in-all is my favorite.

Petting The Pig in Florence

In Verona you need to fondle Juliet's right breast. It is tradition.

In Edinburgh you have to pet the Greyfriars Bobby (dog).

In Munich it is some nameless young woman in the street market.

However:

In Florence Italy it is the pig (really a boar)  just off the Plaza República.

The lines are long. If you pet the pig, put money in its mouth, you are not only blessed you make sure of a return to Florence.

Now:

There is a secret. During the day the line is long and folks are bringing coins to put in its mouth. If the coin is washed out the luck is good. My hint for you is that following dinner go for a walk in the Plaza. There is a Merry-Go-Round and lover's walking, and lights dancing off the walls.

And then there is the bronze wild boar called "The Pig". No one is around. The shops are closed and there is no line. You don't have to put money in its mouth or pet it. You can just enjoy the myth.

 

Tea Break On The Botswana Savanah

Most safaris start early in the morning. There are two reasons. One: it can get hot in the afternoon. Two: the animals are smart enough to use those cooler morning hours for activity. Besides wine hour in the camp, a fun part of some safaris is a stop in mid-morning for tea, biscuits, and small sandwiches. No alcohol at this point. You have to be on your guard for animals who want to share.

Duncan and his wife were our guides and we traveled in specially converted Toyota trucks which, in four-wheel-drive, were better suited than Landrovers.  

 

In A Scottish Country Garden

 

While Peter Rabbit's home was in the Garden District of England, one might expect him here. There is something well-organized and relaxed about gardens in Scotland. These gardens are an extension of the manor house or castle -- and even the small homes around.  Maybe it is that many days are a little gray and flowers and living thing brighten the day. For whatever reason they are a pleasant place.

Always Turn Around

From the highest point in Paris you can visit Sacre-Coeur Basilica. WOW. 

From the steps of Sacre-Coeur turn around and see Paris.

 

QUICK ... Faster .... We are being followed .....

A number of years ago while driving in the Dolomites of Northern Italy

I looked in the mirror of our rental car and saw this.

I tried to see if there was a logo on the side of the vehicle but no luck.

To this day, I am not sure of what I saw or if I saw it.

 

Paris Baking Class for the Young and ...

        Took our granddaughter to Paris and asked her to plan something special for herself. Other grandkids have chosen other adventures, but this grandchild chose a backing class. It was in English, but in the art of French cooking. I posted a photo of this after the class and my cellphone went off. I good friend from our hometown in the US sent a text to say that they, as I family, had taken the same class. It is a small world. As for me, I can cook Top Ramen, but I did enjoy watching the kids while sipping some French wine

The Transit Station in Seville: The art of getting lost

    Seville is one of Spain's great cities. It is very walkable to see the sights and visit with locals. We, being bold, often just go for walks. What is the most that can happen? In the narrow winding back streets you can get lost or you can discover something wonderful. This is the Transit Station. You cannot see the scale here, but it is over several stories high. After sitting in the shade (Seville is warm in the summer) we used our seasoned sense of direction to get hopelessly lost. In a narrow walkway we saw someone to ask how to get back. Our best Spanish at the ready, we asked him. Turns out that he was an English Ex-pat and served as a shepherd. Without him we might still be there.
 

Gibraltar: more than a rock

        You may recall that England and the colonies were at war in the 1770's. England held the entry to the Mediterranean Sea by controlling the small piece of land called "Gibraltar". It order to keep the patriots (and French) from attacking they began drilling tunnels in the rock. At various places in these tunnels they created openings for their cannons. Today, a visit to the Rock includes walking these tunnels. I was surprised that this huge place was much like Swiss Cheese.

(In top photo you can see Spain and the runway for the airport.)
 

Don't Monkey Around

                Isn't he cute? Let me tell you a story about my encounter with a baboon. We had been hiking along the rim of the  Zambezi River in Zambia and happened upon a shack selling cold drinks and snacks. Given the heat, we stopped. Two folks sat across from me working on a bag of Oreos. I was across from them on the bench having a Coke. Suddenly from out of the thicket a baboon of about 100 pounds charged us. He was at my back so I did not see him. He saw the cookies and I was in his way. He hit me full force and knocked me a fair distance and the women across jumped back leaving their Oreos behind. That's all he wanted. As I dusted myself off and felt for bruises, the man at the shack came out with a broom and shouted at the baboon who took the Oreos into the bush. The young man smiled and said, "It's okay. He does it all the time." Not so or at least not me.

 

The Smoke That Thunders: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

        "The Smoke That Thunders" is what it is called in the local languages. It is fitting. A visit to Victoria Falls will be long remembered. A few of our party took a helicopter flight over the falls and then down the Zambezi River canyon. Others hiked along the edge of the drop. You can visit it from the Zambia or Zimbabwe sides. You need a low-cost visa to get into Zimbabwe. Indeed the smoke thunders. You will know you are there a long time before seeing it. For your visit bring along fresh water and a poncho. The poncho is needed if you don't want to get wet... you will still get wet.
 

Amsterdam Bridges

    We hear a good deal about the canals of Amsterdam. They do make the city unique, but we forget that with the canals come bridges. Depending on the channel these bridges may be stationary or open wide to allow barges through. The one above swings up out of the way. Both canals and bridges make a water tour interesting in Amsterdam.

 

The Olympics are over in Cortina, Italy

If you have ever gone to an Olympics or even to a site where they have been, there is a certain awe about them. Some of the sites are in disrepair but it does not rob you of the vision of great athletes doing amazing things. We have been to many. Yet, one real standout for us was Cortina in the Dolomites of northern Italy which as been the site of two Winter Olympics. This photo shows flower festooned hotel with the wonderous mountains in the background. 

 

Street Lights

    I have dozens of photographs from all over Europe of street lights. Each country or even city has their take on what one should look like.  Some are actually gas light convert to electric. Others are more modern made to look like old ones. The one above is in front of a church in Paris.
 

Train Travel In Europe

We have taken a bullet rain from Rome to Florence and then again to Venice. Quiet and fast. We have taken the slow train from Venice to Verona. Seeing the sights. We have taken the train  from Paris to Brussels and back along with one from Paris and to Amsterdam. We caught a narrow rail across the width of England's Hadrian's wall. There was also the flyer from Carlyle to London. Munich to Dachau was serious, Spain from Barcelona for Madrid nearly flying. The trains are on time and welcoming. Don't judge European like those in the U.S.A.

(Here we are waiting for the train from Tuscany to Paris.)

Traveling to Southern Africa

    Southern Africa is a 25 hour flight by way of Paris. We didn't want that so we broke it up with four days in Belgium on the way and three days in Amsterdam on the way back.

    Our trip south included South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

   We went to experience it not to just look at it. Many misconceptions were dashed. Yes, any of the black Africans speak tribal languages, but in the south many speak English because they were British Colonies and it is taught in school. There are not a bunch of naked people running around or wearing beige. The men like colorful short-sleeved shirts and long pants. It is hot. Women tend to wear dresses with full skirts in the heat. But, don't think everyone dresses like this either.

    There are not animals everywhere. You have to look for them or, in our case with a pack of elephants, they find you.

    The joy is going without predetermined ideas and remember the countries have modern cities. Johannesburg has a great mall, but shopping is not why you go to Africa. (Photo is on a reserve in Botswana.)

The Sea of Tarifa, Spain

    You likely have seen a view from the Sea of Tarifa. From a ship there you can get a great photo of the Rock of Gibraltar. In the background is Spain. I took this photo from the balcony of the Rock Hotel. This is where The Mediterranean meets the Atlantic.

LA Alhambra, Granada SPain

Read before you go is a motto worth keeping.

I have mentioned Dan Brown's books on Paris and Prague.

One of my favorites is "The City of Falling Angels" about Venice

and the fire at the La Fenice Opera House.

There are plenty of guides about these places but they come clear in these novels.

The Alhambra in Granada Spain is like that.

Washington Irving wrote "Rip Ban Winkle" and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

but he also wrote "The Tales of the Alhambra" and there is a plaque 

in the room where he stayed.

 

Holyrood House

The Royal Family owns some prime real estate in Great Briton.  Most famous are Buckingham, Balmoral, and Windsor. The official residence in Edinburgh sits below Arthur's Seat at the end of the Royal Mile. Like all places owned by the crown you have to pay admission. Public places like the British Museum are free. We encourage you to tour Holyrood to see the historical objects and to talk with the docents. Of note, as well, it is right across the street from the new parliament building. Which is a statement unto itself.

THE COAST OF OREGON

We live in California near the Pacific Coast. We have had the opportunity to visit many coastal  areas around the world, but none is better than the coast of Oregon. (We have a second place in Portland.)  I suspect that it is the rough coastline and the whales. Or, maybe it is the fact that there are fewer people there. It is a rocky coast with some nice places to set up. Not like the coast of California or those along the southern U.S. states with their busy miles of white sand and warmer water. I have always felt that rather than swimming these places in Oregon are best to look at on an unhurried walk  and for collecting polished gemstones. This is a place for spending time near the surf and sharing life with the gulls.

 

 

Occupational Comparison

    Many of my friends, socially and professionally, are physicians. I never asked them if they visited hospitals when on vacation trips. I suppose not. But, I am clergy and I feel compelled to visit every church - big or small - to see "How they do it?"  I have truly enjoyed these visits, talks with other clergy, and worship in dozens of churches around Europe and the United States. In America my favorite is likely the Baptist church where Martine Luther King was pastor in Montgomery Alabama. It is difficult to pick one in Europe, but we have been to mass at Notre Dame in Paris three times. (I am Presbyterian.) This is a photo of a service. 

The BIG Surprise: Sirmione

    On the to the second to last day in traveling a four-country circle road trip in the heart of Europe we stayed at a wonderful family-run hotel on the shore of Lake Como. Our plan was for a short drive to Verona to stay the night before flying to Paris. We were early. The navigator using her guidebook of Lonely Planet saw a great visit off our planned route to the town of Sirmione. It is a wonderland of castles and views of La Garda.  We met this hippo in the center of the village. We walked the streets and enjoyed every moment of it -- until I paid the tab for lunch. In my pocket was the key to the safe back at the hotel in Como. Our passports were safe! Off we went and saw the city of Bergamo (home of San Pellegrino water) the third time. The passports were waiting for us, and we got to Verona on time for dinner, but the little Mercedes we rented zipped at high speed; the rush of air ridding the driver of his "sweat'. 

Rainbow Over the Ha'penny Bridge, Dublin, Ireland

A people only bridge over the Liffey River in Dublin, The Ha' penney Bridge was built in 1816. Cast iron it takes you near Temple Bar and Trinity College. We had taken the O'Connell Bridge toward the college from the Wynn's Hotel. It was raining in the distance, but always prepare for rain - -that is why everything is green.

 

Roman Rule: Vienna Austria

In Vienna in and around the civic buildings there is evidence of the Romans being here. Just outside, there is a dig that produced old buildings and roads. The Austrian government has left an area to see.

 

The Nice Lady That Almost Spoke English

First the confession: wife and I both took German in College and beside "good morning" I remember little. As we walked around central Munich we happened upon a large building which was obviously a museum. We went in to look around. It was a collection of wonderful things including the Bavarian crown jewels regained after World War II. There were, however, no other tourists in the building. Three guards were gathered at the entrance and one "sort of" followed us. There came a time when we needed to go to the restroom, known in Europe as "The Toilet" as there is no place to rest or take a bath. We asked her and she indicated that we needed to follow her. She could not give us directions in English, and we were hopeless in German. The toilets turned out to be on the fourth floor by the administration office. We were guided to an elevator and up and around and we could never have found our way without her. "Danke".

 

More Personal

Today is my wife's birthday.

This is a photo of at a wonderful Bed and Breakfast

near the main plaza in Florence.

 

Florence Italy Photographic Sites

 

When in Florence it is nearly required to take this photo.

Most of city pictures are taken from turn out on the road that

has a copy of "David".

This photo was taken form the Abbey on top of the hill.

We visited this abbey to attend worship and concert of Gregorian Chants.

Pandas, Penguins and Possums

On a trip you may discover something unexpected. We were on a tour of  Edinburgh and it was suggested that we visit the zoo.

Did not seem too exciting. They had pandas on loan from China and a large group of pengins marched through. 

It is on a hilllside, but the walkways are good.

The Altamont

When people think about the mountains of California they recall photos of the Showcaped Sierra Nevadas that rise to the East of the great  central valley. There are actually a number of smaller mountain ranges that can be found in the state.

The Coast Range lies to the East of the valley. One of the major roads from the valley to the Bay Area the is the Altamont Pass. It rarely snows there and is green only a short time in the Spring. This photo is from the top of the Altamontl looking North showing the Patterson Pass Road and Highway 205.

 

Madrid on your own

Spain is a much visited  country by Americans. Much of America was discovered or colonized by Spain. In California you can visit many cities with a Spanish name. Most people make sure to visit Barcelona, then Granada with the Alhamba. We rented a car and drove around the country. We like visiting in small communities.

You will wish to visit Madrid  major urban center with lots to do.

There is much to see.

We, however, enjoy neighborhood walks.

Undirected we happened on this lovely park a few blocks from our hotel.

Steeples large and small

    Along the Danube every town or city has a spire of a church or two. For generations the church has been central to the lives of community, While some churches are seldom used, they are there reminding them of the faith. Generally they are worth a visit because they are beautiful. As religion pays my bills, I go to church on vacations. Sometimes it is for services and other times for concerts or programs. One is taken by the money invested in the churches even if the population is poor.

 

The Olympics are over: The Dolomites

    The Olympics in Cortina are over. The Dolomites still stand. I hope some of you  will make that destination someday. It is a wonderful trip. These mountains are magic and the people welcoming. The top photo was was taken from a stop of the tram at La Villa Italy and the bottom was taken looking down the valley.

 

The Chain Bridge Budapest

The Chain Bridge as seen from a ship on the Pest side of the Danube.

Famous and used as a landmark.

Sorry about the break in posting. In hospital again.

 

Flying into JFK late evening

    Usually I do everything I can to fly non-stop. I have had less than wonderful experiences in Chicago, Detroit, and Atlanta. But sometimes you have to stop over. In the case above, we were flying to Prague and stopping by my sister's home in Connecticut for a long visit. We often fly over their house (from San Francisco) and wanted to see them. JFK had a nice lounge for us on the way out. The car rental was easy using the tram. I must say that our usual off-site hotel was shabby, but we were only there 10 hours. The airport itself is better than I expected. The light show from the plane around 10 pm was excellent.

 

Fortifications Along The Danube

Traveling the Danube by five capitols there are fortifications which speak of a time when things were rough and tumble. That is not to say that recent history is not also filled with violence along the river. (And, inland too.)

It was a beautiful Fall day as I stood at the bow of a longboat and took these photos. I wonderful sight on a wonderful trip.

 

Planning a trip

    Planning a trip may seem like a great deal of work, but it is also fun. Let's say you want to go to Europe but don't want to take a tour.

1. Choose what country or area you have always wanted to visit.

2. Look at your bank account. I do think you will wish to budget a minimum, but     you are not doing this every day so be generous. 

3. Look at the map, Lonely Planet, Rick Stevens and the internet. Make a list of must see places.

4. How much time do you have? You are better off spending quality time than      limiting important time. The Louvre? At very least five hours or you can spend a lifetime.

5. How are you getting there? To Europe it is a plane. It is a 10 to12 hour flight        directedly from San Francisco and less from Dallas or New York. If this our first trip, I suggest looking at Premium Economy. and little more money but better experience. 

6. We fly Business Classfor the lounges but you can get them for an extra fee. You have to justify the expense.

7. When you get there how are you going to get around? Contactig tour companties in the area you wish to see or hiring a driver for a day is a great way to go. Then go back if you need to see those of most.

8. We recommend a Hop-on, Hop-off Bus the first day. You are tired and it gives      you a chance to see an overview where you can go back for a longer visit. Side benefit is sunlight if not raining.

9. We rent cars through Auto Europe who handles all rental agencies.

10. You may not wish to do this, but we carry a guidebook and look up B&B's         when we decide to stop our drive. You may wish to make reservations. If you do you have to be limited to them.

11. In a hotel or B&B asked the desk or owner: "Where would you go to dinner?" They usually have good ideas. Also ask them for places to see outside the     guidbook.

12. Keep a journal or at least a list of places where you took pictures.

13. As for pictures, we use a camera and a phone. If you are using a cellphone       contact your carrier a month in advance of leaving and get a SIM card in the     country where you are going. That can save you hundreds of dollars.  If you  have Wifi where you are staying you can Facetime for free. Remember the time     difference.

14. If you are going to collect something, make it light. I collect the round paper     coasters under beer provided everywhere. Collecting rocks is not helpful.

15. Before you go, after you have done some planning, get together to some     people who have taken the same trip and get their input!

 

Dan Brown: "Secret of Secrets" - Prague

"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"

"The de Vinci Code"

"The City of Falling Angels"

 Read before you go and again when you get back. "The de Vinci Code" was about Paris and the Louvre. "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" was about Savannah. There is a whole series of detective stories about Southern Africa. Well worth your time. The books come alive when you are there. The photo is just a street scene of Prague, but it all makes more sense after reading Dan Brown's book. When he talks about the Palace or a lonely street it will be in front of you.

 

A walk in the Black Forest that isn't black.

    Fall is a great time to visit Central and Eastern Europe. Most of the tourists are gone home and school has started. Those of us in California don't see Fall for long
but Hungary's and Germany's last a good while longer.

Golden Gate Park: Closer to Home

You will note that we enjoy traveling in Europe. That is true.

Yet, we live in one of the finest areas of the world. We live in Central California which is the world's most productive valley. From our home we can be at the beach in an hour and to the East is the Sierras, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite in about two hours by car. The photo above is taken in Golden Gate Park in the heart of San Francisco. We think the City is one of the great ones as it is urbane and sometimes silly.

Some years ago we ran in the Bay to Breakers which is a colorful and fun race where almost anything goes. You won't see this in Kansas.

 

Brussels and The Europe Union

 

When we took the train from Paris to Brussels we were surprized in the closeness of the two cities.  We are used to the vast distances in the United States.

Brussels is a pretty city with lots to do, but we were taken by its worldview. Brussels is the home of the European Union and it is obvious that they see and feel their close relationship to other countries.

This is the central square - indeed it was a rainy day.