The Danube - - by long ship

We began our trip on land visiting Prague and then from Passu to Budapest we took a long ship (a small one). I am sorry to hear from several people that they were not about to complete the trip without having to change boats.

The water level in the Danube is currently very low. 

We did not discover that.

This photo from the stern shows one of the bridges and how blue the Danube looks. It is, however, not that blue everywhere.

Our trip ended in Bavaria -Munich- and thus we saw five capitols of Europe.

 

On the road to Jasper, Alberta, Canada

Canada is our longtime friend and partner. My first trip there was when I was around eight years old. Coming from Illinois I was taken by the mountains. And, as the Mississippi River is anything but blue, I saw bright blue water.

On a road trip in 2013 we drove through a national park in the U.S. and two in Canada. Rangers explained about the color of Canadian water. It often  full of dust from the glaciers. Beautiful.

Newgrange, Ireland

Newgrange is a prehistoric(ca. 3000 b.c.e.) mound in County Meath, Ireland.

It is a short way from Dublin. If you don't want to drive there are bus tours from the city with stops at other interesting sites.

Look closely at the right side of the mound. Those are people waiting to go in.

The mound has a narrow (very) tunnel going inside.

It sets in such away that the sunlight strikes the back on December 21 - the Summer Solstice - or the longest day of the year. It was built to celebrate "the Birthday of the Sun" and a change from cold to the time for new crops.

 

Large Island off the coast of Norway

The ship was gliding along and the word went out that we would want to see something off the starboard bow.

A giant rock island sat before us and we noticed the hole in it and heard the myth of how it happened to be.

A natural wonder rather than being manmade. 

 

Sutter Buttes, California

One of the world's smallest mountain ranges, the Sutter Buttes rise out of the Sacramento Valley. You cannot hike them alone because they are on private land. They are volcanic in origin.  There is a company that leads tours.

This photo, taken from the window of an Alaska Airline jet, does not show how high and imposing the Buttes are.

 

Rome review

 

St. Peter's and the Vatican 

The conversation with a person just back from Rome concluded that they would never visit again. I tend to agree. There are some magical sights and great history. 

But, it is a long way between special things to see. From the Forum it is way across the city to the Vatican. Most of the places are good one or two time visits.

However, you must deal with crowds and noise and everyone in a hurry.

I suppose this is true with any big city, but I think more pronounced in Rome.

I remember a long cab ride in Vienna when I could actually see things as opposed to a cab ride in Rome that made it necessary to keep my eyes closed and pray.

Travel History: save it for your children

 

The Chain Bridge Budapest 

Let's explore why people, especially me, like to travel. I was born in the Midwest and raised to the age of 14 when we moved to California. From Illinois my family took many trips primarily to the East coast as a preteen. We went to New York several times, plus Boston and Washington D.C.. Each winter we would spend a week in Hot Springs, Arkansas. A vivid memory was a trip out to the National Parks in Colorado. I liked traveling except for the fact it was always me in the backseat feeling car sick. Lots of shorts trips in California is easy.

When we got married we both were in college working as apartment managers to pay the rent.  Travel was visiting our parents. Then came two girls to the family and we started taking road trips with them in the back seat feeling car sick. And, other trips to the East Coast. 

We made a list in those days. If we ever had the money we would go to____.  After forty years of work we had enough to travel and we packed up and went. First it was Scotland renting a car and covering much of the country.  We  have taken road trips through seven countries. Then we had a new style. Before going it alone we began booking tours. The tour helped us get a little of the language and the "vibe" and then we drove.

Then one day I had an idea -good or bad - we would take our four grandchildren anywhere they wanted to go  as a twelfth birthday gift. That was a dangerous gift. The first one took us to Paris and Normandy. The second brought us to five counties in Southern Africa on safari.  Number three chose Scotland and, as her sister had been to Paris, so was she.  Number four chose Tuscany and you guessed it - Paris. They gave us way more than they got.

Interspaced with their trips we took our own to Europe, just because. We traded our pensions for plane tickets. Given mobility problems we may be done, although we spent three weeks in Norway last month and I am in a wheelchair. Maybe not completely  done.

The Louvre: Winged Victory

So you have seen photos in textbooks or in National Geographic, but thought you would never see it. This may be Monet's "Water Lilies" (Orangerie, Paris) or "The Birth of Venus" (The Uffizi in Florence) or "Guernica" (The Prado in Madrid) (None of which are in  the Louvre.)

You stroll in and turn a corner that there it is! You would not have seen it if you had not gone to the museum.

Visit the museums.

 

Have you ever been in Denmark?

There was a discussion of what countries we have been in. I list them above with the exception of Norway which I need to add. Now, our flight to Norway included a for a long planned layover in Copenhagen. We never left the airport. Can we claim Denmark? We booked the flight on purpose and visited the lounge and toured the airport (beautiful). Hmmmm. While we almost always fly non-stop, I had a short layover in Detroit returning from Paris once but I don't claim Detroit for a number of reasons. We had a layover in Atlanta on or way to Spain. I have been to Atlanta several times on other trips. Can I count that one? 

Some say that I cannot count Denmark. I say the six hours is enough to count it. We had a good time even if it was only in the airport.

 

St. Canice Kilkenny, Ireland: Is President Obama Irish?

St. Canice is a  cathedral in Kilkenny Ireland. It has a old safety tower and is surrounded by a cemetery. It is historic and the church balances the budget by having tours. It is high on a hill, but not a bad walk from the center of the city.

NOW, the other reason to visit. There is lots of talk about President Obama being a child of an African father, but little mention of his Irish mother, Ann Dunham. 

Family members of his are buried at Canice and they are pointed out on the tour. 

 

The Chobe River Delta, Botswana

Everyone seems to like a photo of the sun going down. We were in a tent camp (read glamping) in Botswana and looking over the Chobe River and National Park. We were having wine and cheese in the back of a safari rover (read glamping) and I took this photo. What struck me was the lone tree out in the savannah. This is not unique as there many single trees dotting the land.  

 

Outline of a Road Trip: Italy plus four other countries

         Taking a Road Scholar tour helps you with some language and customs. We started in Rome and took the train to Florence and Venice. That was nearly ten days. Then we were on our own. I had reserved a car in Verona so we took a milk train from Venice and got in a new Mercedes at Verona and stayed a couple of days. Verona was one of the best visits of the trip. We got an early start and traveled along Lake Garda to Bolzano. From there we drove east to the heart of the dolomites. We stayed three days at La Villa a town focused on hiking and skiing the strange sandstone mountains. From there we traveled to Innsbruck, Austria for a short visit. Across Austria we took a side trip into Bavaria. We returned there some years later for an extended visit. We stayed in the lovely city of Feldkirch, Austria and then it was Liechtenstein where I got lost. I did not know there are two cities in the small country. The cities look beautiful even in the rain.  Next it was down nearly the whole of Switzerland. (There is a rumor that there are mountains there, but mostly we saw fog .) We emerged at Lake Como for a wonderful stay. It gave us a chance to see what all the hype is about. Como lives up to it. On the road back to Verona we stopped at Sirmione a fortress on Lake Garda. Back to Verona and a good night sleep, we flew to Paris and returned to San Francisco. The Dolomites will stay with me forever as it has long been a goal. I know most folks don't have a month to travel, but we have them and as we age we don't want to waste them.

Photo by Marietta McLellan

Between Islands Western Norway

This is an example of why someone would take a small ship through the fjords and islands along the west coast of Norway. Center is a very narrow bridge linking two islands that were long cut off from one another. This photo was taken toward evening (during the nearly 24-hour daylight ). Besides getting to know some of the people from Norway (and around the world) this was the primary entertainment board the ship.

 

Getting to be Fall along the Danube

October is a good month to either drive long side or take a riverboat down the Danube. The weather is still mild and the leaves are turning. 

Winter has not yet come.

We found that the castles and fortresses were better seen due to the contrast in colors. This is an old toll fortress on a hill above the river.

 

Buskers in Munich

 I have a good friend who paid for things by being a busker on the violin. She tells stories about her travels and about the places she played. I think it takes believing in yourself, your abilities, and your safety.

We have seen buskers all over the United States and Europe. They add life to the cities and add to the experience. In the same way I like flash mobs.

On a negative note: we were in the Ghetto in Venice having a relaxed and romantic dinner when this man came into the area playing "Lady of Spain" on the accordion.

An exception.

 

Looking back at the Winter Olympics

If you watched this year's Winter Olympics you know they were primarily located in Cortina in the Dolomites and in the fashion city of Milan.

The closing ceremony was held in the ancient colosseum of Verona.

It is very large and during opera or other events bring along a pad as the cement seat are hard. But the venue is wonderful.

This photo shows the modern stage and the modern seats in the foreground.

Look through the stage and you will see the old seats.

 

 

The Iceman of the Alps or of Bolzano is the remains of a hunter

 

Taking the road north from Venice you will arrive at Bolzano.

It has the remains of a hunter found frozen in the snow in a well done museum.

This has been featured on Nova and National Geographic.

But... Bolzano is more than that. It is a lovely town of the Italian Alps.

This is the creek you cross getting into town.

Church steeple outside Prague Castle

While Prague Castle is the home of the large and imposing St. Vitus Cathedral there is a pretty church with steeple clock just outside the walls.

I often wonder if tourists are so busy trying to see the sights from their guidebooks and miss other things of beauty,

 

Unmanned lighthouse in the islands of Norway

 

 

We were on the ship for 12 days going up the inland coast of Norway. The trip was to the Russian border at Kirkenes and back to Bergen. There were only a couple of places when we went into open sea. Most of the time it was in fjords and between islands. The channel sometimes became very narrow and with very little depth. The crew threaded a number of needles to get us to the small villages. Does this look close: it was.

Twilight over the Norway's Islands

It is the land of "the midnight sun" or the land that dwells in darkness in the Winter. We went on the shoulder season when we had lots of light and no snow.

The photo above is the last in a series of photos taken of the sunset.

The took a long while, but each drew something new out of the sky.

This shows the clouds and fog forming over the outer islands

along the coast of Norway. The are over 2,400 islands large and small.

 

Inside The Stave Church, Bergen Norway

Medial wooden churches in Scandinavia.

All wood made like a ship of the age.

 

 

The Normandy Beaches, France

After sailing down the Seine, we took a small antique military vehicle to the beaches at Normandy. It was quiet during the ride. Each of us knew what was up ahead. It was a gray day and we were all gray inside.

While we toured the various cemeteries laying a wreath at the American one, we came to the beach. Those of us that had seen "The Lonest Day" or "Saving Private Ryan" were taken by the silence. Those movies full of noise as it must have been that day, were drawn toward introspection. The beach was bathed in stillness...

 

Waterfall amongst the fjords

 

Many of the the fjords are long and narrow. They are impossible for large cruise ships. The photo shows a sister ship to ours 

along side a common sight of a waterfall.

Uninhabited lighthouse in fjord, Arctic Circle, Norway

There are hundreds of lighthouses and signal lights

all along the path.

There to guide the ships and boats, the only connection for some.

 

The Spanish Windmills

I often say that the surprises are the best events from any trip. We went to the major cities in Spain and when done we rented a car in Madrid. Away we went on a circle of the country seeing the sites (sights). Almost done, the navigator was reading Lonely Planet and looked off to the west and saw something of interest. We had an encounter for lunch with people who spoke no English and we having spoken little Spanish and then it was up the hill to these windmills. What a great visit looking over the Spanish valley.

 

Bergen Norway is a great visit - don't listen to those who say it always rains

View of the famous shops of Bergen. They seem to pride themselves on the amount of rain they get. When we were there it rained one out of five days and it did not rain much. Do take an umbrella.

 

Tail camera: SAS A350 from SFO to BGO - lots of numbers and letters

I have taken planes of all sizes for the last 60 years. I do not relish the lines, the waiting, the possibility of a hijacking. I do like the fact that I can get to New York in five hours as opposed to five days by car.

I cannot remember all the airplanes like 707, 737, MD80, A380, DC10...

Yet, in recent years I have learn to enjoy two airplane types: A380 and A350:

In the early days I flew Pacific Southwest near and Jet Blue far. They were economy airlines and paid for by the church.

Today I fly Alaska several times a year and Air France overseas.

This last trip, however, I was booked on SAS. The photo above is a tail photo on the A350. While I like the two decked A380 it has been discontinued by most airlines and replaced with jumbos like A350. I like it. SAS does a good job with it.

Some note: I once flew coach because I was young and now fly business class.

 

How to get there

This is a photo of Bergen Norway from the tram to the mountain look out. The wires are those of the tram. At the top, after views, the lunch was fish soup and cinnamon rolls. (Fish soup is a acquired taste.)

We got there by having a friend tell us a story about a short trip made to Norway and taking a ship along the fjords. After doing research we decided on a 12 day voyage from Bergen to the Russian Border and back. In the process we would need the right clothes for the season (the shoulder season). We made reservations directly with the ship's main office and reservations for a round trip business class ticket for each of us at or bank's travel department. We had a connection flight through Copenhagen. We arrived in Bergen, had a one day rest and boarded the ship right after the tram ride. That is how things began.

The Fjords of Norway: I am back

Over twelve days we spent traveling northward from Bergen, Norway to the border of Russia. We visited some 60 small to large fjords. On a new ship set up to carry cargo to remote places that also was a Class-A hybrid vessel,  We saw what can not be seen from larger ships. Also, there was a dozen or more venues we were able to visit locals and see special properties. We went to the top of mountains by tram and small places by bus. We walked some as well. We stood at the border of the Soviet Union and waved to their employees. Before and after the voyage we stayed in Bergen for four days. It is the first stop on the way north. The fjords of Norway can be compared to my happy place of the Dolomites of Northern Italy. The following will be a view of both the fjords and other places in Europe.

Taking some time off -more to write about here

This is a small cruise ship and ferry. It visits Norwegian fjords from Bergen in the south to the Russian border beyond the Arctic Circle. It makes voyages into 38 fjords to visit 38 towns in 12 days.  The ship holds a maximum of 300 while a regular cruise ship carries around 3000. Over the years we haven't taken any trips but we have had a large number of adventures instead. We are traveling between the "Midnight Sun" and "The Northern Lights". The ship is three years old joining four others to travel the coast. It is basically all electric. Quiet. It even has a heated closet in the cabin to dry and warm clothing. The bathroom floors are heated. The cabins all have a view and are fairly large for a ship. We like our adventures with hot water and ice buckets. The entertainment is the view and there is not a buffet. Meals are served with Norwegian inspired food served at table. And they promise that we will forget French wines. We will be going ashore for a variety of sites and local concerts. Just what we like. It is the Havila Voyages. We are flying Scandinavian Airlines with moderately long layovers in Copenhagen. A full report will be forthcoming (we are spending four days in Bergen as well).

Signs of the times

Top  is an exit sign in the Colosseum in Verona. I am guessing

that the arrow means "this way" rather something else.

The bottom one in from Paris. This is sophisticated graffiti. 

This sign near Dingle Ireland's coast means just what you think it means.

 

Up a lazy river: Northern Oregon

The Willamette river flows through small towns and large cities. It is a place to fish or just sit in the sun. They have lighted boats for Christmas and Dragon Boat races when the weather is warmer. North of Portland, Oregon USA the river joins the Columbia. While the larger Columbia skirts the city, the Willamette unites it.

This is the back yard of an Airbnb. You can see a neighbor across the water.

This is near where the Jetboats turn around to go back down the river. 

Lovely.

 

Prague

A question came up regarding Prague. "Is it worth a visit?"

I can only say that it is one of my favorite large cities in Europe.

Amazing in every regard, especially in history.

It is called the "City of Spires" for a a good reason.

Photo taken from Prague  Castle.

 

Central European Bronze

There is public art everywhere in European cities. You walk down a street and there is art. It is surprising and inspiring. These two were in Slovakia. 

Top one was in a plaza and bottom one just in the street. 

Getting ready for flight: partial list

So, your plans are set and reservations made. Don't forget:

Your passport and a copy for your suitcase.

A copy of the front and back of credit cards in suitcase.

(Back of card has #to call if lost or stolen).

Call your bank and tell them where you will be.

Cell phone and charger (call carrier for international calling.)

A copy of your driver's license (needed ID if passport not around).

All of your medications, a list of them and in bottles  preferred.

About your list of meds. Not just name but also doctor.

Medical insurance card.

Extra Ziplock bags.

Eye glass prescription or extra pair.

Copy of itinerary also send to family and trusted friend.

List of computer passwords unless you know them by heart.

Add different things for different places (You need malaria pills but not to London)

 sense of humor and adventure.

Portugal's Southern Beaches

Monte Gordo (Big Mountain) is a city without a mountain or at least I never saw it. It is on the Southern coast of Portugal not far from Spain and an easy trip from Seville. The breaches are wide and deep composed of white sand. We were there during the week and almost had it all to ourselves. We had lunch in a traditional "Beach shack" which was not a snack at all.  Good food. Of note about the beach: it is handicapped accessible as they have wooden walkways for wheelchairs laying on the sand.

GUERNICA ( Picasso)

     In a college art class and again in grad-school I was exposed to the painting "Guernica" by Pablo Picasso. It is a depiction of the Spanish Civil War and is an anti-war piece. I only saw it in books in college and grad-school. We were in Madrid Spain and I came upon the painting. I was surprised by its size having only seen it in books. In the Prado it takes a whole room. I guessed it to be 30 feet wide and 12 feet tall (it is 25 x 11 feet). I was awe struck. The group I was with continued on to other rooms. Art can do things to you, and Guernica represents the awfulness and futility of war. If the Prado had not closed for the day, I might still be there

 

Kenmare Harbor

 

We made a road trip around the Republic of Ireland. We started by flying into Dublin and headed south over several days to Cobh. We had some good BNB's but the surprise was Kenmare. We had a great visit with some former strangers and explored the harbor, the stone circle and a wonderful small town. Never heard of it before. We planned nothing except the route and we were fortunate all the way back to Dublin.   (Then we flew to London for a week.)

The photo above is one of my favorites.

Gablergasse in the fall

 

Fall in the south of Germany.

Great little village.

The Shoulder Seasons

            If you don't have children in school and would like to have a special experience choose travel in a shoulder season. These are March through May and September through November. The summer tourist season has not started or is over. Often the airline and hotels are less expensive. The places you wish to see are not as crowded and the lines are shorter. Often these months are the ones seniors choose. There are some things you  can't do like play in the surf  many places. Oh well. The time to go to Southern Africa is the early summer as it is winter there and the dry season, but if you don't mind a little rain go in September.   The weather app on your phone is a real help as are many travel sites. For us, the best is the end of September in Europe with the Fall colors.

The Temple Bar: Dublin

The "Temple Bar" is the name of a bar and also the name of the

area where you will find it. Across the river from central Dublin

you will find a rip-roar'n place that you will not wish to miss.

I good walk from the center city on O'Conner Street along the River Liffey and over the Ha'penny Bridge. It is fun even if yo don't like beer.

 

Bikes in Amsterdam

I was in a conversation with a friend and he was telling me how he got his medical degree in Amsterdam. We talked about why a car is a liability there. When I was there I was taken by the number of bicycles. The figure is two-for-every-person. They have crews that go in the canals and pull out those bikes that have fallen in.