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.

Busy Town Center in Vaduz

On a rainy Sunday we visited Liechtenstein.

I got lost. 

 

In a small African village: Botswana

            It was not clear how many people lived in the village. It was mid-day and many  of the people were working outside. It was interesting and I made a friend, Peter who was interested in much the same things I am.

            People will say that they visited Africa. It is a silly statement. Africa is a continent. It is huge. It has many different countries and pollical systems. It like visiting Italy and believing  you know all about Europe. There are dozens of languages spoken in Africa. The southern most countries were British colonies at one time and there are many English speakers.

            We visited four countries taking planes as the distances are vast. We had a good learning experience which wiped away a good portion of any belief that those folks are different. When in Zimbabwe we were considered --I guess --different although we never felt it.  

A dinner in Florence Italy

Well, it doesn't look like Olive Garden or In and Out Burger.

It is opulent and grand. Dining as it ought to be.

After dinner I got to be part of the entertainment along with a nuclear scientist from New Mexico. 

 

No need to go to the Alps to see pretty views

This is a photo of a waterfall in Alberta Canada.

While we love Europe we realize that the Canada Rockies and

the whole of the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. has just bout  everything

places in Europe have  with the exception of very  old buildings. 

 

George Washington in Trafalgar Square, London

In Trafalgar Square you can look around a see many indications of English History.  Somewhat surprising outside of the Portrait Gallery is a statue of George Washington.  He is a hero. He helped over throw a bad king. 

 

Uffizi Galleries

I have shared before that we like to go for walks later in the evening when there are fewer tourists. This photo is of the courtyard of the Uffizi Galleries in Florence. We walked through the arch to stroll along the river.

The Uffizi is a gem. Paintings you only saw before in books are hanging on the walls for you to see. "The Birth of Venus" for example is just there with hardly anyone around. Florence is a wonderful city.

 

Barcelona, Spain

Park Guell  

There are many reasons to like Barcelona. The weather is great, the buildings interesting, the tapas excellent, and the beach is not only beautiful but bathing suits are not necessarily as complete as in the U.S.

But, you will soon find that people from all over are visiting too.

I do not mind crowds, but we make a special point of visiting smaller yet interesting locations.  Get a guide book like Lonely Planet and set out a plan.

 

The Charles Bridge, Prague CZ

The Charles Bridge is an ancient access to the city. It links the castle area to old town. We walked it both in the daytime and at night. The views are very different. The photo above is one of the many sculptures along the bridge that tell of Prague's history. They are wonderful. If you want to know who took this photo, note the man at lower right. It was not him.

 

Court of the Lions. The Alhambra, Granada Spain

A number of years ago, when I was in Grad School, my in-laws returned from Spain and brought me a book by Washington Irving titled "Tales of  the Alhambra". Irving had spent a good block of time there. When you are done with the book you have learned a great deal about the Alhambra, its history, and the lovely gardens. It became part of the bucket list and we went out of our way on a road trip of Spain to make a visit. It was worth it. But having read the book made it feel like it was a second visit. If you read Dan Brown's "The Di Vinci Code" and go to Paris or read his "Secret of Secrets" and go to Prague it makes a difference. Even if you read them when home it puts flesh on the bones. I remember reading "City of Falling Angels" and it made a priority for me to visit the opera house in Venice. I would not otherwise seen La Fenice, and was glad I read it the book.