Happy Saint Andrews Day: The Cathedral of St. Giles, Edinburgh

If this place looks solemn that is because it is.

St. Giles is the birthplace of the Presbyterian denomination.

The pulpit was held by John Knox who brought the Reformation to Scotland.

As I read history, he brought the worst of it and left the best behind. 

Happy Saint Andrew's Day - Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland.

 

Horse Guards, Vienna

Some of you have seen and visited the Horse Guards in London.

They are an attraction.

When we were walking along a passageway in Vienna we saw their horse guards

getting ready to patrol. Great looking animals.

 

Autumn in Austria -- Vienna

Vienna is a place of art, music and history.

I will cover some building photos.

But this wall caught my eye first.

 

Christmas Markets - Munich Germany

Not waiting until Thanksgiving (they don't celebrate it anyway) the street markets in Munich were getting ready for Christmas. It was October. There were non-Christmas items too. We have been to street markets in many cities (Paris, Prague, Livingstone South Africa, London, etc.). The most fun were in Munich and in a small town in Northern Italy. Local crafts beat other souvenirs. 

 

The attack of the baboon -Victoria Falls Zambia

The newscast today says that visitors in southern Africa have been having issues with baboons.

I had a violent encounter with a baboon in Zambia. He was violent and I was encountered.

I was at a small shop with two others taking a break. I had a Coke and they had cookies.

Seemed peaceful sitting by Victoria Falls.

Wham! I got hit blindsided by a baboon and he grabbed the cookies and was gone.

He was about 90 pounds but I was not hurt.

Only startled.

The shopkeeper came out with a broom and chased the baboon.

He returned to tell us that it happens often.

Not to me.

 

A street in Brussels

On the way to South Africa with my grandson, I told him that instead of a 

25 hour flight we would fly to Paris and he could choose another place to go for

a few days.  His family name is Flemish so he choose Belgium and more specifically Brussels.

Good choice. The home of the European Union. 

 

Elephants - Southern Africa

It is one thing to see elephants in the zoo  and another to see them without a fence.

On safari our guides had radios and heard from other drivers where the animals could be found.

These two, which seemed friendly, where not far from camp.