Sweet Sadie's on the Road

Ireland Day 11 The Giant's Causeway with Game of Thrones

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 18:11:00 +0000

Kings and knights, crowns and swords, dragons and ghosts- then add a compelling story, surprising elements (where you turn to each other in disbelief) and characters that bring out all kinds of emotions in you. So yes, we are fans of Game of Thrones (GOT).
How could we go to this area without having a glimpse of some of the location scenes?

The Dark Hedges are on a quiet road near the town of Ballymoney in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is lined with beech trees and twisted branches form an arch over the road. It makes for impressive photographs and is one of the most photographed places in Northern Ireland.

The road leading to the Dark Hedges

The Dark Hedges

Cushendun Caves were formed over 400 million of years of extreme weather conditions

The Giant's Causeway

The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns which tumble down into the Atlantic Ocean. It is the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption and is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland.
The legend goes as follows - Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) was an Irish giant who picked a fight with a Scottish big man Benandonner. The giants loathed each other. And so one day after enduring insults from Benandonner, Fionn built a path to use as stepping-stones to reach Scotland, which was then ripped up by Benandonner. The result was the Giant’s Causeway.

It’s incredible!

Ireland Day 9 &10 Belfast

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 21:54:00 +0000

With only 2 days in Belfast we had quite a bit to fit in. We checked into the Europa Hotel, a beautiful hotel which was the most bombed hotel in the world!!!! Something like 36 times!!!

Across the hall from us was the Hilary Clinton suite where she stayed when she visited Belfast. We walked over to the St George Market which is only open on Sundays and took a look at all the crafts, antiques and food.

Then off to the Titanic Experience. This was the birthplace of the Titanic. This museum takes you through the shipyards, walking the decks, the sinking of the ship, the stories of the survivors until the discovery of the remains and into the depths of the ocean. It was very well done and worth visiting.

We stopped off at The Crown Bar, the most famous bar in Belfast. It was right across the street from our hotel and was like stepping back in time. It has ten differently-shaped cozy and elaborately carved wooden boxes for small groups to drink privately.

I had a Jameson Whiskey and ginger ale with lime! More about whiskey later when we have our whiskey tasting with Rachel of "Rachel’s Irish Adventures".

We went for dinner here the 2nd night but it wasn’t really that great and the service was quite terrible, so definitely not a must to do but you have to check out the bar.

The next day we had a political tour...soooo interesting and a must to do!

There was unrest between Nationalist and Unionist citizens over the partition of Northern Ireland, which named the Republic of Ireland an independent state in 1921, with Northern Ireland under British control. Violence erupted between some citizens who wanted to reunite with Ireland and citizens who preferred to remain under Britain.

This violence continued until the 1980s and still to some extent even today. During the conflict, paramilitary groups, both Republicans (Nationalist) and Loyalists (Unionist), emerged, spreading violence across Northern Ireland, with almost 2,000 murals erected depicting these conflicts.
This tour took us to visit the murals and give us a peek into this very turbulent time in history.

Bobby Sands was a member of the paramilitary group the Irish Republican Army and a member of the UK parliament. He led the 1981 hunger strike and died in Prison Maze while on strike.

Falls Road and Shankill Road, Belfast
The most famous of the ‘peace walls’, as they’re now known, divides the Falls and Shankill Roads in the western part of Belfast.

It runs for several kilometres and is interrupted at several junctions by enormous metal gates across roads. At the height of the troubles, these were used as security checkpoints. Today, some of them are still locked at night to control movement.

Union Jack flags hang from houses and poles on the street. Ropes tied across the main street proudly display flags with the British colours and images of the Queen are everywhere.

It’s impossible not to know the loyalty of the people who live in this part of the city. On the other side of the walls you don't see any of these flags.

Despite all the troubled past, Belfast is a city that is definitely worth visiting.

Sláinte
Penny and Dan

Ireland Day 7 and 8 Dublin

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 08:44:00 +0000

Today we departed Killarney and took the train to Dublin. We had to transfer trains in Mallow but we just got off and waited on the same platform for about 10-15 minutes. It is quite simple but if you have difficulty managing your luggage yourself (there was no assistance), this may prove be a little difficult. There wasn't much room on the train for the luggage and some bags needed to be lifted up on top of a large heap.

Upon arrival, our local host Damien was waiting with his Monograms sign. He had prepared a list of things to see and do in Dublin and even marked each of our city maps highlighting it all.
After a tour to show us the lay of the land in Dublin, we stopped for about 1.5 hours to explore on our own and pick up some lunch before going to the Gibson Hotel for 2 nights. We had a delicious sandwich at the Kilkenny store which has a restaurant on the top floor.

The Gibson Hotel was not right in the city centre but has a tram lightrail right outside the door which transports you downtown in about 15 minutes. We bought a 1 day Flexi pass for 7.3 Euros which allows you unlimited travel.

A Sheep reading the newspaper in the Gibson Hotel lobby

They were filming "First Dates", the TV series, at The Gibson. It seems this is where the whole series is filmed! We were in the elevator with some of the guys who seemed a little nervous. We have never seen the show so don't really know a lot about it.

"Sphere With Sphere" at Trinity College

Waiting to get in to Trinity College (better to go very early)

The next day we set off for Trinity College to see the Book of Kells and the Old Library.
After viewing the Book of Kells, you go up some stairs where you enter the Long Room and it is then that your jaw drops!!!! Thousands of books are towering above you in beautiful wood bookshelves with wooden ladders perched throughout providing access to the very top books.

The main chamber of the Old Library is the Long Room; at nearly 65 metres in length, it is filled with 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books and is claimed to be one of the most impressive libraries in the world.

Marble busts line the Long Room. The busts are of the great philosophers and writers of the western world. By the way, they are all of men, connected with Trinity College.

Oscar Wilde

Molly Malone (Cockles and Mussels) -She has been groped so often that the bronze hue is wearing off of her bosom (check out the image below before it wore off LOL.

Here is the song

Musicians Everywhere - Harry Fennell

We decided to visit Temple Bar in the afternoon as we heard it gets very crazy at night with thousands of people. We had a Guinness and started talking to a couple who asked us where we were from. It turns out they were from Saint John, New Brunswick where Dan is from and lo and behold this man who was a police officer, had gone through police academy with a friend of Dan’s who actually was his roommate when he lived in Saint John. They knew so many of the same people. It just shows the world is a very small place.

Free hugs outside The Temple Bar (I got a group hug)

We felt like having Italian food for dinner and I used yelp to find the closest Italian restaurant. Rosa Madres was just a block away and was the best meal we had so far.

Back to the hotel using our flexi pass!

Tomorrow we are off to Belfast but instead of traveling by train we will be driving. Seems there’s some engineering being done on the train and everyone has to get off midway with their luggage and get back on buses so they decided to make it easier for us and just transfer us all the way by minibus.

Sláinte
Penny and Dan

Ireland Day 6 Ring of Kerry

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 21:07:00 +0000

The Ring of Kerry

Torc Falls Forest

We knew this was going to be a long day as the Ring of Kerry is a longer drive than Dingle.
I am not sure if we preferred The Dingle Peninsula more because we had driven it first or it just didn't have the same amount of places we could pull off the road to view the landscape. Michelle, our local host in Killarney, was also recommending the Dingle Peninsula tour over the Ring of Kerry. Both are amazing though so what ever you decide will be good:)

For what it is worth we drove the ring in a clockwise direction. The buses drive counter clockwise so the theory is if you follow the buses you won't come face to face with them and it is easier to follow the buses. We didn't do that. We wanted to see the Kerry Cliffs which the buses don't go to so we figured if we started off very early and go to the cliffs, we would miss them. It actually played out that way! So we didn't meet many buses at all.

The blue route is the regular route and I added the green arrows where we deviated and went to the Kerry Cliffs and Valentia Island. The deviation was worth the drive and actually was the highlight of the day of the Ring of Kerry.
There was an admission fee of 4 Euros each. You need to walk about 10 mins from the parking lot and it is pretty steep with about 4 lookout points. These cliffs are actually 300 feet higher than cliffs of Moher and far less touristy - maybe not as dramatic but definitely worth a look.

The Kerry Cliffs

The Behive Huts

We ate at Portmagee at Smugglers - great fish and chips and then drove over the bridge to Valentia Island and took the ferry back to the mainland at Knight's Town and continued our Ring of Kerry drive from there.

Before returning to our hotel we decided to visit Torc Waterfalls in Killarney National Park. It was late in the day with a mist in the air. The waterfalls were so pretty and the trees were so tall and majestic and covered in moss. Everything was just so neon green - a piper’s music added to the atmosphere- it was mystical.

Next Stop Dublin!

Sláinte
Penny and Dan

Ireland Day 5 The Dingle Peninsula and Slea Head Drive

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 11:48:00 +0000

The Dingle Peninsula
We rented a Budget car in Killarney.
Mix driving on the left side of the road, add gearshift on the left, combine it with narrow roads then add some cliffs, then cyclists here and there and now drive on a couple of the more stressful routes your first time out - the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry and what do you have... a teensy bit of stress!!!!

Me - Dan, you are a little close to the bushes on the left (passenger side)

Dan - would you rather hit a truck or kiss some marigolds?

Me - I will kiss the marigolds

Dan is really good in these driving situations so I am really not worried especially because the Budget guy gave him this handy-dandy bracelet.

He also gave me advice on the best porridge to have here in Ireland - Flahaven- and in fact he advised me to buy a few bags to take home with me. I saw the alarm in Dan’s eyes.

Off we go to Dingle!
This is scenery that is absolutely stunning. Wild flowers blanket the sides of the road, the mountains frame the sea and sheep and cows dot the pastures. We watched waves crashing into the craggy rocks and we breathed in the salty air. This is what travelling is about.

We stopped at inch beach where hurling was being played and there was a class taking surf lessons. Inch beach is a 5km long sand spit jutting into the sea between the outer Dingle Bay and inner Castlemaine Harbour overlooking magnificent Iveragh and Dingle Peninsulas. Inch has a huge beach and this area is great for all types of water sports including Surfing, Kayaking, Windsurfing, Kite Surfing, Hangliding and Fishing. There is also Sammy’s restaurant with a great view and we heard the food was good too but we didn't eat there.

Along the roads, Hydrangeas were fighting for more space. I work so hard to nurture my hydrangeas back home and here they were in copious amounts just filling the gardens to the brims.

Slea Head Drive, one of Ireland’s most scenic routes, takes you on a journey through historic sites, small villages, famous Hollywood film locations with close up views of the world renowned Blasket Islands and distant views of the Skellig Islands (Where Star Wars was filmed) on the south western horizon.

Thought I would do some knitting with fresh wool!

The Slea Head Drive (Slí Cheann Sléibhe) is a circular route, forming part of the Wild Atlantic Way, beginning and ending in Dingle. The route is clearly labelled by road signs throughout its length. The Slea Head Route is most enjoyable when done slowly over a number of hours allowing time for the many interesting stops and detours along the way.

Ancient dwellings

A very hard working sheep herding dog

We spent about 8 hours from the time we left Killarney to returning back and travelled in a clockwise direction to avoid meeting the large tour buses that frequent the route during the summer. Part of the Slea Head cliff road is very narrow and single lane only so can be a little hairy at times especially when there are cyclists and walkers.

In Dingle

What an an incredible day...

Tomorrow The Ring of Kerry

Sláinte
Penny and Dan

Ireland Day 4 Killarney

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 15:51:00 +0000

Limerick to Killarney

Dan woke me up this morning with the song- Christmas in Killarney! Now I can't get it out of my head! Here it is if you haven't heard it before.

Our Monograms local host Yvonne, was waiting in the lobby to see us off to Killarney.

A minibus took us to the Killarney Plaza hotel for our stay the next 3 nights. The hotel was situated well. We just walked out the door and there we were on the main street. The staff at the hotel were incredibly friendly and helpful and in fact the girl who checked us in had such a big smile, you couldn't help but smile BIG back.

We met Michelle, our Killarney local host who took us on a mini walking tour. She was very welcoming and informative. The Killarney National Park is right beside the hotel and goes on and on....
We explored the town a bit - lots of pubs and shops then had some lunch.

Bought myself an Irish cap

Off we went on our jaunty car ride. This isn't a car- it is a horse and buggy! We had a great driver - I think his name was Sean and I know the horse's name was Sally.

We jaunted through the National Park and felt like we went back in time. We saw deer, rabbits, heron and beautiful scenery.

Ross Castle

I would recommend this short tour which was included in our monograms program but even if it wasn't I would check it out.

We went over to the Budget office and rented a car for the next 2 days with plans to drive The Dingle Peninsula and The Ring of Kerry.

Time to rest up!
But first a beer...

Sláinte
Penny and Dan

Ireland Day 3 Cliffs of Moher and The Wild Atlantic Way

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Wed, 07 Aug 2019 16:56:00 +0000

It was a rainy day and it was a sunny day and it was also rainy and sunny at the same time!

Upon the recommendation of our Monograms local host, Yvonne, we booked the Paddywagon day tour to the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Bunratty Castle.
I would highly recommend the tour as it left us plenty of time to explore the cliffs and we didn’t have to worry about navigating the crazy narrow roads where barely 2 cars can travel by each other. We were considering renting a car to go there but we decided to sit back and enjoy the ride this time. John, our driver, was an expert!

It was raining quite hard when we got to the cliffs but then it stopped and the wind was blowing so hard it dried us off! Perfect timing! and then the sun came out!

The Cliffs of Moher are situated in County Clare along the Wild Atlantic Way and have majestically faced the Atlantic for over 350 million years!

The Cliffs rise to 702 feet (214 m) at their highest point and range for 8 kms (5 miles) over the Atlantic ocean. The sheer scale and dramatic impact of the cliffs is breathtaking.

A little music adds to the atmosphere.

The Next Stop - The Burren

It has the most extraordinary landscape. The Burren may look rugged, but it is also a fragile place and is always under threat from increased human activity. It is amazing how seeds have blown in with the wind and flowers and grass emerge from cracks in the rocks. It feels like you might be walking on the moon.

Lunch and then a quick stop at Bunratty Castle then back to Limerick.

Time for a Guinness
Tomorrow...Off to Killarney

Sláinte
Penny and Dan

Ireland Day 2 Limerick

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 07:37:00 +0000

This morning we met Yvonne, our Monograms local host. She was very welcoming and briefed us on things to see, where to eat and also where to meet for our walking tour this afternoon and for departure the morning after to Killarney.

She provided us with a packet of information as well as her contact info.

Our guide for our walking tour was Declan. He was very entertaining and informative!

We then checked out the Park of the People, a beautiful park with a great children's playground and manicured gardens.

Later on we went to The Locke for Irish dancing and music and a great steak and ale pie!
Here is a clip of some of the music and dancing.

Cheers

Penny and Dan

Ireland Day 1 Limerick

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 15:59:00 +0000

Limerick

The flight on Aer Lingus was fine. We arrived in Dublin and found our way to the bus to take us to Limerick, a 2 1/2 hour bus ride away. If you do this make sure to have cash and exact change as the driver does not accept credit cards. We were dropped off at Arthur's Quay and we were about to hop in a taxi when we spotted our hotel, The Limerick Strand Hotel , about 400 metres away!

We left our bags at the hotel (too early to check in) and set off for breakfast at the Hook and Ladder, a fun place to begin our day.

The River Shannon

Stop and look

Later in the day, we set off to explore the pub scene and enjoy our first Guinness in Ireland at the Mickey Martin's Pub, a little authentic pub where the locals frequent. The place was buzzing! The Guinness was definitely better than at home.. It tasted fresher, richer and fabulous!

We met Shirley, who advised us to go to the Tom Collins Oyster Saloon where we headed next.

We picked up fish and chips from Donkey Fords and headed back to the hotel for a good sleep!

Irish Proverb
A good laugh and long sleep are the two best cures.

Cheers
Penny and Dan

Ireland Day 0 Toronto to Dublin

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 20:52:00 +0000

Castles, adventure, Guiness, history, scenery, pubs and cuisine...mix them all up and what do you have?

Magic!

It is our tradition to decide where we are going for our next vacation on New Year's Eve. I got a hint where Dan wanted to go when I received an Ireland guidebook for Christmas! I had been to Ireland before and kissed the Blarney Stone but now it was time to do something different. We decided this year to try Monograms, which is a Globus product.
There are different ways to travel. You can choose to go with a group ... You can choose a do-it-yourself vacation... Or, you can choose something in-between. It’s called Monograms, where you can travel the world independently, with expert help and it includes our own onsite Local Host® .

Here is our rough Itinerary
3 nights Limerick (1 night on our own before the official start)
3 nights Killarney
2 nights Dublin
3 nights Belfast - end of Monograms tour
1 night in Balina
1 night in Galway
1 night in Kildare

So here we are now, in the Premium Lounge, waiting for our Aer Lingus flight to Dublin. Wally is home being watched by Harold, our wonderful dog walker and I am sure he will have the time of his life.
Now fasten your seat belts, it's time to go!

Sláinte
Penny and Dan

Riomaggiore and Manarola - Cinque Terre

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 01:28:00 +0000

July, 2014
We debated about staying right in the Cinque Terre....Camera Guy and I decided to stay outside of the area because we wanted to explore more of the region and needed larger accommodations since there were four of us. If you stay in The Cinque Terre, you can explore the villages at leisure. Don't rent a car if you are staying in one of the villages as there is very little accessibility. There are accommodations available and you need to book very far ahead to get something you like. We rented a car knowing that we wouldn't use it to travel through the Cinque Terre. We would try the train, the boat and do some hiking.

Riomaggiore (photo below) is the most southern village of the Cinque Terre and we decided to start there. We would take the train and then take the coastal hiking path between Riomaggiore and Manarola, the Via dell'Amore or The Lover's path.

Unfortunately, we discovered it was closed due to a rock slide...no one knew when it would be reopened. And then came the brilliant decision to hike over the mountain. Totally unprepared, the four of us began the climb... with little water...on a very hot day. I held the group back a bit and after making our way up the first section, we discovered there was a quite a bit more to go before reaching the top.

They all looked at me...and I looked at them... and then Elliot suggested to me that maybe I should reconsider the climb and so I said we should turn back. It was actually difficult going back down as it was pretty steep! We took the train to Manarola which took only a few minutes!

Manarola (photo below) is the village that is photographed the most, with its colourful and joyful houses perched on a huge rock jutting out of the beautiful blue Ligurian sea.

Manarola and Vernazza are considered one of the most beautiful small villages of Italy. It has a pretty harbour with fishing boats and a great swimming spot. Bring a swim suit! You can jump off the rocks or climb down the ladders. It is quite deep here so you shouldn't swim here unless you feel comfortable in deep water.

Corniglia, Monterosso and Vernazza by Sea

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 01:27:00 +0000

July 2014 Visiting the Cinque Terre by boat offers a very different perspective when you view and approach the villages from the sea. We really liked travelling between the villages by boat. The boats run between Monterosso and Portovenere (also La Spezia) both directions and stop in every village except Corniglia. You can also take a boat tour from Portovenere.

Corniglia (photo below) is quieter and smaller with not as many restaurants. We had lunch here and enjoyed a fabulous meal and a bottle (or two) of local wine. The walk up to the village is a challenge....there are a LOT of stairs, an we were there on a very hot day. Be prepared.

Vernazza (photo below) on the other hand is beautiful and as I said before, it is considered one of the most beautiful (along with Manarola) small villages of Italy. I still liked Manarola the best...Vernazza has many restaurants, bars colourful houses fishing boats and nets. It has a lot of tourists and is quite busy.

When you are walking around these villages, especially when you are climbing up stairs or paths, make sure to turn around and look back at the beautiful views. There is also a small sandy beach by the piazza.

Our last stop was in Monterosso (photo below). It is more like a summer resort village with a big long beach with deck chairs and umbrellas.

I think about 3-4 days is a good amount of time overall in the Cinque Terre. We did one day by train, visiting all 5 villages, and another full day on the ferry, visiting 3 of the 5.

 We returned by boat to Portovenere (photo below) and we thought that this would have made a great home base when visiting this region. This village is really a hidden treasure. We stayed here for dinner and really enjoyed the setting and the food.

It was so wonderful having Elliot and Leah with us on this trip. Memories I will always cherish...

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 01:24:00 +0000

It was 5:00 in the morning when we left the hotel...I am sure the hotel staff thought I was a lady of the night, dressed in my seamed stockings and long gloves etc. There was one other photographer at the Trocadero who obviously wanted the "magic light" that camera guy always talks about. And so as the good photographer's wife, off I went and pretended to be a model!
It was amazing being there without any people- we had this special place in Paris all to ourselves. As we were leaving a bride arrived in her full white dress...so beautiful.

I had to run off to my baking class but couldn't go dressed like this! Nothing was open- not one cafe! And so Dan suggested I change on the street (I had my baking clothes with me)...and so I started to change but then a bus stopped right in front of me...and then another. So we waited for a cafe to open and I did my quick change...and off I ran to La Cuisine Paris for my croissant class...

St. Petersburg, Russia, Day 3, August 19, 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 16:52:00 +0000

It is our third day in this amazing city. Most of the other cruise lines stop for one to two days, rarely three. This was an advantage as you really need the time to see this city that we may not return to for a long time - if ever. We organized a private car for our last day here. It was $299.00 USD per car for a half day and well worth it. In fact, when you compare our half day Nevsky Prospect $62.00 USD per person, where it was a transfer to this area - no tour - just drop off and pick up, we would have been better off with a private car for the day, where we could have done that and more with a private guide.

The private car, a new black Mercedes sedan, which came with the necessary Russian visa, was waiting for us at the meeting place when we got off the ship.

A violinist was always playing when we left the ship and one day he noticed our Canadian flag so every time he saw us he would play Oh Canada. On the last day, he gave me a little Russian pin that I will treasure.

Violeta and the driver Vladimir, escorted us around St. Petersburg to the sites we requested.

We arrived at the Palace Square before any of the crowds arrived and I think Camera Guy would have spent the entire time there but we moved on to the Church on the Spilled Blood (our second time there:))

We stopped to take a closer look at the Horse Bridge.

We then went to the St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral where Violeta had her children baptized. It was interesting to note that there were no pews or seating at all in the church. Everyone stands during the entire service, no matter your age or health condition.

Being mindful of the time, Violetta wanted to be sure we saw the opening of the fountains at Peterhof Palace. There were a gazillion people waiting to see this!

The gardens are quite beautiful and Violeta told us that she often came here for picnics and outings with her family as it was very pretty and the many fountains kept the children fascinated.

I would highly recommend the private car so if you are planning a visit to St. Petersburg, do your research on tours and make your choices from there.

More pics from our day...

Next stop, Tallinn, Estonia
Until then
Penny
xxx

The Hermitage - St. Petersburg, Russia, Day 2, August 18, 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 08:08:00 +0000

Despite everything we had read about the Hermitage, we were still unprepared for the beauty and size of St. Petersburg's most famous museum.

I would highly recommend a morning group tour as groups are allowed early admission. In fact we were the first to enter the museum and began our Winter Palace tour with virtually no other groups among us. From what we heard this was not the norm. The incredible sweeping luxurious staircase was without visitors when we arrived.

When we arrived

As we were leaving

The palace is designed to impress astonish and humble visitors ...and it sure does. It has gilded ceilings showing the Greek Gods relaxing in the clouds and the walls are covered in gold and intricate carvings with massive columns and sparkling chandeliers. All you can say is WOW!

There are only 15-20 paintings in existence from Leonardo da Vinci - there seems to be arguments on that about authentication of a few but the Hermitage has two of them.

The loggia is a long narrow hallway more than 200 feet long and only 13 feet wide and it's decorated with colourful paintings. It's a replica of one of the painter Raphael's crowning achievements of the Vatican loggia in Rome. Catherine the great had this exact replica built of Raphael's famous hallway here. It's virtually identical to the original, though the paintings here are done with tempera on canvas.

We were told that there were over 3 million exhibits and it would take about 12 years to see them all if you stood in front of each for one minute!

Here are some pics from our tour.

In the afternoon, we took an excursion to the Nevsky Prospect which was really a transfer to this popular shopping area. Those without a visa could walk freely around and we were left for the afternoon to wander as we pleased.

Subway stop for Nevsky Prospect

We visited an amazing food emporium and wandered through the streets looking at palaces churches and enjoying more of the beauty of this fascinating city.

Here are some pics of our afternoon.

Next - St. Petersburg - Day 3

Penny
xxx

St. Petersburg, Russia, Day 1, August 17, 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 11:44:00 +0000

First impression is that the city is beautiful. There are no high-rises and despite it's turbulent history, St. Petersburg has managed to maintain and restore the beauty of its architecture.

The main historical part of the city is quite compact.

Some important things you need to know about getting off the ship in St. Petersburg - If you plan on going off on your own you'll need to apply for a visa before travelling, that could take some time and is not inexpensive, especially if you leave it to the last minute and have to have it expedited. Otherwise if you take any of the ships tours, they come with a visa so you don't have to worry about it. Each time you leave the ship you'll need to show your passport (with the 2 stamps that you receive after your first time getting on and off the ship in St. Petersburg), the tickets for your excursion and your sea pass to allow you back on the ship. It's really pretty simple.

St. Petersburg is an important Russian port on the Baltic Sea and a major European cultural centre . It is situated on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Finland and it's considered the most European of all the Russian cities. It's Russia's second largest after Moscow. It's built on a network of islands and features 65 rivers and canals that crisscross the city. It really does remind one of Paris and at the same time because of the canals it closely resembles Venice or Amsterdam.

Today we took the panoramic tour of St. Petersburg. Our first stop was church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. It's absolutely beautiful with its gold and ceramic onion domes- like a fairy tale.

You will see amber being sold everywhere and of course the very popular babushka nesting dolls. They vary in size and design. They start at a low price and can go up to thousands of dollars. They even have modern designs with Trump and Putin nesting in each other.

Another popular souvenir is the Russian hat. They come in all kinds of expensive furs as well as fake fur.

Of course Fabergé is an important Jeweler of Russia and there are many displays where you can buy the Fabergé eggs or copies of them.

Next stop was Saint Isaac's cathedral, heavily damaged in World War II, and completely restored except some shell damage that was left in several of the columns as a reminder of the German invasion.

Next stop - 2 giant pink rostral columns flanking the Strelka viewpoint, probably the best viewpoint in all of St. Petersburg. They were inspired by similar towers built by Greeks and Romans to celebrate naval victories. These columns are decorated with anchors and studded with the symbolic prows of ships defeated in battle. You can grab a coffee in this square too!

The AzAmazing evening is an included special excursion for all guests on board and was just that-AMAZING. We went to see The St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonia, the oldest Philharmonia in Russia-more than 200 years old, at the DD Shostakovich. It started with the red carpet when we entered and we were led upstairs to enjoy a champagne reception before going in to the concert.

The added bonus of the evening was the drive back to the ship and seeing the palaces and monuments lit up at night… So romantic!

Stay tuned for Day 2 in St. Petersburg...

Penny

Helsinki, Finland August 15, 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 04:16:00 +0000

There are many advantages of cruising on a small ship and I will tell you about them when we have a day at sea, but one stands out today. We left the big ships behind when sailing into Helsinki and took a position at the dock, right in the heart of Helsinki, at Market Square!
The big ferris wheel was right outside the ship and it even had one car that was a sauna - the Finns love their saunas! There are actually around 2.2 million saunas in this country, 1 for every 2.5 people. We were told that 99% of Finns take a sauna at least weekly and it is said that in this country, there are more business agreements made in saunas than in actual meetings. I just don't see that happening in Toronto...

Camera Guy and I did not sign up for tours today but rather followed a walking
tour from the local tourist office. Azamara invites local tourist offices onboard the ship in the morning when they arrive in port to advise passengers on things to do, so we left armed with our maps and some advice from Elliot's friend, Laureline, who used to live here...but first Market Square for a teensy bit of shopping LOL. There were some unique hats and gloves (yes I did buy both) and we picked up a viking Christmas decoration- how could we resist????

Our walk took us through the streets of this European capital with its quaint cobblestone streets and grand squares with beautiful buildings.

There is definitely not a shortage of coffee shops and Camera Guy and I stopped into the Cafe Engel for one...and it was deeelicious!
The Finns believe it or not are the biggest coffee drinkers in the world.
On average, per person, they consume 26.4 pounds of the coffee per year!

We also took a tram around the city - not any old tram but one that had a bar so we enjoyed a pint while looking at the sights:)

Here are some pics from our day.

The Three Blacksmiths

At the train station

Fun Facts

Finland has obtained a medal at every Olympic Games since 1908.
The country has National Sleepy Head day (Finnish: Unikeonpäivä), where the last person in a family to wake up has water thrown on them or is thrown into a lake by the rest of the family.
“The land of midnight sun” is another name for Finland because in the summer the sun shines all night and all day. Helsinki enjoys long days of almost 19 hours during summers. Conversely, during winters, the nights are longer with almost 18 hours of darkness.
It hosts the Wife Carrying World Championships (in which male competitors race while each carrying a female teammate) every year.
Finland’s Rovaniemi (Lapland), the ”official hometown of Santa Claus,” is one of the main attractions for many people. Lapland is also one of the best places to view the breathtaking Northern Lights.

Next Stop St. Petersburg....

Until tomorrow

Penny

xxx

Good morning Stockholm! Aug.13 and 14, 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 00:18:00 +0000

Sunday morning...
We arrived in Stockholm and were eager to get to the ship so we could get back into town and explore Stockholm on our own.

The transfers we purchased included a driver to pick us up but unfortunately the driver was no where in sight:( We waited... then called and they said it would only be a few minutes so waited and called again...over one hour later he showed up. We usually take the ship's transfers or jump in a cab but this time thought we would try another way. We did save some money but I don't think we would do it again. The ship's transfer system is dedicated to just that - getting you to the ship.
We checked in quickly and back to town we went -330 Kronas for a cab to the old town. This is the land of swedish meatballs, Ikea, Pippi Longstocking, ABBA, Volvo, H&M and let's not forget Stieg Larsson, the author of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!

It was a little cool and rainy but we had fun walking through the old town- our destination - the Photography Museum on the waterfront , where the Irving Penn exhibit was on - Resonance-Photographs from the Pinault Collection, and it was fabulous.

24- hour room service was perfect for our late return to the ship and because the ship stayed overnight we didn't have to worry about getting back in time for sailing.

Stockholm’s old town and cobblestone streets look straight out of a fairytale. We took a tour "Land and Sea" and enjoyed the different perspectives.

Monday...
Here are some pics from our day

Like a fairytale...

Some fun facts

Stockholm was built on 14 islands, connected by 57 bridges, earning the Swedish capital the nickname "Beauty on the Water."
This waterfront capital has as little as six hours of daylight in the winters and as much as 18 hours of sun in the summers!
The Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, medicine and literature have been awarded every year in Stockholm. As for the Nobel Peace Prize? That honor is bestowed in another Scandinavian capital: Oslo.
If a local invites you to join him or her for a fika, they're really just asking you if you'd like to take a coffee break. (Usually there's also some kind of pastry involved.) This is particularly interesting for us at TTAND support since we have a Fika Program!
Sweden’s national treasure, the global furniture chain IKEA, boasts a huge store but there is a larger one that opened in 2014 in South Korea’s Gwangmyeong.
Sweden’s literacy rate is 99 percent, so it’s no surprise more than 4 million books are borrowed from Stockholm’s libraries
Swedish commuters love their bikes: approximately 70,000 cyclists cross Stockholm’s city borders daily.
Mamma Mia: Stockholm has an entire museum dedicated to ABBA. While visitors can get a glimpse at some of the 1970s band’s gold records, wardrobe pieces, and gadgets, the true goal of the museum is to let you “experience the feeling of being the fifth member of ABBA,” by trying on clothes, singing in the Polar studios, and even channeling your inner dancing queen by getting on stage with holograms of the band.

Next stop Helsinki, Finland

Until tomorrow...
Penny
xxx

Azamara Journey Aug 13-23,2017

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sat, 05 Aug 2017 23:38:00 +0000

August 12, 2017

Toronto Pearson Terminal 1

This year we chose Azamara. Both camera guy and I had never cruised on Azamara Club Cruises and when we saw the itinerary Stockholm to St. Petersburg on the Azamara Journey, we thought this would be a great trip.

Packing for this trip was a bit of a challenge because I knew it could be cool but it could be warm too, so I would need both options...the clothes aren't such a big deal, it is those darn shoes....Camera Guy made some room in his bag:). What a guy!

First stop was Park n Fly, where I dropped my phone upon exiting the car and the glass shattered!!! It was in a case by the way, but I guess it just hit the ground at the wrong angle. Oh well, there is nothing I can do about it until I get to Stockholm...maybe I can get it fixed there...I am not going to worry about it. So if I email you and my spelling is off, it's because I can't see the words!

We went to the airport early and settled in at the Premium Lounge (Dan's platinum American Express card gives free access) so we could relax a little before the flight- no need to rush- it's our vacation!!!

The Air Canada flight to Zurich was good-A window seat but no window LOL We transferred through Zurich and when you take the tram between terminals, there is the sound of cowbells and cows mooing...pretty funny!

Next stop-Stockholm....
Until tomorrow
Penny
xxx

July 2014 - Italy - Elliot and Leah's Arrival

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 13:05:00 +0000

Remembering- a year ago....

My son Elliot is attending school in Calgary and doesn't come back to Toronto very often.... Christmas and sometimes during the summer...I miss him so much...

And so when he was spending time at the Max-Planck Institute in Germany and decided that he would remain in Europe to travel a bit, I was delighted. We were going to be in Italy at the same time and would be able to spend some vacation time with him. Leah, his girlfriend, would meet up with him in Germany and they would travel around before meeting us in Rapello. I was soooo excited! Especially after our ordeal (previous blog post with the stolen lens) that we had recently gone through. It really was the first real vacation time with Elliot in many years.

There is something very exciting about meeting someone special at a train station in a foreign place. I was like a little kid waiting for them to arrive and when I saw them get off the train, I was jumping for joy.

We rented a house near Zoagli, a quaint little seaside town. Off we went for a seaside dinner in Zoagli at a little restaurant with a pretty view.

The following days we visited Portofino, an Italian fishing village and vacation resort famous for its picturesque harbour, its celebrities with its million dollar yachts and the highlight of the stay - The Cinque Terre, the five lands comprised of five villages: Monteroso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola,and Riomaggiore. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages of The Cinque Terre and cars are not welcome and cannot access the villages from the outside. We hiked, trained and ferried to these charming rugged villages. We had long dinners on our terrace overlooking the sea.... and life was good.

Ciao for now,
Penny and Camera Guy (Dan)

The train station and the scam...

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 03:30:00 +0000

I need to begin by saying that as a travel professional of a gazillion years... ok maybe I am exaggerating a little bit, but I think I have a good understanding of vacation scams. I have talked about scams, taught agents about scams and written about them. We advise our passengers to "be aware" while travelling in various situations - not to cause fear but to emphasize the importance of being aware and travelling wisely.

I have travelled a fair bit and I can tell you lots of stories - about other people. But this story is about me and Camera Guy.

We arrived at the Tiburtina train station. We were looking forward to the next part of the trip. Taking the train to Florence, picking up our car rental and driving to our rented house on the Italian Riviera where Elliot, my son and Leah his girlfriend, were going to meet up with us in a few days!
For those of you who have not travelled on European trains, there is usually a very large electronic board displaying the trains and track numbers. Everyone stands and watches the board until their track number shows - about 10-15 minutes prior to departure. You then make your way to your track.

Camera Guy (CG) and I were waiting for the train on the track specified. I was huddled over our luggage and CG was tossing something in the trash can about 8 feet away.

My back to the track, a guy pulling a suitcase approached me from behind and pointed to the train so I slightly looked away from the bags and asked if this train was going to the airport. I said I have no idea and turned back to the luggage - 5 seconds. I had not let go of the top of the bags.

CG at the same exact moment was approached from the opposite direction and asked the same question.

I said to Camera Guy that I felt something was wrong and sure enough CG's camera lens had disappeared. A 3rd guy, at the exact moment when we were both distracted, scooped the $8,000 lens. CG was heading off to the Commonwealth Games to photograph the Canadian team in Scotland which is why we had that lens with us. We both were unaware that the other had been asked the same question at the same time....
I felt like the lens was surgically removed from right in front of me... these were skilled thieves. The 400mm sport lens was in a black bag with a little NIKON label. They knew what it was and its value.

It was insured. I suppose like any robbery, you feel violated and upset that you could have allowed it to happen. And so the day went downhill from there. For insurance purposes we had to report it to the police, which caused us to miss our train. When we finally arrived in Florence and made our way to the car rental depot, it was closed. I forgot to mention it was a 10 minute walk with the luggage.... in the rain. We thought it was closer. Did I mention it was closed? She smiled at me through the glass and said I could try the airport. I begged and pleaded through the glass. We told her about our unfortunate experience .... to no avail.

We tried to find a taxi, there were none. We stood in the rain on a side street near the Florence train station outside the closed car rental counter. And so we began to walk... trudging through the streets in the rain... to a hotel where the front desk clerk took pity on the drenched travellers in front of her and called a taxi for us. We found out that the airport car rental counter was not actually AT the airport, but at an office NEAR the airport. The taxi driver seemed really upset that we were not going to the airport and informed us that an additional charge would apply. We were not surprised.
We finally got our car and plugged in our GPS that we brought with us. Hmmm, it didn't work. The depot was out of maps....

At this point, CG knew the general direction so off we went. We just wanted to get there. It was about a 2 hour drive. And we did find our way to the closest village of Zoagli. We then referred to the instructions the owner sent us.

"At the second church you are in the hamlet of San Pietro di Rovereto, which is a frazione of Zoagli. After the church the road narrows, you will pass a bar and green grocer. Shortly after the "village" the road makes a sharp turn to the right and a steep descent..."

The road was very narrow, and was completely congested due to a music festival in the village that evening. Two cars could not pass each other without one reversing into the nearest open driveway. Cars were parked everywhere.

The rain continued and so did the thunder... and the lightning. I cannot even continue writing, it is too crazy to repeat.
We finally found the house and climbed the 1 million steps up the hill to the house... in the dark, or I should say intermittent light from the lightning. The one time I have begged for more lightning.

We went to sleep. No, we didn't. We couldn't sleep. We wondered aloud if this was worth it.

The next morning we opened the door. We opened the shutters.
And this is what we saw....

Ciao for now
Penny and Camera Guy

Next ...the arrival of Elliot and Leah!

The Photographer's Wife in Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 04:51:00 +0000

July 2014

Twirling in my retro dress and posing for camera guy is always fun! The Pantheon, which was minutes away from our cute little hotel, was where the photo above was shot. The Pantheon opened in 126 AD and is the oldest standing building still in use!! Early in the morning...verrrry early...he eagerly pushed me out of bed so we would get to the Pantheon without anyone there and of course catch the right light or as Camera Guy calls it "The magic light". It all sounds quite glamorous...me posing in my colourful dress and all - but in reality it was quite a dark overcast morning. Everything looked grey. And just for the record, it wasn't only about my photo - there were several amazing photos from that morning.While Camera Guy did his thing, I wandered about the Piazza della Rotonda trying out the chairs at the empty tables imagining what it was like a long time ago... During the nineteenth century, the piazza was especially noted for its market of bird-sellers, who brought their cages with live parrots, nightingales, owls, and other birds. I get a little weird around lots of birds so maybe it is a good thing the Piazza wasn't like that any longer.

We had limited time in Rome, on this trip, so we decided to stay in a hotel as central as possible. This way we could walk easily to many places we wanted to visit.

Hotel Caravita was the perfect place. With only 8 rooms, this little luxury boutique hotel was 5 minutes from the Pantheon, 10 minutes to the Spanish Steps and 10 minutes to the Trevi Fountain.

It had incredible service, a perfect location, was spotless, had wifi and included a beautiful breakfast. Who could ask for more? And a rain shower with lights changing colors every few seconds! Dancing in the shower hahahaha!

The hotel had a cute little dining area where treats were laid out to eat during the day- from fresh fruit to homemade tarts and cakes. The room was quite small but for a night or two, who cares? I would highly recommend this property! Especially if you are only staying one or two nights.

As far as meals go, you can make reservations and eat in a decent restaurant for about 40 Euros per person. We, on the other hand, wanted our evening to be flexible so simply found a little street near the Pantheon with numerous restaurant tables lining the sides of the narrow streets. Each restaurant offered a modest menu - a two course meal with a bottle of wine for 12 Euros each. The atmosphere was great and we were happy!

Ciao for now

Penny and Dan (camera guy)

Rome Under Construction - No Coins Allowed....

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 01:30:00 +0000

A visit to iconic sites are a thrill...we have seen them in movies, magazines, the news and there is something wondrous about being there in person! We do need to keep in mind, however, that many of them are in a constant state of repair and restoration.

Such is the case here in Rome. The Trevi Fountain is undergoing a major restoration and was almost completely concealed in scaffolding And In fact was drained of water. It is still a very popular site so they have come up with a very efficient system for those who still want to enjoy this landmark. A scaffold walkway goes over the work site - one way only - each end guarded by a Roman policeman who makes sure everyone is going the right way and another one in the middle who keeps people from stopping and throwing coins in the dry construction zone below. Maybe the construction workers don't wear hard hats here! Whatever...there are still people sneaking their coins in...maybe they should encourage people to throw in coins so they can hire more people to get the job done faster!

Onward to the Spanish steps which is another construction zone. And the Coliseum...And so on...

If sites like this, whatever city you visit, are important to you, then make sure to check before you book, so you aren't disappointed.

This city is much more than the tourist sites though, Rome is amazing! Everywhere you turn, you see something special. And don't forget to look up to the rooftops to see all the beautiful details in the architecture.

Ciao for now

Penny and Dan (Camera Guy)

Arrivederci Canada!

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 00:07:00 +0000

Dan and I are enjoying the Premium Lounge at the airport before boarding our Transat flight to Rome. This is the beginning of our vacation to Italy! We like to get here early and relax, although I must admit my head is spinning because I am listening to a couple giving advice to two young men who are going to celebrate a birthday in Italy. Ahhh, the value of a travel agent couldn't be more emphasized here...but I am not working! Even though I want to jump up and scream NO! NO! NO! one day is not enough for Tuscany!!!! and the Cinque Terre are not five islands....and the Parthenon is not in Rome...but instead I am trying to convince Dan to tune them out.because this is OUR vacation. From the look on his face, I don't think he's taking my advice.

Dan will be photographing the Canadian Team at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow so we decided to take some time in Italy before he needs to be in Scotland. The Cinque Terre area on the Italian Riviera we decided was the perfect place to go! We've never been there before and have wanted to explore it for some time as we have heard so many good things about it.

This is what we plan to do....We will spend a little time in Rome before taking the train to Florence. From Florence we will pick up our rental car and head to the little house we rented overlooking Portofino. Elliot and Leah will join us there and I am over the moon excited about that too! We haven't seen Elliot since Christmas and I miss him:(. From there we will explore the Cinque Terre as well as do some day trips in the area. Elliot and Leah will continue on their journey, Dan and I will head to Florence then Dan will go to the games and I will take the train to Rome then return home to Toronto.

We will keep you posted about our adventures along the way!

Arrivederci!
Penny and Dan

Paris...Never Enough Time...

noreply@blogger.com (Penny) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 15:10:00 +0000

I had been waiting for this day...tea and dessert at Ladurée on the Champs-Élysées. This famous street with its cafés and luxury specialty shops is definitely a "must see" when you visit Paris.

Ladurée is a French luxury bakery and sweets maker house. It is one of the top premier sellers of the double-decker macaron, fifteen thousand of which are sold every day! They are still one of the best known makers of macarons in the world. (Wikipedia)

There is an outdoor patio at this location, but we chose to go inside and enjoy the pretty decor. It is like being in a pastry fairy tale drenched in antique green and gold.

Most people visit for the macarons, but you need to try the Passion Raspberry Tart - Sweet pastry filled with smooth passion fruit cream and raspberries...you need to savour each bite.

The line ups were very long, but it is like being in a gallery so you need the time to admire these little dessert jewels. The packaging is also so beautiful-at an additional cost but hard to resist! I use the little box now to hold some of my jewellery...

A pastry fantasy!

Galeries LaFayette - There is no store quite like this anywhere...I have to visit every time I am in Paris...just to look up at the beautiful domed ceiling made of stained glass. A visit to the lingerie section is a must but you need to set aside a budget just for that- the selection is massive!!!!!

As beautiful as the sweets look and taste at Ladurée. Camera Guy and I preferred the macarons at Hermes! Especially the lemon ones...oh my goodness...
There is a counter at Galleries Lafayette....

Besides the famous buildings and sites to visit, there is a joie de vivre everywhere. We stopped to listen to a jazz group near Notre Dame.

Notre Dame Cathedral de Paris ("Our Lady of Paris") needs to be a stop on your walking tour.

The Paris Opera House...

An evening at the Eiffel Tower...

The Pont Alexandre - one of the many beautiful bridges of Paris that crosses the Seine

Yes, Camera Guy and I had a romantic evening on the Bateaux Parisiens...floating down the Seine on a dinner cruise.

After my baking class I headed over to this very famous shop to purchase my new necessary tools!

This is where the chefs of Paris shop...I was in heaven!

Camera Guy waited for me at the corner pub-I think he was on his fourth pint by the time I got back to him.

We planned to spend our last four days of our vacation in Paris, knowing that it wasn't enough time to fully explore the city. I suppose we will have to go back....