Trips We Remember

Chocolate World

2021-10-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

by Rosemary

On our way from Philadelphia to Gettysburg (October 2017), we stopped at Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Milton Hershey founded the town in 1903 for the employees of his chocolate empire, planning it as "a perfect American town in a bucolic natural setting, where healthy, right-living, and well-paid workers lived in safe, happy homes." The homes were very modern, with electricity and indoor plumbing, and the town provided public transportation and free education.

We headed straight to Hershey's Chocolate World, the factory store, where we were overwhelmed by all the varieties of chocolate products. They sell syrup by the gallon!

We enjoyed the ride through a virtual tour of the company's history and factory.

All in all, this was a delicious afternoon. In my diary, I wrote, "It smells terrific here."

Our First Trip

2021-07-30T10:00:00.049-07:00

Our first vacation together was our honeymoon in December 1985. We stayed at the very first Sandals resort, at Montego Bay, Jamaica.

There was no shortage of food and drink, with several restaurants, a snack shack, and a swim-up bar.

These little one-person sailboats were a lot of fun. When Steve's capsized, an attentive lifeguard swam out and helped him start over.

One day we took a bus tour of the town and nearby countryside. Our tour guide made sure we bought breakfast from local businesses. She directed us to give our banana peels to a farmer who would feed them to his goats. We visited an elementary school, where the children performed a song for us. We gave them our empty soda bottles so they could get the deposit money.

The tour included lunch at an old plantation, where we enjoyed an aerial view in a tethered hot-air balloon.

All too soon, it was time to leave sunny Jamaica and return to sunny California.

Before

After

Puerto Vallarta 1991

2021-07-17T00:08:00.001-07:00

Puerto Vallarta was (and probably still is) a lovely resort town on Mexico's Pacific coast.

Our hotel was on the beach, and also had a gigantic swimming pool. We arrived late in the afternoon and immediately put on our swimsuits and went down to the pool. It was a lucky choice. The only other guests there at the time were a family of four. Mom was on the pool deck, attending to the infant. Dad was in the pool, playing with the two-year-old boy, who was sitting on the pool's edge. Dad told the boy to stay there, while he dove into the water and began swimming around the pool's circumference. With both parents' backs turned, the little boy decided to follow Dad, plunged into the water, and immediately sank to the bottom. Steve instantly dove after him and pulled him to the surface. The boy was spluttering a bit, but unharmed. At that point, Mom finished changing the baby, turned around, and saw us comforting the boy. Steve handed the child to her and did his best to explain what had happened (He speaks only a little Spanish). All's well that ends well, but I shudder to think what the outcome would have been if we'd decided to just take a nap instead of a swim.

We walked around in town a bit. The streets were paved with the biggest cobblestones I've ever seen, highly rounded with steep grooves between the stones. On our second evening there, I slipped and sprained my ankle. After that, we spent most of our time lounging by the pool.

The beach was nice, too.

One afternoon, we took a bus tour that showcased the lovely tropical scenery.

We enjoyed watching the pelicans dive for fish.

The resident parrot wanted Steve's necklace; he thought it was after his beard.

There's always a cat.

Verona 2008

2021-01-27T09:30:00.000-08:00

Verona was a day trip from Venice

The 2000-year-old Roman arena is still used for performances.

According to legend, when a "just" person passes under this archway, the whalebone will fall.
For hundreds of years, popes, politicians, pilgrims and tourists have strolled through without incident.

The winding staircase inside the Lamberti tower.

Around Verona's piazzas are many historic buildings that still
include architectural details and decorations from an earlier time.

Outside the grafitti-encrusted gate to Juliet's house,
romantics leave padlocks to symbolize their enduring love.

Rosemary poses on Juliet's balcony.

Venice 2008

2021-01-20T09:30:00.000-08:00

Rosemary's Travel Diary

We continued on to Venice [from Bologna via Padua], where we traversed the long causeway to Piazzale Roma, then turned in the car and set off by boat and on foot to our hotel. In the past we have found Venice to be a quiet, peaceful place. This time we chose a hotel overlooking the Grand Canal (and across from the train station) and learned that the atmosphere can be just like a main street in Rome. Big boats chug up and down the canal, new arrivals drag their suitcases along the cobblestones, and a constant stream of laughing, shouting, chattering tourists and citizens passes under our window. After a much-needed (but somewhat difficult) nap, we went out for dinner.

Tue - That tickle in my throat has evolved into a mild case of laryngitis. Otherwise, I don't feel sick, so I am hopeful that this will pass quickly.

Staying in a different part of town gave us a wonderful opportunity to walk through areas we have never seen before. It was a lovely day, and without a specific goal we strolled at a relaxed pace. Starting in the morning we found the streets less crowded with tourists. Normal people were on their way to work, doing their shopping, sitting in the park. We walked all the way to the traghetto near the Salute church. The traghettos are gondolas that ferry people across the grand canal. Very handy when you are far from a bridge, and a cheap way to sample the gondola experience. We continued walking to Piazza San Marco. As usual, a lot of things are under renovation. A big section of pavement around the campanile has been torn up.

After lunch, we realized that the line to get into the basilica wasn't very long, so that's where we went. We started by climbing the steep stone steps to the galleria where we had a good overview of the church interior and access to the balcony for a view of the square. Downstairs, we toured the church interior with the rest of the crowd. It is amazing and inspiring, covered from top to bottom with elaborate Byzantine mosaics, and lots of gold.

In the afternoon we visited Harry's Bar. Famous since the 1930s as a hangout of the rich and famous, it is also a very pricey tourist trap. We knew what to expect, but some people came in, looked at the menu, and quickly left. Of course, we ordered the cocktail that originated here, the Bellini. Two tasty but small drinks (with a little dish of big olives on the side) cost 30.00E. We considered it part of our entertainment budget. It's not a place where we would actually eat (40.00E for an appetizer or a sandwich goes beyond my idea of entertainment) but it was fun to observe those who would. For dinner we went to Ristorante al Teatro, near La Fenice opera house, where we enjoyed dining in the fresh evening air.

Wed - We visited the church of San Giorgio Maggiore, which sits on the little island of the same name, south of St. Mark's Square, across the Canale di San Marco. From the top of the church tower, we had a terrific view of Venice, from a different point of view. After touring the church, we took the vaporetto to the island next door, Giudecca. This is not a touristy area, although it does have some nice hotels and restaurants. We strolled along the waterfront, passing only a few other sightseers, until we came to the huge Hilton Hotel (converted from a 19th century flour mill) at the western end of the island. A short vaporetto ride took as across the canal where we had lunch in a cafe facing the water.

In the evening we met the parents of Andrea Bari, Steve's former teaching assistant. Mario and Marina are delightful, warm-hearted people. I like them very much, and we had a great time with them, conversing in English and Italian (despite my worsening laryngitis). They took us to a good, local restaurant where we had an amazing meal with many different kinds of seafood. It was also fun to walk in Venice with people who really know where they are going; it improved my sense of where things are.

Thu - When I woke up this morning I could tell I was getting sicker. The prudent thing might be to rest, but our hotel room is much too noisy for that. Besides, this was our last full day in Italy, so I decided I might as well take advantage of it. So we bought train tickets and went to Verona.

The first sight in Verona's historic center is the 2000-year-old Roman arena. Today it is used as a theater, and while we were there a crew was working on the stage and scenery. Leading away from the arena is via Mazzini, a pedestrian area lined with upscale boutiques, designer shops, and small cafes. Further on, there are a number of historical piazzas, sculptures, and buildings. The Lamberti tower is the tallest tower in town. From the top we had an excellent 360-degree view of the town and surrounding area. Shakespeare set his play, "Romeo and Juliet" in Verona, and the story has been memorialized here for the enjoyment of tourists. A house once owned by the Capello family (inspiration for the Capulet family in the play), radically remodeled in the 20th century, is now called "Juliet's House". Of course, I posed for a picture on the balcony. After a brief stroll through the marketplace and a look at the train schedule, we realized we had time for just a quick lunch, sandwiches from a street vendor. The Eurostar took just over an hour to get us back to Venice.

After a nap at the hotel, we went for a short walk and then to dinner. During the meal, Steve got a message that our flight out of Venice tomorrow had been canceled. Yikes! Apparently a strike in Milan led to the cancellation of all the Easyjet flights in Italy. Fortunately, it was still daytime in the U.S., so he was able to call Evelyn, our travel agent, who provided some helpful advice. We managed to get seats on another airline (for a higher price, of course).

Fri - Last night was just a little bit crazy. My cold got worse and worse until I couldn't breathe. There are plenty of pharmacies here (I bought throat lozenges at one near the hotel a couple of days ago) but they all close early. At 10pm in Venice, you can buy Murano glass and gelato, but good luck if you are sick. If I can't breathe I can't sleep (and then neither can Steve) so I finally asked the desk clerk if he knew of a pharmacy that would be open late. He found the only 24-hour pharamacy in the phone book and called to make sure. By now it was midnight. The night boat doesn't stop everywhere, so we would need to get off at Ca' d'Oro and walk back (not very far) to San Felice. While we were waiting on the dock, a young couple who had just arrived by train asked us for information about taking the boat. They were still shaking from their frightening ordeal. The boy had gotten off the train in Bologna to smoke a cigarette, and the train left before he could get back on. He had the tickets in his pocket, so when the conductor came through for the ticket check, the girl didn't have it, and the police ejected her from the train. We never found out how they got back together, because telling the story made her cry. While I was comforting her, Steve helped the boy find a water taxi that could take them right to their hotel. Then we began our mini-adventure.

We couldn't find the pharmacy. I knew its name and approximate location, and we had hoped to spot its bright green sign from the street, but we just couldn't find it. I asked lots of people for directions. Most of them told me that all the pharmacies were closed, and when I explained that this was a 24-hour pharmacy and gave them the name, it didn't help. Naturally, people don't know the names of the pharmacies, they just know the green signs, and they obviously thought I was misguided. One very nice man walked along with us for a while, pointing out every pharmacy along the way, but none of them were the one we were looking for, and all of them were closed. A doorman at a nightclub knew where it was (or thought he did), but we were unsuccessful at following his directions. If I'd been well and we hadn't been stressed, roaming the streets of Venice at 1:00am would have been interesting. The town is very quiet. There are a few pedestrians, groups of young people going to one of the pizzerias or bars that are still open, tipsy couples making their way home, a shoeless woman in a long white nightgown. Without the crowds, the streets seem much wider, and it's easy to cover a lot of distance in the cool evening air.

But we never found the pharmacy. We finally gave up and headed back to our hotel. Outside one closed pharmacy we spotted a vending machine. Optimistically, we took a look, but it did not offer any medication, just condoms, tampons, and razors. [Note: After we returned to the U.S., I looked up the phantom pharmacy on Google Earth. It really does exist, but it's on a side street that we couldn't see from where we were, even though we passed very close to it three or four times that night.] After our time in the moist night air and a little steam treatment in the hotel bathroom, I was able to breathe just enough to fall asleep at last.

This morning we had a little extra time, so we took one last walk in the neighborhood. Then we dragged our suitcases over the bridge to Piazzale Roma where we got a taxi to the airport and boarded our flight to Paris. The hotel shuttle drivers were on strike (one of those scheduled strikes that provides a long weekend for the workers, it will end Monday), but there was a bus making a circuit of the affected hotels, so we finally arrived and checked in. This is just a layover; we are in a Holiday Inn next to the airport and will head for home (through JFK in New York) tomorrow morning.

Medieval buildings weren't wired for electricity, so today we see it all on the outside.

A hotel room in Venice wouldn't be complete without a Murano glass chandelier.

Italian hotel rooms always have these alarm pulls hanging in the shower.
I don't know whether anyone ever uses them, or whether they even work.
But a limited study has revealed that in most cases, if I actually broke my
leg and fell in the tub, the alarm would remain tantalizingly out of reach.

Pisa does not have a monopoly on leaning towers. This one is part
of the Greek Orthodox cathedral, San Giorgio dei Greci, in Venice.

>
The city recently banned the sale of pigeon food, but these fine
examples of Columba livia haven't noticed any difference.

No pigeons here, but the Rialto market is filled with flocks of tourists.

It's always possible to find peace by walking a short distance away from the touristy areas.

Everything is delivered by boat.

These hand trucks are used to haul deliveries through the streets and over bridges.

Construction progresses on Venice's new bridge, connecting the train station
with the car park and bus terminal at Piazzale Roma. It's the first new bridge
in over 70 years, and will be the fourth crossing the Grand Canal.

Just another canal.

These slimy steps are convenient for boats but dangerous for drunken tourists.

A luxuriously appointed gondola.

Monstrous cruise ships dwarf the buildings and release thousands of tourists into the streets.

Although not the most used, the Bridge of Sighs
may be the most photographed bridge in Venice.

Crowds gather outside St. Mark's cathedral.

A closer view of details on the roof.

Kayaking on the Grand Canal.

Padua 2008

2021-01-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

Rosemary's Travel Diary

We decided to stop in Padua for lunch and a tour. It rained all the way, and was raining even more when we arrived. Despite Jane's assurances that we were at our destination, we weren't really sure where to go, and we needed to avoid the permit-only zones near the historical center, so we just parked at the first public garage we saw. There are many streets here that have colonnades reminiscent of those in Bologna. After a little bit of random roaming we managed to locate ourselves on the guidebook map. We hadn't been able to find our umbrella, so Steve bought one from a street vendor. We had a light lunch at historic Cafe Pedrocchi and then walked to the Scrovegni chapel. The artwork inside is very fragile, so to help control its temperature and humidity, only small groups are allowed inside at controlled intervals. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and we did not expect to get in, but arriving relatively early in bad weather worked to our benefit, and we were able to get into the very next group. The chapel is filled with frescoes painted by Giotto and his assistants around 1305, illustrating the lives of Mary and Jesus, and a portrayal of the Last Judgment. The work is particularly impressive not only because the style is considered advanced for its time, but also because the entire project was completed in about two years, a very short time considering its size and complexity.

We also visited the Basilica of St. Anthony. In addition to its architecture and artwork, it houses some important relics of St. Anthony. He was known as a highly gifted public speaker; to commemorate his talents, his tongue, jaw, and larynx have been preserved and are on display in elaborate reliquaries. On our way to the church we saw signs pointing to "Galileo's house". There's nothing there but a plain door in a featureless building on an ordinary street. On this walk the sun came out for a short time, and by the time we got to the church it was really too hot. But that didn't last. After leaving the chruch, we continued walking a little farther to reach Prato delle Valle. It is a large oval piazza with a grassy center and sculptures, surrounded by a moat. On a sunny day it is no doubt attractive, but today we found it disappointing, ringed with the ugly tents of flea market vendors who were not shy about urinating in public. By now we were very tired, and it was raining much harder, so we headed back to our car, under the protection of the colonnades.

We stepped into the open courtyard of this old building belonging to the University of Padua.

We passed this modern fountain on our way to lunch.

This park is next to the Scrovegni chapel.

The sun came out briefly while we visited the basilica of St. Anthony.

Next to the church is Donatello's equestrian statue of Gattamelata.

A roadside vineyard.

Bologna 2008

2021-01-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

Rosemary's Travel Diary

Once in Bologna, we had a very hard time getting to our hotel. Jane kept trying to get us to go the wrong way down one-way streets, and we couldn't find an alternative. No matter where we turned, the streets went the wrong way. At one point we could actually see the hotel just a couple of blocks away, but we couldn't drive there. Finally, Steve parked the car and I walked to the hotel. They explained that people with satellite systems have been having lots of trouble because all the one-way streets in the area have recently been switched, but the systems don't know it yet. A very nice hotel employee walked back with me and rode with us so that we could find the only street that would get us where we were going.

We had dinner at the home of Brownlee and Heather, Americans who now live in Italy with their young son, who is already fluent in Italian. They had invited another couple and Heather had put together a delicious array of dishes from the local markets, giving us a sample of real life in Bologna. We spent an interesting evening discussing politics, the music business, literature, food, Italian lessons and traffic.

Sun - We started the day with a visit to the nearest self-service laundry. It was easy to use but seemed expensive: 3.50E for a tiny washload, and another 3.00E for 20 minutes in the dryer. A lot of people just do their washing and take everything home wet to hang it outside. While we were waiting I went to the bar next door and ordered a caffe americano. It was the best cup of coffee I've had so far on this trip. The bartender did it right, putting the standard thimbleful of espresso in the bottom of a good-sized cup, with a little pot of hot water on the side so I could dilute it to my own taste.

We walked to Piazza Maggiore. It's Sunday, so the markets and shops were closed, but around the piazza where tourists roam some of the expensive fashion boutiques were open. This would be a great place to buy some beautiful handbags, but the dollar is weak and I don't have room in my suitcase. [Steve: Good planning on my part to pack light.]

The Basilica of San Petronio is the fifth-largest church in the world. Construction began in 1390 and, as usual, continued for centuries. A revised plan in the early 1500s would have made this church larger than St. Peter's in Rome. The pope simply blocked its expansion by building Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio next door. The palazzo was used by the University of Bologna and now houses the city's huge public library. The church remains unfinished on that side, with rough-looking stonework and bricked-up archways.

Bologna is known for its miles of colonnades, which give the city a distinctive appearance. These walkways are wide and well protected from both sun and rain, making life just a little harder for the umbrella vendors. Strolling through town, we saw memorials, statues and plaques commemorating many of the famous historical and cultural figures who have lived and worked here, including citizens who died during WWII as part of the Resistance. We visited the church of San Domenica, which houses the remains of the founder of the Dominican order.

We had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant recommended by our hotel, and, of course, gelato afterwards.

Mon - It is pollen season in Bologna. We have seen clouds of the stuff carried through the streets on the wind, and as we drove out of town this morning I noticed piles of it like snowdrifts beside the road. I'm not usually allergic, but my throat has been a bit scratchy. I am hoping for relief as we move north.

Bologna's miles of arcades are pleasant places to stroll.

Guido Reni's portrayal of St. Dominic in a chapel within the Basilica of San Dominico.

Next to Piazza Maggiore is Piazza Nettuno, which showcases
the Fountain of Neptune, built in the mid-16th century.

Construction stopped abruptly on this side of the church of
San Petronio. It looks almost as though it had been sliced off.

The rough interior of an unfinished wall is exposed.

A window overlooking the street.

Sheltered by a memorial to the Resistance, a couple of punks
enjoy a snack while the old men study the faces of the dead.

Interior of the Basilica of San Petronio.

Looking up inside the church of San Domenico.

The young Michelangelo carved this candleholder for the shrine of San Domenico.

On the streets:

Pisa 2008

2020-12-31T09:30:00.000-08:00

Rosemary's Travel Diary

Jane led us to our hotel, where street parking was forbidden and the manager knew only one word of English: "Reservation?" This was not a problem, just my opportunity to prove I speak enough Italian to communicate on the relevant issues. After we unloaded our bags, Steve went off to find a legal parking spot, and was, fortunately, able to do so just a few blocks away. We asked the manager for a restaurant recommendation and followed his directions to an "authentic, not tourist" trattoria. Its appearance was good, but when we stepped inside it was unbearably hot (which may explain why there were only two other customers), so we hastily exited and set off to find a place on our own. We picked a place that had a sidewalk dining area. It seemed authentic enough, as all the other customers were Italian. Dinner was good, and we went back to the hotel where the manager asked us what time we wanted breakfast. What we learned was that he had only five small tables available in the breakfast area, so reservations were necessary. He hadn't thought to ask us when we first checked in, and by now all the good times were taken, so we had to settle for 7:30am, about an hour and a half earlier than we had planned.

Sat - As it turned out, our early breakfast had an unexpected benefit. We were out of the hotel in time to find a new parking spot before they became completely unavailable, and we arrived on foot at the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) before the big crowds. Steve decided he would climb the famous tower if tickets were available. Only a small number of people can enter at a time, and it's necessary to purchase tickets for a specific time slot in advance. Because we were there relatively early, he was able to get a ticket for the next group. I stayed on the ground and snapped pictures of him waving from the top.

It didn't take long for the area to fill with people. We entered the cathedral, but could not visit the baptistry because it was closed for renovations. We are used to something always being closed for renovations. Keeping these centuries-old structures in usable condition requires a lot of maintenance.

Traffic and parking in Pisa is a real nightmare. The road in was crowded last night, and the road out was even more crowded this morning (and the road in was now even worse). People were simply pouring in, on foot, in buses, and in cars. I felt as though we were facing an invading army.

On the Autostrada, we stopped at an Autogrill for a lunch of toasted sandwiches. They were quite tasty and just the fuel we needed to keep on going. [Steve: The Autogrills are pretty interesting. They can be as simple as an AM/PM style convenience store, with fast food and bottled or canned drinks, or as complex as a modern truck stop, with different types of food, a coffee bar, shops, supplies, and items you would never think of buying while traveling, like an inflatable children’s playhouse.] The Autostrada is a toll road. When you enter, you get a ticket stamped with your time and location. When you exit, you pay based on how far you have come. At some point, I realized our ticket was missing. Apparently when we cleaned some trash out of the car at the Autogrill, someone (who shall remain nameless) had discarded the ticket as well. We didn't know what would happen, but I envisioned an expensive penalty. I began coaching Steve to say, "Ho perso il biglietto." The Bologna exit was one that was all automated, no live attendants in the booths. Yikes! But there is actually always at least one person supervising, so Steve pushed the red help button and repeated the phrase into the speaker. Somehow, the guy didn't seem to understand. I imagine that lost tickets are rare, and he may never have encountered the situation before. At first he apparently thought Steve was trying to say that we were lost. So I talked to him and managed to explain it. We ended up paying 11.00E, which was probably what we would have paid anyway.

Stopping for a snack at the Autogrill.

The famous tower, in the morning before the crowds arrive.

Steve waves from the top.

The tower isn't the only thing to see in Pisa.
Here's a section of the ceiling inside the cathedral.

Cinque Terre 2008

2020-12-26T10:00:00.001-08:00

Rosemary's Travel Diary

Fri - Today we drove to the Cinque Terre (Five Lands). These are five small villages built vertically on the cliffs above the sea along a remote section of the Italian Riviera. The area has been designated a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site. For hundreds of years these villages were almost inaccessible to the outside world. Now they can be reached by train or by car. We did it the hard way, but not intentionally. An unfortunate confluence of vague guidebook wording, my confusion, and the stubbornness of the GPS system led us to spend an extra hour driving along the winding mountain road that provides access to the villages from above. We were treated to incredibly beautiful views of the coastline, but the trip was stressful for Steve, who had to cope with narrow lanes and blind curves along the entire route.

We parked (and were lucky to be able to do so) near the tiny beach at Monterosso, the westernmost of the towns. Although we had been led to believe that this area does not become overrun with tourists until a little later in the season, we found that the good weather had attracted thousands of people. This is a vehicle-free zone, with the exception of a few shuttles that carry people to and from more distant parking lots. The towns are connected by train and by hiking trails. As it turned out, we didn't take any of the hikes between towns, but one man who did told us that at one of the checkpoints (purchase of a ticket is required to hike) there were at least 100 people stalled in line. Many of the hikers, especially the German groups, had long, pointy hiking sticks carried incorrectly in their backpacks with the sharp ends sticking out.

We had lunch and then strolled around the town a bit. The town has two sections, the old and the new, separated by a pedestrian tunnel (or a short hike along the cliff). The new section has shops, cafes, and the train station; the old is where the people live and includes the church and many other buildings and landmarks, as well as shops and cafes.

We took the train to Riomaggiore, the easternmost of the towns. It seems almost completely vertical. While it is possible to hike up to the top of the town, we chose to take the elevator. That alone was worth the price of our tickets. At the top, the main street was, at first, not nearly as crowded as Monterosso. But as we got closer to the businesses and the harbor, the road was once again jammed with people. This is truly a beautiful place, the kind of place that people picture when they imagine an idealized, classic Italian village. But with so many sightseers filling every available space, it can be hard to really see it that way. The residents are very wise to have designated some sections as off-limit to tourists; otherwise they would have no peace. At the harbor, there were a couple of areas so crowded that people were simply standing, shoulder to shoulder, barely able to move.

There wouldn't be enough time to see all five villages, so after consulting the guidebook, we chose Vernazza, and got back on the train. Again, we strolled through the town with our guidebook, noting points of interest. By the time we were ready to take the train back to Monterosso late in the afternoon, it seemed everyone else had the same idea. We soon realized that we would have to become very aggressive to get a spot on the train, and that it might happen that one of us would make it and the other would not. If we were separated, the person who made it would simply wait for the other one to take the next train. It's a good thing that didn't happen, because even though the trip between each town takes just a few minutes, the trains run only about once an hour, and not necessarily on time. We were pressed, standing, very closely against our fellow passengers, but everyone who had made it on board was good natured and we survived the trip without getting elbowed or stomped. Back in Monterosso, we took a few minutes for a symbolic dip in the ocean (feet only) and then got back on the road. We were able to find a shorter route to the Autostrada and headed for Pisa.

View of the beach at Monterosso.

Same beach, looking in the opposite direction.

Tourists fill the main road through Riomaggiore.

Buildings are stacked up the steep hillsides.

This huge mural at the Riomaggiore train station is one of several
depicting the life and work of local citizens.

Cinque Terre police on the beat.

Exterior detail of the cathedral at Monterosso.

Interior of the cathedral.

A statue of Garibaldi in Monterosso.

When the beach is full, sunbathers park on the rocks.

Local residents farm these steeply terraced hillsides.

Genoa 2008

2020-12-20T09:30:00.001-08:00

Rosemary's Travel Diary

Today is a holiday (May 1, International Workers Day). There was hardly any traffic in Milan. It was an amazing sight, and very welcome as it made it easy to get out of town. The scenery along the road to Genoa was lovely: flat, green farmland much of the way, then beautiful hills and valleys. We arrived a little before lunch time to find the weather warm and sunny, with a pleasantly cool breeze from the sea.

Of course, most people had the day off today, and they flocked to the aquarium, which was also our destination. The area is like a circus sideshow, with food and souvenir vendors, street performers, and a larger than usual collection of characters selling counterfeit designer goods. We got pizza from a vendor and then went into the aquarium. Despite a crowd control system that issues tickets for specific times, the place was densely packed with people. It was often difficult to move through the hallways, and, of course, it was hot and humid inside. It's a huge place with a lot to see. There are large and small exhibits reproducing the environments of different ocean areas. Very popular are the big tanks for dolphins, sharks, seals and penguins (where the air conditioning actually works if you know where to stand). There is also a "hummingbird forest", a special area where visitors can get very close to free-flying hummingbirds. And there is the "biosphere", a glass dome featuring tropical plants, birds and butterflies.

Our hotel is right on the water, just a short walk from the aquarium. Steve had to spend some time online dealing with business matters. The wireless reception in our room wasn't very good, so he went down to the lobby. In the evening we walked a little bit around the Porto Antico area. It's very lively, with a children's playground, street musicians (most of them not very good), vendors, and people just sightseeing and socializing. We had dinner at an excellent restaurant on the waterfront.

Many of these colorful buildings in the Porto Antico area have
architectural details that are just painted on.

We were surprised to see Native Americans selling CDs and handicrafts in Genoa.

Vendors of counterfeit goods and cheap souvenirs line the path to the aquarium.

An afternoon stroll along the waterfront.

A resident of the aquarium.

The biosphere.

A replica of earlier times.

Scenes from the Genoa aquarium:

Lake Como 2008

2020-12-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

Rosemary's Travel Diary

Wed - We got up early to ride the metro to the train station where we picked up our rental car for our drive from Milan to Como. Along with it we got a GPS navigation device. When I enter our destination into the device, it displays a small map and provides audible instructions. The voice is a female with a British accent, identified by the menu as "Jane". It didn't take us long to start calling the device Jane and referring to it with feminine pronouns. [Note: For years afterwards, we referred to all GPS devices as Jane.]

The dark, rainy weather was not favorable for our drive to Lake Como. It was cold in the town of Como, where we had lunch and walked around a bit in the intermittent rain. Naturally, we visited the cathedral, which is known for its marble exterior.

The Funicolare is a popular cable car that takes passengers up a very steep hill to the village of Brunate. We could see it from a distance, slowly creeping up the track. Given the weather, we didn't think the view would be worth the trip and decided that our time would be better spent taking a boat ride. There is a hop-on, hop-off tourist boat that makes many stops along the full length of the lake. The lake was very smooth, so there was no worry about seasickness. The weather remained gloomy and wet, even colder on the lake, where I was glad I had brought a very warm scarf. We didn't make the entire circuit, but stopped at Cernobbio, where we walked around and had some gelato. These little resort towns are picturesque and seem peaceful, with hotels and luxury villas, cute little shops, and small cafes where people can sit and enjoy the view. On a clear day, the Alps are visible, but unfortunately this was not a clear day. Even so, we could appreciate what a lovely area this is, surrounded by steep, green mountains studded with pretty houses. We spotted huge construction cranes in the process of adding even more houses.

We drove back to Milan. Steve wanted to get back before dark, given how confusing the streets are, even with a map and a GPS device. As it was, we had problems using the device, which can't know which streets are currently under construction. It kept trying to get us to drive through a chain link fence and into a big hole in the ground. I finally figured out how to reprogram it, and eventually we found our way to the big parking garage just down the street from our hotel.

Exhausted, we had dinner at a mediocre place along the main tourist walkway. We know better, but we were just too tired to go further. Tomorrow we will leave town and head to Genoa.

Thu - When Steve got the car out of the garage this morning, he realized that it had suffered some damage while we were parked at Como. A big, ugly scrape on the left rear fender. Now we are glad we got the full-coverage insurance! It is very difficult to maneuver inside these parking garages, even with a small car, and the spaces are almost impossibly tiny. I have seen billboards here advertising SUVs, but they can't be practical for anyone who drives in an Italian city with so many narrow, winding streets and such limited parking.

It was cool and misty on the lake.

The cathedral at Como is known for its beautifully decorated marble exterior.

The funicular is a cable car that takes tourists to the top of the hill for a
better view. The day we were there, it was too misty to make the trip worthwhile.

There are many beautiful villas, mansions and hotels surrounding the lake.

Steve enjoys the boat ride.

Exterior details on the cathedral at Como.

A chapel inside the cathedral.

New construction brings more housing to the area.

A swan enjoys the water at Cernobbio, one of the lakeside towns.

Milan 2008

2020-12-08T09:30:00.001-08:00

Rosemary's Travel Diary

Sat/Sun - This was a long travel day: Los Angeles to Chicago, Chicago to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Milan, with long layovers between flights. On the long taxi ride from the airport to our hotel I had the chance for some Italian conversation, discussing the weather and the toll roads with the driver. The good news is that I was able to understand most of what he said. All that time spent listening in class is finally paying off. We took a short nap and then walked out for dinner. Our hotel is just a couple of blocks from Piazza del Duomo, the big square around the cathedral. There is a large pedestrian-only zone that extends along some of the streets that connect to the piazza. After dining at one of the touristy sidewalk cafes we went back to the hotel for some much-needed sleep.

Mon - Our first excursion was to the roof of the Duomo. This proved to be a good decision, as we were able to enjoy it early in the day, before the big tour groups and rowdy teens arrived. It is the second largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and has the most elaborate exterior of any building I have seen. Construction and decoration, inside and out, took place from 1386 to about 1858, with finishing details added in 1965. Still a work in progress, the cathedral's facade is currently under renovation, its scaffolding shrouded in canvas covered with ugly advertising. But the other sides of the building are fully visible, and they are amazing. There are thousands of statues from different artists and eras. Many stand dramatically on the tips of tall spires where they are hard to see from the ground, making the climb to the roof a must. Gargoyles act as spouts to drain rainwater from the various levels. High above everything else is a golden statue of the Madonna, nicknamed Madonnina, one of the symbols of the city of Milan. Inside, the cathedral is filled with more artwork, and here we can appreciate just how huge it is. It was designed to hold 40,000 people, the entire population of the city at the time. After visiting the cathedral, we tried to go to the nearby museum, but it is closed for renovation.

Near the cathedral is the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele, a covered shopping mall designed by Giuseppe Mengoni and built between 1865 and 1877. The glass roof is over 90 feet high, and the sidewalk is decorated with mosaics. Here we had lunch, being wished "Buon appetito" by passing students, then continued walking through the Galleria to Piazza della Scala, which faces Milan's opera house, La Scala. We had checked ahead of time to see if we could get tickets to a performance, but there are none while we are here. We went inside and got a good look at the interior of the theater, then visited the museum, which is filled with antique instruments and mementos of the many composers and performers who have worked here. There was also a special exhibit honoring Maria Callas.

Milan is known for fashion, and there are plenty of high-end boutiques and shops here. We enjoyed some window shopping in the late afternoon. Lots of lovely and interesting things to see. Nearly every person (not counting tourists!) who walks by is beautifully dressed. Whether the clothes are expensive or not, business or casual, they always fit perfectly and have a "well put together" look. I have noticed two fashion trends that I don't like: the return of textured stockings, and extremely short, severe-looking haircuts on women.

After a nap, we met with Steve's publishing colleague Federico Monti Arduini and his son Nicola, who took us out to a wonderful dinner. They are charming and friendly, and were kindly flattering about my Italian vocabulary, which is nothing compared to their fluent English. Federico also introduced us to an after-dinner beverage called Mira, which is made in a way similar to limoncello, using berries. Afterwards we all went to Chocolat, widely considered the best gelateria in Milan. It was excellent, and the only two-level gelateria I have seen. It rained, or drizzled, very lightly, on and off during the pleasantly cool evening.

Tue - We had planned to walk along Via Dante to the Sforza Castle, but it was raining too hard, so we took the subway instead. The castle dates back to the 14th century, but over the centuries it has been damaged, particularly during WWII, and much of it has been reconstructed and restored. Leonardo da Vinci lived and worked here for many years. It now houses several museums. We toured the Museum of Ancient Art until it closed for lunch. We had the "business special" at a nearby restaurant and then went to the Museum of Arts and Science. What an odd place! It has a relatively small exhibit on da Vinci, a small collection of African art, and a huge amount of space devoted to educating the public on how to tell the difference between authentic and fake art and antiquities. It reminded us very strongly of a high school science fair project. Later, we took a subway ride on a quest to see "Leonardo's Horse", the largest equine sculpture in the world. It has a twin in Grand Rapids MI, which I have also seen. It wasn't easy to find, and people whom I asked for directions had never heard of it, even though it was only about a half mile away. (I realized later I should have asked for directions to the stadium, which is across the street from the sculpture and much more visible from the street.) A bus driver finally pointed us the right way. The horse is exhibited in a courtyard next to the Cultural Park and a racetrack. Although it is as big as the one in Grand Rapids, this setting somehow makes it seem smaller and less dramatic than the large, grassy field that surrounds the other one. While we were there, just one other couple showed up, and we took pictures of each other.

Back at our hotel, we took a nap and then went out looking for a place to have dinner. The top of the nearby Rinascente department store had been recommended to us, so we rode the escalator through nine floors of designer fashions and housewares. The top floor has a very impressive deli and restaurants, one on the terrace with a view of the duomo. But it was too cold to eat outside, and too hot inside, so we rode back down and returned to the Galleria where we had a nice meal.

The famous facade of Milan's cathedral is partly obscured by draped scaffolding as it continues to undergo renovation

Over the centuries, scores of artists and craftsmen have decorated every inch of the building.

Here's a closer look at some of the detailed work along the upper edge.

Many sculptures are mounted on tall spires and can barely be seen from the ground.

So tourists climb to the roof for a closer look.

Thousands of sculptures, representing five centuries of work by countless artists, cover the cathedral. Particularly impressive are those mounted on the tall spires that give it such a distinctive look.

Inside the cathedral is Marco d'Agrate's sculpture of
St. Bartholomew, who was martyred by being skinned.

Piazza del Duomo features an equestrian sculpture of
the ever-popular Vittorio Emanuele II.

Piazza della Scala, facing the famous opera house, is
dominated by a sculpture of Leonardo da Vinci.

Entering the Sforza castle.

Modern art on display outside the Sforza.

A window overlooking Piazza dei Mercanti

From the art collection at Sforza Castle:

Sepulchral Monument of Bernabò Visconti by Bonino da Campione

14th century decoration

15th century fresco

Over a period of 17 years in the late 1400's, Leonardo da Vinci worked on the design for a massive horse sculpture. He built a full-scale clay model, but the project was never finished, and the model was destroyed when Milan was invaded by France a few years later.

In 1990's a team of sculptors working with Leonardo's sketches and related materials created two 13-ton bronze statues. One was placed at the Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the other at the Cultural Park in Milan, Italy.

"Leonardo's Horse" in Michigan.

"Leonardo's Horse" in Milan.

Our First Trip to Paris - Part Four

2020-12-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

The Eiffel Tower

Approaching the Eiffel Tower from the north

The tower is well-protected. We saw plenty of police in body armor, soldiers carrying combat weapons, and armored vehicles.

These mountaineers seemed pretty serious about getting to the top, but as far as we could tell they never started the climb. It was a rainy day, so perhaps the structure was just too wet and slippery.

Looking out at the city

Palais de Chaillot viewed from the tower

Rosemary's father was in Paris in August 1945. Here he stands on the second level, facing the Trocadero. The view is still the same, but today this level is protected by a cage of safety wire.

The Arc de Triomphe viewed (with zoom) from the Eiffel Tower

Notre Dame

It took nearly 200 years to build this Gothic cathedral, which was completed in 1345. The exterior is covered with sculptures depicting angels, saints, demons and citizens. The bell towers are 200 feet high. The climb is about 400 steps, and we decided to do it. For security reasons and to control traffic, 20 people are allowed into the tower at intervals of 10 minutes. We stood in line about an hour.

A section of the facade of Notre-Dame. The guy carrying his head is St. Denis, a former bishop of Paris.

Paris seen from Notre Dame

Part way up the tower, tourists get a close look at one of the big bells. A poster nearby shows Quasimodo enjoying a slightly smaller version.

The church of Sacre-Cour, viewed from Notre Dame

A gargoyle contemplates the city.

Interior of the cathedral

A closeup of the north rose window, which still has its original medieval glass

The old-fashioned confessional has been replaced with a modern counseling office.

A section of ceiling near the front of the church

Our First Trip to Paris - Part Three of Four

2020-11-26T09:30:00.000-08:00

The Louvre

The glass pyramid was added to the museum in 1989 as part of a more efficient system for handling entering visitors.

We don't really need a snapshot of the Mona Lisa. Great reproductions of this painting are easy to find. But take a look at the lower portion of this photo, which shows some of her eager fans, reflected in the protective glass barrier.

Everybody wants to get as close as possible to the famous picture. What you can't see, until you are within a few layers of the front, is the railing that keeps people at a distance, enforced by security guards who stand facing the crowd.

Another famous work that everyone wants to see is Venus de Milo. However, the crowd here was not nearly as dense. We were able to walk around and snap a few clear pictures.

Tourists make the trek toward Winged Victory.

All those hallways and staircases are exhausting!

Ancient Roman sculpture of a centaur.

Portrait of Alessandro Filipepe by Botticelli.

In 2000, a small, somewhat isolated section of the Louvre was dedicated to non-European art.

A statue from the Republic of Benin

A big head from Easter Island

A Chupicuaro statuette from Mexico

An ancient Nigerian sculpture

The Rodin Museum

The Rodin Museum includes lovely gardens where some of the sculptor's most famous works are displayed.

One of Rodin's early works

Two views of "The Thinker"

"The Gates of Hell" was inspired by Dante's "Inferno". It includes characters from the poem as well as small versions of some of Rodin's other sculptures. Unfortunately, it was never completed.

"The Burghers of Calais"

Rodin working on "The Gates of Hell", sculpted by Emile-Antoine Bourdelle

The Pompidou Center

A painting by Henri Matisse

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The modern art collection at the Pompidou Center includes a few works by Piet Mondrian, but none was on display the day we were there. Instead we found this fake-fur parody by Silvie Fleury.

Robert Dulaney's portrait of the Eiffel Tower

Around the Town

A couple of small details from the stained glass panels at Sainte-Chapelle

The tomb of the Unknown Soldier (from WWI) at the Arc de Triomphe

"Immortality Outstripping Time", a huge, dramatic sculpture atop the Grand Palais

"Boat and Bathers" by Paul Cezanne, at the Orangerie

Our First Trip to Paris - Part Two of Four

2020-11-20T10:00:00.005-08:00

[Note: This was in the spring of 2010.]

French Cuisine

These little take-away crepe stands are popular.

Looking forward to a good meal

Le Select was once the hangout of characters like Hemingway, Picasso and Trotsky. Today it is typical of the dozens of cafes that line boulevard du Montparnasse, where customers like to sit facing the sidewalk to observe the passing scene. We thought it was too expensive, so we ate somewhere else.

Around and About

A golden statue atop one of the pillars on Pont Alexandre III

On the Ile des Cygnes, a small artificial island in the Seine, this one-fifth scale statue of Liberty faces west, toward its sister in New York.

Seriously, what is a Mississippi riverboat doing on the Seine?

The Eiffel Tower, glimpsed beyond the columns of Pont Alexandre III

Along the Champs-Elysees, even the lamp posts are fancy.

Art is everywhere. We saw this reproduction of one of Rodin's sculptures of Balzac on the platform in a Metro station. Nearby was a copy of The Thinker.

This statue is on Avenue Winston Churchill, just off the Champs-Elysees.

The fountain at Place Saint-Michel is a huge monument whose central sculpture portrays Saint Michael
fighting the devil.

A close-up reveals that the devil is really angry. It's hard to tell which annoys him more:
Michael's foot on his back or the pigeon poop in his hair.

The rain didn't stop these bicyclists from racing around and around and around the boulevard.

The archaeological crypt underneath the street in front of Notre Dame reveals ancient Gallo-Roman ruins.

Nearly everywhere we went, we could see the golden dome of Les Invalides church,
in bright contrast against the vast backdrop of beige-and-gray Paris.

The interior of the dome was painted by Charles de La Fosse in 1705.

In the crypt is Napoleon's 15-foot-high tomb, surrounded by elaborate decorations, including marble relief panels celebrating his accomplishments.

In the nearby military museum is Napoleon's faithful horse, stuffed and exhibited in a dim corridor that leads to the restrooms. His dog was also stuffed, but it was not on display at this time.

At the Army Museum, a greatcoat and cape from World War I, still soaked with the mud of the trench

On the left, a section of medieval armor designed to let a knight move his shoulder. On the right, sections of modern body armor designed to let a policeman move his shoulder. Not much has changed in the past thousand years or so.

Our First Trip to Paris - Part One of Four

2020-11-15T10:00:00.001-08:00

Rosemary's Travel Diary

[Note: This was in the Spring of 2010.]

Saturday. From Charles de Gaulle airport, we had a long, hot train ride to the Notre Dame station. We weren’t expecting to have to lug our suitcases up several flights of stairs to street level. A kind-hearted Frenchman saw me struggling and carried my bag up for me. “Merci, merci!” I gasped.

We took a taxi to Hotel Le Littre. [Steve: After the hotel fiasco in London, our travel agent had suggested a move from the hotel originally booked to more spacious accommodations.] After checking we in decided to relax with a snack at a nearby sidewalk café. We expected to sit there for an hour or so, but to our surprise the staff began removing the furniture from the patio before we had even finished our drinks. The waiter told us that they had to close in ten minutes because there was an approaching demonstration by Palestinian protestors and it might be dangerous. We could see the police in the process of closing the street to traffic. Nearby shopkeepers were closing the metal shutters on their storefronts. So we paid the bill and went back to our hotel for a nap.

For dinner, we chose one of the many cafes along Blvd. Montparnasse.

Sunday. Many Paris museums have free admission on the first Sunday of the month. Naturally, the Louvre was crowded, but it actually wasn’t as bad as we had expected. It’s not possible to cover this vast collection in one visit. We focused mostly on European paintings, as well as some Greek and Roman sculpture. Of course, we had to see the big celebrity, Mona Lisa. This relatively small painting by Leonardo da Vinci is constantly surrounded by a mob of crazed fans all desperately trying to get a glimpse and a photo. Interestingly enough, right outside the room where the most famous painting in the world hangs, are three other da Vinci paintings. There is no crowd blocking the view, and at least two of them are just as good as Mona Lisa. One, John the Baptist, has the same famous smile, a smile that Leonardo apparently liked, since he used it in several of his paintings.

We crossed the Seine and found a nice restaurant that served big lunch salads. We had planned to go to the Orsay Museum, but the line was so long we decided to try the Orangerie instead. It also had a long line, so we took turns standing. The main attraction is Monet’s “Water Lilies”, eight huge paintings that were created to fit two oval rooms. Here, you can sit on a bench in the center of the room and feel as if you are inside the painting. Downstairs is a gallery containing Impressionist and Modernist works from the collection of Paul Guillaume.

Monday. Today we decided to climb to the top of Notre-Dame cathedral, a journey of 400 stone steps. Part way up there is a balcony along the front facade where you can join the gargoyles in contemplating the city view. This is considered the center of France, and it is the point from which all distances are measured. Some people choose to rest here and go no higher, especially if they are feeling a bit of vertigo. The final part of the climb is a tightly wound, very claustrophobic, circular stairway. Emerging at the top of the bell tower, you can walk all the way around the narrow balcony, windblown but protected by a wire cage.

We had another big-salad lunch nearby and then walked to Sainte-Chapelle. This church is known for its 6500 square feet of stained glass, much of it dating to the 13th century. Because it shares a courtyard with France’s Supreme Court, security is very tight, and it takes a long time to get through the line. What we didn’t know until we had already paid for our tickets and entered was that the entire front of the church was covered for restoration work, so only the side panels were visible. Elaborately detailed, these windows are high above the floor and most of the details are difficult to see without binoculars.

After a nap at the hotel, we had another good dinner at a Blvd. Montparnasse restaurant

Tuesday. We started our day with a trip to the Eiffel Tower. We took the Metro to the Trocadero stop. From this area, you have a perfect view of the tower, and a chance to look at the golden statues outside the Palais de Chaillot. It was a short walk to the tower, where we were impressed by the security: riot-equipped vehicles, police in full body armor, soldiers with automatic rifles at the ready. Even on a windy, rainy day like this, the crowds were big and the lines long. The area around the tower is plagued by aggressive souvenir salesmen and gangs of gipsy beggarwomen. But the tower is fantastic. We rode up and up, starting at the top. A thousand feet high, it was the tallest structure in the world when it was built in 1889. The view is still magnificent. The top (third) level is so high that it is difficult to discern some of the city’s landmarks that are obvious from the second level. There’s a pricey bar up there, for those who need a little more vertigo. After enjoying levels three and two, we stopped on level on for a quick snack. Looking down, we saw a group of demonstrators arriving from the street, dressed in blue hospital garb and carrying signs. They were nurses and anaesthesiologists protesting working conditions in local hospitals.

We traveled to the Arc de Triomphe and then began a leisurely walk down the Champs-Elysees. Along the way we stopped at a sidewalk café for wine and antipasto. then we continued walking, all the way to Place de la Concorde, where we took the Metro back to our hotel. We had dinner at another nice restaurant in the neighborhood.

Wednesday. We went to the Pompidou Center, a modern art museum. They had two special exhibits, one a group of paintings by Lucian Freud, the other a fascinating collection called “Dreamlands”, exploring the concepts of fantasy worlds and utopias as expressed by theme parks and fairs. Next we walked through the modern collection, which covers the period from 1905 to the 1960s. Many significant artists are represented here. Finally, we entered the contemporary collection, which we decided was not worth additional time and energy.

We struggled for blocks through the rain to find a second-rate restaurant some misguided person had recommended. Then we made our way to the Archaeological Crypt which lies under the street in front of Notre-Dame. After returning to the hotel, we had dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Thursday. Steve decided to get some more sleep this morning, so I took the umbrella and went by myself to Les Invalides, a huge complex that includes Napoleon’s tomb and the Army Museum. The tomb is under the golden dome of a well-maintained church which is also the burial place of several war heroes. The museum houses a vast collection of arms and armor from the 13th-17th centuries. I have now seen more than a lifetime’s worth of swords and suits of armor. The WWI and WWII sections tell the story of these wars with many exhibits of weapons, uniforms, vehicles, souvenirs, photos and paintings.

In the evening, we got all dressed up and traveled by Metro to the pier where we boarded the boat for our dinner cruise on the Seine. A chilled bottle of champagne was waiting at our table, which had the best view on board. We enjoyed a delicious meal as the boat made its circuit, circling Ile Saint Louis at one end and Allee des Cygnes at the other. The rain finally stopped, so we were able to stand on the top deck and enjoy the scenery between courses. After the cruise we stood on the river bank for a while enjoying a view of the lights on the Eiffel Tower.

Friday. The former boarding house where Auguste Rodin once lived and worked is now a museum. His largest and most famous sculptures occupy the beautiful gardens which surround the mansion. It was interesting to see how he often made more than one version of a work, trying different sizes and details. Many of his large pieces, such as the Thinker, are characters who were also incorporated into his unfinished project, The Gates of Hell (based on Dante’s “Inferno”). We spent the morning here and then had a slow lunch at the overcrowded and understaffed café a few blocks away.

For dinner we went to a local restaurant specializing in duck. Duck appetizers, duck salad, duck side dishes. We didn’t ask if they also had a duck-based dessert.

Saturday. Getting home often seems like the hardest part of a trip. We got up early and took a taxi (only a little more expensive than the train, and so much easier) to the airport. Many hours later we arrived in Chicago to go through customs and change planes. Every flight had been delayed because of weather, and the terminal was full of weary, frustrated travelers. Eventually planes began to move again and we headed toward home. From LAX we caught the bus to the Flyaway terminal where we retrieved the car and drove home, where we fell into bed just 24 hours after waking up in Paris.

Vacation Videos

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Water Lilies

Pompidou Center

Random Moments in Paris

[Note: In some cases, videos may not display in email or on certain mobile devices. The videos will be visible on the blog's web page.]

South Pacific

2020-11-10T10:00:00.001-08:00

Another trip I took before I met Steve was a vacation in French Polynesia in 1981. I had never been to a tropical island, and I was amazed by the lush greenery.

The area had not yet been developed to the extreme, and old-timers said it was much like Hawaii had been 40 years previously. Now, nearly 40 years later, there have been a lot of changes, as I've learned by searching for information online. Even so, French Polynesia may still be decades behind the Hawaiian Islands in terms of paving Paradise. I'd love to go there again.

The first Europeans to see these islands were Portuguese and Spanish explorers in the late 1500s and early 1600s. In 1767, British Captain Samuel Wallis brought his ship into Matavai Bay on the north shore of Tahiti. The local people tried to expel the British by slinging stones at them. The British fired back with guns, prompting the Tahitians to make peace offerings. As time went on, more and more Europeans visited the islands, interfering in local politics, and introducing alcohol, firearms, prostitution, and infectious diseases. Violence and illness reduced the population by half. The first missionaries arrived in 1797, and had a powerful effect on the culture, eventually converting everyone to Protestantism. Conquest and colonization followed; today French Polynesia is a semi-autonomous territory of France.

A missionary's grave on the island of Huahine.

Coconut oil is made from dried coconut meat, called copra. Here is a rack for drying copra.

Local girls.

A small cemetery. Because of the climate and weather, graves are protected with roofs, and plastic flowers are used.

Cemeteries weren't used as much as burials in the front yard.

A local boy enjoys windsurfing.

Instead of a daily newspaper, residents had French bread delivered.

Laundry day.

People in the tourist industry like to say that the island of Moorea was the inspiration for Bali Hai in the movie "South Pacific". That's probably not true, but it's certainly beautiful.

Me, driving across Moorea.

Traditional dances, performed for the tourists.

Although European artists like Paul Gaugin have found great inspiration in the tropics, there are few painters living here. Supposedly, the local folks don't perceive their surroundings as being particularly beautiful, and don't feel compelled to commemorate what they see. They do produce colorful textiles. I bought this pareo (a tradititional cloth worn as a wraparound skirt or dress) and hung it on the wall.

At that time, it was still possible to live a traditional life, building a grass hut, fishing, gathering bananas and coconuts. I don't know how many people chose to live that way; like everyone else in the world, the local folks were attracted by nice houses and consumer goods.

Fishing nets hung up to dry. Note the metal sleeves on the tree trunks, intended to prevent rats from climbing up to the coconuts.

Fresh fish for sale in the central market of Pape'ete, Tahiti.

"Le Truck", public transportation in Pape'ete.

Ah, the South Pacific

A Week in London - Part Four

2020-11-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

The British Museum

The Rosetta Stone is very first item seen beyond the main entrance of the British Museum. Created in Egypt in 196 BC, it was transported to England in 1802 and has been on public display ever since. It contains a decree from Ptolemy V in three translations: Egyptian demotic script, Egyptian hieroglypics, and classical Greek. Its discovery led to the ability - at last! - to decipher ancient hieroglyphics.

Egyptian mummy cases

An ancient falconRamesses II

Nebamun was an Egyptian scribe who died around 1350 BC. Fragments of his tomb-chapel were discovered around 1820. These rare paintings are detailed illustrations of the life and afterlife of an aristocrat in ancient Egypt.

Nebamun hunts in the marshes with his wife and daughter.

Farmers and officials inspect the fields.

Nebamun's cattle

Nebamun's geese

Nebamun views his property.

Nebamun's garden in the afterlife has a pool, flowers and fruit trees.

A feast in honor of Nebamun

Servants bring offerings of food.

A collection of offerings for Nebamun.

The "Elgin Marbles" were removed from the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, in the early 1800s and brought to England by Lord Elgin. Included are 56 relief panels celebrating the founding of Athens, a group of sculptures surrounding the birth of Athena, and several panels illustrating battles between centaurs and men.

Around Town

Details of the pediment above the entrance to the British Museum

The supporting columns are all that remain of the old railway bridge, constructed in 1864 and dismantled in 1984. Next to them, the new bridge, built in 1886, is still in use. (For many years the two bridges were in use side by side.)

Marble Arch, across the street from our hotel

Richard the Lion-Hearted, next to Parliament

I'm a tourist taking photos in crowded public places, so I know there are going to be people in my pictures. That's okay. But why, oh why, instead of a dignified elder in black or a beautiful youth in khaki, is it always this guy who pops into the middle of my shot?

A Week in London, Part Three of Four

2020-10-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

Tower Bridge

The Tower Bridge was built in 1894. The road portion is a drawbridge (it splits in the middle as both side are raised) that allows tall ships to pass through. Originally it was opened hundreds of times each week, but now is used only two or three times a day. The upper walkways were intended to allow pedestrians to cross even while the drawbridge was open. But climbing the stairs made that impractical, so they are now part of a tourist exhibition.

A view of the Thames from the Tower Bridge's upper walkway.

A sculpture in the exhibit inside the bridge's foundation.

The hydraulic system for opening the drawbridge was originally powered by steam, but today it gets its power from petroleum products.

The Theatre Scene

Here we can see some of the seating inside the Globe Theatre. It was built in the 1990s, as faithful a reconstrution as possible of the Globe Theatre where Shakespeare's plays were performed 400 years ago. Authentic materials were used (with some concessions for modern safety concerns), and it has the first thatched roof permitted in London since they were outlawed after the Great Fire of 1666. Note that the top is open to the elements, as it would have been in Shakespeare's time.

Interior of a luxury box

The ceiling above the stage. The "marble" columns are painted.

Costume from a production in the 1980s

The London Eye

At 135 meters (443 feet), the London Eye is Europe's tallest Ferris wheel. Built in 1999, it opened to the public in March 2000, and is one of London's most popular tourist attractions. A distinctive landmark, it can be glimpsed above the rooftops throughout the city.

Each egg-shaped capsule holds up to 25 passengers, but if you get there early enough, as we did, there will probably be fewer. The wheel moves slowly and smoothly enough that it does not need to stop for passengers to enter and exit the cars (although it does stop for disabled riders). It's very quiet.

Not everyone was impressed with the view.

Kew Gardens

Steve and a big tree

Tourists on the elevated walkway.Giant lily pads.

A Week in London, Part Two of Four

2020-10-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

Rosemary's Travel Diary - London

Saturday. After a long day of travel we arrived in London. Experience has taught us to expect a very small room. That's not a problem. But this room at the Cumberland Hotel was impossible. There was not enough floor space for an adult to walk around the bed. There was no closet, no armoire, no drawers, and nowhere to even lay a suitcase down. The management had the gall to describe this as a "deluxe" room. While it might seem comfortable to a teenage backpacker accustomed to sleeping on cots in the crowded youth hostels of Nepal, no one in the Western world could honestly call this tiny, miserably furnished room "deluxe". In response to our complaint, the woman behind the reception desk said that all the rooms had been designed to be "modern". Apparently modern people travel without a change of clothes. Unwilling to spend a week in a cramped space where we would be unable to unpack our bags, we paid for an upgrade to a "junior suite", which had a closet and, oddly, two showers in the bathroom (one of them too small to be used by anyone with elbows).

The evening was cool with light rain. We enjoyed a hearty meal at a nearby pub called Three Tuns. I had fish and chips, while Steve chose the sausage of the day, with the traditional accompanying gravy, mashed potatoes and peas.

Sunday. The day was cool and breezy. We took the Original Tour Bus around the town. This hop-on, hop-off plan is a convenient way to see the major sights. [Steve: We also picked up an Oyster Card to use for the “tube”, London’s great underground train system, which we used every day to easily get around town. Our hotel was around the corner from a tube station, so it was extremely convenient.] Today's activities included a stroll through Trafalgar Square, a short cruise on the Thames, and a walk past Parliament. In the afternoon we walked to the Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park, where two evangelists, a communist, and men of various political and social opinions stood on boxes or stools and attracted crowds with their speeches. We strolled along a section of the Serpentine, the man-made lake that marks the boundary between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Here people walk, sit, play soccer and cricket, push baby carriages, and dance on roller skates.

I have been surprised by the number of Muslim women who are completely covered and veiled. In Los Angeles we see modestly-dressed Muslim women, who typically wear long-sleeved tunics over jeans or slacks, and scarves or hijabs that cover the head, hair and neck. But here we often see women (or people we assume to be women) fully draped in black, tentlike garments with veils that just allow their eyes to peek out. It is an odd and somewhat disturbing sight in this modern setting.

We had dinner at Prezzo, an Italian-style restaurant across the street from our hotel.

Monday. This was a cool, overcast day with hints of rain. We went to the British Museum, one of the largest and greatest collections in the world, with millions of objects documenting human history and culture. It would be impossible to see it all in one visit, even if we had the strength to try. We concentrated on ancient Egypt, Assyria, and Greece. Here we saw amazing things: the Rosetta Stone, beautiful Egyptian tomb paintings, marbles from the Parthenon, carved panels chronicling history and mythology, pottery, jewelry, and a few bones.

After a casual lunch (hot dogs in the garden) we went to St. Paul's cathedral, where we were treated to the end of a choir rehearsal. When we were here six years ago, the building was largely obscured, inside and out, by scaffolding. Today, most of the restoration work is complete and we were able to really see the place. Last time we climbed the 530 exhausting steps to the top where we enjoyed a panoramic view of the city. This time we stayed below, touring the interior of the church and then going down to the crypt. So many memorials to the dead of so many wars.

We had dinner at La Porte des Indes, a nearby Indian restaurant with good food in a picturesque setting.

Tuesday. It rained lightly nearly all day long. We went to the Tower of London where we viewed collections of armor and weapons as well as the crown jewels. After lunch at the nearby Dog House restaurant, we walked to the Tower Bridge, where we climbed up to the pedestrian walkways for a damp, gray view of the Thames and the surrounding area. The rain let up a little, so we strolled along the riverside Queen's Walk to London Bridge, where we caught the tube back to our hotel. By dinnertime it was raining hard enough to deter us from going out, so we ate at the more casual of the hotel's two restaurants. I tried the black pudding (yes, I know what's in it), which had the taste and texture of gamey polenta.

Wednesday. The day was sunny, but not too hot. Our first excursion of the morning was the London Eye. This is a gigantic ferris wheel on the south bank of the Thames, and one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. Getting there early was a good move. The ticket line was already long when we arrived, but there weren't many people ahead of us when we boarded the ride. By the time we left, the length of the line to get aboard was about 50 yards long. The ride and the view were really enjoyable. Afterward, we strolled the tree-lined walkway next to the river, enjoying the sights.

We took a tour of the Globe Theatre, a replica of the original theatre of Shakespeare's time. Great attention has been given to using authentic materials, including the first thatched roof in London since the great fire of 1666. This is a working theatre that hosts both traditional and modern performances of Shakespeare's plays as well as works by other playwrights. We saw part of a rehearsal for Henry IV (I can't remember whether it was Part 1 or Part 2). We had lunch at the restaurant next door.

We walked to the Tate Modern. Fortunately, admission was free, as we soon decided to spend our time and energy elsewhere. After walking across the Millennium Bridge, we took the tube to Westminster Abbey. King Edward the Confessor, who built the original abbey in 1065 and died in 1066, is buried here, as are Queen Elizabeth I and her half-sister Mary I, enemies in life, buried together for all eternity. There are thousands of tombs and memorials to royalty, politicians, military heroes, and prominent citizens. Geoffrey Chaucer was the first great writer buried here; the Poet's Corner now contains many plaques and monuments, and a few blank spots awaiting future use.

We had dinner at a small middle eastern restaurant a few blocks from our hotel, then took a walk along Edgware Road. Signs in Arabic and English (or just Arabic), veiled women, people smoking hookahs in the sidewalk cafes.

Thursday. This was a lovely, sunny day. We visited the National Gallery, another great museum that is simply too big to tour completely in a single visit. We focused mostly on the 16th century. For lunch we had pizza nearby at Bella Italia. Then we walked (not very far) to the National Portrait Gallery, which exhibits 500 years of people in history. We went on to Covent Garden, which features huge crowds, a shopping arcade, a flea market and street performers. Like the performers we saw when we walked along the river, their acts usually consist of a long, tedious introduction and very little (if any) actual performance. Exhausted, we went back to the hotel. In the evening, we took the tube to Mayfair, where we had stayed the first time we came to London, and had dinner at a middle eastern restaurant we remembered from that trip.

Friday. We decided to take a day trip to Kew Gardens. There was a problem with the subway which forced us to get off the train, go to a different station than we had planned, and catch a bus there. A journey that should have taken an hour ended up taking three, so we were already getting tired when we arrived, and the first thing we needed to do was get something to eat: mediocre sandwiches at the café inside the gardens. This was the only really hot day we've had in London. If we had known what the weather would be like, we'd probably have chosen an indoor location. Kew covers 300 acres, and much of it is not especially interesting, consisting mostly of vast stretches of grass and ordinary trees, crossed by unshaded walkways. Many of the exhibits are inside greenhouses. The butterfly exhibit was lovely, but after about 15 minutes the heat drove us out. One building was devoted entirely to palm trees, probably fascinating to northern Europeans, but not to people who live among the palms of California. Steve wisely stayed outside while I took a peek. The temperature inside was 35 Celsius (that's about 95 Fahrenheit) and it felt like 70% humidity. We climbed to the "treetop walkway", an elevated walk oddly placed in an area where there is little to see. We had the time, energy and interest to see only a fraction of the place. No doubt it is better in cooler weather, and a better choice would be to spend the extra four pounds apiece to ride the tram instead of walking. The trains were running, so it took us just an hour to get back to the hotel.

We went to a local launderette to wash our clothes. After another dinner at Prezzo, we packed our suitcases for tomorrow's flight to Paris.

Elephants!

The Elephant Parade project placed over 250 life-sized baby elephant sculptures, sometimes alone, sometimes paired or in groups, throughout central London, Decorated by various artists and designers, the elephants were on display during spring and early summer. After the exhibit ended, they were auctioned off to raise money for conservation charities

Around Town

If you want some fast food in London, you could go to McDonald's, Burger King, or even KFC. But a much better choice is Pret a Manger, where you will find tasty food that is freshly made with wholesome ingredients. We went there for lunch and late-night snacks.

Gilded Lion of St. Mark, originally from the Venetian fortress on Corfu, now at the Tower of London

Statue of Charlie Chaplin at Leicester Square

Detail over the door of Westminster Abbey

A Week in London, Part One of Four

2020-10-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

[Note: We were here in 2010.]

A dragon on London Bridge agrees that our tour bus is going this way.

At Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park, any guy with an opinion can attract a crowd by standing on a box and speaking up.

A section of Hyde Park, facing toward Speaker's Corner
(Use the scrollbar to see more.)

A statue of Laurence Olivier as Hamlet stands on the South Bank near the National Theatre.

People relax in the sun with a view of the passing scene on the riverside walk.

Pedestrians cross the Thames at the Millennium Bridge, heading straight for St. Paul's Cathedral.

Completed in 2002, London's City Hall building is thoroughly modern.

When I first noticed the Dixie Queen in 2004, I wondered, "What is a Mississippi river boat doing on the Thames?" It's still there, available for private parties with 600 of your closest friends.

On display atop a tall pillar in Trafalgar Square, "Nelson's Ship in a Bottle" is 3.25 meters high and 5 meters long and weighs 4 tons.

We used the tube (subway) to get around. The long escalator ride into the station was usually more crowded than this.

This is a typical scene at a local pub after work. People stand outside, sometimes for hours, drinking and chatting.

This sculpture by Sean Henry was prominently displayed in our hotel lobby, apparently to help guests figure out how to squeeze into their rooms.

At the Tower of London

This fancy bronze gun was built around 1607 for the Knights of Malta.

A change of guard. With hats like these, they'll never need umbrellas.

The rain did not deter tourists from queueing up to see the Crown Jewels.

Nor did it deter some hopeful soul from hanging the laundry atop one of the old buildings.

Architectural detail on the side of a building

A suit of armor once used by King Henry VIII

The Chapel of St. John, inside the White Tower

Northern California, Part Four

2020-10-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Wine Country

The Napa Valley is known around the world for its wine production.

This fountain in downtown Napa is decorated with a mosaic depicting the history of the area.

This section has outraged some residents, who consider its inclusion a gross exaggeration of some long-past incidents.

Thanks to Pamela's recommendation, we were able to enjoy a private tour of the Hall Rutherford Winery, which is not open to tourists. It's a beautiful place, filled with art.

Down in the cave, the floor has an imbedded cooling system to control the temperature. Every brick has been bolted into place, in case of an earthquake.

Aboveground, there was a lemon tree at this spot. Here in the cave, the artist designed this chandelier to represent the roots of the tree. [Note: We were here in 2011. In 2020, this room was at the center of a minor controversy when it was used for a political fundraiser.]

Wine being transported at Hall Rutherford.

Artwork in the cave.

Artwork at Hall Rutherford: "Butterfly" by David B. Hickman.

The tasting room in the cave.

Castello di Amorosa (Castle of Love) is a winery that was built to look like a medieval Italian castle. Tons of bricks and tiles were imported from Italy for use in its construction. Local materials were crafted using medieval techniques.

Tourists can take a guided tour of the castle's 107 rooms, or a shorter, self-guided tour. Naturally, all tours include a wine tasting. We had a good time, and bought some wine.

The great dining hall.

This painting is over the fireplace in the Castello's dining hall. It says, "I am the Lord of the Vines, and when I am good, I make everybody happy and give them peace of mind."

Steve poses in front of a castle entrance.

The wine cellar.

Some hardware on a wall at the Castello.

Guarding the gateposts.

Old-style grape presses.

Stonework at the Castello.

Artwork inside the chapel.

The "old" bell tower.

The tasting room at Castello di Amorosa.

We enjoyed yet another wine tasting at Beringer Vineyards.

The Rhine House was Frederick Beringer's residence, built in 1883. It is now on the national register of historic places.

There are 40 panels of stained glass throughout the house.

A fountain at the Beringer winery.

It's all in a lovely, parklike setting.

Northern California, Part Three of Four

2020-10-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

San Francisco

Our hotel in San Franciso was just a couple of blocks from Fisherman's Wharf. The weather was beautiful, so we were very comfortable walking along the waterfront. No one goes hungry here. There are dozens of restaurants and sidewalk stands offering just about every kind of seafood, especially clam chowder, shrimp and crab cocktails, seafood sandwiches and steamed crab. We had lunch at Alioto's, where we also had a great view facing the Golden Gate Bridge.

Just another seafood combination at one of the local joints.

Pier 39 is a shopping and dining area not far from Fisherman's Wharf. You can see the financial district in the distance.

Sea lions love to lounge on these platforms in Pier 39's marina.

San Francisco - Chinatown

The gate to Chinatown.

A walk down colorful Grant Street, the main road for tourists in Chinatown.

We had dinner at the Empress of China. Although it's not really a roof garden, it's on the sixth floor and has a lovely view of the city. The presentation is classic, with jacketed waiters and food delivered on rolling carts.

Another Chinatown favorite.

This just doesn't seem right.

Window shopping in Chinatown.

Architectural details.

A typical street light on Grant Street.

San Francisco - Out and About

Alcatraz Island

We drove down Lombard Street, the curviest street in the world.

The place to shop for that hard-to-please convict in your life.

Steve wonders which outfit his new roommate will like best.

Our hotel (not the San Remo) in San Francisco was near Columbus Avenue, which runs through the traditionally Italian section of town. Many lamp posts have bands painted on them in the colors of the Italian flag, and some street signs include a second sign with the name "Corso di Colombo."

The Palace of Fine Arts was built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. It was rebuilt in 1965 and more recently received a seismic retrofit.

Details atop the Palace of Fine Arts.

Sea lion sculpture near Pier 39.

San Francisco - Academy of Sciences

At the Academy of Sciences, the "Rainforests of the World" exhibit includes free-flying butterflies and birds.

These cute Poison Dart Frogs are about an inch long. Native to the jungles of Central America, they have toxic skin.

They come in a variety of striking colors.

The white alligator at the Academy of Sciences.

Although we had already seen a lot of fish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, we enjoyed seeing still more at the Academy's aquarium.

More interesting stuff in the aquarium.

Sausalito

Sausalito is pretty seaside town just a short drive from San Francisco. We stopped there for lunch on our way north.

Some people rent bicycles in San Francisco, pedal across the bridge, and then take the ferry back. Some people.

Looking back toward San Francisco after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.

Northern California, Part Two of Four

2020-09-26T09:30:00.001-07:00

Morro Bay

We started our second day with a visit to Morro Rock, which just happens to be located at Morro Bay.

The area is a refuge and preserve for wildlife and plants. Seagulls love it here, and sometimes falcons nest among the high rocks.

The Dynegy Power Plant provides electricity for parts of the central coast and valley. It has been a center of controversy, with allegations of financial corruption, as well as issues relating to pollution and the use of ocean water for cooling.

Surfers on Morro Bay.

The beach next to Morro Rock.

Seagulls hovering in the wind.

Most places we stopped, we saw these squirrels playing and lounging near the rocks and in the parking lots, often hoping for handouts.

Steve called this guy the Squirrel Whisperer. He eventually had a whole flock of them crawling into his lap to be fed.

Elephant Seals

Along the Big Sur coast is Piedras Blancas beach, where elephant seals form temporary colonies each year while they relax and molt. Occcasionally someone gets rambunctious in the shallow water, but most of them just lie on the beach, quietly.

They look dead, but there is an occasional sign of life when one of them uses its flipper to toss sand over its body.

Big Sur Coast

Looking down from Highway 1.

The Big Sur section of California's Route 1 is known for its beautiful scenery. Most of it was constructed during the 1930s. It's a winding, two-lane road with few turnoffs. Much of it had been closed since April, due to landslides. Luck was on our side; the road re-opened the day before we arrived.

Rosemary poses at a scenic turnout.

Monterey

Our last trip to Monterey was more than 20 years ago. Not much has changed, except that it's probably even more touristy now. The canning company signs are just there for nostalgia; today, these walkways connect shopping arcades.

This mural on McAbee beach portrays the Portuguese whalers who launched their boats here in the 19th century. They would harpoon a whale and tow it back to shore to harvest the blubber.

We ate clam chowder five days in a row on this trip, including one morning for breakfast at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. It was all good, but the best was at the Fish Hopper in Monterey.

John Steinbeck (1902-1968). A native of the Monterey area, he became a Nobel prize-winning author; his best-known work is The Grapes of Wrath. His novel Cannery Row was about the lives of people on Monterey's Ocean Avenue during the Great Depression. Ocean Avenue was renamed Cannery Row in honor of the book.

Carmel is a small, upscale city just south of Monterey, known for its many golf courses, including Pebble Beach. It has a cute downtown window-shopping area. Here, Rosemary pretends not to be freezing in the wind.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

For us, the biggest attraction at Monterey is the aquarium. The Kelp Forest exhibit is 28 feet high and holds hundreds of fish, living as they would in the wild.

From an outside deck, we could view seals and seabirds on the nearby rocks.

The penguins wear armbands imprinted with their names.

They line up politely to be fed individually, so the caretakers can keep track of what each one eats.

Another exhibit holds exotic birds, like this kiwi.

Jellies

Tube anemones

A seahorse known as the leafy sea dragon

A starfish on the glass.

A school of sardines in the kelp forest.

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Spiny crabs.

Anemones.

Seahorses.

Sea turtle.

Blackfooted penguins.

Northern California, Part One of Four

2020-09-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

[Note: This was a car trip we took in 2011.]

Solvang

Solvang is a small town founded by Danish immigrants in 1911. The founders hoped to preserve and promote Danish culture, starting by building a traditional folk school and church. But it wasn't until after World War II, when the tourist trade picked up, that building facades were redesigned to look more like a Danish village, and building codes were created to require this style for future construction.

The public park features a large sculpture of Hans Christian Anderson.

Among the many shopping opportunities here, bakeries are the most exciting. We had a snack here just a few minutes after arriving in town, and came back to stock up on our way out.

Pastries are not the only food source in Solvang. At the Viking Garden Restaurant, Steve enjoyed the three-sausage platter (with sauerkraut, red cabbage and potato pancake).

We arrived in Solvang the day before the expected visit from the Prince and Princess of Denmark. Excellent timing! Traffic was light, we had no trouble finding a parking spot, and the town was nicely decorated.

In Denmark a stork on the roof is considered good luck, so many buildings in Solvang are topped with these bird effigies.

Pismo Beach

At Pismo Beach we stayed at the Shelter Cove Lodge, at the top of the cliffs where we had wonderful views of the beach and ocean. We had a great dinner at the Ventana Grill, which was within easy walking distance from our hotel.

The path to the beach.

The peaceful atmosphere and lovely scenery made this someplace we'd enjoy visiting again.

Daytime moon over Pismo Beach.

Steve enjoys the clifftop walkway.