Where-in-the-world-next

Lake Bled, Slovenia

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:21:00 +0000

We spent 4 days at Lake Bled this summer and it was absolutely beautiful here. The lake is at the foot of the Julian Alps and has lots of things for visitors to do including a castle to visit, a summer toboggan to ride, dozens of restaurants to eat in and an island to visit by pletna (a gondola-like boat).

The Great Blizzard of 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:35:00 +0000

It all started a week ago on Wednesday. We got a few inches of snow. Then on Friday afternoon Blizzard part 1 began. From Friday through Saturday we got 30 inches of snow.

We shoveled at least 5 times before the plow came through and then had to dig our way out of the end of the driveway on Monday. Work was closed on Monday too for the first time in years.
Tuesday I worked from home because more snow was predicted - blizzard part 2. By bedtime on Tuesday we had about 4 more inches which we shoveled before going to bed. In the morning, work was closed again and we had about another 4 inches. We shoveled after breakfast twice because it was falling so fast that by the time we reached the end of the drive, it needed doing again.
This time it was really like a blizzard. The gusting winds were blowing the snow so hard, you could barely see to the end of the cul-de-sac. The plows were taken off the roads because it was too dangerous. Today I heard that 39 cars (20 people, including children) were stranded in their cars on the road and were being rescued today. That must have been frightening.

Today when we woke up, the sun came out and we didn't have too much more to shovel. Mostly it was just snow that blew into the driveway overnight. Midday the plow finally arrived and we have just finished digging out. We took a brief walk around the neighborhood. Despite the plow, the roads alternate between slush and solid, slippery ice. It is kind of warm (45 degrees) and every house has dripping icicles. It will be interesting to see what tomorrow brings.

T

The Christmas Trees of Washington

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:12:00 +0000

Post Office Pavilion tree

Yesterday we took a visiting friend into the city to see Washington DC for the first time. Despite the cold weather we hit the highlights and were pleasantly surprised to see so many beautifully decorated Christmas trees around town. I was aware of the "National Christmas tree", but there were others at The Capitol, Union Station and the Post Office Pavilion. Here is sampling.

National Christmas Tree on the Elipse

The state tree for Virginia on the Elipse

The Capitol Christmas tree

The tree at Union Station

Better than the Washington Monument

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:29:00 +0000

Old Post Office Pavilion

Next time you are in Washington DC and want to get an aerial view, head to the Old Post Office Pavilion instead of the Washington Monument. It has many advantages over the monument.

View of the Capitol from the Old Post Office Pavilion

First you will avoid the long lines if you come in summer. I have never had to wait more than 5 minutes for the next elevator in the Post Office Pavilion and the line is indoors as well instead of out in the summer heat. Most of the time there is no line at all. It is open year round.

Second, the windows at the top are huge with fantastic views in all directions. The windows are open with wires (on 2 sides) to prevent jumpers and people dropping things out of the window, but you can easily photograph between the wires a the edges where the gaps are wider as I have done for these photos. Because the windows are big and open, there is no fighting to get up close to a window the size of a computer screen to see out like in the Monument. It is also cooler in the tower because the windows allow breezes in and because there are fewer people.

View of the Washington Monument from the Old Post Office Pavilion

Thirdly, from the tower you can get a photo of the Washington Monument! Not possible to do this when you are "in" the monument.

And finally, the monument is on the middle of the mall with no food or shopping or toilets close at hand. The Tower on the other hand is in the Pavilion which comes complete with a food hall, shopping, toilets and is only a short walk to both The White House and the Hard Rock Cafe.

Example of the windows with wires

Free in DC

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:27:00 +0000

One of the great things about Washington DC is the number of attractions that you can visit for free. These photos are from the United States Botanic Gardens located next to the Capitol building in the heart of DC. There is lots to see, even for kids, and as a bonus, in the winter it is warm.

You can learn more about the gardens (opening hours, what plants they have, etc) here.

Carriage Museum in Leesburg

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:56:00 +0000

I have visitors from Germany and this week we toured the Morven Park Estate in Leesburg, Virginia. The mansion has been under going renovation for several years, so this was the first time I was able to see the inside, but the renovation isn't yet completed. Included in the tour price was a visit to the Carriage Museum on the grounds. All of the carriages on display were collected by one woman, Viola Winmill who donated them for this museum. Above is one example.

And they're off................!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 01:40:00 +0000

Sunday we had a lovely time at the horse races in Charlestown, West Virginia. Just 45 minutes from Leesburg on a scenic road, it is a nice day trip when the weather is nice. There is also Slot Machine casino at the same location, but we just go for the horse racing.

We placed $2 bets on horses in 7 races and I won on 3 horses. I started with $20 and ended the evening with $14 so I had an entire afternoon of fun for a mere $6.

As you can see from the photo, the weather was wonderful.

Afterwards, my parents and my visiting Uncle Joe went inside the Casino to eat dinner at a buffet restaurant, but my husband, the vegetarian, didn't think he could get his money's worth from the buffet, so we left and ate on the way home.

For those who love slot machines, you can double your fun but playing the slots after the races.

Somewhere over the rainbow

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:54:00 +0000

As I was driving to the grocery store the other night in Leesburg, a brilliant rainbow appeared. Not only was it bright, but it was a full arch as well. Everywhere I looked I saw people taking photos of it with cell phones. It really was a stop-in-your-tracks rainbow. By the time I finished shopping, the sun had set and it was gone.

Willow Creek is affordable and comfortable

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:47:00 +0000

Had lunch at Clyde's Willow Creek in Ashburn yesterday and it was such a nice experience. This place is enormous with various rooms and we were seated in the "Barn" room. This was once a real barn that they saved and reconstructed on this site. My photo isn't great, but it does show you a bit of what it is like.

My food was delicious. And the prices were surprisingly affordable in such nice surroundings. Will definitely go back again.

Anticipation!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:53:00 +0000

It's red, firm and unblemished and almost ready to harvest! Yes, my first tomato of the season and the best one I've ever managed to grow. I only hope it tastes as good as it looks. Many, many thanks to Graham for being chief tomato waterer. I think he has earned the first bite!

Large tour group causes traffic jam on new overpass

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:37:00 +0000

It was raining as I drove to the shopping mall today and it was also my first trip on the overpass on route 28. I was curious to see it as it just opened recently.

I wasn't expecting to get caught in a traffic jam caused by this group that were touring the new road.

It was quite a large group to be out sightseeing on a rainy Saturday morning. The tour guide must be quite good.

I had to wait through two traffic light cycles before I could continue on my way. Lucky for me, I always have my camera nearby.

Not the usual sights in Historic Leesburg

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:06:00 +0000

On a beautiful sunny Saturday we strolled through Leesburg on a photo safari. We took lots of photos of historic houses, but we also encountered some not so expected sights as you can see from these photos.

Ok, this one isn't so unusual. What was unusual, for me, was how unblemished this rose was and how well the photo turned out.

Unusual houseguests

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:48:00 +0000

Some unusual houseguests arrived last week and we have no idea how long they will be staying. A persistent pair of birds built a nest on our porch even though in the beginning I kept removing their nest-in-progress.

Eventually I gave up and let them build it and now their babies have hatched. They are brave birds to have their nest so visible in a 2-cat household, but somehow they seemed to know that Dexter and Delilah are not allowed out. Molly, the neighbor cat however, is not so restricted and has taken to camping out in the bushes nearby.

Mom and Dad bird also get stroppy when we go outside. If we are on the porch they fly away, but not too far and they squawk at us trying to make us go back inside.

Anybody have any ideas for names for these two new baby birds?

Beauty in my Backyard

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:26:00 +0000

Bright sun, abundantly blooming flowers and a new camera - a wonderful combination! Here are some test shots of flowers in my garden with my new camera. Hope to have more to post soon. Just proves you don't have to wander across the globe to find treasures. Sometimes they are literally in your own backyard!

Wonderful Walk at Ida Lee Park

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Sun, 10 May 2009 19:58:00 +0000

After 11 straight days of rain, we were treated to a weekend of summer-hot temperatures and blue and sunny skies. We decided to make the most of this weather by going for a stroll around the perimeter of a nearby park, called Ida Lee.
Because of the rain, we were treated to lots of verdant views and the garden had lots of flowers in bloom.
We even sat on a bench in the garden and "crashed" a wedding that was happening next to the garden.

Except for a few damp patches (see Graham leaping one above), it was a wonderful walk with lots to look at from babbling brooks and butterflies to soccer games and the newly built swimming pool. And best of all , it was FREE!

A trip to Turkey without a passport

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:47:00 +0000

Thanks to my friend Mehmet, we recently discovered a wonderful restaurant in Herndon (Virginia). TurCuisine is a little bit of Turkey in suburban Virginia. The menu is extensive and according to Mehmet, authentic. The prices were reasonable and everything we ordered was delectable.

The dish pictured above is a Turkish version of pizza spelled Pide (prounounced pee-dah). This vegetarian version is just one of many on the menu. The dough was excellent with just the right amount of chewyness and grease-free. The portions were large and we took home leftovers to be enjoyed later.

Anyone who likes or would like to try Turkish food would love it here. We went at lunchtime on a Saturday and it was uncrowded with a cafe feel with both indoor and outdoor seating. At night they have traditional Turkish entertainment such as belly dancers.

Check out their full menu on their website.

The two faces of Philly

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:29:00 +0000

This past Saturday I took a daytrip with a friend to Philadelphia. We traveled by car to Washington DC's Union Station where we caught an Amtrak train to Philadelphia. The day was perfect weather-wise (perhaps a wee bit too hot) with a surprise heat wave. It was a tad cooler there than Washington however.

30th Street Station is west of the historic district it gives the city a split personality. As you can see from the photo above, parts of the city modern with soaring, glass and steel skyscrapers while others in the east are filled with redbrick colonial buildings, stone streets and many attractions designed to teach visitors about the town's historic residents from long ago.
It is a very walkable city, but in addition there are subways, trolleys, tour buses and horses with buggies to help deliver you to any part of town you wish to visit.
To see all the photos check out my photo album.

National Crime and Punishment Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:41:00 +0000

There is a new museum in Washington DC and it is fantastic. My only complaint is that is is NOT inexpensive. The National Crime and Punishment Museum opened in recent months and the crowds have not yet discovered it - at least not on the day we visited - which is a good thing from the visitor's point of view. There is lots to see and lots of hands-on activities such as safe-cracking, police line-ups, car chase simulators and more.

We had two young teens (boys) with us and we paid $5.00 for a "case book" in addition to the entry fee. This case book details a crime and directs you to find clues in each of the exhibit rooms as you travel throughout the museum. At least one clue was hard for us to find and helped to ensure we read lots of what was on display.

The museum is located on 7th street between E and F and not too far from the other expensive but good Spy Museum which on that same day had a queue running down the block. I've been there when it was crowded like that and it is no fun. If you can't access the hands-on stuff, or get close to things to read them, you are wasting your money.

Before 9/11 we used to take visitors to the FBI tour (which was free). This museum seems designed to replace and improve that experience and it does a good job, but at almost $18 a person it isn't for budget travelers - especially when we have dozens of free Smithsonian museums that won't kill your budget.

If you have a few extra dollars to spend and you've already seen the free museums, you won't be disappointed here.

Virginia has cherry blossoms too

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Every year thousands of visitors flock to Washington DC to see the famous Cherry Blossoms in bloom. We were in DC on Tuesday but it was a cold and windy day - too cold and windy to walk down to the end of town where the blossoms are located (around the tidal basin). I did take a snapshot from the top of the post office pavilion as you can see in the photo below, but days later in Virginia we had better weather and an up-close and personal view of equally spectacular blossoms practically in our own back yard.
Behind the Washington monument you can see water (the tidal basin) and the pink bits are the famous cherry blossoms.

How nice to see you!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

We took a long walk in Hillsboro Virginia today to make the most of our unexpectedly warm weather and our route took us along a long, dirt road with virtually no traffic. We encountered several interesting sights along the way including a old stone church built by freed slaves, an old red caboose parked in someone's yard, and the friendly goats you can see in this photo. There were several goats and some curly sheep in this field and every last one of them came running to to the fence to great us. They were so adorable.

A good day for a walk

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 13:56:00 +0000

A wintery walk in Loudoun county. Just before this shot was taken, a squirrel darted into the hole near the top.

Mother Nature is confused!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:13:00 +0000

Last Saturday we had amazing weather here in northern Virginia. It was a balmy 67 degrees when we decided to go for a walk and explore a nearby neighborhood. As we strolled along coatless in the bright sun we happened upon a frozen lake. Ice is just not something you expect to see when the day is as warm and bright as Saturday was.

Our weather continues to imitate Spring, and it is supposed to continue at least until Friday. Then Old Man Winter comes back from his winter holiday.

An unexpected bonus to commuting

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:13:00 +0000

This morning as I sat waiting for a long light to turn green on my way to work, I suddenly took note of my surroundings and the view outside my window. The dawn was just breaking giving the sky a deep, dusky blue hue against which a stark leafless tree was silhouetted. Lucky me, my camera was handy and I quickly snapped the moment just as the light turned green.

I'm ready for the big one please

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:57:00 +0000

For the third time in as many weeks the weather predictors have told us to expect snow or a wintry mix. Everyone runs out and stocks up on milk, toilet paper and shovels and then nothing arrives. Monday we even had a visitor from Wales who enjoys shoveling snow and all we got was a dusting as you can see from this photo.

All it does is mess up traffic and make it more dangerous to drive to work in the dark on the icy roads. I am in the mood for a few feet of real, honest-to-goodness white stuff. The kind where work is canceled and you spend the day shoveling, playing board games, watching old movies and drinking hot chocolate. Sometimes you can even go sledding with the neighbors.

My husband drives a school bus and he informs me of the latest methods used by kids to induce the snow and cause a snow day. In my day we just wished and prayed. Today's kids go to bed with their pajamas on inside out and flush ice cubes down the toilet!

I think I need to go now and make some ice cubes.

Another Irish President

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Copp) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:46:00 +0000

In honor of my Irish roots and the inauguration on Tuesday here is a cute video about Barack Obama's Irishness. His Irish history is similar to mine in that some of my great grandparents also came from Ireland. The song is cute - hope you enjoy it.