Footloose & Fancy Free

Luxembourg and Belgium

2024-09-27T10:00:00.002-04:00

Our 40th Anniversary Grand Adventure

"Let's do something special for our 40th anniversary". How about a small-ship cruise of the Mediterranean? And, as long as we're in Europe, let's visit Luxembourg and Belgium prior to the cruise. That's exactly what we did!

We flew into Brussels, Belgium and took the train directly from the airport to Luxembourg City. After spending three days there, we boarded the train to Bruges, Belgium. We spent five days touring Bruges including a day trip to beautiful Ghent.

Click on the Photo Album links to view the photos .

Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Luxembourg, officially known as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a small yet vibrant country nestled between Belgium, France, and Germany. Renowned for its stunning landscapes, rich history, and multicultural atmosphere, Luxembourg offers a unique blend of old-world charm and modern sophistication. The country has three official languages: Luxembourgish, French, and German, reflecting its cultural ties to neighboring countries.

We stayed in the Hotel Vauban on Place Guillaume in the center of Luxembourg City, across from the town hall and the Palace of the Grand Dukes.

Luxembourg Photo Album

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges, often called the "Venice of the North," is a beautifully preserved medieval town in Belgium. Its cobbled streets, picturesque canals, and historic architecture make it a dream for anyone looking to step back in time. The Belfry of Bruges offers stunning views of the city, while the Markt square buzzes with activity. Known for its chocolate, lace, and traditional Flemish cuisine, Bruges is a fairy tale brought to life. Exploring its charming streets feels like walking through a piece of living history.

Bruges, Belgium Photo Album

Ghent, Belgium

Ghent, located in the heart of Belgium, is a captivating city known for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant cultural scene. With its origins dating back to the Middle Ages, Ghent boasts a unique blend of medieval charm and modern vitality.

The city is home to remarkable landmarks such as the Gravensteen Castle, a medieval fortress that offers panoramic views of the city. The Saint Bavo's Cathedral, famous for housing the renowned Adoration of the Mystic Lamb painting by the Van Eyck brothers, is another must-see.

Ghent, Belgium Photo Album

Windstar Mediterranean Cruise

2024-09-27T09:00:00.003-04:00

Windstar Star Legend 18-day Mediterranean Cruise


		"Mediterranean Memoirs" Itinerary

The Ship

Star Legend is a 512 ft. all-suite motor yacht accommodating up to 312 passengers.

Star Legend Photo Album

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon, the vibrant capital of Portugal, is a city that beautifully blends tradition and modernity. Nestled on the banks of the Tagus River, it is renowned for its stunning hills, colorful neighborhoods, and rich cultural heritage.

We arrived in Lisbon two days prior to the departure of the cruise, and since we had already visited the city, we relaxed, visited a nearby park, and enjoyed some delicious local cuisine.

The ports we visited on the cruise are listed below. Click on the Photo Album links to view the photos .

Lisbon Photo Album

Portimão, Portugal

Portimão, located in the Algarve region of Portugal, is a charming coastal city known for its stunning beaches, vibrant marina, and rich maritime heritage. Once a bustling fishing port, it has transformed into a popular tourist destination while retaining its authentic charm.

We took an excursion to the Western Algarve, visiting the cliffs of Ponta da Pierdade and the historical town of Lagos.

Portimão Photo Album

Casablanca, Morocco

Casablanca, Morocco's largest city and economic hub, is a vibrant metropolis that seamlessly blends modernity with rich cultural heritage. Known for its stunning architecture and bustling atmosphere, Casablanca is a gateway to the country's diverse offerings.

Hassan II Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world. This architectural marvel features a stunning minaret that rises 210 meters above the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors can admire its intricate design and breathtaking ocean views.

In Casablanca, we took a private tour of the city and the spectacular Hassan II Mosque.

Casablanca Photo Album

Cádiz, Spain

Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, is a captivating coastal city located in southwestern Spain. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, it boasts a rich history, stunning architecture, and a vibrant cultural scene.

Our walking tour took us through the narrow, winding streets of Cádiz's Old Town and its charming plazas, colorful buildings, and centuries-old churches, including the iconic Cádiz Cathedral with its striking golden dome.

We had been in Cádiz on a previous cruise, but didn't have the opportunity to explore the city, so this time we enjoyed an informative walking tour.

Cadiz Photo Album

Gibraltar, UK

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. It is a unique blend of cultural influences and stunning natural beauty. Famous for its iconic limestone rock, Gibraltar offers breathtaking views and a rich tapestry of history. This towering monolith stands 426 meters high and is home to diverse wildlife, including the famous Barbary macaque.

Our tour included a visit to St. Michael’s Cave: This impressive natural cavern is adorned with stunning stalactites and stalagmites. The cave also hosts concerts and events due to its remarkable acoustics.

Gibraltar Photo Album

Málaga, Spain

Málaga, a vibrant city on Spain's Costa del Sol, is renowned for its rich history, stunning beaches, and lively cultural scene. As the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, this coastal gem beautifully blends tradition and modernity.

The ship was docked in Málaga for two days. On the first day we took an full day tour to the "Cave Village" of Setenil de las Bodegas and the "White Village" of Ronda. On the second day, Jamey stayed aboard the ship and Ken walked around town, taking some photos.

Málaga Photo Album

Setenil de las Bodegas, Spain

Setenil de las Bodegas is a picturesque village located in the province of Cádiz, Spain. Renowned for its unique architecture, many of the town's houses are built into and under massive rock overhangs, creating a striking visual contrast between the natural landscape and human habitation. This charming Andalusian town is characterized by its narrow, winding streets and whitewashed buildings, offering visitors a glimpse into traditional Spanish life.

Setenil de las Bodegas Photo Album

Ronda, Spain

Ronda is a captivating city in the province of Málaga, Spain, perched atop a dramatic cliff overlooking the El Tajo gorge. Known for its breathtaking landscapes and rich history, Ronda is one of the oldest towns in Spain, with roots dating back to Roman and Moorish times.

Ronda has inspired many artists and writers over the centuries, including Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles. Its blend of history, culture, and stunning scenery makes it a popular destination for travelers seeking an authentic Andalusian experience.

Ronda Photo Album

Cartagena, Spain

Cartagena is a vibrant port city located in the southeastern region of Spain, within the autonomous community of Murcia. With a rich history that spans over 2,000 years, Cartagena has been a significant naval base and trading hub since its founding by the Carthaginians in 227 BC.

We didn't plan any excursions in Cartagena and enjoyed strolling around the town on our own.

Cartagena Photo Album

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia in Spain, is a dynamic city known for its unique blend of art, architecture, and Mediterranean charm. Renowned for its stunning landmarks, lively atmosphere, and rich history, Barcelona attracts millions of visitors each year.

We visited Barcelona in 2015 before departing on a trans-Atlantic cruise so this time we chose to walk around town. It was a good distance from the port to town, but we eventually made it. We revisited Las Ramblas (A tree-lined pedestrian street) and Mercat de la Boqueria (Famous indoor public market). We took a taxi back to the ship!

Unbeknownst to us, the Louie Vuitton America's Cup was being held there and we enjoyed walking through the marina and race village, looking at the beautiful boats!

Barcelona Photo Album

Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

Cagliari, the vibrant capital of Sardinia, Italy, is a captivating blend of history, culture, and stunning natural beauty. Nestled along the southern coast, this city boasts picturesque beaches, such as Poetto, and a charming old town characterized by narrow streets and historic architecture.

We met our tour guide just outside the port and walked all over this picturesque town From a viewpoint high above the harbor we could see our ship at dock. A visit to a recommended gelato cafe completed our tour.

Cagliari Photo Album

Trapani, Sicily, Italy

Trapani, located on the western coast of Sicily, Italy, is a picturesque coastal town known for its rich history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant culture. With its charming old town, characterized by narrow streets and baroque architecture, Trapani offers visitors a glimpse into its storied past as a significant port city.

We joined a Windstar walking tour to see the sights of this interesting city. Included in the tour was a delicious cannoli and coffee at a street side cafe. After the tour, we set out on our own, and walked to Spiaggia Torre di Ligny, built in 1671 on the extreme tip of Trapani to better protect the coast.

Trapani Photo Album

Taormina, Sicily, Italy

Nestled high above the picturesque town of Taormina, Castelmola is a charming hilltop village in Sicily, Italy. Known for its breathtaking panoramic views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna, this quaint destination is steeped in history and offers a unique blend of ancient architecture and natural beauty.

Taormina is a stunning coastal town located on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy, renowned for its rich history, vibrant culture, and breathtaking landscapes. Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Ionian Sea, Taormina offers visitors a perfect blend of ancient ruins and modern charm.

Taormina was exceptionally crowded, almost to the point of being uncomfortable. On the way back to the bus we stopped at a restaurant for a wood-fired pizza and local beer.

Castelmola and Taormina Photo Album

Argostoli, Greece

Argostoli is the capital of Kefalonia, one of the largest islands in Greece. Nestled along a picturesque bay, this charming town is known for its stunning natural beauty, rich history, and welcoming atmosphere.

We strolled along the waterfront promenade lined with cafes and shops. At a bakery, we bought a box of loukoumades, small, round balls of fried dough, covered with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. Yes, I ate too many!

The harbor of Argostoli is an important foraging area for the region’s sea turtles. We were fortunate to spot a couple and enjoyed watching them.

Argostoli Photo Album

Corfu, Greece

Corfu, a lush and enchanting island in the Ionian Sea, is known for its stunning landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture. With its picturesque villages, crystal-clear waters, and lush greenery, Corfu offers a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure.

We booked a walking and food tour of Corfu, but weren't prepared for the amount of food that was offered. Having had breakfast before leaving the ship, we were too full to take advantage of all the tasty dishes, and more loukoumades!

Corfu Photo Album

Itea, Greece

Itea is a charming seaside town located on the Gulf of Corinth, near the ancient site of Delphi. Known for its picturesque waterfront and stunning mountain backdrop, Itea offers a delightful blend of natural beauty and rich history.

Itea is the port for tours to the ancient ruins of Delphi—once considered the center of the world in Greek mythology. We didn't opt to visit Delphi, so Jamey stayed aboard the ship and Ken strolled the waterfront. The ship was only in port for five hours.

Itea Photo Album

Corinth Canal, Greece

The Corinth Canal is a stunning artificial waterway in Greece that connects the Aegean Sea to the Ionian Sea, effectively separating the Peloponnese peninsula from mainland Greece. Completed in 1893, this remarkable feat of engineering is approximately 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) long and only 21.3 meters (70 feet) wide at its narrowest point.

Corinth Canal Photo Album

Portugal and France

2023-10-21T13:14:00.062-04:00

Portugal & France

Ever since visiting Lisbon and Madeira Island while on a cruise in 2015, we wanted to go back to Portugal. We did just that in September 2023.

Instead of returning to Lisbon or Madeira, we chose Portugal's second-largest city, Porto, located on the country's northwest coast.

Since traveling a long distance involves a lot of time and expense, we decided to take advantage of the situation and also visit the Provence region of France, a new destination for us.

PORTUGAL

Porto

We stayed in the historic center of Porto for two-weeks. Our apartment was conveniently located only blocks from the Douro River and the same distance from the Sao Bento metro and train stations.

Porto was very hilly and walking around the city combined with the 66-steps up to our 3rd-story apartment (plus 20 additional steps from the first to second floor of the apartment) proved to be very arduous.

Porto Photo Album

Douro Valley Wine Tour

One of the highlights of our visit to Porto was a small-group wine tour to the nearby Douro Valley. We visited three wineries, Quinta Dos Castel Ares, Julinha, and Fonseca. We enjoyed lunch at Julinha Winery seated in a 'lagar', a pit where human 'treaders' mashed the grapes with their feet.

Douro Valley Wine Tour Photo Album

Guimarães

We took the train to Guimarães, a city and municipality located in northern Portugal, in the district of Braga. It is considered the birthplace of Portugal. Guimarães was founded in the 4th century and in the 12th century became the first capital of Portugal.

Its historic town center has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, in recognition for being an "exceptionally well-preserved and authentic example of the evolution of a medieval settlement into a modern town" in Europe.

Guimarães Photo Album

Aveiro

Aveiro is located an hour south of Porto by train. It is billed as the "Venice of Portugal" because of its many canals and picturesque Moliceiro boats.

We joined a walking tour and enjoyed learning about the city's history. A stop was made at the Aveiro Municipal Cemetery to view its ornate mausoleums. After the tour we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Porto.

Aveiro Photo Album

FRANCE

We flew from Porto to Marseille, France (on our wedding anniversary day) then (after some confusion locating the airport train station) rode the train to Arles, our home for the next two weeks.

Arles

Our apartment in the historic center of Arles was located only one block from the scenic Rhone River and a short distance from the ruins of the Roman Amphitheater and Classical Theater. The 'Gare' (train station) was also nearby.

The city is popular for its deep Roman roots and being the home of the iconic Dutch painter, Vincent Van Gogh. During Roman times, Arles was one of Gaul's most significant cities.

Arles Photo Album

Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

Fontaine-de-Vaucluse ("spring of Vaucluse") is built around the Fontaine de Vaucluse, a spring in a valley at the foot of the Vaucluse Mountains, between Saumane-de-Vaucluse and Lagnes, not far from L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. It is named after the spring, the source of the River Sorgue.

The fountain, or spring, of Vaucluse, situated at the feet of a steep limestone cliff 230 meters high, is the biggest spring in France. It is also the fifth largest in the world with an annual flow of 630 million cubic meters.

In 1946, Jacques Cousteau and another diver were almost killed while searching for the bottom of the spring. An air compressor used to fill their tanks had taken in its own exhaust fumes and produced carbon monoxide—nearly killing them before they could return to the surface from a depth of approximately 100 meters.

Fontaine-de-Vaucluse Photo Album

Gordes

Gordes, listed among the 'most beautiful villages in France' and one of the perched villages of Provence is 38 kilometres east of Avignon and built on the slopes of a large rock in the very scenic Luberon area of Provence.

Gordes is a lovely traditional Provencal village with narrow cobbled streets that wind ever higher through the tall, ancient houses to the church and castle that stand above the village, with views across the Luberon mountains and region.

We visited Gordes on market-day (Tuesday) and enjoyed strolling through the many vendors selling fabrics, linens, soaps, lavender, clothing, and food.

A short distance away from Gordes was the Abbey Notre-Dame de Sénanque which was founded in 1148 by a dozen of Cistercians monks coming from the monastery of Mazan, located in Ardèche. The fields surrounding the Abbey are one of the most famous places to see lavender in Europe. Unfortunately, the lavender had already bloomed and had been harvested.

Gordes Photo Album

Roussillion

Roussillion, a hill town of the Provence area, sits on top of a huge ochre deposit. which reminded us of the Red Rock area of Arizona, USA. Roussillion has been a protected village since 1943 and has not been redeveloped.

A magnificent half-cylinder polar sundial by Jean Raffegeau sits on top of a local viewpoint.

A specialty of this area is lavender ice-cream and, of course, we had to indulge!

Roussillion Photo Album

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Saint-Rémy sits in the foothills of Alpilles Mountain. It is the largest village in the Alpilles region and serves as its capital.

After months of hospital treatment in Arles, Vincent Van Gogh allowed himself to be committed to the Saint-Paul de Mausole psychiatric institution in Saint-Rémy de Provence. Vincent spent a year in the asylum and painted many of his most famous works there.

A highlight of our tour was truffle-tasting at a shop in Saint Remy. We sampled summer truffles on a bread cube, a cheese cube dipped in truffle honey, and a taste of some truffle salt (good on French fries). The summer truffles have a lighter taste than the winter truffles.

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence Photo Album

Les Baux-de-Provence

Les Baux-de-Provence is a village 20 kilometers south of Avignon in Provence and within the Regional Natural Park of the Alpilles. Said to be the most visited village in France, with approximately two million visitors a year. It is listed among the 'most beautiful villages of France'.

Les Baux-de-Provence, also called Les Baux, is located on a spur of the Alpilles Hills rising abruptly from the valley floor, northeast of Arles. On this rocky hill, about 1,000 yards (900 meters) long and 220 yards (200 meters) wide, is a ruined château and streets of abandoned houses, plus a church, a museum, and small modern tourist shops.

Les Baux-de-Provence Photo Album

Pont du Gard

Pont du Gard (Bridge of the Gard), a giant bridge-aqueduct, is a notable ancient Roman engineering work constructed about 19 BCE to carry water to the city of Nîmes over the Gard River in southern France. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Three tiers of arches rise to a height of 47 meters (155 feet). The first tier is composed of 6 arches from 15 to 24 meters (51 to 80 feet) wide, the largest spanning the river; the second tier is composed of 11 arches of the same dimensions; the third, carrying the conduit, is composed of 35 smaller (4.6-meter [15-foot]) arches. Like many of the best Roman constructions, it was built without mortar.

I am always amazed by Roman engineering feats and it was spectacular to view this one in-person!

Pont du Gard Photo Album

Avignon

Avignon is the capital of the French department of Vaucluse in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, and is on the banks of the Rhône river. Avignon was one of the European Cities of Culture in 2000 and its historical center has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Avignon is famous as the city to which the Popes fled when leaving the corruption of Rome in the 14th century. Le Palais des Papes (Palace of Popes) which was built then is the world's largest Gothic building. It was largely emptied over the centuries, and its vast stone rooms are filled with little more than old frescos, but it is still an imposing building. The Ramparts themselves were erected to keep the plague and invaders out during the turbulent Middle Ages, when Avignon belonged to the papacy and not the French crown.

Its early history is much older than the popes, however. Avignon occupies a strategic location for several reasons - it is at the confluence of two once-mighty rivers: the Rhône, still one of the biggest rivers in France, and the now largely-dammed Durance. Both were important routes of trade and communication even in prehistoric times. In addition, there is a long island in the Rhone that made it possible to ferry people and goods across, and later bridge the river, more easily than in other places.

Avignon Photo Album

Wine Tour of Provence

We took the train from Arles to Avignon to join a small-group (6-people) 'Wines of Provence' tour. We visited three wineries in the appellations of Beaumes-de-Venise, Gigondas, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Domaine Des Bernardins, Gabriel Meffre, and Chateau de la Gardine.

After the visit to the Gabriel Meffre winery, we enjoyed a picnic of bread, cheese, tapenades, grapes, boiled eggs, and grape juice furnished by our guide, Arnaud.

Wine Tour of Provence Photo Album

Greece: Crete, Cyclades Islands, and Athens

2022-10-15T13:34:00.806-04:00

The Venetian Harbor of Chania, Crete

Greece: Crete, Southern Cyclades Islands, and Athens
September 1 - October 11, 2022

Our trip to Greece was postponed from 2019 due to the Covid-19 virus. After deciding it was safe enough to travel internationally, Ken completed the research he had begun three years earlier, and booked the flights, ferry trips, lodging, and tours.

We visited the island of Crete. Then we went to Naxos and Paros, part of the Cyclades, an island group in the Aegean Sea. In addition, we spent four days in the capital city of Athens before returning home.

Crete Island

Our first stop would be the island of Crete. Located 160 kilometers south of mainland Greece and 320 kilometers north of Africa, Crete is the largest and most populous Greek island and the 5th largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Chania

We flew into the western part of Crete and spent five nights in the historic Venetian port city of Chania. The Capt. Vasilis Traditional Hotel is housed in a 16th century Venetian building and only has five rooms. Our room overlooked the old harbor.

From Chania, we went on the 7 Villages of Apokoronas tour visiting the Apokoronas region of East Chania—an area known for its quaint villages, green hills, and stunning scenery. Highlights of the tour included the Ottoman Fortress of Aptera, a local cheese factory, and a raki (local spirit) distillery.

Chania Photo Album

Rethymno

Having read that Rethymno had a scenic old harbor like Chania, we were anxious to see it. We walked to the bus station and took an hour-long bus ride to the nearby city. We strolled around the old fortress and waterfront, stopping at a popular seaside cafe, operated by a rather colorful character, for a fabulous lunch.

Rethymno Photo Album

Heraklion

For the sake of logistics, we would have to stay in the city of Heraklion (146 km East of Chania) before catching the ferry to Naxos Island. However, there were plenty of things to see in the city. We stayed there for two nights which gave us a full day for sightseeing. Our hotel was located right on the waterfront with a great view of the harbor and right across the street from many wonderful seafood restaurants.

We had decided to bypass the archaeological site at Knossos and, instead, visit the highly-acclaimed Archaeological Museum. After touring the museum, we strolled around this very interesting city.

Heraklion Photo Album

Naxos Island

Our ferry left Heraklion early in the morning, stopping at Santorini, then continuing on to Naxos.

Naxos is the largest island of the Cyclades Island group in the Aegean Sea. We stayed in an Airbnb rental conveniently located a short walk from the scenic harbor and all its shops, cafes, and restaurants. Sitting in a waterfront café, drinking an Aperol Spritz, was the perfect way to enjoy the beautiful Grecian sunsets - it became a nightly ritual.

While staying on Naxos, we went on a day tour which included the Temple of Demeter, a traditional olive press in Damalas, the fishing village of Apollonas, and the Panagia Drossiani Monastery, one of the oldest Byzantine churches in the Balkans.

Naxos Photo Album

Paros Island

Although only a short distance from Naxos, our ferry traveled north to Mikonos before turning south to Paros Town. It was a sunny day and nice to be on the water.

One of the Cyclades Island group, Paros lies just to the west of Naxos, separated by a channel about 8 kilometers (5 miles) wide. Historically, Paros was known for its fine white marble, which gave rise to the term "Parian" to describe marble or china of similar qualities.

We had rented a cute little house, with a large covered front porch, close to the seaside. All the paths to the house were down narrow lanes lined with whitewashed buildings, draped with bougainvillea.

Paros has an excellent island-wide bus service that we used to visit many of the other villages on the island. We also took the ferry to the nearby island of Antiparos.

Paros Photo Album

Lefkes

Lefkes is the largest village in the island's interior. It was settled high in the mountains to evade the 17th century pirates. It is very scenic with steep, narrow stairways winding throughout the village.

Lefkes Photo Album

Naoussa

Naoussa, located about 10 km northeast of Paros Town, is a quaint fishing village turned tourist destination. The scenic old harbor is still used as a fishing port and is occupied with colorful working boats.

Naoussa Photo Album

Antiparos

We took the ferry from the port at Pounta to the nearby island of Antiparos. It is the smaller sister isle to Paros. A much-quieter spot than Paros Town, Antiparos was made renown by one of its celebrity residents, Tom Hanks.

After a taking short walk to a beach on the other side of the island, we strolled around the village, had dinner in a café, then caught the ferry back to Paros.

Antiparos Photo Album

Piso Livadi

Another day, another beautiful Greek village! Piso Livadi is a small village located on the eastern side of Paros Island.

We took in the sights and enjoyed a great seafood lunch at a café right above the crystal clear water of the Aegean Sea.

Piso Livadi Photo Album

Aliki

We had passed through this town on the way back to Paros Town one evening and it looked so interesting, we wanted to come back!

There wasn't much to see in this small, seaside village on the southern coast of Paros, but it did have a beautiful little harbor and great restaurants. We walked around the harbor, enjoyed a delicious seafood lunch, then caught a bus back to Paros Town.

Aliki Photo Album

Athens

Adding Athens to our itinerary was a last-minute decision, but we're glad we did. To have traveled that distance and not seen the capital and largest city of Greece would have been a mistake!

We ferried from Paros to Piraeus, Port of Athens. After some (much - the arrival terminal had changed) confusion, we caught a free shuttle bus to the train station, then a train to Monastiraki Station. From there it was a short walk to our hotel.

Our hotel (Attalos) was located in the historic center of Athens. The roof garden/bar of the hotel was the perfect setting to enjoy the magnificent views of the Acropolis, the Lycabettus and a panoramic view across Athens. It was walking distance to the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora and Plaka.

It was a tiring day, but we had to see the sights! The tour of the Acropolis of Athens, Ancient Agora, and the Agora Museum was wonderful. We saw the Agora, Hephaestus Temple, the Church of the 12 Apostles, the Temple of Apollo Patroos, the Altar of Zeus, and much more!

We enjoyed Athens, We loved Greece!

Athens Photo Album

Cape Cod, MA and Burlington, VT

2022-08-01T12:16:00.002-04:00

Sandy Neck Lighthouse, Barnstable, MA

After over two-years of relative isolation, social-distancing, and canceled travel plans due to the Covid-19 virus, we decided it was time to return to a somewhat normal life.

We had always enjoyed northern Vermont, and decided that it would be a good area to visit during the hot Florida summer. We found an apartment rental in south Burlington, and booked it for the month of July 2022.

Our Florida neighbors, Kenn and Jeannie, who live on Cape Cod during the summer, had cordially invited us to visit them on our way North. Never having visited Cape Cod before, we were looking forward to taking in the sights.

While at our friend's home, we went on a very successful whale-watching trip and took a drive to Provincetown, at the extreme tip of Cape Cod. Kenn and Jeannie were wonderful hosts and we enjoyed our time there.

Once again, Burlington and NW Vermont didn't disappoint. Summer is full of activities, and sometimes it was difficult choosing which one to attend: 4th of July fireworks, Vergennes City Band, the many fabulous farmer's markets, festivals, community concerts, breakfast on the farm, wine-tastings, and drives through the beautiful Vermont countryside, just to name a few.

Photos of our trip to Cape Cod and Vermont may be viewed in this Google Photo Album.

Gig Harbor and Puget Sound, Washington

2018-09-09T10:36:00.020-04:00

Seattle's Pike Place Market

On August 1, 2018 (Ken's birthday) we flew to Washington State and visited our daughter, Jennifer, and grandchildren - Morgan, Jake (who was visiting from Texas), and Francesca.

Jennifer resides in Gig Harbor, a beautiful waterfront community on Puget Sound, outside of Tacoma. A surprise birthday gift for Ken was was a gondola tour of Gig harbor.

We enjoyed the weekly Farmer's Market and concerts in Gig Harbor as well as side trips to Port Townsend, Dungeness Spit (the longest natural sand spit in the U.S.), Port Orchard, Bremerton, Poulsbo, The Naval Undersea Museum, Bainbridge Island, and the Seattle Public Market.

On our last Sunday in the area, Jamey's Cousin, Joel, and his wife, Donna, hosted a very special family get-together and meal at their Seattle home. In attendance were Jamey and I, Jennifer's family, Jamey's cousin Josh and his family, Jamey's Cousin Jeana (she flew in from Alaska for the occasion), and Jamey's sister, Melody, and niece, Georgia (from Alabama). A great time was had by all!

Photos of our trip may be viewed in this Google Photo Album.

Southeast Asia: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam

2018-07-08T16:07:00.010-04:00

Our SE Asia Itinerary

In January and February, 2018, we went on a 4-week tour of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

We flew four flights to reach Bangkok, Thailand, the starting point of the tour, another five flights between countries, then four more when returning home.

The tour was fast-paced and the itinerary extensive. At the end, we were exhausted, however, we saw sights and did things which would have been difficult to arrange on our own.

Click on the following links to view the slideshows:

A Visit to Southern Mexico

2017-04-24T12:11:00.005-04:00

Oaxaca City, Mexico

In January and February, 2017, we visited the Southern Mexican states of Oaxaca and Puebla.

We spent the first four-weeks in Oaxaca City and, from there, visited the nearby towns and sites of Arrazola, Atzompa, Mitla, Monte Alban, El Rey Mezcal distillery, Teotitlan, Tlacolula, Tule, and Zaachila. We also attended a day-long Zapotec cooking class in Teotitlan.

The final two-weeks were spent in Ciudad Puebla. While there, we took day trips to Cholula (world's largest pyramid, by volume), Cuexcomate (world's smallest volcano), and the nearby city of Tlaxcala, in the state of Tlaxcala (the smallest state in Mexico).

Click on the following link to view a slideshow of the trip:

Slideshow

Ontario & Quebec, Canada

2016-08-28T09:41:00.005-04:00

Parliament, Ottawa, ON Canada

In July & August, 2016, we visited the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Canada.

We first visited with friends in Welland, ON and toured the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and Colaneri Winery.

From our rental house in the Lowertown area of Ottawa we were able to walk to Parliament Hill, the Byward Market, and many beautiful parks and interesting sights.

We took side trips to the historic towns of Perth, Smith's Falls,and Almonte, Ontario. Across the Ottawa River, in Quebec, we visited Gatineau Park and the village of Wakefield.

Click on the following link to view an album of photos taken during our stay in Canada:

Photo Album

San Miguel de Allende, MX Photos

2016-03-28T10:26:00.002-04:00

San Miguel de Allende, GTO, Mexico

March 2016

Click on the following link to view an album

of photos taken in San Miguel de Allende:

Photo Album

El Color Rojo

2016-03-06T12:14:00.000-05:00

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Spain and Portugal: Valencia, Málaga, Sevilla, Lisbon, and Funchal

2015-10-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Oct. 3

Today we began our two-week cruise of Spain and Portugal aboard the Emerald Princess. The cruise allowed us to visit additional cities in Spain as well as Portugal. And, after seven days crossing the Atlantic, we would disembark in Ft. Lauderdale.

After breakfast at the hotel we gathered our luggage and went to the lobby to await our taxi to the port.

Emerald Princess in Barcelona

Oct. 4

Valencia was our first port. Since we were only in port for ½-day, we opted for a city tour. Although it was Sunday and many of the attractions were closed, there was still plenty to see.

Valencia

Traditional Dress

We did not get to sample Paella, the traditional rice dish of Valencia, but we did get to drink Horchata, the typical Valencian drink made from almond milk. Very tasty!

Enjoying Horchata in Valencia

Before returning to the ship, we visited the The City of Arts and Sciences, a unique complex devoted to scientific and cultural dissemination.

City of Arts and Sciences

Oct. 5

Málaga is a seaside city on the east side of the Straits of Gibraltar and gateway to Spain’s Costa del Sol. Sugar, citrus, almonds, figs, grapes, olives, and fish are exported from here.

Approaching Málaga

Sunrise in Málaga

Walking to Town

Málaga

We went on a wonderful, small-group, walk and taste tour. Touring the market and historic old-town, we sampled olives, ham, liqueurs, and gelato.

Walk & Taste Tour

Olive Vendor

Oranges

Wine Store, Founded in 1840

Oct. 6

Our final port in Spain was Cadiz. From the port we boarded a bus which took us to Sevilla (Seville), Capital of Andalucia. It lies on the Guadalquivir, one of Spain’s longest rivers, with a history that dates back 2000 years.

Upon our arrival in Sevilla, we were divided into smaller groups for a guided walking tour of the city.

Palacio Arzobispal

Plaza de España

Royal Alcazar of Seville

Alcazar

Cathedral Giralda

Tapas Lunch at Cerveceria Giralda

Oct. 7

Today was Jamey’s birthday and she got to enjoy it in Portugal - priceless!

Unfortunately, we sailed though the Strait of Gibraltar in the middle of the night and were unable to see the famous Rock.

Our first port in Portugal was Lisbon and we spent a full-day on a city tour which included the Pena Palace and the towns of Sintra and Estoril. The Palacio Nacional da Pena was built in the 19th century with Moorish and Gothic features and bright colors. It once served as royalty’s summer home. This area lures the wealthy.

Pena Palace

After the tour of Pena Palace, we boarded the bus and headed back down the mountain to the very crowded historical village of Sintra. We found a place for lunch and because there was no seating inside, we ate standing up, outside. Ken went with several others to a port wine tasting while Jamey browsed through the shops.

Sintra Was Crowded With Tourists

Sintra

The next stop on the tour was scenic Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of the European continent.

Cabo da Roca Lighthouse

That evening, we enjoyed celebrating Jamey's birthday in the Crown Grill, a specialty restaurant aboard the ship.

The Maître d' Wishes Jamey a Happy Birthday

Oct. 8

We sailed away from Lisbon under a clear and sunny sky. After four busy days visiting ports, today, a sea-day, was a welcome change.

Lisbon's Monument to the Discoveries

16th Century Belem Tower

Oct. 9

Funchal, Portugal could very well have been our favorite port, but because of the fog, we didn't see much of it. Located on the island of Madeira, Funchal rises straight up from the sea (5000 feet of mountainous terrain).

Panorama of Funchal

We joined another couple for a private island/wine tour. It was a very rainy day so we wore our rain jackets and carried umbrellas. It was so foggy that we couldn’t see anything from the tops of the cliffs.

Fishing Boats

The Foggy Coastline

Scenic Funchal, Portugal

Funchal Market

A highlight of the tour was a visit to the Henriques and Henriques distillery which has produced the sweet Madeira dessert wine since 1850.

Henriques and Henriques Distillery

Madeira Wine in Casks

Since the weather was not cooperative, we decided to eat a nice lunch at a seaside restaurant, O Barqueiro. We tried the fresh grilled local fish, espada, a long, black and really ugly fish. But it was delicious – mild and buttery and was accompanied by many side dishes of fresh and tasty vegetables.

Espada, the Black Scabbard Fish

The Espada looks much better on the plate

Oct. 10

Today we departed Funchal and began our transatlantic crossing and seven-days at sea!

On the Open Sea

Sunrise at Sea

Double Rainbow

Oct. 17

The ship arrived in Ft. Lauderdale early in the morning. After disembarking and passing through customs, we picked up our rental car and drove across the state to the familiar calm of our home..... it's time to start planning our next journey

Spain and Portugal: Barcelona, Montserrat & Girona

2015-10-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

Sept. 28

Bags packed, we walked to the nearby Puerta del Sol train station and boarded the high-speed train to Barcelona.

Barcelona is located in the autonomous community of Catalonia (one of 17 in Spain). Catalan flags are displayed side by side with Spanish flags and the Catalan language, rather than Spanish, is spoken. Several elections to secede from Spain have failed to get the vote needed, with one occurring just days prior to our arrival.

Barcelona from Montjuïc

View from Hotel Balcony

La Rambla Pedestrian Mall

Entrance to Placa Reial (Royal Plaza)

Our hotel was only steps from the La Boqueria market, a wonderful place to purchase endless varieties of meat, fish, produce, and baked goods. Also, there were many restaurants and cafes.

Sausage Stall in Boqueria Market

Produce

Fresh Fruit Smoothies

Mixed Seafood Platter & Proseco

Sept. 29

In the morning, we went on a ½-day tour of Park Guell – Eusebi Guell entrusted his friend, Antoni Gaudi, to create an estate of well-off families on a large piece of property which was in a healthy setting with splendid views over the sea and the Plain of Barcelona. However, many factors made the project unviable and work was halted in 1914. The City of Barcelona acquired the property in 1922 and opened it as a public park. It is a UNESCO site now. You can see Gaudi’s “gaudy” style of architecture here, as well.

Park Guell

Gaudi's Unique Style

Park Guell

In the afternoon, we visited Sagrada Familia, the Holy Family Church. This is Gaudi’s grand masterpiece, begun in 1883 and currently unfinished. The goal is to finish by 2026. It is called the people’s church and all construction is funded by donations. It is notable for its wildly creative, organic architecture and decor inside and out. Some say Antoni Gaudi’s grand masterpiece is quite 'gaudy'.

Sagrada Familia

Architectural Detail of Facade

Church Interior

Sept. 30

Although it was raining, today's first order of business was a trip to the laundromat - we needed clean clothes to continue our journey.

We had nothing scheduled for the afternoon so, outfitted with rain jackets and umbrellas, we walked around Barcelona on our own.

Barcelona Cathedral

Post & Telegraph Building

National Palace

A memorable dinner at Julivert Meu – tomato bread (toasted bread rubbed with garlic and tomato) and topped with roasted onions and peppers, cheese, olives, and potato. This was just the beginning. We also had a platter of cured meats (ham, Catalan pork sausage, hard pork sausage and salami) and Escalivada (red pepper, eggplant, onion and grilled potato). And, of course, there was wine. A great place on a rainy evening!

Our Fabulous Meal at Julivert Meu

Oct. 1

Today's excursion was by train and cable car to Montserrat, a mountaintop Benedictine Monastery - home to 30 monks and Catalunya’s most important pilgrimage site for a thousand years. The legend is that the 2400 feet-high mountain was carved by little angels with gold saws. From the train, one must take the cable car or rack railway up to the monastery. For a religious site we thought it was very crowded and overly commercialized.

Cable Car to Montserrat Monastery


Funicular Station

Placa de Santa Maria

Memorial Candles

Overlooking the Valley

Oct. 2

On our final day in Barcelona we rode the train to Girona. Located about 60-miles NE of Barcelona, i

Girona and Riu Onyar

View from Wall

Exploring Girona in the Rain

The Girona Wall

Spain and Portugal: Madrid, Toledo, & Segovia

2015-09-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Sept. 22

We departed from Ft. Myers airport with more luggage than Ken had hoped for, but a girl needs her accessories and only certain brands of cosmetics and toiletries will do.

Sept. 23

After an all-night flight, we arrived in Madrid, Spain. We managed to get out and see a few sights and eat an early dinner (Spaniards don’t eat until 9 PM or later).

Plaza Mayor, Madrid

Madrid

Puerta de Alcalá

We had pre-booked a flamenco show for our first evening in Madrid, but Jamey was fading fast; her eyelids were closing and her head was bobbing. Despite being in the front row, Ken had to keep punching her to keep her awake even during the stomping, clapping and singing.

Flamenco Show

Sept. 24

Today we went on a walking tour of the city.

National Symbol of Madrid:
The Bear and the Strawberry Tree

Royal Palace of Madrid

Madrid

Hams (jamones) were hanging from the rafters and in the doorways everywhere! Special porkers (black Iberian pigs) are raised in the mountainous region of Spain where acorns are plentiful. The Serrano cured ham is a delicacy and is sliced thinly and served cold. Spaniards rate their hams like French do their wines.

Ham Store

During our tour, we visited the oldest restaurant in Madrid and the world! Casa Botin, opened in 1725 and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The restaurant was a favorite of Ernest Hemingway. Its specialty of the house is roasted suckling piglet.

Preparing Suckling Pig in Casa Botin Kitchen

Casa Botin Wine Cellar

Eating is a passion of ours, especially when we are traveling and have the opportunity to sample local food and drink. We were able to drink and eat our way around Madrid on a tapas and wine tour starting at 8:00 PM. Eating small plates (tapas) is common with the Spaniards. When you order wine or drinks in bars, you are often served a tapa. After all, the more you eat, the more you drink. We had wine at every stop; we tasted a strawberry liqueur (made from strawberries from the strawberry tree) in a chocolate shell; we ate churros dipped in hot cocoa which was so thick you had to eat it with a spoon. We ate ham, olives, crusty breads, paella, and the traditional flan.

Tapas & Wine Tour

Dessert - Flan & Wine

Sept. 25

Taking advantage of Spain’s wonderful rail system we took day-trips to the cities of Toledo and Segovia.

RENFE (the Spanish national train system) is amazing and often baffling! Tickets are purchased via vending machines. There are many different types of trains and you’ve got to know which one you want and which platform and rail to go to - it was often confusing.

There are several high-speed trains – AVE, Alvia, Avant, Talgo, Intercity and Electro. The Rapido, Tranvia, Semidirecto, and Expreso trains are generally slower. Cercanias and Rodalies are commuter trains for city workers and tourists; Regional and Correo trains are slow, small-town milk runs. The faster the trains travel and the fewer the stops, the more expensive the fare.

Boarding the High-speed Train

Toledo is a small, walled, medieval town, bordered on the west, south, and east by the Tagus River. It is one of the most visited sites in all Spain; its history dates back to Roman occupation. The streets are winding and cobbled. It has been denoted a UNESCO heritage site.

Toledo's Train Station

The cathedral is in the center of the city. In its early history, Arabs, Jewish, and Catholics lived together, peacefully. The Arabs brought their beautiful artistry of Damascene and ceramics. The Damascene technique uses gold threads and heat to produce masterful pieces.

Cathedral

Damascene Plates

Tagus River

Sept. 26

Another day, another train trip. This time to Segovia.

Segovia is a World Heritage City. As with other cities in Spain, it is hilly. We walked through the old Jewish quarter, under and around the remains of the old Roman aqueduct, and to the cathedral.

Roman Aqueduct

Av. Fernandez Ladreda

The view of the massive Roman aqueduct greets visitors as they approach the city. Other notable sites in Segovia are the flamboyant Gothic style cathedral and the Corpus Christi Convent/Franciscan church (it once was a synagogue and a mosque). We walked through town to the Alcázar, originally a palace, then a prison and finally a Royal Artillery School until it burned in 1862. Now it’s a museum.

Cathedral

View From City Wall

Segovia

Alcázar

Moorish Stonework in Segovia

Sept. 27

On our final day in Madrid we walked to Buen Retiro Park and strolled through its beautiful gardens. Later we visited the Museo Nacional del Prado, considered to be one of the world’s great art museums. We arrived early and waited in line for free entry from 6-8 PM.

Grounds of Retiro Park

Retiro Park Crystal Palace

Retiro Pond and Monument to King Alfonso XII

Tickets to Museo del Prado

Maryland & Washington, D.C.

2015-06-26T09:46:00.001-04:00

During the month of June 2015, we rented an apartment on Rock Creek in Pasadena, MD, which is just south of Baltimore.

Using this location as a home-base, we visited Baltimore, Annapolis, St. Michaels, MD and Washington, D.C.

Click on the links below to view the photo galleries.

Baltimore/Pasadena, Maryland

HonFest - Hampden, Maryland

Annapolis, Maryland

St. Michaels, Maryland

Washington, D.C.

Italy - Windows, Doors, Knobs & Knockers

2014-10-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Click here to see a photo gallery of
Italian windows, doors, knobs & knockers

Italy - Campania Region

2014-10-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

October 8 (Wednesday) – Our final home base in Italy was Salerno, a city and comune in Campania and the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. We had to take two trains - one from Lucca to Florence and another, a “fast” train from Florence to Salerno, with speeds of 300 kilometers per hour (187 mph) and stops in Rome and Naples.

Our rooftop apartment was small but offered amazing views of the sea, mountains and the moon setting over the mountains in the morning.

View of Salerno and Amalfi Coast from apartment

Dinner that evening was at the Pizza Club, dining at a small sidewalk table. Ahhh, this is Italy!

October 9 (Thursday) – We talked to a travel agent about trips to take outside of Salerno and then walked through the historical area of the city. Lights were being hung in preparation for a Luminary celebration to be held in November.

Luminary festival

A tradition: passeggiata, the nightly stroll through the old town

At the recommendation of the apartment manager, we walked around the corner to Mama Rosa's (#25 on Trip Advisor) for dinner. This was a family restaurant and no one spoke English. The menu was all in Italian too. Those language classes didn’t help much.

Mama Rosa greeted Jamey with a kiss on each cheek. It felt like they should be related. Mama wanted to serve us everything on the menu. The son of Mama Rosa seated and waited on us. We let him recommend dishes for us. We had pasta with mussels, clams and some long narrow shell fish we had never seen. Delicious! Then Jamey had a plate of fried (no batter) whole shrimp and calamari rings - very tender. Ken had four huge grilled prawns. Adding a nice finish to an already scrumptious meal, we shared dessert, a chocolate torte with whipped cream. All with red wine! Mama Rosa kept pointing to her Certificate from Trip Advisor and herself and chattering away in Italian. Kisses again when we left.

Dinner at Mama Rosa's

October10 (Friday) - Ken had to go to a TIM (Telecom Italia Mobile) store to get a new SIM card for the cellphone. Then we walked to the train station. Protesting students carrying banners were marching down the middle of the street. We never found out what they were protesting. We purchased tickets to go to Pompeii today. Our scheduled train was canceled due to protesters sitting on the tracks in the Rome area, preventing trains from coming in. Fortunately, we were able to catch a later train. On arrival, we had to walk a mile or more to get to the entrance of the historical site. Needless to say, we did a lot of walking in Italy!

Pompeii was larger than we expected. We walked through much of the ruins which are still being excavated and repaired. There was also a lot we didn’t get to see – just not enough time.

Ruins of Pompeii with Mt. Vesuvius in the background

Interior of one of Pompeii's buildings

Dinner was delicious at Il Tagliere. Again, no English spoken here and the menu was entirely in Italian. Trying to understand explanations from the waiters of the different menu items was challenging but we finally made choices, which turned out to be great ones. We were served two different kinds of bread, bruschetta and thin slices of prosciutto and a bowl of barley potato soup (all of which we did not expect) before our meals. Many different meats were served on their antipasto plates and the restaurant had their own hand-slicing machine out in the middle of the restaurant. We watched a waitress preparing a tables’ antipasto order, which included meat carved from the head of a pig. This made for interesting photography. We were contented and full when we left.

An interesting experience at Restaurant Il Tagliere!

October 11 (Saturday) - Stayed at home, rested and did laundry. Our dryer was Mother Nature. We hung clothes out on the rooftop.

October 12 (Sunday) – Today, we went to Sorrento, a beautiful city which sits on the southern end of the bay of Naples and attracts many tourists. There were incredible views from here and was the starting point of the dramatic Amalfi Road, one of the most famous drives in Italy. Our lunch was a plate of anchovies, fresh from the sea. Oh heaven in Italy!

The beautiful seaside town of Sorrento

Anchovies and bruschetta

Sorrento lemons

Limoncello, of course!

October 13 (Monday) – To get to Vietri Sul Mare, one of the small villages next to Salerno, we took a bus. When we purchased the ticket we were told what bus to catch and that the driver would just let us off on the road and we would have to walk down to the village. We weren’t sure where to get off and a woman, speaking only Italian, motioned for us to follow her off the bus and down some steps. Was she a helpful Italian? Where was she taking us? We kept trying to ask if we were in Vietri Sul Mare. She just kept talking and motioning for us to follow her. We did until she pointed to another set of steps leading down to a dark building. We think she was directing us to a tourist office in there but weren’t sure so we thanked her for her help. Not knowing where we were, we saw a young girl and asked her if she spoke English. Happy days, she did and told us we were in Vietri Sul Mare, known for its ceramics. We popped in and out of the many shops with beautiful ceramic pieces. We would have loved to have purchased some but kept reminding ourselves we didn’t have luggage space to carry them back. Note to selves – pack an empty bag for bringing back souvenirs or take less clothes.

Vietri Sul Mare

One of the many ceramic shops

Vicolo della Neve, a fantastic restaurant serving traditional foods in a traditional style, was recommended by the tourist agent we talked to about sites to see in and around Salerno. Ivano, our waiter, spoke no English but was wonderful and very animated. The foods - eggplant parmesan, pasta fagioli, peppers stuffed with anchovies, and other dishes, were in large pans in a glass case. The diners would choose their meal and the waiters would spoon out large portions into a pan to be taken to the kitchen and reheated. Baskets of bread were provided for soaking up sauces and juices.

October 14 (Tuesday) – Another train trip, passing through some gorgeous countryside, to see the Paestum ruins. The main features were the standing remains of three major temples dating from the first half of the 6^th century BC. These were a basilica and temples of Neptune and Ceres. The local National Museum featured painted tombs from both the Greek and Lucanian periods. This is the only example of a complete Greek fresco from the era around 470 BC. Buffalo mozzarella was made here in the traditional manner.

The Greek ruins of Paestum

From Paestum we went to Agropoli where nothing was open because we arrived during siesta time. Shops wouldn’t reopen until 5 p.m. A medieval castle was perched on top of a hill but we did not go up. After enjoying Italian beers at a seaside bar, we caught the train back to Salerno.

The sleepy town of Agropoli on the Cilento Coast

La Botte Pazza, #5 on Trip Advisor, was our choice for dinner. A fantastic dining experience that included the chef describing the evening's menu and free, red or white wine!

The chef presenting the menu at La Botte Pazza

October 15 (Wednesday) – We took the ferry to Positano, a small Amalfi Coast seaside village west of the town of Amalfi that is built on the steep hillside which leads to the sea. It was a cloudy and overcast day which helped to keep the heat down as we wandered the steep and scenic streets. There is a church which contains a black Madonna icon with an interesting, although untrue, legend. As the story goes, pirates had stolen the Madonna from Byzantium. Their ship was hit by a storm off the coast of Positano and they heard a voice telling them to leave the Madonna behind. The icon was dropped off at Positano and the storm abated. Sounds like a good pirate story for the locals to tell the tourists.

Positano

Canolli - yummy!

October 16 (Thursday) – A stay home to rest my weary body day. Got laundry done and had pizza for lunch and Greek food at Mythos restaurant for dinner. This was our first non-Italian meal.

October 18 (Saturday) – One more Amalfi Coast village to see before returning home. We took the bus to Amalfi, known as the most scenic village along the coast. From here, we hopped another bus which wound its way up the very twisty road to the beautiful hill-top village of Ravello. The views here were breathtaking. No ferry could reach this village.

Amalfi

A lunch of mussels and sardines

October 19 (Sunday) – Sadly, this was the day to pack for our return home.

October 20 (Monday) – Planes, trains, and automobiles. It was time to start our journey back home. Walk to train station, towing luggage behind; train to Naples then scary taxi ride (driver was a maniac, making three lanes out of two, regardless of oncoming traffic) to airport.

First leg was a flight to Stuttgart, Germany; next flight was a turboprop to Dusseldorf where we overnighted at a very comfortable, clean and cute inn, Hotel Destination 21. We took a taxi from the airport to the inn and the inn’s owner drove us to the airport the next morning in his Mercedes.

After six weeks of eating Italian food, we enjoyed a dinner of schnitzel, french fries, and German beer at Ikaros restaurant.

October 21 (Tuesday) – Compared to the Italian airports, especially Naples which was very confusing and people were rude, the German airports and countryside were neat and clean. People were very friendly and helpful. We boarded our plane for an eleven hour flight to Miami.

The airplane hit bumps often, trying to dodge a hurricane/tropical storm sweeping up into Europe, bringing wind and rain. Evidently, we had gotten out of Europe just in time since we had had fantastic weather during our 6 weeks.

Crazy thing was it was still October 21, Tuesday, when we arrived in Miami. We gained back those six hours we had lost. With the Ebola and Islamic State concerns going on, it wasn’t easy re-entering the USA. It took over an hour to get through Customs, get our luggage, and get our rental car. After a four hour drive, we made it home, dropping the luggage, and quickly going to bed.

Italy was definitely amazing. We were going to miss it but it was good to be home. Facing the realities would have to wait until tomorrow though.

Remember... "Enjoy life, it's not a dress rehearsal"

Italy - Tuscany Region

2014-09-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

September 24 (Wednesday) Today, we took a high-speed train from Venice to Florence. Why is it called a high-speed train? Because it travels at a higher speed than the regular trains and arrives ten minutes earlier. The bathroom on the train was high tech. I was challenged to find a way to flush the toilet, dispense the soap, turn on the water and the hand dryer.

The toilet on the high-speed train wasn’t my only challenge. On the train to Lucca, I got stuck between two cars and couldn't figure out how to open door. I frantically pounded on the door and, luckily, Ken heard me and told me to push a button. Whew!

Even with the GPS on Ken’s phone, we took the long way from the train station into the city of Lucca. Ken wanted to go through the medieval wall surrounding the city, but I took him up and over. This wouldn’t have been so bad except Ken had to lift and carry the two large, heavy suitcases. He was not a happy Italian tourist!

A portion of the Lucca wall

Our apartment was on the fourth floor. To get to it, we took the elevator to the third floor, walked up ½ a flight of steps and had to go through a gate and then go up the last ½ flight. There were many security measures to get in and out. On our first time trying to get out, we forgot how to open the gate so we could go downstairs to the elevator. Fortunately, some other guests were coming up and showed us.

The view from our apartment

September 25 (Thursday) – The bakery chimney was only 50 feet away from the apartment. We could look out our kitchen window and see the smoke. But best of all, we could smell the bread baking. Yummy!

The bakery is making bread!

Narrow roads provided a maze throughout the old city, shared by cars, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcycle riders. It could get a little tight sometimes but everybody seemed to make it through – or did they? We heard the ambulance and police sirens all day long and often wondered if some cyclist got side-swiped. (Click here to play sound). They were the same everywhere. They made me think of the Keystone Cops.

A street in Lucca

September 26 (Friday) – The top of the wall surrounding Lucca was a beautiful relaxing place to walk, bike, or sit and enjoy the views. On one of our walks, we stopped half way around and exited back down into the city to enjoy lunch at the #2 place on TripAdvisor in Lucca, La Tana del Boia. At the shop owner’s suggestion we tried a fresh raw pork sausage with smoked ricotta sandwich. It was different and we did not get sick! I would not try this in the US.

A portion of the path atop the wall

La Tana del Boia

September 27 (Saturday) – Sometimes an organized tour is the best way to go. We opted for one to visit Cinque Terre (five lands) where all towns slope down to sea-level except for one. Rio Maggiore was first, the southern-most of the five towns. Our van let us out at the top of town and we meandered down the steep hill, stopping for a coffee so we could utilize the free toilette. From here, we boarded a ferry to our next stops. Of the five villages, we were only able to visit four. Corniglia was perched on top of a tall cliff, not accessible by ferry.

Rio Maggiore

Manarola was the smallest village and had only one street. The street was lined with boats, at least on the lower part of it. I would hate to have to move those boats up and down the street to the sea and back.

Manarola

Vernazza was also a one-street town with a church by the water, remains of the old wall which protected them from pirates, and a castle.

Vernazza

Monterosso al Mare was the most northern village and was actually two towns, an old town and a newer one, connected by a short road tunnel, for pedestrians only. This town was not as steep as the others. Because of their close proximity to the sea, fresh anchovies were a must to eat! For lunch, we enjoyed anchovies Laguria style with tomato sauce and anchovies marinated in lemon. This was also white wine country and they grew lemons and small black olives used for olive oil.

Lunch of anchovies & wine in Monterosso al Mare

September 29 (Monday) - To get to Siena we had to change trains in Pisa & Empoli. Less English was spoken here than Venice. When Ken asked a girl if this was the Pisa stop, she said yes. It was one of them but not the one we wanted. Luckily, we were able to get on the next train to Pisa Centrale and then to Empoli and then to Siena.

A view of the countryside surrounding Siena

The heart of Siena was its central piazza, Il Campo, where a Roman forum used to be. Il Campo is known worldwide for the famous Palio run, a horse race run around the piazza twice every summer. Watch the James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, to see Siena and the Palio.

Il Campo in Siena

Siena's Duomo (Cathedral)

Siena is said to have been founded by Senius, son of Remus, one of the two legendary founders of Rome. You could see Siena’s emblem, the she-wolf suckling Remus and Romulus, throughout the city.

Siena's emblem

September 30 (Tuesday) – Venturing outside the walled city of Lucca, we walked around. That evening, back inside the walls, we had dinner at Trattoria Ubaldo, a funky place to eat. This was our first non-pasta, pizza, or antipasto meal. Walking home after dinner, we stopped at the store and bought food and wine for Wednesday. It was predicted to be a rainy day and we wanted to be prepared.

Piazza Anfiteatro at dusk

October 1 (Wednesday) – Sure enough, we awoke to thunder, lightning and rain. This was a stay-in day. I read and got two loads of laundry washed. Ken had cabin fever by the afternoon so he went out and got a haircut.

Thursday was another day of rest.

October 3 (Friday) - Today we visited Florence. Because Florence is a large city with so many historical sites, we opted for a walking tour. Our guide was great. She was young and definitely knew her history. She spoke excellent English (she grew up in FL). When not leading tours, she did some acting and this just added to the flair of her tour presentation. After the tour, we found the central market and walked around. It was similar to others we had visited in Latin American countries, but it was much cleaner. We walked along the Arno River and crossed the Ponte Vecchio. There was so much art outside that we did not have to venture into museums and pay the high admission fees.

There are many scooters in Florence!

One of the many statues in Florence

The magnificent Florence Duomo

Florence's Ponte Vecchio (old bridge)

October 4 (Saturday) – Today was a beautiful day. We took a morning walk to the Lucca Wednesday/Saturday market for photos and bought a roasted chicken and potatoes for dinner. Then we walked again in the afternoon before coming home for dinner. Ken was able to get the TN/FL football game on his tablet.

October 5 (Sunday) - I washed a load of clothes in the morning and we went out for a walk. We bought a sandwich and took it to the top of the wall for a picnic. We had dinner at Restaurante Antica Drogheria, well-known for their pizza.

October 6 (Monday) – It was almost time to leave this wonderful area of Tuscany, and we still had more to see. We took the train to Pisa which was not very crowded at all. It seemed we took a zillion photos of the leaning tower. It leaned in all of them.

Pisa's Duomo and leaning tower

The Arno river in Pisa

Having had a good dinner at Ubaldo's in Lucca, we decided to dine there again. Yummy!

October 7 (Tuesday) – How many people get to go to Italy and celebrate their birthday? I did! Today was my birthday. We began the day packing because we were moving on tomorrow. During our Italian language classes prior to our trip, our instructor had mentioned a must-have steak while in Tuscany. This is what I chose for us to eat for my birthday. Every picture we saw and every description we had read described the Bisteca alla Fiorentina as being a 3-inch thick T-bone steak served rare and ordered by weight. Sharing was a must! We found a restaurant, Baralla, that served it. These steaks must come from the Chianina or Maremmana cattle raised in the Tuscany area. We ordered 800kg, the minimum weight, which, according to our waitress, would be enough to share. What a disappointing meal after all the hype. When we were served, the steak was thin, rare at the bone and medium toward the outside. But my birthday was still a happy one.

Happy birthday, Jamey!

Italy - Veneto Region

2014-09-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

After a 5-hour layover in Dusseldorf, we had less than a 90-minute flight to Venice and, again, no customs to go through. Out of the airport, we turned left and walked, pulling our luggage behind us, to the dock to board the orange-line vaporetto (water taxi). The taxi took us to our stop to meet the manager of our apartment in the Dorsoduro sestiere (neighborhood), a quiet area except when the bells from the church tower, close (really close) by the apartment, rang.

Arriving in Venice

Waiting at Ca' Rezzonico vaporetto stop

The view from our apartment in Venice

September 11 (Thursday) - We slept well after our long journey. The morning was cool and drizzly but the sun came out and it was a gorgeous day. We went out for breakfast, coffee and croissants. (The Italians do not eat large breakfasts. No eggs, bacon and toast!) Then, we walked around, taking pictures and seeing the sights. We had to go to a cell phone store to get a SIM card for the phone we were going to use in Italy. We had lunch at a cicchetti (pronounced chikettee and means small plates) with an ombra (small glass of local wine) standing outside by the canal. Then we went to the grocery store to get tortellini with prosciutto crudo and fresh pesto and salad, to prepare for our dinner, as well as orange juice, milk, cereal, rolls, soap and paper products.

A lunch of cicchetti and wine

Venice was a maze of canals. No roads entered or ran through this historical city of waterways. Everything moved on the water – deliveries of produce, beer, ice cream, packages/mail, construction materials, even cement mixers; ambulances, police, fire boats; taxis. You name it, it moved via the water – unless you were on pedi power. We walked miles and miles up and over bridges and back and forth on the stone paths – sometimes running alongside the canals and sometimes squeezed between buildings.

The Grand Canal

A smaller canal

September 12 (Friday) – Ken discovered the telephone forwarding he had set up from home to our Italian cell phone was not working which kept him occupied last night and this morning.

We finally got out, wanting soup for lunch but couldn't find any at a reasonable price. We went to a Mediterranean place and had a late lunch, staying close to the apartment because of the weather. After lunch, we stopped for lattes and came home for a while. About 7:00 PM we went out for dinner (Italians don’t come out for dinner until 8:00 or 9:00 PM) and shared a meat/cheese antipasto plate. It was cool and misty all day.

September 13 (Saturday) – Italy has a fantastic rail system. There were five cruise ships scheduled to come into Venice today so we took the regular 2nd-class train from the Santa Lucia station to Bologna, passing through agricultural land.

Bolonga

Bolonga Flower festival

In Bologna, we took a city bus tour, walked through the food market, and stopped at a street-side cafe for a 'spritz', the Italian national drink. Strolling around the city, we came upon a beautiful flower festival. Later, we ate pasta with, what else, Bolognese sauce then caught the last train home.

Our introduction to the "Spritz"

Tagliatelle pasta with Bolognese sauce

September 14 (Sunday) – This was a very special day and we were in very special place to celebrate our 30^th wedding anniversary. It’s amore! We took a gondola ride in the evening during sunset. Our gondolier did not sing, but we passed by others who were serenading their passengers. There are 433 gondolas in Venice.

Celebrating our 30th anniversary

Dinner at Locanda Montin

There are 118 islands and 421 bridges in Venice and I think we walked over and through most of them!

Italians drink a lot of wine because: 1) It's good for you, and 2) it's inexpensive! In Venice, there are wine shops that sell locally-produced wines, in bulk. They sell you a refillable glass or plastic bottle and when you finish the contents, you return to the store and they will refill it! Did I mention that it's inexpensive?

Wine store in Venice

September 15 (Monday) – Venice is also divided into districts. Today, we walked to Cannaregio, the Jewish district and toured three of the five synagogues – built by the Germans, French, and Italian. There were reported to have been 1000 Jews in Venice. Most escaped during the Nazi invasion; however 485+/- were taken to concentration camps. Only 8 returned. No one knows what happened to the remaining people.

One of the synagogues in the Jewish Ghetto

During the occupation, Jews were actually needed. They were the only ones who could lend money, be doctors or sell second-hand clothes. Christians were not allowed to do these things.

Did you know that it was actually a Pope who decreed the Jews had to wear the yellow star? Also, at first, the word ghetto was pronounced jetto? Because the Germans could not say the 'j' sound, the term ghetto was used.

Because we were in the Jewish district, we had lunch at a kosher Jewish restaurant. Jamey had Masabacha (hummus) with eggplant.

September 16 (Tuesday) – We took a boat tour to some of the islands - Murano, Burano, and Torcello. Murano was famous for its glass and we saw some beautiful and very expensive pieces and a demonstration of glass blowing. Torcello was known for an old church built in the 15th century. Burano women made beautiful lace and there are tablecloths, clothing and many other items available made with their interesting handiwork; Burano was a fishing village with many colorful houses and a leaning bell tower. The Bussola Butanello cookies come from here. We couldn’t leave without buying some.

Sculpting glass in Murano

Lacemaker in Burano

The colorful town of Burano

Pomegranate tree in Torcello

September 17 (Wednesday) - We have been in Venice one week. We walked to the Rialto Market and back this morning and then went out for lunch.

Rialto Market

All types of fresh produce

September 18 (Thursday) Once again, we took the train. This time to Verona, site of many Roman ruins. We found a restaurant for lunch and made use of the free toilet. This was a surprise! The toilet was unisex, which wasn’t unusual in Italy, but instead of a bowl you would sit on, there was a porcelain bowl set flush in the floor with a place on each side for your feet. Women had to squat. Thank goodness for strong quads!

Verona

Roman amphitheatre built in 1st century

September 19 (Friday) – Planning ahead for relocation to Lucca next Wednesday, we walked to the train station to buy tickets. Then we walked through the maze of paths (getting lost even though we had a map and were using GPS on Ken's phone) to a mask-maker's shop to purchase our souvenir - a mask replicating the one's doctor’s wore during the plague. The doctor would stuff the long beak with herbs and straw to filter out the bad air.

Maskmaker at La Bottega dei Mascareri

September 20 (Saturday) – To get to the train station next Wednesday with all our luggage, we opted to take a Vaporetto (water taxi). We had to go to the train station to purchase the Vaporetto tickets. Then we walked around a part of Venice where we had not been and which was much quieter.

Clotheslines are everywhere in Venice

September 21 (Sunday) - B86, I107, B92. No, we were not playing bingo. These were ticket numbers to get Information and buy train tickets from an agent. First, you get a ticket and wait until you’re called to get information on trains available. Then you get another ticket and wait on the agent to call your number to purchase your ticket. Ticket, ticket, who has the ticket? You can also buy your train tickets from a vending machine if you have cash or a 'chip and pin' credit card. Our chipped card required a signature so it could not be used.

We got an early morning start to the train station to buy tickets to Bassano del Grappa. After wading through the mass of walkers in Venice for the Nordic Walk, we went in the station, but our number, B86, was way down the list. Ken purchased our tickets with cash (Euros) from a vending machine. Looking at the electronic sign, track-side, for which platform to board our train, we saw that it was canceled. Oh smack! We had to go back inside the station and get another ticket and wait once again for an agent. Due to a scheduled strike, there were no regular trains running today. We were able to get our money back and would have to start all over again tomorrow.

The day was not wasted though. We actually found Sant' Elena Park at the far eastern end of Venice, a beautiful place with grass and trees and very few people.

Sant' Elena Park

Enjoying an afternoon break in a quiet area of Venice

September 22 (Monday) – Today was our lucky day. There were no scheduled strikes so we took the train to Bassano del Grappa and ate a typical pasta for lunch, Bogli with (duck) Anitra sauce and later tried grappa which is distilled there. We walked across the Ponte Vecchio, a wooden bridge dating back to the 12th century which was the only bridge not destroyed during WWII bombings.

Bassano del Grappa

View from the Ponte degli Alpini

Luckily, we made it home in time to miss a torrential hail storm. We had to close the shutters because the hail was blowing against the windows so hard we were afraid the glass would shatter. In the shady areas of the walkways, piles of hail (the size of marbles) lingered for a couple of days.

Italy Was Amazing!

2014-09-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

It took a year of planning to become a reality, but we made it to Italy, September 8 – October 21, 2014, for an amazing vacation. “Six weeks???” people asked, astonishingly. Yes, six-weeks, which allowed us ample time to see and experience the life, sounds, food, and sights of much of three different regions – Veneto, Tuscana, and Campania.

As "icing on the cake", we celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary and Jamey’s birthday while there.

Please enjoy our tales and photos as we traveled through the land of amore.

We started our journey on Monday, Sept. 8th, by driving to Miami and spending the night in a motel.

On Tuesday we got up at 5:30 AM after a restless night in order to get to the airport for a 9:50 AM flight to Chicago. The plane finally lifted off about 10-15 minutes late. We had about a 3-hour layover in Chicago and then boarded a full airplane for the 8-hour, 4456-mile flight to Dusseldorf, Germany. Upon arrival, we set our clocks ahead 6-hours. It was now Wednesday, September 10th.

Surprisingly, there was no custom's card to complete when entering Germany. We did have to show our passports to a Custom official who just asked us why we were coming to Germany and how long we would be in Italy. I guess we looked innocent enough because we were allowed through.

Dusseldorf’s airport was beautiful and extremely clean with high-end shops. We had to exit the security area to find an ATM so Ken could get Euros before arriving in Venice.

Our first interesting experience was when Ken went to buy a bottle of water. There were two bottles side by side. One had a blue label and said Natural; the other had a green label and said Medium. Ken asked the cashier what the difference was. She said one was natural and the other had gas. Maybe it was because we were so tired, but we thought this was funny. This was our lesson on the two kinds of bottled water available in Europe. We were told that only bottled water was sold and served in Italian restaurants since it was illegal to provide customers a glass of tap water.

Eastern Caribbean Cruise

2014-01-22T13:21:00.002-05:00

Celebrity Reflection docked in St. Thomas, USVI

We just returned from a cruise aboard the Celebrity Reflection to San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas and St. John, USVI; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.

Take a look at the photo slide show on our website: Eastern Caribbean Cruise

San Miguel de Allende, MX - Week 8

2013-07-29T10:36:00.000-04:00

With one and a half weeks left in SMA, we're winding down but we're still on the lookout for things to do and see.

Cuna de Allende

After dinner Sunday night, we walked to the Jardin where a concert was scheduled as part of the Guanajuato International Film Festival. The first band to play was Mud Howlers. The evening was the first in a long time that we didn't have rain so the streets and park were packed with people and dogs. The music was more hard rock than we liked so we left early.

"I liked the music"

Tuesday night we ate dinner at Bahji, a curry house, and had samosas, garlic naan and some break-out-in-sweat hot Ceylon curry with chicken. Delicious!

Bahji Curry House

Our VOIP telephone rang at 3 a.m. Wednesday and woke Jamey; Ken slept right through it. There's nothing more startling that being woken by a ringing phone. Once she woke up enough to realize what the noise was, grabbed her glasses, and raced to the computer, Jamey discovered it was an unidentified caller. Ken researched the call and discovered it was a scam caller (usually originating overseas) that try to get into VOIP systems. Luckily, Jamey didn't answer the call.

Police will remove your plate if you're illegally parked

Thursday was our final day for a manicure/pedicure for Jamey and another hair cut for Ken. With only one week before our return home, we had a list of restaurants we wanted to try to get to. We chose La Sirena Gorda (The Fat Mermaid) for our dinner. This restaurant offered a casual bar atmosphere and served unique drinks like ginger margaritas or martinis and unusual bar foods like steamed artichokes and seafood tostadas and tacos. Needless to say, this was definitely a gringo hang out. The ginger margarita was delicious!

La Sirena Gorda

Saturday was a gorgeous day and we joined our neighbors Kathy and Bob and went to Ranchito Mi Sueño to watch team sorting. Fun, fun, fun and lots of sun, sun, sun! Even the children took part.

Ranchito Mi Sueño

Chuck, the owner of the ranch had a
replica of the Alamo constructed

Rancito Mi Sueño owner, Chuck, on right

Team Sorting

Contestants try to move 10 bulls from one pen to another.

A team of 2 riders enters an hour glass shaped corral and has 90 seconds to move 10 young bulls to the other part of the corral. The judge calls the first number and the bulls must be moved in numerical order. All bulls have a numbered necklace. This replicates work on a ranch when animals needed to be sorted, to sell or keep. Each team has 3 opportunities and accumulates points for the day and also for the year. Teams with the most points split the prize money, 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

Spectators become experts quickly and verbally assist the teams.

Charro waiting his turn to compete

Team Sorting action

One of the contestants was Deborah Axton, widow of country music singer Hoyt Axton. We got to meet her and she graciously gave us a lift back into town after the event.

Jamey, Deborah, and Ken

Future charro practicing his roping

Sunday was another gorgeous day. The sun was shining and the sky was clear and blue. We walked to a restaurant, Kuni Doni, for a brunch of Mexican flavors - eggs in ranchero (red) sauce, potatoes and cactus (nopales), chile rellenos, beef (res) fajita, corn (maiz) tortillas, French toast with jamaica marmalade (marmalade made from red hibiscus flower - so yummy). Then we walked back in time to rest before a special sunset dinner.

Tonight's dinner at Sicilia in Boca was the best by far for the food and the view. The cuisine was Sicilian (Italian) and superb. Jamey had traditional beef rolls, stuffed with bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, and pine nuts; the server said the beef was suave (very tender) and it was. Ken ordered chicken breast with a Sicilian tomato sauce; it was accompanied by a wonderful salad of romain, oranges, green olives, red onions, and shredded carrot with a sweet balsamic vinegar dressing. A Sicilian wine, Nero d'Avola - Syrah, was a wonderful pairing.

Restaurante Sicilia en Bocca

El Centro

A wonderful meal and view

We started our dinner by sitting on the terrace overlooking San Miguel, but as the rain moved in, so did we. We finished our dessert (chocolate mousse with chili) and watched the storm, including lightning, move across the town below. This was a perfect evening!

Rain storms moving through San Miguel

Fond memories of San Miguel de Allende:

Multi-colored bougainvillea in full bloom. When the breeze blows, it tosses the petals around like confetti.
Hummingbirds
Cool, dry air and blue skies
Thunder rolling over the mountains, warning of rain coming with big fat drops
Walking - everywhere (SMA is considered a healthy city, as mentioned in an earlier blog)
Amazing surprises behind ornate wooden doors set in colonial period rock walls

Lavados en El Chorro - where many in the
community still do their washing

This will be our last posting on this blog as we prepare for our departure on Thursday (Ken's birthday). We bid you hasta luego and leave you with these gorgeous sunset views from San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.

The setting Sun illuminates clouds over mountain

Hasta Luego, San Miguel

San Miguel de Allende, MX - Week 7

2013-07-21T14:02:00.000-04:00

The blues' concert we went to last Sunday night was pitiful and we left early. The evening was too beautiful to go back home immediately so we walked slowly and stopped in the Jardin (park) to people-watch.

Mexico is a "pluricultural" country. Spanish is not the only language of Mexico; there are over 62 indigenous languages spoken by the 12 million indigenous people (11-13% of population) of Mexico. These people were pushed out, down, and away into undesirable lands just like we did the Native Americans.

Tuesday, July 16, we had an appointment to tour the mask museum. This was a private collection of over 500 masks by the owner (Bill) of the B&B, Casa de la Cuesta (house on the slope). These were masks that were actually used in dances/ceremonies by the indigenous people, the majority living in extreme rural areas where tourists do not travel.

View from Casa de la Cuesta

Masks were mainly introduced in the post-conquistador era and their role was social and ceremonial. The ceremonies, or festivals, were (and still are) performed on the feast day of a village's patron saint, major religious holidays, and other major holidays for Mexico.

The sales area of the Mask Museum

All of the masks were hand crafted (wood or paper-mache). Jamey had been wanting a mask (not to wear but to display) and, luckily, Bill had some for sale. We did not leave empty handed.

How do we know something special is coming up in MX? First clue, the band practices in the evenings; second clue, the fireworks and church bells wake us up at 6 a.m. on the day of the event. We had no idea what made this Tuesday special until we were walking home from the mask museum. We saw a gathering of people along the sidewalks and in the streets. There was a procession of people carrying a statue and banners; the band was playing; people were singing. Jamey asked a couple of people and was told this was a celebration of Virgen del Carmen.

Procession through the streets of San Miguel

The procession marched around the square and as they entered the church, boys in the belfry started ringing the bells. Hopefully, they had ear protection because those were big bells and they were loud.

After some R&R and a brief afternoon thunderstorm, we walked to the nearby Ten Ten Pie (pee ay) restaurant for dinner. All their meat was grilled. Ken had arrachera and Jamey enjoyed a kabob of beef and shrimp. Jamey started with a glass of red wine and then switched to a top shelf mezcal (Jaral de Berrio Reposado). She insisted she had to have some chocolate with it and so we did - delicious chocolate cake. Just after we returned home, it started raining again.

Lupe, a wonderful and dependable young woman, came Wednesday to clean the condo. She does the laundry first so she can hang it on the line (no dryer) early in hopes it will dry before the afternoon thunderstorms begin. However, on this Wednesday, the 17th, the thunder started earlier than anticipated and boomed loudly and repeatedly, warning us of the imminent rain. Jamey dashed out and hauled in wet sheets and towels. We had bannisters, chairs, and other surfaces draped with wet laundry.

The rain continued through the afternoon and dinner time. There was a brief break so Ken went for a walk. The Jardin is the place people gather. This night there were people dressed in costume, performing living history tours. The tours were in Spanish so he did not follow the troupe but sat in the park and listened to mariachis perform, watched children play, and observed people strolling around. Raindrops roused him and he got home before the heavy rain began once again.

Templo de la Tercera Orden

Rain continued through the night and Thursday morning began as a gray day; but the sun was shining before 10 a.m. - the time most people come out to begin their day and work. (2 more weeks left in SMA) That evening we ventured out, clutching umbrellas, to try pizza at El Grotto. The chorizo sausage and mushroom on a cracker-crisp crust was delicious and there wasn't even a crumb left behind. As we ate, we could watch the street below from our upstairs table in a quiet corner.

The rain returned for most of the night and Friday's forecast was a little "iffy". That afternoon we walked back to into town to The Pocket (or The Petite) Theater. There were only 20 seats and the price of a ticket got you a bag of popcorn and drink of your choice (mixed or otherwise).

The Pocket Theatre

The foyer of the Pocket Theatre

Ken had noticed that a British "comedy", Sightseers, was playing. What he didn't notice in the review was that it was a "dark" comedy. After the first hour, Jamey got up and walked out; there was too much brutality. Two others (there were only 4 in the theater to begin with) had gotten up and walked out earlier. Ken was the only one to watch the movie to the end and he didn't reveal the ending. Thunder and rain returned while Jamey was waiting on Ken and we, carefully, walked home on slippery stone sidewalks.

Beggar woman, San Miguel

The elote (corn) man was walking up our street as we neared home so we bought an ear of corn to have with our homemade tamales for dinner while the rain continued.

Saturday, July 21, we had reservations for dinner at La Zarzuela Restaurant, for paella. This restaurant was located in what was the stable area of the 300-year-old Hacienda de Landeta. This was a beautiful setting. Even with the insectos buzzing around, the paella, a bottle of Spanish wine, and the chocolate volcano dessert were wonderful.

Hacienda de Landeta

Paella & Vino Rioja

Because of the location of the restaurant, we had to take a taxi. On our way up to el mirador (the overlook) we noticed how the hillsides had turned a vibrant verde (green) from the marron (brown) they had been when we arrived, June 1. The rain has been doing its thing, giving life back to the earth

San Miguel de Allende, MX - Week 6

2013-07-14T12:36:00.000-04:00

We've had quite a bit of rain tossed over the mountains from Hurricane Erick on the Pacific side. The rain makes the flora more vibrant, the air much cooler, and the joints creak as if rusty. So far, July has felt more like the Pacific Northwest (US).

Cafe La Ventana (The Window)

Because of so much rain, we haven't ventured out as often or as far as in the past. Monday, July 8, we did go out to get more coffee, to the FedEx shop to check on shipping charges, through the Escuela de Bellas Artes and in and out of several shops. Shipping from MX to US is very expensive. We had found some beautiful ceramic vases; they were too large and heavy to pack in our suitcases. The shipping to the US was more than the cost of the vases so we'll leave them on the shelf in the shop for another buyer to enjoy. We still have no souvenirs.

Escuela de Bellas Artes

Mural in Escuela de Bellas Artes

The skies over the mountains were very dark and Jamey urged Ken homeward. We walked as briskly as the cobblestone streets and narrow sidewalks would allow as big fat raindrops began to fall. Just as we walked in the door, the bottom fell out; later, the sun came back out for a brief bit but the clouds soon covered us again to unload the rain through the night.

Los Portales de San Miguel

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were beautiful days. Thursday, Ken met Jamey after her manicure and we walked to Mercado de San Juan de Dios for lunch and we ate huaraches, "a popular Mexican dish consisting of an oblong, fried masa base, with a variety of toppings including green or red salsa, onions, potato, cilantro and any manner of protein such as ground beef or tongue, and then finished with queso fresco cheese". (Wikipedia) The word also describes a sandal worn by the Mexicans; the masa base is formed like the sole of the shoe, thus the interpretation. We had our masa grilled, instead of fried, and topped with picadillo.

Huaraches at Mercado de San Juan de Dios

Meandering towards home, we found new shops we had not been in before and stopped to peruse them. It always amazes us what you find behind these beautiful doorways in the walls along the streets. They hold such wonders and treasures. But then dark clouds rolling across the mountains made us quicken our steps and direct our sights towards home.

Templo de San Juan de Dios

Friday was a simple day of replenishing the larder, doing laundry and staying in.

Saturday was a gorgeous day and we made the best of it by heading out to breakfast and more wandering with the purpose of accomplishing specific errands. Across from the restaurant, there were arts and crafts set up by local Mexican artists. These native artists' works often get lost in the fray of the large artist community that has established itself in San Miguel. There were beautiful colorful handmade woolen rugs, dyed naturally; wooden utensils; jewelry made from leather, glass beads, and stones; pictures and books made from handmade paper; handwoven baskets; and so much more. We were lucky to find some items here.

Breakfast at Maison de San Jose

We checked on shuttle pick-up times to transport us back to Queretaro on the morning of our departure, purchased tickets for Sunday night to a blues concert at the Teatro Angela Peralta, and ran several other errands. We had eaten a late breakfast so were not hungry for lunch but were ready for something to drink as we headed home. We stopped at a nearby stand and shared a blender of fresh juices - naranja, pina, y fresa (orange, pineapple and strawberry). That quenched our thirst and gave us the pick-me-up to continue home.

Teatro Angela Peralta

Templo de la Inmaculada Concepción

Trimming shrubbery at Hotel La Aldea

Girls in a window

Windows

San Miguel de Allende, MX - Week 5

2013-07-07T18:21:00.000-04:00

Time is flying. Here we are reporting on our fifth week in this beautiful colonial city of San Miguel de Allende (SMA). Each day has been gorgeous, even with the afternoon thunderstorms that roll in over the mountains. We certainly wouldn't be able to sit out on rooftops in Florida like we do here.

Friday night, June 28, we joined friends and went to a gathering for game night. Now those of you who know Ken know that he is not a game lover. But he was a trooper and went along. We joined a table playing Mexican Dominoes and really had a good time.

As mentioned earlier in our blog, SMA is known as a city for/of women. El Refugio De Los Recuerdos (The Refuge of Memories) is being built on the outskirts of SMA to celebrate the many talented women who have come to SMA. It is modeled from The Little Chapel of Guernsey, UK. Like the Little Chapel, the Capilla will be covered with mosaic made up of mementos, pottery, tile, and seashells. Stained glass mosaics were made by girls from Ojala Ninos, a non-profit program that provides free classes in art, music and literacy to over 100 children living in poverty in rural SMA.

Chapel at El Refugio De Los Recuerdos

On Saturday, June 29, we attended a party to celebrate this contribution to women, as well as celebrate a man's birthday who contributes to the volunteer efforts of Ojala Ninos. One famous woman, now living in SMA, Olivia Cole, was also an attendee and we got to see her. You may remember Olivia from her role in the TV movie, Roots. She played the character, Matilda, who marries 'Chicken George'.

A private home located on the same piece of property where the Refugio is being built provided a baño, bathroom, for the use of mujeres,women (the señores, men, had to go behind the red tent). In every place we have visited in MX, we have been told that the locals often build homes without a finished roof so that it can't be permitted as complete; therefore, the owners do not have to pay taxes. We don't know if this was the reason but this private home did not have a completed roof. The bedroom and bath were roofed. The house bath had modern fixtures but no running water. To flush the toilet, one had to pour in water from a bucket. With all the women there, the buckets kept running dry; where the water came from to fill the buckets, we never knew. (The house was unfinished in more ways than one.)

Men's Baño

As in all our travels, eating is a big part of our enjoyment, as the photos taken by Ken attest to. Brunch at the Posada Corazon, a beautiful B&B, was recommended to us and we went Sunday, June 30. The property and views were gorgeous. We selected a table outside on the terrace and enjoyed the gardens as smells of jasmine wafted towards us in the breeze.

Sunday brunch at Posada Corazon

Water Lily at Posada Corazon

Courtyard at Posada Corazon

The temperature was in the 70's and there was a gentle breeze blowing. After eating and photographs were taken, we walked down to El Jardin to people watch and then strolled down to the Parque Principal (main park). Walking back home, we popped in and out of shops. Jamey found 2 tops to buy - no souvenirs yet though. This was such a great way to spend a Sunday.

The Parroquia, alway a good subject!

We're into our second month, July, already so we decided a second trip to the Tuesday tianguis (market/flea market) was called for. On July 2 we went with Bob and Kathy there on the bus, standing room only, and back in a taxi. We came home with freshly made ceviche, tomatoes, potatoes, poblanos, bananas, plantain, limes, fish and shrimp. We enjoyed the ceviche and crackers for lunch with some left over for tomorrow. This was the best ceviche we've had since we've been in SMA.

That evening we had invited several people to join us on our mirador (rooftop terrace) for happy hour; however, most had prior commitments. But Bob and Kathy and we got together; it was a beautiful evening with a continuing breeze which cooled us off. We just relaxed up there and talked and shared stories. It was a great evening!

Restaurante Meson de San Jose

Wednesday morning, Jamey returned to the mattress stuffing gathering. There were quite a few more people and many were first timers, like Jamey had been last week. Several were visitors to SMA and had read about the charity in the weekly newspaper. We finished stuffing the mattress we had worked on last week and actually got another one more than half stuffed.

For dinner, we walked to the restaurant, Ole-Ole. Can you guess what the motif was? We shared an order of chicken and beef fajitas. There was a breast of chicken and a beef fillet, each flattened to about 1/8" and grilled. Then they were scored into thin strips. There was a little grilled onion, a grilled jalapeno and some raw carrot slices. They were not brought out smoking and sizzling like in the states but were very good.

Dinner at restaurante Ole-Ole

With all the pictures of bull fights, matadors, and mounted bull heads on the walls, I asked our waitress if all the bulls were killed. She just nodded her head. For all we knew, we might have been eating Taurus or Fernando.

Feliz cuatro de Julio (Happy July 4th). Even though this is not a holiday in Mexico, the firecrackers and cannons started at 5:45 a.m.. We don't know if these were in honor of all the gringos here in SMA or for some other reason. We got up and went out of breakfast and then grocery shopping and stayed in the remainder of the day because of off and on thunderstorms.

Friday morning, after a brief rain shower, it looked like it was going to clear up. Ken went out and finished the shopping expedition and Jamey stayed home to get some laundry washed and hung on the clothesline. Just as we sat down to lunch, a big clap of thunder made us both jump up and race outside to gather in the wet clothes. The condo had laundry hanging anywhere feasible the rest of the day and night.

Lantern and Bougainvillea

During a brief break in the showers, we walked down the street to a Chinese restaurant, Golden Dragon. There's just something appealing about eating hot steamy Chinese soup and dishes on cool rainy evenings. The clouds burst open again just as we walked back in the condo and continued through the night.

With constant storms swirling in the Pacific and Gulf, we expect off and on rain for several days. Today, Saturday, during a break in the downpours we went out to an art/craft fair at the Instituto (The School of the Art Institute Allende). Ken was smart and had not gone to the bank to get another cash advance. The vendors were not accepting tarjetas (cards, i.e. credit cards) so even though Jamey was oohing and ahhing and wishing and hoping, there was no shopping to be done except for a blueberry tart for our dessert tonight. She made Ken circle through the throngs twice though.

Art/Craft fair at Instituto Allende

Guitarist performing at Instituto

Cigar Maker at Instituto