More to come...I promise

No posts means...I've been busy.

Off to London. Cheers.

A teaser...

After arriving at CDG at 7:35pm, we took the RER B and then the metro to our hotel. By 9pm we were all checked in and checking out the room...and the view

Here's the view from our...not one, but two balconies in our hotel room in Paris.

More to come.

Recent slideshows

While on the road, I didn't have a 'great' internet connection, so uploading and posting slideshows wasn't on the top of my list.

I've made good progress in the past few days (and will finish up in the next day or so). Each slideshow has about 30 pictures. Depending upon your computer / internet speed, it may take some time to load and play.

Here they are (and there are links to the right under Photos and Slideshows)...

• Denmark and southern Sweden - my parents visited us over Easter. Lots of castles, 3 countries, walking and climbing...or as my dad said, 'training for the Olympics', many cities.
• Great Wall of China (Mutianyu section) - Chuck and I visited the Wall on a cloudy day, so some of the pictures have a morning fog to them, which is quite mystical. I returned a few days later with Marianne for some nice sunny-day pictures.
• Various sights in Beijing - Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, and the Hutongs
• Various Parks, People, and Culture in Beijing
• Pompeii, Italy
• Amalfi Coast, Italy - Home base was Sorrento, Italy, but we managed to fit in some day trips to the island of Capri and then a drive along the Amalfi Coast to Positano.
• Capri, Italy
• Vatican City, Italy
• Rome, Italy

Lug Nap Sac

What a wonderful gift for a traveler! I was so lucky to receive the Lug Nap Sac from my friend Jen for my birthday. It's always exciting to have a "you've got a package" note from the Danish post office and then to get this....even better!

Love it, love it, love it! I've been thinking about getting my own travel blanket and pillow for awhile now, but just never ordered it.

What a fantastic gift!

It is super soft and warm. The blanket is 48" x 32". And, everything zips up in an 8"x10" soft case (same material as the blanket) that also doubles as a pillow cover for the inflatable pillow.

Too cool!

So far behind

I know, I am soooo far behind in posting and getting pictures up. I do have an excuse; it's pretty lame, but an excuse nonetheless. You see, I was using Chuck's computer for the past two weeks and seem to have strained my wrist by using the laptop scrolling and select buttons, instead of a wireless mouse. That's what editing over 2000 digital photos will do to a person!

Here's my official to-do list...

1. Slideshow of Great Wall of China
2. Slideshow of parks in Beijing, China
3. Slideshow of Forbidden City in Beijing
4. Slideshow of Pompeii, Italy
5. Slideshow of Amalfi Coast, Italy
6. Slideshow of Rome, Italy
7. Posts for Rome, Italy

And, I should get all this up in the next day or so because this weekend we will be in another fabulous European city!

Shopping in Sorrento

I was starting to have shopping withdrawl as it had been a whole 3 days since my shopping spree in Beijing. Luckily, Chuck relented and went shopping with me in Sorrento...and like a good husband (or mule...or Jermaine in St. Thomas) carried all of my packages!

Sorrento is known for lemons, lemons, and more lemons. Lemons adorn just about everything you can imagine. And there are all sorts of lemon candies, chocolates, and cookies. And, of course, there has to be a lemon liquor right? Enter limoncello (lee moan chel low).

Here are some picture from Sorrento.

Sorrento is located on the cliff and the 'porto' is in the foreground. The 'porto' is where the cruise ships dock and you can take a hydrofoil over to Capri.

Lemon candles, lemon oil, lemon lotion, lemon chocolate, lemon biscuits, lemon candy, limoncello...lemons, lemons and more lemons.

An olive oil and balsamic vinegar dispenser set....just for me!

Driving in Italy

Ok, I must admit, I probably didn't think out the whole driving in Italy thing very well. Renting a car in Rome and driving south to Pompeii, then Sorrento, then over to Positano, and finally back to Rome wasn't one of my better plans.

A few thoughts...

Agressive drivers - It is definitely every man/woman/child for him/herself. There is more weaving and winding than a drunk snake in the Arizona desert.

Scooters and motorcycles - What a total pain in the butt! Apparently if you are 14 you can buy a scooter and drive it. No license, no classes, nothing. Oh, but they do wear helmets. It is shear madness having scores of scooters weave in and out of cars, on sidewalks, anywhere, just to get ahead of the cars and busses. Madness, I tell you.

I thought I saw it all while in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Two adults, a child sandwiched between them, and a carrying a propane tank on a rinky-dink scooter. Nope, two adults, two children (one of which was standing!), several backpacks and packages dangling in the wind. Wow!

Blinkers - I'm not sure why, but it seems that most folks have no idea how to turn off a blinker (let alone turn one on!). Maybe the car manufacturers here have yet to perfect the automatic blinker shut off thing when you turn a corner.

Chuck's comment after we returned the car....I'm glad that's over and now we can take a taxi.