The Roamin' eskos - Chuck and Holly Romenesko

Verde Canyon Train Ride

2011-11-20T22:41:00.006+01:00

Typically, I plan ahead. That's obviously a precursor to my next phrase....however, on this particular day, I had nothing planned. I gave Chuck several options of things to do and he chose riding the train in Verde Canyon.

What are the odds that they would be completely booked on a Wednesday? Not only were they completely booked in First Class, but they were OVERbooked. We could either ride coach (outdoors) or rent the caboose. Why not? We rented the caboose.

Ferman was our personal naturalist. Although, I could be a bit stuffy and say he was our butler, because, well, he was :-) The caboose is designed to accommodate six adults, but we were only a party of 2, so we had Ferman and the caboose all to ourselves. Ferman pointed out rock formations like turtles, angels, Abraham Lincoln, wildlife, Native American caves, and bald eagles.

The train as it snakes through the canyon

"Abraham Lincoln"

A bald eagle

Chuck outside our caboose.

Chuck inside our caboose.

The Red Rocks of Sedona

2011-11-20T01:03:00.005+01:00

Next stop....Sedona, Arizona. After leaving the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert, we drove west to Sedona and stayed at the Hilton in Oak Creek. It was a lovely hotel, located about a 10 minute drive from all the action in downtown Sedona. My only mistake...I should have planned to stay 2-3 days in Sedona, but that just means we get to head back there at some point in time.

Here are a few pictures of the amazing Red Rocks.

Petrified Forest and Painted Desert

2011-11-19T04:56:00.000+01:00

After a night at the Globetrotter Lodge, we headed out to explore the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.

Yes, that is the Petrified Forest. There's not much to see. Apparently there has been a lot of stealing from the park. Nice.

Holbrook, Arizona hotel and dinner

2011-11-14T19:56:00.000+01:00

After leaving Cortez, Colorado we drove south toward the 'Four Corners;' however after pulling in the gravel parking lot and seeing the plywood sign with spray painted words to pay $3 a person we turned around. I was just a bit turned off, so we headed south through New Mexico and then into Holbrook, AZ for a night at the Globetrotter Lodge.

Once again, I trusted my friend Tripadvisor for some recommendations for lodging and a meal in Holbrook. I typically wouldn't have chosen this town to stop, but goodness the whole western side of Arizona has yet to be turned into a tourist haven....so very few hotels. Actually, the northwestern corner of Arizona is Navajo and Hopi Tribal Lands and Reservations.

The Globetrotter Lodge in Holbrook is located off Route 66 across the road from the Wigwam hotel (the concrete teepees). A couple from Austria recently purchased the Globetrotter Lodge, did some remodeling and gave life back to a rundown motel. The rooms are quite eclectic...our had just about every color in the rainbow, with striped curtains made out of colorful Mexican blankets, wild west horse blankets on the bed, yellow flowers in the bathroom area, and some modern decor on the walls. It was weird, but comfortable for $65 a night!

Trusting Tripadvisor, we went to an Italian Restaurant called Mesa Restaurante Italiana. Perhaps when it was #1 only the locals were frequenting the restaurant because it was highly overrated.

Mesa Verde in Cortez, Colorado

2011-11-14T07:56:00.000+01:00

After leaving Monument Valley, we headed northwest toward Cortez, Colorado to Mesa Verde. Along the way we stopped at the Valley of the Gods...

And, then we drove to Cortez. Once you enter Mesa Verde it takes another 45 minutes or so to drive all the way to the southern end of the park to actually see the cliff dwellings. But, it is well worth the visit.

Monument Valley

2011-11-14T03:07:00.006+01:00

Monument Valley is part of the Colorado Plateau on the Navajo Reservation located in southern Utah / northern Arizona. After exiting the highway, you stop at the visitor's booth and pay an entrance fee and get your map for the 17 mile red dirt road trail. The whole loop takes a few hours, but you can take all day, if you like. We were headed northwest to Mesa Verde, so we tried to keep the tour short.

Here are a few pictures....

East Mitten

Why, yes, that is the moon in the upper left corner.

Three Sisters

The North Window

East Mitten

A 'Dry' Hotel in Tuba City, AZ

2011-11-12T19:56:00.000+01:00

And then we were off to Tuba City where we spent the night before continuing on to Monument Valley in southern Utah.

Originally, I wanted to stay at The View hotel in Monument Valley, but they were completely sold out. So, I searched Tripadvisor for a good hotel 'near' Monument Valley and found the Moenkopi in Tuba City. It looked good and received great reviews, so I booked a village suite.

After driving all day (330 miles)....we started in Phoenix, drove the Apache Trail, then headed north to Tuba City...we were pretty weary travelers. I was ready to take off my shoes, order something quick and easy for dinner and relax.

When we arrived at the Moenkopi, I was told the usual, "no smoking, no pets," which is always a "no problem" from me. But then I'm told, "Please initial here. This is a dry hotel. There is to be no alcohol on premise." After driving 7 hours, Chuck was going to be a bit annoyed that this was a dry hotel. How on earth did I miss that in the reviews...or the hotel website? Oh that's right, NOBODY mentioned it. And, in the description of the room it says, "Microwave and refrigerator at wet bar"....so I guess wet bar in Arizona doesn't mean the same as wet bar in the midwest.

We drove around back and entered through a side door...and unloaded our luggage and styrofoam cooler. It's a good thing I filled that up prior to entering the Hopi Indian Reservation, which ironically is DRY!

As Chuck was cracking open his first beer, I innocently mentioned that he should take his empty containers out, because it was a (whispered) dry hotel. We had a good laugh, but come on...how was I supposed to even begin to guess that it would be dry?!?!??

Ironically, as Chuck was loading the car the next morning, he opened the door for 3 locals all with open cans of Coors Light in their hands. Nice.

Next stop...Monument Valley

Apache trail

2011-11-12T19:47:00.009+01:00

Next stop...driving the Apache Trail.

I was a bit apprehensive that our 2011 Toyota Camry wouldn't be able to handle the "rut filled, pot holes as big as a car" terror stories from previous travelers on the Apache Trail. Well, pshah! They were obviously wimps.

The road up to Tortilla Flats is paved. Our first stop was Goldfield...which was like stepping back into time...the 1890s to be exact. There was an old saloon, wooden water tower, general store, and of course, lest we forget the tourist trinkets and a (gasp) snake show.

A few pics...

After leaving Goldfield, we continued on the paved trail, passing cacti, small lakes, lots of rocks, and then we stumbled upon Tortilla Flats. Blink and you'll pass it up. Just kidding. It's the only thing out in the middle of nowhere AND they have prickly pear ice cream, so you won't blink!

This is the portion of the trail that is not paved, from Tortilla Flats, heading west to Roosevelt Dam.

Tortilla Flats

Prickly Pear Ice Cream is located in the General Store. Chuck ordered it; I tasted it, then opted for chocolate explosion.

The Apache Trail ends at Roosevelt Dam, Roosevelt Lake and the Roosevelt Recreation Center.

Grand Canyon - Southern Rim

2011-11-11T19:56:00.001+01:00

Our tour of the Southwest started at the Grand Canyon on the Southern Rim. I debated if we should travel west to the West Rim or if we should try to see the South Rim and the North Rim in the same day. As much as I wanted to go to the West Rim, I was turned off a bit by the cost (per person)...$43 for a legacy pass and another $30 for the Skywalk. This is not part of the National Park system and excluded from the annual pass.

In the end, we opted for just the South Rim, which costs $25 per car and is included in the National Parks Annual Pass.

We left Phoenix at the crack of dawn and after driving for 3.5 hours, arrived at the Grand Canyon Village. We parked the car in Lot B, which is a quick walk to the rim. In a word, WOW!

A few pictures...

Chuck looking for a 'special rock.' At the time I was thankful we had life insurance. Now, I'm thankful we didn't have to use it!

Chuck's a brave, brave, man. I was at least 6' from the edge at ALL times!

Can you see the zig-zag hiking trail in the shadow?

The view...

Someone was capturing the beauty on canvas. Lovely.

Southwest USA - by the numbers

2011-11-10T02:58:00.000+01:00

2880 - flight miles (each)

2110 - miles driven

9 - days

4 - states visited

1 - 'dry' hotel (sorry, Chuck)

4 - hours riding in the Caboose

15 - cities visited

1212 -pictures taken

Mike's Pastry (Boston, MA)

2011-10-31T03:24:00.003+01:00

There's a reason why the line snakes out the front door and around the building.

As you walk around Boston you see the trademark white cardboard box with blue lettering and white twine. Yep, Mike's Pastry. You'll see people carrying the boxes on the Harvard Campus, on various parts of the Freedom Trail, in Boston Common, the Gardens, in Cambridge....everywhere!

Yes, it is THAT good.

A Teaser

2011-10-30T13:54:00.000+01:00

Stop #1 on our whirlwind tour of the Southwest....the Grand Canyon!

Boston Common

2011-10-25T14:22:00.003+02:00

Boston Common is a beautiful park located in central Boston. It was established in 1634 and is known as the oldest park in the United States. The Common had many purposes over the years including a pasture for grazing cattle, a camp site for the British Army and even used for public hangings.

A few pictures from Boston Common and the adjacent Boston Public Garden...

The famous bronze ducks in the Gardens, which is based on the book Make Way for Ducklings.

The bridge in the Gardens and the sight of the Swan boat rentals.

Pathway up to the bridge in the Gardens.

My sister Kasey and the Ducks.

Massachusetts State House

Really cool tree in the Gardens.

Boston and the Freedom Trail

2011-10-16T14:54:00.001+02:00

The 3rd annual girls getaway ended with two days in Boston. We stayed at the Hilton in the Financial District in a suite....and what a fan.tas.tic suite! This is a great hotel to explore Boston. It is about a 5 minute walk to the wharf and the aquarium; a 5 minute walk to Quincy Market; and about a 15-20 minute walk to Boston Commons. Rates are reasonable, especially on the weekends because it caters to more of the business traveler during the week.

One of the must-see tourist things in Boston is to walk the Freedom Trail. You can easily walk the trail (red line/red brick) solo with the aid of a map and a print out of the major sites, you can travel it with friends and family from the area or you can even join a historic walking tour, complete with docents dressed in period pieces.

Mom walking 'on' the Freedom Trail.

Quincy Market, essentially a food court filled with lots of tasty treats!

Faneuil Hall

The old State House

Touring the Cape

2011-10-13T15:24:00.000+02:00

In pictures....

Hyannis Harbor

Fireworks over Lewis Bay in Hyannis (taken from JFK Park)

Cape Cod National Seashore Park

An old General Store in Brewster, Massachusetts

Hyannis, Massachusetts

Mom and sister in Provincetown, Massachusetts

Provincetown, Massachusetts

3rd Annual Girls Getaway

2011-10-13T03:02:00.000+02:00

Last year, we went to San Francisco, Napa Valley, and Pebble Beach.

This year, we headed to the east coast for 6 days.

My mom and sister arrived on Monday afternoon, so I picked them up at the airport and we headed south to Hyannis. Along the way we stopped in Plymouth to see Plymouth Rock and walk around.

I didn't plan this stop very well as it was the 4th of July and apparently Plymouth is a great place to see a parade, shop, grill out, and 'hunker down' until the fireworks start. About 5 miles from town we started seeing "$15 park here" signs. Uh, no. I'm cheap. I won't be paying $15 to park 5 miles away and then walk. We drove as far as we possibly could and by some great luck....an open metered spot on the main road. I should probably get some sort of award for my magnificent parallel parking ability :-) We plugged the meter and walked around for about 2 hours and then moved on to Hyannis.

Plymouth was one of those 'great finds' destinations. We walked over to see Plymouth Rock and take some pictures of the Mayflower replica. We shopped and this is where we found our best shopping of the whole trip. My sister picked up some great things to use in the classroom and we also managed to pick up a few other trinkets along the way too.

Cliffwalk in Newport, Rhode Island

2011-10-12T03:44:00.000+02:00

I think we chose the hottest day to walk the Cliffwalk. Yikes! It was about 95 degrees and absolutely no breeze. The cliffwalk was lovely, though, and a great way to burn off some energy after sitting in a car. We walked about 3/4 of the trail...just after the paved trail turned to primarily rocks and then turned around.

There are some absolutely beautiful private homes located on the Cliffwalk and there are some gorgeous public buildings too. The Breakers and a University occupy some of the most beautiful spaces. I'd love to go back and spend more time (on a cooler day) walking the trail and then head into Newport, which looked like a great little town. Next time!

Martha's Vineyard...and the fog

2011-10-11T03:45:00.001+02:00

We decided to take a day trip over to Martha's Vineyard. We took an early morning ferry out of Woods Hole. Parking is extremely limited in town, so your best bet is to park just north of Falmouth and then take the shuttle bus in to the ferry terminal.

About 15 minutes before we were to depart, the fog rolled in to Woods Hole. It cleared up a bit just as we arrived in Vineyard Haven. We picked up our Mini Cooper convertible and then headed southwest to see the painted cliffs of Aquinnah. But, the fog rolled in...there were to be no sights of painted cliffs or the lighthouse. We moved on and headed east to Edgartown. Thanks to the compact size of the Mini we were able to score a great parking space! But, alas, after walking around town for about 45 minutes, the fog rolled in.

We hopped back in the car and headed north to Oak Bluffs. The sun was out and we were ready to do some shopping and find a nice spot with a great view for lunch. We stopped at Nancy's, ate upstairs on the open deck and watched the boats in the harbor. Nancy's was a great place for lunch and the food was quite tasty....the grilled chicken sandwich was actually nice and juicy....not the usual dry jerky at some places!

After lunch we did a little shopping, saw the oldest carousel and headed out of town, back toward Vineyard Haven, just in time for the fog to roll back in!

Our time on MV was lovely and my pictures would have been much better had the weather cooperated and the fog stayed away, but that was not to be. Oh, and as we arrived back in Woods Hole, so did the fog!

Happy Birthday, America!

2011-10-10T03:49:00.001+02:00

On Monday, July 4, Chuck headed back to Chicago and my mom and sister flew into Boston for the 3rd annual girls' getaway.

Our itinerary for the week included Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Newport (R.I.) and then back to Boston for a few days.

On the 4th we stayed in Hyannis and watched the fireworks at J.F.K. park near Lewis Bay.

Lovely.

Travel Bucket List

2011-10-09T23:45:00.001+02:00

Phew, I seem to be ticking destinations off my travel bucket list, so I'll have to add a few more locations. Any suggestions???

Back up to July 2011 for Boston

2011-10-09T17:22:00.009+02:00

So....I'm a little behind on blog posts. I guess I will blame it on (insert best excuse here).

Rewind about 3+ months and that brings us back to July, which was a fun and exciting trip to the east coast.

Chuck and I spent 3 days in Boston seeing the sights and meeting up with his sister and family. They moved to the Boston area several years ago and this was the first time we saw them since our big move across the pond to Denmark (in 2008) and our return (in 2010)....well, except for Steph, whom we flew to Paris for a long weekend in 2009.

In 3 days we managed to see all the major tourist sights...

We walked the Freedom Trail.
We showed off our scholarly side (at Harvard and MIT).
We went to the Science Museum.
We shopped (and ate) at Quincy Market
We had a canoli at Mike's Pastry

After the whirlwind weekend tour of Boston, it was time for Chuck to head back to Chicago and my mom and sister to arrive for the 3rd annual girls' getaway.

Chuck and his sister at the Coop at Harvard.

Start Your Engines...Indy Motor Speedway Tour, Indianapolis, Indiana

2011-07-20T03:10:00.008+02:00

Ok, I have to admit, I'm not much of an Indy fan. I have managed to watch a few laps, from time to time...especially to see how Danika Patrick (a Roscoe, IL native) fares. But, in all honesty, you won't find me scouring the internet for tickets to the Indy 500 nor will you find me scurrying to organize an Indy party. However, I do know which way the cars race around the 2.5 mile track.

Chuck and I met my brother in Indianapolis for the day and we agreed on the Motor Speedway tour. It was something to do, but I think we were the only ones on the tour that truly had never watched a full Indy 500...either on TV or in person.

The deets...

Official website.

Tour length: 1.5 hrs

Cost: $25 for adults

What you get to do: Tour the museum on your own, board a 20ish-passenger bus for commentary and a drive on the actual track, tour the press room, victory podium, a viewing suite, kiss (if you wish) the "yard of brick" start/finish line, drive through Gasoline alley.

Would I do it again? No. But then again, I'm not a die hard fan.

Is it worth $25? To a real fan, probably.

A few pictures...

It's been awhile

2011-07-20T03:08:00.003+02:00

The only excuse I have is...I haven't been traveling as much as last year, or 2009, or even 2008. However, I've recently found new wind for my sails.

Upcoming...

Indianapolis, Indiana

Boston, Massachusetts

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Newport, Rhode Island

Phoenix, Arizona

Driving tour of Barbados

2011-03-27T22:24:00.000+02:00

Yes, you drive on the opposite side of the road

and

Yes, you drive on the opposite side of the car

But, where's your sense of adventure? If you're a cautious driver, you can do just about anything. Although, it is funny when you go to turn on the blinker and suddenly the windshield wipers and going. And, yes, Chuck managed to do this quite a few times over the course of the 2 day car rental.

A bit about the roads...

The main highways are fine. The secondary roads are ok, dabbled with potholes, construction work, and people (few sidewalks). The local roads...yikes! There's a reason why the speed limit is 35mph. Just remember to drive slow...you're on holiday, so what's the rush? And, getting lost is half the fun!

We rented a car on two separate days. Rather than book in advance, because I wasn't sure what our mood and/or weather was going to entail, I decided to wait and book at the hotel. If you book in advance, a daily rental is about $110USD. If you wait and deal with the hotel convenience, the price is more like $125USD. Longer rentals (4 days or more) will bring the price down to just under $100USD a day. There are tons of rental car companies (no US based ones). Stoutes comes highly recommended from other travelers; however the one located at the Hilton was Drive a matic, which was just fine.

The island of Barbados isn't very big (21 miles long and 14 miles wide) but the road network isn't very developed, so it takes some time to get from place to place. For example, we drove from Needham Point (lower left of the map) and to Fish Pot in Good Little Harbour (14 miles), in roughly 35-40 minutes.

Our tour included stops at...

Bathsheba Beach - We actually stopped here 3 times. The first time, a storm was just coming in and I wanted sunny pictures, so we looped back and tried again. I still wasn't happy with the pictures, so we came back a third time!

Bath Beach - This is a lovely spot to picnic. The beach has plenty of tall trees swaying in the wind and the beach is relatively calm.

Crane Beach - Crane hotel is up on the hill. In order to get to this beach, you drive down a really narrow public access path and park. Then walk on those round disks and 2x4 pieces of wood to make your way over to the beach.

Sand Dunes Lunch Shack - This was the start of my cold. We ordered the chicken and macaroni pie. A piece of the dry chicken went down the wrong pipe and I have been coughing ever since. So either my lungs are trying to rid me of the chicken or it was the start of my cold / allergies. The short story...it's a popular spot with the locals, the prices are reasonable, it's real Bajan food, the staff are friendly, but it wasn't my 'thing,' so I wouldn't recommend it.

St. Nicholas Abbey - This was definitely worth the drive. The entrance fee ($17.50USD) includes a tour of the property (some guided, some on your own), rum punch, and a little rum tasting, too.

Cherry Tree Hill - This is the highest point on the island and is located just a few meters away from St. Nicholas Abbey. From here, you can see the beaches of the east coast.

Shopping in Holetown -

Earthworks Pottery - I HAD to go here. It was a little hard to find, but the signage was pretty good, so as long as you trusted your gut and looked for the signs, you will eventually find it....now finding your way back to the main road...there's the problem!

Payne's Bay - This is a popular place for the locals and is just south of Bridgetown. If you swim out a bit, you can easily find sea turtles.

Needham Point Old Fort - On the Hilton property is an old fort.

Snokeling with Calabaza Sailing

2011-03-27T08:22:00.000+02:00

Whenever venturing to a new location, I check out TripAdvisor...I know, you're surprised, right? In any event, one of the most popular things to do in Barbados is a snorkeling tour with Calabaza Sailing. The reviews were impeccable, so away I went to book our tour.

Chuck and I have been on quite a few snorkeling and sailing trips. Our first experience was in Puerto Vallarta on the Pricessa Yelapa (in 1996)....it is the standard for what we will NEVER do again. We've chartered in Grand Cayman, St. Thomas, St. Croix, Cabo San Lucas, Dominican Republic, Cancun, and now Barbados.

You will never find me on a boat with more that 12 people. My favorite trips are the ones where it was just us (St. Thomas on the Rumbaba with Captain Bobby). So, after searching high and low for a semi-private snorkeling/sailing tour, I found Gina and Calabaza.

The Deets

Duration: 5 hour Luncheon Snorkeling Tour

Stops: 3 - snorkel with turtles, snorkel around shipwreck, lunch/beach/swim stop

Hotel Pick up/return: yes (around 9am)

Departure: 9:30am from Bridgetown Harbor

Return: 2:30pm

Max guests: 12

Food/Drinks: Yes, plenty and all inclusive

Cost: $110 USD per person

Sample Food/Drinks

Banana bread, fish cakes, crisps w/ hummus, bruscetta topping, curry chicken, baked fish, rice, couscous, salad, black bean salad, veggie/fruit salad, rum punch, beer, water, soft drinks, wine...and the list goes on!

TIP: Gina and her crew are very popular, so make sure you book early! I booked 2+ months in advance and my preferred date was already full!

Birthday Dinner at Champers

2011-03-26T08:11:00.000+01:00

I'm not one to take pictures of our meals, so aside from the Roman Candle in my ice cream, there won't be any food pictures. You'll just have to use your imagination.

When I first booked our trip to Barbados, I sought out the advice of other travelers on TripAdvisor (every traveler's best friend!!). The restaurant recommendations were very high for the Tides, Champers, the Cliff, Roundhouse, Fisher Pond and Tapas. After reading the reviews and checking the menu, I decided that Champers would be a perfect place to celebrate my 30-something birthday.

Chuck made a reservation and informed them that it was my birthday, but I'm not one for fanfare or lots of attention, so they could skip the birthday singing....but we'd love a rail-side table on a little cliff over the ocean.

We arrived for dinner and were seated at a rail-side table on the left side of the dining room in a private little corner. The table was decorated with Happy Birthday confetti and every server stopped by to wish me a happy birthday. I ordered a spinach salad with apples, blue cheese, almonds, and a citrus type vinegrette; Chuck opted for the crab stuffed mushroom caps. Our main meal was a jerk pork chop with mashed potatoes and grilled veggies (for me) and Chuck had the grilled mahi mahi. Absolutely divine!

Halfway through dinner, a huge stingray floated just below our table. Even he got the message that it was my birthday :-)

And then, the Roman Candle arrived...and was lit...and almost cinged my eyebrows (kidding).

View of Champers restaurant from the ocean - We were seated on the cliff (on the rail) just left of the gazebo (under the blue covered patio).

In Pictures - Barbados

2011-03-25T08:22:00.001+01:00

Some of my favorite pictures from my birthday long weekend in Barbados.

Day trip to Fort Worth, Texas

2011-03-24T23:21:00.000+01:00

After the unsuccessful Southfork tour, I decided to take the rental car and head over to the Stockyards of Fort Worth. It wasn't peak tourism season, so parking was plentiful and the sidewalks/shops were clear. The drive from Dallas was easy-peazy, (almost) all freeway driving. But, I must admit, there's one overpass/interchange between Dallas and Fort Worth that feels like you are driving up into the clouds. Good thing they don't get frost or freezing temps because that bugger would be a death trap if it ever got icy!!

A few pictures:

Cowboys roam the streets on horses

Longhorns mosey down the main drag during the 'cattlerun'

Southfork Ranch

2011-03-24T10:21:00.001+01:00

Ok, so who reallllly shot J.R. Ewing? While in Texas, I decided to head north of Dallas to the town of Parker where the Southfork Ranch is located. The published admission was $10, but I had a coupon, (yes, I use coupons, especially on overpriced tourist attractions!!!), so the fee was about $8. It's $8, I'll never get back.

The tour starts in the gift shop, which has a good array of gifts. I probably should have considered it a win, bought a trinket, then turned around and moseyed out of there. After the gift shop is a small museum, which is really just a hallway with some memorabilia and framed yellowed newspaper clippings (tacky) and a looped video clip.

Once the group has assembled, we head out to the tractor that pulls a covered series of benches....and the tour begins. The group consists of about 20 people (only 4 from the US, the rest from South Africa, Germany, France, Italy, Spain). In your best southern drawl....

Guide: Welcome, ya'll. (blah, blah, blah). If you look to the left you'll see an ol' o'l (old oil) derrick and viewing platform. The previous owner held tours. But, if I used my dipstick, there wouldn't be any o'l in there derrick.

Me (observing): The young woman in front of me (from Spain), is translating to her friends.

Me (wondering): I can hardly understand this joker. How in the world are the foreigners managing to understand this???

Guide: Ok, let's start the tur (tour). If you look to the right, in the empty pen, that's where the horses used to be. Now, if you look to the left, that's where the donkeys used to be. I miss their hee-in' and haw-in'. On the right is the stand and pen that the tv studio built, but it doesn't get used any more. On the left are some buildings used for conventions and meetings.

Me (wondering): WTH. Really? Empty pens. This is going from bad to worse.

Guide (driving us down 'the long driveway'): In the tv show, this appeared longer. It's tv magic.

Guide: Ok, Misty (or Millie or Missy or something like that) is going to give you some history about the house and then you are free to tur (tour) the inside.

Misty: Blah, blah, blah.

A few pictures:

Ok, a few things you should know about the Southfork Ranch:

1. All interior shots are from a sound stage in Culver City. Trust me, the interior of this house is circa 1970. Yikes!

2. The swimming pool is not the grand olympic size pool Bobby swam in each day. Nope, it's about an 8' x 10' pool (or a bit larger).

3. The driveway is not this long drive, it's tv magic and is just film spliced together.

4. It's flat, flat, flat. No rolling hills for Bobby and Pam to ride the horses.

5. It's really a conference/wedding center.

In Pictures - Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas

2011-03-23T17:10:00.000+01:00

Ok, so these pictures are from the DFW area, not necessarily Dallas and Fort Worth.

Nasher Art Museum in Dallas, Texas

South Fork Ranch, you know, JR Ewing

Stockyards in Fort Worth

MIA, but more to come

2011-03-23T17:05:00.002+01:00

Ok, so I've been MIA the past few months, but that doesn't mean I haven't been traveling. Chuck flew back to Argentina again and, of course, with 3 days notice, airfare was a mere $2500. No thank you, I'll save my dinero and wait....once again. Although, Chuck should continue to pitch that he needs a translator. Maybe I'll brush up on my Technical Language Spanish skills!

We spent a week in Dallas back in July and just returned from Barbados. The posts are half written and the pictures are ready to go, but I haven't been inspired to finish writing. Maybe it's a sign that my travel blog is getting stale. Hmmm....that gives me a thought...

Let the 2011 traveling begin!!!

2011-01-03T16:43:00.003+01:00

It's been awhile since our last trip (Bahamas in November 2010) and I like to have a few trips in the queue. So, I'm booking trips as fast as my little fingers can move. In the next few months, we are heading to....

Dallas, Texas
Barbados (for my birthday)

I'm thinking about...

Phoenix, Arizona and the Grand Canyon in September
Boston, Maine, or DC for the mother-daughters getaway this summer
Someplace fabulous for our 15th wedding anniversary in April

Paradise Island

2010-12-21T21:00:00.000+01:00

Just north of Nassau is Paradise Island. You know, the one with the Atlantis...the hotel that has the bridge room that has a staggering nightly rate of $20,000!

From Nassau, you can take a little 'ferry' (term used loosely) ride for 20 minutes to Paradise Island. Note: The 'ferry' is supposed to leave on the half hour; however if the boat is not full...and I mean full, they will not leave. Once the 'ferry' is full, then they leave...and you get the pleasure of hearing a little schpiel about this celebrity lives here and this one there, blah, blah, blah. The expectation is a tip when they are done...and they push hard for a tip. The 'ferry' ride is $3 each way per person.

Paradise Island has a few nice sights, aside from Atlantis, which seems to be the main attraction. Near the One and Only resort are the Cloisters and Versailles garden. It's worth the 20 minute walk and chances are you'll have the whole place to yourself...even with no admission fees!

A few pictures of my favorite flowers at Versailles.

Day trip to Harbour Island, Bahamas

2010-12-21T07:52:00.000+01:00

This was definitely the highlight of our trip to the Bahamas. While in the Executive Lounge at the Hilton, one of the fellow guests mentioned their day trip to Harbour Island, which included a 'fast ferry' to the Island, golf cart rental and meal/drink vouchers. Hmmm, that could be fun.

So, we signed up for the day trip...despite the $200 per person price tag. Although, that did entitle us to passage on the fast ferry in the First Class upper cabin, which we had all to ourselves on the return trip.

After the 2 hour ferry ride, which included some amazing views along the way, we made a quick stop at the Spanish Wells, then continued on another 30 minutes to Harbour Island. Once on the island, we had a quick 'tour' of some local restaurants in our golf carts and then were on our own for the next 4 hours.

Harbour Island is filled with golf carts and only a few vehicles. The beaches are filled with lovely pink sands and flecks of pink coral are suspended in the surf as it crashes against the beaches.

I'd return to Harbour Island in a heartbeat. Here are a few pictures.

Cruise ship central - Nassau, Bahamas

2010-12-21T02:42:00.001+01:00

Several months ago I found amazing airfare prices to Nassau, Bahamas (under $200 a person round trip). I quickly booked the flights and Hilton hotel for a week in November.

Generally, any beach location receives top marks from me. I'll pack my pre-loaded nook, a few magazines, the camera and sunscreen and I'm happy as a clam. I must be getting picky and now require a certain level of privacy. The Hilton British Colonial in Nassau is located near the cruise ship dock. While it is nice to watch the large floating cities pull in, it gets old. And, after the third, fourth, and fifth ship in port....you almost begin to send vibes that the darn things will go back to sea.

Given the proximity to the dock, quite a few cruisers try to infiltrate the Hilton's beach and it quickly goes from peaceful reading time under a palapa to screaming kids and 20 somethings smoking who knows what upwind from my lovely location. Um, yes, I despise everything smoke-related!

Aside from the hotel's location, the staff were quite friendly, especially the 6th floor housekeeping staff. On the day that the hotel water main broke, then was restored (but not our room), Donna quickly found another room for us to duck in and take a shower until maintenance was able to fix our water pressure.

Would I go back to Nassau? No, but I might head to one of the other Bahamian islands like Harbour Island or Eleuthra.

A few pictures from Nassau.

Atlantis on Paradise Island

The view from our room...yes 5, count them, 5 ships!

Solo trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina

2010-12-19T17:58:00.000+01:00

Chuck is officially one continent ahead of me. In October, he made not one, but two very long trips to Buenos Aires, Argentina for work. A little extra lead time could have yielded me a trip, too. But, 36 hours notice nets outrageously expensive airfare, so I passed.

Although, I did put on my biggest sales pitch that he would need a translator and therefore I should be on the next flight out. In the end, not so much...I stayed home.

Chuck's review of Buenos Aires...

It's a big city with all the typical 'woes' of a big city. Three days is plenty of time to explore. (Holly's editorial comment....why fly 14 hours each way for a mere 3 days?!?!?!) The Argentinian beef is spectacular and dinner at La Brigada lived up to the hype. And yes, he had the "beef so tender you can cut it with a spoon."

I won't bore you with pictures from the jobsite....so here are a few from around Buenos Aires.

How expensive is Norway????

2010-09-15T19:26:00.000+02:00

Bergen is so darn expensive that when you get your receipt from the ATM, they don't say, "Have a great day." They say....

They know you'll be back.

A 12-16oz bottle of Diet Coke costs anywhere from 25NOK ($4) to 39NOK ($6.50).

Dinner for two (nothing fancy and only one alcoholic drink) costs about 400-500NOK ($70-85).

A can of Hansa beer (local...not an import) is 84NOK ($12)

A beautiful Fosse sweater will set you back 1200NOK ($200).

Beautiful Bergen

2010-09-14T14:06:00.000+02:00

After Chuck's week of working, we jetted off to Bergen, Norway for a little vacation. While living in Denmark, we often talked about going to Norway; however during our 3 week summer holidays, we headed south, thus avoiding Norway. So, this was it....4 days in Bergen.

I booked the Augustin hotel, which is just off the wharf; albeit on the "wrong" side of the wharf, but it was next to the Best Western and received great reviews on TripAdvisor. We had a bit of a check in issue; however it was really the result of a front desk clerk (Hanne), just being a jerk. The cliffnote version....we had booked a deluxe room, she gave us a standard room which looked into the living room of an adjacent flat, I asked if it was deluxe because it resembled the online photos of a standard room, she said yes it was deluxe, I asked to see another deluxe room, we moved to a REAL deluxe room. In the end, the Augustin was a great hotel and all the staff (with the exception of Hanne) were very friendly and helpful.

While in Bergen, we...

took the funicular up to Mt. Floyen
walked and shopped on the Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf
went to the fort
went on the Norway in a Nutshell tour
walked and smelled the fisherman's wharf
bought a Fosse Norwegian sweater

A few pictures...

Return trip to Berlin, Germany

2010-09-13T07:25:00.000+02:00

Berlin, Germany is a tourist mecca. There is so much to see and do that you can return again and again and still discover new things about the city.

My favorite way to get re-acquainted with Berlin is to start with the City Circle Hop on Hop off sightseeing bus. Since 2008, they've expanded the route to include the East Side Gallery. While there are other Hop on Hop off (HOPO)options in Berlin, I think City Circle is the only one to head over to the East Side Gallery. The HOPO tours range in price from 15-20 Euro for a 1.5 - 2 hour route. City Circle is 20 Euro for 2 hours and is good for 24 hours. You can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time by using the HOPO, just hop off at your favorite site, explore, then hop back on. Another bus is just around the corner, as they are scheduled every 15 minutes!

Some of my favorite spots are:

Schloss Charlottenburg or Charlottenburg Palace - It was built from 1695-99 as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte. The park grounds, designed in 1697 to resemble the elaborate gardens of Versailles in Paris, France, are simply enchanting. There is a mausoleum on the property which contains the sarcophagi of Queen Luise and Friedrich Wilhelm III.

Tiergarten - The tiergarten (animal garden) was built in the 1830s and served as a royal hunting ground. The tiergarten contains Victory Column (which is currently being renovated) and Schloss Bellevue, the home of the German President

East Side Gallery - The East Side Gallery is about a 1 mile (1.3 km) section of the Berlin Wall that contains about 100 paintings by artists worldwide. The project started in 1990 and has undergone some restoration due to the deterioration of the paintings from natural elements. In 2008, a full restoration was initiated.

Gendarmenmarkt - I had a spectacular view from my 6th floor room at the Hilton. This central square is one of my favorites in Europe. There are 2 beautiful churches, trees, and lots of open space. It's a great place to escape the tourism hub bub, grab some lunch or a snack and hang out on one of the many park benches.

A few pictures from my 2 day whirlwind tour of Berlin, Germany.

Schloss Charlottenburg entrance

Portion of the Wall (near the Topography of Terror)

Bridge near the East Side Gallery

East Side Gallery

Gendarmenmarkt and the TV Tower

Jewish Memorial near the US Embassy and Brandenburg Gate

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

Norway in a Nutshell

2010-09-10T20:41:00.010+02:00

Our time in Norway was going to be short, essentially all day Saturday through early Tuesday morning. I had heard and read wonderful things about Bergen, Norway and the nearby fjords. After a bit of research, I decided on the Norway in a Nutshell tour, which has about 5 or 6 different options, but does provide for a good foundation.

The Norway in a Nutshell website is pretty complete. I would have preferred a 'build your own option,' but in the end, managed to deviate slightly from the preprinted schedule.

Norway in a Nutshell puts together some 'popular' itineraries and times for catching the train, boat or bus. Once you book your trip, for about $175 per person for 10-12 hours of entertainment, you will receive a summary pass and two train tickets; however your summary pass really serves as the 'ticket' as everyone looks at it. The summary pass is printed on a ticket similar to an airline ticket or boarding pass. It will say:
Train: Bergen - Myrdal
Train: Myrdal - Flam
Boat: Flam - Gudvangen
Bus: Gudvangen - Voss
Train: Voss - Bergen

You also get a little timetable to follow. There are several other options that aren't printed, so it is possible to deviate from the preprinted schedule a bit. Here's a sample.
Train from Bergen - 8:40
Arrive in Myrdal - 10:55
Train from Myrdal - 11:00
Arrive Flam -11:50
Boat from Flam - 3:10 ... there is also a 1:20 boat
Arrive Gudvangen -5:20
Bus from Gudvangen - 5:45 ... there is an earlier bus
Arrive Voss - 7:00
Train from Voss - 7:20 ... there is also a 5:53 train
Arrive in Bergen - 8:45

You could easily spend 2-3 hours in Flam walking around and shopping. The Voss train station is within walking distance to the city center and a beautiful lake, so you could also spend an hour or so there (just not on Sunday).

Flam has some really cute shops. There is an 'outlet' on the 2nd floor of one of the shops that has very nice and very reasonably priced Norwegian sweaters (about $125-150). I couldn't make up my mind and didn't buy one....and kept saying, I should have bought one in Flam. In the end, I bought a Fosse sweater in Bergen, for the low price of $200.

A few pictures from our tour on Norway in a Nutshell...

The pictures don't do the Norwegian landscape justice. The surroundings were absolutely breathtaking, serene, and tranquil.

ICE, ICE, baby

2010-09-10T16:51:00.000+02:00

I was all prepared to rent a car in Hamburg and drive to Berlin, until my friend Tara suggested the ICE train, which she dubbed as super-easy. The ICE is the intercity express train and takes just over 1.5 hours, but a car ride can easily run 2 to 2.5 hours in good driving conditions and with little traffic.

So, I gave it a whirl. If I could only let go of my desire to be in control, I might be able to get into the train travel thing. Actually, it was quite nice, and I managed to read a few ebooks along the way (House Rules by Jodi Picoult, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig, and Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson...a free ebook and total chic romance).

I didn't have an opportunity to take a picture of the ICE, so here is a stock photo from online. The Hamburg train station (Hauptbahnhof) and Berlin train station (Hauptbahnhof) are below.

Tip: Book directly with www.bahn.de for the best rates and you can click on the USA flag to view it in English. If you book on other sites like www.raileurope.com expect to pay about 50% more for the ticket. It is a good idea to pay the extra 2.5Euro each way for an assigned seat especially if you are traveling during peak times or when the business men and women are commuting.

Updated - Places to See

2010-09-10T15:08:00.002+02:00

The Places to See post (in the right hand column) has been updated to include our recent travels.

4E

2010-09-10T13:25:00.000+02:00

Oh, how I love an upgrade. Economy extra is great for the long haul rides, but Business/First is soooo much better. And it always helps when one of the (male) flight attendants is extra nice and tries to get you drunk....um, Chuck was in Economy extra.....

The menu...

Snack - lomo, caperberry, sun-dried olive

Green leaf salad with balsamic vinegarette
First course - hot smoked salmon with lime cream
Main course options -
poached pike-perch, sauteed spinach, mushrooms, lobster sauce
yellow curry chicken, jasmine rice, sauteed vegetables
beef tournedos, broccoli and cauliflower gratin, mashed potato, thyme sauce
bulgur wheat, green beans, carrots, potatoes, spicy tomato sauce

Cheese - bornzola, yellow Kristian, fig compote

Dessert - forest berry tart, fruit salad

Buffet with coffee, espresso, cappuccino, tea, soft drinks, fresh fruit, sweets, snacks

Open sandwiches - Prawns with sauce verte & cured duck breast, balsamic cream, grilled artichoke heart

Dessert - Opera cake

On an 8.5 hour flight, with a considerable amount of turbulence, drinks of the alcoholic variety are always welcome. A little champagne, a Bloody Mary (or two) and some wine with dinner quickly put me at ease. Did you know that I'm a nervous flier?

Don't worry, Chuck was privy to some nice amenities in Economy extra, too.

What do you call someone from Hamburg?

2010-09-09T16:52:00.000+02:00

A Hamburger, of course. Over the past two weeks, Chuck and I spent time in Denmark, Germany and Norway. Part of the trip was spent working and the rest of it was pleasure...visiting friends, catching up, shopping, and visiting a new country!

While in Germany, we visited some fellow expat friends that were originally in Arhus, Denmark, but recently moved to Hamburg, Germany. We had a great afternoon/evening and then Chuck was off to work, so I got to hang out with the Happy family.

We went downtown to the city center and visited the Rathus (city hall)...

We had spaghetti ice cream...

We toured an amazing little German city. I'm not sure if I should even post the name of the city as it seems Americans haven't found it yet, so it is still a fan.tas.tic and quaint village. Even little A was in a good mood for our adventure as we strolled down cobblestone streets, walked along the river, visited several shops, and took many, many, many photos. Here's a picture or two...but no name :-)

I shared my special peanut butter cookie recipe with the girls and taught them how to modify the recipe depending upon humidity and altitude. S is going to be a wonderful cook in the future. I might have to borrow her to help out with my dinner parties.

The visit to Hamburg to see my friends the Happy Hamburgers was great. I cannot wait to head back to Europe and visit again. Well, unless hubs decides we should do another stint abroad.

If someone from Hamburg is a Hamburger, what is someone from Dusseldorf? A Dusseldorfian, Dusseldorfite, Dusseldorfer, Dusseldorfan....hmmm.

Up next, a quick visit to Berlin, Germany and then a long weekend in Bergen, Norway.

The 2nd Annual Girls Long Weekend - California pictures

2010-09-08T21:35:00.000+02:00

Last year, my mom, sister and I started to take a long weekend vacation without the boys (hubbies and Lincoln). Last year's trip (northern Wisconsin) was a little closer to home because nephew Lincoln wasn't even a year old; however this year we hopped on a plane to spend some time in California.

A few pictures from our trip (in July).....

Where has the time gone?

2010-09-08T13:20:00.004+02:00

It is amazing how the doldrums of life get in the way of the adventures of travel. Living in Europe afforded us the opportunity to hop in the car and explore a new city on any given weekend. After moving back to the Midwest, most, if not all traveling involves an airplane...and the lovely Ryanair is nowhere to be found! Needless to say, our travels have slowed a bit, but I'm sure they will pick up again!

We've been on the road, in the air, on the rails, and on the water for the past two weeks, so I have some catching up to do.

My first trip north....to Canada!

2010-08-09T02:54:00.000+02:00

Last week, I made the quick 1 hour flight to Toronto to visit the Happy family during their stay with relatives for a few weeks. Well, "quick" really isn't appropriate as my 6pm departure turned out to be a 10pm departures; however I'm not complaining as I'd rather arrive alive, than not arrive at all. The airplane had a leaky fuel line, which resulted in a puddle of fuel below the wing. Even though it was in for repair 2 days earlier, it obviously wasn't fixed. Quite honestly, I never complain about a delay when it has to do with the mechanics.

I spent the first day in Toronto solo, exploring the area until the Happy family arrived. I walked around Chinatown, King and Queen Streets, the Harbour area and of course, did the full blown CN Tower tour, complete with interactive ride, movie, observation deck, and the ride in the sky pod.

On Tuesday, I joined the Happy family and headed out to Niagara falls, with a quick stop at a Tim Hortons for breakfast :-).

Traffic in and around Toronto is NUTS! It's a typical big city, but it appears to have boomed with out having the necessary infrastructure in place....or they need to raise the price of gasoline to limit the number of autos on the road.

Tara and I stopped at Webers, a roadside drive in, for burgers and fries. Yummy! I even picked up a few buckets of burgers for my hosts in Bracebridge. My allergies were in full swing, so I wasn't 100%, but still had a great time seeing some fellow expats from Denmark!

Tips for Canada:

Check your credit card and see what the conversion/exchange rate fees are before you leave. It is usually cheaper to use your ATM card than use a credit card.
Don't believe the website when they say taxis are metered from the airport. A 15 minute ride will set you back the 'set rate' of 54 Canadian dollars!
Check discount websites / coupon codes for discounts to Casa Loma and the CN Tower. You can save 20% or more just by doing a quick google search.
Traffic in and around Toronto is crazy. Be prepared to sit in traffic during commuting hours. Bring along your GPS/Garmin to navigate the roads; especially around the airport...it's like a bowl of spaghetti! The 407 is a toll road, so try to avoid it unless you want to pay a hefty convenience fee to the car rental company...in addition to the tolls.
Niagara Falls isn't as big as I thought it would be. View it from the Canada side. It's gorgeous and you can get some amazing photos if you go all the way to the end by the visitor/welcome center.

From CA to CA in a week

2010-07-25T03:15:00.000+02:00

I just finished a wonderful tour of the San Francisco Bay area in California (CA) and am getting ready to head out to my northerly neighbor in Toronto, Canada (the other CA).

My upcoming trip to Canada is to see Tara while she is in North America before she heads back to Europe. And, well, I'll be seeing her in Europe in early September, so I get an added bonus of seeing her twice in the span of about a month!

I have never been to Canada, so I'm looking forward to a few days in Toronto taking in the sights, then Niagara Falls and finally to a small town north of Toronto.

This is going to be great fun !

5-day long weekend in San Francisco Bay area

2010-07-23T03:19:00.000+02:00

I am accustomed to packing in a lot of activities on holidays, so my trip to California shouldn't have been all that surprising, right? Phew, I'm exhausted.

A few months ago, my mom, sister and I decided to book the 2nd annual (third, if you count Orlando, Florida a few years ago) Mother-Daughters long weekend. We kicked around a few different locations and decided upon the San Francisco Bay area.

In four full days, we...

Day 1
Arrived late evening
Upgraded to a suite...Diamond status has its advantages!

Day 2
Stood in line for the cable cars
Mr. Toad's Tour - 3 hour tour of San Francisco in a 1912 Rambler
Fisherman's Wharf walking, shopping, lunch at Bubba Gumps
Shopped at Cannery Row
Sampled Chocolate at Ghiradelli Square

Day 3
Walked, shopped, toured Chinatown
Walked down Lombard Street and the 'crookedest street,' then walked to the Wharf!
Shopped in Union Square
Ate at Colibri Mexican Restaurant in Union Square
Bought some salt water taffy, candy, and mints (right Kasey??)

Day 4
Towncar ride to SFO to pick up the rental car
Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
Walked through Muir Woods
Wine tour (and tasting) in Napa
Lunched picnic style at Gott's Roadside (formerly Taylor's Refresher)
Olive Oil tasting
Shopping in downtown Napa and at Oxbow Market

Day 5
A long drive south to Monterey Bay
L.o.v.e.d. the 3 person carpool lane
Toured Monterey Aquarium
Shopped Cannery Row, outlet malls, stores in Monterey Bay
Drove 17 mile scenic drive through Pebble Beach
Shopped in Carmel by the Bay
Visited Carmel Mission
Ate at Hog's Breath, Clint Eastwood's restaurant
Drove Highway 1
Flew out on the 11:45pm redeye

I wonder where we'll go in 2011? Bar Harbor, ME; Dallas, TX; Outer Banks, NC; Washington D.C; New Orleans, LA; Boston, MA???

22 month European Adventure recap

2010-07-06T20:57:00.001+02:00

Our 22 month European Adventure ended a few months ago.

In 22 months, we...

Went to 18 countries (Ireland, Scotland, England, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovania, Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland)....and a side trip to Beijing, China and Cancun, Mexico
Slept on a mountain (Mt. Pilatus, Switzerland)
Stayed in a Tuscan villa
Rang in the new year in Athens, Greece and Dublin, Ireland
Rode a summer toboggan down a mountain ...and down the Great Wall of China.
Went to a cooking class (Mount Oliveto, Italy)
Climbed more steps than I care to mention.
Drove over 40,000 kilometers
Drove through a 17km tunnel (Switzerland)

Back into the Swing of Things

2010-06-28T22:17:00.003+02:00

And, we're off.....and running....and planning trips.

I finally finished our last travel photobook from June 2009 - January 2010. It's amazing how much free time I had in Denmark to plan trips, update the blog, finish photobooks, etc. And, the super-fast internet connection helped too. I'm doing a full out search for a new internet provider. I gave Comcast 6 months and it's been nothing but headaches. Maybe next month I'll be happy as a clam....as happy as a clam can be...

The last 6 months of 2010 are going to be wonderful. The following trips are planned and I cannot wait to get back to blogging about travel. Maybe I'll have to convince hubs that we need another work abroad gig so I can get my travel fix or perhaps I need to find a job where I get paid to do what I love.

Upcoming travel to the following cities:
San Francisco, California
Napa, California
Monterey and Carmel, California
Toronto, Canada - Here I come Tara!!!
Niagara Falls, Canada
Copenhagen, Denmark
Odense, Denmark
Southern Jutland, Denmark
Hamburg, Germany
Flensburg, Germany
Bergen, Norway
Nassau, Bahamas

*We will also be doing a Midwest tour when dear friends from Germany join us for two weeks. First on the list is a preseason Bulls game, so cross your fingers that I can find some tickets!!! We'll also be visiting Galena, Chicago, and some of the Chicago 'burbs in Illinois; Lake Geneva, Milwaukee, Madison, Fox Cities, Door County and Green Bay in Wisconsin, and perhaps a trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota, too.

Flashback

2010-06-05T04:21:00.002+02:00

I'm finally working on the snapfish photo book. As I'm searching for pictures, I run across this one....

It was taken in Manarola, Cinque Terre at sunset. Chuck left his mark with a little graffiti.

I'm back...(kind of)

2010-05-06T06:41:00.003+02:00

My traveling schedule was curtailed just a bit with the return and "repatriation" to the great USA. And, my internet connection is extremely unreliable. It seems to work between 10pm and 4am...but comcast claims there are no issues. Hmph.

However, I'm now back into the groove. Upcoming trips....

Door County, Wisconsin
New Orleans, Louisiana
San Francisco and Napa, California
Boston, Massachusetts
Nassau, Bahamas

Europe - Still on the list

2010-02-01T22:10:00.000+01:00

Europe has so many wonderful places to experience. During our 2 years in Denmark, we have been extremely fortunate to spend time in some amazing cities, take part in great experiences, and even manage to learn a few new languages (well, the basics...please and thank you!)

But, there are several places still on my list...

Seeing the northern lights and midnight sun in northern scandinavia
Hanging out in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland
Exploring the highlands of Scotland
Spending more time in Ireland (in late spring, early summer)
Drinking my way through wine country in France
Relaxing on a beach in the French and Italian Riviera
Cruising through the Greek isles
Spa-ing in Switzerland, maybe St. Moritz or Lausanne or Zermatt

Maybe on our next European Adventure we can explore all of these great places!

Ireland Slideshow

2010-01-12T18:29:00.000+01:00

The slideshow is posted.

Abode Rentals in Dublin, Ireland

2010-01-12T15:59:00.001+01:00

We traveled to Dublin with our friends Nils and Ina. Rather than check into a hotel for 7 nights, with the higher prices due to New Year’s Eve, I searched for a 2-bedroom apartment. My trusty cyberrentals.com and vrbo.com yielded no results as most places were already rented in September!

I stumbled upon Abode rentals, which caters primarily to businesses; however they do rent apartments to tourists.

We stayed in Hanover Quay in the H block with a nice two bedroom, two bathroom apartment overlooking the Liffey River and the Convention Center.

My rental checklist:
Does the property include parking? Off street, on street, underground, guarded, etc?
Is the apartment a non-smoking, pet free environment?
Do we need to provide shampoo, soap, and basic paper products?
Does the property have internet?
Are linens included?
Is there a washing machine/dryer on premises?
Is there a discount for paying cash?
Is the property near (the beach, city center, train/bus lines)?

After the initial phone call in October, we were set. Even though the advertised price online has a range of €690-€850 per week for a 2 bedroom, depending upon length of stay, the actual price was a bit higher at €1113. Given the limited options and it was over a major holiday, the additional price was acceptable; however misleading the website is.

But, imagine my surprise when a week before we arrive we receive the contract (which we have been asking for since October)…and low and behold I read that cigarette smoking is allowed. This is a major problem and had we received the contract in October, would have been a deal-breaker. Luckily, the apartment seemed smoke free as my sensitive nose wasn’t able to sniff anything out…although, I spent quite a bit of time sneezing in the apartment.

My second surprise was the lack of basics for the apartment. Each bathroom had two little hotel size bottles of shampoo, body soap, two little bars of soap, and two rolls of toilet paper…for a full week. The kitchen had one dishwasher pellet, no dishsoap, one kitchen towel, no hotpads, and no special cleaning supplies for the flat cooktop.

All of these would have been acceptable had they been addressed when I asked the questions in October. It would have been much easier for me to pack extra shampoo, some dishwasher pellets, etc in my suitcase, rather than go out and buy large quantities that will last the average person a month.

The bottom line - It was a nice apartment in a good location, but...No traveler likes surprises.

Park House Hotel in Galway, Ireland - Review

2010-01-11T10:13:00.000+01:00

After reading some of the reviews for the Park House Hotel on TripAdvisor, I decided to book it for a one night getaway from Dublin. What a fabulous hotel in a great location! We stayed in an upgraded deluxe room that was perfect. The room was quite large with a queen size bed and a separate single bed, a sitting area with couch and coffee table, a nice desk and chair, and a large marble bathroom with a nice soaking tub.

But, it’s the extra touches that are always appreciated…free covered parking (right in the center of town), full breakfast with a nice variety of hot and cold items, morning newspaper, nice, large, plush bathroom towels, a heated towel rack, complimentary Butler chocolates, still and sparkling water, and Molton Brown toiletries.

The staff…from the front desk staff to the breakfast staff to the gentlemen at the car park…were all quite friendly. Most of the time you were greeted with Good afternoon or good morning and at a minimum you would get a smile and a nod.

This is definitely a top notch hotel without the huge price.

Ireland - 8 day itineray

2010-01-10T10:51:00.000+01:00

Days 1 & 2: Dublin
We had chilly, but sunny weather, so we were out exploring and taking pictures at all the major sights - St. Patrick's Cathedral, Christ Church, Temple Bar, Trinity College, shopping on Grafton Street, Henry Street, Nassau Street and O'Connell Street. We had planned to visit the Dublin Castle, as the website said they were open...but alas, closed.

Day 3: Waterford, Cashel, Kilkenny
Nils and Ina arrived on Day 2, so we decided to go on a road trip on Day 3. It rained all.day.long. We walked through and around the Rock of Cashel, but the weather just wasn't cooperating, so we ended the tour early and hopped in the car for the 1 hour ride to Waterford. The drive was, shall we say, interesting. The winding roads are in varying degrees of disrepair. The posted speed is 100kmph; however I don't think we were able to go any faster than 80kmph. Mario must have done a test run and set the speeds!

I wanted to buy crystal, so our next stop was Waterford. Had it not been pouring, I think we would have spent more time in the city center. It looked like a lovely place to shop and stroll around. We found the Waterford Factory and after about an hour of browsing, I managed to find enough crystal to match my existing pieces and pick up a few more...just because. And, they shipped it to the US, for free! Yes, I bought that much.

Kilkenny is a wonderful town. We walked, we shopped, we stopped in at a pub, we saw the Kilkenny Castle. If only we had more time.

Days 4 & 5: Clonmacnoise, The burren, Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Kilbeggan, Kildare
Chuck and I planned a two day getaway to western Ireland. The motorway from Dublin to Galways is a very nice multilane tollway...a huge improvement over the roads from the previous day. We timed our stop at the Clonmacnoise for 10am, when they were scheduled to open. By 10:10, not a soul in sight, so we left.

Our next stop was a drive through the burren (heading through the hills) with a stop at the Cliffs of Moher and then continuing on through the burren along the coast back up to Galway. The drive was interesting, to say the least. The snow was heavy and wet, and started coming down in big flakes. Before we knew it, we were behind 2 cars that had (probably) never drove through snow. It took the better part of an hour to go about 20km, but most of that was spent watching the 2 cars in front of us go in the ditch, push each other out, slide down a hill, spin in the slush, repeat. The burren and cliffs were lovely, and I'm sure even more so when it's not snowing and blowing!

Galway is lovely. Absolutely lovely. We stayed at the Park House Hotel (review upcoming), shopped, and had an amazing dinner at Sonny's Front Door pub. On the return trip to Dublin, stopped in Kilbeggan and Kildare. Neither city was anything spectacular and most of the sights were closed because it was December 31.

Days 6, 7 & 8: Dublin and Malahide
We decided to cancel our day trip to Belfast. Call me crazy, but when a lorry filled with 1000lbs of explosives is found under an overpass on the main road from Dublin to Belfast, it's probably best to stay put.

New Year's Eve celebrations took their toll on Nils and Ina as both had some pretty bad hangovers. We didn't get moving for the day until almost noon! Our first stop was Malahide Castle. The grounds were beautiful and the castle was quite nice. Each time you went into a room within the castle, the audio system would start and tell you about the room. It was impersonal, but nice.

Kilmainham Gaol was quite interesting. Liz was our tour guide and while she was very informative, she spoke so fast and monotone that it would be difficult for ESL folks to follow along. We walked across the street to the Modern Art museum and arrived at 3:45. The website indicated reduced hours because of the holiday (12:30-5:30) and I was anything but pleasant when they posted a sign that they were closing at 4pm. What's the point of having a website and providing information to the public if you're going to arbitrarily modify operating hours on a whim?

No trip to Dublin would be complete without a trip to the Guinness Storehouse. Underwhelmed. It's a self guided tour through about 5 floors of exhibits. At the end of the tour you can go to the Galaxy bar for your free pint. I thought a trip on January 1st would be less busy because everyone would still be hungover...not so much. It was body to body.

The sun was shining, albeit chilly, so I was on a mission to take some nicer pictures. Rainy, cloudy, grey pictures just don't do it for me. We also saw the Book of Kells at Trinity College. Overrated and at 9Euro a person, not worth it!

Gallagher's Boxty House in the Temple Bar area was wonderful. Chuck had the chicken boxty and I had the Murphy's stew. Both were delicious! I should have taken pictures!

We ended our trip to Ireland with shopping in Dublin. Chuck will attest that I shopped and shopped and shopped! My poor little suitcases were busting at the seams.

A few pictures until I get the slideshow posted.

Bridge in Dublin over the Liffey River

Cute little town in the countryside between Cashel and Waterford.

Malahide Castle

Cliffs of Moher - yes the weather was that crummy!

St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland

Customs House in Dublin, Ireland

8 day trip to Ireland

2010-01-10T10:23:00.001+01:00

This past holiday season, we decided to fly to Dublin and spend just over a week exploring the island. Ireland is huge and very diverse, with so many things to do and cities to visit, so selecting a handful to explore wasn't an easy task. It's safe to say that our first visit to Ireland will definitely not be our last visit! And, for what it's worth, we found another country that we wouldn't mind living in for awhile.

Deets:

Air - We flew Ryanair, the low cost no-frill airline into Dublin. While the flight wasn't exactly as cheap as my previous flights (it was peak holiday season), it was quick and easy.

Daily Transportation - We rented a car from Enterprise. Michelle was very nice and helpful. It was nice to run into someone that was willing, and comfortable, making idle chitchat.

Accomodations - We rented a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment from Abode Dublin (review upcoming).

Weather - We were prepared for chilly temperatures. But, the freezing rain, slush, and snow were a surprise. I felt like I was back in the Midwest. Driving was a challenge for the locals as the weather was a rare event. In western Ireland, they received about a foot of snow and one of the locals told us that it was a once every 20 year event. Another gentleman in Waterford told us that he doesn't remember weather like this (bitterly frigid) in over 50 years!

Our whirlwind tour (detailed post will follow):

Days 1 & 2: Dublin

Day 3: Waterford, Cashel, Kilkenny

Days 4 & 5: Clonmacnoise, The burren, Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Kilbeggan, Kildare

Days 6, 7 & 8: Dublin and Malahide

Christ Church in Dublin, Ireland

Half Penny Bridge (built in 1816) over the Liffey River in Dublin, Ireland - so named because the toll was a half penny if you wanted to use it to cross the river.

2009 - A Year in Review

2009-12-31T04:08:00.004+01:00

It's hard to believe that in 12 months, we've been to 128 cities in 17 countries. We rang in 2009 watching fireworks over the Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens, Greece and will be ringing in 2010 in Dublin, Ireland.

From Beautiful Budapest to Incredible Italia to Perfect Paris to Magnificent Madrid, we've seen some of the best that Europe (and the world) has to offer.

By the numbers...

3 continents
17 countries
128 cities
151 nights away from home (hotels/rental homes)
61,155 actual miles flown (by me)
17 kilometers (about 10 miles) driven in a single tunnel (in Switzerland)
46 AA batteries my camera 'ate' this year
16,067 kilometers (about 9,983 miles) driven this year
15,000+ digital photos taken

Enjoy the recap (click on the picture below to launch the slideshow).

Another day, another country

2009-12-26T18:30:00.000+01:00

We're off on another adventure.

This time, the destination is Ireland.

Neither one of us have been to Ireland, so we're excited to see what the country has to offer. And, who can pass up New Year's Eve in Dublin?

Stay tuned.

Happy Holidays from our little corner of the world

2009-12-24T17:38:00.007+01:00

Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas! May your holidays be filled with laughter and happiness no matter where your travels may take you!

This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, joy to fill your holidays! --D.M. Dellinger

You'd think all of Europe was on sale

2009-12-23T16:25:00.002+01:00

I purposely told Chuck's mom that her packing limit was 40 pounds, when it was really 50 pounds per suitcase. It's a good thing, too.

You would have thought that Europe was on sale with all the stuff she bought. Actually, it might have something to do with the monopoly money she was playing with....pounds, euros, and kroner.

Check out all the stuff she bought...

Weekend in Amsterdam, Netherlands

2009-12-23T16:08:00.000+01:00

Chuck's great, great, (great) grandparents hail from the Netherlands, so we decided to take a trip to the homeland while Chuck's mom was visiting us.

We spent a few days in Amsterdam and then stopped at the Zaanse-schans for a couple of hours.

Chuck and I visited Amsterdam, Alkmaar, and the Keukenhof last April, so it was a welcomed return to a city we enjoyed. For a chilly weekend in December, the city was bustling with activity.

Rather than check into a hotel, I found a B&B that had two bedrooms. We stayed at the Dumas and Considine Bed and Breakfast, which was a nice alternative to a hotel. I'll post more about the lodging later.

Some of the highlights:

Coffee at Café Thijssen while Chuck's mom explored the flower market
Finding a great little cheese store tucked in a little corner of the flower market
Taking a river cruise
Heineken Brewery tour
A trip to the ER
Watching the ice skaters
Noshing on a warm chocolate dipped waffle

A few pictures.

Zaanse Schans near Amsterdam

2009-12-17T14:01:00.002+01:00

About 20 minutes north of Amsterdam is the Zaanse Schans in the town of Zaandam, Netherlands. The Zaanse Schans is basically a dutch park with windmills, a museum, cheese shops, wooden shoe shops, and other souvenier shops.

The park is free to enter, with the exception of a few windmills (3Euro per person), the museum (7.5Euro per person), and parking (7Euros for the day).

As Chuck and his mom wandered around taking pictures, I was busy shopping. Sadly, I didn't find anything in the diamond center, but I did find some shoes and a few paintings. No, I didn't buy those crazy wooden shoes!

Oh, and who can pass up some good cheese from the Netherlands? Yummy!

A few pictures.

Christmas Market in Bremen, Germany

2009-12-16T06:06:00.001+01:00

In a word....fabulous!

Four hours just isn't enough time to spend at the Bremen Christmas Market. Chuck and I visited Bremen in August for his birthday and really enjoyed spending time in this great city along the river. On our way to Amsterdam, I thought it would be nice to stop in, once again, for a few hours to see their Christmas market.

Bremen did not disappoint!

Some how I missed Bottcherstrasse in August. Well, I found it in December. I probably dropped about 200Euro on this short little street. Bottcherstrass has some great shops with unique glassware, teas, and other Bremen related items. I also stumbled upon the Bremen Bonbon shop where you can watch them make lollipops and candies from scratch.

The Christmas market was spectacular. There are really 3 sections. One in the square in front of the Rathaus, one between the Rathaus and the information center and one near St. Peter's Cathedral. I found just about everything I was looking for in Bremen...and then some.

A few pictures...

Christmas market with St. Peter's Cathedral in the background.

Christmas market with Bremen Town Hall (Rathaus) in the background.

Yummy marshmallow filled chocolate domes.

Market

Mother in law, Sue, buying some mind twisting games.

Chuck and his mom at the Town Musicians statue

Whirlwind tour of London

2009-12-15T17:58:00.001+01:00

We had a visitor for the past 10 days. Chuck's mom flew over from the US. Because it was her first time outside the USA, I made sure to schedule a ton of things for her to do.

We went to 3 Christmas Markets in Germany (Flensburg, Lubeck and Bremen), flew to London and visited all the major sites and went to Windsor Castle, drove to Amsterdam and visited all the major sites including a stop at the Zaanse-schans.

Back to London.

We took a quick Ryanair flight from Billund over to Stansted and then the train into town. I think Sue was on stimulation overload with all the things to see and do in London.

The first day we spent touring Windsor Castle. I had never been there before, so it was great to pick up the audio guide and roam around the grounds for a few hours. Windsor Castle is amazing, impressive, over the top, oppulent, magnificent....need I say more?

Some of the highlights...

Taking the underground during rush hour and packing into the tube on the picadilly line.
...and having my MIL get scolded by the London bobby for taking pictures in the underground (with the flash) after I told her not to.
Wandering through St. Paul's cathedral and the crypt
Listening to one of the beefeaters at the Tower of London
Seeing the crown jewels
River cruise from Tower Bridge to Westminster
Shopping at Harrods
Shopping with the hoards of people on Regent Street - Hamley's and Liberty were complete chaos.
Dinner at Hard Rock Cafe - sometimes it's the little things and when you've lived in Europe for 2 years the comforts of a (semi) American meal are welcomed!
Simply Food's death by chocolate dessert - simply divine.
Staying at the Rembrant hotel - lovely.

A few pictures.

St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle

Interior courtyard at Windsor Castle

Mother in law, Sue at Windsor Castle

Beefeater at Tower of London

Tower of London

me with long curly hair, oh my!

Christmas Market in Lubeck, Germany

2009-12-05T21:20:00.006+01:00

Going to the Christmas Market in Lubeck, Germany wasn't exactly an original idea as it seems all of northern Germany was there!

We arrived around 11:30, only to sit in traffic for another 30 minutes, crawling along trying to park. The goal was to be up and in Lubeck by 10am or so (the market opens at 11). This way we could get a parking spot, see some of the sites, and shop a bit before the hoards of people descended upon Lubeck. We didn't leave until 9:30, so getting there by 10 wasn't going to happen.

Recommendations:

Get there early! 10am is best. If you get there later in the day, park just outside of the walled city area and walk the 5-10 minutes to get to the market. It will save 30 minutes of waiting in traffic to find a parking space.
Get there early! There are hoards of people mulling around. If you want to spend some time browsing the shops, get there early because shopping body to body is difficult. And, if you pass up an item you want, turning around to get it is virtually impossible.
Enjoy the hot mulled wine, bratwurst, gingerbread, large pretzels, and great confections. Yummy way to eat your way through the market.
Stop in the Marienkirche and browse through the Church. It's a good place to take a break from all the people and it has a great story, so pick up the English brochure at the door near the donation box.
Check out the arts and crafts at St. Petri Church. There's a 2 Euro entrance fee, but the wares are worth a look.
Skip the Niederegger (marzipan store) unless you enjoy being bumped and grinded (is that the right word?) by old men and ladies fighting to get a look at the latest Christmas marzipan candies. Wowee. It was intense. I'll buy my confections at Cittipark.

Another solo trip

2009-11-24T15:51:00.000+01:00

When we first moved to Europe, we had every intention of it being a 'forever' move, which is why we gave away most of our things to friends/family that needed a little help, and bought one-way tickets. For the past 2 years all of our round trip tickets have originated in Denmark or Germany. Recently SAS has had some great deals on Economy extra, but only on flights originating in the US...so, I've had to do some creative round trips within round trips in order to take advantage of the bargains.

Well, I'm officially going to get on a schedule of having the US as my origination point and always having a return ticket (from Denmark) available.

How pray-tell will I be doing this? Ryanair does one-way trips to London at 50% of a round trip fare. Perfect. Then, I cashed in some American Airlines miles for a one-way first class ticket.

Next week, I'll be back on a Chicago-Copenhagen-Chicago schedule. Yippee!

On the road again...and in the air!

2009-11-18T14:42:00.005+01:00

Let the traveling begin.

One of the busiest travel seasons is from Thanksgiving through the New Year. Generally, I try to avoid peak travel time at all costs.

Airfare prices are higher, planes are full to capacity with crabby and sick adults...and screaming kids that have far surpassed the amount of time they can handle waiting around doing nothing, hotels are full, people are rushing around pushing/shoving/being rude...just so they can be the first person in line, first person at the baggage claim...so they can wait some more, and security lines longer than the eye can see filled with people who have either been living under a rock and failed to pay attention to the liquids in a plastic bag rule...or they are first time fliers.

Grant me the patience to deal with holiday travel this year, as between Thanksgiving and New Years, I will be in about 30 cities in 6 different countries.

A few tips to get through, what will no doubt be a trying time:

Place all your 3oz or smaller liquids in a clear ziplock baggie. The quart size freezer version is a bit more durable. Do this at home before you leave as many airports no longer carry the 'last minute free baggie.'
Be prepared at security checks - take off your shoes and jacket, take your laptop out, remove liquids, and have your passport and boarding pass in your hand.
Pick up some antibacterial spray and don't forget to place in your ziplock baggie. And no matter how much you want to, do not touch your eyes and face unless your hands are clean. Keep those germs at bay!
Pack some antibacterial hand wipes to wipe down your tray table, arm rests, and inflight entertainment. They don't get wiped down between flights.
Have your cell phone and battery charger in your carry-on; along with all important numbers, including the hotel, taxi pick up, and airline. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, it's easiest to pull out your cell phone and make some calls, rather than wait in the rebooking line. If you're traveling and a storm is coming, jot down the phone numbers of some hotels near the airport...just in case.
Pack some entertainment - books, suduko, crossword puzzles, ipod
Have your OTC meds and prescription meds handy in your carry-on. You never know when you'll need a few Tylenol or Aleve to drown out that screaming kid.
Pack a snack - nuts and dried cranberries, granola, whatever you fancy.
Pack an empty water bottle that you can refill with water on the other side of security.
Throw in a few pieces of hard candy (in case you get a tickle or your seatmate is hacking away), some gum to help with pressurizing and popping your ears, and some tissues.

Rental Cars

2009-11-17T15:27:00.003+01:00

A few weeks ago, while in the US, we rented a Chrysler Sebring through Avis. Chuck insisted on the gasoline prepay ($2.68 a gallon), while this would not have been my choice, it was fine...or so I thought.

After driving the car with the gas light on for 20 miles, I pulled into a gas station and filled it up. 13.3 gallons @ $2.74 a gallon.

Imagine my surprise when I looked at our rental agreement and it stated the tank capacity is 16.9 gallons. Needless to say, in the prepay option, Avis charged us 16.9 gallons @ $2.68 a gallon.

My search online states, that indeed, the fuel capacity for a 2007 Chrysler Sebring is 16.9 gallons.

So, the questions remain...did I get 3.6 gallons of gas free from the gas station? Is Chrysler's published tank capacity wrong? Was there something in the tank that decreased the volume?

Lesson learned...don't opt for the prepay gasoline, even if it is 5 cents cheaper than at the pumps.

Picture pages, picture pages...

2009-11-14T21:38:00.000+01:00

....time to get your crayons and your pencils.

Or, just click on the links and check out the slideshows from our recent travels.

Edinburgh, Scotland (November)
Barcelona, Spain (September)
Madrid, Spain (September)
Budapest, Hungary (September)
Northern Wisconsin (June)

Cappellari Bis, Apartment Rental in Rome Italy - Review

2009-11-13T21:10:00.004+01:00

Note: I have been holding off on posting this review in the hopes of some sort of resolution from Sleep in Italy. My correspondence has gone unanswered and unacknowledged.

While in Rome, Italy we stayed at Cappellari Bis , located just of Campo Fiori, which is a great location! I did a ton of research and worked with a woman named Gulia at Sleep in Italy . She was quite friendly and answered all of my questions. Well, that's the extent of the positives.

The apartment was just ok. When we arrived, a gentleman met us, walked us through the apartment, gave us the keys, and then was on his way.

The downfalls...a washing machine that didn't spin, so clothes were soaking wet; a homeowner who didn't pay the electric bill, so no electricity for 2 days; a kitchen where only one appliance could be running or the breakers flipped, so no microwave and oven at the same time (talk about a pain in the butt when it comes to cooking!); rooms with hardly any light and most had these lampshades and bulb surrounds in crazy colors (red) that did not lend themselves to emitting any light; no toilet paper; no soap; a TV with 3 channels.

The management company, Sleep in Italy was anything but helpful and when we had no electricity, due to nonpayment by the owner (from November until April!!!) they were extremely rude and condescending. As if it was our fault there was no power. And, heaven forbid we actually demand power on a rental property. How dare we! We contacted them at 11am when we noticed a 'Termination of Services' note on the door, and then subsequent no power. After waiting around for hours, we were moved to a Bed and Breakfast for 1 night, but were unable to check in until 6pm.

Sleep in Italy has yet to address our losses (over 50Euro in spoiled food and a huge cell phone bill).

Avoid this place (and management company) at all costs!

Edinburgh, Scotland in a little over a day

2009-11-12T23:55:00.007+01:00

About a month ago, Ryanair was running a fare special. As luck would have it, this whole no working thing (professional tourist) worked to my advantage as I was able to fly out on a Monday and return on a Wednesday for a mere 1 penny. No check in fees, no taxes, no checked luggage....no problem!

I stayed at the Hilton Caledonian. What a lovely hotel! I was in room 218, which is quite large and has an amazing view of the Edinburgh Castle. There was one small issue, but at no fault of the hotel....the construction crew, which has Princes Street all torn up cut the power to our block, which caused a blackout at about 19:30. The generator kicked in and power was restored, but the fire alarm was affected, so we were back downstairs 10 minutes later. Then, the fire department didn't clear the panel correctly, so 10 minutes later another fire alarm. All in all, about an hour of climbing steps. Luckily all the guests were good natured about it and the staff was very nice and apologetic.

Edinburgh was wonderful. I cannot wait to return in the spring/summer time when all the flowers are in bloom and the tram work is completed (late 2010). In one full day (and two partial days), I managed to take in some sights and do a little shopping, but next time I'll bring Chuck along and we'll spend a few days in Edinburgh and then head to the highlands for a few days.

I started my day at the Edinburgh Castle. It is quite the hike to get there, so if you plan to walk all day, I'd recommend hiring a taxi to take you to the castle, then walking down the hill and exploring the rest of the day.

The Royal Mile runs from the Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace and is lined with cashmere and wool shops, souvenier shops, kilt makers, and pubs. As I walked from the Castle to the Palace, I shopped and I shopped some more. I even went into a few shops to buy an extra suitcase...but, in the end, I just crammed everything into my existing bags. Note to self....next time, bring an extra bag!

At the end of the Royal Mall is Holyrood Palace, which is where Queen E stays when she is in Scotland. It's a lovely palace, but of course, is not as opulent as Windsor or Buckingham.

Princes Street is undergoing a major renovation, with new infrastructure (water/gas pipes) and will soon be getting a new track for the tram, which is supposed to extend from the airport to the city center. But, for now, getting around the Princes Street area is a bit of a challenge as you have to basically commit to one side of the street or the other because there are very few pedestrian passageways. I shopped at Jenners and felt a little giddy when I stumbled upon Mark and Spencers. Yes, I love the wensleydale cheese with cranberries. One little snack size piece and I was set for another few months.

I'll be back. There are so many things I didn't get a chance to do...and Chuck would love it there, so we'll plan a return trip that is sure to include a trip to the Highlands...and maybe a visit to some folks we met in Venice!

A few pix and the slide show.

The view from my room at the Hilton Caledonian.

The Edinburgh Castle

The Crown Jewels are located in here.

Planning our European adventures

2009-11-11T12:17:00.003+01:00

Over the past several months, I've received quite a few questions about how I go about planning our holidays and if, in fact, there is someone else that plans our various adventures. Nope, it's just me. Me, and my trusty DK Eyewitness Europe guidebook. Oh, I should probably mention that in 1996, I did get my travel agent certification. But, with so many online travel resources, it's not as though it is really worth anything today.

When we first arrived in Europe, almost 2 years ago, we were surrounded by amazing cities that we wanted to visit. So, we had a long list of 'must see' cities.

Living in southern Denmark, we are very fortunate that we can easily drive to many cities and have access to several airports.

As 3 day weekends approached, I'd pull out the guidebook and find out what was 'in season' or those cities that are best seen during a particular season....

Amsterdam, Netherlands in April - Keukenhof gardens
Alkmaar, Netherlands in Spring, Summer, Fall - cheese festival
Paris, France in Spring, Summer - Versailles in bloom
Dresden and Lubeck, Germany in Winter - Christmas market
Barcelona and Madrid, Spain in the fall - not too hot

In other cities, we planned to spend most of our time indoors at museums, so it really didn't matter which month we visited.

I typically have 3 or 4 cities selected for a particular timeframe. If we plan on flying, I'll do a quick search on Expedia to check flight costs. I also check Ryanair and see if we can get a super cheap flight out of Billund, Denmark or Lubeck, Germany. Low cost, no frill airlines are not included in typical search engines like Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity. However, I've found that Skyscanner does include the low cost airlines.

Once I decide on a city, it's time to figure out possible hotels. TripAdvisor is one of my favorite resources. I consult TripAdvisor for just about every trip and look for reviews on various activities, too. Because I'm an avid user of the service, I also contribute reviews...hopefully providing someone with another piece of information before they make a holiday decision.

Note: If you are looking to book a room at a discount, you may consider using Booking.com or Hotels.com; however be aware that some hotels will put you in an undesirable room or one that has not been updated. If you want to save a buck and score a renovated room, be prepared to request a room change after checking in.

I tend to book directly with the hotel via their website. I've found that booking via a discount or consolidator usually only saves $10 or $15 a night. I'd rather not be irritated when I first arrive at a hotel because of a less than desirable room, the first time around. So, I save myself the hassle.

Prior to our departure for a particular city, I pull up the online tourist maps, read excursion and tourist site reviews and develop a plan of attack so we can make the most of our stay. Is there a particular brew pub that we should visit? A brewery or wine tour? A famous bakery or pub? Any plays, shows, or musicals we should see? Museums? Day tours? How is the metro? Can I buy a day pass? Does it make fiscal sense to purchase a tourist card? Can I buy tickets online? Can I skip the queue? There is nothing worse than wasting 2 hours in line trying to get into a museum or into Versailles, up the Eiffel Tower or in the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Don't do it. Be informed and buy your tickets online.

Yes, I always have an excel spreadsheet that has all our travel information, daily events, hours of operations, and fees listed. It takes a bit of time to pull together, but in the end, we see the things we want to see, avoid the crowds, and don't waste hours wondering around, waiting in line or the never ending..."what do you want to do?" "I don't know, what do you want to do?" We usually try to see the major tourist attractions right away in the morning before most people wake up and then in the afternoon or during peak tourist time we'll shop, wander side streets, parks, riverfronts, or beaches.

This approach is not for everyone. Some prefer to wander through cities, experiencing life and doing whatever feels good that particular day. Happening upon a great bistro in Paris or a stroll through Luxembourg gardens that results in meeting a Parisian family and joining them for a picnic are definitely not planned events. But, they are amazing experiences, nonetheless.

The best part about being on holiday is relaxing, enjoying, experiencing, and learning...on your own terms...with whomever you choose.

Up next, a few itineraries.

Quick trip to Aarhus

2009-10-31T10:09:00.002+01:00

(from February)

We recently took a quick trip to Aarhus (or Arhus or Århus). It's a large metropolis of about 300,000 people and has some great museums and sights. It was a little chilly and big heavy wet flakes of snow pummled us...so heavy and wet that my hair was drench and no amount of straightening my hair would get rid of the ringlet curls!

We visited with some friends in Aarhus and had a great time. We'll definitely have to schedule another visit when the weather is a bit warmer (and I'm not sick). I didn't take a lot of photos, so when we return, I'll incorporate the pictures into a slideshow. Below is a picture of the river that runs through the downtown area (it seems like all European cities have a river running through it) and Nils found a bike in said river. I wonder if the bike owner knows his/her bike is in the river. Hopefully it wasn't after a night of drinking...that would be funny....students walks home soaking wet....uh, I missed the bridge and landed in the river...I'll get my bike tomorrow

Some thoughts from our trip.

The Aros Art Museum is very nice. It is one of the largest art museum in northern Europe. The Action exhibit on the lower level is fantastic! Actually, the whole museum was wonderful.

We went to a great Italian restaurant, but I can't recall the name. Hmmm, I'll have to research that and update the blog.

We went to several pubs. I'm always a fan of non-smoking pubs! Waxies was nice; however their foosball table wasn't very good. Sherlock Holmes pub was a nice stop for drinks and a place for my hair to dry a bit!

We tried to take a break from the elements a few times; however of the 4 bars / cafes we entered they ALL said they had no room for us. One had a whole upstairs area that they didn't want to open. Hmmm, paying customers are better than no customers. Another cafe had three young women (mid twenties) sitting at a table with one, yes ONE, soda with a slice of lemon and THREE straws. I'm sure they made a boatload of money on that table. In the end, we found Sherlock Holmes pub and I'm sure they enjoyed the business. Ahhh, deep breath.

I'm looking forward to my next visit to Aarhus...hopefully when the weather is a bit nicer!

Update: Here's a link to our driving tour of Denmark, which included a return trip to Aarhus.

Hop on Hop off sightseeing tours

2009-10-30T10:11:00.001+01:00

I must admit, I’m a huge fan of the Hop on Hop off (HoHo) sightseeing tours in European cities. Major cities have sightseeing routes of the top attractions and for under 20 euro you get a 90-120 minute audio tour, complete with headsets and six different languages, a brief introduction to the major sites, and a break from walking!

We typically take the first bus of the morning and get a feel for the layout of the city and the sites we want to visit in more depth.

There are many cities that have HoHo sightseeing tour. Here are the ones that I've used...

Copenhagen, Denmark
Paris, France
London, England
Brussels, Belgium
Berlin, Germany
Vienna, Austria

Sightseeing canal or river cruises:

Amsterdam, Netherlands
Venice, Italy
Copenhagen, Denmark
Berlin, Germany

NB: This list is not an all inclusive list.

In two words...Incredible Italia

2009-10-29T20:44:00.001+01:00

(from May)

We just returned from 6 days in Rome. Our Incredible Italia vacation started with 4 days in Sorrento, Italy (with side trips to Capri and Positano) and then ended with 6 days in Rome.

This summer our Incredible Italia experience will continue with several weeks of incredible-ness in Venice, Bologna, Firenze, Tuscany, Cinque Terre and the Lake Como area. 2009 is the year of Italy!

Rome is a wonderful city, rich with culture, history, amazing culinary smells, fabulous food, and cobblestone alleys filled with wonderful music.

Rome is a very 'walkable' city. Home base for us was near Campo di fiori and from there we could walk under 30 minutes and get to just about every site in Rome (Vatican, Coliseum, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Trevi fountain, Pantheon, Villa Borghese....).

Here's what we did...

Trevi Fountain - it is bustling with hundreds of people from about 9am until late in the evening. If you want nice photos, arrive by 7:30 for some beautiful early morning pictures.
Piazza Navona - is a wonderful piazza surrounded by restaurants with umbrella covered tables. It is a great place to watch life pass you by; however it is one of the more touristy-locations and thus expensive.
National Museum (near Piazza Navona)
Galleria Borghese (art museum in Villa Borghese)
Pantheon
Coliseum
Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Campo di Fiori
Spanish Steps
Villa Borghese
Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums
St. Peter's Basilica
Papal Address

Along the way we had a few hiccups in Rome...

We worked so hard at not getting ripped off in the rip off capital of the world (Beijing), that no sooner did we get to the train station in Rome and get in a cab did we get ripped off. The cabbie had several meters in his car and the 'official' one started at 15 Euro, when it should have started at 5 Euro. A 9-10Euro cab ride, metered at 30Euro. After a heated discussion, he said 25 Euro was good. As I started writing down his license plate number and cabbie number, he came down to 20Euro. My first impression with Rome and Italians was not very positive.

The apartment we rented 'lost power' for 24 hours (due to the owner not paying the electric bill since NOVEMBER)...I'm not done dealing with that one and will blog more later.

Despite the hiccups, our time in Rome and the surrounding area was amazing. I cannot wait until our 3 week tour of Italy in July!

Day trip to Versailles

2009-10-29T08:26:00.000+01:00

(from May)

In May, Chuck and I flew to Paris for a long weekend. We also flew in our niece from the US as her 13th birthday present. Her return flight was 6 hours earlier than ours, so Chuck took her to the airport and I ventured over to Versailles for a few hours.

A day trip to Versailles - Wow! You approach Versailles by walking up a wide boulevard to the golden gate entrance. Lines and tour busses snake everywhere. Pay the extra 1.5Euro and buy your ticket in advance online (or at the tourism center on the left, just before the entrance to Versailles).

If you only want to go to the garden, enter from the left side...and no need to stand in the massive ticket line! The gardens are extensive. Bring a book and find a little nook, amazing photo opps, rent a boat, take the shuttle train ride, watch the fountains, listen to the classical music piped in as you walk the garden. A great day trip from Paris if you have the time.

Top 10 European Destinations

2009-10-28T10:11:00.008+01:00

Europe is filled with amazing cities. There are varying opinions on the top 10 European destinations, but most include the big cities of London, Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona. All of these cities are beautiful and have great things to offer travelers; however there are several cities that I love.

One of the attractions to the normal 'big cities' is that you can easily spend a week in the location because there is sooo much to do. However, in my opinion, it's much harder in the 'big cities' to find that (what we Americans call the) European feeling, that coziness, that deep connection to history. It's there, just a little harder to find.

Here is my top 10:

Munich, Germany - (Post 2) Have a beer in one of the many beer gardens, stroll through the marienplatz and escape the touristy stuff by heading to English Garden and lake (Englischer Garten).
Cinque Terre, Italy - Hike the miles and miles of trails, many of which you will have all to yourself! Pick one city as home base and explore the others by train, trails or the ferry. Manarola is my favorite! You will not find a McDonalds anywhere in CT, which is wonderful!

Madrid, Spain - Enjoy some vino at Plaza Mayor, visit Palacio Real, enjoy the museums on the Prado, then escape the touristy stuff by walking through Retiro Park and the botanical garden.

Florence, Italy - Where to start? The pedestrian central city lends itself to that deep connection with history. Stroll from il Duomo down the cobblestone pedestrian street to Piazza Signoria, stop in Uffizi, then over the Ponte Vecchio. Spend an afternoon walking through Palazzo Pitti, the Medici residence and the beautiful gardens.

Paris, France - Cliche? Perhaps. After having your fill of tourists at the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Pompidou Center, take a bike ride through the Latin Quarter or stroll through Luxembourg Gardens. Find a quiet bench in the Tuileries.

London, England and surrounding area - You could easily spend a week in London. You could spend several weeks in London and still not visit all the usual tourist sites. After spending a day or two in the city, head out to the surrounding area...Oxford, Bath, Salisbury, the Cotswolds.

Lucerne, Switzerland - A respite from the hustle and bustle of Zurich, which is about 1 hour away. Walk along the river, cross the famous wooden bridge, shop, take a lake cruise, take the cogwheel train to Mt. Pilatus, zip past the swiss cows (complete with bells) on a summer tobogan, shop, chug along in the tourist train, oh, and did I mention...shop!

Strasbourg, France - two words...Petite France.

Berlin, Germany - After taking in the usual tourist sites and museums, walk from the Brandenburg Gate and through the Tiergarten. Do as the locals do, bring a frisbee, a picnic lunch and enjoy nature. Spend some time at Schloss Charlottenburg. Simply spectacular!

Budapest, Hungary - Have a beer at one of the many sidewalk cafes along the Danube. On the Pest side, make your way to Heroes Plaza and the surrounding park. On the Buda side, stroll through Castle Hill and the Royal Palace. Enjoy the views of Pest from Fisherman's Bastion, which are amazing at night.

There are oodles and oodles of wonderful cities in Europe. So, limiting my top 10 list to just 10 wasn't an easy task. My honorable mentions would be...Rome and Tuscany, Italy.

Upcoming Travel

2009-10-27T17:44:00.003+01:00

I went on another shopping spree and booked a handful (or two) of trips. Thank goodness I don't mind the no frills airline, RyanAir! This should take me through the first of the year.

USA
Edinburgh, Scotland
London
USA
London
Dublin, Ireland (and the countryside)

Of course, we'll throw in a few famous German Christmas markets once December rolls around. Apparently, Lubeck has a wonderful Christmas market. Know of any other good ones?

Bicycles

2009-10-23T21:45:00.008+02:00

It seems I also take a lot of pictures of bicycles.

Sonderborg, Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark

Florence, Italy

Siena, Italy

Bremen, Germany

Cotswolds, England

Aarhus, Denmark (sometimes they are in the river)

Doors and windows

2009-10-23T21:01:00.001+02:00

Looking through the many, many pictures I've taken during our European adventure, it seems that I had a little obsession with windows and doors.

Some of my favorites...

Verazzano in Tuscany, Italy

Cotswolds, England

Frankfurt, Germany

Cinque Terre, Italy

Capri, Italy

Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China

Barcelona, Spain

Budapest, Hungary

Siena, Italy

Volpaia, Italy

Northern Wisconsin

2009-10-23T20:15:00.000+02:00

(from June 2009)

While visiting the US in June, my mom, sister and I took a driving tour through northern Wisconsin. Stops along the way were Minocqua, Ashland, Bayfield, and Cornucopia. The boys (dad and Kasey's husband Kelly) got to stay home and babysit Lincoln...Chuck got to stay in Denmark to work (and fund my travel addiction)....Jesse was in Chi-town working.

I had a list of things to do and see, based upon recommendations, TripAdvisor, and travel guides. Some of these folks should be out of business!!!

The Gourmet Garage was highly recommended on TripAdvisor. What a bust. I would skip it and advise that you skip it too. The Gourmet Garage is a small bakery in a transformed garage of a three-bedroom ranch single family home. The 'gourmet' part is truly a misnomer. As you walk through the door you are greeted by a wall of stainless steel sinks and racks...turn to the right and there is a small bakery display case. Behind the display case are racks and racks of 'stuff'. The place has so much potential and could be a cute little bakery, but instead it comes off as a garage that has barely passed the health inspector's review. Yuck! Oh, and once you walk in, you are under the watchful eye of a staff member, so the pressure is on to buy something, anything. We had Kasey's husband be the taste-tester of the apple turnover....verdict...no need to buy that again!

We rented a condo in Bayfield called the Ada O'Day condos through the Winfield Inn. We stayed in Unit 1, which was a huge 2 bedroom condo that was decorated very nicely and in a great location! I can only assume the other units looked just as nice and they were lucky enough to get a fabulous view of Lake Superior. Our unit, even though it was advertised as having a view, didn't.

We shopped quite a bit on the trip as there really wasn't much else to do. There was one cute little general store that had big barrels of salt water taffy. In a matter of 3 days, I think we visited the store no less than 5 times!

Some pictures from our trip.

I love the last part of the sign!

Bayfield Pier

Ashland coastline

Bayfield coastline

Bayfield

What's in my carry-on?

2009-10-20T11:39:00.001+02:00

I travel quite a bit and I actually enjoy it. But, I enjoy it because I choose the destination and the time frame...no one is telling me when and where to go. It's a control thing, typical of being a "Type A" and a first-born.

Sitting in economy class (when I don't have enough miles to upgrade) is always a trying time for me. I get bored easily and being confined to a tin can for hours with sneezing, coughing, and snoring people is just a bit much to handle.

Here's what you can find in my carry-on to make the long flight a little more bearable.

Vera Bradley Baby Bag (works great as a carry-on)

Ziplock plastic bag with all my liquids (the freezer bags hold up better)

Hempz hand lotion

True Blue Lip Balm

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Makeup bag

Empty water bottle to fill on the other side of security

Pill container with Aleve and motion sickness drugs

Cris Notti sleep mask
Anti-bacterial hand sanitizing spray

Ipod

Camera and extra batteries, misc. cords

Book

A few pages from my sudoku book

Slippers

A snack, usually dried cranberries and cashews or almonds

Hard candy, in case I start coughing or someone around me is hacking away

A rocky ferry ride to Egeskov

2009-10-04T20:19:00.010+02:00

I should probably just invest in Dramamine stock. I sure do take enough of it and I think everyone around me is happy to know that before a plane ride, car ride, or a boat ride, I will have taken one of the little round white pills...and I won't be the one looking a bit green!

This morning we were up early to catch the 8am ferry to the island of Fyn....final destination...Egeskov Castle.

The seas were pretty rough today and it was extremely windy out, so we had quite the rocky 50 minute ride across the sea. Thank goodness I don't have to make that trip very often!

Egeskov Slot (oak forest castle) was built in the mid 1500s as a home for a Danish nobleman. Today it is a full fledged tourist location complete with the castle museum, a vintage motorcycle museum, vintage car museum, gardens, mazes, tree top walk, deer park...and the list continues.

Egeskov Slot is only open for a few months each year (April - October) and we were lucky enough to visit it on the last operating day for 2009.

A few pictures from our visit.

Beautiful Budapest

2009-10-02T09:32:00.001+02:00

Several months ago, I found a great deal on airfare and the Hilton was offering 50% off on weekends in September, so I quickly booked a weekend getaway to Budapest. It was one of those ‘impulse buys’ that I am so good at! Although, in the US, my ‘impulse buy’ of a sweater or a pair of shoes often results in buyer’s remorse and a trip back to the store to return the item.

For the record, Budapest was simply spectacular and I would NEVER have buyer’s remorse.

We stayed at the Hilton-Castle Hill, which is located on the Buda side. I read some horror stories about taxis in Budapest, so I decided to arrange for ground transportation through Airport Minibuz service. Apparently, taxis aren't regulated, so they can charge whatever they want...even though they have a 'meter' running. The shuttle service was great on the way TO the hotel. It was a complete nightmare on the return.

We decided to divide our time in Budapest by spending one full day on the Pest side and one full day on the Buda side.

Pest
We strolled through some of the quaint streets and various stairs down to the Chain Bridge, which crosses the Danube River, and then walked over to the Pest side. We debated whether or not to take the subway or walk, but decided it was a nice day for a walk and made our way to Heroes Square and City Park.

We seem to be on Church/Cathedral/Museum overload, so we bypassed them on this trip. I hope it wasn't too big of a mistake!

We took the subway (yellow "millenium" line) back to the main square and then found a great little outdoor cafe to sit and have a few drinks. A little history....The Budapest subway is the second oldest subway in the world and it so simple and easy to use. Trust me, it's not as high tech as some systems, but the simplicity lends to the old-time feel. The yellow line was built between 1894-1896 and was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Rather than climb up the hill back to the Buda side, we walked across the Chain Bridge and then took the funicular up to Buda Castle and then walked around the Castle Hill area.

Buda

Our hotel was on the Buda side and in the Castle Hill district, so exploring was right out our (front) door. We walked over to the Buda Castle (Royal Castle), through the gardens, Fisherman's Bastion, Matthias Church

We thought about giong to Gellert Baths or another of the communal bathing houses that are popular in Budapest. However, shared warm water kind of freaks us both out, so we passed.

A few pictures until I get the slideshow posted.

See, we were there!

Chuck and a local beer (with the Royal Castle over his shoulder)
Fisherman's Bastion

The subway, with one of the trains approaching

Apetito Restaurant in Budapest, Hungary

2009-10-02T09:15:00.002+02:00

I usually don’t blog about restaurants, because, quite honestly, I rarely find one that is anything more than overpriced fare.

Throughout Europe you will find signs like these….

My advice is to avoid the establishments that advertise "Turist Menu". Translation: food and drinks that are overpriced, waitstaff that isn't interested in you, a room filled with tourists, food that locals wouldn't touch with a 3 meter pole, and a prime location for pickpockets!

While in Budapest, we stayed at the Hilton-Castle Hill. Across the street is a nice restaurant called Apetito. The appearance from the outside is white table cloth, wine glasses, WMF cutlery….which reads, expensive. Honestly, by European standards, it is very reasonably priced.

Chuck ordered the pumpkin cream soup and a gingered boneless chicken on cornbread with a polenta type mush underneath. I wasn’t that hungry, so I ordered the pasta with spicy vegetables, grilled tomatoes and a farmer’s ham. I tried Chuck’s pumpkin soup and I desperately wanted to order my own bowl. Our meal also included a large bread basket (gratis), two large beers and two Coke lights. The total bill was 30 Euro!

After we ordered, our server brought us the bread basket and two little dishes. He said (in perfect English), here is some bread and some…….(about a 10 second pause) fat. We both smiled at him and said, fat? Yes, it is schmaltz or rendered goose fat and chicken fat, which we use as an appetizer spread on bread.

Here’s a picture for your enjoyment. Chuck tried some and quickly said, maybe I put too much on. So, he tried another piece with not quite as big of a slather of the ‘fat’. Ah, much better. I smelled the, um, ‘fat’ and decided to have a piece of plain bread. It, too, was tasty!

Madrid - contender for the 2016 Olympics

2009-10-01T20:36:00.001+02:00

Chicago has pretty tough competition for the 2016 Olympics (Madrid, Rio de Janiero, and Tokyo).

Well, I haven't been to all the cities, but if Rio and Tokyo are anything like Chicago or Madrid, it is going to be a tough choice for the 2016 Olympics.

After my visit to Barcelona, I took a morning flight over to Madrid to explore for a few days. It was just under a 1 hour flight and cost about $120USD; however I was going to rent a car for 4 days and the 6.5 hour drive....but it was going to set me back about $400. So, I opted for the plane ride. Good choice, in my opinion.

Madrid was a little more my style. As much as I enjoyed Barcelona, it is a pretty fast paced city, filled with young(er) travelers and backpackers. From my estimation, the tourists in Madrid were 1) far fewer than Barcelona (always a good thing!) and 2) a little older than the 20-something crowd of Barcelona.

You could easily find a place to sit in Plaza Mayor for either lunch or a drink and watch and people passed by. Entering the Palacio Real (Royal Palace) was quick and easy...no need to queue forever just to be part of a huge mob moving from room to room.

I strolled through Retiro Park, the Botanical Gardens, Paseo del Prado and took in a few wonderful museums (The Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza).

A few pictures.

Palacio Royal (Royal Palace)

Plaza Mayor

Retiro Park

A monestary and cava tour

2009-10-01T15:01:00.000+02:00

That is (kindof) an odd pairing, if you ask me. But, I wanted to see both the monestary at Montserrat and get in a little cava tour and tasting.

I'm not a fan of the large tour bus, so I searched high and low for a small (6-8 people) tour. Viola! I booked the Montserrat and Cava tour through Private Tours Barcelona. It was a nice tour; the other travelers were fun and interesting; the sights were good. It wasn't one of the best tours (Cotswolds and Absolute Touring), but it was good, nonetheless.

Our day started with a stop of Friexenet in Sant Sadurni d'Anoia for a cava tour and tasting. Cava is similar to champagne; however it does not come from the champagne region of France (trademark)...just as Chianti is from the Chianti region of Italy (trademark)...so Cava is Spain's version of champagne.

Our next stop was Montserrat. I think the biggest disappointment was spending 30 minutes on the winding roads up to the monestary. I was under the impression that we'd be taking the aerial gondola to the top. Luckily, I was prepared and had pre-emptively taken dramamine or it could have turned ugly.

Once you reach the monestary area, there's a main cathedral that has a boys choir singing at 1pm. Get there early to get a seat! There are plenty of hiking trails, of varying difficulty, to see the surrounding area. We only spent about 2 hours there and it's really best to allocate at least 4 hours, if not a full day.

A few pictures from our day.

Jesse double-fisting his cava.

Solo trip to London

2009-09-30T20:42:00.001+02:00

***NB: It seems this one was also ready for posting (the last week of August)...but I never scheduled it!!

How can you pass up cheap airfare on Ryanair? Well, I can't.

Chuck is quite busy at work and I know he has some long days ahead of him, so in order to ease his guilt and my crabbiness, I booked a solo-midweek trip to London. How's that for logic? In all seriousness, he works a lot; not as much as in the states, but plenty of hours by Danish standards. I sense there are going to be some late nights on the horizon, so rather than have me talk about the equity and fairness issue, I am heading to London and he can have 4 evenings filled will all the work he can possibly handle.

What exactly can a girl do all by herself in London? Lots, lots, lots. And, because Chuck doesn't fancy shopping, I threw in a few stops at some little stores. Maybe you know them...Harrods, Liberty, Fortnum & Mason?

I strolled through Green Park, over to Buckingham Palace, St. James Park, and then over to Westminster Abbey. I waited in line for about 15 minutes until they opened and then stepped in and took in all it had to offer. I walked around the Parliament building and Big Ben, then a quick subway ride over to St. Paul's Cathedral. I was there in March, but Chuck wanted me to (sneak) some pictures of the phrase at the back of the cathedral. I shopped, went through Chinatown early in the morning as they were getting deliveries...did you know that they don't make anything from scratch...all the sauces come in boxes!!! I spent the afternoon in Nottinghill and had lunch at this great little shop near the subway station, but of course, can't recall the name!!

The highlight of the trip was my organized tour to the Cotswolds. I took the train to Oxford, then met up with Martin from Absolute Tours. I thoroughly enjoyed the day, even if it was overcast and then rainy. With a group of just 5 of us in a minivan, it is so convenient to quickly stop, take pictures and get personalized treatment. The large bus tours are so impersonal and really limited to their stops. There were several 'cottages' for sale in the Cotswolds. I wonder if I can get Chuck to agree on a second home for us?!?!?

Here's a link to the slideshow.

Having a Becks in Bremen, Germany

2009-09-30T20:12:00.001+02:00

**NB: It seems this has been ready for publishing since late August. Oops.

For Chuck's birthday, we spent the weekend in Bremen, Germany. In December last year, our friend Nils insisted that we go to Dresden, Germany for a weekend. We loved Dresden, so when he recommended Bremen, we had to go. Needless to say, we loved Bremen.

Each time we go to a German city, it seems that there is some sort of festival or party. In Bremen, it was the start of the Music festival, so Saturday night was filled with music, wine, and a laser show complete with the ringing of the church bells.

Becks brewery is located in Bremen, so a tour of the facility and a tasting was on the list of things to do. We even had some Haacke Becks, which you can only buy in Bremen. Check out the slideshow for a glimpse at the World's Largest Tap (well, as according to Chuck!)

We didn't do a lot of touristy type things aside from walking around and enjoying another fine German city. There is a great promenade along the river and on the weekends a sort of flea market is set up. Most folks set out sheets or blankets and laid their wares on the ground...kind of rummage-sale style. Other folks looked like they could pack up their 'hot' items and run. One 'booth' had about 10 bicycle seats and another had 8 receivers/tuners for a stereo set....Can we say....liberated from their rightful owners???

We also walked around the Schnoor district, which is the oldest district in Bremen. The streets are lined with colorful homes from the 15th and 16th centuries.

The most interesting event of the trip was a visit to the planetarium, something Chuck wanted to do for his birthday. No problem. Maybe it was going to be like the planetarium in St. Louis, which btw is fabulous. Uh, nope, not like St. Louis. All 16 of us pile into this tiny round room with two German guys, which I think were PhD students. The whole 1 hour experience was completely in German, which we only know please, thank you, you're welcome, and the number one. As I sat there, I kept thinking about the Muppets where the two old dudes are sitting up in the balcony telling jokes. Yeah, it was something like that. What a memory!

Here's a link to the slideshow.

Spain, glorious Spain

2009-09-30T11:35:00.008+02:00

Chuck had a conference in Barcelona, so I tagged along and did some sightseeing while he spent his days locked up in a building. I remember when the roles were reversed and he was able to enjoy the sights and sounds of San Diego, San Antonio, Minneapolis, and Charlottesburg, while I was cooped up in a conference center.

I must admit, over the years, his conference (and work) locations far outshine anything selected for a local government worker...ie, no extravagance in the public sector!

We spent 6 days in Barcelona and then I flew over to Madrid for 4 days and Chuck returned to Denmark.

Barcelona was quite the city! I'm sure the Summer Olympics in 1992 helped revitalize the city and improve the infrastructure. The subway system was great and easy to use (probably the best I've even been on in Europe). The boardwalk area along the Mediterranean was amazing. And, the sites were pretty impressive.

What did we do...

...aside from our brush with the local law enforcement and a pickpocketer

Sagrada Familia - not sure when this structure will EVER be finished. I can see why it's been a 'work in progress' for the last 127 years...no one seems to be working there!

Palace of Catalan Music - stunning. I wish we would have planned ahead and got tickets to see / listen to a performance. No pictures as cameras weren't allowed, but it is an absolute work of art. Just stunning.

Mercat de San Josep de la Boqueria (Fresh market) - if you've seen one open market, you've seen (and smelled) them all.

Picasso Museum (and sighting of the naked 60 year old man on a bicycle)

Catalunya Square

Port Vell - the sight of our encounter with the pickpocketer. Nice place to get a beer, walk, and watch the boats and people around you.

Olympic Village

Day trip to Montserrat and a Cava producer - more on this under a separate post.

Las Ramblas street (complete with tons of vendors selling birds) - the street is boulevarded with the center strip lined with vendors selling everything from touristy key chains and other crap to live birds. I wonder how a tourist from the USA get a little birdie on the airplane???

Montjuic (Mountain of the Jews) - we took the aerial gondola up to the castle on the top. It was interesting, but there wasn't much to do.

Museum of Contemporary Art - great art work, but not a lot of it. I'm not sure if they were between collections or if this was their normal exhibits. Good, but limited.

Stay tuned for the slideshow. In the meantime, here are a few pictures.

Ahhh, the beach!

Fresh fruit stand at the Market

Sagrada Familia - the cathedral that was started 127 years ago and isn't slated to be finished until 2020!

Soon, I promise

2009-09-30T00:01:00.002+02:00

The downfall of taking so many pictures on our trips is that once I upload them, I have to spend hours and hours of finding the best 20-30, label them, post them, slideshow them, link them....

So, yes, I am behind...just a bit.

Soon, I promise...there will be posts on Barcelona, Montserrat, Madrid and Budapest. Oh, and my mom was kind enough to remind me that I never posted pictures from our trip to Bayfield and the Apostle Islands (Wisconsin) in June. Tsk, tsk.

On the road again.

2009-09-13T16:55:00.000+02:00

And we're off again....

Barcelona, Spain

Madrid, Spain

Budapest, Hungary

Hamburg, Germany

Weekend with friends in Kiel, Germany

2009-09-13T00:04:00.001+02:00

Our friends, Nils and Ina live in Kiel, Germany and Chuck has been there several times, but I've been in the US during his visits. So, it was time for me to join him for a weekend in Kiel.

Another great German city! There's a nice large mall in the city center and a pedestrian street lined with shops and beer gardens. It is quite convenient because as Ina and I shopped, the boys would stop and have a beer....the best of both worlds!

Kiel is a port city on the Baltic Sea that has large passenger ferries coming in, dropping off passengers (from Norway/Sweden/Russia) for a little fun at the casinos and, um, shall we say, 'extracurricular activities'. Kiel is also known for Kiel Week (Kieler Wochen) in June each year, where it hosts the largest sailing event in the world!

The sights:

St. Nicholas's Church
Kiel Fjord
Holsten Street - shopping street
Kiel brewery
Rathaus - city hall
Drinks by the fjord

And, of course, there is always an opportunity for shopping. I've been debating about what I wanted to bring back to the US from our European travels....a rug, pottery, porcelain, dishes, cutlery, etc.

So, what did we (I) buy....

WMF cutlery, Denver style.

A few pictures. Here's a link to the slideshow.

There's something about Fish in Kiel's history, thus the fish tiles in the walking street. But, I have no idea what the story is, so I'll have to wait for Nils to fill me in.

Getting your pocket picked

2009-09-09T08:37:00.003+02:00

I think just about everyone I know warned me about pickpockets in (insert city here) in Europe. From Barcelona to Prague, it seems that most people know of someone that was a victim in some European city.

After 20 months in Europe, 14 countries and many, many, many cities....it finally happened to us.

We were sitting at a cluster of tables at Port Vell in Barcelona having a few glasses of beer. I had my purse on my lap and Chuck put his backpack on his chair (which was located in the dead center of the group). Of the 6 tables, all were filled with English-speaking folks and there were probably about 30 people sitting there.

Enter, the Barcelona police. Three cops on motocycles/mopeds ride up and say in Spanish, "Did anyone lose a backpack?" Hmmm, huh? What? I translate to Chuck, "They want to know if anyone lost a backpack." He turns around and his backpack is gone.

Chuck: "Uh, yeah, hey that's my backpack"

Cop 1: "Do you have a passport"

Chuck: "Yes, it's in my pocket. Here you go."

Neighboring tables: "We didn't see anything, what happened"

Cop 1: "Do you want to press charges and fill out a police report"

Chuck: "No, that's ok."

Cop 1: (reaching into backpack, looking at contents, and pulls out a book...says to Cop 2 in Spanish) "Hey, listen to this....Harmonic...blah, blah, blah"

Cop 2: Laughs and laughs some more

Little did the would-be thief know that Chuck's backpack would contain conference papers for the EPE (engineering) conference, a pad of paper, pencil...and his boss's PhD thesis...which is what Cop 1 pulled out of the backpack. Oh, I forgot to add that Cop 1 said the equivalent of 'nerd' in Spanish to Cop 2. Editorial note....no, my husband is not a nerd; just a very intelligent engineer. Yes, I know...that equals nerd.

So, yes, Chuck was the victim of a pickpocket. But, we were quite thrilled with how the Barcelona police officers were quick to return the backpack.

I'm sure the little thief was faced with 'some serious hurt' or tell the cops where to return the backpack.

European Vacation 2009 - slideshows are posted

2009-08-19T12:12:00.002+02:00

Finally...

After sifting through 1,557 pictures, deleting some, cropping out crazy people, and naming the good pictures, I FINALLY finished posting all (most of) the slideshows. The links are listed below or you can also find them under Slideshows on the right.

Note: Each slideshow has about 30-40 pictures. Depending upon your computer speed and internet connection, it may take some time to upload the whole show.

Nuremberg, Germany (Days 1-3)

Venice, Italy (Days 3-7)

Bologna, Italy (Days 7-8)

Florence, Italy (Days 8-11)

Tuscany, Italy (Days 11-16)

Pisa, Italy (Day 16)

Cinque Terre, Italy (Days 16-19)

Lugano, Switzerland and Lake Como, Italy (Days 19-22)

Strasbourg, France (Day 22)

Frankfurt, Germany (Days 22-24)

Enjoy!

Quick turnaround time

2009-08-11T08:22:00.001+02:00

The US Embassy in Copenhagen ROCKS!

Empty pages in my passport book were pretty scarce and it was taking border control agents long and longer to flip through to find an open space for the entry/exit stamp. And, as they flipped, they would look...ooooooh, a Danish visa....what's this a China visa.

So, it was time to figure out how to add pages to my book.

I sent my passport in on Monday, August 3. I had my passport back, in my hands, on Friday, August 7. Seriously. Five, count them, five days including travel time.

Let the trip-booking begin!