While kayaking the lakes we often heard the call of the loons. Click on link to hear these calls. The eerie calls of Common Loons echo across clear lakes of the northern wilderness. Summer adult loons are regally patterned in black and white. In winter, they are plain gray above and white below, and you’ll find them close to shore on most seacoasts and a … Continue reading Call of the Loon
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, is a 1,090,000-acre wilderness area within the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota. We based ourselves in Ely, Minnesota to explore the central Boundary Waters Canoe area, and Grand Marais for the Gunflint section of the wilderness. Partially because you needed a GPS to ensure you came out where you went into the lake; and mostly because David has … Continue reading Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Karen and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary on July 11. It has been truly wonderful and a blessing. When looking back on that day we met 14 years ago we discussed every thing from retirement to traveling. I had 5 more years before retirement and Karen 9 years. Now both being retired, we are full time travelers. When we first met, Karen was planning … Continue reading Happy Anniversary, July 11
Isle Royale, a rugged, isolated island, far from the sights and sounds of civilization. In the northwest corner of Lake Superior the Isle is surrounded by Lake Superior, Isle Royale offers unparalleled solitude and adventures for backpackers, hikers, boaters, kayakers, canoeists and scuba divers. Here, amid stunning scenic beauty. It is one of Michigan’s 5 National Parks, and one of the very few island national … Continue reading A Superior Wilderness Experience!
Nisswa MN is celebrating their 53rd turtle racing season. How do the turtle races work? Racers gather in the center circle and release their turtles when a whistle blows. We watch while the turtles make their way to the outer circle. The first turtle to the outside ring wins! The races, held every Wednesday, attract about 400 people a week. Despite my pre race “chat” … Continue reading Turtle Races; Paul Bunyan; Mississippi River Headwaters
Our kayaking journey down the Mississippi River began in Brainerd, 100 miles south of where the mighty rivers humble source is located in Itasca State Park. We heard the call of the loon and watched bald eagles soar above the majestic virgin pines. Our float on the river was slow, the strong headwinds and the little flow on the river took us about 4 hours … Continue reading Kayaking the Great Mississippi River
Driving from Phoenix to Tucson after 24 hours of flying; delivering the RV to Yuma for repair; meeting the grandkids in Disneyland; four day RV trip to Colorado; a soak at Mt. Princeton Hot Springs in Buena Vista, CO; a Shadowcliff Memorial Day Volunteer weekend in Grand Lake, CO; two quick weeks in Denver visiting family, friends and doctors and lastly, attending our grandson Chases’ … Continue reading Adventures past Italy
We arrived in Italy on March 31 by cruise ship and departed Milan by airplane on May 13. The map in our gallery shows the many sights in our nearly 8 weeks in Italy. We toured Milan on our final days with side trips to some fascinating sites. The Shroud was placed back on public display (the 19th time in its history) in Turin from … Continue reading Our Final days in Italy and beyond
One of our final stops was the Cinque Terre, a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. Cinque Terre consists of five small villages (“cinque terre” means “five lands” in Italian) which cling to the Ligurian cliffs along Italy’s western coast. The five villages, each having their own personality, are in Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The “Five … Continue reading Italian Riviera – May 7 – 11, 2015
We met Bernd and Anna on a trip to Costa Rica, and liked them immediately. We “hung out” around the pool, took hikes together in the national park, and at the end of our week was the normal invitation, if you are ever in Northern Italy give us a call. We did. They answered. It was wonderful. South Tyrol can seem a gnarly, impenetrable place … Continue reading South Tyrol, where Austria and Italy collide
We decided to visit the Lake District of Italy. Lake Como is very popular with Americans, and it was culture shock to hear so much English spoken around you when just the opposite has been true for weeks. It is very luxury oriented, with designer shops for browsing. Lake Garda is very popular with Germans. It is more activity oriented. Bike paths, paddle boats, and … Continue reading The Lakes: Como and Garda
Venice, a group of 117 small islands, is different from any other European city. Stunning architecture is everywhere, travel is accomplished on water or via lots of foot bridges, and getting lost is fun (since you are on an island there is only so lost you can get, ultimately you will get to the other side of the island, get on a water bus and … Continue reading Aaaaah Venice
The last-minute-deals section of cruise websites can be addicting. David found a killer rate on a 7 day cruise from Rome to Venice (with a stops in Naples, Sicily, Montenegro and Croatia). Our logic was it repositioned us from central Italy to northern Italy; but it turned out to be a wonderful vacation with a small interlude back into American comfort food. Our port calls … Continue reading NCL Cruise. Rome to Venice – April 18 – 25, 2015
Traveling by car through Tuscany is nothing short of a great time. Add wine tours and castles and it becomes an outright celebration. We visited Castello di Verrazano (the family connected with the famous NYC bridge) and took a guided tour of the historical but still working cellars, strolled in their gardens, and discovered the great history of the Navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano. Going to … Continue reading Under the Tuscan Sun
Florence is crazy with traffic and no drive areas, we decided to stay in a lovely B&B south and take the local bus. Florence (Firenze) is magnetic, romantic and busy. Return time and again and you still won’t see it all. Stand on a bridge over the Arno river several times in a day and the light, mood and view changes every time. Surprisingly small, … Continue reading Florence
The city of Assisi is built at the foot of Subasio Mountain. The Roman plan of the city is based on a set of terraces. Assisi represents an example of a medieval city-sanctuary with Umbrian-Roman origins. The most important event in the history of medieval Assisi was undoubtedly the life and work of Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), who initiated the Franciscan Order and who was … Continue reading Assisi
We roam thru the Piazzas; listened to street music; braved the public transit system, and surrendered to the mass of tourists. After touring the major sites described in earlier posts, we visited the Jewish Ghetto, with its still operating synagogue; the narrow cobblestone alleys of Travestere; the Pantheon (which is the best preserved building in Rome, still an active church, and has amazing light with … Continue reading Where the Romans roam – April 9 – 13, 2015
Vatican City is its own country within the city limits of Rome with 900 official residents. The Vatican Museums contain masterpieces of painting, sculpture and other works of art collected by the popes through the centuries. It is the world’s largest private art collection. We took a guided tour through the Museum, the Pope’s quarters, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica. For nearly five … Continue reading The Vatican
This pile of current day rubble, is arguably the most important piece of real estate in Western civilization. Anything that happened in Ancient Rome, it probably happened here. Floor plans of great civic buildings – basilicas – were created. The same floor plan of churches, who also took the name basilica. Basic laws of republic and justice that still carry to today had its birthplace. … Continue reading The Rome Forum
We left Positano by a ferry boat, 70 minutes of the ultimate coastline viewing and a complete navigation of the Amalfi coast. The ferry ultimately landed in Salerno, on the mainland, and a straight shot by train into Rome. Rome’s main termini is like New York’s Grand Central Station, layers of trains, Metro’s, passenger connections and lots and lots of stairs. We immediately got on … Continue reading Rome and its many splendors
David’s 3 hour cooking class started at 3pm at the restaurant “Il Ritrovo” in Montepertuso a beautiful small village located on a clifftop rising one thousand feet above sea-level, that boasts breathtaking views of Mediterranean and majestically overlooking the Amalfi Coast. David took the short 10 minute walk from our B&B and told Karen that he will call her when dinner was nearly complete so … Continue reading Cooking School Review – DELICIOUS!!
We have toured the western coast of Italy including Almalfi Coast; Rome; Naples; Florence; Tuscany (wine country); Siena. We had booked this cruise as a mid trip vacation and transportation, food and lodging to get from Rome to Venice. And of course adding two more countries: Montenegro and Croatia. Stay tuned for some great additional posts of the sites listed above including David goes to … Continue reading Mid Trip Vacation – April 18 – April 25
The writer John Steinbeck was so impressed with Positano, Italy that in an essay published in Harper’s Bizarre in May, 1953, he described it as “a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone”. It was after this publicity that the formerly quiet village began attracting an ever-increasing number of visitors. Karen visited there 15 … Continue reading In Italy at Easter, it’s like you are family!
First stop in Italy… We got off the ship, and headed to the Amalfi Coast town of Sorrento. From the Port of Rome, it’s a 1 hour train to city of Rome; then inter-city train from Rome to Naples; and finally a local train from Naples to Sorrento, in all a 4 hour commute. We did well rolling our duffle bags and a little (but … Continue reading The Big Blow – 79 AD……