‘Speaking of Travel’ Archives
Barcelona- Part I
Located on the Mediterranean Sea in the northeast corner of Spain, Barcelona is a culturally diverse, artistically rich city; contemporary, yet rife with medieval sights. It is the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous region of Spain. The Catalans like to think of themselves as somewhat independent of Spain; it is not uncommon to see graffiti that [...]
Switzerland – A Wanderer’s Delight
Ever since the 1800s, when the Brits discovered its wonders, wandering in Switzerland has been a traveler’s delight. Although we have been to Switzerland about a dozen times, it had been the same number of years since our last trip. Going to Switzerland, for us, has always felt like going home and we were curious to see if much had changed. We [...]
Delightful Charleston
“Let’s give ourselves a short trip as a Christmas present,” my husband said a dozen years ago. All I could think was, “Oh no, another ski vacation” - cold, terrifying, and crowded. He surprised me, though. “We’ve always wanted to go to Charleston,” he said. “Why not now?” What a wonderful Christmas present it was. [...]
Travel Photographs
As much as I enjoy taking photographs, when I travel I don’t want to carry more than one piece of equipment, nor do I want to take up valuable packing space with various lenses and other paraphernalia. Therefore, all I use is a point and shoot camera, albeit one with various settings and a decent zoom. If you own a digital point and shoot [...]
Mittenwald, Bavaria
Visiting Mittenwald, Bavaria (Germany) is like stepping into a scene from a fairy tale. Surrounded by mountains, with ornately painted buildings and local people who still favor wearing tracht, traditional clothing of drindl skirts and lederhosen, Mittenwald hugs the border of Austria; the Austrian resort of Seefeld is 15 minutes away. It is on [...]
Cruising the Aegean
There are two ways to visit the Greek islands. You can do it yourself using ferries, hydrofoils, planes, or chartering a boat. Or, you can take a cruise. After 2 weeks in Nafplio with Untours and a few days in Athens on our own, we chose the convenience of a cruise on a midsize ship with 800 passengers. The various cruise lines offer a few [...]
Athens – A visit to the Ancient Wonders of Greece
A few days in Athens prior to a cruise of the Greek Islands is well worth the additional time. My first impression of Athens was that it was a large, bustling place that made Rome seem like a small village! I soon learned my way around the city, and found it’s people to be friendly and the antiquities awe inspiring. The new metro is immaculate [...]
Nafplio, Greece
Located on the serenely beautiful Argolic Gulf 2 hours from Athens, Nafplio (Nafplion), with its stepped streets, profusion of flowers, and car free old town is a charming location from which to explore the Peloponnese Peninsula. A popular weekend destination for Athenians, Nafplio is a town of parks, fountains, small churches, and enchanting [...]
San Diego: something for everyone
Graced with temperate weather and an excellent public transportation system, San Diego is a destination that has something for everyone. Temperatures range from the high 50s in January to the 70s in July, with average annual rainfall less than 10 inches. Downtown is a 10 minute ride from San Diego International Airport. There is no need for a car [...]
Speaking of Travel
When my husband and I first started traveling to Europe, we knew a tour group was not for us. Good little lemmings we are not. So, we did the "grand tour" on our own, spending a few nights in each of the locations we wanted to visit. Soon, though, we discovered the joy of settling in to one "hometown" and using it as a base to savor the sights, [...]
