Jan and Ralph's Adventure

Jasmine loves Puerto Vallarta

2010-01-05T17:57:00.001-08:00

Face painting.
The Princess goes to the beach.
Collecting shells
The Piñatas are always a hit.
The pirate ship is always interesting at night.

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-05T09:08:00.002-08:00

Happy New Year for 2010!!
From our family to yours picture from 2009 Christmas.
New Years was exciting for the Princess!!
Very one loved to serenade the Princess!
They loved our special friend Joanne to.
Nothing better than celebrating News Years on the beach.

scenes of Puerto Vallarta

2010-01-05T09:02:00.001-08:00

The weather has been great 70-80 bit over cast but an unusal calm ocean for a couple days.
It made up for the usual rough ocean we had.
The bidges at sunset on our way to the Malecon
Turtles are always a treat.
As well as the plant growth.

Amazing sunset

2010-01-05T05:50:00.002-08:00

6PM in Puerto Vallarta
Drinking virgin Pina Coladas and watching this.
It does not get any better!
This was the most amazing sunset i have ever seen.
Cara captured it on film!

Our Favorite Beaches of the World

2009-08-30T16:38:00.002-07:00

Crete: Elanfonisi Beach - one of the nicest in Greece and amazing place to spend a day or two. They call it the Cretan Caribbean with pink sand and incredibly blue-green water.
Tangalooma Island off the coast of Brisbane Australia.
Morrea Tahiti the most beautiful beaches we found but the most expensive.

Yasawa Islands Fiji amazing Islands off the main Island of Fiji only accessible by boat or float plane.

Boracay, Philippines. All through the Philippine Islands you can find some amazing beaches and still reasonable prices.
Goa, India these beaches go on for ever and the water was the warmest we have ever experienced.
Fethiye Turkey, the beach is rocky but beautiful.
Phi Phi Islands Thailand these islands were the hardest hit during the Tsunami.

Montreal

2009-08-06T06:02:00.000-07:00

Can't describe how wonderful it is to be with family, Jon, Cara and Jazzy.
Trying the bungee jump was a huge success.
Doing a little baking with Grandma is a tasty treat.
This water baby thinks the beach is the best. I think it is because her mother grew up on the Penticton beaches
Saturday evening in Montreal is the Fireworks Competition in Old Port.

Canada , AYE !

2009-08-04T05:47:00.003-07:00

Back on home ground, we are very happy to be in Canada.

Landing in Montreal, it is all about Princess Jasmine ; our 3 year old Granddaughter.
We started our visit in Mount Tremblant for a wonderful long weekend in a huge condo.
Across the road was the swimming pool and the hot tub. Jazzy loved the slide as Grandpa Ralph cheers her on.
The gondola ride in the village. It reminds us of Whistler in B.C.

Aberdeen and Area

2009-07-20T05:25:00.000-07:00

The beach area in Aberdeen is gorgeous but water temperature only for "toes". Loved the walks !

The Waterside Mill is the home of Patrick and Hilda; more new friends. The property was an old grist mill.
Now look at it !! The rushing river is in front of the house.We loved our stay.
Back in Glasgow we got to visit the famous Pollack House and Gardens. These heritage sights are worth the stop.

The Scottish Thistle. We say Good-bye to Scotland.

Scotland

2009-07-19T02:20:00.005-07:00

Lock Lomond - North of Glasgow a great place to spend an afternoon. Our weather is cloudy, sunny, & rain. Welcome to Scotland.

Visiting the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow, we were treated to an Organ recital.

Outside the museum, Lauren shows off her new violin which Grandma has just purchased. The lessons commence next month.
Across the road is the Transportation Museum with the oldest known bicycle. Most of the museums are "hands on" and so much fun for kids.

The Edward Munch Prints were in the Huntterian Art Gallery at the Glasgow University. The Scream,1895 is the most popular although Lauren didn't fancy it.

A trip to Aberdeen via St. Andrew's Golf Course was wonderful. Scotland's countryside is so lush and the heather was starting to bloom. A wee visit to Aunt Hilda's castle with Lauren ( Castle Fraser) was a great start to the day as we headed into Aberdeen to spend a gorgeous day at the seaside.

Our Granddaughter in Scotland

2009-07-17T02:18:00.003-07:00

We arrive in Glasgow to spend time with Lauren, our Granddaughter ; her Mother Allison & Grandmother Joan
It is an exciting time as we explore Glasgow.
Greenbank gardens a National trust site is a great way to spend an evening wandering around.
A stop at our store "Ralph Lauren ".
A trip to Ayr to see Robby Burn's cottage.

Jan' s wish comes about as Allison's friend Ian drops by for a surprise visit. No Scotish mist or bridge but the piper is a hit!!

These are a few of my favorite things!

2009-07-08T23:30:00.002-07:00

Austian apple strudel too good to pass up.
Salzburger Nockerlin a tasty souffle made with cranberries.
Now you have to admit that this is pretty cute!!! I still don't think my boys would approve of me buying a smart car. Hello Kitty is popular is almost every country (24) that we visited.
Salzburg had so many "Musical"spots that we enjoyed.
A complete store was full of eggs decorated for every occasion! This was one of 6 store front windows.
YUMMY soft and warm pretzels were served with lots of salt.
A bee or a hummingbird? Now that is a question. Sitting having cappuccinos, we watched for a long time.
The hills are full of mountain wild flowers.
This is a close to an Edelweiss as we could find. It isn't one but it is a reminder.

The Train Ride

2009-07-07T23:28:00.002-07:00

On the return trip home from the Grossglockner National Park, we load the car onto the train at Mallinitz- Obervellach

The vehicles are driven onto the open train cars.
Ralph, our official driver, leaves the car behind to join the rest of the group.
Here we board a gorgeous passenger car and ride for 15 mins. a tunnel for 7 Km.

At Bockstein we drive off the train and away we head down the road to Sankt Johann.

Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse

2009-07-06T23:25:00.001-07:00

We left early in the morning with our new friends from Wisconsin Don & Jan. We had a few stops along the way to take some pictures of the countryside and the homes with the flower window boxes.
The lakes and waterfalls were beautiful.
These Alps are the highest in Austria and amazing.
This lake is called Fuscher Lacke.
The glacier lake and the Glockner meadows

The peak at the left hand side is the highest in the Alps.......Grossglockner Peak..3798 m. The Kaiser - Franz - Josefs - Hohe glacier is the longest in the Eastern Alps.

Werfen Castle

2009-07-05T12:42:00.002-07:00

This Austrian castle was first built in 1077 and used as a fortress.
It has been restored numerous times and now houses a museum, weapons display, and a bird of prey sanctuary & falconry show.

The falconry show has Falcons & Eagles trained to do performances.

Eisriesenwelt Caves

2009-07-04T12:23:00.003-07:00

After 2 - 20 minute treks and a 10 minute cable car ride you arrive at the entrance.
The cable car ride is straight up the scariest I have ridden.
High up on the mountain top is the entrance to the ice caves.
As you enter the caves you are hit with a huge gust of cold wind!
42 Km explored ice caves, frozen waterfalls, ice sculptures, towers and formations make up the ice caves.
One must climb 700 stairs to the highest point of the caves, then descend 700 stairs to the entrance. Temp throughout the caves is at freezing point, but the climb certainly kept us warm.

Climb Every Mountain , Forge Every Stream

2009-07-03T23:28:00.001-07:00

A group of fairly fit "walkers" started up the mountain behind our resort for an easy 1 1/2 hour hike. Needless to say that was only one way and at this point we are half way and it has already taken almost 1 hour.This is our first rest stop, drinking the clear stream water with the local cattle. We left at 10:30 AM and back around 3:30 PM...not that easy!
The views in this area are unbelievable as I think Austria is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. This is Sankt Johann from the mountain side.
In winter they actually sled down the mountainside. Can you imagine this little wooden sleigh holding one of us?
Liechtensteinklamm Gorge is full from all the rain and is spectacular to climb through. The whole trip takes about two hrs of hiking through the gorge.
Of course with all the rain the waterfalls are spectacular. This one is near Huttenberg National Park.

We feel that we have followed every rainbow and our dream as we soon come to the end of our year adventure.

Day trip to Germany

2009-07-02T23:16:00.001-07:00

One of the things that we have noticed on our travels is how inconsiderate a lot of people are throughout the world (pushy, insensitive, unaware of who's around them! ) Along comes a couple like George & Lissa who transform our opinions. They opened their home to us and treated us like Royalty. What a blessing.
George & Lissa live in a beautiful area South of Munchan, called Lenggries. We spent the day with them and they showed us this beautiful village of Bad Tolz. It was a great day.

The river is swollen from all the rain in Austria & Germany. It is interesting after 11 months we have as little as 7 days of rain and here we are at the end and it is expected to rain all week.

Amadaus Mozart

2009-07-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

There was nothing better than sitting in the middle of the University Square and enjoying the sights and sounds of Mozart.
Mozart was born on the 3 rd. floor of this house and is a very popular tourist area. One of the Salzburg treats is a Mozartkugeln.( Chocolate filled with pistachio....... YUM). These were left on our pillows in the evening.
The Mozart's kitchen.
This was an evening of Dinner and Music of Mozart. Wonderful.
A lovely way to end an evening.

Sound of Music

2009-06-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

Salzburg is also famous for the filming of The Sound of Music.......although many locals don't know much about the "Hollywood Story" as it differs from the story of the Von Trapp Family.
Hellbrunn Castle was filmed as the Von Trapp family home and the garden now houses the famous"Gazibo".
Maria danced around the fountain with the children in the Mirabell Garden. This was the setting for Do Ra Me !
" The Hill" towards Mondsee (which was used for the Wedding scene) are spectacular.

Baron and Maria arrive at the Abbey in Mondsee.

Salzburg - Austria

2009-06-30T07:13:00.002-07:00

Supper at "Zum Gulenspiegel" was so romantic !!! The building is from 1414 and sits at the corner of a "platze" where Mozart was born. this is at our table overlooking the Salzach River which runs through the city.
St. Peter's Cathedral where we were entertained by the music of Mozart.
Mirabell Gardens run through the middle of "new town" and was one of the areas where a lot of the Sound of Music was shot. From Schloss Mirabell is a great view of the fortress.
The old town in the evening as we walked the riverside back to our hotel.

Old Town Salzburg

Touring through the Canals

2009-06-28T01:32:00.000-07:00

A day is not complete without a cappuccino. This is one of the most expensive cappuccinos we have had at the Piazza San Marco; a 18th century coffee house called Florian. 29euro $47Cdn but it was my birthday and I am worth it!! It also included live entertainment.
The architecture on the canal is stunning. There are over 400 gondolas in Venice.
Over 400 bridges and I would have to say this is the most popular and nicest we saw. Rialto bridge is next to the fish & produce market.
Vehicles awaiting our arrival in Lido, one of the islands in Venice it is popular for it's beaches & bicycles.

The view from Lido to Venice is amazing!!

Venice - The City of Water

2009-06-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

Murano Glass is every where. Bins are full of rings & things. A girl's best friend.
MASKS! So beautiful ! I tried to figure out how to bring a few home. NO LUCK.
The Vivaldi Store is at the end of the Rialto bridge, a very busy tourist area. We were surprised that there wasn't more of his music heard around here.
An International Art Exhibition is being held all over the city. How's this for "Musical Chairs?"

Visiting the Famous Peggy Guggenheim Collection of Modern Art was fabulous! She was a very successful American woman who left her collection in her home and is now one of the most visited areas in Venice.

Venice Italy

2009-06-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

Venice is an Island with a port for cruise ships and a bridge linking it to the main land.
A trip to Venice is not complete with a gondola ride through the streets and it is quite romantic. None of the Gondoliers sing as that is only in the movies.
Taking a gondola ride in front of St. George's Island.

St. Marco's Square is the most popular spot in Venice & is breathtaking with the Basilica's art work.

Alberobello and Locorotondo

2009-06-23T08:34:00.002-07:00

You'd almost expect a Gnome to pop out of one of these houses. Alberobello is another Unesco World Heritage Site. It is a MUST to see if you are in Southern Italy.
The " Zona dei Trulli" is situated on the western hill of Alberobe and is a dense mass of beehive shaped houses made of local limestone. It is enchanting!
The Duoma always sits at the top of the hill and overlooks the valley. Unfortunately we did not see any locals wearing pointed hats. They just sell all of the "Tourist Junk" from most of the little dwellings. It is one huge tourist trap, but cute.
Locorotondo is suppose to be one of Italy's most beautiful villages. There are gorgeous, winding, narrow streets full of flower pots.
The streets are paved with smooth ivory-colored stone and all of the buildings painted white.

Nice courtyard, Hey? Never do you see lawn or yards full of gardens in "il centro". That is outside of the village in the country side. Bellissimo !

Grotta Castellana

2009-06-22T07:08:00.004-07:00

From this opening the Grotto(limestone cave) extends into the depths of the earth.
The total length of the cave is not know but the public is allowed 3kms into the cave system taking you 74 meters underground. It was a great walk and took us about 2 hours.
Amazing stalactites and stalagmites line the caves and closer to the surface you see more colorful ones.
Down in the depths they are mostly white limestone.
Throughout the caves you see many interesting formations. This is the Cyclopes

HAPPY BIRTHDAY and HAPPY FAHER"S DAY!!

2009-06-21T06:04:00.001-07:00

BELLA! BELLA ! June 21,1950 and here he is in Italy celebrating 2 very important dates (together). What could be better than a plate of seafood pasta? Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband and fabulous travel partner. Celebrations in Venice.

Gallipoli and Lecce

2009-06-21T01:47:00.000-07:00

What, another cathedral? Yup! Every city, town and village is full of them and so incredibly ornate, inside and out. Gallipoli is a gorgeous sea port and in the middle is the "old town".
Lunch in the square is always full of entertainment. Music is all around you !!!
Lecce's "Basilica di Santa Croce", has the most unusual facade of animals, cherubs, beasts and sculptures of people.The famous sculpture, Guiseppe Zimbalo has many works in the city. The interior is conventually "Renaissance".
Lecce is also known for the art of "paper mache".
More Roman ruins in the middle of the square which was just recently discovered by a construction company. This is a beautiful "Baroque Styled" city with some gorgeous upscale shops. One could do some serious damage to the credit card!

What do the Italians do on a Sat morning ?

2009-06-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

Why, they do the same as we would do! They head to the beach.
Every little bit of beach gets used. The empty area is private beach and expensive to rent the umbrella, lounge and table.We're were just thinking how thankful we are to live in Penticton where you don't pay for your space on the sand!
Some will head to the Sea to travel along the extensive coast of the Mediterranean. I can see that the Mediterranean Sea would be one of the best to boat as it is fairly calm compared to the Oceans.

Gallipoli National Park

2009-06-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

3:00 and it is typical for the "boys" to sit outside the coffee shop or "Bar" and play cards.
Gallipoli Park has a huge river running through the centre......just no water! The white is river rock.
"Fly Like an Angel" , is the name of this zip line which connects the villages of Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano. We were a few days before opening and one of us would have loved to cross the 400 mitres above ground.Guess who? ( Il Vito Dell'Angelo )
The two villages are connected also by a very winding road.
Missanella sits at the top of the hill with the castle centre of the village. Most places are built this way with only courts yards inside the walls. No lawns to cut!!!
Metaponte also shows the Roman Ruins as they are working to restore the area of the theatre and Temples .

Southern Italy

2009-06-18T11:22:00.002-07:00

We have been very fortunate traveling all these countries mostly in Spring and early Summer, everywhere we go we see so much new growth like this beautiful catus in bloom.
The beaches of Southern Italy are great. It is amazing that they do not have the development of the areas like many other resort areas. It is the middle of June and the temp is 37 degrees. Not hard to take. It is siesta time so most Italians have lunch and a rest from 1 P.M. to 3 P.M. We, the travelers enjoy the quiet time.
Of course Italian pizza and near the coast it has lots of seafood.
Besides olives you find many ground crops such as peppers.
The fruit has been marvellous.... oranges, peaches, pears, nectarines, melons of all kinds. We have been so spoiled with such good fruit all this year in so many places.

Tusi and Rabatana

2009-06-17T11:14:00.001-07:00

As we travel the country we find many caves are craved into the limestone and some of the caves are still used today by the locals. This one is just outside of the city of Tusi.
Looking from the highway up to the city of Tusi with the old city of Rabatana above it on the cliff.
Looking down on the city of Tusi from Rabatana. Throughout Italy you can find many interesting cities and they all have a story to tell. There is a lot of restorations being done all over the country as Italy holds it's heritage.

Passion of Christ

2009-06-16T11:21:00.003-07:00

Much of the movie Passion of Christ by Mel Gibson was filmed in Italy. This is one of the areas in the City of Matira
Church of Francesco D'Assisi and square of Music. This area has a music conservatory and I thought I was going to have to leave Jan behind.The sound of every different instrument came through opened windows and doors.
One of the gardens in the city. The old caves are part of the roads and these homes are built on the roof of the caves.
An old church in the caves . In the 1900's these caves were still in use it was one of the poorest areas of Italy. It is now a Unesco World Heritage site.
Matira is one of the oldest cities in recorded history. It dates back to 4500-5000BC. People lived in caves at the time.

The original caves (the ones you see above) were off to the left on this picture. The city expanded in stages if you look closely you can see the houses at the edge of the cliff were caves then additions built on them. They then started building brick houses and today many apartments are in the back a newer part of the city.

Interesting things in Sicily

2009-06-16T11:13:00.004-07:00

Lots of different varieties of Palms. Wonder if I can grow these in Penticton?

Sicily is known for the donkey and fancy carts.
Artichoke & Escargot - great to eat!!

Erice Sicily

2009-06-15T13:16:00.002-07:00

Erice perched on one of the highest mountains above the Western Coast of Sicily.
Trapani Castle, overlooks the Temple of Venus.
Trapani Castle built in 12th century, houses a Hotel $300 per night and high end restaurant. From Erice you can take a cable car to the port city of Trapani.

Delectable delights of Marzipan made by the Nuns.
Erice is known for unusual weaving. Check out the pottery - like the Goddess of love.

San Vito Lo Capo Sicily

2009-06-08T02:59:00.000-07:00

Many great beach in Sicily this is Castellammare De Golfo, one of many around the coast. How's this for a view???
Entering into our resort Calampiso a secluded village on the North West tip.
The entrance to our unit in the village.
The Italian ceramic tiles - used on thousands of stairs.

Sicily - Palermo the Mafia capital

2009-06-07T02:50:00.000-07:00

This is where it started and continues today!
Palermo has some beautiful theatres this one is the Teatro Politeama Garibaldi.
This is the Teatro Massimo Palermo, the location of the last scene of the
Godfather III
A buggy ride down the streets of Palermo.
A stroll in the evening after dinner in Palermo.
Sat morning means walking through the market. Never know what you will see but guaranteed to be interesting.

A little bit of Italy - Rome & Florence area

2009-06-06T02:38:00.002-07:00

The gardens scattered all over the country are amazing.
Some excitement at our resort village - the weekend they held a festival in the main square lots of things to see and do.
Barcelona against Manchester United held in Rome. Lots of excitement and many people from all over Europe. Anyone know who this player is and who won?
Touring the countryside was a beautiful adventure.
Experiencing the food is incredible. It is all about eating!!
A day at the beach before heading to Sicily.

2009-06-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry to say we have another problem Internet in Scilily is not very good. The worst we have exprienced. No place to download no wi-fi, only one internet shop in 4 towns. So bare with us until we move to a new location next week!

Blessings Ralph & Jan

Lucca & Pisa

2009-05-30T04:52:00.002-07:00

The renaissance walls completely surround the city of Lucca. Because it is very flat many tourists rent bikes and ride all around the area.

Puccini's birth place. I would have loved to attend one of the many concerts held in the gorgeous churches.
A little to our surprise but one of our son's favourite groups is performing at the Piazza ( outdoor concert) in July. Move over Puccini as Dave Matthews takes over !

Tower Guinigi is well known for the trees growing on the top.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is truly leaning !!!! They finally stabilized the earth so it would not eventually fall down!
Stay tuned for more pictures we are on our way to Sicily next week.

Siena & San Gimignano

2009-05-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

Siena is a Unesco Heritage Site full of Gothic Architecture. It was great walking the narrow streets and coming to the slopping medieval cobblestone Piazza.

In the middle of Plaza del Campo is a lovely fountain called "Fonte Gaia"......Happy Fountain.
San Gimignano is also a Unesco heritage Site and is known for the Village of Towers. At one time there were 72 which is a sign of power and wealth.

The streets were full of exquisit shops in beautiful buildings and tons of tourists.The town was named after a bishop who is said to have saved the city from Attila the Hun.
Pizza...........

...........Pasta and Wine is the main Italian diet.

Kids under 10 only blog - Pinocchio's Park

2009-05-28T05:35:00.000-07:00

Collodi is a famous little village - birth place of Carlo Lorenzini, the writer of Pinocchio's Adventures.
Jan is in the whale's mouth..........
...while Ralph gets through to the path.

Pinocchio's Park is made up of a beautiful park and gardens full of sculptures by Emilio Greco .

This wooden statue bid us farewell!!

Frienze Italy

2009-05-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

Florence - the magnetic romantic city - full of Art & Culture on the Arno River and
home of Machiavelli & Michelangelo.

Florence is also much about high fashion and styles. Sitting across from Salvatore Ferragamo, I could not even afford to walk into the shop ; let alone purchase any thing.
The real "David" is white marble and found in the Galleria of Accademia. No pictures are allowed so this is the copy that sits in the Piazzale Michelangelo....... He is truly breath taking.

...and overlooks the romantic Florence.

Ponto Vecchio crossing the Armo River.

.........The front panel of the Duomo e Campanile di Giotto with a combination of architectural styles. It is so unique. Just when I think I have had enough of churches..........another gorgeous one appears.

Civita di Bagnoregeo

2009-05-27T11:12:00.002-07:00

This was a dieing village but has been restored as a tourist centre. The walkway was built over a ravine of which was quite a climb.
The village has lots of interesting pathways as these lead to caves which were used by the residence.
......A look into the past as many areas were set up in gardens, arches and caves.

A beautiful view over the garden at the top.

New friends. We had a lovely visit with Jane ( from Baltimore centre) who have made this Village a summer home, Fran (friend of Janes on the left), and Ciana (from Seattle her dad owns a restaurant in the village ) .
Jane's home was magnificent !

This was another inviting doorway! I could get use to this life style.

On the road again

2009-05-26T11:22:00.002-07:00

Palazzo Farnese's Renaissance looking Castle in Caprarola had some of the most beautiful frescoes that I have ever seen. The grounds were complete with gardens , hunting grounds and a hidden "pleasure house" at the back of the property.

We met GianPaulo at the resort. He helped us find a Mac repair shop to get our computer up and running, and has become a great friend helping us find so many cool villages all over Italy. He recommended most of what you see in our photos.Thank you GianPaulo!!
Looking over Marta & Capodimonte on this beautiful lake, reminds us a lot of home.Heading north to Frienze (Florence) we pass through some amazing countryside. We are on our way to spend 5 days just 23 Km outside of Florence in a village called Rufina.

Orvieta is home to the 1290 Romanesque/Gothic style Cathedral. Walking into the Piazza was breath taking at its beauty. Meeting students from Arizona doing exchanges was a great way to share our lunch time before moving on.

Ceramics in Italy are gorgeous. Good thing my suitcase is full because I could be doing a lot of "expensive" shopping.

Lazio Region of Italy

2009-05-25T10:52:00.002-07:00

We have spent the last week in the area of Lazio. It is the generally known as the centre of Italy. Viterbo, one the main cities is know as the Medieval Village of the area. Very hard to navigate around but quite beautiful.
The countryside of Lazio is stunning. My favorite place to spend the day on the back roads.( Ralph)
The tombs of Tarquina - Over 6000 tombs are in this area dating back to the 450AD. 60 tombs have frescoes painted in them. Sorry the lighting is not great but the picture is taken through glass and underground. It is Uneso Heritage Site.

Another of my favorites...... sitting in the villages sipping cappuccinos, watching the locals and viewing their homes. I love the gardens that are any place & everywhere through the villages. I wish you could see the swallows that are flying all over the roof tops of the villages.

Rome

2009-05-23T13:26:00.002-07:00

Beautiful Rome - with so much to see. The Colosseum is the main feature, where gladiators fought till death all for the entertainment of an audience.
Gorgeous architecture.....
Basilicas...........(Santa Maria Maggiore)
Squares............( St. Peter's Square and the Vatican)
Piazzas....................... with beautiful fountains and sculptures designed by Michelangelo.
Ruins............ (Roman Forum)
............and on it goes!!!

Getting to and from Rome was a highlight: We left by train early Monday morning which was fast and easy - 45mins. Coming home that night was funny! The 45min ride turned into 2 hrs. as the train got on the wrong track out of Rome then had to find a way to get us to the station of our destination. 1hr into the trip we thought we had gotten on the wrong train and decided we needed to find out what was going on so we found someone who spoke English and they told us the story of the train taking the wrong route! We were relieved as we were getting back to our destination and not some where else in Italy.

Tues - again left in early morning with an uneventful 45min ride. Coming home we got the station a good 30mins early to find lots of empty seats. By departure the train was full and we discovered as the conductor took our tickets we were in 1st class with economy tickets. Had to move the economy section which was standing room only for 45mins. No more Rome or trains!!!

Italy

2009-05-22T10:04:00.004-07:00

Soriano nel Cimino is 45mins from Rome by train, in the centre of Italy. The castle in the middle of the village is stunning as well as the village itself.
We booked this time share exchange wondering what we might be going to and it turned out to be one of the best places we have stayed. This Mansion was built in the 15 Century and was used as a Mansion for a rich noble. It has been converted into 18 units with much of the originals paintings you see on the walls and ceilings restored.
Very night the village square is a buzz with activity nothing really gets going until about 9Pm when they come out to eat and have coffee until the wee hours. Eating out is an experience in itself as every region has it's own speciality! Porcini mushrooms and chestnuts in Soriano besides pizza that is to die for ....not to mention the gelato ( Ice cream).
Some of the beautiful wild flowers ( poppies) growing in the fields all over the country side. It is Spring so lots of flowers everywhere.
Monster Park , believed to be built by some of Micheal Angelo's students in the 15Th Century is the most unusual area of about 50 sculptures.

Ville Lante Gardens is the typical Italian, Renaissance garden....Gorgeous!

Crete

2009-05-21T09:55:00.003-07:00

The square in Chania, where everyone meets. Love the tradition of meeting in the square.
The older gentleman runs a music school/cafe in the heart of Chania. During the day and has many students with pictures on the wall. It turns into a Cafe at night and many musicians come to play and jam the evening away. Nikos from Theo's in Penticton hung out here a lot.
Driving out of El0unda, which was one of the most expensive areas in Crete and quite the tourist centre, we overlook the island of Spinalonga which was once a leper colony.
The Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition was amazing as we discovered how brilliant this man really was and so ahead of his time.This car was invented in the 15Th century by him.

It was to cold to dive in the Sea so we did the next best thing a visit to the Cretaquarium. It was great so many interesting species. The Mediterranean is not as good as the Red Sea but lots of similar sea life.

Eastern Crete

2009-05-15T04:17:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Crete May 2 it was about 15 c. The wind blew and it rained on and off for three days. "Unusual", they said. Towards the end of the week it cleared up and the next week the winds died rains stopped and it cleared off .25 c. for a week !"Unusual", they said we loved it! Crete is know for its wind and the old windmills are all over but not being used. They now have the new wind turbines.
Mother's Day was spent in the most glorious 5 Star Hotel and was "A Gift" from the Lord! I missed my family terribly but the hotel we booked ( small but on the water) was not ready to open fro the tourist season so the "sister" hotel accommodated us with rooms and all meals for 4 days! Guess it made up for the terrible skype connection and hardly talking to the kids.
Our friends Niko & Linda ( owners Theo's Restaurant)said to drive and get lost in Crete. Getting lost in Crete is normal and you never know what you will come across. Love the mountain villages perched on the cliffs.
Knossos - The largest Minoan Archaeological site in Crete. Many pots were found in great shape - 450 B.C.
Samarias Gorge - actually in western Crete but here are many gorges throughout Crete.

You will find Monasteries all over Crete and they are always interesting to walk around. This one has a story that a "TRUE" Christian will be able to pick out it's one gold step. There are 90 steps altogether.

Western Crete

2009-05-14T05:17:00.001-07:00

Elanfonisi Beach - one of the nicest in Greece and amazing place to spend a day or two. They call it the Cretan Caribbean with pink sand and incredibly blue-green water.
Ella Restaurant (friends of Nikos and Linda ). A great place to have lunch in Chania. We are very thankful and know how fortunate we are to have a restaurant like Theo's in Penticton. We can enjoy great Greek food anytime.
Chania, one of our favorite port cities in Crete and a great place to spend a day or two.
Traveling Crete by car was so much fun and so many great bays everywhere. The Mediterranean Sea was cold but they say July to end Sept is nice and warm.

Everywhere you drive you see sites like this. Crete is not a place to miss! 3-4 weeks would be a great visit.

Athens Greece

2009-05-14T04:57:00.000-07:00

Athens is amazing with the Acropolis and the many other sites to see. The city is huge and we were so fortunate to have a hotel near everything and within walking distance. We found it difficult to get information about tourist areas so not as easy as some cities.
The Theatre of Dionyssos at the Acropolis with the seats made of marble.
The Temple of Olympian Zeus
Looking up at the Ayios Georgios Chapel at the top of Mt. Lycabettus. we climbed stairs 1/2 way up until there was a tram to take us the rest of the journey. GREAT EXERCISE.
The Archaeological Museum was fabulous and took a few hours to enjoy.
The Jewelry Museum is also a popular stop in Athens.
The guards outside the Grave of the Unknown Solider at the
Parliament Building.
May 2nd Labour Day - everything comes to a halt as the labour union demonstrate in the streets. Just about everything is closed not a good day to be in Greece! Just about a wasted day for us as we waited for the bus for over an hour. It started to run after lunch so we got in a couple hrs of site seeing.

Temporally out of commission

2009-05-08T07:37:00.002-07:00

Sorry our Computor crashed and we are looking for other alteratives to post pictures etc.
Our e-mail is webbral@yahoo.com if you want to contact us.
God Bless Ralph & Jan

Cappidocia

2009-04-24T12:02:00.001-07:00

Day 18 - Canyon View Hotel was once a church in a cave. Now it is a gorgeous pension in Cappidocia.
Our room is also a warm cozy cave.
Up at 5 A.M. to experience our hot air balloon ride over a surreal landscape.......
preparing to take off.
Over 30 balloons drift over the surreal landscape... We drift just over the tops of volcanic columns and trees.
Something right out of a SCI - FI movie! Scenes from this area were actually used in the original Star Wars Movie.

We land and they crack open the bottle of champagne (we have orange juice).
A great experience as you can tell from Jan's smile.

Goreme - Turkey

2009-04-24T11:56:00.001-07:00

Day 19 - This Castle was once used as a Christian Monastery. You can still climb to the top through a series of caves in the column.
As we walked through the Rose Valley it reminded us of the Grand Canyon and the badlands of Alberta.It was a great place for Ralph to relax and check out the view.
These caves in this village were totally inhabited up to 1952. Because of the safety factor, all the people was relocated.
This Christian church was built about the 4th Century and was used up until the 9th Century. After this period it was used as a home for many different families.
Paul established a very strong Christian base in this area which lasted until approx 1930 just after WWI when many Christians left Turkey for other parts of the world.

The Fairy Chimneys were very magical to see. We expected to find Gnomes or Hobbits hiding in the caves. Lava formed the crown and sandstone mixed with lava the base.

Konya Turkey

2009-04-23T10:52:00.002-07:00

Day 17 - Konya - Turkey's religious capital. It has a very Middle Eastern feel. It is said that Konya is one of the oldest civilizations going back to 7000BC.
Many interesting sites including the Mevlana (Whirling dervish) museum. The fluted dome of turquoise tiles is seen for miles.
Walking the streets of Konya you find many unique areas with many interesting shops.
Dinner anyone? How about a sheep's head complete with teeth?

The Whirling Dervishers originate from Konya and area. The dance is part of the Fire Anatolia performance.

Fire of Anatolia

2009-04-23T10:39:00.003-07:00

Day 16 - This dance performance is outside at the Gloria Aspendos Arena 9:15Pm - 12midnight the temperature is around 8C a little chilly.
It reminds us of River Dance with a Turkish twist.
Many of the dances are a blend of many cultures. This show is based on the Turkish culture from the Ottoman time. The Ottoman empire was very large including Eastern Europe, Greece, many of the Islands, and the Middle East.

Another Day in Antalya

2009-04-22T06:23:00.002-07:00

Day 16 -The walks around the parks are gorgeous and the Ice Plants are huge! This is actually the city of yellow daisies. Paul came through this area on his trip to Ephesus and spent some time here. You can find old church ruins that are named after him.
It is always fun to see what the locals are making.
Even the ducks and geese are enjoying the warmer weather.
Now I wonder if the Turkey Ice cream is as good as the Italian. We'll let you know!! This was very good.
This is the real reason we are still here!!!! The production is tonight and is world acclaimed

Antalya

2009-04-21T10:06:00.001-07:00

Day 15 - The Roman Harbour is extremely busy.
Some relax sitting on the cliff.
Hadrians Gate is the entry to the old town ( 117 AD ).
Walking down the narrow streets there are many examples of the Ottoman Empire. The "sled" looking boards were used to thrash wheat.
Ottoman House.

Kaleici - Old Antalya

2009-04-21T05:37:00.002-07:00

Day 14 - As we arrive in Antalya it makes us a little homesick as the coast line is a little like Vancouver. The weather is warm......sun is shining and we decide to extend our stay here for an extra day. Our poor tour director has to change all of our arrangements. This is the beach prior tourist season which gets going full force May 1st.
Antalya is a very modern city but we are staying in the Old Antalya .........Kaleici. We sit at our supper table at the Hidirlik Tower, (1 st Century AD ) overlooking the Mediteranean and the mountain background. It is 100 meters from the Old Ottaman Pension we are staying at.
The old Tower Clock.

The Broken Minaret was the site of the Roman temple ( 2 nd Century) Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary ( 6th Century ) and Mosque ( 9th century ) before turning back to the church! Quite a history!!!!

Tour de France - " ALLA TURK"

2009-04-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

Day 13th - Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey Apr 12 - Apr 19th. The leader is on his way to Antalya from Kumluca. The race started in Istanbul and ends in Alanya following the coastline.

We are leaving Olympus and are caught in a road closure, as the cycle tour passes. (approx. 50 competitors)

Treehouse in Olympus

2009-04-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

Day 12 - Olympus Hotel called the Bay Treehouse is set in an orange grove, in the valley just before where old Olympus was. Do not confuse this with Olympus in Greece.
Because of the continual flames coming out of the ground it was thought to be the Olympus of Greece. The Chimera Flames are gases that mix with air and ignite into a continuous flame. We headed out at 9 P.M. and drove for 1/2 hour until we got to the park. A tricky 1K walk straight to the top and even harder coming down using flash lights........all that for a bonfire!!!
As you head to the sea by this stream you pass some incredible ruins. This portion of the trail has been turned into an National park.
Amazing pieces of mosaics laying around in the area of the temple.
At the end of the trail you come out on the most beautiful beach. This is a popular place for the Hostel crowd as it is inexpensive and no vendors.

Surprise!!

2009-04-18T12:22:00.003-07:00

Annette (our hostess) arranged for a Birthday cake and we surprised Jan!
Chocolate mousse cake decadents at is finest!

12 Island Tour

2009-04-16T22:43:00.004-07:00

Day 11 - Leaving Fethiye for the day cruise of the 12 Islands off the coast.
Our boat moored at our first stop for tea.
Fisherman resting after a morning fish run.
The water is so clear.
The Islands are magnificent.
The light house at the mouth of the bay was stunning.
A great place to swim but a long climb down.

Blue Lagoon

2009-04-15T23:09:00.005-07:00

Day 10 - Start the day with Island Tea (a sage tea very tasty with sugar) I love the varieties of tea in Turkey; Kiwi, Pomegranate, Turkey Tea, Sage, Apple, Lemon and the list go's on. Turkey is so much about food and dining. (so much for weight loss).
The Blue Lagoon Beach at Oludeniz. A 30min ride from Fethiye. We rated this in our top 5 beaches we have visited.
Paragliding is the sport of this Bay.
The 7 specks in the clouds are not vultures. Jumping off the mountain would not be my favorite thing to do, but fabulous to watch while lying on the sand.

April 16th 1952

2009-04-15T22:36:00.002-07:00

Happy Birthday Janet!!!

Fethiye

2009-04-15T00:40:00.005-07:00

Day 9 - I would describe Fethiye as an affordable resort of Turkey; not as expensive as Bodrum and very beautiful. An earthquake in 1958 leveled the village but despite that it is a very relaxed place.
Our B & B is another great surprise with beautiful views from the balcony. The natural harbour is perfect for protecting it from storms with many outer islands.
The local Tuesday Market was huge and full of "Turkish Delights".
Carved into the rock face behind the town is the Tomb of Amyntas ( 350 B.C.)

Bodrum & Etrim Village

2009-04-13T11:03:00.002-07:00

Day 8 - After a typical Turkish breakfast of boiled egg, olives, cream cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, bread & chai, it is off to see the sites.
Bodrum is wonderfully layed out above the bay and is a bit like the Rivera of France. All white houses that look like Mediterranean sugar cubes.
Monday Apr 13th. The best made plans sometimes fail! We were going to visit the castle and museum in Bodrum, but they are closed on Monday's!!
So what to do? We are offered a free trip to a small village 1/2hr from Bodrum!
A free trip you say?
We visit this wonderful village and this old house it may be as old as 250yrs. Depending on who you believe Grandpa or Grandma.
Grandma & Grandma Jan learning to make carpet. Of course the free trip is to a carpet shop, but Engin our guide surprises us with some great quality carpets & kilims. These carpets & kilims are the best priced in Turkey by about 30%.
To see more of Etrim go to www.etrimvillage.com

Pamukkale - Heirapolis & St Philip's Church

2009-04-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

Day 7 - The Kocay Hotel is great place to stay such a Turkish Delight.
The Roman Spa and the Baths.
The Roman gates to the Spa and Bath's.
St Philip the Apostle was believed to be Martyred above this Roman Theatre the ruins of what was believed to be his church was there, but nothing left really standing.
Sorry couldn't help showing the beautiful Spring flowers everywhere within the ruins.

Pamukkale - The Travertine Pools

2009-04-11T08:38:00.003-07:00

Day 6 - Calciumized water seeps from the side of the mountain and forms petrified stalactites and pools along the side of the mountain.
The mountain side looks like a cotton castle from a distance.
Mineral pool about a 1/2metre deep.
You can climb from pool to pool in bare feet only.
Unesco declared it a World Heritage Site. It is a beautiful view from the top.

It also the site of many Roman ruins.

Ephesus

2009-04-10T08:52:00.002-07:00

Day 5 - Good Friday As we approach the Old city of Ephesus we are reminded by a story by the Turks about these Judas trees. It is said that the wood of these trees were used for the cross Jesus was crucified on. The red(pink) blooms depict the blood of Christ shed that day. Ephesus is where John spend 3yrs before being exiled to Patmos and wrote the Book of Revelations. Paul also stopped here for some time before being chased out of Ephesus, because of his preaching.
This Great Theater seats 25thousand the biggest theater even today in Turkey. It is still used for many concerts to this day, Elton John, Sting, U-2, Pavoratti.
The Library of Celsus held 12,000 scrolls. The Library is also the tomb of Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus a Roman Governor.
Marble carving of Winged Victory. Nike was refused use of the statue as it's symbol, so they copied the shape of her dress and arm.
The Odeum Theater is the smaller of the two and sat 10,000.
The Roman Baths were popular at the time.

Kusadasi Turkey

2009-04-10T08:22:00.003-07:00

Day 4 - We arrive in Kusadasi, Turkey's cruise ship port. 15Km from Ephesus.
Spring has sprung, Wisteria in full bloom across from our Hotel.
These Turkish instruments hang in the foyer of our Hotel. Jan is impressed.
Our view from our balcony and the sun is shinning.
You can see Pigeon land from our Balcony.
Another view from the dock in front of the Hotel. Kusadasi means bird island and and Pigeon Land the small island is where the name originates from.

The Red Basilica

2009-04-09T12:58:00.003-07:00

Day 3- Continued - On the sides of the Red Basilica are two Towers built at a different time. One on the left houses a Muslim Mosque. The one on the right is being restored to display the artifacts from the Red Basilica.

A page out of Revelations 2: 12-17 To the Church of Pergamon. John warns the Christians at this church in Pergamon the Red Basilica.

Paul also passed this way after the riot he caused in Ephesus. It is amazing.
Nearly 75% of Turkey is Muslim & not any sign of Christianity anywhere today.

Looking through one of the old windows of the Basilica you can see the Acropolis.

Perched above the old Greek part of Pergamon is the Acropylus, and our wonderful trek.

Acropolis

2009-04-09T00:50:00.001-07:00

Day 3 - Continued - Just across the bridge from our pension and through a hillside area of old Greek houses started the Acropolis and our 3 hour hike. We were amazed that we were allowed to just walk all over the hill side through all kinds of ruins. Most people only visit the very top of the hill so miss 1/2 of the ruins on the lower part.

From the library area you can see the Temple of Trajan.

The Theatre Terrace with 10,000 seats.

Mark Anthony actually stole many of the books form the Library and presented them as a gift to Egyptian Queen Cleopatra.

Marble Columned Temple of the Trajan - the only Roman structure surviving on the Acropolis.

Spring has Sprung

2009-04-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

Day 3 - Wandering the old part of Bergama.

What you find is so exciting if you love to knit!

The wild flowers are beautiful.

Many different kinds.

From pine cone to pine nuts that are very tasty.

Bergama

2009-04-08T12:44:00.002-07:00

Day 2 - Continued. We find ourselves wandering the streets of Pergamon today called Bergama. We get off the bus near the main street and greeted in the middle of the street by a taxi driver who asks do you need a taxi. Off we go down the fairly modern main street to the very end where it turns into the Old Town.

.....Down some streets where I am thinking it is getting rustic & older as we go. We turn down a street or should I say back ally to a restored old Ottoman house -Athena Pension and I think what are we into now?

Well it is charming and truly authentic and Aydin our host spends the next hour telling us and showing the house. We have tea with Mom and Aydin's friend. It is one of our new Turkish families and we are enthralled. We are given the choice of the Old Ottoman house ......

Or the New Mansion he is just about finished restoring. It is amazing. Who would believed that when we turned down this "old" back alley it would hide this amazing Old Ottoman house and this restored old Mansion. Aydin needs an hour to finish preparing our room and does a great job as it is so comfortable.

After settling in, Aydin suggests we might like the Turkish baths - Hamam. We hesitate and then because it is cold and rainy we say yes! For $25CND the women's section ( women section is closed at nights) is opened for only us.

- One hour of bathing in this 500yr old bath with heated marble floors and walls. The hot running water feels so good after a rainy Troy. We are so blessed. This place is truly magnificant!

Troy and the Trojan Horse

2009-04-08T12:18:00.005-07:00

Day 2 - Rain, Rain, go away!!! It is cold and windy but we are off to see Troy. Jan getting out of the rain to view Troy from one of the two horses.
Some of the water pots and plumbing found in the ruins of Troy.
The nine levels of Troy. This has survived since 2500 BC and was built on top of with 9 civilizations. Here you can see how they have dug down through the different levels.
This modern computerized image shows the layering of the 9 civilizations built on top of each other .
2 horses are found in the area. One at the site of Troy as seen in the first slide, and the other in the middle of Canakkale (which was given to the city when Brad Pitt was finished with it.)
Much of Troy is still underground and many pits lead down under the ground, where a mother dog has had a litter of 8 pups. Here are 4 outside the den waiting for Mom.Another sign of spring.

Turkey - 21 Day Tour

2009-04-06T10:53:00.002-07:00

Day 1 - Obama is arriving in Istanbul in the morning so thought we had better get out - FAST! Our friends have helped us organize a 21 day tour around the parts of Turkey that were recommended by you. We took all of the suggestions other travelers gave us. Waiting at 6:30 AM, somehow our first ride didn't show so wondering if this was a good omen or not. One phone call and we were whisked down to the bus and on our way to Eceabat, a little waterfront town near Gallipoli.

Gallipoli Peninsula is covered with battlegrounds of WWI where allied forces failed to take over Turkey. Thousands of Australians,New Zealanders,British and Europeans make a yearly pilgrimage to this area. Lone Pine is one of the many memorials.

The City of Domes

2009-04-05T11:42:00.003-07:00

The Grand Covered Bazaar contains 4000 shops. Talk about a shoppers paradise.
Topkapi Palace is the residence of the Ottoman Sultans full of imperial treasury and Islamic relics. I have never seen such huge diamonds,rubies and emeralds.

The Harem displayed the way of life for the women and children......Not very safe if you were the mother of the prince who was in line for the throne. Women would plot to distroy the baby boys who were closest in line the be the next Sulton.

The underground Cistern was built by the byzantine Empire and contains 336 columns. This is the best preserved of many cisterns under the city of Istanbul which still contains water and fish.

In the back corner a pillar with the statue of Madusa's head was found. Many stories have been circulated as to the reason it was "hidden" underwater.

Hagia Sophia, one of the greatest marvels of architecture, constructed as a basilica in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian.

The upper hall of the basilica.

The Blue Mosque is famous for its blue Iznik tiles and has 6 minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet. It is gorgeous, even at night.

Istanbul - Turkey

2009-04-05T10:47:00.004-07:00

Hundreds of flower beds are in full bloom.

We arrived in Turkey on a cool spring day.

Lunch with Melanie ( from Naramata ) was like being with family! So good!! Check out the "slug bread". It is served hot out of the oven.

Turkey is all about the carpets........

Or maybe the blankets and bags.

The spice market was full of spices, fruits, vegetables, sweets, and fresh fish. This is where the locals shop.

India - Just received these from our freind Narinder

2009-04-02T02:27:00.002-07:00

Every year our good friend Narinder gives a gift to his village.
It takes all day to prepare this treat. Family & friends helping.
A sweet treat made with rice, sugar, raisins & dried fruit cooked in big pots.
Jan has a great time giving it out to the people.
They come from all over the village for this treat.

Narinder came all the way to India to drive us around for two weeks in the Punjab meeting his friends & family.

We just missed this - we were diving is this exact spot with the same company 3weeks ago

2009-04-01T02:25:00.002-07:00

Red Sea Diving College spots GREAT WHITE SHARK!

Red Sea diving college in Sharm has been the first to do a few things, host an underwater Olympics, see a dolphin birth, but here is an event even they (literally) didn’t see coming –
a Great White Shark!
Close encounter
In Ras Mohammed National park, the guests had just finished their dive and were all on the boat but one – the guide! Hooch, a longtime Sharmer, carries on the story..” I was the last on the boat, as the crew were lifting the ladder, I saw a large silhouette pass under the deck, followed by a large fin, that just kept circling the boat. I suddenly realized that I had never, in all my years diving here, seen one with those markings. I was thinking we had discovered a new species… Great White hadn’t even entered my head!”. But that was the call from guest Duncan Roopy, the only guest quick enough to snap the shark, who is by and amazing co-incidence, a marine biologist.

After lunch Hooch and his guests wisely choose to go diving on one of the local dive sites, for some reason they didn’t want to chance meeting this huge creature underwater again.

Habitat
Great white sharks normally don't appear in the area, although last year their was an unconfirmed sighting in the southern Red Sea, so this is a unique case. "It must have been lost and somehow ended up in the Red Sea", says Mr Roopy. The normal habitat of the great white shark is in colder waters (12˚ to 24˚C) around South Africa or even the Mediterranean Sea.

Of course Red Sea Diving College is very excited about this encounter and therefore have made an extra page on our website www.redseacollege.com including all the pictures, some extra stories about the encounter and info about the shark itself. We are working hard on it so have a look from tomorrow!

A very excited team,

Red Sea Diving College

Alexandria

2009-04-01T01:52:00.002-07:00

- Overlooking the Mediterranean from the Sheraton Hotel. We scored big time on this accommodation.
The Roman Theatre with the "Bath houses" in the background. This sight was found by accident and covered with a huge mound of dirt. The seats are marble and red granite but the roof has been destroyed. It was a neat place to walk around the ruins for a few hours.

Fort of Qaitbay ( Citadel) was built in 1477 A.D. by Sultan Qaitbay. It was the sight of a ancient lighthouse and constructed with 3 floors and a mosque in the centre.

Alexandria Museum is a beautiful Italian building in the middle of the city. This is an anthropoid coffin decorated with scenes from the Book of the Dead....a Real MUMMY..........

The New Library was dedicated in 2002 and is the most interesting architecture in Alexandria. The building overlooks the sea with a water feature in the front. Sitting next to one of the universities, it is one of the busiest areas in the city....Fabulous interior !

A sea port ....... Its a protected harbour for many fishing and tourist boats. Lots to see and do in this area. Cappuccinos are great.

Gizeh and the Pyramids

2009-03-29T10:28:00.002-07:00

Memphis is the home of a large sphinx carved of Alabaster.

Memphis also houses the colossal sandstone statue of Ramses II.

Sakkarah; the step Pyramid of Zoser, that looks like a layered cake.

A vendor selling water & pop at the pyramids. Ask Ralph about the one who took him for 50 Egyptian pounds......another great story!

The Great Sphinx or the "Father of Terror "- 73 metres in length.

Our new friend Lily (from Calgary) standing on Chephren with the Micerinus Pyramid behind her.

The Cheops Pyramid - with the Pyramid for a Queen in the background.

The second largest Gizeh Pyramid called Chephren. Only a cap of alabaster is left on this Pyramid as the rest have been pilfered.

The sun sets on the Pyramids of Gizeh. Another great day in Egypt.

Cairo's Special Sights

2009-03-28T10:03:00.003-07:00

When I think of Cairo it will be with fond memories of riding the camel. It is the most uncomfortable animal ever.

Down the road we "run into" yet another camel. The kids were all yelling "Baksheesh" so the picture cost me.

We started with "Starbuck's lattes; moved to Indian Chai; and now our new love is Egyptian coffee.

The Bazaar in Cairo has everything including the popular water pipes.

Everyone from old to young , men and women, smoke them. It was one of the only things we didn't try.

Everywhere you go you get an interesting perspective of Cairo and the area.

Cairo - City Tour

2009-03-28T09:48:00.002-07:00

The Sphinx at the Egyptian Museum. It took us over 2 hours to “quickly” view the two story exhibition. One could spend days.

The Citadel was built in 1246 and is the Mosque of Mohammad - Aly. The fort was used to protect his family.
St. George’s Greek Church had a lovely courtyard where we enjoyed a coffee.

We found the Coptic area, very peaceful with the gorgeous “Hanging Church”. The name was given because of its unusual construction.

Cairo is beautiful in its sandstone color.

Luxor - Egypt

2009-03-25T01:24:00.000-07:00

A romantic evening! A horse and carriage ride in Luxor with our new friend.
Luxor Temple in the evening.
Karnak Temple,which was one of our favourites has the largest Obelisk in Egypt. We rented bikes and rode to the temples and museum.
The hypostyle hall. This temple covers 30 hectares and is one of the best preserved.
Medinet Habu - Temple of Ramses III had some of the most beautiful carvings ! We are leaning lots of hieroglyphics!
– Baksheesh! Baksheesh! Baksheesh! (Tip! Tip! Tip!) …is heard continually and if you pay sometimes you are given special privileges like taking a photo in the Luxor Museum!

Valley of the Kings and Queens

2009-03-24T01:08:00.003-07:00

Villages near Valley of the Queens and Valley of the Nobles are disappearing or relocated as the government makes arrangements for more excavating.

The natural pyramid outside of Luxor overlooks the Valley of the Kings, Queens, Nobles and Workers.
Excavating of the areas continue as many countries have teams digging all over sights in Egypt. Pottery pieces are placed together like jig-saw puzzles.

Queen Hatshepsut ( dressed like a Pharaoh ) constructed a Funerary Monument for her father,Tutmose I and herself at Deir El-Bahari. This is where the mummification took place.The sarcophaguses are still being found and opened to discover mummies.

Floods of the Nile destroyed the Temple of Amon – Ofis and only the 2 huge, gigantic statues remain. Colossi of Memnon.

Part II Felucca Trip

2009-03-22T13:29:00.001-07:00

Captian Sabry : who loved Bob Marely was an awesome Captain.
The farmers were always watching their crops when we arrived ; especially when there were a lot of boats.........
In the end we had a great time with Captain Sabry (Bob 1) far right, Habibi our guide centre and 1st mate Mahmoud(Bob 2) ! I would highly recommend the Felucca over the cruise ship.....
Temple in Kom - Ombo, home of the crocodile god.
Always a stop for tea along the way. Sometimes it was on shore on the way to see a temple.
A stop at the Temple in Edfu - the best preserved Temple in Egypt.

Felucca down the Nile

2009-03-22T08:04:00.002-07:00

We had a choice between a Cruise ship or a Felucca. Which one to chose?
Captain "Bob" and crew cooked up great meals for us.
Many sights to see such as a old fashioned water wheel still widely used in Egypt.
The stops on the Islands were always interesting and beautiful. The quiet evenings were often interrupted by voices, dogs, trains, birds, horns, drums, music and prayers from the mosques.
You get to watch the farmer milk his cow; then sit and have tea with him! It was great even with the language barrier. They also grow a lot of melons and other crops on these Islands.
The other Feluccas joined up one evening and a great time was had by all around a big fire, drumming, dancing & singing.

Abu Simbel

2009-03-21T11:57:00.001-07:00

Leaving Aswan and traveling down 250 Km through the Nubian desert by convoy. There is not much to see but desert and maybe a mirage or two.
Abu Simbel - The Facade of the Small Temple of Hathor.

Jan is given the key to the Tomb by the security guard.
The Large Temple of Abu Simbel constructed by Rames II
The pronaos with the eight Ostirian pilasters
This was first situated on the banks of the Nile River and would have been immersed by the making of Lake Nasser. It was moved to higher ground, block by block.

Lake Nassar starts at Aswan 250Km to the North and extends down into Sudan 100Km to the South. Security is pretty tight if you were thinking about a 100km trek to Sudan through the desert.

Nubian Village

2009-03-20T12:13:00.003-07:00

Tombs of Siremput are at the start of the Nubian Village which is also the start of the Nubian Desert.
Lunch at Gigi's house (sister to our guide Habibi). It is one of the first houses at the start of the village.
She has a great place and does home stay's for approx $50USD. Wish we had known before we booked our hotel.
From her court yard you can watch the camel trekkers heading to the monastery .
She has 3 Red Sea Tortoises .
She loves her pets. A baby crocodile, 3 Pigeons, lots of birds and who knows what else

Aswan Egypt

2009-03-20T11:47:00.003-07:00

Aswan - one of our favourite places. It is a very inviting and relaxing city with many beautiful views of the Nile River.
The botanical gardens are a beautiful attraction and can only be reached by Felucca or motor boat.
Tombs of Siremput - quite a climb in 30 degee temp.
The High dam was built in 1965 with the help of the Soviet Union. This dam is the start of lake Nasser and is said to be the protection against hunger for Egypt.
Philae temple is an impressive ruins between the High Dam and the Old Dam. Again this is only reached by Felucca or motor boat.
The Unfinished Obelisc is in the centre of town and very interesting.

More - Diving the Red Sea

2009-03-13T03:58:00.003-07:00

A quick OK ! I am good to go into the cave.
What a wonderful experience.
Sometimes mistakes happen (note the tank trying to float away)
We encountered a 2 meter moray eel and he was scary, but the 2 meter Napoleon Maori Wrasse is very gentle.
He came so close I could not get all of him in the camera lens. He was a beauty.
That is it folks we are done for with diving from now on the water is getting colder as we move North and the temp are also getting cooler as Spring is arriving in Europe. Hope you enjoyed visiting some of the best dive sights in the world.

Welcome to Egypt

2009-03-13T03:19:00.003-07:00

Waiting for my Egyptian breakfast two bean dips, falafal, and pita. It was tasty for less than $3 each.
Come see my shop and take time for an Egyptian facial free! I also have spices, perfume &............so much more.
Looking across to Saudi Arabia from Shark Bay where we are staying.
Looking across the Strait of Suez to Egypt's Northern mountains.
Naema Bay - Sharm El Sheikh leaving for a dive trip.
Mountains in the North and desert in the South of Egypt.

The Famous Red Sea

2009-03-12T20:47:00.002-07:00

The fish life is amazing.
Corals are beautiful.
The anemonies are plentiful with lots homes for Nemo.
The fan coral's are magnificent.

Diving the Red Sea

2009-03-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

Amazing fish. We are diving in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
Amazing coral.
Amazing visibility.
Can you see the fish look closely at the centre of the picture. It is well camouflaged.
These are the two tentacles of the fish it's body is below the sand.

Kuwait - a brief stop to refuel

2009-03-10T10:34:00.001-07:00

As we circled to land in Kuwait, there were miles and miles of nothing but sand.

The buildings are all "sand" colored.
Approaching the runway

The city of Kuwait in the background.

Fort Cochin

2009-03-10T10:16:00.003-07:00

Hand made - Veena
The museum display of costumes, instruments and a mode of transportation.
Greenix village centre martial arts performance
Pottery making

Local cultural presentation.

Kerala - House Boating

2009-03-09T09:49:00.001-07:00

We spent a night on the house boat cruising the lake & the canal. It was so relaxing and beautiful as the weather was very warm and the water very calm.

Along the way we passed many rice paddy's.This is the way of life along the canals.

Typical wash day.........Women washing and the men watching.
The canals were numerous and connected forming a highway for many kilometers of Kerala.

The school boat dropping kids off at school.

The crayfish. Our first meal was fresh fish.

The sun is setting. Time to dock for the night.

Periyar

2009-03-07T03:54:00.002-08:00

Wildernest Resort in Periyar East Kerala, India. It was a wonderful 2 night stay. The centre court yard has 2 jack fruit trees.
A day tour of the Tiger Reserve was very calm compared to the wild elephant chase, but it was beautiful. It is at the edge of spice plantations......black pepper, cardamon, tea, and coffee etc.
Horn bill
The resort in the middle of the Tiger park would have been a great place to stay one night. It is on the list of things to do next trip.
At the resort, it overlooks the lake where the animals come to drink and is at its best at dusk. Wished we had stayed over to see it.

Giant Squirrel.