All Posts – oldest to newest
The dates indicate when the entry was posted, not the dates of the events therein.
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Here is how it begins …
23 January 2014Jeannie and I have always enjoyed traveling. We are now both retired. I left the University of Florida in August of 2012, and Jeannie from the Seminole County School System about a year later. Our health is still good and we are financially secure. Retirement…Click here to read more
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The research continues …
25 January 2014A venture such as this has so many facets. The first of the two biggest distinctions are the issues related to preparing and selling our home and possessions. This is no easy task for several reasons. First it is a beautiful home in a great…Click here to read more
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Project Managing
26 January 2014Chris and I work fairly well together, as long as we aren’t sharing the same task. So while he is purging the garage and attic, I am working on the to-do list and budget. He is the artistic one, writing entries for the blog, and…Click here to read more
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Be Here Now
27 January 2014When Chris and I were first discussing the plan to downsize and travel, we decided to establish a loose target date to have the house ready to put on the market. Anticipating that our house might sell quickly, we also agreed that we need to…Click here to read more
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Going is not leaving …
03 February 2014One does not come to embrace an adventure such as this without weighing the downsides. We just spent the weekend in Gainesville, Florida to attend a dance performance at the University of Florida. While riding around town we were reminded why we had considered moving…Click here to read more
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Reconnoitering
06 February 2014Sitting in Orlando International Airport we are waiting to board the first-leg flight of our visit to southern France to check out the place(s) where we will want to begin of our adventure. Our destination is Montpellier where we have a beautiful apartment waiting for…Click here to read more
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Nous sommes arrivés …
07 February 2014After a tiresome, bumpy series of flights, we arrived in Montpellier very close to schedule. Aurore, the property manager, was waiting at the apartment for us ... what a sweetheart. She showed us all the essentials, though some were lost in translation. Then she walked…Click here to read more
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Le Premier Jour
08 February 2014We were exhausted after our air travels, arrival in Montpellier, getting settled into the apartment, and several miles of walking about the old section of the city. I made a side walk to the “Monoprix” store around 1:00 for some kitchen items while Jeannie continued…Click here to read more
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Torture, c’est de la torture!
09 February 2014Those who know me know I have a bad habit, shopping! I have been going thru a gradual withdrawal over the last 8 years, since I left the professional, high-pay, high-stress IT life. And now that we are downsizing, I avoid the temptation to buy…Click here to read more
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And while Jeannie window-shops …
09 February 2014The term in France for window shopping is lèche-vitrine—literally, "licking the windows". While she is doing that I make photographs ... enjoy.Click here to read more
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Un jour de pluie …
10 February 2014Weathermen and meteorologists. You really don't trust them, but you consult them all the time. Plans are made or not based on their prognostications. But (in Florida at least) they are wrong SO often, AND they keep their jobs. Well, here in southern France The…Click here to read more
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Ch-ch-ch-changes?
11 February 2014The goal of this trip has been different from any other we have taken before. The singular question is “Could or would we want to live here, or someplace like it, like this?” It is more difficult than we imagined, yet our enthusiasm hasn't waned,…Click here to read more
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Travelling …
13 February 2014We went to Aix-en-Provence via train for an overnight visit. Lots to share later ...Click here to read more
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From Here to There …
14 February 2014One of the priorities we want to embrace when we return to our long-term travels is that we don't want the expense or hassles of having an automobile. The remaining options are bus, tram, train, and walking. Though there is a bike sharing program in…Click here to read more
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No oysters yet …
15 February 2014"It’s easy to get the feeling that you know the language just because when you order a beer they don’t bring you oysters…” Julia Childs First of all let me state for the record that I find French to be a beautiful language. Hearing it…Click here to read more
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To the Sea …
17 February 2014Having successfully negotiated the train to Aix-en-Provence just a day or two ago, we wanted to get a good view of the Mediterranean, and decided to go a bit further afield than the local beaches that are only a few kilometers away. Sete had been…Click here to read more
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Mission Accomplished …
20 February 2014When we first selected Montpellier as the starting point for our nomadic life, I assumed we would likely see it after we’d sold our house, put things in storage, and booked our one way ticket. But then Chris suggested that we should probably check it…Click here to read more
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Time
01 March 2014During the last days of our recent time in Montpellier, we learned that a long-time (40+ years) friend of ours was in the hospital. Her condition was very serious and she passed away shortly after our return. She loved to have fun, and was a…Click here to read more
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Big Cypress Swamp
11 March 2014We had never been to the Everglades. Rivers and swamps were nothing new to us as we have canoed northern and central Florida for many years, but we had never been to the Everglades. Of course, having to earn a living does get in the…Click here to read more
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Another step…
12 April 2014Well, the house hasn’t sold yet, in fact it isn’t even on the market; but we thought we’d better not wait to book an apartment in France – as desirable places get leased early. Once we decided to make our first move in August, we…Click here to read more
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Dryer Vent Cleaner Brush
15 April 2014Man, this is not easy. There are at least two major decision-making processes going on as we downsize. There are the decisions that we make regarding what we can take with us as we go on our nomadic adventure overseas, where we will only take…Click here to read more
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Easy, we don’t need no stinkin’ easy?
14 May 2014The garage sales are over, and trips to take items to Goodwill and the county recycling center have finally slowed to a trickle. Tomorrow (Thursday, May 15th)we will upgrade from a 5'X5' storage unit to a 10' x15' unit. The house goes on the market…Click here to read more
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Sold?
20 May 2014Our realtor came by on Friday May 16, and we signed all the paper to put the house on the market. The house was ready to show. Saturday we went to Tampa to visit Jeannie’s dad, so we left the house tastefully lit with background…Click here to read more
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Tetris Anyone?
24 May 2014Do you remember Tetris? The computer game from the mid-80s involved a random sequence of shapes composed of four square blocks falling down the playing field one at a time. The objective of the game was to maneuver these shapes, as they fell, by moving…Click here to read more
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Existential Angst …
06 June 2014[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="250"] Ok, this blog isn’t just for you. This blog is first and foremost MY journal of the experience of this craziness we have embarked upon. If it were Jeannie’s journal it would be a spreadsheet complete with pivot tables. And she…Click here to read more
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Grandma’s Accordion
07 June 2014I feel a very special responsibility for things that come into my possession that have had great meaning to someone. They are a special connection to the past, just as the Rosetta stone, or the megaliths of Stonehenge, or my father’s High School yearbook. So…Click here to read more
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Printing as we shred, an interesting activity…
08 June 2014As part of our quest to simplify and downsize, we are trying to become truly paperless. Though we’ve heard that stated as a goal of many businesses, we certainly haven’t seen it achieved. Our incoming paper stream has been greatly reduced as we’ve opted for…Click here to read more
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Connections and Reconnections
14 June 2014We were in Miami the other night. The next day we applied for our French long-stay visa. For some reason we kind of had pre-test jitters, even though it is merely a bureaucratic formality. The paperwork had been checked multiple times, multiple copies had been…Click here to read more
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Where is the ________?
21 June 2014Our home has been becoming more and more difficult to live in. Not because it’s not nice, but … maybe an example might serve to illustrate. We have been packing like crazy people. Since the movers come Monday the 23rd, the pantry, refrigerator, and drawers…Click here to read more
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Too Tired …
24 June 2014... to write. The house is, once again, empty. Surreal, but ... ONWARD! ... yet still ... .Click here to read more
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Whispering Floors
29 June 2014The wood floors whisper underfoot as I wander the house, alone, for the last time. The furniture has been sold or taken to storage, there is no art on the walls, no sounds but the air conditioner and its cooling breeze. From room to room…Click here to read more
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A Tumble in Texas
30 June 2014There are adventures that you choose, and there are adventures that are forced upon you. We have been in Texas for the last few days near Austin, in the town of Round Rock enjoying a long overdue visit with family. Today as we were hiking…Click here to read more
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Family and FooBeach
05 July 2014Jeannie and I were in Texas to visit family when she fell and broke her wrist. We originally were to have all gotten together south of Saint Augustine in the same condominium that my parents had rented every summer for several years. Several generations of…Click here to read more
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Bratwurst, Cheese, and Our Northern Family
13 July 2014We traveled to Sheboygan, Wisconsin to visit Jeannie’s side of the family. Though technically they are her relatives, I have always been treated as one of the family, and in spite of being a Southern foreigner I happily call them my family as well. Her…Click here to read more
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Compression
18 July 2014Frank Lloyd Wright often employed a principle he called “compress and release”. He used it to help direct people from one area to another. One author described it as “Sometimes, when we are comfortable in our surroundings, we are not particularly aware of them—it is…Click here to read more
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North Carolina Evening, then …
25 July 2014Singing frogs rejoice in the joy of the day’s rain. Cool mountain evening. Night in the mountains, sitting in the evening air fireflies dance about. Then the next day on the trails ... the Fungi!Click here to read more
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A Tour de Marks
30 July 2014Ah, North Carolina, especially the western mountains. Cool, moist and green. Though we had originally planned a big road trip that would have included even more family and friends, the reality of time and distance forced us to step back and focus on a smaller…Click here to read more
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The Countdown Begins
05 August 2014Well, it is now T-10 days. We fly out August 15th. Are we ready? Yes and no. We finally worked out a plan for the cars. Jeannie's is sold and will be delivered to its new owner this weekend. My Subaru will go to CarMax…Click here to read more
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Lasts and Firsts
10 August 2014As the countdown continues we have begun to wax a bit nostalgic. Even though, as I said before, we don’t tend to look back too much, it has been difficult to not to take notice of the lasts and firsts. For example, last night we…Click here to read more
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A Distillation
14 August 2014Distillation: something that consists of the essential points, aspects, or implications of something larger or longer. Most asked question: Are you excited? When we can catch our breath long enough to even think about it … well (sic) yes! When do you leave? Tomorrow, Friday…Click here to read more
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Once Again, Nous Sommes Arrivés
17 August 2014As transatlantic flights go, it was a good flight, long, with little sleep. The arrival in Paris was also uneventful. Well, let me rephrase that, as I don’t think that “arrival in Paris” should ever be paired with “uneventful.” The arrival involved no bureaucratic issues.…Click here to read more
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Routine.
18 August 2014Nothing has been routine for a long time. From the time we launched our lives into this sea of unknowns, things just haven’t been the same. Habits have been broken, patterns disrupted, and things taken for granted have disappeared. Now that we have settled in…Click here to read more
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On our own.
22 August 2014When we arrived in France we weren’t alone. I am not speaking in figurative terms, I know that all the good wishes of friends, family, and colleagues are with us on this adventure. But on our arrival we had friends (Matt and Brigit) waiting in…Click here to read more
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A Delightfully Cacophonous Plethora of Food.
23 August 2014Although "cacophonous" and "plethora" are considered somewhat pejorative terms, teaming them up with “delightfully” truly makes the description adequate. Rennes Saturday market is the second largest in France, with over 300 producers with their stands. There is food everywhere. There are people everywhere. It is…Click here to read more
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Les Petites Choses – 1
25 August 2014Les petites choses = The small things Jeannie's sugar cube: (the clubs, spades, and diamonds are mine).Click here to read more
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Settling In
26 August 2014It’s been a long time since Chris and I set up household in a new place. How quickly one forgets all the little details, and working in a different language adds a whole new dimension. Last week we set up our mailbox; this was pretty…Click here to read more
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Les Petites Choses – 2
27 August 2014Les petites choses = The small things Gardens - places of beauty and joy. Age merely modifies the frolicking.Click here to read more
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North to Dinan
29 August 2014Life without a car has, so far, been easy. Local trips have logically been on foot, covering 5-8 miles (8-12km) per day. That doesn’t include any transport on the Rennes Metro or bus system which we try and use daily. Beyond Rennes, it is the…Click here to read more
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To Market We Will Go
31 August 2014To market, to market, to buy a fresh bun, Home again, home again, market is done." I hope you don’t mind if I write a bit more about food. The markets are spectacular, with such variety of color, texture and aroma. But making an actual…Click here to read more
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The French Twist
03 September 2014Not the hairstyle, but in this case the way that a pâtisserie or boulangerie will twist the ends of the small bag that contains another French twist, the croissant. A fresh croissant is a buttery flaky pastry, light and airy and so good with local…Click here to read more
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Smiles … and Giggles …
05 September 2014On a walk past an elementary school playground ... (volume up and hit play >) [audio mp3="https://slownomads.phoosh.net/wp-content/uploads/Children-Rennes.mp3"][/audio]Click here to read more
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The Slow Life
07 September 2014Our daily life moves in slow motion for me. I laze in bed each morning with a cup of coffee, reading e-news, checking posts from friends via email and FB. Long walks every day, daylight lasting much later into the evenings, and window shutters that…Click here to read more
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Lemonade
08 September 2014Quand la vie vous donne des citrons, faites-en de la limonade! Bécherel, Brittany's booktown, with 750 residents, one bakery and 15 booksellers was the destination of our Sunday adventure. The locally famous book fair was being held and it was sure to be an interesting…Click here to read more
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Words
12 September 2014The biggest advantages of being in countries where the language is Latin-based, e.g. France, is that the alphabet is essentially the same. Except for a few (yet essential) accent marks it is generally simple to look up a word or phrase in a dictionary and…Click here to read more
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A Day in Fougères
14 September 2014Being here long-term and adapting to French culture doesn’t preclude our being tourists - far from it. It is obvious that we are foreigners [étrangers] as we practically run down the street at our normal speed, passing most of the locals who stroll at a…Click here to read more
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A Setback at Mont Saint Michel
20 September 2014We’ve had a setback. Our travel to Mont Saint Michel was an uneventful one hour bus ride to Beauvoir, a small village near to the Mont. There was only minor difficulty locating our bed and breakfast near the village church. We were greeted warmly by…Click here to read more
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Tales of Two Days
27 September 2014Home Alone - Jeannie This weekend featured an air show outside of Rennes. Chris had been looking forward to it and we planned to attend on Sunday as it was to begin in the morning and we thought it would be less crowded. On Saturday…Click here to read more
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Three Days in Finistère – I
28 September 2014As we close in on our final days in Rennes, we felt drawn to explore more of Brittany (French: Bretagne; and Breton: Breizh). Bordered by the English Channel to the north, the Celtic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Bay of…Click here to read more
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Update on the Wrist
01 October 2014[For those that are just joining this blog, back on 30 June 2014, we had been in Texas for a few days near Austin, in the town of Round Rock enjoying a long overdue visit with family. As we were hiking a rather friendly, though…Click here to read more
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Finistère-II
02 October 2014I left the window open a crack when we turned in. So as the morning light crept in to wake us there was a chill in the air. Not getting up wasn’t an option, but the big, warm bed was so comfortable. Yet, the day…Click here to read more
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Finistère-III
04 October 2014Morning came with a fog that surrounded the trees and buildings in an ethereal haze. It made for a slightly later departure which allowed us to linger over our breakfast a little longer. Bryan offered to prepare eggs and we enjoyed the delights of the…Click here to read more
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Finistère-IV
06 October 2014Once again we woke to a foggy morning, but by the time we finished the fresh coffee with our breakfast, the fog had lifted and we had to say our goodbyes to Stang Korvann and Bryan and Jilly. While it had been a wonderful experience,…Click here to read more
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Calories Coming and Going
08 October 2014Forgive me dear readers for getting out of sequence, I am writing here about Brussels, Belgium and well, based on the timeline of the blog, we haven't gotten here yet. I am about five days behind real time, but after a bottle of wine with…Click here to read more
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Bayeux – I
10 October 2014It was a long day getting to Bayeux from Rennes. It was made longer because we were leaving a place where we had only started to get harmonized with the pace of life and our surroundings. The rhythms of our life were beginning to get…Click here to read more
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Normandy – a Day Apart
12 October 2014We walked the route to the train station and back yesterday so we would know how long it would take. The tour we were taking to the D-Day beaches, or at least a couple of them, was to meet us at 08:00, so an early…Click here to read more
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Brussels – I
17 October 2014The luggage had been packed the night before. We were ready to begin the next leg of our journey as we went down to breakfast and noted that there were two additional places set. As we began with our coffee and fresh croissants, another couple…Click here to read more
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Brussels – II
24 October 2014Hotel breakfasts are not generally satisfying, but when shared with friends, they are always better. So it was in Brussels. We tentatively planned our tour of Brussels with Niels and Jette over breakfast, and shortly after began the day’s exploration. Following the route that Jeannie…Click here to read more
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A Day in Bruges
24 October 2014The trains from Brussels to Bruges run pretty much on the hour. We left early hoping to avoid crowds, but that strategy didn't work. The off-and-on rains got us and the crowds a bit damp, so we ducked into a local museum for a bit.…Click here to read more
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A Day in Ghent
24 October 2014Bruges is a beautiful little town, while Ghent is quite large and very active, and it has been said that "... you get the feeling that this is a city first and tourist destination second, in sharp contrast to Bruges." Getting off the train and…Click here to read more
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Returning to Montpellier
28 October 2014“The only thing constant in life is change” ― François de La Rochefoucauld Leaving Belgium on the train, the early morning view through our window was like looking into a landscape painted by one of the old masters. The low morning light bathed the peaceful…Click here to read more
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Béziers – The Canal du Midi and Massacres
29 October 2014Béziers is one of the oldest cities in France, dating from about 575 B.C. It was old when the Romans arrived. Its location made it a major east-west trade route through the region. Béziers suffered greatly in 1209 during the Albigensian Crusade, in which the…Click here to read more
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Charlie’s Angels
30 October 2014OK, I am getting behind on my writing, not unlike when I was in graduate school. But the nice thing about my blog is that, well it’s mine and I can do as I wish. Like this post. It is really out of sequence. But…Click here to read more
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Abbeys and Castles – I
31 October 2014Abbeys There are so many places that we would love to visit, and many we can get to via train, bus and foot. But there are many others that will require a car, and Carcassonne and its surrounding area was one of those places. Besides,…Click here to read more
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Carcassonne – The Medieval Fortress
03 November 2014I was born and grew up in Florida, and just to the south of my birthplace is St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental United States. St. Augustine is a charming and historical city, and location of the Castillo de San…Click here to read more
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Abbeys and Castles – Lastours
04 November 2014Our morning walk through the Cité de Carcassonne was, once again, cold and windy. Though this time we were bundled, the temperature difference between being in the sunlight and being deep in the shadows of the centuries-old stone walls was tremendous. On top of that,…Click here to read more
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Abbeys and Castles – The Road Less Traveled
06 November 2014As we took the roads out and away from Carcassonne, the massive fortress dominated the view behind us for quite a while. Even from a distance the towers could be seen above the vineyards and trees until they finally disappeared from view and, for us,…Click here to read more
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Adventure, Sophie, and Serendipity
12 November 2014Of all the wonderful things that we have experienced in France, it is the people that have made this such a magical journey. In spite of the fact that my language abilities are rudimentary at best, we have been greeted with patience, assistance and, very…Click here to read more
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On the French
19 November 2014Whenever I talk with friends back in the USA about living in France, curiously people most frequently inquire if the French are rude and snobby. I always reply emphatically, no. Having been in France now for over three months, on multiple visits previously, in many…Click here to read more
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Nîmes – The French Rome
22 November 2014When one is able to just get in to a car and go somewhere, travel without a car can seem difficult. For some destinations it is impossible. But there are so many places to visit that only require a train ticket. Non-automobile travel has several…Click here to read more
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A Special Visit – I
24 November 2014Long-time friends from Florida visited us in Montpellier recently. We have known Rich and Patti for far longer than I want to calculate. At our last April Fool’s party (40th wedding anniversary), they threatened to come to France and drink wine with us. To our…Click here to read more
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A Little Night Photography
26 November 2014It has been overcast and chilly with some light rain over the last couple of days. One night there was a break, so I took off for a few shots of Montpellier at night before we leave 01 December.Click here to read more
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The Story of Brioche Saint Nicolas
28 November 2014With apologies to Flat Stanley and Mister Bill. Click image below to view.Click here to read more
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A Special Visit – II
02 December 2014Our friends Rich and Patti drove to Montpellier from Barcelona, Spain to visit us. That meant they had a car. Originally, our plans were to possibly spend more time driving out into the countryside. However, given the difficulties of navigating the narrow, convoluted streets we…Click here to read more
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Fête des Lumières – Night 1
06 December 2014Ok, we left Montpellier and have moved to Lyon. I haven't written about all that, but I will. Often it's necessary to alter the timeline for things that are exceptional, and the Fête des Lumières (Festival of Lights) is one of those things. Last night…Click here to read more
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Fête des Lumières – Night 2
07 December 2014Together with our new friends Nicolas and Lucie (a great story that will have to wait til later), we returned to the Fête des Lumières. Though most of the images are repeats, they show different parts of the sequences that we saw. Keep in mind…Click here to read more
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Fête des Lumières – Night 3
08 December 2014Lyon wasn’t really a destination for us when we began our planning. Coming here evolved out of several factors. We had originally planned to search out some warmer climes for the winter, but it’s not warm here. Whatever reasons we may have had for being…Click here to read more
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Fête des Lumières – Night 4
09 December 2014The final night of the Fête des Lumières is tonight, and we realize that we are tired. We have already walked over five miles going to lunch and visiting the area of our apartment we will stay in when we return in April. So when…Click here to read more
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Arles
16 December 2014This post is from Montpellier, prior to the move to Lyon. The time-line is almost back to normal. November 19th started as one of the coldest mornings so far this autumn. It might have been nice to stay in bed, but it was time for…Click here to read more
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Rain, Rain, Go Away …
17 December 2014Overcast, rainy and cold. We are pretty much over the colds we caught, me first, then Jeannie. But between the sniffles, the cold temperatures and the rain, our time outside has been limited since the Fête des Lumières. We have gotten out most every day,…Click here to read more
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Leaving Montpellier
27 December 2014We have always said that our travels do not stem from a desire to leave someplace, but rather to go somewhere else. To us it is a significant difference. I think it is a corollary to the “glass half-empty or glass half-full” thing. And so…Click here to read more
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To Italy We Go …
31 December 2014It was odd that it only took a 1.5 hour flight to travel to Rome. So much longer when you start in US. It will be interesting to travel around Europe with such short flights. We got our rental car and left the airport around…Click here to read more
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Lyon … Serendipity Strikes Again
01 January 2015We were only in Lyon three weeks. Didn’t know how much we’d like the place and we hadn’t even expected the Fête des Lumières. What an incredible four day event THAT was. Then it got really cold, and rainy. Shortly after that we both came…Click here to read more
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Snow!
04 January 2015When we came to Italy, it was to hopefully get away from some of the colder weather further north in France. It didn’t work out that way. In fact, much of the peninsula was hit with cold and snow 31 December. To us, from Florida,…Click here to read more
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A Neighborhood Walk
05 January 2015A 5 mile (8k) ramble on country roads up to Colpetrazzo, a tiny village up on the side of the Martani mountains. We strode on paved roads, dirt, and stone; through woods, farmlands and vineyards, passing old buildings and new. The bare branches of the…Click here to read more
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Feasting in Italy
06 January 2015We’ve been in Italy for just over two weeks, and it’s been cold, rainy, cold, snowy, cold, and did I say cold? But there was only one day, in Orvieto, that we got out and just couldn’t take the below freezing temperatures and 25+mph (40+kph)…Click here to read more
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Carsulae
09 January 2015Carsulae is a well-preserved Roman city located in the Umbria countryside. It grew up as a way station on a previously unoccupied site shortly after the Via Flaminia was built in ca. 220 BC, its location probably influenced by the presence of some natural springs.…Click here to read more
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A Roman Bridge to Cesi
12 January 2015No, the Roman bridge doesn't lead to Cesi directly, but after several days of being stuck indoors with the flu, we had a wonderful drive. First, we only had to drive a few kilometers to see the Ponte Fonnaia, and then ... well. As is…Click here to read more
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Language problems? No.
20 January 2015As we have traveled in foreign places, one of the joys and one of the curses has been dealing with the language. Now that we are in Italy, we have had to switch languages again. Not that our French was getting anywhere near good, but…Click here to read more
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… Everything changes
01 February 2015To paraphrase Heraclitus of Ephesus, c. 535 – c. 475 BCE, The only thing that is constant is change. It was 15 years ago in spring that we began a month-long bicycling adventure in Tuscany/Umbria. Our first two weeks were spent in Camucia at the…Click here to read more
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Snow Days …
02 February 2015This is another of the out-of-sequence posts that I have to share now and again, but it is a story that bears telling. Jeannie and I, along with my brother Mike and Kathy, had been to Florence for three days and then to Venice for…Click here to read more
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Birthplace of the Renaissance … Florence
05 February 2015Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, was founded as a Roman military colony about the 1st century BC. During the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries Florence achieved preeminence in commerce and finance, power, learning, and especially art. Among the most famous of the city’s cultural…Click here to read more
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Venice – Magic, Romance, and Water
14 February 2015We barely scratched the surface of Florence and its treasures before we had to leave. But that is the risk of travel. Even in those places we have stayed for six or eight weeks, we had to leave unable to see or visit everything we…Click here to read more
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Escape to Rome
24 February 2015We had mixed feelings about leaving Venice. With only three days there, we had just barely been able to taste the mystery and beauty of the place. But Carnevale was going to start in a day or so with its crowds and expense; the weather…Click here to read more
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Toto, I don’t think we’re in [ fill in a place ] anymore …
22 March 2015Flying back to the US from Rome was uneventful and everything went smoothly. We even got some sleep in between movies and feedings. When we arrived in Florida, we still had two weeks or so of (Florida) winter weather. High temperatures in the 50-60° F…fill in a place ] anymore …">Click here to read more
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Oslo (or Should it be O-sno?)
29 March 2015Although we enjoyed being back in Florida amongst family and friends, and warm weather, the desire to return to our adventure called very strongly. Our return this time was through Scandinavia. The flight from Orlando left about midnight, so we were more or less ready…Click here to read more
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Getting to Gothenburg
05 April 2015We departed Oslo, Norway by train. The snow was only beginning to melt and the temperatures were still pretty cold. It would have been nice to stay longer. Spring was at hand and would be fully involved within the next week or two, but it…Click here to read more
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The Götheborg
06 April 2015In 1745, the 18th century Svenska Ostindiska Companiet (Swedish East India Company) shipping vessel “Gothenburg,” was returning from her third voyage, a two-year journey to China, and wrecked on a reef near the mouth of the city of Gothenburg’s harbor, and over the next two…Click here to read more
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Skara and the Cranes of Hornborgasjön
07 April 2015[This post is a spur from Getting to Gothenburg] We weren’t in a big hurry to rush out from Gothenburg, as the weather was still wet and cold, but we were excited to get to Skara. The route there was uneventful, the terrain was rather…Click here to read more
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Home Sweet Monchat
08 April 2015In the 3rd arrondisemont of Lyon is a small neighborhood known as Montchat. It is here we found an apartment where we feel at home. Primarily a residential area, our flat is less than two blocks from the small, tree-lined commercial street Cours du Docteur…Click here to read more
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My Terrace Afternoon
09 April 2015Sitting outside on the terrace of our apartment, I am in awe that we are living in Lyon France. For all the traveling we have done, even the 6-8 week stays in other French cities last year, this time it really does feel like we…Click here to read more
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Lyon, Déjà Vu, and a Birthday Party Too!
16 April 2015Back when we first began this adventure, we went to St Malo, joined by my brother Mike and his wife Kathy. While there we just happened to meet Nicolas, Lucie, and their 2-year old daughter Noémie. That meeting just happened to be much of the…Click here to read more
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A Couple of Days in Lyon … Wandering
19 April 2015We had a couple of beautiful days wandering about Lyon, clear skies, great temperatures, and spring flowers everywhere. It is truly a grand city. Not much text in this post, just a visual smörgåsbord to delight the eyes ... enjoy.Click here to read more
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A Waltz Through Vienne
22 April 2015We were in need of a day-trip. So we closed our eyes and stuck a pin in the map. Well not really. Our excursions are pretty much dictated by the train routes that are available, and we generally look for locations that are no more…Click here to read more
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Back to Venice?
23 April 2015The Medieval village of Perouges had been on our list of must-see places near Lyon for a while. And as we began to do some more research, this weekend (19 April) popped up on the community calendar as the weekend of the Parade Vénitienne de…Click here to read more
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Apartment Hunting … Choose Well!
30 April 2015Our travels have now taken us to apartments in Rennes, Brussels, Montpellier, Lyon, Rome, and now again in Lyon. This has given us a good bit of experience picking out an apartment online, and then actually living in it. Most of our rentals are for…Click here to read more
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Joan and Mel
03 May 2015We made some new friends, Joan and Mel. They are from the US, got rid of all their stuff, and are traveling kind of like us. We met just in time for them to leave. Introduced by a mutual acquaintance, we met over drinks a…Click here to read more
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Beaune, the “Capital” of Burgundy Wines
07 May 2015We seem to have gotten pretty good at train travel here in France. Not that we have figured it all out, but we’re working on it. For example, there are kiosks all over the train station, but our credit card does not have the chip-and-pin…Click here to read more
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Yay! A Holiday
09 May 2015It seems there is a holiday each week during May in France. Last week, it was May Day and even public transportation was shut down. You really have to plan in advance cuz grocery stores and everything closes! Yesterday we visited the beautiful town of…Click here to read more
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Dijon
15 May 2015Yes, the Dijon of mustard fame. We had spent the night in Beaune, and our plan was to take the train the short distance further for a brief visit to the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region. After a breakfast of…Click here to read more
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Annecy – The Venice of Savoy
17 May 2015Day trips out to new places are always multi-faceted adventures. Not only are we going to a place we have never been before, but simply the act of getting there is often an experience in itself. Such was our visit to Annecy (pronounced ann-cie). We…Click here to read more
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It’s a Big Small World?
20 May 2015In its 16th century, arcaded building and galleries clad in pink, the Maison des Avocats (House of lawyers) is a beautiful Renaissance building in Vieux Lyon, and home of the Musée International de la Miniature et Décors de Cinéma. The museum is the work of…Click here to read more
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A Ride in a Bubble – Grenoble
23 May 2015With the mountains all around, Grenoble is known as "Capital of the Alps". Its history goes back 2000 years to when it was a small Gallic village. Later, in the 11th century, Grenoble became somewhat significant as capital of the Dauphiné, though for the most…Click here to read more
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Cascades Chambéry
31 May 2015At the crossroads of ancient routes through the Dauphiné, Burgundy, Switzerland, and Italy, Chambéry lies in a wide valley between the Bauges and the Chartreuse Mountains on the Leysse River. We wanted to get out for a hike in the forests again, and our research…Click here to read more
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Medieval Festival Musings
10 June 2015We don’t ever have to go far to find truly medieval things. The middle ages spanned the 5th through the 15th centuries, beginning with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, then later morphed into the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery. So there is…Click here to read more
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Notre Vie en Roses
13 June 2015Three hundred thousand visitors were expected for the 17th World Convention of Rose Societies. There was floral art, paintings, gardening workshops, a fashion show about roses, information stands of French rose growers, and exhibitions all over the city. The fragrance that wafted about on the…Click here to read more
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Montchat en Fête
14 June 2015Although we are living in Montchat for only a short time, we have come to love notre beau village de au coeur de Lyon. Every excursion down the shopping street or to the market is a delightful adventure. We were standing on the sidewalk the…Click here to read more
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Wine – a Tale of Three Tours
17 June 2015Wine is a state of mind here in France. To not have wine with lunch or dinner is almost tantamount to not breathing. It doesn’t hurt (help?) that in Lyon, we are pretty much at the one of the centers of the wine universe. In…Click here to read more
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Lavender in bloom
23 June 2015This an audio blog post, there are play-back controls beneath the image. Be sure to turn up the volume!Click here to read more
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Nos Amis Lyonnaise
28 June 2015Leaving friends and family last year, we hoped life would not be lonely. When you don’t speak the language where you are living, how can you make friends? We have discovered it is not so difficult. If you are open to encounters and accept invitations…Click here to read more
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Nos Amis Lyonnaise – Deuxième Partie.
29 June 2015Our busy weekend, begun in the previous post, was not yet over, there were more friends to visit. We had been invited to spend the night at the home of Michel and Francoise (Lucie’s parents) in the Beaujolais area. So Sunday morning, we took a…Click here to read more
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Some Assembly Required
03 July 2015As we settle into our new apartment in Strasbourg we realize that it is very different from our flat in Lyon. It’s nice, but smaller, and with not as much of a view ... from the inside. As soon as we walk out onto the…Click here to read more
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Voyage Temporel*
15 July 2015Strasbourg is vastly different from any other place we have lived, on so many levels. This city lies on the Eastern border of France, on the Ill River where it flows into the Rhine on the border with Germany. It is deeply permeated with Franco-German…Click here to read more
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Munster
18 July 2015The heat wave here in Europe continues. The temperatures have soared back into the 35-38° C (upper 90s F), and we needed to get out. Where to go? We are near the Vosges Mountains so maybe we can find a walk in the woods. Since…Click here to read more
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A Tale of Two Expectations
22 July 2015[Several of the links below are in bold, they are audio recordings. I apologize for the poor quality, but I think the point will be made.] During the summer months in Europe there are always cultural events to experience. We are continually on the lookout…Click here to read more
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A Night Away in Alsace
26 July 2015Colmar, Alsace's most beautiful city, is a town founded in the 9th century, and still retains stunning medieval architecture and even its own “Little Venice”. Though it was the last town in France to be liberated in WWII, it is now the capital of Alsatian…Click here to read more
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Oompah, Dance, and a Saint
27 July 2015Sunday morning woke to rather cool temperatures. The weather had been much milder over the past week or so, with sunny days mild to warm days and cool nights. Today was a day for long-sleeves. The event today was a performance of musique et danses…Click here to read more
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A Mountain Fortress and a Preview
03 August 2015We have really enjoyed living in the urban apartments throughout France. Partially because it is so vastly different from our life experiences prior to this adventure; the dynamics of living in cities that are centuries or even millennia old is something that is difficult to…Click here to read more
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Two Hikes Around Turckheim
04 August 2015A few days after our visit to Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg and Ribeauvillé (previous post) we took the train south and west to Turckheim, famous for its surrounding medieval wall and Gewürztraminer wines. In the morning after gathering some information from the tourist information center, we…Click here to read more
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Return to Ribeauvillé and Beyond
08 August 2015Our return to Ribeauvillé had several goals, all of which had to do with being outside. The weather forecast was calling for clear skies and comfortable temperatures. So, we packed our backpacks for an overnight away. After the relatively short train ride to Sélestat, we…Click here to read more
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Ribeauvillé de Nouveau
09 August 2015We slept soundly in this little medieval town, Riquewihr. We had no big plans for the day except to walk back to Hunawihr and then to Ribeauvillé, maybe get some lunch, take the bus back to Sélestat, then catch the train back to Strasbourg, and…Click here to read more
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The First Year – a Review
16 August 2015As of 15 August 2015, it has been one year since we set off on this adventure to travel and live abroad. There are so very many aspects of this new life, and this post is an attempt to provide a very brief summary and…Click here to read more
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A Swiss Treat
23 August 2015Switzerland – home of the chocolate, cheese, watches, chard, army knives, bank accounts and the Alps. While living in the Eastern part of France, it is easy to take short trips into Switzerland. So Jeannie began her research of the area and possible 1- to…Click here to read more
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Into the Alps
23 August 2015The 2.25 hour train from Basel wove its way through the mountains and past small towns and villages to the city of Lucerne. We changed trains for the remainder of the journey to Alpnachstad where we boarded the worlds steepest cogwheel railway for the steep…Click here to read more
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Doors Close and Doors Open
03 September 2015Breaking news update. As before, this is a break in the Slow Nomads timeline reflecting events that we feel are interesting enough to warrant such an interruption. The normal timeline will resume as soon as possible. Unfortunately there are not any photographs associated with this…Click here to read more
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Gengenbach – Gateway to the Black Forest
05 September 2015We now return you to the adventure already in progress. Since we had only been to a small area in Germany for part of a day with our friends, Niels and Jette from Denmark, Jeannie contacted Linda, a friend from her former job who has…Click here to read more
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The Black Forest
06 September 2015Today we were going deep into the Black Forest. It is home to a very special cake, cuckoo clocks, dense evergreen forests and picturesque villages, and a place that inspired some of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. We were also excited to be meeting Karl…Click here to read more
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Strasbourg – a Visual Retrospective
09 September 2015Strasbourg was a great location from which to explore this part of Europe. At the eastern edge of France, we were close to the Alsatian wine villages, Germany and the Black Forest, Switzerland and the Alps, but Strasbourg was a gem in itself. The Cathedral,…Click here to read more
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Avignon – the Final Stop in France?
12 September 2015As the TGV high-speed train leaves Strasbourg behind, the realization that we are leaving France is really beginning to sink in. In total, we have been in-country more than 9 months, and we are now heading to Spain with a two-night stop in Avignon. If…Click here to read more
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Madrid – The First Week
21 September 2015As our train entered the Estación de Atocha safely and with all of our luggage, we quietly breathed sighs of relief. The high-speed RENFE (Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles—National Network of Spanish Railways) train had travelled between Montpellier, France and Madrid at speeds in…Click here to read more
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Vuelta a España – the Tour of Spain
25 September 2015As a former avid cyclist, I used to follow the Tour de France (TdF) every year. Since about 1984 or 1985 when the Tour was running, the TV would be on whatever channel was showing any of the race. I would watch for hours at…Click here to read more
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Ávila
30 September 2015Inhabited since before the 5th century BC, Obila ("High Mountain") was a small fortified town conquered by the Romans about 61 BC and named Abila or Abela. Its layout was typical for a Roman town of the period, rectangular in shape, with two main streets…Click here to read more
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Salamanca
03 October 2015There is an energy that can be felt when you are in a university town, and there was such a feeling in Salamanca. Maybe it was that there are 30,000 students at the University of Salamanca or just a larger than average number of young…Click here to read more
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Segovia
10 October 2015Andrés Segovia (1893-1987) is a name that every guitarist knows or should know. He is considered the greatest guitarist of all time as well as the father of the modern classical guitar. Though he was not from the town of Segovia, it was through his…Click here to read more
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Toledo
14 October 2015Inhabited since the Bronze Age, Toledo was mentioned by ancient Roman historian Titus Livius as early as the first century BC. Beginning as a Roman fortification, then as capital of the Visigoth Kingdom, after that as a fortress of the Moorish Emirate of Cordoba, still…Click here to read more
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Meandros en Madrid -1
15 October 2015We wander, ... a lot. It tends to be somewhat directed, but our path may meander like a three-year-old chasing pigeons. Most of these images of Madrid were made sort of on the way somewhere, or once we had arrived, and yet they are a…Click here to read more
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Meandros en Madrid – 2
16 October 2015Madrid is filled with people. There were times when we felt that they were all on the same street with us. But we could turn off onto a quiet little callejón, and be alone except for the little old lady pulling her two-wheeled grocery cart…Click here to read more
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Meandros en Madrid – 3
19 October 2015Madrid, besides being the capital of Spain, is a great city. The best thing about a great city and its culture is its people; and the best places to experience being among the people are parks and markets. The diverse population in Madrid enjoys a…Click here to read more
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Adiós Madrid – Final de Meandros
24 October 2015We have been in Madrid for just about a month, and of course we haven't/couldn't see everything. That is a difficult concept to accept at times, but for the experiences we want, it is essential. The days that have no defined purpose or destination are…Click here to read more
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A Barcelona Teaser
26 October 2015My, have we been busy. Shortly after we arrived in Barcelona, we were joined for a week by my brother Mike and his lovely wife Kathy. Thus began the whirlwind, and since then we have been busy trying to sample just some of the things…Click here to read more
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Nomads at Sea
06 November 2015This is a break in the Slow Nomads timeline reflecting events that we feel are interesting enough to warrant such an interruption. Though the posts indicate that we are still in Barcelona, we are actually currently at sea, the normal timeline will resume as soon…Click here to read more
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Barcelona – More Than a Great City
11 November 2015Taking the train from Madrid to Barcelona used to take just under nine hours. Fortunately today, with ALL our luggage, it only takes about three. The speed display in the car we were in showed a top speed 300 kph (180 mph), but averaged a…Click here to read more
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Gaudí’s Masterpiece – the Sagrada Familia
14 November 2015The independent Catalonian spirit has fostered much innovation in many areas, but nowhere is it more obvious and available than in art and architecture. At the turn of the century the style of the day was Art Nouveau, or as it was called in Spain–…Click here to read more
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Barcelona – an Architectural Feast
18 November 2015So many of the places we have visited throughout the world are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. “World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located.” Listed sites are considered to be of…Click here to read more
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Barcelona – Time to depart
06 December 2015The leaves of the Plane trees (Sycamores) are starting to turn brown and darkness comes noticeably earlier each day. Autumn has begun. Our time in Barcelona is almost over and only a few days before we board a ship for the return to Florida. Life…Click here to read more
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A Kiss in Barcelona
07 December 2015While walking around the Gothic quarter of Barcelona, we turned down a small street. At the end of the street we could see a mural of two sets of lips locked in a personal moment. At first we thought that it was an example of…Click here to read more
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The Atlantic Crossing
22 December 2015Our taxi deposited us at the terminal right at 11:30 a.m. It was busy with people pouring from cars and taxis, and porters loading luggage onto carts. The line moved fairly quickly as we began our slow walk toward the check-in counter. Within our first…Click here to read more
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Our Thanks and Warmest Wishes …
24 December 2015... to all our friends and family who have followed us on this adventure by way of this blog. May the peace and joy of this season travel with you wherever life’s journey takes you, and hope that you will continue to “ride along in…Click here to read more
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Back on the beach
27 December 2015We returned to Florida not because we were tired of living in Europe, but primarily because winter was approaching. The experience of cold weather from last winter in France and Italy was still somewhat fresh in our memories so off to sunny Florida we went.…Click here to read more
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The Ancient City, Florida
27 January 2016Life back in Florida has been pretty comfortable: walks on the beach, visits with friends, and falling easily back into some old routines. The weather that was warm when we first arrived has turned chilly, slowing us down a little. At least the mosquitoes have…Click here to read more
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On the Cape Canaveral Coast
12 February 2016This visit “home” is quickly coming to an end. Regretfully we haven’t been able to visit everyone we wanted to see, though we have been able to spend time with many friends. There have been so many distractions. Visits with Jeannie’s dad have been a…Click here to read more
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The Countdown Begins … Again.
24 February 2016So here we are, scrambling. It is less than two weeks, um, one week, um, a few days before we depart on the next leg of our adventures and we are ready. As we have expressed before, we always try to keep looking forward. Though…Click here to read more
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A Few Days in Dublin
08 March 2016The flight to Dublin was cramped but uneventful. Once we arrived at our apartment it wasn’t quite ready from the previous tenants, so we deposited our luggage and went for a long stroll. Dublin was cold, rainy, windy, but wonderful. It’s a big city, crowded…Click here to read more
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A Wee Bit o’ Pub Music.
09 March 2016A sample of the great pub music available in Dublin. I recorded it using my phone, and offer my apologies to the two acoustic-only performers ...Click here to read more
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Settling in to Killarney
11 March 2016After a good but short stay in Dublin, we took a taxi to the car rental at the airport. The line was a bit long, computers were up and down, and we decided to upgrade to a diesel rather than petrol car with a bit…Click here to read more
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Killarney – getting out
18 March 2016Yes, I caught a mild cold. But the symptoms were under control, and I felt reasonably well enough to get out. At least well enough for walks into town through the National Park for groceries.Click here to read more
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St Patrick’s Day Parade in Killarney
24 March 2016Though most people think of St. Patrick’s Day as an Irish party holiday, it began as an Irish holy day, and was first celebrated in 18th and 19th-century. Originally the Irish, Catholic and Protestant alike, went to church rather than party.Click here to read more
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A Tale of Two Rings – part 1
27 March 2016The Ring of Kerry is a scenic road circuit that skirts the edge of the Iveragh Peninsula – the middle and largest of three fingers of land that extend into the Atlantic on the Ireland's south-western extremity. It is one of Ireland's best-known and most…Click here to read more
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A Tale of Two Rings – part 2
29 March 2016The next morning came bright and sunny, though still a bit cold and windy. We packed an went down for breakfast and I had a delicious and filling, hearty Irish breakfast. ...Click here to read more
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Genius Loci – Spirit of Place
02 April 2016Our travels have taken us many places old and ancient, places of history, mysticism, religion, and lore. ...Click here to read more
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Corca Dhuibhne – The Dingle Peninsula
07 April 2016The entire loop from Killarney is only about 180km | 111mi long and can be driven in a day, but it deserves much longer. ...Click here to read more
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Where are Chris and Jeannie, literally?!
15 April 2016Chris and I are now in the small town of Kinnitty, Ireland, relaxing in the parlor of the Ardmore Country House B&B. Well, I’m relaxing and Chris is furiously composing and typing the next blog post. ...Click here to read more
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The Princess’s Ring – Beara
16 April 2016The least well known of the peninsulas of southwestern Ireland, the Beara peninsula is a hidden jewel that shines only for those who look beyond the more famous neighbors ...Click here to read more
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Beara II
20 April 2016Our stay in Castletownbere was enjoyable. The Sea Breeze B&B was very comfortable, and though it was a long walk into town, it was scenic and pleasant. ...Click here to read more
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April Fools … Not!
20 April 2016Throughout our travels, there has been one thing that has been the greatest delight, and has meant the most to us – the people we have met and the friends we have made. ...Click here to read more
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The Gap of Dunloe
23 April 2016Just in case one might think Jeannie was out shopping, this is NOT the GAP, as in the clothing and accessories retailer, but rather the stunning mountain pass ...Click here to read more
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A Day in Kenmare
25 April 2016Just a short visit after passing through a couple of times. We had originally considered living here, but Killarney won out because of the National Park. ...Click here to read more
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Departing Killarney
25 April 2016Our days in Killarney were drawing to an end. Irish spring was still weeks away, but so were the throngs of tourists that flock to the area. Visiting places during the off-season does have its drawbacks, but the advantages are much greater. ...Click here to read more
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Goin’ to Doolin
29 April 2016The morning was quite cold as we loaded the car and prepared to leave Killarney. There had been snow forecast overnight, and while there was none around us the mountains in the distance obviously had a fresh dusting on the tops. ...Click here to read more
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The Cliffs of Insanity
01 May 2016After a month in Killarney and the surrounding areas, we were moving on. We had nine days to get to Dublin to take the ferry to England. So, where would we go in the meantime? ...Click here to read more
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The Burren – a Landscape of Stone
08 May 2016After the excitement of the Cliffs of Moher walk the previous day, we were in the mood for something a little less, shall we say, perilous? Not that it wasn’t really fun ...Click here to read more
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A Day on Inisheer
10 May 2016If you stand on the Cliffs of Moher looking seaward and it is somewhat clear, you can see the three Aran Islands. ...Click here to read more
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A Nod and a Wink
19 May 2016Some say that Doolin is to Irish traditional music what New Orleans is to traditional jazz. How cool is that?Click here to read more
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Kinnitty and the Slieve Bloom
26 May 2016Having spent most of our time in Ireland in close proximity to the sea, we departed the coast for the Irish Midlands, and more specifically the village of Kinnitty ...Click here to read more
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One Last Stop …
28 May 2016Our time in Ireland was almost up. ... Our route, however, would have us diverting northeastward for one more stop. ...Click here to read more
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Goodbye to Ireland
30 May 2016We arrived at our hotel in Dublin after 18:00 (6:00pm) and were pretty tired after the day’s drive and visit to Newgrange. After a good night's sleep, we caught an early taxi to Dublin Port ...Click here to read more
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Life in a Small English Village
01 June 2016After two years of travel, living mostly in larger cities, our goal was to find a more rural location with opportunities to be out in nature. After our search settled in northern England, we found an apartment ...Click here to read more
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Styles of Stiles
04 June 2016For hundreds of years the country lanes, footpaths and tracks of England have been traversed by many a traveler. ...Click here to read more
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Money Does Grow on Trees?
04 June 2016The first time we encountered a felled tree with coins hammered and bent into the wood, we assumed it was a one-of-a-kind find.Click here to read more
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An Egg Hunt
15 June 2016We have been admirers of British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist Andy Goldsworthy’s work for many years. Of all the items we kept for our post-travel life, his art books were carefully packed away for future inspiration.Click here to read more
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Baaaa
17 June 2016There are around 32.8 million sheep in the UK. Sheep are a part of life and a part of the landscape. ... and, of course, one must watch where one steps.Click here to read more
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To York, To York
30 June 2016After having been without a car in a small village for three-weeks, we felt the need to go further afield. So, we went to Manchester, rented a car, and shortly after took our first road trip to York. ...Click here to read more
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A Walk in the Shire
01 July 2016No orcs or hobbits, but lots of sheep and cows on a glorious day in the area that provided some of the inspiration for Tolkein's trilogy of the Lord of the Rings.Click here to read more
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Many Bridges to Cross
04 July 2016To cross a river or stream generally requires a bridge. In the past, a place to ford may have been used, but could be impractical during certain times of the year, and not very practical in most modern vehicles. ...Click here to read more
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Medieval Abbeys
09 July 2016It was the early 1500’s, and Henry VIII was not happy. Though he had inherited a significant amount of money from his father Henry VII, he had spent a great deal of his inheritance. The religious houses were, at the time, the wealthiest institutions in…Click here to read more
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Finally
16 July 2016It was about 31 years ago when we made our first journey to England. ... we planned to visit Stonehenge ... then up through Wales on our way to the Lake District.Click here to read more
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Over Hills and Dales
21 July 2016In spite of the fact that we were in a small village, mostly without a car, there really was lots to do. Of course there was the walking, lots of walking ...Click here to read more
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The Short List
22 July 2016When we rented our car for the last three weeks of our time in Northern England, there were three places that we wanted to be sure to go. These were places that all the locals advised us were special. ...Click here to read more
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The Remains of the Stay
26 July 2016Our time in Lancashire is coming to an end, and we will miss this place. The walks, the people, the beer, the sheep ... and, well OK, the weather ...Click here to read more
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Bagpipes, Haggis and Kilts
30 July 2016Bagpipes, haggis and kilts - those were the main things I knew about Scotland, oh, and that movie Braveheart and Scotch. And I really didn't know anything about haggis, and I don't care for Scotch. And, come to think of it there's also Sean Connery,…Click here to read more
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Coddiwompling in Edinburgh
04 August 2016Wandering is how I get to know a place. I do it without thought, or so I thought. ...Click here to read more
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To the Shore
10 August 2016The Firth of Forth ... isn't far or difficult to reach, so it was worth a few bus rides to go for a few visits.Click here to read more
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A Stroll Along the Water of Leith
11 August 2016The weather on Sunday was beautiful. Though cool, the sky was clear and blue, truly a day to get outside, especially in Edinburgh. ... but.Click here to read more
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A Walk in the Park
14 August 2016As we have said before, we love parks and gardens, and have had the opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful in the world. There is a great deal of green space in Edinburgh ... have a look.Click here to read more
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HMY Britannia
17 August 2016HMY Britannia was the Royal Yacht; that is, the personal vessel of Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Family. After being decommissioned in 1997, Britannia was retired to the Port of Leith in Edinburgh as a visitor attraction.Click here to read more
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Highlands, Lochs, and Castles
22 August 2016The Scottish Highlands cover the northern two-thirds of the country, it is there that you find much of the mainland’s most spectacular scenery. Join us on this our first visit to this beautiful part of Scotland and some of its history.Click here to read more
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Isle of Skye – The Misty Isle
28 August 2016After our first visit to the Highlands, we were eager to see more of this remote and rugged land. We had also heard that the Hebrides Islands off the western mainland were spectacular and still more remote. ...Click here to read more
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A Day With Shining Armor
30 August 2016Though the charming town and the impressive Palace are reason enough to visit Linlithgow, we went because of a special annual event, the Linlithgow Spectacular Jousting tournament.Click here to read more
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A Tale of Two Castles
02 September 2016There are many similarities between Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, both are built upon massive, rocky crags, surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs ...Click here to read more
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Tractors, Sheep and the Yellow Brick Road
04 September 2016Yes, we will miss out on the experience and eclectic fun of two, world-class events that occur in Edinburgh, but we had a great day with unexpected icing on top!Click here to read more
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Even Better Than The Real Thing
10 September 2016Rosslyn Chapel was featured prominently in The Da Vinci Code, a 2003 novel by Dan Brown and film of the same name, at least that’s how we knew of it, and it was sort of in our neighborhood, we figured we should go see it.Click here to read more
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Time Travel
17 September 2016Walking over stone floors and cobblestones that have carried feet for centuries, the experience is almost exactly like someone had 300 or 400 years ago. ...Click here to read more
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A Wee Bit More …
21 September 2016Who knew? Obviously, we didn’t. It was so much better than we expected. And then you top it all off with a tour of a gin factory, Elton John, and a visit by Queen Elizabeth II.Click here to read more
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Back in Denmark again!
30 September 2016It had been a very long time since we were last in Denmark. In fact, it was 1992, our friends Tom and Barb, and us, all experienced cyclists, were embarking on our first bicycle tour in a foreign country, but also our first venture to…Click here to read more
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Island Time
08 October 2016Some readers have wondered how we came to have good friends like Niels and Jetta in Denmark. It's a simple story, and with good friends, it doesn’t take much effort to find opportunities to meet and continue friendships ... this time in Denmark.Click here to read more
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Det var hyggeligt!
14 October 2016Back in the big city of Copenhagen after spending almost three days on the island of Bornholm was briefly a shock, but ...Click here to read more
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A Home Base
31 October 2016This is a break in the Slow Nomads timeline reflecting events that we feel are interesting enough to warrant such an interruption. The normal timeline will resume as soon as possible. ...Click here to read more
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Bergen Begins …
13 November 2016When we landed in Bergen, Norway, I think we were a bit more unprepared than we had been upon any previous arrival. I mean, we had done our homework, but ...Click here to read more
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Street Art in Bergen
14 November 2016For most people, the words "graffiti" and "street art" are interchangeable. However, ...Click here to read more
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A Fjording We Will Go!
21 November 2016In Norway, the concept of friluftsliv, literally translated as ‘free air life’, is a deeply felt awareness that being outside is good for the spirit, mind, and body. ...Click here to read more
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A Glacial Excursion
28 November 2016Awakening with the 0500 (5:00 AM) sunrise, we were excited about the day’s adventures. After a delicious breakfast at our hotel, we had time for a good, long hike into the mountain forests around Balestrand. Then ...Click here to read more
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Hurtigruten – a Norwegian Adventure
05 December 2016On many cruises, there is only water all around until you arrive in a port and see land. But on Hurtigruten, it's different ...Click here to read more
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On the Fjords Again – Rosendal
14 December 2016After a few days back in Bergen with its approximately 240 days of precipitation a year, we were ready to get away again. Previous excursions had been to the north, so this time we decided to look south. ...Click here to read more
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Mountains, Museums, and Mostraumen
02 January 2017The weather in Bergen isn’t always bad. Yes, it does rain a lot, but often it is short lived. Flip through the images and you will understand why we can say Bergen has been very good to us, in spite of the weather.Click here to read more
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A Year-Three Recap
10 January 2017Three years ago in 2014 we shifted the base of our life from a home with cars and work, to no home or cars or work. This post, written by Jeannie provides a brief summary of where we have been and where we are going.Click here to read more
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Iceland – a Land of Fire and Ice
19 January 2017With one last, spectacular view of the fingers of the North Sea infiltrating deep into Norway's mountainous interior, the blog is off for a brief stay in Iceland - a very different and special kind of place.Click here to read more
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To the Land of the Maple Leaf
24 January 2017Back in North America, we were going to spend a month in Montréal, Canada in a small, charming, urban cottage before returning to the USA. This city is wonderfully diverse, friendly, historic, fun and delightfully French.Click here to read more
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A Day at the Races
02 February 2017It was a late summer day in Montréal, and the big event for the weekend was a bicycle race. Not just any race, but a world-class competition. Jeannie opted out of the days activities, mainly because she didn’t want to keep up with my need…Click here to read more
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Just North of the Border
14 February 2017No matter where we travel, we always seek out nature. Whether in forests, woods and other natural areas, or parks, gardens, and greenways, we find these places to be refuges from the commotion of big cities.Click here to read more
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Québec City
16 February 2017Québec City, one of the oldest cities in North America, occupies a commanding position on cliffs overlooking the St. Lawrence river, and is an old-world style gem with narrow cobblestone streets and 17th- and 18th-century architecture.Click here to read more
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Sheboygan – USA
22 February 2017Our time in Canada had come to a close, and we boarded a plane for our return to the USA. We were heading to Sheboygan, Wisconsin for a visit with Jeannie’s side of the family.Click here to read more
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Packing … again
16 March 2017Goals are good, so mine is to pack lighter for this trip. Yes, easy to say, not so easy to do.Click here to read more
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A Brief Return to Paris
22 March 2017Over the past three years, it was much simpler to depart on another leg of our adventure. Since we didn’t have a house and cars, packing up and going was straightforward ... we just repacked our bags and left. Yet, we have never reflected much…Click here to read more
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Adapting in Toulouse
27 March 2017Regardless of how many times we move into a new town and apartment, it is still a challenge. That said, it is always an adventure, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Such challenges keep the brain sharp ... or so they say. There…Click here to read more
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A Cascade of Light and Color
30 March 2017Before we even walked into the Church of the Jacobins in Toulouse, I was worried that the clear skies, and bright morning light was going to be problematic.Click here to read more
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Jeannie’s Day Out
02 April 2017Yesterday was a very low-key day. Chris woke up with that scratchy, back-of-the-throat thing and by late afternoon we had to cancel our anniversary dinner reservations. Today, the morning again started off rainy and cold, a continuation of the previous day's weather.Click here to read more
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Nous Aimons Flâner …
10 April 2017Wandering is one of the ways we get to know a place. Given a choice of directions we almost always pick the way we have ever traveled. Nous Aimons Flâner ... we love to wander.Click here to read more
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An Early Train to Albi
16 April 2017Our mornings begin with the sun streaming into our small apartment, but this morning we had to set the alarm to ensure that we got up early for our first journey out of Toulouse since we arrived - to Albi.Click here to read more
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Food, Glorious Food!
24 April 2017The question has come up before. How do you spend your days? More often than not, some portion of our days are spent shopping.Click here to read more
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Château de Foix
29 April 2017We were looking for another day trip out of Toulouse and had been evaluating several options, but Foix (pronounced fwa ) kept popping up. Easily accessible by a one-hour train ride, it was in the piedmont of the Pyrenees ...Click here to read more
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The French elect a President
12 May 2017While visiting friends in a small town outside Lyon on 07 May, we were asked if we wanted to walk with them to vote for their President. The opportunity was unique, and it would be five years until the next election so we eagerly agreed.Click here to read more
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Friends are family we meet along the way!
22 May 2017“One of the great things about travel is that you find out how many good, kind people there are.” ~ Edith Wharton Of all the things we experience as we travel, food, architecture, landscapes or climate, what really impacts our lives are the people we…Click here to read more
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A Profitable Brotherly Visit
30 May 2017A day never goes by that we don’t marvel at something; whether it is being surrounded by centuries-old buildings, the food, or the culture in general. So, it was curious when, in conversation, we were introduced to the French verb profiter.Click here to read more
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Beaches, Basques, and Biarritz
06 June 2017We were interested in a trip to Biarritz on the French Atlantic coast, but it required a bit more thought than one might think. Since it is just over 300 km (180 mi), too far to walk, and we don’t have an automobile, there was…Click here to read more
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A visit to the French Basque coast
10 June 2017Saint-Jean-de-Luz - 18 km (12 mi) south of Biarritz and very close to the Spanish border, is a well-protected port that reached its height during the 17th century when it was called the "Viper's Nest" by English sailors.Click here to read more
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Good Friends, Good Food, and Good Fortune
13 June 2017Serendipity does and will strike again ... someday, somewhere. This is a story of places, people, and memories, some spanning more than 20 years, all revolving around the same region in France, ahhhh.Click here to read more
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An Apéro Sleep-over
24 June 2017When we first arrived in Toulouse, Jeannie had researched some local groups that we might contact. l’Association France Etats-Unis” is an organization whose goal is to promote friendship and mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries. It was a good move ...Click here to read more
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Bastides and Beaux Villages – part 1
29 June 2017Our time in France was drawing to an end, and with just over a week remaining, we wanted to take another road trip before we left. Recommendations by many people had suggested that the region between the L'Aveyron and the Tarn rivers was an especially…Click here to read more
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Bastides and Beaux Villages – part 2
29 June 2017The roads on the way to our next stop, Puycelci were every bit as lovely or even more so as those we had already been on. The cool air that passed through the car carried the delightful fragrances of wildflowers and occasionally the earthy scents…Click here to read more
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Cordes-sur-Ciel – A city in the sky
03 July 2017The route to the hilltop bastide of Cordes-sur-Ciel didn’t allow much of a view of the town until we were close. But the instant we saw it sitting high on its hilltop we knew that this was a good choice for a couple of nights.Click here to read more
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Au revoir Toulouse
15 July 2017Once again it is time to move on. Once again it is time to reflect on the bitter-sweet nature of leaving a place where we have had such wonderful experiences.Click here to read more
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Forward into the Past
19 July 2017It was about 20 years ago when we almost moved to England because of Jeannie’s work. She had traveled there regularly over the course of a year, and the opportunity to relocate came really close, but it fell through.Click here to read more
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Home … Again
26 July 2017It had been a good, brief visit to Bristol, but we were eager to get to our next home, in Selsley, a village of around 175 houses, a church and one pub, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Stroud.Click here to read more
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Walking in the Cotswolds
02 August 2017Since we’ve been here, we have been walking, rambling, strolling, ambling, hiking, strolling, sauntering, trudging, plodding, dawdling; yes, we have been doing all of these things. We have also tromped, slogged, stomped, trekked, marched, glided, wandered, roamed, traipsed, and coddiwompled.Click here to read more
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A Dance, Some Church Bells, and a Butcher
04 August 2017Jeannie was especially excited to be visiting Cheltenham, as we hadn’t seen any dance in quite a long time. We didn’t really know much about the group, the venue, or the city, but we had our performance tickets, a reservation for lodgings, and train tickets.Click here to read more
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Beauties and Beasts
18 August 2017Summertime in the English Cotswolds has been a feast for the eyes. The golden stone buildings, rolling hills, and the green pastures, fields, and woods are visually amazing. But ...Click here to read more
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A long walk to visit the Queen of the Cotswolds
27 August 2017One of the primary reasons we came to this region of England was to walk, and we have been rambling about the countryside for many miles every day.Click here to read more
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Hamlets, Villages, and Towns
31 August 2017Hamlets, Villages, and Towns - what is the distinction between these settlement types. It seems contextually obvious that a hamlet is smaller than a town, but it is all somewhat defined, and they are even more fun to walk through.Click here to read more
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Cricket, the gentleman’s game
07 September 2017Cricket is a quintessential English game that, we are told, should be enjoyed on a pleasant summer’s afternoon, broken up by breaks for Earl Grey tea and cornered sandwiches ... and so we did.Click here to read more
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Life in the Cotswolds – Festivals, a Supper, and a Circus
12 September 2017Of course this isn’t the first time we have spent time in a small English village. Last year we developed a love for taking the public footpaths on long walks through the countryside. This alone would have been reason enough to return to England, but…Click here to read more
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“I think I see the boar running!”
01 October 2017We were on a 7-mile, non-hilly walk with the Stroud Rambling Club when Geoff spotted the boar, at least that is what I thought. I quickly scanned the cliffs on opposite shore of the River Severn for what I expected would be wild pigs ...Click here to read more
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The Cotswold Way – Selsley to Painswick
06 October 2017It was time to take a slightly more ambitious hike on the Cotswold Way as we had only been rambling about on shorter 4-7 mile walks. So we mapped out a route to Painswick that seemed a perfect destination for a 10+ mile, long day’s…Click here to read more
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Stone Circles, Sticks, and Standing Stones
26 October 2017Stone circles and standing stones are enigmatic places, but likely served several different needs, from places of ceremony and worship to political or astronomical purposes. In any case they remain a prehistoric mystery.Click here to read more
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A Rambling We Go
19 November 2017Once our plans to spend three months walking in the Cotswolds of England were finalized, we began our research about where to begin our explorations. In a word, it was marvelous. Here are the results.Click here to read more
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A Collage of Cathedrals and Churches – 2017
05 February 2018Throughout our time in Europe, we often visit churches, not for religious purposes, but rather for the fascinating history and architecture, and as peaceful places for reflection.Click here to read more
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Three Days in Oxford
22 February 2018Our days in the Cotswolds had come to an end, and the plan was to drive to Oxford for a few days before our flight back to Florida.Click here to read more
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Roots
26 March 2018Our 2018 adventures will begin March 29, and we’ll travel to three countries. We’ll start in Verona, Italy and then Croatia and Slovenia, where my (Jeannie's) dad’s side of the family came from.Click here to read more
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Back to Florida, Another Sequel
02 April 2018When we returned to Florida last year we had enjoyed a beautiful spring in France and the Cotswolds of England with its delightfully cool summer before returning to familiar surroundings.Click here to read more
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Di Nuovo in Viaggio
03 April 2018The travel bug. Wanderlust. Itchy feet. Whatever you may call it we have a serious case. And this time we are in Verona, Italy. Ah, fair Verona, where we lay our scene.Click here to read more
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The Tooth – a bite too far
05 April 2018Not long before we left Florida for Italy I was eating something, and bit down onto a hard peppercorn. Letting out a yelp, it felt like a hot poker in a lower molar. ...Click here to read more
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Primavera Italiana!
10 April 2018Primavera, or springtime, is without question, the best time to visit just about any place, and Italy is certainly no exception. And while most people only think of Verona as it relates to Romeo and Juliette, it is, oh so much more.Click here to read more
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La Bella Addormentata
16 April 2018Mantua is known to the locals as La Bella Addormentata – the Sleeping Beauty. While this ancient city is often overlooked by those scurrying between the more popular destinations, it is the lack of crowds that makes leisurely exploration of this old medieval city such…Click here to read more
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Visitare Vicenza
22 April 2018We are in our third week in Verona and were in need of another trip, “So, let’s go to Vicenza this Saturday,” Jeannie says. Without looking up, I reply “OK.” Then it dawns on me how that sounds.Click here to read more
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A Morning Serenade?
23 April 2018Interesting things happen most often when you least expect them.Click here to read more
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Le Piccole Cose
28 April 2018For us, there are many advantages to being in one place for a while. We re-learn them every time we travel and stay in a new place. We realize it is something important, but it always becomes more evident after about two weeks.Click here to read more
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Romeo $ Juliet
30 April 2018Spoiler Alert: "Romeo and Juliet" is fiction; Love is real; and the two are not mutually exclusive or equivalent. Oh, and Shakespeare was a genius.Click here to read more
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Fossil Hunting in Verona
02 May 2018As we first walked into the apartment building that we would call home for the next two months, I looked down at the polished limestone and marble floor and in one of the tiles was a spiral-shaped artifact. It was clearly a fossil.Click here to read more
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Verona – WWII and Today
06 May 2018During World War II Verona, because of its strategic importance, was a target for heavy Allied bombing. he city suffered considerable damage, and to add insult to injury, the retreating German troops destroyed all the bridges.Click here to read more
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A return to Venice
08 May 2018The last time we were in Venice, it was our first time to Venice, it was winter, and it was cold. This time it wasn't cold, and it was more crowded, but Venice was every bit as magical.Click here to read more
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Brescia
14 May 2018Best known as a manufacturing center, Brescia is much more than an industrial town. Its significant history, art, and architecture made for a full day's visit, leaving much still to see.Click here to read more
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Bolzano / Bozen – Confused? We Were.
17 May 2018There was a different feel to this city in the once-Austrian, and now-Italian region of South Tirol. When I tried speaking my rudimentary Italian, I had the feeling that someone in lederhosen might be scrutinizing me suspiciously.Click here to read more
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Pescheira del Garda
20 May 2018Our first trip to Sirmione (Seer-me-OH-nay) on Lake Garda didn’t turn out as we had planned. It didn’t turn out bad at all, just different than planned.Click here to read more
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Malcesine – part 1
03 June 2018Our brief day-trip to Peschiera made us want to return to Lake Garda and the mountains soon. The weather looked good to spend two nights in the small lake-side town of Malcesine. It was a good move.Click here to read more
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Malcesine – part 2
05 June 2018The plan was to go up to Monte Baldo, but the day had other plans. The morning was cold, windy, and overcast, so we just wandered. Malcesine is as charming in the early morning as it is in the late evening, even when overcast ...…Click here to read more
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Il Mio Fratellino – My Little Brother
13 June 2018Well, even though he stopped being “little” many years ago, he is still my “little brother.” In any case, we were excited that Mike and his lovely wife Kathy, were coming to visit us again, this time in Verona.Click here to read more
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The Giro d’Italia
18 June 2018Of bicycling’s three Grand Tours, the Giro d’Italia is the first of the season. Of all the things that my brother Mike was excited about seeing during this visit, being able to see a stage of the Giro d’Italia was at the very top of…Click here to read more
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Padua, it is.
26 June 2018My brother and his wife were eager to go on with us someplace that we hadn’t yet visited. As we scrutinized a map, it seemed that there was one very obvious place that we hadn’t gotten to - Padua (It. Padova).Click here to read more
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All was going well, and then …
28 June 2018They say that accidents most often happen within 40 km (25 mi) of home. Not always, and that can add a whole different dimension. This post was penned by my brother Michael.Click here to read more
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A surprise in Bergamo
04 July 2018We had planned a visit to Bergamo (pronounced BARE-gah-mo), and we knew that it would require an overnight stay, and for good reason, the city was truly a medieval gem.Click here to read more
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Italy, Art and Automobiles
04 July 2018Italian automotive aesthetic mastery has been exemplified by sleek elegance, understated, clean beauty and an innovative style. It has admirably carried on the tradition and elegance of classic Italian art.Click here to read more
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Arrivederci Verona!
09 July 2018After our delightful trip to Bergamo, it was time to get serious about packing and getting ready to depart Verona, a place that for two months has become familiar and comfortable, and that we have been calling home.Click here to read more
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Trieste – a Crossroads
11 July 2018It was finally time to leave Verona. After double-checking the time and platform, we boarded our train right on time and settled in for Trieste, Italy. A new set of adventures lie ahead, and our excitement is growing.Click here to read more
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Ljubljana – a Slovenian Surprise
17 July 2018The longer we stayed here the more we came to appreciate the origin of the name Ljubljana. The most popular belief is that it derives from the word Ljubljena, meaning “Beloved”. And we agreed.Click here to read more
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Jeannie’s Genealogical Journey
30 July 2018As we departed Trieste, Italy, I eagerly scanned the roadside for the first indication that I had entered the country that my Dad’s ancestors came from, and only two generations removed.Click here to read more
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Karst to Coast
14 August 2018Though Slovenia is a small country, it isn’t lacking in interesting things to see or places to visit but, we didn’t have an automobile, and many places are essentially inaccessible by public transport.Click here to read more
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It Was a Dark and Stormy Night
15 August 2018It was our last night in Ljubljana, but there was no rain or clouds or winds. Then jeannie said, “I don’t feel so great and my stomach is still a bit unsettled.”Click here to read more
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Pohod v Slovenijo – Walking in Slovenia
02 September 2018As the taxi pulled into the drive of Pri Lenart, Zana came out and warmly greeted us with a big, cheerful smile. Such was the start to several days of wonderfully challenging walks over some of the hills and mountains of Slovenia.Click here to read more
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Flowers, Fungi, and Fliers
08 September 2018We were expecting beautiful vistas overlooking the foothills and mountains of the Julian Alps, and we certainly weren’t disappointed. But don't forget to look down.Click here to read more
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Walking Adventures in Slovenia – I
09 November 2018We awoke to sunlight peeking over the distant hilltops through our open window and enjoyed the cheerful songs of birds in the meadows. Today we begin our walking holiday in Slovenia.Click here to read more
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A Long Hike, Some Hail and a Slovene Feast
26 November 2018Awakening to another beautiful morning in this stunning region of the world, the day began with a great breakfast. We were ready to meet a day that continued to get better ... for a while.Click here to read more
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Gorges, Waterfalls, Lakes, and Goodbyes
28 November 2018Today’s walk would be along the impressive Mostnica gorge, through the meadows of the Voje valley and up to the beautiful Voje waterfall. Then, there would be one last walk before departing for Croatia.Click here to read more
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Poreč, Rovinj, Brunji, and Pula
28 December 2018On our arrival in Poreč, our transport wound its way down to the dock near our ship. The next week is going to be a different kind of adventure for us.Click here to read more
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Adriatic Island Hopping
02 January 2019Departing early from Pula, our destination was Zadar by way of the islands of Lošinj and Olib. Getting there was indeed, half the fun, but once we got to Zadar there were plenty of wonderful surprises.Click here to read more
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Parks to Palaces
23 January 2019The Stella Maris departed Zadar towards our day's first destination, the Krka National Park. Then after an overnight in Primošten, a visit Roman Emperor Diocletian's retirement palace in Split. Oh, and some clean laundry!Click here to read more
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Half the Fun
10 February 2019It is often said that getting there is half the fun. And while the exact proportions could be argued, there is no doubt that travel by ship can be a source of entertainment in and of itself.Click here to read more
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Dubrovnik – Pearl of the Adriatic
25 March 2019Dubrovnik is about as south as you can go and still be in Croatia. The country is narrow here, next to Bosnia and Herzegovina on the western side of the Dinaric Alps that rise dramatically from the Adriatic.Click here to read more
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The Sieges of Dubrovnik
04 April 2019Dubrovnik is beautiful, culturally and physically, but there's a much darker story to be told about this city.Click here to read more
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A Farewell to Dubrovnik
04 June 2019Dubrovnik is a spellbinding place set in a valley of ancient walls and fortifications, it offers a remarkable range of back alleys and passageways in which to wander.Click here to read more
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Wanderlust Strikes Again
30 June 2019So much can change in one year! It’s hard to believe that it was twelve months ago we returned from Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. We've been busy while we've been back.Click here to read more