This is a wonderful idea. Thank you! Like you, we’re anxious to get back on the road (anxious about a lot of other things as well). Glad to know you are well and still creating journeys for us to enjoy.
We’re hoping our Iberian cruise will happen in September. Last biggie was South America — Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia, penguins in Falklands, dinosaurs in Argentina, Eva Peron (she still lives!) in Buenos Aires — and if we can’t go again, that was so perfect and wonderful we will be content. Viva le grand voyage!
Hi Chris and Jeannie! It was a pleasure to host you at our apartment. Still to this day, I follow your blog religiously. Hope you’re well and safe.
Best wishes!
Hi Jeannie, thank you for sharing your journey. My maiden name is Kerzich, was told the “h” was added when my grandfather went through Ellis Island. I am only beginning this process. He settled in Waukegan, IL — I was told there is a big Slovenian population there and I now live over the border in WI so I’d like to explore his roots there. Any suggestions on how to begin this process? Do you have an update after visiting your grandmother in WI? My grandfather and grandmother eventually moved to MI, they were sold land by a Slovenian real estate broker who told them the land was good for farming—they came from farming area in Slovenia. I know few details about their birthplace. I’d love to find out how to begin this process.
What a small world! I’ve responded via email since you won’t be notified from here. It would be pretty interesting to find out if we are related. Will announce on the blog if that turns out to be true!
Not sure that even Slovenia can compete with the scenery of North Carolina. Wonderful photos and an inspired choice of destination to escape the horrors of Covid 19 and your election.
We imagine that perhaps some more “local” escapes are being planned – there must be plenty of possibilities.
Best wishes,
Janet & Paul
What a nice surprise to hear from you and Janet! It was great to take a trip, though it was short and not very far to go. There is a glimmer of hope for travel maybe in 2022. We do hope to return for more walking in the UK, and will contact you if that becomes a plan.
Stay well,
Jeannie & Chris
Really enjoyed your latest. It is a lovely time of year, whether in the USA or here in England.
We have been viewing your Presidential Election with interest!
We are looking forward to changes next year with hope for a vaccine and the new administration. For now we just hope for cooler temperatures in Florida, it’s still in the 80s!
I’m so happy for you guys that your adventures, though with less mileage, never really end, because the outdoors are infinite! I also love those crunchy leaves:) That is truly a beautiful, soulful area.
Glad we could transport you with sight and sound. My brother lives in North Carolina so that provides additional motivation to travel there. Chris speaks of his memories of you so perhaps one of our trips will take us near you. Will be in touch if that is the case!
And we have missed the travel that provides new stories for the blog. Now if we could find a way to add smell to the senses that we can record on our trips!
Nice scenery. Been to Bryson City a couple times myself, it is beautiful. Played a bit of mountain golf. Thanks for the great reminder to return there in the future. Always enjoy following your posts!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your account of NC. Photos were awesome as always. Thank you for the escape. We’re locked down within a radius of 5km for 6 weeks at the moment. Every escape from our v small world is so welcome!
And we thoroughly enjoy the images your share via social media. The photos from your walks take us back to our stay in Killarney, meeting you and Mick. And seeing the creations of the children in your classes is so uplifting! Enjoy your local walks, stay well, and we hope to meet again!
I’m so glad to hear that all is well. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a post from you. As you can imagine, my Tours of Provence and the Dordogne were canceld last summer.
The silver lining for me was that I finally replaced my right knee which was becoming an issue, so I’ll be ready to hike the Camino and pick up with my tours whenever it’s safe to do so.
Keep the posts coming please and be safe.
Amicalement,
Kaydie Vistelle
From a chance encounter years ago, we connect again here through our love of France. We wish you the best recovery so you’ll be walking again when travel is possible. Perhaps we’ll get to Gainesville in the next year of so and have some time to share stories. Until then stay well.
Reminds us of our trip in the Appalachians ten years ago, among other things driving along (some of) the Blue Ridge Parkway and visiting Asheville and Biltmore.
Great you managed to get away – hope it has strengthened you for the next period …
Glad to know that you’ve enjoyed this area, though I’m not surprised as you have traveled quite a bit in North Anerica. Our trip was long enough to escape the daily news and enjoy cooler weather and great hiking. We are hopeful for a return trip for spring flowers. And I’m beginning to dream of a possible trip abroad in 2022. It never hurts to be hopeful!
Thank you for sharing your two week retreat into the calmness of North Carolina mountains. I have a sister that lives in Waynesville, who moved there from Florida, and visiting her is always such a delight. I believe you went at a great time of year and such wonderful colors for you to embrace in your photography
I think a title your hikes could be ‘Neck yoga on a hike’. Waterfalls and mushroom, one makes your head look up and the other down – very poetic. In warmer temps the waterfalls would be great to wash off some trail dust. Love your pics and captions.
There is a welsh term – hireth – the longing for home or somewhere that you know you can’t go back to – your childhood home, for example. You can’t go back in time to what it was, but you still miss it. so – hireth – a combination of nostalgia and homesickness that there isn’t a direct equivalent for in English…
Hi Gay, it is great to hear from you, and to know folks still look at the blog. Who knows when and where we’ll go, once travel is an option in the future. Thanks for sharing the term from your world. For all the differences from country to country, some things are the same, though labeled differently.
Stay well and happy; we hope to see you again.
Jeannie & Chris
Most excellent article. Thank you. We look forward to the day we can visit LIsbon and these will definitely be on our list of stops. Still in holding pattern in the States awaiting the reopening of Europe to visitors. We are ‘slow nomads’ also and plan a month in Lisbon with excursions from a base there. Meanwhile, we will explore Flagstaff, AZ and the great offerings of this area.
Have a great day!
It never is the same is it? When i travel back to places over time, the changes always make me nostalgic for what was gone but then it’s exciting to see what is new too. At the same time, I do feel this has accelerated the change and not just in things but in the culture. Thanks for sharing. I hope we see you one of these days.
Who knows when we can travel again, but it would be great to align destinations and schedule. It will be interesting to see how much things change in the months ahead. Enjoy each day, wherever you are!
The art is fun and amazing. But so is the high-rise walk below the bridge deck, the ancient worn cobbles in the street, bold color like we never see in this country, and Jeannie taking a break from shopping.
Fantastic.
You and Joan would have enjoyed the displays and the energy of the place. It wasn’t all about the shopping, we stopped for a sweet and coffee, and I only made one small purchase (I learned early on, jewelry and scarves can easily fit in the luggage!)
I love that I had never heard of saudade before, but now I have learned something new. And you explain the concept very clearly. We can all relate because I believe everyone experiences saudade.
We’ll meet again … don’t know where, don’t know when, but …
I feel confident we’ll get through all this, a vaccine/cure will be found, and we can all start meeting again some sunny day. Maybe with some new-found consideration about how to minimize riscs (I’m probably not going to travel without hand spirit again, for instance), but we’ll get out there.
Until then – thanks for all your thoughts, tales and pictures.
It’s been great to meet on so many of our trips and share experiences of new places. Once we begin to plan another adventure, let’s try to align time and place. Until then, find joy and love where you are.
The note once played, goes on forever. The same with adventures. They can never be undone. The place may change once you leave, the people may not enjoy the same freedom to gather safely, but the memory of the place and the art of your many passeggiate, will remain, never changing.
The journey that you two are on is indeed external AND internal. For me, that is why what you share here about your travels, in words & photos, keeps the world timelessly relevant.
Oh my goodness! Just after reading the first sentence of this recent post, I started crying. Thank you so very much for sharing this. For three weeks I’ve been a little bit in a funk as far as getting back into writing again. We must have been on the same wavelength. Very beautiful writing! Thank you!
Wow what a most interesting place. Thanks for the great pictures and history of the town. Makes you wonder after seeing the small doors (so colorfully painted) what the inside of the homes look like. Are people’s vehicles parked somewhere outside the walls? How do they get deliveries? Raised a lot of questions for me.
We have traveled to India, nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos Vietnam, each time purchasing ‘cancel for any reason’ insurance from Roamright (Arch insurers). Twice we had to request refunds for the entire value of the trip (for medical reasons) and they paid every last penny.
In the current situation, airlines have been either refunding the cost of flights or issuing vouchers valid for a year.
Let’s hope that next year will see you in Tours. We did a tour around the south of France, through les Alpes Maritimes, and across the south. Especially liked Arles and Avignon.
Looking forward to the next time I will see a photo of your backpack on FB.
Your travels are so much a part of all our lives.
In the meantime, birthday raincheck roadtrip before then!
Love & well-being to you both.
Excellent notes and suggestions. We will all be happy when it is safe to travel again. Saw an interesting chart on the reasoning for shutting down early, best way to help our facilities take care of us.
Yes, we all play a role in how damaging this is and the time it takes to slow it down. Let’s reflect on travels we’ve taken and appreciate how lucky we have been.
Very sorry that you won’t be able to make this journey. But happy that you were able to successfully navigate the cancellations.
Wishing you both good health and many more travels. Best, Pat
As one of our regular followers who comment, your encouragement is much appreciated.
What a situation the world is in right now. We all need to do our part to stop the progression and aid in the recovery.
Stay well and keep in touch.
Enjoy your beautiful home and this glorious weather. Take lotsa hikes (watch out for those snakes) and we’ll take more bike rides as we wait for some trip refunds to come our way too. I was going to write an appropriate haiku but I’ll leave that to you. Looking forward to it.
I’m glad you were able to visit and we took some great walks. Very glad we avoided stepping on the cottonmouth snake!
Enjoy your bike rides and time with your family. Travel will resume in the future. Take care.
We also regretfully but sure of our decision cancelled our European river cruise. We look forward to another year when we take this trip, and see this crisis in hindsight! Meanwhile, I’m doing vocal lessons all over the globe, online only now. I’m seeing the videos of Italians making music for each other from their balconies, and an incredible surge in kindness in my own community with people asking and giving help like leaving bags of food on the front porch of those self-quarantined. Perhaps there is hope for the world yet! Glad you both are NOT at any airport right now!! xo
It’s good to hear from you Judy, I hope to meet you at some point. For now we will all remain at home, helping and connecting with others as we can. Travel will resume when it can, and our continued adventures will help the people in and connected to the travel industry recover. For us, it is an inconvenience, but to many others it might be quite disruptive to their lives. And yes, this is not the time to be at an airport!
Continue sharing love through music.
Jeannie
Agree, we will meet again somewhere during our travels. Since we started in 2014, you’ve joined us almost every year. We need to find a way to meet once travel is resumed, somewhere between here and Denmark!
May your wisdom and common sense reach as many people as this nasty beast. We will have to be patient in this difficult period and hope that you will both be fine and back in business asap. Take care. All the best from Reunion.
Maria and Jean-Marie
It is so good to hear from you! We do hope that we meet again, once we all conquer this virus and life settles back down, though I do expect things will have changed…
Stay well,
Jeannie & Chris
Hi Sandy, it’s good to hear from you. We had been planning a trip out to the Calgary area in August, but we’ll see how that changes. And we were looking at a Gate 1 trip on the lower Danube for next spring…we’ll see. It would be nice to see you again as we travel. Stay in touch, and be well!
Richard and I are glad your timing worked out so well. Relieved also that we had already decided to postpone our next trip even before the Coronavirus appeared. Stay well and I hope we’ll see you somewhere around the world in the Fall!
We’re glad that you and Richard aren’t having to change/cancel travel plans. We’ll let you know when we plan another adventure; maybe we can meet.
Take care, stay well.
I have been waiting to hear what decision you have made. Was about to text Jeannie when I saw your email. The cancelled flight made the decision for you and it is a wise one. Glad you will be here. Take care and stay well.
The grilled sardines dish sounds really tasty. And I believe that the best parts of all of your journeys traveling around the world has got to be both the enjoyment of food and meeting people.
THAT is the reason we keep putting out this blog. That, and the fact that someday when we get really old and forgetful we’ll look at the blog and say, “Oh look, didn’t those people have a wonderful adventure, I wonder who they were?” Thanks Wayne, your comments and smiles are always appreciated.
Really impressive how the Mounted Brass Band played their instruments, with only one hand, while in a canter. Those horses are as beautiful as the Lipazanns.
I like the Avineda walk. When I saw the photos I agree that it does look like a walk in Paris.
All of your photos are beautiful and I thank you for providing me with this new blog post, as I enjoyed reading while drinking my coffee.
Love your stories. The pics are a joy to see. I like your variety from vegetation, to street mosaics and street graffiti. And the architecture is always so different from ours it is a wonder in size and detail.
We never fail to be amazed at what we see. Such talented and creative people who find ways to share their vision. And for all we see and share, there is so much more that we missed. Glad you enjoy traveling with us.
Chris does quite a bit of research, and crafts his stories so well, and then accents with his photos. I’m glad I get to see these places with him, and we are able to share with our friends and fans!
Chris, I love the history lesson intertwined with your daily experiences. You make learning fun. I’m sure Jeannie makes traveling fun. The blog you both create is a treat. Thank you for your effort.
Well, most of the time we have fun traveling:) Fortunately we don’t have many bumps in the road, and we bounce back when we do encounter difficulty. There is so much to learn on this journey, about the places, and our experience. Glad you’re with us!
Wow what a charming and historical city. Blows my mind to see the old structures and buildings that are still in use. Just amazing. Thanks for sharing all the pictures.
We are amazed to see how old buildings are preserved and re-used. It might be more expensive this way, but preservation is important to them. Glad you enjoyed the photos.
Great post !
I especially liked the way you shared the “View of Porto” pictures. Each one a bit closer to the building than the previous. Cool presentation. Thanks
Still amazes me how the beautiful old churches are still standing and in use. The bookstore is also amazing. Thanks for all the history and wonderful pictures.
Another wonderful post! Porto is definitely on our list. We missed it first time in Portugal but won’t miss it on our next visit. Wishing you and Jeannie a great holiday season this year. So glad you’ve had another memorable journey 💖.
Wow fantastic photos and writing!
I’m still leading my tours of Provence and now in the Dordogne as well.
Have you visited that area?
We met several years ago at the Haile village market in Gainesville.
So happy to see that you’re still loving your amazing adventure!
It’s great to hear from you Kaydie! We’ll plan a trip to Gainesville before we leave again, so we can share our adventures in France. The Dordogne is a great region; we’re going to the Loire Valley next. So many beautiful areas of France to see!
We thought we’d like Portugal, and it was great! We’d love to return, but still so many other places to visit. It would be pretty good if we could align our travel plans and meet somewhere. Something to discuss when we meet in Florida again.
We try to pace ourselves but there is always more to see than time allows. Fortunately our blog will allow us and others to enjoy our travels for years to come. It is fantastic to really experience parts of the life here, sights and sounds. Wish we could also share the fragrances and tastes!
I see dates of 1100 and think “How did they do that?” And how does everything survive through the centuries of earthquakes, wars, urban renewal… Amazing stuff.
I don’t know how you curate all of the info you provide – but you could easily defend a doctoral thesis on European travel.
Chris spends quite a bit of time researching the sights he writes about. I learn as much about the places we travel after he posts each blog entry. And we are amazed as well to see these places and how long they survive.
The country is so colorful, with buildings, art, flowers and markets.
The vegetable market is incredible!
Thank you for letting me follow your journeys.
Wow what a beautiful walkway through some amazing scenery. The stairs are unbelievable. It must have been quite a feat to build that walkway. The terrain looks really rough in spots. Thanks for sharing.
I’m amazed at the energy, not to mention stamina that you two have! The scenery is really beautiful! And Thank you for the tip in reference to motion sickness. I didn’t know that sitting up front in a vehicle was a better position. It makes sense.
Hope and caring and love are everywhere we just have to be open to it! The story was beautiful and it broadened my scope of realizing there are loving people everywhere!!! (even Italy!!!!LOL)
OK. Sao Bentinho Chapel and leaving traditional eggs… Was this perhaps the beginning of Eggs Benedict? And that staircase. Wow. Breathtaking in photos. I can only imagine being there!
The time you two take to plan and journal your travels are astounding. The pics are first rate and tell a story in themselves, but coupled with your detailed descriptions of the places, and of the day, make your story personal and more interesting. We know you must spend an incredible amount of time on this blog cuz it shows. And we all appreciate it!
On a side note, I am also amazed at seeing people in shorts and enjoy apparently warm weather this time of year. We often wake up to frost on the rooftops and are lucky for 50s. And the flowers! I doubt there is any city I’ve ever been in that’s had that many flowers… and it’s OCTOBER. We have pumpkins. Keep on keeping on.
B
Wow Wow Wow. What an amazing and old beautiful city. The flowers everywhere were so beautiful. The inside of the Cathedral of Braga is over the top. The organ pipes were the largest collection I have ever seen. Wish I could have seen the actual organ. Must be amazing.
Thanks for sharing. Outstanding fotos as always, Chris.
As always, I’m very happy to be able to share with your adventures. I’m really impressed with y’all having the energy to walk the 650 stairs of the Escaderia do Bon Jesus. Wow!
Wow! What a delightful way to spend a day. Such wonderful photos and I love the photo of Jeannie looking through the window. You can see her reflection.
We didn’t know much about Portugal before this adventure began, but the people are so friendly, food and wine delicious and the cities are fun. So glad we chose this country to visit.
It is lovely to read about my country from your perspective. It was a great pleasure to meet you on your journey. I wish you all the best in the adventures to come. You’re doing Portugal the right way.
Best regards.
Joana from Vinoteca (Porto, Portugal)
Hi Joana, it’s so nice to hear from you. We like traveling slowly so we have time to meet people like you. There are many more stories for us to share and we hope you enjoy them. We have not yet gone to Sintra but have the information you provided, thanks for the tips. And for helping us enjoy some great wine!
I bet that the Tortas de Guimareas was very tasty. It reminds me a bit of when my mom would make fromajadis at a restaurant that served a lot of Menorcan cuisine. Thank you , again for the beautiful photos and sharing of your journeys.
Great meeting the two of you along your journeys. We enjoyed sharing the lunch in Coimbra and you inspired me that we too can travel in your footsteps when we retire. We look forward to your blogs.
Kevin and Anne
It’s good to hear from you! Hope the rest of your travels in Portugal were good, and you’ll soon be planning another adventure. Please stay in touch, it would be great to meet up again.
Another great city in Portugal. Your pictures made me feel like I was there. Amazing and colorful architecture. Cathedrals centuries old still in use and houses a couple hundred years old. Just amazing.
I’ve discovered dresses are best in warm temperatures, and with limited suitcase space there will be many repeats in the photos (when I don’t edit them out). The place with the boulders was quite beautiful, and a nice time spent in the woods.
What wealth they must have had back in the salt production days, and luckily they seem to have wished to use some of it to make their surroundings beautiful. And that tradition looks like it is continued today in the street art.
There is so much beauty, but also much decay from more difficult times when property was not taken care of. From the many cranes around it is clear they are moving forward to rebuild and restore. And the street art provides color and interest, sometimes in unexpected places.
What a beautiful and colorful city. The tiles on the buildings and streets are very interesting. Are the 2 different prices on the menu the difference of a full dinner or a smaller portion?
You read the fine print! Yes, and the smaller portion was always plenty for one. We are finding interesting and colorful tiles in all places in Portugal. There may have to be a separate story comparing tiles between regions. So many stories to write!
I love the tutorial video. Very cool ! “Nobody Knows The Tremocos We’ve Eaten “…That’s really cute. I like that. Thank you for sharing this delicacy with us.
As always great pictures. Feel like I was there with you. Especially interested in the statue made from duct tape. Can tell you how much duct tape my son went through with his creations. Will try to send the link of the picture to him. May get back to you if I am unsuccessful
I’m glad Chris was able to send you the photo to share with your son. Duct tape sure has been used in many different ways! Glad the photos brought back more good memories.
Chris sneaks pics of me now and then, proof that we are really here?! Yes, there is an optimistic feeling here, hope their economy continues to grow, and not just from tourism.
Nice images! Love that there is sooo much variety and sooo many! I see some look like wheat paste images.. or so it looks. A history behind that wheat paste tagging too.
We were quite surprised by the variety. And on one of the carpets with seaweed, I spotted a small crab trying to make himself invisible. Not a good place for him to be, a long way to water. Hope someone rescued him!
A very full day indeed. Hope your recovery period is not too long. Traditions are great and 700 years or so ago I bet they didn’t start out thinking “I wonder if they’ll still be doing this 30 generations from now?”
GReat colors all around from the harbor to the streets. And kudos to the story and photo editor.
We return to Viana do Castelo tomorrow and look forward to seeing it on a normal day. The master story teller/photographer and editor appreciate all comments.
Wow this was amazing reading and pictures. We a most unique cultural experience. Enjoyed seeing the beautifully painted accordions. You don’t hear those being played too often. A friend of my parents had one and taught me how to play it. Thanks for the memory and thanks again for sharing your experience.
And suddenly (WCF-9281.jpg) a Norwegian flag in the middle of the parade – it just confirms our experience that no matter which town or small city you happen to be in during the summer period somewhere in Europe, sooner or later you’ll bump into a Norwegian school band on tour :-).
LOL. I noticed that during the parade. So, Niels, I had to research this, and it curiously appears that the flag is not specifically A flag of Norway, but rather the bandeira (flag) of a regional section of the Corpo Nacional de Escutas or Portuguese Scouts. It is indeed a Nordic cross and uses the same colors as the Norwegian flag, though I cannot find a reason for the similarity (other than salted cod which is consumed in VAST quantities here and is mostly imported from Norway). Here is a link to the Portuguese Scouting flag: https://scoutportugal.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/8704634_v5fyk.jpeg
I always look forward to your keen eye catching such details!
Ah, yes, I can just make out a little bit of the central golden ornament now that I re-check the picture.
Interesting. A similar confusion to what I got the first couple of times I watched the Tour de France on TV and saw all the Danish flags, wondering why many of them had a green Saint Andrew’s cross on them; turned out of course to be Basque flags, not Danish :-).
Hard to believe that it is already five years that you have been doing this. As you know I love your blog and photos. Many times it reminds me of quite a few of the places I saw over 40 years ago. Love traveling with you and look forward to your many journeys in the future.
Our blog will help preserve our memories; it’s hard to believe all the places we’ve been! Glad we help you remember your earlier travels. We’re always happy to hear from you, and to see you when we’re in Florida. Enjoy your travels sharing time with your grandchildren; thanks for sharing that with us as well.
Let’s get together later in the year to hear about your adventures! You know where we’ve been but we don’t know where all you’ve been traveling. It’s great to have so many methods of travel, and places to see!
Hi Chris and Jeannie. We love your bogs and this was a great summary of your life of adventure. Susan and I want to spend 6 weeks plus in the Netherlands and in Belgium net summer. Any specific suggestions about Belgium?
Good morning from Flagler Beach! We’re here until tomorrow when we hopefully will have a better understanding of where Hurricane Dorian is headed. This is a wonderful post. Thanks for compiling all of the information and photos. We certainly agree with you about staying at least a month in a country. Although we’ve taken the tour route, we always stay behind (or arrive a little early) to create our own feel for a spot. Hope you’re continuing to enjoy Porto – you’ll find those same hills and steps in Lisbon 🇵🇹 too! Thanks for putting this together. Wishing you fair skies and safe travels. Pat
Glad the hurricane is less of a threat to Florida (for the moment) so hopefully you’ll enjoy the rest of your time at the beach. We enjoy hearing about your trips, a blend of tours and independent travel sounds like a good way for you. Let’s see if we can align our plans next year; it would be great to meet up in a new place!
Thank you for allowing us to follow along in your journey. You know that Lance is a reluctant traveler and each time I share one of your blogs with him, he moves one step closer to packing his bags. So, it is you two who are appreciated! May you continue enjoying life!
You can sign him up so he gets his own alert when a new blog is published:)
Glad you enjoy, hope you’ll be packing for your next adventure soon! And maybe our paths will cross outside the US at some point in the future.
This is a great story. Experiencing the locals food has to be one of the best parts of your trips. Grilled octopus is a little out there for me but what the heck. Thank you for giving us this daily excursion to Portugal, since pretty sure it’s the only way I will get there
Sorry to correct but they were squid, not octopus. We haven’t yet had the octopus but it is on our must eat list. Glad you enjoy reading our stories! There will be many more experiences in Portugal!
After eating them fresh, I don’t think I could try sardines from a can. We need to order less, it was way too much food but we ate most of it! Oh well, live and learn (it probably won’t be the last time we make this mistake.)
Very appetizing! I like sardines. I can only imagine how the meal tasted. It all looks delicious! I’m so glad that y’all are enjoying all that Portugal offers.
I don’t think I had ever really tried fresh sardines; the flavor is quite mild. We had discovered squid in Spain and now enjoy it when available. This is a different gastronomic adventure than Lyon, but also very good. Wish you could join us!
Me either! We never know how big the portions will be and these exceeded our expectations. When prices are so low, we think the servings will be small. I’m glad we didn’t have anything planned in the evening; I was quite lazy when we returned but managed to write about our experience. We won’t forget it!
Enjoyed the history lesson. Didn’t know much about Portugal until now. We grew up with a VW bus that my Dad had converted into a camper. Also many fond memories of vacations in it. Love the pictures as always. Feel like I am there with you.
Wow! What a delightful way to end your outing by enjoying a nice snack of sausages, cheese and wine and with new friends! Way cool! I love the retro VW buses.
I enjoy street or ‘Urban’ Art. A little visual relief in a bland view of concrete, metal and glass. Love the way you always catch them in your travels!
Loved the history lesson! The photos are so beautiful. I wish we had made it there when we were In Lisbon. You both look wonderful. Happy travels!
Love,
Pat
Thanks Pat, we look forward to seeing Lisbon later in this journey. We need to get together to talk about your adventure this year, and maybe our travels might overlap next year!
Liked most of the pictures. Some were quite ingenious like doing the cat on the corner of the building. Did not understand a few. An outdoor art museum.
and free! We just have to be careful with all the uneven walking surfaces as we search and enjoy images low and high on the buildings. No falls yet but a few stumbles!
From little on I liked the tagging on the 100 car coal cars headed to the Sheboygan power plant. If you like art you probably like street art. You had me at ‘vandalism or genius’. And you followed through with another great post.
Artists share their unique perspective for us all to enjoy, we just have to notice it. Thanks for sharing Sheboygan’s project; now we need to return to find these images!
Obrigada!
I say it’s genius. For everyone to be able to walk by art all the time in their everyday lives. Some I like, some I don’t so much but it’s like going to a museum.
I remember how much both of you would participate in a lot of cycling competitions back in the day. I and my Phil were genuinely impressed with that. Thankyou for sharing your appreciation of the competitors in this blog. I also enjoy the photos.
Shirley, You’re right! I remember seeing the building from the interstate. We haven’t visited it yet, but hope to soon. This building along with the Frank Lloyd Wright designed campus of Florida Southern College is putting Lakeland on the architectural map. C
Yes, independent travel is best for us. It can be challenging at times, but mostly all good. And why else travel except for the food and wine (and people…)
Great photos! Porto looks a lot better than I remember but that was in 1987, Nothing like an improving economy to spruce up the city. The one thing i do remember are the bright pastel colors. They also paint their small fishing boats in these colors so their harbors and fishing villages are even more appealing than their counterparts in Spain.
We took your advice this year and did air B&Bs in the UK in May. we spent 3 weeks in Ireland, 12 days in Cornwall and 15 days in Scotland. We will never use a hotel again for our travels!
I can imagine Porto was quite a different place in the 80s. There is much reconstruction going on, cranes are part of the view, almost anywhere you look! We haven’t been to any of the small fishing villages yet but look forward to more colorful sights. We are so glad you and Susan tried AirBnb, having the basics of home rather than a hotel setting makes a longer stay more comfortable. The downside is that if a city does not manage the conversions, it can be quite disruptive for the locals. But we enjoy the daily living, interaction with neighbors, shopping and occasional cooking as we “live” in a new place. Enjoy your travels, maybe our plans will overlap again!
Now we need to watch that episode, we haven’t encountered any fish-ladies yet. But we did walk through a small craft market where they invite you to dance with them. So much fun here. Wish you could join us this year but we’ll have to better align our travel schedules next year! Enjoy your trips!
There are so many wonderful foods and wines to sample. The challenge will be to not bring much back along the waistline, but all the hills here will help us manage! Thanks for encouraging us!
This trip was long overdue, we spent over a year stateside (but we did get to spend time with friends like you). Yes we are having fun, in our element of a new and wonderful place!
We haven’t tried any of their beer yet, but the wine is great and very inexpensive! It’s gonna be a long list if you’re following us, so many beautiful places to see. Glad you enjoy.
Wow. Looks like you have found another wonderful city and country to explore. Hope the 2 German couples were interesting. They look so young. Heat wave continues here with afternoon rains. Be glad for the cooler temperatures. Love the pictures. I guess I would be “shamed” a lot there since I always order a glass of water with my wine. Enjoy.
Yes, this is a great city to explore and we have only just begun. Ha! everyone looks young! We frequently pause, look around, and comment about being the oldest in a group. But that is not a bad thing! In the tavern, we were not “shamed” as my water bottle was hidden in our backpack. And the weather has been a nice break from Florida, but it is odd to occasionally wear a sweater in August (and not while in an air conditioned building!)
The street pavers are one of my favorite things in Portugal in addition to the food. That photo of the pastry made my mouth water and made me remember how good they are! I’m looking forward to all of your great photos and travelogue!!!
One has to take care when walking – so much to see at foot level, then art on buildings, and shiny yummy things in shop windows! We enjoy it all, and glad you do as well!
Have just caught up with all your travels and house move. Sounds good. Local friends just did our Slovenian holiday which they loved and were full of admiration for our mountain hikes (younger than us). We loved Porto and enjoyed just sitting still sipping Port and tonic. Try Greece next time. We return in September for probably our 30th visit. Love to you both, Janet and Paul
Good to hear from you! So many places to choose from, Greece is on our list. We may be heading your way next year, but need to decide what region for walking. Let’s keep in touch!
Well, that is a whirlwind “back to the mainland” home visit coming to a close. Looking forward to seeing Portugal through your eyes. Peaceful travels you Phooshes.
We’ve enjoyed our stay in the US, and all the time we had with friends and family. The clock is ticking for the next adventure to begin, and we are soooo ready! Always glad to hear from you; you’re in our hearts as we travel.
I think the next time we see you should be in Florida; we’ll provide a great break for you and MJ from the Sheboygan weather! We’ll be back at the end of October; just email or call to get on the Foosh-bnb calendar.
Well the time spent in Florida went by fast! We were so glad to see both of you a couple of times while you planned the next adventure. Of course the amazing stories that you share with all the “Slow Nomads” followers are going to much anticipated! Wishing you safe travels!
If we don’t get up your way before the end of the month, you’ll be high on the list when we return. Can’t wait to see the new decorations as you continue to settle into your new place! Hope you enjoy Portugal too!
And where are you on your travels this summer? Hope it is cooler and you’re having fun. We’ll see you after we return. I’ll have to get some pics of Chris in the next blog, he usually has quite an assortment of photos of me to choose from, occasionally a good one:)
We love reading your blog and viewing your amazing photos. We are happy you chose to stay in Wekiva. Just yesterday we returned from an amazing trip to Portugal. It is a beautiful and very interesting country. You will love it !
It was a big decision but mutually agreed. We now have a great home base from which to continue our adventures! And we’ll able to continue our St Aug lunches!
Super pictures. Will add Croatia to my bucket list. Are cars allowed in the old town? Streets are so narrow. When they built walls back then they were made to last.
The bread for birds!! Amazing but the laundry photos thrilled my bones!! The color of the water, gosh, just so many shades of green and blue perfection
You two are like an intricately woven creation that continues to make one’s life richer each time you share your journey. Happy 2019 Wanderlust, Ya’ll!
Our life is so enriched by our experience in other countries, and we are glad to share with others who can appreciate the stories and pictures. More travels later this year, to Portugal!
Fascinating history. I know so little about this part of the world. It’s now on the list! Hope you two are well and at work planning your next adventure. Best, Pat
This would be a great addition to your travel list. But the crowds in the city can be quite overwhelming. Make sure to come when you can spend some early morning or late afternoon time, with quieter streets. And make sure you include a visit to Slovenia!
Walking around the city, it was hard to think about a war within the lifetime of most of the residents. Quite an amazing recovery. Thanks for always sharing your thoughts on our travels.
Chris and Jeannie, thankyou for documenting our wonderful vacation. These are wonderful memories you have created for us. You add so much detail to our adventures! Hope our paths cross again, Sandy and Dan
It is impossible for me to comprehend the labor and methods to quarry stone, transport and build those walls, the fortifications, houses and churches. Build made-to-last it was. You show and tell a nice story.
That is amazing how they stack the ships in port. What a maze to get to your ship. Beautiful ships though as you passed through. Looks like a wonderful intimate cruise.
Chris amazes me with his ability to choose an aspect of our trip, research and write about it, and then determine which of his many photos to post. The comments you and others leave here provide ongoing encouragement; thanks for your appreciation!
I love reliving our vacation through your pictures Chris. Your narrative is excellent and I’m learning so much about the places we visited. Thanks for sharing!
There is never enough time to explore a structure as remarkable as this. Glad Chris is able to capture as many images and share some highlights of the place.
Washing in the bathroom sink on a small ship is difficult enough, but nothing dried given the humidity. The full service laundry was a worthwhile stop! And it’s always nice to support a local business.
Wow what great pictures as always. The park with the waterfalls was beautiful. The city of Split and the palace is awesome. Just so hard to comprehend that the palace was built so long ago and people still live there. Fascinating.
We always love getting out in nature and Croatia is quite remarkable. So many beautiful spots along the Adriatic, a small cruise is really the best way to travel here. Glad you enjoy our travels.
Oh, this post is just wonderful! I’ve never heard of these destinations. I know so little about Croatia but would love to learn and see more. Thanks so much for the travel log and Happy New Year to you both!
Happy New Year Niels and Jette! We encounter many special surprises along our way; I’m glad Chris always has the camera ready to document and share. PS Chris said tubae or not tubi, that is the question?! Thanks for the free editing!
As always, this is a very enjoyable read. I was wondering about the horses that you came across on your walks. That foal (zrebrec ) is adorable. The horses look like palominoes. Very cool!
I think that it’s really cool that you were enjoying epicurean delights reminiscent of Jeannie ‘s relatives. You caught my attention right away with the breakfast y’all enjoyed. Very nice!
So funny, I’ve been seeing these everywhere in Verona and thought I was going mad, glad this was the first page that came up when I tried to Google the spiral things!!
I’m so glad that you are back in blog form. Such beautiful photos and I am always impressed with the energy that you and your friends have especially hiking all those miles.
“Likely considered common”-Not from my vantage point!
Thanks. Chris, for reminding me to look for the “common things” all around me that are filled with beauty.
Hi Chris, number 29 is grass iris, number 30 probably fragrant orchid, number 18 probably common spotted orchid, number 44 probably three toothed orchid, number 56 lesser butterfly orchid.
All the best, Luka
Absolutely awesome vistas. What a beautiful country. Amazing how you spotted so many different flowers, mushrooms and insects. Especially enjoyed the wild orchids.
I live in Folkston, Ga. and it is a delight to follow your travels. I am pleased as punch to see “the places you go”, far from North Shore but a great place to begin. I learn much from each post and pictures. Thank you Linda Link Pina
An amazing leg of your life’s journey, Folks! Rechecked the location again to get a perspective with the surrounding countries… so different from previous treks of yours. Rich with history of course.
Slovenia is more beautiful than I imagined. Makes you wonder how different things were 100 years ago to make people immigrate from there. Your stories bring us along with you and the drool-worthy pictures are the satisfying dessert.
On one of our walks in the countryside, we stopped where a farmer was working, and our guide had a short conversation with him. I asked her to tell him we find Slovenia to be a beautiful country. She did and his reply was “Slovenia is Slovenia”. I guess when you work hard in the country, the beauty that others see is not so special. I’m sure life was quite difficult for their hope for a better life to draw them to take a long voyage to an unknown place. I would like to return and find family who have knowledge of the life and conditions at that time. Maybe we’ll plan another trip, and you can join us?!
We’re glad we can share the photos for those who can’t join us on the trail. Who knows how long we’ll be able to travel this way so we’re trying to enjoy as much as we can!
Wow what a great place. Love the house and your room. The wide window ledges reminds me of my Dad’s farm house where he lived in Germany. How nice the meals and walks were included in this package. Pictures are great.
Lots of rolling green hills, and the Julian Alps are on the northern border. It is a popular place for climbing; we enjoyed the view from lower elevations!
I love the bedroom. I bet sleeping was such a wonderful time in such a beautiful setting. I was really smiling at the Teddy Bears and the dolls that greeted y’all on your walks. Too cute.
It was a beautiful bedroom, but we stayed so busy we didn’t spend much time there, and we usually fell asleep pretty quickly! Yes, it is interesting to see the items that decorate our paths. It would have been fun to see the children who put the dolls on the bench.
After two months in the great city of Verona, and a week in the capital of Slovenia, it was a delightful place to enjoy the countryside. The hills and wildflowers made for great hikes. You may want to add this less-traveled country on a future travel agenda; it is worth a detour from Italy. Enjoy your next adventure, wherever it is!
Slovenia doesn’t get a lot of travel press, but it is definitely worth a visit. Do let us know when you’re back in town; would love to exchange travel stories!
Happy to hear Jeannie’s illness wasn’t too serious. All the pics are lovely but
I especially like your photos of the Old Town and the river- so colourful, almost looks painted.
We are lucky to not have experienced any illness or injury too serious. I think I preferred this experience over Chris’ root canal and overlay. And our travel insurance covered both sets of expenses.
The city is quite colorful and lively, we’d love to return. But so many other places to go…glad Croatia followed and we could share the cruise with fabulous people like you!
Chris took good care of me and managed to get us organized to leave one lodging and transfer to the next. Not the best timing, but it all worked out in the end.
I’m so glad that your infection was short lived. The emergency room personell seem top notch. I can relate to Jeannie having to navigate ,while being tethered to an iv and having carrying a sample bottle. Not a fun time! I’m happy that y’all got back into the groove of your travels.
I wasn’t sure what to expect of the Slovenian medical system, and I’m glad my illness wasn’t severe. We do enjoy “living” in different places and that means dealing with the good and the bad. This didn’t slow me down much and we didn’t have to miss any of our next adventure!
So happy it wasn’t anything too serious for Jeannie. It brought back the memory when we were departing China and Jeannie and you Chris had to stay behind as Jeannie was not up to snuff.
Happy all is good and enjoy your hiking in Pri Lanert. Stay well hugs Fae
This time I was not nearly as sick as in China and it didn’t really interfere with our hiking holiday. Glad this post is done so Chris can now share the fabulous time we had out in the country. We hope to see you somewhere in our future travels. Have you been to Portugal? That may be next year’s location.
Lipica Stud Farm ! I’m so glad that y’all got a chance to see the famous Lippizan horses. Thank you for sharing this. I love how these beautiful equines don’t turn white until later on. Such beautiful photos of them.
How very exciting for you to find info about your ancestors. I am surprised to see that the record book of your grandmother Pauline is in German. I guess they were under Prussian rule at the time. Interesting that your grandmother was born in 1907. My dad was born in 1906.
It has been exciting, and there still is much to discover. The split from the Austria-Hungary empire occurred in 1918, when it became the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs. Then it was renamed to Yugoslavia in 1929, and became independent Slovenia in 1991. Not only were my family names changed over the years, but the country they came from was renamed at least 4 times in just over 100 years. I did not remember this from my world history class years ago, Google can be a useful tool!
I can write a pretty good outline, but Chris is the master at making it an interesting read. It takes teamwork, on all aspects of our travels, and life!
Wow, how special to be looking at records from over 100 years ago in a foreign land knowing it is also your land too. Wonder if their house is still standing after all this time. Nice work!
It will be great to visit you this fall, and I look forward to further research using your mom’s memory box. She provided the extra encouragement for me to add Slovenia to our travel agenda. I hope to put it on a future itinerary, to try to find Turks in Novo Mesto!
I don’t have many photos but will be able to look through my aunt’s memory box in Wisconsin this fall. I am fortunate to have known my grandparents, and I have good, though somewhat faded, memories.
Jeannie, how exciting for you to search your family tree. It’s always amazing to learn the paths our ancestors took and to think how different our lives would be today had they decided to remain in Europe instead of seeking new adventures overseas to Canada or the USA. Hope your future searches yield more information about your great-grandparents. Thanks for sharing
It was a great experience, to see their country and find records in the archives. I have read that initially Slovenians immigrated to the US, and immigration laws in 1924 slowed their entry. This is when significant numbers went to Canada. If my great grandparents had waited some years, we might be neighbors!
Chris, I love reading your blog. I enjoy the photos. But most of all, I am using your photos as teaching tools to help me improve my photography as Dennis and I travel and I shoot my thousands of pics on each trip. I am improving and believe it’s because of what I’m learning from your shots in a big part. Slovenia sounds so lovely. Italy is my favorite country, with Spain (Cartegena and Malaga) being a close second. I envy you the longer times in each city! Keep shooting and writing!
As always, a great time was had as I read this. I’m looking forward to reading more about Jeannie ‘s great grandparents in the next blog. Thank you for taking us with you on this journey.
Having heard about this city for my entire life, knowing that grandma was born there, this isn’t what I expected… it is far better. I though Eastern European city which meant drab architecture, smaller – a place to get away from. I’m sure things were quite different 100 years ago in this area, when many emigrated. You sure do a great job describing the area in words and photos. Wide panoramas and close-up detail are equally interesting and complement each other and assist in understanding from half a world away.
Amazing pictures. Incredible architecture when you realize how many times they have had to rebuild after so many earthquakes. Loved the monument with you two in it. What a beautiful area. Can’t wait for your next post.
When time is short, we move quickly! I wrote quite a bit in my journal on this trip, especially in Slovenia. Hope to return one day, for the beautiful country, great people, and to continue my genealogy work.
Without the people we meet along the way, our travels would be lacking. And it’s great when Chris captures the experience to share! Great people add color to our experience!
Well it appears that you found the right place in Italy to spend a few months. Great pictures as always. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your trip.
Really enjoyed seeing the old cars and motorcycles. Your timing to see this event was certainly in your favor. Also thanks for the update on your brother, Mike. Wishing him a good recovery.
Interestingly, it looks like several of the cars were both at the show in Verona and on the streets of Bergamo. I guess if you are enough of an enthusiast to spend fortunes on keeping an old beauty like that in order, you both want to show it off and drive it to its potential.
Reminds me of my trip to Germany, we saw a portion of a big bilke race (don’t remember the name) All the townsfolk were our along the roads, sitting at outdoor cafe’s sipping wine, as were we. It was exciting!
When I read this, I was immediately sad because of your fall. As I read on I was encouraged by the relationship you and you wife have. You are blessed–both of you. You are positively a friends person, and when friends people have needs, their friends will always be by their side. I do pray for you to recover strength in your legs quickly. Good advice on the insurance.
So glad you’re on the other side of this, Mike. Thank you for documenting your experience and making a special point to remind all of us how wonderful people are— everywhere.
That was a great post. I hope Mike has a full recovery.
It was good for me to read this account because lately I’ve been seeing more “bad and less good”. Thanks!
How wonderful a story. I hope you are doing better now. I hate Hospitals and Doctors and the whole nine yards and you know why. I am so grateful God was watching out for you and you had so many wonderful people to assist you in your need. Amazing how God takes care of those he loves.
Wow that is quite a story, Mike. I am amazed how many people you remember when you were in so much pain. Glad u were able to get home and have your surgery. When my sister was in Italy she also slipped departing the train. She broke her leg and needed the surgery in Italy before she could fly. Luckily her travel insurance covered the surgery and the return transportation to southern CA. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
OMG, having been through a traumatic accident in the states, i can totally appreciate the feelings you had in a foreign country. Having to totally rely on others to make decisions in an emergency is daunting, and reveals the reality of no wo[man] is an island. The love of others in our time of need is amazing. God’s speed to recovery.
Wow! What an adventure and glad you are on the mend. I will always purchase Medical Travel Insurance with evacuation coverage should be purchased by anyone leaving the USA even for short trips from now on!
So glad Mike had heroes to support him and Kathy. My favorite line, after he said he cried knowing she would be delayed on her return, was he just stepped back and threw chocolates at her as she drove what needed to be done. There’s a man that knows, loves, and respects his wife!
Dear Chris and Jeannie,
We met briefly in the Parc de la Tête d’Or in Lyon last June
You have now 13 new friends (retirees) delighted to follow you in Italy (our favorite destination), ready to go anywhere… «Let’s read something from Chris and Jeannie, they are still in Italy.. »
We enjoy meeting at my home to learn English, we get to know each other, have become friends, our group is open, free (we belong to an association of retirees), why don’t you come and join us some time (we have a guest room)?
By the way Christian and I will be hiking in the Dolomites (not so far from Bolzano) beginning of August, but you may be in Slovenia…
All the best,
Monique
We remember you fondly and wish we had met you at the beginning of our time in Lyon rather than the end. Hearing from you on our blog is a good way to stay connected so your comments are always enjoyed. And that we have additional followers means that our circle of friends continues to expand. Hello to our new subscribers from Lyon!
We almost planned to hike in the Dolomites, but spent a week hiking in Slovenia instead. Hopefully soon, Chris will be writing about our time there. We are currently in Dubrovnik, Croatia, another great place to visit, and will begin our travel back to Florida on Friday (tomorrow).
Thank you again for reaching out to contact us. It is wonderful to be drawn back to those places that have been so special to us and to the people that made them so.
So nice that Chris’s brother and sister can join you. The awesome pictures of the towns makes me feel like I was there. Would have loved to partake in the eating and drinking going on!
I like your brother’s t-shirt and his excitement about the race. As always Chris really captures the event in pictures. Curious why the bikes and stage were painted pink. I didn’t see any women racing.
I can really understand your brother’s excitement and determination to see this race in person. That’s really cool! Kinda like being able to see the Kentucky Derby in person, instead of on the television. The photos of the cyclists are awesom
I thoroughly enjoy your writing. Descriptive, informative and humorous. Your flavorful journal coupled with a gorgeous buffet of eye candy puts a smile on my face every time.
A great colorful buffet of photos. You don’t see colors of buildings and boats in the USA like you do elsewhere. The colors don’t detract from nature, the add to the overall beauty.
Always like that you share the phonetics of how to pronounce a unfamiliar name or place. I literally sit here at the laptop and pronounce it at least twice. Each place you have traveled to has a new feel with these different new sounds. Thanks for doing that Jeannie & Chris. LoVe the huge lemon!
I used to think that smart phones were really just a luxury, but what an asset! It’s a great thing that y’all had them to present passports with just a flick of a thumbnail. I enjoyed traveling with you two.
Your pics complement your story very well. The apple strudel pic brought back the best memories of Gma Turk making it. I feel as though I can smell the cinnamon and taste the gooey stickiness as I look at your blog… I wanna eat my IPad now.
Keep on stepping… and blogging!
The apple strudel was the unexpected surprise on this day. It was as good as it looks, and we enjoyed every bite (maybe Chris got 3 bites). And such strong memories of childhood and grandparents and cousins. We are never really alone when we travel, and I had much company on this day. Today also resulted in more thoughts about our plans for Slovenia, where I anticipate more strudel and potica! Glad to stir shared memories with you.
Bob and I skied with Karl and Ingrid in the Dolomites back in Feb. 1978. It is a beautiful area. Love all the pictures. Amazing how much you two manage to see in a day. Gute Nacht.
We had hoped to get further into the Dolomites, and going there for several days to hike was on our early planning list. But a day in Bolzano was the most we could do, so we may be planning a return, probably in the summer to hike, but it would be a beautiful place to ski. I’m sure the 4 of you have great memories.
The ‘Falcon of Italy ‘ is really impressive. I am curious as to what type of tools are manufactured in Brescia. Philip would had loved to check out the tools. Especially if they were of the machinist kind. And to have a lunch of gnocchi and ravioli! Cool!
Another interesting city in this fascinating old region. Must put it on our list.
Funny shot with the stones in the hollow tree. I wonder what the idea is – protecting the tree from rotting or maybe something more “ritualistic” (like coins in a fountain)?
Saw similar reconstruction while visiting Austria and visited beautiful cathedral that took direct hits. Today you would never believe what was left in 1945.
Enjoyed the suggestion for a good read and will be downloading soon.
I love with all that beauty around you, the sounds stood out!! That is just wonderful. And clothes hanging out on the line, so special to me. Fantastic photos and story
Thanks Bonnie. I think it’s important to try and be attentive to everything that your senses can collect. Laundry is a banner of life, I love the fact that clothes are still hung to dry. And I didn’t even mention the aromas that drift from kitchens, or lurk around the trash bins. But, I have read your writings, you know of these kinds of things. C
Thank you so much for this insightful look into this beautiful city. As a woman who has learned from Ancestry. Com of my true Ashkenazi origin, I applaud you! SHALOM AND HAPPY TRAVELS. .
Hi Chris, Thanks for the comment. Certainly there are no outward signs that prompted me to think that the area was so heavily destroyed. But as I researched other aspects of Verona’s past I came across the WWII photos. History is much like peeling an onion … layer upon layer. C
Since you are in Northern Italy, you might want to check out the book “Beneath a Scarlet Sky”. It’s a true story of an Italian resistance fighter, from his time as a teen guide for fleeing refugees trekking over the Italian Alps above Lake Como into Switzerland and through his early 20’s as the chauffeur for the German commander in charge of the area. It’s some history we missed here, and it’s free on Kindle. It will explain why people (especially the older ones) get so friendly when they learn that the pale blonde is not from Germany but the United States. That entire area is wonderful. I’m glad you are experiencing it.
Merle, So good to receive such a nice comment from so long ago and so far away. My wife has read “Beneath a Scarlet Sky”, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Indeed this region of Italy is incredible, and very different from other places we have traveled. Of course, that is why we enjoy these experiences so much. Thanks for visiting, and especially for taking the time to leave a comment. Best regards, Chris
Thanks for the history and science lesson. How cool that you noticed the fossil in the floor tile. But then again you have a photographer’s eye. Love your blogs.
Wow! Very interesting that these fossils are in the tile of your apartment and Verona’s walkways. I think it’s really cool that you examined the tiles closer. One of the fossils looks like a shrimp I savored yesterday at my favorite Italian grill. I enjoyed learning as I read this.
Re the age of Juliet and how her statue is (ab)used: Having seen said statue, I’m pretty sure it must be depicting Juliet in that alternative universe where she didn’t die, but lived on to at least well into her twenties. Of course, that meant the tragic tale in that universe was never quite so tragic and her fame consequentially less widespread, so it turned out they didn’t really need the statue, whereupon it was teleported into our universe and placed in the courtyard in Verona.
Thank you for the history behind this romantic saga. I remember having to read “Romeo and Juliet “and it’s counterpart, “West Side Story ” when I was in the 8th grade. My teenaged mind was a bit cynical as to the originality of the love story. Thank you for sharing this.
Jeannie and Chris,
I lived in Montecchio Maggiore and used walk up to Romeo and Julietta’s castles which overlooked the town. It is just a story told by storytellers that went from town to town to entertain the people… Count DaPorto picked up the story that eventually ended up in the hands of Shakespeare…
The words, alone, are enough. Romeo and Juliet, took my heart years ago. I re read Shakespeare often. I sure don’t need people’s chewing gum, yuck!! Just the words! Thanks for sharing
It’s good to hear from you. We’d love to see you after our return and hear about your adventure. And we hope to see you on another hike, but probably not till after mosquito season!
Absolutely gorgeous picture, Chris! They evoke such good memories of Verona, a wonderful city, indeed. We had the chance to see Madame Butterfly in the Arena and it was one of the most intense moment in our lives. Your post has made us want to go back. All the best.
Hi Jeannie and Chris,
Your representation of Verona, Mantova, Vicenza has been spectacular. Thank you for visiting these beautiful cities and to learn so much about the antiquities, the life style and the people.
Please, if you have the time, visit Sirmione by Lake Garda located less than 30 minutes away from Verona. Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy and Sirmione will be a stunning surprise that you cannot miss. I am home sick! Thanks, Gianna
At least! And what amazes me, Chris can look at a photo years later and know where he took it. I can usually guess what country, but not always the city or town. And as much as you enjoy the images, we love to hear from you all; comments are much appreciated!
Thanks for the kind words. I’m glad that you like the images I post. As for the ratio of good images, since we began this adventure in Italy about 01 April 2018, I have made about 3000 photographs and published just over 400, that’s almost 14%. However I would estimate that the number of what I would consider very good is about 20%. About 10-15% of those are variations on the same subject, i.e. different angle, exposure, day, etc; still very good but the same subject. There are about 40% average or snapshot quality, and of the remainder, 15% would be better than average and 15% below average/snapshot quality. I immediately cull the totally failed shots, but those are few, and keep the below average ones since they hold significance to us or assist in establishing a time and place … memories. Answer your question?
We seldom feel disappointed that we missed something, the photos are permanent records to relive in the years ahead. And the images have multiple lives, through our friends eyes. Many more chapters ahead, we hope.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful sights with the very informative commentary. You are an inspiration to us and we are more and more convinced that this is the way we want to live our reirement. All the best.
It was nice to see something green since we just lost or white a couple days ago. Of course everything you post is fun to look at. And your history lessons are always great too. Caio!
The trees here are fully leafed out now, and the snow on the mountain tops is almost gone. We hope your snow stays away and that you will now enjoy spring weather. We hope for good weather when we visit you this summer!
The beauty of not having the hassle of trying to find a parking space is reason enough to cheer mass transport. I also like the fact that the train station is within walking distance. That photo of the scooter tugs at my heart. Is it a Vespa? It looks like the one my mom rode, sans sidecar.
Vicenza was a lovely place, and the flower market was delightful. It would have been nice to buy things for a garden, but we do have a rosemary and sage plant that the owner bought for our terrace. Easy to care for!
Just returned from our NC vacation and saw this for the first time. Great pictures and sounds like the perfect place for your Italian home. Looking forward to seeing more of Italy.
Wow! What treasures in this off the beaten path city. Did you really see all that in one day?
Amazing pictures and to think these old structures are still standing and in use today. Awesome.
The cities and structures are amazing, even before we study the history! Chris is good at wandering so we always see quite a variety of the main sights, and some unusual things.
This is too much of a perfect timing that I am reading this after Torah study! My fellow classmate and I were just talking about how good the Gonzaga basketball team was this season. Wow! I learned of the school’s namesake. Thank you for another pleasant journey.
Good to hear from you! This is a beautiful city and we are fortunate to be here long enough to really absorb the pace of Italian life. We try not to be in a hurry to see it all. Many more stories and photos to follow…
Such a great history behind this beautiful city and I am so glad that you two are enjoying it. The photos are a special treat, as I read this. Also, glad that you got your tooth taken care of.
The Stones Speak!! Wonderful way to describe history, your writing , like your photos beautiful. The hunchback holding the holy water bowl!!! And the red watering can.
Ouch, ouch, ouch! It’s amazing how such small things can be so painful. Hope all your dental issues are over and you can focus on that house! Looking forward to seeing more of your progress photos.
C
Hi Jeannie and Chris,
This is Gianna Golding, maybe you remember me meeting you at your brother’s unit at the MG.
It looks like you finally made it to Verona. My sister in law, my niece and nephew live there for the past 40 years or more. Please visit Vicenza, another exquisite town, also called the town of Andrea Palladio about 30 minutes away. He built numerous Villas in the country side (one of which is Villa La Rotonda just west of the city) and many Building between 1550 to 1600 such as The Teatro Olimpco and the Palazzo Chiericati across the street from Teatro Olimico. All still standing… and well maintained. Also check out the Piazza dei Signori where the Basilca Palladiana stands tall. This town was my stomping ground where i went to school. In 30/40 minutes train ride you can also be in Venice. South of Verona you can visit Mantova another very special City.
Hi Gianna, it’s good to hear from you. We are planning to see Vicenza later this week (the weather is drizzly so we’re looking for a sunny day). Last week we went to Mantova for a day and it is a special and beautiful city. This area of Italy has many fine towns to see, we hope to visit many while keeping enough days to just wander and appreciate Verona. Thanks for joining us on this adventure!
Experience is a great teacher, but helpful tips can reduce the damage from the unexpected. And then when something goes awry, just find the best way to deal with it!
I am so glad that your travel insurance covered all of this. Ain’t nothing more annoying than having dental pain ! And to be in Italy, where the eating is sooo good!
I don’t think the travel insurance will cover all of it, but certainly enough to ease the pain (tooth and bank account!) You’re right that this is not the place to not be able to enjoy the food; though one might be able to survive on gelato!
Glad that all worked out well. When we travel now we also use Allianz Travel Insurance. When traveling in Italy my sister broke her leg and had a great experience with their travel insurance. They took care of the hospital stay, surgery and the trip back home. Don’t leave home without it!
We’ve purchased Allianz insurance since we began this adventure in 2014, and this is the second time we’ve had a small claim. They are very responsive!
Glad you are safe and together and on to the next adventure! Daughter Zoey and new hubby Randy flew into Glaswick on the 31st with a transfer to Edinburgh on the 1st. …But Zoey’s bag never showed!! She was in quite the panic trying to deal with it as they then headed for their Yurt in the countryside, in the cold with her in little demi boots, a sundress, and jean jacket. She broke down and bought some clothes on Monday while still getting stories from the airlines. Today after playing in the snow with her new hubby, she got her bag delivered to the countryside at the Yurt and all is good as the honeymoon continues!!!! And two new Adventurers are born!!!!
Sometimes it is the difficulties that make stronger memories, and definitely good stories. We’ve learned to always pack a spare in the carryon for the next day if luggage is delayed. And we also place an outfit in each other’s suitcase in case one goes missing. Live and learn, it’s fun if you let it be!
Hey Chris and Jeannie! I had a wonderful time when I visited Verona and your photos certainly brought back memories. The rail system in Italy is amazing so I hope that you’re able to take advantage of that and see a couple of the other places that I had recommended!
We actually are beginning to feel like seasoned travelers. It was nice to enjoy our anniversary in such a beautiful city. Every day is a celebration for us!
Jeannie, your planning talent surpasses itself. Arriving in la Citta di Romeo e Giulietta the day before your anniversary is one thing, but how did you arrange for the weather to brighten up like that exactly for that day?
Beautiful pictures, hope the weather tendency holds – see you soon!
For all the research that goes into making our plans, all I can do about the weather is hope. Since we stay longer periods than most who travel, we have a better probability of both good and bad weather. But we were delighted to be greeted with clear and sunny skies for our first days in this beautiful city. Holiday weekends also bring crowds of people and the main streets of the city were filled shoulder to shoulder with both tourists and locals. The crowds have since subsided significantly, as the skies have filled with clouds, and spells of rain. We have begun our restaurant evaluations and will be to report soon; we look forward to sharing time with you and Jette again.
We try to see different places when we return and enjoy sharing the photos. Walking/hiking has now replaced our outings on the bike. Happy to still be active, and in touch with long time friends. Hope all is good with you.
I am always delighted when y’all come back to Florida and visit. And I am looking forward to reading all about your new adventure. Ciao for now, until the next post. Slownomads, keep on Truckin. ..
Chris, at last, I have found a mistake in your writing! It’s here in your first sentence: “Our 2018 adventures will begin March 29″…….. Silly boy, I am absolutely certain that for you, every day is an adventure; so your 2018 adventures had to begin on January 1, 2018! We hope to continue to be a part of this year’s adventures until December 31, 2018; if only as enthusiastic supporters and spectators. Thanks for allowing us to tag along with you and Jeannie; seeing the beauty in all the places you visit through your eyes. Much love and prayers for safe travels and exciting discoveries.
Our adventure actually began April 1 1974, such fools that we were and continue to be! Maybe we’ll get to see you this summer if you travel to Fl after June 30.
Sad that we didn’t connect during your home visit this year. I am looking forward to reading of your adventures in new places.
Safe travels.
Until next time…
This is very cool to add a different spin to the adventure, a purpose of very personal discovery. And such an exotic area to explore, not many peeps get such opportunity. Looking forward to your sharing the next chapter!
Slovenia looks to be a beautiful country and a great place to visit for no other reason. But connecting with the home country of my grandparents will make this a very special trip.
I never was that interested in genealogy research, but knowing we’re going to the home country of my grandparents has increased my curiosity. Will share more that we discover…
I’ve been enjoying following your travels and look forward to your upcoming trips! I miss all of our travel while we lived in London for 3 1/2 years and am living vicariously through you both. A few more years of traveling when we can and then we aspire to do what the two of you are doing each year. 🙂
I am going to sound like Johnny Carson when I admit that, I did not know that The University of Oxford was the oldest university in the English speaking world. Thank you for sharing this. I always learn new things from y’all. As always, photos are eye catching.
The little men, gnomes, gargoyle ish, on the drain pipe!!! I love the attention to details!! It’s all art, made my day!! I do love the color in the bike and door/window photo, heck, I like everthing
Lots of beautiful pictures both inside and out. I’ll bet you’d have loved to get up in the bell towers for a view of the countryside or cityscape. Make it a Fear Factor challenge conquering the faint of heights and bats-in-the-belfrey showdown. Maybe ring in 2018 inside a coupla bell towers….?
He does drive me batty some days:) I do have a limit to the heights I’ll climb, but there’s plenty to see and explore at street level. Wish you could join us on one of our journeys!
Beautiful and very interesting. I have had the pleasure of visiting a few of the many cathedrals and churches. Keep up the good work. Love to you and Jeannie. Hope to see you soon.
And these were just from our travels in 2017, I am surprised at how many we visited. Such spots of community, and peace. Glad we can share, and that you pause to send us a comment!
Chris and Jeannie: When you first posted this, I thought it was so amazingly beautiful and my opinion hasn’t changed. It seems that if you look for the beautiful in life, it will find you. Thanks for taking us along for the ride. This is a beautiful world we live in, and you have helped us pay attention to that in ways we never would have without you. Thank you for a Christmas present that has added so much to our lives ever since your travel adventures started.
Happy Christmas from Selsley walkers. We so much enjoyed your company and thought of you yesterday for our final walk of 2017. (And two of us hope you enjoyed your time in Oxford too). Have a lovely time.
I didn’t see snow in even one of those pictures. Me thinks you need to spend time in a winter wonderland of a freshly snow-blanketed forest where the peace you feel is tangible and the quiet is only broken by your crunching footsteps or heaving breath. …You can find that in Wisconsin BTW.
Love you more.
Butch & Joan
Ahh been missing this Sunday edition to my morning coffee. Wonderful to find in my mail. ^_^
Thanks!
Enjoyed reading this and especially the walking 🚶♂️ through dry leaves.
Thanks, a nice break on a cold, cloudy, windy day in Arkansas. Hope to see you somewhere!
This is a wonderful idea. Thank you! Like you, we’re anxious to get back on the road (anxious about a lot of other things as well). Glad to know you are well and still creating journeys for us to enjoy.
We’re hoping our Iberian cruise will happen in September. Last biggie was South America — Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia, penguins in Falklands, dinosaurs in Argentina, Eva Peron (she still lives!) in Buenos Aires — and if we can’t go again, that was so perfect and wonderful we will be content. Viva le grand voyage!
We miss hiking with you in Florida. Thanks for sharing the beauty
Hi Chris and Jeannie! It was a pleasure to host you at our apartment. Still to this day, I follow your blog religiously. Hope you’re well and safe.
Best wishes!
Hi Jeannie, thank you for sharing your journey. My maiden name is Kerzich, was told the “h” was added when my grandfather went through Ellis Island. I am only beginning this process. He settled in Waukegan, IL — I was told there is a big Slovenian population there and I now live over the border in WI so I’d like to explore his roots there. Any suggestions on how to begin this process? Do you have an update after visiting your grandmother in WI? My grandfather and grandmother eventually moved to MI, they were sold land by a Slovenian real estate broker who told them the land was good for farming—they came from farming area in Slovenia. I know few details about their birthplace. I’d love to find out how to begin this process.
What a small world! I’ve responded via email since you won’t be notified from here. It would be pretty interesting to find out if we are related. Will announce on the blog if that turns out to be true!
Good luck with your search.
Not sure that even Slovenia can compete with the scenery of North Carolina. Wonderful photos and an inspired choice of destination to escape the horrors of Covid 19 and your election.
We imagine that perhaps some more “local” escapes are being planned – there must be plenty of possibilities.
Best wishes,
Janet & Paul
What a nice surprise to hear from you and Janet! It was great to take a trip, though it was short and not very far to go. There is a glimmer of hope for travel maybe in 2022. We do hope to return for more walking in the UK, and will contact you if that becomes a plan.
Stay well,
Jeannie & Chris
Really enjoyed your latest. It is a lovely time of year, whether in the USA or here in England.
We have been viewing your Presidential Election with interest!
We are looking forward to changes next year with hope for a vaccine and the new administration. For now we just hope for cooler temperatures in Florida, it’s still in the 80s!
These photos touched every cell in my body. Healing beauty, picture perfect
It is wonderful to feel peace and beauty with a photograph. Chris does have the eye and skill!
I’m so happy for you guys that your adventures, though with less mileage, never really end, because the outdoors are infinite! I also love those crunchy leaves:) That is truly a beautiful, soulful area.
Glad we could transport you with sight and sound. My brother lives in North Carolina so that provides additional motivation to travel there. Chris speaks of his memories of you so perhaps one of our trips will take us near you. Will be in touch if that is the case!
Fabulous pictures as always. Have missed your travel blog. Loved the 2 sound tracks.
And we have missed the travel that provides new stories for the blog. Now if we could find a way to add smell to the senses that we can record on our trips!
Nice scenery. Been to Bryson City a couple times myself, it is beautiful. Played a bit of mountain golf. Thanks for the great reminder to return there in the future. Always enjoy following your posts!
Happy you are traveling with us and remembering you own trips to the area. Now if we can manage to meet safely in person in the year ahead!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your account of NC. Photos were awesome as always. Thank you for the escape. We’re locked down within a radius of 5km for 6 weeks at the moment. Every escape from our v small world is so welcome!
And we thoroughly enjoy the images your share via social media. The photos from your walks take us back to our stay in Killarney, meeting you and Mick. And seeing the creations of the children in your classes is so uplifting! Enjoy your local walks, stay well, and we hope to meet again!
I’m so glad to hear that all is well. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a post from you. As you can imagine, my Tours of Provence and the Dordogne were canceld last summer.
The silver lining for me was that I finally replaced my right knee which was becoming an issue, so I’ll be ready to hike the Camino and pick up with my tours whenever it’s safe to do so.
Keep the posts coming please and be safe.
Amicalement,
Kaydie Vistelle
From a chance encounter years ago, we connect again here through our love of France. We wish you the best recovery so you’ll be walking again when travel is possible. Perhaps we’ll get to Gainesville in the next year of so and have some time to share stories. Until then stay well.
How delightful!
Reminds us of our trip in the Appalachians ten years ago, among other things driving along (some of) the Blue Ridge Parkway and visiting Asheville and Biltmore.
Great you managed to get away – hope it has strengthened you for the next period …
Jette and Niels
Glad to know that you’ve enjoyed this area, though I’m not surprised as you have traveled quite a bit in North Anerica. Our trip was long enough to escape the daily news and enjoy cooler weather and great hiking. We are hopeful for a return trip for spring flowers. And I’m beginning to dream of a possible trip abroad in 2022. It never hurts to be hopeful!
Cool.
Thank you for sharing your two week retreat into the calmness of North Carolina mountains. I have a sister that lives in Waynesville, who moved there from Florida, and visiting her is always such a delight. I believe you went at a great time of year and such wonderful colors for you to embrace in your photography
It’s really great that y’all were able to get out and enjoy such beautiful scenery 😍.
Thank you for the lovely respite ❣
Nice getaway! I have a number of relatives in that area and it is a lovely place to visit, although I rarely get on the trails when I am there.
Holiday? Are you heading out to another holiday?
Oh how wonderful to “walk” with you two again.
The sound of the water…
I think a title your hikes could be ‘Neck yoga on a hike’. Waterfalls and mushroom, one makes your head look up and the other down – very poetic. In warmer temps the waterfalls would be great to wash off some trail dust. Love your pics and captions.
Fall/Autumn! Thanks for sharing!!
I love the sound of crunching through the leaves.
We were up there recently too. I see a picture from Standing Indian. We camped there as well as Van Hook Glade near Highlands.
Saudade de voce 🙂
There is a welsh term – hireth – the longing for home or somewhere that you know you can’t go back to – your childhood home, for example. You can’t go back in time to what it was, but you still miss it. so – hireth – a combination of nostalgia and homesickness that there isn’t a direct equivalent for in English…
Hi Gay, it is great to hear from you, and to know folks still look at the blog. Who knows when and where we’ll go, once travel is an option in the future. Thanks for sharing the term from your world. For all the differences from country to country, some things are the same, though labeled differently.
Stay well and happy; we hope to see you again.
Jeannie & Chris
Impressive collection!
An abundance of creativity, almost everywhere we looked.
Some really interesting art work of differing mediums. Thanks for sharing.
We enjoyed seeing so many styles, colors, subjects. And you know there are many more images that did not make it into this blog!
I especially like the man with the mustache, holding the dog that is singing. Way cool!
You always like the animals, but there was no food in this collection!
Keep posting! Thanks!!
We need to travel again, not that Chris would ever run out of photos to post!
Wow. I agree with Debi. What a mental, colorful, creative stretch of the artistic expression. Need to take a look again.
There was so much to look at as we walked through the cities, and I’m sure we missed many interesting images.
So many images! So many ideas! Such freedom!
It would be interesting to watch the artist create their piece. What was he/she thinking?!
As you said very different museums. Enjoyed them.
Most excellent article. Thank you. We look forward to the day we can visit LIsbon and these will definitely be on our list of stops. Still in holding pattern in the States awaiting the reopening of Europe to visitors. We are ‘slow nomads’ also and plan a month in Lisbon with excursions from a base there. Meanwhile, we will explore Flagstaff, AZ and the great offerings of this area.
Have a great day!
Thanks!
thanks for sharing, I enjoyed the exhibitions.
I just know I would really love this place!
Yes you would! It was a great place to see many styles of creativity; we’re glad to be able to share!
It never is the same is it? When i travel back to places over time, the changes always make me nostalgic for what was gone but then it’s exciting to see what is new too. At the same time, I do feel this has accelerated the change and not just in things but in the culture. Thanks for sharing. I hope we see you one of these days.
Who knows when we can travel again, but it would be great to align destinations and schedule. It will be interesting to see how much things change in the months ahead. Enjoy each day, wherever you are!
The art is fun and amazing. But so is the high-rise walk below the bridge deck, the ancient worn cobbles in the street, bold color like we never see in this country, and Jeannie taking a break from shopping.
Fantastic.
You and Joan would have enjoyed the displays and the energy of the place. It wasn’t all about the shopping, we stopped for a sweet and coffee, and I only made one small purchase (I learned early on, jewelry and scarves can easily fit in the luggage!)
I love that I had never heard of saudade before, but now I have learned something new. And you explain the concept very clearly. We can all relate because I believe everyone experiences saudade.
It was great that we learned the term while visiting the place of origin. Yes, it can be experienced by all, at some point, in some place.
We’ll meet again … don’t know where, don’t know when, but …
I feel confident we’ll get through all this, a vaccine/cure will be found, and we can all start meeting again some sunny day. Maybe with some new-found consideration about how to minimize riscs (I’m probably not going to travel without hand spirit again, for instance), but we’ll get out there.
Until then – thanks for all your thoughts, tales and pictures.
It’s been great to meet on so many of our trips and share experiences of new places. Once we begin to plan another adventure, let’s try to align time and place. Until then, find joy and love where you are.
The note once played, goes on forever. The same with adventures. They can never be undone. The place may change once you leave, the people may not enjoy the same freedom to gather safely, but the memory of the place and the art of your many passeggiate, will remain, never changing.
So true, our memories will last, even longer than the blog that we share. We look forward to sharing more…
Wow! The street art!
Yes, it was fabulous! So much energy and creativity! Glad to transport you however briefly!
The journey that you two are on is indeed external AND internal. For me, that is why what you share here about your travels, in words & photos, keeps the world timelessly relevant.
You are in our heart and travel with us. We look forward to traveling together in spirit again.
Thanks for sharing, I believe we all can relate to your feelings during these challenging times.
Good to hear from you, and hope to see you once life is less constrained.
I too thank you for sharing your experiences for places I will never travel to.
Love the art work it is amazing!
Virtual travel is the next best thing! Glad you enjoyed this post!
Thank you Chris, for sharing places I will never get to visit. My world view expands.
Looks like an amazing, unique place. Very interesting art work.
Very thought provoking. Makes me wonder if and when I can go to Germany again what it will be like. Thanks for sharing.
Oh my goodness! Just after reading the first sentence of this recent post, I started crying. Thank you so very much for sharing this. For three weeks I’ve been a little bit in a funk as far as getting back into writing again. We must have been on the same wavelength. Very beautiful writing! Thank you!
Glad you went and glad you’re back home!
Thanks!
Beautiful pictures – colors are amazing.
This one was special. The breeze on a getaway walk and poetry earrings. Beautfiul day too.
Wow what a most interesting place. Thanks for the great pictures and history of the town. Makes you wonder after seeing the small doors (so colorfully painted) what the inside of the homes look like. Are people’s vehicles parked somewhere outside the walls? How do they get deliveries? Raised a lot of questions for me.
What a colorful, quaint city!
As always thank you for sharing your experiences.
Lovely. Can’t wait until we get to travel again.
I loved reading about Natalie Santos. What a beautiful and talented woman! Thank you for sharing this adventure with us.
Beautiful..
Thanks! Glad to know there’s more coming!! The sooner the better!!!
We have traveled to India, nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos Vietnam, each time purchasing ‘cancel for any reason’ insurance from Roamright (Arch insurers). Twice we had to request refunds for the entire value of the trip (for medical reasons) and they paid every last penny.
In the current situation, airlines have been either refunding the cost of flights or issuing vouchers valid for a year.
Let’s hope that next year will see you in Tours. We did a tour around the south of France, through les Alpes Maritimes, and across the south. Especially liked Arles and Avignon.
I heard that Bigfoot is the cause of this virus because he never washes his hands (so far, this has not been verified).
Looking forward to the next time I will see a photo of your backpack on FB.
Your travels are so much a part of all our lives.
In the meantime, birthday raincheck roadtrip before then!
Love & well-being to you both.
Will miss you travels but a very well reasoned and wise decision.
We will travel again! Stay well.
Excellent notes and suggestions. We will all be happy when it is safe to travel again. Saw an interesting chart on the reasoning for shutting down early, best way to help our facilities take care of us.
Yes, we all play a role in how damaging this is and the time it takes to slow it down. Let’s reflect on travels we’ve taken and appreciate how lucky we have been.
Very sorry that you won’t be able to make this journey. But happy that you were able to successfully navigate the cancellations.
Wishing you both good health and many more travels. Best, Pat
As one of our regular followers who comment, your encouragement is much appreciated.
What a situation the world is in right now. We all need to do our part to stop the progression and aid in the recovery.
Stay well and keep in touch.
Enjoy your beautiful home and this glorious weather. Take lotsa hikes (watch out for those snakes) and we’ll take more bike rides as we wait for some trip refunds to come our way too. I was going to write an appropriate haiku but I’ll leave that to you. Looking forward to it.
I’m glad you were able to visit and we took some great walks. Very glad we avoided stepping on the cottonmouth snake!
Enjoy your bike rides and time with your family. Travel will resume in the future. Take care.
We also regretfully but sure of our decision cancelled our European river cruise. We look forward to another year when we take this trip, and see this crisis in hindsight! Meanwhile, I’m doing vocal lessons all over the globe, online only now. I’m seeing the videos of Italians making music for each other from their balconies, and an incredible surge in kindness in my own community with people asking and giving help like leaving bags of food on the front porch of those self-quarantined. Perhaps there is hope for the world yet! Glad you both are NOT at any airport right now!! xo
It’s good to hear from you Judy, I hope to meet you at some point. For now we will all remain at home, helping and connecting with others as we can. Travel will resume when it can, and our continued adventures will help the people in and connected to the travel industry recover. For us, it is an inconvenience, but to many others it might be quite disruptive to their lives. And yes, this is not the time to be at an airport!
Continue sharing love through music.
Jeannie
In short: Take care, don’t panic, and check facts – we couldn’t agree more.
Let’s embrace the changes life forces on us – we’ll see you virtually and later physically out there!
Jette and Niels
Agree, we will meet again somewhere during our travels. Since we started in 2014, you’ve joined us almost every year. We need to find a way to meet once travel is resumed, somewhere between here and Denmark!
May your wisdom and common sense reach as many people as this nasty beast. We will have to be patient in this difficult period and hope that you will both be fine and back in business asap. Take care. All the best from Reunion.
Maria and Jean-Marie
It is so good to hear from you! We do hope that we meet again, once we all conquer this virus and life settles back down, though I do expect things will have changed…
Stay well,
Jeannie & Chris
Staying safe in Canada too. Good health to all.
Hi Sandy, it’s good to hear from you. We had been planning a trip out to the Calgary area in August, but we’ll see how that changes. And we were looking at a Gate 1 trip on the lower Danube for next spring…we’ll see. It would be nice to see you again as we travel. Stay in touch, and be well!
Richard and I are glad your timing worked out so well. Relieved also that we had already decided to postpone our next trip even before the Coronavirus appeared. Stay well and I hope we’ll see you somewhere around the world in the Fall!
We’re glad that you and Richard aren’t having to change/cancel travel plans. We’ll let you know when we plan another adventure; maybe we can meet.
Take care, stay well.
Thanks! I’m glad (and relieved) you’re close by!!
Shalom always to y’all. I think that y’all made the right decision. You two stay in my heart.
And you are always with us as we travel. Hope to see you for your birthday!
Agree, let us know if you need anything!
I have been waiting to hear what decision you have made. Was about to text Jeannie when I saw your email. The cancelled flight made the decision for you and it is a wise one. Glad you will be here. Take care and stay well.
Well said – but we will also miss your travels!
What a great write-up with tasty photos to match! Definitely opened new & familiar food horizons for me.
Looks so delicious!!
Unlike Linda, my mouth is watering and i am starving:)!
LOL!
The grilled sardines dish sounds really tasty. And I believe that the best parts of all of your journeys traveling around the world has got to be both the enjoyment of food and meeting people.
Yum!
After seeing all that wonderful food and wine, I am not hungry.
Makes me smile as always!
THAT is the reason we keep putting out this blog. That, and the fact that someday when we get really old and forgetful we’ll look at the blog and say, “Oh look, didn’t those people have a wonderful adventure, I wonder who they were?” Thanks Wayne, your comments and smiles are always appreciated.
Street art always beckons me to come closer. 3D version is incredible!
I had to chuckle when I saw the train graffiti photo. Life is so global. We are all connected.
An earthquake, tsunami and fire all in one year? Whoa.
Awesome Pics! As usual.
Terribly disappointed there were no scratch and sniff photos of the “pastel de nata.”
Wow so much history. The monastery architecture is really awesome. All the monuments are amazing. Really like the raccoon art.
Really impressive how the Mounted Brass Band played their instruments, with only one hand, while in a canter. Those horses are as beautiful as the Lipazanns.
The more you travel and write, the smarter I get!
We loved Lisbon! Your photos have just taken me back. They are beautiful. Hope you both are well.
Pat
Amazing that the older trams are still in use.
What a beautiful and charming city with some breath taking views.
I think that using the funicular would be really…fun! Very nice photos and interesting details about the trams.
Wow, that brings back memories.
Our trams in Copenhagen, which I grew up with, were done away with before the start of the seventies.
Kudos to any city who have kept theirs!
Thanks for reviving many good memories of walking that area!
Thanks!
I like the Avineda walk. When I saw the photos I agree that it does look like a walk in Paris.
All of your photos are beautiful and I thank you for providing me with this new blog post, as I enjoyed reading while drinking my coffee.
Looks like a great city. Looking forward to seeing more of it.
You should add it to your travel list; it’s a beautiful city!
Thanks!
Glad you like it!
Now when I see the word “Portugal” my brain lights up with a little more knowing. And a smile.
There should be more bright smiles with the remaining blogs about Portugal!
I really like the video of the Time Out market. Very nicely done.
Chris looks for different ways to share our experiences, glad you liked it!
I really like how you were able to slowly direct one’s eye upward to the open ceiling via the video, in the ‘Time Out ‘ market. Very cool viewing.
Love your stories. The pics are a joy to see. I like your variety from vegetation, to street mosaics and street graffiti. And the architecture is always so different from ours it is a wonder in size and detail.
We never fail to be amazed at what we see. Such talented and creative people who find ways to share their vision. And for all we see and share, there is so much more that we missed. Glad you enjoy traveling with us.
Thank you so much for the beauty
We are glad that you enjoy it!
Splendid leg of your journey, never dull reading.
Chris does quite a bit of research, and crafts his stories so well, and then accents with his photos. I’m glad I get to see these places with him, and we are able to share with our friends and fans!
It’s pretty cool I get to share your memories. I even have a picture in my head of the singing cleaning lady.
She was such a delight! And clearly happy to be singing and dancing as she works! It was quite special to share a conversation with her.
Chris, I love the history lesson intertwined with your daily experiences. You make learning fun. I’m sure Jeannie makes traveling fun. The blog you both create is a treat. Thank you for your effort.
Well, most of the time we have fun traveling:) Fortunately we don’t have many bumps in the road, and we bounce back when we do encounter difficulty. There is so much to learn on this journey, about the places, and our experience. Glad you’re with us!
I’m learning so much, my head is going to burst!
Uh oh, hope that doesn’t happen! We promise, no quizzes!
Another interesting place I didn’t know existed – thanks! Enjoyable as always.
We wish we could have shared a few days in Portugal with you, and look forward to seeing you in France in 2020!
The Agua de Prada Aqueduct is impressive. Very informative and interesting read. Thank you. I also like the cow structure .Moo. Too cool,
So many interesting and fun things we’ve seen!
Wow what a charming and historical city. Blows my mind to see the old structures and buildings that are still in use. Just amazing. Thanks for sharing all the pictures.
We are amazed to see how old buildings are preserved and re-used. It might be more expensive this way, but preservation is important to them. Glad you enjoyed the photos.
Great post !
I especially liked the way you shared the “View of Porto” pictures. Each one a bit closer to the building than the previous. Cool presentation. Thanks
Thanks for sharing what you like. With so many pictures, Chris looks for different ways to share them. Your feedback is appreciated!
This was special to me for some reason. Thanks for showing the off the beaten path nooks and crannies of your travels. So colorful and touchable.
Magnificent 💕. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures. Can’t wait to see what you discovered in Lisbon. Happy New Year.
Pat
Happy New Year Pat! Hope yours will include travel; I’ll be in touch soon to catch up. Enjoy our views of Lisbon!
The cleaning lady has a nice voice. I enjoyed listening to her.
Yes she does, and we were glad to hear and meet her!
I was in Porto in 87 or 89’. Your great photos make me want to go back. I love the narratives and the idea of spending so much time in one place.
Hi Richard, you and Susan should plan some time in Portugal, and make sure to travel slowly!
Thanks!
You’re welcome!
As always wonderful pictures of a beautiful and interesting city. Thank you for sharing.
Still amazes me how the beautiful old churches are still standing and in use. The bookstore is also amazing. Thanks for all the history and wonderful pictures.
As with most of your posts I think, “Wow, I had no idea!” … how old, how beautiful, how’d they do that?…
Love it all.
Another wonderful post! Porto is definitely on our list. We missed it first time in Portugal but won’t miss it on our next visit. Wishing you and Jeannie a great holiday season this year. So glad you’ve had another memorable journey 💖.
Very beautifully written and I really enjoyed the Fado Violado.
Two 6 packs are better than one!
Wow fantastic photos and writing!
I’m still leading my tours of Provence and now in the Dordogne as well.
Have you visited that area?
We met several years ago at the Haile village market in Gainesville.
So happy to see that you’re still loving your amazing adventure!
It’s great to hear from you Kaydie! We’ll plan a trip to Gainesville before we leave again, so we can share our adventures in France. The Dordogne is a great region; we’re going to the Loire Valley next. So many beautiful areas of France to see!
Great photos! and dialogue as always!
Thanks Wayne!
So diverse! Thanks for the stroll.
Yes! Though all the hills made strolling a bit more taxing than Florida. Good exercise to balance all the good calories!
Great pictures and narratives. Feel like I was there with you. Fabulous city and lots to offer tourists.
We thought we’d like Portugal, and it was great! We’d love to return, but still so many other places to visit. It would be pretty good if we could align our travel plans and meet somewhere. Something to discuss when we meet in Florida again.
The Ponte Dom Luis I bridge is very impressive. And I really like the beautiful photos of the railway trams. Thank you for sharing this.
The tram museum was an interesting step back in time. Glad you enjoyed!
Loved your 6 pack!
And there is another in the works!
All that comes to mind is “WOW!”
Thank you for sharing.
Wait till you see pictures of Lisbon, we said wow around every corner! But yes, all other places were pretty good as well.
Fabulous pictures… Love this place
We really liked Portugal and all the places we visited (and food we ate…). Happy to share it with you.
What a delightful way to enjoy a day of good music and gelato! Way cool!
Yes it was!
Amazing! What caught my eye was the detail work on the Portuguese guitar. Beautiful. Ya’ll have incredible stamina throughout your journeys.
We try to pace ourselves but there is always more to see than time allows. Fortunately our blog will allow us and others to enjoy our travels for years to come. It is fantastic to really experience parts of the life here, sights and sounds. Wish we could also share the fragrances and tastes!
I see dates of 1100 and think “How did they do that?” And how does everything survive through the centuries of earthquakes, wars, urban renewal… Amazing stuff.
I don’t know how you curate all of the info you provide – but you could easily defend a doctoral thesis on European travel.
Chris spends quite a bit of time researching the sights he writes about. I learn as much about the places we travel after he posts each blog entry. And we are amazed as well to see these places and how long they survive.
Thanks again!
Thanks for following us!
The country is so colorful, with buildings, art, flowers and markets.
The vegetable market is incredible!
Thank you for letting me follow your journeys.
We are so fortunate to experience many of the flavors of each country, and are happy to share with you. Thanks for the encouragement.
Magnificent buildings. And to think they were built without today’s modern building equipment. Interesting story about the bats in the library.
Many times we find ourselves thinking, how did they do that?! And interesting bits we learn, like the history of the bats!
Great description with all the pics. Really love your posts!
Great commentary and photos as always!
Amazing how old this city is and the buildings still standing. Some postcard perfect pictures, Chris. Thanks for the tour of this city.
Thanks!
loved the post, thanks for sharing!
Wow what a beautiful walkway through some amazing scenery. The stairs are unbelievable. It must have been quite a feat to build that walkway. The terrain looks really rough in spots. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!
The stairs and swinging bridge looked daunting but quite beautiful
I’m amazed at the energy, not to mention stamina that you two have! The scenery is really beautiful! And Thank you for the tip in reference to motion sickness. I didn’t know that sitting up front in a vehicle was a better position. It makes sense.
Hope and caring and love are everywhere we just have to be open to it! The story was beautiful and it broadened my scope of realizing there are loving people everywhere!!! (even Italy!!!!LOL)
So much blue and so beautiful!
Thanks for the history of the tiles. They are certainly works of art and make the cities and towns so colorful.
OK. Sao Bentinho Chapel and leaving traditional eggs… Was this perhaps the beginning of Eggs Benedict? And that staircase. Wow. Breathtaking in photos. I can only imagine being there!
I love the attention to detail in each tile. Very beautiful! Very interesting read. Thank you.
Wow!
Beautiful blues. And I’m crazy about those tiles!
Wow! Hard to choose a favorite!
One of my favorite things to discover when I was there as well. Thanks for refreshing my memory of them.
The time you two take to plan and journal your travels are astounding. The pics are first rate and tell a story in themselves, but coupled with your detailed descriptions of the places, and of the day, make your story personal and more interesting. We know you must spend an incredible amount of time on this blog cuz it shows. And we all appreciate it!
On a side note, I am also amazed at seeing people in shorts and enjoy apparently warm weather this time of year. We often wake up to frost on the rooftops and are lucky for 50s. And the flowers! I doubt there is any city I’ve ever been in that’s had that many flowers… and it’s OCTOBER. We have pumpkins. Keep on keeping on.
B
It’s just one amazing trip after another! It blows my mind!!
It looks amazing. I will definitely add it to our list for our next trip to Portugal!
Wow Wow Wow. What an amazing and old beautiful city. The flowers everywhere were so beautiful. The inside of the Cathedral of Braga is over the top. The organ pipes were the largest collection I have ever seen. Wish I could have seen the actual organ. Must be amazing.
Thanks for sharing. Outstanding fotos as always, Chris.
Beautiful, thank you for sharing your adventures with us less fortunate 🙂
As always, I’m very happy to be able to share with your adventures. I’m really impressed with y’all having the energy to walk the 650 stairs of the Escaderia do Bon Jesus. Wow!
What a an unexpected pleasure. Love when that happens. Curious what the name of the festival was and the cost.
Wow what a great experience. Did you have an admission fee for this experience? Or was it free food for free workers?
What a wonderful experience!
Yes it was!
I love this post, love y’all. What a fun adventure!!!
We are lucky to stumble upon adventures such as this, and glad to share our experience to those “traveling” with us!
Wow! What a delightful way to spend a day. Such wonderful photos and I love the photo of Jeannie looking through the window. You can see her reflection.
It was a delightful day. So much scenery out that window!
What fun adventures you are having!
When the fun ends, we’ll stop traveling! Neither are likely!!
It can’t get any better than this!
I like to think the best is yet to come!! Thanks for cheering us on.
I was hoping for pic of Jeannie stomping grapes! Always makes my mouth water to read the posts. The food!
With my history of falls, stomping on slippery grapes was not for me. It was much more fun to watch! And yes, THE FOOD!!!
Sounds (and looks) like you super enjoyed this little jewel a lot!
This was a very sweet spot to escape the crowds and big city. A charming little place.
Not many people around this pretty place. Thanks for the tour
It was nice to experience a small place off the beaten path.
Another impressive find!
It always helps to look beyond the usual places people visit and this was a nice way to spend a day.
Santo Tirso is beautiful. I’m glad that y’all were able to enjoy the attractions and especially the cuisine.
Is it that obvious that we travel for the food?!!
I get to travel through you! Many thanks!!
Stay with us, there is more to come!
Wow another great find. That is a really impressive market. Was picture 0894 dried fish? The sculptures Living and Stone were very interesting.
Great post! From the looks of the photos it did seem the “castle was rather small “,as castles go. lol
Thanks again for another enjoyable read.
Not all castles can be grand but all are interesting. Glad you’re enjoying our stories.
Wonderful exploration of the past and present in a country I knew so little about.
We didn’t know much about Portugal before this adventure began, but the people are so friendly, food and wine delicious and the cities are fun. So glad we chose this country to visit.
It is lovely to read about my country from your perspective. It was a great pleasure to meet you on your journey. I wish you all the best in the adventures to come. You’re doing Portugal the right way.
Best regards.
Joana from Vinoteca (Porto, Portugal)
Hi Joana, it’s so nice to hear from you. We like traveling slowly so we have time to meet people like you. There are many more stories for us to share and we hope you enjoy them. We have not yet gone to Sintra but have the information you provided, thanks for the tips. And for helping us enjoy some great wine!
I bet that the Tortas de Guimareas was very tasty. It reminds me a bit of when my mom would make fromajadis at a restaurant that served a lot of Menorcan cuisine. Thank you , again for the beautiful photos and sharing of your journeys.
We’ve had many different sweet treats and I wish I could bring some back to share!
Great meeting the two of you along your journeys. We enjoyed sharing the lunch in Coimbra and you inspired me that we too can travel in your footsteps when we retire. We look forward to your blogs.
Kevin and Anne
It’s good to hear from you! Hope the rest of your travels in Portugal were good, and you’ll soon be planning another adventure. Please stay in touch, it would be great to meet up again.
Thank you for the tour. Looks to be a lovely place
Another perfect day!
Yes it was!
Another great city in Portugal. Your pictures made me feel like I was there. Amazing and colorful architecture. Cathedrals centuries old still in use and houses a couple hundred years old. Just amazing.
Yes it is all quite amazing and we are glad to be able to share with our friends and family.
Love the big boulder rocks, beautiful place. I like that Jeanie wears dresses, and looks so carefree, enjoy it all
I’ve discovered dresses are best in warm temperatures, and with limited suitcase space there will be many repeats in the photos (when I don’t edit them out). The place with the boulders was quite beautiful, and a nice time spent in the woods.
Looks like y’all are having fun. Great pics!! Be safe!
Lots of fun, no worries!
What wealth they must have had back in the salt production days, and luckily they seem to have wished to use some of it to make their surroundings beautiful. And that tradition looks like it is continued today in the street art.
There is so much beauty, but also much decay from more difficult times when property was not taken care of. From the many cranes around it is clear they are moving forward to rebuild and restore. And the street art provides color and interest, sometimes in unexpected places.
Another memorable day! Thanks for sharing!!
I love reading of your new culinary delights! Very excellent writing!
We’ll have to write a separate story about the food. We have photographed much of the food we have been served, sorry we can’t bring any back.
What a beautiful and colorful city. The tiles on the buildings and streets are very interesting. Are the 2 different prices on the menu the difference of a full dinner or a smaller portion?
You read the fine print! Yes, and the smaller portion was always plenty for one. We are finding interesting and colorful tiles in all places in Portugal. There may have to be a separate story comparing tiles between regions. So many stories to write!
I can taste the fish! Delicious! Great photos and travelogue as always!
So much great food! We’d bring some back if we could!
The last one is my favorite!
Of course!
So inspiring!
Fun! And thanks as usual.
Enjoyed the demonstration. Guess these beans don’t exist over here.
Loved the demo…really look like big limas
That’s what we thought, but not green. Chris had fun making and sharing the video; wish we could pass some Tremocos around for you to try!
Kinda like eating boiled peanuts but trickier! Cool
Portuguese jumping beans!! Lol
But a little more effort required!
But teeth are required before popping these beans out of their skins!
I love the tutorial video. Very cool ! “Nobody Knows The Tremocos We’ve Eaten “…That’s really cute. I like that. Thank you for sharing this delicacy with us.
Glad you like the title, it was a real team effort. Chris started the title and I finished it! We really enjoy this tasty treat!
You’re right, you can’t eat just one! Nice video!
Hmmm, maybe Chris has a future as a food blogger?!
I want to try that. Popping beans. Fun. Reminds me of popping edamame out of their pods
Yes, just not quite as tricky to make sure they don’t pop away!
What fun! Nick-Pop-Chew. Oh, and sip of vinho. I bet they’re tasty!
Yes they are. Will have to see if there is anywhere in the US to order. Don’t think we could pack any in our luggage.
Some history, some fun, something personal this is the best thing I read all week.
Triple the pleasure in one story, great!
I especially liked that they treat water and wine the same!
We do too, so we each order one and share!
As always great pictures. Feel like I was there with you. Especially interested in the statue made from duct tape. Can tell you how much duct tape my son went through with his creations. Will try to send the link of the picture to him. May get back to you if I am unsuccessful
I’m glad Chris was able to send you the photo to share with your son. Duct tape sure has been used in many different ways! Glad the photos brought back more good memories.
I like the cool looking mailbox photo and Jeannie at the Museum. It’s uplifting to read of Portugal ‘s economic recovery.
Chris sneaks pics of me now and then, proof that we are really here?! Yes, there is an optimistic feeling here, hope their economy continues to grow, and not just from tourism.
So amazing! We love reading and being a “part” of the experience,thank you!
Glad you follow and enjoy. We won’t make you sit through any long presentations of our summer vacation!
Nice images! Love that there is sooo much variety and sooo many! I see some look like wheat paste images.. or so it looks. A history behind that wheat paste tagging too.
We were quite surprised by the variety. And on one of the carpets with seaweed, I spotted a small crab trying to make himself invisible. Not a good place for him to be, a long way to water. Hope someone rescued him!
Wow, amazing pictures to capture that beautiful festival.
So much to see and appreciate. Glad you enjoyed!
Felt as if I was there with ya’ll. Even my feet hurt! 😉
Wow, the power of a good story and photos!
A very full day indeed. Hope your recovery period is not too long. Traditions are great and 700 years or so ago I bet they didn’t start out thinking “I wonder if they’ll still be doing this 30 generations from now?”
GReat colors all around from the harbor to the streets. And kudos to the story and photo editor.
We return to Viana do Castelo tomorrow and look forward to seeing it on a normal day. The master story teller/photographer and editor appreciate all comments.
Wow this was amazing reading and pictures. We a most unique cultural experience. Enjoyed seeing the beautifully painted accordions. You don’t hear those being played too often. A friend of my parents had one and taught me how to play it. Thanks for the memory and thanks again for sharing your experience.
It was quite an intense day, they know how to party! Glad you enjoyed our day.
What a party!
And suddenly (WCF-9281.jpg) a Norwegian flag in the middle of the parade – it just confirms our experience that no matter which town or small city you happen to be in during the summer period somewhere in Europe, sooner or later you’ll bump into a Norwegian school band on tour :-).
LOL. I noticed that during the parade. So, Niels, I had to research this, and it curiously appears that the flag is not specifically A flag of Norway, but rather the bandeira (flag) of a regional section of the Corpo Nacional de Escutas or Portuguese Scouts. It is indeed a Nordic cross and uses the same colors as the Norwegian flag, though I cannot find a reason for the similarity (other than salted cod which is consumed in VAST quantities here and is mostly imported from Norway). Here is a link to the Portuguese Scouting flag: https://scoutportugal.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/8704634_v5fyk.jpeg
I always look forward to your keen eye catching such details!
Ah, yes, I can just make out a little bit of the central golden ornament now that I re-check the picture.
Interesting. A similar confusion to what I got the first couple of times I watched the Tour de France on TV and saw all the Danish flags, wondering why many of them had a green Saint Andrew’s cross on them; turned out of course to be Basque flags, not Danish :-).
Hey C&J, Looks like you are having fun. Great Pics! Keep um coming. Be safe!!
Yes, great events and people, food and wine, lots of fun. More stories and pictures to follow. Thanks for traveling with us!
Wow! I enjoyed the video of the giants. The tapedes floridos is really impressive. Thank you for sharing this.
We had never seen anything quite like this and it was great that Chris could record it so we could share. Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow. Wonderful colors!
Every corner we turned, festivities and color! It was great!
Hard to believe that it is already five years that you have been doing this. As you know I love your blog and photos. Many times it reminds me of quite a few of the places I saw over 40 years ago. Love traveling with you and look forward to your many journeys in the future.
Our blog will help preserve our memories; it’s hard to believe all the places we’ve been! Glad we help you remember your earlier travels. We’re always happy to hear from you, and to see you when we’re in Florida. Enjoy your travels sharing time with your grandchildren; thanks for sharing that with us as well.
What an adventure! Great photos too!
Let’s get together later in the year to hear about your adventures! You know where we’ve been but we don’t know where all you’ve been traveling. It’s great to have so many methods of travel, and places to see!
Wow, that is an impressive accomplishment. You are both an inspiration!
doug
Thanks! You already know how much I love following you and learning so much from you!!
And we always enjoying hearing from you!
Wow! Glad I have been on journey with you through the blog.
Glad you travel with us! Will see you again later this year!
I’ve been enjoying your journeys via your blog. I’m glad that I am able to do that. Thank you for sharing with all of your readers (friends ).
It is good to see you here Missy, and better when we meet in St Augustine. Keep traveling with us!
Hi Chris and Jeannie. We love your bogs and this was a great summary of your life of adventure. Susan and I want to spend 6 weeks plus in the Netherlands and in Belgium net summer. Any specific suggestions about Belgium?
Good morning from Flagler Beach! We’re here until tomorrow when we hopefully will have a better understanding of where Hurricane Dorian is headed. This is a wonderful post. Thanks for compiling all of the information and photos. We certainly agree with you about staying at least a month in a country. Although we’ve taken the tour route, we always stay behind (or arrive a little early) to create our own feel for a spot. Hope you’re continuing to enjoy Porto – you’ll find those same hills and steps in Lisbon 🇵🇹 too! Thanks for putting this together. Wishing you fair skies and safe travels. Pat
Glad the hurricane is less of a threat to Florida (for the moment) so hopefully you’ll enjoy the rest of your time at the beach. We enjoy hearing about your trips, a blend of tours and independent travel sounds like a good way for you. Let’s see if we can align our plans next year; it would be great to meet up in a new place!
Beautiful, thank you for taking us along in your journeys!
Glad you’re traveling with us. See you in Florida later in the year!
Thank you for allowing us to follow along in your journey. You know that Lance is a reluctant traveler and each time I share one of your blogs with him, he moves one step closer to packing his bags. So, it is you two who are appreciated! May you continue enjoying life!
You can sign him up so he gets his own alert when a new blog is published:)
Glad you enjoy, hope you’ll be packing for your next adventure soon! And maybe our paths will cross outside the US at some point in the future.
What a read. What a journey. What a life. Looking forward to more.
Agree! We’ll get together later in the year.
Even your “misses” are way better than a day at work. Beautiful prose and pics. Gracias.
Too bad you missed out on the festivities. But the garden looks like it was worth the walk.
Beautiful photos as always. Very interesting about Assumption Day.
Grilled sardines! Who knew? Love how you find unique nuggets and enjoy the local finds that are off the worn travelled path!
This is a great story. Experiencing the locals food has to be one of the best parts of your trips. Grilled octopus is a little out there for me but what the heck. Thank you for giving us this daily excursion to Portugal, since pretty sure it’s the only way I will get there
Sorry to correct but they were squid, not octopus. We haven’t yet had the octopus but it is on our must eat list. Glad you enjoy reading our stories! There will be many more experiences in Portugal!
Everything in the market looked very fresh. I think I have only had sardines from a can. Looked like a very filling lunch.
After eating them fresh, I don’t think I could try sardines from a can. We need to order less, it was way too much food but we ate most of it! Oh well, live and learn (it probably won’t be the last time we make this mistake.)
Very appetizing! I like sardines. I can only imagine how the meal tasted. It all looks delicious! I’m so glad that y’all are enjoying all that Portugal offers.
It was all such simple food, no elaborate recipe needed!
Great update! Sounds fun and very entertaining, thank you!
Love y’all. Safe travels! ~JM
We are enjoying everything, sights, sounds, tastes. It’s good to hear from you! Lots more adventure ahead!!
My mouth is watering!
It was very tasty!!
você senhor é um amante de sardinha repugnante
I don’t think I had ever really tried fresh sardines; the flavor is quite mild. We had discovered squid in Spain and now enjoy it when available. This is a different gastronomic adventure than Lyon, but also very good. Wish you could join us!
I can’t believe you ate all that food for lunch!
Me either! We never know how big the portions will be and these exceeded our expectations. When prices are so low, we think the servings will be small. I’m glad we didn’t have anything planned in the evening; I was quite lazy when we returned but managed to write about our experience. We won’t forget it!
Makes me want to go back even more! Keep having fun!
Will do, thanks for the encouragement!
20% you say, Port may be the Autobahn to wine buzz.
We have not yet experienced a port wine tasting. Will have to plan that for a day when a nap can follow!
Enjoyed the history lesson. Didn’t know much about Portugal until now. We grew up with a VW bus that my Dad had converted into a camper. Also many fond memories of vacations in it. Love the pictures as always. Feel like I am there with you.
We are glad you travel with us, and appreciate seeing your comments!
Hi you guys, looks like a great time. Thanks for all the cool pictures.
Definitely, glad you enjoy!
Obrigada!
Wow! What a delightful way to end your outing by enjoying a nice snack of sausages, cheese and wine and with new friends! Way cool! I love the retro VW buses.
It was a great day! New friends and a ride in a VW bus, what more could we ask for?!
I enjoy street or ‘Urban’ Art. A little visual relief in a bland view of concrete, metal and glass. Love the way you always catch them in your travels!
You’re right, street art splashes color across less interesting surfaces. So much to see here!
I like the History lessons!
Me too, I learn from his posts as well!
Loved the history lesson! The photos are so beautiful. I wish we had made it there when we were In Lisbon. You both look wonderful. Happy travels!
Love,
Pat
Thanks Pat, we look forward to seeing Lisbon later in this journey. We need to get together to talk about your adventure this year, and maybe our travels might overlap next year!
Liked most of the pictures. Some were quite ingenious like doing the cat on the corner of the building. Did not understand a few. An outdoor art museum.
and free! We just have to be careful with all the uneven walking surfaces as we search and enjoy images low and high on the buildings. No falls yet but a few stumbles!
From little on I liked the tagging on the 100 car coal cars headed to the Sheboygan power plant. If you like art you probably like street art. You had me at ‘vandalism or genius’. And you followed through with another great post.
Sheboygan celebrates street art as well – though not nearly on the scale Porto.
https://visitsheboygan.com/street-art-through-the-sheboygan-project/
Gracias!
Artists share their unique perspective for us all to enjoy, we just have to notice it. Thanks for sharing Sheboygan’s project; now we need to return to find these images!
Obrigada!
Ruadas Flores
I also love street art! It’s so creative must of the time! Thank u for sharing.
Ps. I also found one of a big cat on a wall on Ruadas Flores while there.
Yes, we found the Big Blue Cat also, but it is in such a small space I haven’t been able to discover an angle to make a good image. Thanks.
Chris, you explained the origin of graffiti and street art in a very intriguing way. I love it! Such talented artists in Porto. Thank you.
And some of these I didn’t see on the street! He has an eye for finding special images.
Cool
Definitely!
Love it. Downtown Orlando and surrounding communities have commissioned art work throughout. I love viewing the works while driving.
We find street art in most cities we visit. Will have to check out Orlando when we return. Thanks for telling us.
Mo and Jeannie, I will be doing a Scrub Jay mural on the backside of the outdoor store on Corrine in November! You will have to check it out!
Certainly, we’ll be home by then!
It’s a big thumbs up 👍 from me. Like Debi, some I love more than others but such is life.
I say it’s genius. For everyone to be able to walk by art all the time in their everyday lives. Some I like, some I don’t so much but it’s like going to a museum.
I’ I’m learning so much already; and you’ve just started this trip!
Dude, that was cool !
Thanks!
Thanks!
I remember how much both of you would participate in a lot of cycling competitions back in the day. I and my Phil were genuinely impressed with that. Thankyou for sharing your appreciation of the competitors in this blog. I also enjoy the photos.
How amazing that it ended in Porto while you are there. Continue to have fun.
Whoa! The grind on their faces. Great shots. Wander on, my friends… looking forward to more.
Thanks, Chris. It felt like you did this just for me. We love following you and Jeannie on your adventures.
Great Entry, loved it!
Thank you for wonderful photography and interesting commentary
We’re glad you enjoy our stories!
Calatrava also did Florida Polytechnic in Lakeland. Enjoy your trip.
Shirley, You’re right! I remember seeing the building from the interstate. We haven’t visited it yet, but hope to soon. This building along with the Frank Lloyd Wright designed campus of Florida Southern College is putting Lakeland on the architectural map. C
Love your blog! You travel like we do- independently and finding the best local food and wine possible!
Yes, independent travel is best for us. It can be challenging at times, but mostly all good. And why else travel except for the food and wine (and people…)
Great photos! Porto looks a lot better than I remember but that was in 1987, Nothing like an improving economy to spruce up the city. The one thing i do remember are the bright pastel colors. They also paint their small fishing boats in these colors so their harbors and fishing villages are even more appealing than their counterparts in Spain.
We took your advice this year and did air B&Bs in the UK in May. we spent 3 weeks in Ireland, 12 days in Cornwall and 15 days in Scotland. We will never use a hotel again for our travels!
I can imagine Porto was quite a different place in the 80s. There is much reconstruction going on, cranes are part of the view, almost anywhere you look! We haven’t been to any of the small fishing villages yet but look forward to more colorful sights. We are so glad you and Susan tried AirBnb, having the basics of home rather than a hotel setting makes a longer stay more comfortable. The downside is that if a city does not manage the conversions, it can be quite disruptive for the locals. But we enjoy the daily living, interaction with neighbors, shopping and occasional cooking as we “live” in a new place. Enjoy your travels, maybe our plans will overlap again!
Thanks for sharing! I’m learning so much!!
This is a different place and language for us so we have much to learn. Thanks for encouraging us!
Have fun! Enjoy reading about your adventures.
Glad you are traveling with us!
Enjoyed your first tale from this year’s adventure.
Incidentally, we are just (re-)watching Anthony Bourdain’s episode from Porto – Chris, better watch out for those fish-ladies 😉
All the best – enjoy!
Jette and Niels
Now we need to watch that episode, we haven’t encountered any fish-ladies yet. But we did walk through a small craft market where they invite you to dance with them. So much fun here. Wish you could join us this year but we’ll have to better align our travel schedules next year! Enjoy your trips!
I’m salivating at all the culinary delights that you two are enjoying ! Very beautiful blog. Thank you for sharing this.
There are so many wonderful foods and wines to sample. The challenge will be to not bring much back along the waistline, but all the hills here will help us manage! Thanks for encouraging us!
Another wonderful adventure! The food alone is enticing, your description almost makes me feel I am there, thank you! 😉
Glad you are following along. If we could include aromas and tastes in our stories, we would!
There you guys go, off on another great trip somewhere on earth. Have fun!
This trip was long overdue, we spent over a year stateside (but we did get to spend time with friends like you). Yes we are having fun, in our element of a new and wonderful place!
Absolutely adding to my bucket list! Love the color and pavers.
Thanks for sharing your adventures.
We haven’t tried any of their beer yet, but the wine is great and very inexpensive! It’s gonna be a long list if you’re following us, so many beautiful places to see. Glad you enjoy.
Wow. Looks like you have found another wonderful city and country to explore. Hope the 2 German couples were interesting. They look so young. Heat wave continues here with afternoon rains. Be glad for the cooler temperatures. Love the pictures. I guess I would be “shamed” a lot there since I always order a glass of water with my wine. Enjoy.
Yes, this is a great city to explore and we have only just begun. Ha! everyone looks young! We frequently pause, look around, and comment about being the oldest in a group. But that is not a bad thing! In the tavern, we were not “shamed” as my water bottle was hidden in our backpack. And the weather has been a nice break from Florida, but it is odd to occasionally wear a sweater in August (and not while in an air conditioned building!)
What a pleasant surprise to get the first Porto blog entry so quickly! Love living vicariously through your lists.
We knew people were eagerly waiting, and it gave us time to rest our feet. There is so much to see and do here, posting may be a challenge!
Love all the color!
Everywhere we look! It can be dangerous walking without bumping into something or someone, no crashes yet!
YaY! Wonderful-ness!
Yes! And sweet to have dear friends following:)
The street pavers are one of my favorite things in Portugal in addition to the food. That photo of the pastry made my mouth water and made me remember how good they are! I’m looking forward to all of your great photos and travelogue!!!
One has to take care when walking – so much to see at foot level, then art on buildings, and shiny yummy things in shop windows! We enjoy it all, and glad you do as well!
Love the travelog as always!!!
It’s nice to share, and to read yours as well!
Have just caught up with all your travels and house move. Sounds good. Local friends just did our Slovenian holiday which they loved and were full of admiration for our mountain hikes (younger than us). We loved Porto and enjoyed just sitting still sipping Port and tonic. Try Greece next time. We return in September for probably our 30th visit. Love to you both, Janet and Paul
Good to hear from you! So many places to choose from, Greece is on our list. We may be heading your way next year, but need to decide what region for walking. Let’s keep in touch!
Well, that is a whirlwind “back to the mainland” home visit coming to a close. Looking forward to seeing Portugal through your eyes. Peaceful travels you Phooshes.
We’ve enjoyed our stay in the US, and all the time we had with friends and family. The clock is ticking for the next adventure to begin, and we are soooo ready! Always glad to hear from you; you’re in our hearts as we travel.
You should visit us in winter and could temporarily call the blog “snow mads”. Love your stories and of course the perfect pics.
I think the next time we see you should be in Florida; we’ll provide a great break for you and MJ from the Sheboygan weather! We’ll be back at the end of October; just email or call to get on the Foosh-bnb calendar.
Love all the florals and pics of nature!
Very wonderful commentary and review of your stateside wandering!
Completely agree with decision not to live in cold🤪
We are contemplating a half year split between Jax and VA, Granddaughter growing toooo quickly.
Best
So glad you enjoy; Chris does a great job at capturing the beauty of our travels. Enjoy life and have fun, wherever you are!
Well the time spent in Florida went by fast! We were so glad to see both of you a couple of times while you planned the next adventure. Of course the amazing stories that you share with all the “Slow Nomads” followers are going to much anticipated! Wishing you safe travels!
If we don’t get up your way before the end of the month, you’ll be high on the list when we return. Can’t wait to see the new decorations as you continue to settle into your new place! Hope you enjoy Portugal too!
I really enjoyed this post. Good recap of travels and homes. Love the pictures, especially when I get to see Jeannie
And where are you on your travels this summer? Hope it is cooler and you’re having fun. We’ll see you after we return. I’ll have to get some pics of Chris in the next blog, he usually has quite an assortment of photos of me to choose from, occasionally a good one:)
So very happy you decided on Florida!
So we both moved last year, but still about the same distance. Glad we’re staying close!
I can’t wait to experience your next adventure, thanks for sharing.
Love the beautiful pictures!
Hope to see you before we leave, and hear about your adventure this month!
It was great to see you during your stay in Hendovegas. I am looking forward to following your Portugal adventure.
We enjoyed our visits with you. Will let you know when we’ll be in your area again. And please do plan a visit to Fl, when we are home!
I can hardly wait!
We’re glad to still be neighbors!
Wow. Thanks for taking us through the US. Great pictures as always. Hope to get together before you leave again.
We love reading your blog and viewing your amazing photos. We are happy you chose to stay in Wekiva. Just yesterday we returned from an amazing trip to Portugal. It is a beautiful and very interesting country. You will love it !
Glad to hear you’ve been traveling. Let’s get together before the end of the month; we’d love to hear about your time in Portugal!
It’s good to still be close enough to see friends between our adventures. See you soon!
I’m glad that y’all decided to stay in Florida before you trek on over to Portugal. Always enjoy your journeys via your blog.
It was a big decision but mutually agreed. We now have a great home base from which to continue our adventures! And we’ll able to continue our St Aug lunches!
Definitely the perfect time of the year in Croatia for a Fooshee visit. Awesome!
Such good shots again!
I especially like the ‘Croatian catnap ‘….Very cool!
Super pictures. Will add Croatia to my bucket list. Are cars allowed in the old town? Streets are so narrow. When they built walls back then they were made to last.
Thank You!
Great photos as always!
The bread for birds!! Amazing but the laundry photos thrilled my bones!! The color of the water, gosh, just so many shades of green and blue perfection
You two are like an intricately woven creation that continues to make one’s life richer each time you share your journey. Happy 2019 Wanderlust, Ya’ll!
Our life is so enriched by our experience in other countries, and we are glad to share with others who can appreciate the stories and pictures. More travels later this year, to Portugal!
Fascinating history. I know so little about this part of the world. It’s now on the list! Hope you two are well and at work planning your next adventure. Best, Pat
This would be a great addition to your travel list. But the crowds in the city can be quite overwhelming. Make sure to come when you can spend some early morning or late afternoon time, with quieter streets. And make sure you include a visit to Slovenia!
Very interesting read. Thank you for sharing this.
It is great to have you as one of our followers!
Thanks!
Glad you enjoy our travels!
Thanks for sharing the history of this beautiful city. Amazing what they have accomplished in a short time.
Walking around the city, it was hard to think about a war within the lifetime of most of the residents. Quite an amazing recovery. Thanks for always sharing your thoughts on our travels.
I agree with Carl: “You show and tell a nice story.”
Amazing pictures as always. Beautiful old city. The walls are most impressive.
Amazing place. What kind of
camera are you shooting with?
Jimbo
I always enjoy seeing your travels beautifully captured.
Chris and Jeannie, thankyou for documenting our wonderful vacation. These are wonderful memories you have created for us. You add so much detail to our adventures! Hope our paths cross again, Sandy and Dan
It is impossible for me to comprehend the labor and methods to quarry stone, transport and build those walls, the fortifications, houses and churches. Build made-to-last it was. You show and tell a nice story.
Thanks again!
As always, beautiful photos. I’m glad that Susan was okay from her fall. Maja sounds like a great cruise director.
Can you recommend an airbnb in Ljubljana?
What beautiful photos. I’m so vicariously enjoying your travels. Hope to meet up with you in Porto this fall for a drink!
You two are the best American Ambassadors to share your travels & represent all the goodness life offers. <3
That is amazing how they stack the ships in port. What a maze to get to your ship. Beautiful ships though as you passed through. Looks like a wonderful intimate cruise.
This was the best way to see Croatia, and included many interesting experiences beyond the stunning scenery! Glad you enjoyed our cruise.
Super !
Duper!
Another great set of photos and dialogue! Thanks!
Chris amazes me with his ability to choose an aspect of our trip, research and write about it, and then determine which of his many photos to post. The comments you and others leave here provide ongoing encouragement; thanks for your appreciation!
I really enjoyed the video of y’all navigating through the Stella Maris. That was really cool!
Actually, since the Stella Maris was the seventh ship out, we were crossing six other ships to get to ours. 8^)
Swimming in the Adriatic Sea! Every stop is amazing.
I love reliving our vacation through your pictures Chris. Your narrative is excellent and I’m learning so much about the places we visited. Thanks for sharing!
Amazing stonework. I do so enjoy the photographs and the explanations
Yes, Chris captures great images and then researches and educates us all! Glad you enjoy them.
Great pictures, really liked the basement, in a weird way it is hard to imagine how the structure is so massive. Thanks
There is never enough time to explore a structure as remarkable as this. Glad Chris is able to capture as many images and share some highlights of the place.
Very different and beautiful. Love the history of water and rocks, constantly changing. And a laundromat, Heaven!!
Washing in the bathroom sink on a small ship is difficult enough, but nothing dried given the humidity. The full service laundry was a worthwhile stop! And it’s always nice to support a local business.
Diocletian’s Palace is impressive. Thank you for sharing this.
Amazing in age and size, glad you travel with us!
Wow what great pictures as always. The park with the waterfalls was beautiful. The city of Split and the palace is awesome. Just so hard to comprehend that the palace was built so long ago and people still live there. Fascinating.
We always love getting out in nature and Croatia is quite remarkable. So many beautiful spots along the Adriatic, a small cruise is really the best way to travel here. Glad you enjoy our travels.
Wow is the only word to describe these islands. What an interesting country. So much history there. Loved the pictures and sounds.
Yes it was quite a memorable trip. Glad to be able to share.
Oh, this post is just wonderful! I’ve never heard of these destinations. I know so little about Croatia but would love to learn and see more. Thanks so much for the travel log and Happy New Year to you both!
We encourage you and Gary to add this to your list of future travels. Your list is probably as long as ours though! Just keep traveling!
Oh my. Incredible photojournal story. Love the shadow signature photo of you two, too.
We enjoy your comments; shadow photos don’t show aging, or bad hair days, haha!
I enjoyed listening to the Sea Organ. Very nice! And the photos are postcard perfect!
It was a unique experience for us; thanks for listening and enjoying the photos and story.
The ship in the doorway, great. What a beautiful place. Always enjoy your stories and photos
We’re glad you enjoy. Our travels are better with friends who follow us!
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We agree!
You two must have incredibly eclectic dreams at night from these places you journey to and from.
Dreams of where we’ve been…dreams of where we will go next…sometimes it is difficult to just be here now!
Awesome country. Really amazing old architecture. Like your modern stateroom. Looking forward to seeing the rest of Croatia.
Glad you are enjoying this adventure; it was a fabulous way to see different perspectives of a country we had not yet experienced.
Awesome as always! Best wishes for a Happy New Year!
We wish you both a very happy new year!! Thanks for your comment; yes, this was an awesome adventure.
What a voyage – looking forward to more! Love those “stillebens” with musical instruments left to their own musings. (BTW, it’s tubae, not tubi; 1st declension:
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Latin_first_declension).
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Niels and Jette! We encounter many special surprises along our way; I’m glad Chris always has the camera ready to document and share. PS Chris said tubae or not tubi, that is the question?! Thanks for the free editing!
Voyage with the Stella Maris! Really cool! Y’all are living the life and I am so glad that you share it with us.
I agree, it was a very cool adventure; thanks for traveling along!
Awesome!
Yes it was!
Your amazing adventures continue… so glad to see the photos that take the rest of us there with you!
It is an amazing adventure, and we enjoy it again with each friend’s viewing and comments.
Wow what a beautiful country and what an interesting hiking vacation. As always Chris’s pictures make you feel like you are there.
As always, this is a very enjoyable read. I was wondering about the horses that you came across on your walks. That foal (zrebrec ) is adorable. The horses look like palominoes. Very cool!
Beautiful country. The food looked wonderful.
I think that it’s really cool that you were enjoying epicurean delights reminiscent of Jeannie ‘s relatives. You caught my attention right away with the breakfast y’all enjoyed. Very nice!
Well, this was an adventure to be sure. Can’t wait to hear Ljubljana pronounced out loud.
Try it yourself: loo-blee-ah-na Compared to many Slovene words it’s easy.
So funny, I’ve been seeing these everywhere in Verona and thought I was going mad, glad this was the first page that came up when I tried to Google the spiral things!!
Never disappointed by your travelling thoughts and photos. Slovenia!
Didn’t we do well?. Really enjoying this and reliving happy times through your writing and excellent photos. Looking forward to more. Thank you.
Wow you folks did some serious hiking. What beautiful pictures and the meals sounded delicious. Can’t wait to see more.
Thanks!
I’m so glad that you are back in blog form. Such beautiful photos and I am always impressed with the energy that you and your friends have especially hiking all those miles.
“Likely considered common”-Not from my vantage point!
Thanks. Chris, for reminding me to look for the “common things” all around me that are filled with beauty.
Hi Chris, number 29 is grass iris, number 30 probably fragrant orchid, number 18 probably common spotted orchid, number 44 probably three toothed orchid, number 56 lesser butterfly orchid.
All the best, Luka
Luka, so good to hear from you. Hope everything is going well for you all. Thanks for the botanical update, I just finished updating the post. Chris
Absolutely awesome vistas. What a beautiful country. Amazing how you spotted so many different flowers, mushrooms and insects. Especially enjoyed the wild orchids.
Uncommon photos that capture for the rest of us what others elsewhere may see as everyday. Nice.
Beautiful and amazing! Mom has always said “There is always a fungus among us.”
I live in Folkston, Ga. and it is a delight to follow your travels. I am pleased as punch to see “the places you go”, far from North Shore but a great place to begin. I learn much from each post and pictures. Thank you Linda Link Pina
Thanks!
I love the orchids. Very beautiful!
So beautiful, the little yellow globes I had not seen ever
An amazing leg of your life’s journey, Folks! Rechecked the location again to get a perspective with the surrounding countries… so different from previous treks of yours. Rich with history of course.
Slovenia is more beautiful than I imagined. Makes you wonder how different things were 100 years ago to make people immigrate from there. Your stories bring us along with you and the drool-worthy pictures are the satisfying dessert.
On one of our walks in the countryside, we stopped where a farmer was working, and our guide had a short conversation with him. I asked her to tell him we find Slovenia to be a beautiful country. She did and his reply was “Slovenia is Slovenia”. I guess when you work hard in the country, the beauty that others see is not so special. I’m sure life was quite difficult for their hope for a better life to draw them to take a long voyage to an unknown place. I would like to return and find family who have knowledge of the life and conditions at that time. Maybe we’ll plan another trip, and you can join us?!
I would love to be there and see the beautiful countryside without doing the heavy walking.
We’re glad we can share the photos for those who can’t join us on the trail. Who knows how long we’ll be able to travel this way so we’re trying to enjoy as much as we can!
Wow what a great place. Love the house and your room. The wide window ledges reminds me of my Dad’s farm house where he lived in Germany. How nice the meals and walks were included in this package. Pictures are great.
As different as places are, there’s usually an element that is familiar to someone. Glad we could trigger a fond memory.
Beautiful countryside! For some reason I didn’t realize it was so mountainous there.
Lots of rolling green hills, and the Julian Alps are on the northern border. It is a popular place for climbing; we enjoyed the view from lower elevations!
I love the bedroom. I bet sleeping was such a wonderful time in such a beautiful setting. I was really smiling at the Teddy Bears and the dolls that greeted y’all on your walks. Too cute.
It was a beautiful bedroom, but we stayed so busy we didn’t spend much time there, and we usually fell asleep pretty quickly! Yes, it is interesting to see the items that decorate our paths. It would have been fun to see the children who put the dolls on the bench.
What a beautiful location. The photos are, again, spectacular. Thanks so much for the view!
After two months in the great city of Verona, and a week in the capital of Slovenia, it was a delightful place to enjoy the countryside. The hills and wildflowers made for great hikes. You may want to add this less-traveled country on a future travel agenda; it is worth a detour from Italy. Enjoy your next adventure, wherever it is!
Looks lovely. Russ and I are still out west. Currently in Oregon. Back end of Sept.
Slovenia doesn’t get a lot of travel press, but it is definitely worth a visit. Do let us know when you’re back in town; would love to exchange travel stories!
This looks like a wonderful, unspoilt palce to visit!
It truly was, and a great place for walking! Definitely worth adding to future travel plans.
Thanks again for sharing!
Always glad to see you following us!
Beautiful, we head to Barcelona end of Sept for three weeks.
Have fun! We’ll watch for photos, Barcelona is a great place!
Chris’s global water/sky photos lift me everytime with their varying shades of blue.
Wonderful parting photos. Interesting healthcare insight from within another country.
More photos of beautiful Slovenia will follow, from out in the country. But no further medical incidences!
Happy to hear Jeannie’s illness wasn’t too serious. All the pics are lovely but
I especially like your photos of the Old Town and the river- so colourful, almost looks painted.
We are lucky to not have experienced any illness or injury too serious. I think I preferred this experience over Chris’ root canal and overlay. And our travel insurance covered both sets of expenses.
The city is quite colorful and lively, we’d love to return. But so many other places to go…glad Croatia followed and we could share the cruise with fabulous people like you!
I enjoyed the report on Jeannie’s illness but happy she made a quick recovery.
Chris took good care of me and managed to get us organized to leave one lodging and transfer to the next. Not the best timing, but it all worked out in the end.
I was grimacing while reading the beginning of this. Glad it got better at the end.
Me too!
I’m so glad that your infection was short lived. The emergency room personell seem top notch. I can relate to Jeannie having to navigate ,while being tethered to an iv and having carrying a sample bottle. Not a fun time! I’m happy that y’all got back into the groove of your travels.
I wasn’t sure what to expect of the Slovenian medical system, and I’m glad my illness wasn’t severe. We do enjoy “living” in different places and that means dealing with the good and the bad. This didn’t slow me down much and we didn’t have to miss any of our next adventure!
So happy it wasn’t anything too serious for Jeannie. It brought back the memory when we were departing China and Jeannie and you Chris had to stay behind as Jeannie was not up to snuff.
Happy all is good and enjoy your hiking in Pri Lanert. Stay well hugs Fae
This time I was not nearly as sick as in China and it didn’t really interfere with our hiking holiday. Glad this post is done so Chris can now share the fabulous time we had out in the country. We hope to see you somewhere in our future travels. Have you been to Portugal? That may be next year’s location.
Happy Ending!
Definitely!
Sorry that Jeannie was ill but sounds like she was well taken care of. Ljubljana looks like it was a great city to visit. Some great pictures.
Ljubljana was a great city to explore and I’m glad I was fine for most of our visit. We’d love to go back again, to the city, not to urgent care!!
Great pictures as always. I have a feeling that the caves were quite spectacular.
Thanks, again!
Lipica Stud Farm ! I’m so glad that y’all got a chance to see the famous Lippizan horses. Thank you for sharing this. I love how these beautiful equines don’t turn white until later on. Such beautiful photos of them.
Nice! Brings back memories of my father and I going to car shows both new and antiques. Great photos and blogs as always!
How interesting and exciting for you.
How very exciting for you to find info about your ancestors. I am surprised to see that the record book of your grandmother Pauline is in German. I guess they were under Prussian rule at the time. Interesting that your grandmother was born in 1907. My dad was born in 1906.
It has been exciting, and there still is much to discover. The split from the Austria-Hungary empire occurred in 1918, when it became the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs. Then it was renamed to Yugoslavia in 1929, and became independent Slovenia in 1991. Not only were my family names changed over the years, but the country they came from was renamed at least 4 times in just over 100 years. I did not remember this from my world history class years ago, Google can be a useful tool!
Jeannie, you write beautifully and I am really excited about your journey into your roots. Thank you for sharing this.
I can write a pretty good outline, but Chris is the master at making it an interesting read. It takes teamwork, on all aspects of our travels, and life!
An incredible journey. Past, present and future.
And even better when shared with friends and family!
Wow, how special to be looking at records from over 100 years ago in a foreign land knowing it is also your land too. Wonder if their house is still standing after all this time. Nice work!
It will be great to visit you this fall, and I look forward to further research using your mom’s memory box. She provided the extra encouragement for me to add Slovenia to our travel agenda. I hope to put it on a future itinerary, to try to find Turks in Novo Mesto!
Fascinating. And so much to find out still to come. I love the wedding photo.
I don’t have many photos but will be able to look through my aunt’s memory box in Wisconsin this fall. I am fortunate to have known my grandparents, and I have good, though somewhat faded, memories.
Wonderful to find your roots, so glad that it happened for you!
It was a great experience and I am glad to share it.
Good sleuthing!
Always good to do a little brain work in addition to our walking!
Jeannie, how exciting for you to search your family tree. It’s always amazing to learn the paths our ancestors took and to think how different our lives would be today had they decided to remain in Europe instead of seeking new adventures overseas to Canada or the USA. Hope your future searches yield more information about your great-grandparents. Thanks for sharing
It was a great experience, to see their country and find records in the archives. I have read that initially Slovenians immigrated to the US, and immigration laws in 1924 slowed their entry. This is when significant numbers went to Canada. If my great grandparents had waited some years, we might be neighbors!
Very interesting. Sounds like fun. Hope Jeannie finds some pieces to her family tree.
I did, but there is more to research…in another trip one day.
Earthquakes? Who knew? The selfie of you two together is a rare, but “beloved” moment.
Chris, I love reading your blog. I enjoy the photos. But most of all, I am using your photos as teaching tools to help me improve my photography as Dennis and I travel and I shoot my thousands of pics on each trip. I am improving and believe it’s because of what I’m learning from your shots in a big part. Slovenia sounds so lovely. Italy is my favorite country, with Spain (Cartegena and Malaga) being a close second. I envy you the longer times in each city! Keep shooting and writing!
As always, a great time was had as I read this. I’m looking forward to reading more about Jeannie ‘s great grandparents in the next blog. Thank you for taking us with you on this journey.
Having heard about this city for my entire life, knowing that grandma was born there, this isn’t what I expected… it is far better. I though Eastern European city which meant drab architecture, smaller – a place to get away from. I’m sure things were quite different 100 years ago in this area, when many emigrated. You sure do a great job describing the area in words and photos. Wide panoramas and close-up detail are equally interesting and complement each other and assist in understanding from half a world away.
Amazing pictures. Incredible architecture when you realize how many times they have had to rebuild after so many earthquakes. Loved the monument with you two in it. What a beautiful area. Can’t wait for your next post.
You transported us to another beautiful place once again – thank you!
Double Wow!
What a great eye opener to a country I don’t know much about! It looks like an amazing place.
I’m amazed at how Mara served her culinary delights at the Trattoria de Mara by herself. That pistachio cake sounds awesome!
It certainly wasn’t fast food, but so worth the wait! I would love a tour of her kitchen to see how she manages it all herself.
Thanks!
Trieste is where Joseph duc d’Otrante Fouche died (was murdered?) after the whole debacle with Napoleon and so on. I’m so excited you got to go there!
It was a great city and we should have planned more time. But we were anxious to get to Slovenia, and soon you’ll see why!
Very interesting and old city. Always amazed at how much you accomplish in a day. Waiting for the Slovenia and Croatia blogs.
When time is short, we move quickly! I wrote quite a bit in my journal on this trip, especially in Slovenia. Hope to return one day, for the beautiful country, great people, and to continue my genealogy work.
Jeannie Tweet Tweet!!!!! Love when Chris is drawn to “people” shots of those ya’ll meet!
Without the people we meet along the way, our travels would be lacking. And it’s great when Chris captures the experience to share! Great people add color to our experience!
Enjoyed comments and pictures.
Did you ever expect this of Chris when he was young?!! He’s a great travel writer & photographer; we’ll enjoy these memories for years and years.
Thanks for the card!
We like to use regular mail on occasion. Glad it got to you!
Beautiful pics! Who knew birds liked to photobomb like people do? 😄
I think that was the first time it’s happened!
Well it appears that you found the right place in Italy to spend a few months. Great pictures as always. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your trip.
I don’t know that we could chose badly in Italy, or most countries we’ve visited. Wonder where we’ll chose for next year?
As always, beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I find myself adding them to my own 💗
We hope to meet you on a future adventure. Let’s share travel calendars when we’re planning 2019!
WoW. My brother so needs to enjoy this too! Love the way you blended the venues together.
Really enjoyed seeing the old cars and motorcycles. Your timing to see this event was certainly in your favor. Also thanks for the update on your brother, Mike. Wishing him a good recovery.
Interestingly, it looks like several of the cars were both at the show in Verona and on the streets of Bergamo. I guess if you are enough of an enthusiast to spend fortunes on keeping an old beauty like that in order, you both want to show it off and drive it to its potential.
My heart skipped a beat looking at all the beautiful, vintage cars. But the photo of the 1929 Indian motorcycle is really cool!
I loved the pics but was surprised to see Shoney’s Big Boy pop up in Italy….I guess even he needs to see the world 😂
Great story, beautiful styling. You can see the love of their cars in the vintage rides, clothes and drivers.
We thought Bergamo was an incredible city! We were miscorrectly pronouncing it Bear-GAH-mo and someone politely corrected us. haha
What an amazing old city. The basilica is gorgeous. Pic of you two is great.
What a great way to see the race, while enjoying gelato. Very nice! Have a safe and happy 4th of July.
Happy 4th of July, this place is so beautiful. The picture of bowl like bird bath, just by itself, perfection! But then so are all the others
Reminds me of my trip to Germany, we saw a portion of a big bilke race (don’t remember the name) All the townsfolk were our along the roads, sitting at outdoor cafe’s sipping wine, as were we. It was exciting!
I’m catching up on old posts! I Love the reflections on Lake Garda!! I could see those as paintings, if you’d care to share!
Evy
When I read this, I was immediately sad because of your fall. As I read on I was encouraged by the relationship you and you wife have. You are blessed–both of you. You are positively a friends person, and when friends people have needs, their friends will always be by their side. I do pray for you to recover strength in your legs quickly. Good advice on the insurance.
So glad you’re on the other side of this, Mike. Thank you for documenting your experience and making a special point to remind all of us how wonderful people are— everywhere.
Family, good people and a caring universe. Glad you are healing well.
That was a great post. I hope Mike has a full recovery.
It was good for me to read this account because lately I’ve been seeing more “bad and less good”. Thanks!
Mike,
I pray for a quick and full recovery for you. Quite a story. Safe travels in the future.
Shakespeare could not have written a more interesting tragedy. Great attitude attracts. Bravo!
Oh my! The adventures never end!! Glad you’re OK. Now I know where Chris gets his great writing ability – from you!!!
How wonderful a story. I hope you are doing better now. I hate Hospitals and Doctors and the whole nine yards and you know why. I am so grateful God was watching out for you and you had so many wonderful people to assist you in your need. Amazing how God takes care of those he loves.
God bless and keep you all.
Wow that is quite a story, Mike. I am amazed how many people you remember when you were in so much pain. Glad u were able to get home and have your surgery. When my sister was in Italy she also slipped departing the train. She broke her leg and needed the surgery in Italy before she could fly. Luckily her travel insurance covered the surgery and the return transportation to southern CA. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
OMG, having been through a traumatic accident in the states, i can totally appreciate the feelings you had in a foreign country. Having to totally rely on others to make decisions in an emergency is daunting, and reveals the reality of no wo[man] is an island. The love of others in our time of need is amazing. God’s speed to recovery.
What a terrible ordeal to go through! Please know that you will be in our prayers. Praying for Kathy too..
Wow, what a story and glad to hear that all seemed to move seamlessly. Get well soon.
Wow! What an adventure and glad you are on the mend. I will always purchase Medical Travel Insurance with evacuation coverage should be purchased by anyone leaving the USA even for short trips from now on!
Wow! Quite a tale. And such a compassionate guy to appreciate all those who came to his aid. Heal well, Michael.
So glad Mike had heroes to support him and Kathy. My favorite line, after he said he cried knowing she would be delayed on her return, was he just stepped back and threw chocolates at her as she drove what needed to be done. There’s a man that knows, loves, and respects his wife!
Ouch, ouch, ouch … Mike, all the best wishes for a full, if not speedy, recovery, so you and Kathy can get back to traveling (with insurance!).
We still hope to meet you somewhere some day together with Chris and Jeannie.
All the best,
Jette and Niels
(C+J’s Danish friends)
Michael, this had me in tears. I am so glad that you are recuperating. Shalom to you, Kathy,Chris and Jeannie. Thank you very much for sharing this.
Wow
It sounds like a wonderful day in Padua. Loved the pictures.
Fabulous Family Holiday.
It has been great to have them join us each year. Always fun times.
Dear Chris and Jeannie,
We met briefly in the Parc de la Tête d’Or in Lyon last June
You have now 13 new friends (retirees) delighted to follow you in Italy (our favorite destination), ready to go anywhere… «Let’s read something from Chris and Jeannie, they are still in Italy.. »
We enjoy meeting at my home to learn English, we get to know each other, have become friends, our group is open, free (we belong to an association of retirees), why don’t you come and join us some time (we have a guest room)?
By the way Christian and I will be hiking in the Dolomites (not so far from Bolzano) beginning of August, but you may be in Slovenia…
All the best,
Monique
We remember you fondly and wish we had met you at the beginning of our time in Lyon rather than the end. Hearing from you on our blog is a good way to stay connected so your comments are always enjoyed. And that we have additional followers means that our circle of friends continues to expand. Hello to our new subscribers from Lyon!
We almost planned to hike in the Dolomites, but spent a week hiking in Slovenia instead. Hopefully soon, Chris will be writing about our time there. We are currently in Dubrovnik, Croatia, another great place to visit, and will begin our travel back to Florida on Friday (tomorrow).
Thank you again for reaching out to contact us. It is wonderful to be drawn back to those places that have been so special to us and to the people that made them so.
Warmest regards,
Jeannie & Chris
Great pictures and thanks for sharing the city’s history.
Thank you so much for your amazing photographs —and the accompanying text. Wonderful !
I love the frescoes and the fact that some were restored, even if it was 10%. Very nicely written. Thank you for sharing your adventure.
I love the frescoes and the fact that some were restored, even if it was 10%. Very nicely written. Thank you for sharing your adventure.
I’m getting so smart; thanks to you!
Wonderful street art!
We find it in most places we travel, some more creative than others. Always a visual surprise!
You capture motion and emotion in your photos. Nice.
Love the day’s captured momentum. And family.
So nice that Chris’s brother and sister can join you. The awesome pictures of the towns makes me feel like I was there. Would have loved to partake in the eating and drinking going on!
I like your brother’s t-shirt and his excitement about the race. As always Chris really captures the event in pictures. Curious why the bikes and stage were painted pink. I didn’t see any women racing.
I can really understand your brother’s excitement and determination to see this race in person. That’s really cool! Kinda like being able to see the Kentucky Derby in person, instead of on the television. The photos of the cyclists are awesom
Beautiful highlights of your adventures. We’ve been enjoying your travels. Love to you both. Pat
Memories are made of this and enjoyed by many. Love the photo bomb chickee!
What a wonderful time spent with your brother and his wife. I enjoyed reading this.
I thoroughly enjoy your writing. Descriptive, informative and humorous. Your flavorful journal coupled with a gorgeous buffet of eye candy puts a smile on my face every time.
You had me at lemoncello!
I spent many summers there as a kid.
A great colorful buffet of photos. You don’t see colors of buildings and boats in the USA like you do elsewhere. The colors don’t detract from nature, the add to the overall beauty.
Always like that you share the phonetics of how to pronounce a unfamiliar name or place. I literally sit here at the laptop and pronounce it at least twice. Each place you have traveled to has a new feel with these different new sounds. Thanks for doing that Jeannie & Chris. LoVe the huge lemon!
I’m so tired after reading about all your walking! You’re amazing!!
Fabulous pictures. Feel like I have seen it in person. Beautiful place
What a quaint town. You saw a lot in spite of the rain.
What an outing! I marvel at you two ‘strolling ‘ 3 miles. I’d be out of breath. The photos are a delight, as always.
You added another place for me to visit!
You two look gloriously wonderful! Made my day!
sweet picture of the two of you, your looking good!
I used to think that smart phones were really just a luxury, but what an asset! It’s a great thing that y’all had them to present passports with just a flick of a thumbnail. I enjoyed traveling with you two.
Loved this but sorry you had a tooth episode. Glad it was resolved. Continue to have fun. Love, Aunt Neona
You make the best of everything… you spread beauty and joy. Thanks!
A lovely part of Italy.
Looks like it was a beautiful day. Some spectacular landscapes. Awesome pictures.
Your pics complement your story very well. The apple strudel pic brought back the best memories of Gma Turk making it. I feel as though I can smell the cinnamon and taste the gooey stickiness as I look at your blog… I wanna eat my IPad now.
Keep on stepping… and blogging!
The apple strudel was the unexpected surprise on this day. It was as good as it looks, and we enjoyed every bite (maybe Chris got 3 bites). And such strong memories of childhood and grandparents and cousins. We are never really alone when we travel, and I had much company on this day. Today also resulted in more thoughts about our plans for Slovenia, where I anticipate more strudel and potica! Glad to stir shared memories with you.
Another great adventure and another idea for my future!
I think your list will be getting longer, based on the remaining adventures we have to share, and to experience!
What a day! Now that’s a 5-Star adventure. Cable car & in 3 languages. The richness shows through. Thanks for the ride!
This day was quite remarkable and a grander adventure than we had anticipated (partially due to apple strudel!)
Nothing like a great Cafe Americano and a nice slice of Apple strudel to enjoy after your outing. As always, the photos are beautiful.
Wish we could have shared the flavors and aromas. Hmmm, maybe next time Chris can record the sounds we make (ummmm, ahhhh, YUM!)
Bob and I skied with Karl and Ingrid in the Dolomites back in Feb. 1978. It is a beautiful area. Love all the pictures. Amazing how much you two manage to see in a day. Gute Nacht.
We had hoped to get further into the Dolomites, and going there for several days to hike was on our early planning list. But a day in Bolzano was the most we could do, so we may be planning a return, probably in the summer to hike, but it would be a beautiful place to ski. I’m sure the 4 of you have great memories.
Thanks!
An octopus in the garden. Ha!
Sometimes unexpected happenings are the best!!
Thank you , 𝖢𝗁𝗋𝗂𝗌, for the wonderful photographs. I love your commentary, too.
Wow just hard for me to get my head around how old everything is and open to the public to see. Great pictures as always.
I can’t believe it just gets better and better! Thanks!!
The ‘Falcon of Italy ‘ is really impressive. I am curious as to what type of tools are manufactured in Brescia. Philip would had loved to check out the tools. Especially if they were of the machinist kind. And to have a lunch of gnocchi and ravioli! Cool!
Another interesting city in this fascinating old region. Must put it on our list.
Funny shot with the stones in the hollow tree. I wonder what the idea is – protecting the tree from rotting or maybe something more “ritualistic” (like coins in a fountain)?
Best regards,
Niels
Niels, I thought it might have just been a confused squirrel. 8^)
Hey, I know everything is bigger in America, but even you don’t have squirrels that size (fortunately), and neither do the Itallians.
Thanks for the history and pics you shared.
Great story of your day’s stroll. The glass sculpture in the garden had me do a double-take.
Memories, but new factoids too. And of course, love the pics!
I was there in the late 60’s. Sure did not learn all that history. Thanks for sharing and loved all the pictures.
Truly amazing reconstruction efforts and results.
Saw similar reconstruction while visiting Austria and visited beautiful cathedral that took direct hits. Today you would never believe what was left in 1945.
Enjoyed the suggestion for a good read and will be downloading soon.
Lovely, lovely; favorite shot is moonlight at the waterfront😮
I’m learning so much, thanks to you!
I love with all that beauty around you, the sounds stood out!! That is just wonderful. And clothes hanging out on the line, so special to me. Fantastic photos and story
Thanks Bonnie. I think it’s important to try and be attentive to everything that your senses can collect. Laundry is a banner of life, I love the fact that clothes are still hung to dry. And I didn’t even mention the aromas that drift from kitchens, or lurk around the trash bins. But, I have read your writings, you know of these kinds of things. C
Thank you so much for this insightful look into this beautiful city. As a woman who has learned from Ancestry. Com of my true Ashkenazi origin, I applaud you! SHALOM AND HAPPY TRAVELS. .
Amazing recovery of a beautiful city. Thank you for sharing this. And I agree with Bonnie. It’s always smart to learn from the past.
Very interesting, I have also visited verona but did not know this.
Hi Chris, Thanks for the comment. Certainly there are no outward signs that prompted me to think that the area was so heavily destroyed. But as I researched other aspects of Verona’s past I came across the WWII photos. History is much like peeling an onion … layer upon layer. C
Since you are in Northern Italy, you might want to check out the book “Beneath a Scarlet Sky”. It’s a true story of an Italian resistance fighter, from his time as a teen guide for fleeing refugees trekking over the Italian Alps above Lake Como into Switzerland and through his early 20’s as the chauffeur for the German commander in charge of the area. It’s some history we missed here, and it’s free on Kindle. It will explain why people (especially the older ones) get so friendly when they learn that the pale blonde is not from Germany but the United States. That entire area is wonderful. I’m glad you are experiencing it.
Merle, So good to receive such a nice comment from so long ago and so far away. My wife has read “Beneath a Scarlet Sky”, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Indeed this region of Italy is incredible, and very different from other places we have traveled. Of course, that is why we enjoy these experiences so much. Thanks for visiting, and especially for taking the time to leave a comment. Best regards, Chris
Very nice before and after. We have to always look back to see forward.
Very interesting. We didn’t see any fossils when in Italy but we weren’t in Verona. Have a great time.
Awesome!
Thanks for the history and science lesson. How cool that you noticed the fossil in the floor tile. But then again you have a photographer’s eye. Love your blogs.
Wow! Very interesting that these fossils are in the tile of your apartment and Verona’s walkways. I think it’s really cool that you examined the tiles closer. One of the fossils looks like a shrimp I savored yesterday at my favorite Italian grill. I enjoyed learning as I read this.
Well then, I will be on the lookout for cannoli fossils for you.
That’s funny. And a nice cup of expresso.
They tell a story… and you notice and listen and pass it on to us. Love the stories of science and history. Keep em coming.
What would we do without the internet? How would we learn or share? Chris is always in learning mode!
Re the age of Juliet and how her statue is (ab)used: Having seen said statue, I’m pretty sure it must be depicting Juliet in that alternative universe where she didn’t die, but lived on to at least well into her twenties. Of course, that meant the tragic tale in that universe was never quite so tragic and her fame consequentially less widespread, so it turned out they didn’t really need the statue, whereupon it was teleported into our universe and placed in the courtyard in Verona.
Best regards,
Niels
P.S. Minor detail: I believe the plaque is actually commemorating da Porto’s death, not his birth.
Forsooth! The truth. You both are truly time travellers.
Thank you for the history behind this romantic saga. I remember having to read “Romeo and Juliet “and it’s counterpart, “West Side Story ” when I was in the 8th grade. My teenaged mind was a bit cynical as to the originality of the love story. Thank you for sharing this.
Jeannie and Chris,
I lived in Montecchio Maggiore and used walk up to Romeo and Julietta’s castles which overlooked the town. It is just a story told by storytellers that went from town to town to entertain the people… Count DaPorto picked up the story that eventually ended up in the hands of Shakespeare…
The words, alone, are enough. Romeo and Juliet, took my heart years ago. I re read Shakespeare often. I sure don’t need people’s chewing gum, yuck!! Just the words! Thanks for sharing
Wow that is the chuckle for the day. What a history of the story of Romeo and Juliet. Thanks for the research and sharing.
Enjoyed the detailed history of the Romeo and Juliet story. Never knew. i’m enjoying your blog and pictures immensely.
It’s good to hear from you. We’d love to see you after our return and hear about your adventure. And we hope to see you on another hike, but probably not till after mosquito season!
Absolutely gorgeous picture, Chris! They evoke such good memories of Verona, a wonderful city, indeed. We had the chance to see Madame Butterfly in the Arena and it was one of the most intense moment in our lives. Your post has made us want to go back. All the best.
Unfortunately we will miss the opera season here; it would be a great reason to return. Glad to help bring back good memories.
Hi Jeannie and Chris,
Your representation of Verona, Mantova, Vicenza has been spectacular. Thank you for visiting these beautiful cities and to learn so much about the antiquities, the life style and the people.
Please, if you have the time, visit Sirmione by Lake Garda located less than 30 minutes away from Verona. Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy and Sirmione will be a stunning surprise that you cannot miss. I am home sick! Thanks, Gianna
I get it!
What a great, old, interesting city. Thanks for sharing. Great pictures as always, Chris.
Joan thinks your photos are unreal – probably paintings. I, on the other hand, wonder how many pics did it take you to get that good… a million?
At least! And what amazes me, Chris can look at a photo years later and know where he took it. I can usually guess what country, but not always the city or town. And as much as you enjoy the images, we love to hear from you all; comments are much appreciated!
Thanks for the kind words. I’m glad that you like the images I post. As for the ratio of good images, since we began this adventure in Italy about 01 April 2018, I have made about 3000 photographs and published just over 400, that’s almost 14%. However I would estimate that the number of what I would consider very good is about 20%. About 10-15% of those are variations on the same subject, i.e. different angle, exposure, day, etc; still very good but the same subject. There are about 40% average or snapshot quality, and of the remainder, 15% would be better than average and 15% below average/snapshot quality. I immediately cull the totally failed shots, but those are few, and keep the below average ones since they hold significance to us or assist in establishing a time and place … memories. Answer your question?
Inspiring thoughts, beautiful photos.
Thanks for enjoying, and taking the time to let us know.
A good reminder to me that one can never feel or see it all. Each time has a newness. This chapter tells me how much I cherish ya’ll. Anew.
We seldom feel disappointed that we missed something, the photos are permanent records to relive in the years ahead. And the images have multiple lives, through our friends eyes. Many more chapters ahead, we hope.
I love how you’re experiencing, appreciating and sharing all the details large and small. Great tandem photo too.
And it’s always great when things remind us of our friends!
Affascinante
Decisamente!
To enjoy every day and experience all things, big and small is really a gift. Thank you for sharing this gift.
Your enjoyment is a gift to us!
Love the photos! The markets are wonderful, as of course is the architecture!
I want one of those bunnies!
Carry on you two!
Evy
Lots of great things we wanted to buy! The bunnies were so cute! But no room in the suitcases for any stowaways.
That was cool. What fun.
Yes it was. Glad we got outside in time to see them!
I think I saw some of those flower varieites at the CA Spring Trials last week. Wonderful photos as always!
Love the flowers in springtime, where ever one is!
Cool!
Love the music! What a wonderful way to enjoy your morning coffee. And the band looks fantastic! I love a man in uniform.
What fun! And good to share it from here. Thanks!
You’re almost here with us!
Delightful moment indeed. Wonderful read AND listen.
Technology can make it easy to share much more than a quick image. Glad we had time to dash out and see them in action!
How grand!! And now I am surprised very early with this joy!
The marching band doesn’t know how far they traveled this morning! We’re glad to brighten your day.
What a treat, thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for that, Chris – much better than being there ourselves 😉 – at least when compared to going to Venice.
CU, Jette & Niels
We enjoyed your visit with us in Verona, and will see you tomorrow in Venice!
Thank you for sharing these beautiful sights with the very informative commentary. You are an inspiration to us and we are more and more convinced that this is the way we want to live our reirement. All the best.
How fabulous to hear from you! We do hope our travel paths will overlap at some point in the future. Please stay in touch!
It was nice to see something green since we just lost or white a couple days ago. Of course everything you post is fun to look at. And your history lessons are always great too. Caio!
The trees here are fully leafed out now, and the snow on the mountain tops is almost gone. We hope your snow stays away and that you will now enjoy spring weather. We hope for good weather when we visit you this summer!
I like!
Vincenza was lovely!
Love the photo of the “guy” in the balcony window.
It can be challenging to look up, down and all around when we walk. He was quite unexpected!
The beauty of not having the hassle of trying to find a parking space is reason enough to cheer mass transport. I also like the fact that the train station is within walking distance. That photo of the scooter tugs at my heart. Is it a Vespa? It looks like the one my mom rode, sans sidecar.
We knew you’d love the scooter!
What a great city. Loved seeing all the beautiful flowers. How interesting to see the underground passage ways.
Vicenza was a lovely place, and the flower market was delightful. It would have been nice to buy things for a garden, but we do have a rosemary and sage plant that the owner bought for our terrace. Easy to care for!
Just returned from our NC vacation and saw this for the first time. Great pictures and sounds like the perfect place for your Italian home. Looking forward to seeing more of Italy.
NC is a good spot for a vacation. And Verona is a great place to experience living in Italy! There will be much more to share!
Wow! What treasures in this off the beaten path city. Did you really see all that in one day?
Amazing pictures and to think these old structures are still standing and in use today. Awesome.
The cities and structures are amazing, even before we study the history! Chris is good at wandering so we always see quite a variety of the main sights, and some unusual things.
This is too much of a perfect timing that I am reading this after Torah study! My fellow classmate and I were just talking about how good the Gonzaga basketball team was this season. Wow! I learned of the school’s namesake. Thank you for another pleasant journey.
Love to hear about life’s intersections!
Thank you so much! Living vicariously through y’all in this well told piece. Bravo, bravo… encore? Love love JM
The photography is amazing Chris! Love viewing this city!!
Good to hear from you! This is a beautiful city and we are fortunate to be here long enough to really absorb the pace of Italian life. We try not to be in a hurry to see it all. Many more stories and photos to follow…
Chuck would like that restaurant!
It was all about the food! We didn’t translate the name until days after we ate there:)
Super story and fantastic photo’s.
Chuck Mathias
So lovely a read and look around. What are the clear bead thingies in 24? Big?
Hard glass globules with a bubble in the center. Each was 6-12 inches in diameter sitting in the water of a fountain. I tho’t it looked cool.
Thank you for your wonderful commentary and Fabulous photography
Prego!
Such a great history behind this beautiful city and I am so glad that you two are enjoying it. The photos are a special treat, as I read this. Also, glad that you got your tooth taken care of.
Chris does the research to share more about the places we experience; glad you enjoy.
Unbelievable!
Thanks for sharing. Lovely place.
Glad you enjoyed; it’s all beautiful here!
The Stones Speak!! Wonderful way to describe history, your writing , like your photos beautiful. The hunchback holding the holy water bowl!!! And the red watering can.
Chris always finds interesting things to capture. We love to hear what speaks to our readers; thanks for your comments.
Great read ! I always enjoy learning from the blog posts!
Me too, and I’m on this adventure!
Completely understand!!!☹
I am just completing a 6month journey of extractions, 2 permanent bridges and now my last replacement crown😲
Though many $$$$ later, a wonderful feeling now, sorry for your issues, but what a great resolution.
Enjoy Verona.
Ouch, ouch, ouch! It’s amazing how such small things can be so painful. Hope all your dental issues are over and you can focus on that house! Looking forward to seeing more of your progress photos.
C
So happy this worked out well for you! Wonderful advice too. Love to you and Jeannie. We leave for Paris this Sunday (yikes!!).
Enjoy your trip!
Hi Jeannie and Chris,
This is Gianna Golding, maybe you remember me meeting you at your brother’s unit at the MG.
It looks like you finally made it to Verona. My sister in law, my niece and nephew live there for the past 40 years or more. Please visit Vicenza, another exquisite town, also called the town of Andrea Palladio about 30 minutes away. He built numerous Villas in the country side (one of which is Villa La Rotonda just west of the city) and many Building between 1550 to 1600 such as The Teatro Olimpco and the Palazzo Chiericati across the street from Teatro Olimico. All still standing… and well maintained. Also check out the Piazza dei Signori where the Basilca Palladiana stands tall. This town was my stomping ground where i went to school. In 30/40 minutes train ride you can also be in Venice. South of Verona you can visit Mantova another very special City.
Hi Gianna, it’s good to hear from you. We are planning to see Vicenza later this week (the weather is drizzly so we’re looking for a sunny day). Last week we went to Mantova for a day and it is a special and beautiful city. This area of Italy has many fine towns to see, we hope to visit many while keeping enough days to just wander and appreciate Verona. Thanks for joining us on this adventure!
Just another example of your great preparation (and experience) and how that pays off. Grateful for a good outcome.
Lem
We try to prepare for the unexpected, and hope for the best! Good outcomes are appreciated!
So thankful you had good travel insurance. I pray all is well with your tooth.
Chris has 2 more appointments in May to finish the repair. Fortunately it is not hindering his enjoyment of Italian food!!
Excellent advice for us newby travelers!!
Experience is a great teacher, but helpful tips can reduce the damage from the unexpected. And then when something goes awry, just find the best way to deal with it!
I am so glad that your travel insurance covered all of this. Ain’t nothing more annoying than having dental pain ! And to be in Italy, where the eating is sooo good!
I don’t think the travel insurance will cover all of it, but certainly enough to ease the pain (tooth and bank account!) You’re right that this is not the place to not be able to enjoy the food; though one might be able to survive on gelato!
Glad that all worked out well. When we travel now we also use Allianz Travel Insurance. When traveling in Italy my sister broke her leg and had a great experience with their travel insurance. They took care of the hospital stay, surgery and the trip back home. Don’t leave home without it!
We’ve purchased Allianz insurance since we began this adventure in 2014, and this is the second time we’ve had a small claim. They are very responsive!
good story, hope your making a full recovery!
The pain is gone and he is able to eat! Two more appointments and all repair will be complete.
Glad it went smoothly. That yellow will keep you alert!
Definitely!
Nothing worse than a toothache in a country with great food. Glad you are all better
Agree and agree. Full steam ahead on this adventure!
Glad things are going well as can be expected.
This was unexpected but the recovery is going very well, thanks.
Loved it!
Glad you’re traveling with us through our blog!
Glad you are safe and together and on to the next adventure! Daughter Zoey and new hubby Randy flew into Glaswick on the 31st with a transfer to Edinburgh on the 1st. …But Zoey’s bag never showed!! She was in quite the panic trying to deal with it as they then headed for their Yurt in the countryside, in the cold with her in little demi boots, a sundress, and jean jacket. She broke down and bought some clothes on Monday while still getting stories from the airlines. Today after playing in the snow with her new hubby, she got her bag delivered to the countryside at the Yurt and all is good as the honeymoon continues!!!! And two new Adventurers are born!!!!
Sometimes it is the difficulties that make stronger memories, and definitely good stories. We’ve learned to always pack a spare in the carryon for the next day if luggage is delayed. And we also place an outfit in each other’s suitcase in case one goes missing. Live and learn, it’s fun if you let it be!
This sounds like a great trip and I am looking forward to the next pictures. It is one of my favorite places to visit. Have a wonderful journey!
Enjoy our stories, and your memories!
Hey Chris and Jeannie! I had a wonderful time when I visited Verona and your photos certainly brought back memories. The rail system in Italy is amazing so I hope that you’re able to take advantage of that and see a couple of the other places that I had recommended!
Thank you for both your travel recommendations, and your dental advice!!
Looking forward to seeing the journey. Happy travels!
Glad you enjoy our stories and photos!
I’m listening to Willie right now as I read this. Too cool. I am glad that you went back to carousel 4 ! The photos are beautiful!
Glad your luggage eventually showed up. Great pictures already in only a few days. Can’t wait to see more. Have fun.
I think it is actually more fun when we encounter a small wrinkle and figure our way through! Always glad to see you along with us.
This prologue. Full of anticipation to see the photos and read the stories of you seasoned travellers on this next jaunt. Happy Anniversary!
We actually are beginning to feel like seasoned travelers. It was nice to enjoy our anniversary in such a beautiful city. Every day is a celebration for us!
Seeing your posts and photos, what a pleasure.
Thanks for bringing me on this journey
Happy to see you join us!
Always enjoy you taking us with you on your travels!!
As we enjoy your travel stories also!
Jeannie, your planning talent surpasses itself. Arriving in la Citta di Romeo e Giulietta the day before your anniversary is one thing, but how did you arrange for the weather to brighten up like that exactly for that day?
Beautiful pictures, hope the weather tendency holds – see you soon!
Best regards,
Niels
For all the research that goes into making our plans, all I can do about the weather is hope. Since we stay longer periods than most who travel, we have a better probability of both good and bad weather. But we were delighted to be greeted with clear and sunny skies for our first days in this beautiful city. Holiday weekends also bring crowds of people and the main streets of the city were filled shoulder to shoulder with both tourists and locals. The crowds have since subsided significantly, as the skies have filled with clouds, and spells of rain. We have begun our restaurant evaluations and will be to report soon; we look forward to sharing time with you and Jette again.
Glad you arrived safely & are settling in. Enjoy!
And we’ve been lucky that the rain cleared and we had beautiful weather on our first days!
Thanks for sharing great places in Florida. The pictures are excellent.
Safe travels to Italy soon.
We try to see different places when we return and enjoy sharing the photos. Walking/hiking has now replaced our outings on the bike. Happy to still be active, and in touch with long time friends. Hope all is good with you.
Thanks!
Thank you for the update. Have fun on your travels this.
Love,
Neona
It is always fun, especially when we hear from friends and family!
I am always delighted when y’all come back to Florida and visit. And I am looking forward to reading all about your new adventure. Ciao for now, until the next post. Slownomads, keep on Truckin. ..
We’ll see you this summer; enjoy these new adventures!
Welcome Back! I’ve missed a few of your postings but so nice to know I could try to catch up on the travels at any time. Stop by to see us!
And now we’re on the road again. Follow us during this journey; we’ll be in touch when we return.
Have a great trip! I can’t wait to follow the travels again this year!
This is a phenomenal back story to what lies ahead for your next adventure. Buon viaggio!
Yes it does add an interesting dimension. Look forward to our discoveries and sharing more stories.
AHA!
Chris, at last, I have found a mistake in your writing! It’s here in your first sentence: “Our 2018 adventures will begin March 29″…….. Silly boy, I am absolutely certain that for you, every day is an adventure; so your 2018 adventures had to begin on January 1, 2018! We hope to continue to be a part of this year’s adventures until December 31, 2018; if only as enthusiastic supporters and spectators. Thanks for allowing us to tag along with you and Jeannie; seeing the beauty in all the places you visit through your eyes. Much love and prayers for safe travels and exciting discoveries.
Lem (aka Cuz) & Linda
Our adventure actually began April 1 1974, such fools that we were and continue to be! Maybe we’ll get to see you this summer if you travel to Fl after June 30.
Sad that we didn’t connect during your home visit this year. I am looking forward to reading of your adventures in new places.
Safe travels.
Until next time…
We’ll be back sooner this year, June 30, so we should easily manage a visit or 2 before the end of the year. Enjoy every day…
Sounds like a plan 🙂
This is very cool to add a different spin to the adventure, a purpose of very personal discovery. And such an exotic area to explore, not many peeps get such opportunity. Looking forward to your sharing the next chapter!
Slovenia looks to be a beautiful country and a great place to visit for no other reason. But connecting with the home country of my grandparents will make this a very special trip.
Have a great trip. I hope Jeannie finds some of her ancestors.❤️
I’ve pulled together all the information I have and hope visit the archives, now I just need to discover specifically what town they are from!
great post! sounds like the trip for a lifetime!
Every trip is the trip of a lifetime!
Best of luck with your genealogy search. How exciting for you. Love the wedding picture and the other documents. Thanks for sharing.
I never was that interested in genealogy research, but knowing we’re going to the home country of my grandparents has increased my curiosity. Will share more that we discover…
I’m excited too! I know I’m going to learn so much, especially from this trip. (Getting use to wearing sunglasses in my kitchen – it’s so bright!!)
Glad we could help!
I’ve been enjoying following your travels and look forward to your upcoming trips! I miss all of our travel while we lived in London for 3 1/2 years and am living vicariously through you both. A few more years of traveling when we can and then we aspire to do what the two of you are doing each year. 🙂
We should meet sometime and share travel tips!
Wow ! I’m so excited for y’all. And I am wishing you two a very safe and fun journey. What an adventure y’all are embarking. Way cool!
Each year is exciting in its own way. Glad we can continue to travel and share!
Amen to that!
Lovely tour! Of course the Darn it & Stitch caught my eye! I love the 3 boats under the overhang, that would make a cool painting subject!
We think of you with each art or knit shop we see! Glad to give you more project ideas.
Have been to Oxford and enjoyed seeing it again with your pictures.
It’s a great city; we hope to return to enjoy it again.
The River Thames … always.
One of many things to enjoy in this city!
Wait a minute, I just talked to you and you were in Florida, not Oxford.
Quick aren’t I. 8^)
Very funny. Very Groucho Marx like. I love it! Stay frosty.
I am going to sound like Johnny Carson when I admit that, I did not know that The University of Oxford was the oldest university in the English speaking world. Thank you for sharing this. I always learn new things from y’all. As always, photos are eye catching.
Chris always does his research; I learn as well.
The little men, gnomes, gargoyle ish, on the drain pipe!!! I love the attention to details!! It’s all art, made my day!! I do love the color in the bike and door/window photo, heck, I like everthing
Thanks for sharing what catches your eye!
Lots of beautiful pictures both inside and out. I’ll bet you’d have loved to get up in the bell towers for a view of the countryside or cityscape. Make it a Fear Factor challenge conquering the faint of heights and bats-in-the-belfrey showdown. Maybe ring in 2018 inside a coupla bell towers….?
Bats or no bats still love your blog!
He does drive me batty some days:) I do have a limit to the heights I’ll climb, but there’s plenty to see and explore at street level. Wish you could join us on one of our journeys!
Beautiful and very interesting. I have had the pleasure of visiting a few of the many cathedrals and churches. Keep up the good work. Love to you and Jeannie. Hope to see you soon.
Very lovely, feel peaceful jus reviewing your shots.
Amazing pictures. You certainly have seen more churches, abbeys and cathedrals than most people. Thanks for sharing.
And these were just from our travels in 2017, I am surprised at how many we visited. Such spots of community, and peace. Glad we can share, and that you pause to send us a comment!
Fabulous!
Even better in person!
As always beautiful photos accommodating excellent writing.
As always, Chris’s handiwork. Though I contributed the title, and a little editing!
I love how your eye knows how to represent the grand and the small. Perfect aspects to view the object of your subjects. Thank you!
Chris finds great angles to capture the sense of the place. I am able to just sit and enjoy the peace.
A collage of richness in color & history, at the very least.
So glad you enjoy what we share!
Thank you. Such a tour,
Thanks for traveling with us.
Wow! Thanks!!
Ages of Cathedral, coursera course I am taking!! And now your photos, and writings! I have tears in my eyeballs!! So beautiful
Christmas Love to you both. That was such a creative way to express the spirit of Christmas!
Chris and Jeannie: When you first posted this, I thought it was so amazingly beautiful and my opinion hasn’t changed. It seems that if you look for the beautiful in life, it will find you. Thanks for taking us along for the ride. This is a beautiful world we live in, and you have helped us pay attention to that in ways we never would have without you. Thank you for a Christmas present that has added so much to our lives ever since your travel adventures started.
Cuz
Happy Christmas from Selsley walkers. We so much enjoyed your company and thought of you yesterday for our final walk of 2017. (And two of us hope you enjoyed your time in Oxford too). Have a lovely time.
Beautiful images and sentiment. Thanks and holiday hugs to you both!
Merry Christmas!
I didn’t see snow in even one of those pictures. Me thinks you need to spend time in a winter wonderland of a freshly snow-blanketed forest where the peace you feel is tangible and the quiet is only broken by your crunching footsteps or heaving breath. …You can find that in Wisconsin BTW.
Love you more.
Butch & Joan