Life is a patchwork of experiences
Throughout Petra, the local Bedouin young men offer tourists donkey rides to help them climb up to the viewpoints or to get around the huge site. At the end of the day, as the archeological site begins to close down and the setting sun casts an orange glow on the complex of Nabatean tombs, they ride their donkeys back home for the night.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
Most photos of Petra show the “Treasury” building which was made famous in the “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” movie. I actually liked ad-Deir or the “Monastery” a little better.
I am sharing my experiences of a day trip from Tel Aviv to Masada and the Dead Sea.
Besides the day that we spent in Jerusalem, the other sights I was especially interested in seeing on the few days we had in Israel were the historic UNESCO listed site of Masada along with the Dead Sea. After doing some research, I decided that a day trip from Tel Aviv was the most efficient way to experience these two locations on the same excursion.
Continue reading “A Day Trip from Tel Aviv – Take a Tour to Masada and the Dead Sea”
Take a walk with me down 42nd street in New York and discover 100 years of history and architecture in the heart of the city that never sleeps.
If Midtown is the heart of Manhattan, then 42nd street in New York City must be its main artery. It’s only a two mile walk from the East River to the Hudson River on this historic lane, but you pass through a handful of defined neighborhoods in the process, each with its own distinctive flavor. You also pass by some of the city’s most iconic and decorative buildings, both old and new.
Continue reading “A Walk Down 42nd Street in New York City – Let Me Take You There”
Visiting Niagara Falls, NY is so much more than just seeing the impressive water falls.
Cool off on a hot day as the wind sprays mist in your face. Feel the raw power reverberate through your body as millions of gallons of water flow by so close that you can practically touch it. Taste award winning wines and beers. Or walk in the footsteps of revolutionary war soldiers or escaping Civil War slaves. A long weekend in Niagara Falls, NY gave me all these sensory experiences and so much more.
Continue reading “Beyond the Waterfalls – Visiting Niagara Falls, USA”
There are many options for excursions on an Alaska cruise. It’s easy to do Skagway excursions on your own and go off the beaten path with a self drive trip to explore the road to Carcross Yukon and back again. I am sharing my Skagway travel experience including tips on how to get the most of your independent day in Skagway.
A cruise through southeast Alaska is a convenient way to stop and discover the coastal towns that are not always easy to get to by other means. My recent Alaska cruise offered many Skagway excursions to discover this historic port. Tempting as they were though, this time I chose to take my own road less traveled to Carcross, Yukon in Canada.
As I was planning a Yellowstone and Grand Teton road trip focusing primarily on photography, I decided to do a one way Salt Lake to Yellowstone itinerary, which I am sharing here.
I’ve been fortunate to visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park twice in the last few years. On my first visit I flew into and out of Jackson and did one big loop through the two parks. This time, I got a better flight deal into Salt Lake city so I opted for a one way route ending in Bozeman, Montana.
Continue reading “My Yellowstone Road Trip – A 10 Day Salt Lake to Yellowstone Itinerary”
One of the most unique aspects of our tour of the Chateau de Commarin were the original heraldic tapestries made for the castle in the early 1500’s. The tapestries depict family armorial designs alternating with alchemical symbols. As a precursor to chemistry, I was particularly fascinated by the alchemy references. Sadly (for us), some of the tapestries were trimmed down to fit the existing space, so some of the panels were no longer complete. However, despite the centuries, the colors were still vivid and all the detail quite impressive. The tour of the Chateau de Commarin was the first excursion on my European Waterways barge cruise on the Burgundy canal.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
One of the excursions on my European Waterways Burgundy Canal cruise was to the UNESCO listed Abbey de Fontenay. The abbey was founded in 1118 by a group of Cistercian monks. On our tour, I leaned that the Cistercian order was established in response to the excesses displayed by the Benedictine monks. The Cistercian’s believed in hard work in a simple, austere environment and they built this large abbey to insure that they would be self-sufficient. Much of the original abbey architecture remains to this day, including the cloisters seen in this photo.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
The atmospheric Gedi Ruins near the town of Watamu on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast are a fascinating visit. A trip to the Gedi Ruins can easily be arranged by your hotel and a local guide can bring the local history alive.
These were the parting words that my guide said to me as we finished the fascinating tour of the Gedi Ruins near Watamu, Kenya on the country’s Indian Ocean coast. After three hours of touring the site with him, I could understand why. Other than a local school group, I was the only tourist there.
