Life is a patchwork of experiences
Sharing my visit to Highclere Castle. This is all about my real Downton Abbey tour.
“What IS a week-end?”
The Dowager Countess of Grantham, as played by Dame Maggie Smith in the Downton Abbey series, delivered many pointed one-liners that defined her indomitable character. This is one of my favourites.
Downton Abbey would not be the same without Maggie Smith, nor without the backdrop of the imposing structure of Highclere Castle, the real-life estate that stands in for the fictional Crowley home.
A rainbow quilt inspired by the traditional English herringbone pattern
Quilt Inspiration – The herringbone pattern may be a traditional tweed pattern used in country gentlemen’s clothing, but bright colors on a light grey background update the pattern to a modern look.
Continue reading ““Not Your Grandfather’s Herringbone” – Original Quilt Design”
I loved my 2 days in Bath, England. I discovered a lot of history, connected to Jane Austen, and saw some beautiful quilts
Ahhhh………….
A huge sigh of contentment escaped my lips as I sank into the warm water. After a full day of sightseeing, the enveloping warmth was a soothing balm for tired feet and aching joints.
Like many others had done for thousands of years before me, I was “taking the waters” in Bath (UK). Over 2000 years ago, the Romans built the first thermal baths here. 200 years ago, Jane Austin’s family came here for the health benefits. Today, it was my turn, but my experience was in total modern comfort and luxury at the Gainsborough Bath Spa hotel.
Continue reading “How I Spent 2 Days in Bath, England With Romans, Jane Austin, and Quilts”
With only one day in London, this is how I made it a perfectly English Day!
I enjoy visiting London, and try to schedule a long stopover in between flights to other points in Europe if I can. On a recent visit, I had a perfectly English day in London!
Continue reading “Have Only One Day in London? I Made It a Perfectly English Day!”
I love visiting London and in this month’s podcast I share tips for visiting the UK’s most vibrant city.
Podcast link: Exploring London
London is one of my favorite cities to visit and these are some of my favorite London photos and London photo spots that show off the city’s unique personality.
London is one of my favorite cities to visit. It’s busy and vibrant and easy to get around in. The city also offers great opportunities for fun photography. These are some of my favorite London photos that showcase those experiences that make this great city so special for me. Continue reading “Discovering Photogenic London – Some of My Favorite London Photos”
In this month’s podcast, I share my travel expereinces from my visits to Norway. I’ve cruised in Norway with both Hurtigruten and Princess, and did a month long rad trip from Oslo all the way to Svalbard. Norway is a stunningly scenic country that was easy to tour either via a cruise or a road trip, though it was also a very expensive country to visit.
Continue reading “Feb. 13, 2025 Podcast: Exploring Norway – Cruising and Road Tripping”
This month’s podcast is all about my adventures in the National Parks in winter. Many of the most popular national parks out west can be visited in Winter. Yellowstone National Park is an especially unique adventure in when it’s covered in snow, but it does require advance planning. Popular summer parks like Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zyon, Arches, and Canyonlands are a pleasure to visit in winter because they are not at all crowded and it’s not hot.
Podcast link: Winter Adventures in America’s National Parks
Continue reading “Jan. 9, 2025 Podcast: Winter Adventures in America’s National Parks”
From spacious cabins to glorious food and attentive service, my cruise with Riverside Luxury Cruises was very memorable. In this Riverside Debussy review I share all the details about my recent Rhine River cruise.
Outside my cabin’s panoramic window, a castle that looked like it came straight out of a fairy tale sat on the crest of a hilltop. Inside my cabin, a steaming cup of tea and a full breakfast had just been delivered by my suite’s butler. That’s right, my cabin on the Riverside Debussy came with my very own butler!
This was my first introduction to river cruises in Europe, and I was getting totally spoiled by the experience.
I am very thankful for yet another banner year of travel. For a total of 153 days, I experienced destinations in Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and the US.
