Italy at Christmas Despite the Pandemic

During Christmas time 2020, we had planned to go to Italy as a family. Of course, this plan was cancelled along with everyone else's plans once the pandemic struck us hard starting in March of that year. We decided to try again to see this culture-rich country in 2021. The original plan was that our … Continue reading Italy at Christmas Despite the Pandemic →

Mindful in Majorca

The last time I was in Majorca was in 1966. I was 10 years old and was there with my parents and three siblings. If someone had told me then that I would one day retire to Spain with my husband, I would have said, "No way!" The idea would have been so implausible for … Continue reading Mindful in Majorca →

The Beauty of Palm Springs

I have never been to Palm Springs, California, before but hubby Rick and I flew there recently for our older son Alex’s wedding. I was impressed with the rugged beauty of the place. It reminded me a lot of arid parts of Spain, with its palm trees, mountains, bougainvillea and many varieties of cacti. Taken … Continue reading The Beauty of Palm Springs →

San Francisco Botanical Garden

If you ever have a chance to visit this beautiful "City by the Bay," make sure you get over to the botanical garden there as it's among the best in the world. The garden is divided into sections of the world where specific flowers, plants, bushes and trees grow. For example, in the "Southeast Asian … Continue reading San Francisco Botanical Garden →

Shoes of the Little Ones

My God. These are the shoes of children—Sandals, boots and leather footwear Worn by little ones with hopes and dreams for a bright future Innocent boys and girls expecting that their parents would keep them safe None of them realizing that once they took off their shoes, their fate was sealed I am not sure … Continue reading Shoes of the Little Ones →

Bearing Witness to Unspeakable Crimes

A visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland is a difficult emotional experience but it is one way we can honor the victims of unspeakable crimes against humanity. It's important to see what happened there so that nothing so heinous can ever occur again anywhere in the world. The death of millions of innocent men, … Continue reading Bearing Witness to Unspeakable Crimes →

The Culinary Delights of Hungary

Many people I know who like to travel have extolled the virtues of Budapest. So when my hubby Rick and I finally traveled there, our expectations were high. Fortunately, this lovely city did a fine job of not only meeting but exceeding our expectations. We traveled there through a US travel company called JayWay Travel. … Continue reading The Culinary Delights of Hungary →

What’s Special About Warsaw

Most of Warsaw was destroyed by the Nazis during World War II. In response, the Poles rebuilt the city as it was before it was destroyed. They did this over many years with the help of photographs taken and paintings done before the devastation. Talk about a resilient people! Isn't that something? Hitler wanted all … Continue reading What’s Special About Warsaw →

Spectacular Peterhof Palace and Gardens

I participated in another Heygo.com live-streaming tour this weekend and went on two back-to-back tours of Peterhof Palace and Gardens outside of Saint Petersburg in Russia. I had actually been there before but I think I got better photos on this virtual trip because there were less people about. This was probably because it was … Continue reading Spectacular Peterhof Palace and Gardens →

Photos From Tours of Budapest and Ireland

The other day I wrote a post about this great company called Heygo that does live-streaming guided tours of locations around the world for free. https://www.heygo.com/. I have since participated in half a dozen tours, first on my PC, then on my tablet and finally on my mobile phone. What I saw so far has … Continue reading Photos From Tours of Budapest and Ireland →