LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND

The last couple of days have been a whirlwind. We traveled from Germany to Lucerne, Switzerland yesterday. Lucerne has to be one of the most lovely places we have ever visited. Situated on Lake Lucerne and surrounded by the Swiss Alps, everywhere you look is a spectacular view. Yesterday en route we visited the Rhine […]

MAINZ, RHINE RIVER CRUISE AND HEIDELBERG

Just now had a chance to post a few pics. Yesterday we were in Mainz, a beautiful city near Frankfurt…highlight there was the 1000 year cathedral located in the old city. In the shadows of this incredible cathedral, there was a street fair with a farmers market and colorful flower stands. It was a lot […]

GONDOLA RIDE

Our gondola ride was much more than we could have ever imagined.  The travel videos and National Geographic articles cannot capture the nuance of sight and sound nor the sense and emotion of being transported along these ancient waterways.   The voices of gondoliers calling to each other, the sun and breeze on the Grand […]

THANKFUL

Reflections on being in a dangerous situation … Like everyone who travels, for us coming back home is always good. This particular time, though, getting back to OUR country and OUR state and OUR city and OUR house was so special. The terror experience in Munich almost seems surreal now…just three days ago and still […]

VENICE

In “The Art of Travel”, Alain de Botton wrote: “Travelers set off to investigate.  In 1739, the poet Thomas Gray undertook a walking tour of the Alps, the first of many such self-conscious pursuits of the sublime, and afterwards reported, ‘In our little journey up to the Grande Chartreuse, I do not remember to have […]

FATHER’S DAY IN CADES COVE

Well, it’s not Venice or Amalfi or any other exotic place, but I’ve decided that it is our beautiful Smokey Mountains, right here close to home, where I am happiest! Doug and I enjoyed a Fathers Day evening picnic in Cades Cove…best scenery I’ve seen in a while. Love my mountains!