2023

  • October 12 Brussels-CDG-USA

    October 12 Brussels-CDG-USA

    Up early for our journey home. Carolyn called an Uber for the airport. 18 minutes wait. We get our now heavy bags down the long stairs to the street, set the house alarm, and stand by the road. The car… Continue reading

  • October 11 Brussels

    October 11 Brussels

    Top of my list for our last day in Brussels was a tour of the Magritte Museum. It had been closed and reopened just a few days ago. I expected to see a lot of Magritte paintings and was surprised… Continue reading

  • October 10 Antwerp

    October 10 Antwerp

    We were ambivalent about going to Antwerp but I am so glad we decided to go. The city has the same lovely central square as other Belgian cities with magnificent town halls and guild buildings. But the layout is more… Continue reading

  • October 9 Brussels

    October 9 Brussels

    From the beginning Carolyn wanted to do 2 things: eat mussels and visit the EU Parliament. RS suggest going to the government building on a weekday when there might be action in the parliament so we chose Monday. We saw… Continue reading

  • October 8 Ghent

    October 8 Ghent

    Alternating days in town (Brussels) with days out of town, a day trip to Ghent was perfect. As seniors only $8 round trip on the regional train, Very easy since it was the same direction as the train to Bruges.… Continue reading

  • October 7 Brussels

    October 7 Brussels

    Belgium is known for Art Nouveau and this year there is a festival with openings of otherwise private places. Today we visited two Victor Horta sights. A house he built for someone else – Hotel van Eetvelde – and his… Continue reading

  • October 5-6 Bruges

    October 5-6 Bruges

    Bernadette had told me that she would like to visit Bruges and Carolyn thought that it warranted an overnight. Bernadette only had 3 nights with us (Oct 4-7) so we planned to go on the 5th. However, after dinner her… Continue reading

  • October 3-4 Brussels

    October 3-4 Brussels

    Carolyn and I came to Brussels from Paris on the 3rd. Navigated Gare du Nord in Paris, Brussels-Midi, and the Brussels metro to arrive about 3 at Stephanie Hardy’s house. Stephanie is sister to Daniel who is married to Monika… Continue reading

  • October 2 Paris

    October 2 Paris

    Last day in Paris. Off to a new section – Montmartre. We headed straight for Sacré Coeur and somehow missed the funicular. So, we climbed- and climbed. A warm way to start the day. The area around the church was… Continue reading

  • October 1 Paris

    October 1 Paris

    Despite a very late night at Vaux-le-Vicomte, we got out about 10:30 Sunday morning for the Bastille Market. We planned to get brunch at the market. However, the entry end of the market was clothes – not food. Needless to… Continue reading

  • September 30 Paris

    September 30 Paris

    The itinerary for this day began with the Rick Steves tour of Historic Paris. Heading for Notre Dame we came across a small flower and plant market. We wandered through it enjoying the beauty and peace of plants. There were… Continue reading

  • September 29 Paris

    September 29 Paris

    Although some had been to the Louvre before and were not as enthused, the desire to stick together got us all off to see the famous works of art. Winged Victory, Mona Lisa A bonus was that a branch of… Continue reading

  • Thursday September 28 Paris

    Thursday September 28 Paris

    We all arrived safely. Nancy and George Ann flying in from Columbus, Carolyn from Seattle, Cynthia from DC and Jill from Raleigh. Taxied in to our “Marais” apartment. Not the charming location we expected but the LivinParis apartment is quite… Continue reading

  • May 2 Edinburgh

    May 2 Edinburgh

    Our last complete day in Scotland. Does the sun come out to tantalize us with what might have been these past three weeks? It does … of course it does. And then disappears again. Undaunted, we bus ourselves to one… Continue reading

  • May 1 Edinburgh

    May 1 Edinburgh

    After a delish home-cooked breakfast of Eggs Benedict, we swing onto a bus that takes us to the National Museum of Scotland. It’s a bit like the Kelvingrove in Glasgow: a bit of everything under the sun … ooops, still… Continue reading

  • April 30 Aviemore to Edinburgh

    April 30 Aviemore to Edinburgh

    The better planner wants to learn how civilization began in wet and craggy Scotland, so we bung our bags into the Mazda again and head south an hour-plus in steady drizzle to the Scottish Crannog Centre on a bank of… Continue reading

  • April 29 Portree to Aviemore

    April 29 Portree to Aviemore

    Leaving Portree we drive south and back across the bridge to the mainland highlands heading east. Along our route is the Clava Cairns historic site. Three bronze age burial cairns. There is not a lot of information and so we… Continue reading

  • April 28 Portree

    April 28 Portree

    Still an inclement weather day so we will divide and conquer. Cynthia will hike with David at the first natural wonder place – Quiraing – but from near there take a bus to the Skye Museum of Cultural Life, while… Continue reading

  • April 27 Portree

    April 27 Portree

    Dunvegan Castle, Neist Point Lighthouse, Sea Breezes retaurant Though David is chomping at the bit to do some serious hiking up, down, and around the isle’s natural wonders, the morning’s weather and David’s better planner, known as Cynthia, have other… Continue reading

  • April 26 Portree

    Eileen Donan Castle, Portree After another splendid home-cooked breakfast of steel-cut oats soaked overnight in milk for her porridge, Cynthia and Dawn discuss the Scottish National Party’s drive for independence from Britain to remain part of the EU. Dawn has… Continue reading