Category: Uncategorized

The Netherlands

A bit of a slow start – Detroit > Amsterdam > Alkmaar

I watched the sunrise as we landed in Amsterdam.
At Schipol (pronounced Skip ul) Airport I noticed this clever method of monitoring the rest rooms.
We got to Alkmaar at around 8 am and check in was at 3:00 – so, we had PLENTY of time to explore the town. We took the scenic route through these large old beech trees.
Many “flowers” like these are strewn across the streets, giving the town a festive vibe.
Could not resist taking this pic – such a perfect entrance!
Speaking of irresistible – I just can not pass up a grebe❣️

Practice round

Hi everyone! It’s been 3 long years since we’ve traveled and in a few weeks we’ll be heading out on a new adventure. I hope you’ll follow us along the way and comment frequently so we know you’re out there.

It doesn’t matter where you are going, it’s who you have beside you.

Good Morning, Rochester!

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” – L.M. Montgomery

“If a year was tucked inside a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour.” – Victoria Erickson

“Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.” – Shira Tamir

“Autumn is the season to find contentment at home by paying attention to what we already have.” – Unknown

“Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love – that makes life and nature harmonize.” – George Eliot

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple.” – J K Rowling

“I can smell autumn dancing in the breeze. The sweet chill of pumpkin and crisp sunburnt leaves. ” – Ann Drake

“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” – Stanley Horowitz

“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.” – Jim Bishop

Home Sweet Home

“We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun.” – Winnie the Pooh

I want to thank everyone for traveling with us and most of all, for commenting on the posts. It meant so much to me, knowing that people were following along and cared enough to send a note. A huge shout out to my #1 fan – Casey! Thanks for all of your feedback, Sonshine. XOXO

Haarlem ➡️➡️➡️ Home

Since we are flying home from Amsterdam, we decided to take a slight detour to Haarlem. (Where Harlem, New York got it’s name!). A thirty minute bus ride from the Amsterdam airport and we were at one of our favorite B & B’s. The next morning we started our day with a hearty breakfast.

We rented a couple of bikes and headed out to their National Forest.

As we rode out of the city, we passed a school yard with this sculpture. I loved it!!! “Picture, please?”

In the forest we came across these wild ponies. Wild, but rather tame, or at least, not afraid of people.

When we began riding in the Netherlands a couple of years ago, it all seemed so chaotic and a bit intimidating. People were crossing in front of one another and merging without even pausing to look around. Pretty quickly it started to feel more like a dance and before long – we were part of the ballet!

Suitable for framing – Italy!

Florence

Siena

From the top of the tower – Siena

Bruschetta – amazing tomatoes this time of the year!

Florence – Duomo

Varenna

Bellagio – Lake Como

Hiking in Cinque Terre.

Manarola – Cinque Terre

From the rafters of the Duomo – Siena

In the gardens of La Foce.

La Foce Gardens – posted this photo earlier but think I it bears repeating ;-D

Windowsill in Tuscany.

Evening in Assisi.

Just a delightful picture of someone’s garden in Assisi!

From a cafe in Venice while having cicchetti (tapas) for lunch.

Sunset in Venice.

Another slice of Venice

Typical street scene, ending at one of the many, many canals.

With all of these streets and canals come numerous bridges.

Murph and I love going into the various local neighborhoods. This one is Cannaregio.

Did I mention the bridges?

It was so amazing to watch the resident kids. These three siblings – the boys on roller skates and their little sister towing a scooter – handled the stairs with ease. Even pushing and shoving, as brothers will do, while running up and down the steps with skates on their feet!

You can’t tell from the photo but this neighborhood was jumping on a Friday evening. Restaurants and pubs overflowing with happy people looking forward to the weekend and the squares buzzing with kids playing soccer. When the moms starting calling the kids in for dinner, the game came to an abrupt end. To be continued tomorrow…

We were rewarded with this lovely sunset, drawing our day to a close.

The next day George & Mary joined us when we went to another neighborhood – Castello. We had breakfast in this 1896 greenhouse to begin the day.

Pastries are an Italian “must”!

No caption needed ;-D

Lots of clothes hanging out but this particular towel reminded me of how very much alike we are. After all, who doesn’t love Minnie?

We visited a sculpture park along the way. Check out these “flowers”!

Loved these dancers.

But this was my favorite!

There’s not an abundance of foliage in Venice so this tree lined canal was a welcome sight.

Enticing Venice

Dorsoduro – the neighborhood we called home for 6 nights.

Going down the Grand Canal.

Under the Rialto Bridge.

Passing palazzos.

St Mark’s Basilica

No pictures allowed inside but trust me there was more gold leaf than a certain person’s towers. (Can’t bear to say his name along with such beauty)

Atop St Mark’s

Campanile (bell tower) on the left and Doge’s (leader of the city-state) Palace on the right.

The Bridge of Sighs connects the palace to the prison.

The view from inside the bridge – so named because when prisoners were taken to the dungeons, they sighed – knowing it was the last time they would see the canal and Venice.

The Clock Tower (Torre dell’Orologio) built during the Renaissance in 1496.The tower sports one of the world’s first “digital” clocks (with dramatic flips every five minutes.)

From St Mark’s Square we could see the bronze men (Moors) swing their huge clappers at the top of each hour. In the 17th century, one of them knocked an unsuspecting worker off the top and to his death – probably the first-ever killing by a robot!

Of course, we saw gondolos everywhere!

Walked over to the Rialto Market (Mercato), where we saw beautiful displays of fruits & veggies.

And “interesting” ways to show off the fish.

Many chefs were there, hauling off the “catch of the day”.