Trevi Fountain ROME, ITALY

Trevi Fountain, Rome’s largest and oldest fountain.  It may have been named after Trivia, a young girl who  is said to have first shown the spring beneath to thirsty Roman soldiers.

St Peter’s Parish Church (at Chillingham Castle) NORTHUMBERLAND ENGLAND

This little 12th century church retains its Norman stonework exterior. The interior is an unusual mixture of old and new. Ancient exterior stone work houses 19th century boxed pews and a sanctuary completely refurbished in 1967. Christian worship has taken place on this site for more than a thousand years.

The South Chapel contains the alabaster tomb of Sir Ralph Grey and his wife Elizabeth. Even though it dates back to 1450, traces of the original colors are still visible.

Saint-Paul de Vence Hill Town FRANCE

Saint-Paul de Vence, founded in the 9th century, makes its mark on the landscape.  Imposing ramparts rear out of the Provençal countryside. Tucked inside is a walled hill town with its winding, narrow, incredibly steep alleyways. 

Musée d'Orsay PARIS, FRANCE

The Musée d'Orsay. In the former Orsay rail station opposite the Seine and Jardin des Tuileries, the Musée d’Orsay walks visitors through the preeminent fruits of artistic expression created between 1848 and 1914, with an impressive yet manageable collection representing the Impressionist, Post Impressionist, and Art Nouveau movements. For me, an opportunity to come face-to-face with iconic original pieces by many artists studied in high school French class: Manet, Degas, Cézanne, Monet, Renoir, van Gogh, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec.

Connemara IRELAND

This region’s weathered mountains, interlaced network of lakes, and carpet of green grass and moss form the dramatic contrasts of water, sky, and land. This is the quiet beauty of west Ireland.

Touring the Rialto by Water and by Foot VENICE, ITALY

The gondola ride—a must-do in Venice. But, wandering by foot is the best way to get acquainted with the bustling streets,  variety of stores, rushes of local people amid tourists and then, off a side street and into small neighborhoods and piazzas or down a lonely alley overlooking a waterway—the rhythm of daytime in Venice.

Dusk and night in Venice—a very different place than daytime Venice.  It’s a delight to get lost in this mysterious Venice—a maze of  dim, bricked walkways cut by quiet lapping waterways, soft lights illuminating reminders of history at every turn.

A Stay in Haunted Chillingham Castle NORTHUMBERLAND, ENGLAND

Chillingham Castle began its history as a monastery in the late 12th century. Its location between two feuding nations made its peaceful purpose a short-lived one. It was used as a staging post for English armies entering Scotland, and was repeatedly attacked by Scottish armies and raiding parties. Fast forward past many kings who used and stayed at the castle (most notably, King Edward on his way to battle William Wallace as well as James I, the first king of both England and Scotland)—to WW II. During WW II, the castle became army barracks. After the war, the castle fell into disrepair. In the 1980s, it was purchased by Sir Humphry Wakefield, and he set about a pain-staking, expensive  restoration. He still lives here and can be seen walking the gardens and grounds.

The route to our room snaked through the bowels of the castle (accessible only to guests). No dangerous haunted dungeons, nor mysterious candlelit pathways—only a creepy bleating deer head—and lots of yard-sale-like items accumulated through the centuries and stacked haphazardly in the hallways.

The Still Room. This is another room we passed through each time we left or returned. A bit junk room and a bit museum exhibit, there are family travel photos (including that of an Everest trip made by an uncle in 1922), a giant cooking pot for feeding the Chillingham garrison, and a slightly less massive bowl for pouring oil on unwelcome visitors. There’s also a book of letters from visitors who unwisely stole items from the castle over the years—and suffered curses from the Chillingham witch.

The Grey Room. Our room was located in the heart of the ancient castle at the top of two flights of winding, narrow stairs. The fine Elizabethan Long Gallery, with its timbered ceiling, has a magnificent carved chimney piece over a wood-burning stove. Several of the rooms in the apartment overlook the great medieval courtyard.

Cathedral Church of Christ (The Anglican) LIVERPOOL ENGLAND

An enormous specimen of Gothic revival architecture, and the second largest Anglican Cathedral in Europe, its tower stands more than 300ft high (a football field standing upright) and holds the heaviest peal of bells in the country (13 bells weighing a total of 16.5 tons—the same as six Clydesdales).

The imposing, stark structure of the Anglican’s exterior continues inside. The cathedral is cavernous with vast open space, colossal arches, and little adornment. From the high ceilings to the wide open spaces, the cathedral amplifies every breath, whisper, and clicking of shoes.

The Cathedra Petri (St Peters Basilica) VATICAN, ITALY

The Cathedra Petri—designed to display the chair on which, according to ancient tradition, St. Peter sat.  It is crowned by the golden Gloria—adorned by a host of angels among rays of light and billowing clouds. In their midst is the precious window of Bohemian glass, a brilliant dove standing out against it.

Campo dei Misacoli (Field of Miracles) PISA, ITALY

The duomo and baptistery, with their lace-like columns and arches, stand watch on the Campo dei Misacoli (Field of Miracles). The famous Leaning Tower−the  Campanile−is supported only by a shallow stone raft 10-feet deep.

This Pomeranian keeps vigil at a tourist shop next to the leaning tower.

Dunluce Castle COUNTY ANTRIM, IRELAND

The crumbling structure is dramatically positioned on this headland between the Giant’s Causeway and Portrush. Despite its exposure to time and elements, it remains a striking presence and foreground to ocean and sky.

Sheer cliffs fall away on all sides, down to the dark waters of the Irish Sea. "Dunluce" means "strong fort" in the Irish language and true to the name, the castle succumbed to few invaders since it was built in the 13th century. The most significant damage to the castle occurred in the 17th century, caused my a mix of poor architecture and bad luck; the cliff eroded so far that the entire kitchen fell into the sea, taking with it the chefs and servants. Dunluce was abandoned, and after three long centuries remained untouched until preservation work began.

Welcome to my little travel blog!

Welcome to my little travel blog!

As you may have read on my little profile, I was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer--and I have a blog about that. 

But, one of passions is travel; it's also one of the things I will miss most while I fight cancer. 

So, this little blog gives me an excuse to look through my travel photos, select the ones I like best, and share them out to anyone who enjoys seeing new parts of the world whenever he or she possibly can.

So, pull up a couch and join me whenever you can.