Category: Europe

Wandering Post Day – Warwick Castle, England

We all love castles.  Waaaay back in 2008, we did a road trip through a bit of southwest England with Lori’s cousins from the UK.  As we tend to move through places based on the book “1000 Places To See Before You Die”, and it has yet to steer us wrong, we decided to squeeze in a side trip to Warwick Castle.  We had spent the night in Stratford-On-Avon and were heading to Milton Keynes to meet some friends of Lori’s mother.  Warwick was a bit off path and we did not have a lot of time.

Now I have to make a bit of an admission.  By the time we got there and knowing how much time we needed, we figured out that we could not tour the castle.  We barely had time to get there.  So time to come clean.  We did a drive-by.  Hanging out the window of the car, straining for a glimpse between buildings and trees, we managed to take a couple of quick pictures.  We then decided, good enough, had a major laugh and stroked it off the list.  Not really, as we will be back there someday, but we can at least pretend.  Crazy Canuck tourists.

Nice picture for a drive-by
Nice picture for a drive-by
Note the blurred people
Note the blurred people

Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern

This week we have The Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern.  We have seen a lot of patterns in our travels, clouds, lights, architecture, but, to date, we have seen nothing more interesting than the Mezquita de Córdoba in Cordoba, Spain.  A unique structure that melds a mosque, converted to a cathedral.  Originally started as a church, it was converted to a mosque after the Moors conquered this part of Spain.  It was largely rebuilt and then, when the area was retaken by the Spanish, it was again converted to a church.    A very interesting background and a stunning combination of various architecture.

Mezquita de Córdoba
Mezquita de Córdoba
Mezquita de Córdoba
Mezquita de Córdoba
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Up

The Weekly Photo Challenge this week is Up.  The Amalfi Coast in Italy offers many looks that could be seen as an up.  The very fact that they built cities into the cliff side is amazing,

Up the side of a cliff.
Up the side of a cliff.
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Color

I see color is the Weekly Photo Challenge, which is not as easy as it sounds.  Do you go subtle, or bold or obvious or even dark.  Many choices to make.  Caribbean blue, tropical green, Canada white, doors, windows, food, flowers.  One of them will work.  Let’s go with a shot of the garden at Anne Hathaway’s cottage in Stratford-On-Avon in England.  We spent the better part of a day there in August 2008.

Anne Hahaways's Garden Cottage
Anne Hathaway’s Garden Cottage
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Lost in the Details

For this challenge I have to return to La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.  The façade is amazing, to the point that it is almost impossible to do it justice in a photo.  I sat, staring for the better part of an hour trying to take it in, without success.  Very inspiring, very beautiful and hard to imagine the thought, time and effort that was utilized to create it.

Sagrada Familia Facade

Sagrada Familia

Full Facade

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The Skaters Of Seville

 

Seville Spain
Seville Spain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As Canadians, we love all things skating.  We were wandering the streets of Seville,when we came upon this scene.  Quite interesting.  As we watched, the crowd got bigger, the skating got better and the busking part came out.  All in all, easy stuff on ice, not so easy on wheels.  Author’s note: first time playing with Movie Maker, forgive me as I learn.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Love

The challenge this week is love.  So much to think about.  I love travel, sailing, Lori, my sons, blogging, family.  After some heavy thought, I decided that the winning category is beer.  The photo that best describes beer is these shots I took in Bruges, Belgium.  Every beer brewed in Belgium, and it’s special glass, has been put on display in a liquor store in Bruges.  HMMMMMMM Beeeeeeerrrr!!!!!

Wall 1
Wall 1
Wall 2
Wall 2
Wall 3
Wall 3
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It’s Tolaydo, Not Toleeedo, That’s In Ohio

After Lisbon, we headed for Toledo. We flew Lisbon to Madrid, caught a cab at the airport to head to the train station and then a high-speed train to Toledo.  A trains, planes and automobile kind of day.

The highlights, the longest (and easiest) walk up a mountain, the greatest Sangria ever and an introduction to Spanish cathedrals.

They do train stations right here.

Toledo Train Station
Toledo Train Station

It seems they know how to do hotels as well. Hostal Del Cardenal

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We had lunch at a little place called La Boveda and experienced the best sangria ever.  The recipe includes, Gin, Cognac, Martini & Rossi, sugar, red wine, lemon juice, portion to taste,  wow.  Lunch was good to, but it tasted better after each pull on the sangria.

Lunch in Toledo
Lunch in Toledo

To reach the town from the hotel, we had to scale a mighty mountain.  It was tough as we had to walk from the top of one escalator to the bottom of the next one.  Exhausting.

Toledo Escalator

And of course, the cathedral.

The Cathedral
The Cathedral

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Illumination

The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is a beautiful example of what well thought out lighting can do.

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Our Memoriam to Dale Rempel

On our arrival in Lisbon. Portugal, we were saddened to be informed that my cousin Lynn’s husband Dale had succumbed to cancer.

Keeping in mind that we are not Catholic, and neither are Dale and Lynn, we decided on a proper tribute (we think) in that we were in Spain and Portugal, both of which have a multitude of beautiful cathedrals.  We decided we would light a candle in remembrance in each cathedral we visited.

Out travels now took us to Montserrat, Barcelona and Funchal in the Madeira Islands.

Our first candle on this part of the trip was lit in Funchal, the capital of the Madeira Islands.  The church is The Church Of our Lady of Monte.

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The interior of Church of our Lady of Monte in Funchal.

Our next opportunity was in Barcelona.  We actually visited 2 churches here and lit a candle in each. The first was the iconic Sagrada Familia.  This first shot is of the interior.

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This is one of the exterior.

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Our next stop was Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, or the Barcelona Cathedral.  Another amazing structure.

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A candle for Dale

Our next visit was Montserrat, a hillside monastery.  We visited 2 churches here.  the first was a chapel that we had to first take a cable car and then walk a couple of miles along the mountain to get to.  The Capella de la Santa cova.

Capella de la Santa cova
Capella de la Santa cova

People left articles here in remembrance as well as candles.  We left these seashells on a bench.  Please look for them if you are ever there.

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Our last stop was the Santa Maria de Montserrat, the main basilica.

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This was the last candle that we lit.  We will miss you Dale.

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