Walking in the footsteps of Gamance

A long, arched corridor with intricate brickwork and two people walking.

Anzie and I decided it was time to re-visit Quebec for two reasons: Knowlton is a cute little town – clean, several art shops, bars and restaurants.  We stayed at the Auberge Lakeview, a charming, ancient inn – built in 1874.  The new owners, Chantal and Brendan, are warm, helpful and easy to get to…

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Prague, Czech Republic

Colorful graffiti on a brick wall featuring various designs and text.

October, 2025 Good King Wenceslas, Kafka, Iron Curtain, Vaclav Havel and the Velvet Revolution, Hussites, Golem, Alfons Mucha, Czechoslovakia/Slovakia/Czechnia/Czech Republic, Pilsener, crawling babies – the city of Praque has something to do with all of these and more. We didn’t expect to visit Prague originally.  We had booked a river cruise from Vienna to Amsterdam…

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 Bratislava Slovakia

Elderly couple sitting happily beside a statue outdoors.

After World War I, the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire began. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and the United States played a major role in the establishment of the new Czechoslovak state. American Slovaks proposed renaming the city “Wilsonovo mesto” (Wilson City), after Woodrow Wilson.[67] On 28 October 1918, Czechoslovakia was proclaimed, but its borders were not settled for several months. The Allies of World War…

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Dubai – November, 2010

Sacks filled with various spices and dried goods in a market.

When someone mentions Dubai, what comes to mind?  Before our visit my images involved tall buildings, sand, dry heat, Arabs with beards, and oil wells.  Reality altered these pictures quite a bit.  The reason for our visit was two-fold.  Brother Tim and his wife, Connie, have lived there for almost six years.  Tim teaches Landscape…

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Fussen

Colorful mural of musicians and dancers on a building wall with windows.

On our way, we stopped for lunch at a cute restaurant decorated Bavarian style – lots of ornately carved wood – very comforting.  Signs all over the place announcing “SPARGEL!† What’s Spargel?, we asked.  Asparagus! was the answer.  Mid May to mid June all German restaurants have a separate menu celebrating asparagus. The menu offered…

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Boveda – The Ceiling that Defies Gravity

Decorative brick vaulted ceiling with hanging lantern light fixture.

The “Boveda†ceiling was invented by the Moors, who conquered a goodly portion of Spain. The Spanish brought the design to the New World when they conquered Mexico. Popular here in San Miguel, the ceilings are built by one extended family of masons, who have been the boveda specialists for years. I would describe it…

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Yucatan Peninsula and  Cancun February 2011

Aerial view of turquoise ocean and white sandy beach with scattered buildings.

Welcome to the world of the Maya. We’re all somewhat aware of the amazingly sophisticated civilization that the Mayan people developed. Architecture, astronomy (the Mayan calendar accurately predicted solar and lunar eclipses), writings (the Mayan codices are still the subject of serious academic studies throughout the world), mathematics (the Maya invented the concept of zero).…

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San Miquel de Allende, Mexico  March2010

Sunset over a historic cathedral and garden in a vibrant city.

We really, really like Costa Rica. It’s a paradise. So many places to go, so many places to see. The only thing the country lacks is cultural activities for English speaking visitors. We enjoyed visiting rain forests, beaches, volcanoes and such, but we really had to come up with our own activities. So, we read…

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