Showing posts with label Paris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paris. Show all posts

Monday, June 9, 2008

Photo Tidbits from the Europe Trip

Warning: this is a very photo heavy post.

I finally finished labeling my photos from my trip. Good thing I didn't have to develop film as it turned out to be 320 shots total- after deleting a few! No, I won't put them all on this blog but here are a few favorites:
Seen in a window on a Prague street. I laughed out loud at the thought of anything American being TYPICAL!!!

I photographed more than my share of cherubs and gargoyles!


Me and mom on a Prague overlook.


Prague's Jewish quarter , the Josefov, was not destroyed during WWII because Hitler wanted to keep it as a Museum to a dead race. Last laugh is ours luckily. This is the Jewish Town hall with one clock showing Hebrew letters in place of numbers. To the left is the Old-New Synagogue






The Jewish Cemetery is about 11 feet up above street level. There was only limited space alotted, so the cemetery is built layer upon layer with the stones brought up with each layer till it looks almost like a row of dominos.



Loved the Marionettes in the shops. This couple were the dearest.




After Prague, it was on to Nuremberg, Germany with its place in history, both ugly and beautiful. The guide was very open to both and the younger generation of Germans seemed both knowlegeable and apologetic for the past.




Then Bamberg.



Then Wurzberg to visit the Residence, a wine tasting, lunch





And yarn shopping of course

Arriving in Wertheim with its fortress on the hill, Medieval Market Square, and homes remembering it original Jewish families



Relaxing and knitting as we sailed on the Rhine, looking at castles, vineyards and blue sky




Some nightlife in Rudesheim with wine of course



Cochem and the Reichsburg Castle



Bernkastel, vinothek---it was all you could taste and drink at the Vinothek, but of course, it was 10:30 in the morning, so sanity prevailed.


Last stop of the ship and last meal with Petar the greatest waiter ever. Trier and the Porta Nigra, the roman city gate


Verdun, France, site of the Battle of Verdun where thousands of French and Americans died in WWI. We were there on Memorial Day and witnessed the ceremony of the laying of the wreaths at the memorial.


We drove on to the American Cemetery with acres and acres of markers from this battle. Christians and Jews alike, buried side by side. The dates were all in about a 6 week period from late Sept thru Nov 1918. I even located one marker from a casualty from Colorado.








Last stop Paris: Sex and the City, Le film! Our first night in a cafe with friends from Tulsa, the obligatory Eiffel Tower shot, great shots from the hotel, including Sacre Coeur in the distance and the cemetery of Montparnasse. From the bus, I captured the pyramid of the Louvre. Unfortunately, it rained in Paris, so sightseeing and walking was cut short. Will have to go back.













So, in a nutshell, those are some of the highlights from our trip. Except for the Bronchitis which both Mom and I ended up with once returning home, we were healthy throughout the trip and enjoyed the leisurely pace. Better get to work to make money to save up for my next trip, wherever that may take me....................








Friday, April 18, 2008

Almost Time to Get Excited







Next month my Mom and I are taking a break-the-bank trip to Europe. Mom is turning 81 on May 4 and since my husband doesn't like to travel and my Dad passed away last year, we thought a fun thing to do would be to take a major vacation together. We began planning this last August and decided on a Viking River Cruise/tour which starts in Prague- 2 nights, then a 7 night cruise though southern Germany from Nuremberg to Trier, then ending with 2 nights in Paris. It is now less than a month away and today we received our vouchers and a travel kit with luggage tags and lots of info.


Better get back to knitting my shawl which I want to take with me. I have about 10 inches knit and I think I will need 60" at least! Glad to report, it is looking beautiful as it develops some weight and the pattern is showing up some more.



I also strung beads on yarn for another Odessa hat, this time for Amanda's friend Mary. If I make a lot of progress on the scarf, I will begin this before I leave on my trip. Otherwise, it can wait since spring is certainly arriving in NYC and as the days warm up, there is less need for this hat. Again the yarn is Rowan Cashsoft DK, this time in a soft pretty shade of pale grey. The beads are a variegated bronze color and the effect together should be nice.