Archives
-
Recent Posts
Where We Are Now
Monthly Archives: May 2016
Morning in Montserrat
High in the hills, northwest of Barcelona, lies the spiritual home of the Catalan people, Montserrat. The monastery, home to around 50 Benedictine monks, is a focal point for pilgrims and others. Even though the monastery has been rebuilt and … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Spain
Leave a comment
Avignon, France
Located in Provence, Avignon’s major claim to fame is that it was the home of the breakaway Catholic popes between 1309 and 1417. This was a fascinating time within the Catholic church as the French popes broke away from Rome … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, France
2 Comments
Séte, France
Séte is a quiet fishing port on the south coast of France. It’s an attractive little town whose claim to fame seems to be that it was a major destination for French Algerians who fled Algerian after it gained its … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, France
Leave a comment
Ceuta, Spanish Morocco
Nestled along the north coast of Africa, just 17 miles across the sea from Gibraltar, lies the beautiful Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Bordering Morocco, the Islamic and Christian cultures here seem to blend seamlessly and without the uncomfortable underlying tension … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Spain
Leave a comment
Hanging Out in the Alcazaba
Almeria is an ancient town in Andalusia, on the southern Spanish coast. The top attraction, and the focus of our visit, was to the Alcazaba fortress. This area was under Muslim control beginning in the 9th century and the caliph … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Spain
Leave a comment
Ajaccio, Corsica: Town With a Napoleon Complex
Ajaccio is the both the capital of Corsica and the birthplace of Napoleon. The former is just accepted, the latter is exploited. Even though Napoleon left Corsica when he was 10 years old, memorials and statues of him are everywhere … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, France
Leave a comment
Sunday in St. Tropez
Spending the day in St. Tropez, looking for the beautiful people, proved fruitless. We had read of recent celeb sightings, including Ivana Trump, and we were anxious to blend in and see who we could chat up. “Which yacht is … Continue reading
Monaco Historic Grand Prix
As a boy, one of Jay’s lifetime dreams was to go to the Grand Prix in Monaco. Drivers Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham and actor James Garner in Grand Prix were his inspirations and he put this event on his bucket list, even when he was … Continue reading
Posted in Europe
Leave a comment
Leaning Toward Pisa
It’s hard to believe that this town of 100,000 was a European economic powerhouse for nearly 300 years (1000-1300 AD). At one time Pisa controlled Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, and traded extensively with regions as far away as North Africa … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Italy
Leave a comment
Never Left Home 