[Tahoe Joes Railroad Camp Shrimp Sauce Recipe
Everardo Laboy
I find it very soothing after a hard or hard to take day. Reminds me of many places I have been to and will return to, and gives me insight into places I would like to go and others I will likely never see. Thanks to all the contributors...
9 days again, perhaps we have reached the bottom of the hill? Or maybe everybody is caught up in Christmas or planning - that's a result
round 44 - Boxing Day, 26th of Dec, post 1487
Andorra: Approached from Latour de Carol in France or La Seu d'Urgell in Spain, the country has lovely scenery. Unfortunately, the capital city, Andorra-la-Vella, is not a great destination itself, being known more for tax-free shopping than anything else.
Bayonne: Very nice small city in the French Basque Country graced with an expansive, river-spanning historic district, a worthwhile art museum and a chocolate museum with a very generous tasting room. I liked it much, much better than Biarritz.
D
Djibouti
A small country on the Horn of Africa bordering the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. There was nothing redeeming about it. It is very poor and produces nothing. However, in the dozen or so nights I spent there, there was something likable about it and the old run-down colonial style buildings in the main square.
The capital of Scotland and a wonderful city to visit. We climbed Arthur's Seat for a sunset view of the city; visited the Edinburgh Castle; walked the Royal Mile from the castle to Holyrood Palace; saw the statue of Greyfriar's Bobby; listened to bagpipers playing on the streets of the old city; and visited several pubs for a pint or two. Also makes a great base for visiting other places in the area including Rosslyn Chapel.
Iraklion, the major city on Crete. I've been twice. The first time was in 1978 and the second was in 2014. Need I say that it, the main things to see and where I stayed changed dramatically in those 36 years?
The Palace of Knossos, the primary reason for the first visit, has become a major tourist destination. I think that is mostly a good thing, primarily because it's easier to get around the buildings and see them now.
We had dinner two nights in the same restaurant, with fries as part of the meal, as seemingly with everywhere in Belgium, and the young lady who waited on us mentioned how much American sitcoms made up the TV offerings there. She had seen a lot of the show Frasier.
Kitzbuhel, Austria - We stayed and skied here for a week several years ago. It's a very pleasant town with lots of restaurants and both large and small hotels and gasthaus' . It is a medieval town situated in the Kitzbhel Alps along the river Kitzbheler Ache in Tyrol, Austria, about 100 kilometers (62 mi) east of the state capital Innsbruck. The ski area is huge - covering several kilometers of runs and lifts. There is quite a diverse selection of easy, intermediate and expert runs. Although we were only there in the winter, I'm sure stays in other seasons would be very pleasant as well.
A small country we visited last September. Kotor is beautiful, especially at night when all the cruise tourists are gone. We hiked for 3 days in Lovcen National Park, hardly anyone there, peaceful and gorgeous scenery. The hike down into the bay of Kotor was brutal but so worth it.
Milan. I know a lot of people say Milan is not worth an overnight stay, but we stayed for about 4 nights after our Village Italy tour in 2017, loved it, and didn't manage to see half the things we wanted to see.
Sure, there's the Cathedral and the Last Supper, but there is so much more! We enjoyed a number of churches, mostly for the art, several museums, and the Sforzesco Castle, which itself is worth a full day. Lovely parks, great restaurants, the canal district... The renovated Duomo museum is fantastic.
Nigel, I went to Albania last Sept. It was very interesting and the tourist infrastructure was better than I expected. And it was nice to go somewhere that openly admits that they like the United States because of aid we have given them in the past.
Located in the northern region of Navarra, the walled medieval town of Olite is dominated by the Royal Palace of Olite, the former seat of the Kings of Navarra. You park on the outside of the walled part of town and walk in. The town walls are quite impressive and are incorporated with the Royal Palace, more a medieval castle then a grand palace. Walking through the winding lanes of the old town is a delight and 95% of the tourists we meet are Spaniards. We have a quick stop for a taste of the local traditional Sidra (hard-cider), before touring the Royal Palace.
The exteriors of the palace are magnificent and the views of the surrounding countryside are fantastic. The interior on the other hand is sparse and lacking of furnishings, this was due to fire damage during the Napoleonic war, the exteriors were restored but the interiors were yet to be brought back to their original state, which were described as gilded and sumptuous back in the day. Here's a link of some of the my photos from my time in Olite during a road trip of mine across northern-central Spain:
Capital of Ecuador. Splendid old Spanish colonial buildings and some amazing churches. Take the teleferico to the top of the mountain, or take day trips to the Mitad Del Mundo to stand on the equator, or to Otavalo to shop at the Indian handicrafts market. If you enjoy shopping, Quicentro mall was a nice visit. The historic center is easily walkable. Be careful at night since there is a lot of petty crime.
Well, Rome, of course! Doesn't everybody know something about Rome? I have visited several times although not lately. We have been in all seasons and actually experienced snow one late March. It was magical, seeing familiar places in the coating of snowflakes. Experiences:wonderful food tours with Eating Italy, a visit to the Scavi under the Vatican, Nero's house with some Italian architecture students. (no, we didn't understand the guide but we really didn't need to). The roof caved in shortly after our visit and it was closed for a while. I think now re-opened? The cat sanctuary was unique, there among the ruins. I could return a dozen more times and still see new things and have new experiences!
Q
Quechee, Vermont.
Quechee is an unincorporated village famous for a covered bridge with mill and the Quechee Gorge. I have been twice, both more than 20 years ago. Once for a conference and the second time as a family hiking getaway with our young son (a colleague owned a house there). The little town was filled with shops selling artisan products like pottery and jewelry. The scenery is beautiful, especially during autumn due to the sugar maple trees.
I have visited this fantastic country twice 3 and 4 decades ago. The Buddhist temples were beautiful, the canals were full of life, the young men usually spent 2 years as monks so you could see them everywhere in their saffron robes, the food was spicy and delicious, and the people were some of the warmest that I've met. I don't know how much it has changed.
U, an easy one: United Kingdom.
Literally hundreds of memorable places.
London is an obvious one, the traveler could spend a month, or a lifetime, exploring this city. Just one of hundreds of London unforgettable places would be The British Museum.
Vinga, a small island off the coast of Gothenburg Sweden. We went there to see the historic lighthouse and had a wonderful visit with one of the few locals. Fortunately we were on a tour and had a Swedish speaking guide to translate for us.
Warwick. I loved castles when I was a boy and so coming to Warwick Castle brought out the 8 year old boy in me. Running along the ramparts and climbing the steps inside the towers was a highlight of our 2 week adventure in England a couple of years ago.
Bok Tower Gardens, in Lake Wales, FL. It's a giant garden and bird sanctuary showcased by the 200+ foot tall tower/carillon. The gardens were designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, who also assisted with the National Mall and the landscaping around the Jefferson Memorial and the White House. It's a great place to go and enjoy nature.
For C, Carrick on Shannon Ireland. Went with my son for an overnight to stay with my friend's daughter and left five days later. It has what I think is the second smallest church in the world a fantastic story about the tiny church. Told my son it is the custom to buy a round in the pub and gave him a fair amount of money. The next day when I asked for money back he had none. I think it was 100 pounds.. he bought a round for the entire pub. The next day in the same pub I can still remember walking past the bar and a couple of gentlemen said you just be Rob's mom oh what a fine lad he is! Sure is with my money!
I love Chicago and have been there several times and just can't get enough. The best museums, the coolest neighborhoods, Navy Pier and the wonderful lakefront, Grant Park - gardens, fountains, summer concerts. Great architecture, great food. What else can I say. If I could afford to live there I probably would.
D
Devizes in Wiltshire, England. We stayed here for 3 nights on our canal boat a few years ago. It's a market town with a great weekly market. The Wiltshire Museum is well worth the visit. It is full of ancient pre-historical finds from Stonehenge era - very well organized and highly recommended. Wadsworth beer is brewed here - the brewery has tours and tastings.
Lisbon. The capital of Portugal, built on hills, offers beautiful views . . . and trolleys when your legs give out. She has a rich, multi-cultural history, the only European capital older is Athens . . . Celts, Romans, Moors, the Golden Age of Exploration. The food is good, the wine is even better.
Nancy - I'm very pleased you enjoy my hometown, but trust me, you wouldn't want to live there . . . I don't know how hot or muggy it gets in summer in Corvallis, but I am darn sure your winters are much shorter and a lot milder than those in the Windy City (even though the nickname has nothing to do with the weather).
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