Tag Archives | Travel

While in Siena, we stayed in a lovely inn. This was the view (on a rainy day.)

It was very early spring and things were just beginning to bloom.

This photo is looking back at the building.

We had our fanciest meal in Siena. We think our table was located in an old wine cellar. Here’s hubby trying to decode the menu.

I’m sure the staff thought we were rather strange, since we didn’t order course after course as those near us did. I got an appetizer only and hubby got an entree only. But, we did share dessert.

It was tasty and not overly sweet. The berries were currants, something I’d never had before. We saw them in things several times.

BTW, black truffles were in season and we had them in multiple dishes. Yummy!

Here’s an interesting take on creme brulee, (from a different Siena restaurant.) They set the sugar topping on fire as they set it down before me. I had to wait for it to go out and by that time, the sugar was hardened, and still warm.

We had some very good food, but I also got adventurous enough that I encountered some things I didn’t care for. Like melty warm, soft pork fat on toast. No thank you. (It was part of a Tuscan crostini sampler.) They love their fatty pork!

I’d definitely enjoy visiting Siena again.

Ellen Lindner

Siena is a small medieval town in the heart of Tuscany. The city center is maintained to look the way it did in the 1300’s. It’s very picturesque (or, it would be, if seen on a sunny day. It was rainy and overcast for us.)

The piazza and the town hall tower are the center of the action. Everything sits on steep hills. Can you tell how steep this street is, plunging way down over the course of one building?

The streets are very narrow, with no sidewalks. There’s just room for one way traffic and vehicular access to the city center is tightly restricted. When a vehicle comes pedestrians just ease over to the side and no one gets excited.

A Gothic church sits at the highest point in the city, made from white and dark green marble.

Traveling along the right side of the church and around to the back we encountered “the steps of death.” Or, that’s what we called them. Marble steps, wet with rain, and no handrail. Eep!

They didn’t look as scary when viewed from the bottom, but I can tell you they were pretty tricky!

Nearby we found a small grocery store. Don’t you love the way they leave the leaves on the lemons? I thought they were so pretty.

Even in the rain, it was fun to explore.

Ellen Lindner

Our 3 hour bus ride to Pompeii included some beautiful scenery. (And some napping.)

Our first view of Mt. Vesuvius, across the Bay of Naples. Pompeii is not visible in this image. It’s to the right.

As an engineer, hubby was really amazed by how big the city of Pompeii was. This view doesn’t show the far end of the street. And, of course, it goes just as far the other way.

We say many interesting things including this stadium.

The town square was a gathering place for all sorts of activities and several columns remain in good shape. (Not sure who the guy in blue is!)

The nicest homes had marble mosaic floors and central atriums.

The house had no perimeter windows, so all the light came from the atrium.

Of course, there were several body casts showing some of those who perished. Geesh. What a way to go.

It was a long day but we were really glad we got to see it.

Ellen Lindner

While on our vacation out west, my husband and I got to go on a hot air balloon ride! It was EXHILARATING! And very interesting! We both really enjoyed it.

We met the crew of Elevated Ballooning at 6:30 AM, when it was only 27 degrees! This Floridian was wearing six layers of clothing, which did the trick.

Fly Girls

Our pilot, Margaret, was very experienced and skilled. She was a MASTER (mistress?) of reading the fine nuances of what she called micro weather. (Wind currents and directions to the rest of us.) My husband immediately told her that I’m also a pilot (fixed wing) so she explained many things to us.

She and her crew of two had a very efficient and well-rehearsed process for setting everything up. My husband, Kevin, got to help them, while I took photos. After setting up the passenger basket and attaching it to the balloon “envelope,” it was time to inflate the balloon. They hauled out a big fan with its own generator to fill it up.

We drifted over tiny Griggs, Idaho, and didn’t even notice our smoky view. Everything about the experience was mesmerizing!

At one point we were moving across corn fields at a pretty good clip. Yeehaw!

Margaret was actually a little worried about having a high speed landing and told us how to crouch and where to hold on in case this happened! But, she was SO GOOD at reading the wind and making use of the natural wind breaks in our surroundings that she got us slowed down to a complete hover for landing. Then, we just gently plopped down. Amazing!

Of course, there was quite a procedure to getting everything put away and Kevin, again, helped with this.

The balloon envelope alone weighs 300 pounds. After bagging it up we were invited to sit on this 300 pound “bean bag” chair for a photo op.

We finished off our adventure with a toast of champagne and orange juice, a ballooning tradition.

Elevated Ballooning Crew

This was, by far, the highlight of our trip and I highly recommend it!

Ellen Lindner

I’ve always wanted to see a koala and I got several chances to do so in Australia.

They are so adorable! They sleep about 20 hours each day, so of course, all the ones we saw were doing just that. However, we got to get super close to them at the Sydney Zoo. We weren’t allowed to touch them, but we could observe them up close. Doesn’t this guy above look super relaxed?

His buddy was snuggled in a couple of branches below. This was a good chance to study their feet, which are different front and back. The front ones have two opposable thumbs! (His back feet are showing in this photo.)

In Tasmania we saw a wombat, which is similar to the koala species. Also very cuddly looking. And awake!

And then we spent some time with about 140 kangaroos. They live at a wildlife sanctuary where they are taken care of. As a result they are VERY tame, so we could walk among them, feed them, and scratch them. They were so spoiled as to be rather disinterested in us – and our food.

Many of the kangaroos had adolescent joeys (babies) that were hanging out in mom’s pouch. Only the joey’s back legs and tail were showing. VERY weird looking!

And then, we got to see a Tasmanian Devil in action. They’re very interesting looking little characters: about the size of a raccoon, with red ears!

I was shocked when one of the workers asked “Do you want to see him attack?” Well, of course we did. So, the worker gathered a small crowd. Then, he walked over to where the devil was sleeping in a log and poked him with a literal 10 foot pole. That little guy came tearing out of there, with teeth barred! The worker backed up in a big hurry and the devil got tired of the chase after 15 feet or so. Yes, it got our attention! (Reminded me of a very aggressive black dog we had one time. She sorta led with her teeth.)

It was great to see this unusual – to us – wildlife!

Ellen Lindner