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Bothan Taistil - Maureen Kelly/Robert Tait

Maureen Kelly/Robert Tait "All those who wander are not lost". Maureen Kelly and Bob Tait comprise the crew of the Bothan Taistil. Bothan Taistil is Irish Gaelic meaning "cottage for travel" and this is the name of our RV. We are retired Pittsburghers and enjoy travel, outdoor activities, learning new things and meeting new people. This Blog is about our travels throughout the U.S./Canada/Mexico (for now). We have a mission to travel the scenic highways, climb the highest point in every state, hike in every National Park, canoe/kayak the countries national scenic rivers, and bike everywhere we can! We invite family and friends to follow us. From time to time we post pictures and a brief account of our adventures. Thanks for following us.
December 2008
Dear Family and Friends, As we begin to write our Christmas cards the weather in Pittsburgh is blustery and cold and we hope you are well and cozy. 2008 has been a year of adventure for us. Our motor-home was shipped to Europe early in April and we found it on the dock in Belgium waiting for us. Like a turtle, we carried our home with us as we visited and explored France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, England, Wales and Ireland. Many of the touristy places were on our list, but we especially enjoyed finding “out- of- the- way” places and “communicating” with some of the local folks. Enjoying the different foods and finding our way around various towns, were but a few of the joys and challenges of this trip. We feel fortunate to have experienced Europe from our own hiking-biking style of travel. The motor-home is in Germany waiting for us to return and finish our journey next Spring.


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Joined on: December 21st 2004
Last Login: July 1st 2009

Blog Entries: 339
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Blogs & Travel Journals

by Bothan Taistil, order by Date newest first.

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I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list. - Susan Sontag June 21, 2009, Sunday, off the ferry in Stockholm to the Bandang Campgroung, Stockholm, Sweden. Getting off the ferry and passing customs, at 9:40 AM, Bob, the driver, along with all the other drivers, was stopped for a breathalizer test, this country is serious about not having drunk drivers on the roads. The duty free shops present a temptation for drinkers, but it is 9:40 AM???Sunday Morning. Whatever? An interesting experience, and we are on our way to the campground, the city is quiet still ce [View Full Entry]

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418 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 15 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 1st 2009 | 44 Views | [diary=414003]

The Vasa Museum
A replica of the ship
The hand-carved wood is marvelous

By Bothan Taistil
June 19th 2009
Helsinki Europe » France
The rewards of the journey far outweigh the risk of leaving the harbor. June 19, 2009, Friday, Helsinki, Finland. The Midsummer’s Night Festival is a big deal celebration of the longest day of the year. Long days of Finnish summers are quite a contrast to the two months of “polar nights” found during winter. The latitude here in Helsinki is about that of Nome, Alaska, so winters are dark and hard to take. Stores close down at noon Friday and remain closed Saturday and Sunday. Everyone heads to the country… to their cottage, bungalow, w [View Full Entry]

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223 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 7 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 1st 2009 | 41 Views | [diary=414001]

Helsinki Cathedral
Helsinki building decor
Helsinki building decor

Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen. - Benjamin Disraeli June 17, 2009, Wednesday, Tallinn City Camping, Tallinn, Estonia, to the ferry to Rastila Camping, Helsinki, Finland. We found our way down into the city of Tallinn and out to the docks to the Silja Ferry. The ride on the boat to Helsinki was just two hours. Driving off the ferry in a new city and being directed off the pier… things get confusing…which way to turn? This is the time to trust our GPS, and “Matilda” cam [View Full Entry]

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488 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 20 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 30th 2009 | 56 Views | [diary=413739]

Fishermen sells good from the back of their boat
Another view of the City Market
Lantern holding musclemen at the Central Railroad Station, Stockholm

By Bothan Taistil
June 15th 2009
Estonia Europe » Estonia » Tallinn
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain June 30 We are in the middle of the Norway Fjords In fact one we took a boat ride on is a World Heritage Site This is the first campground that had Internet Today is also the first day it has rained so we will send a few Blogs June 15, 2009, Monday, Vosu [View Full Entry]

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440 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 10 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 30th 2009 | 47 Views | [diary=413729]

Bob at Lahemaa, National Park, Estonia
The plaza in Tallinn
Rain in Tallinn

I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move. - Robert Louis Stevenson June 13, 2009, Saturday, Laagna Campground, Narva , Estonia, to the Gulf of Finland and Valaste Falls to Saka Cliff Hotel and Spa/Campground. Estonia… and it is time to catch our breath and reorganize. The currency is now the Kroon, about US$ 1 equals 10 Eeks. After cleaning up, and getting some Kroons we headed to the food store and the Info Center. We decided to visit the cliffs along the Gulf of Finland. In spite [View Full Entry]

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417 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 10 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 21st 2009 | 68 Views | [diary=410394]

Kel moving along
Bob trying to get his footing in then mud
Valaste Waterfalls Part 1

By Bothan Taistil
June 11th 2009
St. Petersburg Europe » Russia
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. - Lao Tzu June 11, 2009, Thursday a free day, St. Petersburg, Russia. Off on the Metro, we found the Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood. This is the spot Alexander II the Emperor of Russia, was mortally wounded. This memorial was erected between 1883 and 1907. Mosaics cover a vast area of the outer and inner walls. Kel is not a fan of churches, but this one got her attention, it is magnificent, 7,000 square meters of mosaics!! How many tiny pieces of colored tiles intricately placed to [View Full Entry]

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469 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 20 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 20th 2009 | 63 Views | [diary=410141]

Magnificent mosaics
Mosaics
Bible stories told in an art form

By Bothan Taistil
June 9th 2009
St Petersburg Europe » Russia
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes. - Marcel Proust June 9, 2009, Tuesday, St. Petersburg, Russia. Our bus was waiting at 10 AM and we were off to the State Hermitage. This is the second largest art collection in the world, after the Louve in Paris. The enormous collection (over three million items) amounts to a history of Western European art history. We (the four Americans) had our own English guide and she was wonderful. It was a rainy day as we scurried right past the long line of tourists [View Full Entry]

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447 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 14 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 20th 2009 | 69 Views | [diary=410135]

Mosaics this whole church was made this way
Mosaics
Metro elevator not for the weak of heart, the deepest in the world

Not all those who wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien June 7, 2009, Sunday, Novgorod to Tsarakoe Selo (Pushkin), to St. Petersburg, Russia, 170 km. As we started to leave Novgorod, there was yet another flat tire! Pushkin: The vast baroque structure of Catherine the Great’s Palace was created between 1744 and 1796. After being devastated by the Germans, it has been carefully and accurately rebuilt. The original magnificent Amber Room was created from engraved amber panels given to Peter the Great in 1716. (Amber was more precious than d [View Full Entry]

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408 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 21 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 18th 2009 | 71 Views | [diary=409838]

Bob beside a room heater in Catherine’s
Room in Catherine’s Palace
Kelly and Bob in one of the mirrors

More photos from St Peterburg [View Full Entry]

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5 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 10 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 18th 2009 | 72 Views | [diary=409856]

St. Peter and Paul from the boat, Neva River
Views from the boat-ride along the canals
St. Catherine’s Palace

Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe. - Anatole France June 5, 2009, Friday, Sergiev Posad to the Region Tver Russia. 370 long, long kms. Today is a driving day, as we finish the tour of the Golden Ring” and begin our trek toward St. Petersburg. A word about Language. During our travels, there have been times when the languages of various countries have baffled us, but at least we recognized the letters. The Russian language is based on the Cyrillic Alphabet, not the Roman, so our lack of understa [View Full Entry]

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462 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 18 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 18th 2009 | 71 Views | [diary=409459]

To remember fallen solders
The Millennium of Russia Monument
Some details of the Monument



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