It is impossible to adequately put into words the experience of a visit to the Nazi extermination camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau here in southern Poland. We should all know the history, have read the books, seen film and accounts and are disgusted by the crimes that were perpetuated against the Jews in particular and others, but unless one visits this place it may remain just another page of history and nothing more. That must never happen! It was not just murder on an unimaginable scale but the ultimate in evil - unjustified assumption of superiority and hatred of one ethnic group over others executed in the most systematically horrific manner which sought not only to eliminate but to debase the Jews in particular as somehow even a sub animal species. It is simplistic to blame ... read more

Yes, oh what a feeling it really is to have disembarked in Frankfurt, breezed through German Immigration and totally ignored the baggage carousel. Looking over at the crowd waiting for baggage was the first thing to bring a smile to my face after over nine hours traversing Canada and the Atlantic on our way to our first destination, Krakow, Poland. She actually did it! Jeanette made me very proud indeed and I commend her highly for being open minded enough to try it with me and travel to Europe for nearly two months with only knapsacks. The truth be told, I think I could easily have taken less shirts than I actually did. What a joy it is not to have to wait around for luggage. We had used Frankfurt Airport before and we recalled the ... read more

I know, I know! I did say that my last blog on this trip was from the French Riviera but it truly would be remiss of me not to at least share just a few of the many pictures from Brussels, Ghent and Bruges in low lying Belgium and let them, as difficult as it is, convey the essence of that quietly captivating country, known worldwide mostly for the major role Brussels plays in the European Union. The magnificent architecture, the canals and the well patronized rail network; the famous chocolates, the waffle and the weekend outdoor market where people enjoyed champagne breakfasts amongst shoppers scurrying for fresh vegetables, cheeses and other necessities for daily living encapsulated a typical European atmosphere and lifestyle - here they work to live! And that they do very well. We ... read more

If you like my blog, please leave a comment in the appropriate section. Thanks. I have to credit Rick Steeves for letting the Cinque Terre capture my imagination, especially the village of Vernazza. Once I saw the picture of this quaint village, I wanted to pack my bags. And that is what we eventually did. As we boarded our Turkish Airlines plane in Istanbul for Genoa, I was not to know that some surprises awaited us. Everyone I had met before who had visited the area, raved about it. We first had to decide where to base ourselves and finally decided on the the town of La Spezia, located south of the Cinque Terre but giving us both train and sea access to the five villages. Once in La Spezia, we headed off to find ... read more

"They ran naked in Greece!" Don't be alarmed at the title of this blog because it really did happen. However, you will have to read on to find out later in this section what that was all about. Jeanette was in for a big surprise. Where do I start and how do I describe our journey through the Peloponnese to do justice to the experience? It is impossible to do, so while the enormous amount of fascinating historical information is extremely valuable and certainly educational, I will refrain from attempting to emphasize that too much where possible for fear of omission, error and of course, boring you to death. One idea is to Google an area or specific item if you are interested in more detail. I can assure you that it was an incredible experience. ... read more