brenda

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brenda





Lapa Rios - rediscovering the child from within!You know when I research where to stay I read a lot of trip advisor , blogs and so on and so on.. but if someone would ask me where to go in Costa Rica i would tell them - that if you only have enough time for one place - this is the place to go . Lapa is the Spanish name for the macaw while rio is the word for river. The owners John and Karen first visited the future home of the ecolodge, they witnessed a number of majestic scarlet macaws flying across the jungle, appearing to form a river of red above the canopy.... read more
howler monkey - the sound of horror
jeff and Edwin
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On our way to Lapa Rios a National Geographic Eco Reserve at the end of nowhere ..we realised it would take us 7 hours to get to the next destination. We decided to break up the trip into two sections - using our resting place as Manuel Antonio a popular beach resort half way down the coast. I forgot to mention that Costa Rica is in the rainy season so we drove more than 4 hours in torrential rains that were refreshing but definitely slowed us a down especially since the highway is in reality a two way road with no shoulders and a lot of small and large moving trucks. As we entered the intersection towards Manuel Antonio I was so proud of Jeff as he and the Gps help me drive and manoeuvre our ... read more
small houses in small town
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women walking across street


So what was the question again? within a week we decided , planned and implemented - Iceland? - too stark, Canadian Rockies ? my brother asked me - didn't we grow up in the Rockies? so Costa Rica it was ! 18 hours later we landed in a country that is blanketed in green. Costa Rica has many options of where to visit but i decided that we were going to make three stops, Monteverde for the cloud forest, Osa penninsula at the far south end of CR and then to finish up near a volcano near San Jose. One of the things that one learns about these forests and jungles are the terminology of primary forest -which means original forest and secondary growth which is the vegetation that springs up in the wake of some ... read more
scorpion on a tree
dirt road
dirt road up to cloud forest

Europe » Italy » Veneto » Dolomites August 14th 2015

Who would believe that you could ride a bike that would help you get up a hill looking like a pro. Friday - I rode my first Ebike up a major mountain in the Dolomites- and ask WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL OF MY LIFE? At first it was rather daunting trying to figure out how to ride this very very heavy bike. As we started up the mountain I saw hills that even in my fittest days would have had me huffing and puffing. I discovered the four levels of "pedal assist" and fell in love with the Turbo level (highest I may add) to getting up those hills. Now don't misunderstand - this isn't a motorcycle - you have to pedal but with every down-way thrust that machine BECOMES like an angle making every ... read more
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no Ebikes for this guy... unfathomable
biking in the rain!

Europe » Italy » Veneto » Dolomites August 13th 2015

World War One ! The poor Austrian and Italian soldiers had to defend the border at the top of these ridges. I was curious to learn about their plight and decided we had to climb Mount Lagazoui. As of course you all remember from our history classes that the front line between Italian and Austro- Hungarian forces had to pass through the Dolomites. The soldiers on both sides excavated mile long tunnel in the mountains and then fired at one another without actually changing the front lines - because they were too cold to move !! Most died of hunger and cold because reaching them was virtually impossible - WHICH I NOW UNDERSTAND So if they say that curiousity killed the cat - it almost killed us. This trail is pretty much straight up for a ... read more
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Go Jeff

Europe » Italy » Veneto » Dolomites August 11th 2015

For the last two years I have been feeling guilty that I HAVE NOT LIFTED A leg or arm to exercise- after this trip - I am throwing that guilt away. WE have reached the Dolomites and it feels like the Disneyland of nature. The jagged Mountain range is spectacular as the edges of each mountain lies against the skyline.The trails that overlook the valleys have breathtaking views of small and quant villages that are scattered all around. We are staying in a small town in the Dolomites called San Cassiano. It's about a 2 hour walk to each town- don't get me wrong you can drive but why drive when you can walk? Every morning we choose a hiking trail and then we start to climb, climb and climb. What's amazing is that when you ... read more
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our apart hotel

Europe » Germany » Bavaria » Dachau August 9th 2015

We had decided to drive from Prague to the Dolomites , a 9 hour drive with stops, and as I researched the route I realized that Dachua Concentration Camp was 5 minute drive from the main road. Jeff looked at me and said - have you forgotten that I am "Second Generation" and I really don't need to see this - which is true so I offered him the option of waiting in the car but expressed to him as someone who isn't "Second Generation" I would like to go ! On the drive down I found that my stomach was in a knot We walked in together. The same trees that stood before me had witnessed it all No words... read more
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take a pose?

Europe » Czech Republic » Prague » Josefov August 8th 2015

So what makes something survive, revive and create? What is in the DNA of a city that vibrancy is so strong that it is almost as if you can feel the spirits of past generations pouring energies from above. Prague ! The 3 hour drive from the Vienna airport to the Czech Republic was actually rather boring, we drove through a non defined geographical area that didn't impress and what i would describe as nothing. You couldn't be prepared for the sudden change, the oasis of buildings with beautiful designs and unique colors, the cobble stones or the red roofs decorated with gold shining in the sun. We landed on Thursday morning only to arrive in Prague at 5 pm planning to put our baggage down in the room and then walk the streets for a ... read more
tomb stones and more tomb stones
how many stairs?
In side one of the synagogues

Europe » Ireland » County Sligo » Sligo August 14th 2014

In Ireland you won't find: Garbage bins- and yet Ireland is very clean.. but if you are looking to throw away some garbage - keep on looking Lights in rural homes at night.. as we drove on those dark narrow roads we saw no lights illuminating the homes - maybe they are sitting in a back room or maybe they just go to bed really really early. Sidewalks- we've come to think that only the very wealthy cities have sidewalks.. Pretzels - I love to see what they have in the junk food section of the supermarkets -i looked and looked but couldn't find pretzels anywhere. when I asked if they sell pretzels the response was:- is that something from Germany? actually I THINK it is. you will find donkey's grazing with the horses and sheep! ... read more
chimneys
lawn mower for bushes on the roads
the hay roof is almost gone

Europe » Ireland » County Mayo » Ballina August 13th 2014

BRuised , my right side looks like I broke my arm- but I am Happy.. I have always wanted to learn how to shoot clay pigeons. Jeff didn't! We are staying at an Estate where one of the "things to do" is to learn how to shoot clay pigeons. A little nervous but determined we set off on a 10 minute walk , passed a dead mouse and off we went to learn. Here is how it goes- You clutch the rifle close to your shoulder and against your cheek. The clay puck is projected and you have to follow it till you line up with the rifle and shoot. and shoot.. well out of 25 shots - i hit TWO .. how exciting .. Jeff was amazing he shot those pigioens... read more
1,2,3, and shoot
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