Category: Europe
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Cawdor Castle and Gardens
Of the many things I love about Europe, the abundance of castles is near the top of my list. As a child watching animated films, I dreamed of living in a castle one day. The ones from Brave, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid, are my all-time favorites. In Brave, the young Princess Merida lives in…
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Hello Spring!
“It is spring again. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.” – Rainer Maria Rilke I fell in love with this quote years ago and admire both its eloquence and the image it paints in a mere thirteen words. Here is my homage to spring in pictures. Most were taken near my home…
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Beautiful Belém
No visit to Lisbon would be complete without spending some time in Belém. Rick and I have stayed there twice and have yet to scratch the surface of everything it has to offer. From monuments to museums and from parks to promenades, Belém will appeal to history buffs, nature lovers, families, artists, and tourists alike.…
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Where in the World?
In this blog, I challenge my readers to guess where in the world the photos below were taken. Some are easy, some not so much. Name the country, city, or place of as many as you can in the comments. Click on Photo 1 to begin. In my next blog, I return to Lisbon and…
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The Teno Mountains of Tenerife
What do Pirates, Mummies, Scotland, Shakespeare, and Clash of the Titans have in common? Continue reading to find out! When we told our friends that were we going to Tenerife, they gave us numerous suggestions for places to see and things to do. Mount Teide, the cliffs of Los Gigantes, Masca village, and the…
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Never Been to Spain
I have a confession to make. Despite having lived in Portugal for three and a half years, we’ve never visited our neighboring country of Spain. It wasn’t for lack of trying, however. We had plans to visit Barcelona in 2020 but the pandemic closed borders, so we had to cancel our trip. Now that travel…
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Park of Monserrate
As a lover of gardens, I’ve been to many in both the United States and Europe. At the top of my list of favorites are Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in California and Cawdor Castle Gardens in Scotland. Since visiting last May, the Park of Monserrate Palace now tops my list. It is stunning in both…
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A Tale of Two Palaces (Part Two)
The Palace of Monserrate has a long history of famous occupants and guests. In 1790, wealthy diamond merchant Gerard de Visme built the first Neo-Gothic palace on the ruins of the old chapel of Our Lady of Monserrate. In the mid-1790’s, British novelist and art collector William Beckford became the new tenant. During his stay…
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A Tale of Two Palaces (Part One)
With its proximity to Lisbon, favorable climate, and lush natural beauty it’s no wonder why Sintra attracted both royals and the rich as THE spot to build their palaces. It is also one of the most romantic spots in Portugal, where kings and queens have fallen in love and where writers such as Lord Byron…
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Paris in Black and White
I recently re-watched a wonderful and moving film, The Walk, directed by Robert Zemeckis. Set in the early 1970’s, it tells the story of French wire-walker Philippe Petit who, on August 7th 1974, spent 45 minutes suspended on a wire between the World Trade Center towers. The film is both exciting and beautiful, especially the…
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Along Lisbon’s Waterfront
Another of my favorite places in Lisbon is along the waterfront in the northeastern part of the city. Since we had only stayed near Rossio Square on prior visits, this newer part of the city was both a surprise and a contrast to the Lisbon we thought we knew. On our first visit here, we…
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Around Rossio (Part Two)
A stroll around Rossio Square in Lisbon is always lovely no matter what time of year. My favorite times are in June when the jacaranda trees are in bloom and in December when all the holiday lights are up. A short walk from the square brings you to the Santa Justa Elevator. About one million…
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Around Rossio (Part One)
I fell in love with Lisbon on our first visit and my feelings deepen the more time I spend in this magnificent capital city. Our visit was short, only one night, but Lisbon certainly made a lasting impression. Rick and I visited Portugal in late May of 2017 as part of a four-country trip to…
Travels with Terri 