True stories of our world-wide journeys interspersed with bits of my real life journey, retired now in Silicon Valley
Here's a word from a recent crossword puzzle, a word I had forgotten, if I ever knew: elver, a baby eel. Very young elvers are transparent, a fact I learned when I saw this photo that CC posted on her Crossword Corner blog. As soon as I saw the picture, I thought of those cooked clear noodles known … Continue reading Elvers
The last week of October we went to Churchill, Manitoba, to see the polar bears. Timing is everything, and we timed it right. The bears were gathering, testing the ice, waiting for Hudson Bay to freeze over so they could hunt for seals, after not eating since the spring thaw. I hoped to see the … Continue reading Polar Bears
I'm happy to see 2018 end. Too much drama and disaster. Still, I cherish good memories of our many bike rides, hikes, and walks in the past year. Being outside always improves my spirits. In January and February, we stuck close to home. March was exciting, with wonderful hikes and activities too numerous to mention, … Continue reading Hiking and Biking in 2018
Who goes to Winnipeg? We had wondered just that, out loud to our hotel shuttle driver. He was enthusiastic about his hometown, as well he should be, and after a couple days, we were impressed too, with this bustling city and commerce hub they call "Chicago of the North". More Chicago-y than Chicago, perhaps. Of … Continue reading Winnipeg –– Wow!
In July we have a few days and some fantastic eats in and around Toronto. Never heard of poutine, but I see that it is a Canada thing and seems to be offered everywhere. Essential elements: fries, cheese (preferably cheese curds) and a hot gravy or sauce over all. The Doubletree also offers a great … Continue reading Toronto Eats
If you ride, I know you will agree: a great way to meet a new city is on a bike. These photos are from our most recent city tour: Toronto. We choose to stay at the DoubleTree in Toronto because it is within walking distance from the train station and to all sorts of … Continue reading Bike Tour, Toronto
Oh yes, of course we loved Sydney, Australia, but the North American Sydney is worth seeing too. We visited Canada's Sydney (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia), as a port stop on Holland America's St. Lawrence cruise from Montreal to Boston––a short visit that made us want to go back. We disembarked from the ship and our … Continue reading Another Sydney
I love waterfalls. Doesn't everyone? Rating the three grand falls we've seen, I have to say Iguazu is the most impressive. Super powerful. Of course it might depend on the season. In a heavy rain year, flooding of the lower area can cause the falls to be less impressive. Walkways on both the Brazil side … Continue reading Three Falls To See
Australia hosts many dangerous things, but the closest we come is snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef. Jellyfish found in the southern oceans are deadly, like the well-known box jelly and a small (thumbnail-sized), venomous relative, the irukandji. Both are found in seas of northern Australia, October to May. We visit in early May, on a quest to … Continue reading Dangers in Queensland
Stay left! Traveling to Australia, we worried about driving on the left, but Brother-in-Law Bob was up to the task. The other three of us just yelled. "Stay left!" Most unnerving was the almost-constant beeping from our rental car. Took us a half-hour to figure it out: the lane-departure warning. In his effort to stay left, … Continue reading Stay Left!
Travel Tales amongst my Ramblings 