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Category: Inspirational travel

WATCHING THE WONDERFUL “SHOGUN” HISTORICAL TV SERIES AND OUR LOVE OF JAPANESE CULTURE & ANTIQUES

One our very favorite TV shows in 2024 is “Shogun” on Hulu. It received a whopping 99 points by Rotten Tomatoes. It is based on James Clavell‘s historical novel, “Shogun”, which fictionalized key events and figures of 1600 Japan taking the Azuchi–Momoyama period…

SICILY…AN ISLAND OF BRUTAL BEAUTY, CONFLICT, AND…FASCINATION.

Sicily is a island full of unique contrasts, conflicts, and interesting history. It was ruled by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantine Greeks, Arab Muslims, French Normans, Aragons, Spain, and then the Italians. And…recently actors and film crew from the TV show, “White Lotus Season 2.&#8221…

NEW PLACES I WOULD LOVE TO VISIT…FRANCE

It will not come as much of a surprise but I often have “travel” on the brain. This is a first in a series of posts on “New Places I Would Love To Visit” and I chose France for my first one. The top 10 countries…

“A YEAR IN PROVENCE”…NO, BUT A GLORIOUS WEEK!

My cycling trip to Provence with Backroads last September was an experience of profound beauty and discovery. I had visited parts of Provence in the past but this was my first immersion in the amazing Luberon and Aix en-Provence to the south. I was captivated by the ancient villages…

BEAUTIFUL AND FASCINATING AVIGNON

In mid-September I traveled to Avignon for two nights on the eve of a bike tour of Provence with Backroads. Marla and I once had stayed across the Rhone River from Avignon in Villeneuve-les-Avignon at the wonderful Hotel Le Prieure Baumanerie. On that trip we were so…

LET’S EXPLORE BEAUTIFUL CORFU TOWN

The capital of the Greek Ionian Island of Corfu is Kerkyra, simply known as Corfu Town. The Island of Corfu is off the western coasts of Albania and Greece and has its roots back to the 8th century BC. The ancient town is a UNESCO World Heritage site since…

HIDDEN BALI…EXPLORING THE SPIRITUAL PATH

Bali is often called the “Island of the Gods” and is on many wish lists for travel. Getting off the plane at the Ngurah Rai airport can be a little disconcerting as the adjacent areas are so commercialized and chaotic with traffic. Don’t be upset as…

WONDERFUL BANDOL…A family get-together on the magical Côte d’Azur

Big trips with the family are a rare event these days. COVID-19, business commitments, daughters and sons-in law schedules, and grandchildren’s academic and athletic programs can totally mess up grand schemes and best of plans. In 2020, I saw a window of opportunity and immediately began…

DICK GENTRY:SEARCHING FOR ITALY

Many of you are enjoying “Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy” on CNN as he travels across Italy to discover the secrets and delights of the country’s regional cuisines. The show is wonderful… but a little dangerous for me. I find myself obsessively craving pizza, cacio…

TO TRAVEL OR NOT TO TRAVEL, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

Marla and I had some serious decisions to make. We hadn’t visited with our youngest daughter Stacy and her family for over a year. We missed them all like crazy! Would our grandkids still remember us? Well of course they would,…but we wanted to see them…