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Category: A closer look

THE AMAZING WONDERS OF TUTANKHAMUN. AN EXPLORATION OF HIS TOMB IN THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS AND HIS FABULOUS GALLERY IN THE GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM.

Howard Carter’s discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922 has captivated people throughout the world. I was enthralled with the story as a young boy and hoped to someday visit the tomb itself. We flew to Luxor to see King Tutankhamun’s actual tomb in the…

OUR EGYPTIAN TRAVEL ADVENTURE FINALLY HAPPENED AFTER 4 ATTEMPTS

Egypt was supposed to be part of a tour of the Maasai Mara Reserve in Kenya and a cruise to the Seychelles Islands in 1997. Sadly, there was a terrorist attack in Luxor killing 62 people, mostly tourists. We were advised to stay on the plane at both the Luxor…

MY FAVORITE ENCOUNTERS WITH FLOWERS AND PLANTS IN 2025

I am from a long line of horticulturists. Marla’s plants do very well with her loving care. My grandfather had a large greenhouse and grew beautiful orchids. My Mom and grandmother knew the names of just about every flower and plant. But, alas, my talents are not at…

HONFLEUR…A JEWEL IN NORMANDY

The seaport town of Honfleur captivated Marla and I on many levels. I’ll take you on a visual tour of the town to see the areas we loved. The aerial view above shows “Vieux Bassin” or “Old Harbour”. Honfleur’s most famous painter…

ROUEN…A FASCINATING AND BEAUTIFUL CITY IN NORMANDY

Our boat docked at the Quai de la Savonnerie in Rouen, the capital of the French region of Normandy. We heard the city was fascinating, but we not prepared for its’ beauty. We were ready to disembark with our Uniworld guides. This is the magnificent Cathédrale Notre-Dame…

PARIS WALKAROUND…DINNER WITH FRIENDS, SHOPPING, ANTIQUE GALLERIES, AN AMAZING DESSERT, AND FABULOUS NEW DISCOVERIES

Paris is famous for beautiful doors. We walked by this striking purple door on the Rue du bac. Walking around Paris is a veritable history lesson. This is a memorial plaque for Roger Connan, a French Resistance fighter executed by the Germans at the age of 23 during the liberation…

THE MUSEE D’ORSAY ALWAYS AMAZES AND SURPRISES WITH BEAUTIFUL TREASURES

We stayed in Paris for two nights before departing on a Uniworld Seine River cruise in August. Paris museum visits are always on our itinerary. There are 136 museums in Paris, but we opted for one of our very favorites, Musée d’Orsay, as there are always new…

WE LOVED THE “HOTEL DE LA CITE” IN THE ANCIENT FORTIFIED CITY OF CARCASSONNE! WINSTON CHURCHILL, WALT DISNEY, AND GRACE KELLY LOVED IT AS WELL!

I drew pictures of castles as a small boy and visiting the ancient fortified city of Carcassonne on a bike tour in 2013 was very special. I knew Marla would be intrigued as well. I booked Hotel de la Cite for our visit this year. At the time I was…

“IS PARIS TOO CROWDED?”

The press is full of stories about overtourism today. We all hear reports about huge crowds in the world’s beautiful cities. Paris tourism has been on a big upswing since 2024 when millions watched the Paris Olympics. The question is…”Is Paris too crowded and should…

SACRED PROCESSIONS, ANCIENT TEMPLES, THE OLDEST VILLAGES IN BALI, AND A DANCE PERFORMANCE AT THE UBUD PALACE

The magical island of Bali features many fascinating wonders of spiritual rituals, mystical temples, and a unique and beautiful culture. On our trip in May we scheduled a driver to take Marla, our daughter Lisa and husband Ray and me to visit some of our favorite temples. Our first stop…