Chambord castle is one of the Renaissance’s most amazing constructions. Built to glorify Francis I in 1519. Chambord is an architectural utopia; a harmonious whole of residence, castle and hunting lodge. Its history is unique. In the 16th & 17th…
Yes that’s right, we toured Tours this morning. And no, it’s not a mall full of kiosks selling package tours to seniors and hapless travelers :). Our first stop was the cathedral (I hope that by now you’ve figured out…
With its grand château and medieval old town peppered with half-timbered buildings and ancient wine cellars, Amboise is the quintessential Loire Valley town. This is where Leonardo da Vinci chose to spend his final years. It’s a French Holiday (Bastile…
From the dream of St Aubert in which St Michael appeared 3 times in the year 708, and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet, it has been known as the “Bastille of the Sea.” If you…
Before we started we had to have breakfast and catch up on laundry before the rest of the hotel woke up A little history first, to help put all this into perspective. The invasion began shortly after midnight on the…
The massive Allied assault on the Normandy coastline on June 6, 1944 aimed to liberate France and drive into Nazi Germany. Beginning at 0630 hours, US, British and Canadian divisions landed on Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword beaches in…
Where do we begin. We knew it was going to be a serious day. We were headed to Normandy to explore the WWII memorials and museums in remembrance of D-Day, 6th of June 1944. First, a fun drive (we have…
I can’t help myself I have to write about my BRILLIANT idea!!! We’ve mastered train passes and tram passes and bus passes. Every time you have to use the WC aka Toilet you have to pay with a card or…
Took the train to Brussels airport to pick up a car. No issues in the parking lot 💥. We’re off to Caen France today. Once out of the city we were surrounded by beautiful rolling hills, farms and trees galore.…
No rain, not a drop. Ghent is an amazing city originally started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie. In the Late Middle Ages Ghent became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe, with some 50,000 people in…
We spent the morning booking train travel for the rest of our stay in Europe, while trying to avoid big cities if possible. We think we’re done, but changes may happen. It’ll be JEllens adventures for sure. At the end…
Pulled out our raincoats for a walk around this medieval city. In 1089, Bruges became the capital of the County of Flanders. Bruges received its city charter on 27 July 1128, and new walls and canals were built. Every turn of every corner…
Quiet day for JEllen. Did some trip planning in the morning, then took a UBER to the train station. Bid goodbye to Brussels for now. The other side of the tracks looked like a framed picture Hopped on the train…
Today we hit the last places on our list. We started to see what the lil Pis man was wearing & arrived just in time for his dressing. Time for a cafe stop… Lots to take in, including the Banksy…
We have plans to see the city sights and walk the streets to explore the architecture, beauty and history. First stop must be the 15th Century old Manneken Pis (translated to Lil Pissing Man) Countries, dignitaries, royals and creative designers…
You know when you have a very special person in your life & seeing them again fills your heart with love. When I was visiting my sister in Italy 35+ years ago I was immersed in her beautiful Italian life.…
We made plans to meet friends today. Something new; we took a train but a short one to a lovely city. Antwerp is the diamond capital of the world. But first waffles When stepping off the train you’re greeted with…
We left Germany this morning and happily arrived In Bruxelles and it’s HOT with no AC. We found the local tram & it had to be 150 degrees inside. We only had 2 stops and walked to our AIRBNB. Tomorrow…
Hmmm interesting, that humans here are much more stoic and not quite as warm, fuzzy & engaging as our Scandinavian friends. A few memories popped in my mind from previous travels to Germany “you touch NUSSING!!!” and being told to…
The Danish engineers are so smart. I had to put one last photo of the pram with a footstool and seat for the kids not in the carriage. It is brilliant. Another thing they do is take babies out and…
An amazing city. Fabulous people and I adore Denmark. When people meet visiting friends and family at the airport or train station or whatever, they wave the Denmark Flag to welcome them. What a cool tradition. 🇩🇰 I love the…
Up and ready to walking to the DAC and BLOC to learn about Danish Architecture. They are all about the environment, the future for generations to come and repurposing everything from old buildings to homes to revitalizing villages lost. The…
