Anyone got any travel planned?

[LitGal]

2016, Not Quite as Much Fun as 2015.....But Close

1 week in June--- attended niece's college grad. in L.A.
.
1 week in July-- visited sister-in-law in Venice, FL. Very hot and humid, but beach lovely and uncrowded.

This week--- drive to home town in upstate NY to visit friends and relatives, and attend class reunion. I hope we all get name tags at the reunion!!

Last week Aug./first week in Sept.---travel to L.A. for same niece's wedding, then on to Nor. Cal. to visit family and friends. Will get to spend 4 days in my old college town with best friend

End of Oct.-early Nov.--- drive to FL with friend to deliver heirlooms to our respective relatives. (This will vacate more space in our downsized condos.) Then we will take a 7-day cruise of the Eastern Caribbean. Neither of us has been a cruise before; but we chose it because we are each exhausted from the past year (she with 3 kids getting married, and me from downsizing/moving). We plan to crash and relax...........don't even know if we will bother getting off the ship. It seems like a good antidote to a hectic year.

Last year we spent 3 weeks in Britain and a week in Maine.......plus individual trips to visit relatives. This year, that sounds like too much work.

 

[mtate4442]

One week in Hawaii!

 

[audreyh1]

Just returned from a couple of weeks in Europe. One of my bucket list items had been to visit Aachen's cathedral because I've always been fascinated with Charlemagne and the beginnings of the Holy Roman Empire.

It was nice, but I would skip it if I had known. Aachen is a pretty humdrum town, and the main feature (beyond selling Charlemagne to tourists) seemed to be at least one Greek restaurant in every block.

I had planned a full day there, but after three hours I got back on a train and split.

Didn't know about this one. Many cathedrals replaced churches from before 1000, so this one still having bits from before 800 is impressive. Unusual shape too.

Reims was interesting. Great town and cathedral and in Champagne too!

Reims cathedral replaced an older church, destroyed by fire in 1211, that was built on the site of the basilica where Clovis, first King of the Franks, was baptized by Saint Remi, bishop of Reims, in AD 496. So you don't see older parts. Still it's one of the oldest gothic cathedrals.

We lucked out by arriving on the day of the Joan of Arc festival and so were surrounded by people dressed in medieval garb around the cathedral including knights on horseback! Very cool.

We've run across a few "Charlemagne was here" locations across Europe but had no idea where he was buried. The Romanesque elements in the burial chapel are pre-gothic.

Hmmm - I see Aachen is not far from the Netherlands.

 

[Lsbcal]

Finished off our trip to the Northwest and the weather was luckily excellent. We visited:

Seattle - Chihuly Glass museum was great and their garden area was spectacular at this time of year. Pike Place market not recommended on a nice late Sunday afternoon which we did (unfortunately) after arrival. Maybe it is better on a week day or early in the morning. Enjoyed the Museum of Flight which deserved more time but we had to catch our flight back home so only had 4 hours.

Port Townsend - old section is quaint and we stayed in a nice B&B. Did some watercolor sketches of the old houses.

Whidbey Island - stayed at a Mom & Pop B&B with view of Ebey Landing. Hiked in Deception Pass State Park.

Victoria (Vancouver Island) and Sooke - Victoria is fun and touristy around the harbor. Took some walks around the town. Went to Buchart Gardens which is best in the morning. Visited the BC Museum and took in one of their Imax shows too. Sooke had a few park walks that we enjoyed. BTW, the ferry ride from Anacortes to Sidney can take a lot of time because of customs on both sides of that ride.

 

[Nemo2]

Port Townsend - old section is quaint and we stayed in a nice B&B. Did some watercolor sketches of the old houses.

Sailed down there from SSI in the 1990s to take in the Wooden Boat Festival....enjoyed walking up on the ridge and seeing the old places.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Iceland is more expensive than Norway?

I think they're about the same.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=Norway&country2=Iceland


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[ElizabethT]

Iceland is more expensive than Norway?

With regard to the trekking company we are using, yes. They offered only a guided trek for Iceland, which made it twice the cost of their unguided Norway trek.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I think I could spend the rest of my life exploring Idaho - CDA is tough to beat, lots of history too

 

[Nemo2]

I think I could spend the rest of my life exploring Idaho

Fourteen years ago, after my late wife died, and after visiting friends in Lenore, I hauled the 5th wheel up along the river to Lolo Pass (thence Montana).....yes, it's lovely country.

 

[kcowan]

Port Townsend - old section is quaint and we stayed in a nice B&B. Did some watercolor sketches of the old houses.

For really quaint, the old Port Townsend Hotel has a room with kitchen and bath and a 950 sq.ft. private patio overlooking the water. Often overlooked by tourists.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I found my new getaway. Walla Walla Wa. I don't have to do any of the normal tourist crap. No hiking, biking, birding, photos, golf, museums, fishing, nothing. Just touring wineries and eating. Close 4 hr drive too.

 

[socaldonnan]

Will be taking a 15 day cruise to Hawaii later in fall leaving from Los Angeles. January or February driving across country to FL to visit my brother and SIL who just retired to The Villages.


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[Nemo2]

Since, as per the Aneurysm thread, there's possibility/probability that my overseas traveling might be curtailed due to my inability to obtain insurance, (or worse, my demise ), we're making certain presumptions:

a)- That we'll still be able to take our Fall trip; if not, then b) is rendered nonviable.

b)- If we're still able to travel next Spring (we already have a deposit on a transatlantic, Costa Rica to Portugal) we'd consider staying on the same ship up the west coast of Europe to Rostok, Germany. From Rostok to Amsterdam by train. Pick up another ship in Amsterdam for a 12 night Baltic cruise, (which includes St. Petersburg).......that's as far as we've gotten for now.......we should know about 'a' next month, and if 'a' is a go, and upcoming CT scans indicate that 'b' is still a possibility, we'll expand from there.

CT scan for aneurysm scheduled for September 09........have paid the balance due on a) and placed minimal deposits on b)......(Pullmantur Monarch from Limon, Costa Rica, to Rostok, Germany, thence Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas loop, Amsterdam-Amsterdam - hopefully cancellations won't be necessary.......(figure/hope pain killers and a walking cane will keep the arthritis 'controllable')

 

[gauss]

I am planning a trip to -*Milwaukee* - this weekend to attend Milwaukee Irish Fest.

Maybe I should borrow some Kevlar products between now and then.

-gauss

 

[Nemo2]

I am planning a trip to -*Milwaukee* - this weekend to attend Milwaukee Irish Fest.

Maybe I should borrow some Kevlar products between now and then.

-gauss

A few good deals here:

Armour and Tracked Military Vehicles For Sale – MILWEB Classifieds

 

[Big_Hitter]

has anyone ever driven through the Palouse?

We went to CDA last week and drove around the East side of the lake through Plummer and down to Walla Walla. One of the most beautiful drives I've ever done.

 

[Nemo2]

^ Beautiful pic!

 

[dixonge]

Just made plans for a return to beautiful Big Bend National Park and the incredible Eve's Garden in nearby Marathon.

Eve's Garden Bed and Breakfast | When you want something special

Late September. Hope it isn't still 100+ by then.

 

[brett]

So good to be back in Quebec after too long an absence. Quebec City and Gaspe were wonderful. Going to Dublin with a week long stopover in Newfoundlad. First time for both.

 

[braumeister]

Our first visit to Newfoundland was just about two years ago and we absolutely loved it. We flew into St. Johns and stayed in a great B&B. Alas, in our week we never got more than about 40 or 50 kilometers from the city, but it was a delightful time and we're more than ready to go back.

 

[nwsteve]

has anyone ever driven through the Palouse?

We went to CDA last week and drove around the East side of the lake through Plummer and down to Walla Walla. One of the most beautiful drives I've ever done.

Live here and love it! We make regular trips to the west-side to DD &DGD and always blown away by the many changes in the view coming with the seasons and changes in crops being harvested.
Nwsteve

 

[Nemo2]

CT scan for aneurysm scheduled for September 09........have paid the balance due on a) and placed minimal deposits on b)......(Pullmantur Monarch from Limon, Costa Rica, to Rostok, Germany, thence Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas loop, Amsterdam-Amsterdam - hopefully cancellations won't be necessary.......(figure/hope pain killers and a walking cane will keep the arthritis 'controllable')

Fickle folk that we are, we're now looking at dropping the Vision of the Seas loop in favor of staying on the Monarch and following this itinerary:

Sat Jun 3 Berlin (Rostock), Germany 10:00pm
Sun Jun 4 At Sea
Mon Jun 5 Stavanger, Norway 9:00am 7:00pm
Tue Jun 6 Haugesund, Norway 7:00am 5:00pm
Wed Jun 7 Flam, Norway 7:30am 6:00pm
Thu Jun 8 Skjolden, Norway 7:30am 4:00pm
Fri Jun 9 Alesund, Norway 8:00am 5:00pm
Sat Jun 10 Bergen, Norway 8:00am

Thence the ~ 7 hour train ride to Bergen (which sounds wonderful)......(we've only visited Bergen previously, so the other ports are part of our unfulfilled wish list.)

 

[rodi]

I spent a nice weekend up in Santa Ynez with some girlfriends.... Sampled some wonderful wines and ate some awesome food. Did not get chased naked through the ostrich farm. (Sideways reference.)

 

[COcheesehead]

Planning a hiking trip to Ireland next year.

 

[braumeister]

Fickle folk that we are, we're now looking at dropping the Vision of the Seas loop in favor of staying on the Monarch and following this itinerary:

Sounds absolutely wonderful and I would encourage you to do that.