Articles with travel

Beautiful Scenery and Unique Towns on Colorado’s Hwy. 160

After spending a day at Great Sand Dunes National Park, it was time to head to our next destination, Mesa Verde National Park. From our stay in Alamosa we would travel across the southwestern part of Colorado along Hwy. 160. It would take most of the day as we stopped from time to time to see the sights. We spent two nights in Alamosa. The town itself is really the nearest town for those planning to visit the Great Sand…

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From Colorado’s Pikes Peak to the Snowcapped Sawatch Range

On Sunday we spent a lot of time walking, especially through the Garden of the Gods. By contrast Monday we spent a lot of time driving. It started with a drive up Pikes Peak and ended nearly 200 hundred miles south in Alamosa, Colorado We started with Pikes Peak. Colorado refers to it as America’s mountain. Ever since I was a kid, I have heard of Pikes Peak. Therefore when we planned this trip, and I realized we would be…

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A Visit to the Infamous Alcatraz in San Francisco

In the middle of San Francisco Bay lies one of the most infamous locations in America, Alcatraz. I remember as a kid hearing about Alcatraz and that the really bad criminals went there. In 1963 the government closed the prison, but even after that the stories continued to circulate. Today Alcatraz is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area managed by the National Parks and is open to the public. To visit Alcatraz visitors must get a ticket from…

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From Muir Woods to San Francisco Bay’s Edge

One of the reasons I wanted to go to the San Francisco area was to visit Muir Woods. Muir Woods is a US National Monument. I wrote about national monuments in a previous post. Muir Woods is one I had read about and wanted to explore. It took us about two hours to drive north from where Andrea lives to reach Muir Woods. The drive took us over the Golden Gate Bridge, and shortly after crossing we turned west. We…

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Wildlife Encounters in Rancho San Antonio near Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley conjures up images of high tech companies in shiny buildings with busy employees working far too much. We sometimes forget that word valley. A valley is an area between hills or mountains, and Silicon Valley sits near some hills which have been preserved for the valley citizens to enjoy and experience nature. One such location is Rancho San Antonio which is an open space preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains west of the valley. Here visitors will find…

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The Colors of Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Two years ago my daughter Andrea and I visited the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens in the Netherlands. They had an amazing variety of tulips, and the beauty of their gardens is unrivaled. It’s a very worthwhile experience. However, not everyone can cross the ocean to see tulips. Fortunately, there are places here in the United States that celebrate tulips, and one of them is just north of Seattle in the Skagit Valley. Skagit Valley is one of the last major agricultural…

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Budget Travel Tips For Your Next European Vacation

In a conversation with my brother last fall, he asked if I had any tips for traveling. That question inspired me to think about ways that one can save money as a budget traveler, especially in Europe. International travel can seem daunting. For many Americans their first trip overseas is to Europe. I hope these tips will encourage them to take that European trip. Last week I wrote about some simple and practical ways to save when finding flights and…

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Simple Budget Travel Tips for Flights and Hotels in Europe

Anyone who has read my blog has probably figured out that our travel style is budget travel. Part of the philosophy is that the less we spend on a trip means a greater possibility of another trip to Europe. So we don’t choose expensive hotels or visit pricey restaurants as we travel. Those are some of the obvious ways to save money. However, there are some other ways to save as well. They may not save as much, but every…

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40th Birthday Trip to Budapest and Prague With My Parents

My mom has always mentioned that she would love to see the Christmas markets in Europe. Given I’m still making up for missed trips due to COVID, I suggested that we make the journey to Europe this year to see some Christmas markets. My dad suggested Budapest and Prague. Of course perhaps I also wanted to go because I was turning 40 and felt like I deserved a special trip for my birthday. Ten years prior, for my 30th, I…

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Prague: From the 70s to the Jewish Quarters

Saturday was our final day in Prague. Unfortunately Silvette was not feeling well. She had a bad cold and decided it would be best to stay at the hotel and rest. Andrea and I then took off to take in our final experiences in the city. It didn’t all go as well as we had hoped. Our first stop for the day was a place I had discovered online. It was the Retro Museum. Prague seems to have a museum…

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