Pat

Retired. Have time for the things I love: travel, my cat, reading, good food, travel, genealogy, walking, and of course travel.

La Spezia, Liguria, Italy

29 April – 1 May 2022

La Spezia – southernmost entry to the famed Cinque Terre: it has taken me three years and three tries but I have finally arrived. No rush, no stress, no problem. Hopefully. Covid has not chosen to disappear but I have chosen to take back control and live within the parameters of a world at war against both a deadly virus and a murdering Russian autocrat.

Masked, vaxed to the max, armed with my CDC record and the ability to exercise common sense, I am eager to explore and hike the Cinque Terre. Not for the usual “tourist day trip” but for the next two weeks. Italian scenery, food and la dolce vita!

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By Pat, ago

Pisa – Life Beyond the Tower

26-28 April 2022

I have visited Pisa on several occasions, most often not further than its famed Leaning Tower. It wasn’t until I wandered into some of its smaller, quieter streets that I discovered Pisa’s charm. I determined to return and spend more time exploring something other than its Piazza del Duomo.

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By Pat, ago

Clearing Customs in Covid

26 September 2021

Travel is muscle memory. At least it was.  Much has changed because of Covid. I can’t utilize all the little perks of travel that once made the experience faster, easier and more pleasant. However, as I wrote earlier, travel may not be as easy but all the protections and requirements put in place are definitely worth the effort. 

One no longer travels without: 

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By Pat, ago

Sharing Hamburg With a Hamburger

22 September 2021

I can’t help it. When eating a delicious slice of pork shoulder, my server thought I was leaving the best part, the layer of crispy fat. “Das ist gut” she points out. Yes it is, I agree, but I have a desire to keep my arteries open a few more years.

So, as I sit in the Frankfurt Airport, perusing Paulaner’s German menu for “soul food,” I cannot pass on the Gegrillte Schweinshaxe as a further threat to my blood flow. Grilled pork knuckles are just too tempting to pass up. I love sauerkraut and just for the fine dining experience, I add a side of buttered Swabian noodles. “Takes half an hour, is okay?” Yes, actually it is perfect. I laze over my Hefeweizen and think of what a great “freedom” trip this has been.

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By Pat, ago

Celle – Its Castle of Intrigue

19 September 2021

Walking Celle is like strolling through a Brothers Grimm folktale.

Walk Celle’s streets, ogle its magnificent architecture, enjoy the statues and fountains, and stand in the Markt Plaza when the Glockenspiel rings out. Overall, this is a charming city that should not be overlooked in one’s travels of Lower Saxony.

Celle is situated on the banks of the Aller River and is one of many wonderful cities along the Timber-Frame Road. Attractions include a castle, museums, and lots of street art in the form of a series of figures engaged in life about Celle. But for me, the main attractions are the timber-framed houses, some 400 of them, that line the streets of the historic Altstadt. It’s proximity to the beautiful, and fragrant, Lüneburg Heath is another reason to spend a couple days here.

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By Pat, ago

Why Celle?

17 September 2021

Two major events explain why I visit Celle.

In the winter of 1911, my grandmother Dora left her home and family in Celle to emigrate to the United States. I don’t exactly know why this petite 33 year-old, 5’2” woman, speaking little English and traveling alone would choose to leave her family and move to America. She must have had “spunk.” I know she was a spry 89 year-old.

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By Pat, ago