1-2 April 2025
Let’s first clarify the facts. No one filmed the iconic film Casablanca in Casablanca. Rick’s Café never existed. Whispered rumors were that Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart didn’t even like each other much. The only thing not fictional about the film was that in 1942, World War 2 was raging across Europe and North Africa.
28-30 March 2025 Whether spelled Tangier or Tanger, this vibrant Moroccan port on the Strait of Gibraltar thrives where the Mediterranean and Atlantic Oceans meet. Since Phoenician times (around the 3rd to 4th century BCE), the city has connected Africa and Europe as a strategic cultural crossroads. Its picturesque, whitewashed Read more…
Wednesday, 26 March, 2025, sunny and cool
I believe if one desires to know and understand a place, one walks it. Best learning about Paris by walking and using its fabulous Metro. There exists miles of Paris monuments, museums, and parks to explore. Each sight we visit offers a unique glimpse into Paris’s rich history, culture, and artistry.
(more…)Tuesday, 25 March, 2025
Early train, Museum Pass in hand, reservations booked. We set off to explore Versailles.
Tourists, go that-a-way. Take your patience and good shoes. Be patient or stay home!
Château de Versailles impresses. Where did the Kings get all the money for such luxury? Its gardens offer a peaceful respite, hopefully. And, like Queen Marie, the Hamlet of Petite Trianon promises quiet amid nature. All this beauty and tranquility belies the tragic history behind Versailles.
(more…)24 March, 2025
Paris beckons. Some cities remain timeless, majestic, and full of charm. They offer a tapestry of culture, history, food and drink. Paris holds that promise and more. I have visited Paris numerous times and look forward to sharing this marvelous city with my niece, Gabrielle.
(more…)23 March 2025
There are cities in the world that deserve repeated visits. Being the greatest on any list is an honorable position. Paris fits that description. I rejoice in visiting the City of Light for the third time this decade. Sharing it with first-time visitor Gabrielle makes it even better.
When my niece Gabrielle said she wanted to see some of France, I took the opportunity to invite myself along. “Pick some sites” I suggested. Then, when done, “I would love to share Paris.”
(more…)20 March 2025
Departing Saint-Malo, we drive west through farm land, lush forests, and small villages to the headlands of Cap Fréhel. Occasionally, we spy peeks of bays and a rugged Brittany coast. Stone buildings dot the way. This land has seen the passage of everyone from the Knights Templars to Resistance Fighters and Allied soldiers of WWII. Now us.
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