The World Through Our Lens
Ready to explore the Po River Delta, the biggest wetlands in Europe, Bob and I were off the sheets early on our first full day in the region. The enchanted landscape covers an area of 140,000 hectares, so under a crystal clear sky, we set off in the direction of Parco Regionale Veneto del Delta del Po. Read more
Despite our intentions of arriving at the Leaning Tower of Pisa early in the day, we found ourselves landing at the popular tourist destination alongside hundreds of fellow sightseers. This world-famous freestanding bell tower is considered one of the most remarkable architectural structures from medieval Europe and possibly the tallest bell tower in Europe. Read more
On the afternoon that Bob and I landed in Rome, Italy, we were in dire need of a stretch given the long hours of travel time from Toronto. Our accommodation, Hotel Manfredi, was centrally located in the Old Quarter so The Spanish Steps were less than ten minutes by foot from the hotel lobby. It seemed a likely destination given its close proximity. Read more
In August 2015, Bob and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary so we wanted to further mark the occasion with a memorable trip. Never having visited Italy, we figured that a jaunt to the city of Rome would be a good place to start our 3-week vacation. After all, it is considered amongst the top ten romantic cities in the world. Read more
One of my hopes on our trip to France was to spend a night in a “real” castle like Chateau de la Bourdaisiere. By happenstance we learned about this castle when we came upon a little tourist information booth along a country road in the Loire Valley. It happened to be staffed by an English-speaking young woman. Read more
In the small French village of Giverny, we found Monet’s Garden that he began to build and cultivate back in the 1880’s. In 1890, the digging of his Nympheas basin was started for what would become his Water Garden. Read more
Bob and I began our second day in Paris, France, with a visit to the Roman Catholic church La Madeleine located at the very top of rue Royale. With its massive Corinthian columns, La Madeleine Church occupies a commanding position at the end of the street, and I remember being awed when I first caught sight of it. This church has a very interesting history. Read more