Altamira: Sistine Chapel of Prehistoric Art!
November 11, 2008

How many people, let alone home
school kids, get to visit both Altamira
and Lascaux prehistoric caves to have

The Traveling Office!
October 27, 2008

Sometimes glorious like at a beach or
pool and sometimes hardy, like perched
on a door ledge on a busy street, but a

More Santillana Del Mar
October 17, 2008

It is soon obvious why this entire town
is a national monument, where not a
stone can be moved. It is the perfect

Sublime Santillana Del Mar
October 16, 2008

You never know when you hear high
praise for a place, whether it will
meet your expectations or if your

Lucky Luarca, Austrias?
October 7, 2008

It is a good thing Luarca, Spain was
gorgeous, because getting there was
a nightmare! Perhaps we stayed a

Cedeira's Scrumptious Crustaceans
October 4, 2008

We headed to the coast of death,
("Costa de la Muerte") as we drove
westward in our RV towards the

Finistere: The End of Earth?
October 2, 2008

Right before we left southern Southern
Spain last May, our good friends there
told us to make sure that we saw

Lace & Pottery in Galicia
October 1, 2008

His experienced hands, covered in
oozing clay, turned the glob of earth
into a beautiful cup effortlessly, as

More Galician Beauty!
September 23, 2008

Imagine our delight as we rounded
a high mountain pass over looking a
magnificent bay below, where

Beautiful Beaches & Boats
September 23, 2008

Galicia often looks more like
Scandinavia or Scotland than Spain
and some of the beaches reminded

Gorgeous Galicia, Secret Gem!
September 19, 2008

Galicia is much more than just Santiago
de Compostela and it really blew our
minds, as it is one of the most spectacularly

Forget About Palin & Obama....Vote for ME!
September 12, 2008

The good news is we have been
nominated for a "Love This Site"
award at Divine Caroline!

Tunas Tradition Tonight?
Sept 12, 2008

The joy of the colorful Tunas  singers
filled the air! This was one of the things
we really wanted to see in Santiago and

How To Eat Healthy & Cheap Traveling Europe!
September 12, 2008

We have found it quite easy to eat
delicious, nutritious food on a very
tight budget as we travel Europe. We

Pint-sized Pilgrim's Joy In Learning
September 9, 2008

How do you teach a child about
Santiago de Compostela and the
famous pilgrimage that people have

Sanctuary & Rest
August 30, 2008

What we really needed was rest
because our pace has been too
fast this year and Santiago was the

Power Surge in Galicia!
August 29, 2008

There is more to Galicia than just
Santiago! We found Galicia to be one
of the most pristine and spectacular

Discover Stunning Santiago!
August 26, 2008

Internationally bestselling author Paulo
Coelho said: "My turning point was my
pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

Viana do Castelo & Vigo
August 19, 2008

Despite our problematic entry and it
being dark, we could still see that Viana
do Castela in northern Portugal was a

Crazy Travel Challenges
August 11, 2008

Travel and the open road is an adventure
and things do not always go right, but
sometimes the challenges make for the

Oporto & Douro Valley
August 11, 2008

The rain poured so hard the day that
we went to tour Oporto, that our rain
coats were soaked through before

Alcobaca Monastery
August 4, 2008

The largest Cathedral in Portugal is in
Alcobaca, so we made the journey to
see it and had a delightful backpack lunch

Nazare, Not Our Cup Of Tea
August 3, 2008

Nazare is a very touristy beach town,
so my least favorite site in Portugal
and I could have skipped it entirely. Still

Oooh, Obidos!
August 1, 2008

This is such a darling little town that
makes you want to just "oooh" and
"ahhh" every few seconds at the visual

Kindness of Strangers
July 31, 2008

One of the great things about being a
traveler is the many opportunities one
gets to see the kindness of strangers.

Cabo de Roca
July 31, 2008

Mozart was thrilled to get an official
sealed certificate from Cabo de Roca,
Portugal the furthest western point in

Monserrate Palace
July 31, 2008

The beautiful grounds is what really
touched us at Monserrate, plus the
outside was in one of my favorite

Pena Palace
July 31, 2008

Out of all the palaces that we have
been to, I think Pena Palace is my
favorite. The architecture there just

More Youtube Videos Up
July 8, 2008

We thought we would share some
exciting new videos that we are
proud to finally have up on

Toy Museum
July 22, 2008

Meeting the sweet owner and collector in
this very special toy museum, called Museu
do Brinquedo, was a real treat! There were

Scintillating Sintra
July 22, 2008

We just fell in love with Sintra as
so many before us have, like
Portuguese kings and English

 

Explorers & Maritime Museum
July 17, 2008

Looking at a world map, it is simply
amazing that a small country the size
of Florida made so many significant

New Cameras
July 17, 2008

As many of you know, I managed to
break our good camera... that we had
just bought for the trip... only three days

Beautiful Belem
July 15, 2008

Belem is next to the sea and jam packed
with many of the most important sites in
Lisbon, so we made a beeline there on our

Portuguese Day & Belem Pastries
July 14, 2008

It just worked out by coincidence that
we were in Lisbon, mostly the Belem
area on June 10th which is a major

Luscious Lisbon
July 10, 2008

Lisbon was a surprise and prettier than
expected, as somehow I had not realized
that it is one of those cities where

Mobile Mozart Art Gallery
July 10, 2008

Road schooling has some unique challenges,
but for the most part we all really enjoy it.
Mozart is forever self- initiating and making

Work,Youtube & Play At Lisbon Beach
July 1, 2008

Before heading to Lisbon from Evora, we
had checked our email at that sweet new
cafe and were very puzzled because we had

Book Fair,Wifi & Bone Chapel
July 1, 2008

When it comes to family travel, there is
nothing kids like better than fun activities
and gruesome sights and Evora had both to

Evocative Evora
July 1, 2008

Shockingly, it cost us almost 36 euros
for the toll rode from the Algarve to
Evora, the highest price for a toll road

Sagres & Henry The Navigator
June 30, 2008

Henry the Navigator built his school for
navigation on these steep windswept
cliffs to train the explorers that later

Cabo De Sao Vicente
June 30, 2008

Cape Vincent in Portugal's Algarve is
the furthest southwestern most point in
Europe with a solitary lighthouse and dramatic

Sunny Salema
June 23, 2008

We could walk into Salema from our
lovely naturists' campsite, although it
was slightly nerve wracking because it

Beauty & Nakedness
June 23, 2008

We wanted to skip the over-built  part of
the Algarve as it is not our cup of tea, just
as we avoid the similar over built up parts

More Portugal Colors
June 22, 2008

Our eyes have feasted on the many
delights of Portugal and we have had
great fun with our new cameras

Colors of Portugal
June 22, 2008

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words!

Tennis Anyone?
June 22, 2008

We found a great tennis teacher at this
Campsite in Olhao, Portugal (at only
five euros for an hour), so we decided it

Celebrating In Nature
June 17, 2008

DaVinci's birthday was simple this year with
the highlight being a bike ride to a nearby nature
preserve and just enjoying time with family.

How To Do Extended Travel & Mini-retirements
June 4,  2008

Extended travel is really a fabulous way to go
and it seems more and more people are looking
at this option and we want to be able to help others

Arriving In Algarve
June7, 2008

How exciting it is to pass the border and
enter a new country! Mozart always whoops
and hollers!  It is even more exciting than

El Puerto de Santa Maria
June 5, 2008

After a big shopping spree in Marbella,
primarily for new cameras, tennis rackets,
food and supplies, we headed west towards Cadiz

Malaga & Marbella '08
June 3, 2008

We did not know that May 15th was a
major holiday in Spain when we planned
the start of our European '08  Odyssey.

Dentists & Travel
May 30,  2008

Many people think a medical or dental problem
abroad would be a nightmare, but it does not have
to be that way. No one wants these things to happen

Top 10 Family Travel Tips
May 27, 2008

People are always asking about our top tips
for family travel, so I thought I would put this
list together about the top ten things that we

R&R on the Road
May 25, 2008

We just love this life on the road! You would think we would get tired of our little movable home, but we were all

Jerez Horse Fair First!
May 16, 2008

The unique romantic image of bright
colored, flouncy ruffled, multi-tiered-dressed
beautiful women with high heels and  flowers

Catching Capri
April 28, 2008

They say it is one of the most beautiful
islands in the world and it has a lot of
glamour attached to its name,

Spring in Spain!
April 20, 2008

This is the view that I see out my kitchen
and living room window and it never fails
to make me smile.

Getting Geeky, Alltop & Changes
April 14, 2008

Can you believe Guy Kawasaki at Alltop
picked Soultravelers3 as one of the
top travel sites in cyberspace?

Pompeii...Buried Alive!
April 2, 2008

Mozart has always been fascinated by Pompeii
since she read a book about it several years ago
with that exact title, “Pompeii....Buried Alive!”

Bavagna Cheese, Please
April 1, 2008

Is it really the best cheese in the world as
some say? I am not sure about that, as we
had a spectacular cheese in Amsterdam

Ahhh...Umbria!
March 30, 2008

How many Californians have lived thirty nine
years in Umbria? I doubt if there are very many,
but I was lucky enough to meet a very

Where Is Pinocchio?
March 28, 2008

It is a little funky, a little fifties, fun for a
kid and full-out-Italian, so as a traveling
family with a seven year old

Pisa & That Famous Tower
March 13, 2007

Traveling kids like name brand sites because
they hear and read so much about them,
so for that reason alone, we had to put Pisa

Kid's View Of Florence!
March 11, 2008

Florence can be a fascinating place for
kids and it is a great city for walking
around amongst great art.

More Fabulous Florence
March 10, 2008

Oh, how can one describe the glories of
Florence on a sunny day in late October
when all the crowds are gone?

Armonia Make-Overs!
Monday, February 22, 2008

If you ever need your hair done in Florence,
we know the place to go! Armonia is a large
salon right next to the main square in Florence,

Boboli Gardens
February 19, 2008

On a beautiful sunny day, we took in more
of Florence as we leisurely crossed the
famous Ponte Vecchio 

David, DaVinci, Music & More
February 17, 2008

For over 500 years people have been admiring
Michelangelo’s magnificent David, one of
art-history’s greatest

 

The Uffitzi
February 15, 2008

Mozart was very happy to see some of her
favorite paintings in the Uffitzi Gallery in
Florence! The spectacular Uffizi is the

Holiday Letter: Spain 2007
February 13, 2008

Dear family and friends,

As you can tell by our 2007 blog, it has been
another very exciting year of travel for us!

Michelangelo, Medici, More
February 11, 2008

Most of the important developments in western art, science, literature and architecture took root and flourished in Florence during the renaissance,

Snow in Florence!
February 9, 2008

We could not believe it was snowing in Florence in October! We had left sunny Vienna and headed south, expecting more warmth, so we were stunned when the snow started pouring down as we approached

Romeo & Juliet in Verona
February 7, 2008

“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” Mozart read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as we drove from Graz, Austria, through Slovenia once again, towards Verona, Italy.

Sumptuous Schonbrunn
February 5, 2008

In 1762, six-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played his very first concert before Empress Maria Teresa  in the Hapsburg’s Schonbrunn palace, Vienna’s homage to Versailles.

Vienna, A Little Night Music
February 1, 2008

In the city where Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Haydn and Schubert lived and worked, how could we miss experiencing some of the fantastic music and musicianship of Vienna?

Precious Pandas & Zoo
November 26, 2007

Oh my! We stood entranced, as we watched the Mama panda hug, cuddle and nurse her newborn baby. It was early October and the baby panda at the beautiful zoo in Vienna was born on August 23, 2007,

Finally, Vienna Explorations!
November 21, 2007

It was a red letter day, when I finally felt strong enough to make it into the city! We may have had to give up some things, but I was not about to leave Vienna without seeing

Pool, Play & Piano Practice
November 18, 2007

The good news about my ten day recovery, is it was a great spot
to be in, because there were so many great things for Mozart to
do while I rested and recuperated.

Bloody Monday In Vienna
November 14, 2007

This post could save your life or that of someone you know! It
may not be a pretty sight, but I am all well now, had as good an
experience that one could have under such circumstances and we

The Golden City
November 12, 2007

Sounds of jazz danced around the Charles
Bridge in Prague on a sunny day in October
as we took in the sights and joined the “party”.

Prague At Night
November 3, 2007

Clop, clop, clopping horse hooves and
carriages seem right at home on the
cobbled streets of romantic Prague.

Stand Out Meals In Prague
November 2, 2007

Heading up yet another hill at dusk with
hungry bellies, we were searching and
searchingfor a great restaurant that I

Amazing Don Giovanni
November 2, 2007

Pavarotti said he loved watching opera regularly as a child and
every child would love opera if they saw productions like the
one we saw in Prague.

Castles, Kafka & Kids
November 1, 2007

The darling blue, miniature house at 22 Golden Lane, is where
Franz Kafka lived and wrote for a while and now it is a lovely
bookshop. One of our favorite parts of the Prague Castle District,

Prague/Praha Paradise
October 31, 2007

We could have stayed a month in Prague and yes, it is even prettier
than everyone says. No crowds in October during the week made it
even a greater delight.

Czech-ing Cesky Krumluv
October 18, 2007

Peeking out a famous castle window at lovely, authentic Cesky
Krumluv, one of the prettiest towns in the Czech Republic
(and another Unesco World Heritage Site),

Alpine Postcard Dreams
October 17, 2007

Some places just make you feel like you are in a dream as the beauty
seems almost too much for reality. We have actually found quite a
few places like that on our travels, but Hallstatt was definitely

Salt Mine, Iron Age & Bones
October 16, 2007

Okay, the skull and bones were macabre, but the views from the
“Beinhaus” and metallic grave stones were charming. We hiked
up to the parish church (Pfarrkirche) and its miniscule cemetery,

Heavenly Hallstatt
October 15, 2007

The road to Hallstatt, Austria was slightly hellish for us, but once
we arrived, we found the divine Bravarian-like beauty, worth the
effort. Up until this point,

Sassy Salzburg
October 13, 2007

Massive picturesque mountains rise in every direction around
Salzburg,the green glacial colored Salzach River runs through the
middle of the city and one of the greatest castle-fortresses in

The Hills Are Alive
October 11, 2007

The original plan was to do the “Sound of Music” bicycle tour with
“Maria” all around Salzburg which we had heard was really fun.
Mozart is a bike fanatic at the moment and Salzburg is a great place

More Mozart
October 10, 2007

When we saw pictures online of them dressed in their red costumes
in an elegant room at St Peter Stiftskeller (open  since 803)
and read about the music and how they served the food

Mozart Mania
October 9,2007

Can frugal people really spend forty five euros on chocolate,
packaged in Mozart wrappings of every kind? Yes indeed, we got
carried away, but again it was the time for it and usually we live

Super 7 Salzburg Celebration!
October 8, 2007

Mozart could hardly wait to get to Salzburg, Austria which is the
birthplace of her blog namesake whom she is very fond of. It always
tickles her now to see anything about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,

Autumn In The Alps
October 7, 2007

Some how the spectacular beauty and the blazing fall color display
in the Alps caught me by surprise. We had not originally planned
on being here in the fall, and after such an endless summer

Beautiful Lake Bled
October 4, 2007

Picturesque and peaceful,Lake Bled is a
delight in the fall, but we were puzzled
to hear a loud thump, thump, thumping of

Lovely Ljublijana, Slovenia
October 3, 2007

Lost in the dark in a foreign city, is not
our idea of fun, but we lingered too long
in Istria on the way here, so that made

Istria, Meditteranean Heart
October 1, 2007

Plinius wrote: “In Istria, the Romans patricians feel like gods” and
when you visit this heart of the Med, you do understand. Rolling hills
covered with vines and olive trees and ancient towns

Romantic Rovinj
September 30, 2007

Beautiful, ancient, atmospherically decaying Rovinj won our hearts
with all her Venetian charms. We couldn’t leave Croatia,
without seeing the Istria

Mozart's Film Debut
September 27, 2007

Mozart was jumping for joy, waving and calling out, as her eagle
eyes spotted her “friends” from the Japanese film crew as our
water taxi approached Rovinj.

Japan Star-Moreska-Korcula
September 25, 2007

You just never know who you will meet on the road! People add
to the joy of travel and Mozart is instrumental in our meeting
interesting folks on our journey.

Peaceful, Pretty Plitvice Park
September 25, 2007

The sixteen, (often vivid turquoise) lakes, cascading waterfalls,
pristine forests, caves and canyons, make Plitvicka National Park
one of the prettiest areas we have visited and well deserving of
its UNESCO billing.

Ferry To Hvar
September 24, 2007

I have heard Hvar Town called “Venice without the crowds” and
there certainly is a strong Venetian influence, but we did not
find that take accurate. We debated for a while whether

Trogir
September 23, 2007

Yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest cities
of the Mediterranean,Trogir is a charming Dalmatian Coastal town
with a rich, four thousand year old history.

Split & Diocletian's Palace
September 23, 2007

Roman emperor Diocletian, who was an Illyrian by birth, probably
born in nearby Salona, built his luxurious retirement palace
and mausoleum here from 293 to 305 AD,

Dalmatia Coast Birthday
September 22, 2007

The coast from Dubrovnik to Split is extraordinary with some
similarities to our beloved Big Sur near our home in California.
We were so pleased to see that this gorgeous, pristine beauty

Bye Bye Dubrovnik!
September 21, 2007

Suddenly it feels like fall and I love the off season and the cooler
weather. I doubt if this cool front is going to stay but I am enjoying
it while it is here. After continuous hot and sunny days since May,

Kotor Riviera
September 20, 2007

Kotor, Montenegro is twenty centuries old, a Unesco World Heritage
Site and quite a fascinating place. The Kotor Riviera is the deepest
fiord in the Mediterranean and many say the most beautiful.

Montenegro...Who Knew?
September 19, 2007

What we saw was a cross between Yosemite and Lake Tahoe, with
old world French or Italian-like unspoiled fishing villages. We love the
beauty of Yosemite and Lake Tahoe and adore small Italian and French

Romantic Night On Our 16th
September 18, 2007

The bright pink scruffy package said “Happy 16th Wedding
Anniversary, Mommy and Daddy” and Mozart could hardly wait for
us to open it as she had been working on it in secret for a few days.

Walking The City Walls
September 17, 2007

It is impossible to walk the medieval wall of Old Town Dubrovnik
and not fall totally in love with this place, as it is a photographers
dream with breathtaking views where ever you look.

Croatian Island Hopping
September 17, 2007

There are almost two thousand islands in Croatia and we set out to
see three of them near Dubrovnik on a day cruise. This has been
the summer of the boat for us in many ways and Mozart

Heavenly Holiday Haven
August 31, 2007

A large and quiet pitch under olive trees for shade, with every
convenience and pools and beaches within walking distance, made
Dubrovnik a perfect place for a long stay “vacation from our vacation”

We Love Dubrovnik!
August 30, 2007

George Bernard Shaw said Dubrovnik was “paradise on earth” and
after twenty five days here, we must concur, as we have fallen in
love with this most beautiful and romantic “pearl of the Adriatic”.

Greece-Italy-Croatia Ferries
August 28, 2007

We took back to back ferries from Patras, Greece to Bari, Italy,
then onto Dubrovnic, Croatia from Bari, after waiting there almost
twelve hours. There is no easy way to get from Greece to Croatia

Olympia
August 26, 2007

We wrapped a wreath of olive branches around Mozart’s head just
like the original Greek Olympic athletes, as she pretended to win
races and events. More dreamy than dramatic, Olympia is
the perfect place

Mycenae & Agamemnon
August 15, 2007

Homer called Mycenae “rich in gold” and Schliemann’s discovery of
the “mask of Agamemnon” here in 1876 brought to light a legendary
but hitherto unknown high civilization. Agamemnon was the leader

Naplio & Tolo
August 14, 2007

The golden sun slowly set on a  charming, tiled roof  house, perched
high on a small rock island in the middle of the azure sea, as we
arrived and hunted for the right campsite.

Hello, Goodbye Santorini
August 13, 2007

Sweat tricked down my brow as I exited another ferry into the heat,
even though it was 4:00 A.M.. Still we were overjoyed to be back
“home” in Santorini as we had wonderful memories of our month here

Delphi
August 13, 2007

The views from Delphi are spectacular, as its location on the side
of Mt. Parnassus, overlooking the gulf of Corinth is one of the most
impressive in all of Greece. Needless to say, my little camera can

Life Is A Beach!
August 12, 2007

The cool wet sand squished thru her fingers as she dug deeper in front
of the Manoulas restaurant, at Agios Yiannis beach where the movie,
“Shirley Valentine ”was filmed.

Mykonos Town
August 11, 2007

Pretty girls in full make up, very high heels and micro mini skirts
look odd at 7:30 A.M. in the bright sunlight, next to still drunk boys
also getting home after partying all night and

Ferry To Mykonos
August 10, 2007

I love this quote that I recently stumbled upon and felt it was
appropriate for our travels in Greece and with our many unschool
“field trips” of late to great historical sites which have been

Ferry To Samos, Greece
August 9, 2007

As our van rounded the corner, we were surprised to see such a
beautiful coastline so close to Selcuk and I wished I had taken
Aija up on her invitation to take the kids to the beach one day,

Kalehan, Kindred Spirits!
August 8, 2007

A Turkish boy from Italy, a French girl, a half Egyptian-half German
homeschooled boy, a Danish family and more made a little girl
from California’s stay in Selcuk very special.

Pamukkale and Hierapolis
August 6, 2007

“Swimming with the Gods” is how my friend Tom described the
Sacred Pool used by ancient kings and emperors 2000 years ago, so we
were looking forward to experience this unique World Heritage Site

Hugging Aphrodite!
August 4, 2007

8000 years ago the first settlers arrived in Aphrodisias, and today it
is the best-preserved Hellenistic civilization example in Turkey.
Aphrodite is the beautiful Goddess of love in the Greek myths

Ephesus Museum in Selcuk
August 2, 2007

A tiny ivory frieze with incredible detail was one of many priceless
and mind blowing treasures in this museum, which is one of the best
in Turkey, with a wealth of archeological artifacts

St.John & Virgin Mary
August 1, 2007

Christ’s disciple, John the Beloved, has always been a favorite of
mine and his words about love, so I was interested in seeing the
basilica where his tomb was which had been a very
popular sacred pilgrimage

Ephesus! Stellar Ruins
July 31, 2007

We timed it so we were the first in the gate and had it all to ourselves
for a little while on a cool brilliant morning in late July. I would never
have believed we would have such good luck

Sirince Charms
July 30, 2007

As we walked up the cobbled street, we looked over tiled roofs at the
surrounding vineyards and apple orchards of the ancient village of Sirince.
It is just 8 km from Selcuk,

Selcuk Serenity
July 29, 2007

Just below Selcuk’s 6th century castle and St. John’s Basilica, and
within walking distance to Ephesus, the antique Hotel Kalehan
(www.kalehan.com) provides the fantasy of living in an Ottoman villa

Ancient Pergamum
July 28, 2007

Ancient Pergamum dates back to the 12th century BC, has a connection
to Alexander the Great and Lydian King Croesus, but most of the
extraordinary monuments and buildings date to the period
it most flourished

Homer's Troy
July 27, 2007

As a lover of Homer’s stories from the “Iliad” and “Odyssey”, and
a six year old with the current obsession of being an archeologist,
Mozart was not about to miss seeing Troy and the famous Trojan

Bus On Ferry To Canakkale
July 25, 2007

Taking a fancy Turkish bus onto a small ferry has to be the strangest
transportation method that we have taken on our round-the-world trip
so far! I could not believe it when the bus boarded the ferry with all of us

Ayasofya & Grand Bazarre
July 24, 2007

For 1000 years, Ayasofya was Christendom’s largest church and
triumphant symbol of Byzantium and is so large that the Statue
of Liberty would easily fit inside with the top of the torch not
grazing the domed

Topaki Palace & Blue Mosque
July 23, 2007

We did not see these on the same day, but I am trying to consolidate a
little more for the blog as we are already in Croatia and I am still
struggling to get the Turkey trip up as well as the rest of Greece.

Orient Express To Istanbul
July 22, 2007

We got snuggled into our large and brand new sleeping cabin as our
train chugged towards Istanbul from Ankara. Our soul traveling gang
adds another new method of travel on our round the world trip

Esbelli Evi
July 21, 2007

I had heard raves about Esbelli Evi from many sources and that it sets
the standard for cave dwellings in Cappadocia, Fodors, Frommers,
Slowtravel and more all have ecstatic reviews.

Making Pottery In A Cave
July 20, 2007

The wet clay spun thru Mozart’s fingers in a pottery tradition that dates
back to Hittite times in this area!  We had entered a long, dark, huge
cave in Avanos and met a man who spoke excellent English

Frescoes & Underground City
July 19, 2007

Four thousand year old huge, Hittite underground cities with
sophisticated kitchens, winery, stables and more, that housed sixty
thousand people for six months at a time or more are yet another
fantastic site

Moon Walk
July 18, 2007

The landscape in Cappadocia, Turkey is like nothing else on the planet
and took our breath away! Created over sixty million years ago by
volcanic activity and erosion to an extreme extent,

Cappadocia Cave Home
July 17, 2007

The profusion of bright pink Hollyhocks and a Cherry tree overflowing
with perfectly ripe cherries under the bright blue sky, caught my eye as
we walked up the stone stairs to our cave home for the next few days at

Turkey Tree Houses
July 16, 2007

Wild thyme, mint and bay fill the air beneath dazzling mountains as
one approaches Olympos which is a rustic national park on a stunning
beach that is popular with backpackers from around the world

Mediterranean Dreams
July 15, 2007

The kaleidoscope of images from our Blue Voyage float through my
mind like a dream. I was intrigued that the ancient names of two of
our favorite spots mean “Land of the Great Mother”

Turkish Delights!
July 14, 2007

Lyceum rock cut tombs, sunken cities, roman baths, Saint Nicolas,
Butterfly Valley, small fishing villages accessible only by boat....
the incredible sights seen on a” Blue Voyage” in Turkey are too

Saltwater Swimming!
July 13, 2007

Jumping off the sailboat into the extra buoyant, very salty sea is
part of the joy of a “Blue Cruise” and done many times during
each day at innumerable stunning and pristine private stops.

Sailing Away!
July 12, 2007

The turquoise water, cool breezes, gorgeous scenery, breath-taking
sunsets and ancient sights make Turkey’s mediterranean coast one of
the best places for “champagne sailing”.

What's A Gulet?
July 11, 2007

No, I am not talking esophagus, nor am I missing a double letter.
They may sound identical but the English word “gullet” is much
different than the Turkish word “gulet”.

Turkey's Turquoise Coast
July 10, 2007

Fethiye stands on the site of ancient Telemessos which was a large port and famous for its myths, seers and sages. It was a member of the Lycian Federation and in mythology it took its name from the son

Lindos & Greek Dancing
July 9, 2007

Go Zorba! How could we leave Greece, without seeing traditional
Greek folk dancing? Okay, maybe it was not DaVinci’s favorite cup
of tea, but we girls really enjoyed the show under the stars and I think

Rhode City Old Town
July 8, 2007

It was a shock to meet a family from our little town in California at
our small pension (The Spot Hotel) in Old Town, Rhodes. We run
into so few Americans on our travels, so it is always surprising

Crete to Rhodes
July 6, 2007

The old GA ferry blasted a loud bellowing horn to it’s sister ferry as
we passed by with both going in the opposite direction. These are not
my favorite ferries because they are old so everything is

The Palace of Knossos
July 5, 2007

Inhabited since 7000 B.C. and home of King Minos, famed Minotaur,
Labyrinth and related Greek myths (which Mozart loves) including
Daedalus, Icaris and Thesius, we knew we could not miss

Archeology & Folk Museum
July 4, 2007

Drawing and taking pictures of things that she finds interesting in a
museum has been a way that helps Mozart to learn as she goes and
gives us time and silence to explore more of what we want to look at.

Byzantine Art
June 30, 2007

It was the beautiful terrace that caught our eye, hidden down a long
corridor filled with art. We were just wandering the streets one early
morning when we just stumbled upon it quite by accident.

Chania, Crete
June 29, 2007

Chania, Xania, Hania are all names for the old capital in Crete with
its charming, softly hued Venetian buildings, lovely harbor and idyllic
beaches. We got a cute room with lovely sea views and terrace

Santorini to Crete
June 28, 2007

Greek music played in the background as I quickly packed for Crete,
Rhodes and several weeks in Turkey in the wee hours of the morning.
I had just read a few hours earlier about a man on a fast ferry

Sunsets & Celebration
June 26, 2007

The Oia, Santorini sunset was spectacular on the night we celebrated
DaVinci’s birthday! Mozart loves celebrations so did not mind it a bit
that we were doing another celebration of his birthday

Heaven On Earth
June 24, 2007

The panoramic view is breathtaking and the incredible peace at the
edge of the volcanic cliff or caldera (rim) was simply astounding and
mesmerizing.There is nothing like this on the planet