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Europe
See the sections for our travels to different countries in Europe.
Countries
Our most recent visit to Germany was in Spring, 2026 on a Paris to Prague cruise with Viking.
Our most recent visit to France was in Spring, 2026 on a Paris to Prague cruise with Viking.
Our most recent visit to Iceland was in the summer of 2026. Prior to that we had begun our Northwest Passage cruise there in the summer of 2025.
Our most recent visit to Iceland was in the summer of 2026. We entered with a Gate 1 tour of Scotland and Ireland and then left Dublin on a Seabourn cruise to the Wild Scottish Isles.
Our most recent visit to Great Britain was in the summer of 2026. We started with a land tour of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland with Gate 1 in June and then returned to Scotland with a Seabourn Cruise to the Wild Scottish Isles.
Europe Posts
St. Kilda, Scotland
July 11, 2026 We were extremely lucky to have a beautiful day with calm waters for our visit to St. Kilda. Reaching the island can often be treacherous when the sea is rough and landings to the island are often canceled. We began the day with a morning zodiac ride to go bird watching. The remote islands in the archipelago of St. Kilda are famous worldwide for its sanctuary for over 250,000 pairs of breeding sea birds of many species. The Isle of Dun hosts Great Britain's larg
Isle of Lewis
July 10, 2026 We toured the Isle of Louis where we visited the Calanais Standing Stones, the Iron Age broch of Dun Carloway, and the Gearrannon Blackhouse Village. On the way, we passed by Loch Meavaig with a carpet of wildflowers. The Calanais Standing Stones are a prehistoric stone circle that predates the standing stones of Stonehenge. Erected 5,000 years ago, the stones are made of gneiss from the Isle of Lewis and arranged in unique cross pattern. Archaeologists theorize
Isle of Eigg
July 9, 2026 After the Isle of Mull, we traveled to the Isle of Eigg in the afternoon. "Eigg" in Gaelic means "notched island" because of its unusual shape. The ship anchored off shore and we took a zodiac in. and enjoyed a nice walk near the shore. An oyster flew with a snack it caught and brought it to it's young. We enjoyed watching a common eider and its ducklings. On the way back, we saw a hooded crow.
Isle of Mull, Scotland
July 9, 2026 Thanks to Brent's early booking of excursions we and four others were able to go on a wildlife tour of the island in search of red deer, white-tailed sea eagles, and otters. We were lucky and saw all three! The white-tailed sea eagle was the first we found. There were two in the trees. The Isle of Mull is nicknamed the Eagle Island because it has a high population of both the white-tailed eagle and the golden eagle. The white-tailed sea eagle is the largest bir
Isle of Bute, Scotland
July 8, 2026 We visited the Isle of Bute today. We took the zodiacs in to the town of Rothesay. We then met our guide for a walking tour around town. We first visited the Rothesay Victorian Toilets. These well-preserved toilets are probably the most complete Victorian toilets in Great Briain. They remain open to the public both as a tourist attraction and a public toilet. We then explored the town. The Winter Gardens (Bute Discovery Center) Rothesay's Coat of Arms Rothesay Fo
Isle of Man
July 7, 2026 In the afternoon, we visited the Isle of Man. Although located near the Scottish Isles, the Isle of Man is not actually a part of Scotland or even the United Kingdom. It is a self-governing island that was granted its independence by the English monarch who is the "Lord of Mann," a largely symbolic title. We did a panoramic bus tour of the island. King William's College Castle Rushen is one of the best-preserved medieval castles. Milner's Tower atop Brada Head Po
Isle of Calf
July 7, 2026 On July 6, we sailed away from Dublin on the Seabourne Venture and headed back to Scotland. The adventures started early in the morning the next day when we explored the Isle of Calf by Zodiac. Our photography group went out first and got to stay out a bit longer - a great perk of joining the Image Masters. The Drinking Dragon Chicken Rock Lighthouse The Puffin Project - these plastic puffins combined with speakers broadcasting puffin calls are meant to attract p
Dublin, Ireland - Trinity College, National Library,
July 5, 2026 As our companions on the Gate 1 Tour returned home, we were on our own for a day in Dublin. We had booked a tour of The Book of Kells at Trinity College, so we purchased a Big Bus pass to make our way there and see more of Dublin. We began with a morning trip around the Big Bus Route. It was a live narration by the bus driver instead of the recorded track that we often hear on Hop On Hop Off Buses. Rosie Hackett Bridge The Kennedy's Bar, once Conway's, was a popu
Dublin, Ireland
July 4, 2026 We did a city tour of Dublin with Gate 1, visited the Epic Museum and then gathered for a farewell dinner for the Gate 1 group. We first stopped at the St. Patrick's Cathedral, the national cathedral of Ireland. It was founded in 1191, but mostly built in 1220. It has the tallest steeple in Ireland at 101 feet. It was built next to the well where St. Patrick is said to have baptized many Irish converts to Christianity in the 5th century. We were able to spend ti
Blarney and Dublin
July 3, 2026 We left Killarney in the morning, passing by the Franciscan Friary on our way out. Then we enjoyed a beautiful drive to County Cork. We stopped for a 2 to 3 hours at Blarney Castle. The highlight of Blarney Castle is to kiss the Blarney Stone which involves over 100 steps on a narrow winding staircase and then bending backwards to kiss the stone with help from supportive attendants (at least you no longer need to be hung by your feet). Brent and I already done it
The Ring of Kerry
July 2, 2026 From Killarney, we went around the Ring of Kerry. In Killorgin, they celebrate the Puck Fair, one of Ireland's oldest festivals. In this unique festival, they capture a wild mountain goat. The goat is then crowned king and reigns over the 3-day festival. This statue honors "King Puck". We stopped at the Red Fox Inn for some Irish Creme Coffee (I had hot chocolate.) This artisan with his donkey and little dog are a common site on this scenic spot. He makes St. Bri
Wild Atlantic Way from Galway to Killarney
July 1st, 2026 Today we left Galway and drove along the Wild Atlantic Way to Killarney. As we started out in Galway County, we saw a glimpse of Dunguaire Castle. The castle was originally built in the 1520 by the O'Hyne clan on the same strategic site as a 7th century fort. In 1924 it was restored by Senator Gogarty who used it as a meeting up for the great literary forces in the Celtic Revival. W.B. Yeats often visited, as well as other famous authors such as Lady Gregory a
Connemara and Galway
June 30, 2026 We drove through the Connemara National Park on a day trip out of Galway to Kylemore Abbey. As we drove out of Galway, we crossed over the 200-year old Salmon Weir Bridge, giving us a good view of the newly-buily Salmon Weir Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge. We also passed by the Galway Cathedral with its distinctive copper dome. About half an hour outside of Galway, we visited the historic Ross Railroad Station, now a private home restored by the Joyce family who ma
Donegal, Sligo, and Knock, Ireland
June 29, 2026 We departed Northern Ireland today and made our way to Galway in Ireland. On the way, we stopped at Donegal Town, Sligo, and Knock. As we approached Donegal Town, we passed by St. Agatha's Church built from 1869 to 1871. Like many churches in Scotland and Ireland, there was a graveyard on the grounds so that people could be buried on holy ground. Donegal Town was our first stop for a weaving demonstration. Prominently displayed on the Diamond, the Four Masters m
Giant's Causeway and Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland
June 28, 2026 We left Belfast and headed to Derry today. The limestone cliffs along the Causeway Coastal Route were stunning. This one reminded me of a turtle. We stopped briefly at the Magheracross Viewpoint so we could get a better view that from the bus window. We were even able to see the ruins of Dunluce Castle in the distance from the view point. Stories of Dunluce Castle include that of the "Falling Kitchen". It is claimed that during a violent storm in 1639, the kitch
Belfast, North Ireland
June 27, 2026 We left Glascow today and traveled to the ferry that would take us to Northern Ireland. After a pleasant ride on the ferry, we reboarded the bus and headed to Belfast for a tour of the city. Our first stop was the Titanic Belfast, a museum on the grounds of the Harland and Wolff shipyard where the doomed ship, Titanic, was built. Each of the four wings of the building resemble the hull of the Titanic. Once inside the Titanic Experience museum, you learn about th
Isle of Skye, Scotland
June 24, 2026 We headed out to explore the Highlands and visit the Isle of Skye. It was a long ride, but the scenery was beautiful. Findhorn Viaduct for the Highland Main Line Railroad. River Ness running through the town of Inverness. South American Alpaca grazing alongside a donkey in Inverness. A common style of house throughout Scotland. Our first stop was at Loch Ness in Inverness. We took a walk down for a view of the lake and a possible Nessie sighting. Since Nessie fa
The Scone Palace
June 23 After leaving St. Andrews, we enjoyed more scenic driving. Sheep are a common site along the Scottish roads. The next stop after St. Andrews was the Scone Palace (pronounced "skoon"). The lands upon which the Scone Palace stands hold a rich history. Fifteen hundred years ago, this was the capital of the Pictish kingdom. In later years, between the 9th and 13th centuries it became the place where Scottish Kings were crowned while seated on the "Stone of Scone", also kn
St. Andrews, Scotland
June 23, 2026 We left Edinburgh with the Gate 1 tour group today. We passed over the Firth of Forth. This picture from the bus shows part of the Forth Bridge. It was still early for heather, but occasionaly we drove by patches of purple where it was just starting to bloom. The landscape was filled with so many beautiful shades of green. On our way to Aviemore, we first stopped in St. Andrews, famous for its world-renowned St. Andrew's Beach Golf Course. This year (2026), it
Edinburgh Castle
June 22, 2026 Pictures of Edinburgh Castle, information to come later.
Edinburgh - Greyfriars Kirkyard and Greyfriars Bobbie
June 21, 2026 Pictures, explanations will come later
Edinburgh - Holyrood Palace
06-20-2026 Some pictures from Holyrood (explanations to come later). We did go inside, but no pictures are allowed inside.
Edinburgh-Royal Botanic Gardens
06/20/2026 (Pictures only for now. I'll add text and some more photos of the Hop On Hop Off sites on the blue route later).
Edinburgh - Museums
06-19 and 06-22 2026 Although we did not go to the National Museum or Gallery, we visited some of the smaller museums around Edinburgh. The Museum of Childhood was nostalgic with its displays of toys from the past to present. These baby toys were ones I played with. Fuzzy felt was one of my favorite toys when I was a little girl. My mom collected dolls and I collected Barbies. She would have loved these displays. My sister and I loved playing Mouse Trap and later it was my so
Edinburgh - Scottish Folk Music
June 18, 2026 After a day of touring Edinburg on the City Sightseeing hop on hop off bus, we got off at the national museum stop and walked to Biblos. We had booked the Folk and Haggis show there to listen to traditional Scottish folk music while enjoying a traditional Scottish meal. The music was excellent, the fish and chips we ordered from the choices - not so much. Perhaps if we had gone with the haggis it would have been better. I did enjoy the Cullen Skink (smoked fish
Edinburgh - Adam Smith
6/18 and 6/20 Brent read Wealth of Nations when he was 10 to 12 years old, and its Scottish author, Adam Smith, had a profound influence on him. Therefore, when we were in Edinburgh where Adam Smith lectured and lived in his later life, we searched out his statue and grave at Canongate Kirkyard. His statue shows him with a beehive and plough symbolizing his impact on agriculture and industry. He rests his hand on a globe showing his worldwide influence. While walking in the r
Edinburgh - Statues
6/17 to 6/22 2026 In addition to the historic buildings, we also saw many interesting sculptures and other monuments in our explorations of Edinburgh. The Scott Monument is a Victorian Gothic memorial to the famous Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott who wrote Ivanhoe, Waverly, and Rob Roy. In addition to the large central marble statue of Sir Walter Scott and his deerhound, Maida, there are 64 to 68 smaller statues representing characters in his novels. It is the largest statue
Edinburgh, Scotland - Buildings
06/17 to 06/21 We flew from Reykjavik to Edinburgh on Wednesday and spent 5 days enjoying this amazing city on our own before our Gate 1 tour began. We used the City Sightseeing hop on and hop off bus for our explorations. They had 3 lines - the red line (primarily the old town with the Royal Mile), the green line, a similar route with some extensions but with a live guide, and the blue line which went into the new town and up into the harbor area with the rivers Forth and Le
Reykjavik, Iceland
6/15/26 We arrived in Reykjavik early in the morning. Passport control was a bit of a mess as although they had rows and rows of the automatic machines, not a single one was turned on. They were also very short staffed. We spent about 45 minutes waiting in line. Our hotel room at the Exeter would not be available until the afternoon, so we walked around the Old Harbor area and stopped by the Saga Museum that we had missed last year. It was an interesting way to explore the hi
Rothenburg and Wurzburg, Germany
April 8, 2026 Today we visited Rothenburg, a small town that still retains its medieval character. The Romanticists were charmed by this little town that was untouched by the industrial revolution of the time and insisted that it be preserved as it was. On the way, we drove along the "Romantic" route named for the movement that romanticized the past at a time when so many things were changing. Once in Rothenberg, we had a quick tour starting with the medieval wall that still
Heidelberg, Germany
April 7, 2026 Today we had a long bus ride to Heidelberg. There was an accident so traffic was slow. The scenery was beautiful on the way and the charming town was worth the wait. They even had a tactile map that people who are visually impaired could use to discover the town. After a brief city tour, we had lunch with students from the Heidelberg University. Our student was a native German from Southern Germany who was studying anthropology with a particular interest in Lati
Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein and Rhine River, Germany
April 6, 2026 Today, we visited the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. It was a fun tour as our guide was a local actor who took on the role of an Englishman who "spied" on the construction of the Prussian Fortress built to ward off the advancing French. He wrote a book that caused great consternation with the Prussian military because it revealed too many details about the fortress. He involved the tour group with his "spying" and it was a fun way to learn about the fortress. You can
Cochem, Germany-Draft
April 5, 2026 We travelled along the Moselle River to Cochem. The highlight of today's excursion was a visit to the Reichsburg Castle. The tour of the inside was amazing. There were beautiful ceilings and such interesting details in each room. There was a bust of Louis Ravené, who purchased and renovated the castle in 1868. The castle even had secret passages which could be opened with a little button on the floor. From the castle, we had a splendid view of Cochem and the Mos
Trier, Germany - Draft
April 4, 2026 We toured the city of Trier today. It's population of around 100,000 is about the same as it was when it was a capital city of the Emperor Constantine in the Roman empire. Electoral Palace with Constantin Basilica behind. The Basilica was heated by fireplaces which produced heat below platforms and warmed the entire building. Church of Our Lady Trier Cathedral, the oldest church in Germany. The purple building, the Palais Walderdorff, is where Napoleon stood on
Paris and Reims, France to Luxembourg to Trier, Germany
April 3, 2026 After enjoying a beautiful sunrise, we bid farewell to the our hotel, the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, and traveled to meet the river boat in Trier. On the way, we stopped in Reim to see the Reims Cathedral. The stained glass was stunning. The details within the panes were exquisite. We next stopped at the American Cemetery in Luxembourg dedicated to fallen American soldiers who fought in World War II. Soon after leaving Luxembourg, we reached Trier and boarded
Paris and Giverny, France - Monet Gardens Draft
April 2, 2026 Today we did a panoramic city tour with Viking. The highlight was a stop at the newly restored Notre Dame after the disastrous fire in 2019. We were lucky and lines were short so we were able to go inside. We then rode to Giverny to see the house and gardens of Monet. They were beautiful and filled with spring blooms.
Paris, France - Louvre - draft
April 1, 2026 Today we had a tour of the Louvre. We had initially had a 3 hour tour with Project Expedition, but they cancelled on us. Since it was last minute, we were only able to do a 1 hour tour through the hotel. It was very rushed which was disappointing, but was happy to be able to see the museum. We met the guide at a meeting place. We entered the Louvre area through a covered hall which gave good cover from the rain. We waited there a bit until closer to our meeting
Paris, France - Big Bus City Tour (draft)
March 31, 2026 We walked from the hotel to the Arc de Triomphe to our first stop on the Big Bus tour of Paris. We decided to stay on the whole time to get an overview of the city. After driving down the Champ de Elysee, we passed by the Grand Palais. Built in 1900 for the Universal Expedition in Paris, it boasts one of the largest glass roofs in the world. A statue of Charles De Gaulle, the leader of the French Resistance that fought the Nazis and later became France's first
Paris, France - Exploring
April 30, 2026 We explored the area around the hotel today after making the switch for our booked room for the extra night to the room with Viking. Here is the view from our new room. Today we explored the area around the hotel. I had thought this metallic structure was some a sculpture or monument. It turns out that it is actually student housing! The Irene Joliot-Curie Student Residence stands out as an excellent example of contemporary French architecture by the way it mak
Paris, France - Arrival
March 29, 2026 We arrived in Paris today. Here is a night view of the Eiffel Tower from our hotel room.
Heimaey, Iceland - Puffins and Volcanoes
July 27, 2025 Eldfell is on the far left of the town of Heimaey. The rocky outcrop at the left of the harbor was form by the lava from the eruption. Notice how if they had not stopped the lava flow, it could have completely blocked the harbor. In 1973, Heimaey fought a gripping battle with the Eldfell (Hill of Fire) volcano. It caught the people of Heimaey by surprise as the local volcano Helgafell had long been dormant. However, that fateful night in January, a new fissure
Leaving Reykjavik on Seabourn Venture
July 26, 2025 Today we said farewell to Reykjavik as we began our Northwest Passage cruise on Seabourn Venture. We sailed around the Reykjanes Peninsula where the volcano is erupting, but it was still light out and overcast and the peninsula was quite far away, so no lava was seen. Although Brent and I had no luck seeing the volcano, our Image Master photographer, Max Unterharnscheidt had been to the Blue Lagoon area where the volcano was erupting and got some truly amazing p
Exploring Downtown Reykjavik
July 25, 2025 Today, we walked in the opposite direction to explore downtown Reykjavik. Here I am in front of the hotel (the Exeter) before we began our walk. Our first stop was the Settlement House. They built this unique museum atop the excavation of an early Viking settlement in Reykjavik. After learning the history of the early Vikings, we then traveled forward in time to see Reykjavik's growth throughout the years. After the Settlement House, we made our way to Iceland'
Exploring Reykjavik's Old Harbor
July 24, 2025 We had intended to start the day with a helicopter tour of the erupting volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula. However, it was too windy and our flight was canceled. Instead we explored the Old Harbor area near our hotel. We kept with the volcano mindset and began with the Lava Show, a unique experience where they heat up real lava to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It flows down a tube and the experts demonstrate its different properties. The man in the silver suit heat
Landing in Reykjavik, Iceland
July 23, 2025 Our plane flight to Reykjavik on Icelandair was without incident. Our seats were spacious and service was friendly. We had some lovely views as we flew over Greenland. We had to wait a bit for our taxi to the Exeter hotel. We had been hoping to see the volcano erupting, but there was no lava flow when we drove by. It was dying down, although there were still stops and starts to it. We could see the steam caused by the heat though. While we waited for our hotel
Praia da Vitoria, Azores, Portugal
May 5, 2023 We explored our final port without an excursion. We met up with our friends Sumi, Craig, Kelly and Polly after getting off the shuttle and set off in search of limpets for Brent, cork shoes for Craig, and glasses frames for Kelly. We began our day with breakfast in the Pinnacle as our ship sailed into port. Once in town, it was fun to see the colorful chickens and roosters roaming free in the streets. The cobblestone streets were laid out in patterns and set off b
Ponta Delgado, Azores Islands, Portugal
May 4, 2023 At Ponta Delgado, we set off on our final Cruise Specialist excursion to the Furnas Village hot springs. We boarded the bus in the morning and enjoyed the sights as we first drove to the town of Ribeira Grande. We enjoyed our brief time looking around the town and enjoying the delicious Portuguese custard pastry, pastel de Belem. After about 30 minutes to explore, we got back on the bus and headed to the tea factory. There was a beautiful rainbow in the sky as we
Irish Dinner At Sea
May 2 to 3, 2023 There were two days at sea before we reached our last destination before crossing the Atlantic. On the first night, we enjoyed an Irish dinner at the Pinnacle. The first course was boxty - potato pancakes with caviar and aged cheddar cheese sauce and chive oil. Next, we enjoyed a carrot soup with a barley wafer and smoked honey foam. The fish course was fresh scallops in a whiskey and bacon bouillon. There was an Irish Coffee Granita to cleanse our palate. Th
Cobh - Cork Countryside and Kinsale
May 1, 2023 We enjoyed the peaceful drive through the beautiful Cork countryside. We stopped at Charles Fort which was built in the 17th century and is one of Ireland's largest fortifications. It had amazing views. We also had fun poking around the colorful town of Kinsale. We had some time to enjoy an Irish scone. There was a vendor selling spoofy paintings of famous artists, including The Scream that we saw in Olso. We had time to explore Cobh when we returned and enjoy a d
Dublin, Ireland
April 30, 2023 "Captain William Congreve with his Son William" was Brent's favorite picture at the National Gallery in Dublin, the highpoint of his walk around the town. (It was a tour, and I was still coughing so I stayed back on the ship.) Brent had a pleasant walk around Dublin and enjoyed the unique architectural features. His favorite part of the tour was the National Gallery where he saw paintings depicting David and Goliath, Christ's miracle of the loaves and fishes, a
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