VagabondsUSA "TRAVEL IS FATAL TO PREJUDICE, BIGOTRY AND NARROW MINDEDNESS." MARK TWAIN

The Bridges of Madison County

USA | Friday, 5 May 2023 | Views [256]

A CONFESSION, “BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY” is one of my favorite Chick-flicks. So when we saw a sign for the “actual” bridges, we just had to see where Clint and Meryl fell in love. Only six of the original sixteen bridges remain ... Read more >

Photos: Stateside for the Summer

USA | Thursday, 4 May 2023 | Photo Gallery

It's Too Late, Baby, Now it's Too Late!

GREENLAND | Tuesday, 2 May 2023 | Views [154]

I AWOKE TO BRIGHT SUNSHINE on Monday and thought how rare an English morning like this is,  only to realize that we were back in Colorado, not the industrial Midlands—we had flown from Manchester on Saturday afternoon!   ... Read more >

Photos: Climate Change

GREENLAND | Monday, 1 May 2023 | Photo Gallery

Jodrell Bank Observatory

UNITED KINGDOM | Friday, 28 Apr 2023 | Views [172]

WHEN CONNIE SUGGESTED THE JODRELL BANK Observatory both Chris and Rose smiled. Even though it was “in their neighborhood” the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester was still on their To-Do List. I had never ... Read more >

No Job For A Lady

UNITED KINGDOM | Tuesday, 25 Apr 2023 | Views [140]

WE ARE SPENDING OUR LAST FEW DAYS in England with old friends Chris and Rose. They were expats working in Uganda when we first met; since then we’ve stayed in their  cottage in the Pennines, ran into them in South Africa and joined them in ... Read more >

Photos: England: The Final Act

UNITED KINGDOM | Monday, 24 Apr 2023 | Photo Gallery

Welsh Castles of Edward I

UNITED KINGDOM | Sunday, 23 Apr 2023 | Views [135]

WHEN ENGLISH KINGS WEREN’T MOUNTING a Crusade or at war with France, they kept themselves in shape by battling the Scots or the Welsh. Decades before he dealt with Scots William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, Edward I, who succeeded  his father ... Read more >

Pembrokeshire Coastal Trail

UNITED KINGDOM | Tuesday, 18 Apr 2023 | Views [161]

HIKING HOLIDAYS ARE A BIG DEAL IN WALES. Unfortunately Wales is also know for its terrible weather; only one day in three is sunny. We took advantage of a rare bit of Welsh sunshine and headed for the rugged Pembrokeshire coast. Temperature in the mid-... Read more >

St. David, Saint Davids and St. Davids Cathedral

UNITED KINGDOM | Monday, 17 Apr 2023 | Views [145]

SANT DEWI YW NAWDDSANT CYMRU. Saint David is the Patron Saint of Wales. Now I understand why we feel so disoriented—we didn’t even know that Cymru was Welsh for Wales! Next time I want to strengthen my password, I’ll write something ... Read more >

Photos: Wales

UNITED KINGDOM | Sunday, 16 Apr 2023 | Photo Gallery

York Minster Cathedral

UNITED KINGDOM | Thursday, 13 Apr 2023 | Views [203]

DURHAM CATHEDRAL WAS COMPLETED IN ONLY forty years—it took two centuries longer to build the “Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York.” I guess Gothic cathedrals must be holier than Norman ones. As with the City Walls, ... Read more >

Olde Yorke

UNITED KINGDOM | Wednesday, 12 Apr 2023 | Views [124]

CHRIS AND ROSE GUIDED US ON A DAY-TRIP to York in 2011, but with lunch and travel time we just had a sniff of the city. With three full days we should be able to make some memories. We will miss the National Railroad Museum again—all of the free ... Read more >

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne and Bamburgh Castle

UNITED KINGDOM | Monday, 10 Apr 2023 | Views [129]

AFTER CHECKING BOTH THE WEATHER and tide-tables, we decided to re-visit the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. The Holy Island is accessible only during low tide, something that hardly bothers its 160 permanent residents but greatly affects the 650,000 visitors ... Read more >

Durham—Second Chance for a First Impression

UNITED KINGDOM | Saturday, 8 Apr 2023 | Views [125]

THIS IS OUR FIRST “OFFICIAL” VISIT TO DURHAM—our “drive-by” in 2011 hardly counts. I wrote nothing in my journal and can’t find a single photo, not even of Durham Cathedral. And as I remember, we were busy scooting ... Read more >

Photos: England: Durham and York

UNITED KINGDOM | Thursday, 6 Apr 2023 | Photo Gallery

Riverside Museum and the National Gallery of Scotland

UNITED KINGDOM | Tuesday, 4 Apr 2023 | Views [128]

THE ARCHITECTURE OF GLASGOW'S RIVERSIDE MUSEUM on the banks of the River Clyde is as impressive as its collections. The contemporary design by architect Zaha Hadid stands in juxtaposition to the nostalgic transportation systems of Riverside’s collection.... Read more >

Scotland: Stirling and William Wallace

UNITED KINGDOM | Saturday, 1 Apr 2023 | Views [100]

FACT—5000 SCOTSMEN UNDER WILLIAM WALLACE defeated the much larger Army of Edward I at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. You may remember the battle and Wallace’s blue face from the popular movie, Braveheart. Most everything else in ... Read more >

Scotland: National Museum in Edinburgh

UNITED KINGDOM | Thursday, 30 Mar 2023 | Views [130]

GREETINGS FROM THE UK; SCOTLAND TO BE precise; Stirling to be preciser. After flying from Palma to Barcelona then over the Pyrenees to Manchester and spending two nights in soulless hotels, it’s wonderful to be back in an AirBnB. We are in the ... Read more >

Photos: Scotland

UNITED KINGDOM | Tuesday, 28 Mar 2023 | Photo Gallery