This week the Black and White Challenge from Cee is Statues. I am currently in Italy so this is most appropriate 😊
Black and White Challenge -Statues
Mother and Daughter Trip – Farewell To Expat – Rome Alone
24 August 2018
Lolz went to Pompeii with the Expat group today but as I’ve done it before I stayed in Rome. It would have been the ideal time for me to go to Salerno by myself but there were some issues to sort out regarding data with Wind – I didn’t want to go without a phone as a means of keeping in touch with Lolz should anything go wrong!
It turned out to be a very pleasant day. I went market shopping with Tracy and Vicky in the morning before the tour left. Tracy then went tomPompeii and Vicky and I went to lunch a little later. We met up with Dave and Monique who just happened to be having a break at the same restaurant.
In the evening I had dinner with Shree and Ursha.
25 August 2018
Today, we bade farewell to our Expat family. Lolz and I and two others are not continuing with the 26-day Ultimate Europe Tour but five others joined in from Rome onwards. We have had such fun with all these people and I felt quite emotional waving the red and white bus goodbye. Thanks for the good times, Filip and Joshy and all you lovely Expat friends👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻 Please post lots of pics on the group page and I will continue to post the rest of our trip,for those of you who want to continue reading my blog😊
Lolz and I went to the street markets until it was time to check out. The markets are great fun to browse round even if you don’t buy anything. I got an inexpensive power bank and Lolz bought a couple of tops.
We took a taxi to our guest house, Le Petit Bijou. It is a delightful little room on the fourth floor and has a balcony. We overlook a beautiful church.
After settling in we went out at around 4 pm. Roma Termini is about a ten minute walk from us. We each bought a 100 minute bus ticket from the tabacchi and used it twice before it expired.
We visited Trevi Fountain, explored the area and found a lovely place to have dinner.
It’s the most amazing feeling walking around Rome and seeing such reminders of ancient history. It’s like stepping back into the past. You just gotta love ROME.
Then there’s the modern too of course. I also love that there is a mix of paganism and Christianity and that The Church has not destroyed the statues representing Gods and Roman Heroes. The mix really works.
We had dinner at a lovely outdoor restaurant that had excellent Italian food. Of course we drank Prosecco.
I loved the way everything looked in the fading evening light.
Mother and Daughter Trip – Expat Explore Eastern Europe Adventure – Day 11 – Rome and The Vatican
23 August Rome and The Vatican
We are staying in a hotel called Club Roma which is situated in a suburb called Cornelia. It is close to the Metro so getting to the centre of Rome is quite easy. This morning Lolz and I took the train to Spagna and started exploring from The Spanish Steps.
The steps were built in order to link the the Trinità dei Monti church that was under the patronage of the king of France, with the Spanish square below. The long, triangular Spanish square is named after the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See.
The church still has French priests and the Mass is said in French.
It was very hot in the city so after trying to sort out a SIM card for me to use on Lolz’s old phone and/or my IPad we tried to get into the Pantheon but the queues were ridiculous and I’d seen it on the orientation walk so we gave it a miss. Will post photos after we do it on another day.
We had a salad lunch at a restaurant and then I went to meet the Expats doing the Vatican and Lolz went to the Colosseum
Our guide Danielle was excellent – full of fun as she shared her knowledge with us.
Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro constructed the huge golden orb that stands as the centerpiece of the Courtyard of the Pinecone at the Vatican Museum. The structure is a sphere within a sphere. It is bronze but appears golden as the sun shines down on it. It represents the form of the earth. It gives the impression that it is reflecting the complexity of our world and how easily it can be torn apart.
It took a long time to get to complete the tour. There was so much to see and so much to take in. The history was fascinating and to think we still have the amazing creations and genius works of Michelangelo is mind blowing. I love that Michelangelo would only paint his frescos if The Pope would let him paint what he wanted to paint. And, wow, how well those pictures tell the biblical stories. No photography is allowed in the Sistine Chapel, you have to be appropriately dressed – no knees or shoulders showing – and no noise allowed. The officials called for silence every time the noise level rose.
Photos do not do justice to what we experience so I am posting just a few of the amazing sculptures, tapestries, mosaics and paintings that we saw.
One of the stunning tapestries
We were all quite blown away by the superbness and extravagance of the exhibits. It was worth enduring the heat, the crowds and all the walking. It was then back on the Metro to the hotel. Later in the evening sixteen of us met at the hotel bar for drinks which we enjoyed outside and then we walked to a nearby restaurant for dinner. Don’t you just love the decor?
The Millennials of the group
Eating The Italian Way
Fab food, wonderful company, a great time was had by all
Mother and Daughter Trip – Expat Explore – Eastern European Adventure Day 9
21 August 2018
Venice
If you’ve heard that Venice is smelly and dirty, don’t believe it. It’s no more crowded than any other city we have visited and we found it quite clean and not at all smelly. Hot it was! August is very hot in Europe so if you’re planning a trip be sure that you can handle lots of walking in 30+ temperatures. Venice is a pedestrian city, with narrow streets and alleyways so it is easy to get lost. It’s also easy to get un- lost if you use Google! The signposting too, is excellent. They say if you don’t get lost in Venice, you’re not doing it properly😉 l loved exploring those alleyways and interesting streets so full of vendors, shops, bars and restaurants beckoning you to part with your euros.
You cannot do Venice without going on a Gondola! This was a highlight of my trip. I think we were supposed to get an hour but it was only half that but still I loved it. Our Gondolier did not sing but we passed some lovely tenors who did!
We had some free time to explore after our ride and Lolz and I each bought a dress on a sale – just €10 each which is very reasonable.
We made it just in time to the meeting place for the lagoon trip. A boat took us to two islands. First Burona where many years ago the women made lace using needles. The lace was soon exported across Europe, but trade began to decline in the 18th century and the industry did not revive until 1872, when a school of lacemaking was opened. Lacemaking on the island boomed again, but few now make lace in the traditional manner as it is extremely time-consuming and therefore expensive.
Burano is also known for its small, brightly painted houses. The colours of the houses follow a specific system, originating from the golden age of its development. If a home owner wishes to paint his house, he must apply to the government. Permission will be granted only if the permitted colour for that location is used.
Our next Island was Murona which is famous for the art of glass blowing. It is becoming a lost art as it is time consuming and hot. It takes 20 years to become a glass master. We watched a demonstration – fascinating – and then went into he showroom where a guide showed us some amazing pieces and demonstrated how difficult it was to break a glass. The colours are absolutely beautiful. 24 carrot gold is used in some pieces as it won’t tarnish. We were not allowed to take photographs of these beautiful pieces.
It was then back on the boat to Venice where we explored a bit more. Lolz got another beautiful dress from the little boutique having a sale and then we walked to the tram station and got back to the hotel around 7 pm.
22 August 2018 – Day 10
We left Venice early this morning and arrived in Rome at 2:30pm. After unpacking and settling in we took the Metro into town and met our walking tour guide. We did all the highlights of the city and it was really awesome but I’m not going to do a blog on this as we will be in Rome for 5 days. Lolz and I will revisit the places introduced and then I will post photographs and write a bit more about them.
Mother and Daughter Trip – Expat Explore Eastern Europe Adventure – Day 8 Ljubljana
20 August 2018
It was once again an early start with bags packed and loaded before breakfast @ 6:30. It is nice to be able to relax without the luggage to worry about.
Good News – my phone was not stolen! It was found in a restaurant and the owner contacted a relative on WhatsApp who contacted Lolz. It’s just a pity it wasn’t answered when we called the number then we would have got it back immediately. Anyway I am in the process of trying to organize its return. My left items in Prague are being posted to London. So – all’s well that ends well. I am feeling really lucky today.
The race to see which city will get top vote from me continues. And believe me the competition is strong. Each city visited so far has been awesome and each has spoken to me in a different way. I wasn’t expecting much from Slovenia’s 🇸🇮 capital, Ljubljana. First of all it is so tiny that I hadn’t paid it much attention in the past, it’s almost impossible to pronounce and Filip didn’t give it much good press! However, our walking guide did and I, as a conservation nut, liked what she said. The chicken shaped city is Green! Cars and buses may not drive into the city center and the small taxis you see are electric so you won’t be breathing any toxic fumes. They also encourage bee keeping in Slovenia. And as you know, the planet will die if the 🐝 becomes extinct. The city is clean and has some interesting stories connected to it, it has a really trendy vibe and also has excellent coffee and chocolate – what’s not to like.
A castle overlooks the city and the Slavs joke that from the top of the castle you can see the whole of Slovenia. We didn’t take the funicular to see if it was true.
It is a city of markets, beautiful churches, buildings and bridges.
We went into St Nicholas church which was stunning. The elaborate door looks old but was build 25 years ago to celebrate Pope John Paul II.
At the bottom of the door is the face of a man with a pointy nose -rub the nose and you will have good luck 😉 So I did although the good luck about my phone came before I did that. Perhaps lighting candles for my mother, father and aunt last night was what did it😊
In front of the church stands the statue of the poet France Preseren. It faces the window where his adored Julija Primic used to live. There is a sculpture of a muse above him sitting on a rock and holding a laurel branch in her hand. The poet is dressed in the outfit of the period and holds a book symbolising his poems.
We all had free time after the guided walk so Lolz and I found a pavement cafe to have lunch. Then it was on to Venice. We had not signed up for thenVenice by Night experience so did some washing and had an early night.
Mother and Daughter Trip – Expat Explore – Eastern Europe Adventure Day 7 Bratislava and Vienna
19August 2018
How amazing to pass through three countries in one day! Yes, today was awesome but it did not start well for ‘loskop’ me. For those of my readers who are not familiar with South Africanisms, ‘loskop’ means scatterbrain! I shall, during this story share with you my little disasters, knowing that there will be a lot of shaking of heads and muttering of – how could she and will she ever learn! I could just leave those embarrassing bits out but I feel that the bad must be reported along with the good. This is an honest account of my trip and let my experiences be a warning to other ‘loskops’ to be vigilant
Disaster number 1. Lolz and I were running late. We had to be at the bus before breakfast @ 6:20. Lolz dashed out first so as not to miss Joshi who had to load up before he went for his breakfast. I quickly gathered my stuff and followed soon after and so of course left several small items behind – only noticed at the next hotel in Vienna. And we missed Josh. So Lolz watched the bags while I went to breakfast and to ask Josh to go down to open the bus when he finished his. I then relieved Lolz while while she dashed in to eat. It must be said that Joshi was forgiving and charming and did not give us a hard time for being late!
There was one short comfort stop while still in Czech Republic where we got rid of our koruna and then it was into Slovakia. Our lunch break was in the beautiful city of Bratislava. En route Filip fed us interesting historical facts and on arrival took us to a meeting place and set us free to explore. While there, disaster number 2 happened. There was so much to photograph and at one of the places we stopped to look at menus I must have absent mindedly put my phone down on a table while taking a piccie of the surroundings. Some opportunistic thief could so easily have nicked it. I usually keep my phone in my bag and didn’t notice it was gone until I looked for it, Lolz phoned the number but of course no reply, Gone!
Yes, dear reader, I was stupid! I know it! But I’m not letting this spoil the rest of my trip. I still have my money, my passport, my camera and my iPad. Losing a phone is a nuisance but it can be replaced.
The Danube is the river that runs through Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is the only capital in the world that borders two countries, namely Austria and Hungary. I loved the cobbled streets, architecture and vibe is this beautiful city.
Napoleon’s soldier is a reminder to tourists that the infamous leader visited Bratislava 1805 and 1809
Cumil, the bronze statue of a man coming out of a sewer was hard to find at first but then we saw him on Panska street. Perhaps he is taking a break from work to look at the passing parade of tourists.
There were many other interesting statues but with so many tourists posing with them I gave photography of them a miss.
Vienna
Vienna was just another hour’s drive and after checking in we boarded the bus with our local walking guide,Walter. He gave an interesting talk about the history of Vienna. He is proudly Viennese and after living for 10 years in the USA, he was more than happy to return. And who can blame him? Not only is it architecturally very beautiful it is clean, everything works and the government look after its citizens very well. There is little unemployment and the lifestyle is relaxed.
Belvedere Palace – summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy
After the walk we had some free time before dinner. Lolz and I went into the church where a mass was in progress. We lit candles for Mom, Dad and Aunt Leonie. They would have loved this beautiful church.
Dinner was interesting. The restaurant was underground and served traditional food. Lolz had the best schnitzel ever and I enjoyed the goulash. We also had traditional musicians entertain us with a variety of songs from The Sound of Music to Waltzing Matilda especially for the Aussies.
My impressions of the city – just stunning! Beautiful with a great vibe. It’s prettier than Amsterdam but there’s just something about Amsterdam that keeps it at Number 1 for me.
Mother and Daughter Trip – Expat Explore Eastern Europe Adventure Day 6 Prague
Saturday 18 August 2018
After our fast paced day yesterday we were quite tired. We both slept wonderfully and only woke up at 8:30 this morning and it was around 10:30 when we set off to meet Susan and Annmarie – South African friends of Lolz who now live in England but are spending the weekend in Prague.
At the station we met Kelly and Brian from our group. Together we worked out where to get our day passes – The Relay shop on the corner – and then travelled with them to the castle. After having our bags checked and finding Susan and Annmarie we explored the gardens which are really lovely.
After the castle we walked to the city center, had lunch at a restaurant on the water and then took a 2 hour cruise with Prague Boats.
There was no commentary but we enjoyed the afternoon, chatting with each other. We also met two couples – Australian and American – who had met each other on a tour. It was interesting chatting and solving the world’s problems together. South Africa might have its problems but it seems that even the Aussies stress over their leaders. And the Americans are in despair over theirs. But this trip has brought me to the realization that nothing is ever certain and we could all be plunged into disaster by some madman who manages to brainwash the masses.
But right now I’m living in the moment, concentrating on the positive and taking photos of the beauty that surrounds us.
Cruising down the river
We explored the city a bit after the cruise then sat at a pavement restaurant and had drinks and snacks before catching the Metro back to our hotel and having an early night as the next day would have an early start.
Prague is beautiful. I’d love to return one day. List of favourites so far: Amsterdam, Bruges (‘cos coffee and chocolate) Prague, Dresden, Berlin.
Mother and Daughter Trip – Expat Eastern Europe Adventure – Day 5 Dresden and Prague
Friday 17 August 2018
Dresden
We were all in good spirits as we left Berlin and settled down for the 2.5 hour drive to Dresden. Filip, as usual, woke us up with Jitterbug an hour or so into the journey. He entertained us with a history lesson about the early days of the city. When we arrived he orientated us and pointed out points of interest we could visit and then we were left to explore on our own. We were instructed to be back at the meeting place by 12:30 sharp!
Crossing the moat
Lolz and I walked around and took photos of the cathedral, palace and the church of Our Lady.
Zwinger Palace
The ‘Furstenzug’ or Procession of Princes is the large mural that depicts the rulers of Saxony. It was painted between 1871 and 1876 to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Wettin Dynasty.
Frauenkirche (The church of Our Lady) looked interesting so we decided to climb the 127 steps to the top of the dome. Laurie had to pay €7 but because I’m old I got to pay only €5 😀 The Church was built in the 18th century but was bombed during the Second World War. The ruins were left for 50 years before being rebuilt using many of the original bricks mixed with new ones. The dark bricks are the old ones.
The views were stunning.
We also went into the church to admire it in all its beauty. It does give it a peaceful and calming feel when a church has beautiful frescos.
It was hot in Europe today – just saying,I don’t mind the heat but some of our group found it quite exhausting.
Lolz and I found a shady pavement restaurant that wasn’t crowded with people. Usually I choose a restaurant that is busy and the patrons are eating. It’s a good indication that the food is good. But we liked the menu of Maredo which looked smart but was not at all well patronized, so we took a chance. It was a good choice! Lolz ordered the house salad and I had mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and basil pesto – both totally delicious. Mine came with slices of baguette which I didn’t eat and Lolz had garlic bread. We also shared a large bottle of ice cold sparking water.
We then made our way back to the meeting place. Gary caught up with us and said, ‘so glad I’m seeing you as I am completely lost!’
‘Me too,’ I replied. ‘But Lolz knows where she is in space! Just follow her!’
Well it turned out that one of our party did get lost and we had to wait half an hour before she turned up. I really felt sorry for her as it could just as easily have been me! I told her to stick with us in future.
Prague
It was another hour and a half to Prague. We checked in, had a short break and then Joshi drove us to meet our walking guide who took us on a two hour orientation walk of the beautiful historic city. Once again stories of the communist regime stirred up emotions. Our guide took us chronologically through the sections of the city. She said she loved all of it but her heart lay in the old city.
After our walk we were taken to The Railway Restaurant which has a 400m miniature railway running around the restaurant, with trains delivering drinks to your table. It was great fun.
Mother and Daughter Trip – Expat Eastern Europe Adventure Day 4 Berlin
Thursday 16 August 2018
After breakfast the bus took us to the Brandenburg Gate where we met our guide, Jared, for a walking tour of Berlin.
Jared, our young American guide was very knowledgeable about the history of Berlin, World War Two and The Holocaust. He gave us a fresh insight as to how it all happened. It is frightening that even the nicest people can be brainwashed to do the most horrific things.
Most of the Berlin Wall has been torn down but bits of it remain.
The course of history could have changed had Georg Elster succeeded in his attempt to blow up Hitler during one of his beer hall speeches. Below is the bent column memorial to him.
We were shown the site of Hitlers bunker which is now a car park with only an information board to mark it. The Germans do not want it to become a shrine to a man who caused such devastation in his lifetime.
An unusual memorial to all those who died in the Holocaust is on a site covering 19000 square meters. The blocks are of varying heights and the space seems to bring home the reality of what happened not only to the six million Jews but others like the handicapped and homosexuals who were similarly persecuted.
After our walk Lolz and I negotiated the U-bahn and got a train to Alexanderplatz where we met up with Lolz’s friend Melissa. Another friend, Sasha who was visiting from London also joined us. I popped into CCC bag and shoe shop who were having a sale and was delighted to find a suitable pair of sandals for €15
We did a short walk with Melissa before lunch, saw the Berliner Dom and visited the University where Einstein studied and worked.
It as hot and we were hungry and thirsty so were delighted to find a lovely pavement cafe with lots of shade. Yes I know we should have gone for German but my companions wanted pizza – I had pork, veggies and potato bake so it was almost local🤪 And our charming waitron was Greek which gave us something in common😉 We thanked him in Greek and he was impressed that I could at least count in Greek😄. We have been bothered by bees and wasps in the heat but today our waiter lit some coffee beans in a tinfoil holder and the smoke helped chase them away.
Thanks Sasha for treating me to a glass of wine❤️
After lunch we wondered around the market place – much like our Green Market Square in Cape Town and then Mel had to get home to kids and hubs while Lolz, Sasha and I caught a tram to the latter’s hotel. Lolz used his laptop to (successfully) sort out a banking issue that for some reason didn’t work on her tablet.
Sasha then took us for drinks and walked us home to our hotel. Thanks again Sasha – you are a friend and a gentleman. ⭐️❤️⭐️
Lolz and I had a quiet evening watching BBC News the only English Channel on TV. We were amused to see Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey speaking German on Friends😂
So what did I think of Berlin? I have read so much on the Holocaust and can remember watching Escape From East Berlin in 1962 although the details are blurry so being in the city was certainly a moving experience. I would like to return one day but so far Amsterdam remains my favourite.
Mother and Daughter Trip – Eastern Europe Day 2 continued
Madame Tussaud’s
After our amazing canal trip we had free time till 8 pm when we could get the coach back to the hotel. Lolz and I browsed the shops for a bit, bought nothing and then went to Madame Tussaud’s. You cannot compare it to London’s displays but it is still amazing and we had such fun posing with our favourite celebs.
Lolz was particularly excited to encounter her hero – Armin van Buuren and George was pleased to see me😏
Mother and Daughter Trip – Expat Eastern Europe Adventure – Day 3
15 August 2018 Amsterdam to Berlin
Today we spent most of the day in the coach as we travelled from Amsterdam to Berlin. We had three comfort stops; a short one in the morning, a longer one for lunch and the another short one in the afternoon. Some of the group said they would sleep all the way but Filip made sure that there were fun wakeful times throughout journey. There is a lot for him to organize on a trip such as this. Clipboards for bookings meals and activities were passed from tourist to tourist so that he could get the numbers right. There is a fee for the optional extras and funds for those have to be collected beforehand. When Filip wanted our attention he would turn up the music and the wake up song – Jitterbug by Duran Duran would call us to attention. His informative talks on the cities and countries we visit are a delight to listen to and certainly break up the day and have us thirsting to see the sights.
This morning each of us stepped up to the mike to share a little about ourselves and to say what we were most hoping to get out of this trip. I really enjoyed hearing what everyone had to say and it was lovely to find that many were celebrating something -the beginning of retirement for some, anniversaries for others as well as a couple of birthdays. We were all most certainly celebrating Life!
Most of our traveling companions are from Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada although a few of those were born in other countries. They all speak English making communication with each other easy. We range in age from young people in their twenties up to a few oldies in their sixties.
We arrived at our hotel at around 5:30. Lolz has a friend in a village a half an hour train ride from Berlin and the plan was for us both to visit them there this evening but I was too tired so she went on her own, dashing straight to the station while I checked in with the bags.
We were all issued with key cards but for some strange reasons none of them worked! Without them you can’t open the hotel toilets, use the lift or open your room. Chaos reigned as the staff tried several times to reprogram them. Eventually all the luggage was stowed in a safe place and the Expats went off to their dinner. Needing an early night I did not join them. Minutes after they left the problem was remedied and with the help of a staff member who wanted to make absolutely sure that I wasn’t stranded outside my room with two bags to take care of. Thankfully all was well!
After unpacking and a refreshing shower I popped back down for a snack supper at the bar which was very good. Lolz was back by ten and had enjoyed the time spent with her friends.
Thursday, 16 August 2018
Apologies – I meant to post this last night but left it in drafts. Today’s episode will follow later this evening.
Mother and Daughter Trip – Expat Eastern Europe Adventure Day 2
14 August 2018 Dutch countryside tour.
Today we had a full program of activities and were on the bus just after 8 am. Our first experience was at Clara Maria Kaas- & Klompenmakerij where we enjoyed watching a clog making demonstration. One of our party had her birthday today so she was chosen to be the student while the expert taught her what to do. And what hard work it was hammering the axe into a block of poplar. “You’re struggling a bit because there is a knot in the wood,” he explained as he struggled to get the axe free.”
“You should have taken it out before we started,”she joked. Finally the hammering ended and a machine used to finish the job. It was all very entertaining and interesting. Our birthday girl got to keep the rough shoe as a souvenir. It was engraved for her and she intends turning it into a work of art.
Beginning the process
The finished product
Next we had a talk and demonstration on cheese making by a delightful and entertaining young woman. And this was followed by tasting some of the excellent cheeses.
Zaanse Schans
After browsing the gift shop we continued our tour and stopped for an hour to see the traditional houses and Windmills at Zaanse Schans. Yes it was very touristy but we loved it.
Volendam
Volendam was not to be missed.
Joshie, our driver, parked the bus 🚌 outside the village and we walked to the designated meeting spot and then left to explore and have lunch on our own. Once again it was a tourist trap but very picturesque nevertheless. I could not leave beautiful Holland without something or remind me of her and needing a bag that would hold water, brolly and jersey etc, I bought a rather nice one sporting the name Amsterdam! Warning – all the shops stock the same stuff so compare prices before you buy!
If I lived in Holland, I would eat bitterbollen every day. I have become addicted to this delicious snack so for lunch that is exactly what I had while Lolz settled for calamari. The coffee was passable – just. So it’s Belgium for coffee and Holland for bitterbollen.
Canal Cruise
When you visit Amsterdam be sure to do a canal cruise. Ours was part of our package and included a meal. It was awesome. The crew was entirely female which was refreshing👜👠👚 Our boat guide gave an excellent commentary on the history of the buildings, house boats and customs of canal life. Two funny facts – 1. the houses of the poor were narrower than those of the rich as tax was determined on the width of your home! 2. If you accidentally drive your car into the canal, stay with it otherwise your insurance won’t pay out!
For our late lunch/early supper we could choose from three options – pizza, buffalo wings or chickend salad. We chose buffalo wings and Caesar salad. Dessert was ice cream. For € 6 you could upgrade to the drinks package which Lolz and I shared. I had a glass of pink and she 2 reds. Everything about this excursion was awesome. Nothing nicer than enjoying a glass or two with excellent food while cruising the canals of Amsterdam.
Madam Tussauds
Our last activity of the day was a visit to Madam Tussaud’s but I will include that in the next post as, probably due to being on the coach, I am having trouble uploading the next batch of photos.
Diary of an Adventurous Retiree 