All posts tagged travel

50th Anniversary Trip

After three days in the inside passage of Alaska, the first leg of our trip is in the books. This leg was all about recovering from the four hour time difference while enjoying the scenery and looking for whales. We spotted a pod of humpbacks with our binoculars. So cool.

After boarding at Vancouver, the first port was Juneau, where we disembarked to enjoy a cool, sunny afternoon in Alaska’s capital. The port shops were packed so we opted to go up for the views.

Meanwhile, back on the ship…

Every nook in that wall had a briefcase in it with a game inside.

We did a fair amount of eating, sleeping, and playing games in the library. The highlight of the trip so far was at our specialty dinner to celebrate our 50th anniversary.

Today is Saturday. I know this only because the ship is kind of enough to change the elevator floor mats every day.

Our land excursion starts today as we disembark in Skagway and get ready for our next adventure.

Bob and I on our wedding day August 2, 1975, in Maryland

We celebrated our 25th anniversary in Hawaii.

Celebrating our 50th anniversary in Alaska.

6 Comments

by Bonnie Anderson on August 2, 2025 • Permalink

Posted in marriage, Travel

Tagged cruising in Alaska, travel

Posted by Bonnie Anderson on August 2, 2025

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2025/08/02/50th-anniversary-trip/

Scotland – Eating and Hiking Edition

When we travel overseas, we like to get outside, breathe in some fresh air, and take a little walk as soon as possible to help us get on the time zone. This trip had us landing in Edinburgh and then driving a little more than an hour to St Andrews on our first day. Since we flew overnight, that meant that it felt like six in the morning when we dragged our sleepy bodies off the plane.

But, it was 11 am on a Saturday morning and that was the perfect time to take a walk and find lunch in Edinburgh before getting in the car for a drive. We ate along The Royal Mile at a barbeque place called Oink Hog Roast, which had been featured in a travel show Dacia had seen.

It was here that a kind young lady behind the counter allowed me to have a wee taste of haggis – my first and last. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and by that I mean how much I would dislike haggis. It took one bite for me to know I disliked it completely. Maybe if they had come up with a more beckoning name, but a rose by any other name would smell so sweet, or taste so gross. I wasn’t very hungry, so I opted out of the grunter and oink portion sizes and just ordered the piglet. Warning: they don’t believe in sauces like we do here, so it was dry but edible. Thus went our first Scottish meal.

Piglets and crisps

Now it was time to walk it off and what better place to do that than Arthur’s Seat? It’s part of an ancient volcanic area near the city center. As we were approaching the hiking trails, following a short distance behind our son and his family, I was reminded that I was not in Florida anymore. These were proper hills.

We saw our son ask which trail they should take and up they headed. When we reached the person of whom they had inquired, I said, “I saw you point our son in that direction. Look at us. Which way should we go?”

“You may want to take that route over there. They all end up in the same place, so you’re good,” he kindly replied. I love the Scottish people!

Bob and I set out on what by now we realized was not a walk but a hike. That was our first mistake of the trip. Bob had days of golfing ahead of him and I am not exactly in fighting shape, but off we went up the hill. It was a lesser incline than the one our son took, but it would do me in.

That didn’t register with me while walking because I was so taken in by the spectacular views. Plus, when I travel, I get this weird energy/adrenaline which will circumvent my otherwise extremely logical mind, and I will push myself without even knowing that I am. Later I will realize it, and it will be too late, but most of the time, it will have been worth it.

Winston loves to find a high spot and enjoy the view.

Every time I’d think we were near the top, up we’d go again. It was so pretty I barely noticed my knees shaking.

A summer day in Scotland

As we drove out of Edinburgh, we passed the castle up on the hill. We also spotted groups of crazed Swifties dressed in pink and other regalia in anticipation of her concert which would be that evening. We got out of there just in time!

St Andrews was sleepy compared to Edinburgh, and that was fine with us.

We dined that Saturday night at Hams Hame across from the Old Course. The food was good, but the names of the dishes were even better. Where else can you find Tex Mex nachos and haggis bon-bons on the same menu?

After dinner we strolled around the town enjoying the beautiful ruins of St Andrews Cathedral and St Andrews Castle. St Andrews was the center of religious power in Scotland in the 1500s. At that time religious leaders Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox were challenging the way people worshipped. This was the change from Catholic to Protestant beliefs, so this area is a part of the Reformation history. Scotland became a protestant country in 1560.

Cathedral ruins

Castle ruins

A violent and sobering part of Christian church history

On Sunday while the guys were golfing, Dacia, my daughter-in-law, and I trekked along the edge of the North Sea at St Andrews Bay.

I love the walls in the UK. On the right is a golf course. On the left is the North Sea.

After golf, we all enjoyed a traditional Sunday pub roast in downtown St Andrews at a restaurant called Forgan’s.

That was a highlight, but it is overshadowed by Jannettas Gelateria. St Andrews is a small town so all roads could lead to Jannettas, which they did for us two or three times. This was the best gelato west of Siena – better than some I had in Tuscany and that is really saying something considering we were just there in April!

They had the oft difficult to find banana gelato – my favorite. Slainte Mhath (cheers)!

St Andrews sunset from our hotel – approximately 9:45 PM. Good night sun.

2 Comments

by Bonnie Anderson on July 19, 2024 • Permalink

Posted in Europe, Family, The United Kingdom, Travel

Tagged Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, Forgan's, Hams Hame, Jannettas Gelateria, Jannettas Gelateria St Andrews, John Calvin, John Knox, Martin Luther, Oink Hog Roast, Scottish food, St Andrews Castle, St Andrews Cathedral, Sunday Pub Roast, Taylor Swift in Edinburgh, The Reformation, The Royal Mile, travel, Travel in Europe

Posted by Bonnie Anderson on July 19, 2024

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2024/07/19/scotland-eating-and-hiking-edition/

A Golfing We Will Go

Three generations of golfers

What a joy to see my golf-loving husband play golf with our son and grandsons at the place where golf was born. When our son, Jesse, first brought up the idea of a Scotland golf trip, it was a no-brainer. Except for already having a European vacation with three other couples planned for April and this golf trip was planned for June, there was not much to consider. We would make it happen. Sometimes you just seize the moment. We had six weeks between trips – just enough time for me to get over jetlag!

Bob was charged with planning the trip. Let me say, if you want to play golf at the Old Course at St Andrews, you need to book ahead and be ready for the stipulations which are enforced for golfers. First, book way ahead – maybe the year before. Bob booked these tee times last summer, and there were other hoops to jump through. In order to play the Old Course, you have to play one other course at St Andrews. You also must have a set handicap of 24. When those requirements are met, they are happy to welcome you and your money to their course.

Also, it is advisable, though not required, to have a caddy. This is important as sometimes you are driving blind, and the caddy is your course guide, like an ambassador of the course. For us, they were also entertaining.

There was one more major consideration, which crept up on us months after the trip was planned. In January, Bob had neck surgery – a fusion. He was not allowed to swing a club for three months, and it had been almost three months since he had been able to play before surgery. That had him wait until April 30 to get back in golfing shape – six weeks before leaving for Scotland. He was a patient patient and put in the time resting, but when the required wait was over, he morphed happily into training mode.

The week before our trip, he ventured out two days in a row. He nailed it. Nothing hurt more than you’d think it would for a guy his age. He was ready for the six rounds of golf that awaited him across the pond in Scotland. That would be six rounds in nine days, and they don’t allow carts over there.

If you know anything about the origins of golf, then you have likely heard of St Andrews. It is considered to be the home of golf, which was first played on the links at St Andrews way back in the early 15^th century. The Scottish people are proud of their golf. They are responsible for many of the innovations that have shaped the game. According to http://www.thebackninegolf.com, the name golf came from the Dutch word “goff” or “gouff,” which meant “club.” Somewhere along the line, that strong Scottish dialect transformed the word to our present-day “golf.”

Jesse and Bob warming up

Okay, enough of the history, by now you know that playing at St Andrews is a big deal for a devout golfer. Even those who consider themselves duffers would like to walk this course. Yes, walk. Remember, there are no carts allowed. It is important to recognize that there are more than golfers and tagalongs like my daughter-in-law, Dacia, and I, who walked the course with our guys. There are people taking a stroll. It is almost as much a public park as it is a golf course.

For the life of me, I don’t know why one would take their walk on the course, even as lovely as it is. You are taking your life in your hands out there. There are signs posted to turn your back to the incoming shot and shield your head when you hear the word, “Fore” – kind of like the drills we had as kids in the 60s where you would get under your desk to avoid being destroyed by nuclear attack.

If your ball lands in this hazard, you are officially in Hell Bunker.

You often hear caddies yelling, “Fore,” in warning to beware of approaching golf balls – everyone doesn’t hit the green, you know! The first time I heard a group of caddies yelling, “Fore!” it took me back. There was palpable panic in their layered voices, and it was not easy to discern from where the ball was coming. We heard the shouts at least a dozen times. I guess it’s exhilarating unless you get hit by an errant ball.

Speaking of exhilarating, I was so happy to walk the course with our foursome of Bob, our son Jesse, and teenage grandsons Manning and Winston, who consistently give Bob and Jesse a run for their money. The four of them have played together on many courses but none have the significance and history of this one. I loved watching Bob with his boys. It was truly moving to me, and every time I talk about it, I tear up. Such a privilege. Thanks to God for allowing it!

Dacia and I walked along the 20,000 steps with them and took it all in – including about 150 pictures, only a few of which I’ll share with you. We were there for the history, hazards, short putts, long putts, missed putts, great drives, and one ball lost in a stream. It was all magic.

Bob said those wispy grasses grabbed the club and made it tough to get out, but Winston had no trouble.

Bob and his caddy planning an exit strategy from the rough.

The caddies couldn’t have been paired better. Bob’s was a friendly guy, probably approaching 60, who has a handicap of 4.5. He did mention that it had been 2-3, but he was okay with it being higher as that gave him more opportunities to win money when he played with his friends. Jesse’s caddy was likely in his mid-40s and kind of a funny smarty pants but also very friendly. He joked with Jesse as he guided him through the course. The boys both had college students. All four of them were excellent.

Jesse and his caddy

The culmination of the round began on Hole 17 as they had to drive their balls over a roof, which is just what you do and has always been done.

Golfers are supposed to drive their shot over the black roof. There is evidence of balls falling short!

Then the required picture on the Swilcan Bridge over to the 18^th green. The bridge was built about 700 years ago to help get livestock over the stream. You can still see markers dividing golf and livestock areas.

We were there!

Manning almost on the green

Winston and his caddy

Jesse getting ready to drive

My sweetie!

As we approached the 18^th hole, the fences along the border of the course were lined with spectators. Being watched so closely by groups of men leaning on the fence, swigging their whiskey or beer could be a wee bit daunting. Thankfully, all our guys made great drives, got to the green and either parred or birdied. These were long putts, so the crowd went wild when they made them!

Smiles and congratulations all around.

Manning won the day!

Aye, it was a perfect day. It left us adults a wee bit puggled (tired out), but the kids were fine. Surely ’twas a memorable and typically cool and windy day of golf in Scotland! Thankful we could be there together.

Cold, and Snow, and Rain – Oh, My! (Europe Post #7)

They know how to do coffee shops and bakeries in Europe. Our first full day in Lucerne had us fortifying ourselves before our bus trip first to Interlaken and then farther up the mountain to Grindelwald.

Grindelwald, at an elevation of almost 3400 feet, is where winter and spring fought for dominance. It seemed to me that winter was winning, so this was the day that I donned the most layers of apparel. I wore a t-shirt, covered by a pull-over sweater, covered by a warm blazer, and topped off with a down jacket. My wool socks and soccer-fan beanie hat from Como, plus recently purchased gloves made the outside bearable. For a short time. The date was April 23.

Grindelwald was beautiful. I braved the cold instead of viewing winter from the vantage point that I prefer – inside! We were snowed upon while there. It seemed best to forego eating al fresco.

We made new friends. I assume this guy had frozen to death – the one on the left. Bob is shivering on the right.

Interlaken, at 1873 ft of elevation, was more of a 50/50 split between winter and spring. The rain made it feel cooler, but we still wandered the streets and enjoyed the flowers.

The wisteria alone was worth the walk.

I’m not a fan of mushrooms, but when combined with gnomes it’s a pretty cute addition to a garden.

Interlaken had more to offer than flowers. This is such a clever lending library (translates to Open Bookcase). You can take a book (nimm ein buch) or bring a book.

The perfect way to warm up before the bus ride down the mountain – hot chocolate, Swiss style!

Goodbye snow and conflicting weather.

Switzerland

Traveling on a train is the epitome of why digital photos are better than that old 35mm film. I will spare you the entire contents of my album “Bad Pictures Through Train Windows.” It is an extensive collection that reminds me to be in the moment rather than try to capture the moment. Life is a blur, especially on a train.

There are a few shots that are worthy of sharing, for instance my friend, Debi (with Tom), also attempting to capture the moment through her train window as we left Italy and entered Switzerland. It’s a compulsion when surrounded by beauty; but especially when winter invades your springtime trip and when you’re from Florida where winter would be a warm day compared to what we were currently experiencing.

I loved every minute of the trip. The trains were very comfortable, perhaps that had something to do with riding first class. (Thanks, Bob.) After driving the roads of Tuscany for five days, we all enjoyed leaving the driving to somebody else.

Lucerne, our first destination in Switzerland, was adorable. Our hotel especially typified what I thought a Swiss hotel should look like.

Wilden Mann translates to wild husband, so we found the right place. There’s nothing quite as wild as four retired husbands traveling through Europe with their wives. You can decide if that is sarcasm or a hidden truth.

Cozy, warm hotel lobby

After settling in, food was the first order of business. This is traditional Swiss food – macaroni and cheese with a side of applesauce. I ordered it as it was easy. I didn’t need Google Translate to figure that one out. In this part of Switzerland, German is widely spoken. The applesauce was a weird accompaniment.

Despite the cold and rainy weather, we hit the streets. When our group first considered Lucerne as a destination, Ann, one of the primary planners of the trip, had shared that there was an old, covered wooden footbridge worth seeing in Lucerne. She had to endure the teasing that followed her suggestion that we go see an old footbridge. Initially we did not think that an old bridge would be a main attraction, but we were wrong.

The Kapellbrucke (chapel bridge) crosses the Reuss River and if we had wanted to avoid crossing it, that would have been difficult. I had wondered if it would be hard to find, but we rounded a corner and there it was in all its old glory (not to be confused with Old Glory).

The bridge has triangular-shaped paintings set under the trusses along the ceiling of the bridge. These date back to the 17^th century. This is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe and the world’s oldest truss bridge. It also is the symbol of the city of Lucerne, so it’s a big deal.

There are also lovely views along the way. It’s worth noting that the bridge on which we stood had been crossed by more generations of people than my math skills could calculate. Like I’ve said before, they know how to do old in Europe.

This is my favorite view of the river.

Lucerne offers great breakfasts. This is traditional Swiss breakfast. The bread was soft and fresh. The fruit and cheese were yummy, but the meats reminded me of the lunch meat I grew up on – a little fatty. I was surprised to get fresh orange juice – just like home!

The pharmacy near our hotel felt like stepping back in time.

We walked through the city to visit the Lion Monument. The Monument, which is in a lovely English garden, was unveiled in 1821. It was designed in Rome and carved in the rock face at its present location. It stands in commemoration of the events in Paris in August 1792 where an angry throng stormed the Tuileries and killed hundreds of Swiss guardsmen who were serving King Louis XVI.

Regardless of political views, the artwork is to be admired. The way it’s situated in the garden drew Bob and I to slow down, sit, and enjoy this beautiful spot. A bonus was listening to the local birds and identifying them on our Merlin Bird ID app. (A little bird watching is always in order.) It took 23 months to carve the lion. The expression on his face reflected the anguish of the Swiss people.

Lucerne is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited. Look at these pictures and see if you don’t agree.

Five out of six people really like fondue and it’s a must in Switzerland.

Debi was pretty excited.

I enjoyed potato and leek soup.

The view from the restaurant. Also, a birding opportunity. (The one that got away.)

Side-stepping to Zurich for a moment – Bob and I ventured up many steps for a view from the old town. While there I made friends with some ducks. (This is an updated post because the next 3 photos are actually in Zurich, and while you readers may not care, I’m fixing it for my future sanity.)

Zurich

Zurich

He quacked me up, also in Zurich.

Since I ate a light lunch (in Lucerne – sorry for bouncing around), it was time to eat again. Oh, boy! Ravioli all kinds of ways with a light buttery sauce.

These were my choices.

Ravioli’s reputation has skyrocketed for me since discovering how it should be done.

At the end of the day, I started missing some of the comforts of home – like being able to wash my feet in the shower.

We’ll go home soon enough. Next time I’ll take you on a side trip up the Swiss mountains.

4 Comments

by Bonnie Anderson on May 30, 2024 • Permalink

Posted in Birding, Europe, Travel, weather

Tagged fondue in Switzerland., Grindelwald Switzerland, Interlaken Switzerland, Kapellbrucke bridge, Lion Monument in Lucerne, Lucerne Switzerland, Merlin Bird ID app, Switzerland travel, travel, Travel in Europe, Wilden Mann hotel

Posted by Bonnie Anderson on May 30, 2024

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2024/05/30/switzerland/

Cold in Como

Our first day in Como was cold (by Florida standards for sure) and add to that a 25mph wind; and we decided to forego boating on beautiful Lake Como. Too choppy, too chilly! The best option for us was taking the funicular up the side of the steep hill to Brunate, a lovely Italian village.

The funicular was completed in 1894. Since spending time in Europe, that didn’t even seem old anymore. On exiting the funicular, we were treated to lovely views. My breath was taken away by the view of the Alps, but the surroundings we were standing in were lovely as well. This was Brunate.

Hotel in Brunate

The beautiful, blue sky was compensation for the cold temperatures, though I did check the shop for a beanie style hat to keep my ears warm. It was to no avail as it was supposed to be spring. This was not the first time that I had inquired as to the normalcy of the winter-like temperatures. And this was not the first time that I was told there is a saying in Italy – “April does what it wants!” No worries, I would be warm again when I got back to Florida.

There was a man making bracelets set up in an out-of-the-way booth. He told me the bracelets were made of Murano glass, which he described as “important” to Italy, particularly Venice. He also was selling lace doilies. These he described as important as well, especially since his mother made them. It’s a treat to chat with local people and hear them talk about their country. I love the way the Italians use the word “important” to describe things dear to their heritage.

The funicular only goes so far up the hill, but we hired a taxi/jeep to take us to the top. We figured we’d ride up and walk down, but after our ride along the steep, narrow streets, we thought better of it, a decision our knees would thank us for!

Once we got out of the jeep, there were stairs waiting for us to go to the lighthouse at the very top of the hill (note, for Floridians this is like mountain climbing).

Up, up, up we went, and we were rewarded with the best views of the Alps. Whatever breath hadn’t been taken away before, was surely gone as we feasted our eyes on the Swiss Alps.

All this fresh air and walking really stirs up an appetite. We had choices. Perhaps the Osteria Bar and Pizzeria, which was attached to a church or was that vice versa.

That was almost novel enough to have us eat there, but we opted for a place with a better view. We were glad we did. Our first course was bruschetta three ways. We order bruschetta often, both at home and abroad. This was the best we ever had. Our favorite had caramelized onions atop. Magnifica! We followed that with soup in keeping with our pursuit of warmth. Yum!

Back at sea level (or lake level), before we joined our friends for dinner and wine, I found a pop-up soccer souvenir stand and bought a beanie. My ears were grateful. Now I looked like a fan of the Italian national team. That works for me.

On Sunday some of us ventured out to church. I wasn’t sure I wanted to, because a service in a language I could not understand didn’t sound worthy of rising early. Let me tell you, though, you never know what you may experience, and this was worth it. Danny, who is also the founding pastor of our church and like our other traveling companions, a friend for over 40 years, wanted to check out the churches. We split again, with some sleeping in and some of us going to the 10:00 service at the Como Duomo, at least we went for the beginning of it. Listening to the pipe organ is amazing in any language.

The previous day during a walk we had found an Evangelical church. The service there began at 10:30, so we did some church hopping. This church was modest in stature. The people were friendly and several spoke English. We were greeted warmly and every person we met was excited to introduce us to the pastor. She is originally from Germany, but she speaks English well. So well, in fact, that she preached the service in Italian and English. We weren’t sure if that was for our benefit or not, but it was very moving that she would go to the trouble.

They handed out song booklets like what we had in the church we were going to back in the 1980s and 90s. It was a joy to see some of the old songs printed in English and Italian. The church was close to Presbyterian in doctrine, and their service that day was abbreviated as they had a meeting going on after the service, so we were there on the perfect day. Gloria a Dio!

It was an afternoon of meandering around Lake Como and imagining what it would be like if it weren’t so windy! We made the best of it and totally enjoyed being immersed in Como. Our hotel was situated in Piazza Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour (piazza translates to square). We happened upon a band finishing up a concert. They were playing Beat It by Michael Jackson.

There was lots of activity in the square as the band broke down the stage, including an alley of clowns that wandered onto the scene. (Yes, that’s what a group of clowns is called. That was new to me.)

Recorded music was being played in the background and we watched as folks boogied across the square while kids kicked a soccer ball around and Danny finally got McDonalds. After a while, you need a taste of home.

We were scheduled to leave Como and go to Switzerland the next morning via train. The itinerary was Como to Lugano to Lucerne. The hotel concierge informed us that we would likely have to deal with a scheduled train strike. They have them periodically, so to the Italians it’s part of life. But for us, this was alarming. We were told that we could possibly get out before it starts but we should have an alternative plan. Start and stop times of these is precise and they would last 24 hours or so. That was not information that comforted us.

We walked to a close-by train station (not the one we would depart from) and the attendant said that our train would not be affected. She even double-checked it with the main train station and told us we should be fine. Probably because of that pesky language barrier, we weren’t completely relieved. I’d say we were about 80 percent. Total relief wouldn’t happen until the next day when we hopefully boarded our train.

The following morning, we arrived at the Como S. Giovanni Railway Station, and it appeared our trip would not be cancelled. Nearly every other trip was canceled due to the strike. We were thankful as we set out on the next chapter.

Switzerland, here we come!

2 Comments

by Bonnie Anderson on May 27, 2024 • Permalink

Posted in Europe, Faith, Friendship, People that I Meet, Travel

Tagged alley of clowns, Bellagio Italy, Brunate Italy, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, Como Cathedral, Como Italy, Duomo di Como, funicular in Como, Lake Como, Michael Jackson's Beat It, murano glass, Piazza Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour, travel, Travel in Europe, views of Swiss Alps

Posted by Bonnie Anderson on May 27, 2024

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2024/05/27/cold-in-como/

Arrivederci, Siena; Ciao, Como!

Our last day in Siena was a day of rest (and laundry). It was also a day to try out a different restaurant for lunch. We googled pizza places nearby, and I was thrilled to find one with a sense of humor. You don’t always see that on a website. This ristorante was so proud of their pizza crust that they claimed you would “go to Hell” if you didn’t eat it. Even though this challenged my theology, I was intrigued, but unfortunately the ristorante was not open – a problem I have mentioned here in the past. They keep different eating hours over there.

We did find a super cute place with a great view. I deviated from pasta and Italian meats and went straight for a steak. The word on the streets of Tuscany was you need to get a steak while you’re there. Also, when ordering, don’t attempt to tell them how you want it cooked. Apparently, they don’t like that. Leave that to the chef! It was delicious and the presentation was molto attraente (very appealing).

Other than lunchtime, we spent the entire day at our VRBO, Capanna di Elfo, which even though it translates to Elf Hut in English, we did not see any elves. We did see birds. Our friends and fellow travelers, Jim and Ann, are birders; and Jim pointed out purple martins as they flew overhead. That was new on my lifetime list, which is always exciting to me. However, the birding prize of the trip was a unique guy called a Eurasian Hoopoe. I had never heard of these, so I was thrilled.

One morning while getting ready for the day in my typical spot in our bathroom, which was by an open window which allowed for better lighting and overlooked the hill town, I heard a funny sound – like “who, who, who.” From Jim’s description, I knew this had to be him – the hoopoe, not Jim. Although Jim has a pretty fun sense of humor, so I could not be sure. When I finally went outside, I was able to spot the hoopoe. To add to that, Debi had been chasing him around the property and she took this amazing video. Thanks, Debi, for letting me post it.

We ended the day by gathering in the living room for a few moments of thankfulness to God for our trip and for our friendships. The next morning (Friday), we would say a sad goodbye to this chapter. Of the places we visited, I think Tuscany was my favorite of this trip; perhaps largely due to the accommodations we booked there. The Elf Hut was the beautiful launching pad to this exquisite region.

Bob and I woke up nervous the next morning. We had to return our rental cars in Florence and our trip two days prior was kind of a nightmare. We thought Friday traffic might be worse. Thankfully, this was not the case. There was still the getting-there part, but it was uneventful other than trying to gas up the cars, which proved complicated. We could easily gas up one, which took diesel so technically we fueled the car, but the car which Bob drove could not be filled in the same station, and there was no attendant – something we were getting accustomed to. After a short trip down the road, we filled our tank. We turned in our cars (hooray!) and walked the short distance to the train station. It was time to add trains to the planes and automobiles transportation modes of our trip.

But first, we eat. Another great Italian meal to fuel us for our trip to Como via Milan.

They’ve got the meats!

Just another cork project

Inside the Florence train station. Note the artwork above. It shows the clothing and hair movement as a result of a train passing.

I love traveling by train, but getting on the train can be stressful. We were thankful that we had traveled light. Wheeling a carry-on suitcase with a backpack strapped to the top is the way to go. We all made it safely on our first train. Addio, Firenze!

Connecting in Milan was exciting (translate stressful). We watched the boards for which platform we would board our train. It told us the train was on time, but the particular platform remained a mystery until the very last minute. We had, of course, used the restrooms while waiting, but we hadn’t thought to make our way to the center of the large Milan train station to ease our boarding process. Thus, we were very far from our indicated platform when they finally told us the one to which we needed to proceed. Right away. It was time to board.

The Milan train station was huge.

Canine traveler all gussied up. She was trembling with excitement.

Keeping eight of us together is challenging in these circumstances. As usual, Bob was in the front of our pack of travelers. I was close behind and heard him inquire as to which cars we should board to use our purchased first-class tickets. These cars were marked with a prominent #1, she told him. The first car was already packed, she informed us. We should go several cars down and get on any with the #1 on it.

At this point it was every man for himself. Six of us climbed on board about four cars back, but where were Danny and Melodye? We settled into our nice leather seats and looked around. The doors were closing. We texted and discovered our friends were slowed by rushing travelers who almost knocked them to the ground. In the kerfuffle, they lost sight of us but saw the #1 on the first car and wedged themselves in just in time. Sadly, they could not pull a Red Sea maneuver and join us in comfort. They rode the entire leg of the trip standing up like cows in a cattle car. At least we knew we would end up in Como together. It was a very mooving experience for them.

Como was touted as a favorite by everyone we knew who had visited there. We were looking forward to a boat ride on the beautiful lake and possibly visiting the much-ballyhooed Bellagio, the lovely village on the other side of the lake from where we stayed that overlooks Lake Como and was the inspiration for the Bellagio Hotel in Vegas. The cold front that came through two days earlier had us rethink our plans.

We got off the train in Como to find it breezy and chilly. We knew we had an 11-minute walk ahead of us to our hotel, but the conversion of minutes from English to Italian must have not been counted correctly as it took us approximately forever to schlep our bags along the cobblestone streets, including down a long set of stairs, mostly going in the correct direction, and finally arriving at our hotel, the Barchetta Excelsior. It was time to check in, recover a little, and find food.

We ate at a close-by pizza place, right next to McDonalds. We enjoyed a slice, some wine, and finished with limoncello.

We also found room for gelato, which we ate in the shadow of the Como Cathedral, or as is more fun to say, the Como Duomo. Officially it is (in Italian) Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, or Duomo di Como).

Thus ended our Friday. What would Saturday bring?

Lava, Oh Boy! (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park)

When Bob and I set foot in Volcanoes National Park last October, it was as if we had never been there. Our prior visit was for our 25th anniversary, back in 2000. Kilauea had a devastating eruption in 2018, which changed the geography drastically. I did recognize a building that formerly was a gift shop and information area, but it is now deemed unsafe and is barricaded off to the public.

I’m no scientist, which I’m sure you have figured out by now, but I have learned a thing or maybe even two about volcanoes. First, they can hang around a long time without doing really much of anything except looking majestic and/or foreboding. Second, when they have a major eruption, everything changes.

Top row of pictures is before 2018 eruption; bottom row is after.

“In 2018, a new eruption of Kīlauea volcano changed the island of Hawai‘i forever. From May through August, large lava flows covered land southeast of the park destroying over 700 homes and devastating residential areas in the Puna District. At the same time, the summit area of the park was dramatically changed by tens of thousands of earthquakes, towering ash plumes, and a massive collapse of Kīlauea caldera.” – https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/2018-eruption.htm

“On May 3rd 2018, the first fissure of the eruption opened up in a residential subdivision, Leilani Estates. The following day, on May 4th, the island was struck by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake as magma continued its move to the Lower East Rift Zone. Over the next two months, lava covered 13.7 square miles of land, several dozens of feet deep in places. The flows in the Lower East Rift Zone destroyed 700 homes, displaced over 2,000 people, covered 30 miles of road, and added an astounding 875 acres of new land to the island.” – https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/2018-eruption.htm

I confess, I didn’t really think about the “You Are Here” sign until I looked back at the pictures. I was too busy taking in everything to realize the here where I was seemed very close to the slope to Kilauea’s caldera. Maybe this isn’t to scale. Either way, I made it out without falling, slipping, or sliding into anything. That kept in step with our goal of not injuring ourselves.

Since I have practically no sense of direction, I rely on signs like this to get me around. Bob loves maps and likes to impress people with his ability to say things like, “Go east at the crossroad.” That kind of talk just makes me angry. I only know where east is if it’s sunrise or sunset, like a normal person.

On the way to view the eruption viewing area, we passed several young trees which were making their way through the volcanic soil, lifting their arms to the sky. I’m not sure who put the rocks around them for protection, but this was a perfect example of new life being protected while it emerges after destruction and devastation.

And there it was. Eruption is not always like you see in the movies. Eruptions go on constantly through fissures in the mountain. When we arrived at this place, there was a large crowd gathered. I did my best to avoid them and grab a quiet volcano caldera moment. I used binoculars to see the lava flow, which was hard to spot and looked tiny from my vantage point.

Meanwhile, Bob was circulating among the crowd, none of whom had binoculars. He was sharing his and pointing out the lava flow. And, as it turned out, he was schmoozing with the Governor of Hawaii, David Ige, who also borrowed Bob’s binoculars as he surveyed the lava flow while touring the national park. (You would think that somebody would have remembered to bring binoculars!) Most of the crowd were not tourists but part of the entourage of the Governor.

In keeping with my love of signs, soon we were faced with the decision of heading to devastation or not. We did not, but I loved the fact that a sign would lead you to devastation. Maybe the National Park Department does have a sense of humor.

This is one of my favorite signs and I photographed it in honor of our friend, Cliff, who is anything but unstable. We have no need to beware of him.

This area reminded me of Yellowstone National Park with its steam vents, which Yellowstone calls fumaroles. Here they were just referred to as steam vents and they lined the hiking trail.

On our way back to our resort, we passed the most dangerous place of all, Mauna Loa, the macadamia nut factory, not the mountain. The sign said “free samples,” so we veered off the road to get a macadamia nut fix. We managed to buy what became an extra suitcase full of chocolate-covered macadamias, onion flavored macadamias, and Hawaiian sea salt macadamias, most of which we could have picked up at Costco. We went nuts and were totally unable to resist the lure of the macadamia. I’d say anyplace that is offering yummy chocolate covered macadamias and is technically on a volcano qualifies as dangerous.

Mauna Loa, the mountain/volcano which is part of Volcanoes National Park, not the candy factory, erupted in 1843. This is the earliest, well-documented eruption. It has erupted dozens of times since, sometimes with months or even decades between eruptions. We were in Hawaii in October. Just weeks later, Mauna Loa erupted again. Click here to see the grandeur and destructiveness of that eruption.

We were thankful to have gone to this unique national park on the beautiful island of Hawaii. Also, in our pursuit of checking off as many national parks as possible, this is a good one. It and Haleakala are the two farthest from our home in Florida and we feel privileged to have visited them twice.

2 Comments

by Bonnie Anderson on April 20, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in Costco, National Parks, Travel

Tagged 2018 Kilauea eruption, Costco, David Ige, Kilauea, Mauna Loa, Mauno Loa macadamia nuts, national parks in Hawaii, travel, Volcanoes National Park

Posted by Bonnie Anderson on April 20, 2023

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2023/04/20/lava-oh-boy-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park/

A Few More Things about Salzburg

My husband Bob was very disappointed that I neglected to share a few facts and pictures from our Salzburg trip, so this post is for Bob, but I hope you read it, too.

I’ll start with his favorite discovery. The church where the wedding from The Sound of Music was portrayed was Basilica St. Michael in the Mondsee Lake District. Only the inside of the church was used. I’ll give you three shots of the church altar area, each getting closer. Notice the area behind the candles. What do you see?

This is a little closer up. What do you see behind the candles?

If you said human skeletons, you’d be right. There are two on each side of the altar and they seem to be dressed for church. While getting the site ready for the foundation, four skeletons were uncovered. To my knowledge, nobody knows who these people were, but it was decided that they should be included inside of the church. They are preserved behind glass. We don’t know who came up with that plan, but it sure is different. We have seen thumbs of saints and heads of saints preserved and on display in duomos (cathedrals) in Italy, so this is not as strange as you might think. Oh, it’s strange, just not as much as you might think.

I also neglected to give you a shot of what the inside of our hotel looked like in Salzburg. This is very different from its American counterparts, but I like it. I like the idea of each of us having our own blanket as I am usually cold and Bob is always on the warm side. Actually, maybe that’s the problem – I need to be on the warm side.

And I forgot to show you the view as we traveled to our hotel. Our mouths were open in awe during our entire trip.

You really need to go to Mirabell Gardens if you’re in Salzburg. It’s breath-taking.

Bob in the gardens.

When we were at dinner with our new friend, my sister mentioned that she was coming down with a head cold. Robert said he had just the thing for that. He served up a round of schnapps for us, on the house. He said it would help clear her head. She downed it before he could warn her it was a little strong. This picture is our reaction to my sister who came out of her seat when the smack from the schnapps hit her. And, by the way, it did its job of clearing her head!

Hope you enjoyed a little more of Salzburg and hope even more you can visit there yourself sometime.

This is Post #12 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge to post each day in April.

13 Comments

by Bonnie Anderson on April 12, 2019 • Permalink

Posted in Europe, Travel

Tagged Basilica St. Michael, Mirabell Gardens, Salzburg, schnapps, skeletons in churches, travel

Posted by Bonnie Anderson on April 12, 2019

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2019/04/12/a-few-more-things-about-salzburg/

Oops (Zion National Park part 2)

So last night I published a post before I finished writing it. I thought I was saving and hit the wrong button. The worst part wasn’t that it wasn’t finished or that I hadn’t added pictures. It was that I didn’t put a period at the end of my sentence. Oh, the shame and humiliation! Please, don’t think poorly of me! I wanted to fix it but alas it was too late. Also, I had no strength after hiking about 14 miles in 2 days. So here are a few pics from Zion. Thanks for being an understanding group.

Bye for now.