FUN-photos: Jubilant Japan in Bloom! “Cherry Fest”
April 26, 2018 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Jubilant Japan in Bloom! “Cherry Fest”
Cherry Blossoms are to Japan what Beer is to Germany…a reason to party! And “Cherry Fest” starts as soon as the first blossoms appear. They draw thousands of people who flock to parks, gardens, and riversides to eat, drink & be merry under the flowers.
Nice & sweet at just 14 days…we started & ended in Tokyo with visits to Yokahama, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, Osaka, Himeji, Kyoto, Nara, Uji & Hakone.
FUN-photos: Majestic Monarch Migration!
February 21, 2018 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Majestic Monarch Migration!
Every year thousands of these lovely creatures arrive in Pismo Beach from late October to February. Dense clusters fill the eucalyptus trees with each butterfly hanging with its wing down over the one below it to form a shingle effect. This provides shelter from the rain and warmth for the group. The weight of the cluster help keeps it from whipping in the wind and dislodging the butterflies. And from a distance they look like brown leaves. We got lucky as the weather was unseasonably warm which causes them to fly around! Pretty spectacular to say the least.
For my birthday getaway this year (after I got my fill of the butterflies) we spent a couple of days in quaint, laid back Avila Beach sprinkled with some central coast wine tasting!
FUN Bonus: Lunar Showstopper Sighting – The night before we left I awoke and caught a glimpse of the rare trifecta: a blue moon (2nd full moon in a calendar month), a super moon (full moon at its closest point to Earth) and a blood moon (a lunar eclipse)!
FUN-photos: Seabourn St. Lawrence Seaway Cruise – 10 days
October 14, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Seabourn St. Lawrence Seaway Cruise – 10 days
We boarded our ship in Boston for the 10 day cruise to the St. Lawrence Seaway just as the remnants of Hurricane Jose hit the east coast.
- 1st stop – Beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine & Commanding Cadillac Mountain in the Acadia National Park with its awesome views.
- 2nd stop – Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada & picturesque Peggy’s Cove with its brightly painted wooden buildings & famous red & white lighthouse.
- 3rd stop – Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island & the central coastal loop with its rolling farm fields, white sand beaches & grassy dunes on the north, & the south that leads to red clay cliffs.
- 4th stop – Baie-Comeau with its balmy 54 degrees & strong wind gusts made for a very short stroll.
- 5th stop – Saguenay Fjord ranked among the 16 must-see world attractions by National Geographic & stops at 2 of the “most beautiful villages” in Québec.
- 6th stop – Quaint Québec with its walled city & narrow cobblestone streets to magnificent Montmorency Falls with its cliff top footpath to the suspended bridge.
Last stop – Amazing Montréal where we spent 2 days exploring the Old City & enjoying the eye-popping art work that adorned the downtown.
FUN-photos: Niagara Falls & New England Fall Foliage – 10 days
October 13, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Niagara Falls & New England Fall Foliage – 10 days
1st stop Niagara Falls – making it official that we have now been to the top 3 water falls in the world Niagara, Iguazu & Victoria together. Then it was on to lovely Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada via the picturesque Niagara River Parkway where stately country homes & vineyards vie for your attention.
- Our 2nd stop was 3 delightful days with Don & Steve, cruise mates from our 2013 South America trip, in Boston & the Berkshires.
Then we headed north to Woodstock, Vermont & on to North Conway, New Hampshire, via the Kancamagus Highway in search of fall color & covered bridges.
- Our last stop was Rockport, MA before we returned to Boston for our cruise.
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FUN-video – The UK & Whisky Festival – Movie Trailer
June 19, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-video – The UK & Whisky Festival – Movie Trailer
At 16 days, this was the shortest international trip we have taken since Chris retired in 2009. And it was great to travel with only a carry on bag. Enjoy!