Museo de Prado – Madrid

May 3, 2018

Let me begin by saying this museum is fabulous but they don’t allow photos inside so I took copious notes (& a few Pics) and then downloaded the pictures shown from the internet. Francisco Goya stands in front of the main entrance. And this detail is simple gross But this street performer cracked me up. […]

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Parque del Buen Retiro & Naval Museos

May 2, 2018

I decided to visit the Parque del Buen Retiro a large green space in the heart of Madrid. But of course along the way there were random points of interest to see. Like arches, intricate tops of buildings and fountains. Even storefronts caught the eye. These doll-like figures, all painted differently but from the same […]

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7 mile walk around Madrid

May 1, 2018

Madrid is a walkable city with something new in every direction.  When planning a visit to a city  or anywhere for that matter, I do a search to see what the top attractions are. For example in London I recently realized that of the top 20 things to see I’ve done 19.  Inside Westminster is […]

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Madrid arrival

April 30, 2018

A bus to Logan Airport from Hartford, a flight to London Gatwick, a flight to Madrid.  First thing I realized when I collected my kit was some baggage handler decided that my trekking pole was something he apparently needed more than I did because after over 12 flights with the pole stopped to my backpack, […]

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Tartan Day Parade NYC

April 8, 2018

My friend Mike Garrity called to see if I wanted to visit NYC for the 20th Tartan Day Parade, a celebration of all things Scottish (although without any Belhaven available even with them being a sponsor or any haggis) centered around April 6, the day that commemorates the 1320 signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, […]

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Bantem Lake, Litchfield CT

March 19, 2018

One doesn’t have to wander too far afield to find something interesting, get a little exercise and enjoy a friends company.  Mike Garrity took us an a wee road trip from New Milford, CT to the White Memorial Conservation area. Bantem Lake is the largest natural body of water in CT.  Candlestick Lake, whilst much […]

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Wandering Barcelona

January 10, 2018

Basilica-Església de la Mare de Deu de la Mercè i Sant Miquel Arcàngel or “Our Lady of Mercy.   From 1086 to 1131 Ramon Berenguer III was the “Great Baron” leader of Barcelona. Gotta make a living.  Tourists loved to both have their photo taken and give this woman a hard time. I didn’t spend enough […]

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Museu Marítim

January 9, 2018

The Maritime Museum is located in the building of Drassanes Reials de Barcelona , the royal arsenal of Barcelona, dedicated to shipbuilding between the thirteenth century and eighteenth century. The first mention of these arsenals date from 1243 in a document indicating the boundaries of the city of Barcelona where it mentions it shipyards and […]

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Rambling La Rambla

January 9, 2018

La Rambla, with it’s wide central area, stretches from the harbor from to the Parc de la Ciutadella and is one of the main places in the city to see and be seen. On the waterfront end of La Rambla, just across the roundabout from the Columbus Monument is the Catalonian Army HQ.  Oddly they […]

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Christopher Columbus

January 8, 2018

Let me clear up a few things about the 7.2m/24′ tall statue sitting atop the 40m/131′ column making up the Columbus Monument at Barcelona harbor on the end of La Ramblas.  Columbus was born in Genoa so all the theories that he was a Catalan are wrong.  He did however recuperate  here after he completed […]

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