Our adventure continued on from Thingvellir to a greenhouse farm specializing in tomatoes. Ingenious as the icelanders are, this family is using the geothermal forces to grow indoor tomatoes of the "European round" variety, the egg shaped Roma type, as well as the tasty "piccolo" cherry tomato. We toured the facilities before enjoying home made… Continue reading Greenhouses, Geyser and Gullfoss
Thingvelir – a tale of two plates (tectonic that is)
Our journey today took us out of Reykjavik and east toward the "golden circle". To be truthful it is neither a real circle (more like a bow) and it is an invented title to promote a day trip tour by Iceland tourism. Our first stop was Thingvellir whete the outdoor parliament used to take place… Continue reading Thingvelir – a tale of two plates (tectonic that is)
Iceland – here we come
Blue skies shone upon our arrival in Reykjavik as our last AAA Sojourns international tour gathered here. A first day visit to the blue lagoon for some, while others made their way here. Over the next 7 days, we will discover this magical place with our own eyes witnessing geological wonders and enjoying great Nordic… Continue reading Iceland – here we come
A dream trip is coming to an end
One last night in Dresden. We walked across the Elbe river to the finance ministry and sat on the steps, looking over the city by night. It was a mild late summer evening in great company. Then it was time for a last Oktober fest beer at the Augustiner Keller. At 430am the alarm rang… Continue reading A dream trip is coming to an end
Dresden the gem of the former east GermanyÂ
After a reinvigorating drive on the smooth and efficient German autobahn at some amazing speeds, we arrived in Dresden. We spent a relaxing night with a mini keg of smoked beer from Bamberg, complete with cold cuts and cheese. Thanks his morning, we gathered early for a discovery walk of the famous Semper Oper and… Continue reading Dresden the gem of the former east GermanyÂ
Model train day at Maerklin
After a great night with Evi und Michael with reinforcement from my cousin Markus and his partner Wolfgang, we went to the city of f Goeppingen where Maerklin has been making model trains for over 100 years. It so happened to be open door day where visitors can tour the factory. We saw them make… Continue reading Model train day at Maerklin
IAA – the best car show on the planet
With anticipation of a little Kidd, we woke up early on Thursday and made our way to the international automobile ausstellung in Frankfurt. This bi-annual trade show features massive exhibition halls filled with world & Europe premiers from every major manufacturer. Highlights this go-around were the new BMW M5, a trio of concepts (BMW Z4,… Continue reading IAA – the best car show on the planet
Germany for a week
After a few months of silence, the travel bug has returned. Greg and I just arrived at the Duessdorf airport. Originally we were slated to depart from San Francisco on Air Berlin on the 12th in the evening. Alas, their pilots walked out on a sick leave scheme and all their US flights were cancelled.… Continue reading Germany for a week
Our day with the jet set of the world – Monaco for a day
Lifelong dreams often can turn out disappointing when realized. That was definitely not the case for us yesterday in Monaco. A stunningly beautiful day awaited us in the principality as we arrived by train. By the way, it is the way to see the Côte d'Azur as the tracks go along the coast more closely… Continue reading Our day with the jet set of the world – Monaco for a day
The Grand Prix awaits
Today is our final day in the south of France and Greg and I are headed to Monaco for the Formula 1 race in the streets of the municipality. For those not into motor sports, I have been a fan of F1 since 1977 when Renault entered the series with their revolutionary (at the time)… Continue reading The Grand Prix awaits
Farewell to paradise
A bit earlier than the last few days, we got up to pack our stuff together to get ready for our drive to Eze and eventually Juan-Les-Pins. We bid farewell to our home La Moisonne and travelled on the A8 toward Monaco. We planned a. Is it to the hill town of Eze. What a… Continue reading Farewell to paradise
The hills above Nice
Another restful night over, we all agreed that the Rose the night before helped us get to rest, we made our way to some of the most lovely villages in France. First we stopped in a town call Gourdon, perched high in the pre-alps. A stunning vista over the region made us fall in love… Continue reading The hills above Nice
Paradise found…in the hills of Grasse
We were all a bit nervous as we made our way through the south toward our home for 3 nights. I had secured it online and then spent time by phone working with the owner, Lady Maggie Lockett whom owns the estate. Drive no up, we had some doubts about it all but once the… Continue reading Paradise found…in the hills of Grasse
Nimes and Aix-en-Provence
Another good night of rest and we were all ready to continue discovering the ancient city of Nimes which is flush with Roman artifacts, ruins and sights to behold. The city made its fortune in the textile trade. You are most likely wearing a piece of this famous garment today. "Denim" means really de Nimes… Continue reading Nimes and Aix-en-Provence
Avignon and beyond
After a restful night sleep in Avignon, we got our Renault Scenic loaded up to hit the countryside. First we made a detour down memory lane to Tarascon where Greg and I spent our first night back in 1998 with my mom Hanny. We drove along the town to revisit those moments. It was a… Continue reading Avignon and beyond
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