So I'm hoping this picture I took this morning makes up for it!
Don't forget to see more beautiful pictures from others at "Watery Wednesday"
October 26, 2010
Watery Wednesday - Sunrise in Tennessee
First let me apologize for not posting something for Watery Wednesday last week. We started our trip to Tennessee and having an Internet connection has had it's challenges!
So I'm hoping this picture I took this morning makes up for it!
I took this picture from the deck of the house where we are staying during our home exchange near Sevierville Tennessee.
Don't forget to see more beautiful pictures from others at "Watery Wednesday"
So I'm hoping this picture I took this morning makes up for it!
Don't forget to see more beautiful pictures from others at "Watery Wednesday"
October 23, 2010
Tennessee Bound!
I am so excited!!! We started our journey to Tennessee this past Wednesday, two days earlier then planned. I'm terrible that way, plan a day to leave and always bump it up a day or two.
We left Las Vegas and so far have driven through Utah, Colorado and Kansas. We are in Kansas City Missouri at this moment and getting ready for our drive to Nashville Tennessee today.
We will be doing two home exchanges in the Gatlinburg area over the next two weeks while we enjoy the fall colors and do some exploring.
So I hope you will enjoy the stories to come!
Well, I've got to get going!
We left Las Vegas and so far have driven through Utah, Colorado and Kansas. We are in Kansas City Missouri at this moment and getting ready for our drive to Nashville Tennessee today.
We will be doing two home exchanges in the Gatlinburg area over the next two weeks while we enjoy the fall colors and do some exploring.
So I hope you will enjoy the stories to come!
Well, I've got to get going!
October 13, 2010
Watery Wednesday - The Great Barrier Reef
In May 2009 I had the opportunity to go back to Australia on a second home exchange. This time I took the 7hour drive to the north to see the Great Barrier Reef.
Yes I did do some snorkling, even though the water was way too cold for my liking. But you can't go all the way to the Great Barrier Reef and not snorkle.....right?
You can read about my trip to Australia by clicking here.
Don't forget to click here for more Watery Wednesday photos!
October 5, 2010
Watery Wednesday - St Malo France
One of my favorite birthday presents from Stijn was a trip to the coast of France a couple of years ago. In St Malo we had an amazing view from our room over looking the coastline.
We saw many beautiful places but the most fascinating was St Malo, which has one of the best known tidal ranges in the world.
By the end of our day, the tide was out and if you wanted, you could walk for miles out on the beach!
You can read about our trip to the coast of France by clicking here.
Don't forget to check out "Watery Wednesday" for some more fantastic watery pictures from around the world!
The Bay of St Malo can pride itself to have one of the greatest Spring tides in Europe, thanks to its geographical position. Spring tides are especially strong tides (they do not have anything to do with the season Spring). When the Atlantic Ocean is caught in the bottleneck of the Channel, the sea waves rush through very quickly and at an extremely great force. The tidal range is the difference between high and low tide - on average it is more than 40 feet around St Malo.
So a walk to the Citadel was a fun challenge in the early morning!
Don't forget to check out "Watery Wednesday" for some more fantastic watery pictures from around the world!
October 3, 2010
From the Mountains to the Coast of the Algarve
There is still plenty to see here on the Algarve, and our days are numbered. So on Friday, February 19 we decided to drive to the East of Ferragudo to the mountain town of Loulé.
Loulé is an interesting town whose beginnings are uncertain, some historians putting it as far back as 400BC, but others say it's origins are Roman. There is a mix of modern and Moorish architecture that keeps the eye wandering and the camera clicking!
After we parked our car, we soon discovered that Loulé is a very easy town to explore by just walking around.
We were very excited when we came upon a market filled with fresh fish, vegetables and fruits.
One of the things I just love, and that you see all throughout the Algarve, are the beautiful filigree chimneys. I have been told by Alice that the chimney is a symbol of wealth here.
Well it's time to head off the mountain and spend some time on the coast. So we headed down to "Vilamoura", which is located virtually in the middle of the Algarve coast. Vilamoura's accessibility has helped it become one of Europe's largest beach resorts. Stijn had been here once before on a trip he had won to play poker at the "Vilamoura Casino". So he was anxious to show me around.
Despite the name translating to ‘Moorish Town’, in terms of history there is very little to see in Vilamoura, hardly surprising as it has only really existed for about 30 years. There were plenty of resorts and golf courses, so this place was a bit disappointing for me. But Stijn remembered a great little beach bar on Praia da Marina, Beach Bar Maresia.
He sure knows how to make my day!
If you would like to see more pictures of our day, click here "Where's Debbie" and then on the album "From the Mountains to the Coast"
Loulé is an interesting town whose beginnings are uncertain, some historians putting it as far back as 400BC, but others say it's origins are Roman. There is a mix of modern and Moorish architecture that keeps the eye wandering and the camera clicking!
After we parked our car, we soon discovered that Loulé is a very easy town to explore by just walking around.
We were very excited when we came upon a market filled with fresh fish, vegetables and fruits.
Well it's time to head off the mountain and spend some time on the coast. So we headed down to "Vilamoura", which is located virtually in the middle of the Algarve coast. Vilamoura's accessibility has helped it become one of Europe's largest beach resorts. Stijn had been here once before on a trip he had won to play poker at the "Vilamoura Casino". So he was anxious to show me around.
Despite the name translating to ‘Moorish Town’, in terms of history there is very little to see in Vilamoura, hardly surprising as it has only really existed for about 30 years. There were plenty of resorts and golf courses, so this place was a bit disappointing for me. But Stijn remembered a great little beach bar on Praia da Marina, Beach Bar Maresia.
September 29, 2010
Watery Wednesday - Kylemoore Abby Ireland
Kylemoore Abby in Ireland.....need I say more?
Tucked in the foothills out in the country, so serene and peaceful!
Click here "Watery Wednesday" to see some more fantastic watery pictures!
September 21, 2010
Watery Wednesday - Oregon Coast
There is nothing more beautiful then the Oregon Coast!
I took this picture while visiting the cave of "Sea Lion Caves", across the shorline to "Heceta Head Lighthouse".
September 14, 2010
Watery Wednesday - Vancouver, B.C.
One of the most unusual water features I've seen!
Please visit "Watery Wednesday" to see more fantastic photo's of water!
September 12, 2010
Walking in the Rain in Sagres
It's February 18th and the rain is coming down on the "Algarve", again. But it didn't stop our plans to visit "Sagres", the most southerly community in Portugal and the most south-westerly in continental Europe.
Now we picked Sagres today because I read that there is a lighthouse there, and I must have a picture to add to my collection! There is some great history there too. "Henry the Navigator" built a fortress on the windswept cliffs and, according to tradition, a school of navigation and shipyard.
Little remains of Prince Henry's original fortress: the walls that can be seen are part of the 17th century fort.
Once inside these ancient walls, we were able to walk around and do some exploring. Still visible is the giant pebble wind compass, the "Rosa dos Vento" 141 feet in diameter, said to have been used by Henry.
The only building still surviving and thought to have been around in more or less its present form in Henry's day, is the starkly simple little church within the fortress, "Nossa Senhora da Graça".
I actually loved how they have not tried to restore the canon's that are placed strategically around the parameters of the fortress to fight off intruders back in the 1700's.
But with all this history, the thing that amazed me the most were the fishermen who come here to try and get their catch for the day. They actually pay the fee to enter and then pick their spot on the cliffs. Now maybe this would be okay on a nice calm sunny day. But today the rain is pouring down and the wind is howling, and these guys are standing on the edge of the cliffs to catch a fish! You gotta want it bad!
We fought the rain as we walked out to the point where I could see a little lighthouse. Not very impressive, but a lighthouse none the same.
But this is the lighthouse I wanted to get a closer look at.....Cabo de São Vicente!
This lighthouse has provided the guiding beam that safely directs the hundreds of ships that pass the Cape every year from the inevitable destruction that would otherwise occur.
Bummer that it was raining so hard and we were already soaking wet, because I would have loved to have taken a walk around this beauty!
Well it's time to head back to Ferragudo and get dried out for tomorrows adventure!
If you would like to see more pictures of our day, click here, "Where's Debbie" and then on the album "Sagres"
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| Cabo de São Vicente, photo courtesy of Sagres.net |
Now we picked Sagres today because I read that there is a lighthouse there, and I must have a picture to add to my collection! There is some great history there too. "Henry the Navigator" built a fortress on the windswept cliffs and, according to tradition, a school of navigation and shipyard.
Little remains of Prince Henry's original fortress: the walls that can be seen are part of the 17th century fort.
Once inside these ancient walls, we were able to walk around and do some exploring. Still visible is the giant pebble wind compass, the "Rosa dos Vento" 141 feet in diameter, said to have been used by Henry.
The only building still surviving and thought to have been around in more or less its present form in Henry's day, is the starkly simple little church within the fortress, "Nossa Senhora da Graça".
I actually loved how they have not tried to restore the canon's that are placed strategically around the parameters of the fortress to fight off intruders back in the 1700's.
But with all this history, the thing that amazed me the most were the fishermen who come here to try and get their catch for the day. They actually pay the fee to enter and then pick their spot on the cliffs. Now maybe this would be okay on a nice calm sunny day. But today the rain is pouring down and the wind is howling, and these guys are standing on the edge of the cliffs to catch a fish! You gotta want it bad!
We fought the rain as we walked out to the point where I could see a little lighthouse. Not very impressive, but a lighthouse none the same.
But this is the lighthouse I wanted to get a closer look at.....Cabo de São Vicente!
This lighthouse has provided the guiding beam that safely directs the hundreds of ships that pass the Cape every year from the inevitable destruction that would otherwise occur.
Bummer that it was raining so hard and we were already soaking wet, because I would have loved to have taken a walk around this beauty!
Well it's time to head back to Ferragudo and get dried out for tomorrows adventure!
If you would like to see more pictures of our day, click here, "Where's Debbie" and then on the album "Sagres"
September 7, 2010
Watery Wednesday - Heron in Washington
One of my favorite wildlife pictures.
This was taken while I was cycling along the Olympic Peninsula near Port Townsend Washington.
Please check out Watery Wednesday for some more fantastic "Watery" photographs!
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