I last wrote from Bordeaux, France, from where I traveled by bus to Pamplona in the ancient Kingdom of Navarra on the edge of Basque Country. This is the famous setting for Hemmingway’s book “The Sun Also Rises.” He wrote most of the book at the Café (Casino) Iruna (Iruna is the Basque name for … Click to View Photos & Read More →
I last reported from Cordoba, from where I traveled north back through Madrid and on to Bilbao, capital of Basque Country. This is an autonomous community of the Basque people in northern Spain which extends into southern France. The region is mountainous with a high level of rainfall, and is spectacularly verdant and lush with … Click to View Photos & Read More →
Because my first 4 days in Salamanca were wet and cold, I extended the stay in my favorite town to enjoy the forecasted greatly improved weather – this had me moving to a new apartment down by the river. My last 3 days were sunny and warm, and permitted some good photo opportunities, as well … Click to View Photos & Read More →
Upon arrival in Madrid from Rome I spent the night, and then traveled by train to the ancient and conservative Catholic town of Avila in Castile y Leon. Avila started with Roman defenses, but now is famed for its 11th century medieval walls and towers which still completely encircle the Old City. Its 11th to … Click to View Photos & Read More →
I last reported on Florence, to which I will again return in this segment. From Florence I took, on April 9, the regional train to Lucca, an ancient walled Tuscany town west of Florence, and famous for its complete set of 16th Century walls built to defend against the threat from the Florence Kingdom which … Click to View Photos & Read More →
Italy, during two time periods lasting a couple of centuries each, originated much of what we consider Western Civilization; the first was the height of the Roman Empire (roughly 0 to 200 AD), borrowing heavily on the preceding Greek and Macedonian traditions, and the second was the emergence of the Italian Renaissance (roughly 1350 to … Click to View Photos & Read More →
Gastronomically, Italy compares well with other northern Mediterranean locales. Although I again am drinking mostly red wine – wonderful but not as cheap as in Spain – I have found the Italian Birra Moreti La Rossa on tap to be an extremely malty double bock German beer and quite excellent. Half the restaurants are pizzerias … Click to View Photos & Read More →
I traveled, again by private car and driver, from the Great Rift Valley lakes to the far West of Kenya, where the last remaining tropical forest remains – the Kakamega Forest is equatorial forest which extends from the West of Kenya through Uganda and into the Congos. Here can still be found equatorial bird and … Click to View Photos & Read More →
My driver picked me up from the Meridian Hotel in Nairobi on Nov. 21 and we drove the long 6 hours to the north of Mount Kenya to Samburu National Park. There I stayed at the Sopa Lodge, deep inside the wooded grasslands dotted with rocky hills. Just to the south side was the heavily … Click to View Photos & Read More →
We drove from Amboseli, on the northern flanks of Mt Kilimanjaro, south and east to Tsavo West National Park. There I stayed in the wonderful Serena Lodge inside the Park. My room, No. 14, was on the second floor directly overlooking two large water holes where I counted at least 10 different species of mammals … Click to View Photos & Read More →
After an uneventful flight back from Madagascar and 3 nights in Nairobi, I took a bush flight to the dirt airstrip in Amboseli National Park. The small single engine plane carried 8 passengers, and after taxiing to the runway at the Wilson Airport, we were told we had to exit the plane and walk back … Click to View Photos & Read More →
Hello all. My driver/guide Miary and I drove 2 very long days to return from Ifaty, north of Toleara on the southwest coast, to Antananarivo, the capital. We stopped for one night at the nice Zomatel Hotel in Fianarantsoa, and then I stayed 2 nights at the Petite Flower Guesthouse north of Tana. Last Monday … Click to View Photos & Read More →
One very full day was passed at the lovely bungalow in the Arboretum, outside Toleara, where an amateur Swiss botanist collected and planted almost 1,000 species of exotic plants from southwestern Madagascar. With dripping water faucets, and surrounded by native dry forest, the site is excellent for birding as well as night walks. At night … Click to View Photos & Read More →
After leaving Ankarafantsika and reconnecting for 3 days with the capital, Antananarivo, I met with my new driver, Miary, and headed south for the longest loop of my visit to Madagascar. I was somewhat incapacitated for a couple of days in Tana from a lower intestinal bug (probably virus), but recovered sufficiently to continue my … Click to View Photos & Read More →
My private car and driver picked me up Sept. 22 from my lodging at the Sakamanga in Tana at 7am for the 8 1/2 hour drive north to Ankarafantsika National Park, my first adventure in Madagascar. The park is large, consisting of dry thorn forest in gently rolling hills near the Northwest coast of the … Click to View Photos & Read More →