A Chronology of Globetrotting

2020

12/2/2020

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New Orleans
CreekSide Travelers Women's Getaway

The women of CreekSide

Jackson Square on the only day that wasn't raining

Obligatory beignets at Cafe du Monde

Whitney Plantation

Cuba
Road Scholar

My trip to Cuba was cut short by the Coronavirus pandemic, but I had a great five days before we had to depart early.

The 13 of us (out of 24) who braved the trip. Also with us are our bus driver (back) and the dance teacher (in the center with the red top.

Matanzas

We were told these were the best Pina coladas in Cuba! They were very good.

Cienfuegos

A Cuban Bordega

Parque Jose Marti

Located in the historical center of Cienfuegos, declared by the UNESCO Cultural Patrimony of the Humanity in 2005, it is one of the greatest symbols of culture and identity of that province known as the Pearl of the South. It was proclaimed a National Monument on October 10, 1978.

Cuban students on an outing

Trinidad

Old cars are primarily for the tourists

Camaguey

Rancho Zaragozano

Havana

The view from my window in the Hotel Nacional. We will probably be some of the last Americans there for a long time. During the pandemic, Trump imposed a ban on staying at any government hotel in Cuba. All hotels are government owned.

One of the most iconic photos from Havana

Covid-19 Pandemic
Travel Restricted

Asheboro, N. Carolina

Zora and I escaped the pandemic for two days at Getaway, tiny cabins in the woods of Asheboro.

Zora looking outside form the bed.

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2019

12/1/2020

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Florida
Birthday Trip with Deb

Deb and I went to Key West to celebrate my birthday! Here were are at the furthest south roadway.

Me at the zero mile marker on Route 1.

Fort Myers Beach

We flew into Ft. Myers and took the boat to Kew West.

Key West

Sicily
Girls Trip through Sicily Activities

Our group from the left: Debi, Linda, me, Lisa, Liz (back), Claudia, and Nancy

Taormina

A view of Taormina from our hotel garden

Forza d'Agro

Steps leading up to la chiasa madre, location of Michael Corleone's wedding in The Godfather

Savoca

Bar Vitelli, Savoca: Location for Godfather

Mt. Etna

Lisa and Debi at the bottom of a very foggy and cold Mt. Etna

Siracusa

A view of the Ionian Sea

Avi Castello

We had a delightful lunch in this fishing village.

Noto

Strolling the streets of Noto

Hercules fountain in the center of Noto

Palermo

The Norman Palace

Alaska
Holland America Cruise
CreekSide Travelers

Our ship, the Noordam

leaving on a jet plane...from the left: Mark, Val, me, and Deb

Anchorage

Alice at a moose crossing

Denali

CreekSide Travelers on the train to Denali

Moose sighting from the bus

Hains

Glacier Bay

White Pass and Yukon Territory

Excursion on the White Pass train into Yukon Territory in Canada

Skagway

Juneau

Ketchikan

The small town of Ketchikan was my favorite port.

Vancouver, Canada

Totem poles at Brockton Point

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2018

11/30/2020

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Africa

Me on our safari at the Entabeni Game Reserve in South Africa

Rachel on our safari in the Entabeni Game Reserve

South Africa

Cape Town

Colorful homes of Cape Town

Jackass Penguins

Entebeni Game Reserve

Rachel taking photos of the monkeys from our porch

Pretoria

Statue of Nelson Mandela in Pretoria, one of South Africa's three capitals

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Botswana

We were welcomed to Botswana by these singers and dancers.

Chobe National Park, Botswana

Ankle Replacement and Heel Fusion

My surgery only slowed me down for awhile. Zora was great company.

Charleston
CreekSide Travelers

CreekSide Travelers in Charleston

One of the homes in White Point Gardens.

Bull Island

Alligator taking a nap in the sun

Tad give us a close-up view of one of the small creatures.

Magnolia Plantation

Andrea and Mark on the iconic bridge on Magnolia Plantation

Gullah Tour

Spoleto Festival

Our trip was scheduled around the Spoleto Festival. Our group went to three performances, including theater, music, and dance.

Eastover, North Carolina
Bus Breakdown on the Way Home

Smiles and hugs despite a bus breakdown

We made the best of the situation!

Ireland
CreekSide Travelers
Gate 1 Travel

CreekSide Travelers on our way to Ireland

Dublin

Dublin Castle

Lunch at Queen of Tarts

Wicklow

Powerscourt House and Gardens

Moss-covered statue on the gardens of Powerscourt

Kildare

Irish National Stud Farm and Garden

Waterford

Waterford is one of the oldest cities in Ireland, dating back to the Vikings. That's me as a Viking!

Waterford is probably best known for its iconic crystal.

Midleton
Jameson Distillery

Vintage Jameson truck

CreekSide Travelers enjoying their whiskey tasting

Cobh
Cobh Heritage Center: The Queenstown Story

The Cobh Heritage Center tells the story of Irish emigration.

Cashel
The Rock of Cashel

Set on a dramatic outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale, the Rock of Cashel, iconic in its historic significance, possesses the most impressive cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland. Among the monuments to be found there is a round tower, a high cross, a Romanesque chapel, a Gothic cathedral, an abbey, the Hall of the Vicars Choral and a fifteenth-century Tower House.

Celtic Cross at the Rock of Cashel

Adare

Adare is known for its thatched roofs.

The garden view of our hotel in Adare.

Bunratty

We went to Bunratty Castle for a medieval dinner and show. It's a tourist trap, but the food was good, the show was enjoyable, and we had a great deal of fun.

Laurie and Dave became the king and queen of the castle. They had the best time, but here we are enjoying our meal!

Dingle

I loved the seaside village of Dingle.

Foynes

We visited the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum. Home to the world's only full-size replica of a B314 flying boat, the Yankee Clipper. It also is where Irish coffee was created.

Roberta learns how to make Irish coffee. We all enjoyed our iconic drink.

Cliffs of Moher

Galway

Grange

Drumcliffe

The burial place of poet, W.B. Yeats, at Drumcliffe Cemetery

Our home-hosted poetry lunch right outside of Drumcliffe.

Carrick-on-Shannon

Our group took a wonderful cruise on the boat, Moon River, down the Shannon.

Locals fishing on the Shannon River

We enjoyed music and dancing on the cruise.

Christmas Markets on the Rhine
Grand Circle Travel M/S Melody
CreekSide Travelers

Our ship

M/S Melody dining staff

Only three CreekSide Travelers joined the Christmas cruise: Scarlett and Larry Wilson and me. I was the only Jewish passenger! This was the "Ugly Christmas Sweater" night.

Basel, Switzerland

We arrived early for an extra two days in Basel, giving us the opportunity to explore the city on the Rhine before boarding the ship.

Statue atop a fountain in Old Town Basel

Breisbach, Germany

Riquewihr, France

Riquewihr is a small town on the Rhine in the Alsace region of France.

Local store all decked out for Christmas

Kaysersberg, France

Entering Kaysersberg on one of the many small bridges.

A view of the town from a different bridge

Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg: the Christmas Capital

Strasbourg is known for its half-timbered buildings.

Baden-Baden, Germany

Mural of the legend of the spa. Baden-Baden is known as a spa town with its hot springs.

I enjoyed watching the children skate as much as the spas.

Romerberg, Germany

We had one of our home-hosted meals -- this one was for dessert -- in this suburb of Speyer

Ready for dessert in a private home

Heidelberg, Germany

Heidelberg Castle

Heidelberg University student prison, really a dorm for students who trespass, break curfew, or get drunk.

Mainz

St. Stephan: It was quite a rainy day, so I took a cab to the church to see the Chagall windows.

St. Stephen’s is the only German church for which the Jewish artist Marc Chagall (1887 - 1985) created windows.

Castles along the Rhine

We were the first ship to be able to cruise this part of the Rhine River since June. Low waters had forced passengers to disembark and pick up a ship further down the river. We might have had a lot of rain, but it allowed us to view all the castles between Mainz and Koblenz.

Ehrenfels Castle

Rheinstein Castle

Pfalz Castle

Stahleck Castle

Koblenz, Germany

Florinskirche, an evangelical church in Koblenz

One of several folk statues around the city

Cologne, Germany

Cologne Cathedral

Originally the fish market in Cologne

Nijmegen, Netherlands

Nijmegen’s strategic importance was recognized first by the Germans and then by the Americans and British. It was brought to worldwide public awareness by Cornelius Ryan’s "A Bridge Too Far," and the 1977 movie of the same name.

We had a lovely walk through the town.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Early morning arrival in Amsterdam on our last day of the cruise

Christmas Markets

We went to at least nine Christmas Markets. After a while, they all started to look the same, but it was fun.

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2017

11/29/2020

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Kissimmee, Florida

I moved out of my condominium in Alexandria in late January and my house would not be ready until March, so I spend three months on the road, a good amount of time in New York with my dad.

I stayed with my childhood friend, Carol, in her place in Solavita, the first 55+ community built by the same builders as mine.

The closest good restaurants, according to Carol and her husband, Larry, were in Disney Springs where we could also enjoy some music.

Charleston, South Carolina
Gate 1 Travel Tour Managers Training

It can be nerve-wracking to give a tour to tour directors, especially when one of them is your boss! That's Clara Jane giving the tour; our boss, Lynn DeRoas in the red sweater folding her hands; one of my ITMI teachers, Pamela Boudret to Clara's right, and my colleague, Kathryn at the far right of the photos.

The Powder Magazine is a gunpowder magazine and museum at 79 Cumberland Street in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Completed in 1713, it is the oldest surviving public building in the former Province of Carolina.

A captured a ghost on my camera in the Circular Church graveyard.

Raleigh, North Carolina
Tobacco Road Tours

Inside the Capitol building

Sir Walter Raleigh dressed for St. Patrick's Day

CreekSide residents listening to our guide in Mordecai Historic Park

Historical Cities of the South
Gate 1 Travel
Tour Manager

Guests on my tour enjoying the trolly around St. Augustine. If you read the book, Charlotte, the woman who took control of her group and was very fussy, can be seen in white top behind the lady with blue cap and sunglasses.

I had two employees from Gate 1 on my tour. That can add to the collywobbles.

Jacksonville, Florida

I welcomed my guests in Jacksonville, although our real destination was St. Augustine.

St. Augustine, Florida

Two of my guests with Alli, my alligator, which was won by a guest each day to help around and take a photo!

Jekyll Island, Georgia

The first long-distance phone call was made in Jekyll Island.

Alli checks out the Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Savannah, Georgia

My group on a trolley tour of Savannah

Beaufort, South Carolina

An historic home on our carriage tour of Beaufort

Charleston, South Carolina

Second of three visits to Charleston in 2017.

Alli rests in a tree near the waterfront

One of our Gate 1 employees shows off her acting and singing skills at the Gullah presentation at Boone Hall Plantation.

Historical Cities of the South:
Take Two with Gate 1 Travel
Tour Manager: Last Tour of My Career

I lead my last tour in May 2017, and I had already decided to retire due to my ankle. Knowing it was my last tour and having a wonderful group, I truly enjoyed the tour, although I didn't take a lot of pictures.

Some of the ladies in my last group with superstar driver, Terry. This was taken at the butterfly garden at Boone Hall in Mount Pleasant, right by Terry's home.

Jacksonville, Florida

The only thing of interest in Jacksonville was the senior prom at our hotel.

St. Augustine, Florida

Freshly made fruit ices -- delicious

Alli made it back to St. Augustine.

Savannah, Georgia

Our itinerary took us to Bonaventure Cemetery for the first time.
I had not been there since 2000 on my trip with Paul.

Little Gracie Watson at Bonaventure Cemetery. They had to install a fence around the gravesite because she had so many visitors.

The gravesite of Johnny Mercer

My guests are enjoying the local tour guide.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Lunch at the Jekyll Island Club. It's the first and only time we ate outside.

Beaufort, South Carolina

Our horse for our carriage ride

Charleston, South Carolina

St. Philip's Church and graveyard

Texas
International Association for Tour Directors and Guides
Talent and Tour Exchange

Part of the leadership team for the conference -- from the left, Rebecca Jaech; Von Harden, the man who started it all; and me

Dallas

A view of Dallas from the Hyatt Regency

University Park

Me at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum

Plano

One of my presentations

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2016

11/28/2020

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Ajijic, Mexico

I visited my friends, Suki O'Brien and Randy Warren, in Ajijic, Mexico. They were "trying out" the city, where they eventually moved.

I have known Randy since high school. We reconnected years ago, before Facebook, through classmates.com and met his lovely and fun wife, Suki.

We ate very well and very inexpensively in Ajijic. The enchiladas here were the best I have ever had.

One of the many murals in downtown Ajijic

Panama
Caravan Tours

Our Caravan group in Panama

Panama City

We started our tour with a day in Panama City and returned for a couple of days at the end of the trip.

The ruins of Panama Viejo (Old Panama), the city founded by the Spanish in 1519, as a gateway for gold from the Inca Empire

The old and the new

The world-renowned Museum of Biodiversity, designed by architect Frank Gehry

Some parts of Old Panama were beautifully restored.

Other parts not so much...

Kuma women at the market

Traditional dancing in Panama

Miraflores

The original locks at Miraflores

Colón: Gatun Locks

The new locks at Colon: Gatun Lock, which opened a few months after our visit

Local folk entertainment at lunch in Colon.

Gamboa

Boat ride in the Gamboa Rainforest Park

The monkeys, who were everywhere, jumped on to our boat.

Panama Canal

Chagres River
Embera Indian Village

The Embera are an indigenous tribe that still live very much as they did years ago.

A home in the village where they also sell crafts to tourists.

The Embera now bring in an income through tourism. In addition of a tour of their village, they put on a show with dance and music.

Another home

Playa Bonita

A day at the beach

Sunset at the resort

Florida
College trip with my niece and sister

Jacksonville
University of North Florida

We started our college tour for my niece at the University at North Florida.

Playing checkers in St. John's Center

Orlando
University of Central Florida

The University of Tampa, one of the nicest campuses that we toured. This was a former hotel, similar to Flagler in St. Augustine.

Downtown Tampa

Ft. Myers
Florida Gulf Coast University

Azul the Eagle, the school's mascot

The beach at Florida Coast University

Historical Cities of the South
Gate 1 Travel Tour Manager

My group on Red Nose Day

Sometimes I have fun as the tour manager

St. Augustine, Florida

This was the first time I was able to take the tour of Flagler University.

Magnificent stained glass windows in the dining hall of the former hotel

Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church, a historic church constructed in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1889 by American industrialist Henry Morrison Flagler.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

My group on the tram tour of Jekyll Island

Savannah, Georgia

Johnny Mercer in Ellis Square

There is always a wait at Vinnie Go-Go's but when you are solo, there is always room at the counter.

Beaufort, South Carolina

We were in Beaufort for the Gullah Festival. The food was fabulous

Not only did I get to try her food, but I talked her into coming on to the bus to tell us more about the Gullah culture.

Charleston, South Carolina

The oak-lined road leading into Boone Hall Plantation

I always order fried green tomatoes stuffed layered with tarragon crab salad and a creamy shellfish sauce at Fleet Landing Restaurant

Bull Island, South Carolina

A small group of us stayed an extra day for an excursion to Bull Island.

Note the crab earring

Road Trip to New England

Our trip culminated with a reunion of Susan's childhood friend, Deb, in Barnstable, MA.

Hartford, Connecticut

Mark Twain's house

Lego Twain and me

Cornwall, Connecticut

Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Norman Rockwell Museum

Red Lion Inn for lunch

Chesterwood, home of Daniel Chester French who designed the Lincoln Memorial

One of the many statues of Lincoln at Chesterwood

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Pittsfield is Susan's home town, and she insisted with go for the local hot dogs. They were good.

Baseball figures outside of Arrowhead, the home of Herman Melville

Hancock Shaker Village

Tanglewood, Massachusetts

The 4th of July concert at Tanglewood with James Taylor

Quechee Gorge, Vermont

The gorge is 165 feet deep and is the deepest gorge in Vermont.

Rockingham, Massachusetts

Vermont Country Store

Woodstock, Vermont

Manchester, New Hampshire

Currier Museum of Art

We had heard that we had to stop at the Goldenrod Diner in Manchester for the best fried clams. They were worth stopping.

We found the Manchester home of my grandmother (Nana Sophie) and grandfather (Poppy Morris).

Hyannis, Massachusetts

Susan said Alberto's was a must restaurant on our stop in Hyannis.

Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

Orlando
Student Youth Travel Association Convention

Me at the private party for SYTA at Epcot

Dessert while we watch the fireworks at Epcot during our private party.

Universal Studios closed for everyone except us.

Orlando Science Center

Orlando Museum of Art

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2015

11/27/2020

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Rhode Island
International Tour Management Institute Symposium

Tour Directors ready for the FAM tours

Newport

The Breakers, one of the Newport Mansions and site of our gala party

Polar Bear dip

It snowed so hard that it came into the hotel.

Providence

My boss, Mary Ellen, hugging Mr. Potato Head

The photos were taken at the Johnson and Wales Culinary Museum -- a not-to-miss hidden gem.

Rhode Island State Capitol

Mystic, Connecticut

Mystic Aquarium

A garbage sculpture made from trash taken out of the ocean

Made famous by the movie

Mystic Seaport

Washington, D.C.
Student Tours

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

A rainy day at Mount Vernon

The vice-president's office in the United States Capitol

Listening to a survivor at the Holocaust Museum

A bird's eye view of the Washington Monument

Dancing in front of the Washington Monument

Dalmation Coast
Small Boat Tour with Overseas Adventure Travel

My travel buddies Carolyn and Janet in Dubrovnik

Norika and Richard Vandenburg, former guests on one of my tours, joined us on the cruise.

The 50 passengers on the ship were divided into two groups for our excursions. We were Vasja's group.

Zagreb, Croatia

St. Stephen Church clock

The Museum of Broken Relationships

Zagreb market

A walk through old town

Plitvice Lakes

Plitviče Lakes National Park is a 295-sq.-km forest reserve in central Croatia. It's known for a chain of 16 terraced lakes, joined by waterfalls, that extend into a limestone canyon. Walkways and hiking trails wind around and across the water, and an electric boat links the 12 upper and 4 lower lakes.

M/S Athena

My travel buddies: Carolyn and Janet. Sadly, Carolyn passed away suddenly about a year later.

Split, Croatia

Palace of the Diocletian

Gregory of Nin, a bishop in the medieval Croatian capital of Nin, who became a national hero.

Hvar, Croatia

Hvar is a port and resort town on the Croatian island of Hvar.

St. Anthony in front of his namesake church

Korčula, Croatia

Korčula is a historic fortified town on the protected east coast of the island of Korčula.

Old Catholic Church

Entrance to the fortified city

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik is a city in southern Croatia fronting the Adriatic Sea. It's known for its distinctive Old Town, encircled with massive stone walls completed in the 16th century.

Our ship arrived in port at night, making for beautiful photos.

The streets of the city.

The opposite side of the city from our ship

Kotor, Montenegro

Montenegro is a Balkan country with rugged mountains, medieval villages and a narrow strip of beaches along its Adriatic coastline. The Bay of Kotor, resembling a fjord, is dotted with coastal churches and fortified towns such as Kotor and Herceg Novi.

St. Tryphon's Catholic Church

Old meets the new

Lady of the Rocks (actually the name of the church) is also one of the two islets off the coast of Perast in Bay of Kotor, Montenegro. It is an artificial island created by bulwark of rocks and by sinking old and seized ships loaded with rocks.

Vlora, Albania

Vasya and her Albanian friend, Fred.

Fred takes care of this memorial to the American troops who rescued occupied Albania.

Butrint was an ancient Greek and later Roman city and bishopric in Epirus.

Butrint National Park was very well secured.

Corfu, Greece

Our first of two ports in Greece: Corfu

I wish I had read the Durrells of Corfu series before I had visited.

Some of my favorite photos are of the local people.

Delphi, Greece

Treasury of the Athenians

I asked someone to take a photo of me in the theatre, but to be sure to get the theatre. I am there at the bottom,

Hadrian's Library

Church of Panagia Kapnikarea

Corinth

Sailing through the Corinth Canal

Tugboat on the Corinth Canal

Athens, Greece

The Byzantine church of Panagia Kapnikarea

The Sphinx of Naxos

Caryatids in the Acropolis Museum

The Historical South
FAM (Familiarization) Tour

I was scheduled to start tours of the "Historical South," but my tour operator didn't offer FAM tours for new tour assignments. I piggy-backed with my friend and colleague, Deby Dahlgren, to visit as many sites as we could that were on our itineraries.

Deby and me on Jekyll Island

Boone Hall Plantation

The main house, which is still owned by a family who, at times, live upstairs.

The slave quarters that house a museum following the history of slavery in the United States.

Beaufort, South Carolina

Tybee Island, Georgia

We went to Tybee Island for dinner. Deb's group had this restaurant on their itinerary, so we tried it out. I had my first low country boil at the Crab Shack.

Savannah, Georgia

Forsyth Fountain

All of my groups ate dinner at The Pirate House for delicious fried chicken and the history of pirates in Savannah.

People wait on long lines for a taste of Leopold's ice cream.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

The Rockefeller Cottage, also known as Indian Mound Cottage, is a house on Jekyll Island.

The chapel on Jekyll Island

Georgia Sea Turtle Center

St. Augustine, Florida

My tour would be going on to St. Augustine, Florida, and Deby's group would be going to Atlanta, so we divided up and I went south and Deby went west. It is much easier to take photos on a FAM tour than when you are working!

National monument, the Castillo de San Marcos, is the oldest masonry Fort in the United States and the only standing 17th century military construction.

Oldest store museum

The oldest house in St. Augustine

Chicago
FAM Tour and Student Tour

My student tour operator sent three course leaders, including me, for a three-day FAM tour of Chicago so that we could lead three student tours of the city immediately following.

Students at the "Bean"

Boys getting into the spirit at Navy Pier

Trying out the glass floor inside the Willis Building before the students arrive

There were a few things we did for ourselves before our tours, like eating at the Billy Goat Tavern made famous in the cheeseburger sketch on SNL.

The Museum of Science and Industry

Why a group would choose to go to Medieval Times in Chicago is beyond my comprehension

Millenium Park

New York City
Student Tour

Black and white cookie: when in New York, you have to eat New York foods

Closeup of the Statue of Liberty's toes in the Crown museum: most of my student tours don't go into the museum, so it was a treat for me.

Pacific Northwest
United States and Canada

Susan and me at the Empress for a traditional afternoon tea.

Vancouver, Canada

Dr. Sun Yet-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

Granville Island

Totem poles at Brockton Point

Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver. I still had a fear of heights, but I held and kept my eyes forward.

Victoria, Canada

Butchart Gardens

The carousel at Butchart Gardens

The woman in the mirror. These are two of my favorite photos.

Just couldn't resist

Seattle, Washington

A reflection of the Space Needle

Seattle Underground

Street Art

The Fremont Troll

Pike Place Fish Market

Portland, Oregon

Eastern United States and Canada
Gate 1 Tour Manager: Two Tours

My toes are ready for the tour of the Eastern United States and Canada

I had about 25 guests on my first two-week tour and only six on my second! above are four guests having dinner at Hershey Farms. To the right is my second group at Liberty Island in New York. With such a small group, I spend much of my free time visiting sites I had not yet seen.

New York, New York

Taken from atop One World Center

Boston, Massachusetts

Our local guide giving commentary at Paul Revere Mall

Franconia Notch, New Hampshire

One of the original Conestoga wagons at Franconia Notch State Park

Bath, New Hampshire

Wooden bridge in Bath, a kissing bridge

Quebec, Canada

Our local guide in the Old City

Île d’Orléans -- Jacques Cartier dubbed it the “Isle of Bacchus” when he landed here in 1535. The main building of Ile de Bacchus is a converted 18th century home with a fabulous wine cellar and bistro.

Montreal, Canada

After five years of doing this tour, I finally was able to visit the interior of Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal.

Ottawa, Canada

The Byward Market

Toronto, Canada

Installing the Toronto sign on Nathan Phillips Square, site of City Hall

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada

One of the prettiest towns in North America

Niagara Falls, Canada

After doing this tour for five years, I stopped going on the Maid of the Mist. However, this year, Hornblower Cruises brought new boats to the Canadian side and Maid of the Mist moved to New York. The Hornblower boat had more cover to get out of the mist.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Members of my group enjoying the rocking chairs outside of the village store

Corning, New York

Washington, D.C.

The view from my DC hotel window: this is the only photo I have from DC since it was my home town.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Eating a cheesesteak sandwich in Philadelphia

Historic Cities of the South
Gate 1 Travel Tour Manager

Some of my guests enjoying our welcome dinner in Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina

White Point Garden

Boone Hall Plantation, South Carolina

The butterfly garden at Boone Hall

Beaufort, South Carolina

Carriage tour of Beaufort

Savannah, Georgia

A "pirate" welcomes us to dinner at the Pirate House

One of my guests getting into the pirate spirit

Jekyll Island, Georgia

St. Augustine, Florida

Flagler College

India
Overseas Adventure Travel

Our group at the Taj Mahal. The woman in the sari to the left was our guide for out visit; Dil, our tour director, is to the far right.

New Delhi

The President's House

A ritual bath at a Sikh temple

Left: Guards at India Gate, a war memorial. Above: Graffiti on a New Delhi road with a great message.

Qutob Minar

Gandhi's gravesite

Rahjastan

Amazingly, me in a hot air ballon over Rahjastan

Amber Fort from the balloon

Store selling decorations for Dawali

Street vendor

Jaipur

Above: Amber Fort Right: A guard at the palace

Palace of the Winds -- The front is actually just a facade behind which the ladies of the palace could view the city without being seen.

Ranthambore

A Marwari horse, native to India

This gerry-rigged truck is called a jugad. It is made from different parts of other trucks, cars, and

Ranthambore National Park: After about 5 hours of safari, someone finally spotted a tiger. We all used to the scene and caught a very quick glimpse (right).

Sherpur Khilchipur
A day in the life of a small village

Pouring us masala tea

Students at the Bright Future English School

Women's cooperative

Abhaneri, Dausa City

After a night in an OAT camp, we played dress up and enjoy a leisurely morning in the camp.

Harshshat Mata Temple built in the 8th or 9th century

We visited a potter in the village.

This little girl was watching us through a hole in the wall. It's my favorite picture from the trip.

Agra

The Taj Mahal

Every tourist needs a picture of herself at the Taj Mahal.

Agra Fort, a palace for for generations of Mughal emperors

Inside Agra Fort

On the Road from Agra to Varanasi

We took the train from Agra to Jhansi

From Jhansi we boarded a bus. The ox cart wouldn't hold all of us!

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu temples and Jain temples in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh, India, about 100 miles southeast of Jhansi. They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.

Varanasi

Cremations in the Ganges River

Woman having her head shaved as part of the holy cleansing ritual

A holy man offering prayers at the Ganges River

We celebrated Dawali on our last night in India.

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2014

11/26/2020

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Nashville
60th Birthday Trip with My Children

The photo is out of focus, but it's the only picture of the five of us. Here we are touring the Grand Old Opry. From the left: Joshua, Kristin, me, Rachel, and Chuck.

A copy of the Parthenon in Centennial Park

Nashville's Broadway

Johnny Cash Museum

Holland in the Springtime
Grand Circle Travel Cruise

Playing tourist in Kinderdijk

Amsterdam

In front of the Rijksmuseum

Dam Square

M/S River Aria

Our ship docked next to another Grand Circle riverboat: when this happened, guests on one boat had to walk through the other.

Enkhuizen

We had our home-hosted meal in the outskirts of Enkhuizen.

Our group at our home-hosted dinner with a lovely empty-nest couple

How to eat herring: dip the herring in onions, hold it up, and put it down your mouth, taking a bite at a time!

Zuiderezemuseum: This museum, right on the port, consists of an outdoor re-creation of a Dutch village.

Hoorn

A reflection on the canal: this is my favorite photo from the trip.

Kinderdijk

Gouda

Great St. John's Church is the largest cross-shaped church in the Netherlands. It is famous for its stained glass windows.

De Twee Hoeven (Two Farms): Gouda Cheese

Keukenhof

Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the world's largest flower gardens, situated in the town of Lisse.

Canadian Rockies
Caravan Tours

Me in Glacier National Park in Banff

Calgary

Calgary Tower

"The Conversation" is artwork created by artist William Hodd (Bill) McElcheran

Banff

Waterton Lake: boundary between Alberta and Montana. This is the first international peace park.

Glacier State Park

We saw this bear safely from out motor coach.

Mt. Sulphur

Climbing to the summit of Mt. Sulphur in Banff National Park

Bow River

Raft ride down the Bow River in Alberta

Jasper

Moraine Lake

Lake Louise

Peyto Glacier: the glacier is gone, but a pool remains

Columbia Icefield

We took a ride up to the Athabasca Glacier where some people drank the melting ice (it was dirty!) and others partially undressed to play in the ice!

New York, New York

Although I travel to New York very frequently, this was a chance to tour the city, first with my niece and some of her friends, and then with my high school friend, Randy. The primary purpose was to take photos for a book I was writing about student tours: Transforming Student Travel: A Resource Guide for Educators.

Randy waiting for our lunch at Katz's Deli

Randy insisted this is the best restaurant in Chinatown

Lunch with Randy at Katz's Deli, made famous in "When Harry Met Sally"

A trip to the Bronx Zoo

"The Sphere" at Battery Park; it has since been moved to the 9/11 Memorial site.

Ellis Island

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My sister and I went to Philadelphia for a few days for sightseeing and for me to get more familiar with the city for my three Eastern US and Canada tours in the fall.

Renee and me trying out the historic carriage ride of the city

We did a taste test comparing Geno's and Pat's cheesesteak sandwich. You have to know how to order!

Geno's cheesesteak sandwich. we didn't like one better than the other.

Al Capone's cell in the Eastern State Penitentiary

Eastern United States and Canada
Globus Family of Brands
Three Tours as Tour Director

Ready for six weeks on the road

New York, New York

Sometimes leaving a tip pays off!

Boston, Massachusetts

Paul Revere Mall

Quebec, Canada

Notre Dame Basilica

Montreal, Canada

Fall is a beautiful time of the year in the North.

Ottawa, Canada

It's always nice when there is free time for a nightcap, and it was ladies' night!

Toronto, Canada

Taken from the top of the CN Tower

Niagara Falls, Canada

I got to take the helicopter ride over the falls -- twice!

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Miniature Horse Farm

Washington, D.C.

My guess enjoyed dinner at the Blackfinn Pub in Washington, D.C..

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lunch at Reading Market

Australia and New Zealand
Overseas Adventure Travel (30 Days)

Janet, me, and Rupert

Our group at Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park

Melbourne, Australia

Shrine of Remembrance

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Lara, Australia
You Yangs Regional Park and Serendip Sanctuary

First sighting of a koala bear in the wild

Tawny Mouth Frog

Adelaide, Australia
Cleland Wildlife Park (Crafers)

Joey	Rainbow Loriket

Hahndorf, Australia

The Barossa Valley is a renowned wine-producing region northeast of Adelaide, in South Australia.

A sign for the Old Hahndorf Village Market

Alice Springs, Australia

Telegraph Station, the original settlement of Alice Springs

Local school for indigenous children

Alice Springs mural

Since the Outback is so large and doctors so fall away, the Royal Flying Doctors visit patients throughout the area.

Uluru (Ayers Rock), Australia

Uluru at sunrise

Hiking around Uluru

Sunset at Uluru

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Through the beautiful water

I did a little scuba diving, just a little.

Cairns, Australia

Sea Temple Resort

Daintree Rainforest, Australia

The World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest is so beautiful that its ancient ferns, emerald green vines and lush canopy provided inspiration for the movie Avatar.

Tea on the Daintree Forest

Cruise on the Daintree River

Sydney, Australia

Sydney Opera House

The exterior of the Opera House is iconic, but the interior was a photographer's fantasy.

Indigenous people protest for more rights

Indigenous person with his didgeridoo

Taken from the top floor of the Sydney Shopping Centre

Auckland, New Zealand

Arriving in New Zealand and meeting our tour manager, Dianne

A leader in the Maori community teaches us about the indigenous people of Australia.

The port of Auckland

Hamilton, New Zealand

Hamilton Gardens

We had a home-hosted lunch on an organic farm with a tour.

Rotorua, New Zealand

Castle Rock in the Waimangu Volcanic Valley

Inferno Crater

Rotorua, New Zealand. traditional Maori war canoe named Te Arawa, with figurehead, built by Lyonel Grant in 1989.

We visited a local school with a majority Maori population. This is Bridget and me.

Queenstown, New Zealand

Looking out from the plane on the way from Rotorua to Queenstown

Arrowtown, New Zealand

Arrowtown is a historic gold mining town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand.

Local pharmacy

Milford Sound, New Zealand

We took a cruise through Milford Sound, although it was drizzling most of the day.

Milford Sound

Ship Creek, New Zealand

Walk around the kahikatea trees, indigenous to New Zealand

Ship Creek seemed as though was an alien land.

Whitebait is a local delicacy. They are eaten whole with the head, tail guts and the lot still intact – most often fried, the tiny, delicate nature of the fish make them a highly sought-after dish. Everyone in my group thought them disgusting.

Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

Reefton, New Zealand

The rich veins of gold found in a quartz reef near the town led to its name, originally spelled "Reef Town."

Punakaiki
Pancake Rocks

Blowholes form from a mixture of compressed water and air escaping through the caverns below and being forced upwards, creating a huge wall of spray.

A limestone landscape of pancake-shaped rock formations

Springfield, New Zealand
Flock Hill

Flock Hill Sheep Farm

The sheep were very soft.

Wellington, New Zealand

WETA Studios

Our group on our last day on tour at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

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2013

11/25/2020

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New York, New York
Student Tours

A view from the top of the Empire State Building

Behind the scenes tour of Yankee Stadium

The students had dinner at Ben's. They loved the matzo ball soup, but not so much the chopped liver.

Fish store in Chinatown

Asheville, North Carolina

Me in the Biltmore Gardens

My travel buddy, Janet, in the Biltmore Gardens. This was our first of many trips together.

The Biltmore

Comedy bus tour of the city

Butler's tour of the Biltmore

Chautauqua, New York

Our group at Chautauqua Institution, a community on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York state that comes alive each summer with a unique mix of fine and performing arts, lectures, interfaith worship and programs, and recreational activities.

Athenaeum Hotel

A garden walk among the Victorian homes

Eastern United States and Canada
Globus Family of Brands Tour Director

My guests having a good time at the maple pancake breakfast

Tree hugging in Quebec

New York, New York

Flight from DC to NY cancelled due to weather, but I finally made it to New York on Amtrak to pick up my guests on time.

Boston, Massachusetts

Two of my guests from England eating lobster for the first time

Bath, New Hampshire

The wooden bridge under renovation

Quebec, Canada

My favorite lunch in Old Quebec: French Onion Soup

Montreal, Canada

Chihuly exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Ottawa, Canada

Dunn's Smoked meat in Confederation Park

Colborne, Canada

The Big Apple is the best best to stop on the road to Toronto

Toronto, Canada

The view of the city from my hotel window

Niagara Falls, Canada

Ice martini at the 360 restaurant in the CN Tower: it's what I look forward to on each tour!

Washington, D.C.

The government was shut down and the monuments were closed, but we simply moved the barriers.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia at night

Sorrento, Italy

Susan and I explored Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast on our own. Here we are about to go into the Blue Grotto. We had to duck down so we wouldn't be decapitated.

Piazza Tasso

Each day we walked through the lemon grove in order to get to the city center.

Positano

We enjoyed exploring the small streets and alleys, with the exception of all the steps.

Amalfi

The main square, Piazza Duomo

Ravello

A view from the village

Pompei

A man frozen in time

One of the magnificent surviving murals

Capri

The view of the harbor from our guest house

The view of Capri from atop Mt. Solaro

The Blue Grotto

Naples

Naples Cathedral or The Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary, is a Roman Catholic cathedral, the main church of Naples.

Madiera Beach, Florida

Dad and me at the Dali Museum in Sarasota

My sister joined us for a few days. Eating dinner at Scully's The Hut

Interior of the Dali Museum

Renee took a fall on the beach

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2012

11/24/2020

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Sacramento, California
International Tour Management Institute Symposium

At the gala at the National Train Museum

Me and Mickey at the California Museum of History, Women, and the Arts

A view from my hotel window

Yosemite National Park in January

New York, New York
Student Tour

Our New York tour guide turned out to be a former camper at Capital Camps!

A walk on the High Line

Jim Caviezel, from "Person of Interest" filming an episode. The telephone booth is a prop.

Enjoying a "talk "back" with the cast of "Memphis" after the show

New England

Sailing on the Lazy Jack

Susan taking over the wheel

Salem, Massachusetts

Memorial to those who were killed during the Salem with trials.

Home of Nathaniel Hawthorne

Portland, Maine

The best lobster rolls

Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Boothbay Harbor Pier

Bar Harbor, Maine

Lazy man's lobster, lobster tails, lobster roll, and Asian lobster cakes

Rockland, Maine

Conte's 1894 Restaurant, a rundown shack with fabulous seafood

Kennebunkport, Maine

Rockport, Massachusetts

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Historic non-profit membership library, Seacoast history research center, exhibit gallery and community events in the heart of Market Square

Eastern United States and Canada
Globus Family of Brands Tour Director (Two Tours)

One of my two groups in 2012, a fun group: I would travel with two of them to Croatia!

New York, New York

My guests trying to snap a good photo of the "Freedom Tower" on 9/10/12, 11 years after the towers fell and two years before the completion of what would become One World Trade Center

Boston, Massachusetts

The tortoise and the hare in Copley Square

Bath, New Hampshire

Montreal, Canada

The city of Montreal from our hotel

Ottawa, Canada

Queen for a minute at the Museum of Civilization, now the Canadian Museum of History

Thousand Islands
Cruise of the St. Lawrence River on the border of the United States and Canada

Boldt Castle in New York

Toronto, Canada

Standing on the glass floor in the CN Tower

Niagara Falls, Canada

Fall foliage at the Whirlpool in Niagara Falls

Tioga, Pennsylvania

We stop at the visitor's center in Tioga for beautiful scenery, bathrooms, and photos.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Amish House and Farm

Washington, D.C.

A view of my condo (with the green roofs) from the Washington Masonic Temple in Alexandria, VA

Peru
Gate 1 Travel

The torito de Pucara in Ovala Jose Pardo, Miraflores

Lima

Our first night -- a cooking class at SkyKitchen making tamales

Our last night -- Loma soltada again

Pisco

Geoglyphs of the Nazca Lines from our small aircraft

The view from our hotel pool

Ballestas Islands

Starfish and mussels on a boat tour of the marine sanctuary

Look very carefully: birds create a sea of black on this island

The Ballastas Islands are best know for the Peruvian penguins: the booby.

Ollantaytamba

Ollantaytambo, called Ollanta by the locals, is an ancient Inca temple and fortress as well as a village in Peru

We did not climb the stairs.

There were always vendor waiting for us at the bus. Here, little Sally grabbed my finger and didn't want to leave go. I was in love, so, of course, I had to buy something.

Urubamba

A view from our hotel, a former monastery

Horseback ride up to the Moras Moray Salt Mines

Moras Moray salt mines

From the Ollanta Station to Machu Picchu by Vistadome Train

Ollanta Station

Entertainment in the Vistadome

The train follows the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Cuzco

We visited a local school, Virgen de Fatima, to bring supplies and make a donation. These children walk miles a day to and from school, often in homemade sandals.

The children dressed on their local costumes that indicate their ancestry.

Lake Titicaca

This is the boat that we took to get to one of them and-made grass islands. Most islands house 4 or 5 families.

The women are greeting our boat.

Carlos helps gather and break the reeds in a demonstration of how the islands are built and maintained.

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2011

11/23/2020

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Morocco
Friendly Planet

Our first night in Casablanca turned out to be New Year's Eve!

Our whole group: only 11 of us made it through the snowstorm in New York

Casablanca

The Hassan II Mosque is the largest functioning mosque in Africa and is the 7th largest in the world. Its minaret is the world's second tallest minaret at 210 metres.

A street scene

Fes

A view of Fes

Fes Medina

Dyeing leather in the Medina: the odor was unbearable

Marrakech

Jemaa el-Fnaa is a square and market place in Marrakesh's medina quarter.

Rachel and me sitting at the table in DAR ESSALAM, where Hitchcock's movie "The Man Who Knew Too Much " was filmed.

Meknes

Meknes is a city in northern Morocco. It’s known for its imperial past, with remnants including Bab Mansour, a huge gate with arches and mosaic tiling. The gate leads into the former imperial city.

Volubilis

Volubilis is a partly excavated Berber city in Morocco situated near the city of Meknes, and commonly considered as the ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauretania

The Main Street in Volubilis

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Botanic Gardens with friends Marie (left) and Cynthia (right)

Tucson, Arizona

Having lunch with my dad at the Desert Museum

Dad at Sabino Canyon

California

My trip to California was mostly about people: I had a home exchange in Guerneville on the Russian River where Susan joined me for a one week and my sister Jeanne for another. Susan and I also had a couple of days on a houseboat in Sausalito. We visited my good friends Randy and Suki for a wine tour of Sonoma.

Susan and me on a Segway tour of Healdsberg

Randy and Suki enjoying our wine tasting in Sonoma

Jeanne and me at the Barnett Winery

Guerneville

Me kayaking on the Russian River

We were in Guerneville during the Lazy Bear Weekend.

St. Helena

Backstage tour of the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone

Lunch at the Culinary Institute after the tour

Healdsburg

Healdsburg wine country

Susan and our tour guide on our Segway wine tour

San Francisco

Jeanne and me riding a pedicab through the city

Fisherman's Grotto brought back memories of our honeymoon

Sausalito

Susan and I spent a couple of days in a houseboat

Our houseboat

Bodega

Church used in Hitchcock's "The Birds"

A little lunch in Bodega

Eastern United States and Canada
Globus Family of Brands Tour Director (Two Tours)

One of my two group at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Boarding the coach

New York, New York

The National 9/11 Museum: a part of the plane

The National 9/11 Museum: clock stopped for all time

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Harbor Cruise

Quebec, Canada

Érablière le Chemin du Roy: a sugar shack breakfast and demonstration on making maple syrup

Enjoying the music at Cafe de Paris

Montreal, Canada

Ottawa, Canada

Our local guide in front of Parliament

The Canadian War Museum

Colborne, Canada

The Big Apple: you can climb the interior stairs for a view from the top.

Where in the world?

Toronto, Canada

City Hall

A view of the Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays, from the glass floor in the CN Tower

Niagara Falls, Canada

A view of the falls from a helicopter

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Tasting cup cheese at Plain and Fancy: Cup cheese is a Pennsylvania Dutch Cheese made by the Amish and Mennonites. A very soft, sour cheese, it has an odor stronger than a Limburger with a consistency resembling molasses.