Arles is an ancient city located on the Rhône River in Provence that dates back to the 6th century BC, and was once the capital of ancient Rome. Wandering through this town with its quintessential provencal blue shutters, rough ragged, sunbaked buildings, Roman ruins scattered about, and bright blue skies is enchantingly inviting. Some may... Continue Reading →
On the Road Again – From Carcassonne to Arles
As I mentioned in previous posts, theTravelsketcher and I are on a long road trip through the south of France. We left Normandie on September 12, and drove to Montmorillion in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region where we visited with friends and fellow expats from Seattle. Montmorillon is a beautiful town and I never get tired... Continue Reading →
More Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, and One That Should Be
In 1982 an association called Les Plus Beaux Villages de France was formed to increase tourism in small villages in France. Villages with less than 2,000 residents and with historical elements are eligible to apply for the distinction. There are currently 174 such villages around France. We have visited quite a few in our travels... Continue Reading →
August Travels
Our August travels included time in Honfleur and Paris. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in each location, and getting away from our home in the country to enjoy some time in the city. Here are the highlights. We went to Honfleur as a birthday get away for theTravelsketcher. Honfleur, is a lovely town located at... Continue Reading →
At Home in Normandie
This is one of those posts that has been in my drafts folder for months, and now is the time to share it. For those of you who regularly follow my blog, it probably seems like theTravelsketcher and I are always traveling, however, we do spend quite a lot of time at our home in... Continue Reading →
Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland and the northernmost capital in the world, is a lively, vibrant, friendly city that has a small town feel. It became a UNESCO City of Literature in 2011, and is one of only 42 cities in the world with this distinction. There are many bookstores in the city and we... Continue Reading →
Highlights of Tromsø Norway, Where the Gulls Never Sleep
We visited this lively, northern city a few weeks ago, and given its far northern location means this time of year, the sun never sets; sounds like a soap opera title. 😉 This continuous daylight seemed to excite the gulls, and they were loud and talkative all day and night. I would wake up in... Continue Reading →
La Rochelle, France
Last week I wrote about our trip to the beautiful village of Montmorillon to visit friends from Seattle; you can read that post here. From there we headed to La Rochelle, a harbor town on the Bay of Biscay which was established in the 10th century and is known for its impressive medieval towers that... Continue Reading →
Rodin Museum, Paris
We enjoyed a visit to the Rodin Museum and gardens on our trip to Paris last month. We have visited this beautiful museum multiple times before but never tire of seeing the works of France’s most famous sculptor. Housed in a stunning manor house built in 1732, it was called Hôtel Biron when Rodin rented... Continue Reading →