Pisa, Italy – 2016 – iPhone
It’s always fun to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa! I tried to go up it once, but as you can see there aren’t many railings around the outside edge and when you are on the side that tips down it is a very strange feeling! I tried, failed, but tried! My stomach got the best of me!
Zagreb, Croatia – 2016 – iPhone
We were disappointed because the street we needed to go down from St. Mark’s Square, was having some work done on it, so we had to find another way. We started looking and found it, happily, it gave us this beautiful view of Zagreb’s Cathedral. It is a beautiful building that was originally completed in 1217.
Predjama, Slovenia – 2016 – iPhone
What an amazing castle that we were able to visit! Inside you can go into the cave, which is impressive and the views are awesome! This castle was built in about the 13th century into a large cave, it has been added to over the years. In the 16th century, it was obtained by the Knights of Adelsberg and has remained pretty much unchanged since then. The only access to it was by those within putting a ladder out a window and down it’s face, allowing their guests to climb in. It was a very safe place from enemies and invaders!
Bagni di Lucca, Italy
We went to the city that Paola is from, Bagni di Lucca, a very quaint, pretty village nestled in the mountains. I walked across the Bridge of Chains (Ponte Delle Catene) and there was a chair waiting there for me to RELAX on. I sat down and waited, soon enough a bike came along, there is nothing like a bike, a bridge and relaxing all together!
April 2016
Taken with an iPhone 5s
Craig’s cousin, Francesco, took us to see his wife, Paola’s, home town. On the way we passed this bridge (Ponte Della Maddalena or Ponte Del Diavolo – “Bridge of Mary Magdalena” or “Devil’s Bridge”), which was on my list to take photos of, so it was perfect! And, the weather and lighting were so good, giving a perfect reflection in the Serchio River! This bridge was built between 1046-1111 AD.
Borgo a Mozzano, Italy
We had a beautiful drive from Zabreb, Croatia to Lucca, Italy. The snow eased up as we got closer to Italy. We didn’t have time to stop and take all the photos I wanted (it would have taken hours) so I did what I could and snapped photos from the car! Slovenia’s countryside is beautiful!
Vipava, Slovenia – 2016 – iPhone
Prague, Czech Republic
2016 – iPhone
We went on a walking tour of Prague, so by the time we arrived at our cruise I was ready to put my feet up and RELAX, as we went along the Vltava River! In the distance you can see Charles Bridge, named for King Charles IV who started it’s construction in 1357, it was completed in the 15th Century.
Prague, Czech Republic – 2016 – 50D
We went on a great walking tour around Prague. Our Guide Jan, (Honza is what his family calls him), said he would take us to the Metro at the end of our tour. So, when it was over, while we waited for him to help the other people on our tour get to where they needed to go, we stood by this clock. When Jan returned I asked him if it was worth it to wait and watch the clock go off (it does every hour on the hour). His response was, “Let’s wait!” So, we did, we visited for the next 15 minutes and then we saw it go! The two little doors opened and the 12 Apostles appeared two by two. The skeleton, on the right, pulled the chain and the bell tolled. It only last a matter of seconds, but it was worth the wait!
This is an amazing clock! It tells the equator, time, zodiac, 24 hour clock, ancient Czech time, moon revolutions, star time, sunrise and sunset, year & month, to name a few things! It is the oldest running astronomical clock in the world.
Dresden, Germany, (CHURCH OF OUR LADY) – 2016 – iPhone
On April 3, 2016, in General Conference, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf talked about this church which was originally built in the 1700’s. During World War II it was reduced to a pile of rubble and it remained that way from 1945 until the 1990’s when reconstruction began and then it was completed in 2005. President Uchtdorf said; “Stones from the destroyed church had been stored and cataloged and, when possible, were used in the reconstruction. Today you can see these fire-blackened stones pockmarking the outer walls. These “scars” are not only a reminder of the war history of this building but also a monument to hope—a magnificent symbol of man’s ability to create new life from ashes.”
Frederiksholms Kanal, Copenhagen, Denmark – 2016 – Canon 50D
We had a wonderful tour on the canals. There are a lot of bridges that we went under, but this one stood out because it is so ornate and beautiful. It was designed by the 18th Century architect Nicolai Eigtved and was built at the same time as the first palace. What a great way to see Copenhagen!
Rome, Italy
When we arrived in Rome I soon found out that there are a lot of churches there. My attitude at first was that all churches are the same, so I would walk past them. After about a year of living in Rome, one day I didn’t walk past a particular church, but rather, I walked inside and I was amazed at the beauty I saw. I soon found that every church is different inside and from then on I always went inside a church to enjoy the wonder and beauty of it! This church I visited many times over the years and I took this photo of a column and the ceiling in 2005. Santa Maria sopra Minerva was built on top of the foundations of a temple dedicated to the Greco-Roman goddess Minerva, thus sopra Minerva (above Minerva). I still remember the first time I walked inside this church, I was in awe at the beauty of the ceiling!
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New York City, New York
Rome, Italy