Tag Archives: old stuff
So I Broke Down and Tried Botox (please don’t judge me!)
I’m a squinter. Always have been. My Grandma used to caution me, “Quit doing that – your face will freeze that way!” In my twenties, David would affectionately tease me about my “worry line.” He would always know when something was amiss, all he had to do was look between my eyes.Fast forward thirty (or so) years and, still, I squint on. The squinting’s worst when I’m writing – I don’t even realized I’m doing it.
And Grandma was right, my face… CONTINUE READING >>
Jousting with Middle Age
What is middle aged? I suppose we are implying the middle of our lifespan. So let’s say eighty years. That makes forty, give or take a few years, middle aged.
Ninety is certainly a possibility, so, forty-five. Some of us might even live to be 100, so I can even go as high as fifty.
After that it gets a little curious. Fifty-five? Well, people have lived to 110, so let’s call the late fifties the absolute top side of middle age.
If someone sixty-plus is going around claiming to be middle aged, basically they are declaring… CONTINUE READING >>
The Long and the Shorts of It All
When women get to be “of a certain age” questions of appropriateness inevitably rear their ugly heads. I think I have squarely hit that certain age. With a vengeance.My questions of appropriateness have actually turned into a LIST of questions of appropriateness:
Should I stop wearing shorts?
What about sleeveless blouses?
Is my hair too long?
When should I stop dying it?
Should I do something about my wrinkles? The shorts quandary is a tough one for me. It’s on the top… CONTINUE READING >>
A Quick Trip to (and Overeating in) Colonia, Uruguay
Like most travelers, we enjoy putting another notch on our suitcase handle by adding to our list of visited countries.We found this remarkably easy to do while in Buenos Aires, just hop on a ferry across the river to Uruguay. The delightful town of Colonia del Sacramento lies on the other side of the Río de la Plata, so after a forty-five minute ride on the Buquebus, we were adding a stamp to our… CONTINUE READING >>
Navel Gazing in Cusco, Peru
Dubbed the Navel of the World, Cusco is an amazing blend of the very-old and the not-as-old.Join your GypsyNesters as we see the sights (and sights) – see ancient ruins, a street festival with an ornery llama, crossing guards that threaten you with whips and the weirdest rendition of The Last Supper you’ll ever experience.
At over 11,000 feet above sea level, flying in takes steely reserve and handling the altitude takes native remedies… CONTINUE READING >>
Discovering The Lost City of The Inca, Machu Picchu
When we stepped off The Expedition Train at Aguas Calientes we wasted no time, proceeding directly to the busses for the ride up to Machu Picchu.We did not stop to eat, did not check into our hotel, did not pass go, and did not collect two hundred dollars. We just climbed aboard our carriage for the harrowing trip up the side of a crazy-sheer… CONTINUE READING >>
Secrets of the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Anyone making their way to Machu Picchu must first traverse The Sacred Valley of the Incas (Valle Sagrado de los Incas), and we were no exception. But this was no tedious trek, it was a fascinating adventure in its own right.Join us as we visit the people, the food, the culture and the spectacular natural and ancient beauty of… CONTINUE READING >>
A Visit to a Weaving Cooperative in Peru
In the small town of Chincheros, Peru we got a first hand look at every step in the weaving process of the people of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.Join us as we learn about what goes into the dyes that create the brilliant colors (absolutely amazing and a wee bit off-putting!), the ingenious way the yarn is spun, and how the… CONTINUE READING >>
Giant Tortoise Breeding Center of the Galápagos
In this strange land of strange animals, none is more iconic than the Galápagos Giant Tortoise.Growing to over six feet long and eight hundred pounds, these are the biggest tortoises on the planet and one of the largest reptiles.
No Galápagos visit would be complete without seeing some of these mammoth reptiles. We weren’t willing… CONTINUE READING >>
The Key to Quito, Ecuador
What we THOUGHT was going to be a simple stopover on our way to The Galapagos Islands, turned out to be a gem of Colonial American history.Quito’s Colonial Center is perhaps the largest and best preserved historic center in the Americas, and was the first New World city to be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO… CONTINUE READING >>
Quito, Ecuador in a Day!
Enter a church completely coated in gold, see the changing of the guard at the Presidential Palace, explore Quito’s unique food and take in a giant winged Virgin… CONTINUE READING >>
Getting Centered at the Equator in Ecuador (or Our Journey to the Center of the Earth)
Just outside of Quito, Ecuador lies the exact midway point between the North and South poles, being of reasonably sound minds we had to see it.Humans figured out around 500 BC that the Earth was a sphere and therefore must have a … CONTINUE READING >>
Dispatch 3, Machu Picchu & Peru, South America Live-Blog
Our live-blog continues through Peru with Machu Picchu, The Sacred Valley, the Ollantaytambo and Sacsayhuaman Ruins, Cusco, Aguas Calientes, Guayaquil and Lima.Stunning mountain-hugging train rides, a visit to a weaving cooperative, and the mysteries of the Incas… CONTINUE READING >>
Dispatch 1, South America Live-Blog
Join us in Ecuador! Follow us as we visit Le Panecillo, where the Incas worshiped the sun, with amazing views of the city of Quito from 9,843 feet.Take a trip to the Equator (we’re feeling very centered), visit a church coated in gold, explore marketplaces.
And, of course, we’ll delve into the food and culture of Ecuador – GypsyNester style – on our way to The Galápagos… CONTINUE READING >>
The Ancient Mayan Ruins at Tulum, Mexico
Tulum is not the kind of place that even the most wandering GypsyNesting-type will stumble upon by accident. It’s not on the way to anywhere. But since we found ourselves on the Caribbean coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, what’s known as the Riviera Maya, we hopped on a bus to the ancient Mayan site.Our itinerary was set up to capture both… CONTINUE READING >>
Going Goth in Barcelona
Join your GypsyNesters as we explore the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona!From the Human Statues of La Rambla to the deep dark interior of the Quarter to the sea, we find everything the Barri Gòtic has to offer. Music, ruins, street performers and protesters…this place has it all! CONTINUE READING >>
Exploring the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona
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Take a little walk through the beautiful Barri Gòtic! The music, art, architecture, romance and… CONTINUE READING >>
What Happened to the Evening News?
I know, I know, I risk sounding like a get-off-my-lawn old guy, but seriously, the network news just ain’t what it used to be. In fact, a good bit of it isn’t even what I would call news.I’m not talking about the feel good human interest pieces, those have always been a part of journalism, but when did viral videos become news? It seems that anytime I have a chance to tune into the news, I get treated to the latest YouTube sensation. Since when did cute cats, talking babies and folks getting hit in the nuts become fare that rivals the important events of the day?
Add that to the… CONTINUE READING >>
Barcelona’s Breathtaking (and Seuss-like) Basilica
Barcelona has many treasures, but one stood out to us above all the others, literally and figuratively, Sagrada Família.
The massive church is without a doubt the pinnacle of architect and designer Antoni Gaudí’s incredible career. And we do mean pinnacle. Huge spires rise into the sky over fifty stories high – and it’s not even finished yet… CONTINUE READING >>
The Quirky Cathedral San Lorenzo
We have an affinity for quirky architecture. The Cathedral San Lorenzo is as quirky as it gets.The facade, with the black and white layered stripes of marble and slate is typical of Genoa (or Genova to the Italians), was finished in 1312.
AND a bomb is housed… CONTINUE READING >>
Italy’s Largest Little-Known City
When we hear the name Genoa it harkens thoughts of dry salami. That’s soooo not what this city is all about.Our latest Italian adventure would open our eyes to an often overlooked region of Il Bel Paese (The Beautiful Country) — the Italian Riviera along the Ligurian Sea… CONTINUE READING >>
Rockin’ Out in Castelletto d’Orba, Italy
We’re pretty sure that rock & roll concerts on the steps of a cathedral housing the relics of a martyred saint is a uniquely Italian experience. With the exception of a few old ladies exiting Mass, and us, everyone seemed to think it was… CONTINUE READING >>Festival Day in Small Town Italy!
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We came to Castelletto d’Orba for Rassegna Dei Vini e Dei Sapori Dell’Alto Monferrato, which is the “Review of wines and… CONTINUE READING >>
Genoa’s Ancient City in Pictures
It’s a beautiful thing to be entranced. When I was a child I would watch my father, an award-winning photographer, practically leave the planet when he found a subject that captured his interest. It wasn’t until I found myself wandering alone within the ancient walls of the old city in Genoa, Italy did I fully understand.It was as if… CONTINUE READING >>
A Boat Ride in Monaco
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Riding through Port Hercule in Monaco, the richest country in the world! Check out the megayachts! Just below the casino … CONTINUE READING >>
Monaco Pit Stop
Monaco. The richest country in the world – and the second smallest. Home of the Grand Prix and megayachts. So what could we possibly afford to do there?
Well, first off, we drove the route… CONTINUE READING >>
