Back to Tangier

Rock of Gibraltar

Since Li's visa did not include the UK, we figured a photo from a distance would have to suffice.

Crossing the Strait of Gibraltar

It is quite a scene to chug along with the European coast on your right and African on the left.

Port of Tangier

Port of Tangier, detail

Our place is up the hill near the Mohammad V Mosque. It is the thick tower just barely visible on the skyline in the center of the picture.

Madrid

Pigs Ear

The stop in Madrid was all too brief and the only thing to rival the Goya's was the pig's ear (no fur in sight): yum.

Barcelona

Columbus Monument, inside the top looking down

One of the first things we did was take a ride up inside the Columbus Monument for a look out over the city. Although it did not look especially tall, the view was great.

Sagrada Familia

The so-called "Gaudi Cathedral" is one of those few places that exceeds expectations. We spent a half day wandering around and taking it all in. Even after a hundred years of work much remains to be done and as you can see by the cranes and scaffolding, heavy-duty work is ongoing.

From a tower at Sagrada Familia

At the Picasso Museum

Another major stop is the Picasso Museum which especially chronicles his formative creative years. We found the medieval building that the museum is housed in to be equally interesting, but, watch your head: I guess people were pretty short then.

Subway Platform

Once I heard about somewhere, it escapes me where, that had done away with public trash cans because they were being used to hide bombs. This seems to be a much better alternative solution.

Naturist Beach

Since this is a family oriented blog we'll just show this picture. Plus, some of the sights actually caused some to gasp, "oh, my eyes, my eyes!"

Antwerp

City Center

This place really shows what can happen when you invest in maintenance and infrastructure. Everywhere you look it is clean, orderly, and civilized.

City Center

What could be better than rolling up here on your bike for an afternoon conversation with a coffee or beer?

City Center, detail

Central Station

This is a great example of successful renovation: the new high speed rail tracks and platforms are deep below and inside the hundred year old structure. It works and looks great.

Billboard Advertisement

Did you know Li likes scotch?

Amsterdam

The Main Drag, from the train station

It's fair to say that we really liked Amsterdam. After the long spread out spaces of Berlin it was great to be in a small compact place, plus we stayed right in the center in the thick of it all. And how could you not love a city where the trams, walkers, and bikers outnumber the cars?

Stairway to ... our room

The only real drawback was the climb up those stairs to our room: it really made you think before heading in or out. Come to think of it, the woozy mornings after those late nights might have even rivaled the dreaded stairs.

Street Scene, "coffee houses"

As most people know, Amsterdam is a model city when it comes to openness. And we found that it all works out just fine.

Street Scene, city center

Street Scene, "oldest profession" area

No, not religious leader.

Magic Mushroom Shop

The Van Gogh Museum was the overall highlight of Amsterdam. Since photography is not allowed inside, we don't have any pictures to show. Instead, we'll just ponder if Van Gogh had been taking some of the magic mushrooms...

Berlin

Berlin Museum

The highlight of the visit was probably the first morning when we visited this excellent museum. Having all the history and trials and tribulations of the city fresh in mind was an invaluable asset as we toured around the next few days.

Berlin Museum, book banning / burning

This was an excellent exhibit showing how the Nazi's used fear to get people to give up their rights in the name of security and nationalism. It's a powerful lesson best not forgotten.

Berlin Museum, bomb shelter

Amazingly, beneath the building that houses the museum is also a nuclear fallout shelter. Although this place could theoretically house and protect three thousand people for two weeks it sure looked like doomsday. And other such facilities were built for less that 5% of the total city population. Imagine the scramble to get in the door if something ever does happened. Clearly we need to develop and pursue alternative strategies.

Brandenburg Gate

The rebuilding of the city and the development of the wall areas is amazing and, of course, the Brandenburg Gate is the epicenter.

Poster for SiCKO

Paris

At the Lourve

Beyond food and lodging, the first order of the day was a trip to the Lourve. Since it was "free" Sunday, it was packed and we joined right in with the throngs.

Statuary at the Lourve

Although we dogged pursued the Mona Lisa, it's fair to say that our favorites were the ancient statuary.

Notre Dame Cathedral, detail.

As we traversed the island approaching to the Cathedral, we could hear singing blasting out of a PA system. On closer inspection we were surprised to find a huge outdoor mass being held for a huge group of Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts united together in voice and space. As always, close inspection reveals many interesting details like the oddly displayed head above.

Pilgrimage to Shakespeare and Company

Many associations here, of course, inlcuding Tina Packer's inspiration for her theatre company of the same name. I also met Patrick Mooney here upon my arrival in Paris in 1991; it was pleasant to see that it had not changed much - at all?

Homage to Truffaut

Since Li's a budding filmmaker, it was a wonderful surprise to happen upon Truffaut's grave in the cemetery on Montmartre. We noticed right away that what's "done" to mark a visit is to leave a Paris Metro ticket. We agree that Truffaut's films are among the finest ever made.

"Peace is a Fight"