OURAY, Colorado

Hi everyone,

We headed from Pagosa Springs, Colorado to Ouray!  You can decide how to pronounce it :) 

I prefer ooo-ray.....

Check out the website if you want to learn more about this super mountain town...considered to be the Switzerland of America....the altitude of the highest peaks in Ouray are just below the highest peaks in the Alps..................and stunning.....................

http://www.ouraycolorado.com

We stayed at the Twin Peaks Lodge and Hot Springs....very pretty place!  
This is the view we saw when we opened our room door....

Enjoy our view as we drove to Ouray!

Hugs and love,

Ellie and Gary

  

Check back tomorrow!  For more about Ouray and the area!  You will not be disappointed!

For Day 3!

 

PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLORADO

Hello Everyone,

It is great to be on the road again--glad you're joining us!

For this trip we'll spend most of our time in the southwest quadrant of Colorado.  Colorado actually has 5 seasons:  Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Aspen Viewing.  Aspen trees can be found throughout the state.  Viewing of these beautiful golden trees starts at the beginning of September and usually goes through the first week in October.  The phases on the map below vary depending on the year (weather dependent).  Thousands and thousands and thousands of people take to the roads and drive all over the state in search of the "most" trees and the "most beautiful" trees with the "most" spectacular backdrops.  This year we decided that we'd wait to "view" until toward the end of the Aspen Season and head south to the San Juan Mountain area.  

Here is a video of a few "quaking" aspens:

If you want to learn a little bit more about aspen trees check out this link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/beauty/aspen/grow.shtml

On our first day we headed to Pagosa Springs.  If you want to know a bit more visit this great page:  http://visitpagosasprings.com

Here is an excerpt from the webpage above:  

Located within the San Juan National Forest amid the majestic San Juan Mountains, Pagosa Springs offers visitors a rich geological and cultural history to explore. Known for its world-famous hot springs, "Pagosah" is the Southwestern Ute word for "healing waters". The soaring cliffs, ragged peaks, magical alpine pools, undisturbed wilderness, cascading rivers, and soothing hot springs reveal a dramatic geological history that invites voyagers, young and old, to venture into the backcountry.

 

A few photos from Gary:

 

 

 

Here are a few from me (I played with filters):

We ended the day at the Wolf Brewery in Pagosa Springs!  Watched the Chiefs and the Steelers!

Day 2 photos will be posted tomorrow!  Gorgeous photos [we got snow and sneet (snow + sleet)] and a few short videos coming your way from Ouray!  More tomorrow!

Love and hugs to all,

Ellie and Gary

 

 

 

Hello!  

​A new adventure begins!  All blogs below this blog are from our time in Barcelona and in the National Parks!  Everything from now on is from Alaska and Beyond!

Feel free to look at the prior blogs and pics!

With love and hugs,

Ellie and Gary

 

Check out BLOG 2--ALASKA:  WHERE ARE WE GOING? next.

**Want more information on Alaska:  https://www.travelalaska.com or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska

 

 

Hi Everyone,

We had an unbelievable adventure this summer.  We left June 22nd for Alaska and returned July 20th!  We took a cruise, land tour, and then stayed in Ketchikan with friends for just under 2 weeks.  We traveled with family--Gary's sister, LuAnn and her husband Rich--the greatest travel companions you could ever ask for! 

Our land and sea tour map.  From Denali we went up to Fairbanks (not shown on the map).

See the map of the North America below.  You can see how big Alaska is in comparison to the rest of the United States.  One of the ongoing themes throughout our trip was:  "Texans think their state is big!  Alaska is big!"

THE LAST FRONTIER*

"Some people say there are no more frontiers to explore without leaving the planet.  But they're forgetting Alaska." *

"Alaska--the Great Land, the Last Frontier--more than 580,000 square miles (1.5 million sq. km) that taunted early explorers and still challenges modern-day researchers.  America's 49th state is so broad, so unpeopled, and so roadies that small airplanes are more common than cabs in other states.  The are more private pilots than truck drivers and cabbies combined.  Men outnumber women (although women have coined the phrase--"The odds are good but the goods are odd").  The population numbers just over 700,000 almost half of whom live in one city, Anchorage.  Nearly the entire state is raw, wondrous wilderness." *

"Alaska has lush rain-drenched forests and fragile windswept tundras.  There are lofty mountains, still-active volcanoes, and spectacular glaciers, as well as 3 million lakes and endless swamps.  No one person has ever seen it all, and no one person ever will." *

We've traveled to many, many places around the world and no place in our travels has ever captured our wild and adventurous spirits and love of the nature as much as Alaska.  

So glad you've stopped by!  

"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit."  --Edward Abbey
 

Check out BLOG 3--ALASKA:  VANCOUVER AND SETTING SAIL!

Love,

Ellie and Gary

*Excerpts above from:  Insight Guides Alaska, Discover Channel book.

Want more information on Alaska:  https://www.travelalaska.com or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska

Hi Everyone,

 

On day 1, we left the house at 3:30 am (so early!!!) to go to Denver International Airport (DIA) and had a smooth flight to Seattle.  We were able to check out the scenery from the plane including the cloud inversion.  

We saw Mount St. Helens.  This volcano is located in the Cascade Range and is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire that includes over 160 active volcanoes.  This volcano is well known for its ash explosion and pyroclastic flows.  

"Mount St. Helens is most notorious for its catastrophic eruption on May 18, 1980, at 8:32 a.m. PDT, the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States. Fifty-seven people were killed; 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles (24 km) of railways, and 185 miles (298 km) of highway were destroyed. A massive debris avalanche triggered by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale caused an eruption that reduced the elevation of the mountain's summit from 9,677 ft (2,950 m) to 8,363 ft (2,549 m), replacing it with a 1 mile (1.6 km) wide horseshoe-shaped crater.  The debris avalanche was up to 0.7 cubic miles (2.9 km³) in volume. The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was created to preserve the volcano and allow for its aftermath to be scientifically studied." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_St._Helens

And Mount Rainer which is 14,411 feet high and is considered to be one the most dangerous volcanoes in the world  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rainier).

From Seattle we took a bus (7 hours) to Vancouver.  Yes, it was a ride of endurance!

What a beautiful city!  

"Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada.  The 2011 census recorded 603,502 people in the city, making it the eighth largest Canadian municipality. The Greater Vancouver area of around 2.4 million inhabitants is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country and the most populous in Western Canada. Vancouver is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada; 52% of its residents have a first language other than English. Vancouver is classed as a Beta Global City.  The City of Vancouver encompasses a land area of about 114 square kilometres, giving it a population density of about 5,249 people per square kilometre (13,590 per square mile). Vancouver is the most densely populated Canadian municipality, and the fourth most densely populated city over 250,000 residents in North America, behind New York City, San Francisco and Mexico City."   Check out more about Vancouver at:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver.     

Enjoy the photos!

The city has high rises...

Our hotel, The Sylvia, was just off the beach and we walked while the sun set as we enjoyed the sights, sounds, and colors.  

Interesting way to create seating wouldn't you say?

No city is complete without a busker!  This woman was a crowd pleaser (and crazy)!  She had the three enlisted gentlemen do some of the most insane things!  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_performance)

FIRE is always a crowd favorite!!!

Our hotel, Sylvia, funky and just right...

The hotel lobby...

And the last two pics of the night, from Gary...

The next day we were rested and ready to go.  Here's a bit of street art...

We spent the second day exploring the beach, boardwalk area, Stanley Park, and the harbor while we waited for Rich and LuAnn to arrive from Connecticut.

This is an Inukshuk, a manmade stone landmark.  Possibly used as a reference point or a marker for travelers.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuksuk

We have no clue what this is...

We spent time in Stanley Park where we enjoyed the lagoon and other beautiful scenery.  

"Designated a national historic site of Canada, Stanley Park is a magnificent green oasis in the midst of the heavy built urban landscape of Vancouver.  Explore the 400-hectare natural West Coast rainforest and enjoy scenic views of water, mountains, sky, and majestic trees along Stanley Park's famous seawall.  Discover kilometers of trails, beautiful beaches, local wildlife, great eats, natural, cultural and historical landmarks, along with many other adventures.  The park offers a wide range of unforgettable experiences for all ages and interests, including Canada's largest aquarium."  Excepted from:  http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/stanley-park.aspx)

This is a huge swimming pool on the shore of Stanley Park.

The lagoon...

The harbor was absolutely beautiful!

Gary busy taking photos...

​High rise reflections...

Planes lined up in the harbor for takeoff...

Houseboat anyone?

Art in Vancouver--These are the "A-maze-ing Laughter" bronze statutes (14 in total), created in 2009 by Yue Minjun.  These were just outside of our hotel close to the beach and had us roaring.  They were created in the artist's own image.  If you'd like to learn more and maybe have a laugh--check out:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-maze-ing_Laughter

The inscription on the nearby cement seating reads:  

"May this sculpture inspire laughter playfulness and joy in all who experience it."

The 2010 Olympic Torch...

After two days in Vancouver it was time to get on board!

We were all new to cruising and it was so easy to find the ship, The Coral Princess, and go through processing.  Everyone along the way was helpful and courteous and cheerful!  Once we walked through these doors we were on the vessel!

View from our cabin as we left Vancouver...

And we leave you with the photo below of Vancouver--Gary style!

 

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Check out BLOG 4--ALASKA:  CRUISE LIFE next!

Love,

Gary and Ellie

 

Want more information on Alaska:  https://www.travelalaska.com or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska

 

Hello,

Cruise life was easy and predictable.  

There was always something to do.  We did yoga, zumba, went to the movie theatre (ate popcorn) and saw "shows."  Food was abundant as we could always go to the buffet (where we did find healthy food) and evening dining was simply divine!  

We had a very attentive steward named Jonipher!  He always seed to know what we needed...

Felix, our Maitre'd

​Enjoy the photos of life on the Coral Princess!

We had to report to our muster stations within the first hour of boarding the ship.  This is where we learned to put on our life jackets and where to hustle to should there be an emergency resulting in the need to abandon ship.

We had mail slots outside our cabin doors and got mail every evening telling us where we were heading next.  Throughout the day we also got updates and invitations to events.

We enjoyed The Officer's Daily Log.  Each day another cruise member was featured.

And here is our handy dandy map of the ship.  We were on the 8th level.

We always knew our daily itinerary and what type of entertainment was being featured.

There was a camera on the front of the ship that was connected to the TV in our cabins so we could always see where we were going.  In this photo of the TV you can see we are approaching a glacier and there are ice flows in the water.

We fell in love with our balconies instantly!  

The views were great as were the beverages!

And there was bottomless popcorn on the top deck!

Meet Mark, the Naturalist.  He was an interesting, eccentric, and entertaining fellow.  He would give talks from the Universal Theatre or would comment from the front of the ship.  His commentary could be heard on Deck 7--the Promenade and from the top levels.  

This was so convenient when we were in such places as Glacier Bay and College Fjords.  This is a photo of him giving a talk on whales in the Universal Theatre.

It was my birthday at the end of June and wishes and fun were placed on our cabin door by the crew!

Birthday cake and dinner fun!

And yes...this is gluten and dairy free!  

Took a while to convince me.  

One convinced--I loved it!

I was able to enjoy the "Sanctuary"--aka Spa.  The best part of the spa was that you could still see the magnificent views while getting a pedicure!

This is Gary on our balcony "living the dream" as he watches the breathtaking wilderness go by!

He is never without his camera...

This is a National Park Service boat with rangers on board.  They boarded the ship when we were in Glacier Bay to be available for questions during our spectacular cruise in the bay.

The rangers heading back to the Glacier Bay Headquarters.

Our life craft.

One of the musical shows.

The Lounge.

The Promenade Deck--Gigantic port holes and overhead heaters!

 

Check out BLOG 5--ALASKA:  KETCHIKAN--LAND OF TOTEM POLES AND FRIENDS next!

Love,

Gary and Ellie

Want more information on Alaska:  https://www.travelalaska.com or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska

Greetings,

Our first port was Ketchikan.  We arrived at 6:00 am and we toured the town on foot then later met our friend LeeAnn.  It was a great day!

Ketchikan is busy with cruise ship dockings.  The locals avoid downtown Ketchikan during "cruise ship" season which runs from May to October.  

Excerpt from link below:  "Ketchikan, Alaska, is truly the beginning of the last frontier. Set at the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s famed Inside Passage—a network of waterways that snake through some of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful wilderness in the world—Ketchikan is best known for three things: feisty salmon, idyllic scenery, and an incredibly rich Alaska Native culture.

Due to our thriving, century-old commercial fishery, Ketchikan is known as “The Salmon Capital of the World.” We are proud of our fishing culture and passionate about providing opportunities for visitors to catch and/or otherwise enjoy the best seafood on the planet.

Ketchikan is a photographer’s dream: point your camera in most any direction and you’ll capture an image suitable for framing. Misty Fjords National Monument, with achingly blue lakes, and snowcapped mountaintops often shrouded in an ethereal mist, is the most beautiful jewel in our crown. We are also located in the midst of the Tongass National Forest, a 17M-acre rainforest full of lush cedar, Sitka spruce, waterfalls, and wildlife.

For local Native Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian artists, the Tongass Rainforest provides red cedar logs for totem poles and the cedar bark and spruce roots used in traditional basket weaving. The Native arts are thriving here in Ketchikan and there are several museum collections and totem parks that showcase both ancient and more contemporary works. The arts in Ketchikan are not limited to Native arts, however; an astonishing number of residents participate in the Ketchikan’s art scene, which encompasses the full spectrum of visual and performing arts."

To learn more about Ketchikan go to:  http://www.visit-ketchikan.com

Enjoy the photo tour of our first port stop!

This is Creek Street...

The old section of Ketchikan which was home to many brothels...

And now has shops and historical tours...

  

The harbor...

Street scenes...

You will see signs like this throughout the city.  Alaska is the number one state in the USA for seismic activity.  It is where the second largest earthquake in the world took place.  

Therefore, it is at great risk for tsunamis.

In 2014 the Alaskan Earthquake Information Center detected 40,646 earthquakes.  In 2013 there were 28,000 earthquakes detected.  

Want to read more?  Go to:  http://seismic.alaska.gov

or

To learn more about the 1964 earthquake, 9.3 magnitude--megathrust, lasting 4 minutes, go to:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_Alaska_earthquake

Tsunami photos from 1964 can be viewed here:  https://www.google.com/search?q=1964+earthquake+tsunami&biw=1257&bih=538&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoA2oVChMIwufBjIvexwIVC0iSCh0Ezw95

A bar in Ketchikan...

See the tunnel below?  

This is the only tunnel in the world that can be driven over, around and through...

LeeAnn was able to take some time off work and took us on a mini-tour that included viewing eagles, picking salmon berries along the side of the road, and gazing at enormous king salmon in a stream...

They ranged in size from about 30" to 36"...

We loved the T-Shirt shops and found these funny shirts.  Hope you do too...

We did walk along a salmon spawning stream and met this gentleman who was running a private salmon hatchery...

We went to the Totem Heritage Center...

   

 

 

 

Let me introduce you to "The Duke."

A handy dandy accessory to keep bits and pieces warm during the cold Alaskan winters.  

Starting at just $24.95.

And finally, two photos from Gary...

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Check out BLOG 6--ALASKA: JUNEAU next!

Love,

Gary and Ellie

Want more information on Alaska:  https://www.travelalaska.com or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the Juneau photo blog--#6!

Our first stop here was at the Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure.  We were all told that this excursion was a must see while in Alaska.  It was simply gorgeous--and in the middle of a rain forest!

To learn more go to:  http://www.glaciergardens.com

The above link will take you on a wonderful journey that chronicles the purchase of the land and development of the gardens. Take a few minutes--you'll only be in awe of the founding family.

When you walk in to the green house you see these stunning hanging plants, floral arrangements, and upside down umbrellas that grab your attention--I had to find my favorite one!  The Monet...

Then we hopped into a golf cart and drove along a large trail that had ponds and gorgeous "flower towers."  The trail ended at the top of the mountain.

Here is an excerpt from the website http://www.glaciergardens.com regarding the "flower towers."

"During the land rehabilitation process, Mr. Bowhay was developing the lower landscaped gardens using a large piece of rented equipment to arrange the masses of soil, roots, plants, trees, and rocks dragged down the mountain from the 1984 landslide.  It was in the last few hours of equipment rental that the brand new excavator became damaged while Steve was negotiating a large boulder into place.  This boulder is now known as “Steve’s Rock” and is the centerpiece of one of the many waterfalls flowing through Glacier Gardens.  Full of frustration about the large repair bill he was sure to see, he used the equipment arm to pick up a large tree by the root ball. He swung the excavator arm and slammed the inverted tree into the ground trunk first.  The tree did not splinter and break, but instead stuck into the soft mud upside-down.

Steve’s temper subsided as he sat in the machine and watched as the roots hung from the root-ball like the vines on a petunia basket. It only took moments before Steve had a vision of how to recycle the trees cleared from the development of the property: the design is called the the Upside-Down “Flower Tower.” Each “Flower Tower” is made by inverting a spruce or hemlock tree with the root ball pointing towards the sky.  The tree is placed trunk first into the ground and buried 5-7 ft. Fish netting is placed inside the top of the root ball to collect soils, and mosses are laid down over the netting to provide nutrients and water base. Each year, Mr. Bowhay personally pants each Flower Tower with roughly 75 – 100 flowering plants for each guest’s enjoyment."

  

View of Juneau from the top!

Rich and our tour guide at the top...

  

Next stop:  Macaulay Salmon Hatchery.  Take a peek at the site:  http://dipac.net/New%20VC%20Website/about.html

The ladder that was created at the hatchery for salmon to climb in order to spawn.

Giant salmon...in a holding tank...these salmon have successfully made it up the ladders...

think very, very, very large...

Holding tanks--used to sort by type of salmon...

Eagles are everywhere...

Fry...

We went to Red Dog Saloon for lunch...

Street art...

Juneau is busy!  The main street!

We took the tram up Mount Roberts and then hiked...

Look closely!

At the top you could measure your arm length in comparison to an bald eagle...

Interesting hiking boots...

One of my favorite photos from Juneau...thanks Gary!

Love, 

Gary and Ellie

Check out BLOG 7--ALASKA: MENDENHALL GLACIER next!

Hello!

Our first glacier was Mendenhall.  This glacier is 13.6 miles long and is located in Mendenhall Valley, about 12 miles from downtown Juneau.  The glacier and the surrounding area are protected and are within the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area--part of the Tongass National Forest.  Check out more information at:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendenhall_Glacier.

Nothing really prepared us for seeing our first glacier.  It was long anticipated and spectacular.  We were told by Mark, the naturalist, that it would only get better and better as we moved on later to view more glaciers in Glacier Bay and College Fjords.

Here is our first view from the Visitor's Center.  There is a boat at the base of the Glacier and you can't see it from this vantage point.  You can try--it is a tiny sliver of yellow to the left of the Glacier and to the right of the ice flow

We decided to take a hike on the Nugget Falls Trail so we could get closer to the Glacier and experience the falls.

Our first view of the falls from the trail.  Notice the color of the water?  It's a sage-like green...this is due to the glacial silt.  Check out:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier

I really was having a good time!

Here is an ice flow!

When we got back from the trail I climbed to the top of the Visitor's Center and snapped this pic!  A glorious sight!

More glaciers to come!  Hold on!

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 8--ALASKA: HELICOPTER RIDE TO MEADE GLACIER next!

 

Greetings,

One of the most incredible highlights of our trip was taking a helicopter ride from the town of Skagway to Meade Glacier.  What a memorable adventure!

Want to know about Meade Glacier? Check out:  

http://mapcarta.com/23457002

The photos tell the story quite well...

Below:  Before takeoff---looking excited!  

Our wonderful pilot...Heather--the only female pilot at Temsco...

This is LuAnn in an extremely excited state of fear...as we get ready to take off.  LuAnn and Rich were in the front seat.  Gary and I were in back with two other people.

Lift off!!!!!!

Rich is thrilled!

The views on the way to the glacier were stunning and breathtaking--unbelievable....

At last we can see the glacier...

​See the stripes in the glacier below?  Each large (most wide and dark) ribbons is an indicator of convergence with another glacier.  The lines are full of rocks and sand.  In these photos and in other blogs you will see rocks (some enormous) on top of the glacier...these rocks have and will continue to be carried along as the glacier moves.  

You will see a photo of Harvard Glacier in a future blog.  That glacier is 1.5 miles wide and is the result of the convergence of 26 glaciers. 

And touch down...

A tiny stream of water on top of the glacier...this stream is about 18 to 20 inches across.  We drank the water from the glacier...icy cold and refreshing...

These are crevices...we were warned to be very careful when approaching as they can be quite deep...

​The pilot is assisting with peering into a crevice...

 

  

Here our pilot guide is throwing a rock into the crevice so we can see how long it takes to get to the bottom and splash!  A lot longer than we thought...

​Glacial water up close...

Heading back...

The flight to the glacier was phenomenal and took longer than we expected and the flight back was just as thrilling.  It was LuAnn, Rich's and my first time in a helicopter!  Oh boy!

This is my favorite photo from Gary..

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Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 9--ALASKA:  SKAGWAY next!

Hello,

Skagway was fun.  Check out:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skagway,_Alaska

We walked around the town and want to share our photos below with you:

Alaska was full of brothels...

The Coral Princess in Skagway...

Do you see anything strange in this photo?  Look very closely...

The most photographed building in the world--The Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall--established in 1914, check out more about this unique building:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Native_Brotherhood_Hall

We had lunch at this saloon!  Check it out:  http://redonion1898.com.

Interesting place, enjoy the photos...

Does anyone remember what this is?  Seen one lately?

Okay girlfriends!  Everywhere we went in Alaska there were jewelry stores after jewelry stores.  This is the only shoe store--rather boot store that I saw!

Do you like the style?  Unique, eh?

One of our goals while in Alaska was to walk and hike as much as possible.  In Skagway we found a hiking trail to Dewey Lake.  It was straight up!  Up!  We managed and were rewarded with some time to relax at the lake.  

These trees had beautiful coppery bark.... 

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 10--ALASKA:  GLACIER BAY AND COLLEGE FJORD next!

Hello,

This blog is about Glacier Bay and College Fjords...

Great videos at end of this blog!  

Glacier Bay

"From the bottom of the deepest glacial fjord to the summit of its highest peak, Glacier Bay encompasses some of our continent's most amazing scenery and wildness. It is a land reborn, a world returning to life, a living lesson in resilience. If ever we needed a place to intrigue and inspire us, this is it. Glacier Bay is a homeland, a living laboratory, a national park, a designated wilderness, a biosphere reserve, and a world heritage site. It's a marine park, where great adventure awaits by boating into inlets, coves and hideaway harbors. It's also a land park, with its snow-capped mountains, spectacular glaciers, and emerald–green forests. From the summit to sea, Glacier Bay's wildness is remote, dynamic and intact."

Here is more information about Glacier Bay and excerpt above is from this link:  http://www.nps.gov/glba/whats-so-special.htm

The convergence of 5 or 6 glaciers...see the large ribbons?

Convergence of 2 or 3 glaciers? 

Sights as we cruised past the various glaciers in Glacier Bay..

Waterfalls along the way....

College Fjords

"College Fjord is a fjord located in the northern sector of Prince William Sound in the U.S. state of Alaska. The fjord contains five tidewater glaciers (glaciers that terminate in water), five large valley glaciers, and dozens of smaller glaciers, most named after renowned East Coast colleges (women's colleges for the NW side, and men's colleges for the SE side). College Fjord was discovered in 1899 during the Harriman Expedition, at which time the glaciers were named. The expedition included a Harvard and an Amherst professor, and they named many of the glaciers after elite colleges. According to Bruce Molina, author of Alaska's Glaciers, "They took great delight in ignoring Princeton."[1]

In 1964 College Fjord was the epicenter of the Good Friday earthquake, the most powerful earthquake in U.S. history. It is a popular destination for cruise ships. From one place, it is possible to see eight of College Fjords Glaciers at once."

Check this out regarding College Fjords and excerpt above is from this link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_Fjord

Harvard Glacier--convergence of 26 glaciers...1.5 miles long...

A closer view of Harvard Glacier...this Glacier has a total of 400 vertical feet of ice...approximately 100 feet of ice is below the surface.

See the black dot below?  It's an eagle! 

Enjoy the brief videos below!

Adjust your sound before clicking on the video.  

Disclaimer:  I am an amateur videographer!  It is really difficult to get videos of the glaciers calving (ice falling) as by the time you see the ice falling and find it in your camera's viewfinder--the ice has hit the water...

The voices you hear are Gary and LuAnn...

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 11--ALASKA:  WHALES next!

Greetings:

We saw whales but not always up close.  There are eight types of whales in Alaska:  Humpback, Beluga, Right, Minke, Grey, Orca, Bowhead, and Blue, Here are a few photos of our encounters.  We saw Humpback, Minke, and Orca.

Here is the mist from the blow-hole of a whale.  We were told that the mist has an awful odor--kind of like whale bad-breath!  Mark, the naturalist on the ship, told us that the size (height) of the mist tells you what kind of whale it is and whether or not it is a mature whale or a baby whale.

Next time we'll go on a whale watching tour!

Want to learn more go to:  http://alaskatrekker.com/alaska-wildlife/alaska-whales/

Mark also said that where there are birds--there are whale.  And here we see that!

And a whales tale!

The photo below is of a whale coming up to get the krill.  It's mouth is open.

Any whale encounter is a great whale encounter indeed!

Love,

Ellie and Gary

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BLOG 12--ALASKA:  WHITTIER next!

Greetings,

Our cruise ended in Whittier--and then the land portion of our trip started.  The drive from Whittier to Kenai is considered to be the most scenic drive in the United States.  It was spectacular!

This is what we saw when we disembarked...

Whittier has a great deal of history.  Check it out:  http://www.whittieralaska.gov

Excerpt from above link:  "This area originally was part of the portage route for the Chugach Natives of Prince William Sound traveling to fish the Turnagain Arm. Later the Russians and Americans exploring the region also used this passage. It was used by prospecting miners during the gold rush as it was the quickest passage from the Sound to the Cook Inlet and Interior regions. The city itself is a historical area, established by the U.S. Army during World War II. The Federal railroad to Portage was completed in 1943 and became the primary debarkation point for cargo, troops, and dependents of the Alaska Command.

In 1948 the military began construction of the first of two buildings for their military personnel as the Port of Whittier was then recognized as an ice-free, deepwater port strategically located to Anchorage and Interior Alaska. This remained active until 1960 at which time the total population was 1200. 

The City of Whittier was incorporated in 1969. Today, less than 300 people reside in the town supporting the Alaska State Ferry, the Alaska Railroad, freight barge, commercial fishing, the Whittier Harbor, recreation and tourism with an annual visiting population of over 700,000."

We took a bus to Kenai but first we had to "waste" some time so we could go through the famous Whittier tunnel.  It has a set schedule when traffic can go through (one lane).  We could only have 16 people on the bus as should something happen while traveling the 2.5 mile tunnel--there are only enough places created to accommodate 16 people--while waiting to be rescued.  

Read more about it:  http://www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/history.shtml

Here is the Buckner Building which is part of the Whittier Army Port Historical District.

I'm always on the look out for street art--this is the only thing I found...

We stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center:  https://www.alaskawildlife.org

Here are a few photos:

See you in Kenai!!!

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 13--ALASKA:  KENAI next!

Hello!

Kenai was absolutely gorgeous!  The vistas and the beautiful glacier silt river.

Learn a little more about Kenai (pronounced "key-nigh") at this link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenai,_Alaska

We arrived via bus from Whittier and stayed at the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge.  We had large rooms and a wood burning fireplace that we used to keep the room toasty!  

This was the chandelier in the restaurant...

Some photos from the deck of the main lodge...

We went on a hike--notice the large wood burl?

On our second day in Kenai we spent an entire day canyon rafting..

Such fun...

  

Boots anyone?

This is Eric!  Our rafting guide..

He is pointing at a photo that shows where we would be rafting...7 hour trip in total.

We rafted through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge (down the Kenai River) and went through class II and III rapids.  Then we went into Skilak Lake, a pristine glacier carved lake in the the heart of the refuge.  That was followed by lunch and then a 1.5 mile hike through "heavy duty" bear country on the Hidden Creek Trail.

Check out the photos below...

Just being silly...

Our trusty rafts...

Rapids ahead...

At the start of the raft trip we were lucky to witness what they call "combat fishing!"

Essentially salmon fisher-people who are standing on the banks trying to snag a salmon as it swims up river to the site where it was hatched and released about 4 years ago or so--on it's final life's journey to spawn...(check out our blog on salmon spawning if you are interested).

Typically rafters will count eagles as they float down the river and into the lake...

Our raft saw 147 eagles--and--broke the outfitters eagle sighting record which was in the 90's.

 

This is a view of the lake where we went to shore for lunch...

This is Eric and Jimmy.  Jimmy had just purchased his first pair of Chaco sandals (incredible sandals--I must say) and wore them on the raft trip in water that was frigid cold.

Notice the lovely flowers on the table...nice touch!

"Mayo Art"

  

Nature's Closet

After lunch Eric packed up the rafts and headed back to a pickup point.  

We then hiked up the Hidden Creek Trail...

Before we left we asked Jimmy--"Do you have bear spray?"  And he said, "No--I have my trash bag."

He said that if bears are approaching you take a black trash bag and snap it open and the sight of the bag and the sound chase off bears.  He said that guides at the outfitters have used this many times, as has he, with success.  Then he continued to tell us the a story about Jake the "bait" who was surprised by a bear trying to get the rafts into the water to take back to the pickup point.  Essentially Jake was attacked once, was mauled and played dead, then tried to get back up when he thought the bear was gone...the bear wasn't gone but came back and roughed him up again.  The second time Jake stayed "dead" for a long time to ensure that the bear won't return.

Fireweed...once the flower has bloomed to the top--that means that winter is close...

The trail...

Okay--time to be graphic.  On this trail we saw more bear poop than I ever imagined.

Apparently, if a trail is available--bears will use it...

  

Our hike finished...

On our drive back to the Lodge we saw a mama bear with triplets.

The last triplet made a daring sprint across a busy road and Gary was able to document it!

 

And here are a few of Gary's Kenai photos...

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Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 14--ALASKA:  EAGLES next!

Greetings,

Alaska is the land of the eagle!

Here are a few eagle photos--all taken by Gary.  Many were taken in Ketchikan from LeeAnn and Jeff's (our dear friends) upper deck.

Enjoy their beauty and splendor...

Want to learn more about eagles just click:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald_eagle

The mature eagles have the full white head, while the fledglings have feathers that are dappled brown and white.

 

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 15--ALASKA: MCKINLEY next!

Hello Everyone:

After Kenai we headed via bus to McKinley and stayed there one night before heading to Denali.

The smoke from the many, many fires had already moved into this area of Alaska and we had a "smokey" view of Denali.  

Gary was able to make this view look pretty!  Denali is over 40 miles away by road...

The growing season in Alaska is extremely short and absolutely everything there grows big...

We went on a hike and made sure that we had procured a "black trash bag"--bear deterent!

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 16--ALASKA: ANCHORAGE next!

Hello Everyone,

On our way from Kenai to Denali we stopped in Anchorage.  The capital city of Alaska.  We had about 2 hours to walk around and we made the most of it.  Anchorage has an estimated population of 300,950 (2013) and is Alaska's most populous city (containing more than 40 percent of the state's total population).  Anchorage's location puts it within 9 and 1/2 hours by air to nearly 90% of the industrialized world. This makes Anchorage a common refueling stop for international passenger stops.*

* If you want to learn more about Anchorage check out this link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorage,_Alaska.

We are always looking for street art!  Colorful moose!

On to Denali!

Love, 

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 17--ALASKA:  DENALI ARRIVAL AND SLED DOGS next!

 

Hello!

Our arrival in Denali was great and a breeze.  We stayed at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.  There was great food, cute stores, and hiking!

We were there for 3 nights and were able to take a hike to see the sled dog demonstration.

Check out this link to learn more about the importance of sled dogs to Alaska in the past and now:

http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/kennels.htm

The sled dogs of Denali have been important to the park for so long that they have become a part of the resource, and a cultural tradition worthy of protection. The dogs, and the kennels where they live, represent important pieces of the American story. They have cultural significance, representing both the Native Alaskan and the pioneer experience in the far north; and have a role in the history of Alaska's first national park.

These are the only sled dogs in the United States that help protect a national park and the wildlife, scenery, and wilderness therein, and it has been this way nearly as long as there has been a park here.

Enjoy the photos:

We watched the porters carry up heavy and many suitcases at a time--to the second floor!

The one guy has 3 bags!

Delicious dessert celebrating the 4th of July...called The Red, White, and Blue!

We saw this great directional sign across the street from the lodge (where there were great shops)!

Barcelona is only 5,017 miles...

This is Rich's watch showing that it is 11:10 pm in Denali...

Yes, it was difficult sleeping in Alaska...it stayed light till the wee hours and then

got light again around 4:00 am.

There is no such thing as true "blackout curtains"...

Above:  The coolest chandelier I've ever seen--in a restaurant at the lodge--amazing fish!

Below:  Unique wine racks...

Great wall hanging in the Park Visitor's Center...

We hiked from the Visitor's Center to the Sled Dog Kennels...on the Rock Creek Trail...

over 7 miles round trip!

Off we went...

At the sled dog kennels...

The dogs were amazing...they love to run!

Retired dog names...

​Enjoy the video below of the dogs running!  Check your sound!

Dog toys...

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 18a--ALASKA: 4-WHEELING next!

 

Hello!

It's so difficult to describe Denali.  At 20,310 feet high--it is simply grand.  It is the highest mountain peak in North America.  At some 18,000 feet, base-to-peak rise, it is considered to be the largest of any mountain situated entirely above sea level in the world.

Denali is located inside of Denali National Park:

"Denali is six million acres of wild land, bisected by one ribbon of road. Travelers along it see the relatively low-elevation taiga forest give way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America's tallest peak, 20,310' Denali. Wild animals large and small roam un-fenced lands, living as they have for ages. Solitude, tranquility and wilderness await."

And the recent news of Mt. McKinley now being renamed officially to Denali:  http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/government-and-politics/20150905/alaska-mountain-is-renamed-to-denali

And:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denali

Access inside of Denali National Park is restricted as there is only one 97 mile long road that takes you close to the base of the mountain.  We took a many hour ride to beyond mile marker 66 on the Tundra Wilderness Tour in a very old off white painted school bus.  See:  http://www.denaliparkvillage.com/denali-tours/tundra-wilderness.aspx

See the map below--we drove from the entrance to past the Eielson Visitor Center:

We saw:  

- 1 baby moose

- 4 adult moose

- 1 ground squirrel

- 4 bear (2 buff colored and 2 brown)

- 12 caribou

- 2 Dall sheep

- 1 ptarmigan and 6 babies

We did see the BIG 4:  moose, bear, caribou, and Dall sheep.  To get the BIG 5 you have to see a wolf as well.

Before we got too far into the park a ranger boarded the bus and told us all of the rules.  No talking while the bus in stopped for viewing of wildlife, no hanging limbs outside of the bus windows, stay on on trails or walkways when off the bus, and most of all enjoy the views of Denali National Park!

Mama moose and baby moose...

Photos below are of Polychrome Pass...

Caribou... 

Look really close...can you see the bear? 

Enjoy the video below.  Check your sound...

Look closely!  Do you see 2 Dall Sheep?

We finally made it to Denali..The Big One...

We were among 30% of all visitors that were able to see Denali...The 30% Club

Mt. Mather

 

 

Some of Gary's magic below...

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Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 19--ALASKA: RAILROAD EXTRAVAGANZA next!

Greetings,

While in Denali we went on a grand 4-wheeling adventure.  This was Rich and LuAnn's first time on a 4-wheeler!  There was phenomenal scenery, a gorgeous breakfast, and we had a blast on the trails!

Check out the photos!

Gary is ready!

LuAnn is trying to find a coverall that fits her...close enough!

That's me giving the Queen's wave for the camera!

And our primary guide is to the left in the photo!

 

Meet Milo, guide in training, on the left--from Romania!  What a nut!

Gourmet breakfast was included!  Cooked to order!

Breakfast house on the trail... 

Sitting in the middle of the river bed that was a torrent the week before!

Gorgeous vistas!

Lots of gold has been found in these hills...

Back at the outfitters!

What a great day in the Denali air and sun! 

Thanks Black Diamond outfitters!

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 18b--ALASKA: DENALI THE BIG ONE next!

Greetings:

We left Denali via the Alaska Railway headed for Fairbanks!

We traveled in first class and had a blast!  Great food, great wine, spectacular views, and lots of moose!

Waiting for the train...

 

Our first class carriage...2nd story car with glass roof!

All aboard!

  

​I tried mightily to get a photo from the moving train of the old, old telegraph cable poles and I succeeded!

At one point the railroad tracks were getting so hot (high temps) we

had to stop and wait for time to pass and the tracks to cool.  life in Alaska...

We stopped another time to switch crews--we were in the middle of nowhere!

Arrival in Fairbanks...

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 20--ALASKA:  FAIRBANKS next!

"Beneath it's workaday exterior, Fairbanks is a lively place with a friendly population.  It offers the clearest view of the northern lights, and the museum at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is one of the best anywhere in the state."*

Hello,

Fairbanks is an interesting city.  If you'd like to learn more about Fairbanks just go to:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairbanks,_Alaska where you'll find great information about the climate, etc.

When we arrived the city was surrounded by wild fires and the smoke had moved in like a brown curtain.  Despite the smoke, the show must go on and we hopped aboard a riverboat that took us down the Chena River (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chena_River) to see the various sights along the way!  Some of the photos are from shore while others are from the boat.

Enjoy:

Check out the water wheel video below...check your sound before starting.

We stopped at an Athabascan Indian village.  "The Athabaskan Indians of Alaska's harsh Interior were hunters and inland fishermen.  Most lived in small nomadic bands along the region's rivers.  If game was scarce, they might travel for days without food; in deepest winter they survived temperatures of -50 degrees F (-45 degrees C) or less, sometimes without shelter or fire.  Endurance and physical strength were prized; game was often run down on foot over difficult terrain."**

This young woman is demonstrating how they prepared salmon for the smoke house.

Below is a cabin that functions as a book store on the property.

Below is chum salmon being smoked and dried.  The Indians used chum salmon to feed their dogs.  In essence they consider this salmon species to be of lower quality but still fit for the sled dogs.

This fur coat is being worn by one of our guides.  It is worth thousands of dollars and is made from a variety of pelts.  It was absolutely beautiful and is only worn by mature women.

This is the salmon smoke and drying house.

Below is Richie checking things out!

Along the way we stopped at a dog sled camp owned by Susan Butcher's husband Dave Monson.  "Susan was an American dog musher, noteworthy as the second woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1986, the second four time winner in 1990, and the first to win four out of five sequential years.  She is commemorated in Alaska by the Susan Butcher Day."**  Susan died of leukemia in 1986 and her husband continues to operate a dog sled camp in Fairbanks.  Check out more information about Susan by clicking on:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Butcher

We were able to see the dogs run and it was fabulous!  They love to run.  Dave hooked them up behind a four wheeler (in neutral, weighing hundreds of pounds) and they ran a big loop for us.  

The dogs are taking a break in the river after their big run!

A well known bush pilot demonstrated his flying skills while we were on the boat.

  

And the air continued to get smokier and smokier...

And smokier....

And smokier...

We finally got off the boat and enjoyed baseball and some air conditioning.

This photo shows it getting bad and it only got worse.  The EPA issued severe warnings that people not go outside and we had to cancel our plane trip to the Arctic Circle.  We'll do the Circle next time!

​Well since we couldn't be outside we went to IMAX and watched the new Terminator movie in 3D, ate popcorn and drank iced tea!

Well, Richie might have had something in his iced tea!???

After 2 days in Fairbanks it was time for Richie and LuAnn to depart for the east coast.  

It was hard saying "see you soon" as this was the trip of a lifetime and we were with the most wonderful, fun, thoughtful and kind, hysterically funny, and adventurous family on the brilliant and unforgettable ride called ALASKA!  There were tears, waves, hugs and just the right dose of drama to make us and those around us laugh as we parted. 

Oh the memories!!!

Even the bus driver got into hugging!

So what's the next trip???  

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 21--ALASKA:  KETCHIKAN--FISHING OF A LIFETIME next!

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*Insight Guide--Alaska

**Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello everyone,

When the cruise and land tour was completed (Richie and LuAnn were east coast bound) we headed south!

We left Fairbanks and headed south via Alaska Airlines to see our great friends, LeeAnn and Jeff, who moved from Fort Collins to Ketchikan in September of 2014.  Our experience on Alaska Airlines was phenomenal.  All staff, on and off the plane, are friendly, courteous, and wanted their customers to be satisfied.  And we were!  We learned firsthand why Alaska Airlines is number one in the USA for customer satisfaction and being on time.  The flight left Fairbanks early in the morning and arrived in Ketchikan about 6 pm--it was a long day.  The flight required that we fly the following route (also known as the "milk" run--this flight drops off food, milk, etc. at remote towns):

- Fairbanks to Anchorage--59 minutes (switch planes)

- Anchorage to Juneau--1 hour and 40 minutes

- Juneau to Petersburg--46 minutes

- Petersburg to Wrangell--24 minutes (If that. The pilot was doing so well that we arrived in Wrangell at the exact minute we were supposed to leave Petersburg!)

- Wrangell to Ketchikan--32 minutes

The pilot from Anchorage to Ketchikan treated passengers along the way to a gorgeous view of the Alaskan wilderness.  He announced that he would be flying as low as possible to give us the best possible view of Alaska from the air--and that he did!

Enjoy the photos from our seats on the various flights.

In the photo below, the little green area is an island so you can see the perspective and the beauty of the sand and silt patterns.

We spent almost two weeks with LeeAnn and Jeff and had a marvelous time catching up and catching more salmon than we imagined.  They were an absolute blast to be with and we loved every moment.  Jeff's boat is ocean worthy and we spent many hours aboard with the two of them and their dog "Tootsie."  We can't thank them enough for all they did for us while we were there and for the "fishing of a lifetime"!

Below is a photo from inside their home (walk out to the ocean), looking out onto the water and Gravina Island.  You can see Gary on the deck looking for eagles.  They have the best view ever and an incredible deck!

They had slugs galore around their house and on their driveway.  Curious creatures.

Here are some photos from Ketchikan:

​Below:  One day we went out to Prince of Wales Island and visited a fishing camp where a friend of Jeff's has a cabin.  Check out this link.  Interesting history and beauty beyond description.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_of_Wales_Island_(Alaska)

A halibut that they had caught in fish camp...

Below is Wrangell shrimp that Jeff caught.  

The sweetest shrimp I've ever had!

I'm a fishing nut and LeeAnn got me a new fishing book for my birthday!

​If you're going fishing you have to get weights.  Since we would be using down riggers to catch salmon we needed "big" weights or in this case cannon balls.

Jeff's boat is 26 feet long with a small cabin and required some big engines.

We needed a pistol on board for when we stopped at islands.

Some boat pics...it rained often, but nothing stops determined fisher people!

Life is ruled by the tides if you live on the ocean and there are tide books everywhere (cars, boats, home, etc.)

A pole in a down rigger...

Here is Tootsie all bundled up.

 

Check out the fish on the fish finder

And on the deck!

Salmon eggs.

Yes, Gary caught the most and biggest fish!

And I struggled to lift this big one for the photo

LeeAnn pulled in some great fish!

We passed Seal Island on the way to Traveler's Cove.

One day when we were out fishing we stopped at Margaret Bay (26 miles from Ketchikan) to see if we could see any bears.  Check out this site http://www.alaska.org/detail/margaret-creek-traitors-cove.  We had a great hike but did not see any bears.  We did smell one though.  It had just been on the trail we were on and it was rank!

Enjoy the photos from our hike.

The viewing area which overlooks the creek where salmon run.  This is where hungry bears meets spawning salmon.

Things we saw along the way, compliments of Gary.

Jeff and LeeAnn heading back to the boat.

We spent time cleaning, smoking, and preparing salmon to take home.  Below on the left is a filet of a rare White King Salmon.  High coveted.  And on the right is Chum Salmon on the left and Silver Salmon on the right.  The towel that the salmon is laying on in the lefthand photo is a beach towel.  That gives you some perspective about the size of the filet--minus the tail and the head.

 

Gary smoked two smokers full of salmon!  Yummy!  And LeeAnn made a delicious halibut dish one night.  Lots of garlic and fabulous flavor!

Here is a page from the fishing regulation booklet that helped us identify our Salmon types.  There are 5 types of salmon:

King--Chinook

Pink--Humphy

Silver--Coho

Chum--Dog

Sockeye--Red

We caught everything except the Sockeye Salmon (they weren't running when we were there).

      

 

We had the best time with Jeff and LeeAnn!  We can't thank them enough!  Fishing in Alaska and living in Alaska is an adventure and we were able to have a taste of both!

We love you guys,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 22--ALASKA:  SALMON FACTOIDS next!

 

Hello everyone,

We've talked quite a bit on the blog about salmon...

Here is some information from:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmon

Salmon /ˈsæmən/ is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Other fish in the same family include trout, char, grayling and whitefish. Salmon are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (genus Salmo) and Pacific Ocean (genus Oncorhynchus). Many species of salmon have been introduced into non-native environments such as the Great Lakes of North America and Patagonia in South America. Salmon are intensively produced in aquaculture in many parts of the world.

Typically, salmon are anadromous: they are born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean, then return to fresh water to reproduce. However, populations of several species are restricted to fresh water through their lives. Various species of salmon display anadromous life strategies while others display freshwater resident life strategies. Folklore has it that the fish return to the exact spot where they were born to spawn; tracking studies have shown this to be mostly true. A portion of a returning salmon run may stray and spawn in different freshwater systems. The percent of straying depends on the species of salmon.^[2] Homing behavior has been shown to depend on olfactory memory.^[3][4]

​And here is information regarding their life cycle.  Thank to the National Park Service's site:

http://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/the-salmon-life-cycle.htm

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out:

BLOG 23--ALASKA:  HEADED HOME next!

Hello,

We headed home and were treated to the summit of Denali!

How fortunate we were!

We took over 75 pounds of salmon home with us...

We'll be eating and gifting salmon for months ahead!

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Check out our final Blog:

BLOG 24--ALASKA:  FROM THE HEART--THE FINAL FRONTIER next!

 

Hi everyone,

This is our last Blog from the Alaskan Adventure.

When we started talking about an Alaskan Adventure in the Fall of 2014, while in Barcelona, we never realized what extraordinary beauty, wilderness, and adventure would await us.

Thanks for stopping by the Alaskan blog...

Love,

Ellie and Gary

Rich and LuAnn

 

And we leave you with a few of our favorite photos...

"Adventure is worthwhile itself."  Amelia Earhart

Good-bye for now Alaska--til we meet again!

"It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves--in finding themselves."

--Andre Gide

 

GOOD NIGHT BARCELONA

We are sending you all incredible appreciation and love from here.  It's been an amazing journey together...

And with that we say...

 

Good night Barcelona,

Love from Gary and Ellie

(To be continued....)

 

GRADES (provisional)

Hi everyone,

Well the day we've been waiting for and the day you might have been waiting for...provisional grades....Cambridge still needs to approve these grades (will be a few months) but check out the grades below....we both passed!  Results options are:  Pass, Pass B, or Pass A.

We are relieved and thrilled for these results:

Congrats Gary!  Fantastic results!  

Pass This is by far the most usual grade worldwide and means that a candidate's performance "overall in the teaching practice and on the written assignments meets the specified criteria (...) They will continue to need guidance to help them to develop and broaden their range of skills as teachers in pos

​I got a Pass B, a super grade--I was really surprised to get this grade--wow!

Pass B  This means that a candidate's performance in the written assignments "meets the specified criteria, and they have demonstrated in their teaching practice a level of achievement significantly higher than that required to meet pass-level criteria, in relation to classroom teaching skills (...) They will continue to need some guidance to help them to develop and broaden their range of skills as teachers in post."

A grade of Pass A is seldom given....

We are both so happy!  And relieved!

Thank you for being on this journey with us,

Love and hugs,

From Barcelona, Ellie and Gary

We fly out on Thursday morning....

 

ONE LAST PARTY and MOVING

Good morning,

Last night our classmates took us out to celebrate...

We had a wonderful time...they refused to let us pay for a thing...

Here is a photo....most of the gang :)

Today we also moved....yes....out of the flat and into a hotel for two days....

BELOW:  Moving day, we're ready for the cab...

BELOW:  We're waiting for Aroa to come and take our bedding and other things--we're not taking everything back with us!  She gets to keep our paella pan :)

Off to the hotel....

More tomorrow on our last day in BCN,

Love and hugs,

Ellie and Gary

 

IT'S OFFICIALLY TIME TO CELEBRATE!

Dear Family and Friends,

It's time to celebrate with us!  Today was the last official day of the course.

Sam, IH's Director, came in this morning to talk to the group about job hunting.  It went well, then we got to do an online review of the course.  We had an hour of "un-assessed" teaching practice and then all 18 of us, the 3 tutors and our students hit the terrace of the school for tapas, wine and beer.

It was really super to celebrate with everyone.  Here are a few photos as well....Gary took the "people" photos--you'll be able to tell....

We have another celebration tonight, "on the town," I'll fill you in on that tomorrow.

Love and hugs from BCN,

Ellie and Gary

BELOW:  Gary and Barbara

BELOW:  Joley

BELOW:  Livia (from Florence)

BELOW:  Maya and Claudia 

BELOW:  Jude, David (our tutor), and Kali (she might have a 5 year gig in Japan!)

 BELOW:  Martin, an archeologist (is job hunting and also headed to Andorra to set up an archeological dig site)

BELOW:  Brooding Nick

BELOW:  Ryan (Welsch), Jude, Hilary, Maya, Sam (yes another one), Livia, and Kali in front

BELOW:  Carlos (Charlie)

BELOW: Me, Sophie (one of our tutors), Judy, Claudia, Carlos, and Liz (one of our tutors)

BELOW:  Siggy from Iceland

BELOW:  Sam and Sam (the blond Sam is the one who helped me starting the first day of the course)

BELOW:  Barbara, David, Aroa

BELOW:  A view from the terrace at IH house during the celebration

 

 

 

DINNER WITH FRIENDS

Hi everyone,

I ended up with the flu and now Gary is on the mend.  Only one thing to say, it's awful.

We did manage to go to our friends Aroa and Pete's for dinner tonight.  They are super.  You may recall that we had them over for dinner about two months ago.  

They served delicious beef ribs and roasted potatoes.  Absolutely delicious on every level.

We will miss them both!

Tonight is one of many celebrations for school being over (this Monday is official) and we won't be going--but will be home nursing the Barcelona flu....

​Till tomorrow all,

Sending love and hugs,

Ellie and Gary

 

BARCELONA FLU

Greetings All,

Gary's had the Barcelona flu (cold, cough, aches) since Tuesday--he's felt really awful.  It sounds like half of the city has this horrible bug.  It's been going around for about a month now.

Today we ran some errands so that we could make our last seafood paella and took a few photos.

BELOW:  Paella turned out great!

BELOW:  My hair salon!  I'm going to miss the ladies there as they are all so talented and wonderful!

BELOW:  We've wanted to get a photo of this little cafe, its in El Born.  This has super coffee and is considered to be a "local" place that we frequented...it's right next to Beth's salon. 

 

A quiet day and evening all in all...see you tomorrow....

Love and hugs,

Ellie and Gary

 

PAPERS 3 and 4

Hello,

We both passed our 3rd paper!  A tough one!  No rewrite!

And....we both passed our 4th and final paper as well!

Such great news!

Love and miss you all,

Ellie and Gary

 

 

A SPECIAL BLOG

SANT PAU ART NOUVEAU SITE

GARY's PHOTOS

A SPECIAL BLOG

SANT PAU ART NOUVEAU SITE

A City Within a City--A Kingdom of Health

Greetings,

And welcome to a special blog.  

About 9 days ago Gary took me on a city mystery tour.  We walked toward La Sagrada Familia and then kept walking (we walked about 7 miles that day).  When we arrived at the gates of the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site I was unsure what to expect.  What I found, we found, was the most incredible site.  

This site is one of Catalonia's cultural and artistic treasures and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.  

It was such a special place--I wanted to take more time with this blog.  

Read a little bit below before continuing in the blog.

Thanks Wikipedia:  The former Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Catalan pronunciation: [uspiˈtaɫ də ɫə ˈsantə ˈkɾɛw i ˈsam ˈpaw], English: Hospital of the Holy Cross and Saint Paul) in the neighborhood of El Guinardó, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, is a complex built between 1901 and 1930, designed by the Catalan modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Together with Palau de la Música Catalana, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was a fully functioning hospital until June 2009, it is currently undergoing restoration for use as a museum and cultural center. As of December 2013 there are still tours of the hospital being given several times a day.

Although the hospital's current buildings date from the 20th century, the Hospital de la Santa Creu (the last part of its name, "Sant Pau", was added in honour of the banker, Pau Gil, who paid the new buildings in the twentieth century) was founded in 1401 when six small medieval hospitals merged. The hospital's former buildings near the center of Barcelona date from the 15th century, and now house an art school (Escola Massana) and Biblioteca de Catalunya (National Library of Catalonia). Even though there is an ambulance in the picture it is no longer a hospital as it was closed in 2009.

In 1991 was awarded with the "Creu de Sant Jordi" by the Generalitat de Catalunya.

In 2003 a new hospital building was erected to the north of the Domènech i Montaner's Modernistapavilions.

 

 

​Below:  Like all projects by Domenech i Montaner, the San Pau Art Nouveau Site has symbolic connotations.  The architect based the ground plan of the hospital complex on two axes, one vertical and the other horizontal, which together form the cross, the emblem of the form Hospital de la Santa Creu, through which he summarized and symbolized the history of Barcelona hospitals and the allegorical values of the Middle ages.

Symmetry is the Site's common denominator.  The pavilions are arranged allow two main north/south and east/west axes or thoroughfares, 500 m long by 50 m wide, and a number of adjacent streets 300 m long by 30 wide.  All the pavilions are isolated, each one was allotted its own medical speciality and they are linked together by underground pedestrian galleries which also carry the utility ducts.  

The photo of the model below shows the entrance--men entered on the right and women entered on the left.  They were "processed" and then sent to the correct pavilion.  The concept and philosophy for the design of the hospital was that people who were ill needed more light, more access to nature, more sun and quality air.  Therefore, the "kingdom" was designed with walk ways, gardens, and big windows that opened.  The building behind the large entry building (the Administration Complex) is the surgery pavilion.  

BELOW:  We started our tour off by entering the men's entrance and were asked to wait here.  Before the blog tour begins...I need to tell you more about the materials that were used to build this site.  The materials chosen for the Art Nouveau Site were the best, the most durable and the most suitable, without overlooking artistic aspects, for the purpose of creating pleasant natural surroundings for the patients.  These materials include red brick, stone, used for all the decorative architectural details as well as for the reliefs and sculptures; ceramics, with which to clad domes, roofs and the decorative panels both inside and outside the pavilions; and ceramic mosaic, wood, marble, glass, metal and iron.  

​The presence of stone sculpture or merely decorative stone is very important throughout the site.  Capitals, floral details, corbels and structures, all designed by the architect himself, complete the varied decoration of the complex.  Details such as delicate flowers embedded in the brick walls, niches, floral crowns on the capitals--each one different, despite their apparent uniformity--and reliefs on ventilation shafts are a mere sample of the varied work of stonemasons.  

As you look at the photos with ceramics you will see a vast number of colored tiles, either monochrome or featuring hand-painted pattern.  Ceramics provide color, endowing the entire architectural complex with a spectacular note of luminosity and a calculated does of vitality that severe to offset the overpowering effect of mass.  

BELOW:  Our first stop was in the corridors under the Administration Complex where patients were transported to various wings of the Hospital.  This is the ceiling of the entry area.  

BELOW:  Here's a little bit about the tunnel system...

BELOW:  There was some type of projection system that showed holographic like photos of patients being transported....these projections moved along the walls as if the people were right next to us...  

BELOW:  When we got above ground we saw spectacular gardens and beautiful landscaping....  

BELOW:  This is a view looking back at the Administration Complex--the view from inside the "Kingdom."

BELOW:  This was our first view of one of the pavilions.  

BELOW:  This is a side photo of a pavilion.  You can see the many windows and how big they are.  Look closely, it looks like the building is 3 stories...actually it is only two stories high.  The lowest level was essentially the level closest to the ground.  The patients were housed on the next level with the walls going all the way up to the top of the building.  The shuttered windows about the patients' windows were used to actually control the lights and ventilation.  

BELOW:  This is the entry way to a pavilion.  Absolutely everything was handcrafted--the architect did not believe in the use of commercialized materials (mass production).  This mural is hand painted....the workmanship is incredible and it adds a soft natural look.  

BELOW:  This is the Sant Rafel Pavillion.  It was built between 1914 and 1918 and originally housed the Trauma department, with a total of 44 beds.  This pavilion differs from the others as it is decorated with the letter "R" in honor of Rafael Rabell, who with his widowed daughter, left an important legacy to pay for its construction.  This pavilion has not been restored, only additions have been removed over the years to recover its original volume.  Of note here are the mosaics on the ceiling and walls.  The architect believed that life without color is dead.  There was color everywhere!

BELOW:  These are original ceiling tiles...all hand painted...

BELOW:  The entire site was constructed of either stone or brick.  If you were in an area (subterranean) that had stone then this meant that you were close to death, dying, or dead  If you were in an area that was primarily brick...then you were closer to life and living.  This photo is of the surgery pavilion.  This was the building I mentioned earlier in the blog.  The windows faced north to prevent sun from beating directly on the surgeons, but yet allowed natural light to come in.  If the patient died during surgery, they were taken down to the tunnels of stone. 

BELOW:  The bricks were hand made and the adornments were hand sculptured.

BELOW:  This is the south facade of the surgery pavilion.  This is where the surgeons would come out to the sun after and in-between surgeries.  Did you notice the angels?

BELOW:  A pavilion entrance.  Orange trees?  Are those orange trees?  Yes they are....

BELOW:  After touring the outside we went back to the Administration complex and saw where they hold conventions.  If you look outside this window you'll see the original "city" walls....

BELOW:  This is the ceiling in the convention area...it represents a higher being, the sun, and fans out to the blue--representing water....again, all hand crafted...all of it....

BELOW:  A view from upstairs looking down....

BELOW:  After touring the convention area we came to the area where the administrators worked.  Essentially, it was where the "King" worked...notice the crowns.....

BELOW:  And then we looked up and here is the ceiling as you enter the King's section of the "Kingdom of Health."  Absolutely gorgeous.....absolutely ostentatious.....

BELOW:  We are still in the "King's" office and this is a view of one of the side walls.  Do you see the dark brown wooden crucifix in the alcove?  When Franco was in power all buildings and public places had to have crucifixes. 

 

BELOW:  A view from the "King's" office looking out over the surgical pavilion and grounds....

BELOW:  Here is a view from the second story of the Administration complex looking south--notice what's in the background?  La Sagrada Familia!  You can also see the "gates" to the "kingdom."

BELOW:  Do you see the guardian angel?

BELOW:  Now we walk down the stairs from the "King's" office and come to the marbled entry way...and the front doors to the "kingdom."  This building is full of ornamentation and profuse decoration....

BELOW:  Now we're in the main area of the Administration complex...they started building it in 1905 and finished in 1910.  Do you see both years?

BELOW:  It was such a gorgeous day, warm, bright, and sunny--we decided to head back outside and explore and soak in some rays.  

BELOW:  We walked to the far side of the "city" and got to glance at the new hospital that was built adjacent to this site.

BELOW:  Last stop was the museum....

BELOW:  A model of the pavilions...

I hope you enjoyed the tour...it was a special day deserving of a special blog....

Love and hugs,

Ellie and Gary

 

WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

Hi Everyone,

Today was our last formal class.  Liz talked to us about testing and the criteria for determining what level students are at...

Check out the sites below if you're interested in learning a bit more about what we've been studying here in BCN.

 

Here is a great site to look at regarding English as a second or foreign language:  

EXCERPT:  English is a language which has great reach and influence; it is taught all over the world under many circumstances. In English-speaking countries, English language teaching has essentially evolved in two broad directions: instruction for people who intend to live there and for those who do not. These divisions have grown firmer as the instructors of these two "industries" have used different terminology, followed distinct training qualifications, formed separate professional associations, and so on. Crucially, these two arms have very different funding structures, public in the former and private in the latter, and to some extent this influences the way schools are established and classes are held. Matters are further complicated by the fact that the United States and the United Kingdom, both major engines of the language, describe these categories in different terms.^[1]

Click to read more:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_as_a_second_or_foreign_language

 

Here is another great site that talks about the Cambridge English Language Assessment:

Cambridge English Language Assessment is part of the University of Cambridge and has been providing English language assessments and qualifications for over 100 years.^[1]

The first Cambridge English examination, the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE), was launched in 1913. The 12-hour exam had just three candidates, all of whom failed.^[2] One hundred years on, Cambridge English provides more than 20 exams for learners and teachers, which are taken by over 4 million people each year.^[3]

Cambridge English Language Assessment contributed to the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and its examinations are aligned with the CEFR levels.^[4]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_English_Language_Assessment

 

And finally a site that talks about the frameworks for placing students:

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment,^[1] abbreviated as CEFR or CEF, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries (for example, Colombia and the Philippines). It was put together by the Council of Europe as the main part of the project "Language Learning for European Citizenship" between 1989 and 1996. Its main aim is to provide a method of learning, teaching and assessing which applies to all languages in Europe. In November 2001 a European Union Council Resolution recommended using the CEFR to set up systems of validation of language ability. The six reference levels (see below) are becoming widely accepted as the European standard for grading an individual's language proficiency.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

Here is the framework we discussed today....

 

BELOW:  We handed in our course books and finished updating our portfolios....

Love and hugs,

Ellie and Gary

 

 

DINNER WITH ANDREA

Hello,

We had a lovely dinner last night with Andrea and his wife Amanda.  Here are a few photos that we took at a great new restaurant in our old barrio.

​We've got plans to see them again on Sunday for a bite to eat and to enjoy music with some of their friends.

Hugs and love,

Ellie and Gary

 

BELOW:  Andrea and Amanda

BELOW:  This was our "snack" while we waited for drinks to arrive.  Gary and I still don't know what it was...it tasted like it might of come from the sea?????

BELOW:  A cute menu!

BELOW:  They specialize in sangria.  Gary said that it was very tasty...

BELOW:  This is the front of the bar area--cool sangria bottles huh?

A DAY OF REST, REFLECTION AND WRITING

Hello,

Today was a day of rest, reflection and writing.  Both of us have to write our final paper (number 4) which is a reflection piece that asks us to think about what we need to work on and then provide concrete steps for the future.

We also had to have our final self-evaluation plans (for our lessons from yesterday) completed as well.  Both papers were in to our tutors by 3:00 and we spent the rest of the day resting, reading, and watching a movie.

We're both headed out to have dinner with Andrea and his wife.  You might recall that Andrea was the first person to greet us on our first evening in Barcelona.  We will be forever grateful to him for his kindness and generosity.

Tomorrow is the final day of teaching (although we're done, other classmates still have to finish teaching) and Monday is the final day of the course.  The party at the school starts at 1:00 and then there will be a big party with just our classmates about 10 pm!  Yes...another late night with "the kids"!

Good night from BCN,

Love Ellie and Gary

 

 

"OUR" FINAL DAY OF TEACHING AT

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE BCN

Greetings!

What a day.  What a memorable day.

Gary and I both taught our final classes today.  He taught "recycled language" and "job/profession vocabulary" and I taught "writing" and noun quantifiers (too little, very little, plenty of, etc.).

​The morning session was about teaching "little people."  Little people meaning youth between the ages of 3 and 16.  Sophie taught the session and she had us actually do a full lesson that she has 7-10 year olds do.  It kept us awake--miming, acting, writing, reading, etc.  Lots of fun!

Today was also the day that the Cambridge University assessor came to assess the course and our tutors.  We met him after our morning joint session and then later he was to observe students teaching and also observe the tutor.  He decided to come to Liz's class and watch me teach and Sam my classmate teach.  Sam is the young man, from Bournemouth, who sat next to me the first day of class (he's 21) and helped me understand our tutor's accents.  He's been "my carer" as he likes to say, ever since!  Thanks Sam for always being there for me....             In the UK they don't say "caretaker" they say "carer."

The assessor came to the class where we were teaching and it made us both nervous...even though Liz told us to just ignore him and pretend that he wasn't there.....easier said than done.

My lesson went okay--it was challenging.  It was the first time that I've taught writing.  The good news is that the students were engaged and excited and produced a lovely and accurate piece of text about where to eat out in Barcelona.

Gary's lesson went okay too.  He had an difficult student in his class.  She argued with him about the grammar. The good news is that we are done!!!!  Done!!!!!  Done teaching...(other classmates still have to teach on Wednesday and next Monday).

It was bittersweet though.  When we left the building this afternoon we had a sense of relief, accomplishment, and sadness.

Stay warm,

Love Ellie and Gary

 

GARY'S PHOTOS FROM GIRONA--Enjoy!

 

 

GIRONA DAY 2

Greetings!

If you're interested in looking at a great site about what to see in Girona, check this out:  http://www.girona.cat/turisme/eng/monuments_banysarabs.php

Last night we went out for a special anniversary dinner to Cal Ros http://www.calros-restaurant.com/restaurant-barri-vell.  It was an incredible evening!  I had sturgeon and Gary had a wild boar stew.  

Enjoy a bit from our second day!

Love and hugs,

Ellie and Gary

 

Cal Ros was recommended for a Michelin Award (2015).   

BELOW:  Our adventures continued today as we started off at the Arabian Baths that date back to the 12th century.  

BELOW:  The roof of the baths

BELOW:  This is a very large sink like vessel...

BELOW:  After the bath tour we continued to walk around the city and then walked the last portion of the "Great Wall" of Girona.  This portion of the wall is on the other side of the river.  Here is our view at the start.  You can see the La Catedral and the wall (on the other side).

BELOW:  Now here's a weird one!  Read this entry first and then look at the photo below....

In St. Fèlix Church of Girona, climbs a column the mythical lion who everyone wants to kiss its ass. They say that only doing this gesture, people who prints their lips in it ensure their next visit to the city or made to stay there to live forever.

According to the legend, around the XII century in the Calderers Street was "The Inn of the Lioness." As to this claim, embedded in the wall, there was a column which climbed a lioness. Anyone who walked by could touch her ass without any difficulty, and this action soon became a habit.

Whether rooted gesture, even those who visit the city are advised to touch her ass so that, if they did, never leave the city and return with any certainty. Over time, the practice was changed when, instead of touching her ass, someone came up to kiss it, which became the new trend shortly.

Finally, the guest column original disappeared and moved to Girona Art Museum in 1985, of which a copy was made that it stood at the foot of the stairs of the church San Felix, a strategic point of the Old Town of Girona.

Now you have to climb a ladder to approach the rear of the animal that tries to cling strongly to avoid falling column of stone. So you know the story, and if you are in Girona, this is a good way to ensure your next visit.

BELOW:  Check out the little cherub climbing down from the lioness....  BELOW:  Finally, we've wanted to get photos of the orange propane tanks that people use to heat their flats.  These tanks can be very dangerous if people aren't careful.  If these tanks explode they can blow off roofs of buildings....

BELOW:  And one last bit of street art before we head to the train station.

Our trip to and from Girona was via a bullet train (going 200km per hour)...the train stations were incredibly organized and easy to navigate.  Sorry for the blurry photo...wanted you to see the station at Girona...the tracks are 85 feet (8 stories) underground....

  

BELOW:  The train is so quiet and so fast...I was able to get a photo of the velocity...199 km (The fastest it went when we were headed back to Barcelona was 203 km).

 

 

GIRONA!!!!

Hello Everyone!

Seven years ago today I was introduced to Gary.  It's been an amazing 7 years!  We've shared so much!  He surprised me with a trip to Girona.  He said we'd be taking a train and having an overnight outside of Barcelona.  I didn't know where we were going until we got to the Girona station.  

Here's a bit of background on this lovely city:  

Thanks Wikipedia!

The first historical inhabitants in the region were Iberians; Girona is the ancient Gerunda, a city of the Ausetani. Later, the Romans built a citadel there, which was given the name of Gerunda. The Visigoths ruled in Girona until it was conquered by the Moors. Finally, Charlemagne reconquered it in 785 and made it one of the fourteen original countships of Catalonia. Thus it was wrested temporarily from the Moors, who were driven out finally in 1015. Wilfred the Hairy incorporated Girona into the countship of Barcelona in 878. Alfonso I of Aragón declared Girona to be a city in the 11th century. The ancient countship later became a duchy (1351) when King Peter III of Aragon gave the title of Duke to his first-born son, John. In 1414, King Ferdinand I in turn gave the title of Prince of Girona to his first-born son, Alfonso. The title is currently carried by Leonor, Princess of Asturias, the second since the 16th century to do so.

The 12th century saw a flourishing of the Jewish community of Girona, with one of the most important Kabbalistic schools in Europe. The Rabbi of Girona, Moshe ben Nahman Gerondi (better known as Nahmanides or Ramban) was appointed Great Rabbi of Catalonia. The history of the Jewish community of Girona ended in 1492, when the Catholic Monarchs expelled all the Jews from Catalonia. Today, the Jewish ghetto or Call is one of the best preserved in Europe and is a major tourist attraction. On the north side of the old city is the Montjuïc (or hill of the Jews in medieval Catalan), where an important religious cemetery was located.

Girona has undergone twenty-five sieges and been captured seven times. It was besieged by the French royal armies under Charles de Monchy d'Hocquincourt in 1653, under Bernardin Gigault de Bellefonds in 1684, and twice in 1694 under Anne Jules de Noailles. In May 1809, it was besieged by 35,000 French Napoleonic troops under Vergier, Augereau and St. Cyr, and held out obstinately under the leadership of Alvarez until disease and famine compelled it to capitulate, 12 December. Finally, the French conquered the city in 1809, after 7 months of siege. Girona was center of the Ter department during the French rule, which lasted from 1809 to 1813. The defensive city walls were demolished at the end of the 19th century to allow for the expansion of the city. In recent years, the missing parts of the city walls on the eastern side of the city have been reconstructed. Called the Passeig de la Muralla it now forms a tourist route around the old city.

 

Enjoy our photos of Girona!

​BELOW:  Girona is known for it's colorful buildings along the river.

​BELOW:  It's easy to navigate--super signage and quaint streets

​BELOW:  This is La Cathedral

​BELOW:  As we left La Cathedral we walked through this archway.  Beautiful!

​BELOW:  I took this photo of a tiny, tiny courtyard....not sure what the hanging item is for though?

​BELOW AND ABOVE:  Interesting.....

​BELOW:  We walked the "Great Wall" of Girona...that's what we called it.  Look at the map below and find the Catedral.  Follow the red line down and around.  That is the area where we took the photos below!

​BELOW:  The start of our walk--at the Catedral

​BELOW:  There were blue benches to rest on along the way....

​BELOW:  We walked all over the city, walked the wall, and then walked back to the hotel.  We were pleasantly surprised to see this great street art!  It covers the whole side of a building....

​BELOW:  And more below....

​BELOW:  We always like to walk side streets and explore...we came upon this street art.  Goodness.  We were trying to figure out what the story was....what do you think this gorgeous piece of art is about?

 

We hope you've enjoyed a peek at our first day here!  What a great city!

Love and Hugs from Girona,

Ellie and Gary

 

PREPARING FOR THE WEEKEND

Hi everyone,

We're going away for the weekend!  Not sure where!  It's our 7th anniversary!  It's a surprise!

I wonder where we're going????????????

Spain is a big country.......

Have to get ready!

Love and hugs,

Ellie

FRANCOIST SPAIN

Hello everyone,

Eight days ago we shared a blog with you about our 100th day in Barcelona.  We talked about how much we love this city.  How it has captured our hearts.

There are incredible, memorable, unforgettable sites.  The food is gorgeous and the wine lovely.  The weather agrees with us.  But most of all it is the people of Barcelona that we have fallen in love with and will miss the most.

At this point we've met people of many different ages and some have talked to us about living under Franco--the Spanish dictator from 1939 to 1975.  

One woman told us that during the Franco years that you could be killed if anything related to Catalunya or the Catalan language was found on your person or in your home.  In many cases it was death or life in a concentration camp.

Here is a bit more about him if you are interested.....http://www.biography.com/people/francisco-franco-9300766

Love you all lots,

Ellie and Gary

 

From:  Wikipedia

Francisco Franco Bahamonde (Spanish pronunciation: [fɾanˈθisko ˈfɾaŋko βaˈmonde]; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who was the dictator of Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975. Coming from a military background, he became the youngest general in Europe in the 1920s.^[1]

A strong conservative, he was shocked when the monarchy was removed and replaced with a republic in 1931. With the 1936 elections, the conservatives fell and the leftist Popular Front came to power. Looking to overthrow the republic, Franco and other generals staged a partially successful coup, which started the Spanish Civil War. With the death of the other generals, Franco quickly became his faction's only leader.

Franco's Nationalist faction received military support from local fascist, monarchist and right-wing groups, and also from Hitler's Nazi Germany and Mussolini's Fascist Italy, while the Republican faction was suported by local communists, anarchists, and nationalists (Basques, Galicians...), and it also received help from Stalin's USSR and International Brigades. Leaving half a million dead, the war was eventually won by Franco in 1939. He established an autocratic dictatorship, Francoist Spain, which he defined as a totalitarian state,^[2] installing himself as head of state (Caudillo de España, a term seen as the equivalent of the fascist terms duce in Italy and Führer in German) and government, with one legal political party: a merger of the monarchist party and the fascist party which had helped him, FET y de las JONS.

Franco established a repression which was characterized by concentration camps, forced labor and executions, mostly against political and ideological enemies,^{[3][4][5][6][7]} being estimated to have caused from about 200,000 to 400,000 deaths,^[8][9] depending on how death in the more than 190 concentration camps is considered. Arguing that Spain was exhausted following the civil war, Franco remained neutral during the Second World War (with the exception of the short-lived Blue Division). During the Cold War, Franco's regime was assisted by the United States against the USSR and it saw a progressive economical development and a timid democratic improvement.

After a 36-year rule, Franco died in 1975. According to the 1947 referendum, he restored the monarchy before his death, which made King Juan Carlos I his successor. Juan Carlos led the transition to democracy, which effectively created Spain's current political system.