Happy Thanksgiving to All

Please enjoy photos from my recent adventure to Kauai and Seattle/Bainbridge Island which I enjoyed with my friend, Robbie and her friend, Kris.  I do get around!!!

I’m very thankful for all of you.  Each of you has touched my life in special ways.  I’m very fortunate😊

What do you think--Kauai sunset or sunrise?

 

Ditto?

 

Ditto??

 

Kilauea Lighthouse and Bird Sanctuary

From the Lighthouse you can see Bali Hai in the distance.

 

 

Debbie is a friend who is a docent at the Lighthouse and she gave us a special tour:) 

 

Long story which I'll make short--we are on our way to the North Shore, Hanalei.  Last year they had 50 inches of rain in just 24 hours and it wiped out that part of the island including the famous one lane bridges.  They are rebuilding, but a slow process, BUT...

...we were finally able to get to my favorite part of the island and favorite resort, Hanalei Colony Resort!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is this paradise or what!

 

Rebuilding

Still building and many of the bridges are now concrete which is good for the 100 year flood, but it does take away from those old see through slates where you felt like nothing was between you and the ocean!

 

Grand Hyatt.  Is it a picture or ?

 

Love his expression!  Is he guarding the restroom LOL

 

Full moon

 

Amazing full moon

 

Our last night with another amazing experience:)

 

Bainbridge Island with view of Puget Sound.



Kris spotted this--can you see the bird?  We think he's a heron.  What do you think?  He entertained us for quite awhile.

 

Kris took us on a beautiful walk through Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island.

 

A Room with a View--Seattle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's not a cruise, but a crossing! I just returned from a 7-day transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2. Something I have always wanted to do and I'm not a cruise person, BUT this far exceeded my dreams:)

It was a voyage of wonder and discovery.  To be in the middle of the Atlantic with no land in sight I think is an explorer's dream...at least, this explorer.  I was on Cunard's QM2 with 17 dogs and 2 cats having their own kennels or maybe staterooms.  I felt as though I had gone back in time.

Getting ready to leave New York for Southampton, England/see info on this crossing, QM2

What a sight!

And I have a balcony!  I wonder if the dogs and cats do?

 

 

View from my stateroom!

 

A library with a view!

 

The dining room where I met the Captain.

 

Someone knew how much I love chocolate...and it's own room...with a view!

 

I love the ocean.  Out there it seemed to go on forever.  Did I mention no stopping for 7 days!

 

All afternoon high teas have their own harpist, don't they?

Sunset

At 8:30pm Sunday night we passed the spot where the Titanic had gone down...very eerie.

 

There are 13 decks and this is the 7th one which is the promenade where you would find walkers and joggers...and me.  The weather was unusually warm and the Atlantic was unusually calm so people used these lounges to enjoy the sun/ocean and/or read...or nap!

The bridge.  There's a glassed hallway where you could observe all that went on in the bridge which I did several times.

 

Rainbows are always good omens.  You don't often see the beginning and the end.

Spectacular sunrise!  This was my favorite thing to do...stand at this spot on deck 7 watching the ocean.  I did see a whale and some dolphins.  But the allure was always the ocean.

 

I had to do a selfie:)

We only saw a few container ships, but nothing else for 7 days!!!  Oh! there were a few sparrows that I guess hoped a ride to merry ole' England.

They changed the real flowers daily.

This was our table with Oscar, Ben, Heather, me and John.  We really had a good, fun group!

 

On the last day, the choir made up of passengers entertained us...see Heather!  There was plenty to do on broad or not to do.  I heard some good lectures--one on the oceans and also went to a wine pairing...or back up to deck 7 and the deep blue....

It was another time.

 

But alas after the crossing I did spend a few days in London.  I just happened to find Christie's Auction House and went in for a viewing.

 

Iconic photo

On my last night I went to High Tea at the Savoy...

...a celebration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brett and Stephanie's wedding in Taormina, Sicily-to Rome-to Pienza and LeTraverse in Tuscany with my friend, Pinuccia

It was all a fairy tale from the beautiful wedding of my son, Brett and his fiancee, Stephanie to enjoying Rome with my grandkids, Bodhi and Shayne to driving all by myself from Rome Airport to Pienza and back…not without some trepidation.  But hey! I had Siri so what could go wrong!!!
I didn’t take any photos of the wedding so I thank my daughter-in-law, Melissa for her photos.  With all my ventures into Italy, this was my first time in Rome and I was so impressed with the Colosseum and the Vatican.  In the past, I’ve taken many photos of Pienza so this time I sought to capture something different.
Please enjoy the adventure along with me…………

Finally, I made it to Taormina, Sicily to have dinner with my grandkids!

Who doesn't like gelato!

Getting ready for the wedding--junior bridesmaid and bride:)

Possibly Men in Black!  As they were making their way to the wedding, people were coming out of stores taking photos and parting the way............

What can I say...the wedding and venue were touching and spectacular!

My grandkids!

....with the Mediterranean Sea in the background....

My older son, Gary and best man.

Everyone got a tiny bottle of Limoncello:)

....and the ancient Greco Roman Theatre on the other side....

The hilltop town of Taormina.

This is Taormina's seaside and to get down there from up top you have to take a funicular AND then still walk down many steps!

My only photo of Mt. Etna, an active volcano was from the taxi window!  Next time:)

The Colosseum...so incredible!

I couldn't resist.

Anybody can take a photo of the Trevi Fountain, but I wanted to capture the crowds trying to get a selfie while throwing a coin in for good luck!

Inside the Pantheon.

The Vatican with St. Peter's Basilica.

On our way to the Sistine Chapel.

Inside St. Peter's which goes on and on forever.  We were able to go down into the crypt where the popes are buried.   

The pope's balcony that you see on tv.

Ah! the quiet of LeTraverse looking towards the hilltop village of Pienza:)

My Pienza even though it was very hot!

My dear friend, Pinuccia who owns LeTraverse, the agriturismo.

I met her grandson, Eduardo and his friends and enjoyed a wonderful lunch at her home.

Out for a walk....

The best panna cotta!

We attended a Juilliard concert inside this ancient little church.  Wonderful!

Afterwards, dinner and wine were provided by the village.

Saying goodbye to Pienza for now....