Travel Tips

In the Highlands of Scotland along the western coast, you find the lovely Inverewe Gardens. This was taken during rhododendron season which may be the nicest season of all . . . spring weather and no midges!

The Tuileries Gardens in Paris. I love it there. This is an autumn shot during the Bernar Venet exhibit. We saw these huge sculptures again in Nice a few years later. I wonder how they move something that large.

The Tuileries have everything, the Louvre at one end, fountains, sculpture, cafes, two major museums at the end opposite the Louvre, secluded chairs and benches and very public chairs and benches, ducks and fish to feed, a carousel in the summer . . . along with a regular county-type fair. It is such a fun place and in the summer there are flowers.

This is another favorite garden and we've managed to visit in nearly every season. They change the plantings each year so it is always new and exciting. It takes an entire day to visit the chateau and walk through the gardens. We were even persuaded into the maze by our youngest daughter when she was with us once. In the center, you climb a viewing platform and plot your way out . . . while enjoying the marvelous view.

The gardens are justifiably famous but don't miss touring the chateau. They have continued renovations over the years and it gets better with each visit. The rooms are nicely furnished and if you climb the tower, the views from the top are stunning.

When in Perpignan, you must visit the Palace of the Kings of Majorca, Le Castillet and the Cathedral St. Jean. When you're ready for lunch, head toward the river Tet and you will come to this charming canal. There will be flowers planted and sculptures along the canal and lining the banks you will find outdoor cafes where you can enjoy the view and have a long leisurely lunch.

We were on a search for storks when we first visited Strasbourg. Friends told us about them and said we must not miss them. We took a boat tour, walked to all the sights, rode the trolley and then set off looking for storks. A kindly person directed us to the Orangerie, a large park just to the southeast of the Palais de l'Europe, where we found the stork preservation area. You hear the clacking as you approach and just follow the sound. It is stork bills clacking together. There are standing storks, walking storks, nesting storks and storks that seemed to be people watching. There are also storks flying over the park and landing on roofs and chimneys. It was great fun and highly recommended. The park is lovely too. There was an outdoor wedding that day and we enjoyed from a distance.

When you visit the marvelous Cathedral St. Etienne in Bourges, France, it's difficult to get a good photo from the front because there are buildings just across the street and the cathedral is so tall it won't fit in the picture. I was disappointed until we found the beautiful gardens behind the cathedral. You an get gorgeous photos of the cathedral from the gardens and the bonus is a visit to the very pleasant and fragrant garden.

Chateau Vascoeuil is one of the hidden treasures of Normandy. If you visit Giverny, take the time to find Chateau Vascoeuil just northwest of Giverny. The chateau is a pleasant visit and there are often visiting art exhibits in the pigeonnaire but the fun is visiting the extensive garden with many wonderful sculptures and a stream and waterfall running through it. There is a marvelous tea room by the waterfall for a delightful outdoor lunch.

This is a highly recommended side trip.

This falls into the category of gardens in strange places. When you go through the Museum of Modern Art in Nice on the French Riviera, you wind your way to the top only to discover a garden on the roof. Needless to say, the views from the roof garden over Nice and the Mediterranean are thrilling. We were there in the early autumn on a very windy day so we were trying desperately not to be blown off. The wind was blowing so hard I had trouble holding my camera steady and this is one of the steadier pictures I took up there. It really was worth it though because the views were excellent and the museum was truly fun.