Category Archives: All Suzanne’s travels

Finishing up in London then back to the USA

This trip to Europe, like most for me, ended in London, that sprawling, hectic, loud and somewhat grungy place that reminds me more of New York than of any other European city. I’ve been coming here almost annually for more … Continue reading

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Loving Croatia

Tuesday was my last full day in Rovinj, my new favorite destination in Europe. It is on the Adriatic and ‘Mediterranean sunny’; red tiled roofs; an ancient church in the middle of town at the highest point; narrow, winding alleyways … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travels, Archaeology in Europe, Balkan Europe travel, Croatia travel, European museums, News from Europe | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Round two of the spring trip 2013

Now it’s buon giorno and dobry dan. I did get my seafood dinner in Barceloneta overlooking the Mediterranean. Started with a glass of sparkling cava (why not?), accompanied by bread with garlic and tomato, a small bowl of olives and … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travel essays, All Suzanne's travels, Balkan Europe travel, Croatia travel, Europe food & wine, Italy travel, Spain | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Some quick notes from Europe

Haaj. Hola. Hello! Coming to the end of the first week on vaca. Wi-fi has been spotty to say the least. The hotel in London only had access in the lobby, a real pain. The place I stayed in Alkmaar … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travel essays, All Suzanne's travels, Amsterdam travel, BeNeLux, European art, European festivals, London travel, Netherlands travel, Spain, UK | Leave a comment

Not the same old lawn ornaments

One of the shops at Floriade, the Netherlands’ once-every-ten-years horticultural exhibition, had a variety of plastic lawn ornaments for sale. In addition to the usual ducks, chickens and gnomes, they also had goats and… you won’t believe it… guinea pigs!! … Continue reading

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Lost in Europe or How to lose weight on vacation – part 1

I’ve been working on this blog item for a long time but was prompted to whip it into shape after reading a story on Lance’s Travels, another travel blog, about getting lost in Fez even while using a map. I … Continue reading

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First impressions of Dubrovnik

The first city I visited last year on my Croatia/Slovenia sojourn was Dubrovnik. I was able to a day there on my own getting acquainted with the city before the package tour started. The bus from the airport stops at Pile … Continue reading

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An Alpine slide show

I’ve seen the Alps and they are magnificent. When I flew from London Gatwick to Dubrovnik last September, the flight took us over the Alps. The weather was perfectly clear which allowed for some amazing views of these young, tough … Continue reading

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A slow walk through Ljubljana’s outdoor market

Outdoor produce markets are a fixture throughout Europe and they are becoming more and more common in the US. The outdoor market in Ljubljana, Slovenia not only has row upon row of fruit, vegetable and flower vendors, but also basic … Continue reading

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A visit to Kumrovec, Croatia – Tito’s hometown

The last day of the Croatia-Slovenia tour I took in Sept 2012 included an excursion to Kumrovec, Croatia. Located in northern Croatia about 40 miles from Zagreb, it sits practically on the border with Slovenia. There is a modern town … Continue reading

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A winter wonderland at Tivoli in Copenhagen

One of my favorite memories of Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, December 2011.

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all

A few holiday photos to keep you in the mood. Apologies for the photo quality. Happy Holidays to all! . .

Posted in All Suzanne's travel essays, All Suzanne's travels, Copenhagen travel, Denmark travel, European festivals, General magpie travel, London travel | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

My visit to Munich’s Oktoberfest

Like many people, I’ve wanted to visit Oktoberfest for a long time. This year I got my chance. After arriving in Salzburg, Austria at 5am on the night train from Slovenia, I shoved my luggage into a locker, bought a … Continue reading

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Doorways of Ljubljana

I often find myself drawn to architectural details in my travels. I’m not sure why; maybe it’s just that they often provide the most visual interest. In Ljubljana, Slovenia this past autumn, doors and doorways caught my attention. Here are … Continue reading

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A visual feast at Borough Market

After seeing this outdoor food market on TV several times, I just had to pay a visit on this last trip. Borough Market was not as grandiose as it was on TV (the downside of airing old travel shows). There … Continue reading

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Shoes on a wire in Ljubljana

In case padlocks on a bridge might already be feeling old, a wire strung across the end of a side street near the river has become home to pairs of shoes. Mostly sneakers, tied together by their laces and flung … Continue reading

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Bridges, padlocks and love

Pedestrian bridges in cities around the world are acquiring spontaneous decorations from lovers – padlocks. This global custom is popping up in all sorts of places. While the first city where it cropped up may be an open question (Paris claims … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travels, Austria travel, Balkan Europe travel, General magpie travel, Slovenia travel | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Neum and Počitelj, two small Bosnian towns

I flew to Dubrovnik, Croatia the day before the packaged tour I signed up for began. My express goal was to visit Mostar in Bosnia. There are day trips by bus from Dubrovnik most days. When you look at a … Continue reading

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A Magpie announcement on upcoming posts

For my regular followers and any new visitors – it’s been four months since the end of one of the longest vacations I’ve ever taken. I’m still in a fog of reminiscence as I scroll thru fotos and try to select … Continue reading

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A lazy last week in London and home again

I spent all of last week in London. There were a few things planned – meeting friends for drinks, perhaps seeing a show or two, visiting my favorite outdoor spaces, like Trafalgar Square (always need to see what’s sitting on … Continue reading

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Austria and Germany in one day

This post was writtepn several days ago. I thought I had published it but then, I’m still coming to terms with my #&$%$# tablet… The night train arrived in Salzburg, Austria yesterday morning at 5am. This was better than expected. … Continue reading

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Revisiting the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Part 1

The Old Man of the Mountain fell apart in 2003, a victim of thousands of years of weather and an ultimately unsuccessful patch job. This rocky profile on the side of Cannon Mt  inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, The Great … Continue reading

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Memories of Reykjavik for a WWII veteran and a first-timer

When Dad served in the US Army during WWII, he spent the best part of two years in Iceland before moving on to Normandy, Belgium and the Rhineland. When he and I went to Europe in 2002 to walk the … Continue reading

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Hotel for sale in Prague

I remember walking past the Four Seasons the day I tried to visit Prague Castle. The Castle was closed because Medvedev was on the premises. The security forces guarding the hotel entrance were much more imposing (“You stay away or we … Continue reading

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