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Showing posts from August, 2008

Country #75: Monaco day tripping

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EZES The Exotic Garden MONACO The Monte Carlo putting every single Vegas casino to shame. A few wee dinghies The harbour The Royal Palace CANNES At this moment, I am sitting in a motel room in Jacksonville, trying to put myself back in the frame of mind of someone lounging on the French Riviera. Strangely enough, it is not working. I know I could try, most likely in vain, to express the thrill of walking around the hilltop town of Ezes, looking down upon some of the world's choicest real estate and the majesty of the drive that got us there. I could try to recall how fabulous we felt sipping cocktails at the Hotel de Paris, watching caricature-like women with tiny dogs and frightening tans walking in and out of the Monte Carlo casino. Or lunching on the beach in Cannes, after having walked on the red carpet at the main screening theater. I could write about all the mental notes I was making as I was devising my plans to return. But the truth is th

That's Nice.

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The view from the Chateau The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Niki de Saint Phalle's angels enjoying a lovely day I'd like to start this post by thanking everyone who through posts, e-mails, phone calls, etc. shared their kind words and remembrances about my baby, Amber Starr. It is tough being home, looking towards her favorite chair and finding it empty, but it is good to know that she touched so many of those who knew her. Now back to the travel business on this here travel blog. The scene: August in Amsterdam. We had just enough time for one more European jaunt before having to pack our bags and return to a land without last minute cheapo flights. We decided we ought to make it worthwhile, we wanted somewhere relaxing, yet glamorous, but it had to have things to do and see, and we wanted good food. Nice wines wouldn't hurt. I, of course, wanted to hit a new country. The answer to all our demands came via one of Amsterdam's wonderful discoun

Amber Starr Pozo

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1987-2008 Twenty-one years ago, I was dating my first “serious” boyfriend, Richard and Xmas was approaching. Every time he asked me what it was that I wanted, I repeated the same answer, I wanted a Persian Cat. He was pretty tight and realizing how much a pure breed cat was going to cost, he tried all kinds of tactics to try to get me to give him a different response (ie. What would be the second best thing I could get you for Xmas? Response: Nothing, I want a Persian Cat). In the end, my stubbornness won out and on December 25, 1987, I was presented with the most gorgeous cream colored Persian kitten to have ever graced this earth. She had a shy disposition, big beautiful amber eyes and as a testament to Richard’s cheapness and the questionable breeder he must have gone to for the lowest price, she also had fleas, ringworm and was in desperate need for a bath. It was love at first sight. For me and the kitten that is, Richard was out of the picture by summertime. In the two decades

Country #74: Going small in Luxembourg

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View of the Viaduct The Adolphe Bridge Looking out through the casemates Vianden .. and its castle. As I prepare to wind up my summer ala Dutch (an unavoidable return to reality is currently scheduled for September 1st), I have decided that I need to focus on what is really important. I must use my time wisely and set about to achieve my pre-determined, yet noble goal. That goal: to kick my beloved's ass in Count the Countries. And it is not like I am not giving my dear Shawn a fighting chance...I am the one that planned last month's excursion to southern Spain, which allowed him to add a country and cut into my (not significant enough) lead. So, in an effort to counteract this self-inflicted damage, and because there are hourly trains from Amsterdam, making it just too easy, my friend, Diana and I put in a visit to the wee country of Luxembourg. I figured that with a country half the size of Delaware (51 miles long and 35 miles wide... and by that I mea