Month: May 2017

If you’d like something, just ask!   I am always open to ideas for posts. One of my friends suggested I post the cats of Sancerre. I’ll do better than that: here are some memorable animals I found along the road, near and far.

It’s not easy to photograph animals, since they’re always on the move. The egret, above, was taken at Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA.  As you can imagine, most animal pictures come with a story.

Parisians love their pets, especially their dogs, and these animals were found along the streets of the city.

I found this fellow in the door in the Marais district. His owner owned the shop.

This puppy was going in the beauty salon. Time for a shampoo?

These ladies were enjoying their drinks, while their dogs waited patiently.

This is Zsa Zsa, who was the hostess at the Auberge des Deux Ponts, a café on the Ile Saint-Louis. She’s taking a rest from her duties after checking on the customers.

Close encounters of the canine kind almost ended in a fight at the entrance to the supermarket.

We ran into many felines in the Alhambra, in Granada, Spain:

The lady had a sandwich. The cat wanted the sandwich. The cat begged. The lady relented.

Strolling the streets of Granada, we ran across this pup who was ready for a walk.

This is an urban cat: a Londoner, who lives on a houseboat in the delightful area called Little Venice.

A trip to the Dordogne area of France on a hiking tour brought us up close and personal with all kinds of lovely beasts.

This is my site logo. Title? Assmates. I have another photo with these guys I call fornicating. I won’t post it. You can use your imagination.

This flirty kitty in Sarlat posed from the security of her window,

while another feline in the ‘hood climbs up rooftops.

 

We met many cats in Athens, in the shadow of the Acropolis:

My trip to Sicily brought a treasure trove of animals:

On the farm: Sunday dinner?

Strolling home after a long day out on the pasture,

or enjoying lunch with the ladies at a sidewalk café in Catania

or keeping the ladies of the evening company in the red light district of Catania…these animals had jobs to do!

I found this shy feline in Erice.

In Syracuse, the cat watches from its perch, knows all but tells no secrets.

 

Another working cat: Palermo pussycat greets visitors as they enter  one of the stores in the commercial center.

Riding a mule on Mt Etna made this a real kick-ass adventure for me! No, I did not kick the ass.  No animals were harmed in the  making of this photo.

 

This is Félix, from the Burgundy area of France, in the tiny village of Saint-Denis-de-Vaux. He was very patient while I chased him around and took many pictures of him.

There were loads of cats in the Botanical Gardens of Buenos Aires. This one is trying to grab a fish from the pond.

We visited the zoo there, and met a lovely giraffe.

We flew north and met a coati at Iguazu Falls, the UNESCO World Heritage site and national park between Argentina and Brazil.

The park has an abundance of gorgeous wildlife.

 

The region of Provence in France brought me in contact with

a black and white friend in Fontaine de Vaucluse

and a ginger cat in Gigondas

 

In Sancerre, in the Loire Valley,

This friendly black car hung out at the language school I was attending, much to the disgust of the directrice, Marianne. She did not like him and he knew it; he hung around, maybe just to tease her..you think?

Everyone in Sancerre knew Confetti the cat. He hung out at the window of the Italian restaurant near the ashtray, peering in the window, hoping for some take-out pasta .  I’d also find him sitting on warm cars on cool  mornings.

Closer to home, LA brings me into contact with animals: This was the tough guy of the neighborhood. Cats would run from him. He showed no mercy.

Blanca lived in the lovely home of a ceramicist; a friend and I did some house-and-cat sitting here.

We end the tour where we began, at Lake Merritt in Oakland. A friend and I walked the lake together every Sunday morning for years. One day, a cat came from out of the bushes.  His name tag showed him to be Park Kitty. He disappeared for a time, then returned with a new pink heart tag,  a new name –  Teddy – and phone number of the nature center. He was a park “employee” and, as he had no other home, he was fed by one of the park rangers. Teddy was such a friendly fellow. He would run up to us, visit and let us give him a cuddle every Sunday.

Unfortunately, because of budget cuts, the ranger was let go and Teddy experienced various privations, from lack of food to wounds inflicted by larger animals. Teddy’s friends banded together, and a plea to the residents from an article in the local paper was answered: Teddy retired to a nice, large farmhouse south of Oakland, where he enjoyed the company of two loving humans and a family composed of other welcoming animals.

Aren’t you glad this story had a happy ending?

Feel free to offer any suggestions for posts ! I will be happy to comply, if I can.

  

Knowing a foreign language can come in handy.

I was staying in the idyllic village of Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes, in Provence a few years ago on a ten-day small group photo tour with my sister. We were strolling the streets of the village with two other ladies when I saw some lovely flowers along the edge of the street. As I ventured over, I wasn’t certain if I was still on the village land or private property as I snapped the photos;  I heard a voice asking me what I was doing – “Qu’est-ce que vous faites là?!” the voice demanded. There was a woman looking at me out her window.  Embarrassed, I apologized for trespassing and said that her flowers were just so lovely,  that we were on a photo tour, and I was so impressed by her beautiful blossoms that I had to photograph them. She asked where we were from as she wanted to know where her flowers were going to be seen. I said we were Americans and introduced myself, from California, my sister, from Hawaii and the two other ladies, who were from Nebraska.

She explained that the village was occupied by the Germans during WWII when she was eight years old and she was very frightened of these foreign invaders. The Americans liberated the village. They came in with smiles and treats for the residents, including chewing gum and chocolate for the children. She never forgot that day. She wasn’t afraid of them. The village was joyous; it was a new beginning.

She asked me to tell this story and to thank the people in our country.  I am retelling this story to you as a reminder that we never forget kindness.  She allowed me to take her picture.

 

I was in a French language immersion program at Coeur de France language school in Sancerre, in the Loire valley last summer.  I’d heard of a man who acted as the unofficial “watchguard” and friends, who attended the school three years in a row, would  look for him every year. This man was always looking out his window at the goings-on in the village  I stayed in the school on the second floor and my window was directly across from his. I spent my time practicing the language, mingling with my new friends, and going on excursions to neighboring villages, but I never saw this mysterious man.  I began to think he was a phantom, like Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird. 

On my last day in the village, I was picked up by the local taxi lady to be taken to the train station in the next town. I got in the taxi, looked up, and voilà! There he was! The taxi lady, like everyone else in this small village, knew him and she called up to him. He looked down and smiled at us.  I quickly grabbed my iPhone  to get this image.  It was nice to finally see him.

 

 

 

 

 

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“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much fun as simply messing about in boats.” The Wind in the Willows.

 

There are many ways to travel.  In my youth, travel meant running around to “see it all” – my favorite Renoir at the Jeu de Paume museum, the lights of Garnier Opera House at sunset, the view of the Eiffel Tower from the Seine. I mentally checked off each adventure and eventually ran out of days.  By the time I got home I was exhausted. I needed a vacation! Eventually I learned not seeing it all was an exercise in futility but also an excuse to return.

It took me quite a few years before I learned that it is possible to have a relaxing as well as an educational trip.  I took my first cruise!  A friend and I stayed in a  beach resort outside Athens  for a week, then boarded a small ship to cruise from Piraeus to Istanbul.  There were no frills as compared to today’s grand voyages: no rock wall, no mini mall, no multiple dining venues.  A local band played nightly and we danced.  There was a shipboard male and female beauty contest. We ate fantastic food at leisurely dinners with a mix of European, Canadian and American passengers as we chatted long into the night.  I was able to serve as translator for the many French passengers with conversations on a wide range of topics.  We left the ship daily to explore a new island.  We strolled through the shops in Mykonos, marveled at the ruins of Ephesus, rented motorcycles to explore Rhodes, rode a mule to the top of Santorini, sailed through the straits of Dardanelles and got lost in the wonders of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.  My traveling companion was a Greek-American, fluent in the language, who’d lived and taught English in Athens for a time. He was the one  who arranged the deals on the motorcycles and mule, and bargained with us for the perfect hand made tile or vase at local crafts markets. I could read, relax, lie on the deck and enjoy sunbathing on the beaches.  I also soaked in the local culture. I saw what I wanted to see yet wasn’t exhausted at the end of the day.  It was a real vacation!

I was hooked on cruising!

Since then I’ve taken ocean cruises on medium-size ships to the East Coast, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii and Europe.  I’ve cruised the Mediterranean and the Baltic.  I’ve seen cities from Sitka to St. Petersburg, only unpacking once.  I’ve been wined, dined, and entertained in style. Ocean cruises offer tons of choices for activities and dining for all ages for a reasonable price.  The cruise industry has taken off and for good reason.  Touring is now available for those who have neither the time or energy to”run around to see it all” as I did in my youth.  There is something for everyone to do regardless of age or interests. Families find it an ideal way to travel, and cruise ships are packed during summer and the holidays.

River cruising has also gained in popularity in recent years. The pace is slower, the activities aren’t as varied, yet there is usually a stop each day, with excursions.  I’ve been on a Seine river cruise, and highlights included seeing Honfleur and  Monet’s gardens at Giverny.  For me, the pièce de résistance was docking in Paris, with a view of the Eiffel Tower.  I mean, how cool is that?!  My most recent river cruise was down the Mississippi to New Orleans from St. Louis, designed not only to see the sights but to treasure time sailing slowly, watching the river as it meandered through towns and listening to lectures by the riverloreans, who discussed the river’s history, flora and fauna. Wonderful entertainment was brought in from shore: a jazz group from Memphis and the Liberty Belles, three lady singers in period clothing from the D-Day Museum in New Orleans performing songs from the 40s were two memorable ones. Passengers enjoyed the leisurely transit gazing at the changing vistas from the comfort of the spacious veranda of their staterooms or on the outside decks.

Are there downsides to cruising? Oh, sure.  Some people don’t like being cooped up on a ship during sea days especially during transatlantic and transpacific cruises.  I’ve been on both, and have never had that feeling.  Others feel the days are too programmed. When multiple cruise ships are in port, it can get crowded, impossible to see that special painting in the museum as you’re being herded about like sheep.  There’s no in-depth study, just an snapshot of a city or area, with a hope to return or a resolve never to go back to THAT place again!

For me, nothing beats being on a ship at the beginning of the day, watching the sun rise as we pull into a port at dawn: we greet a new day, with a new city to explore.

And at the end of the day, we can watch the sunset, as the brilliant colors paint the merging of sky and sea.

Have you tried messing about in boats? Maybe you should!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and have lived there most of my life, except for my college years. As a little kid, my sister and I would take the bus into “the City” with our mother, who, as a young immigrant girl from Northern Ireland,worked in the Emporium department store before she married and moved away. We met her friends, had lunch, went shopping and enjoyed the rides on the rooftop at Christmas. I had my picture taken every year with Santa. Those were my favorite days.

As an adult, I never tire of the City, as it is constantly changing yet it still remains the same. The fog is still there. The views of the bay change with new buildings, but the charm is still there. I am intrigued  by the changes in the different neighborhoods and love riding the bus from the Embarcadero all the way across the city to the Legion of Honor, as people get on and off, with their grocery bags and backpacks. I walk the many steps on Greenwich street to the top to see Coit Tower. North Beach, Chinatown, the Mission: it’s all there in the City. I go in often to see a ballet or an exhibit at SFMOMA or the de Young or the Palace. We are so lucky to have so many cultural offering so close at hand..and then there’s the food..oh, no, don’t get me started. There are numerous sites devoted to the food of San Francisco. It would take a lifetime to sample it all.

San Francisco is my almost home and my favorite city.

 

When I was in college, as a French major my goal was to visit France before I began my teaching career. Paris has been my second favorite city ever since that first trip following graduation. I can’t resist its wide boulevards, cafes, museums and monuments. I have been fortunate enough to stay in apartments several times over the years for extended stays, and became a temporary resident of the neighborhood. Vendors in the market recognized me. The lady at the boulangerie, where I’d get my croissants and baguettes would smile and call out a friendly “Bonjour!” The French are a very welcoming people. There is always something new to see or discover: a special exhibit, a new restaurant, a new neighborhood. Hemingway said Paris is “a moveable feast” and it has always stayed with me, no matter where I am. I long to return.

I guess I left my heart in two places: Paris and San Francisco..

It is not easy to choose a domain name.

I thought of titles like teacher travel or senior sojourns. Nope. Boring.

I’ve always liked the phrase “kick-ass.” I remember my nephew saying his dad had a kick-ass job.   Most people would call it a long and distinguished career. I prefer kick-ass. There’s a little spark to the word and it’s fun to say.

I’ve gotten mixed reactions when I tell friends I’m doing a new site called kick-ass travel. Some like the word and think the site will be fun; others don’t like it at all.

George H W Bush jumped out of an airplane to celebrate his ninetieth birthday. That’s one excellent adventure. That’s  kick-ass.

I am very lucky to have led a fun, maybe even kick-ass life as I’ve traveled on excellent adventures, both near and far from home, and I’ll tell you all – hmmm, maybe not all – about them. I enjoy making new memories with words and images.

You can follow along as I embark on new adventures.

I’m building this lighthearted site, full of photos with stories to match.

I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to let me know how you feel about it.

WELCOME!