Melted cheese under a grill, served over boiled potatoes and a variety of traditional meats. We spend our Sunday afternoon sampling the fine wines of the Languedoc. After, our hosts take us for a walk to work off our lunch. In Beziers, we find a park along the River Orb with giant trees for Daniel…
Mom has been visiting our family in France for over six weeks and with Daniel and Angelina’s school schedule, we have not shown her much of France or the neighbouring countries. We decided to change all that and take her to Barcelona on a three-day excursion. We drove the 2 hours and 45 minutes to…
The mayor’s wife sent over a giant organic savoy cabbage from her father’s garden, and along with the generous gift, she told me how she makes her favourite soup from duck confit. Confit is a traditional French dish of slow cooked duck in its own fat. The end result is a…
Imagine finding a statue of a Black Madonna in a cave high up on a mountainside: a relic from a time past, with a story to be sure. Some believe The Virgin of Montserrat – The Black Madonna was carved in the early days of the church, others say as late as the 12th century….
Gladiators were fighters who entertained Roman Empire. They fought animals, other gladiators and condemned criminals. Some were volunteers who risked their social standing in the arena. Most were slaves and despised, segregated in death. If they died well they could elevate their status Built in 70 AD, the…
Gaudi created Güell Park with the intension of establishing an elite neighbourhood for 60 houses in a setting high on the hillside, away from the smoke and pollution of the city of Barcelona below. The park and its roads were designed with natural forms and lines in mind. To enter the park it is free…
Barcelona Spain Picasso Museum is for the art lover. A little known fact about my past- I worked 10 years for an Art Gallery where I met local and famous artists like Carl Brenders, Terry Isaac and Robert Bateman and participated in signings and sales in the Canadian art scene. I loved my job and…
If you do one thing outside of budget on your trip to Barcelona, go inside Sagrada Familia Temple. The large Catholic Church draws tourist from around the world. In 2010 Pope Benedict XVI declares the temple a minor Basilica. The unfinished work by Antoni Gaudi is different than any other church. Its vastness alone is…
Like this photo, when you visualize the course of your immediate future, what do you see on the horizon? New Year’s Resolutions 2013 It is the season for vowing to stop smoking, lose ten pounds and stop yelling at your kids. Do resolutions work for you? Here is my list… Finish My Book I had…
Merry Christmas to all our family and friends around the world. We would like to share our Christmas with you. Please feel free to view the photo gallery. I added extra shots for you to enjoy. Our first friends showed up around 7:30 with their four kids. I envisioned feeding all the children first, while…