Travel on The Jamison Family

France 2024 - Day 13

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Saint-Chapelle

Our final day in France started with a visit to a little park near our hotel. The Park has a special past with a small chapel in it. Chapelle Expiatoire was the original burial ground for those beheaded during the French revolution, it was the remote burial ground for St. Denitz Church outside of the city of Paris in those days. King Luis XV, his wife, Marie Antionette, and other loyalists were buried here for 21 years. The graves were relocated 21 years later. There were calls to destroy the chapel after the revolution, but the site was fortmally saved in 1800 when it was protected by the state. The site is relatively unknown to tourists but is still in favor with French monarchists to this day.

France 2024 - Day 12

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Versailles

Louis XIII built a hunting lodge outside of Paris where his very young son developed some fond memories. At age 5 Louis XIII died and that young son was to be the next king. His mother and a court elder ruled until Louis XIV turned 17. Once king, he decided to turn that hunting lodge into his main palace, And, what a palace he built. Unlike other kings, XIV was actively involved with the building process which meant that process never really ended during his reign. He loved dancing, dressing fashionably and women. He kept his court under observation by mandating their services at the palace throughout each day.

France 2024 - Day 11

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Remembrance

Our final day of the tour was back near the beaches where many of those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom lie. We started at the newly completed British memorial where the names of all the dead and missing are listed. we then drove across Sword, Juno and Utah beaches where we saw the remnants of the British main-made harbor. Finally, we toured the American cemetery off Utah beach. It seemed almost fitting the rain was pouring down on us for the first time all week, The place is somber and peaceful at the same time. We cry tears of sadness for the lives lost and, at the same time, tears of humility for being gifted the freedom they passed on to us.

France 2024 - Day 10

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Falaise Pocket

After the failure of the german counter-offensive, the rout was on. The Britishm Canadians and Polish forces were finally pushing the Germans back. Meanwhile, the American Forces had cleared the Cherborg peninsula and were heading towards central France. The combine efforts afforded an opportunity to encircle the German army. The Germans were most aware of this peril and began to push eastward. First the pace was deliberate, but then it turned into a panicked retreat.

France 2024 - Day 9

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Operation Cobra

The grind of the bacage fighting in western France and the battle of attrition to the east was weighing heavily upon the allied command. Clearly, something had to be done. General Omar Bradley, usually known to be methodical and conservative in his planning, came up with an ambitious plan to break out of the grind. Operation Cobra was to apply the highest level of artillery and air power ordinance into a roughly one by three mile box outside of Avranches. The plan started out slowly at first, but then turned into a rout of the Germans. Territorial gains which previously took weeks were accomplished in days and hours.

France 2024 - Day 8

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

U.S. Airborne and La Haye du Puits

Today we continued looking at the American sector and the continued slow, deadly progress in the Cherbourg peninsula. Over the course of the first weeks of the Normandy campaign, the Americans took on tactics which were more lethal for the Germans, but also, unfortunately, for the French civilians. We spent some time in St. Lo where the pictures show the entire town was leveled. The decisions to change tactics was not one of haste or indifference, but of a measured choice which produced the least awful consequences.

France 2024 - Day 7

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Terrain Day

With the initial securing of the beach heads allied forces began to move inland. The British, Canadian and Polish troups started a head-to-head battle with the Germans protecting Caen and other routes east. Canadian troups had to hold ground to protect the left (eastern) flank for the entire invasion force. The Americans had need to proceed west and cut of and then occupy the Cherbourg peninsula. The Americans came to quickly know and hate the bocage which is typically two rows of trees aligned on either side if a path with mud banks up to eight feet high. Used by locals to herd livestock, they are a ready-made defensive asset. Entering a field, U.S. troops would not know if a motor or MG was waiting for them to all get into the clearing and become targets with nowhere to hide. It took over a month to accomplish what was initially thought to be a task of a few days. The invasion morphed from a successful landing phase to one of attrition and slow progress.

France 2024 - Day 6

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Commando Day

Today we focused on the eastern sections of D-Day including Sword beach and its defenses. A major part of these operations included the Commando raids, especially the famous “Pegasus Bridge” raid. The British efforts included the Commonwealth nations including Canada. As Paul Woodadge put it “Canada really punched above its weight.” While the initial landings on all beaches were very successful, this good fortune was about to become more difficult over the weeks preceding June 6.

France 2024 - Day 5

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Omaha Beach

Our first day of the WW2TV tour started out on the sands Omaha Beach, We arrives shortly after low tide and learned first hand how fast the tide rises and how it creates troughs and sand bars along the shoreline. We then visited bunkers and Weiderstandnester on the bluffs above the beach. We walked the five draws, plus “Cota’s Draw”, which were the primary target for the first waves of allied troops.

France 2024 - Day 4

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Paris to Bayoux

Saturday was a day of travel by train from the Gare Saint-Lazare station in Paris to the town of Bayeux in Normandy. The train trip was very nice as we rolled through the French countryside. We arrive in Bayuex and made our way to the Hotel Belle-Normandy. Our room was the “General Patton” room which was very spacious and welcoming.

France 2024 - Day 3

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 14:07:08 -0700

The Louvre

For our 38th anniversery, we did the usual thing and celebrated it at the Louvre Museum. What can you say about the Louvre, but “Ouah“? Natalie, our tour guide, was fantastique! The pictures do not do justice to the scope of the collections there. After the Louvre, we had a wonderful steak dinner at the “Hippopotamus” restaurant.

France 2024 - Day 2

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 14:07:08 -0700

The River Seine

We booked a day-long Batoboat Water Taxi service to cruise up and down the river Seine. Making our way to our pickup spot at the Louvre, we walked through the magnificant Jardin des Tuileries. Then we boarded our water taxi and cruised up and down the Seine. As our photos reveal, a lot of history and architecture aligns the river. We left the our Batoboat taxi and had a lovely lunch on the left bank of the Seine. We then visited Notre Dame cathedral which is nearing its recovery and renovation after the terrible fire of April 2019. The we took the subway back to Saint-Lazare and picked up dinner to take back to the hotel from the market place in the subway/train station.

France 2024 - Day 1

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Phoenix to Paris

We flew the new Air France flight from Phoenix direct to Paris. It was a 10 Hour flight with a very short night. Air France’s food and service were excellent! We left on a Tuesday afternoon and arrived very, very tired in Paris Wednesday morning. We checked into our hotel and went out for a few short walks.

Hawaii 2024 - Day 8

Thu, 09 May 2024 13:32:55 -0700

===

Home

Hawaii 2024 - Day 7

Wed, 08 May 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Bishop Museum and Hot Pot Dinner

Hawaii 2024 - Day 6

Tue, 07 May 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Kalama Beach Park and a Lua

Hawaii 2024 - Day 5

Mon, 06 May 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Pearl Harbor: U.S.S. Missouri, Aviation Museum, U.S.S. Bowfin

Hawaii 2024 - Day 4

Sun, 05 May 2024 13:32:55 -0700

===

Arizona Memorial, Korean BBQ

Hawaii 2024 - Day 3

Sat, 04 May 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Dinner Cruse

Hawaii 2024 - Day 2

Fri, 03 May 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Southeast Coast, Waikiki Fireworks

Hawaii 2024 - Day 1

Thu, 02 May 2024 13:32:55 -0700

Coffee, Pineapples, and the North Shore

San Antonio 2022

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 13:32:55 -0700

Ian at a recording session in Tempe, AZ.

Day 11 - Madrid and Segovia

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 12:32:55 -0700

The final day started with a bus tour of Madrid with a local specialist concluding with a walk around the Royal Palace. Then we drove north to Segovia to see the aqueduct and sites.

Day 10 - Salamnca, Avila, Toledo, Madrid

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 12:32:55 -0700

Another early wakeup call, breakfast and on our way to a vista of the walled city of Avila. A surprise chocolate and churros morning snack was followed by a drive through the countryside of Castile La Mancha to Toledo. Then back to Madrid to complete the circle tour.

Day 9 - Lisbao to Salamanca

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 12:32:55 -0700

Day 9’s first stop was Fatima. We were fortunate to arrive just as a mass in the chapel located on the spot where Mary appeared to the three shepherds. We then rode through the countryside and onto Coimbra, Portugal. We then drove to Salamanca, Spain for a night walk and dinner.

Day 8 - Sintra, Estoril, Cascais, Lisbao

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 12:32:55 -0700

The morning excursion to the west of Lisbao included a palace in Sintra, a drive through Estoril and the costal fishing port of Cascias. Then we went back to Lisbao for a local guided tour of the Jerónimos Monastery. Finally, a ferry ride across the Tagus River ended with a local seafood extravaganza dinner.

Sintra National Palace

Praia do Guincho

Cascais, Portugal

They only serve people named Paul???

They served us a sub right before dinner

Day 7 - Evora to Lisbao

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 12:32:55 -0700

Leaving Evora, our first stop was Monsaraz, a medieval town atop a mountain. Then on to the capitol city of Lisbao. We walked the main square area, ate lunch and toured the river bank..

Day 6 - Sevilla to Evora

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 12:32:55 -0700

Day six started early as we headed west across Andalucía to the Guadiana river into Alentejo Portugal. Our first stop was a Lusitano horse farm named Monte Negro. The farm has been in the same family for three hundred years. After learning about the farm’s history and the horses, we had a delicious lunch featuring home grown, home made ingredients.

Day 5 - Jerez and Cádiz

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:32:55 -0700

A day trip from Sevilla to Jerez de la Frontera and the ancient port city of Cádiz. The first stop was the Sandeman sherry bodega where we learned about the types if sherry and how they are made. Of course, in the name of education and research, we had to sample them at the end of the tour.

Day 4 - Sevilla

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 12:32:55 -0700

Day four was a tour of the main sights in Sevilla . This included the Plaza de America from the 1929 Exposition, the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world and the Alcazar. The evening ended with a night of Flamenco.

Day 3 - Cordoba

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 13:32:55 -0700

Córdoba was founded at the foot of a Roman bridge, as was typical during that time. The Cathedral was originally a roman site, then a mosque and then a Catholic cathedral. The pillars of the mosque are mismatched Roman columns which were scattered/plundered by the Moors. Little is known of the Roman site as what is left lies under the cathedral. Fortunately, the Catholics decided to preserve the Moorish elements and adapt it to meet their needs. Our guide Gemma was true to her namesake, a real gem! Her passion for the cathedral and its history quickly became apparent when she hugged a column telling us what is had “seen” throughout history inside the mosque/church.

The Roman bridge still crosses the Guadalquivir River

The Molino de la Albolafia is a historic medieval watermill and giant wooden noria (waterwheel) located on the Guadalquivir River in Córdoba, Spain

Day 3 - The Alhambra

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 12:32:55 -0700

Wednesday morning started with a tour highlight, a guided walk through the Alhambra. Our guide, also named Paco, was a second generation in his family to provide tours of this World Heritage site. He was knowledgeable, articulate and very funny. He kept promising he would stop with his beat-box vocals, but I think he is still doing them. The Alhambra is a special place where so much happened in the numerous palaces, building and gardens. While many wars were fought here, even between Islamic factions, so were there hundreds years of peace where Islamic, Christian and Jewish people lived and prospered together.

Day 2 - Valencia to Granada

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 12:32:55 -0700

The second day on tour started the regular routine: Wake-up call at 6:15am, suitcases outside your door and breakfast at 7am and on the bus at 8am. Our first your stop was just outside the City of Gaudix, known for it’s troglodyte cave dwellings. Here, we went to a cave home and living museum belonging to Paco and his family. You knew this was the real deal when Paco had to break off his talk about building and living in cave homes to stop the cat from eating the lunch cooking on the stove. The day ended up in the Sierra Nevada, the real, original Sierra Nevada mountains, in the city of Granada. It was here that Queen Isabela and King Ferdinand defeated the Moors and effectively unified their kingdoms into the country of Spain.

Day 1 - Valencia

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 14:32:55 -0700

We entered the Mediterranean port city of Valencia and started with a bus tour of medieval and modern parts of the city. 14th century towers are just minutes away from modern architecture designed by Santiago Calatrava. We then had a lunch stop by Valencia’s market and finished the day with a lesson on making paella and a walking tour around the city’s cathedral.

Day 1 - Madrid to Valencia

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 13:32:55 -0700

During the reception dinner, Alexandre told the tour group we would become good friends over the two weeks. He was right. Sharing our experiences with the such good people made the trip even better! We ate, we drank, we laughed, we sang, we danced, we walked and we talked our way through southern Iberia.

The tour group at Monte Negro, a Lusitana horse farm in Portugal.

The first morning we boarded the bus before dawn, which comes late to Spain as its the western most country in the central EU time-zone. João drove southwest from Madrid towards Valencia, our first night’s stop.

Grand Canyon 2019

Sun, 18 Aug 2019 13:32:55 -0700

!– Options: {{< carousel folder=“day1” >}} only photos in the “day1” sub-folder {{< carousel label=“Beach trip” >}} accessible name for screen readers Per-photo captions/alt text: add to the front matter above, e.g.

California Coast - Day 10

Fri, 10 May 2019 13:32:55 -0700

Home

California Coast - Day 9

Thu, 09 May 2019 13:32:55 -0700

Back to Apple Valley

California Coast - Day 8

Wed, 08 May 2019 13:32:55 -0700

Napa Valley

California Coast - Day 7

Tue, 07 May 2019 13:32:55 -0700

San Francisco to Napa

California Coast - Day 6

Mon, 06 May 2019 13:32:55 -0700

Montery to San Francisco

California Coast - Day 5

Sun, 05 May 2019 13:32:55 -0700

Pismo Beach to Montery

California Coast - Day 4

Sat, 04 May 2019 13:32:55 -0700

Santa Barbara to Pismo Beach

California Coast - Day 3

Fri, 03 May 2019 13:32:55 -0700

Apple Valley to Santa Barbara

California Coast - Day 2

Thu, 02 May 2019 13:32:55 -0700

Palomar Observatory

California Coast - Day 1

Wed, 01 May 2019 13:32:55 -0700

The trip begins… Phoenix to Apple Valley

Cancun 2014

Mon, 13 Oct 2014 13:32:55 -0700

A wonderful week at the Valentin Imperial Maya resort on the Mexican Riveria. A great beach, majestic landscaping, a menagerie of animals, great food and wonderful staff…