Pocketful of Blue

One of my favorite days from our trip to Europe last summer was the day we went to Versailles. The royal castle and gardens are truly magnificent and beyond anything you could imagine, but they were not the thing I enjoyed the most. The part I enjoyed the most was a little ways beyond the main castle. It was down a quiet and peaceful meandering path. It's the place known as Marie Antoinette's Hamlet. The hamlet was a small farm built as a rustic retreat for Marie Antoinette. It is made up of several buildings and cottages which surround a small lake. This is where she could escape her responsibilities and the strict confines of the palace. It was a place where she could act out her fantasies. Every cottage is surrounded by beautiful flowers and perfectly manicured gardens. Picket fences and little gates just added to the charm and quaint feeling of the farm. The weather was perfect that day with warm te...

Today I have some photos to share from our stop in Florence, Italy this summer.  This is the famous Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral commonly referred to as the Duomo. See the tiny specks of people at the top of the cupola? Can you believe how massive it is? Construction on this cathedral began in 1294. The dome was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and was added  in the fifteenth century. Palazzo Vecchio - the town hall of Florence. The oldest bridge in Florence is the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno River. High end, expensive jewelry shops line both sides of the bridge so you can shop (or browse)  as you walk across it.  I was definitely the browsing type.  I mean, who has money to buy jewelry after paying for a trip to Europe?  Not me! If you love art, then Florence is the place for you with its many famous museums such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Palace. At the Accademia Gallery yo...

My favorite stop on our trip to Europe was the town of Rothenburg in Bavaria, Germany. Rothenburg is a medieval town originating from the 1200's. Many of the buildings date back to that time and have been well preserved. This picture shows part of the wall that surrounds the town. In the center of town is the town square and the clock tower.  Many charming shops and restaurants surround the square  as well as many more down the narrow cobblestone streets. I may have checked out a few of the shops . . . . . . and tried a few of the yummy things to eat! We stayed at the BurgGartenpalais for two nights. It was lovely and had the best shower of all the places we stayed!  : ) After spending time in two very big and busy cities,  it was so peaceful and relaxing to spend time here. It truly felt like being in a fairytale with all of the beautiful old buildings and flowers everywhere. I loved ...

I thought it would be kind of appropriate to post our pictures from London, England on the 4th of July. To the credit of both countries, we are now friends rather  than enemies that battled each other long ago. Royal Guard parade at Buckingham Palace. This was fun and impressive to watch. Buckingham Palace The Queen's Foot Guard Big Ben with the London Eye in the background. Westminster Abbey Prince William and Princess Kate were married here. There was amazing architecture everywhere. London is a very big and busy city. Sometimes I felt like I was on a movie set -  it didn't seem real, especially with all of the sounds of the city. We also walked around Kensington Palace. This really made me think of Princess Diana and it was rather sad. This is where she lived after she and Prince Charles separated. Statue of Queen Victoria outside of Kensington Palace....