In alphabetical order:
Ahrweil, Germany
Heidelberg, Germany
Ludgate, London
Pie Town, NM (near the Continental Divide, temperature: -2F)
Silverton, CO
Trastevere, Rome
Zwettl, Austria
As with all these pics, right-click to enlarge, and feel free to use as wallpaper etc.
Kim,
You ever ride the narrow-gauge railroad through Silverton, CO? I have not, but, am told the views are spectacular.
Didn’t have time for it the last time I was there, unfortunately.
Bucket list.
We did the train trip back in the early 90s – lots of fun. I saw a bear on the side of a mountain and have it on VHS tape. Unfortunately I’d have to dig the old VHS player out of the attic to prove the truth of my story and even then somebody would accuse me of spreading false news.
The great thing about the train is that it actually goes somewhere. If you do the Durango to Silverton round trip you have some time (or at least used to) to grab something to eat or drink and do some sightseeing in Silverton. Several other excursion trains that we’ve ridden just haul you out into the middle of nowhere, feed you a lousy lunch, and then return you back to the starting point with no sense of having reached a destination.
If you want the best experience sit in an open car. Don’t wear white and eye protection and a good hat will be in order. You’ll get dirty from the coal smoke but that’s what the ride is all about.
It was fun to watch the train people race ahead by car and set up to take pictures as we went by.
My 30 year old memories of the trip say that it was a little on the expensive side, but well worth every penny. Lots better than dropping a couple of hundred bucks at the plastic Disney World. Steam and coal smoke are real.
“Steam and coal smoke are real.”
Sold.
Unfortunately, Heidelberg is the only one of these I’ve seen. We would probably never have visited Europe had the Army not sent the son-in-law and family there. I had always wanted to go, but Japan was always the priority for us while my wife’s parents were alive. Germany is very picturesque, but Japan is special for me.
I’m amazed at how much the world has shrunk in my lifetime. Except for WWII, most of my parent’s generation had never been overseas. My daughter is in Ireland, again, now; the other daughter (the military spouse) is in Korea, my cousin’s son married a girl from Australia (who remarked about how taken she is with the United States because we have old things here… )