After a few weeks of enjoying the comforts of home…We started a trip to Florida – glad for the dry roads near South Fork.Capulin Volcano National Monument (NM) was our first lunch stop.We walked the rim of the cauldera.We camped at Clayton Lakes State Park with these amazing dinosaur tracks.After a great dinner/camp with family, we paid our respects to Oklahoma City National Memorial honoring the lives lost April 19,1995.We spent the night at Chickasaw National Rec Area. We are going to follow the sad trail to Shiloh. Such tragic history to displace people from their home land.Historic Washington State Park in Arkansas had this magnolia tree planted in 1839.Bois D’Arc Lake near Hope after visiting President Clinton’s boyhood home.We enjoyed relaxing and watching the sunset on Bois D’Arc Lake.We walked around the grounds of President Clinton’s library in Little Rock on the Arkansas River.An interesting art exhibit of climate change globes like this on pollinators.We drove by the 1915 state capitol, a replica of the national capitol.Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site commemorated the bravery of black students that were our nation’s first to desegregate here in 1957.
Japanese Garden area in Beautiful Mejeir Gardens near Grand Rapids was our first stop taking Mom on a mini-vacation.The Zen garden with wonderful raked patternsThere are a lot of sculptures that are a permanent collection.Appreciating all the colors on a warm autumn day.Mom with Deborah Butterfield’s Cabin Creek bronze horse looking very natural in the tall grasses.Sunset from our suite at Shoreline Inn in Muskegon. Mom had lots of reward points that were expiring so we stayed in style. Thanks Mom!Mother and Daughter at Holland State Park.We had a great day-trip to Holland and enjoyed many of the waterfront areas.Sunset on Lake Michigan before returning to the hotel.A day-trip to Grand Haven to enjoy another light house along Lake Michigan.Artistic angle as we walked under the catwalk to the end of the pier.Picnic lunch along Grand Haven River before it empties into Lake Michigan.The restaurant patio at the hotel looked very inviting so we went down for an early dinner.Look at the whitefish dinner. WOW. Gorgeous and Yummy. Enough for leftovers the next night.Another sunset at Pierre Marquette city park in Muskegon.Our next day trip was heading a bit north to the White River Light Station.Picnic lunch at the Muskegon River with the submarine museum floating in the back ground.Forth beautiful sunset melting into Lake Michigan – such a treat for all of us.
We are in Bluff Utah by lunch and snagged a river site at Sand Island Campground.A wonderful walk along the river to see petroglyphs – and blooming cactus.Nicely preserved petroglyphs in the rock faces.Also some wall remnants protected under cliff overhangs.We headed up Butler Wash along Combs Ridge for some more remote hiking.More ancient construction under some huge cliffs with protected coves.Absolutely gorgeous petroglyphs – quite large and very distinct.We could make up our own stories as to the meanings.Nice scenery to enjoy after a day of hiking – relaxing in the shade of the van!A long day hike up a canyon to some more areas of interest.Posing outside doorway to give some scale to the building.Love how the large boulders are incorporated into the walls. There must have been an upper levelAmazing hand print detail captured with a zoom lens.We had a very hot day of hiking and we did not explore all the side canyons.But enjoyed some unusual natural rock formations.
Time to use those kayak arm muscles to move rocks.First of 3 loads of local rock we had delivered. We had some of the boulders moved as well per the architect’s directions.
Templates made of cardboard first to get the dimensions worked out.
Shapes were then cut out of particle board to make concrete form.
Looking good…This just might work!
Wrapped in plastic, concrete was hand mixed and pushed into crevices.
The unveiling a week later shows the close match of concrete colors/textures with the rocks.
Lakeside view showing how bridges starts thicker, goes thinner as it springs out of the rock.
Seven tons of pea gravel are delivered to create the pond.View from living room after we have added a few plants.
The bridge ends at an island which we hope to feature a character pine.
A rake creates the wave patterns that enhance all the island places.
We drove to Girona to switch our gray VW Polo for a different VW Polo – a zippy little manual. Time to motor back to the Via Augusta.
So we drove a bit further SW to Caldes de Malavella which is know for thermal hot springs due to volcanic history.
There are many Modernist buildings when this town was rejuvenated in the 1900’s as a Spa Retreat, which it still is today.
It has been a Spa retreat for quite a few centuries, used in 1st to 4th century by the Romans.
We visited the museum as well as this outdoor archeology site of the preserved Roman Baths.
Can’t you just envision a few toga’s lounging around? How lucky for them this was on the Via Augusta!
There were small rooms along the sides surrounding the main pool…cabanas?
It was interesting to see the excavated Drainage System.
We headed out of town to the area of Romanya de la Selva. We hiked a short ways to this Menhir de la Murta, a neolithic manmade stone that aligns with the four cardinal directions.
A little further down the trail was Cova d’en Daina – a very well preserved megalith dating from around 2200 BC.
This fascinating structure of rocks is actually a large burial tomb. It is a dolmen but more complete with a full circle of menhirs surrounding it.
Fascinating to wonder how this was constructed.
The main chamber is 25 feet long by 5.5 feet across. The circle of menhirs is 36 feet in diameter.
The entry to the dolmen chamber is said to align southeast, which permits sunlight to enter at summer and winter solstice.
All the stones are granite.
Really wonderful to be able to walk around.
Excavations found numerous human bones and teeth, arrowhead flints, knife and pottery fragments as well as some necklace beads.
We retraced our steps through the cork forest – this area is sustainably harvested.
And wine corks are crafted! But unfortunately we are going to have to enjoy our wine back in the USA. Like the tramontane winds, the declaration of the WHO pandemic beckons us home.
This felt more like a southwest sunrise! Gorgeous!
Beautiful spring day for a walk along the Mediterranean. Natural iris in full bloom.
Thinking of Zoe as we walked by this Villa.
Which came first – the Cala or the country? We were wondering how Cuba got its name.
The wildest waves we have seen yet. Very much enjoyed the crashing into the shore and the little waterfalls.
A big one splashed into this alcove.
We went to the Carnival Disco-mobile Parade which started at 10 PM. A very LOUD very SLOW moving party with lots of spectators.
Via Sagunto connected to Via Augusta which went on to Tarragona and all the way to Roma. There is also a Theater here as well as some precious other remnants.
This was a fabulous defensible site!
The Iberians were here before the Romans. This is 4th century B.C. Iberian sculpture of a bull – that is around 2,400 years old.
Time to storm the Moorish gates!
This is the largest castle we have been to. It has an incredible view in all directions.
Very nice details to explore. Lots of people visiting on this sunny spring Sunday.
A partially rebuilt Temple of Diana – the only one Hannibal managed not to destroyed. Wasn’t he the guy with the elephants? He attacked Saguntum in 218 BC starting the second Punic War and then took his elephants across the Alps to attack Italy – he probably went through this entire part of Spain and the Pyrenees as well.
A preserved and renovated old 14th century mansion with an amazing collection of artifacts.
Marble mosaic Roman floors and wall details. Not sure where exactly in town these were found.
Amphora Vessels from the Iberians (farthest away and oldest) to newer through various Roman and medieval periods.
We are always reminded we are not far from the sea. This is an intricate marble carving from 2nd or 3rd century excavated in the Plaza del Moreria.
Seriously?! We drove inland to look for the Falla sculptures so we did not have time for a long lunch: All the patisseries and groceries are closed on Sunday’s, even in a large city. But we started a trend as the place was packed with locals when we left.
We had a 3:30 (15:30) reservation for a boat ride into the longest navigable underground river in Europe, Caves in la Vall d’Uixo. Touristy, but good fun with a Phantom of the Opera music and light performance in one of the cave alcoves.
Museum of Ceramics in Onda – 200 years of tile has been collected and preserved. We especially enjoyed this display.
The architecture of the building was modern and very well designed. View to the Castle with 300 towers on the hill.
Time to Storm the Gates! Just ask El Cid…
Detail of a tower with the mountains of Parc Natural de la Sierra d’Espadán
Imagine a Moorish Garden like Alhambra here on the top floor of the castle! Then the Christians came but the church is now an excellent museum on the history.
After passing miles and miles of ceramic factories we stopped at this Mirador for a picnic lunch.
This was the view of the reservoir Sitjar and the factories of Ribesalbes.
Vilafames, one of the most Beautiful villages in Spain with, you guessed it, another castle on the hill. We wandered the nicely preserved town up to this tower on the the top of the hill.
The Natural Park Cabanes – Torreblanca, just south of tour apartment, is dedicated wetlands with some hiking and biking trails.
Part of the route we hiked is along the coast of the Mediterranean. We saw lots of seagulls and cormorants in this section.
There are inland marshes and ponds with a variety of water fowl like coots and ducks, as well as these mergansers.
Back to our own Mirador balcony for a leisurely, very Spanish lunch of fresh bread, Iberian ham, wine and flan! Ready for our siesta!
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site commemorated the bravery of black students that were our nation’s first to desegregate here in 1957.
Time to use those kayak arm muscles to move rocks.
First of 3 loads of local rock we had delivered. 
We had some of the boulders moved as well per the architect’s directions.
Templates made of cardboard first to get the dimensions worked out.
Shapes were then cut out of particle board to make concrete form.
Looking good…This just might work!
Wrapped in plastic, concrete was hand mixed and pushed into crevices.
The unveiling a week later shows the close match of concrete colors/textures with the rocks.
Lakeside view showing how bridges starts thicker, goes thinner as it springs out of the rock.
Seven tons of pea gravel are delivered to create the pond.
View from living room after we have added a few plants.
The bridge ends at an island which we hope to feature a character pine.
A rake creates the wave patterns that enhance all the island places.
