Hello Boston! It had been nearly 20 years since our last visit to Boston and it was well-past time to return. As the US continues to open up after 18+ months of Covid restrictions, and with both of us fully vaccinated, we hit the road north.

Salem, Massachusetts is all kinds of quirky witchy fun with the added bonus of majestic coastal beauty. It turned out to be a lovely and convenient base for exploring Cape Ann.

We were told, one must visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, when in Boston. Turns out, it was sage advice because the museum is extraordinary.

There are a few places in this life that beckon us back again and again. Longwood Gardens is one of those places. And, when the fountains are dancing to the music of the Beatles, I’m not sure it gets any better.

Steak Frites in Montpellier, France.

It was an unexpected stop on a 3-month cross-Europe rail adventure. As it turned out though, the 4-day visit to Montpellier proved to be one of our most favorite experiences. And, by far, one of our best meals.

Still We Rise. It should come as no surprise that I am an avid reader. My problem is when I start a good book, I have a tendency to tune out the world until said book is completed. I did just that with the international bestseller, Maude. I started reading and didn’t put it down until it was finished. On occasion, I’ve written a book review or two which I’ve shared here with our readers. My Life in France and Grandma Gatewood’s Walk are two such books. Please tell me you’ve read both. For that matter, please tell me you’ve read, Maude.

What I don’t know about art could fill a book, but I know what I like and that’s all that matters, right? What’s that old saying, beauty is in the eye of the beholder? It’s common knowledge the museums of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC are well-known and highly regarded.  However, it’s not so commonly known that the Sackler and Freer Galleries, together form the Smithsonian’s museums of Asian Art.  They may not be as well-known, but they are definitely well-worth visiting.

How does one describe a place that is, in essence, indescribable while still finding a way to do justice to a 175-room mansion?  Rooms filled with 90,000+ pieces of art and antiquity.  Not to mention the 60-acres of gardens surrounded by 1,000 acres of sprawling meadows and woods.  Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library is such a place.  Indescribable.

Longwood Gardens. We like to feel as if all of our travel experiences are wonderful, even though some travel days are less than successful, but every now and then we’ll find ourselves somewhere extraordinary.  It’s such a surprise when it happens. With an estimated 1.5 million visitors per year, Longwood Gardens in Kennett, Pennsylvania is one of those extraordinary surprises.  We knew our visit to the gardens would be wonderful, but the surprise came in the fact that we spent nine hours exploring the gardens and we left plotting our return.  Leaving when you want more, is always the best time to leave.

One could easily spend an entire month exploring Washington, DC.  The list of places to see and visit is beyond extensive and with 19 Smithsonian Museums to explore, that’s 19 days right there!  The memorials, the food scene, the nearby historical homes of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, as well as Harper’s Ferry and other significant places in history, a month’s time would fly by in the blink of an eye.