I’ve pretty much cut and pasted. I have ridden on trains many times in Europe, and found it a great way to get around…

It was a great way to see the French countryside, and the Alps.

Glacier Express

Arguably the slowest ‘express’ on the planet, the 180 mile ride on this delightful route takes a good 8 hours. The train links the two mountain resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. 291 bridges, 91 tunnels and an altitude of 6,670 feet.

Images courtesy of Puddles, +Jun+, janetmck

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Images by Stef Flater (1 + 2)

A three-day trip, through beautiful country side, the Orient Express inks a number of  European cities including London, Venice, Rome, Budapest or Prague.

Pride of Africa

A once-a-year trip, planned on the Pride of Africa is a 14-day epic expedition through Cape Town, Dar Es Salaam, Kimberley, Pretoria, the Kruger National Park, Beit Bridge, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Lusaka and through Tanzania to Dar Es Salaam.

Images by Rovos Rail

Eurostar

Image by lewishamdreamer

While in Europe, take the train, rather than a short flight…Although you’ll get to spend plenty of time in the Eurostar under the sea.

Flam Railway

On this  train, one will ride through the world’s longest fjord Sognefjord, where on a 20 kilometer trip you’ll get to see an amazing descent from an altitude of almost 3,000 feet into the fjords of Flam.

Images by Sugeo, Laurakgibb, kurlvink

A popular tourist attraction in Norway, this is all about exploring unadulterated beauty of nature at a leisurely pace.

Palace on Wheels

Images courtesy of nzer and rdtc.in

Step on the Palace on Wheels and you will find exactly what you have been promised with the name. The train that starts from Delhi in India and ends up in the royal state of Rajasthan, offers complete luxury on tracks, much like the pampering enjoyed by royal kings in the days long gone. Just to roll back time, a steam engine is used to pull the train initially out of Delhi, adding further to the experience. An elephant welcome in Jaipur, lunch at the Lake Palace in Udaipur, a camel safari near Jaisalmer and an afternoon at the Taj Mahal; the Palace on Wheels is the most comfortable way to explore India.

Eastern & Oriental Express

All images courtesy of Orient-Express Images

Stretching between the ultra-modern Singapore and Bangkok, and traveling through lush green tropical forests, the Eastern and Oriental Express is modern, stylish and comfortable.

Royal Scotsman

The Royal Scotsman is the most expensive train ride on the planet. Just consider the fact that a 4-day trip on the Royal Scotsman costs more than an entire 19-day first-class trip on the Trans-Siberian, and you will get the idea. The observation car accommodates 36 passengers (yes, only 36 passengers allowed) in comfortable armchairs along with cabins specially designed for dining and other purposes.

Images by lolothian, christymacintosh, jeffmcneil

The train pulls over at night when you need to sleep and while the trip offers a great passage through little known waterfalls, mountains and valleys, it is obviously not for everyone.

Trans-Siberian Railway

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons by Elmschrat)

Stranahan House

Frank Stranahan

The Stranahan House was one of several structures built between 1893-1906 along the New River in Fort Lauderdale, FL, by Frank Stranahan (photo).

Frank arrived in 1893 to operate a barge ferry across the river. Soon, he was running other businesses: a trading post, post office, bank and hotel.

He married school teacher Ivy Cromartie and built her a home right on the New River in 1906, the Stranahan House, which still stands today as the oldest remaining structure in Broward County.

Frank and Ivy were considered Fort Lauderdale’s First Family.

This is also where Stranahan’s story turns grim. He suffered from depression and his mental health could not endure a hurricane that devastated his businesses, or the financial effects of the Great Depression.  Stranahan committed suicide on June 23, 1929 by strapping a large iron gate to his ankle and throwing himself into the New River.

There are many reports of Frank Stranahan’s ghost in the Stranahan House, as well as the ghost of Ivy Cromartie. Other ghostly presences include six family members and the apparition of an Indian servant girl near the back of the home. The Stranahan House is now open to public tours. (Photo of Stranahan: Broward County)

And then there are a whole series of ghost videos. here’s one and will take you to the others.

Every Sunday morning during August, he takes groups to find and rescue baby turtles who did not make it out of the nest.

Here is a link to Schonfeld’s story and a turtle primer that I wrote up for The Coastal Star.

I’ve considered a train trip west. Too long and too smelly. Can I send the car ahead? Should I try out a downtown Portland apartment? That could be fun, but I think I want some mountains, lake, beach. something out of the city and into nature. I wonder if Mike would have any ideas?

I am hungry for something and I don’t know what. Any ideas?

Here are some photos of Barbara’s beautiful hammock garden, and a couple shots of the neighboring nature reserve.

The entry to Barbara Cook's gardens

The garden of good and evil

Happy birds get to live here.

Barbara's new favorite plants.

The straight and narrow path, on the way to good and evil.

On the way to the natural area, there are some twists and turns.

Why do i love bridges?

There is more than one way to get to your destination.

These are called Coralbean. Now that's a name I can remember.

Here are some photos with short descriptions.

Cielito Lindo

Cielito Lindo was built by dime-store heiress Jessie Woolworth Donahue in 1927. It was palatial, ocean to lake, with 45,000 square feet, a 30-by-50-foot living room, a 4-story tower, six master bedrooms, 10 staff rooms, houses for the chauffeur and gardener and a tap room.

Hogarcito Bell Tower

Hogarcito was built by Marjorie Meriweather Post. She decided it was too small and built Mar a Lago. This photo as taken from its bell tower.

On Middle Road, the home below, Casa Juanita, is a 1925-landmarked estate built by Sterling Postely, and named after his wife, Jeanne.

Living room, Casa Juanita

Here are some adventures I’ve had this spring… To think I thought I had to go to Chartres to walk the labyrinth! There are two right here in Delray Beach and they are based on the Chartres Labryrinth.

At the Duncan Conference Center, you can enjoy them at your liesure, or be part of monthly guided meditations.

These two were envisioned by retired Duncan Center director, Father Steve Fregeau, and were designed by landscape artists, Steven and Michele Benner. A labyrinth, they say, is a symbol, a tool, a passion, or a practice, which can provide gentle relief, meaningful purpose and quench the desire for calm, insight and peace. I walked the labyrinths on World Labyrinth Day, May 2, as part of a worldwide effort to create a “rolling wave of healing labyrinth energy in unison as the earth turns.”

Actually, it was a very peaceful and centering experience. Different from a maze, a labyrinth has no forks in the road or confusing dead ends. A unicursal, the path never crosses over itself and culminates in only a singel cul-de-cac — its center — where “walkers” are invited to rest awhile, meditating, centering, quieting, before taking the same path out.

I learned that on life’s path, I cannot get lost. It may turn and seem confusing at times, but the way is distinct, and like Theseus, the thread is there, and all you have to do is walk along.

To go back to my site, here’s the link: Travelers Palm Inn