Not our name, but our passion
The Douro River is one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, flowing from its source near Duruelo de la Sierra northern-central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at Porto. We booked a small boat cruise to see the sights of Porto from the river. The old town of Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wonderful views of the Dom Louis I Bridge,
and the Maria Pia Bridge can be seen from the boat.
The cruise ended with a wonderful sunset.
Rainbow Bridge National Monument is administered by Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah. Rainbow Bridge is often described as the world’s highest natural bridge. The span of Rainbow Bridge was reported in 1974 by the Bureau of Reclamation to be 275 feet, but a measurement of span according to definition by the Natural Arch and Bridge Society in 2007 resulted in a value of 234 feet. At the top it is 42 feet thick and 33 feet wide. The bridge, which is of cultural importance to a number of area Native American tribes, has been designated a Traditional Cultural Property by the National Park Service. To get to the bridge prepare for a very long hot hike or take the boat ride to the site.
The Pfalzgrafenstein Castle is the signature castle in the Rhine River of Germany. The keep of this island castle, a pentagonal tower with its point upstream, was erected 1326 to 1327 by King Ludwig the Bavarian. Around the tower, a defensive hexagonal wall was built between 1338 to 1340. Later additions were made in 1607 and 1755, consisting of corner turrets, the gun bastion pointing upstream, and the characteristic baroque tower cap. The castle would string chains across the Rhine blocking passage of shipping until a toll was paid.
This portion of the Rhine River Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing castles about every mile of the river. The best way to see the castles is to take a cruise up the river. There are also roads paralleling the river that can be driven on both sides.
Get off the road and up into some of the castles. Some of them have been converted into hotels or inns, some are ruins and some are museums. The views down into the river are also spectacular.
Even in the winter you can visit many of the castles with the added bonus that you might find yourself completely alone as we did on a subsequent trip. Well worth the trudge up the ice path.
Thompson Island is one of the many islands making up the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area.
David Thompson established a trading post on the island in 1626. The island was mainly used for grazing of livestock until 1833 when a boys school was founded. It passed through several iterations and eventually came under the umbrella of the Outward Bound organization. The island has a 78 foot drumlin on the northeastern half of the island surrounded by low laying hills, wetlands and a salt marsh.
Outside of Outward Bound activities the island is open to the public on Sundays during the summer months. Special events like weddings can be arranged:
The annual 4K run for charity tales place in the fall. Companies like Golden Cannoli participate in the run.
Find information for the 4K run here. Plan your island wedding here. Look into the Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center here.
The Bear Island Lighthouse sits on an island on the entrance to Somes Sound on Mount desert Island, Maine. The lighthouse was built in 1839. After a period of neglect and deterioration it was purchased by the National Park Service in 1987 and has since been re-lit as a private aid to navigation. The lighthouse can be viewed from several places in Northeast Harbor, Maine but is best viewed from the water. We booked a cruise with Sea Princess cruises to Little Cranberry Island and went by the lighthouse with great views from the boat.
Check out our posts on Acadia National Park and Sea Princess Cruises for additional information.
