Florida Keys April Boat Trip

After an extremely windy winter we are breaking out the boat for a trip to the Florida Keys.  We will be taking off at first light on April 13th, 2016.  The week before every major boat trip is very busy with list making, shopping, packing, a little boat maintenance and all the last minute items that need attending to when you are going to be gone for several weeks.

Our itinerary, given fair weather and good seas, consists of first day Punta Gorda, FL to Marco Yacht Club on Marco Island, FL.  That should be about a 4 - 5 hours trip cruising along the coast in the Gulf of Mexico.   Day two our plan is to go across Florida Bay to Marathon Yacht Club in Marathon, FL where we will spend about 3 weeks hanging, reading, snorkeling (maybe even scuba diving) and generally living aboard our 38 ft. Sea Ray Sundancer named Dream Chaser.

Paris

Taste of Paris -  we have been in Paris for two days.  We went to the Montmartre Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart) Basilica and Moulin Rouge area the first day.  The second day we went to the Musee D Orsay (impressionist art museum), the Notre Dame Cathedral, Conciergerie (the prison where Marie Antoinette was houses and executed) and Sainte-Chapelle (a gothic church with amazing stained glass).  Whew!  Walked 10 miles today.

Montmartre 

View from Montmartre 

French bistro 

Typical french street 

Metro 

Musee D Orsay previously a train station 

Clock MuseeD Orsay 

Rodin Gates of Hell 

Notre Dame Cathedral 

Inside Notre Dame Cathedral 

Stained glass at Notre Dame Cathedral 

Stained glass at Notre Dame Cathedral 

Gargoyles Notre Dame Cathedral 

Cafe American Break 

Ceiling at Sainte-Chapelle 

Stained glass Sainte-Chapelle 

Stained glass Sainte-Chapelle 

Gargoyles Sainte-Chapelle 

Seine River 

Monet 

Stained glass Sainte-Chapelle 

Barcelona

October 31, 2015

Taste of Barcelona - For 2 days we have toured Barcelona utilizing the Hop on Hop off tour buses to get arounf the city and see the sites.  On the second day we were fortunate enough to meet a 20 something girl who lives and works as a graphic designer in Barcelona.  She told us of a scenic overlook Bunkers of Carmel where you can see a panoramic view of the city.  Several of the photos are of the Sagrada Familia deaigned by the Gaudi.  The church was started in the 19th century and is still being constructed today.

Barcelona has unique architecture 

Cruise ship port 

Tons of statues 

Love these balconies

Vespas are a major mode of transportation 

Beautiful boulevards 

Sagrada Familia 

Detailed picture of Sagrada Famila 

Sagrada Familia 

Sagrada Familia 

Another detailed view of Sagrada Famila 

Balcony that I loved

View of Sagrada Familia 

Scenic overlook view of the Barcelona 

Park

Madrid

We spent a day in Madrid.  Big city that has really small streets and sidewalks.  So far not my favorite as it is very crowded.