By Dint: Countries in photos with comment
Europe Road Ways - Hub for trips, Dan and sidekick. Background to our ventures. Essentially, improvised on-the-cheap road trips, 14-17 days each, cross borders often, no reservations, just a rental car and two backpacks. And a few maps and guidebooks. No tours. Always a clean, safe place to stay. Plan B: If we get stuck at 8 at night and no place, we plan to go to the nearest police station, introduce ourselves, and ask if we can sleep in the parking lot, and do that. Haven't had to yet, but everybody needs a Plan B. Dan has Down syndrome, is a fine, interesting and fun adult, an adventurous eater, and a great travel boss. When lost, he decides the direction. One parent, one child - try it. Egg each other on. Hope to resume depending on economies, budgets.
Europe Road Ways: Themes - Recurrent ideas and topics that cross boundaries - Black Madonnas, migrations, human coping, The Plague, decorative arts
Europe Road Ways - How We Do It Travel overviews and tips, comprehensive listing of countries
Andorra Road Ways - A side trip from Spain, in the Pyrenees, on the way to France.
Austria Road Ways - A sudden diversion at first, from Croatia heading for Slovakia, when we saw the overhead green highway sign for Vienna - 70 km. Who can resist? Just go. Then we went back, a later trip that also included Switzerland, Northern Italy.
Belgium Road Ways - Here we saw Belgium as part of a larger venture that started in the Netherlands, then looped down into Belgium and Luxembourg, and back.
Bosnia Road Ways - Bosnia-Herzegovina - Driving in the Herzegovina section is dicey, such as in the return from Montenegro - the Cyrillic alphabet is a huge hurdle. Drive by ouija. It worked. Just took a little longer. In other words, aim for the road looking downhill when there is a choice, if you are heading generally back to Croatia and the coast.
Croatia Road Ways We started at Zagreb, the capital, then went on a series of loops - 1) up to Istria and Trieste, then 2) down the Dalmatian Coast to Bosnia and Montenegro, and back, 3) with another loop to Slovenia, and 4) the west of Croatia and back to Zagreb.
Czech Republic Road Ways - A start at Prague, then south Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna and Budapest; then more Slovakia and Poland, and back to Czech Republic. We do keep moving here. Hit the bricks, as Dan says.
Denmark Road Ways - Part of a regional trip including Sweden, Northern Germany.
England Road Ways - Part of larger trip including Wales. Follow King Arthur, Robin Hood, Peter Pan, King Harold, and castles, castles
France Road Ways - Northern half, Somme area, Normandy, Loire, down to Dijon or so, Paris. Follow Joan of Arc. We returned another year to the Languedoc, South of France, Provence, as part of a trip that also included Spain and the Pyrenees.
Hebrides Road Ways - A ferry ride from Skye to Lewes and Harris, and ferry back farther north back to mainland Scotland. There is a bridge now from Scotland to Skye.
Germany Road Ways
We aimed especially for what used to be East Germany - Wittenberg, Berlin, Dresden. Then looped south and back through Bavaria to Frankfurt. Second trip: Northern Germany, as part of Denmark-Sweden regional trip.
Greece Road Ways - Just keep the back of the guidebook open to the driving signs and you'll do fine. When in doubt, keep in the same direction. No fast turns to get what you see too late is your exit. Magnificent country. Menus: order the fourth thing down. In each category. All delicious.
Hungary Road Ways - Mostly Budapest, So Far Suddenly, from Slovakia, the highway sign read, Budapest, 100 km. Who can resist? Just go. Notify your credit card peeps first so they will accept the bankomats.
Ireland Road Ways - For a variety of reasons, this has been a return and then some. First, Dan and I doing our loop. Then a family wedding in Wexford, and I took an extra 5 days; then my husband and I went. See whatever you see on the way. Eat local. Fast food: fries, peas, gravy, in a paper cone.
Italy Road Ways - This also took two trips. It is a long, thin country, First route. Land at Venice, take train (get on and off) to Rome, then to Naples and pick up your rental car there. Then take ferry to Sicily, back to Naples and up the coast looping back to Rome. Second trip: northern Italy as part of regional visit including Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria.
Liechtenstein Road Ways - Visit as part of regional trip to Switzerland, Austria, Northern Italy
Luxembourg Road Ways - Get there from Belgium, from the Bulge area, for example. General Patton is buried here.
Montenegro Road Ways - Had been part of the former Yugoslavia, and then part of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, now independent. Mountains, skiing, fjords.
The Netherlands Road Ways Plan for tulips. Do a figure 8 - A Bridge Too Far area, then loop south (Belgium, Luxembourg if you have time) then bbe sure to go north across the Alfluitsdyke and back.
Orkney Road Ways - A convenient ferry ride from northeastern Scotland
Poland Road Ways - Part of our Czech Republic, Slovakia trip. We did a horseshoe, right side first going up, round north all the way to Malbork and Gdansk, on the Baltic Sea. The middle area will be a flat "run" but a lovely drive. Back down the left side and cross into Poland near Zakopane from Levoca, Slovakia.. We re-entered the Czech Republic at Kudowa Zdroj.
Romania Road Ways II, Vlad Tepes - This is one of two Romania sites. This one focuses on the Vlad the Impaler sites in Romania. Trip was a circle.
Romania Road Ways I -Distinct regions, as in many countries, so do go north east and northwest, Bucovina and Maramures areas. We did not go over the border to Ukraine. Carpathian Mountains - watch the weather, as the Transfagarasan Pass may be closed for snow, storms. Postings on signs before you get near the mountains.
Scotland Road Ways - With those wonderful full Scots breakfasts (as in Ireland and England), why are people not obese like we are. Glasgow, Campbelltown then loop up and around with Hebrides, Highlands, and Orkey areas; and back to Glasgow. Circle trip. Nessie was to be there at 5 but was a no-show.
Sicily Road Ways Easy to visit as part of a trip to Italy - take the ferry from Naples, for example, to Palermo. Greek temples at Agrigento. Stay at the top of Mt. Etna. Don't miss Erice, on a mountaintop near Trapani. Circle trip, but missed the eastern part. Have to go back. Loved the east-central-northeastern.
Slovakia Road Ways This once was part of the former Czechoslovakia. Plan to see the festival at Bojnice Castle - theater by the young people every year for a week, great food. Go east to Banska Bistrica, Kosice, then loop up east to Spis and Levoca, then cross into Poland to Zakopane (beautiful ski area, year-round mountain hiking resort)
Also find the cities mentioned in the "Zoli" book, at Slovakia, Gypsies: "Zoli" (based on life of singer, Papusza)
Slovenia Road Ways This once was part of the former Yugoslavia. Strong Austrian influence. Alpine looking homes, neat and tidy. Lake Bled. The Google changed its algorithm and decided this was repetitive (repetitive?? another country with links to our other trips where appropriate and themes appeared?) so we reproduced it at Wordpress. Good idea. Never believe a robot.
Spain Road Ways - And Gibraltar Gibraltar is British, but convenient to visit as part of a trip to Spain. Figure 8. Madrid to Pamplona for the bulls, then loop back through La Mancha and Estremadura, south and around to Seville, Ronda, Gibraltar, Cordoba, and up again to Madrid.
Sweden Road Ways Sweden Road Ways as part of Scandinavian trip, Denmark and Northern Germany.
Trieste Road Ways - Italian since WWII Straddles cultures, the Balkan - Slovenia - Croatia, and Italy. Convenient to visit as part of a trip to Croatia. Kayaks downtown. Return through Slovenia.
Wales Road Ways
Castles, castles. Go from Cornwall, England, area, drive north and loop back to England at Manchester in time for the races. Do not mark your parking place by the half-timbered houses nearby. The whole town is.
Europe Road Ways - Hub for trips, Dan and sidekick. Background to our ventures. Essentially, improvised on-the-cheap road trips, 14-17 days each, cross borders often, no reservations, just a rental car and two backpacks. And a few maps and guidebooks. No tours. Always a clean, safe place to stay. Plan B: If we get stuck at 8 at night and no place, we plan to go to the nearest police station, introduce ourselves, and ask if we can sleep in the parking lot, and do that. Haven't had to yet, but everybody needs a Plan B. Dan has Down syndrome, is a fine, interesting and fun adult, an adventurous eater, and a great travel boss. When lost, he decides the direction. One parent, one child - try it. Egg each other on. Hope to resume depending on economies, budgets.
Europe Road Ways: Themes - Recurrent ideas and topics that cross boundaries - Black Madonnas, migrations, human coping, The Plague, decorative arts
Europe Road Ways - How We Do It Travel overviews and tips, comprehensive listing of countries
Andorra Road Ways - A side trip from Spain, in the Pyrenees, on the way to France.
Austria Road Ways - A sudden diversion at first, from Croatia heading for Slovakia, when we saw the overhead green highway sign for Vienna - 70 km. Who can resist? Just go. Then we went back, a later trip that also included Switzerland, Northern Italy.
Belgium Road Ways - Here we saw Belgium as part of a larger venture that started in the Netherlands, then looped down into Belgium and Luxembourg, and back.
Bosnia Road Ways - Bosnia-Herzegovina - Driving in the Herzegovina section is dicey, such as in the return from Montenegro - the Cyrillic alphabet is a huge hurdle. Drive by ouija. It worked. Just took a little longer. In other words, aim for the road looking downhill when there is a choice, if you are heading generally back to Croatia and the coast.
Croatia Road Ways We started at Zagreb, the capital, then went on a series of loops - 1) up to Istria and Trieste, then 2) down the Dalmatian Coast to Bosnia and Montenegro, and back, 3) with another loop to Slovenia, and 4) the west of Croatia and back to Zagreb.
Czech Republic Road Ways - A start at Prague, then south Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna and Budapest; then more Slovakia and Poland, and back to Czech Republic. We do keep moving here. Hit the bricks, as Dan says.
Denmark Road Ways - Part of a regional trip including Sweden, Northern Germany.
England Road Ways - Part of larger trip including Wales. Follow King Arthur, Robin Hood, Peter Pan, King Harold, and castles, castles
France Road Ways - Northern half, Somme area, Normandy, Loire, down to Dijon or so, Paris. Follow Joan of Arc. We returned another year to the Languedoc, South of France, Provence, as part of a trip that also included Spain and the Pyrenees.
Hebrides Road Ways - A ferry ride from Skye to Lewes and Harris, and ferry back farther north back to mainland Scotland. There is a bridge now from Scotland to Skye.
Germany Road Ways
We aimed especially for what used to be East Germany - Wittenberg, Berlin, Dresden. Then looped south and back through Bavaria to Frankfurt. Second trip: Northern Germany, as part of Denmark-Sweden regional trip.
Greece Road Ways - Just keep the back of the guidebook open to the driving signs and you'll do fine. When in doubt, keep in the same direction. No fast turns to get what you see too late is your exit. Magnificent country. Menus: order the fourth thing down. In each category. All delicious.
Hungary Road Ways - Mostly Budapest, So Far Suddenly, from Slovakia, the highway sign read, Budapest, 100 km. Who can resist? Just go. Notify your credit card peeps first so they will accept the bankomats.
Ireland Road Ways - For a variety of reasons, this has been a return and then some. First, Dan and I doing our loop. Then a family wedding in Wexford, and I took an extra 5 days; then my husband and I went. See whatever you see on the way. Eat local. Fast food: fries, peas, gravy, in a paper cone.
Italy Road Ways - This also took two trips. It is a long, thin country, First route. Land at Venice, take train (get on and off) to Rome, then to Naples and pick up your rental car there. Then take ferry to Sicily, back to Naples and up the coast looping back to Rome. Second trip: northern Italy as part of regional visit including Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria.
Liechtenstein Road Ways - Visit as part of regional trip to Switzerland, Austria, Northern Italy
Luxembourg Road Ways - Get there from Belgium, from the Bulge area, for example. General Patton is buried here.
Montenegro Road Ways - Had been part of the former Yugoslavia, and then part of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, now independent. Mountains, skiing, fjords.
The Netherlands Road Ways Plan for tulips. Do a figure 8 - A Bridge Too Far area, then loop south (Belgium, Luxembourg if you have time) then bbe sure to go north across the Alfluitsdyke and back.
Orkney Road Ways - A convenient ferry ride from northeastern Scotland
Poland Road Ways - Part of our Czech Republic, Slovakia trip. We did a horseshoe, right side first going up, round north all the way to Malbork and Gdansk, on the Baltic Sea. The middle area will be a flat "run" but a lovely drive. Back down the left side and cross into Poland near Zakopane from Levoca, Slovakia.. We re-entered the Czech Republic at Kudowa Zdroj.
Romania Road Ways II, Vlad Tepes - This is one of two Romania sites. This one focuses on the Vlad the Impaler sites in Romania. Trip was a circle.
Romania Road Ways I -Distinct regions, as in many countries, so do go north east and northwest, Bucovina and Maramures areas. We did not go over the border to Ukraine. Carpathian Mountains - watch the weather, as the Transfagarasan Pass may be closed for snow, storms. Postings on signs before you get near the mountains.
Scotland Road Ways - With those wonderful full Scots breakfasts (as in Ireland and England), why are people not obese like we are. Glasgow, Campbelltown then loop up and around with Hebrides, Highlands, and Orkey areas; and back to Glasgow. Circle trip. Nessie was to be there at 5 but was a no-show.
Sicily Road Ways Easy to visit as part of a trip to Italy - take the ferry from Naples, for example, to Palermo. Greek temples at Agrigento. Stay at the top of Mt. Etna. Don't miss Erice, on a mountaintop near Trapani. Circle trip, but missed the eastern part. Have to go back. Loved the east-central-northeastern.
Slovakia Road Ways This once was part of the former Czechoslovakia. Plan to see the festival at Bojnice Castle - theater by the young people every year for a week, great food. Go east to Banska Bistrica, Kosice, then loop up east to Spis and Levoca, then cross into Poland to Zakopane (beautiful ski area, year-round mountain hiking resort)
Also find the cities mentioned in the "Zoli" book, at Slovakia, Gypsies: "Zoli" (based on life of singer, Papusza)
Slovenia Road Ways This once was part of the former Yugoslavia. Strong Austrian influence. Alpine looking homes, neat and tidy. Lake Bled. The Google changed its algorithm and decided this was repetitive (repetitive?? another country with links to our other trips where appropriate and themes appeared?) so we reproduced it at Wordpress. Good idea. Never believe a robot.
Spain Road Ways - And Gibraltar Gibraltar is British, but convenient to visit as part of a trip to Spain. Figure 8. Madrid to Pamplona for the bulls, then loop back through La Mancha and Estremadura, south and around to Seville, Ronda, Gibraltar, Cordoba, and up again to Madrid.
Sweden Road Ways Sweden Road Ways as part of Scandinavian trip, Denmark and Northern Germany.
Trieste Road Ways - Italian since WWII Straddles cultures, the Balkan - Slovenia - Croatia, and Italy. Convenient to visit as part of a trip to Croatia. Kayaks downtown. Return through Slovenia.
Wales Road Ways
Castles, castles. Go from Cornwall, England, area, drive north and loop back to England at Manchester in time for the races. Do not mark your parking place by the half-timbered houses nearby. The whole town is.
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