Lori's Blog

Dad and I were up very, very early for our flight from Athens to Santorini. Once we saw a little bit of the area near our hotel, we decided to visit the prehistoric city of Akrotiri on the island:   Later on, one of the best activities we did in Santorini was a wine tasting. We were able to go to three different wineries. It is hard to believe that grapes are cultivated in the volcanic ash and from vineyards like this: This is the first winery we went to: We went to two more wineries. The wine, food, and company was truly a highlight of the trip. Throughout my time in Santorini, I could not have asked for more beautiful views:

The climate of Greece is very arid and the terrain is very rocky. The amount of ruins in Greece is unbelievable.     Here is my dad at the Parthenon. We will always have the memory of hiking up the Acropolis: One of the most enjoyable places for us was the National Gardens. The area was (literally) the coolest place in Athens:   A couple of gentlemen provided entertainment at the Greek taverna at dinner: On the top of our hotel, we were able to sit and truly enjoy this view of the Acropolis:

I have very, very exciting news. Gary and I will be going on our honeymoon in less than a month. The Francises are going to Italy! To be exact, Gary and I will be in Rome and Tuscany. This is great for me as a blogger as I was just beginning the blogging process and didn't blog about Rome on the previous trip. I've learned so much since that trip. Everything is just about ready for this upcoming honeymoon. This blog is going to change a little as well. Gary and I will take turns writing and collaborating on posts and pictures. You may even see the blog go through some name changes until it's perfect. BTW, garyandlori0215.blogspot.com is the address for the blog covering my travels with Gary.

Warsaw is so interesting and deserving of a tourist's time. Poland's history is so dark with their neighbors of Germany and Russia, but they epitomize resilience. Here is the picture I took in front of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw: Below is Holy Cross Church where the heart of Fredric Chopin is interred in one of its pillars: Below is a better picture of the statue in front of the church. The words "Sursum Corsa" on the statue translate to "We lift our hearts": Warsaw celebrates the city's native sons Nicholas Copernicus and Frederic Chopin:  Touring various palaces, information given can be overwhelming. The Royal Palace below is a testament to Polish strength and no exception. After the first palace was destroyed in World War II, they took it upon themselves to rebuild this one: Like many European cities, Warsaw has a vibrant "Old Town". These ramparts we're

Please forgive my food-blogging skills. I truly love going into grocery stores in the various places that I visit. It is just facisinating to me to see the local food and drink. Here is a local Czech snack that I tried: My dad is normally a cracker fanatic, but I'm not sure he appreciated the bacon flavor of these crackers. Kofola is something I heard about from various YouTube vloggers. The drink is a different take on Coke. It's good!  I knew coming to Prague this is the time of year that Czechs have a mulled wine, svarak. I had this glass with dinner on the square in Old Town Prague: A very unique dish in Czechia is Moravian goulash/Moravian stew. Yes, it is made with pork roast. It is garnished with bread and potato dumplings. I was able to have this dish at the brewery on the grounds of the monestary. Currently I'm trying to figure out if it would be worth the hassle to get a bottle of Becherovka, a Czech vodka-type liquor through customs. I'm just not

On our second day in Prague, Dad and I decided to explore Strahov Monastery, which is located next to the Prague Castle.  The monastery was founded in 1140. Protestant citizens of Prague pillaged the monastery in 1420. After, the monastery flourished under Abbott Jan Lohelius. However, Swedish troops pillaged the monastery at the end of the Thirty Years' War.  The Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady on the grounds of Strahov Monastery is grand: There was a lot of maintenance and reconstruction carried out by 1994, after the end of the communist regime. Here is a sign in Czech showing you the way to the monastery and the way to Prague Castle: There is an observation tower, Petrin Tower,  noted as a place of interest to visit, but, with my fear of heights, we decided to pass. You can see the tower in the background of the above picture. Yep, we were already up high and saw what we wanted to.