CJ's Back and Doing Much Better!!!

Hey all,

It's been awhile since I last blogged--as you know I have had some surgery done, and I'm finally getting back on my feet.  It was a slow process, and I made sure I took the time I needed to get healthy before coming back.  In the past I've tried to do things too early and paid for it, so I was determined to be a good girl this time.

Without going into gory detail, I had reconstructive surgery done to my mouth and jaw.  Unfortunately, I have a degenerating bone disease and no matter what I did to take care of myself, things went from bad to worse.  We'd been trying to get the thing done for over a year, but with traveling, it wasn't easy.  But the long time in Sao Paulo, plus the excellent doctors in Brazil for this type of procedure made this the perfect place to get the surgery completed.

I'm well on the road to recovery, but I still have at least one more procedure to do.  I'm hoping to get that done in September and then--if all goes well--I'll be completely finished.

So, what with the surgery, the crummy internet in Sao Paulo and life in general, I was offline for much of the last few months.  I'll be taking more time online while here in Brasilia, but I've learned to take things a day at a time and not push myself so hard.

Traveling is great for story ideas, inspiration and fodder for blogs, but to do those things AND enjoy life in general, THAT isn't so easy to schedule.  

Don't get me wrong, I'm blessed and grateful that I have the opportunity to do this.  This is a dream come true!!!  But it's taken me awhile to get over the guilt that I can't do it all.  The superwomen complex you know.  I've got it in spades and I'm not good at failing.  LOL

Anyway, sometimes it takes a bit to get things straight in your head--for me it's an ongoing process--but I'm closer to a resolution than I was a day ago.  And I'll be closer still tomorrow.

That means you will be seeing me do things a little differently in the future.  I still will be writing--can't stop doing that.  As for publishing, while I have many avenues for that, I despise the politics in that area, so I will be very discriminating to who I choose in the future.

I'll be blogging once a week to start, maybe more later, but I want to keep my hand in.  I'll be spending most of my time getting the stories I've done ready for publication as well as finishing up several I have in process.

Add that to enjoying my travels and I think I'll be plenty busy enough!!!!

So keep your eye on my blog, read my newsletter and watch my chatgroup for daily deets.  I may not be as prolific as before, but I think my books will be of better quality and I know I'll be happier!!!

And after all I've been through, I've learned life is too short and too beautiful to allow myself to be unhappy!

Until next time!!!

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

A Brief Note From CJ

Hey all,

I'm sorry I haven't been around.  Things down here haven't been so easy lately.  I've been sick and finally got into a doctor.  Upshot is I'm going in for surgery today.  I can't go into detail, but it's not life threatening, just painful and irritating.  I'd appreciate any prayers, good thoughts and vibes you can send my way.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to get back online.  The doctors say it can be up to two weeks before I'm able to get back to normal life, but I'll have Jonathon come online and let you know how things are going so you don't worry.

I've missed you guys.  Between the crummy internet and now this, I feel like I've been forceably retired!!!

Hope to be back again soon.  And mucho better!  LOL

Hugs to all,

 

CJ England

Music Soothes Not Just the Savage Beast

Hey all,

Jonathon sent me a beautiful email the other day.  He was listening to a song and thought it reminded him of us, so he sent me the link to listen to it.

And all I could do was wipe away a tear and sigh.  Sometimes he is just so romantic...

What was the song?  Life With You by Celtic Thunder.  You can download the song HERE, and the lyrics can be found HERE.  But my favorite part was this...

I want to spend my life with you
Don't want to live all alone
I can't conceive of the years left in me
Without you in our home

Every time I think about you
I think I can't live with you
I'll tell you something
I am nothing without you

Isn't that wonderful?  To be sent that by my sweet baboo made my day.  A reminder that he truly loved me.

Another favorite song that I love is also by Celtic Thunder.  It's one of my all time favorites and really shares how I feel about my husband and family.  It's called The Voyage and I always crank the music up really loud when it comes on.  You can watch the video below and read the lyrics HERE.

My favorite lines are below.  I get teary-eyed whenever I listen...


With no maps to guide us
We steered our own course
We rode out the storms when the winds were gale force
We sat out the doldrums in patience and hope
Working together, we learned how to cope

Life is an ocean
Love is a boat
In troubled waters it keeps us afloat
When we started the voyage, there was just me and you
Now gathered round us, we have our own crew

Music can soothe, excite, anger and calm the listener, and songs that touch us in a special way are ones we hold deep in our heart.  We use music to romance the one we love and to mark important occasions in our lives.  Most couples have a special song...for Jonathon and I it is "Makin' Memories of Us" by Keith Urban.  You can check that out HERE.   And the special lines that touch my heart are below...

And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you
And I'll earn your trust making memories of us.

We'll follow the rainbow
Wherever the four winds blow
And there'll be a new day
Comin' your way

Perfect, Right?  

And I even have the song picked out that I want at my memorial.  A beautiful song by Collin Ray that says all I want to say about how I feel about my husband.  Romantic and true, we've promised each other that it will be played at both our wakes.  Have a listen to If You Get There Before I Do (Love Me).  Lyrics HERE.

As you can see, for me music is not just something to listen to.  It is romance and beauty, and it feeds my soul.  I've used it in many ways--from seducing my lover to playing with my children to performing before thousands.  As an author, it's played a huge part in several of my stories. The Second Chance Trilogy is all about music and romance.  And as the great Marcus Aurelius said...

The sexual embrace can only be compared with music and with prayer.

Ain't it the truth!!!!

What is your favorite music and why?  Put it in the comments below.

Until next time!!!

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses

My wish for you...  May You Always Have a Shell in Your Pocket and Sand in Your Shoes...

~~~Anonymous

Hey all,

I just got back from three lovely days on the coast.  Jonathon taught a dive class over a three day dark (show was closed for three days) on the beautiful island of Ilhabela.  We had a wonderful time, staying in a lovely little cabana for two with a waterfall at the front door and the stream running right under the room.  Yep!  That's right.  We fell asleep each night to the beautiful sound of water rushing beneath us.  I have to say, the whole experience made it very easy to get romantic!!!!  (naughty grin here)

AND, the place came with two dogs you can love on as much as you want too.  A huge plus for a frustrated animal lover.  :-)

You can check out the resorts (actually a private home with cabins) HERE.  As you can see by the pictures, it is a slice of paradise.   Waterfalls, pools, trees, and tropical flora made it one of the prettiest places we've ever stayed.

It had a small village close by so we could pick up any last minute necessities. (The fresh fish was to die for!!!)  There were tons of trails all over the island and the beach dives were a lot of fun.  Jonathon taught several open water divers and helped out a couple of advanced as well as those who needed a refresher. I jumped in to help whenever he needed me, but I spent most of the time he was teaching wandering, swimming and just enjoying myself.  I wandered the resort just feeling the sun on my face and listening to the breeze whisper in the palms.

I needed to get out of the city.  Sao Paulo is so huge and filled with big buildings, I sometimes feel suffocated.  I think I need a country, mountain or ocean fix every now and then just to make it through the days.  While the park near our hotel is quite nice, there's just something about being on a primitive beach that stirs your senses and feeds your soul.

Since I don't know when I'll next be able to get my "fix", I made sure this long weekend filled me to the brim with everything I need to make it until next time.

Let me share a few pics from our time on the island.  Click on pic to make larger.  Enjoy!!!!

This picture was taken from the ferry looking at the island of Ilhabela.  It's only a short distance from the mainland, about 20 minutes, so it's easy to travel to.  Lush and green with lovely small villages, waterfalls and beautiful beaches.  A dream!

 On our way to the resort, we pass this beautiful beach and yacht club.  You can swim there and it has plenty of pubs, kiosks and restaurants nearby.

 

Most of the rooms had kitchens, but our small, tucked away cabana didn't, so we used the common area kiosk near the pool to make our meals.  It had everything you needed and we enjoyed the fellowship of our friends.

Our cabana was right behind the kiosk down these stairs.  Not for the faint of heart, each step kept you (ha ha) on your toes!  You can see the cabana at the bottom.

This picture was taken just in front of the waterfall looking at our tiny cabana.  Surrounded by palms, bamboo and all sorts of foliage, it's VERY private. You can see the stream rushing beneath.  Add that sound to the music of the waterfall, and I was in heaven.  I'd love to go back and spend a week doing nothing but write!

Inside the room looking out at the waterfall and stream.  Primitive, but so relaxing and restful.  The shower had a window that opened up into the jungle so you could see nature while nature saw you!!!!

The beach were we dove.  Starfish, urchins, sand dollars and small jellyfish near the beach, but larger and more plentiful life near the rocks along the small island you can see in the distance.  I saw all kinds of fish, crab, sea slugs, more jelly fish, clams, sponges and coral.  A lovely place to dive or snorkel and we could stay down a long time since it wasn't more than thirty feet at the most.

 One last photo.  Artsy-fartsy, but still a beautiful sunset.  I'm hoping we go back with another group.  It was so relaxing and a memory I'm glad to share with you all!

I hope you enjoyed a look at one of the beautiful places in Brazil.  Now, as you can see, I've changed the date of this blog to Fridays.  That's because in a few weeks I'll be starting another FREE READ on my FREE READ blogsite.  I'll let you know more as the time get's closer and I hope you will all join me in the fun.  Until next time...

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Beauty Is In the Eye...

Hey all,

Sorry this is a day late, but...the internet. Need I say more?  Oh well, at least I'm able to get on now.

I went to a museum the other day.  One here in Sao Paulo.  It was very small, but quite well kept and I was surprised to see that the info was in Portuguese and in English.  Since English isn't so often used here, I was very pleased.

It wasn't a varied collection, actually only two artists, and while it didn't take long to go through it, I did enjoy myself.  The first one (see above) was kind of surprising.  Photographs of Andy Warhol in drag, done by Christopher Makos.

The second-- a graffiti artist--was someone I'd never heard of before, a guy by the name of Alex Vallauri who has work in both Sao Paulo and New York.

Both art displays were interesting.  Not too much to my taste, mind you, but I do like to see different types of art.

I've learned to ask myself three questions.

1.  Do I like it?

2.  Would I hang/display it in my home?

If the answer to the first two is yes, then I ask the following...

3.  Why does it touch my heart?

If the answer to the first two is no, then I ask the following...

3.  Why is it considered art?

You see, I've discovered it's not enough to just look at art, you've got to understand what it is about it that makes you feel.  Whether it's bad or good.  

For me it's easy to stare at a Michelangelo or Monet and feel the throb of appreciation and enjoyment I get when I'm fortunate enough to see what they've created.  But I've learned over the years that approximately two-thirds of the art I see DOESN'T make my heart go pitty-pat.  So, I can just ignore that the art is out there, or I can try and understand why some people think it's art in the first place.

So I ask myself the above questions, and if it isn't something I find attractive, I try to analyze the piece.  Understand why it doesn't make me sigh.  I don't spend a great deal of time on most of that art, but I've learned that every once in a while, when I take a second look, I actually wind up LIKING it.

I know...weird, right?

For example, (see the picture to the right) I love Alfred Sisley, and discovered him the first time I went to the Louvre.  Now, I can recognize his work whenever I see it in a museum or hotel.  I love the way his art makes me feel and I hope someday to own a selection for my very own, though I'll most likely have to make due with a professional print.

But I also discovered another artist in Paris.  One at the modern art museum I chanced upon.  Alberto Giacometti.  When I first saw him, I turned up my nose at his work.  I didn't like it at all.  But later I found myself wandering back towards his display, and for the first time I tried my three questions.  And to my complete shock, I decided that my first impression had been wrong.  I DID like his work.

Very much.

So I re-asked the same three questions and realized that Giacometti's art (not all of it, but many of his sculptures) just made me feel good.  And while that may not be a fancy or artsy reason to like art, it was enough for me.

So next time you see a piece of art you blink at... one that makes you think, WTF?, try asking my three questions.  You might actually find out that weird piece of art that you initially thought was horribly ugly, is actually something that will make your heart go...

Pitty-pat.

Until next time,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Stupid Is As Stupid Does

Hey all,

Today's blog is something I've been thinking about for a while now.  Stupidity.  Now, some of you may think I'm getting cranky about things, and you'd be right.  But like one of my favorite bloggers used to say (Karen at Karen Knows Best),  "It's My Blog and I Can Say What I Want!!!"  *smile*

Now stupidity, I'm sorry to say, comes in many different forms.  As you can see from the picture.  This is an accident waiting to happen.  To adults!!!  What is this...Jackass, the Mature Version?  Stupidity can be just plain scary and it can be stupid scary.  People being stupid just aggravates me.  But that's not all I want to talk about here.

It's not just the idiot who sticks a bottle rocket up his ass, set's himself on fire, puts it on YouTube and then wonders why everyone thinks he's a moron.  (Yeah...you know who you are!)

It's not a woman who after receiving that spooky, scary, life threatening phone call goes blithely to the door to answer it when someone knocks.  And doesn't even look out the peephole to see who it is who is going to kill her slowly.  (And yes...this happens.  NOT just in the movies.)

And it's not the now-famous thief who walked into a 7-11 with a bag over his head to rob the place, but forgot to put eye holes into the bag!!!  (You can all have a moment to giggle.)

Are these people all stupid?  Oh yeah.  But these uber-stupid people aren't the ones that I find scary.  What I find truly scary are the stupid people who do stupid things every day.  Why?  Because after a while we stop thinking that they're stupid and start accepting what they do as normal.  

And that's terrifying!

For example...

I'm not a Bill Clinton fan by any means, but I have to believe he has some smarts.  He was in politics.  He became president, for God sakes, but was he so stupid he thought no one would find out when he had an affair?  And was he that much an idiot to try and explain his way out the way he did?  Oral sex isn't sexual relations?  Seriously?  I guess that's news to a lot of prostitutes out there.  Stupid.  And our country was in his hands.  Not only a liar...but a stupid one.  Terrifying.

Or... how about the high school students who put their lives on Facebook or some other social media.  You've heard of stupid things like students putting a "hit list" on their school site.  No, I'm not talking about killing someone.  These hit lists cover anything from who should get bullied that day, to who should take whose virginity, to where the next "secret" party is going to be.  But it's all there in black and white for anyone to see.  And take advantage of.  But the kids keep doing it.  AND a lot of them keep getting hurt.  Idiotic and scary...

This one makes me laugh and shake my head.  I still get them every day and I wonder...is anyone buying into this crap?

~~~I've won a gazillion pounds in a lottery in South Mubuzo.  WooHoo!!!  All I need to do to get this windfall is send them all my personal info.  And my first born son.  *snort*  (Don't worry, Jeramiah...I'll get a receipt!)

~~~Some friend (I won't remember their name, but they are my bestest awesomest friend forever *see all the hearts and flowers?) has been stranded without any money.  They were robbed-beaten-attacked-kidnapped-mugged (you choose) and only need XX amount to get them home.  The embassy won't help.  *horrors*  And you...you are the only one who can.  (music cue here...."Help me Obi Wan Kanobi you're my only hope!!!")

~~~The widow of some absolutely, wonderful, amazing missionary-statesman-scientist-humanitarian, who has oodles of money, wants to share it with me.  (How generous!)  But to do so, she'll need my banking information, so she can just transfer that windfall right into my bank.  Isn't she thoughtful???

But some people buy into this stuff.  I had a reader who was all upset because one of my other readers (con artist) sent a pathetic email to a lot of people on my list bemoaning the fact her house had burned down and all her books had burned up.  So she was hitting the lists asking for replacements.  I had to tell my reader that she'd done this before...on other lists.  At least six other times.  And if she was wealthy enough to lose all the houses that had supposedly burned down, she could damn well buy her own books!!!  

What's terrifying about these scenarios is that it happens every day and every day someone is tenderhearted, naive, unthinking to buy into it.  *sigh*

Do people get in trouble for some of these things.  Sometimes.  But it just doesn't seem to matter so much anymore.  We may shake our head when some idiot downs a few margaritas and then drives his car into a tree on the way home, but seriously...that's not just stupid...it's criminal. 

The problem is stupidity is like anything else.  When we see it over and over again, we become jaded...we don't allow it to bother it as much as it should.  And so eventually, the stupid becomes the norm and everyone starts to accept it.  And in my humble opinion...

That's the scariest thought of them all!!!

Have you a stupid people trick you've seen and shaken your head over?  Either in real life or in the news?  Share it hear so we can all learn from it.  And sigh.

Until next week,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Life Is What You Make of It

Hey all,

I've been thinking a lot about my life lately.  How things change and how things stay the same.  I know that sounds trite, but it is a real truth.

I have been fortunate in my life for the most part.  I've had my disappointments and my triumphs.  I've cried with heartbreak that I didn't believe I'd ever get over and I've danced in the rain with inexpressible joy.  Nothing boring about me, that's for sure.  My life is an utter roller coaster ride.

Sometimes it gets to be too much and I just want to crawl into bed and hide.  If my health isn't good or if Jonathon and I have had a fight.  When I'm down, it doesn't take much to send me into despair.  But on the other hand, it doesn't take much to make me happy.  A single smile from a lover, a striking sunset or a even a taste of chocolate.  What can I say?  I'm easy...to please.  :-)

I think that's why being an author is so much fun.  I can take all those messy emotions and pour them into the written page...like a therapy I guess.  I know when I'm mad I write AWESOME fight scenes and when my world is glowing with love, those sexy interludes just smolder with all the heat you can wish for.

But I save my emotions for the most part for my books or my family and close friends.  I don't share all the ups and downs here on the blog (unless I think it will help others) and I surely don't vomit out my disappointments and fears on Facebook or some other social media.  In fact, I despise those posts that whine or lament about how hard life is.  It's one thing to talk to a friend, but to let everything out to hundreds of thousands of people you don't know...and who don't know you?  My idea of stupid.

I read an article the other day when I was at the doctor's office.  (Yes, I actually found one in English)  It stated that more people these days were seeing psychiatrists than ever before.  And those shrinks polled admitted that most of the "problems" discussed weren't ones that necessarily needed to be dealt with in a psychiatrists office.  Made me remember that conversation from the movie, Crocodile Dundee...


Sue Charlton: People go to a psychiatrist to talk about their problems. She just needed to unload them. You know, bring them out in the open.
Michael J. "Crocodile" Dundee: Hasn't she got any mates?
Sue Charlton: You're right. I guess we could all use more mates. I suppose you don't have any shrinks at Walkabout Creek.
Michael J. "Crocodile" Dundee: No, back there if you got a problem you tell Wally. And he tells everyone in town, brings it out in the open, no more problem.


So maybe Facebook and such are some lonely people's idea of a cheap therapy.  If you don't have a "mate" or a "Wally", maybe social media is the next best thing.  Makes me realize just how lucky I am to have my sweet baboo to talk to whenever I need to.

In fact, I think that's a treasure worth more than all the gold in Fort Knox.  To have someone to talk to and who cares enough to listen.

I'll take that type of "social media" any time!!!

Until next week...

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Italy...Let's Get the Boot!

Hey all,

Today's blog is the finish up from last week.  I shared the first part of our vacation...now I'll share some pics of our last ten days in Italy.

Now I'd been there before, but Jonathon hadn't, so I was jazzed to show him some of the places I'd enjoyed, like Rome, Florence and Naples.  But we weren't stopping there.  We traveled all over Italy and loved every single second of it!!!!

We went to some of the big attractions, like Pompeii and the Roman Colosseum, but we also hit some of the small places you might not think of.  And those were even more amazing than some of the "BIG" tourist sites.

Our first stop after we entered Italy was the beautiful city of Venice.  I had never been there before and as one of my top bucket list items was to take a romantic gondola ride with my sweet baboo, I was really looking forward to it.  We went just before dusk and were able to see the waterways both in the daylight and as the sun set over the canals.  And it was just as wonderful and romantic as we expected!!!!

The next stop was something very special for a romance writer.  Something I stumbled on by chance and when I mentioned it to Jonathon, he, like the sweetheart he is, made sure I got to see it.  Where am I talking about?  What is one of the most romantic places in literature?  How about the balcony and courtyard of Juliet where Romeo made his famous speech!!!  It is said to kiss under this balcony makes sure you will always have romance in your relationship!  I can go for that!!!!

After a lovely drive and night on the banks of the beautiful Lake Como...

We decided that we were so close to Monte Carlo, we couldn't pass up the chance to go to this most famous of cities.  So off we went to the tiny (and I do mean tiny) country of Monaco.  After a most terrifying drive down some of the most hairpin curves I've EVER traveled, we found ourselves at the famous Monte Carlo Casino...the one James Bond made famous.  No pics are allowed inside, but it is one of the most loveliest places I've seen

And through Genoa down to Pisa, where we had to have our obligatory "prop up the Leaning Tower" pictures.  LOL  It was quite an interesting area and one of the actual FREE places which was pretty cool.  A courtyard, museum, cemetery and the Tower.

And then on through several other cities.  I'll add pics and brief captions for each of them.  Enjoy!!!

The famous market bride in Florence.  Silver and Gold and beautiful Jewelry.

The amazing UNESCO Sassi Cave Houses.  If you even have a chance to visit, do so.  This whole area was absolutely amazing.

One of my other favorite UNESCO sites.  I thought these Trulli houses looked just like what hobbit or faerie houses might look like.  Another place I'd highly recommend to see.

A beautiful drive along the Amalfi coast was one of the most terrifying things I've ever done!  Tiny roads and HUGE buses DO NOT mix!!!

A kiss in Pompeii!  One of the most tragic, yet interesting places I've ever seen.

And finally, the Vatican in Rome.  The art is amazing and there is so much to see.  We barely made it, before the conclave, but Jonathon was able to see the Sistine Chapel.  This is just a small sample of one of the beautiful rooms in the museum.

Obviously, there is so much more to see and I wish I could put up all the pics we took, but like before, uploading took me forever.  Just know if you ever have a chance to visit Italy, do so.  You'll never regret it.  Especially, if you do it with someone you love!

Until next week!

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Today is Thursday, So It Must Be Vienna!!!

Hey all,

As promised, today I'm going to share some of the photos we took as we did our last travel through Europe.  We had a wonderful three week road trip and made memories we'll cherish for a lifetime!  Such as this beautiful night scene of the castles in Prague!

After leaving Hamburg, we traveled through quite a few countries.  Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungry, Slovenia, Croatia, Monaco and Italy.  It's a good thing we love to go by car, because we spent a lot of hours in one.

But I have to say it was one of the best trips we've done.  No airports or worries that way.  Just jumping in a car and going until we didn't want to go any more.  I'll probably do another blog next week with more pics...breaking it up into two entries, because we did so much and enjoyed ourselves so thoroughly.  God is good.  To give us the opportunity and the where-with-all to make our traveling dreams come true.

So, I'll start at the beginning and today's blog will cover everything but Italy, because that in itself was an amazing 10 days!!!

Ready?  Remember to click on the pics to see them bigger.

Once we left Germany, we went straight into the Czech Republic.  We spent two delightful days in Prague, (remember the picture up above?) which everyone said is one of the world's most beautiful cities...and it is.  The architecture, the art and the people.  I could have spent the whole time there and never been bored.

This is one of their famous landmarks, the clock that sits in the city square.  Unique and beautiful, we bought a copy of it to take home with us.  We were lucky enough to walk by when it was hitting the noon hour and the chimes and music it makes are wonderful!

After visiting Prague Castle - the biggest castle complex in the world and another UNESCO site, we headed for our last destination in the Czech Republic, the little known Bone Church in the tiny town of Kutna Hora.  I'd never heard of this place before a circus friend told me about it.  And once I researched it, we found this small city had not only this amazing church, but several other HERITAGE sites as well.  So we enjoyed ourselves very much.  But the Bone Church is so unusual, I had to show you a couple of pics.  Believe it or not.

 And this is a close up of one of wall arts.  Yes...that IS a parrot on his shoulder!

After we left the Czech Republic, we went back into Austria so we could visit Vienna.  Another old world town with much to see and do, we could only see bits and pieces.  But what we did see showed us it lives up to it's name as one of the greatest places to visit.  My favorite areas were St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Rathouse(city hall) and the many palace complexes.  We were even able to visit one of the most famous landmarks...the main cemetery of Vienna where many of the world's most famous musicians were buried.  Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert and Strauss to name a few.

 

 And since Strauss in one of Vienna's favorite sons, we even hiked to his golden statue in the middle of Stadpark.

After leaving Vienna, we drove through the countries of Slovakia, Hungry, Slovenia and Croatia.  We were curious as to what these areas of Europe were like and since we had the time and the inclination, we took a day and a half and just explored.  We found friendly people, good food and some beautiful countryside.  And while we didn't go for any specific attraction, we're glad we took the time to visit.

Slovakian Sunset

Stayed in this unexpectedly beautiful area just on the Hungarian /Austrian border.  When we woke up, we found this small basilica.  So very beautiful and the plain people who worshiped there touched my heart in a special way.

On we went through Slovenia and Croatia.  Slovenia was a pretty country with some beautiful countryside.  Tall trees and hidden valleys.  We loved the short time we were there.

Croatia we didn't spend more than a few hours in.  We didn't have the time.  We'd gone there because when we were in Berlin at one of the Christmas Markets, a group of Croatian dancers had preformed.  The squealing cries uttered by the women dancers intrigued us, so we dipped into the country to check it out.  We didn't see any women squeaking--though I did a few of my own just to say we did--but we did see the BIGGEST SHOPPING MALL IN CROATIA.  I guess it can be another thing to mark off our bucket list.  LOL

Anyway, that's just a taste of what we were able to explore.  I wish the internet was better.  I'd put more pics up, but it took me most of Wednesday to do these.  *sigh*  I'm just glad I can get on at all!!!!

I'll be back next Thursday with lots of photos of Italy.  And a couple of Monte Carlo, Monaco, since we spun the wheel just for luck in that famous city!

Hugs and see you next week!

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/