Photo Gallery

Maria, Alina Habba & Siggy Flicker
Richard Grenell & Maria
John, Kari Lake & Maria
John, Maria & Our good friend Bernie Kerik
John & Maria – With our good friends Mariya & Nano Lopez
Maria & John – with our good friends Adrian & Irene
Maria & John – with our cousins Keith and Terry
Maria & John – With our good friends Michael & Nancy
Our good friends Keith & Kerrie
Our good friends Avin & Lindsy
Maria & John
Maria & John – with our good friend Yvonne Blount Alciatore
Maria & John
Maria & John
Maria & John
Maria & John – with our good friend The Frogman Tim Cotterill
Maria & John – Christmas in Florida
Maria & John
Maria & John
Maria & John
Maria & John – A cool tintype picture taken of us
Maria  & John in Times Square
Maria & John
Maria & John in Disneyworld 2009
Maria & John in Costa Rica 2011

Our plane tickets from October 2008 until December 2017
Our key cards from October 2008 until the present – One card per hotel -328 key cards

Marseille, France

April 23, 2023

Applaud the ochre village of Roussillon, considered one of France’s prettiest towns, and the striking cliffside hamlet of Gourdon on this extraordinary journey to the heart of Provence. Wind along the gentle slopes and green pastures of Provence during your journey by coach, stopping briefly in photogenic Lourmarin. On the highest hills between the Coulon River Valley and the Vaucluse Plateau, you’ll find Roussillon, a dreamlike village tinted with vibrant colors. During your guided walking tour, see the storied ochre quarries that account for Roussillon’s rich tones and wander among the village’s distinctive streets. You’ll appreciate time on your own, perhaps partaking in lunch at a welcoming brasserie. Travel to charismatic Gordes, which rises dramatically in tiers atop a series of bluffs in the Vaucluse Plateau. Roam along timeworn lanes, under vaulted passageways and up stepped alleyways lined with arcaded medieval dwellings and the remains of age-old ramparts. You’ll long treasure your memories of this excursion to Provence’s fairy-tale villages.

Welcome a leisurely walking tour of alluring Aix-en-Provence, a graceful provincial city with a noble heritage. Rejoice in a picturesque drive through the Provençal countryside, a verdant patchwork of gentle foothills and bucolic valleys that stirs the imagination and stimulates the senses. Begin your exploration of magnetic Aix on Cours Mirabeau, a lively boulevard shaded by 200-year-old plane trees that is framed by cafés, bookshops and splendid mansions, whose attractive façades are enriched by wrought-iron balconies and finely carved doorways. You’ll cherish the verdant Mazarin District, founded in 1646 by the noted archbishop of the same name and later home to writers and artists such as Paul Cézanne. Admire Saint-Sauveur Cathedral, which was built over ten centuries, resulting in its intriguing meld of architectural styles. During time on your own, perhaps look for the 16th-century belfry that boasts a sophisticated astronomical clock from 1661 or relax at an inviting café beside one of the myriad fountains gracing this refined city.

Maria & John

John & Maria

Maria & John

Palma De Mallorca, Spain

April 21, 2023

Explore this beautiful island beginning with the magnificent Seo Cathedral and Bellver Castle. See the windmills and impressive manor house in the verdant countryside. Discover the amazing natural wonders in the Drach Caves. And for romance, visit the former Carthusian monastery in Valldemosa, where George Sand and Chopin spent a winter.

After departing from the pier, you will soon arrive at Bellver Castle, a spectacular Gothic landmark from the 14th century. Its round design is unusual among Spanish castles, and although seemingly impenetrable, the fortress never served a defensive purpose.

As you ramble about the hilltop castle taking photos, you will appreciate the origin of its name, which means “lovely view” in Catalan. Few panoramas are quite so beautiful.

Delve into Mallorca’s grand capital city of Palma on a guided visit to two stunning Gothic landmarks, La Seu Cathedral, and Bellver Castle, and stop at a purveyor of Majorcan pearls. Enter resilient Palma, a city repeatedly invaded over the centuries due to its strategic position in the Mediterranean, and learn how each conqueror left their mark at La Seu, the city’s spectacular Gothic cathedral. You’ll delight in its enormous rose window, which casts a beautiful light into the church, and the wrought-iron canopy over the main altar, which was designed by idiosyncratic Catalan architect Antonio Gaudí. Enjoy a guided stroll to the city center, where you’ll discover an imitation pearl shop and learn the process behind the manufacture of these remarkable jewels. After some free time to shop and wander, continue to Bellver Castle, a revered 14th-century Gothic landmark. Gaze in awe at its unusual round design and seemingly impregnable fortifications, punctuated by towers of varying heights, and find a patio with a double gallery of arches, the Capella de San Marc chapel, and the Palma History Museum. You’ll celebrate the Gothic treasures of Palma on this enlightening tour.

Maria
Maria

Alicante, Spain

April 19, 2023

Lying on Spain’s radiant Costa Blanca, Alicante exudes a rare beauty. Lovely Baroque buildings cluster around the historic central district. Marble plazas grace its broad waterfront boulevard, the illustrious Explanada de España. Pristine beaches like San Juan hug the shoreline. It’s no surprise that Alicante is popular year-round. Venture to the grand Castle of Santa Barbara overlooking the city and walk from its high towers down into the dungeon. Stop for a glass of refreshing sangria in the Old Quarter. Behold the masterpieces hanging in the Gravina Museum of Fine Arts, a former 18th century palace.

Relish a guided introduction to the vibrant resort town of Alicante, founded in Roman times as Lucentum, the City of Light, on this enthralling tour. Journey to Santa Barbara Castle, one of the largest in the Mediterranean region and strategically located atop a rocky mass that soars nearly 600 feet above the city and sea. You’ll discover a massive complex that includes numerous ramparts, the medieval Hall of Nobles, the 16th-century Room of Philip II and the ruins of the ancient hermitage of Santa Barbara. Visit Alicante’s historical district and admire the more than 6 ½ million small red, black and cream tiles covering the Esplanade, one of the most enduring images of the city. In Alicante’s charming Old Quarter, survey Town Hall Square and the Cathedral of Alicante, better known as the San Nicolás de Bari, whose impressive façade is considered one of the finest examples of Spanish Religious Baroque. Enjoy free time in the Esplanade, perhaps walking the broad promenade, browsing the inviting stalls along the way and soaking up the colorful atmosphere of this sun-kissed town.

If you would like to see what and where we ate while we were in Alicante, Spain.