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Riding a Felucca on the Nile

Felucca on the Nile Along with our Support Boat

We had spent several days traveling around Egypt at a rather frenetic pace, and our group was beginning to wish for a little time to relax. We had ridden camels at the Pyramids, toured around Cairo, taken a night train, attended the Abu Simbel Sun Festival, toured around Aswan and visited a Nubian village. It was time to try a more sedate pace and…

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Life is Either a Daring Adventure or Nothing

Life is Either a Daring #Adventure or Nothing #retirement #travel

Cormorant Fishing in China

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure.”

These profound words by American author Helen Keller, articulate precisely why it is important to live a fulfilling life, expand comfort zonesand take some measured risks. We…

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Nubian Village Visit

A visit to a Nubian Village in southern #Egypt was a fascinating insight into the culture of Nubian Egyptians, and a feast of sights and sensations.

A Camel Greeted Us Upon Arrival to the Nubian Village

Today on our Egyptian trip, we visited the Nubian Village of Nag`Gharb Siheil, near Aswan, on the edge of the West Bank of the Nile in southern Egypt. Nubian historypredates ancient Egypt and there is evidence that direct descendants of the Nubians have been inhabiting this corner of Africa for over 300,000 years. 8,000 years ago the Nubians…

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East Side Gallery in Berlin

Amazing Berlin Wall #Graffiti Images at East Side Gallery in #Berlin

Graffiti Art on the Berlin Wall at East Side Gallery The East Side Gallery is the best place to see the remnants of the Berlin Wall and a must-see for any visitor to Berlin. At 1.3 km long, or just under a mile long, it’s the world’s longest open-air gallery and the largest remaining section of what was once the Berlin Wall. Today, this open-air art gallery is one of the most photographed sights…

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Temple of Isis at Philae

Temple of Isis at Philae, Egypt

Main Courtyard of the Temple of Isis at Philae

The Temple of Isis at Philae, an Egyptian Temple originally located in the Nile River on nearby Philae Island, was moved in the 1970’s to its new location on Agilkia Island after the flooding of Lake Nasser. The temple was built during the 4th Century BCE and is dedicated primarily to Isis (the mistress of magic and the goddess of rebirth) but…

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Pictures of Egyptian Pyramids

My #travelphotos of the Great Pyramids of #Egypt

Photo of the Great Sphinx of Giza Guarding the Pyramids

It has been a long-term dream of mine to visit and take pictures of Egyptian pyramids at Giza, but I had no idea how much seeing them would affect me. Sure, I had seen pictures before, but I don’t think anything can prepare you for the enormity of the pyramids. I was awestruck walking in the cool February air about how these ancient…

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Currywurst in Berlin

Currywurst is a low-cost #streetfood made from a German sausage, covered with tomato ketchup and sprinkled with curry powder. But, it isn't that simple. Currywurst is also a cultural phenomenon and a window into post-war #Germany.

Currywurst in Berlin

If you go to Berlin and a spend any time at all wandering the streets, you are going to be confronted with signs for what is apparently a favorite street food of Berliners, currywurst. Germans are obsessed with currywurst; estimates are that they consume more than 850 million currywursts a year. There is even a Currywurst Museum in Berlin. Google even made a Google Doodlefor…

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Non-Financial Tips for a Happy #Retirement In 2011, when I took early retirement and sold everything I owned to travel the world…

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Visiting Herculaneum (Ercolano) Italy

#Travel to the Ruins of Herculaneum, #Italy

The Ruins of Herculaneum Next to Naples, Italy

When Jon and I agreed to look housesit for two daft dogs and a cat in Naples, we couldn’t wait to visit nearby Pompeii, which had been on my personal bucket list for years. But as soon as we mentioned this to others, nearly everyone said, “If you like Pompeii, should visit Herculaneum!” Herculaneum, I’d never heard of it. Some travellers, we are!

So…

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Nazare Photos: The Place to Surf Portugal

Amazing #travelphotos of Nazare, Portugal, home to the biggest #waves in the world.

The Lighthouse at Nazare, Portugal

When we first moved to Portugal, I didn’t think, “surf Portugal,�� but they are crazy about it here on the Silver Coast. Surfers from all over the world flock to Portugal and the small town of Nazare, not far from where we moved to Portugal, to ride some of the biggest waves in the world. Nazare waves are renown for their size; in fact, the biggest wave ever…

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What is Magnetic Adaptive Clothing?

MagnaReady: Shirts the button with magnets! I like these and I wish my dad could have used these. #ad #aging

I don’t do a lot of product reviews, but when given an opportunity to try out a shirt that buttons up using magnets instead of traditional fasteners, I wanted to give it a try, principally because it just sounded cool. Also, later in life, my dad started suffering from neuropathy and would get frustrated when using regular buttons. He always worked through, although sometimes on bad days he…

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Happy Holidays and Happy Travels from Jon and Sarah at LifePart2! Whether it is Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Terrific Tet, Blissful Bodhi, Rocking Ramadan, Gala Yuletide, Festive Festivus or whatever you celebrate this time of year, we wish you and yours Happy Holidays, Bon Natal (and all of the above) from Portugal!

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FEBO's Automat's Metal Wall of Food

FEBO’s Automat’s Metal Wall of Food

FEBO is a Kind of Institution in Amsterdam

When visiting Amsterdam, if you are eating this far down on the culinary food chain, odds are you are stoned, drunk or starving. I was none of the above, but when we strolled by one of FEBOS’ many automated walls of fried food I was intrigued. It was cold and rainy, and I had a hankering for something warm and fried. I may travel the world, but I was…

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Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 14 – Kinderdijk, The Netherlands

Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 14 – Kinderdijk, The Netherlands #travel #myvikingstory #holland

< Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 13 – Cologne, Germany

After a restless night, don’t ask me why, maybe it’s the thought of returning to normal life, we are so used to having everything done for us on the cruise, how will we be able to cope in the real world?

So, in the early hours, we left Germany and entered the final country of this adventure, the Netherlands. Not as pretty as…

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Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 13 – Cologne, Germany

Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 13 – Cologne, #Germany #myvikingstory

< Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 12 – Braubach, Germany

You Can’t Get More Central Than This

We woke up to a fantastic view of Cologne city, with views across the Rhine River to the city’s famous gothic cathedral. What a fabulous start to the day!

We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, before heading across the Hohenzollern Bridge, famous for its wall of love padlocks. In all our…

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Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 12 – Braubach, Germany

Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 12 – Braubach, #Germany #myvikingstory

< Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 11 – Wertheim, Germany

Sight Seeing Has Never Been So Easy

This morning we entered the Rhine River and spent time up on the sun deck, taking in the views – hillside castles, steeply terraced vineyards, forests and charming towns with half-timbered houses. This stunning region in the Upper Middle Rhine River is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.…

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Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 11 – Wertheim, Germany

Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 11 – Wertheim, #Germany #myvikingstory

< Our Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour: Day 10 – Würzburg, Germany

Very cold start to the day this morning, down to 1 degree (Celsus). Now, that may not sound cold to some but don’t forget Jon and I lived in Laos and Thailand for a long time, so our blood is still Asian!!

Wandering Around Wertheim, Germany

But cold as it was, the sky was blue, so bundled up in all our winter clothes, we…