A few days ago I decided to book a two night trip to San Miguel de Allende. This morning I took an Uber from my Airbnb in Mexico City to the Norte bus depot and boarded a bus that left … Continue reading
Vacay from my vacay in San Miguel de Allende
Tag Archives: Architecture
Chapultepec Castle and Museum
Today I decided to have a short day since I was gone for 16 hours yesterday. This morning I registered online for the Ecobici bicycle sharing program here in Mexico City. They have an annual membership for $28 and a … Continue reading
2022 in Review
2022 was definitely a year of travel! My first trip was in late Jan/Feb for almost a month in Honolulu, Oahu. Although I went by myself, I had lined up a few dates through online dating and also went to a couple of Meetup.com happy hours. It was a nice escape from the winter here in Northern Kentucky.
I left in early April for almost three months in Europe, 5 countries, 21 accommodations, with 18 day trips. It was a trip of a lifetime! When you travel solo, you tend to meet people more easily. I met a man at the beach in Mykonos, Greece and had dinner with him, a man and his family from a Facebook Europe travel group in Colmar, France, another lady from the same group in Colmar, France, and was invited to a friend’s country home in Chania, Greece.
I started in Rome for six nights with day trips to Tivoli and Orvieto. (Photo at Villa d’Este, Tivoli, Italy)
I traveled by train most of the time. Next I spent seven nights in Spoleto with day trips to Perugia, Assisi, and Spello. (Photo in the town of Spello)
My next destination was Florence where I spent eight nights with day trips to Siena (photo below), Lucca, and San Gimignano.
With nine nights in Paris, I was able to take day trips to Rouen, Versailles, Chartres, and Troyes (photo below).
Rouen shown below
During my five nights in Tours, France I took a shuttle bus to see some amazing Chateaus: Villandry (the gardens)…
Azay-Le-Rideau…
Cheverny…
Amboise, Chambord, Clos Luce, and Chenonceau.
I also had my hair colored/cut and had a spectacular 90 minute massage!
The seven nights I spent in Colmar, France were some of my favorite. It’s a magical place.
I took day trips to five quaint towns surrounding Colmar: Riquewihr, Kayserberg-Vignoble, Ribeauville, Equesheim, and Turckheim.
I also took a day trip from Colmar to Strasbourg, which I loved!
I began my time in Germany with five nights in Freiburg Im Breisgau (Black Forest) with day trips to a couple of area lakes. My Airbnb host let me borrow her bicycle which I rode often. I also went to a day spa with indoor/outdoor mineral pools.
Next, I made the journey through towns along the Romantic Road and spent one night each in Wurzburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbuhl (photo below), Noerdlingen and Augsburg.
The last stop was in Fuessen for two nights. The Neuschwanstein Castle is located here. The first photo was taken while on the uphill walk to the castle…
I flew from Munich to Mykonos where I spent four nights.
Then took a ferry to Santorini for three nights.
To finish my Greek Islands experience, I flew to Chania, Crete, and spent three glorious days.
Next up was Switzerland…I flew to Zurich, took the train to Lucerne and spent two nights.
I backtracked and spent three nights at Lake Como, visiting Varenna, Menaggio and Belaggio (photo below).
I spent eight additional nights in Switzerland and discovered it’s my favorite European country! The hiking is amazing!
Took the Bernina Express Scenic train to St. Moritz for two nights. (Photo taken from a hike)
Took the Glacier Express Scenic train to Zermatt for two nights. (Photo taken from a hike)
Spent four nights in Lauterbrunnen (Photo taken from a hike)
In September I took a 10 day road trip through Michigan, Traverse City, Taquamenon Falls State Park, Marquette, Munising in the Upper Peninsula, and Mackinac Island. My dear friend Sherry joined me for the UP and Mackinac. (Photo: Pictured Rocks Boat Tour)
In October, a friend and I drove to the Smoky Mountains and hiked for a couple of days.
Finally, in December I found an inexpensive ($160 including luggage) flight to St. Petersburg, Florida and rented a beautiful Airbnb for 10 days. A new girlfriend joined me for part of the trip.
The holidays are rough for me since my husband and only child passed away a few years ago. I don’t contemplate suicide like I used to. I’m getting used to living alone. On Christmas Day I had brunch with my brother and his wife and then went to a get-together at a girlfriend’s home.
A few other things to note: I had my bathrooms and kitchen remodeled and after a six month break from online dating, joined five sites and have gone on too many first dates to remember 🙂 I also joined a health club and have been working out pretty regularly.
I’m writing this on my deceased son’s birthday. We named his Justin, because he was born Just-in time for the new year. I miss him so much. I’ve been invited to go out this evening, but I’ve decided to stay home.
I’m looking forward to a trip I planned to Mexico City for the month of February. I’ve always gone to beaches when I’ve visited Mexico, so this will be a nice change.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
The Salvador Dali Museum
I took the complimentary shuttle from my Airbnb near St. Petersburg Beach, Florida to downtown St. Petersburg and then walked about a half a mile to the Salvador Dali museum.
Salvador Dali was from Figueres, Spain. Major themes in his work include dreams, the subconscious, sexuality, religion, science and his closest personal relationships.
The admission price is normally $30, but on Thursday evenings from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. it’s half price.
Blink 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio
Last night I went with a friend to Blink in Cincinnati, Ohio. It’s an annual global art display, spanning 30-blocks, with 39 large-scale projection mappings, murals, interactive light sculptures, music from over 80 bands, and diverse entertainment from both local and international artists. It lasts for four evenings. We walked about three miles to see about two-thirds of it.
This is in an area called Over-the-Rhine
Washington Park, also in the Over-the-Rhine area, had some beautiful installations.
Cincinnati Music Hall
Fountain Square
There’s even a parade
One wall of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
My friend Scott
Next to the Moerlein Lager House near the Ohio River
The Banks area near the riverfront
The beautiful John A. Roebling Suspension bridge crossing the Ohio River into Covington, Kentucky
I highly recommend taking a road trip to visit Cincinnati during this event!
Eden Park to Mt. Adams Hike in Cincinnati, Ohio
I had a date Saturday morning to take an urban hike. I suggested meeting at Eden Park Overlook and hiking to Mt. Adams…approximately 3 miles round trip.
Eden Park
Eden Park Overlook
We took a break at The Bow Tie Cafe and had some water. The view was gorgeous!
View from the Holy Cross Immaculata Church
He wasn’t a match, but it was a beautiful day!
Louisville, Kentucky Road Trip Part 1
My friend and I left yesterday (10/1/22) from my place in Covington, Kentucky and drove an hour and 43 minutes to Louisville, Kentucky for an overnight stay. I had been to Louisville once before about nine years ago on a girl’s trip. I took my bicycle since we would be cycling for part of the day. We couldn’t check-in to our Airbnb until 4:00pm, so I had an 8 mile bike route pre-planned on Google maps. It included riding through the neighborhoods of Smoketown, Nulu, Downtown, and Old Louisville. I researched the LouVelo bike share so my friend could rent a bicycle. There was a station 7 minutes walk from our Airbnb, so I parked the car and we purchased a 300 minute plan ($25) for her. I’ve only seen this friend a few times in the past 8 years. I met her when I took a group of people to four countries in Europe back in 2014 and she joined the group. Although she’s 16 years younger than me, she doesn’t bicycle very often and never in a City, so she cycled quite slowly.
I discovered that Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville. Here’s a sculpture in his honor.
We passed Louisville Slugger Field
The downtown architecture is nice
We stopped for a tasty lunch at the Sidebar at Whiskey Row restaurant
As we passed a playground, I suggested we take a swing
After three hours of exploring and having lunch, I drove us to the Ohio riverfront where we walked across the Big Four Pedestrian bridge to the Indiana side of the river. The weather was perfect!
Come back tomorrow for the final part of our day/evening.
2020 in Review (a little late)
The year started with three weeks in Miami, Florida in February on a solo trip. Most of my time was spent bicycling, walking on the beach, photographing, and exploring.
I was gearing up for a big year with my business, Cincinnati Urban Adventures when the pandemic hit. Suddenly, I was alone with my grief – no travel – no business – no boyfriend. I went to a local shelter and brought home Grayson, who has been a comfort.
I had two trips previously planned before the pandemic hit – one in May to Utah and Idaho, and the other in August to various destinations in Oregon. I ended up cancelling the flights for both and drove 4400 miles round-trip out west to Utah and Idaho.
I’d already explored Bryce and Zion Nat’l Parks in Utah years past, so this time I went to Arches and Canyonlands.
On the drive to Idaho, I spent a couple of nights in Salt Lake City for hiking and also had a masseuse come to my Airbnb for a 1 ½ hr. massage to treat myself on my birthday. I hiked a 6 mile roundtrip, 3,000 ft. elevation change trail while there. This was at the top…
Next was Idaho. This is the Snake River Canyon near Twin Falls, Idaho (where Evil Knievel attempted jumping the mile wide chasm with his rocket, but failed).
I visited Sun Valley, Idaho, which I found to be gorgeous. I rented an e-bike and explored for miles. I also hiked a lot. I stayed away from people because of the pandemic.
Then I drove up to Stanley, Idaho in the Sawtooth Mountains and stayed in this cabin on a small river.
There was time spent with friends throughout the remainder of 2020, doing mostly outdoor activities (because of the pandemic). Lots of hiking and also get-togethers at our homes for patio dinner/cocktails.
Rough River Lake, Kentucky for our annual ladies long weekend. I reserved a 5 bedroom/3 bath home on the lake. We rented a pontoon boat and had fun!
A visit to my cousin’s place in central Ohio. He has built quite the mansion/castle – it has hidden rooms, so many things to look at – very eccentric!
Birds in my backyard…
An outdoor Thanksgiving with family…
My dear friend helped me put up my Christmas tree. Holidays are rough when you’ve lost your parents, spouse, and only child.
Christmas with my brother and sister-in-law…
All things considered, I was doing pretty well with everything I was going through. I tried to be grateful for what I had.
2017 in Review (a little late)
2017 began with me on assignment at the Casino in Cincinnati for Cincinnati Refined. A very colorful and loud party to photograph.
I continued finding much joy taking photos in my free time…like the sunrise captured in this church window a couple of minutes from our place in the country.
and Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati at night…
The Licking Riverside Historic District in Covington, Kentucky with a beautiful view of Cincinnati’s skyline.
Get-togethers with friends…
Family time…
My brother, sister-in-law, nephew, and niece.
I was busy growing my new business, Cincinnati Urban Adventures. Friends accompanied me on trial runs for some of the tours.
My husband, son, and a girlfriend were models on my Over-the-Rhine Sights and Bites tour for my website.
I hired a few models for my Beyond the River tour in Covington, Kentucky.
Here are some of the photos shoots I did for Cincinnati Refined…
I began managing an Airbnb located in Covington, Kentucky…
I had a few photo shoots for my own company, Sherry Lachelle Photography. A senior photo shoot…
A family photo shoot…
I was the Tour Guide and Photographer for a wedding with 40 people. It was 5 hours long, but everything went smoothly.
And I photographed my first gay wedding – 2 beautiful ladies.
I attended an annual weeklong Urban Adventures meeting in Portugal and arranged a trip to follow for a few friends. They met me in Lisbon, Portugal, where we saw the sights for a few days before moving on to Seville and Granada, Spain.
Cheers – Salud!
My husband and I were able to get away to Florida for a week in December.
As you can see, my year was very busy, filled mostly with photography and growing my business, with a little travel sprinkled in.
The View from St. Anne’s Church in Warsaw
If you’re looking for a great spot to climb up for a beautiful view of Old Town Warsaw, St. Anne’s Church is the place! As I was surveying the scenery, I noticed a Nun cutting flowers…
Here’s part of Old Town Warsaw…
Love tiled roofs, dormer windows and color…
Simply beautiful…
I heart Warsaw!
The Streets of Warsaw, Poland
With only 1 1/2 days to explore Warsaw, I made the best use of my time walking the streets and taking lots of photographs!
Warsaw was much prettier than what I had envisioned. I loved all of the quaint sidewalk cafes!
The center of Old Town was much like that of the other Eastern European cities we visited.
The Central Market was well stocked and very nicely laid out!
Lazienski Park in Warsaw, Poland
We arrived in Warsaw on June 30th via the 7 1/2 hr. Lux Express bus from Vilnius, Lithuania, and took a taxi 1 1/2 miles to our Airbnb. After meeting with our host and dropping our luggage, we walked a couple of miles to the gorgeous Lazienski Park. The 187 acre park is Warsaw’s largest, and dates back to the 17th century.
The Palace on the Water in the Park was even prettier in person!
We explored the lovely interior…
Out on the terrace, a couple of peacocks were making lots of noise (maybe it was mating season). They are my favorite bird!
Magnificent Trakai Island Castle in Lithuania
Situated only 45 minutes bus ride from Vilnius, Lithuania, Trakai Island Castle is a perfect day trip. The morning of June 29th, I escorted my tour participants to the Central bus stop in Vilnius, a 15 minute walk from our Airbnb for the short ride to Trakai. The buses run every 10-20 minutes per day to Trakai and cost about 2 Euro each way.
The bus lets you off about 2 km away from Trakai Castle, so I was glad we arrived early enough to walk to the Castle before it opened at 10:00am. Having seen photos of the Castle, I was so excited when it finally came into view. It’s like a fairy book castle!
The first phase of the Castle was built-in the 14th Century and had great military strategic importance.
Beyond the gate is a spacious courtyard. Once inside, we agreed to meet back in an hour and went off exploring on our own.
The drawbridge is massive! Those are people standing beyond the door…
It’s set up like a museum now, with lots of artifacts and exhibits from the Castle’s history.
As you can see, the weather gods were shining on us yet again!
I just had to pose in the guillotine type structure. It was heavy! That’s my purse hanging down on the right.
Uzutrakis Palace is off to the left of Trakai Palace…
Here are my tour participants, Paul and Jing…
After our explorations, we had lunch at one of the outdoor cafes bordering the lake with a view of the castle!
Beautiful Churches of Vilnius, Lithuania
During the 33 days I toured through Europe, there were many Cathedrals and Churches to visit. Although not as colorful as some others, the simplicity and beautiful cream interior of the St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Vilnius provides a tranquil shelter for those seeking peace.
The spectacular interior has over 2,000 stucco figures and its ceilings soar!
The Church of St. Anne and Church of St. Francis and St. Bernard are also lovely. It is a bit confusing because they are right next to one another. I don’t show a photo of the latter’s exterior. The Church of St. Anne’s gothic architecture reminded me a bit of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
Living like a local in Vilnius, Lithuania
The Lux Express bus ride equipped with wifi and restroom from Riga, Latvia to Vilnius takes four hours. Upon arrival in Vilnius, we walked 15 minutes to our spacious and bright Airbnb, with three bedrooms, and two bathrooms.
We followed our established routine, going out to a local Supermarket to stock up for the three night stay, and then hit the pavement!
Our four mile walk included a stroll through beautiful Bernardine Park.
I love capturing emotion…a mother’s love for her infant…and color!
We also briefly explored the area called Uzupis, similar to Christiana in Denmark…The self-proclaimed “Republic” of Užupis is Vilnius’ Bohemian and artistic district. It has its own anthem, constitution, president, bishop, two churches, and the Bernadine Cemetery.
Sherry Lachelle Travels 