Rathaus-Glockenspiel (town hall), Munich

Three times a day, the clock tower chimes, and in the middle section, life-size knights and dancers spin around a large platform re-enacting two stories from the 16th century for several minutes. This is in the heart of the town square at Marienplatz.

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna

Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the imperial family, is one of Europe's most impressive Baroque palace complexes decorated mainly in the Rococo style. The land had been in the possession of the Habsburgs since 1569. The palace and garden complex built here from 1696, after the Turkish occupation, was redesigned by Maria Theresa after 1743. In 1772, six-year-old child prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart gave a concert in the Hall of Mirrors.

Arranged by his mother, granddaughter of Maria Theresa, Emperor Franz Joseph married his first cousin, the enchanting (and later anorexic) Sisi. Dedicated to an expanding Austro-Hungarian empire, he reigned from 1848 to 1916. The monarch spent his last years entirely in the palace, which became the property of the new Republic of Austria only two years after his death. Emperor Charles I signed his abdication of the crown in 1918, marking the end of 640 years of Habsburg dominion in Austria and the demise of the monarchy.

Predjama Castle

Predjama means in front of the cave. This is one of the few surviving castle caves in the Alpine foothills from the Middle Ages. Dating to 13th c and before, the castle is set against the moist rock just inside the mouth of a cave over 400 ft high. Security features added over the centuries included drawbridges, sentry towers where boiling oil could be poured on intruders, and a dungeon with a small viewing room from the living quarters.

Ljubljana from castle tower

The view from the castle, a central part of Ljubljana since the days of hunter-gatherer, Romans, Celts and eventually tribes from Germany and Austria, and the Slavs, shows the city's development along the river. Modernized for walking but retaining its history the city's famous architects created a charming atmosphere along the tree-lined banks of the river. Slovenia gained its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 and joined the EU in 2004.

Piran

Venetian architecture and red-tiled roofs cascade toward the Adriatic Sea at this quaint medieval village on the Istrian Peninsula. The view from the campanile also shows the main square (or oval), originally part of the marina, which has become the center point of the town. Giuseppe Tartini, a local violinist from the area, is honored with a large bronze statue.

Reka River flows into Skokjan Caves

The caves are now a UNESCO World Heritage site with a huge and long cavern several hundred feet from the river bottom to the top of the cavern. 40,000 year old dripstones, stalagmites and stalactites, form throughout. Could not take pictures inside the cave but only at the natural opening. A 3 km walk on steps and bridges throughout the dimly lit caves was like walking through a movie set of Lord of the Rings or Indiana Jones. One of the only animals present in the cave besides bats is a white salamander with alabaster human-like skin.

Lake Bohinj to Mount Vogel, Triglav NP

Lake Bohinj, Julian Alps

Set far below Triglav, the highest peak in Slovenia, Lake Bohinj is fed by crystal clear streams from the Julian Alps which form the Sava River flowing to the Danube and eventually the Black Sea.

Castle over Lake Bled

Dignitaries and tourists alike touring the castle grounds some 600 feet above the lake.

Skofja Loka

This medieval village in central Slovenia began as a market town in 1248. It's surrounded by stone walls and five gates named after the individuals who built the gates.

Lake Bled

Lake Bled located in the Julian Alps in northwestern Slovenia has a storybook 17th c church and tower on a small island in the middle of the lake. The medieval Bled Castle overlooks the entire glacially formed lake.

Saturday market, Old Town Ljubljana

Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia

Arrived on a rainy morning. The river current that winds its way through old town is running fast and brown with mud and debris from the weather that has been sweeping through central Europe. Saturday morning markets in full swing despite the rain.

Santuario della Madonna del Sasso, Locarno

Perched dramatically above Locarno and Lake Maggiore in Switzerland. Seems like Italy here!

Locarno, Lake Maggiore

Summer is still in the air at Lake Maggiore, shared by Switzerland and Italy.

Valle Quarazza

Lago Quarazza is on way to Colle di Turlo and Alagna Valsesia.

Macugnaga

Clouds cover the east face of Monte Rosa, the second highest mountain in Europe, from Macugnaga, an idyllic mountain hamlet in the Italian Alps.

Snow still present on northern side of Monte Moro Pass

Saas-Almagell to Monte Moro Pass el 9360 ft

The Swiss-Italian border is represented by Our Lady of the Snows, a gold statue on top of the rocky pass. On the Italian side sits a high elevation rifugio and a cable car to whisk you down to Macugnaga, Italy, after your cappuccino.

Above Saas-Fee

Glaciers dominate the high mountains above Saas-Fee, a large ski resort and mountaineering town. The town is built outside a large buffer zone from the glacial rivers of ice perched precariously above the Swiss village. Over the decades, it has also strategically placed avalanche fences, walls, canals, and even planted forests to help protect the town from massive snowfall, glacial debris and raging rivers streaming down from the mountain.

Saastal Valley - mountain walker's paradise

We joined a wily group of marmots to scope out the wild jagged 4000M peaks forming a line across the narrow valley high above the ski town of Saas-Fee Switzerland. Dom at 4545M (nearly 15k ft) led this group of attractive peaks.

With the aid of two cable cars to Hohsaas, we shot up to over 10kft from the town of Saas-Grund, right up to the glaciers careening down the mountain and positioned directly across the valley from the 4000+M peaks.

While forming part of the Tour of Monte Rosa, this section warrants multiple walks on its own, many highlighted in Kev Reynold's recent "Walking in the Valais".

If so equipped glacial travel is available but we spent our day acclimating at the top while still feeling quite jet-lagged hiking up above the station and around closer to the action on the glaciers. Views were unbelievable, and imagining it during ski season, mind-blowing.

The locals told of their snow-shoe and sledding adventures during full-moons taking advantage of all the steep mountains have to offer especially when sunlight is available for only three hours of day in a long winter in these narrow steep valleys.

Savary Island BC

Billed as BC's tropical paradise, Savary Island is a fun summer day trip by water taxi from Lund, just north of Powell River on what is known as BC's Sunshine Coast. Hike over the summit of the island to the south side where white sand beaches and a few friendly crabs scurrying by under the water await. And don't miss the bakery in Lund before or after your trip!

Elk Falls Campground, Campbell River BC

Use Elk Falls as your base camp and nearby river fishing, while taking fishing charters on Discovery Passage in the salmon fishing capital of the world. Located on the Georgia Strait on the northern half of Vancouver Island, Campbell River is a friendly town with plenty of fishing and hiking opportunities.

Whistler Blackcomb BC

Great way to experience this ski resort in the summer. Take the Whistler ski chair up to catch the 4.4 km Peak2Peak Gondola that travels over the huge valley separating Whistler Mtn from Blackcomb Mtn. Nice day hiking on Blackcomb before taking one more ski lift back down to the village. Site of 2010 Winter Olympics, the skiing here must be pretty fabulous.

Discovery Park, Seattle

Hike from the Visitor Center under the tunnel and through the woods to the North Beach, then follow a shoreline trail to South Beach and the lighthouse, then continue around the perimeter toward Emerson St to complete an approx 5-mile loop back to the Visitor Center.

Queen Victoria, Kensington Palace

Queen Victoria was born at Kensington Palace, and reigned from 1837 to 1901, an era of industrial expansion of the British empire. Kensington Palace has undergone recent renovations and is now the home of Prince William, Princess Kate and their new royal baby, George.

Hyde Park walk, London

The Last Invasion of Britain tapestry

In 1797, French ships captained by an American Colonel, landed in the Fishguard & Goodwick area with over 1,000 French soldiers. While the British forces were summoned, the country was reeling in debt, and the locals were forced to defend themselves from the drunken pillaging invaders until more support arrived. A woman named Jemima Nichols, with a pitchfork, captured 12 French soldiers forming the colorful history of this short-lived engagement. The women in Fishguard, years in advance of the bicentennial in 1997, embarked on an ambitious 50-ft tapestry telling the story. The needlework used only stitches consistent with the day and the detail is formidable. Two small panels are pictured.

Lower Fishguard

A mile or two away from Goodwick lies Lower Fishguard, its harbour commercially used for herring fishing in the 18th and 19th century. The original settlement dates to 1000 AD. Moby Dick, the movie with Gregory Peck in 1956, was filmed here. Under Milk Wood, the 1972 movie from the Dylan Thomas play, was also filmed here and starred Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Peter O'Toole. Apparently, Richard Burton left his mark on the town with many a night at The Ship Inn, a classic 18th century seaside pub. They say Liz filmed her scenes from London.

Fishguard Harbour

Fishguard Harbour, near Goodwick, entered transatlantic trade with the Cunard Line in 1909. Almost three years later in 1912, another ship from the White Star Line, in its maiden voyage, left from Southampton, UK, for New York City. That ship? The RMS Titanic. The First World War ended the Cunard Line route when the Lusitania, a passenger and goods vessel, was torpedoed by a German U-boat, and sunk off the coast of Ireland in 1915. This event hastened the United States' entry into the war. The Cunard Line's other ship was transferred to the port in Southampton, and today Fishguard Harbour primarily services the large ferry boats with Ireland.

Strumble Head

Apparently the night is always clearest before the rain comes in the next morning. We saw no other hikers as we pressed on that morning toward the lighthouse at Strumble Head.

To Pwll Deri Bay

Gorgeous remote hiking as we made our way further up the Pembrokeshire coast. The second image shows the youth hostel perched above the cliffs. Fabulous sunset that evening, and so clear you could see southeastern Ireland.