TravelswithCharie

Plaza Mayor The charming town of Chinchón is a quick bus ride from Madrid's Conde de Casal bus station through green countryside and somnolent little villages. For most of the passengers in the bus, it was a time to doze off after a busy morning of shopping and doctor's appointments in Madrid. But that was rudely interrupted when a race car driver in a black sedan cut in front of our bus with two feet to spare and the bus driver had to brake quite forcefully waking up the weary from their siesta. Then everyone started to talk at once about our close call and my once aloof seatmate who had gone to dream world after finishing her pastry, started to converse with me. She later volunteered to show me the way to the Plaza Mayor (which is also close to where she lives) and we had a pleasant conversation as we slowly climbed uphill to the square. Claros The Plaza Mayor of Chinchón is a 15th century square surrounded by white washed three storey buildings with wood

The Ampitheater "It's a helluva place to lose a cow", remarked Ebenezer Bryce about Bryce Canyon. (Ebenezer was a homesteader in the Paria River Valley around 1875 and the Park is named after him.) As I looked at the Ampitheater from Bryce Point, I couldn't agree more. It was awfully crowded down there with phantasmagorical rock sculptures shaped by water, frost and erosion over millions of years standing toe to toe into the distance. Hoodoos from Sunset Point Bryce Canyon is not a canyon. It is actually a series of natural amphitheaters carved by erosion. And the air is so clear at Bryce that we could see far into the horizon. The Hoodoo (Bryce Canyon's newspaper) writes that "On a clear day you can see over 150 miles and even recognize landforms in Arizona!". As we drove from one vista point to the next, I appreciated more and more the panoramic views of Escalante National Park which borders Bryce Canyon. At Rainbow Point, we had reached t

Where to say: Center Hotel Klopp Klapparstig 26,  Reykjavik  Buffet breakfast included Central location. A block from Laugavegur, the main shopping street. Foss Hotel Baron Baronstígur 2-4,  Reykjavik Buffet breakfast included Across the boulevard from Sculpture and Shore Walk and a short walk to Höfdi House. Where to eat: It is expensive to eat out in Reykjavik. If you're on a budget, it might help to buy food at the supermarket. There are several supermarkets conveniently located in the city center or try the Thai Restaurant on Laugavegur where the food is delicious and reasonably priced.  Catfish at Sushi Samba Samba Sushi Japanese and South American Fusion cuisine. Thingholsstraeti 5 View their menu here:  sushisamba.is This is an expensive restaurant. Prepare to pay at least $30.00 for the dish shown above. Pearl Cafe Perlan Open from 10 a.m. To 9 p.m. www.perlan.is Perlan is a destination on its own. It sits on a hill an

Thingvellir National Park One of the closest areas to visit from Reykjavik is  Þingvellir ( Thingvellir) National Park. The Park is of historical significance to Icelanders. This is where the oldest open air parliament in the world (the Althing) was established in 930 and continued to meet till 1798. Thingvellir is also of paramount geological interest. The North American and the Eurasian tectonic plates run through the Park and have created a rift which continues to expand.  Thingvallatn is the largest natural lake in Iceland and lies south of the Park. It is the habitat of 150 types of plants and 50 invertebrates.  Gulfoss Gulfoss (golden falls) is fed by glacial melt from Langjökull, the second largest ice cap in Iceland. When glacier melts and flows down the river, it carries sediment with it. Hence the water is somewhat golden in hue. Gulfoss cascades in two tiers down a 32 meter canyon. Sunshine and a spray of mist in the air will create a rainbow to