My Alphabe-Thursday (5th), the letter "F" — Some places I've been starting with "F"

"F" is for some places, countries and cities starting with the letter "F" where I have traveled:
Countries:
Finland
France
States: (I've been to all 50) 
Florida 
Cities over 100,000 population where I've been:

Florence

Italy

Fort Collins	United States
Fort Lauderdale	United States
Fort Wayne	United States
Fort Worth	United States

Frankfurt am Main

Germany

Fremont	United States
Fresno	United States
Funchal	Portugal

Starting with the countries:
Finland:  In the Spring of 2007 we did an eleven-day Baltic Capital cruise.

Places we visited were: COPENHAGEN; DENMARK (two days); Ship: Star Princess (Embarkation Port: Copenhagen, Denmark – 10 Days 07/01/10 (AT SEA) – THU 07/11/10); STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN; HELSINKI, FINLAND; ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (two days); TALLINN, ESTONIA; GDANSK (GDYNIA), POLAND; FRI07/09/10 – AT SEA; OSLO, NORWAY; and back to COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (SUN 07/11/10 – morning and part of afternoon) then back to London for evening. I said that I would be blogging more about some of these as time goes by.  You can search my blog to see how many I missed.

In Helsinki (link for Helsinki CC like) we spent the most part of a day on shore.  Here are a couple of pictures (you can click on any and it should fill your screen):

Overheard in more than one cabin: “Now are our feet pointed forward or towards the back of the ship?”

This white church is a Lutheran church located in Helsinki, Finland. It is beautiful and also very active. Mrs. Jim and I had a snack with the ladies in the basement.

Another commonly heard conversation: “Should we eat breakfast at the buffet or in the dining room? I opt for the buffet because we have a larger selection.” “No, I prefer the dining room because I like to have people bring me my food.”

And one at the diner table: “You were wearing a straw hat yesterday on the tram, were you not?”

“Yes, why do you ask?”

“I was wondering if you ever got to where you wanted to go.”

“Oh, that was you we were riding with. We did. Thank you a lot for helping us figure out that figure eight system the have.”

This couple got off every time from the ‘3B’ tram when it got to where they got on. Had they stayed on they would have seen it switch to ‘3T’ and complete the other loop that they could not get to.

France:  We have visited France a lot of times, starting in 1992--a European tour by bus from London to Rome and back--with the last time being in 2013 by train with Karen and KP when we road on the Eurostar under the English Channel, if I tried to count them surely I would miss one.  My favorite sight still is the Eiffel Tower.  Again I don't know how many times I have seen it but I do know that I have never been on the top rung as the two lower ones are plenty for my Paris viewing.

   

  

We love to visit Paris.  This is the street leading from our last hotel.  I would like to stay there for a couple or three years.  Just to soak up the ambiance and enjoy.  Contrary to a lot you hear, the French are a very friendly people, at least to us.  Mrs. Jim speaking some French and having French roots helps some here, I am sure.  Her family lives in the Bordeaux area. 

   

 

I love to walk along the River Seine in Paris.  The river meanders back and forth through the city and you never really know where you might find it during your walk. 

 

Most areas have a walkway beside the river.  Following the river is not really a fast way to get to where you want to go as it changes its down stream direction a lot.  But if you are in no hurry and don't really care where you will end up, just follow it.

 

Many of these boats take passengers, mostly tourists.  A land taxi is in order if you want to go some place.  But for tourists they are great to get the flavor of Paris with all the river's windings.

 

Besides taking a river tour, you can also eat on the boat.  We haven't done the eating part, but it is quite a nice romantic ride in the evening.  Just don't drink too much wine and fall into the water.

 

   

 

In Florida last April we flew to Key West for a couple of nights and three days.  The last day we took a shuttle over to Fort Lauderdale to catch a trans-Atlantic cruise that ended in England where we stayed with our daughter for a month plus.  We did spend a week in Wales and Northampton (a couple of days there) where we have friends.  If I make it through the alphabet again I will blog a little about Wales.  You can also search my blog for that before.

 

Key West was a fun town for us, very touristy.  We stayed at an old hotel a coupe of blocks from the main drag.  This hotel was a collection of houses.  Our house was a two-story and there were probably 16 rooms in that old house.  All had been reworked and were fairly modern inside.

 

Most we enjoyed walking around, going places by city buss, and eating. Best for me was the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum:www.hemingwayhome.com   There were plenty of retired hippies there also.  Most retired early.  Noted towns we've found that don't lack for an abundance of these characters are Burlington, Vermont, Telluride, Colorado, and Key West, Florida.

  

 

A cute little Old house in Key West Florida near to our hotel. The chicken is a protected "bird" in Key West.

 Two of my favorite vehicles there.  First choice is the Jeep.  Below, the view from our 'dinner table' one day.

 

 

It seems to me that Key Lime Pie is the Florida State Dessert.  One of my favorites also.  We had a snack here.

 

The garage, top floor, studio of Earnest Hemingway.  Below is a cat on the stairs, deciding to come up or go back down.  The home is a sanctuary for cats. Next are a couple of shots of the inside of Hemingway's office.  I too like to write on a round table I have in mine.  And another cat in the office window.

 

  

 

This picture was taken at the furthermost Southern part of the

continental United States, at the beach in Key West, Florida.

 

Mrs. Jim stuck her toe into the water around the corner here.

 - Jenny is starting in now on her tenth series of Alphabe thursday.  With 52 weeks in a year and 26 letters in the alphabet she is now in her fifth year.  I am linked to her blog, GO HERE for more participants and their offerings. 

 - I am in my fifth series of Alphabe Thusday.  I intend to put on some pictures of my travels when I can find a few.  Some are in albums, pictures I've taken before a digital camera came to me.  I haven't scanned any yet.