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TRANQUIL GARDENS AND ARTFUL HOUSE CHARM VISITORS WITH FEELING OF COUNTRYSIDE Artist Frederic Clay Bartlett designed  the unique home which he and his wives decorated with treasures from Europe and their own artwork. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER AT THE  historic Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale, manatees swim, frolic and even give birth in the waters below the boat house! Bonnet House is situated on a coastal barrier island -- with a walkway to the Atlantic Ocean on the east of the property, and the Intracoastal Waterway bracketing the West. SO WHILE  manatees lead their life of leisure, a full fledged tourist town is booming all around the refuge. For Lauderdale is a unique blend of town and country. Fort Lauderdale's unique waterways nurture tourism and a special home. During our visit, we hopped out of a taxi in busy traffic and stepped into the peace and tranquility of the Bonnet gardens, where we saw heron and many other showy birds. No wonder that in 1984 the home was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Bonnet House is nestled in the middle of Fort Lauderdale. NAMED AFTER the lovely bonnet lily, the land on which the home stands was a wedding gift to artist Frederic Clay Bartlett and his wife Helen, from her Chicago father, Hugh Taylor Birch. After Helen died, Frederic married Evelyn Lilly, and they continued collecting, traveling and painting.  Frederic died in 1953, but Evelyn lived many more years, gifting the estate to the state in 1983.  Their art studios, antiques and collectibles provide an intimate look at their eclectic and whimsical artistic life, their travels, friendships and energy. THE BONNET HOUSE  is far more than a home. Fort Lauderdale at night:  lively city with a country estate within. It is a living, lively testimony to lives well lived, in harmony with the natural world and art both collected and painted themselves.  The home's treasures include a gorgeous two-story painting studio and many original works, with approaching walkways decorated with carousel animals. The artistic gifts of designer Frederic Clay Bartlett, and the artful wife he led with both his first wife, Helen, and his long lived wife, Evelyn, are testimony to the artistic taste they nurtured. We walked the family's beloved Nature Trail, which took us back in time to a rare piece of old South Florida.   Imagining a time long before the Birch and Bartletts communed with nature here, we pictured the  Indians fishing and harvesting crops as they did from 2,000 B.C.  Europeans came later, exploring from 1,500 A.D. and eventually building beach shelters in the 1870s. Keller arrives via water taxi to the Bonnet House and more. A well versed docent at Bonnet House, Frank Schmidt, regaled Cookie and Keller with stories about the home. He is one of  many proud volunteer docents, who shares his love of the Bonnet House and Fort Lauderdale. A well versed docent at Bonnet House, Frank Schmidt, regaled Cookie and Keller with stories about the home. He is one of  many proud volunteer docents, who shares his love of the Bonnet House and Fort Lauderdale. NEXT UP:  Ephesus and its wonders. Ephesus beckons -- and we answer the call.  Come with us to explore this ancient, wonderful ruin in Turkey, with its fascinating past. We're all about adventure, excitement, and exploring, always with a sense of fun. We'll go next to the amazing Ephesus, on the Turkish coast. Remember to explore, learn and live. Visit us Wednesdays and weekends at: www.whereiscookie.com Slowly the pace of  settlement accelerated, until today's Fort Lauderdale, a bustling city.

The views from the top floor of "Hop on and Hop Off" buses are usually splendid. Here, the bus passes under a beautiful ceiling of trees on Las Ramblas in Barcelona.  Malaga and many other cities offer these popular tours. Check it out next visit! CONVENIENT, EDUCATIONAL, FUN BUS TOURS OFFER THE OPTION OF STAYING AT A STOP OR ENJOYING A CIRCLE TOUR STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Hop on and off tourists enjoy a beautiful, sunny afternoon in a new town. IF YOU'RE new in town and want to get a good, basic overview of your host city, you can't beat a hop on and hop off bus tour.  We try to do one in every city, usually on the first full day of our visit. It's a terrific way to get to know your new town, making notes of  museums, plazas, cafes or parks you want to spend more time with. It's also a great way to remind yourself of why you've returned to a particular city. USUALLY , a taped narration in many languages allows you to learn in your favorite language.  Sometimes, there's a live guide -- even better.  Always engaging.  Particularly if you're on a limited time schedule, the hop on and off bus tour gives a great overview so you can feel as if you've learned something about your new town, even in a few hours. THE HOP ON AND off feature also allows one to budget time for return visits to particular spots if you're staying longer. Most day tours hit a few major attractions within the allotted hours. But if you take a hop on and off bus tour, you are free to do just what the tour says -- hop on and off and roam the city all day. A "bus top view" here in Funchal, Madeira, is a lovely way to see the sights of a new town on a sunny day.   IF YOU ARE a bus aficionado, the first bus tour you take in the new city will give you a clear concept of how the routes work, what places are near to the hotel where you are staying, what's going on in the street culture and how you can get around in case you want to rent a car or use public transportation. WE LOVE TO  roam without feeling time constraints. But if time is short and you want to get the best bang for your dollar or euro, and make optimum use of your time, we recommend the hop on and off tours.  Consider them an introduction. You'll learn a lot. A bus tour gives a crash course of information, much more than a stroll through town can glean. Convenience, education and a variety of sights are three major plusses of hop on and off tours. Barcelona's is one of the best! Just moments off their flight to Lisbon, Keller and Cookie booked a hop on and hop off tour for the next morning. We recently took wonderful "hop on"  tours in Barcelona, Malaga, Porto, Lisbon, Amsterdam, London and Paris. Malaga is known for beautiful beaches, stately buildings, a fine Picasso museum, palm trees, friendly people, flamenco, fun food. It's fun to sit back, listen and learn,  make new friends and leave the driving to others. If you see something you like, hop off. You'll be picked up at the same spot, usually an hour or two hours later. TOURS ARE  not for everyone, and  not all tours are created equal. But a "hop on and off" experience gives an excellent grounding. Perhaps you're interested in art museums or classic architecture. You might prefer a wine tasting or brewery tour. We've taken dozens of  "hop on and off" bus tours.  One of the best is in Malaga, that appealing southern Spain city known for stunning beaches, lively culture and fabulous food. It's also the birthplace of Picasso and boasts a wonderful museum devoted to him. Our last visit was brief but the hop on-off tour was a great "capsule," a reminder of all we love about Malaga.  It made the best use of our time in this popular Andalusian city, with a return to Museo Picasso Malaga. This portly gentleman was photographed from one of our recent hop on and off tours in Madrid, Spain, on a sunny autumn day. WE SUGGEST  securing a top-floor seat on your "hop on-off" bus so you get a good overview and can make notes on what you'd like to see more of. That’s the beauty of hop on and hop off tours. You pass  the highlights and can return to the places that interest you most. Check out the options. You can often book a "hop on and off" tour right from the airport when you arrive in Lisbon, London, Malaga, Amsterdam, Munich, Copenhagen, Paris or most major cities around the world, including the United States. TRUE, THE HOP on and off bus tour is not the only way to discover a city, but there are few better or more economical ways to explore a new or familiar destination. If you're touring more than a single day, you can buy two or three-day packages which save money. Figure $30 to $40 a day and as little as $89 for a three-day pass. Each city is different. We enjoy the way we "tune out" the rest of the world on a hop on and off bus tour. We turn off our phones and simply relax into the rhythm of our new town. It’s lovely to make notes of what you and your partner, friends, family or tour group might enjoy more of.  Drivers are helpful and knowledgeable, too, eager to share the delights of the cities they call home. www.barcelonaturisme.com www.visitbarcelona.com w ww. barcelonaturisme.com w ww.visita.malaga.eu www.yellowbustours.com   www.hop-on-hoop-off-bus.com   www.iamsterdam.com/en/tickets/i-amsterdam-city-card www.getyourguide.com www.viator.com PLEASE check out individual cities tourist bureaus. Good way to begin research. Northern Portugal is a wonderful place to visit for a few days or a week.  This charming village, Valenca, is a picturesque town which boasts centuries old architecture and nice people. STORIES ON TAP:  Some fun features await from our recent global wanderings: Playing tourist in Los Angeles, charms of a small Portuguese village called Valenca, a perfect day in Malaga, whether to take a ship's tour or not, munching your way through Las Vegas with a delightful food tour, and much more. We're always looking for new ideas so please email us your suggestions, or comment on this page. Enjoy the holidays and please remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin and insights on travel, the arts, family, nature and more. As always, we welcome sharing of the stories and links: www.whereiscookie.com

Hooray for Hollywood, where the famous letters stand in a well preserved forest near Griffith Observatory.  A day on the road with Hollywood Bus Tours is strongly recommended. Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers stroll the famous Santa Monica Pier. BARS, STARS AND FANCY CARS FILL THE DAY, WITH MOVIE LORE, FAMOUS STREETS,  PARKS, MANSIONS   STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WE VISIT  Los Angeles six or seven times a year, but we'd never seen some of her most delightful sights. So on this last trip, with a quiet day between plays, friends and museums, we booked a half-day jaunt with Hollywood Bus Tours. Our comfy, small tour bus took us all over the city, to highlights ranging from Santa Monica to the Hollywood sign. Hollywood's famous Wall of Fame includes stars from long ago, such as the great Italian opera great, Enrico Caruso. We were so glad to discover this fun tour.  What a delight the day was.  Our tour guide Jeff, a San Francisco transplant, now a devoted Angeleno, has an amiable nature that set the tone for an easy-going day with congenial, global people. Jeff's comfortable, joking nature encouraged conversation and new friendships in a tour both informative and fun.  He took us through Hollywood and Beverly Hills, where we saw dozens of expensive autos and lavish gated homes of stars past and present. The drive aboard Hollywood Bus Tour takes curious guests through Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and varied neighborhoods. WE TOURED both familiar landmarks and undiscovered parts of the city in our "Taste of L.A." It took us past Hollywood's famous bars and nightclubs, Beverly Hills with its five-star hotels, mansions and parks, Rodeo Drive with its gorgeous shops, and on to both iconic and little known corners. THE TOUR  takes a leisurely look at both the city's hot spots and its quiet treasures which was a pleasure for us. Jeff threw in tales about movie shoots and stars' deaths, including that of the great comedian John Belushi who died of a drug overdose at Chateau Marmont in 1982. While Hollywood is only a part of Los Angeles, it's what most tourists come to see because of its connection to glamour, money and power. It's the show-biz capital of the world, home to famous television and movie studios and well known record companies. Jeff drove us past a half-dozen of these. Los Angeles, "City of Angels," made room for two more potentials, Bruce Meyers and Christene "Cookie" Meyers, at the Griffith Observatory. EVERYONE KNOWS of Santa Monica Pier, perhaps the west coast's most famous. Farmer's Market offers shops and pleasant places to relax. We walked to the end of it, past the roller coaster and cafes, enjoying an ice cream as we watched fishermen and tourists mingle. We were thrilled to visit Griffith Observatory, that stately treasure at the city's top. We stopped there for a splendid view of the famous Hollywood sign and the valley that became Los Angeles and hoe to Leonardo DiCaprio, Elvis, Madonna, Tom Cruise, Marilyn Monroe and countless other stars. The observatory is a popular tourist attraction. Besides those splendid views, it boasts and an extensive array of space and science-related displays, all thanks to its benefactor, Griffith J. Griffith. Admission has been free since the observatory's opening in 1935, honoring Griffith's will. It's fun to walk the Santa Monica pier to its peaceful end. WITH LEISURELY stops for snacks, photos or a restroom, we never felt "trapped" in the small bus. We enjoyed Jeff's banter and history lessons, delivered with wry humor and a genuine respect for his adopted town. He has become somewhat famous for his "jokes of the day,"  received each morning from his dad via email, and shared with amused tour passengers.  While Jeff had plenty of anecdotes about the town's glitz and glamour, he also paid homage to its humble,  agricultural roots. He described the Los Angeles of more than a century ago -- long before it became the sprawling city we know today.  A stop at the famous Farmer's Market, founded in 1934, revealed the city's  long, close connection to agriculture, with rows of beautiful stalls lined with the best produce in the state. Hooray for Hollywood -- and Hollywood Bus Tours -- which takes visitors through neighborhoods in colorful Los Angeles. WE STOPPED for a beverage, some sunshine and live guitar jazz at this sprawling, historic market.  Families, couples and singles young and old walked their dogs and lingered between a meal or shopping for refreshments and lovely music. Besides the pretty displays of fresh produce, the market features an impressive range of trendy shops, cafes and gourmet grocery stores. WE MADE  new friends on this spirited tour, exchanging contact information with folks from Portugal and Berlin, learning new trivia about a city we thought we knew well, and enjoying iconic sights on a sunny, southern California day. Hollywood Bus Tours with its lively narration and variety offers three tours -- each a memorable way to see the fascinating sights of one of the world's most famous cities. hollywoodbustoursla.com +1 (213) 986-7688 info@hollywoodbustoursla.com Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers stopped for a photo in the fortress village of Valenca, Portugal.  UP NEXT: Come with us to discover the charms of a quiet, little known Portuguese village. Most travelers to Portugal don't visit Valenca, often confused with Valencia, Spain. It's an impressive medieval town whose imposing fortress overlooks the River Minho. We spent a few days soaking up the atmosphere of this laid back village. We found intriguing museums, elegant boutiques, and inviting eateries that didn't break the bank. We saw pilgrims on the famous Camino de Santiago -- the way of St. James. A network of paths lead to the shrine of the apostle Saint James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galacia in Northern Spain. As a border town, it's a great place to sample both Portuguese and Spanish wines.

Take the A Train -- or any train! If you've wanted to take a special trip, if you've had a cruise or tour in mind, we remind you of tempus fugit, carpe diem. It's a new year. Dream, plan, act! TRAINS, BOATS, PLANES! REACH FOR THE SKY IN 2025! PLAN NOW TO MAKE YOUR DREAM TRIP HAPPEN! STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER The gorgeous Amalfi coast awaits your planning, with orchards, winding  roads and stately villas. It's in southern Italy overlooking the Tyrrhenian  Sea and Gulf of Salerno. Savings can be had by planning now for summer. IF YOU have long wished upon a star -- wanting to visit a particular country or island -- maybe see Paris or Rome, or take a train trip across Australia or Africa -- time's a wasting. Have you dreamed of climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge? Is Hawaii a lifelong dream? Why not now? Tempus fugit, carpe diem. "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera," as the monarch of Siam said in "The King and I." We're not getting any younger. Planning is part of the fun. It's crucial to plan and narrow: Bruce Keller takes aim at a street scene in Rome. WHAT'S YOUR wish? Shopping, culture or the rush of discovery? If you like theater, shows, opera or concerts, consider New York, Prague, London, Vienna, Milan, New York, Buenos Aires and Las Vegas. Architecture, antiquities up your alley? Think Rome, Venice, Petra. Cairo is cleaning up its act after decades of political unrest. Turkey is coming back on the radar after cruise lines left. * Budget savvy or going for broke? Somewhere in the middle? Make a daily expense plan. Google Expedia for affordable travel. * Who's traveling? Family, friends,  partners, college buddies, boyfriend, girlfriend? Maybe you're traveling solo and want to meet people? Figure out who can contribute and how much. Egypt's pyramids are within reach if you begin to plan now. * Want independent travel, with room and time to strike out on your own?  Do you prefer everything organized and pre-paid for you? * Off the beaten track to a "undiscovered" place? Or do you have your heart set on a tried and tested destination? If purple mountain majesty beckons, planning can make it happen. BE DARING  and creative. After answering the questions above, settle on basic preferences. If you truly want to see a place and can't coax anyone to come along, go solo. Put yourself out there and meet people. Look for singles-friendly tours. Or consider treating a niece, nephew, cousin, sib, friend. Most cruises have singles happy hour every day and LGBTQ gatherings. Think outside the box. If you have your heart set on Malta -- a clean, progressive and welcoming place with great food, pretty scenery and friendly people -- don't be put off if the flights seem high.  Fly to Rome or Sicily, enjoy, then take a ferry to Malta. Cookie and Keller on their second climb of Sydney's famous Harbor Bridge. HIT THE  library or book stores.  Stock up on brochures, travel books, magazines.  We keep a huge box of files, newspaper clips, magazine pieces with features on places of interest. We're big fans of Rick Steve's and catch his helpful shows on Public Television. Enjoying a breezy tour on the Kona coast. We also enjoy the Lonely Planet books -- and we hold out for the print edition, although Kindle is available. There are bargains to be had, too, with last-minute bookings. (In travel lingo, that usually means 60-90 days before the trip.) Look at Vacations to Go and other "last minute" websites.  If you're "bucket-listing" remember the Seven Wonders of the World await: Cookie and Keller at sea, exercising at Zuma . Colossus of Rhodes, the Great Pyramid of Giza. Why not take the leap? Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Lighthouse of Alexandria, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. All await your curiosity. More information:  www.britrail.com www.celebritycruiselines.com www.ncl.com cunard.com expedia.com pearlseascruises.com vacationsbyrail.com   Bruce Keller ticked one more item off his bucket  list when he sailed on an America's Cup yacht s Cup yacht on a recent trip in the Caribbean. COMING SOON:  While we're on the subject of dreams, one of Bruce Keller's dearest wishes is to sail in an America's Cup yacht.    The Caribbean and St. Maarten beckoned for Bruce Keller to fulfill his dream to sail an America's Cup vessel. To pilot the vessel was even a higher dream.  It came true! Cookie is not a lifelong sailor but Keller is.  He has long followed the adventures of the famed America's Cup racing vessels.  In a bargain with Cookie, he agreed to take tango lessons in return for a promise from Cookie. The deal he brokered was in return for his dance effort,  she would join him on a sail on one of the famed boats.  He did, she did. He has crushed toes and she has white knuckles to show it. Then we're off to Harrison's Caves on Barbados, a train trip in the British Isles and a visit to three museums in Spain dedicated to the life and work of the eccentric and brilliant Salvador Dali. Remember to explore, learn and live! Catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, art, family, nature and more: www.whereiscookie.com Please share the link.   .

Donkey Tours of Barcelona boasts one of the most engaging guides two veteran travelers have experienced in decades of globe trotting.  Here, Greek born Eteoklis Nikolaou takes tourists through Barcelona's landmarks and hidden wonders. DONKEY TOURS OFFERS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL LOOK AT HIDDEN BARCELONA COMPLETE WITH HISTORY LESSONS Barcelona's Palau de la Musica Catalonia makes an impression. Donkey Tour guides take you there and give you a history lesson. PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS WE HAD BEEN   to Barcelona a dozen times before we hitched ourselves up with Donkey Tours. What a find! If you are looking for an unusual way to spend a morning or afternoon and learn something new about this fascinating Catalan city, you'll be delighted with the spirit and intellect of the ambitious Donkey Tours. My internet guru and partner Bruce Keller, also the talented photographer for our globe-trotting columns, deserves bounteous thanks for finding Donkey Tours. I'd asked him to line up a half-day outing on our last day of a recent week in Barcelona, a city we thought we knew quite well.  He came up with Donkey Tours, which operates only out of Barcelona but is hoping to expand to other cities in southern Europe. THE TOUR  is free,  but a generous tip is appreciated.  We tipped the equivalent of what we would have paid for a much less interesting tour.  The well traveled tourist, or even the neophyte, should know to tip well for such a splendid operation. Our able Greek born guide entertained Aussies, Dutch, Germans, Italians, Africans, Brits and the two of us Yanks with humor, patience, enthusiasm and intelligence.   Eteoklis Nicolau met us in a well known square, introducing us to the first of many wonders: a Picasso mural on a onetime architecture school. Above left:  Looking for fabulous fruit for a meal, or breakfast in in your digs, Donkey Tours guides you to the finest outdoor markets in Barcelona. We spent a lively day with Theo, who took time to answer myriad questions, shared computer images and even escorted folks from our group of 25 to specific specialty pastry shops and restaurants. We had a lovely tea and time for individual chat during coffee break at tour midpoint, then walked by a building most people would have bypassed.  WE FOLLOWED   Theo  down a marble stairway in an old law school, to discover a beautiful basement of Roman arches and a lovely little fountain.  Another delightful surprise with Donkey Tours, whose guides are all multi- lingual and well educated. Bravo! www.donkeytours.es Barcelona's revered College of Architects boasts a unique mural drawn by Pablo Picasso during his years of artistic growth in a favorite city. BEST BET and NEXT UP :  For theater in the grand tradition of old-fashioned comedy, point your laughing shoes to North Coast Repertory Theatre for "Moon Over Buffalo." The new production is expertly rendered by regular guest director Matthew Wiener, longtime colleague of  the Rep's versatile and talented artistic director, David Ellenstein. The show offers fabulous timing by a seasoned cast of theater pros. Book tickets to this delightful ode to a life in the theater, at   northcoastrep.org .  --At right, the company of "Moon Over Buffalo,'' in which a befuddled repertory actor enters Noel Coward's "Private Lives" as Cyrano de Bergerac.

High atop Sydney's famous Harbour Bridge, with the iconic Sydney Opera House at the far right, Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller, right, celebrate their climb with new friends from Japan, England and Switzerland. One more check off their bucket list. Have you always wanted to swim with a sting ray? Join Cookie and Keller at Sting Ray City in Antigua. PLAN THAT TRIP TO MAKE IT A NEW YEAR OF DISCOVERY,  NEW HORIZONS One recent Christmas found Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller aboard a ship awaiting a tour in Capri. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WHEREVER IN the world you hope to be in 2023, consider stretching your imagination, broadening your views, meeting new people, learning something new by visiting a place you've never been. What are you waiting for? Time, money, inspiration? Remember carpe diem and tempus fugit. So go for it! MANY READERS ask us how to begin to plan a longed for trip. First, figure out where you'll get the money. Do you have a savings account, an IRA that needs a withdrawal? Have you stashed away a certain amount for "rainy days" or emergencies? Now's the time.  Because we're not getting any younger we've made travel a priority. It consumes 70 per cent of our budget.  A visit to a museum is a holiday treat, here between Christmas and New Year's at the National Gallery in London.  If you don't have the funds now, start by setting a goal and saving so much per week. You'd be surprised how quickly $50 adds up. That's $200 a month or $2,400 a year enough to plan and take a reasonably priced trip by this time next year. ONCE YOU'VE  figured how to fund your dream trip, it's time to narrow the destination. If you're flexible, compare prices. Eastern Europe for instance is cheaper than western Europe. Your dollar will go farther on the smaller Greek islands on the Aegean Sea rather than, Santorini or Mykonos which are beautiful but overly touristed.  Croatia is cheaper than Greece for holiday rentals, dining out and drinks. Amsterdam beats Paris for luxury shopping and has one of Europe's best flea markets. Shop around for deals. Keller, Cookie, and new friends on a food tasting tour in Porto. NEXT , FIGURE  how long you can afford to be gone, budgeting an average cost per day including hotel, air, food, extras such as museums, tours, parks, taxi or bus fares. A survey done by a respected travel agency in 2020 estimated the average cost for a trip abroad to be a reasonable $3,600 for a typical 12 night trip ($7,200 for two.) That breaks down to about $300 per person per day, which is on the low side with $150 per night, food and alcohol at $100, entertainment and tours at $50 per day. To keep in this range will take some bargain hunting and likely won't include a cruise unless you book an inside cabin. Cruise lines sometimes offer cheap air as an enticement, so consider that. Whale watching is a favorite diversion for us, here right at home on a San Diego "staycation. " This estimate does not include air.  It could be the cost of an entire cruise, though. But you'd likely have to pay additionally for tours and extras unless you find a very attractive package. IF YOU'RE  going international on any vacation other than a driving trip, you must consider air or a trans-oceanic cruise. If you're driving somewhere close, add in gas or petrol. Because energy prices are rising with the war and stock market flux, many people are shopping for bargain air fares -- and finding them. But you must be flexible with dates. If Vietnam is on your bucket list, there are some attractive fares right now for air and land tours.  Back to the budget. This is the most important step in planning a trip. It will affect the rest of the steps in your vacation planning process.  THE AVERAGE vacation for one person in the U.S. costs about $1,919 per week. A vacation for two people  typically costs around $3,838 per week. (Cheaper than international because there's no overseas air.) A backpacker's average daily budget should be between $40 and $70 USD per day in the east and between $70 and $100 per day in the west.  So once you've done that, research flights and dates (mid-week is cheaper to fly, etc.) Choose the top places you'd like to go and look for deals. Research flights and dates. Once you've chosen your destination and booked your air, cruise or train travel,   If you've dreamed of the Caribbean, Europe or Far East, now's the time to start budgeting. You can make it happen, here in Singapore. WHEREVER IN the world you hope to be in 2023, consider stretching your imagination and your pocketbook.  With a little creativity, you can broaden your views, meet new people, learn something new. Take the incentive to visit a place you've never been. All ages take to bikes in exciting Amsterdam. Now's the time to book a trip to the Netherlands. Narrated bus tours may have an entertaining multi-lingual taped narrative or sometimes a live guide. Here, we take a hop on- hop off tour down Las Ramblas in Barcelona. UP NEXT : We love city tours and the hop on- hop off bus trend is a fun way to meet a new town. Once you've landed, taken a nap and had a light meal, get going in your new time zone. We find narrated bus tours a fine way to explore -- a wonderful way to discover attractions you'd like to revisit. We enjoyed several bus tours on a recent visit to southern Europe.  Come explore with us as we share  roof-top views of several cities from the top floor of  tour buses.  Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, nature, the arts, family and more. Please share links:   www.whereiscookie.com

Kick hell out of your bucket list in 2016.  Have you always wanted to see Egypt?  Don't let fear of travel stop you. Here, Cookie and Keller make a return trip to the Great Pyramid of Giza.  They continued throughout the Middle East. The sky's the limit, when planning your new year. Put yourself as high as your plans and adventure can stretch.  The High Roller in Las Vegas will give you a bird's eye view! MAKE IT A RED-LETTER NEW YEAR. TAKE A PAGE FROM OUR TRAVELERS' BOOK!    CHECK SOMETHING OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER  WHATEVER MAGIC  the holiday has held, now's the time to grab your dreams before the luster fades. Make 2016 the year you try out for "Jeopardy." If you've always wanted to see the Pyramids, book a trip to Egypt. Cookie returns to Paris -- for a night or ten on the town. If you've yearned  to spend a weekend in Las Vegas and take a spin on The High Roller, what are you waiting for? If you've dreamed about a cruise but haven't called a travel agent, do it. Sail away. Always wanted to see Glacier, Yellowstone or Yosemite? Our national parks are a great treasure.  Now's the time. Learn a new language, or instrument this new year. Missing a far-away niece, nephew, sister, aging auntie? Give a call, plan a reunion, make that visit. Book that Elton John or Lady Gaga concert. Have you admired a friend's tattoo, toyed with getting your own? Cowboy up, friend. (Start with a temporary one, as I did in Maori land.) Is a special must-see city on your list? Seattle, Paris, Rio? Carpe diem. HAVE YOU  wanted to try out for "Jeopardy" because your friends insist you'd win?  Make it happen. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Go for it! How about learning a new language or returning to school -- I'm working on an advanced degree in poetry and playwriting, and learning Italian, loving the classes and challenge. I'm playing my saxophone again -- even doing gigs with Montana bands. A FEW THOUGHTS  on traveling in these times of terrorism, suicide bombings and random crack-pot acts. Plan a visit to a favorite relative --we're off to San Francisco to see niece Amarylla. Glacier National Park beckons on your bucket list? Do it. I've traveled since I was a little kid, and I never board a plane or ship without thanking the gods for safety thus far and wishing to return home in one piece. Yes, these are frightening times, but when it comes to terrorism, the threat is "overhyped." My pilot father always said our chances of being killed in a plane were far less than as a passenger in an auto. Likewise, the likelihood of being killed by terrorism while traveling abroad is slim. Cookie and Keller kick hell out of their bucket list, which includes a yearly trek to San Francisco and a sail to Alcatraz. BE VIGILANT , look around, assess each environment, use good old "common sense" as you move about.  Above all, don't cancel a long-planned trip or dream. Grab some gusto. Happy planning! COMING LATER TODAY : Whereiscookie.com follows the fun, putting a fresh spin on travel and the arts.  At 5 p.m. today, we return to a favorite city, San Francisco. Join us, with quotes from the late columnist Herb Caen to pay tribute.  We post Fridays for the weekend, and as the spirit and adventures move. We've posted more than 350 blogs now. You can find specific cities, venues, parks, hotels, cruises by filling in the tab at the right-hand of each blog. Explore, learn and live!

The Bair family home in tiny Martinsdale may be toured, its treasures viewed. Montana sheep baron Bair made millions; daughters' left home, splendid museum to public  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER MARTINSDALE  isn't more than a tiny spot on the Montana map, but it has a larger than life museum and an unusual inn that takes one back in time. We headed Martinsdale way recently for a memorial for my uncle, Harry A. Cosgriffe. Within the gates, a fascinating home tour and beautiful modern museum await your pleasure. That meant traveling through several green and gorgeous Montana counties -- including Stillwater, Sweetgrass and Musselshell, and along some of Montana's most picturesque rivers and mountains. PASSING NYE,  Dean, Absarokee, Columbus, Reed Point and Big Timber, we departed the interstate and turned north for Harlowton. Then, thirty miles more, past Two Dot and fields of golden wheat and rich yellow canola, we arrived in the shadow of the Crazy Mountains, at the town of  Martinsdale. We left our bags at the Crazy mountain Inn, (our next story spotlights this rustic and relaxing jewel). Proprietor Cheryl Marchi, checked us into the turn-of-century inn then sent us off to the museum. She urged us to try the inn's famous homemade pies later. More about the inn, in our next post! The Bair sisters' fondness for "all things French" is apparent. BACK ON the road a mile or so, we were met by husband-wife docents Don and Paulette Amundson at the Charles M. Bair Family Museum. The complex is the star of tiny Martinsdale.  A state-of-the-art museum sits adjacent to a barn-turned-giftshop and the sprawling 26-room Bair family home. The museum features beautiful galleries showcasing the family's extensive collections of western and contemporary art, photographs and native American beadwork, leggings, elk tooth dresses and ceremonial pipes and attire. The home is a treasure trove. Among its gems are exquisite paintings by French artist Eduardo Cortes, whose Paris street scenes were favorites of sharp-eyed Alberta Bair. Native rock was used to integrate the museum's look with the landscape and the Bair mansion. WITH ITS  sleek, airy interior, contemporary lines and modern art preservation technology, the four-gallery museum could be at home on a Los Angeles street corner or in Midtown Manhattan. Alberta Bair, one of two sisters of sheep and railroad baron Charles M. Bair and his wife, Mary, was the last of the family to occupy the house and her final car, a spiffy white Cadillac, is still parked in the garage. It looks as if it's waiting for her to bounce through the back door in one of her favorite red hats, and drive into Billings for a concert. French flair and western comfort are part of the ambiance of the Bair home. DOCENT DON  took us on a delightful one-hour stroll through the home, which is filled with antiques, paintings and silver acquired on trips to New York and Europe. From a Louis XV marquetry inlaid table to English porcelain and tea urns, the home is a tribute to deep pockets and fine taste, a western style palace for our own version of royalty. Some historians trace the family's roots to European royals! THE BAIR  progeny, Alberta and her sister Marguerite, had no heirs. Inheriting the family fortune, they made collecting and the goal of a museum their child. The complex is a major beneficiary of the Bair money, and was Alberta's brainchild according to a plan set forth in the will at her death in May of 1993. In one of my many interviews with her, she mentioned her desire that a museum be established on the grounds.  Other museums -- the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyo., and Great Falls' C.M. The Bair barn makes a handsome and educational gift shop. Russell Museum -- may have hoped that the extensive Bair western art collection might come their way. But the Martinsdale museum came to be, opening finally in June of 2011, 18 years after Alberta's death. I WROTE HER  newspaper obituary, which lists the many organizations and causes to which she contributed and which the trust continues to endow: hospitals and clinics, libraries, schools, youth agencies, and many other cultural and humanitarian causes. Annual scholarships are still awarded to students in nearby schools,  according to trust dictates. ALBERTA'S  "special late baby," as she once called it, lives on, along with the museum.  The Alberta Bair Theater in Billings, the old Fox Theater, was built in 1931 on the site where Alberta was born and renamed after a multi-million dollar remodeling. (I spent more than a decade heading that effort.) Docent Don Amundson guides guests from the museum toward the Bair family home, for a lively tour. The Fox restoration, history and Alberta's decision to contribute a million dollars to the "Save the Fox" effort will be the subject of another story later this summer. MEANWHILE , the Martinsdale museum doors open onto a walkway to the home. Docents take guests on a lively journey to the roots and legacy of the Bair fortune. The tour gives insight into Alberta's decision to make certain the Bair name is forever part of Montana's and the West's history.  With a $3.1 million price tag, the museum houses the family's coveted Charlie Russells and Joseph Sharps as well as my favorite European and American contemporary paintings and rare, light sensitive photographs of Edward Curtis. NATIVE AMERICAN  artifacts are housed in climate and light-controlled glass cases and a "revolving exhibit" gallery showcases such rare treats as the present Crow and Gros Ventre Indian Ledger Art. Contemporary European art resides comfortably with western and Asian. The elder Bair lived in the1930s ranch home less than 10 years, having taken the family to Portland, Oregon from 1910 to 1934. He died in 1943 and his wife in 1950.  Marguerite, who had married the ranch foreman Dave Lamb in 1939, lived in the family home with Lamb and Alberta until their deaths -- Alberta's the last, at age 97 in 1993. We strolled through the home -- past photos, paintings and memorabilia in formal dining and receiving rooms and informal den -- admiring portraits autographed by a half-dozen presidents, and studio shots of movie stars, including Montana born Clark Gable. This urn was acquired during  European travels. COWBOY ARTIST  and author Will James, who lived for a time in Billings, is represented in a photo with Alberta -- both of them in hats -- and they spent time together when both were young. A solid gold door nob is valued at around $20,000. Our Atlanta guests admired the home, remarking that the Bairs inveted their fortune in much the same fashion as did other early 20th Century barons and moguls: on bronzes, paintings, china, gold fixtures and accents. Bair came to Montana in 1883, at age 26, as conductor of the Northern Pacific Railroad. He acquired his fortune in the Alaskan Gold Rush, parlaying it into oil, mining, real estate and ranching, including the world's largest sheep spread, more than 300,000 head. THE MUSEUM  and home illustrate what the family did with his money -- in cohesive, exciting displays, the result of the artful intelligence of museum curator and director Elizabeth Guheen. She sees the entire complex as "a collage -- vivid, idiosyncratic and alive." As she developed the museum's rooms, drawing from the sisters' collections, a video of Alberta and newspaper clippings, she took care to inspire, guide and "expand our dialogue with history," a primary goal of Alberta's. After their parents died, the Bair sisters made  frequent forays to Europe, collecting art and silver and china.  They furnished the home with Chippendale and other name brand furnishings and expanded the elder Bairs' collection of Indian art, beadwork and rugs. A vintage 1950s kitchen is part of the tour of the Bair Museum and home. The vintage 1950s kitchen is fun -- the girls liked bright reds and blues -- and the ornate bedrooms are left much as the two left them -- with frocks hung awaiting a dinner party, crystal, linens and favorite paintings. (The original artwork is in the museum; but the digitally reproduced copies hang mostly where the Bair sisters originally placed them.)   PLAN A  couple days, to take in the museum and enjoy the scenery and the Crazy Mountain Inn's relaxing ambiance. To plan your Martinsdale weekend, go to: info@bairfamilymuseum.org www.crazymountaininn.com Martinsdale's Crazy Mountain Inn is next up at: www.whereiscookie.com COMING UP : Next up, a close-up of the Crazy Mountain Inn, with its unique ambiance and terrific cream pies. Our family spent a recent fun weekend there.  Then we travel to Egypt and Brazil, looking at the people and lifestyles and examining the change and politics. We'll also take a look at my attempt to integrate death and loss into daily life. And we answer a request, to show off our Montana locale, High Chaparral, and share what we do and see when we're in the Rockies. Remember to explore, learn and live and tune us in Wednesdays and Saturdays at: www.whereiscookie.com

An array of vintage buildings present visitors with a feeling of nostalgia, in Hardin, a town proud of its history. LITTLE BIG HORN MUSEUM PUTS  MONEY WHERE ITS MOUTH IS  TO SHOWCASE  REGION'S HISTORY History is lovingly preserved in immaculate eye-catching displays. Donors came through with contributions from personal archives and businesses. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER NO ONE  would expect to find such a grand and ambitious museum in a small town off the beaten path. The museum's director and biggest booster, Diana Scheidt, talks with Cookie as she tours her through the museum. But there it is:  the Bighorn County Historical Museum and Visitor's Center, a proud testimony to community spunk, generosity, determination and imagination. The Hardin, Montana, complex is a treasure trove of eye-catching artifacts, old buildings and personal effects from a lively farming community's perspective. Old  meets new in the Big Horn County Historical Museum, where the "wheel" of life is represented in full detail. MOVERS AND shakers with an eye for preservation take visitors back in time to a day of horse-drawn carriages, farming and forging a century ago, train travel in 1890, homesteading in 1912 and all that keeps a community going: church, doctor's office, post office, barns, schools and bunkhouses. There's even a 1933 filling station, mortuary and a barbershop. AS YOU WALK through 24 historic structures on the museum's 35 acres, you glimpse a bygone era. Hardin's rich history is brought to life through donated photographs and artifacts true to each period depicted. Donors dug deep into their pockets to put the museum on the map when it was established in 1979. Cleverly, the beautiful, modern main building has featured exhibits including native son Will James, a Plains Indians display and  historic pieces of well preserved furniture, including a pipe organ. CONTEMPORARY glass work, pottery, jewelry and an array of books by Montana authors are nicely displayed.  Bits of Hardin's history blend with new art to please the eye. Cabinets from the clerk and recorder's office form the attractive u-shaped counter in the gift shop. Antiques -- from cars to a beautifully preserved pipe organ -- are on display. A venerable safe from Sawyer's Store -- which survived more than one burglary before closing in 1965 -- found a loving home at the museum. A beautifully restored tin ceiling graces the Visitor's Center, drawing the eye upward and paying homage to Big Horn Implement and Schoen's Auto Supply businesses. A vintage light from Custer Park enhances the museum's foyer. CASH REGISTERS,  western wear, doors, desks, mirrors, lights, banisters, clocks, storage cabinets from a hardware store, an antique phone booth long before cell phones.... all speak to a community whose citizens have preserved a slice of life more than a century later. Antiques and vintage photos are beautifully integrated in the Big Horn County Historical Museum complex in Hardin.  It's a true treasure. An antique sink from the city's first hospital -- long ago condemned -- found a health related space in the museum -- installed in the women's restroom. A Brunswick Bar from the Bighorn Saloon is perhaps the best preserved relic of bygone days. THE MUSEUM  complex offers a wonderland of heritage, history and imagination.  It's one of the most artful museums in a medium sized town -- Montana or beyond. The Pollard Hotel in Red Lodge: elegant, historic, restful, with fabulous food and pet-friendly digs to boot! Scheidt says the museum is "a work in progress, continuing to develop." Adults pay $6 and seniors $5. Besides special programs, educational and private tours, the museum park area is available for special events such as family reunions and weddings, memorial services or unique gatherings of any kind where a feeling of history is desired. For more, go to  www.bighorncountymuseum.org UP NEXT: Wonderful  relaxation abounds at the Pollard Hotel in Red Lodge, where our wayfarers put down for  badly needed R&R.  What makes this unique Montana hotel such a sanctuary and treasure?  Find out at www.whereiscookie.com , where we promise lively looks at off-beat travel treats and treasures. Remember, carpe diem, so explore, learn and live and check us out each Wednesday and every weekend!

A beautifully acted comedy drama at North Coast Repertory Theatre features Anabella Price and Mark Bramhall as Dubliners Betty and Dan. 'CHAPATTI' IS CHARMING, FUNNY LOVE STORY WITH AN IRISH BROGUE STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IF YOU ENJOY  fine theater, a loyal cat or dog and a charming love story, you still have a few days to catch "Chapatti," at North Coast Repertory Theatre. The beautifully directed, well acted two-person show tells the tale of two lonely   animal lovers who meet in a Dublin veterinary clinic. He's grieving the loss of a longtime lover and contemplating parting with his rescue-dog Chapatti, to pave the way for suicide. She's a classic "cat lady," long since given up on romance. They are human posters for the "get a friend" campaign and we're cheering them on toward romance. Play goers mingle at North Coast Repertory Theatre. Chapatti," (an Indian bread, and a pet dog's name) runs through Nov. 15 and is highly recommended. TALENTED ACTORS  Mark Bramhall and Anabella Price play the parts of two lonely, opinionated people who have more in common than they suspect.  Billed as a "heartwarming second-chance comedy," it celebrates life and the capacity to heal, continue and be open to love. Tony award-winning actress Judith Ivey directs the Christian O'Reilly work with a winning warmth and humor. Don't miss it, and consider subscribing to the Rep season, which ranges from a Christmas classic to Sherlock Holmes on the frontier, to an adaptation of a William Faulkner story, a Fats Waller tribute and the classic "Hedda Gabler." www.northcoastrep.org   The Bair collection of antiques, silver, china and crystal, includes sewing machines and vintage photos in the Barn. UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS AT MONTANA MUSEUM A PIONEERING  Montana family dined on Limoges and Waterford crystal, but was equally at home "on the range" in jeans and cowboy hats. Alberta Bair: Montana philanthropist. The Charles Bair family -- the elder Bair, his wife Mary and daughters Marguerite and Alberta -- left a rare legacy to Montana when the last of the family, Alberta, passed away in the late 1990s, leaving millions in trust for a museum on the ranch property near Martinsdale, Montana. The Bair home is open to the public this weekend. The art museum is free and tours are discounted. That came to pass, with a beautiful facility built near the original home. This Saturday, Nov. 14, visitors will have the rare, once-a-year opportunity to visit the museum, then tour the downstairs home and upstairs private family quarters at the Bair Family Museum. Museum director Elizabeth Guheen says, "Each year, we bring out collection items that are not displayed year-round. Saturday, we feature the Bair family’s formal china and dinnerware, plus everyday dishes." All the home's tables will showcase eclectic linens, silver and china -- from Minton porcelain to Limoges bouillon cups brought home after a Paris visit. Cygnet Theatre in Old Town just completed a pair of Noel Coward works. The popular tour day is offered for a discount: $3 for adults, free for 16 and under. The Bair Art Museum and Barn are also free during the weekend holiday open house. Coffee, cider, hot chocolate and treats will be served in the Bair Barn. Check it out if you're near Montana.   www.bairfamilymuseum.org COMING UP NEXT: On the 10th anniversary of the departure of writer and artist Bill Jones, we reflect on a life well lived! Then -- a celebration of theater. San Diego is alive with fantastic plays. Many Broadway shows got their start in this southern California cultural mecca: ("Jersey Boys," "The Book of Mormon" and more...) We look at upcoming seasons, from San Diego Repertory Theatre to La Jolla Playhouse and Cygnet. Explore, learn and live and check us out weekends and as the spirit moves at: www.whereiscookie.com

Expect the unusual at New York's spectacular Museum of Modern Art.  Here is Salvador Dali's "Retrospective Bust of a Woman," created in 1933.  It features painted porcelain, bread, corn, feathers, paint on paper, beads, ink stand, sand and more. It is one of many treasures at the museum. NEW YORK'S MUSEUM OF MODERN ART HONORS LEGACY TO EMBRACE THE NEW STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers near Van Gogh's most famous painting.  STANDING NEXT to "Starry Night," one feels the genius of Van Gogh.  The darkness that overtook him, the talent that sprang from his tortured soul, the beauty of his timeless art. It's all there. That and much more, in an astonishing array of 200,000 works of art from around the globe. You'll see works by Van Gogh, Matisse, Dali an array of other spectacular artists at  New York's great and grand Museum of Modern Art, "MoMA," as it is affectionately known. There are museums and galleries, and then there's MoMA. The museum is a beloved treasure trove of beautifully displayed art through the ages. Its founders insisted that showcasing the new and modern be the focus at MoMA.  And so it is, with modernist masterpieces including works by Picasso and many others considered ahead of their time.   Picasso's "Lady in Mirror" is among the exquisite bounty at MoMA. THE MUSEUM debuted in 1929, during the heights of the Great Depression, opening just days after the infamous Wall Street Crash.  It was a gift of deep-pocket visionaries and philanthropists, a trio of progressive and influential patrons of the arts.  Lillie P. Bliss, Mary Quinn Sullivan and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller -- challenged the conservative policies of traditional museums by establishing a gallery devoted to modern art. The three were a "Who's Who" of New York then and wanted a place to showcase new work. The museum is front and center in  midtown Manhattan, filling an expansive block on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.  Many patrons have donated their personal art treasures to MoMA. Henri Matisse's famous "La Dance" was a gift of Nelson Rockefeller.  The Rockefeller family has long ties to MoMA. THE MUSEUM was originally located in the Heckscher Building on Fifth Avenue where it was America's first museum to devote itself exclusively to modern art.  At its helm were A. Conger Goodyear as president and Abby Rockefeller as treasurer.  Through its early years, the museum moved to several temporary locations. John D. Rockefeller Jr. eventually donated the land for its permanent site.  A new sculpture garden by Philip Johnson was designed and the museum moved to its current location on West 53rd Street in 1939. Modern art sculpture plays a major role in MoMA galleries . Besides Van Gogh's famous "Starry Night," created in 1889, you'll find many other masterpieces including these two most viewed paintings: Bruce Keller points the way to imagination in an intriguing piece, "Bingo," by Gordon Matta-Clark, 1974. The museum's wide ranging  exhibits include changing installations.    " The Persistence of Memory" by Salvador Dalí, that intriguing melting clock created in 1931, and Pablo Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d’Avignon," which revolutionized contemporary art when it was unveiled in 1907. You'll also see Andy Warhol's famous Campbell’s Soup Cans, Andrew Wyeth's evocative "Christina's World," Rene Magritte's "The Lovers" and masterpieces by Chagall, Cezanne and other groundbreaking artists. New York's Museum of Modern Art remains in a league of its own, with a collection of 200,000 works . LAST YEAR, the museum welcomed nearly 2.7 million visitors to its galleries for more than 35 exhibitions. The range of changing exhibits included An-My Lê’s photographs exploring conflict and human connection, a reunion of works made by Picasso during the pivotal summer of 1921, and more. MoMA makes a visit a pleasure with excellent maps and guides, helpful docent volunteers to point you to the places you desire, and a delightful albeit pricy restaurant with among other treats, caviar hotdogs. The museum shop is one of the best in the world. What's not to like at MoMA?  More information: MoMA is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Saturdays, when it is open until 7 p.m. Tickets may be reserved in advance through the My CityPASS®   moma.org ON TAP:  Hold on to your hat and duck your head! We'll explore wonders of our world as Earth Day approaches, and follow the theme of "great art" -- both man made and created by nature. Come with us to caves, mountain tops, museums, off the beaten path wonders and  unexpected pleasures on a road trip. We'll explore art that incorporates trash -- salvaged from our beleaguered seas. Join us as we hop   The Crystal Caves in Bermuda are a famous attraction in Hamilton Parish. They're formed over millions of years and were discovered by a couple of kids playing cricket in 1907 .    about the globe, with   a look at two fabulous caves in Barbados and Bermuda, a study of Salvador Dali's three museums in northern Spain, a visit to a favorite city, Barcelona, where we examine the influence of architect Antoni Gaudi, and a look at a Montana museum devoted to the work of renowned western artist C.M. Russell. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, performance, nature, art, family and more: www.whereiscookie.com

This scenic turn-out in Glacier National Park made an ideal picnic spot when we visited, just before colors began to change. Bring layers when you visit our parks this time of year for warm days and cool evenings. NOW 'S THE PERFECT TIME AS AUTUMN APPROACHES TO ENJOY OUR NATIONAL PARKS STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER OUR SUMMER always winds down with visits to Yellowstone National Park, which we are lucky enough to have within easy driving distance. Glacier and Teton parks are a bit further from home, but we try to visit them both at least once a year. But the fall Yellowstone trek is a favorite tradition. We love this trip, which we plan after Labor Day weekend, to avoid crowds and take advantage of cooler temperatures, wildlife on the move and changing scenery as fall colors cloak the hillsides and valleys. Aspen cloak the valleys of Grand Teton National Park, which many people visit in tandem with a trip through Yellowstone National Park. OUR NATIONAL parks have something for everyone so it is possible to plan a specific theme of fall fun, whether bird watching, biking, critter spotting or family oriented hiking and photo taking treks. There are bison and bears in Yellowstone, mountain goats in Glacier, mule deer and elk in Bryce Canyon and Zion, big horn sheep in Yosemite, and a variety of these animals in many of our parks, along with lush bird life, squirrels, bobcats, foxes and raccoons.  Yosemite and other parks have bike boardwalks, Mesa Verde has cliff dwellings, and Yellowstone of course is famous for its geysers and thermal pools. The Lower Falls at Yellowstone National Park are an annual attraction for millions of visitors. Nature in our national parks is particularly pretty as crowds thin and autumn approaches. If you're a fan of magnificent trees, Sequoia is the national park for you and Utah's Canyonlands and Arches are known for spectacular stargazing. Family or couples hiking is a favorite family sport in Yellowstone and Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park. We have 63 national parks in the United States.  We're proud that Yellowstone was the first national park in the world.  More than 100 other countries also have national parks, places dedicated to preserving wildlife and nature. There are many on the continent of Africa where you can find mountain gorillas in Uganda's national parks. Gabon, Kenya and Tanzania offer spectacular landscape and large animal viewing.  Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers in Zion, taking a break during a fun hike. Our neighbor to the north, Canada, has 37 national parks including Banff, Waterton and Jasper. It also has11 national park reserves. From Asia to South America, national parks offer an insight into how countries preserve diverse ecosystems, magical landscapes, and spectacular wildlife. START PLANNING your U.S. park trip by contacting our National Park Service.  It offers a wealth of information on preparing for a visit: park maps, calendars, directions, operating hours, where to stay and instructions on obtaining park passes.  Prepare by learning how to make a park visit both safe and enjoyable. Get updated information on wildlife activity, road closures and detours and insights into the effects of human actions on the environment. It's a great way to start a family dialogue -- painless learning and opening doors to a lifetime of appreciating these national treasures. If this year isn't in the cards, start planning a visit for 2026.    Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers at the north entrance, with its cornerstone laid by President Theodore Roosevelt. MORE INFORMATION: National parks in the United States: nps.gov National parks in Canada: parks.canada.ca Throughout the world: globalnationalparks.com   A delightful period set awaits viewers just before the house lights dim, for "The Importance of Being Earnest" at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, season 90. UP NEXT : Oregon Shakespeare Festival offers three magnificent and diverse theaters, a roster of unforgettable performances and production values equal to Broadway's best or London's finest West End shows. We take readers to this gem of a festival in southern Oregon's charming town of Ashland, and look at the plays which make this 90th season one of the festival's best.  Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on the arts, nature, travel, cruising, train trips, city tours, family and more. Please share the link with like minded people:  www.whereiscookie.com