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Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers with their elderly Yorkshire terrier, Nick, ready for a spin on their bikes. Leaving Scripps on a record third day post transplant. Three years ago this week. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER THREE YEARS  ago today, Bruce William Keller left Scripps Green Hospital with a new liver and a new lease on life. He was in and out on a record third day. Barely five weeks later, we traveled to our niece's wedding on the Oregon coast. We'd been on the transplant list for months, slowly climbing up the list, preparing for the phone call that might change our lives. We'd traveled close to home (no more than two hours away, should the call come) and we'd had our weekly "date night" the evening we received the call that a potential donor had been found. Transplant tale, part one That's all chronicled in previous posts in this column and various magazines. (Click on links above and throughout this story.) While we began the process of getting on the transplant list nearly six years ago, we give special thanks this week.  We know that many patients wait more than five years, that some don't make the cut and that there are deaths while waiting when a proper match is not found. This photo shows the many medications we needed in weeks following transplantation. We are down to two anti-rejection  medications now, plus approved vitamins and minerals. My nephew's 52-year old sister-in-law died of liver disease last summer, while awaiting transplant in northern California. My sister's friend lost her husband in Montana in similar fashion before the holidays. MANY ON  the transplant list are called numerous times because they are sent home after bloodwork and other tests reveal the donor liver wouldn't be a good fit. (Body size, blood type, general health, age, etc., are considered.) Several people in my support group have been called numerous times -- one more than six -- then sent home.  Three potential transplantees are usually notified and tested, so we were extremely fortunate that on our first call, tests revealed Keller would be a good match. Cookie and Keller take a spin on a four-wheeler, on the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, just before Covid curtailed their travels.   We were also fortunate to have a brilliant hepatologist and gifted surgeon, both nationally known, who guided us.  We've met dozens of skilled nurses, physician's assistants, radiologists and others who have  helped us along the way. Transplant tale, part two Until COVID19, we had resumed our life of travel writing and photography.  We crossed the Atlantic three months after the surgery, and have visited 14 countries since the transplant. Dr. Jonathan Fisher and Bruce Keller days after his successful transplant. WE'VE HAD  birthday and anniversary celebrations, and each year on the transplant anniversary, we toast its success (champagne for Cookie; non-alcoholic beer for Keller, who is taking the cautious approach, grateful that his Hepatitis C is history.) Our travel is on hold now, as with thousands of others of our friends, family and readers. We miss taking off into the wild blue yonder, strolling the boulevards of Paris or Barcelona, or seeing plays in London and New York. Dr. Catherine Frenette meets regularly with Keller to assess his progress and suggest adjustments to meds or lifestyle. But we have high hopes of returning to Montana sometime this summer, and traveling again when we can be sure of a vaccine and safety on the road and in the skies. Transplant tale, part three But we are 10 minutes from a world class medical facility with smart, compassionate people on our team. We live in a beautiful part of the world and can wait out the virus surrounded by birds, flowers and beauty. We take none of this for granted. Keller and Cookie dressed up for a play in March, before Covid halted theater. AND WHILE  Covid has put a damper on our life and killed our tradition of several plays a week, we are managing to have a reasonably productive and happy time with biking, Scrabble, reading, exercise, selective TV and spending time with Nick, our surviving Yorkshire terrier, who lost his twin sister Nora two months ago. We've cancelled our international trips for this summer and fall, we are following the news and watching the search for a vaccine with hope in our hearts.   Transplant tale, part four I asked Keller to reflect on the past three years. "I'm grateful for so many reasons and to so many people. I have universal appreciation and feel like one very lucky guy," he said. I echo his sentiments as one very lucky gal. This vivid plant is called kangaroo paw, and grows in our neighborhood. It is one of over 500 flower photos Keller has taken since COVID19. We suggest a hobby to help patch each of us through the pandemic.  UP NEXT :  What to do during the isolation and boredom of COVID? Why not develop a hobby, or begin one that you've dreamed of pursuing.  Bruce Keller has been a photographer since grade school, and has always loved to photograph flowers. He "amped up" his hobby since the virus and our determination to take a daily bike ride and nature venture together. The new ritual has yielded some lovely results which we'll share next week. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at nature, the arts, family, health and -- soon, we hope -- more of the travel we so love. www.whereiscookie.com

Ocotillo, or "little torch" in Spanish, is usually a desert plant.  This one, outside our home, brings forth bursts of bright red blooms each spring.  Hummingbirds pollinate them so it's a bonus to watch the birds flit about the flowers. They are lovely to look at but make a very sticky bouquet!  Our neighborhood offers many varieties of lily. They bloom from spring to mid-summer in California. Here, agapanthus, or African lily, is in bloom now. BIKING FLOWER HUNT: ADMIRING BLOOMS AS AN ELEGY FOR THE PASSAGE OF TIME, CYCLE OF LIFE STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER SINCE ISOLATING , and a canceled docket of plays and concerts, we've found relief to anxiety and depression in daily bike rides. This therapy provides a way to calm us, keep us active, and put a splash of color in our lives. Our neighborhood in southern California's sunny San Diego provides an inspiring variety for  Keller's artful eye. Keller and Cookie are biking their way to sanity with flower photography. Montana's blooms await FOR ME, FLOWERS  represent the intersection of poetry and science. Sure, it's worthy to learn pistons and stamens, but it's essential to appreciate beauty. For me, right now, that ability is life-saving. Our cat's paw are yellow, brown and scarlet. The plant is also known as reindeer paw, and is native to Australia.  Flowers, and the natural world they share with us creatures, are an elegy for the passage of time and the cycle of life. I recognize many of the traditional "flower bed" plants because they inhabit similar climates all over the world -- snap dragons, petunias, dahlias, roses, pansies, marigolds, lilies. When we don't recognize a bloom, we use our plant reference books and aps to identify the ones we don't know.  Recently, we discovered the intriguing kangaroo paw. Also known as reindeer paw, this Australian plant fascinates Keller. He loves watching the long stalks sway in the wind and admires the pretty six-point star around the bloom, supported by a showy, feathery blossom. Recognize this bloom? It's in our yard and often used by florists. The glorious purple jacaranda is abloom now. TO HAVE THIS unusual plant literally out our door has been one of the saving graces of virtual incarceration. Stopping to photograph and admire unique foliage in the landscape of our town home grounds gives us hope that our cultural life will bloom again, too. Keller and Cookie stop to smell the roses wherever they travel, here at the Butchart Gardens in British Columbia.  I love finding flowers that I recognize from my youthful gardening in Montana.  Watching my grandmother Olive plant her dahlias before they'd produced blooms, guessing which one to put where to showcase the eventual colors. Helping my mother arrange marigolds and moss roses along the walkway, cautioning my toddler brother Rick not to yank them out. This dahlia is one of a dozen shades in our neighborhood. Hawaii's flowers fascinate It's fun to find the same colors of columbine and yarrow that I tend in my Montana garden.  Or to find a familiar plant late in summer as it is ending its bloom -- then collect a handful of seeds.  I did this with a patch of zennias last year, and a bright corner of nasturtiums in a neighbor's alley. Flower frenzy in Borrego WHEREVER WE  wander in the world, we try to visit a garden.  In Victoria, the beautiful Butchart Gardens have captivated us each time we return to British Columbia.   Unusual flowers of southern California take the edge off the strains of isolation and routine disruption. Here, Jerusalem sage has an unusual long-stemmed bloom. Here's grevillea rosmarinifolia! We love the botanical gardens of the Canary Islands, Fiji and Hawaii. We've visited the famous garden of Kenrokuen, Kanazawa, Japan, 200 years in the making.  It boasts more subtle shades of green than I'd imagined could exist and azaleas of a dozen colors. We'e marveled at the tulips in Keukenhof, Lisse, Netherlands, and stunning tropical wonders at  Nong Nooch Tropical Garden in  Pattaya, Thailand.  It's worthy to know a piston or a stamen, but do appreciate lantana's beauty. I'VE LONG  loved roses -- who doesn't -- so I've visited rose gardens in Copenhagen, Buenos Aires, Sakura, Rome, Morocco, Marrakech and Montreal.  I've joined the millions who admire the Gardens of Versailles,  near Paris. They are a classic example of  the French "more is more" design, with 2,000 acres of tenderly tended beds, imaginative topiary and fragrant blooms. Louis IV commissioned famous landscaper Andre Le Notre in 1661. Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, in London offers a splendid way to spend the day, with benches for contemplating the beauty, and peaceful nooks for a picnic or spot of tea. Butchart Gardens delight And in the U.S., the gardens of Portland, Oregon, Atlanta and New York proudly showcase plants that thrive in the region. I'll bet there's something blooming "back in your own back yard," as the song says. Take a walk, a bike ride, or a wander. And take photos. It'll buoy sagging spirits. Guaranteed! The stunning view from Hampton Inn, Channel Islands Harbor, in Oxnard. UP NEXT:  Oxnard is a jewel, sometimes overlooked on the lower end of our beautiful central California coast. With our shores slowly opening up for Memorial Day weekend and the summer, consider Oxnard, which is not densely populated and offers superb whale watching, a relaxing hotel with gorgeous marina views, lively restaurants with varied fare, a world class maritime museum and more. Come with us to Hampton Inn, Channel Islands Harbor, where we'll base while we explore the magical town of Oxnard. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at nature, the arts, travel, family and more:  whereiscookie.com

The view from Channel Islands Hampton Inn is one of a lovely marina, offering spectacular sunsets.  The hotel is open for business, minus restaurants.  There are several pleasant restaurants nearby. PEACEFUL TOWN HAS LOVELY WATERFRONT, DIVERSE DINING, WHALE WATCHING, MUSEUMS AND MORE, OPENING UP AGAIN! CHECK OUT OXNARD  Delicious "small bites" include scallops, empanadas and a tasty marinade as Oxnard's beachside restaurants open again. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IF YOU DRIVE  California's famous coast highway, you may have overlooked Oxnard, California. Waiter Arthur serves up appetizers at Moqueca. As our travel world slowly "opens up" and hotels and restaurants are returning to business,  we've discovered that nearby Oxnard is a safe bet.  If you, like the two of us, are sick and tired of incarceration, give Oxnard a look. Consider spending a few days, whether now or next time you're scurrying south to San Diego or north to Santa Barbara and beyond. For in Oxnard, we discovered some of the best whale watching we've experienced in our state. It's a town and yet a city, with amenities associated with much larger towns. We found a delightful Brazilian restaurant, a wonderful small art museum and a world class maritime museum. Oxnard's busy Channel Islands Harbor is the fifth largest small-craft harbor in California. Fishermen never stopped fishing during Covid. The lovely seaside hotel, Hampton Inn Channel Islands Harbor, of the highly rated Hilton brand, offers lovely sunsets, pleasant views of sea life and friendly service.  THIS QUIET  little seaside city west of Los Angeles,  offers as its main draw the lovely Channel Islands Harbor, a combined shore-protection project and harbor. It sits in picturesque calm  at the southern end of the Santa Barbara Channel and is the state's fifth largest small-craft harbor. We observed it is a well loved waterfront, with fishermen at work, retirees out walking, kids playing, families barbecuing and baskers sunbathing. Dining options are varied. Our favorite restaurant is Moqueca, serving delightful Brazilian fare. OXNARD ALSO  offers great fish and chips dining, fun burger shops, Italian and Greek fare and more. A pleasing mix of contemporary architecture and elegant early 1900s homes line the boulevards, with artful clusters of interesting contemporary art, beautiful sandy shorelines, nicely kept yards and lawns and stunning views of the Channel Islands. We wondered why Oxnard is often overlooked, and is indeed one of the less visited areas of the popular California coast. Probably because it is a bit "out of the way." West of Los Angeles, it's ideally located on the coast but most people heading south hit the freeway once out of LA's 10 and 12-lane traffic madness. Perhaps the name is off-putting, for its somewhat harsh sound. Oxnard's founder, Henry T. Oxnard, tried to name the city after a Greek word for “sugar” (zachari). Unable to communicate his desire to state bureaucrats, he named the city after his family instead.   The Carnegie Library in Oxnard, Calif., is temporarily closed, but worth a look, in the heart of Oxnard's "Old Town." HE WOULD  likely enjoy the city's charming downtown with historic buildings including the Carnegie Art Museum. The elegant 1906 building withstood the threat of permanent closure and budget cuts for years, continuing to show contemporary California art in a stately former library. It's temporarily closed now, a casualty of Covid, but supporters hope it will rally. Nearby, other early 1900s buildings and homes dot Heritage Square and are worth a stroll for photos, in these virus-changing times. On the water, contemporary homes share lovely beach views. Oxnard Beach Park has a wide, sandy shoreline and inviting, grassy lawns, with picnic tables and views of Channel Islands. A Purse Seine boat anchored off the Oxnard harbor. Modern architecture is part of the mix in Oxnard, where new buildings are going up along the waterways.  Channel Islands cruises and whale watching are available for visitors to enjoy a variety of options, from overnight camping to whale watching. Island Packers Cruises has several itineraries.  One sunbather asked us not to write too enthusiastically about Oxnard. "We know we're a vibrant Southern California beach haven, with perfect sands and waters, but we don't really want any more people," she winked.  It's true: the beaches are some of the prettiest in the region and the closeness to the Channel Islands makes for longer whale-watching periods. SHOPPERS COME  to buy everything from clothing to art, antiques and furniture and there's a playhouse, a couple nightclubs and an array of restaurants. Many of the businesses, parks and beaches have reopened. Food delivery and take-out are widely available. Still, that lovely proximity to the water and the Channel Islands is the main draw. Plus the feel of a small town with amenities of city life. These enticements bring repeat customers back to this calming corner of California. Now more than ever. https://islandpackers.com/home2/ channelislandsharbor.org ; oxnardchamber.org/ hilton.com/en/hotels/oxrcihx-hampton-channel-islands-harbor/    Enjoying playful whales and dolphins in a light misty rain, Keller and Cookie continue their road-tripping with caution.  UP NEXT:  We've got a whale tale, and some nifty whale tail photos to share with you, lads and lassies. We're off to Anacapa in search of beautiful gray whales, heading north now after giving birth in the warm Baja waters. With terrific guides and naturalists from Island Packers and Channel Island Sportfishing, and both businesses back up and running after Covid slowed things down, we're accompanied by playful dolphins and seals while enjoying a pair of Oxnard's finest whale watching enterprises. These unique enterprises are restarting fishing, whale watching and island service as early as June 1, taking reservations now. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh spin on nature, the arts, travel, family and adventure : www.whereiscookie.com

Tallinn's Old Town is one of the best preserved of any city in the world. Tourism opens up there this week. A stunning 19th Century Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, stands as a proud  beacon to the Russian Orthodox religion in Tallin, Estonia, with travel returning. GET OUT THE BROCHURES, START PLANNING A TRIP AS THE COVID FOG BEGINS TO LIFT Editor's Note: On June 1, travel restrictions resulting from Covid19 were eased and travel opened up with caution and new rules in many countries, including the Baltic Republics. We bring our story and photos, taken on our most recent international trip before the world of travel changed. We highly recommend Estonia.  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER STROLLING FROM  the ship in Tallinn, Estonia's modern harbor is a trip back in time, from contemporary 21st Century architecture, to centuries old churches, squares and monuments. Arriving by ship, one walks past a modern harbor into the Old Town. One enjoys the 20-minute walk to the picturesque Old Town, past modern sculpture and hundreds of welcoming marigolds. Slowly, the pavement shifts to cobblestone and the time travel begins.  One is greeted by lively cafes, bustling shops and kiosks with eye-catching folk art.   Embroidery, lace-making, woodwork and knitwear are proudly displayed, all practiced for generations by the people. The blue cornflower, "rukkilill," is the national flower and you'll see it in beautiful scarves, tablecloths and wall hangings. The Old Town of Tallinn is one of the world's best preserved medieval cities, clean and bright. IF YOU FANCY  a bite or a drink, you'll find tasty beer and vodka, rye bread, potato rolls and ham sandwiches. Estonia is firmly part of Europe's "pork belt" and is also famous for its candy, with many flavors including liquor laced delicacies. We'd arrived in Estonia’s capital on a 16-day cruise to ports on the beautiful Baltic Sea. Tallinn is a blend of  old and new, with many influences from its time as part of the Russian Empire.  We were excited to visit Estonia because it has so recently emerged from Soviet control, and we had long anticipated photographing this Unesco World Heritage site. THE HISTORIC  old town of Tallinn is known for its wonderfully preserved medieval architecture and its part in the "Struve Geodetic Arc," which Estonia shares with nine other countries: Belarus, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Moldova, Russia, Sweden and Ukraine. Its charming walled  Old Town is also home to a 15th-century defensive tower, a  Gothic Town Hall and impressive places of worship which withstood Communist control. Bruce Keller poses near an Estonian knight's armor. St. Nicholas Church is a 13th-century landmark exhibiting ecclesiastical art. The newer Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with its obvious Russian influence reminds of the time Estonia was part of the Russian Empire then controlled by the Communist Party which had quite a run, from 1940 to 1990. While blockish apartments and offices are a result of that 50-year period, the grand 1894 Nevsky Cathedral reflects the ornate Russian Revival style one sees in Moscow and St. Petersburg. A grand bronze of Estonia's most famous musician, Gustav Ernesaks, attracted Cookie, also a musician. Ernesaks is revered by his countrymen. This stately cathedral is Tallinn's largest orthodox cupola cathedral, dedicated to Saint Alexander Nevsky who in 1242 won the Battle of the Ice on Lake Peipus, in the territorial waters of present-day Estonia. ONLY 43 MILES  south of Helsinki, Estonia has long been a destination for Finns in search of a bargain, but our guide said she and other Estonians now find many goods cheaper to acquire in Helsinki than in Tallinn. While convents, museums, theaters, parks and a bustling market are part of Tallinn's charms, this musician's favorite spot is the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, on which a giant choral festival is staged every five years. Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers in Tallin. A huge bronze monument to Estonia's beloved composer and choral director Gustav Ernesaks is a highlight of the huge park. Ernesaks lived from 1908 to 1993 and played an integral role in the country's famous non-violent "Singing Revolution" which led to Estonian independence in 1991. He also helped engineer the Estonian Song Festival and helped establish the country's world renowned vocal tradition. The Festival Grounds is a beautifully located outdoor venue, resting on a gentle hill near the sea offering lovely breezes and gorgeous views. The enterprise has hosted a mix of global stars, ranging from Tina Turner and the Rolling Stones, to Elton John, Snoop Dogg and Metallica. The Michael Jackson concert there in 1997 broke records with 200,000 star-struck spectators. Beautiful sounds come from this Tallinn busker, playing his kannel for euros. Choral singers the world over praise the acoustics of the space which resounds with the sounds of Ernesaks' Song Festival which attracts thousands of singers.  ESTONIANS LOVE  music, and host dozens of world class festivals for the organ, female vocal groups opera, ballet, theater and even Oriental dance. We were thrilled to find a young student playing Estonia's oldest string instrument, the kannel. It's plucked and played with a bow, and has the sound of a zither.   visitestonia.com/en/ Check individual cruise lines and get on their mailing lists if you want to cruise the Baltic. Many cruises are resuming in July-August. Risk is still a consideration with no vaccine yet. Many changes are in store. St. Petersburg is up next, a must for arts loving travelers.  UP NEXT : With travel opening up in Europe and the Baltic Republics, we're happy to note that Russia is cautiously resuming tourism, too. So St. Petersburg beckons.  Come with us to explore this magnificent city, founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, subject of the city's iconic “Bronze Horseman” statue and much more. St. Petersburg is Russia's cultural center, with venues including the Mariinsky Theatre and ballet, and the world famous Hermitage, the State Russian Museum. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at travel, nature, the arts, family and more: whereiscookie.com

St. Petersburg's architecture reflects its glory days as a city in Imperial Russia. The Hermitage Museum is home to one of the world's great art collections and the building itself is worthy of a leisurely stroll to inspect its many graceful nuances.  Bruce Keller and Christene Meyers explore St. Petersburg, in a trip taken just before Covid curtailed travel. Editor's Note: Most foreign tourists visit St. Petersburg by ship, and while cruising is temporarily on hold, officials tell us it's returning soon. The cruise industry is spending billions outfitting ships with state-of-the-art protective air filtering systems in each stateroom plus many more "Covid-proofing" features. Bookings are being taken for winter of 2020 and into 2021 and 2022. So grab the brochures, get on the internet for your favorite cruise line and plan a trip. Here's our report from our recent visit just before the world -- and travel -- changed. Churches, palaces and museums greet the eye at nearly every corner of St. Petersburg.  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER STROLLING PAST  the famous if intimidating Hermitage, that row of impressive museums, the tourist is dazzled. How does one tackle the entire complex, if only in a couple of days, the average stay. We've returned four times to do it justice. The myriad state rooms of the Winter Palace are known worldwide as the Hermitage.  Regarded as an international museum, it boasts one of the world's most varied and impressive art collections. Lovely canals and baroque residences mark St. Petersburg, concepts borrowed from the French and other Europeans during Peter the Great's visits. The mark of Peter the Great is everywhere in St. Petersburg. The traveling monarch created a grand port city, inspired by the architecture he enjoyed in his travels through Europe. He created Russia's "Window to the West" beginning in 1703 when he erected the first fortress on the River Neva. Neo-classical facades, domed cathedrals and baroque residences were built along the city's canals.  Peter favored the long, straight boulevards he'd walked in Paris. He loved its vast spaces and gardens and created his dazzling Winter Palace from 1754 to 1762, bringing the concept of "stately grandeur" from France to over 600 rooms. THE CITY  is a great one for sight seeing. Its lovely canals were also the inspiration of Peter, who hired Dutch engineers to drain the marshland and cut the neat design that we know today. Tourism is coming back to St. Petersburg, and this guide is ready. Here, she ushers a group into a palace. We spent time outside the museum, enjoying art-filled galleries, admiring Peter's brilliant architecture as we explored. Our stroll along the Nevsky Prospekt included a stop for coffee at a charming cafe, and a subway trip. The city's colorful, art-filled metro, or off-street railway, came into its present design in 1955.  But the idea dates to 1820 when the Russian Empire commissioned engineer Torganov to design a tunnel under the Neva. We visited the crowded Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, whose grisly name belies its graceful lines and intricate facade and interior. Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood offers an ornate interior.  It was built to honor tsar Alexander II of Russia, who was assassinated at the site, thus its moniker. This trip, our ship stayed two nights, so we had nearly three days, time for a day trip to the summer palace of Peter, named after himself: Peterhof Palace and Garden. Once again, he showed his love of Paris, modeling the place after after France's Versailles.   The canals of St. Petersburg are fun to explore. One can take a tour or rent a small boat. We stopped for a picnic in the park there, designed to give families a place to escape their crowded homes. Our guide told us that even today it is not uncommon for as many as 10 to 13 people to share a single bathroom so the parks provide a haven and space for relaxing. THE HERMITAGE  demands at least two days of a traveler's time -- as we found on our last too-short visit. For like the Louvre and Prado, it spans many centuries and periods. A strangely proportioned Peter the Great. Highlights range from a unique collection of seventh-century BC Scythian gold to some of Picasso’s great Blue Period paintings. We were impressed by the number of Rembrandts, and many paintings by Titian, Giorgione and Leonardo. Don't miss Michelangelo’s unfinished sculpture of a crouching boy, and what many consider the best collection of English art in  Europe – including Gainsborough’s "Woman in Blue." The museum is also rich in my favorite Impressionist period, along with post-Impressionist and modernist paintings, including works by Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin,  and Matisse. Time for a Matryoska doll or two before catching the ship.  This Russian soldier offers a faint smile. There are Faberge Easter eggs, too, and if you want a larger Faberge hit, a separate museum showcases art crafted by Carl Fabergé. If you're lucky enough to sail out at night, enjoy the beautiful lights of the city. MUSEUMS ARE   not St. Petersburg's only enticement. You'll want to stop by the busy Square of the Arts, or "Ploshchad Isskustv,"  and Peter and Paul Fortress, where you'll find an interesting sculpture of Peter the Great. Its small head, massive torso and oversized legs invite critiquing. Still, it's a striking work of the founder of the fortress and the city, a man who loved his country and convinced the people to reform. Sculptor Mikhail Shemyakin defends his art, saying it is based on the death-mask and wax figure of Peter kept in the Hermitage. It resides in front of the main guardhouse of the fortress, a reminder of Russia's pre-Communist days.  Matryoshka dolls, from Cookie's first visit, 1979. WE FELT  safe in this city of romantic ambiance, bridges and imperial spirit. Its love of theater, ballet and opera is attractive. We also noticed less loitering and more smiles than on earlier visits -- probably because the people seemed more welcoming. Still, we were warned about crime and pickpocketing. Alcoholism continues to be a problem. And the country's young people -- not unlike those in Europe or the U.S.-- don't want to pursue the hard-working options their forebears tackled. This week, on June 16, dentists, museums, sporting events and accounting, legal, consulting, and advertising firms opened; restaurants began to offer outdoor seating to guests. On June 23, restaurants, cafes, gyms, libraries, saunas, swimming pools, day care, playgrounds, social welfare offices, and sports facilities will reopen in Russia. Masks and distancing are being practiced. If you stick strictly with ship's tours, you don't need a visa. For more, including independent travel visa requirements:  https://europe.russia.travel/ Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg boasts grand rooms and antique furnishings, and is the place where mystic Rasputin spent his last evening. UP NEXT:   Remember the tales of Rasputin? Yes, he was a real guy and elegant Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg is where he was murdered. The Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man befriended the family of Emperor Nicholas II, Russia's last monarch. He was invited to dinner and poisoned in the bright, yellow three-story 18th century building on the Moika River, downtown St. Petersburg. Construction on the Neo-classical palace began in the 1770s; we'll take you there 250 years later. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a fresh look at travel, the arts, nature, family and more: whereiscookie.com

After a closure of nearly three months, Yusupov Palace is again open. Its opulent rooms and appointments reflect the grandeur of royalty in pre-revolutionary Russia. The mystic Rasputin was killed here in 1916. Yusupov Palace, or Moika Palace, is a grand 18th Century royal house. Editor's Note: As Baltic countries reopen, St. Petersburg, Russia, is slowly opening up, too. Cruise lines are once again booking for stops in this beautiful coastal city, as early as spring of 2021. Get on an e-mail list with your favorite cruise line and check the web for good rates as cruise lines recover from the financial devastation of Covid. We sneaked in our latest Russia visit just before the travel industry went south. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Grigori Rasputin had peasant origins but rose to power as he charmed royalty. ONE OF  history's most talked about characters might well be that Siberian mystic, who charmed his way into the Russian court, but was killed by enemies who believed he'd gained too much power. Yes, Grigori Rasputin was a real guy, and elegant Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg is where he was murdered. The Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man befriended the family of Emperor Nicholas II, the last monarch of Russia and was invited to dinner by Felix Yusupov, who did not approve of his influence on Nicholas and Alexandra. So in the winter of 1916, the influential and wealthy  playboy Yusupov plotted to poison him in the bright, yellow three-story 18th century building on the Moika River embankment in downtown St. Petersburg. When he failed to die expediently, he was shot multiple times. Still he didn't succumb so his writhing, bullet riddled body was bound and thrown in the river. It was discovered several days later. Autopsy revealed death by drowning! The story of Rasputin's murder is told with documents, photos and a tableau. WE JOINED  an international group of tourists fascinated by the gory story. It's colorfully told by guides -- the Russians are great story tellers, after all -- and illustrated with a tableau of the dining table and its doomed guest. The building is remarkable not only because of its intriguing -- if shady -- history but because it survived the Revolution and Soviet years relatively intact. Its owner, Felix Yusupov, had several other palaces, but this was supposedly his favorite. Its well known facade only hints at its lavish interior, a unique architectural complex with a dizzying number of halls and living quarters. They illustrate the pampered life of the nobility before the Bolshevik Revolution -- and explain why their excesses were resented by the struggling masses. The gilded halls and stairways lead to ornate bed chambers and banquet rooms in the Yusupov Palace. THE LAVISH digs also  reflect the city's life as the capital of the Russian Empire, from 1703 to 1918, when Moscow became the capital. Construction began in 1770 and renovation continues today. It was originally used by Andrei Shuvalov, a privy councilor to the court of Catherine the Great.  Christene "Cookie" Meyers approaches Yusupov's second floor reception hall.  Personalities to dine in the palace include Queen Elizabeth II, actress Liza Minelli, singer Sting, model Naomi Campbell and Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones. Rasputin's "last supper" is depicted in a lifesize diorama. While the guest list is impressive, its fame today is primarily because of the murder there.  Rasputin, Russia’s infamous “Mad Monk,” is the fodder for a great historical tale that blends fact and legend. Our guide said the death of the controversial holy man and faith healer had a combustible effect on the tense state of affairs in pre-revolution Russia when he was killed on Dec. 30, 1916 in the basement of the Palace, the St. Petersburg residence of Prince Yusupov, husband of the Czar’s only niece, Irina.  IN THE DECADE prior, Rasputin had risen rapidly through Russian society, starting as an obscure Siberian peasant-turned--holy-man and becoming a prominent figure in the Czar’s inner circle. Born in 1869 in the village of Pokrovskoye, on the Tura river of the Ural Mountains, he seemed destined for an ordinary life -- marriage, three children, work on a family farm. Frescoes, statues, gold and silver adorn the palace's many halls, corners and rooms. That changed when in his 30s, he spent time at a monastery, continuing to see his family, odd for a potential monk. According to our guide, Rasputin's religious fervor, combined with an appealing personal charisma, brought him to the attention of some Russian Orthodox clergymen and then senior members of the Imperial family, who introduced him to Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. Nicholas wrote to one of his ministers in October 1906, “A few days ago I received a peasant from the Tobolsk district, Grigori Rasputin, who brought me an icon of St. Simon Verkhoturie. He made a remarkably strong impression both on Her Majesty and on myself..." Rasputin would have walked these stairs to meet his host and begin his final meal. The Imperial couple   consulted unconventional spiritual advisors but Rasputin filled this role by his ability to read their inner hopes and tell them what they wanted to hear. He encouraged Nicholas to have more confidence in his role as czar. Alexandra found that his counsel soothed her anxieties. By the First World War, Rasputin was also providing political advice and making recommendations for ministerial appointments, much to the dismay of the Russian elite. Rasputin cemented his relationship with the czar and czarina when he supposedly helped alleviate their only son Alexei’s hemophilia. Rasputin’s alleged healing powers continue to be debated today, but legend says he employed peasant folk medicine to treat internal bleeding in horses, and passed this knowledge on to help Alexei. A visit to San Diego Zoo is possible again, after the longest closure in the zoo's proud history. Here, Cookie in red, visits with her sister Olivia, left,   niece Amarylla, and her children Peny and James. It opened this week.   UP NEXT : As travel cautiously resumes, and some areas "re-close," there's news in  southern California. Some of its internationally known theme parks zoos and other attractions are opening as well.  But not Disneyland or SeaWorld. Why? We'll explain. Meanwhile, precautions at newly reopened San Diego Zoo and Safari Park are carefully in place with social  distancing, smaller crowds allowed  and serious hygiene protocol.     Families yearning for freedom  to travel and enjoy again, have promising news. Still, there is much to be accomplished as we slowly regain our former lives and desperately await a vaccine. So explore, learn and live, and catch us Fridays for a novel look at travel, the arts, nature, family and more: whereiscookie.com

Cruising is making a slow comeback, since this popular mode of travel was abruptly halted in the early days of the COVID-19 virus. Here, in St. Thomas, cruise ships large and small move in and out of the picturesque harbor.   The Mediterranean will be opening up for cruising in late autumn, at least with some lines. Each line has a different policy, so do homework. CRUISING'S CAUTIOUS COMEBACK: INDIVIDUAL STATEROOM AIR FILTERING AND MANY MORE SANITATION PRECAUTIONS Editor's Note: This story contains projected sailing dates from various cruise lines. Please note that cruise line suspensions can be extended at anytime. Our research is based on  interviews and websites, but the volatile changing times require each traveler's daily research. Keller and Cookie aboard the Celebrity Century. Some sailings resume Aug. 1. Celebrity and other lines cancelled sailings  in Canada, Alaska, and New England following a  ban on cruise ships from the Canadian government. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER THERE'S GOOD NEWS  for lovers of ships and cruising. But it's slow to emerge. When the industry lurched to a halt in March, a result of COVID-19, millions of dollars were lost, thousands of cruises cancelled and legions of travelers were nervous and disappointed at radically changing travel plans. Slowly, the world's embattled cruise lines are making a comeback and passengers will again be riding the waves -- as soon as this weekend. Paul Gauguin, which corners the Polynesian market, will resume sailings July 11, with two voyages for the local market. International passengers may sail as of July 29. Many new guidelines are in place. Paul Gauguin offers a ring-side view of the Polynesian Islands aboard a 332 passenger luxury ship booking now for late summer and autumn. The industry has spent more than $40 billion to prepare ships and train crews for the new "Covid protocol." American Cruise Lines' small, sleek ships can access ports and coves not available to larger vessels. Its New England cruises resume in August. A leader in the "Covid precaution" arena is American Cruise Lines, offering the attractive possibility for Americans to reach a cruise ship without flying and exposing themselves to airport crowds and recycled cabin air. Cruising close to home is the line's specialty and bookings are brisk. American will be back on the waters in August, with cruises scheduled around New England.  An earlier date of July 22 was scratched just before this article's publication. With its liberal refund policy, the cruise line is creating good will.  Travelers disappointed at the postponement will receive a 100 per cent cent refund or a 125 per cent future cruise voucher if the line cancels. This liberal policy also allows 24-hour pre-cruise cancelation with 100 per cent voucher for a 2021 cruise. The line also navigates several of America's prettiest rivers, with leisurely transits of the Mississippi, Columbia and Snake Rivers. Keller and Cookie aboard Cunard's Queen Elizabeth. The revered line will resume some sailings in November, including Elizabeth and her sisters, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary. Do check with your travel agent or website. Those cruises will resume, too, in 2020, with the line's popular Alaska cruises back on the 2021 docket. American's river and coastal waterways cruises operate in over 25 states so many guests can skip flying entirely and drive straight to the ship." We are doing our best to keep adjusting as things progress and change," says Alexa Paolella, public relations manager for American Cruise Lines.   American's popularity -- especially now, with the virus fears -- is high, in part because it offers guests a 100 per cent cruise voucher credit   and the ability to cancel for any reason 24 hours before a cruise. Further enticement is, says Paolella, "We visit only small U.S. ports and cruise within sight of land." This appeals to cruisers concerned about the possibly having to leave the trip for medical care. American’s ships are also small -- 100-190 passengers max -- and sail at reduced capacity of 75 per cent or less. LIKE AMERICAN , many other cruise lines are introducing independent air systems to staterooms, so there is no shared duct work in cabins and some lounges. One of our booking agents said her balcony rooms are going first, which is usually the case.  Now more than ever, though, balconies are appealing for the fresh air and privacy. Lines are also making properly distanced outdoor cafe tables available. Indoor dining will have distanced tables. Here's a partial list of cruising's revamped schedules: Favorite view for veteran cruisers: a sail in from a comfy stateroom balcony. Viking resumes Oct. 1, followed by Carnival's Spirit for Hawaii and trans-Pacific cruising. On Oct. 7, Holland America, Disney, Princess and other popular mid-priced lines continue staggered resumptions which are slated as early as late September. Norwegian Cruise Line announced an Oct. 1 resumption, as did upscale lines Regent and Oceania. Seabourn's Sojourn is back on the water Oct. 14 and Crystal's Symphony is booking for an Oct. 23 sailing. Cunard's Queen Victoria resumes operation Nov. 2. Keller and Cookie in Europe, awaiting a tour on a sunny day off the ship. Europe is slowly opening up to cruising. INTERNATIONALLY,  many countries are opening domestic cruise and ferry lines to their countrymen. Genting Cruise Lines restarts operations for its Asian luxury Dream Cruises with Explorer Dream, July 26. The 1,867-passenger ship offers two and three-night "Taiwan Island-Hopping" itineraries, departing from Keelung and calling at Penghu, Matzu and Kinmen islands -- just for the domestic Taiwanese market at the moment. COVID-19 caused many countries to impose travel restrictions and close their borders to outside visitors. Early on, dozens of cruise ships were turned away from various ports  as countries acted aggressively to prevent ships from docking. While passengers were brought home, crew were stranded for weeks and some are only now getting returned to their homes. Cruising into northern Europe's capitals, including Oslo, along with  Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm and the Baltic Republics, is resuming. SO WHICH other lines are back in business?   Norway's Hurtigruten is offering enticing savings to book a lovely Norwegian coastal cruises, or venture to Antarctica. It restarted its coastal sailings July 16 for Norwegians and Danes, on vessels carrying 500 passengers.Sea Dream also resumed cruising from Norway with just 112 passengers. THE INTERNATIONAL  cruise industry, including Royal Caribbean Cruises, is making radical changes to adjust to COVID-19. The line's marketing department calls the changes "evolutionary," aimed at still giving passengers a consistent experience, according to CEO  Richard Fain. Cookie often plays piano during dinner on the couple's frequent cruises. She hopes to be back on sea and at the 88s within the next few months. RCCL has four cruise lines:: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea Cruises. All are currently on pause, due to a "no sail" order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Azamara have suspensions through Aug. 1, while Silversea has taken a ship-by-ship approach to resumption.  'EVEN IF there had never been a COVID-19, cruising would be different today than it was a year ago.  One of the things we're proudest of is that the industry is constantly changing and adapting to people's needs," said Fain. Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers don their masks for all outings and hope their fellow humans do the same. It's a mater of safety and manners.  UP NEXT:  Should you wear a mask or not? Of course! Really, it shouldn't be an issue.  It's healthy, respectful and necessary. As we travel, shop, traversing new territory, we find it essential to wear a mask -- for our protection, and others'.  We appreciate that most of our comrades follow suit, for it's mandated in California that masks be worn and distancing observed in all public places. We explore masking and how it's helping fight the virus. Remember to explore, learn and live, and please wear a mask for your sake -- and for the rest of us. Meanwhile, explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at travel, nature, the arts, family and fun.   www.whereiscookie.com

NATION'S FIRST AND OLDEST NATIONAL PARK TREASURE DRAWS NATIVE DAUGHTER BACK AGAIN  Bison grazing and the steam of geysers in the background, two classic Yellowstone attractions. Covid can't diminish the pleasures.  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER    Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers in Yellowstone. The two make an annual trip now for the 14th year.   An extension "arm" is used by rangers to share Park maps. A PILGRIMAGE  through Yellowstone National Park in "Covid times," takes adjusting to. But the nation's first national park is still glorious. First, though, you'll be greeted by a masked ranger.  Instead of handing park maps and updates with a bit of welcoming chit chat, he or she slides the papers through an opening with a special extension arm, and appropriate distancing. We missed some of the most visited attractions of the park, hoping to make another trip later when autumn casts its golden cloak over this beautiful part of our world. THE UPPER  Geyser Basin is part of every visit, since Yellowstone has nearly half of the world's geysers. It's still a wonder to behold, even though one approaches with a mask.  We miss making pleasant eye contact with happy people from all over the world. It's fun to observe the surprised expressions and satisfied smiles. Covid masks hide them but we know they're there. A drive up to Lake Hotel and a stroll to the lake is a must for us, even when we're not staying there. The beautiful lobby usually features live music and the restaurant is the most elegant in the park. Lovely Lake Hotel was built in 1891 and is the oldest operating hotel in the park. Some rooms are closed, but we found one for $365, if you're interested.  There are cheaper places to stay, though, including the nearby Lake Cabins.    The graceful 1891 architecture of Lake Hotel captivates, here the veranda .       An elk gives a bird a ride and a rest near our favorite Roosevelt Arch .    Masking is part of park protocol, here at Old Faithful. ONE OF OUR  favorite Yellowstone spots is  that colorful exit through Mammoth and Gardiner where we always pose by the iconic Teddy Roosevelt Arch. This triumphal north entrance arch symbolizes to me the enduring aspect of the park, even with  Covid.   We also visit Grand Canyon's Artist Point view of the Lower Falls, always full of cars and campers, but we find fewer people at Lookout Point, a stunning vista of the falls, closer to Canyon Village with an active osprey family.  We enjoyed a hike into Fountain Pots near day's end, when crowds thinned.  Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to see the wonders,  including bison aplenty. GUESTS ARE  for the most part practicing physical distancing, but that's tough when people are eager to see the waterfalls, critters or geyser spoutings. The park's management, Xanterra, has  implemented extreme hygiene protocol in the lobbies, at registration desks, counters and food areas.  We saw sanitizers all around, at check-in stations, reception areas, hotel lobbies, restaurant entrances, elevators and exercise areas. Hard surfaces and public spaces are cleaned twice as often, we were told by a reception worker.  Room cleaners at Lake Hotel spend particular time with high-touch areas.  Unlike past summer before the virus, it is possible to book a "short notice" room.    CHECK WEBSITES  though, because offerings are changing daily. As of this posting, select lodging is available at Old Faithful Inn, Canyon Lodge and Cabins, Lake Yellowstone Hotel, Grant Village, Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Old Faithful Cabins, Lake Cabins, and Mammoth Hot Springs. Gateway towns offer lodging, too, in West Yellowstone, Big Sky, Cooke City, Red Lodge, Livingston and more. Check  usparklodging.com/yellowstone/ or hotels.com  The Sibelius Monument in Helsinki honors the famous composer. UP NEXT: There are  plenty of places hurting from the decline of the travel industry. But Scandinavia is opening up and Finland will begin admitting foreign travelers again next week. On Aug. 11. Many restrictions are removed or lessened. With that good news, we take you to Helsinki, Finland’s southern capital. A highlight for us is the Sibelius Monument, honoring the great composer. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at travel, nature, family and the arts: whereiscookie.com

Skagen's distinctive yellow houses always sport orange tiled roofs, an artistic tradition. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Fishing is an important part of Skagen's economy. WE'D VISITED  Denmark several times, but never its picturesque port town, Skagen, sitting peacefully at the north end of Denmark’s Jutland peninsula. Its population of 8,000 people increases by 2,000 during the summer months.  We visited in September, a year ago, when travel was safe and unencumbered.  Slowly, Denmark is reopening to tourism and this northernmost township on the east coast of the peninsula, welcomes travelers. Because of its prime seaside location, the town of Skagen is the main fishing port for all of Denmark. Another reason for Skagen's popularity, we discovered, is its beautiful turquoise blue waters and the vast expanse of the sea. Skagen's yellow houses and orange tiled roofs. We were among a couple hundred tourists who came to enjoy the town's scenic views, old-fashioned streets and charming waterfront.  The unique Skagen architecture is a draw, too -- yellow houses with orange tiled roofs. The picturesque little town of Skagen owes its popularity to an artists' colony which settled there in the 1880s. Known as the "Nordic Light Painters," their work was prized for the shimmering light.  A Nordic Light exhibition celebrates the movement each August and several museums exhibit works by these eccentric and talented Skagen painters, who were inspired by Skagen's light and landscape. TODAY, SKAGEN  is both a fishing port and a tourist destination. An oil by Michael Peter Ancher of Skagen. The characteristic yellow and orange roofed houses are still occupied by fishermen and painters. A few are b&bs, and the town also offers several pleasant hotels. The people of Skagen are proud of both legacies -- their expert fishing fame and stable of famous artists.  The Local History Archive in Skagen's former courthouse, exhibits town history, artistic tradition and maritime heritage.  Skagen's shifting dunes provided a pleasant hike for us.  A main attraction is Grenen Beach, on Skagen’s northeastern outskirts.  It boasts the convergence of the Skagerrak and Kattegat seas. The trick -- we couldn't resist the temptation -- is to stand with one foot in the Skagerrak and the other in the Kattegat. One body in two seas! The shifting dunes are another attraction.  These migrating wonders are pushed by the wind and sea, moving and changing each year.  The shifting sands have covered entire buildings, including a church known, literally, as Den Tilsandede Kirke. Now only the steeple is visible on this buried 17th Century house of worship. SKAGEN IS   also home to some of the world's great eagles, who fly free in the Eagle Sanctuary. We listened to folk music, too, with Skagen's street buskers doing a brisk business.   If your idea of a holiday means watching the sun setting over the water, enjoying a panoramic view of the sea, strolling a welcoming village, visiting  its beaches and waterfront, and eating freshly caught seafood, Skagen's your place for laid back R&R. And don't worry if you aren't sure how to pronounce Skagen. Three acceptable pronunciations are listed in a local guidebook: Skah-guhn,” “Skay-gen,” or “Skay-en" as in "just sayin'." Sculptor Gustav Vigeland gave his many statues to Oslo.  UP NEXT: We end our salute to Scandinavian capitals with a visit to the Viking land of Oslo, Norway, and a trip to a farm near the city. Founded in 1050, Oslo sits on the left bank of the Akere River and is an intriguing blend of modern and historic. The Viking influence is felt everywhere, and the country's noteworthy artistic heritage is celebrated in Vigeland Sculpture Park, which hosts Gustav Vigeland's impressive sculptures. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at nature, travel, family and the arts: whereiscookie.com

A mother whale and her calf in flowers draw the eye to Victoria's famous Hotel Fairmont Empress. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Japan Center in San Francisco, offers shopping, museums, restaurants, artwork. WITH TRAVEL outside our continent limited by the virus scourge, it's time to look for the exotic without leaving North America. Do come along. It's possible to sample a bit of Europe, Asia or South America, right here in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. WITH A VISIT to Victoria, B.C., you'll enjoy the feeling of the British Isles. The city's British connection is time honored in the lovely Hotel Fairmont Empress, opened in 1908 as one of Canada's grand railway hotels. Its central downtown harbor location on Goverment Street offers a dazzling view of the city's Parliament, and its Chatequesque style reminds of Switzerland. Since its opening, the hotel experienced two expansions, in 1910, and again in 1928. The building received designation as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981 and underwent a $60 million restoration in 2015. THE CITY'S Colonial past shows in its Victorian architecture, including stately Craigdarroch Castle mansion. Butchart Gardens, with 55 acres of vivid floral displays, statuary, ponds and a carousel, is one of many formal gardens near or in the city. A street in Solvang -- complete with windmill -- could be a street in the Netherlands, with all manner of Danish goods. Restaurants have a continental feel. You'll find fish and chips as tasty as any in merry olde England, bakeries with yummy scones, pubs galore and tea shops including decades old Murchie's, with an array of all things British for a stylish afternoon tea. You'll feel you've crossed the pond in British Columbia.                       SAN FRANCISCO is home to a huge Asian community and nowhere is it more alive than in the city's artistically designed Japan Center. Pagados, hotels, shrines, galleries, restaurants and the beautiful Japan Center Malls display authentic cultural icons and excellent, reasonable shopping.  New York City's Chinatown is world renowned for its shops, its bustling feeling -- much like Hong Kong or Shanghai, and its authentic Chinese food, shops with herbs and remedies, and temples. It's a unique, lively and expansive neighborhood full of people, scents and the feel of China. New York's Chinatown is bustling, authentic. SOLVANG , in southern California's pretty  Santa Ynez Valley, is known for its Danish-style architecture and fine wineries. The Elverhøj Museum of History and Art explores the city's Danish heritage through stories and photos. The Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum exhibits dozens of classic American, Japanese and European motorbikes while the Old Mission Santa Inés is an early-1800s Franciscan church. Solvang's nightlife is exciting -- with a cosmopolitan feel. Many Danish Americans consider Solvang their cultural home, visiting regularly, even purchasing second homes in the quaint town and pleasant valley.              HERE'S A FEW  other places where we've felt   connected to our ancestry. So much of culture carries on its time honored links with our motherlands -- in architecture, historical sites, dining, museums, clothing and grocery stores, souvenir shops and more.    A charming hotel, the Queen Mary, is permanently docked in Long Beach, reminding of cruising days abroad. NASHVILLE'S  Parthenon was built for Tennessee's 1897 Centennial Exposition. It stands proudly as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, Nashville's premier urban park. The re-creation of the 42-foot statue Athena is the focus of the Parthenon just as it was in ancient Greece. The building and the Athena statue are both full-scale replicas of the Greek originals.       Nashville's Parthenon is a full-sized replica of the one in Athens. THE QUEEN MARY , docked in Long Beach, is the place to go if you are a fan of cruising and miss sailing the oceans and high seas. Now a beautiful hotel,, the Queen Mary set a new benchmark in transatlantic travel, which the rich and famous considered as the only civilized way to travel. She quickly seized hearts and imaginations on both sides of the Atlantic, representing the elegance and spirit of an era known for its class and style.   MEXICO OFFERS Latin feel in its music, architecture, food and the pulsing mix of cultures.  Try Mazatlan, Mexico City and Guadalajara for history, museums, cathedrals and old-fashioned Mexican spirit. Cancun, Cozumel and Cabo San Lucas offer modern hotels, beaches, fine contemporary restaurants and an interesting mix of tourists from Europe and both Americas.   This church in Mazatlan is one of many popular for weddings. San Miguel de Allende is a lovely mile-high oasis in the central Mexican mountains.  Its history dates to 1542 and it is famous for its fine Mexican cuisine and luxurious hotels -- one with a cooking school. ALSO CONSIDER Leavenworth, Washington, 200 miles east of Seattle, which looks as if it were plucked form the Bavarian Alps. New Orleans offers Creole and Cajun treats, spectacular dining and food reflecting the mixed cultural bag -- from beignets to gumbo and spicy po boy sandwiches. When seeking European atmosphere in North America, consider Quebec City, where you'll hear French and find an array of cultural, historic and gastronomic attractions -- cobblestone streets, lively arts, fun-loving people.  From France to Scandinavia, Italy, Greece, England, China, Japan and South and Central America, we can find the trappings of other cultures in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Safer than international travel right now -- and most of us are within driving distance to at least one of these. UP NEXT: Yellowstone and the Tetons in autumn.  Come along with us to two of our country's most beautiful national parks.  They're no prettier than in autumn, when the golden and reddish tones of fall blanket the valleys.  Wildlife viewing is splendid in autumn, and we're on the lookout for bison and bears, swans, elk and moose.  Perhaps even a wolf or two in the beautiful Lamar Valley.  Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a unique look at nature, the arts, family, travel, health and more. Bison graze on fall grasses while geyers steam. Please share this link and our stories with your friends!  www.whereiscookie.com

Spectacular views await at every turn on a trek through Yellowstone and Teton this week. DAZZLING WATERS, BLUE SKIES, HALLMARK CLOUDS, AUTUMN LEAVES PLUS CRITTERS OFFER PRIME TIME PARK VIEWING STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER AUTUMN IS NO  no more splendid than in our country's national parks. Elk are bugling, leaves are changing, crowds are thinning. Cool evenings and warm days are just what the doctor ordered during these anxious Covid-19 times. A walk to Jenny Lake yields golden autumn colors and a short wait for the Jenny Lake Boating Co. ferry. What could be more ideal than a leisurely gambol through Grant Teton and Yellowstone, two of our country's spectacular national parks. WE SET OFF  Thursday afternoon, to spend five days enjoying  yellow and golden leaves, with a few dark reds -- moving in the wind against blue skies and clouds straight out of Hallmark. Glorious greens of fir, pine and tamarack trees catch the eye with our slow, "critter spotting" driving. We love the tamaracks, those showy deciduous beauties growing up to 150 feet. Park's pleasures are timeless Walking paths in both Yellowstone and Teton invite Keller and Cookie to explore. Keller and Cookie, Rick Cosgriffe and Jane Milder atop the summit after riding Bridger Gondola, with Yorkie Nick. WE ENTERED Yellowstone on our annual park pilgrimage, driving the winding road through Wapiti Valley outside of Cody, Wyoming, taking our time to the park's East Entrance The first night, we'd parked ourselves in front of Cody's legendary Irma Hotel.  We angled ourselves onto the front row after the entertaining trolley ride to the nearby dam and around the town. (More about Cody and that fun town in next week's whereiscookie ). Then a leisurely drive through the park, with its many lakes including Yellowstone, over Fishing Bridge, and south down to the Grand Tetons. The dramatic mountains were named by French-Canadian trappers who admired the "big breasts" of the range. Take guests to the park   JUST SOUTH of Yellowstone and north of the town of Jackson, Grand Teton's sprawling 310,000 acres include lush valley floors, mountain meadows, alpine lakes and the rising peaks of the spectacular Teton Range. The massive Jackson Hole Aerial Tram, nicknamed "Big Red," was closed. But the cozy Bridger Gondola was running, perfect for the four of us humans and Nicky, our 10-pound, 15 year old Yorkshire Terrier. We waited only a few minutes for one of several "dog friendly" gondolas to whisk by, lifting us over 4,000 vertical feet in 15 minutes to a spectacular view of the valley. A boat ride and tram ride on Bridger Gondola, enticed us as we explored the two pretty parks.  OUR FELLOW gondoliers were hikers and backpackers hitting the high country.  Many others, though, took the gondola simply for the experience and the stunning view, enjoying a cup or tea or glass of wine before the the ride back down.  The two parks offer so many pleasures The Bridger Gondola in Grand Teton has several dog friendly compartments. that it is difficult to single out a few, but we advise spending at least four days if you plan to see parts of both Yellowstone and Teton. There are activities for families, hikes for couples, places to recharge for a solo traveler. Animals are active in the crisp fall air. We saw black bears, elk and moose along to complement the changing landscape. More than half of the world's thermal features are found in Yellowstone.  Teton boasts some of the world's most spectacular peaks. We invite you to share our national parks with your friends! Cookie and Nick along for the ride through Yellowstone and Teton and the lively surrounding towns.  UP NEXT:   We look forward to sharing more of our five-day national parks adventure, enjoying the bounty of wildlife and scenery, and exploring the towns around the park.  Next week, we take you to Cody, Wyoming, with its Buffalo Bill lore and a fun trolley to see the sights. We advise on dog friendly protocol if you're taking your pup along for the ride. Down the road, we hit the reopened Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, and explore West Yellowstone.  Please share this link with your friends, and remember to explore, learn and live: whereiscookie.com

The Buffalo Bill Dam and Visitor Center offers a sweeping view of the reservoir. Writer-photographer Rick Cosgriffe takes his camera for a walk on the dam, with its fine views and interesting history.  MAN MADE WONDER BROUGHT A BLOOM TO ARID WYOMING DESERT LAND STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IF YOUR travels take you through Cody, Wyoming, and into the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park, you'll be near one of the world's great man made wonders. Don't pass it by.   You have an opportunity to visit Buffalo Bill Dam and Visitor Center, just 40 miles from Yellowstone and a scenic six-mile drive from Cody. So you can visit it going either direction. The impressive concrete arch-gravity dam on the Shoshone River is a much visited Wyoming site, known internationally as a remarkable engineering experiment. Named after the famous Wild West figure, William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, founder of the nearby town, the dam's visitor center provides a sweeping view of the reservoir formed by its construction. Rivers and streams running the reservoir deposit fallen trees which collect beneath the viewing area.  A walkway from the Visitor Center takes one over the dam. KNOWN AT the time of its construction as Shoshone Dam, it was renamed in 1946 to honor Cody, whose celebrity, dreams and generosity actually made the dam possible. The showman was among visionaries and investors who formed the Shoshone Land and Irrigation Company, dreaming of turning the arid area into farmland. But even after acquiring water rights from the Shoshone River to irrigate 60,000 acres, the project proved cost prohibitive.  So Wyoming's State Board of Land Commissioners asked the Federal Government for help.   Scrub land near the dam shows how arid the region is. The dam made farming in the nearby valleys possible. Then Bill Cody stepped saved the day. In early 1904, Cody transferred his water rights to the Secretary of the Interior and in July of that year, exploratory drilling began for Shoshone Dam.   Thirty-six years after completion, in 1946, it was renamed Buffalo Bill Dam in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Cody, the man who made it possible. THE DAM changed the face and future of Wyoming and   was the key to opening 90,000 acres in the northwestern corner of the state.  Wyoming's parched prairie gave way to irrigated farm land. So dry and forbidding was this part of the state prior to the dam that it was one of the last regions in the United States to be settled.  It wasn’t until the 1890s, with dreams of irrigating the region and turning it into productive farmland, that a wave of people began to settle there. That surge in the population coincided with Wyoming's statehood, July 10, 1890. A series of photos and commentary details the construction of the dam. Those facts, and more about the Dam's sometimes troubled history are detailed in the Visitor Center.  Most of us aren't aware that there were deaths during the perilous project.  BECAUSE THERE was no steel reinforcement used to build the dam, construction crews went through a huge amount of dynamite. Over the six years of construction, seven workers died in accidents -- from blast injuries and falls. It's worth spending an hour with the handsome displays in the Visitor Center to realize the human sacrifice. The 350 feet high structure was designed by engineer Daniel Webster Cole and built over a six-year period between 1905 and 1910, originally 325 feet, enlarged in the 1980s.  Today, the dam attracts plenty of tourists as well as local fishermen, even in the winter. Golden eagles may be viewed around the dam. This one was  injured on the road and brought to the Buffalo Bill Center's rescued bird habitat. Ice fishing has become popular here;  most of these intrepid fishermen pursue trout. The reservoir  contains both warm and cold water fish species including cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat rainbow hybrids, brown trout, lake trout, walleye and perch. If you've got the time, picnic tables with pretty views are set about the grounds and there's a small boat ramp. Swimming and bird and wildlife viewing are another attraction. We were thrilled to see both golden and bald eagles on our recent visit. Cookie and Keller, with Yorkie Nick stand on the lawn of the Museum of the Rockies by "Big Mike." UP NEXT : Bozeman, Montana, is a college town, haven for nature lovers, with enough cosmopolitan attractions to to draw visitors from all over the world.  It's also a museum and foodie haven.  After being closed for several months, the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman is open again, and showcasing wonderful exhibits. The Gallatin County Museum is a charming diversion, too. Find out more about this fast-growing town, a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a fresh look at nature, travel, the arts, family and more. Share the links you like from whereiscookie.com