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Check this off our Bucket List
Ruth McBride and Richard Hotte Travel Blog
We have always believed in the old saying that we must 'live life to the fullest' and we are here to do just that. Our retirement blog: "Check this off our Bucket List" serves as a our way of sharing our travel adventures around the world!
GO BIG OR GO HOME!
The 'GO-GO' Years!
New European Adventures!
France, Lyon, Provence and the Rhineland
Our next adventure in October/November 2024 takes us to Nice, France, followed by a 15 day back to back Viking River Cruise on the Rhone and the Rhine. We are looking forward to spending a lot of time in the French Riviera exploring in depth the many small towns that are reachable by train before we embark on our next Viking River Cruise.
Dealing with old people!
#myvikingstory #amsterdam #vikingrivercruise #headinghome #checkthisoffourbucketlist I put our luggage outside our cabin last night...
Ruth Mcbride
Nov 4, 20244 min read
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Last Stop….
#kinderdijk #netherlands #vikingrivercruise #myvikingstory #checkthisoffourbucketlist Kinderdijk, Netherlands November 2, 2024. ...
Ruth Mcbride
Nov 4, 20249 min read
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Right place, Right time?….
#Cologne #Cathedral #AllSaintsDay #vikingrivercruises #myvikingstory #checkthisoffourbucketlist Friday November 1st, 2024. All Saints...
Ruth Mcbride
Nov 4, 20249 min read
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It’s all about the money!
#taxes #rhine #castles #checkthisoffourbucketlist #koblenz #middlerhine #scenicsailing Happy Hallowe’en to everyone! October 31, 2024...
Ruth Mcbride
Nov 2, 202410 min read
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Iconic shots….
#strasbourg #MyVikingStory #vikingrivercruise #checkthisoffourbucketlist #kehl We docked in Kehl, Germany overnight so we could visit...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 30, 202410 min read
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Trapped!
#ravenna gorge #breisach #myvikingstory #checkthisoffourbucketlist Monday October 28, 2024: Breisach, Germany We had an early excursion...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 30, 20246 min read
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We should have figured this out…
#bustrip #longdays #beaune Sunday October 27th, 2024. Viking Buri from Lyon to Viking Hiln in Basel, Switzerland The image looks...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 30, 20247 min read
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Getting our steps in with new friends
#lyon #france #myvikingstory #viking #checkthisoffourbucketlist October 25, 26, 2024 - Lyon, France This morning the included tour with...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 27, 20248 min read
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I never knew that the last time….
#tournon #tainlhermitage #valrhona #vienne #france #rivercruising #vikingrivercruises #myvikingjourney #myvikingstory...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 26, 202412 min read
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Sometimes all you need is half a day….!
#viviers #tournon #france #viking #myvikingjourney #myvikingstory #checkthisoffourbucketlist Wednesday October 23, 2024 - Viviers, France...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 24, 20248 min read
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Fourth times a charm!
#avignon #france #viking #Myvikingjourney #myvikingstory Tuesday October 22, 2024 - Avignon, France I’m having that familiar feeling from...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 23, 20245 min read
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In the steps of the masters….
#Arles #Myvikingjourney #myvikingstory #Viking #Rhonerivercruise #France #checkthisoffourbucketlist Last evening we had special local...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 21, 20247 min read
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C’est bon d’être de retour or It’s good to be back!
#Nice #France #Avignon #TGV #trains #Viking #myvikingjourney Yesterday was our last full day in Nice! Those 12 days sure went fast! ...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 20, 20246 min read
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What could be more French?
#cannes #Nice #retiredtravellers #canadiansinfrance #checkthisoffourbucketlist We had to wake up with an alarm this morning! Yeesh…me...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 18, 20248 min read
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What’s today’s itinerary and how do we get there?….
#Nice #France #cotedazure #frenchriviera #footlooseandfancyfreetravel #makingitupaswe go #retiredtravellers If I look back on how we used...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 17, 202410 min read
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Perched!!!
#checkthisoffourbucketlist #Nice #France #eze #Frenchriviera #cotedazure #retirementtravel Wow! Wix sure has some neat tools now with...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 16, 20248 min read
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Where did everyone go?
#checkthisoffourbucketlist #travelblog #NiceFrance #Frenchriviera #retirementtravel If this works then anyone who had subscribed to our...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 16, 20241 min read
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Lifestyles of the rich and famous….
#Nice #villefranchesurlamer #capferrat #France #checkthisoffourbucketlist There was no blog yesterday (Monday Oct 14/2024) as we were...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 15, 20248 min read
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80 years later…
#Nice #NiceFrance #liberation #Sunday #France #checkthisoffourbucketlist I think the antibiotics are working so that is good! My foot is...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 13, 20246 min read
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The good the bad and the ugly….
#Nicefrance #Nice #France #Menton #checkthisoffourbucketlist #sorefeet No, I’m not talking about the Italian spaghetti western starring...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 13, 202410 min read
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Picture postcard Nice….
#mediterranean sea #Nice #france #blueandwhiteumbrellas #gardens #iconicNice If you’ve been to Nice, France before quick, close your...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 11, 20248 min read
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What is the most important thing to bring on a vacation?
#nice #france #touring #frenchriviera #sorefeet Last night we stayed up quite late trying to determine where the path of hurricane Milton...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 10, 20246 min read
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Light a candle, say a prayer and have a cocktail?…
#Nice #France #Vikingrivercruise #OctoberinFrance Last night we decided to walk around Nice and get our bearings and we found a new way...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 9, 202411 min read
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There is no escaping it…!!!
#Nicefrance #stormyweather #Vikingrivercruise #frenchriviera France in Autumn! What could be better? Slightly cooler weather. Less...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 8, 20247 min read
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Like that familiar Dolly Parton song....
Europe, get ready for us! We're coming back like a bad sequel - bigger, bolder, and with more questionable fashion choices than ever...
Ruth Mcbride
Sep 25, 202414 min read
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W’EV done a thing!
#EV #electricvehicle #chevysilveradoev #GMCanada #camping It sure has been awhile since I’ve written a blog but here goes…. If you...
Ruth Mcbride
Jun 29, 20249 min read
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Never again….
Day 15/15 2034 Viking Ve Grand European Christmas Markets River cruise. On the way home to Plant City, Florida from Amsterdam, via London...
Ruth Mcbride
Jan 1, 202412 min read
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Here we go again….
Day 14/15 2023 Viking VE Grand European Christmas Markets River Cruise #myvikingjourney #checkthisoffourbucketlist #myvikingstory...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 30, 20237 min read
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Who knew?
Day 13/15, Viking Ve Grand European Christmas Markets River Cruise. Cologne, Germany #myvikingstory #myvikingjourney #vikingve #cologne...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 30, 202310 min read
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Romance along the Rhine…
Day 12/15 Viking Ve, Grand European Christmas Markets River Cruise. Sailing from Mainz, Germany to Koblenz, Germany. #castles...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 28, 20237 min read
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The ICU….
Day 11/15 2023 Viking bus trip from hell through Germany! On our way through Wurtheim to a burger joint and eventually the Viking Ve...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 27, 202313 min read
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Serendipitous Christmas!
Day 10/15 2023 Viking Bragi Grand European Christmas Markets River Cruise. Christmas Day,Bamberg, Germany #myvikingstory #vikingbragi...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 26, 202311 min read
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Third time’s a charm?…..
#bamberg #germany #viking #myvikingstory #myvikingjourney #checkthisoffourbucketlist #vikinggrandeuropean #christmasmarkets Day 9/15....
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 25, 20239 min read
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Game day decisions….
#vikingskadi #vikingbragi #viking #myvikingstory #myvikingjourney #nuremberg #checkthisoffourbucketlist #nuremburg #christmasineurope Day...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 24, 20238 min read
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Walking in history…
#regensburg #myvikingstory #myvikingjourney #christmasmarkets #checkthisoffourbucketlist #changeofplans #danuberising #shipswap...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 24, 202310 min read
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Something is amiss!
#vikingskadi #myvikingstory #myvikingjourney #christmasmarkets #passau #germany #checkthisoffourbucketlist Day 6/15 2023 Viking Skadi...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 23, 20238 min read
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How many have you done?
Day 5/15. 2023 Viking SKADI Grand European Christmas Markets River Cruise. Wachau Valley cruising and ‘Stift Melk’ or in English ‘Melk...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 21, 20238 min read
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Wandering in awe….
#viking #vikingskadi #vikinggrandeuropean #myvikingstory #myvikingjourney #christmasmarkets #vienna #austria #checkthisoffourbucketlist...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 20, 202310 min read
110 views
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Well that’s a first!
#myvikingstory #myvikingjourney #vikingskadi #vikinggrandeuropean #christmasmarkets #checkthisoffourbucketlist #danuberiver Day 3/15 2023...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 19, 20236 min read
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Back in familiar territory!
#budapest #myvikingjourney #myvikingstory #christmasmarkets Day 2, Viking Grand European Christmas Markets River Cruise. Sunday December...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 18, 202311 min read
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At long last….
Day 1. Viking Grand European River Cruise It certainly has been sometime since I pulled up the old Wix website and started a blog but I...
Ruth Mcbride
Dec 16, 20239 min read
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We aren’t the last for a change!
Day 10, Ketchikan, Alaska. We arrived early at Ketchikan the ship was cleared for departures at 7am! We couldn’t understand why anyone...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 29, 20235 min read
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Strawberry to Gustavus and Adolphus
Day 9, Glacier Bay, Alaska. Scenic Sailing with a day at sea. We were excited today for our scenic sailing in Glacier Bay! And after...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 28, 20234 min read
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“A Little Better than Hell on Earth!”
Day 8, October 25, 2023, Skagway, Alaska. We had an early start this morning as we arrived in Skagway at 7am. We had to be in the Encore...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 27, 20236 min read
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Cuba, Alaska!
Day 7, Juneau (Cuba) Alaska, October 24, 2023 I’m sure the title of today’s blog probably caught your eye as of course there is no Cuba,...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 25, 20237 min read
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Captive Audience!!!
Day 6, A Sea Day on our way to Juneau, Alaska. October 23, 2023 We knew it would be getting colder as we headed north to Alaska, but it...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 24, 20239 min read
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Trying something new!
Day 5, October 22, 2023. Embarkation day, Seattle, Washington. Today’s the day! We get to try out a new to us, cruise line! And we’re...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 23, 20238 min read
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Good Grief!
Day 1-5, October 18-22, 2023…Fort Erie to Spokane; Spokane to Cranbrook; Cranbrook to Spokane; Spokane to Seattle! If you’ve been to...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 23, 20239 min read
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t-7 and counting!
11C, 52F...windy and cold, Lake Erie in Fort Erie, Ontario. It is time to get out of here before we have snow, it gets colder and we're...
Ruth Mcbride
Oct 11, 20235 min read
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How many more September’s?
Day ? Who knows? Our nomadic lifestyle is making us forget what day it is. Let’s just say its September! A wise mentor of mine once...
Ruth Mcbride
Sep 5, 20239 min read
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