PHOTOS OF THE MANY TRIPS WE HAVE TAKEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD-OUR FIRST TRIP WAS TO THE BAHAMA'S BUT WE HAD SO MUCH FUN WE DIDN'T TAKE ANY PICTURES
LOPES FROM WEST MEET LOPES FROM EAST - 1981. ON OUR FIRST VISIT WEST WE TOURED WINNEMUCCA, NEV, LAKE TAHOE, CARSON CITY AND VIRGINIA CITY
WE TOURED THE ISLAND OF JAMAICA, THE MAROON CAVES AND STAYED IN MONTEGO BAY, WHAT A LUSH GREEN COUNTRY, WE ALSO VISITED OCHO RIOS KNOWN FOR DUNNS RIVER FALLS, WHICH WE HAD TO CLIMB.
WE WENT TO TORONTO AFTER MEETING THE COOMBS IN JAMAICA, VISITED THE CNN TOWER, OVER 1800 FEET TALL AND WHAT A VIEW OF THE CITY
WE STAYED IN WINDY ARRUBA AND ENJOYED THE ISLAND TOUR OF THE CAVES, THE LIGHTHOUSE, THE CASINO'S AND THE WEATHER - PERFECT ON A VACATION, WE ENJOYED IT SO MUCH WE TOOK A SECOND TRIP THERE.
WE VISITED ST MAARTEN WITH BRENDA, DONALD, EV AND LU. WE GAMBLED, SANG, GOT DRUNK AND HAD A GREAT OLD TIME. WE EVEN GOT THE TAXI DRIVER SINGING ON OUR WAY BACK TO THE HOTEL-A BALL WAS HAD BY ALL-THE SECOND TIME WE WENT IT WAS BUILT UP SO BADLY THAT IS WAS JUST A TOURIST TRAP.
THE FAMOUS LOPES FOURSOME PLAYED A ROUND OF GOLF IN LOS ANGELES, CA. IN 1992 THE OLD GUYS WON!
WE WENT TO NASSAU IN THE BAHAMAS, THIS TIME WE STAYED IN OUR CONDO WHICH HAD A CANAL ALONG THE SIDE OF IT THAT WAS USED IN THE JAMES BOND MOVIE THUNDERBALL AND FACED THE ATLANTIS CASINO AND HOTEL ACROSS THE POND
OUR MARATHON CONDO IN THE FLORIDA KEYS ON ONE OF OUR TRIPS THERE. PERFECT LOCATION ON THE FLORIDA KEYS, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN KEY WEST AND KEY LARGO.
THE FAMOUS MALORY SQUARE IN KEY WEST, BEST PLACE TO SEE THE SUN SET IN THE USA. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT. FAMOUS FOR THE PEOPLE ACTS AT DUSK, VIOLIN PLAYERS, FIRE EATERS, BALANCING ACTS ETC.
IN 1998 WE VISITED COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICA WITH FRIENDS FROM THE CAPE ON THE TRIP. ACTIVE VOLCANOS, SCENIC RIVER TOURS AND WARM WEATHER, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED ON VACATION?
SUPER BOWL JAN 25 1998, SAN DIEGO, CA - MY DENVER TEAM WON - DIDN'T MAKE LANCE WHO WAS ON THE GREEN BAY STAFF HAPPY.
SUPER BOWL FANS AT THE GAME - EAST COAST MEETS WEST COAST-HALF THE EAST COAST LOPES FAMILY WAS THERE.
OUR DOMINICAN TRIP WITH EV AND LU, BEAUTIFUL SCENERY ON A TOUR OF PUERTA PLATA. TRIED THE PLANTATION TOUR, AERIAL TOUR AND THE RUM TOUR
WE VISITED THE ISLAND OF ANTIGUA WITH EV AND LU. STROLLED ST JOHN'S THE CAPITAL, MADE MONEY AT THE CASINO AND WATCHED THE ELECTIONS TAKE PLACE THAT YEAR ON THE ISLAND, MORE PEOPLE VOTED THEN WERE REGISTERED ON THE ISLAND, AMAZING HUH
A WONDERFUL TRIP TO BARBADOS THE EASTERN MOST ISLAND IN THE CARIBBEAN WITH PAUL AND JOAN SWAIN, WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL 7 MILE BEACH TO OURSELVES AND WATCHED THE GREEN MONKEYS WHO PICKED THE SEA GRAPES ON OUR PATIO
APRIL 2000, RETIREMENT PARTY FROM THE IRS AFTER 30 YEARS. THEY ACTUALLY THREW ONE FOR ME, I WAS QUITE SURPRISED, OFFICIALLY RETIRED MAY OF 2000
OUR FIRST LENGTHY TRIP, 21 HOURS IN THE AIR FROM LOS ANGELES TO AUKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, WHERE WE STARTED OUR 28 DAY TOUR
THE YEAR 2000, VISITED AYERS ROCK IN CENTRAL AUSTRALIA AND THEN ALICE SPRINGS. THE ABORIGINALS WERE TOUR GUIDES. VISITED SYDNEY, MELBOURNE CAIRNS AND BRISBANE
VISITED THE FAMOUS CROWN CASINO IN MELBOURNE AND TRIED OUR LUCK
SYDNEY AUSTRALIA AND ITS FAMOUS LANDMARK. WE WALKED THE WHOLE WATERFRONT AND ALMOST DID THE BRIDGE CLIMB (TOO HIGH FOR US). VISITED THE CAPITOL, CANBERRA, ROAD A TRAIN OVERNIGHT TO MELBOURNE WHERE WE TRIED OUR LUCK AT THE CASINO
CANBERRA, THE CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA, A VIEW AS WE WERE LEAVING. IT IS LAID OUT LIKE THE CAPITAL IN DC
ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF, WE TOOK A SUBMARINE RIDE AND WATCHED SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY SCUBA WITH THE SHARKS
IN THE CAPITAL OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND. HAD TO STOP FOR A BREW. A BEAUTIFUL CITY AND THEY HAD A CASINO, MADE SHEILA'S DAY
A BOAT TOUR OF CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND. AWESOME SCENERY AND THE PRETTIEST TOWN I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY TRAVELS
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. THE ROCK FORMATION KNOWN AS THE THREE SISTERS OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF AUSTRALIA. SHEER DROP OFFS WITH NO WARNINGS. ONE AUSSIE MADE STEPS TO THE BEACH, 500 FEET DOWN! THEY SAY IT TOOK YEARS AND I BELIEVE IT.
BONDI BEACH, AUSTRALIA BEING REPAIRED JUST BEFORE THE 2000 OLYMPICS THAT YEAR
CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA A VIEW FROM THE TRAIN CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN RANGE SURROUNDING CAIRNS. THE GOLD COAST OF AUSTRALIA
MEMORIES FROM THE PAST CROPPED UP AS I WAS POSTING THE VARIOUS TRIPS, SO I STUCK THEM IN
DAD'S FAMOUS PIGEON AROUND 1950 IN THE "INFAMOUS COOP". DADS GREATEST HOBBY, THAT AND SILVER TROPHY COLLECTING FOR WINNING THE RACES. VINCE AND I WHITEWASHED THAT COOP A THOUSAND TIMES AND CLEANED IT WEEKLY FOR YEARS. GLAD THAT IS OVER WITH.
THE INFAMOUS PIEGON COOP ON COLLETE STREET - THEY BUILT A PARKING LOT ALL AROUND IT NOW.
DAD'S TROPHIES WON BY THAT FAMOUS PIGEON AROUND 1950. DAD'S GREATEST HOBBY. SILVER TROPHY COLLECTION FROM WINNING MANY RACES. THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN AT BONNEAU COURT WHICH IS NO LONGER THERE.
WE VISITED THE GRAND CANYON ON ONE OF TRIPS WEST TO LAS VEGAS WITH EV AND LU. WE HAD A VERY EXCITING PLANE RIDE OVER THE CANYON WITH ITS UPS AND DOWNS, WHAT A VIEW, A MORE DESCRIPTIVE NAME CANNOT BE FOUND
THE LOPES CLAN FROM THE WEST COAST ON A TRIP IN HAWAII 2010
WE WENT TO EUROPE FOR A TRIP AND VISITED PARIS, FRANCE WHERE WE RODE THE BULLET TRAIN (275 MPH -SMOOTH AND EXCITING)TO LONDON
WE VISITED VERSAILLES PALACE OUTSIDE OF PARIS, THE NOTRE DAME, THE LOURVE AND THE SIGHTS OF PARIS. WALKED ALL OF PARIS CENTER, THE LEFT BANK AND SIDE STREETS, FABULOUS. OUR HOTEL WAS 2 BLOCKS FROM NOTRE DAME.
WE STROLLED THROUGH NOTRE DAME, IT WAS ONLY TWO BLOCKS FROM OUR HOTEL IN PARIS IT HAS A BEAUTIFUL ROSE STAINED GLASS WINDOW
THE LOURVE IS ENORMOUS, WE STROLLED IT AS IT IS A MILE LONG AND 1/2 MILE WIDE. WE DID GET TO SEE THE FAMOUS "MONA LISA" AND NAPOLEAN'S QUARTERS WHERE HE STAYED WHEN HE WAS RULING. THE MUSEUM WAS THE PALACE OF KINGS BEFORE IT BECAME A MUSEUM.
SHOPPED AT HARRODS AND BOUGHT A HAND PAINTED CHESS SET
THE HOME OF THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND, BUCKINGHAM CASTLE
ON OUR FIRST TRIP TO LONDON. WE VISITED THE LONDON TOWER, SAW THE CROWN JEWELS, VISITED HARRODS, WESTMINSTER AND BUCKINGHAM CASTLE, HOME OF THE QUEEN WHEN IN LONDON, RODE THE LONDON TWO DECKER RED BUSES.
WE TOURED WINDSOR CASTLE. THIS WAS AFTER THE FIRE THAT DESTROYED ONE WHOLE WING OF THE CASTLE NOW FULLY RESTORED
OUR SECOND TRIP TO LONDON, WE VISITED STONEHENGE, AND BATH, ENGLAND-FAMOUS FOR THE ROMAN BATHS DATING BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS AND WINDSOR CASTLE, HOME OF THE QUEEN WHEN NOT IN LONDON
WE WALKED AROUND STONEHENGE, UNBELIEVABLE THAT PEOPLE WOULD BUILD SOMETHING LIKE THIS OVER 5000 YEARS AGO
WE RODE THE LONDON EYE - WE HAD GREAT VIEWS OF LONDON FROM THE TOP-IT IS QUITE BIG
IN 2010 WE MADE A 2ND TRIP TO HARRODS. SAW THE NEW GHERKIN BUILDING WHICH IS HATED BY LONDONERS FOR ITS SHAPE (OWNED BY ARABS) AND STAYED IN KENSINGTON PARK A BLOCK FROM KENSINGTON PALACE THE FORMER HOME OF PRINCESS DIANE.
THE ISLAND OF CURACAO. WE ENDED UP HAVING A SURPRISE VISIT FROM GERRY AND LINDA SWAIN WHEN THEY DROPPED IN FROM NEW YORK UNEXPECTEDLY AS A SURPRISE TO DON AND BRENDA SWAIN WHO WE WERE WITH US ON THIS TRIP AND SISTER ANNE - IT BECAME A FAMILY VACATION
WE WENT TO IRELAND SEPTEMBER 2011, GOT WET - RAINED EVERY DAY BUT IT WAS STILL A GOOD TRIP. SAW THE CLIFFS OF MOHER, RING OF KERRY, STAYED IN TIPPERARY, GALWAY AND DUBLIN, SHEILA FOUND A CASINO IN DUBLIN THE SUN DID PEAK OUT BEFORE WE LEFT.
THE FAMOUS STATUES OF THE IRISH FAMINE IN DUBLIN, IRELAND
THE BURLINGTON HOTEL HOSTED THE COUNTY KERRY SOCER TEAM
THE TRIP TO IRELAND WAS GREAT AND WE LEARNED SOME IRISH HISTORY, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE FAMINE AND OF COURSE ABOUT THE FAMOUS PUBS. WE STAYED AT THE HOTEL WHERE COUNTY KERRY FINALLY WON THE SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP-2011. A MAD CELEBRATION BY ALL.
WE TOOK A SECOND TRIP TO TORONTO CANADA AND STAYED IN NIAGRA OVERNIGHT, WE PLAYED THE SLOTS IN THE CASINO WHERE SHEILA WON THEN TOURED THE LOCAL AREA
WE RECENTLY TOOK A SHORT GAMBLING TRIP TO DOVER DOWNS IN DELAWARE WITH ROGER AND DIANE. A NASCAR TRACK IS IN THE REAR OF THE 2500 ROOM HOTEL.
THE DOVER DOWNS HOTEL AND CASINO, WHICH HAS 2500 ROOMS AND IS NEXT TO THE NASCAR RACE TRACK
JUST MEMORIES OF THE PAST AND ALL THE GOOD TIMES, GOOD TRIPS AND GOOD FRIENDS