Twin Bridges Creations

Machu Picchu This world renowned landmark is a fascinating ancient Inca estate located high in the Andes Mountains of Peru. I'd heard the name 'Machu Picchu' many times, but I didn't have a mental picture associated with the name. All I knew was that it was in the mountains somewhere in the world. Yes, I'm always amazed at how much I don't know and how much there is to learn. As I was cruising Pixabay this past weekend, I saw the famous landmark and I immediately recognized the ancient ruins. When I saw the name, it was a big a-ha! Finally, the name and the place came together: Machu Picchu. I'll be curious to see how many of you have a similar experience.  Machu Picchu is at almost 8000 feet. When I look at the nature of the terrain as well as the altitude, I'm stunned at what was created around this extraordinary peak of the Andes. Like the rice terraces of Banaue , Machu Picchu is a feat of engineering. Some of the photos will show the steep

Hedgehogs Can you spell 'cute'? How about 'adorable'? Today's blog is lighthearted and just for fun. I've collected a few FunFacts about Hedgehogs as well as links to a couple of videos. The  first one is a compilation . The second one is called, ' Baby Hedgehog Takes a Nap '. FunFacts About Hedgehogs ( Source ) ( Source ): Hedgehogs are not related to porcupines. The name ‘hedgehog’ came into use in the 1400s. It’s derived from the Middle English word ‘heyghoge’. The first part of the word refers to ‘hedge’ because they liked living in hedgerows. The second part ‘hog’ because of the critter’s pig-like snout. Their spines aren’t barbed or poisonous. Hedgehogs can’t shoot their spines as a form of defense. The hedgehog’s main defense is that it can roll into a tight ball so that all the quills stand out and form a protective barrier. Hedgehogs are mostly active at night. Wild hedgehogs can hibernate, though not all do. They are a fairly vo

Bruges Belgium ***Note: This blog first appeared on my Caris Roane blog in August, 2017 Here is one of the prettiest medieval cities in Europe. The word Bruges means 'bridges' which is a sensible name for a city with over eighty bridges crossing dozens of canals. I couldn’t resist doing a brief look at Bruges because of my general fascination with canals and living near all that water. Yes, I do think my interest is partly because I live in the desert. Water anywhere becomes intriguing, lol! Bruges Belgium Funfacts ( Source ) ( Source ) : ·          Bruges is one of the most-visited medieval cities in the world. ·          Belgium is a Western European country of 11,787 square miles and is bordered by France, the Netherlands, the North Sea, Germany and Luxembourg. It has 11 million people: 59 % Dutch speaking Flemish and the rest are mostly the French speaking Walloon people. ·          With 470 castles, Belgium has more castles per square inch than any other

San Francisco ***Note: This blog first appeared on my Caris Roane blog in August, 2017 My earliest memory of San Francisco was from childhood when I flew from there to Los Angeles with my sister. I was five-years-old at the time and the stewardess asked me to pass out gum to all the passengers. I don’t remember minding the experience at all. I received a pair of ‘wings’ for my effort, which I wish I still had. Since I spent part of my childhood in a logging town in northern California, San Francisco has always been part of my memories.  Later, when I lived in Southern California, not far from Disneyland, I remember seeing Tony Bennett on one of the Disneyland stages where I heard him sing, ‘I Left My heart in San Francisco.’ The iconic song, featuring images like ‘little cable cars climb halfway to the stars’, will always define the city for me. In more recent years, I was in San Francisco twice for different writer conventions. It’s a beautiful city with lovely temperate wea