Sunday, July 17, 2011

TREASURE QUEST: DISCOVERY LIES BETWEEN THE COVERS: Mega Author Blog Hop Tour (July 18-25)

TREASURED PLACES

We've traveled around the U.S. and seen a bit of the world – together and separately - and there are many spots that we each will never forget. Here's a tour of just a few of those treasured places.

Portomarin, Galicia Region of Spain
THE CAMINO, SPAIN
Over 1,000 years ago, pilgrims began walking the Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James) across Spain. It's mentioned in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales! In the Middle Ages, criminals were sometimes allowed to walk the route as penance for their crimes. Those who successfully completed the journey received a certificate issued by the Cathedral in Santiago. This document served as a get-out-of-Purgatory-free card to sinners who returned home with this evidence of their feat. Villages also sometimes sent emissaries to the Santiago Cathedral to pray for rain or for relief from plague. The Camino is a popular pilgrimage to this day.
Sandy N: Along with my daughter-in-law and her mom, I walked for three weeks and covered the segment of the Camino Francés route from León to Santiago de Compostelo. I was 59 years old at the time, so I'm pretty proud of that accomplishment. Staying in hostels, eating local food, drinking local wine, meeting a variety of people from a variety of nations - my walk on the Camino was an experience I'll treasure always.
Sandra A: And I got to live vicariously through Sandy as she called and sent emails to let me know how her aching feet felt during her amazing feat!

Estes Park Aerial Tramway
Prospect Mountain

ESTES PARK, COLORADO
Known as the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park is located in north central Colorado. The first people to visit the area, Native Americans, hunted in this valley during the summers; John Estes and his family founded a cattle ranch here beginning in 1859. Surrounded by nationally protected lands and by mountain peaks ranging in elevation from 8,500 to over 14,000 feet, the valley's beauty has drawn visitors since the late 1800s. This picture shows the tramway that takes visitors to the top of Prospect Mountain, overlooking the town. 
Sandra A: Estes Park was my honeymoon destination back in the dark ages. Now my daughter lives in Colorado, so I often get to take a side trip to this beautiful treasure. I'd live there if I could!
Sandy N: Sandra and I took this gondola ride together in 2005. I love the entire state of Colorado! The mountains are breathtakingly beautiful, the ski slopes are awesome, and the people are friendly every place I've been. Estes Park is located among some of the most gorgeous scenery I've seen anywhere.

Photo: wikitravel.org/en/versailles/#b
PALACE OF VERSAILLES, NEAR PARIS, FRANCE
Back in the mid-1600s Louis XIV moved his government to Versailles and expanded it into one of the largest palaces in the world. The opulent palace later became the home of Marie Antoinette, and to this day it remains a treasure to the French people. The palace, furnishings, and gardens are among the most beautiful in the world.
Sandra A: Having visited Versailles, I can unequivocally state that it is a treasure to behold. The gardens are breathtaking, and I wouldn't mind being the queen who lived in the rooms that were gilded with gold.
Sandy N: Although I have been to France, I have never been to Paris. A visit to Versailles is near the top on my list of places to see.


Mount Rainier National Park
Paradise Area

MOUNT RAINIER, WASHINGTON
At 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier is the fifth highest peak and tallest volcano in the contiguous United States. The Paradise area of the park (at 5,420 feet) receives an average of 680 inches of snowfall every year. That's nearly 57 feet! We've both experienced The Mountain (as Washingtonians call it), and two of our characters from I.O.U. SEX walk its hiking trails.
Sandy N: I live in the Pacific Northwest, and Mount Rainier is a vista I never tire of enjoying. During our rainy winters, it sometimes hides for weeks at a time, but when The Mountain is out, the majestic peak dominates the landscape.
Sandra A: On one of my visits to Washington State, Sandy and I drove to Paradise on Mount Rainier. I can certainly see how it earned its name!

We hope you've enjoyed visiting a few of our treasured places. As a thank you, we're giving away a free download of I.O.U. SEX from Smashwords. (Even if you don't own a Kindle, the book can be downloaded to your computer, iPad, Nook, etc.) Just post a comment below, giving the name of your treasured travel spot and include your email address (for notification in case you win). We'll put your name in the pot for the drawing on July 26.  

To continue your quest for treasure, check out the next blog. No telling what gems you will find here:

Here's more info about the Treasure Quest blog tour.

TOUR RULES:

1)  HAVE FUN!!!

2)  INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!

3)  THIS TOUR STARTS:  Monday, July 18, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
      THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, July 25, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
      Winners will be drawn and posted July 26th! *** 

4)  MEET AND MINGLE WITH ALL THE AUTHORS! EXPERIENCE A NEW TREASURE AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY BLOG CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!!

5)  PARTICIPATION AT ALL BLOGS IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. REMEMBER, THE MORE BLOGS YOU HOP, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES. EVERY AUTHOR IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOW EVERY AUTHOR SOME LOVE!

6)  DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN?  WHOO! HOO!! HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOO!

***Authors have full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s) within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of  win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject to these rules***



29 comments:

  1. I haven't traveled much so the closest thing to a treasured travel spot I have would be Niagara Falls. I'd love to visit Italy and/or Ireland though.
    adsanders77 at gmail dot com

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  2. Love the pics:)
    Ive been to colorado so wonderful to be there!
    Thank you for the great giveaway:)
    elliott2668(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  3. ESTES PARK, COLORADO, really caught my attention. It looks awesome, in a bleak sort of way, and massive.

    sherrygloag @gmail .com

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  4. I've done the Camino de Santiago and it was great :)
    nathielgold@gmail.com

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  5. Some very gorgeous pics. My favorite place is Hawaii, was married there, so very fond memories of Hawaii.

    Jean
    skpetal at hotmail dot com

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  6. Loved the pic of Mt. Rainier. Lived in Tacoma for several months in the early 90s.
    westwordarizona@yahoo.com

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  7. Your pictures are absolutely beautiful! I haven't gone anywhere interesting, but I still hold out hope that I will! Thanks for the great post :)

    jwitt33 at live dot com

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  8. Beautiful pictures. I just put I.O.U Sex on my wish list two days ago so definitely count me in this giveaway :)

    chamblinh@gmail.com

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  9. I loved the days when we could see Mt. Rainier when we lived in Seattle. It was amazing.

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  10. Thanks for this wonderful post!
    Your book sounds interesting and made me curious!

    I have traveled quite a lot and seen a bit of this wonderful world. Since I love to travel, and have been to many beautiful places, it is difficult to pick one, so I will go for few favorite trasures of mine:
    Isla Bella in Brazil. It's absolutely beautiful there!
    Egypt in general and I loved this country not only for its sights and history, but also people! Friendliest people in the world!
    Seyschelles in Indian Ocean. That is paradise on Earth!

    Versailles in France I have visited and it is definitely a must-go if you are in Paris. Spain is adorable, even though I have mostly seen the islands and not the mainland, so Spain has a lot of interesting places to offer to explore!

    Thanks again!
    inga(dot)kupp(at)gmail(dot)com
    inga from http://www.ingasilbergbooks.com/

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  11. Wow I love the pics!!

    I loved Zakinthos in Greece, it had some of the nicest beaches Ive ever seen

    But my treasured place would have to be a small farm about 50miles from where I live. It doubles as a campsite, and Ive spent many nights by a campfire, under the stars, reading =)

    iluvkimi_220@hotmail.co.uk

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  12. What great pictures loved them.

    My treasured place is in Georgia. Elberton is a small town where my mom and her side of the family are from. It is about an hour and 1/2 drive from SC. I love going even though most of the family is gone. I love the small town feel.

    Bhitwr at gmail dot com

    left out email so had to redo post sorry about that

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  13. My treasured travel spot is Bath. I absolutely loved my trip there and wish I could go again soon. Thanks!

    Margaret
    singitm@hotmail.com

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  14. What a fabulous post - treasured travel spot? Hmmm... I've been to a few and often it's not so much the spot but who you were there with.

    Game parks of Kenya with my mum who is a zoologist, Top of the Eiffel Tower with a lover, camel riding with my twin sister in the Sahara, and swimming with JoJo the dolphin in Turks and Caicos.

    Now I'm off to get my FREE read.

    romance at bronwenevans dot com

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  15. i think my favorite spot is Yellowstone National Park.
    I grew up in Wyoming and Montana and i have travel,lived all over the west and still have not found any place that i feel is more beautiful than this. i think it is a small part of paradise.

    trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com

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  16. I want to visit Europe... Eventually I will.

    shadowestr@aol.com

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  17. It is imperative to be aware of what hostels will and won't present so you know what to expect before you reside there.

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  18. I've been to Estes Park, Versailles, and Mt. Rainier...many times to Mt. Rainier as I was born in Washington.

    Nice post.

    Lucie j.

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  19. Nice pics! Makes me want to travel again! lol...
    I joined your page...if u are on twitter, follow me @thegiftedones - I'll follow back, didn't see a button here.
    Hope you have great success on the hop!
    Lisa Vaughn

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  20. I absolutely love Mammoth Cave, the place you chose looks wonderful though! edysicecreamlover18ATgmailDOTcom

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  21. I haven't traveled a whole lot, but when my son was younger, we'd make the Mouse Mecca to Orlando every year. Maybe, there's treasure in Cinderella's castle, I don't know . . . LOL

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  22. This is so much fun Thankyou!

    velvethubler at yahoo dot com

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  23. I love the Florida Keys!! I havent been out of the US...yet! LOL
    viajeradelmar@aol.com

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  24. My treasured travel spot is Maui!

    Robin D
    robindpdx (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  25. Very beautiful phootos. Spain looks wonderful!
    heltondexter@yahoo.com

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  26. Hi! Lovely photos, I would love to visit there one day! My most treasured travel spot, considering I don't travel that often, would probably have to be Las Vegas, I just love the nightlife there and all the attractions. I hope to one day travel farther then Vegas (:

    vampyreprincess109(at)gmail(dot)com

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  27. My treasured spot is anywhere we managed to gather the whole family.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    Thanks for participating in the blog hop.
    I'm a new follower on GFC-Lisa Richards

    (\___/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

    alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
    http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

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  28. I treasured place is home. Its where my family is and its homey. :) Thanks for the great giveaway! I loved your pictures, espcially the one of Spain. :) Id love to go there!
    shadow_kohler(at)att(dot)net

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