Into the Mountains
After leaving Lalibella, we flew to the former capitol of Ethiopia called Gondar. Everywhere we’ve been since leaving Addis Ababa has been mountainous, but now we really went into the mountains. They do call Ethiopia the roof of Africa. We have been at 7,000 feet at least and in the Simien Mountains we went up to 10,000 feet.
Apparently, January is the month of festivals, celebrations and weddings in Ethiopia. In Addis Ababa we were there for the Timkat Festival, in Lalibella we attended a wedding and found ourselves in the middle of another wedding in Gondar.
Next we traveled overland to the Simien Mountains. On our way, we saw many farmers threshing wheat. At one point, we stopped at a beautiful viewpoint and tried it ourselves. It is hard work! Then, just before arriving at the park we stopped at a local market and walked around. The market was divided into multiple sections – produce, poultry, textiles, etc. In the textile area there were people sitting at sewing machines to sew items for customers.
We stayed at a beautiful lodge at 10,000 feet in the Simien mountains. The scenery is spectacular and is known for the Gelada monkeys. At one point we saw a herd of them of about 200 monkeys.
One of our days in the mountains, we aid a full day hike with a picnic lunch. It was very beautiful and rewarding but also very tiring.
Western Adventures
Not all of my travels are International. I am currently in Arizona with my cousin, Susan, and we both find joy in our travels. We decided that while I was visiting this fall, we would go to Arches National Park in Southern Utah. When my cousin Doug (who is 10 years younger than us), heard we were going there, he asked if he could come along as he had never been.
Last Friday the three of us left the Phoenix area for an eight-hour car ride to Moab, Utah. I thought it would be a very long, boring day, but we took secondary roads, and the ride was beautiful the whole way. We had an Airbnb in Moab with three bedrooms – I made the physical arrangements, Susan arranged our activities and Doug took care of the food.
I think that Arches is my favorite of all the national parks I have visited. The natural beauty speaks for itself and I will include many photos. I wasn’t sure about how much hiking I would be able to do but we all hiked more than six miles every day. On the first day, we were so tired by mid-afternoon that when we got to the trailhead of Delicate Arch (the one I most wanted to see), the sign-post said that it was a strenuous 2 to 3-hour hike and none of us had it in us to do it – even for the sunset.
We decided to make the strenuous hike first thing the next morning and it was well worth it. There were a lot of people going and coming and we were happy we had made an early start. After Delicate Arch, we drove to Canyonlands National Park where the Arizona and Green Rivers meet. We stopped at many beautiful viewpoints and in the late afternoon made one last hike out to Mesa Arch.
On Veteran’s Day, we headed back to Phoenix but by way of Monument Valley. It , too, included beautiful scenery with huge buttes rising out of the desert floor.
We had intended to return to Phoenix between 6-7:00 pm but didn’t get back until close to 11:00 pm. First of all, the interstate just south of Flagstaff was closed because of a brush fire, so we got off the highway and went on a circuitous route through the mountains. When we rejoined the interstate in Phoenix, the interstate was closed again near where my cousins live because of a bad accident. It made for a very long day.
Ireland
When I last posted, I was on a cruise in the Canadian Maritimes. I did return to Boston and spent three busy weeks in Portsmouth before boarding a plane and returning to Ireland. I flew into Dublin but only stayed at the airport a few hours before boarding a regional flight to Kerry Airport, only 20 minutes away from Susan and Brian’s house.
I came to Ireland because, amongst her other jobs, Susan was the star in A Streetcar Named Desire. Over the past few years, she has become involved with a theater in Abbeyfeale, Ireland called the Glórach, and is now on their Board as well as starting a theater company with a friend.
I came for the second weekend of the play and it was sold out both nights. It was so well done and Susan was amazing.
On my first day in Ireland, Brian and I went to their favorite beach in Ballybunion followed by a concert in Listowel. We were treated to music played by five Ukrainian girls from the same family playing a mixture of Irish and classical music.
Yesterday we spent the day on the Dingle peninsula and I went to Susan’s office for the Irish Dance Company she works for. The company is touring right now – we will be going to a performance in Dublin -- so she needed to do a few administrative things for them at their studio. The view from her “office” is spectacular.
Iceland and Greenland Revisited
Since leaving Ireland, we have revisited both Iceland and Greenland and are now heading back to North America via the Canadian Maritimes. We made two stops in Iceland – first on the East Coast and then to the capital, Reykjavik.
On the East Coast of Iceland, we stopped at Djupivogur. It was a very small fishing town and I think the population of our boat equaled that of the town! The village was too small to accommodate our boat so we anchored off shore and tendered in. There wasn’t much to do there either except to walk to the ends of town and admire the scenery.
We then traveled on to the capitol of Iceland which is quite large and modern. We were there for two days. On day one we walked and walked. First we visited the beautiful cathedral which overlooks the city and were treated to a wedding taking place during our visit. This means that the organ was being played which filled the church with sound and life. Then were went up to the very top of the tower for beautiful views over the city.
On day two, we went on an 11 hour excursion doing “the Golden Circle.” This is an outing to many of the geological wonders within a 60 mile radius of Reykjavik. The weather wasn’t great but at least it was dry for the first half of the day. Iceland sits directly on the line between two tectonic plates so the island abounds in volcanos, waterfalls and geothermal fissures. We visited many of these features and ended the day at the Blue Lagoon – a large geo-thermal lagoon where you can swim in 100 degree water (and the outside temperature was in the 40’s)!
Returning to Greenland, we went through the Prince Christian Sound on a spectacular day full of sunshine. Every couple of minutes, we would exclaim about citing another iceberg or glacier or steep mountain rising out of the fjord. It was cold and windy but so beautiful.
Our final stop in Greenland was the fourth largest city in Greenland – Qaqortoq. It is a small town where all of the inhabitants seem to be of Inuit decent. We visited a lady’s home where she invited us in for coffee and cake and she shared with us the story of her life and showed us traditional Greenlandic clothing. She was born in 1946 and when my cousin and I told her we were also born in 1946, she wanted to have her picture taken with us!
Cruising Ireland
Our ship was scheduled to make three stops in Ireland – first in Cobh (the port for the city of Cork), Dun Laoghaire (the port for Dublin) and in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Cobh is a charming town on the southern coast of Ireland. We had made arrangements to meet Susan and Brian there in the morning, have lunch together and then to walk around the town. Cobh is built on a steep hill with brightly painted houses and a beautiful, tall cathedral at the top. While waiting for our meeting with Susan and Brian, we climbed up to the cathedral and explored the upper town a bit. Upon our descent, we saw Susan and Brian on the sidewalk across the street and hailed them. It was a lovely reunion. We lunched at the Titanic Restaurant (Cobh was the last port the Titanic went to before hitting the iceberg), and in the afternoon drove around locally before going back to the ship. Our visit was all too short.
Dun Leoghaire is about twenty miles away from Dublin and, having been there before, we decided to skip going into the city and went to Glendaloch in County Wicklow instead. This was the beautiful scenic area south of Dublin, and the site of a very early religious community. Upon our return, we explored the town of Dun Leoghaire on foot.
Our final stop was in Belfast Northern Ireland which I had never visited. We had arranged a tour with a local company that never came to pick us up so we joined forces with two Australian women we had met on the ship and hired a taxi to go to the Giant’s Causeway, which is an hour and a half’s drive from Belfast. It turned out to be a great trip, not only seeing the Causeway but visiting a number of beautiful villages along the coast and getting a private tour of Belfast.
After three days of being on the go and seeing many sites, we are enjoying a sea day today on our way back to Iceland
Northern Europe
Modern travel on cruise ships has its pitfalls. There are a lot of people eating in close quarters, events in a large theater with people coughing and hacking and excursions in enclosed buses. The morning after we left Iceland, I woke up with a congested throat and thought I was getting a cold. An hour later I felt as though I had a fever so I got out a covid test I had brought with me and I tested positive!
I immediately went to the medical unit on board to report it and find out the protocol. The first thing I was told was how much I would have to pay out of pocket to see a doctor! I also asked if they could prescribe Paxlovid as I wanted to get well as soon as possible. They responded yes, but at the over-the-counter price of $750.00! I have taken it and taken my temperature every day and except for the one really sick day with a fever, I have been well and have tested negative.
Our next port was Oslo, Norway. I had signed up for an all-day bus tour and did not feel up to that (nor did I want to expose others if I was still contagious). I was able to cancel the tour. I did, however, want to get off the ship and see a bit of Oslo so I went on foot and walked to the Opera House. Oslo is such a pedestrian city that I don’t think I saw a car for the first 20 minutes of my walk! And there were many people out running even though it was raining.
The Opera House is very modern and is made to look like an iceberg. I did not have the energy to walk up the ramps but wanted to save my energy to walk back to the ship. I was later told that if one doesn’t experience rain in Oslo, you haven’t seen the city.
The next stop we made was in Rotterdam, Netherlands. While there, we went to The Hague. I wanted to experience the place where so much international peace and justice is adjudicated. The buildings are very traditional and lovely. We also went to an art museum which had a number of Vermeer and Rembrandt paintings which were a delight to see. Our day ended with a visit to Madurodam – a model of miniature buildings and sites from around the Netherlands.
Iceland
During the past few days we have made two stops on the north and west coasts of Iceland. These areas are sparsely populated but have beautiful waterfalls and mountains. The whole country of Iceland only has a population of 350,000. The people are very friendly and almost all of them speak very good English.
Our first stop was in Isafjordur, Iceland. While there, we traveled to a spectacular waterfall, called Dynjandi. One had to hike up halfway to get the full effect of the waterfall, but it was well worth it. From the waterfall, we went to a fishing village which ships it products all over the world. We tried some of those products, such as dried salted cod and fish cakes, neither of which appealed to me!
Next we sailed to Iceland's second largest city, Akureyri, which was still a fairly small town. While there, we went on an excursion which was all about the geography of Iceland. First we went to the Godafoss waterfall, which was similar to Niagara in that the falls were horseshoe-shaped. We continued on to Lake Myvatn which was the caldera of an old volcano and nearby rock formations formed by lava. They use a lot of geothermal heat in Iceland and we drove by power plants producing that heat.
Greenland
For the past three days, we have been in Greenland and the temperatures have been in the 30’s with highs in the 40’s – a stark contrast to the hot summer we have been having at home. The scenery is rugged mountains and deep fjords with few trees.
On the first day our stop was canceled due to sea ice. To compensate, we traveled up Tasermiutfjord. It was raining, cloudy and cold but as we got further inland, the rain stopped and the skys cleared .
Yesterday we were able to anchor in Nanortalik, Greenland and we had a magical day. We tendered into the town and walked around for about four hours. The temperatures were in the 40’s and we saw a little boy running around in shorts and a t-shirt! For them, it was summer! In the afternoon, we got on a small boat with 10 passengers, and went out amongst icebergs. We were able to get to almost touching distance from them. The colors of the bergs changed depending on the angle of the sun and each iceberg was different. I hope I don’t bore you with all of the photos of icebergs but they were truly magnificent.
Today we are traveling up the Prince Christian Fjord on the East coast of Greenland.
The Canadian Maritimes
For all of the traveling I have done in my life, I have never been to the Canadian Maritime Provinces. In the past three days, I have been to Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. We have had beautiful weather, learned a lot of history and seen beautiful scenery.
We started in Sydney, Nova Scotia where we went to the Fortress of Louisbourg. This was a fortified town built by the French in the 18th century and later destroyed. It was beautifully restored in the 1960’s. The fortress employs many locals who populate the site in period costumes and who role play.
Newfoundland, for us, was all about the natural beauty. We went to Gros Morne National Park while there which is a UNESCO World Heritage site as there is an area of the park where the earth’s mantle was pushed up through the earth’s crust and stands as a large table-like plateau where nothing grows. We also visited a lovely lighthouse in the park.
Labrador was about lifestyle. We sailed into the town of Red Bay, population of 550 people on a ship holding 1,800 passengers plus crew! Our plan was to visit the second tallest lighthouse in Canada which we did being transported on a school bus (because that is the only kind of bus available) on the single road in the area. We were told that some winters, it goes down to minus 30 degrees Celsius (-22 degree Fahrenheit). Once again, we had a beautiful day and the scenery was spectacular.
Voyage of the Vikings
I left Boston Massachusetts on July 20 aboard Holland America Line’s ship “Zuiderdam” for a 35 day voyage of the Vikings. I am traveling with my cousin and we will cross the Atlantic again but, this time, near the Arctic Circle. We return to Boston August 24.
We departed from the Boston Cruise port which I had never seen before. The cruise port was developed by converting some old warehouses into a very dilapidated looking cruise port. Our first stop, after a very smooth sail, was Bar Harbor, Maine. While there, we had a lovely day and hiked along the shore path by the water. Halfway through, it was closed due to storm damage, but we went around the damaged part and managed to see it to the end.
From Maine, we will travel through the Canadian Maritimes making stops in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador.
A New Adventure
Our final stop in Africa was the island cluster of Cape Verde. This group of islands belong to Portugal and have been used as a refueling stop on the way to other colonies. We had a relaxing visit there – walking into the main town and looking at the major sites. We stopped in a fun café for a delicious seafood lunch. Then we reboarded the ship and sailed back across the Atlantic Ocean landing first in San Juan Puerto Rico.
I had never visited Puerto Rico before and upon our arrival, I said goodbye to my cousin and disembarked the ship with all luggage because I was about to start another adventure. I first took my suitcase to the airport where I stored it and then returned to Old San Juan for the day. It is a charming city with forts at either end of it and colorful houses and narrow streets in-between. I walked and walked all day and covered most of the city. Evening found me back at the airport where I took an overnight flight to London via Madrid.
I met up with Susan in Heathrow Airport where we took another overnight flight to Colombo, Sri Lanka. There we met up with her husband, Brian, and we began our next adventure. Colombo is the capitol of Sri Lanka and we found it a beautiful and clean city. We had a very nice Airbnb there which was a two-bedroom apartment. Our first night there we went out to dinner at an old Colonial British hotel on the waterfront and watched the sun set.
Our Sri Lankan journey began in the vibrant city of Colombo. Navigating the bustling streets on an open jeep tour, we were immediately captivated by the city's blend of modernity and tradition. The open-air ride offered us an unfiltered view of Colombo's diverse architecture, from British colonial buildings to contemporary structures. The street food was a highlight – each bite was an explosion of flavors – they use a lot of spice in Sri Lanka!
Next, we ventured to the Wild Coast Tented Lodge in Yala, which promised an intimate connection with nature. The eco-friendly lodge, seamlessly blending into the surrounding landscape, was our base for exploring the Yala National Park. Each day was an adventure; the thrill of spotting leopards, elephants, and a myriad of birds in their natural habitat was unparalleled. Evenings were spent enjoying sundowners along the beach, sharing stories and enjoying the soothing sounds of the wilderness.
Our final destination was Kandy, the cultural heart of Sri Lanka. We visited the Temple of the Tooth Relic, a revered site housing a relic of Buddha's tooth. My favorite visit was to an Ayurvedic herb and spice garden where we learned a lot about treating many things with natural herbs and spices and ended up with a bit of a massage as well.
This trip to Sri Lanka with my daughter and son-in-law was more than just a vacation; it was an exploration of a land rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. Each destination offered a unique experience, from the urban energy of Colombo to the wild beauty of Yala and the cultural depth of Kandy. Sri Lanka, with its warm people and breathtaking landscapes, has left an indelible mark on our hearts. We leave with memories that will be cherished for a lifetime.
Namibia
One of the things I really wanted to do on this trip was to go to Namibia. Our schedule had us stopping twice; in Luderitz and Walvis Bay. The coast of Namibia has few harbors and a lot of dessert. The country is famous for its huge sand dunes which go right down to the ocean.
After leaving Cape Town, we had to skip our first stop in Luderitz due to high winds and no harbor. BUT we did go to Walvis Bay where the famous sand dunes are. We got into 4 x 4 vehicles and went off road into the sand. It was a thrilling ride through the deep sand and up the dunes and then descending at almost 90 degree angles. We drove until we were almost to the ocean and then stopped to climb (on all fours) up to the top where we were treated to a spectacular scene of sand and ocean. Then we stopped at a flat area where our drivers got out tables and served us a lovely picnic lunch together with sparkling wine!
For the afternoon, we took a boat out to see some of the sea life. They told us that Namibia has a greater seal population than human! Even before we left the harbor, a seal jumped up into the boat with us! There were also pelicans (one of which got on the boat with us), dolphins and flamingos.
When we returned to the ship, there was a market set up on the sidewalks leading to the port. We walked out there to see what was being offered. There were a number of women there in native dress, mostly with young children, who were desperate for money. One woman asked me to take her picture for a dollar. I did, just to support her.
Cape Town, South Africa
We have just spent a couple of days in Cape Town, South Africa. They were very full and we barely scratched the surface.
As soon as the boat docked, we travelled inland for two and a half hours to a private game reserve. We felt we couldn’t be in Africa for two months without spending at least one day on a safari. The animals on the reserve were either rescue animals or were born there. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and we had a great time seeing the major African wildlife.
The next day was spent seeing South Africa as a nation. We experienced both its history and its present day to day life with all its problems. We started with a ferry ride out to Robbin Island, which was about 45 minutes offshore. Robbin Island started as a leper colony and then became a prison. It was where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his 27 years of confinement. Many political activists were kept there and our guide to the prison area had been incarcerated there.
Upon returning to the mainland, we went to a Township, which are the areas blacks were forced to live in during Apartheid. So many people had to live in such a small area that each house touched the one next door and there was no open space. We had lunch at a restaurant within the township, which was also the owner’s home and where she told us some of her life story.
We then returned to Cape Town to see the center of the city and finished our tour in Bo-Kaap – an area of brightly colored small houses. Upon returning to the ship, we were treated to a great concert by the South African Youth Choir.
Mayotte, Madagascar, Maputo and Durban South Africa
When the itinerary for this trip came out, it listed Mayotte as the stop after Zanzibar. Mayotte? I had never heard of it! It is an island north of Madagascar and is a department of France! We did spend a day there. It was an island not set up for tourism. Our ship anchored offshore and we were tendered in. No tours were offered so we spent our time off the boat walking around the town and having a lunch in one of the few restaurants. I did, however, have the opportunity to speak French!
The nest day we arrived in Madagascar where we went on a shore excursion. Once again, the boat had to anchor offshore, and we tendered in. it was a very hot day and our bus was not air conditioned. We went to a kind of wild-life reserve where we saw a number of lemurs in the trees (lemurs are a variety of monkey only found in Madagascar).
Our first stop on the mainland of Africa was in Maputo, Mozambique. The day we were there, the temperature reached 105 degrees! The biggest attraction in Maputo was the old train station which was designed and built by Gustave Eiffel. The town itself has grown and modernized a lot since I was there eight years ago.
And now we are in South Africa. Our first stop was in Durban, which I had remembered as a vibrant, modern city. However, after 8 years of poor management, the city was deemed “not safe” with very high unemployment and we saw that stop lights weren’t working because they have rolling electrical outages. We decided that we would explore the lush green countryside around Durban and went to the Nelson Mandela Capture site with its museum and Mandela sculpture followed by a visit to the beautiful Howick Falls.
Zanzibar
In March of 2020, I visited Zanzibar with Susan and Brian and thought it was one of the most beautiful places I had ever been. I was delighted that this cruise was going to spend two days in Zanzibar but wondered if I would feel differently about it this time arriving on a cruise ship. I was not disappointed.
We booked a private tour on our first day and spent 12 hours touring with our own guide and driver going all over the Island. We started in the north where we went out in a small boat and saw great pods of dolphins frolicking in the waters off of gorgeous beaches. Then we went to a national forest that is known for its red colobus monkeys and its mangrove forest. We continued on to the central part of the island to the Kuza Cave – a lovely cave with crystal clear water at the bottom where one could swim. It was a steep descent down to the water and slippery so we only went half way down. Next we went to The Rock Restaurant where I had visited before with Susan and Brian – a restaurant built on a very small island where you have to take a boat to get to it. We celebrated with pina coladas and a lovely meal. We finished our day by swimming at another beautiful beach. Our guide offered to extend our tour by taking us to the night market but by this time we were both so tired, we went back to our boat.
Our second day in Zanzibar was spent doing a four-hour walking tour of Stone Town – the capitol of Zanzibar. The city has a strong history with the mixture of many different ethnic groups and cultures as well as having been a center for the east African slave trade. Unfortunately, it rained heavily all morning so a walking tour was a bit of a challenge.
Oman and the Seychelles
We had two changes in our itinerary because of the Israel/Gaza war and the canceling of our stops in Egypt and Jordan. They added a stop in Oman on the Arabian Peninsula, and a second day in the Seychelles (an island chain in the Indian Ocean).
Our day in Oman was very interesting and surprising. First of all, it is a beautiful country – arid but with beautiful mountains. It was quite well developed from what we could see, which is surprising as before 1970, the country had no electricity or schools. The men all wore full length robes, called dishdashas and the women that we saw were all fully covered. As we drove along the highways, we saw herds of camels which are plentiful in Oman.
I had always heard that the Seychelles were beautiful, and they lived up it. The white sand beaches and turquoise waters were stunning. Also, the tropical climate and good soil meant that the islands are covered with huge trees and lush vegetation. The weather while we were there was very hot and humid and we did a lot of walking so we were very tired by the end of our days there.
The capitol of the Seychelles is called Victoria and is reputed to be the smallest capitol city in the world. It was certainly very walkable. The buildings were wooden and very colonial looking. While in the city of Victoria, we went to the Botanic Garden, which is home to a population of giant tortoises.
On our second day in the Seychelles, I went on a boat out to a smaller island where we were treated to a beautiful beach, snorkeling, and a short trip on a glass bottom boat. It was fun to be able to photograph some of the fish we saw while snorkeling from the glass bottom boat.Oman and the Seychelles
Egypt and the Suez Canal
The Suez Canal links the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through a deserted region of Egypt. Unlike the Panama Canal, there are no locks and the sides of the canal are edged with very high hills (we were told these were anti-tank barriers). All along the canal there are guard shacks which were maned by soldiers holding rifles. It was a strange feeling to have everything so militarized and yet our passage through the canal was very quiet and smooth.
Once in the Red Sea, we traveled to the port of Safaga where we went on a bit of an adventure. Instead of taking one of the ship’s shore excursions, we had booked a private excursion to the city of Luxor to view the monuments of the Middle Kingdom in ancient Egypt. We were picked up by a driver who didn’t speak English (he only had a piece of paper with my name on it) and off we went in his Hyundai sedan to Luxor. The trip took 3 and a half hours each way and driving at the street level in Egypt is quite an experience. The rule is, there are no rules. Part of the way, we were going 90 miles an hour. When we hit cities, it was a free for all. In Luxor we picked up an English speaking guide.
I had visited Luxor in the early 1980’s and I remember how impressed I was by the size of the buildings and their age. Once again, the temples were monumental and so beautiful. We also went to the Valley of the Kings and went into three of the tombs. The burial chambers were all underground and incredibly hot but the wall paintings were beautiful and the colors still vibrant although they are 4,000 years old!
We are now at sea going down the Red Sea, around Yemen and our next stop will be Salalah, Oman.
History Nerd
Before I write about what we have been doing, I need to report on the status of our cruise. We were just in Cyprus, and are now heading due South towards the Suez Canal. We will anchor near the entrance tonight and then convoy through the Suez Canal on Monday. However, the Captain made an announcement last night that they are canceling our stops in Sharm el Sheik, Egypt and Aquaba, Jordan because of the Israel/Gaza conflict. Holland America feels that it would not be safe to go there, so once again, I will miss going to Petra. After transiting the canal, our next stop will be Safaga, Egypt where we will be going to the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Karnak.
Since I last wrote, we have made two stops – the first in Crete and then Cyprus. Both places we visited very ancient ruins. We went to the Palace of Knossos when we were in Crete. This s supposedly where the myth of the minotaur (a bull) was kept in a labyrinth beneath the palace. And then today, on our way to Nicosia, we stopped at ruins of a settlement from 7000 BC called Choirokoitia.
Then we traveled on to the divided city of Nicosia in the middle of Cyprus There is a wall and a checkpoint in the middle of the city – one half is Greek and the other half Turkish. You need to show a passport to go from one side to the other. Since our guide was Greek, we detected a lot of resentment still about the division of the island and towards Turkey.
North Africa
We made two stops on the Atlantic coast of Morocco – first in Agidir and then in Casablanca. Agidir was in Southern Morocco near the Atlas mountains. There wasn’t a lot to see there but a large Kasbah overlooking the town and a fun market or souk full of local produce. Next we went to Casablanca which is a very large city boasting a huge mosque but not much else. We chose to go an hour north of Casablanca to the capitol of Rabat. There we visited things such as the royal palace and other sites. It was a much neater and cleaner city then Casablanca and my greatest impression of it was that the streets were all lined with very sculpted ficus trees that were both pretty and provided nice shade for pedestrians and for the parked cars along the streets.
Our next stop was Tunis, Tunisia. We were told several days ago that there were demonstrations in Tunis aimed at Americans and we would be kept informed. The Tunisians are very sympathetic to the Palestinians. Our intention in Tunis was to go to Carthage and then into downtown Tunis to explore their souk which is a world heritage site. Last night we were informed that they were discouraging anyone to go into downtown Tunis so today we went to Carthage and followed that with a visit to a lovely village – all blue and white – called Sidi Bou Said.
Madeira and the Canary Islands
Octobr 2023
After 8 days at sea, we reached the island of Madeira. We spent the day in the capitol of Funchal on our own and we walked for miles and miles. But first, we rode a cable car up to the top of the city which is very mountainous, and then took a toboggan ride 2 kilometers down the mountain. The toboggans are wooden sledges steered by two men and is quite exhilarating. The rest of the day was spent walking the city and then we walked back to our boat and collapsed!
Today we arrived in the Canary Islands which are quite volcanic and barren. They have used camels there for several hundred years as their work beasts. Today we started with a ride up one of the extinct volcanos on camels and then toured the volcanic national park. The Canary Islands are a part of Spain.
Late Winter Getaway
When my good friend Erica Dodge invited me to visit her in Malaga Spain, and I looked in my calendar at the month of March and saw nothing on it, I said “sure.” So here I am in warm, sunny Malaga.
I left Portsmouth in the biggest storm of the winter with snow half-way up my front door. I was certain my flight would be canceled but upon arriving at Logan airport, the runways were clear and my plane left on time.
Malaga is a very international city. Situated in the southernmost part of Spain with beautiful weather, it attracts all nationalities. Erica has an apartment in the old city on a pedestrian street that winds around the old city. We have been able to see all of the sites and to go everywhere in foot.
South of the Border
February 2023
While the temperatures in Portsmouth went down to minus 17 degrees Fahrenheit Friday night, I was happily sleeping in 60 degree temperatures in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!
I traveled to Phoenix, Arizona over a week ago to spend a week with my cousin and my 100-year-old uncle. While there, we went to Tucson to the annual gem show, picking a lot of citrus fruit which was ripe, took walks and generally relaxed.
Then I traveled to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to visit my “adopted daughter” Noelle and her partner, Mario. Upon arrival, we spent some time along the waterfront which is a beautiful beach with the local people enjoying a Friday night. I am staying at Mario’s hotel/hostel which is a bit out of the city and located along a beautiful river.
The day after my arrival we went on a whale watch. We saw a number of mother and baby whales while enjoying being out on the water.
A Week in Ireland
As January begins, I find myself once again in Knocknagoshel Ireland. Earlier in December, Susan’s husband Brian said to me, "why don’t you come over to Ireland for a week after Christmas?" My response was, “don’t tempt me unless you mean it!"
Since my arrival we have had daily outings along the coast and to explore some of North Kerry. After dinner in the evenings, we have gone to the pub – last night there were locals playing traditional Irish music and Susan even sang to the delight of all.
Tomorrow we will go to Kinsale on the south coast and then on to Dublin as I will leave from there on Tuesday. A very quick week but enjoyable one.
Mount Etna and Surrounds
Our last stop in Sicily was in the city of Catania which lies at the foot of Mount Etna. This is the region of Sicily where the first landings were made from North Africa during World War II. On our first day we went to a very good museum commemorating that landing and the “liberation” of Sicily.
We have been very lucky with our weather and the day we went to Mount Etna it was clear. We went up the mountain by car and then climbed for about a half hour to one of the secondary cones of the mountain. Apparently the mountain erupts frequently and when we were there, there were smoke plumes coming from the summit.
On our final day we went to Taormina – a town situated on top of cliffs overlooking the sea. It was first settled by the Greeks and later the Romans who built a beautiful theater overlooking the town and looking out to Mt. Etna.
I am now at the airport awaiting a flight to Naples where I will spend the next week visiting the Amalfi Coast, Naples and Pompeii.
Southern Coast of Sicily
We have spent the past few days on the southern coast of Sicily. Because of Sicily's strategic position in the Mediterranean, it has been settled since pre-historic times and been invaded many times by various cultures; the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans the Arabs, the Normans etc. etc. etc. Our past few days have been a mix of seeing ruins of these cultures as well as cultural remains from these invasions, such as food, architecture and the arts.
Our first stop was in Mazara which still boasts a Tunisian Kasbah, salt works with windmills and the ruins of a Phoenician settlement on a small island. Then we went to the Valley of Temples which is a site with three Greek temples, one of which is the best-preserved temple outside of Greece. That night we spent in an old farmhouse turned hotel up in the hills overlooking a beautiful valley.
The next day we arrived at Ragusa - a beautiful town built vertically on a steep hillside. The streets are very narrow and very steep, and some houses are built on top of and incorporating caves. Last night we were taken on a Fiat 500 ride through the narrow streets. The one I rode in was a 1960 without seat belts and so small it seemed like a toy.
Palermo Sicily
November 2022
We have spent the past three days in the capitol of Sicily – Palermo. It is a city that has been built on layers of cultures dating back 2700 years (and probably further than that). The latest has been the catholic influence so everywhere you turn, you find a church; but that church might have been built on top of a mosque which had been built on top of a temple!
We have had magnificent weather with temperatures in the 70’s getting into the 50’s at night. Most of the time has been spent walking and learning about the local culture, architecture and family life. If you ask a Sicilian where they are from, they would never say “Italy” but always say “Sicily.”
At the beginning of the Sicily portion of my trip, there were 14 people in our group. When we left Palermo, two women had tested positive for covid and were left to quarantine in Palermo for 5 days or until they test negative. So far no other members of our group have shown any signs of being infected.
The day we left Palermo, we went to the beautiful cathedral of Monreale which had very old mosaics. Then we went into the countryside where we had lunch and afterwards hiked several miles along country roads where there was a Greek temple.
Conical roofed houses to baroque architecture
November 2022
One of the most picturesque sites I’ve ever seen are the trulli or dry stone, conical-roofed houses of Alberobello. We went to this village that was full of these houses that date back to the 14th century. Most of them are no long inhabited as they had no bathroom facilities and rarely had windows.
After Alberobello, we visited an olive factory and watched the olives being pressed into olive oil and then continued onto a town on a hilltop called Ostuni, or the white city. It was fun just walking around the narrow streets.
We finished our day in Lecce where we will spend the next few nights. It is a city which dates back since before the Trojan wars. However now it is known more for its baroque architecture. During our explorations today we saw not only beautiful churches but also a Roman theater and a Roman amphitheater.
Southern Italy
October 2022
Today I am writing from Matera Southern Italy. I arrived here yesterday afternoon after traveling overnight from the States, a six-hour layover in Rome and then the short flight to Bari and an hour transport to the city of Matera.
First impressions of Italy was the Rome airport (where I spent 6 hours). It was one of the most beautiful airports I’ve ever seen. Everything was modern, clean, well-organized with beautiful shops, restaurants and seating areas. It made our airports in the US look shabby and old-fashioned.
I don’t think I had ever heard of Matera before I signed up for this trip. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an amazing city. It is all limestone and is essentially all caves that have been hallowed out and turned into living space and churches. It dates back to prehistoric times.
The hotel where we are staying is basically a series of old dwellings on top of each other. My room was probably a whole house at one time. Under the hotel is a series of three thermal pools that I just swam in and has massaging jets in one of them. See photos.
June 2022
The Perfect Wedding
After three busy days, the wedding is now over and we will be returning to the United States tomorrow. I say we, because my sister Gretchen and her husband Johnny flew over two days before the wedding and joined me for the festivities. I picked them up at Shannon airport and we drove to the town of Dingle where the wedding took place via the village of Knocknagoshel where Susan and Brian live.
The first night in Dingle I went to a pub with Brian's mother, where Susan and Brian were holding court. We had a wonderful time greeting old friends and good company. The second day, I hosted a dinner at a golf club at the end of the Dingle Peninsula for over 100 friends and family. We arranged bus transportation so that everyone could find their way and also not worry about enjoying a drink at the dinner before driving back on the twisting and winding roads. The dinner began with a friend of Susan’s playing the bagpipes and piping everyone into the dinner. After dinner there were speeches, poems, songs and music. We had superb weather which can be rare in Ireland.
Attending these events were childhood friends, high school friends, college friends, and work friends from five continents. They were all friends from both Susan and Brian’s past but I would also say joint friends now.
The day of the wedding dawned with rain but it cleared by early afternoon and at 1:00 the wedding began. It was a beautiful, heartfelt ceremony followed by a reception at the hotel. The day ended, where else? but a pub in Dingle where dinner and drinks were provided, more speeches and then a great Irish band and dancing. It could not have been more wonderful.
April 2022
Quarantine
It has been an interesting travel experience to be quarantined. The moment our test results came in, the five of us who tested positive were separated from the group. Decisions had to be made about spouses and travel partners sharing rooms who tested negative. In the end, one couple both tested positive so they stayed together and the rest of us sent our travel partners home since they could still travel.
We were told to return to our hotel rooms and pack while transportation to Brussels could be arranged. An hour later five of us were in a taxi van with our luggage on our way from Bruges to a quarantine hotel near the Brussels airport. We all paid 50 euros each and got a receipt which we were told to keep, to claim on insurance. We had no further idea of what we were doing, or when we would get home. What were the rules??? How much freedom would we have, how would we get meals, who would rebook our flights, how would we get retested?
Upon arrival at the hotel, we were told we were expected and checked in and each of us paid for three nights at the hotel, once again being told to keep the receipt for insurance. The hotel included breakfast. We were then showed to our rooms and the door closed. I have not left the room since. I have been told I cannot leave the room until I test negative.
Later in the afternoon, I was called by reception and offered three options for dinner (I still have no idea of what the cost of the dinners is) and asked what time I wanted breakfast the following day. I wasn’t hungry so just ordered a Cesar salad which was terrible. It arrived on a tray outside of my room. Breakfast the next morning was cold scrambled eggs and bacon, a yoghurt and some rolls. I saved the yoghurt and rolls for lunch.
I pass my days on my laptop or reading a Ken Follett book. I have found a French classical music station on the TV which I have really enjoyed. The music is lovely and keeps me company and the announcers and news in French have kept my ear trained to understand French. After dinner I enjoy something on Netflix.
We arrived Tuesday afternoon and on Thursday afternoon there was a knock on my door and a representative from the travel company and a covid tester were there to test me. Once again, I tested positive and was told it would be Sunday before I would be tested again. I have received an email from my airlines that they have rebooked me for a flight on Monday so the travel company must have changed my flights and are optimistic that I will go home then. I am too.
Stuck in Brussels
April 2022
Was I previewing this posting when I was talking about quarantining in my last post? I am currently in a quarantine hotel at the Brussels Airport with covid. Our last day in Bruges started with the group of 20 on our post trip getting tested for our flight back to the United States. 5 of us tested positive or 25% of the group! I was prepared as I had had a sore throat for a couple of days and felt as though I was coming down with a cold. We were immediately separated from the rest of the group and sent by taxi to our hotel in Brussels where we will stay until we test negative. Fortunately, I had taken out travel insurance but must pay for everything up front and then get reimbursed when it’s all over. What does surprise me is that Grand Circle did not cancel the next cruise as it is obviously too early to run cruises.
On a happier note, Bruges, Belgium is a charming medieval city. It still has its outer walls and narrow streets and beautiful churches. There are a series of canals running through the city. In one of the main squares there is a huge belfry with a carillon which rings out on the hour and has a concert at noon every day.
We also took an outing to Flanders Fields – a huge battleground during World War I. We were in the town of Ypres where they have a great museum and then we went to several cemeteries and ended the day with “Final Call” which takes place every day at the entry to Ypres with a bugler and the laying of wreaths.
An update. I was just tested again and am still positive. They won’t test again until Sunday which means the soonest I can return home will be Monday April 18th.
Travel in the Age of Covid
April 2022
Tomorrow we leave our river cruise but will stay on in Bruges, Belgium for another 4 days before returning to the States. Up until today, 16 (out of 107) people had left the ship because of covid – they had either tested positive or their partners had. This morning all the people returning to the States tomorrow had to get tested and another eight tested positive! I hope we are able to make it to the end of this trip without having to go into quarantine.
Our weather has been cold and very windy but no significant rain since our day at Kinderdijk. We spent a day in Delft, both visiting the Royal Delft Factory and the beautiful town center of Delft and the next day went to the world famous Keukenhoff Gardens. They were spectacular and only pictures can tell that story. After the Keukenhoff we visited a flower grower who let us each pick up to 10 tulips so that each time we go into our room, we are greeted by beautiful flowers.
Every town we have visited has been a good surprise to me. We have seen so many charming cities and old buildings that I thought would not have survived World War II. We spent time in the village of Veere in the Netherlands and then traveled to Belgium where we enjoyed the city of Ghent. The greatest surprise however has been Antwerp, which I thought had been totally destroyed during the war to find a stunning central square and all kinds of beautiful old buildings.
Before joining the river cruise, we had one more outing to the city of Haarlem (the precursor of our city of Harlem in New York). It is a beautiful city with a large church in the central square which had been built originally as a Catholic church and later turned to a Dutch reform church. We walked around the city seeing another church which had been turned into a brewery, and ended up the day at a lovely café where we enjoyed a great cup of Dutch hot chocolate.
Then one more day in Amsterdam when it was so cold that it snowed! We had a canal boat cruise and then we were left on our own to do what we liked. My cousin and I walked into the red-light district to see what it looked like in the daytime. It was interesting – there were girls working (we were told ahead of time that if one tried to take a picture of the window where girls were working that they would come out and throw our cameras into the canals), but also saw some interesting signs and the oldest church in Amsterdam (see photos).
After leaving Amsterdam, we headed north to the town of Enkhuizen, which had a lovely harbor full of lovely Dutch sailing ships. While there, we wandered around the town, met with a Dutch family for a morning and went to the Zuidersee Outdoor Museum which was full of lovely houses and showed Dutch life around 1900.
Today the weather changed and it was wet, cold and very windy. We visited Kinderdijk which was an area full of windmills. Very picturesque but miserable weather!
Amsterdam
March 2022
What is your biggest image of spring? Tulips in Holland? My cousin Susan and I are taking a river cruise to Holland and Belgium in Springtime at the moment. And, although the weather is in the 40’s in the morning, it has gotten into the 50’s everyday and does feel like springtime.
We met here in Amsterdam where we have been staying in the museum quarter in a well-located hotel. We have had three days of exploring the city and tomorrow we will board our riverboat.
It has been 30 years since I have visited Holland and some things are the same and some things are very different. Here are some impressions:
I have not seen a person wearing a mask in the three days I’ve been here. People here are over covid!
Many cars here are electric (to include buses) with charging stations along the streets.
Tourism is coming back and one must reserve in advance to any popular attraction and they are still crowded.
Bicycles rule here and one must be very cautious crossing any street for fear of getting run over.
Food is more interesting and better than it was 30 years ago.
Indonesian food is very popular in the Netherlands as Indonesia used to be a Dutch colony.
Water is everywhere – in the fields, in the canals and by the sea.
Photos can tell much more than words so I will let the pictures do the talking. More to come.
An Irish Wedding
February 2022
One of the reasons I made this trip to Ireland was that I was invited to an Irish wedding. Susan’s partner’s sister was getting married, and I was invited.
We drove to Dublin to the hotel where the wedding was to take place and settled in. While at dinner that night, the bride, Aoife, and her friends came up to us and invited us to have a drink with them after dinner. They don’t tend to have a rehearsal dinner in Ireland, so they were just having a nice evening before the next day’s activities. We felt honored to be included and had fun with them that evening.
The wedding started at 1:00 the next day. I was surprised at the number of children at the wedding and they were all having a great time. Throughout the day, the kids were all running around having a great time. The ceremony took place at the hotel with an officiant and was very secular.
After the ceremony, there were phases moving the guests to the bar, a reception area and finally the room where we had dinner and the evening activities took place. After dinner there was a band, dancing, a photo booth (which all of the kids loved), and then a DJ. I was told that the festivities went on until 3:00 am – I didn’t make it that long!
We returned to Knocknagoshel for a couple of days. Both Susan and Brian work remotely so they were often on their laptops, and each day we would take a lovely walk. One night we went to a play that was put on by the village players. They did a terrific job. And, of course, a stop at the pub after the play.
I am now on the plane going back to winter in New England.