Travels with Jan and Jerry Erickson

- 2010-04-08 07:51:32

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

- 2010-04-08 07:52:46

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

2010: Istanbul to Venice - 2010-04-27 09:28:58

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Venice, Italy

April 16, 2010...
Disembarkation takes no time with only 290 passengers. It was all quite smoothly accomplished in less than two hours. Soon, we were checked into our hotel near the airport awaiting our flight home in 20 hours. We chose the airport location since we would be leaving the hotel at 5 am for a 7 am flight to Frankfurt, and then on to Seattle. With a day to see Venice, we quickly decided to join others and take the local bus back into catch the water taxis.

Our son, Greg, had called before we left the ship to let us know the ash cloud was spreading towards Venice and he thought our flight might not make it out on Saturday morning. We agreed to keep in contact and, within three hours, airports throughout northern Europe were shutting down. Not knowing how long the ash from the Icelandic volcano would continue to pose aircraft and breathing problems, we decided late in the afternoon to go to the airport and check in person with Lufthansa. By the time we arrived, Venice was saying they felt they would also close Saturday and the earliest they could rebook us would be Tuesday. We graciously took the seats and agreed to stay informed and check back every day between now and then.

When we checked in to our hotel, we asked to have the room for an extra night and there was one room available at that time. We had taken it as insurance, just in case. This proved to be a good move on our part, but the even better move was to go to the airport the night before our anticipated flight. Those going to the airport today (Saturday, April 17th) are finding the first available flights will be next Wednesday and Thursday. Hopefully, we’ve saved ourselves one or two additional nights here. But what we saved most was the agony of sleeping and living in the airport for three to six days like thousands of others are all over Europe. And today: there are no rooms available at this hotel for the next several days and the lobby is swarming with others trying to secure a room made available by no shows from cancelled incoming flights. This should happen, with few if any, planes landing today. But for now, quite a mess in and around the Venice airport.

Back to Venice: we joined another couple on the way into Venice; they were also from the Silver Wind and scheduled to depart Saturday with us. Highlights of today’s trek into Venice (a 20 minute bus ride) were a sidewalk lunch, time in St. Marcos Square, a walk through the main and back alleyways, and learning the water taxi system. We laughed, shopped a bit, met others from the ship, had gelato and laughed some more. It was a wonderful time. Check for pictures under Italy and then Venice, of course. Oh, I almost forgot: St Marco’s Basilica is being cleaned. Oh my gosh, it is amazing with the fabulous colors and patterns showing on the façade. In several visits, we never knew St. Mark‘s could be so beautiful and colorful.

This morning, Craig and Barbara (the other Silver Wind couple) secured new airline reservations for Wednesday. Keep checking back to this blog for the ongoing adventures of Barbara and Craig and Jan and Jerry “stuck” in Venice.

2010: Istanbul to Venice - 2010-04-27 10:42:19

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Rhodes and Lindos, Greece

Our first port of Rhodes provided sunshine, Greek food, and the beginning of an historical journey into antiquities. This island has been inhabited since 4000 BC and played a major role in commerce between Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Rhodes (Rodos as the locals call the island) means rose, and was once home to one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: Colossus of Rhodes. History claims that the statue was built over a 12-year period ending in 282 BC. Details are diverse. When we first visited here in 1980, we were told it was a grand statue that towered over the entrance to their harbor and was actually part of the walled city. It appears that time has changed a lot of evidence, since our guide now says it couldn’t have stood there on simply two legs high enough to allow the ships to pass underneath it, considering the height of their sails. He is probably correct. We were also shown the typical photograph to back up his claims. Later in the day he showed us where the Colossus was probably located inside the medieval city’s walls.

Rhodes has been plagued by earthquakes throughout the centuries; they are recorded almost monthly even today. That is most likely what destroyed Colossus in 226 BC. For the following 800 years, the ruins just laid there! Finally, a Jewish merchant used 900 camels to haul it away. When you look at the 2-1/2 feet thick walls, you can only imagine how imposing and huge that statue had to have been.

The word acropolis means acro for top and polis for city. This explains why we see ruins marking the highest points in many of the cities in this area, more often than not being referred to as “acropolis“. Rhodes had its Acropolis overlooking the city and harbor. From there we could see all the way to Turkey. The Greeks and Turks in this region have fought for years, but now tourism keeps them busy from April to November. The few months in between allow only for rest, the holidays, and then preparation for more tourists…so not much fighting happens anymore.

Nearly an hour’s ride from Rhodes, the village of Lindos, with its narrow walkways at the base of yet another acropolis, provided for the most spectacular views of the day. We hiked up 390 uneven steps to the highest point, to explore the Temple of Athena (dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena). The temple and surrounding buildings were quite impressive. Built in the 6^th century BC by Clovius, a surprising number of them remain. The Greeks continued to worship these gods until Paul’s arrival, bringing Christianity in 52 AD. Today Greece is 98 percent Christian Greek Orthodox. However, the heritage of the Greek gods remains a huge part of their history.

Once back in the village of Lindos, we joined another couple and sampled some mouth watering lemon curd crepes. This, then, became our appetizer for a fabulous Greek buffet which we devoured when we returned to the city of Rhodes itself.

A walking tour of the old city ended our stay in Rhodes. Rhodes city was formed in 408 BC and it rapidly became the richest city in the antiquities, with artists producing many of the Greek and Roman statues visible still today throughout the world. Our tour included a visit to a grand palace which Benito Mussolini rebuilt, hoping to use for himself. Fortunately, that never materialized. Soon we were back out into the narrow streets of old Rhodes, enjoying the local atmosphere and their town. It was a great day ashore.

The evening ended with an incredible sunset for our Virtuoso cocktail party in the Silver Wind’s Observation Lounge. Our guests were served caviar, shrimp, and lovely hors d’oeuvres while we chased the sun into darkness. It was a perfect ending to a fabulous day.

2010: Istanbul to Venice - 2010-04-27 11:01:04

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Mykonos, Greece

Mykonos has tripled in size since our last visit about 10 years ago. It is basically a granite island with no fresh water…so sea water is processed to support the entire island. It is an idyllic paradise for vacationers from April to October. Today it was 70 degrees, but the wind at one time was over 40 mph! The quaint, white homes are scattered up the hillsides as well along the tiny meandering streets…nearly all have blue doors of one shade or another. It is lovely when viewed from both water and land.

Several 16^th century windmills have been converted into homes and small white churches appear quite frequently. Nightlife is booming here, and since we do not leave until 11 pm tonight, we may hear some of that.

Today we simply walked the streets and visited the famous pelican named Petros. He is actually a replacement since the original bird, who lived here for 50 years, died. But Petros lives on…right alongside the beachfront cafes and jewelry stores which line the streets. We actually bought a couple of paintings, our first purchase of the trip. Two for $54 was the right price for us and they will be a great memory of both this and previous visits to Mykonos.

Tomorrow is Santorini with more white homes built on the hillsides, only tomorrow’s will be built on the side of a volcanic crater.

2010: Istanbul to Venice - 2010-04-27 11:16:02

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Santorini, Greece

Perched high on the rim of a volcanic caldera, Santorini is an island of whitewashed buildings and colorfully painted roofs. With narrow cobblestone streets winding up and down hillsides, Santorini is a perfect setting for strolling among boutique cubicles of clothing, art, souvenirs, and jewelry. Top that off with excellent restaurants, and you can sense why so many people seek this haven in the middle of absolutely no where.

Over 2 million years ago this was the island of Thera. The volcano (Santorini) is simply all that remains of Thera. The lagoon in the center area is 1300 feet deep so it is a perfect harbor for all kinds of sailing vessels. Our day in port had us as the only cruise ship, though. April is the beginning of the tourist season and all the merchants were eager for customers; but it is no struggle to ward off vendors. The lovely shop keepers just want to invite you in to see what they have to sell you. We have never felt any pressure any where any time we have been here.

If you arrive by ship, you generally have three options for accessing the town of Fira, Santorini’s capital and main destination high atop the cliff. First: for centuries donkeys have been used to scale the zigzag path up the hill. Jerry has refused that version since our 1980 trip where he actually left with saddle sores for a week! Second: you can also walk amongst the donkey droppings and hope they do not push you off their path. Not the cleanest, but very doable and we have done that too. Third: you can travel up the hillside in a fenicular. That is the easiest and, of course, we have tried that method as well. Jerry doesn’t like the swinging and has a bit of an issue with heights, so we usually compromise and go up the funicular and back down the paths…on foot, of course. Once however, we did manage to avoid all three when our ship docked on the back side of Santorini and we were able to take a bus to Fira. That time we visited an archaeological dig on the back side of the island. This cruise, we haven’t seen anything about those ruins.

We just returned from our day in Santorini! It was marvelous. First off, there is now a fourth way to get up the hillside….actually it is replacing the third way. A very simple cable car system has replaced the funicular…six cars go up to the town while six cars go back down to the sea as a counterbalance. That ride is very nice and quite smooth; and Jerry did fine. We joined another couple for the day and had a marvelous day of laughing, sharing, dining, and wandering throughout the town.

Three special places we visited were an ice cream shop, restaurant, and jewelry shop not on the main walkway. Everyone we met was friendly and hospitable so the following are just suggestions. We had gelato in the city square (it was amazing). They had a bittersweet chocolate and a carrot/orange/lemon that did not contain milk as well as a yoghurt based one. All were wonderful. Jerry had his regular (and I know most of you know what that was…plain naked vanilla). We walked to the hilltop church and toured the alleyways and streets stopping here and there to visit with others from the ship. Next it was a scrumptious lunch in a typical Greek taverna overlooking the ship and hillside below. We started with calamari and then it was a variety of Greek salad for each of us. No room for baklava since we’d already begun with the gelato! Restaurant Niki (meaning victory sort of like Nike) has been there since 1965 and this was our third meal with them. Owned by a lovely husband and wife team (we seem to gravitate to that), the food never disappoints. No real address, but the phone is 22860-25273 and you can ask anyone for directions. Just across the walkway and up about three doors is Gold in White Jewelry. Jan found several beautiful and inexpensively priced pieces. Not the Byzantine or heavy gold evident in many stores, this man buys from unique artists and has a much more contemporary feel. The two men just watched as we tried on many pieces and settled on a couple of fun things we just couldn‘t leave behind. Then off to olive oil tasting and soon it was time to return to the ship after several hours of just enjoying the ambience. Grand day! And tomorrow is a sea day followed by Dubrovnik, Croatia.

2010: Istanbul to Venice - 2010-04-27 11:22:56

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik has been on our bucket list since Suzanne told us how much she loved it when she was here in the 1980s. The city, nestled on the Adriatic Sea, did not let us down! Although there was a four-year war against the Serbs fought after Suzanne’s visit, it is difficult to see many indications that a war ever happened in this beautiful city…other than the roofs. The company that originally supplied most of the red brick-colored roof tiles is out of business and the more modern replacements lack the old world charm and are simply bright orange.

Croatia had just gained its independence in 1991, when war with the Serbs broke out. The country has a population of 4.3million (only 50,000 live in Dubrovnik). We can only imagine how the townspeople coped…especially from October 1, 1991, to October 28, 1992, when they had no water or electricity. Bombings probably didn’t do as much damage as being forced to live with no water or power. There is a very touching war memorial with still photos rotating on a television, mostly in black and white. Images of the damage and the citizens’ struggle to exist rendered people in the room speechless.

Because Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage site, that organization provided most of the money to repair the Old Walled City devastation, where over 1000 people still live inside today. Our photos won’t be the same as being here in person. When you see the narrow alleyways and lengthy staircases leading up outside the walls, it is a sight to behold. The residents still carry most everything in by hand. We saw a few very tiny trucks (think popsicle trucks that deliver ice cream to your neighborhood in the summertime) bringing goods into the stores, but that is all the only larger vehicles allowed inside the walls. Younger people collect at the top of the stairwells hoping to earn a little extra money by helping to carry packages and groceries for the older people who cannot manage both themselves and packages on the trip down the long staircases.

There is an amazing history in Dubrovnik, and we would encourage you to read about it online or in a book. This may actually be the oldest European city. Dubrovnik rivaled Venice for commerce before the New World was discovered. It was a fabulous walled city with access only through two gates which were locked up each night once the draw bridges over its moat were pulled up. The town rector controlled the gate key until morning. It must have been an amazing place being the 3^rd largest port and a very advanced and wealthy country in the 1200’s. Venice actually controlled Dubrovnik for 150 years until 1358, when independence was declared. Then in 1667, a devastating earthquake destroyed most of the city. So with the earthquake and the discovery of the New World, Dubrovnik never regained its status or control.

Today they still use the Kuna as a monetary measure, but they are hoping to join the EU in 2012. They will not take dollars in most stores, but a few of the market vendors will accept those and Euros. The Kuna is worth about 20 cents. We did use Euros to buy some candied orange rind and toasted almonds.

Back to the walled city itself. It is possible to walk the top of the wall in just about an hour and 15 minutes. However, the rain came, we were hungry, and we passed up the opportunity. Those walls are 1.5 to 6 meters wide depending on the strength needed in a particular location. When people came into the walled city, they had to bring one stone every time as payment for entering. That is how the walls and buildings inside were built. It took a total of 500 years construction to finish it.

Fast fun facts:

Nearly 100% of Croatia is Roman Catholic and there were several churches and a wonderful Monastery all inside the walls…the cravat (necktie) was invented in Dubrovnik…and, here is an unusual bit of history: The city’s patron saint is St. Blaise. They actually have his scull, arm and leg entombed in ornate silver casings. Those parts of St. Blaise’s anatomy are displayed in a church. Then, once a year, they carry his body parts in a parade through the city. Rather bizarre.

We have to agree 100% with Suzanne. Dubrovnik is, perhaps, the most beautiful old city we have ever visited.

2010: Istanbul to Venice - 2010-04-27 11:30:57

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Split, Croatia

The beautiful blue seaside city of Split was a marvelous surprise. With a population of 200,000, and centered south of Dubrovnik on the Dalmation coast, summer is here! This resort town is bustling with locals roaming the streets and chatting at sidewalk cafes. Our guide, Maria, said, “In Split, café is the most important daytime activity. We all spend one hour from 11 am until noon every day, drinking coffee, and sharing gossip.” And, at every sidewalk café along our bus route, that statement was completely accurate!

Our five hour tour turned into seven hours, but more about that later. The first stop was a remarkable walk through the Palais de Diocletian, built beginning in 295 AD and finished ten years later. Diocletion was a ruler very impressed with himself and his false gods. However, after his death, the Palace town became totally Roman Catholic; and most of his statues and idols were destroyed. In fact, his mausoleum, in the center of the Palace grounds, was converted into a gorgeous small Basilica which is still in use today. It has the claim of the “Oldest Christian Church in the World” only because the original structure was built in 300 AD and subsequently converted to a church. We had a very special visit, none the less. The white limestone used in this Palace is so durable that very little damage shows, even today, in the vast underground support and storage areas. The Palace itself actually encompassed the entire town much like a walled city. It was very impressive, being built right on the edge of the Adriatic Sea. The waters have receded just enough to permit the building of a pedestrian promenade the width of a highway, and filled with boutiques and the ever-present cafes. One of the world’s ten largest boat shows is also taking place here this week. Sleek titanium looking boats were lined up alongside many larger yachts.

One quick side note: When we were on the Palace grounds, we were treated to a short performance by a sextet of very talented gentlemen. The Dalmation songs they sang (a capella, no less) were performed in the center of an acoustically perfect tower. We enjoyed it so much that we bought their CD after the mini-concert.

Here's a video of one of their songs:

Artist Ivan Mestrovik’s home in Split has been converted into a gallery, with his pieces displayed throughout. It was truly memorable. Many of you may be familiar with his commissioned statues in Chicago. He did reside in the U.S. during much of his later life (where he felt safe). Mestrovik was originally from Split and had given his home, art, and property to the Croatian government before his death. He used nearly all art mediums for his works including paper, ink, oils, wood and stone carving…but he is most famous for his bronzes. Many of his works show intense facial and body pain. The bronzes and carvings of Jesus, Job, and Moses we felt were his most impressive pieces. The portrayal of such true agony was partially due to events in his own life. He lost two of his children; he also refused to provide art for Adolph Hitler and his gang during World War II. This resulted in flights from many places including one intervention by a Pope which actually saved him from execution. Talent used well is hardly saying enough about Mestrovik. His home, overlooking the Adriatic Sea, was a spectacular setting for his art and furnishings, both inside and out on the vast lawns.

Our final event in Split was a river cruise on the Cetina River. What, you’ve never heard of the Cetina? Well, neither had we; but it was such a treat. The sun shone upon our open launches in the wilderness which could have almost been somewhere in Washington state’s Cascades. After about thirty minutes, we pulled over to the first civilization visible and had a marvelous family-style Croatian meal at a road side restaurant that included parma ham, cheese, roasted meat, chicken and potatoes, completed with a cabbage salad. And, to top that off, we also enjoyed a duet singing for us.

Then came perhaps the most exciting part of our day: the bus collected us and we began our route back to Split about thirty minutes away. Suddenly we came upon road construction and found our bus stopped in traffic and unable to move. No alternate route was available. A ten minute delay turned into over an hour. Maria had already run to the construction site and begged for us to pass. This was Croatia and no was the one and only answer. She soon realized for sure we would not be back in time for the ship’s scheduled departure. A telephone call to her agent reminds us all of a very valuable lesson: If you are on a ship’s shore excursion, the ship will not leave without you. And, because this was a ship’s tour, the Silver Wind awaited our return. We were an hour later than our scheduled return, and there were guests on their balconies wondering who was holding us up. We quickly made the transfer back on board, the gangway pulled in behind us, and we were immediately off for Venice. A word to the wise: don’t think that because you are friends with a ship‘s officer or the front desk, or whomever…the ship will wait for you if you are late returning from a private shore excursion; you will be left to find your own way to the next port unless you are on a ship’s tour. Honestly, we know more than one person who has been left behind because of a late return to the ship. Fine to go on your own; but be diligent and be back on the ship BEFORE the final onboard time, just in case!

Venice came early yesterday morning; and we have more stories to tell about that! Just know we are safely waiting out the volcanic ash just outside Venice in a hotel…more to follow.

2010: Istanbul to Venice - 2010-04-27 13:30:43

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Kusadasi and Ephesus, Turkey

Today was certainly a highlight of our many travels! Our Virtuoso guests journeyed with us to visit Ephesus, St. John’s Church (formerly home of Mary, mother of Jesus), and the Kismet Hotel for a private luncheon complete with gifts and fabulous Turkish dancers…followed by our return to Kusadasi for 6 hours of free time before the Silver Wind sailed at 11 pm.

Mary’s House, located just above Ephesus itself, was our first stop. The Bible tells us that, as Jesus was on the cross, He told John that Mary was now his mother and to care for her. This small two-room home, complete with a spring that remains today, were said to be her home in the years following Jesus‘ crucifixion…with John living nearby. The spring still flows out of three taps and many believe the water to be holy and took some with them, bought some, or sprinkled themselves with it. Today the home is preserved and cared for as the Church of St John and, although inside photos were not allowed, we were able to see the lovely little alter inside There are also large prayer boards on the grounds where people tie on their personal prayers written on scraps of paper and cloth. Our guide, Berk, told the men not to miss the washrooms. The women did not have the open view the men did and we shall leave it at that.

Our time in Ephesus, with Berk speaking perfect English, was much more personal than on our three previous trips. Construction of this major city is thought to have begun as early as the 10^th century BC. If you have not been here, you will not believe how advanced this society was. One innovation was the sophisticated water system, which flowed downhill through an intricate series of pipes, providing for a 40-seat toilet room where they say the servants would “warm the marble” for their masters! As the population sat side by side, a rushing water flowed through a trough to continually cleanse the area Another innovative idea was the central heating, mentioned below, in the Yamac houses.

The main reason Ephesus was so large in those days was its location on the Aegean Sea. It was the land terminus of the Silk Road from Asia. Goods boarded boats to both Europe and the Middle East from here. However, since a massive earthquake covered the city, silt has built up, now pushing the coastline nearly six kilometers from Ephesus. The earthquake happened around 431 AD, covering and preserving Ephesus until archaeologists discovered its location just under 50 years ago.

We truly felt we experienced Ephesus at the time of Paul’s preaching in both 52 AD and 57 AD in the huge amphitheatre. Historical information tells us the population must have been over 250,000 because amphitheaters were built to house around 10% of the city’s population in those days. This one held about 26,000. Berk mentioned several times that the people were much smaller then and could sit closer together than we would be able to today. The amphitheater’s acoustics remain excellent even today, and many famous musicians perform concerts here during the Festival of Culture and Art.

The main roadway was called Arcadian Way or the Royal Road and it stretched from the ocean to the top of the city area. Today, only about 30% of the entire complex has actually been unearthed with the majority of the work being done by Austrians. The streets are actually paved with the original marble and ruts from the chariots remain today. In fact, the British have measured the distance between those ruts and have determined that to be the distance between today’s train tracks! Just a bit of trivia: the section from the amphitheater to the port area would be covered with wine when dignitaries arrived, developing into what is today known as “The Red carpet Treatment“.

Several additional hillside homes of the wealthy have been reconstructed since our last visit to the Yamac houses which are still being uncovered on the hillside. Amazing frescos, mosaic tiles floors, wood fired “central heating”, separate rooms and walkways between the houses show us what it was like 2000 years ago in Ephesus, the fourth greatest city in the world at that time. Only Alexandria, Rome, and Antioch in Syria were better known. These houses were just discovered in 1999, so it is a dig very much in progress! Just to give you an idea…one official’s home in the Yamak complex is 6500 square feet!

The final major structure in Ephesus is the most famous one of all. It is known as The Library of Celsus, and was built in 135 AD. Two stories high, the Library housed between 9,500 and 12,000 parchment and papyri documents collected by Celsus himself. His son built the library to honor his father as well as to provide a place for the tomb upon his death. The walls were extra thick to avoid any chance of mildew (being only 300 yards from the Aegean Sea at that time).

Library video:

All of the above sets the scene for our return trip for a patio luncheon on a hill overlooking The Silver Wind and the Kusadasi harbor. We were treated to a scrumpious luncheon and entertained by a troupe of Turkish dancers, completely decked out in period costumes.

Video of dancers:

Our Virtuoso day was run by the onsite fabulous tour company called UTS-United Travel Services, Inc. You can reach them atwww.unitedtravel.com.tr or email them at unitedtravel@unitedtravel.com.tr. This company would be a perfect one to contact for travel throughout Turkey. They are based in Istanbul, but serve the entire region. Several of the Silversea guests had used them in Istanbul prior to boarding the ship, and were also thrilled with the company’s knowledge, guides, and arrangements. We cannot recommend them highly enough…both Mrs. Ustman and her daughter, Didem, were marvelous to work with. They showed true creativity in planning our day. The extra touches were appreciated by all.

And now on to another Greek Island: Mykonos.

2010: Istanbul to Venice - 2010-05-03 11:24:58

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Still in Venice, with visits to Padua and Burano…and then home!

Day 6, post cruise, April 21: we are sitting safely in our hotel room near the airport, a 20-minute bus ride from Venice, awaiting a new estimated departure day of Sunday, April 25. Thinking you might want to read what we’ve been up to, we are posting this blog!

First off, please listen to your agents when they suggest you take the cruise line’s air, even though you may not always get the flights or the seats you would like. Here’s why: Silversea is putting its guests up in the Hotel Monaco in Venice and Regent is housing theirs in Padua, Italy because of the volcanic induced delay in everybody‘s travel. Remember this pertains only to guests with the cruise line’s air-sea package. Why this is so nice right now is that these guests are able to avoid the long lines and trips to the airport for re-ticketing. Someone from the cruise line is doing that for them! Additionally, their expenses are being paid by the cruise line.

As for Jan and Jerry, we were originally scheduled to fly home at 7 am on Saturday, April 17^th on Lufthansa via Frankfurt, Germany, and then directly to Seattle. When that flight was cancelled, Lufthansa kindly rescheduled us to Delta and American Airlines flights direct to JFK on Tuesday, April 20^th, then on to Seattle. That, too, proved futile. Monday night we were told the incoming flight from JFK was cancelled and, therefore, our Tuesday flight was cancelled because no plane was available to begin in Venice. So, Tuesday night it was back to the airport again. We actually had the same Lufthansa gentleman who had rescheduled us last Friday! He is holding up remarkably well, although the fatigue was evident in his eyes.

Each time you change flights you, of course, go to the bottom of the list hoping for any empty seats. Well, the next two empty seats from Venice will be on Sunday, April 25^th…if that flight is not cancelled. Even though we had a ticket for Tuesday, and the planes were flying, we were not. We always travel with five extra days of medications; but this time, that was not enough. We spent two full days working with the incredible Courtyard staff to secure most of Jerry's medications. They were amazing...calling several doctors and pharmacies. Also a special thanks to our pharmacy in Woodinville, for a couple of long distance phone calls and faxes…everything worked out pretty well.

We just saw UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown on BBC. He was stating that the UK is providing help for all stranded UK passengers if they can get to a port. They are even providing 100 coaches to transport their citizens from Madrid, Spain, to the ports for a channel crossing. Europeans also have more rights than U.S. people do. Enough said.

Yesterday we created our own favorite type of non-cruising day: a SEA DAY! No ports of call, just a time to catch up, read, and generally vegetate. That being said, the past few days have been wonderful. Everyplace you go, you run into other stranded people with nearly always a few from the ship.

A side note: During one of our strolls along the back streets in Venice, we came upon a fabulous little silk shop whose name we recognized from Bellagio at Lake Como a few years ago. Pierangelo Masciedri's does it all in his Arte & Moda shop, where he is designer, owner, and father of two daughters who run his store in Bellagio. The head man was actually in the Venice store during our visit. Jerry bought a pleated tie (we have never before seen a pleated tie) and Jan purchased a scarf (or poncho). We love Pierangelo's creativity. It didn't hurt that the wall in his store had a photo and letter from George W. Bush (along with a couple of others: Bill Gates and Bill Clinton). If you are ever in Venice, you can find the shop by following these directions: stay on the water past St. Mark's, go over four bridges (more simply, three bridges past the Bridge of Sighs)...then go left a short block. The store is on the left just inside a square. Pierangelo appears on the adjacent photo with Jan who is, incidentally, modeling the scarf we just purchased.. His web address is www.masciadri.tv.

PADUA

To review our last few days due to the volcano in Iceland erupting: we’ve run into several people around Venice hitting all the tourist spots and eating pounds of pizza and pasta. Sunday we took the local bus to Padua, about 35 miles away. We tried to get on the train first (a 20-minute ride), but the train station was overwhelmed with suitcases and people just trying to get our of Venice. Our new friends (Barbara and Craig) from Connecticut (also from the ship) were still with us. In Padua we befriended a lovely young medical school couple just here for a “quick three day school break“ from England. We also traveled to Padua with a farming couple from New Zealand here from a Regent Mariner cruise, making their way to England for a holiday with their daughter and family.

The eight of us used Jan’s iphone’s GPS for directions from the bus station to the town center (we did veer off route a few times). We asked locals for directions by smiling, pointing and showing them the phone…and easily got back on course in the narrow, nearly empty, and twisty backways. When we emerged from the quiet alleyways, we saw that all the locals were all in town to enjoy the beautiful Sunday afternoon and a huge Sunday market in the town center. Padua was great as usual. We walked about seven miles from the bus station and around the city, had a great lunch where we have eaten twice before, visited St. Antonio’s Basilica (built starting in 1232), checked out the Sunday market, and then proceeded back to the train station. The crowds in the Padua train station were much smaller than those in Venice, and we were quickly on a train back to our home port.

BURANO

Yesterday was even more exciting. The four of us have become very proficient at using the local water buses instead of the expensive water taxis. However, as experienced as we were getting with water bus travel…there were still a few hiccups. We got onto a milk run heading for St. Marco's Square instead of the water bus we were expecting…it must have stopped at every pier between the train station and St. Marcos. We discovered that water bus #2 is the fast one, not #1 as we had been told. We had made arrangements to meet up with Don and David, also from the ship, at 11 am. Unfortunately, we were late and we missed the LN water bus to Burano. But that gave us the time to visit their fabulous penthouse room at the Hotel Loconda Vivaldi, overlooking the entire boardwalk and the Grand Canal. The view was incredible and the Murano chandeliers were elegant, but the red and gold tapestry-covered walls were the best!

Burano is our favorite location in all of the greater Venice area. It is located on an island about a 30-minute water ride from St. Mark’s. The women of the small village make fabulous lace, the men are mostly fishermen, and the entire community is just plain friendly. We have been coming here since 1980, and always frequent the same store. It is called La Perla Gallery. Since our last visit, they have remodeled and it is even more lovely. La Perla Gallery has a lace museum upstairs with even more incredible linens. Their website is www.laceinvenice.com and their email is info@laceinvenice.com. Telephone +39 041 730009 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +39 041 730009 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +39 041 730009 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. We have purchased sheets and many table cloths from them in the past. This time, Jerry bought a mask. Jan was happy with a washable embroidered linen and lace table runner that does not require ironing.

The six of us had a tasty lunch at a small sidewalk cafe on Burano’s main town square. We learned the fish called St. Pietro’s was actually John Dory and it was excellent. We had heard it called just plain “Italian fish” earlier. After lunch, some tasty Italian gelato helped Jerry to pass a few minutes while Jan shopped.

Burano has a fabulous old church that has been tilting for centuries, making for wonderful photos. Be sure to check them out in the Burano section of the Photo Gallery. Jerry and I wandered the small residential area with its narrow winding walkways through the colorful houses complete with fabulous blown glass lamps near all the doors. Great place!

All too soon, it was time for us to make our LN water bus, #2water bus, and #5 street bus back to the Courtyard by Marriott. We had enjoyed another eventful, fun-filled day in and around Venice.

UPDATE, April 23: This posting was delayed until our return to Seattle. That was made possible last night at midnight through the diligent work of our daughter, Suzanne, and Expedia (over two hours on the phone to find two tickets all the way to Seattle) and our son, Greg, who braved picking us up at 11:30 pm. even though he and his wife also just returned from being out of town the day before. Thank you, precious children!!!

Since the airline had lost our original booking in all the delays, we just started over with new tickets: two hours Venice to Paris with a 5.5 hour layover in Paris, Paris to Los Angeles 11.5 hours flying with a 2 hour delay and a 3 hour layover and then finally from Los Angeles to Seattle via our friends at Alaska Airlines: still the best airline, although Lufthansa runs a very close second. Air France, on the other hand, is at the bottom of the list since they missed our row with both lunch and then the horrendous “dinner” they tried to serve. Finally we were served after ringing the call light, but the food was so poor we barely touched it. What was fabulous, though, was the fresh food cafeteria at Charles DeGaulle airport where we had lunch of scrumptious croissant-like pastry filled with chicken, almonds and cinnamon, carrot soup, and a spinach quiche. That along with the walking and window shopping made the time go quickly. Total transit time: approximately 30 hours. And, by the way, we WILL get reimbursed for the return on the original ticket as we have all the receipts, travel insurance and United and Lufthansa confirmation numbers even though they couldn’t find them!

Two others who we have been delighted to spend time with the past few days are a couple from Scotland, also "just in Venice for a few days." Ann and Jim taught us all about Crazy Pizzaria, just down the street from the Courtyard by Marriott, our week's home. Ann and Jim shared their discovery of amazing lasagna and pizza at Crazy's and we had meals there all week long! Tuesday, we were all sad when Barbara and Craig, Ann and Jim, and Jerry and I ventured down the street for our farewell dinner, only to learn of an electrical problem which closed the restaurant for that evening. The six of us, therefore, had a fabulous dinner in the hotel's restaurant...and the company was fantastic!

This then is the end of our VOLCATION (short for Volcanic Vacation), as Suzanne from Strawberry Patches in Bakersfield, CA describes her extended adventure.

2010: Istanbul to Venice - 2010-05-14 15:37:22

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Istanbul

Life is a series of choices and two weeks ago today we made the decision to join Silverseas’ Silver Wind as the Virtuoso escorts for today’s sailing from Istanbul to Venice! Carole, the original escort, had to cancel due to a family illness.

Monday, April 5^th, began like any regular Monday morning at work, but by noon, we were off on Lufthansa to Frankfurt, Germany, with a plane change to Istanbul …arriving at 5 pm Tuesday night. It was a great crossing! The Lufthansa staff was exceptional and, with our last minute reservation, Jerry was still able to secure seats 40 K and L: window and aisle just for two. With very comfy seats and our own sleep blankets from home, we enjoyed the choice of 18 movies (Avatar and What Happened to the Morgans among the selections), numerous cds, television programs, etc. Warm towels on take off and before breakfast kept us feeling refreshed. And although we did not partake, free German beer, red and white wines, and cognac flowed freely. What we did appreciate was the constant flow of water supplemented with orange juice, fresh whole fruit trays, and at least four passings of baskets of Toblerone chocolate bars!

We realized how truly small the world has become when we discovered that the couple in front of us on the first flight lived just a couple of blocks from where Jan grew up in Seattle. We spent some time with them during our layover and then the four of us boarded the Istanbul flight together. They are doing a land tour of Turkey.

Marriott is our choice of hotels when we want to be assured that everything will be just right wherever in the world we happen to be. This was no exception. We had booked online through their elite status website and received (as usual) an addendum of supplemental choices like pillows, personal preferences, etc. Attached to the end of the addendum, was an offer of a private transfer from the airport to hotel which we took. It was nice…and actually cheaper than another gentleman paid whom we had flown into town with! The traffic was horrid; but our customized 7-passenger van was perfect for viewing the sometimes rainy, 2+ hour transfer to our hotel on the Asian side of Istanbul. The international airport is in the European section of the city, which is separated by the Bosporus River from the Asian side. The traffic crossing was amazing: over 30 lanes of vehicles merged into 20 through the optic scanning booths and then condensed to only 5 before the bridge! The rainy weather and darkness prevented any good photos.

Checking in was quite speedy. Soon we were receiving our dried fruit and cheese platter perk that Marriott furnished. Water from the minibar completed our meal and we were off to sleep by 9 pm. It is now 3:57 am and we will take this time to write a bit and then go back to bed. Later today we bid adieu to the Marriott and Istanbul and join the Silver Wind berthed just about a mile from here.

Oops…something got lost in translation. The Silver Wind was actually berthed closer to the airport than to the Marriott. So this afternoon’s cab ride turned out to be just over an hour in length. “The best laid plans…oft times go astray.” Fortunately, our bellman, Berk, straightened us out before we had an incredible Turkish “Businessmen’s Lunch” at the Marriott complete with dolmas, salad, and Turkish filled Flat breads. Wow!

But, we had plenty of time to reach the ship with a great cabdriver and, although the traffic was once again miserable, we are now onboard the Silver Wind and sailing on the way to our first port of call, the Greek Island of Rhodes. Tomorrow will be a sea day, which will give us time to catch up on our sleep, attend a few lectures, and explore this beautiful ship. Our only regret is that we did not have sufficient time to see any of Istanbul beyond what could see from our two taxis.

2009: Discovery Cruise - 2010-05-24 11:46:02

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Cape Sounio to Piraeus

The bus ride from the Grecotel to the Voyager's moorage in Piraeus was uneventful. The countryside along the coastline of the Aegean Sea was picturesque at times, but quite desolate much of the trip. The sea was a light shade of aqua mixed with deep blue, and very clear. At many bays and beaches along the way, we saw people enjoying the balmy weather with a swim in the pristine waters.

As our bus wound its way west, we slowly were driven through civilization, with deserted buildings gradually giving way to small villages, and finally evolving into the outskirts of Athens suburbs and then the bustling port city of Piraeus, where traffic jams were the order of the day. By the time we arrived at dockside, everybody on the bus was anxious to get onboard...a truly painless process on Regent cruise ships. The line to have our photo taken for our boarding card was less than one minute. As quickly as you can say “Jackie Robinson” we had stowed our carry on in our stateroom, and were having lunch.

Yesterday, our first day at sea, we had our Cruise Specialists' gathering, an 10:00 a.m. Tea and Pastry event. We were delighted to learn that Allan, the head sommelier from last year's cruise aboard the Regent Mariner, had been promoted to Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, and was anxious to make all the arrangements for our party. It went very well, as all but two of our people attended. Jan gave out her handmade neck cooling scarves that have become a hit with passengers on our cruises.

Last evening was our first formal evening. As Jerry was dressing for dinner, he discovered that he had forgotten to pack his bow ties and cummerbunds. That was not a good thing, as we have 14 formal evenings on this cruise. A rush to the ship's store resulted in four bow ties and one, quite large (size 48) vest (which was not pretty on him, but served it's purpose).

In the process of unpacking, we also learned that we had failed to pack Jan's newly purchased computer mouse and the printer toner cartridges. I guess that, all things considered...we were fortunate to have missed just those few items with a packing time of only 6.5 hours!

As we prepare this blog, the Voyager is pulling up to Port Said, and we are preparing for a 5:30 a.m. departure on our 15 hour Virtuoso shore excursion to Cairo, the pyramids, and Memphis. But, more about that tomorrow.

2009: Discovery Cruise - 2010-05-24 12:28:21

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Cairo, Egypt

Our day began with a 4:45 am wake-up call. The day was to be a 15-hour shore excursion from Port Said to Cairo with a visit to the pyramids and sphinx. It would be a Virtuoso tour, so we anticipated a first-class day. For those of you who are not familiar with Virtuoso, it is an association of top-tier cruise travel agencies that have banded together to provide their clients with superior amenities, such as this tour. Cruise Specialists is a member of Virtuoso. And, because we have hosted many Virtuoso groups in the past, we were asked to shepherd one of the two buses today.

The drive took us from the industrial Port Said, through the Egyptian desert, past military installations, small bands of Beduins, and into Cairo, a city of 22 million inhabitants. As is often the case in metropolitan areas of this size, Cairo is a city of contracts. We saw large, modern complexes alongside decaying buildings, polluted rivers, and dirty streets. There were men in business suits, and others dressed in flowing gowns and turbans. We saw areas of newly constructed apartment buildings built side by side as far as the eye could see. In the blink of an eye, our gaze changed to the sights of children swimming and fishing in rivers strewn with debris and filth.

Our first stop of the day was at the Giza Pyramids. The three towering pyramids of Cheops are: Cheops (Khofu), Chephren (Khafra or Khafre) and Mycerinus (Menkaura or Menkaure). The pyramids are amazing. Smaller pyramics, built for favorite queens and princesses, also dot the complex. According to Ehab, our guide for the day, the largest of the three major structures in the complex contains enough stones to build a ten-foot high wall from Los Angeles to New York City. Now, that's a big building!

We next had the opportunity to visit the Museum of the Royal Boat of Cheops, the oldest large sailing craft ever discovered. Housed in a building at the foot of the largest pyramid, this well-preserved vessel was displayed in a four-leveled viewing cocoon, where we were privileged to get within arm's length and actually take photographs.

Our final stop at the Giza Pyramids was for photos at the foot of the Sphynx, a lion-like structure with the face of a man. Built at approximately 2558 BC, the Sphynx has weathered time fairly well, with the only major damage being the loss of its nose. Rumors over the centuries suggest that the nose was either destroyed by Napoleon's army or that it was removed by the Romans. According to Ehab, neither rumor is true. He insisted that the nose simply fell off as a result of its somewhat weak makeup (the statue is made of limestone). And, because Ehab has been schooled in Archaeology...we took his word for it.

The entire pyramid/boat/sphynx complex afforded us more photo opportunities than we could have hoped for. Besides the structures themselves, camels were everywhere we turned. And, every camel had it's very own camel jockey, happy to pose for our cameras (for a price, of course). And, for an even higher price, one could climb onto one of the camels and be led on a ride of varying lengths. We opted to pose beside a camel. When asked “how much?”...after the photos had been snapped, the camel jockey answered, “whatever we wished”. When offered $10, however, he became irate and insisted on more. Sad. We remember paying $1.00 for a ride. Of course, that was over 30 years ago.

At lunch time, we feasted on a sumptuous lunch at the exclusive Seasons Country Club. We're surprised that the bus driver was able to navigate his way through the dirt alleys and back streets to find the hotel. But, he did, and we found an oasis in the midst of a rather wealthy section of Cairo. The service was impeccible and the food delicious. It was a meal that definitely met the high Virtuoso standards that we have grown to expect.

In the afternoon, we were driven to a desert plateau to explore the necropolis of Memphis, Sakkara, dated 2558 BC. There we saw the step pyramid of Pharoah Zoser, the first of all pyramids built in Egypt. Our group explored the Heb Sed Court of the complex. The Court and Step Pyramids are the very first buildings in hewn stone in all of the world's history. Next, we entered the Tomb of Coury Noble of the Old Kingdom, and viewed the carved and painted relief scenes giving us a vivid picture of daily life at the dawn of history.

Finally, our bus made a couple of shopping stops. Most memorable was the final stop at Khan el Khalili, or The Souk, which dates back to 1382. Containing over 1600 booths and stores, this souk was both mysterious and intimidating. The sun had gone down, so the lights of the streets and booths lit up the night. There were thousands of people, milling about the several square blocks that comprised the souk. And the merchants were almost forceful in their demands that you view and, ultimately, purchase their wares. We succumbed to a pashmina salesman who had literally hundreds of the silk scarves from which to choose. Luckily, we had but 30 minutes to wander the narrow streets and soak up the atmosphere.

The 2-1/2 hour bus ride back to the Voyager was a welcome respite from the day's activities. It was quiet and gave us time to sleep away our weariness.

2009: Discovery Cruise - 2010-05-24 13:26:40

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Aqaba and Wadi Rum, Jordan

Petra has been on our bucket list for many years and this trip let us cross it off! Our friends, the Ashdowns and the Carters from Australia, allowed us to join them for two fabulous days visiting Aqaba, Wadi Rum and Petra. It was all amazing and exhausting at the same time.

Aqaba, of Aladdin fame, was first. However, there were no magic carpets, no Abu, no outdoor markets and the architecture was definitely 20^th century. But then, we knew it would be; so we simply journeyed through the city to our first major destination of Wadi Rum. Wadi Rum means Valley of the Moon and it lived up to what we think of as moon's surface with ruts of sand and rock.

That being said, our trip truly began when we entered the back end of an old beat-up Toyota pickup for a three hour desert safari to see the actual location where T.E. Lawrence spent days and days in solitude writing his book, “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom”. It was named after seven natural columns on the way to Wadi Rum. Years later, this is where the filming of the movie, "Lawrence of Arabia," took place.

We passed Bedouin camps, lovely colored rock formations, more Bedouins and even more camels. It was 98 degrees, hot and dusty. Our kids would be proud of our adventuresome spirits! It was a great experience bumping and jarring along in the supernatural scenery. Even though we had been drinking water bottles after water bottles, Jan could hardly get into the Marriott in Petra later that evening before she fell asleep. Dehydration was nearly overtaking her. Ten hours later it was up and off to Petra!!

2009: Discovery Cruise - 2010-05-24 14:09:32

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Luxor, Egypt—Valley of the Kings

Just one short night after our Petra/Wadi Rum overnight in Jordan, we were off again with Abercrombie and Kent, only in Egypt this time, for Luxor and the Valley of the Kings! Our bus ride , from the port city of Safaga, was 3.5 hours via convoy into Luxor (even though we six were once again in our own mini bus, which had room for at least 15 passengers). The trip was made enjoyable by our guide, Bahaa. He was so thorough and actually a quite well known man in Luxor. Bahaa had been the Director at the Valley of the Kings during our last visit in in 2005, and also was one of the Eqyptologists responsible for the excavation of the Roman ruins in the most recently unearthed area of the Luxor Temple. Everywhere we went he received kisses, hugs, smiles and waves. His knowledge and reverence for these ruins was very much appreciated.

Our first stop was for lunch on a Felucca (a cloth covered sailing vessel complete with white linens and multiple courses to eat). Food was served as we “floated along the Nile River with perfumed sails,” as Leslyn so aptly put it. After all, that is how Cleopatra sailed there centuries ago. The water-cooled breeze was a surprise in the 96 degree temperature. Time seemed to stand still as we rested and refreshed ourselves with this private luxury dining experience for just the six of us. Bahaa explained all of the foods being served to us and kept saying to save room because more was coming. And come it did!

Since our 2005 trip to the Valley of the Kings, they have discovered several new tombs with one opening just two weeks ago. Of course, Bahaa made sure we saw the best of the 63 tombs. Not all are open to tourists though. Since the King Tut tomb's contents are all in the Cairo Museum, we skipped that one except to look down at its blank walls. Valley of the Kings now allows no photos...even outside of the tombs. Cameras had to be left in the bus. We do have some photos from 2005 posted on this site in our Luxor gallery section.

These limestone tombs took many years to build, carve, paint and furnish; so new Pharaohs and Kings began designing and constructing their crypts as soon as they were elevated to that position. This also explains why some are more finished than others...they simply did not know when the ends of their lives would occur, any more than we do today! These tombs replaced the great pyramid-style of Cairo for the burial sites of kings and pharoahs. Remember, this was all 3000 to 4000 years ago, and looting was a problem even way back then. A hidden tomb was the safest way for them to secure their spot in eternity. Bahaa knows there are many more of these tombs even today, still hidden in the depths of those huge rocky hills.

A photo stop at the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut gave us a closer view than we had in 2005. Much of the area is being redesigned for tourism. For those guests on the full 70 days, and not on private tour, a fabulous dinner was held at the Habu Temple. We stopped by just as they were setting up the tables for the banquet.

Our evening's entertainment was the enlightening Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show with explanations of the ancient gods, idols, and achievements of that time period presented in English as we walked throughout the temple grounds. It was quite nicely done with music, narrative, colored lighting and sounds. Karnak Temple, with its 200 acres, has been a place of pilgrimage for 4000 years and it is considered the mother of all religious buildings to the Egyptians.

Our travel agent, Bonnie, had arranged for us to do a few extra things that Leslyn had requested on this trip, such as our felucca cruise, and an evening horse carriage ride from Karnak to Luxor Temple. It was very romantic trotting along the Nile River in the night lights. However, in our carriage, Jan sat on the front seat with the driver and acutally drove the horse while Jerry sat all alone in the back and took photos! Jan was afraid to offend our driver when asked...can you believe that? Not really too romantic! Well, it was soon off the carriage for a walk through the Luxor Temple, which was also lit up like a Christmas tree. Our bus returned us to the hotel, and a much needed late dinner and night's slumber.

The following morning we were first off again to beat the crowds and heat with a daylight visit to Luxor Temple. We had a private Regent Cruise Banquet there in 2005, with all the trimmings, so it was wonderful to come back again. But the most exciting part of our trip was the valuable first hand commentary of Bahaa, who so loves every inch of these ruins and wanted to share it all with us. He pointed out how they were all covered and the city of Luxor even had a mosque built on top of the Luxor ruins in the 1100s! It shows how deeply so many of these ruins were buried for centuries. He also pointed out the Roman church built at the back of the temple, complete with some frescoes of Christians still partly visible (probably the disciples).

One other amazing discovery is that, in the past few years, the Egyptians have realized that the Karnak and Luxor Temples were actually connected by a 3.5 mile long road lined by stone carved sphinxes. Since that road was discovered, the new Mayor of Luxor has been determined to clear away all homes and buildings in the way so it can be opened for walking between the two temples. Much progress has been made, so look for that road to be completed perhaps when you next visit!

Soon it was time to end our four days of private touring and rejoin the other 650 guests for three much needed and restful days at sea aboard the beautiful Regent Voyager.

2009: Discovery Cruise - 2010-05-24 16:22:32

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Cape Sounio, Greece

We made it to Athens! Or at least to Greece. The Grecotel Cape Sounio is located nearly 2 hours from downtown Athens, at beautiful Cape Sounion.

Our trip to Athens, although long (26 hours), was very uneventful. It spanned two continents, one ocean, two airlines, three flights, and four airports. The only anxious moment was learning whether or not Jerry's 40 pound carry on was going to be accepted by Lufthansa Airlines in Frankfurt. All their literature states that the limit is 18 pounds...but Jerry had that bag stuffed with camera gear, his computer and it's associated accessories, vitamins and medications, and everything else that would fit at the last minute, after all our other bags had been loaded and locked. But, wonders will never cease, it was accepted...so, we and our bags all made it to Athens and even on time.The 90-minute ride here from the Athens airport, at sunset, provided us with a couple of interesting facts from, Helena, the Regent hostess who accompanied us to our hotel: Athens is a city of 5.5 million inhabitants (while Greece's total is 11 million)...it is very crowded and polluted...and the Temple of Poseidon is the second most important Greek ruin (after the Acropolis).

After a good night's sleep, we decided to walk to the Temple of Poseidon...a bit of a hike along a a narrow, winding road to the top of a distant hill. The weather was pleasant, but quite windy. The view from the top of the hill was breathtaking. We definitely got in our exercise today!

Our room at the Grecotel Cape Sounio is actually a small bungalow that overlooks the lovely harbor. We can even view the Temple of Poseidon from our room. It's a fantastic facility in a breathtaking setting...a great way to begin this 70-day sojourn upon which we are about to embark. We'll be hosting Cruise Specialists' clients aboard the Regent Seven Seas Voyager (our favorite cruise line). It's going to be a wonderful voyage.

More information about Cape Sounio:
http://www.capesounio.com/index.php#nointro

Upcoming Cruises - 2010-06-21 13:54:00

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

June 18 to July 13, 2010
RIVER CRUISE FROM NUREMBURG, GERMANY TO BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- with our family and friends... we begin, before the cruise, with visits of England and France. Cruise includes the Passion Play in Oberamergau, Germany.
Details: Europe Riverboat Cruise and Passion Play

January 11 through March 23, 2011
CIRCLE SOUTH AMERICA CRUISE on Regent Mariner -- round trip from Ft. Lauderdale, FL...through the Panama Canal, down the west coast of South America, to Antarctica, up east coast of South America, up the Amazon River, return to Ft. Lauderdale. Hosting for Cruise Specialists. Details: South American Cruise

October 13-28, 2011
COLONIAL TREASURES -- Montreal, Canada to Ft. Lauderdale, including Quebec, the St. Laurence River, New York, Charleston and Savannah. See the kaleidoscope of fall colors on this enchanting cruise on the Regent Seven Seas Navigator
Details: Fall Foliage Cruise

Europe and Romantic Danube - 2010-06-26 05:58:19

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

England

London provided us with a fast and fabulous two days, a fit beginning to our European trip with Danny and Diane, friends from home. We enjoyed the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, a short 2 blocks away from our lovely boutique hotel, The Goring. This was after landing at Heathrow only 3 hours earlier. The Goring staff was amazing: securing fifth row exact center tickets for us at Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s latest play, “Love Never Dies”. All four of us loved it as we saw the sequel to “The Phantom of the Opera” saga. Webber worked on the play for over 20 years before he had something he felt worthy of the stage.

We visited many London sights and ate the famous foods of the city. All too soon it was onto the train for our trip to Exeter where we separated from Danny and Diane for a couple of days. Diane has a cousin living in Devon who is currently raising and harvesting strawberries for Wimbledon. So they were off to Devon as we were picked up by our dear extended-family friend, Richard. He and his wife own a manor in northern Cornwall. Richard has entertained us like royalty for the past two days: croquet and afternoon tea in his side yard, fish and chips at the ocean’s edge in beautiful 75-degree weather, visits to several seaside villages, cream tea and cake at their neighbors’ farm complete with sheep, lamb, dairy cattle, as well as incredible crispy duck at Tiandi in Bude. But the best part of all is being able to spend some days and nights in their incredible Cornish manor house, constructed over many centuries (sorry, their manor house is not open to the public, just family).

We've posted a couple of our favorite shots of both London and the Cornwall region. If you place your cursor over the picttures, it will identify each photo for you. There are more in the Photo Gallery...and we will post lots more at a later date.

This blog will be updated throughout the next three weeks as we venture across the Chunnel and enjoy more of Europe as well as meet up with our kids and grandkids and some other friends who form our group of 20 for Oberammergau, Salzburg, and the final two weeks.

Europe and Romantic Danube - 2010-06-26 13:24:18

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

On to Paris...

Our time in England was perfect. We had two days in London followed by four days in Cornwall...the first two with our friend Richard followed by two days at a B&B in Bude. While in Cornwall, we visited several small villages like Padstow (a quaint fishing village built around a small bay with lovely old buildings), Boscastle (had a horrid flood on August 16, 2004, and the town reopened just one year later all rebuilt), Clovelly (twisted little hillside village from the 1600s with no cars down to the water's edge), Bodmin (a lovely town with working steam trains), Weeks Saint Mary (home to the famous pub called The Green Inn complete with a wonderful restaurant and an Australian chef), and Poundstock (with its Guildhouse and St. Winwaloe Church).

We rode a steam train, walked among the fishing villages, strolled out to the Atlantic Ocean's edge along the sea walls, drove through hedged countrysides filled with cattle and sheep, and visited two farms...with Jan even feeding a new lamb. And, we ate at the Jamaica Inn, made famous by Daphne du Maurier's novel of the same name. She also wrote some of her other famous novels there on the Bodmin Moor where she lived for many many years. She is perhaps one of the better known Cornish ladies around.

At the end of our Cornish time, Richard drove us back to Exeter where we boarded a high-speed train bound for London. That was followed by the Eurostar train which took us from London, through the Chunnel under the English Channel, through the picturesque French countryside, and into Paris' Gard de Nord. A limo was awaiting our arrival in Paris, and promptly drove us to Le Bellechasse Hotel in St. Germain de Pres, our home for the next three nights. People were everywhere looking for transportation so we felt fortunate having arranged it in advance.

Using every mode of Parisian transportation available to us, we have visited as many sites as possible in the limited time we have in this beautiful city. Although the Metro did strike for 24 hours of our visit, we managed to not be inconvenienced one bit. The strike was held because the French have been told the retirement age will be raised to 62 from 60! Amazing...we should all be so fortunate. Bankrupt economies have set the tone of each country so far: the English are all mad at the new taxes they will pay to get out of the economic mess they are in and now the French are going to have to give a little. Italy was also on strike yesterday. Perhaps our country could learn a few lessons BEFORE it is truly too late. Enough of that; we are on vacation.

Some things we do every time we are in Paris: must have crepes; stand in Sainte Chapelle (with its incredible stained glass windows) located inside the Palais du Justice grounds near Notre Dame; walk the Seine riverside; watch the sunset from the bridges. We did all those plus Les Invalides, Notre Dame, a bird's eye tour of Le Louvre, Champs Elysee, L'Arc deTriomphe, etc. since Danny and Diane had not been to Paris before. We HIGHLY recommend the Paris Museum Pass to avoid lines in many places. Danny also found a bakery quite close to our hotel and has made three visits so far; we think we can put a little weight on him even though our time is short here.

Our favorite Parisian site, Sainte Chapelle, is currently undergoing some much needed renovation, which will not be finished until 2013; but the time there was still marvelous. Notre Dame and many other treasures have already been cleaned and requilded and show off magnificently. Paris' monuments are as bright and clean as we have ever seen them.

Danny and Diane treated all of us to a fabulous dinner at Le Jules Verne Restaurant at Le Tour Eiffel last night. Service, food, and view made for a perfect setting as we celebrated being in Paris with a cancer free Danny! Thank you, Lord. We finished just in time to go down a few private stairs to watch the sunset. Futbol (soccer) is everywhere here because of the World Cup in South Africa. And, even though France is out of the matches already, the city still continues with its plans to have futbol broadcasts live just across the river from Le Tour Eiffel. We could hear the excitement up where we were as well as the shouts of “Ole' “ from the huge crowds. They were watching Switzerland and Honduras battling to a 0-0 tie when we left.

Jan's favorite Uncle (and also her godfather) passed away two days ago. Uncle Jerry had served in World War II in France landing on the Normandy Beaches, so this time here has been full of special memories. We will go home at the end of the cruise from Budapest to be at his memorial service. Danny and Diane will stay on with the others we join in Munich in a few days. But first it is off to dinner tonight, a Bateau Mouche ride on Le Seine, and then on to Beaume in the morning. Stay tuned as we get closer to our family and friends in Munich where we will venture to Salzburg and then the castle area before Oberammergau and the Passion Play, followed by our Danube River cruise.

Europe and Romantic Danube - 2010-07-01 12:15:10

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Beaune, France

In Beaune, we found a welcomed and appreciated respite from our first hectic week. None of us knew much about the village, situated a short 2-hour train ride south of Paris. Do try to fit Beaune into your schedule, if you're ever in this area. It was simply delightful in food, culture, ambiance, and the friendliness of the local citizens..

Beaune is like walking back in time to the 100 Years War, which created severe poverty and famine for three-fourths of the people in the 1400s. As an answer to the poverty, Nicholas Rolin, Chancellor for the Duke of Burgundy, built The Hotel Dieu (hospital), Hospices du Beaune. That structure proudly stands today as a masterpiece of medieval architecture with a northern (Dutch) influence. The hospital actually functioned until 1971 when it was moved to newer facilities. What enables this hospital to remain so unique and exquisitely decorated is the funding received through the 61 hectacres of vines close by. These grapes have produced the most famous wine auction in the world. Held annually since 1859, this auction benefits the hospital. Hotel Dieu, with its multicolored tiled courtyard and lovely furnishings including the cooking area and centuries old pharmacy, is alone worth the trip to Beaune. The chapel tableaus were also outstanding.

We wandered through the old town's meandering streets and enjoyed a wonderful Sunday with many of the locals out and about in the sunshine. Danny loved poking around the multitude of wine shops on the pedestrian-only alleyways. There is a wine museum (Musee de Vin) containing old grape presses that were huge and quite well preserved.

Our hotel was fabulous. Le Hostellerie de Cedre is just outside the city walls and about a 10 minute walk to the center of everything. Its rooms are nicely appointed and the restaurant was amazing as we enjoyed a 6-course dinner in their garden. We would highly recommend a stay in Beaune and especially this hotel.

Europe and Romantic Danube - 2010-07-05 04:03:27

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Munich, Germany

Returning to Paris via train ended exactly an escalator ride away from our night’s lodging at the Sheraton inside Charles De Gaulle Airport. The following morning’s 7 am flight to Munich was only a two minute walk to concourse 2D. Wow, those were both special gifts for four weary travelers. As we neared Munich, the Bavarian Alps were snow covered beauties out the airplane windows. They renewed us; and soon we were off to explore Munich. Observations from our taxi: clean, wide sidewalks with a multitude of people both on bikes and on foot were flowing nicely; cars moved more swiftly on the Autobahn; drivers were much more courteous than at home.

Our group of four expanded to 20 in Munich as we were joined by our daughter Suzanne, son-in-law Jeff and their three kids Jeffrey, Alec and Abby as well as our son Greg, daughter-in-law Alicia, and their two daughters Annika and Ava. Additionally, seven other friends arrived from Berlin, Prague, and the US. We all had wonderful experiences to share. Soon it was off to watch the famous Glockenspiel and tour St. Michaels Cathedral in Marienplatz. St. Michaels is still being restored, but the inside was absolutely lovely.

The Rathaus (Town Hall) is just over 100 years old, yet it looks much older. It is city center and home to the local government and, of course, the musical glockenspiel. People begin gathering a half hour ahead of time just to watch the characters circle, hear the music and surrounding church bells, and clap for the winning knight as their horses circle in battle.

The fresh food stalls at Viktualien Markt were filled with fish, fruits, vegetables, and many butchers whose cases were stuffed with sausages of nearly every shape and color. It was a treat for the senses for sure as we purchased some fruit and mingled with the locals buying their daily supplies.

Dinner was eaten at a fish market as we filled up on scampi, crayfish, and fish soup. Alicia was able to have her friend, Kristina, from Hamburg join us. They had not seen each other for 16 years (she and Kristina were roommates in Chile as exchange students during college). It was as though they had never been apart as she met Greg, Annika and Ava. She already knew who everyone was through emails. Soon Suzanne and her family arrived. Kristina just blended right in with everyone and the girls switched back to English from the Spanish they had been babbling to each other.

Travelling with computers, flip cameras, iphones with maps and guides, digital cameras (that can also video), and a bit of preplanning make these trips so much more high tech now…as long as you have the proper adapters and converters to keep all the equipment charged. In fact, Greg hooked our whole group of 20 up via Skype on our cells in case anyone has a change of plans, gets separated, finds something we all need to see, etc. And the set up cost is under $10. When you have free WiFi…which is fairly easy to find here, especially in hotel lobbies.

Next stop is Salzburg for the day and then back to Munich.

Europe and Romantic Danube - 2010-07-05 04:05:59

jerryjanice@cjhunter.com

Salzburg, Austria

Across the street from our hotel, Le Meredien, is the Haupbahnhof, also known as central Munich's train station. Our group of 20 boarded the 7:51 am train to visit Salzburg and be immersed in The Sound of Music movie for one day. It was delightful and less than two hours away from Munich. Even Ava, age six, managed to spend the day on her feet walking mile after mile (she and her dad did share a few naps on the train and the bus, though). Eight year old Annika, on the other hand, is still ready to go with little sleep.

We walked from Salzburg's train station through the old section of the city to the funicular for a ride up the hillside to the Hobensalzburg (Salzburg Fortress). The fortress was begun in 1077. Today's size is pretty close to what it was in 1495. Europe is filled with places like this that are simply amazing compared with what the U.S. had...even in the late 1800s. Everyone enjoyed the medieval castle: from sitting on the cannons, visiting the marionette museum, overlooking the city below, as well as the various architectural features of this actual small village. We ate at the fortress wall high above the baroque buildings of Salzburg, the river, and the Bavarian countryside below. Alec is our battle, fortress, and war historian in the family...so he pointed out the various guns, protective walls and cannons used for defense.

A quick return to town enabled us to catch up with the other nine in our group for our four-hour Sound of Music extravaganza. Panorama Tours prebooked along with the train before we left the US. Many euros were saved by doing it ahead of time by the way. We walked among many of the areas where filming took place in 1964, heard much about the von Trapp family itself, and even drove to the lakes area outside of Salzburg, where we watched para-gliders and toured the village of Mondsee. The Basilika Mondsee was the wedding church used in the movie. This parish church was a former Benedectine Monastery begun in 748 AD, with the current building going up in 1487. The gold leaf baroque interior was extremely interesting. There are even five human skeletons incorporated into the walls, including the architect himself as part of the centerpiece of the altar! That was a bit creepy for us, but nothing compared to The Bone Church that Abby said they had just seen a few days before in Prague. Abby's photos are filled with skulls, bones of all shapes and sizes, and even one section with joints all lined up next to each other. We'll save Prague for another trip.

Mondsee was quaint, with its flower baskets on the homes and buildings, and sidewalk cafes selling apple strudel and pizza to most. We chose to have ice cream instead. On the bus trip back to Salzburg, selections from the 40th Anniversary edition of the Sound of Music DVD were played. If any of you are interested in this movie, we would suggest purchasing this special DVD from Amazon. It is beautifully done with wonderful commentary from Leisl (who is much older that I am 16 going on 17 now!). Great memories for all as we returned on the train for one more day in Munich.