Ravenna, Italy

It feels great to be in the Adriatic under glorious sunshine.  But it didn’t start out that way.

On Monday, everyone arrived in Venice right on schedule.  Within an hour or so, we boarded the beautiful, new Seabourn Quest; a stunning all-suite ship accommodating just 450 guests.  (Contrast that with some recent ships with 5,000 passengers plus crew.) 

We all made it on board with some sunshine but before we sailed from Venice, the heavens drenched the city.  Locals tell us that they are going stir-crazy after an unusual month or more of downpours.  Nevertheless as we sailed past the incredible panorama of Piazza San Marcos and the Grand Canal, the rain stopped, leaving us with good viewing. 

Yesterday we sailed into the tiny country of Slovenia, a former province of the federation called Yugoslavia.  Slovenia was the first region to declare its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 (after defending their independence in a 10-day war), the first to join the European Union and the first to use the Euro.  It’s a beautiful country with rugged Alps, high alpine lakes and a well-kept countryside.  The freeways leading into the capital, Ljubljana, are modern and in fine condition.  The capital, itself, is a beautiful city with handsome art nouveau architecture.  It might remind you somewhat of Salzburg (without all the tourists). 

Our charming guide gave us a great introduction to the country on our 80-minute ride into the city.  We took the funicular up to the castle for great views; however the intermittent rain kept us from seeing the Italian city of Trieste, just several miles away.  By the time we finished lunch the rain was coming in torrents.  So we rounded up some taxis to take us to our next stop, a historical museum built on an old Roman site.  There a young university professor took us through Slovenia’s complex history.  The most interesting part of his presentation was his description of life under Marshall Tito in Yugoslavia and Slovenia’s decision to declare its independence.  We were worried that a good lunch with local wines would combine with jetlag to put everyone to sleep.  However the professor’s story was so engaging that there were only a few yawns and head nods.  All in all, a very pleasant day.

This morning we awakened in Ravenna, Italy, under sunny skies.  This relatively unknown city became the capital of the Roman Empire when Rome fell in 402 AD.  Though a seemingly modest city today, Ravenna contains wonderful cultural treasures well preserved from its glory days as the capital of the Empire.  In particular several of us visited the incredible Byzantine mosaics that were created 1600 years ago.  The artwork is outstanding and the colors are still rich and vibrant.

Tomorrow we arrive in Opatija, the first of three outstanding ports in Croatia.  It should be fun and we’re supposed to have good weather.  We’ll tell you about that in a few days.  Meanwhile we’re all doing fine and wish you were here!

Paul and Christine

December 1, 2011 Cadiz, Spain

After a day at sea on Tuesday cruising south along the coastline of Spain, we sailed into the sunny port city of Malaga. Though a few of us stayed in Malaga for the day, most took one of the ship’s excursions either to Grenada, to see the famed Alhambra, or to the historic city of Cordoba.

We’ve often felt that the Alhambra remains one of Europe’s most beautiful palaces. Perched in the hills overlooking Grenada, the Moors constructed the palace in classic North African style, with tranquil fountains and graceful reflecting pools. The palace’s Courtyard of the Lions remains one of the most beautiful spots in the country.

Thanks to Spain’s high-speed trains, another destination has recently been opened to cruise visitors, Cordoba. Early Wednesday morning we boarded a sleek new train that raced between Malaga and Seville at speeds approaching 250 km/hour (about 150 mph). Settled into comfortable seats we traveled quietly through the olive-tree covered countryside for about 70 minutes. The only indication of our speed was the occasional swaying of the car and, of course, watching automobiles creep (relatively speaking) along the highway.

The modern city of Cordoba does not seem to offer much to the visitor; rather most of its treasures are situated in the old historic section. To reach this area, we walked across a stone bridge built by the Romans. Once across the bridge we made our way through a warren of narrow streets, the old Jewish Quarter, to visit an historic synagogue. Filled with shops and restaurants, we spent the better part of our morning in this quarter. However we saved the best for last, the famed “Mesquita” of Cordoba.

Beginning in the 6^th Century, a basilica was built on the site of an ancient place of worship constructed by the Visagoths. During the Islamic period in Spain this church was destroyed in order to build a mosque on the site in 785 AD. No ordinary mosque, this was to be the most important Islamic place of worship in all in the West. Two subsequent additions enlarged the mosque to a truly impressive structure. In 1236, when the Christians reconquered Cordoba, the mosque was ‘purified’ and then converted back into a Christian cathedral. (www.catedraldecordobe.es) Today, in the center of the mosque’s hundreds of pillars and colorful arches, an impressive cathedral has been constructed. It’s one of the most amazing sights in Europe. Don’t miss it if you have an opportunity.

Last night, about midnight, we crossed through the Straits of Gibraltar to land, this morning, in Cadiz. Many guests headed for the marvelous cultural capitol of Spain, Seville; others explored the old city of Cadiz, where many explorers of the New World began their voyage.

Elaine Durst has caught a bug in her chest (but she’s doing better already); otherwise we’re all enjoying the Crystal Serenity and visiting Spain in the late fall sunshine.

Wish you were here!

Paul and Christine

Thursday, December 1

In port in Cadiz, Spain

The glorious Mediterranean sunshine has lifted our spirits as we sail along the coastline of Spain.

Scheduled to sail from Barcelona last Sunday evening, many of us came in a few days early. Though most of us have been in Barcelona before, the city looks better than ever. The streets were meticulously clean, graffiti was noticeably absent and the locals were welcoming. We had forgotten just how much there is to see in Barcelona and how much we enjoyed the visit.

Several of us stayed at the Hotel Claris, once one of Barcelona’s grande dame hotels. Since we had not visited in several years, we were shocked when we arrived. Spanish designers had transformed the Claris into a contemporary masterpiece. From the inviting lobby to the exquisite roof-top terrace with its swimming pool, restaurant and views over the city, the Claris has rejoined the ranks of one of Spain’s best hotels.

Regardless of the charms of Barcelona, it felt great to board the Crystal Serenity, one of the world’s top 4-5 cruise ships. However the ship’s departure time was a bit close for Bob and Irma Miller. Scheduled to arrive about 3 pm on sailing day, their departure flight from Palm Springs had been cancelled. They jumped into a taxi and sped towards Los Angeles in an attempt to board their Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. Alas, they arrived too late; however, Lufthansa placed them on a Swiss International flight to Zurich. With their connection in Switzerland, they only arrived in Barcelona at 7:05 pm on Sunday evening, 85 minutes before the ship would be closed for boarding. We were able to talk our way into the airport’s secure customs area to assist the Millers. Fortunately their baggage came out quickly so we found a taxi and headed for the pier. The ship’s staff was waiting for us as we arrived at the pier. Shortly after we boarded, the ship dropped its lines and began its journey.

Recently the Crystal Serenity underwent a complete makeover that replaced most of the carpets, fabrics and furnishings. Today she looks fresh and very inviting. Though larger than most of the other top cruise ships (1070 guests), over 600 crew members assure a top quality, personalized experience.

On Monday we stopped in Valencia for a visit. Though the city is known for its oranges and as the home of paella and the Lladro porcelain factory, Valencia has not been regarded as a particularly appealing destination for travelers. Today Valencia’s inner city is clean and inviting with grand buildings that remind us of the city’s wealth. Spain’s best known architect has designed an incredible complex known as the City of Arts and Sciences with a monumental aquarium, an I-Max theater and concert facilities. It was fun to explore the city’s large central market filled with dozens of tidy food stalls displaying Spain’s iconic hams and wonderful arrangements of vegetables. We really enjoyed Valencia and look forward to returning for more.

On Wednesday we called on Malaga. Some guests took an excursion to Grenada to visit the famed Al Hambra; some stayed in Malaga; and 6-7 of us will board one of Spain’s high-speed trains to visit the historic Spanish city of Cordoba. We’ll share our experiences with you in a few days’ time.

Meanwhile we’re all well and enjoying our visit. Wish you were here!

Paul and Christine

Saturday afternoon
Siem Reap, Cambodia

Hello!

A longtime friend, a highly regarded travel manager who has lived for years in Asia, told us to visit Hanoi before it changed completely. Of all of Asia’s cities, with their modern skyscrapers and busy economies, Hanoi still retains at least some of its colonial charm. The two of us arrived late on January 1 followed, over the course of the next two days, by all the members of our first 2011 Signature Journey. Though the trans-Pacific flights were long, everyone arrived in good spirits (and with all of their luggage!), eager to begin our journey.

Some of the early arrivals took advantage of the extra time to visit Hanoi’s traditional markets followed by a cooking class. Others ventured into the countryside to visit a village where westerners are rarely seen. All of us stayed in a beautiful hotel built by the French in 1901 and recently modernized to a superb standard. Still you could feel a bit of the old Indochine atmosphere.

The centerpiece of Hanoi must be its bustling Old Quarter where each of some 27 streets is named after a trade. Next, in the French Quarter, broad tree-lined avenues frame gracious colonial mansions (many of them are now embassies) and picturesque lakes break up the city’s chaotic traffic. Speaking of traffic, this city of nearly 8 million people has registered 3 million motorscooters – it seems that most of them are on the streets all the time and coming straight at you.

It is a ritual to stop by the Mausoleum and home of the revered Vietnamese patriot, Ho Chi Minh. It was interesting to see his embalmed body on display – what a difference 40 years makes. Several of us also stopped by the prison (now a state museum) known as the Hanoi Hilton where Johan McCain was incarcerated for several years.

When we left Hanoi on Wednesday, we drove west through the countryside bound for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay.

There we boarded a vessel described as a ‘luxury junk’ – the term made us a little nervous. (Of course we checked it out long before we traveled and felt very comfortable with it.) When we boarded the comforts and the warm hospitality soon erased any concerns; it was a great experience. Shortly after boarding the captain began navigating through the picturesque limestone islands called ‘karsts’. Even though it was colder than we expected and, unfortunately, overcast, the experience was magical, worth every moment of our journey.

Bob Carl, Rick and Jean Wills

After a morning of cruising on Thursday we headed back to Hanoi to fly to Cambodia, to visit another World Heritage Site, the incredible temple complex known we know as Angkor Wat. We divided our group of 20 into two groups; one for photographers who wanted to watch the sunrise on the temples and linger over the photo opportunities, and another that would depart at more humane hours.

Angkor Wat is, of course, just one temple complex of many built by the powerful Khmer empire that ruled the region from 900 to 1600 AD. During our stay here we visited 5-6 of the best known temples. Occasionally when we see a place we’ve long heard about, the site fails to live up to the expectations. That is certainly not the case with the magnificent complex at Angkor. We find it difficult to explain the exquisite complexity and grandeur built by this once powerful empire. In our estimation it certainly compares in scope with the pyramids and tombs we visit in Egypt.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat

Tomorrow, Sunday, we leave Siem Reap to board our riverboat, La Marguerite, to begin a 7-day journey on the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers from Cambodia to Saigon. We’ll tell you more about it in a few days.

Apart from a few colds, a scrape or two from a minor fall, we’re all doing well and enjoying every day. Wish you were here!

Paul and Christine

Autumn in the Mediterranean

Friday, October 15, 2010

Sailing from Barcelona to Calvi, Corsica

Our cruise is off to a great start!

On a sunny afternoon near Rome, we boarded the beautiful Silver Wind, a lovely all-suite ship accommodating just 296 guests. Check-in took just a few moments; soon we were on board with a glass of champagne in hand. Though this is one of the original ships in Silversea’s fleet, the ship has been completely rebuilt inside. She’s warm and inviting. You soon feel very fortunate (and a little bit spoiled).

After a day at sea crossing the Mediterranean, we landed on Spain’s island of Ibiza. Unfortunately the good weather we enjoyed in Italy had given away to storms blowing through Spain so our day in Ibiza was shortened by occasional downpours. Nevertheless most of us made it ashore and climbed up to the old fortress for views of Ibiza’s old town and picturesque harbor.

The following day we were scheduled for our first Signature Journey excursion on the beautiful island of Mallorca. Would it be dampened by showers? The forecasts were not encouraging. Yet when we awakened the skies were deep blue and pleasantly warm. We began our day by taking an old wooden, narrow-gauge train built in 1912, from the island’s capital, Palma, across the valley and over the mountains to Soller, a charming community about 30 km from Palma. We enjoyed the old clanking train and the marvelous scenery along the way.

After a pleasant break in Soller, we continued our journey to the northern part of Mallorca for lunch in the stunning little village of Deis, perched high above the deep blue sea. In a typical Mallorcan restaurant, we began with a selection of tapas followed by chicken, beef and roast lamb served family style. Accompanied by two good Spanish wines, it was delicious and fun. Newcomers to Mallorca were surprised by the sublime beauty and charm of this Mediterranean island.

When we returned to Palma for a little sightseeing, some of us went to see the unusual cathedral (even bizarre in some aspects) while others took a carriage ride through the narrow old streets of the old city. All in all, a great day. Just as we finished the blue skies gave way to a brief cloudburst: perfect timing.

Yesterday we stopped in one of our favorite cities anywhere, Barcelona. Some had arranged for a private car and driver; others took walking tours through the gothic district and the Boqueria, one of Europe’s most amazing markets. A few of us visited the Picasso Museum and just about everyone went to see Europe’s most unusual cathedral, La Sagrada Familia, designed by Barcelona’s best known architect, Antonio Gaudi. Since our ship stayed in its harbor until midnight, we all had plenty of time for a good exploration of Barcelona.

Today the ship’s chef arranged a festive buffet in the ship’s galley; it was fun to look behind the scenes and to select from Indian curries to barbecued ribs and everything in between.

We’re all doing well and enjoying our experience to the fullest. Coming up next is Corsica, then two days in Livorno (for Tuscany) and Portofino before we conclude next Wednesday in Nice. So we’ve got several days ahead of us. Time permitting, we’ll write again before we depart for home.

Meanwhile, we’re having a great time and wish you were here.

Paul and Christine