Europe, Summer 2018

Today begins a summer of adventures for us. Gayle picked us up at 12:30pm and we were off to Charlotte. Our flight to Paris was slightly delayed but the flight itself was uneventful except the Barrows were awake the whole flight. We arrived at Charles DeGaulle early and cleared passport control with no problem. Our luggage came and we were off to ur hotel. We took the free bus and they took us to the wrong hotel so we had to get a taxi to arrive at the correct Mercur Hotel. We checked in and were in our beds by 9am.

Unfortunately we were too tired to go to sleep and we had a restful few hours before we decided to get up and shower and head out on the train to the city. The train was easily-managed and in less than an hour we were walking the rainy streets of Paris. We stopped in a LEGO store during a particularly-hard shower and then we walked around the streets looking at everything. We had not had lunch so we decided on an early dinner of steak and frites and wine. It was wonderful and while we were eating the rain cleared so off we went to the Palace de Concorde along the Rue de Rivoli. We walked through the Tuileries Gardens and soon we could see the Eiffel Tower Fromm the Banks of the Seine. The large Ferris wheel that was close to the obelisk was being torn down. We had a great time just walking along the Seine and admiring the views of the Musee de Orsay and the Louvre. Soon we noticed the time and decided to turn around. We made it back to the train station at Halles and boarded our train back to the hotel. We got it to bed much later than we should have and it was morning before we were ready.

This morning the alarm went off with 2 groans. We were not at all as rested as we should have been. We showered and repacked for our flight to Minsk. We boarded the train to the airport and found our way to our check-in kiosk for Belavia Airlines. There was no one there. We waited with several other people for a long while and still no one came. We decided to go have breakfast and come back. After croissants and coffee we arrived back at the desk and still no one was there. We waited till it was less tan 2 hours before our flight and finally someone arrived at the desk but it was another 30 minutes before they began check in. It was painfully-slow and we were getting worried as to the condition of this airline.

We finally made it through security and arrived at our gate. The flight was on time and boarded very quickly. The service was excellent and I will say the landing was one of the smoothest I have experienced. We deplaned and and made our way into the airport. Clearing passport control was interesting as they asked to see our health insurance cards. We waited for our luggage to arrive and it was a bit of a circus as 2 flights were on the same rounder. Luggage in hand we found a car service into the city and soon were on our way. We checked into the Renaissance hotel and then decided to walk around the area. We walked for miles one way and the decided to go into town which was the opposite direction. We followed our map and found a beautiful area of downtown. We walked and walked and before we knew it was after 7 and we were hungry and tired. We stopped at a local restaurant and had a great long European meal with wine. We then walked the several miles back to the hotel. I enjoyed a long bath in the soaker tub and Hugh uploaded pictures. We were soon too sleepy to accomplish anything and we turned off the lights. 602 A view of the beautiful Soviet style government buildings in Minsk, Belarus

Today we woke up at 12:3pm after a very hard night's sleep. We showered and headed into the heart of Minsk. It was warm sunny day and we enjoyed making pictures as we made our way to the Harley-Davidson dealership. We thought the walk would be very easy and take us right through the heart of the city but we soon found out that it did take us thru the heart of the city and way to the other side. We were able to make lots of pictures of the beautiful governmental buildings, state circus, and the art museum. We walked across the river and down into an area of the city that we had not seen before. We continued our walk and as the rains came we were surprised just how far we had come. It was over 7 miles to the store and we were exhausted when we arrived.

Hugh found the shirt that he wanted and we took our time looking around as it was pouring outside. Once the rain slowed we started our walk back. When we crossed the river we turned into an area of the city that we had not been to before. We found beautiful churches from the pictures we had seen. The sun was out and we were able to get some good pictures of this beautiful area. We walked along a busy shopping street admiring the architecture until dinner time. We made our way to a Belarusian restaurant and had a long and delicious meal of borscht, dumplings, wine, and apple pancakes. We slowly made our way back to the hotel and prepared for our tour tomorrow before collapsing into bed.

This morning we awoke early after a fitful night's sleep. We had breakfast at the hotel before leaving on our tour. Our driver was Sergei and he was a stalwart Russian gentleman who spoke some English but was definitely not a chatty person.

He was a radio engineer in Russia before moving to Belarus where opportunities were better. He was an aggressive driver and we were soon outside the city moving about 120 km an hour on good highways. He did not know exactly where we were going so we saw extra areas of the village of Mir as we navigated to the castle. He was not interested in anything we were seeing and choose to sit and read while we explored. We got our tickets and made our way through the castle following the few English signs we could find. After making all the pictures that we wanted, we made it back to the car.

Our next stop was Nesvizh and the castle there. This was a huge place and after purchasing our tickets we made our way down a tree-lined drive. There was a war memorial with an eternal flame and then the jewel of a castle owned by the Radziwill family that had Mir Castle also. We made our way inside and as lovely as the furnishings were the ceilings were the jewels. This place has been restored and is worth a visit. The paintings are a treat... who can resist pompous men and buxom ladies. We strolled the grounds enjoying the view from every direction. The village church was under renovation but the spire was lovely. We slowly made our way out and found Sergei.

We had lunch at a restaurant in the village while Sergei drank tea! Our next stop was in Brest which was 348 km away. It was a long drive and we were tired when we arrived, but once we were in the Brest Fortress (Hero City) we were glad we made the effort. The grounds are beautiful and the monuments powerful. From here we made our way back to Minsk arriving 13 hours after we started. After saying goodbye to Sergei we headed for bed. Happy birthday Bill!!!

Today was our last day in Minsk and we had a late checkout. We decided to get our pictures in order and then walk downtown. My view of Minsk is so different than what I imagined. It is a newer city with wide streets, wide sidewalks with bike paths, and a lot of parks and flowers. It is clean an orderly, everyone crosses at crosswalks, and drivers stop for pedestrians. The people are friendly and it is easy to navigate.

We have enjoyed our time here but the next part of our adventure starts today. Back at he hotel we checked out and got a taxi to the airport. We found the same thing with Belavia Airlines that we had in Paris... no one to check you in until about 1:45 hours before your flight. Once the bags were checked we had lunch and then it was flight time. It was an easy flight to Riga where we changed planes. Our next flight was Air Baltic and a lovely prop jet. It was a short flight to Tallinn and a short taxi ride to our hotel. We met our Gate1 tour guide Sylvia and got our briefing while we ate. We had missed the earlier meet and greet because of scheduling. After unpacking some we decided to walk around the old city. The light was good so we got some great shots. We were surprised when we looked at our watches and it was 10 pm and bright daylight. It was back to the hotel for laundry and tub time before turning in!

This morning we were up at 7 and Hugh went for a run while I did my exercises at the hotel. By 8:15 we were dressed and in the dining room for breakfast. We met our local guide, Evelyn and were off for our city tour. This was perfect for us because we only toured the Old Town last visit. We drove past the National library and the new synagogue on our way to the presidents palace and gardens and also the summer palace of Peter the Great which is now an art museum. We walked to these palaces through a park filled with Horse Chestnut trees and lilac bushes in full bloom. It was lovely and the summer house very reminiscent of Russia. As we drove to the seaside to see the monument to drowned sailors, we passed a great number of churches. Evelyn said that 90% of the population would say they are spiritual seekers and do not attend church while 10% consider themselves religious but not associated with one religion. We especially-enjoyed our visit to the huge outdoor amphitheater where the Singing Revolution started that freed the Baltics from Soviet rule.

From the sea we drove to one of the gates into the old city. Here we had a walking tour to Alexander Nevsky church and the parliament building which is part of an old palace. We stopped at an overview point which gave us a lovely view of the whole area. We saw the dome church and all the old merchant homes which are now touristy shops. We saw the large Guild Hall and explored narrow pathways with shops of craftsmen. We had some travelers that had trouble on the cobblestone roads so we were a smaller group as we ended our tour. We said goodbye to Evelyn and made our way to lunch with some fellow travelers from Orange County. After lunch Hugh and I headed into the old city and explored on our own. I purchased a pair of beautiful gold and silver handmade earrings from one of the craftswomen. Mid afternoon we made our way back to the hotel to drop off our camersa before exploring some of the parks and the Freedom Square area. We made it back to brush teeth and rest our feet for a few minutes before meeting our group for dinner. We walked to the restaurant which was in the town square . The walk was too much for several guests and there was some complaining. The meal was filled with excellent food and great conversation, Hugh and I took the long way back to the hotel and once in our room we packed, soaked in the tub, and journaled before bed.

This morning we awoke early and Hugh went running and I exercised at the hotel. We showered and headed for breakfast afterward we put our bags out. Our bus left at 9am for Latvia and the town of Riga. The trip took us through pine forests in both Estonia and Latvia. We did not see animals but there were lots of signs for moose and deer crossings. The drive was a little over four hours with one rest stop. We arrived in Riga and found that it was a beautiful city. Our hotel, the Radisson Blu, is well situated so that we can walk and see the sights. We unpacked and changed shoes and off we went. We are very close to a lovely park and church and these were our first stops. We walked through old town to the river stopping to visit shops and get

At the river we walked across the bridge and then returned to old town by a different route. We found a large upscale shopping mall and there were all the shops from home plus a lot of designer shops. We slowly made our way back to the Harley-Davidson shop and Hugh got his tee. We made our way back to the hotel by way of a park around the National Opera House. We rested and then showered and readied for our dinner. We met our group in the lobby and walked a short distance to the restaurant.. The food was wonderful and we especially enjoyed the beets. After dinner walked through a new area before making our way to the hotel bar for a glass of wine and Hugh tried the Latvian national cocktail. Then it was journaling and pictures before bed. It is still light when we close our eyes... thank heaven for blackout curtains.

This morning we awoke to sunshine again. We have been told repeatedly not to think this is typical. This area is not known for its sunny days. I exercised in the room while Hugh ran in the park. We had breakfast and then joined our group on the bus at 9. This city is known for its art nouveau architecture and the first part of our walking tour was through this district. The buildings were amazing and varied. We then took the bus around the city past the museums and parks to the river. We were given a history lesson as we made our way to the city market. This market is the public market and takes up 5 hangars where zeppelins were built. There is a hangar of just fish and fish products, one of cheeses and dairy products, one of vegetables and herbs, one of meats, and the fifth one was being cleaned and renovated. Outside, vendors were selling everything from flowers to bras and bathrobes!

From the market we made our way to the old city. Sylvia took us through the narrow streets explaining the culture, crafts,, and food of the area. We saw many beautiful churches and found out that the ones with chickens on the vines atop the spires were Lutheran. We ended our walk at the freedom statue. It is a woman holding 3 stars. During the soviet times the propaganda was that the 3 stars were the 3 Baltic states with mother Russia holding them up. After the tour we went to the hotel to drop off the backpack and went out to explore on our own. I do believe we covered every inch of the city and parks. When our feet were tired we took a boat ride on the canals around the old city. This took us out into the Daugava River and we had fantastic views! We then rested and showered before heading out to dinner. We decided on a restaurant near the Dome Church and ate outside. We started with the traditional cold soup with beets, cucumbers, cream, and even boiled eggs. It was fabulous and the brown bread was perfect with it. Hugh had a pork cutlet with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut and I had potato pancakes After dinner we walked to the train station to see the trains before making our way back. It was 10 pm and I still had on my sunglasses. Tomorrow it’s off to Lithuania.t

Today was a traveling day and we exercised before breakfast so we would be able to sit comfortably on the bus. The drive was only about 5 hours including our stops. We saw a lot of farmland where they were growing grain groups... the canola was in full bloom. We also drove through conifer forests. Our stop was past the border so it was our first stop in Lithuania. We arrived in Vilnius in time for lunch. We checked into our hotel and found out the elevator was not working. This hotel is built in a 500 year old merchants home and is lovely but the poor porters that had to carry our luggage to our 3rd and 4th floor rooms.

We dropped off our backpacks and went exploring. We checked out several beautiful churches and still had time to get a snack before our 2 pm tour to the KGB prison & museum. This was the original site of the prison and there was a lot to see. It was quite distressing as it reiterated mans inhumanity to man. We were able to see the cells, the punishment areas including the padded cell and the water room where the prisoner had to stand in cold water with only a small round metal platform to stand on out of the water. There would be no sleeping or sitting. We also saw the execution room. After this wonderful tour we bid our group goodbye and walked backed exploring along the way. The town is a vibrant one with beautiful new buildings and businesses as well as the magnificence of the old town. We made it back to the hotel in time to freshen up before our group dinner. Our dinner was served in the dungeon area of the restaurant next door to our hotel and it was beautiful and over 600 years old. We had a delicious meal and lively conversation. After dinner we took a walk around the city still marveling at the need for sunglasses at 9:30. When it was time for bed we realized our a/c wasn't working and someone came right up to fix it. It was slightly better but our sleep was fitful in the warmth.

This morning we were up and exercised before breakfast. Our breakfast restaurant is in a 600 year old cellar and the adjoining terrace. The air is crisp and and is another sunny day. We met for our city tour at 9 and our local guide was Dahlia that we had yesterday. She is filled with history and very easy to understand. We started out walking to the old town square. Along the way we saw 15th and 16 th century churches that are active today. This is a predominately a catholic country and these churches stayed active even during the communist times. The buildings that house the shops along the way are the old merchant houses. The streets are cobbled and you have to watch your footing... we already have one twisted ankle in the group. In the main square we boarded our bus and drove around town to Peter City and a Paul Cathedral. This church has 200 statues and reliefs all done in white... stunning! After this we made our way by bus to cathedral square. Our first stop was the neo-classical Vilnius Cathedral built in 1483. It has a wonderful bell tower that was used as a defensive tower throughout the Middle Ages. The square here has been the sight of many demonstrations and also was a point on the path of the people that formed a human chain linking all the Baltic capitals celebrating their independence. There are a set of footprints in the floor. From the square we went to the President's Offices and then to the university. There we saw St. John’s church with a bell towers with a viewing area. We hope to do this after dinner. We then walked to the art district where there was a bridge where newlyweds place locks and throw the key in the river. Since we have newlyweds in our group Sylvia brought a lock and we had our own little ceremony. What fun and something they will remember always. We continued our walk back to old ton and had a coffee break before continuing to our walk to the Gate of Dawn which is the only remaining city gate. The chapel above the gate holds a painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary said to have healing powers. Since it was placed there in the 15th century it had been a pilgrimage site and is considered one of the most holy artifacts in Catholicism. It is visited by millions today and the Pope has prayed here and will be returning in the fall. It was lunch time and we had 2 hours before we left for our tour of the Trakai castle.

This castle was built in the 14th century by Grand Duke Kęstutis and finished in the 15th century by his son. It is built on the largest of 3 islands in Lake Galve. It was surrounded by a moat and accessed by a drawbridge. This was a fortress, not a palace, even though the Grand Duke made his residence here on occasion. This fortress was used extensively in battles with the Teutonic Knights. We had time to explore the rooms and the grounds before making our way to the bus. On our way back we were served kewpie by Sylvia. These are little meet or cheese pies that are from this area. They were a lot like empanadas and very good. Back in Vilnius Hugh and I walked and shopped until dinner time. We stopped in a recommended restaurant and had cold Barbie pink soup and zeppelins... wee Loved the soup but not the zeppelins which were just stuffed gelatinous potato dumplings. Across from our restaurant we could see the bell tower of St. John’s church. It is 68 m and stands out among the facades of old town. We decided to purchase a ticket go up top for a view. When we left the elevators we were disappointed because the windows had mesh on them, but we soon realized that we could climb to the top and have a fabulous 360 degree view. What a great day!

Today we were up early for our long drive to Warsaw, Poland. We left at 7:15 and did not make any stops except for the WC and for lunch at a countryside restaurant. We arrived in Warsaw around 5:30 and Hugh and I walked downtown and through the old town. We got a bit lost and did some extra walking before arriving back at our hotel. We had a group dinner at 7 and we just barely made it. We sat with some new friends and literally closed the restaurant down talking. We were tired and decided to call it a night.

This morning we got up in time to exercise before breakfast in the hotel. We had a city tour and we prepared for rain as the sky was dark. We drove around the city stopping at one of the jewels of the city Lazienki Park. Here stands the wonderful tribute to Chopin who was born west of the city. Chopin is so popular here that the benches in the downtown area are marble with music boxes in them that play Chopin. The rain came for a bit but it was no problem as we continued down the Royal Route and saw a lot of parks, Neo-classical architecture, and even some "Stalin grotesque".

We made our way to the Warsaw ghetto area and we saw the monument that commemorates the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. We made our bathroom break at the Museum of History of Polish Jews. This museum is a journey from the Middle Ages to modern times and how the Jews arrived in Poland. We then made our way to the Old Town area and its cobbled streets. This area was completely destroyed during WWII. It was rebuilt starting in 1945. It is an exact reproduction. We saw the Royal Castle which was the former home of the Polish kings and then made our way to St. John’s Cathedral. From the cathedral we were given free time to shpo and have lunch before we met for our tour to Wilanów Palace. Hugh and I shopped for striped slate which is a local stone and I purchased a lovely pendant. We had some snacks and wandered the area before meeting our group.

The ride to the castle was not long and soon we found ourselves at the palace, which was built in the 17th century as the summer residence of King Jan Sobieski. Our first view was startling as this palace looked like something from St Petersburg or possibly Versailles. No one was expecting anything this grand. After our tour of the interior we walked in the gardens before we returned to the hotel.

Hugh and I decided to go to the Palace of Science and Culture, a building that looks a bit like a wedding cake and was built by Stalin at the expense of the city. We have seen these in all the Baltic countries capitals. They are considered hideous by the locals because of what they represent although to outsiders the building is rather lovely. We went up to the observation level and enjoyed a panoramic view of the city. We decided we did not want meat and potatoes for dinner so we walked to a nice Thai restaurant and enjoyed a good meal. Hugh did not enjoy his as much as I did mine because he did not believe the waiter when he said it was very spicy. We made our way back to the hotel and prepared for our long day tomorrow.

This morning we were up early and on the bus ready for our long day. We are on our way to Kraków with stops in Czestochowa and Auschwitz along the way. Bus rides are getting harder on the body and I was very happy when we arrived at Czestochowa in just a few hours. Janna Agora Monastery was founded in 1382 by Pauline monks who came from Hungary. The monastery has been a pilgrimage site for hundreds of years, and it contains an important icon of the Virgin Mary. The icon is known as the Black Madonna of Czestochowa, which is highly venerated and credited with many miracles. We met the monk who would be our guide and his first comment was "I have been making Holy Water... do you know how you make Holy Water, you boil the hell out of it!" He was full of funnies and moved and talked so fast that we had to hustle to keep up. We were able to move through the cathedral to see the icon although mass was being held. The cathedral was phenomenal and the music lovely. We were even able to make quick photos. Our next stop was the prayer room where we could offer our prayers in writing to continuously be prayed, over by the monks. After our tour we had a group picture with our guide who claims he will be a future POPE.

We the walked around the grounds and then had our picnic lunch. Our next stop was at Auschwitz and Berkenau. Auschwitz was first constructed to hold Polish political prisoners who began to arrive in 1940. The first extermination of prisoners took place in September 1941. Transport trains delivered the prisoners to the gas chambers from all over German occupied Europe, where they were killed en-masse with a cyanide based poison called Zyclon B. An estimated 1.3 million people were sent to these camps and 1.1 million of them died. Around 90% of them were Jews. These grounds at Auschwitz look green and pristine with neat rows of red brick buildings... not at all what I expected.

Berkenau with its train tracks and more spread out buildings was just what I expected. This was such a moving experience for us not a word was spoken and everyone moved as if in a trance. Even the avid photographers were less interested in the shots and more caught up in the story. The words “Lest we forget” seem very appropriate.

On the ride into Kraków everyone was very introspective and Sylvia played lovely classical music for us. When we arrived at the Novotel Hugh and I got our keys and went up to our room. We dropped off our packs and headed into the old town. We needed to move about and see happy people. We walked a bit and realized it was after 8 and we were hungry. We found a great restaurant on the square that served pizza and we ordered one. The air was cool and the stars bright…..the perfect night to dine al fresco. After dinner we headed back to the hotel and unpacked and did some laundry before falling into bed.

This morning we started our day with breakfast and then a city tour. Our first stop was Wawel Hill, pronounced vaveil, which is a fortified area overlooking the city housing Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral. Today we are visiting the cathedral. The Royal Archcathedral Basilica of Saints Stanislavsky and Wenceslaus is more than 900 years old and serves as the national cathedral and the coronation site of Polish monarchs. Pope John Paul II was ordained here in 1946. It has been the burial site of Polish monarchs since the 14th century. The interior was magnificent. From the cathedral we walked into the market square of old town past many other beautiful churches before stopping at St. Mary’s church with its tall brick tower. After a visit inside we stopped at noon to hear the trumpeter play a lovely tune from a window in one of the towers. We walked passed the Renaissance Cloth Hall which holds many vendors today. After saying goodbye to Agnes our guide we had 2 hours to spend on our own. Hugh and I explored the Cloth Hall and then we journeyed beyond the square and visited some antique stores and a few more cathedrals. We finally succumbed to the suggestion for Polish doughnuts that Sylvia planted in our brain. Funny thing, when we arrived at the doughnut shop there were several others from our group. We all settled in to enjoy these decadent stuffed treats.

Soon it was time to meet for our afternoon trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This mine was opened in the 13th century and produced table salt continuously until 2007, making it one of the world’s oldest salt mines. The mine is one of Polands official national Historic Monuments. We took an elevator which was 3 different levels but each chamber only held about 8 people comfortably. The miners carved many beautiful statues and cathedral chambers. These rooms were magnificent and even the chandeliers were made of salt. The mine was placed on the UNESCO world Heritage site list in 1978. After our tour we got back to the hotel in time to shower and dress for our farewell dinner. It was sad to say goodbye to our new friends but saddest to say goodbye to Sylvia who has taken such wonderful care of us for the past 12 days. The meal was long and delicious and we went to bed shortly after returning to our room.

Today we slept in and when we awoke we did some computer work before showering and making our way to breakfast. One of the other couples from our trip are still here and we had breakfast with them. We then headed out to explore some more of the city. We took a long walk around the Wawel Hill and then made our way into the square. We had no agenda so we shopped the stores and I even bought a cute pair of yellow sandals. We stopped for ice cream for lunch and slowly made our way to the meeting point for our castle tour.

We met several others waiting and soon our tour operator took us up the hill and introduced our guide. This UNESCO World Heritage site was the residence of Polish kings for centuries. The huge rooms are filled with the tapestry collection of Sigismund II Augustus. He commissioned 170 of them and the royal ones often had 5-6 kg of gold thread in them as well as silver thread. There are many pieces of Italian furniture and paintings from some of the finest artists. The tour is camera free so no pictures. Our tour ended in the armory and the armor and weapon art was impressive. By the end of the tour we were exhausted and had very tired feet. We walked back to the hotel and took naps until dinner time. We dressed for dinner and took a leisurely stroll into the old town square which is the largest in Europe. We had a wonder dinner at a restaurant and we ate outside. It was well after 10 when we made our way back to the hotel! We have loved every minute in Kraków and it may have moved to the top position tied with Riga, on our list for this part of the trip!

Today we slept in and enjoyed it immensely. We caught up on everything before having a late breakfast. We finished packing and stored our bags before heading out to explore. The weather was perfect and we walked and looked in churches and walked in parks before stopping for lunch in a restaurant we had checked out earlier. We ate at a leisurely pace because our feet were tired and we had nothing left to do. We slowly made our way to the hotel and retrieved our bags. We caught up on the internet stuff before head to the airport for our flight to Gdansk. We arrived 2 hours ahead and checked in with no problem. After the flight that was at our gate cleared we thought we would be off but our flight was delayed an hour. We just sat and read and were just about the first ones on the prop plane we were flying. The flight was smooth and they served drinks and candy bars even though the flight was only an hour. Very efficient. We landed and by the time we got to baggage claim our bags arrived. We found the taxi stand and our driver was a beauty with 5 inch stilettos. She told me that there were 300 drivers and only 3 women so she had to give them something to look at. The ride was short and by 10 we were checked in and having dinner in the hotel restaurant. I took my wine to the room and fell into bed.

This morning we were up early to prepare for our adventure to the Wolf’s Lair, Hitler's secret bunker where he orchestrated his military campaigns and lived during most of the last three years of the war. Our guide, Michael, picked us up at 8 and we were off on a 3 hour drive. The time passed quickly as the countryside was beautiful and Michael had a lot of information for us. Our first stop was at Swieta Lipa, St. Luke’s Cathedral. This the site of pilgrimages since the early 1600’s. They come because of the miracle of the condemned man, who after a visit from the Virgin Mary, sculpted a statue of her the night before he was to be executed. This was in the 1400’s and the church was built in commendation of this. It is beautiful and we were blessed to hear an organ concert at noon.

From here it was a short drive to the Wolf’s Lair. I am not sure what I was expecting but very large concrete buildings above ground was not it. These buildings have walls 7 meters thick. Hitlers bunker was the largest and he had a kitchen and his house attached to it by passages. We saw the place where Klaros von Stauffenberg attempted to assassinate Hitler with a bomb. We also saw the bunkers of Göring, Bormann and Keitel. These bunkers were built with dirt on top of them where they grew plants for camouflage and the sides covered with netting and Bakelite pieces of green for the same thing. We even found some of the Bakelite and were able to keep it.

Back in the city we walked around the Old Town and down the marina area before stopping for dinner. We ate overlooking the canal and the headed back for a good night's sleep. When we arrived and had internet we received news we did not want to hear, Lew has gone into hospice and it looks the cancer is winning the battle.

Today was our last day in Poland. After breakfast we packed and checked our luggage at the front desk before walking into old town. We decided to walk to the train station but made a few stops on the way. We went into a large mall and surprise, surprise, they had all the stores we recognize. We shopped for a SIMM card but decided to wait for Germany. The weather was warm with sunny skies so after visiting the beautiful old station we made our way back into town a different way. We stopped for a visit and some prayer time at St Catherine’s Church. After our old town visit we stopped in for a late lunch of thick burgers and fries at an out door café. Soon it was time to claim luggage and head to the airport. We check in with LOT a little later than we like but our plane was late so it worked out fine. Our plane change in Warsaw was the same, a short turn around made longer by plane delays. We were an hour late arriving at Hamburg and it was well after 10 pm. Much to our dismay our luggage did not arrive. I filled out the lost luggage forms and the rep gave us large toiletry kits. We got a taxi to the hotel and after checking in I turned on my phone for the first time all trip and we called Lori to sing happy birthday. Hugh called Juanita and she confirmed the sad news about his brother. He also called his dad. Around 11:45 we headed to the bar for large glasses of wine to drown our sorrows. Neither of us slept very well as European hotels do not air condition the same as home... too warm for us.

This morning after a fitful night's we showered and and dressed in yesterday’s clothes and no makeup before heading to breakfast. After a great meal we headed to the Central Station to check on our train tickets for tomorrow. We had excellent help and knew what we needed to know for an easy checkin in the am. We then boarded a hop-on hop-off for the 2 hour tour around the city. It was hot and sunny but we sat on top and truly felt that we had seen a very beautiful city with over 2500 bridges over the rivers and canals. The architecture is beautiful and the cathedrals and town hall were especially grand.

After our tour we had pretzels and then started our walking tour of the old town. We made pictures and even took a shopping break for hats for both of us at Jack Wolfskin. We walked a long way to see the ruins of St Nicholas cathedral before we headed down a street that was middle eastern ethnic. We arrived back at the hotel for the disappointing news that the bags that were to arrive around 3 were not there. We went to the room and did some on line checking and even had the receptionist make some calls with no results. Just as we were about to head to the airport they were delivered. After good showers and a change of clothes we headed out to dinner. We found a lovely German café and I had spaetzel and Hugh had sausages and sauerkraut . After dinner we walked around the large lake before heading back to the hotel. We ended our day with a glass of wine before heading to bed.

This morning we awoke ready for a new adventure. After breakfast we got a taxi to the central train station and before long we were in our first class compartment heading to Koblenz where we will transfer to the local train to Luxembourg. Upon boarding the train we found that our bags are very heavy when you have to lift them over your head to store. The seats are comfy and we have a big window for a great view of the countryside. The train trip to Koblenz was five hours and then we transferred to a local. The transfer was hard as there were no lifts and Hugh had to carry our big bags up the steps. The train was sleek and modern but had no place for luggage. We found seats in an open area and kept our bags close.

Upon arrival in Luxembourg we had the same no lift issue. Poor Hugh was winded and had to rest while I found out about hotel location and travel choices. We had a short ride to our hotel which is located on the main square. It is quaint with no a/c and an antique elevator but the rooms are great and the location perfect. When Hugh got internet he found out his brother died this morning. We tried to call his sister but did not get her. We left a message. We went for a long walk around the town and didn’t have much enthusiasm. Hugh talked to his sister and his dad. We decided to eat dinner at a Mexican restaurant and enjoyed tapas and margaritas. It started to rain so we hustled back to the hotel and had long baths and did some computer work. We will wait to see what tomorrow brings!

This morning we woke up with heavy hearts but realized there was nothing we could do but pray. We had a good breakfast and went out to take the hop-on hop-off city tour. This country was founded in 653 and despite it's troubled past is a vibrant and fast growing area. The architecture tends to the baroque and the bridges and aqueducts are spectacular. There is a lot of green space and again bikes have very clearly marked areas. There is little to no air conditioning and even the finest shoppes tend to be warm. We stayed on the bus after the tour was completed to go back to one of the stops with a beautiful view of old town. Off the bus we walked across the red bridge and made our pictures. We continued into the park and back to the hotel to check out and store our luggage. We then walked and shopped and then sat for a while and enjoyed a very French lunch. We continued our stroll until it started to rain and then sat in the lobby and did computer work and Hugh talked with his sister back home.

At 3:30 we headed to the train station for our trip to Munich. When we checked in at the station they said the first part of our trip was by bus which was much faster than the train which took 2 hours. The bus ride was scheduled for one hour. We got on the bus which was very nice and off we went... very slowly. The first 45 minutes of the trip he didn’t get out of first gear. Finally we turned off and out of the traffic and picked up speed. We were 45 minutes late and missed our train. We were able to get the next one but only had 1 minute to change as the train was 20 minutes late. We fretted the whole trip to Mannheim but when we arrive the Lord had taken care of these weary travelers and the train to Munich was 25 minutes delayed and we made our connection. The trip was spent cancelling parts of our trip and booking flights home for Lew’s funeral. When we arrived in Munich everything was set and it was after midnight. We got a taxi to the hotel and decided a glass of wine would be good but the bar had closed.

This morning we awoke with the anticipation of seeing 2 sites that are on our bucket list. We got a taxi to our meeting point and met our group for our tour to Linderhof and Neuschwanstein castles and to the village of Oberammergau, home of the famous Passion Play. The day was overcast and cool but not raining yet. The drive to Linderhof passed quickly because our guide gave us such great information on "crazy King Ludwig". Ludwig became king in his teens and had a passion for art, music, and beauty. He visited Versailles and decided to build his smaller version, and Linderhof was born. We had a nice walk up to the castle and were amazed at how ornate it was even though it was small. The outside was very subdued compared to the inside. The tours are timed and guided and no photos are allowed, probably because it would blind you. The rooms have so much gold and elaborate wood and plaster work that your eye has no idea where to look. After the tour we walked through the gardens and saw the fountain which is fed by a mountain stream and only works when enough pressure builds up, usually about every 30 minutes. Back on the bus we had some drama as one couple was over 30 minutes late coming back. The guide was too kind and the bus driver let them know he did not appreciate their antics.

This morning we slept late, showered, and checked out of the hotel. It was an easy day to leave Munich as it was 53 degrees with heavy rain. Soon we were in the airport and then our flight to Charlotte. It was a light flight and I was able to get 4 seats all to myself. We arrived back in CLT and our wonderful friend Connie was waiting to whisk us home. Five loads of laundry later we fell into bed. We will resume our trip on June 16 after this very sad break.

This morning was a whirlwind getting showered,, packed, and fed before the Bryan’s pick us up for the airport. Oh yes, did I mention that Lori and Ron are with us and we spent some wonderful time with them. We had an easy trip to the airport and soon were check in and waiting. Our flight was on time and it was off to Zurich. We had good seats and service but were not able to sleep.

We arrived in Zurich and claimed our bag. Our first stop was to check our one large bag with the Left Luggage counter to be picked up when we fly out of Switzerland. It was so easy and the gentleman who helped us was extra nice. We changed some money to Swiss Francs before purchasing a train ticket to the city. It was an easy station to navigate and the trains come frequently. From the main rail station we transferred to a tram and got off within a block or so of our hotel. The one drawback was pulling our suitcases over the cobblestone sidewalks. We checked into our hotel but our room was not ready... it was only 9:30 am. We walked all over Zurich Old Town, up and down the river, and made tons of pictures. This is a beautiful area. We stopped for lunch and had an outside Swiss meal and listened to an oompa band. We made it back to the hotel at 1pm and went to our room and crashed. We slept until almost 5, showered, and headed out again. We walked in a different direction and saw a great deal of the city. Again we made pictures as the evening light was so nice. We had a late dinner at a Swiss Raclette restaurant and watched the Swiss play the Brazilians in the World Cup. It was a draw and our fellow diners were quite happy. After some wine and beer it was off to bed for us.

This was after relaxing morning. We slept until 8 and then showered and went for breakfast. The breakfast that is included is from a restaurant/deli and was fantastic. We had large homemade cinnamon rolls, poached eggs, and bacon! We slowly prepared for our train trip and then took the tram to the station. Our train arrived and left with Swiss precision. We were in a car with assigned seats but the conductor said we could sit where the view was best. There were only 83 sets of seats occupied and we moved freely. The trip to Lucerne was short and after that stop the views were amazing. We climbed mountains and even changed tracks as we made the amazing trip to Interlaken. We checked on our morning train to Jaungfrau before leaving the station then walked to our hotel and soon found that our room was not ready. We explored the village and stopped for lunch at a middle eastern snack bar. We had sandwiches too big to finish.

We walked back and checked into our room. The views are terrific and the room is large and well furnished but no a/c! We changed into hiking shoes and headed for the Harder Kulm. We took the tram to the top and the view was phenomenal! We hiked and made photos and it was after 5 when we made our way down. Our first stop in town was to check on lake cruises but they had ended for the day. We walked to a church from the 13th century and then went to the hotel to drop off backpacks. We walked each street exploring what it offered and then at 8 stopped at a great restaurant for dinner. We ate al fresco and enjoyed the cooler temps. Soon it was time to call it a night and prepare for our trip up the mountain tomorrow.

This morning we awoke early to a bright and sunny day. Out our window we could see the Eiger without a cloud cover... a very good start to our day. We showered and packed and were downstairs ready to check our bags at 6:50 am. Breakfast was being served even though it was not supposed to open until 7. After a quick bite we walked briskly to the train station and started the journey to the Jungfrau. We changed trains twice before we made it to the top of Europe. The crush and I do mean crush for the elevators was a bit much but otherwise things went smoothly. We made a lot of pictures from the viewing platform and were surprised that it was not too windy but it was a chilly 37 degrees fahrenheit. The views were spectacular and the snow against a clear blue sky was perfect. The peaks here are jagged and the snow deep. The glaciers are not very large and there is worry about them disappearing.

When it was time we made our way back to the train and to another set of trains down so we could stop in Grindelwald. This was a small village but was quite lovely. The flowers were bright and beautiful and very abundant. The views of the Eiger were fantastic. We explored the village before getting the train back to Interlaken. We walked back to the hotel and had a few minutes to rest before claiming our bags and heading back to the train station. We left for Montreux at 3, The trip was easy and we arrived in Montreux to find a Mediterranean type climate with palm tree and magnolias. We walked from the station to our hotel and our room had a most fantastic view of Lake Geneva. I could have sat on the balcony the rest of the day but there were things to see and do. The highlight of a visit to Montreux is a visit to Crillon Castle and it was just a 25 minute walk around the lake from us. We strolled the lakeshore and arrived at this castle that was home to Dukes of Savoy in the 13-16th centuries. We had a light dinner and a glass of wine while watching the last 10 minutes of a World Cup match. Before bed we organized for tomorrow and then it was off to sleep thinking of the things above but also other things we had seen today such as the Aletsch Glacier, Lake Thun, the Simmen Valley, & Pays d'Enhaut. It was a long but wonderful day!

We slept in a bit today and had a wonderful breakfast with a glorious view of the lake. After checking out of the hotel we took the bus to the train station, we decided not to make the uphill walk and the bus was free. It looks to be scenic trip to Zermatt with only one train change. The scenery was spectacular and we arrived in Zermatt where no cars are allowed. We had met a nice local couple who gave us many tips of things to do. The weather was perfect and we had a wonderful view of the Matterhorn from our hotel room balcony. We walked to the Hotel Daniela, left our bags and walked around until it was time for our cog railway trip up to the Gornergrat.

The train was soon zig-zagging above tree line and we were in patches of snow. We hiked around and could see over 20 peaks over 4000 meters in height. The Matterhorn was most impressive with it's jagged peaks and we could see about ten glaciers. When we were too cold to stay we rode back down, explored the town, and ate outside. We couldn't find a bar with an empty seat to watch the FIFA World Cup so we went back to the room and found we had been upgraded to a suite with two bedrooms, two baths, a living room, and two balconies. One balcony had an unimpeded view of the Matterhorn. Life is good!

This morning after a delicious breakfast we took the electric car from the hotel to the train station. It was a cool but the train was on time. We found our first class seats and settled in for the day long trip to St. Moritz aboard the Glacier Express. The panoramic trip through the Swiss Alps took us over 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels. The Glacier Express scaled the highest point with ease at 2033 meters above sea level. First class cars have panoramic windows and full catering service including bar service.

We were constantly making pictures and ooohing and aaahing at the sites. This was a long day but so very beautiful. We were able to see several world heritage sites including the cog part of the railway we were on. There were viaducts and tunnels galore and this was a trip we will not soon forget. We arrived in St. Moritz and our hotel van was waiting for us. The trip up the hill was quick and soon we were checked in and ready to explore. Imagine our surprise when we went out on the streets and everything was closed and there were no people about. The city was dead! We explored the St. Moritz Dory (upper) and then took 3 extra long escalators to get to the lake. We took a long walk around the lake and ended up having dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant in the lower area where there were about 15-20 people. We then continued our walk and escalator ride back up the hill where we enjoyed views of the lake and the leaning tower. We looked for a bar to watch the end of the World Cup game but there were none to be found that were open. So we reluctantly went to our room and settled in to watch together sans wine. St. Moritz has been a real disappointment after the vital and fun atmosphere of Zermatt.

This morning we had breakfast and a good walk before we took the van back to the train station. Today’s journey takes us to Lake Lugano abourd the Bernini Express, another of the Swiss super trains. We travelled through twisting tunnels and on cog portions of the railway which was needed to help the train climb and descend the heights. We had several stops where we could get off for photos. We saw waterfalls galore, blue lakes, and funny goats that were black on the front and white on their rears. The train zig zagged to the point that you would not think they could turn that sharply. After several hours we arrived in the world heritage site of Turano, Italy. We stored our bags and walked through the old town. It was not a vibrant tourist site but the buildings were interesting. We then made our way into the new area and found all the tourists. We stopped for a light lunch and finished exploring before time to get our bags and board the Bernini Express bus that carries us to Lugano.

The bus was full and very warm when we started. We traversed narrow streets which were not meant for modern buses for a large portion of the trip. We passed vineyards high up the mountains and a lot of industry out in the countryside. We stopped for a refreshment break halfway and then we were in the beautiful Lake Como district. The lake is huge and the homes we could see were glorious Italian villas... wonder which one belongs to George and Amal? The roads here were even more narrow and the going was slow. As we came into Lugano the view was magnificent. The city was a vibrant fun-filled area and we were anxious to get about and mingle. We walked to our hotel which was city center and soon we were checked in. We dumped bags, rinsed out some laundry and hit the city at a run. We took a long a long walk around the lake through the park to the beach area. We were not tired so we walked to the walkway end at the other end of the lake. The city was wild with World Cup fever and we saw many tees and flags. We made our way back to the city center where a large screen tv had been set up and thousands had gathered to watch the game and root for Switzerland. We ate at a side walk café where we could enjoy the festivities and soon found ourselves rooting for the home team... they eventually won in the 90th minute. We walked some after dinner and then made our way back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.

Today we awoke saddened that this is our last big train trip for a month. Today we are traveling to Lucerne by train and steamboat. The weather was cool so we packed our polar fleeces and wore long sleeves. After breakfast we walked out of our hotel and on to the funicular which was right next door. We were at the train station as our train was pulling in. Today we are in first class again and have panoramic windows and a conductor in our car who provided commentary and made sure we had everything we needed. The train is called the Gotthard Panoramic Express and our section from Lugano to Fluelen took us through 44 tunnels and over 23 large bridges. In one area we saw the same church 3 times at different elevations because of the corkscrew turns we made. We saw vineyards high on the mountains.

We changed to a paddlewheel steamboat in Fluelen and continued around Lake Lucerne to the city of Lucerne. The scenery was beautiful and we enjoyed just looking at the architecture, the mountains, and the people in each little town we stopped in. When we arrived in Lucerne our dock was across the street from the train station and our hotel was within easy walking distance. We checked in and hit the street running to see all the sites of Lucerne. Our first stop was the covered Chapel Bridge built in 1365. This bridge lay victim of a fire in the 1990’s and was repaired including the ancient art that was destroyed. They had saved art each time the bridge was shortened and used that to replace the lost pieces. Today the bare spots remind everyone of the fire. It is very photogenic and the pedestrian bridge next to it is lined with camera buffs. We got our photos and walked across the bridge to the old town. We walked around looking at the architecture and enjoying the festive atmosphere. We walked back over the other covered bridge which was built in 1408. We walked along the Reuss River for a long distance and then climbed the mountain to see the lion carved in stone. From there we climbed higher on the mountain to the city walls and towers. These are hidden mostly from the city by the tall trees but on the mountain they are impressive having been constructed in the 14 century. We visited 2 churches which were magnificent and beautiful. The last one had 2 spires of over 69 meters and was built between 1633-1639. By the time we arrived back in old town we were hungry and stopped for dinner at a lovely restaurant overlooking the river. The atmosphere was electric as the FIFA World Cup games were being shown everywhere. We continued our exploration after dinner and walked much further along the lake. By 9 our feet were tired and we headed back to the hotel. We were planning to get some work done but were soon asleep instead.

Today we checked out of our hotel after breakfast and made our way to the train station for our short trip to Zurich. We decided to get off at the airport and claim our stored bag before heading to our airport hotel. We debated on an activity but opted for a day at leisure. We took a long walk and had a light lunch. At the hotel we caught up on journaling and pictures and even napped. In the late afternoon we took a long walk and stopped for a pizza on our way back to the hotel. We packed and then watched some soccer before going to bed. It was a much needed lazy day.

This morning we slept in a bit and packed up the last of our things before we headed to the airport. Our check in and security went well but our flight was delayed. It was warm in the airport and much too long a wait. The flight was freezing and we could not control the air flow and to cap it off you could not even get a glass of water without paying. I am not a fan of Air Lingus! We arrived in Dublin and took the bus into the city. If was a good long walk from the bus stop to our hotel so we arrived hot and tired. We changed our shoes and took off to explore the city. We saw the famed Molly Malone statue and the college today saving the Dublin Castle for another day. We walked on the pedestrian bridge and saw the needle and the lovely architecture of the area. We checked out where we are to meet our tours for the next 2 days. We were getting hungry by 6 so we stopped in O’Neil’s Pub for fish and chips and shepherds pie and of course a pint of Guinness. We watched the World Cup and had a great time. We were weary and walked back to the hotel to finish the game in our room. Hugh fell asleep almost immediately but I made it through the game.

This morning the alarm was early, 5:45. We had breakfast in our room an then made the mad dash downtown to the pickup point of our tour which was 25 minutes away. We arrived early for the 7:10 tour. Our tour had 61 folks on it and our guide was Peter and our driver was Sydney. We headed out of Dublin on the motorway heading to the Cliffs of Moher. We stopped for a comfort break about 2 hours in and then it was a quick trip to the cliffs. Our trip took us past lots of farmland and as we travelled Peter told us the Irish word for fun was Craik. He said that we should say we had great Craik and excellent grass in Ireland. When we arrived at the cliffs the beauty was breathtaking. Neither of us expected them to be so magnificent. We headed up the left side trail for the fabulous view of O'Briens tower. The climb was right on the edge of the cliff and we had to make sure we were not accidentally pushed over in the rush of people. At the top we could see the Aran Islands and the Galway Bay as well as the Twelve Pins. After getting our photos we made our way down and climbed the right trail to O'Briens Tower. This tower was built in 1885 as a viewing point for tourists. The cliff are the most visited natural sight in Ireland. From here we could see puffins with their little wings propelling their chubby bodies through the air. There were many seabirds including guillemots and razorbills. We then made our way to the visitor center to see the videos on the birds here. We had time to walk past the shops before getting back on the bus.

Our next stop was the UNESCO global geopark called the Burren. This was a rocky area that was once under the sea. There were fossils in the rocks and again the view was amazing. We had to be very careful of the cravises, no falling or dropping anything. Everyone was safely back on the bus and on our way to city Galway. In Galway we took a walking tour with our guide and he told us some interesting stories of the early families here. One rich family, the Lynch family had quite a history. The father was the Lord Mayor and his son was a rogue. The son killed a visitor that was staying at their house over a girl and was caught red handed with the knife. He was taken to the father for sentencing and the father had him hung from the top floor of the house. There was a huge group of people there to watch. This is where we get the terms lynching and lynch mob. After our walk we stopped for fish and chips at McDonahs and then walked along the river to the cathedral before making our way to the bus. The drive back to Dublin was 2 hours and we rested, listened to Irish music, heard more stories, and enjoyed the countryside views. I will admit I was happy to get off the bus even though the day had been fantastic. We said goodbye to Peter and Sydney and headed to the pub to watch some soccer. We shared a meal, I had my wine, and Hugh had a pint and we cheered our team to victory. We walked around for a while before heading back to the hotel.

This morning we slept in a bit because our tour was not until 2. We had our yogurt and got the journaling done before we headed out. The day was sunny and warm and our first stop was Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. Our last visit to Dublin the church was closed when we made time to visit. This time we joined the queue and purchased our tickets. This church was foundead in 1191 and is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland. Jonathon Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels, was the reverend here in the 1700s. This gothic style church is the burial place for Swift and many other notables. It's also the site of many musical performances.

From the church we walked around the town before boarding our tour bus for the trip to Malahide Castle. The estate began in 1185 when Robert Talbot, an English knight, accompanied Henry II to Ireland and was granted lands near Malahide. It was the home of the Talbot family for 791 years until the last 2 Talbots died without heirs. The areas open to us were opulent for the time but nothing compared to what we have seen in Germany. The grounds cover 260 acres but today they were exceptionally busy because there was a big Cricket match between Ireland and India. After our visit here we drove along the coast to the fishing village of Howth. We had only a short time to explore but we were able to walk to the end of the pier for a lovely view of the harbor. Several of the folks stopped for fish and chips but we decided to wait for Dublin and O’Neil’s Pub and soccer. The short trip back into Dublin gave us a taste of Dublin traffic but it was not bad. We were back just in time for us to walk to the pub and order before the game started. We sat and had our drinks and watched the game a while before they brought out the fish and chips. These were great and we finished our food about the same time the game ended. We walked back to our hotel and we were amazed at how many Brazilians were out celebrating their win. It was another great day on our adventure.

Today we slept only until 7 as we had some packing to do. Today we board Nautica for the next part of our adventure. This morning we packed, headed out of our room, stored our bags, and headed into town. I had an appointment for a mani-pedi and Hugh drank coffee and read the news. Afterwards we walked around and made some last minute pictures before going back to the hotel. We claimed our bags and got a taxi to the port which is very difficult to maneuver. We were happy to see the Nautica waiting for us. We checked in late and there was no line. We have learned to avoid that initial rush. We were in our room in no time and had our small suitcases unpacked and the dirty laundry ready to be washed. We got our tokens and headed to the launderette expecting it to be empty... this is the first day for most people. We were so surprised when we discovered a long line. Hugh waited patiently while I did some pressing. Finally we were able to get two machines and get our loads started. We had just put the clothes in the dryer when the signal for the lifeboat/safety drill was announced. After the drill I ran to get the clothes while everyone else was waiting on the elevators. Our large suitcase had been delivered so I was able to get all the pressing done. Soon we were all settled in and had time to explore the ship before dinner. We had Toscana reservations and had a delicious meal with 4 fellow travelers. We then went to the showroom for the introduction to all the entertainment staff. It appears this will be a talented group... even the cruise director is a performer. It was late when we made our way to our home for the next 22 days.

This morning we were up early, dressed, and ready for breakfast. We ate outside and enjoyed the view of the Isle of Man. We are anchored so we had to go to the showroom to turn in our tour tickets and wait for our tender to be called. It was a 10 minute tender ride into Douglas but the sea was calm. We soon boarded our bus and headed to see the Laxey Wheel. This marvel of Victorian engineering was built to pump water from the Glen Mooar part of the Laxey Mines and did so for 70years. Named the Lady Isabella, it is 72 feet 6 inches in diameter. It was built to be a tourist attraction as well as a working pump and has remained so. We were able to climb to the top for a fabulous view. We were also allowed to go inside the mine after we donned hard hats. We drove along the TT tract were they have the famous motorcycle race each year. It just finished and the stands and safety items are still in place.

We arrived in Tynwald where the Vikings in the 10th century founded the Manx Parliament called Tynwald. It is the longest governing body in the world. We visited the church of St John where part of the parliamentary gathering takes place. Then they move outside to a sculpted hill for the rest. This occurs every July 6th. From there we made our way along the coast back to the port. We were back in Douglas and we strolled at the seaside until we passed through town. We have so many pictures from our last visit we just enjoyed the views. We were back on the ship in time for a late lunch, a trip to the gym, and a quick nap before we had to shower and dress for dinner. We listened to the string quartet before heading to the Polo for our reservation. We join 4 other diners and had a great meal. We then went outside for the late sail away before getting a glass of wine and heading to the show. Tonight we were truly entertained by a flautist from Ireland. She was a wonderful entertainer and played like an angel. Then it was off to bed for us.

This morning we awoke with lofty goals... go to the gym for the stretch class and possibly stay for the abs class. I am happy to report that we accomplished both. The classes were good and we hope to do them regularly. We then had breakfast and showered before heading into Belfast to go to the Titanic Museum. It was almost an hour walk to the museum from the shuttle drop off point. It was worth it as this museum is nine stories and takes you from the conception of the large sister ships to the aftermath of the sinking. They even have a ride you take through the shipyard. It takes about 2 hours to see the museum and when we were through we hustled to catch one of the last shuttles back to the ship. We had a late lite lunch and then spent our time journaling and looking out as we sailed away from Ireland. We also streamed the World Cup game that was on while we caught up. At 5:45 we headed to the Captain's reception but we were put off by the hordes of people clogging the doorway. We decided to head to Martinis Bar for our free wine and wait a bit before going in to see the captain. We got waylaid talking to a lovely Australian couple and never made it. It was a wonderful time and we had no regrets. We went for a late dinner in the dining room and again met a great couple. We finished in time to go to the show and it was Sally Jones a singer we had seen before on another cruise. She did a great show and then it was off to the cabin for us.

This morning we got up in time to workout some before our 8 am class we thought we had signed up for... it was for Monday, no Sunday classes. We stayed and did our own workout before heading to breakfast. Today we are in a town of 1500 in the Scottish highlands. We can tell before we leave the ship that it is hilly and beautiful. We tendered in and the tourist guide told us of a great hike for wonderful views. It was ten and she made it sound like we would be back for a 12 noon tour of the town. We started out with vigor but soon it was replaced with determination. It was about three plus miles straight uphill but the views were great. The overall distance was over seven miles and we did not make the noon tour.

We then explored the town's shoreline and some of their shops. By 2 we were ready to rest our feet and get some lunch. We got on the tender just as the wind picked up and by the time we arrived at the ship the temp was dropping. We had a nice lunch and the read and rested. When we went out again the temp was downright cold and damp. We decided to have dinner in the Terrace and so did everyone else. We ate with a couple from Washington State and then went to play cards. Soon it was time for the show and it was the production team and they were great. We checked World Cup scores and settled in to journal. We sail in at seven in the morning so good night!

Today we arrived in the Orkney Islands. After working out and having breakfast we walked into the capital city of Kirkwall which was settled in 1046. It is a booming metropolis of 8500 and has narrow streets that are lined with shops, cafes, restaurants, and pubs. One of the most significant landmarks is St. Magnus Cathedral which was built in 1137 by Earl Rognvald. After the reformation in 1560 it was used for Protestant worship. It is built of red sandstone and the bones of St Magnus are buried in one of the massive pillars. The gravestones in the cemetery date back to the thirteenth century. After visiting the cathedral we went to Magnus Center to view a movie on the life of St Magnus and the cathedral which was very well done.

Our next stop was the ruins of the Bishop's Palace and the Earl's Palace. These were built in the 12th and 17th century respectively. The next stop we made was to a craft fair where we saw some amazing local crafts: unfortunately the beautifully knitted items were much too heavy for our climate. We shopped in all the cute shops where we looked at baby things, especially stuffed animals, for Stephanie’s baby and also reading glasses for Hugh. It was a wonderful day and we did not get back to the ship until late. We had a lite lunch and some time to rest and shower before we went to the Polo restaurant for dinner. We ate with a fun group although the 2 other gentlemen discussed different topics with the intent to outdo one another. We then went to see the show which was a cello act called Celli. They were very talented but their English limited the humor portion of the act.

Today we arrived in one of our favorite citys, Bergen. We worked out during the sail in and enjoyed the wonderful views. After breakfast we were some of the first group off the ship and soon we were walking the Bryggen. The colorful buildings always inspire me to make pictures but with 3 other ships in port we were limited in how we moved about. We decided to leave this area and take the funicular up Mount Floyen and do a hike that we have enjoyed in the past, but again the number of people in line was prohibitive. Not to be outdone, we took off on a path less traveled to a part of the city we had not seen before. We stopped in antique shops and other small stores, climbed major hills for glorious views, and soon found ourselves back near the sea. We were determined to find a park we had seen on the map and ended up walking and climbing way more steps than we had planned before we arrived in the shady park where the locals were picnicing and swimming. As we exited the park we realized we were miles from our ship... how did that happen? We slowly made our way up the hill (mountain) and around the harbor, back along the Bryggen and into our port area.

We arrived back at the ship happy, hungry, and with almost 10 miles logged on our Apple watches. We had a snack and then walked some on the top deck to enjoy the sunshine and the view before we headed down to rest our feet, shower, and dress for dinner. We ate in the Polo restaurant again and enjoyed the great company of a couple from San Francisco. He was a joke teller and computer guy so he and Hugh had a great time and she and I had a lovely discussion of families and travel. The entertainment tonight was a movie as we did not sail until 9. The movie was funny and sweet and afterwards it was off to bed for us.

Today we were in Ålesund, anther place we have visited before. After working out in the gym, we had breakfast before heading off the ship. We are docked right in town so exploring was easy. On our past visits we have had trips out of town so today we dedicated to seeing the city. We decided to get the highlight out of the way first as it involves a major climb up Mt Aksla at the edge of town. We walked to the park at the bottom of the mountain and started the climb up. This climb involved paths and the negotiation of 418 steps up a twisting path. The only good thing was that when you stopped to catch your breath you had a gorgeous view. We made it just as several tour buses arrived (2 other ships are in port) so we hustled into the viewpoint to get some great shots of the city and the surrounding areas. We then climbed even further up the mountain for the penultimate shot! We decided not to take the steps down as it was crowded and decided on the winding footpath pack to city center.

We did some shopping and a lot of walking before we found our way to the inlet area and the art nouveau area. We visited a wonderful antique store where the proprietor showed us his collection of Kaiser Wilhelmina II memorabilia and some fabulous art. We then made our way to the fisheries museum and out on lighthouse point. The views were wonderful but the wind was biting and cold. It was late afternoon before we headed back to the ship for lunch and some resting of the feet. We spent some time catching up on journaling in a coffee shop on board. We went up for sail away and had dinner in the Terrace so we could see the view. The show tonight was the flautist and her show was spectacular.

Today we awoke with great enthusiasm as we have a Segway tour of Trondheim scheduled. We took the shuttle into town and walked around some before stopping in the tourist information for directions to our tour. It was the most out of the way place you can imagine. We walked along the water to a bridge, took the steps over the train station, and then walked to the industrial area before we finally found it... and it was locked up. We were early so we walked through an apartment area and a lovely mall before we headed back. This time our guide Hogar was waiting for us. We had a quick lesson on the Segways and we headed off. Our first stop was at the old wharf area with its colorful buildings. Trondheim is the northernmost port that stays ice free all year so shipping has always been important. We were the only ones on the tour so we took the long way around the city and we got to see the university, the museum of rock music, the Nidaros Cathedral built in 1080 and the northern most gothic cathedral, as well as the old train bridge from 19th century and all the lovely views along the Nidelva River. This was a fabulous tour and we hated to se it come to an end. We covered all the points of interest of the city tour that is over half a day in two hours because of the speed of the Segways and how well they handled the hills, not having to deal with traffic, and the ability to take more direct routes. Wish we had this opportunity in more cities. We took our time walking back to the bus and made sure we got all the pictures we wanted. Back on the ship we ate lunch as they prepared to sail and we walked around the track as we sailed away. It was wonderful weather and we wanted to continue with the view so we went to tea. We had time to rest and shower before getting dressed for dinner. We had dinner in the dining room with one other couple and it was most enjoyable. After some time listening to the string quartet we headed to the show. It was Sally Jones one woman show of the life and music of Edith Piaf. We were not sure how much we would enjoy it but soon found it most enjoyable.

Today was our first sea day and we slept through breakfast. This is a day dedicated to resting our feet. We had coffee and then went to do a load of laundry. While our clothes dried we went to the future cruise lecture and saw several cruises to consider. Laundry done, we went to the dining room for lunch. The seas are calm but the sky is grey with a thick blanket of clouds. After lunch I went to a coloring class and had a great time. We went to tea and then Hugh needed time to try to get his ear cleared out so he can hear. I colored my hair and we then dressed and went to a lecture. After the lecture we decided to eat in the Terrace and then we sat in the Horizons and played cards, listened to trivia, and finished our wine. Tonight’s show was the 2 Polish cello players. I enjoyed their first show but Hugh was less enthusiastic but he told them we would be there. We were so happy we went as the show was fantastic. We walked a bit before we headed to our cabin.

This morning we awoke early as we docked at 7. We dressed and went to the dining room for breakfast. At a little after 8 we headed off the ship and out to the shuttle. This was our first cold morning and our layers felt good as we headed out. We were dropped off at the Polar Bear Club and from there we headed through the town to the zigzag trail up the mountain. The sign said this was a trail for goats but it works well for us. The views were phenomenal as we made the climb. Once we were at the top we walked along the ledge in search of reindeer. We were standing at the top of a path leading to the lake when I spotted a reindeer coming behind a home below us. As we watched he made his way toward us and then disappeared but another one came the same route. He also disappeared. We started down the trail and a reindeer appeared to our left. He was close and we were able to follow him up and over the mountain. Our day was made so we headed down to the lake side and continued our trek. We eventually found ourselves in town and stopped for coffee at a cute local coffee shop. It was sprinkling rain when we came out so we walked in town stopping to look in all the shops that were open... a lot of things close on Saturday we found. We made our way to the Church of Hammerfest which was dedicated in 1961. The first five churches of this area were destroyed by fires through the centuries. We then walked to the Polar Bear Club and did the tour before embarking on the walk back to the ship. On board time is 2 and we have time to stop at the Meridian Monument before we got back on board. We had lunch with another couple in the main dining room before heading to Horizons to journal and enjoy our sail away.

This morning came way to soon. I truly hate losing an hour from changing time zones. We went to the gym for our class and then dressed for church. Julie our cruise director did a great job. Afterwards we made our way to Horizons to see the sights as we sail south towards Murmansk. I went to the "sit and stitch" and Hugh made pictures and worked on the website. We sailed past the Russian imperial navy base and saw nuclear subs, an aircraft carrier, and several nuclear ice breakers that have been decommissioned. We also sailed past floating dry docks and tankers carrying natural gas from the north. The sailin gave us a view of the waterway traffic and how important it is to this northern area. We sat and watched until we docked as we did not have a tour until 6 pm. We had a nice brunch in the main dining room and it was decorated beautifully. We then went for a nice walk on deck and looked out over the city. The ship was a long time being cleared but soon the tours were on their way. We could not get off until our tour because of visa restrictions. We journaled, went to a lecture, and even had a rest before going to tea time. After tea we prepared for our tour.

At tour time we got our passports and then cleared immigration before heading to our bus. We had 2 large buses full for this late tour. Our guide spoke great English and gave us a lot of great information. This area has polar day from May thru July and polar night from November thru January. They have snow cover for 200+ days and it snows as late as June. Most people live in apartments with 2-4 rooms. The apartments were built during the Khrushchev Era (5 story ones) or the Brezhnev era (9 story ones). The city has a lot to see and we visited the parliament building, the cultural palace, and where the city was founded marked by a cross monument. We visited the memorial to the widows of those lost at sea, the soldiers monument, and the lighthouse monument to the men lost when a ship sank in 2000. We saw the large lake with its fountains and amusement park and aquarium on its bank. We saw the lilac trees in bloom and had wonderful views of the city and harbor. We visited a beautiful church and a monument to the sailors lost on the Kursk before heading back to the ship. We made it back on board just in time for sailaway. We hurried to the Terrace for a late dinner and finished just in time for the show. It was Jimmy Nairobi who we have seen on other cruises. He was very entertaining and got a standing ovation. It was then off to the cabin to admire our sunny view until we closed the blackout curtains and went to bed.

This morning we slept in and had a late light breakfast. We then went to the gym and worked out until time for the cooking demonstration. Executive chef Mario and the chef from Toscana did a fun demo of several dishes that will be on the menu tomorrow. We then headed to lunch and it seemed everyone else did also. It was a battle for a seat but we dined well. After lunch we went to a presentation on Roberto Coin jewelry. At 1:45 we went to a lecture on North Korea. We stayed for the next lecture also on the indigenous Sami people. We then went to the cabin to shower and get to the special Oceania Club cocktail party to which we had been invited. It was fun and we sat with our Virginia friends from another cruise and they received their silver pins. Hugh and I will receive our gold pins next cruise. We then went to dinner at Toscanini and sat with couples we have had meals with before. It was a fun night topped off with a great performance by Mel Mellors a comedian and magician. Then it was off to bed as we have an early morning. In the room we just marveled at the bright sunshine that was pouring into our room even though it was after 11.

Up early, good workout in the gym, and off to breakfast. Our tour was at 8 and we were on the tender at that time. It was a 20 minute ride but we docked right at the monastery were our tour took place. This was a 3.5 hour tour and it took every minute to see this amazing place; we actually ran a bit long! This monastery was founded in 1429 and expanded over the years to include secular activities such as fishing, logging, and iron works. By the 17 century more than 350 monks lived here. Despite its remote location it thrived economically and became a pilgrimage site. It was also turned into a fortress with 3 meter thick walls and a canon battery. This all changed with the Russian Revolution when the monastery was closed and turned into a work camp for enemies of the people. In 1937 Stalin turned it into one of the harshest gulags. Finally in 1990 the monastery reopened and renovation was started. It was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site of special significance. We were able to visit the churches and also the museum chronicling the gulag period. This was an amazing tour and our guide Natalya was wonderful. At the end we reboarded a tender and headed back to the ship. We do not have VISAs that allow us to stay on land without a guide; only one couple on board has this VISA. We had lunch in the Terrace and then decided to rest for a while then shower and head out for the evening. We had a wonderful dinner in the main dining room and met 4 new friends. The entertainment tonight was Jimmy Nairns. After a great show we headed to our cabin to prepare for tomorrow.

This morning we awoke early and had breakfast as we docked. Our tour was at 8:30 and it started on time. Our guide was again named Natalya and spoke good English. The first part of the trip was a trip through the port area and on to the island where the main part of the city is located. The port here was founded by Ivan the Great in the 16th century and was the only port in Russia until St. Petersburg was founded by Peter the Great. Logging and fishing were important trades and a port was a must. This area flourished during this time. Our first stop was a cemetery that was begun in 1918 to honor the British troops that perished while supporting Russia’s war efforts. This place was overgrown and covered with cottonwood fluff. The British area was well maintained. We then drove past Soviet era monuments and some large buildings housing the drama center and two "skyscrapers", the tallest being 25 stories. Our next stop was the State Northern Maritime Museum. This place was mostly models and small items from centuries past but the best part of the visit was the detailed history we got from our museum guide, Ivan. He told of the development of the area from foundation, thru the Pomor’s period, and through the world wars to today and it was very interesting. We then traveled to Chumbarokova Street were we saw reproductions of the historic wooden building from past centuries. These are exact replicas of the original that were falling down. They are colorful and the wood work is amazing. There is one that is totally original and it is the most elaborate of all. This was a pedestrian street and we had a nice stroll on a very sunny day. From here we drove through town and we saw Lenin square with his statue and when we reached the river we made stops at the monuments to the fallen soldiers and the eternal flame. Then we made our way to the statue of Peter the Great and the interesting art work that was erected during Soviet times to honor the Archangel Michael. This was a time when no religious icons could be displayed so they made the “arrow” a sideways Archangel. You have to be looking at it to figure it out but once you do you see how genius this was. From here we retraced our path back to the ship. It was a wonderful tour and we were sorry to see it end. Back aboard we went to lunch and then to the gym. We decided to take advantage of the sunshine and did some laps on the walking track. We then went to work on pictures and journaling and ended our afternoon with a rest. After showers we headed to the Terrace for dinner and then off to the show. We arrived early to get good seats for the entertainment staff's Tuxedo. They were amazing. After the show we sat in Horizons and had wine and kept up with the World Cup game. We went to bed very late but we gained an hour at 2 am so we should't be exhausted tomorrow.

Today is a sea day and we awoke to a grey overcast day which is what we have had most sea days. We went to breakfast finishing just in time to make the lecture by our naturalist Karen on Norway. We stayed in our front row seats for the cooking demonstration at 11 and it was hilarious and informative. Then it was off to the dining room for lunch. After lunch with another couple from Canada we headed to the lecture on Tiananmen Square uprising by Clive. He is so informative and well-travelled. He was teaching in China at this time. After the lecture I spent some time journaling and Hugh went to the gym for a bit. We then read and rested before showering and getting ready for a late dinner. There was an announcement about whales on the port side but we did not see them... maybe tomorrow. After dinner we headed to the 9:30show and had time to play a couple of hands of cards before the show started. Tonight it was Mel Mellors and again he had us in stitches. After the show we headed to the cabin to prepare for tomorrow's visit to the north cape. It is going to be cold so we put out the layers! A wonderful lazy day at sea... what could be better!

Today we slept longer than we should and had to eat a quick breakfast in Horizons to get to our tour on time. Today we headed to the North Cape which was about a 45 minute drive from the pier. We had a fabulous driver who was also an excellent tour guide. This was very unexpected as this was supposed to be an unguided tour. As we drove he told us that the population of this area is around 3000 and the reindeer population is 6000+. He told us the port does not freeze in the winter because of the Gulf Stream but that temperatures can be as low as -55C. They have winds up to 150 KM/HR. This is a hardy group of folks. They live 150 miles north of the tree line. We made a stop at a Sami village on our way up. These are the people we know as Laplanders or reindeer herders.

When we arrived at the Cape it was cold and misty from the fog. We went into the huge center there and watched a movie about the area showing all 4 seasons. The center is built underground so as not to affect the views and is 6 stories tall. We then made our way through the exhibits and out onto the cliff to see the globe. We got the picture with the globe but you can’t see the Arctic Ocean in the background because of the fog. We made our way slowly back to the bus taking time to walk along the cliff edge to get a glimpse of the sea below. Our drive back was lovely and the fog was not at the lower elevations. When we arrived back at the ship we had lunch before venturing into Honningsvaag. We made a very complete walk around the city climbing the hills for the best views. We walked among the colorful homes and along the waterfront admiring the variety of motor craft that was docked there. We walked into a few shops but no purchases were made. We saw a colorful jellyfish swimming in a tributary close to town. We made calls to family and everyone seems to be ok and that is encouraging. Back on board Hugh took a nap and I went to Horizons and talked to Lori on the phone and then did some needlework and had tea. At dinnertime we showered and dressed for our evening with two of the ships officers, Iraina and Giuseppe. There were 2 other couples and we had a wonderful dinner with interesting conversation. We finished just in time to make the show. The entertainer was Andy Bunger and he played a myriad of instruments and was most entertaining. After the show it was time for journaling and sleep. Goodnight!!!!!

This morning we woke up and made our way to Horizons in the hope of seeing whales. We had a light breakfast and at 9:30 gave up our great seats and went to Karen’s lecture on glaciers. As usual we loved the lecture but were disappointed when we went back to Horizons as every seat at the windows were taken and there were very few others to be had. We claimed two and had our eyes out for deserters as we would like to move close to the windows. At lunch time we gave up and went to lunch relinquishing our seats. After lunch we went to the gym and worked out for a while then off to the cabin to read while looking out the window periodically for those elusive whales. We ended up napping a bit and then showering and going to dinner. After dinner we went to the Horizons and played cards until show time. The show was our cruise director Julie James singing jazz. Not being jazz lovers it was fine but definitely not a favorite. Then it was off to the cabin and journaling and watching the islands go by. We still have midnight sun.

This morning they delivered our coffee at 7:30 and after showers we went to the dining room for breakfast. After breakfast we grabbed a map and headed off the ship. We are docked in the heart of the town so walking was easy. It is Sunday and nothing is open and the city has grown so much from 10 years ago. We decided to go new places so we headed up the mountain to the Varden view tower which gave us a stunning view of the shipping land and the 4 islands. This tower was first erected in 1892 but has a storied past of falling down and being replaced. We walked down the hill to the church and the bird park located nearby. We then walked past the opera house and a lovely park on our way to the bridge that we had to walk over to get to Innlandet, anther one of the 4 islands. We made it over the bridge and into the town but had a little trouble navigating. We ran into other travelers who were having the same trouble. We finally found the path to the view point where the canon was located that fired when we entered the harbor. The view was amazing! We then walked into the Bautaen (old town) and saw the colorful old houses and the narrow streets. We decided to walk back and not take the ferry. The walk back was faster as we knew our way. When we arrived back on the main island we decided to go to the ship for lunch as not many restaurants were open. After lunch we decided to go back into town and walk around . We ended up walking along the water and came to an old maritime museum that was open and here we saw the ship building shops, the platforms where the ships were built, and even some beautifully restored old wooden boats including a 4 masted schooner. On our walk we had some free internet and I played Pokémon for Hudson. When we arrived back at the ship we had walked 10.56 miles. We rested our feet for a while before showering and heading to Toscano for dinner. We were seated with 2 couple we had dined with before and had a long and delicious dinner with a lot of travel stories. We made it to the showroom just in time for the show which was Randy Brugge, the multi- instrumentalist. After the show we headed to the cabin for some well deserved rest.

This morning the alarm went off early and we had great expectations of jumping up and heading to Horizons for the sail into Geirangerfjord; reality, we were a little slow but were still able to get prime seats. We had our activities, iPhone, iPad, computer, needlework... etc at our table along with a cup of tea and a lite breakfast. The views were so fantastic we hardly sat but stayed on deck for photos. We left the end point of the fjord where several tours began and sailed up the fjord toward our next stop, Hellesylt. We sailed passed glorious mountains and lovely waterfalls until we reached the most magnificent, the seven sisters and the suitor. Captain Max turned the ship in a slow 360 for all the photographers.

Around 11 we arrived in Hellsylt, a small village at the mouth of the the next fjord, Sunnylvsfjord. It is tiny but has a magnificent waterfall emptying in the middle of town. It also had a nice dock for us and ferry service. We docked and Hugh and I were some of the first off. We decided to get some miles in before it got to hot... yep today is supposed to be over 80. We climbed the mountain above the waterfall and had a fabulous view of the village, the surrounding mountains, a sparkling little river, and the wonderful fjord. We got 5 miles done and then went back to the ship for a late lunch and some time in the sun around the pool. This is a first for this trip... we have had sun but cool to cold temps! When we were hot and sweaty it was off to shower and dress for dinner. Tonight it’s the Polo Grill. Again we had great folks to sit with and just made it to the show. It was the production team in Four On The Floor and they were fab! Then it was the staff farewell and the melancholy that follows when you realize they are kicking us off in one day Another great Nautica day!

This was a lazy day with sad undertones. We awoke late knowing this was our last day on the cruise and that all the things spread throughout the cabin had to fit back in their bags. We also had a lot of shipboard credit to spend. After breakfast we went to a lecture by Karen on Norway today. As always it was very interesting and after that I made the decision to purchase a necklace that we had been looking at the whole trip. I also purchased some perfumes and saved enough credit for drinks and wine with dinner. That accomplished we headed to the cabin and made short order of packing, getting our small bags ready for Spain and Portugal, and our big bag ready to store. We had a late lunch and then did some computer work. We looked out at the calm seas and sunshine and were amazed that we had been so blessed the whole trip. With everything organized we returned books to the library and heraded to dinner. The show was the best yet and the entertainment staff planned it themselves. It was off to the cabin to get the bag out and say our last goodnight onboard.

Awake and a little sad we made our final preps for the next part of our adventure. We headed to breakfast where we bid farewell to our new friends and excellent staff. We got our rollaboards and said our last farewells. Off the ship it was onto a bus to get to the terminal. The passport line was slow but our bag was waiting when we came through and soon we were airport bound. Traffic was light and the trip sped by. Check in at the airline, Vueling, was a bit of a pain as they would not allow us to take our rollaboard on and we had to check them. Glad we got there early. Our flight was on time and 3.5 hours later we were in a Barcelona. Ron and Lori were waiting for us and that was lovely. After purchasing SIM cards we got a taxi and headed to our Airbnb. Someone was waiting for us when we arrived and we were soon checked into our 3 bed 2 bath apartment and had a plan of sorts for the afternoon and evening. First it was rest time for everyone. Refreshed we headed to the Ramblas and started our adventure. We walked with the hordes and when we came to the market we decided to explore. It was filled with surprises and after looking at all that food we decided to stop for tapas. Refueled we headed down the Rambla to the Mediterranean Sea. The seaside has grown a tremendous amount since the last visit but old Christopher Columbus was still standing guard. On our walk back we explored some of the side streets and came across the other large cathedral in Barcelona, la Cathedra. On our way home we went on a churro quest that ended badly when we found they were closed. Back in the apartment we had celebratory Cuava, Spanish champagne, and Toblerone. What a great day.

Today we slept in to give Ron time to adjust to the time. When we were ready we headed to breakfast and had our first Spanish ham breakfast sandwich. It will not be our last. Ron went back to do some work and the rest of us went on the hop on and hop off for a tour of the city. It was great fun hearing the history and just soaking in the beauty of this gorgeous city. We decided to get off at the National Museum of art for the view, the building, and the gardens. After spending some time wandering at the top we went down and enjoyed the view looking back up. We rejoined our bus tour and our next stop was at Catalonia square where we stopped in a café for paella and sangria.

After a restful and delicious lunch we headed back out on the blue line. Ron joined us and our first jump off point was the area of Tibidabo and the funicular to the top of the mountain. From the bus stop it was quite a hike to the station and we were hot and tired when we arrived. With tickets in hand we made our way on to the car and started up the mountain. The cars are old and dirty but when we arrived at the top it was a wonderland. We only had a little time because of our timed tickets to Sagrada Familia but we enjoyed the beauty of the view both at the top and of the city. Although we were told we had fifteen minutes before the car left, when we got back it was gone. This put a kink in our schedule. We took the next car, the caught a bus down the hill, and the we got a taxi to the cathedral. We were late but they let us right in. The Sagrada Familia is a work in progress but it is still magnificent. We spent the rest of the afternoon just enjoying it. We walked back to the apartment and freshened up before making the mistake of walking to the restaurant for dinner. Our friend Kathleen recommended this restaurant, Los Caracoles, and again we arrived late. No problem and we were seated. The food was good, not great, service slow and they got our order wrong. We had a great time talking and the evening ended with churros, how bad can it be!

Today we were up very early, grabbed breakfast to go, and took a taxi to our tour meeting point. We met our group and boarded a small bus. Our guide was Lorea and she spoke English with an easy to understand accent. We traveled out of Barcelona and out into the countryside traveling on good roads. We had our first look at he majestic Montsserat Mountain which are believed to have been Gaudi’s inspiration for the towers of the Sagrada Familia. Our first stop was the sleepy village of Baga Spain. Here we had a walking tour of the midevil village and had time for a little exploring and then it was on to France.

Up early and after grabbing breakfast to go we headed to the train station for our train to Madrid at 8. We found our platform and the train was already there. We located our car and stored our luggage before settling for the 3 hour ride. We were in first class and the train pulled out of the station as the clock struck 8. The ride was smooth and the scenery changed from city to green-lands to drier-lookin terrain. As we pulled into the train station we were amazed at how quickly the trip had gone. We got a taxi to our Airbnb and Miriam was waiting for us. We had 20 minutes before the cleaning crew was finished so we walked to the Plaza Mayore and had lunch of arepahs. We then headed back to get our orientation tour and store our bags. The apartment was huge and very lovely with all the amenities. As soon as the bags were taken care of we went out into the city. We spent the afternoon admiring the wonderful artwork at the Prado.

When our spirits were lagging and our feet exhausted we started back for a siesta. We didn’t get far before we decided to stop for wine or gin and tonics. The service was great and it was a lovely way to relax. We happily walked back for our down time and when we headed out again we were in a much better frame of mind. We took a taxi across town to the Teleferico, the cable car to Casa de Campo. This gave us a wonderful view of the city and when we got out it was a wonderful area to explore. The terrain was very sandy and almost all the bushes or plants had some kind of needle or sticker. We walked and watched the large population of rabbits play. When it was nearing the last cars back, we joined a very slow moving line; seems everyone waited to the last minute. Back on the other side we took a taxi to a wonderful Moroccan restaurant. We had such great food and fun talking that it was bedtime when we finished. We walked back to the apartment and it was goodnight for us.

Today we slept in a bit and had breakfast before going to the plaza and signing up for the free city tour. Our stops included churches, the San Miguel market, and a lot of statues. He also pointed out the brass plaques that adorn the sidewalks out side stores that have been open more than 100 years. Our guide was very entertaining and told us stories relating to the history. It was a bloody history with different religions, kings, queens, and conquerors. We finished our tour at the Royal Palace where we decided to explore a little bit more. We made more photos than we needed and then headed back to the market for lunch. Hugh had a fried calamari sandwich and Cervantes and I had buratta with tomato jam and balsamic and blanco sangria. After lunch we were weary and went back for a siesta.

After we awoke we headed out to the Church of Corpus Christi where we had a unique experience. This church has a group of cloistered nuns who have no interaction with the outside world. To raise money for the monastery they bake and sale cookies. You find a hidden door and follow the hallway until you see an antique lazy Susan. You tell them what you want and they turn the table and you put your money on it. The cookies and your change come around the next turn. Then you leave. It is very interesting and the cookies are great. With cookies in hand we made our way back to the park near the Prada where we visited the cathedral where the latest queen was married, saw the obelisk honoring the soldiers lost in the wars, and then to the arches, Porta de Alcala, celebrating independence. At the end of this jaunt we were tired and hungry and decided to explore the market further for our dinner. Sated and sleepy we made our way back to the apartment. We made a pledge to get to bed earlier but we will have to see how that holds up. So much to see and so little time!

Today begins another part of our adventure... the driving portion. Hugh is excited and a little apprehensive as this is our first driving in Europe. After breakfast of churros, chocolate, and cappuccinos, (sounds decadent but it is the standard fare in Madrid) we headed to the train station to pick up our car. We arrived with enthusiasm but by the time we found the rental car station and waited in line we were frustrated. The van we got was an Opel and has all the latest safety features. We stowed our luggage and headed off. It took all of us navigating to get out of the city but soon we were on the open road to Toledo. It was less than an hour and the directions took us right to the free parking lot. As we drove into town we were filled with wonder at all the ancient ruins we could see with out even leaving the car. The hilltops were filled with cathedrals, fortifications, and beautiful arches. We parked and walked to the escalator to the historic center. We walked along narrow streets until we came to the Cathedral de Toledo. We purchased our tickets and walked in. We were overcome by the grandeur of this place. Construction started in 1227 and lasted almost 3 centuries. This is perhaps the premier cathedral in Spain and also the world. Pictures and words cannot adequately describe the magnificence and scale of this church and surrounding cloister. We spent some time in prayer and then just wandered around staring. When we left the cathedral our plan was to go to the Alcazar but we took a wrong turn. We left Ron at a café for a conference call and continued on. We saw instead the Puerto del Sol or the northern city gate built in the 14 century, Puerta de Bisagra the city gate built by the Moors in the 900’s, and the Plaza de Zocodover which is a meeting place of the people. We then made another trek and found the Alcazar which was closed on Mondays. We then went to a café and had a great lunch and Ron joined us at the end. We walked back through a park with an incredible view of the river and the Roman bridges that cross it. From there it was a short walk to the van. From here it was off to Granada. The drive was easy and we had ample opportunity to enjoy the pre Sierra Nevadas and then the Sierra Nevadas. The crop of choice here is olives and there are miles and miles of groves from street level up the mountainside. We also saw vineyards interspersed among the groves and several large wineries. When we arrived in the city we had difficulty finding our hotel because one of the gorgeous flower baskets on the light poles was obstructing our view. I checked in while the crew found the parking garage and brought in the bags. Once we were ensconced in our lovely digs, NH Collection Victoria, 3 of us headed to dinner. Ron had conference calls for work. We had tapas and sangria but the food was a little greasy. We then made it back for a good nights rest.

Woke up with great expectations as we as we had 8 am tickets to the Alhambra. We took a taxi up the mountain and arrived just in time to check in and get our listening devices. Our guide was excellent but it is always hard when you have a mixed tour of Spanish and English. The Alhambra is 3 things in one, a fortress, a city, and a residence. The fortress is only a small portion although the walls are extremely thick and high. From here we had incredible views of the city. We were able to visit all the different areas and my favorite was the summer palace, the Generlife, and all the fountains and gardens. The fortress was built in 889 and was renovated in 1333 by the Sultan of Grenada. After the Christian conquest it became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella. Christopher Columbus was commissioned here. There were long periods of neglect before it was restored and became a world heritage site. After our tour ended we choose to walk around the gardens before heading down the mountain toward town center. We stopped for lunch and share calamari and shrimp. This was our guide's recommendation and it ways fabulous. We then made our way to the cathedral. We were expecting just another church but this one was amazing. We spent a lot of time just walking around in awe of the beauty. Ron left us to go back to the hotel to work and the 3 of us made our way slowly back for a siesta.

After a good rest Lori, Hugh, and I met to do a walk through old town. We started our tour at the Coral de Carbon, a 14 century inn and warehouse complex. From there we started up the steep streets and came upon the El Banuelo, the preserved remains of 11 century Arabian baths. We bought our ticket and explored before heading out on a quest to find the other two attractions that our ticket allowed us to see. After walking straight up it seemed we came to the Palacio de Dar al-Horra, an intimate 1400’s residence of a Nasrid queen, with typical Spanish-Islamic architecture. From there we continued our climb to the Dobla de Oro, a two story house from the 1100's that houses some historical measurement devices and astronomical tools. After our tour we headed further up the mountain to the St Nicholas Church and the large square there. On our way we stopped at a gallery for an artist named Max Leon Moreau, a Belgium painter that had lived there and his house is now a museum. We looked at his work and toured the house and best of all enjoyed a wonderful view of the Alhambra. It was close to sunset when we arrived at the square and a large crowd had gathered. We made some pictures and decided to go on back to town. As we walked out we saw a great little bar and restaurant with a fabulous view. We stopped for wine and some cards while enjoying the changing colors on the Alhambra. The changing red colors reminded us of watching the sunset in Uluru (Ayers Rock), Australia. It was past dinner time and we got a taxi back to meet Ron. We went to a great Italian restaurant for dinner and then strolled back for a good nights sleep!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUGH
Up early and had breakfast. By 8 we were one our way to Malaga. The scenery in Andalusia was amazing and after an hour or so the Mediterranean Sea came into view. We took the next exit We walked on beach and mountainside boardwalk. After checking out the parking and the temperature we decided to skip castle and head to Gibraltar. We were driving along admiring the view when a huge rock appeared before us. I am not sure any of us had an idea of the magnitude. We decided to park in Spain and walk across the border and neither of the two border controls paid any attention to us going in.

We decided to take bus tour because of heat and time. This mountain goes straight up and even if you take the cable cars your are not near the top and the attractions are a good distance away. Our first stop was for a great view of Morocco on the African coast. We were lucky we had a great view as it can be cloud covered. Our next stop was St Michaels Cave which was to be a hospital in WWII but was never needed. It is used as a concert today because of excellent acoustics. We drove up, and I do mean up, the road and made a stop to see the macaques, a type of monkey that inhabits the country. They were very friendly, jumping on peoples heads and opening backpacks. Some people enjoyed this but several of the children were frightened and ran away. The view of the main city and port area was phenomenal from this height. We made it as high as people are allowed to go, the rest is fenced military area. We then turned back and made a stop at the Siege Tunnels. These tunnels were built to protect Gibraltar from the Spanish but extensively extended for many miles during WWII. Another great view from here. It was soon time to head back into town. We finished the tour and had lunch, fish and chips, in a British pub before walking across the active runway of the airport to get to the border. They stop pedestrian traffic when a plane lands. After clearing the border we retrieved our car and headed to Seville. We drove past miles and miles of sunflower fields which had replaced the olive trees we had been seeing. Our hotel was well situated on a main square near the Alcazar and the Cathedral. Once we were in our room we did some laundry before showering and heading out for Hugh's birthday dinner. Trey called as we were walking to the restaurant and that made the day perfect. We had great tapas in a restaurant with bull heads on the wall and dark paneling... very Spanish! The food was great and we enjoyed a stroll back in the cool air. What a wonderful day. Great hotel! Showered and did laundry before heading out for tapas. Goodnight.

This morning we all overslept. It was almost nine when we met for breakfast. After a good meal three of us headed out to explore. Ron stayed at the hotel and did some work. We were too late for the morning walking tour so we decided to head to the Plaza de Espana. I must say I knew little about this place but it was recommended to see. We walked past the Cathedral and on across the historic area to Mary Luisa Park. We walked past some lovely buildings on our way but did not know what they were exactly. When we passed through the gates of the plaza we were expecting a tiled square but what we saw was pure beauty. This half circle building was built for the Expo of 1927. It’s shape is supposed to represent a hug for South America. The water feature represents the Atlantic and the bridges form a link. The buildings are built of Spanish brick and tiles with 48 niches with benches representing the 48 provinces of Spain. We made many photos, watched a flamenco dancer, and admired all the tile work. We realized we needed to head to the Metropole for the 12:30 tour. We walked through narrow streets and the coolness of the morning faded into the extreme heat of the afternoon. At the tour meeting point we met our guide, Paola, and had time to get something to drink before we started. Paola was very animated and it was fun to hear her stories about the sites we were seeing. She was very honest and funny at times and always kept our attention. We started off talking about the massive structure where we met, the Metropole Parasol. It is made of wood and evidently cost 4 times what it was supposed to. The people call it the Mushroom and are not fond of it... too new and too modern. We continued to walk in the historic area under the Mushroom but it has a club and a bar so people will get used to it. Our next stop was the city hall which looks quite ornate until you realize it is unfinished. Decorating was stopped when they had a royal wedding and the money was used for it. Then in another time of prosperity a sculptur was hired to finish but Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly visited the city and he was so enamored he carved their likenesses on the façade instead of the historical ones. He was fired and then the building became a World Heritage site and now will never be finished. We were able to see the star's likeness still on the façade. Our next stop was the Cathedral Salvador, a former mosque, now a baroque Roman Catholic Church. Paola told us to buy tickets here because we can use them in the main cathedral and not stand in the queue. From here it was on to the city hall and then the main Cathedral of Seville. This church was also built over the top of a mosque and the only remaining part of the mosque is the bell tower up to the bell portion. There is a ramp system that allowed the muezzin to reach the top for the call to prayer. He road a horse each of the five times each day. Now visitors walk it for the view. We then made a stop at the main admin building of the university. We had to guess its former use but we failed. It was a tobacco factory, the only one in Europe. It employed 20,000 people, a lot of them women because their smaller hands rolled tighter cigars. Carmen, of opera fame, was a cigar roller in this factory. We then made our way to the Plaza de Espana for the second time. This time Ron joined us and we finished the tour and went back to Salvador and bought our tickets. After viewing the soaring nave there we made our way the the Cathedral of Seville and after viewing the cathedral we made the 35 ramp trek to the top. The views were phenomenal and we were up close to the bells. We then hurried to find our meeting point for our Alcazar tour. We grabbed some food and arrived just in time to get our headphones and start the tour. It was a hot day and by the time we made our way into the first of the 3 palaces Hugh was not feeling well. He hung in for a bit then went to the hotel. The Alcazar is a royal palace built for the Christian King Peter of Castile. It was built on the site of an Abbasid Muslim residential fortress destroyed after the Christian conquest of Seville. The first palace dates to the 10th century. This is a fine example of the combining architectural art of Muslim and Christian. When I finished the tour I left and Ron and Lori stayed to wander the gardens. After a siesta late in the afternoon we met for tapas. Ron had to go to meetings and the rest of us finished eating and then went to the roof terrace of our hotel for drinks and some time to type and play cards. It I was cool evening and this was so lovely. Ron joined us for an hour between meetings. It was a full moon and we got to watch it move past the bell tower of the cathedral. The it was off to bed.

Today we slept in and had a late breakfast. After getting our car from the valet we headed off to Merida. This Spanish town has the most Roman ruins in Spain. The drive took us past olive groves and vineyards until we reached this Roman city that was founded in the first century B.C. Our first was at the amphitheater. After exploring there we moved next door to the Roman theater that is still used today. It was constructed in the years 16-15 B.C. It was set up for a play today. We then moved to the Circus Maximus and while we were there we saw more Roman baths and the beautiful aqueduct. We made a stop at the Roman House of Mitreo where they are still excavating this large home. The mosaics were incredible. We also saw the Temple of Diana. Our next stop was lunch at a wonderful Italian restaurant near the Romano bridge. We had a little trouble finding the location but enjoyed it immensely. We then went to the Puente Romana, the Roman bridge over the Guadiana River. It is the worlds longest surviving bridge from ancient times and is now a pedestrian bridge. As we finished our walk on the bridge we saw the Alcazar nearby and decided to go there for the view of the bridge, but we also explored the cistern there also and read of the history.

It was time for us to drive to Evora, Portugal for the evening. Lori drove for us and the scenery was different as we saw more bare mountains and a drier terrain. We crossed the border into Portugal before making our way into Evora. We arrived at the Olive hotel hot and tired. The hotel had a pool and we decided to chill for the rest of the day and then showered and had a most fantastic dining experience in the hotel restaurant. Our server Joel was a wonderful source of information on the food and wines and gins. His suggestions were spot on and we dined for several hours and enjoyed each course. Ron had to take a business call but was back shortly and the night was a huge success.

This morning after breakfast we took a self guided walking tour of Evora. Our first stop was the Evora Cathedral which we all visited. Hugh made the trip into the Bone Chapel with its wall of bones and the museum that is there also. He sent us a text asking us to join him but did not have his cellular on... haha. From there we wandered the narrow streets to the Temple of Diana and the lovely view from the square. We walked to the military museum and then back down the hill to our hotel. We retrieved our car and Ron drove as we made our way to Comporta. This is a resort type village with one of the loveliest beaches in Portugal. We passed rice fields and cork tree groves as we made our way down the ever narrowing roads. Something to remember... Portugal has expensive tolls and the road are not that great.

We made our way to the beach area just past the Village of Comporta, and found a a parking spot on the road. The number of cars and vans was huge but when we made it down the boardwalk to the beach it was so long it was not crowded. We changed into swimsuits and found our hangout spot. Hugh and I settled in and Ron and Lori debated going for a swim. They finally took the plunge even though this is the Atlantic and rather COLD! They swam for a while and then lay in the sun to recover. Empty tummies put an end to the beach time and we changed and drove into the hip little village for lunch. We went to a recommended family restaurant and had our first Portuguese meal. We had fried cuttlefish and pasta with crab. The fish was as fried but the pasta and crab came in a huge pot with a delicious broth, tiny pasta, and pieces of crab, mussels, shrimp, and razor clams. It was a job to eat but tasted very good. After lunch we were back on the road for the hour drive to Lisbon. Ron navigated well and parked across the street from the hotel... we left the car there instead of the garage... free! After getting to our rooms and doing some laundry we explored the city all the way to the river front. We had dinner in a hidden Indian restaurant that was amazing. Then it was a hike back to the hotel and a good nights sleep. Sometimes I am amazed at how much we do in a day!

Today we decided to take it essay on our bodies and take the hop on hop off. We had a later breakfast and then walked to the beginning of the routes. We stayed on and viewed the sites until we reached the castle/fortress. We got off the bus and made pictures at the overlook before climbing the hill to the entrance. The line was very long and we decided we had seen enough forts and castles so we hiked down and rejoined our tour. We stayed until the end of the green route and then boarded the red route until it came to the market. We got off and had lunch at the market. Hugh and I settled on large scoops of ice cream while Ron and Lori had the Portugal cod. Ron decided to go back to the hotel and work while the rest of us finished out the 1.5 hour tour. We saw the monastery and the Belem tower as well as the bridge that was designed by the same man who did the Golden Gate Bridge. We also got a closer look at their Christ the Redeemer statue. We also went by the zoo and botanical gardens. We were hot and tired at the end and went to the hotel for a siesta. We showered and met for dinner. Ron found us a fabulous seafood restaurant that was a good 30 minute walk away. It was in a part of the city we had not visited and it was so popular with locals we had an hour wait... it was well worth it. The restaurant was called Cervejaria Ramiro and it was just seafood. We ordered a bottle of wine, garlic shrimp, clams in garlic sauce, and grilled prawns. The service was fast and the food was so delicious. They had fab bread to dip in the butter. We ate, laughed, had a second bottle of wine, and had the best time. It was after midnight when we finished and we took a taxi home. It was off to bed with big smiles.

Today we had to get up early so we could be packed and in the car by 8. We had to vacate our wonderful free parking space. We headed out with Lori driving and we enjoyed the scenery. Our first stop was to be Cumbria but after driving around in the busy city we decided to go with plan B and head on to Porto. Hugh drove and it was an easy trip except that gasoline and tolls are very expensive in Portugal! When we arrived I check us into the Hotel de Musica while the others parked the car. The room was not ready so we headed out to get lunch and then explore the city. The city is one high hill after the other and we made our way along the narrow streets. We stopped to make photos and check out a cathedral... there is always a cathedral! We also stopped in a store that was in a very old building with beautiful woodwork. We spent awhile here exploring each of the floors. We also went to the famous bookstore here but the line to get in was so long we just peeped inside and kept walking to the main cathedral on the hill. We explored the square and enjoyed the views before making our way inside. This city is a photographers dream, a wonderful site around every corner; sometimes just the wash hanging from the balcony of a house covered in Portuguese tile.

From the square we made our way up to the top of the hill and walked over the upper span of the bridge over the Douro River. We stopped often to admire and photograph the scenery. On the other side we decided to take the cable cars down to the wineries at the rivers edge. This wait for the car was not long and the ride was short but it accomplished getting us to the bottom and saving our tired legs. This area is the number one port wine producing areas and we received a free tasting at a near by winery. We found the tasting room and they just handed us a glass. It was ok but I have never had port before so what do I know. We made the decision to try the two top ones so we started with Croft. After an up hill climb we made it to Crofts. We purchased our tickets and I order a blanco port... who knew. When we were served they gave us a nice talk on what we were drinking and as we tasted I realized very quickly that the white port taste like cough syrup to me. Hugh liked it and I found I liked the Ruby. From here we headed to Graham’s and repeated the process minus the white port. We purchased a bottle of the ruby at Crofts and that was our only purchase of the day. We decided to walk back over the lower span of the bridge and a crowd was gathered to watch a guy jump off the bridge. We decided we would be more impressed if he was on the upper span. Across the river we got a taxi and arrived back at the hotel in time for dinner. We decided to eat in the market around the hotel and everyone choose their favorites. Lori and Ron went up to shower and chill and Hugh and I walked through a mall that was close by before heading to our room.

Up early and off to Salamanca. Drove road N222 thru vineyards for 17 miles. This road was selected worlds best driving road in 2015 with 93 turns in the 17 miles. Beautiful scenery but slow driving for Ron. Stopped in a small town at the end of the drive for lunch. This was our first experience with someone who spoke no English and the order came with twice as much food as we wanted! Live and learn. The scenery continued to be breathtaking for many more miles before it changed to flatter terrain.

Ron had a conference call at 5 and we had hoped to make it to Spain by then but we only made it to Garda, Portugal. We stopped and Ron sat in the car and the 3 of us explored the cathedral and the rooftop terrace. This was an unexpected treat and we had the opportunity to see a great overview of the city. Then on to Salamanca. I drove and was so surprised when we arrived at the hotel. It was a Lovely old hotel right in the historic city with views out of a magazine. Enjoyed the view from our balcony before heading out to dinner. We ate tapas and then sat on the terrace and drank our ruby port and played cards. It was late when we headed to our rooms after another great day.

Up a little later this morning. Today we head back to Madrid but we took time to explore this old city before we hit the road. We then drove into Avila which was not too many miles away. We explored the ancient city wall from the 12th century. Best preserved in the world of this type. We had great views and a wonderful commentary. Hugh was very excited to next visit the walled city of Avila. These are the best-preserved walls in Europe and you can walk on top of a large portion with recorded tour to follow at your own pace. Then it was on to Segovia. Here we explored the cathedral and ate lunch in Plaza Majore before we walked to the Alcazar. This is another city that was up and down high hills. It was extremely hot by the time we made it to the car to go see the huge ancient aqueduct.

The drive was easy back to Madrid but when we arrived We had a horrid time trying to find the rental car return at Atocha station. Ron saved the day. Sometimes it takes a village to navigate. We then went to retrieve our stored bag and Hugh had lost our ticket to retrieve our bag from Left Luggage so this took much longer than expected. Once that problem was solved we went on another trek to the taxi stand. The taxis were on strike, another issue to deal with! It was Uber to the rescue and we arrived at the Hilton hot and cranky. The lovely gentleman checking us in saw our plight and upgraded us to executive rooms with executive club privileges. We had drinks and tapas and sat and talked until they closed before we move to the lounge area on the floor. We played Kings on the Corner until it was too dark to see and then talked until we were falling asleep. What a lovely end to the trip!

This trip was amazing. We learned some great lessons; you don’t need a lot of clothes, smaller suitcases are better, we can drive in foreign countries, we need to brush up on some foreign languages, we are still adventurous and can keep up with the young folks, and 2.5 months of being together constantly is wonderful and we will do it again. /susan