Notes on our past and future travel  - I hope you will enjoy my day-to-day commentary on our travel, with accompanying images. When at home, I may occasionally post philosophical musings or thoughts on travel in general. Stay tuned!

Two years ago, late October 2019, we were planning for our next long trip, a transatlantic cruise to Europe which would have happened in mid-April, 2020. Of course, that didn't happen. And of course, since then all of our planned 2020 and 2021 travel has been deferred or cancelled. We did add in a recent trip to Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Now, November 2021, we are looking ahead to a full travel schedule for 2022 and beyond! 

Meanwhile, I have been considering a transition from my WordPress travel blog to this platform. WordPress does not support extensive photo storage. Rather than sharing photos on WordPress, a blogging platform, I will try blogging on this photo-sharing platform. For now I will look back at some of our our travels in 2018-2019, using exported elements from my WordPress site as a starting point. My new travel blogging approach will get a full workout in late January 2022...



Our Fall 2019 trip began with a flight to Amsterdam, then after a few days we boarded the Celebrity Reflection. Twelve days down around the Iberian peninsula to Barcelona, then another 12 days around the Western Mediterranean. Onward by train from Barcelona to Paris for a few days, then onward by train to England for a long weekend before flying home.

Route 9-06-2019.png Route 9-18-2019.png



 

Blog test…

November 13, 2021  •  Leave a Comment

Indiana Farm - 1969Indiana Farm - 1969


South America – 2019 trip preview

February 12, 2019  •  Leave a Comment

In two weeks we will be headed off on our next long trip: Paraguay, then Iguazu Falls, on to Buenos Aires, then aboard the Celebrity Eclipse around Cape Horn and up the western coasts of South and Central America to San Diego California. I will have my cameras along! And some new tools for handling/editing images along the way. Stay tuned…


Ending of our Nov-Dec 2018 Travels: Day 40 – Rainy day in BA

December 11, 2018  •  Leave a Comment

Our last day for now in this complex city. Beautiful buildings, nice people, crumbling sidewalks, dog droppings an ever present hazard. Low prices, good food and beer and wine. Too many people living on the streets. Heavy traffic, horns honking and sirens blaring. This is one of those places where people stand in line at ATM’s or bus stops; no bunching or shoving or cutting-in… We enjoy BA and look forward to our next visit.

Rain and thunderstorms limited our activity today. Took a cab to what has been called “the second most beautiful bookstore in the world.” El Ateneo, an old elegant theatre repurposed as a bookstore and cafe. We had an early leisurely lunch, then took advantage of a lull in the rain to walk back towards the hotel. Our arranged ride will be here soon to take us to the airport for our overnight flight home. Sad to have the trip ending, but looking forward to being home!

 

 


 

 


Day 39 – Buenos Aires

December 11, 2018  •  Leave a Comment

A beautiful sunny day in BA! We walked to the nearest Post Office to mail some things home [helps keep the weight of the suitcases under control] and then walked to Cafe Tortoni, a famous coffee house, 160 years old. Then walked the length of Florida street (pedestrian-only shopping street), then walked back to our hotel in late afternoon. About eight miles altogether. Little shopping, mostly looking… Early evening we took a cab to La Cabana restaurant in the Puerto Maduro district to join some new friends for a great dinner. Then the four of us went on to a “speakeasy”. Too noisy, loud music, crowded. A quick retreat to a quiet neighboring cafe and we finished a good day with more conversation and good wine.

20181210-K1A_426820181210-K1A_4268 20181210-K1A_425320181210-K1A_4253 20181210-K1A_424820181210-K1A_4248 Port in BAPort in BA


Day 38 – Nearing the end…

December 08, 2018  •  Leave a Comment

… the end of this adventure. Arrived Buenos Aires, at breakfast waiting our turn to disembark. Anticipate a few quiet days in BA and then back home. It has been a good trip, and we have met several new friends.

Once we finally got off the ship and to our hotel, we wandered to and through the miles-long Sunday San Telmo street market. Bought a few gifts for people back home…


Day 35 – Santos

December 06, 2018  •  Leave a Comment

We spent a fairly quiet day in this unremarkable industrial port city. Our more ambitious fellow cruisers opted for a long drive to the Sao Paulo, but it seemed that the value of big-city venues were out weighed by the travel time and distance. So instead we took a long shuttle ride to an over-the-top modern shopping center in the Santos downtown. Meg bought shoes. Then a walk to and along the beach, a pause for refreshments, and back to the shuttle for the ride back to the ship. (Notice Santa climbing the side of the apartment building…)


Day 34 – Rio de Janeiro

December 06, 2018  •  Leave a Comment

An early morning sail-in to this beautiful city. After a slow chaotic departure from the ship, my group of eight met our delightful tour guide Leis. Another one of the exceptional tour guides we have booked through Tours By Local. We went to the top of Sugar Loaf, then the Corcovado for a closeup of Christ the Redeemer. Onward for some photo stops of famous beaches, a brief visit to the modern Cathedral, then back aboard. The morning’s chaos and delays led to a delayed departure, giving us great views of the city on the sail away!


Day 30: At Sea

December 01, 2018  •  Leave a Comment

Crossed the Equator today! Beautiful Frigate birds, crowds of people at the Crossing ceremony, a good view of the line as we went over, and a shot of one of the bar staff…


Day26 – La Palma, Gran Cararia

December 01, 2018  •  Leave a Comment

Adding this a few days later after many many sea days. It is all a blur…

in Las Palmas we did a bit of walk around the shopping area, found a nice pair of shoes not in stock in my size. Oh well. On to Old Town, a nice lunch, a little time in the house where Columbus stayed when passing through. Las Palmas seems a nice place, but quite large. There are quite a few ex pats from UK and Europe who spend winters here.


[Update - In September 2021 a major volcanic eruption occurred causing much destruction of property and the eventual evacuation of 7,000 residents and tourists. As I post this up date two months later, the lava flows continue... Photo below copied from an AP source] 


Day 25 – Lanzarote, Canary Islands

November 26, 2018  •  Leave a Comment

After an uneventful sea day, we arrived midday in Lanzarote. I am still not sure of the local region, this grouping of islands. We have stopped in The Canaries before, but it seems that where we were before is not where we were today, nor is it where we will be tomorrow. A small flock of Canaries… So we joined a few others for an excursion to the north side of the island. Basically a drive-by of a lot of interesting volcanic and sea-side-village scenes, with stops at a couple of points in a large lava tube, and then a cactus-garden stop. This could be an interesting vacation destination. Selected images attached…

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