South America

I've been on many cruises in my life. 30+ so I've sort of been conditioned to consider each cruise to be a continuation of the last experience and program myself for 7-10 days of “more of the same”.  This trip was way beyond the “norm” and I don’t mean wonderful.  Everyday brought something new and bit of a hassle to deal with. My first trip South of the Equator began with a flight from Houston via DFW to Santiago Chile.  I traveled with my friends Sandra and John Lopez who I have shared many adventures in the past.  
We arrived earlier in the morning of New Years Eve.  The New Years Celebration is taken very seriously in the Latin culture, so to no surprise.  Everything was closed.  I mean banks, restaurants,

stores. So I was unable to withdraw any local currency. It didn’t matter because there was no place to spend it. The weather was nice so we spent 2 days walking around looking at closed, shuttered storefronts. We did manage to find the most important square in town and there were a few street food vendors open, but the stuff didn’t look appetizing. We walked to a wine store and bought some very nice Chilean Reds for our cruise and we spent a couple hours at the Zoo which is situated along and up the side of one of the mini mountains in town. Fortunately the hotel was nice comfortable and had food, a bar and good wifi.

The third morning we were picked up at our arraigned hour and driven directly to the port which is an hour and a half away.  We traveled through miles after miles of vineyards and wineries.
We had plans to spend the day in the port town of Valparaiso after dropping our bags.  Didn’t happen that way.  The port and the Terminal were hard to navigate and dysfunctional, we gave in and just spent time in lines waiting to board which we eventually did after several hours.  This was just the beginning of series of events which led me the opinion that this cruise line wasn’t ready for prime time. 

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Northern Spain w/Insight Travel

Day 1 We joined up at a Hotel near the American embassy.  Dinner the first night was at a solarium type restaurant near the botanical gardens.  

Day 2The next morning an excursion to Segovia a UNESCO world heritage city home of an amazing Roman Aqueduct that supplied a palace from ancient times.  

Day 3 Traveling  to  Santiago de Compostela which is reportedly the third most import city in the Christian religion ; Know as the “Way of St.James.

We stoped for a wine tasting and learned about the regions production.

Day 4. A escorted walk through the gardens and old city with emphasis on the “camino” traveled by those completing the pilgrimage. It was raining all morning and I was soaked.

Day 5. Left the hotel for Oviedo. Stoped for a coffee and then proceeded to a “point” overlooking the Atlantic for photos at Oviñana.  We had a lunch at a private residence consisting of classic fare of the Asturias region; fava bean stew and Beef.  Onward to Oviedo and a walking tour of the city before checking into out hotel.  It was raining there so a quick walk to a Patisserie afforded a small bite and then bed.

Day 6. The highways throughout this trip are beautiful.  The autovias are control access multilane  and we’ll manicured.  There are bridges that are hundreds of meters above the valleys.  And everything is well maintained and paved. The drive thru these mountain valleys is spectacular.  

Covadonga is our first stop.  It is a stop for the “pilgrims” making their “way” across northern Spain.  There is a chapel inside a cave. These is an old stone bridge in a local town. Hotel at the Real in Santander.  Its on a hill overlooking the bay and port.  It was a beautiful accommodation.  I had drinks on The patio.  I never  left the hotel.

Day 7. First stop was the Guggenheim in Bilbao.  The structure was more interesting than the exhibit.  The museum is world famous because of the architect Frank Gehry.  This modern titanium building was built on an industrial site on the middle of this unknown town.  The museum opened in 1997 and has completely change the economy of Bilbao. We stopped for lunch in a small port city of Getaria  where they grill freshly caught seafood.  I had Octopus(pulpo a la gallega) which is grilled and sautéed in olive oil and paprika.  Its a real Iberian delicacy.

Finally we arrive in San Sebastián where we will spend the next two nights.  After a really short check in and “confort” stop we load on the bus again with a local expert to see the town which is beautiful.  It is as developed and manicured as any place i have seen in Southern California.  There is a long horseshoe shaped beach  “La Concha” which we overlooked from a vantage point high above the city.  We went to the old city and walked for  an hour and half and then presented ourselves to pre arranged restaurant for a gourmet dinner.  This city is know as the culinary capital of Spain as more Michelin chefs got their training here.  This restaurant was ranked 5 stars and it was something. This city is also home to the wealthy Spaniards.  It was the most expensive place of my summer

Day 6 The official tour loaded and went to France to some resort for the day.  I slept in and walked to Playa La Concha.

Day 7. To Pamplona.  We walked the narrow street which hosts the run of the bulls and then a coffee at the Cafe Iruna, which may ring a bell for Hemingway fans.

 On to Barcelona. Hotel check-in and then a short walk to one of my favorite pintxos bar.

Day 8 Local guide took us through La Sagrada Familia .  

Day 9 Early call and off to the airport for my flight home. 

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BARCELONA AND MADRID

 This is my fifth visit to Barcelona since I started traveling to Europe seven years ago and it really hasn’t changed much although you wouldn’t expected a city that is 2000 years old to change but there are some notable differences that are worth mentioning; more on that in a minute.First the city was bustling, full of people of all ages. Many families with children and toddlers in strollers. Most of these I believe are European tourist. I say that because they’re all wearing American sports memorabilia but none of them look authentic; for instance the most common item seen is a New York Yankees ball cap but it was never in the correct colors.  It is amazing that people all over the world in particular Europe are fascinated with American sports and not European football. The other observation I see is the love of American Hamburgers.  It appears that the younger generation is tired of Ham and upscale hamburger restaurants are everywhere. Not only are  Micky D and Burger King prevalent but now 5 Guys are common. Now here is the not so rosey  observation.  Most storefronts and restaurants are closed. Apparently closed since Covid and haven't reopened. This does not bode well for the European or world economy.

The train from BCN to MAD was packed. Not a seat free in first class.  Tourist are on the move.

Madrid was similar to BCN in storefront closers although the August effect would be more obvious in MAD.

I visited the Royal Palace on my own and did a nice wine tasting.  

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Cruising the Mediterranean

 

Cruising the Mediterranean.  A few words about my cruise.  I’ve been  ~35 cruises in my last 15 years.  This cruise is amongst the top 3.  The ship was the RCL Vision of the Sea.  Not a new mega ship but a craft that was christened in 1998, rather old by today's standards.  However it just spent 3-4 month being updated and returned to service in February.  It was beautiful and spacious and the staff were fantastic.  Usually I can think of one crew member that deserves special mention as I respond to the post-departure survey.  Today I have made a list of 5 various crew members  who will receive my accolades.

We left Barcelona and have called on the following ports:  Villefranche(Nice-Cannes), Toulon(Aix-Provence ), Ajaccio Corsica, Portofino Italy, Civitavecchia (Rome), Palermo Sicily and finally departing in Barcelona 8 days later.  I was off the ship at every stop.  Taking formal excursions to Cannes and Aix-Provence as they were new to me.   I like Nice , Cannes was hot and crowed and basically a shopping center.  Same thoughts of Aix-Provence.  I would probably not return to any of these areas.   Nice could have some possibilities, but not in the summer.  Actually the season for the coast of France is the winter, not the summer.  Corsica is an interesting island in the Med off the coast of France.  It might have further possibilities.  My favorite was Portofino.  A beautiful inlet on the upper coast of Italy.  A small harbor where we had to anchor about a mile offshore and tender.  We walked along the mountain road which hugged the mountain for 5 km to Santa Margarita, a neighbor and larger port.  The walk along the mountain cliffs with the ocean below was breathtaking.  It was quite hot in the middle of the day but we made it in an hour and a half.   Had a snack in Santa Margarita and took the ferry back to Portofino.

Got off the ship in Civitavecchia and had lunch.  Did not go to Rome as it is a hour’s train ride in each direction and quite frankly after 3-4 visits there over my lifetime I don't find Rome appealing.  Its basically a large, unkept chaotic city.  Some interesting ruins to see once in you lifetime.  Essentially been there, done that!  Finally the last port of call is Palermo Italy.  I was looking forward to visiting the sites where the Godfather III was filmed and possibly the gravesite of Lucky Luciano who was deported there after the second world war, but learned that Luciano was buried in the Bronx.

Cruising the Med is much different than the Caribbean.  The water has a bluer hue and is calm.  The land is usually mountainous and seems to come right out of the water.  Most areas are not as lush as the Caribbean but that adds to the visual spectacle.  If you like the life on a cruise ship, you must invest the time and fly to the Mediterranean for a week or two on one of the many boats that make their summer there.

I've spent the last 3 weeks with my good friends and long time travel companions Sandra and John Lopez.  They are departing Europe and flying home upon embarkation as they have been away for 2 months.  I have another 3 weeks in country and will keep you updated later

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Andalusia Northward toward Barcelona

 

Leaving Mojac and keeping along the coast, we entered Murcia Provence.  The scenery changed from agriculture to tourista.  The tarp covered fields gave way to progressively well developed residential buildings. We overnighted in Cartagena which is a major cruise line stop but I found it disappointing. Next stop was Alicante.  We had a great dinner of paella at a cafe next to a park. Cartagena and Alicante both were historically old cities with Moorish influence.  They eventually became part of the Spanish culture. Up the coast through Benidorm, and Benissa.  This area looks as if the area was developed in the last 40-50 years to support the tourist trade from the north; England, Sweden, and Norway apparently are the main points of origins for these new inhabitants.  We talked to many cafe owners who were English speaking and had moved to the area years ago.  The architecture was very modern and stylish.

As we progress toward Barcelona we stopped in Valencia where I visited in July 2017.  I don't remember it being this hot!!  Onward to Pensicola and and Calafell.  These are all small beach communities with a beach road and an inland super highway connecting. One could compare this area to the SE coast of Florida or the area south of LA county.  The area has changed from agriculture in the original part to turista.  We drove in the morning stopping for a lunch around 1 and arriving at our next stop about 4 PM.  A quick trip to the beach and then clean up for dinner.  It was very repetitive for  7-10 days.  I loved it.

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Andulusian Coast

 We left Granada and starting driving back to and along the coast northward.   Barcelona, our destination is  a total of  850 km.  That means at 100 km/hr; it's only a 8 1/2 hour drive.  Doable in 1 day or 2 if leisurely.  We are doing in 11 days.  We like to stop and "smell the roses".  There really are roses in this area but we are most interested in the roadside views.  Spain has a well maintained highway system.  The controlled access roads similar to our Interstate System are somewhat removed from the coast.  Speed limit is 120 km/hr.  We like the coastal roads.  They wind around the mountains and follow the coast.  Wonderful turnouts with view and several small coastal villages.  We stopped at them all.  For a Fanta or small snack and or just a quick dip in the Mediterranean.  Very reminiscent of the summer I spend with 3 of my friends in 1970 touring thru Europe in a rented Renault.  We also have a Renault.  How about that for a coincidence 52 yrs later. 

As far as one can see in this area are tarped covered greenhouses.  Agriculture is the main commerce in this area.  Apparently the technology is advanced and they are able to grow and export multiple crops with a minimal amount of fresh water.  This area is very arid and hot, so I imagine the only fresh water is the runoff of the coastal mountains.

About mid afternoon we stopped for lunch in a coastal development called Roquetas de Mar.  A 26 km stretch of beach which was developed in the 1960's...  Many Miami Beach looking hotels and beach promenade.  After a great afternoon and early evening we got up the next moring and drove until we happened upon another coastal overlook called Mojacar.  Its not well known in the States but very popular with the Brits.  We found a neat hotel across from the beach with a great deck and pool and ended up staying 2 nights

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GRANADA

Our second stop was inland; Granada is a city in southern Spain’s Andalusia region, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's known for grand examples of medieval architecture dating to the Moorish occupation, especially the Alhambra.  The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which was the palace of the Islamic Rulers of Spain from 711 until they were expelled by the Christian monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella of Christopher Columbus fame.  Following the expulsion of Jews; the Inquisition of 1492,  the people of Spain decided that the Moors as they were known also had to go.

During the 800 years of Moorish occupation, the Palace of Alhambra was built at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and enlarged through multiple generations of the Nasrid family.  The Alhambra occupies 26 acres and is the #3 most visited site in Spain.  We took a 3 hours guided tour.  The tour guide spoke for the whole 3 hours.  The gardens and finishes inside were like nothing I have ever seen.  There were people who traveled from far away to Spain just for this visit.

When were were finished, we returned to our hotel and did laundry.

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SPAIN

 I'LL NEVER FLY COACH AGAIN.... Ok you ask what's with Orkin and his testimonials about personal expenses.  Well after not traveling for a couple of years I had accumulated miles in most of my airline programs which I watching as they are being depreciated... So I wanted to use them up.  Now it was easy to get a coach ticket to Spain.  I assumed I could then upgrade with cash to a better position on the plane.  It has always worked for me in past years.  NOT any more.  I tried online and at the check in counter but could not secure a better seat on the flight to Malaga.  So I was on a aisle in a 747 with 3-4-3 and probably had the most fidgety person on the plane to my left.  I was actually drugged and comfortable but couldn't fall asleep because of the arm movements and kicking of my new neighbor.  Add a multi hour delay in Frankfurt and I arrived in Malaga 20 hours after I left home with probably only a hour or two of rest.  I was met at the airport by my good friends and traveling buddies, Sandra and John Lopez.  I asked them to make a vow that if I ever stated that I was flying internationally in Coach again, to just slap me to my senses

Malaga is a major metropolitan area on the Coastal del Sol. It's a major tourist destination in the summer.  An area just above the Strait of Gibraltar.  Lots of Brits, Canadians and others enjoying beaches and the night life.  We had a great 2 days indoctrinating back into the Spanish way of life; walking, sangria and red wine and lots of tapas. After a recharging ME, we piled into our rented Renault and set out for Granada.

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Summer 2022-ASHEVILLE

 Well it was supposed to be the trip to see one of the wonders of America--Yellowstone.  As luck would have it for this Noah and his crew....It rained and rained and washed out the roads in Yellowstone Park.  So our tour was cancelled 9 days before we were to leave and that started a scramble to find a place to go for 5 energetic people.   After 3 way conference calls between Houston and Baltimore, we settled on the Biltmore and Asheville, NC.

A brief history is in order at this point; the area south of Ashville, NC was settled by George Vanderbilt(grandson of Cornelius) in the late 19th century.  He bought a large estate which was to become the Biltmore Estate as a single man in his mid 20's and built this magnificent home.  He actually was married here and together built  a family and a major gathering spot for the wealthy of the era.  His descendants live. manage and work the property.

The city of Asheville has become somewhat of a mecca for the arts and foodies.  The most recent James Beard awards choose a Ashville Indian restaurant as its number 1 for the year.   I would describe Asheville as the Santa Fe of the east coast for my Texas friends.  

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