Whenever I see the words “special access,” I get really excited. The promise of minimal crowds, a small group and a peek into a world beyond the typical tour is almost always worth the price of admission. Sometimes billed as skip the lines, early access, late admission or even secret access, these tours offer the … Read More
“I see skies of blue and clouds of white, The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night. And I think to myself What a wonderful world.” ~Louis Armstrong, What A Wonderful World I took my first cruise in the summer of 1994. It was a short, three-night affair on the Viking Serenade, a long-ago ship … Read More
“I was looking up. It was the nearest thing to heaven.” ~Deborah Kerr, An Affair to Remember Like the character from that classic film, I wasn’t looking where I was going. I was too engrossed in the way the sun was splashing across the beautiful old limestone buildings, with their green shutters and wrought iron balconies … Read More
Our cruise on the Crystal Symphony from Hong Kong to Beijing was packed with famous and fascinating places – a trip of a lifetime, as people often say. The final stop before disembarking in Beijing, however, was a bit of a mystery. Dalian, China – a financial center and seaport in northeastern Liaoning Province and … Read More
“Mrs. Peacock did it in the Conservatory with the Candlestick?” Well, not quite… I first heard of “escape rooms” while doing research on Bilbao, Spain, for an upcoming trip. The premise sounded intriguing: You are locked in a movie set-like room and must solve a mystery using puzzles and clues hidden in the room in … Read More
You could almost hear the collective echo of disappointment throughout the ship when our captain announced that the Tyrrhenian Sea was too rough to anchor in Sorrento. Instead, we would be docking in Naples, about 14 nautical miles north, with some excursions cancelled and others continuing as planned. I, however, couldn’t believe our good fortune. … Read More
Souvenir: from the French, “to remember.” Their memories dance across our Christmas tree, sparkling in the glow of the white lights. Like voices from Christmases Past, they stare out from the branches as if to say, “You remember when you found me, don’t you? It was at that…” I quickly cut them off, because of course … Read More
This is not a political post. It is a story of carpe diem, of saying “yes” when it would be much easier to say, “next time.” Some background: I’ve always been a big fan of Jimmy Carter. Ever since he campaigned in Des Moines when I was living there, I found him fascinating and inspirational…his … Read More
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” ~J.M. Barrie, The Adventures of Peter Pan Finding a special café for taking a break between sightseeing outings is a great way to discover some local flavor while getting ready for the next stop. Sometimes it’s a place that I simply … Read More
“Everything had changed suddenly-the tone, the moral climate; you didn’t know what to think, whom to listen to. As if all your life you had been led by the hand like a small child and suddenly you were on your own, you had to learn to walk by yourself.” ~Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago All of … Read More