Bye Bye Norway

Bergen, Norway

I have spent a better part of the last six months looking forward to my solitary cruise, just like I have done the last three years. I pick a wonderful place in Europe to get on a cruise and then go to other wonderful places. This year I picked Norway. It was all set up. The airlines tickets were booked. The cruise was paid for. Then I happened to notice a major reduction in the fare for a Transatlantic from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona. The only problem was I would get back home and have to leave again eight days later. Not only would it be exhausting, it would be way too expensive.

Seven Sisters waterfall

So I did something totally unexpected. I began the process of canceling my Norway cruise, so I can travel with my husband and our 19 year old niece on a Transatlantic cruise. I am so psyched. Canceling and moving the money for the cruise was fairly painless. There was only a small amount of money that needs credited back to us. But the airlines tickets were not easy. Being that I booked in Mexico on American, it will take about 6 weeks for me to get the taxes back.

Old Bergen

So Norway, I will miss you this time. We must meet at a later date. More to follow on our upcoming Transatlantic cruise!

Santorini Revisted

Typical architecture of Santorini

My niece and I were in Santorini on a cruise from Rome to Rome, doing the Eastern Med itinerary. I had already heard it was Heavenly from a friend who worked on the cruise ships for ten years. It was her favorite place on earth, she told me, and it has also become mine. (I commented on this in an earlier post.) Digging out my photos, I realized that my niece, Sarah, had taken some great photos of Santorini, so here I am revisiting Santorini.

View from up top

 We took a great tour from the ship that went to Oia and a winery. We then did lunch on our own after that was amazing. The food is as awesome as the view. After lunch, my niece talked me in to going to the black sand beach - which was really more like a black rock beach. Boy did those rocks hurt the feet.

Black sand beach, or is it black rock beach?

 I can not put in to words how wonderful Santorini is. First of all, the people are so warm and friendly. I will never forget the marvelous conversation my niece and I had with the kid who worked on the tender taking us back to the ship. He told us his whole life story in the 20 minute ride. I thought people from Naples wore their heart on their sleeve, but this kid was just the same way. I could tell he was smitten with my niece, but he seemed to like speaking to me (the old lady) just as much. 

Cruise ships below

Donkeys from Fira

Great food, architecture made in Heaven and sea and mountain views that go on and on.  When we finished soaking up some rays, we were tired and decided to try our hand at a taxi going back. Haggling was necessary as we were low on euros and the taxi driver did not want to accept dollars. In the end, he took a combination of both but was not very happy about it. We jumped in a taxi with some strangers. We were all shoved in the back seat and my niece took a photo of us. Splendid!

Taxi ride, me in the hat on the right.

Christmas Memories: Then and Now

me and my brothers Christmas past

Driving in the car this morning, Moises shared his regrets for not making it out last night. He had a fever and was in bed by nine. But we went this morning and had a Christmas breakfast with his mom and sister and family. It was lovely. Daisy, my sister-in-law, lovingly prepared the turkey (pavo) and pork (pierna), both totally delicious. We bought the French bread to make sandwiches and grabbed some bags of chips at Bodega Aurrera. We ate a four course breakfast with family, and that is what Moises said too as we drove home, that Christmas is about family. Thinking about it, Christmas is about family and friends who have become like family.

Christmas at 18 months

So I would like to share my Christmas memories with you, my blog readers. In my mind, like snapshots, I think of Christmases past. I remember that my dad liked pork roast on Christmas, not the ham that my grandmother prepared. Christmas was crowded around the antique table for fourteen in my grandma’s little dining room, with the oversized chairs that came from Uncle Joe, my grandmother’s uncle. I remember Uncle Joe’s huge ears and the way his house smelled, like moth balls and faded memories. I remember how my grandma always invited strangers who had nowhere else to go, and my father didn’t like that either, grumbling about why he had to spend Christmas with somebody he didn’t know. Grandma invited them anyway, the widow from down the street, a distant cousin we barely knew. The scents of my grandma’s stuffing, her spaghetti with cheese and the turkey my aunt brought from her house. The cookies and the hugs and all the laughter. I also remember my parents in true Mad Men style, they drank cocktails while Uncle Rich chain smoked cigarettes. I miss those Christmases, but all those relatives are now gone to Heaven, never to be played out again. My mom, dad, grandparents, Uncles Rich and Ron, my mom’s sister Peg. I can hear you playing the piano and singing Christmas carols still, Aunt Peggy.

Left are my cousins and Uncle Bud in Ohio, my brother in Tampa, my nieces scattered in England and California, so far away for the holidays. Mom, I will never forget how you decorated the day after Thanksgiving, the hundreds of ornaments and figurines you had, the way you loved Christmas. I remember after Mike (my brother) died, Christmas was never the same. My dad cried every year, but you didn’t, Mommy. Even when the Huntington’s disease left you unable to walk or eat properly, you still loved Christmas … and your family. You never forgot me like your sister did when she got sick.

me on the left and cousin Denise on the right

So we missed the big celebration last night, but it is now Christmas Day. So filled with promises and hope, and I truly love the way my husband’s family, a true Yucatecan family, never holds grudges or resentments. We didn’t go last night, but we were welcomed this morning. And I realize something; this is my fourteenth Christmas in Cozumel. So now I have a whole new list of Christmas memories … our first Christmas here when our house was new and our dogs just arrived from the states, the year the rains came so strong we could barely drive down 30^th Avenue to get to Daisy’s house, the year my husband went to Merida for the holidays (2011), and I celebrated both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with good friends. But we swore we will never be apart again as long as we can be together, and Moises said that too, that he did spend Christmas with his family last night, me.

I remember every year on Cozumel Island as a year having a whole new family to love and care for. I do regret not being able to stop at a friend’s Open House last night or seeing the baby at her first Christmas,  but there will always be next year, and my continuing new Christmas memories of Cozumel.

Merry Christmas to all!

Lippizzaner Horses of Slovenia

Sascha Gottschalk

Six months ago when I went on the Adriatic and Italy cruise, I was determined to come back and post all my photos and memories while they were fresh. I did do a lot of posts when I first got back, but one post I really wanted to do was about the Lippizzaner horses of Slovenia. I had taken a beautiful photo of a little girl riding a model horse in the museum of the stud farm. But I wanted to post her name, as I told her father I would. The little piece of paper I had written her name on was lost for the last six months. 

Today, cleaning my office I found it. So above is the photo of Sascha Gottschalk, a product of a US father and a Russian mother. I met them on the tour. They now live in Russia, where her father teaches English and her mother works for the government. I was perplexed why a child of an American guy couldn't speak English, so he explained to me that she had lived most of her life in Russia.  I love how I meet the most interesting people on my travels!

Info from the Lipica Stud Farm Museum

This stud farm in Slovenia is the oldest Lippazanner stud farm and has been operational for more than 400 years. More information on this beautiful place with wonderful horses can be found here.

I still prefer the horses of Andalucia. The horses we went to see near Sevilla back in 2003 took my breath away, and we were able to interact with them much more, but the Lipica horses are also beautiful. I especially enjoyed the time before the show when we were able to watch them in their natural setting.

Lippizzaner horse with baby

Note how the horses are born black and turn white as they grow older. 

Our tour group was also quite colorful. I met a wonderful couple who divides their time between Canada and California. They were quite taken aback by our guide, who practically blackmailed us in to writing favorable reviews of the tour.

Our tour group in Slovenia

Montserrat Cathedral: Another Gargoyle Heaven

Can you see me?

A very nice Australian woman offered to take my photo in front of the Cathedral doors at the Monastery of Montserrat. If you squint your eyes and look real hard, you can see me there down on the right hand corner. 

The Cathedral is full of wonderful architectural details and a place gargoyles would love.

Mosaic at Montserrat Cathedral

There are lovely mosaics, animal themed pews and gold galore. The inside is really a treasure trove, but what I loved about it the most was the spiritual feeling it has. I went to so many Churches and Cathedrals on my trip, but somehow when I was crammed in with a thousand other tourists, the appeal and the spirituality seems to disappear. I was lucky to be at Montserrat late in the day and it was quiet and peaceful.

Montserrat Cathedral interior

Are these jaguars holding the pews?

Olympia, Greece: the Archaeological Site

Olympia, Greece Archeological Site

from the Olympia Archaeological Museum

The day we docked in Katakolon, Greece to make our way to our destination of Olympia could not have been a more beautiful day. We had a warm sun, no clouds and a cool breeze. As the day wore on, it did get hot, as it did almost every day during our Roman Empire cruise, but since it was May, it was still bearable heat. We did not see one drop of rain the entire ten days.

My niece Sarah at the Olympia, Greece archaeological site

With a jolt of java in the morning, my niece and I chatted as we rode from Katakolon to Olympia. There wasn't much to see other than dried grasses and occasional farm machinery. But once we arrived, we realized just how special the place really is. More information on Olympia can be found here. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and for good reason.

Doric column at Olympia site

All of us that have studied Greek history have read about the Olympics and how they started. I still find it hard to believe that the first competitors did all that without a stitch of clothes on. Even if we aren't into history, who doesn't watch when we have the Olympic games on TV? My niece and I did the obligatory run down part of the Olympic track. Some members of our tour group actually ran the whole length, and let me tell you, it was a long way!


This is just the first post in a series on Olympia. The highlight for me was actually what they hauled into the Museum. Other than the museum in Athens, I don't think I have seen anything more impressive.

Corinthian columns - look at the size of the people to see how impressive they are

And last but not least, one of the cutest couples on our tour ....

Cute couple on our Olympia tour

Catherine's Palace St. Petersburg: pro or con?

Our guide in St. Petersburg

It seems it is all the vogue to go to St. Petersburg, Russia and come back with stories of how you loved the Hermitage Museum, Catherine’s Palace and generally St. Petersburg. The city felt cold to me, like the guide who took us around. She was lovely in appearance, a beautiful, poised woman dressed in a gorgeous outfit with a polka dot skirt. She smiled on cue. She answered questions, but there was a disconnect as if she was doing her Communist, civic duty. There was no warmth or spontaneity and what she said felt scripted. 

Too much gold?

My feet in booties to protect the floor in Catherine's Palace

Moises

St. Petersburg surprised me for its modern feel. I knew it contained a lot of old buildings but I was surprised at all the flash. I felt like I was in Times Square, but I prefer being near Tiffany’s so that was not a plus for me. Times Square always feels too dangerous and St. Petersburg felt dangerous too. 

The air in St. Petersburg is super polluted and my eyes stung the whole time there. I was probably cranky as well as the temperature was in the high 90s and there is no air in any of the museums (except the offices where we were not allowed.) 

The architecture is elaborate but almost too much so. I prefer French or Italian, and even though Catherine’s Palace is supposed to be Western, it felt so overdone with all that gold. Having to wear booties as well to tour the museum seems over the top, and the customs people both entering and leaving are so unfriendly. 

Catherine's Palace

 On the other hand, my husband loved it, but he did say he wouldn't want to go back. Here is a youtube video I found. Let me know what you think of Catherine's Palace, pro or con!

Some warnings for people visiting St. Petersburg (like any big city, you have to be careful.)
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Russia/Gorod_Sankt_Peterburg/Saint_Petersburg-564323/Warnings_or_Dangers-Saint_Petersburg-TG-C-1.html

There were plenty of nice people outside the Palace. I bought some imitation Faberge eggs from a super nice lady and I love the eggs. I have them displayed on my guest bedroom dresser and they look great. And I had an ice cream at a truck outside Catherine’s Palace and it was delicious.

My fake Faberge eggs

One really cool thing did happen at Catherine's Palace. I saw a woman in the bathroom that I had met on an Eastern Med cruise a few years before. We got reacquainted and I was able to introduce her and her husband to my husband later on. Talk about a small world.

Singers at Catherine Palace lunch

Friend from cruise on our Neva River boat ride

Funny things we saw ...

How many signs they had with Eva Longoria of Desperate Housewives advertising Loreal. There was a billboard on every block. Too bad I didn't get a shot. If anyone has one, please forward on.

The laundry hanging on the boat when we entered to go on our Neva River cruise, probably crew's clothes! (By the way, doesn't anybody else notice how dirty the Neva River is? I was shocked at all the industrial plants dumping stuff in the river on our excursion.)