Traveling to Italy-A method to even the economic scales!

Weather for: Current Temp: Forecast:

Rome, Italy 61F Partly Cloudy

Current Time: High Temp: Low Temp:

4:38 AM N/A 51

As our dollar continues to slide, property values decline, retirement plans shrink in the face of failing banks, sky rocketing oil, and growing pessimism, some of America is still traveling. These contrarians may well believe that things will begin to settle down in the next year, following the U.S. Presidential election and are traveling anyway; or they may well have enough money that they feel insolated from the current economic woes. Whatever the situation, if you are traveling in 2008, you are facing a weak dollar that will make the cost of your trip difficult at best.

For eight of us wanting to travel to Italy in spite of the cost, we opted to tour with an organized company, and one we heard was one of the best, Perillo Tours (63 years in business). Perillo, who organizes its tours from New Jersey, has a great reputation for the quality of their guides, as well as their special itineraries. Opting for the 14 day Italy North Classic, we began our tour in Rome, traveling to Naples, Sorrento, Isle of Capri, Florence, Pisa, Padua, Verona, Venice, Milan, Lugano, and Como. (Follow our trip and photos below.)

Rome

From day one (actually day three of our trip), we found Perillo thinks of everything, providing a quality guide and transportation for a visit to the Colosseum and a general introduction to Rome. Our afternoon was left open for those who had their own plans, while providing an optional “Fountains and Other Important Sites” tour for those who wanted a guide for more of Rome's treasures.

While the half day guided itinerary was great for those who wanted time on their own, it was also great for those looking to save some money, as the major sites from the Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps and beyond are all free, and easily reached on foot from the excellent hotel chosen by Perillo (The Jolly Leonardo da Vinci, part of the Jolly chain of four star hotels). Since we had a couple in our group of eight, who were challenged by the long hikes, the optional afternoon itineraries provided the best of both worlds.

Following a great day of site-seeing in Rome, Tap Here for Photos, Perillo organized our first of several dinners hosted half in the hotel and half out at great local restaurants. As a note of interest, Perillo tries to give you the best of the local food offered. In the case of Italy, you should know that you will have the same choices at every evening's dinner, i.e., two pastas, one meat (usually beef), and one fish dish. Also plan on getting soup after the starter, salad some place in the middle of the meal, and Tiramisu for dessert on most every occasion.

From a cost point of view the charge for transportation, guides, four star Hotels, and meals cannot be matched on your own in Italy; and many of the things Perillo packs into the trip could not be accomplished in the time you have at each location, if you did not have the connections Perillo has made over the years.

The Vatican

Starting early in the morning of day four, and before most other tourists were out and about, our guide took us to a back door of the Vatican, so we could tour the Vatican Museum and visit the Sistine Chapel, as well as Saint Peters. The organized tour, which is more than anyone simply getting in the line could see in a day, was finished by lunchtime. The afternoon was free for more sightseeing in Rome before the Gala Dinner planned for just 31 of us at Casina di Macchia Madama, overlooking Rome. What a magnificent location where we enjoyed great wines, good food, live music, and beautiful scenery.

Naples, Pompeii, and Sorrento

Leaving Rome by private motor coach we headed south about three hours to Naples. Traveling along the coast and then inland to the entrance of the ancient city of Pompeii, we met a local guide and began a three hour walking tour of the city of Pompeii. Pompeii buried by ash nearly two thousand years ago, Tap Here for Photos is the world's most perfect example of how Roman life was at the height of Rome's power.

Following the tour of Pompeii, we continued our drive to Sorrento. Tap Here for Photos Reaching the rather plain Grand Hotel Vesuvio on the cliff edge of Sorrento and looking out on the splendid bay of Naples with Mt. Vesuvius in the far-ground, we had the late afternoon free to explore. Following dinner in town, our group chose to take in a live performance at the Tarantella Show. Tarantella is a fabulous Neapolitan show and an incredible journey through the ages from 1558 until today. The performance revolves around the most important stories of Sorrento and the Kingdom of Naples in the last 500 years.

Isle of Capri

Up again early on day six we bussed to our boat ride to the Isle of Capri. While many people will opt for the organized tour of Capri, often so they may see the Blue Grotto, having been to Capri before, our group took the vernacular up to the town of Anna Capri to enjoy a day of shopping, food and drink. Capri is the home of the famous and delicious Lemoncello drink, so we HAD to sample, and our censuses was that it was well worth the trip. Most of the shops are very expensive and unique, and we found it fun to just “window shop” our way through Capri. Tap Here for Photos

Tuscany to Florence

Traveling again by private coach, we drove from Sorrento back north to Rome, and then through the Tuscan countryside in the late afternoon to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. Our hotel, the Michelangelo (a Star chain Hotel) was very nice and was walking distance to the city center and the Ponte Vecchio (the ancient bridge of vendors).

On the morning of day eight we began a walking tour of Florence, seeing the Academy of Fine Arts where Michelangelo's “David” proudly stands, the magnificent Duomo built in 1296, Giotto's Bell Tower and the Baptistery so recognized in wonderful Hollywood films, all before lunch. On our own for lunch, our group of eight hardy travelers eat lunch and ice cream (gelato) in the most famous square in Florence, Piazza della Signoria. We shopped in the many small shops off the square where deals can still be found. We dressed up for dinner at a wonderful restaurant atop the famed Piazzale Michelangelo, which offers a truly breathtaking panoramic view of Florence. Tap Here for Photos

Pisa

While in truth, Pisa has little to offer a visitor, other than a grand cathedral, baptistery, and the famous leaning bell tower, the short drive to Pisa and the time spent once again, shopping, eating, and sightseeing made it a great morning adventure. Tap Here for Photos Retuning to Florence after lunch, we enjoyed having more time to walk around and enjoy the unparalleled art of Florence.

Verona, Padua, and Venice

Packing into our private motor coach again, our hardy 31 headed out for our longest driving day of the trip. We headed first to Verona, to see the beautiful home of Romeo and Juliet and the famous “balcony.” Tap Here for Photos After enjoying Pannini sandwiches and Pizzas in the city center at a sidewalk vendor, we continued on to the ancient city of Padua. Padua was a very pleasant surprise, with its beautiful Basilica where St. Anthony (patron Saint of lost objects and miracles) is buried and the world's most expansive collection of Giotto's paintings is found. Tap Here for Photos We continued to Venice, arriving for our nights' stay and evening meal at the Splendid Suisse Hotel just off the Paisa del Marco (St. Mark's Square).

Venice

The morning of day 11 brings us the beauty of the canals out our room window and the smells of Venetian cooking. Our day began with an early tour of the grand Byzantine Basilica and the Doge's Palace in St. Mark's Square, and Bridge of Sighs. Tap Here for Photos We then took a short boat ride to the Murano Island to see how Murano Glass has been created since the 1300's. There are only a few master glass blowers left, who are now passing down their talents to younger apprentices. Retuning to Paisa del Marco, we continued our stopover in Venice with a free afternoon to shop and eat. Our hardy band of eight drank a great deal of local vino and late that night decided to take a gondola ride through the city's charming labyrinth of canals—a wonderful ending to a magical visit of an enchanting city.

Milan

Leaving Venice by boat and on to the mainland to our bus, our band of 31 said good-bye to a too brief visit of Venice. Our drive to Milan, about four hours away, took us through the foothills of the Alps, and eventually delivered us to the Doria Hotel in Milan, our first truly modern hotel. Our afternoon in Milan was spent visiting the renowned La Scala Opera House. It is said that the acoustics in the house is the best in the world and thus why the most famous singers have sung here—if only we had time to stay for a performance. Across the street from La Scala is the stunning glass-topped Galleria (the world's first shopping mall) and the imposing, gothic Duomo, with its angel-topped spires reaching up to the heavens (Breathtaking!!!) Other than noted, Milan is just like any other big, cosmopolitan city, lacking the charm of the other ancient roman cities we found on this trip. Tap Here for Photos

Lugano, Switzerland, and Lake Como

The morning of day 13, we began our trip to the northern border of Italy, first traveling to Lago di Lugano for a chance to enjoy the beauty of Switzerland and the much lower cost of goods, as the Swiss Franc and US dollar were virtually equal. Tap Here for Photos Sightseeing, food (lots of chocolate), and shopping were the events of the morning, before returning to the Italian side of the border and a cruise of Lake Como lined with beautiful villas. Tap Here for Photos

Traveling home

The Perillo tour was over the morning of day 14, and as with all the previous careful planning Perillo had confirmed our flights and arranged transportation to one of the two near-by airports. Since we had booked our own air fare, our group continued to London and spent two days taking in the city and the London night life before returning home. Tap Here for Photos The rock opera, We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theater is a must for every visit to London.

Conclusion

We found the Perillo tour a great value for the money. This was not a surprise to us as those who recommended Perillo had indicated as much. We were surprised, however, as it does seem to break the most important rules of travel. In our experience, we are all looking for trips that we can book quickly, enjoy great value for our money, and are first class. While we desire all of these things, experience tells us that you can only have two out of three. From our point of view, Perillo breaks the rules by delivering all three, and their travel guides are interesting, honest, and a great deal of fun to be with.

If you are waiting for the dollar to be stronger against the Euro or for the economy to improve, perhaps a Perillo tour will get you on the road all the more quickly and provide you with a trip of a lifetime sooner rather than later.

Top Tourist Attractions of Rome, Italy

Weather for: Current Temp: Forecast:

Rome, Italy 61F Partly Cloudy

Current Time: High Temp: Low Temp:

4:38 AM N/A 51

Everything about Rome is spectacular. As Italy's capital, and home to over 3.3 million people, Rome's culture, tradition and natural beauty are world-renowned. Also known as the Eternal City and the City of the Seven Hills, this wonderful region is home to many of Italy's (and indeed, the world's) most famous landmarks – all of which, the locals are extremely proud of.

Rome is a huge, very cosmopolitan city offering great restaurants, trendy cafes, pizza and ice cream parlors, exotic tea rooms, excellent shopping opportunities (particularly good for up-market and designer goods) a vibrant nightlife (although, I'm told its not good to buy a local a drink unless you want to have sex with them!) and a full range of accommodation options from backpacker facilities to world class hotels, spas and resorts.

The city's awesome archaeological sites (in fact, the historic center of Rome is listed with UNESCO as a world heritage site) grand museums, piazzas and churches are truly amazing and the city's rich Renaissance and Baroque character lures millions of visitors annually.

It would be impossible to see all Rome has to offer in under a couple of weeks, but even then, it's doubtful you would have seen everything. So, if you're only on a limited itinery, the following are just a few of the city's most popular attractions – starting with some fabulous shopping districts for the shop-a-holics among us:

* Campo de'Fiori (the Field of Flowers) is possibly Rome's oldest market and offers mostly flowers and a variety of traditional foods. This pretty market is open every morning except Sunday and given the flowers and delicious food offerings, smells amazing. There's also many nearby bars and restaurants and this area is particularly popular at night.

* Via Borgognona is quite an exclusive street encompassing many famous fashion houses such as Fendi, Laura Biagiotti, Gai Mattiolo and Dolce & Gabbana – so don't forget the credit card!

* Via Margutta is just a small street but is jam-packed full of art galleries, boutique shops, antique dealers and chic restaurants and cafes.

* Situated along the banks of the Tiber and open Sunday mornings, Porta Portese is a popular, casual market offering not only clothing (new and used) but just about everything else too – just watching the lively trading practices of the market vendors is an experience in itself!

Of course, no visit to Rome would be complete without seeing at least a few of its magnificent and iconic landmarks, museums and piazzas. Luckily, many of them are in close proximity to each other and organized tours are readily available. The following are just a few of the most popular archaeological, spiritual and culturally significant attractions:

* Built around 1,920 years ago, the Colosseum is a must see attraction. In ancient times this huge (50,000 seat) amphitheatre was used to host gladiatorial contests and various public spectacles including mock and re-enactments of battles, animal hunts, executions and grand dramas. Even though many parts of the Colosseum aren't very well preserved, it's still a culturally important and monumental structure that offers a fascinating glimpse into Rome's ancient past.

* As with the Colosseum, the Vatican City is also an absolute must see Roman attraction. As a separate sovereign state in itself, the Vatican is the smallest (108.7 acres) independent nation in the world. Citizenship here comprises of clergy (officials of the Catholic Church) and the Swiss Guard. Within this amazing “sub” city is the vast Saint Peter's Square, Saint Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Library, the Sistine Chapel and various Vatican museums and galleries. Various rooms throughout the city present wonderful exhibitions of art from Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Giotto and Botticelli - the Vatican really is an amazing place which attracts millions of tourists and pilgrims each year. You'll need at least a full day to see and appreciate all this most spectacular and deeply spiritual attraction has to offer.

* The Pantheon is an ancient, architecturally stunning church that was built by Hadrian (AD 125 – 128) in honor of the gods. It's still a fully functioning church today, and so a visit here requires acceptance and respect, as you'll be asked to remain silent during your visit.

* There's many museums to visit in Rome (too many to mention them all here) but among the most popular are the Capitoline Museums, Palazzo Massimo, Galleria Borghese and the Villa Giulia.

* The most visited churches and cathedrals of Rome include St. Pietro (where the pope resides) San Clemente (this stunning cathedral also encompasses an ancient church and pagan temple and while here, you can actually hear the city's underground rivers) and Santa Maria del Popolo.

* Rome's public squares (Piazzas) are amazing and include Largo di Torre Argentina (encompassing four Roman temples and, strangely enough, a lot of cats!) Piazza di Trevi (you'll find the famous Fontana di Trevi here but be warned, it gets crowded quickly) and the stunning Piazza Navona

Clearly, there's an abundance of great tourist attractions in Rome, but getting around can be difficult and at times, near impossible. The roads are extremely busy and there's often scant regard for the road rules, so, I'd suggest the city's buses (many provide organized tours) trams (the trams mostly tour the city's historical areas) taxis (although a little expensive) and the Metro to be the best transport options – good luck.

Further tourist information about Rome can be found at:

www.ronaturismo.it/v2/en/main.asp
www.viator.com
www.italyheaven.co.uk/rome/tourist.html

Where in the World are Paul & Tischa?

Our readers can follow along with us touring the World this year, as we travel around the globe in early 2008. We began our trip in San Francisco, traveling to Ft, Lauderdale,Florida to begin our Pacific Princess World Cruise.

Our first stop is just off the shores of George Town, Grand Cayman Island, nicknamed Little Switzerland for economic reasons, with banking deposits (off-shore accounts) in the trillions of dollars. Is it any wonder there are three jewelry stores on every block in town? See our story in the first emagazine issue of January 2008, Grand Cayman Island.

Sailing from Grand Cayman we travel next to Kuna Yala (San Blas Islands), Panama (five days and 1,293 miles from our start). San Blas Islands is an archipelago of over 350 gorgeous, sun drenched islands that are located along the east coast of Panama, many inhabited with Kuna Indian settlers who are the descendents of the Carib Indians selling their handicrafts. See our story in the second issue of January 2008, Kuna Yala, San Blas Islands.

Stop three of our trip is the Panama Canal. See our story at GS Travel Advice-Panama canal.
The Panama Canal is one of Central America’s most popular tourist stops. Completed in 1914, it was one of the biggest and hardest engineering projects ever attempted, and now it accommodates over 14,000 ship crossings each year. We entered the Gatun Locks transiting our way northwesterly through the 43 miles of lakes and locks bound for Manta, Ecuador.

For most of our shipmates, Ecuador was a chance to stretch their land legs for the fifth time and visit this small port of Manta,Ecuador. The nearby town of Montecristi boasts the birthplace of the Panama hat, and when ships come to town the marketplace is rich with Latin friendliness and local artifacts to sell.

One-third of the ship’s passengers left the ship here for and overland Tour of Cuzco and Machu Picchu, Peru. We, on the other hand, along with 44 shipmates, headed south to the airport at Guayaquil for our 600 watery miles to the prehistoric landscape of the magical islands of the Galapagos. Read here about our four day adventure aboard the MV Galapagos Legend.

Next Stop for the ships company the sea port of Callao, Peru. Callao is known as the “City of Kings” for the three oriental kings, when it was founded on January 5, 1635 on the eve of the Epiphany of the Magi. There is much to see in Lima, a large metropolis of 8 million people. From Lima it is fairly easy to get to the most famous of sites: Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines. This is a must see, if only once in your lifetime. We joined the ship again in Callao for some much needed rest before our next stop at Easter Island. See our story and pictures of Easter Island by tappng here.

On our 16th day we have traveled 4,869 miles from Florida and we are on our way to Pitcairn Island. As you sail toward Pitcairn, you approach one of the remotest of the world's inhabited islands, lying halfway between New Zealand and the Americas. Four thousand eight hundred kilometres of open ocean separate you from them; a few archipelagos lie to the north; and the southern seas are empty to the ice caps of Antarctia.

Check out our story and Photos of Pitcarin
and then we are on our way once again to Papeete, Tahiti, 2,200 miles to our West.

Day Twenty Three we have reached Tahiti! We have traveled 7,267 miles by sea and more than 3,000 miles by air, and we are only 22 days into our 104 day trip (less than a quarter of the trip). Needless perhaps to say, the World is a big place. This is our second trip to Tahiti, our last visit being Bora Bora. Check out our story and photos on Tahiti, and then our second port of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

Day Thirty One and we have reached Auckland, New Zealand, traveling 10,504 miles from Florida. The last eight days have been unexpected, to say the least. We did finally make it to New Zealand, albeit a day and a half late, due to going around the edge of Typhoon Gene. Our sailing from Rarotonga to Auckland was very rough, tearing the railings off the front of the ship and the front mounted life boat. (50 foot seas on one day and 30 foot the rest of the way.) These were both about 20 feet from our front deck, since we have the suite at the front under the bridge.

Tischa hurt her back in Tahiti on a 4X4, but is all better now and walking on her own again. The bouncing in the bed for five days in the storm didn't help any, but the Ships Doctor did a great job and the Vicodin we had with us for my back, helped a lot. We landed in Auckland on Saturday. We were supposed to be in at 7:00 AM and we arrived at 7:00 PM. After the amazing ride we had across the South Pacific, everyone, even the crew, went ashore and kissed the ground.

The good news from the Captain was that we were finally in New Zealand, the Bad news was we sailed at midnight for Australia, across the Tasman Sea, the worst body of water in the Pacific. See our photos and story on Auckland.

Day Thirty Five and we reached Sydney, Australia today, sailing into port on-time and with a wonderful stress-free crossing from New Zealand. Weather is a little spotty today, with some rain showers. With multiple visits to Australia over the last few years, we are always surprised that we seem to encounter rain on every visit as we sail around the coastal cities, especially since Australia with the exception of Antarctica, is the driest continent on earth. Australia is a big place and its deserts alone cover more than one-third of the world’s land mass, so our next stop is a long way off. See our story and photos in our Sydney article.
.
Sailing from Sydney on February 13th, we head 1,122 nautical miles to the north to the Cairns (Pronounced Cans) and the Great Barrier Reef. Cairns is a cosmopolitan tropical town in North Queensland. Not only does Cairns provide the opportunity to visit the largest living organism in the world, the Great Barrier Reef, but it also serves as a gateway to one of the world’s ancient rainforests, found in the Daintree and Cape Tribulation National Parks. See our story and photos in our Cairns article.

We have traveled 13,887 nautical miles in 40 days and have enjoyed 26 sea days along the way. We depart Cairns on our way to Rabual, Papua New Guinea, 850 miles further north. We travel through the Corral Sea traveling to the east of the Gulf of Papua.We will be leaving behind the islands of Louisiade Archipelago, to enter the waters of the Solomon Sea. The Solomon Sea is a portion of the Western Pacific Ocean, bounded on the west by New Guinea, on the north by New Britain, and on the east by the Solomon Islands. With an area of 280,000 square miles, the sea contains the Louisiade Archipelago, New Georgia, and Guadalcanal Island. It opens to the Coral Sea (south), the Bismarck Sea (northwest), and the open ocean (northwest). Many major battles were fought in these waters during WWII.

Day Forty Two we reach Rabaul, East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. With a mountain range of volcanoes that run down the center of the island, it is the largest of the Papua New Guinea islands. The capital is now in Kokopo, about 15 miles to the southeast. While most of Rabaul is in ruin, from war and from the most recent eruptions in February and November 1996, it remains an interesting place to visit. Our plan was to visit the Matupit Village North of Rabaul; however, tribal conflicts occurring at the time we arrived made this unwise. See our story and Photos of the area in our Rabual article.

Day Forty Five we arrive in Chuuk, Micronesia. Four member states are a group of Islands known as the Federated States of Micronesia which includes the largest of the four, the state of Chuuk. Chuuk comprises 56 square miles of land, spread over a 1,320 square mile area of Ocean Lagoon. Our story on Chuuk
can be found by taping here.

Having rounded the Chuuk Islands’ Lagoon yesterday evening, we set on various North-Westerly courses between the Hall Islands and Namonuito Atoll. Today as well as during the night we will continue on course 305 degrees across the ocean heading to Guam, the Southernmost of the Mariana Islands.

So far we have been in the Atlantic, Pacific, Tasman, Bismarck, and the Coral seas and on three continents, and we are now looking forward to our itinerary picking up speed as we encounter a port every couple of days throughout Asia, India, and Africa.

Day Forty-Seven we arrived in Guam, our last stop before we head to Japan. Guam is an interesting place. The citizens have U.S. passports and even a U.S. Representative in Congress, however, they can not vote in U.S. elections. The island seems very much a part of the region, and is in fact the economic hub of the Federated States of Micronesia; although, citizens of Guam are American’s. We hope you find or story and pictures of Guam interesting. Please tap Here for more on Guam. Following our departure from Guam we set on a North-North-Westerly course of 345 degrees across the Mariana Ridge in the Philippine Sea toward our next stop the island of Iwo Jima.

After heavy seas we arrived today February 27th, 2008 off the coast of Iwo Jima, Japan. Today, Iwo Jima is a monument to the thousands that died among the U.S. and Japanese troops engaged in the battle here in 1945. This tiny piece of soil, which can only be seen from the deck of a ship, is a lasting memory to the impossible task given the U.S. Marines to both over-power the well fortified Japanese and send a signal to the Nation of Japan, that the worst for them was yet to come, if they did not surrender. We were lucky enough to be aboard a ship with many WWII veterans and some survivors of the battle on the beaches of Iwo Jima, and to be a part of a memorial of the battle, including jets launched from the island to participate in the memorial fly over our ship. See our story and pictures by tapping Here .

Late in the afternoon of February 27th, we leave the waters of Iwo Jima and we travel on the same North-Westerly course of 304 degrees towards Kagoshima, Japan. After three days of 40 foot seas, we are ready to see some dry land on the Japanese mainland on Friday.

Day Fifty One and it must be Kagoshima, Japan. We reached the Japanese shores in the early morning hours of February 29th, approaching the North-Eastern coast of Tanega Shima Island. Japan’s Kagoshima Prefecture encompasses two peninsulas (Satsuma and Osuni): over 30 outer islands, 49 municipalities, 17 cities, 28 towns and 4 villages. We hope you like this week’s peek at Kagoshima. For our story and pictures tap Here .

See Second Part of Story which follows below:

Where in the World are Paul & Tischa? (Continued Part II)

Weather for: Current Temp: Forecast:

Cochin, India 81F Partly Cloudy

Current Time: High Temp: Low Temp:

7:38 AM 88 77

Leaving Kagoshima and continuing the same westerly course of 271 degrees across the East China Sea towards Shanghai during the evening and following day, we arrived in Shanghai on day Fifty Three of our World Cruise. Situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai is the largest city of the People's Republic of China and arguably the most economically, industrially and culturally developed. Having visited here twice before, we decided to take a look at the Shanghai countryside. To see our story on Shanghai and some of our photos tap Here .

We hope you have enjoyed our reporting on the 2008 “World Cruise” so far. As we leave Shanghai this evening, we are half-way through our trip, with many, many exciting places yet to see. If you would like to see our trip from another perspective, check out www.ourworldcruise.net.

Day Fifty-Six we arrived in Hong Kong. So far we have traveled 21,387 nautical miles or about 25,000 statute miles by ship and 4,000 miles by air since leaving home.

Perfect waters in the South China Sea, and a break in the on and off rain, made for two breathtaking days on our suite deck for reading, sunning, and napping preceding our arrival in Hong Kong harbor. Over nine million tourists who spend over seven billion dollars annually visit this extremely prosperous and cosmopolitan city – it's no wonder Hong Kong is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. See our story on Hong Kong and don’t miss the sail away lightshow photos by tapping Here .

Day Fifty-Nine we arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon of my Vietnam service days. This is our starting place for a three day adventure in Vietnam and Cambodia. Our third trip to Vietnam begins at the former primary air support center of the Vietnam War, as we fly to Siem Reap and Phonum Penh, Cambodia for our trip into the jungles of Cambodia and the temples of Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat. If you’re looking for a holiday destination outside the “norm” of popular “mainstream” tourism, then Angkor, with its wonderful ecological diversity and magnificent ancient monuments and temples, is definitely for you. For more on the temples and the ruins of the area, see our story and photos by tapping above (Siem Reap) or for Sihanoukville, Cambodia, by tapping here.

Day Sixty-One, having rounded the Southern Coast of Kaoh Rung Samlem Island we set on various North-Westerly courses across the Gulf of Thailand towards our destination, Laem Chabang, Thailand, and the beach city of Pattaya.

Having left behind the port of Laem Chabang and setting sail through the night on a Southerly course of 189 degrees keeping minimum distance of about 15 nautical miles off the Eastern coast of Thailand, we arrive at the island of Ko Samui, Thailand, on the morning of Day Sixty-Four.

Sailing on the evening of day Sixty-Six, on a course of 143 degrees across the Gulf of Thailand, we head for the end of our second leg of our World Cruise, the city of Singapore. Glass and steel high-rises, Chinese Shop houses with red tile roofs, Victorian-style government buildings, Buddhist temples and Arabian bazaars-they’re all part of the diversity and charm of Singapore, the commercial center of Southeast Asia and one of the busiest ports in the world.

It is amazing to us that two-thirds of our trip is already gone, having traveled 8,722 nautical miles during the second leg and a total of 23,387 statue miles to date, excluding air miles. Picking up some additional passengers in Singapore, we leave for our next port, Phuket , Thailand, our third and last stop in Thailand. Sailing from Singapore towards the straits of Malacca (see some information on the Straits below) we set a course of 330 degrees across the Strait of Malacca.

With six hundred plus crewmates, we have enjoyed an amazing trip thus far. The ship’s injuries to date include two broken arms and one broken hand, and at least two serious back injuries, all occurring on day tours (4X4’s on rural roads, Camels, and Elephants can be dangerous). Also two passengers have left the ship due to illness, one for eye surgery and another from a Heart Attack, and both have rejoined the ship in transit. Twice we have had an outbreak of intestinal distress, however, the ship has handled each outbreak well. Overall, it seems extreme for a group of this size; however, the median age is over 65 years. Travel weary, but ready for our last leg, we head out for India, Egypt, and Europe.

Continuing at sea on day Seventy-One we reach the South-Eastern coast of Sri Lanka, passing Dondra Head, the southernmost part of the island of Sri Lanka, and alter to starboard rounding its South-Western coast and continuing North-Westerly across the Gulf of Mannar for Cochin, India. Cochin is one of the three largest ports on the west coast of India and the biggest in the Kerala region, and the gateway by plane to the city of Agri. Known as the home of one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal, the city of Agra is located on the shores of the Yamuna River, which is in Uttar Pradesh, India. Click Here for our story on Cochin and to see our photos. Click Here for our story on Agra and the Taj Mahal and to see our photos.

Leaving Cochin we resumed our transit along the Western coast of India, and after passing latitude 18 degrees West, on our Seventy-Third day, we set a North-Easterly course for Mumbai. As one of the most populous cities on earth, Mumbai’s frenetic, non-stop pace, and cultural complexity can be overwhelming. It’s an extremely busy city considered not only to be the commercial and entertainment capital of India, but also a city of great contradictions. Click Here for our story on Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and to see our photos. As we leave Mumbai and India we continue on a course of 298 degrees across the Arabian Sea for our three day sea journey to Dubai, UAE.

Day Seventy-Eight we arrive in the “golden” city of Dubai, located within the Arabian Desert and is the largest of the seven emirates encompassed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This shopping mecca shares borders with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and the Sultanate of Oman. Click Here for our story on Dubai and to see our photos.

Leaving Dubai, we reverse course heading back towards the Strait of Hormuz; navigating in the waters of the Arabian Gulf, we pass the world famous man-made islands of Dubai. Continuing first along the Iranian coast line and then the Pakistan coast, we head toward the Indian Ocean turning to the west. Continuing our travels west across the Arabian Sea, we begin a six day voyage to the Red Sea and our first stop in Egypt.

We continue on various southwesterly courses navigating first along the Yemeni coast and then entering the waters of the Gulf of Aden. The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula and Somalia in Africa. We next enter the Red Sea through the Bab el Mandeb strait.

Our six days at sea bring us to the Egyptian port of Safaga. Safaga, a small port and town situated on the eastern coast of Egypt (the Red Sea Riviera), isn’t your average bustling, crowded, cosmopolitan tourist destination. This exotic and very much boutique region is refreshingly “unspoiled” and possibly one of Egypt’s best-kept secrets. We left the ship here for a four day land tour of some of Egypt’s most spectacular sights and began by motor coach to the inland city of Luxor some three hours away.

Situated along the east bank of the Nile River, Luxor boasts a land area of 416 square kilometers and is considered by many to be the world’s largest open-air museum. Luxor offers the grandest, most impressive Egyptian archaeological sites and as such is well known as Egypt’s premiere tourist destination. Millions of national and international visitors descend on this truly magnificent region annually—and none leave disappointed.

Arriving in Luxor and crossing the Nile River, we headed through the desert to the Valley of the Kings, to explore some of the valley tombs, and then continued to the Temple of Luxor, the Temple of Karnak, the Colossi of Memnon, and the Queen Hatshepsut Temple.

Leaving Luxor after breakfast on day two, we flew to Aswan, Egypt, built by The Great Rames II, Egypt’s longest ruling pharaoh. We visited The High and Old Dams; the majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka; and, the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in their pyramids and temples, and still hold a huge, unfinished 120 foot obelisk.

On day three, we flew first to Abu Simbel to see the one of the most spectacular and recognizable images in the country, but not seen by most tourists: the two temples of the Temple of Abu Simbel. That evening we flew on to Cairo.

Our morning began on our forth day with a short drive to see the 4,500 year old Great Pyramids of Cheops and The Sphinx on the Giza Plateau overlooking the great city of Cario. We then boarded a modern river boat for a sail down the Nile while enjoying a delicious Egyptian lunch. A visit to Cairo would not be complete without visiting the Cairo Museum with its over 120,000 objects in 107 halls. After our three and a half bus ride that evening, we rejoined our ship at Port Said. Port Said has certainly had its fair share of disaster. Bombed in 1956 during the Suez War, the Egyptian city admirably and painstakingly spent years rebuilding only to be bombed twice more (1967 and 1973) during conflicts with Israel. Today, the city has been extensively rebuilt (although much of the architecture is still reminiscent of the British colonial era—very unlike other Egyptian cities) and due to its position at the northern entrance to the Suez Canal, is absolutely thriving.

Day Eighty-Nine, we sail from the Port of Said out into the Mediterranean toward our next stop, Athens, Greece, as we begin our trip around Europe, traveling from Athens to London in the next sixteen days.

See Third Part of Story which follows below:

Where in the World are Paul & Tischa? (Continued Part III)

Setting a course of 309 degrees across the Eastern Mediterranean, we encountered heavy seas as we sailed towards our first European destination, Athens, Greece. As the birthplace of Classical Greece, Democracy, Western Civilization, the modern Olympic Games (1896), famous philosophers and great thinkers such as Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle, Athens has managed to retain much of its ancient culture and tradition throughout the centuries. Having visited Athens many times before, Tischa and I set out to spend the day in the “Plaka.” The Plaka is a historically authentic shopping district that lies in the shadows of the Acropolis.

Sailing Day Ninety-One, we continue on a northwesterly course throughout the afternoon and evening towards the straits of Messina. Just before arriving at our destination of Sorrento, Italy, we passed one of the deepest parts of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the Ionian Abyssal Plain, which sinks to the depth of around 13,117 feet.

On Day Ninety-Two we awake in the morning to a view of the Bay of Naples and Mt Vesuvius as we arrive in the bay of Sorrento, Italy, on our way to today's destination: the Isle of Capri in the gulf of de la Napoule (Naples). Popular with celebrities and the well-to-do, this exotic island can get quite crowded (especially around July and August) and getting around its mountainous terrain and negotiating its narrow roads can be a little overwhelming; but its cosmopolitan ambience and rich Italian culture more than make up for such conditions.

Leaving the bay of Sorrento, we set sail on a Westerly course keeping the small islands of d'Ichia di Ventolone and Ponza on our starboard side, and then on Day Ninety-Three set a Northerly course to the port that is locally known as the Heart of Rome, Civitavecchia. If you have seen the sites of Rome as we have, and you are still looking for something different, then you need to head north of Rome about 90 miles to see the L'Orizzonte Delgli Etruschi, or the Etruscan's Horizon. Please see our story on this Tuscan region and our photos by tapping Here.

On Day Ninety-Four, Tischa’s Birthday, we arrived in the beautiful southern French city of Cannes on the Mediterranean. We had to tender in as they do not have a port, only a harbor in which to moor the very large yachts. Cannes was originally a small, simple fishing village until the early 1900’s when the region’s spectacular natural beauty began to attract foreign and French aristocrats who built magnificent homes and established businesses. Today, Cannes is an exclusive resort town popular for its wonderful beaches, museums, churches, chic culture, active outdoor lifestyle, and of course, the annual Cannes Film Festival. For our article on Cannes tap Here.

Setting sail in the evening after a wonderful day ashore, we set sail for Barcelona. Throughout the night, we keep a South Westerly course passing the Basses du Verhinge & Isle de port Cros. With a population topping 1,605,600 (making it the second largest Spanish city) the ancient city of Barcelona was once considered a Roman City (the Crown of Aragon), but today it’s a vibrant, colorful jewel in Spain’s already glorious crown. Arriving on Sunday, Day Ninety-Five of our World Cruise, we found the city alive on the streets with vendors, people walking and food everywhere. While walking on Sunday does seem to be a Barcelona past-time, we made use of the wonderful Underground System to try and see as much as possible. See our story and photos on Barcelona Here.

After one of the most magical days of our cruise, we set sail at midnight for the Pillars of Hercules (Gibraltar) and our exit from the Mediterranean Sea, a day’s sail from Spain. Gibraltar’s geography has made its territory strategically important to various invading forces throughout the centuries. But in 1713, Spain ceded the territory to Great Britain via the Treaty of Utrecht and today, even though there’s still a strong British military peacetime presence, the territory’s infrastructure is impressive and its service-based economy is mostly driven by duty free financial services and tourism. Gibraltar’s tourism numbers increase each year making the territory’s future economic stability viable and assured.

While Gibraltar has rich shopping, great food and wonderful views of the coast of Africa, it is a visit to the “Rock” and a visit with the wild Barbary Apes (Barbary Macaques, actually) that is the “must do” in Gibraltar. See our pictures and story Here.

Leaving Gibraltar at mid day, we set sail for Portugal, setting Westerly courses through the straits of Gibraltar and into the North Atlantic Ocean. During the night we set North Westerly courses around the Cape of Vicente, then a Northerly leg up to the port of Lisbon.

On Day Ninety-Eight, we arrive in the Port of Lisbon. Traveling under the April 25th Bridge (25 de Abril Bridge), which reminds everyone of sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, we tied-up in the city center for a beautiful sunny day. As the capital of Portugal, Lisbon is home to many of the nation’s major commercial, educational, administrative, manufacturing, service, and tourism industries, making it not only the largest Portuguese city, but also the wealthiest.

Leaving Lisbon in the evening, we set Northerly courses with the coast of Portugal on our starboard side, as we sail for the next two days across the Bay of Biscay into the Atlantic Ocean and then the Buoyed Channel for Ireland.

Arriving on Day One Hundred-One in Cobh/Cork, Ireland, we head for the Blarney Castle. Ireland (or as it’s affectionately known, The Emerald Isle) is one of Europe’s most enchanting islands. Its vivid landscapes are breathtaking and its culture and history is fascinating. From its stone-age (mostly Gothic) archaeological delights and rich ecology to its bustling, cosmopolitan cities, Ireland is a tourism Mecca – and nowhere is this more evident than in its third most populous city, Cork.

Sailing at 6:00 P.M. we eventually enter the English Channel headed for the coast of France; our destination, La Havre, in the charming region of Normandy. Normandy is a region of northern France situated along the French coast, south of the English Channel. It is located between Brittany on the west and Picardy on the east. The most popular cities in Normandy include Cherbourg, Caen, Rouen, and Le Havre; and only about a three hour bus ride to Paris (although the train is faster). We have chosen to visit the charming city of Rouen. See our article Here and the photos as well.

Sailing from the port of Le Havre in the evening, we cross the English Channel to South Hampton, England, for our disembarkation. We will motor coach to London, about 2 ½ hours from the South Hampton port. The spectacular city of London is the capital of the United Kingdom and has been an important settlement and port for over two millennia. Today, London is a culturally rich and diverse melting pot that’s home to over fifty non-indigenous communities (who speak over 300 languages), making London not only one of the friendliest cities in the world, but also one of the most cosmopolitan. See our article on London Here, and the photos from this and many previous trips. We leave Heathrow Airport the next morning for HOME!

Day One Hundred-Five, it must be San Francisco! After traveling for nearly four months, we have sailed over 40 thousand statute miles around the world (30,336 nautical miles-Note: the Equator length is 21,600 Nautical miles), and flew some 10,000 miles by air. While we have spent a great deal of time on our ship and on commercial planes, we have also traveled by the Ship’s Tender, Zodiac dive boats, Air planes, Trains, Taxis, Horse-drawn Carriages, Nile River boats, Feluccas, Cable Cars, Funiculars, and of course Buses, Buses and more Buses. During this trip of a lifetime we were able to see many cities within 33 countries.

We hope you have enjoyed the articles and photos we have shared. This was a wonderful and exhausting trip, and for us the next event is a long rest before we hit the road again in August bound for Italy. See you then!