Your Vacation Location

[DT]

That is why I’ll never do a Disney cruise.

Yes.

 

[DT]

This is kind of fun, so we walk - a lot - when we go to Universal, we rarely take the boats, and when we stay at the Portofino (above), it's a bit further away than the other two resorts we usually stay at. plus of course all the walking around the parks.

Fri - Tue (kind of 2/3rd days on the first / last), hahaha get this:

83,789 steps
37.4 miles
70 flights of stairs (equivalent)

 

[Deleted member 215]

Time to visit Milwaukee!

I'll be traveling there at the end of July to visit a friend who recently moved there. I just can't keep away from the Badger State.

 

[Edd]

Flew into the airport near Cabo San Lucas for a night before we drove to our primary destination. Stayed in a treetop hotel. Pics will explain it.

 

[Edd]

Bugs love to bite me in New Hampshire and Mexican bugs are no different. My wife isn’t getting bit at all. The coast in La Paz is awesome.

 

[lizkat]

Bugs love to bite me in New Hampshire and Mexican bugs are no different. My wife isn’t getting bit at all. The coast in La Paz is awesome.

Not usually a fan of beaches and summery weather, but we're all still awestruck by the very cold winter here last year. I'm inclined to bookmark those pix for day-dreaming next February!

 

[stingx]

Being I have some Greek DNA, i love vacationing on the Greek Islands, particularly Santorini and Naxos. The best time to go is right after Labor Day until early October. The water is the warmest and most tourists are long gone - no lines, queues or waits for dinner. Most places are still open as well. Locally, I spend the latter part of August in Bethany Beach, DE.

 

[Edd]

I just had an experience in Mexico I’d read about and was mentally prepared for although I made a couple of errors. I got pulled over by a cop.

The stop signs here are considered “rolling stops”, as evidenced by my research and observations since arriving. I didn’t see one early enough and did a pretty shitty stop and a motorcycle cop pulled me over immediately.

His English was bad but way better than my Spanish. I used Google Translate a few times. He went straight to infraction showing me a form to fill out. Today is Saturday, and he said he’d have to take my license and I could pick it up at the police station Monday and pay a fine of $1950 pesos (nearly $100 USD). I’m flying out Monday and that’s not happening.

My first mistake was not catching the stop sign soon enough. My second was having too much cash visibly next to my license which he saw. I had $1500 pesos ($75 USD) so I asked if I could pay today.

He accepted my offer. Took all my cash and sped off quick, taking zero of my information.

My wife was quite wound up following this incident. I don’t think I learned much except don’t keep cash right next to your license. I got lazy after 8 days here.

Much of the pleasure I’ve experienced has been from the people. I find them so patient, especially with the language barriers presented due to my bad Spanish. La Paz is touristy, to a point, but it functions economically without, so there’s limited need to cater to the likes of me.

I love Mexico, and I just paid $75 for a good story. I’m a lucky guy.

 

[Herdfan]

Yes.

Man, if I lived where you do, we would do weekend cruises every other month or so. We have some friends that live in WPB and they go all the time. Well used to pre-COVID. They had a travel agent that would look for highly discounted, unsold cabins a couple of days before sailing. They could do 4-day weekend cruise for few hundred dollars. And since they lived there, no transportation expense.

 

[Huntn]

Preparing to fly out on Thursday for Athens, Greece for a Viking Cruise from there up the Aegean Sea to Istanbul. Part of that prep is that I get up an hour earlier every day to better acclimate to local time although Greece is 8 hours ahead.

​

 

[Alli]

Preparing to fly out on Thursday for Athens, Greece for a Viking Cruise from there up the Aegean Sea to Istanbul. Part of that prep is that I get up an hour earlier every day to better acclimate to local time although Greece is 8 hours ahead.

Nothing better than a river cruise.

We’re currently chugging along the Mississippi. I’m enjoying breakfast. Hubby has gone back to the room cause he couldn’t sleep last night and has been up since 3. I’m trying to decide if I really want something else to eat or not. Decisions, decisions.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Preparing to fly out on Thursday for Athens, Greece for a Viking Cruise from there up the Aegean Sea to Istanbul. Part of that prep is that I get up an hour earlier every day to better acclimate to local time although Greece is 8 hours ahead.

Ah, wonderful.

Those countries should be superb at this time of year (and, remember, too, that an incredible array of delicious citrus fruits are in season just now - and will be locally sourced, i.e. locally grown in both countries - and seasonally available until late February, early/mid March), and are both incredibly interesting, with absolutely fascinating history and cultures, not least the cuisine.

Travelling up the Bosphorus and arriving in Istanbul by sea should be an unforgettable experience and an extraordinary sight.

Turkey does both tea and coffee superbly well, and, if you like lentil soup, there is none better to be found on the planet than in Turkey.

How long is your trip scheduled to last?

Sounds absolutely amazing; do enjoy.

Nothing better than a river cruise.

We’re currently chugging along the Mississippi. I’m enjoying breakfast. Hubby has gone back to the room cause he couldn’t sleep last night and has been up since 3. I’m trying to decide if I really want something else to eat or not. Decisions, decisions.

Sounds wonderful and sounds as though you are having a terrific time; do enjoy.

 

[Huntn]

Nothing better than a river cruise.

We’re currently chugging along the Mississippi. I’m enjoying breakfast. Hubby has gone back to the room cause he couldn’t sleep last night and has been up since 3. I’m trying to decide if I really want something else to eat or not. Decisions, decisions.

I highly recommend the Viking River Cruises out of Amsterdam

 

[Alli]

I highly recommend the Viking River Cruises out of Amsterdam

I may do one of those with my mother some day. But I’ve given up on ever getting my husband out of the country. It was hard enough getting him out of Alabama!

 

[Huntn]

Athens appears to be a city with a nice downtown. New Years in Athens Syntagma Square was crowded and fun.

​

We are doing a pre-excursion for several days before the boat departs. About 45km West of Athens, we visited the ruin of Mycenae, a Bronze age (est 1700BC) settlement fortress.

Most interesting is how much is accurately known about the rulers and history of this area. Some (much?) of its history is based on Greek Mythology, not that a name like the fabled city of Homer’s King Agamemnon and near the ruin, an impressive tomb that was rediscovered by a German archeologist in the late 19th Century, who coined this The Tomb of Agamemnon could be accurate. My impression is that the issue if it is to be described as such is confirmation or lack there of.

March of the ancient ones. ​

As acknowledged by the tour guide and by reading some articles online, the name itself could be a case of idealized naming history. They know when the area was settled, but much of its history exists as Mythology, folk tales passed forward.

Mycenae ‑ Civilization, Greece & Lion Gate | HISTORY

Mycenae is the site of an ancient city in Peloponnese, Greece. The center of a Bronze Age civilization, Mycenae also featured prominently in Greek mythology.

www.history.com

Agamemnon – Mythopedia

Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, was a general and hero who led the Greek army to victory in the Trojan War. He was later murdered by his wife Clytemnestra.

mythopedia.com

The Tomb of Agamemnon — Harvard University Press

Mycenae, the fabled city of Homer’s King Agamemnon, still stands in a remote corner of mainland Greece. Revered in antiquity as the pagan world’s most tangible connection to the heroes of the Trojan War, Mycenae leapt into the headlines in the late nineteenth century when Heinrich Schliemann...

www.hup.harvard.edu

A pretty area…

 

[Huntn]

On 2Jan, we drove 2.5 hours to Temple of Apollo (Delphi) in central Greece on the Southern slopes of Mt. Parnassus, high near the Gods. An intriguing location if you like Oracles. There were many locations devoted to Apollo, god of music, harmony, light, healing. Oracles occupied the most important and prominent position in the Delphic Panhellenic Sanctuary.

This site dates to the 20th century BC. Pythia, a positional title, the high priestess of the Sanctuary, “emerged pre-eminent by the end of the 7th century BC and continued to be consulted until the late 4th century AD. During this period, the Delphic Oracle was the most prestigious and authoritative oracle among the Greeks, and she was among the most powerful women of the classical world”, who breathed vapors from a rock chasm and while possessed by Apollo, possibly experiencing epileptic seizures, possibly speaking gibberish that had to be interpreted by other priestesses, spoke enigmatic (enigma- puzzle, riddle, mysterious) prophecies, glimpses of the future, some of them true, such as the reported prediction of the Trojan War.

My favorite Oracle was in the Matrix and told a false prophecy while baking cookies.

Before


After, mostly foundations

My image

Temple of Apollo (Delphi) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Pythia - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Pythia Prophecies

The soul purpose of the Oracle of Delphi was to share a glimpse of the future. In her time, the Pythia offered several prophecies- all of them vague, misleading, and in some cases: true. It...

pythiaofdelphi.weebly.com

3Jan, visited the Acropolis and Parthenon, both good sight seeing and we had a friendly and knowledgeable guide.

Of interest, I always wondered why many old statutes of people were missing their noses. Turns out there are several reasons and in this case a reason was when Christians showed up, thought these “Pagan” statues were blasphemous so disfigured them including crosses carved in their foreheads. Also when fig leaves started appearing, covering private parts.

Interesting camera glitch, an Oracle Photo?

Temple of Athena, Acropolis​

 

[Huntn]

Some impressive panels from the Parthenon now kept in the museum.

​

Yesterday we visited Heraklion, Crete, home of an ancient BC religion that worshiped Mother Earth Gaia. Because of Paganism, women held power in their civilization. I’ve noticed that when I visit a lot of museums with a guide, I get fatigued at the river of information that flows over me, so we usually buy a book/booklet for later review.

Snakes are good, they keep the mice and rats out of your house,
and warn of impending earthquakes when they flee.
Snake Priestess, breasts bared, a sign of fertility.

​

Wall panel depicting bull games.

 

[Huntn]

Port of Kusadasi, Turkey, nearby ancient city of Ephesus, a very large and impressive ruin in the process of being restored. In earthquake prone areas they have a tendency to fall down.

 

[Huntn]

​

Original Trojan Horse.

Canakkale, Turkey (Troy Archeological Bronze Age Site)- This was an interesting historical site, but mostly walls and foundations. The same German archeologist (Schliemann) who is credited with digging out Mycena and the associated Agememnon Tomb. This site is not nearly as grand as Ephesus, but knowing Brad Pitt did some pretend fighting here made all the difference.



Artist Rendition



Areal view UNESCO Site

Ramp up to city-my image

 

[Huntn]

Viking Agean Cruise, Post Vacation Part 1

Reserved this 8 months prior, what can go wrong? *
Ten changes to flight itinerary over this period, with seemingly weekly alerts requiring several periods of over an hour on the phone to reconcile. Good luck to you, if your are not a Medallion Member (frequent flyer status) and trying to communicate over the phone. I mostly fly on the Sky Team Alliance- Delta Airlines, Air France, and KLM. Of the 3 airlines, virtually every change that had to be mitigated came from Air France or KLM. If I have the choice, I will choose Delta over the other partners every time.

*Disclaimer: I am a Delta Airline retiree, who lived in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St.Paul) for 30 years.

• IMO, both Paris and Amsterdam airports are currently ungainly messes from an operations standpoint, especially Amsterdam. If they are your final stop this is better than trying make a tight connection. In Amsterdam, we had a 3 hour connection and spent most of that time navigating the long terminals, without cart assistance, not to be seen, and standing in the passport check line for over an hour, with 3 of 8 processing windows open for business.
• Never accept less than a 2 hour (3 is better) layover in these airports, if you expect to make your connection.
• If there is a choice, choose Delta over the partners. Most if not all the Delta airplanes are new/newish, and feature new generous electronic entertainment with personal screens. Both KLM and Air France run 737-800 cattle car configurations domestically in Europe. The Air France aircraft did not even have wifi onboard.
• If flying to Greece, any direct flight out of the US to Greece is better than going though Paris or Amsterdam. Delta flies direct to Athens out of JFK.

After being beat down with changes, we went originally from 2 legs over, 2 legs back, to 3 legs over, 3 legs back. The icing on the cake coming back was a 65min layover, arriving 10 min late, in Paris to navigate multiple terminals and the dreaded passport control.

With the help of a magnificent woman, person of color, wheelchair captain (for my wife who does not walk well or fast over long distances), we achieved what should have been impossible as she flew though the airport, with me in tow, though all the secret corridors and multiple lifts, to the front of the passport line. We were the last 2 people boarded with minutes to spare.

Of note, when on the aircraft after landing in Paris, the Air France flight attendant went though the airplane and told the people who were going to use wheelchairs to remain seated and deplane last! I looked at my wife and said NFW, we would not make the connection. Being among the the first off and using a wheelchair was what made it work for us.

Minneapolis-St Paul Airport remains our favorite. It’s not huge (a plus), but mostly it’s a joy to travel though.

Honorable Mention: The Mile High Club
You’ve heard of it, having sex on an airplane?
My impression is that sex on a commercial aircraft happens in the lavatory. Never ever would I anticipate, I would witness this in public where the enthusiastic but quiet couple fulfilled their fantasy corner bulkhead seats, In a dark cabin with people (us) behind them and next to them across the isle. By this description, I don’t mean to sound overly critical of the woman…

Strangers on a Plane meet.
Aircraft configuration 2-4-2. They were on the side, 2 seats, bulkhead row. She is 30ish, he is 40ish. They talk, talk, talk, deep into the night. She is loud and for hours on end, we (with ear plugs in), can still unwantedly could hear her life story and her expletives, not deleted talking about her X husband. I actually started to drift off, when my wife nudges me, the woman’s hand is gripping the back of her chair, her hair is falling over the back of his seat covering parts of he monitor. The cabin is very dark, my eyes are not what they used to be, but I can see the siloutte of her head as is moves up and down, with soft moaning for effect. If I had been any kind of a man I would have hit the Flight Attendant call button, but fortunately someone walked by and the next thing, a male flight attendant was there telling them to stop right now.

The climax to the story was that after hours of non-stop drinking (her), I am tapped on my leg by the passenger across the isle, I looked and he pointed. Peering around the seat in front of me, I see her head with that pretty long straight hair hanging over the arm wrest puking her guts up, threatening my right shoe. Cabin lights come on and a contingent of flight attendants appear, not to scold, but to clean up this woman’s mess. The man’s description “things happen” and I imagine “I got lucky!”

After things settle back down, she sits with her head on her new friends shoulder. So, touching, the start of a beautiful relationship. But as we stand up to deplane, after a short goodbye, she says “See ya!” To be helpful, and I imagine as a parting shot, the woman passenger next to the woman in question told her, you got some puke in your hair.”