Rome is a bit busy these days, so when our ship docked at the port, we decided to go to a nearby medieval town, Tarquinia. The town dates back to the ninth century BC, and sits on top of a very steep hill overlooking the Tyrrhenian sea.
Overlooking Tarquinia
The town is enclosed by medieval walls and watch towers. There are numerous churches and bell towers within the town, giving it a lovely profile.
Gateway to the City
The old cobblestone streets of Tarquinia are incredibly steep, so we were fortunate to take a trolley train (with a guide to narrate the history) through most of the old town.
Fortunately it was Sunday when we visited Tarquinia, so one of the oldest churches (Santa Maria in Castello) was open for Mass. We were able to visit the interior of the church before Mass started. It was striking in its simplicity and age.
Santa Maria in Castello
Our tour finished with a delicious gelato, and we were back at the port in no time.
That evening we went into the city of Rome for an event sponsored by Crystal for its passengers on the world cruise.
The Main Dining AreaViolinist
We were treated to a delightful evening of music and dinner at the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, a private museum. The chef who prepared the dinner will be responsible for the menu at one of Crystal’s specialty restaurants. One of his restaurants has 3 Michelin stars. The event was pretty amazing – and a great way to end the day.
Kotor is a small city in a small country. The population of the entire country is only about 625,000; the population of Kotor only amounts to about 13,000 people. Nonetheless Kotor has one of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic. It is also a UNICEF World Heritage Sight, probably for that reason. The approach to Kotor involves navigating some spectacular fjords with views of majestic landscapes that have to be seen to be believed.
Approaching Kotor, Montenegro
After taking a tender ship in, we took a walking tour of the old city. We started the tour by entering through a city gate—all the medieval cities had high thick walls and gates to keep attackers like pirates away. The attackers this time were tourists.
A Gate to the City of Kotor
When we passed through the gate into the heart of the city we quickly came across the Cathedral of St Tryphon which was originally built in 1166. That’s worth thinking about when we Americans have developed the habit calling anything that’s been around for 100 years “old”.
The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon in Kotor, Montenegro
Anyway we went into the church with our tour guide and gave it a look. I would say the best description of the inside would be “elegant”.
Inside St Tryphon Church
Which is more than I can say about the hordes of tourists that invaded the city. We started our tour around 9:30 or so and by 10:30 a full scale invasion seemed to be underway.
Tourists are Invading Montenegro
We knocked around the city for a bit more and saw the Serbian Orthodox Church of St Nicholas. The we went out for quite a nice lunch in a local place in town.
St Nicholas Church in Kotor
All in all, Kotor was a really nice place to visit. But it is easy to see why the townspeople have a love-hate relationship with the cruise ships that bring in so many visitors—and the headaches that come with them.
Gondolas, Piazza San Marco, Fine Stores, Cafes and Restaurants. What’s not to like about Venice?
Gondolas Tied Up on the Grand Canal
We docked in Fusina on Sunday largely because cruise boats can no longer dock in Venice. That is because Venice is trying to achieve 2 goals. First, they want to control damage to the city caused by big tour boats. Second, they want to restrict overcrowding by tourists. It is all a work in progress.
Note that we arrived early in the season, docked early and made our way into the city fairly early—and by the time we left at noon, the crowds were already beginning to swell. By mid May (at least) the city will be packed.
It is not difficult to see why tourists flock to the city. In addition to its storied history, the city is physically beautiful. The beauty of the architecture is overwhelming. There are also historically important buildings, palaces, churches and works of art on almost every block.
The Bridge of Sighs in VenicePiazza San Marco in VeniceSt Mark’s Square
Venice is becoming more commercialized by the day as commercial incentives clash with ongoing attempts at preservation. And while it is true that Venice is sinking a few centimeters a year, it is also true that it has been sinking for a very long time. How it all ultimately turns out is anyone’s guess.
Hallway of Shops in St Marks SquareNear St Marks Square
In the meantime, if you get a chance, go to Venice. The magnificence of the city is almost indescribable. Check that, it isn’t almost indescribable; it is indescribable. You should see it while you can.
After leaving Portimão, we sailed to Lisbon (AKA Lisbao) and we docked there for 2 days. Upon arriving we headed out for Sintra, reputed to be a charming medieval town. I can report it was everything it was cracked up to be.
Sintra
Sintra is a small town with population about 385,000 people. It is densely populated and it is a major tourist attraction, but it certainly isn’t a tourist trap. It is picturesque, with several palaces, castles, parks and gardens. It is famous for its Romanticist architecture and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. As it should be.
The Town of Sintra Portugal
Sintra is not just a beautiful city. It is also very wealthy; in fact it is one of the wealthiest cities in Portugal in addition to being one of the wealthiest cities on th entire Iberian peninsula. Not surprisingly, it continues to rate as one of the most desirable places to live in Portugal. It also has the largest ex pat community on what the locals consider to be the Portuguese Riviera.
The Sintra National Palace; now a Museum
All in all, Sintra has an excellent reputation. It is well deserved.
Sillhouettes in SintraShopping in SintraOld Fashioned Telephone Booth
We have just spent 3 days in Buenos Aires. Located on the Rio de la Plata, it is the capital of Argentina and its largest city. The city proper has a population of only 3.1 million, but the greater urban metropolitan area has a population of 16.7 million, making it the 14th largest metropolitan area in the world.
The city has been nicknamed the Paris of South America and it is easy to see why. The architecture, sprawling parks, cafes and restaurants make for a lively bustling vibe that is similar to that of Paris (or New York for that matter.)
Government Building, Buenos Aires
And then there is the Tango. Argentinians are convinced that they invented it. Uruguayans are equally convinced that the dance is “theirs”. Since the dance developed on the banks of the River Plate and that is the border between the two countries, you can see why both claim the dance as their own.
Gaucho in Buenos Aires
After we docked in Buenos Aires we headed off to the Plaza de Mayo, which is probably the most important square in the city. There we spotted a man dressed in the traditional garb of a gaucho (Argentinian cowboy). Later we saw the gleaming white government building.
The Plaza de Mayo is also home to the Casa Rosa (Pink House) that serves as the seat of the Argentine government, dominates the square and houses the president’s office. It is here where Eva Perón, nee Eva Duarte, wife of Juan Perón, AKA “Evita” made many of her famous appearances.
The Pink Palace where Evita Peron used to make regular appearances
There are weekly protests in the Plaza de Mayo by the women in white, who still search for the many children who were abducted and adopted illegally, after their parents were “disappeared” for disagreeing with the military dictatorship (1976-83). It is a reminder that the history of this country has had its dark times.
Near the Plaza de Mayo is the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity where then bishop Jorge Mario Begoglio presided, before becoming Pope Francis.
Buenos Aires, Argentina — February 20, 2025. Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity
After visiting the Plaza de Mayo, we continued on to visit the La Boca neighborhood. It is known for its colorful houses that people in the area constructed out of whatever discarded material they could find from the nearby shipping port. Many of the buildings are made from the corrugated container material, brightly painted with the colors that were used at the port (reflecting the flags of ships from other countries).
Among other things, we saw a small park in La Boca and a BBQ stand where a local man was grilling various meats.
Man Grilling Meat in La Boca Neighborhood
La Boca is also known for dancers who don traditional Tango garb and convince tourists to fork over $10 to have their photos taken with them. And speaking of tourists, there was no lack of them in La Boca.
Colorful La Boca Neighborhood in Buenos AriesColorful La Boca Neighborhood in Buenos Aries
While the Catholic religion is prominent in Argentina, the nation’s second religion also is huge – fútbol. In the Boca region of BA we visited an enormous complex that houses the arena, training areas, housing and other facilities for the Boca Jr club. The colors of the uniforms and buildings are bright blue and yellow – another reflection of the colors in the flag of Norway that flew on a cargo ship in the port. (It’s a long story that involves 2 rival local teams that shared other colors – there was a match to determine which town would stay in Boca, and the winner agreed to change colors to the flag on the first ship in port the next day.)
We also spent some time in La Recoleta, an upscale neighborhood with pricey Parisian style townhouses. We ducked into a local shop for some croissants and coffee. The Recoleta Cemetery, final resting place of many famous Argentinians (including Evita) is here in the neighborhood as well.
Family Mausoleums in Recoleta Cemeterys. Eva Peron is buried here.A neighborhood coffee shop La Babieca
Another visit was to the Museo de Nacional de Belles Artes. It was not too large—but it had an impressive European collection. We saw paintings by Manet, Monet, Degas, Gaugin, Pissarro and Picasso, not to mention many sculptures by Rodin.
Museo de Nacional de Bellas Artes
Finally, we visited a famous bookstore “La Atenea” and later stopped for coffee and pan dulce (“sweet bread”). The pan dulce was just too much, and Mary Anne rather adroitly gave it to our Uber driver, who is a fan of it.
Bookstore La Atenea
This is just a small sample of what is available in Buenos Aires, a remarkable global city.
Well, we have been on Crystal Serenity for about a week now. Not surprisingly we have bumped into friends an acquaintances from past cruises—some from as far back as 2016.
Already we have gone on excursions in the Grand Caymans, Mexico, Belize and Honduras. Nothing especially interesting in the Caymans unless you like looking at brass plate banks, shopping centers and high-end resorts.
But we did get to see Mayan ruins in Mexico and Belize. And we went on a glass bottom (partially submersible) craft in Honduras to see some coral reefs. Anyway, here are some photos taken thus far. There will be plenty more coming down the pike.
A Photo Book entitled La Belle France, A Photographic Journey is now available from Blurb. It is a 58 page hardcover book, printed on top quality paper and therefore a bit pricey. The book is an exploration of France and French culture as seen through a camera lens. The photos explore the cities of Paris and Lyon, as well as the regions of Provence and Bordeaux. The photos cover a 7 year period from 2017 through 2024.
Well, it’s about time to wrap up the trip to Bordeaux. The last few days we were very lucky to be accompanied by glorious weather as well as our friends Sally and Michael. Fittingly enough, at least as far as we were concerned, we spent the end of our trip in St Emilion and Medoc where we tasted lots of wines. Mostly reds and an occasional Rose. We did have the occasional white Bordeaux, but for the most part the vineyards produce reds.
Vineyards in St Emilion
The Village of St Emilion
Monolithic Church Tower in St Emilion
The wine business is very labor intensive and migrant workers, often from Spain, Italy and Portugal come to pick the grapes. The larger producers claimed to have about 70 to 80% of the grapes picked by machine. Some of the smaller ones (and some that were not so small) had their grapes picked and sorted by hand.
Bordeaux is the the premiere wine producing region in France, and arguably the world. The region boasts thousands of producers, most of them small. Estimates of total production vary wildly. We heard estimates that ranged from 200 million bottles to 700 million, so take your pick. I suppose 200 million probably refers to the better quality wines.
Wine Shop in St EmilionLe Clos du Roy
About 90% of the wines produced are red, with the remaining 10% being white. The red wines rely primarily on three grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. A little but of Malbec finds its way into the mix as well. (Lots of the Rose that is produced comes not from Bordeaux, but from Provence.)
Chateau de Pressac., St EmilionInsude Chateau de Camensac in Medoc
All in all a good time was had by all; and it’s probably not the last time we’ll be spotted in France.
Among the many mind boggling things to contemplate is the fact that the Russian aristocracy didn’t just have one enormous and opulently decorated and designed palace. They had several of them; each one elaborate and ornate. In fact Catherine actually put a halt to all the gold being used to decorate her palace that had begun by order of her predecessor, Empress Elizabeth.
Here, below, are some photos of Catherine’s Palace located in Pushkin, not far from St Petersburg. Please note that while some photos link to Evocative Photos for licensing, photos taken inside the palace may not be used for this purpose, so they are not linked. JFB
A wide angle photo taken inside Catherine Palace in Pushkin, near St Petersburg.Pushkin, Russia — July 22, 2019. Photo taken from the outside of Catherine Palace; tourists are admiring the lawn and gardens.Wide angle shot of a house on a lake on the grounds of Catherine Palace near St PetersburgPushkin, Russia — July 22, 2019. Photo of guest quarters on the grounds of Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg.
St. Bart’s, St. Barth’s, St. Bartholomew—take your pick, the names are used interchangeably—is one of the 4 islands that make up the French West Indies. The other three are Martinique, Guadeloupe, and the French side of St. Martin. Most notably, St. Bart’s is where the beautiful people come and play, including the likes of Leonardo Di Caprio and Mick Jagger. (Mick sends his best).
Gustavia Harbor
St. Bart’s is deservedly big in reputation, but small by area and population. There are only about 9,300 full time inhabitants, and its total size is just under 10 square miles. Tourism is its most important business. The small island attracts over 200,000 visitors each year. The island and its visitors are well-matched: they are relentlessly upscale. Upmarket shops dominate the capital city Gustavia, the harbor is full of yachts and the hotels tend toward the boutique.
About the hotels: there are about 25 of them scattered around the island. Most have 15 rooms or less. Instead of regular hotel rooms, most hotel accommodations take the form of villas. One of the most notable is Eden Rock, where we stayed about 15 years ago. Then again there is the Hotel Le Toiny where the rooms / villas start at $2,000 per night in January.
We spent our time in St. Barth’s wandering around the beautiful town of Gustavia, which is right on the water. Here below, are some photos taken there.
After traversing the Panama Canal, we arrived in the Caribbean Sea, leaving South America behind us. Our first stop in the Caribbean was Aruba. It is a small island, just 19 miles long and 6 miles wide and a population of about 104,000.
The geography of Aruba is very interesting. One side of the island is the Caribbean. That is the side with the large tourist hotels and white sandy beaches. The other side faces the Atlantic Ocean where the sea is fairly turbulent. The Atlantic here is violent enough to have carved out from the cliffs the highest and most spectacular natural bridge in the Caribbean. (It collapsed in 2005).
Aruba’s Atlantic Coastline
We went touring mostly on the Atlantic side of the island, visited the rocky shores of the Atlantic side as well as desert-like areas and a butterfly farm. Some photos are below.
The latest adventure is heading toward the closing chapter. After spending the last 2 days touring in Columbia, we will be heading out for Aruba, St. Bart’s and then Fort Lauderdale, where we will disembark. For some reason or other the cruise lines refer to this as “debarking” the ship rather than disembarking, but I refuse to go along with this construction.
Cartagena seen from the Sea
While in Columbia we explored Cartagene on one day and then Santa Marta the next. They are both beautiful and very clean cities—at least the sections we visited—which included the old historical parts of these cities. And they are old—founded as they were in the 16th century, later gaining their independence from Spain during the 19th century under the leadership of Simon Bolivar, whose statues are everywhere. Makes George Washington look like a piker in the statue department. Around the same time (with leadership from Bolivar and General San Martin) Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela won their independence.
Speaking of Venezuela, the story doesn’t change much. Venezuelans have flooded into Columbia because food, medicines and other necessities are in short supply thanks to the wonders of Socialism. 20 years ago, Venezuela was the richest nation in South America. Now it’s a basket case. You can see Venezuelans on the streets in Columbia (and Ecuador) selling water and trinkets trying to get by.
Columbia has made great strides over the years, largely defeating the drug cartels and the FARC and other radical groups. There is still plenty of work to do, but Cartagena and Santa Marta are mostly safe, and economic growth has resumed. Medellin—past center of the drug trade and home to Pablo Escobar—saw its murder rate drop to its lowest level in 40 years although it is still high at 20.17 per 100,000. By comparison, the homicide rate in Chicago jumped to 18.6 per 100,000 by the end of 2015. New York City had a homicide rate under half that at 7 per 100,000.
Anyway, Columbia is a fascinating place with lots to see. Some photos are below.
