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| Panoramic view of Barcelona |
AND THEN something even better happened. One of my closest friends let me know that he and his wife would be interested in joining us on a cruise some time. I threw this one out to him and after looking at it, talking it over, and checking their schedule, they were in! We were excited not only to go back, but to share it with these two great friends.
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| The dominating influence of Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona architecture |
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| Gaudi Architectural Influence - Barcelona 2015 |
By the way: Notice those prominently displayed flags? It would be natural to think they were the Spanish National Flag. But they are not. The national flag of Spain looks like this:
The flag that is most often prominently and proudly displayed in Barcelona is the Catalan Flag. Catalan dates back to the 12th Century and was a political division of the Kingdom of Aragon. In the late 15th Century, a marriage between the crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon resulted in the formation of Spain. Like many nations, Spain is a conglomerate of several different cultures and regions. The Catalonians not only strive to retain their own culture, but often they speak the distinctive Catalan language (although Spanish is the official language of Spain). Since the 1930's there has been an active movement for Catalonian Independence. All has been peaceful, but 2 of the 3 times we spent any time in Barcelona, there were peaceful demonstrations involving thousands in the streets. Both times, it caused some disruption.
IRONICALLY, THIS time we started out in Barcelona, a city we missed when our first Mediterranean Cruise was cancelled. That cruise was supposed to terminate in Barcelona. But this was probably better, anyway, because it gave us the opportunity to spend a few days in Barcelona before boarding our ship. This cruise ended in Athens. In between, we stopped in Provence, Livorno (for Pisa and Florence), Rome, and Montenegro.
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| Gothic Cathedral - Barcelona - 2015 |
WE LANDED in Barcelona and had hired a day tour of the city. Our guide met us at the airport and took us on a driving tour (with some short stops) of the highlights of the city. We saw the Olympic Village, a couple of viewpoints giving a high view of the city, the seaport, and the Arc de Triomf, and the Gothic Quarter, among other things, before our guide dropped us off at our hotel on Avenue Diagonal - more or less in the heart of the city.
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| La Rambla - Barcelona - 2015 |
FOR THE next couple days, we had an ambitious itinerary that would include a walking tour of the city highlighting the influence of Barcelona's most famous architect, Antoni Gaudi, Tickets to the Gaudi-inspired and designed Parc Guell, an evening "pub crawl" walking tour, tickets to the famed, La Sagrada Familia (also heavily Gaudi-influenced), and Barcelona's magnificent Palao de Musica. In between, we found a few moments to stop for lunch and some "window shopping" along the famous La Rambla, and dinner out at an excellent restaurant near the seaport and the Gothic Quarter.
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| Parc Guell - Barcelona - 2015 |
PARK GUELL, was originally conceived by Eusepi Guell, a wealthy Catalonian industrialist who was born in Barcelona. His "utopian" vision was of a "village" (kind of like a U.S. subdivision or "community") which had all of the comforts and conveniences of living, including park space, shops, etc. Designed and started by Gaudi, it never really came to fruition. But much of the infrastructure and a couple homes are intact. The concept apparently never caught on enough to attract other wealthy patrons to build homes and live there. Today, it is run as a private park - and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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| La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona - 2015 |
THE LaSAGRADA Familia is probably the oldest unfinished Basilica in the world (perhaps in history). Usually credited as a Gaudi design, its construction began under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar in 1882. But he resigned in 1883, and Gaudí took over as chief architect, transforming much of the originally planned church with his own unique approach, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted the remainder of his life to the project, and he is buried in the church's crypt. At the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the church was finished. It remains unfinished to this day, and estimates are that completion could extend well beyond the late 2020's.
ANOTHER SITE that was recommended to me by a business associate was the municipal music and performance hall, Palau De Musica. Designed by a student of Gaudi and in the "Gaudi" style seen so ubiquitously in Barcelona, the venue is spectacular. It may have been one of the most impressive sites we visited in Barcelona.
Palau De Musica
Barcelona, Spain
THERE WAS so much to do in Barcelona, and we took walking tours, bar crawl tours, and sightseeing for a few days. The food was marvelous, and it was hard to leave. We would return to Barcelona several times more, over the years (most recently in October of 2022). But it was time to board the ship and cruise the riviera.
Chateau La Dorgonne, Provence, France
OUR FIRST stop on the cruise was Marseille, for Provence. We had scheduled a Provence wine tour, and our guide met us just off the ship. Having returned recently, I have to say that the countryside along the French Riviera, and particularly in the Provence Region, is among the most beautiful country our world has to offer. I think I enjoyed the drive up to the vineyards, through quaint little French villages as much as the vineyards themselves. Our first vineyard was Chateau La Dorgonne. Our guide was a sommelier herself and gave us some great insight into the wines of the region. The tasting was great and the vineyard very picturesque.
Chateau La Dorgonne, Provence, France
WE NEXT went to Chateau Vignelaure. At La Dorgonne, we had seen the vines and the exterior, which was very nice, and quaint. At Vignelaure, we saw more of the winemaking operations. I slightly preferred the Vignelaure wine. I lean toward the American taste for a bolder more robust wine, with generally a higher alcohol content. All the European wines I have tasted seem lighter. And, I suppose, in many cases, more refined. The darker reds at Vignelaure seemed to have a bolder taste and perhaps my bias showed there. Don't get me wrong. It was all good. 😀
Chateau Vignelaure, Provence, France
I AM thinking our friend, Linda must have liked the wine at Chateau Vignelaure better too. What do you think?
Chateau Vignelaure, Provence, France
BEFORE WE headed back to the ship, we stopped for a lunch and some exploring in the Provence Village of Aix-en-Provence. Walking back into one of the quiet squares, we had a very nice lunch. Along with that lunch came a very valuable long-term lesson for me. I will pass on some "wisdom." If at all possible, don't drink the local water in a strange place. 😰 I did. I regretted it. But not until a couple days later (it's possible it was something else, but I have thought it was the water ever since). My advice: drink bottled water whenever you can.
Chateau Vignelaure, Provence, France
WE WOULD return to Aix-en-Provence again in October of 2022. I remembered what might be the signature-image of Aix; the fountain in the roundabout. I made one of my favorite travel/stock photos here.
Aix-en-Provence, Provence, France
WE MOVED on to the Italian Riviera, and on to the Port of Livorno, Italy for our next stop. Our shore destinations that day were Pisa and Florence. I had always thought of Pisa as kind of contrived. I was wrong, of course (I mean, I knew the leaning tower was a real thing, but I underestimated the majesty of the entire complex).
Pisa, Italy
OUR GUIDE was very good, and one thing he knew was that Pisa would get very crowded very fast. He quickly got us there (we were the first van of tourist there), and for the first hour or so, we had the place virtually to ourselves. I was very content to walk the grounds and make photos. Our friend, Paul, on the other hand, was ambitious and wanted to climb the tower. He was the only one of the three of us who did, but he thought it was worth the effort.
Pisa, Italy
THE MARBLE (Italian, of course 😉) was also very impressive to me. Intricate, and beautiful.
Pisa, Italy
THOUGH WE have been to the region multiple times, now, for some reason, Florence has largely evaded us. Our only visit was on this trip. It was only part of the day (following a couple hours in Pisa, and the subsequent drive to Florence). It was also on Monday, the only day of the week that the Accademia Museum is closed. 😞
Florence, Italy
I HAVE come to the conclusion that to see Florence properly means spending at least a night or two there, giving us time to see all the sites, and the Accademia Museum. Ever since having read Dan Brown's Inferno, I have wanted to chase around that museum.
Duomo, Florence, Italy
WE WERE able to stop at the famed, Duomo (an item on my "list" is to climb to the top). And to spend a few minutes on the famed Ponte Vecchio Bridge. At one time, the only bridge across the Arno River in Florence (until 1218), it is a pedestrian bridge only. It is also the only bridge not destroyed by the Nazis as they were driven out of Italy toward the end of WWII. The unique bridge now has two levels. The lower level consists of the original bridge that has housed merchant and artisan shops since the 13th century (originally blacksmiths, butchers and other useful merchants - today, primarily souvenir shops). In the mid 16th century, the Medici Family commissioned a second level (with very limited access even today), which was known as Corridoio Vasariano, an enclosed passage dedicated to their own private use.
Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy
BUT THE drive back to the ship was a distance and we had to leave in order not to miss our sail-away. So: unfinished business in Florence. Our guide had been teasing all day for a "special treat," before we left Florence, we stopped for what he swore was the best gelato in Italy. So, there was that. 😁
Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy
OUR NEXT port of call for the cruise was Civitavecchia, for Rome. On arrival, we had arranged for a driver/guide from our (by then) favorite Italian provider, Rome-in-Limo, to pick us up at the port and give us a full-day tour of Rome. We had gotten a brief taste of Rome on our aborted cruise two years earlier. This one was much more thorough.
Rome, Italy
WE STARTED with a tour of the Colosseum. This time, we got inside and walked around the stadium, with some narrative about its history.
Roman Colosseum, Rome, Italy
IT REALLY isn't possible to "see" Rome in a one-day tour. In October of 2022, we would spend 3 nights in a VRBO, and see a much more detailed view of the city (and still probably only scratch the surface). But this was still a good overview.
Castel Angel, Rome, Italy
WE HAD also made arrangements for a tour of the Vatican. One of my favorite shots was made from a bridge over the Tiber River on the way to the Vatican, of the Castle Angel, commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle. At one time, the tallest building in Rome, today, it is a museum. It is photogenic, especially from the bridge.
St. Peter's Piazza, The Vatican
THE VATICAN, of course, is its own "nation-state." It is the smallest (by area and population) nation in the world. There is a plethora of world history surrounding it. Way too much to get into here. But the grounds, including St. Peter's Cathedral and The Sistine Chapel continue to be places where history is made. My first impression of the Vatican is that it may well have been the most crowded place we have ever visited in Europe (a few years later, I would think that Santorini, Greece would be as crowded - or a close second). When we entered the famous hallway in the Vatican, it was literally shoulder-to-shoulder with people. Seeing the sculptures, tapestries and paintings on the walls and sides - much less getting photos - was nearly impossible. Yet it is also one of the headiest experiences anyone who appreciates the Christian religion, or even a student of history, might ever have. And the Sistine Chapel might be one of the most reverent.
Fresco in Artists Hall, The Vatican
WHILE OUR trip to the Vatican seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime visit, it was oddly disappointing to me, primarily because it was just too crowded. Our guide was not encouraging, as she noted that basically this was what they experienced every day it was open. Everywhere. In the halls, the chapel and even inside the impressive cathedral. Fortunately for us, we would be granted another "lifetime," in the fall of 2022, with another guided visit. This time, in spite our prior intel, it wasn't crowded at all. This may have been due to post-covid travel. But we believe it was also because we were there early in the morning. As we left, there was a huge, long line of people standing in line to purchase tickets (in the rain, no less). We were fortunate. But back to this trip.
The Pantheon, Rome, Italy
FOR THE rest of our day, we saw just a view from above of The Roman Forum (again, in 2022, we would spend a couple hours with a guide, walking the entire forum), The chariot racing track, The Pantheon, and the Mayor's Palace, and The Spanish Steps. One of the of the main attractions in Rome is The Trevi Fountain. It is certainly one of the most famous fountains in the world - maybe the most famous. Sadly (for Paul and Linda, at least), it was closed for repairs. We had seen it two years earlier and would see it again in 2022. Each time it was packed with people, making it hard to really see, impossible to photograph from a wide perspective, and even a challenge to do the traditional toss of a coin over your shoulder (legend has it that this will ensure that you will see it again - worked for us 😀). While we did visit it, we obviously didn't get the full effect. The upside is that nobody was there.
The Mayor's Palace, Rome, Italy
BACK ON the ship, we had a couple days at sea, before visiting our last two stops. All was good. Our next stop would be Kotor, Montenegro. Sometime during the evening of our second at sea day, I wasn't feeling too well. I ended up not joining the group for dinner that night, and once in the port of Kotor, after participating in less than an hour of the day long tour, which began by walking around the walled city of Kotor, I couldn't go on. The other three did, and have a great day, going up into the mountains and visiting a farm, drinking local grappa, and seeing folk dancing by the daughters of the farmer. I am sorry I missed it. The French local water had caught up to me. It took me most of the rest of the trip to shake it off. Unfortunately. I went back to the ship, but the Kotor port was warm and sunny, and I found a bench where I could lay down and napped the entire time the rest of the group was gone. Don't drink the local water in a foreign place!
Kotor, Montenegro
KOTOR WAS a small, but beautiful country and I only wish I would have seen more of it.
The Acropolis, Athens, Greece
OUR NEXT and final port was Piraeus, Greece (for Athens). We have been to Athens 3 times. The first was before our first every Mediterranean Cruise was aborted. This time was two years later. The third time was just another two year later, in 2017, and our friends Paul and Linda were with us yet again. We had already been to some of the spots, but there are some that you just don't come to Athens without seeing. We visited the Acropolis a second time, this time with Paul and Linda. We never hesitate to visit a place more than once, if time permits. We love to show other people what we saw. We almost always learn more, and something new that we didn't catch the time(s) before. And I almost always find a new and different perspective or image for my photography. This serendipitous photograph of the young Greek soldiers marching through the Acropolis would not be something one might see on every visit. It remains one of my favorite images from our travels over the years.
The Agora, Athens, Greece
WE ALSO spent some time wandering around the Roman Agora, and saw a few other sights in the city, before finally being dropped off at our hotel, fully exhausted from a long, but very fun cruise.
I HAVE said this before here. There is usually a story or humorous anecdote on these cruises. When my friend, Paul, joins me, we laugh a lot. Our hotel was away from the city, as we had an early flight out the next morning. But we wanted one last experience in Athens. Good Greek food. Our concierge gave us the name of what turned out to be a fantastic restaurant, but it was back down in the city center. So, we took a cab. We had a spectacular view, up a terrace from the main street and overlooking the lit Acropolis off to our west. The food was excellent. Not really knowing what to order, and with a bit of a language barrier, the owner of the small restaurant said not to worry. He would take care of us. We just let him bring food. It was wonderful. And then, the cab ride back to the hotel. The ride was mostly through the very narrow streets of the old city. In many cases, there were parked cars lining both sides. Our cab driver - who seemed grumpy and communicated to us with grunts and single words - apparently fancied himself a grand prix driver. He tore through the streets at breakneck speeds, frightening the life out of us. Paul, intending to pay, sat up front with him. When he finally screeched up in front of the hotel, and we all sighed in relief, Paul asked him: "best time ever?" He looked at Paul without understanding, and just grunted. And then screeched off to the next fare. What a ride. What a trip. Until next time.
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