2015 - Athens

Sunrise lights up the Emerald Princess - Port of Piraeus - Athens, Greece
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

WE FINISHED the cruise in Athens. My wife and I had been there in 2013, and seen the Acropolis, and some of the other historic sites. That excursion was done with our new friends from the Royal Princess, as a day stop. The 4 of us had a very enthusiastic guide and we saw a lot that day, but really not a lot of the modern day city. It would be 2 more trips before we would do any of that.

The Acropolis - Athens, Greece
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

OUR 2015 return, with Paul and Linda, was not a whole lot different, except that we would disembark the ship in the Port of Pireaus ("for Athens"). We then met our driver and guide, who carried our luggage in his vehicle for the day. With travel time from the port and the Acropolis taking up much of the day, we mostly spent our time in two places: The Acropolis and The Roman Agora and old city.

Changing of The Guard at The Acropolis - Athens, Greece
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

WE SAW the Acropolis again, and then spent some time down in the old city in the Roman Agora, the ancient Romans' commercial and administrative center. The Acropolis tour takes a few hours, so I had shot a lot of photographs of the primary sights in 2013. I took less photos this time, but we had the unique and very cool experience of seeing the group of soldiers marching out in single file right at the entrance to the main part of the old Acropolis. One of my favorite photos.

The Agora - Athens, Greece
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WE HAD lunch in an outdoor restaurant right on the corner of the Agora. While frankly "touristic" as they say over there, the atmosphere was pretty cool. We then spent a couple hours walking around the Agora (we had seen it from a short distance, very briefly in 2013). Built around the the turn of the century (1st century B.C. to 1st century A.D.), the Agora is some 500 years older than the Colosseum in Rome. A little bit like an outdoor mall, it has several buildings on the grounds. Perhaps the most impressive is the little Byzantine Church on one corner: The Church of The Holy Apostles. Being somewhat physically small, it photographs well.

Church of The Holy Apostles - Athens, Greece
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

ANOTHER IN a series of long days came to an end. Our guide and driver delivered us to our hotel where we would spend our final night in Europe, boarding our plane bound for home early the next morning. We knew that we would cruise again, and that we would be back to Europe. Interestingly, our very next cruise - 2 years hence - would again be with Paul and Linda - once again in the Mediterranean "theatre." Look for our continuing adventures in Europe in the next few blog posts.

BUT THERE would be one more adventure before we were finished. We checked in and freshened up. I was still feeling just a touch of the effects of my Provence water experience. Paul was tired. He and I suggested we just eat in the hotel restaurant for our dinne that evening. Admittedly, it was nothing to write home about in terms of either menu or ambiance. My wife put her foot down. She said she was not going to spend a night in Athens and eat in the hotel restaurant. After a brief consultation with the concierge, we were in a cab and on our way right back down to old Athens City, and to a restaurant the concierge recommended and called ahead for us. We were greeted by the owner and escorted to our table, where he suggested that rather than deal with the language barrier and menu, that we just let him bring us some of their food. That turned out to be a great suggestion and the food was fantastic. Even better, the ambiance! We were seated out on a patio overlooking the street level one story down, which also had other restaurants. In the distance, we saw the lighted Acropolis up on the hill. It was an evening that will not be forgotten.

As we exited the cab, Paul paid and then said to to the cab driver: "best time ever?"

I HAVE to finish this one with yet another anecdote. Humorous? To us it is and we often reminisce. Our restauranteer called us a cab to take us back to the hotel. Our local, Greek, cab driver apparently didn't speak a word of English, but it didn't matter. He knew where our hotel was. It was a Mercedes sedan. Paul took shotgun, planning to pay for the ride. The rest of us squeezed into the rear seat. You have to image the european, narrow streets of downtown Athens, with cars parked along both sides and barely enough room to pass through. That didn't stop our cab driver. He apparently mistakenly thought is was a grand prix course. He raced back to the hotel, as we all saw our lives flash before our eyes. Not sure what his deal was, but it was by far the scariest cab ride any of us had ever experienced. As we exited the cab, Paul paid and then said to to the cab driver: "best time ever?" We still laugh (though we weren't laughing much during the ride). The silly little things you remember. 😁 With some great memories in the bank, we headed back stateside early the next morning. We would not cruise again in 2016. But ironically enough, our very next cruise would be a repeat  - the Mediterranean - with Paul and Linda again.

[As I post this, we are 2 days away from our sort of annual Caribbean jaunt, this time on the all new to us: Celebrity Ascent, which is the penultimate (I believe) Edge Class ship. Last year was sister, Celeberity Beyond and we expect it to be essentially the same, but it will be interesting to explore and note differences and nuances. Upon our return, I will start back in on the series - in the Mediterranean on the Celebrity Reflection. Until then, thank you - as always - for reading!]

2015 - Montenegro

Kotor, Montenegro
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

MONTENEGRO IS an Eastern European sovereign country on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea; part of what has historically been known as "The Balkans." It was once a part of the communist Soviet "Eastern Bloc" Yugoslavia. Gaining its independence in the early 2000's makes it a rather young democratic nation, but with strong traditions and national pride.

The Port of Kotor, Montenegro
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THE QUIET little port of Kotor, Montenegro  Kotor, our port stop, is one of a few popular seaboard cities, but it is tucked way back into the very end of the only fjord on the Adriatic Sea. A medieval town, Kotor is walled, or fortified.

Section of the wall around Kotor, Montenegro
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BOUNDED BY the famous WWI "accellerants" of Bosnia, Herzogovina, Serbia and Croatia, Montenegro was part of the former Yugoslavia during most of the 20th Century, becoming independent only some time around 2006. Its Slavic origins date back to the early 2nd Century, coincident with the time of the Byzantine Empire.

Kotor, Montenegro
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

TO THE east are the Dinaric Alps (smaller, but similar range than the Alps found in central europe), with deep valleys, peaks, and stunning views. I didn't really get to see that, but my travel mates did. Sometime between the evening after Rome and the morning we docked in Kotor, my mistake of drinking "tap" water in Provence caught up to me, with a stomach issue that was pretty intense, along with headache and just general malaise. We had an excursion scheduled that involved walking around inside the walled city, and then a trip up into the mountains to visit a family farm, sample the food, and (I heard) the grappa! I did part of the walk and decided the best course for me was to return to the ship. It was a sunny, pleasant, warm day (not hot) and before returning shipboard, I laid down on one of the outdoor benches. I fell asleep and was still there hours later when the group returned to the ship. Sounds like they had found. Don't know when/if we will ever return there. The rest of the group thoroughly enjoyed their day in the mountains.

2015 - Rome

Rome, Italy (Spanish Steps in the distance)
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

ROME IS another one of those "ports of call" that is really not a port at all. The center city of Rome is all of 40 miles from the nearest seaport of Civitavecchia, the port stop "for Rome." It is at least an hour and probably more like a 90 minute drive in good traffic conditions. It is possible to get from there to Rome by train (probably a 45 minute to 1 hour train ride - which we would do in 2017) or by private car. Either way, it means you really need a long day in Rome, which is a city that you could easily spend a week in. In 2022, we had the great fortune of spending 4 days in Rome and got so see many of these sights much more intimately (more on that in a future post).

View from the top of The Spanish Steps - Rome, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

WE HIRED a private driver (Rome-in-Limo) for 6 people for this one. Another couple joined us and we all had a good time - but a very busy and long day. This time, we had tickets to the Colosseum and to the Vatican. Our shortened 2013 cruise had originally included those two venues also, but we missed our tour by a couple days due to the ship breakdown. We spent just an afternoon, walking around the city. We were very fortunate to see as much as we did see on just one short afternoon there. Ironically, we had the best view of the Trevi Fountain during the 2013 trip. The fountain was under repair on this 2015 trip, which was a disappointment. I got the "standard" shots of the Spanish Steps in 2013, and for some reason that entire area was less crowded than when we were there in 2015. Already having some shots, I concentrated on some more "intimate," and unique views of the area.

Looking down on the Roman Forum - Rome, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015

ENTERING THE city of Rome from the highway, we got a kind of whirlwind tour of some of the city's highlights. We saw the Roman Forum from a viewpoint up above it briefly (our future, 2022 visit to Rome would include a much more in-depth visit to the forum). We drove along the Tiber River and got a nice view of Castel Angel on the way to the Vatican.

Castel Angel - Rome, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

WE DROVE by the Mayor's Palace for a quick photo across the busy avenue on Capitoline Hill where it is situated. We made a quick stop at the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish steps.

The Mayor's Palace - Rome, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THIS TRIP, however, was the one and only time we have seen The Pantheon, making a brief stop there in the mid-day. On of the things I truly appreciate about private excursions/tours with a professional guide is that they have "license" to get us in places we might not otherwise see. They can generally get their cars into areas that have no room for a bus. The Pantheon was one of those spots. I would love to get back there again, perhaps with nicer light.

The (Roman) Pantheon - Rome, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

Swiss Guard at one of the Vatican Entrances
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

BUT OUR primary focus were our two booked tours: The Vatican in the morning and The Coliseum in the afternoon.

St. Peter's Plaza - The Vatican
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

VATICAN CITY - not really a city, is the smallest (by area) country in the world. It is, of course, its own sovereign government, with its own laws, law enforcement (the colorfully dressed, but highly trained and professional Swiss Guard), and boundaries. Both times we visited there (2015 and later in 2022), our Rome guides and drivers had to drop us off and we had to switch to a Vatican guide, approved by, and licensed to guide in the Vatican. Both times, we had fortunately booked in advance. In 2022, as we entered, it was raining and there was a line of well over 100 people in line.

The comparatively modest Papal Residence

Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

ONCE YOU get inside, even though the entire property is less than 1/4 mile square, you get an idea for the immensity of the grounds, as you see St. Peter's Basillica, and the Papal Residence off in the distance. Not surprisingly, the residence is not part of any Vatican tour.

Inside The Vatican Museum Halls

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MOST PEOPLE know, of course that the Vatican is where we most often see the Pope speaking to an audience, and where up in a small room in the tiny Sistine Chapel, the College of Cardinals elects each new Pope. Perhaps less well known is the extent of riches that are held in the halls of the Vatican, especially priceless art work. Those halls and the Sistine Chapel were the absolutely most crowded places I have ever visited. I was told by our guide that this is pretty much a year-round phenomena (though in 2022 - perhaps affected by the lingering aftermath of the 2019 world-wide Pandemic - we were pleasantly greeted with very small crowds and great ease of moving around and seeing things). It was so crowded that it was nearly impossible to really see the things our guide pointed out - and virtually impossible to photograph them.

St. Peter's Plaza; The Vatican

Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

AT THE end of our tour, we waited for just a few minutes and then filed quietly into the hushed, Sistine Chapel. There is no talking allowed. Nor are any photographs permitted. It is quite a humbling experience, no matter your religious beliefs.

The Colosseum - Rome, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015

OUR AFTERNOON was mostly taken up with our next scheduled site: The Roman Colosseum. We had only seen the exterior of the Colosseum on our brief visit in 2013, and then much of the exterior was shrouded in scaffolding for repairs and restoration. We were determined to see the inside of this rather amazing structure. Amazing in terms of architecture and of history.

The Colosseum - Rome, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2025

THE COLOSSEUM is the largest ancient ampitheater ever built (and today is the largest standing such venue). It was constructed over an 8-year period from A.D. 72 - 80). The chambers you see above could be flooded and/or drained. It was used for gladiator contests, wild animal "hunts," and sometimes for executions (by putting one or more persons condemned to death out in the ring unarmed to face the wild animals).

Colosseum - Rome, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THE THEATRE was constructed mainly of travertine, but persons of high status had special seating which was a higher class of stone, as can be seen here.

"V.I.P" seating just above the main stage - Colosseum; Rome, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

BY MEDIEVAL times, the venue was no longer used for these events. It went through various states of "state" storage, a military staging and planning area, and ultimately a museum. It is one of Rome's most visited tourist sites today.

ALL TOO soon, we needed to be on our way back to Civitavecchia to re-join our Emerald Princess. Our next stop would be Kotor, Montenegro.

2015 - Pisa and Florence

Port of Livorno, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

ONE OF my pet peeves with cruise lines is the "selling" of port stops that really aren't the ports at all For example, Livorno and LaSpezia as: "for Florence and Pisa." Neither Florence, nor Pisa is on the water and the closest deep water port is Livorno, some 45 miles from Florence and just under 15 miles from Pisa. Some of the cruise lines "sell" it from La Spezia (which is even further away from both cities). Misleading, in my view. A short day in Florence is possible if it is a full day on shore. Getting both Pisa and Florence in is tougher. An overnight mooring might be ideal from Livorno, but a day stop is challenging no matter what. In this case, if I recall correctly, it was one of the days where it was a slightly shorter stop, due to a pretty good run to the next port (Civitavecchia). But from La Spezia, it just doesn't seem feasible to me (though there are those who do it).

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Duomo Pisa) - Pisa, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reviewed

FROM LA Spezia, it is 50 miles to Pisa and 90 miles to Florence. Given local driving conditions the trip to Pisa is probably well over 90 minutes and to Florence, between 2 and 2 1/2 hours each way. That cuts into a port day in a big way. Unfortunately, most of the current Celebrity ships seem to be docking in La Spezia these days. On-line and website resources suggest that the reason for this is for better access to Cinque Terre. I suspect there is more to it than that and that we won't see it publicly discussed. In the early years, there was no deepwater pier in La Spezia for cruise ships, despite it being a major commercial and military port. In 2013, a cruise pier was completed, allowing for at least 2 ships to dock. The couple times we have been there, we have docked. I personally believe that the La Spezia port - for whatever reason - is giving cruise ships a better economic deal; enough so that they are moving from Livorno. I also think it is a less congested port as cruise ships go. This is unfortunate in my view, as I do not think it is tenable to visit Florence and/or Pisa from there and do either city justice, unless you are overnight. If your ship is going to dock there, I recommend that you plan your on shore visit around Cinque Terre. It is very easy to get there and you will not be disappointed!

Leaning Tower of Pisa (that thing really leans!) - Pisa, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THIS TRIP, however, our Emerald Princess docked in Livorno. On this day we had a private guide/driver for just the 4 of us. He met us down on the pier as early as we were able to get off the ship. He wanted to get a fast start and felt that if we did Pisa first, we would be among the first to arrive there. He was right, and for most of our visit there (we were there for maybe about an hour to an hour and a half), we had the place virtually to ourselves. That was very nice for photography and I got a few very nice images of the Tower and of the surrounding church and buildings.

Marble stonework - Leaning Tower of Pisa - Pisa, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

I OFTEN photograph small, closeup segments of a subject I am photographing as a whole. Revealing the precision, shape and color of the underlying stonework is often not only photogenic, but gives us insight into the skill and artistic talents of the creators. In this case the marble work, in terms of geometrics, craftsmanship and color, is really spectacular. The interior of the cathedral, like many of the classical churches in Europe, is also impressive.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Duomo Pisa) - Pisa, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reviewed

BECAUSE WE had one of our shorter days, we were really only able to do Florence in pretty much a whirlwind fashion. We were there on the day the Accedemia Museum is closed, so that wasn't an option anyway. We mostly drove around the city with a couple quick stops at some of the most important parts of the city. We started with a view from high up of the city as a whole. Florence is one of those places you should probably plan to visit over a minimum of a 2 - day period. Once the home of the rich and famous Medici family who were instrumental in bringing Europe out of its "Dark Ages," with its emphasis on art and commerce, Florence is a pretty impressive place.

Florence, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THE DUOMO in Florence (The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore) is one of the most famous in Italy (if not in the world). Designed by the famed Renaissance architect, Filippo Brunelleschi, it is a double-domed design (a dome inside a dome), which can be climbed via a spiral staircase between the two domes. Constructed in a mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles, it was one of the primary new buildings of the Renaissance. It is a central feature of the center city.

The Duomo of Florence, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

PONTE VECCHIO is yet another famous feature in Florence. A unique, enclosed bridge, it once housed artisan shops (originally butchers and tanners, but re-purposed for artisans - in particular goldsmiths and jewelers) during the Renaissance period. It was also know for the secret passage Vasari Corridor, used by members of the Medici family to travel between palaces on either side of the bridge. Ponte Vecchio is both the oldest bridge in Florence (originally built by the Romans) and the only bridge in the city to be spare from bombings during WWII. "My" image here, was actually shot by our driver who stopped ever so briefly on the road heading toward the bridge. He was unable to stop for us, or even for me to get out for a quick shot. I really would like to have some time to explore the city on my own in a more leisurely fashion. I have determined that it will require at the very least, an overnight stay in Florence some day.

Ponte Vecchio - Florence, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

WITH OUR time running short, our driver took us past one other notable site in Florence, Palazzo Vechio, where Mussolini made his impassioned speeches asserting the dominance of Fascism from a balcony (pictured) on numerous occasions in Florence. From there, sadly, we had to return to Livorno in order to be back on board for our sail-away.

Palazzo Vechio (Mussolini's Balcony flanked by 3 flags) - Florence, Italy
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

2015 Provence

 

Fontaine de la Rotonde - Aix-en-Provence, France
Copyright Andy Richards 2015  - All Rights Reserved

THERE WERE a few things on our previous cruise on the Royal Princess that left us wanting. I have mentioned the odd dining experience in previous posts. The Emerald Princess was different. The Emerald is a member of Princess' Grand Class (much like the Ruby Princess we were on for our first Caribbean Cruise); smaller and older than the Royal Princess had been. For us, that actually was a positive. One of the things we had disliked on the Royal Princess was the dining room. Their redesign of that space created some odd (in our opinion) out of the way spaces. We had gotten tucked back into one of those spaces on the Royal. We were seated at a table that seemed more like two end-to-end booths each for 4 people, with 2 other couples (one with us and one at the adjacent table. One of the couples we only saw on the first night. We never knew if they asked to be moved, or just didn't show up for dinners (though we would not have been surprised if it were the former). The other couple was older (than us - imagine 😊) with children our age. But they were very pleasant - if a bit reserved. They were from New Zealand, though their son actually lived and worked in Midland, Michigan, just a few miles from our home in Saginaw. There were no other diners near us, and it just felt odd and isolated.

Emerald Princess

WE HAD Paul and Linda on this trip, meaning our dining experience would be fun, no matter what. But also - a first for us - we also elected the "flexible dining" option for this cruise. This meant we could arrive at any time during dinner hours, but weren't assigned a table or waiters. After the first couple nights, we did find a table we kind of liked, and we asked and were seated there every night from then on. It was a table for 8, so we had 4 new table mates each night, which was kind of fun. Same waiters, though, so we got accustomed to each other. Like a few other things over the years that changed, I had reservations about the flexible dining thing (no pun intended). But I knew it would work to our advantage around our short time schedule. And it did. Over time, I have realized that it works just fine and actually appreciate having some control over the timing and seating.

a first for us - we also elected the "flexible dining" option for this cruise

BY 2015, we had swung our "cruise line allegiance" to Celebrity, and this would be our last Princess Cruise for a long time. Even though we had yet to cruise on a Celebrity ship outside of the Caribbean, I was already thinking about how our next trip across "the pond" would be a Celebrity Cruise. That prophecy came true, and we wouldn't cruise on Princess again until late 2121, as we came haltingly out of the more or less world-wide "lockdown." There were two events early on in the cruise that underscored what to me were important differences. The first was the approach Princess seemed to be taking regarding cocktails. Our boarding process having gone smoothly, we decided to find a quiet spot on one of the mid-decks to watch the sail-away. We found some chairs facing the port, and Paul and I headed to the nearest bar to get us drinks. That happened to be adjacent to the casino. As we approached the bar, I saw something that made me go: "oh oh!" Prominently displayed on the shelf behind the bartenders were a long row of jiggers. That was a new sight to me and not necessarily a welcome one. By this time in our cruising we had decided that premium drink packages worked for us. I had never seen them "measure" them so tightly. Generally, once we become familiar with bartenders in some of the areas we frequent, we can count on generous pours. Apparently not to be on this cruise. Thankfully, we don't usually see that on our Celebrity cruises.

THE SECOND thing was a change that seems to have become a "thing" across most of the cruise lines (warning: rant coming on 😅). Smoking has not only become disfavored in public places. It has become a vile and mortal sin. I get it. It is not good for you. Kind of like 90% of the food offered in the Buffet. And the gallons of alcohol consumed on board. 😏 But seriously, I also get the distinction. You can choose to consume or not to consume the food or drink without that affecting the others around you (for the most part). Smoking can affect others by its invasive and non-stationery effect. I am all on board with the stance virtually all the cruise lines have taken regarding smoking in staterooms, on private balconies, and in most public areas aboard. But I emphasize "most." Today we seem to have a "totalitarian" view (just read some of the comments by the folks who are 100% intolerant of smoking - anywhere; any time - on the various sites like Cruise Critic and FB pages) that I find somewhat astounding. Especially in Europe, where smoking appears to me to be more prevalent (my quick and dirty research suggests that just over one-quarter of the European population smokes tobacco of some kind. Sometime during the past several years, I had picked up the (apparently vile) ritual of enjoying a hand-rolled cigar from time to time. While my habit originated on the golf course, it quickly became a beach and vacation kind of thing. Including cruises. Given that people are going to do this even in light of the fact that it isn't healthy, it seems appropriate to create (or preserve) spaces where smoking is allowed aboard cruise ships. And it seems like most of the mainline ships have done so. My gripe here, is their choice of venues. On Princess, the only real, viable smoking alternative is in the so-called smoking lounges on most of their new ship configurations (though I was recently informed that they have now done away with these humidor rooms in favor of a kid's play area). These areas are (were) cold (physically and as a matter of ambiance), small, and surprisingly not well-ventilated. There are said to be open areas on some of the side decks, but we found them to be small, with little seating, and really purposed for the quick smoke that many cigarette smokers engage in. In other words, uninviting. We did our smoking in the "lounge" but the enjoyment factor is much lower than on other ships (notably, Celebrity - which I believe is the most cigar-friendly line).

Smoking has not only become disfavored in public places. It has become a vile and mortal sin

AS I like to say, "First world problems." Still a good cruise, with a pretty full itinerary. Our first stop was in the port of Marseille, along the French Riviera. We did not ever go into the city of Marseille (and at this point still never have). For today, it would be wine tasting in Provence. Our Somolier-Guide picked up our group of 8 relatively early in the morning at the port. We then drove out into the Provence countryside. Someday, I would love to take a day or two and just drive into some of the small villages and farming communities with my camera. Picturesque. You bet. But we didn't stop because we were on a mission. We had two vineyards to visit, and then a stop in Aix-en-Provence (a city we would learn over subsequent visits that seems to be a cultural center of the Provence Region).

Chateau La Dorgonne - Provence, France
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

OUR FIRST vineyard was Chateu La Dorgonne. Because she was also a sommelier, our guide was not only very knowledgeable, but basically handled the entire tour of both of the vineyards herself. Aesthetically, this vineyard was my favorite. It yielded some nice photography.

Rose - Chateau La Dorgonne
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THE PREMIERE product from this vineyard, according to her, was its very good Rose'. We tasted a Sauvignon Blanc, and the Rose'. The Rose' was tasty. Every time we do a vineyard tour, we have the opportunity to purchase and carry or ship wines home. We don't generally do so for three reasons. First, carrying bottles back to the U.S. with air flights is a hassle and a calculated risk (potential breakage - though we have done it and so far never had any breakage). Second, historically, getting alcohol back on board the ships has been a hassle. They take it from you and keep it somewhere until your final port, where you have to go claim it. And third, we are just really not that enthusiastic about wine. More recently, I did bring 4 bottles of liquor back - but we were in and out of Ft. Lauderdale, which meant we were driving. At any rate, the vineyard was beautiful, as was the region in general.

Chateu Vignelaure - Provence, France
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

CHATEAU VIGNELAURE, a short distance away was our second vineyard for the day. In my view, it was not as photogenic (perhaps because not as "quaint") as the first one, but still, there were some opportunities. Importantly, I didn't care as much for the wines there either.

Chateau Vignelaure - Provence, France
Copyright Andy Richards 2015

WE DID, however, get a more detailed tour of the winery, including much of the operations. within. I liked the image of the barrels stacked while aging.

Old Wine - Chateau Vignelaure - Provence, France
Copyright Andy Richards 2015

WE ALSO got to see some really old wine.

Chateau Vignelaure - Provence, France
Copyright Andy Richards 2015

WE FINISHED out the day with a stop in Aix-en-Provence. Our guide dropped us off at the center of the city on a roundabout called La Rotonde. There is a wonderful fountain that is in the center of the Rotonde. It is a great spot in the city to use as a meeting place and we would experience this again whe we revisited this remarkable city in 2022.

Fontaine de la Rotonde - Aix-en-Provence, France
Copyright Andy Richards 2015  - All Rights Reserved

WITH A population of 145,000, Aix was once the capital of Provence. Originally settled by the Romans just before B.C., like many cities in this part of Europe, it endured centuries of invasions and occupation by tribes like the Visigoths, and later the Francs and Saracens. During the Middle Ages, it was ultimately occupied by the Franks (Charles Martel), and by the 12th century had become an artistic and educational center, primarily under the house of Aragon. It became officially part of France under Louis VII in 1487. It continues to be a cultural and artistic center, often habituated by famous historical figures such as Paul Cézanne, Émile Zola and Ernest Hemingway. It remains an educational center, today housing, among others, Aix-Marseille University (widely attended from all over Europe and other countries) and The American College of The Mediterranean.

I generally only drink bottled water when on shore these days

WE DIDN'T know any of that at the time. We primarily were making a stop for lunch. She gave us about 90 minutes, and suggested we walk up one of the spoke-like avenues (Rue Espariat) a ways to a small courtyard with a few outdoor restaurants. We could easily see the charm of the place as we walked both in and out. We learned a bit more about the city from our guide and a short tour he gave us in 2022. The last two photos here incorporated the two unsuspecting couples who had joined us that morning for the tour. They made good subjects for my Aix-en-Provence photos.

Aix-en-Provence, France
Copyright Andy Richards 2025 - All Rights Reserved

I WILL close with another one of those "humorous anecdotes" (in this case humorous for everyone except me, perhaps 😒). We found a seat in one of the outdoor seating areas in the courtyard and ordered lunch. When asked what we would like to drink, two of us opted for water. We were given the choice of bottled water or local tap water. Linda ordered bottled water. I had the temerity to tease her about paying the requisite euros (whatever it was) for water, and blithely ordered (and drank) the local water from a carafe of ice water. I cannot guarantee that the water was the culprit. It could well have been coincidental and I may have picked up a "bug" from any of a number of other sources. But my teasing would come back to haunt me. Either way, two days later, I had a case of something, with stomach cramps, headache and perhaps fever. It hung on, and put a damper on the last couple days (and stops) of the cruise. But not right away. For the most part, lesson learned. I generally only drink bottled water when on shore these days.

2015 - Return to the Mediterranean

Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015

FINALLY. OUR (triumphant?) return to the Mediterranean! In 2013 we had excitedly booked, planned and departed for our first ever visit outside the continental U.S. It was the dream trip of a lifetime for me. And even though it didn't work out the way we planned it, looking back, it was still a dream trip. With planned visits to Venice, Turkey, Greece, Rome, and Italy's Amalfi Coast, we fulfilled the majority of those destinations. With a voucher for the cruise that didn't complete, we were now - in 2015 - getting ready to embark on the one that would cover those places we missed out on. Our "makeup" cruise.

Port of Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THIS CRUISE added a fun spin. For some time, we had been talking to our friends, Paul and Linda, about joining us on a cruise. This time, they decided it was time! At first, we were planning to do something we hadn't ever done (and still haven't) - a back to back (B2B in "cruise talk"). They didn't think they could take that much time, so we were going to do the first leg (being 10 years ago, I don't even remember what it entailed - probably some of the Italian or French Riviera), and then they would join up with us for the 2nd cruise. A funny thing happened on the way to the cruise, though. My son decided to get married. In Tokyo. I was still working full time at that point, and I just didn't think I could do 20 or so days in the Mediterranean and a week in Japan, having already take a week in the Caribbean earlier in the year. It is one of two times I made that call and have "kicked myself" since. I think I could have taken the time and it would have been just fine. But ultimately, we dropped one of the B2B legs.

WE FLEW from Michigan to Barcelona, Spain where we would board The Emerald Princess. 

We fell in love with Barcelona! 

OUR CRUISE would go from Barcelona to Provence, France; Livorno, Italy (for Pisa and Florence); Civitavechia (for Rome); Montenegro, and finally finish in Athens. But as we now pretty much routinely do, we planned 3 days in Barcelona before departing. Barcelona had been the terminal stop on our "aborted" Royal Princess Cruise back in 2013. But we had not planned any real time there, flying out the same day we were to dock and disembark the ship. So this was a bonus to our "makeup" cruise.

The Catalonian National Museum of Art - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015

WE HAD no idea. We fell in love with Barcelona! By now, my wife had become expert in finding and booking tours - covering all the important details. This time, she arranged for a pickup at the airport and a 1/2 day tour of the city before dropping us at our hotel. There were two "rain events" on this cruise. Otherwise, we really had great weather, especially as we headed east and then south. The first event was the day we arrived. We had showery conditions most of that day. I was sporting a new "travel" camera (I had carried it for our week in Japan earlier that summer, too). It was a very small, compact Sony RX100 and I was having fun with it. I took the shot of the windshield of our van as kind of a "fun" photo, but it shows the weather we started with. Fortunately, it didn't last. We saw the Olympic Village, a drive-by of the La Sagrada Familia, the Catalonian National Art Museum, a view from high above the city, and another drive-by of Parc Guell (where we had tickets for later).

The influence of Gaudi can be seen everywhere in the City - this scene was about a block or two from our own hotel - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

FOR OUR stay in Barcelona, we chose Hotel Diagonal; fittingly, on Avenue Diagonal, which runs diagonally through the city center. It was modest, but clean and had a really nice - small rooftop bar area that we were able to use a couple of the nights. It was also very centrally located for most of what we planned to do while in the city. We had a full schedule. Following our drive-around introduction to the city, we had a walking tour scheduled for later that afternoon - early evening. Part of our tour was spent in the Gothic Quarter, where we saw the wonderful old Gothic Architecture of The Cathedral of Barcelona (one of few places in the city where Gaudi's influence isn't the central feature - because it was built long before his time).

Cathedral of Barcelona - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THE NEXT morning, we had a Gaudi walking tour of the main parts of the city where much of Antoni Gaudi's architectural influence can be seen. Later that afternoon, we were booked for Parc Guell (a proposed luxury housing complex by wealthy industrialist Eusebi Güell, who commissioned Gaudi to design it).

Gaudi Architecture dominates the center city (with the exception of the Gothic Quarter)
Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THAT BRIGHT red and yellow flag that prominently adorns so many of the Barcelona buildings in not the flag of Spain. While Barcelona is part of the nation of Spain, it identifies much more strongly with its history as Catalan. The dominant flag here, is the Catalonian flag. While Spanish is the official language, Catalonian is fluently and frequently spoken by Barcelona residents - and is taught in Barcelona schools as a co-primary language along with Spanish. Students of history and geography will know that Spain is more or less divided into 4 distict regions, whose history and culture are each somewhat unique. All were at one time separate kingdoms. There is strong sentiment for Catalonian independence and in the several times we have visited Barcelona, there have been huge, spirited (but always peaceful) marches and demonstrations for Catalonian separatism.

Catalonian Flag - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

ALONG WITH the prominent and unique architecture of Gaudi and his followers, the residents of Barcelona have some interesting, quirky, and often humorous touches to the city. I thought the museum below might be fun and interesting to visit, but before I could suggest it to my compatriots, I noticed the flashing orange street sign warning me not to cross over. Omen? Maybe. 😑 

Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

OUR PARC Guell visit later that afternoon was our other "rain event." We had looked forward to a couple hours in the complex. I said "proposed" above, because the complex never really left the ground. Only two homes were ever built there. But before it stopped, there were several public buildings and spaces completed. The entire complex architecture was in Gaudi's signature style of no straight lines and a lot of natural shapes and forms - along with some - well - "gaudy" decorative touches.

Parc Guell - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

WE WAITED in a line for our time, and watched the skies as they grew darker and darker. Almost as if choreographed, just as we walked in, the skies opened up and dumped a deluge of rain on us. We were able to crowd up under the main pavillion of the complex as we watched literal rivers and waterfalls develop over and through the stairways and passages. It was forecast to continue, and we - regrettably - decided to abort the tour. I was able to make just a few photographs, mostly from where we stood under the pavillion.

A very rain-soaked Parc Guell - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

HEADING BACK to the motel to dry out, we had a "pub-crawl" style food and drink tour scheduled for that evening and kept our fingers crossed that it would stop raining. Fortune smiled upon us, and the rain stopped. It was the last serious rainfall we would see for the remainder of our trip. The evening was cool, but comfortable. We met our "leader" in a plaza about a block from our hotel, and he led us on a fun trip around the center city (I don't think we were ever more than about a half mile from our hotel). We were in Barcelona, on a sort of a pub-crawl. So what would you expect for the food portion? Of course. Tapas! It was a fun evening. So much fun for the 4 of us and our guide (we were in a larger group, but as the evening wore on, they fell off from us) that we kept going past our time and to a couple places we hadn't been to. He was a young gentleman (I would say college age), and when we began buying, he was more than glad to show a few more of his favorite spots. All good things, though, must come to and end, and it eventually did. When we asked him to help point us toward our motel, he pointed kiddy-corner across the street and said "its right there." 😁

Performance Hall - Palau de la Musica - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

WE WEREN'T done yet. I had a business associate who spent a month every January in Barcelona, and he gave me a few "must see" spots. He actually headed up one of the State Government agencies back in Michigan that I had frequent contact with. Rich and I had done a couple speaking engagements together, and hit it off. In his spare time, he sang in a barbershop quartet (and they were really good). So he was musical. I had played in the band and orchestra in high school, so we had another thing in common. He told me that we had to see Barcelona's crown jewel of the city's performance scene: Palau de la Musica. The performing center was not designed by Gaudi, but you would think it was. The designer of the performing center was an Catalonian architect from Barcelona: Lluís Domènech i Montaner, whose designs were from a similar school as Gaudi's unique spin on art nouveau architecture. With its copious art nouveau touches, and very colorful and grandiose decorative and design features, it is probably the most beautiful facilities of its kind that I have ever seen.

Palau de la Musica - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

ONE OF my law partners later decided to spend some time in Barcelona during Michigan's coldest, grayest part of the winter. He and his wife went to Barcelona for a 3 - week winter getaway, and I put him in touch with Rich (with whom he was alread professionally acquainted) and he consulted Rich at length. My partner's wife is a very talented professional voice teacher and performer. And Dave (my partner) is a hobbyist organ player (who built his own synthesizer organ which allows him to download the "sounds" of different unique and famous organs). One of the highlights of the Palau de la Musica tour is a few minutes of its world-famous organ (it is played automatically somehow). Dave was fascinated with that and when they were in Barcelona, they attended a couple live performances there. But perpaps more germane - Dave found and acquired the application for the "sound" of that organ.

Palau de la Musica - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THE ARCHITECTURE is impressive, from the performance hall, to the lobby space (note the guilded stairway up to the balcony seats in the hall), to even the outdoor spaces. I couldn't get over the colorful columns lining one of the porches of the main lobby. It was a memorable morning. Over the years, I have had the privilege and pleasure to see the inside of some pretty remarkable buildings - I doubt I have ever been in one more beautiful and memorable than this one.

Sagrada Familia - Barcelone, Spain
Copyright 2015 - All Rights Reserved

OUR TIME in Barcelona was rapidly coming to an end. The next morning, we would board the cruise ship, bound for the Mediterranean and more adventures. But before we did so, we had one more "must see" spot. If you are an admirer of history, art, or architecture, you cannot visit Barcelona without seeing the granddaddy of all churches: the famed "Sagrada Familia."  The largest unfinished Catholic church in the world, construction in 1882 directed by architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. The original design and plan for for a Gothic Revival building. Shortly after contstruction began, Villar and the project commissioners came to significant diagreement on materials and costs, and i89n 1883, Villar resigned. Antoni Gaudí took over as chief architect, and completely changed the design, adding his Art Nouveau forms to the original Gothic design, and creating a mix of the two styles. Gaudí devoted the rest of his life to the curch, and is even buried in the church's crypt. At the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete. Even today, in 2025, 100 years later, the church remains incomplete. The current plan is to have it substantially completed in 2026, by the anniversary of Gaudi's death. Time will tell.

Sagrada Familia - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

WE HAD tickets for entry, which included a ride up one of the elevators that flank the main entrance, all the way to the top (for a presumably commanding view of the city). Unfortunately, when we arrived, we were informed that there had been an unscheduled closing of the elevators. We assumed maybe due to windy conditions, but we later learned that we were pre-empted by someone or group apparently more important an/or influential than us mere tourists.

Sagrada Familia - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright 2015 - All Rights Reserved

STILL, THE remaining parts of the tour were pretty impressive. In addition to much of the Gaudi forms in the interior of the church, the stained glass - both in terms of color and grandeur and for their strategic placement, directing light at appropriate times of the day, was amazing. As you can see, it really is difficult to capture the massive structure, inside and out.

Sagrada Familia - Barcelona, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2015

IT WAS a great few days in Barcelona, which became our absolute favorite European City. This brief account doesn't really cover the depth of our experience. In addition to learning so much about the art and architecture of the city (dominated, of course, by Antoni Gaudi), our hotel was just 2 blocks from Las Rambla, a boulevard that winds through the city, with outdoor seating restaurants, shops, entertainers and people watching! We enjoyed the tapas style food, and just doing some bar-hopping in some of the small bars around our hotel. We walked back down into the Gothic Quarter on our final night to find a recommended restaurant where we had a splendid seafood dinner (my wife and I would spend more time and learn much more about the Gothic Quarter and the history of the old city when we stopped again in 2019 for an overnight stay in the port). We capped off our last night - it had finally cleared and there were even stars in the sky - up on our rooftop bar. We had a leisurely time frame for boarding our cruise ship the next day - just minutes by taxi or uber from our hotel. And we were just getting started!