travel essays

Santorini was an unexpected trip. The war broke out in Israel on Oct 7, 2023 and put the 11-day cruise sailing out of Israel in limbo. Eventually, the cruise itinerary was changed to embark at Athens. We ended up spending four fabulous 4 days in Santorini, the iconic island on my dream list.

A pre-cruise short trip to Paris was a great introduction to the City of Love. We took our time enjoying Paris from land and water 

instead of hitting different tourist attractions. The 2-hour lunch cruise on the Seine River on the first day set the romantic tone and made it a memorable trip.  

The 40-mile Panama Canal is an engineering marvel that has intrigued us for years. It was a fascinating experience sailing through the three locks from the Atlantic ocean to the Gatun lake in Panama. The 10-day cruise also took us to Cartagena, Colombia, and Limon, Costa Rica.

One of the most beautiful cities in South America, Cartagena was a great introduction to Colombia. The most fascinating encounters were with a toucan and a baby sloth at the Eco Park by the cruise port where our ship docked for a day.

The natural beauty of Norway is beyond words and cruising to this gorgeous Nordic country was surreal, calling at the ports of Stavanger, Geiranger, and Alesund.  The experience of the majestic fjords and land of the trolls did not disappoint.

The visit to Turkey centered around Ephesus and Istanbul. It was a fun journey as we imagined what took place millennia ago in the former Asia Minor before the nation of Turkey was formed while mingling with the locals and savoring street foods.