http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/HooverTravel/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from HooverTravel en-us Sat, 02 Jan 2010 12:24:16 +0000 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 12:24:16 +0000 July 22 Sea DayTurns out we love this part of cruising Lay by the pool until hungerthirst causes you to move It was our first formal night on the trip so we got all dressed up and looked the part. Dinner was excellent as usual followed by a couple of hours cutting the rug in the Disco. Ended the night early because Nice was on the agenda bright and early the next day http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-425952.html 1000 years at being the richest port in the Mediterranean you say http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Croatia/Dalmatia/Dubrovnik/blog-432759.html August 2 We Leave the Summit BehindWe left the Celebrity Summit bright and early in the morning. After shuttling then taking the fabulous water taxi vaporetto to San Marco Square we checked into the incredible Westin Europa. Off to the Ducale Palace. The pictures should provide some insight but of course cannot do it justice. Also gigantic by the way.We also hit Murano the island jus http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Florence/blog-428957.html July 25 Roma in a DaySure it may note have been built in one day but we got to see it in one. Actually we went to Vatican City and viewed the Sistine Chapel with 300 of our closest friends. Sadly our guide informed us that just this week the head of the security guard in the Chapel was terminated so there was no proper control of the large crowd in the Chapel. The signs for silence and http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-426010.html July 19 Farewell Istanbul Hello BarcelonaWe were sad to say goodbye to Mengu's wonderful parents and begin the final leg of our trip an early flight took us from Istanbul to Barcelona We explored the beauty of the city on foot as it was truly meant to be explored Bari Gothic is abslutely an amzing amazing area of the city. We put on about 16000 steps on the Taraped just walking L http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-425946.html Where the Blues are Bluer and the Scooter Mama Rulz the IslandMark has now fulfilled his commitment to take me to Greece. We landed in Santorini this morning to be greeted by postcard perfection and a choice between a 3minute hike straight up the cliffside a 4minute train ride or a nomoneyback notcompletelycertainthedonkeywon'tstophalfwayupthemountain mule ride to the port city http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-426012.html July 29 The Parthenon Not Just Your Ordinary TempleOur trip from teh port city of Piraeus to Athens although short did not bode well for those of us who love hearing about the history of these amazing works. I'm also pretty certain that we couldn't have been warned one more time about the prevalence of pickpocketing where are we anyway Although beautiful and intense we found the Par http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Greece/Attica/Athens/blog-428949.html July 21 The Great Sea Adventure BeginsWith heavy hearts we packed up again and with only a short stop at the Mercat more ham and maybe just a lttle ice cream we proceeded to the ship and the start of our firstever cruise. Boarding was smooth until we reached the line of onboard packages. Suddenly things like soda and wine are packages Note to self moneymaking scheme tip http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-425951.html July 20 Not Just Your Everyday Meat MarketWe stopped in to the local Mercat but given that the Barcelonans don't go to bed until sometime between 35a.m. our 830 start time beat the crowds and many of the vendors After an exhaustive search and learning the intricasies of various slices of prosciuto Tara and Mengu picked up about 60 of ham to feast upon for breakfast. We picked up som http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-425950.html What We Learned In TurkeyAn interesting sidenote about this beautiful country of which we've now seen about 116th which absolutely qualifies us as experts. The Turkish are a very proud people which manifests quite intentionally and obviously in their marketing and branding. For example there are a number of common everyday products that the average resident uses that has the 'Turkish' stam http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/blog-425945.html July 17 A Turkish Love StoryThe Turkish formal event is one the Turkish people take VERY seriously. The day began somewhat lesiruely but we must say THAT ended abruptly as we were both ushered to our respective preparation sites. Mark accompanied the men of the family barber one that has managed the hair follicles of several generations of Sukan's and Angel accompanied Tara the bride and t http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/blog-425942.html July 16 The Power of Positive ThinkingFlexibility must remain the golden rule of travel in fact if it's not already published we are taking out the copyright. another rule that bears publishing is ot completely disregard the ferry schedules for crossing the Bosphorus that are posted on the internet.Once our daily ritual of getting Mengu out of bed had been accomplished at an hour earlier t http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/blog-420666.html July 13th Local Tour of Turkey Meets Pedestrian Cruise ShipForced poor Mengu to drive two hours from Cesme to Ephesus on the scenis route that runs along the coast. More picturesque views of a coast line that is as jagged as a broken window. Mengu tells us that the coastline is longer on this side because of the many inlets created by the making of the mountains here.HHI Level 4 heat is mo http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Cesme/blog-420657.html July 11 Turkish Breakfast with the Bride and Groom Anthropologie Museum and the Spice Bazaar http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/blog-425893.html July 10 We set off to the Mosque of Sultanahmet or what is known as the Blue Mosque to us foreigners. It's known for it's blue coloring but we found the inside and outside both beautiful. It's noted to be open and airy and was created to compete with what is generally regarded as the crown jewelHagia Sophia aya sofeeuh. We found Hagia to definitely be the architectual and artitistic http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Marmara/Istanbul/blog-419653.html July 9 Topkapi Palace Basilica Cistern and HaremAfter a simple trip via taxi subway funicular and tram and a short walk we arrived at the Blue Mosque just in time to have it be closed for prayer. Sonofa...Because Mengu was swearing the HHI was at least a 5 really a 3.5 we decided to go to the Basilica Cistern which is underground and filled with water. The cistern is huge Holding about http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Marmara/Istanbul/blog-418811.html July 8th You know you've left a third world country......when you go tto the restroom inside of immigration and you get excited by the paper towel dispenser first there is paper towel and secondly the dispenser is operated by motion sensor. Picked up at the airport by Tara and Mengu thank god we've reached civilization. amazed by the cool weather Everyone in turkey complaining how h http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Marmara/Istanbul/blog-418513.html Our Final Day in EgyptArrived in Cairo 2.5 hours late at 720a.m. and headed back to our hotel to bid farewell to Team Intrepid. Fond farewells contact exchange a highly anticipated shower and we headed for a train to daytip in Alexandria. Arrived at station 15 minutes after the final morning departure rendering our daytrip impossible. Always the optimists headed for lunch to map out Plan http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Egypt/Lower-Egypt/Cairo/blog-417047.html July 6th You thought THAT was hotThe Valley of the Kings tombs sarcophagi vividly painted hieroglyphs critical lesson in Egyptian death rituals and temperatures so high inside the claustrophiainducing boxlike underground tomb of Tuthmosis III it made the outside temperatures for what is purported to be the 2nd hottest place in Egypt feel quite refreshing was an unforgettable experi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Egypt/Upper-Egypt/Luxor/blog-417044.html July 5th Sunrise on the Nile. Happy Birthday AndreaGood morning to the Sky god from a felucca on the Nile pretty tough to beat this sunrise has to be in our top five everMan do we all need a shower Absolute zero wind required ninety minutes of towing to meet up with our landbased caravan that took us the final three hours to Luxor. Wow HHI 6 at 1000a.m. Does not bode well for la http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Egypt/Upper-Egypt/Luxor/blog-417042.html