April 29 - 30, 2008 Andorra La Vella We had no idea what to expect here as, quite frankly, we had never heard of it before. We kind of threw a dart at the map the day before and this is where it landed. This is a very small “ Country” ( Principality ) between Spain and France. One of those places similar to Monte Carlo and Luxembourg. The big business here is tourists and it's a tax haven so there are lots of big banks, accountants and lawyers. One interesting fact we learned was that this is the place to be to live a long life. Highest average lifespan in the world at about 83 years. Must be the wine !! This is a very nice place right in the middle of the mountains and ... read more

April 25, 26, 2008 VALENCIA / PLAYA VORAMAR, Spain We enjoyed the drive through the Spanish countryside to Valencia and on to Playa Voramar ( an hour north of Valencia. This is beautiful country with great views of the Mediteranean, the mountains, thousands of vineyards, orange ( famous Valencia Oranges ) and olive groves as well as other fruit and vegetable gardens. Playa Voramar is a beautiful place with a great beach. One of the nicest beaches we've ever seen. We were a little early as some of the facilities are just opening for the season. It is evident here that there is a lot of old ( and some new ) money around with some very nice waterfront properties and too many apartments and condos. The whole coast from Valencia to Barcelona is similar in ... read more

April 17 - 21 Budapest, Hungary April 17 Arrived here late afternoon after the less than 2 hour flight from Kyiv. Our hotel is close to the center of town so we took a short walk about and had a very good typical Hungarian dinner in a small local restaurant. April 18, 2008 Today we took the local “City Tour“ bus to get a feel for the city. This is a “Hop on - Hop off” bus that operates all day throughout a set route. ( Exactly what Kiev needs ). This was a very good way to see the city highlights. THIS IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL CITY !!! The city area has been occupied for a couple of thousand years but the city as it is today is only a few hundred years old. The ... read more

April 16, 2008 Turkey General comments Turkey is a wonderful place to visit. There is a lot to do and a lot to see. The countryside we saw is beautiful, and varied, from almost desert to the beautiful mountains, the Mediterranean and Aegean coast and the very exciting city of Istanbul and the smaller cities and towns we visited. We never visited the eastern side of Turkey or the Black Sea area and we are told it is also a very interesting and different experience. I suspect that that part of the country is a little less developed and poorer than the parts we visited. One of the most important industrial centers is east of Istanbul on the Black sea. The food was excellent and varied in all the places we visited. ( We especially enjoyed ... read more

April 11, 2008 Dalyan, Tlos, Turkey Today we went to Dalyan and enjoyed a very nice riverboat ride from the town to the coast with a stop at the ancient city of Caunos. This is another very interesting site and at one time was home to many thousands of people. The city site is now several kilometers up the old river’s path from the coast but in its’ time it was an important port city before the river silted in. The riverboat took us to the coast and one of the most popular beaches in this part of Turkey. This is a huge sandy beach and a favorite destination for many Turks and foreign visitors in the summertime. This time of year it is just getting opened up and there was almost no one there except ... read more