World Cruise-The First Segment: Florida to Sydney

Hello Fellow Travelers,

I will cruise on the first third of a 115-day world-cruise – – the segment that sails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Sydney, Australia.  Leaving in early 2016, the journey will last 36 days.

After departing from Fort Lauderdale, the ship (HAL Amsterdam) will make stops in Costa Rica and Panama; transit the Panama Canal; then make stops in several South Pacific islands including French Polynesia; then make stops in New Zealand and Australia ports; and finally I will disembark in Sydney. 

Cruising

On this sailing, I will explore 14 ports of call and I will relish 21 activity-filled sea days, including a crossing-the-equator and passing the international dateline ceremonies.

I  look forward to some of my favorite activities on a cruise such as relishing sunsets at sea, savoring 24-hour gourmet dining options, enjoying a variety of entertainment venues including musicians galore and Las Vegas-style revues, appreciating a good book poolside, winning trivia and other contests, luxuriating at gala events, enriching my mind and body with lectures and dance classes, and delighting in making new friends from all over the world.

 

Traveling

Literary giants such as Herman Melville, Robert Louis Stevenson, W. Somerset Maugham, and James Michener wrote volumes about some of their experiences in these majestic locations with their blue lagoons, colorful reefs, mountain valleys, and hospitable residents.

I especially look forward to re-experiencing a guided tour as we transit the Panama Canal, learning about the traditional Maori culture in New Zealand, experiencing the rugged beauty and the endless sky in the French Polynesian and Cook Islands, enjoying the bustling, cosmopolitan cities of Sydney and Melbourne, and bonding with a new group of world explorers.

By the end of this cruise, this world traveler will have visited 90 nations on six continents. 

Our ship will set sail in one week!!

I will bring you along.

 

 

 

Global Entry-I finally applied!

Today, I finally applied for global entry. What took me the longest in the application process was including all the countries I have visited in the last five years. The number is 41 and includes Egypt, Russia, Argentina, Sweden, united Arab emirates, and Panama. I'm looking forward to the next step which is a face-to-face interview. Hopefully after that, I will soon find out that I can zip through customs on the way back home when I travel abroad.

 

 

Norway

Oslo, Norway. 

Today I visited Norway, the 80th nation I have visited.

Norway is part of Scandinavia that includes Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, also known as the Nordic countries. The Nordic countries were always separate entities because for ages, they were part of Denmark or Sweden. 

Finland and Norway are very recent creations. Finland achieved independence from Russia in 1917 and Norway separated from Sweden in in 1905.

Scandinavians are linked by similar languages, ethnic roots, and history. All are wealthy, nearly homogenous social welfare states, and are predominantly protestant, although less than 5% attention church regularly. They share the same cross design on their flags using different colors.  All are monarchies with the exception of Finland.

Norway still refuses to join the European Union and is the richest of the group due to its North Sea oil fields. Probably the most well known Norwegian is, Alfred Nobel who created the peace prize. Of note, different Nobel prize awards are given out in 2 different countries, both in Norway and in Sweden, because at the time the award was created, the two countries were one.

Today our cruise ship docked in Oslo, the smallest of the Nordic capitals with a rich history and breathtaking beauty. It is surrounded by forests and mountains and is located on a fjord. 

Oslo, Norway Visits Today:

Visits to the museum with best preserved viking ships found in the world, ski jump museum (site of 1952 Olympic competition), and the worlds largest outdoor sculpture park. Also, the building where the Nobel peace prize is awarded and Edward Munch (The Scream"), art museum.

Lovely Seville, Spain

Seville

 

 

 

Today (4-1-14), I made my second visit to the Andalusian region of Spain.  Known for the cliché symbols of matadors, flamenco dance & music, gypsies, bulls, horses, strolling guitarists, beaches, and tapas bars, the region was ruled by the Moors for 500 years and it is reflected in all aspects of the culture including architecture, art, music, cuisine, and more.

Our ship docked in the port of Cadiz, the oldest and most continuously inhabited city in Western Europe and the wealthiest trading port there during the 18th century.  I will visit this city during my next visit.

I decided to take a day trip to Seville, the capital of Andalucía and Spain’s 4th largest city, a 1.5 hour drive north of Cadiz.  Upon arrival, I was delighted to see the famous white-washed houses with wrought-iron balconies, brightly lined with bougainvillea: ornate majestic palaces, and its mixture of Renaissance and Moorish architecture.

 

We began our 3-hour walking tour with a visit to the impressive 11th century Alcazar (Palace) with its maze of rooms, exquisitely decorated patios, and exotic gardens (that even house wandering peacocks).  It continues to serve as the Seville residence of the Spanish royal family.

 

Although say Seville’s Alcazar and gardens reminded me of Istanbul's Topkapi Palace and Granada’s Alhambra, I appreciate this one most--Perhaps because it felt slightly less pretentious amidst all its opulence.

 

Next was the impressive Plaza D’Espagne, (which today mainly consists of Government buildings) an impressive august structure designed to serve as the centerpiece of the 1929 Ibero-American exhibition This event showcased magnificent stately pavilions from all the Spanish colonies including Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Cuba (and even the US) (where several famous sci-fi films were shot) the backdrop is the verdant, beautifully landscaped Parque Maria Luisa which emits a blend of fragrances from wisterias, orange trees, giant fichus trees, magnolias and more.  What impressed me the most were the Plaza's tiled 'Alcoves of the Provinces' where there are many tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain.

 

 

Of note, the Plaza de España has been used as a filming location, including scenes for the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia. The building was used as a location in the Star Wars movie series — Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) — in which it featured in exterior shots of the City of Themed on the Planet Naboo.  It also featured in the 2012 film The Dictator.

 

A visit to the awe-inspiring 15th century Gothic Cathedral (the world’s 3rd largest after St Peters in Rome and St Paul’s in London) followed.  The Giralda (bell tower) symbolizes the city and dominates its skyline.

Our walk through the Santa Cruz Barrio (former Jewish Quarter) delighted me with its narrow cobblestone streets, whitewashed houses, flower covered balconies, and hidden squares.  I really smelled the scent of orange trees as we wandered through the city and its parks. 

 

The residents were friendly and accommodating to our group.

I look forward to a return visit to this charming city.