20220207 Looking Ahead and Looking Back: In a few months, Jeff and I hope to be on a cruise in the Mediterranean. Many of the ports of call bring back specific memories of people, time, place, food, smells. Some of these places Jeff has been to and others not. For the ones that only I have visited, it will be fun to see his responses. And I’ve learned from previous trips that coming back to where I’ve been provides me with a new insight the second or third time around.
The cruise starts in Barcelona. I visited there in 2017 at the end of a photo tour and marveled at the city, views, Gaudi everywhere. It’s a wonderful city to just walk around and look at the architecture. Seeing the Sagrada Familia again will allow me to really take in its colors, vastness, and intricacy. Next is Menorca, a part of Spain that will be new to me.
After that, it’s Provence, where I’ve been several times over the years. I was in Avignon and Les Baux in 1962 with Marian on an extensive European trip we took the summer after graduation from the University of Pennsylvania. And was there again with my parents on my Dad’s 80th birthday trip in 1985. This was the last trip with them since Dad passed away the next year. Marian, my sisters Gay and Carolyn, and our niece, Lili, were all on that trip as well.
On to a stop in Monte Carlo. Marian and I visited here in 1962 on a day trip when she was too young to be able to enter the casino. In both 1962 and 1985 we visited St. Paul de Vance and stayed in Eze in 1985. For the hill towns, I recall long walks from the car parks. And in Eze Village, I can still see us sitting at the inn eating with the gorgeous view below us.
We have two days in port in Livorno, Tuscany. One day trip is planned to Florence where I was on a photo trip in 2015, but was first there on our 1962 trip. Since Jeff has also been here, we will wander on our own. Perhaps I will climb to the cupola of the Duomo again! Never have been to Cinque Terre, but looking forward to that.
Malta is the next stop, a place I’ve never visited. Then on to Sicily where I was on a photo trip in 2019 and will revisit Taormina. The Greek theatre there is a marvel with great views of Mt. Etna. Following is Sorento, again part of the 2019 trip where we did day trips. While Sorento is certainly worth visiting, instead Jeff and I will go to Pompeii which was a day trip out of Naples on the 2019 trip. And we disembark in Rome. Other than passing through their giant airport several times, the only visit was with Marian in 1962 where a highlight was an outdoor performance of Aida at the Baths of Caracalla with a “cast of thousands” and real elephants.
Thus, this trip intersects with those of 1962, 1985, 2015, 2017, and 2019. And travel mates Marian, my sisters, my parents, Strabo Tours friends with whom I shared these latter trips.
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