Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge

Tower
Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge
Stuart, FL
October 3, 2024

Chris and I visited the Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge yesterday. No, it is not a bar in the sense of adult beverages. It is located onshore near a sandbar called Gilbert's Bar.

We learned the history of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, which eventually was rolled into what is now the U.S. Coast Guard during 1915, becoming U.S. Coast guard Station #207. 

It turns out that during the mid-late 1800's and into the early 1900's, Florida was mostly inhospitable. It was also treacherous for merchant ships. Many ships were lost on the bars and shoals along the coast. A series of refuge houses were established to guide survivors to places where they would receive care and shelter. Interestingly, there were actually signs posted on the beaches directing the survivors to the houses. 

The Rocky Coast
Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge
Stuart, FL
October 3, 2024

The Gilbert's Bar house was close to the site of more than a few wrecks. The stories of those saved and their vessels is very interesting. There are many artifacts from the period and a few of the wrecks. The wreck of the Georges Valentine just 100 yards offshore that Chris and I may snorkel on a good day when the ocean is calm. 

We enjoyed the visit and the history, especially the stationing of U.S. Navy personnel at the site during WWII to help combat the German submarines patrolling off the coast and sinking merchant shipping. 

Cancer Society 300-mile Challenge Update:

I completed my third ride yesterday. I cycled 18.72 miles and have logged 62.5 miles for the month. I have 237.5 remaining to reach my 300 mile goal. Next week looks to be a tough weather week for riding as we are expecting tropical rains all week. Finn has an appointment this morning and I may not be able to get a ride in before the rains.  

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Reflections of the Cruise

Symphony of the Seas and Celebrity Reflection
CocoCay, Bahamas
September 25, 2024

 Being a short 4-night cruise, there is not too much to reflect upon, but I can state that we had a great time. This is now our second Celebrity cruise 

Boarding was efficient and pleasant. It was much better than our experience in Italy during May. We arrived and were quickly processed and just had to wait comfortably for less than 5 minutes to get onboard. We made it onboard in time to enjoy the welcome lunch to which we were invited. During our Italy trip, processing through the Italian security was so slow that even though we were in line in time, we missed the lunch.

Watching the Mooring
CocoCay, Bahamas
September 25, 2024

The Celebrity Reflection is a nice sized ship with activities for most everyone. One night we danced to Abba music and had a really great time.

Dinners were nice. The food was good, but did not exceed the threshold to be considered excellent. We were disappointed that there was no lobster night, which as most cruisers know is usually the last night of the cruise. I enjoyed a chilled soup starter every dinner and I very much enjoyed the variety of soups presented.

The bars on the ship were diverse and each seemed to present its own vibe. We spent the most time in Cellar Masters, which catered to the wine lovers in us through its decor. It also caters to the bourbon crowd. 

My Birthday Cake
Celebrity Reflection
September 25, 2024

The Celebrity team/crew was great. They provided everything we needed and our room service was great. The only issue was the room service breakfast. We ordered coffee, yogurt, and bagels. The bagels were cold and rick hard making them inedible. That happened two mornings in a row and so we stopped ordering the bagels preferring instead to go to the buffet for a light breakfast.

I enjoyed a birthday cake a day early as we celebrated dual birthdays on the cruise. It was a great time with friends.

Perhaps the most impressive activity during the cruise was the real-world emergency in which someone needed to be transferred off the ship for medical care. This occurred after our departure from Key West. The ship diverted into Miami during the night for the transfer. Originally a helicopter was going to land to make the transfer.  Later, I heard that a Coast Guard cutter was going to rendezvous with the ship off the coast, but the weather was too rough for either the helicopter or the at-sea transfer and so the ship went into the Port of Miami, but not mooring, to make the transfer. It all worked and I slept peacefully through it all. Out arrival into CocoCay was delayed by about two hours, but I was impressed with how the transfer happened without most of the passengers even realizing what was happening. I wished I had been awake to take some pictures. 

And now, I have to plan our next cruise adventure. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Home Again

Port Everglades Pier 25
Ft Lauderdale, FL
September 27, 2024

 Our cruise ended this morning after a fairly rocky night on the ocean. I was awake as the ship entered the Port Everglades. I actually woke because the rocking from the wind and waves suddenly stopped. Pretty funny! It was just after 6 AM and that is also my normal wake-up time. 

It was quite a sight from the veranda as we sailed into the port with all of the lights in the pre-dawn hours. The pier where the ship docked is on the very left. The ship actually backed up to the pier, which is exactly opposite of how the ship was positioned when we boarded on Monday. 

Reflection in my Wine Glass
Celebrity Reflection 
September 26, 2024

Chris and I enjoyed a relaxing, yet pleasantly busy last day on the ship. We began with a visit to a hot tub which was very enjoyable. Following that we were invited to a reception to meet the Captain and enjoyed some early drinks and munchies. After a light lunch we pressed on to a wine tasting. The wine tasting included eight wines and while enjoyable because we were tasting with friends, it was a very basic tasting with minimal information. I think the sommelier was relatively new in his position. Evening was highlighted by a great last evening on-board and birthday dinner with our friends followed by Thursday Night NFL Football!

And now we are home, having driven home from the port this morning. It was a bit busy this morning getting off the ship since we did not pack the night before. But, we were off before 8 AM and on our way home about 8:30 from the parking area. 

And now it is back to the routine. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Was it a Perfect Day?

Hen Guarding Sandals
CocoCay, Bahamas
September 25, 2024

 Royal Caribbean and Celebrity advertise the stop at their private island as the Perfect Day at CocoCay. I enjoyed the day, but calling it a perfect day might be a stretch. For those remaining on the ship, I hear it was a great day having the near empty ship to themselves. 

Chris and I had fun watching the chickens fight with the seagulls for morsels of food. One enterprising hen decided to guard our sandals hoping for a handout that never came. We make it a point not to feed the wild birds, although she later did some counter surfing at our table. 

We enjoyed our day, but both Chris and I felt that since we live near a beach and have ample opportunities for beach time, perhaps we could have done something else with our day. We went to the South Beach, on CocoCay, to be somewhat removed from the crowds and while that seemed like a good idea, we realized that our entertainment comes from watching others enjoy the water and the weather. 

Sunrise over the Ocean
North Atlantic
September 26, 2025

We ended the day with a great birthday dinner for a friend and an early celebration for me. Cruises and celebrations are fun!

Today began with a stunning sunrise. We are avoiding the Hurricane Helene, but the ship is rocking from the winds. Today is a sea day and so everyone is on the ship and I expect the main attractions, like the hot tubs, to be crowded. We will likely do some more crowd watching. Sadly, today is the last full day of the cruise and tomorrow we will arrive back in Ft Lauderdale to make the drive home to Tequesta. 

The birthdays (yes plural) cruise is almost over. I have to admit that I have collected more than a few bottles of wine somehow. The cruise ship seems to send me a bottle for almost every occasion and our neighbor is not a wine drinker and she has given me her wine as well. Today, to add to the wine-ing, we will also enjoy an early afternoon wine tasting.

I love cruising.

-- Bob Doan, North Atlantic Ocean, IVO 2612.94N 07610.77W

Sailing from Ft Lauderdale

Central Elevator Bank 15 stories
Celebrity Reflection 
September 23, 2024

We are aboard the Celebrity Reflection about to dock in Key West. We boarded yesterday and have been enjoying being aboard the ship since just before noon. 

Today is a planned for a walking tour and an early afternoon departure and then off to CocoCay tomorrow. I am looking forward to walking around Key West.  It is one of my favorite cities.  

Dawn over Sunset Key, Fl
September 24, 2024

The ship has been fun to explore and we have so much more to see. We are looking forward to an enjoyable cruise and time in both Key West and CocoCay. 

Adventure awaits  

— Bob Doan, Key West, Fl

Looking for the Parthenon

UGA Arches
Athens, GA
September 4, 2024

 Oops, I was in the wrong Athens. 

Go Dawgs!

UGA (University of Georgia) is everywhere in Athens. Seriously. It was a lot of fun visiting with Ethan and getting a personal tour of the campus. He has been at UGA for a month now as a second semester sophomore transfer student. He seems to be settling into the scene. 

Chris and I enjoyed the tour around the campus. It is a large campus with something new to see at every turn. I was impressed with the 92,000 seat football stadium and the expansive bookstore. Another nice feature is that the town is just off campus. The arches are the divide between the town and the university. We ate dinner in Athens just across the street from the arches. 

I have to get used to the idea that the symbol of an elongated "G" does not only mean Greenbay Packers. A "G" is circled in red means UGA Bulldogs. I did see the entire lineage of actual bulldogs that have served as mascots in the bookstore. 

The next time we visit, we may try to get a hotel actually in the downtown city area to be closer to the activities and the campus. I have to admit, the roads are a bit confusing, thankfully the mapping apps got us around without any problem. 

Gameday Ready Stadium with Ethan on the side
Athens, GA
September 4, 2024

-- Bob Doan, Athens, GA

  

Under the Cover of Darkness

Deer in the Yard
Odenton, MD
September 4, 2024

   Chris and I are on the road south somewhere in North Carolina headed for Durham. It is one of my first experiences on I-85 and the road is much more civilized than I-95. 

We departed Odenton about 0410 under the watchful eyes of a deer grazing on the lawn. She, it was a doe, seemed unconcerned about our multiple trips between the house and the truck. Even as I started the truck and drove away, she remained. 

And so the trip is underway  I am looking forward to getting home tomorrow filled with many happy memories of activities with family and friends.

Athens, GA, lies a few more hours ahead.

—  Bob Doan, somewhere in NC

Another Travel Day for the Tournament

NY Welcome Area I-81
August 23, 2024

 Chris and I arrived in Central New York without incident. It was a longer than expected drive due to a lot of road work in I-81 in Pennsylvania, the very northern part. I can see the infrastructure bill at work repairing the roads and am thankful for its positive impact on pour country. 

Along the drive we were reminded on the natural beauty of the Northeast. The emerald green tree-covered rolling hills and the valleys are what we both grew up enjoying. The crystal blue sky yesterday highlighted the scene. Around every turn and over every hill the vistas laid out before us became a conversation topic. It is very different from Florida and there are, of course, no palm trees. 

Today is golf day. We are playing in the 9th Annual Troy Whittemore Golf Classic. The tournament remembers Troy who was taken from us at the age of 23 by cancer and funds the scholarship in his memory. A USA Today article tells more of Troy's story. 

We are looking forward to a great day with family and friends and hopefully I can hit them straight and long, but not too long, on the course today. 

-- Bob Doan, Cortland, NY

Arrived Alive

Finn Riding out of the Hotel
Dunn, NC
August 19, 2024

 Chris and I completed our travel arriving in Odenton, MD, yesterday early afternoon. The trip was not without two serious unwanted incidents caused by inattentive or aggressive drivers. Both incidents occurred within the last two hours of our travel yesterday. 

I, with some divine intervention, avoided a serious accident when an inattentive driver failed to see my truck next to him and made a strong aggressive lane change causing me to use every bit of shoulder on the left side of the road before a concrete barrier to avoid what would have been a very serious accident. I do not know how our vehicles failed to intersect, but thankfully, we did not collide. In the other incident, about 40 minutes later, an aggressive driver came around a truck, from the wrong side (passenger), and moved through an open lane I was making a lane change into. I noticed the fast-mover and aborted my lane change rather abruptly.

Thankfully, the drive is complete. We were blessed with great weather and our hotel stop is a keeper. We will likely use it again on our travels. 

Finnegan started the day by humorously riding out of the hotel on the baggage cart. He was cute sitting among our belongings. He ensured he was not forgotten. 

Like we could forget him?

Programming note: Facebook still has not responded regarding the post they took down. I continue to await the promised response to my appeal.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

#travel #I-95

Heading North

 

But-ee's Jacksonville, FL
August 18, 2024

Today and tomorrow are travel days. We are on the road north to Maryland and also New York for a golf tournament.  It will be a busy couple of weeks. 

We departed later than normal, at 7:30 am, and made our first stop about 11:00 am just south of Jacksonville, Fl. Yes, we stopped at Buc-ee’s. It was a good stop as we took on enough fuel to get us to our hotel for the evening. We also bought sandwiches for lunch and were able to eat while still driving. We effectively saved a stop. 

Even-so, we will not get to our hotel north of Fayetteville, NC, until after 5pm. 

Fortunately, the day is bright and clear.  The drive has been easy.  That is good. But, we are in SC now where easy driving goes to die. 

Enjoy your Sunday. 

— Bob Doan, I95 in SC near mm 27

And He's Gone

Flight 667 to Baltimore
PBI
August 13, 2024

 We dropped Lucas off at PBI yesterday morning. Both Chris and I were able to get gate passes (even though we were told by the staff that they were allowed to provide only one gate pass) to stay with Luke until he boarded. 

We had to pass through the non-TSA-Pre line. Ugh! I had forgotten how long that line could be. We were in the line for over 20 minutes. Fortunately, we arrived about 90 minutes before his flight and we still had time to enjoy a lounge after passing through security. Although I am told the lounge, to which I have privileges, has been there three years I only noticed it yesterday. It was a very civilized way to wait in the airport away from the crowd. And yes, for those of you who have flown through the usually sleepy PBI airport, there were crowds yesterday. I think United, American and Southwest all had flights arriving and departing while we were there.

The concourse was, however, deserted, as we left after Luke had boarded. 

And so our time alone with Luke is over. We enjoyed his stay, but wish we had been able to do more. 

Now we are preparing for our own journey. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Museum Day - Norton Museum of Art

Typewriter Eraser
Claes Oldenburg
Norton Museum of Art
West Palm Beach, FL

 Yesterday was museum day. Chris and I visited a first class art museum in West Palm Beach. We were looking for something different to experience and it had been a while since we visited an art museum. We headed off to the Norton Museum of Art where we enjoyed some fabulous art and a very nice lunch.  

The museum is an exciting place to visit. The art is displayed creatively and that makes it easy to view and appreciate. 

We were greeted by Clear Oldenburg's, Typewriter Eraser, at the entrance. It is larger than life standing at least 10 feet tall. The funny thing is that this once ubiquitous office tool is almost extinct with the advent of computers. There is no need to erase mistyped letters anymore, just correct the document before printing. 

As we walked through the collections, we were challenged to expand our horizon to accommodate the subjects that the artists were confronting us with. Sometimes it was easy and fun, but with others the subjects were hard and gritty. 

I enjoyed the museum and will likely return in the near future. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Buc-ee's - St Augustine

Buc-ee's
St Augustiine, FL
 June 20, 2024

 Beginning the day in Pooler, Georgia, meant that we had an easy 5-plus hour drive and would arrive home in the mid-afternoon with enough time to unpack and resume life before dinner.

It was a great plan--and it worked! 

One thing that Chris and I did was to stop at a Buc-ee's to better understand the mystique of the place. We visited a Buc-ee's in St Augustine, FL, for gas and to get some sandwiches for lunch. This Buc-ee's is across the street from a Costco and so the traffic is a bit heavy.

We were amazed!

The place is huge and after gassing the truck we spent about another 30 minutes exploring the store. Most importantly; the restrooms are fantastic! The selection of sandwiches and things to buy means that this is a great place to stop on a trip. One of the reasons that I was interested is that a Buc-ee's is planned for I-95 near Ft Pierce, FL. That would provide a great place to get gas and snack items as we head out on our regular treks north.

Wait, did I mention that gas was $2.99/gallon? It was the least expensive gas we found on our trip!

As for the flamingo sign, I did find the cute sign in Buc-ee's. No, I did not buy it.

We arrived home safely and I able to get my bike to the shop and have it repaired before the shop closed. I may not have mentioned it, but my bike had a problem on the GAP ride that I was able to troubleshoot. The shop covered the repair under warranty on the cassette that I had installed as part of my pre-trip maintenance. Yay!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force

Me in front of the B-17G City of Savannah
Pooler, GA
June 19, 2024

 I have driven by this museum, which sits just off I-95, on many occasions. There is a beautiful B-47 sitting outside which calls to me every time we pass it on the road. Yet, until yesterday, I had been too focused upon the destination and not the journey to stop and visit the museum.

B-17G City of Savannah
Pooler, GA
June 19, 2024

The National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force is located in Pooler, Georgia. Actually, it is a Savannah exit. It is easy on and off the interstate and definitely worth a stop if your interests include the Air Force and WW2. 

Both of those topics interest me and I was assigned to Eighth Air Force for six years of my Air Force career. First to a bombardment wing in Rome, NY, and then to the Eighth Air Force Headquarters itself which was then at Barksdale AFB, LA. 

The museum presently focuses the history to the Eighth Air Force through the Berlin Airlift, but is being expanded. There are two Vietnamese era fighters on display outside: a MiG-17 and an F-4. But the items associated with WW2 and the story of the campaigns and the crews and personnel assigned are rich. The museum has the only escape and survival section, in the form of a reconstructed house, that I have seen and describes how the civilians living in Europe assisted allied airmen to evade and escape from Nazi-controlled areas--often at the price of their own lives and freedom. 

Why is the museum outside Savannah? I learned that the first headquarters of the Eighth Air Force was in Savannah, Georgia! 

The artifacts in the museum are inspiring and relevant to today. I found the Hitler Youth Oath posted on the wall of the museum. The youth are often portrayed as more like the Boy Scouts, but this oath indicates that it was much more allegiance to one man and not an ideal or a republic--but a single person, which I found scary.

Of all of the items in the museum, except for of course the B-17, one item that really caught eye was the Nazi banner. I had never seen one in real life. I had seen images of them hanging from buildings, but never fully comprehended their larger than life size and impact. 

I definitely recommend this museum. They also have a mission briefing that runs through how the aircrews were prepped for missions and the ground crews maintained the planes. It has a lot of actual footage and is well done. I was told it is soon to be replaced by  something similar which is being produced by the 100 Bomb Group organization which assisted with the series Master's of the Air.

-- Bob Doan, Pooler, GA

And We're Here

 Cooler temperatures and lower humidity greeted Chris and me when we finally arrived in Maryland yesterday. Who knew that 82 degrees could feel cool?

An amazing thing happened on the road yesterday. My truck turned in its best MPG ever! It hit 20.8 MPG as we were struggling in Virginia I-95 traffic. I am lucky that my smart glasses can take an image without my eyes leaving the road. The previous best was something in the 19 MPG range. I have no idea why a truck with over 91,000 miles suddenly got a bit more efficient, but I'm happy about it.

The drive yesterday, while shorter than the day before, seemed longer. Maybe it was the crazy traffic we encountered from about Richmond, VA, to our destination. 

I am happy to report that my bike arrived without any problems. I took it for a short spin around the neighborhood to do a basic check, but I'm hopeful of a longer ride later today or tomorrow just to do a complete check and keep myself in shape for the upcoming GAP ride. 

It is going to be a busy few days.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Closing out the Week

Dinner at Cooper's Hawk
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
June 6, 2024

 I competed my last checkout ride before traveling to Maryland in preparation for riding the GAP. It was a pleasant 17-mile ride with about 60 percent of the load I expect to drag along on the impending 150-mile ride. It was a bit strange at the beginning, but after about 5 miles, I no longer noticed the additional weight. I hope the real ride is like that. 

Before Friday even began we enjoyed a great meal, and some wine, at Cooper's Hawk on Thursday evening. It was one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions and we had a great time for a couple hours of wine tasting and then eating a very nice meal. 

And then Friday arrived. 

Chris Checking Out a Hat
Tequesta, FL
June 6, 2024

We are  preparing for the upcoming roadtrip. I continued getting my bike bags packed with what I think I'll need for the trip. Jen produced a great spreadsheet which lays out the basic necessities and I have been following through dutifully getting the items I will need for the ride. Yesterday's big purchase was a $10 small, 2-pound folding stool. I got it at, of all places, Wally World (er, umm, I mean Walmart). I actually hate going to Walmart because the parking lot is a danger zone with crazy drivers and even worse, people walking who just wander behind moving cars. But I got the stool and Chris bought a small camelback water backpack for her riding. She needs a lot of liquids when we ride.

By this time tomorrow I hope to be on the road headed north. The drive weather forecast looks ominous. There is a potential for thunderstorms and rain almost all day! Ugh. Well, the truck is big and heavy. Monday looks clear, however.

I will plan on blogging from the road to advise of the actual conditions. I guess my bike, which will be on the bike rack on the back of the truck, is going to get wet! It probably will not be the last time it gets wet as rain is forecast during the GAP ride.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#travel #biking #GAP #GreatAlleghenyPassage #CoopersHawk

Out the Hotel Window - Rome Airport

Mercur Da Vinci Airport Hotel
Fiumincio, Italy
May 28, 2024

 Chris and I stayed one night in a hotel during our European adventure. The other nights we were either on a cruise ship or in an AirBNB. I took the image to the right during the morning as we prepared to leave the room for the airport. 

It looked as if the day were to be another in a string of beautiful days that we had enjoyed during the trip. We did not get to enjoy the outdoors that day as we had a 7:40 AM shuttle to the airport and from there we were inside until greeted by the hot humidity of Miami upon arrival there. 

The scene out the hotel window is one of the last views we had of the Italian countryside, even though it was near the airport. With the sun rising, it provided a good memory. 

The travels have ended, but they are not forgotten.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Home, finally

Morning Selfie
Rome Da Vinci Airport, Italy
May 28, 2024

 We are home! Chris and I arrived home last evening about 8:45 PM after a long day of traveling which began at the equivalent of 1:30 AM EDT, or 7:30 AM Central European Summer Time. That was over 19 hours of travel related time.

Except for about a 45 minute air hold because of thunderstorms delayed landing in Miami, the travel day was as perfect as it could have been. We were fortunate not to have stood in any long lines and our bags even arrived with us. Yay!

Prosecco with Chris
Da Vinci Airport, Italy
May 28, 2024

We thoroughly enjoyed our flight on ITA Airways! We flew them both ways and they were great! I recommend them for international travel. 

I was in awe of the International Terminal at Da Vinci Airport. Wow! Huge and filled with so much to see and do. We enjoyed a glass of Prosecco while waiting for our flight. That was after discovering that all three of the airport lounges for which I have a membership were full and not allowing people into them.

Hot Meal after Take-off
ITA Airways Rome to Miami
May 28, 2024

Our flight was smooth and I was astonished by the amount of food and drink we were served. We had a hot meal, a mid flight snack, and then another hot snack at what was supposed to be about and hour-and-a-half before landing. We did experience the aforementioned air delay after the snack was served. As for the hot meal, I should have taken an image of Chris's meal because the salad had shrimp in it and I gave it back to the server--so that is missing from the place where I have my wine sitting. Oh wait, I had two glasses of wine with the meal. The pasta was fantastic! The other meal option was veal.

The trip is over. We have many memories and will be cataloging and reviewing photos and videos during the next few days.

Statue at Pompei
Pompei, Italy
May 17, 2024

To close out our trip, after clearing customs, we chose to take the Tri-Rail from Miami to West Palm Beach so that our friends would not have a 5-hour round trip to pick us up in rush hour traffic. That worked brilliantly and we will remember the Tri-Rail if we ever use Miami International again. The most northern Tri-Rail stop is just 20 minutes from the house. Very doable. And the cost was less than $18 for both Chris and me, combined. 

We enjoyed nearly perfect weather for the whole trip. There were only two days where the rain interfered with what we had planned. The skies were blue and the countryside was beautiful. We enjoyed using trains, metros. busses, boats, aircraft, and of course our cruise ship. 

As Chris remarked last night, she is looking forward to a few days of vacation from our vacation.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Back to Rome

Italian Countryside
Somewhere in Italy
May 27, 2024

 The numbers of people crammed into the train stations in Italy are astounding. 

We boarded a fast train in Venice just about noon and arrived in Rome at 4 PM. It was a very pleasant trip where we got to see the Italian countryside again. We both remarked, it seemed much like what we had seen on our bus rides: flatlands with many crops and mountains in the distance. 

Chris Enjoying a Last Evening in Italy
Rome, Italy
May 27, 2024

The train was very nice and the four-hour trip sped by. We are ready for our flight home tomorrow. After arriving at the hotel, we sat at the bar by the pool to enjoy our last evening. The taxi ride from the Termini to the hotel by the airport reminded us of all of the sights we have seen and visited these past almost three weeks. 

Cabs are very expensive. The cost for the cab to cross Rome was 2/3 the cost for the first class ticket from Venice to Rome on the train. It almost doesn't seem fair. 

But, we got to our hotel about 5:30 PM and enjoyed the sun setting by the pool, along with some adult beverages. We have to get going early in the morning and hopefully will have an uneventful flight home.

And so, we are back where the trip began. It seems perfect after all of the places we were blessed to have visited and all of the people we have met. Wow!

I still need to rummage through the images and select the best ones to put in a book of our Italian and Adriatic Adventure. 

Tequesta or Bust!

-- Bob Doan, Rome, Italy

Winding Down

Venetian Gondola
Venice, Italy
May 26, 2024

 Our vacation is winding down. We completed another day in Venice highlighted by a gondola ride and a visit to St Mark's Square along with walking over six miles. 

Yes, six miles!

St Mark's Basilica
Venice, Italy
May 26, 2024

We catch a train to Rome tomorrow at noon heading for an airport hotel to prepare for a Tuesday morning flight which promises to fill much of the more than 24-hour day, given the 6-hour time change. At least we are traveling first class on the high speed train and were upgraded on our 11-hour flight from Rome to Miami.

The gondola ride was exciting, but short. We were able to tour some of the area near St Mark's Square, but that is about all. We were briefly on the Grand Canal. Honestly, after the thrill of being in a gondola in Venice wore off, I was not all that excited about the short less than 30 minute cruise itself. 

Last Evening in Venice
Venice, Italy
May 26, 2024

St Mark's Square and the adjoining basilica are both fantastic and larger than life. Our day today was filled with crystal blue skies and bright sun with little wind. A perfect day to explore Venice--which we did. 

Chris Enjoying After Dinner Coffee
Venice, Italy
May 26, 2024

Chris took the image of our last evening in Venice while we were dining at a local restaurant. We became adept at finding great places to enjoy meals and happy hour. There is a lot of great food in Venice. As one travels away from the Grand Canal, the prices become more reasonable. For instance, a simple Aperol Spritz can cost €3.50-4.00 in much of Venice, but one bar on the Grand Canal wanted €24.00--that was high as most along the canal were in the €12.00 range. So we walked to the areas with lower prices, which were also less touristy.

As our last full day was a Sunday, some shops and restaurants were not open, but more than enough were open and catering to the hordes of tourists, and locals, walking the streets.

And so, except for the two days it will take us to return home, the trip is effectively over. It has been wild and exciting, but also very exhausting. I think we are going to need a vacation from the vacation.

Rome awaits! The die is cast. Wait, I am nowhere near the Rubicon.

-- Bob Doan, Venice, Italy