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Amy and Pat Taylor
Amy and Pat Taylor

Amy and Pat Taylor

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  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    The Sound Of The Sea

    August 31 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    How often can we get Wowed??

    The Zadar Sea Organ was a Super Wow! Honestly the best wow of the trip. It was not necessarily the most fun. But it was a complete surprise.

    As an unadvertised goody provided by the boat and bike cruise, we were treated to a guided city tour of Zadar.'s 3000 year old Old Town. The climax of the tour was the Promenade.

    People show up for the sunset. A steady stream easily and peacefully walks towards the promenade. The gentle waves and the organ sound. The sun descends slowly as day gracefully gives way to evening.

    Hundreds and thousands have gathered. More stroll in. People from all over gather, sitting on the steps, facing west and listening.

    The sun kisses the distant mountain range beyond the Adriatic. It slips past the backside. The last bit of the sun disappears as the crowd applauds.

    A scene I am sure it will repeat itself tomorrow.

    The sun was the Star of the show, but the unsung hero, the way I am telling it, is the organ.

    The organ is an architectural sound art object which plays music by way of sea waves and tubes located underneath a set of large marble steps.

    There are 35 tubes of varying diameters and lengths below the promenade. The tubes have "whistles" installed. As sea washes below the steps of the promenade, the water forces air through the tubes, musical notes are played. There are vents under the steps and port holes in the marble walkway that allow the notes to escape.

    The people come to watch the sunset and listen to the calming sounds of the organ.

    But the setting sun is not the end of the show. In another installation at the end of the promenade is a group of 300 solar cells, absorbing energy all day. At night, the panel creates a light show. The lights paced to the flow of the ocean.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    Full Service!

    August 31 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    Every time we are ready to ride, the bikes are already unloaded onto the dock for us. Serge, Tara, and either Hari or Ivan work as a team of three. Serge lifts them over the rail of the boat to one of the sailors standing on a ledge, who then hands it down to Tara on the dock. When we are done, Tara, who is quite strong, lifts all 30 bikes, weighing 55 lbs each, up to the sailor who passes them up to Serge, who lifts them back over the rail and puts them in place! They also charge the batteries each night and make sure everything is in good condition.

    Every morning at breakfast we have a briefing for the day. Then another short brief about the ride just before. We are encouraged to spread out on the ride and take our time. Stop to take pictures and admire the view, get a drink. Whatever. Either Serge or Tara leads the ride, and the other stays at the back to make sure no one gets lost!    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler
    1

    The Swim

    August 31 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    The Swim
    You had to pay close attention. Was it 30 teens or was it 30 seniors (senior-ish)? Everyone was in for the fun!

    THE POOL IS OPEN! Time to swim. Some behaved and dove in from the swim deck. A couple eased in, and regretted it - the water was cool at first! A few dove in from the main deck - which is allowed, but do it at your on risk. And then there is always the ONE.

    Yes, ONE! One who wanted to (and was prepared to) dive in from the upper deck - the top deck. But he was called off when his wife called him by his full name. Yes, the name on his passport. You know what that means. Of course, he was Aussie!

    But anyway, we all ended up in the water for 20 minutes (maybe 30 minutes) or so. Bobbing in the crystal clear, (pick your color - cobalt, turquoise, saffire) water.

    Bobbing because of the extra salt. Anyone and everyone would be buoyant here.

    A few tried to swim down to the bottom, but that wasn't happening. They were lucky to get 10 feet down before bobbing back to the surface.

    On to lunch in the salon!

    *** UPDATE ***

    Another swim day on day 4 and the seal upper deck got cracked. Several of the men and one of the ladies made the big splash.... some of it easy going - and some with a little peer pressure ... I mean cheerful convincing.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler
    Dolphins! Patty's prayers answered!Bike orientation by Serge1Serge and Tara

    Finally, Time To Ride Telascica Natl Pk

    August 30 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    We spent the first half of the day on the Magellan, dodging rain—not so much getting soaked, just trying to stay ahead of the approaching front.

    One of the bright spots during the boat ride, aside from the dramatic mountains rising out of the surrounding sea, was a dolphin sighting. Dolphin sightings are always exciting. Apparently, they are quite prevalent in the area.

    After reshaping our plans more than once, we finally set the wheels in motion by late afternoon..

    And as if the day owed us something more, the weather turned beautiful and we found time for a bonus hike.

    It started with a quick climb to an overlook, and the view of the cliffs and the Adriatic Sea was absolutely stunning.

    My Lovely commented on the clarity and the colors more than once. The sea shifts from clear aqua to deep cobalt blue, looking incredibly inviting.

    We also wound down to a small salt lake, circling its edge along a trail where each step demanded attention.

    The highlight of the lake loop? A quirky little hoodoo "farm" scattered along the trail between the lake and the sea. 100s of hoodoos, or rock Cairns

    The ride itself was pretty mellow—about 12 miles total—with a few solid inclines to give us a workout and help us get comfortable with the bikes. A great warm-up for the trip ahead.

    Tomorrow, things ramp up with a much longer ride—triple the distance—across two islands.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    More fun than Playdoh!

    August 30 in Croatia ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    A slight diversion. A touch of fun and a bit of culture - a lesson in the Croation language begins with a little geography and some recent border history.

    Most of our group joined the lesson.

    The Croatian language is phonetic. Each letter has only 1 sound.

    30 letters. 3 'C's, 2 each D, L, N, S & Z.

    No Q or W.

    R is sometimes a vowel.

    English is taught in the 1st Grade for most if the country. In some areas, more inland, German option or requirement. A peninsula (near Italy), Italian is a primary language, but English is taught as a third language.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    CRUISING - Day 1, The Names

    August 29 in Croatia ⋅ 🌧 73 °F

    Getting Our Sea Legs

    Embarkation!

    Today's main activity; the game of Tag. Name Tag.

    As suspected, all our shipmates are of our age. But surprisingly, most are American. We have a sprinkling of Aussies, a pair of New Zealanders, a German couple.

    There were no name tags so we had a group of about 30 people, 60 and 70 somethings, trying to learn everyone's name. But by the end of the day, the best we could do was know some of the names, and not the faces that goes with them. No matter, everyone is in good spirits.

    I found a little humor in that we seemed to be trying to remember the names by remembering the initials. "You are an 'A', you are with a "C". It didn't seem to work, but nobody cared. We just laughed, corrected and moved on.

    We are on the move, headed for our first port, but our week will be rearranged a bit due to weather.

    As the sun collapsed and the moon shown through, the spirits were on the rise. Our cabin falls directly below the salon (or is that SALOON?). No matter, everyone deserves their fun. Lady Love is reading to me.

    The Court of Mist and Fury

    Her heart purrs as she reads. A first day for the books.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    PLEASE!!! Trap Me Trogir!

    August 29 in Croatia ⋅ 🌬 84 °F

    PLEASE, Trap Me!

    How many vacation mistakes can we make?

    How can we continue to be surprised?

    One day in Lake Como and one day in Florence made us return to Italy for this trip.

    We have done it again. We have one day in Trogir and we are simply blown away. This town is an island connected to the mainland of Croatia by bridges. The island completely pedestrian.

    The village dates back to the 13th century and is made up of Renaissance buildings from end to end.

    The only road (with no cars) is the pier road where the boats are docked. A main drag lined with open air restaurants. The walkways have pavers that have been smoothed slick after 1200 years of foot traffic.

    To be honest, this is an island tourist trap. PLEASE, Trap Me!!!

    These shop are different. You don't have hawkers trying to pull you in. It is not like New Orleans where every shop has the same worthless trinkets. It us a pleasant experience.

    When you walk out of a shop or restaurant, you don't know where you are, but you start walking and something else catches your attention. Eventually, you make your way out of the maze of Renaissance buildings and stone walkways back out to the pier, the square or the cathedral.

    This place is fabulous, clean and fun. They take every opportunity to make something beautiful.

    We are headed out for our boat and bike tour. We will see if the other ports are similar.

    One last Gelato and away we go.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler
    1

    Cathedral of St. Lawrence

    August 28 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    We walked through the church on the centuries worn smooth stone floor. Every edge rounded. The supposedly flat surface polished by shoe leather.

    These floors reminded me of the walkways on the surrounding town.

    The Cathedral of St. Lawrence is a triple-naved basilica constructed in Romanesque-Gothic in Trogir, Croatia. It was founded in the 13th century but the constriction took several centuries.

    The Church displays artifacts from the 14th century on, gold and silver busts, service pieces etc. I was most impressed by the bishops hat from the 14th century. It looked brand new.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    We Stormed Another Castle

    August 28 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    We Stormed Another Castle

    The Kamerlengo Castle dates from the 15th century and was built by Marin Radoj on the orders of the Venetian Republic.

    It provided us with an hour of fun and a speculation view from atop the Keep. This Castle is not as well preserved (or restored) as Vezio, and no aperitivo, but it was a nice diversion.Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    Ahhhh GELATO!!!

    August 28 in Austria ⋅ 🌬 86 °F

    Ahhhh GELATO!!!

    Italy, where the "!!!" Is part of the spelling of the word.

    Gelato is an important part of each day. Just a small portion of happiness --- without any guilt.

    Gelato is a primary way of knowing where you are (Italy), yet not useful in finding your bearings (ie next to the Gelato shop), because Gelato is everywhere.

    Gelato has many purposes.

    Sometimes, Gelato allows you to rest, because you might sit down while you have a Gelato.

    Sometimes, Gelato is how you stop to make important decisions.

    Sometimes, Gelato saves you money, because you can't carry your Gelato into the stores.

    Gelato is NEVER about coconut or chocolate, because you can always have both.

    And Gelato is all about adventure because with Gelato you a can try the 'carmel peanut'. There is no such thing as a bad flavor of Gelato and tomorrow, you can go back to your standby flavor.

    Gelato is part of the attitude of being in Italy. We truly enjoyed that attitude.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    Delayed Gratification - Palazzo Pitti

    August 27 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 88 °F

    Palazzo Pitti

    Not everything can be great. Palazzo Pitti was a disappointment. But there was a highlight (at the end)

    (From Wikipedia)
    The palace began construction in 1458, as the urban residence of the banker Luca Pitti . The palace was then purchased by the Medici family in 1549 and became the residence of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany, it was royal palace for the House of Savoy in the five-year period in which Florence was the capital of the Kingdom of Italy (1865–70).

    The palace is grand to be sure. The art work was more than we could take in. We did the audio tour which I usually enjoy, but in this case, the audio your was more of a course in art history an did not help me understand what I was seeing.

    To be clear, the artwork is stunning even if I don't understand it. And, as is always the case, beauty from floors to ceilings (inclusive).

    The most disappointing aspect were the gardens. Large but burnt up and in disrepair.

    The highlight of the day was the fashion exhibit. The dresses. Absolutely beautiful and fantastic.

    One of the best things to come from this will come about when we get home. My Lovely took pictures of almost every dress. She will get to share these with mom. That will be nice.

    Amy's take...I agree with Pat that the Biboli Garden was a disappointment. The palace was huge and the artwork stunning. For me, the most amazing was the full wall paintings with forced perspective. One huge room in the Imperial Apartments (separate post) had flat walls and a barrel ceiling. But the way it was painted, you would swear there were staircases and balconies and alcove with ceilings....just unbelievable !    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler
    1This was the room so stunningly painted.

    Palazzo Pitti, Treasures of the Grand Du

    August 27 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    Russian Icons and Treasures of the Grand Dukes
    This was in yet another part of the huge palace. This is where the painted room with the Barrel ceiling is...

    I could have taken many more pictures of the treasures...but at some point, you just have to stop....Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    Fashion at Pitti Palace part 1

    August 27 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    One of the exhibits at Pitti Palace was a fashion through the years exhibit. We all enjoyed it, but this post is especially for you, Momma! We thought you would enjoy this! Enjoy!

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler
    1

    Prosecco!!! Il Ciliegio Winery

    August 26 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    It wasn't the wine, it was the winery.

    When I'm having brunch, my heart and mind are relaxed and inviting. Such was the setting at our wine dinner.

    After a short introduction (in Italian - and not really tranlated, but fun to watch the 78 ish owner interact with our guide Gabriello, laughing and obviously glad to have us as his guests) we were invited to a prosecco. Sparkling wine just makes me happy.

    Dinner was simple and fresh and 100% Italian. Each item accompanied with wine and an explanation from our wonderful host, Mirco.

    A light charcuterie with meat, cheese, polenta brochetta, and onion jam served. Rigatoni with meat sauce. Hanger steak with roasted potatoes. Biscotti with dessert wine.

    It wasn't the menu, it was the festivity. It wasn't the location, it was the setting. It wasn't the sunset, it was the silhouettes that led us up the hill in the vineyard.

    We loved our wine dinner. My Lovely ordered up simply perfect weather, and our evening sparkled.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler
    21

    Excursion to Siena

    August 26 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Excursion to Siena

    We took an excursion to Siena to visit the town, and to have a winery dinner.

    The tour of the Cathedral of Siena is another awe inspiring event for us. It is truly amazing how art, marble etchings, and sculptures can tell the history of the bible. And again, there was so much. To account for all the art would be like counting the gains of sand on the beach.

    Aside from the Cathedral, of course, Siena had shops that needed shopping. We found a nice Christmas ornament made of Morano glass. And the day would not have been complete without gelato.

    But the purpose of the trip, and highlight of the day was the winery dinner.

    We had a good time. Our host, whom we would have sworn was the grandson of the winery owner but said he was not related, was entertaining. He was quite boisterous and humorous.

    For the second time, we had onion jam. I will try to make the onion jam when we get home.

    The winery was a winner, if for no other reason than we entered the evening with an attitude of fun and continued through to a sweet end.

    The sun set as we dined. A fingernail moon and the last bit of sunlight glowing from the clouds silhouetted the crest of a ridge.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    Piazzale Michelangelo and the Troubadour

    August 25 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 75 °F

    Florence

    Most of today was a "free day". Well not so much free, there was shopping involved, but mostly unplanned. Meaning shopping wherever we wanted.

    After our Duomo tour, we went back to the condo for lunch (fabulous leftovers from yesterday), and a little relaxing.

    Then it was off to the Ponte Vecchio where we shopped and gelatoed.

    We another round of relaxing prior to the nightcap.

    Piazzale Michelangelo Sunset

    The Piazzale Michelangelo overlooks the Florence, the Arno River, Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo.

    We took pictures while waited for the sunset while we listened to a troubadour playing romantic classics on his violin.

    Some silly people may have burst a few bubbles too.    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    The Duomo

    August 25 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

    Like so many of the churches here, it is impossible to see all there is to see.

    Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the largest churches in the world: its layout consists of a basilica with three naves, but today I learned why everyone simply calls it the Duomo.

    The dome is overwhelming. Of course the entirety (inside and out) is filled with art, history a d beauty, but the dome which is octagonal, is the centerpiece. It us a series of frescos and is stunning to see from the floor. But if one is willing to do the 437 steps (we did not), one could see it all much closer.

    There is so much there from clocks to sculptures to stained glass, but truly enjoyed what the guide taught us about the clock.

    It is a 24 hour clock that runs counterclockwise. The day begins at sunset and measures 24 hours until the next sunset. And every 10 days the clock has to be adjusted as the daylight times grow longer or shorter. The day begins at sunset. Who knew?    Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    Our Firenza Apartment!

    August 24 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Our lodging in Florence (Firenza) was a very charming apartment in the heart of old Florence. It was called Oasis in the Heart of Florence. We were within walking distance to mostly everything we wanted to see. Our host did arrange several taxis for us also. We were surrounded by restaurants and shops. Close to the Arno River and the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. We very much enjoyed it!Read more

  • Amy and Pat TaylorThe Magellan ExpeditionTraveler

    Travel Day

    August 24 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 70 °F

    Today we made the commute from Lake Como to Florence (about 241 miles). In Italy you travel by train whenever possible. Train travel is so pleasant. Plenty of room, no hassle, easy in and out.

    On our ride, the train reached a top speed of 340 k/hr (211 mph) and it felt like 50 mph.

    The highlight of the day was lunch. We finally found good gluten free food for Gary. The food was incredibly tasteful and we brought half of it back to the flat.

    Our home here in Florence is an Air B&B. It is an authentic Italian flat. It is nice and quaint.

    Mom wanted a purse from Italy and Florence is the place. We got in early enough to dip into several shops.    Read more

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