Reset search
The Travels of Paula
The Travels of Paula

The Travels of Paula

I was a software engineer at the same computer company for 38 years although the name of the company changed 3 times. In 2012 I retired and spend my time now golfing, volunteering and traveling (for fun and on missions). Read more🇺🇸Haymarket
FollowMessageStatistics
  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula

    Epilogue

    September 11, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    As we were getting ready to leave the ship for our flight back to the States, I got a message from Air Canada that our flights (Athens to Montreal; Montreal to Dulles) had been canceled. We then got a message that the new flight would get us into Dulles a day later. While we were trying to find the Air Canada check-in desk we got another text that we were now booked on Lufthansa flights (Athens to Munich and Munich to Dulles). However, the long leg of the flight (Munich to Dulles) had us in coach and we had paid for Premium Economy. We decided to try to resolve the seating issue as soon as possible, but with no Air Canada presence and no useful Lufthansa presence in the Athens airport, we gave up and took the short to leg flight to Munich and hoped we could resolve it there (plus we had more time). I spent a lot of time on the first flight praying for the mix up to be resolved before our flight boarded. When we got to Munich we found a Lufthansa Help section and a gentleman there made many calls and finally was able to get our seats upgraded to the original Premium Economy. I thanked him and God for the hard work and persistence.

    The remainder of the flight was uneventful and we finally landed and got through Customs a little before midnight. It was a long and, at some points, stressful day, but it ended well. And it was a wonderful trip that no amount of airline shenanigans could ruin.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula
    The Theater of Epicurus
    Entrance to the tomb of AgamemnonInside the tomb of AgamemnonThe ancient ruins of MycenaeSome of the paths we covered viewing the ancient ruins of MycenaeWine casks at the Sakos Winery.Some "Wine Eggs" at the Sakos Winery. The first time I had seen them.

    Day 11 - Final Day

    September 10, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    Today, our last day of the tour we toured Mycenae and did a wine tasting. There were two tour options today. One only went to the tomb of Agamemnon and then walked around the town of Nafpleon. Twenty of the 26 in our Tauck group went on that tour. The other 6 of us visited the theater of Epicurus where the oldest semi-circle theater exits and is still in use today. Our guide, Vaisile, was the same guide we had when we toured the Acropolis. We also visited a small museum on the side. From there we headed to the tomb of Agamemnon and then to the ancient ruins of Mycenae. The trail up to the ruins was steep and some of the rocks on the trail were a bit slippery, but the ruins and the sights were worth it.

    After the Mycenae tour, we headed to the Sakos Winery. We got a tour of the winery followed by a wine tasting. We tasted four wines, 2 whites and 2 reds. Then we had a lunch of dolmades; a salad with pomegranate seeds and slaw and a mildly sweet dressing; eggplant with a tomato sauce on top; a sausage and spanakopeda (spinach pie) accompanied by our choice of wine. John and I chose the Viogner. For dessert we had a sweet pastry. It was very good.

    After lunch we headed back to Nafpleon. They dropped us off at the port for those who wanted to go back to the ship. We had been given a coupon for gelato at a store in Nafpleon. John and I opted to get the gelato and walk around the town for a bit. Vaisile gave us a lift to the area near where the gelato store was. John got a cone with lemon and mixed berry. I got a cone with Pistachio and salted caramel. They were all good. When we got back to our cabin we filled out the Tauck comment form. Then I started trying to fill out yet another Air Canada form required for check-in. I was able to download pictures of our passports, the web site had a problem downloading our COVID-19 test results. After multiple attempts we ran out of time before dinner, so we just have up.

    We had decided to go back to the Candles Restaurant. I ended up getting the same appetizer, I got the first time. It was really good. I had decided to get the Filet Mignon. When I was ordering, I found out that there was another dish not on the menu - Surf and Turf (lobster and Filet Mignon). I got that. I ordered a Malbec that was really good. The entire meal was great. For dessert I got the Apple torte with ice cream (sort of like apple pie and very good).

    When we returned from dinner we finished packing and headed to bed. Tomorrow we will leave the ship and go to the airport. It has been a wonderful trip.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula
    Monemvasia from our ship
    The narrow streets of Monemvasia.One of the plazas with a canon and a small museum.This large plaza had canon balls affixed around the plaza.

    Tour to Monemvasia

    September 9, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Today our tour didn't start until noon.  However, we had to get our COVID-19 tests at 10:15 am. We got our results in the evening - negative.  This is the test we have to have to get back into the US.

    We had lunch on board the ship before we headed out for the tour.  The weather report was for cool temps and rain, so John and I wore long pants; I wore a long sleeved shirt with roll up sleeves and we took rain jackets.  It didn't rain and it wasn't cool - so much for weather reports. 

    For this tour we took a tender to the dock and then a bus to the entrance to Monemvasia.  Monemvasia is a small walled city on a rock.  It has been an active city since it's inception in 583 AD.  It is considered an active Archeological site.  There are currently 10 people in residence in the town.  Others that have shops or eateries live elsewhere.  There is only foot traffic within the town.  We got a short tour of the city and then stopped by a store for a wine and olive oil tasting.  Then we headed back to the area to get the bus to drive us to the tender.  We wanted to change to cooler clothes for the Windstar Destination Event at the Liotrivi Mansion. 

    We changed into shorts and short sleeved shirts and headed back up to wait for our time to take the tender across.  When we got upstairs on the ship it was pouring, so we rushed back downstairs, put back on long pants and grabbed our rain jackets and an umbrella that had been provided in our cabin.  Everyone in our Tauck group ended doing the same thing. Then it was back to the tender and then on to the bus driver to the mansion.

    The rain did stop when we got to the mansion, but the tables for the meal were all under tents.  When we arrived we were greeted with a glass of wine and a glass of Ouzo.  Then we got a talk on how olives is grown, harvested and eventually pressed into olive oil. We also got a demo of how to make traditional Greek bread (called Propyra Bread) along with the recipe. 

    Then we enjoyed a buffet dinner.  It was really good.  Since it was mostly vegetables, John had a limited meal, but between bread, feta cheese, a salad and a sausage, he didn't starve.  He declined the dolmades, the spinach pie and the olives that I enjoyed.

    After the meal, traditional Greek dances were performed for us.  During the dancing it started thundering and then the rain started with a vengeance again. So we said our thank-yous and good-byes and headed back to the ship.  Despite the rain, it was an enjoyable event and we were so glad we had changed back to our "rain attire".  

    I am off to bed.  Tomorrow we have an 7.5 hour tour.  We will be leaving the ship at 7:40 am.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula
    The area called "Little Venice".The windmills of MykonosThe archaeological site at Delos.The lions of Delos. These are only reproductions. The originals were moved elsewhere to protect them from the A mosaic art the site. It was created using colored stones so the color did not fade like it would of the ston

    Tour of Mykonos and Delos

    September 8, 2021, Aegean Sea ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Today we went to the island of Mykonos. It was windy and the sea was very rough. We left the ship at 8:35am and took the tender to Mykonos. We took a short tour of Mykonos and then headed back to the dock and took a large "sea taxi" to Delos. We were able to see lots of homes and learned a lot about how the houses were constructed. There is a major effort going on to recover the remains of the major Temple that was destroyed in an earthquake. The major issue inhibiting progress is funding. It was interesting, but it looks like a lot of work and a lot of funding will be required.

    After touring Delos, we headed back to the sea taxi and returned to Mykonos. We searched for a place to eat. We finally found a Souvlaki/gyro fast food shop and got lunch there. Then we had to find our way back to the tender landing. We made sure we continued to go down and followed the streets where the wind was blowing the strongest. We only had to wait about 15 minutes for our tender.

    Tonight we went to the steak and seafood restaurant called Candles. You have to make reservations for the restaurant since it only seats 30 guests a night. The food was wonderful. John got a filet mignon and I got a grilled shrimp dish. For dessert we both got creme brulee. We made reservations there for Friday, our last night on the ship.

    Tomorrow we have our appointment for the COVID-19 test required to get back into the US and also to get on the Air Canada flight. For that flight we have to fill out several forms.

    Tomorrow we will tour Monemvasia. I have never heard of it, but am looking forward to learning about the town.

    Now it is off to bed.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula

    Tours of Patmos

    September 7, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Today was a short touring day. We got on the tender at around 8:15 am for a short ride over to the port town of Skala. There we meet our guide, Nikos, and boarded our bus for the drive to the Monastery of St. John in the town of Chora, the capital of Patmos. We were able to see a bit of the Monastery. On the first floor was the chapter. We could see the Markets and a bit of the sanctuary. There was also a case that contained the chains that John wore while a prisoner on Pathos. The case also contained the skull of St. Thomas and also the skull of John Christodoulous (the man who completed most of the monastery). St. John is buried at Ephesus (another reason to be safe that we couldn't go too Ephesus). On the second floor were some ancient Bibles; some icons; some priests' robes and the contract the king wrote up of all the support he, the king, would provide.

    After the Monastery your, we headed for Cave of the Apocalypse. Although small it was impressive it. A church has been erected around the caves.

    Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take any pictures at either site. We were taken back to Skala to either head back to the ship or to look around in the town. John and I decided to walk around the town. We had been encouraged to try the two traditional foods of Greece (or Patmos) - Cheese pie and pungi (sp?) that had been recommended by Nikos. Pungi is a sweet pastry. John wasn't interested in either of the suggestions, so we searched around for lunch for him. We eventually found an uncrowded restaurant where John got a macaroni pie and I got a salad. When John had finished his lunch, we went back to a look for a shop that sold cheese pie and the pungi. The pungi was pretty good, but the cheese pie was pretty dry. We wandered around a bit and bought some gelato. It was pretty good. Then we headed back to the ship. We walked around the ship several times and then got ready for the "port talk" about the tour to Mykonos and Delos. We then headed to dinner. I had salmon and John had rack of lamb. Both were excellent.

    Looking forward to the tour tomorrow.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula
    Sunrise as we enter the Santorini Caldera.
    The excavations at Akortiri.A cat of a table found during the Akortiri excavations.Beautiful views from Oía.Whitewashed buildings and the Aegean Sea from Oía.The lights of Santorini during the evening.

    Tour of Santorini

    September 6, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    John and I both got up early this morning to watch the ship go through the Caldera at sunrise. The colors of the sunrise over the houses on the top of one of the islands was beautiful.

    The sea was rough/choppy today and getting into the tender to take us to the Athinios Port on Santorini was a bit of a challenge. At Athinios Port, we met our guide, Mariana, and headed to our first stop - The Archeological excavations at Akrotiri. At the site are the remains of a catastrophic volcanic eruption in1600 BC. The eruption tore the island apart. The actual artifacts excavated are in the Museum of Prehistoric Thíra in Thíra.

    The remainder of our tour included some history, culture and photo opportunities for us. Our next stop was Oía (pronounced Ía) at the upper end of Santorini.

    Our next and final stop was Thíra. There we went to a restaurant and had some Greek appetizers (a tomato salad; a fava bean spread; tomato fritters; and meatballs). It was more than enough for lunch for us. After the lunch John and I went to the Museum of Prehistoric Thíra. At the museum we saw the items that had been excavated at Akortiri. After that we headed for the cable car to take us down to the dock to get the tender back to the ship. There had been an option to go down by mule, but we opted for the cable car. At the dock the water was a lot rougher than in the morning. It was a challenge getting from the dock onto the tender. The challenge for the tender driver was to get the tender lined up with the ship. They made several attempts before they got lined up. But what was more difficult was getting off of the tender and onto the stairs to the ship.

    Tonight was the BBQ. There was tons of food - salads; meats & fish; side dishes; and desserts. After the dinner, the staff did lots of dancing and in the end we all joined in. It was a fun evening.

    Tomorrow we got to Patmos.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula
    One of the streets in Plaka.
    The caves at Sarakinko Beach.The waves at Sarakinko Beach.My dinner of shrimp and chorizo.My fruit tart.John's fruit trifle.

    Tour of Milos

    September 5, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    ‍‍During most of the night I could hear engine noise.  I put in earplugs, but they didn't help much.  I am hoping I will sleep better tonight. After a breakfast of yogurt and granola (the guy serving me was kind enough to pick out the chocolate pictures in the granola) some fruit and coffee, I did a few laps around the boat, but it wasn't a lot of distance.  I figured I would need to get up earlier so I would I have time to get more laps in, but I got in plenty of walking on the tour today.  We took the tender (the boat that takes us from the ship to the port in the town we are visiting) to the bus waiting for us in Milos.  Kelly was our local guide and she was very good. 

    Our first stop was for a walking tour of the city of Plaka (evidently there are cities named Plaka on several of the Greek islands).  We made a stop at a little shop for coffee and a watermelon tart.  The watermelon tart was wonderful. It seems that watermelon is a favorite fruit in Greece.  I had a Greek coffee (similar to Turkish coffee).  It was very strong and very good.  Then we were given some free time to walk around.  Then it was back to the bus to go to see Sarakinko Beach. The beach has a lot of caves and crashing waves.  There were a considerable number of people on the beach, but most of them seemed to be there just to be seen.  We had to walk gingerly down to the beach and back up. 

    Then we headed to a restaurant at Paleochori Beach for lunch. On the bus Michael took our lunch orders.  The choices were lamb, pork or a vegetarian alternative.  John and I chose lamb. We sat with another couple from Tauck.  It was nice getting to know some of the passengers better.  First we got some crispy pita bread and some toppings (olive spread, tzatiki, and a creamy fish spread.  All were delicious.  John only liked the fish spread.   The next "course" was a watermelon salad with cucumbers and onions.  That "course" was followed by a basket of bread, which was followed by a basket of zucchini chips and a dipping sauce.  At that point I was feeling stuffed and then our main dishes came out (I had totally forgotten there was a main dish).  The lamb and potatoes were very good.  The lamb was so tender and fell off the bone.  The last course was dessert.  It was a custard like dish.  They said it was similar to a napolian, but with no chocolate.  When we finished lunch, John and I headed out to walk off our lunch.  After our walk we got back on the bus and headed back to the town to get the tender.  John and I took another walk to look at the beach in the town.  The tenders were scheduled to leave the dock at 15 minutes past the hour and 45 minutes past the hour.   However we got to the dock at 3:10 pm and the next tender didn't come to the dock until 4:15 pm.  It was no big deal and we got ice tea while we waited. 

    We we got back on the ship we showered and dressed for dinner and headed down to the lounge to learn about our trip for tomorrow and then up to the Open deck on deck 4 for a Welcome by the Captain and am introduction to the head staff.  Three sisters in our group invited us to join them, their mother and another couple (not on the Tauck Tour) for dinner.  We got the Captain's Table.  John and my food selections today were better than most of our choices last night. I picked the traditional Greek Bean Soup and John got a fried risotto ball for appetizers.  For our main course, I got shrimp and chorizo over couscous.  John and mostly everyone else got the Beef Wellington.  They were both very good.  The sisters had chocolate souffle as a dessert, but John chose a fruit trifle and I chose fruit tart.  They were both very good. 

    I really enjoyed having dinner with the the sisters.  We all laughed a lot.  Tomorrow there will be a BBQ on the Open deck and we are all getting together again for the dinner.   I can't wait. 

    Tomorrow we need to be on the outside upper decks around 6:30 or 7 pm as we sail into the Caldera .  It is supposed to be a sight not to be missed.  John is even going to get up to see it!

    So it is off to bed for me so I can be ready for our tour of Santorini.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula
    The port we sailed out from.The sails being unfurled as the ship got ready to sail from the port.The tug boat that followers our ship to make sure we got safely out to sea.My tomato tart - excellent.My pana cota - delicious.

    Goodbye Athens - Hello Greek Islands

    September 4, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    ‍This morning I decided to get a meal off the menu instead of using the Buffet.  I ended up getting an egg overeasy, a sausage, a half slice of toast, black coffee and grapefruit juice. A lot less food and more of what I wanted to eat.   After breakfast, I checked us out of the hotel and we got on the bus to go to the National Archeological Museum.  Our luggage was being moved to the ship as we toured the museum.  The museum was nice.  Our guide took us through several of the exhibits and then we had about 45 minutes to check out anything else we wanted to see.  Then it was off to the pier to go through the process of getting on the ship.  We had to go in and show our Vaccination cards and fill out paperwork to get our COVID-19 tests.  The process was pretty straightforward and relatively quick.  We were negative (again).  Then we got our key cards and got on the ship.  Lunch was ready, so after we got to our room and dropped off our carry on bags, we headed to the the Lounge where lunch was served.   Lunch was a buffet.  I got a chicken gyro some veggies and John got chicken tikka.  Both were good.   I went back to our cabin and our luggage had been delivered.  I went back up to the Lounge and John and I walked around the ship on two levels just to get some exercise and take in the ship.  I was hoping I would get familiar with the ship, but so far that hasn't happened. 

    Then we returned to our cabin and unpacked.  At 3:30, there was a safety drill.  Evidently, they are required to have several of them while we are sailing.  They don't take long so, no biggy (I hope).  We also found out that Greece Government is now requiring that we be tested this coming Monday.  So at that point John and I will have been tested 4 times in three weeks. But it's all good. 

    As we  were "setting sail" we got to watch the sails being unfurled.    That was impressive.   And within a few minutes we were out of the "seabreak" and into the Mediterranean sea - our cruise has begun!

    Before dinner we got a briefing about Milos, our first "port of call". We also learned that because of weather forecasts we will be swapping the days we go to Santorini and Mykonos. 

    Dinner was pretty good.  I had a tomato tart for an appetizer that was excellent.  John's steak was very good, but my shrimp and scallop risotto was just so so (it initally came with no scallops). I mentioned the "oversight" and they brought me the scallops for the risotto.  The panacotta we had for dessert was excellent, too. 

    I am still *very* confused when trying to get around on the ship. I just can't remember where everything is.  I have taken a picture of the ship's deck plans.  Hopefully, I will get oriented before the trip is over. 

    I am excited about this trip.  It has been a lesson in flexibility and I am sure there will be additional opportunities to be flexible.  The flexibility aspect makes this more of an adventure.  I like that.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula
    The view from the restaurant. Our hotel is on the left half way up the street in front.
    The protest by the doctors.

    Free Time After the Tours

    September 3, 2021 in Greece ⋅ 🌙 72 °F

    After the museum we headed back to the hotel and John and I headed for the Terina Restaurant.  I was still full from breakfast, but John doesn't get up in time for breakfast.  He decided on a pepperoni pizza and I ate three of the 8 slices.

    When we got back to the hotel we showered and started packing up to leave the hotel tomorrow.  We get on the bus at 8:45 am and our luggage gets picked up at 9 am to be taken to the ship while we tour the National Archeological Museum.  

    We ate dinner at this Restaurant called Public Cafe.  It is in this small department store.  The store has 5 floors.  The 5th floor is where the restaurant is.  We sat out on the small balcony that surrounds the restaurant on all three sides and looks down on the square where our hotel is.

    The food was very good.  I got a salmon pasta dish and John got a beef orzo dish.  While we were there a protest march started on the side of the square where the restaurant is located.  Traffic was blocked to keep it off the street where the protest was happening.  The waiter told us that it was a group of doctors protesting, but he didn't know what they were protesting about.  The police  seemed to sympathize with the doctors' issue.  In fact, there were as many, if not more, police as doctors.  After dinner we returned to the hotel to finish packing up.  We will say good-bye to Athens after our tour of the museum.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula
    The theater on the way to the Acropolis.
    This was our guide for today.The Temple to ErectheionThe Parthenon or Temple to AthenaThe rings of a large house under the Acropolis Museum.The glass flooring inside and outside of the museum with the dots.

    Morning Tours in Athens

    September 3, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Today we visited the Acropolis and later the Acropolis Museum.  I realized it is almost 49 years since I was in Greece.  It doesn't seem as if that much time had passed.  We got to the Acropolis will before the crowds.  There is a lot of renovation being done.  I couldn't remember any renovation when I was there before.  It turns out the renovations began in 1983 almost 10 years after I was there.  I remember the two temples but not the theater.  We walked up  when I came all those years ago and it is possible we came by a different route and never passed it.  Who knows. It is still amazing. 

    After the tour the women in our group (probably all 17 of us) headed for the restrooms.  Well the were only 2 of the 4 stalls that were working.    The of us decide to use the men's restroom.  Of the there, only one was working.  So one of us went in while the other stood watch.  A man came to the top of the stairs where the line ended, but we told him none of the stairs worked and he turned around and left.  Being able too use both restrooms helped stopped up the process considerably. 

    Then we all headed back to the meet up point to walk down to Acropolis Museum.  It is impressive.  The building is the same dimensions as the Temple of Athena and the interior has two rooms as the Athena Temple and positioned the same.  On the top floor there is a section of the floor is all glass. They had to put little black dots on the glass to reduce the uneasiness of people who are afraid of heights. That same flooring is outside the museum near the entrance, too.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula
    The Acropolis from the Hotel dining room.
    One of the exhibits at the Benaki Museum. They have a "Selfie Spot" on the floor.A Selfie in front of another Benaki Museum exhibit with a "Selfie Spot" on the floor. That thing under my neckThe liquor we received before dinner.

    A Free Day in Athens

    September 2, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    I ended up not getting to bed until after midnight, so I didn't get up until 7:30 and didn't get down to breakfast until a bit after 8 am.  As I was heading to the restaurant, I saw an open door and a glimpse of the Acropolis. When I got seated I had a nice view from my table. 

    Breakfast was a buffet where they serve you.  I learned later that I can order of of the menu of I want.  Breakfast for me was plain nonfat yogurt, fruit and a little bit of scrambled eggs.  I had coffee and grapefruit juice as my beverages. 

    We got a free extra day in Athens from Tauck (called a "Gift of Time") so we were seeing some sights that aren't on the agenda for our days in Athens.

    John got up a little after I got back from breakfast.  We decided to visit the Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology.  The museum offered a Senior rate, which was nice. They had three exhibits. One on machines and automation, one on musical instruments and one on armor.  It is a small museum, but very interesting.  We spent close to 2 hours there.   Then we stopped at a little taverna and John got a ham and cheese hand pie and I got a sausage roll. 

    After our lunch we headed to the Benaki Museum.  The museum has pottery, silver, and Greek regional costumes.  The exhibits were arranged from restless to more current (like 18th century).  There was also a section on Christian art.  Most of the Christian art they had on display was from the Byzantine and Cretan areas and painters between the 13th century to the 17th century.  What "stopped me in my tracks" with the paintings was that all the subjects (Mary, Baby Jesus, adult Jesus and all the disciples) had dark skin.  I had never seen Christian paintings where the subjects were not all white.  I am still struggling to find a word to describe how I felt, but good will have to do.

    Then we headed back to the hotel to get dressed (Resort Casual) for our Welcome Reception and dinner.   While John was getting ready, someone buzzed or room.  At the door was a hotel staff person with a china tray with two small glasses and a small bottle of what turned out to be a distilled alcohol called Mastic Liqueur.  We haven't tried it, yet.  But we do intend to. 

    At the Welcome Reception we got to know two other couples and learn something about the Tauck trips they had taken in the past. Most of the people on this tour had been on at least 3 tours and some as many as 10. For dinner we had a choice of Moussaka or sea bass.  John chose the Moussaka and I chose the sea bass.  Both were very good. We got the guest list and Tauck pins to wear when we are on tour.  It supposedly helps the people on the ship and at the tour locations we visit know we are with Tauck.  We also got our bag tags for the ship; the list of excursions we can choose from; and some useful and polite Greek phrases.  We also got the "official" notification that we probably will not be going to Ephesus (for political issues between the two countries. - not because of COVID-19).  It is a bit of a bummer, but I am looking forward to all the places I will see.  And I still get to go to Patmos. Also, the sailing ship can hold up to 140 guests.  Our Tauck group has 26 people.  But there will only be 68 guests total on the ship. The other 42 are with other tour groups, I guess.

    Tomorrow we go to the Acropolis and to the Acropolis Museum and then we will have free time.  I am sure we will use some of that time to repack so Tauck can get our bags and take them to the ship tomorrow.

    Now it is off to bed. The bus leaves at 8 am so everyone needs to be ready to go before 8 am.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula
    1Our hotel room for the next 3 days.

    Arrival in Athens

    September 1, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    We landed at the Munich airport basically on time.  We went through customs and I got my first stamp in my new passport!

    The flight was about a half an hour late leaving.  But made up most of the time so we still landed at about 2:30pm. There was a bit of a wait to get our luggage.  But, getting through Customs was a breeze.  Another couple on the Tauck cruise was on our flight.  They live in Sacramento and retired from Locked Martin. What a small world. 

    We are staying at the Grand Bretagne Hotel. By the time we got to the hotel and got our luggage, we had less than 20 minutes to change clothes for a informal walking tour of the area right near our hotel.  Six or seven couples who had arrived today were in the tour. Our Tour Director, Michael Furillo, took us on a walking tour of the area around our hotel and gave is some restaurant recommendations as well as some things to do tomorrow since the Tour doesn't officially start until 6pm tomorrow.

    We decided to go to a Restaurant called Hermion. John got grilled lamb chops and fries.  I had traditional Moussaka.  Everything was very good. We were exhausted so after dinner we headed back to the hotel.  There was a peaceful protest n taking place in front of our hotel.  There we some speeches and some singing. Since we don't speak Greek, we had no idea what the protest was about.  We are planning to visit the Museum of Ancient Greek Technology. Hoping to get a good night's sleep.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaGreece 2021The Travels of Paula

    Beginning of Trip

    August 31, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    We got to the Dulles Airport at 2 pm (about 3.5 hours early).  Because we have Premium Economy (United calls it Premium Access), there was a separate start for check-in.  No lines or waiting.  We didn't have TSAPre because of Global Entry excited, but the Security from no time to get through and we were at our gate in no time.  Check-in the day before had been a nightmare.  Beyond the normal check-in take(names contact info and number of checked bags), We has to submit PDF files of our Vaccination cards; use the United App to scan our passports and attach a copy of Greece's Personal Locator form.  Then we had to wait for about an hour before or information was approved and we were sent boarding passes.  A little before boarding started we had to go to the deal and have them review the same documents we had sent United the night before.

    After that boarding was easy.  The food was good (dessert was sea salt caramel gelato) and I had a glad of white wine (a Chenin Chardonnay).  I watched "Singing in the Rain" and John watched "Guardians of the Galaxy".  I didn't sleep on the flight, but I took two walks up and down the aisle.  The flight was uneventful.    Read more

  • 2018 El Salvador Mission

    Reflections from our trip

    November 15, 2018 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 34 °F

    This is my third mission trip and my son's first. As always, we are a motley crew. This year the adventure started at the airport. Trying to find each other when there were 4 different flights and people we had never set eyes on is an adventure on its own. When we all finally found each other we headed to Ahuachapan.

    Starting work with a new crew, especially when some can't communicate with each other may seem impossible, but somehow it always works out.

    I have the unique blessing of being able to speak both languages and act as a translator for everyone.
    I love watching everyone interact, work together, and become friends - language is not a barrier.
    Somehow everyone communicates and the work gets done. And everyone comes out learning something new.

    This trip we were working with drywall, something we're a little more familiar with that we've worked with possibly more than the El Salvador crew at this point. Tim helped organize us and we started working. Tim and Terry have an inclusive way of teaching. They gently coaxed us to try new things, offering up little tips here and there, complementing the work we did and really boosting our confidence. We all learned from them and we worked that way all week.

    My son, the youngest in the group, has made some great friends. And I can tell he has loved this experience and has learned more than he could ever know about working with people, communication at its core, compassion for others - whether they are better off then you or not, inspiration from those you are trying to help, and being humbled in the presence of true faith.    Read more

  • 2018 El Salvador Mission

    Heading Home & Reflections (11/15/2018)

    November 15, 2018 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 34 °F

    ‍‍‍‍‍I began the day as I have each day since I arrived in Ahuachapán with a cup of coffee while I have my prayers and devotion.  It's what I do at home, but somehow it feels different here.  Then we are all together for breakfast.  Marilu it's an excellent cook and I will miss her meals.   

    After breakfast we all did last minute checks and waited for Brian to arrive.  Then there were the good-byes to Meme and Marilu.  I know I can keep up with what is going on with Marilu on Facebook, but it is not the same. 

    Then we were on our way to the airport.  We stopped at the cluster of shops on our way to the airport.  Terry bought a few things, but most of us just browsed.  The was a musical program going on that a few members of the group watched.  Then it was on to the airport.   Since the group was on 3 different flights, we ended going through different entrances.  For the first time in all the years I have been here, this is the first time there was no one for check-in and Tim, Terry, Rich and I were allowed to check-in together.  The security lines were relatively short, too.  When we got through security we waited for Nina and Jhenny and Frank to get through security.  Nina came through a bit after us.  There were hugs all around.  I will miss Nina.  I wasn't used to sing good-bye to Mission team members before since in the past we were all from the same church.  The good-byes to Nina were harder and sadder for me.  I enjoyed having her as a roommate.  I hope she will consider going on a mission with us in the future.  Then Avianca Four (Terry, Tim, Rich and I) headed toward our gate and in search of lunch.  We found a restaurant close to our gate.  While we were eating I got a text from Jhenny and told her where we were. Because Jhenny's and Frank's flight was a lot later than ours the counter did not open for about an hour after we arrived at the airport.  Jhenny and Frank got lunch at the restaurant and then the Avianca Four headed for our gate.  I picked up some snacks for the wait and read.  The plane was an hour late arriving and thus an hour late departing. 

    Four hours later we were back home.  As we stepped out into the frigid weather all I could think of was hearing Tim say each day while we were in Ahuachapán "Another beautiful day". 

    While it is good to be home, I will miss the rest of our mission team and the friends (new and old) in Ahuachapán.  

    I never know how it happens, but somehow in the first day of the mission all these disparate people from different places, different ages and different lives come together and become a team.  And this team is not so much driven by the job, but by the joy of working together.  When I think of the team I will remember the laughter and joking.  I hope those I encountered in Ahuachapán (our team and the workers and the others we met) saw Christ in me.  I know I saw Christ in the people we met and worked with.  The experience was a blessing.  I still have a way to go as a team lead, but hopefully I am growing in the role.  I am so very thankful for the gift of this Mission.    Read more

  • 2018 El Salvador Mission
    Santa Ana Volcano
    Lake in one of the volcanoesSnake Tree (the actual name of the tree) along the trail.Mayan ruin at TazumalA selfie of the team at Tazumal.

    Our Day Off Excursion (11/14/2018)

    November 14, 2018 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 39 °F

    In the morning as I was completing my prayer and devotion time in the hotel dining room, John came in and told me that he was going to be returning to NC to be with his wife who was carrying for her sister who was having some health issues.  He told me he was going to arrange for a cab to take him to the airport in San Salvador. When Brian arrived, I asked him if he could arrange for transportation to the airport for John. Brian asked Juan De Dios to take John to the airport.

    We said our goodbyes to John and headed for the Volcano National Park.  Brian arranged for a guide to take us on the hike through one of the volcanoes.  Jhenny agreed to act as if translator since our guide did not speak Spanish.  The views were beautiful.   Some of the trail was steep.  At one point Terry tripped and fell.  For a few moments we all (including Terry) thought he might have broken his leg. But he hadn't and although he limped some, he was okay.  There were 60 mile an hour winds, but because we were in the crater we only heard and saw the wind, we didn't feel it.  To me it sounded like the waves crashing on the beach. 

    After the hike we drove to a restaurant on a lake.  We were given a complementary cup of a seafood bisque. It was very good.  I got a chicken dish that was very good.  Some ordered a meal with sausage and other local dishes, some ordered fried fish and Nina ordered a  garlic shrimp salad. 

    After lunch we drove to the Mayan ruin at Tazumal.  We toured the small museum and I made use of the photo translation feature in Google Translate to read portions of the descriptions in the museum.  We were able to climb up a portion of the ruin.  Although we all bemoaned not being able to go to the very top, I was happy with the length of climb when I had to descend steps that seemed to have gotten a lot steeper between the climb up and the climb down.  After walking around the ruin, we visited the shops near the entrance to the ruins.  A few people made purchases, but I just "window shopped".

    We had a short time to rest or start packing before dinner.  At dinner we all talked a bit about the mission.  We initially planned to make our final trek to the Super Mercado for ice cream, but by the time we had finished taking we decided we needed the time to pack. 

    I shared some of my extra space in my suitcase to take some of Jhenny's gifts back.  The packing kept my mind off the good-byes I would say tomorrow.    Read more

  • 2018 El Salvador Mission
    The team (with people from El Salvador and the USA).

    Last Work Day in Ahuachapán (11/13/2018)

    November 13, 2018 in El Salvador ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    ‍This was our last work day.  There were lots of jobs for us to work on today (helping with roof work; putting dry wall up on the front wall of the church; mudding and sanding the other ways of the church.   Three of us, Nina, Rich and I, delivered food.  We spent a long time taking with one or two members of each of the families we visited, except one woman who was ill.  Everyone else was talkative and had lots stories to tell.

    When we returned to the work site, it was almost time to head for lunch, so we began the clean up.  Then it was off to the Missioners' Residence for lunch. After lunch we returned to the work site.  At first we were considering delivering more food, but it would have entailed 30+ minutes of walking and the "foreman" preferred we spend our time working on the church.  I did sanding and some gofering.  Most of my gofering jobs were searching for nails/screws/tools and handing people water to add to the mud or helping lift drywall up to someone on the scaffolding.  I decided not to try working on the scaffolding.  I did not want to pull down the drywall if I lost my balance.  I also do had to give hand sanitizer to Aroche to wash out the cut on his foot.  Because it the hand sanitizer has alcohol in it, it evidently stings.  Next Carlos came over in need of a band-aid and we had to improvise with a Kleenex and masking tape.  He was hesitant for us to wash his cut out with the hand sanitizer, but I told him to quit whining.  So, I cleaned the cut, wrapped it with the Kleenex and tape it with the masking tape and he was good to continue working.

    All to soon it was time to clean up and say our goodbyes.  It is so sad to leave.  We have worked as a team these last few days and become friends despite the language barrier.  It has been a week of laughter and learning new skills and how best to leverage each person's strengths. 

    Dinner tonight was chicken tamales. For dessert we had apple parties mad by Marilu's daughter who is a pastry chef. They were excellent. Then Jhenny have us a piece of a cake that is filled with a layer of pineapple.  I have ordered a box of the cake to take back to the States.  There was no need for an ice cream run tonight.

    Tomorrow is our free day.  We will go to the Volcano National Park and then on to Tazumal with lunch at the beach.   And then we will prepare to head back to the States.  It will be hard to say goodbye to everyone.    Read more

  • 2018 El Salvador Mission

    Mission Life is like a box of chocolates

    November 13, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 43 °F

    ....You never know what you are going to get.
    What is so wondrous and adventurous about mission trip to me is the surprising unpredictability. As we were organizing at our church, some of us regulars decided to come back. But then, John from Charlotte and Nina from Asheville joined after seeing us on the UMVIM website. And then, a week before leaving, I told my parents and sisters I was going to El Salvador again and my brother-in-law Terry joined too! He even drove two days from North Dakota to Northern Virginia to fly with us.

    So we have an interesting mix of people from Jhenny's 16 year old son Frank to three retirees, from native born Jhenny to Terry & me who can't speak a word of Spanish. Each mission team creates its own identity or personality and this one is no different. Each person brings something to the table -- you just don't know what that "something" is, hence the box of chocolates.

    We "understood" we would work on the new school and do lots of masonry again. No, the permits were not approved so we will work on a rural church site and do some drywall hanging & finishing. We met Aroche, the pastor of this new church and some other local crew members. We typically see him (since 2009) as a skilled mason so it was a joy for me to see him preach this time!

     We also typically work on masonry buildings in town. This time the church is a steel framed building with corrugated steel outside & drywall inside with large windows. Our very bumpy road (while standing in the back of a truck) is filled with walking people and dogs that don't seem to care about the traffic, full sized school buses, oxen-driven carts, motorcycles and cowboys herding cattle. Oh, and an occasional "stray" horse too.

    ...You never know....
    The first day was a little confusing as we tried to figure out what to do, and it turned out, the local crew was too! But Jhenny translated and after lunch Aroche said I was in charge of the drywall. Bonding between the local crew & our team was special and continued the whole time. We all ended up having a lot of fun together.

     When it comes to drywall taping and finishing, John did a great job coaching everyone and it has been showing in our work. Didn't know anything about him before the trip.

    ...You never know..,
    I warned the team beforehand that drywall finishing is like cosmetic surgery ... if done wrong, it is very noticeable and very hard to fix!

    Everyone seems to be having a good time. I am especially trilled that Terry came. He is talking to everyone (here & back home), using his skills, and said he quickly changed his perspective on people here. He can share more if he chooses.

    ...You never know...
    On Monday while delivering food around the neighborhood, we met a blind man with a blind son.This is an incredible story but briefly, God used his blindness (he says) to help many other people "see" as he travels to many countries evangelizing. He even had been to Israel (!!) and soon to Peru. Humbling and awe-inspiring don't adequately describe the feeling.

     You never know...
    One thing that hasn't changed for me is the pre-dawn view of the volcano where I routinely sit & some time journal. It has power lines, walls & metal roofs in the fore, but it works for me as a place to contemplate. I love the simplicity of this life style and always yearn for more when it ends. And yes,, the endless loud traffic and 350 little red taxis right outside our hotel hasn't changed. Also, Marilu's hotel food is as delicious & satisfying as ever. We finished our work and said our usual goodbyes to the crew. We feel the Holy Spirit is driving this all.

    ...Some times you DO know...
    One more day to go. What will it bring?
    P.S. In the USA and particularly in our own Prince William County, there has been a lot of "talk" about immigration. I hope our meager efforts can help make life a little bit better here so that, perhaps, people will decide not to risk their lives over a 1000 miles for a better life.    Read more

  • 2018 El Salvador Mission
    Tim and Frank helping the guys working on the roof.
    Tim and Rich taping and mudding the upper level.Nina, Tim and Paula mudding and taping the lower level.Paula and Jhenny enjoying the corn.The cows being driven by cowboys on the way home.Two cows passing by the car.

    Fourth Day in Ahuachapán (11/12/2018)

    November 12, 2018 in El Salvador ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    ‍‍Today Jhenny, Frankie and Tim delivered food.  Before they left, we discussed what the tasks are that needed to be done and who best to do them. There were two tasks. One was to put up the remaining drywall in the upper area. The other was to sand the mudding done yesterday on the lower level and tape over the seams and remud the seam and surrounding area. Terry worked with one of the workers to put up the last of the drywall and then started helping the guys working on the roof.  Rich, Nina and I did the sanding, taping and mudding. John showed us what to do; checked our work and did a little mudding and and taping.  A little before we were supposed to head over for lunch Tim, Jhenny and Frank returned.  Tim checked out of mudding efforts and Jhenny and Frank joined with Terry helping the workers on the roof.

    After lunch we returned and Tim and Rich began taping and mudding the upper level with John acting as gopher for them.  Nina and I began sanding the tape and doing any required remudding on the lower level.  Once we had gotten as far as we could on that, Nina and I moved on to other jobs.  I helped as a gopher with Jhenny for the guys on the roof  (Frank did most of the heavy lifting for that job). 

    As the work was winding down, a man brought over corn from his garden that he had boiled for us using our bottled water.  The corn was still in the husks and hot off the oven and it was delicious.

    On the way back to the hotel we again passed the cows being herded down the road.
    Once we returned to the hotel we showered and had dinner and or evening devotion.  Terry have the devotion.  He said he had learned that a school friend had a stroke and he had been asked to pay for her.  He had felt inadequate not knowing what to pray for.  He said in the end he had prayed "Lord please take care of her.".  I thought that was the best prayer because God will always take care of us although not always the way we want.  But with that simple prayer you have basically asked that God's will be done.

    After the devotion, Tim, Terry and I went on the nightly walk to the grocery store for ice cream and a few other is and ends.  It was a wonderful day and we are making progress on the church.    Read more

  • 2018 El Salvador Mission
    A small garden being created at Entre Nubis.
    The front steps of La Gloria Church.Digging the trench where the steps to the church would be.The sanctuary of La Gloria.The right hand side wall we worked on in 2016.The completed wall we started.

    Third Day in Ahuachapán (11/11/2018)

    November 11, 2018 in El Salvador ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    ‍For breakfast we had eggs, "drunken beans" which are red beans with green peppers and onions and sausage. We also had El Salvadoran quesadillas.  They are more like sweet cornbread made with yellow cornmeal and cheese - very good. 

    After breakfast we had devotions and then got ready for the drive to Ataco for souvenir shopping.  John and I went into the Textile shop.  John got coffee and I got a cappuccino.  Brian was also there.  The rest of the group hiked up to the cross and then did a bit of shopping and then returned to the Textile shop.   I made veryone show me what they had purchased in Ataco. While we were all together, we decided on our free day activity for Wednesday - we are going to the Volcano National Park and the Tazumal Mayan ruins.

    Then we got back in the van and headed for Entre Nubis for lunch.  After we ordered our lunch we took a short tour of the coffee plantation at Entre Nubis and then enjoyed lunch. I got chicken enchiladas.  El Salvadoran enchiladas are more of a sandwich made of two small tortillas with chicken and cheese with a dab of refried black beans on top. I also got a 1/2 cup of chicken soup. After lunch there was a little bit of time for those who wished to buy coffee and jewelry. 

    Then we headed back to the hotel to get ready for church.  Today we attended La Gloria.  This was a special treat for Tim, Rich, Jhenny and me.  We had worked on the right hand side wall of the church in 2016.  The sermon was about the seeds in the good soil that produce fruit.  The minister related all the acts of service/mission and caring and kindness to the good fruit. Fruit from churches all over the world. Fruit that spreads love and the gospel.  After the service we got a tour of the church.  It was wonderful to see the finished product.

    Then it was back to the hotel for a short rest and then dinner.  Jhenny had bought us some of the local fruit from the area.  So we ended the meal with the fruit.  Everyone enjoyed their favorite.

    After dinner we had devotions and a time of reflection and then some of us headed to the store for ice cream.  I am probably the driving force behind the treks to the store for ice cream.  I hope some of the team will continue to humor me by going every night.

    It was a restful day where we enjoyed each other's company and enjoyed sharing laughter and kidding with each other and becoming friends.  Becoming friends may not always be mentioned when people talk about their mission experiences, but for me becoming friends is one of the things I treasure most about the mission.    Read more

  • 2018 El Salvador Mission
    Pressure as Jenny and I walk to the track in the morning.
    The workers and the team on the way to the work site.Tim and Frank d measuring the drywall.Nina and Rich mudding.Terry and Jhenny installing the drywall.

    2nd Work Day in Ahuachapán (11/10/2018)

    November 10, 2018 in El Salvador ⋅ 🌙 68 °F

    ‍Jhenny and I went walking again this morning.  At breakfast I asked for volunteers to go in the morning and afternoon to deliver food.  This is better than "springing” it on them a few minutes before they are to leave to distribute the food.  I don't know why it took me so long to come up with this approach.

    After breakfast and devotions, Carlos picked us up and (surprise) took us to the Missioners' Residence to pack the bags for the Feeding Program.  Once we finished being the food we headed to the work site.  When Fernando got the he told us that we would only be distributing food in the morning.  Rich, Nina and John went to distribute food.

    Tim is the team foreman and figures out what the jobs are for the day and which jobs each of us can do.  My first job today was to help Tim cut the dry wall and hand the sections up to Terry and Jhenny. I also added as gopher for supplies they needed.  It was a good job for me since I don't have the construction skill set for the more involved jobs.  Frank continued working on making and spreading the cement for the sidewalk.  That work work took us almost through lunch.  The three food distributers got back a little before we went to lunch.  John and Nina cut the paper strips that will be needed for the drywall mudding.  Rich helped  install the rest of the lower level drywall. After lunch John showed Nina, Rich and me how to do the initial drywall mudding.  It took a while to get the hang of it.  Both John and Tim had to remind us a couple of times that we need to smooth the mud to reduce excessive sanding when it dries.  John was a good and patient teacher.

    When we finished, Aroche did a worship service for us.  I missed the singing part because I was cleaning up the mudding tools.  Jhenny acted as translator.  The sermon was on gratitude.  It was very good.  I was surprised at how much of what Aroche said I understood without having to wait for Jhenny to translate.

    Then it was back to the hotel for dinner and devotion and a time to talk about our impressions.  Then the nightly walk to the grocery store for Ice cream.

    The drive, in the back of a pickup truck, to and from the work site has been very interesting each day.  The road is bumpy and narrow in spots.  Each day we have seen a man on a motor cycle with a baby sitting on his lap wearing a pink helmet when we head for the work site and when we head back to the hotel in the afternoon. There is a man on a house driving his cattle one direction on the when we head for the work site and in the other direction when we head back to the hotel.  The are always fearless dogs on the roads as well as approaching buses and trucks on the basis road.  As Rich pointed out, it is amazing any cars have side view mirrors.  And most cars we pass have their side view mirrors.  It is a sign of the web and flow of the population. 

    Tomorrow we will go to Ataco.  There the team can do some shopping and I can enjoy a cappuccino or two.

    This was a very good work day.  I think everyone felt they had contributed and enjoyed the jobs they were involved with.  And most were tired in a good way when we returned.  We are gelling as a team.    Read more

  • 2018 El Salvador Mission
    A device used to hand grind corn into flour.
    Rich working on the church panel.Tim working on the upper wall panels of the church.Frank prepping the side walk for the cement.The team at the end of the work day.Performance of the schools dancers'and matching band.

    First Work Day in Ahuachapán (11/9/2018)

    November 9, 2018 in El Salvador ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    ‍Jhenny and I walked before breakfast this morning.  I did the first devotion this morning and Tim agreed to do the evening devotion.  Brian arrived at 8 and we left for the work site.  Shortly after we arrived the team from Georgia arrived.  The first job was to move the dry wall into the church to be installed.  Although it was heavy I was able to help pick it up and carry it with the help of 2 or 3 others.  Tim and Rich worked with the Salvadoran workers to measure the drywall segments that needed to be to cut to install on the wall.  Frank, Nina and I smoothed out and leveled the dirt where the cement would be poured to complete the sidewalk around the church.

    When we finish that, we were asked to select 3 or 4 people to go with the Georgia team to distribute the food.  I volunteered and Nina agreed to go, too.  I spoke with Tim and he suggested I ask Terry.  Terry agreed and we went to give out food.  I was in the group with the two women from the Georgia team and Nina and Terry were in the other group.  I always learn new things when I deliver the food.  One family had a son in the Navy and I learned a lot about being in the military.

    When we finished up we returned to the work site and Nina and I helped with the group clearing the cut down plants.  I borrowed the wheelbarrow to move the stuff to the pile of cuttings and trash.  Soon it was time to go to the Missioner's residence for lunch.  After lunch we returned to the work site.   As we were heading back Brian told me we would be going to the school for dinner and the marching band would be performing.  We would leave the hotel at 4 pm and need to be at the school by 5 pm.

    We didn't finish up until well after 4 and it was much later by the time we got back to the hotel.  We rushed to change and then headed to the school.  The marching band, majorettes and a rhythm dance group performed.  They were very good.  There was also a girl there that retrieved batons, wiped sweat from the dancers' faces and when helped with hair problems. - all white the other girls continued to perform.  A lot of the music played was Christian Praise music.  After the performance we had pupusas for dinner and a sugar cookie for dessert.  After eating, I went upstairs to see the upper level addition to the school - very impressive. Then we returned to the hotel and everyone decided to take showers and head to bed. 

    It has been an interesting first day.  It was definitely a day to work on being flexible.  But the day was filled with many pleasant surprises and I once again learned a bit more about El Salvador and life here.    Read more

  • 2018 El Salvador Mission
    The team on our way from the airport to Ahuachapán.

    Arrival in Ahuachapán (11/8/2018)

    November 8, 2018 in El Salvador ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    Leslie Oakes drove Rich, Tim, Terry and me to the airport.  We left the church at 6 am.  The check-in line for those who had done online check-in wasn't very long.  What was amazing was that the line for TSA-Pre security  was considerably longer than the regular security line.  The flight was fine. The flight was almost over before I figured out which earphone jack got you sound (thank you Rich).  But by that time it was a bit late to start a movie.  But I had stuff to read so I was fine.  The Immigrations line was slow and we saw John Ellis, whose flight got in 45 minutes after ours, in line not that far behind us.  For those who tender it, the airport has done away with the Red/Green light - no more drama.

    Jhenny meet us after we retrieved our bags, took us to where Frank and  Nina (pronounced Nine-na)  were sitting and went back for John.  Then Fernando took most of us to find the toilets before we started the 2 hour drive to Hotel Atillo (our home away from home for the next 8 days).

    Today I spent time getting to know Nina, John and Terry (Tim would call it "talking their ears off").  They are all very interesting people and I am looking forward to getting to know them better during the week.

    It was great to see Meme and Marilyn again.  Brian dropped by to introduce himself.  It was good to see him again, too.  We won't be working on the school we were scheduled to work on because the permits still haven't come through.  There will be roofing and dry walling to do at the project we will be working on.  Tomorrow we will be working with the team that is already here (it will be their last day).  I am looking to see what God has planned for us. 

    After a delicious Chicken soup/stew everyone but Nina tried down to the Supermercado for ice cream, Gatorade, snacks and whatever else took our fancy.  I bought a coffee mug so I don't use styrofoam (that makes John Ellis and the environment happy).

    I am going to try to get to bed earlier than I normally do because Jhenny and I are going walking at the very track tomorrow morning.  Going to Central Time is like going through the time change again  (falling back one more time).  Can't wait to start working tomorrow.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaItaly 2018The Travels of Paula
    View of one of the canals
    View from the Rialto bridgeThe fish marketOne of the streets on the island we visitedOur gondola ride with Bretna and Lonnie - so much fun (I still haven't gotten good at selfies; I always look sOur gondola "driver". In the narrow canals he steered by pushing off the walls with his foot.

    Day 14 - Exploring Venice

    August 24, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    ‍John and I decided to forego the glass blowing factory tour.  Instead we decided to do as the slogan says and "get lost in Venice".  Which really means to just wander aimlessly which was very relaxing. One nice thing about Venice is there are signs on all the streets pointing to one of the bridges, so it's ready to travel around without getting to lost.  First we went to the Rialto bridge and to the fish, meat and produce market.  Then we wandered around and had lunch in a little shop.  John got mini ham and turkey sandwiches.  I got a vegetable and cheese in half a toasted pita.  I also tried the Spritz (a mix of white wine, Aperol and a spritz of Seltzer water).  It was okay, but more but then I expected.

    After eating we returned to the hotel and took the hotel water shuttle over to another island and wandered around there for a while.  When we returned we meet or group for a gondola ride.  It was so much fun.  And we had Musicians in our gondola.  One played a guitar and the other sang.  I think the serenading was for Bretna and Lonnie since their anniversary was a few days ago.

    Then we returned to our room to shower and dress for our farewell reception and the private St. Mark's Basilica tour.  While we were getting ready John got a call that Matt was being discharged today.  The hospital was arranging for ambulance transportation.  However, the snag was getting his prescription filled and put in his pill box. John tried to get someone close to Merica House to get the prescription, but could not get in touch with anyone.  So I contacted about friend, Marian,  and she agreed to pickup the pills and put them in Matt's pill box.  John continued to work on getting the prescription filled and the logistics off the discharge.  While John worked on that, I went to the reception to let Florence, our Tour Director, know we would probably not be going to St. Mark's.  It started raining a little after the reception began, so we moved indoors.  I stayed for the reception and then returned upstairs to our room.  Then we went to dinner in the hotel, so we could ensure we had cell service to contact the hospital and anyone else.

    We had dinner in the hotel restaurant so that we would be assured of Cellular service and WiFi.  Finally, the prescription was sent to the CVS near Matt and I could let Marian know.  And while we waited we got packed for the 9:45 am luggage pickup to head home.  Marian texted me when she got to Merica House and put Matt's pills in the pill box.  Now everything was settled and all we needed to concentrate on was going home.  It has been a fun trip and we have made a lot of new friends.    Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaItaly 2018The Travels of Paula
    Views from our water taxi to the hotel
    More views from our water taxi to the hotelThe Golden Staircase at the DuomoOriginal flooring at the top of the staircase. It is an optical illusion that that looks like holes or mounds.John and I sitting on the terrace at our hotel

    Day 13 - Arrive in Venice

    August 23, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 88 °F

    ‍‍We said good-bye to Florence and took the high-speed train to Venice.  The train ride to about 2 hours.  From the train station in Venice we took water taxis to our hotel.  At the hotel we had a buffet lunch.  On the buffet was a penne pasta with pesto sauce.  We were being served and without thinking I accepted the pasta or on my plate.  I also got chicken and green beans.  As I was heading for a table, our Program Director, Florence, stopped me to give me a plate of pasta in tomato sauce since I am allergic to the pine nuts in the pesto.  Thank goodness to Florence for looking out for me, since it would not have been good if I had eaten the park on the penne pasta.  And up to that point I had been so careful.

    Once lunch was over, we meet or our local guides and headed for St. Mark's Square and the Doges Palace.  There were a lot of steps and it was hot and the building was not air conditioned.  Our group was fine but the other group did not do well and some cut the tour short and returned to the hotel.

    After the tour we returned to the hotel to check-in and get our room keys, go to our rooms and shower and meet again to go to the restaurant.  This was our farewell dinner so the attire Evening Smart (aka dressy).  Our meal consisted of three courses.  For my first course I selected a vegetable roll.  Since John didn't think he wanted either, he selected the Caprese salad. The vegetable roll was like a spring roll, so I let John have that and I took the Caprese salad.  For my second course, I chose the vegetable lasagna; John chose the steak.  For our third course, we both chose the gelato.  It was a scoop of vanilla and a scoop of chocolate.  And there was lots of wine, of course.  Then it was back to the hotel and time to relax and then go to bed.

    John called the hospital and Matt was doing better.  The nurse said that they migh discharge him on Saturday, but they still hadn't gotten word back on what bacteria was the culprit.

    I was struck today by all the different ways there are to turn on the water in sinks; get soap for my hands; and dry my hands.       Read more

  • The Travels of PaulaItaly 2018The Travels of Paula
    A Pieta in the Cathedral Museum
    An optical illusion painting by Galileo at the Galileo/Sience MuseumBirth of Venus at the Uffitzi MuseumBridge from the Ufitzi MuseumOverlooking the river from one of the bridges in Florence

    Day 12 - Second Day In Florence

    August 22, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    ‍When I returned to the room after breakfast, John was on the phone.  It turned out that during the evening Matt's fever Rose to 104 and the aides called 911 and Matt was transport to Alexandria Hospital.  He was admitted to the ICU there (John didn't mention that Matt was in the ICU until later in the afternoon when I asked him about the phone call).  John spoke to the nurse who told him that they thought the fever was because of a urinary tract infection.  John provided or health insurance information and said he would call them later in the day to get an update.

    We had the day to ourselves to explore, but talking with the hospital resulted in us getting out later than planned.  We decided to go to the Cathedral Museum first.  We learned a lot about the contribution of the Duomo.  As we were leaving the museum John noticed the skies are darkening, so we returned to the hotel to pick up our umbrella and the rain ponchos we had been given in Rome.  While we were in the hotel we heard a lot of thunder. 

    We decided to get lunch before going to the next museum.  We selected two restaurants near the hotel, but in the direction we would be heading to the museum.  We found the first restaurant on our list easily enough and were seated right away.  We were given menus and began selecting what we wanted to eat and drink.  But no one came to our table to take off order.  Then I noticed a table that had been empty when we were seated who had drinks and bread.  We waited a few minutes longer and then left.  Our second choice restaurant seated us; provided menus and told us about the specials; and came back and took our order.  Meanwhile, it began to rain pretty hard.  Our meal was good and we finished when it looked like the rain had subsided.  Unfortunately, it was just a false sense of security, because it started pouring within a about a block.  We tried sharing an umbrella, but I just got soaked, so we both stopped and put on our rain ponchos. 

    At the Galileo Museum we stuffed our backpack, ponchos and umbrella in a locker, and purchased our tickets.  We were able to download the Museum app and because I had my Bluetooth headphones with me I could listen to commentary on each of the rooms.  John was only able to read text.  However, most of the display cases include information in English.  We toured the museum long enough for my sandals to dry out (no need for the hair dryer).

    We completed the tour and returned to the hotel to shower and meet the group at 5:30 for a tour of the Ufitzi Gallery.  The Ufitzi was very impressive and I got to see several paintings I have seen in books.

    After the tour, John and I walked to the river and crossed the bridge with all the gold shops just to look.  We considered having dinner on the other side of the river, but since we weren't very hungry, we decided to get soup or something light near too the hotel and to get some gelato at the shop or guide recommended (Perché no!). So we went back to the Yellow Bar.  I had vegetable soup and John had bread soup.  Both were closer to stews than soup.  I enjoyed mine, but there were too many green vegetables in his four hours liking.  I also had a bottle of the Toscana beer.  Then we had for the Gelato store where I got black cherry and hazelnut and John got black cherry and a cream.  I liked mine a lot, John thought his was just okay, since he prefers Lemon and they didn't have that.  We returned to the hotel and John called the hospital to get an update on Matt.  Matt's fever had gone up again and they still didn't know what the bacteria was, yet.  Matt was asleep, so we didn't get to speak with him.  Then it was time to pack so we could leave for Venice in the morning.  Looking forward to Venice.    Read more

Get your own travel profile

Free

QR code

FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android

  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice