Marc Wambolt's Blog, page 2

August 5, 2017

MARC'S MEMOS

8-5-17

TRIP OF A LIFETIME (Part 5)

Our next port was supposed to be Genoa, Italy, but the cruise line opted to bypass it for another port. A reason was not given for skipping that city, but there was nothing we could do about it. As it turned out, we were happy with the decision.

The new destination was a little town that proved to be a hidden gem. The seaside community of Santa Margherita was where we were headed. It proved to be another highlight of the cruise. Imagine the charm of a little hamlet with a vibrant resort-like setting and it would describe this port.

First we just walked along the main street to check out the shops and restaurants. After a short stroll we decided ice cream was a good idea. We sat in a couple of chairs outside with a cone of our favorite Italian gelato and enjoyed the wonderful weather. Very soon the treat was gone and off we went to explore more of this beautiful little town.

We found an old church and entered it to find some interesting architecture and religious items. It is always amazing to find out how old some churches are and how well they are preserved. Of course, most of Europe has ancient churches dating back to Medieval times. As previously mentioned in travels to Rome, there are perfect examples of exquisite art and relics that have survived over many centuries.

Next we found ourselves at a little outdoor cafe. We had a beautiful view of the ocean. There couldn't have been a nicer location. We ordered a pizza and two glasses of vino. Am I dreaming? I could be. No, just living the dream!!! It was terrific and it was authentic. Plus the price was great. Fourteen Euros, including a tip they added. Win, win.

To be continued...

UNTIL NEXT TIME, TAKE CARE! MARC
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Published on August 05, 2017 13:48 Tags: blogs, cruises, travel, vacation

July 31, 2017

MARC'S MEMOS

7-31-17

TRIP OF A LIFETIME (Part 4)

The excitement continues. Our next port was Livorno, Italy. This is the port for Pisa and Florence. Our excursion was to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is just one more icon of the many interesting and ancient structures spread throughout the entire country of Italy.

We had to take a motor coach (bus) ride to Pisa as it is roughly ninety minutes from where we docked. It was quite cloudy while we were on the road, but we kept hoping that it would clear up before we got there. No such luck. In addition to that, the bus had to park some distance from the area we were going to visit. As we exited the bus, we were immediately surrounded by vendors trying to get us to purchase souvenirs. They were persistent, but we resisted and proceeded to leave the parking lot and followed our guide. As she walked up the street, she held a sign on a stick high over her head. This was so everybody would be able to find her in a crowd.

We walked about twenty minutes when the first glimpse of the Tower appeared. It was still cloudy when we stopped to get some historic information from our guide. Trying to listen to her was hard because you wanted to start taking pictures and get closer to the attraction. There were a lot of words spoken so we walked a few steps away but kept close enough to stay with our group.

Meanwhile the sun was attempting to assert itself and make it a great day. Guess what? It did! The gray clouds gave way to puffy white ones and a brilliant blue sky. It was magical. The pictures became much more dramatic and beautiful.

Now the real picture taking started. The main reason for this excursion was, of course, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We took lots of pictures that included the one that everybody takes. You raise your hand and have the camera operator line up the Tower so it looks like you are trying to keep it from falling over. Click, click, click. O.K. Time to see if you got it right. No. Try again. There, that's perfect!

There were other buildings in close proximity, but we did not have much time to explore them. Unfortunately we didn't get all the historical facts as we were concentrating on the Tower. We did take pictures of them though. Then it was off again, down a narrow street to St. Mary's square and more old buildings dating back several hundred years.

After spending some time there, it was time to return to the bus. Another twenty minute walk back, then an attempt to elude the vendors again. We did it. It was easier this time. Now we could sit back and relax as we made the trip back to the ship. We took a peek at some of the pictures we took. WOW!!! The blue sky and white clouds made such a difference in the pictures that they almost looked like postcards you would send back home.

Pisa was such a wonderful sight to see and the excitement of just being there was priceless. It was definitely another check off the old bucket list!

To be continued...

UNTIL NEXT TIME, TAKE CARE! MARC
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Published on July 31, 2017 15:51 Tags: blogs, cruises, travel, vacations

July 14, 2017

MARC'S MEMOS

7-14-17

TRIP OF A LIFETIME (Part 3) Still in Rome

After that we drove a short distance and were escorted into a very nice hotel restaurant for lunch. First course, of course, was Italian pasta. Then they served chicken Marsala as the second course. That was followed by an excellent Tiramisu for dessert and a shot of espresso to top off the meal. It was a great break that gave us a little boost for the next exciting round of history.

Boarding the bus again, I wondered how the sightseeing could get any better. It definitely did! It started in the Vatican museum. Your eyes can not take in all of the beauty at once. From the moment you begin to move past the various art objects and paintings, you are overwhelmed by its grandeur. The scale and immense space for all that is presented was awe inspiring.

Every piece was a masterpiece by someone different. Many artists and many beautiful scenes of various themes. The ultimate in dedication and excellence in religious art was still to come. We were led down a beautiful hallway, down some stairs and through some huge doors. Suddenly, there it was. The Sistine Chapel. It was something that we always wanted to see. It was an incredible sight to behold. It was Michelangelo, the revered Renaissance artist, who spent ten years lying on his back to paint the entire ceiling of this religious site. It was magnificent, awesome and breathtaking!!! However, we were not done.

We went through the Chapel to an exit that lead outside to St. Peters square. It is an unbelievably huge piazza where large crowds gather to see the Pope. It was a grand ending to our day in Rome. Truly a once in a lifetime experience.

To Be Continued...

UNTIL NEXT TIME, TAKE CARE! MARC
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Published on July 14, 2017 12:24 Tags: blogs, travel, vacations

July 6, 2017

MARC'S MEMOS

7-6-17

TRIP OF A LIFETIME (Part 2)

Now onward to Civitavecchia, the main port for ancient Rome. Rome was the reason for choosing this cruise. We had to board another bus for this excursion. When cruising, buses are the main transportation to get to your destination. Most points of interest are a distance from the ship.

We had to be ready early for our adventure in Rome. It was going to be a very full day. So at 6:00 a.m., we lined up for the two hour bus ride. A typical bus tour usually provides a guide that has knowledge of the destination and some historical facts about the area. As we got closer to the city, we noticed large crowds of people everywhere.

The bus stopped and after disembarking, our guide lead us across the street to the main entrance. There was a huge arch that we had to go under to access some stairs. Right there for all to see were military men with machine guns and an armored vehicle. Yes, even in a setting like this, protection against terrorism is a necessary fact of life now. It is sad.

As we merged with the mass of visitors, you began to understand the enormity of this place. After a climb up the stairs, it revealed itself. The magnificent Coliseum was an instant jaw dropper. It was very apparent, the ancient builders of this grand construction project were geniuses. The scope of it is mind boggling. A lot of the original structure is still there. When completed over two thousand years ago, it must have been a sight to see.

We were able to spend some free time to take a lot of pictures. It was amazing!!! I can happily check this wonderful experience off my bucket list.

To Be Continued...

UNTIL NEXT TIME, TAKE CARE. MARC
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Published on July 06, 2017 11:59 Tags: blogs, travel-vacation

June 23, 2017

MARC'S MEMOS

6-23-17

THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME
(The Mediterranean, London, The Baltic)

It started in Phoenix, AZ on a direct flight to JFK airport in New York, NY. From there we were headed for Heathrow airport in London, England. Our destination was a cruise ship at the port of Southampton. We were picked up by what I presumed to be an Uber driver as there were no markings on the car. The transportation had been arranged by our travel agent so we were at the mercy of their decision to trust him. There was a two hour and a half hour ride ahead of us.

Arriving at the airport, we were ushered in through the screening process and onto the ship. Without getting into all of the minutia that happened after boarding, I will begin with the first port on the itinerary. It was Barcelona, Spain. There is a very famous church there that everyone goes to see. It may have been a big mistake, but we opted for an excursion into the mountains just north of the city at approximately 2,300 ft. in elevation.

Monserrat was the name of the area we were visiting. It was a great setting for a church and monastery. The view was wonderful and there was a funicular there, but we didn't have time to go on it. A funicular is a railway going up and down a mountain that carries people in cars pulled by a moving cable. We used the bus to get to the top.

The statues and religious artifacts there were just an introduction to what we would be seeing a few days later in Rome, Italy.

Our choice of Monserrat instead of the church in Barcelona, is always one of the dilemmas you are faced with when cruising. There is never enough time in any port to see every highlight. I hope to make another trip some day back to Barcelona and I will make sure I see that famous church.

Our next port was Corsica. It is an island in the Mediterranean. It was the home of Napoleon Bonaparte. We took a bus trip to a park there with a huge granite monument and a statue of him on a horse perched high up on a hill. The road there followed right next to the sea and was really beautiful. It would have been even more impressive, but the sky was cloudy and gray. There was not much offered in this port so our time there was limited. Even so, it was nice and I am glad I got to see Corsica.

To be continued...

UNTIL NEXT TIME, TAKE CARE!!! MARC
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Published on June 23, 2017 17:01 Tags: blogs, travel, vacation

November 7, 2016

MARC'S MEMOS

11-7-16

Nothing very exciting happened this past summer in my little corner of the world. However, later I did do something that I have wanted to do for quite some time now. I took a cruise through the PANAMA CANAL.

The trip started in Los Angeles, CA, and headed south to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I have been there several times, but have always found something different and interesting to do there on each visit. This time we made our way to a tequila factory which was fun and very tasty! Then the ship made a stop in Huatulco, Mexico. I was very impressed with this beautiful city on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The beach there was clean and amazing. It was my first time there and I hope to return some day.

Our cruise continued on to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. We took an excursion to Lake Nicaragua. Looking out on the lake, you could see two volcanoes in the distance which made for some great pictures

There were some days at sea in between some of the ports , so we were not on land every day.

Our next port was in Puentarenas, Costa Rica. We took a short bus ride to a river there and boarded a boat for a two hour adventure. We got to see crocodiles and many native birds that were there along the banks. We even caught a glimpse of a very colorful (more orange than the normal green you might see) iguana. Very relaxing and worth seeing.

Then we set sail to our most educational and sensational achievement of the twentieth century, the PANAMA CANAL. It is unbelievable to imagine this was once land covered by trees and mountains. It was an impossible dream by France and ultimately the United States to make it into a passage for ships to navigate from the Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean Sea) side to the Pacific Ocean fifty miles away.

Since opening in 1914, over one million ships from all over the world have transited the Canal. The historic millionth mark was reached on September 4, 2010.

After about six hours, we finished making our way through a series of locks that raised and lowered our ship. It is truly an engineering marvel that I think is worth learning about. It was a great experience!

Our next destination was Cartagena, Colombia, South America. We took a harbor cruise and saw a real mix of the old city and a new modern one. Our excursion also included a climb up to San Felipe De Barajas Castle that is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
It was hot and humid, but worth every step up to the top. A great view of the city was to await us.

Leaving Cartagena, we sailed on to the island of Aruba. It was time for the beach. Some tropical drinks helped make it a wonderful day out in the sun.

As the calendar began ticking off the days left, it was time to leave for the port of Fort Lauderdale. After arriving in Fort Lauderdale, we still had time before our flight home so we took a ride on an airboat at Holiday Gardens in the Everglades. It was a rush. Two 500 Cadillac engines providing 700 horsepower is really impressive. It was a great way to end our 15-day getaway.

AS ALWAYS, TAKE CARE! MARC
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Published on November 07, 2016 20:28 Tags: blogs, travel, vacations

April 15, 2016

MARC'S MEMOS

4-15-16

I just returned from a cruise to the Caribbean. We sailed from Galveston, Texas to Montego Bay, Jamaica, Cozumel and Grand Cayman. What made it so special was that my two grandkids sailed with us.

It was the second time that we have been able to vacation together and share some great adventures. It is so exciting to experience excursions to different places that make for some wonderful memories.

We held and swam with sea turtles in Grand Cayman. Went to an all inclusive resort in Cozumel, where food and drinks were part of the admission. They also had a sea lion show there. Then we snorkeled in Jamaica. It was an awesome trip and the weather was perfect.

I always have to pinch myself because I realize that I am very fortunate to be blessed with two amazing grandkids and also lucky to be able to spend time with them. I am looking forward to our next vacation together. I hope it will be soon!

UNTIL NEXT TIME, TAKE CARE. MARC
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Published on April 15, 2016 20:37 Tags: blog, travel, vacations

October 13, 2015

MARC'S MEMOS

10-13-15

Just returned from a trip to Colorado. I have been there many times and wonder why I never made it my home at some point. From the ancient cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde in the south to the Rocky Mountain National Park in the northern part of the state, plus various outstanding ski resorts, Colorado makes a great place to vacation.

On this recent adventure, I visited Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs and the highest suspension bridge in the U.S., just outside of Canon City. The highlight of the trip was a train ride on the Royal Gorge railroad and a zip line ride that I will never forget!

The zip line is in the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park. The park and surrounding area suffered a lot of damage from a wild fire in June of 2013. It just recently reopened with a new visitors center and a few other attractions. I got brave and decided I would try the zip line.

Their website says it better than I can and describes the ride as follows:

"Experience the Royal Gorge like never before! Fly through the air, over 1,200 feet above the Arkansas River in the Zip Rider. This zip line offers a hands-off, no sweat adventure with an adrenaline kick you’ll never forget. With state-of-the-art harnesses and automatic braking system, all you have to do is enjoy this spectacular one-of-a-kind experience."

I actually did it and besides being 1,200 feet above the river, the ride was almost 1,000 feet across the gorge. It was exhilarating and memorable! Definitely a bucket list experience!

UNTIL NEXT TIME, TAKE CARE. MARC
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Published on October 13, 2015 20:26 Tags: blogs, travel, vacation

September 18, 2015

MARC'S MEMOS

9-18-15

Recently, I read a poem that had no author attached to it so I will just say "written by anonymous." If someone recognizes it, I will gladly acknowledge the author in a following post. Here is the poem, untitled also.



God saw you getting tired,
and a cure was not to be.
So He put his arms around you
and whispered, "Come with Me."

With tearful eyes we watched you suffer,
and saw you fade away.
Although we loved you dearly,
we could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating
hardworking hands at rest
God broke our hearts to prove,
He only takes the best.

It's lonesome here without you,
we miss you more each day.
Life doesn't seem the same
since you've gone away.

When days are sad and lonely,
and many things go wrong,
We seem to hear you whisper,
"Cheer up and carry on."

Each time we see your picture,
you seem to smile and say,
"I'm home in God's safe-keeping,
we'll meet again someday.


This is a case of rhyming poetry that I still enjoy, even though it may not be "popular" or "intellectual" enough for the iPOETRY group. I LIKE IT!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME, TAKE CARE! MARC
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Published on September 18, 2015 11:14 Tags: blogs, poems, poetry

April 3, 2015

MARC'S MEMOS

4-3-15

We all have special memories and certain things we look forward to about holidays and birthdays. They seem to be an especially important and fun time for kids. There are also other days that they get a kick out of such as St. Patrick's Day and April Fool's Day. Having two wonderful grandkids makes looking forward to these days fun for me too!

I was just on the way out of the house to get coffee on April 1st when my daughter called. She said my grandkids had made me some brownies and wanted to bring them by. So I delayed leaving and was anxiously waiting for them to show up. Shortly thereafter, there was a knock on the door and my two little munchkins were smiling and offering me a plate covered with foil.

"Pops, we made you brownies."

"Oh, thank you" I said.

As soon as I peeled back the foil they burst into laughter. There on the plate were a bunch of brown paper cut-outs in the shape of the letter E!!!

"Pops, we made you BROWN E's!!! APRIL FOOL'S!!!"

It was a great April Fool's joke and I fell for it! I am so thankful for days like these and am looking forward to more special memories!

UNTIL NEXT TIME, TAKE CARE! MARC
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Published on April 03, 2015 19:19 Tags: blogs, family, grandchildren, grandkids