gofarther.me

21 days on an ocean cruise was more than delightful. And this from someone who gets motion sickness on a child’s backyard swing. I made it through without much difficulty. With port stops in the Azores, France, Italy, Sicily, Greece, Turkey, and Crete, the transatlantic (New Orleans to Rome) and Mediterranean waters were brilliant and deep blue. We cruised by an active volcano island off the coast of Italy–Stromboli–and saw plumbs of smoke rise out of the top crater and steam arise off the lava flowing into the sea, all while eating dinner at window seats in the atrium of the ship’s casual dining room.

Sicily was a surprise–beautiful and mountainous. We went to the top of Mt. Etna, the most active volcano in Europe. It stands over 10,000 feet in height and when at the top, we encountered a blinding snow storm. Because Etna is belching black smoke and sand on a daily basis, the seismologists are predicting a build up to a major eruption. We were told we were completely safe while there.

The Acropolis in Athens was awe inspiring. Perched on the top of the second highest hill in the city, this ancient site of the Parthenon, and various temples and theaters is one of the world’s most important historical artifacts. We learned that the Parthenon was designed with the thought of representing a living, breathing building based on the Golden Mean (6 to 9). Purposely, there are no straight lines in this architectural wonder, called the greatest stone building ever constructed. To hide the planned irregularities, which took thousands of high mathematical calculations–remember this is over 2500 years ago, the building was positioned on the Acropolis in such a way as to let the sunlight play an optical illusion as the sun moved over the site during the day. From the Acropolis we could overlook Mars Hill where the Apostle Paul preached the great evangelistic sermon while he visited the city. I felt small here, thinking of the great philosophers, scientists, mathematicians, political leaders, writers and poets–from Pericles to Socrates–who walked the Acropolis and changed the world in so many positive ways. This was the cradle of the western world and I could only marvel at the privilege of being able to visit.

Ephesus in Turkey was the highlight of the trip for me. The city is over 3000 years old and was one of the largest and most important cities of antiquity. With its ocean port lifeline silted up, the city dwindled away after 100 AD and was buried under drifting sand and dirt over the centuries, thus preserving it in ways that other places in antiquity were not preserved. The slow pace of unearthing the city that had a population of over 250,000, making it one of the largest cities on earth, the New York City of its time, has already produced amazing beauty and grandeur. The colonnaded Main Street is spectacular–we actually walked on the ancient paving–and stretches as far as the eye can see. The theater seats 30,000 and has wonderful acoustics. The library was the third largest of all antiquity and sports a marvelous facade. Amazing terra cotta and mosaic flooring has been and is being uncovered. The forum where the Apostle Paul preached is unearthed. Unfortunately, while the vast majority of the city will eventually be uncovered, the great temple of Artemis, one of the ancient world’s seven wonders, has little remaining. Our guide explained that current economics is slowing work on the site, and that a sports stadium has been located that may seat as many as 50,000, but will take decades to unearth. I was humbled, awed, impressed and inspired by this historic artifact and simply amazed at the magnitude of the city and its monuments and public buildings. There is no other place like it–so massive and almost completely preserved.

These few highlights give a glimpse of our 21 days at sea and cannot describe all that we did see. WEG

The Navigator of the Seas is an impressive vessel. Its imposing central promenade stretching half the distance of the ship with glass elevators sweeping guests up from its fifth floor street up to its 12th floor ceiling and lined at street level with shops, restaurants and entertainment venues and its walls with glass overlooks from living suites serves as central activity hub of the ship. The ends of the ship are dominated by an indoor ice ring, two entertainment halls, two major dining rooms and two specialty restaurants and a casino. The upper decks of the ship are reserved for several swimming pools and hot tubs, an exercise/spa facility, a basketball court, in inline skating course, a putt-putt golf course, a jogging track, several bars, a chapel and a rappelling mountain, not to mention the all-day food venue for which cruising is so popular. There is so much to do; it is impossible to get it all in and would leave one exhausted if one tried. The lower levels under the promenade are mainly living suites and our suite is on deck eight with a wonderful balcony from which to watch the world pass by and wonder how our ancestors did it on such little ships with such few, if any, amenities, on their trek to the new America.

While on our nine full days of travel through the Gulf of Mexico and across the Atlantic we have met some wonderful people and experienced some incredible performances from the ship’s international cast of entertainers. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time with Ken and Paula Hancock throughout our journey. We have sat at the same evening dinner table with them and our new friends from Memphis, Tennessee, and Australia. Everything has been blessed and wonderful, although the ship did rock and roll in the mid-Atlantic for several days. We are now safely in port in Ponta Delgada, Azores, an island chain possessed by Portugal and about halfway through the cruise portion of our journey that will still take us to France, Italy, and the eastern Mediterranean. WEG

New Orleans in spring is delightful. It also reminded me of how wonderful and unique and exciting an American destination can be. We have traveled far and will even travel further where the sights are amazing and the food and culture are intriguing. Yet, right here in our native land we have wonderful and beautiful sights. New Orleans is one of those places.

We rode the trolly through the Garden District with its splendid homes and churches. We walked through the iconic cemeteries with raised burial spaces and tombs. We walked along the mighty Mississippi River on the boardwalk. We were fascinated by the area around the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral with its white spires reaching into the setting sun. And we wandered into the loud and rowdy St. Peter and Bourbon Street venues. Yes, we went to Cafe Du Monde for beignets. Oh yes, wonderful American pastry. Kathy, the gelato Queen even took a bite! We loved our day, and God bless America, my home, sweet home. WEG

Yes, it is true. If someone says, “We think we saw the Graumann’s” or “I saw the Graumann’s”–they did. We slipped into Tomball and have slipped back out and are already in New Orleans for Leg 2 of our “Encore Life” tour. We ate great Cajun food already in Lake Charles and stopped to see what is called the Black Jesus, reminding us that there is beautiful art right here at home.

Just like everyone, we had numerous “have to” needs which needed our attention–such as reviewing tax forms and retirement decisions and getting close to 65 and health care decisions etc. If was also great to hug our kids and grandkids. We tried our best to stay out of view, but Tomball being Tomball, some folks saw us–some were not sure they saw us and some definitely knew they did.

So, our time at home was quite brief and every minute hectic as we tried to get the “to do” list accomplished. We did accomplish our objectives. Our transatlantic cruise begins Saturday. WEG

Everywhere you look, there is beauty. Majestic buildings line the Seine River. The Eiffel Tower stands straight and tall, looking down on landscaped and fountained gardens. Gold statues here, white marble ones there and gargoyles mixed in for fun. Domes of gold or greened copper or black and gold top buildings with coffered roofs and round columns. Miles of straight lined buildings with wrought iron decorations reach in every direction, broken only by fountains or column ornamentations in flower planted circular gardens and round abouts. Stately churches are strategically located with highly ornamented steeples, yet the twin towers of Notre Dame Cathedral call attention to its elegant setting on an island in the Seine. In my opinion, the walk from the Arche de Triomphe down the Champs Elysees with its tree lined paths to the Place de la Concorde and its Egyptian obelisk through the Toulouse Gardens lined with fountains, pools and statuary to the Louvres with its stately square is the most beautiful walk devised by humans. It is a completely straight line from the middle of the Arche to the obelisk to the center of the square. It is not a short walk, mind you, but every last step brings new beauty to behold. An amazing day in Paris the beautiful on Easter Sunday.

The Easter mass at Notre Dame was beautiful. Kathy and I stood in a very long queue as tens of thousands crowded around the cathedral for Easter. Stadium seating had been erected on the cathedral square with giant television screens to view the successive services being held. I wanted inside, since it was the last mass! So we stood in the line and it started to move forward. Just as we neared the barriers before the entry, the guards said something in French and began to close the gates. I put my hand on Kathy’s back and gave her a firm push past the guard and gate and looked at him with a “What can I do? look; she is a woman” and he let me past also. So literally, I was the last person allowed to attend Notre Dame for its 850th anniversary Easter Mass. A Lutheran to boot. WEG

The Avignon TGV train station is ultra modern and comfortable. We arrived for our trip to Paris and were whisked away in a sleek and comfortable cabin. The two and a half hour trip was uneventful except for the beautiful countryside that we passed by at speeds approaching 180mph. We arrived in Paris Gare de Lyon and successfully navigated the change to the regional trains that would take us to our hotel close to the Paris center. That’s when we met the older lady who gave us wrong directions to the hotel–down the hill she said and to the left. It didn’t seem right to me, but not wanting to appear impolite, I told Kathy to follow me and down the hill we went. Down, down, down, we went–no hotel. Back up the hill, up, up, up we went to where we started in order to start over. On this lane we are directed–walk, walk, walk on this lane–dead end, no hotel. Back, back, back we walked to where we started in order to start over. Smarter now, I asked a pharmacist in a pharmacy for directions. On the computer he went in order to show me where the hotel was located. He followed me out the door to make sure I walked in the right direction. Yes, only steps away from where we started was the hotel, but we had easily walked with luggage well over a mile in wrong directions. Our hotel is wonderful and surprise, we are upgraded to the best rooms on the top floor–worth the walk.

Across from the hotel is a big mall–just like our malls, but with stores we do not have, and including a grocery store and cleaners. Famished and tired and not wanting to sit for a long meal, we found the food court–our first time to eat in this way for over two months. No fast foods we know, different names and mostly different foods. Kathy got a panini and I found the pastry shop and picked out a rhubarb cream, bread flan with chocolate and a strawberry tart. Guess who had the better meal?

Tomorrow is Easter and our plan is to attend service in Notre Dame Cathedral just a short train stop away. The Lord is Risen. He is Risen indeed! WEG

The drive wound through country lanes beyond Avignon to the south and into the hills. Small villages dotted the landscape and some stood out on hills with church towers beaconing from the village square. Seguret appeared around the bend, built as if clinging for life to the hillside onto which it clung. It was one with its environment–as was everything we encountered on this day.

Our gracious and generous hosts today are Walter and Veronica, “just call me Ronnie,” McKinlay. We have met via email introduction by our friends Chuck and Donna Orrico. Yet, somehow, it seems as if we have known each other for some time, so welcoming are our new found friends.

Up the hills above Seguret we go on one lane byways, around curves and beside grape vines that touch the roadside until we reach the McKinlay’s winery. Walter, among his varied business interests, “found” this wonderful vineyard, purchased it and built a winery from ground up, using the most modern technology and with the clever idea of building vertically in order to use gravity and efficient use of space in vinification, the process of turning grapes into wine. We were honored to have a personal tour and delighted with a personal wine tasting of the award winning wines produced by Domaine de Mourchon. The majority of grapes at Mourchon are Grenache with a minority of Syrah. Wine Advocate has rated the wines highly, and Walter recently learned that the Dallas Morning News has awarded his Grand Reserve their gold star. And here we were, privileged to be with Walter in his wine tasting room, sipping it with him as he explained the differences between grapes and the French concept of “terroir” which has no English equivalent, but means all the combined conditions of soil content, elevation, temperature, sunshine, moisture, etc. that are necessary to make a good wine from each grape variety. Terroir for one grape variety is not the same terroir for another variety.

The day was not done. Walter drove us further up the hill to his beautiful home which has a panaromic view of the majestic Provence countryside. Sweeping down the hill into the valley below are the Mourchon vineyards, in sections called parcels, each parcel having different aged vines–some vines can produce for a hundred years with intensity of taste improving as the vines age. Beyond are the mountains of Provence, which have ski runs in winter. On this foggy day, the sight was stunning. Ronnie had prepared a great vegetarian meal for us and we had a delightful visit in a kitchen and dining area that said, “France.” We learned that Ronnie has her own specialty, producing olive oil, and products that specialize in the Grenache grape grown at Mourchon, such as salt infused with Grenache, Grenache confiture, and body/facial lotion with grape oils. The McKinlay’s are certainly making the most of their encore life!

Did I mention that Rich Steves organizes tours in Provence that bring guests to Domaine de Mourchan? Walter returned us to our hotel in Avignon. Yes, it is a day to remember. Thank you McKinlay’s for a wonderful experience and loving welcome.

The Arctic front brought cold air to the south of France today. The day before was warm and sunny. Today cold and rainy. A perfect day to spend indoors in the Palace of the Popes, Palais des Papes, in Avignon. In the 14th Century for various geopolitical reasons, the papacy was moved from Rome to Avignon and for over 100 years nine successive popes lived in Avignon, where over time, the residence for the Papacy and its government offices for the church was built. Today, the buildings remain, but the walls are mostly bare. The movement of the papacy back to Rome, fires, the French Revolution and neglect stripped the building’s interiors of their former glory. What remains is still impressive. The palace is large and was built to convey the strength of the church. The palace is in the city of Avignon which is completely surrounded by a medieval wall and towers. You have stepped back in time when you go through the gates into the city and even more so as you approach the palace area.

After several hours in the Palace and our minds bursting with information we did not know about papal government and medieval times and chilled to the bone from the wind and rain, when we walked from the palace to the ancient bridge over the River Rhone that partially collapsed several hundred years ago, we decided it was time for a very late lunch. We found this wonderful restaurant that had an open fire going and we took a table right beside it. The warmth was wonderful. Kathy ate pumpkin soup and roasted aubergines (egg plant) with balsamic pureed tomatoes. I ate jambon-fromage omelette. I found a great mild rose from France that I recommend. Kathy took a picture so that we can find it someday. WEG

We have left the land of gelato and entered the land of pastry. My wife and I are divided on this issue of which is to be preferred. Not that either of us dislikes gelato or pastry, we just have our preferences. Spain was a toss-up, neither are the specialty of the region and both are good and available and so we could both tease the other. In Italy, gelato reigns supreme and so I retreated amicably and enjoyed the gelato. Now we are in France and pastry is King. I am loving it. Kathy is not as amicable as I was, however, when I could not get my preferred dessert. She did not want my pastry this evening. “Not sweet enough,” she said. The tourte de Bette, a specialty of the area around Nice and Avignon in Provence , is fantastic! Not too sweet–just sweet enough and as French as French can be. The Swiss chard, roasted pine nuts, raisins soaked in brandy and Parmesan mixture that forms the dense center of the pastry shell with olive oil and powdered sugar is a surprising delight. One more recipe coming back to Tomball–not that Kathy will remind me to make it. Too bad for her that there are not gelato counters every ten feet as in Italy. Good for me that the pastry shops have taken their place now that we have moved locales. WEG

What an amazing day! The morning found us at the flower market in the Nice old town. In addition to beautiful stalls selling flowers, were vegetable, meat, spice and bread stalls. It felt and looked so French, who believe in presentation as much as produce. For instance, tomatoes on vines were not haphazardly placed in a pile, but were arranged so that the stems were in the middle in rows with the tomatoes on the vine placed on the sides in crates nicely placed with cloth lining.

I bought a round loaf of bread and Kathy and I walked up to the Mediterranean walk, so beautifully paved with built in benches placed all along the way. We found a spot overlooking the coast line with waves crashing below on the jagged boulders and sat and ate the bread. We could not believe the clarity of the aqua blue water below crashing onto a pebble beach as far as the eye could see. We commented once again, how blessed we knew we were to enjoy this moment in time. We do not take this gift from God for granted.

We had planned to go to the Chagall Museum in the late afternoon and caught a bus nearby that went there after seven stops. One Euro each and the cab would have been about 15E–we love doing things that are what the everyday folks do and save money at the same time. This is what makes our trip so enriching. By the way, it was so easy, just hand the driver the 1E and take a comfortable seat and watch for your stop–the stops are well marked on the bus as well as on the stops themselves. It probably took five minutes more than the cab and involved an extra block of walking and saved 13E. After all that, the Museum was closed! Major sadness for Kathy because Chagall is probably her favorite modern artist. She prayed that God would show us why we did not know the museum was closed on Tuesdays.

We saw a steep stairway leading down to the city in the reasonable direction from which we came. We looked at each other and I said, “Want to take a walking adventure?” Down we went. Along the way, we passed mainly older men playing a game on gravel courts with silver metal balls something like Bocci Ball. We stood and watched a game and noted that the men had cords with big magnets on the end that they used to pick up the balls so that they did not have to stoop down. We kept walking and found French kitchen and appliance stores and saw the French modern concept of kitchen design. Frankly, fantastic and nothing I have see in America yet. Just know that plexiglass counters in colors and shaped in all kinds of ways but with plumbing concealed in the contours is coming and that laminate tops are coming back, but not in any form you have seen it and that tile in rectangular shapes is “in” in all kinds of applications.

Continuing our walk we got closer to our hotel, but I didn’t look at the map and so we were a little lost and there it was–a beautiful Lutheran Church. I rang the bell on the gate and high above a woman opened a window and could speak English and we found that at 6:30 PM there is evening prayer for Holy Week. That is why I am posting early today, because the church turned out to be only 3 short blocks from our hotel, and we are going to Holy Week prayer. Kathy said her prayer was answered! And so it was. WEG