Sunset sail away My time aboard over these past few days was filled with “as normal a time” I have had since the pandemic. As everyone on board required proof of vaccination and must have tested negative before boarding, guests were not required to wear masks while aboard. We were even permitted to serve ourselves… Continue reading Cruising is Back – life aboard

Norwegian Encore docked in Seattle It’s been 500 days since this Breakaway-Plus class vessel last hard guests on board. Normally equipped to host 3998 double occupancy guests, this abbreviated “test cruise” sails with 1100 guests today. I cannot hide my genuine excitement to report from aboard live. It has been long in coming but finally… Continue reading Cruising is Back – Norwegian Encore in Seattle

My mobile office on the TGV All good things must come to an end and so it is with sadness that I pack my bags and head home to California. Sadness to leave the amazing AMA Waterways crew behind; sadness to have to say good bye to amazing travel advisors from #DirectTravel #VisionTravel and other… Continue reading Colors of Provence – Return and Reflections

Place Bellecour in Lyon Our last day aboard #AMAKristina came fast and furious after we cruised the last stretch of the Rhone into the heart of Lyon late yesterday. This mornings’ program was unscripted #ReturntoTravel so we were able to take a long walking tour of Lyon on our own. Nancy and Lisa Zupancic at… Continue reading Colors of Provence – Lyon and Beaujolais

AMA Kristina in Vienne, France Our trip is progressing nicely up river towards Lyon. Due to the massive rains in Northern Europe, water levels are unusually high which added several hours to our journey. In fact, the docks in Vienne were completely flodded just a week ago. Bicycle tour along the Rhone Riding the bikes… Continue reading Colors of Provence – Bicycles and Romans

AMA Kristina sunset in Tournon Our Sunday evening unfolded under stunning sunset colors only French painters could conjure up. We reached Tournon in the Ardeche and it’s sibling city on the Eastern bank called Tain l’Hermitage just ahead of sunset. My companion and I rushed dinner and walked off the ship for a lovely walk… Continue reading Colors of Provence – Tournon, steam train, and Rhone river

Ellie found a truffle A restful night with a refreshing rain later, our ship #AMAWaterways arrived in Viviers after passing the narrowest section of the Rhone Gorge. From this short service stop, all the guests disembarked to catch coaches that whisked us across the river into the Drome department and the magical oak forests where… Continue reading Colors of Provence – Grignan + Truffles

Palace of the popes from the deck of AMA Kristina Our cruise returned to the Papal City of Avignon where, for a century during the Middle Ages, popes lived away from the Vatican as the Hundred Years’ War between France and England raged. Avignon is home to 50k citizens whom all welcomed us with open… Continue reading Colors of Provence – Papal city of Avignon

Van Gogh’s famous cafe in Arles Today’s adventures started with a complimentary #AMAWaterways walking tour of Arles. Two types were on offer - a general orientation version and one called ”Van Gogh’s footsteps,” which is the one I signed up for. Our guide Nadia took us through narrow alleys and cozy courtyards in search of… Continue reading Colors of Provence – Van Gogh’s path in Arles

Packed flight from Chicago to Paris Post pandemic #TravelisBack has exploded of late and the world is gradually opening up to US and Canadian guests. This is the context for our latest adventure #DirectSailsAma trip aboard our outstanding river cruise partner AMA Waterways on the Rhone river. “Our” is defined here by 4 travel advisors… Continue reading Colors of Provence – Entering France

Happy San Francisco Pride As we celebrate the first post-pandemic pride month, it still feels very strange to see crowds gather for the annual festivities with masks and under social distancing. These precautions for public health it strikes me, are diametrically opposite to what Pride is all about. I personally cannot wait for the day… Continue reading Happy Pride

Private villas at One&Only Portonovi As I packed my bags for a short hop north to Germany this morning, I couldn’t resist the temptation for the uber-delicious croissants at One&Only one more time. They are my personal highlight of this 3-night stay. In essence, luxury is a personal matter where each individual has his or… Continue reading Europe opens up – One&Only with final reflections

Remember the cheapest car in America? A relic from the past showed its presence more than once during my days in the two former Yugoslav Republics. From this rather banged up but still operable Yugo (the olive oil family’s grand father still drives it) to other timeless iterations of Fiat 128 based derivatives assembled in… Continue reading Europe opens up – The car edition

Speedboat ride on Boka Bay One night of luxurious sleeping at One&Only’s newest resort behind me, our day began with a speedboat ride across the Boca Bay to man made island of “Our Lady of the Rock.” We were whisked aboard a Montenegrin-built Riva boat at the hotel marina like stars. The fresh breeze and… Continue reading Europe opens up – Boka Bay and Kotor

Boka Bay panorama Today represented the opportunity to add a new country to my collection as our grou departed Croatia and entered Montenegro for our final leg of the trip. Border checkpoint (psst I was not supposed to take this pic) This tiny republic broke away from greater Serbia peacefully in 2006 and is now… Continue reading Europe opens up – Montenegro is stunning