Once on German soil, I met up with fellow Direct Travel staff in celebration of our Top Sellers for our annual “Going the Extra Mile” rewards trip. This years’ program started in Munich with a fabulous overnight at tge Rocco Forte The Charles hotel in located on a peaceful park in the heart of the… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 6th Leg

Fall colors in Bavaria It’s been over two decades since I last foraged for wild mushrooms in Europe. Growing up, we used to do this every weekend in the fall as we searced for porcini’s, trumpets, and more edible varieties of mushrooms. Don’t be fooled - red caps are poisonous I was fortunate to get… Continue reading Foraging for mushrooms – what a treat

Singapore airlines A-350 in Munich A short hop from Da Nang got me to Singapore’s Changi Airport just after 7pm. While most travelers don’t enjoy lay overs, here in Chamgi it is a plus as this world class airport features outstanding Lounges which I got to enjoy for 4 hours, including a shower and a… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 5th Leg

Dinner at Hot Stone Grill Al fresco My four nights aboard Silver Muse are ending today in the bustling port town of Da Nang located on the central Vietnamese coast. This morning’s fond farewell from the amazing crew represents both, the start of my fourth leg of this journey and it starts the countdown clock… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 4th Leg

Silver Muse in Ha Long Bay Two nights west of Hong Kong, after we sailed between Hainan island and the Chinese Mainland, we reached the UNESCO world heritage site of Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam. I am happy to report that this third leg of my trip was covered aboard the ultra luxe Silver… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 3rd Leg

Light show over Hong Kong island What looks massively impressive during the day, turns even more magnificent at night when the Hong along skyline erupts in a digital light show across its high rises. The show starts promptly at 8pm daily and is best viewed from the “walk of fame” in Kowloon. Skyscrapers in creative… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 2nd Leg

United Flight 877 SFO to HKG Sitting at the Polaris Lounge at SFO last night, I was reflecting on a life lived in Travel as I was about to board my second trip around the world. This time, the circumnavigation is west-ward to Hong Kong, then Vietnam, via Singapore to Munich and back from Amsterdam… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 1st Leg

Queen Mary 2 - Sydney Noca Scotia The stormy seas calmed overnight, our majestic vessel pulled into Sydney, Nova Scotia to partially cloudy skies. At first, you think we’ll “what is there to see in this tiny enclave?” On shore, within a few steps you realize this town serves as a vivid reminder of a… Continue reading Queen Mary 2 – A Lesson in History

Queen Mary 2 - Sydney Noca Scotia The stormy seas calmed overnight, our majestic vessel pulled into Sydney, Nova Scotia to partially cloudy skies. At first, you think we’ll “what is there to see in this tiny enclave?” On shore, within a few steps you realize this town serves as a vivid reminder of a… Continue reading Queen Mary 2 – A Lesson in History

Oceania Bista in Valletta, Malta Formal christening performed, it is time to reveal the beauty and style of this vessel in more detail. As a general statement, I will go on record and call Vista an “elevation of Oceania’s style that modernizes for a new generation of cruisers without alienating loyal guests.” What follows below… Continue reading Christening of Oceania Vista – Part Two

Stormy waves from hurricane Philip We departed Quebec City a few minutes delayed due to strong winds of 40 knots whipping up the sea and the St.Laurent river. As you can see from the image above, the swells were 15 to 20 feet and yet, there is no motion felt aboard. This is due to… Continue reading Queen Mary 2 – The Only Ocean-liner

QM 2 in Quebec City It is always a good idea to “revisit a classic” the saying goes. That is what’s in store for the coming days as I return aboard Cunard for their World Forum sales and advisory meeting. Join me as we get ready to board on a beautiful fall day in Quebec… Continue reading Queen Mary 2 – Fall Foliage

Tastes tapas under the dome In the luxury arena, food has long been more than just nourishment, it is an art of living of its own with taste and visual creations that can be awe inspiring. Crystal cruises had shaped this category over the years from its Italian Prego to the only Nobu at sea… Continue reading Old vs New – Crystal Cruises culinary

You may have noticed my silence over the past two months as many of my readers, clients, and all of America (so it seems) were busy going places. There is a reason of course for that silence in that I lent my expertise and knowledge to travelers headed to Europe and many other places around… Continue reading Second Half of 2023 – buckle up for thrilling Adventures

Acropolis behind and Olympus temple to the left Our Crystal Symphony cruise ended in the sport of Piraeus early morning. We disembarked and made our way to the city center for an overnight in the Greek capital. It’s been 34 years exactly since my last stop here on a backpacking trip to the Greek isles.… Continue reading Athens in a day