Should We Stay or Should We Go

  Photo by Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash If you read my last post you would have read about my flight being cancelled at 11pm ahead of my 7am flight the next morning. I was able to finally get some sleep and make it to the airport for my new 10am flight. The change in flight plans meant that my friends would make it to Fort Lauderdale an hour ahead of me, and would have to wait around the airport for an hour until I arrived, before we could pick up the car rental, as it was in my name.

 What's the quote? "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." - Robert Burns

  Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash Tomorrow we are leaving the snow and ice behind and escaping to warmer temperatures.

Photo by Matt Ragland on Unsplash  Reflecting on our trip afterward brought a clearer understanding of what could have been done differently. While we were focused on enjoying each place, there were details we missed that would have enriched the experience. It's easy to feel like you’ll remember everything, but in hindsight, I see how helpful it would have been to plan more thoroughly or to take notes along the way. So, what are the lessons we've learned? Do More Research Before our travel, we did searches on what the must-see spots were in each place we visited.  Due to the limited time we had to plan the trip (and the amount of stops we were going to have on this trip) we didn't do a deep dive into what we were going to see.  After the trip, I looked into each location further and discovered things I wish I had known beforehand, as well as historical spots I regret not learning about in advance. Take Time to Sit and Enjoy the Location It was very easy to get caught up i...

  Photo from ncl.com We are seasoned Norwegian cruisers.  We've been on many Norwegian cruises, enough that we are now Platinum. Our preference is typically for smaller, somewhat older ships, as we enjoy port days and exploring new destinations. These smaller ships can access ports that larger, newer ships cannot.  Our review should be read with that lens.  

As we left the Azores behind we began the last leg of our journey - 5 days at sea. 

 Our last stop on this part of our trip, before beginning to cross the Atlantic, was Ponta Delgada, in the Azores.

  Reflecting on the past year, I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to travel as much as we did. We began our year, as we have for the last three years, by escaping the Canadian winter for three months to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  It's a perfect way to spend the winter months. Once we returned back home in April, we stayed close to home for the Spring and Summer, spending some of the time up at the lake where we have a trailer. We wrapped up the summer with a glorious week visiting friends in Newfoundland. It  was the perfect way to end the summer. Our Fall travels consisted of a week spent at my sister's home two hours north of where we live, house and cat sitting, while she was travelling. We also had a quick road trip to visit our son and daughter-in-law in Virginia. Our highlight of the Fall was an incredible month-long European river cruise with two of our boys, followed by a transatlantic cruise from Rome to New York City. What an unforgettable adve...

Lisbon is also known as The City of Seven Hills, and after spending a day there we know why.  We walked up and down so many steep hills that day, and most of them were cobblestoned which made it much worse. There are so many things to love about this vibrant city, but the hills weren't one of them. If nothing else, it showed us just how much we are out of shape.

  The day we spent in Cadiz was a rainy one. As we'd only planned on exploring the town on foot, we grabbed our rain gear and went out exploring anyway. Cadiz is thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in Western Europe. It was founded by the Phoenicians in 1,100 BC with archaeological remains that date back 3,100 years. Over the centuries it been ruled by various cultures such as Romans, Visigoths, and Moors, and it became a very important port and commercial center. What was once an Island, is now connected to the mainland by a narrow peninsula and several roads. Over the centuries, Cadiz has seen a lot of damage through raids, explosions, tsunamis, and earthquakes.  As such, the ancient structures you would expect to find in a city like this just aren't there. There is still a lot of historical structures that are very old, just not ones that are 2,000 years or more.  (In 1980 the remains of an ancient Roman Theatre was discovered and has only been partial...

 We had a stop in Alicante, Spain.  It was our first time there, but we decided not to explore the city.  Instead, we ventured out on an excursion to the beautiful village of Guadalest. Guadalest is known for its stunning views and historic significance.  Originally founded by the Moors as a fortified settlement, its strategic location on a mountain made it an ideal defensive stronghold. It was part of the Islamic Kingdom of Valencia as far back at 750AD.  After the Christian conquest in the 13th century, the village became part of the Kingdom of Valencia. The village has maintained it's medieval charm, with it's narrow alleys, old stone buildings, cobbled streets, and the iconic castle. Guadalest Castle Guadalest Castle is an 11th century fortress and castle that was built by the Moors.  After being damaged by an earthquake, the war of the Spanish Succession, and a mine explosion, all that remains is a restored tower.   Despite not being well-pre...

 Palma de Mallorca is known for it's beautiful beaches, stunning coastline, and historical landmarks. As we were only there for the day, we focused our attention on the Old Town. (although, the photos I've seen of the coastline really make me want to return and spend a few days exploring the beaches and coast.) Cathedral of Palma de Mallorca We started our day at the Cathedral of Palma,   also known as the Cathedral de Santa Maria de Palma or La Seu. This massive gothic cathedral dominates the skyline and is one of Spain's largest cathedrals.