thefouramigosblog

I don’t usually like to do ship tours, but this was one of the best days. We arrived in Santorini, a tender port, at 7am, with a beautiful view from our balcony.

Although it was an early start – we met at 7:45 am- it was well worth it. We had a small group of 15 which made it very nice. The group was a great group of people.

We climbed aboard a Classic Wooden Sailing Yacht in Santorini. La Maia Grande has an overall length of 32.5 m. The yacht’s builder is Psarros Shipyard from Greece, which launched La Maia in 1956. The superyacht has a beam of 6.15 m, a draught of 3.2 m and a volume of 71 GT.

Two years ago she came to Santorini as a tourist boat and is now owned by X-Ray Kilo. Our cruise director was Eugene and the entire team was great!

Santorini is a small, circular archipelago made up of five main volcanic islands surrounding a central caldera, along with a few smaller surrounding islets.

Our first stop was at some hot springs which we had to swim to! We put mud on our bodies and actually, the sulfur and minerals kind of made my suit turn brown.

On the shore, we could see a couple of goats climbing! I think that will be it for wildlife!

Sailing in the caldera means sailing in the area around Santorini and other islands. Volcanic eruptions caused the bottom to fall out, so to speak, and now the depths of the Aegean can be over 11,000 feet.

This area is basically the crater of the volcano. Many beautiful mountains surround the caldera. This is a lighthouse atop the mountain.

It was so beautiful and awe-inspiring, especially being on this very special vessel.

We could see villages at the top of the mountains.

And incredible rock formations.

If you are ever in Santorini, I would highly recommend this tour. We stopped at three places to swim.

The water was quite chilly but once in, it was lovely, especially because it was hot outside. The water was so clear that you could see the bottom. Look how clear my feet are.

While we were sailing, a dense fog formed, which I thought would turn to rain. But it seemed as quickly as the fog came, it left.

We had a delicious Greek lunch prepared by the chef on board.

You can see the blue domes that Greece is known for on top of Oia.

And all the little white churches are called St. Nicholas because he is the patron saint of sailors.

It was such a fun and fabulous day!

#sailing#excursion#cruise#greece#hotsprings#volcano#caldera

@xraykilo

@lamaiagrande

@santorini

I know that when I cruise, I should want to get off at every port. However, today we are in Athens and we have been here before.

The temperature is in the high 90s so we decided to just enjoy a less crowded ship.

The gym was empty or nearly empty today which was great. No waiting for any machine. I have a workout designed by ChatGPT which really helps.

The buffet area was half empty and we were able to get a window seat with no problem!

We are relaxing in the Solarium now, where no children are allowed.

After a nice dinner, we watched as the ship sailed away from the port!

Tomorrow we have an early day for Santorini!

#relaxation#cruising#portsofcall#greece

Today, our first full day, we arrived in Montenegro. I usually don’t book tours, but because tendering here is difficult, I decided to book one at the last minute.

We sat on our balcony as we approached Montenegro.

We sailed down the coast of Montenegro. Such a breathtaking landscape.

Our tour today took us to the little island and church of Our Lady of the Rocks.

The island was man-made many centuries ago by putting rocks into sunken ships. Legend says that two sailors discovered an icon of the Virgin Mary on the rocks in 1452. Over the next centuries, the island was created with the church as it now stands in the 1600s.

It was renovated in 1722 after an earthquake adding the domed presbytery and bell tower.

Inside the church is a marble altar.

The Church has 68 Baroque-style paintings on the walls and ceiling.

The majority of the paintings were done in the late 17th century by Tripp Kokolja, a famous Baroque master born in Perast. 

A museum is attached to the church with armaments such as swords and guns.

Outside the church, we found a canon!

After we left the island we stopped in the village of Perast which was right across from the island.

We stopped to have an ice cream before we headed back to our ship.

We spent the rest of the afternoon lounging at the pool drinking virgin pina coladas.

#cruise#ship#montenegro#tour#vacation#perast

@ourladyoftherocks

Just a short bit about Ravenna. It’s a charming town that now serves as a cruise port for many international cruise lines. Several years ago Venice no longer allowed large ships in the port.

The main town of Ravenna is historic and very quaint.

Ravenna is known for its beautiful 5th- and 6th-century mosaics. It was also the capital city during three different eras.

It is a bikeable town with many cafes. In fact, our dinner last night was the least expensive since we began this latest journey.

Although it has been serving as a cruise port for over five years, it has not lost its charm and is far less touristy than other cities such as Verona or Venice.

We arrived at our ship today and from our balcony, we could see the beaches along the coast.

We are on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas, which brings back fond memories of when we sailed with my sister, Linda, and brother-in-law from Seattle, Washington to Sydney, Australia.

Now for an interesting 7-day trip traveling the Adriatic.

#ravenna#adriatic#cruise#vacation#ship#port#

@royal Caribbean

It was a disappointing morning. It was raining so hard that it made no sense to go traipsing about in it. So we slept in and then spent a few hours at the train station.

The train was fairly empty from Verona to Bologna. We had plenty of space to put our suitcases.

When we got off in Bologna we hit our first snag. Bruce went looking for a restroom and when he wasn’t back in 40 minutes I called him. He was lost and I had all the suitcases. It turned out I was waiting at platform 3, but there were platforms 3 West and 3 East.

We made it to our platform and our train was delayed. A train came in and it said Milano. This other American couple was trying to get to Ravenna. We got on the train. They didn’t. It was the right train.

We caught a taxi to what I thought was a hotel. It wasn’t. It’s an airb&b. We had to walk around the block to our flat.

It was time for dinner so we went out in search of food. It’s a pretty little town!

I had tortellini and a side of grilled veggies and Bruce had a cheeseburger.

We walked a little after dinner and found an ice cream place!

Then headed back to our flat. We are pretty tired.

#trains#italy#travel#food#trainstations#ravenna#bologna#adventure

Well, we had an action-packed eight days in Germany and are now heading to Verona, Italy for one night.

For the life of me, I don’t know why Europeans like lunch meat for breakfast. But it’s very popular here.

We started out this journey at a 5-star in Frankfurt, a 4-star in Munich, and now a 3-star in Verona. Lets hope it’s not too disappointing.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Right now we are having breakfast at the hotel. As part of the Hotel Collection I get $100 to spend on food or drinks at the hotel. I chose a final breakfast.

Now we are sitting in the train station waiting for our train to Verona. What I have found in train stations is there is very little seating for the amount of people.

The train trip from Munich to Verona is considered one of the most scenic in Europe.

Unfortunately, there are many barriers that prevent great viewing.

Now we are going through Austria. The Austrian Alps are all around us.

The countryside is spectacular although it’s overcast.

The train went through the Brenner Pass which has great significance in history. It was used by the Roman Empire and later was used as an escape route for fleeing Nazis. It is the border between Austria and Italy.

Now we’ve entered Italy with the Italian Alps.

There are vineyards and tiered agriculture throughout the countryside.

I think this is a monastery at the top of the mountain.

We passed by the Southern Limestone Alps in Italy.

We finally arrived in Verona and walked to our hotel. It was a little bit difficult wheeling our suitcases but we made it. Now to explore Verona.

It was raining so we actually didn’t do much. We found a lovely restaurant across from the arena and had dinner.

I had canneloni and Bruce had lasagna.

Verona looks like a very nice place to visit. I hope it’s not raining in the morning so I can see more of it.

#traintravel#travel#germany#italy#alps#verona

We met our tour, Mentor Reisen Tours, at Karlsplatz – one tram stop from our hotel. We decided not to walk because we were going to be walking a lot today. We sat by the fountains in the square, waiting for our bus.

Our tour guide Sabine was knowledgeable and friendly. She sorted out an issue for us before we left. As we were leaving we passed one of the oldest breweries in Bavaria, Spaten, from the 14th Century.

We had a two-hour drive on a bus out in the countryside.

In the distance, we could see the Bavarian Alps.

The little villages were quintessentially Bavarian.

We arrived at Linderhof Palace which was the smallest of the three castles Ludwig II had built.

The gardens were stunning!

Unfortunately, photography of any kind is not allowed in the castle. In the front entry was a statue of Louis XIV, the Sun King. This palace was actually quite gaudy. It was 15th-century French with a lot of gold ornamentation.

After Linderhof Castle, we drove through the town of Oberammergau which was like a fairy-tale town. In fact, many of the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tales are displayed in the homes.

We had lunch at Hotel Alpenstuben. I had sausage and Bruce had some kind of spetzle.

We had a beautiful view of Schloss Hohenschwangau, another of Ludwig’s castles. This one we didn’t visit.

Neuschwanstein Castle was his third and most ambitious. I believe Walt Disney used this castle as a prototype of Cinderella’s Castle.

Again I was not allowed to photograph the rooms of the castle but it was opulent although Ludwig rarely stayed here and it wasn’t completed until after his death. This is the courtyard at the main entrance.

Here is a photo of a postcard of Ludwig’s bedchamber. His bed has an ornate Neo-Gothic canopy carved in the shape of a dense forest of church spires.

Many elements of this castle featured swans including the drapes, the wallpaper, and porcelain pieces. Also, Ludwig was obsessed with Richard Wagner the composer, and helped him financially. In his bedroom, the motifs were inspired by the works of Wagner.

The view from the castle was magical. The other castle was in the distance.

There was also a good view of Mary’s Bridge.

We made it back to Munich around 7:30, just in time to have a quick bite and to go to bed!

#castles#bavaria#grimmsfairytales#vacation#beer#alpinelakes#bavarianalps

@mentorreisintours

@linderhofcastle

@Oberammergau

@Neuschwanstein Castle

It’s a rainy day in Munich. Our plans to go to Dachau concentration camp were squashed due to excessive downpours.

We decided to go to the Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism, which documents the rise of the National Socialist Party.

However on our way there, it started pouring and we ducked into the Glyptothek, a building that was built in the 1800s by Bavarian King Ludwig I to house the Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures.

It was a very extensive collection dating back to 300 BC.

Many young people were sketching different pieces.

This entire plaza, with its neoclassical Greek buildings, is called Königsplatz.

After we finished with antiquities we headed to our next destination. The new Munich Documentation Center opened in 2015 on the site of the former “Brown House,” the headquarters of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), as the Nazi Party was officially called.

The museum documented the rise of Hitler after World War I and the beginning of the movement which began in Munich.

Many of the demonstrations and parades took place in the Königsplatz which we just visited.

It was a very interesting museum with insight into how someone as dark and dangerous as Hitler could become almost a God to the people. Let’s hope this does not repeat itself ever again.

We left the exhibit and headed to Marienplatz. There were some beautiful buildings on the way.

The wires in the air are for the trams. Beautiful flowers adorned the circle.

We ate at a cafe near Marienplatz. Bruce had tomato soup and I had some sort of pizza.

Everywhere we walk we find very interesting things. I’m not sure what these statues signify but they are near the Old Town.

We stopped in a shop where there were 100’s of cuckoo clocks. Very interesting shop.

And then back to the hotel to hopefully get to bed early. We have a long day tomorrow.

#germany#marienplatz#hitler#documentationcenter#museums#sculptures

@Königsplatz

@Munich Documentation Center

@Glyptothek

Yesterday we left Frankfurt and took the train to Munich. It was a little over three hours but relaxing and I fell asleep at times.

Our hotel, NH Collection Munich Bavaria, was directly across from the train station which was very convenient.

Although we booked this with my American Express, it was the hotel collection rather than Fine Hotels, which doesn’t include free breakfast. They had no bellhops to bring luggage to the room. So it was a slight step down. Our room was much smaller although they gave us an upgrade. However, we had a nice view.

We walked around the neighborhood and decided to eat at a Vietnamese Restaurant. It was a good choice.

We slept in today and then headed out to Nymphenburg Palace. I used ChatGPT to help us buy our train tickets and to navigate us to the place. And, as usual, we boarded the right tram number in the wrong direction.

We got off and decided to have coffee.

And then it started to rain.

We hung around until the rain became a drizzle.

When we reached the Palace stop, we went into a building that said, Schloss. That’s the word for castle in German. However, it was actually a nursing home. The nice young man at the desk led us outside and showed us the way to the palace.

It was the summer palace built in 1664 by Elector Ferdinand Maria and his wife Henrietta Adelaide. It was built to celebrate their heir, Maximilian II Emanuel.

The rooms were designed in the Baroque style and many of the rooms we toured contained ceiling art.

The rulers used this as a summer palace and each ruler enhanced the designs with Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. The Great Hall has both ceiling frescoes and stucco ornamentation.

One of the most noteworthy rooms is the Hall of Beauties, with portraits of women from all walks of life who Ludwig I thought were the most beautiful.

One room was the apartment of the queen.

And another bedchamber. Apparently green was popular back then.

After the palace, we visited the Museum of Carriages and Sleighs.

Ludwig II, one of the most popular and well-known kings, appeared to have a problem with money. He spent exorbitantly on palaces, carriages, and sleighs.

Ludwig II was king from age 19 until age 40’when he was deposed stating he was mentally ill. He died under suspicious circumstances at that time.

We enjoyed the palace and the carriages. Unfortunately it was raining so we didn’t walk around the gardens.

Bruce and I decided to eat at a local pub. I ordered some kind of wurst. It came with a bowl of sauerkraut.

Bruce ordered something that said burger. What he got was a plate of cold cuts soaking in a vinegar brine with onions and pickles and no bun or burger.

Bruce said it was the worst thing he ever ate.

Later in the day we took the train to the old town. We arrived in the square.

We took the elevator up in the Town Hall. The regular price is 8 euros. Pensioners, which are old people, meaning us was 6 euros.

There were some beautiful views up top.

We also went to the largest cathedral in Munich, the Cathedral of Our Blessed Lady, or Frauenkirche.

Afterwards, we stopped for more food. I had spaetzle and a salad and Bruce had soup.

One last look at Marienplatz before we head back to the hotel.

And the setting sun in Munich.

Now to bed so we can explore more tomorrow!

#germany#munich#food#spaetzle#cathedral#tram#travel