TLCOhio

Appreciate above this kind follow-up from our cruise friend in Germany. Yes, will keep trying to sharing interesting items and tips about Venice. Welcome others to post here and reveal your great experiences in Venice. From MSN News earlier this month, they had this headline: “15 things you must do in Venice” with these highlights: “The mere mention of Venice conjures a whirlpool of images. So why not dive in? Visit the historic city and you can amble around sun-speckled canals, mysterious alleyways, unmissable museums, and romantic restaurants. There are a million things to do in Venice, but there are only 15 things you can't go without.” In addition to the "usual suspects" such as the Grand Canal, St. Marks Square, Rialto Bridge, etc., here are four of their lesser-known options you might want to considered: "Teatro La Fenice: A landmark opera house, means "The Phoenix"--a nod to the fact that it's risen from the ashes not once, but three times, most recently after two arsonists burned it down in 1996. But it's been renovated and restored back to its former glory." "Murano Glass Museum: Make time for a trip to Murano and admire the glass-making artistry. The products are held on display at the Murano glass museum. These dreamy works of art are going to inspire you to stop by the gift shop on your way out, or at a glass factory nearby." "Osteria Alla Frasca: For a true Venetian dinner, Osteria Alla Frasca is one of the most authentic spots in town. You come here for the delightful seafood pasta, but you're really here to eat like the locals, with the locals. It's an adventure just trying to find this small, family-owned gem." "Church of San Giorgio Maggiore: Everyone needs a picture of themselves in Venice. Whether it's for Instagram, Twitter, or Tinder, you can't go wrong with the tower of San Giorgio, which boasts panoramic views of Venice from 350-feet up." Finally, they note a key suggestion that I have shared earlier. This profile summarizes: "Get Lost: Venice is a crazy, decadent maze of streets--and each one leads to a new, exciting place. You're going to get lost. Your map is going to be off. The best thing to do is walk around, lose the schedule, and discover a new restaurant, cafe, canal, or church. Once you've seen the tourist spots, wander into the heart of Venice." Agree strongly!!?? Full story at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/travelnews/15-things-you-must-do-in-venice-italy/ss-AAR2Nl7#image=5 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 53,573 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Great additional background from kaisatsu as to how this new, main museum in Oslo is set-up and organized. Might work well, depending on your interests and needs. For me, in doing port stops, our time is generally fairly limited and we need to figure out how best to "sample", see what is of most interest and then "move on" to the next attraction in the city, etc. For ontheweb, agree that Stockholm and the Vasa Museum can both be wonderful and challenging. We really enjoyed the Vasa and that recovered ship found there. In Stockholm, we were luck to have two days for that historic city as it was the end of our cruise and we stayed on there in this charming city an extra day before flying back home at the end of our Baltics/Russia adventure in 2008. More Oslo visuals to come later. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 21,553 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

From this financial website last week, they had the headline: “Should You Buy the Dip on Royal Caribbean Stock?” with these highlights: “Like many beaten-down companies, Royal Caribbean has been off to a strong start in 2023, jumping almost 30% year to date. That said, the company is still down about 22% over the last 12 months. Should investors buy the dip or wait? The cruise industry has been somewhat slow to recover. That might soon change in 2023. According to Truist Securities analyst Patrick Scholes, the sector is set to finally bounce back to previous levels. His research suggests that industrywide sales will jump by an impressive 50% over 2019 (the period before the crisis).” Sound encouraging? Here is more from their analysis: "Royal Caribbean's booking data supports Scholes' conclusions. The company has seen an acceleration in demand for 2023 sailings, with booking volumes exceeding 2019 records. Royal Caribbean needs a big recovery because its current performance leaves much to be desired. In the third quarter, operating income flipped from a loss of $1 billion to a gain of $298.4 million. While the return to profitability is great news, it's still far below the $890.8 million generated in the corresponding period of 2019. Further, with $19.4 billion in long-term debt, the company will need all the cash it can get." Full story at: https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/01/25/should-you-buy-the-dip-on-royal-caribbean-stock/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 245,896 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Appreciate these follow-ups from Fletcher and Stumblefoot. I just checked by copying: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696 and then pasting in that copied link. It worked for me!! Maybe it did not work as a "click on". Try as copy and paste. For Fletcher, let me know the ports you are scheduled to visit on this cruise and any additional questions, etc. Happy to share more. Much depends as to what you seek and enjoy as to whether the Amazon works for your personal pleasure/interests. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this nice additional follow-up from cruisemom42 for ATM's in Istanbul, etc. Wonderful sharing! In doing a cruise involving Istanbul, one key sailing experience involves the Dardanelles. Also known as the Strait of Gallipoli, this is a is a narrow, natural and significant waterway forming the continental boundary between Asia and Europe. Highly used for for international navigation and shipping, the Dardanelles connects the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas with the Black Sea, Russia, Ukraine, etc. Huge strategic and military importance along this routing. Per Wikipedia, the strait is 38 miles long and only three-quarters to 3.75 miles wide, averaging 180 feet deep. Its control has been an objective of a hostilities in modern history. The most notably contest involved the attack of the Allies on the Dardanelles during the 1915 Battle of Gallipoli during World War I. Be alert and observing in sailing up and/down the Dardanelles!! Much interesting along this route. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 255,883 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474 For sailing along the Dardanelles, there will be a variety of interesting sights, ships, history, etc.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) Here is more from Topkapi Palace, the official and primary residence in Istanbul of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years. At the height of its existence as a royal residence, the palace was home to as many as 4,000 people. After moving to the new Dolmbahce Palace in 1856, the imperial treasury, the library, mosque and mint remained at this historic location. Below are visitors exiting a horse-drawn carriage in order to get ready to enter the main arch for these sprawling Palace grounds. Second is a closer look at the design derails for this gate. Third is a view of main city from this location inside the walls where the Sultans lived.:

Appreciate these great questions and follow-up by the experienced and super-skilled Fletcher. As detailed below on my 2015 live/blog on the Silver Cloud for the Amazon River, sailing both a 1000-miles going up and then returning that distance, there are legitimate "trade-offs" to consider. The Amazon is super, totally wide and what you see while sailing on the river is kind of interesting, but somewhat limited. Cannot remember any significant wildlife sights while sailing the amazing Amazon. What we loved were the various port stops and doing some very good private tours that got us closer to the "action", people, nature, sights, wildlife, etc. Below are a few quick visual "samples" as evidence and examples for the potentials, depending on where your sailing would stop. No insect problems or issues as we sailed along the Amazon. We sailed along fully and normally through the evenings and nights. We did have one brief night period when they had to "re-boot" the electrical system and our power was shut-down during that one evening. But, that was a rare exception. Fresh water being taken from the Amazon is limited legally when sailing up and down so that they encourage being careful with long showers, laundry, etc., to preserve the fresh water supply on the ship. Added questions and info needs? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.). Now at 70,807 views: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696 Example of exploring during a private boat excursion from Santarem along the Amazon in the back-water areas. Plus, one of the wild creatures observed. We had a small boat with a skilled guide. By contrast with the ship's tour, they were on a large boat and did not go back into the more scenic, interesting "primitive" areas that we explored and enjoyed.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) On our wild walk, Indiana Jones-style, private tour in the Amazon Rainforest 60 miles north of Manus.: Inside Manus’ famed and historic Opera House: One sample from the very charming, local music/dance shows at a stop along the Amazon at the Parintinas.: In the small Amazon village of Boca da Valaria, we stopped, brought some gifts to give, connected with locals, sampled life there, etc.:

Good luck with your research! We have found that some guides are happy and/or flexible to take U.S. currency. Ask the guide in advance as to their preferences, including, also, for potentially taking credit cards. Below are some additional Istanbul visuals. This includes for a sailing up the Bosphorus and going under the famed bridge known officially as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge. It is now one of the three suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus Straits connecting Europe and Asia. This suspension bridge is 5,118 feet. Upon its completion in 1973, the Bosphorus Bridge had the fourth-longest suspension bridge span in the world, and the longest outside the United States. Along this sailing route, we saw old military ruins, new and old homes, etc. Very interesting and refreshing on a nice, sunny day!! See visuals below. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Early 2020, many visuals and details from New Zealand/South Pacific in going from Auckland to French Polynesia. This includes Bora Bora, Fiji, NZ experiences, etc: Live/blog; https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2735732-live-terryohio-“new”-regatta-south-pacificnz-pix’s/ In sailing up the Bosphorus, this bridge dominates as it connects Europe and Asia. Here are a variety of views we experienced.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) Here is a sample for a busy Istanbul shopping street.:

Super great added details and background from Oslo/Norway expert kaisatsu. Very enlightening and helpful. "Larger" can be better, maybe, if and if. Do you want to get get a quick "sample" and/or dig in deeper to the Ph.D level? Much depends on your personal interests and travel style. Personally, I am most interested in the "Impressionist" period and artist "stars" that are most famous from that country or region. Research ahead and plan accordingly to navigate more efficiently. Time is limited during a cruise stop day. Also, weather can change!!! Have a back-up plan if the weather is rainy, cold, etc. That can be nice as a reason for visiting museums if you get bad weather, things being too hot outside, etc. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Appreciate this nice follow-up from ontheweb. YES, with your wife being an art teacher, I can understand that it would be much more challenging to just do the "quick" highlights in a museum. Some of us husbands understand that "waiting for your wife" challenges. But, my wife gets frustrated with me when I am slow in taking pictures, doing my thing, etc. That makes the point for doing the advanced research and planning to figure out your top, priorities to see, prepare by getting the maps to figure out your best "logistics" inside these large buildings, etc. For us when doing the Hermitage in St. Petersburg in 2008, we had a very good private guide, had advance, early admission, etc., to allow us to get in, see the "best of the best", not get lost, etc. The challenge with cruises doing limited, one-day stops in key cities is that your time windows are very narrow and the options in each port are so very many, many. Choices?? Trade-offs?? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Live/blog, June 2017 from Portugal to France along scenic Atlantic Coast on the Silver Spirit. Now at 32,985 views. Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

Great additional follow-ups from Lois, lynncarol, GreenFamily and latebloomer56. YES, local currency is always an interesting and challenging question. For Turkey, they are a part of NATO and have other Europe connections. But, they use their own lira as the currency, not the euro as done by Greece and most Europe countries. From our many different countries visited, it many cases, we have found that our credit card can help us avoid the need to buy different local currencies, especially if you are only doing one-day cruise visits. But, if you seek to make little street food, local transit, small gift items, etc., purchases, the credit card will not work. Choices?? There are trade-offs!! Personally, figuring out the right amount of local currency to get and dealing with extra, left-over bills and coins can be a "pain"!! In Istanbul, we had a great guide for two days, it was easier for her to pick-up and do a few of the "small items" to lessen the hassles for us. Agree that if we are going to be in an area for a longer period that the bank ATM's tend to give the best rates and are very accessible, etc. Those airport exchange desks/booth tend to rip you off with bad exchange rates. Your local banks can in many cases get you in advance some foreign currency, but the rates/charges/fees have always been fairly high and not worth it. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc. Many visuals and details from our first in these scenic areas! Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

As noted at the bottom of my original post, we have not yet visited Namib Desert, but it is on our future to-do list. For our 2016 exploring of Cape Town, sailing/stopping along South Africa’s coastal locations, visiting Mozambique, traveling to Victoria Falls/Zambia and doing three different safari visits/sites in Botswana's famed Okavango Delta, I provided a connection to my live/blog at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337 Check out that site for many pictures, details, etc. Let me know any questions, etc. THANKS for your interest! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Like Istanbul "eye-candy"? There is lots of great history, culture, architecture and character here in this famed Turkey city. Agree? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Early 2020, many visuals and details from New Zealand/South Pacific in going from Auckland to French Polynesia. This includes Bora Bora, Fiji, NZ experiences, etc: Live/blog; https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2735732-live-terryohio-“new”-regatta-south-pacificnz-pix’s/ Here is the view for one of the many Istanbul outdoor dining places in the historic area. This is Albura in the heart of Akbiyik Caddesi, a mostly-pedestrian street in Sultanahmet's prime boutique hotel, restaurant and cafe district.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) One of the dining delights that I super enjoyed while having dinner in Istanbul at a scenic location. Look good?: Pouring an Efes beer in Istanbul.: From from the water and then closer, here are two different views of the Galata Tower, a restored 14th-century tower and former prison overlooking the Bosphorus. It was originally built as a watchtower at the highest point of the Walls of Galata and now used as a museum.:

Very much appreciate the great details, interesting visual and follow-up by super expert cruisemom42. Excellent as always!! When we visited in June 2006, we had two full days and evening there in Istanbul as it was the finishing point of our cruise from Athens. Plus, having a very good private guide, we fortunately had the time and flexibility to see BOTH the old and newer. The major "down-side" with Istanbul is that the options and potential are many, many, many!! You need to research, plan and prepare ahead to have your priorities and logistics managed properly to maximize the experience in Istanbul. Below are a few more of my Istanbul visual from my digital travel files. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Athens & Greece: Visuals, details from two visits in a city and nearby with great history, culture and architecture. Now at 50,034 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008 Here are two different night views of Istanbul's two famed Mosques from one of our rooftop dining place. First is the Hagia Sophia, the former patriarchal basilica, later mosque, then a museum in Istanbul, but now back to being a mosque. Second is the Blue Mosque or Sultan Ahmed Mosque. It is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. It was built from 1609 to 1616. It is still used as a mosque and is one of Istanbul's most popular tourist attraction: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) Outside and inside the Spice Market in Istanbul. This fascinating area is much smaller and easier to see and experience than the massive Grand Bazaar. The structure was designed by a chief court architect and completed in 1660. The Spice Bazaar is an “L”-shaped building, consisting of 88 vaulted rooms. Monumental gateways are at the ends of both halls. The main entrance is in the southwest corner, facing the Yeni Mosque.: Here is a view of the New Mosque or Yeni that was completed between 1660 and 1665. It is situated overlooking the Golden Horn, a part of the primary inlet of the Bosphorus. In the foreground is the Spice Market with its distinctive striped design/style.: From where we dined outdoors at lunch during our private tour, here was the scenic view of two locals enjoying conversation and a view out to the Golden Horn, plus showing the nearby Galata Bridge. Farther in the background is 15th of July Martyrs Bridge that is connecting Europe & Asia. That long suspension bridge was completed in 1973.:

From the London/UK Telegraph last summer, they had this headline: “How to spend a weekend in Sydney" with this sub-headline: "Where to stay, drink and dine in Australia's dazzling harbour city.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Sydney has a reputation for being beautiful yet shallow, but scratch the surface a little and you'll see that Sydney has a lot more going for it than just the way it looks. Beaches that bedazzle, windswept coastal walks overlooking whale-dotted waters, hole-in-the-wall bars, weekend farmers' markets and a thriving food and wine scene are among the drawcards that keep the locals happy and the visitors flocking. For a beach-centric summer holiday, choose to stay in suburbs like Bondi or Coogee, where clothing is minimal and the water (and people) stay warm past sundown. Those more interested in nightlife, restaurants, bars and shopping will find inner-city hotspots like Potts Point and Surry Hills excellent bases.” As an example for their many interesting tip, here is one to consider: "Treat yourself to dinner at Café Sydney. The location, on the rooftop of Customs House, is spectacular. While the prices are on the steep side, you also get a front-row seat to the best show in town: the harbour, the house and the bridge. Share the seafood platter and enjoy prawns, marron, Moreton Bay bugs, crab and oysters." Full story at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/oceania/australia/new-south-wales/sydney/articles/sydney-travel-guide/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 21,553 views. Connect at: www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

Appreciate this great follow-up from iancal. Any more recent travel updates and insights? From the London/UK Telegraph last summer, they had this headline: “How to spend a weekend in Cape Town" with this sub-headline: "An insider guide to the South African city that excels in natural splendour.” Here are some of their reporting highlights: “You really can’t overstate the case for visiting Cape Town. First, there’s the in-your-face beauty of a craggy mountain range that drops precipitously into a glittering sea, its flanks carpeted in greens and delicate florals. Then there’s the pristine white beaches lapped by a chilly Atlantic, their curves defined by giant granite boulders to bake on. And no visit is complete without at least one full day exploring some of the surrounding vine-carpeted valleys, their rich terroir spawning not only award-winning wines but superb produce. Yet Cape Town has a cool urban edge, too: excellent art galleries, hip bars, world-rated restaurants, and design-savvy shops.” As another example for the many tips in the profile, here is a tip for a location that I visited and enjoyed: "If you want to squeeze in a visit to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of the 27 years he was imprisoned, descend no later than 10am to be at Nelson Mandela Gateway, the ferry departure point." Plus another great location we visited: "There are more plant species on Table Mountain than the entire British Isles, and the best introduction to this rich floral kingdom is a visit to Kirstenbosch. With terraced lawns that blend seamlessly into the steep indigenous forests that pelt the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, it’s a spectacular botanical garden." Full story at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africa/south-africa/cape-town/articles/cape-town-travel-guide/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 245,896 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

From the London/UK Daily Telegraph, they had this headline: “48 hours in . . . Bruges, an insider guide to Belgium's city on water” with these highlights: “Part history, part fairy tale: Little Bruges, the perfect pocket-sized medieval city, was a Sleeping Beauty. Laced with canals, it was one of the great North European trading ports in late medieval times. The magnificently detailed paintings of its artists, such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling, record its wealth in clothing, jewellery and ornament. Then it fell rapidly into decline and slept until rediscovered and restored to glory in the 19th century. Today its new riches are in tourism, so that it retains the dynamism of a living city. This is a place to walk and wonder, and there are still plenty of quiet corners to discover, where historic Bruges sleeps on.” Here is an interesting trip that we did not accomplish when visiting there. Up from this climb? "If you can face the 366-step climb, start with a 360-degree view from above the very centre of Bruges, standing next the carillon and clock bells at the top of the Belfort, the city belfry on the Markt (the central square)." Full story at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/belgium/bruges/articles/bruges-travel-guide/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 255,883 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

To provide "equal time", here from the London/UK Daily Telegraph last Spring, they had this headline: “48 hours in . . . Porto, an insider guide to Portugal's splendid second city.” Here are some of their top reporting highlights in this detailed profile: “Long regarded as Lisbon’s quieter sibling, Portugal’s second city is currently undergoing a magical moment of rejuvenation. Centuries ago, British merchant ships would cluster in Porto’s medieval harbour to ferry the region’s eponymous port wines back home. Now, the city’s river banks are crowded with hip new bars and cool pavement restaurants. Helping drive Porto’s transformation is its resurgent cultural scene, from world class concerts at Casa de Musica to exciting art exhibitions along Rua de Miguel Bombarda. But this ancient metropolis is not about to tart itself up and pimp itself out for the tourists like so many other popular European destinations. Portuenses love their old world ways too much to give them up. So staying put are the city’s cobbled streets and beautifully tiled churches, its lazy lunchtimes and touching friendliness. In short, what’s on offer is the best of both worlds.” For some added, keen insights, this guide offers: "Porto is a city best seen on foot. Not that walking is a breeze: steep slopes and stone cobbles proliferate in this hilly metropolis. If you’re after views, the climb up the steps of Torre dos Clérigos (Rua de São Filipe de Nery) is well worth the effort. From the top of Porto’s iconic tower, you’ll get an unparalleled view over the city." Full story at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/portugal/porto/articles/porto-travel-guide/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights. On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings. Now at 241,143 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

Appreciate these links and follow-ups from Solent Richard in the UK. Lots of interesting details, visuals, options to consider for these two Portugal locations, plus many more great locations in the world that this busy couple have visited on many cruises, etc. From the London/UK Telegraph last August, they had this headline: “How to spend a weekend in Lisbon” with these highlights: “Lisbon is having a moment. It is the place on everyone’s lips and its breezy sea views, glossy tiled facades and red roofs feature on many an Instagram feed. The food surprises, with a depth far beyond the famous pastéis de nata (custard tarts) that are so known and loved. There is history; from the 12th-century Moorish castle that dominates the skyline to the magnificent 16th-century Manueline monastery of Jerónimos, and the bombastic 18th-century heart of Lisbon, built after so much of the city was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. There is authentic, genuine and welcoming hospitality; and a wave of new and affordable hotels along cobbled streets and flanking bougainvillea-clad squares, all of which brim with a sense of place. For Lisbon, unlike so much of the world, has not gone global: it remains resolutely Portuguese, looking out to sea, with its back to the rest of Europe and its identity intact.” This profile offers many different options to considering including for: "Lisbon’s domed 19th-century market hall, the Mercado de Ribeira, was converted in 2014 into the Time Out Market, a buzzy food hall, which remains a huge draw." Full story at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/portugal/lisbon/articles/lisbon-travel-guide/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 245,896 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

In re-checking through my photo files from 2008, I found a few more visuals that might be of interest for the Oslo City Hall (Rådhuset), its design and art, etc. Do these bring back any memories for those who have visited Oslo? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio From a different direction, here is another view of the Oslo City Hall featuring some of its exterior art and design touches.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) There are 16 wooden friezes in the City Hall’s courtyard made by Dagfin Werenskiold (1892-1977), painter and sculptor. Showing motifs from Norse mythology, including the life of gods and the stories of wisdom and love, war and hate and visions of the future.: Here is a wider sampling of Oslo City Hall interior murals, including decorations by artist Henrik Sørensen who studied with Henri Matisse in Paris. Second is a mural depicting the three pillars of Norwegian industry.:

Below is some additional Oslo "eye-candy". As illustrated, we were fortunate to have a wonderfully sunny day during our one-day cruise visit to the Norway Capital City. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Athens & Greece: Visuals, details from two visits in a city and nearby with great history, culture and architecture. Now at 50,034 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008 At the City Hall, here is a close-up look at the details of the Astronomical Clock on the North side of this civic building.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) Called the Munch Room with his painting of ‘Life’ featured on this wall provides another reason to visit this popular Oslo attraction/site.: Interesting Oslo park, water feature in the heart of the shopping area you will see. Lots of outdoor art around in Oslo.: Here is a view for some of the downtown Oslo architecture, plus second is another visual of the historic Akershus Fortress/Castle.:

From Yahoo News earlier this month, they had this headline: “23 of the best places to travel to around the world in 2023” with these highlights: “San Francisco just got its own equivalent of NYC's High Line. In 2023, the city will mark a few milestones and celebrations that will be especially good reasons to plan a visit. Key city landmarks will celebrate anniversaries, including the San Francisco Opera at 100 years, and the Ferry Building, which will mark 125 years. Visitors can also expect special programming and events throughout the year, such as the opera's grand finale concert and centennial anniversary dinner. Presidio Tunnel Tops recently opened, comprising 14 acres of new national parkland. Designed by the same firm behind NYC's High Line, I think it's an ideal spot to take in views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge.” Full story at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/23-best-places-travel-around-110100429.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc. Many visuals and details from our first in these scenic areas! Live/blog: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

From Yahoo News earlier this month, they had this headline: “23 of the best places to travel to around the world in 2023” with these highlights: “In 2023 Turkey celebrates a major milestone. I'm a fan of the heavily-spiced vegetarian food, and as a shopper, I've spent hours browsing the markets and shops. Turkey saw record tourism in 2022, and 2023 is gearing up to be even bigger as the country will celebrate its 100th anniversary of becoming a republic. Istanbul is also the only city to span two continents, and the monthlong Istanbul Tulip Festival will take place in April across parks, events, and exhibitions. Just in time for the country's centennial, Istanbul's Maiden Tower — once a watchtower on a tiny Bosphorous island on the Asian side — is undergoing renovation and conversion as a museum with a 2023 opening.” Full story at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/23-best-places-travel-around-110100429.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 53,573 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

From Yahoo News earlier this month, they had this headline: “23 of the best places to travel to around the world in 2023” with these highlights: “Dubai is hardly under the radar. In 2022 it was the most-viewed destination on TikTok, with 82 billion views. In 2023, I think it will only earn more interest as Emirates invests more than $2 billion to enhance its air service there. Additionally, the ultra-luxury resort Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab is planned to open in 2023, and comes from the same brand behind the world-famous sailboat-inspired Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. The new hotel will take inspiration from a futuristic superyacht. The five-star luxury hotel brand One&Only will also open a new property in Dubai with One Za'abeel that will have the world's longest cantilever building, a panoramic sky concourse that connects two towers floating 100 meters above the ground. The new year will also bring the full opening of Atlantis, The Royal, a 43-story luxury resort spread across six towers with 17 on-site restaurants curated by celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs including three-Michelin-starred Björn Frantzén, and more than 90 swimming pools, including one on the 22nd floor with views of the Palm crescent.” More "over-the-top" hotels in Dubai? Surprised?? Full story at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/23-best-places-travel-around-110100429.html THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Athens & Greece: Visuals, details from two visits in a city and nearby with great history, culture and architecture. Now at 50,034 views. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

Appreciate these great comments and helpful follow-ups from janetcbl in Iowa and kaisatsu in Oslo. Keep up the great sharing. From doing art museums in all parts of the world, clearly such institutions vary much in size and depth/quality of collections, etc. I doubt that this new Oslo museum, however is so large with its offerings that it cannot be reasonably sampled in just an hour or two or three. Having done a few major art museums such as the Met in NYC, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Louvre in Paris, etc., those "biggies" cannot be done FULLY and totally in just one day. But, most of these large and other museums can easily offering a very good sample of their "Best of the Best" in a fairly manageable period of time. Below are a few of the art items that we sampled in 2008 at the two major Oslo museums. To see more on the new Munch Museum, here is their website: https://www.munchmuseet.no/en/ THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Inside what was their National Gallery in 2008, here is one of Munch's famed "Scream" pictures and other art.: (Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!) Edvard Munch (1863-1944) was probably the most famous Norwegian painter. Known best is his work, The Scream (1893). There are four different versions, two of them in Oslo that we saw. It has become one of Western art's most iconic images.: As we toured at the then Munich Museum, here was a small sampling of this gallery dedicated to this artist. The middle picture below is somewhat controversial as to whether it is his view of the Virgin Mary/Madonna . . . or, more simply titled as only "Loving Woman".:

From the Wall Street Journal late this afternoon, below are their charts for the three major cruise lines. Unlike in most weeks, the patterns for these three companies did not all move in the same patterns during the past five trading days. Then, at the bottom, is the WSJ chart for this past week on the S&P 500 that represents the overall market movements. Lots of variations!!?? These four charts were not all "zigging and zagging" to the same musical tunes and patterns. Right? Hard to figure out what this past week previews/predicts for the month of February and beyond? Then, also, the Wall Street Journal today had this major headline: "Consumer Spending Fell 0.2% in December as Inflation Cooled" with this sub-head: "Underlying inflation slowed to its slowest pace since October 2021." Here were some of their reporting analysis: "U.S. households turned cautious at the end of last year, cutting spending during the holiday shopping season and increasing savings, adding to signs of an economic slowdown. The pullback in spending came as inflation cooled, giving consumers some relief from rapidly rising prices. Households cut spending on goods as prices fell for gasoline and other energy products, the department said. They increased spending on services, where prices climbed." Good news for future cruise line spending? Maybe the coming recession will not be as deep and/or as bad as has been speculated and predicted? Full story at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/consumer-spending-personal-income-inflation-december-2022-11674779291?mod=hp_lead_pos2 THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 255,883 views. www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474