Sancho_proudfoot Posted July 4, 2022 #301 Share Posted July 4, 2022 Ephesus, Turkey. Fascinating ruins, but spoiled by uncaring and totally unsympathetic "restoration " (I.e. huge slabs of concrete) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getting older slowly Posted July 5, 2022 #302 Share Posted July 5, 2022 So far.... nothing really.... may be my expectations levels are set to low...... things which one thought would be great were...... Maybe.... I am easily pleased Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deelightfull Posted July 7, 2022 #303 Share Posted July 7, 2022 We weren't in a cruise, but we were visiting Cancun. My husband is fascinated by pre-Columbian sites. We had a hard time at Chichen Itzen because it was so crowded, and the crowds of tourists brought out the crowds of venders. On the other hand, since we weren't on an excursion we could visit Uxmal, a *slightly* smaller site that was so much better because it was significantly less crowded. Ever since then we trip we joke that we are going to open the "second best" travel agency going to the second places at the second best times 🤣🤣. We love shoulder seasons, but we can't take advantage of many of them with a school student who HATES making up school work. 🤷♀️ That said we are going on a Baltic Cruise at the end of July, not very second best, 😁. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nagster Posted December 18, 2022 #304 Share Posted December 18, 2022 Panama canal 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted December 18, 2022 #305 Share Posted December 18, 2022 None! Now, there have been a few ports that happened to be on a cruise, that were not significant or were actually pretty awful -- but they weren't the reason for the cruise or trip (i.e. not on bucket list). Cartagena Columbia comes to mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted December 18, 2022 #306 Share Posted December 18, 2022 My first Caribbean USN deployment port was St. Thomas - I’d looked forward to it for a couple of months, but found it way less than hoped. Now, after perhaps a dozen more visits, I still find it less than hoped every time —- great stay-aboard port unless going across to St. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted December 18, 2022 #307 Share Posted December 18, 2022 Arctic Circle this past July .... Many of the ports were just big cities...Geiranger & Bergen were a favorite but that's only two out of 6 ports. Glad we did this itinerary at least once but won't repeat it like we do other's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted December 18, 2022 #308 Share Posted December 18, 2022 36 minutes ago, crystalspin said: None! Now, there have been a few ports that happened to be on a cruise, that were not significant or were actually pretty awful -- but they weren't the reason for the cruise or trip (i.e. not on bucket list). Cartagena Columbia comes to mind! We did Cartagena this past October during our PC and were more than pleased with the port .... what an amazing terminal with all the exotic birds/animals. We enjoyed our walking DIY around the town of the walled city..a very nice day. Sorry it didn't live up to your expectations. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted December 18, 2022 #309 Share Posted December 18, 2022 On 6/18/2022 at 9:33 AM, mnocket said: I'm a bit surprised nobody has mentioned the Blarney Stone. I drove by the castle and didn't bother to stop. Waiting in line just to lie on my back and kiss a rock? Why? Didn't visit the Stone but the gift shop there was worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted December 18, 2022 #310 Share Posted December 18, 2022 20 minutes ago, Ashland said: Didn't visit the Stone but the gift shop there was worth it. Perhaps if you had visited the Stone you might have been able to expand upon your barely-mentioned visit to the gift shop 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calliopecruiser Posted December 18, 2022 #311 Share Posted December 18, 2022 I did get to Meteora, and it was worth the hundreds of stairs I climbed that day. I also had a burning desire to see the Museum of the Future in Dubai - the coolest building I've ever seen - and it didn't disappoint either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted December 18, 2022 #312 Share Posted December 18, 2022 My over hyped bucket list item was my Rhone (not Rhine but Rhone) River Viking River Cruise which we did last summer. It was not that we did not enjoy the cruise. It was not that the service was bad. It was not that the food was poor although I did not think that the food was great as expected and I was not happy w the menu choices on some nights were not great. The problem is that Viking River cruises were so over hyped and everyone who had taken them said that they will be the best cruise we have ever taken. No cruise could live up to that expectation and this cruise was less than we expected. DON 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slidergirl Posted December 18, 2022 #313 Share Posted December 18, 2022 4 hours ago, navybankerteacher said: My first Caribbean USN deployment port was St. Thomas - I’d looked forward to it for a couple of months, but found it way less than hoped. Now, after perhaps a dozen more visits, I still find it less than hoped every time —- great stay-aboard port unless going across to St. John. Were you at the sub base??? Back in 1989 when I vacationed in St. John/St. Thomas, I ate at the Chart House "at the sub base". Some people collect Hard Rock Cafe, I used to collect Chart House 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slidergirl Posted December 18, 2022 #314 Share Posted December 18, 2022 1 hour ago, donaldsc said: My over hyped bucket list item was my Rhone (not Rhine but Rhone) River Viking River Cruise which we did last summer. It was not that we did not enjoy the cruise. It was not that the service was bad. It was not that the food was poor although I did not think that the food was great as expected and I was not happy w the menu choices on some nights were not great. The problem is that Viking River cruises were so over hyped and everyone who had taken them said that they will be the best cruise we have ever taken. No cruise could live up to that expectation and this cruise was less than we expected. DON My Rhone Canal barge cruise this summer was just what I was looking for! Not everyone's cup of tea, as they are very small and not "elegant". But our food was excellent (the 11 of us had a sit-down set menu each lunch and dinner). The canal barge was not on the river until the very end at Sete - even then a Seaborn ship took our docking spot and we ended back up the canal at Frontignam, right at the fairgrounds where they were having their Bastille Day festivities and fireworks - even better than the standard dock at Sete. Try a barge canal sometime - slow, small and fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted December 19, 2022 #315 Share Posted December 19, 2022 47 minutes ago, slidergirl said: Were you at the sub base??? Back in 1989 when I vacationed in St. John/St. Thomas, I ate at the Chart House "at the sub base". Some people collect Hard Rock Cafe, I used to collect Chart House 😉 Yes - at the Old Pier, gradually rotting away - but I must acknowledge I was happier to be there - in mid-February than at home port Norfolk. When you were there, was the "Black Witch" still moored nearby - an old schooner converted to a restaurant/night club-- you needed a water taxi to get to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted December 19, 2022 #316 Share Posted December 19, 2022 5 hours ago, navybankerteacher said: Perhaps if you had visited the Stone you might have been able to expand upon your barely-mentioned visit to the gift shop Our private tour guide got us in but the line was very long to actually access the Stone. Seeing from the base was good enough for us. Exactly what could I have expanded on about the gift shop ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted December 19, 2022 #317 Share Posted December 19, 2022 1 hour ago, Ashland said: Our private tour guide got us in but the line was very long to actually access the Stone. Seeing from the base was good enough for us. Exactly what could I have expanded on about the gift shop ? What could you NOT have expanded upon if you HAD kissed the Stone? Are you not aware of the powers it conveys? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wowzz Posted December 19, 2022 #318 Share Posted December 19, 2022 9 hours ago, slidergirl said: Try a barge canal sometime - slow, small and fun. Absolutely - even better, hire your own ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markanddonna Posted December 19, 2022 #319 Share Posted December 19, 2022 On 5/14/2022 at 10:37 PM, dolittle said: Love Europe but Paris did not move me like other places in Europe . My wife was dying to see the Eiffel Tower. So glad I did it was way better than I would have thought . Got up way early still waited well worth it. I just don't get the hype of Paris and I was there before the Notre Dame fire. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted December 19, 2022 #320 Share Posted December 19, 2022 1 hour ago, Markanddonna said: I just don't get the hype of Paris and I was there before the Notre Dame fire. Well, it is a bit different from Cleveland - which I first saw after the Cuyahaga River fire. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ontheweb Posted December 19, 2022 #321 Share Posted December 19, 2022 32 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said: Well, it is a bit different from Cleveland - which I first saw after the Cuyahaga River fire. Yes, Cleveland has the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; Paris does not. Though we still loved Paris on a land trip even though the highlight of our stay was outside of Paris, Monet's Gardens at Giverny. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted December 19, 2022 #322 Share Posted December 19, 2022 17 hours ago, slidergirl said: My Rhone Canal barge cruise this summer was just what I was looking for! Not everyone's cup of tea, as they are very small and not "elegant". But our food was excellent (the 11 of us had a sit-down set menu each lunch and dinner). The canal barge was not on the river until the very end at Sete - even then a Seaborn ship took our docking spot and we ended back up the canal at Frontignam, right at the fairgrounds where they were having their Bastille Day festivities and fireworks - even better than the standard dock at Sete. Try a barge canal sometime - slow, small and fun. I would like to try a canal barge cruise some time. My wife is fighting me on this because of the cost. Not that the Viking cruise was cheap. DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolittle Posted December 19, 2022 #323 Share Posted December 19, 2022 7 hours ago, Markanddonna said: I just don't get the hype of Paris and I was there before the Notre Dame fire. Funny you should mention Notre Dame .Love Europe and historic buildings but Notre Dame did not do much for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted December 19, 2022 #324 Share Posted December 19, 2022 19 hours ago, navybankerteacher said: What could you NOT have expanded upon if you HAD kissed the Stone? Are you not aware of the powers it conveys? My introvert husband kissed the Stone and it worked! (The course in self-hypnosis aimed at making small-talk may have helped...) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisemom42 Posted December 19, 2022 #325 Share Posted December 19, 2022 22 minutes ago, dolittle said: Funny you should mention Notre Dame .Love Europe and historic buildings but Notre Dame did not do much for me. I loved it; have visited it several times. I especially enjoyed climbing up to the rooftop (separate ticket) and getting to see the gargoyles and the bells up close, not to mention the stupendous view. I also happened to be up there at noon when the bells ring -- definitely something I consider one of those "once in a lifetime" experiences. Once when we were there over the week between Christmas and New Years, you could go inside and see an exhibit of all kinds of creches/nativity scenes from the very humble to the fancy. Again, very interesting and something that has stayed with me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now