Reading and Roaming
SNATCHES OF ISRAEL The Chief Penguin and I were last in Israel in 1999, and then only in Jerusalem. He had been several times before and to Haifa and Tel-Aviv. The trip was for a library conference for me and he was the accompanying spouse. For my librarian friends, it was the annual IFLA (International Federation of Library …
Continue reading “Religious Israel: Haifa & Jerusalem”
A BIT OF CRETE Two days ago, we docked in Chania, a city on Crete’s northern coast. Long before it became part of modern Greece, Chania was ruled by the Venetians and later the Ottoman Empire. Its architecture is rich with Venetian and Moorish influences. Since we were in port, we could walk off the ship instead of …
Continue reading “Cruising & Crete”
CRUISING From Rome, we went by car to Civitavecchia to board our cruise ship. It’s about an hour’s drive from the center of town through the countryside to a rather plain, but functional, cruise terminal. Here, after being given a card for Boarding Group 1, we sat in one of the many rows of folding chairs …
Continue reading “Cruising: Sorrento & Pompeii”
OBSERVATIONS: A few reflections on how Rome struck me on this visit. More young people seen smoking on the street including high school students. A mix of cigarettes and vaping devices. More pedestrian-only zones which make Rome quieter and even more pleasant for walking from piazza to piazza. Other than getting into and out of the …
Continue reading “Rome: Last Meals et al”
