Azamara Quest - Mediterranean Cities, October 28-November 4 2021

[CruiserRob]

24 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

Let the sun shine! Let the sun shine in!

From the musical Hair and made popular by the 5th Dimension.

 

Keep the pictures coming

 

Robert

[Jasperdo]

35 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

In the midwest USA we pull off the highways at the T.A brand where there will be a Popeyes and a Subway, a crowded dimly lit shop and some neglected toilets that need a refurb. Europe can show us the way as they are ahead of us.

You are absolutely right about the rest areas on European highways. They are so much better than anything in the US. Fully stocked grocery stores, good restaurants. We ate at L'Arche a few times while on the road in France.

[erikb923]

Great pictures! Arles, Nimes and the big boy Avignon (Palace of the Popes!). All of those areas are nice. Hoping Azamara releases the rest of the 2023 cruises soon. Hope to do a Baltic cruise that hits Latvia, your review makes it seem worth it! 

[CRLess]

40 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

The beauty parlor's filled with sailors-the circus is in town

 

 

 

 

Bob Dylan....Desolation Row

[Mackdogmolly]

9 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

I will say unbiasedly as I am an honest kind of guy that there may be no more open and friendly folk than those in Northern Ireland.  You'll get someone's life story and an ear interested in yours if you sit beside one in a train or a bar. 

I noticed this about folks in Dublin too. Wonderful, warm and friendly people.

[vagporto]

6 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

Hope to see Portugal some day from the deck of an Az ship.

You should... Not only Lisbon (birthplace) but also Porto (home for the last 30 years). Loving your journals, as always... 

[Walt fan]

Following along and so enjoying. I am finding the comments about coffee interesting. I detest hotel coffee and such, I can't imagine a good coffee at a rest stop. As you say, the rest stops in the U.S. are run in and run away as fast as you can. 

 

Norris, thought I would throw in there we have another trip to Sedona planned for late March. It is a happy place for us. I am trying to convince hubs I need a cruise 2024. 60th BD and all. He just grunts at me. I will live vicariously at CC until then.

[Bimmer09]

2 hours ago, Jasperdo said:

Norris, you're making me blush. I'm all caught up now and looking forward to your road photos up to Avignon. We spent a day in Avignon back in 2007 during our 2 week road trip around France. Arles was our base for Provence. A wonderful, historic town. Put it on your list if you haven't been there yet.

Arles was considered as a day trip but we were concerned about making it back to the ship on time. Avignon got back about 15 minutes before all aboard but of course the ship would have waited.

A 10 day road trip in France would solve a lot of problems, John. I see myself in a Citroen.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

2 hours ago, CRLess said:

Bob Dylan....Desolation Row

 Chris will get his, I thought and of course you did.

The song I would choose if allowed only one Desert Island disc. An epic feat of the imagination.

I bought the album (my favorite Dylan) in 1965 and it has rewarded me for 56 years.

I also have never tired of Van Morrison's Into the Mystic and Listen to the Lion.

In London I had a fantastic pair of Altec Lansing speakers which I used to use like headphones-couple of pillows on the floor, candlelight, speakers either side, an inch from each ear, song on repeat. Bliss!

Cheers friend,

Norris

[Bimmer09]

2 hours ago, erikb923 said:

Great pictures! Arles, Nimes and the big boy Avignon (Palace of the Popes!). All of those areas are nice. Hoping Azamara releases the rest of the 2023 cruises soon. Hope to do a Baltic cruise that hits Latvia, your review makes it seem worth it! 

Latvia I don't know but Estonia has a big place in my heart for the music that has come from there and the revolution they conducted against the Russians (boo) just by singing beautifully. We did a Princess cruise with Estonian singers and dancers on board-they performed on the big stage and blew the roof off-a band called Curly Strings was amazing. Some great opera singers too (not on the ships LOL).

Az will take you where you want to go. Let them.

 

Welcome! Not seen your name before.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

41 minutes ago, vagporto said:

You should... Not only Lisbon (birthplace) but also Porto (home for the last 30 years). Loving your journals, as always... 

My favorite restaurant in New Jersey, where I lived for 11 years was in Newark and was called Tony de Caneca. Still there. Portuguese food and I couldn't get enough of it. I've watched travel videos from Youtube of Lisbon and Porto and am ready for it.

As always? I am not familiar with your name and I remember them all...former lurker? 

If so double welcome!!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

2 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I noticed this about folks in Dublin too. Wonderful, warm and friendly people.

Agreed. I loved my short time there.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

2 hours ago, CruiserRob said:

From the musical Hair and made popular by the 5th Dimension.

 

Keep the pictures coming

 

Robert

 

Aye -aye skipper! You will enjoy my Avignon shots.

Norris

[takemewithyou]

56 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

Aye -aye skipper! You will enjoy my Avignon shots.

Norris

Ok…..my first time with your reviews and I am hanging on the edge of my seat for Avignon.  Did you make to Arles or not?  All of these are bringing back memories for me of Silhouette cruise ( a TA from Rome to Ft Lauderdale back in 2012 with similar stops).  We did a private tour and went to the Arles and Avignon !!

[takemewithyou]

1 hour ago, vagporto said:

You should... Not only Lisbon (birthplace) but also Porto (home for the last 30 years). Loving your journals, as always... 

That’s got to be our next cruise!  Dying to visit both places!  Either river cruise or on Azamara!   Preferably Azamara!

[Bimmer09]

45 minutes ago, Walt fan said:

Following along and so enjoying. I am finding the comments about coffee interesting. I detest hotel coffee and such, I can't imagine a good coffee at a rest stop. As you say, the rest stops in the U.S. are run in and run away as fast as you can. 

 

Norris, thought I would throw in there we have another trip to Sedona planned for late March. It is a happy place for us. I am trying to convince hubs I need a cruise 2024. 60th BD and all. He just grunts at me. I will live vicariously at CC until then.

Sedona- we have only been there twice but found it the ideal spot to RELAX. Each time we stayed in the marvelous L'Auberge de Sedona in a log cabin by a fast flowing stream. We had log fires each night and breakfasts by the stream. There's a good restaurant on site. Some celebrities stay there.

Excursions included an open cockpit bi-plane flight through the Red Rocks, a helicopter reprise and a Pink Jeep drive through the valleys at sunset.

 

Sedona is a one of a kind place to relax!

Enjoy!

 

Norris

[norn iron]

9 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

Let the sun shine! Let the sun shine in!

 

 

 

 

Looking at those skies, you are almost tangled up in blue!

[norn iron]

6 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

 Chris will get his, I thought and of course you did.

The song I would choose if allowed only one Desert Island disc. An epic feat of the imagination.

I bought the album (my favorite Dylan) in 1965 and it has rewarded me for 56 years.

I also have never tired of Van Morrison's Into the Mystic and Listen to the Lion.

In London I had a fantastic pair of Altec Lansing speakers which I used to use like headphones-couple of pillows on the floor, candlelight, speakers either side, an inch from each ear, song on repeat. Bliss!

Cheers friend,

Norris

Norris, totally agree Desolation Row is on a different level. 

Have you listened to Dylan's more recent equivalent, Tempest? Not quite in the same league but still filled with wonderful imagery.

It brought me out in goose bumps the first time I heard it especially the lyric including the word "Titanic" purely from a Belfast perspective of course.

[Bimmer09]

4 hours ago, norn iron said:

Norris, totally agree Desolation Row is on a different level. 

Have you listened to Dylan's more recent equivalent, Tempest? Not quite in the same league but still filled with wonderful imagery.

It brought me out in goose bumps the first time I heard it especially the lyric including the word "Titanic" purely from a Belfast perspective of course.

 

I was a huge Beatles fan when I was 10. I joined the fan club and got the floppy Christmas records. Bought the Beatles Monthly. Had Beatles wallpaper in my bedroom in 1963. A school chum who is still a good friend came over in the evenings and we put on the only 2 Beatles albums there were- Please Please Me and With the Beatles and sang harmonies. I was John, he Paul. As an aside he later got called to an office in London as the man he was to meet wanted to use his advertising skills. When the man walked in it was Paul McCartney and he ended up as a friend to Paul and Linda.

 

I got into drumming via Ringo as there was no other pop drummer that good back then. Years later I came to the USA as a drummer on Royal Caribbean's Song of Norway-their first cruise ship (1970) in the mid 1980s. I owe a lot to my enthusiasm for the Beatles in 1962. When I was in Liverpool on my dad's ship in 1964 I found RIngo's home in Admiral Grove and just stood and looked at it. He was long gone to London.

 

I was surprised and happy when I found there was a singer that I liked as much as the Beatles and for different reasons. 1964 I heard Bob Dylan and the album (LP) was The Times they are a changing. No drums or happy harmonies, just guitar and harmonica and songs with words that meant something deeper and richer than boy/girl. I bought another LP as I was curious -Freewheelin'. More songs to play over and over on my Dansette record player which plugged into a light socket. By now I was in high school and my French teacher a guy in his late 20s I guess found out I was a Dylan fan and offered to swap some albums with me. My regard for Dylan snowballed and the Beatles had to share my love with him. Highway 61 and Blond on Blond swept me away by 1966.

 

May 1966 Bob Dylan played live in the ABC cinema in Belfast. I was too young to be allowed to get there and back on my own but two boys who were in 6th form and had the use of their dad's car offered me a ride and I got a ticket to the front row of the balcony. Dylan was about 25 ft away.It was my 2nd live show-the first was the Rolling Stones (with Brian Jones) in 1965, same venue. I remember it as if yesterday and treasure the experience.

 

I veered away from the Beatles and Dylan around 1969 as by then I was into Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin and Van Morrison. John Wesley Harding was the last Dylan album I paid money for.

 

Fast forward to the 2000 decade and in Chicago I saw Tull twice and each time left early. Too old and Ian Anderson's voice was gone. In Chicago, walking distance from me we saw Dylan twice. Each time we left after less than 30 minutes. He was singing the songs from 40 years before but in an "I couldn't care less way". (Van Morrison guilty of this too).

 

I couldn't care less now. 

I don't have an interest in singers in their 70s and bands playing 50 year old songs. The only concerts we ever go to are the Gipsy Kings. They are within walking distance and in a theater not a stadium.

We saw Paul McCartney in a basketball stadium. Dreadful sound. His voice is gone, long gone.

We saw Adele in 2017 in the same giant shed and that was great but she's young and can sing.

 

I will comb Youtube for Tempest and give it a listen. Thanks for mentioning it.

 

That's my short answer, LOL.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

10 hours ago, takemewithyou said:

Ok…..my first time with your reviews and I am hanging on the edge of my seat for Avignon.  Did you make to Arles or not?  All of these are bringing back memories for me of Silhouette cruise ( a TA from Rome to Ft Lauderdale back in 2012 with similar stops).  We did a private tour and went to the Arles and Avignon !!

No Arles.

Norris

[LT Hambone]

Forgot to add this to my Belfast remarks from yesterday, saw this in the Titanic Gift Shop -

 

[norn iron]

49 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

When I was in Liverpool on my dad's ship 

 

 

By any chance did your father work for the Belfast Steamship co? Mine father did.

[Bimmer09]

Just now, norn iron said:

By any chance did your father work for the Belfast Steamship co? Mine father did.

No, he was a Captain for John Kelly Ltd.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

 We have been to some eye-candy places over the years. Lucerne, Rothenburg, Salzburg spring to mind.

I will add Avignon to the list, from what I have seen of it.

AVIGNON

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avignon

The bus stayed with Crystal facing the bridge. Camille told us it was built by a shepherd who had been told by god to build it. If he had been told to mind his own business and shear the sheep it would have been a better idea. The bridge doesn't live up to its name thanks to sheep-boy. Half has washed away but the remaining half earns 12 Euros for each citizen who walks on it. We would not have time it turned out.

 

Camille would lead us through the city wall and into a square with the restaurant I had my eye on-Bistro d'Horloge in Horloge (Clock) square then onto the star attraction in Avignon-Palais des Papes as some Popes used to live here. Wikipedia will tell you all. Camille was filling in for Wiki and without those handy radios so you had to stay close. I was always hanging back photographing a flower pot or something.

From the enormous Palais we would walk up hill to a scenic panorama viewpoint that I hoped would live up to its name. Up there she would eventually leave us to enjoy an hour or so of wandering before meeting back at the bus at 12.45 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A gorgeous sunny morning walking the quiet streets of a beautiful city

 

[Mackdogmolly]

13 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

Estonia has a big place in my heart for the music that has come from there and the revolution they conducted against the Russians (boo) just by singing beautifully.

Yes, that is a great story!