Browsed by
Author: Chris

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel

Our visit to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel was certainly special.  Tauck had arranged an after-hours visit. Being able to see the Museum and Sistine Chapel without large crowds was a wonderful opportunity.  If you visit the Vatican Museum, be sure to take in everything – you will see incredible ceilings, mosaic floors, decorative windows and medallions on the walls. They may not seem like the featured exhibits, but you will want to appreciate them as well. In the…

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Pompeii

Pompeii

As we walked among the ruins of Pompeii, our local guide shared what life in Pompeii would have been like as well as that fateful day when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.  The ruins remained undisturbed for over one thousand years.  One of the first areas we saw was the forum, a large plaza where people would have gathered to socialize, do business and worship.  Immediately below is the Temple of Jupiter with Mt. Vesuvius in the background.  The…

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Amalfi

Amalfi

We drove along the Amalfi Coast, an absolutely beautiful drive.  Many of the roads were narrow and had “hairpin” curves.  We also stopped in Positano, a small town built on the face of a cliff.  These pictures were taken from our bus or during our stop in Positano. During our drive, we saw the Church of Santa Maria Assunta which is located in Positano.  It is by the Mediterranean Sea and has blue, green and yellow tiles on the dome. …

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Sorrento and Capri

Sorrento and Capri

We took Tauck’s Classic Italy tour in 2013.  We arrived early and  stayed at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento.  The hotel had a patio overlooking the Sea of Naples.  We enjoyed sitting on the patio, looking at the beautiful views, and sipping wine. For our extra day in Sorrento, we booked a day trip to Capri.  Our guide met us at the hotel and we took a ferry to the island.  The first picture below is one of…

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Geothermal Hot Springs and a Geothermal Spa

Geothermal Hot Springs and a Geothermal Spa

The day had come when we were going to fly home, but our flight wasn’t until later in the day.  So Tauck had a few more stops that certainly added some last minute fun to our trip.  As we drove along the road, we saw more lava rock and moss-covered lava that was so prevalent throughout our travels in Iceland. We also visited Seltun, a geothermal area that consists of bubbling mud pots, volcanic vents, thermal springs and fumaroles.  A…

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Iceland’s Golden Circle

Iceland’s Golden Circle

Our next excursion in Iceland was the Golden Circle, a route that enabled us to see three important sites: the Pingvellir National Park, the Geysir Hot Springs and the Gullfoss Waterfall.  We first went to Pingvellir.  Located in Rift Valley, it has geological importance because it lies between the North American and Eurasian continental plates.   This separation has resulted in fissures, ponds and rivers.  The path in the pictures below is in Rift Valley, the area filled in by the…

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Heimaey – Still Thriving After a Volcanic Eruption

Heimaey – Still Thriving After a Volcanic Eruption

As we approached Heimaey Island, we sailed through an archipelago which formed as  result of volcanic activity under the ocean.  The water was a little rough, but it was a beautiful day to be out on the deck.  We saw Surtsey Island (second picture), which emerged from the ocean in 1963 as a result of a volcanic eruption under the sea.  Since the eruption ended, the island has been eroding because of heavy seas.  Access to the island is highly…

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Health and Safety when Traveling

Health and Safety when Traveling

A tip I have heard often – and I am sure you have too – is to consider travel insurance.  We usually take such coverage, depending on the trip costs, the length of the trip and our destination.  Policies will vary, but generally there is some coverage for trip cancellation or trip interruption.  There will likely be several pages of details, so be sure to read documents carefully to insure the insurance will meet your needs/circumstances. You should also check…

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Isafjordur and Vigur Island

Isafjordur and Vigur Island

In the first picture below, we are on our way to the village of Isafjordur which lies in the Skutulsjordur Fjord.  It has a population of about 2,500 and is a fishing village.  After docking, we took a small boat to Vigur Island.  There was beautiful scenery including mountains and a volcano. The volcano has a flat top; volcanoes of this type are sometimes called table mountains.  They form when lava erupts through a glacier.  The last picture is of…

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Akureyri Port

Akureyri Port

After leaving Grimsey Island, our next port of call was Akureyri.  It was a busy day – there were four stops, the first of which was the Godafoss Waterfall, or the Waterfall of the Gods.  It was named in 1,000 AD when the Parliament declared that Iceland would be a Christian country.  The Godafoss Waterfall is located in the Skjalfandafljot River.  It is one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland.  The Skjalfandafljot River runs across a lava field which is…

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