Santiago de Cuba, if I have my facts straight, was the birthplace of Fidel Castro. It is also so the location of Teddy Roosevelt’s famous charge on San Juan Hill and the organizational center of the revolution. The natural harbor is absolutely stunning with a very cool fort guarding it’s entry. Again, our buses set out for a “sanctioned” tour of the historic parts of the city, a visit to the fort, a visit to another pristine cemetery, another fantastic meal at another privately owned restaurant, St. Pauli Peledere and finally, a fun stop at a salsa club for live music and dancing. In spite of many buildings and properties showing extreme deferred maintenance, both Havana and Santiago de Cuba were exceptionally clean. Apparently under the communist system, all citizens are guaranteed a job, maybe not the one you’d choose, but there was not a lack of people cleaning the streets and maintaining the vegetation. One final observation was the major quantity of bars and fences surrounding both residences and businesses in spite of our handlers continual insistence that the cities were absolutely safe. Hmmm.

SANTIAGO DE CUBA PHOTOS
I found it very interesting that we had two armed motorcycle escorts for each bus and when I asked why, I was told they were for “traffic control”. Almost believable if there were some traffic. Oh well, as the Adonia steamed back to Miami it was time to ponder the events of the past six days. The trip was billed as an educational opportunity to experience Cuban culture and history through interaction with its people while enjoying the comfort and convenience of a cruise ship. I’m pleased to report that this adventure has more than lived up to its billing. Departure from Cuba leaves me with both hope and concern for this unique island’s future. unfortunately, Cuba’s quest for independence has always seemed to hinge on her dependence. After only a few days in this conflicted country one can easily see there are paths to both success and ruin and the destiny of the country lies with the direction it will take from here.
I want to make sure my readers are aware that this is not your average luxury cruise to a tropical island in the Caribbean. The political environment being what it is, marks these cruises by Fathom as very experimental and no doubt extremely risky on many levels. Of course it’s always difficult to get a true feel for a destination when you spend only a limited time in any given port. Fathom has done a great job of tackling this challenge by offering onboard classes in history, culture and even a class in commonly used Spanish phrases so that the traveler can get the most out of a seven day cruise with only three ports of call. That’s not to say that they skimp on food and revelry and you’ll find the small ship experience a lot less “Vegas Style” glitz and glamour and instead a little more geared to educational in spirit.
As I look back over the adventure I find it difficult to be completely objective if for no other reason than my own limited understanding of the reasons we are just now visiting Cuba as Americans. Bottom line, Cuba’s struggle for independence has been fueled by Spanish, American, Soviet and most recently, Chinese interests. Now here’s where I have to interject my own opinion. Cuba loves to talk about Independence however in the long run, that Independence always seems to be sold to the highest bidder. The communist experiment has left the country economically and spiritually bankrupt and now, after over 50 years of isolation from the free world, Cuba has some big decisions to make. The government (The Castro Brothers) has allowed the spark of free enterprise to enter their highly controlled economy and once ignited, I believe that spark will be hard, if not impossible to extinguish. You can see it in the faces of the owners and employees of the small privately owned restaurants we visited. They are so proud and courageous and so full of hope that it makes me feel hopeful too.

Okay, now off my soap box and back to why we traveled to Cuba in the fist place. Cuba is definitely a must see destination and I’d highly recommend a visit sooner more than later. If for no other reason than to say you saw it “when”. Opening the country to the huge U S market will certainly change the country and with that will come good and bad. Only one thing is set in stone and that is the fact that Cuba WILL change.

Sunday, October 4, 2015 – Today our journey started with a tender ride ashore through turquoise waters to Paphos, Turkey. Our half day tour visited the 3rd century Greek Orthodox church, the site of the largest ancient mosaics in the world and the Tombs of the Kings. The best part of the tour was the mosaics and we could have simply walked a short distance to visit them instead of doing another bus tour but then, we are here to investigate so now we know. Our recommendation here is to visit the mosaics and simply enjoy the beautiful port town on foot.
Monday, October 5, 2015 – Up early again in Kas, Turkey, for a tender ride ashore and another bus tour along the coast then inland to the ruins of Xanthos and Patara for visits to the ruins of two more ancient cities. As I’ve said in the past, after visiting Athens, Rome and Ephasis, these visits, although certainly significant, start to become a little tedious. At this point we have decided to cancel the rest of our bus tours to concentrate a little more on fun and relaxation and simply visit the city centers under our own power. Azamara usually provides transportation to the city center in most ports so we’ll be taking advantage of that aspect of the cruise from this point forward. 
This evening Azamara hosted an evening of entertainment called “White Nights”. Passengers were encouraged to wear white and take part in a deck party featuring dancing under the stars and even an outdoor barbecue. Captain Magnus, (yep, that’s his real name) and his staff were in attendance and the evening was spectacular as we steamed out of Paphos under clear, warm skies and into another beautiful sunset. 

Tuesday, October 6, 2015 – Today in Rhodes, Greece, we took our time rising and went up for a late breakfast before wandering off the ship for a leisurely afternoon. There are lots of great shops as you enter the walled city within just a few hundred yards of the ship. Sue inspected most of the shops while I impatiently waited for an opportunity for free wi-fi and a beer at yet another local taverna. We are now back onboard and getting ready for an evening at the Aquafina Italian specialty restaurant. We booked a package including one night at the chef’s table for California cuisine, one night at Prime C, the steak house and Aquafina, the first of our three night specialty dining package. I hope you’re all appreciating the great lengths we go through to bring you our informed opinions and travel suggestions. It’s a sacrifice but one we’re willing to make as your travel professionals. 

Ashdod – Jaffa

Today’s tour was a short bus ride up the coast to the ancient port city of Jaffa followed by a tour of Tel Aviv. In a nutshell, the tour was kind of lame. There is really not much left of Jaffa and Tel Aviv, although a modern Israeli city, virtually has no history so unless you are into trendy restaurants and shopping, it is pretty insignificant from a historical perspective. Personally, I was happy to get back to the ship to enjoy cocktails and food. On a side note, this was as close as we came to the Gaza Strip and the controversy only 20 miles south of the Port of Ashdod. 

JERUSALEM – Day One 
This tour was a thirty-six hour marathon of overwhelming history, biblical sites and eye-opening political revelation. We began our journey from the Port of Ashdod traveling to Jerusalem and arrived at the Israel Museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. The museum also featured a scale model of the 2nd temple era city which really helped us understand the original layout when we began seeing the points of interest. Without attempting to offer a history lesson, I’ll just list the incredible places we visited on our first day in Jerusalem.  

After visiting the Israel Museum we drove a short distance and entered Bethlehem. This was our first visit to this part of the world and we did not know that Bethlehem is Arab controlled. We also did not expect that visiting The Church of the Nativity, built on the site of the birthplace of Jesus, requires driving through a security checkpoint with machine gun toting Israeli soldiers and that the entire city itself is completely surrounded by a huge ugly wall nothing short of that of a prison. I am not trying to make a political statement here but I am saying that this had a huge impact on me and my former vision of the baby Jesus in a manger. They say that visiting the holy land changes you and this is the point at which my change hit me like a ton of bricks.  

We then headed back to Jerusalem and visited the Garden of Gethsemane where Judas betrayed Jesus, below The Mount of Olives. We then entered the old city through the Dung gate, through the crowded markets arriving at the church of the Holy Sepulcher, the site of the crucifixion, the empty tomb and the resurrection of Christ. I can only say that for me, it’s pretty hard to wrap my head around all this and the overwhelming emotion of standing in this most holy of holy places. Regardless of your beliefs, the events that take place here continue to change the world. 
Leaving the church we waked down the Via Dolorosa, the Way of Suffering, past several Stations of the Cross finally arriving at the western or “Wailing Wall”. It was so interesting seeing the mix of Christians, Jews and Muslims all laying claim to this incredible city. 

JERUSALEM – Day Two 

Our tour company provided us lodging at the Dan Hotel in Jerusalem which included dinner and breakfast. We didn’t spend much time in the room except to get some sleep and early on our second day we were leaving the city and descending into the Jordan Valley with spectacular views of the Dead Sea, the River Jordan and the Sea of Galilee. We traveled north along the path of the River Jordan and the Jordanian boarder. Again, in stark contrast to the biblical theme of our journey and the otherwise pastoral setting one can’t ignore the double fence line topped with razor wire and the occasional security check points as we headed toward the Sea of Galilee. 

Arriving near the Sea of Galilee we stopped at the place believed to be the site of Jesus’ Baptism by John the Baptist. There were people from all over the world entering the water to be either baptized or renewing the rites in the holy River Jordan. We then journeyed up to the Mount of Beatitudes where Christ delivered the Sermon on the Mount, then back down to Tabgha to the Church of the Multiplication, believed to have been built on the site of the miracle of the fish and loaves.  

In Capernaum we had a short walking tour of ruined synagogue and the center of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. After lunch we completed our two day tour with a visit to Nazereth, the Church of the Annunciation and the preserved grotto where the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary. Finally we headed back through the Jezreel Valley and the Carmel Mountains where we re-joined the cruise ship in Haifa and enjoyed the opportunity to get off our feet and do some relaxing. Next port of call, Paphos on the Island of Cyprus.  

We left Laughlin on schedule shortly after 7:00 am for McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas. To avoid long term parking fees we rented a car at the Bullhead Airport on Friday and our plan worked out famously as we dropped the rental at the McCarran Rental Center. After a brief shuttle ride to Terminal One we dropped our luggage and headed for security. We were both surprised to find we had TSA Pre check for all three legs of our domestic and international flights and the Las Vegas connection went extremely well. We literally bypassed the entire screening process and were able to simply scan our carry-on, walk through a metal detector and we were done. Best boarding time we’ve ever had and we’ve been through a lot of security check points.

This left us lots of time to relax before the flight so we decided a Bloody Mary before the flight to Detroit was more than a good idea. As we sat at the bar and updated our email and Facebook accounts a young man sat down and started up a conversation with Sue. He was in Vegas working as a consultant and when Sue mentioned our son Bryan was also an engineer we had an instant new friend. Before we left the bar he insisted on buying us shots of Jack Daniels so we were feeling no pain as we boarded our Delta flight (AF2301). We had a short layover in Detroit (DTW)and then off to Paris via Air France (AF1832).

Arrival in Athens, Greece 

Our connection (AF3628) at Charles DeGaulle International Airport (CDG) in Paris was short however we did have to transfer to another terminal which necessitated going through security again and of course our TSA Pre Check tickets got us nothing in France. Our arrival in Athens was uneventful with virtually no customs or immigration to deal with and our driver was waiting for us just outside the terminal.  

Our hotel, Central Athens Hotel, was located in the center of Athens and within walking distance to Syntagma Square, Parliament House, the National Gardens and the Plaka, the city’s shopping and restaurant district. We arrived at about 5:00 pm local time and after a quick power nap we headed upstairs to the open air rooftop bar that had a stunning view of the Acropolis. After a bottle of wine and a platter of cold cuts, fruits and cheeses we witnessed a spectacular sunset then headed back down to our room for some much needed sleep. 

The hotel included a nice breakfast buffet each morning and after getting our bearings we spent the morning watching the changing of the guard at tomb of the unknown in front of Parliament House and then a couple of hours strolling through the National Gardens before having lunch at a sidewalk café. The afternoon was spent taking taking a tour bus excursion along the coastal highway out to Cape Sounion to see the Temple of Poseidon. An item to note, although the drive along the coast was beautiful and the Temple was interesting, we would recommend skipping this tour and spending time enjoying the beautiful beaches perhaps the Marina shops and restaurants.. After visiting the Acropolis the Temple of Poseidon is kind of anticlimactic and not worth the long drive. 

Our evening included a short night-time tour of the marina before arriving at a traditional Greek Taverna in the Plaka. Live music, traditional dance performances, Greek food and wine made for a very fun and lively evening. Probably could have saved a few bucks and skipped the bus tour and group dining experience and done the tavern on our own but for our first time here it worked out well. That’s why we experiment on our trips so we can give you the best advice possible when you visit these destinations yourself. 

Next morning we enjoyed our hotel provided breakfast before doing a little real estate business and catching up on this blog. (The hotel did have free wi-fi although high speed it is not.) The rest of the morning we took our time preparing for the cruise and then a short 15 Euro taxi ride over to the cruise terminal to board Azamara Journey for our 12 day Holy Land adventure. 

The Cruise 

Embarkation was easy and fast but of course on the smaller ships we have always found this to be the case. Once onboard the Azamara Journey we were greeted with a glass of champagne before having a bit of lunch al fresco on the aft deck and of course, more wine. Weather was warm and a perfect way to start our journey. Our stateroom is very comfortable with a king size bed, a small couch, desk, flat screen TV and a roomy veranda appointed with table and chairs perfect for having a meal on our private deck. 

We enjoyed cocktails at the casino bar before heading off to dinner in the main dining room where we met a couple from Washington D.C. and another couple from Vancouver, B.C. The show after dinner was excellent with exceptional dancers and singers and featured dance movies from the 70’s. (Footloose, Grease, Saturday Night Fever and Dirty Dancing) Overall a great evening until the captain came over the ships public address system. 

We were on our way back to our room at about 11:00 pm when the captain made an announcement requesting passengers with O pos blood report to the purser’s lobby. A woman was having some medical issues and the ship’s doctor needed a supply of blood on hand. Fortunately I had my donor card with me and was able help with a unit of blood. The woman’s condition was serious enough to require the captain to reroute the ship to Rhodes in order for her to receive the best medical care possible. We ended up in the medical center until about 2:00 am. 

It is now the following morning and we are steaming away from Rhodes after dropping off our stabilized passenger and are back on course for Jerusalem continuing our adventure. The captain just made the announcement that we should arrive on schedule so this unfortunate situation really won’t affect the rest of our trip since today is a sea day and we should be able to make up the lost time. 

Australia & Asia Adventure

So of course we’re already back from this adventure but I’m going to try and do the blog as best I can after the fact. Using the ship’s extremely slow and very expensive internet kept me away from the computer except for the most important business matters. I also admit I enjoyed laying on my lounge chair sipping the drink of the day and generally doing nothing while on the cruise. So much to report so I’m going to do it in segments and here is the first installment written while on the plane on the way to Sydney.

Entry 1 March 13, 2015 6:10 AM Australia Time

We’re off to a bumpy start after having our short one hour flight from Las Vegas to Los Angeles delayed then finally canceled causing us to miss our international connection to Sydney. After a three hour delay Delta did get us to LA and rescheduled us on Qantas Airlines but the connection was so tight they had to escort us through security all the way to the gate in order for us to make the flight on time. Whew! As they say in Aussie lingo, “No Worries Mate” and we’re now just a couple of hours out from Sydney and excited for our first visit down under and our 20 day cruise adventure of Australia and Asia.

Side note: Qantas seats actually recline more than the two inch industry standard and the flight has been very comfortable. Actually slept the first five hours or so and I think we’ll feel relatively refreshed when we arrive in Sydney. Not what we expected at all after a thirteen hour flight.

Side note 2: We passed the International Date Line and totally skipped Thursday so after leaving Las Vegas on Wednesday night we’ll arrive in Sydney on Friday morning at about 8:30 am. That’s kind of weird to think about, huh?

Entry 2

Before even getting off the plane we were paged and asked to contact the Qantas ground staff as soon as got off the aircraft. Of course after all the delays and cancellations mentioned above our luggage did not make it to Sydney and their best guess was that one piece of of our luggage was on a delta flight and the other on another Qantas flight both scheduled for arrival the next day. Of course our cruise was leaving the next day and we were now just a little concerned. We were given an emergency kit consisting of one size fits all tee shirts, shorts and basic toiletries, a prepaid credit card for $240 Australian, a pat on the back and the now all too familiar “no worries mate” and sent on our way. As we had a reservation for the Sydney Tower Restaurant that evening we checked into the Sydney Marriot Harbor then promptly set about the task of purchasing something to wear to dinner.

Unfortunately we learned quickly that clothing in Sydney is very expensive and $240 AUD only got me a polo shirt, 2 pairs of underwear, a pack of socks and a dress for Sue but that was all we really needed and our evening at the Sydney Tower turned out to be spectacular even if we were a little under-dressed. We didn’t really get to see much of Sydney other than the downtown shopping district but what we did see was clean, safe and comfortable. We spent the next morning on the phone with Qantas and the hotel let us extend our stay until our luggage finally arrived at about 1:00 PM. Whew! After a quick cab ride to the cruise terminal we were happy to see the beautiful Ocean Princess waiting for us and eager to start our 20 day cruise of the eastern Australia coastline and southeast Asia.