This is a nice itinerary and a lot of people we have not seen for a while so we are looking forward to GONDOLA.

Ken and I are leaving this morning for GONDOLA to arrive the day of embarkation. All the sane people are already in Venice. Again a tight connection, we arrive in Venice at 2.00 pm and the ship sails at 5.00 pm. This reminds me of our close call in Athens. BA changed our flight time by 3 hours. We knew this was way to close and that we would probably miss the plane it was 2 hours from landing to the ship sailing and it is a good hour plus we would be in rush hour traffic. We advised the ship accordingly and booked passage on a Greek Ferry. A very posh ship you can sleep on the floor if you like. We booked the MASTER SUITE very expensive at $99 for the nights crossing. We were picked up by the famous "Stellios" our Athens taxi driver that now many of you have used. He went some back way over hills and small towns and we made it JUST in time. I must admit I was a bit disappointed I thought that ferry would have been an adventure. At least some good dinner conversation.

We are going back to Malta and I am prepared with half full suitcases. I love the glass in Malta made by Mdina Glass. Years ago they just had their factory now they have stores all over the place in Malta. On one trip we were arriving in Malta on a Sunday and the factory was closed. So I emailed them and they opened just for us. We piled in taxis and headed over to the factory. There were about 30 of us and we bought a ton of glass. We bought so much it had to be shipped in grates and then we hit issues with customs and getting the crates from the port of entry to our homes. Worth it all though I love the glass and some of you who came to our house for Ho-Down would have seen my glass collection in the kitchen.

Ken likes plates and things that hang on a wall. So two weeks ago he bought another plate at Mdina Glass. After coming home and trying to figure out where to put it he recognized how much harder they were to display. So he promised this trip no more plates. We will see, he seldom buys anything but he loves plates!

Okay got to get ready to go. We leave the house at the civilized time of 10.00am and we are off DFW-Chicago-Dusseldorf-Venice. You have to love FF miles they allow you to see the airports of the world.looking forward to those reunioins. Also a great staff that we just left two weeks ago.

Have a safe trip and a wonderful cruise. I love the group you're with, too bad we couldn't have stayed on. Have fun shopping for your beautiful glass!

Have a great trip everyone!

Everyone, have a wonderful cruise and I will wait patiently for the sea mail!

Bon Voyage! Have a great time!

YAY! More LCTers cruising!! And more sea mail! Have a great cruise!! BON VOYAGE!!

Have a great time. I told George you comment about FF miles. He laughed. He is always making fun of me about my miles obsession, but he sure doesn't complain about flying in F and J.

Have an amazing cruise everyone. We are so disappointed we can't be there, but Ngaire sent us a pin, so we will wear it and pretend we are there and live thru your seamail.

Sooo looking foward to seamail!

N, sometimes I think you and Ken are just plain crazy! But when I started to cruise, for the first several ones, I always landed day of, and never gave it a thought. Here's hoping you make it once again, you have a fantastic record so far!

Can't say I'm ready yet to get back on the ship again so soon after 6 days, but will enjoy hearing from you who are on!

Bon Voyage! Looking forward to seamail to help me in my trip withdrawal.

We're on board after two nights in Milan and a train ride over to Venice.

Peter hope you two have a wonderful cruise!

Peter!
Best to you & Mark! Enjoy the trip.

Doug

I hope everyone had a great day in Dubrovnik. Such a beautiful town to just wander around and go up on the wall.

So nice to be back on board. The first night I enjoyed seeing everyone upstairs. Just so many people we enjoy that I had not seen for some time. One of the bar staff said "I have not seen you in the last few weeks where were sick". He did not realized we had left and come back.

It was a beautiful day in Dubrovnik yesterday. Followed by a yummy dinner in Prime 7. Today we are in Kotor a port we have not been to before. We are docked and we are RIGHT in town. Beautiful place right at the base of a pretty big mountain. I think this port is going to be a winner. We booked a tour today but now looking at this lovely little town wishing we had just walked on shore. We will have time to do that this afternoon though.

Will come back and report later today.

Kotor -Montenegro - a wonderful port. I think everyone enjoyed their tours today I love going high so we took a bus tour around 25 hair pin bends to 3000 ft. The views were absolutely stunning. Then we crossed the island it was a really gorgeous drive with lots of lovely small villages.

After we got back we had lovely lunch with Fred and Pat and then went walking in the old town fort just a few steps from the ship. Lots of restaurants, shops and old churches. There was a market on the street with lovely produce and other goods. They have very appealing knitted coats here I have not seen elsewhere and I resisted the temptation.

Seas are calm just like they were on MARINER. No movement at all and sunny skies and 70 degrees temperature. It starts to get dark at 4.30 pm which seems so early.

Tomorrow night is our cocktail party when the winner for 2013 is announced. I will post as soon as I get word to the winner and I am back from dinner. Always exciting to draw that name!

If you love going high don't miss Cape Verde - HIGH< HIGH HIGH and hair pin twists that will curl you hair - NO railings - just prayers!

Make sure your insurance is in order.

Thanks for posting, Ngaire! Having no knowledge of Kotor, I googled it. I can imaged that you had some stunning views indeed! Sounds like a perfect day, except for the early darkness.

I was so mixed up here. I knew I had been to a port with Ngaire and my daughter, thought it was Kotor, Montenegro, but turns out it was Koper in Slovenia. How easy to confuse new ports!

Remember it well. Towns actually similar looking. Remember taking a cab to an area nearby with Joanna and Tony, and their friends, we had the best time wandering twisting streets, having wine at some cafe along the way, and then getting really nasty wine at our last stop on the main road where we met our taxi. Who knows, maybe that was the town where we found yet another wedding. Always running into weddings on cruises, which is a pleasure!

I do remember RachelG posting about Kotor, I think.

I have done Cape Verde Ted, in those rickety old school buses.
That is not a ride for the faint at heart.

This was not as scary as that ride and the scenery is far more spectacular and a better road. There are two bays in Kotor. In fact it reminds me in some ways of Moorea with the two lovely bays there. Not the scenery just the two different bays so close together. The bay the ship docks in is quite small and the ship looks huge from above.

Yet another lovely dinner as we celebrated Al and Kathy's 39th anniversary. Dover Sole and Rack of Lamb a double delight. Hit the sack right after dinner I was ready to sleep.

This morning a lovely sunny day. Totally calm seas. Dinner in Prime 7 tonight with Jim and Mary Ellen - ah life is good!

Olivia - I had the same thought, that we had done Kotor on B2B, I think, but you are right it was Koper. Remember seeing the weddings, wandering the town, it was a Sunday I think, stopping for a snack and some wine.

Kotor sounds really wonderful, as does Trapiani, hope to get to both one of these days.

Enjoying your posts Ngaire, so wishing we had not cancelled and were onboard, but at least we can enjoy it through the seamail.

Photos From the Old Walled City in Dubrovnic, Croatia:

Photos From Kotor, Montenegro:


Only the Mariner in Port, NICE!!


25 Hairpin Turns on the way to Njegusi Village.


A Wildlife Spotting on the way up.


Wool Coats for Sale in Njegusi Village.

The caller ID on my cell phone said Texas. That's where my sister lives, so I thought it was her. Hmmm... not like her to call, but maybe she wants to talk Christmas plans. The voice on the other end didn't have my sister's Texas accent; it was more southern than that --- as in southern hemisphere. That leaves me speechless. I now fully know how it feels to be speechless. As it finally becomes clear to me what's happening, I still struggle to talk as it has become difficult due to the pogo stick jumping in the dining room without a pogo stick that has commenced.

Soon the phone is passed to Ken. He gets all the babbling unleashed on him as the air has finally found it's way through my larynx!

Ngaire wanted me to post, so here goes: WE WON!! ALICE AND I WON THE FREE CRUISE!!!!!

This is so incredibly, awesomely, stupendously, the most FANTASTICLY lucky thing that has ever happened to us!!! (Except that we somehow met each other and had the luck to have met and traveled with WONDERFUL LCT PEOPLE!!! )

We are so looking forward to being on another escorted B&K cruise. It's such a privilege. Thank you Ngaire & Ken!!!! BIG HUGS!

Congratulations you two - couldn't have gone to a nicer pair!!! Please feel free to ask me to join you should one of you be unable to take advantage of the cruise! Lee

That's terrific news, Kim & Alice! So happy for you.

Cheers, Anne

That is AWESOME! Congratulations to the two of you.

Yeah! Kim and Alice. Love that you all won. Be sure to let us know which cruise you choose.

Congratulations Kim and Alice!! We are so pleased that you won the cruise and we hope that we are able to travel with the both of you again.

That is fantastic news, we are so happy for you. Hope you get to choose a cruise that we are on so we can have the pleasure of sailing with you again.

That is just awesome! Big congratulations to both of you.

WOW SO HAPPY FOR YOU BOTH - XXOO we loved cruising with you!! Joanna and Tony

Oh my gosh, this just made my day!!!! Thanks you so much for doing it this way, Ngaire, letting them announce it themselves! Kim and Alice, I am just thrilled for you! Ditto what Sheila (s&k) said!

I can just hear Alice squealing and see her jumping on that imaginary pogo stick!

Congratulations Kim & Alice!!

Congratulations Kim and Alice! We are thrilled for you. This could not have happened to two nicer people....we can't wait to hear what you choose! Hugs to you both!!!!!

Awesome news Kim and Alice!!!!! What a great feeling!!

Wonderful news Kim and Alice. Congratulations, so happy for you. Like many have said hope we get to be on the one you choose. PAGODA????

OMG what exciting news! I am so happy for you two, I am dancing the jig!

This is such exciting news! Congratulations...couldn't happen to nicer people...choose PAGODA!