Author Archives: jayandtanya

“Here’s looking at you kid” and “Come with me to the Casbah”

Posted on June 7, 2017 by jayandtanya

Casablanca. Ah, doesn’t this very name conjure up visions of intrigue and romance? Who can ever forget that torrid affair between Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, “We’ll always have Paris”. Victor Laslow, the letters of transit, Sidney Greenstreet. These are … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Morocco | Leave a comment

Easter in Cadiz

Posted on May 31, 2017 by jayandtanya

Cadiz, the beautiful port city along Spain’s southern Andalusian coast, is sometimes called “Europe’s oldest city”, but we have a hard time trying to figure out how to verify that claim. Maybe Neanderthals grouping together didn’t really have what we … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Spain | Leave a comment

We Love Barcelona!

Posted on May 24, 2017 by jayandtanya

On this second visit to Barcelona in the last two years, Jay and Tanya had to make some readjustments in our perception of the place. We try not to be influenced by popular opinion before visiting places, whether that opinion … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Spain | Leave a comment

Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Posted on May 17, 2017 by jayandtanya

Germans, and other northern Europeans, love vacationing in Mallorca and it’s easy to see why. Jay likes to compare the German affinity for the island to folks from the Pacific Northwest USA enjoying Hawaii. Mallorca is easily reached from several … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Spain | Leave a comment

Valletta, Malta

Posted on May 14, 2017 by jayandtanya

“Is Malta a country?”, we heard a fellow traveler ask his companion. Well, Jay and Tanya felt pretty smug that at least we knew Malta was indeed an independent country, partly because we knew the former US Ambassador here several … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Malta | Leave a comment

Mykonos: A Breath of Fresh Air

Posted on May 10, 2017 by jayandtanya

Getting out of Athens and spending a day on Mykonos is like being able to breathe fresh air after being in a smoke-filled room. Not that Athens is necessarily polluted, it’s just that the island of just 10,000 people gently … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Greece | Leave a comment

A Day at the Museum

Posted on May 5, 2017 by jayandtanya

Any visit to Athens should include taking in the National Museum, also known as the National Archaeological Museum. The grounds look a bit shabby and uncared for but, once inside, the amazing works of art housed here illustrate the richness … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Greece | 3 Comments

Athens, Old and New

Posted on May 1, 2017 by jayandtanya

Athens is another one of those places Tanya and Jay had not visited for a few years, so we looked forward to seeing what had changed from before. On the old front, the monuments are still there (surprise, surprise). The … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Greece | Leave a comment

Rhodes: A Quiet Sunday Morning

Posted on April 26, 2017 by jayandtanya

The Greek island of Rhodes was our first of five stops in the country and what a difference from our last summer visit a couple of years ago. For one thing, there was no one here. Perhaps it was simply … Continue reading →

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Transiting the Suez Canal

Posted on April 23, 2017 by jayandtanya

The Suez Canal, connecting the Red Sea with the Mediterranean, may lack the drama and complexity of the Panama Canal but it is still pretty amazing. The 120-mile ditch through the desert was opened in 1869 and provides a straight … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East | 4 Comments