ATW
ATW-3 Day 3: Cartagena, Spain
Jett and I visited Cartagena in 2018 on our first – and last – transatlantic cruise. It was aborted when Jett developed a critically low hemoglobin issue which forced us off the ship and landed Jett in the hospital. It was not a happy introduction to Cartagena. But with Jett in the hospital for 4 … Continue reading
ATW-3 Day 2: At sea
Ah, a day at sea! After a month with the stress of driving in Europe and finding hotels, it was a relief to just kick back and relax. The rough seas in the morning made relaxing more difficult, but I managed. We slept in after a late night in the casino. I lost, as usual … Continue reading
ATW-3 Day 1: Embarkation
We rose at 7 am and did our best to consume what was left of our food. We had bread, cheese and our mystery meat for breakfast, with a side of peach jam. Instant coffee, too. We didn’t quite finish the bread, meat and jam and bequeathed them to the cleaning girl. She actually seemed … Continue reading
ATW-2 Day 28: Rome, Italy
Our last day in Rome was spent touring the Colosseum and the Roman Forum – the surprisingly large area of ruins surrounding it. We had breakfast in our hotel room, then walked 10 minutes to the Colosseum. The proximity to the Colosseum was one of the main reasons I selected this hotel. We arrived just … Continue reading
ATW-2 Day 27: Rome, Italy
Our penultimate (love that word!) day in Europe was low-key. We wandered the city for a while but otherwise just chilled in our room. And played cards which, of course, Marlene won, 2-1. Our meandering route took us up the hill behind the hotel where there were some Roman ruins, past the skate park and … Continue reading
ATW-2 Day 26: Florence to Rome, Italy
Let me tell you about our apartment at the Fattoria il Milione Agriturismo in Florence. This is a rural estate in the hills overlooking Florence. Yes, it is difficult to get to, but worth the trip. Almost everything about this place is fantastic. We had a large apartment with a view down to Florence. The … Continue reading
ATW-2 Day 25: Florence, Italy
The day started with the complimentary breakfast at the hotel, served in a rock-walled room directly below our apartment. A very good breakfast. We chatted with a group of 6 from Lincoln NE who were staying at the hotel for a full month. They loved Italy and Tuscany in particular. For one it was her … Continue reading
ATW-2 Day 24: Venice to Florence, Italy
Our hotel for 3 nights in Venice (or, as I have explained, Mestre, a suburb of Venice) was the Hotel Ambasciata Venice, a small (20 room) hotel near the Mestre train station. I picked it for its location, its free parking, its free breakfast and its low price. I wasn’t disappointed. It was everything I … Continue reading
ATW-2 Day 23: Venice, Italy
We started the day with the hotel breakfast, then set off for Venice again. We didn’t want to walk the same 10 miles this time so we resolved to give the ferry on the Grand Canal a try. When we left the train station I approached the ferry ticket booth and asked for 2 tickets … Continue reading
ATW-2 wrapup
This was the longest and most complex of the 3 ATW segments, taking 28 days of travel by auto through Italy, France, Germany and Austria. We rented a car after two days in Rome and returned it before our final 3 days in Rome (a total of 23 days of auto rental). By the numbers: … Continue reading »