February 6 – 17, 2023 The plane landed in Sharm el Sheikh, or Sharm, as it is locally called. I caught a taxi to Naama Blue Hotel. The hotel came with a pool, which I didn't use; and a large outdoor patio, which I did use. The area is restricted to everyday traffic and I... Continue Reading →
EGYPT – LUXOR
January 31 – February 6, 2023 The bus to Luxor was very comfortable. It was a night bus and I slept like a baby in the wide reclining seats. And they even served a boxed lunch! The guesthouse host, Ali Mohamed, said he could arrange for a taxi to pick me up from the bus... Continue Reading →
EGYPT – ISMAILIA (SUEZ CANAL)
January 27, 2023 I wanted to go to the Suez Canal. I had watched a documentary on the Egypt-Israeli war and had seen some displays in the military museum about “The Crossing”. It was a 2-hour drive. Another Canadian guest from the same guesthouse and I asked the old man, who had been my taxi... Continue Reading →
EGYPT – CAIRO & GIZA
January 17-31, 2023 Landing in Cairo I paid my $25 US to get my tourist visa and breezed through immigration. My European SIM did not work. There were 3 phone providers conveniently located in the baggage claim area. $15 had me set up with a new card. The guesthouse driver was waiting for me outside.... Continue Reading →
GREECE – ATHENS
January 14-18, 2023 I flew from Malta to Athens. I was still feeling poorly but, dammit, I was finally in Athens and was going to push myself! I took the metro from the airport to Syntagma Square – the largest square in modern Athens where many major roads intersect and many buses and trams run.... Continue Reading →
MALTA
January 8-13, 2023 First of all, I wasn't feeling all that great. I must have caught a bug in Venice because I was full of mucus and coughing. Ultimately, I did not explore to the depth that I would have liked. Malta is an island country in the middle of the Mediterranean. It has been... Continue Reading →
ITALY – VENICE
January 4 – 8, 2023 The bus ride to Venice was uneventful. Except for the guy whose shaving cream emptied itself in his backpack. What a mess! We passed through many many vineyards, with the Dolomite mountains looming in the background. I was not staying in actual Venice, but in Mestre, a suburb of Venice,... Continue Reading →
SPAIN – BARCELONA
December 21, 2022 – January 3, 2023 Arriving in Barcelona, I took an Uber to the hostel. I had booked weeks in advance and was lucky to get any room in town. Everything was booked up for Christmas and New Year. Prices were not cheap as a result. $50 per night for a bunk in... Continue Reading →
SPAIN – MADRID
December 14-21, 2022 It was pouring rain the day I left Porto for Madrid. It was a good day to spend on a bus. The 9-hour bus ride only cost $24.50. SIDE NOTE: The torrential rains seemed to hit whatever city I was in the day I left or a day or two later. Good... Continue Reading →
PORTUGAL – PORTO
DEC 10-14, 2022 I got into Porto mid-afternoon. I took a Bolt (Uber) to Miguel's Place AirBnB, where the host greeted me. I was renting a room in an apartment, but I was the only guest. There was also a heater in the bedroom. When looking for accommodations, having a heater became one of the... Continue Reading →