Cruising the Mediterranean during COVID

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Top: Vibrant, sprawling Palma de Majorca. Bottom: Ukrainian violinists in concert on a day at sea.

Ports

Photographs (from top row to bottom) ROME: Trevi Fountain; GIBRALTAR: The Rock; CANNES: Yachts in the harbor; FLORENCE: Ponte Vecchio; BARCELONA: La Sagrada Familia; MAJORCA: Catedral de Santa Maria; GENOA: Aquarium; CORSICA: Lake lookout in the mountains.

People

Photographs (from top row to bottom) Encounter on a Rome bus; “Let’s Take a Selfie” tour guide; Artist in the Majorca hills; The “Pisa Pose,” remarkable strength; Break time in Genoa’s Aquarium; Lifelong resident of Barcelona; Restaurant friends (she’s from Ukraine); Wine tasting in Corsica.

Cruising

Photographs (from top row to bottom) Atrium at center of ship; Room with balcony; Crew practicing rescue in the pool; Tendering to shore; Breakfast creativity; Dining in the Bistro restaurant; Poolside entertainment; Theater entertainment.

Copyright © 2022 by Steve Kaffen. All rights reserved. You may quote from the book and use photographs with attribution, but please first contact the publisher. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for quotations and photographs used appropriately and other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. Published by: SK Journeys P.O. Box 18745 Washington, D.C. 20036 [email protected] Cruising the Mediterranean during COVID Photographs by Steve Kaffen Cover photo: The harbor of Gibraltar

Dedicated To you, my fellow traveler, on the road and in life, with the hope that this story moves you to take a personal risk, explore new avenues, and execute a memorable journey.

Live all you can; it’s a mistake not to. The right time is any time that one is still so lucky as to have.

―Henry James, The Ambassadors

STEVE KAFFEN 1

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………..1 AUTHOR’S NOTE..……………………………………………………...2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………….11

CRUISING THE MEDITERRANEAN DURING COVID……...12

APPENDIX 1: CRUISING THE GREEK ISLANDS……………………………...159 APPENDIX 2: MAP OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA REGION...…………166 APPENDIX 3: A TRAVELING LIFE………………..…………………...………….167 APPENDIX 4: BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR……………………………...…………184

ABOUT THE AUTHOR……………………………………………..195

STEVE KAFFEN 1

INTRODUCTION

In Cruising the Mediterranean during COVID, we take two cruises in the Mediterranean Sea, visit the ports-of-call, and enjoy the ships and people. Between the cruises, we travel around the continent. Throughout the journey, we deal with the pandemic’s control requirement and procedures. A narrative and some 300 original photos tell the story, a visual visit during stunning early springtime in Europe’s Mediterranean region.

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

Europe was slowly transitioning from the worst effects of COVID-19 in spring 2022. The Mediterranean region is particularly stunning in the spring, and I felt that by exercising reasonable precautions, I could have a safe and enjoyable trip. A purpose of the trip was to rejuvenate after spending most of the last two years indoors. My last international travel experience, in New Zealand and Australia in early 2020, had been cut short by the COVID outbreak, and I made it home on one of the last flights before Australia shut its borders. Since then, except for a cross-country train trip on Amtrak, I had spent most of my time inside, with periodic breaks for fresh air, walks, and shopping. At home, I occupied myself with the never-ending stream of COVID news while researching such questions as which vaccine is the most effective, is the N95 or KN95 mask better, and should I wear gloves? The trip’s April-May 2022 timing turned out to be ideal. Trains and buses were not crowded, restaurants had immediate seating, hotels offered upgrades and rates reductions when asked, and my cruise ships were half full leading to unusually personalized service. To strengthen my protection against COVID and

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the existing variant strain, I obtained a second vaccination booster before departing. Confronting the COVID requirements Each country had its own COVID control requirements for visitors. These included health forms, daily locator forms, vaccination requirements and documentation, and COVID testing in certain circumstances. The European Union itself had requirements that were based on the visitor’s originating country. Ships required a “negative” COVID antigen test before boarding, and the United States required a similar test before flying home. I reviewed each country’s website for its entrance and travel requirements and created a control listing to make certain I’d be in compliance as I moved about. Masking differed by country. A few countries were mask optional. Most required masks on transport, in restaurants, and in all or some types of shops. Some countries required that the masks be of a specified quality. The common acceptable mask in Europe was the cone-shape KN95. Interestingly, the rounded N95 masks that I had brought with me were not always recognized and accepted. I wound up accumulating a supply of KN95s, principally from hotels, restaurants, and tourist offices that automatically handed them out to those without them. My ears seemed to be curving inward from the KN95’s elastic, and I ruined several masks when the elastic bands suddenly snapped.

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Countries’ immigration checkpoints wanted to see evidence of vaccination or, failing that, a recent “positive” test and recovery from COVID. Otherwise, a PCR or antigen test was required for entry. All hotels, many restaurants and cafes, and a few shops asked to see my vaccination form upon entering. Some countries had additional requirements. I flew to and began my travel in Madrid, Spain, which requested that a health form be completed online before arrival and certified with a QR code, which was verified by machine reader at the Madrid airport. A few countries wanted daily locator forms that listed where I would be each day and night. This meant reserving transport and hotels in advance. Italy was one of those countries. Near the end of my first cruise, room attendants handed out blank locator forms to those passengers remaining in Italy. Interestingly, I was never asked to show my completed locator form in Italy. France was a different story. Immigration and some hotels insisted on seeing a completed locator form. I traveled from Rome to Nice by bus, and at the border, in the early morning hours, French immigration agents boarded and asked to see vaccination certificates and locator forms. Two people didn’t have these and were refused admittance to France. They and their belongings were removed from the bus onto the side of the highway.

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Mediterranean cruises Cruise lines sent their normal fleet of ships from the Caribbean to Europe. To fill their ships, the cruise lines offered inducements such as balcony upgrades, specialty dining, and discounts on tours. I started with one Mediterranean cruise, expanded that to a second, and sandwiched a month of travel in between. I arrived in Madrid in early April, bused to Barcelona, and cruised on the Regal Princess from Barcelona to Rome. It was the ship’s first cruise in Europe after crossing the Atlantic Ocean from the U.S. Interestingly, five years before, I had taken that transatlantic crossing on this very ship, during its initial year of sailing. To board, I needed a COVID antigen test, which I arranged for with a Barcelona medical clinic to be done the day before embarkation. I did the same in Rome before boarding the Norwegian Epic. My Princess cruise began in Barcelona and visited Gibraltar, Marseille, Genoa, Livorno (for Florence and Pisa), and ended in Civitavecchia, an hour by train from Rome. My Norwegian cruise began in Civitavecchia and stopped in Livorno again, Cannes, Barcelona, and the islands of Majorca and Corsica, and returned to Civitavecchia. I was planning to stay in Rome after the Norwegian cruise, but when I learned that the ship was giving free COVID antigen tests to those passengers flying directly to the U.S., a requirement for entry, I decided to return home. At that point, I was weary of showing my vaccination documents and completing required

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forms, and I did not want to push my good fortune todate in remaining healthy. Getting around An email from Eurail, the marketing arm for Europe’s multi-country rail system, announced that Eurail Passes were on sale and at discounted prices through March. The dollar’s strength against the euro pushed the prices even lower. My experiences with Eurail Passes—from the years that I lived in Paris and during subsequent visits to Europe—had been positive. I remembered the “hop-on and hop-off” spontaneity, the broad rail coverage throughout the continent, and the chance to experience Europe’s best trains. The Pass that I purchased was for unlimited travel during two consecutive months. (The one-month Pass was only slightly less in price.) I shared the rail idea with my family and friends. “Courageous,” was their general reaction, probably in reference to such travel during the pandemic. To understand the route possibilities, I experimented using Eurail’s planning portal, trying different citypair combinations. I was surprised that many longdistance trains were not presently running. Further, the faster and more comfortable trains required seat reservations, and with fees ranging from $10 to $30. The seat reservations had to be made in advance, online or at train stations, and the fees were not refundable if plans changed. Local trains did not require seat reservations, but the trips nonetheless needed to

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be recorded in the Eurail system in order to be scanned by the conductor. Trip times were considerably longer using local trains. For example, the train trip from Rome to Nice required a seat reservation from Rome to Milan and another from Milan to Ventimiglia, on the border with France, costing $20. Alternatively, I could use five local trains taking a full day to do what’s normally an eight-hour run. Also, an email from Eurail reminded me to book my trains and my seat reservations well in advance since there was a quota of seats reservable with the Pass on each train. It seemed too complicated, and in the middle of my first cruise, I cancelled the Eurail Pass prior to its first use, for a refund. I decided instead to use inter-city buses, and I began planning the route. I felt energized about the decision. I had previously used buses in Europe and knew the bus companies and their services well. The photography is excellent from a bus, capturing landscapes, towns, residents, and local lifestyles, as well as the on-the-road sunsets and sunrises, and the activity at periodic roadside rest stops whenever and wherever. In the end, the European bus travel encompassed Nice, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest, and Vienna, too much material for a single book. Further, I had just three years prior, in 2019, written a book Europe by Bus, that included these cities. I decided to focus this book on cruising in the Mediterranean Sea.

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Executing the travel I interacted with residents and foreigners on my cruises and my land travel. Conversations invariably turned to what COVID life was like in other places. As previously discussed, I used buses to get around. I stayed at local hotels in the center of town. I did not make reservations, except in Italy and France, which required that I indicate on locator forms my daily whereabouts. I ate in restaurants that were suggested to me or looked interesting. I often chose restaurants for a specific reason: their broad selection (perhaps a buffet), a chance to taste local specialties, people-watching at a window or on a terrace, or leisurely evening dining. When dining indoors, most restaurants requested to see my vaccination documentation. I used clothes that dry overnight and are acceptable attire in both upscale and casual settings. My shirts were button-down, lightweight, and had two pockets. In one pocket, I kept a notebook and pen, and in the other, anything that needed immediate access such as a street map, a local bus ticket, or my hotel’s business card to show the bus driver. I customized my cotton pants with two tailorcreated pockets: one sewn in the interior of the pants directly under the right front pocket, for items I might need to access during the day, and the other pocket, with a zipper, sewn in the center rear interior of the pants for items such as my credit cards and tickets.

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My notebooks and compact camera, which I kept in a zippered belt holder, pushed me to focus on the specifics of what I was experiencing to photograph the scene and record the details. My backpack (which I prefer over a wheeled suitcase because of its freedom of movement) was narrow enough to slide under the seats of buses. Until this trip, I had taken few selfies, as my camera doesn’t facilitate it. To gain an understanding of the art of the selfie and obtain some practice with my cell phone, I took tours in Florence and Pisa and in Majorca called “Let’s Take a Selfie.” My selfies, despite the instruction, consistently contained less than my full face. I stopped even looking at the results, they were so embarrassing, and reverted to asking others to take my picture with my camera.

Travel Principles I applied these travel principles: •

Determine a travel objective or objectives so that the itinerary and activities are focused and meaningful.

•

Experience people, places, and situations objectively and without pre-judging them, and avoid making decisions based on whether you think you will “like” the place or activity.

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•

Engage with the residents, even brief pleasantries, and initiate encounters. Share information, suggestions, and goodwill since successful visitation requires give and take.

•

Get to know the residents’ lifestyles. Take local buses to outlying neighborhoods; get off at interesting places; and at each, have an experience—a conversation, a small purchase, a snack or coffee—to remember the encounter.

•

Make transportation part of the adventure. Use a variety of transport and observe, close-up, the scenery and local life.

•

Block unscheduled time to wander and explore. Stay flexible and curious. Take the detour.

•

Record the details of observations and experiences in notebooks and photographs to recall them upon returning home.

•

End the travel when it is time.

Telling the story Selecting the photographs was challenging because I had taken so many and wanted the book’s coverage to reflect the breadth of experiences. I spent much time viewing, reviewing, and then re-reviewing the universe of photos. I identified some 300 that

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seem the most interesting and representative of the places, people, and experiences.

My wish I hope that this book moves you to take a personal risk, explore new avenues, and execute your own memorable journeys, in travel and in life. I’d love to learn the details, with photographs too, at skjourneys @ gmail.com. May your journeys be rich and fulfilling.

Steve Kaffen

S T E V E K A F F E N 13

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My parents gave me the spirit of adventure, spontaneity, and curiosity. Before each trip, they asked me if I really wanted to take it, which helped me clarify in my own mind why. They watched over things, responded to inquiries about my well-being, and withheld any concerns about the areas of the world I was undertaking. Thank you so much for your love and understanding. My family and friends kept in touch during my travels. Our give-and-take communication encouraged and energized me to proceed and enabled me to share my experiences. Upon my return home, they left me alone to write. Thank you for your essential support. Many people that I met along the way shared their lives, dreams, and goodwill with me and helped make the trip fun and meaningful. Thank you!

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SETTLING INTO EUROPE Madrid and Barcelona

One last check of documents before departing: passport, credit cards, ship confirmation, flight e-tickets, plus—very important—the COVID vaccination certificate.

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Normally, the flight to Madrid would be full, but it was the start-up for travel to Europe after two years of the COVID pandemic.

A good meal on American Airlines’ flight to Madrid.

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A mostly empty train from the Madrid airport into town.

The residential hotel I stay at in Madrid has an ideal location, a block from Puerta del Sol, in the center of town. The wooden stairs are a bit challenging.

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Making the point “No vacancy” in four languages.

On a side street, an Uber Eats delivery.

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A single scooter outside a café. Is it busy?

It’s a popular neighborhood meeting spot.

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The manager’s area. He knew substantially all the patrons by name, and his first comment to me was to ask me mine.

It was my first café cortado in Spain, a delicious combination of expresso and steamed milk.

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A short walk to the main square, wasPlaza Mayor. In the evening, it would be overflowing with people, including visitors in town for Easter Week.

Nearby, historic Chocolateria San Gines was serving its thick (fondu style) hot chocolate and churros.

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An end to the evening, Another café cortado and churros.

Puerto del Sol, early evening, a block from my hotel.

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My hotel was fronted by a small park.

The following morning, a cafe just outside the hotel.

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The expresso machine was under the counter. The beans come from a plantation in Majorca.

Adjacent to the café, one-stop shopping.

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Well-stocked kiosk.

An institution in Madrid, the restaurant chain Museo de Jamon. In the evening, it served a selection of draft beers and sandwiches (see next photo). Now, breakfast counter service.

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The ham, cheese, or mixed sandwiches were available day and night. Inflation had recently brought the price from 1 euro to 1.50.

It’s called Museo de Jamon for a reason. Look at the selection.

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I stopped in the supermarket in El Corte Ingles department store off Puerto del Sol for water and snacks to take on the tour bus. The foods were placed behind glass for sanitary protection.

Across from the Prado Museum, a large Starbucks.

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Most people ordered expresso-style drinks, so the barista made my drip coffee by the cup.

It gets crowded after school.

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The Prado’s exterior was undergoing construction. I had been numerous times and decided to forego a visit on this trip.

I’d found the Hop-on, Hop-off City Tour to provide clear and understandable English commentary and good bus frequency.

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And away we go.

Madrid’s residential architecture is a photographic favorite for me.

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Tina, the musical, was in town.

The stadium of the local soccer team, Real Madrid, a European powerhouse.

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The minibus was the perfect size for the narrow and busy streets.

It was Easter week, and there were processions nightly.

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Children participated.

Marching band too.

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By metro to the bus station. The complex machine for purchasing train tickets required assistance.

Madrid’s modern subway cars.

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In the bus station, Eurolines, which was acquired by Flixbus several years ago, now does group travel.

The major bus company in Spain was Alsa, which is affiliated with National Express in the U.K. and BlaBla Bus (formerly Ouibus) in France.

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It was a two-level bus to Barcelona. The lower level had tables with seats facing each other for groups.

The seats had controlled headrests and monitors with a selection of movies, TV programs, and Internet.

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From the Barcelona bus station, I took the metro into the city center. Note the substantial protective connection between the cars.

Barcelona’s spacious and big-windowed buses.

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Catalunya, the hub of the city.

The best way for a tour around Barcelona, as in Madrid, was by City Tour HOHO bus, starting from Catalunya.

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Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf was built as the entry point for the 1988 World’s Fair.

The residential streets of Barcelona have a Mediterranean flair.

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Bicycles rented by the hour and by subscription were popular to get around.

There were bike lanes throughout town.

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The bullfighting stadium, still hosting events.

And the stadium of the beloved FC Barcelona soccer team.

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The most popular destination for visitors, La Segrada Familia. Timed reservations were required, generally several days in advance.

“Catalunya and Ukraine, for peace, liberty, and human rights.”

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Beach activity.

Restaurant overlooking the sand and water.

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A reminder in my notebook to take the Covid antigen test required to board the ship the following day.

One of the many bakeries throughout Barcelona.

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A typical breakfast of a croissant and a café cortado.

This corner restaurant is seeking the international crowd with its English sign.

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Time to head to the clinic for my Covid test.

I transfer to a bus that stops in front of the clinic.

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The technician gives me good news, “Negative,” and hands me a document with results in English to present upon boarding the ship.

Always interesting to try the local Starbucks.

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My coffee is dripped for me into a cup with my name.

Mid-afternoon on Rambla, Barcelona’s walking street. On one end is Catalunya, on the other the harbor.

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Along the Rambla, a shop selling items with the soccer team’s insignia.

If it’s wearable or carryable, it’s sold here with the team’s insignia.

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Some 20,000 Frankfurt soccer fans were in town for the soccer match with FC Barcelona. They met up in Catalunya for the walk to the stadium.

Is that liquid refreshment just for him?

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Posing before walking to the stadium. In an upset, Frankfurt won.

Evenings along the side streets in Las Ramblas featured inviting restaurants in the small plazas.

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Restaurant activity came alive beginning early evening and was nonstop until after midnight.

This plaza, fronting a cathedral, became a restaurant evenings.

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Daytime, the side streets took on a different mood.

I went searching for the old synogogue. This man, a lifelong resident of the area, knew where it was.

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I never could have found the entrance without his help. The synogogue had been closed during the COVID period.

Visitors stopped to view the plaque on the side of the door.

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THE CRUISES

My ship, the Regal Princess. I had taken this ship five years ago across the Atlantic.

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Across the way, the Costa Firenze. I would be seeing it at several other ports.

My comfortable room. The balcony, with two chairs and a table, was beyond the curtain.

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The room had a desk with ample plugs for charging electronics.

On the desk was placed COVID-related material.

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The hub of indoor activity was the atrium, which had a 24-hour café serving snacks and coffees, a bar, and computers to access the internet.

The bar to the side of the atrium was quiet for the entire cruise.

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The pool area had a screen that showed videos and movies through the day and night.

My first dinner onboard was one of the best.

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Delicious salmon.

The perfect way to end the meal.

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Evenings brought movies under the stars. Few people were outside in the cool and breezy Mediterranean evenings.

Featured this evening, a video of The Who on tour.

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A spectacular night with the sea lit up by the moon.

Arrival at Gibraltar for morning sunrise.

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A healthy buffet breakfast.

A poster showed the island’s highlights including its centerpiece, The Rock.

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On tour in a minibus. The town is very quiet.

The monument to the “Pillars of Hercules,” the two rocks on the European side (The Rock of Gibralter) and the African side and separating the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

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The Awakening, a series of caves with an interior theater.

The theater inside the cave.

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Audience view.

Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit to the caves.

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Moving up the narrow road to reach the top of the Rock.

Lookout to the Rock.

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It’s a straightforward simple walk to the very top.

Halfway down the tunnels that protected the island in wartime, including during World War II.

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An old cannon set at a window.

Spectacular views.

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Residential areas from a the distance.

COVID commentary in town.

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Back to the ship.

And,late afternoon on the balcony.

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The atrium, quiet in the early evening.

The ship’s theater. The seats once had drink holders, now gone.

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Substantial morning breakfast in the dining room on this day at sea.

Taking up two tables, including one for eight, is not a problem in this half-full ship. Note the quartet playing on the wall in the background.

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In the rear of the ship was an outdoor restaurant, little used on this cruise.

A cooking demonstration.

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And a noontime dessert spectacular.

Too beautiful to eat.

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Stunning.

Midday in the atrium, a violin concert by two women from Ukraine.

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The pianist played favorite songs into the evening.

Later in the day, a ceremony for those who had traveled the most on Princess.

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Evening showtime.

The cruise director makes an appearance.

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Arrival in Marseille, France. Across the way, a Costa ship.

The bus driver had his radio tuned to a station called Fun.

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The best way to get to the town’s highest point, the Cathedral, was by tram.

Passing the Soap Museum.

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And a cute pizza restaurant.

The dramatic interior of the Cathedral.

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And the dramatic view outside.

Group photos memoralized the visit.

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Back down on the tram.

An obligatory stop, as most people seem to make, at La Samaritaine café.

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Rain ends the day, wonderfully insulating from inside the shuttle bus to the ship.

Back on the ship, more of the Ukraine violinists.

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The Italian restaurant off the atrium made a delicious pizza.

The perfect dessert to end the pizza meal.

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Arrival in Genoa, Italy.

Again, a Costa ship in the harbor.

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Flixbus is the company whose bus I would take from Rome to Nice, after the cruise.

Harbor shops, often run by persons of Asian heritage, carried everything.

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I needed a covering for my cell phone, and the huge selection of brands and sizes included the one I need.

The Aquarium of Genoa is Italy’s largest.

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Who’s peering out?

It’s heaven for kids.

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Hanging out with the fish. Local parents have family memberships.

So many shapes, sizes, and colors!

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867 A snack break.

Genoa’s narrow streets.

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I wanted to update my SIM card, which I had bought in Spain. The Vodafone shop, unfortunately, closed early.

887 Back at the ship.

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The cheesecake was the meal’s highlight. Does that look like a little bird sitting on top of it?

The principal singer took ill, perhaps COVID. Some cruise lines might have cancelled the show, but Princess flew in a replacement from the U.K.

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It was the final show of the cruise.

It was also the final karaoke of the cruise. The ship had originated in Fort Lauderdale, and some of the singers, called by the MC “legends,” had been singing on the ship for three weeks.

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On the last evening, one last delicious pizza in the Italian restaurant.

A nourishing breakfast before departure.

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And desserts and coffee.

I had a question about a charge. I had been billed for a Covid test that I had handled personally rather than by Princess during the boarding process.

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Buses took passengers from the ship to the train station.

The local train to Rome, two levels and plenty of seats.

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My creative train ride into Rome using snacks from the ship. Hopefully, it resembles no one you know.

The train empties out in the Rome “Termini” central station.

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This man saw the heart. I took the same photo.

I left my bag at the train station and headed off for the day.

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Standing-room-only, typical of Rome’s buses.

Passing a solidarity demonstration with Ukraine.

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I descended at the “Argentina” section, my favorite, and wandered its narrow streets. If I were to live in Rome, it would either be here or in the equally quaint Trastevere suburb.

Vodafone was offering 70GB of data for the month, much more than my Vodafone plan purchased in Madrid.

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Shops sold pizza and cakes by weight. You ordered by grams.

I selected onion and marguerita, 100 grams of each.

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Largo di Torre Argentina has the remains of four Roman temples and the Theatre of Pompey, where Julius Caesar was killed.

The following morning, I bused to breakfast with some new friends. I took my mask off for the photo.

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Breakfast on a patio in the Argentina section.

Typical of European continental breakfasts.

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We shared the croissant.

Scooters were everywhere.

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The Great Synogogue of Rome.

An obligatory visit to Trevi Fountain.

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Crossing the Tiber River to Trastevere, possibly the most charming section of the city.

Hanging out in a Trastevere square.

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This is not a poster but my pizza on top of the paper table covering of Tonnarello restaurant.

Look at the fresh ingredients.

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My waitress was a young woman from Ukraine.

Each restaurant had a unique ambience.

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Never seen before or since, an empty bus.

To board my ship, I needed a COVID antigen test. The particular challenge was finding a clinic that provided the results in English.

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Mission accomplished.

The train to the port, Civitavecchia, was empty, an indication of the passenger load of the cruise. My Princess ship had been half full.

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Waiting outside the Civitavecchia train station but not my ride to the ship.

The bus to the ship had few passengers.

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The Norwegian Epic was an old friend. I had been on it in 2010, its inaugural year, on a Mediterranean cruise.

Welcoming touches on the bed included a COVID mask.

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And chocolate covered cherries and a plastic container of water.

Throughout the Mediterranean were car ferries heading to the ports and islands. This ferry was crossing the Sea to Barcelona.

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Welcome-aboard music on deck.

The fun zone.

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Dinner in Le Bistro on the first evening.

I brought the remaining half of the wine to the room.

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The perfect end to the welcome-aboard meal.

My first tour was to Florence and Pisa. Tours met at designated times in the theater, to be sent off in groups to buses parked outside the ship.

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My tour was called Let’s Take a Selfie in Florence. I had two objectives: gain some proficiency in selfies and visit Florence. The tour also made a stop in Pisa.

Driving through the lush countryside.

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Expansive farmland under a perfect sky.

“Follow me.”

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These happy people, now in the front of the line, had been waiting hours or days to visit David.

The Duoma greets the world of visitors.

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Throughout town were schoolkids on lunch break.

This stand was reminiscent of my first trip to Europe, I took few pictures and instead bought postcards. In retrospect, it was a mistake.

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Historic Gilli cafe off the Duomo.

The famous Ponte Vecchio. My try at a selfie blocked the bridge.

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Would it be fun to live here?

A panoramic view of Florence’s bridges, including the Ponte Vecchio.

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The complex of buildings in Pisa.

This is the “Pisa Pose.” If taken correctly, the subject appears to be keeping the Leaning Tower from falling over, demonstrating remarkable strength.

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Two persons were needed to keep the structure from falling over.

Meanwhile, the photographer accompanying the tour took this one.

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One of my many attempts at a decent selfie.

I try to be expansive in the end-of-tour commentaries, as the guides—generally freelancers—are often selected based on the comments.

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It’s Cannes today. First, a buffet breakfast.

And then a morning swim.

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The ship docked offshore and tendered passengers.

Yup, it’s Cannes.

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The tour, a panoramic drive along the coast in the late afternoon, promised great photography.

A typical coastal village.

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Private clubs offered a reclining chair, an umbrella, and lunch at a fixed price.

Some chose a secluded cove.

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The coastal road maneuvered around the boulders.

The late afternoon sun highlighted the boulder hills and the shoreline and multi-colored sea.

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The regional train ran along the coast from Marseille to the Italian border town Ventimiglia, stopping along the way in Cannes, Nice, and Monaco.

The Epic under a clouded sky.

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Seafood night at the buffet, a better idea after the busy afternoon than an extended dinner.

Very healthy.

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Two scoops.

Comment unnecessary

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The Beatles reunited for a show on the Epic.

Followed by a celebration party in the disco.

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For those not partying, the piano bar.

Realizing I needed additional practice, I booked a selfie tour for the island of Majorca, Spain.

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The port area was subdued. The activity was, we would find, was in the mountains and on the beaches.

Panoramic view of the capital, Palma de Majorca.

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Under the hat is me, and the castle.

The tour guide had a tight schedule. “You have three minutes to return to the bus,” we were told. The consequences we learned, with a smile: accommodations in the castle and pickup the following week

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Wine sampling at a village stop.

Most everyone, including me after this picture, took a nap following the wine tasting.

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I bought a magnet from the artist at this lookout.

3077 Cute picture in front of “el bar.” Hemingway revisited. The girl’s got better camera technique than me.

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So enticing that I contemplated going missing and waiting for next week’s bus tour.

Nearby, a birthday party in the town’s park.

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Back in the capital Palma, a view of Catedral-Basilica de Santa Maria de Majorca. Antoni Gaudi consulted on its restoration. Note the electric-powered boats.

Celebrating another eventful day with a colorful salad to start the meal.

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And ending the meal with a crescendo.

I believe the show was Burn the Floor. The cruise director came on stage as usual to introduce the evening’s activities. A former dancer, he joined the cast for ten seconds of encore.

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I had an early tour in Barcelona. Breakfast was quick and buffet style.

The company was City Tour, whose HOHO bus I had taken some weeks ago.

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And here we go. The ride was basically photo-less. I had taken the photos on my prior visit.

Sunday morning and a serene Catalunya.

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The Madrid Bullfighting Arena.

And La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s unfinished cathedral.

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By mid-afternoon, La Rambla was packed with strolling pedestrians. I needed some magnets for gifts, and this was the place to find them.

In port alongside and taking up more space than my Epic, Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas.

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I awoke for an early morning swim and found the pool occupied by a rescue drill.

No one was using the slides at this early hour (and I didn’t intend to either).

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The French island of Corsica was the last stop of the cruise. The car ferry had just arrived from Marseille.

The beautiful port of Ajaccio. Note the miniature boats.

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And a close-up. Kind of like ducks following their mother.

Corsica is known for its mountainous terrain, so I booked a panoramic bus trip.

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A view from one of the many bridges along the narrow winding roads.

Conspicuous and off the side of the road.

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The tour did not require selfies, thank goodness, and I let someone with more skill take this.

Wow!

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Sun-drenched village overlooking the lake.

Bridge from road to the home, toll free.

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An appropriate name for the bar, as the owner was a French National Team fanatic. I told him I had seen France play in a World Cup, and he treated me to an expresso.

No one wanted to join me at Le Bar. They were busy photographing the view.

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A Typical mountain village with one narrow road running through it.

Drenched in late afternoon sun. Could I settle in here for a spell, I wondered.

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Warm greeting onto the ship.

An encore performance of Burn the Floor.

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On the morning of departure, I was up early and carried breakfast to the room. The reason is apparent in the next photo.

I cannot get rid of the habit of packing at the last minute. Note the Eurail guidebook which I did not use.

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An example of the ship’s daily newspaper as a memory.

On the flight from Rome, a filling meal.

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Waiting for the metro at National Airport in Washington, D.C.

Arriving at Dupont Circle for the ten minute walk home, end of a successful trip.

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APPENDIX 1:

CRUISING THE GREEK ISLANDS

Several years before the cruises in the Western Mediterranean, the subject of this book, I took a cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean, visiting the Greek Islands. The starting and ending ports of this cruise were the port of Rome, Civitavecchia. Below is a sampling of photos from that cruise.

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GREEK ISLANDS CRUISE

My first impression of the Norwegian Spirit was its size, a medium size ship and perfect for a Greek Islands cruise.

Also departing from Rome’s port was the MSC Splendida, which with its balconies, looked a bit like a floating hotel.

My favorite area of the Norwegian Spirit was the rear, which offered multi-terrace dining and ideal sunset and sunrise views

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GREEK ISLANDS CRUISE

CRETE: The ruins of Knossos, from the Bronze Age, considered one of Europe’s oldest cities.

CRETE: These and other relics of the former inhabitants of Crete were on display in the Crete Museum in capital Heraklion.

RHODES: The center of the main town catered to tourist’s shopping, dining and foreign exchange needs.

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GREEK ISLANDS CRUISE

RHODES: To enjoy the vista and some solitude from the other passengers, I headed to the highest café for a Greek coffee.

MYKONOS: The winding streets sparkled white and oozed class. They were ideal to wander through and get lost in.

MYKONOS: Among the many views was this water view on the far side of town. Most of the terraces were restaurants.

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GREEK ISLANDS CRUISE

ATHENS: With a look that said, “Please help,” and some decent accordion music, this entrepreneur was doing well.

ATHENS: It’s the great Parthenon, taken from my HOHO bus.

ATHENS: I sent myself a postcard, an acknowledgment of my travel.

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GREEK ISLANDS CRUISE

SANTORINI: It was many people’s favorite island because of views such as this. Note the cable car’s ropes in the lower left.

MALTA: A highlight of visiting Malta was entering and exiting its spectacular harbor of the capital Valetta.

MALTA: A parade through Valetta’s Old Town celebrated the victory of the Partit Laborista, Labor Party.

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GREEK ISLANDS CRUISE

TAORMINA: Residents and visitors walked the main street and chatted in cafes over rich and creamy cannoli and cappuccinos.

POMPEII: Pompeii was the place to get lost in. Everywhere one turned was ancient history.

NAPLES: Neopolitan pizza, particularly a Pizzeria Sorbillo crusty, thin, and tomato-rich gem, was gastronomic bliss.

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APPENDIX 2 MAP OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA REGION

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APPENDIX 3 A TRAVELING LIFE I place in my books a travel biography relevant to the subject country or region or time period of travel. At the suggestion of friends and readers, I am providing a more complete description of travel experiences. I have always—as far as I can remember—been an explorer. I have many fond memories of wandering the streets of my Brooklyn, New York neighborhood. I vividly recall being sent by my mother down the street to buy fruit and bread and returning home hours later with the fruit, bread and a cookie from the local bakery, and lots of stories. My father initiated the fun of train travel when he placed me behind the steering wheel of a New York City subway car when some cars—the ones on the Independent Line with the straw seats and grating engines—had steering wheels in the open. I performed well—no accidents—and looked forward to the next ride. My family moved from Brooklyn to The Bronx. When I was able to slip away from after-school gardening at my elementary school, I’d take the subway into Manhattan— to Fifth Avenue or the Central Park Zoo or Harlem for street jazz, or Yankee Stadium for the last half of a day game. Wednesdays, I’d sometimes call my violin instructor to cancel the lesson, take the subway to Broadway, and seek out a musical that was at intermission when I arrived.

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I’d nonchalantly walk with the crowd into the theater for the second act. The staff saw me, and they’d grab my hand at the door, escort me to an empty seat, sometimes in the front row, prop me up with a cushion, and present me with a Playbill. Those were the days when a kid could feel at ease traveling alone. My parents withheld any concerns and praised my independent spirit. My involvement with buses began in earnest when my family moved to Baltimore in my early teens. I used public transit to get everywhere: to school, to the Peabody Institute for violin and clarinet lessons, and to Orioles baseball games during the summer, my ticket often purchased by a father with kids. On autumn Sundays, three early morning buses got me to Memorial Stadium to line up for a lastminute $5 ticket to see the Baltimore Colts featuring Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore, and Gino Marchetti and the great Colts defense. My most painful bus trip occurred during this period. Some friends and I spent a weekend in New York, and I scorched my unprotected eyes in the hotel’s tanning salon. My most gratifying sight from a bus window were my parents waiting at Baltimore’s Greyhound bus terminal to take me home to recuperate. Greyhound provided weekend bus service between the University of Maryland’s campus and Washington, D.C. On Saturdays, my roommate Joel and I would head to the Howard Theatre for electric performances by R&B greats such as the Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and James Brown. At the renovated Howard Theatre, I’m able to sit up against the stage. Little Richard smiled from his piano, Chaka Khan shook my hand, and Martha

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Reeves gave me a “do I know you” look from her shows with the Vandellas. I would often spend Friday evenings at a D.C. restaurant called Maury’s Hideaway, watching the radio broadcast of “The Steve Allison Show.” I’d take a table in front of the podium, order a fried chicken platter, and settle in for two hours of talk radio. Guests would sit down across from me to get the “young person’s perspective.” I’d then bus over to Kramerbooks at Dupont Circle for the week’s reading material and return to campus.

Early international travel My first overseas travel experience was a European train trip with my adventurous college roommate, touching 12 countries in 6 weeks, the objective at the time of these initial jaunts. Every country had its own currency, and a challenge was to use up most or all of it before proceeding on. I still have a bag filled with unused currencies from the trip. The next European train travel helped me get a job transfer to Paris. I was vacationing in Greece and learned that my employer, Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young), was looking to fill a key position in its Paris office. I cut short my vacation, took a series of trains from Athens to Paris, stopped in the office, and made the rounds using my basic French. “Oh, you speak French!” was the common response. It was one of several occasions when foreign language was a clincher in my being selected for the position.

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Summer weekends were on the road—actually, the rails—using three-month Eurail Passes. Like Clark Kent and Superman, I would change clothes from auditor to traveler attire Friday evenings after work, often in a Paris train station, and overnight to a different country for the weekend. I returned Monday mornings to take up my position as the Director of Accounting and Auditing. The destinations were kept flexible except for the first weekend, on Ile du Levant, the naturalist island in the French Mediterranean, for my total tan. Within a year after returning to New York, I accepted a job with Levi Strauss and moved to San Francisco. I resigned abruptly three years later. I was asked if I would speak with Levi’s contracted psychologist. After three sessions and a barrage of tests, she concluded, “You’re burned out.” Years of non-stop school, summer jobs to pay for the education, and full-time employment had gotten to me. Leaving Levi’s turned out to be neither relaxing nor satisfying, and within a few weeks, I was updating the resume. Before proceeding further, I decided to first take a vacation. China was getting lots of press in the San Francisco newspapers, and I had never been to Asia, so I booked a six-week group tour combining Chinese language study and some travel.

Around the world The tour ended in Beijing. I wanted to see more and continued alone into China’s interior, through Asia, the Indian Ocean islands, Africa, the Americas, a part of Ant-

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arctica, and back to San Francisco. The only pause during the four years was on my back, stretched in both directions in a Kolkata, India nursing home recuperating from a back injury after my bicycle rickshaw flipped over in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Being immobile, I found comfort in little things: corn flakes at all hours; 25-year-old Time magazines; my own bedside attendant (who knew one English word; and thank goodness it was “yes”); at least one utensil at meals, often a fork; and boisterous visits by the nursing home’s no-nonsense matron, Big Mama. Buses were my primary transport during these four years of travel. The “bus” could be a luxury Marcopolo vehicle with ultra-reclining seats, a refurbished yellow school bus, or a jeep or van, or a covered or open-top pickup truck with or without seats. After taking a ferry the length of Africa’s Lake Tanganyika from Tanzania to northern Zambia, I waited with others on the side of the road for ongoing transportation. A pickup truck carrying animals, produce, and people pulled up. “Climb in, Mr. Steve,” a fellow rider told me. “This is the bus to Malawi.” In Bangladesh, my bus from Dhaka to Chittagong came to an abrupt halt at the river’s edge. Monsoon rains had washed away the bridge, and hundreds of bus passengers on both sides were being ushered onto large rafts to cross the river. Tempers seethed when my raft and one going in the other direction were set to collide. Male passengers drew their weapons, which included swords. “I will protect you with my knife,” a pre-teenage boy assured me. A lastsecond parting of the rafts saved going to battle.

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On two occasions in Southeast Asia, drivers placed their buses out of service to take me to my destinations. In eastern Malaysia, Toris drove me 20 miles from Kuantan town to Club Med Cherating. The Club security guard had never seen a guest arrive in his own bus and waved us in without identification. Arriving by ferry from Jakarta to the Sumatra town Padang, I treated several policemen to coffee in the local market and they, in turn, flagged down an empty bus to take me to my destination Bukittinggi, two hours away. We stopped at driver Aram’s house to meet the family, actually families as his parents, children and their families also lived there. I continued by bus on roads of brush and swamp to Lake Toba, the region of cannibalism legends, and north to the Orangutan Rehabilitation Center for New Year’s Eve. The celebration included a champagne toast by the five scientists and guests and, the following day, extra-large bananas and tree-time fun for the residents. In South Korea, I participated in the wonderful practice of sharing fruit with the bus driver and seatmates. In Myanmar, buses and their variation had changed little since 1948 independence at the time of my visit. I rode an old Ford bus with an engine that started up with a crank, covered pick-up trucks configured with seats, long-distance jeeps with helmets available, and horse-drawn stagecoaches. In northern Pakistan, I grew a beard and wore clothes from the Peshawar market to blend in with the residents and board a restricted bus up the historic Khyber Pass. For the return, I joined locals on the bus’ roof for views of old forts and distant refugee camps. An equally spectacu-

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lar return after flying to fruit filled Gilgit in Pakistan’s far northeast was by minibus along the Karakoram Highway, chiseled through mountain rock. Near the bottom, we passed two cemeteries, the final resting places of the Pakistani and Chinese workers who gave their lives for the construction of the road. For some Asian countries, notably Japan, China, Vietnam, and India, trains were the best transport. I used a Japan Rail Pass to visit that country, and I found myself continuously resetting my watch to coincide with the trains’ legendary timeliness. China’s rail system is now state-of-the-art. In earlier times, the cars were “soft” and “hard” class. The seats in the soft class cars, the equivalent of first class, were made of straw and included tea service. Vietnam’s Unification Express, running between Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in the south, was the fastest means to traverse the country and then spoke out by bus into the interior. India’s rail system has improved over time, and there are now several high-speed rail services. Until computerization, buying a train ticket required standing in three lines: to check availability, to reserve, and to pay. Passengers hired children to hold their places while they went for lunch or tea. Just when the ticket vendor was in sight, he or she might disappear for lunch or tea. Sometimes a word to the bus driver made the difference. “I need to be in Guayaquil in four hours to board a ship to the Galapagos Islands,” I told the driver. “No hay problema!” he replied and sliced the trip’s normal travel time in half while hogging most of the twolane road. We were cutting it close, so he drove the stand-

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ing-room-only bus directly to the pier. I jumped onto the Buccaneer as it was pulling out. Three buses got me from Ushuaia, the southernmost town in Argentina, to Chile’s equivalent, Punta Arenas, where I sought a ship to Antarctica. Nothing was in port, so I left for four days to visit the glacier-filled Torres del Pine national park. Within a few hours of my return, a Chilean naval ship pulled in. Where was it going, and would it take me? I boarded the vessel—you could do that pre-9/11—and spoke with the captain, and he invited me to join the voyage as his guest, heading south. We anxiously awaited the clearance message from Santiago headquarters. It came four days later: "Americano OK." When the ship’s staff conducted its procedures on the successive land masses, I hung out with the penguins and visited the scientific research stations, obtaining their countries’ stamps in my passport. I used sailboats as onward transportation twice. In the Indian Ocean, I found myself on Reunion Island without transport to the adjacent island Mauritius. A French family offered me a ride in their sailboat, and we all rocked the rough waters of the 30-hour run. In Panama, I encountered a South African family that was emigrating by sailboat to Los Angeles. They were passing through the Panama Canal and needed several persons to hold the side ropes to help stabilize the boat through the locks, where the water level was raised and lowered. It was daunting, our little sailboat lined up at the Miraflores Locks along with cargo vessels, tankers, and a cruise ship, whose passengers took photos from the top deck of the tiny sailboat way down below.

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Greyhound re-introduced me to America. Using its 30day, unlimited-travel bus pass (since discontinued), I zigzagged from Miami up, down, and across the country and home to San Francisco.

Settling in and heading out I needed a job and needed a way to explain the resume’s four-year professional gap…but didn’t have to. Here’s what happened. I contacted my former Paris boss, who was now Arthur Young’s regional director in LA, for some job leads, and he set up an interview with the operating officer of a motion picture company for the financial director position. Upon the first, “hello,” I realized the COO was French. We chatted about everything, including the state of the Beaujolais harvest and how a noted restaurant had lost one of its Michelin stars, in French, and never got around to my resume. He offered me the job on the spot, in French. My personal travel during this period was largely domestic, and I occasionally used Amtrak rail passes and got to know many staff. When Amtrak extended the Sunset Limited to be transcontinental between LA and Miami in 1993, I was thrilled to be invited on its inaugural run. In the 1990s, Eastern Europe was in transformation, and I wanted to participate. The Peace Corps had a program to advise businesses and entrepreneurs on how to function in a market-driven economy. I applied, and I left for Russia as a Peace Corps volunteer in 1994. With the six-month delay in obtaining visas, I became involved with the USA-hosted World Cup, and I wrote its operating pro-

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cedures and served as Rose Bowl finance manager, and two months later, left for Russia. With the Peace Corps, I spent the first year in Rostovon-Don, a city north of Sochi near the southern Ukraine border, and the second year in Nizhny Novgorod, a classical Russian city on the Volga River, called Gorky during Soviet times and to which the dissident Andre Sakharov had been exiled. His former apartment, now a museum, was located a half-mile from the Peace Corps office. While in the region, I visited Eastern Europe using each country’s Peace Corps office as a base, and subsequently did some elections monitoring for the UN in Bosnia and East Timor. And I settled back into the LA lifestyle.

New millennium, new journeys How to commemorate the arrival of the new century and millennium? While technically the new century wasn’t for another year, everyone was celebrating it a year early. At 7 p.m. on December 31, 1999, I left LA by car for the Grand Canyon. My objective, the dawn of the new millennium at the Canyon’s edge. I arrived at midnight to a crystal clear and star-covered Grand Canyon, set my alarm for daybreak, and fell asleep in the car. I awoke to a windshield covered with snow and to a storm that had blanketed the Canyon pure white, a pristine start to the next thousand years. I left the cliffside area, the only car there, and made my way slowly through the now-deep snow and out of the park, celebrated with breakfast at Denny’s, and returned to LA.

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In January 2002, needing a respite from the events of 9/11, I boarded the Queen Elizabeth 2 on its World Cruise segment from LA to Sydney. Onboard, I encountered staff from my first QE2 voyage 17 years before, from Cape Town to Rio. “Did you make it around the world?” they wanted to know, and they held a party for me in the library. I sought out a ship home and learned that the just-built Star Princess was departing the Italian shipyard and crossing the Pacific to LA. Was it taking passengers? I inquired at Princess’ office in Sydney. “Not really. But wait here,” the agent told me. She returned fifteen minutes later with a gift ticket home on the brand-new ship. I took the same Star Princess several years later, in the same cabin, from LA to Valparaiso near Santiago, Chile and then bused over the Andes to the Mendoza, Argentina wine region and on to Buenos Aires. In 2003, I was appointed the Peace Corps’ Assistant Inspector General for Auditing. Over the next eight years, I had the good fortune to visit its operations in some 35 countries to perform audits and review the volunteers’ projects, and I got to view the countries’ interiors in 4x4 vehicles. My preference if I have the time and flexibility is to travel without a fixed itinerary. I select a region, arrange transport and the first night’s lodging, and travel spontaneously in a predetermined direction. In the tranquil months before the 2011 “Arab Spring” in the Middle East, I overlanded from Istanbul through Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt (bypassing previously visited Jordan and Israel), continued to Oman and the Persian Gulf states,

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and ended with a cruise from Dubai. I’m looking forward to returning to the region in late 2022 for the World Cup. In fall 2013, and again in 2016, I circled India by train, returned to favorite places from previous visits, and made new friends including the son of the doctor who decades earlier had overseen my medical care in Kolkata after I fell off a rickshaw in Dhaka, Bangladesh. From Kolkata, I flew north to Bhutan and explored with vehicle and guide this dramatically scenic Himalayan Kingdom that is known for its Gross National Happiness Index. I try to attend soccer’s World Cup every four years, using buses to visit the host country and stopping enroute for matches. During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, bus passengers celebrated the national team’s successes with onboard parties, and everyone, regardless of team preference, participated. Four years later in Brazil, those comfortable Marcopolo-brand buses, with seats that convert to near-beds, moved me around in style. As an aside, at my first World Cup, 1986 in Mexico (where the “wave” began), I was mistaken for a journalist and given a press pass, which permitted entry to the matches. Playing the unexpected role, I sent periodic reports to a friend and anchor at all-news KFWB in LA. Jack called the reports “exclusives” since no one back then was providing much soccer coverage. Spring 2017 was the first time that I used buses for European travel. I took the Regal Princess ship from Fort Lauderdale to Hamburg, which got me to Paris in time to see the French presidential election. While in Europe, I decided to try traveling on its buses. European bus travel became addictive, and I returned for more in the fall.

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The following spring, I bused across Europe to Russia for the World Cup and used Russia’s rail network to get to my six matches. With trains and flights into Moscow full, an overnight bus got me from Saint Petersburg for the memorable Spain-Russia match, won by the home team on penalty kicks. Russia extended the validity of World Cup visas, and I returned in December 2018 and used trains, including the Trans-Siberian Railroad, to experience and photograph the white Russian winter as far east as Siberia’s Lake Baikal and north to the Arctic. Holiday time is special in Russia, and I stopped enroute for performances of The Nutcracker and ice carvings in the main squares, and I think I set the record for number of falls in one session in the ice skating rink on Red Square. The following summer, I traveled through the Baltic countries to Minsk to attend the European Athletic Games, qualifying matches for the Tokyo Summer Olympics. I detoured for a cruise to Northern Europe’s port cities and moved on to Paris for the Bastille Day parade. Australia by bus? It’s the best way to visit the country by public transport. Starting with a cruise from Auckland to Sydney, I arrived in time for the New Year’s Eve fireworks. With a Greyhound Australia bus pass, I traveled north along the east coast to Brisbane and the Great Barrier Reef, south through the Outback interior, and west to Perth. I caught one of the last flights out of the country in February 2020 before it closed for Covid-19. With the pandemic restricting international travel, I used an Amtrak USA Rail Pass in summer 2021 to see America by train. The pass permitted ten trips, and I se-

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lected the long-distance, “name” trains, of which the Empire Builder across the northern expanse, the Coast Starlight along the Pacific, the Zephyr over the Rockies, and the City of New Orleans along the Mississippi River were highlights. In spring 2022, I visited Europe and took two Mediterranean cruises, plus a month of land travel, principally by bus, in between. In the fall, I’ll be attending the soccer World Cup in Qatar. It will be my seventh. Prior to the games, I’ll spend some time visiting countries in the region.

Risks and rewards Travel has its rewarding and stressful situations. I mentioned the three weeks in traction, stretched in both directions, in a Kolkata, India, nursing home after I fell out of a bicycle rickshaw in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The peddler tried to do a 180-degree turn to avoid a street demonstration, and the rickshaw flipped over and sent me flying. I hired a prop plane to fly me into Borneo's interior to visit one of the oldest Dayak tribes and learned that riverboat transport was a ten-day walk through the forest. A first-time diver in a boat filled with scuba pros, to save face, I followed them into the waters of the Maldives' Shark Point and spent the longest 20 minutes of my life encircled by 14 of them. Back on the boat, I was shaken, while Franzl, the group’s leader, was ecstatic. “We saw them all!” In Tanzania, I arrived in Arusha, the gateway town for treks to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, but no guides were available. I met a local boy who said he knew the way, and

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together we made the six-day climb, properly acclimatizing along the way On the final day of ascent, we awoke at midnight and climbed the last stretch with flashlights, arriving at Kilimanjaro’s summit, Uluru Peak, in time to experience a cloudless sunrise over Africa. In Rwanda, I joined a ranger and seven other visitors to track the "Susa" group of mountain gorillas, the group studied by Diane Fossey. I returned to the park 23 years later, and the ranger, now a senior official, recognized me. "Susa group!" he shouted, and added, "I'll bet that some will remember you." Despite many inquiries, I could not find a way to get from Turkey to Greece, as their borders were closed because of a dispute over Cyprus. Walking along the port of the Turkish town Kusadasi (near ancient Ephesus), I spotted a small motorboat flying both countries’ flags, and, yes, it was providing “under-the-raidar” service between the Turkish mainland and the Greek island Samos. I was fortunate in Punta Arenas, Chile, the prime departure town for ships to Antarctica. Nothing was in port when I arrived in mid-January. I left town to visit a nearby national park, and wouldn’t you know it, hours after I returned, a Chilean naval vessel pulled into port and heading south. In the early 1990s, I made several trips using Amtrak’s regional passes and made friends with the staff, and in 1993, was invited on the inaugural run of the transcontinental (LA-Miami) Sunset Limited. At one of the stops, in Alabama if I recall, I went off exploring and returned as the train was riding off. An Interstate 10 truck stop was nearby, and I inquired of each of the truckers. One was going

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the entire stretch to Jacksonville, Florida, where the train was overnighting. Interestingly, no one noticed that I was missing. My animal encounters have, fortunately, been without incident. They’ve included Rwanda mountain gorillas, Sumatra orangutans, Nepal yaks, Australia kangaroos and koalas, Botswana elephants, India camels, and a herd of buffalo in South Africa's Kruger Park all staring at me, plus Antarctica's penguins and the Maldives sharks. The last encounters were emotional, injured koalas, kangaroos, wombats, and turtles and other reptiles recuperating in Australia’s animal hospitals from the 2019-2020 bushfires. I try to stay involved with transport at home, as a member of the Accessibility Advisory Committee, the Bus/Rail Subcommittee, and the Bus Transformation Project of the Washington D.C. Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA). When I travel, I photograph “best practices” of different bus and rail systems, and I use them in presentations. I’m an advocate for free bus service. It encourages residents to be out-and-about and in an environmentally friendly way, supports small businesses along the routes, speedsup the boarding process, and strengthens the fabric of the city. I wish you happy, safe, and fulfilling travels. See you on the road.

Steve

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APPENDIX 4 BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR

Steve Kaffen writes books about his travel experiences and dedicates them "To you, my fellow traveler, on the road and in life," and he invites his readers to "execute your own memorable journeys." Steve has visited most countries. He takes extensive notes and photos during his trips and uses these to develop his books. His first book, Unexpected Journey, published in 2015, begins "I quit." Steve resigned suddenly from his job at Levi Strauss in San Francisco, burned out after years of uninterrupted school and work at Levis and at Ernst & Young, and he left what he initially thought would be a sixweek trip, between jobs, of language study and touring in China. The tour went home, and he made the decision to continue. The continuous travel lasted four years, through 50 countries in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, and some of Antarctica, around the world. Unexpected Journey describes the trip's start-up, evolution, and experiences, often humorous, on the road. Interestingly, as part of the above trip, he crossed from Africa (Cape Town) to South America (Rio) on the Queen Elizabeth 2 ship. Fifteen years later, on the QE2 from Los Angeles to Sydney, he encountered staff from his previ-

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ous voyage. "They asked me if I had made it around the world and held a party for me in the library." His 2018 follow-up book, Asia Without Borders, recounts his adventures across what he calls "The Great South Asian Expanse" of eight countries and ends with a prophetic encounter in the cockpit of a 747 with the pilot. The book's appendix has photos from all the countries and some very funny “Letters from the Road,” plus a prophetic letter to newsman Ted Koppel, who was broadcasting from South Africa at the time of Steve’s visit. It was during this trip that he trekked into the Nepal Himalayas and had the surprisingly good fortune to encounter both Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first persons to reach the top of Mount Everest. Hillary, at the time the Chairman of the respected Explorers Club, sponsored Steve for membership. Tenzing Norgay invited Steve to stay at his home in Darjeeling, India and to help lead a trek into Sikkim. Just before the 2011 "Arab Spring," Steve overlanded through the then-tranquil Middle East and intends to return for soccer’s World Cup in late 2022 and develop a book on that region. In 2013, Steve circled India by train and detoured to the Kingdom of Bhutan, known for its Gross National Happiness Index. His 2019 book Incredible India and Boundless Bhutan spotlights these two countries. He returned to India in 2016 and expanded the India scope with some 400 original photos in India by Train and Bus. European trains had been Steve's mode of travel from the time that he lived and worked in Paris. In spring 2017, he decided to try Europe's buses and returned several

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times for additional bus travel on different carriers. His last bus trip was critical: he had a ticket to the Spain vs. Russia World Cup match but could find no available transport to Moscow. At the last minute, he located an overnight bus. "No one considered overnight buses, but by this time, I knew them well." The result of his two years of bus travels, Europe by Bus, describes 50 interesting bus trips and also city visits at the trips' destinations. It is supplemented by some 600 photos of the bus trips and cities. Peace Corps Worldwide named it the "2020 Best Travel Book." In spring 2019, he returned to Eastern Europe, and after spending time in Russia and the Baltic countries, attended the European Athletic Games in Minsk, Belarus. Minsk and the European Games presents the places, people, and local color of Minsk, and the athletic games. The 2019 European Games in Minsk offers particularly dramatic photos of the Games, most events of which were qualifiers for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and the photogenic grand finale attended by Presidents Putin and Lukashenko. In early 2020, Steve went "Down Under." His books Australia Adventures and Encounters and Splendors of Sydney contain photographs, descriptions, and observations that capture the scenic beauty, local events, and diverse cultures of the country that he calls "The Land of Wows" and the city that he calls "The Everything City." In November 2020, Steve turned his attention to Africa, which he calls “the last frontier.” In the introductory note to Botswana Wildlife & Waterways, he comments: "I love the feeling of freedom, the open spaces, the unfiltered conversations and hospitality, and the naturally beautiful

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places." Botswana has the largest concentration of wildlife in Africa, and the world's largest elephant population. Per Kaffen, "You can't go more than a few minutes without spotting one, then several, then the herd." He added, "An elephant walked past me in a cafe, doubtless looking for something sweet, but all I had to share was coffee, and it moved on." Steve had traveled through India in the mid-1980s, and then in 2013 and 2016. India by Rail and Road captures the essence of the “continent-in-a-country” with some 400 original photos and descriptions, taking in all four corners and India’s vast interior. In spring 2022, with Europe transitioning from a severe two years with Covid, Steve traveled to Europe, taking two cruises and spending a month of land travel in between. Cruising the Mediterranean During Covid contains a narrative and some 300 original photos of ports, people, and cruising. Upcoming books With Covid-19 restricting international travel, Steve turned his attention in summer 2021 to domestic travel, using an Amtrak USA Rail Pass. Steve selected ten longdistance, “name” train routes including the Empire Builder across America's northern expanse, the Coast Starlight hugging the Pacific, the Zephyr over the Rockies, and the City of New Orleans paralleling the Mississippi River. He is no stranger to Amtrak’s trains. When Amtrak inaugurated the first transcontinental train service between Los Angeles and Miami, the Sunset Limited in 1993, Amtrak invited

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Steve as a guest on its inaugural run. He intends to author a book on Amtrak train travel. Steve attends soccer's World Cup every four years, the last being in South Africa (2010), Brazil (2014), Russia (2018), and the most recent, Qatar (2022). When the U.S. hosted the event, Steve, who had been in charge of policy at Levi Strauss, wrote the operating procedures and served as Rose Bowl finance manager. He intends to cull from his thousands of World Cup photos the best in a book to be published in 2023. Professionally, Steve, an MBA and CPA, has held management positions in public accounting (with Deloitte and Ernst & Young), private industry (with Levi's and Pathe Films), and government (Peace Corps, USAID, and the Securities and Exchange Commission). He says his work experience has enriched his travel skills in trip planning, problem-solving, and notetaking. Steve grew up in New York City and has also lived in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, and now Washington, D.C. When at home, he continues his involvement with transport on the Accessibility Advisory Committee, the Bus/Rail Subcommittee, and the Bus Transformation Project of the Washington, D.C. Transit Authority. His travel and life experiences, the focus of his books, may have led the University of Maryland, in its "Alumni Spotlight," to state that "Steve Kaffen might well be the most interesting man in the world." He wishes you Happy, Safe, and Fulfilling Travels and hopes that you enjoy his books.

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BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR UNEXPECTED JOURNEY “I quit!” These two words freed the author from a successful but stressful corporate career. Before returning to work, why not take a short vacation of language study and travel in China? Thus began a journey spanning nearly 4 years and 50 countries, around the world. Unexpected Journey tells the story of the trip’s evolution and its beginnings in fascinating East Asia. Steve’s photos of people, places, and experiences capture a regional spirit of energy and optimism. “China in Change” uses “then and now” text and photos to describe his visits spanning 25 years.

ASIA WITHOUT BORDERS Join Steve on a journey of adventure and discovery across South Asia. Visit Thailand’s mystical Mekong region and Myanmar’s temple complex in Bagan, trek in Nepal’s Everest region and meet its two renowned mountaineers. Experience India’s grandeur, beauty, and cultures. Climb Pakistan’s historic Khyber Pass, then (foolishly) scuba with sharks in the Maldives, and at long last, reach “The End of the World” in Sri Lanka. Encounter a leopard, rhino, yaks, elephants, hundreds of camels, and 14 sharks. Finally, accept a toast by the Captain in the cockpit of a British Airways 747 “to the next six months.” The lighthearted style, photos, and “Letters from the Road” capture the excitement, joy, and realities of life and travel in this fascinating region.

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BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR EUROPE BY BUS Buses are transforming travel in Europe, cruising its highways, country roads, and coastlines, and connecting its cities and towns. The buses offer rapid boarding, unobstructed window viewing, value pricing, and Wi-Fi and entertainment. Europe by Bus presents, in explanatory text and 600 photos, 50 interesting bus trips throughout Europe plus city visits at the trips’ destinations. The book is both an engaging travel story and a comprehensive guide to an exciting way to explore Europe. Come aboard and become travel-smart and bussmart! Named 2020 Best Travel Book by Peace Corps Worldwide.

MINSK AND THE EUROPEAN GAMES Using vivid descriptions and observations, and over 200 photographs, Steve introduces readers to the people, history, sights, and local color of Minsk, one of Europe’s least known and surprisingly vibrant cities. In addition, readers join the author in observing the drama and excitement of the 2019 European athletic games. The book details four finals events and the spectacular closing ceremony, including the color-filled parade of athletes, the creative light show, and the dramatic fireworks display. Gain insights in historic Minsk, capital of Belarus, and experience “The Games.”

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BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR INCREDIBLE INDIA AND BOUNDLESS BHUTAN Explore two of the world’s most intriguing countries, presented in over 150 original photos and detailed descriptions and observations. Travel with Steve to the far corners and the vast interior of India, visit its great historical sights, marvel at its landscapes, meet its residents in often humorous encounters, and have a succession of adventures along the way. Detour to the isolated, fabled, and scenery rich Kingdom of Bhutan, where the measure that matters most to its residents is the Gross National Happiness Index.

AUSTRALIA ADVENTURES AND ENCOUNTERS Journey through vast, geographically diverse, culturally rich, and naturally beautiful Australia, the only country that is also a continent. Using 500 original photos along with vivid descriptions and observations, Steve captures in colorful detail the places, people, and local color of one of the world’s most interesting countries. Coverage includes Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks, the renowned Australia Zoo and its Wildlife Hospital, the Great Barrier Reef, the great Outback expanse, Australian Open tennis, and wine-tasting in South and Western Australia. Sufficiently detailed to plan a trip “Down Under” and lots of fun.

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BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR SPLENDORS OF SYDNEY Australia is a country of superlatives, and Sydney is its principal gateway. "The Everything City" has a vibrant city center; the stunning Opera House overlooking bustling Sydney Harbour; world-class fine arts, contemporary, and maritime museums; the country's largest zoo and its oldest botanical garden; an excellent bus, train, light rail, and ferry transit network; multicultural population; superb beaches and the striking Blue Mountains; a lively and casual lifestyle; and always within reach, the sea. Using a hundred original photos accompanied by descriptions and observations, Steve spotlights this grand city of splendors.

BOTSWANA WILDLIFE & WATERWAYS Botswana is one of Africa’s great showplaces. It has the continent’s largest concentration of wildlife and the world’s largest elephant population. It also has a network of strikingly beautiful waterways and scenic landscapes. The country has benefited from sustained political stability and an economic policy that balances growth and development with environmental sensitivity. Steve takes readers to two highlights, Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta, with revealing photographs of wildlife in natural surroundings, pristine waterways, varied landscapes, and local lifestyles.

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BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR THE 2019 EUROPEAN GAMES IN MINSK With an upbeat motto, "Bright Year, Bright You," and a cute fox as the official mascot, Minsk, the capital of Belarus, hosted the 2019 European athletic games. Some 4,000 athletes from 50 member countries of the European Olympic Committees participated in 15 sports, most of which were qualifiers for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Join Steve and attend the best of the European Games including finals events and the spectacular closing ceremony, and experience the sights, spirit, local color, and youthful energy of surprising Minsk.

HISTORICAL BELGIUM Belgium’s rich history is on display in its cities and towns. Join Steve on a journey to a selection of grand historical sites. Visit Brussels’ Grand Place and its Flower Carpet of a million begonias, wander the pedestrian zone, and explore the renowned Musical Instruments Museum. Encounter medieval Leuven and its statued Town Hall, the country’s largest university, and the world’s largest brewing company. Medieval Bruges, Venice of the North, is best appreciated by canal boat, passing centuries-old houses, churches, cobblestone streets, and bridges. End the visit with the obligatory purchase of a box of rich Belgian chocolates.

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BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR RWANDA AND THE MOUNTAIN GORILLAS Rwanda is one of Africa’s smallest and most densely populated countries, and one of its most diverse. Nicknamed “Land of a Thousand Hills” for its stunning rolling landscapes, Rwanda is home to mountain gorillas in the higher elevations and golden and colobus monkeys down below, visited on unforgettable treks by park rangers. Throughout the country are memorials to the victims of the 1994 genocide of up to a million residents, principally of the Tutsi tribe. The book is filled with unique elements to Rwanda, including two gorilla treks including one to the Susa group studied by Diane Fossey.

INDIA BY RAIL AND ROAD Journey with the author to one of the world’s most intriguing countries. Using India’s sprawling system of trains and buses, we explore the far corners and vast interior of India. Coverage includes India’s great cities, historic and cultural sites, festivals, scenic landscapes, and the residents and their lifestyles. The author employs some 400 original photographs that are representative of the country, its people, and his travel experiences to provide a highly visual and revealing encounter of the best of India.

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STEVE KAFFEN

Steve Kaffen dedicates his books "To you, my fellow traveler, on the road and in life," and invites his readers to "execute your own memorable journeys." Steve is a long-time member of the famed Explorer's Club. His travels include a four-year journey across Asia, Africa, and the Americas; an overland adventure in the Middle East; excursions by rail and bus in Europe, Australia, and the U.S.; a voyage to Antarctica as a guest of Chile’s Navy; and close encounters with mountain gorillas, orangutans, kangaroos, yaks, camels, penguins, a herd of buffalo all staring at him, and 14 sharks. Steve was a Peace Corps volunteer in Russia in the mid-1990s. He returned to the agency a decade later as Assistant Inspector General and Senior Auditor. Steve regularly attends soccer’s World Cup and wrote its operating procedures when the U.S. hosted the event. He’s also monitored elections for the United Nations and managed a Coca-Cola bottling plant in the Russian winter, without heat! Steve, a CPA, has held auditing and financial management positions in public accounting, private industry, and government. He is a native New Yorker and has also lived in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, and Washington, D.C. An independent publisher and author, his books can be found at

amazon.com/author/stevekaffen.