Europe & Cruise (2019)

October 8^th, 2019 through October 9^th, 2019

Los Angeles, California - Tbilisi, Georgia

The flight to Tbilisi, Georgia, the capital of Georgia, was pleasant.  We had a layover in Paris, France and then arrived to Tbilisi in the early hours of the evening.

A little over a year ago we toured the country of Georgia and loved every minute of it.  We decided, along with our daughter Emly to meet in the city of Batumi and spend a week together.

Khatia, our loyal guide and friend, who guided us in our previous trip, was waiting for us at the airport along with her driver Emzari.  

We embraced and felt being loved by our beautiful friend.

Khatia and I were working on this trip to Georgia for the last 6 months.  Khatia took upon herself to arrange all the details of our visit. She did just a fantastic job.

I will always remember what Khatia had told me once we embraced at the terminal: “It was like waiting for my family”.

We drove to our hotel, Citadine, in the center of the city, right next to Liberty Square (Freedom Square).  Our suite was spacious and comfortable. 

We laid down our luggage and went outside to look around, walking up and down Rustaveli Blvd and arrived to the Parliament Building.

The Parliament of Georgia Building is the meeting place of the Parliament of Georgia. It is located close to the foothills of Mount Mtatsminda.  The building complex was constructed as the House of Government of Georgian SSR on the site of the demolished XIX century Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and adjacent churchyard, with burials of the Georgian cadets killed during the Bolshevik Invasion of 1921. It consists of two buildings, which are connected with a courtyard, with staircases and fountains. The design of both buildings heavily uses elements of traditional Georgian architecture. The exterior facing the avenue is dominated by a monumental arcade, with massive eaves and "arch" pediment.

The complex was severely damaged during the December 1991–January 1992 military coup, during which the beleaguered President Zviad Gamsakhurdia was held in the underground bunker under the government premises. The building was subsequently restored, refurbished, and used as the seat of the Parliament of Georgia from 1997 to 2012, when the legislature moved to the newly constructed building in the city of Kutaisi, Georgia's second most important city. 

  

We found a lovely café, in a beautiful alley.  We had hot drinks and a delicious cheese cake.

October 10^th, 2019

Tbilisi

We woke up at around 7:00 and went to the dining room.  Breakfast was not the highlight of this hotel!

     

We started a self guided tour and arrived to The Bridge of Peace.  This relatively newly constructed the Bridge is a pedestrian glass and steel bridge in a bow-shaped design that sits over the Mtkvari (Kura) River. It was officially opened in May 2010. The bridge was brought to Georgia from Italy in 200 unassembled components. The bridge is about 500 feet long and has more than 10 000 LED bulbs built-in, that are switched on daily 90 minutes before the sunset.

A fascinating fact is that the pulsating lights are communicating the message in Morse code; the message says chemical elements from the Mendeleev’s periodic table that make up a human body. The idea of the Italian designer was to broadcast the message which is “the anthem of life and piece among people and nations”.  The Bridge of Peace is a convenient cross point between the Rike Park and the ‘old’ part of the town. It also provides amazing views of Tbilisi.  In 2012 the Bridge of Piece in Tbilisi hit the Top-13 most unusual bridges in the world.

     

We explored Rike Park. The green park, along the eastern riverbank, had many winding paths, pools and fountains. The main attractions in the park were the two large tubular metallic structures at the north end of the Park, which are a concert hall and exhibition center.

  

We walked along the river bank and enjoyed the views of churches, cathedrals and the famous courthouse.  We crossed the famous street in the Old Town Sharden Street. It is basically in the heart of Old Town and look more like an alley than an actual street, with many cafes and restaurants.

  

We stopped for coffee and then continued to the Dry Bridge Flea Market, we found all kinds of knick-knacks and intriguing miscellanea at the city’s best and most popular open-air flea market – original art, shaggy shepherds' hats, accordions, jewels, silver, glass, daggers and Soviet memorabilia.

      

We headed back to the hotel and stopped at the Flowers Market at Kolchos (Kolmeurneoba) Square in the center of Tbilisi.  We found a long-standing permanent market. Colorful and charismatic, the perfume changes with the wind and the season. Not only do marketers sell flowers at the market, but also around the city there are small stalls and street sellers.

A few minutes after our arrival to the hotel, Khatia came over and we decided to take a tour of the Old City and try to find places that we haven’t seen a year ago, when we took the same tour with her.

But, first thing was to find an authentic Georgian restaurant.  Khatia took us to a place (on the same street we had coffee last night) but they were out of their famous dish.  Next, we went to Samikitno-Machakhela on Freedom Square.  The food was amazing with lot of options to choose from.  We tried few dishes and all were good.  Staff was very good, nicely dressed and spoke English.


   

We took the streets, seeing many beautiful building and then arrived to Astronomical Clock Tower.  Many other tourists were around waiting for the clock to perform.  

The leaning tower of Tbilisi is one of the city’s most unusual buildings. Tucked into a side street of the old town, it truly is a bizarre structure, with a tower on the perpetual brink of falling down, and only a steel beam holding the tower in place. A huge clock sits in the middle of the disheveled tower, with a leaning column on its side. “It is One of old Tbilisi's most symbolic structures and is also one of its newest”, Khatia explained and continued that this higgledy-piggledy clock tower, was built by puppet master Rezo Gabriadze during the renovation of his old theater in 2010. On the hour an angel pops out of a door near the top and strikes the bell outside with a hammer.  Below the clock, a screen opens and shows the circle of life: boy meets girl, marriage,
childbirth and funeral.






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We walked in the crowded alleys and arrived to the Sulphur Baths.  No, we had no intention to take a bath there.  This is why we were headed to this location: On our way to the city, I picked up a magazine in the airplane, where a beautiful photo showed the Narikala Fortress in the background.  Khatia told me at the beginning of our tour that this picture was taken from around the Sulphur baths, but when we compared the picture to what we were looking at, it wasn’t exactly the right spot.  Tova waited for us, while Khatia and I were trying to find the right spot.  We arrived to a restaurant that had a balcony and it was pretty close.  We determined that the picture was probably taken from a drone, but it was good enough.

   

We then continued to the Great Synagogue where Tova & I (and maybe Khatia) had a prayer.  Beit Ha-Tfoutzot, The Georgian Synagogue was founded by Jews from Akhalzikhe, who settled in Tbilisi in the late XIX century, hence its second name, “synagogue of the people of Akhalzikhe”. Adjoining the synagogue was another prayer house.  The synagogue was built with bricks, in an eclectic style, between 1895 and 1903 and surmounted by a dome and a lantern. The two-story structure contains two prayer halls. The main gate of the synagogue is decorated with a Star of David.

We returned to the hotel and took a nap for the next couple of hours.

  

In the evening we took a taxi to the tram station and took a funicular to the top of the mountain.  We arrived to the Funicular Restaurant at Mtatsminda Park, few minutes later.  We had a great dinner at this fine cuisine that included diverse dishes with specialties such as veal shin with tomato or seafood soup.

We then explored the surroundings and the panoramic views of the city at night.

This magnificent structure sits high atop Mtatsminda (Holy Mountain) at the top of the funicular railway above Tbilisi. Majestic verandas offer panoramic views of the city below and mountains in the distance. It was a bright night and the views were spectacular.

We returned to our hotel, said goodbyes to Khatia and by the time we retired it was already midnight!

October 11^th, 2019

Tbilisi – Batumi

We woke up at 5:00 am and after finishing packing up, we met with our driver (Emzari) and headed to Tbilisi airport.  The flight to Batumi took only 35 minutes and once we landed, Nina, the driver arranged by Khatia, was waiting for us. We arrived to our magnificent resort Castello Mare, in the outskirts of the city of Batumi.  

    

We found a beautiful resort and an amazing suite (room 305), with a panoramic views of the Black Sea and the forest, was awaiting for us. We Napped for the next 3 hours.

Emly and Noa arrived at 4:30. We ran outside to greet them and the reunion was very emotional.  They got the room right under us (205) and I was pleased to see that their suite is exactly like us: luxurious and spacious.

  

At around 7:00 we went to the dining room for a good dinner (buffet style) and then talked to Emly and played with Noa until midnight.

October 12^th, 2019

Batumi

When we woke up, we looked at the gloomy skies as a rainstorm was heading our way.

We went for breakfast at the resort.  It was very good with many selections to choose from and fantastic service.

We used the resort’s shuttle to take us to the city and since it was raining cats and dogs, we decided to spend the day indoors and what’s the girls’ favorite thing to do indoors? Right: Shopping!

We entered a large supermarket and bought all kind of goodies to bring to the rooms and of course some cloths and other accessories.

The driver was waiting for us in the early afternoon and took us back to the resort.

We rested the rest of the afternoon and then went to dinner and retired to our rooms.

October 13^th, 2019

Batumi

A huge smile was on my face when I woke up and the sun was up there without any clouds in the skies.

We had our breakfast and once again used the shuttle to take us to the city.

We started the self guided city tour at the famous Neptune Fountain in front of Batumi Drama Theater. It was erected in 2010.

   

It consists of five fragments. A gilded Neptune sculpture is standing on the pedestal in the center. There is a fountain around it, which is the composition of four mermaid figures.  The gilded figure of the fountain Neptune, with its divine gesture, expresses its power to manage water

Note: The statue and its fountain is a copy of the Fountain of Neptune in the Piazza del Nettuno in the town of Bologna in Italy (1567).

We continued towards the promenade at the beach passing beautiful towers and monuments.  The architecture around us was breathtaking.  The past 10 years were spent for building modern structures in the city, thriving to make this resort city an international destination.

          

Among those amazing structures were:

The Black Sea Technological University Batumi Tower. The 200-meter tower is one of the main projects of Saakashvili, which, unfortunately, was not completed. According to the initial plan, the 36-floor building had to be used as an American-Georgian university, but in 2015 it was sold at auction for $ 25 million to RED-co as a business center.

The House of Justice. The building has an original architectural idea. It was built in the form of an inverted bottle which has 17 floors. The author of the project is the architect Michelle de Lucca. All legal issues are resolved here. In addition, the building has a cafe and children’s room.

The Register Office. The Wedding Palace is one of the most unusual buildings in Batumi and around the world. In appearance it resembles a “dolphin”, some people see it as a “shell” – everyone has its own association. Work in the institution is conducted day and night. We were told that in the evening the building has a backlight that creates a magical atmosphere on the boulevard.

McDonalds. It is another building in a futuristic style with a very extraordinary design. The interior of the cafe also has its own interesting features. Outside the walls of the building are multi-level frameworks that look like stained-glass windows. Mirror glasses reflect the sky, people and nature around. There are two ponds near the cafe where ships float advertising the company.

Orbi Sea Towers. They are located in the New Boulevard area. The building takes the seventh place among the highest skyscrapers of Georgia. Height is about 400 feet. The apartments and rooms located in the Towers overlooking the sea.

Georgian Alphabet Tower – A Spanish company built the Georgian Alphabet Tower in Batumi. All 33 letters of the Georgian alphabet in modern and old Georgian languages are on the tower. Each letter is about 20 feet in size. The height of a tower is approx. 400 feet.

Radisson Blu Batumi – In 2011, near the Wonderland Park, another five-star hotel, the “Radisson Blu” was built.  Its unique glass facade design does not leave anyone indifferent to the structure.

Batumi Sheraton Hotel – The hotel is 110 meters high. This is the first international luxury brand in the region. The hotel includes 230 rooms. Among them there is a penthouse on the 21st floor. All rooms and suites are equipped with modern technology and extraordinary sweet-sleeper beds.

We were mesmerized of the beauty!


   

We took a break in a café, overlooking the Black Sea and then walked on the promenade towards the huge Ferries Wheel.  Just to the left of it we saw an intriguing “moving” monument.  It was the Man and Woman Statue.  It is a 26 feet tall moving steel sculpture by Georgian sculptor Tamara Kvesitadze. The two figures represent a Muslim boy, Ali, and a Georgian princess, Nino, from a famous 1937 novel by Azerbaijani author Kurban Said. A rough translation of his fictional would translate as “someone of sacred descent who has been sacrificed” which is the exact theme of this grand love story. 

The real author of the book remains unknown to this day. The tragic love story ends with Ali and Nino separated by the invasion of Soviet Russia. This aggression has changed millions of real people lives, so the depicted drama might have really happened.  The love statue begins to move every day at 7 p.m., merging for a short embrace, before leaving each other behind. After 10 minutes the movement is complete.

We climbed the Ferris wheel and had quite a view of the entire city.  In the distance I saw a beautiful building and tomorrow we will try to get closer to it.

  

The Argo Cable Car was our next destination and we continued on the promenade to get there, passing few more wonderful structures like the Astronomical Clock and the Light Tower.  We noticed the second language spoken that day in Batumi was Hebrew, as thousands of Israelis flocked the city

We found out that the length of the cable way is about 8650 feet and that we are going to climb up is 800 feet above the ground.

The views from the cable car were astonishing and the closer we got to the summit with our gondola, the better the views were.

at the summit we visited the Entertaining complex ARGO, which offered spectacular views of the town, The Black Sea and the surrounding mountains.

       

We spent an hour there and then used the gondola to return to the promenade.  We headed towards the Fish Market, walking the 2 miles in about half an hour.

Yesterday, while sipping coffee in the shopping center, we met a couple from Israel.  This was their last day in Batumi after spending 6 days here.  I asked them where will be a good place to have lunch and the gentleman told me that: “If you want to feel Batumi, and see it from a locals perspective you should visit the Fish Market on the main road near the port.  The place is exotic, cheap, and delicious. Here you can find the freshest fish in town, caught the same morning or even minutes before you buy it.”  I already started to “dream” about it.

As we arrived, we entered the market and chose 3 fishes ((salmon, Sea Bass and Denise) from a stand full of all kind of seafood.  We then topped the order with 6 jumbo shrimps.  The total order weighed about 8 pounds.  Next we went outside the market, with our bag full with seafood, and chose a restaurant of the many choices of restaurants.  I preferred to choose the one with the least amount of clients.  A waiter seated us down and then took the bag I had and asked how do we want it to be prepared.  We chose “Grilled” and he took our bag and left, coming back few minutes lqter with a huge salad fresh bread and beers.  About 45 minutes later he returned with our lunch.  We looked at the huge tray in awe.  (Look at the pictures and judge for yourself!).  Needless to say: we consumed it all and it was out of this world!

         

After the feast we took a taxi and headed to Europe Square for a Folklore Festival.  There were stands with all kind of local art and sweet dishes.  There were animals to pet and street artists.  The main attraction was on a huge stage where local bands and dance companies from all over the country performed.  It was amazing!

  

There were lots of activities for the kids as well!

As the evening approached, we hired a taxicab and headed back to our resort.  We arrived at 8:00 in the evening, just in time to take some gorgeous sunset photos.

October 14^th, 2019

Batumi

We decided to have a leisure day at the resort, as I woke up with back pains.

 

We had breakfast and then, when my lower back got better, we hit the beach for a beautiful sunny day and warm temps.  We then used the spa facilities, at the resort, and had a great time.

  

At one time I was at the balcony taking photos of the surrounding when my phone slipped out of my hands and fell 3 stories to the ground, right next to the pool.  I rushed to the ground floor and found the phone in a pretty good condition thanks to the hard cover.  The only thing that needed a replacement was the screen cover.

After an afternoon nap we had dinner at the restaurant next to the hotel and enjoyed a memorable sunset over the Black Sea.

October 15^th, 2019

Batumi

After breakfast we used the shuttle to go to the city and asked the driver to stop next to the Aquarium.

Inspired by the characteristic pebbles of the Batumi beach, continually shaped by the wash of the waves through millennia, the building stands out as an iconic rock formation visible from both land and sea.

The formation constitutes four self-supporting exhibition areas where each of the four stones represents a unique marine biotype – the Aegean Sea, & the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Black Sea & the Red Sea and finally the more interactive exhibition. 

     

Inside the building we explored the many sea creatures.  It wasn’t the best aquarium I have ever seen, but looking how Noa enjoyed the exhibits made the difference.  At the end we had a terrific time there.

Once we were outside we took the driver’s advice, who told us to purchase tickets to the Dolphinarium ealy, as they sell out almost every day of the week.  The show was scheduled to start at 3:00 pm (4 ours later) but there were many in the queue already buying tickets.  Once we had the tickets we continued to explore the city.

We walked on The Boulevard (Seaside Park), it one of the oldest attractions of the city, established in 1881.  Batumi Boulevard has reached a length of around 4 miles and is approximately divided into ‘new’ and ‘old’ boulevards. The original and beautiful park is still here, with the addition of modern sculptures, benches and fountains. We were told that during the height of the summer season the seashore is busy with cafés, restaurants, beach bars and clubs. In the off-season it’s simply a beautiful sea-side boulevard.

  

We walked the four-mile promenade and arrived to the New City where we explored magnificent buildings built with futuristic designs.  The most outstanding building was (for me) the Marriott Hotel, built like an arch and is just out of this world.

We continued and arrived to an Old Neighborhood where we purchased some goodies at a supermarket and then took a taxi back to the Dolphinarium.

            

We arrived just in time to enjoy a spectacular show.  The stadium was not as big as you would expect (only 700 seats) and in the center three trainers gave signals to the large mammals and their execution was precise and adorable.

We returned to the resort to capture from our balcony, another spectacular sunset.

 

October 16^th, 2019

Batumi

Once again we chose to stay at the resort.  We made reservations for a massage and were treated to a great one.  We also spent more time at the spa.




     

After a lazy morning we rested and then visited the beach on both sides of the resort, discovering beautiful rocks and fantastic Flora.

We had dinner at the restaurant and then spent time together in Emly’s suite. Once again we enjoyed the sunset that was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen!

October 17^th, 2019

Batumi – Tbilisi

After our last breakfast at the resort, we said our tearful goodbyes to Emly and Noa as they were going to stay another day there.  Our driver Emzari was already there and we started our long (but comfortable) ride to Tbilisi. We made it in 6 hours and checked in to the same hotel we stayed in a week ago.

We went to the nearby mall (The Galleries) to look for a phone screen protector, for my broken one but they didn’t have it.  We tried in the underground shops but they didn’t have it either.  In the last shop, the salesman knew where to find it.  He gave us directions to a wholesale shopping center, The Back Market, about 4 miles away.  

We took a taxi (for a merely $3) and arrived there to find a fantastic building that contains dozens of stores, all carrying electronic gadgets for ridiculous prices. We of course found what we needed.  

We then walked back to the hotel, making the 4 miles trip in 90 minutes.  (We LOVE to walk!).

We had a light dinner and went to sleep.

October 18^th, 2019

Tbilisi – Cardiff

We woke up at 2:00 AM!  The flight was schedule to leave Tbilisi at 5:00.  Emzari showed up at 3:00 and took us to the International Airport.

The first leg, with LOT airlines took us to Warsaw, Poland where we caught the LOT flight to London, England.  When we arrived to LHR (Heathrow Airport) we discovered, to our horror, that our luggage (2 of them!) have not made it.  We were treated especially nice at the airlines customers’ service and were promised that they will be delivered to Cardiff, Wales tomorrow afternoon.

We took the Heathrow express to Paddington Station where we boarded the train to Cardiff, Wales.

The two hours ride was pleasant and as we arrived we took our carry-on and walked to the Indigo Hotel, not far from the station, on Queen Street, right in the city’s center.

We entered our deluxe room, and the first thing I did was I texting our friends Donna & Russ, who had already arrived from Ireland where they spent the last 4 days (in Dublin).  We decided to meet in the lobby.  As we left the room we saw them.  As it turned out, they occupied the neighboring room.  We greeted with a lot of warmth and love, as they have been our traveling companions for the last 8 years (!)

We decided to find a place to have dinner but as we walked out of the hotel, cold rain with winds was greeting us. We decided to eat at the hotel’s restaurant on the hotel’s rooftop.  It was a great choice as both the service and the food were a true five stars.  We ordered from the classic British Menu some steaks and salads. The name of the restaurant was Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill and it is a popular spot in the city as people make reservations way ahead of time to get a seat.

October 19^th, 2019

Cardiff

We woke up at 8:00 and headed to the restaurant at the hotel’s rooftop for a most delicious English breakfast accompanied with fruits, cheese, fish and out of this world bread.

Outside was a pleasant surprise as sunshine welcomed us to the streets of this great city.

We made a reservation for a walking tour and met our guide Eugene, next to the statue of John Batchelor.  After introducing himself, Eugene told us a bit about John Batchelor: Born in 1820 he was a prominent British Victorian businessman and politician, who earned the epithet "Friend of Freedom".  He died in 1883.  Batchelor became a prominent Cardiff figure, having moved there in his early twenties. He set up business as a timber merchant and, later, slate merchant.

We passed the Queen Road Arcade and stopped at a bar named Owain Glyndwr, a locals’ favorite.  Eugene told us that it was named after a Welsh leader who instigated a fierce and long-running yet ultimately unsuccessful war of independence with the aim of ending English rule in Wales during the Late Middle Ages. He was the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales.  That war, also known as the Last War of Independence was an uprising of the Welsh between 1400 and 1415, led by Owain. It was the last major manifestation of a Welsh independence movement before the incorporation of Wales into England by the Laws in Wales Acts (1542).

  

Across from the pub we saw an old church.  Eugene told us that St. John the Baptist Church is the only church dating to pre-Medieval times in Cardiff city center and the only medieval building other than Cardiff Castle (which we would visit later today).

  

We walked around the church, on Church Street, and were facing the Cardiff Central Market (Marchnad Ganolog Caerdydd), a Victorian indoor market in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff city center.  

Eugene told us that originally the site of Cardiff’s gallows were located on this site 

We strolled around and viewed traders offering a variety of fresh produce, seafood, cooked food, various delicacies and more durable goods.  We stopped at a bakery named Cardiff Bakestones that baked fresh Welsh Cakes, among other goodies, and is the locals (and tourists) favorite bakery.

We came out of the market and crossed the main street to be next to the Principality Stadium where the national team plays Rugby.

Eugene told us that The Millennium Stadium, known since 2016 as the Principality Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is the national stadium of Wales. Initially built to host the 1999 Rugby World Cup, it has gone on to host many other large-scale events, such as the Tsunami Relief Cardiff concert, the Super Special Stage of Wales Rally Great Britain, the Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain and various concerts. It also hosted six FA Cup finals and several other high-profile soccer matches while Wembley Stadium, was being redeveloped, in London.

    

We strolled up the street and arrived to the breathtaking Bute Park.  We learned that the park comprises 130 acres of landscaped gardens and parkland that once formed the grounds of Cardiff Castle. The park is named after the 3rd Marquees of Bute, whose family owned the castle.

We saw many beautiful trees and other flora with people walking in the beautiful paths.  At the end of the path was the wall of the castle and then we viewed the castle itself.  Eugene asked us to find a spot and relaxed as he was telling us about the castle:

 

   

Cardiff Castle is one of Wales’ leading heritage attractions and a site of international significance. The Cardiff Castle’s walls and fairytale towers conceal 2,000 years of history and legends. It all started in the middle of the first century when a Roman Fort established on a strategic site that afforded easy access to the sea. Archaeological excavations indicate that this was the first of four forts, each a different size, that occupied the present site. Remains of the Roman wall can be seen today.  After the Norman Conquest, the Castle’s keep was built, re-using the site of the Roman fort. The first keep was erected and was probably built of wood. Further medieval fortifications and dwellings followed over the years.

The Castle passed through the hands of many noble families until in 1766, it passed by marriage to the Bute family. The 2nd Marquees of Bute was responsible for turning Cardiff into the world’s greatest coal exporting port. The Castle and Bute fortune passed to his son John, the 3rd Marquees of Bute, who by the 1860s was reputed to be the richest man in the world.

From 1866 the 3rd Marquees employed the genius architect named William Burges to transform the Castle lodgings. Within gothic towers he created lavish interiors, rich with murals, stained glass, marble, gilding and elaborate wood carvings. Each room has its own special theme, including Mediterranean gardens and Italian and Arabian decoration. The 3rd Marquees died when he was only 53 in 1900. Despite huge death duties on the estate, the 4th Marquees completed many of his father’s restoration projects including the reconstruction of the Roman wall. The Bute family continued to stay at the Castle throughout the 1920s and 1930s, although they had sold off many of their business interests in south Wales.

Following the death of the 4th Marquees of Bute, the family decided to give the Castle and much of its parkland to the city of Cardiff. For 25 years, the Castle was home to the National College of Music and Drama and since 1974 has become one of Wales’ most popular visitor attractions.

 

We continued our tour and passed the beautiful City Hall, The National Museum among other magnificent buildings and arrived to the fabulous Welsh National War Memorial, situated in Alexandra Gardens, Cathay’s Park. The memorial was unveiled on 12 June 1928 by the Prince of Wales. The memorial commemorates the servicemen who died during the First World War and has a commemorative plaque for those who died during the Second World War, added in 1949.

Not far from there we found an interesting monument, erected to remember those who perished in the Falkland Battle.  At a special commemoration on September 30, 2007, 25 years since the 1982 conflict with Argentina, a stone brought to Cardiff from the Falklands, with the name of every Welsh soldier who fell victim to the war inscribed on it, was uncovered. The structure has also become the official Welsh National Falklands Memorial.

       

We continued the tour that ended in front of the castle.  We took Eugene advice, about a great spot for food.  We headed to Duke Arcade and found Madame Formage, which was super busy with a queue of about 15 patrons in front of us. 

Nevertheless, we waited about 45 minutes and finally got a table.  TripAdvisor website promised that we will not regret the wait as this one of Cardiff's best delicatessens, with a wide range of cold cooked meat, French and Welsh cheese, a mixture of Breton and Welsh dishes, including rarebit, lamb cawl (a stew like soup) and an amazing fruitcake.  Those who know us probably guessed that we ordered one of each and consumed the entire delicious meal.

On the way back to our hotel, we stopped to buy those delicious Welsh Cakes.

October 20^th, 2019

Wales

After a fantastic breakfast at the hotel we met our new guide for the next few days.  Her name was Nia.

The weather was just perfect with sunny skies and comfortable temperatures.

  

We started our tour with a visit to Brecon Beacons National Park.  We parked our van alongside the road and while admiring the spectacular views we listened to Nia:

The Brecon Beacons National Park is one of three national parks in Wales, and is centered on the Brecon Beacons range.  It includes the Black Mountain in the west and Fforest Fawr (Great Forest) in the east, covering some 520 square miles. 

We saw many hikers on the trails but we had no plans and time to do this fun activity.

  

  

We drove to the Information Center and then continued our day, passing sleepy villages and beautiful landscaping.  Green was the main color of the meadows and barns with dramatic views everywhere.

  

We arrived to Llangors Lake, one of Brecon Beacons highlights.  Before exploring the area, Nia treated us with homemade coffee, tea and Welsh cakes.

     

Nia elaborated about the surroundings: “This water body is a glacial lake”, she started, and is famous for its coarse fishing (particularly pike), water sports, the legendary monster (nicknamed 'Gorsey'). It has the only example of a crannog (an ancient fortified dwelling) in Wales.

The lake is the largest in the UK and also one of the most mentioned sites in Welsh folklore. It is a site of international conservation importance.

  

We walked around and watched the many waterbirds including swans, amazing colored ducks and other colorful birds.  We stopped at one point, next to a sword mounted into a rock.  Nia told us that the original sword was stolen once and had been replaced by the one we see here.  The original sword has been rumored to indicate as one of the possible locations of Camelot in the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

       

We continued our trip and arrived to a small village called Hay On Wye, in the historic county of Brecknockshire.  The town is often abbreviated to just "Hay", and is a small market town and community. With over twenty bookshops, it is often described as "the town of books", and is both the National Book Town of Wales and the site of the annual Hay Festival.  

We had “free time” of 90 minutes and we strolled up and down the unique pebbled streets, windows shopping and found a small café where we had a nice and decent lunch that included a broccoli soup and a cheese Panini.  

We then continued to tour the town and admired the gorgeous Clock Tower, built in 1881.

  

We drove north to through a village called Ystradfellte  and a few miles later arrived near the head of a pass through the Brecon Beacons between the peaks of Fan Nedd and Fan Llia, where we found this huge stone (or slab), called Maen Llia.  The massive monolith of stone stands on the countryside in a magnificent and isolated spot in the park. It is a large diamond-shaped slab of conglomerate, 12 feet high and 9 feet wide but only 2 feet thick. It is likely that a quarter to a third of the stone is below ground, so it has managed to stand up to thousands of years of wild Welsh weather.

It lies at the junction of two valleys and its visibility from some distance suggests that it could possibly be a territorial marker or it could mark an ancient track way, guiding travelers across the watershed. In the Forties, some faint Latin and Ogam inscriptions were still visible on the stone's surface.  A legend says that whenever a cock crows, the stone moves off to drink in the River Nedd.  According to another story, the stone visits the River Mellte on Midsummer morning.

   

We kept on driving passing through majestic meadows with sheep, wild horses, cows and goats. We arrived to a beautiful Waterfall Country and to a set of falls called Melincourt Waterfall.

We walked about a mile though a narrow valley and arrived to this beautiful set of two falls.  The spectacular eighty feet high waterfall was right in front of us with all its glory.  On the right there was another fall, smaller in size but so beautiful and majestic.

This was the last attraction of the day.  Nia recommended a restaurant in Cardiff named Bill’s and drove us there.  It is located by the bay.  The food was decent (not great) and the service was okay (not great).

October 21^st, 2019

Wales

We enjoyed our breakfast at the hotel, once again and then met with Nia.

     

We drove west of Cardiff and arrived to a small seaside town named Tenby.  We parked our van next to the wall, which surrounds the town and started our walking tour.   We entered the town through a Five Arches barbican gate, built by the French to protect the main entrance through the XIII century and passed the gorgeous church, in the middle of the town.  We walked until we arrived to a tiny narrow street that was parallel to the harbor.  Nia told us that Tenby with its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain is a natural sheltered harbor from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.

          

The views were unforgettable and so picturesque.

We drove west of Tenby, passing the gorgeous country roads and arrived to Saint David’s, lying on the River Alun. It is the final resting place of Saint David, Wales's patron saint, and named after him. We learned that St David is the United Kingdom's smallest city in terms of population and urban area.

   

We walked down the street and arrived to one of the most gorgeous Cathedrals we have ever seen, The St. David’s Cathedral - built in the VI century.  As we stood on a hill, overlooking the Cathedral, Nia explained:  “To understand part of the reason St. David’s is so special, you have to know a little about the history of the area. St. David’s is the patron saint of Wales. Legend claims he was born around 500 A.D. on the rugged Pembrokeshire Coast of southwest Wales. He was the founder of a strict monastic order in the town that bears his name, and was the most influential clergyman in all of Wales during the "Age of Saints." His place of birth and the cathedral built in his name became one of the most important shrines of medieval Christendom. Nowhere in Britain is there a more ancient cathedral settlement.”

   

Another interesting fact is that even though St. David’s has a population of about 5,000 residents, it is a city (and not a town or a village) because it has the Cathedral.

It was time for lunch and Nia suggested going to the local’s favorite: The Bishops Pub.  The place was adorable, from the antique furniture, the service, and the excellent (and huge portions) dishes.  I declared that the Fish-n-Chips that I had been served was probably the best I have ever eaten.

  

   

We drove a few miles to the most western spot in Wales and to a place called Whitesands and continue to the Bay area. Whitesands is a large west-facing expanse of sand in a magnificent setting, with views of Ramsey Island and several smaller islets. Ideal for sandcastle building, paddling and swimming, the beach is also popular with surfers, windsurfers, kayakers, divers and anglers.  Nia told us that this is one of the most popular beaches in Pembrokeshire.

We posed for pictures and enjoyed the outstanding views.  A short drive took us to a breathtaking vista called Caefai Bay, with cliffs of purple sandstone and a sandy beach at low tide reached by steep steps. The beach is situated on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and has astonishing rugged coastal scenery with the path winding up and down the cliffs.

We returned to the hotel at around 6:00.

October 22^nd, 2019

Wales

After breakfast we met with Nia and started our day driving south. Our first stop at Swansea, along the Bristol Channel at the mouth of the River Tawe. Swansea is the second largest city in Wales (after Cardiff).

 

We drove along the coast until we reached the end of the road.  Nia told us that in the early XII century, the Norman Henry de Newburgh built a castle there, which was later destroyed by the Welsh rebel Owain Glyn Dwr (We visited the pub with his name on kr, a ccouple of days ago).  Up to the early XVIII century Swansea was a small market town and a coal port. Thereafter it grew steadily as an industrial center.

Another interesting fact was that the town center was almost totally destroyed by German bombing in 1941 during World War II but has been redeveloped fully.

We stood there at the top of the bay with high winds and beautiful scenery, with a magnificent lighthouse built on the edgy rocks. The views were amazing.

We headed to Oxwich, situated on the picturesque Gower Peninsula – the first area in the United Kingdom to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We parked just a stone’s throw from the beach and just stayed for a few minutes to breath in the fresh air coming from the ocean.  We parked next to the Beach House Restaurant, right on the beach.  It is Wales’ newest Michelin star restaurant!

      

Rhossilli Bay, in the southwestern tip of the Gower Peninsula, was our next stop.  The beach was named in 2017, as the best beach in Europe by the much respectable Suitcase Magazine.

Comprised of three miles of golden sand, the beach encompasses 

Worms Head, one of Gower’s most famous landmarks is there. It is the first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK.  

Looking at the dragon shaped group of rocks it is not hard to guess why it is called Worms Head. The name comes from the Norse word 'Wurme', meaning dragon or serpent. The headland of Worm's Head marks the most westerly point on Gower and comprises a rock causeway, which links the small island to the mainland.

We walked from the village to the Worms Head.  On our way we “greeted” many sheep, who were munching on the grass and "posed" for pictures.  The views were spectaculars.

        

   

After a traditional Wales lunch we headed to our final stop of our tour: It was at the second largest castle in all of the UK, Caerphilly Castle.  It is a medieval fortification that was constructed by Gilbert de Clare (One of Henry III's most powerful and ambitious barons) in the XIII century as part of his campaign to conquer Glamorgan, and saw extensive fighting between Gilbert, his descendants, and the native Welsh rulers. Surrounded by extensive artificial lakes – considered by historian Allen Brown to be "the most elaborate water defenses in all Britain" – it occupies around 30 acres, which make its immense size, as the largest in Britain after Windsor.

We toured the grounds extensively and were impressed by the enormous size of its walls and buildings.  We all agreed that this was one of the most beautiful castles we have ever seen.

On our way back we had a glimpse of the Red Castle, seeing it from the highway.

We returned to the hotel and packed our luggage for tomorrow’s trip to London.

October 23^rd, 2019

Wales - London

We woke up at around 7:00 and after yet another wonderful breakfast at the hotel we met with Nia, who took us to the train station where we boarded the train to Paddington Station, London.

   

The ride was smooth and enjoyable.  We arrived at around 12:00 pm and received a nice suite in the Albert Embankment Crowne Plaza.  The room was spacious and very elegant with beautiful sights from our balcony of the Thames River and central London.

    

We met with Jennifer at around 4:00 and headed to Covent Garden area where we would have a Chinese dinner in Din Tai Fung, a renowned Taiwanese Restaurant and a popular place to eat.  Wa had no reservations and the nice hostess worte our names down and asked us to return in a couple of hours.  We agreed and decided to spend the extra time in the Covent Garden Market. The wait was worth it.  The food was fantastic.  We ordered as if we have never seen food before, but managed to consume the entire order.

When we were done with the food I happened to notice (Facebook baby!) that my niece (Inbar) plus her  husband (Ami) and daughter (Yarden) are visiting London as well.  We got in touch and as we said our  goodbyes to Jennifer, we took the tube and headed to meet them.

Russ & Donna decided to see a show in Soho.

     

We found Inbar, Ami and the little one Yarden at an Indian restaurant.  It was exciting and truly enjoyable.

We managed to find our way back to our hotel and called it a night.

October 24^th, 2019

London – Southampton

We woke up at 7:00 packed and went down to breakfast.  At 9:45 the driver, I prearranged, showed up and we drove to Southampton.  The ride was an adventurous one, as our driver moved in and out of lanes, going over the speed limit and even picked up a fight with another driver in Ventral London.  We exhaled only when we arrived to the port in Southampton and to our awaiting cruise ship: The elegant and fabulous Celebrity Silhouette.

Our spacious cabin was on the 10^th deck and had a wide balcony.

We unpacked, went to the Lifeboat drill and sat in the dining room along with Donna & Russ.  We did not like our table and asked to switch.  They promised that tomorrow we will sit in a table of 10 guests.

After dinner we went shopping in the ship’s mall and at 9:00 we were sitting in the theater to watch a flute player Paul Stepien from Poland.  The performer was very talented but Paul’s lack of communication skills made the show somewhat boring.  

   

The highlight of the evening was our first encounter with the Cruise Director, Alejandro and his assistant Pete.  Alejandro, an Argentinian native was funny and with an electric personality.  I instantly knew that this director will be like no other!

We turned our clocks one hour backward before going to sleep.

October 25^th, 2019 – October 30^th, 2019

At Sea

We love the time we spend at sea.  Not much to do, just relax, attend seminars, read, eats and wake up late. We walked for 4 mile each day going around the fifth deck and made new friends.

In 2015 we took a Celebrity Cruise from Vancouver.  We became real food friend with Eileen & Henry from London.  Unfortunately Henry died a couple of years later.  When I heard that Eileen is also going to be a guest on this current cruise I shared the information with Tova and we were looking forward to see Eileen again. 

We saw Eileen in the Ocean View dining room having breakfast and we were excited to see her.  We decided to meet in “shul” for Friday night services and we did.  The services were exciting and very emotional, when one of the guests by the name of Steve Friedman asked us all to tell everyone else (about 50 of us) his name, where he was born and where does he currently live. He said that on another cruise, this exercise revealed that two guests were actually sisters that have not seen each other for over 70 years as both were in the same concentration camp during the Holocaust and each one of them thought the other was dead.  One was living in NYC and the other in Buenos Aires, for all of these years.

We hang out with Eileen few more times during the trip.  It was great!

Steve Friedman, by the way, is an author, a brilliant singer and an expert on “Broadway Musicals” and we got to attend his seminar several times during the trip.

When we came to the dining room on the 25^th we were seated, along with Donna & Russ at a nice table with friendly and charming people. (2 couples from Canada, one from Florida and us four from California)

Our waiter was Marius from Romania and his assistant was Tede from the Philippines.

        

During sea days we saw a lot of entertainment such as:

The wedding Game, which as always was fun and funny

A great singer by the name of Shane Hampsheir,  a couple of shows performed by The Celebrity Production team, a British talented singer by the name of Aimie Atkinson and a violinist (who we have already seen on a different cruise) by the name of Analiza Ching.

    

At the beginning of each show and also at the end of them, Alejandro will appear on stage with his routine that was hilarious.  

He also appeared in a couple of afternoons at the small theater for informal chats with the guests and appeared daily with Pete, on one of the TV channels with information and activities.  Also, very funny!

We also attended daily seminars such as The History of Broadway Musicals, The Manson Family Murders, Hollywood and the Movies, The Swinging 60’s and a special seminar by the photographer of The Beatles, who became one of the regulars to travel with them around the world.

  

On the 29^th we celebrated Halloween (a couple of days earlier than when it was supposed to be) and enjoyed the costumes parade in the Grand Foyer.

During these 5 days we turned our one hour clocks backward almost every night.

We also encountered a Northern Atlantic Storm, which was quite serious with high and strong winds plus a rough sea with huge waves.

October 31^st, 2019

New York City

  

We arrived to the Big Apple at dawn.  I was sitting in the balcony, coffee at my side and enjoyed the entrance to the bay.  We passed under the Verrazano Bridge under a beautiful and clear sky.  We ordered breakfast to our room and at 8:00 am it arrived and served on our table in the balcony as we passed the State of Liberty.  We made it to Pier 88 at around 8:45.

We were out of the ship at around 9:30 am and found the nearest subway station.  We took the “E” train to Ground Zero and entered the 9-11 Memorial & Museum.




     

The Memorial Museum is the country’s principal institution concerned with exploring 9/11, documenting its impact, and examining its continuing significance. Honoring those who were killed in the 2001 and 1993 attacks.

Located at the World Trade Center, the 9/11 Memorial Museum tells the story of 9/11 through media, narratives, and a collection of monumental and authentic artifacts, presenting visitors with personal stories of loss, recovery, and hope.

We walked around for almost 3 hours, reading articles, examining the exhibits and shed tears as we watched the videos.

We walked outside at around 1:00 pm and walked our way to Chinatown for a much needed lunch.  We enjoyed the walk as we passed by many New Yorkers all dressed up for Halloween.  
We had lunch at our favorite restaurant in Chinatown: Tasty Hand Pulled Noodles.

   

We decided to keep on walking and made our way to Time Square walking on Broadway.  Once we arrived we were enjoyed seeing the thousands and thousands of people having a great time, most dressed in their costumes.

We made it back to the ship at around 11:00 pm and went straight to our cabin. 

Today we walked 10 miles!!!

November 1^st, 2019

Manhattan – At Sea

     

The ship was scheduled to depart at 6:00 am but when we woke up (at around 7:30) it was still docked.  We learned that the gangwayfrom the ship to the terminal got stock due to (very) high winds during the night and could not be separated from the ship.

Help was called in and at around 10:00 a crane arrived with a crew that after 2.5 hours they were able to seperate the gangway from the ship and we started our journey.

               

Sailing out of Manhattan to the Atlantic is a true beautiful sight.  Status of Liberty is saying goodbye with all her glory and the Big Apple seems so gorgeous.

We attended Steve Friedman seminar and then rested most of the day.

We attended Shabbat Services and it was quite nice.

      

During dinner we took our cameras out and took pictures of our new friends at the table.


After dinner we went to the theater to see a juggler by the name of Steven Ragtz, who was talented and entertaining.

November 2^nd, 2019

Boston - Salem, Massachusetts

We arrived to Boston at around 8:00.

As soon as we disembarked, we (Russ & Donna came along) met with our now familiar Driver/Guide Freddie.

He told us that Thursday (Halloween) was a rainy and windy day and therefor, the city of Boston decided to postpone the festivity for today.

Freddie suggested driving to Salem, best known for the witchcraft hysteria that gripped the area in the closing years of the XVII century.  What could be more fitting than to visit Salem in Halloween?

  

We first visited a nice wharf named Pickering, a harbor side shopping-village, filled with history and landmarks alike. This was the perfect place to explore what Salem has to offer: from local shops to waterfront dining on the Salem harbor to the Salem Maritime Site and the Friendship trading ship.

We walked on the wharf, taking pictures of the nice views.

    

Freddie drove to the Historic District and we walked on the famed Charter Street and found our way to the historic Old Cemetery or better known as The Old Burying Point Cemetery, which is the oldest cemetery in Salem, and among the oldest in the United States. Opened in 1637, it is the final resting place of several Salem notables, including those innocent victims who were blamed and found guilty) for witchcraft.

We walked on Essex Street, a historic cobblestone-and-brick street in the middle of downtown Salem that has been closed off to vehicle traffic. We saw dozens of attractions, museums, shops, restaurants, cafes, & more. We also visited the Salem Visitors Center, located at New Liberty Street, just off the Pedestrian Mall, but had no time to wait for the next documentary video about the period of the witchcraft in the city.

We had a great time walking the street, which is fun for all ages! With 70+ vendors, live music and historic buildings. This street had something for everyone… crafts, jewelry, paintings, stained glass, and more!

  

We ended up at the Witch House, also known as The Jonathan Corwin House.  It was the home of Judge Corwin who died in 1718 and is the only structure still standing in Salem with direct ties to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, where he served as a judge.

Both Donna & I took the tour of the house discovering the XVII century way of living.

We came out of the Witch House and texted Freddie our location.  He arrive promptly and took us to the Witch Museum but they were about to close.

  

We drove outside of the city to Freddie’s favorite seafood restaurant: Mission on the Bay Restaurant.

The decor featured flags adorning the ceiling in the foyer, lobster traps turned bar furniture and walls made out of glass, overlooking the bay. We knew that there was no way we would mistake the Main Dining Room for anything other than a true New England dining experience. 

      



We were seated next to the large window and viewed the breathtaking view of the Boston skyline, and had some really tasty food. We ordered the classic New England Chowder and Lobster Rolls that were melting in our mouth.


 

   

Freddie was waiting for us outside (he refused to eat with us!) and we drove back to Boston and straight to the North End 
neighborhood to taste the famous Mike’s Pastry Cannolis.  The line was around the block, at least an hour long, but when your guide is Freddie you will have no problems with any queue.  He stepped in and the girls who work in the counter all knew him by first name basis and fulfilled our order of assorted cannolis in minutes.  We also bought additional pastries, which we later on shared with our friends at our table.

We returned to the ship at 6:30 and later on went to the theater to watch The Runaround Kids, A rock & roll group from London.  They sang and danced away with hits from the 50’s and 60’s.  We laughed, sang along and enjoyed their performance.

November 3^rd, 2019

At Sea

Breakfast at Oceanview Café and then relaxed on the 5th deck.

   

At 1:30 we went to the theater to watch the Cello2Cello show, which featured two young musicians playing the classics with their cellos with unbelievable rock energy and a sense of style.

We met two lovely ladies from Switzerland (Monika & Alma) and discussed the possibility that we would meet in the future in their country.

We rested in the afternoon and aster dinner returned to the theater to watch Dima Belinsky, a talented pianist & composer from Romania.

  

Right after the show, Alejandro appeared with a self documentary about his beloved country Argentina.  It was very entertaining.

We finished the night dancing in the Grand Foyer.

November 4^th, 2019

King’s Wharf, Bermuda

We woke up to a beautiful and warm day.

Breakfast and then went to explore the island, after waiting in a (very) long queue for disembarkation.