boat

Photo: Venice – The history of the gondolas

January 30, 2012 By Danny

These gondolas are nothing more than flat-bottomed row boats used for years in Venice. Originally used as the primary means of transportation, they have largely been replaced by more modern watercraft…usually with engines. Nonetheless, these boats are very well suited for the Venetian Lagoon and are often found along the Grand Canal.

Once the single most important watercraft in Venice, the Gondolas now are seemingly only used by tourists. People come from all over the world keep these boats from going extinct and their captains in business at the same time. This picture here is nice because it shows Venice as a nice, peaceful city…those who make it out to Venice for carnival however know better!

IF YOU GO: You’d better hurry up, check out one of the many Apartments in Venice for rent, and visit this place before it is too late. The city is sinking and although modern engineering will probably keep it afloat for years to come, there will likely be some serious changes. Trains come to Venice from all over Italy and Europe so there really is no excuse not to visit!

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr user Dr. Savage via a creative commons license.

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo series.

Three Great Day Trips by Ferry

December 6, 2011 By Jillian

Sure, plenty of the world’s major cities have great boat tours. Usually involving some sort of lunch or dinner, these mini-cruises taken in the sights and potentially the sounds of a city. There’s nothing like the skyline from the water people say. Me, I prefer full day trips by boat, places where a ferry takes me that aren’t just sightseeing tours. Places that are a destination in and of themselves, if only for a day.

Seattle – San Juan Islands

Take an easy day trip from Seattle to the San Juan Islands. A popular destination for sea kayaking and whale watching, the islands are actually home to a resident pod of Orca whales. The archipelago is actually comprised of over 170 islands, some of which just have one or two trees! Popular Friday Harbor is also home to the Front Street Ale House, a local brewing company that serves a long list of its own brews, including Ale Diablo.

If You Go: With the public ferry from Seattle you can access six of the islands. Friday harbor is a good first stop, from there you can book whale watching trips, rent kayaks or go to the whale museum.

Istanbul- Princes’ Islands

When you first get off the ferry at Büyükada (big island) you’ll find the island crowded. The small downtown area hosts several shops and restaurants and in the summer local tourists are out en force. We bought supplies for a picnic and headed up the hill through the streets of Victorian homes to a park. No vehicles are allowed, so all the traffic is on foot or in carraiges. The islands are so named because royalty throughout the centuries were exiled there, starting with the Byzantine period through the Ottomans. Today it’s a lovely break from the hustle and bustle of Istanbul. There’s a small swimming beach, but avoid going at the height of the day when it’s assured to be crowded.

If You Go: There are fast and slow public ferry’s from Istanbul. Do NOT forget to check departure times and be there well in advance. The last ferry’s fill up quickly and sometimes you can be out of luck. Also note that the ferries are often cancelled due to high winds or storms, so check the weather report before you go!

Naples- Ischia Island

Naples is chaotic, crowded and dirty and yet it’s hard to resist spending at least a few days exploring the destroyed ancient cities of nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum. From Naples, it’s a nice daytrip to the volcanic island of Ischia. Less touristy than Capri, it’s known for thermal pools and gardens. Most tourists spend their time “taking in” the waters, but there is also a castle and beaches to visit.

If You Go: From Naples catch the ferry from Napoli Beverello. It will probably make three stops, check with the captain or crew to find out which one is best for you!

Photo Credit: San Juan Islands and Princes’ Island via IShouldLogOff and Ischia via flickr user Chiara Marra under a creative commons license.

Photo Tuesday: Coke in the Jungle

September 14, 2010 By Jillian

Six hours in the back of a pick up truck along the beach on the Mosquito Coast of Honduras brought us to a landing where we could take a dug out canoe to plaplaya for the night before continuing our journey upstream into La Mosquitia. As our “captain” loaded the canoe with our belongings and cargo I couldn’t help but laugh at the “essentials” that were being carried, for a nice price of course, upstream to other settlements. Eventually we were deep enough into the jungle where there was no coca-cola or fanta, but trust me that stuff is everywhere!

Cruising the Mediterranean

August 26, 2010 By Jillian

IMGP6283 Cruising the Mediterranean should conjure up imagines of deep turquoise and blue waters, yachts, drinks at sunset and fresh grilled fish. Add in a few Italians, a cadre of Australians, some itsy bitsy man bikini’s and lots and lots of ice cream and you’ve got our cruise along the Med.

Needless to say the four days on the cruise weren’t exactly the hardest days on the “road.” Joined by our friend Baris, we sailed from Fethiye to Olympos, stopping at nearly ever beautiful blue, turquoise lagoon along the way. Our boat was crowded, the temperature was hot and no matter how many times we swam in a single day, usually around four, we couldn’t get enough. We lingered in the water until the meal bell rang, ate traditional Turkish food, and jumped right back in. IMGP6284

From blue lagoon to blue lagoon we went, exploring little inlets along the way, cold spring fed lagoons, a sunken city, small fishing villages and finally arriving like refugees at the treehouse village of Olympos. We slept under the stars, the waves rocking us in to a blissful sleep.

It’s hard to describe the pure relaxation on the cruise. The only concerns we had were to apply sufficient sunscreen, swim back to the boat before the Australian water polo team finished our lunch and whether the Italian in his little white calvin klein’s would catch a fish. For the record our Turkish friend Baris caught the biggest tuna on the boat.

Despite all the rest and relaxation, four days was about all I could take of bobbing in the Mediterranean. Although we looked somewhat like an overcrowded refugee boat with all our luggage piled on the dingy, we were glad to be back onshore.

If You Go: Turkish “blue cruises” go from Fethiye to Olympos or in reverse. Go prepared for a lot of sun, even with the sunshades there isn’t much shade on deck. We went with V-Go Cruises. Our boat was slightly overcrowded with little room to sleep on deck, but overall it was a good experience. Check with your company to see if beverages are included in your package price- usually they are not. After four days even water adds up, so ask if you can bring your own on board. The practice was discouraged on our boat but some people did anyway.

Photo: Venice – The history of the gondolas

Three Great Day Trips by Ferry

Photo Tuesday: Coke in the Jungle

Cruising the Mediterranean

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