Friday, May 1, 2015

An Amazing Grand World Voyage! The top 10....

The chore of picking a top 10 was almost impossible, but here are 10 places that I thought were really amazing for me on this magnificent voyage....  People will have other top 10s and that is expected, we each have our own "personalized" grand voyage based on our personal interest and what we chose to do with our time in each port.  So here goes, in no particular order.
Varanasi, India...  An obvious choice for me personally, I have previously visited here and find it one of the most amazing places to visit.  The oldest living city in India is very spiritual, colorful and chaotic...  I love it!





My next selection is Bagan, Myanmar.....  just magical!  The thousands of temples and pagodas are breathtaking.  It also helps if you get a chance to do a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Valley filled with thousands of temples in the early morning mist.








Number three on the list is also located in Myanmar, Inle Lake, with the one legged rowers....  Another place that just captures the imagination with the scenic beauty and wonderful people.








Now on to Bali, a perennial favorite for me with it's magical temples, rice terraces and beautiful people.







Next, is a place I have visited 3 times and each time I find it magnificent, the Monasteries of Meteora in Greece.  I was on an overland provided by Holland America Line and it was a fabulous stop.




On the same overland trip in Greece we visited Delphi, another site of magnificence.....  I never tire of visiting this World Heritage site.




My next pick is from the port of Aqaba Jordan, Petra, the Rose City and Wadi Rum.... You cannot visit the city of Petra or the desert of Wadi Rum and not come away in awe, simply amazing!









My next  selection comes in Europe, a visit to Naples isn't quite complete without a visit to the Amalfi coast.  Such magnificent beauty!





Another obvious choice for me was Rome and the Vatican....  The centuries of history and the magnificence of the architecture are worth visiting.





My final selection is a bit different than the rest, we go back to the South Pacific to Bora Bora, French Polynesia.  It is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places on the planet.  The undersea world is simply amazing as well.







 
So there you have it!  My personal top 10 for the 2015 Grand World Voyage.  But it wasn't all about the ports that made it grand,,,  It was the staff & crew, people like Captain Mercer, Hotel Director Henk Mensink and his wife Christel the Guest Relations Manager, Cruise Director Gene Young (who is simply the best at what he does) and his wonderful staff, the entire Culinary Team under Paul Kerr, Willy Tubog & Raymund Eslao and the rest of the beverage team, my friend Shiv the Executive Housekeeper and his magnificent staff, Rene Felton & the Spa  Staff.... (Special  shout out to Manny, Tomo & Bayu) In summary, my family!  Wow, what a magnificent ride!!!!  By the way, I wanted to mention each and every member of the crew but I ran out of typing skills.....  Now the blog is done.


 

4 comments:

  1. Thank you, Jeff, for all the years of wonderful photos, great adventures, smiling faces, and priceless education. You've offered so many of us a most unique perspective on our world....just how beautiful, diverse and fascinating it is!

    It was always great to see you onboard during my much briefer stays aboard, mostly, ms Amsterdam over the years. The aft pool doesn't look quite right when you're not there!

    I fully understand your desire to be free of the demands of daily blogging while you're trying to relax and absorb so much. I hope you will, on occasion, reconsider....and once again bring the world along with you on some of your future travels.

    Wishing you fair winds and following seas....

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  2. I really enjoyed reading your trip blogs and am saddened to hear that this will be your last.
    You have made it possible for those of us unable to make such a trip to experience the wonders just the same.

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  3. Hi Jeff: It was a very different morning without your daily blog but all great things must come to an end. Hope you and your luggage safely made it home. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures! Maybe we shall see each other again at the aft pool.
    Terri

    Terri

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  4. Hi Jeff! We are in love with your photos and wanted to reach out about using them with credit on some of our posts. You may have met our hosts onbard, Henk and Lucia Barnhoorn?

    Please let us know if this would be ok. abrooks at travelleaders.com

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