Met Dad, Kim, Carolyn and Dean in Barcelona before their cruise. Great City, would go back again and again.

We were invited to a beautiful massaria near Lecce. My coworker Brad is friends with the owners. They are a great Swedish couple who have restored this old massaria into a bed and breakfast. There were several Swedish familys there to celebrate Walpurgis Night . Walpurgis Night is celebrated all over Sweden to celebration end of winter and the coming of spring with a big bonfire. An interesting story the proves the world is small. One of the guests was an Amer...

Ostuni, know as the White city, is located 30 minuts from home, on a hill from which you can see the Adriatic Sea. It has a beautiful old city with lots of small streets and great shopping, hotels and restaurants and hotels. Mary, Carol and i went Saturday for lunch and shoppin. Once i opened my wallet for the first purchase, the money flow out in every shop. The most i have bought in 5 months.

Istanbul is a great city, Modern and open all night like New York. It was the perfect mix of new and old. The old mosques and ruins were magnificent. I visited the blue mosque, the under ground cistern (my favorite), the grand bizar, the spice bizar, and lots more. I walked my legs off, it was an easy city to get around in, buses, trams, subway and taxi. Would recommend it to everyone.

Not only is Sunday Easter, Monday is a national holiday. Many towns I am told have dances or free concerts, kind of a big after lent party. Because of the two day holiday, most of the stores and restaraunts are closed. I didnt want to take my normal sunday trip somewhere, i didnt know if i could get gas or food along the way. Instead I walked down to the main town square and church of Villia Castelli. It was the most busy i have ever seen it. People were lined u...