Picture Post

Dubrovnik and Changing Ships

Arrived in Dubrovnik at 11:30 and got off the ship quite quickly. Secured a cab for what was supposed to be a 10 Euro ride to the old city but it turned into a €90 tour above the city and a seaside village called Cavtat - and well worth it indeed. The weather was a pleasant +/-20 but I'm told it gets mid thirties plus in summer and quite cold in winter so timing is everything.

The cab driver was very knowledgeable about this town of only 40,000 people which, following the Bosnian war became a eco-green zone with almost no manufacturing and relying 90% on tourism. In a good month he says he can earn ten thousand Euros but there a four months of the year with no activity. Twenty three percent of tourism comes from the UK with the rest spread around.

In his past life he was a casino manager and is in the process of securing a license for a casino in Dubrovnik and was looking for investors. I may have been interested until he told me the license fee would be €500,000 a year plus 25% of the gross take. Very high on both counts.

The view from the Napoleonic fortress above the city is breathtaking and Dubrovnik is a place I would certainly consider for a chillaxing type holiday.

Interestingly Dubrovnik is just 3km from the Bosnian border with people in Croatia having a comfortable lifestyle while those I. Bosnia clearly do not.

While at the seaside village we thought we would be clever and take a shortcut back to the cab by walking e backstreets. Well this end up walking through pathways in bushlands and scrub - interesting looking back but not funny at the time.

After the two hours he dropped us in the 'old city' where we had a great, albeit slow meal - not cheap but excellent. We then meandered down many of the back alleyways to appreciate the living breathing city that this still is.   

Getting back to the ship was - we'll let me say interesting. We went to get a cab but the queue was long, nay VERY long. So we decided to try to get the ship's shuttle - no go there as we hadn't purchased a return ticket. So now we were down to public transport. Got on the bus 'ah no sorry only local currency'. Off the his to buy a ticket kerbside 'ah no sorry local currency'. Go to the currency exchange 'ah no sorry only notes and no change in Euros'. Well finally changed money and bought tickets and got the local bus down to the port or should I say the very crowded local bus.

I guess it would have been nice to have a better understanding of the history of the 'old city' but I have to leave something for next time. In summary Dubrovnik was a great find, something like the Italian lakes were in 2011. 

That night I decided on the specialty restaurants where we had a GREAT meal. We then went to the restaurant where I tipped the waiters and said goodbye and exchanged contacts with our Irish friends. I think I have a tour guide and maybe even place to stay in Dublin when I get there. Now the ship charges 7 Euros a day gratuity but it became general knowledge that very little of this found its way to the staff. I therefore asked for it to be removed from my bill and tipped them directly.

Got to sleep about 23:00 in readiness for what I thought would be a tough day. Woke at 06:45, breakfast and disembarked at 09:00 on the bus to Mestre Station and seeing a queue of about 30 minutes to buy tickets I ventured a no ticket ride for the one station to Santa Lucia Station in the heart of Venice. Checked the bags in for the three hours we would be there and went for a wander around Venice buying a data SIM card for the train journey. I actually bought two as our first two ports are Italy so will use there too. That was lucky as one didn't activate but I fixed that at Milan station.

Back to the station, collected bags (€6 each) and boarded the train.  I had managed a two for one deal first class ($US119) and it was amazingly comfortable with drinks included, power for devices and everything to make the journey comfortable. Changed trains at Milan and then 1:40 more to Genoa. 

The hotel in Genoa was 200 metres from the station. Usual impressive marble lobby, tiny lift built into the stairway atrium, and rooms less impressive than the lobby. But not bad at all by European standards. We ended up walking around the city for about 2.5 hours eschewing pizzeria after trattoria for something better, before finding quite by accident what would turn out to be a superb seafood restaurant - an outstanding meal and back to the hotel for a good nights rest after a very tiring day.

Today we will board the MSC Splendida with 4,000 new friends and head for Naples, Messina, Tunis, Barcelona and Marseille where we will leave the ship before it returns to Genoa, the reason being that airfares out of Genoa are VERY expensive and quite cheap out of Marseille.

I'll leave it here and more soon

Hope all is well in what I believe is a somewhat bleak Sydney

Ciao

XD

Europe Meets Asia

So the weather so far has been:

Venice: Beautiful 25

Bari: Pleasantly Cool 18

Katakalon (Olympia): Slightly Miserable and quite cool 15

Izmir (Ephesus): Hot but pleasant 25 - there were some Aussies on the tour and I managed to borrow some much needed blockout from a lovely Asian Couple from what they called 'Chow-Woo' - Chatswood. I did bring some but didn't think I would need it.

Istanbul: Very Pleasant 22

Now everybody's most asked question - yes I have been to casino for a few short periods and am slightly ahead but the cruise is only half completed ad there is a full day at sea.

Today (Tuesday) we docked in Izmir and took the tour bus to Ephesus. The tour guide (Orzgay who said if that was too hard to remember Olga would do) was clear knowledgeable and concise and easy to understand.

Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey with more than four million people. It looks quite second world as in not first world and not third world. Interestingly it is in Asia whereas Istanbul straddles Asia and Europe. A one hour bus drive to what is the finest Greco-Roman ruins I have ever seen - Ephesus. No words can really describe the imposing nature of this site. Amphitheatres for 10,000 and 25,000 people, a library whose three storey high wall still stands, the columns, toilets (pic to follow), bordello and other features are awesome. I have visited Ephesus in 2003 but having such positive feelings about it I  decided to do it again and am glad I did.

It is hard in today's modern and technological age to fully comprehend the enormity of the task of building structures such as the Greeks and Romans did with the only real knowledge being simple pullies, fulcrums and wheels - at least it is to me. Anybody who has the chance to visit Ephesus and hasn't done so MUST do it.

On the way back the obligatory stop at a leather factory showroom where I can only describe the prices as "tell 'em they-re joking". I actually saw a reversible jacket I MAY have been interested at say Euros 200 for which they were asking Euros 600! It is likely that the same jacket will be available at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul at the "right" price. Anyway back onto the bus empty handed and to the ship in what was very warm weather. A 15:00 departure while having a late lunch.

Kind of looking forward to dinner tonight lobster bisque and prawn cocktail!!! Damn I find out that this was last night and hadn't been changed!!! After dinner I join 300 or so soccer fans at the sports bar with maybe 20 large screen TVs in watching Chelsea grind out a 0-0 draw against Athletico Madrid.

I am very much looking forward to Istanbul, a city I like a LOT! I will be spending 11 days in Istanbul in August "working" at the World Youth Bridge Championships. I have arranged a private driver/car/guide for the day with the program being Grand Bazaar (of course), Haga Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. The tour on the ship for the same tour is Euros 153 per person including lunch whereas ours is Euros 80 without lunch (it actually did include lunch) but MOST importantly no obligatory visit to a jewellery and/or leather factory!

Arrived at Istanbul early and disembark to be met by a driver who takes us to the Hippodrome where we meet our guide Selcuk (+90-532-434-1060 guideselcuk@gmail.com) for what will an all foot tour with all the attractions being in close proximity. Istanbul is a city of 17 million people with 3100 Mosques 300 churches and 19 Synagogues. Last time I was here I did a two day Jewish Tour of Istanbul which I can highly recommend.

The Hippodrome is where Chariot races were held with 10,000 spectators. The adjacent Blue Mosque, only called that because of the blue tiles and in fact has nothing else blue there, is a most beautiful building inside and out. Photos probably don't really do it justice. Our guide is Muslim but describes himself as agnostic and non-practicing. When describing the Mosque he says "and that is where the person who chants the services or Hazan to you stands" For some reason that i can't really explain I feel much more comfortable in Mosques than in Churches - go figure - maybe because there is not sculptures or idols in a Mosque.

Then to the Haga Sophia which I had always thought described the Saint Sophia but in fact this isn't correct. Sophia is one of Jesus' virtues - wisdom and it refers to the place of Wisdom. The building was used originally as a church (Byzantine) and later a Mosque but as a Mosque they never damaged any of the church or its features just covered them over and today it is not used for prayer (so as not to offend anybody says Selcuk).

Off to the Topkapi Palace, home of 600 years of Caliphs and Sultans. It is a stunning building sitting on eight hectares with an outer area for everybody, an middle area for the courtiers, and an inner sanctum for the Sultan and his family. I vividly remember last time visiting the treasury which had one of the most stunning collections of regal artefacts that I have ever seen. Beautiful jewel encrusted headwear and swords, gifts from around the world to the Sultans, the 22nd largest diamond in the world (86 carats), jewellery of the Sultanas (I think that’s is right) and much much more - truly amazing. The armoury is also worth a visit having an amazing array of decorative weapons, mainly jewel encrusted swords, fancy firearms etc.

Off to a very tasty Mediterranean lunch at a nearby restaurant which I discovered was included in the tour and then an hour and a half shopping at the Grand Bazaar. Well I don't really need anything and walking around a place like the Grand Bazaar with a non shopper isn’t conducive to finding anything anyway. As I will be back in Istanbul for 11 days in August (working at U25 Bridge Tourney) I don't feel I missed out on anything.

For any of my friends who haven't visited Istanbul - DO IT!

Back to the ship for a well-earned rest followed by a brief visit to the Casino (still ahead) and a show of the songs of Queen. All the shows last for just 30 minutes which seems short. Unfortunately Queen's songs need big bold singers and these weren't.

After  pleasant dinner I tried to watch the second Champions League game involving Real Madrid but a seat was impossible so an episode of Game of Thrones and off for what would prove a good night’s sleep.

I slept in, a little for me anyway and went to 11:00 brunch in the speciality restaurant. It was an amazingly good 8 course degustation lunch – tartar, oysters, foie gras, eggs benedict, serrano ham, dessert buffet and lots more. We spent three hours there looking at the sea and the occasional Greek mainland pass by the ship while having deep and meaningful discussions about life.

Being the only day at sea I have taken three hours to catch up on emails, BAS Statements and such to free up my time in Genoa. The downside is that I had to buy another internet package – oh well.

I am neutral to the possibility of more cruising on MSC. While it provides everything one would expect it does so at a minimal level. Activities for a day at sea are very limited – for some reason cooking class but for kids not adults, Trivia, table tennis championships and bingo seems to be it. The staff, unlike any other cruise, comprising mainly Eastern Europeans seem gruff and unfriendly but do of course do what they are meant to but without a smile or any grace.

In terms of travel plans the only places I have yet to ‘tick off’ my list are: India (World Bridge Championships in Goa next year so who knows), South Africa, North Africa and Central America. I haven’t done much of South America and would like to see Peru, Columbia, Brazil and maybe Venezuela where I have a great bridge friend. I don’t see much of that happening soon as for 2015 I have in my mind doing six weeks around Australia with the dogs in a campervan (grey nomad) and maybe ‘residing’ in Paris for four weeks but nothing set in stone and things change quickly in my world. I also have in my mind to perhaps conduct some bridge holidays so who knows!!!

Tomorrow will be Dubrovnik. As I am tour guided out and upon recommendations of a few people I will simply be an FIT (free inbound tourist) doing my own thing walking the old city and seeing if I can trace some of the history of the place. It certainly was a factor in choosing this cruise so will make the most of it.

Anyway enough for now. Catch all soon

XD

Three Days into the Cruise

After I get back around 17:00 I fall asleep for three hours - not surprising - and am woken by Regis arrived around after which we spent two hours grazing the smoked salmon and smoked beef and catching up on the last six months followed by a reasonable night sleep punctuated by a two hour thinking session around 03:00.


At 10:00 we check out and catch a cab to the port - FARK do the cabs here know how to charge. $A60 for the 14km ride to the port. Faced by what seemed like two queues of one hour each, one for luggage and one for check-in I pulled the I can't stand for long periods queuing to problems with my foot.


After declining a wheelchair (really!!!) they put me in the priority queue which took just 10 minutes in total,
This prompt check-in allowed us to get the Vaporetto to San Marco, have a light lunch at a cafe in Piazza San Marco followed by a look around. Now Regis commented that the coffee was expensive at 8.50 Euros so I explained that the coffee was 2.50, rent on the chair 3.00 and the live music the final 3.00. We both found this most amusing until the bill arrived with 'Musical Surcharge 2 x 6.00 Euros - nah we found both very amusing. A few hours of walking around and back to the Ship arriving around 14:30


Straight on-board where the day of the queuing started: First one to get my credit card recorded as it didn't register at the check-in. The second to organise a dinner table which should have been recorded but didn't - apparently we will be with an English speaking Irish family - never contemplated the language issue of organising dining - options were 18:15 or 20:45 and we opted for the latter. I declined the third
queue - to get the double bed separated into two singles - by leaving a note and advising the recipient that I had not come cruising to test my patience in queues.


Anyway I must say the ship is magnificent! It has an outdoor aqua park as they call it - pool and Jacuzzis and an indoor duplicate pool and Jacuzzi area. I also noticed a very long and intense water flume which.


I am intent on having a go on. The internet is unusually reasonable $A75 for five hours or around $A15 an hour. I have paid four times this in the past so am pleasantly surprised - the simple things that make
me happy.


A mid-afternoon 'nosh' at the Hakoah Club (Stern family sprach for cafeteria) was surprisingly good or maybe I am just comparing it to my recent P&O experience - but it seemed excellent quality with a wide variety but most importantly well presented.


Standing on the deck watching Venice drift past bathed in the sunset was truly magical and really accentuated the history and architecture of a city that perhaps I didn't appreciate enough before this visit.


Walked around the ship and it's amazing how similar ships are in layout with reception deck 5 shops and casino decks 6/7 the cafeteria adjacent to the pool etc.. Apparently the ship cost 690 million Euros to build and it was started by Ghadafi to be his personal ship with the entire 18th floor for his family. With 3,500 passengers and 1,500 crew this is one big mother of a ship!


Didn't go to the first show as it started around 19:00 and simply forgot but it was apparently an excellent tenor doing Opera Arias which would have been interesting. Went to dinner at 20:45 and we have been seated with a very nice Irish family from Dublin - Aiden, Grace Shane and Moira. He is a programmer, she is a programmer and teacher, Shane is doing last year school and Grace is around 12. It was very
interesting dinner conversation ranging from the fact that Grace attends an Irish School where the entire curriculum is in Gaelic no English to global politics - educated and very interesting people.


Dinner itself was OK but quite, nay very limited but acceptable menu. The portions had to be small because Shane and Regis both ordered a second main course.
Feeling tired and with it being 23:45 off to bed for some Zzzz's.


Up at 07:00 ready to visit Bari, a coastal Italian town which I know NOTHING about but on which I shall report shortly.
A quick WikiTravel reveals that Bari is a port city of 450,000 people and armed with this information we head into the old town which is amazingly pretty and very interesting. A lot of churches all with services in progress but welcoming tourists to visit. The curved passageways look very much like Provence and heading down each one presents something more interesting. At the old castle there was exhibition of
the Jewish history of Puglia (the region) but of course everything was in Italian which made it difficult to understand. The Jewish artefacts however were most interesting with gravestones among all types of stones from the 10th to 15th century emblazoned with Hebrew text.


After about two hours in the old city we head to the centre of the city where everything is shut. After an hour's walk we settle for a cafe where we had an amazing meet/cheese platter. Back to the boat for  our 15:00 departure.


A relax, nap and some movies and off to the Italian Song show 'Il Signo' which started a bit slowly but eventually came good for a nice entertainment. Dinner and I change my food rating to limited and ordinary but acceptable. I think I will try a specialty restaurant soon. Being very tired off to bed early to grab some Zzzs. Funny as I wrote this I decided to try for a specialty restaurant to be told it is an a la carte menu but the portions are larger - LOL.


Up at 06:00 the next morning as the ship docks at Katakolon Greece - so much for being on holiday - quick breakfast and off for what proved to be a great tour. Bus to Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games. The site is probably much like every other Roman/Greek ruin I have been to but the history is totally absorbing. This is one of the joys of cruising, visiting places that one would otherwise NEVER ever
see and get to. After leaving we are taken to a farm which was so much fun. We were greeted by a Mediterranean plate with EVERYTHING produced on the farm - wine, feta, bruschetta, olives, ragout  and baklava.


Of course the obligatory arts, craft and produce shop and then back to the ship for an early 13:00 departure.
This ship is different from most other cruises I have done - for example I haven't seen the cabin steward yet whereas every other cruise they come and introduce themselves and say hi etc. as you walk past not something they do here. I guess I just don't have the valued customer feeling that I get on other cruises. Not a complaint just an observation as I am enjoying the ship, the cruise and everything else a LOT.


The guests range in age from young to old with many younger perhaps based on Easter Holidays. Most seem to be Italian French or German and have met two Kiwis and no Aussies but occasional English. Regis is great company. He is easy going, great dinner company and is even pushing me to join him in the gym - something I am of course resisting.
That night dress up time and even though I don't like the idea of people dressing up on cruises it was nice to see all the women wearing their finery and the gentlemen wearing jackets and ties and some even dinner suits - me sports jacket and tie which was about the middle of the road.


Caught the tail end of the evening show which was acrobatic, balancing and juggling - all well done and then a quick 'spiel' before dinner in the Galaxy Specialty Restaurant which proved to be outstanding. The menu, a tablet with menus and wine lists in all languages. I went for three appetizers - foi gras, scallops on a pea volute and seafood tartare all outstanding followed  by a cheesecake dessert which I would
rate in my top 5. I have booked lunch there for Thursday, the one day the ship is at sea.
Anyway today will be Izmir and Ephasus and will let you know more in the next few days.
Uploading photos from the ship is IMPOSSIBLE so I will do a photo blog between cruises.
Ciao to all
XD

Travel and Venice

So a quick shuttle trip to the airport, get my boarding pass (luggage was checked to Rome from Sydney) a few hours in the lounge and (yawn) another bus ride out to the plane. It's four hours into the flight and  we are currently over Novosibirsk - hmm hoping we aren't going into Ukraine airspace. Very displeased to hear some unconfirmed antisemitism there requiring Jews to register although subsequently dismissed.


Onto the third episode of Game of Thrones S2 this flight hoping to get through 2 and 3 during this trip. Also watched an interesting part 1 of 5 of a BBC series The Story of the Jews - pretty interesting and I  loved the reference to Freud as a G-dless Jew.


I arrive in Rome about 19:00 - of course the first flight in many years to be 45 minutes early whereas I would have preferred it 45 minutes late as the plane much more comfortable that Rome Termini Station  -  and get a direct train to Termini where I get the 22:35 train to Venice. My real potential problem is no hotel room available at 05:20 when I arrive - oh well early coffee in Piazza San Marco would be second prize I guess!


I will be spending the day in Venice with no real plans. I'm guessing I will be tired but will walk around for a few hours I'm sure. Need to resist sleep until the evening - Oops just realised while writing this that it will be Good Friday that day in Venice so guessing most things will be shut -  anyway probably overthinking it all.


I have arranged two data connections for my trip, one prepaid and one pay as you go - yes I am connectivity addicted I admit it. While these will only work in port but with the two cruises stopping 10 times in 12 days shouldn't be a problem keeping in touch. With internet onboard costing upwards of $0.55 a minute I needed some much better priced resources (let me know if you need details as I did a lot of research on this one).


All went amazingly smoothly. Checked in big bag for two hours at Termini to allow me to walk the nearby streets and clear my head and exercise my legs. Light meal and onto the train to Venice. There were four beds to each "cabin" and my new best friends kindly allowed me to swap an upper for a lower allowing me to avoid the upward climb. I managed three hours sleep in a bed (pillow provided) made from what is normally a very flat three train seats which was quite comfortable albeit a touch narrow for my large frame.


Arrived at Mestre station stairs down and then up to reach the street. Not sure if I was pleased or not that a kind young gentleman offered to help me with my bag - yeah pleased - also on the basis that it is rare to see manners like that in today's fast moving world.


Waited 10 minutes for a cab in a cold and almost empty street and reached my 4 kilometre away hotel where I had the anticipated discussion about whether a 06:00 checkin would result in one night charge or two.


Still unresolved. Washed clothes, showered and changed and I FEEL GREAT. Not planning to sleep and will soon head for a bus into Venice proper, craving breakfast in Piazza San Marco just for some memories with Linda 31 years ago.


55 hours after I left Sydney and here I am on the other side of the world ready for what I will hope will be a fun cruise with many new places and experiences.


An unpack and shower and I head on the public bus (yes public bus) for the thirty minute drive to Venice proper. Bue €1.30 vs Taxi €30+ was a compelling argument for the bus. Well that in addition to very specific instructions provided by the hotel. I arrive at Piazale Roma and start walking until I realise it is an hour from Piazza San Marco. I buy a day pass for the 14 stops and get off to one of the most beautiful places I have been. I recall vividly that last time I was here Linda and I couldn't resist a coffee at Florians and as I walked past at 09:30 the three piece band were in full swing wearing their dinner suits.


I wasn't really in the mood for galleries and churches, especially when I saw the long queues. There was an exhibition of Legere that I may normally been interested in but not today.


I should have learned by now not to dine at restaurant near major attractions - expensive and typically not great food - same here - oh well! I spent six hours walking the backstreets and laneways and crossing the canal bridges. Not much in the way of shopping interest for me as most of the shops were either touristy or world brands - think Occitaine, Benetton and Zara etc.. Venice must be a place that people buy watches because every major watch brand had a shop in Venice - Choppard (many) Patek, Audmars etc.. Now I love crystal and glass and Murano glass is also interesting but with sooooo much here at every second
shop windows it is easy to tire of and very quickly.


I have felt very good and awake until around 15:00 when I head back to the bus terminal and the hotel. On the way I buy some smoked salmon, bresaola and biscuits which becomes my dinner. I duly fall asleep at 17:00 and wake up at 21:00 for the aforementioned dinner.


With limited internet on the ship I wont post much in the way of pics until the end but will recount my happenings.
Well nothing much else for now. Hope all are well.
XD

Well this trip came about as the result of two unrelated events happening:

 

I checked my expiring miles and noted I had some expiring within the next 12 months; and I received a regular cruise specials email.


I put together one and one and came up with my current trip.Sydney-Rome-Venice

 

• 7 Day Cruise from Venice: Bari, Katakalon (think Olympus),
• Izmir, Istanbul and Dubrovnik
• Train to Genoa
• 7 Day Cruise from Genoa: Naples, Messina, Tunis, Barcelona and Marseille.
• Prague two days
• Shanghai one Day
• Home

The ships I am going on are sister ships in the MSC Fleet with 3,500+ of my newest “bestest” friends. The first cruise is an inside cabin (best available) while the second is balcony. As the ship stops five days out of six I think I will be able to survive the inside cabin.

 

It’s not the ideal time to cruise the Mediterranean with temperature lows 12 and highs 18-20 but not bad either.

 

The way cruising now works you basically buy the cabin and the cost is 85% with one person of the cost with two. So I invited a friend of mine, Regis who lives in Paris to join me and I have designated him as my valet and baggage handler. He was in Sydney for two weeks last October and I’m sure it will be fun.

 

This being my 60th year on the planet I am treating myself and using all my points which I have squirreled away for years and years to travel business class and am writing this on my first leg Air China to Beijing connecting Air China to Rome. I can recommend Air China having travelled it before. Business class has flat beds so I am in heaven, although I am not sure about the eel appetizer!!

 

Probably more than any other trip I have done this required a lot of research and booking.

• Hotel Beijing during 14 hour layover – I tried to get Air China to provide it but the free ticket proved an insurmountable obstacle even for me!! I should note that the $A34 for the Ibis Hotel is bearable but I may give the $A2.40 breakfast a miss.
• Overnight Train Rome to Venice (hey it saves a night’s accommodation!!)
• Overnight accommodation Venice
• Train Venice to Genoa
• Overnight Accommodation Genoa
• Car in Messina to Taormina
• Flight Marseille to Prague
• Accommodation Prague
• Flight Prague to Rome
• Overnight Accommodation Rome
• Accommodation Shanghai

 

Considering this was a cruise which is supposed to minimise bookings it proved quite intricate.

 

One interesting note, I wanted to book a car from Messina (a boring place) to Taormina (a special place) and was quoted €140 for the pickup, one hour drive there, three hours while we were there and one hour drive back. I negotiated this (as I do) down to €120 while another company, fully understanding what I needed quoted €430 – WTF!!!

 

For those interested I use a free app (also online) called TripIt. You simply email all the confirmations you get by email using your registered address and it builds you entire itinerary including confirmations, hotel addresses absolutely everything. Highly recommended!


Got only as few hours sleep and watched Spies of Warsaw and a few TV shows to amuse myself but overall it wasn't too tedious.

 

Brief stopover in Shanghai and then to Beijing where we deplaned onto the Tarmac one of my big hates in travelling. When I get somewhere I just want OFF THE PLANE not down stairs into a bus to the terminal up escalators yada yada yada.

 

Two interesting guys next to me on the two flights to Beijing. First was a Chinese who lived in New Jersey and worked for AT&T then went back to China started a business which he sold to Siemens and has invested his money in office buildings operated as Serviced Offices. The Second was a partner in McKinseys so nice conversational partners.

 

The queue for a taxi to the hotel was a 90 minute wait - I don't do 90 minute waits for ANYTHING! I phoned the hotel and they kindly offered to send the shuttle which arrived within 15  minutes.

 

A medication assisted 5 hour sleep and I'm ready to face the world and more importantly 11 hour flight to Rome followed by 6 hour train to Venice.
Hope all my friends are wellXD