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Talking About Viking Homeland Cruise on Amateur Traveler.

It’s only been a couple of weeks since we’ve returned from my 15-day, 8 country, Viking Homelands cruise on the Viking Sea. This is one of the top highlights of my year of travel (if not the very top). and it was my pleasure to talk about the ship, the itinerary, and why I’m impressed with the cruise product delivered by Viking (both River and Ocean cruising). In this episode of the Amateur Traveler, Chris Christensen (blogger, podcaster, friend) and I talk about the ship, the itinerary, and why we’re impressed with the cruise product delivered by Viking (both River and Ocean cruising). You might also be interested in my review of the Viking Sea. Press the green arrow below to listen to the episode. Amateur Traveler Episode 525 – Baltic Cruise with Viking Ocean

Where Else to Go Podcast Features Venice

Venice might not seem like a “where else to go” destination, but if you’ve heard people complain about the city being crowded, smelly, or hot, maybe you’re just not seeing the right side of Venice. In episode #8 of my podcast, Jennifer Dombrowski talks about the island of Venice. Some that she recommends include: Burano: famous for its fisherman and lacemakers. Jennifer wrote a guide to Burano that’s worth checking out. Mazzorbo: connected to Burano by a small wooden footbridge, most visitors never set foot on the sleep island home to the only winery and vineyard in the Venetian Lagoon Murano: famous for its glassblowers Lido: home to the only beach in the Venetian Lagoon and perfect for exploring on a bicycle Poveglia: the haunted and abandoned island Giudecca: once home to grand palaces, its now mostly residential but has great […]

Viva le Tower: The 127th Anniversary of the Eiffel Tower

March 31st is the 127th anniversary of the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower, and boy dho I wish I was there to celebrate! Located beside the River Seine in Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in the city. Following its completion in 1889, it was the tallest structure in the world, and remained so until the Chrysler Building in New York City displaced it from that top spot. The Eiffel Tower was originally built as the entrance arch for the Paris World’s Fair. That also marked the 100-year commemoration of the French Revolution. When it was first built, many considered it to be an eyesore, part of the reason why originally the tower was to be torn down 20 years after it was erected. Fortunately, some practical uses came of the tower (including the role it played in helping […]

Lisbon: Looking Back, Looking Forward

A little over four years ago, we were planning a trip to Portugal. The plan was to stay in the Lisbon area for a week, before continuing on with another week in Tuscany. It was our first trip to Portugal, and in my Type-A way, I researched and found a place to stay in Cascais near the beach, figured out public transportation, and was charting a list of things to see and do. We were traveling with a friend and every few days we shared something new and exciting that we learned. Tickets were purchased, accommodations booked, lists were made. We were ready. BUT – as we were about to be reminded – travel plans don’t always turn out the way we want. Or that we would hope for. Sixteen hours before we were to board our flight for Lisbon, my father-in-law […]

Visiting the Ruins of Pompeii: From Tragedy to Tourism

On August 24th, 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted in a violent two day display that destroyed the city of Pompeii, Italy, and the surrounding area. It is one of history’s largest recorded volcanic eruptions, and a tragedy any measure. The city was buried under ash and pumice for nearly 1700 years, and was presumed lost until its accidental re-discovery in the mid-1700s. The subsequent excavation of the site provided a peek at what life was like during the height of the Roman Empire. Rising out of the ash and lava over a thousand years later, Pompeii turned a horrible tragedy into a tourism opportunity. Millions of visitors a year now visit this UNESCO World Heritage site located not far from Naples, along with its sister city Herculaneum. The site is stable and safe to visit, but there have been some […]

Is a River Cruise Right for You?

Earlier this year, I was the enthusiastic guest of Viking River Cruises onboard their longship Eistla cruising the Rhine. We started in Frankfurt and ended in Amsterdam, the trip is also offered in reverse, and, I’m told, this was a fairly typical first river cruise itinerary. River cruising is generating a lot of buzz lately, with gorgeous print ads, television sponsorships (Viking sponsors [amazon_textlink asin=’B01DRWEO6S’ text=’Downton Abbey’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’travelingwithmj-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’0d60fa0e-6e6d-11e8-a9b2-7b82edb24d11′] on PBS), and blogger campaigns. But when you strip away all that glitzy advertising, the decision to take a river cruise is a big one – one that needs to be made out of the spotlight and made with an eye toward your personal vacation preferences. Here’s my take on Viking’s Legends of the Rhine cruise. I hope it will help you decide if a river cruise is right for […]

Postcard from Heidelberg, Germany

Heidelberg was the first stop on the Viking River Cruise. The town deserves its label of romantic and picturesque, and is well known for Heidelberg Castle, Heidelberg University and its baroque-style Old Town.

Video from Athens, Greece

I was in Greece last month and have written a couple stories about my time there already, this story about the Evzoni, and this one about what I learned from a Greek cab driver. I’ve got more to come, of course, but will be spacing them out over the next few months so it’s not all Greece, all the time. However, I wanted you to see this video. It visually tells you a little bit more about what I was doing in Athens, and how important the TBEX conference was to the tourism industry of the city and country. Travel Bloggers Exchange – TBEX Europe 2014 in Athens from ACVB on Vimeo. If you’re a travel blogger, DMO, tourism professional, PR represtative working in tourism, or travel brand, and would like to know more about TBEX, please get in touch. […]

Tourism Economics: As Explained by a Greek Cab Driver

I learned a lot about the impact of Greece’s tourism economy from my cab driver. This isn’t trickle down economics. This is real. This is personal. Enjoy the story and photo essay here.

Up Next: Traveling to Israel

I’m just back from two weeks in Athens, the first week for TBEX related work, the second week for traveling and touring about the country. Although I miss Greece already – the food, the people, the sights, did I mention the food – I was glad to be home to family, pets, and the real world of work and running a business. I’m sleeping a lot, getting caught up on laundry, and wading through my email inbox. I’m not a nomadic traveler, and I have no interest in becoming one. I find joy in quick weekend trips as much as I do in longer, extended trips. And at the end of the day, I like having a home to return to after my travels. So while I’m missing my daily baklava and coffee fix from Greece, I’m looking ahead to […]