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Exploring the Galapagos Islands

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I don’t have a bucket list,  per se , I’ve just been trying to see as much of the world as is possible while I am still able to travel.    However, the Galapagos Islands is one of those places that is a must-see for any world traveler, and maybe even for those who have more limited ambitions.    While exploring the Canadian Arctic on the  Silversea Endeavour  last summer, Scott and I met some people who had been to the Galapagos and recommended it highly.    One man in particular, said that we should book a two-week expedition on Silversea.    The more we considered the possibilities, the more enthusiastic we became.    Before disembarking the  Endeavour,  we booked a Galapagos expedition on the sister ship,  Silversea Origin.     The  Origin  was built specifically for use in the Galapagos and was put into service in 2020.    Throughout the year, it sails two itineraries in the...
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Exploring the Mediterranean Along the Italian and French Rivieras

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 Some readers of my blogs may remember my tale of anguish in February of 2020 as the Covid pandemic was rampaging across Asia, and I was sailing around the South China Sea onboard the beautiful Crystal Symphony hoping that one day a port would agree to let us dock.  We eventually disembarked safely in Singapore.  I had been so enamored with the ship I was on, that I booked additional cruises, including a World Cruise planned for 2022.  While I returned home to wait out the pandemic in isolation, the cruise industry (along with other tourist-intense businesses) suffered significant losses.  Crystal declared bankruptcy, and my anticipated future cruise deposits were lost.  I recovered some of my money through one of my credit cards, some through the bankruptcy court, and some as future cruise credits issued by the company that ultimately purchased Crystal’s two ocean ships, in an attempt to lure back Crystal’s former passengers. In September of 2025, I was ...
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