With the exception of the cruise we will take in a few days, I planned and booked this entire trip to Europe through internet resources. I expected there would be a few glitches in dealing with foreign connections and the like. We have been pleasantly surprised that nothing has gone wrong and that so far, everything we booked has been as advertised. There was one moment of uncertainty, but that resolved itself quickly and all parties were particularly helpful and friendly.

Therefore I highly recommend: wow.homeaway.com for booking accommodations in Europe, wow.suntransfers.com for handling transfers booked well ahead of time, Pegasus airlines for off-beat routes (they are a no frills airline, you will have to pay extra for seat assignment, extra baggage, and the like), and railItalia.com for understanding the Italian rail system,

It takes time, and thorough planning to put a one month trip together. Not insignificantly, Europe shows dates as day/month/year and in the U.S. it is month/day/year. This can lead to serious confusion depending on the dates of travel.

Another issue in planning a vacation is allowing sufficient time for transfers between legs. It is far better to allow too much time to get from “A” to “B” than it is to make timing so tight as to miss connections.

Jet lag. Our main focus for this trip is the two week cruise through the Greek Islands. Clearly we could have flown to Istanbul a day ahead of the cruise and come aboard as zombies. If we’re going to fly into Istanbul, why not explore the city some. The least expensive flight into Europe was into Rome at the time we planned the trip. Why not spend a few days in Rome too. Then the cruise terminates in Venice. Venice! That’s worth a few more days to explore one of the world’s outstanding cities and one of the most romantic.

I have wanted to see Botichelli and Carravaggio paintings for decades. Most are in Florence which is a short train ride from Venice. Adding a stay in Florence was a necessity. And that is how our 2015 trip to Europe developed. It started as a retirement cruise of the Greek isles and become a one month cultural adventure.

A word about Carravaggio. His paintings are photo realistic, much like Vermeer’s. It is his work with light and shadow that sets him apart. Everyone is agog about Michelangelo, and he is fantastic. Carravaggio is in the same league but far less appreciated. Then he did have a thing for young boys.

Getting back to Istanbul. I may find a better understanding of the city when I visit its mosques.

May you experience wonder in all that you do and see in life.

Ron