The Debriefing or RTW Wrap-up

Just the facts, Madame. 

• Countries: 17 
• Flights: 22 (on 12 airlines) 
• Boats/Ferries: 19 
• Tuk-Tuks: 4 
• Pedicabs: 1 
• Busses/Subways/Trams/etc: numerous 
• Miles: 35,000-40,000

Questions and Answers

Where do you want to go next? Africa 

What was the most exciting thing you did? Climb Mt. Nemrot  in Turkey (Moe); Climb Mt. Bradon, Ireland (Irene) 

Most surprising thing? Making so many friends with fellow travelers 

R.T.W in a few photos

Japan

Fushimi Inari Shinto Shrine, Kyoto, Japan

Asakusa Shrine, Toyko

The Ginza, Tokyo

 

Asian toilets are great if you don't have knee or hip problems. The essentials: T.P. goes in the wastebasket, If no flushing device, fill green bucket with water and pour in hole. To use, you squat with your bum over the hole

More Q & A

Which country has the nicest people? We had good feelings about all the people we met.

Any travel disasters? No, not really. Two cab drivers didn't understand us, nor could they read the name of the hotel in the language of the country. We got dropped off on the curb by one. The other wouldn't stop, wouldn't open his trunk so we could get our maps, and wanted us to pay full fare for being lost. We didm't pay.

Did you get sick? No

 

Andy wears a T-shirt which says, "Vietnam Telecom". This is precisely what the electric poles and lines in Vietnam, and other S.E. Asian countries look like




The golden Buddha. It is located in the temple of Wat Traimit, Bangkok

 

The Reclining Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand is beyond belief. It's length and beauty

The most gut-wrenching place we visited was the "Killing Fields" in Phnom Penh. These bracelets have been placed on a tree where infants were killed as a memorial

Sofia gave a demonstration on the uses of the Cambodian large scarf. When she explained that women "pick the flowers" and men are "shooting ducks" it is a slang expression for using nature's restroom. She showed the women how to use the scarf to hide outdoor bathroom activities. it was so funny I was crying.

Bumpiest ride I had was on an ox-drawn cart.

The scope  and craftmanship of the faces at the Bayon at Angkor Wat, in Siem Reap, Canbodia, is mind boggling.

Ditto for nature's craftmanship at Ta Prohm, Siem Reap, Cambodia

More Q & A

Best food? Irene liked Japanese, S.E. Asian and Scandinavian food. Moe liked Scandanavian food.

Best Beer? Almost everywhere, including Asia

Best steak, ice cream? Nowhere

 The beautiful Van (Turkey) cats captured by heart

Salt mine in Turkey. We drove the tour bus into the mine, got out, and walked over to where the miners were working.  Not going to happen in the U.S.

Aya Sofia church in Trabzon Turkey. (detail of ceiling)

Kaymaklı Underground City, Kaymakli, Turkey. There were miles of tunnels--this is as far as I went, due to claustrophobia

Scariest experience--Nordan appears ready to eat the cotton candy, wrapper and all. (You had to have been there!)

Fully loaded potato from Istanbul

You don't see this just anywhere--the Valley of Love, Turkey

Moe's favorite monastery--Gümüsler Monastery--in Turkey

The Smiling Virgin in Gümüsler Monastery. A remarkable sight.

Mt. Nemrut's throne and heads disappeared in a snow storm--so did we, in a blanket of snow and hail and wind

Antakya (Antioch) was the site of our most unusual hotel. An old house with no bus access and refurnished stone rooms. One knocked on the large door and were admitted to the courtyard. This was one of my favorite hotels.

We ate in the courtyard one night.

"The Gypsy Girl" at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, Gasiantep, Turkey. I have never seen such a beautiful mosaic museum.

New mosque in Adana, Turkey

Istanbul Archeologic Museum. We loved going to  archeological museums as we were not disappointed by any we visited; thus we had an expectation of excellent and they were!

The Rilla Monastery is on the UNESCO world Heritage list. It is very unique and beautiful

 My favorite store...

Final Q & A

Most bizarre food eaten: Fried tarantula

Did you gain/lose weight? I have the delicious food of 17 countries around my waist like a donut!

Best value and cheapest thing on your trip? Skype! 

Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin

Kilmainham Prison, Dublin

Trinity College Old Library

Cross of Kong, National Archeological Museum, Dublin

Irene and Carol

We climb Mt. Brandon with my Irish Immersion Class. Weather inclement! but the class was scarier than the climb!

Oliver, 7th generation Inis Mór islander, greets a friend

Rosie and Irene

R & C in Scotland

Scottish Highland cow. Impressive!

Scone Castle, Scotlalnd

St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland

Hanging out in the bars, listening to folk music

The Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg

Picasso vase in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia

Catherine Palace, Pushkin, Russia. Gilded, eye-candy.

Wismar, Germany, UNESCO World Heritage site

Nyhavn has been a designated heritage harbour since 1977 allowing old schooners and vintage sailing vessels to echo the canal's historic nautical past. Copenhagen, Denmark

Stockholm archipelago--there are some 30,000 islands

Stockholm, Sweden, metro art

Vasa Museum--remarkable museum in Stockholm

Gamla Stan (Old Town), Stockholm, Sweden

Hraunfossar Waterfalls, Iceland

Arnarstapi-Hellnar trail, Iceland. New lava fields covered in moss.

The Icelandic Horse, beautiful, five-gaited.

Lake Myvatn thermal area. Similar to Yellowstone

Basaltic rock in Vik, Iceland

Lom Stave Church tour guide, Norway

Dear Friends,

It was a joy doing this blog. It took many hours, but the time spent Googling and consulting Wikipedia was good for the most part. Maybe i was a little to compulsive, but I am recovering...

It was fun taking you all along on this trip, hope you enjoyed the experience!

Moe and Irene