I awoke this morning to the sound of birds outside the patio doors and when I pulled back the curtains there outside our window is the Arabian Sea with boats of all description plying their way back and forth among the islands. It is foggy this early in the morning. I’m trying to quietly get up, make some coffee and get outside on our patio so I can enjoy the early morning sights and smells and sounds. Of course when I try to be quiet that is when I make the most noise!! Little fishing boats, tugs, a ferry and the odd ocean freighter are going about their businesses while I sip french press coffee and make some notes on my blog. Soon enough we head over for breakfast. The breakfast patio is outside protected from ... read more

Meeting in the lobby at nine a.m. for a bus tour of the city. Today’s blog will be a long one because of all the information that the tour guide provided to us over the next five hours. Mumbai (or Bombay as some know it) is built over 7 islands. When the British took over Mumbai from the Portuguese they built causeways between all the islands. It is situated on the coastline of the Arabian Sea And has a population of 23 million. Mumbai is known as the City of Ganesh, a city with a heart. The Hindu god Ganesh ensures a flow of money, protects the inhabitants and welcomes visitors. Rudyard Kipling was born here as his father was a famous architect in the city. He designed the fruit market which we will visit a ... read more

Contemplate the horrors of medieval prisons, where scores of men and women were forced to cohabitate in cramped conditions, pressed against each other, not able to lie down. A sip of water and a few bites of food thrown to them. Got that picture in your head? Well that’s what a 14 hour flight feels like exactly. I was lucky to sit with a young couple who live in Philadelphia, were visiting relatives in Canada and were on their way to Mumbai to visit their parents - really pleasant people. While waiting for the bathroom, I spotted Helen on the other side chatting up the flight attendants and another passenger. She had an enthralled audience by the look of it. Finally we arrive at the Mumbai airport and are welcomed by our tour guide who draped ... read more

Last day - where did the time go? Apparently 10 days is really not enough to experience Spain. Two days are lost in flying and Spain is an immense country. So lots of time lost travelllng between cities. I would love to have had another day in Cordoba and another day in Sevilla and another day in Granada. So much packed into so few days. A city bus tour started the day today with a short stop on top of a foothill with a magnificent view of the city of Barcelona and in the distance the Sagrada Familia which we will visit later today with a private tour. Continuing on past the port of Barcelona which the third largest in Spain. The harbour is packed full of cruise ships, freighters and innumerable sailboats. Barcelona is a ... read more

Alhambra - a sprawling hilltop fortress encompassing royal palaces, serene patios, reflecting pools as well as fountains, orchards and gardens. The buildings existed since the 9th century but became a royal residence in mid 1300’s of King Muhammad Ibn Yusef Ben Nasirn Known as Alhamar (Muslim sultan). Alhambra name means red castle or vermilion because of the red colour of the bricks and astones. The Alhambra became a Christian court in 1492 with the expulsion of the Muslims by the Christians. I apologize for so many pictures - you may not believe it but I maintained restraint on the number of pictures I took. There were so many beautiful rooms and fountains and gardens and of course pictures don’t do any of it real justice. Our guide Carlos is the best guide we have had so ... read more