Category Archives: travel

August 16, 2023 · 5:35 am

Jewel of the Seas — Disappointing Amsterdam Part 2

As you’ll recall from Monday, this week I’m presenting to you trashy Amsterdam, a once great destination that has fallen greatly. You can read about that at a special blog article I posted immediately following our return. That was a public service announcement to warn people away: see: Trashy Amsterdam and the Hellhole of Schipol. Instead, I highly recommend you stay at nearby, enchanting, and clean Utrecht. Part 1 of that series begins here: Utrecht, Netherlands — Part 1.

As the wise old saying goes, if you can’t say something nice then…. At any rate, this week I’m saying nothing at all, and presenting some shots that weren’t tainted by all that trash. The camera will instead lie for me, as careful composition kept the trash from view in the following photographs. Next week it’s on to Norway.

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

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Filed under Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation

Tagged as Amsterdam, cruise, cruise vacation, Jewel of the Seas, Netherlands, opinion, opinion piece, R. Doug Wicker, travel photography, vacation

August 14, 2023 · 5:35 am

Jewel of the Seas — Disappointing Amsterdam Part 1

Because we were taking three back-to-back voyages on Jewel of the Seas, we found ourselves in Amsterdam four times. Before we made our way into Amsterdam, however, we stayed a couple of nights in Utrecht. For a recap of that wonderful visit, you can start here: Utrecht, Netherlands — Part 1. At any rate, we were so disgusted with Amsterdam on this trip last year that I posted a special blog article to warn my viewers to stay the hell away, and to avoid Schipol Airport at all costs. That encounter left a bad taste in our mouths that lingers to this day, some fourteen months later. For a rehash of that fiasco, see: Trashy Amsterdam and the Hellhole of Schipol.

Now, on this 20 June 2022 day, I did manage to scrounge up a few shots that weren’t tainted by the visual and olfactory stench of trash-strewn streets and graffiti, so don’t let creative composing fool you. And as I have nothing much nice to say about how trashy this once fun destination has become, I’ll just post pictures this week. Beginning next week I’ll take you to a much nicer destination, Norway. Until then:

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

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Filed under Opinion Piece, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation

Tagged as Amsterdam, cruise, cruise vacation, Jewel of the Seas, Netherlands, opinion, opinion piece, R. Doug Wicker, travel photography, vacation

August 9, 2023 · 5:35 am

Jewel of the Seas — Dover; More on Dover Castle

Today I will continue to show you the sights of the largest castle in the United Kingdom — Dover Castle. This immense fortification dates back to Henry II in the late 12th century, but it’s military history spans well beyond that all the way through World War II. Indeed, the tunnels that were so useful during WWII, when they served as both an underground hospital and military command center, were repurposed in the early stages of the Cold War as a shelter for the Regional Seats of Government.

The castle itself was of vital military importance throughout WWII, as evidenced by the measures implemented to protect it:

And where do you house these many military personnel? In the barracks, of course:

Remember that old Roman Pharos (lighthouse) that was repurposed as a belltower for St. Mary in Castro? Here are some other views:

St. Mary’s Church and Roman Pharos used as a belltower

The castle and old Roman ruins are not the only views from high up on this hill. The vantage also affords great views of Dover far down below:

By now I’m thinking you’d probably like to know the opening hours for this place, and if those hours change according to season. Well, ask no more: