So Galway was the last big city we visited on this wonderful trip to Ireland with a terrific group of folks from OLPH and St. Agnes parish as well as a few other parishes where Msgr. Salemi has served as pastor.

Like all of Ireland, it’s filled with happy, musical, smiling Irishmen who love Americans, want to entertain us and are eager to hear all about us. Well, not exactly all about us, but when we said we came from New Jersey there was an entirely new and inquisitive air about them.

Sensing they wanted to hear more about the Garden State, I was eager to share all the facts about our Revolutionary War history, our beautiful hills that go down to the sea similar to Ireland, our wonderful beaches, the Statue of Liberty which is really within our borders, our boardwalks…you know, all the things that make New Jersey great.

They weren’t interested. What they wanted to know was…..”The Sopranos! Have you been to the restaurant? Do you see them? Do you know them?” One very friendly gentleman in one of the pubs proudly told me it’s on his bucket list to sit all the places in the Sopranos serial!

But back to Galway. As in every other town, Peter from Nuovo Tours, who arranges all of the Salemi trips, had us booked into a wonderful, four star hotel right in the heart of the city, making it easy to take a short walk to quaint shops, museums or beautiful churches to say nothing of all the pubs.

The Hotel Meyrick is elegant yet comfortable, offering terrific breakfasts with lots of fresh fruit, sensational views of the park across the street…that’s Kennedy Park, by the way… and the shops and pubs surrounding it, and including a rather nice pub of its own on the first floor, with huge windows for people-watching. While there, we took a short ride to Ashford Castle, and what an experience that was!

Ashford Castle was originally built in the 1200s, and “modernized” in the mid-1800s. It’s a magnificent, sprawling castle elegantly situated on 26,000 acres of lush green lawns, wonderful woodlands, and lots of flowers … lots of flowers … with so many in bloom while we were there, but also budding with even more that would keep the grounds colorful for yet another season.

The Castle itself is now a hotel and we strolled across the bridge over the river where anglers were knee deep and fly fishing (but still had the time for a friendly wave) to go through the public rooms. Elegance in chandeliers, paintings, furniture, draperies and floor coverings. It was so easy to see why this was the setting for The Quiet Man during the John Wayne/Maureen O’Hara era.

Rather than dine in the hotel, we opted for Tea in the adjacent lodge, and here again, we were in for another treat! Seated in sumptuous rooms, surrounded by huge oil paintings, fine furnishings, and French doors opening out to the tranquil setting of trees and flowers, we were served tea and scones with strawberry preserves and clotted cream. Hey, if that isn’t your normal afternoon refreshment, try it in Ireland! It’s a step back in time and a delicious treat!

Scones, by the way, are served all over in Ireland in all kinds of cafes, hotels and restaurants, and though they’re basically baked flour and water, they taste differently every time; some have raisins, some don’t, some even had chocolate chips. All were great. But served with clotted cream and preserves made then very special. (Though, that isn’t to say they’re not sensational warm with some rich Irish butter, too!)

Because we had a talkative, knowledgeable and really enjoyable tour guide the entire trip, we also learned a lot about the everyday life in Ireland. Folks without jobs can go on Solus…unemployment….but it’s required that they work one or two days a week in community service in order to get the assistance. Everyone has health care, including two dental visits a year and a no cost tooth filling…only one…a year.

Pensions are awarded at age 65 and include a medical card, a bus and train pass, telephone, and even a fuel allowance in the winter. Pensioners also get butter and beef vouchers to ensure they eat well. School age youngsters all wear uniforms, and both shoes and uniforms are provided them free of charge. Primary school is for 5 to 12 year olds, secondary for 12 to 18 year olds, and…oh, yes, university education is also offered at no charge!

There was so much more we saw and did in way too short a time on this beautiful island…the Ring of Kerry, the Wild Atlantic Coast, Dingle Bay, the Killarney National Park which stretches for miles, Connemara, known for its marble of all shades, white, green black, and more shades of each. It’s a beautiful country, with happy people, lots of music, great Jameson’s, Guinness, and even Shandies…that’s lemon soda and beer, and don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

And the Irish are always ready and eager to welcome you for a visit!

Three Amtrak trains … about four and a half days … and a cost of under $300 if you don’t mind coach seating, or about $800 if you want a private roomette … will get you a leisurely and enjoyable trip from New Jersey to Sacramento, California.

Double it, throw in an overnight in California’s capital, and you can get there and back in ten days!

And during that ten days, you get to see up close and personal, just how incredible the United States of America truly is. You get to travel from sea level to 10,000 feet without stepping off the train … cross the Continental Divide through a six-mile-long rail tunnel … go through 15 states and Washington, D.C, albeit some in the dark of night … and cross both the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

All the while, you have the chance to meet fascinating folks, enjoy terrific food, learn some history and important facts of many cities and towns along the way and spend time in each of the nation’s four-time zones.

That’s what I opted to do earlier this month to quench my thirst to see the Rocky Mountains in the winter.

At the start, I didn’t realize I’d be mesmerized by the Sierra Nevada as well, captivated by the more than 30 tunnels wrapping around the mountains that the trains pass through, and in awe of the magnificence and diversity of America.

It’s not that I haven’t seen a lot of it before. During ten years of living in an RV around the turn of the century when home literally was where we parked it, I’ve already been to each of these states, though in those days and that mode of transportation, we opted for Southern states in the winter.

Still, seeing it from a comfortable seat by picture windows that went up to and covered part of the roof of the train’s lounge car certainly beats even the comfort and ease of viewing it all at road height through RV windows, many times on interstate highways.

The route from Metro Park to Washington, DC is familiar to anyone who has taken Acela, or any of the north-east corridor trains to the nation’s capital.

It’s a quick three hours or so west through Trenton and beyond, Philadelphia, Delaware, and Union Station, which is a great place to spend a couple of hours if you like lots of shops, a variety of food, and spectacular views of the Capitol without ever leaving the building.

It’s probably one of the best of all the Amtrak stations, given the amenities offered. By contrast, while the Great Hall in Chicago’s Union Station is a magnificent study in architecture, it is totally devoid of any shops, food, or attractions, though there is a food court and private lounges available at no cost, for first class passengers on overnight trips, or even coach passengers, for a $20 fee.

The other option for New Jerseyans is to take the train to New York, board another train to Washington, and you still meet up with the Capitol Limited, since it’s a once a day departure. I opted for the Washington trip since I like the convenience of Metro Park and the comfort of Washington’s Union State compared to New York’s Penn Station.

Photo: Interior of Union Station

Taking the Washington-bound train scheduled for the time outlined by Amtrak, it’s a three hour wait from the time you arrive in Washington until the Capitol Limited leaves for Chicago in the late afternoon. Certainly enough time to pop next door to the station and visit the Post Office Museum, one of the Smithsonian’s magnificent buildings tracing our nation’s history. Or visit some famous name stores, have a snack, or simply enjoy watching other passengers in either the train departure area or the main section of the beautifully restored historic building.

For whatever reason, the Limited left 42 minutes late, with conductors profuse with apologies and explaining we were waiting for another train to clear the track. A walking tour of the overnight train led me to see the dining car was actually half the lounge car, so it was a short walk from enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail to a full three course meal.

Opting for coach seating for this portion of the trip, I also found the seats are spacious, offering lots of leg room, leg rests that go up and seat backs that go back, ensuring a decent night’s sleep even for those of us who did not bring blankets along. (Jackets do well as blankets in a pinch!)

There’s no difference in menus or seating between coach and roomette passengers; seating for all opting for dinner is at tables for four, so you’re sure to meet other travelers. The menu offers five choices for dinner, always including chicken, beef, vegetarian and a rice or pasta, along with salads and desserts. Entrees range from $18 or so to $40.00 for a steak and seafood special, with most in the $23 range. (They’re included in roomette travelers’ rate, including dessert) Those not wanting to eat in the dining car have the option of bringing edibles of their own, or visiting the lower level of the lounge car for snacks, beverages, and light meals they can bring back to their coach seats.

Sitting with a couple from Scotland who moved permanently from the British Isles to West Virginia last year and were now enroute to their condo in Hawaii for the rest of the winter, we enjoyed great conversations that ranged from the Peacock Throne which became a spoil of a war between India and Iran in the 15th century to sailing on the North Sea, something I had done with those terrific Sea Cadets from NWS Earle a few years ago … But that’s another story.

The Viking Sun departed the pier at Cologne just after midnight, but not before the Viking folks brought a spectacular duo aboard for an incredible evening of entertainment in the ship’s lounge. You don’t have to be a classical music enthusiast to appreciate the excellence of Vivaldi, Gounod and Mozart played and sung by a very talented violinist and singer, accompanied by a guitarist equally talented in music.

The musical interlude following another spectacular dinner under the capable hands of Chef Matthias, who frequently came out of the galley so intent was he….as his boss, Igor, as well, to please. In my constant hunt for really good beef to be served rare…or “dead and warm, as I usually ask for it…” I learned that in Europe, and apparently many American kitchens as well, the term for beef the way I like it is “blue.” Don’t know why blue instead of bloody red, but c’est la vie. Matthias rose to the occasion once we established the correct meaning, and life continues to be spectacular.

Also impressive was the evening all interested guests were invited to tour the galley, a surprise in itself but almost mind boggling when they allowed us into the galley right after dinner, when I would think it would be at its messiest. Never fear. The galleys aboard Viking ships are spotless, orderly, efficient, and hot as heck from all the stoves and hot water in use.

By morning on the fourth day, we were in Koblenz, Germany, a name that means confluence since that’s where the Moselle River meets the Rhine. On deck was a scheduled trip to visit Marksburg Castle in the nearby town of Braubach. Viking cautioned the trip included rugged walking over 2,000 year old rock steps and a hike up a steep hill before entering a sandy-colored fortification built at the very top about 700 years ago, and remarkably, never taken over by enemies any time since.

Before boarding the bus Viking had waiting for our trip to the castle, we learned something else about this very efficient company. Wanting to offer as much of the spectacular scenery and history along the Rhine that it could, Viking opted to let the passengers off for the Castle tour, while the boat continued to another pier, ready to receive us once again to continue the cruise along what has to be the most beautifully scenic part of the entire Rhine River.

Efficiency in time and convenience.

Trudy and Heather, that stalwart couple from Canada, and I opted for that strenuous hike to the castle, (ok, I had to stop and rest twice alone the way but it was worth it!)

It was fascinating.

The castle tour by yet another knowledgeable local representative, included a walk through the gardens that featured the herbs and other plants used in the middle ages, then inside to the rooms on several levels of more of those cobbled steps to the very top. Since all castles were fortifications, there were lots of cannon and apertures at precise locations for their effectiveness, but also the castle’s chapel with its Madonna paintings on the walls, the kitchen with its massive hearth and ice box, the dining room complete with the “necessary room” adjacent, and large rooms with more interesting displays.

One room had an array of armor and a knowledgeable person to explain how improved changes in coats of armor had emerged over centuries; another room had some of the tortures in popular use during the Middle Ages, tortures that make our present day executions and life imprisonments look weak. After a few minutes admiring the view from the top, a chance to pick up a souvenir or two or grab an ice cream, it was back down to the bus, back to the boat, and on to a spectacular part of the Rhine.

It was one of those days where you couldn’t ask for the weather to be any better, so almost all of the passengers gathered on chairs on the sundeck for a two hour commentary by the program director as the Viking Sun passed small villages, more castles, wonderful vineyards growing horizontally on the sides of small mountains, and simply perfect scenery all around.

There’s much talk about Lorelei, a temptress on the Rhine, and the cause of the deaths of so many Sailors over the centuries.

In actuality, Lorelei is a rock formation, a huge hunk of earth that juts out into the Rhine, creating what is the most narrow and apparently the deepest part of the river. It’s tough for captains to navigate their craft through this winding section of the river, and any seamen’s deaths over the years most likely were caused by navigation troubles rather than a haunting melody from an invisible temptress luring sailors astray.

Regardless, seamen are always filled with legends and mysterious stories and this one is as terrific as most.

Besides, sitting on a sundeck, with Viking staff happily quenching your thirst serving whatever beverages you request, watching the world glide by while you soak in both breathless natural beauty and ancient ruins and architecture is an adventure never to be forgotten.

But still Viking offered more.

Late in the afternoon there was a demonstration in the lounge on how to create Rudesheim coffee, a blend of coffee, brandy, sugar, whipped cream and chocolate, both the brandy, Asbach, and the chocolate, also named Asbach for the company founder Hugo Asbach, originating in this area. Heather, our Canadian friend, was invited to show her talent in creating the coffee, and while we were all served cups of the delicious beverage in the unique cups which are traditional, Heather was invited to keep hers as thanks for her part in the demonstration.

Cocktails, dinner, dancing and music, and at midnight, the Viking was off again.

Next stop: Heidelberg

We were in Basel, Switzerland shortly after midnight on the last day aboard the Viking Sun and since our flight from the small airport there to Heathrow in London was a noon flight, we still had time for last minute goodbyes, a leisurely breakfast, and a quick walk around the Swiss city right on the Rhine.

And while the entire trip was extraordinarily wonderful, especially noting that the worse thing I could find to put on the survey sheets Viking courteously asks everyone to fill out was that the food was just a tad salty, not a great thing when the average age of the passengers is upwards of 50. But part of the sheer joy of it was also in the surprising, unplanned things, the little tidbits and warm friendships that add so much to a trip.

For me, Strasburg held a peculiar charm, whether it was because of the care the local folks put into preserving their cathedral windows during the war or the beauty of the entire city seen from the canal boat going around it. Or perhaps it was the laughter and fun those of us in that canal boat shared when some thunder rumbling in the sky quickly turned to a drenching downpour that soaked us all. The boat captain hastened to get the boat under a bridge until some of the storm had passed, but it wasn’t until later…when we were all properly wetted down, that crew members came out with plastic ponchos to cover our already soaked bodies.

Maybe it was the surprise of a lovely bottle of German wine in our cabin, with a note from the Viking team apologizing for “the inconvenience.” I had to ask to be sure what the ‘inconvenience’ was it was so slight. But early in the cruise, the plumbing got clogged in one of the three decks on the boat, and we couldn’t flush for eight hours or so.

Since for most of that time, we were in the city on a tour, and there were still other facilities available elsewhere on the boat, the inconvenience was hardly an inconvenience. But the wine was appreciated.

Perhaps it was the unexpected beauty and thrill of that cable car ride over Cologne; or the champagne arranged by our Scottish friends and flowing freely as we all celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary with them.

Or the artfully decorated birthday cake we all were invited to enjoy with a mom traveling with her daughter. Or the spunk and charm of the British octogenarian woman who was widowed suddenly after all their Viking arrangements had been made, so she decided to take the trip on her own! Geraldine is from Surrey and taught us all that a positive attitude and old-fashioned British stiff upper lip can get you through anything.

Maybe it was the surprise at meeting a professional who had attended the same girls’ academy I attended, albeit 20 years later, and also hailed from the same small town where I was raised.

Or maybe it was meeting up with a Michigan/Arizona traveler who made Murano glass jewelry as beautiful as that in the Black Forest.

Possibly it was the instant friendship that developed among Norman, our favorite Scottish dentist, and his charming wife, Jean, always impeccably dressed and outshining us all; and our Canadian friends, Heather our very knowledgeable and every sparkling retired airline pilot who’s still busily at work instructing others, and her mate Trudy, a gal so generous and thoughtful she anticipates needs then produces results and solutions before you get to think about it.

Remember, it was Jane Frotton and I who were traveling together, enjoying the company of all these other wonderful people, and they actually liked us…..even though I’ve heard it’s been said….we’re not the easiest people to hang around with!

I wrote this story for the Atlantic Highlands Herald https://www.ahherald.com/ back in 2015

Photo: Courtesy of Jane Frotton

It was just one of those trips that was too good to turn down!

An opportunity to go back to Greece, a country I first visited 30 years ago, see some of the Greek islands on a cruise ship, and also go into Turkey and visit some spots I only knew from reading the Bible!

Couple all of that with going with Nuovo Tours…whom I’ve long since known offer the most economical trips without sacrificing quality, some fine old friends and soon to be new friends from Our Lady of Perpetual Help/St. Agnes parish and 12 days led by Monsignor Salemi…who, anyone who went on the trip to Ireland already knew, guarantees a most enjoyable if not necessarily restful but always entertaining and educational trip…it was a must do.

Flying out of Philadelphia had the distinct advantage of a nonstop flight to Athens, a morning arrival and an immediate chance to get a quick tour through part of this very ancient yet still cosmopolitan city with its Syntagma Square and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Plaka, the bustling, crowded but always fun crooked streets filled with souvenir shops selling everything from honey with walnuts to worry beads and sponges, and everything in between, including the embassies of many different countries.

For whatever reason, the guides like to point out while the British Embassy rises behind a small forest of tall trees, the American Embassy is the only one with a fence around it….”like a fortress,” we were told.

But rising above all this sprawl, looming high on hill overlooking the city, is the Parthenon and the ruins of three other buildings that were all part of the Golden Age of Greece nearly 2,500 years before Christ.

It’s a hike to the top of the Acropolis to be in the midst of this ancient wonder, but it’s unforgettable once you’ve been there. The Acropolis itself, a hill made mostly of limestone and featuring some pretty steep cliffs, has been a natural fortress throughout the centuries and has seen the Greeks battle the Persians, the Romans and the Ottomans before finally winning control and maintaining its place among the historic and beautiful monuments to gods and mankind.

There are writings about the Acropolis some 7,000 years before Christ from the very beginning of recorded time, so it was the natural spot for the Greeks to build their temples to their gods.

The view from the top is spectacular, looking down over the city…but then, the view from our hotel, with the buildings bathed in light against a starlit sky and full moon, is equally unforgettable.

The Parthenon stands at the highest point of the Acropolis and while wars, wind, rain and all the elements have left it in ruins today, you can imagine the grandeur and magnificence of the building which was almost as long as a football field, and about 100 feet wide.

There were more than 60 columns in the temple, all 30 feet high and six feet in diameter.

Though it was built as a temple to the goddess Athena, the patron of the city, the Parthenon was also used to store the city-state’s wealth in its day.

Checking into our hotel for the night, we learned we were not far from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and could see the colorful and precise Evzone Guards, the elite infantry unit of the Greek Army very much like our elite soldiers who guard our Tomb of the Unknowns.

The Evzones, however, are clad in traditional pleated kilts, with white britches and pom-poms on their shoes, and march with a slow-motion, high-stepping strut that dates back to ancient times.

Anymore visitation in the city would have to wait until the last couple of days of the trip…we were bound for Port Lavrion, just outside the city in the morning to board a Greek cruise liner for another eight days of visiting islands and Ephesus and Istanbul in Turkey. Istanbul, by the way, is the only city in the world that spans two continents…so we spent time in both Europe and Asia on this trip.