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In the summer of '98, we spent two weeks in the capital city of Venezuela,
Caracas. The giant metropolis resembles any big city, but its distinctive
feature is the mountain that shields the city from hurricanes and other
sea storms, as it stands between Caracas and the Caribbean Sea. Ironically,
the poor people enjoy the best view of either the city or the sea, as the
ghettoes are found on the mountainsides, with delicate houses balancing
precariously on top of each other. |
Caracas
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 The
Royal Palace of Madrid |
Spain Spain
was good for us in many ways. First and foremost, we met a lot of wonderful
people and saw sights that we shall never forget. Being in Europe
also facilitated our going to neighboring countries, and year by year we
visited other European capitals until we had been in almost all the most
famous ones. |
 A
view of the city of Toledo, as seen from across the Tagus river. |
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Eighteen different trips to Spain,
most of them as director of large groups of students, enabled me to gain
special "favors" from guards and keepers we saw from year to year.
Some of the most memorable were wearing the helmet of the Spanish conquistador
Hernan Cortez (left), and sitting on the actual throne of King Ferdinand
of Navarre, the husband of Queen Isabella. While sitting on the throne
a thought came over me: What did my wife do with all those jewels I gave
her over the years? |
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 The
Royal Palace and Monastery of the Escorial was a familiar "must see" place.
Built by Philip II of Spain as an "abode for God on earth", the complex
is truly awe-inspiring. Unforgettable is the black marble staircase
that leads to the burial crypt where all but three of the kings of Spain
are interred. After descending past the "rotting chambers", the tourists
find themselves within touch of the actual marble coffins that contain
the famous bodies. |
 The
Cathedral of Segovia in the early morning light. It was here that
Queen Isabella was proclaimed queen of Castille. |
 Visits
to Spain invariably included a bullfight. We were lucky to have witnessed
the first time a woman fought in Las Ventas, the most revered of all bullrings.
Sixteen years later, we saw the first time another woman "matadora" was
carried out the main gate on the spectators' shoulders, an honor bestowed
only on fighters who win two awards on the same evening. Other years
we also witnessed the tragic killing of a matador and the arrest of another
for refusing to fight. Having done it, I could sympathyze.
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Lisbon
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London
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 Tower
Bridge |
 The
Imperial Crown, on display in the Tower of London.
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 The
Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace. |
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Venice
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An unusual feeling came over me in Venice, as if my eyes were warning
me that they were overloaded with ubiquitous beautiful sights. Few
cities have so allured me. Maybe it was the pervasive history; perhaps
it was the tomb of St. Mark; maybe it was the water and the boats. |
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Turkey
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Good friends suggested we visit this splendid city. We were glad
they did. Even so, Istanbul specifically, and Turkey in general were unforgettable.
People were extremely pleasant and helpful, and our long trek through the
country took us to enchanted places. |
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 Aya
Sophia, formerly a Christian church, was converted into a Muslim mosque.
Here, we stood on the very spot where Holy Roman emperors were crowned,
and I imagined their thoughts as they looked about in the breath-taking
surroundings. |
 Inside
and out, the Blue Mosque was one of those sights a tourist is not likely
to forget, with its minarets and huge dome visible from all points. A temple
intended to show the faith of a sultan. |
 The
Dolmabahce palace looked toward the Bosphorous, giving the royal occupants
a splendid view as well as cooling winds. |
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Greece
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 This
is the view we had from our hotel, less than half a mile from the Acropolis.
I spent a restless night, in part because of the mosquitoes, and partly
because of the anticipation of the following day's activities. |
 The
long walk to Athena's famous hill was certainly well rewarded by the spectacular
vistas. Of all the structures in the Acropolis, my favorite
was the Parthenon, and I felt humbled by the sheer size of the building
and its ancient history. |
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 I
took this picture while trying to decipher the enigma of the Sphinx.
Although I was surprised at the size (like the Mona Lisa, it was smaller
than I had imagined), it was nevertheless a very imposing structure. |
Egypt
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 Penny
wanted to take a cab, but I insisted on the "local" transportation.
After the seemingly interminable ride, I wish we had taken a cab ... or
at least a well-adjusted camel. Ours had a mind of its own, and took
us wherever he wanted. By the time we had learned to "drive", our
ride was over. My behind ached for hours! |
 Of
the many, many memories that remain with me, the most exciting one has
to be when, in the burial chamber of the pyramid of Cheops, the guard invited
me to climb inside the stone sarcophagus where the mummy lay for centuries.
It was that very same guard who instructed me on how to fold my arms and
took the above picture. I couldn't possibly describe the thrill I felt,
and as I look at the picture, my only regret is that I didn't remove my
watch! It's kinda tacky! |
 When
in Egypt, you dress like the natives do, and I found out that the dress-like
garment that men wear (galabeia) keeps them cool and protected from the
strong sun. The hat (fez) completes the outfit. |
Another memorable experience was when I swam on the Nile near Luxor,
where the water was perfectly clear . . . clear enough to spot an alligator
approaching me. I was also concerned about the swift river current
that, within seconds, carried me a good distance from my starting point. |
Concerned about the strong Nile current and the unwelcome neighbor
nearby, I chose to make a hasty retreat from the water, remaining long
enough to have these two pictures taken.
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Denmark
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 This
is the famous "Little Mermaid" sculpture in Copenhagen. Periodically, some
lunatic decapitates her, but there are other heads at hand to restore her. |
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| The Netherlands
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I shall never forget going inside Anne Frank's Amsterdam house, where
she and her family hid for two years during the Holocaust. They were ultimately
discovered by the Nazis and sent to concentration camps on the last train
before the city was liberated. |
 Going
inside her room, seeing the pictures with which the little girl decorated
it, and looking out the window she was forbidden to get near for fear of
detention, was emotional, and seeing the original diary later on made every
visitor cry, including me. |
Sweden  |
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France
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Teotihuacan
was dubbed the City of the Gods, a well deserved name. It is there where
the immense pyramids of the Sun and the Moon are located. Climbing
those steps was quite an undertaking, given the altitude and the heat.
But the view from the top was well worth it.
