Jack's Travel Blog

Burni, Croatia.

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Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, Greece.

View of Cape Sounion from the Temple of Poseidon.

On October 23, 2019, our ship docked at Piraeus, Greece, Terminal “B”. All of us on this large coach chose to visit the Temple of Poseidon instead of going into Athens, Greece (not Athens, Georgia). We enjoyed a wonderful long drive along a scenic coastal road with splendid views of the Saronic Gulf, passing through some of Athens’ most beautiful suburbs of Glyfada, Kavouri, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, and Lagonissi, fine beaches and many resorts.

We arrive at Cape Sounion (known by ancient Greeks as the “Sacred Cape”) to visit the 5th century B.C. ancient Temple of Poseidon at Sounion. It is one of the most significant monuments of the Golden Age of Athens. This is the place where the ancient Greeks worshipped their mighty god of the seas, Poseidon. It stands 200 feet above the sea at the edge of a cliff. This is one of the most breathtaking and deeply moving sights in all of Greece, probably why this spot was chosen for this temple. In fact, this place was emotionally important for the Athenians, as this was the last point of their land that the ancient Athenian seafarers and warriors could see when they sailed away into the Aegean and around the Mediterranean Seas. 15 of the original 34 columns are still standing.

Following our visit, we stopped for cookies and a soda in a Vouliagmeni Resort.

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Fira, Greece.

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Naples, Italy.

After departing from the cruise pier on October 20, 2019, we were driven through the heart of Naples for a meandering drive through the vibrant metropolis, past many landmarks from the comfort of our coach. Naples is the third most-populated city in Italy. You can almost feel the energy as you watch countless Vespas zipping through the urban sprawl and throngs of Neapolitans going about their daily lives. It’s this irrepressible energy and spectacular backdrop of architectural gems and panoramic views that give Naples its charm.

Our first stop was atop Posillipo Hill, with a magnificent view of the crescent-shaped bay, with a view of the still-active Mount Vesuvius volcano in the distance. We walked to the Piazza del Plebiscito. Then down the Via Toledo to the Galleria Umberto where I had a bite of eat.

I chose to take this tour of Naples, Italy (not Naples, Florida) because it visited the Castel Nuovo. As it turned out the Cruise Ship I was on docked next to the castle as seen to the left. I have no regrets about choosing this tour, just that I could have easily walked to the castle without purchasing a tour!

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Tuscania, Italy.

On October 19, 2019 we landed in Civitavecchia, Italy. One of my choices was to go to Rome. I’d been on a one day tour of Rome with Peg and the kids in 2011. So I ventured off the beaten path and back in time to explore two unique villages in the beautiful countryside of central Italy. This was an opportunity to experience the traditional side of Italy.

First we went to Civita di Bagnoregio, and then to the walled city of Tuscania (not Tuscany), with the city proper probably founded in the 7th century BC. Tuscania’s sleepy walled center mostly dates back from the 16th century.

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Florence, Italy.

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Pisa, Italy – 2019.

After visiting Florence on October 18, 2019 we met back at the coach and headed to Pisa, with the opportunity to climb the 294 steps up to the top of the world famous “Leaning Tower.” In Miracle (Piazza del Duomo) Square we viewed the Pisa Cathedral and Pisa Baptistery.

Italy counts at least 10 leaning towers, of which two more are located in Pisa: the Campanile of San Nicola and the Campanile of San Michele degli Scalzi. Not surprisingly, Venice, with its unstable soil, also counts three leaning towers.

The “Leaning Tower of Pisa” was stabalized in the 1990s by a method known as soil extraction. Engineers dug a series of tunnels on the north side of the tower and remove small amounts of earth. (The tower leans to the south.) With steel cables that pulled it back into its original position.

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Port of Livorno, Italy.

Livorno is an Italian port city on the west coast of Tuscany. It’s known for its seafood, Renaissance-era fortifications and modern harbor with a Cruise Ship port.

Livorno, is where our cruise ship docked off the west coast of Tuscany, Italy, on October 18, 2019. That’s not a photo of our ship.

One of several Roman Aqueducts I saw on the way back to the Cruise Ship from Pisa.

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Barcelona, Spain – 2019.

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, and one of its provinces. Wednesday, October 16, 2019, there were street riots were going on, for those that wanted to succeed from Spain closing the airport that day. That changed the route of my bus.

First we took a panoramic drive through the memorial Arch of Triumph and Ciutadella Park, home to the State of Catalona’s parliament, (Parliament is located next to the zoo! Make your own joke.) museums and a monumental fountain designed by a student of Gaudi. We enjoyed a spectacular view of Barcelona from the top of Montjuic Hill.

We stopped for photos of Gaudi’s controversial and towering masterpiece, Basílica de la Sagrada Família (Basilica of the Holy Family). Construction began in 1883. It is still unfinished, it is scheduled to be completed in 2083. It is ahead of schedule and should be completed in 2026! The centenary of Gaudí’s death.

At the end of the tour we strolled down the 400 year old narrow streets of the medieval Gothic Quarter, or Barri Gòtic.

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Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Did you know there is a herd of American Bison roaming a prairie in Illinois, and it’s only an hour from Chicago?

The Midewin (pronounced mid-DAY-win) National Tallgrass Prairie, is a tallgrass prairie reserve operated by the U. S. Forest Service. I visited the prairie to purchase an annual National Park Pass.

It is the first national tallgrass prairie ever designated in the U.S. and the largest conservation site in the Chicago Wilderness region. (An hour SW of Chicago, formerly the site of the Joliet Army Ammunition Factory.) Since 2015, it has hosted a conservation herd of American Bison to study their interaction with prairie restoration and conservation.

Better Together

Bison and prairie are inseparable. Their history and relationship goes back at least 11.000 years. Just as the prairie nourishes the Bison, and the Bison sustain the prairie.
Better Blooms
Bison only eat grass, leaving space for prairie flowers and other leafy plants to grow and flourish. In this way, their grazing benefits birds, small mammals, and other grazers that consume the leaves and seeds of non-grazers.
Better Mixture
Bison graze some areas heavily while leaving others almost untouched. The resulting mixture of tall and short grasses makes the prairie suitable for animals that require differing plant heights for their life processes.
Better Soil
Even Bison’s waste sustains the prairie. Urine and solid waste restore nutrients to the soil wherever Bison Graze.
Better Burns
Bison’s patchwork grazing ensures fire never fully consumes the prairie. Lightly grazed areas burn easily, rejuvenating the soil and clearing away old plant growth. Meanwhile, fire skips heavily grazed areas where there isn’t enough grass to carry the fire.
After fire, Bison reverse their grazing patterns. They prefer the tender young grasses in recently burned areas which were once lightly grazed.

Click to view the 2021 National Parks Uncle Jack visited.