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In this blog I will share photos from several ports that did not receive blogs dedicated to them.  After the photos, I summarize my thoughts and lasting impressions of the world cruise.

The city of Hue is located approximately in the middle of Vietnam and was the seat of royal power from the 19th and into the 20th centuries.  There were thirteen kings who reigned from Hue.  Many of the ancient structures were destroyed during the Vietnam-American War, which have since been restored.  The photos show scenes from the Imperial Palace as well as the three hundred-year-old Buddhist pagoda.

Whenever I travel to “old Europe,” that is, the continent of Europe, I’m reminded that Europeans are much more aware of history than Americans are.  They see the old cathedrals, the castles, the city walls, the statues, the artwork…all products of their long history. . .

Corfu and Albania face each other across a narrow channel.  Ferries carry tourists back and forth from Corfu several times a day.  Albania is perhaps the least-developed country for tourism in all of Europe.  For many years Albania was the poorest country in Europe.  Prices are half the costs in Corfu.  This makes Albania attractive for tourists.  The Albanian landscape is very mountainous, so the tourist industry is promoting the country’s undisturbed natural attractions for adventure tourists.

This week marks my second visit to Venice. The first was in 2004. My opinion remains unchanged: Venice is one of the most interesting cities on the planet.

Welcome Blog Readers Old and New

My blogs are intended to share my international travel experiences for readers who might never visit the places I describe. I try to include historical, political, and cultural observations when I am able to do so without too much background research. Photos are included in the associated gallery.

Ha Long Bay Vietnam is a unique location, famous for its thousands of scenic islands in the bay.  Our tour took us to a magnificent cave inside one of the islands.  The photos from this area will tell the story better than my words.

Photos from Jordan and Israel.