Craig – EarthlyLOCOmotion.com

Port-Vendres, France

Charming and quaint. Two adjectives which are perfect when describing this little known destination. Its location in France is just north of the Spanish border on the Mediterranean. It is well known for its numerous fish and seafood restaurants. The local population here is only about 4,000 people.

Typical of this and most fishing villages are flowers. Plantings are almost anywhere you go.

Rocky beach area located right in town. Not the most scenic, but extremely convenient.

This Old fortress on the sea lends a certain charm to this beach area.

View of the village from above. The coastline to the north is France.

St. Tropez and Corsica, France

The beaches I found on the island of Corsica were truly amazing. The waters were warm, the snorkeling incredible, and the French food was delicious. Corsica has much more to offer than just beaches, however that’s about all I was able to experience during my brief visit to the island. Corsica was a planned destination, but we decided to cut the time short and do a drive by (sail by) to St. Tropez on the way to our next destination. So I will briefly cover that stop here as well.

The beautiful colors in the sea surrounding Corsica are unquestionably some of the best. I could float here for hours.

Amazing and not well frequented beaches abound.

This is about as crowded as it gets. While the rocky beaches aren’t the most comfortable, there are also plenty of sandy areas as well.

View to the south where there is some development. Corsica has not been over-developed, as many places in the Mediterranean have been.

Monument to Napoleon. In the sculpture he looks much taller than his actual height of 5’6″.

Less than a day’s sail from Corsica we sailed to St. Tropez. This town has quite a reputation for opulence, excess, yacht competitions, and the like. While there I tried to experience some of what this place has to offer.

This is the coastline on my approach to St. Tropez.

I ended up making friends with a few of the people on this craft which was moored near our vessel. I spent a great afternoon just talking and enjoying a fabulous white French burgundy with them before going into town.

In town, this was the French restaurant I chose to dine in for a very late lunch. It’s name was Le Cafe’ and the wine cellar was quite impressive.

The bread in France is some of the best on the planet, no matter where you choose to dine. I stopped here at Le Cafe’ for a light snack. Escargot anybody?

Here’s a great spot for a cocktail or a coffee. Since it was getting late in the afternoon, I chose a cocktail. And this place served a great “Suze & Tonic.” This is the French twist on the classic British “Gin & Tonic.”

A typical street for some shopping, if that’s your thing. Personally, when I shop it’s for food and beverages. They are most times very enjoyable and delicious, while being easy to transport when you travel.

At this time, I am not quite sure where the next destination will be, except that it will be somewhere in the Mediterranean. I will keep you posted, so to speak.

Taormina, Sicily

Perched way above the deep blue Ionian Sea is the town of Taormina. One of Sicily’s legendary resort towns because of its twisting medieval streets, and a second-century Greek theater which only add to its romantic air.

The winding road taking me up to Taormina. In the distance, the tip of the boot of mainland Italy is visible.

As in Italy, there is no shortage of churches here. And in this one in particular, no shortage of marble and granite.

Extensive use of granite and marble is apparent. This church outdoes the other for not only more use of granite and marble, but better sculptures and columns.

Beautiful coastline looking to the north.

Some of the amazing second-century ruins above the village. If you ever visit Taormina, this is a must see. For me it was way better than the town.

Incredible ruins and views beyond. The ruins are extensive.

Mount Etna in the distance was quiet the first day I was visiting.

The next day, not so quiet. All walking tours on Mount Etna cancelled. Gotta find another activity.

Check out the precarious positioning of this home, especially precarious when you consider the active tectonic conditions in this area.

Off to another part of the Mediterranean soon. I’m looking forward to where ever I end up. I’m thinking France, but time will tell.

Marbella, Spain

Lifestyles of the rich and famous. I didn’t have a lot of time here so I decided to check out the scene at the Nikki Beach Club. Some say this club is past its prime. However, it didn’t disappoint for people watching. The open air concept is fully embraced with outdoor everything. If you are not familiar with Nikki Beach, it’s a luxury beach club concept that combines the elements of music, dining, entertainment, fashion, film and art into one. It has several clubs in prime weather locations around the world.

This local shopper (who bears a slight resemblance to my housekeeper in Sicily back in 2014) seems to be locked out of her car. Maybe she should just head to the disco like her beach bag says.

Oceanside at Nikki Beach Club. Of course there is full oceanside service. Many of these patrons were enjoying chilled bottles of Dom Perignon. What an entirely sybaritic scene.

Poolside at Nikki Beach. No shortage of restylane and botox here. So much that in some cases it could serve as a floatation device. See if you can zoom in on this redheads lips.

Poolside with more action. She won best swimsuit with this creative design. It was a swathy one-piece.

Get that sunscreen on, you sure don’t want to burn.

So, Marbella has a lot more to offer than just a scene like Nikki Beach, however my time was limited here do to my own poor planning. More coming as I spend the autumn in the Mediterranean area. Hope to report soon.

Nida, Neringa, Lithuania

Nida is a small, very low key resort town on the spit of land Neringa, on the Baltic Sea. This idyllic little place is home to only 4 thousand people. It was an old fishing village and retains much of that character today. It’s a time capsule in some ways, one is that the children you see riding their bikes, playing ball, or otherwise things kids do, are almost totally devoid of any electronic devices. The forests you walk through on the way to the beach smell so fragrant with that “woodsy” smell. No need to lock your doors as crime is non-existent.

Tiny marina with the boats of current day fishermen.

Hike up to the largest and highest sand dune known as the “Dead Dune.” In prior centuries, these dunes were constantly moving. Consequently, they would occasionally encroach and bury the fishing villages. In order to prevent this, the villagers constructed walls to impede the movement. This led to the dunes becoming stagnant, and thus dying.

Overlooking the Curonian Lagoon from the dune’s apex.

Another view of the Curonian lagoon. The land along the horizon is mainland Lithuania.

View to the north just minutes before sunset.

In a few days I will head to the Mediterranean for warmer waters and a whole different food experience.

Old Town Vilnius, Lithuania

This town is as charming as they get. With a population of approximately 650 thousand people it feels much like a lot of other western European capitals. It abounds with museums, art, shopping, restaurants, cafes, and tavernas. There are many fabulous hotels as well. It is very walkable and in summer the daylight is abundant, not getting dark until around 11PM. The city’s renaissance began just after its liberation from Russia in 1991, and it is still underway. It is evident in the numerous architectural restorations throughout the city, as well as the condition of most of its infrastructure. The streets are almost entirely made of cobblestone.

Cathedral Square. (Katedros aikste). Located at the end of Pilies Gatve, a charming little street lined with shops, restaurants, taverns, other outdoor attractions.

Fountain in the square located at the other end of Pilies Gatve.

Side streets with cafes, bars, and restaurants are abundant. While the Lithuanian language is predominant, English is very widely spoken and understood, especially with people under the age of 45.

In July the daylight is plentiful. This image was taken at 10 PM.

Hotel Pacai was my home for 5 nights. It is fabulous. Restored to preserve and expose its architectural significance. The building was originally a baroque manor house dating back to 1677.

A child’s drawing of the 1991 revolution where Lithuania fought and won its independence from Russia. In this depiction you can see the Russian tanks driving over people to attack the television tower. Made even more sad, considering too that its artist was only 10 years old.

The river running through on your walk to Uzupis. Uzupis is a neighborhood in Vilnius’ old town. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This district mainly attracts the large art community that thrives here. It has been compared to Freetown in Copenhagen, due to its laissez-faire and bohemian atmosphere. In 1997 the district declared itself an independent republic, with its own constitution.

View to the other side of the bridge on the walk to Uzupis..

About a 40 minute drive from Vilius you can find Trakai Castle. This was built in the 14th century. It is considered a masterpiece in defensive medieval architecture. Many films have been partially filmed on location here.

The castle’s draw bridge is as medieval as it gets here.

After a 5 night visit to Vilnius, I will head west across the country to the little resort town of Nida, located on the UNESCO designated island of Neringa, on the Baltic Sea. See you there.

Trans-Atlantic to the United States

Instead of flying back to the States this time, and since I had the time, I decided to sail back on the Seabourn Pursuit. The Newly built Pursuit is specifically designed as an expedition ship. It was coming to Lisbon from its construction shipyard in Genoa, Italy and being re-positioned to Antarctica. I decided to check it out for a possible future expedition. It has only 120 guest suites, 24 Zodiacs for exploration, two small submarines, and amazing high-tech capabilities. So, with only a one day stop in Madeira, then non-stop to Florida the entire voyage would take only 12 days. As a not so incidental benefit of this choice of transportation, not only would I gain an hour of sleep every other night going across the Atlantic, but I would suffer no jet lag when I got to my final destination in the States.

This is the vessel, The Seabourn Pursuit, before its maiden voyage across the Atlantic. I was not at all worried that it would end like the Titanic’s maiden voyage across the Atlantic. Just completed in Genoa, Italy in July, it is a Class 4 icebreaker expedition ship.

These are the two dozen Zodiacs on board for deployment in most of the destinations to be explored and observed.

The Captain’s bridge is high-tech and state of the art. The ship is equipped with stabilizers, amongst many other features.

Looking out the side from the bridge. Along with all the exterior cameras, this allows a live actual view all the way down the starboard side from the bridge.

One of the two on board submarines. A bit like Jules Verne.

Another pic of the sub. Each sub holds three passengers in the front globe area and three in the rear globe area. The pilot’s seat is in the middle. The entry point is the opened hatch on top.

View from inside the sub deployed in the water. These three passenger seats all swivel 360 degrees. With all the viewing polymer-like glass it doesn’t feel as claustrophobic as you might think. By next year the Titan’s implosion in 2023 will be a distant memory for some people. However, that event was not a positive for tiny submarines anywhere.

The beautiful Madeira coastline. Here’s another place I could spend a ton of time. The population is a very manageable 250,000. The climate is temperate all year long as a result of being located in the Gulf Stream.

Leaving the Island of Madeira bound for the States. From here it’s 10 days until we see any land.

Chef’s market dinner after shopping in Madeira today. Great seafood and ahi, along with many island fruits and vegetables.

Infinity pool at the rear of the ship. Not pictured is the adjacent and always necessary pool bar and grill.

My view from in the pool looking forward at the ship.

My view off the back from the pool. Nothing but water for a couple of thousand miles. It’s a very good feeling for me.

My location somewhere in the Atlantic between Africa and The Americas on our way to the states.

Beautiful sunset during cocktail time. What’s not to like here? So much prettier than flying back at 36,000 feet. And again, if you have the time, there’s nothing better than the “old-world” of traveling by ship. It puts my life into slow motion, which is a nice departure from what has become normal.

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon is the last stop for me before I set sail for home in the States. Portugal is great. It’s eclectic, beautiful, old, new, and everything in between. The weather was perfect. The hotel I chose was in a great location just off the Avenue da Liberdade. Very walk friendly city, especially if you don’t mind hills. Lot’s of them here. Uber cars also work great.

Little rental car. Definitely want to avoid any collisions in this thing. It’s electric too.

Castle in Sintra. Inspires me to want to watch Game of Thrones.

Great book store in the LX Market. Vintage audio as well as books being sold here.

Classic albums same store. They also sold cassettes and 8tracks. Crazy.

Touring option if the hills are too much. And this tuk tuk is quite festive too. Rent this one and it comes with all the corn chips you can eat, and a mariachi band.

Parting shot of Lisbon as I set sail for the United States. More next week from the high-seas.

Syros, Cyclade Islands, Greece

Syros has a lot going for it. It is the capital of the Cyclade Islands. The architecture is Venetian in style. There are plenty of art galleries, as well as music. The beaches are great, and as always, the restaurant, tavernas, and bars are as well. Some beaches are quiet and off the beaten path, while others are full service and popular. While there is a small airport with infrequent flights, the primary choice of transportation is the inter-island ferry. The ferry from mainland Greece is just under 2 hours in duration. If there was one island of the many Greece Islands which I have visited over the years where I would want to spend a significant amount of time, this one is it. I could live here for months on end.

Coastline near the main town of Ermoupoli.

The coastline at night has great luminescense. I could hear the music playing from the club below and the hour was past 1AM.

Hotel Aristides. This little charming hotel has only 8 suites for accommodation. To the left is its garden restaurant.

The hotel lobby is eclectic and the owners saw to a great restoration of the building. The stairs, banisters, and columns are all Carrara marble.

Town square in Ermoupoli. Many of the sidewalks as well as this square are also Carrara marble. On the positive side the marble lasts for centuries, but as slippery as ice on teflon when it rains.

Interesting art galleries abound on Syos. This particular piece was created before the recent popular Barbie movie was released. Oil on canvas, 61cm x 91cm.

Backgammon anyone. How do you say “can I play winner” in Greek?

Typical street scene. And typical couple enjoying wine at the Box of Bush wine bistro.

Great full service beach. Some days just call for it. Beers, cocktails, burgers, or sushi. I expected to spend 3 hours or so, but ended up spending the entire day. Long enough to have two meals and plenty of drinks. I did get back to the hotel before dark.

Same beach, different perspective. The full service beaches in Greece are so good. There are a couple of
dine-in restaurants too. That’s where this image was captured.

Afternoon bliss. It’s easy to see why I spent the entire day here.

A short walk from the Aristides Hotel brought me to dinner and this restaurant in the street. Great Mediterranean fare. The string band although not great, pulled me in like a magnet.

And the band played on. They were having more fun than their expressions indicate. Keep buying them grappa and maybe they start to smile. I bought them two rounds just to see. This image was captured before the rounds.

Very intoxicated but happy couple. No shortage of smiles here. This guy was a salty old sailor. They were at the table just next to mine. Not sure if they were a father and daughter, or if they were something else. My best guess is… not sure. Everyone is so friendly it’s hard to tell.

Charming little bakery and great coffee too.

I hiked up to a church and got this fabulous view of the main harbor below. This religion must have had some allure back in the day, because the walk to get here from the center of town was all uphill and lasted about two hours. I guess a follower must really have wanted whatever this place is selling.

My next stop is Lisbon, Portugal. Until then, safe travels wherever you go.

Naxos, Cyclades, Greece

Naxos is a charming island in the Cyclade Islands to the south of the Greek mainland. It is a large island with great beaches, mountain villages, and ancient ruins. A rental car is necessary for seeing much of what this island has to offer. The people are very friendly and welcoming. It’s quite a family friendly place too. The feel of this place is “unresorty” and non-touristic. Rather it feels normal and non-exclusive. The other thing I noticed about this part of Europe is that nearly everyone smokes or vapes. It seems so European. Almost makes me want an after dinner cigarette. When I look around, it looks like a very pleasant experience.