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Lisbon: Delightful Mix of Old and New – and Hills

Posted on April 12, 2023April 12, 2023 by Jo Johnston

Day 97, Grand World Voyage Monday, April 10, 2023; Lisbon, Portugal. I love Lisbon! Perhaps it is the familiarity – I’ve been here seven times – but I also find it beautiful. The city sits on the wide Tagus River, rising from the banks in steep hills. It is a

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2023 Grand World Voyage
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There’s Something Wonderful About These Spanish Towns

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Jo Johnston

Day 96, Grand World Voyage Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023; Cádiz, Spain. I was looking forward to exploring the streets of Cádiz but instead stayed on board for another day of knee rest. At least I have been here before. Cádiz is a Spanish city on a spit of land

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2023 Grand World Voyage
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Experiencing Granada Vicariously Through the Eyes of Friends

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Megan Pearson

Day 95, Grand World Voyage Saturday, April 8, 2023; Málaga, Spain. Jo: My pre-knee-injury plan for today in Málaga, Spain, was an all-day trip to Grenada – not to the Alhambra, which I visited in 2011, but to the Albaycin Quarter opposite the Alhambra. According to the tour description, it

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2023 Grand World Voyage
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Savoring Moroccan Tea and Bread in Tangier

Posted on April 9, 2023 by Jo Johnston

Day 94, Grand World Voyage Friday, April 7, 2023; Tangier, Morocco. I was looking forward to returning to Tangier, Morocco. I wanted to go back and wander through the souq, or market. In 2011, we ended our overview tour there but were rushed through its winding walkways by our guides.

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2023 Grand World Voyage
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A Very Real Mosque and Not-So-Real Rick’s Café

Posted on April 8, 2023 by Jo Johnston

Day 93, Grand World Voyage Thursday, April 6, 2023; Casablanca, Morocco. Today I am thankful for several things. Foremost is that I am still sailing along on this amazing cruise, even after injuring my knee. I’m thankful that my knee isn’t dislocated and I’m not spending today on shore for

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2023 Grand World Voyage
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A View of Morocco From An Ambulance Window

Posted on April 8, 2023 by Jo Johnston

Day 91, Grand World Voyage Tuesday, April 4, 2023; Agadir, Morocco. In what was a new shore excursion experience for me, I saw the treetops of Agadir from my gurney in the back of an ambulance. I was off to the Clinique Al Massira, a local hospital, for an MRI

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2023 Grand World Voyage
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If Only I Hadn’t Missed that One Little Step

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Jo Johnston

Day 90, Grand World Voyage Monday, April 3, 2023; Arrecife, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain. I won’t bury the lede, to use a journalism phrase. I had a great day here in Lanzarote, until I overlooked a step and took a face-dive onto a terrace of pumice-like rocks. At the time

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2023 Grand World Voyage
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A Spanish Treat Off the Coast of Africa

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Jo Johnston

Day 89, Grand World Voyage Sunday, April 2, 2023; Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. After a number of West Africa ports, it was refreshing to step off the Zuiderdam today in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Not that I am complaining about Africa. I did

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2023 Grand World Voyage
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No, Thank You. I’ll Pass on the Tear Gas and Paint Instead

Posted on April 2, 2023 by Jo Johnston

Day 86, Grand World Voyage Thursday, March 30, 2023; Dakar, Senegal. As we waited in one of the lounges to disembark in Dakar, Senegal, on a private tour, the voice of the captain came over the public address system. We would not disembark in this port. The news was full

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2023 Grand World Voyage
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Tracing the Gambian Footsteps of Kunta Kinte

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Jo Johnston

Day 85, Grand World Voyage Wednesday, March 29, 2023; Banjul, The Gambia. In 1977, more than half of the U.S. population at the time watched the TV miniseries “Roots.” I was just out of college and remember being mesmerized by the story about the young African Kunta Kinte, who was

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2023 Grand World Voyage
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