Ionian Sea. September, 2008

Written August, 2010: When I recently asked Jay if he wanted to drive to Montreal again this October, as we regularly do, he said, “Unless there’s someplace else.” When I pressed for more information: “Like Lisbon. Or a cruise.” So I started to research and focused in on the Azores. But in each guidebook to Portugal and its islands I found, I was drawn only to the photos of Lisbon, longing to return. Then, by chance, our friend David P sent me an email about Vacations to Go’s offering a heavy discount on a cruise (aboard a 148-passenger Windstar sailboat) from Barcelona to Lisbon on the very week we’d been hoping to travel. Plus, one of the stops was in Mallorca where Jay had spent some of his childhood. Uncharacteristically, we quick-booked it within the hour, including flights, and extra time at both ends. We’ve never been on a cruise before, so we’re happy to have David’s recommendation and seal of approval (he’s been on at least a half dozen of these smaller Windstar boats and raves about them.) Thanks, David, for leading us to Vacations to Go and Windstar, and for George’s photo from your 2008 Istanbul-Athens sailing. (Written May, 2011: Well, we wound up loving this cruise so much, we’re set for another on Windstar! This time, two weeks’ sailing on a 300-passenger boat from Istanbul through the Greek Isles to Athens and on to Sicily, Amalfi, Ischia, Rome.)