We were looking for a quiet, smoke-free apartment for our stay in Brussels, Sept. 23-29, 2009, and B&B Maritiem (rue de Ribaucourtstraat 135, 1080 Brussels, Belgium; phone +32 0 498 33 97 32) was perfect.
Pilgrimages fascinate me — the ritual, the pageantry, the dedication of the pilgrims, their willingness to undergo hardship and their sense of fulfillment upon the achievement of their quest. My own “pilgrimages” have been secular.
I went on the 15-day “Romantic Rhine” cruise aboard the Viking Sun, Nov. 7-21, 2009, with Viking River Cruises. With a discount offered by Pennsylvania Travel Service, my cost was $3,520, land only.
Saltwater scents from the Ligurian Sea mixed with aromas of homemade focaccia from the nearby bakery, Forno di Monterosso, as my wife, Cindy, and I arrived at La Spiaggia Hotel (Via Lungomare 98, Monterosso al Mare; ph
