St. Peters Basilica - Inside - The Vatican, Rome

St. Peters Basilica - Inside - The Vatican, Rome, originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

The Colliseum in Rome - Right from Metro station exit

The Colliseum in Rome - Right from Metro station exit, originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

Florence - Statue of David

We are in the City of Florence Wednesday, 16 May 2007

Hi all, we spent the last Sunday in Rome visiting the Bourghese Museum and also caught the local flea market in town. The Borghese was an amazing place. A small villa owned by Cardinal Bourghese who collected works of art all over the world, including sculptures by Bernini. Delicate depictions of Greek myths all done in marble.

The Rome Sunday flea market was a trip! complete with Gypsys (mothers holding their babies) trying to pick tourists pockets, but the local vendors yelled them down and chased them off!!
Everything from cell phones, clothes at one euro a piece to Prada purse knockoffs being sold by native Africans. Their stands were mobile ready to run on command by cell phone when the police arrived.

We boarded the cruise ship on Monday, got settled. We've met some wonderful people on board. Our table mates are a great family from South Carolina.

... then Tuesday spent the day in Monte Carlo. The town is getting ready for the famous Monte Carlo Formula one race coming in two weeks. 6 weeks to set up, 3 weeks to take down, right in the center of this beautiful city. We cruised past the casino, and rubbed elbows with the elite. Some nice cars here! Guys in their brand new Ferraris yelling out the window to their girl friends crossing the street.

Florence is a beautiful city. We just walked here from the Accademia museum where we saw the 12 meter high statue of David by Michelangelo...wow!!

We are off now to finish our visit of Florence, and tomorrow Naples.

Catch you in a few days.

Roman Holiday

Well I guess this is the place. I saw a poster with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn riding a scooter -"Roman Holiday" not sure I remember that movie! but we are here! Incredible sites. Went to the Coliseum after arrival off the plane..Wow, walk out the metro station and bam! here it is - The Colosseum
Today was the Vatican, and St. Peter square. Line was 3 hours long till Jim from Michigan came by, offering a private tour and get in now! So I went the VIP route. Decision was to skip a big dinner and go for the tour.
The Sistine chapel with Michelangelo paintings out of this world. And the St.Peter's Basilica, 6 acres of church, largest in the world, took 120 years to build back in 1506 from stones robbed from the Roman Forum. Rome is an incredible historic city.
Oh yea, think we have tough IRS here? Here they have the "finance police", can close your business down in a minute. Well just a short note to say we made it. See you in a day or two. This is from my little palm top via hotel phone. Hard to type. CIAO!

Bill Wilson
billwilson@pocketmail.com (While away on travel)
email2bill@cox.net (When home)

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This Year's Trip - Mediterranean & Greek Isles

Well Friends and family welcome to my blog. Its time again to get out in the world and see it. We are off to Europe, the Mediterranean and Greek Isles by way of a cruise. Three days in Rome, a 12 day cruise, then 3 days in Venice.

Join us on the trip. With one day port stops, I might not have much time to send pictures on here, don't want to spend my time in the Internet shops, but I'll try.

Travel with us...see you on the road!

Bill & Phyllis Wilson

The Opuntia Cactus Tree, and Coastline, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The Opuntia Cactus Tree, and Coastline, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

Aquatic Iguanas Giving me the Eye, N. Seymour Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Aquatic Iguanas Giving me the Eye, N. Seymour Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

A Male Frigate Bird in Flight, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

A Male Frigate Bird in Flight, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

Bill Wilson

email2bill@cox.net

The Blue Footed Boobie, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The Blue Footed Boobie, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

Frigate Bird and Baby - Galapagos Islands

Frigate Bird and Baby - Galapagos Islands,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

Aquatic Iguana - Galapagos Islands

Aquatic Iguana - Galapagos Islands,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

Male Frigate Bird Strutting - Come on ladies! Galapagos Islands

Male Frigate Bird Strutting - Come on ladies! Galapagos Islands,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

Land Iguana - Galapagos Islands

Land Iguana - Galapagos Islands,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

The Galapagos Islands - 200 year old giant turtle

The Galapagos Islands - 200 year old giant turtle,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

The Galapagos Islands - Nature Wonderland

Hi All,

My last adventure on this trip - The Galapagos Islands. This is an incredible
place. Set 1000 KM off the Ecuadorian Coast, its isolation created species not
seen elswhere in the world. Of the 5000 species of animals, about half appear
nowhere else on earth. The same is true of the plant life, about 1/2 are
indigenous to the islands. When Darwin visited here in the mid 1800's, his
curiousity was arroused by the isolation of the islands and the amazing things
he noted how the different species evolved in an isolated environment.
Many of the islands are stark 'moonscape' topography, made up of geologically
new volcanic lava flows. Sticking out of this lava are amazing plantlife and
wildlife.

The animals are quite different, yet some are similiar to what we, living on the
coast, are familiar with. Sea lions are similiar, but the iguana lizards are
very unique. I believe this is the only place in the world where there exists
aquatic iguanas. Yes, they walk down the beach and stroll right into the water
and swim. They feed on plantlife (algae) in the surf. Then come back up on the
beach to warm up. They are cold blooded creatures.

And the birds are amazing. I went on an all day tour of Seymour Island, saw the
Frigate birds in mating season..the males puffing up a big red sack under their
chin, showing off trying to attract the females.

And the most impressive thing to me was, you stroll past the wildlife, just feet
away. A few feet away from mother birds and their young, and they seem calm.
There are no predators here. Humans have never been a threat to any of the
animals, so they have no fear of us. Its something that takes getting used to.
They just stay there and watch you.

Hope some of these pictures show just a few highlights of what I saw

Well Wednesday, I´m off back to Guayaquil, then home.

It's been an incredible journey, I enjoyed sharing it with you.

Yours in Travel

Bill

Guayaquil, Ecuador

Hi All,
Just a short note to say hi from Guayaquil. This is my stopping point on the way
to the Galapagos. I couldn{t book straight thru, I think that is a planned thing
to get you to stay here an spend some dollars

Yes DOLLARS. The official currency is US Dollars. The coins are different but
the same denominations.

The city is MUCH different than the large Peruvian cities. Its a business and
agricultural center here. Very European feel. All the buildings are finished (
no rebar sticking up from the tops of the roofs!!) Nice highways, well marked
roads. But still very crazy driving. wow If you had to commute an hour a day
here, you'd be a wreck by the time you got to work. Weaving in and out, lots of
horns, like the old Magic Mountain ride at Disneyland.

Very high tech here. This hotel is full Wi-Fi. Lots of cell phones, here not
that evident in Cuzco. Where Bill Gates made a campaign to push the technology
worldwide or the people PULLED it to them, not sure..in any event its all over.
This year, you can get CD's made for downloading your camera memory card
everywhere. That was non-existant 2 years ago on my other trip. Technology
catches on fast all over the world. I get the feeling we (USA) are only one
player in all this, not the big high tech country we might feel we are. This is
truly a global community.

The people are very nice here and accomodating. One interesting thing is a lot
of the business women in the city wear uniforms! I think its all the city
employees, they all have the same (neat and attractive) uniforms! Will try to
get pictures. And hotels are first class. There aren't many small restaurants
or small hostels or hotels, since this is a very business city.

In 2000, they improved the river walkway, called the Malecon. It is a long, very wide all brick river walkway. With a large, garden in the center and an IMAX movie theatre and museum. A nice place to stroll.
Time is up have to go !

Will write from the Galapagos

yours in Travel

Bill

River Tambopata, Tributary on the Amazon

Hi Again May 29, 2006

Well I spent 4 days and 3 nights in the Amazon Basin of Peru. Nearly 60% of Peru
is Rain forest in the Amazon Basin! Peru has more different climate zones than
any other country in the world.

The weather was not that bad, a bit humid, but tolerable. But the
mosquitoes...wow. Well glad I brought some Deet, only thing that works. But my
guide used a "natural" product with citronella in it..seems to work. I think
the mosquitoes like gringos no matter what you use.

But this is an amazing place. I took a two hour boat ride down the Tambopata
river, a feeder tributary to the Amazon. The lodge I stayed in was very new,
and well laid out. The emphasis is eco- tourism and fitting in the forest in a
natural way. No windows, your main wall is open to the forest. Several hammocks
swing from the second floor of the huge high ceiling Palapa design
structure.And of course, a mosquitoe net for the bed.

Great place, no hot showers, but a cold shower is refreshing here. Also NO
lighting, everything lit by oil lanterns and candles. Took a bit to get used
to, but after you do, its wonderful. Electricity provided a few hours at night
by generator, but no lighting. And the doors to the rooms are pull curtains,
bamboo walls, and first class, modern bathroom fixtures and toilet. Quite a
contrast.

I took several walks thru the forest with my guide, bird watching, monkey
hunting and one evening we went out looking for Caimans, (Amazon crockadiles)
We spotted 6 of them. You put a bright spotlight out on the water at night and
catch their Red eye (white eyes are birds)..then you close in on them until
they slide off into the water. Reminds me of shark hunting back home.

Well had to leave today, after 4 great days in the Amazon, and 40 Mosquito bite
welts, I'm back here in Cuzco.

Off to Guayaquil, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. I'll report back from there
in a few days.

Yours in Travel

Bill

Four Scarlet Macaws in the Tree - Zoom in, can you find them?

Four Scarlet Macaws in the Tree - Zoom in, can you find them?,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

My Accomodations in the Jungle - Somebody Has to do it

My Accomodations in the Jungle - Somebody Has to do it,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.

Cruise Down The Amazon for a few Hours, - Near Puerto Maldonado

Cruise Down The Amazon for a few Hours, - Near Puerto Maldonado,
originally uploaded by Bill Wilson.