The Senior Scene

As promised I will give you an overview of my trip to Dubai, the second-largest of the seven emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates.
This city is only 43 years old in its present state, even though the Bedouins would tell you it is over 3,000 years old. The city itself covers only 35 square kilometers, but the urban area extends to over 3,800 square kilometers. The population is 2.1 million and said to double by the year 2020. Three-quarters are male; only 5 percent are locals.
What an amazing place. We seem to have walked continuously for the week we were there. We even went up 124 floors, as far as you can go, on the elevator at Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. It took all of 61 seconds to travel that far. And the view lets you see it all, out across The Palms (manmade islands), over the city to the desert and to the outer limits where nothing else seems to exist.
We walked the Ibn Battuta Mall with sections depicting China, India, Persia, Egypt and Iran; the Mall of the Emirates with the Ski Dubai indoor ski slopes; the Dubai Mall with a three-story indoor aquarium, a water wall, 1,200 shops and 160 food outlets, as well as a spacious manmade lake with a fountain that dances to opera. We walked the grocery stores and parked in underground parking where they come around with portable car-washing machines. Imagine having your car washed while you buy groceries.
We drove to Abu Dhabi in order to tour the Grand Mosque where we had to put on an abaya, the long black dress and head covering worn by muslem women. Beautiful white marble with inlaid flowers and elaborate designs, chandeliers with crystal and gold trim, columns and arches throughout. No penny-pinching here.
There just isn’t enough space here to tell it all but everything was amazing. It is why we travel the world. Now we are off on the Panama Canal trip which I will you about next time.
Join us in the future for a short trip to Leavenworth or in October a more exotic trip to Israel. How about Christmas in the Carolinas or South Africa? Contact Linda Finch at 253-927-8207 or linda.finch@gmail.com

In March we took a trek across the border to Fraser Downs and the Harness Races. The track is always beautiful and with the weather the way it has been even the ride up and back was great. It is always fun to decide who might be the winner even if you don’t actually place a bet. The buffet they serve is heaped with wonderful foods. What better way to spend an afternoon?
Now we have April and the tulips to enjoy. We are off to La Conner to see what the early spring has given us. The fields are always so full of brilliant color and the shops of this quaint little river town are exciting to explore. More on that next time.
During that time frame, I will also have been in Dubai and will perhaps have a story or two to share with you. And then, of course, there is the Panama trip from the middle of April to the beginning of June. We have a wonderful group put together to share these adventures.
Why not think about joining us later on as we go to Israel in October (I am definitely going) and South Africa in March. If you want something closer, then there is a holiday adventure to the south at Christmastime. Need to be closer to home? Then how about Leavenworth in June or the Lavender Festival in August.
For reservations and further information, contact Linda Finch at 253-927-8207 or linda.finch@gmail.com

Cruising is one of the things we love the most. You unpack once and go your merry way. This time it was with RCCL on Oasis, currently the largest cruise ship on the seas.
Our first stop was Nassau on Providence in the Bahamas. This is the capitol city. The island is one of 28 inhabited in this chain of 700 islands. This was a land of pirates, blockade-runners and bootleggers. Now it is home to luxury resorts and casinos such as Atlantis. We were surprised to learn that almost everything is imported from Florida. Tourism is the major industry. There is no room for farming, etc.
A day at sea gave us time to explore the ship. It definitely takes more than a day to see it all. Even deciding where to eat from a choice of 24 restaurants and 20 bars and lounges takes time. There is 5th Avenue with all the shops, Central Park with restaurants and even little birds, the Boardwalk complete with a carousel. There is a sports deck with a zipline, two flow riders, golf putting, basketball, rock climbing walls, shuffleboards, ping pong and more. Add to all this an ice rink, full gym and spa and all the pools, hot tubs and saunas. This is a complete city.
Our second stop was St. Thomas and a visit to Charlotte Amalie, “the duty free shopping capital of the world.” Of course we had to try it all out. With our shipload of over 6,000 and two others ships in port, the streets and shops were crowded. We still did our best to support the economy. Blackbeard, Bluebeard and Sir Francis Drake may have used St. Thomas for all their stolen loot, but it pales in comparison to the jewels that abound there today
The day was hot and blue with a warm wind as we docked in Phillipsburg, St. Maarten, crossroads of the Caribbean where the Carribean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. One side of the island is Dutch. The other is French. A little shopping was about all we could manage. It was back to the air-conditioned ship for lunch in Central Park, a walk through the solarium and a quick game of miniature golf.
Evenings on board were a time for entertainment. We enjoyed “Cats,” a Kenny James concert, the high diving and gymnastics of the Aqua Theater, and a fantastic ice production of “Frozen.” A speciality dinner at Giovannis gave us a little celebration, and of course we had to explore all the shops.
Cruising is a marvelous way to travel. Come with us as we cruise from Tampa to Vancouver for 19 days in April.
It is not, however, the onl y way to go. We are traveling with Collete Tours to Israel in October and to South Africa in 2016. Want something closer to home.? How about a southern holiday in December? Closer yet? We have Leavenworth in June and the Lavender Festival in August.
For further information, contact Linda Finch at 253-927-8207 or linda.finch@gmail.com

Well, here we are in the middle of the winter, housebound. There just isn’t a lot that we can do, unless you are on Oasis with us cruising in the Caribbean. But that is a column for next month.
During this time of the year, I seem to get in a lot of reading. It is wonderful to pick up a book and be able to know the streets and places the author is talking about. The book might be set in Seattle, or Rome, Russia or Hong Kong. If you have traveled to those places, you can just immerse yourself and it all is more real.
I just finished reading “Killing Jesus” by Bill O’Reilly. I know, the title is horrible unless you know about “Killing Lincoln” and “Killing Kennedy.” They are all historical in nature and not political or religious. “Killing Jesus” is the historical account of the life of Jesus. It follows his life from birth to death and truly makes the Bible come to life. For me, it validated so many things that I have been taught and have just taken on faith.
An article on Jerusalem just the other day reiterated the fact that what I had been reading was all so real. It was about a new find that is probably the exact spot of Jesus being sentenced.
All of this brings me to the fact that we have scheduled a trip to the Holy Land in October. It is for 10 days, traveling to so many places that we have read about — Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Caesarea, Tiberias, Nazareth, Galilee, Jericho, Qumran, Masada, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Mount of Olives, Mt. Zion, and Wailing Wall. Visit Cana, considered the site of the First Miracle where Jesus turned water into wine. Go to the Mt. of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount, and Tabgha, site of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes.
This is a totally guided tour offered by Collette. Hotels are first-class, and you will have someone with you every step of the way. I am very excited about this opportunity. If you would like further information, contact me and I will send out a complete brochure.
Now, of course we have other things going, as well. How about our annual trip to the harness races in Canada? This will be in March, even though the exact date has not yet been set. There are always dinner dates and mystery trips. In April there is still room on the 19-day trip from Tampa, Fla. to Vancouver, B.C. through the Panama Canal. In June we are heading across the mountain to Leavenworth, where I have rented a beautiful home overlooking the Icicle River. Our calendar is always evolving, so get on the email list at linda.finch@gmail.com or call me at 253-927-8207.
Read a good book and enjoy the fact that you know where they are talking about. Travel and expand your horizons.