• Venice, Italy: Water Taxi Ride

    How to get ourselves (and our luggage) from our cruise ship to our hotel, in a city without streets? Our destination: The lovely Hotel Concordia, steps from San Marco Square in the heart of Venice. I had reserved a water taxi for six. We waited for our launch, concerned, as small boats zipped in and out in front of us and waves rocked the dock beneath our feet. The tiny launch that finally pulled up was a moving target, and I worried she might sink once six robust Americans with suitcases climbed aboard. Then we pulled out, and…… Ah, Venice. We instantly fell hard for this ancient, sinking city, as…

  • Key West, Florida: Make the Most of Eight Hours on Shore

    Key West has always been known as a hard drinking town, ever since Ernest Hemingway threw back dry martinis at Sloppy Joes, or Capt.Tony’s Saloon, or both. (The bar debate rages to this day.) When ships dock in Key West, revelers walk off the boat to find themselves smack in the middle of the world-famous Duval Crawl, where several landmark watering holes are lined up within walking distance: Sloppy Joe’s, Capt.Tony’s, Hogsbreath, The Green Parrot, The Bull and Whistle, Margaritaville, Smokin’ Tuna, Rick’s, Irish Kevin’s……and so, so many more.   If downing drinks is your primary Key West objective, have at it: you’ve come to the perfect place. With eight…