Number 128: Wonderful always spending time with family and friends in Israel – but difficult within a limited time period to integrate that with spending “quality time” with Maya who in 2011 / 2012 was studying at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies on Kibbutz Ketura and who had been away from home for some months.

But did we really want one of those monster cruise liners with: lobster pink, drunken people lounging around the swimming pool and long passport control queues at every port? – As Sheryl described it in her first post on “Sheryl & Ray’s Silver Seas” Blog.  Turned out to be a wonderful 8 day cruise in August 2012: History, beauty, variety, uninterrupted time over meals and walks to talk, connect and explore on the pathways of Mykonos, walls of Dubrovnik and its Shul – second oldest in Europe, ruins of Athens, quiet Sunday walk in Bari, shops of Corfu and revisiting magical Venice. We did our own thing at most ports, rather than the organised tours.

My late father Solly z”l served in Italy during World War 11 – with substantial time at Lake Como. He often spoke about it’s exquisite beauty, “at dusk its most beautiful”, how special his time there was, the related memories lasting a lifetime. So after the cruise we spent some days at Lake Como – and it didn’t disappoint! Sailing the lake, town hopping from the ferry, walking the steep narrow lanes rising from the waterfront, exploring town squares, sipping cappuccinos while watching the people walk past and the day to Lugano in Switzerland by Train. 

All too soon – return to Milan, where we split up again: Maya back to Israel and us to Cape Town!