Mediterranean Coast | 2005

If we had to choose between a Pop Photo Trek and a cruise on the Mediterranean, we might have a tough time. This year we didn’t have to choose - the two were combined in a great vacation. We learned a lot too (but didn’t let education get in the way of our mindless fun!)

The trip started in Italy – setting sail from Genoa and moving on to Savona. We were lucky to have a great mentor – Rick Sammon and a nice group of trekkers, a few enthusiastic first timers and few repeat trekkers. As we left port and began our travels we banded together, and took our place as the conspicuous “kids with the cameras.”

Travel with our mentors and try out all of the latest equipment from Nikon! Including world class digital SLRs, Nikkor lenses and the Coolpix line of Digital Cameras.

Our first stop was Ajaccio, and even though we could not pronounce it, we found a thousand photo ops in the colorful buildings and boats, a local market, the people and blue water. From there we traveled through Spain to Malaga, Arcos, Cadiz and the very photogenic Barcelona….Barcelona was photogenic even in the rain….Arcos was a polarizer’s dream with white buildings and blue skies….we hit Cadiz at siesta time (you can’t take a photo of that, but you can close your eyes every afternoon and picture it)…All of Barcelona was beautiful and we have the pictures to prove it!

We could have filled our memory cards without leaving the ship. On our day at sea, we photographed an experienced model that happened to be a fellow passenger, the captain of the ship was gracious enough to pose, and we practiced Rick’s top 10 photo tips on our fellow trekkers.

Just when we thought we had seen it all we got to Gibraltar (after a quick drive-by past Morocco). What would a trek be without wild life…so after we recovered from the wild life at the ship’s lounge (late night dancing queens), we hunted dolphin and apes (monkeys to you and me) in Gibraltar.

We hated to have it end, but on the way home I bought the new book “1000 places to see before you die” (or something like that)….and found that I had been to 5 or so on this trip….so only 995 to go…..see you on the next trek