FastDeal 17619
12 nights departing June 27, 2011 on
Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam
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ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART
Mon Jun 27 Venice, Italy Embark
Tue Jun 28 Venice, Italy 1:00pm
Wed Jun 29 Dubrovnik, Croatia 10:00am 6:00pm
Thu Jun 30 Corfu, Greece 10:00am 8:00pm
Fri Jul 1 Argostoli, Greece 7:00am 4:00pm
Sat Jul 2 Santorini, Greece 11:00am 6:00pm
Sun Jul 3 At Sea
Mon Jul 4 Catania, Sicily, Italy / Cruising Strait Of Messina 8:00am 5:00pm
Tue Jul 5 Naples (Capri), Italy 8:00am 6:00pm
Wed Jul 6 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 7:00am 8:00pm
Thu Jul 7 Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy 7:00am 8:00pm
Fri Jul 8 Barcelona, Spain 6:00pm
Sat Jul 9 Barcelona, Spain 7:00am
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
FastDeal 11494
FastDeal 11494
12 nights departing May 26, 2011 on
Celebrity's Celebrity Solstice
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Important Note: Visas are required for this itinerary.
ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART
Thu May 26 Barcelona, Spain 6:00pm
Fri May 27 At Sea
Sat May 28 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 7:00am 7:00pm
Sun May 29 Naples / Capri (Sorrento), Italy 7:00am 7:00pm
Mon May 30 At Sea
Tue May 31 Santorini, Greece 9:00am 7:00pm
Wed Jun 1 Ephesus / Kusadasi, Turkey 8:00am 6:00pm
Thu Jun 2 Mykonos, Greece 7:00am 5:00pm
Fri Jun 3 Athens (Piraeus), Greece 7:00am 6:00pm
Sat Jun 4 At Sea
Sun Jun 5 Valletta, Malta 7:00am 3:30pm
Mon Jun 6 At Sea
Tue Jun 7 Barcelona, Spain 6:00am
12 nights departing May 26, 2011 on
Celebrity's Celebrity Solstice
Brochure Inside $2,099
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ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART
Thu May 26 Barcelona, Spain 6:00pm
Fri May 27 At Sea
Sat May 28 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 7:00am 7:00pm
Sun May 29 Naples / Capri (Sorrento), Italy 7:00am 7:00pm
Mon May 30 At Sea
Tue May 31 Santorini, Greece 9:00am 7:00pm
Wed Jun 1 Ephesus / Kusadasi, Turkey 8:00am 6:00pm
Thu Jun 2 Mykonos, Greece 7:00am 5:00pm
Fri Jun 3 Athens (Piraeus), Greece 7:00am 6:00pm
Sat Jun 4 At Sea
Sun Jun 5 Valletta, Malta 7:00am 3:30pm
Mon Jun 6 At Sea
Tue Jun 7 Barcelona, Spain 6:00am
FastDeal 17581
FastDeal 17581
12 nights departing June 15, 2011 on
Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam
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ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART
Wed Jun 15 Barcelona, Spain
Thu Jun 16 Barcelona, Spain 4:00pm
Fri Jun 17 Monte Carlo, Monaco Noon 10:00pm
Sat Jun 18 Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy 7:00am 8:00pm
Sun Jun 19 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 7:00am 8:00pm
Mon Jun 20 At Sea (Tyrrhenian Sea)
Mon Jun 20 Naples (Capri), Italy 8:00am 6:00pm
Tue Jun 21 At Sea
Wed Jun 22 Nauplion, Greece 8:00am 4:00pm
Thu Jun 23 Olympia (Katakolon), Greece 8:00am 5:00pm
Fri Jun 24 Corfu, Greece 8:00am 5:00pm
Sat Jun 25 Dubrovnik, Croatia 7:00am 4:00pm
Sun Jun 26 Venice, Italy 1:00pm
Mon Jun 27 Venice, Italy Disembark
12 nights departing June 15, 2011 on
Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam
Brochure Inside $3,299
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ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART
Wed Jun 15 Barcelona, Spain
Thu Jun 16 Barcelona, Spain 4:00pm
Fri Jun 17 Monte Carlo, Monaco Noon 10:00pm
Sat Jun 18 Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy 7:00am 8:00pm
Sun Jun 19 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 7:00am 8:00pm
Mon Jun 20 At Sea (Tyrrhenian Sea)
Mon Jun 20 Naples (Capri), Italy 8:00am 6:00pm
Tue Jun 21 At Sea
Wed Jun 22 Nauplion, Greece 8:00am 4:00pm
Thu Jun 23 Olympia (Katakolon), Greece 8:00am 5:00pm
Fri Jun 24 Corfu, Greece 8:00am 5:00pm
Sat Jun 25 Dubrovnik, Croatia 7:00am 4:00pm
Sun Jun 26 Venice, Italy 1:00pm
Mon Jun 27 Venice, Italy Disembark
FastDeal 23903
12 nights departing June 9, 2011 on
Princess' Ruby Princess
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Important Note: Visas are required for this itinerary.
ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART
Thu Jun 9 Barcelona, Spain 7:00pm
Fri Jun 10 Monte Carlo, Monaco 11:00am 7:00pm
Sat Jun 11 Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy 6:00am 7:00pm
Sun Jun 12 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 6:00am 7:00pm
Mon Jun 13 Naples / Capri (Sorrento), Italy 7:00am 7:00pm
Tue Jun 14 At Sea
Wed Jun 15 Mykonos, Greece 7:00am 2:00pm
Thu Jun 16 Istanbul, Turkey 8:00am 6:00pm
Fri Jun 17 Ephesus / Kusadasi, Turkey Noon 7:00pm
Sat Jun 18 Athens (Piraeus), Greece 6:00am 5:30pm
Sun Jun 19 At Sea
Mon Jun 20 Venice, Italy 1:00pm
Tue Jun 21 Venice, Italy Disembark
Princess' Ruby Princess
Brochure Inside $2,290
Our Inside $1,105
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Brochure Oceanview $2,590
Our Oceanview $1,205
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Promotions may not be combinable with all fares.
The prices shown are US dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. They include port charges but do not include airfare or (where applicable) airport or government taxes or fees.
Important Note: Visas are required for this itinerary.
ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART
Thu Jun 9 Barcelona, Spain 7:00pm
Fri Jun 10 Monte Carlo, Monaco 11:00am 7:00pm
Sat Jun 11 Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy 6:00am 7:00pm
Sun Jun 12 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 6:00am 7:00pm
Mon Jun 13 Naples / Capri (Sorrento), Italy 7:00am 7:00pm
Tue Jun 14 At Sea
Wed Jun 15 Mykonos, Greece 7:00am 2:00pm
Thu Jun 16 Istanbul, Turkey 8:00am 6:00pm
Fri Jun 17 Ephesus / Kusadasi, Turkey Noon 7:00pm
Sat Jun 18 Athens (Piraeus), Greece 6:00am 5:30pm
Sun Jun 19 At Sea
Mon Jun 20 Venice, Italy 1:00pm
Tue Jun 21 Venice, Italy Disembark
Monday, 2 May 2011
林行止
珠寶琳瑯 民膏民脂
一、
終於去了或因私事或因與美國衝突有惡化之象而數度耽擱行期的伊朗，順道遊敍利亞和因「貪玩」陪遊伴再去約旦；這些「文明古國」既有五六千年有「物證」的本土文化，復有千多年前羅馬統治（伊朗還有阿拉伯入侵）遺下的古跡，那些早成斷牆殘垣的神廟宮殿，不少被聯合國列為人類文化遺產，成為最佳的「旅遊景點」，不管太陽多猛溫度多高風沙多大，終日遊人如鯽，是貼切寫實的形容。
雖然行色匆促，由於規劃者花長時間做了大量工夫，行程安排得當，那些「值得參觀」的勝景、古跡，都在旅遊路線之中；古建築不論已成廢墟或仍被刻意保存原貌，俱多姿多采，各具特色，盡顯古羅馬、波斯和阿拉伯人特別是回教徒的智慧，然而，筆者不希望寫如旅遊小冊子般的「景點」介紹，亦不想翻查典籍縷述其疑真疑幻的歷史；對於那些羅馬、波斯和回教風格的文化遺產，除了對少數留下深刻印象的輕寫幾筆，其餘便不逐一描述了。
筆者留下深刻印象的古建築—憑印象而不根據日程—有修建於十六世紀中葉德黑蘭近郊卡山（Kashan）的芬納花園（Bagh-e Fin），為最具波斯風格的園林建築，其噴泉更世界知名；此園本為首相府邸，一八五二年的住客與當朝沙王「意見不合」且「死不悔改」，終被沙王派來的刺客刺斃於浴室之中，點綴着這類歷史事故（歷史上如廁沐浴時被謀殺的名人不在少數，筆者多年前寫「便便系列」時說之頗詳），芬納花園吸引力大增，不在話下。
文化古都伊斯法罕（Esfahan）的三十三孔橋（Soi-se-pul）和哈鳩橋（Khajou），各擅勝場，可以一遊。市內還有旺克阿美尼亞大教堂（Cathedral of Vank）和四十柱殿（The Chehel Sotoun Forty Column Palace），後者因殿前長方形水池旁在二十根松木巨柱的倒影而得名；二十柱倒影成四十柱的景色，並非「十全十美」，亦非旅遊小冊子所寫的「奇觀」，不過，順道一遊還是值得的。
德黑蘭的國家珠寶博物館（State Jewels Museum），據說最多遊客參觀，以展品琳瑯滿目，珠寶之多只能以車量斗載來形容，鑲滿鑽石寶石的皇冠、王座（包括聞名的孔雀王座〔Peacock Throne〕）、權杖及首飾以至鎮館之寶一百八十二卡的「光之海」巨鑽，令人目不暇給、連聲興歎。古代帝皇將相如此搜刮民脂民膏、窮奢極侈，其為人民起義推翻，是古今中外皆然的必然終局。此博物館位於中央銀行地牢，實際上是一大保險庫，由於開放時間有限，雖然保安檢查極之煩人且門券並不廉宜，仍然人山人海，因此並無瀏覽博物館展覽會的閒適。
二、
其他足以展示古（波斯和阿拉伯）人輝煌成就瑰麗璀璨的建築，值得參觀的有位於名城設拉子（Shiraz，這應為民初的譯名，今人的譯法肯定不同）以北七、八十里處在如今已是荒漠中聳立的波斯居魯士大帝（Cyrus the Great，公元前五九九—五三○；在位期為五四九—五三○）的陵墓，其他城堡、清真寺、花園（在阿拉伯世界有天堂的寓意）以至百貨雜陳應有盡有香料氣味瀰漫的市集，都可一遊，以其異國情調，大開眼界。基督徒當然得去「聖城」麥達巴（Madaba）及尼波山（Nebo），前者有興建於拜占廷時期的東正教堂（聖佐治堂），堂前左側的馬賽克（Mosaic）「壁畫」—細工鑲嵌巴勒斯坦多個「聖城」的地圖，製於公元六世紀，為存世最古老的地圖；後者為摩西「升天」（死後由天使帶上天堂因此無墳墓！）之地。上述二地皆在約旦，而約旦還有意大利以外最宏偉在Jerash的古羅馬建築群，由數十巨柱排列成橢圓形的「門廊」，教人歎為觀止。羅馬人征服一地，便以當地人民為奴隸，大興土木、大鑿石山取材，建築巍峨宏偉的城堡教堂宮殿府邸，以彰顯羅馬帝國的大國威風。這些當年是勞民傷財的「形象工程」，如今都成為創滙中心—遊客從四方八面湧入的旅遊景點，當然大出羅馬人意外，是「非預期結果」（unintended consequence）的典型。
還有，約旦的「月谷」（Wadi Rum），更非一去不可，一九六二年的荷里活電影《沙漠梟雄》在此取景，演阿拉伯羅蘭斯（Lawrence of Arabia）的彼德奧圖便在此地騎駱駝奔馳，其壯麗景觀，影迷大多記憶猶新；不過，「月谷」雖大，其像月球表面的逼真性，卻遠遜智利沙漠地帶的「月谷」（Valle de la luna），在此荒涼無人煙的「月谷」，遊人有在月球上步行的感覺，以地面的沙紋及沙丘頗似想像中（或電視所見）的月球表層。約旦的勝在褚紅大漠一望無涯，丘陵起伏有致之外，輕風拂起細沙有如薄紗，尤為壯麗，還有山形狀似七瓣柚子直豎的蘭姆山（Rum），此地因阿拉伯羅蘭斯而出名，是旅客必遊的景點，而七瓣山被羅蘭斯稱為「智慧七柱」（他的傳世自傳式巨構便以之為名《Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph》；大約一年前本報副刊「阿麥太功課簿」對此書的評語是：「文采如其人，精悍而沉鬱，銳利而不失幽默，就如一位牛津的老學究」），這齣電影和這本書大大提高其知名度，此地雖遠離塵囂且酷熱難耐，亦見遊人穿梭不息。
中東三國記小．五之一
珠寶琳瑯 民膏民脂
一、
終於去了或因私事或因與美國衝突有惡化之象而數度耽擱行期的伊朗，順道遊敍利亞和因「貪玩」陪遊伴再去約旦；這些「文明古國」既有五六千年有「物證」的本土文化，復有千多年前羅馬統治（伊朗還有阿拉伯入侵）遺下的古跡，那些早成斷牆殘垣的神廟宮殿，不少被聯合國列為人類文化遺產，成為最佳的「旅遊景點」，不管太陽多猛溫度多高風沙多大，終日遊人如鯽，是貼切寫實的形容。
雖然行色匆促，由於規劃者花長時間做了大量工夫，行程安排得當，那些「值得參觀」的勝景、古跡，都在旅遊路線之中；古建築不論已成廢墟或仍被刻意保存原貌，俱多姿多采，各具特色，盡顯古羅馬、波斯和阿拉伯人特別是回教徒的智慧，然而，筆者不希望寫如旅遊小冊子般的「景點」介紹，亦不想翻查典籍縷述其疑真疑幻的歷史；對於那些羅馬、波斯和回教風格的文化遺產，除了對少數留下深刻印象的輕寫幾筆，其餘便不逐一描述了。
筆者留下深刻印象的古建築—憑印象而不根據日程—有修建於十六世紀中葉德黑蘭近郊卡山（Kashan）的芬納花園（Bagh-e Fin），為最具波斯風格的園林建築，其噴泉更世界知名；此園本為首相府邸，一八五二年的住客與當朝沙王「意見不合」且「死不悔改」，終被沙王派來的刺客刺斃於浴室之中，點綴着這類歷史事故（歷史上如廁沐浴時被謀殺的名人不在少數，筆者多年前寫「便便系列」時說之頗詳），芬納花園吸引力大增，不在話下。
文化古都伊斯法罕（Esfahan）的三十三孔橋（Soi-se-pul）和哈鳩橋（Khajou），各擅勝場，可以一遊。市內還有旺克阿美尼亞大教堂（Cathedral of Vank）和四十柱殿（The Chehel Sotoun Forty Column Palace），後者因殿前長方形水池旁在二十根松木巨柱的倒影而得名；二十柱倒影成四十柱的景色，並非「十全十美」，亦非旅遊小冊子所寫的「奇觀」，不過，順道一遊還是值得的。
德黑蘭的國家珠寶博物館（State Jewels Museum），據說最多遊客參觀，以展品琳瑯滿目，珠寶之多只能以車量斗載來形容，鑲滿鑽石寶石的皇冠、王座（包括聞名的孔雀王座〔Peacock Throne〕）、權杖及首飾以至鎮館之寶一百八十二卡的「光之海」巨鑽，令人目不暇給、連聲興歎。古代帝皇將相如此搜刮民脂民膏、窮奢極侈，其為人民起義推翻，是古今中外皆然的必然終局。此博物館位於中央銀行地牢，實際上是一大保險庫，由於開放時間有限，雖然保安檢查極之煩人且門券並不廉宜，仍然人山人海，因此並無瀏覽博物館展覽會的閒適。
二、
其他足以展示古（波斯和阿拉伯）人輝煌成就瑰麗璀璨的建築，值得參觀的有位於名城設拉子（Shiraz，這應為民初的譯名，今人的譯法肯定不同）以北七、八十里處在如今已是荒漠中聳立的波斯居魯士大帝（Cyrus the Great，公元前五九九—五三○；在位期為五四九—五三○）的陵墓，其他城堡、清真寺、花園（在阿拉伯世界有天堂的寓意）以至百貨雜陳應有盡有香料氣味瀰漫的市集，都可一遊，以其異國情調，大開眼界。基督徒當然得去「聖城」麥達巴（Madaba）及尼波山（Nebo），前者有興建於拜占廷時期的東正教堂（聖佐治堂），堂前左側的馬賽克（Mosaic）「壁畫」—細工鑲嵌巴勒斯坦多個「聖城」的地圖，製於公元六世紀，為存世最古老的地圖；後者為摩西「升天」（死後由天使帶上天堂因此無墳墓！）之地。上述二地皆在約旦，而約旦還有意大利以外最宏偉在Jerash的古羅馬建築群，由數十巨柱排列成橢圓形的「門廊」，教人歎為觀止。羅馬人征服一地，便以當地人民為奴隸，大興土木、大鑿石山取材，建築巍峨宏偉的城堡教堂宮殿府邸，以彰顯羅馬帝國的大國威風。這些當年是勞民傷財的「形象工程」，如今都成為創滙中心—遊客從四方八面湧入的旅遊景點，當然大出羅馬人意外，是「非預期結果」（unintended consequence）的典型。
還有，約旦的「月谷」（Wadi Rum），更非一去不可，一九六二年的荷里活電影《沙漠梟雄》在此取景，演阿拉伯羅蘭斯（Lawrence of Arabia）的彼德奧圖便在此地騎駱駝奔馳，其壯麗景觀，影迷大多記憶猶新；不過，「月谷」雖大，其像月球表面的逼真性，卻遠遜智利沙漠地帶的「月谷」（Valle de la luna），在此荒涼無人煙的「月谷」，遊人有在月球上步行的感覺，以地面的沙紋及沙丘頗似想像中（或電視所見）的月球表層。約旦的勝在褚紅大漠一望無涯，丘陵起伏有致之外，輕風拂起細沙有如薄紗，尤為壯麗，還有山形狀似七瓣柚子直豎的蘭姆山（Rum），此地因阿拉伯羅蘭斯而出名，是旅客必遊的景點，而七瓣山被羅蘭斯稱為「智慧七柱」（他的傳世自傳式巨構便以之為名《Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph》；大約一年前本報副刊「阿麥太功課簿」對此書的評語是：「文采如其人，精悍而沉鬱，銳利而不失幽默，就如一位牛津的老學究」），這齣電影和這本書大大提高其知名度，此地雖遠離塵囂且酷熱難耐，亦見遊人穿梭不息。
中東三國記小．五之一
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