As we sailed into Rio de Janeiro, it was obvious why the view from the harbor is considered one of the modern wonders of the world. Christ the Redeemer sits at the top of one of the many forested peaks that encircle the sprawling white beaches and modern city. Copacabana and Ipanema beaches are right…
Author: jayorris
Argentina – Big City and Cowboys
As we sailed across the Atlantic from South Africa, we were exposed to three sides of Argentina. The old: the still beloved Evita, who served as first lady and worked on behalf of the poorest Argentines; and the history of what once was among the richest countries on Earth, with European influences and South American…
South Africa – A Magical Complicated Country
The lucky Orris clan returned to picturesque Cape Town, South Africa. Our second visit allowed us to dig deeper and discover a layer of South Africa that we didn’t see in 2009. We added to our knowledge of South Africa’s history through our classes on the ship and our inter-port lectures, Bob and Alice Evans. …
Ghana Stories – Views from Christy and Jay
We have finally figured out how to upload links to word documents. We had several assignments for our travel writing class and we linked them to this page. See the documents below if you want to read more about Ghana. Anticipating Ghana’s Slave Dungeons – Christy Expectations of Ghana – Jay Anticipation of Ghana –…
Ghana – Our Favorite Port – Again!!
Ghana is engraved in our souls. In 2009, it changed us more than any other country on our around the world trip and it rocked us again on this visit. It is hard to describe why Ghana affects our family this way. In an effort to demonstrate why, we will include essays we wrote entitled…
Tenerife – Canary Island Paradise!
Since the Canary Islands had been added at the last minute to our itinerary, we did not know much about them. The island of Tenerife blew us away with its natural beauty and the charm of the beach towns. With only 33 hours to spend in Tenerife, we quickly grabbed a taxi and headed to…
Spain – Six Days to Explore Andalucía
After concocting a hundred different itineraries in our heads that included flying to Barcelona, hiking the Pyrenees, and visiting the sword making city of Toledo, we decided to rent a car and thoroughly explore the southern region of Spain called Andalucía. Six days was not near enough time. We arrived in the Andalucían capital of…
Portugal – Old World Beaches!
The quaint winding cobblestone streets, outside bistros, and friendly people immediately welcomed us to Portugal and its capital city of Lisbon. We only spent one day in Lisbon exploring its hilltop castle, old town and cafes along the harbor –and it was not enough! Jay snuck away for a round of golf at Oitavos Dunes before…
Belgium – And France As A Bonus!
Our port in Belgium was Antwerp, more than 50 miles up the River Scheldt. Not the usual entrance into a country, but not much is usual when you travel by ship. In a world of immediate gratification that allows and even expects minimalist spelling like “gr8”, it’s hard to slow down into the relaxed cadence…
England – Jolly and Old!
After doing beer, fish and chips, castles and rain in Ireland, it would seem that we had already covered England. Fortunately, there was plenty to do after our arrival in Southampton. Like all good travelers, once we landed in England, we headed straight for London. Christy found a great hotel near Hyde Park that was…