Ireland/Northern Ireland

Things to do: Play golf

Travel arrangements: AGS Golf Vacations - https://www.agsgolfvacations.com/, provides complete tour packages for Great Britan and the Iberian Peninsula

Courses to play:Royal Port Rush, Ballybunion, Portmarnock, Royal County Down, Tralee, Old Head, plus another 30 worthy of your time

North Ireland and Northern Ireland for golf (addendum to above)

When:  late May -- beautiful.

Best time of year to visit: Avoid tourists in summer months.  May is nice because days are getting longer.  September would be fine.

Travel Planning: Tour Operator, AGS Golf Vacations). You can plan for yourself.  We played golf most days with three other couples, hence needed a van and driver for travel and some assistance in securing two sequential tee times. 

Stay locations: Derry (17th Century walls and moving history of "The Troubles", Letterkenny, sleepy town with a super B&B, Castle Grove Country House Hotel.

Access (nearest airport): Belfast is closest also accessible from Dublin and Donegal airports.

Things to see/do: Derry - walk the walls, visit the Guildhall and the Museum of Free Derry; environs: Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Mussenden Temple, Grianan of Aileach (stone fort).

Donegal coast is breathtaking;  great golf at Portstewart, Castlerock, Portsalon, St. Patricks at Rosapenna, Cruit Island (nine crazy holes).

Contact for further ideas/questions:
Michael and Dodie Jones '73 – Mjones@bowdoin.edu
Doug Morrell – (207) 798-1206,dougmorrell33@gmail.com

This could be you!
Middle four – Mike & Dottie Jones, Doug & Georgette Morrell

Egypt and Jordan

When: March 19 – 29 2022

Best time of year to visit: September thru November and March to early May- summer too hot

Travel Planning/Management: Williams Alumni Travel and Arrangements Abroad

Access: Direct Flights from JFK (NY City) to Cairo on Egypt Air (10 h 40 m)

               Direct flights from JFK to Aman, Jordan on Royal Jordanian & American (10 h 35 m)

Accommodations: 

            Cairo:  Mena House and the Cairo Marriot

            Nile River Cruise: Sanctuary Nile Adventurer

            Petra:  Movenpick Petra Resort

            Amman:  Amman Intercontinental  

EGYPT:

Cairo/Giza 

The Great Pyramids:  c. 2550 – 2490 BC, The Sphinx:  built in 2558 BC

Sakkara—Earlier “Step” pyramids— c. 2670 BC  

The Grand Egyptian Museum - King Tut’s coffins and fabulous artifacts

Luxor (aka Thebes)

            Temple of Karnak: c.  2055 BC,    Luxor Temple:  c. 1392 BC
Valley of the Queens: c. 1292 – 1075 B (burial sites of the Pharaohs’ families

Abu Simbel:  c. 1264.  Dismantled and reassembled at a higher location due to the 1970 construction of the Aswan Dam, this site houses the tombs of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari.

JORDAN:

Petra:  c. 312 BC.  Indiana Jones’s “Treasury” building is only the tip of the iceberg!  Acres of palaces and temples carved into the sandstone by the Nabataeans, traders whose routes ran from Syria and Egypt to India and China.

            Wadi Rum:  home base to Lawrence of Arabia during the 1917-18 Arab Revolt.

            Offers camel rides through the stunning desert surroundings.

Jerash: Wonderfully preserved Roman cities outside Italy—captured by Pompey in 163 BC.

Contact for further ideas/questions: Cecily Stone - Stone.Cecilye@gmail  Cell:  917-806-5508 Home phone:  843-987-2205

Cortina, Italy

Travel to:  Cortina D’Ampezzo, Lake Garda – Gargnano, Italy

Best time of year to visit: First week in September. The weather was spectacular. Mid 70’s-low 80’s and sunny.  The folks (locals and hotel staff) in both areas were very friendly and accommodating. 

Travel Planning/Management (Self-planned, Tour Operator (comments):  Self-Planned

Access (Nearest Airport):  Cortina – nearest airport Venice Italy (approx. 2-hr drive), Lake Garda – nearest airport Milan (approx. 2-hr drive)

Miscellaneous Things to do/see: Hiking the Dolomites was awe-inspiring (with a local English speaking guide).  Boat trip around Lake Garda a must-do!

Restaurants:  Can’t go wrong getting recommendations from hotels. That’s what he did and had delicious food!

Contact for further comments/questions: Bill Simon - bsimon@simonquickadvisors.com