Check out the latest edition of our newsletter!
Imagine Going There Travel
770.421.9627
www.ImagineGoingThere.com
For Culture-Collecting Clients & Friends of Imagine Going There Travel THE COMPASS
JULY 2023
A Fabulous 4th in France
Did You Know ... DID YOU KNOW VIKING HAS A NEW RIVER CRUISE ITINERARY? For 2024, Viking has added a brand-new 10-day sailing down the Rhine River, from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland. What’s unique about this itinerary? First of all, it’s 10 days instead of the eight of the Rhine Getaway, giving overnights in Amsterdam and Basel, which are usually just arrival and departure gateways. Another bonus is it overnights in one of my favorite cities — Mainz! Mainz is special not only because it’s a lovely town, but also the home of the Gutenberg Museum. That’s an amazing tour where you can learn about the history of book printing and all that Gutenberg sacrificed to see his dream come to reality. The other unique thing about this itinerary is it’s sailing from January to March, which means it’s earlier than we’ve ever sailed on the rivers of Europe before. If you are up for dressing in a few more layers and enjoying the Rhine from a different perspective, check out this new itinerary to brighten up your winter. Doug and I will be sailing on this cruise March 7-16, 2024, and we’d love to have you join us! Just reach out to Carol@ImagineGoingThere. com for more details!
Lyon boasts the most Michelin-starred restaurants in France. It’s a very colorful city, too, as there are over 150 murals painted on the buildings. One such mural highlights 31 popular residents from that area, such as the famous chef Paul Bocuse. The next day was July 4th, and we were headed to Cave de Fleurie for a tour of the Beaujolais wine region. When we arrived at the welcome center, the mayor of the town was there to greet us and had a group serenade us with our national anthem! We were then served fresh croissants, orange juice, and coffee. It was such a fun stop and a nice surprise to be greeted in such a warm manner. Next, we headed to the beautiful Château des Ravatys, which felt like you were stepping into the movie set of “Pride & Prejudice.” Here’s where we learned how the flavor of wine made from the Gamay grape can change slightly from one hillside to the next due to slight differences in soil composition. We headed back to the ship that afternoon and sailed to Vienne, one of the oldest cities in France and founded by the Romans while under the administration of Pontius Pilate. Due to its position on the Rhône River, the town prospered as a major wine port. Many Roman and medieval buildings are here, including the Temple of Augustus and Livia, which was constructed about 20-10 B.C. There’s an ancient Roman theater built around CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 ...
One of my favorite July 4th memories was spent in France on Viking’s Lyon & Provence sailing. We were celebrating our daughter’s graduation from her master’s program in Barcelona. I flew to Spain for the big event but also spent the week seeing Barcelona from her more local perspective: Montserrat Abbey, Gaudí’s architecture, and her favorite bookstores and cafés. Then we took the train to Lyon to start our cruise. Being the food and wine connoisseur that she is, this itinerary was particularly appealing to her. Our days in Lyon were so fun — it’s a very walkable city with great restaurants. In fact, except for Paris,
• 1 770.421.9627
Great Vacations Matter Because Great Memories Matter Most
TURNING VACATIONS INTO DONATIONS The Giving Corner:
Part of our company culture is to earmark 10% of commissions earned and donate it to worthy nonprofits. At a recent team meeting, each team member shared causes that were near and dear to their hearts. We thought we would each take a turn highlighting how your vacation dollars are being put to good use in causes that are making a difference. The charity Carol chose was Teach One to Lead One (T1L1), an organization that uses caring mentors in a community to teach Universal Principles that will help young people counter negative influences in their lives. Over a 12-week period, a character quality is highlighted, such as compassion, respect, integrity, honor,
connected with the leaders, and each shared their story of how the program had made a difference in their lives. One of the graduates was the captain of her school’s color guard. She said she thought being a leader was just being in charge and telling people what to do. However, as she went through the program, she decided to share the Universal Principle she had learned that week with her teammates. She explained how it not only made a difference in her life, but she also learned how to better lead others. At the close of the program, our team handed out Chick-fil-A cards to the graduates and donated funds to sponsor 28 future students in the Atlanta chapter of T1L1.org !
self-control, courage, or teamwork. Then mentors instill these concepts in students through a fun environment and encourage them to implement what they’ve learned each week. In May, our team went to a graduation ceremony for students of the program. It was touching to see how they genuinely
And the Winners Are … THANKS FOR YOUR REFERRALS
Congratulations to the winners of our Referral Contest!
By the way, we’re taking note of each referral that comes in. So, in addition to the $100pp credit Viking gives for referring a new guest, we’ll do another referral contest later this year. We also are excited to share the Viking Cruises IGT Community Facebook Page! This is where our travel community can share photos and posts about their trip as well as be notified when Viking sends out their flash sales. (We’ll tag those special deals in a post tagged #FlashSail ). Anyone is welcome, but it’s always great to see our Compass Readers share photos from their
• Pat and Mike Heater, Ponte Vedra, FL • Judi LaPan, Bluffton, SC • Cathy & Karl Kologinzcak, Gainesville, GA
Each winner will have their choice of one of three prizes:
• Five Days of Entrees from Williams-Sonoma ($240 value) • Cutco Entertainer Pack ($262 value) • $250 Viking Gift Card So much of our business this year has come from your kind endorsements, and thanks to everyone sharing your experience with IGT with your family and friends (and while on your Viking cruises, Facebook, and Cruise Critic, too!). We have the most wonderful clients, and we appreciate you so much!
sailings, ask questions about itineraries and provide a forum for everyone to share their love of travel. Can’t wait to see you there.
2 • www.ImagineGoingThere.com
... CONTINUED FROM COVER
“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” —F. MATTHIAS ALEXANDER
40-50 A.D. and is one of the biggest in the world, thought to have once seated approximately 13,000 spectators. It is the site for the annual jazz festival which is held over a two-week period in the summer and draws up to 200,000 jazz lovers from around the world. If you want to explore on your own, there are brass medallions
along the streets of Vienne to help guide you to the city’s important landmarks. After our morning tour, we followed those to visit the amphitheater, then hiked to the highest point of the city to Mount Pipet. This site was initially turned into a fortress in the Middle Ages, and handed over to the Church of Vienne in 1023. The views from the top of this hill were stunning!
Since this cover story is about Meredith, I asked her to submit a recipe for the newsletter. She could not stop raving about this simple dish! She said, “It’s very easy to make, and you can just let your heart tell you what to add.” Spoken like a true chef! Baked Feta Pasta
We headed back to the ship for a fabulous French-themed dinner, and the whole staff from the ship’s captain on down, served us an immense spread of French cheeses, meats, soups, main courses and, of
Ingredients • 1 block of feta • 1 pint of tomatoes • Couple cloves of garlic, chopped • 1/4-1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes • Dried or fresh basil (to taste) • 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper (to taste) • Olive oil • 8 oz cavatappi noodles • 6-8 oz salmon • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth • Lemon juice or zest (to taste)
course, desserts! We had a vast array of tarts, macarons, and chocolate to choose from. While we thought the evening meal had come to a pleasant end, to our surprise, the whole staff started parading around the dining room singing the national anthem then served slices of a massive cake in the design of the American flag. When I think of a special July 4th holiday, this is one that comes to mind. It had just the right amount of pleasant surprises in a new destination, and I got to share the
Directions 1. In a medium casserole dish, combine first 7 ingredients and drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 400 F for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is golden brown. 2. Cook noodles per package directions until al dente. While pasta is cooking, pan-fry salmon until barely done. Cover with foil and keep warm. Drain cooked pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. 3. Remove casserole from the oven and stir to combine with just enough pasta water and broth to thin sauce if needed. Add a splash of lemon juice or zest. Stir in noodles and combine. 4. Top with salmon and serve. Meredith said this a very flexible recipe. You could add fresh spinach before baking and change out the salmon for chicken or shrimp as well.
experience with someone I love to be with. That was definitely a recipe for a special memory I will savor for many years to come! —Carol Shaddix
• 3 770.421.9627
Great Vacations Matter Because Great Memories Matter Most
A Platinum Circle Agency for:
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
770.421.9627 | www.ImagineGoingThere.com 3600 Dallas Hwy, Suite 230-215, Marietta, GA 30064
Everything you love about Viking, only better! A great destination is just one part of an amazing vacation. Just like having a master chef prepare your meal at your favorite restaurant, as one of Viking’s largest representatives, we’ve booked these vacations countless times. We intuitively know how to enhance the outcome of your experience so it consistently delivers above and beyond your expectations (and know when those special promotions such as extra shipboard credit or free airfare are available that you might not know about). Whether you are interested in an individual reservation or want to travel together as a group, call 770.421.9627 for your free consultation on how to make your next vacation even better than you expected! Tip: If you’ve already booked direct with Viking in the last 60 days, contact us to add some additional bonuses to your reservation!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. 2.
CELEBRATING AMERICA’S INDEPENDENCE IN FRANCE TRAVELERS’ DOLLARS IMPACT COMMUNITY THE WINNERS OF OUR REFERRAL CONTEST BAKED FETA PASTA TALES FROM OUR SAILS
3. 4.
MARY JO AND TOM — TRUE VIKING CONNOISSEURS Tales From Our Sails
When you’ve been on so many Viking cruises that you lose count, you know you’re having a fabulous time! Mary Jo
Hands down, the Amazon and Caribbean Adventure has been this adventurous couple’s favorite Viking experience. As an entomologist, Tom loves studying insects, and in the Amazon, he was in his territory! Mary Jo and Tom also loved a transatlantic Viking Cruise from Barcelona to Puerto Rico so much that they took it twice to make sure there wasn’t anything they were missing out on! “Viking’s crew is amazing — they always make sure we feel comfortable,” Mary Jo and Tom tell us. “As vegetarians (and sometimes vegans), we have a strict diet, but they bent over backward for us and even made us special Indian dishes just because they heard we enjoy Indian food.” Thank you, Mary Jo and Tom, for sharing your tips and experiences with us — there’s nothing better than hearing it from the mouth of true Viking pros! Bon voyage!
and Tom have been on nine (maybe 10) ocean cruises and three (maybe four) river cruises. They’ve made extraordinary memories, met fabulous people, and seen many different parts of the world.
“It’s so hard to pick which way we like to cruise — river or ocean,” they tell us. “Each has so many great aspects. We really enjoy both ships and all
of the amenities. When you first hear about river cruises and start doing some of your own research, it may seem like the river cruises are the more laid-back option, but we’ve found that isn’t the case! There are so many stops with tons of exploring, walking, and excitement. On the flip side, the ocean cruises have more days at sea and beautiful ports to explore.”
4 • www.ImagineGoingThere.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator