Topics in Family Medicine

Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Here in Amsterdam, you can decide whether the real masterpieces are the gabled houses that flank graceful canals, or the van Goghs, Rembrandts and Vermeers that cover the walls of the city's grand museums.

At Sea - Cruising - Cruising

Cobh (Cork), Ireland - Cobh is just a short train ride to charming Cork, Ireland, whose hilly streets echo with the music of what is renowned to be Ireland's most talkative citizenry. Visit local artisans and witness their skills in the arts of weaving and cutting crystal. The charming English Market is a great place to get a taste of the local flavors (including the chance for an excellent meal at the Farmgate Cafe located within). Also, Cork's lovely art museum has many fine works by lesser known artists from the last few centuries.

Liverpool, England - Roll over Beethoven! Liverpool is the birthplace of the Beatles! And it won't take long to discover the amazing legacy of art, music and sport that influence this charming city. A short walk from your ship you'll find Albert Dock a bustling, converted maritime business center that now houses all sorts of entertainments (shopping, food, "The Beatles Story" and wonderful modern art at the Tate Liverpool. A bit further afield (but still quite walkable, if you're hearty), you'll find the Cavern Club, where the Beatles got their start.

Dublin, Ireland - Dublin, the fair city, invites you to wander the streets trod by Joyce, Yeats and Oscar Wilde. Drop in at pubs with mahogany bars and stained glass. In the Trinity College Library, feast your eyes on the illuminated 9th-century Book of Kells. Sample the world's most famous stout at the original Guinness Brewery. And, of course, there are plenty of shopping opportunities — from a souvenir shillelagh to Waterford crystal.

Belfast, Northern Ireland - So much of Ireland's political history is tied up in Belfast that many visitors are surprised to find that it is also a modern city, blending old and new effortlessly as the troubles of its pass fade into history. A day trip away are the Giants' Causeway (a series of stone pillars that extends to Scotland) and the spectacular Antrim coast.

Paris (Le Havre), France - For most, Le Havre is the gateway for a day-visit to Paris. Survey the city of lights from the Eiffel Tower or from a cruise of the Seine. And there is the food (oh, the food). Wander through the beautiful architecture of St. Germain or the Latin Quarter and find a bistro to settle into with a bottle of wine and experience the culinary delights that only the French seem able to offer. And, then there are the absolutely stunning museums (Musee du Louvre, Musee de l'Orangerie, Musee d'Orsay, and the Musee d'Art Moderne). Or, if shopping is for you, Paris has it: from souvenirs and t-shirts to high fashion, small antiques and fine art, you can find something that'll catch your eye. But, pace yourself; you're not going to get all this done in a day: pick your battles, whet your appetite and plan a return trip.

If the journey to Paris sounds like too much for you (about three and a half hours each way by auto, two and half by train), Le Havre itself is a beuatiful little French city where you can find great food, charming streets and beautiful architecture. It also has a nice not-too-big Museum of Modern Art with an excellent collection of France's many great expressionist painters.

Cherbourg, France - Cherbourg offers everything you could want from a seaside town in France - beautiful gardens, cute little shops, appetizing restaurants. As a port, however, Cherbourg is a maritime institution, playing major roles in early transatlantic travel, submarine building and nautical pastimes. One look at its massive man-made sea wall or its bustling piers and any seafaring adventurer will feel right at home here. It is also one of two gateways for cruise vistors to the D-Day landing beaches about an hour's ride away.

Dover (London), England - After seeing her fomous "white cliffs" as you arrive, you can take a quick trip to nearby Canterbury to see its medieval cathedral, where Thomas Becket met his tragic end. Or carry on to London for a day filled with whatever your heart desires. This is London, after all, of which Samuel Johnson famously said "Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." Whether its history, fashion, shopping, art, culture or food you're looking for, London's got it.

Bruges,(Zeebrugge),Belgium - Bordering the delta of the Scheldt, and the Maas and Rhine rivers, Zeebrugge could be one of the most unique seaports you visit in this lifetime. Zeebrugge is blessed with a picturesque network of canals and fields peppered with graceful windmills. Zeebrugge serves as a gateway port to the historic city of Brussels.