The Innocents Abroad, Vol 2

Review of Volume 1 HERE

Volume 2 picks up at the departure from Pompei on the steamship ‘Quaker City' heading for the Holy Lands. On to Greece, and then Turkey. From Constantinople (modern Istanbul) a sidetrip up the Black sea to isolated ports in Urkraine and Russia, before returning to Turkey, stopping in Smyrna (modern Izmir), then on to Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Israel, where the story reaches its climax in Jersualem. The return voyage calls in Egypt, and then a host of other places where they were not permitted to land due to quarantine rules.

The writing is more of the same (it is of course a single book, but split into two volumes in this case), although the closer we get to the Holy Lands, the more biblical stories are recounted to give explanation of the sights and sites. For me, as a godless heathen, they were helpful, as I had only a vague knowledge of the details of the bible stories and how they would tie to locations, buildings and natural features.

There was still plenty of mockery (self mockery included), every guide was called Ferguson (must unwillingly), and Twains fellow pilgrims are still relentlessly ridiculed.

Much less focused on the goings-on of the steamship, and more on the locations.

Still a solid 4 stars for volume 2.