New York

What a fitting finish to a wonderful cruise. We arrived at the entrance to the New York harbor area right at sunrise, and then sailed up the Hudson River past the Statue of Liberty. It gives a whole different meaning to welcome home, and really makes you thankful for what you have. It was a beautiful day with temperatures reaching into the 70’s with clear skies, which made for a superb day in the Big Apple.

Given the size of Manhattan, we knew that there was no way that we would be able to do the city justice in our 7-8 hours available, so Sharon and I decided that because we docked right at the foot of 50th St., we would concentrate on Midtown. Leaving the ship shortly after 9am we were off, walking down 50th St. toward Rockefeller Plaza. The docks are off of 12th Ave., and the Plaza was at the corner of 50th and 5th Ave. Oh, by the way, the blocks going in that direction? They are really LONG! It actually is a little over a mile walk.

But we made it, and once there decided to take the tour to the “Top of the Rock”, which is the top of the Rockefeller Building. From the top you have an excellent view of the city. After coming down from there, we walked around the underground there and had lunch at a Subway. After that we saw the plaza where the ice skating rink is during the winter.

Then it was off to Central Park, a mere 7 blocks away, but they were short blocks so the walk only took us about 15 minutes. Once there we decided to rest our feet and take a horse drawn carriage ride through the park. We saw most of the park during the tour and felt the money spent was well worth it. Given the size of the park, it’s one of the better ways to see it.

By now the time was approaching 1:30 and we both were getting pretty tired, so we decided to start back toward the ship. About half way there we popped into a TGIFridays and rested a bit over a couple of beers. Then it was off again arriving back at the ship around 2:45.

It really was a fantastic day in the city and an excellent end to a wonderful cruise. We left shortly after 5pm and will arrive in Ft. Lauderdale Thursday morning around 7am. Once we get off the ship it’s over to the Amtrak station and headed home. I hope that all who have been reading this blog have enjoyed traveling along with us and reading about the many ports that we visited. Next up is a 63 day round trip cruise out of Los Angeles, going down through the French Polynesian Islands to Australia and New Zealand, and on the way back making a three island stop in Hawaii.

Until then, CHEERS!

Hamilton Bermuda

Hamilton Bermuda

Waking up to blue skies and bright sun is worthy of a Starbucks latte. But being on a cruise ship small enough to dock at pier 6 right downtown Hamilton, PRICELESS!!

What a beautiful island and city. It’s squeaky clean with trash cans on every corner and some in between, they are actually used. Courtesy is treasured and you will be greeted with a Good Morning or Good Day by most everyone and you are expected to reply. The people are extremely friendly and most willing to assist you.

We were off the ship just before 9am and headed off to the post office two blocks away. We mailed off a couple of post cards, and purchased a couple of commemorative blocks for the grandkids collection. From there we walked toward the local bus terminal and passed by the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity which is one of today’s pictures. At the bus terminal we purchased two all day passes at $12 per person, and then boarded bus 7 for the botanical gardens.

What a lovely garden to visit. There were many different varieties of plants in bloom and we managed to spend almost 3 hours there taking pictures. One of the many flowers we saw is the second picture featured today.

We originally had thought about taking a bus out to the Royal Dockyard where the larger cruise ships have to dock, but after spending so much time at the gardens we really didn’t have enough time left to get there and back by our 3:30 all aboard time, so we hopped another bus that went down along the South Shore so that we could see some of the beaches Bermuda is so famous for.

Arriving back in downtown, we got off the bus and did a little window shopping. As expected, everything is expensive on the island so we didn’t buy anything other than some postcards. But it was an enjoyable walk and it was right across the street from the ship.

Leaving Bermuda we have a sea day tomorrow and arrive in New York’s Manhattan piers around 7am Monday. Then it’s two days at sea before our arrival at Ft. Lauderdale where we board our train back to DC. While the cruise has been wonderful, 50 days is a long time and we are looking forward to returning home.

Cheers!

Ponta Delgada Azores

Ponta Delgada Azores

After a leisurely cruise of around 900 miles from Lisbon, we arrived at Ponta Delgada to a partly cloudy sky and temperatures in the mid 60’s. While there were some very dark clouds in the distance, they soon went away and the day turned out to be great. For those who haven’t been here in a while you will be pleasantly surprised. They have built a brand new docking area that puts you a short five minute stroll from the ship to the main avenue of the city. It’s really a very nice facility and well thought out.

We didn’t really have any plans today so we hung around the ship for a while and didn’t go into town until 10am. We walked down the avenue toward the old fort and found the post office so Sharon could send off postcards to the grandkids. It’s about half the cost of mailing on the ship so that is what we try to do in each port.

We walked past the Praca Goncalo Velho Cabral which is the main square of the town. It features a statue of Velho who is credited with the islands discovery. The statue gazes out to the sea and behind the statue are the three arches of the city gates. Looking through the gates is the Largo de Matriz square home to the City Hall and Sao Sebastiao Church. Continuing along the avenue toward the fort, we found the local mini train offering various routes around the city. The cost is only 4.5 Euros per person for each of 5-6 different routes. Each one starts at a different time. We were there for the 10:30 historical tour. This tour took us around the old section of the city and down several of the very narrow side streets and around the lower part of the city. Lasting about 45 minutes it was well worth while to get a feel of the city for those who have never been here. We then wandered about through some of the pedestrian areas stopping at a small café for a local beer, and then another stop for postcards. After that we slowly made our way back to the ship and were back onboard around 2:30.

Next up is a four day transit to Hamilton Burmuda arriving there April 25. Some of the happenings along the way is a Mariners reception followed by a brunch on April 22, and a “Behind the Scenes” tour on April 24 of Deck 4 where the main galley is. We will see the galley, where the stores are kept, the pastry shop and other kitchen areas and where the crew eats. It should be quite interesting and I will try and get a lot of photos of the area and post them up online after our return.

I haven’t been very good about keeping up with the gifts that HAL have given us, so here is an updated list so far:

Very nice heavy fleece jackets
Umbrellas
A four port USB hub with a clock
Luggage straps and tags
An ID holder
A necklace and cufflinks
Journal Book

Cheers

Lisbon Portugal

With temperatures hovering around 60 degrees and an overcast sky, we arrived in Lisbon shortly after 8am and the ship was cleared around 8:30am. Based on an article we had read in Travel Tips newsletter we had booked a private all day walking tour of the city by a local resident. At only 50 Euros for 1-6 people (total, not per person) we didn’t quite know what to expect but the price was certainly reasonable. Through emails our guide (Alice Moura) had told us where to meet her which we near the city center.

A word of warning for those cruising to Lisbon. The center of the city is about 1.5 miles away and the ship does not provide a shuttle. To get from the ship and out of the terminal is about 200-250 yards. Once outside you will be met by taxi drivers trying to sell you a tour with them. When we asked about a taxi into the city we were told it would be 10-12 Euros. If you walk about two blocks straight away from the terminal, you can catch a bus or train into the city. We opted for the train which was 1.20 Euros per person and took about 10 minutes.

At the end of the day Alice suggested a taxi back to the ship. When we told her what we were told in the morning she said that it should only be around 5 Euros. Sure enough, a taxi back in a metered taxi was 5.45 Euros. I’m not sure if we were simply given the wrong information, or perhaps the cost to somewhere else within the city or what. But I do suggest checking very carefully.

I have to say that Alice was simply delightful. A young lady very passionate about her city, she is very knowledgeable and very flexible about where to take you. We did go to three different churches including the main cathedral, but we primarily spent most of the day walking around the old part of the city. Because we had mentioned that we were avid photographers she concentrated on showing us several places for good views of the city and river, along with some very photographic buildings and plazas.

Around 1pm we stopped for a light lunch at a restaurant run by a Circus Clown School that was only open for lunch. The restaurant was terrific with a wonderful view overlooking the river and very reasonably priced. The picture today is the entranceway to the restaurant and Alice.

Even though we had some light rain on and off all day, it was an excellent tour. It was very tiring as the city does have a lot of hills, and I would not recommend it for anyone with limited mobility.

If you don’t mind a lot of walking, I highly recommend a tour by her.

Tomorrow is a very necessary rest day, and then we dock at Ponta Delgada Azores. Cheers!!

Cadiz Spain

We were supposed to leave Malta at 6pm and arrive in Cadiz at 8am this morning. Because of some mechanical problems we didn’t leave Malta until after midnight. The Captain did what he could and put the pedal to the metal, and we managed to dock around 9am this morning. Not bad in making up around 5 hours of time over the two day transit.

Temperatures today were in the low 60’s with a 9-10mph wind occasionally gusting to near 20mph. It was a partly cloudy day, and while we did get a couple of passing sprinkles of rain, all in all it was a pretty good day.

After getting a detailed map from the local tourist agent, we decided to take one of the walking tours of the city and chose the one going into the old part of the city (primarily because that would get us to the main post office so Sharon could buy stamps for the grandkids).

The docking was fantastic as we were right at the city. Directly out from the cruise dock was the Plaza de Espana with a large monument to the Cadiz Constitution. It was quite a beautiful area with flowers and trees. We also saw wild parrots again similar to what we saw in the Canary Islands, and I chose a picture of one for today’s blog just to prove that I really did see them.

Continuing on our walk we saw the San Francisco Church, the Museum of Cadiz, Mora Palace, San Pablo Church, Old Roman Dry Salting Factory, Central Market, Santiago Church, and stopped for lunch at the Plaza de Cathedral which is very close to the post office.

After lunch we continued our walk passing other churches and various homes of local well known people, and finally finding ourselves back where we started.

Talking with others from the ship that took the hop on bus they were very disappointed. They said it only goes around the outer edge of the city, and didn’t stop where it was supposed to stop. The city is very walkable if you are up for it, as it’s only about 1 mile from the dock to the furthest point away. In the old town area the streets are typically cobblestone so a good pair of walking shoes should be worn.

Tomorrow we are in Lisbon and have booked a walking tour with a guide that will be showing us the city. The weather reports say that there may be some light rain but I have my fingers crossed that it will clear up.

Until tomorrow, Cheers!

Valetta Malta

Wheeee, Poseidon must have been restless yesterday and especially last night. The wind was blowing at 30+ knots, and the waves were reaching 12-15 feet which made for a sleepless night for Sharon. When we docked at Valetta, the temperature was at 61 degrees with dark overcast skies. The wind was still quite brisk and shortly after picking up our guide a light rain started and it stayed with us off and on all day. But, we did not let that deter us from enjoying the sights of the area.

We managed to cram in a lot today, starting off with the Vilhena Palace and then moving on to Mdina where we walked the streets and saw St Pauls Cathedral and the Auberge de Provence (now called the Museum of Archaeology). From there it was another fantastic lunch at a local restaurant then off to the Hypogeum which is an underground burial site from the 16th century and finishing up with the Inquisitors Palace.

It should be noted that the Hypogeum does cost (I’m not sure how much as it was included in our tour), but tickets must be purchased online. To protect the site, they only run a tour every hour on the hour, and only allow 10 people per tour. They typically are booked at least two months in advance so you can not just walk up and get in.

Next up is two wonderful relaxing days at sea and then we arrive at Cadiz Spain.

Until then, Cheers!

Santorini, Greece

The God’s of sun and blue skies looked favorably upon us once again today. The seas were almost like a sheet of glass and with the bright blue sky it was almost impossible to see the horizon. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day to see one of the prettiest islands in the Mediterranean Sea.

Upon arrival we first stopped near the ferry docks to off-load passengers taking ship tours. Once they were off, the ship moved over toward the area where the cable car was to reach the top of the mountain and get to the town. After tendering in and riding the cable car to the top, we met our private tour guide Nicko, and were off on our adventure.

It should be noted that there really isn’t any “tourist” things to see on Santorini. What it does offer is spectacular views and beautiful whitewashed buildings, and over 500 blue domed churches. Our tour actually consisted of driving all over the island, through the various small villages, and stopping every now and then for pictures. Eventually we found ourselves at the highest point on the island where the clouds actually swilled around us as we stood there.

What we did get the chance to see was the blue domed church that dominates most pictures that you see of Santorini. In an area where tour buses can’t get to, our private van could and we were able to capture that same picture, which is featured with this blog.

Lunch today was near the islands international airport, and right on the ocean. While a bit expensive, the meal was great and well worth it.

The cable car ride was very nice, and in our opinion better than walking or taking the donkeys up the side of the mountain. Be aware however that the cost of the cable car was 4 Euros each way per person. At no point did the ship ever inform us of the cost so while we expected that there would be a charge we didn’t expect quite that much. But, the ride is nice and you can get some really great pictures along the way.

Tomorrow is a much needed day of rest and then we dock at Valetta Malta. Until then, Cheers!!

Kusadasi/Ephesus Turkey

Whooppieeee! Today dawned bright and sunny with temperatures around 60 degrees, and getting warmer! With a clear blue sky the day was going to be great. We met our tour guide at 9am just outside the port terminal and were off for Ephesus. Just 30 miles North Ephesus was established as a trading port and religious center 3000 years ago. Found while laying track for a railroad, it is the Aegean’s best preserved ancient city. Only about 20% has been uncovered, but was can be seen it is easy to envision life as it was 2000 years ago.

While there, we also saw the Basilica of St. John, the House of Mary, the remains of the Temple of Diana, and the terrace houses. I can honestly say that if you ever visit this area Ephesus is a must see. Plan on spending a couple of hours minimum and it’s best if you have a knowledgeable guide with you.

By now it was lunch time so we stopped at a small local restaurant where we had a delicious home cooked lunch. It definitely was not a place that a typical tourist would find and was located along a very narrow road in the middle of the city.

On our way back towards the port we did make a stop at a ceramic factory to see how they are made in this area. It was very interesting to see how they are all hand painted so no two pieces are ever exactly the same. They are however very close. When you see the finished product you can readily appreciate the amount of time involved in creating each piece.

All in all we had a most enjoyable tour and our guide was fantastic. Tomorrow we are in Santorini. With luck we will have wonderful weather once again.

Cheers!

Sevastopol Ukraine

Once again we woke to sunny skies and temperatures around 60 degrees. A great day for taking a tour of Sevastopol. For those who may not know, Sevastopol was established by Catherine II after Russia gained control of the region in 1783. The harbor was fortified and the Russian Black Sea Naval Fleet came to the port in 1804. Today it still remains primarily a military city, and the Russian Fleet still has ships docked here.

After meeting our guide, we were off to the East and the city of Bakhchisarai to see the Khan’s Palace, which was begun in the 16th century, and now houses the Museum of History. While there we were able to see the palace and suites, the state council and courtroom, the harem, the palace mosque, and mausoleum. Also located there is Fountain of Tears which was built in 1764.

After spending some time at the palace, it was back toward Sevastopol, where we stopped at the Jewish Welfare Center which provides support for about 4000 jews living in the city. At that point, the tour went downhill. Because of possible miscommunication between the tour operator and us when it was booked, we assumed that because they asked for US dollars for the tour that we would be able to use them or Euros for lunch. As it turned out that was not the case. We were told by our guide that she didn’t know of a restaurant in the city that would take anything but local currency.

At that point we decided that we would cut the tour short after visiting one more area, the Panorama Museum, which recalls the 349 day defense of Sevastopol during the Crimean War. I can recommend this museum for anyone who decides to visit the city.

Beware however that most of these tourist places do require a entry fee and it must be paid with local currency, and there is a small fee as well for using the toilets in these places. We are quite upset at our tour operator who did not inform us of these extra fees or that fact that they only accepted local currency. There are some small kiosks around the city that will accept US dollars or Euros, but any “government” run institution will not.

My personal opinion is that they are still struggling to get out from under the old Russian regime and while prices seem to be quite reasonable, be prepared.

Tomorrow is a rest day at sea thankfully, and then it’s back to Turkey and the cities of Kusadasi and Ephesus.

Cheers!

Varna, Bulgaria

We arrived in Varna at 8am to a clear and sunny sky (YEA!!). Varna is the second largest city in Bulgaria, and sit’s on the eastern coast on the Black Sea. Modern Varna is fast becoming the gateway to the Bulgarian resort area as they struggle with the trials of becoming an independent nation. While there isn’t really a lot to see in Varna, to stroll around the city and see the people and how they live can be interesting.

We had another private tour booked and met our guide and driver outside the port terminal. The first place we went was outside the city to an area of ruins. These ruins are of unknown origin and are somewhat unique. The area consists of beach type sand complete with seashells, and numerous rock formations that appear to be collapsed columns suggesting a city/town environment. We were told that several geologists have visited the site and studied it but still have not confirmed it’s origin.

From there we went to the Aladja Monastery which provides a fascinating look at a traditional religious retreat. The monastery is a collection of cave dwellings that were carved from the limestone cliff face. Originally approximately 100 monks lived there until hunted down by the Turks and killed. It was very interesting walking through the dwellings and trying to imagine what life was like for the monks that lived there.

From there it was off to the remains of the Roman Thermae or Baths. Built in the 2nd century it was quite intriguing trying to imagine what the original structure looked like. It is a very large area and was one of the largest baths built.

After visiting a few other areas of the city, it was time for lunch. Once again, it was taken at one of the local restaurants where tourists rarely find. Located on the oldest street in the city, it was very nice and the food was superb. The picture today is from inside the restaurant.

As a general note, the prices of things in Varna appear to be very reasonable. We tasted some local wine at the restaurant and enjoyed it very much. I asked where we could purchase a bottle, and they took me around the corner to a very small grocery type store where I bought two bottles of it for about $3.75 per bottle.

Tomorrow we are in Sevastopol Ukraine. I have hopes that we have time to see the Russian submarine pens during our tour there but there may not be enough time to get there.

Until tomorrow, Cheers!!

Istanbul Turkey

Istanbul, a city on two continents; Europe and Asia. When approaching the city you can’t mistake it for another. The unforgettable domes and minarets of more than 135 mosques rise through the landscape along the Bosporus Strait. Twelve major civilizations have ruled, and their legacy is imprinted upon the city.

The most famous mosque is the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet (the Blue Mosque). It gets its name from the 21,403 azure colored tiles on the walls creating the illusion that the air is blue. The 16 balconies on its six minarets honor the 16 sultans of the empire.

Right next door is the Hippodrome, inspired by Rome’s Circus Maximus, and was the most important place in the city. Beneath the whole thing is the Roman-era Aqueduct of Valens, also known as the Basilica Cistern. Nearby is the Ibrahim Pasa Palace.

A short walk away is the Suliemaniye Mosque and the Great Mausoleum of Sulieman. Last but not least is the Topkapi Palace which served as home to the sultans and the royal court until the mid-19th century.

And of course no visit to Istanbul can be called complete without a trip to the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar.

The weather was cool, remaining around 58 degrees with a brisk wind, and early afternoon there was a quick rain shower. Another delightful lunch was had at a local restaurant down one of the small alleyways where a lot of the local workers frequent.

We are off on our way up the Bosporus Strait toward the Black Sea and tomorrow we will visit Varna Bulgaria.

Cheers!

Athens Greece

Sorry about not posting yesterday, but given it was a sea day, and after three intensive port days in a row, we vegetated.

On to Athens. First, let me say that one day in Athens does not even begin to touch on things to see. We had a private tour booked and were picked up at the dock at 8am as soon as we got off the ship. In order to beat the crowds we headed directly into Athens and the Acropolis. Arriving there at around 8:20 we were some of the first people to go in. And was it ever worth it. We spent about 45 minutes there and by the time we left, it was already getting quite crowded and talking with others from the ship who got there later, it got really packed later in the day.

In addition to the Acropolis, in the same area is the Propylea (the huge entry gate), the Temple of Athena Nike, the Roman Agora of Athens, and the Parthenon. Words cannot describe the sights you see here. Suffice it to say that the pictures you may have seen do not come close to doing it justice.

In addition to the Acropolis area, while traveling around we saw the Temple of Zeus and went into the Archaeological Museum, which housed numerous artifacts from all over Greece.

Once again we had a fantastic lunch at a small local restaurant that locals go to and was recommended by our guide. Fortunately he went in with us and made some suggestions for lunch and assisted interpreting for us as the staff there spoke very little English.

After lunch we made a quick stop by the Plaka (one of the main shopping areas) where we picked up some excellent Greek olive oil and a bottle of wine.

One interesting thing we noted about Athens was the number of what we thought were stray dogs wandering around, even in the Acropolis. When we asked our guide about them, we found out that they are fully supported by the city. They capture them, spay and neuter them and then release them. After that the city feeds them and takes care of their vet needs. Talk about a dogs life!!

Tomorrow we arrive in Istanbul around 4pm

Naples Italy

Yea! We got a break today, and the sun was out all day and the temperature reached the mid 60’s! With just a few white clouds around, it was a “picture perfect” day. Our tour guide was waiting for us on the pier after we docked this morning. The plan was to follow the coast line around to Sorrento, and making a stop at a couple of the smaller villages along the way, having lunch, then on the way back make a stop at Pompeii.

Leaving Naples behind we started out along the coast. The scenery was absolutely fabulous, and the sea was very calm and blue, and the mountains made a delightful backdrop. We made several photo stops along the way, passed through several small villages until we reached the village of Positano. We stopped there for about an hour so that we could walk around and look at the shops and churches there.

Carrying on from there we reached Sorrento around noon, and did a drive through the city. After a short tour of the city, we stopped at a local pizzeria for lunch, where we had a true Italian pizza. It was the best pizza we have ever had and now we are spoiled and probably will never by another commercial pizza in the US again.

After lunch we were off again heading back toward Naples and made a stop at Pompeii. Because we had to be back onboard by 4:30 we only had about an hour there which wasn’t even enough time. Pompeii is much larger than we thought and we barely saw a third of it before we had to leave. It was amazing to us the amount of work that has been accomplished in restoring the original city from the ashes. You could probably spend 3 hours or more there and still not see it all.

But we are back onboard and ready for a sea day tomorrow. It’s been a tiring three days of tours and we really can use the break. April 4th we hit Athens and start up again.

Cheers!

Roma, the name conjures up images of love, the coliseum, the forum, and of course Vatican City. On a day similar to yesterday, the day started out partly cloudy and as the day progressed, clouds began forming. By early afternoon there were a few scattered rain showers but nothing like we had the day before.

We met our driver at 7:30 and it was off to see Rome. By the time we arrived there, my first thoughts were thankfully we were not there during the height of tourist season. The traffic in Rome rivals Washington DC.

But, our trusty driver knew the city well, and managed to get us around without a lot of trouble, and we went to the Parthenon, the Vatican and saw the Sistine Chapel, the Coliseum, the Forum, the Spanish Steps, the Catacombs, Trevi Fountain, and many other sights around the city. And we had another fantastic lunch at a small local café.

After a very long and tiring day we arrived back at the ship shortly after 6pm. Tomorrow is Naples, Pompeii, and a couple of other places for another long day.

Until then, Cheers.

Florence and Pisa Italy

We docked at Livorno at 8am to partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 50’s. From here through Malta, we are on private tours with two other couples that we met through Cruise Critic.

Today we were off to Florence and Pisa for most of the day as the ship isn’t sailing until 8pm. We went down the gangway and our tour guide Sabrina was waiting at the bottom. After greeting us, she took us to her van and we were off. As the ship tours were going to Pisa first, we decided to go up to Florence first and do Pisa on the way back.

It took a little over an hour to get to Florence, and she took us there via some back roads going through some of the country side. She made a stop overlooking a vineyard so that we could get some pictures of the beautiful country.

Being in a van, we were able to go down quite a few of the very small roads in Florence and were able to see things that the tour buses would not be able to see. Just some of the things we saw included Santa Croce Church and square, The Ponte Vecchio (or Old Bridge), and several of the Churches around the city including the Jewish Synagogue.

Around 12:30 Sabrina called ahead to Marione Trattoria (a local café type of place) and made table reservations for our lunch. It was a very small local establishment but the food was excellent and the Chianti outstanding.

We walked out around 1:30 to an overcast sky and light rain (BOOOOOO!). We made a couple more stops in Florence and decided to head back towards the ship and Pisa.

Arriving in Pisa we went directly to the Piazza dei Miracoli where the leaning Tower is located. By our arrival there the rain had let up enough that we could get a few pictures of the tower and the Piazza surrounding it. Shortly however the rain got harder and we decided to call it a day and go back to the ship.

Even with the rain the day was fabulous. Florence is a very interesting city and well worth visiting, especially on a private tour so that you can get down some of the narrower streets and see the little shops there. Our guide was fantastic and was very good about pointing out things to us and answering our questions.

Tomorrow we dock at Civitavecchia at 7am, and we meet our guide to Rome at 7:30. Until tomorrow night, Cheers!

Monte Carlo

We arrived at Monte Carlo shortly after 7am, and anchored just outside the harbor as the Oosterdam was due in also and for what ever reason had the dock. The day was not looking very good with temperatures in the low 50’s and a light rain falling. Sharon and I decided that, since we were going to be in port until 11pm, we would wait until after lunch before we made the decision to go ashore or not.

As the morning progressed, we could see the clouds starting to dissipate and the sun trying to break through. The day progressively got better and by the time we finished lunch the sun was out, the temperature had climbed into the high 50’s with a partly cloudy sky.

After arriving at the dock, we followed directions and went off to the left side and found the elevator to the next level, which put us outside the Oceanographic Museum. Walking away from there we found the Cathedral where Princess Grace was married and is buried. After touring that, we were off to find the post office to buy some stamps for our grandchildren’s collection.

We then walked through some of the small alleyways with their quaint little shops and found ourselves at the Princes Palace. From there we decided to take the Petite Train that Monte Carlo has for a tour of the city. That was really nice, lasting about an hour and going through some of the old parts of town, and up to the Casino and then returning to the Oceanographic Museum.

We then decided to get ambitious and walk back around the harbor area to the Casino. While it’s not really that far of a walk, trying to figure out where we were at was at times difficult, as was trying to find the elevators to get up to the higher levels. But we did finally make it and got some really great up close shots of it.

All in all we managed to stay in town almost six hours and really got to see a lot of the city. I highly recommend however to forget about the map the ship gives you, and as soon as you get ashore look for the tourist information booth and get a more detailed map from them. The city is very pedestrian friendly, however there are a lot of stairs and hills so beware of that.

The picture I have chosen shows some of the yachts of the rich and famous in the harbor along with the Prinsendam and Oosterdam.

Tomorrow we are in Livorno Italy and are on a tour to Pisa and Florence. Until then, Cheers!!

Marseille, France

Bonjour from cold and wet Marseille. We docked shortly after 7am this morning to temperatures around 49 degrees and rain. As we were going to be in port until 8pm, we decided to take our time and not go into town until after lunch, and hoping that by then the rain may have stopped.

Unfortunately it didn’t stop, but was not raining hard so off we went to catch the bus shuttle into the city. Upon arrival there, we noticed that the Petite Train was operating. This really surprised us as they advertised that they didn’t start until after
Easter. However, we had really wanted to take their tour (they were only 6 euro) so were very happy to see them. They run two different tours of about a hour long, one through the city and one out and up to the Basilica of Notre
in Marseille. Even if you took both, the total cost per person is only 12 euro which is a cheap tour.

Tomorrow is Monte Carlo, and as we are there until 11pm and the weather is predicted to be similar to what we had today, we will probably stay aboard until the afternoon to see if it clears out.

Someone asked about Goudi’s Church in Barcelona. We did not get the chance to go there unfortunately because of the rain, so I can’t tell you anything about cost. I will try and find someone onboard that did go and get the information from them.

Until tomorrow, Cheers!

Barcelona, Day 2

Our run of fabulous days has finally come to an end. We woke up this morning to an overcast sky, and on and off rain with the temperature around 60 degrees. It wasn't a total washout but we didn't get to see a couple of things we really wanted. But that's the way things go sometime. It certainly didn't spoil our day.

Last night our entertainment was a local Spanish Flamenco dance group. They were absolutely terrific. So today we decided to just walk around on our own. We strolled down the La Rambla which is a main shopping area very near the dock. Found a fantastic Market place where they were selling fresh fruit, vegatables, meats etc. I also found a great little wine shop and picked up four bottles of local Spanish wine.

So it was back to the ship early, and we went up to the Lido and got some cheese, crackers, and sliced meats, went back to our stateroom and popped the cork on a bottle of wine. A great way to end the day.

I can tell you however that two days isn't even enough to really see the city. Hopefully someday we can return and spend a week or so here.

Enjoy the pictures!

Barcelona, Day 1

What a fantastic day. The sun was shinning, clear skies, with temperatures in the mid 60's. We decided to do the Hop-on Hop-off bus here, and caught the first one from the dock area at 9am. There are three routes available in Barcelona, the Blue, Red, and Green. The Blue one is the one that comes by the dock where we are so that's the one we took first. It takes about 2 hours to go completely around, and it hit's most of the major tourist things. We opted to get off by the Olympic Stadium area because nearby was the Botanical Gardens.

Very interesting to see the stadium and other facilities in the area that were used for the 1992 Olympics. We could even go inside the track and field stadium, and ate lunch there.

After looking around there, we went behind the stadium to the Botanical Gardens. That was quite interesting for us, and they had plant life from several different area's of the world, including the Canary Islands, South Africa, Australia, and even California.

Tomorrow we will head out to see the Goudi Familia and will most likely spend most of the day there until the ship leaves at 5pm.

I haven't downloaded our pictures yet so I don't have one for tonight, but will get one (maybe even two) up tomorrow when I finish out Barcelona.

More to come tomorrow, Cheers!!

March 26, Cartagena Spain

When is Rome, do as the Roman’s do, and when in Cartagena, go visit Roman ruins!! Who would have thought that in the middle of a Spanish town, they would find the remains of a Roman Theater. But, I get ahead of myself.

In 219BC, Hannibal brought his armies to Iberia. This was during the Second Punic War and even though Hannibal was initially victorious, the war ended with his defeat in 202BC. Hasdrubal (his brother-in-law) was commander in Spain from 228 to 221, and established several colonies, most importantly the coastal port of Carthago Nova, now Cartagena.

Dramatically encircled by mountains, Cartagena is now a principal naval base of Spain. The city contains the remains of old walls, a castle constructed in Carthaginian times, and a church that was formerly a 13th Century cathedral.

Our goal was to visit the Roman Theater, the Castillo de la Concepcion, and the Parque de Torres (the original bull fighting ring). On paper, they all were less than a half mile or so away from the dock area. So off we went, across the main avenue, and up two flights of stairs to get up to the level of the main part of town. We turned left so that we would go past the Roman Theater on our way to the Church. While it was obvious that everything was above us, we didn’t realize the number of stairs that we would have to climb in order to get to where we wanted to go. But we trudged on and finally got to the Theater, which is picture that you see above.

Then it was uphill some more where we finally reached the Church, which was at the highest point of the city. We were able to get an even better view of the theater on one side, and on the other the original bull fighting ring. It seemed like no matter where we looked, there were signs of areas being restored from ancient times. It was so nice to see that the city was willing to invest the funds and time to restore the history there.

If you have never been to Cartagena, I highly recommend spending some time in the city, and wearing a good pair of walking shoes, go see the Castillo de la Concepcion, and from the top find the Roman Theater and Parque de Torres. The walk up to the Castillo is beautiful, and surrounded by gardens, trees, and numerous Peacocks walking wild around it. All in all it was a very good day, albeit quite tiring.

Tomorrow we dock in Barcelona and will be there for two days. From our research even that will not be enough days to see everything that Barcelona has to offer. We will most likely do the Hop-on Hop-off bus the first day and try to make our decision as to what major things we want to see the second day.

Until then, Cheers!!

Gibraltar

Probably the most famous “rock” in the world, the Rock of Gibraltar rises abruptly from the sea on the east side, and a bit more gradually on the west. Its maximum elevation is 1396 feet and honeycombed with caves. The major tourist things to see are the Moorish Castle, the Barbary Apes, St. Michael’s Gallery, and the Siege Tunnels.

We felt the ships tours were a bit expensive, and decided to take our chances with one of the “taxi tours” found right outside the cruise terminal. The cheapest ships tour was $61 per person, and none of the ships tours went to all of the major sites. We paid 35 euro’s (or $52.50 per person at the rate I bought euro’s for) for a 3 hour tour that went to all of the major sites including the lighthouse, and on the way back they dropped us off at the botanical gardens so that we could see them and then stroll back towards the ship on the pedestrian mall area.

Personally, we felt the tour we got was much better than any the ship had offered, and was cheaper and more personal as there were only eight of us instead of 20-30 people. Our guide Peter was very knowledgeable and was very good about pointing out various things along the way.

We had originally thought we would walk into “town” and then to the cable car and take that up to the top of the mountain. It costs 22.5 euro’s per person which includes admission to the apes den, the Moorish Castle, and the St Michaels Gallery. The bad news is once you are at the top of the rock and get off the cable car, you have to walk. The other bad news is nothing is close to the other sites, and it is quite hilly. The taxi tour we went with took us right up to the entrance of each area and dropped us off. Even driving we were at the top of the rock for about 1.5 hours. I would think that to try and walk it would take a minimum of 4 hours if not longer. Also the walk into town will take you a good 30 minutes or more, then you have to walk through town to the South side to get the cable car which is about a 20-30 minute walk depending on how much window shopping you do.

The weather was cool, around 65 degrees and we did get a light shower around 2pm but it didn’t last long. Tomorrow we will be in Cartagena Spain and the weather right now is predicted to be around 59 degrees and partly cloudy.

And yes, you can get very close to the apes. They typically pretty much ignore you. We got some great pictures of them and the one attached to this blog we felt was one of the better ones.

Until tomorrow, cheers!

We can certainly tell we are headed North, and the high temperatures are slowly dropping. Today was another good day at sea, with waves less than two feet and plenty of sunshine. But, the wind was up and the temperature hovered around 64 degrees, and tomorrow in Gibraltar the temperature is predicted to be in the low 60’s with a chance of rain. I hope that the rain does hold off so that we can get some good pictures there.

We had another time change today (actually turned the clocks forward at 2am) and Sharon and I slept in this morning. We didn’t even get room service. We decided to go up to the Lido for breakfast instead (see, we are not totally spoiled, YET).

We had a second Cruise Critics get together in the crows nest and that was nice to re-connect with folks that we hadn’t seen much of so far.

Today is another formal night, and around 3pm our room steward came around with another HAL gift, this time umbrellas. We may need them tomorrow.

Oh, by the way, for all of you Cruise Critic folks, the Prinsendam still has trays in the Lido, and the self serve laundries are still free although we have heard rumors that may go away at some point.. We have also been somewhat disappointed that there are no alternatives offered for the evening meals. On the Volendam and Maasdam you could select one of the offered entrees or they also listed a steak and chicken dish as an alternative. There have been a couple of meals when I may have gotten either the steak or chicken instead of the offerings.

Today was a lazy day as we prepare for Gibraltar. The government does not allow the ship to provide shuttle service between the pier and the town in order to preserve work for the local taxi drivers I guess. The good news is it can be walked (15-20 supposedly). It appears that to get from the docks to the cable car to the top of the mountain is about a mile and slightly over so we will see what we can handle. Not so concerned about walking there but by the time the days over the walk back may be too much for Sharon. We will see and will have lots to say tomorrow about Gibraltar I’m sure.

We had a Spanish BBQ last night on the Lido deck complete with homemade Sangria. It was a lot of fun and the food great. So was the Sangria.

Until tomorrow, cheers!

Named for a series of coral islets and crags that appear and vanish with the changing tides, the fishing community of Arrecife was established around 1400AD. The port was originally used to supply the fortress at Gadifer, but pirates soon prompted the population to build a castle nearer to the sea. Lanzarote’s fire mountains arose in 1730 and much of the island was covered in volcanic ash. Preserved as Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, the volcanoes are still hot and visitors tour the site on camelback.

We docked at 8am and were in port until 11pm. The dock area is NOT within easy walking distance of the town center. HAL provided shuttle busses and it was a 15 minute ride into the town where the let us off. From there, it was a 15 minute walk to get into the actual center of town where the tourist center was located. Directly across the street is the post office.

Behind the tourist office is one of the Castillo de San Gabriel which was built in the 17th century. Walking along the Parque Islas Canarias which hugs the water are playgrounds for children, a couple of kiosks to get a snack and something to drink. Just before the tourist office is the Avda de Leon y Castillo, a pedestrian only shopping area. About five blocks long there are numerous shops to explore, and several places to sit, get a beer and watch the people stroll by. Two half liter mugs of cold, local beer was 6 Euro’s.

The temperature today was in the 60’s with a brisk wind, but the sun was shining and all in all not a bad day at all. We spent about four hours there and then went back to the ship.

Tomorrow is a sea day as we transit north to Gibraltar. I hope that everyone is enjoying our trip and perhaps it will encourage you to take the same cruise one day.

Until tomorrow, Cheers.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

The largest of the Canary Islands, it takes its name from the Guanche word meaning snow-capped mountain. The dominant feature of the island is an enormous gigantic volcanic cone 12,950 feet high named the Pico del Teide. The southern tip of the island is arid, unlike the north which is lush with banana trees.

We docked around 8am and left at 5:30pm. When we arrived the weather was overcast and in the mid 60’s. We had done some research on the area and knew we wanted to see a couple of the parks within the city. Being Sunday, there were not many stores open nor were there many people walking around initially which made it nice taking pictures of the city.

From the ship it was about a half mile walk to get into the city center and the Plaza de Espana. From there, we walked up the Bethencourt Alfonso, a pedestrian only area, passing the Plaza Alderez, a small but beautiful park with many trees and flowered bushes. It was here that we saw our first wild parrots flying around. We had never seen wild parrots before and managed to get some really great shots of them.

From there is was up Calle Pilar to the Parque Garcia Sanabria which we had heard was supposed to be the largest park in the city. It was absolutely gorgeous. A lot of flowers were in bloom, and there was quite a large variety of plants and flowers in the park. If you ever come here we highly recommend taking the time to visit this park.

The city overall is a mixture of old and new, and is a very clean city with a lot of pedestrian only areas lined with shops, and kiosks to get something to eat and drink. Pricing didn’t seem to be too bad, I purchased a 16 oz bottle of water for 40 cents (Euro) or about 55 cents US. Walking by the local McDonalds (yes, and we even saw a Burger King), they had a dollar menu out similar to what you would see in the US only it was one euro. Pricing in some of the shop windows seemed reasonable as well.

All in all we enjoyed our visit here and are looking forward to tomorrow and our visit to Arrecife, Canary Islands.

Cheers!

March 21, At Sea

Once again Poseidon tried to throw his trident at us, but in the end, the sun gods prevailed and while the seas stayed at 4-7 feet, the clouds went away and all in all it was a good day. It was a bit cool while I did my mile this morning, and the wind was up along with a dark and foreboding sky. But by 9ish the sun came out and all was right with the world.

Today was the last of the decathlon and while neither Sharon nor I made the top three, we had fun and that’s really what it’s all about. Everyone who participated received an additional two “Dam” dollars so we are over 100 now and there are many more days to collect them.

Tomorrow we arrive at Santa Cruz de Tenerife and most everyone is looking forward to having solid ground under their feet.

The clocks were set forward once again so now we are four hours ahead of the US, so I need to remember that when posting back and when checking my email. I have gone back and redone some of my pictures and should be able to get them posted tomorrow while in port.

Tomorrow the blog should be much better as I attempt to describe our time ashore. Until then,

TTFN!

March 20, At Sea

Well, Poseidon must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. The beautiful, smooth seas we have been experiencing have reverted back to normal mid-Atlantic seas of 4-7 feet, and the temperature has dropped into the high 60’s. Put a 14-15 knot wind on top of the 18 knots the ship is making and it’s quite cool on deck.

But not to be deterred, I still did my mile this morning and the 30 minute aerobics class. After all, I have to make sure I am in shape to do the several port days in a row that are coming up. Most of the tours we have set up are all day and are very intensive and we expect to be pretty tired by the time it all ends.

The Decathlon continues with number 7 and 8 today and the final two tomorrow. Neither Sharon nor I are doing well enough gathering points to be in the top three but we are having fun and that’s the whole idea anyway.

Around noon or so (right around the time change, yes we went ahead another hour) the weather did start to get better. The clouds started to go away and the wind abated a little while the temperature managed to get into the low 70’s.

We pretty much vegetated today as Sharon had a slight headache and was quite tired. So when we were not playing the games we sat in the sun reading and just chilling out. But that’s what a vacation is all about, isn’t it??

That’s about it for today, so until tomorrow everyone have a great day!

Cheers!

March 18, At Sea

Having sailed the Atlantic ocean for many years in the Navy (even though underwater) I am amazed at the weather we are having during our crossing. Another day of perfectly clear sky and deep blue seas was our treat for today. The air temperature is dropping slightly, as it only got up to around 73 degrees today.

After walking my mile this morning, I decided to join Sharon in her aerobics class. I knew I was in trouble when this teenaged looking young lady bounced into the room carrying a portable player. Looking at all of the white hair around me, and looking at her I’m wondering what ever possessed HAL to send in a bouncing teenager to run an aerobics class for her grandparents!

All kidding aside, she actually was quite good and I was amazed at the level of commitment of those in attendance. The exercises were relatively easy but once she started it was non-stop for the next 30 minutes. I consider myself to be in relatively good physical condition but I have to admit that by the end of the class I was ready to stop. All in all a very good choice and I think I will do it again tomorrow.

Today was pretty much more of the same as yesterday, although we did have another time change today, with another tomorrow as well.

We received our gift “jackets” tonight and boy were we quite surprised. We were expecting something similar to a wind breaker perhaps. Instead, we received a heavyweight microfiber jacket with sleeves that zip off creating a really nice vest. I have seen similar jackets in ski shops running $75 and up so we are delighted with them.

That’s about it for now as I wait for a port where I can upload some pictures for you. The internet connection in the middle of the ocean just isn’t good enough. Every time I do try it times out on me before the picture completes uploading. But I will get some up just as soon as possible.

TTFN!

I surely don’t know what to do, I truly don’t. So many things to do and so little time to do them in. HAL really needs to add a couple of hours to every day for us to fit everything in. And then, to top everything off, don’cha know today was an even better day than yesterday? That’s right, today the sea was running 1-3 feet, with the clearest blue sky and not a cloud in sight anywhere. I just don’t know how we can stand it. And tomorrow is predicted to be even better, UGH!

The morning started off as usual with room service, followed by my mile walk. Sharon woke up with a headache so she skipped aerobics today. This morning sport of call was crazy golf, where we had to hit a golf ball down a flight of stairs and hope it stopped within taped off areas worth 1, 2, or 3 points. We all had two tries, and I somehow lucked out and got one in the 1 and the 2 area for 3 extra dam dollars. YEA!

There are other things going on as well throughout the day. There are yoga classes, bridge classes, various speakers, the culinary arts center has something different every day, team trivia, dance classes, lectures by the spa staff, arts and crafts, and so on. Today was also a special day as we marked the half way point across the Atlantic. In celebration they held a Swim the Atlantic event, where everyone jumped into the pool at 2:30 when we reached the mid point. That was quite funny and everyone who participated got five dam dollars!

The next three days we turn our clocks forward one hour each day, so we will be totally confused by the time we get to Santa Crus in the Canary Islands. The only good thing is we do it at noon which really makes it easy on adjusting to it.

The movies being shown are first run, we have seen Dark Knight and W, The Changling and others.

The crew of the Prinsendam is outstanding. They always have a smile and if you pass one they always greet you and ask how you are doing. Surprisingly the ship is not full, there is less than 700 passengers onboard, although there may be some boarding in Barcelona. With almost 500 crew onboard the service is beyond reproach.

That’s about it for now, so until tomorrow, Cheers!

March 17, At Sea

You have to love sea days. You can sleep in as late as you want because you don’t have to be on the pier for an early morning shore excursion departure. However, I neglected to completely close our curtains last night, so the bright sun streaming in our window woke us up at 6am. Which, as it turns out, was a good thing as our breakfast was delivered at 6:20. So far the nasty weather is holding to the West of us, and we are blessed with 4-7 foot seas which for mid-ocean isn’t bad at all. The Prinsendam does pitch a bit but it certainly is livable.

So it was on deck at 7:30 for my early morning mile while Sharon got ready for her 8am aerobics class. At 8:30 we both joined the Tai Chi and Qigong, followed at 9:30 by the add them up ring toss on the sport deck.

At 10 it was a shore excursions talk on Marseille, Monte Carlo, Livorno, Civitavecchia, and Naples. Today also started the five day Prinsendam Decathelon Event. Two different sport events each day for the next five days. We earn points for each event and at the end the top three men and women get special prizes.

There is also team trivia every day at 11:30. We tried it the first day and quickly found out that we had forgotten more stuff than we could remember so we haven’t been back. Besides, it interferes with lunch.

At noon the clocks were set forward one hour which actually was a pretty good time to change instead of at night. The little people were busy last night as most areas of the ship are decorated in greens and white, and shamrocks abound throughout. As I mentioned it’s another formal night tonight followed by the Green and White ball hosted by the Captain starting at 10pm.

The shows that we have seen so far have been good, and tonight was a pretty decent comedian, Mike Goddard. If you ever run into him on a cruise he is worth going to see.

As is a tradition on Grand Cruises (as I understand it), we have received a couple of gifts so far from HAL. At the first formal night we received very nice journal books, and tonight we received a folding ID holder. Both are a light tan in color with a map of the Med imprinted on them. They are quite nice actually. We also received a “order” form to indicate our jacket size for a cruise jacket that we will get Thursday night. Who knows what other goodies may come our way as the cruise progresses.

Photo's are not loading right now, so I am going to wait until we get into Barcelona. We are overnighting there and I can go back and upload the photo's then for each day.

March 16, At Sea

Sailing, sailing, over the ocean blue! Although we did run into a rain squall today that blocked out the sun for all of 20 minutes. What to do, what to do! So just what is a typical day at sea like you ask? Well, here is what we did today:

We woke up around 6am to a gentle rocking of the boat. Our breakfast arrived at 6:30 on the dot as we had requested (yes, we do room service, it’s FREE, why not?). After eating and getting dressed, I met up with some folks for the 7:30am morning walk-a-mile club. This is held on Deck 7 the Lower Promenade. I actually did 1.5 but what can I say, I was energized. Sharon went to the 8am Aerobics class on Deck 8.

At 8:30 we met up for the morning Tai Chi and Qigong class on Deck 8. That lasted an hour and from there we went to the Sport of Call Activity, 5 pin bowling. The Sport of Call Activity happens several times a day, and each time you participate you get a “Dam” dollar. At the end of the cruise you can use your “Dam” dollars to purchase “Dam” stuff.

At 10:30 it was Strike Zone Pitch on Deck 12, the Sport Deck. Time for lunch on Deck 11, then back to our room for a few minutes on Deck 6. At 1:30 we were back on Deck 12 for the bean bag toss, then at 2:30 it was the putting green for closest to the pin on Deck 12.

At 3:30 Sharon went to a watercolor class on Deck 11 while I personally goofed off for a while. At 4:30 it was back to Deck 7 for the Shufflequoits (tossing rings onto a shuffleboard scoring diagram). When that was over it was back down to Deck 6 to get ready for dinner, back on Deck 7. Then it was up to Deck 8 for the Battle of the Sexes game followed by the evenings entertainment.

Have you been counting? Remember when I said we were not using any elevators onboard but walking stairs?

Tomorrow is a big day, we turn our clocks ahead one hour (at NOON for heavens sake), but I guess that is when we enter the new time zone. Then tomorrow night is our second formal night and the “Green and White” ball in celebration of St Patricks day.

So little time and so much to do. Just what is a person supposed to do???

Until tomorrow, Cheers and happy St Patricks day!!

St Lucia

Blue skies, blue sea, sunny day . . . . oh, I have already used that opening. Welcome to St. Lucia, one of the Southern most islands of the Caribbean. According to the tourist guides, it’s very popular as both a family holiday destination and a romantic paradise for honeymooners.

I am here to tell you that that may be true if you are staying at Sandals, or one of the other major resort areas on the island. But, you don’t really get to see what the island is really like there. You need to do what we did, and that’s walk into Castries from the ships dock.

We were there on a Sunday so naturally everything was closed. It’s about a 30-40 minute walk around the harbor from the ship to get into city center. I will say that the people of the island we extremely friendly. Virtually everyone we passed on our walk greeted us very politely and asked if we were enjoying the day. To be honest that was somewhat surprising as we had never encountered people quite so friendly before on the islands.

The town itself while not really dirty per se, felt grungy and rundown. Even the government buildings were not in the best of shape. It was quite obvious that while the tourist dollar is very important to the island, it’s not getting down to the local people. We both felt quite sad and while we are not shoppers, almost wished that the stores were open as we probably would have bought something just to put a few dollars into the economy where it was actually needed.

Right at the dock where the cruise ship docks is a duty free zone with several shops. These are primarily the usual gang of diamond dealers, watch dealers, and general jewelry that even at duty free shops is well above anything that I am willing to pay for. But, hidden around in several locations there are little kiosks selling the local Piton lager for $3 US for two bottles. At 5% alcohol content it was a pretty decent tasting beer. So we put our money into the local economy there by sitting under an umbrella and quaffing a couple.

We are now on the NE heading sailing towards the Canary Islands. The next few days are at sea so my posts will try and provide a little more detail into the life aboard the Prinsendam.

Until tomorrow, Cheers!

First Port

Clear blue skies, temperature in the mid 70’s, a deep blue ocean, yachts anchored nearby some of which are big even when seen from the Prinsendam, we must be in the land of the rich and famous, Gustavia, St. Barthelemy.

Gustavia is one of the most chic, civilized, and least known parts of France. It is known as the twentieth-century playground of the rich, with its Lilliputian harbor and red-foof bungalows. Nothing is cheap here. A cheeseburger was 15 Euros in one restaurant, about $22.50 in US dollars. The harbor area can be walked in less than an hour end to end. All the famous named shops of Paris are here with prices to match.

After tendering ashore, we walked around the harbor to the Post Office and purchased a few stamps for our grandson who loves to collect them. Then back around in a slow walk just taking in the scenery. I was looking for a wine shop that I had read about, Le Cellier Du Gouverneur. It was supposed to be the place to buy wine here, and with reasonable prices.

What a delightful find. While rather small, the selection was primo. Yes, they had wine priced well above anything I would consider paying for a bottle, but after talking with the clerk and discussing my likes in wine, he pointed me to a bottle of Cote Sud, which is a combination of Syrah, Grenache Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon for only 5.40 Euros, or just over $7. I will try it later in the voyage and give you my opinion of it then.

We left Gustavia around 3pm and are headed South toward Castries, St. Lucia. You know, St. Lucia, that island that has been advertising around DC for the last month or so. We again have no tours planned and will wander around on our own and see what we will see. We have hopes that we can scare up some stamps from someplace. As it’s Sunday it’s doubtful that the post office will be open.

Until tomorrow, Cheers!!

Day 2 at Sea

Well here we are near the end of our second day at sea, and all is well with the world. sort of. The good news is that the Prinsendam is wonderful, the crew terrific, and the food excellent. And we have made a pack with each other that we will not use an elevator the entire cruise. Which means we are using the "STAIRS".

We are on deck 6, the main dining room is on deck 7, and the Lido (buffet line) is on deck 11. As we eat breakfast and lunch at the Lido, that means a climb of 100 steps to get there. Coming down is not so bad, but the climb up is interesting to say the least. But, we are determined and by the time these 50 days are past we should be able to run up them (well, maybe not run, but walk up without stopping anyway).

The toilet in or room is giving us and the poor plumbers a major problem. It seems it likes to fill up all on its own and then overflow onto the floor. But only at night. After midnight. We are on first name basis with the plumber. And the young lady at the front desk.

Sharon and I have pretty much decided that if it does it again, we are going to ask if there are any other rooms available.

Tonight was the first formal night. We didn't go as the tux I had pre-ordered and paid for never made it to the ship. And I didn't bring any thing that I could wear in it's place. But that's not really a big deal as the same meals are served in the Lido. just very disappointing.

I still haven't been able to get a picture to upload, and am going to try a couple of other things tomorrow while we are in Gustavia our first port of call.

The seas are still moderate, running 4-7 feet, the temperature is in the low 80's, the sun is shining, and all is good.

Cheers!

My friend Murphy seems to be cruising with me. I had every good intention of posting last night, but Murf insisted that my luggage not get delivered to our room until after dinner. By the time we got everything unpacked and put away, we were quite exhausted.

Yesterday went well. We left the hotel around 11:00 and found a delightful little restaurant for lunch. Then it was off to total beverage to pickup some wine for our stateroom. After dropping the car off and taking their shuttle to the pier, we were happily aboard and in our room by 1:30. We spent the afternoon walking around getting to know the ship. It’s much smaller than the other HAL ships we have sailed on, so that takes a little getting used to.

Today it is bright and sunny with smooth seas, with waves running 5-6 feet. For the open ocean it’s not bad at all. I'm afraid there are no pictures today as the internet connection is not great and it keeps cutting out of me when I try to upload. Maybe tomorrow I can get something loaded.

Tomorrow is another sea day and then Saturday we get to our first port.Hopefully I will have a couple of great pictures to share.

Until tomorrow, Cheers!

Everglades Eco-Tour

So today was an all day eco-tour of the Everglades. Let me say up front that if you are ever in Southern Florida and want to take a tour through the Everglades, look up ecosafari.com. While it seems a little pricey at $145 per person, it's an all day tour that includes an airboat ride, a nature walk, a pontoon boat ride through the 10,000 island area, and a wonderful lunch. Also, while you are riding in the van after pickup, they will stop along the way and point out various birds, gaters, and other interesting points. We highly recommend them.

So as our pickup time was 7:30 we were up and about around 5:45. Grabbing a quick breakfast and gathering our gear off we went. Our guide for the day was a young lady named Michelle who was very knowledgeable not only of the critters to be seen, but also of the history of the indian population that is found there. She was great at being able to spot animals along the side of the road as we moved along and pointing them out to us.

It was amazing to us the number of alligators found in the canals along the road. Various species of birds abounded including egrets, ibis, vultures, red-shoulder hawks, ospreys, and others.

Tomorrow is a slow day or repacking everything, making a stop by the local total wine shop for our onboard provisions, and then boarding the ship sometime in the early afternoon. We sail at 8pm and are very eagar to get going.

I hope that you enjoy the picture of just one of the many creatures that inhabit this delightful area of Florida.

Cheers!

Butterfly World and Flamingo Gardens

After crashing early last night, we found ourselves up and about around 6am so down to the fitness room and road bikes for 30 minutes. After that, we took advantage of the free breakfast at the hotel. We picked up ou rental car around 10am and headed off to Butterfly World. The azaelas are starting to bloom in the area, so the entranceway was really looking nice. One thing we hadn't anticipated was the bus loads of school children. Not that they were bad or anything, just a lot of them. We didn't see many new butterflies that we hadn't seen before so we primarily concentrated on the many variety of birds there. One of my favorites is the parrot above.

After spending a couple of hours there, we were off for Flamingo Gardens. They are a non-profit organization that takes in injured animals and raises them if they cannot be returned to the wild. While there certainly are flamingo's there, they also have several species fo hawks, a pair of bald eagles, a pair of golden eagles, several owls, and numerous other birds and creatures found around southern Florida.

Tomorrow is our all day eco-tour to the Everglades, and we have to be at the pickup point by 7:30am. It should be a very interesting day and we are really looking forward to it.

That's about it for now so until timorrow, Cheers!

Arrival

It's expensive to hire a service to take you from where we live into DC. The cheapest I could find was $140 one way. Way more than my poor pocketbook can afford. So we rented a car for each end of our trip. Total cost is under $100. So I saved myself about $180. Being a Saturday, the drive into DC was not bad, and we arrived at Union Station around 1pm and checked in. Because we purchased a roomette on the train, we were considered "first class" and had access to Club Accela there which we took full advantage of. It's much nicer and a lot more comfortable there.

When it was time to board, we were escorted out to the track and our train and to our room. Now, we knew it was going to be small, as I had researched them prior to booking. Lets just say that they are "cozy". Not bad mind you, but . . . .

They are very quiet however with the door closed, which was a plus, and all meals were provided free as part of the fare which after seeing the menu was a major plus. The two facing chairs were very comfortable and at night made into the lower bed, while a second bed is pulled down from the ceiling. It should be noted that at least one person riding in these MUST be fairly agile in order to get up into the upper bed. When the beds are made, there isn't much room at all between the bed and door, perhaps 24".

We are staying at the La Quinta Inn near the airport and today will be going to Butterfly World and Flamingo Gardens, then meeting some friends of ours for dinner. Will get a couple of pictures posted tonight.

Until then, cheers!