Wednesday, 24 May 2017
May 24 - Final Extra in Venice
Carol reminded me just now of a cute episode at the Bauer as we were leaving there. She went into the ladies room for a tinkle. The room had a small window overlooking the adjacent canal. As she was "finishing" a gondolier's head floated by across the window looking in, seeing everything before averting his eyes. She thinks she heard a voice say Mamma Mia or something to that effect. I think all the gondoliers know that window and look in every chance they get in case something interesting is happening. That's why that route is so popular. :^))
May 24 - Seventh Day in Venice - Shaking all Over
I asked Carol what she wanted to do on our last day in Venice (and our entire holiday come to think of it). She said lunch at the Bauer. I thought it a good idea so long as I could add a little twist like exploring a new route and getting lost on our way. It was easy to find a new route along windy, cool, picturesque narrow lanes with interesting shops and fewer people but try as I might, we could not get us lost. Guess we've been here long enough to have developed a tiny sense of direction no matter where we are.
The Bauer is magnificent. Pricey but worth every euro. We sat at our favourite table (for those of you thinking of going, you walk through the hotel to the patio bar and as you enter it, the table is at the far (canal) end on the right giving unobstructed views and entertainment galore).
We had the best lunch of our entire month there today. For starters we chose a selection of Venetian tapas called Cicchetti: cold cuts, cod purée on wafers and grilled veg with pine nuts in it, to die for. For those so inclined, like Annika, there are beautiful grilled veg dishes everywhere. The main was a Bauer signature pasta dish with shrimp, beautifully done, with a really good glass of wine. Dessert was tiramisu (what else!) and espresso. At the end, they brought out three tiny cupcakes with a dab of lemony cream on top "for the finish". OMG, put one of those babies in your mouth and it's like an explosion of flavour. We were pretty effusive with our compliments about the lunch so they brought out three more!
While we were eating we noticed a gondola parked against the opposite wall with the gondolier sound asleep across the benches. We thought that pretty funny so I took a picture. He slept for quite a while with all kinds of traffic passing by. Towards the end of our lunch Carol looked up and said "look at what he's doing. He's having a pee right into the canal. OMG, I think he's shaking it now". I looked up and sure enough there he was, standing in his boat, facing the wall and answering the call of nature as pretty as you please. He was too quick for me to get a picture but believe you me the sight will remain burned into our brains for quite a while! Didn't I say earlier that we had entertainment too? A great finale.
As a general summary of the past month, we may come home limping and looking like we've been hit by a bus but Carol and I totally agree that we really killed this trip. We'll probably write one more blog from home just to recount our return flight but for now, arividerci Italia!
The Bauer is magnificent. Pricey but worth every euro. We sat at our favourite table (for those of you thinking of going, you walk through the hotel to the patio bar and as you enter it, the table is at the far (canal) end on the right giving unobstructed views and entertainment galore).
We had the best lunch of our entire month there today. For starters we chose a selection of Venetian tapas called Cicchetti: cold cuts, cod purée on wafers and grilled veg with pine nuts in it, to die for. For those so inclined, like Annika, there are beautiful grilled veg dishes everywhere. The main was a Bauer signature pasta dish with shrimp, beautifully done, with a really good glass of wine. Dessert was tiramisu (what else!) and espresso. At the end, they brought out three tiny cupcakes with a dab of lemony cream on top "for the finish". OMG, put one of those babies in your mouth and it's like an explosion of flavour. We were pretty effusive with our compliments about the lunch so they brought out three more!
While we were eating we noticed a gondola parked against the opposite wall with the gondolier sound asleep across the benches. We thought that pretty funny so I took a picture. He slept for quite a while with all kinds of traffic passing by. Towards the end of our lunch Carol looked up and said "look at what he's doing. He's having a pee right into the canal. OMG, I think he's shaking it now". I looked up and sure enough there he was, standing in his boat, facing the wall and answering the call of nature as pretty as you please. He was too quick for me to get a picture but believe you me the sight will remain burned into our brains for quite a while! Didn't I say earlier that we had entertainment too? A great finale.
As a general summary of the past month, we may come home limping and looking like we've been hit by a bus but Carol and I totally agree that we really killed this trip. We'll probably write one more blog from home just to recount our return flight but for now, arividerci Italia!
Tuesday, 23 May 2017
May 23 - Sixth Day in Venice - It's All About Choices
We started our day with a fascinating visit to a Bucelatti goldsmiths exhibition at a museum in St. Mark's square. Carol knew of them (from mags) and really liked their stuff so this was a treat for her and I have to admit the stuff that family has been doing for three generations is incredible. Also it was in a fabulous palazzo which made the setting super too.
After, because we happened to be nearby, we had our tiramisu. Only this time we added a large salad so we could feel chuffed that we finally ate something healthy.
Next, out to the lagoon. We couldn't decide between Murano or Burano. Murano is glass and we had seen some stunning modern stuff here in shops already so it was tempting. Also, the trip there seemed easier. Burano is lace and neither one of us is into lace but...the island is supposed to be much prettier than Murano. Tough choice.
In the end we went to Murano. Wrong. It's just one factory (or as they call them, fornace) after another making exactly the same jewelry and chandeliers and vases as the next one. Not a creative modern, cheeky piece to be found. And the canals and buildings were drab to boot and hot. So it was a short visit. Not even the 40 minute vaporetto ride was interesting because after the first ten minutes the landscape was mostly industrial.
On our return, we decided to wander home a new way and by sheer accidental good luck stumbled on this fabulous ladies clothing shop (Carol was still looking for that top). The front showroom was normal and full of very interesting stuff alright but then the sales clerk wanted to show us the rest of the place because we were the only customers at the time and took us through an open courtyard into the back where there was this small, shaded, cool room almost hanging over a small canal. A large window with an oriental looking screen let us watch gondolas passing by without them being aware that we were literally inches away watching them. You never find such places by looking for them. They have a way of finding you.
On the final leg home we found Carol's "top" shop and a Bucelatti store we had been searching for since our last trip two years ago. All in all a successful day despite Murano. In the evening, once it cooled down a bit we explored parts of our 'hood that we haven't seen before and found two wonderful restaurants literally five minutes away. Oh well, next trip! Ciao.
After, because we happened to be nearby, we had our tiramisu. Only this time we added a large salad so we could feel chuffed that we finally ate something healthy.
Next, out to the lagoon. We couldn't decide between Murano or Burano. Murano is glass and we had seen some stunning modern stuff here in shops already so it was tempting. Also, the trip there seemed easier. Burano is lace and neither one of us is into lace but...the island is supposed to be much prettier than Murano. Tough choice.
In the end we went to Murano. Wrong. It's just one factory (or as they call them, fornace) after another making exactly the same jewelry and chandeliers and vases as the next one. Not a creative modern, cheeky piece to be found. And the canals and buildings were drab to boot and hot. So it was a short visit. Not even the 40 minute vaporetto ride was interesting because after the first ten minutes the landscape was mostly industrial.
On our return, we decided to wander home a new way and by sheer accidental good luck stumbled on this fabulous ladies clothing shop (Carol was still looking for that top). The front showroom was normal and full of very interesting stuff alright but then the sales clerk wanted to show us the rest of the place because we were the only customers at the time and took us through an open courtyard into the back where there was this small, shaded, cool room almost hanging over a small canal. A large window with an oriental looking screen let us watch gondolas passing by without them being aware that we were literally inches away watching them. You never find such places by looking for them. They have a way of finding you.
On the final leg home we found Carol's "top" shop and a Bucelatti store we had been searching for since our last trip two years ago. All in all a successful day despite Murano. In the evening, once it cooled down a bit we explored parts of our 'hood that we haven't seen before and found two wonderful restaurants literally five minutes away. Oh well, next trip! Ciao.
Monday, 22 May 2017
May 22 - Evening Extra!
At sunset this evening we decided to head to St. Mark's square just to get some air. The place is just phenomenal at night. Not busy but active. There are four orchestras at the four famous cafes ringing the square, each competing but not too strenuously for customers. People seem to wander back and forth from one to the other, depending on the music being played. The first one we came to was playing an Argentine tango and a couple were dancing, quite well, to the music. The next one was doing a waltz from Evita which I love so WE danced. Can any of you imagine me dancing in St. Mark's square in public? Carol for sure but me? It was great. We wandered over to the third one and danced some more and as we were swaying to the music, a rose peddler put a long stemmed red rose on Carol's arm and walked some 15 steps away before we noticed and looked up. Carol said I'd better give him something so he came back and I gave him 2euro. He said MORE! So I gave him another euro. HE SHOOK HIS HEAD! The little bugger. In the end I gave him all my change, another 80 cents or so and said that's all I have. Do you want your rose back? He frowned theatrically then smiled and left. I sent a separate video of Carol dancing to the strains of the Baccarole (?) from the Tales of Hoffmann.She impressed the hell out of me when she rattled off what that music was! The only reason we left was that we were beginning to attract mosquitoes. Nasty little critters.
Nighty night!
Nighty night!
May 22 - Fifth Day in Venice - The Day of All Days
Today was the most wonderful day, partly because most of what happened was unplanned. We left our apartment with just the sketch of an idea to try and see a grand palazzo from the inside and have a drink on the Grand Canal - side patio at the Bauer Hotel. First we went to the Rubelli fabrics showroom, a worldwide Italian fabrics conglomerate housed in the Palazzo Corner Spinelli (the grand palazzo connection). It was a recommended stop for the Biennale but it was a working showroom and they did prefer customers to gawking tourists. However, we were left alone to look at fabrics and admire the palazzo which was amazing and well worth the visit. It is located just across the Grand Canal from the entrance of the smaller canal which leads to the palazzo where Jenny's family will be staying in the summer. All of a sudden though, Carol was overcome by the heat of the day and had to sit. In an instant the two ladies working there came to ask if everything was ok, offering us water and cookies and staying with us until Carol felt better which took maybe 15 minutes. All the while we chatted about the weather, the friend of one of the ladies who had to go to Edmonton to find work and the Rubelli empire. They were really sweet and caring. When we left we noticed a few tables outside the five star Sina hotel next door and we decided on the spur of the moment to have an espresso there. What a lovely quiet spot to spend a half hour, watching the traffic moving up and down the Grand Canal. A bonus: no tourists. It was all ours.
Next we wandered off to the Bauer. It was so much better than we expected. You cannot get a better spot to view the entrance to the Grand Canal, period. It is a must do.
We had a glass of wine with lunch at a ring side table, enjoying all the passing gondolas, many with accompanying music. Tres romantique!
Finally, our obligatory tiramisu stop. Only I had a Guinness and three meatballs.
On the way home I deliberately got us lost again so that Carol could not find the store in which she had noticed a nice top during a previous walk through the area. :^)
Tomorrow, Murano and Burano. Ciao.
Next we wandered off to the Bauer. It was so much better than we expected. You cannot get a better spot to view the entrance to the Grand Canal, period. It is a must do.
We had a glass of wine with lunch at a ring side table, enjoying all the passing gondolas, many with accompanying music. Tres romantique!
Finally, our obligatory tiramisu stop. Only I had a Guinness and three meatballs.
On the way home I deliberately got us lost again so that Carol could not find the store in which she had noticed a nice top during a previous walk through the area. :^)
Tomorrow, Murano and Burano. Ciao.
Sunday, 21 May 2017
May 21 - Fourth Day in Venice - La Fenice
Today was La Fenice day. We had wanted to attend a performance there but decided to save the ticket fees of 240 euros and instead pay 14 euros (senior's rate!) to just go on a tour of the place. We were given handsets for a self guided audio tour, with instructions rattled off so fast we were both left baffled. As we walked around we could see everyone happily listening to commentary on their phones except us who were punching in random numbers and getting dead air. I think I heard Carol mumble something about stupid effing Canadian country bumpkins. Eventually we figured things out and were told about the restoration of the place after the disastrous fire of 1996.
The place is fabulous. It's well worth seeing because there are so few ornate theatres like it around the world. This one is special because of its' painstaking restoration to its' former glory. It's hard to imagine how they were able to bring it back at all. If you didn't know about the fire, you would just think wow what a gorgeous place to have been built so long ago and let it go at that but it's all only thirteen years old.
After that we walked to the next little piazza and fell into a cute little restaurant in the wall and found risotto with scampi on the menu! It is a Venetian specialty almost impossible to find so we were tickled pink and it was absolutely scrumptious. While they were making it (about 25 minutes), we enjoyed a plate of bruschetta trying to guess what delicious spice we were tasting in it.
After that, an easy stroll to the area just east of St. Mark's where all of the fancy shops were and where we finally found the Bauer Hotel which we had been looking for, for two trips now. The view of the beginning of the Grand Canal, from the patio bar was stunning.
Finally our daily ritual tiramisu and coffee at our favourite place. We are now recognized there and given any available table we want and treated really well. It's like home.
We are having an early night at home tonite cause we walked ourselves silly today without realizing it and need to rest up for new adventures tomorrow. Ciao.
The place is fabulous. It's well worth seeing because there are so few ornate theatres like it around the world. This one is special because of its' painstaking restoration to its' former glory. It's hard to imagine how they were able to bring it back at all. If you didn't know about the fire, you would just think wow what a gorgeous place to have been built so long ago and let it go at that but it's all only thirteen years old.
After that we walked to the next little piazza and fell into a cute little restaurant in the wall and found risotto with scampi on the menu! It is a Venetian specialty almost impossible to find so we were tickled pink and it was absolutely scrumptious. While they were making it (about 25 minutes), we enjoyed a plate of bruschetta trying to guess what delicious spice we were tasting in it.
After that, an easy stroll to the area just east of St. Mark's where all of the fancy shops were and where we finally found the Bauer Hotel which we had been looking for, for two trips now. The view of the beginning of the Grand Canal, from the patio bar was stunning.
Finally our daily ritual tiramisu and coffee at our favourite place. We are now recognized there and given any available table we want and treated really well. It's like home.
We are having an early night at home tonite cause we walked ourselves silly today without realizing it and need to rest up for new adventures tomorrow. Ciao.
Saturday, 20 May 2017
May 20 - Third Day in Venice - Flying Bows
I couldn't decide between the sub-title I chose and this one: "the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain but in Venice it falls on your head". I'll let you decide, after reading today's blog, which one is more suitable.
Today started slowly. We were supposed to rest until the concert tonite so only went out when we got hungry and only went to the Marco Polo restaurant which is directly beneath our apartment. So far , so good. After we finished lunch, Carol said she needed tiramisu from our favourite tiramisu Cafe across town so off we trudged. We got there and had a good natured disagreement with the waiter about where to sit. He wanting us to sit at a table for two and us wanting to sit at one for four. It wasn't busy so we didn't see the harm in it. In the end another staffer said to our waiter to let it go cause we had been there yesterday and had complimented them on their tiramisu. While we were enjoying ourselves it started pouring outside and continued to do so. Carol didn't want to get wet (and have to get ready all over again for tonight) so had me run up the street and buy an umbrella, the second one so far on this trip. We got home ok but I got soaked cause the umbrella was too small for two. Interesting things, umbrellas, in Venice. If you imagine walking one way along a lane not quite wide enough for two, holding an umbrella and facing an endless stream of umbrellas heading your way, you might appreciate that collisions will happen and umbrellas will become intertwined occasionally. I lost Carol a couple of times because she was busy untangling herself from complete strangers.
On another note (great segue, eh?) the concert was fabulous. It was in a small chapel just off St. Mark's square. The group was the San Marco Chamber Orchestra, seven strong. Four violins, a cello, a bass and a harpsicord. They played Vivaldi's Four Seasons, a couple more Vivaldi pieces and one by Bach. We didn't want it to end. As we were leaving, I invited them to Vancouver on behalf of EMV! The weather was fresh and cool. We didn't want to go straight home so we stopped at a nice local bar and had a snack with wine. We dallied and eventually noticed we were the only ones in the place (it was packed when we entered) and asked when they closed. The waiter replied in a rather strained voice "now". We got the hint, paid, and went home.
It was a great day. We didn't get lost once. Must be getting used to the place. Ciao.
Today started slowly. We were supposed to rest until the concert tonite so only went out when we got hungry and only went to the Marco Polo restaurant which is directly beneath our apartment. So far , so good. After we finished lunch, Carol said she needed tiramisu from our favourite tiramisu Cafe across town so off we trudged. We got there and had a good natured disagreement with the waiter about where to sit. He wanting us to sit at a table for two and us wanting to sit at one for four. It wasn't busy so we didn't see the harm in it. In the end another staffer said to our waiter to let it go cause we had been there yesterday and had complimented them on their tiramisu. While we were enjoying ourselves it started pouring outside and continued to do so. Carol didn't want to get wet (and have to get ready all over again for tonight) so had me run up the street and buy an umbrella, the second one so far on this trip. We got home ok but I got soaked cause the umbrella was too small for two. Interesting things, umbrellas, in Venice. If you imagine walking one way along a lane not quite wide enough for two, holding an umbrella and facing an endless stream of umbrellas heading your way, you might appreciate that collisions will happen and umbrellas will become intertwined occasionally. I lost Carol a couple of times because she was busy untangling herself from complete strangers.
On another note (great segue, eh?) the concert was fabulous. It was in a small chapel just off St. Mark's square. The group was the San Marco Chamber Orchestra, seven strong. Four violins, a cello, a bass and a harpsicord. They played Vivaldi's Four Seasons, a couple more Vivaldi pieces and one by Bach. We didn't want it to end. As we were leaving, I invited them to Vancouver on behalf of EMV! The weather was fresh and cool. We didn't want to go straight home so we stopped at a nice local bar and had a snack with wine. We dallied and eventually noticed we were the only ones in the place (it was packed when we entered) and asked when they closed. The waiter replied in a rather strained voice "now". We got the hint, paid, and went home.
It was a great day. We didn't get lost once. Must be getting used to the place. Ciao.
Friday, 19 May 2017
May 19 - Second Day in Venice - Bitten to Death
Our morning outing was all business. Went to the tourist office. Got info on the Biennale, on La Fenice, on palaces open to the public, etc. Bought tickets to a Vivaldi concert for tomorrow night and then celebrated our efficiency with the best tiramisu and coffee in Venice. On the way home we stopped at a restaurant on a very busy street and had chicken breast and French fries. Meat! Home for a bit and out again, this time looking for coffee for Carol in the morning. Promptly got lost. Can't find Nescafe instant anywhere! We stopped at a Coop grocery for apples but the clerk wouldn't accept a bill we tried to pay with because it had a slightly torn corner. We hate Italians. We managed to find our way home and have a frustrated nap. Around five thirty headed out again, looking for the apartment Carol's daughters family has booked here in July. Found it. It is truly grand. Wow. Jealous!!! Had dinner at a tiny hidden restaurant nearby which is on the culinary tour of Venice. Three tables outside, four inside down this narrow dead end lane. A guy playing a clarinet nearby, the sounds echoing all around. Absolutely fantastic. Carol showed the waitress all of her mosquito bites and she got out a spray and also Gave us the name of a cream with cortisone in it to apply on the bites which really had swollen up. Poor Carol. The staff there were really sweet. We love Italy, we love Italians. Walked 12000 steps today. Ciao.
Thursday, 18 May 2017
May 18 - First Full Day in Venice - Nazi Pizza in a Piazza
We were really tired today. I mean cranky tired. We had nothing planned. We decided to leave it that way. And yet we went out anyway in the midday sun. Down to St. Mark's square and around to our favourite tiramisu Cafe where we decided not to go in because we didn't want sweet just then. So instead we went on to the next piazza and had pizza at a nondescript restaurant run by a nazi pizza guy just like on Seinfeld. Then back home for a nap. We needed that and apparently benefitted cause after that we were able to walk to the Rialto Bridge area for dinner and then explore the area around the fish market and a bit of San Polo. Nice areas. On the way home we got lost twice but that's what one is supposed to do here. We bought a cd from a guitar playing busker playing the adagio from Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo. Beautiful. We saw a flyer for a Vivaldi concert series which we will probably go to on Saturday night and checked out how to get to the airport on the 25th at 0730! It looks like a water taxi is the best bet even though it costs 110 euros. That's all folks. Ciao!
Wednesday, 17 May 2017
May 17 - In transit to Venice - We love Italy, We love Italians
We hate Italy, we hate Italians. It's a long story.
We were sad to leave SML. The farther away we got from it, the better it seemed. when we got to Milan, SML seemed heavenly. We had two hours, in theory, to scoot down to the Duomo and the fancy shops. By the time we checked our luggage at the station and sat through an interminable traffic jam on the way in the taxi, we had about one hour. The first stop was the loo which was on the fourth floor of this arcade. that took 15 minutes so we are now down to 45. A "quick" bite took another 15 so we had about 30 left. We zoomed around the Emmanuel II arcade but made sure Carol squashed the bull's balls in the centre. I think that gave her some kind of strange satisfaction.
Back to the station and the train. We got to our seats and found a man sitting in mine. He wanted to stay and was suggesting in a very smarmy way that we could sit elsewhere. Well, we were so hot and tired that Carol exploded and said "get out of our seat now!!!!" He dragged his heels so Carol added
"You're taking your bloody time!! Get out!!"
By this time he could see he wasn't going to win so he moved to his real seat which was next to Carol so for the rest of the trip they were playing elbow war, each claiming the arm rest between them whenever they could. He was a real piece of work. Actually the first nasty Italian we had run across on our trip so far.
Ahhh, then there was our arrival in Venice. We were supposed to call the office here to let them know we had arrived (late). No one answered. We got our vaporetto tickets and were told to go 100 metres to the left to catch our boat. There they told us to go 100 metres back to where we came from to catch our boat. Then we were told to go back to the first wharf which was 100 metres to the left. Just imagine us pulling 100 lbs of suitcases back and forth all this time. Ridiculous. So Carol exploded again and we eventually got to the right wharf and made it to our agreed meeting point. Thank God she was still there waiting.
Our apartment seems ok. We will explore it in more detail tomorrow. We had a nice meal right next door which calmed us down, Carol so much that we barely got home before she crashed. The restaurant crew were great, very nice and helpful. We love Italy, we love Italians. Ciao.
We were sad to leave SML. The farther away we got from it, the better it seemed. when we got to Milan, SML seemed heavenly. We had two hours, in theory, to scoot down to the Duomo and the fancy shops. By the time we checked our luggage at the station and sat through an interminable traffic jam on the way in the taxi, we had about one hour. The first stop was the loo which was on the fourth floor of this arcade. that took 15 minutes so we are now down to 45. A "quick" bite took another 15 so we had about 30 left. We zoomed around the Emmanuel II arcade but made sure Carol squashed the bull's balls in the centre. I think that gave her some kind of strange satisfaction.
Back to the station and the train. We got to our seats and found a man sitting in mine. He wanted to stay and was suggesting in a very smarmy way that we could sit elsewhere. Well, we were so hot and tired that Carol exploded and said "get out of our seat now!!!!" He dragged his heels so Carol added
"You're taking your bloody time!! Get out!!"
By this time he could see he wasn't going to win so he moved to his real seat which was next to Carol so for the rest of the trip they were playing elbow war, each claiming the arm rest between them whenever they could. He was a real piece of work. Actually the first nasty Italian we had run across on our trip so far.
Ahhh, then there was our arrival in Venice. We were supposed to call the office here to let them know we had arrived (late). No one answered. We got our vaporetto tickets and were told to go 100 metres to the left to catch our boat. There they told us to go 100 metres back to where we came from to catch our boat. Then we were told to go back to the first wharf which was 100 metres to the left. Just imagine us pulling 100 lbs of suitcases back and forth all this time. Ridiculous. So Carol exploded again and we eventually got to the right wharf and made it to our agreed meeting point. Thank God she was still there waiting.
Our apartment seems ok. We will explore it in more detail tomorrow. We had a nice meal right next door which calmed us down, Carol so much that we barely got home before she crashed. The restaurant crew were great, very nice and helpful. We love Italy, we love Italians. Ciao.
Tuesday, 16 May 2017
May 16 - Sixth Day in SML - Some like it Hot
We don't. It was around 28 Celsius today. Still. Muggy. Bletch.
Good thing we didn't have anything strenuous planned for our last day. A lazy morning followed by lunch at the four star with the amazing view. The walk there nearly did us in. Totally in the mid-day sun and uphill. To top it off, the restaurant with the view was closed!!!
However, they did have an option which was right at water level and almost as good but hot because it was outside. It certainly had that Mediterranean feel. The only problem was about 100 stairs down and then back up (with a full stomach).
We had a typical Ligurian fish fry. Bass, Swordfish, turbot, scampi with grilled veg and local wine.
The walk back was brutal requiring a two hour nap to recuperate.
In the evening we went for a goodbye stroll, organized a taxi for tomorrow and finished off with a gelato around the corner from our apartment.
Good thing we didn't have anything strenuous planned for our last day. A lazy morning followed by lunch at the four star with the amazing view. The walk there nearly did us in. Totally in the mid-day sun and uphill. To top it off, the restaurant with the view was closed!!!
However, they did have an option which was right at water level and almost as good but hot because it was outside. It certainly had that Mediterranean feel. The only problem was about 100 stairs down and then back up (with a full stomach).
We had a typical Ligurian fish fry. Bass, Swordfish, turbot, scampi with grilled veg and local wine.
The walk back was brutal requiring a two hour nap to recuperate.
In the evening we went for a goodbye stroll, organized a taxi for tomorrow and finished off with a gelato around the corner from our apartment.
Monday, 15 May 2017
May 15 - Fifth Day in SML - M.T.E. Strikes again
"Ha Ha Ha", he chortled. "I've really outdone myself this time. I've managed to confuse even an intelligent young local AND get him to put some loathsome tourists on the wrong train. I'm going to be famous. I'll be promoted to COO in no time. I'd better call my wife and tell her to go shopping for some new dresses for when we go to dinner with the president."
The minor Trenitalia employee had struck again! He managed to make even a local look like a fool. We had asked this nice young man with a delicious Italian accent which train to catch for the next Cinque Terra town (Manarola) and he had said the same one he was getting on. Imagine his shock as Manarola went whizzing by at 100 kilometres per hour. At that point we asked ourselves where is this train going then? As luck would have it, we just went straight back to SML.
Our plan was to go to Riomaggiore, the town farthest away and then to Manarola before returning home. That would have made our Cinque Terre exploration complete but alas, it was not to be. We did however see Riomaggiore today which was as spectacular as Vernazza but in a completely different way. Its' harbour was much smaller. Its' buildings were stacked even more vertically on top of each other, something which seems impossible as you look at them, and it had an "upper town" above the train tracks, which Vernazza did not. According to Rick Steves, we have seen two out of three of the prettiest towns here so not too bad.
After we got home we had our standard 90 minute nap and then out to hunt for sandals for Carol. No luck. No luck either trying to phone the TD bank at a public phone or using my phone BUT when we chose a restaurant for dinner we asked the server if she could help and like all true Italians, she got others involved and soon everyone was trying so hard to get that call through. No luck until an old cell phone was found in the restaurant which finally got me through. It turns out that there are two limits on debit card withdrawals: a daily limit which I knew about and did not exceed AND a weekly limit which I had reached. That's why I could not get any more money out. The bank adjusted both limits so I am now good to go and do not have to go begging on the streets.
In the meantime we had the best meal so far on our trip in that restaurant. Three pieces of ravioli stuffed with cheese for starters, slow cooked salmon and grilled veg, for the mains, a nice wine, and panna cotta with salted caramel for dessert. Espresso and limoncello to finish. Super yummy. Ciao!
The minor Trenitalia employee had struck again! He managed to make even a local look like a fool. We had asked this nice young man with a delicious Italian accent which train to catch for the next Cinque Terra town (Manarola) and he had said the same one he was getting on. Imagine his shock as Manarola went whizzing by at 100 kilometres per hour. At that point we asked ourselves where is this train going then? As luck would have it, we just went straight back to SML.
Our plan was to go to Riomaggiore, the town farthest away and then to Manarola before returning home. That would have made our Cinque Terre exploration complete but alas, it was not to be. We did however see Riomaggiore today which was as spectacular as Vernazza but in a completely different way. Its' harbour was much smaller. Its' buildings were stacked even more vertically on top of each other, something which seems impossible as you look at them, and it had an "upper town" above the train tracks, which Vernazza did not. According to Rick Steves, we have seen two out of three of the prettiest towns here so not too bad.
After we got home we had our standard 90 minute nap and then out to hunt for sandals for Carol. No luck. No luck either trying to phone the TD bank at a public phone or using my phone BUT when we chose a restaurant for dinner we asked the server if she could help and like all true Italians, she got others involved and soon everyone was trying so hard to get that call through. No luck until an old cell phone was found in the restaurant which finally got me through. It turns out that there are two limits on debit card withdrawals: a daily limit which I knew about and did not exceed AND a weekly limit which I had reached. That's why I could not get any more money out. The bank adjusted both limits so I am now good to go and do not have to go begging on the streets.
In the meantime we had the best meal so far on our trip in that restaurant. Three pieces of ravioli stuffed with cheese for starters, slow cooked salmon and grilled veg, for the mains, a nice wine, and panna cotta with salted caramel for dessert. Espresso and limoncello to finish. Super yummy. Ciao!
Sunday, 14 May 2017
May 14 - Fourth Day in SML - Amalfi Coast Redux
Today was Portofino day. We went by bus and the road from SML to there is just like the road down the Amalfi coast. Narrow, windy, often one way at tight bends. Cars having to back up when we came along cause there just isn't enough road width to accommodate both sometimes. The only difference was that here we weren't too far above the water. Also, the bus was full to the gunwales, standing room only, everyone swaying to the rhythm of the bus. It was fun but we were glad it only lasted 20 minutes.
Portofino is another magical place. Much smaller than Vernazza and way more upscale but the same beautiful Italian coastal village feel. Two years ago we were here for two hours, today five and we believe we saw it well. Lunch was on the edge of the harbour, a mix of local fried fish, grilled veg and potatoes. Very tasty and healthy. Some bigwigs were in town having come in on their multi million dollar yachts which were parked right there. Very posh.
We returned to SML by ferry, a neat alternative to the bus cause you see all of the coast from the water and quicker too, only fifteen minutes.
Back in SML we ran into a couple from NYC (an apartment on Fifth Ave no less) who were here for a month and were thinking of renting a place here for a year, using it three or four times and then letting their friends use it when they weren't there. We signed up to be their friends right away!
The weather tonight is very pleasant but just chilly enough that we can't sit out on our balcony for too long. We'll bundle up and go for a stroll in our 'hood soon and tomorrow we have to call TD bank back home cause we can't seem to withdraw any money from the ATM's any more. Weird. Ciao!
Portofino is another magical place. Much smaller than Vernazza and way more upscale but the same beautiful Italian coastal village feel. Two years ago we were here for two hours, today five and we believe we saw it well. Lunch was on the edge of the harbour, a mix of local fried fish, grilled veg and potatoes. Very tasty and healthy. Some bigwigs were in town having come in on their multi million dollar yachts which were parked right there. Very posh.
We returned to SML by ferry, a neat alternative to the bus cause you see all of the coast from the water and quicker too, only fifteen minutes.
Back in SML we ran into a couple from NYC (an apartment on Fifth Ave no less) who were here for a month and were thinking of renting a place here for a year, using it three or four times and then letting their friends use it when they weren't there. We signed up to be their friends right away!
The weather tonight is very pleasant but just chilly enough that we can't sit out on our balcony for too long. We'll bundle up and go for a stroll in our 'hood soon and tomorrow we have to call TD bank back home cause we can't seem to withdraw any money from the ATM's any more. Weird. Ciao!
Saturday, 13 May 2017
May 13 - Third Day in SML - 34 Ferraris
Last night we went for a walk to the harbour to see the time for the boat to Cinque Terre. 0830. Forget it. We're going by train. Every half hour and free because of our Eurail pass. Then we thought, why don't we walk over to the only 5 star hotel hereabouts and check out their lobby. Well, apart from splendid and fabulous, it turns out that a Ferrari owner's touring group is stopping here and staying there. There were 34 of the most beautiful cars on the planet in the parking lot all lined up in a row. That ostentatious display of wealth put Monte Carlo to shame. A sight we'll never experience again. Once I ran out of drool, Carol took me to the next hotel, only a 4 star, with the most amazing view over SML. We took a card so we can call for reservations because we knew we had to go there for dinner before we leave. The best part was the meals seemed reasonably priced for this area. Entrees in the 30 - 35 euro range. We'll report on that when it happens.
I'm a minor Trenitalia employee. I'm straight out of train school and I'm in charge of developing train schedules for local lines. Sort of "training" on the fly. My schedules are wondrously unintelligible and change on a whim. Local employees are told not to tell passengers anything and to only answer direct questions and do so with a sullen glare. Trains are purposely left unidentifiable so that only locals know what has just come in and where it is going next. I'm confident my brilliant ideas will soon get me promoted to COO so I can do this to the inter city lines.
That sort of describes how we got to Vernazza. A trip that should have taken 45 minutes on one train took us two hours on two trains with a one hour layover in god knows where munching on a dried panini.
I feel better now.
Vernazza is beyond amazing. We have never seen anything like it before. the way it is tucked into this tiny fold in the hillside with houses of all colours growing organically and higgledy piggledy out of the rock, leaning against each other and intertwined in all directions, all of it guiding visitors to a magnificent small piazza right at the water's edge. The water thrusts against the breakwater in the harbour and soaks all of the unwary. In the middle of all this we found a great little restaurant and had a Vernazzan specialty, layers of scalloped potatoes, anchovies, tomatoes all cooked together with parsley, basil and rosemary and olive oil of course. Absolutely scrumptious. Profiteroles and espresso finished off a perfect lunch.
The trip home was uneventful because we had learned by this time to ask fellow travellers who gladly put us on the right train. 40 minutes, boom, we were home, completely exhausted but smiling.
I'm a minor Trenitalia employee. I'm straight out of train school and I'm in charge of developing train schedules for local lines. Sort of "training" on the fly. My schedules are wondrously unintelligible and change on a whim. Local employees are told not to tell passengers anything and to only answer direct questions and do so with a sullen glare. Trains are purposely left unidentifiable so that only locals know what has just come in and where it is going next. I'm confident my brilliant ideas will soon get me promoted to COO so I can do this to the inter city lines.
That sort of describes how we got to Vernazza. A trip that should have taken 45 minutes on one train took us two hours on two trains with a one hour layover in god knows where munching on a dried panini.
I feel better now.
Vernazza is beyond amazing. We have never seen anything like it before. the way it is tucked into this tiny fold in the hillside with houses of all colours growing organically and higgledy piggledy out of the rock, leaning against each other and intertwined in all directions, all of it guiding visitors to a magnificent small piazza right at the water's edge. The water thrusts against the breakwater in the harbour and soaks all of the unwary. In the middle of all this we found a great little restaurant and had a Vernazzan specialty, layers of scalloped potatoes, anchovies, tomatoes all cooked together with parsley, basil and rosemary and olive oil of course. Absolutely scrumptious. Profiteroles and espresso finished off a perfect lunch.
The trip home was uneventful because we had learned by this time to ask fellow travellers who gladly put us on the right train. 40 minutes, boom, we were home, completely exhausted but smiling.
Friday, 12 May 2017
May 12 - Second Day in Sta. M.L. - Twisted Bodies
The nights are getting better. Either our bodies are learning to conform to the foam beds or the drugs Carol is taking (antihistamine, Motrin, milk of magnesia) numbs her body enough that it doesn't care any more, but we are getting the sleep we need. It's weird but Carol's allergies are kicking up a storm (that's the reason we had to get an antihistamine from the drugstore). There must be something exotic floating around here that she's breathing in.
Anyway, we just finished breakfast on our balcony. I got americanos and the best croissants we've ever tasted from the local cafe/bakery. The lady there is sweet. She remembers me and can rattle off our order as soon as I walk in the door. I'm writing this on the balcony now while Carol is showering, etc. The day looks promising. Partly cloudy, nice breeze, not hot at all. I can see breakers on the waves out to sea (the Ligurian sea). Eat your hearts out back in Vancouver!
We went for a walk up a local hill to a place called Villa Durazzo, a palace overlooking Sta. M.L. Which has great views and a phenomenal garden. We could see our own balcony through the trees once we got there. After a good look around we headed back down via the seaside promenade and found this great restaurant nestled against the hillside looking out at the water. Had breaded veal cutlet, fries, wine, grilled veg and espresso. We sat at an exposed table and half way through the meal it started raining so a mad dash undercover to continue the meal with everyone carrying plates of food and glasses of wine. Our waiter reminded us of a character out of Seinfeld. Equal parts efficiency, inefficiency and fun. We got along great until we asked for some milk for our espressos. One does not do that in Italy. Alas, the budding relationship was FINITO.
If the weather cooperates, it's off to a Super Cinque Terre tour by boat tomorrow.
Anyway, we just finished breakfast on our balcony. I got americanos and the best croissants we've ever tasted from the local cafe/bakery. The lady there is sweet. She remembers me and can rattle off our order as soon as I walk in the door. I'm writing this on the balcony now while Carol is showering, etc. The day looks promising. Partly cloudy, nice breeze, not hot at all. I can see breakers on the waves out to sea (the Ligurian sea). Eat your hearts out back in Vancouver!
We went for a walk up a local hill to a place called Villa Durazzo, a palace overlooking Sta. M.L. Which has great views and a phenomenal garden. We could see our own balcony through the trees once we got there. After a good look around we headed back down via the seaside promenade and found this great restaurant nestled against the hillside looking out at the water. Had breaded veal cutlet, fries, wine, grilled veg and espresso. We sat at an exposed table and half way through the meal it started raining so a mad dash undercover to continue the meal with everyone carrying plates of food and glasses of wine. Our waiter reminded us of a character out of Seinfeld. Equal parts efficiency, inefficiency and fun. We got along great until we asked for some milk for our espressos. One does not do that in Italy. Alas, the budding relationship was FINITO.
If the weather cooperates, it's off to a Super Cinque Terre tour by boat tomorrow.
Thursday, 11 May 2017
May 11 - First Day in Sta. M. L. - What a Night
The beds and pillows are made from this cheap latex foam. IMPOSSIBLE to get comfortable. We tossed and turned for hours but finally fell into a stupor cause we were so tired. No sooner had we done that than Carol sat bolt upright and said there's someone in the room. (Ghosts?). Talk about spine tingling! Of course there wasn't but we sure didn't get back to sleep for quite a while. Eventually morning came and despite everything we realized we couldn't afford to leave and find something better because the apartment fee was non-refundable by this time. So we decided our minimum needs in order to stay, were an electric kettle and two mugs for the mornings, which I went out and bought and a good Americano with pastries NOW to get our blood moving. Done and done. Next we took advantage of the washing machine and did three loads of laundry which we hung out to dry on the balcony just like the locals. I spent some time reading Rick Steves and found that our apartment is right in the centre of the action here. In fact, many of his recommendations for hotels, restaurants, shops, churches and walks are right around us. We are in Sta. M.L.'s main pedestrian zone, very reminiscent of my apartment in Nice Old Town when I was on my mystery trip. The apartment in fact has that same rundown neglected feel.
We had a nice outing this afternoon down to the waterfront which is closer that we thought. Yesterday we went there the long way. Today we stumbled on a shortcut which means the beach is just around the corner, literally. Sat on a bench warmed by the sun and watched the world go by (mostly German tourists). We also went to a local pizzeria recommended by Rick Steves. Probably on a par with Naples. Delicious. Our 'hood is really growing on us. Has a local feel. Some tourists sure but lots of friendly locals.
We had a nice outing this afternoon down to the waterfront which is closer that we thought. Yesterday we went there the long way. Today we stumbled on a shortcut which means the beach is just around the corner, literally. Sat on a bench warmed by the sun and watched the world go by (mostly German tourists). We also went to a local pizzeria recommended by Rick Steves. Probably on a par with Naples. Delicious. Our 'hood is really growing on us. Has a local feel. Some tourists sure but lots of friendly locals.
Wednesday, 10 May 2017
May 10 - Going to Santa Margherita
This morning we left Rome. Sad but ready for a less hectic pace. Getting to the station and onto our train was easy peasy. We had heard and read so much about crowds, pickpockets (the police arrest 100 a week) and porter scams that we were worried about having to confront something nasty but none of that was there. The trip was four and a half hours. Very smooth and comfortable. We snoozed and ate the cranky sisters goodies and snoozed and ate some more. A pleasant way to travel. The drive to the apartment was beautiful, along the Ligurian coast, just like two years ago when we passed through here on our way to Portofino.
The apartment is a curious mix. Great location and wonderful view from the balcony but weird in other ways: no mugs for coffee. Gotta buy our own tomorrow so Carol can have her morning cuppa. Also Carol is convinced her bed was never made up. No sheets. Just a comforter and shams. There are sheets in the cupboard so are we expected to make our own beds? Also tomorrow we are expected to scramble to get the money to pay for this place. No cards - only cash. Might have to do it over two, three days if the bank won't give it to me all in the same day. Maybe an email earlier on told us but I don't remember.
We had a nice dinner here though. Right at the harbour. Ravioli with shrimp and a side of grilled veg.
So all is not lost. More tomorrow as we learn to cope with this place. Ciao!
The apartment is a curious mix. Great location and wonderful view from the balcony but weird in other ways: no mugs for coffee. Gotta buy our own tomorrow so Carol can have her morning cuppa. Also Carol is convinced her bed was never made up. No sheets. Just a comforter and shams. There are sheets in the cupboard so are we expected to make our own beds? Also tomorrow we are expected to scramble to get the money to pay for this place. No cards - only cash. Might have to do it over two, three days if the bank won't give it to me all in the same day. Maybe an email earlier on told us but I don't remember.
We had a nice dinner here though. Right at the harbour. Ravioli with shrimp and a side of grilled veg.
So all is not lost. More tomorrow as we learn to cope with this place. Ciao!
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
May 9 - Sixth Day in Rome - Renewed Energy
Today was our last full day here. What to do? Well, if you remember day four when we were disappointed in Trastevere, we thought to give that quest another chance and go to where the Jewish Quarter really is. (As in, here it is on the map!).
Again, we seemed close to failure but Carol sensed we were really close because she recognized some of the scenes from the TV show. We walked around but were stumped until a very nice gentleman from Milan stopped to offer help. He knew the bakery! And we found it. Phew. As a bonus, he told us of a hole in the wall pizzeria around the corner which, according to him, had the best pizza in Rome. First to the bakery. We could have walked past it all day without noticing it because it had no name and was so small but we should have guessed by the crowds at the door and the aroma wafting out. And it was wonderful. And we bought too much. And we met the three cranky sisters. And we told them we had seen them on TV. And we got a picture with them. Perfect.
Next, to the pizzeria. The guy from Milan was right. Normally we wouldn't have been caught dead there. Just like a dive in the DTES but the pizza was like wow. We had a slice of mushroom, a slice of scalloped potato and a slice of smoked salmon. God they were good.
A taxi home and a nap followed by an evening of window shopping, seeing really great small Italian fashion shops that we wouldn't ever see in Vancouver and a final dinner at our favourite local restaurant. Champagne, wine, pasta, risotto, limoncello and espresso. Perfect. We said fond farewells to the waiters and barely found our way home, even though it was just around the corner. It's now 2130 and Carol is sound asleep. We're gonna need Santa Margherita tomorrow to relax and rebuild our bodies after this hectic week. it was definitely worth it but it's time for a holiday from our holiday!
Again, we seemed close to failure but Carol sensed we were really close because she recognized some of the scenes from the TV show. We walked around but were stumped until a very nice gentleman from Milan stopped to offer help. He knew the bakery! And we found it. Phew. As a bonus, he told us of a hole in the wall pizzeria around the corner which, according to him, had the best pizza in Rome. First to the bakery. We could have walked past it all day without noticing it because it had no name and was so small but we should have guessed by the crowds at the door and the aroma wafting out. And it was wonderful. And we bought too much. And we met the three cranky sisters. And we told them we had seen them on TV. And we got a picture with them. Perfect.
Next, to the pizzeria. The guy from Milan was right. Normally we wouldn't have been caught dead there. Just like a dive in the DTES but the pizza was like wow. We had a slice of mushroom, a slice of scalloped potato and a slice of smoked salmon. God they were good.
A taxi home and a nap followed by an evening of window shopping, seeing really great small Italian fashion shops that we wouldn't ever see in Vancouver and a final dinner at our favourite local restaurant. Champagne, wine, pasta, risotto, limoncello and espresso. Perfect. We said fond farewells to the waiters and barely found our way home, even though it was just around the corner. It's now 2130 and Carol is sound asleep. We're gonna need Santa Margherita tomorrow to relax and rebuild our bodies after this hectic week. it was definitely worth it but it's time for a holiday from our holiday!
Monday, 8 May 2017
May 8 - Fifth Day in Rome -
Today was St. Peter's day. Taxi to the square with a plan to walk around the front of the Basilica, take a few pics and call it a day. Plans have a habit of changing as we all know and quick as a wink, ours did too. As we got out of the cab we were met by this army of hawkers selling guided packages which claimed to avoid all of the line ups which at that moment were averaging about three and a half hours. Being the seasoned travelers that we are, we resisted all of them until we realized that we could not find the Tourist office Rick Steves recommends and were faced with a disappointing day. Just at that moment a very nice girl, working on her PhD in economics pounced and sold us a package which included the Vatican Museum, The Sistine Chapel and The Basilica, all guided by the best rated tour guide on Tripadvisor.
The guide was good, no doubt about it. She could talk for hours about every piece of art in the place and it often felt that way. Also, she didn't mention that 30 000 people a day are doing exactly what we wanted to do. That is walk for miles (literally) down narrow corridors and stairways trying to see the same works of art. As it was, we saw only one floor of the museum, thank god, before reaching the Sistine Chapel (after about two hours).
Call us heretics but the Chapel was underwhelming to us both. We can understand the effort put into it, the fact that Michaelangelo almost went blind painting it on his back and that it took two years and so on but I guess it's just not our cup of tea. The last stop was the Basilica which is ginormous and incredible and almost impossible to fathom and it was a bit like a breath of fresh air because it did not feel crowded and you could feel a breeze wafting through the space feeding us oxygen.
If we had to do it again, we would skip the first two parts and just go into the Basilica on a prepaid miss-the-line basis.
A taxi back to our 'hood and to our favourite restaurant for a seafood risotto and wine. By good fortune we sat next to a lovely couple from Houston and had a howling good time exchanging travel stories. Our dinner ended on a downpour. We got soaked and loved it.
The guide was good, no doubt about it. She could talk for hours about every piece of art in the place and it often felt that way. Also, she didn't mention that 30 000 people a day are doing exactly what we wanted to do. That is walk for miles (literally) down narrow corridors and stairways trying to see the same works of art. As it was, we saw only one floor of the museum, thank god, before reaching the Sistine Chapel (after about two hours).
Call us heretics but the Chapel was underwhelming to us both. We can understand the effort put into it, the fact that Michaelangelo almost went blind painting it on his back and that it took two years and so on but I guess it's just not our cup of tea. The last stop was the Basilica which is ginormous and incredible and almost impossible to fathom and it was a bit like a breath of fresh air because it did not feel crowded and you could feel a breeze wafting through the space feeding us oxygen.
If we had to do it again, we would skip the first two parts and just go into the Basilica on a prepaid miss-the-line basis.
A taxi back to our 'hood and to our favourite restaurant for a seafood risotto and wine. By good fortune we sat next to a lovely couple from Houston and had a howling good time exchanging travel stories. Our dinner ended on a downpour. We got soaked and loved it.
Sunday, 7 May 2017
May 7 - Extra! - Musical tables
This is an unprecedented extra issue. Never in the history of travel blogging has there been a need for a second blog for the same day but there is today.
After our nap we went for a stroll, window shopping with a grand finale in a new Zara shop nearby. Of course that made us hungry so we returned to our 'hood where we sorta know the restaurants. On one street just around the corner from our apartment there are three in a row so we sat down at the first one desperately wanting spaghetti and meatballs. they didn't have any so we moved to the next one where they were so busy they didn't have a table but brought one out for us from inside including chairs and just plunked it down at the end of a long row. As soon as we had sat down the couple at the next table down the row left so we moved over and the staff then took the table they had brought out for us back inside. Then the chief waiter thought he wanted a table available for four so he asked us to move another table down and he then brought the inside table back out in order to achieve that. Of course, in true Italian fashion, the next couple to come were seated there so the idea for having a table for four was totally ignored. All the while everyone in the restaurant was watching it unfold, holding their collective breaths and smiling. the good news is that we got the meatballs and ended up sitting next to this lovely couple from Wales on their honeymoon. We had a good long chat which made an unusual evening even better.
After our nap we went for a stroll, window shopping with a grand finale in a new Zara shop nearby. Of course that made us hungry so we returned to our 'hood where we sorta know the restaurants. On one street just around the corner from our apartment there are three in a row so we sat down at the first one desperately wanting spaghetti and meatballs. they didn't have any so we moved to the next one where they were so busy they didn't have a table but brought one out for us from inside including chairs and just plunked it down at the end of a long row. As soon as we had sat down the couple at the next table down the row left so we moved over and the staff then took the table they had brought out for us back inside. Then the chief waiter thought he wanted a table available for four so he asked us to move another table down and he then brought the inside table back out in order to achieve that. Of course, in true Italian fashion, the next couple to come were seated there so the idea for having a table for four was totally ignored. All the while everyone in the restaurant was watching it unfold, holding their collective breaths and smiling. the good news is that we got the meatballs and ended up sitting next to this lovely couple from Wales on their honeymoon. We had a good long chat which made an unusual evening even better.
Saturday, 6 May 2017
May 6 - Third Day in Rome - Thank God Cows Don't Fly
As we work our way through the week here, we are learning, day by day, how to handle Rome. Today's lesson learned is to use taxis judiciously and lavishly in equal measure. Judiciously in that there are neighbourhoods throughout the city where there are several key sights within easy walks from one to the other and lavishly in that these Neighbourhoods are often too far from each other to walk between them. So, pick a neighbourhood, take a taxi there, walk walk walk, take a taxi to another one (or back home) and continue. This saves a lot of shoe leather and time.
Today we chose the area dominated by the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. We have always wanted to see the Pantheon simply for what it is: a Roman engineering marvel continuously in use since the day it was completed in 86 AD to today. It was a structural feat not equalled anywhere until the Renaissance. When we got there, we saw right away that it is so much more. Entering the space takes your breath away. The scale of it, the majesty, the simplicity and the subdued colours of the various plaster and marble surfaces are magical. And the Oculus at the top of the dome lights the space perfectly. We just stood there with our mouths open going OMG. A highlight for sure.
While we were having lunch in the square outside the Pantheon, a bird dive bombed Carol hitting her head with a wing as it careened trough the cafe patio on its' way God knows where. Kamikaze all the way!
After that we headed to the Piazza Navona, a ten minute walk away. It was built as a race course by a Roman emperor (Chariots a la Ben Hur) and is now home to the fountain of the four winds. Huge long oval space with lovely buildings all around. The magic here though is found in all of the tiny winding streets leading out from the piazza. Just incredibly picturesque, photo ops every few feet in all directions and great gelato. One of our great finds was the magnificent hotel Raphael whose rooftop terrace view of St. Peter's is considered to be the most beautiful in the world.
Then taxi back home. As we stepped out of the car, we ran into this fabulous Grand Dame from San Diego who had just arrived in Rome two hours before from her 14 day cruise. She was hilariously funny, recounting her 30 years of cruising and quite unsure which way was up.
Today we chose the area dominated by the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. We have always wanted to see the Pantheon simply for what it is: a Roman engineering marvel continuously in use since the day it was completed in 86 AD to today. It was a structural feat not equalled anywhere until the Renaissance. When we got there, we saw right away that it is so much more. Entering the space takes your breath away. The scale of it, the majesty, the simplicity and the subdued colours of the various plaster and marble surfaces are magical. And the Oculus at the top of the dome lights the space perfectly. We just stood there with our mouths open going OMG. A highlight for sure.
While we were having lunch in the square outside the Pantheon, a bird dive bombed Carol hitting her head with a wing as it careened trough the cafe patio on its' way God knows where. Kamikaze all the way!
After that we headed to the Piazza Navona, a ten minute walk away. It was built as a race course by a Roman emperor (Chariots a la Ben Hur) and is now home to the fountain of the four winds. Huge long oval space with lovely buildings all around. The magic here though is found in all of the tiny winding streets leading out from the piazza. Just incredibly picturesque, photo ops every few feet in all directions and great gelato. One of our great finds was the magnificent hotel Raphael whose rooftop terrace view of St. Peter's is considered to be the most beautiful in the world.
Then taxi back home. As we stepped out of the car, we ran into this fabulous Grand Dame from San Diego who had just arrived in Rome two hours before from her 14 day cruise. She was hilariously funny, recounting her 30 years of cruising and quite unsure which way was up.
Friday, 5 May 2017
April 28 - Those Who Can Cannes Can can
Author's note: This blog is also a re creation of the lost original.
Our next shore excursion was Cannes. It was a walking tour starting right at the ship. First we walked around the harbour which seemed a little like a wanna be Monte Carlo harbour. Some mega yachts but not like there. Past the Film Festival theatre and a statue of the man who brought winter tourism to the French Riviera, Lord Brougham. As we understand, he was passing through wanting to go to Italy but couldn't get through the border for some reason and was forced to stay in Cannes which in his day was a one horse town. Well, he loved it and found out that it also cured his TB or some other loathsome illness. As soon as he went home he told others and soon Brits of all kinds were flocking there. Anyone can probably shoot all kinds of holes into that story but the general drift is there.
Carol loved the high end shops along the promenade, stopping to drool every few feet. Then we went a bit inland onto a pedestrian street where ordinary people hang out. It was a lot busier and more comfortable for commoners like us. We passed through the market, bought two kinds of cheese, ate it all and we both promptly came down with lactose intolerance just like Meg Ryan in French Kiss.
But we soldiered on to the Old Town which was the most interesting. Again, narrow winding streets and old buildings. We were led to a lookout up a long ramp and thousands of stairs but the effort was worth it. The view over Cannes was priceless. We came down a different way involving only thousands and thousands of steps, ending just at the promenade back to the ship.
Tonite we went to a show called "Burn the Floor" originally conceived by some of the folks who do DWTS. A dancing phenomenon full of high energy action and singing. Lots of fun.
Our next shore excursion was Cannes. It was a walking tour starting right at the ship. First we walked around the harbour which seemed a little like a wanna be Monte Carlo harbour. Some mega yachts but not like there. Past the Film Festival theatre and a statue of the man who brought winter tourism to the French Riviera, Lord Brougham. As we understand, he was passing through wanting to go to Italy but couldn't get through the border for some reason and was forced to stay in Cannes which in his day was a one horse town. Well, he loved it and found out that it also cured his TB or some other loathsome illness. As soon as he went home he told others and soon Brits of all kinds were flocking there. Anyone can probably shoot all kinds of holes into that story but the general drift is there.
Carol loved the high end shops along the promenade, stopping to drool every few feet. Then we went a bit inland onto a pedestrian street where ordinary people hang out. It was a lot busier and more comfortable for commoners like us. We passed through the market, bought two kinds of cheese, ate it all and we both promptly came down with lactose intolerance just like Meg Ryan in French Kiss.
But we soldiered on to the Old Town which was the most interesting. Again, narrow winding streets and old buildings. We were led to a lookout up a long ramp and thousands of stairs but the effort was worth it. The view over Cannes was priceless. We came down a different way involving only thousands and thousands of steps, ending just at the promenade back to the ship.
Tonite we went to a show called "Burn the Floor" originally conceived by some of the folks who do DWTS. A dancing phenomenon full of high energy action and singing. Lots of fun.
April 27 - Carol's Bad Day
Author's note: This is a re creation of the original post for this day which I tried to post on that day but lost it somehow in the ether. The original was funnier.
Today was our first shore excursion, to San Giminagno and an agriturismo for lunch. The bus ride to S.G. was long, about 90 minutes but really beautiful for the second half, through quintessential Tuscan hills along narrow, winding roads. About 15 minutes before arrival we started seeing bits of S.G. around bends and through the trees and knew we were in for something special. The town is sometimes called the Manhattan of Italy because of the towers and you can imagine what they must have looked like in their heyday when there were 70 of them. Now there are only 8 left but they are still imposing. Sunny piazzas linked by narrow and windy lanes with 4, 5, 6 storey old buildings lining both sides. Lovely shops, markets and restaurants all along. And the views whenever you get to an edge of the town or from the highest point are stunning.
We stopped for gelato at a recommended place and to our surprise, it had won the "best gelato in the world" competition in 2007 and 2008. Try to remember your most delicious gelato experience and double it. Yum.
Next, back in the bus and on to lunch. San Donato is a working agriturismo farm harvesting olives and making wines, located on a hilltop overlooking the Tuscan landscape. It was actually a very small village, four homes and a church, all purchased by an Italian farming family who expanded it over the years, buying land for the farming operation. We had a typical Tuscan farm lunch of sliced sausage, pasta, bread and salads with a sampling of their wines, white and red. For dessert we had a very potent sweet wine called "holy wine" into which we dipped biscotti.
Our dining room was up a flight of concrete stairs and as we were descending after lunch, Carol's ankle suddenly gave way about half way down and she fell. I shudder to think what might have happened if she hadn't had the presence of mind to grab the railing immediately. As it was she hung on for dear life, her body horizontal, her head pointing down the stairs until I caught up with her. She survived only to get outside and have a bird poop on her arm. I guess that means she's returning to Tuscany some day!
Today was our first shore excursion, to San Giminagno and an agriturismo for lunch. The bus ride to S.G. was long, about 90 minutes but really beautiful for the second half, through quintessential Tuscan hills along narrow, winding roads. About 15 minutes before arrival we started seeing bits of S.G. around bends and through the trees and knew we were in for something special. The town is sometimes called the Manhattan of Italy because of the towers and you can imagine what they must have looked like in their heyday when there were 70 of them. Now there are only 8 left but they are still imposing. Sunny piazzas linked by narrow and windy lanes with 4, 5, 6 storey old buildings lining both sides. Lovely shops, markets and restaurants all along. And the views whenever you get to an edge of the town or from the highest point are stunning.
We stopped for gelato at a recommended place and to our surprise, it had won the "best gelato in the world" competition in 2007 and 2008. Try to remember your most delicious gelato experience and double it. Yum.
Next, back in the bus and on to lunch. San Donato is a working agriturismo farm harvesting olives and making wines, located on a hilltop overlooking the Tuscan landscape. It was actually a very small village, four homes and a church, all purchased by an Italian farming family who expanded it over the years, buying land for the farming operation. We had a typical Tuscan farm lunch of sliced sausage, pasta, bread and salads with a sampling of their wines, white and red. For dessert we had a very potent sweet wine called "holy wine" into which we dipped biscotti.
Our dining room was up a flight of concrete stairs and as we were descending after lunch, Carol's ankle suddenly gave way about half way down and she fell. I shudder to think what might have happened if she hadn't had the presence of mind to grab the railing immediately. As it was she hung on for dear life, her body horizontal, her head pointing down the stairs until I caught up with her. She survived only to get outside and have a bird poop on her arm. I guess that means she's returning to Tuscany some day!
May 5 - Second Day Rome
We needed a sleep in so didn't get out til about 1100. As it turned out we were a short stroll from one of the places we wanted to see here: Hotel de Russie. It is near Piazza Popolo and is a Forte hotel with the most amazing gardens in the back. We saw a TV show on PBS hosted by Alex Polizzi whose grand father-in-law (?) was Mr. Forte. She featured the gardens so we just had to see them. Well worth it but you can only afford to stay there if you're filthy rich.
We had lunch after that, wanting a proper meal with protein and veg. and found it in a cute buffet style place nearby. Meat and veg are expensive here so one cannot do it every day. Then we found a new street to come back along called via Margutta, a quiet, shaded, tree lined lane which was obviously upscale judging by all the well dressed people out and about and no tourists! Now we're back for a siesta before heading out again when it cools off a bit.May 2 - Seventh Cruise Day - 11793 Utterly Chaotic Steps
We had an excursion booked for today which would have required us to leave at 0815. Not a chance given how tired and achy we were so we cancelled and instead went out on our own at 1030. The first thing we wanted to do was get antibiotic drops for my pink eye. The medical centre on board charged $150 US plus the medication so we declined and just went to find a pharmacy cause we knew what it was. We asked at the first pharmacy. They told us to go out and turn right for four blocks. When that led us to an industrial wasteland, we turned around and found a nice hotel where we got a map and instructions which told us to go in exactly the opposite direction. We followed those instructions and still had to ask twice more on route but eventually we got there. It turned out everyone had been steering us to the same spot via totally different ways.
We then had to walk all the way back to the terminal to catch a taxi into the city. By this time we were pooped and ready to faint from hunger but we got the taxi and rattled off the name of a square (Piazza Bellini) from Rick Steves' Naples guide and hung on for life. There don't seem to be any road rules here except for the one that goes "you blink, you lose". And that applies to pedestrians, cars, buses, trucks and mopeds. They are all together at every intersection in one big mash up. On top of that, mopeds love pedestrian zones. They can zip between the pylons that keep cars out and love jumping out of narrow lanes right at you. On foot, you are not safe anywhere if you hesitate one bit.
Right in Piazza Bellini we found a cafe and shared a veggie lasagna and coffees. Wonderful. Much better. Now we could play tourists. We basically followed parts of Rick Steves' "a slice of Neapolitan life" walk from the Piazza southwards, concentrating on the Spaccanapoli area which is supposed to be the gritty heart of Old Town Naples and we could see why. Tall, old, crumbling buildings, narrow streets, hordes of people and mopeds nipping at your heels. Just like the movies.
Still we had fun, stopping at one restaurant for pizza and Italian beer, another for coffee and pastries (tiramisu in a jar for Carol - she can explain this for you later and sfogliatelle - which looks like an albino armadillo with custard filling, for me). We then walked back to the ship and are now resting cause we have to pack tonite to get our suitcases outside by 2200.
We had our final dinner in the proper dining room and finally scored a window seat just in time to see a beautiful sunset and view of Naples as we steamed away. Tomorrow, Rome and our apartment. Yea.
We had lunch after that, wanting a proper meal with protein and veg. and found it in a cute buffet style place nearby. Meat and veg are expensive here so one cannot do it every day. Then we found a new street to come back along called via Margutta, a quiet, shaded, tree lined lane which was obviously upscale judging by all the well dressed people out and about and no tourists! Now we're back for a siesta before heading out again when it cools off a bit.May 2 - Seventh Cruise Day - 11793 Utterly Chaotic Steps
We had an excursion booked for today which would have required us to leave at 0815. Not a chance given how tired and achy we were so we cancelled and instead went out on our own at 1030. The first thing we wanted to do was get antibiotic drops for my pink eye. The medical centre on board charged $150 US plus the medication so we declined and just went to find a pharmacy cause we knew what it was. We asked at the first pharmacy. They told us to go out and turn right for four blocks. When that led us to an industrial wasteland, we turned around and found a nice hotel where we got a map and instructions which told us to go in exactly the opposite direction. We followed those instructions and still had to ask twice more on route but eventually we got there. It turned out everyone had been steering us to the same spot via totally different ways.
We then had to walk all the way back to the terminal to catch a taxi into the city. By this time we were pooped and ready to faint from hunger but we got the taxi and rattled off the name of a square (Piazza Bellini) from Rick Steves' Naples guide and hung on for life. There don't seem to be any road rules here except for the one that goes "you blink, you lose". And that applies to pedestrians, cars, buses, trucks and mopeds. They are all together at every intersection in one big mash up. On top of that, mopeds love pedestrian zones. They can zip between the pylons that keep cars out and love jumping out of narrow lanes right at you. On foot, you are not safe anywhere if you hesitate one bit.
Right in Piazza Bellini we found a cafe and shared a veggie lasagna and coffees. Wonderful. Much better. Now we could play tourists. We basically followed parts of Rick Steves' "a slice of Neapolitan life" walk from the Piazza southwards, concentrating on the Spaccanapoli area which is supposed to be the gritty heart of Old Town Naples and we could see why. Tall, old, crumbling buildings, narrow streets, hordes of people and mopeds nipping at your heels. Just like the movies.
Still we had fun, stopping at one restaurant for pizza and Italian beer, another for coffee and pastries (tiramisu in a jar for Carol - she can explain this for you later and sfogliatelle - which looks like an albino armadillo with custard filling, for me). We then walked back to the ship and are now resting cause we have to pack tonite to get our suitcases outside by 2200.
We had our final dinner in the proper dining room and finally scored a window seat just in time to see a beautiful sunset and view of Naples as we steamed away. Tomorrow, Rome and our apartment. Yea.
Thursday, 4 May 2017
May 4 - Hop on Hop off mayhem
Today was hop on hop off bus day to get that overview we like. We first strolled over to the Trevi Fountain because the nearest stop for the buses was there.
Carol has seen the fountain but I never realized how grand it was. What an amazing piece of work. It seems to grow out of the side of this imposing building on one side of the square. Carol did the obligatory coin toss (over her left shoulder) while I videoed it for posterity.Wonderful, and crowded.
Now for the hop on hop off madness. We scored the best seats. Up top and right up front. The better to see the mayhem on the roads. Traffic seemed like total anarchy and chaos with everyone zipping in and out, crossing lanes, coming out of nowhere, going nowhere. And that was just the cars. The motorcycles and mopeds were at an altogether wilder level. We expected someone to die at every turn but amazingly the traffic flowed rather well, thank you very much. And oh yeah, throw in crowds of pedestrians who don't seem to know there are sidewalks built especially for them. If that was going on in Vancouver our hospitals would be full.
The tour itself cruised by many of the top sites including the train station where we leave from next Wednesday, Santa Maria Maggiore church, the Colosseum, Forum, Circus Maximus, Piazza Venezia (talk about imposing architecture!), the Vatican and back to Trevi fountain. We really liked the area around the Colosseum/forum/Circus Maximus and plan to spend a day there on foot later.
Home for a nap until 1800 and out for groceries capped by a panini and coffee at a local bar. The end.
Carol has seen the fountain but I never realized how grand it was. What an amazing piece of work. It seems to grow out of the side of this imposing building on one side of the square. Carol did the obligatory coin toss (over her left shoulder) while I videoed it for posterity.Wonderful, and crowded.
Now for the hop on hop off madness. We scored the best seats. Up top and right up front. The better to see the mayhem on the roads. Traffic seemed like total anarchy and chaos with everyone zipping in and out, crossing lanes, coming out of nowhere, going nowhere. And that was just the cars. The motorcycles and mopeds were at an altogether wilder level. We expected someone to die at every turn but amazingly the traffic flowed rather well, thank you very much. And oh yeah, throw in crowds of pedestrians who don't seem to know there are sidewalks built especially for them. If that was going on in Vancouver our hospitals would be full.
The tour itself cruised by many of the top sites including the train station where we leave from next Wednesday, Santa Maria Maggiore church, the Colosseum, Forum, Circus Maximus, Piazza Venezia (talk about imposing architecture!), the Vatican and back to Trevi fountain. We really liked the area around the Colosseum/forum/Circus Maximus and plan to spend a day there on foot later.
Home for a nap until 1800 and out for groceries capped by a panini and coffee at a local bar. The end.
May 3 - Last Cruise Day - First Rome Day
Wow, breakfast came at 0445. We haven't been up that early since we didn't go to sleep the night before. (If you can follow that, you are more wide awake than I am. :^)). According to our disembarkation instructions, we were to get off the ship by 0730. Not a hope in hell but we wanted to be ready in case they tried to pull a United on us. As it turned out, we sauntered off the ship at 0900 after a leisurely second breakfast and a stroll down memory lane through the ship's public areas. We collected our luggage and were in place to meet our driver by 0915. So far everything had gone too smoothly. (No, that was not foreshadowing!). Our driver showed up at 1010, running towards us waving a floppy banner declaring my name and stopped in front of Carol (how can Kari be a guy?) and apologized profusely. Carol said he was late and that got his shorts in a knot which in turn got her knickers twisted and it was a quiet ride into Rome. It turns out he was bringing a group to the ship first and they delayed him so it was not really the driver's fault. By the time we hit Rome's suburbs we were all friendly and we got to our apartment in one piece. The host (ess) was waiting for us and gave a good briefing of all things relevant and left us on our own.
Carol crashed and I went for groceries.
Our apartment is really cool. It looks like it was originally two small apts combined into a larger one. 14 foot ceilings, frescoed in the living room.We look out onto small courtyards on three sides (no views but lots of cool breezes). One side has a fantastic wall of windows maybe 20 feet long and 14 feet high onto the largest courtyard. Two bedrooms, one of them ensuite, and another family bathroom for the rest of the apartment.
But even better is the location. It is literally three minutes from the Spanish Steps, less than ten minutes to the Trevi fountain and the main fancy shopping street (via del Corso).
Later in the evening we went for a stroll past the Spanish Steps and did some window shopping. Every few feet Carol would stop and say OMG we can't get that at home.
We had dinner at a nice outdoor cafe recommended by a lady we met at Toronto airport waiting for our flight and in the package at our apartment here. Pappardelle pasta with sausage and truffles, Chianti, coffee and tiramisu for dessert.
A nice stroll back to the apartment just as night fell. How perfect is that?
Carol crashed and I went for groceries.
Our apartment is really cool. It looks like it was originally two small apts combined into a larger one. 14 foot ceilings, frescoed in the living room.We look out onto small courtyards on three sides (no views but lots of cool breezes). One side has a fantastic wall of windows maybe 20 feet long and 14 feet high onto the largest courtyard. Two bedrooms, one of them ensuite, and another family bathroom for the rest of the apartment.
But even better is the location. It is literally three minutes from the Spanish Steps, less than ten minutes to the Trevi fountain and the main fancy shopping street (via del Corso).
Later in the evening we went for a stroll past the Spanish Steps and did some window shopping. Every few feet Carol would stop and say OMG we can't get that at home.
We had dinner at a nice outdoor cafe recommended by a lady we met at Toronto airport waiting for our flight and in the package at our apartment here. Pappardelle pasta with sausage and truffles, Chianti, coffee and tiramisu for dessert.
A nice stroll back to the apartment just as night fell. How perfect is that?
Wednesday, 3 May 2017
May 2 - Seventh Cruise Day - 11793 Utterly Chaotic Steps
We had an excursion booked for today which would have required us to leave at 0815. Not a chance given how tired and achy we were so we cancelled and instead went out on our own at 1030. The first thing we wanted to do was get antibiotic drops for my pink eye. The medical centre on board charged $150 US plus the medication so we declined and just went to find a pharmacy cause we knew what it was. We asked at the first pharmacy. They told us to go out and turn right for four blocks. When that led us to an industrial wasteland, we turned around and found a nice hotel where we got a map and instructions which told us to go in exactly the opposite direction. We followed those instructions and still had to ask twice more on route but eventually we got there. It turned out everyone had been steering us to the same spot via totally different ways.
We then had to walk all the way back to the terminal to catch a taxi into the city. By this time we were pooped and ready to faint from hunger but we got the taxi and rattled off the name of a square (Piazza Bellini) from Rick Steves' Naples guide and hung on for life. There don't seem to be any road rules here except for the one that goes "you blink, you lose". And that applies to pedestrians, cars, buses, trucks and mopeds. They are all together at every intersection in one big mash up. On top of that, mopeds love pedestrian zones. They can zip between the pylons that keep cars out and love jumping out of narrow lanes right at you. On foot, you are not safe anywhere if you hesitate one bit.
Right in Piazza Bellini we found a cafe and shared a veggie lasagna and coffees. Wonderful. Much better. Now we could play tourists. We basically followed parts of Rick Steves' "a slice of Neapolitan life" walk from the Piazza southwards, concentrating on the Spaccanapoli area which is supposed to be the gritty heart of Old Town Naples and we could see why. Tall, old, crumbling buildings, narrow streets, hordes of people and mopeds nipping at your heels. Just like the movies.
Still we had fun, stopping at one restaurant for pizza and Italian beer, another for coffee and pastries (tiramisu in a jar for Carol - she can explain this for you later and sfogliatelle - which looks like an albino armadillo with custard filling, for me). We then walked back to the ship and are now resting cause we have to pack tonite to get our suitcases outside by 2200.
We had our final dinner in the proper dining room and finally scored a window seat just in time to see a beautiful sunset and view of Naples as we steamed away. Tomorrow, Rome and our apartment. Yea.
We had an excursion booked for today which would have required us to leave at 0815. Not a chance given how tired and achy we were so we cancelled and instead went out on our own at 1030. The first thing we wanted to do was get antibiotic drops for my pink eye. The medical centre on board charged $150 US plus the medication so we declined and just went to find a pharmacy cause we knew what it was. We asked at the first pharmacy. They told us to go out and turn right for four blocks. When that led us to an industrial wasteland, we turned around and found a nice hotel where we got a map and instructions which told us to go in exactly the opposite direction. We followed those instructions and still had to ask twice more on route but eventually we got there. It turned out everyone had been steering us to the same spot via totally different ways.
We then had to walk all the way back to the terminal to catch a taxi into the city. By this time we were pooped and ready to faint from hunger but we got the taxi and rattled off the name of a square (Piazza Bellini) from Rick Steves' Naples guide and hung on for life. There don't seem to be any road rules here except for the one that goes "you blink, you lose". And that applies to pedestrians, cars, buses, trucks and mopeds. They are all together at every intersection in one big mash up. On top of that, mopeds love pedestrian zones. They can zip between the pylons that keep cars out and love jumping out of narrow lanes right at you. On foot, you are not safe anywhere if you hesitate one bit.
Right in Piazza Bellini we found a cafe and shared a veggie lasagna and coffees. Wonderful. Much better. Now we could play tourists. We basically followed parts of Rick Steves' "a slice of Neapolitan life" walk from the Piazza southwards, concentrating on the Spaccanapoli area which is supposed to be the gritty heart of Old Town Naples and we could see why. Tall, old, crumbling buildings, narrow streets, hordes of people and mopeds nipping at your heels. Just like the movies.
Still we had fun, stopping at one restaurant for pizza and Italian beer, another for coffee and pastries (tiramisu in a jar for Carol - she can explain this for you later and sfogliatelle - which looks like an albino armadillo with custard filling, for me). We then walked back to the ship and are now resting cause we have to pack tonite to get our suitcases outside by 2200.
We had our final dinner in the proper dining room and finally scored a window seat just in time to see a beautiful sunset and view of Naples as we steamed away. Tomorrow, Rome and our apartment. Yea.
May 1 - Sixth Cruise Day - No Flying Titties
We had planned to title this blog "We Slept" because we thought to take advantage of our sea day by resting. So, after breakfast at 0730, we went back to bed for a little added sleep. The next thing we knew, it was 1610 And I had pink eye but that's another story. Anyway, OMG, we had to scramble because we had reservations for a Cirque dinner show at 1830.
The dinner was probably as good as any we have had on board. An appy , a surf and turf thing and a nice medley of desserts on a plate.
The show was great. A typical Cirque offering with amazingly talented acts and some audience participation which was hilarious. It was set up with our dining tables around a small circular stage so everyone had a good view. In fact, the entire show reminded us of the one we saw in Vegas except that the girls had tops on tonite. So there were no flying titties. ;^) After the show we found a nice lounge for a nightcap, featuring a very talented guitarist playing everything from Queen to Flamenco.
While there, Carol and I discussed the "flavour" of our ship compared to others we knew. Norwegian clearly targets the mass market attracting clientele who appear to be a bit rougher. I mean dressing up for dinner involves a fresh pair of shorts and glittery flip flops. P&O, which we sailed on in 2015 and Holland America which Carol used several years ago are a level up with more decorum and "class". More like Old Style cruising. Then there are the fancier ships which are much more expensive but may be worthwhile according to an NCL employee we talked to because she claims that for the added cost you get way better food, service and itineraries. So it might be worth saving up an extra year and just going for it.
We had planned to title this blog "We Slept" because we thought to take advantage of our sea day by resting. So, after breakfast at 0730, we went back to bed for a little added sleep. The next thing we knew, it was 1610 And I had pink eye but that's another story. Anyway, OMG, we had to scramble because we had reservations for a Cirque dinner show at 1830.
The dinner was probably as good as any we have had on board. An appy , a surf and turf thing and a nice medley of desserts on a plate.
The show was great. A typical Cirque offering with amazingly talented acts and some audience participation which was hilarious. It was set up with our dining tables around a small circular stage so everyone had a good view. In fact, the entire show reminded us of the one we saw in Vegas except that the girls had tops on tonite. So there were no flying titties. ;^) After the show we found a nice lounge for a nightcap, featuring a very talented guitarist playing everything from Queen to Flamenco.
While there, Carol and I discussed the "flavour" of our ship compared to others we knew. Norwegian clearly targets the mass market attracting clientele who appear to be a bit rougher. I mean dressing up for dinner involves a fresh pair of shorts and glittery flip flops. P&O, which we sailed on in 2015 and Holland America which Carol used several years ago are a level up with more decorum and "class". More like Old Style cruising. Then there are the fancier ships which are much more expensive but may be worthwhile according to an NCL employee we talked to because she claims that for the added cost you get way better food, service and itineraries. So it might be worth saving up an extra year and just going for it.
April 30 - Fifth Cruise Day - A Slow Start but A Phenomenal Finish
The day started slowly. Carol was a bit sick overnight and really tired first thing. Good thing we could have a slow start (we had no formal excursion, thinking to just go into Barcelona for a stroll on our own). Which we did around 10:30. We had coffee and snacks at our favourite cafe in Palm Square just off La Rambla and then wandered around in the Old Town, getting lost on purpose twice. We had wanted to see the Fish Market but it was closed, just like the last time we were here. Rule no. 1: don't come to Barcelona on a Sunday. Then back to the ship and a nap before dinner at the same nice sit down restaurant. We both had pappardelle pasta with duck about which Carol said: "this tastes like something I could make at home with an Oxo cube. (It had a funny tasting gravy - not a nice Italian sauce - which was yucky).
What do you get when three guys, two pianos, drums, a fiddle and a guitar get together? The most phenomenal bar show you've ever heard called "Howl at the Moon". They make up their play list on the fly from audience requests. Mostly rock, pop and modern stuff that really jumps. You have to go see them if they're in town. Run, drive over someone and leave tire tracks on their a-- if you have to but go see them! Wow. I have never seen Carol boogie in her seat like she did tonite. The show is also wildly funny, with audience participation, in an adult kind of way. Example song lines:
Band: "I lived next door to Alice for twenty years,
Audience: "Alice, Alice, Who the f--- is Alice?"
The day started slowly. Carol was a bit sick overnight and really tired first thing. Good thing we could have a slow start (we had no formal excursion, thinking to just go into Barcelona for a stroll on our own). Which we did around 10:30. We had coffee and snacks at our favourite cafe in Palm Square just off La Rambla and then wandered around in the Old Town, getting lost on purpose twice. We had wanted to see the Fish Market but it was closed, just like the last time we were here. Rule no. 1: don't come to Barcelona on a Sunday. Then back to the ship and a nap before dinner at the same nice sit down restaurant. We both had pappardelle pasta with duck about which Carol said: "this tastes like something I could make at home with an Oxo cube. (It had a funny tasting gravy - not a nice Italian sauce - which was yucky).
What do you get when three guys, two pianos, drums, a fiddle and a guitar get together? The most phenomenal bar show you've ever heard called "Howl at the Moon". They make up their play list on the fly from audience requests. Mostly rock, pop and modern stuff that really jumps. You have to go see them if they're in town. Run, drive over someone and leave tire tracks on their a-- if you have to but go see them! Wow. I have never seen Carol boogie in her seat like she did tonite. The show is also wildly funny, with audience participation, in an adult kind of way. Example song lines:
Band: "I lived next door to Alice for twenty years,
Audience: "Alice, Alice, Who the f--- is Alice?"
April 29 - Fourth Cruise Day - Bay of Biscay Redux and Dashed Hopes
We were told on day one that the Epic is a big ship and doesn't move too much but last nite was one hell of a rock and roll night. Wind speed over 50 knots and us heading crabwise into it made our 2015 cruise in the Bay of Biscay which is notorious for its' storms, seem a distant calm memory. Who would have thought the Med could be so stormy. Blurk.
The good news was that by morning the storm had abated and we were both feeling much better, only tired. We had a lazy morning, an early brunch and a bit of a window shopping spree before we had to be on our way to our excursion on Majorca.
On paper, this excursion looked fabulous. A bus tour through the Majorcan countryside, a stop in a fascinating inland hillside village called Soller, frequented by musicians (Chopin) and artists (Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso) looking for inspiration, a ride back on a restored train built in 1912 and a guided look at Palma, the capital, at the end. What could be better, right?
The first thing to go wrong was an annual bicycle race called The Palma 312 which snarled traffic everywhere and delayed us over half an hour which meant our free time in Soller was reduced to a pee break and ten minutes in the town's only square. Our truncated free time was actually good news though because Soller can easily be covered in five minutes. Perhaps it has seen better times and is now in a serious state of decline. It reminded Carol of a neglected village somewhere in Tunisia.
The train ride back was also a disaster although the train itself was kinda cute. Can any of you remember the old inter urban trains with wooden slat seats and windows you opened but could never shut again and which rattled mercilessly and the steel wheels which clickety clacked loud enough to make you deaf? Well now multiply that effect tenfold each time you went into a tunnel (and we had thirteen of them) and you get a picture of our trip back. We were deaf, frozen and stiff from the cold wind blasting in through all the open windows.
On our return we were driven through downtown Palma which in part reminded us a bit of certain neighbourhoods in Barcelona and were given free time to explore on our own. We, however, only wanted to sit in a warm sheltered spot and thaw out.
In the evening we had a very nice dinner in an actual proper sit down restaurant and then a show called Burn the Floor. Fantastic dancing and music inspired by shows like DWTS but better
We were told on day one that the Epic is a big ship and doesn't move too much but last nite was one hell of a rock and roll night. Wind speed over 50 knots and us heading crabwise into it made our 2015 cruise in the Bay of Biscay which is notorious for its' storms, seem a distant calm memory. Who would have thought the Med could be so stormy. Blurk.
The good news was that by morning the storm had abated and we were both feeling much better, only tired. We had a lazy morning, an early brunch and a bit of a window shopping spree before we had to be on our way to our excursion on Majorca.
On paper, this excursion looked fabulous. A bus tour through the Majorcan countryside, a stop in a fascinating inland hillside village called Soller, frequented by musicians (Chopin) and artists (Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso) looking for inspiration, a ride back on a restored train built in 1912 and a guided look at Palma, the capital, at the end. What could be better, right?
The first thing to go wrong was an annual bicycle race called The Palma 312 which snarled traffic everywhere and delayed us over half an hour which meant our free time in Soller was reduced to a pee break and ten minutes in the town's only square. Our truncated free time was actually good news though because Soller can easily be covered in five minutes. Perhaps it has seen better times and is now in a serious state of decline. It reminded Carol of a neglected village somewhere in Tunisia.
The train ride back was also a disaster although the train itself was kinda cute. Can any of you remember the old inter urban trains with wooden slat seats and windows you opened but could never shut again and which rattled mercilessly and the steel wheels which clickety clacked loud enough to make you deaf? Well now multiply that effect tenfold each time you went into a tunnel (and we had thirteen of them) and you get a picture of our trip back. We were deaf, frozen and stiff from the cold wind blasting in through all the open windows.
On our return we were driven through downtown Palma which in part reminded us a bit of certain neighbourhoods in Barcelona and were given free time to explore on our own. We, however, only wanted to sit in a warm sheltered spot and thaw out.
In the evening we had a very nice dinner in an actual proper sit down restaurant and then a show called Burn the Floor. Fantastic dancing and music inspired by shows like DWTS but better
April 26 - First cruise day - Twenty Euro Score
Got ready early, had breakfast early - good mix of American bacon and eggs plus Continental stuff but oh the coffee. I could have drunk a dozen cappuccinos and eaten a dozen croissants, it was so delicious.
Checked out early, driver came early. A really nice guy, so much better than the day before. He was an Italian who had grown up in Montreal. A bad mix of pride, chauvinism and French arrogance. A good quote though: "Italy is the best country in the world - all we have to do is get the people to appreciate it."
Today's guy was all Italian, crazy accent but understandable. Drove like a Monaco Grand Prix racer but strangely, we felt safe. As for yesterday's 20 Euro penalty, he said what penalty? We asked twice and explained our screw up but he didn't want it so we kept it.
Finding the Norwegian rep turned out to be dead easy. Left one hour late. No worries.
So all in all a really a good start to the day.
Holy Crap the ship is huge. We could see it miles away on our approach . Made 3 other ships in the harbour look downright puny. We met two other couples cruising on her for the second time so it must be ok.
Day was cloudy and very windy. We are out at sea now and can really feel the rocking of the boat.
Check in was easy and fast. Threw our stuff in our rooms and went to get food. We're on deck 12 aft and food was on deck 15 forward, about one half mile away. Good exercise. Food was buffet style. Not impressed.
Back to rooms for a good nap. Life boat drill one hour later. Back to rooms for a nap.
At this point Carol was feeling quite sick (exhausted plus a bit of reaction to the food?) so we ordered room service. Best salmon we've had in ages.
Ordered breakfast for 0545! Got an early shore excursion tomorrow. Hope Carol is ok.
Our rooms are great. Two studios side by side with a connecting door. Individually the rooms are small. Well thought out but small. Put two together with the connecting door open and it feels like a suite. We really like the set up.
Got ready early, had breakfast early - good mix of American bacon and eggs plus Continental stuff but oh the coffee. I could have drunk a dozen cappuccinos and eaten a dozen croissants, it was so delicious.
Checked out early, driver came early. A really nice guy, so much better than the day before. He was an Italian who had grown up in Montreal. A bad mix of pride, chauvinism and French arrogance. A good quote though: "Italy is the best country in the world - all we have to do is get the people to appreciate it."
Today's guy was all Italian, crazy accent but understandable. Drove like a Monaco Grand Prix racer but strangely, we felt safe. As for yesterday's 20 Euro penalty, he said what penalty? We asked twice and explained our screw up but he didn't want it so we kept it.
Finding the Norwegian rep turned out to be dead easy. Left one hour late. No worries.
So all in all a really a good start to the day.
Holy Crap the ship is huge. We could see it miles away on our approach . Made 3 other ships in the harbour look downright puny. We met two other couples cruising on her for the second time so it must be ok.
Day was cloudy and very windy. We are out at sea now and can really feel the rocking of the boat.
Check in was easy and fast. Threw our stuff in our rooms and went to get food. We're on deck 12 aft and food was on deck 15 forward, about one half mile away. Good exercise. Food was buffet style. Not impressed.
Back to rooms for a good nap. Life boat drill one hour later. Back to rooms for a nap.
At this point Carol was feeling quite sick (exhausted plus a bit of reaction to the food?) so we ordered room service. Best salmon we've had in ages.
Ordered breakfast for 0545! Got an early shore excursion tomorrow. Hope Carol is ok.
Our rooms are great. Two studios side by side with a connecting door. Individually the rooms are small. Well thought out but small. Put two together with the connecting door open and it feels like a suite. We really like the set up.
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