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Travel Diary Day 8
Friday, October 30
Mykonos. One of the most inviting spots in Greece, this small island in the Cyclades group is the spot where Hercules slew the giants in Greek mythology. It's a place of breathtaking beauty, whitewashed stucco buildings clinging to stark hills, and churches with rounded domes, all trimmed in bright blue or dark red.
We anchored in the harbor and took tenders to Mykonos Town. The village is a maze of very narrow, winding stone streets, so narrow that we thought they were only for pedestrians. Until the van came barreling around a corner. I swear, I don't know how it was able to navigate those streets without scraping against the stucco walls.
There were four old windmills on a bluff overlooking the harbor, and we can certainly see why they were there. The wind was so strong it actually pushed us along up the hill. And in spite of the sunshine it was quite chilly, jacket weather for sure.
We wandered the streets and browsed in the many tiny shops. All the shopkeepers spoke English, so purchasing souvenirs wasn't a problem. And then we sat in a harbor-side cafe and enjoyed baklava and cappuccino.
The island is reputed to be a hot night spot, at least during the summer season, and we laughed at the t-shirt that read, "Good boys go to heaven. Bad boys go to Mykonos." Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any bad boys around.
Too bad.
Guess Dave's stuck with me.
Travel Diary Day 7
Thursday, October 29
Stromboli! Yum! But it's not only food. Did you know Stromboli is an active volcano off the southwestern coast of Italy? The top was covered in clouds, so we couldn't tell if there was any smoke, but we got a good look at it from the ship while eating breakfast this morning.
First breakfast, that is. I fear we're turning into Hobbits, because this morning Dave and Molly and I had second breakfast. If hair starts growing from our feet I'm going to get really worried. And we sat at a big table with other people and actually socialized. You oughta be proud of me, Noel!
Later in the morning the whole family did a 1-mile "Wishes at Sea" walk to support Make-A-Wish Foundation. We all got t-shirts, as you can see from my picture of the day, though Betsy and I opted to keep our Phillies support showing while we walked. We were passing through the Strait of Messina at the time, between Sicily and the toe of Italy's boot, so behind us is Calabria, Italy. How cool is that?
Our dinner was at the ship's Mystery Theater, and we had fun trying to figure out whodunit in "The Curse of the Dark Star Diamond." The girls said the first half was lame, but then they gave us lots of wine so the second half was very entertaining.
We ended the evening singing karaoke, badly. But, hey, we'll never see any of these people again, right?
Right!
Travel Diary Day 6
Wednesday, October 28
Ahh, Rome, the eternal city. An amazing place, full of history. We spent the whole day on an excursion, tossing coins in the Trevi Fountain, walking through the ruins and climbing the steep steps to the top of the Colosseum. The Roman ruins aren't just a sight that you go and see. Rather, they're part of the city, new and old mingled together in harmony. The beauty and engineering of these ancient wonders, many 2,000 years old and more, are a marvel.
After lunch with wine AND champagne, we crossed the Tiber to Vatican City to view the Pieta and other masterful works of art in St. Peter's Basilica. Even though I'm not Roman Catholic, the wonders of St. Peter's were moving and touched my heart.
And the weather couldn't have been better.
Oh, yeah, and one more thing...
GO, PHILLIES!
Travel Diary Day 5
Tuesday, October 27
What a beautiful day! Sunshine and relaxation. Even though I was still a little pouty because we should have been in Florence, I ended up kind of glad we could take it easy.
And shopping! We got a $300 credit for the missed day of the cruise, and I've already spent it. Got a new digital camera in one of the ship's shops, a Canon Elph like my old one, but what an upgrade... ten megapixels! And it cost less than the old one did three years ago.
Tried to work off some of the delicious food by walking a mile around the walking track on the top deck and then we watched the sun set in glorious color over the sea. And we ended the evening with a formal dinner. Aren't we pretty?
Good day.
Travel Diary Day 4
Monday, October 26
We made it! We're now on the Brilliance of the Seas. Yay! And our "junior suite" is awesome! King bed, couch, chair, a huge walk-in closet and a full bath with a tub. And a nice big balcony with a chaise and two chairs.
The girls have a smaller room on the same deck. They're at the stern of the ship and their balcony is HUGE. We're all very happy with our accomodations.
We saw a show before dinner, Tenors Unlimited. Three guys, one American, two Brits, with voices like you wouldn't believe. They sang in Italian, Spanish, French and English. Very entertaining.
And the food... well, if you've ever been on a cruise, you know. Our dinner time is nine p.m., a bit late for us, but we have a terrific table, right beside a big window. Of course it was dark when we had dinner. But I'm sure some evenings there will be lights and sights.
Just an aside... today's my mom's birthday. 93. Happy birthday, Mom!
Anyway, we've left Barcelona and are on our way to Italy.
All right!
Travel Diary Day 8
There were four old windmills on a bluff overlooking the harbor, and we can certainly see why they were there. The wind was so strong it actually pushed us along up the hill. And in spite of the sunshine it was quite chilly, jacket weather for sure.
