Day 14

Day Fourteen

Leonardo DiVinci Airport Rome

You have to take a bus to Terminal 5 to fly to the USA

Martin woke at 4:15 and drove Karl and Cherie to the airport to catch their flight. On the way back to the hotel at 4:45 am Martin was flashed on the road by a speed camera. I am sure we will have a speeding ticket in the mail in about a month. What they really need are crazy driving cameras and sensors on their road markings!  (See day two)  Martin and Eva drove to the airport at 8:30. Once we turned in the rental car we couldn't find our terminal. We finally discovered that all of the American Airlines including American, USAir, Delta, United and others were all located in terminal 5 which is not visible from anywhere in the airport. We learned that it requires a bus ride to get to. Finally we were there. On our way home, Eva bought a post card for Erin.  The airport, however, did not have a postal drop box. We flew to Washington DC where we mailed the card. In Washington, Martin had texts to call into the office. When he called in he discovered that his company finally had a signed contract with Marc Anthony and they also have a demo set up for June 4 in Qatar.  Yay, maybe we can pay for our trip now.

Day 13

Day thirteen

Michelangelo's Moses statue

At last, The Spanish Steps

Eva posing with Swiss Guard

Long lines at the Vatican

We ate and drove back into Rome and  to the top of the Spanish Steps which Cherie and I were determined to climb because we have missed this on our other trips here. We were able to locate a rare parking space. This too was very crowded. Then we drove to the Vatican and walked around. There were lines over one and a half hours long to get into  St Peters basilica. We decided not to go in and just walked around outside. Finally we ate in a restaurant near by. We picked up the car and then drove around Rome looking for signs of the ancient roman aqueducts but couldn't find any. We did however finding additional ruins at various places around Rome. We drove back to the hotel and took a nap and then drove to a mall to see a movie - but we had difficulty locating the theaters and were 20 minutes late by the time we found it. Upon inquiry we discovered that the two movies we wanted to see, "The Great Gatsby" and "Iron man III" were both in Italian. When did Italian movie theaters modernize?  They used to show all movies in English with Italian subtitles!  We went into the mall instead and looked for food and for an English bookstore since Cherie needed something to read on the plane (see day one).  We ate at Burger King and could not find books.  This was one frustrating evening!

Day 12 (Getting off Ship)

Day 12 (seventh day)

Lunch beside the Coluseum

At Trevi Fountain

At the Pantheon

We rose early and packed. We hauled our luggage into breakfast and then left the ship. We took a free shuttle to the beginning of the pier and there we negotiated with a driver to take us to the airport with four other people. The driver went down from the original $130 euro per person to $20 euro each for four persons, making a total of eight passengers. We could negotiate this, but I couldn't get the silly vendor selling water to come down from 6 Euros to 5 for three bottles. The Driver had to stop at two ATM machines so Martin could get cash for the the drive. The others were getting anxious because they seemed to have a flight to catch. We took a car from the airport to our hotel and then went into town. The car we rented was too small (see day two) for our luggage so the ladies waited at the airport while Karl and Martin dropped the luggage off at the hotel. Then we went into Rome. We parked near the Coliseum and walked past the ruins and past the Trojan ruins  to the Trevi Fountain. It was so crowded that we walked over to the Pantheon from there. But it was more crowded than the Trevi. We didn't even go inside because it was packed with people. Then we walked to the St. Paul church where Michelangelo's statue of Moses was.  We had seen other pieces of Michelangelo's, but never this one.  It's magnificent.  Finally we didn't have much of a crowd and were able to enjoy the moment.  We walked back to the car and found our way back to our hotel by the airport. We ate in a nice lite restaurant on the Mediterranean and then went to bed.

Day 11 (Sixth day)

Day 11 (sixth day at sea)

Eating and relaxing in the Windjammer on deck 11

We spent the day on the water.  We played shuffle board and watched Bourne Identity in the ship's movie theater.  We read and relaxed and walked around ship. Ate at Johnny Rockets. Those onion rings!  In the evening we watched a show of acrobats. The waiters sang to us for our 37th anniversary.  We are a little sad because our wonderful cruise is coming to an end.  I remember saying to the others that the hardest thing I've had to do at sea is decide what time each day I wanted Earnest, our porter, to clean the room.

Day 10 (Fifth day at sea)

Day 10 (fifth day at sea)

Fine carpets of Crete

Town of Chania

Wind blowing through Chania

We docked at the port of Souda in Chania,  Crete. After breakfast we took a city bus into the village.  There was not much to see. We toured a tiny Byzantine Museum.  Karl bought a battery and Martin bought a micro-SE card for my Gopro camera . A big sand storm hit us and Cherie lost her reading glasses. We got back on ship and enjoyed a musical show that night of Broadway tunes mostly from The Producers and from Mama Mia.  These were performed by the ship's band and singers.  They were talented and professional.  It was so fun!

Day 9 (Fourth day at sea)

Day 9 (Fourth day at Sea)

Walking down columned pathway of Ephesus

Hadrians Temple at end of walkway

Panorama of Ephesus

Hadrians Temple

Statue to the Goddess Artimus (Diana)

Lunch in Kusadasi

Today we docked at Kusadasi.  We took a tour of ancient Ephesus and it was fantastic. We started at a high point above Ephesus and descended by foot down to the temple of Hadrian. There were a lot of ruins. Actually the entire place was covered with earth until a hundred years ago. The Roman baths were extensive with different rooms for graduating temperatures.  Our tour guide said that the popularity of the baths contributed to deforestation which allowed the soil to move and slide over the ruins.  It is marvelous what has been uncovered and what remains to be discovered.  If you buy a more expensive tour, you can go under the covered parts of the ruins and see interiors with tile and pictures intact!  Our dinner companion took this tour and showed us pictures which I will try to include later.  They even found a GROCERY LIST!  Also, some scribbles on the wall done by children.  Upon our return to the port at Kusadasi we wandered about the village and enjoyed a Turkish lunch of various shish kabob and gyro plates that were very good and finished it off with baklava (I've had better).  Back on ship we rested to a movie on TV and did some reading and relaxing.  After dinner we enjoyed a musical program of old songs made famous by The Platters and the Drifters.   The band included one of the original drifters and Tamika Jackson, who is related to the famous Michael Jackson. 

Day 8 (Third day at Sea)

Day 8 (third day at sea)

First sight of Acropolis

At base of Acropolis

Mars Hill where Paul taught Athenians

Parthenon on Acropolis hill

More of Acropolis

Still more of Acropolis

Arrived in port at 5am. We left the ship at 8am for a tour of Ancient Athens and the Acropolis. We walked around the ruins of the Acropolis, which is just the name of the hill.  The ruins were all temples dedicated to pagan Gods, and government houses and it was fantastic. We saw Mars Hill where Paul taught. We walked around the many ruins and took several pictures. Then rode back to the ship and ate at Jonny Rockets.  Can you believe it? All you can eat of the best Onion Rings for a nominal fee.  The apple pie alamode was fantastic and was included in the cover charge.

Day 7 (Second day at sea)

Day 7 (Second day at sea)

On the water all day. Most of the day there was no land in sight. Saw some islands in the evening. We played miniature golf on deck.  We stopped keeping score because - why bother! Karl is dancing because the ball went in!  We then walked the ship. We enjoyed an ice dancing show in Studio B. Then ate again. Retired early because Martin had some dizziness.

Day 6 (First full day at sea)

Day 6 ( first day at sea)
Woke up as we came into port at Sicily (Messina). Took a bus ride to Taormina and saw Mt Etna with smoke still slowly billowing. Walked around village, took a side street, and had yummy pizza and calzone. Back to ship and off to sea. We played shuffleboard on deck.  Do you know how to play shuffleboard?  I always thought only rich people played so I wanted to learn how.  After grilling the inebriated family who was playing, asking them the rules and how do you win, we realized the rules were posted on the wall of the ship.  This was so fun, we played several times during the cruise.  Cherie and I were determined to beat the guys, but it was a dream unrealized.  We watched last half of "Trouble With the curve" in the little movie theater. We then were caught by the strains of some wonderful soul music.  There was a guy at the piano in one of the lounges and we were thoroughly entertained..

Taormina Cathedral

Strolling down streets of Taormina

Narrow Taormina alley

In Taormina with Mt. Etna smoking like it wants to erupt over Karl's shoulder

Day 5 - Getting on the Ship

Day 5
After enjoying the sites and sounds and gelato of Sorrento, early in the morning, we drove to Rome to embark the Navigator of the Seas for our cruise.  We got off the freeway to view the Rome, Italy LDS Temple in the building phase.  It was great to see and recognize the rounded sides from the pictures.  It's going to be a huge complex with offices and a mission home.

Rome LDS Temple site

Martin dropped us off at the ship and met us a few hours later after returning the car and taking a taxi to the dock.  The ship is HUGE.

Our floating Hotel - "Navigator of the Seas" Room 7226

Our room was lovely and it was fun seeing Karl and Cherie's reaction to it.  The rooms were larger and more comfortable than we expected.  We had balconies and enjoyed watching the land drift away as we went out to sea.

The biggest shock was the FOOD!  It is everywhere and constantly available, and it looks and tastes delicious.  We found our assigned table for dinner in the evening and met our table mates.  They were a wonderful group.  Perry, or PJ and Joan from Tennessee, and Julie and her mother, Edie, from Buffalo, New York. We were pleasantly surprised to find that coincidentally, none of the eight of us drink and only one, Joan, had coffee.  Our waiter, Juan,  and his assistant Naaman, were visibly disappointed.  NO TIPS for drinks.  JP owns several grocery stores and Julie is a Psychologist.  Julie and Edie are Jewish and are hilarious!  Joan is a proper Southern Belle.

Our Happy Dinner group

After dinner, we caught the end of a variety show in the theater with a juggler and two acrobats.  LOVED the acrobats.

Day 4 - Capri and Sorrento

View of Sorrento cliffs from Hotel Room

View of Amalfi Coast on way to Sorrento

Blue Grotto Lagoon from end of trail we hiked on Capri

 Day 4 - Capri and Sorrento
Sorrento is a lovely town situated on the edge of the sea.  We decide to take a jetboat to the Isle of Capri.  This involves a walk down many, many steps, with the thought that at the end of the day, when we are tired, we will have to walk back up.  It is distressing.

Capri is beautiful with steep, narrow roads and lovely stucco buildings.  Bougainvillia grows everywhere and some geraniums.   We peek into a small church or two.  The landing is crowded with tourists, but if you're willing to climb, it thins out as you go up.  The bottom picture is one we took at the highest point.  Cherie and I ventured off on a couple of paths, one of which was built and maintained by a Rotary Club!   I thought that was an American thing.  We climbed to a spot that is an overlook to the famous Blue Grotto.  There are no cars or motorbikes up here and we saw a couple of locals having to haul their groceries up. There are beautiful, well maintained, gardens up here with all kinds of vegetables and orange and lemon trees.  The lemons here are huge!  Some look like grapefruits.  We walked down to the tram and ate and then took the ride down to the dock.  After arriving at Sorrento, we found a bus that would take us up that steep cliff, that we dreaded, for only 1 Euro.  The best Euro we ever spent!  We napped and then took a walk around the town square.  Charming!  The middle picture is a view from our hotel.

Day 3 (Life Reclaimed)

Day 3 - So our romantic third day in Italy begins at the Naples Police Station.  We had a note the police had written at the scene last night to hand to the guy in charge in Naples so he would know what to do.  It must have said, "treat these guys like idiots and talk real loud and fast".  Well, good luck for once.....the nearby hospital hires an English interpreter every tourist season, so this Chief of Whatever calls and gets her to come over.  I think this picture is from the time she expressed shock that Cherie would pay $225.00 for a cigarette lighter!  Cigarette lighter?  Well how else would you interpret "Kindle Fire"?  I'm serious.

Working through a translator doing  the Police report

With all the people in the police station, this Chief's typing and another woman's loading the copy machine several times, this was the only actual work being done in the place. So.......with a police report in hand, we were ready to move on.  This time to the consulate for Cherie's new passport.  This involved actually driving in a large Italian City, where no one can drive a car larger than a VW because every inch of the road is packed.  NO ONE pays attention to marked lines on the road!  Ask anyone who has driven there!  Every car we saw, which was thousands, had dings and dents.  And you see them really well because they are two inches from your face!  Motorcyclists drive and weave across double yellow lines and will go anywhere....sidewalks, between parked cars, etc.

US Consulate in Naples

Cherie and Karl go in and Martin and I wonder what in the world to do because we knew this would be hours.  We can't find a parking space and it would cost us a small fortune if we did.  Luckily, we found a space kitty corner from the consulate, on the outside lane of a round about with some yellow stripes painted on the spot.  We know from experience that these don't mean anything to Italians.  Perfect!  We parked and waited.  Every once in awhile, we would take our life in our hands and drive around the block, just in case we missed seeing them come out.  Well, evidently, on one of those trips, they came out and looked for us.  We were nowhere in sight so they looked where we had parked previously.  A couple of hours later, Karl shows up at our car window.  Ah, finally.  Now we get something to eat at a cafe across from the consulate.  Food is good but expensive.  I get in a conversation with a couple that has a wife who speaks perfect English and a husband who can barely speak any.  They have been married 34 years.  She was from New York and went to Italy for fun, met this Italian guy, got married two days later.  Still Happy!  Just had first grandchild.

We go on and drive to Sorrento that night.  GPS doesn't work and we are lost.  We think we know where we are going, but the toll road we need to take is closed because it is Sunday we guess and they don't want to pay their tollworkers.  The drive involves wild guesses and alot of time.  Luckily, we call our Hotel and they are willing to wait for us.

Day 2

Day 2

Slept well on the plane!!!!  A first.  We arrived in Rome via Frankfort and met Karl and Cherie, who had been waiting for us for 7 hours!  Good Sports!  We rented our car and were off on our long-awaited, exciting adventure.

On the way from Rome to Naples, we decided were were hungry and stopped at a roadside Auto-grille. While driving up, we wondered about the mafia-looking men lounging in front who pointed at us as we drove by looking for a parking spot.  This was our first European meal of the trip and we were eager to taste that food!  It was okay.  This was just an Italian version of a gas station with a food mart.  The drama happened after we finished eating.  Karl and Martin went back to the car first and when Cherie and I finished up and went out to meet them, we wondered why they were both leaning against the trunk facing us.  Something was up!  

We had been robbed!

Everything not in the large suitcases was taken.  Cherie's purse, Karl's backpack, Martin's briefcase.  Gone were the cameras, passport, driver's license, money, laptop, iPad, iPod, etc.  AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!  We ran back into the store where NO ONE spoke English.  How do you mime to the store manager what just happened?  Well, he figured it out and called the police.  Do any of them speak English?  Of course not.  But we are able to describe somewhat the events previous.  It took hours.  They tell us, in very few words, to stop at the police station in the morning and search the ditches for our possibly discarded debris as we continue on our way down the freeway.

Day 1

Day 1

Walking across the Golden Gate Bridge

Eva at Ghirardelli

The ORACLE

We started early today and flew to San Francisco.  In the morning, we visited Ghiradelli Square, which I have never had a chance to do before.  Even though the company does not produce it's chocolate there anymore, they still have two roasting ovens and an extractor and mixing granite rollers that demonstrate the process.  It's amazing the delicious things that come forth from machines!  

At noon, we met Evan and his family and ate at the Cliff House, which,  as it's name suggests, is on a cliff on the ocean.  We sat at a corner table with very large windows allowing a fabulous view.  I ate the best Cioppino ever and enjoyed the visit.  Afterward,  we walked along the battery in front of the Presidio and then on to a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.   What a view of the Bay!  Five year old Ben informed us that the columns on the bridge are made of obsidian that they paint red!  Who would have guessed???!!!!!  The sailboats were out in force and we got to see The Oracle, one of two ships representing the US in the coming America's Cup.  The main sail is shaped just like an airplane wing and has an interior structure!   It was FAST, and it was beautiful.  

Early evening we had to say goodby to our loved ones, thank them for a wonderful time, and head to the SFO airport to fly to Rome through the night.

Cruise 2013

I am so excited, Martin and I are going on an Eastern Mediterranean cruise with a little sight-seeing before and after.  Two of our favorite co-travelers, Karl and Cherie, are coming with us. What clothes to take?  What do I need?  AHHHHH!  Too many decisions to make.  How to pack?  I've done this before.  Why can't I think?

We fly to San Francisco to spend a good part of the day with Evan and then fly during the night to Rome.  We will visit Sorrento and the Isle of Capri before we embark about 50 miles from Rome.  I will update this blog each day describing what we've done.  Best of luck to us!
 
Let's see if this works!