Traveling Doctor in Transition

Another money saving tip. Airline frequent flyer programs.

These can save you money, even if you are not traveling every month. Unfortunately with some of the programs, points expire if one does not have a transaction with the airline, or at least one of its partners, at least once every 24 months. Transactions include flight or transaction with an airline partner. Partners usually can be hotels, rental car agencies, credit cards, sometimes even other airlines.

In October 2015, I used American Airline frequent flyer points to fly from Providence to Kansas City to see the Royals play the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. The total length of that trip was about 30 hours but the air fare was FREE. (I won’t say what I paid for the game tickets but it was worth it because my father is a Royals fan and we went to the game together.) In February 2016, I used my Alaska Airline points plus about $115 to fly round trip from Boston to Honolulu with an overnight stop in Portland, Oregon and an overnight stop in San Diego on the return trip.

I no longer have American Airline frequent flyer because the seats are too small and the rows to close together, even for me and I am not very tall. I get claustrophobic on American Airlines so no more. I had United but cancelled that, forfeiting thousands of unused points, because they don’t know how to treat their customers.

I try to concentrate my flights on Southwest and JetBlue. I also have a frequent flyer with Alaska Airline because at one time, one of the major banks had an affinity ATM card for Alaska Airline that allowed one to accumulate points with the airline for using your ATM card. Unfortunately, this is no more. You have to get an Alaska Airline credit card now to accumulate points that way.

As I said, I try to concentrate my travel with only a few airlines in order to accumulate points faster for free flights. I sometimes book my rental car through the airline website but only if the price is competitive with the individual rental car website or one of the discount rental car websites. Remember, even if you use the individual rental car website or a discount rental car website, when you show up at the counter, give them your airline frequent flyer account number to accumulate those airline points.

According to the JetBlue website on June 8, 2017, there are no blackout dates on JetBlue operated flights. Points can be used for any seat at any time. The two best things are that points DON’T EXPIRE and can be pooled with other family members. That allows for even more flexibility. One can also earn points with certain ‘partners’ that include Marriott, several rental car agencies, by obtaining and using a JetBlue credit card, Lyft and even SimpliSafe.

As of June 8, 2017, according to the website, Southwest Airlines program, Rapid Rewards, has not blackout dates and points don’t expire. There is also a Southwest Rapid Rewards VISA card that also helps one accumulated points. One can also gift points to another individual. There are several partners to help accumulate points including several hotel chains, several rental car companies and even 1-800-Flowers. With Southwest, one of the most important things is that you can check TWO pieces of luggage without an extra charge beyond your air fare. The thing I don’t like about Southwest is the open seating meaning NO ASSIGNED SEATS.  Everything has a tradeoff.

Southwest–Rapid Rewards, JetBlue—TrueBlue reward programs and Alaska—Mileage Plan, are the three that I use to save money on airfare. Southwest covers a large chunk of the continental U.S. JetBlue covers the east and west coast but not the Midwest except for Chicago. JetBlue also covers Latin America, the Caribbean and a few places in South America. Alaska goes to Alaska, Hawai’i, the West Coast and Mexico.

I recommend signing up for as many frequent flyer programs as you want but by concentrating your travel with only few airlines, one cans accumulate enough points for free flights sooner. I will probably be using some of my Southwest points this fall or early next year.

______________________________

the-wandering-doc

 

NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST

 

Please, please leave comments. Do not hesitate to ask any questions at DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com

 

 

By the time I woke up on Thursday morning, we were already docked. My trip was over. What was left was for me to wait my turn to get off the ship, get on the bus and get to the airport. There was no reason to try to get off early because my bus was at a certain time and was pre-arranged. All I had to do was get my luggage that had been off-loaded for me and get on the bus.  Luggage was arranged in groups and everyone had been given a group number. I went to that area, found my luggage and got on the bus.

The bus was not crowded but the ride was about an hour and one-half. After leaving the port area, there was one major thing that could be seen from the bus as we headed out of Civitavecchia, Forte Michelangelo . The same

Michelangelo, the artist who painted the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, designed a fortress to protect Civitavecchia from pirates. It was built in 1537 to protect the harbor.

As we traveled, there was the opportunity to see the countryside including several farms and small villages. It was so serene and beautiful. I kept thinking of how nice it would be to come back to visit some of the cities and towns in Italy and France again. I had already decided to put Barcelona and Sagrada Família on my bucket list, especially since the major portion of the church is to be finished in 2026, the 100^th anniversary of Antonio Gaudi’s death. That is only about ten years away.

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We arrived at the airport with TOO much time to spare. It was rainy and the airport was packed. There were long lines at the Alitalia counter because planes from the previous day, going to the U.S. and particularly Boston, had been cancelled. There were plenty of upset and angry people. Eventually, I got through the line and through the security check with only about three hours left until departure.

I ate, I daydreamed and looked out the window to see an Aeroflot plane. (That is

the Russian national airline). I people watched. I saw something else quite fascinating because my departure gate was near the departure gate for Saudia Airline. There were many Middle Eastern women, assumedly Muslim, dressed in traditional hijabs, some with faces nearly covered to faces uncovered but heads covered. Several of the men with these women, mostly younger men in the 20’s and 30’s, were dressed like they were from the inner cities of Chicago, L.A. or New York. Many were wearing shorts that were sagging at the butt or jeans that were hanging. They were wearing Nike, Reebok or Adidas sneakers and baseball caps backwards or cocked to the side. I was simply amazed. The so-called urban, hip-hop look has even penetrated the supposedly conservative Muslim culture. I was in Rome, Italy and these guys, with women in hijabs, were waiting to board Saudia Airline. I had to smile and chuckle. I also felt a little sad and angry that these guys felt the freedom to dress that way but their wives, sisters and mothers had to be covered up or risk being stoned or burned alive if they dressed in the female version of their guys.

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Well the rest of the trip home was pretty boring. We boarded and shortly afterward, dinner was served. There was a salad with little tiny bottles of salad dressing. There was an entrée with vegetable and a dessert. The flatware was metal and not plastic. Soft drinks and water were complimentary. Because I was fortunate enough to be in premium economy, (better than economy or coach, not as expensive as business class and way cheaper than first class), I was in a comfortable seat, (three seats across in the middle section instead of four) with plenty of leg room (6 to 7 inches more than economy leg room) with my pillow and blankey. I was able to check TWO pieces of luggage without additional expense with priority check in and boarding. All seats had television but I had a few more selections than regular economy. With the exception of Delta, no American airlines, (not American Airlines) have premium economy. The foreign airlines do. I truly recommend it. After an eight hour non-stop flight, I arrived in Boston.

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This was only my second cruise and my first trip to Europe. First the cruise.

I think a cruise is a pretty efficient way to travel. Though the average cabin is not very large, one gets the equivalent of a 4-star room I would say. I had a king sized bed, desk area, small sofa, flat panel television on the wall, mini-fridge, nice bathroom with shower and a balcony with two chairs and table overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. There were two built-in closets for clothing, one with a safe. There was also drawer space for other things. Meals are included so with dinner I could have as many desserts as I wanted. Soda, bottled water and alcohol are NOT included. Once on the ship, I did not have to move my things and I got to sleep in the same bed every night for seven nights though one day I awoke in Naples and able to travel to Sorrento and Amalfi. Another day I was on the island of Mallorca, in a different country, able to explore the town of Palma. The next day I was on the Spanish mainland exploring Barcelona. The following day, I arrived in Marseille and traveling to Aix. My hotel followed me.  Entertainment included two Broadway-type shows, two ice shows and a water show. There was a magician, a comedian, night club music and dancing. There was Latin music and dancing and a Jazz group. There were pools, waterslides and giant sliding board. There were karaoke and trivia contests. There were movies, an arcade and all the soft ice cream/frozen yogurt you could possibly eat from 11AM to 9PM. In addition to meals, I could have all the pizza I could eat from 11AM until 2AM. Room service was free except after midnight when it cost about $2. The shore excursions did cost extra but the tour guides were worth it. Sorrento/Amalfi had lunch included as did Aix.  All in all, it is worth to NOT have to move my stuff several times in one week.

Europe was amazing. While in Rome, a private tour guide was able to get me into the Vatican one hour earlier than the general public. European history is so much older than the American history that we know about. The tour guide told me that new is anything after 1600. The walls around the Vatican were built in the 800’s. The Pantheon in Rome was built in 125 A.D.  Columbus discovered the islands in the Caribbean in 1492. The Spanish began some early colonization of America in the 1500’s. The British began permanent colonization of America in the 1600’s after the failed attempt at Roanoke in the late 1500’s. The architecture, the sculptures, the mosaics, the paintings in Europe is simply incredible.

In closing for this trip, I recommend without reservation visiting southern Europe and the Mediterranean. I also recommend the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas, now plying the waters of the Caribbean.

 

the-wandering-doc

                                         NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST

PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS

And if you have any questions, please leave them at DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com or in the comment section

Today is Wednesday, the 7^th day of the cruise. Unfortunately we were still in port at Marseille, on the ship. We were to have traveled to La Spezia last evening and should have had the opportunity to travel to Florence today. We were still there because of the accident the day before, injuring four crew people and killing one. So sad because a family has lost someone that was trying to support the family financially. Also, they will not have that person in their lives forever.

For the passengers, we will miss an opportunity to see La Spezia and Florence. That is nothing compared to losing someone. Today will be like a day at sea but actually in port, a least until the ship is released and it is still unclear when that was to be. There was still a full slate of activities that would have been going on whether we had traveled or not, except for the shore excursions.

I attempted to go to breakfast at the Windjammer at 9:30AM. Not. Everyone was there. There was no place to sit so I grabbed a couple of things and went out onto the deck. I ended up sitting in a covered area because it was cloudy. After breakfast, I decided to just stroll around the ship to see if there were things that I had missed. After walking around a bit, I decided to go back to my cabin to check on the activities schedule. There were plenty of activities on the ship. There was always Flow rider or the climbing wall, neither of which I had done on the ship. I had done wall climbing before and was considering it. I also had not done the Ultimate Abyss slide or the Perfect Storm waterslides. Morning special activities included two trivia contests, a Sudoku challenge and a Zumba class. Afternoon activities included a puzzle challenge, the movie Frozen on deck 14 and Star Wars – The Force Awakens in 3-D in the Royal Theater. There was also a family karaoke, The Lego Movie, a scavenger hunt, 90’s dance class, Beatles trivia and an adult football tournament. There were several other activities but I opted for The Force Awakens.

Unfortunately there was no popcorn but I had my large cup of soda and a very comfy seat. At about 2PM, about half way through the movie, they announced that the ship had been released and would head directly back to Civitavecchia with an expected arrival time of 7AM, Thursday morning, just in time. Well it was good to know that we would be getting back because I am sure that most people getting off in Civitavecchia had flights scheduled by Thursday afternoon at the latest. I was going to be all right because my flight from Rome was not until 3PM and the bus would take me directly to the airport. After the movie, I decided to take a nap before dinner.

By 6PM, the dinner line was long. I also found out that somehow my dinner reservation had not been made as I had requested and I did not want to wait in line. I decided to wait an hour and return for dinner. During that time, I decided to look into some future cruises. I knew that the ship would be moving to the Caribbean late October-early November. I thought that it would be fun to try the same ship on a different itinerary, in a different ocean. I also wanted my sister and her husband to give cruising a try, especially since my sister had chickened out on this voyage. Additionally, future cruises scheduled during a cruise were given a 30% discount and $100 per cabin on-board credit with a $100 per cabin deposit. I saw no downside. At worst, we cancelled and I would get the deposit back. At best, we get a good discount and go on a cruise. They have lots of specials and sales but this way, I did not have to keep looking for a sale.

After making the reservations, I decided to give dinner another try. No luck at 7 or even 8:00. At that point, I decided to grab pizza and pack. The evening and night was packed with activities including an ice show, a couple of movies, and music and dance parties until late. Night club at The Attic did not start until 11PM, as did Caribbean music on deck 5 and Latin music and dancing at Bolero’s. It was the last night of the cruise for many and there was no shortage of things to do on the last night. I decided to just relax and get prepared for a long day of travel.

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The cruise had been quite enjoyable. There was tons of stuff to do. On the cruise, I had been to Naples, Mallorca, Barcelona and Marseille with excursions to Sorrento, Amalfi, Palma on Mallorca and Aix-en-Provence. I was a little disappointed that we did not make it to La Spezia and Florence but the cruise line refunded the excursion fees and compensated us for not getting to La Spezia. All in all, the cruise and the crew had done a great job to entertain and take care of passengers. I was satisfied enough to book another cruise before getting off the boat. Royal Caribbean also owns Celebrity and Azamara Cruise lines. I hope to try Celebrity one of these days.

Tomorrow morning, we will be back in port.

__________________________

the-wandering-doc

Not all who wander are lost

PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS

Please leave any questions and at DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com

 

I am very excited and sad. This is already Tuesday, the sixth day of my cruise. In two days, I will back in Civitavecchia and heading back home. It has been an amazing trip so far. I have been on this incredible ship. I have finally made it to Europe and seeing the Mediterranean. I have been to Italy and Spain and today, I will see a tiny bit of France.

I have wanted to see France since I was 8 years old, back in the summer of 1969. That summer, I had gone to summer school and began learning French from a little older French lady. After that summer, I would see her again as my high school French teacher. Because she had immigrated to the U.S. as an adult, she spent as much time teaching about French culture as she did the language. Today, finally, after 47 years, I have arrived in France. Today the ship has docked in Marseille. Again, I have signed up for a shore excursion that goes to Aix-en-Provence and then back to Marseille.

On the bus, we headed out directly to the highway, heading to Aix. As we arrived into the center of Aix, at Place de la Rotonde, one cannot help but notice the incredible fountain, Fontaine de la Rotonde, built in the 1860’s. Another amazing

fountain. After the bus dropped us off, we began to walk through the town. It was a bright, warm, sunny day.

Aix-en-Provence

Aix is a beautiful little town of about 143,000, but seems much smaller and quaint. It is 19 miles north of Marseille. Aix is accessible by highway, bus and train. It was founded by the Romans in 123 B.C. The region of Provence, including Aix, became part of France in 1487. The first stop in Aix was the Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur.

Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur was built in the 12^th century. The main entryway has

beautiful carvings and statues with dark red doors. We entered the cathedral through a side door and came to the baptistery that was actually brought to the site from a 6^th century Christian church.

The main sanctuary of the church hosts what appears to be two large organs,

opposite each other. Actually one is an organ and the other is a false organ chest installed for symmetry. The organ was installed in 1750. The pulpit is beautifully carved dark wood. The alter area is adorn with pieces that appear to be more modern. There is lots of natural light from the five very large stained

glass windows. Like many other cathedrals, there are small side chapels with incredible carved statues. Like the cathedral in Mallorca, decoration is in the form of statues, carvings and paintings as opposed to frescos on the walls and ceilings.

 

After the cathedral, we walked through the streets of Aix, passing Musee du Vieil Aix (Museum of old Aix) which is housed is what was previously a private residence/mansion. Unfortunately, not enough time to visit. The streets were clean and most of the very old buildings, at least in the areas that we visited, appeared to be in good condition. There were many shops and restaurants. We walked until we came to the Hotel de Ville (town hall) that was diagonally from the town bibliotheque (library). It

happened that it was Tuesday and Tuesdays are market day in Aix and part of it takes place in the large square in front of the town hall and library.

This too was wonderful. There were many local vendors with fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fresh herbs, fresh flowers, cheeses, baked goods, fresh honey and locally made soaps, amongst the plethora of items. Vendors were friendly and helpful, allowing possible customers to try the wares. Other storefronts around the square included a boulangerie/patisserie (bakery). Being that this was my first trip to France, I had to try baked goods from a real French bakery. Everything in the shop looked marvelous. I settled on crème caramel (flan). It was very good. I would have liked to have bought croissants, fruit tartes and cakes but there were limits on what I could carry and I wanted to pick up a few gifts. This area of France is known for producing fragrances, especially lavender.

We moved onward to the Cours Mirabeau. This is a very wide boulevard with very wide sidewalks on each side. There are some private residences mixed in with shops and restaurants. Again it was market day and the sidewalks were packed with vendors selling clothing, leather goods, art, crafts, household items, to name a few things. After getting our bearings, we actually had a little free time to wander and shop before lunch. During our travels through town, we had passed a little shop, 1802 Le Chatelard—Senteurs de Provence, a fragrance shop, at 16 Rue Maréchal Foch, in Aix. They kind of specialize in lavender but have many scents. They sell essential oils, sprays, soaps, scented candles and other similar products. I decided to get a few gifts for my mother, sister and a few friends. The selection was quite large but I opted for lavender oil, lavender scented soap and five other different scented soaps. All are heavenly and will be enjoyed by those lucky enough to receive them as Christmas gifts.

Lunch was as a group at Bastide du Cours at 45-47 Cours Mirabeau, included with the excursion. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor dining. Outdoor

dining is shaded from the sun with mist-ers to keep you cool while you enjoy lunch and dessert while watching the people go by on Cours Mirabeau. It was a bright, sunny day with temperature in the high 70’s and a market day so people, residents and tourists, were out in force. Lunch was not exquisite, fine dining but was very good and filling, followed by a very good dessert and coffee. It is a café that I would eat at again without hesitation.

After lunch, we had more time to roam but were to meet up at the Apple Store

(yes, one of those freestanding modern glass stores) at the Place de la Rotonde. I wandered, taking in the shops and architecture. As I approached the meeting area from the opposite direction, I happened upon a park that had a

statue of Paul Cézanne, the artist. It turns out that he was born in Aix-en-Provence in 1839 and died there in 1906. I arrived at the Apple Store and sat out front, apparently losing track of time as people watched, enjoying the weather and sites. Suddenly a slightly flustered woman came up behind saying, “there you are, let’s go”. Turns out it was our tour guide and our bus had parked around the corner where I could not see it. Everyone managed to get there and on the bus, except me. I guess someone was watching over me otherwise I would now be “living” in Aix. Maybe not such a bad thing.

 

BACK TO MARSEILLE

We arrived back in Marseille and as we were coming off the highway, we could

see where many immigrants/refugees were living under and near the bridges, in makeshift camps. Not a pretty site but probably was better and safer than where at least some of them had come from.

Marseille is the second largest city in France with a population of 850,000. Marseille was the first Greek settlement in France dating back to about 600 BC. There were previous settlements in the area dating back to about 6000 BC (recently found during excavation near the railroad station) as well as the Cosquer Cave drawings (dating back to at least 19,000 BC) that indicate an even earlier settlement. Marseille was a major trading port in the 4^th century BC. Like many of the old Mediterranean cities and territories, control over Marseille changed many times. Marseille became part of Provence in 1481 and shortly after, united with France as did the rest of Provence. During World War II, Marseille was occupied by Nazi Germany from November 1942 until August 1944. It was liberated by French forces with limited support from the Americans.

The first stop in Marseille was the Old Port (le Vieux-Port) of Marseille. Around the marina are lots of wonderful old buildings including l’hôtel de ville de

Marseille (the city hall, built from 1653 to 1673) with stores and cafés (even a McDonald’s with outdoor seating), another beautiful church (Saint-Ferréol les Augustins) and the Grand Hôtel Beauvau (a hotel in a historic building, renovated in

2016). The marina is loaded with yachts and boats. There is a very large ferris wheel to ride (no time for this) and an incredible view of our last stop for the day—Notre Dame de la Garde. This cathedral is high on a hill overlooking the Old Port. The Old Port area is a great place to walk, people watch and of course, eat

at an outdoor café. It is reported that the sunsets are a must-see from the Old Port. Unfortunately, we would be back on the ship and heading toward La Spezia, Italy before the sunset that day.

As we traveled up the significantly steep hill/small mountain, to Notre Dame de la Garde, we passed through many wonderful neighborhoods before arriving at our destination. On the last portion of the drive, just before pulling onto the grounds of the cathedral, there was a World War II German tank at the roadside that had been there since the war.

Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde is just beautiful with a large area of surrounding grounds. It does NOT have city and neighborhoods wedged right up against it. It almost appears to be more monastery-like. The building is sand colored with dark green striping that is very appealing. There are a large number of steep steps leading up from the arrival points and parking areas to get up to the actual buildings but it was well worth it. The present basilica was built between 1853 and 1864 on the foundation of a 16^th century fort.

Around the base of the actual buildings is a plaza with incredible 360˚ views of Marseille. These views include the soccer stadium (Stade Velodrome), the

mountains, the city of Marseille, as well as the port (both the old port and the new port). At the entrance to the old port, one can see Fort Saint-Jean on the right and Fort Saint-Nicolas on the left. Outside the old port, in the Bay of Marseille is the Château d’If on the Island of If. It was built as a fortress built between

1524 and 1531. It was later used as a prison for political and religious prisoners.

On one exterior wall one can see contact damage that turns out to be from some type of gunfire directed at the cathedral during the occupation of Marseille during the second world war. A sign high on the wall noted that it occurred during the battle for the liberation of the town from August 15 to 25, 1944. That also explained the tank, to some degree, that was road side as we entered the grounds. It was left as a reminder of the siege that included the church. The tank seen at the entrance of the grounds was part of the battle at Notre Dame.

The cathedral consists of a crypt, an upper church and bell tower. High atop

the bell tower is a 37 foot tall golden sculpture of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus (Madonna and Child) with four angels heralding the birth of Christ with their trumpets. The

outdoor plaza has a sculpture titled Passion of Christ. There is also a sculpture of Christ on the cross.

The interior of the upper church is white and red marble in a striped pattern. The decoration is carved marble, statues and incredibly detailed mosaics on the ceilings and domes. Mosaic tile also decorates the floor of the upper church.

The alter area has a silver sculpture of the Virgin Mary and Child with an incredible half-dome with an intricate mosaic decoration. There are six side chapels devoted to six saints including Mary Magdelene and Saint Peter.

If one is in Marseille, Notre Dame de la Garde is a must.

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BACK AT THE SHIP

On arrival back on the ship, there was time for a little rest before dinner. During that time, there was a ship-wide announcement. Apparently during the day while in port, the ship’s crew had a life boat drill. Unfortunately four crew members were injured and had to be taken to a local hospital. Also one crew member died. Very unpleasant for crew and travelers alike. Crew members are on the ship usually for six to nine to twelve months at a time, away from their families, working long hours, to support their families. Additionally, because it happened while docked in Marseille, local authorities were required to investigate the accident so we would not be leaving to head to La Spezia and Florence that night. It was unclear how long the investigation would last and we would be on the ship in Marseille until at least the next morning (Wednesday). That night things seemed a bit subdued on the ship.

Dinner was again with Edmund and Lizette. My appetizer was goat cheese and tomato tart, another winner. I selected roasted lamb chops with beans and mashed potatoes as my entrée with a glass of white zinfandel to wash it down. Dessert was a dark chocolate brownie with toasted marshmallow and vanilla ice cream. Such a relaxing time with great service.

After dinner, I decided to go for it. Comedian Tony Marrese was in the Royal Theater that night. He was quite funny. It was more adult oriented than the magician but was reasonable for older teens. After his show, the Fine Line Aqua Show was on my list. The show had already started but I did get to see the tight rope walker and the high dive from about 55 feet above pool. The singing, dancing and swimming portion of the show was good too. I wish I had been there to see the whole show. Next time.

After the comedian and water show, I headed down to Jazz on Four for a little Swing Time Quartet and some wine. A very enjoyable and mellow way to end the evening.

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the-wandering-doc

                        Not all who wander are lost

PLEASE, PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS AND REFER YOUR FRIENDS.

Questions can be left at DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com

 

I HAVE RETURNED

 

HI FRIENDS AND FAMILY

I am back. I apologize for my absence. I have been a little busy with some personal stuff and other work. Unfortunately, I am not able to travel at will. YET.

I have traveled a bit and I have not forgotten that I did not finish my Mediterranean cruise trip yet but I will get it finished in short order. Since then, I have traveled to Chicago (a conference), Kansas City at Thanksgiving where I did a barbecue crawl with a friend and more recently Orlando for another conference. I just returned from a one-night stay at a great place on Cape Cod (another conference) that could be fun for a family vacation or a great romantic getaway.

I also have a few trips planned for the remainder of this year, starting in two weeks. I will get back to you on all of these.

 

QUESTIONS FROM PREVIOUS POSTS

ALSO, I had received a couple questions about the cruise from a gentleman from Australia. He asked about doing laundry on the ship and if one could sit with others if one was traveling alone or just wanted to eat with a larger group.

Yes, laundry can be done for you on the ship by the crew. They can also do dry cleaning. Yes, there are large tables where one can be seated with other passengers for meals if one is traveling alone or just wants to be with a bigger group. Just ask before you are seated.

 

the-wandering-doc

 

Not all who wander are lost

Questions and comments are appreciated at DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com

Today is Monday and the fifth day of the cruise. I was an early riser on this day and was able to get a five mile walk in, on the track on Deck 5. There were quite a few people walking and running. I would guestimate that the ages ranged from about 22 to 70. (Got to work off all those dessert and alcohol calories)

Having finished my walk and breakfast, I was able to see the town of Palma de Mallorca as the ship pulled into port. The thing that stood out the most as the ship pulled into the harbor is La Seu Cathedral. (Unfortunately I did not get a picture from the ship as we arrived at Palma) As the sun shone on the building, it appeared as if it were made of gold. This was on the tour later so we would get to see it up close and personal. The ship docked and just a bit after 8:30AM, those going on shore excursions or just wanting to see Palma began to disembark. I was amongst the crowd wanting and going to see Mallorca. We boarded the buses and off we went.

The island of Mallorca was reportedly colonized by the Phoenicians in the 8^th century BC. It came under Roman control about 123 BC and Palma became the capital. During the next 1200 years, there were many changes in control of the island, including when King James I of Aragon annexed the island to the Crown of Aragon in 1230, ending Muslim control that began in 902. In the early 1700’s, Mallorca became part of Spain. Like the Catalonian region of Spain, Mallorca, whose main spoken language is Catalan, enjoys significant autonomy. City walls, originally built during Roman rule and rebuilt and enlarged during Muslim control, continued to be important during the 16^th and 17^th centuries, under Crown of Aragon and Spain. (The city walls were a fortification to help protect the town against invaders.) I bring this up because in parts of the city, including near Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma (Le Seu), portions of these walls are still in place and visible.

On our excursion, our first stop was Castell de Bellver. It was built in the early 1300’s and was home for the kings of Mallorca before Mallorca was part of Spain.

(This was actually one of at least two castles that the monarchy had on the island during that time.) The castle sits on a hill 365 feet high and since a large part of Palma is at about sea level, the views from the castle are just amazing. One can even see the harbor and I could see and identify our ship. The castle is circular, which is apparently rare in Europe. It has four towers and a moat. It is reported

that the moat is and was a dry moat, as opposed to water-filled as most people would normally think. It is a dry moat because water can be a scarce commodity on the island, even in modern times. There is a very large inner central courtyard that is built over the castle’s water cistern. It is no longer a residence of the monarchy but is now owned by the city of Palma. According to our tour guide, it is a historic site that is now used for some civic events but can and is rented to the public for special events such as weddings. (That could be a special place to host a birthday party or wedding and would make that destination wedding even more incredible. Married in a castle, on an island, in the Mediterranean. Not many people can say that. TAKE THAT DISNEY )

The castle appears to be in great condition (this is not a ruin like the Forum or Colosseum in Rome). There is the opportunity to walk through several of the rooms, many of which are unfurnished (not sure why). The incredible gothic

vaulted ceilings and round topped arched doors and windows are beautiful. The two story colonnade surrounding the inner courtyard is magnificent. There are statues, busts and other carvings in the castle that were collected by the

 

 

 

 

 

aristocracy that inhabited the castle. The art is fantastic but not as extensive as some other castles, most likely because the kings of Mallorca spent so little time on the island and at Castell de Bellver. They wanted to be on continental Europe.

Anyway, after Bellver, we traveled just northeast of the city to Baleares Coliseu Bullring. It was still an active bullfighting ring when I was on Mallorca, though many Spaniards are against it. Bullfighting has been outlawed in Catalonia.

 

This coliseum holds up to 10,000 people. The bullfights are NOT a daily or even weekly event. This was also a very handsome structure and was built in the 1920’s.

Across the street from the bullring is Joyeria Antonio Dorado, producers of Majorca pearls and other jewelry. I am no expert but I have learned a bit about jewelry over the years. I know that with the exception of pearls, all of the precious and semi-precious gemstones are mined from the earth. Pearls are made by bi-valve mollusks such as oysters. I had heard that Majorcan pearls were prized but I never knew why. Additionally, I did NOT know that Majorcan pearls are IMITATION, not real. The reason that Majorcan pearls are prized is because they are apparently very good imitation pearls, some of the best made. Their jewelry was quite nice.

After the bullring and the pearl store, it was onward to the main town area of Palma to the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, or La Seu, as it is commonly called. It was built on the site of a mosque that had been built during the Muslim control of Mallorca, which was between 902 and about 1229. Because of this, the cathedral actually faces Mecca instead of Rome. La Seu was started in about 1229 or 1230 but not completed until 1601. Its gothic architecture with eight pair of

flying buttresses, the entryways, the towers, external statuary and gargoyle all add to the overall exterior.

 

I loved it. (I wanted to be an architect at one time and I have a favorite architect, Frank Lloyd Wright)

The interior does not disappoint. The vaulted ceilings with it main nave being 43 to 44 meters high (3^rd or 4^th highest in the world, higher than Notre Dame in Paris but not higher than St. Peter’s in Rome) and its main rose window (reportedly the

largest in the world) make it an architectural delight for those of us who are into architecture. The alter area with its crucifix, many other stained glass

windows and multiple chapel areas are just amazing to look at. Decoration here is

sculpture in many different media as opposed to the frescos seen in many of the Italian cathedrals, but no less stunning. One other fascinating thing about the main rose window in the cathedral–twice a year, as the sun shines through the window, it lines up just below one of the other rose windows. This occurs on February 2^nd and November 11^th, according to the tour guide.

Next to La Seu is the Royal Palace of La Almudaina, built as a fortified palace

during the Arab/Muslim occupation of Mallorca. When the island was conquered by King James I of Aragon, it became one of the residences of the new royalty, along with the Castell de Bellver (mentioned above). Unfortunately time and the schedule did not allow us to visit.

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Back at the ship, with a little time to relax before dinner, there was time to contemplate what I had seen that day. As an American, what we normally see as old and historical is actually relatively new when compared to a lot of what I have seen during the past several days. I was told by my tour guide in Rome that new is anything built after 1600.  St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest, continuously occupied settlement (that is still occupied) in the U.S., founded in 1565.  There are older settlements, such as Mesa Verde in Colorado that date back about 10,000 years, but it is not longer occupied. Mallorca has been continuously, and still is, occupied for at least the past 2800 years.  Furthermore, Pope Sixtus IV had the Sistine Chapel restored in 1477.  Michelangelo painted his portion of the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel between 1508 and 1512, forty-three years before our oldest still occupied city was founded.

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Dinner was again with Edmund and Lizette. This night Edmund recommended the mushroom pastry as an appetizer (I am not a fan of mushrooms and will usually only eat them if they are accompanying a red sauce with sausage and/or pepperoni). Much to my surprise, it was not only edible but it was actually good. (Thanks again Edmund) Next was Caesar salad, followed by filet mignon, roasted potatoes and asparagus. Dessert was molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Another fine supper.

After dinner, a little jazz was very relaxing. It was an early evening because the next morning, we would be docked at Marseille. I spent a little time sitting on my balcony enjoying the fresh, night air as the ship glided through the beautiful Mediterranean waters. Another amazing day.

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the-wandering-doc

 

Not All Who Wander are Lost

 

Please leave comments and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com

 

 

Today is Sunday. It is the fourth day of the cruise and today we are docked in Barcelona, Spain. Originally I had purchased a shore excursion that would have allowed me to see the ‘highlights’ of Barcelona but it was cancelled because of lack of interest. I decided to go on the Gaudi shore excursion that included the Sagrada Família and several other projects that Antoni Gaudi worked on during his life. The only Gaudi thing that I really wanted to see was the Sagrada Família.

The tour guide was quite passionate about Barcelona, Catalonia and Gaudi. This was very good because though the excursion was supposedly about Gaudi, she was able to and did educate all about Spain.

The main stadium from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics was not built new but was renovated and repurposed for the Olympics. The swimming and diving venue is open to the public for swimming and diving since the Olympics 24 years ago.

 

Montjuic Castle is in the downtown area of Barcelona. It dates back to 1640 and was initially built as a military fortress. In 1694, additions to the structure were made and it became a castle. Between 1779 and 1799, the castle was made into its present form. It had been a museum but closed in 2010. It is presently under the control of the city of Barcelona.

Onward to actual Gaudi architecture. Casa Milà was built between 1906 and 1912. This was Gaudi’s last project, other than the Sagrada Família that he had been working on since 1883. It was built for a couple as their home, with extra space to rent out.

In true Gaudi style, the architecture is reminiscent of buildings in Dr. Suess’ books except Gaudi died at least 10 years before Dr. Suess’ first book. (Hey, perhaps Suess saw Gaudi architecture when he was in Europe during his time at Oxford during the mid-1920’s. Maybe he liked it and decided to use it in his own drawings.) The outside of Casa Milà is a sand color with iron balconies that appear to be vines and/or seaweed. This particular tour did not allow for us to see the inside of the building.

Next, we moved on to the Sagrada Família. Gaudi was put in charge of this project in 1883 when the previous architect and project manager quit. The job was to build a large catholic church for Barcelona. Gaudi was a very dedicated and religious man. He worked on this project from 1883 until his death in 1926. As an architect, Antoni Gaudi made drawings to plan his projects but apparently these were usually incomplete because he preferred to make models of what his completed projects were to look like. Basílica I Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família was no different. He also realized that he would not live long enough to see his church completed. He worked on the church for 43 years. So far, the church has been under construction for 134 years. It is planned that the major structure of the church with its façades and its spires will be completed by 2026, one hundred years after Gaudi’s death. Final decorative portions are expected to be finished within six years the major structure being finished.

Though the church had been started by a different architect, when Gaudi took over, he totally changed the design and went forward with his plan. His plan was for the church to have 18 spires and three façades.

The three façades are to represent the Nativity, the Passion and Glory. To date, the Nativity and the Passion have been completed. Glory was started in 2002 but is not near completion, even after 14 years of construction. Unfortunately, the shore excursion did not include seeing the interior of the cathedral. Waiting in line

without a reservation was at least a two hour wait. The highest part of the interior when completed will be 250 feet high. There are five aisles and the main organ has 1492 pipes. The amazing thing is, the building of the massive edifice is NOT being officially funded by the Catholic church (the Vatican) or any Spanish governmental agency. The total cost is being borne by private donations and from tickets sales to the public to see the inside of the church. It is reported that the 2009 construction budget was 18M euros.

Not seeing the inside was a bit disappointing but there will be another day, hopefully before 2026 but if not, I plan to be there to see the opening. I hope that some kind of way, Antoni Gaudi will be aware of the completion of his masterpiece. He dedicated more than half of his life to this church for his God. I am pretty sure that God will be pleased with Gaudi’s work.

After the Sagrada Família, we went on to Casa Batlló. This was actually a remodel of a home built by Gaudi in 1877. In 1900, a new family purchased the property and in 1904, Gaudi was hired to redesign and remodel. Because of some of the design elements of the façade of Casa Batlló, it was sometimes called Casa dels Ossos (House of Bones).

The front roof portion resembles what one might image a dinosaur or dragon skin might look like.

Columns and spindles of the balconies on the front façade give the appearance of bones or even rib cages, most likely leading the locals to give the building the nickname, House of Bones. The roof top/patio area outside is beautiful, whimsical and functional with incredible views of Barcelona.

Even the exterior portions of the chimney stacks are decorated to make a necessary, functional part of the building, interesting and pleasing. The use of mosaic tile adds color above and below terrace areas on the back of the apartment areas, as seen from the roof top patio.

Large windows and a central light well bring a lot of natural light into the building, even in the areas of the building, not inside the apartments. The use of ceramic tile and mosaic tile adds color and probably helped keep maintenance of the areas to a minimum.

A hallway fireplace and sitting area gives one that sense of Dr. Suess. A long hallway with white arches again gives one the feeling of being inside a large beast, looking at the ribcage from the inside.

Whether you like them or not, no one can ever say that Gaudi’s Casa Batlló, Casa Milà or Sagrada Família are just boring architecture. They are far from it.

As we headed back to the ship, we could see as the crowd was starting to gather for a pro-secession rally in Barcelona. Though Catalonia, the region of Spain that includes Barcelona, is recognized as a fairly autonomous by the central government of Spain, many people are seeking Catalan independence. This has been ongoing for many years and by the end of the day, I heard that a couple hundred thousand people participated in the peaceful demonstration.

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Back at the ship, there was time for a short nap prior to dinner. This night, I was assigned to a table with different wait staff than the previous three nights. Tonight I had Edmund, the waiter and Lizette, the assistant. This turned out to be the best pair yet. They were not only attentive but also very helpful. Edmund made suggestions for the meal and dessert. This is what I would expect, though none of the previous pairings had done the same. Edmund suggested the onion tarte as an appetizer and the chicken Waldorf salad to go with the ribs and baked Yukon Gold potato that I had selected as my entrée. Edmund was right. The onion tarte was delicious and is something that I would have never picked. The chicken Waldorf salad was light, tasty but not filling, with chunks of chicken, apples and nuts, leaving plenty of room for the entrée. The ribs were tender and well-seasoned with a complimentary sauce that was not overbearing. The meat still had its integrity and was not mushy or falling off the bone from being overcooked. The baked potato was perfectly done and with just a bit of butter, salt and pepper, completed that portion of the meal. For dessert, Edmund suggested the peach blueberry cobbler. Now being from the Midwest, I love a good peach cobbler but I am usually a little leery about eating such at certain restaurants. Additionally, I am NOT a fan of blueberries except for in muffins. There was also carrot cake on the menu and I almost never pass up carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I took a chance and went with the peach cobbler. Again, another homerun. It was fantastic. After a nice cup of Earl Gray tea, I left the dining room with a piece of carrot cake for later.

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SUNDAY EVENING SHIP ACTIVITIES

After a day ashore and a wonderful dinner, I decided to check out the ice show that evening. I had not made a recommended reservation but I decided to try to get in anyway. Fortunately, there was available seating. The show had already started in Studio B.

The show was called ISkate. It was great. The skaters were great. The music was

great. It was ice skating set to music, kind of “Grease”-style with music and costumes from the 1950’s, ‘60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The cast had about four women and seven guys. They were all good at bringing the audience into the show and seemed to be having a good time themselves. Normally this is NOT

something that I would go to see. I am glad that I went because I really enjoyed it. If I knew someone going on a cruise on that particular ship, I would recommend they see the show.

After ISkate, I decided to check out Adult Karaoke at On-Air on the Royal Promenade, Deck 5. It was quite interesting. The crowd was very excited and ready to participate. Initially, there were lots of singers and some were very good. Some singers were not so good but were having a good time. The audience was quite supportive and did not hesitate to show it. Eventually, they did run out of singers and time. The potential song list was quite long but I did not see anything that I wanted to sing myself but I enjoyed watching the singers, as well as the crowd.

This was the end of the day for me, after a couple of slices of pizza from Sorrento’s. It had been a long day and I was a bit tired. Monday morning we would be on the island of Mallorca, part of Spain. So far, the cruise has been great. The ship has so much to do. The shore excursions have been fun, interesting and educational. I realize that it has only been a taste, more like a movie trailer, of what the Mediterranean countries have to offer. I just cannot wait until tomorrow.

 

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                                    the-wandering-doc

 

Please leave comments in the comment section. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to leave them at DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com. Sometimes I will have to do a little research to get answers and it may take time, but I WILL respond. Please be patient.

 

The second full day of the cruise was Saturday and it was a day at sea. After my five mile walk on the running track, I decided that this would be a relaxing day. Breakfast was outside on the activities deck, near the basketball court. There was no rush since this was a day at sea and I had no plans. After breakfast, I decided to check out all of the activities on decks 15 and 16.

That morning, as this was a day at sea, the ship passed through the Strait of Bonifacio. To the north, on the starboard side of the ship, was Corsica (France). On the port side of the ship, was Sardinia (Italy). The strait is just about 7 miles wide so one can see both islands from the stern of the ship as we passed through.

The Ship

 Since this was a day at sea, I am going to talk about the ship. Part of the reason I was on this particular cruise was because it is, at present, the largest cruise ship in the world. The ship is reported as being 1188 feet long (more than three football fields in length from goal post to goal post) and 154 feet wide at the water line. (A NFL field is 160 feet wide) It boasts 2747 state rooms and can carry over 5400 passengers.

I guess that Deck five would be considered the main deck. There is the Royal Promenade which is kind of like Main Street. On the Royal Promenade is Guest Services, Boleros (the Latin music club and bar), Sorrento’s Pizza, Café Promenade (open 24-7 for snacks and drinks), On Air (a bar the featured karaoke), Silk (one of the three main dining rooms, Next Cruise (of course they want you to purchase your next cruise), several retail stores selling jewelry, fragrances and clothing. If you failed to schedule your shore excursions, there was a place to purchase those too. There was also an entrance to the Royal Theater.

The Royal Theater is the main auditorium. The Royal Theater is the place where 3-D movies were shown, the Broadway-style shows (Grease and Columbus. . .The Musical) were performed and the magician did his thing and sometimes the comedians did their thing. (The reason for sometimes for the comedian is because there is also a comedy club on the ship called The Attic, on Deck four.) The Royal Theater was very comfortable and quite attractive. Someone actually thought of something that made seating more functional. There are wine glass holders built into the armrests of the seats. I actually watched a 3-D movie (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), saw a magician and a comedian perform in the auditorium. It seemed to be perfect for each of the performances.

On Deck four, is another main dining room, as well as the all-important casino. The casino has everything, just on a smaller scale. There are slots, Black Jack, Poker and many other games. One thing surprised me though–smoking was allowed in the casino and smoking was not allowed almost any place else on the ship. The jazz club, Jazz on 4, in addition to Studio B (the ice skating rink that also hosted its two ice shows, 1887–An Ice Spectacular and ISkate) were also on that level. Just as important, Izumi Hibachi and Sushi is on Deck 4.

Deck six was home to Boardwalk (home for Starbucks, Johnny Rockets, Sabor-the tequila bar, one of the two arcades) and the Aqua Theater. The Rock climbing walls, two of them, were just above Boardwalk and accessed from Boardwalk. The Aqua Theater had two water shows (The Fine Line and Hideaway Heist) and also showed outdoor movies on its two large screens. Deck six is also home to the fitness center and spa. The fitness center had most of the important equipment but also had personal trainers. The spa had the obligatory massage, hair and nail services but also offered tooth whitening and facial injectables such as Botox, Perlane and Restylane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deck 8 has Central Park. Central Park is a park area with real trees, real grass, sidewalks and benches. Central Park is also home to several of the specialty eateries (Chops Grille, 150 Central Park, Jamie’s Italian and Vintages-the wine bar). Dazzles (a relaxed nightclub) is on Deck 8.

Deck 15 has a full-size basketball court along with a Harmony Dunes, aft. Harmony Dunes is miniature golf. Next to Harmony Dunes is the landing pad for the zip line that starts out on deck 16. 

Forward on deck 15 are the pools as well as the exit for the three water slides, The Perfect Storm, that start on deck 18. Scattered around deck 15 are plenty of deck chairs to watch the activities or just rest, relax and absorb the sun and fresh air. This is the type of relaxation that most people need. Pools and all of the other outside activities are on Decks 15 and 16. If one wanted to avoid children, there were also adult only pool and hot tub areas, as well as an adult only solarium.

For the teens and those of us who are young-at-heart and still enjoy an arcade, there is video arcade on Deck 15. Deck 15 has specialty areas just for children and just for teens, both with staff supervision.

 

Deck 16 is also part of the outside activities area. Aft are the two Flow Riders. These two facilities, one on the port side of the ship and one, starboard, are surfing and body boarding simulators.

Water is forced up an incline at a high rate of speed, allowing one to body board or even surf on the ship. (I have seen similar facilities at a water park in Kansas City.) The starboard Flow Rider was for body boarding and the port was for surfing. It is a great concept and was fun to watch. The ship has instructors to help learn either. People from childhood age to older adults joined in. The body boarding side allowed for two people to partake at the same time. Surfing only allowed one. This same area of the ship is the launching site for the Ultimate Abyss. This is a pair of enclosed slides that go from deck 16, all the way down to deck 6, ending on Broadway. I did not try it myself but wish that I had. Also, the zip line launched nearby, ending on deck 15. (This I did.) It was a blast. Both children and adults seemed to have a good time on both. The adults seemed to be more excited than most of the kids, especially on the Ultimate Abyss.

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As I spent the whole afternoon out there, I was able to get lunch at Mini-Bites. Mini-Bites is right out on deck so you don’t have to go inside. It had the usual lunch fare of burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, fries, soft drinks and other fast food fare. There was also an area that had soft-serve, self-serve frozen yogurt that was available.

 

The Main Dining Rooms

 I had selected “My Time Dining” because I did NOT want to be stuck with a particular supper time. The main dining rooms also did breakfast. I was assigned to The Grande Restaurant, Deck 4, for dinners. I could make a different reservation time every day or just go and wait in line. Waiting in line was never more than 20 minutes.  Tonight, Saturday, I had a different wait staff, Angelie and Huzzaimi. Again, they were both very attentive. I decided to eat simple because I knew the evening would most like end with pizza, wine and some jazz, probably late night dancing. Dinner was roast chicken with broccoli, carrots and mashed potatoes. Of course I had wine and a chocolate dessert. Now one might say that it sounds like a boring meal but it was very good, not spectacular, but very good. I am not a fan of seafood but it was also on the menu.

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There were also many other activities on the ship for children, teens and adults of all ages. Some of these activities and events included a family table tennis tournament, a balloon twisting class, a black jack tournament, a volleyball tournament, a pool volleyball tournament, karaoke, a poker tournament, beer, martini and wine tasting. This list is not even close to being complete.

If one was looking for a late night dance party, it is available too. This moved around between Studio B and The Attic. There was also Latin music and dancing every night at Bolero’s on Deck 5. In my opinion, EVERYONE should be able to find something fun to try or do on this ship. If nothing else, you could sit at the bar and drink or people watch. I even spent some time just sitting on my balcony, relaxing, listening to the water and watching the moon and stars over the Mediterranean.

Off the ship, there were more than enough organized shore excursions as well as opportunities to go off the ship and explore and experience the territory on one’s own.

Now I don’t want you to think that everything is perfect because NOTHING is. The shore excursions are not free and some of them are expensive. The ones that I took were reasonably priced and well worth it in my opinion. Two of the four excursions that I took INCLUDED lunch. Three of the four excursions I would recommend. Now the beverage packages were NOT inexpensive either but supposedly one could/would save money by purchasing the packages. The “Classic Soda Package” should include non-Evian/non-sparkling bottled water. Voom, the internet package, is also not inexpensive but I don’t have a problem with its cost because you could purchase service by the day or for the whole cruise. Hopefully the cost is a deterrent for some people who just spend TOO much time on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. I did see a fair number of teens and 20-somethings with their ‘swipe-finger’ glued to their phone. Lastly, the in-room movie prices were just OUTRAGEOUS. These were not first-movies. Most of them were at least a year old and could be rented on Netflix normally. There is no reason for the cost to be that high.

All of the shows are free but sometimes requiring making a reservation which means some planning but that is because of the seating limitations. The venues, the Royal Theater and Studio B, as well as the Aqua Theater, are all very comfortable.

This is about it for this post. Night-night.

 

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the-wandering-doc.com

Please leave comments and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com

 

 

Today is my first full day of the cruise. It is a Friday and I actually awoke to try to do my morning walk before breakfast and before leaving the ship for today’s shore excursion. It was late so I only got in about one-third of my usual walk. I went to breakfast at Windjammer Marketplace.

Windjammer Marketplace, deck 16, is one of the included restaurants, set up kind of buffet style. Even though it is buffet style, there are waiters and waitresses to make sure that you have everything that you need or want. There is something for almost everyone. Even if you are a vegetarian, there is something good to eat. There is even a fried egg station and a meat carving station. There are donuts, croissants, rolls, eggs, meats, pancakes, waffles, fruits including strawberries, pineapple, bananas, apples, melons, cereals both the good kind and the healthy types. There are juices, coffees and teas. There is a wall of windows so that you can sit and see the ocean or activities down on the pool deck. I decided that this would be my breakfast place. I was in a hurry after only a twenty minute walk, so I took a pile of bacon, some croissants and a couple of boiled eggs. I ate quickly, got back to my cabin to shower and dress for the day.

After getting dressed, I hurried down to the meeting point for everyone going on the Sorrento & The Amalfi Drive shore excursion. We had arrived at the port of Naples in the early morning hours. It was a bright, sunny day. There were several other excursion tours but I was told that the Amalfi coast was the place to see by a friend that was born in Italy but grew up in the U.S. We got onto the bus and headed out.

 

NAPLES

Naples, or Napoli, means new city and was established as a Greek settlement during the second millennium B.C. (that means over 3000 years ago). The first thing that one notices leaving the port of Naples is the Castel Nuovo.

It was initially started in 1279. Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to stop but headed to the highway, heading to Sorrento. Quickly one notices a very large mountain that turns out to be Mt. Vesuvius (Monte Vesuvio in Italian). Yes the same Mt. Vesuvius the buried Pompeii in 79 A.D. Pompeii was close but also not on our journey that day.

After only a short ride, we stopped at a small shop that produced hand-made cameos. This was very interesting. I actually had no idea how they were made but I should have guessed since they have been made for over a thousand years. There was one older gentleman actually working at the time that we were there. We were able to watch while a woman from the shop narrated what he was doing as well as the process in general. Apparently, they are frequently made of different types of sea shells. The intricate work is astonishing, done by hand, a lot of it not with any power tools.

 

SORRENTO AND AMALFI

The road to Sorrento is a winding road along the cliffs, high above the sea. The road curls and curves about horizontally about half way up the mountain. As you ride along, there houses and other structures below before the waters of the Mediterranean. 

Above the road are other homes and structures leading to the mountain tops. In other words, the villages and towns and main road are set into the hillside. As the bus drove south, on the right side of the bus at the edge of road are stone walls along the length of the road in most spots. On the left, sometimes houses, sometimes businesses,

sometimes the uphill part of the mountain. It is amazing and beautiful. This is not like the driving through the Palos Verdes area of Los Angeles with homes built in mid- to late 1900’s. This area was first settled by the Greeks, 500+ years before Christ. Some homes, business buildings and churches are hundreds of years old, maybe 1000 years old.

Arriving in Sorrento, a town of about 16,000 people, at the Piazza Tasso, we visited A. Gargiulo & Jannuzzi. It is a family business that specializes in inlaid wood furniture and inlaid wood boxes for jewelry and silverware. The craftsmanship was unbelievable. It almost looked like computer-controlled painting on wood but upon touching the pieces, one could feel that this was not paint. This hand-made inlay was so intricate. The items were not inexpensive but I believe artistry and craftsmanship made them worth it.

Out front was the Fauno Bar, a very neat restaurant with plenty of outdoor seating, the perfect place to people watch or be seen, right on the Piazza Tasso.  A short walk from Piazza Tasso was a beautiful church Basilica Pontificia Santa Maria del Lauro.

A walk down a few of the very narrow back streets were small shops with leather goods, fresh regional fruits and vegetables including huge lemons the size of grapefruits, and gelato.

Lunch was at a small restaurant Villa Rubinacci. The whole group on this excursion, sat at this small family-owned restaurant for real Italian food—a course of pasta, followed by salad, an entrée of roasted chicken and vegetables. A red house wine nicely accented the meal. The meal was topped off with lovely light dessert and coffee or cappuccino. The service was very good and the staff was very helpful and patient. After lunch, back onto the bus and back on the road to Amalfi.

Amalfi is charming. It is a town of just over 5000 people that lies at the mouth of a ravine, at the bottom of Monte Cerreto. It dates back to the 6^th century. The town rises up from the harbor, into the ravine. Below the main road into town is the harbor with a marina full of boats. Several little shops, galleries and small cafés line the waterfront. Above is a maze of narrow streets with little shops selling clothing, leather goods,

local hand-made ceramics and lemon products including soaps and limoncello. (Limoncello is an Italian digestif, traditionally made from the peel of Femminello St. Teresa lemons with an alcohol content of ~40% (80 proof).) There are several small inns and hotels, as well as several small cafés and restaurants, situated near and around the Piazza del Duomo. I was tempted to buy some of the hand-made ceramics dishes with a lemon motif and the shop owner was willing to ship it back to the U.S. (a friend purchased items from Amalfi that were shipped back to the states, arriving totally pristine) but I really did not have enough time to make my selections. I spent my time seeing the church and purchasing Italian made leather bags for gifts.

The other major site of the Piazza del Duomo is Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea.  Sixty-two very steep steps lead up to the church that has amazingly beautiful architecture, a bell tower and a courtyard.

It dates back to the 9^th century and is dedicated to the Apostle Saint Andrew. (Yes, Andrew, brother of Simon Peter, disciples of Jesus during his final year of his ministry before being crucified.) The church reportedly houses some of Saint Andrew’s remains, brought to Amalfi by Cardinal Peter of Capua in 1206.

On a lower level of the cathedral is a bronze sculpture of St. Andrew.  The alter area of the church is decorated with frescos as well as a painting of the crucifixion of Andrew on an “x”-shaped cross.

 

Though this church dates back to the 9th century, it is still an active church with regular services.

 

 

 

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BACK ON THE SHIP

After a full day ashore, we arrived back at the ship. It was time for some rest and dinner. I decided to get dinner at the Windjammer Marketplace. Again, there was a wide selection of things to eat, buffet-style. I grabbed a burger and went back to my cabin for a little rest before my evening activities.

The Aqua Theater had Zootopia in Spanish for its evening activity. I did watch for about 30 minutes but decided to check out the jazz group at Jazz on 4. This was a great little night club setting for the quartet (same as I had seen on the previous night). There were comfy chairs and sofas to relax in. I sat for about an hour, relaxing, having a glass of wine. The performance was great. They did NOT repeat any songs from the previous night. It was a perfect way to end a great day.

I was looking forward to Saturday as it would be a day at sea.

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Although this is supposed to be about the cruise and the ship, it is also about the stops along the way. Southern Italy is a beautiful place with a history that dates back hundreds to two thousand years ago. People built lives and cultures without modern machinery in places that have exquisite splendor. The views of the mountains and the Mediterranean are memorable for visitors, and for those lucky enough to live there, make life more charming and wonderful. For those that live along the Amalfi coast, every sunset must be just magnificent as it dips into the sea. I definitely recommend seeing the western coast of southern Italy. I am already planning my next trip to the region.

 

the-wandering-doc.com

 

PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS and if you have questions, please do not hesitate to send them to me at

DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com

I have to admit that I was pretty excited about this. This was not supposed to be a lone traveling expedition but my mother and sister backed out. I was determined to go because I wanted to see and go on the largest cruise ship in the world. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line put the ship, Harmony of the Seas, into service in May of this year, so it is a brand new ship. Secondly, I had never been to Europe and I chose to board the ship in Rome (actually the port is in Civitavecchia, about one hour northwest of Rome). The ports of call included 1)Naples, Italy, 2)Barcelona, Spain, 3)Palma de Mallorca, Spain, 4)Marseilles, France and 5)La Spezia, Italy.

I actually arrived in Rome the day before on Alitalia Airline. I spent one night in Rome and on the departure day for the cruise, I took the train from Rome to Civitavecchia. Check in for the cruise at the port took only about 20 minutes. This is because this particular cruise had passengers embarking and departing in Civitavecchia and Barcelona. I think most of the people who boarded in Civitavecchia arrived much earlier. I arrived about 5PM. The ship’s scheduled departure was 8PM but I believe that ‘all aboard’ time was 6:30PM.

I wanted to have a good time and a nice cabin so I splurged a bit and purchased an outside balcony cabin that has an ocean view on deck 11. Now that may seem redundant but the design of the ship allows for cabins with balconies with ocean views and balconies that have a view of an inner courtyard.  One inner courtyard is called Boardwalk with overlooking balconies on decks 8 through 14. The other courtyard with overlooking balconies on decks 10 through 14, Central Park.

Boardwalk is on deck 6. It is an area at the aft of the ship that is open at the stern area and above. The balconies look at the courtyard that has a carousel, the end of a giant slide called Ultimate Abyss, Sabor Taqueria and Bar, Starbucks (yes, even on a cruise ship), Boardwalk Arcade, Boardwalk Dog House (hot dogs and sausages), Johnny Rockets (had a bacon cheeseburger and black-and-white shake) and a Royal Caribbean/Harmony of the Seas souvenir shop. It also leads to the Aqua Theater.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Central Park, on deck 8, was like a park with sidewalks, grass, trees and benches to sit. Balconies look out onto Central Park, like they look onto Boardwalk. There are the restaurants Park Café, Jamie’s Italian, Chops Grille and 150 Central Park. There is Trellis Bar and Vintages, a wine bar. If one needs some shopping therapy, Bulgari is there too. One day it rained part of the day during the cruise. Just like a real park, there was rain because Central Park is open to the sky.

The Aqua Theater is an amphitheater for water shows and outdoor movies. It seats about 600 people. I did see part of one of the water shows. I thought it was exciting and beautiful. There is singing, dancing, high diving (from up to 55 feet above the deck) and a high wire act. It was great and Esther Williams would be impressed, though the show was very modern and not the synchronized swimming that she was famous for. Two movie screens are used for the water shows and for movies. I saw the new Jungle Book in this outdoor amphitheater. It was nice to see a movie outside, in the fresh air, on the ship’s deck. Sound quality was good.

Anyway, my cabin was pretty nice and decent size with a reasonable bathroom with a nice shower. There was a king sized bed, a sofa, a desk, a cabinet with several drawers and houses a mini-fridge. There are also two armoires for hanging clothes. The desk had several outlets to recharge your electronics as well as two USB charging ports. There was also a flat panel television on the wall. There were two bedside tables and a ship phone. The balcony nicely holds two chairs, with two foot stools and a table to hold drinks. There are dividers separating the balconies from each other for privacy.

My first chore was dinner, not unpacking. I had not eaten all day. I decided to go to my assigned dining room, The Grande Restaurant. Since I did not have a reservation time, I had to wait in a line for people with no reservation. About 15 minutes later, I was sitting at a table. The waiter and assistant assigned to my table were Mariana and Alina from the Ukraine. They were very attentive, friendly and made feel comfortable being at dinner alone. They kept my water glass full also. I ordered steak medium well, that came with asparagus and carrots. Dessert was chocolate cake. The steak was cooked as I like it. The sides were tasty and the dessert was very good (I will eat almost anything that is chocolate). Now if I decided that I wanted something else that was on the menu, I could get that too. You can have as many entrees or as many desserts as you want. If one eats a particular meal in the main dining room, it does not preclude you from going to another eatery to eat there too.

The dining room was very nice with variable sized tables. There were tables for two and tables for up to eight people. The lighting was good and background music was not overwhelming. All wait staff seemed very friendly and helpful. At times, there were waiters assisting me that were NOT assigned to my table. The menu had items that were available every day on the right and the daily ‘specials’ on the left. The wine list had significant choices from reasonably priced to somewhat expensive. Some could be bought by the glass, others only by the bottle. Most importantly, you were not rushed to eat. In fact, you were informed that you should allow two hours for dinner. This is NOT because of long waits. Even without a reservation, my longest wait was 15 minutes. Once seated, your waiter/waitress or their assistant were usually at your service in two minutes or less.

As far as eating, there are restaurants that are included in your fare and specialty restaurants that have an additional charge. Included restaurants are Windjammer Marketplace, Solarium Bistro, Park Café, American Icon, Mini Bites, The Grande Restaurant, Silk, Café Promenade, Vitality Café, Boardwalk Dog House and Sorrento’s Pizza. One can eat at as many of the included restaurants, as many times per day, as one wants, WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL CHARGE. Places that require an additional charge are Johnny Rockets, Sabor Tequeria & Tequila Bar, Vintages, Jamie’s Italian, Chops Grille, Wonderland, 150 Central Park, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi and Starbucks.

After dinner, I decided to check out some of the evenings activities. I took a walk around and ended up on Deck 15 in an outdoor activities area that I will talk about later. There was a jazz quartet, Swing Time Quartet, consisting of keyboard player, drummer, bass guitar and female singer. I am somewhat of a jazz enthusiast. It was a large part of the music heard in our house when I was a small child. I have had the opportunity to hear Dizzy Gillespie in person and meet him twice (first time, November 1979 in a small nightclub in Montreal; second time in about 1984 on the Cook College Campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey). The singer was no Ella Fitzgerald and seemed to try to emulate the style of Astrud Gilberto, but she was good. The three musicians were also pretty good. I expected that I would get a chance to see them again later during the cruise.

At about 9PM in the Royal Theater, Decks 4 & 5, there was a magic show, Hector is Magic. Now most people would say, “A magic show?” Yes, and it was good. Hector is combination stand-up comedian and magician from Seville, Spain. The show was in English and Spanish with him translating from English into Spanish. He did card tricks, rope tricks and audience participation tricks, even including children. It was definitely worth seeing and his show was attention getting. Some tricks have been seen before but he made it fun and interesting.

As the evening progressed to night, I decided to check out Red. Red is a nightclub activity on the ship in Studio B, Deck 4. It had a DJ playing new stuff and some oldies. I was surprised at the number of people there with children (I mean down to about age 6) and that was at midnight. There was dancing and it was like a small club with a bar at the edge of the dance floor and stadium style seating three-quarters of the way around the floor. Lighting was club-bish but the number of children made it a bit less appealing.

I decided to go to Sorrento’s Pizza for a couple of slices and soda in my special cup. Pizza is included in your fare and you can eat as much as you want. Sorrento’s opens at 11AM and goes to 3AM. Pizza was not bad but not great. It could be customized in short order. It also has two of those Coca Cola machines like they have at Wendy’s. There was also cold, non-bottled water to drink.

Anyway, I got back to my cabin to find that my bed had been turned down and listing of the next day’s activities was on the bed. I took a look but only briefly because by morning, Friday, we would be at the port of Naples and I had signed up for a shore excursion. I was exhausted. In the past 48 hours, I had traveled from Boston to Rome, had a brief tour of Rome including the Vatican, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum, now I was on the cruise. I was looking forward to some sleep and Friday’s shore excursion.

This ends my first evening on the ship. It was beautiful, shiny and modern. Dinner was not gourmet but very, very good with good service. I was looking forward to the next day of the cruise.

 

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the-wandering-doc.com

P.S.  Beginning today, I will do my best to post every other Friday.

 

Please comment and follow my travels. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com