On Sunday we made it to Naples where we had arranged to hire our favorite driver, Antonio, for a fun-filled day visiting the Amalfi Coast.  We were able to meet Antonio’s new wife, Adriana and father before heading out with him to make our first stop in Positano.  We have been here several times now but this was the first time that 4 of our family members had a chance to see this amazing coastline along with the quaint little towns along its shores.  When we made our first stop to take a few pictures along the coast, it always seems like you are looking at a picture postcard.  The amazing thing is that each picture after that seems better than the one before.  Our next stop was at the top of Positano where we walked our way down the windy roads to shop and view the sights of B&B, restaurants that overlooked the coast before arriving at the beach.  What a great view to admire the beach, boats, and look back up the hill to view the church and hotels.  After leaving Positano we headed back to Sorrento, where we had a nice Italian lunch in a restaurant we had previously enjoyed on a past visit.  We showed our group the sights in this town and did a little shopping along with trying a few samples of Limoncello where this drink originated and became very well known.  We then headed back to the ship and set sail for Rome.

Since we had visited Rome prior to the cruise start we had seen most of the sights we had wanted everyone to see.  We took a hop on hop off bus to see a few sights we hadn’t seen previously along with seeing several other sights that we had already experienced.  The bus does a nice talk about each sight to provide some additional information that we may not have shared previously with our group.  We did jump off the bus for a few hours had walked through the Trastevere area of Rome which contains many of the family restaurants and some small shops mostly for locals.  We then grabbed a quick bite to eat and did a little shopping before heading back to the train station and the ship.  No pictures are provided of Rome from this stop since we had provided Rome pictures in our first blog of this cruise.

Our next stop was Livorno where we had planned to take a train to Florence.  When we departed the ship we changed our plan to take a taxi that could easily fit all 8 of us.  This turned out to be a great decision since it allowed us to spend more time in Florence and see some other sights.  On our way to Florence we stopped at one of the grape vineyards in Tuscan where we took several pictures and admired the views of the countryside.  We arrived in Florence very early and had a chance to start seeing some of the sights before the crowds started getting too large.  We grabbed a cappuccino and a pastry also to begin enjoying some of the great food this city has to offer.  We went inside the Duomo after taking pictures from the outside from almost every angle.  The painting on the inside of the cupola is very impressive and so are the stain glass windows that are on each wall.  We then walked towards the Vecchio Bridge but visited the Statue of David and many of the other famous statues along the way.  After walking across the bridge and taking a few pictures, we walked along the river enjoying the views.  We made our way to the church of Santa Croce which is the final resting place for Michangelo, Dante, Galileo and many other famous artists, scientists and Italian leaders.  Many of the churches in Florence have a unique outside appearance of marble with light pastel red and green coloring that is not something seen in most other cities of Europe.  Along the way to and from these sights we sampled many food items and did more shopping than any other city we had visited.  Instead of staying a little longer in Florence we made an impromptu decision to visit the leaning tower of Pisa on our way back to the ship.  This wasn’t far out of the way and we knew our group would enjoy seeing this really unique sight.  The weather was perfect and we got some really great photos.  When we got back to the ship we said goodbye to Italy as we departed the port.

Our last stop before getting off in Barcelona was Toulon France.  This was our least anticipated stop on this cruise itinerary but it was nice to at least make one stop in France during the cruise.  After arriving in the city on a local water bus, we walked down to one of the main streets where there is a daily open market place set up along the wide pedestrian only street.  We did a little shopping and tried a few pastries as we walked around.  Instead of walking around the town to see the few sights worth seeing we decided to take the little train that rides around the city and provides a narrative of what you are seeing.  We were able to see one of the local beaches with people surfing on some of the waves, along with some other sights we had not previously seen.  When the train ride was over we walked inside the town to see a few other sights that we thought the group might enjoy: opera house and sculpture of the bow of a 17th century royal ship.  We took the water bus back to the ship and now are heading off for Barcelona where we depart the ship tomorrow morning and spend two days in Barcelona.

Greg & Sharon

  Today we are at sea after three great port stops: Athens, Istanbul and Mykonos.  We arrived early in Athens and took a bus to the city center to tour the Acropolis.  The Acropolis is a sight you never get tired of seeing.  It is such a unique view to see the cliffs overhanging the city with the Parthenon standing tall on top of it.  We had our first view of the Acropolis down at Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Zeus.  As you walk up to the summit you have the opportunity to see the many ruins that surround this archeological site and the efforts the city is making to restore these ruins to what they originally looked like.  You first see the Theater of Dionysus if you enter from the South Entrance and then proceed to the Herodium which is a large, well maintained amphitheater.  It appears this amphitheater is being used since it has modern lighting added and looked as if it was being prepared for some type of show.  At the top of the Acropolis you get some great views of the Parthenon and the other temples on top along with a great look at the city below.  When we came down from the Acropolis we went to the Platka which is a shopping area down below in the city where there are hundreds of shops and restaurants.  We had a quick Gyro for lunch before heading back to our ship.

Our next stop was in Istanbul which is truly a unique city with so many iconic giant mosques and towers surrounding the city.  We started our walk along the shoreline where we took a funicular to Taskim Square.  There we enjoyed some Doners (pita bread with chicken, lamb or beef with sautéed vegetables and topped with a zesty yogurt and sauce) before walking through the shops and marveling at many of the delicacies that Istanbul has to offer.  Along the way we sampled some baklava which is one of our favorite treats in this city.  We went to the Galata Tower and marveled at how an ancient tower such as this could have lasted so long.  We walked across the Galata Bridge watching some of the fisherman that had just begun fishing and viewed the seafood restaurants that lined the lower part of the bridge.  When we got to the other side of the Golden Horn (waterway under the bridge), we looked at the seafood restaurants on the shoreline selling fresh fish sandwiches, roasted acorns, fresh bread and donuts being sold.  As we walked away from the shoreline we entered the Spice Market, which wasn’t fully open because of a holiday being celebrated, but there were enough vendors selling their wares to appreciate the market and what it had to offer.  Our walk from the Market was a little longer to get up to Hagia Sofia church and the Blue Mosque.  Along the way we watched the Turkish women making bread stuffed with cheese and other fillings.  We did have to sample one of these for our group.  The Hagia Sofia church was the original church built by Emperor Constantine (when he made Istanbul, then called Constantinople, the capital of the Roman Empire).  Even when the city was conquered, none of the Muslim leaders wanted to destroy the church because of its beauty.  We wanted to go into the Blue Mosque but unfortunately it closed down for prayer 5 minutes before we got there and would not open up before we needed to begin our return to the ship.  We went inside the walls of the mosque but could not get into the prayer area.  It is truly a massive mosque and one of the most well-known mosques in the world.  Along the way back to the ship we stopped for our last treat, a Turkish ice cream cone.  Our departure that evening included a beautiful sunset over Istanbul.

Our third stop was in Mykonos which was a significant change from the other places we had visited.  As opposed to being highly populated with millions of people, this small island only has 10,000 residents.  We didn’t do a lot of sightseeing of various places as much as shopping and admiring the island’s beauty.  We did catch Petros, the adopted pelican of the city, and watched as one of the restaurant owners fed the pelican a fish that he obviously wanted.  This pelican walks along the city’s streets as if he owns them, and perhaps he does! We took many pictures of the famous Mykonos’ wind mills and the many churches along with the beautiful Bougainvillea’s that are visible in many of the walkways around the stores.  This was a great place to shop and most of the women in our group bought jewelry and other souvenirs of the trip.  We enjoyed some Sangria and beer as we relaxed a little at one of the sidewalk cafes.  As we returned to the ship the sun was just setting.

Tomorrow we arrive in Naples where we have set up a private tour of the Amalfi coast, Positano, Sorrento and Naples.  After that we will head to Rome, Florence, and Toulon before ending up in Barcelona.  So far we have had perfect weather and hopefully it will continue for the rest of our trip.

Greg & Sharon
 

Mediterranean Cruise Sept 2015 – Rome/Venice Pre-Cruise

On September 16th we departed for a 12-day cruise on the Island Princess - Grand Mediterranean.  Prior to the start of the cruise we flew into Rome for a one night stay and then spent two days in Venice.  This is a 50th birthday celebration for Gina (our sister-in-law) and Jim (brother), Gina’s parents and Sharon’s parents on this cruise.  We always enjoy cruising with family and friends!

Although our stay in Rome was brief it allowed us an opportunity to see the city sights at night.  On the day we arrived we were able to view St Peters Square in addition to visiting the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and Castle Sant Angelo.  While visiting these sights we stopped off at one of our favorite sandwich shops for a fresh salami sandwich.  We spend some time walking back to our hotel and had a good opportunity to view Rome at night.  After a good night’s rest we headed out to the Vatican to see everything but the museum and Sistine chapel.  We started out with a tour of the Vatican cupola (took elevator and walked up to the top of the dome) where we had a great view of the Roman skyline and took a look at the Vatican City, garden and area inside the walls.  This is a must see for anyone visiting the Vatican.  After touring the cupola we spent some time walking through the Basilica to view the magnificent artwork, sculptures and architecture.   After spending several hours in the Vatican we began walking towards the Colosseum.  Along the way we stopped and had a great lunch and a visit to the Vittoriano which is very impressive with its two chariots on the roof facing city.  When we arrived at the Colosseum we took a tour of the inside of this famous Roman icon.  On our way back to the hotel we saw Constantine’s Arch and Circus Maximus.  That concluded our quick pre-cruise trip to Rome as we boarded a 3 ½ hour train ride to Venice.

The train ride to Venice was uneventful and most of our group took a few quick naps to rest from our long walks in Rome.  When we arrived in Venice late at night we quickly checked into our hotel and spent a little time walking around Venice at night where we grabbed a late night snack.

The next morning our group headed out to the Rialto Bridge.  Along the way we visited the back streets and canals of Venice to watch the lives of every day Venetians going about their business.  We took our time walking while visiting many shops and trying a few samples of some of the Venetian foods along the way.  When we arrived at the Rialto Bridge (part under restoration) we were still able to walk the bridge and visit the shops up and down the sides of the bridge.  We took many pictures of the Grand Canal where gondolas, vaporettas (water buses), water taxis, and other boats went along their canals.  After checking all our luggage onto the ship, we headed back out to visit St Mark’s Square and travel on the vaporettas to see different areas of Venice.  St Mark’s Square is a beautiful open area surrounded by St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge Palace.  In the square is the tallest tower in Venice that provides a great view of the city.  Behind the square is the Bridge of Sighs were prisoners walked from being sentenced before the Doge (“king” of Venice) to prison with one last glimpse of daylight where they sighed with regret.  While riding in the vaporetta we were treated with a great sunset over the city of Venice.  After a full day of visiting Venice’s many beautiful sights, we headed back to the cruise ship where we spent the night before heading out the next day.

The next day in Venice we spent visiting some islands away from the main part of the city: Murano and Burano.  Getting to these islands was a pleasant boat ride allowing more great views of different areas of Venice.  Our first stop in Murano allowed us to view the world famous glass works made on this island.  There are more shops on this island than you can count that sell all types of glass items: vases, ear rings, necklaces, bracelets, chandeliers, figurines and so many other things.  Also on this island are glass factories that have many furnaces that produce this glass.  After our group bought our fair share of Murano items we headed out to Burano where we had never visited but had heard very nice things about it.  We were very impressed with this island which is a small fishing village where all the houses are painted bright colors which can make for some very impressive pictures.  Around the island are many shops that line the canals in the city.  After that we headed back to the main Venice area where we picked out a gondola to take a farewell ride of Venice down some of the small canals around the city.  What a nice way to end our visit to Venice!

After boarding our ship we went back up to the top of the ship for our sail away out of the city.  Venice is probably the best city in the world to sail in to or out of on a cruise ship.  The scenery is beautiful, especially as the sun sets and you get such a great view being on the ship.  Italian music is always played to add to the experience and it always makes one of those memorable moments of your vacation.

From Venice we had two days at sea relaxing, laying out, and enjoying the ship before arriving in Athens and then Istanbul.  Our cruise has just started and we are having a great time!

Greg & Sharon