Marseille - June 30, 2015

Switching countries makes me say words I know but in the wrong language ( e.g saying Italian grazie in Spain, gracias in France, etc). It is hard to remember where you are...it is now Merci day!

Our tour today was guided by a volunteer for Marseille Greeters.  This is another free tour group ...led by a local volunteer who likes to talk about and show off her city.  Our guide was Cantal with whom I had communicated by email to determine a meeting place...only to find out yesterday that the shuttle was dropping us off somewhere else.  Email worked again and Chantal was happy to meet us at the new location. Another hot Mediterranean day - according to Chantal, it is almost always hot in Marseille between April and October!  

Off we went walking  through sections of the Vieux Port.  

First the Mucem where we met...a very modern museum focused on the many immigrants that make up the richly diversified Marseille. She described the population of the city as 50% Muslim with a large Jewish population and said that everyone got along.  The city has always had many different ethnic groups with now large numbers coming from northern Africa.

The Episcopal Cathedral (with the boys and Chantal nearby)

Typical narrow streets with lots of steps in places

Lots of street Art...some very well done - Max says that Poppa would be happy here since they have lots of ART!

Chantal and the boys

We stopped along the way to buy locally made 72% Olive Oil soap to take home....it came as a large square olive green bar  and is used as shampoo, soap, stain remover, and to do dishes and laundry.  You cut off pieces in the size you wish and, according to Chantal, it lasts a very long time!  Addendum after getting home...worked very well as shampoo and face and body soap and removed a stain from my white jeans)

In the Metro waiting for our train to the Street Art section of town

Whole section of street art

City Hall along the waterfront

We said Goodbye to Chantal at her daughter's consignment shop - she was picking up her grandson at school. We actually made our way back to the Metro on our own and got off at the correct stop after learning how to use the turnstile from a local who spoke little English (why are directions different in each country and require knowledge of each language to read directions?).   

We walked along the busy waterfront all the way back to the original bus stop to return to the ship...I lost the cane that I use to avoid falling on steps and cobblestones, when we stopped along the way to reapply sunscreen.  We do seem to be losing an unusual amount of things this trip...but that's a story for another day.

We were happy to return to air conditioning on the ship and all of us decided that Marseille is a great place to visit and Chantal was a terrific Guide.

Relaxing and waiting for Michele to take our orders (after she took the picture)

Mallorca

Of course, this turned out to be one of the hottest days.  We were supposed to do a walking tour but couldn't locate the meeting place, so went straight to the Cathedral.  The admission included the best audio guide ever!  We all were enthralled by the beauty and majesty of this lovely place. One of my favorites of all we have visited in Europe.  Art and I had visited here many years ago but had forgotten how beautiful it is.  Nick and Max felt the same way.  We spent several hours here much to my delight.

Famous Rose Window

Opposite side of the Cathedral

We left the Cathedral and went on a quest to find the restaurant where we had had the best Paella on our previous trip.  Found the street only to learn that the restaurant had closed 6 years ago :(

Since it was very hot, we decided to find Paella some place else.  We followed the directions from the tourist bureau agent and ate at a little place near the harbor.  The Paella was good but not the way we remembered it.

    The boys like it!

We decided to return to the ship to cool off and try some of the fun things on the ship.  Some pictures of the Flowrider which they didn't get to do ( sorry pictures didn't load )- the line was long and it was very hot and sunny :(

Dinner was, once again, excellent ( both food and service).  

After dinner we saw an amazing performance of Mama Mia - as good as any show we had ever seen with many standing ovations and encores.  Art and I went to bed and the boys did whatever teens do when the old folks aren't around :)

Entering Palma

After dinner on Central Park deck

Barcelona

We enjoyed a wonderful day in Barcelona.  Took an early shuttle from the ship to the Columbus memorial at the foot of La Rambla.  We walked on this main tourist pedestrian walkway to show the boys a bit of the area before streets before our sceduled walk with the Bean Runner volunteer tour group  through the Ciutat Vella ( old city).  These free city walks have worked so well for us in a variety of cities.  The tours are free - you tip the guide based on your impression of the quality of the tour.

Amazing Small World experience....as we walked up La Rambla, we noticed a young girl wearing a Carolina Rapids tee shirt!  I asked if she played for them and she said yes!  We chatted with her parents, who, of course,  knew Ellen (who is the Operations Officer for the Rapids) and introduced ourselves and Nicholas!  They live in Cornelius!  I was wearing my Davidson visor!

Back to our tour: the tour was an especially good one due to the vivacious, funny and knowledgable guide, Ruth, who kept track of the group of 23 (like herding cats) while being aware of the hot, sunny day and the time.  We had done a similar tour last year and still learned a lot.

Ruth and Art

After the tour, we made our way to a Tapas restaurant, recommended by Ruth, for lunch.  We each picked something from the menu and shared a carafe of Sangria ( yes, breaking the law by offering some to Max and Nick).  We are such bad influences :). 

 Of course, lunch was followed by our daily Gelato ( on a scientific quest to identify the best) !   Then we headed back to the ship to get out of the very hot sun and rest for awhile.  The boys rest included playing more Ping Pong.  And I do mean the 3 boys.  My idea of rest was to go to the Diamond Lounge for a delicious Lemon Drop Martini and chat with the Concierge about the cruise and the passengers ( enough said).

Dinner was wonderful.  Had a window table with our now regular server, Michele. Nick has now joined Max in nightly Shrimp Cocktail plus another starter!  She loves taking care of them.  We have requested to be seated in her section every night.  

The wonder of this evening was the Aquashow with incredibly talented swimmers, divers, dancers and trampoline artists.  We were lucky to get seats For this overbooked venue.  And we Had our first Frou Frou drinks - 2 alcoholic and 2 not from the  Tequila  Bar while watching.

Only Sea Day...thank goodness!

This ship carries more than 5000 people. Today was the day that we found out why that doesn't work. On a day when most of the passengers are off of the ship for at least part of the day, there is plenty of opportunity to find a place wherever you wish to be.  However when everyone is on at the same time...it is a madhouse!  Noisy, many venues including the lunch buffet inaccessible, no pool chairs anywhere, etc.  

We actually slept til 10 AM...a major feat.  Max and Nick slept til about 1 PM!  Much of the day was spent trying to find a chair by a pool , in the solarium, on the deck overlooking the pool or just in a quiet corner.  No such luck.  The guys enjoyed ping pong, basketball, and putt putt.

  I read in our cabin for awhile.  Even finding lunch was difficult.  The line to the buffet was the width of the ship and moved slowly.  The boys grabbed 'stuff' at several venues - hot dogs, pizza, buffet in the sports area. I skipped lunch ( no loss....my calorie count is not going to be a topic of the blog :)).  

We did have an enjoyable dinner in our assigned My Time Dining restaurant ( American Icon).  Our server loves the boys - she is a kind, chatty Jamaican lady and the boys enjoy her. Max gets his shrimp cocktail every night and she likes to call the boys by name remembering thei likes.  

We all had Lasagna, yum!  Desserts follow...

Port - Naples; excursion to the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii

Very early start this morning. Proud of the boys for being ready for breakfast at the Windjammer Landing buffet. We met Walter and Doris and her parents at 7:30 and made our way off the ship in plenty of time for our 8 AM pick-up. Off we went in Giovanni's Mercedi Van on a clear, warm morning - water bottles full and much needed on what turned out to be a hot, sunny day. The drive was a bit easier than we remembered from our first Mediterranean cruise 10 years ago. A new tunnel and wider road helped but the crazies on Mopeds that passed on curves that didn't allow them to see oncoming trucks gave me palpitations. We enjoyed getting to know Walter and his family fron FL and enjoyed Giovanni's commentary as we made our way to beautiful Positano with several Photo stops along the way. We spent an hour in this hilly town with a long walk downhill with many steps ( ouch saiid my knees).

Then off to Sorrento for lunch overlooking the sea. pizza again even better than before.  A bit of shopping and on to Pompeii.  Our guide Francesca gave us a wonderful tour of the ruins on a hot, sunny afternoon.  This is truly a must see place ( with good walking shoes and on a cooler day). We were saved by a Gatorade rest stop!   Returned to the ship in time for showers and a bit of a rest before dinner.  Then one of the most amazing shoes we have seen on a cruise ship ...Blue Planet.  Much like the acrobatic dance shows in Vegas.  The boys actually went to the gym after the show.....the old folks went for a wLk and the off to bed...  A truly great day!

On the way to Positano

Fruit on the right are Lemons!

Walking to the beach in Positano

Vesuvius in the distance from restaurant in Sorrento

Sun in eyes at lunch...hard to get them to pose :)

Entrance to Pompeii...thermal Baths just opened to the public

Max at original Fresco

Formal night...sharp looking escorts

What shall we eat tonight?

Day's End