Today we are docked in our in the harbor at Santa Margherita
and when we woke up it was raining and it rained all day!
The town is 22 miles southeast of Genoa and its part of the
Italian Riviera.It is a port for both
tourism and fishing activities with about 10,000 people all who seem to live on
the side of the hill leading down to the port.
We left the ship about 9:30am with raincoats on and an umbrella
and took the tender into the town.It
was drizzling and stayed that was all day.
We had a self-guided walking tour that took into a plaza as
port level with one of the two churches we visited.Then we walked a long walk up a very winding road
to beautiful church and restaurant at the top of the hill.The bad news is that they had closed the restaurant
that day.
Then we walked down the hill on very steep walkways into the
center of the town, which is the port area.
We stopped at noon at a very nice little restaurant and it
was warm inside so it was perfect.
We had a caprese salad and a great pizza.We met the owner who bought us each a small
sipping drink of Lemon Cello!!
Then we walked about the shops, ate one of their famous pastries
and took the shuttle boat back to the ship to dry out and rest.
Tonight the entertainment was a flautist who was very good; however, we probably wouldn't go to see her again.
Dinner in Blu was good and while you sit at a different
table for two each night, you are usually sitting next to another couple as we were this night and met an interesting couple from England.We have met several couples that we have
enjoyed talking to at dinner.
Then we went back to room to
prepare for the next two days. We plan on packing only one "beach" type bag for the overnight trip.
The ship is docked overnight in the City of Lasperxia, Italy
and we will take the train into Florence and stay over night there.I will not be taking my laptop so the next
blog post will come in two days on Wednesday
We woke up to Nice, France, actually a port called Villefranche
about 20 minutes away by taxi.
This is one of two ports that we have to use a tender to get
ashore.Fortunately, because we have cruised
so much with Celebrity, we have priority.That meant that we went to a meeting place and they put us on the next
available tender.A huge plus.
We walked up a hill and attended a church before going back
down to the coast.
We took a cab into Nice another city on the French Riviera with
a huge beach.
The walking tour was interesting and when we finished, we
took a cab back to the port.
Where we docked is a very tiny port along the coast with
virtually no straight streets.
We walked around a bit and then had a croissant and a glass
of wine.
Then we took the ship’s tender back to the ship and relaxed
for a bit before gong out for the night.
For the fact that we have cruised with Celebrity before like
we have, we are eligible for free booze from 5pm – 7pm. We found out the first
night that Kaula was no longer of the free list; however, we fond a bartender/waiter
who was able to get us Barb’s favorite drink every night!!
Tonight’s entertainment was a production number with the singers
and orchestra and it was very good; however, as are most of the performances,
it was too loud for our taste.
Then dinner in Blu where Barb had Lamb and Ed had Tuna, both
outstanding meals.
We skipped the casino tonight as were both tired and we
wanted to be fresh tomorrow for more walking.
Tomorrow is our second tender port to Santa Margherita,
Italy, another place we have not been to.
Time to stop and go to bed – night-night
Going up to church
A huge market in Nice
A car show in one of the squares
The very long beach in Nice
A lunch break and a little wine in the port of Villefranche
Today we arrived in Marseille, France which the oldest port
in France. The town was founded by the Greeks in 600B.C.
and is the oldest city in France.
Lots and lots of fishing boats line the Old Harbor which is
protected by two forts at the entrance to the harbor.Marseille is now a very large city of 860,000+
people.
We took the shuttle bus that the ship provided and it was a 20-minute
ride into the edge of the Old Town.Then
it was another 20 minutes until we reached the harbor.
The harbor is filled with boats and the street making a “U”
around the harbor is lined with more restaurants than we have ever see in one
place.
Once we were in the Old City, we took a break and had a
couple of Croissants and tea.Then we
walked around most of the harbor, doubled back and walked the side streets.
This is the first of our two sea days and we slept in until
about 9am and it was wonderful.
This ship is sooo smooth and the room sooo dark, it sure
helps when you want to sleep.
We had breakfast and then were up on the top deck for some
sun before going to lunch at Noon.
Then at 1:00pm Ed played in qualifying round of the blackjack
tournament and did not qualify.
Then we went back up to be out in the sun; however, we didn’t
last long because it was only about 68 degrees and windy.
So, we came back to the room, rested, and then changed for
the evening.
Tonight the dress code is Evening Chic so we were down in
the center lobby with music early to people watch.
We then went to the show which was a production number by
the cast that we had seen before and we didn’t really like it the first time
and we feel the same after watching it again.
Dinner in Blu was
Then it was time to go to the casino for our last stop
before going to bed.
Tomorrow, we visit the port of Marseille, France and we are
looking forward to it.
After lunch we came back to the room to unpack our carry-ons.Then we completed the safety drill and walked
around.
Back to the stateroom, we rested until our only big bag came
and they completed unpacking for the cruise.We cam on this trip with a carry-on each and one big bag and no
question, that was a mistake and we will not try that again on this long of a
trip.
Then it was time to cleanup and go out for the evening.
Before dinner we went to the 7:00pm show and the entrainment
was a comedian who was very funny.
There are several classes of cabins on the ship.The top category are the Suites, next is Aqua
Class, then Concierge Class and finally regular cabins.We are in Aqua Class as that is the class
that the casino gave us.For Aqua, they
have their own dining room called Blu.After the show, we went to Blu for dinner and sat next to a delightful
couple from Vancouver.
Then it was onto the casino.Before we had left, we had found out that the Casino Host was an
individual named Angle.If you remember our
previous cruise, Angle was the host on that MSC ship who surprised us.We have known Angle many years ago on a
Celebrity and he had left Celebrity, worked on his own and then joined
MSC.Tonight we found out that the host was
indeed Angle but this time a female – That was disappointing.
Tomorrow is a sea day so we plan to sleep in and hopefully
the weather will be warm enough that we an be up on the deck in the sun.
Night - night
Leaving the hotel
Lunch on the ship
Ed wanted sweets
From the ship at lunch
Time to go out for the evening
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
2024 European Trip
Day 1, 2 & 3 – September 30 – October 3
We believe that this was out first trip to Europe that we
started late in the afternoon and it sure made it easier packing.
We left the house at 2:00pm for our 4:23pm flight to
Chicago.In Chicago we had no time to go
slow as it was a long walk from the concourse, we landed to our Barcelona
flight.
We only had about a 15-minute wait and we boarded the plane
and left at 6:50pm, right on time for the 9-hour flight directly to Barcelona.
It was an easy trip and we had wonderful seats, at the
bulkhead and we could really stretch out.
When we arrived in Barcelona, we had a car waiting to pick
us up for the ½ hour ride to the hotel, the Marriott Renaissance Inn Barcelona
and it is a wonderful hotel, on the north side of the old city.
We spent the rest of the day and evening walking and when we
finally went to be at 9:30pm, we had walked 17,00+ steps!
We are 7 hours ahead of Merna.
This afternoon in Barcelona was all about going into the Old
City and it was fun with lots and lots of people!
It took us about an hour+ to walk the length of La Rambla,
then main pedestrian street and then we doubled back to go to the gigantic food
market called Mercat de la Boqueria.It
is an amazing place with a very extensive collection for all kids of food and
lots of different drinks.We ate our way
through the market and finally around 4:30pm ate dinner.In the morning there is a lot of fresh
vendors and other fresh meats.Later in
the afternoon, some of those stalls close and most switch to food and drinks
for the afternoon and the evening.
Then it was onto an amazing Flamingo show in a very small intimate
theater.There was a stage and only three
rows of seats.We were there early
enough to get from row seats right at the corner.For a video of this show, see one of our
YouTube videos.
Then we walked back to the hotel and crashed for the
evening.
On Day 3 (Monday we left, Tuesday was first day in Barcelona
and not Day 3), we had a wonderful breakfast and it was one of the best
Marriotts breakfasts we have ever had in a Marriott.It was a totally huge European breakfast with
no cereals. waffles, pancakes and “stuff like that. In the YouTube video you see what we mean.
Then we took a taxi to the Basilica de la Sagrada Family
Church.A Catholic Church that was
started in 1852 and is still not completed.
This is our third trip to the Church, one sometime around 1994,
we think and then probably 2012 and each time we see something new.
We got there with an hour ahead of time so we walked around
and had a bit to eat at one of the streetside restaurants and outside of
course.
We finished the tour in an hour and ½ and then visited the
Museum within the Church.
Then we walked back to the hotel, which was about an hour.
For dinner tonight we had to take a taxi as it was lightly
raining and we went to a Tapas restaurant we walked by the night before and it
had a huge line.Then the hostess said
if we came back tonight before 6:30pm.We got there at 6:00pm and we had a wonderful meal and hopefully the
pictures will show all of the courses.
It was only 4 blocks back to the hotel and it was hardly
raining so we walked back.
Today were 15,180 steps and we are tired.
Tomorrow, we board the Celebrity Equinox and we are looking
forward to the cruise.
Night from Barcelona.
Since we have highspeed internet we can add a lot of photos tonight.
Also, if these pictures look like we ate a lot - WE DID!!!
Leaving and Becker is not very happy!
On the plane
Time for a snack in the Market
So good!!
Walking and enjoying the sights and sounds
Time for a drink
Another snack
Shucking oysters in the market
\Lots of meats
Time for ice cream
and candy!
Yummy
The Flamingo Show performers
Wednesday
Our morning picture at breakfast
First course at breakfast
The outside of the Gaudi Church
Barb buying earrings on an umberlla from a street vendor
