Europe - Day 9

We slept in as it was another late night in the casino and did it feel good.  The bed is wonderful.

We are in Palmero, the capital of Sicily. 

We went to the Palace where they were having an exhibition of the ruling General who was killed by the Mafia in 1982.

The Palace was built 13 centuries ago.

We also visited the largest church, and it was very beautiful and very, very large.

The first thing that we did was walk up to the 2^nd largest opera house in Europe and took a tour of it.

In between these 3 laces we visited we walked some very interesting streets and just enjoyed the old part of Palmero.

We go back on the ship at 4pm and went up the Yacht Club pool deck and ate some declivous snacks.

Another 14,000 steps during the day.

The entertainment tonight was a tribute to America, songs and routings that were very American and it was very good, probably the best of the cruise.

Then we went to the dining room and had the best meal of the cruise.   The dining rooms is probably our only disappointment in that they are not set up to take a couple like ourselves and sit them with another English-speaking couple.  So, we have had good meals with ourselves as company and that’s not all bad either.

After dinner we went to the casino where Ed lost a tiny bit and Barb did not play.

This ship is amazing as it holds 5,100 passengers; however, our ship within a ship makes the experience seem like a very small ship.  There are 300 people in the Yacht Club and everything and everyone is made to feel special.

We have priority in getting off the ship and also back on we are able to bypass long lines.

Our cabin is not as big as the suite we hade a year ago in July in Alaska on Celebrity, but it is very large.  The bathroom is the biggest we have every had with a great big shower.

The casino staff has been wonderful now that we have gotten to know them – so that is good.

The internet is the best of all or our cruises so that is great.

Then show venue is smaller than any Celebrity ship and because they perform the same show 3 times a night, the venue is just perfect for us.

This is a 2-year-old ship and it is in great condition and absolutely no visible signs of wear.

All-in all it is a wonderful ship and we are very happy with it.

Don’t know if we will be able to sail with this class again on this ship, but we are hopeful.

                                                              Time to go out 

                                                        Our ship - the MSC Seashore

                                                                Stopping for a snack

                                                    The original model for the Opera House

    

                                                    Inside seats 1,000 people

    

                                                The largest church in Sicily

                                               Just a portion of the Palace

                                                            Going out for the evening

Hope to load videos soon

                                                      

Europe – Day 8

 Our first port is Rome today and because we have a limited amount of time and we are going to be back for a couple of days, our day in Rome was spent visiting the Vatican.

We took an hour train to the nearest Rome train station to the Vatican and walked about 20 minutes before getting there.

As it was Sunday, there were huge crowds, the largest we have ever seen.  We joined a long line but it moved fast and in about 10 minutes we were inside. 

We walked around a bit and joined hundreds who were there to celebrate at one of the serval masses being held that day.

It was a moving experience

As we walked outside, there were hundreds and hundreds of people watching the window that the Pope would appear at Noon.  We stood in the crowd and saw and heard the Pope give a message to the crowds.

Then it was time to start back to the train station and along the way we stopped at a restaurant to have a pizza and it was very good.

The train back took about an hour and then we took the shuttle to the ship getting there at about 4:00pm.

Of course we went up to the top deck where they had an afternoon food set out.

Finally we made it back to the cabin and got ready to go out for the evening.

Tonight show was a show called Gravity and it was all balancing and acrobatic skills acts and it was entertaining.

Then we went to dinner and had Barb had Italian and Ed had fish.

Finally we went to the casino where Ed lost for the second day in a row and Barb did not play yet.

                                                               Mass at the Vatican

                                                        The Pope on one of the big screens

                                                        The Pope at his window

                                                                  Lunch

                                                              More lunch

The Pope speking to the crowd on Sunday at Noon

                                                It was white night on the MSC Seashore

Europe – Day 7

 The owner of the hotel called us a cab, took our luggage to the cab and we were off for the next part of our journey – the cruise.

Genoa is now one of our favorite cities and we hope to come back and stay here again.

Boarding the MSC Seashore was very easy as we were met at the dock by a representative who took us directly to the Yacht Club check in area.

There a butler took us up to our cabin.

It is a very nice cabin with lots of closets and a huge bathroom.

After lunch, it took us 3 hours to walk all the areas of the ship.

By then it was time to watch the ship sail away and we after that we got ready to go to the show.

The showroom is smaller then on other ships we have been on; however, the show plays 3 times each night.  Tonight was a song and dance show and it was pretty good.

Then we went to dinner and have a fine meal followed by a session in the casino.

Barb didn’t plan and Ed played for a long time; however, didn’t come out ahead.

It is now 1:30am and we have to get off the ship at 8:00am to make the train to Rome.

Night from our first day of the cruise.

Leaving the apartment

                                                    The butler taking us to our cabin

                                                    The center of the ship

                                                        Now this is service!!

                                                        Getting ready to go out for the evening

Europe – Day 6

Our last day of two in Genoa and today was a full day of seeing sights, eating, and just walking a lot.

The last 5 days we have average 14,000+ steps a day.

We got up at about 9, had a wonderful breakfast that was waiting at our door when we opened it.

This place is amazing.

We took a taxi up to the center of the Old City and got on a Hop-On Hop-Off bus.  There are two routes to the bus both an hour long.

On the first route, we did the entire route and then back to a stop where there way a lift to a high part of the city and it was a beautiful view and also a great gelato stand!!

Then we walked to the center and on the way found a women’s shop where Barb bought 3 neat jackets or light weight coats.

Since we planned to walk a lot, we took a taxi back to the apartment to drop off her purchases.

Then it was back to the city center for the other bus and imply walked around.

In the Old City with all of the winding streets the jaw-dropping part is all of the homes that were built in the 13^th to the 17^th century and they are still in use today!  Some of them are in the same ownership and others have been converted into city buildings and also apartments.  It is just amazing to walk around and see all of these building.

Tomorrow we board the MSC Seashore and we are sooo excited to cruise on this ship.  It is Italian and holds a lot of people, 5,000+ but we were fortuniate to upgreaded to their Yacht Club a very private ship within a ship with a suite.  There would be about 2,500 passenger cabins and 110 Yacht Club cabins, so this will be quite an experience.

Night from Genoa – Tomorrow the ship!!

                                         Our fantastic apartment at Maison D' Or, Genoa, Italy

                                           A typical street corner in the Old City of Genoa, Italy

                                                 Breakfast deliverd to our door in the morning

                                                    Ready to  go for the day and night

                                                            A quick lunch

                                  private yellow house on the right get into a chaffeured car!!

                                            Just a little snack in the middle of the day

                                                These were single family homes

                                                       Barb with a new coat

                                                   Dinner - fish on the left and capacio on the right

                                                                Where we ate dinner

                                                           Tasting wonderful!

                                                            One of many churches we visited

                                                A single family home 

                                      Another famous palace and the smaller building were or are

                                      single family homes!!

                                            These are or where family homes - jaw-dropping

 

Europe – Day 5

We first had breakfast at the hotel.  They  surprised us with a Happy Birthday display on a tabel all waiting for us when we arrived.  Nice touch and it was a wonderful hotel.

From our hotel in Zermatt, they took us by their little electric vehicle to the train station where we boarded the 8:15am train to Milian.

When we got to Milian we had 7 minutes to change trains to go to Genoa.

It was not easy but we make it.

After 2 hours we arrived in Genoa and took a taxi to our apartment, yes, our apartment.

We were met outside the building by the Manager who took us inside and rather than take the lift, we walked up to the next floor to the apartment.

Ed had surprised Barb with an apartment and it was beyond our expectations!

It has a livening room, a kitchen, a huge bathroom and then a separate large bedroom.

I will post the video of the room but not sure it will show how amazing the apartment is.

We then walked to the Old City where we were met with our guide for the next 2 hours.  He was driving a bicycle with a seat on the back for us.  Kind of like a bicycle rickshaw!

The Old City is amazing with buildings dating back many centuries.   From the days of wars with other countries, they built the city with very narrow, winding streets.  There were like our alleys covering a huge area.  The reason that they built the city that way was to divide and conquer countries that were trying to invade them.  The size of the Old City is .4 of a mile, with an amazing number of little streets, like our alley, filled with small restaurants, food stores and just normal places for the people who live there.

Most notably, the city's elaborate collection of over 150 palaces is a sight to see. Forty-two of these palaces became UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2006, and although most are privately owned, several of the glorious edifices are open to the public year-round.

Our driver gave us the name of a restaurant that we went to after it opened at 7:30pm.

It was the best meal we have had so far.   We started out with Anchovies and finished with a wonderful pasta dish.

It was a very small place with, of course, seating outside.    We had a wonderful meal and then wandered the street for a couple of hours.

When we got back to the room, they had left a small birthday cake which was delicious.

Tomorrow will be fun exploring Genoa.

Night from Genoa

                                                        Breakfast at the hotel in Zermatt

                                                Ed's Happy Birthday table at breakfast

                                                    Taking us to the train station

                                                    Our host at the hotel

                                                    The center point of the Old Town

                                                Our guide for a two hour tour

                                                  Inside a beautiful church

                                            This was someones home!!!

                                        It's 6:000pm - Beans and Grapes from the market

                                                             Dinner

                                            Ed's birthday cake left in the apartment

Europe 2023 – Day 3 & 4

After two delightful days in Zurich, it was time to board a train to Zermatt to see the Matterhorn.

We took an Uber on the short ride to the train station and then the unexpected happened.

The driver, knowing that we had not taken a train in Switzerland yet, parked his car and walked our luggage right into the platforms for the trains.  Then he found an information person and took us right to the correct platform so that we could walk right on the train when it arrived.

The train was from 8am – 1pm and we had to change trains.  That was a challenge as the second train was at another platform and we had to go down a ramp, under the tracks and then up to our platform.

We had 6 minutes to make it and we just did!!

After another hour we arrived in Zermatt at the base of the Matterhorn.

These mountains are totally unlike any of the mountains we have seen before, from Colorado to Alaska to Japan and Mt Fuji.  Those mountains that we had seen before rose up with nice slopes and a volcano type top.  These mountains were jagged monstrous pieces of rock.  Petty in their own way.

We had to take 3 cable cars to reach the highest observation point.  At that point we were at 12,000 feet!

The sun was out, it was perfectly clear and an amazing view.  Barb’s blood Oxygen level whet down in the 80’s and Ed was wobbly and lightheaded.  After getting down to 9,000 and having a pasta lunch we both were just fine.

Then we went down the mountain and into the main street of down where we had a delightful dinner of veal sausage, potatoes, etc.

We are very tired from being up in the mountains so we are getting a good night’s sleep.

Tomorrow, we take 3 trains to get to Geno, our last stop before boarding the MSC Seashore ship.

Night from the base of the Matterhorn – a very fun day.

Leaving Zurich

Our electic taxi - no gas taxies or buses - all electric
 

                                            The Matterhorn from outside out hotel

                                                            The first of 3 gondolas

                                                Loading the 2nd gondola - capacity 125!!

                                                    Resting at the 9,000 elevation

                                                            The Matterhorn

                                                    There must be something here to buy!

                                                    Dinner - Veal Sausage - Swiss style

Our taxi from the train station - no gas powered taxis here