Sailing off the Spanish coast

We had a fun day in Gibraltar. Went to the top of the rock, saw the monkeys and went into the caves. We were treated to a wonderful concert in the main cave. We had wine and food and music whilst sitting amongst stalactites and stalagmites. Wonderful experience. The cruise is winding down. Tomorrow Spain and the next two days Portugal. The seas are calm and the weather is great. So are our travel companions. It doesn't get much better.

At sea

At last a sea day!  We are exhausted and needed it. But all we did was run frantically from activity to activity. Now I really need a rest and the next few days are packed. They will have to carry me off this ship in a gurney.

I forgot about yesterday when they brought on a local dance troupe of children doing Catalan folk dances and a tasting of delicious locally made bread. It was a lovely cultural experience. Did you know that bagpipes originated in Spain?

We are getting ready for our highlight dinner in the fancy restaurant. The six of us are looking forward to this special evening followed by the headliner show of the cruise. I wonder if I will make it to the disco tonight. We were there last night with a bunch of drunken couples from Baton Rouge. Boy can they drink!  We can't even finish a glass of wine without getting sleepy and we order virgin piña coladas. We are a pathetic group!

I am starting to think that this all will be over soon. We are already talking about the next cruises to some strange and exotic places. The planning is half the fun. We need more sea days.

Aboard Journey

 TheToday's port stop was the Spanish island of Mallorca. It is off the eastern coast and has Mel mild. weather and a beautiful mountain range. We docked in Alcudia, which is about one and a half hours from the capital of Palma de Mallorca. The island is famous for its beautiful pearls but I did not buy any. There are beautiful wide sandy beaches here with massive boardwalks filled with shops and restaurants. It is wonderful for families with kids. Lots of kid-related facilities.

We went to the old part of town which was very interesting with it's ancient wall parts of which date from Roman times. We strolled along the top of the wall and saw some beautiful views of the old city and surrounding areas.  Then we explored the rest of the old city which was filled with cafés and boutiques among the ancient walls.

We are now relaxing poolside on the ship.

It is now after the show and we are rocking out in the disco on the top deck. We saw the show twice because it was so funny. We have a sea day tomorrow so I can sleep late at last! I am solo tired.

Aboard Azamara Journey

This is cruising at its best. Luxury and fine dining and service. Today we spent a lovely day in Mahon, Menorca, one of the Balearics Islands off the eastern coast of Spain. The weather was perfect for touring. We walked up and down the local hills, took a sightseeing tram and then took a sightseeing boat all sound the nearby islands. It was a little rough at one point and I noticed a slightly green tinge to Jerry and Eileen but they fought through it. This is really a beautiful place.

This evening we were treated to a fine show, met all the officers and went dancing in the disco. We are such party animals. This is the first night we made it past eleven. That is only because we slept for two hours after sightseeing.

I know that none of us will want to leave this ship and the discussion about where to take it next is already raging. I just brought brochures for the next two years to my stateroom for immediate study. I would like nothing better than to get on this ship and take it around the world.

Photos on the blog are still an issue. Go to Jerry's Facebook. I will eventually figure it out.

Barcelona and Journey

We spent a lovely two days in Barcelona and surrounding cities. We went to Sitges, a lovely and high-end seaside town, where we walked along the Promenade and had lunch with a view of the sea. It doesn't get any better. Yesterday we went to Girona, an old and lovely city about an hour by train from Barcelona. It was home to a large Jewish population until the Inquisition. The streets were narrow and winding and charming.

We are now aboard the wonderful Azamara Journey. It is a fabulous ship with a fabulous crew. We are with friends Eileen, Steve, Lorelle and Helene. What fun!

Jerry here... Phyllis is having a hard time figuring out how to upload pictures to her blog, so if you want to see some of our pictures, go to her facebook page!

We're about to leave Barcelona on the Azamara Journey.... A great ship.

Barcelona

We are now on the ship getting ready to leave Barcelona. We had a lovely time here. We went to Sitges, a high end seaside resort where I could have stayed for the next six months. We went to Girona which has a very old city center from when the Jews were flourishing here prior to 1492.

More to come.

Barcelona

Having trouble with this blog. Will try to catch up. Check Jerry's facebook page or mine for updates. We are having a great time in Barcelona.

Barcelona

Last days on Liberty

Today we docked in Naples and took the ferry over to Capri. We did a lot of walking up and down paths between Capri on the bottom and Anacapri on the top. We didn't go to the Blue Grotto since we did that on another trip and I didn't feel like falling into the water while changing boats which happens all the time. We also skipped Hadrian's Villa at the very top since we did that last time. It is a hellish walk nineteen hundred feet up steep paths and steps. It is where Hadrian flung his enemies off the cliffs and into the rocky sea below. I think I would have flung myself off if I had to climb that thing again, although the views are spectacular. Instead we opted for pizza-authentic Naples kind-and gelato at a seaside outdoor cafe.

I am still having issues posting photos and will continue to work on solving the problem. If that doesn't work I will do a Picasa online album. Stay tuned.

Tomorrow is a sea day. I need a rest. The passengers on this ship need some lessons in manners. This brand is becoming too Carnival for my taste. But most of the rudeness is not coming from Americans. It is coming from Muslims in full garb who have absolutely no manners and push and shove their way while the rest of us are waiting patiently and in an orderly fashion.

Isle of Capri

Sitting at an outdoor cafe eating pizza and gelato while watching the tour groups shuffle by. Nice way to spend the day after walking the hills.

Cinque Terra

I am not by nature an early riser. In fact I have to force myself to get up but we were going to the Cinque Terra (five towns) and I couldn't wait to get there so I was up at the crack of dawn. We decided the best way for us was the train. We started at the furthest point and ended with the closest to La Spezia where the ship was docked. It was just as wonderful as I remembered it from ten years ago. It is still beautiful but a little more built up and now has a Disneyland quality about it due to the hoarders of tourists swarming like insects all over the place. Last time we did the walks between towns but didn't feel up to it this time since it was very hot and some of the trails were still under repair. We walked around in the towns but took either a boat or train between towns. The colorful houses are still hanging from the mountainsides and the men still fish but there is a thriving commercial aspect to the place now. I am so glad I saw it the first time with no other tourists around. It will always be beautiful and I will always have such fond memories of it as it was. The ladies are still going to daily food markets and enjoying gossip time together. The old men still sit around watching the daily parade of tourists while enjoying their afternoon helpings of gelato.

We are becoming gelato connoisseurs. Each area has its own special flavors and quirks. The consensus is that Italy is the only place you can get good gelato.

Today while most of the passengers took off for Rome we walked into Civitavecchia  and caught the local bus to Tarquinia which is a small down about ninety kilometers from Rome. It is a small, sleepy Town in Lazio which is known for its Etruscan ruins. Not too much is known about the Etruscans or their beliefs. They were precursors of the Romans and their art was beautiful with a mystical quality to it. We explored the town which immediately closed up for siesta at noon till four thirty. These Italians really do know how to live the right way. We might have been the only tourists in town and that is the way I like it.

We had a lovely outdoor lunch on a sidewalk cafe in a piazza at the top of a hill. The view from the hill was spectacular. We saw the entire surrounding countryside.   It was a three course meal which was made from fresh local ingredients and was delicious. Back on the ship we could hardly eat dinner. I am not thrilled with this ship and have a laundry list of complaints. I don't know who is worse...some of the staff or some of the passengers. Eileen and Steve had their room changed and today our toilet thought it was the Trevi Fountain and flooded the entire bathroom.

Sailing along the Italian coast

At sea off the Italian coast

After a cold and rainy day in Aix and Marsailles  yesterday we thought we really hated France. Au contraire, mis amies. Today was absolutely glorious...a picture perfect day in the Cote d' Azure. It is no surprise that all the Impressionist painters made their way here. It is like a fairy tale and I am the princess. We tendered in Villfrenche sur Mer which is a beautiful little seaside village with seaside cafés, a promenade along the sea and beautiful villas climbing up the mountainsides. The light and colors are extraordinary. We took the train to Cannes and landed smack in the middle of the Cannes Film Festival!  Wow!  Everyone in the international film industry was there. The whole city was crawling with everyone who is anyone, every wannabe, every paparazzi, every gawker and there was us, the Yenta Patrol. We had lunch on the beach promenade, Le Croisette, consisting of a long French sandwich on delicious bread and a crepe. We took a sightseeing tour in an open tram in the glorious sunlight. From high above the city we took in the beautiful panorama with all the yachts of the rich and famous in the background. What amazing sights and what great people watching. Some were even watching us as we approached the famous red carpet. Despite our valiant efforts and stunning good looks Eileen and I were not discovered.  We did however get plenty of exercise running after George Clooney and begging him to reconsider his recent engagement. In the meantime, Steve and Jerry were chasing a bevy of tall Slovenian wannabe starlets. What fun we had. We got separated on the trip back to the ship but fortunately we all made it back on the last tender.

We all are anxiously awaiting tomorrow's trip to the Cinque Terra. I am anticipating a great change since we were there about ten years ago and it is on Eileen and Steve's bucket list.

Liberty of the Seas

We arrived in Barcelona after spending the day at Brighton in England. It was warm and sunny and we had lunch on the beach. Caught the train to Gatwick and the flew to Barcelona where we overnighted and boarded Liberty the next morning with Eileen and Steve.

We are now in France where it is cold and raining. Went to Aix and Marsailles.  Guess I should be wearing a burka since everyone else is.

Last Day

We haven't seen land yet but there is the occasional boat and bird so I know we are getting close. ETA is tomorrow morning at about 5 am.   I guess that means we have to pack up later. It won't be that difficult and it won't take long.

There is that air of anticipation running through the ship. It is like an undercurrent of excitement. The Brits are very excited to be back in the UK. Some haven't been home for months. They have been wintering in Florida. All of the other European nationalities are happy to see the Continent. Aussies and Kiwis are just happy and loud. The Germans are just very Teutonic. Some German tried to steal my omelet at breakfast. The Americans are just wandering around the ship in their usual catatonic state. Since most of them don't speak another language they already feel lost. All the other nationalities are just walking around smiling, as they have been throughout the cruise.  The Canadians and Americans are taking advantage of all the last-minute activities and using up their drink packages. Everyone else is keeping a low profile.

The shops are having their end-of-cruise blow out sales. Maybe I will look later. Jerry is wandering around trying to find out how many minutes he has left on the internet. He has to get his money's worth. It is slow and expensive.

The culinary staff just presented the passengers with a giant thank you cake. It took up half the entire buffet area and can easily feed all the three thousand passengers. And it is delicious!  What a lovely goodbye treat. The entire staff, from my boyfriend the captain, to just about everyone, has been phenomenal. The service and staff attitude is superb. What lovely memories of this cruise we shall keep.

The transoceanic crossings have a special feel to them. They are so different than other cruises and I love them. I am packing and my little home for the last thirteen days feels so empty. Unfortunately, Jerry the big turkey erased his memory card and some fabulous photos of this trip which will never be seen.

Oh well. On to Barcelona for cruise number two.

Last day at sea for cruise number one

Wednesday at sea

This morning I took a Latin dance exercise class. Everything hurts. It makes Zumba feel like standing still. I managed to wear high heels tonight but I was walking like a klutz.

Today was our anniversary and we celebrated with a lovely dinner in one of the specialty restaurants followed by an excellent show.

We did not go on deck today because it is now too cold for us Floridians. There was more than enough to do inside.   This cruise is flying by. It is going to end too soon but we are excited about meeting up with friends for the next cruise.

Thursday at sea

It has turned cold...too cold. The seas are about ten feet. Still pretty smooth. We saw another hysterical British comedian tonight. I had to translate once again.

In the center

So according to our captain, Henrik (I am now on a first name basis), we are now dead center between the US and Europe. Today we saw whales and a sail boat. Otherwise the sea was like a lake. Didn't do much. Crazy Jerry woke me up at five in the morning. He went walking around and I went back to sleep.

We have been meeting people from all around the world. Very international. This morning we had breakfast with a couple from Germany and a couple from Switzerland. Very lively. We did our usual walk but it is getting too cold for us to sit on deck even though most of the people still are. It is not cold. It is just us being in the warm weather all the time.

Tonight I dragged Jerry on the dance floor. Jerry doing the Latin dances is pretty scary.

Tuesday-At Sea

Once again the seas are calm and it is warm. Hard to believe. They keep changing the time and we keep losing hours. By the time we arrive in Southampton I will have lost five hours of sleep.  It is in the mid to high sixties ands I feel a little chilly. It is sunny and we have a following wind,which is a good thing. Our position is two hundred miles off the Azores which basically means we are in the middle of nowhere. These long sea voyages are a great way to relax and recharge one's batteries. We have been quite religious about our morning exercise routine. That two mile walk in the sea air knocks the hell out of you!  But we keep coming back for more. In addition, the ship is so big that it is a long hike to our cabin. I love our cabin. There is tons of storage space and plenty of room to walk around as well as a nice big window. No need for a balcony because it would be too cold and windy to sit out there.

The entertainment for the most part has been quite good. There seems to be something for everyone. Jerry falls asleep promptly at the start of each performance. But this is nothing new. He has done this for the entire time I have known him. Now I am as guilty since I almost fell asleep during tonight's show.

Mid Atlantic

We are sailing right in the middle of the Atlantic. The seas are calm. It is sunny and mild. Last night was the second of our three formal nights and we dressed up and had a lovely dinner while watching a gorgeous late sunset. We have changed our clocks twice so far. By the time we reach Southampton we will have changed the clock five times, thereby losing five hours.

Tonight we are invited to the Captain's Table to dine with the Staff Captain, second in command of the ship. I am looking forward to this. It is always a special meal with great wines. There is usually lively, interesting conversation as well.  I just hope Jerry behaves himself. That's always the unknown factor. Maybe I will get lucky and have him sit close enough to me so that I can kick him under the table if he says something which might hint at being socially inappropriate.

We did our two-miles around the deck walk both yesterday and today and we are not overeating so we are sticking to the program. So far, so good.

8:30 pm

Just had dinner with the staff captain. Great meal. Great wine. I am toasted!

South Atlantc Update

St Thomas was just fine. Weather great. Beaches great if a bit too crowded in the afternoon. Magen's Bay was beautiful as usual. We are very happy in our stateroom. The ship has a great and attentive staff. The passengers are big people. It's amazing we are still afloat. Such eating!  They load up on snacks right before each meal. The other night we did not even have dinner after watching them all feeding their faces.

Right now I am under an umbrella on the beach in St Maarten. Pretty sweet.

At Sea Five Hours From St. Maarten

We left St Maarten five hours ago and we have turned around and are heading back at full speed. One of the passengers is gravely ill and the captain has decided to bring him back for hospitalization in the last port.

They are dropping like flies. So far, I every port they have taken off sick passengers. The ambulances have been lined up to take them to local hospitals. Many of the passengers are very old and feeble, not to mention morbidly obese and physically challenged.

Anyway, after we meet the ambulance at the pier in five hours we will start the trip all over again.

Next morning, day six

It is raining but still warm. Seas are calm but there are barf bags posted on the stairwells throughout the ship. I don't know why. Maybe the captain knows something that I don't.

We are going on a tour of the bridge in about two hours. It's a special treat. I will take pictures if they let me.

The weather is still cloudy and the seas calm. We had a very interesting tour of the bridge and met the captain. I am in love!  Anyway, we are back on track as far as our schedule and nobody has had a medical emergency today so far.   And of course I now know how to drive and park this ship.

Last night the comedian was a Brit. He was hysterically funny. My entire body ached from laughing so hard. Jerry, on the other hand, did not understand a bloody word the man was saying. He kept asking me to translate. He is presently in a bridge game and I am left to my own devices.   It's a good day to lay around and read.

Day two at sea:  exercising and relaxing. Weather is perfect. Seas flat. Could not be better. Missing our canasta buddies. Will send photos when internet is faster

St Thomas USVI

We spent a glorious four hours swimming in Magen's Bay. We stayed until the other ships disgorged their passengers. Then it got too crowded and we left the beach and went back to the ship. Right now it is raining down cats and dogs.

Tomorrow is our last Caribbean port stop before we head across the Atlantic. We will be at Orient Beach on the French side of St Maarten all day enjoying the sights at the nude beach.

After that we will be out of range until Southampton except by email so there won't be much communication. Our ship can be tracked on the internet.

St Maarten

Spotty service here. We are at the nude beach (not us).  Orient Beach in the rain is no fun so we are sitting here in a bar with all our clothes on.  Oh we'll at least it is warm.

San Juan

We are tired after roaming around the old city. It hasn't changed for as long as I can remember. It is still a safe place to walk around at night. It is hot and humid, which is typical. We actually walked up some hills which was good since there are no hills in Florida. We are about to retire for the night since we are both getting so tired we can barely stand up. Tomorrow if they have fixed the ship we will be in St Thomas, USVI.

On the way to San Juan

Our first day at sea was spent relaxing, walking the decks, getting to know the ship and mostly resting. Jerry wears a pedometer so we can keep track of our walking. It is a big ship and we have a healthy hike getting to and from our stateroom. I guess he thinks if he wears the thing he will walk more. Meanwhile, I couldn't even get him to do the Mambo tonight.

The passengers are mostly Brits, Canadians and other Commonwealth types. We are definitely in the minority. Lots of older people. There have been four medical calls this day alone. I guess it will be a hospital by the time we get to Southampton. We don't look so bad after all.

The food is pretty good and so far the entertainment has been great. We saw The Unexpected Boys tonight and they were great. We saw them at Cascade Lakes a while ago but with some different cast members. They were terrific.

Lots of pretty big people on this ship. Lucky the ship is so big or it would sink from just the mere weight of the passengers. They have huge plates piled high with snacks right before they go to the dining room. Just watching them makes us be very careful about what we are eating. I am proud of us so far.

We are sailing into the tropics and I am loving it. We arrive in San Juan, Puerto Rico tomorrow and sailing past El Morro castle is a beautiful sight and brings back lovely memories for me.

Update:  one of the propellers broke down. We will be one hour late arriving in San Juan. They are flying engineers in from Miami because they can't allow the ship to cross with only two working propellers. Interesting........

Random observations:  the staff is excellent,  the service is superb, the pool temperature is 84 degrees, the ship is immaculate, there are many single and gay passengers. The gay men are the best dancers. The British passengers are the most friendly. Jerry can't understand the other passengers...even the Americans, who are mostly all from the Deep South.  I took three cat naps yesterday. I am in total relaxation mode and plan to stay that way for the rest of the crossing. That is, if they fix the ship.

On Board Independence of the Seas

We are aboard and firmly ensconced in our cabin on Deck 10.  I made a mad dash for the cappuccino machine in the Concierge Lounge and now I am lolling about the cabin with cappuccino in hand. We are now in full cruise mode. Jerry is actually lying down and reading. You don't see that ver often. We both are so ready for this crossing and plan to enjoy it fully.

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

It's a beautiful, sunny, breezy day here in south Florida. Perfect way to start a long sea voyage.  The seas are calm and my fellow passengers, mostly Brits and Canadians, are filled with the anticipation that one feels when embarking on a new adventure. I can see Independence but we are not inboard yet. She looks lovely basking in the Florida sunshine.

Update

Leaving tomorrow right in the middle of Fleet Week. We will be surrounded by US Navy vessels as we leave port. It should be quite a sight.   Usually it's just one little Coast Guard cutter.

Also, just found out that we will be in Cannes during the famous Cannes Film Festival. Look for us on the Red Carpet.   Since Clooney is no longer available I shall have to expand my horizons.