Terra Firma

We have disembarked the ship and are staying one night in Venice before flying home. Today we walked around Venice and got lost for a while. Venice has a million nooks and crannies with surprises at every turn.

The ship docked in Venice at sunrise. I shot this from my balcony as we approached Venice at dawn.
We skipped the walking tour of the city and, because this is Sunday, attended mass instead in St Mark's Basilica. How very, very cool and beautiful. I unobtrusively sneaked a few forbidden photos before the service started.

Beautiful Haifa Bay

Shot from the top of Mount Carmel.

Our ship is the big one in the lower right corner.

Shopping in Nazareth

Olives








Spices








The biggest pomegranates I've ever seen (on right)

Critters

During our trip to the Jordan River, I saw cute little animals called nutria swimming in the water. They look and act a lot like otters. I shot an adorable video of them that I will have to post later when I have access to faster (and cheaper) internet.

Only a Few Thinly Veiled Complaints

A friend told me that a cruise is good for about five days. I tend to agree with her. It's nice to get away from it all, but after a while the novelty wears off and I miss some of the comforts of home. Some of the things I'm looking forward to are:

• My own bathroom
• Drinking unlimited amounts of water from the tap
• Doing laundry in a washer and dryer
• Eating meals when I choose to eat them
• Wearing clothes outside of my travel color scheme of black and white
• Being with my friends
• Hugging my bunnies
  

As I am typing this, one of the Ugly Americans in our group (a grouchy New Englander) approached and started complaining about EVERY SINGLE THING. A few minutes later, a couple we know approached and joined in the bash-fest, trapping my mom and I in the couch. There was no escape. They found fault with the food; the service charges; having to pay for coffee, tea, and bottled water; the tour guides; the sometimes-flaky internet; the decor; the LINT ON THE CHAIR IN HER ROOM(!!). This negativity is killing me. It makes my little list of "thinly-veiled complaints" downright laughable.

Overall, my mom and I are quite pleased with the MSC Magnifica and her crew. Mrs. New England calls it an "Italian racket" and says she doesn't like getting nickel-and-dimed. Well, Lady, it's a business!! Of course when you order drinks you will be charged the price in the menu plus an automatic gratuity (which is widely posted). It must be insanely expensive to run a cruise ship. Just do your homework and read everything you can get your hands on before and during your trip. If you get an unpleasant surprise, learn from the experience for the next time.

Today's lesson learned: Many of the things we encounter is a result of the choices we make. If we are unhappy with the result, that is also a choice we make. Be positive!

Groundhog Day

Today is Groundhog Day. I think I heard on the news that Phil got snowed in. Well, this groundhog is not snowed in; the only weather issue is that it's overcast. I can live with that.

This is our second day spent exclusively at sea. The first day, almost a week ago, we did nothing but sleep and eat! I think it was a combination of exhaustion from daily tours in Italy and from the overwhelming experience of adjusting to life on a cruise ship for the first time.

Here is the extent of our activities and conversations that day:

ZZZZZZZZ.......
"What time is it?"
"9:30. Wanna go to breakfast?"
"Uh.....ZZZZZZZZ......"

"What time is it?"
"12:30. Wanna go to the lunch buffet?"
"I think we should. Plus they need to clean the room."
Do minimal grooming and get dressed.

Go upstairs and eat lunch.
Return to room. Set alarm clock for 5:00 pm.

ZZZZZZZZZ.......

Quick shower. Get dressed.
Go to dinner at the required time of 6:00.
Return to room.
ZZZZZZZZZ.......

Rainbow Over the Sea of Galilee!

Memorize This

Some words of wisdom learned the hard way: If you ever take a bus tour of the island of Rhodes, ALWAYS sit on the RIGHT-HAND SIDE of the bus. That's how you get the money shot of the port where the ancient colossus once stood (now two columns are there) with the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas (two different colors of water) and the mountains of Turkey in the background. The road only goes one way. I was stuck on the left side of the bus. In our free time I was able to walk down to the waterfront, but I couldn't reach the point where the bus drove past that fabulous spot. I was able to get some nice pictures anyway. I just need to get over it.

Here are some of my favorite pictures that I took in Rhodes:


Windmill on the Mediterranean








The island of Rhodes is layered in history. It has been occupied by many different peoples. I think the most beautiful structures are those left by the Hospitaller Knights of St John.

Another Kind of Turbulence

I am a big fan of CNN International, especially their charismatic reporter Richard Quest (but that's a whole other story). It is a treat to watch this network when I travel. At home I can watch about 1,500 channels on BrightHouse cable, but not CNN International....aargh! CNN's current content is nearly 24/7 coverage of the violent protests in Egypt.

We had signed up to visit an antiquities museum and the new very impressive library in Alexandria. (It was a tour emphasizing Alexandria's past and future.) But in the interest of safety, MSC decided to not dock in Alexandria at all.

So yes, we are safe.

Rock and Roll

Beginning Thursday night and all day Friday (which was a day at sea), we encountered gale force winds. Even though the ship has stabilizers, we were bouncing around all over the place. If we were on a plane, the captain would have turned on the 'fasten seat belts' signs. That's what it felt like. On the bright side, it's like living on a balance board; our legs will be nice and toned in no time! This is getting old.

A Pleasant Surprise

Verona is popular among tourists as the home of the Capulets in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I had never been to Verona; in fact I have never even read the play. Well, it turns out that Verona is an absolutely wonderful town with a nice combination of both old and new and not too touristy. In fact, when I win the lottery and move to Italy, I've decided to summer in Verona so as to avoid the crowds and the heat in Florence. (Dream on.....) I'm looking forward to learning more about the city when I return home.

Here is the Capulet house. The balcony was built on much later so that we can better imagine Juliet up there.

Pisa

Yes, the Leaning Tower is still here. (Actually it's the bell tower, or campanile, of the cathedral next door.) And yes, it still leans after securing and cleaning it. After all, if they straightened it, tourism would be seriously affected! The last time I was here in 1998, the tower was surrounded by a big fence. They were digging around the foundations to secure it and huge wires were tethering it to the ground. Now a limited number of people can climb up in it. I'm not that brave.

Dante Is My Homeboy

Ah, Florence (Firenze). My favorite city. We broke away from the tour group so that I could show my mom my 'old stomping ground' when I stayed here with Smithsonian Journeys in 2004 and 2005. We had to really hustle, but it felt so good to be back.

We started at the Officino Profumo-Farmaceutica at the church of Santa Maria Novella. Open the doors and inhale deeply the sweet scents of perfumes and other herb- and essential oil-based preparations and medications that have been made and sold here for hundreds of years by the monks. I bought a bottle of my favorite perfume, and we bought some other fragrant and beautiful things.

The other treat for my mom was a visit to the Chiesa di Santa Margherita dei Cerci, also sometimes called Dante's Church. It is believed that Dante first spied his beloved Beatrice at this church. (This was their neighborhood.) This little chapel dates back to the year 1032 and is in the middle of an extremely old part of town that I just love. Tiny winding streets and drenched in history!

I Haven't Fallen Off The Boat

I have not had internet connectivity for the last few days. Sorry for the lack of new material. We are now aboard the MSC Magnifica, a lovely cruise ship that caters to a European clientele. Announcements are made in six languages; Italian is first and English is second. Internet time is outrageously expensive (I suppose I'm spoiled at home), so I will be composing offline and then signing on to paste everything in.

Here are some pictures to look at in the meantime:

This is Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square) in Venice as the ship pulled out of the port.

This is a closeup detail of the lunette above one of the doors of the Pisa Cathedral. I like the little pig or cow or whatever he is.

Retail Therapy

Yesterday's cold, rainy day in Rome was kind of a bust because of the weather. We cut our sightseeing short because we were just miserable.

So today we celebrated the sunny (but still very cold) weather by shopping! We visited a leather workshop that hand-stitches and constructs high-end leather goods for the major labels such as Furla (my personal favorite). They also design a few of their own brands. Of course they sell some of these these goods to the visiting tour groups, and of course I had to buy something. Here is my dreadfully expensive but gorgeous new bag (not a Furla):

We also visited the charming medieval town of Orvieto, which can be reached only by funicular as it is at the top of a mountain of volcanic tufa rock. Because it is Sunday, we were able to check out the big cathedral between masses while the scent of incense was still hanging in the air and the organist was practicing.

BRRRR!!!!

Saturday was Vatican Day. It was also very, very cold and rainy.

About two months ago, I emailed the Vatican to reserve tickets for the Scavi Tour. Scavi refers to the excavation of the necropolis that was found about 30 feet below the foundation of St. Peter's Basilica. The necropolis, or city of the dead, is an area of ornately decorated then-above-ground burial crypts that were outside the city walls of Rome on the Vatican Hill that date back to the first century. Much of the hill was leveled when the Emperor Constantine ordered the construction of the first St. Peter's Basilica (the existing one is the second one). The crypts were thus filled with rubble and the church was built on top. But most importantly, it was built on the burial site of St. Peter. Even though it can't be 100% proven, in the tour they present overwhelming evidence that indicates they actually found his remains. The dome of the basilica and the high altar sit directly above that spot.

Because it is an extremely fragile archaeological site, the number of people per day are limited and security is very tight. Its controlled lighting is dark, and it is musty-smelling and very damp. And it is hands-down the most fascinating thing EVER. The artwork combines pagan and Christian symbolism into a unique, hybrid iconography. It is a rare and fascinating glimpse into that window of history between the older and newer belief systems.

I just found a WONDERFUL website that takes you through an interactive version of the tour. I encourage you to spend some time there. I know I will.

Serendipity

Today I was reminded to not be so attached to an agenda. The hotel's shuttle van dropped us off at the Piazza Venezia (we had no choice). It's a busy but beautiful area in the city center. It was near the area I wanted to visit, but I wasn't sure how to get there, despite having a map.

So we inevitably got lost. And that's the secret to good travel, especially in Italy. Just get lost. Wander through the back streets and eat in a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant. We ended up having a nice healthy lunch -- a spinach and cheese panino and lemon soda.
Two of my favorite photos that I shot today:

1. I turned a corner and ran into this statue tucked away in the corner of a little piazza.
2. The fountain in front of the Pantheon.

Arrival in Rome

We're getting unpacked in out hotel, H10, which is in the suburbs of Rome. It caters to business travelers and is quite modern with nice amenities, including free wi-fi. The hotel has a free shuttle bus into town, of which we will soon be taking advantage.

Our group leader, JoAnn, a native New Yorker, is fine with us diverging from the group a few times this week. Sadly, our group of about 95 people has quite a few Ugly American type of tourists. Tourists, not travelers. I'm doing my best to avoid them.

One Hour Until Takeoff

Sitting in Tampa International Airport, enjoying the free wi-fi. I have been up and running around for the last 28 hours without sleep. I just consumed a Starbucks cinnamon dolce latte and a chocolate muffin to sustain me for the next few hours. I'm hoping the caffeine and adrenaline rush will subside just when the trans-atlantic flight begins so that I can sleep through as much of that nine-hour torture session as possible. It'll be a big crash. (The hormones, NOT the plane.)

Boo Hoo

I brought the bunnies to the bunny sitter tonight. They are in very good hands (the best!) and I know they will be spoiled rotten, but I miss my kids already.

Leaving in 48 Hours

Some people call it avoidance behavior.

I call it: organizing and cleaning my environment so as to ensure a comfortable area to pack and to create a positive space to enjoy my holiday.

A cluttered environment equals a cluttered mind.

Start the Countdown

I leave for my big trip in ten days. Not counting the two days wasted on torturous trans-Atlantic flights, my mom and I will be spending five glorious days in Italy and then eleven days aboard the MSC Magnifica, stopping at various ports in the Adriatic and Mediterranean [cruise info].

Of course I'm thrilled as always to be returning to Italy; most places on the tour will be familiar, but some will be new territory: Bari, Montecatini, and Verona. As for the rest of the trip, this will be my first cruise, plus we will be visiting several countries I have never experienced.

Mom & I will be skipping the canned tours of Rome and Florence so that I can take her to some of the really cool off-the-beaten-path places I have found over the years. I'm excited to be able to finally share these things with her. It will be a tight schedule, but completely worth it!

Preferable to Economy Class

Wish I could just play with a bunny for nine hours and 45 minutes instead of trying to amuse/distract myself from the barbarism of economy class.

Preferable to the TSA

Invasive bunny nibbling is better than invasive body scans.