Live: Oct 22 2022 Constellation Mediterranean Passage Transatlantic

[hcat]

On 10/16/2022 at 5:53 PM, Azulann said:

I have been on the Constellation three times many years ago. Love the M class ships. ing I am think about a cruise on her out of Tampa this winter.

I am excited for you both. Enjoy Rome and have a relaxing TA across the ocean. 

Look forward to your live report.

Same here...hope to hear all about Connie..condition, shows, etc Home port Tampa is close to our winter place...

 

Have a great trip!

[mahdnc]

I did not have time to update this thread and it is 230am here now.

 

Our trip to Ostia Antica went well. Ostia Antica is the ancient sea port for Rome and is a very well preserved archeological site. Very much like Pompeii but without the volcano stuff. 

 

We spent 3 hrs there with Marisa. It is a very impressive place. Most amazing to me were the preserved tile art and the store signs that you could easily read like it was made a few years ago. I will review it more later. For now I will post this photo:

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by mahdnc

[Jim_Iain]

It is amazing to see the detailed tile work and realize how old it is and to even imagine that it was all covered over and built over.  

[mahdnc]

Today was our day at the Vatican Museum.  We did not book our tour through the Vatican, but rather 3rd party tour provider.  It was a small party group tour of 6 people plus a guide.  The tour started at 7:30 am and it concluded by around 10:45 am.  The tour was designed so that we would enter the Sistine Chapel before the general admission ticket holders were allowed to enter.  It did allow you to see the Sistine Chapel in a relaxing way with no rush and no crowds.  I wanted to climb the basilica dome, but Marcia's feet an for the entrance for the Scavi Tour that we would take tomorrowd ankle were too sore for that so we skipped it.  

 

Before we left, we looked for and found the entrance for the Scavi Tour that we would take tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by mahdnc

[prmssk]

@mahdnc  I'm really enjoying your photos.  It takes me back to my college years when I toured Rome and several other Italian cities during a study abroad.  What camera body and lens are you using for these landscape shots?  

[mahdnc]

After we finished at the Vatican, we took an Uber over to the Testaccio Market for lunch.  We arrived at around 2pm which meant that about half the stalls were closing or were already closed.  We found a nice place to enjoy a Roman pizza for lunch. 

 

For dinner we went to the Armando al Pantheon.  The restaurant is located extremely close to the Albergo del Senato Hotel.   We had a nice meal there.  With the tables for two situated so close together, we struck up a long conversation with both tables next to us. There was a very charming British father/daughter pair who were concluding a trip that centered around Umbria including Orvieto.  The trip was for his 70th birthday.  

 

On the other side was a gentleman from Honduras.  He was staying at the Waldorf Astoria for a convention.  Our 3 tables had a lively conversation which was a pleasant bonus to a nice dinner.  We will be heading back there tomorrow (I checked on the reservation to make sure that everything was good.  It was).

 

The afternoons for our whole week so far in Rome has been fairly warm especially if you were standing under the sun.  That with our jet lag put a damper on any afternoon sight seeing plans.  So we decided to pay a visit to the Trevi Fountain after dinner to see it at night.  The fountain was predictably jammed with people taking selfies and throwing coins over their shoulder.  Still, it was at least very comfortable to view without the heat and glare of the mid-day harsh sun.

 

[mahdnc]

38 minutes ago, prmssk said:

@mahdnc  I'm really enjoying your photos.  It takes me back to my college years when I toured Rome and several other Italian cities during a study abroad.  What camera body and lens are you using for these landscape shots?  

 

Thank you. I am using a Nikon D780 body. I've brought two Nikon zoom lenses for this trip. Up to now I've been using the 16-35 mm wide zoom as my walking around lens. My iPhone Pro 12 is also put to use. 

 

I also brought plenty of patience. Last night, I stayed up until 2 am to reshoot the Pantheon at night. The photos I took two nights ago had three large lighter spots in the dark sky that came from dust and dirt on my lens filter. I didn't notice them until yesterday when I had a chance to view the photos on my laptop. 

 

Even though I use Lightroom for light post processing, I feel you should never post process "today" what you can correct by reshooting "tomorrow".  So I went back out last night. I wasn't able to get my retakes done until about 2am because of a lot of interference. As I said, you have to bring patience. I had taxis parked at the taxi stand with their headlights stubbornly on as they waited for their next fare. I also had people that insisted on sitting down in my field of view for long periods of time which is their right--you just have to be patient or find another spot. Two of the people were a couple who were quarreling. The male wanted to leave, but the female refused to leave and would just lay on the fountain steps in protest. Unlike the night before, there were a group of seagulls that were a nuisance that night as well as some weird people that I had to endure. 

 

Once everyone finally left, I was able to take my photos fairly quickly!

 

A technically better photo reshot last night.

Edited October 20, 2022 by mahdnc

[prmssk]

10 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

Thank you. I am using a Nikon D780 body. I've brought two Nikon zoom lenses for this trip. Up to now I've been using the 16-35 mm wide zoom as my walking around lens. My iPhone Pro 12 is also put to use. 

 

I also brought plenty of patience. Last night, I stayed up until 2 am to reshoot the Pantheon at night. The photos I took two nights ago had three large lighter spots in the dark sky that came from dust and dirt on my lens filter. I didn't notice them until yesterday when I had a chance to view the photos on my laptop. 

 

Even though I use Lightroom for light post processing, I feel you should never post process "today" what you can correct by reshooting "tomorrow".  So I went back out last night. I wasn't able to get my retakes done until about 2am because of a lot of interference. As I said, you have to bring patience. I had taxis parked at the taxi stand with their headlights stubbornly on as they waited for their next fare. I also had people that insisted on sitting down in my field of view for long periods of time which is their right--you just have to be patient or find another spot. Two of the people were a couple who were quarreling. The male wanted to leave, but the female refused to leave and would just lay on the fountain steps in protest. Unlike the night before, there were a group of seagulls that were a nuisance that night as well as some weird people that I had to endure. 

 

Once everyone finally left, I was able to take my photos fairly quickly!

 

A technically better photo reshot last night.

Thanks for sharing!  That is the wide angle lens that I carry around (but with a crop sensor D500).  It is a nice lens and I agree to get the shots you are getting take a lot of patience and a fair amount of skill.

[mahdnc]

7 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Thanks for sharing!  That is the wide angle lens that I carry around (but with a crop sensor D500).  It is a nice lens and I agree to get the shots you are getting take a lot of patience and a fair amount of skill.

 

It is a nice lens, indeed. You are wise to not buy the DX lenses from a long term investment standpoint. I wish I had done that with my DX camera. My daughter has inherited it along with the DX lenses when I purchased my current FX camera. 

Edited October 21, 2022 by mahdnc

[prmssk]

1 minute ago, mahdnc said:

 

It is a nice lens, indeed. You are wise to not buy the DX lenses from a long term investment standpoint. My daughter has my older DX camera and lenses when I purchased my current full frame camera. 

My true passion right now is birds and macro flowers and so the crop sensor body is the right choice at this time (I don't make nearly enough use of my wide angle lens) but I did want the option in the future so all the lenses I have purchased work with a full frame body.  My dad is the one who got me into photography.  My first camera bodies came from him.  

[mchell810]

You are really getting me excited for my trip; I am really enjoying your photos.

 

I have that 7:30am tour at the Vatican booked as well.  I see from your photo you were able to get to St. Peter's: were you able to go directly there -- via the shortcut-- from the museums?

[mahdnc]

23 minutes ago, mchell810 said:

You are really getting me excited for my trip; I am really enjoying your photos.

 

I have that 7:30am tour at the Vatican booked as well.  I see from your photo you were able to get to St. Peter's: were you able to go directly there -- via the shortcut-- from the museums?

 

No, our guide took us a different way. We went down a long set of indoor steps that was recently opened to the public.  I know the shortcut you speak of. We used it years ago during our last trip there.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by mahdnc

[mchell810]

As long as we can get there from inside I am happy -- I've been hoping access would reopen.

I really appreciate you answering all my questions.  Thanks! 

 

 

 

[FLCruiser97]

14 hours ago, mahdnc said:

After we finished at the Vatican, we took an Uber over to the Testaccio Market for lunch.  We arrived at around 2pm which meant that about half the stalls were closing or were already closed.  We found a nice place to enjoy a Roman pizza for lunch. 

 

For dinner we went to the Armando al Pantheon.  The restaurant is located extremely close to the Albergo del Senato Hotel.   We had a nice meal there.  With the tables for two situated so close together, we struck up a long conversation with both tables next to us. There was a very charming British father/daughter pair who were concluding a trip that centered around Umbria including Orvieto.  The trip was for his 70th birthday.  

 

On the other side was a gentleman from Honduras.  He was staying at the Waldorf Astoria for a convention.  Our 3 tables had a lively conversation which was a pleasant bonus to a nice dinner.  We will be heading back there tomorrow (I checked on the reservation to make sure that everything was good.  It was).

 

The afternoons for our whole week so far in Rome has been fairly warm especially if you were standing under the sun.  That with our jet lag put a damper on any afternoon sight seeing plans.  So we decided to pay a visit to the Trevi Fountain after dinner to see it at night.  The fountain was predictably jammed with people taking selfies and throwing coins over their shoulder.  Still, it was at least very comfortable to view without the heat and glare of the mid-day harsh sun.

 

Remember this...right hand over left shoulder to throw the coin.

[FLCruiser97]

Everyday in Rome, a cannon is fired at noon up on Gianicolo Square overlooking Rome.

[FLCruiser97]

Appian Way, Rome's oldest and longest road built in 312 BC.

[FLCruiser97]

Aqueducts outside of Rome.

Edited October 21, 2022 by FLCruiser97

[FLCruiser97]

When we get onboard, will someone show me how to add photos here properly. I'm making a right mess of it.

[mahdnc]

12 minutes ago, FLCruiser97 said:

When we get onboard, will someone show me how to add photos here properly. I'm making a right mess of it.

 

They look good to me.

[mahdnc]

My wife and I tested negative for COVID yesterday, so we have cleared that hurdle to be able to board tomorrow.  

 

I purchased two BinaxNOW kits that we brought with us.  Even though I have been warned on Cruise Critic and even though it is prominently displayed on the box, in our hotel room I opened up the sealed container before I called the proctor to receive instructions on when to open the box.  In other words I made the kit useless for a certified COVID test; however it tested me negative for intelligence.  Very embarrassing. 

 

So my wife and I immediately made a trip to a Antica Farmacia del Corso (thanks to biggerboat47 for posting that pharmacy on our roll call) and we were successfully tested negative for COVID.  However my wife still considered me to be negative on intelligence.  Oh well.  We got tested as walk-ins without needing an appointment.  The pharmacy is an easy walk from the Albergo del Senato and the two tests cost me a total of 44 Euro.  Whew.

[FLCruiser97]

22 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

They look good to me.

Thanks David. They look like they are running together. 

[canderson]

22 minutes ago, FLCruiser97 said:

Thanks David. They look like they are running together. 

Ah..

Once you have added one photo, just use the 'Enter' key to create a little space before you slide the next one into place at the cursor, or you can even set the cursor at the end of the first photo (far right side of the 1st photo) and hit 'Enter' there when both pictures are already in place to add a 'line feed' or two between them.

 

 

A FEW CARRIAGE RETURNS HIT, AND NEXT PHOTO ADDED

 

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by canderson

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, FLCruiser97 said:

When we get onboard, will someone show me how to add photos here properly. I'm making a right mess of it.

They look incredible to me.

 

The only thing I do is after upload I manually enter a line space after each photo.   I do this by clicking a spot just after a photo or before a photo and enter a return which enters a blank line.  By default CC bunches them all together. 

[FLCruiser97]

Thanks guys for the tip.

[FLCruiser97]

The mountain on the left in the far distance in the second photo is the water source for the aqueducts. It's 10 miles from Rome.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by FLCruiser97