Travel The World with Bill & Mary Ann HAL's Grand World Voyage 2007

[DeltaBC]

Bill and MaryAnn, Thanks so much for the stories of the trip I have left the ship in Singepore,so have really enjoyed your reports. It must be a rush now that you have so many ports so close. Thanks a gain say hello to Dorothy and George.Cheers Iris

[WCB]

Hello all!

 

We are backed up on reports since these stops have come almost every day! Will try our best to catch up! With 8 - 10 hour tours, we have been lucky to get back just in time for dinner, then straight to bed, only to start again the next day!

 

We just left Monte Carlo, and the Voyager treated us to a unforgettable musical sailaway around our portside. What a ship! The passengers on our ship were quite impressed!

 

Bill and Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 70 4-09-07 Easter Monday Piraeus, Greece

 

With a short distance of 198 nautical miles to travel, we reached the port of Piraeus, Greece at 7 am. With the temperatures in the 60's, along with scattered clouds, the weather will be co-operating with us once again.

 

To begin with, today is Easter Monday, and that meant that most shops and restaurants would be closed for the day. Even the archaeological sites would be shutting down at 3 pm. So our tour times were adjusted to an earlier start time. The one good thing about this, was that there was little to no traffic this morning.

 

Our 8 hour tour we chose today was going to take us to see ruins at Cape Sounion, then back to Athens to see the city and the Acropolis. Lunch would follow last.

 

We had a bad start once we all got settled on our bus. A seedy postcard and book hawker climbed on the bus , and started intimidating the people to buy his stuff. Hey, this group is smart, since they bought nothing. Alethea, our assistant shore excursion manager, shooed him off in a hurry. Good for her!

 

Well, we were finally off with an excellent guide, who spoke English well. Always a plus. We headed south along the rugged coastline for an hour and a half ride towards Cape Sounion. We passed numerous marinas, resort towns, and beaches (some for skinny-dipping!). The water was crystal clear, as blue as the sky, and probably very cold, since we saw no skinny-dippers. There was also no air pollution here, because our guide said that they had recently experienced strong winds. He claimed that we were lucky to have such a nice day, but of course, we told him that we brought the good weather with us!

 

Once we were at Cape Sounion, we drove out onto the cliff's edge, 180 feet above the Aegean Sea. Here we saw the remains of the Temple of Poseidon, built in the 5th century BC. Originally, the temple had 30 marble columns, but only 15 remain today. Much of it had been destroyed by wars and by nature. It must have been a magnificent site to the old sailing ships that approached the shores of Greece centuries ago. Surprisingly, even today, cruise ships will pay their respects when passing the Temple of Poseidon by lowering their flag and blasting the ship's whistle. It is also customary to pour a libation over the side of the ship to honor the god Poseidon. Our guide educated us on some of the Greek mythology surrounding this area, but it was pretty hard to follow, as most mythology can be.

 

With over hundreds of pictures taken, we started back towards Athens, and arrived there by 11:30 am. By now, there was a lot more traffic with tourist buses, and families out for the Easter Monday holiday. We understand that on holidays, all the sites are free to everyone, so just about everyone goes to them.

 

We stopped at Athen's all marble Olypmic Stadium, built in 1896. Seating 65,000 spectators, the stadium was used for Olympic Games. And more recently, in 2004, the stadium was used for archery competition at the summer Olympics. On the way to the Acropolis, we passed the Temple of Zeus, which took 700 years to build. Of the 104 columns erected, only 15 remain. Next, we passed Hadrian's Arch, which separated Greek and Roman cities in ancient times.

 

Finally, the bus dropped us off at the base of the Acropolis, where the natural fortress stands on top of the second highest hill in Athens. The ruins here have survived, more or less, through 25 centuries. Three structures are on the top. We climbed many slippery paths and steep stairs to pass through the Propylaea, the gateway. Then we saw the Erechtheum Temple and the Porch of the Caryatids. These are famous statues that appear to hold up the building's roof structure. The massive building on the very top is the the Parthenon, considered by many architects as man's finest structural achievement. With massive columns and flawless proportions, the building appears to be a perfect rectangle, although it is not. The temple was dedicated to the Virgin Goddess Athena, and believed to have been constructed between 470 and 432 BC. Below the ruins, are the Roman Theater, and the Greek Theater of Dionyssus. It was quite a panoramic view from up top, where the ancient Gods were presumed to to live in the clouds

 

One thing we have to mention is the fact that the entire area is under renovations, because in order to preserve it, columns need to be carefully taken apart for the rusty iron spikes to be replaced with titanium connectors. It was difficult to see through the scaffolding that covered the walls and the structures. Actually, we saw about the same scene 10 years ago on our first visit. Only today, it seemed much more extensive. It must be costing a fortune for these repairs, but with the presence of dense crowds, we expect the tourist dollars and Euros are helping their cause.

 

After we had our exercise climbing and descending the ruins, we earned our lunch! A short drive from the Acropolis, we went to the Metropolitan Hotel for a delicious buffet lunch. The name of the hotel's restaurant was Le Trocadero, where we enjoyed a meal of salad, tomatoes with mozzarella cheese, marinated mushrooms (the best!), rolls, veal stew with risotto, BBQ chicken, assorted veggies, and Greek moussaka (eggplant lasagne). Wine and water flowed freely until we had dessert. And that was a thin chocolate torte, a kiwi-strawberry mousse, and fresh fruit.

 

We left at 3:15 pm, and were back to the ship by 4 pm. The port building had the xray equipment, where we were boarding with hundreds of new passengers for the European ship, Wonder Sky, docked near us. Once through the inspection, we had to take an electric bus that brought us back to our ship.

 

The Amsterdam left at 11pm, giving many travel groups the chance to take some of their passengers on dinner tours.

 

Tomorrow, we have a much needed day at sea!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[scaaty]

Hello all!

 

We are backed up on reports since these stops have come almost every day! Will try our best to catch up! With 8 - 10 hour tours, we have been lucky to get back just in time for dinner, then straight to bed, only to start again the next day!

Bill and Mary Ann

 

Thanks for all of the great reports. I'm sure you'll get caught up as you cross the Atlantic! But it is sad to think this wonderful adventure will soon be over. It's been fun to live it through your reports.

[Johnny B]

While we read you blog and the Stanfields' blog, we keep the brochure open for our next year'sRTW cruise and look to see where we'll be on any given day. We love reading your entries, and enjoy them even more when they cover the ports we'll be calling at next year. The comment about you almost being finished with the cruise made me sad, because I've been feeling that way looking at the 2008 itinerary.

 

Keep those entries coming!

P. S. Are you doing the 2008 RTW also?

[WCB]

Report # 71 4-11-07 Wednesday Dubrovnik, Croatia

 

Today was named "The Rendevous in Dubrovnik", because the Amsterdam and the Prinsendam will be in port at the same time. This does not happen often. A special event has been advertised, which will include an afternoon reception in the Lido pool area, and a children's choir and symphony performance following in the Queen's Lounge. But more about that later.

 

The Amsterdam sailed into the picturesque port of Dubrovnik, Croatia early this morning. The best way to describe this city is that it is a treasure chest of cultural and historical monuments , surrounded by a stunning medieval wall. This old city is on the UNESCO World Heritage list for sure.

 

Our tour today would take us into the 13th century old city, through the Pile Gate (western entrance). But before we left the port area, we surprisingly took on several guests from the Prinsendam. Apparently, they did not have too many people sign up for this tour, so they infiltrated our two buses, which was fine. However, when a Croatian policeman came onboard to check our ID's (driver's license or passport), four people did not have them. Even though it had been announced and written in the Daily Program, some passengers missed it. They should have checked with each of us before we left the gangplank. So a half hour was wasted while waiting for these people to return with proper identification. And the police did check for this again before we were allowed entrance into the city.

 

We passed the beautiful harbor, driving on narrow streets to get to the western gate. Since no cars are allowed inside the walled city, we were on a walking tour from here on.

 

The ornate Big Onofrious Fountain was the first structure we saw. This old fountain still supplies water to the city. The 16-sided fountain's carved heads spout cascades of fresh water. Ahead of us was a wide, stone paved avenue called the Placa Stradun, which was lined with many shops, boutiques, and cafes. Posters of the "Meeting of the Ships", referring to our ships, were hung in the storefront windows. Hey, we're celebrities!! At the far end of the Placa, was the tall Clock Tower and St Blaise's Church of baroque architecture. According to local legend, St Blaise saved Dubrovnik from Venetian attack in the 10th century.

 

We continued on to the Dominican Church and Monastery, where we viewed many pieces of religious art and artifacts. Walking down from this building, we saw ice cream and pizza cafes along the smaller Old Harbor. Many locals displayed their handicrafts on several tables across from the moored yachts and fishing boats. Hand embroidered linens, art work, and native jewelry were some of the items being sold.

 

At the Gothic style Rector's Palace, we saw the rector's former living quarters and office. Photography was not allowed inside, and we doubt that they would have come out well anyway, since everything was so dark inside. The furniture, carpeting, and paintings were so dark and depressing, probably an impression of the times, that we were glad to go back outside.

 

The Sponza Palace, once the rector's residence also, is now the State Historical Archives. Built in the 16th century, it is the oldest building in the city.

 

A group of us had intended to walk on the pathway of the huge wall, but once we found the access, we were surprised to find that they wanted $10. a person to walk it. Being that our time was short, we all opted not to do it. Instead, we wandered through the small narrow alleyways to see the many cafes and flea markets that offered tons of old treasures.

 

We all met back at the bus by 11:45 am, and began our ride away from the city. High above Dubrovnik, we drove a winding cliffside road, where at one point, we stopped to take pictures of the old walled city. It gave us a better appreciation of how well this fortress was constructed to still be standing today.

 

In the Konvale region, about a 20 minute drive south of Dubrovnik, we entered the countryside. The hills were dotted with limestone houses with red-tiled roofs and gardens. Nothing was modern here, not even the hotels and condos we passed. The mountains were full of cypress, pine, and olive trees. And the valleys were planted with fields of wheat and vegetables, as well as grapevines.

 

We drove on across the Ljuta River, and finally arrived to a farmhouse-style restaurant built right next to the river. It was an idyllic setting with trees and roses, and two wooden water mills on the restaurant grounds. Trout ponds that were caged, were full of 18 inch fish. That's what we call the "fresh catch of the day"!

 

Lunch was served creekside by native-dressed Croatian ladies. The traditional delicacies were crusty white and wheat bread, lentil and bean soup, fresh salad, and lamb roast with roasted potatoes. The dessert of apple strudel was the best ever! Excellent local wines were served with the meal also. Sharing a table with our friend Judith, and a nice gentleman from the Prinsendam, we exchanged information about each other's cruises....likes and dislikes, etc. A funny thing we found out, was that the Prinsendam folks payed $10. more for this excursion than we did! And they did not get the special care package that we did with juice, fruit, and a candy bar. Bet they raise the roof of the shore excursion desk when they get back.

 

We arrived back at the pier by 3 pm, and did a little shopping at some stalls near the ship. The fun was soon to start on the Amsterdam.

More to follow................

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Hi fellow readers,

 

Last night, we had dinner with head security officer, and from his few replies concerning the questionnable port of Casablanca, we realized that our visit would not be happening. That came true this morning, when the captain announced that due to recent attacks and current bomb threats, specifically against Americans,we would not be going to Casablanca, and would be substituting Gibraltar instead. The plan is to leave Malaga this afternoon at 6 pm, and arrived to the port in Gibraltar at 11pm. Staying overnight, we will have tomorrow to explore the new port city. Good deal!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Hi JohnnyB,

 

No, we are not going on the 2008 world cruise, but we have deposited the 2009. Hopefully someone else will do reports on the 2008!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[mamaofami]

After completing such a fabulous trip and spending so many nights on board, how can you ever go back to the reality of everyday life?:confused:

[Johnny B]

I guess we'll have to do the 2008 blog, but I don't think we'll do the illustrated version that the Stanfields are doing. I think we'd be very proud of ourselves to have one like yours - which we really enjoy reading.

[WCB]

Hello again,

 

Just an update on our situation with the change of ports. We tried to dock at Gibraltar at 11 pm yesterday, only to find that the swells were too large to dock safely. By 11:30 pm, we were on the road again, rapidly heading to somewhere. We did not know where until 8 this morning, when the captain announced that we wold be visiting Funchal tomorrow, the 19th of April, and a day at sea, and a new port, The Azores the next day. Hope we get there and can dock this time!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 72 4-11-07 Wednesday Afternoon Festivities

 

OK, the special highlight that Holland America has arranged for our two ships has begun. The much anticipated Grand Voyage Signature Event Reception for the main seating group began at 3 pm on the Lido deck poolside. Dozens of brightly colored parasols , collected from many countries we had visited, were hung from the retractable pool ceiling. Scores of flower pots containing yellow tulips mixed with ferns were flown in from Holland to decorate the Lido deck.

 

Cocktails were served, and quite generously being refilled, we noticed. Delicious hot hors d'oeuvres served included skewered and breaded shrimp, fried artichoke hearts, and chicken sates. It was so crowded around the poolside and bar area, that it took some time before we noticed the "street artists". There was a young couple, dressed in formal attire, but on tall stilts. Another fellow was doing pantomime, and two more were dressed like rocks. Yes, rocks. They performed a "mountain climb", using the bronze bear sculptures by the pool. It was quite a comical act. One entertainer balanced an opened full bottle of wine on his head, while he twisted and turned, going up then down, without spilling a drop. His legs were made from rubber! We heard later that this troupe of entertainers was specially flown in from London for this occassion. Nothing but the best!

 

Eventually, the HAL President and CEO, Stein Kruse, gave a speech about this special meeting day. During his promotional talk, we noticed a pretty lady with a purple hat, and realized it was Lisa, the wife of Captain Halle Thon Gunderson, captain of the Prinsendam. We were pleasantly surprised when they both stopped and shook our hands. We had sailed with them in 2001 on the Seabourn Sun, and also on the world cruise in 2005. It amazed us that with the thousands of passengers that have sailed with them for the last two years, that both of them remembered us. In looking back now, we realize that Captain Halle was much more visible and personable than Captain Edward. Don't get us wrong, he runs a good ship, but just does not mix with the passengers, that is, unless you are on deck seven in the super suites!

 

The party continued until it was time for the performance of the Children's Choir (all girls) in the Queens Lounge. Following their cute singing, the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra gave their rendition of classical music from the past. They were excellent, even though a few strange things were going on in the audience. Guess you could blame the flowing of the alcohol for this. One woman practically crawled on the stage, near the conductor, and proceeded to take photos (with a flash, no less). How rude can this be?? When the nearby audience finally had enough of this, and asked her to leave, she flashed them a nasty finger gesture. At that point, we heard that her embarrassed husband quickly jumped up and ran out of the lounge. She also cursed the crowd as she followed him out.

 

The other incident happened at the same time on the balcony level, where presumably, a very drunk elderly man, tried to get a seat in a row that was full. He continued tripping over 12 people, and when he reached the aisle, he sat down, only to fall straight backwards with a thud! He was down for the count! Not knowing if he was intoxicated, or perhaps having a heart attack, the medical staff was summoned. Within seconds, they were there with the defibulator and medical bags. However, we could see him clapping his hands and laughing from his prone position!! Yep, drunk, not ill, thank goodness! At that point, we left the lounge.

 

The Prinsendam left at 6 pm and was on her way to Kerkira, Corfu, Greece. And we set sail at 8 pm, and headed towards Civitavecchia, Italy. It was such a nice sailaway, that we decided to stay on our balcany and watch the lights of the city fade in the distance. Still full from the party treats, we decided to order room service, the first time this trip. It was nice for a change, not to have to clean up and dress for dinner. The cheeseburgers and club sandwiches were just fine!!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 73 4-12-07 Day at Sea

 

Today has been dubbed "President's Day", as part of the Grand Voyage Signature Event. Actually, it began this morning, when we received two more gifts of Delft tile plates, commemorating the meeting of the two Holland ships.

 

In the afternoon, we attended the CEO, Stein Kruse's lecture, basically promoting the newly unveiled 2009 World Cruise. It was an interesting itinerary, not necessarily the ones we voted for, but one that had many new ports. Margaret Binnendyk, the Mariner Society hostess, and Mike Wier, the director of grand voyage marketing, gave speeches to promote future cruising. Their new ship, the Eurodam, now being completed in Venice, will make her debut next summer. The onboard future cruise consultant, Debbie, is here to take bookings while we sail for any and all of the Holland trips, even into 2009.

 

Later, before dinner, a cocktail party was given in the Queen's Lounge. Again, we were served cocktails of our choice, and special cold and hot hors d'oeuvres. Dinner this evening was a set menu for a change. We had our choice of a prawn and lobster appetizer, or a fruit cocktail. Then, we were served mushroom consomme soup, a bite of sole fillet with a cheese crust, tenderloin of beef with potatoes and veggies, and a dessert of dark chocolate mousse. Kendall Jackson chardonnay and a chianti from California were poured with our meal..............our glasses never going empty! It was a very nice ending for the special events of the last two days!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[ldog]

That's too bad for you missing both Casablanca and Gibraltar. But it's a good thing for us, your loyal readers, that you have a sea day so that you can catch up and fill us in on your other Med ports.:p

 

I can't believe that you are in the Atlantic already!

[Rstamper]

Thanks for all your reports. It is so fun reading them. We will be on the Amsterdam in about a month for a short, short cruise, and I can't wait because I love cruising. Reading your report just adds to the excitement.

 

Thanks,

Brenda

[SDHALFAN]

I have been enjoying all your posts, along with Barbara and Orlin's blog, ever since I left the ship in Hong Kong, and I thank you for taking the time out of your busy days to take us along on your adventures.

 

Sorry that you had to miss Casablanca since I really enjoyed my visit there several years ago - but better to be safe than sorry.

 

As far as Funchal goes (although I'm betting that you have already been there anyway), it's a great substitute for either Casablanca or Gib. It's a lovely town on a lovely island and I'm sure that you will have fun.

 

Take care and just know that as this special cruise winds down that I will be as sad as you are that it is over since I have been living the second half of the cruise vicariously through you two.

 

Valerie:)

[WCB]

Report # 74 4-13-07 Friday Civitavecchia, Italy

 

Today our port of call is Civitavecchia, Italy, situated 37 miles from Rome. As with all of the ancient cities of the Mediterranean, the history lessons could go on for days, especially for Rome. So, we will just concentrate on what we will see on our tour today. We've been fortunate to have toured the Vatican, walked the famous piazzas, and gone north to Tarquinia. So the tour we chose on this Friday "the 13th", is the Italian countryside and catacombs.

 

We were graced with sunny skies and 70 plus degree weather. The landscape on the way towards Rome was green and greener. It's obvious that spring has brought plenty of rain to keep it so. We passed fields of grapes, apple, peach, and apricot trees, as well as acres of melons, strawberries, tomatoes, and artichokes.There are no cheese factories in this area, according to our excellent guide. And she claimed that their beef is not the best. She did say that the fish is much better, the extra virgin olive oil was the best (at 15 euros a bottle), and the wine was "mo better"! We should find out later at lunchtime.

 

Running into a bit of commute traffic, we passed the busy airport upon entering the outskirts of Rome. Finally reaching our destination of the Catacombs, we gathered at a meeting spot, where we waited for our special tour guide. This place was fascinating and down right creepy at the same time. Carved in basalt volcanic rock, the Catacombs are a curious underground maze of tunnels in which one could easily get lost. We walked down a flight of stairs from the giftstore, and noticed the temperature change immediately. It must have been 50 degrees down there. At the bottom of the stairs, was a church, carved out of rock, supposedly where the early Christians practiced their religion in secret. They were forced to hide down there because they were being persecuted by the Romans. No pictures were allowed from this point on.

 

Our group started the descent into the narrow alleyways filled with crypts and cubbyholes in the walls. The crypts were resting places for adult Christians, wrapped in white linens, while the cubbyholes were for babies. Infant mortality must have been common in those days, since we saw so many small crypts. We did not see these mummies, since they had been plundered centuries ago, most likely for the jewelry they wore. With 17 kilometers of tunneling , thousands must have been entombed here. Our guide mentioned that the stories of Christians hiding down here were not true. With the decomposing of the bodies, the smell would have been unbearable, and there is just no room big enough to hide thousands of Christians. After a 20 minute walk through the catacombs, our tour was over, and we ended up at the giftstore once again, of course. Hundreds of books were for sale for Rome and the famous sites, but there were few in English. Go figure!

 

Our coach continued the drive through the scenic Roman hills. We followed the ancient stone-lined Appian Way, the first military road built into the Roman countryside. The hills were dotted with white and tan farmhouses, villas, and palaces, all with red tile roofs. On our way to lunch, we passed the town of Albano filled with tiny cafes and shops. We would make our final stop here after lunch.

 

In the wine growing region, we arrived at the Montgiove Farm House. Walking up the long driveway to the impressive castle, the owner, Count Raimondo Moncada and his dog, welcomed each of us at the huge front door. This home has been in the family since the 1600's and has 25 hectares of vineyards, olive groves, as well as agricultural crops and farm animals. Next to the castle, was a chapel with an 18th century altar made of a rare marble. This chapel and part of the castle had been destroyed during World War Two, and occupied by the Germans for a short time. Of course, they were reconstructed after the war, exactly like they were before 1940.

 

Count Moncada led us all around to the back terrace overlooking the Tyrrheanian Sea in the distance. These beaches were the same ones that the Americans landed on during the war.Here we tasted a slightly sweet white wine that is made here. It went well with the pieces of foccacia bread and assorted cracker mix. The Count's large, but friendly dog watched us in hopes that some crackers may fall on the grass for him. He sure was enjoying all the attention he was getting from our group..We think that many of us are getting homesick for their pets!

 

On our way down towards the farmhouse's restaurant, we payed a visit to the wine cellar that the Count was so proud to show us. Before going down the steep steps, we were handed a small glass of red wine to taste. Again, we noticed the temperature change, especially at the bottom of the cellar. Bottles of wine were stacked horizontally, and piled in pyramids so they could age in the cool darkness. Part of the walls of the cellar were the rock of the original Roman walls that lined the roads in the old days.

 

Lunch was finally ready! We were served French bread, still warm from the oven. Butter is not served in Italy, but they did give us olive oil for dipping the bread. A huge plate of pasta was doled out to each of us, followed with beef simmered with artichokes. Green salad and delicious red and white wines were also served. Dessert was homemade cookies that were in the shape of pretzels. They tasted just like biscotti cookies. Very good.

 

Thanking the Count for his hospitality, we continued our drive through the towns of Genzano and Ariccia on our way back to Albano and the medieval town of Castelgandolfo. This small walled town is the home of the Pope during the summer, and has been for many Popes for centuries. Well guarded by Roman police, we entered the gate, where we had to get off the bus to walk inside. No cars were allowed in this area. Once inside the gate, we walked to the Palazzo Pontifico. Four brightly costumed Swiss guards stood near the gate of the Pope's large estate. And with the presence of these guards, we knew that the Pope was there today. We hoped we would get to see him, but that was highly unlikely.

 

The plaza was lined with many souvenier stores with Pope memoribilia. We walked through the square, past a large Bernini fountain, to the rear street, where we saw the beautiful Lake Albano, a lake that fills the caldera of a volcano. This is the view that the Pope sees from his residence while he is here. It was very peaceful with just a few row boats and summer homes on its banks. At one point, we noticed that some commotion was happening in the square, and we realized that the Pope had left to go back to the Vatican. Too bad we missed seeing that. Our guide said that most times, he is flown by helicopter to the Vatican. It would only take a few minutes, but he would miss the traffic jams, and possible danger. Between the police and the Swiss guards, he is well protected.

 

On our way back to the pier, we had a few sprinkles of rain , but it only lasted a couple of minutes. Once we were out of the city, the traffic was light. Our guide had told us that there are at least 700,000 motor scooters in Rome! Since fuel is expensive and there are few parking places in the middle of the city, the scooters are the best way to get around.

 

The Amsterdam left the pier at 10 pm, and we were on our way towards Livorno, Italy.

 

Until then,

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 75 4-14-07 Saturday Livorno, Italy

 

The Amsterdam sailed slowly into the port of Livorno, 136 nautical miles north of Civitavecchia. The forecast for Livorno calls for showers with a high of 77 degrees. Good thing we are taking a tour to the Tuscan region, the city of Lucca, to a farmhouse for lunch, and lastly, a visit to a villa in the Lucchese area. Hopefully, it won't rain there.

 

It seemed like we had just gone to bed, and are ready to "go to work again" this morning! Touring Europe is not an easy job! When we opened our drapes early this morning, we saw the neatest ferries docked here. The front sides of the ships had Looney Toon characters painted on them. It was comical to see Bugs Bunny, The Roadrunner, Tazmanian Devil, Daffy Duck, and Tweety Bird sailing away full of cars and passengers. And that was about all that was nice to see in this port, because it is a major industrial place for Italy. The Seven Seas Voyager was docked here also, but so far away, that it was not possible to get near her. We had hoped to see friends that are sailing on the Voyager's world cruise, but with all day tours, it was not possible.

 

Well, on with the excursion. On the 45 minute drive towards Lucca, we passed the famous leaning Tower of Pisa and the nearby Cathedral and Bapistry in the hazy distance. We had visited Pisa and Florence 10 years ago, and we can testify that the tower is still leaning! Our guide, who happened to be from Florence, seemed not to care much for the people from Pisa. The same attitude was true 10 years ago, and from the information we gathered from our guide, it has been this way for centuries. Something to do with overtaxing. We can all understand that!

 

Similar to the scenery on our way to Rome, this area of Tuscany was planted with fields of wheat and vegetable crops. Far away in the distance, we could see the mountains where Carrara marble was quarried. Seeing the sheets of white cliffs, the exposed marble appeared to be snow and ice. Our guide felt that at the rate the marble was being sold worldwide, it would soon be depleted. We hope not.

 

Once at the walled city of Lucca, we were dropped off at the Piazzale Verdi, where we began our walking tour at 8:30pm. This was where we were to meet after our guide cut us loose for shopping and browsing. Even though there were maps of the city's streets on every corner, she handed us a copy of the map, so we would not get lost. And that probably happens everyday in this maze of alleyways.

 

Maneuvering our way up the narrow cobbled streets of this Roman colony from 177 AD, we saw many 3 story buildings with apartments. Some of the single family homes had huge ornate figurines over their doorways. Our guide said that in the old days, that was a way a family would show its wealth. We came to the Church of San Michele, where a square of vendors were setting up their displays. Since we had started our walk so early, the city was just waking up.

 

Further into the center of the city, we entered the remains of the colossal ancient Roman amphitheater, and the Church of Frediano, built in the 6th century. The Piazza Anfiteatro, as it was called back then, are apartment buildings nowadays, with high-end boutiques on the lower level. Also nearby, we saw Guinigi's Tower, where trees are strangely growing on the very top.

 

From here, we were on our own to enjoy the many shops, cafes, and flea markets. We did explore all of those, then decided to walk the wide path on top of the massive wall of the city. Up here, there were runners, bike riders, walkers, and horses with carriages. We would have liked to walk the entire wall road, but time was running short, so we made our way back down to our meeting point after walking a mile or so.

 

With 15 minutes left, we attempted to buy a shotglass, only to find out that no stores accepted the US dollars. Conveniently across the street, was a money changer. So with some Euros in our pockets, we picked up the shotglass, and also bought a large bag of what looked like nacho chips. Actually, they weren't. These chips were being made by a clever piece of machinery that measured a tiny amount of dough,then pressed it flat as paper, and baked it in less than one minute. A metal spatula slid the finished chip onto the table top, where the vendor offered them for us to taste. One bite of the sweet, anise-flavored chip/cookie was all it took to sell us! The name on the bag was Brigidini di Lamporecchio. Very tasty!

 

It was time to move on. Our punctual group was ready for lunch! The coach traveled a short distance into the countryside, up the hillside, then onto really narrow rural roads. There was room for just one car, let alone a full size huge bus. The driver found our Tuscan farm house, where lunch awaited. This restaurant was at a small farm house's property, where it appeared that an out building may have been converted to a dining room with a full service kitchen in the back. The restaurant, Tenuta Gaetano Spadaro, was large enough to seat two busfuls of hungry tourists. Once we were all seated, we were served a typical Tuscan meal. Starters were olive oil brushed french bread, tomato topped bruschetta, and several olives. A full plate of linguini with marinara sauce, fried eggplant, and a square of egg and cheese frittata folllowed the starters. Green salad arrived with more slices of crispy french bread. And red and white wine , home made, flowed freely. A dessert of very small biscotti cookies, with a small glass of a special wine for dipping was served last. This wine, made by the owner, was made with grapes that were picked young, while still white. He called it "holy wine", because it was aging for seven years in vats. His prayer was that once opened, it was a sweet port wine and not vinegar! Luckily for us, it was wonderful.

 

We left the farm house at 3 pm, but not before a visit to the owner's little storeroom. He sold jams, wines, and olive oil, made right on the property. Going back down to the main road was not going to be easy, as we soon found out as we left the farm house driveway. Traffic coming up the hill blocked our exit, and with cars piling up behind us, we could not back up. We had the classic "wait and see who does what" for 20 minutes. Finally, the cars in front of us pulled over to let us go by, thank goodness.

 

Our final stop was at the impressive Villa Torrigiani di Camigliano. This villa and surrounding gardens were built in the early 1500's. Money made from the silk trade prior to this time period was responsible for the building of the extravagant villa. The pricey silk was used in making the huge tapestries that are famous throughout Italy. Many of these magnificent tapestries can be seen in the Vatican.

 

We toured the inside of the ornate baroque palace-like home. Only allowed on the lower level, we walked into the reception parlor, then into the dining room, and surrounding bedrooms. The kitchen quarters were located under the house, in the cellar. Meals were served in the formal dining room, which was accesssed by a small door by the hutch with a stairway that led to the kitchen.

 

The real beauty was outside in the gardens, where fountains, camellias, flower beds, lawns, and stately magnolia and cedar trees lined the long driveways.

 

We were given the impression that in order to pay the taxes and the upkeep, the current residents, Simonetta Torrigiani and her husband, the Prince of Stigliano Don Carlo Colonna, opened the villa to the public in 1967. They still reside here in the summer season, living on the upper floors of the villa.

 

We left here at 4:15 pm, and drove the 30 or so minutes back to the pier. We left early, at 6 pm, and set sail for Monte Carlo, our third port in a row!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[PrincessYoga]

I have loved reading your account of your world tour. it sounds like you have had am amazing time. One day maybe I will be able to go on one...

 

I won't necessarily by your guide in Turkey about having the most expensive petrol... yesterday in Belfast I paid 94p per litre/$1.89per litre. I have seen up about 98p/$1.97 ...not far off the $2.00 price he quoted :)

[WCB]

Report # 76 4-15-07 Sunday Monte Carlo, Monaco

 

We were gifted with four luggage tags last night. Gosh, these were a reminder that our trip is quickly coming to an end. Today is day 90, so we only have two weeks left!

 

Our port of call for today is Monte Carlo, Monaco, just a mere 126 nautical miles from Livorno, Italy. We practically floated here, doing 11 knots through the evening. Sighting the beautiful yacht harbor, we realized thast Monte Carlo has to be one of the wealthiest city/states in the world. It was apparent that Monaco boasts more millionaires (and that is in Euros) per capita than any other country. Also, with a population of 32,410 lucky people, and with an area of only .75 square miles, it is the world's most densely populated country and second smallest independant nation. Their most famous and beloved Prince Ranier and his wife Grace Kelly ruled here until their deaths in 1982 and 2005.

 

This is our third visit to Monaco, and having toured the Prince's Palace, the Cathedral, the Oceanographic Museum with surrounding gardens, the Casino, and Hotel de Paris, we opted for an excursion to see the "starts of the Cote d Azur. So the cities of Cannes, Grasses, and St Paul de Vence will be our destination today.

 

We were not docking in this port, but anchoring and using the tenderboats to go ashore. The Seven Seas Voyager got to dock, since she was christened here a few years ago, and will always have priority use of this pier. While waiting for the Voyager to be cleared by immigration officials, our debarking was delayed by almost an hour. The tenderboat ride was rough, due to high swells. That always slows down the transfer to the small boats for safety's sake. We have seen accidents like broken arms and legs during this process, so it is better safe and slow, than sorry.

 

We boarded our bus, and were soon off for the quick ride past the Monaco Palace, high up on a rocky cliff. In a few minutes, we were on French soil and heading for Cannes. Luckily for us, it was Sunday and there was little traffic on the toll roads. We drove through miles of long tunnels that were bored through the steep mountainsides upon leaving Monte Carlo. Passing the resort city of Nice, our guide pointed out the fact that 400,000 people live in Nice, and they own over 50,000 dogs. She also mentioned that to rent a 50 square meter apartment in Nice or Cannes would cost 8,000 Euros a month. But to rent the same size apartment in Monte Carlo would cost between 10 and 15 thousand Euros a month. That's big bucks, folks!

 

The bus driver worked his way down the hillsides to Cannes on the French Riviera. We had over an hour to walk by high-end stores, such as Hermes, Cartier, and Gucci, just to mention a few. Lucky for our credit cards, that these stores were not opened until much later! We walked La Croisette Avenue past cafes, a craft market, and 5 -star hotels. Believe it or not, McDonalds was also on this avenue, and quite busy, we may add. We came across the Festival Theater , which hosts the annual glittering film festival with stars from around the world.

 

Continuing on, we drove up narrow streets lined with European sycamore trees. While cruising up the avenue into the town of Cannet, we passed the former home of Pablo Picasso, who lived and died here after being exiled from Spain for political reasons. A straight line of tall cypress trees were planted along the road leading to his hillside estate. A curious fact about the tall cypress trees is that they were planted to mark cemeteries in France in the old days. Since then, they have been nicknamed the "cemetery tree", because they resemble the grave stone monuments. This is also true in some areas of California, we have noticed.

 

We were now on our way to the town of Grasses, the birthplace of the French perfume industry. In the early days of France, basic perfumed powders were used for the finishing process of tanning leather. It helped to take away the strong leather smell. Spices as well as flowers were used in making the scents for these powders. And since the Europeans did not bathe often (sometimes twice a year), they relied on these powders to mask unpleasant odors. Eventually, colognes and perfumes were developed to take place of the powders.

 

The factory we visited was called Galimard Parfumerie. Actually, this really was a display factory, where we learned about one of the world's oldest distillation processes. A few of the interesting details we learned was how the potent fragrances of fresh flowers were obtained. The petals of these flowers were placed in a tray of waxy glycerine, and left covered for one month. Fresh petals are added again and again, until they are ready to be mixed with water and distilled. Only pink rose petals are used, all lavendar plants, geraniums, jasmine, and acacia tree flowers. It takes a lot of these flowers to obtain a liter of oil. For instance, one ton of jasmine flowers are needed to make the one liter of oil. That has to be a truckload!! Copper equipment used to be utilized for distillation in the past, but stainless steel has replaced them.

 

We learned the difference from toilet water , which is 5% oil mixed with water and alcohol, while cologne is 10% oil with water and alcohol. The strongest scent of all is perfume, which is 20% oil mixed with alcohol only. It is the most expensive of all three.

 

We ended our tour in the giftshop, of course. Tester sprays were being used by everyone to the point where we couldn't breathe! Even though their products were generic at this store, the prices must have been right, because many packages were carried out by our fellow travelers.

 

Next, we were headed for lunch with a busful of very fragrant passengers! Weaving our way up to the steep canyons, and wooded ravines, we arrived to the gorgeous town of Auberge. In a small restaurant, called Tables Auberge de France, we were seated , and swiftly served delcious crunchy French bread (our favorite), a green salad with ripe tomatoes, brie cheese baked in phyllo dough, and a half chicken with potatoes au gratin. Wonderful light French wines made our guests happy, and the lemon meringue pie with a small espresso made us even happier! This meal was one of the best so far!

 

We left Auberge by 2 pm, and drove along a river buried in trees, with camp grounds and motor home parks scattered in the forest. Our last stop was at St Paul de Vence, a 16th century walled village whose ramparts have remained intact for centuries. This medieval city is perched high upon an escarpment, and was the most fortified town in Provence. No cars are allowed in this walled city, except those of the 400 residents who live within the walls. Most of them are the shop and cafe owners. All the rock-lined village streets with stairs were lined with very small shops that offered art, sculptures, jewelry, and quality homemade linens. The higher levels included the museum, fountains, bell towers, chapels, cafes, wine shops, and wall towers. It was quite impressive to see.

 

After a hour and a half at St Paul de Vence, we all agreed that it was a pleasant city to visit. The shop keepers were friendly, even though they did not speak English. It is amazing how we can still manage to communicate with sign language in order to buy things!

 

In less than one hour, we were back to the tenderboat pier. But with an hour left before the Amsterdam was due to sail, we decided to check out the Voyager's dock area for awhile. We had hoped to see friends, Mary Ellen and Bruce, but instead, we ran into acquaintances from last year's Radisson's world cruise, Jarmo and Hilda. While talking with them, we finally met the Schumakers, parents of Sally Busby, and grandparents to her three young charming daughters. We spent our last few moments comparing cruises and sharing shipboard stories before we had to depart for our ride back to the ship.

 

To our surprise, another Holland ship, the Veendam, was also anchored nearby. And right before we set sail, the Seven Seas Voyager proudly sailed by us, blasting pleasant sailaway music from their decks, and waving goodbye for the last time. And with complimentary wine glasses in most of their hands, it sure looked like they were having way too good a time!!

 

And so ended our day in Monte Carlo and the countryside of France! But more fun was going to happen this evening.............more to follow!

 

Bill and Mary Ann

[ger_77]

Oh my gosh, now you're going to have me checking back every 15 minutes or so to see if you've put in an update for the events of the evening!

 

We were in Monte Carlo 3 years ago and really enjoyed the experience - we caught a glimpse of Princess Stephanie as she was getting into a car, and we thoroughly enjoyed the walking tour that was one of HAL's shore excursions. Thank you once again for the wonderful details of your trip - it makes it seem so real for those of us not able to be there with you.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[WCB]

Report # 77 4-15-07 Sunday Evening

 

Tonight at dinner, we were treated to Circus Night and Clown Capers. Well, this was something new! We think it may tie into Monaco's Festival of the Circus of Monte Carlo. This event was created by Prince Ranier in 1974, and it has become the most important and prestigious festival in the world.

 

Anyway, all the waiters, the assistants, and dining room captains were decked out in brand new clown costumes. A trapeze was hung from the ceiling with clown figures hanging from it. Hundreds of colored helium balloons were clinging to the dining room ceiling, and tied to our chairs. Our waiters, Gede and Made, were almost unrecognizable with clown makeup painted on their faces. They wore funny clown costumes and gester hats. Despite it all, they seemed to enjoy it!

 

Later, during dinner, they all gathered on the upper level dining room, and paraded down the twin staircases, singing, dancing, blowing whistles, and popping balloons. It was very comical and the crowd liked it so much, that they gave a standing cheer for them.

 

Guess that was enough excitement for one day!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[Teresa Price]

hi guys,

Mary Ann and Bill have you by any chance met a couple called George and Dorothy? They come from New York state and are really nice people we met a couple of years ago.

 

Carry on cruising,

Teresa

[SDHALFAN]

hi guys,

Mary Ann and Bill have you by any chance met a couple called George and Dorothy? They come from New York state and are really nice people we met a couple of years ago.

 

Carry on cruising,

Teresa

 

Would that by any chance be Dorothy and George Hennings? If so then indeed Maryann and Bill, and even I, know them. Dorothy (aka Blue Whale) was instrumental in getting together the CC'ers aboard ship and she did a tremendous job coordinating all kinds of things like the CC meetings and even lunches where several CC members at a time got to know each other more "up close and personal".

 

I have to agree that they are really, really nice people and are a joy to travel with. I hope to meet up with them again soon on a future cruise.

 

Valerie:)

[Johnny B]

Bill and MaryAnn,

Just a question about your shore excursions. Do you generally take those offered by HAL, or the ones organized by the "specialists"? We're anxiously awaiting the list prepared by those folks and are wondering how the two compare.

 

BTW, we just put in our deposit for the second half of the 2009 RTW - the itinerary was just too good to miss. Unfortunately, our chances of getting a balcony when booking only half are almost nil. Oh well!