Yes the blog entries dwindled as my time on the Century was winding down. To my loyal readers, I'm sorry, but preparing my cabin and work area for a handover was no easy feat.
I signed off this morning. It was bittersweet. I've been looking forward to going home for the last 5 months, and now that it's happening I find myself wishing I had just one more day. One more night with my girls in the crew bar. One more show in the theatre. One more daily to shoot - ok maybe not the last one. We had my "leaving party" in the crew bar last night. It was sweet. Who DJs what night is always decided at the beginning of the cruise by Crew Welfare. So when we got the schedule at the beginning of this cruise we found out that my last night was planned as "alternative night." This is not exactly the kind of music I wanted for my last night, and unfortunately my good friend Sarah was going to do Ladie's Night the next night. So knowing I was disappointed my friends Michael and Jamie went to Crew Welfare and convinced them to change it so that Sarah would be my last night. Sweet, right? What could make it better? Sarah handed over her DJing duties to one of my closest friends onboard - Eddy. Eddy used to be a DJ on ships so I had a professional. He did it just for me. All day instead of people saying, "hey, are you going to the crew bar tonight?" it was "hey, are you going to Mackenzie's leaving party tonight?" I felt so special. My girls dressed me, did my hair and makeup. It really warmed my heart. Eddy played all the right music, I took dozens of photos, and people who never come down to the crew bar came down just to sy goodbye to me.
I stood on the gangway this morning with my two bags and hugged my manager goodbye. I was holding it together fairly well, until the van pulled away from my ship. I watched my home of the last 5 months disappear and yes I cried. Thank God I bought the big Italian sunglasses that covered my red eyes and face.
So here I am. In a hotel room in Italy, sending out massive amounts of friend requests on Facebook to all those I love onboard. My mind's trying to switch gears into land mode. I'm thinking of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years at home. I'm lucky, I really am. Not only because I get to have the holidays at home, but because of the life I've been given. I just spent the last 5 months sailing around the coast of Europe. I have incredible friends literally all over the world.
One contract down. One lined up for the end of January. What will I take away from the Century? There is no doubt this experience is unlike anything I've ever done or will ever do again. It's tough to explain to anyone who hasn't lived on a ship. I've learned things about myself and the interaction of people. I'm smarter about trusting people, and I've become familiar with cultures I only ever knew existed out in the world somewhere. It takes a certain kind of person to work on a ship and I think the Century has made me into that kind of person.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Not Much to Report
My favorite holiday has come and gone - Halloween. We had the most fantastic crew party. It was easily the most fun party since I've been onboard. The Cruise Director, the Hotel Director, HR were all there. It was technically an office party, but way cooler. My angel costume has deemed me the "angel" nickname around the ship among the officers. I always get the most successful Halloweens.
I went to Rome and saw the Sistine Chapel. It was smaller than I thought it would be, but still breathtaking. They've restored it in the last few years and the colors are so beautifully vivid I couldn't stop looking up. The blue of the Virgin Mary's robe made it easy to pick her out and the image of God creating Eve almost brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't stop looking up. My neck was a tad sore the rest of the day - so worth it. The rest of Rome was nice. Having a guide through the Coliseum this time made it more interesting. I understood more of what I was looking at, and St. Peter's Basilica was beautiful as always. I had a flood of memories rush back through as I walked through the Vatican. I remembered my time in Ireland and the Spring Break I took in Italy. I remembered finding Emily in the halls of St. Peter's. I remembered Shaina saying a prayer in Hebrew on Easter morning immediately followed by a clap of thunder and sudden rain shower she thought she brought on. I remembered us drying off in a patch of sun with gelatto and laughing about the whole thing. New memories have formed, of course, like seeing Luis walking through with his tour. I do love the Vatican, but I doubt I'll visit Rome again. Rome's great for its history, but it's not really a city. It's more of a theme park really.
I've been relaxing around the ship and the ports lately. Valerie came back for a week which was really nice, but she's gone again. This week I'll take the crew tour to Pompeii.
I fly home in two and a half weeks. Two and a half weeks and I can't seem to focus here. Thoughts of home are becoming more and more frequent. I'm planning my trips to visit friends and family. I'm imagining the look little Ariell will get when she sees the gifts I got her. I'm thinking of the giant cocktail I'm going to get after I finally get home on my birthday. Life here is good, but with my friends slowly signing off the ship is changing. It's becoming a whole new crew which makes it easier for me to not be sad about leaving. Most of my crew and I have begun our countdowns and started planning on meeting up in the States.
I went to Rome and saw the Sistine Chapel. It was smaller than I thought it would be, but still breathtaking. They've restored it in the last few years and the colors are so beautifully vivid I couldn't stop looking up. The blue of the Virgin Mary's robe made it easy to pick her out and the image of God creating Eve almost brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't stop looking up. My neck was a tad sore the rest of the day - so worth it. The rest of Rome was nice. Having a guide through the Coliseum this time made it more interesting. I understood more of what I was looking at, and St. Peter's Basilica was beautiful as always. I had a flood of memories rush back through as I walked through the Vatican. I remembered my time in Ireland and the Spring Break I took in Italy. I remembered finding Emily in the halls of St. Peter's. I remembered Shaina saying a prayer in Hebrew on Easter morning immediately followed by a clap of thunder and sudden rain shower she thought she brought on. I remembered us drying off in a patch of sun with gelatto and laughing about the whole thing. New memories have formed, of course, like seeing Luis walking through with his tour. I do love the Vatican, but I doubt I'll visit Rome again. Rome's great for its history, but it's not really a city. It's more of a theme park really.
I've been relaxing around the ship and the ports lately. Valerie came back for a week which was really nice, but she's gone again. This week I'll take the crew tour to Pompeii.
I fly home in two and a half weeks. Two and a half weeks and I can't seem to focus here. Thoughts of home are becoming more and more frequent. I'm planning my trips to visit friends and family. I'm imagining the look little Ariell will get when she sees the gifts I got her. I'm thinking of the giant cocktail I'm going to get after I finally get home on my birthday. Life here is good, but with my friends slowly signing off the ship is changing. It's becoming a whole new crew which makes it easier for me to not be sad about leaving. Most of my crew and I have begun our countdowns and started planning on meeting up in the States.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Don't Worry, I'm Developing Arm Muscles
This blog has greatly suffered, I know. These 7 day cruises don't leave much time for snuggling in with Dexter (my computer!) and typing away at my adventures.
The Mediterranean is entirely too relaxing to go on tours. Once the sun goes away and the bitter winter hits I'll start boarding buses with guests to see the things I want to. Cannes has the best beaches (next to home, of course) ever. I just drag myself out to the sand, surrounded by French speaking children and soak in the sun. We're there on Sundays so families are everywhere. Hands down, Cannes is my favorite port on this run - maybe my favorite of this contract... maybe. I have a slight obsession with French people, language, culture, etc. I usually get ice cream and then dip in the water of the French Riviera. As I'm acclimating my body to the freezing water I look around and notice the water. It's so perfectly clear I can see the outline of my toenails at the bottom of the water and I raise my head to see a skyline of mountains. Who couldn't help but giggle to themselves?
Portofino is perfect for a glass of wine. Luckily the wine in Italy is almost cheaper than the water! I have one cafe with really great white wine. The word "city" insults this place, and "town" is not enough. It is the epitome of "village."
Livorno's gross. There's great shopping, but that's about it. Not worth it for the 2 Euro it costs to take the bus into town from the ship. That's my deck 7 day. Myself and many crewmembers go out to the crew pool and lay on chairs, making jokes and throwing each other in the pool. Patrick practices his "awesome" jumps and John squirts me with the water gun. Nikki snorts as she laughs and we lose volleyballs off the side of the ship. Innertubes, floaties and "wavemakers" keep us entertained, and once so far we've had the pleasure of having the 4 year old son of the Adage Duo, Ivan, come down to play with us in his dolphin floaties. I have a great crew.
Civitavecchia finds me on deck 7 again, it's quieter then. I don't waste the whole day there, though. The Subway has free internet... hence the recent slight increase of pictures on Facebook. Slowly but surely I'm getting them downloaded.
Naples is where the whole crew crams into the tiny sidewalk area of an Italian restaurant whose owner once worked on ships, and loves us. 4 Euro margheritta pizza and 5 Euro carafts of wine - the best house white I've ever had - and we stay there for hours.
Then we start over again. Eventually I'll venture out to see the Sistine Chapel, Monte Carlo, and Capri, but as you can see I've got a pretty awesome routine setup now.
The job's more intense with 7 day cruises, plus my old cruise director has come back to replace our current one. His vacation left him with lots of ideas - ideas that involve me making even more videos. It's exhausting, but at least I feel like I'm doing something. Naples night I was shooting from 6:30 p.m. until around 9:45. Doesn't sound like too long, I know, but consider I'm dragging all of my equpiment, my camera, and a tripod about 3/4 the size of me up and down 12 decks across a ship the length of three football fields. We're all feeling the impact of cramming our normal 12 day work into 7.
I've adjusted well here. I still have moments where I find myself counting down the days until I come home (39) and other days I can't imagine not seeing these same people everyday. When John has me laughing so hard my sides ache, or when Anna and I sing "Benny and the Jets" at karaoke, or I simply see the Carlton hotel from where I swim in the French Riviera I realize the complaints I make every night are so worth it.
The Mediterranean is entirely too relaxing to go on tours. Once the sun goes away and the bitter winter hits I'll start boarding buses with guests to see the things I want to. Cannes has the best beaches (next to home, of course) ever. I just drag myself out to the sand, surrounded by French speaking children and soak in the sun. We're there on Sundays so families are everywhere. Hands down, Cannes is my favorite port on this run - maybe my favorite of this contract... maybe. I have a slight obsession with French people, language, culture, etc. I usually get ice cream and then dip in the water of the French Riviera. As I'm acclimating my body to the freezing water I look around and notice the water. It's so perfectly clear I can see the outline of my toenails at the bottom of the water and I raise my head to see a skyline of mountains. Who couldn't help but giggle to themselves?
Portofino is perfect for a glass of wine. Luckily the wine in Italy is almost cheaper than the water! I have one cafe with really great white wine. The word "city" insults this place, and "town" is not enough. It is the epitome of "village."
Livorno's gross. There's great shopping, but that's about it. Not worth it for the 2 Euro it costs to take the bus into town from the ship. That's my deck 7 day. Myself and many crewmembers go out to the crew pool and lay on chairs, making jokes and throwing each other in the pool. Patrick practices his "awesome" jumps and John squirts me with the water gun. Nikki snorts as she laughs and we lose volleyballs off the side of the ship. Innertubes, floaties and "wavemakers" keep us entertained, and once so far we've had the pleasure of having the 4 year old son of the Adage Duo, Ivan, come down to play with us in his dolphin floaties. I have a great crew.
Civitavecchia finds me on deck 7 again, it's quieter then. I don't waste the whole day there, though. The Subway has free internet... hence the recent slight increase of pictures on Facebook. Slowly but surely I'm getting them downloaded.
Naples is where the whole crew crams into the tiny sidewalk area of an Italian restaurant whose owner once worked on ships, and loves us. 4 Euro margheritta pizza and 5 Euro carafts of wine - the best house white I've ever had - and we stay there for hours.
Then we start over again. Eventually I'll venture out to see the Sistine Chapel, Monte Carlo, and Capri, but as you can see I've got a pretty awesome routine setup now.
The job's more intense with 7 day cruises, plus my old cruise director has come back to replace our current one. His vacation left him with lots of ideas - ideas that involve me making even more videos. It's exhausting, but at least I feel like I'm doing something. Naples night I was shooting from 6:30 p.m. until around 9:45. Doesn't sound like too long, I know, but consider I'm dragging all of my equpiment, my camera, and a tripod about 3/4 the size of me up and down 12 decks across a ship the length of three football fields. We're all feeling the impact of cramming our normal 12 day work into 7.
I've adjusted well here. I still have moments where I find myself counting down the days until I come home (39) and other days I can't imagine not seeing these same people everyday. When John has me laughing so hard my sides ache, or when Anna and I sing "Benny and the Jets" at karaoke, or I simply see the Carlton hotel from where I swim in the French Riviera I realize the complaints I make every night are so worth it.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Oh Yea, There's the Italy I Remember
Heads up! Three blogs in one! I just posted three new entries, so the fun continues after this one!
Catalina and I decided to get up really early in Livorno and hop a train to Pisa. I was instantly reminded of why I didn't like Italy to begin with. We had to get a shuttle from the ship to the bus stop where we caught a bus to the train station just in time to have doors of our train close on us and pull away. Fantastic. Then we get on the next train a half hour later only to be given a ride a block away to where they park the damn trains. A lovely janitor directed us back to the station where we could make our third attempt to get a ride to this stupid tower.
Luckily more of our friends - one who speaks Italian - were also on the train. We got to Pisa and Catalina and I decided to walk through the town of Pisa. Yea... if it weren't for the Leaning Tower no one would ever go to Pisa. We had mediocre pasta for lunch and were charged 4 Euro for a half litre of tap water. Not to mention the 2 Euro charge just for sitting at the table. Grazie Italia.
I did see the Leaning Tower. So there's the silver lining. I illegally walked on the grass - kiss my butt Italy - and took the cheesey tourist picture of me pushing it over. I carried a backpack around the city. Really all I needed was the Hawaiian shirt and the camera to be hanging from aroung my neck to look more stereotypically American. Oh, and a fanny pack... never forget the fanny pack.
In Civitavecchia I had port manning. I'm ok with it. It's the gateway to Rome. Been there, done that. I'll probably try to go in once while we're doing this tour, but just to see the Sistine Chapel and the Trevvi Fountain.
Then there's Naples. Oh boy if you people want me to like Italy we're really going to have to work on where we're sending me. Naples was rainy, dreary and just sad. However, I went out with a large group of friends to a small restaurant the Youth Manager Karen had visited when she worked on Disney. It was sweet. We sat at a sidewalk table (noticing my affinity for sidewalk tables?) and had pizza and the best house white wine ever. After everyone got up to leave Brianna, John and I spent some extra bonding/wine time before we dragged ourselves back to the ship.
And now back to Barcelona to start it all again.
Catalina and I decided to get up really early in Livorno and hop a train to Pisa. I was instantly reminded of why I didn't like Italy to begin with. We had to get a shuttle from the ship to the bus stop where we caught a bus to the train station just in time to have doors of our train close on us and pull away. Fantastic. Then we get on the next train a half hour later only to be given a ride a block away to where they park the damn trains. A lovely janitor directed us back to the station where we could make our third attempt to get a ride to this stupid tower.
Luckily more of our friends - one who speaks Italian - were also on the train. We got to Pisa and Catalina and I decided to walk through the town of Pisa. Yea... if it weren't for the Leaning Tower no one would ever go to Pisa. We had mediocre pasta for lunch and were charged 4 Euro for a half litre of tap water. Not to mention the 2 Euro charge just for sitting at the table. Grazie Italia.
I did see the Leaning Tower. So there's the silver lining. I illegally walked on the grass - kiss my butt Italy - and took the cheesey tourist picture of me pushing it over. I carried a backpack around the city. Really all I needed was the Hawaiian shirt and the camera to be hanging from aroung my neck to look more stereotypically American. Oh, and a fanny pack... never forget the fanny pack.
In Civitavecchia I had port manning. I'm ok with it. It's the gateway to Rome. Been there, done that. I'll probably try to go in once while we're doing this tour, but just to see the Sistine Chapel and the Trevvi Fountain.
Then there's Naples. Oh boy if you people want me to like Italy we're really going to have to work on where we're sending me. Naples was rainy, dreary and just sad. However, I went out with a large group of friends to a small restaurant the Youth Manager Karen had visited when she worked on Disney. It was sweet. We sat at a sidewalk table (noticing my affinity for sidewalk tables?) and had pizza and the best house white wine ever. After everyone got up to leave Brianna, John and I spent some extra bonding/wine time before we dragged ourselves back to the ship.
And now back to Barcelona to start it all again.
Climb a Steep Hill with a Group of Professional Dancers? Sure! Why Not?
Yea, I don't know what I was thinking either.
Quick sidenote - the Mediterranean has silky sea nights. I haven't seen these since the Arctic. I was beginning to believe it was just a Norwegian thing. I'm pleasantly surprised.
Another pleasant surprise - the rennovation of the Century's crew bar. I didn't know what to expect after they closed it for three days. I swear some crew members were shaking from withdrawal! We walked in to burgundy walls, black leather sofas, mirrors and red lamps, and black and white photos of NYC, Paris and Amsterdam. Who told the Hotel Director my plans for my future living room!? Ok, back to the climbing thing...
Italy has never really been high on my list of favorite European countries (sorry Katie and Tiff). It's just not my thing. I appreciate the history, the culture, the beautiful art and architecture, but I'm much more of a British Isles/France type of chick. I loved Venice when I was there last year. I was charmed by Perugia, but nothing in Italy has ever had the effect of Dublin or Paris. However, I'm pretty sure Portofino is the one thing that will change my mind about this country. What a picturesque village. While we were tendering I found myself in a lifeboat with all of the acapella boys, a few musicians and a bunch of dancers. Now that I'm sans Valerie, I'm often venturing off the ship alone, so I turned to Jenny the Dance Captain and asked if I could tag along. "Of course!" she told me. When we reached shore the big group began to slowly dwindle as folks went separate ways. Me, the genius, I decide to follow the group of dancers climbing the steep path to the top of the hill - just to see the view. So there I am panting at the back of the group with Brian from the acapella group. We're sweaty and gross and the dancers are just gliding along toward our destination. Lovely.
When we got back down I found Jamie, Matt and Anna at a cafe enjoying a beer and pizza. I sat my sweaty self down and partook. It was beautiful. So truly Italian. The buildings along the harbor were something out of a movie set. Yellow, red and orange buildings stuck out of the hills to see the water and boats below, their windows adorned with laundry the way we hang Christmas lights.
It really was the best way to begin to like Italy.
Quick sidenote - the Mediterranean has silky sea nights. I haven't seen these since the Arctic. I was beginning to believe it was just a Norwegian thing. I'm pleasantly surprised.
Another pleasant surprise - the rennovation of the Century's crew bar. I didn't know what to expect after they closed it for three days. I swear some crew members were shaking from withdrawal! We walked in to burgundy walls, black leather sofas, mirrors and red lamps, and black and white photos of NYC, Paris and Amsterdam. Who told the Hotel Director my plans for my future living room!? Ok, back to the climbing thing...
Italy has never really been high on my list of favorite European countries (sorry Katie and Tiff). It's just not my thing. I appreciate the history, the culture, the beautiful art and architecture, but I'm much more of a British Isles/France type of chick. I loved Venice when I was there last year. I was charmed by Perugia, but nothing in Italy has ever had the effect of Dublin or Paris. However, I'm pretty sure Portofino is the one thing that will change my mind about this country. What a picturesque village. While we were tendering I found myself in a lifeboat with all of the acapella boys, a few musicians and a bunch of dancers. Now that I'm sans Valerie, I'm often venturing off the ship alone, so I turned to Jenny the Dance Captain and asked if I could tag along. "Of course!" she told me. When we reached shore the big group began to slowly dwindle as folks went separate ways. Me, the genius, I decide to follow the group of dancers climbing the steep path to the top of the hill - just to see the view. So there I am panting at the back of the group with Brian from the acapella group. We're sweaty and gross and the dancers are just gliding along toward our destination. Lovely.
When we got back down I found Jamie, Matt and Anna at a cafe enjoying a beer and pizza. I sat my sweaty self down and partook. It was beautiful. So truly Italian. The buildings along the harbor were something out of a movie set. Yellow, red and orange buildings stuck out of the hills to see the water and boats below, their windows adorned with laundry the way we hang Christmas lights.
It really was the best way to begin to like Italy.
I Wear Pantyhose Everyday. Does that Mean I'm an Adult Now?
I'm writing this on Leigh's birthday (to be posted at a later date). I hope she has a great 23rd!! I miss her.
So Paris was almost two full weeks ago! Two weeks on a ship can feel like a year. I suppose I should pick up where I left off.
After boat drill the next day I rushed to throw on a swimsuit and meet up with Val and Anna. We were in La Coruna, Spain and I heard there was a beach. Being a beach girl born and raised I'm instantly drawn to the waves and the sand. The minute I got off the ship in Spain I felt like I was at home. The palm trees and Spanish architecture reminded me so much of Florida. So much of the area looks like St. Augustine. We took photos in front of a fountain and the memorial statue of John Lennon and went to the beach. The beach was small and the snad was rough, but the sun was perfect. It wasn't as strong as it is in Florida. God it was great. Then when I got back onboard I got to do something I've missed more than I ever realized. The after-beach-nap is like no other nap. It sounds horrible, but I love crawling into bed in my swimsuit still smelling of sunscreen and passing out. The after-beach-nap is ridiculously amazing.
My next port was Lisbon, Portugal. Valerie and I spent the day touring with our DJ, Jeremy, and our violinist, Nicole. It was nice - we were sterotypically American and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was a beautiful little city full of churches and castles. The whole area reminds me of St. Augustine.
Cadiz, Spain proved to be too cloudly to allow me to properly enjoy the beach. I simply walked along it, having some much needed "me" time. The pigeon prints in the sand made me laugh. Oh Europe.
The next day was Gibraltar. I was on a tour for work, so the video camera accompanied me everywhere. Sometimes the camera is a blessing, and sometimes I want to chuck it overboard. Gibraltar gave me a slight Key West feeling. It is in no way a party city, but it's a small city centered on the water. Where Key West has cats, Gibraltar has monkeys. I have to admit, the monkeys are way cooler. They were cute. My amazing tour guide, a sweet old Scottish man named Ian, got a few of the to come to the window of the van. It was fun.
Palma de Mallorca looked beautiful ffrom the ship. Unfortunately I could only walk around for an hour since I had safety training in the middle of the day. It was really nice to just walk along the harbor. The plus side is our new safety officer is actually a decent guy. I'm no longer afraid of safety training.
That night was Valerie's last night before going home so a group of us girls had dinner at the specialty restaurant onboard - the Murano. I am such a small town girl at heart. I felt slightly out of place in a restaurant where the waiter places the napkin on your lap. I was a little like Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman." The food was absolutely amazing. We started with delicious lemon pepper bread and then feta cheese on bruschetta. It was intended to cleanse our pallettes. I was excited for the rest of the meal. I ordered the wild mushroom cappucino soup. It came out in a saucer with cappucino foam on top, and underneath was the thickest, best mushroom soup of my life. I've never tasted anything like it. Next was a small goat cheese souffle trapped under a breadstick cage. It was essentially a mound of parmesan cheese sitting in tomoato sauce. It, too, was amazing. Then they brought out the main course. Val and I ordered the filet mignon which they flambe with cognac right next to the table. The whole meal was a performance. Oh, this filet mignon was delectable. I never really knew what they meant by it melts in your mouth - until now! It was complimented by perfectly flavored mashed potatoes, mushrooms and the most crisp sticks of asparagus. It couldn't possible get any better, right? Right... until they brought out the dark chocolate souffle for dessert. It was a little treat and I was a little put off when I saw the waiter come along to puncture the perfectly risen souffle. I forgave him when I saw what was coming next. A delicious mocha, vanilla sauce was drizzled all over my dessert. I didn't eat again until lunch the next day. It was wonderful.
Catalina, Val and I finished her bottle of pinot grigio and went out to the staff bar to celebrate Val's last night onboard. It was so fun. I had a rough time saying bye to my friend. I'll admit, things are different here without her. I now have Catalina, but I miss Val. We did everything together. I have plenty of other friends, but no one quite like Val. Everyone keeps making jokes like, "What are you going to do now?" and "Did they have to surgically remove you two?" Ha. Ha.
The next day was our embarkation day in Barcelona. I really could fall for Spain. I got up at the butt crack of dawn to go with Anna and Katie to Gaudi Park. I'm glad I did. It was a beautiful park full of palm trees and mosaic style benches. I'd never seen anything like it. The clear sky made for a perfect day to tour. I stumbled upon a harpists in one of the little caves of the park. Harps always make my day.
Oh and if I thought there was no way to fall anymore in love with France, I was wrong. Cannes is the most beautiful beach city in the south of the country. Catalina, Julien and I found a beach and made ourselves very comfortable. With our ship visible on the horizon and the clouds creating the perfect overcast comfort, I put on my headphones and enjoyed my latest novel. I couldn't help but smile at the way we looked - an American girl reading in her own little world, and a big hairy Argentinian laying with his arm tucked under the neck of a sweet little Romanian girl. What a trio we made. They went for a walk and I began to people watch. There was a sweet French family next to me with thier toddler little boy. I laughed when I realized he and I probably speak French along the same proficiency. He was cute, throwing sand and testing his parents by pushing the boundaries of his play space. As they got up to leave, the mom approached me and, in French, asked if I would watch their things while she went to wash her feet at the shower. I agreed and felt so good about myself having just completely understood her! When Catalina and Julien returned Julien left us girls to have some bonding time walking along the streets of Cannes. We gawked at all the shops and dreamed of the day we'd be rich enough to dress so chic. We found a little sidewalk cafe and I had another opportunity to feel completely accomplished. I ordered Catalina and myself two galsses of wine in perfect French. It's the little things, really. Great conversation while sipping wine at a sidewalk cafe in the south of France... as Papa C would say, "I just have to shake my head."
That feels like a proper place to stop. :)
So Paris was almost two full weeks ago! Two weeks on a ship can feel like a year. I suppose I should pick up where I left off.
After boat drill the next day I rushed to throw on a swimsuit and meet up with Val and Anna. We were in La Coruna, Spain and I heard there was a beach. Being a beach girl born and raised I'm instantly drawn to the waves and the sand. The minute I got off the ship in Spain I felt like I was at home. The palm trees and Spanish architecture reminded me so much of Florida. So much of the area looks like St. Augustine. We took photos in front of a fountain and the memorial statue of John Lennon and went to the beach. The beach was small and the snad was rough, but the sun was perfect. It wasn't as strong as it is in Florida. God it was great. Then when I got back onboard I got to do something I've missed more than I ever realized. The after-beach-nap is like no other nap. It sounds horrible, but I love crawling into bed in my swimsuit still smelling of sunscreen and passing out. The after-beach-nap is ridiculously amazing.
My next port was Lisbon, Portugal. Valerie and I spent the day touring with our DJ, Jeremy, and our violinist, Nicole. It was nice - we were sterotypically American and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was a beautiful little city full of churches and castles. The whole area reminds me of St. Augustine.
Cadiz, Spain proved to be too cloudly to allow me to properly enjoy the beach. I simply walked along it, having some much needed "me" time. The pigeon prints in the sand made me laugh. Oh Europe.
The next day was Gibraltar. I was on a tour for work, so the video camera accompanied me everywhere. Sometimes the camera is a blessing, and sometimes I want to chuck it overboard. Gibraltar gave me a slight Key West feeling. It is in no way a party city, but it's a small city centered on the water. Where Key West has cats, Gibraltar has monkeys. I have to admit, the monkeys are way cooler. They were cute. My amazing tour guide, a sweet old Scottish man named Ian, got a few of the to come to the window of the van. It was fun.
Palma de Mallorca looked beautiful ffrom the ship. Unfortunately I could only walk around for an hour since I had safety training in the middle of the day. It was really nice to just walk along the harbor. The plus side is our new safety officer is actually a decent guy. I'm no longer afraid of safety training.
That night was Valerie's last night before going home so a group of us girls had dinner at the specialty restaurant onboard - the Murano. I am such a small town girl at heart. I felt slightly out of place in a restaurant where the waiter places the napkin on your lap. I was a little like Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman." The food was absolutely amazing. We started with delicious lemon pepper bread and then feta cheese on bruschetta. It was intended to cleanse our pallettes. I was excited for the rest of the meal. I ordered the wild mushroom cappucino soup. It came out in a saucer with cappucino foam on top, and underneath was the thickest, best mushroom soup of my life. I've never tasted anything like it. Next was a small goat cheese souffle trapped under a breadstick cage. It was essentially a mound of parmesan cheese sitting in tomoato sauce. It, too, was amazing. Then they brought out the main course. Val and I ordered the filet mignon which they flambe with cognac right next to the table. The whole meal was a performance. Oh, this filet mignon was delectable. I never really knew what they meant by it melts in your mouth - until now! It was complimented by perfectly flavored mashed potatoes, mushrooms and the most crisp sticks of asparagus. It couldn't possible get any better, right? Right... until they brought out the dark chocolate souffle for dessert. It was a little treat and I was a little put off when I saw the waiter come along to puncture the perfectly risen souffle. I forgave him when I saw what was coming next. A delicious mocha, vanilla sauce was drizzled all over my dessert. I didn't eat again until lunch the next day. It was wonderful.
Catalina, Val and I finished her bottle of pinot grigio and went out to the staff bar to celebrate Val's last night onboard. It was so fun. I had a rough time saying bye to my friend. I'll admit, things are different here without her. I now have Catalina, but I miss Val. We did everything together. I have plenty of other friends, but no one quite like Val. Everyone keeps making jokes like, "What are you going to do now?" and "Did they have to surgically remove you two?" Ha. Ha.
The next day was our embarkation day in Barcelona. I really could fall for Spain. I got up at the butt crack of dawn to go with Anna and Katie to Gaudi Park. I'm glad I did. It was a beautiful park full of palm trees and mosaic style benches. I'd never seen anything like it. The clear sky made for a perfect day to tour. I stumbled upon a harpists in one of the little caves of the park. Harps always make my day.
Oh and if I thought there was no way to fall anymore in love with France, I was wrong. Cannes is the most beautiful beach city in the south of the country. Catalina, Julien and I found a beach and made ourselves very comfortable. With our ship visible on the horizon and the clouds creating the perfect overcast comfort, I put on my headphones and enjoyed my latest novel. I couldn't help but smile at the way we looked - an American girl reading in her own little world, and a big hairy Argentinian laying with his arm tucked under the neck of a sweet little Romanian girl. What a trio we made. They went for a walk and I began to people watch. There was a sweet French family next to me with thier toddler little boy. I laughed when I realized he and I probably speak French along the same proficiency. He was cute, throwing sand and testing his parents by pushing the boundaries of his play space. As they got up to leave, the mom approached me and, in French, asked if I would watch their things while she went to wash her feet at the shower. I agreed and felt so good about myself having just completely understood her! When Catalina and Julien returned Julien left us girls to have some bonding time walking along the streets of Cannes. We gawked at all the shops and dreamed of the day we'd be rich enough to dress so chic. We found a little sidewalk cafe and I had another opportunity to feel completely accomplished. I ordered Catalina and myself two galsses of wine in perfect French. It's the little things, really. Great conversation while sipping wine at a sidewalk cafe in the south of France... as Papa C would say, "I just have to shake my head."
That feels like a proper place to stop. :)
Friday, September 11, 2009
If the blog is French, is it a bloguette?
London Wednesday. Paris Thursday? Oh yea, that’s my life. Our ship docked in Le Havre, France and I was lucky enough to be an escort on “A Taste of Paris.” There was a crew tour going into town, but why spend $40 when I knew I could probably go in for free with a bunch of guests? I saw the crew going to their bus, it was filled with my friends, but also some people I’d rather not spend 2.5 hours on a bus with. I was glad I went alone. That would be the theme for the day.
My tour gave us about an hour drive around the major sights of the city – L’Arc de Triomphe, Le Champs-Elysees, Le Notre Dame Cathedral, L’Opera, Le Louvre, Les Hotels des Invalides, etc. – and dropped us off at the Eiffel Tower for four hours of free time. I saw John and Jamie taking photos and rushed to meet up with them and my other friends they were with. I tried to convince Jamie to go shopping with me while she tried to convince me to go sightseeing with them. I did the sightseeing thing last year and the moment I found out about this tour I told myself I was going to stroll the Champs-Elysees and have lunch at a sidewalk café like I’d always dreamed of as a girl. When Jamie and my friends asked me to go I was tempted. It was nice to have company, but I remembered I had a few hours and I’d regret not doing what I went there for. So I said bye and went off on my own. Did I get lost? Nope! I walked on that beautiful French day with the sun shining along the Avenue d’Iene down to the Arc de Triomphe and began my relaxing stroll along the Champs-Elysees. I browsed the shops, drooled at the diamonds in the Cariter window and watched the fabulous people eating their 22 Euro ham sandwiches knowing someday I’ll come back for my own overpriced lunch.
I found a small sandwich shop where I got exactly what I wanted – a jambon blanch baguette (baguette with ham and butter) and a coke – and sat at the table on the sidewalk. I finally did it. I couldn’t help but smile at my progression. A year and a half ago I was eating plain baguettes and bottles of water on park benches, this time it was a jambon blanc baguette and a coke, next time a salad, croissant and glass of wine, perhaps? Before you know it I’ll be staying at the Ritz and buying my own Cartier necklaces!
After a long stroll I still had an hour and a half before my bus came. Rather than rush through the city trying to see something else, I went back to the Eiffel Tower and nestled into a nice soft spot of grass. I laid in the sun closing my eyes just so I could open them again on the Tower. What a thrill to open your eyes to such a sight. I had some brief visitors, Kyle and Natalie from the ship, Sarah and Christina from the ship, and of course John, Jamie, Matt and Marc stopped and sat with me until their bus came. In my last half hour alone I laid in the sun listening to the French around me and watching the Tower.
If love is what I feel for London, then there are absolutely no words to describe what I have for Paris. I’m hopelessly, undoubtedly, entirely, devotedly captured by Paris. I swear that city never disappoints – well, me anyway, sorry Tiff and Kate. : )
My tour gave us about an hour drive around the major sights of the city – L’Arc de Triomphe, Le Champs-Elysees, Le Notre Dame Cathedral, L’Opera, Le Louvre, Les Hotels des Invalides, etc. – and dropped us off at the Eiffel Tower for four hours of free time. I saw John and Jamie taking photos and rushed to meet up with them and my other friends they were with. I tried to convince Jamie to go shopping with me while she tried to convince me to go sightseeing with them. I did the sightseeing thing last year and the moment I found out about this tour I told myself I was going to stroll the Champs-Elysees and have lunch at a sidewalk café like I’d always dreamed of as a girl. When Jamie and my friends asked me to go I was tempted. It was nice to have company, but I remembered I had a few hours and I’d regret not doing what I went there for. So I said bye and went off on my own. Did I get lost? Nope! I walked on that beautiful French day with the sun shining along the Avenue d’Iene down to the Arc de Triomphe and began my relaxing stroll along the Champs-Elysees. I browsed the shops, drooled at the diamonds in the Cariter window and watched the fabulous people eating their 22 Euro ham sandwiches knowing someday I’ll come back for my own overpriced lunch.
I found a small sandwich shop where I got exactly what I wanted – a jambon blanch baguette (baguette with ham and butter) and a coke – and sat at the table on the sidewalk. I finally did it. I couldn’t help but smile at my progression. A year and a half ago I was eating plain baguettes and bottles of water on park benches, this time it was a jambon blanc baguette and a coke, next time a salad, croissant and glass of wine, perhaps? Before you know it I’ll be staying at the Ritz and buying my own Cartier necklaces!
After a long stroll I still had an hour and a half before my bus came. Rather than rush through the city trying to see something else, I went back to the Eiffel Tower and nestled into a nice soft spot of grass. I laid in the sun closing my eyes just so I could open them again on the Tower. What a thrill to open your eyes to such a sight. I had some brief visitors, Kyle and Natalie from the ship, Sarah and Christina from the ship, and of course John, Jamie, Matt and Marc stopped and sat with me until their bus came. In my last half hour alone I laid in the sun listening to the French around me and watching the Tower.
If love is what I feel for London, then there are absolutely no words to describe what I have for Paris. I’m hopelessly, undoubtedly, entirely, devotedly captured by Paris. I swear that city never disappoints – well, me anyway, sorry Tiff and Kate. : )
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