A stop-start day at sea...

Quote of the day: “The bingo’s off, and the buffet is closed. If the power doesn’t come back on soon, I might just have to go to choir practice after all.”

Breakfast this morning was rudely interrupted by a sudden loss of ship’s power: lights went off, and the ship slowly came to a halt. This lasted about 15 minutes or so, but fortunately my omelet was already on its way to the table, so I didn’t have to go without.

The same thing happened again around 9.30am, while I was at a lecture in the theatre. The lecturer continued with a few jokes, but finally had to call it a day. The next 3 hours were spent with nothing functioning, so I used the time to write this blog, and have a quiet read and a doze in my cabin… best place to be, as the toilets in the public areas were already starting to pong a little!

Fortunately the seas are calm today, so we weren’t rocking around too much, but the lack of air conditioning meant it got quite hot… So no coffee until the afternoon, and a late lunch all round. Oh, and I think everyone now has a greater appreciation of the delights of running water and flushing toilets!

Bridgetown, Barbados

Quote of the day: “Passengers going ashore are advised that the wearing of camouflage printed clothing of any kind is forbidden by law in Barbados. If you are seen wearing this type of clothing, you will be arrested on the spot and charged.” Passenger desk announcement.

This was a port where I hadn’t done my homework, and it showed. Not that I didn’t have an enjoyable day, but it might have been better if I’d perhaps had a plan to get out of the town, and into the more scenic areas of the island. Oh well, you can’t win them all…

Once the rush for the gangway had died down, I headed off via shuttle for downtown Barbados. I was surprised by how busy the town was. Lots of traffic and people milling around, and even more shops selling expensive jewelry. Also no traffic lights or pedestrian crossings, but within a short space of time, I just acted like the locals, and casually sauntered across the road whenever I felt like it. Amazingly, the vehicles just dodge the pedestrians!

The town is very English (Barbados was a British colony until gaining independence in 1966), with most of the main buildings and churches being copies of British architectural styles. There were also market areas throughout the town, which gave the place a nice feel. The people seemed to be particularly dark skinned, which only served to highlight the defective gene we white people possess… and of course the Rasta look is still seen everywhere: skinny guys, goatee beards, dreds and colourful hats, man… and Bob Marley T-shirts everywhere. My goal for the day was to try the famous rum cake, and surprisingly, it tasted like rum. The free sample was sufficient - I didn’t feel the need to buy a whole cake.

I walked back to the ship for a late lunch, just narrowly missing a major tropical downpour. I knew there was some reason I didn’t go to the beach!

Antigua - Welcome to the Caribbean...

Quote of the day: “The show last night was the worst I’ve been to. The music was out of sync and the singers were out of tune. The last bit was atrocious. But I’ll go back tonight and watch it again.”

After 1st world New York, we hit 3rd world St. Johns, Antigua. Well at least that’s what it felt like, with the narrow streets, market stalls, and rickety old shops and houses. Sure, there were modern buildings, but it was all low rise, and really quite charming. Looking out onto the surrounding hills was a surprise – it looked like parts of New Zealand with lush vegetation, and lots of single wooden houses with red painted iron roofs. Think Northland, without the expensive holiday homes.

The main industry here is tourism. And in contrast to the surroundings, the big thing here, and in the other Caribbean ports we visit, seems to be jewelry, especially diamonds and designer watches. We now have a shopping guide on board, would you believe, and he and all the people in St. Johns seem to think that all I could possibly want to do is buy diamonds… well fat chance of that!

So after wandering through the shopping area, and dodging the taxi drivers who wanted to give me the guided tour of the island, I made my way up the hill to the old church I’d seen from the ship. This turned out to be closed, but I stuck up a conversation with this local retired gentleman, who turned out to be an ex Public Servant, who was now responsible for locking and unlocking the church gates each day. He was quite happy to chat away, and give me the benefit of his opinions on politics, religion, and the meaning of live etc. I noticed that the elderly lady with him, presumably his wife, drifted off after about half an hour of this! Still, a real treat to learn about the town and the island lifestyle from a born and bred local.

Sanctuary day...

Quote of the day: “I was going really well with the new iPhone. Surfing the net, doing emails, the works. But our kids just got the first bill: $480 for the first two weeks! Now it’s switched off and locked in the cabin safe. And it’s staying there until we get home.”

This afternoon BJ and I decided it was time to check out the Sanctuary, that area of deck up the pointy end of the ship dedicated to comfort, and totally kids free. The idea of course is that by paying a small fee, you can escape the rowdy rug rats and revolting juveniles and teens for a few hours in tranquil bliss – except there are none of those on this cruise anyway!

However, for $15 you do get very plush deck chairs and extra fluffy towels, shelter from the sun, constant ice water service, and a very nice menu of light meals delivered to you. So with a gentle zephyr crossing the deck, we joined 7 other people willing to cough up the extra dollars, and passed several lovely hours doing crosswords (although BJ is of no help at all), listening to my iPod, and trotting to the loo and back after all that iced water…

Rest day...

Quote of the day: “On last year’s round the world cruise, one couple did 2 days, from Sydney to Auckland, and decided they didn’t like cruising. So they got off in Auckland and lost all their money.”

After 3 port days in a row, I did nothing but relax today. And I may well do the same tomorrow, and the next day…

New York, New York

Quote of the day: “No, I’m not going ashore today. I’d only get lost.”

Today was more about people, and less about sights. We’d visited New York some four years back, so the pressure to hit the tourist hotspots was off. That meant that I could kick back and really enjoy the day…

Well maybe not the start of the day. Waking up at 5am for the sail into port was a challenge. An alarm clock on a cruise? What sort of masochist am I? OK, so we’d been told it would be worth it, so I struggled up and hauled myself up onto the deck. (BJ just rolled over and went back to sleep, despite my best efforts to rouse him.)

And yes, it was worth the effort. As planned, the ship passed the Statue of Liberty just after sunrise, so that was a lovely sight. The Manhattan skyline was also worth seeing at that time of the morning, and quite different viewing it from the Hudson River than being in the city.

I let the rush to get ashore pass, and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, and my customary coffee before getting organized. Why rush off on a Sunday morning, when nothing opens until 10am? New York may well be the city that never sleeps, but it’s definitely a little sluggish on a Sunday morning!

I wandered into town in good time to meet L, a former exchange student now living in New York, at MOMA (Museum of Modern Art, which is my favorite) at 10am. We did coffee, then the museum, covering most of the good stuff before the crowds built up. Loved it just as much this time around. Then it was off to meet up with B, and the 3 of us had brunch in a very nice cafe on the edge of Central Park. From there we did a bit of shopping (nothing flash, just basics like almonds, peanut butter, and the long awaited deodorant…) before hunting down a New York cheesecake… yum! Thanks guys for your patience!!

After getting caught in the rain, I headed for C & E’s place, and met their 2 year old for the first time. When the rain cleared, we strolled through Central Park for a while, and watched the “bubble man” doing his thing… what a cool place to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. Music, dancing and families just out enjoying the lovely weather. Which all goes to show that it doesn’t have to be all rush and hustle in the Big Apple…

A quick dinner, then a scoot back to the ship for sail away. And just after dusk we glided back down the Hudson, and off to the Caribbean… I only wish I had a week in New York, not just a day – but thank you L & B, and C & E, for making this one day so memorable… I had a blast. Shame that BJ isn’t talking to me now because I left him behind on board the ship… Oh well…

Mansions of Newport...

Quote of the day: “I was up on deck talking to this black American guy I thought was a crew member. When I asked him if he was having a day off, he gave me a funny look. Then he informed me that he was a passenger, not a crewmember, and a multi-millionaire. Talk about putting my foot in it.”

Today was Segway day. It was also the first time I’d driven on the right hand side of the road. (Yes, they do allow those things to drive on the road.) Up until now, I’ve always avoided driving anywhere that drives on the right.

The Segway was heaps of fun. Newport is another tender port, and it was a pain today as they had problems with the tender service. However, we eventually got ashore, and after a short training session, we were off around Newport. It’s all fairly flat, with lovely tree-lined streets - and a really beautiful town - so it was easy to scoot along.

The mansions we passed were amazing. Always interesting to see what the truly rich do with their money! Seems universal that the richer you are, the more you want to show off by building a bigger pile than the next fellow. Well in Newport, the Vanderbilts won the pissing competition!

So a lovely day in the playground of the rich and famous. No high-rise, no traffic congestion, no other ships in port, lots of cafes, lots of beautiful boats, and only a few places selling tack to the tourists… capped off with a thunder storm late in the afternoon.

Gotta love Boston...

Quote of the day: “I went to the wine tasting earlier. I don’t drink wine normally and I think I had a bit too much. I might need to have a lie down before dinner.”

Boston was a real blast! Just a shame that we didn’t have very long there, as it was all on board by 3.30pm. US Immigration took ages to get through, and I’m sure they just throw the pieces of paper away at the end of the day. However, if you want to do the cruise thing, then you just have to jump through the hoops at the various borders…

I did my own thing, as I couldn’t find anyone else keen to do the galleries I wanted to do. I grabbed a taxi from downtown, out to the Museum of Fine Arts. The highlight there was getting to see Van Gogh’s painting of , the postmaster, and the painting of his wife. There were lots of Monet’s there as well, and a collection of Toulouse-Lautrec lithographs.

But the real thrill of the day was visiting the Isobella Stewart Gardener Museum. Way back at the beginning of last century, this wealthy art lover created a Venetian styled mansion to house her collection. And the collection of art, furniture and other odds and ends is both bizarre and fascinating. Part of her bequest was that nothing can be altered, so every painting stays in exactly the position it was in when she died. Even the frames where two paintings were stolen remain in place. No photos allowed so you’ll just have to go there yourself!

It's Been A Hard Days Night...

Quote of the day: “I got personally trained yesterday. I ache all over today. The trainer was only 23, and the plan she gave me said I had to give up alcohol. Like that’s going to happen.”

Last night The Beatles tribute band, still trapped on board the Dawn Princess, moved out of the theatre, and on to the Riviera Deck, so people could dance. They tell us that this was their 7th performance on board, and they seem to be enjoying the large audiences they’ve been getting. Certainly a lot more than they would have got at the wedding they were booked for last Saturday… I wonder what sort of band they were replaced with?

And so they rocked on through the evening. And the crowd rocked too, midst the delicate aroma of fresh varnish, and being slowly dampened by the moist Atlantic fog, which had engulfed the ship yet again… I suspect though that quite a few of us are now all Beatled out. Still, just two more sea days, and with any luck, the lads from Liverpool will be able to disembark, and catch a flight back home.

A big score for me today: I was keen to do one of the Newport By Segway tours, but they’ve all been booked out for weeks. When I finally got around to asking if it was worth putting my name down on the wait list, the tour office told me they had just had a ticket handed back in, and promptly gave it to me… yes!

Oh, and if you’ve noticed my blogs are getting posted later and later, it’s because for the last 4 nights, we’ve been putting the clock back one hour per night… which gives everyone a lie-in and a 25 hour day…

Titanic day

Quote of the day: “There’s a 70 year old guy on board who’s cruise card says he’s only 17. He’s been refused drinks in the bar, because when they scan his card, it says he’s underage. And he got a letter inviting him to tour the bridge. It said he had to be accompanied by a parent! He’s been trying to get it fixed for a week now…”

At midnight tonight, we pass directly over the wreck of the Titanic. At midday today there was a special presentation on the big screen on deck all about the Titanic, the facts about the disaster, and the aftermath… all very interesting. This afternoon they screened the movie Titanic – it was the 1953 version, so I gave it a miss. Plus it’s a bit like watching one of the “Airport” movies while flying: just a little unnerving!

A couple of days ago I got my new cruise card, which upgrades me on the Captain’s Circle from bog standard blue to Gold membership. Apparently that’s supposed to be important… you get it just for completing one cruise, and Dubai to Southampton counted as that. The primary benefit seems to be that I now get mail and emails giving me endless opportunities to spend more money with Princess! I can’t wait…

After LA, however, I will be upgraded again, this time to Platinum, as I will have completed over 50 days. That will give me some free internet time, which will at least be some compensation for the exorbitant charges I’m currently paying. Oh, and I’ll get a nice shiny silver card too… oh so very exciting!

Mid-Atlantic

Quote of the day: “I was cursing the people next door for letting their deck furniture crash around in the rough weather. Then this morning I discovered it was the drink cans in my fridge making the noise.”

I’m happy. Our dinner table of waifs and strays is now complete, and they are all nice people. So that solves that problem for the rest of the trip, as the only people leaving are one lady in New York, and one couple in LA.

Today we reached the mid-point in the Atlantic. The seas are calm, and the temperature has risen. Some hardy souls were attempting to sunbathe, but I don’t think they would have had much success. The sun came out only briefly.

So this half of the trip, Southampton to Auckland, retraces the journey my family made when we emigrated to New Zealand. At that time I was only 7, so my memories are a little vague. Certainly the ship was nothing like the luxury of the Dawn Princess, and my recollection is that we only stopped at Panama and Tahiti. I do remember traversing the Panama Canal though, so repeating that will be a highlight for me. (Of course, it’s the first time for BJ too, so he’s already getting very excited at the prospect.)

I can only imagine what it must have been like for my parents, leaving home, young child in tow, and setting off to a new life in New Zealand. Very much a journey into the unknown, but they did realize that the opportunities would be much greater for them by doing that, than by staying in the UK.

Another rocky day in the Atlantic

Quote of the day: “My friend and I have been cruising on different cruises for 8 months now. After 6 months we got back to Sydney. I went back home for the day, unpacked the thin clothes, and packed the fat clothes for the rest of the trip.” Lady at breakfast tucking into an enormous meal.

Another day at sea: dolphins off the port side. Looking brighter but still not sunbathing weather…

For the cynics who think a sea day would be as boring as hell, mine goes something like this:

0700 Wake up and go for a deck walk, or hit the treadmill if the weather’s bad.

0800 Breakfast in the restaurant. Great time to socialize, over a delicious omelet.

0900 Down to the patisserie for my cappuccino fix, a crossword and a quiet read.

Plan out the rest of the day using the onboard newsletter.

1030 A lecture of some kind, either about a port we’ll be visiting, or a history topic.

1200 Lunch sometime in the next hour or so. Usually at the buffet (“the trough”) to avoid overeating in the main restaurant.

1300 Siesta. Maybe get the washing done, start the blog, snooze…

1430 Movie, another cappuccino, deck wander, read, email, whatever’s going on.

1600 Gym… great way to work up an appetite.

1730 Dinner – finest meal of the day – just superb!

1900 Finish blog and upload, check news and emails etc.

2000 Live show in the main theatre – usually quite good so will probably stay…

2130 Live show in the Lounge – music or comedy – variable standard so give it the “10 minute test”, and may not stay!

2230 Bed time. Try to figure out where the hell the day went as I drift off to sleep! Plan to do something useful tomorrow, like a writing project. But probably won’t…

Nothing to see but sea...

Quote of the day: “Yesterday two elderly ladies got into an argument in the buffet restaurant. They ended up dueling with walking sticks.”

The seas have calmed, but quite a few people are still suffering with seasickness. So far I’ve been spared… BJ wants to know why there’s water everywhere, and how long it’ll be before we find a tree for him to climb…

The captain has announced that we’re sailing further south than planned, to avoid the worst of the weather, and hopes that the sun will be shining again by tomorrow evening. The result of this is that we’ll be passing the exact position the Titanic went down… lovely… let’s hope someone will be on iceberg watch!

Also heard today that several people got off in Southampton to visit family, and were due to rejoin in Dublin. With missing our stop there, they now have to find their own way to Boston to reboard. Now that would come as a bit of a shock. About now they’re probably poring over the small print of their insurance policies, and possibly buying a few new clothes, as they left their luggage on the ship. Let’s hope they’re making good use of their 6 days off the ship and doing some interesting things!

Dublin ditched...

Quote of the day: “The Beatles (tribute band) were supposed to get off in Dublin. Now they have to stay on board until Boston. I bet they wished they had a yellow submarine to get out of here…”

At 7am the Captain’s voice broke into my half-sleep over the intercom to announce that the port visit to Dublin was off. Apparently the wind was so strong that they wouldn’t be able to dock safely, even using tugs. What a blow!

I’d actually done my research for this port and had a plan of attack. There were two galleries I was particularly interested in visiting, plus a couple of things I wanted to buy before heading across the Atlantic. I’m now in great danger of being known as that smelly guy who doesn’t use deodorant…

That was the second upset in 24 hours. Last night I met my new dining companions. He was a miserable, complaining old fart, and she is in the early stages of dementia… when he started being rude to our lovely waiter (and being rude to the waiters was apparently the reason he had been moved from the other dining room), I decided it was time to leave… I’m now on the hunt for a new table. Come back J & A – all is forgiven!!!

So now we hit 6 sea days, making a total of 8 sea days in a row. This could well be cabin fever territory… anyone for Scrabble?

Let's Rock and Roll!

Quote of the day: “Our children have been very good to us and are helping us make this trip. They have good, well-paid jobs. But our oldest tells us he’s frightened to open any emails from us now, in case we ask for more money.”


It cut up a bit rough overnight and this morning, as we sailed through the English Channel. I leaped out of bed early, and headed for the gym on day 1 of my new routine, only to find it had been closed due to the weather conditions, dammit. So I was forced to battle the gales on the Promenade Deck with the other fitness bunnies… At 14°C though, I called it quits after 5 circuits.

From there it’s been a day of staggering around the ship, as it pitched and rolled along. (CB: we passed between Penzance and the Scilly Isles around lunch time, but I wasn’t able to call in for a beer.) Things improved a little during the afternoon, as we got into the Celtic Sea. BJ wasn’t terribly pleased with the conditions, but at least he didn’t get seasick! This evening’s mission is to “liberate” a teaspoon from the dining room so I can get stuck into the peanut butter I bought yesterday in Southampton!

A day in Southampton

Quote of the day: “You’ve got to keep the royal family in England after the Queen dies. That’s the whole reason we Americans come visit. If you didn’t have all that stuff, then half of us wouldn’t bother coming over. We’d rather just go to Disneyland.”

What a day! JB ended the cruise part of her trip, and headed back to Europe. We had an early breakfast together, then headed off in different directions to do battle with British Immigration… they insisted everyone on the ship, whether they were getting off or not, present themselves and their passport for inspection. Crazy, crazy, crazy… and such a waste of time…

After that charade, BJ (remember my little travel companion?) and I moved cabins. We now have a cabin without a balcony, but with a huge panoramic window, which surprisingly lets in more light. It slopes outward too, so has a very odd feel to it. The new cabin is a mirror image of the previous one – everything is on the opposite side: taps, light fittings, drawers, cupboards – so it will take a couple of days to get used to it.

I finally got ashore, grabbed a map, and headed to the railway station to meet D and S-J, old friends from NZ who have been living in London for the last 5 years. Great to catch up with them – we had a wander around town, visited the art gallery, and settled in to a pub for a traditional pub lunch. I went for sausages and mash, as a prime example of British cuisine! It came with peas, which were green fortunately, not mushy…

I arrived back to a half a shipload of new passengers, with many of them roving around, exploring their new home. I chatted with two couples, one at dinner and the other on deck, both lots ex-pat English returning home to Australia. Very nice people who assured me the weather had been great up until a couple of days ago. Now it’s bloody cold, and I understand we’re heading into bad weather. So no sunbathing for a while…

Le Havre

Quote of the day: “They told me I was too early to sign in for the tour. I told them what I thought. This always happens. They seem to forget that we are the guests on this ship. Well I’ll have something to say to them about this later, believe me.” Another Aussie making life miserable for himself.

Our final port on this sector of the cruise, and my last day before going “solo”. We decided to head for Honfleur, about 30 minutes drive from the ship. This is a delightful fishing village with a long history, and a lot of very old buildings and churches. It’s also described as the town where Impressionism began, and today is still the home of many artists, galleries and shops selling locally produced paintings. It has a lovely atmosphere, despite being quite popular with tourists, and we spent a couple of hours wandering around the quaint streets, sipping coffee and snacking on croissants… what a wonderful way to pass the morning!

After lunch back at HQ, we went into Le Havre for a look around, but found it quite uninspiring after our morning excursion. We did a few essentials, then back to the ship for a final dinner with J and A, our lovely dinner companions. We’ve had some great laughs with them, and hope we meet up again some day.

Introducing... BJ!

Quote of the day: “The standard of dress on this ship is simply appalling. The Australians how no idea how to dress properly. And the New Zealanders are even worse.” Lady from the USA.

Today I’d like to introduce BJ. He’s the baby Barbary ape who attached himself to us on Gibraltar for the exorbitant sum of $5 (yes, he’s bloody ugly, and looks nothing like the real thing, but what do you expect for that price, and made in China?). Now as you may already know, JB is deserting me at Southampton, doing one of her whistle stop tours around friends in Europe, and then belting back to NZ to party up large before I get back… So BJ is my new travel companion for the rest of the trip. JB is not that thrilled at being replaced by an ape, but then whose idea was it to go AWOL?

Those more astute readers will have noticed that “BJ” is the reverse of “JB”. And that is no accident, as he is, in fact, quite the reverse of JB: he’s male, single, totally lacking in motivation, says nothing of consequence, and has the intelligence of, well, a Barbary ape…However, I do plan to educate him over the next few days, and I’m sure he’ll be putting his oar in on the blog before you can say “pissed as a fart in Dublin”. Which is where we’ll be on Friday… So watch this space…

Today was another sea day. Also the final formal night for this sector. I’ve put up the formal photo of us both for those who doubted we ever get out of jeans and T-shirts… we overindulged a little this evening – double desert – but what can you do when there’s Baked Alaska on the menu???

Off the coast of Portugal

Quote of the day: “He was totally drunk last night. I helped him down the stairs, but he was too heavy for me and he fell down. I tried to help him up but couldn’t manage it. That’s when he fell and did the serious damage.”


With only three more nights before Southampton, there’s a definite change in mood about the ship. Some people are happy their cruise is coming to an end, while others are sad about it. As I mentioned previously, nearly half the passengers are leaving on Wednesday, which means they are all trying to make their final arrangements during the next couple of sea days.

JB is much more relaxed than most. She plans on throwing everything into her bags on the last night, and doubts it will take her more that about 20 minutes… I’m only moving down one deck, and to the back of the ship, but it will probably take me longer than that… oh well…

Our lovely dinner companions are also bailing at Southampton, and in theory I should be allocated a new table to go along with the new cabin. I’d rather stay where I am for dinner, so our waiter is trying to set that up for me. Here’s hoping…

We have now left the warmth of the Mediterranean, and are currently sailing in the Atlantic along the coast of Portugal, heading for Le Havre. In a sudden change in weather, the temperature has dropped to a chilling 17°C, there are clouds in the sky, and the pools are empty… life is tough…

A chunk of British rock called Gibraltar...

Quote of the day: “A lot of them don’t have anyone to look after them. They use the cruise lines to look after them. They can’t get insurance and they can’t fly. I don’t want to be on a ship with people like that.”

Gibraltar is “Little Britain” in the Med. in more ways than one! English pubs, fish and chips, English police helmets, and cannons galore – oh, and the worst coffee on this trip to date… plus a number of eccentric ex-pats strutting their stuff… at least that is until the tourists descend on the place.

Gibraltar is a strategic peninsula jutting off the south of Spain, apparently important as it has the potential to control entry and exit into the Mediterranean. England captured the Rock in 1704 (all 3 square miles of it), and has steadfastly refused to give it back to Spain ever since! The damn cheek of it… their current excuse is that they asked the inhabitants if they wanted to be British or Spanish in 1967, and most said they wanted to stay British… hardly surprising, but a very silly situation.

So now they drive on the right side of the road, have their own currency (the Gibraltar pound, not even the English pound) and get all grumpy when you want to pay in euros. They have their own airport – it protrudes out into the harbour, and the main road across to Spain runs right through the middle of it, so they have barrier arms to stop the traffic when planes are landing and taking off, just like at railway crossings!!!

We arrived early, docking before dawn, and had a very pleasant stroll through town before the shops opened. There’s another bloody cable car up to the top of the Rock, which I declined to take. Two of those infernal machines is enough for any vacation! JB however wanted to see the monkeys, so off she went. I satisfied myself with the solo monkey in town, which was furiously attacking rubbish bins… well a monkey’s got to live…

We met up again at Marks and Spencers (oh so very British) and did a quick whisk around the shops, I had a hair cut, and bought a couple of things before heading back to the ship for lunch and an early departure. The locals told us that they have had a terrible winter, with four months of virtually non-stop rain, and that it should be stinking hot by now. Fortunately, the weather is currently unseasonably temperate… our luck is holding.

Peace and calm at sea...

Quote of the day: “In Athens I had my wallet stolen out of my back pocket, which was buttoned up. You’ve got to admire them though. They did up the button again after taking the wallet.”

I hate to admit it, but it’s a relief to have a few sea days ahead of us – today, then two days before Le Havre, with a half day in Gibraltar tomorrow being the only port stop. Our four port days in a row were wonderful, but exhausting (3 different languages in four days addles the brain…), even for fit little bunnies like us! However, we were fortunate in just beating the worst of the summer heat and holiday crowds.

So we did very little today, but did attend an art auction for the first time. Now didn’t JB say we weren’t doing that on this cruise? And it was her idea… Pile of junk though so we weren’t even tempted to bid. Meanwhile the coast of Spain drifts by our cabin window…

Barcelona

Quote of the day: “I took a break just by the corner of the church, and when I looked around, you had all disappeared. The guide had to come back and look for me. You better keep me on a leash for the rest of the tour.”

Today we both hit the wall! After 3 wonderful days of trotting around doing our own thing, we both ran out of energy and decided we needed to take things a bit easier today. So after a leisurely breakfast, and a couple of coffees, we grabbed a last minute bus tour to hit the major sights of Barcelona.

The outstanding parts of the tour were the Gaudi designed buildings – the strange and surreal Cathedral (still under construction after over 100 years), and houses that make the architecture of Barcelona unique. We also took in the Olympic centre, and the lovely park area on the hill above the city.

By the end of that, we had recovered our energy, so instead of returning to the ship, we headed off on our own, down the gondola (I still hate those things) and along the road to the Joan Miro Foundation Gallery. I’ve been a fan of his work for a while, but only seen the occasional piece on our travels, so this place was a real treat – it has a huge collection of his paintings, as well as a number of sculptures, and a great video presentation about his life and work. Well worth the visit, and they did a decent coffee there too…

JB successfully navigated us back to the centre of town, and through the old city, where we had an early dinner: tapas, sangria, and Catalan bread. We sat out on the edge of a large piazza, and soaked in the atmosphere. A stroll down La Rambla, the main street full of stalls and entertainers, rounded off another great day.

Cannes and Antibes - Viva La France!

Quote of the day: “We’ve decided we’re going to stay in Australia from now on. There’re far too many people over here.”


Ah, the French Riviera… it has a certain “je ne sait quoi”… We love this part of France, and Antibes is one of our favorite towns. We’re anchored off Cannes, and can almost imagine we’re on our private yacht, just kicking back for a while. We tendered off early, but not too early. After all, we are in France!

Once ashore, we had a leisurely stroll through town to the station, and took the 12-minute ride to Antibes. Last time we were here, the Picasso museum was closed for renovation, but today was open and we had a very enjoyable time there. It’s in an old mansion, set on the hill in the old city, overlooking the sea. What a wonderful spot.

Opposite the museum is the art gallery where we bought out “gypsy” painting. Fortunately it was closed, despite the notice on the door saying it should have been open, so we probably saved a bundle! Maybe next time… Noticed the van parked nearby - don't you just love the signage???

We trotted back to Cannes for a late lunch, a spot of shopping, then the tender back to the ship for scones, jam and cream for afternoon tea. What a life…

Glad to hear everyone’s enjoying the blog, and the quotes – thanks for the comments and emails. Even JB is in on the act now, and keeping an ear out for suitable quotes. Believe me, with this lot on board, there’s no shortage!

Pisa and Lucca

Quote of the day: “It cooled down this afternoon. It dropped from 31C to about 28C.”

Livorno is a working port, serving Florence, home of Dante, Da Vinci and Michelangelo. We spent time in Florence a few years ago, and had no desire to return now, in the busiest tourist season. The port itself has little to recommend it, so we headed for Pisa, which is a short train ride away. Yeah, yeah, the tower is on a lean, as everyone knows. But how it manages to stay upright is beyond me – the lean is much more pronounced than it looks in pictures. I passed on climbing the tower, just in case today was the memorable day in history that it decided to fall over…

After the bustle of Pisa - and a couple of really good cappuccinos - we headed for the small town of Lucca. This was a lovely place to wander around for a couple of hours as there were virtually no tourists. We didn’t have a map, so JB was back to her usual trick of “wandering where the streets lead”, but this time we didn’t get lost. We had salad and bruchetta at a cafe in a piazza, and watched the world walk by (the centre of the town in car-free).

Another great day on the Med…

When in Rome... beat the crowds!

Quote of the day: “Thank God I’m home, thank God I’m home…” Lady singing her way down our corridor after enduring a full day excursion to Rome.


Ah, Roma!!
We’ve been here before, so we were off on our own at the crack of docking. Scooted along the foreshore and onto the local train for the hour trip into Rome. We were at St Peter’s by 9am, and so avoided the queues and crowds. Eat your hearts out all you late starters!

St Peter’s is such an impressive church. I’m really glad we made the effort to get back there (last time we couldn’t get in as the Pope was holding forth out the front). It’s the largest church in the world, and contains Michelangelo’s famous Pieta. There are also a whole lot of Popes buried there, which is not surprising when you think about it… Not being of the Roman persuasion, however, we were able to give it the once-over, then move on…

JB redeemed herself today by navigating quite well – did I mention that she got us hopelessly lost last time we were in Rome? Probably had something to do with having a decent map this time! So after a quick, and laughably expensive coffee (don’t even ask…) we shot off down the Corso Vittorio Emanuele (as you do) and eventually found the ruins of the Forum (just by the Coliseum). Man, what a great set of old ruins – and over such a large area as well. We scuttled up the Palatine Hill, and generally had a great time checking it all out.

By then the day was really hotting up, so we gave the Coliseum a miss, grabbed a pizza lunch, then headed back to the Port, and the Dawn Princess. Yes, I agree with the lady: a great day, but wonderful to be back home.

Following the Italian coastline...

Quote of the day: “The bastards got my money, my passport and my credit cards. I was holding a gelato in one hand, and shopping in the other. They got into the pocket of my cargo pants and I didn’t feel a thing…” One very unhappy passenger.

Another sea day before we hit 4 port days in a row. Has to be the perfect formula for “laundry rage”, so fortunately we are right up to date in that department!

Latest rumour is that there are 200 teenagers, just out of high school, joining the cruise in Southampton. Now if that’s true, and having spoken to one passenger who’s hobby is starting rumours and seeing what they’re like by the time they get back to him, then that’s sure to rock the boat! I can sense “generation rage” being the new game to play…

Just passed the island of Stromboli, which is volcanic, and currently steaming quite nicely.

A great day in Dubrovnik

Quote of the day: “Today is very hot. You should really come in winter to do this tour. But my job is to show you the things you have paid to see…” Our Dubrovnik tour guide.

I had no idea what to expect in Dubrovnik, and was really surprised how enjoyable our visit was. The old town is high-walled, with medieval towers and fortifications churches and charming alleyways. The buildings are very old, and well preserved, despite earthquakes and wars.

Today it’s a major holiday and tourist resort. The shops sell either tourist junk or designer/label goods, and the place is littered with cafes where you can escape the heat, and wine and dine. Very nice…

We did a couple of monasteries, and a cathedral (complete with relics of some saint or other – literally his arm and leg! Oh, and yet another piece of the Original Cross. Rich pickings if you’re that way inclined), plus a folk song and dance show, which was very good. JB bought another pendant, while I settled for a diet coke…

Back at HQ, I had a call from the management. I’d heard that they were overbooked form Southampton to New York, so had offered to give up my place for that leg if they gave me a decent compensation package. That would give me 11 days to trot around Europe before flying to New York. However, they say they don’t currently have a problem on that leg, so it looks like I’m staying on board… They did ask if I wanted to give up the entire cruise from Southampton to Auckland, but that would really screw up my holiday, so I “declined with regret”!

Venice

Quote of the day: “On our last cruise, one guy was put off the ship after having an argument with a lady in the laundry, and throwing an iron at her.”

Sailing into Venice is an experience not to be missed. It’s like sailing down the main street, as St. Mark’s canal passes the center of old Venice, before taking the ship to the port area.

This is one of the few ports that has an overnight stay. That meant we did two trips into the city center, one yesterday afternoon and one this morning. Both trips were hot and humid, so we were both dripping by the time we got “home”. Yesterday’s plan was to get to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, but when we got to St. Marks Square, we took advantage of no queues at the Doge’s Palace, and did that instead.

The Palace is a magnificent building, very richly decorated. In olden times, the Doge was elected from the nobility of Venice, and then held the position for life. Most seem to have only lasted a few years after election – a bit like the Popes: elect them old, and hope they don’t last too long so as not to have too much influence! Or they were quietly poisoned off… Once elected, they were virtual prisoners in the Palace, and seemed to have rushed around madly to add to the décor of the place…

From there, the rest of the day was all downhill. We had a great wander around the little alleyways and over the cutesy bridges, before getting hopelessly lost… JB’s answer to being lost was to go round another corner, over another bridge, up another alleyway, and hope we get somewhere recognizable… a strategy that failed miserably! It took us a good two hours to find our way out of the labyrinth, by which time I was crabby, tired and not good company…and that’s why there was no blog yesterday in case you were wondering…

We regrouped overnight, and studied the map carefully before setting out today, and surprise, surprise, managed to get to the Guggenheim. Most enjoyable it was too, all set in the house where she lived for about 30 years, and where she is buried, alongside her multitude of pets.

So I finally forgave Venice for yesterday, and changed my mind about coming back – I now think I’d like to spend a good week or more here one day to explore the place properly…