Stop 4 on the cruise was Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
This was our first time here. What a beautiful city!! Most buildings are made of a natural stone with a wonderful warm ivory tone to it. The city is famous for its very large cathedral, which is perched high on the land near the waterfront.
We also toured the royal palace museum, but were disappointed that most of the art and furniture, essentially its treasures, had been removed.
On our past trip to Spain, we visited the royal palaces in Madrid and Seville and would definitley recommend them to be included on your itinerary!! This one, not so much.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Barcelona Spain - Stop 3
Our next stop was Barcelona, Spain. Kevin and I were here for 5 days 3 years ago so were able to skip touring many of the popular spots and instead spend some time wandering the market, the Ramblas, and the side streets. We stopped again outside some of the beautiful buildings of note in Barcelona for more photos. One has to try to capture some of the beauty of the buildings that seem to tumble one after another, after another...
Kevin had arranged a birthday lunch for me in Barcelona at a restaurant owned by a brother sister team. They grew up in Oakville, then moved back to Spain (where their mother's family is from). 8 years ago, they left their jobs in high tech and opened the restaurant, Cinc Sentits (essentially meaning the 5 senses) We were wowed!!
We'll send along a separate letter for the foodies in the group - the others among you can just delete the note, wondering to yourselves, 'how could anyone spend 3 hours eating lunch?!'
Kevin had arranged a birthday lunch for me in Barcelona at a restaurant owned by a brother sister team. They grew up in Oakville, then moved back to Spain (where their mother's family is from). 8 years ago, they left their jobs in high tech and opened the restaurant, Cinc Sentits (essentially meaning the 5 senses) We were wowed!!
We'll send along a separate letter for the foodies in the group - the others among you can just delete the note, wondering to yourselves, 'how could anyone spend 3 hours eating lunch?!'
Stop 2 - Nice, France (Villefranche)
Our second stop was in France - Villefranche, a charming coastal town between Nice and Monaco. We skipped Monoco and took a local bus to Nice instead.
We hopped off the bus one stop early, and walked the stretch of sea into town. They have a beautiful boardwalk that runs the length of the seaside. Some sections are elevated so you have an expansive view of town, and the beautiful blue mediterranean.
Each of us had been to Nice many years ago, and were pleasantly surprised by how it had 'grown up'. In the old town, there were many little shops and stalls open for browsing. The newer part of town is also beautiful with expansive avenues and public spaces.
The streetcar/tram system is particularly impressive--quiet and beautiful. They have 'paved' the areas dedicated to the streetcar lanes with grass - the tracks run through it!
We were also pleasantly surprised by how friendly the people were... We are optimistic that our trip to southern France after we stop cruising and have explored Italy, will be just as wonderful.
We hopped off the bus one stop early, and walked the stretch of sea into town. They have a beautiful boardwalk that runs the length of the seaside. Some sections are elevated so you have an expansive view of town, and the beautiful blue mediterranean.
Each of us had been to Nice many years ago, and were pleasantly surprised by how it had 'grown up'. In the old town, there were many little shops and stalls open for browsing. The newer part of town is also beautiful with expansive avenues and public spaces.
The streetcar/tram system is particularly impressive--quiet and beautiful. They have 'paved' the areas dedicated to the streetcar lanes with grass - the tracks run through it!
We were also pleasantly surprised by how friendly the people were... We are optimistic that our trip to southern France after we stop cruising and have explored Italy, will be just as wonderful.
First stop - Genoa, Italy
Our first stop was in Genoa, in northern Italy. Fortunately we have been there before because, this being a Monday, the museums were closed. We walked about town and took photographs of the beautiful architecture located there.
Its Le Strade Nuove was declared a UNESCO world heritage site because the area has over 100 palaces built in renaissance and baroque style - very beautiful.
But, as far as Italian towns go, I'm not sure I would recommend you include Genoa on your itinerary if you only had 10 days to explore Italy...
Its Le Strade Nuove was declared a UNESCO world heritage site because the area has over 100 palaces built in renaissance and baroque style - very beautiful.
But, as far as Italian towns go, I'm not sure I would recommend you include Genoa on your itinerary if you only had 10 days to explore Italy...
Civitavecchia, Italy
Well, our adventure continues, and, so far, so good!
We began with a flight into Rome, then caught a shuttle into a town on the coast called Civitavecchia. We arrived there around 11:00, and fortunately, they let us check in and sleep!!
After our siesta we wandered about the town. A few shops were still open, despite it now being the true siesta time.
I'd like to say we stopped and had a wonderful lunch overlooking the sea, but sadly we had a slice of reheated pizza on a piazza. I was reminded at lunch about their style of slicing pizza - it arrives in a very large rectangular tray and they use scissors to cut the slices, rather than the round pizza cutters we are used to. Still very effective.
Later in the afternoon, We did stop and have a drink overlooking the sea, the market, and the passing parade of people. A common aperatif in these parts is prosecco (an Italian sparkling wine) with a splash of Aperol (a bitter orange liquor similar to Campari, which is similar to...) The drinks were only 6 euro, and for an additional euro they included a plate of tapas, some hot, some cold. Very nice deal!
We stopped for dinner at a local restaurant near our hotel that had been opened since 1953. On the cover of the menu is an old black and white photograph of a father son team dressed in their white jackets. The son has aged a bit since then - he was the older fellow serving us, and now his son is working there, too. As we were looking over the menus the nonna came out of the kitchen to greet some of the local customers - always a good sign!
I enjoyed a wonderful seafood pasta with clams, mussles, and large flavourful shrimps in a light olive oil, garlic and tomato sauce. Kevin enjoyed ravioli pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach in a butter and sage sauce. Then, a lemon cheesecake for dessert with espresso.
2 items of interest stand out from our short time there. The first was a popular snack restaurant serving only fresh fruit - Whole, sliced pineapple, watermelon, different types of melon, bananas, fruit salad, etc.
The second interesting spot was an outdoor night club where people were riding stationery bikes. Music was blaring, a leader was cheering them on over a microphone, dry ice added ambiance... There must have been 60 people cycling away!!
The next morning we proceeded to the ship for our first cruise.
We began with a flight into Rome, then caught a shuttle into a town on the coast called Civitavecchia. We arrived there around 11:00, and fortunately, they let us check in and sleep!!
After our siesta we wandered about the town. A few shops were still open, despite it now being the true siesta time.
I'd like to say we stopped and had a wonderful lunch overlooking the sea, but sadly we had a slice of reheated pizza on a piazza. I was reminded at lunch about their style of slicing pizza - it arrives in a very large rectangular tray and they use scissors to cut the slices, rather than the round pizza cutters we are used to. Still very effective.
Later in the afternoon, We did stop and have a drink overlooking the sea, the market, and the passing parade of people. A common aperatif in these parts is prosecco (an Italian sparkling wine) with a splash of Aperol (a bitter orange liquor similar to Campari, which is similar to...) The drinks were only 6 euro, and for an additional euro they included a plate of tapas, some hot, some cold. Very nice deal!
We stopped for dinner at a local restaurant near our hotel that had been opened since 1953. On the cover of the menu is an old black and white photograph of a father son team dressed in their white jackets. The son has aged a bit since then - he was the older fellow serving us, and now his son is working there, too. As we were looking over the menus the nonna came out of the kitchen to greet some of the local customers - always a good sign!
I enjoyed a wonderful seafood pasta with clams, mussles, and large flavourful shrimps in a light olive oil, garlic and tomato sauce. Kevin enjoyed ravioli pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach in a butter and sage sauce. Then, a lemon cheesecake for dessert with espresso.
2 items of interest stand out from our short time there. The first was a popular snack restaurant serving only fresh fruit - Whole, sliced pineapple, watermelon, different types of melon, bananas, fruit salad, etc.
The second interesting spot was an outdoor night club where people were riding stationery bikes. Music was blaring, a leader was cheering them on over a microphone, dry ice added ambiance... There must have been 60 people cycling away!!
The next morning we proceeded to the ship for our first cruise.
Beginning our first cruise
The next morning we proceeded to the cruise ship, Holland America's Navigator of the Seas, for our first cruise, a weeklong trip through the westearn Mediterranean.
All-in-all they have organized the admission process pretty smoothly.
Upon entering our room, we were pleasantly surprised to see we had been upgraded. We have enjoyed sitting on the balcony, usually for a drink before dinner, and occassionally for breakfast. The staff have been very friendly and accommodating. They strive to get to know you and to serve your needs.
It will be hard to say good-bye to this...
All-in-all they have organized the admission process pretty smoothly.
Upon entering our room, we were pleasantly surprised to see we had been upgraded. We have enjoyed sitting on the balcony, usually for a drink before dinner, and occassionally for breakfast. The staff have been very friendly and accommodating. They strive to get to know you and to serve your needs.
It will be hard to say good-bye to this...
Our Itinerary - Europe portion
Our Itinerary for Europe Aug 27-Oct 26
Au 26 Toronto
Au 27 Toronto-Philadelphia-Rome (US Air)
Au 28 Civitavecchia (Hotel Miramare)
Au 29 Cruise 1 begins (Royal Caribbean-Navigator of the Seas)
Au 30 Genoa
Au 31 Nice
Sep 1 Barcelona
Sep 2 Mallorca
Sep 3 Sardinia
Sep 5 Civitavecchia
Sep 5 Orvieto (Locanda La Badia di Orvieto)
Sep 6-11 Tuscany
Sep 12-15 Florence
Sep 16-20 Rome
Sep 20 Rome-Marseilles (City Line Swiss Air)
Sep 21-26 Provence
Sep 27-28 Lyon
Sep 29-Oct 4 Paris
Oct 4 Paris-Istanbul (Pegasus Airlines)
Oct 5-9 Istanbul
Oct 9 Istanbul-Athens (Aegean Air)
Oct 9-13 Greece
Oct 13 Cruise 2 begins (Holland America-Westerdam)
Oct 14 Olympia
Oct 16 and 17 Venice
Oct 18 Dubrovnik
Oct 19 Kotor
Oct 20 Corfu
Oct 22 Malta
Oct 23 Sicily
Oct 24 Naples
Oct 25 Civitavecchia
Oct 26 Rome-Philadelphia-Toronto (US Air)
We will likely spend a few days visiting Dad and Isobel in Sarnia before continuing onto the second half of our journey to Mexico
Oct 29 Toronto-Houston-Aguascalientes
Mexico dates and places still to be determined
Au 26 Toronto
Au 27 Toronto-Philadelphia-Rome (US Air)
Au 28 Civitavecchia (Hotel Miramare)
Au 29 Cruise 1 begins (Royal Caribbean-Navigator of the Seas)
Au 30 Genoa
Au 31 Nice
Sep 1 Barcelona
Sep 2 Mallorca
Sep 3 Sardinia
Sep 5 Civitavecchia
Sep 5 Orvieto (Locanda La Badia di Orvieto)
Sep 6-11 Tuscany
Sep 12-15 Florence
Sep 16-20 Rome
Sep 20 Rome-Marseilles (City Line Swiss Air)
Sep 21-26 Provence
Sep 27-28 Lyon
Sep 29-Oct 4 Paris
Oct 4 Paris-Istanbul (Pegasus Airlines)
Oct 5-9 Istanbul
Oct 9 Istanbul-Athens (Aegean Air)
Oct 9-13 Greece
Oct 13 Cruise 2 begins (Holland America-Westerdam)
Oct 14 Olympia
Oct 16 and 17 Venice
Oct 18 Dubrovnik
Oct 19 Kotor
Oct 20 Corfu
Oct 22 Malta
Oct 23 Sicily
Oct 24 Naples
Oct 25 Civitavecchia
Oct 26 Rome-Philadelphia-Toronto (US Air)
We will likely spend a few days visiting Dad and Isobel in Sarnia before continuing onto the second half of our journey to Mexico
Oct 29 Toronto-Houston-Aguascalientes
Mexico dates and places still to be determined
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