Friends, Romans, Countrymen lend me your ears - Rome, Italy

Stats:

Destination: Rome, Italy

Days spent: 3

Where we stayed: ???? we have the card but it is in Chinese...email address was romanihao9156@hotmail.com and we were able to bargain the price down from 65 Euro/night to 50 Euro/Night with unlimited wifi with an excellent signal and a pretty lame breakfast

Best restaurant: We were not impressed with Rome restaurants but the wine bar, Cesaretto, had great house wine for 13E per liter in a great outdoor setting near the Spanish Steps! Not really budget style but it was very tasty!

Best of: There is nowhere else on earth with so many sights and so much history in one compact area so well preserved!

Worst of: The crowds in Rome are horrible. Arrive early at the Vatican Museum otherwise most people stand in line for up to two hours.

Most Memorable: Walking right outside the metro and seeing the Colosseum for the first (and second in Tracy's case) time!

Useful Tips: Buy a Roma pass at any Tobacco shop or TI (read below for details); Download Rick Steves audio guides from ITunes onto your IPOD - free and entertaining!

Rome. The name alone evokes tons of famous images - The Colosseum, the Forum and the Pantheon are all famous sights in Rome. Across the river lies the Vatican (technically its own country) ground zero for the Catholic church, the Pope, and all their treasures. The city itself, while cosmopolitan in its own right, lacks the "linger" appeal that so many of its neighbors have (Paris, Amsterdam, etc.) making it a place to hit the big sights and move on to "greener" pastures (see the forthcoming postings on the Tuscany and Umbria regions).

After departing the ship, we took the train into Rome and began our whirlwind tour of the city (4.50 euro/person - much cheaper than the $75 transfer that the ship wanted that still dropped you off at the train station). After checking into our guest house and taking advantage of our free wifi (yay - we missed it after 21 days on a cruise ship) we headed straight to the Colosseum. When we arrived in Rome we purchased the Rome Pass which we highly recommend. It includes entry into a few of the major sites as well as 3 days of public transport. Best of all, it allows you to skip ahead of the line! This is a huge time saver as lines at the Colosseum can be up to 2 hours long. The pass pays for itself (about 25 Euro) if you hit the major attractions and use public transport (which is reliable & faster than fighting traffic in a cab).

The Colosseum represents the most well preserved and largest Roman amphitheater ever built. During Roman times, this was their version of going to the theater or concert. Much like in the movie, The Gladiator, "performers" would come out and battle animals, famous battle scenes would be re-enacted and the crowds could not get enough blood. The part with the thumbs up or down to determine life or death cannot be confirmed, but the Emperor had some form of playing god type fun. Much like in today's concert venues, the prices were less the farther away you got. Hard to imagine, but even above the still existing levels there were even more levels made of wood that were free to the public. The stadium floor, made of wood, was covered in a layer of sand or dirt hiding the trap doors and platforms that would raise the actors into the scene. The sheer size is more impressive that what is left inside, but it's still interesting to walk through and imagine what it was like with thousands of fans screaming and cheering for their favorite gladiator.

Our ticket to the Colosseum includes entry to the Roman Forum, right across the street so it was our official second stop. As capital of the vast Roman Empire, this area of ancient Rome included temples, the Senate, the Emperors private digs and the main square. It was here that all the decisions were made for the empire, laws were passed and all the wealth flowed here. Although Julius Caesar lived here and the Senate held court across the road, the infamous stabbing on the Senate steps actually happened further away as on that fateful day in March, the senate was being held elsewhere.

That night we took a walk to see the Victor Emmanuel monument (aka, the wedding cake) and the Spanish Steps. Emmanuel was the first president of Italy and united the country. Well respected and loved by most, his name appears all over on street signs and statues. The Spanish steps gets its name from the Spanish Embassy nearby. With the church at the top and a fountain at the bottom, it serves as a popular meeting spot at night. We enjoyed a carafe of wine nearby before meeting our friends, Tim and Linda for dinner. If you guys are reading this thanks again for dinner, we had a great time! Hopefully we will meet again in Colorado!

The next morning we headed out bright and early to tour the Vatican Museum. A note to future tourists, go early or you will wait in line for hours!!! The only way to get out of the line is to book a tour which is generally very expensive but many people find it a more enjoyable way to see this major site. If you opt not to take a tour we highly recommend arriving early and downloading the Rick Steves tour for the Sistine Chapel (FREE on ITunes...he also offers one for the Colosseum, Pantheon and the Forum which are excellent as well as various other Italian sites in other cities). We downloaded and listened to all but 1 of his tours on Italy and recommend them all (again, it's FREE)!

The Vatican Museum contains one of the world's largest, if not the largest, collection of art. Amassed over thousands of years of conquering, plundering, pillaging & occasionally purchasing (hey, how else did all these Greek statues get here) the collection is almost over whelming in size. The museum starts with ancient Egyptian art and culminates with Michelangelo's masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Some of the collection highlights include an ancient mummy, an endless sea of Greek statues (many covered with plaster fig leaves during the counter reformation), busts, altarpieces, tapestries and frescoes by masters Raphael & Michelangelo.

After passing through a seemingly endless maze of rooms with priceless works of art and just before the piece de la resistance you encounter a series of rooms painted by Raphael & his disciples. While Michelangelo won the bid to paint the Sistine Chapel, Raphael got second place and was afforded the opportunity to paint four rooms in the Vatican complex. Imagine that at the same time, there were not one, but two masters painting a room apart and trying to outdo one another! After the unveiling of the first half of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, Raphael recognized his genius and painted him into one of his frescoes.

After craning our necks to see the Raphael rooms it was next onto the Sistine Chapel! Few things in the world compare to the amazing frescoes painted on the ceiling. Without help and sitting on his back with paint dripping down high above the floor for 7 years, Michelangelo tirelessly slaved over his creation. The ceiling was actually done in two parts. The first half, or the back part of the chapel, has far more detail than the front half. After the scafolding was taken down and revealed the half finished ceiling everyone was in awe and amazed...except for Michelangelo. All the rich detail was lost from the view from the floor so he changed his strategy for the next half - less detail and larger figures so that it would be appreciated from the ground. The overall results leaves one with a stiff neck but a great appreciation for the dedication and talent he had, especially the church. Later in his life, when the counterreformation was beginning to rear it's ugly head (the golden age of concrete fig leaf producers), the church again commissioned Michelangelo to paint the stirring Redemption behind the altar. Serving as a reminder, Jesus doles out justice to the wicked and resurrects the innocent from his lofty perch dead center of the wall while all hell breaks out around him.

St. Peter's is considered THE church. If you only visit one church in Rome (or the world for that matter), it should be this one. With its stunning dome, Michelangelo's Pieta and magnificent altar housing the bones of St. Peter himself, this church is truly a sight to behold even without a burning camerlingo (Angels and Demons reference).

After visiting the Vatican and St. Peter's we made a stop at Rome's famous Pantheon. It is considered one of Rome's most impressive structures. It was built over 2500 years ago and it is one of the few fully intact structures from ancient Rome. Even more amazing is the dome itself, a testament to the incredible engineering prowess of the Romans. Without any supports it has survived several earthquakes and still stands as it did 2500 years ago. Some of Rome's most famous citizens are buried under the Pantheon's bright oculus (Raphael, Victor Emmanuel, etc).

Our day at the Vatican wouldn't be complete without a visit to at least three other churches. Instead of telling you all about them we'll just show you the highlights via photos of each:

Santa Maria Sopra Minnerva with its Michelangelo statue:

San Ignacio, one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Rome:

San Luigi dei Francesi with its magnificent Carravaggio's:

That night we enjoyed a stroll through the historical center of Rome, complete with tartufo (death by chocolate gelato....incredible)! We stopped by the Pantheon, Piazza Navona with its brilliant fountain by Bernini, the Spanish steps & the famous Trevi fountain. After tossing our coin in the fountain to ensure our return to Rome we headed back for the night! And we didn't even have to rescue the next pope (what can we say, we just saw the movie and both loved the book)!

The next morning we headed to the Borghese in hopes of scoring an unused ticket. Unfortunately none were available so we headed back across town to the National Museum. Rome's National Museum houses one of the world's greatest collections of ancient mosaics, frescoes, Greek & Roman marble statues and several fascinating sarcophagi.

After our tour of the National Museum we grabbed our bags and headed to the train station for a two hour (non-airconditioned and very, very hot) train ride to Orvieto!

To see more photos of Rome click here!

Life from the 1st century to 21st Italy: Naples & Pompeii, Italy

Stats:

Destination: Pompeii & Naples, Italy

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best restaurant: Antica Pizzeria da Michele - serving just two types of pizzas (margherita and marinara, basically a no cheese pizza) this little place is packed with locals and tourists with a line out the door. Vastly different than pizza in the states; the gooey, cheesy and thin pizza is best eaten folded over and some of the best we have ever had.

Best of: The most well preserved frescoes of Pompeii exist in the Brothel, read into that what you wish. The gooey goodness of Antica's (above) famous pies.

Worst of: Almost all of the artifacts from Pompeii are in a museum in Naples which we didn't have time to see. If you came to see all the pottery, "cement" men and other moveable objects save time for the Archaeological Museum in Naples.

We started the morning in Pompeii. This ancient city is one of the finest and intact examples of everyday life during Roman times. It was a bustling port city up until 79 AD when everything changed. Mount Vesuvius blew her top and completely covered the city in 30 feet of hot ash leaving it virtually intact and as it was on that day. Although most of the precious artifacts are in a museum in Naples, the city still provides a good overall glimpse into the daily life.

Serving an estimated 20,000 people, Pompeii had over 40 bakeries, 120 bars, lots of hotels and restaurants and of course, the oldest profession in the world - over 30 brothels. As a reminder of how the Earth is constantly changing, you enter through the old port where the ocean once lapped up to the walls, now nearly 30 miles away. Their famous "concrete" men were created when excavators found pockets of air buried in the ash they filled the holes with cement leaving a mold of how the victims perished in their various poses. Most of them are in the museum, but a couple are found here to explain the process.

The raised stones in the street served as stepping stones for pedestrians. Everyday the people would wash out the streets (no toilets back then) so these stones kept them high and dry. There are also remains of Egyptian temples and a synagague (yet to be uncovered) providing a glimpse into the diversity and tolerance for other cultures this city had.

Even the mosaics here are copies (the originals in the museum as well) but the copies give you context. "Have" means "Hail to Thee" in Latin, or basically, your 2000 year old door mat.

The best preserved frescoes in Pompeii are found in one of the Brothels. These small frescoes line the top of the walls as if reading like a menu of services. Scratched into the walls are the exotic names of the workers with comments filled in below like signing the guest book.

After Pompeii's exposure to the 1st century we headed back to the 20th century in Napes. As the third largest city in Italy, and the most densely populated in all of Europe, many visitors find Naples unappealing. We however found it quite enjoyable. With no real gangbuster sights (aside from the Museum) the appealing part is the humanity. We took a stroll through the older part of town stopping at a couple of places along the way. Hungry from Pompeii, we hit the pizza joint first (mentioned above), grabbed a drink from the convenience store, and sat in the "park". One down side of Naples is the lack of green space, but we made the best of it by finding a flower pot to sit on in a tiny plaza. From our spot we watched the people go about their day. Families lean out from balconies. As a side business, these homes sell various items and send them down to the street in buckets. Two guys sat on their motorbikes talking more with their hands than their mouths. Locals sat in the little cafe enjoying their long, leisurely lunches, sipping on coffee and smoking away. Ladies in stiletto heels and Gucci bags (perhaps knock offs?) buzzed through the street on Vespas. Children chased after one another. This is the real Italy. No tourist sights, no famous paintings, just the buzzing of life in a concrete world.

We made our way back to the ship for one last night of three course meals and the comforts of English speakers all around. Next stop, the end of our cruise and the sight packed city of Rome!

To see more pictures of Naples & Pompeii click here.

And don't forget the cannoli! Taormina, Sicily

Stats:

Destination: Messina & Taormina, Sicily (Italy)

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best restaurant: Yummy...Sicily is the home of Italy's best cannolis! We had two of them, Tracy liked the Sicilian one with marscapone cheese and Jason liked the chocolate one.

Best of: The view from the amphitheater was spectacular!

Worst of: It seemed like everyone on the ship visited Taormina, the crowds were unbearable. Luckily everyone was gone after 1pm and things quieted down quite a bit then.

Sicily...home of the godfather and the mafia. Unlike "Casablanca" (previous posting), Francis Ford Capolla actually filmed the Sicily part of "The Godfather" in Sicily. As one of the poorest regions in Italy, Sicily lends itself to organized crime. While it still continues till this day, it's highly unlikely any tourists will get sight of it. While you can take a tour out to see where the film was shot, we opted to visit Taormina instead.

After avoiding the big bus tour groups for most of the trip, we ended up going on one here. The private transport allowed us more time at the site than would have the train, which went back to Messina at 1pm. It ended up working out quite well as it was more of a transport than a tour and we were were able to walk around on our own plus get a little history and culture along the way from the guide. They took us to the top of the hill overlooking Taormina to the ruins of a castle and the little quiet town just below. After wandering around and admiring the view, the bus driver took us to his little restaurant that he just opened. Called El Padrino, or The Godfather, he let us try some of his almond wine.

After trying the Almond Wine, we arrived in Taormina town. We broke away from the pack and wandered around the turning and twisting cobblestone streets in search of more peace and quiet than the two main drags would allow. We found two different cannoli shops selling both the sweet and the cheese varieties. We also ran into Peter and Nina (we saw them everyday of the cruise either intentional or by chance) where Peter snatched up the last of the fresh Buffalo Mozzarella from the local grocer and shared the delicious treat! As if we needed to eat more, we returned to meet some other friends for lunch were we were serenaded by this gregarious man.

Long before the mafia and Capolla's Godfather took over the island, it used to be home to the Greeks and then later the Romans. The island was primarily used to grow grain to feed and support the growing Empire. Remains of both cultures still exist including an amphitheater with great views of the Mediterranean as well as Mt. Etna, Europe's second highest volcano and still active.

We finished up our day down in the port town of Messina. While it's more of a business town than tourist, it does have a fairly nice church and the world's largest Astronomical Clock in its bell tower. The Church is a curious blend of Gothic and Baroque. It even sports mythical creatures including Mermaids. Outside of the church on the square sits Orion's Fountain, the mythical founder of the city paying homage to the city's Greek history.

Back on the ship, we set sail and woke up the next day in Naples...free of any horse heads in our bed!

To see more pictures of Sicily, click here.

The Knights Templar Ride Again - Surprising Malta

Stats:

Destination: Valletta, Malta

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best of: Jaw dropping, gorgeous church and tons of history

Worst of: Even the taxis stop for obligatory shopping trips.

When we booked the cruise, we had only the vaguest idea where Malta even was much less what was there. The tiny island nation lies just south of Sicily, Italy and has been the sight of some fairly significant events, particularly in Christian history. With a natural harbor of rocky fingers of land and it's strategic positioning in the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta was an attractive target. The Carthaginians battled Rome from here and the Arabs, Normans, Germans, French and Spaniards all took turns taking over the islands. St. Paul shipwrecked here in 60 A.D. bringing Christianity with him.

The most important arrival came in 1530 when the Knights of St. John came. After suffering defeat in 1291, the Crusaders were driven out of the Holy Land and the Knights retreated to Rhodes where they regrouped and messed with Muslim trading routes. In 1522, Turkish Sultan Suleyman (the Magnificent) laid siege to the island and finally drove the Knights to Malta where they began rebuilding their ranks. By 1565, Suleyman came knocking again, this time with 35,000 soldiers against the 541 Knights and several thousand Maltese volunteers. After four months of intense fighting, the Knights still held the island leaving more than 30,000 Turkish troops dead and Suleyman retreating in disgrace. The Knights, coming from wealthy European families, brought their personal fortunes with them and spared no expense in building their palaces and churches and shaping Malta into what it is today.

We went with some friends and hired a taxi for a couple of hours to take us out to see a few of the islands sights outside of the town of Valetta. After making a quick stop at San Anton Palace & Gardens as well as the nearby glass blowing store (presumably so the driver could get a kickback) we headed out to the old capital of Mdina. The walled medieval city sits atop a plateau and served as the capital until Valetta was built by the Knights. The impressive cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul houses some interesting engravings and paintings including these panels.

After leaving Mdina, we make a quick stop at Santa Mariji Assumpta Church. Aside from it's massive size capped by the fourth largest Dome in the world, it's infamy comes from WWII. Since the island was a British colony from Napoleon days, Hitler saw it as a potential threat to his plans in Northern Africa. Italian and German planes bombed the island for 157 days straight. One stray bomb hit the dome of the church, wedged in but did not explode.

After our taxi tour of the island, we headed over to St. John's Cathedral. It may not look like much from the outside, but stepping inside reveals a Baroque interior that is simply stunning. It is one of the most impressive churches we have ever seen...and we have seen quite a few! In typical Baroque fashion, every square inch is covered...including the floors. The wealthy knights were expected to donate a gift to St. John's every time they were promoted or elected to office. Over 400 knights are buried in the floor; their marble tombs inlaid with semi-precious stones. The ceiling hosts a series of frescoes depicting the life of St. Paul from birth, though surviving the shipwreck, to his beheading. In either nave, there are intricate carvings depicting both saints as well as famous leaders in the history of Malta. Even the famous renaissance painter Caraviaggo came here for a short time and left a couple of masterpieces behind - The beheading of St. John the Baptist and St. Jerome III; the former is considered his masterpiece and the only one he signed. Upstairs in the museum, lies choir books from the 1200s and massive tapestries depicting the life and times of Jesus. In a separate small room to the back sits an unassuming silver urn, said to contain the right hand of John the Baptist - the very one that touched Jesus.

The last couple of hours we checked out a nice little garden overlooking the harbor, checked our email, and wandered around the charming little town. Back on board, the ship set sail for our next port...Sicily! One last thing to mention is that the sail away is beautiful, if you come here on a cruise don't miss it!

To see more pictures of Malta, click here.

Cycling old city walls & a toppling tower! Lucca & Pisa, Italy

Stats:

Destination: Lucca and Pisa, Italy

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best of: We met Rick Steves!

Worst of: Pisa is a tourist trap, get in, see it & get out!

Livorno, much like Marseille, France, is an unattractive port town that serves as a gateway to so much more. Since we were planning to come back to Florence and the Tuscany region, we decided to head north to the towns of Lucca and Pisa - of leaning tower fame.

We set off on the train with some friends from the ship to Lucca to start the day. Peter had done some research and learned that there was a Pinocchio show that was going on at 11 for free...our kind of price! After finding the place that it was going to be held at, we had a cup of coffee with the locals and stumbled upon a little market where we had some young Parmesan cheese, a rarity in the states. We returned to the church to watch the show that happened to be the 6 of us from the ship and a bunch of school kids in attendance. The show was entertaining in a cute way. This rendition of Pinocchio was a one man traveling show...in German!

oc

After the show, we parted ways with our friends and headed to the walls of Lucca for a little bike ride. The completely intact wall circles the city and is wide enough for cars to drive all the way around. The original 16th century walls helped to protect the city from the powerful Medici family in Florence among others and kept Lucca an independent state up until just over 130 years ago with the unification of Italy. The wall is only two and a half kilometers around (about a mile and a half) and flat and smooth on top making it enjoyable to either bike or walk. Every 500 meters or so the wall juts out. These extensions were once lookout points, but are now nice parks for all to enjoy. With great views of the city and a mostly shaded path, it's an excellent way to spend the afternoon strolling or pedaling and taking pictures as you go.

We pedaled around for about an hour and when we returned the bikes, the lady mentioned that Rick Steves was in town yesterday! We had already decided to try one of the pizza joints he recommends in his book so we kept our eyes peeled as we walked to the joint. After ordering and sitting down outside of the bench, down the street came strolling Mr. Steves! He caught that we recognized him and chatted for a few moments before we got him to sign our 2009 Italy guide. Sadly, we didn't get a photo as we didn't want to keep the man from his work, but it was a memorable experience.

Since we had to go through Pisa to get to Livorno, we decided to make a quick pit stop and see the infamous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Set on what is known as the "Field of Miracles" this vast and well kept green space houses a spectacular cathedral and baptistery to go along with the bell tower. While the church is nice, the main star here is the tower. Leaning to one side about 14 feet, the tower has always leaned and constant efforts to solidify the ground underneath have been taking place here for 100's of years. Galileo was said to have worked on the theory of gravity and acceleration by studying the tower. Today, computers do most of the monitoring and checking to ensure the tower remains erect and thus continuing to provide a steady stream of tourists and all important Euros. We joined the countless others in posing and doing our part to hold up the tower, or push it down. It's a tourist trap, but hey, sometimes you just have to give in a little!

After doing our mime parlor tricks, we returned to the ship and set sail for our 6th country in seven days, Malta!

To see more photos of Lucca click here! To see more of Pisa click here!

Sipping wine in the south of France: Aix en Provence, France

Stats:

Destination: Marseille, France & Aix en Provence, France

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best of: The market in Aix had incredible cheese & meat. That along with a fresh baguette and a bottle of wine made a wonderful picnic!

Worst of: We paid 3.50 euros (almost $5!) for a cappuccino...way over priced but set in a lovely square with friends. Lesson learned, buy your drinks at the counter and pay 1/3 to 1/2 the price.

We docked in Marseille, the busiest port in the Mediterranean and second largest city in France. The city has little to offer tourists, but in its outskirts lies the Provence and Luberon regions, two of the most stunning and fertile areas in France. The region is well known for growing spices and even has it's own blend; Herbs de Provence can be found in almost any supermarket. The region is also well known for producing fine quality soaps, most notably using lavender and olive oil.

With so many places to see and experience, choosing where to go in the region for a day is difficult. We opted to spend the day with some friends we had met on the ship in the town of Aix-en-Provence, or just Aix. We spent the day casually strolling through town, checking out a church, and just simply taking in the atmosphere. Aix is the home of the elite and wealthy and it shows in the tree lined streets, trendy shops and cafes. Grabbing a cup of Joe and watching the world go by is just the thing to do in this town, albeit, you end up paying more if you sit down. France operates on a two tier system whereby takeaway is a different price than eating in. Basically, you pay for the view.

In the middle of town was the daily farmers market. Unlike other markets we have been to in developing and third world countries, the market here was about as upscale as a market can get. Here, presentation matters. The French take pride in their food and it shows. The fresh fish is well presented on the ice, the hand made meats and cheeses are delicately placed out on display, and you won't find a moldy strawberry in this bunch. Handicrafts and handmade soaps are also out for sale in the tiny market. We opted to pick up lunch here and have a picnic later. After picking up our cheese, meat, some bread and, of course, some wine we headed for the tree lined main street where we did a little people watching as we enjoyed our meal.

We finished our little picnic and met back up with our friends for the return to the ship vowing that we would have to come back to this region and experience it a little more! Next stop, our first stop in Italy; Livorno with Lucca and Pisa calling!

To see more pictures of Aix-en-Provence click here.

A Gaudi Day - Barcelona, Spain

Stats:

Destination: Barcelona, Spain

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best of: Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece - Inglesa la Sagrada Familia (Church of the Sacred Family)!

Worst of: Visiting on a Sunday meant that the market and most of the stores were closed though it also gave us more freedom to move around since there was less traffic.

Barcelona sits on the Mediterranean coast of Spain and exudes ultra modern comfort, efficiency and design. Upon entering the Harbor, you can see the site of the 1992 Olympics on top of Mont Juic which today is a large, open green space in the heart of the city. Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali called Barcelona home and many of their works can be seen here, particularly the Picasso museum. The city's most beloved artist, however, is Antoni Gaudi, the brilliant architect who believed in designs that were natural, no hard edges or anything mechanical. His works are dotted all over the city and we took most of the day seeing his masterpiece - the Sagrada Familia as well as Guell Park, his venture into city planning.

The Sagrada Familia church was began in 1883 and still till this day in not complete. Despite this fact, it is still an impressive structure. With a dozen gothic style spires topped with not so gothic fruits, berries and grapes the church is certainly unique. Columns twist and turn as if they were trees. The walls seemingly flow down to the ground as if it were rivers carrying statues in their path. Even the spiral staircases remind us of a snail shell. All the designs were part of the overall Gaudi style of using nature for inspiration.

After touring the church, we made our way up the hill and out to Guell Park. Gaudi had a vision of the wealthy and elite of Barcelona snatching up his designed homes surrounded by a park completed with sculptures and mosaics in fanciful gardens. The combination of lack of interest and his sudden death in a tram accident resulted in the project never being completed. Since it was Sunday, family day, the park was packed with locals and tourists alike and it took a little of the peace and quiet Gaudi had envisioned away from the sight.

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering though the Gothic Quarter, a old maze of narrow streets filled with shops and cafes. The area makes for a pleasant stroll and one could spend days just wandering up and down the streets people watching and sipping on coffee. We passed the Picasso museum, line to get in stretched down the alley and around the building. We later found out that the museum is free after 4 on Sundays...so much for taking a quick peek!

Back on the ship, we set sail for the nearby port of Marseille, France!

To see more Barcelona photos please click here!

On Top of the Rock in Gibraltar!

Stats:

Destination: Gibraltar

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best of: Majestic views from the top of the historic rock

Worst of: The Apes, actually tailless Macaques i.e. cheeky moneys (which we have dealt with numerous times, see the Bali posts in Ubud) are severely exploited. Despite the fact they are wild, that does not stop some people from feeding them and getting too close, as evidence by a couple of blokes getting bit while we were there.

The Rock. Gibraltar is small in size, only about three square miles, but large in historical significance. Whoever controls this little spit of land can control all the water traffic moving in and out of the Mediterranean. Rising straight out of the water 1400 feet high, one can see all the way to Africa from the top. Modern history of the rock began in 1704 with the British capturing it from the Spanish and has remained in their hands ever since. Despite efforts by the French and Spanish over the years to take it back, the Brits have held on...even enduring one of the longest sieges of all time. During the American Revolution, for nearly four years, the small garrison of men were able to fend off relentless attacks. During WWII it served as a strategic naval base for the allies keeping an eye on Mussolini's fleet. All the battles and wars forced the defenders to build what is today nearly 30 miles of underground passageways and tunnels.

Today, the Rock is known for two primary things: the logo of Prudential Insurance Company (one passenger on the ship thought they actually owned the rock!) and the Barbary Apes.

We originally were going to walk all the way to the top, doable in about 2 hours, but after walking all over Morocco the day before, we opted to take the overpriced tram to the top instead. The tram is nothing more than a 10 minute Gondola ride for $16 stopping at the top and halfway to the top at the Apes den.

After arriving at the top, you are rewarded with spectacular views over the straights separating Europe from Africa. Given the fact you can see Africa with the naked eye, you get an appreciation for just how valuable it is.

We rode the tram back down halfway and stopped at the apes. Legend has it that as long as the Apes are here, so will be the British. Churchill himself felt it necessary to import a few from Africa with the numbers were reaching critical low levels during WWII. Actually tailless Macaques, we watched the spectacle unfold as tourists did anything they could for a good photo op. Luring the primates with mostly junk food (they love plastic and chip wrappers) they would jump on people's heads and climb on cars. If you had the window rolled down, in they would come if they saw anything they might think to be food. To us, its sad but until the government makes good on the threat of fines for feeding, it will continue. Our friends from the boat later showed us pictures they had took of a guy who was bitten on the arm when he tried to scare off one of them. We got our fill of the monkeys and headed back down the hill via the tram.

Aside from the Rock and the monkeys, the town itself is a sprawling line of duty free shopping intermingled with Fish and Chip stands giving it a little British flare. We wandered through, checked e-mail and restocked on some staples...wine and beer from the supermarket, before calling it a day and heading back to the ship. Next stop - Barcelona!

To see more photos from Gibraltar please click here!

We Rocked the Casbah - Rabat & Casablanca, Morocco

Stats:

Destination: Rabat & Casablanca, Morocco

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best restaurant: We didn't eat in town but we did have a great freshly squeezed OJ from this guy ($.10)!

Best of: Vegas style laser beam on top of world's largest minaret pointing to Mecca...need we say more?!?

Worst of: Dishonest taxi drivers.

The ship docked in Casablanca and we made our first steps onto African soil. Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and second only to Cairo, Egypt in all of Africa. Busy, noisy and polluted, we decided to spend most of our day in the smaller and more historic town of Rabat.

After walking all over Casablanca to find the train station, we eventually made it and were on our way. Later, on the return, we realized that there was a train station right next to the dock that Princess had neglected to put on their map. Lesson learned...don't trust the kids maps they hand out.

After getting to Rabat, we were greeted by a seemingly friendly taxi guy and we negotiated to have him drive us to the three main sights in Rabat: The Chellah, the Casbah and the Mausoleum of King Mohammed V for three hours and 200 denier (roughly $25US).

The first stop was the Chellah, home of some Roman ruins. When you think of the Roman empire, Morocco does not really spring to mind but this site was an important town in terms of recruiting the local Berber population into the Roman army. Now all that is left is some rubble and one nice wall that extends down the hill. Now the ruins are home to thousands of sea birds which have built nests in the trees and on top of what's left of the Roman city.

Our next stop was to the stunning mausoleum of King Mohammad V. The design is modeled after Napoleon's tomb in Paris with the late King's body resting on a pedestal all alone in the middle of a vast room. Intricate details are carved or painted into the walls giving it a very Muslim style and look. The courtyard in front is filled with hundreds of minarets and the city's largest Mosque is next door.

Upon returning to the taxi, we were informed that what we had originally agreed upon was not going to work. While we had agreed to 3 hours for 200DH, he felt like changing the rules midstream of course and was at first saying that it was two hours for 200DH. After some yelling and some arguing, he in French, us in English, he started to say that price was 1 hour for 200DH! Back and forth we argued until after about 15 minutes he sped off down the highway. We had debated at just giving him 100DH and getting out right then, but some part of us, the stupid part, stayed in the car which was now speeding down the road swerving in and out of traffic with a pissed off taxi driver behind the wheel. After a few angry swerves and a few curses (we can only assume) we finally did get to the Casbah. Just thankful that he didn't take us to the middle of nowhere, he got out of the car and started to hunt down someone who could speak French and English. After pleading our case to the makeshift judge, a little more yelling on his part, a threat of the tourist police on our part, we threw 150 DH at him and got out of the car. After getting out, the guy who spoke English turned to us and said that he still wanted to take us to the train station after we were done at the Casbah! After debating this for all of zero seconds, we let out a laugh and continued into the Casbah thankful it was over. In the end our little to ended up costing us about $160 less than the same one the ship had...here's to independent travel, even on a cruise ship!

With its powdery blue and white walls, the Casbah is one of the oldest parts of Rabat. Narrow lanes stretching out in complete randomness allow you to get lost in amongst the shops and homes. It's a quiet reprieve to the noisy city outside the walls. Either we were here at the wrong time, or there simply are not that many shops here as we strolled up and down alleys and only found a couple of shops at the very beginning open. After "Rocking the Casbah" (complete cheese, I know) we made our way to the Medina (shopping quarter) which was located just across the street. Surprisingly, after wandering the seemingly endless rows of souks (shops) we wound up within walking distance of the train station. Taxi problem solved!

Tracy also found some more interesting Doorknocker's to go along with the growing collection, albeit this would be the first but not last time we saw a Phallic symbol gracing someone's door. No, these two were not next to each other!

We jumped on the train and headed back to Casablanca with a little more time to kill so we walked through their Medina (lots more shops filled with junk) making our way out to Hassan II Mosque. Second only to Medina (Mecca) in size, the mosque was completed just 15 years ago and is state of the art. With the world's largest minaret, retractable roof and a laser beam that shines at night pointing the way to Mecca this place has it all...concession stand (popcorn!) included.

We made our way back to the ship, looked over at Harry's Bar (built there in the 80's by an American to appease the "play it again Sam" crowd) and checked out the laser beam as we set sail for Gibraltar!

To see more of our photos from Casablanca & Rabat please click here!

Is that a phone to heaven? Cadiz, Spain

Stats:

Destination: Cadiz, Spain

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best of: A picnic on the square of flowers complete with aged manchego cheese, proscuitto, a baguette & wine. Heavenly!

Worst of: I can't think of anything about this little town that we didn't like. Most people on the cruise use this as the jumping off spot for Seville, but we felt it had a lot of charm on it's own

Cadiz, Spain is the oldest constantly inhabited city in all of western Europe. While it's more well known city to the north, Seville, gets most of the attention, Cadiz has a nice charm on its own. The tourism board has went out of it's way to promote the town and it shows. The Tourist Information center actually set up on the ship giving out maps and guided walks. All along the old part of Cadiz colored lines run this way and that indicating walking trails. Aside from the lines, the city itself is on an isthmus, making it compact and surrounded by the ocean on three sides. It's virtually impossible to get lost.

We started out on the path that leads all the way around the city along it's fortified walls. The walls serve as a reminder to the cities importance as a harbor during the Moorish ruled years of Spain. Evidence of Islamic style and decor remain today on a lot of the buildings.

After checking out the wall, outposts and forts that protected the city back in the day, it was time to move into the heart of the city and check out its hopping market. We picked up some aged Manchego (sheep's milk cheese - a Spanish delight!) some proscuitto and some fresh olives from the market. After hitting up the supermarket across the street for some bread and wine (in juice boxes and .33 eurocents each - $.50 US), our picnic was complete. We took our meal out to the flower market and surrounded by flower vendors, and the steady flow of tour groups, enjoyed our meal. Picnic's are one of the great things to do if there are not laws against it. Not only can you eat a lot cheaper than restaurants, but it usually comes with a view, great food and it's a great way to people watch.

After our great lunch, we climbed to the top of a tower that had a Camera Obscura. The views from the top of the tower were great, but the camera was interesting as well. Set up with a periscope and mirrors, the image is reflected onto a circular disk and the operator is able to zoom in and out giving you a real picture as it happens. They can even zoom into street level so much that you could recognize the people that were walking by...it you know them that is.

We made one last stop at the city's cathedral. Sadly, the place is in need of repair as the ceiling was nearly completely covered in a net to catch falling pieces. The crypt had a mini dome with excellent acoustics. I also couldn't resist "phoning" God. Ok, so it's really a coin operated "tour guide" giving you a brief description of the church, but hey, it's fun any ways. Hmmm, I wonder if he would accept a collect call?

Next stop: Casablanca, Morocco and our first steps on African soil.

To see more photos of Cadiz please click here!

Our first stop on continental Europe! Lisbon, Portugal

Stats:

Destination: Lisbon, Portugal

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best of: A free wine tasting at ViniPortugal & strolling through the tiny back streets

Worst of: We loved it and thought the city was great but we did hear that a lot of pick pockets were out and about on Tram 28 so be aware!

Lisbon is the capitol of Portugal and represented our first stop on mainland Europe. Although we had a nice and relaxing time on the crossing, it was time for some sightseeing. Not as well known perhaps as its neighboring capitol cities, it still represents an important part in the history of the world. One of its most famous early citizens was Vasco de Gama, the first to sail around Africa to India thus establishing a new trade route to the spices of Asia.

After arriving in Lisbon we caught Tram 28 and headed up to the Alfama area and to Castelo St. Jorge. Alfama is the oldest part of Lisbon. With it's winding narrow streets, it makes for a pleasant stroll relatively traffic and noise free. Laundry hanging out to dry, old men puffing away on cigarettes and the occasional ringing of the trolley bell brings the scene to life. One of the few areas of the city to survive the earthquake of 1755, it also represents one of the best places to see the fine Moorish tile work from the 1500's. Although there are several tram/trolleys in the city, the #28 is the main line for tourists, making short work of the steep hills of Lisbon.

Our first official stop was the Castelo de Sao Jorge. From this ruined fortress you can take advantage of the commanding views of Lisbon, taking in the distinctive orange tiled roofs lining the hills and our ship in the background! The Moorish Castelo is over 1000 years old and you are free to wander up and over its towers and many rooms.

On our way back down the hill from the Castle and the Alfama Quarter, we made a quick stop at Se, one of the great churches of Lisbon complete with a beautiful stained glass window.

Although Portugal is really known for its Ports (as in wine, not boats) we decided to give their wines a try instead. Aiding us in that decision was a) we knew where the wine was and b) it was free! ViniPortugal works similar to a taste test in that vineyards pay them to get feedback on their wines. You can have up to 9!!! tastings from 3 different regions in Portugal. All they ask is your opinion on taste, smell, color, label design and suggested price. After getting our buzz on (hey it's 9!!! healthy pours of wine and we didn't eat lunch) we decided to try and squeeze in one more tourist stop before the boat set sail...

The Monastery of Jeronimos, with it's intricate carvings and great detail was worth the effort to make it out to see. With the afore mentioned Vasco de Gama's discovery came wealth and prosperity to the tiny nation. To honor this, Prince Henry (supporter of many such missions) built the Monastery in 1502. The tomb of Gama himself is here along with several wonderfully carved statues. We took a quick stroll through the free part, the church, before returning back to the ship knowing that we had just a few minutes to spare.

Knowing that we were going to be late as it was, we got really worried when the bus we were on pulled over and made everyone get off! Luckily, there was another bus right there to pick us up and finish the journey. We raced back to the ship with about 15 minutes before they pulled up the gangway. Safely on board and avoiding the wrath of the captain we set sail for Cadiz, Spain!

To see more photos of Lisbon please click here!