So What Happened Was . . .: The French Riviera, Cannes, France

Saturday, May 24, 2014

“I wonder what time it is?"

That has been my first thought every morning for the past week. For some reason we did not have a clock in our room in Barcelona – and we do not have one now in our cabin. I have been running very late or very early for everything.

Today, I was very early. It was 6:00 AM.

But first, back to yesterday . . .

On Friday, (May 23) I was very late! I stayed up the night before working on the blog and photos and by the time I went to bed it was 3:00 AM. Our check-out time in Barcelona was noon sharp and I didn’t wake up until 11:00 AM! Yikes! I packed, showered and got ready like a mad-woman and was out the door at 12:30 on-the-dot. Oops! Thankfully, the front desk allowed the extra 30 minutes, although begrudgingly, without extra fees.

Kris and I had a nice lunch and then hailed a taxi. Destination: the port. I was sad to leave Barcelona. I felt there was still so much to see. I hope I get to return in the future and spend more time in this lovely city.

We boarded the Serenade of the Seas, checked-in, found our cabin, attended a mandatory emergency-drill and then headed back to our cabin to unpack and get settled. We are so tickled with our deck! Most of the rooms have a dinky deck, but WE have a LARGE one. The cabins are so small that having a roomy deck makes a big difference.

It was nice to see the rest of the group at dinner. I’m glad everyone made it safe and sound; although some had horror stories of long delays and lost luggage. We were assigned a nice table near the windows so every evening we will enjoy an ocean view as we dine. There are 19 people in our group – most of which I know.

After dinner, everyone scattered in different directions. I walked around the ship to familiarize myself with the layout. I am amazed by the floating hotel we are traveling on! It literally has EVERYTHING. There is a gym, spa, pools, restaurants, night-clubs, activities for children, a medical center, a mini shopping mall, a movie theater which also doubles as a performance theater, a casino, and more! Every evening a daily newsletter gets delivered to our room highlighting all the scheduled activities for the next day. There is so much to do!

Now, continuing with today (Saturday). I woke up this morning to this beautiful scenery – the coast of France.

(It’s going to be fun to wake up every morning to a different view outside my patio!)

Our port for today was Cannes. The city was full of activity. Today is the final day of the Cannes Film Festival and the Grand Prix is this weekend in Monte Carlo. Needless to say, the city was buzzing! It seemed like all the beautiful, fashionable people where in Cannes today. The women look and/or dress like models with a characteristic French flare. I walked around the main drag admiring the beautiful yachts, the beaches, and the expensive cars and, of course the architecture. My friend, Stan and I were here in 2012 and I remembered the outdoor dining patio at the JW Marriott where we stayed. I went back to that location and relaxed in the shade with a cold lemonade and enjoyed the scenery. It was so peaceful and I felt so happy to be there.

JW Marriott, Cannes.

The wood on this boat was gleaming.

Cannes, France.

Serenade of the Seas.

I got up close to the Film Festival hoping to see a star or two but didn’t spot anyone. I did manage to walk (a few steps) on the red carpet and take a few shots.

2014 Film Festival, Red Carpet.

Back on board, dinner this evening was formal, with the Captain’s Welcome Reception immediately following. (We have three formal dinners total on this cruise.) Everyone looked so nice all dressed up for dinner. I loved it! I wish I had more opportunities to dress up – it seems we have become such a casual society, especially in California. I notice that everyone behaves differently when they’re dressed formally – it’s nice. After dinner, our group attended the Emperors of Soul show in the theater. It was good.