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.

I ordered mini burgers and fries!

Judy

Paula

Tom

Rick

Celebrating Rick's Retirement.

Tomorrow, we dock in Livorno, Italy. I am looking forward to Florence.

Ships and Planes; Trains and Buses

Greetings from Barcelona, Spain!

Yep! Spain, baby! I am so happy to be here I can't stand myself.

But wait, I have to back-up because a lot has happened in the past week.

So What Happened Was . . .

Last Monday, May 19th, I left my house in Chicago for a 5-week European holiday. It is not easy to be away for such a long time - it takes a lot of planning.  In the end, it was a mad-dash to get everything ready / caught-up / organized / packed and planned, but I did it. Whew! By the time I boarded the plane, I was way past -due for some down-time.

I arrived in Barcelona on Tuesday evening and checked-in to my hotel where my roommate, Kris, was waiting.

So why Barcelona?

A group of my friends from the dance circuit I belong to are embarking on a 12-day Mediterranean Dance Cruise which leaves Barcelona TOMORROW! Yay! We will be porting in Cannes, France; Florence, Rome, and Naples, Italy; Athens and Santorini, Greece; Ephesus, Turkey and returning to Barcelona. On the "at sea" days, we will be taking dance workshops including: Country Two-Step, Nite-Club Two Step, West Coast Swing, Hustle, Waltz, and Cha-Cha. How much fun is that? I am so excited!

But wait - there's more!

After the cruise, Stan is picking me up in Barcelona and we will continue the trip with stops in Milan, Lake Como, England and Paris.

Yes indeedy!

Since my arrival on Tuesday evening, we have been sight-seeing all over town. There is so much to see and we have only scratched the surface.  Kris and I decided to buy a "hop on / hop off" bus ticket which drives past all the points of interests in the city. It's a great way to see everything and it afforded us the opportunity to stay as long as we wanted at any given attraction without being kept to a strict time-table.  Brilliant!

Barcelona is Spain's second-largest city and the architecture is beautiful. I learned that in 1659 Spain ceded Northern Catalonia to France which may explain why there is such a strong French influence in the architecture.

Barcelona is a Mediterranean seaport so there is a high-energy vibe. We are staying in the nerve center of the city near the Placa de Catalunya not far from the festive Ramblas. La Ramblas is a stone paved promenade that runs from the plaza to the waterfront and it is lined with restaurants, shops, hotels, and the flower market. It's very lively.

Yesterday, we visited the Montjuic area and specifically, the Poble Espanyol which is an entire little village constructed for the 1929 exposition. The buildings in this little village showcase all the architectural styles of Spain. Awesome!

As we were walking along, we stumbled into a clothing shop where every garment was handmade by  the shop owner. She was a precious soul who is originally from the Ukraine but now lives in Barcelona with her husband. I liked her immediately and loved her clothes.  I could see the love she poured into every stitch and I knew I could not leave without buying the one item that had been calling my name from the moment I walked through the door. It's beautiful! I'm not going to say what it is; but if you stay tuned to future posts I will reveal the secret . . . maybe. Hint: it's black. LOL.

Last night, Kris and I decided to attend an authentic flamenco performance. Oh my goodness, there are no words to describe the experience.  I have seen flamenco dances before, but last night I had the privilege of experiencing the grace and power of flamenco performed in it's native country by some of the best dancers in the region. The passion, the intensity, and the artistic talent of the performers was an experience I will not soon forget.

Reminded me of Camarillo, CA.

Montjuic

Poble Espanyol

Poble Espanyol

Kristen Bridges

I love the crown detail on this building.

Picasso Museum in Poble Espanyol

Poble Espanyol

Montjuic

Museo Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

Happy to be here!

Beautiful tile risers on the stairs.

La Ramblas at night.

La Ramblas at night.

Thursday, May 22

Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926) was a famous artist and avant-garde architect in Barcelona. Today we saw several of his buildings including the most prominent landmark in Barcelona - The  Sagrada Familia Church. It was certainly something to behold.  I personally do not care for this neo-Gothic modernist style (which was based on forms found in nature), but I can appreciate the incredible engineering and craftsmanship that his designs demand(ed).  I tried to take photos of the church but it was impossible to capture the essence of this cathedral with my limited photography skills.  I will insert a photo from the internet and leave it to the professionals.

Three wise men.

Nativity

Sagrada Familia Church

Interior

I also learned that Picasso spent much of his life in Barcelona. His most famous paintings are not housed here but the museums contain many examples of his early work.

Finally, the native language of Barcelona is Catalan which is a variation of the Spanish we are more familiar with.  For instance here they say carrer instead of calle; passeig instead of paseo; avinguda instead of avenida; and placa instead of plaza.

So, does that mean I can say I speak three languages now - English, Spanish and Catalan?

Joy and Kris

Joy-sized doorway!

Up Next - Osaka, Japan

Today is Saturday. I can't believe the week is over already!

Our time in Hiroshima has been very low key. We went shopping on Thursday and on Friday we spent the day with some of Stan's relatives. We had such a nice time - they are so sweet.

FRIDAY

It was such a privilege to be invited to Stan's cousin's home. I finally got to see the inside of a traditional wooden Japanese home complete with wood floors and sliding room partitions. We took our shoes off just inside the door and we were offered slippers for our feet. We were led into the family shrine - a separate room with an altar, photographs of the parents (who are now deceased) and various religious articles. A tatami mat covered the floor and there were two large pillows on the floor in front of the altar for kneeling. It was just like the movies!

Cousin's House

Family Shrine

Rice field in the neighborhood.

After a few minutes, we migrated to a small family room which was furnished with a sofa, chairs and a coffee table. Stan and I were offered the sofa, the men sat in the chairs, and the women sat on the floor. They served tea and desserts and we enjoyed looking at photographs and recalling memories from the past. I asked lots of questions and we communicated through Stan and through our translator apps on our phones. It was hilarious when the app translated words literally and the thoughts we were trying to convey were lost. Example: Mitsuru was trying to tell me that one of the aunts was killed in the bombing but the app translated his words,  "she died in the manuscript". Huh?  At one point I was trying to tell Stan's uncle he had a sweet smile, but it came out "sweet tasting smile". LOL. We got a lot of laughs out of our app.

The evening ended with a nice dinner at a local restaurant and more laughs and conversation.

Uncle, Aunt, Cousins

Stan asked me if I wanted to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum but I didn't think I could handle seeing it. The devastation was so horrible and I could not bring myself to face it. We saw a few plaques around the city that depicted some of the destruction and just seeing those was enough for me. It's frightening to think about the pain and suffering we can inflict on each other in our diabolical quest for power, control and wealth.  May the God of Heaven have mercy on mankind and deliver us from ourselves!
 

SATURDAY

This morning was a moving day so I had a lot of packing to do. I started out with three bags and now I'm up to four! Ha! Ha!

Stan's relatives met us at the train station to see us off and brought gifts for him. (So sweet!) They invited me to come back soon and, departing from their usual custom of bowing, readily responded to my out-stretched arms with warm hugs when we said goodbye. We then boarded the Bullet Train for a 1-1/2 hour ride to Osaka.

Osaka has a high energy, fun, youthful but sophisticated vibe - not quite the formality of Tokyo. We are staying at the Hilton Osaka. As I write this, I am relaxing in the Executive Lounge and enjoying the view from the 32nd floor. (I love high-rises and big cities. You would never know I was raised on a farm in west Texas!)

Hilton - Osaka, Japan

My room at the Hilton, Osaka

Speaking of shopping (we were, weren't we?) . . .

I took this picture of a window display because I thought it was cool how the mannequins have straight, black hair - like the Japanese women.  I also loved these shoes and boots. Notice the cut-outs on the boots? Very chic!

Mannequins with straight, black hair.

On my Christmas list!

Tomorrow we explore Osaka!

Right now, it's bed-time for me. Zzzzzz.

Shopping!

Today's Activity - Shopping!

 

I only have one thing to share about shopping in Japan: After experiencing the level of customer service I received in stores today, it will be very difficult to be satisfied shopping anywhere else again.

 

Yes, it's that excellent.

 

Or maybe their customer service is average and it just stands out as excellent when compared to the mediocre (at best) service we receive in the states.

 

Either way, I loved shopping in Japan. 

 

Bullet Train to Hiroshima

Today is Wednesday.

 

Oh, I was NOT ready to leave Tokyo or the Conrad Hilton this morning! I didn't even get to enjoy the spa!

 

Nevertheless, I packed up, had a wonderful breakfast overlooking the city and the bay, waved goodbye to my room and headed out.

 

 

Next stop was the Shinagawa Station where we boarded the Bullet Train to Hiroshima. I love traveling by train because I get to see more of the country. I tried to take in as much as I could as it was whizzing past me at 200 miles per hour! I would have taken pictures but I think it all would have been a blur. LOL. 

 

Japan is beautiful. It is mountainous and very green. All the houses are built close together (like the suburb areas outside of Chicago) and the cities are densely populated. Since very few flat areas exist, the hills and mountainsides are cultivated all the way to the top. They utilize vertical space as much as possible in the form of tall buildings and multi-level housing.

 

The people of Japan are absolutely precious. They are so polite and courteous and customer service is very important to them. For example . . . on the train, attendants come through every once-in-awhile with a service cart offering snacks and beverages (similar to the airlines). When the attendant comes to the end of a rail car, she pushes the cart through the door, turns to face the passengers, bows deeply and thanks them for the opportunity to serve them. She then moves on to the next car. How cool is that? This type of attitude prevails the entire country, especially the older generation.

After a four hour train ride, we arrived in Hiroshima. We caught a cab to the hotel, got settled and changed for dinner with Stan's relatives. We had a wonderful evening with his family. Only one cousin spoke broken English but they all tried to make me feel welcome and did their best to communicate with me. I finally figured out I could use the translator app on my phone to communicate. Duh! I'm so glad I got to meet them all.

Another customer service story: When we were checking in to our hotel, a bell hop assisted us to our rooms. In the elevator, he identified himself as a trainee and apologized for not talking very much. When we got to my room, the card-key had apparently not been activated so the door wouldn't open. He was mortified. He apologized and apologized. I felt so sorry for him. All my assurances could not alleviate his embarrassment. He dropped Stan's bags off in Stan's room, bowed, and ran downstairs to correct the problem with my key. After a few minutes he returned with the card-key and thankfully, it worked. He carried my bags in, asked if I had any questions, and when he handed me the key, he bowed deeply and in a bowed position humbly apologized again. Bless his heart. The idea that he failed to deliver less than stellar customer service was embarrassing to him. He was shocked when he received a tip from Stan.

Wow. America could take a few lessons - myself included.

Here are a few videos I had a chance to upload while on the train . . .

Remember the famous Shibuya Crossing from a previous post? I took two videos - one from the window at Starbucks, and one from ground level. Notice the guy who runs out to the middle of the crosswalk and stands there with his hands out. What was that all about? LOL.

Shibuya Crossing from Starbucks window.

Shibuya Crossing at eye level.

Tomorrow - Hiroshima.

P.S. By-the-way, I finally got to see Mount Fuji from the train! Although it was a distance away, it is an imposing and impressive figure on the landscape. So glad I got to see it!

 

Mount Fuji - NOT

The first thing I did when I woke up this morning was reach over and push the button that opened my drapes!  Nice! I laid in bed and enjoyed the view of the harbor from my 30th floor vantage point! Ahhh. A girl could get used to this!

 

Stan and I had a nice (but quick) breakfast in the dining room and then we hopped on a tour bus for a guided tour to Mount Fuji.

 

I love guided tours because you learn so much about the area that you may have otherwise missed. As we drove through the city on our way out of town, our guide pointed out local landmarks, gave brief history lessons, and shared humorous and interesting facts about the local customs, culture,  dietary habits, and persons of interest.

 

Once outside the city we got to see the beautiful countryside which is densely wooded  and mountainous. There are little towns and farming communities tucked up against the mountains and fall colors are beginning to pepper the landscape.

 

Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 12,389 ft. It is classified as an active volcano but it hasn't erupted since 1707-08. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well known symbol of Japan and Mount Fuji is one of Japan's  three "Holy Mountains".

 

This photo of Mount Fuji is beautiful and I wish I had taken it today. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy and rainy and we couldn't see the summit . . . or anything else for that matter.  Instead, this is what we saw:

 

 

 

Oh well. The drive to the 5th station was lovely and I did get to hold a piece of lava rock from Mount Fuji in my hand.

 

Our tour also included a short ferry ride on Lake Ashinoko followed by a tram ride to the summit of Mount Hakone.

 

 

Apparently summits were not in the plan for me today because the tram ride was a NO GO. When Stan and I arrived at the loading area for the stand-and-ride tram, it was absolutely packed full of people standing earlobe-to-earlobe! I couldn't believe how tight they were all shoved inside that tram. The ride was 7 minutes to the top and I didn't think I would be able to handle being sandwiched in there with all those people so I refused to board. We wanted to wait for the next tram, but the operator said the next one would be just as full. We decided to sit it out. It was overcast and rainy and visibility was low anyway so I didn't push the issue.

 

Our last adventure for the day was riding back to Tokyo on the Bullet Train. Wow! That thing is fast. I think it travels 200+ miles per hour. You get where you're going in a hurry!  While we were waiting for our train, another Bullet Train came through the station. I'm sure the conductor slowed down a bit so the air blast wouldn't blow everyone off the platform, but still, look how fast this thing travels:

 

Tomorrow we leave Tokyo and travel to Hiroshima. I better get to bed! It's late!

 

Shiodome - Moving East

Monday was a moving day.

 

Moving day means I have to pack up all my stuff, schlep it, and transfer to a new hotel. I'm usually not ready to switch locations but I always look forward to seeing what's next.

 

I dislike the packing part. My stuff seems to expand and get heavier every time I re-pack it. How does that work? And Stan dislikes the schlepping part because he ends up carrying not only his stuff, but some of mine as well! LOL.

Breakfast at the hotel before moving to east side of Tokyo.

 

Anywho, we arrived at our next destination which was the Conrad Hilton on the east side of Tokyo! Yes indeedy-heedy! This is a luxury skyscraper hotel in the heart of the business district where all the beautiful people are. The hotel is an interesting blend of contemporary luxury with a touch of traditional Japanese culture. Our rooms were on the bay side; the view was beautiful.

Room at the Conrad Hilton, Tokyo

Lounge at the Conrad Hilton, Tokyo

 

We spent the afternoon in Asakusa, a neighboring city. Our goal was to find a specific spice shop so Stan could buy a gift for a friend. After that, we walked around the area and checked out the local vendors and street market.

 

Stan found his spice store.

Rickshaw

 

At the end of the street we visited another shrine and I ran into three ladies dressed in traditional kimono.  They were so polite when I asked them if I could take a picture with them. The fabric on these kimonos was exquisite. The photo does not do justice.

Sensoji Temple

After a long day of walking, I decided to stay in and catch up on the blog. Here is the view I got to enjoy for the evening. Beautiful!