Livorno / Pisa / Florence, Italy

Sunday, May 25, 2014

I am happy to report that we discovered there is a tiny clock display on our phone in our cabin so now we know what time it is! We have to put our reading glasses on to SEE it . . . but at least we know the time! LOL.

I was so excited to visit Pisa for the first time today. We had to be on the bus by 8:00 AM so the alarm went off bright and early. My dear cabin-mate can get ready in a flash so that leaves plenty of bathroom time for me! Yay!

We had a sweet young man as a tour guide today. He is from Florence and an art history major so he was the perfect tour guide for me since I love history and details. Our first stop was Pisa where I got to see the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Pisa Cathedral, and the Baptistery. They are beautiful examples of Romanesque architecture.

Construction of the Campanile (bell tower) began in 1173 and continued for 200 years due to the onset of a series of wars. It was designed as a circular bell tower and was constructed of white marble. There is a 294 step spiral staircase inside leading to the top - which I did NOT climb! The tower's foundation of soft soil (composed of mud, sand and clay) began to settle before the tower was completed and for hundreds of years, engineers have been trying to remedy this situation.

Baptistery

Bell Tower

Bell Tower

After Pisa, we boarded the bus and after a one hour drive through the beautiful Tuscan countryside, we arrived in Florence.

Ahh, Florence.

Our tour included several of the sites that I visited the last time I was here (2009) and I was so happy to see them again, especially the magnificent Statue of David.

Our first stop was the Duomo (cathedral), Campanile (bell tower), and Battistero (baptistery). The Duomo is the world’s fourth largest church and the tallest building in Florence. It is the grandest building project ever undertaken in Florence, and the russet-colored dome is considered the greatest engineering feat of the Renaissance. The ornate cathedral and bell tower are decorated in white, green and pink Tuscan marble.

Kris at the Duomo in Florence.

The Battistero has three sets of bronze doors. The reliefs on the south doors (designed by Andrea Pisano) portray scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist; the north doors (designed by Ghiberti) depict scenes from the life of Christ; and the east doors (Ghiberti) depict Old Testament scenes. The doors are beautiful and I felt so privileged to see them in person, although some of the bronze panels are copies of the originals which are being preserved in the museum.

Another stop was Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) which crosses the River Arno running through the heart of the city. There is so much history surrounding this bridge it would take too long to share.  I read that there has been a bridge here since Roman times, but the current Ponte Vecchio dates from 1345 when it was built to replace the former wooden structure that was swept away by an overflowing river. The Ponte Vecchio is the only bridge in the city to escape destruction in World War II.

Ponte Vecchio, Florence
Bill is taking a picture of me taking a picture.

Christie and Bill

The highlight for me was the Galleria dell’Accademia where I saw Michelangelo’s David. There are many beautiful pieces in the Galleria, but I spent most of my time staring at this magnificent sculpture.  Michelangelo created this piece from a single block of marble when he was just 29 years old.  There are no words to describe its beauty.

As I sat beneath David, Kris asked me how tall Goliath was. I pulled up my Bible app on my cell phone and read the story of David and Goliath to some of the women sitting next to me. By the time I had finished the story, we all had tears in our eyes.  One woman commented, “I am so glad I sat next to you.” There is no way to describe the powerful emotions this beautiful work of art elicits in me . . . I’ll just leave it at that. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures.

Kris and I stopped for a quick bite to eat at a typical little street café before heading back to the meeting point for the tour.  Kris loves finding authentic dining places off the beaten path where the experience, service and food are less geared toward tourists.  The pizza was yummy and we got to visit with a really nice young woman from Canada.

Back at the ship, there were activities all night to choose from. Tonight was Country and Western Night.  I decided to turn in on the early side since we have a 7:30 AM departure time for our tour to Rome tomorrow.

Why does everything start so early?

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!