Saturday 4 April 2009 Day 21

The last 3 days have passed with a blur, now I understand the saying “if it is Wednesday, I must be in Rome”, because that has how it has been for us.
I will give a potted version of the 3 days.
Wednesday 1st April we were in Rome. The ship arrived in Civitaveccia at the designated hour, and there was the usual crowd on deck to watch her berth. Once again at a container terminal. It seems unusual that Sydney is concerned about cruise ships berthing at White Bay when they only use container terminals for cruise ships in the large cities of Europe and Asia.
The Captain made an announcement (in his very serious voice) over the speakers, just as we had finished docking, that “Italy had decided to withdraw from the EU at midnight the night before, and had therefore changed its currency from Euros to Pizzas, and that those passengers going ashore, needed to go to the Pursers’ Desk, and pick up some of the new currency”. Deb and I immediately realised that this was an April Fool’s Day joke, and had a laugh, but would you believe, there were some people on board who fell for it.
We had been booked on a walking tour of the Treasures of Rome, so joined the bus with group 12 and took the 1 and half hour journey to Rome. The weather was wet so we needed out rain coats. The drive to the city was interesting as we passed through the countryside – it seemed a little like Australia as there are many Eucalypts growing along the roadisde.
The bus had a short stop about an hour into the journey, and then on into the city in the peak hour traffic. It was good not to be driving the bus.
The first place we visited was called the Spanish Steps – so named because the embassy of Spain was located nearby. They were quite attractive, and we walked down them to view a lovely fountain which was supplied with water from a mountain spring. The guide demonstrated how pure the water was by having a drink from it.
From there, we continued walking through the narrow back streets of the city, until we reached the famous Trevi Fountain, we were able to have about 20 minutes here to take photos, throw coins, and buy gelato – and of course the obligatory toilet break.
Then off again for more back street walking and through a beautiful building, until we reached the Pantheon.
This was an amazing building – massive in size, with huge columns at the front. We were herded together, and went inside for the commentary about the building. As with many of the places we have visited, the inside of the building was crowded with tourists. They had signs indicating that it was a consecrated church and for people to be quiet, but this was impossible even though we used the communication device called “The Whisperer”, which was a receiver and ear piece which enabled us to hear the guide even when she was quite a distance away.
After the Pantheon we returned to the bus for a trip to the restaurant where we were to have lunch. This was a very enjoyable meal in a Rome restaurant. A typical meal – Penne pasta with a light tomato and mozzarella sauce, followed by a veal dish with potatoes and peas, and for desert the tradition Tiramisu. We had a bottle of wine provided on the table, so Deb and I had a glass to try it – not too bad.
After lunch it was back in the bus and off to the walled city of the Vatican.
We had driven right around the Vatican on our earlier tour of the city, and was amazed at the height and size of the walls. We were drivem into an underground bus parking area, and then all walked to the inside of the grounds of the Vatican.
Once again huge numbers of people. We were given a brief discription of the buildings that surrounded us, and then our group was tacked onto the end of this incredibly long queue to go into St Peter’s Bassilica – the guide said that we had 1 ½ hours to go through and then had to meet her at a designated meeting point. Deb and I took one look at the queue, and decided that we didn’t really want to stay in it – neither of us being all that interested in the Bassilica, so went went off to do our own thing – which involved buying some postcards, finding the Vatican postoffice and posting them home, then wandering around the grounds and souvenier shops, eating gelato, and waiting to rejoin the bus for the trip back to the ship. It was a long and tiring day. But we really enjoyed it despite the rain.

Thursday 2nd April – Cannes, France
This morning I was woken by the sounds of the anchors being dropped as we anchored off the coast of Cannes. The port here is too small for cruise ships, and they anchor off shore, and passengers are ferried across in the Tenders. The Tenders and the boats that look like life boats and hang along the side of the ship.
We were booked on an afternoon tour, so had a leisurely breakfast and waited until all those who were going on tour had gone ashore. So it was around 10am before we went down to get a ticket to go ashore on a tender. Deb and I had decided to have a walk around Cannes as the bus tour was out of the city and into the country side. Deb had also decided not to do the bus tour, as she was still very sore and tired from the day in Rome, and thought it best to stay on board and rest. So I would do the tour and take photos to show her.
It was quite novel being assisted on to the Tender, and then ferried to the terminal. Cannes is very much like any port that has a large population of sailing people – hundreds of huge yachts are moored in the marina.
We wandered around the main streets looking for the post office, as we had a large parcel we wanted to post home. Eventually we asked a man, and he kindly guided us to where it was. We managed to communicate to the people in the post office what we wanted, and the parcel was duly sent home.
We had a look around the small town area, and then found a restaurant to have lunch, Deb returned to the ship by tender, and I went on the bus tour.
This was a tour to St Gorges du Loup and Gourdon – because it was quite wet with the rain, it was difficult to see any of the beautiful scenery as we climbed up the mountain side in the bus. Also we quickly became surrounded with clouds and this also reduced visibility.
At Gourdon we had about 45 minutes to explore this tiny village with 8 inhabitants – there are many quaint shops, but everyone who works there comes in from outlying towns. I had a coffee and cake at a restaurant, then it was back on the bus for the return journey to the pier and tender ride back to the ship.

Friday 3rd April 2009
Today we arrived in Barcelona at the designated hour. We are docked in the cruise terminal this time, along with 4 other cruise liners which are in port at the same time as us.
We are not booked on an organised tour today as we had decided to tour Barcellona on our own. After breakfast we go ashore around 10.00am and take the shuttle bus into the World Trade Centre area where we catch a tourist bus for a two hour tour of the city. This is a “hop-on hop-off” type of bus with the open top.
Barcellona is quite different to the other cities we have visited so far. It reminds me more of Paris with its plazas and large boulevardes.
There are 3 different bus routes around the city and we take the Blue one. We could do all 3 tours if we had the time, but this one takes us through the heart of the city and then to the outskirts where the various Olympic sports were held.
The recorded commentary is provided through earphones, and helps you to get a picture of where you are and what you are seeing.
At the end of the tour, we get off again at the World Trade Centre, then walk to the area/street called La Ramblas – this is one of the main streets in Barcellona, and has a wide central pedestrian area with many restaurants, and souvenier stores, and buskers all along the street.
We had a typical Spanish lunch – I had a vegetable Paella and Deb had a pizza. The meals we quite nice, although the Paella was a bit tasteless in my view. We had asked for diet cokes with our meal – they came in huge beer steins – and it wasn’t until we got the bill that I nearly had a stroke – this is where the daylight robbery came in 6.30 Euro each !!!! That was over $12.00 a stein. And it wasn’t Diet Coke – but Pepsi !!!
Of well you can’t get stressed over things like that. We spent a little time looking at souveniers, then walked back to catch the shuttle bus back to the ship, and go through security one more time before boarding.
Then it was back to the cabin for a rest and recovery before a late dinner and bed.