Day 61: Train to Venice, Italy (stop in Milan)
Dear Friends,
We got up early. Had to be at the train station by 8:30. We took the train from Zurich to Milan to Venice. Taking the tram to the train station was easy and cost effective. We easily found our train and our seats. Having suitcases always adds a little extra work, but we managed. The food in Milan was terrible. The pizza tasted like cardboard and the sandwich was burnt and only one slice of meat. In fact, we have really only had one good meal since we have been in Italy. I guess if we want good Italian food… come to America. Or we need to find a better place to eat, or go find ourselves a real Italian family. Maybe better luck next time. The train ride from Milan to Venice was ok. This family sitting near us had 4 boys. They kept walking up and down the train, switching seats, bumping into people and basically doing as they please. They had a very entitled attitude. It was a little unnerving. We are staying at the Hotel Cavalletto e Doge Orseolo, below. We mapped it out from the train station, it looks like we take a water bus…new experience. We will see.
Later in the day: Well, I have some good hints to share. When getting off the train in Venice, you will walk outside to get your transportation to the actual city of Venice. It is likely you will take a water taxi. DO NOT (unless you are unable to carry your luggage) let the “Porters”(they are in orange vest) try to take your luggage to the water taxi. Yes there are steps. But if you look to your right as you exit the station, there is an easy ramp. These guys say “don’t take public water taxi.. crowded too much money… I take you 8 euros. Even after asking them directly.. ” You are the taxi.. you take us for $8 Euros. to our hotel?” They respond “Yes”. Good deal right> “NO!!” They will cart your luggage to the pier.. 1/4 block at best.. then direct you to a private boat.. our quote was 80 euros. then say “you owe me 8 euros for bringing your luggage here!” Eugene was livid. He refused to pay. He told the guy he lied and said he was the taxi.. He said he didn’t speak English well and we misunderstood. When Eugene came back at him, his English was much better. He called us dirty Americans.. and a few other choice names. It wasn’t the money, it was the principal. The man harassed us all the way down the dock, I guess the thought that if he embarrassed us, we would pay him. If he would not have tried to scam us, we would have gladly given him money, but not to be ripped off. We did take the public water taxi. It was only $4 per person. It was crowded and hot. But, only a 10 min boat ride and we were within walking distance of our hotel. We used our GPS.. which didn’t work that well, but finally found the hotel. It was an older building. But centrally located. Another note, be prepared to pay for restroom use. Always keep a couple Euros in your pocket. Nothing seems to be free. Some places take credit cards for payment, but not all. Expect it to be rather crowded. After we go into our room and dropped off our luggage, we were ready for some adventure and hungry.
The room itself, is … vintage. Im not sure if it was suppose to be that way or they just have not decorated for years and years and years. The bed was ok, but it does not rate in my top ten of hotels we have stayed in. But, it was centrally located and supposedly a easy walk to anywhere…. if you don’t get lost! (More about that later).
One thing we consistently found in Europe, the food is really expensive. And sadly, we have not found anything worth the price we have paid. Today was no exception. It was good, but not great. I expected in Italy that the Italian food in the restaurants would be exceptional.. We must be eating in the wrong places, because I have not tasted anything outstanding. Like I said before, I need to go visit an Italian family and ask to stay for dinner. The portions are small and everything has been mediocre at best and way overpriced. This has been disappointing.
We choose to walk around… and get lost. I mean really lost. Not that we covered a lot of area and this was a bad thing but it seems that everything leads to water or a blocked alleyway. There are vendors, shops, restaurants everywhere. You will be walking down an alley and find out it ends in an outdoor restaurant surrounded by buildings… no where to go. So turn around and try another,.. and another and another. Eugene is excellent at navigation, but even he we confused. GPS doesn’t work and we were tired and HOT.. So humid.. Probably not the best afternoon to explore. We finally found our way back to our hotel. I need a shower, Good night to all. More fun tomorrow.
Day 62: Venice, Italy
Good morning,
Today is a day to explore. Since we are totally in love with architecture, Venice is bursting with beautiful Gothic architecture. Everyplace you look is like architectural eye candy. (Since this is my letter, I have the privilege of making up my own analogies.) Don’t judge. LOL As you likely know, Venice homes and buildings are built above canals. On a side note, there are not as many “homes” left in Venice. At one point we learned that it is so expensive to live in Venice that they fear that it will soon be a city of museums and tourist attractions and no longer a city with actual residence. Our guide told us that between older people dying and people leaving because of lack of jobs and rising housing, Venice is decreasing population over 1000 residence per year. I did a little research and found that in the 1970’s the population was over 150,000, now less than 50,000 residents. Very sad. I am sure that COVID did a a lot of damage… the lack of tourism that added to the issues and lack of employment.
About Venice itself. Venice is very beautiful, with rich architecture and beautiful canals and plazas. Venice is often called a the “floating city”. But building are built on top of tree trunks. It is reported that over 10 million tree trunks support the buildings and walkways of Venice. The area is actually a marshland. The wood does not rot, actually it has become petrified because of the constant flow of salt water around the wood. The history of Venice is really interesting, I suggest that before you visit Venice, (or any place in Europe) do a little research. I wished I would have learned more about the places I was visiting, prior to coming to Europe. History was not my favorite subject, now I regret it. Thank goodness I have Eugene, he makes up for my shortcomings, and loves to learn about the places we are traveling to. It ironic, I have more education, did much better in high school and college than he did, and he seems more intelligent than I.. That can’t be…. can it? Food for thought.
We took a gondola ride, which was very relaxing and enjoyable. it was on our bucket list of things to do. Unfortunately, our guide was limited to only guiding the boat, his English was limited, but music was everywhere. Music bursted from the cafes, along the canals, from a man playing an according in the streets, a man in another gondola playing guitar for his guests. Everywhere, you could hear music. The gondola ride was great and a once in a lifetime thing. In the evening, we went to the plaza. Music played again, from every corner. It was just like in the movies, people dancing, sipping on wine, enjoy one another company or just strolling around. You could see people holding hands or just in quiet conversation. The atmosphere is one of romance in the early evenings. During the day, you have the hustle and bustle of the crowds taking selfies, shopping and pushing around crying children, who are in desperate need for a nap. But in the early evening, it seems to transform into this beautiful romantic place. Venice is pretty awesome, defiantly a place to visit, but bring extra spending money, nothing is cheap.
Doge’s Palace
Day 65: Ravenna, Italy
Good Morning,
A bit of travel advice. One thing you must check when cruising out of Venice or into any port… is it not necessarily what is on your itinerary. This was the case with Venice. Our cruise itinerary said we departed from Venice. Then they told us it was from Ravenna (3 hour train ride away) but actually it was from a town 20 minutes from Ravenna in Porto Corsini. We cancelled one night in Venice (they refused to refund) because we didn’t want to be late for our cruise or worse yet, lose it. We took the train to Ravenna. We opted to stay in Porto Corsini It was suppose to be close to the terminal, but it was still a 40 minute walk by the time you went through all the gates areas. If I were to do it again, we would stay in Ravenna. They had a shuttle to the port.
Arriving in Ravenna by train. The train ride itself was fine. However, it is an older station with few updates. Consequently, the elevator on the outside track is not exactly great. Of course, it breaks down when I’m on it. It dropped 3/4 feet and stopped. I was stuck! Eugene was still up too and could open the door a crack so I got a little air. I hit the alarm. After 3 times, they guy finally answered and said he had to get the manager. I didn’t know the manager was at home sleeping. 40 minutes later… my phone read 97 degrees… some guys shows up in what looked like his pajamas.. turned a key and opened the door …told me to climb out. REALLY I’m 64 years old and overweight..CLIMB ?? He did give me a hand. Then he turned around and walked away. I stood there trying to figure out how to lift two 60 pound suitcases up and out of the elevator. Eugene was on the other side of the tracks. No help! (I thought he would be getting me a cold drink, but later I found.. I had his wallet. No drink.) I stood there, looked at some guy and said, “so much for Italian hospitality! What an ass! “. He laughed and said in broken English… “let me make it up to you.. we are not all asses.. “ He not only lifted my luggage, but carried it down the steps for me. I told Eugene I was dying of thirst but apparently he didn’t hear me, because he was out the door looking for a cab. REALLY! He must be part Italian, a bit thoughtless. Don’t worry, I told him about it…
We thought Porto Corsini would be different. It definitely is newer and quite undeveloped for a port town. We stayed a Residence Sole II. It was like an Airbnb. I will start with the goid. The key pick up was easy.. the owners brother was sitting on the step waiting for us. The air conditioner worked well. Ok that’s it. The beds were not made, just mattress cover. Only 2 pillows, 4 beds. Only two top sheets .. no blanket or comforters. Two towels, no wash cloths. Stove doesn’t work properly, water pressure terrible, no dish soap.. not basics, very noisy neighbors, not safe looking area. . No restaurants or stores within a 30 minute walk. 45 minute walk to port. Stay in Ravenna!
We tried to find an open restaurant, no luck. Bought some random items at a convenience mom and pop store and took back to cook…on a broken stove with limited pots and pans. Better days tomorrow, good night.
Day 66: Board Brilliance of the Seas
Good Morning,
After walking with our luggage, on uneven, broken pavement streets, for 45 minutes we finally found the cruise terminal. It was poorly marked. People were asking us, where to go and where to park. We were in good company with the clueless. This cruise was aboard the Brilliance of the Seas, which were just on this spring. We were familiar with some of the staff and the layout of the ship. Boarding was quite easy, except the terminal had no air, in fact it was more of circus tent, than a terminal, and it was extremely hot and humid. Once we got on the ship, we were back in our element. We had not eaten breakfast, so headed straight to the Windjammer to have an early lunch. We then proceeded to do our muster call… must get that out of the way, then found a comfortable place to relax and play cards. Most everyone headed to the pool, so it was quite crowded. There were a lot of children on the cruise, so that added to the congestion. After all, school is out and families are happy to cruise since most of the Covid restrictions have lightened up. There were various thing to do during the day. They were showing “Marry Me” in the theater (already saw it), there was Elton John Music trivia in the Centrum, and a sail away party pool side. Our cruise itinerary consist of leaving Venice, Italy (not really ) Porto Ravenna (which is not really) it is actually Porto Corsini, then day 2 to Kotor, Montenegro, day 3:Corfu, Greece, day 4: Athens, Greece (which isn’t really Athens at all, Athens is miles away from the port) then day 5, Mykonos Greece, day 6, Argostoli, Greece, day 7 at sea and then back to Porto Corsini/Ravenna/Venice. We are especially looking forward to Athens. It is on our bucket list for sure. Since it is July 4 weekend and 35% of the guests are American, it is natural they would celebrate the Independence Day for USA. The Brilliance of the Seas did it up right on this cruise… from special effects, to music to a celebration party. First night in the dining room… oh so good. I had the strip steak, perfect. Eugene ordered the Caribbean Jerk Pork Chop, and we topped it off with an extra entree of Lasagna. Everything was awesome! the evening there was karaoke, bingo and a Majority Rules game. They also had Latin dancing on the Starquest Club. We went to the casino, played a bit, met some new friends and then headed to bed. Ready for a good nights sleep. Good night to all
Day 67: Kotor, Montenegro
Good morning,
Today we were in Kotor, Montenegro. We are super excited because we plan to take a boat out to the blue caves. We had to tender in, because there were a number of ships in. You had to reserve a spot on the tender by getting a ticket. Once we were on land, we walked directly over to where the boat rentals were. Royal Caribbean offered the excursion, but you are on a boat with a lot of people, it is very expensive and we would prefer to go alone. We decided to walk to the pier and see if we could get a private trip, with our own preference and timeline, and we did. It was awesome. For $220, (saving $90 by going on our own) we had our own private speed boat and tour. The young man that took us was great. He pointed out and told us about the different highlights. One of the things we really thought was interesting was the submarine caves. In WWII, they dug tunnels throughout the mountains, so the soldiers could get to the caves to get on submarines hidden in the underwater caves without being detected. There were a number of caves throughout the tour. We went to the blue water caves and Eugene jumped in and swam into one of the caves. He said it was pitch black, so he coolant see much inside without a light. The water is so clear that it appears to be shallow, but actually is is very very deep. The water is super blue because the light rays that hit the water is reflected on the vaults of the caves and are scattered. That causes the beautiful color of blue in the water. We stopped at the “Our Lady of the Rocks Church”. Our guide told us about how every year, residents celebrate by bringing rocks to the church, to help The church sits in one of two inlets off the coast of Perast in the bay. It is an artificial island built of rock and by sinking old ships by filling them with rocks. The story goes that a local sailor found the icon of Madonna and Child on the rock in the sea on July 22, 1452. He made an oath to keep the icon in its place, seamen have kept the ancient oath ever since. Every year on July 22, locals bring rocks to keep building the island up. On the Island, there is the Church (Catholic), which is the largest building and a museum attached. There is also a little gift shop and a lighthouse.
After the tour, we returned to the dock (tipped him handsomely) and went off to find Eugene a Montenegro hat. Not an easy task, but we finally found one. We picked up some candy for our stateroom attendant and a couple other little gifts for family and friends, walked around a bit and then headed back to the ship to shower and relax.
Later we headed for dinner and sat around and listened to live music. What a great day!! Good night to all.
Day 68: Corfu, Greece
Good morning,
Our next stop was in Corfu, Greece. With an exciting and busy day yesterday, we decided to keep today a little lower key. The ship docked right in port but the walk to the terminal was rather lengthy. Royal offered a free shuttle to the terminal. From there we needed to get to old town, which was several miles away. There really was not a lot around the terminal, unless you paid to go on an excursion or did the hop on hop off bus, which only had 3 stops. Not really worth the money. We used the public bus, that picked up and dropped off right at the terminal. It was only 7 euros round trip for both of us. It was over crowded but only a couple minutes drive. The town was rather run down looking. However, shopping (for me) was great. I was looking for a nice ring for my son. Not junk, but not hundreds of dollars. There was basically several streets of shops, restaurants and such.. It was extremely warm, but we enjoyed ourselves. Fortunately, I got everything I needed right there in Corfu. We got a drink, walked around and looked at the fort and sites for a bit, then got back on the city bus for the terminal.. I was very pleased at the bargians I got. I love Dolche & Gabbana Light Blue. I got it for 1/2 the cost of it in the states. Gold and silver jewelry was much less expensive and a nice selection of hand crafted jewelry, beyond the typical tourist stuff. Everyone was pleasant and seemed quite thankful for the return of the ships.
Corfu is known for the beautiful beaches and it diverse architecture due to the influence of so many other nationalities.
After a few hours wondering around town, we headed back to the ship. Most people were arriving at the same time. We grabbed some lunch and took a little nap. The privilege of being on vacation. Tomorrow will be a very busy day. It is quite hot and I wear out quickly (overweight and old). After our nap, we dressed and went to the Centrum to listen to music and chat with some new friends. There was aplenty going on around the ship, if you choose to participate as usual. Rock climbing, basketball, ping pong, movies, trivia… whatever you wish to do. We chose to just chill and relax.
Day 69: Athens, Greece
Good Morning,
Today is the day on this cruise I’ve been looking forward to the most. This is a bucket list item for sure. We docked in Port of Piraeus, which is approximately 8 miles from the port. We chose use the Hop on Hop Off bus, because of the cost and convenience. We love the informative narrative as we travel from place to place. Several different companies were waiting right outside the terminal. We compared routes and prices. We chose not to do the City Bus company because of past experiences with this company. Not to say that your experiences may have been better. We chose “Sights of Athens”, because they had two different routes and it seemed less crowded. I believe it was $16 per person for the day.
Due to the uncertainty of crowds, transfers.. our first destination… the Acropolis, more specifically the Parthenon. It was the third stop on the route. Understand that the Acropolis is located at the top of a steep hill. There didn’t seem to be any way to get up except to walk. Try to wear no slip shoes, the stones can be slippery. Expect it to be hot and humid in the summer, so bring water. You must buy tickets to go inside. It is best to buy them ahead of time. Though there is a way to walk to the back, this is not an entrance. We found out the hard way, but still got some great pictures. You need to go further up the hill to get to the entrance. There are restrooms, which is very convenient.
About the Acropolis. It is worth the visit. It is amazing to see that such structures with such beautiful design, we built so long ago. The history books say it was built in 447 bc, but I’m sure that may not be an exact date. It’s really old and amazing, that’s all I know for sure.. I wasn’t there, despite my smart a** son’s comment… “Oh, MOM you remember don’t you? Growing up with all the gladiators and such?”
After an hour or so at the Acropolis and the Parthenon we went back down and hopped on the Yellow Bus, This took us to Syntagma Square, the Plaza District, the Monastiraki and into the Market area, We did not get off the bus, just simply listened to the recording, took pictures and relaxed and enjoyed the sites. It was extremely hot, and humid. I really was not feeling well, so did not want to risk it. Remember the reason we are pushing to get everything
Day 70: Mykonos Greece
Good Morning,
Today is Day 5 on the Brilliance of the Seas. We are docking near Mykonos, Greece. However, you must take a tender to get to shore. Unfortunately, I got a little sunburned yesterday and a bit dehydrated. Therefore, we opted to stay in the ship today. It’s been a very busy few weeks of go, go.. I needed a day of down time. So we took our time, had a leisurely breakfast them went for a quiet walk around the exterior decks.
From the ship the water near Mykonos was clear and blue. The island looks like something out of a painting. White beaches, blue water, ivory colored buildings outlined the shore. We took pictures from the ship deck and then settled in for some much needed peaceful relaxation on the top most deck. This area has much less traffic, away from the pools amd play areas. A great place to read a book, enjoy the sun and ocean breeze. Just what the doctor would have ordered.
Of course, there were many activities to attend , if we choose from rum tasting, to spa experiences, to sudoku, trivia, to dance class. But, we choose to just veg out. The afternoon went by quickly, before we knew it, we had to get showered and ready for dinner. Dinner was good. After 40 dinners on cruise ships, we are spoiled. I’m sure we will be more appreciative of our meals, when I am cooking again, home in Florida.
We went to Production Showtime in the Center Stage at 8:00. It was very good. The Royal Caribbean dancers, singers and musicians are always good. They performed a variety of jazz, pop, rock and Latin numbers. It was worth the time spent. We then headed to the casino and hung out with new friends we made on this cruise. It was a great day. Early to bed, tomorrow is another adventure.
Good night to all
Day 71: Argostoli, Greece
Today we land in the port of the Island of Cephalonia (Kefalonia), Argostoli is the capital. We could walk directly from the ship into the town. I specifically wanted to see the famous endangered Caretta Caretta turtles. They were right there in the harbor, about 1/3 mile from where the ship was docked. We were told by the local fishermen that these specific turtles do not migrate, because they have plenty of fish from the fishermen cleaning their daily catch and throwing the excess into the water, for the turtles to feed upon. Therefore, they have no need to leave. At this point, they may be considered more like pet turtles living in the wild. (my opinion). I wonder if they have lost their instinct to hunt because of the generosity of the fishermen. It seems like a give/take relationship the fishermen and the turtles. The turtles attract the tourists, who purchase the daily catch and the fishermen feed the turtles. A win win relationship. To have the greatest opportunity to see these magnificent creatures, go to the dock …where the finding boats are sitting parallel with the sidewalk, between the hours of 9:00 am and 11:00 am. . We were not sure where to go, the locals were happy to give us directions. The walk is pleasant with several great places for photos. We were fortunate to see 4 or 5 turtles. Several of them were 2 1/2 -3 feet in diameter. It was interesting to see the extensive growth of barnacles and algae growing on there shells. Though the water was a bit cloudy due to the activity in the water from the fishing boats movement, the thousands of tiny fish tearing apart the remain thrown overboard and the turtles feeding. Despite all the activity, we did get some good pictures of the turtles and throughly enjoyed the walk.
We were told by one of the fishermen that the island was devastated in the 1953 by am earthquake. That is why so much of the architecture is modern. The area was quite a busy port. There were a number of ferries and cargo ships. There were yachts, Sailboats, and tour boats docked on the dock.
Argostoli is the shopping center for the island. aside from the typical tourist shopping, there were speciality shops, salons, grocery and a farmers market. There are small cafes, bakeries, taverns, and coffee shops, throughout the town. After exploring, I found a small hair salon, right near the cruise terminal . Lucky for me, they had time to color, cut and style my hair. It was long past due. I sent Eugene back to the ship and I settled in for an afternoon of pampering. They did a great job! Better than some of the color/cuts I have had in the States The price?… wait for it .. $67 US!! I tipped $20 because I was so thankful they squeezed me in. I stopped off at the shop next door, grabbed my mom some spices and hurried back to the ship. What a great day!
We showered(yes we do that a lot… fat people sweat) had dinner and went back to our cabin and crashed. Tomorrow is our last day on the ship. It’s a sea day, so PARTY!! Yea, like a 64 year old parties, in bed by 11:00 pm LOL Good night to all.
Day 72: At Sea
Day 73: Depart Brilliance of the Seas in Venice, Italy
Staying at:
Day 74: Venice, Italy
Day 75: Fly to Casablanca, Morocco
Good Morning,
Our flight was at 6:30 am. I read that it is better to have the first flights In the morning to reduce the likelihood of delays or list luggage. The hotel we stayed at was great. They provided a shuttle to the airport. It was only $15 euros and he was waiting at the desk for us at 3:45 am. We got to airport early. That was a good thing. When checking in we were told we needed to print and complete a health travel form. The lady at the desk was down right rude. I said we didn’t know about the form. I asked if they had a blank form. She flatly said no. I asked where could we print the form. She responded, “I have no idea, you should have thought of this before arriving at the airport. I said I would have if any place in the information from the airlines said I needed it. She huffed at me, wrote down the website and told me she had to serve the next customer. So in a panic, we logged on and after 20 minutes, figured out how to complete the form. Then we set off to find someone to print. I walked up to a random counter, no one in line and (I must have looked desperate,) she smile.. (yes an Italian person smiled at me) and asked how she could help. She could not print the completed form but blank ones. After completing it, we got back in line and waited again. A different person this time, checked our luggage and off we went. The line through security was long, then when we arrived at our gate .. no seats everyone stood in line. Nothing like in the states. There is basically no place to sit. Unless you are in a restaurant, you are standing. The Venice airport gets grade C – for airports, and I am being generous. After we got the form in hand and boarded the plane, the flight was crowded, but not too bad. We arrived, expecting that the form would be carefully reviewed and vitally important, I kept it in hand. It was almost a joke. There was a man collecting the forms, shoved them into a stack without even looking at them and waved us through. So much for needing the vital Morocco entry form. LOL
We gathered our luggage and headed to the rental car place. We rented from Sixt. We had to walk outside the terminal and after asking several times, we found the rental place. There were people everywhere trying to give you ride, trying to carry your luggage.. I haven’t said “no thank you!” so many times since dating Eugene. That was a joke, I never say no. LOL. The van was all scratched and dinged up. It smelled like BO and cigarettes. The seats had burn holes in them and it was DIRTY. Why we didn’t ask for another vehicle is beyond me . But Eugene just wanted to get to the hotel. As we drove to our hotel, I was shocked by the disarray of the buildings, the poverty, and the driving habits of the others. The driver in Casablanca,…. later we found all over Morocco, are totally disrespectful and basically have no rules or filters. Eugene said he will never complain about American drivers again. They never use turn signals, they do not yield right away, if you are in the far right lane and want to turn left, you just cut through three lanes, and if there is another car turning left, you pull beside it, if there are two cars, you pile to the right or left of it… so what if you clog all traffic.. just cut of the oncoming traffic, if they have to slam on their breaks… so what. If there is a light, expect that at least one car and 3 motorcycles will run the light. The police do nothing to ticket or stop them. It is like a free for all with horn blowing, people shouting and craziness. Eugene is a great driver and he loves to drive, he said, “Never Again” . I will talk more about the buildings later with the pictures, but some looked like they were bombed… because they were.
We arrived at our hotel.. We stayed in a hotel called the Barcelo. It was wonderful. The staff were so pleasant. The room was clean and comfortable and it was wonderful.
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Day 76: Casablanca, Morocco
Morocco is so unique. There are expensive, modern buildings with cool looking architecture. Then you have extreme poverty. The Mosques are huge and expensive.But the people live in slums and shacks. To see people and children working in 118 degree temps out in the fields herding sheep, goats, cows. The animal scavenge the desert fields for bits of grass and hay. Families have to walk miles to get to a source of water.
We drove to the Blue City, Chefchaouen. It was
Day 77: Casablanca, Morocco
Day 78: Fly to New York City… Charlotte… Orlando…
Day 79: Home
