Matt and I have just been on a whirlwind trip of a lifetime: a two week Mediterranean cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas, covering Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey. We figured what better time than now to take our dream vacation – no kids, flexible work schedules, and Matt’s done with the bar exam!
Day 1 & 2: “We made it!”
We left Minneapolis at 11am and flew through Toronto on Air Canada, had a few hours’ layover and continued on to Barcelona where we were scheduled to meet our ship. We vowed to never fly with that airline again since their service is terrible and their coach seats are made for people who are probably less than 5’5”. I was so excited the night before that I couldn’t sleep at all, I was ready to BE THERE already. Since I was in charge of planning the whole trip and I was sure that we’d forget something important like our passports, credit cards, or camera, but we managed to remember everything and packed everything we’d need for two weeks into our suitcases. For someone who always overpacks for even a weekend, I was pretty proud of myself. Matt probably got about 3 hours of sleep. We tried to sleep on the plane, but with the noise and cramped seats sleep just wouldn’t come. Needless to say by the time we got to Barcelona at 7:30 the next morning we resembled zombies more than people.
We thought it would be fun to take a taxi to the ship instead of Royal Caribbean’s transport, not only because it was supposed to be cheaper but also so that the cabbie could give us the skinny on Barcelona’s sights and history, but as it turned out, none of the cab drivers spoke any English. We went to 3 different ones before we found one who understood that we wanted to pay with a Mastercard. I’m really glad I asked, because the first one only took cash and the other didn’t take our specific card. I’m pretty sure he took a roundabout way to the ship because it was way more expensive than the price the gal who was running the show told us, but hey, neither of us spoke Spanish so we shrugged it off.
We made it safely aboard the ship and since it was too early to go to the staterooms, we explored the ship and grabbed a bit to eat. I had been on this ship before when my family took a Caribbean cruise in 2009 so I was familiar with the layout, but it was Matt’s first cruise and I was excited to show him around. The ship has 13 decks and is basically a city on water – multiple bars, dining areas, several pools, a cinema, a casino, a fitness center, spa, nightclub, performance theater, sports courts, rock climbing wall, and 9 putt-putt holes.
When our room was ready we basically collapsed on the bed, yearning for just a few hours of rest after not sleeping for 2 days. But sleep was not to be had, because every passenger had to go on deck for a safety drill.
On the ship you dine every night at the same time with the same group, these elaborate 3-course meals. Thank goodness we did so much walking every day, otherwise we both would have gained 10 lbs. We were placed at one of the large tables that was taken up by half a dozen old ladies from Michigan. At first we groaned inwardly. But to our good fortune the remaining seats at the table were soon filled by a lovely couple from London (John & Monique) that we got to know well over the course of the cruise. We exchanged glances with them that said, “Well, at least we have each other since we’re stuck here!” We had a lot of fun conversations about our cultural differences (the fact that Brits eat baked beans on toast for breakfast came up a time or two!) And as it turned out the old ladies were really sweet and fun to be around: they were very interested in Matt’s job search and law school experiences and how we met. Though they were crazy shoppers, none of the rest of us could believe the mountains of shopping bags they returned with after each day in port.
Day 3: Cannes, France
Since this was our one day in France, I wanted to stay away from touristy Cannes, so we opted for a tour of two small provincial villages: Fayence & Seillans. The day started off rainy but soon improved, and we enjoyed the rustic beauty of the French countryside & cobblestone streets. I was hoping there might be some lavender fields, but it turns out they are a ways inland. Instead, we found olive and palm trees everywhere! Matt got to try the tasty French bread, and I got to practice my French. After having studied abroad in France twice (high school and college), France is like a second home for me. I hope to take Matt back to France someday to visit other regions and meet my host family.
Day 4: Florence & Pisa
Everyone always complains about the crazy drivers in Rome, but I would argue that Florence could give them a run for their money. It’s such a beautiful city, the cradle of the Renaissance. Home to the powerful Medici family and forward thinkers like Galileo, Machiavelli and Michelangelo. We would definitely go back since we got just a taste of it. We saw the infamous Duomo (cathedral), bell tower and baptistery (though we didn’t go inside), and the golden Gates of Paradise on the baptistery that show scenes from the Old Testament.
We walked with our group along the narrow cobblestone streets (careful not to get run over by the cars that have no problem coming within a foot of you!) to the Palazzo Vecchio where we saw the town hall of Florence, a copy of Michelangelo’s David (the real one is in a museum), and other famous sculptures, some that were 2,000 years old (like the Medici lions). From there we strolled past many museums (we would have loved to go inside but we had to keep up with the group), the church of Sante Croce (“Holy Cross”), and found ourselves in front of Ponte Vecchio (literally means “old bridge” in Italian) overlooking the Arno River. It’s a ritzy shopping point for jewelry now, though it used to be for butchers (can you imagine the stench of rotting meat in the hot summer days? Gross!) We had a half hour of free time at the square near Sante Croce so we looked through the shops (they are famous for gold and leather and authentic Roman coins that are WAY out of our price range), and of course grabbed some authentic gelato (the nutella and melon flavors were to die for). I’m pretty sure I’d eat gelato every day if I lived there. Too bad their government and economy are so messed up or I’d be tempted to live there.
We had a fantastic tour guide, he was so funny and jolly, especially when he was making fun of his mother-in-law’s cooking. (Actually, all the tour guides we had in Italy and Turkey were exceptional!) He managed to keep the large group mostly together, though one couple did disappear and eventually he couldn’t wait any longer since we were on a schedule. That would be an expensive taxi ride back to the ship on their own (probably over $500). Another guy lost his wife, but she eventually got a taxi and was able to catch up with the group at our lunch stop.
Part of the tour included lunch at a nice restaurant in Florence overlooking the city. The view was fantastic, and I thought the food was decent but I didn’t think it was that special. One thing the Italians do that we don’t is separate courses: they always have a pasta course and a meat course (and of course dessert and coffee, no matter how much of a hurry you’re in!)
In the afternoon we drove to Pisa, where we were able to seeing the Leaning Tower in the Field of Miracles. It’s interesting that they’ve done repairs on it and could likely upright the tower if they wanted to, but then nobody would come to visit. Matt was “anointed” by a pigeon as we walked through the gate. In Italy it’s a sign of good luck. Maybe it was good luck for me instead! Luckily being the planner I am I had hand wipes so we could clean him up, since you have to pay to use the bathrooms in Europe. (Definitely something we take for granted in the U.S.)
Day 5: Rome in a day
There are no words for how fantastic Rome is, I could have stayed for at least a couple weeks. It was my favorite port of call on our trip. As it were, we had 1 day. We rode in a coach for about an hour or so to the city, and got dropped off in front of the Hard Rock Café (I was amused by the ceiling fresco of angels playing instruments). Buses aren’t allowed in certain parts of the city, so we set out for a day of walking (we probably walked at least 3.5 miles that day. I was grateful for the exercise since we were eating so much rich food on the ship). We started out at the top of the Spanish Steps, a major social meeting point in Rome. We made our way down the stairs past the statue of the Sunken Ship (thank goodness it was sunny, because marble is so slippery when it’s wet, I’m sure I would have fallen flat on my face).
From there we walked to the Trevi Fountain. It’s huge and covered in beautiful marble sculptures. We each tossed in a coin over our shoulders, which legend says will ensure your return to the Eternal City.
Next was the Temple of Hadrian in Piazza di Pietra built in 145 AD. The plentiful Corinthian columns are so old and worn and beautiful. Today the building houses the Italian stock exchange. It was also interesting to see that the old city of Rome used to be on a much lower level (probably at least 40 feet) – you could see the gaps based on how the old buildings were constructed. Matt had a bit of a narrow escape with a pick pocket disguised as a Roman soldier who was there to pose for tourist photos (they were all over the city). I had familiarized myself ahead of time with typical distraction tactics that pick pockets use, but I was unprepared for this one. Luckily there was nothing in Matt’s pockets to steal – I had made sure all our valuables were stored safely in a fanny pack under my shirt. But another member of our tour group said he overheard the pick pocket saying he was going to try to get a picture with Matt and reach into his pocket while he had his arm around him. That made me really angry, since Matt has his white cane and the guy was making gestures about Matt not being able to see, so he was clearly picking on him. I walked up to him, shoot my head and gave him a firm "No!"
The Pantheon was quite a sight – it’s not exactly “pretty”, but it’s so ancient that it boggles your mind (built in 126 AD). It’s one of the best-preserved Roman buildings (it used to be a Pagan temple and was only saved from being torn down because it was later converted into a Catholic church). It’s still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome, is perfectly wide as it is tall, and has a huge hole (“oculus”) in the middle of the dome to let in light (and water when it rains). It’s also where painter Raphael is buried.
We made our way to Piazza Navona, which is said to be the most beautiful square in Rome. There were restaurants and stores and art stands everywhere. It also houses Bernini’s Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the 4 Rivers, which represent rivers of the 4 continents that were known at the time to which papal authority had spread - the Nile representing Africa, the Danube representing Europe, the Ganges representing Asia, and the Platte representing the Americas). Like many sites in Rome, this one also has an Egyptian obelisk. The Nile figure’s head and eyes are covered in fabric, because the Nile’s source was unknown at the time. At this point we were starving, so we grabbed a patio table at a restaurant next to the fountain for some authentic pizza, vino and of course we made a stop for gelato. We found some watercolor paintings in the piazza to bring home as well, which showcased some of the sights we’d be to that day.
We walked past Castel Sant’Angelo to cross the river on our way to Vatican City. Sant’Angelo used to be used as a fortress, residence and even a prison by popes, but now it’s a museum. You can see St. Peter’s from the bridge.
By that point we were pretty overheated and dehydrated (and I was regretting my decision to wear a black shirt that day). Our last stop of the day was St. Peter’s Square, where we were surrounded by beautiful statues of saints and popes and one of the few real Egyptian obelisks. Normally Wednesdays there is a papal audience, but lucky us, the pope was at his summer residence so the lines weren’t too long to get into the Basilica. I cannot begin to describe how massive and ornate the inside of St. Peter’s is. Everything is covered in gold and is beautifully sculpted, almost to the point of overkill. And of course it houses many masterpieces such as the Bernini Pulpit and the priceless Pieta sculpture by Michelangelo (the first and only work he ever signed). As a non-Catholic, I couldn’t help but be a little put off by this church paved in gold even though I was in awe of it – the Catholic Church is amazingly wealthy and, while beautiful, it seems wasteful to spent it on such material things when so many people could be helped with that money instead, which would be more in keeping with the church’s mission. It’s also pretty eye-opening for a protestant to witness such idolatry of the Virgin Mary and the pope (no offense to any Catholics reading this). Despite these observations, I found myself very drawn to the excitement of it all; it was actually hard to not get caught up in it.
There is still so much of Rome I want to see – the Sistine Chapel, the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, the Vatican museums, and I want to have time to try more restaurants and gelato. That’s the downside of doing a cruise- you have very limited time and are shuffled from one place to the next without much down time for independent exploration.
Day 6-7: getting our sea legs
After Rome we had a couple of days at sea as our ship made its way to Greece. I liked having a couple days to relax and refresh- we slept in and spent several hours by the pools & hot tubs, swimming and reading and sipping tropical drinks and mini-golfing. Matt was excited to find a free sauna room, which kept him busy whenever I was taking too long to get ready for dinner. We enjoyed the excellent live music and live shows each night with our UK friends from our dinner table. The shows each night varied a lot – sometimes they were musicians, sometimes Broadway-style, one night there was a comedy/magician routine (he apparently had performed for the British royal family too!) and a Love & Marriage game show (which is always embarrassing for the featured couples but hilarious for the audience). Needless to say we did not participate in the game show, since I’m pretty sure Matt would have killed me for volunteering him. :)
Day 8: Athens
In Athens our bus took us on a winding tour of the city – past the parliament building, the Panatheniac Stadium (site of the first Olympic games in 1896), and the guards watching over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Matt was amused by the guards’ effeminate uniforms, complete with white skirts and pom-pom shoes). I can see why they call Athens a concrete jungle – it’s really not very clean or pretty. I don’t think I’d care to go back there now that I’ve seen the tourist spots. But the Acropolis is a must – see. Our group made its way up the steps of the Acropolis (which simply means the highest point of the city – many areas have an acropolis, not just Athens). We saw ruins of an old amphitheater, and at the top were several temples – one dedicated to Nike (goddess of victory), the Propylaea (entrance to the Acropolis), the Erechtheion (dedicated to both Poseidon and Athena, because they each gave gifts to the city; Athena’s was an olive tree), and of course, the PARTHENON! All were under construction – you could see where various pieces of new white marble had replaced the old stone (though within a couple of decades they would oxidize and become the same color as the others and most people will never know the difference). The Parthenon is dedicated to Athena (Parthenon comes from the Greek word for virgin, because Athena was a virgin). From the Acropolis we could see the vast layout of the sprawling city, a giant rock where St. Paul preached the gospel, and Hadrian’s Arch.
Day 9: Ancient Ephesus (Turkey)
This was the first time either of us had ever been to Asia, so we were pretty excited. Our ship arrived in the port of Kusadasi, and we took a bus to the ruins. We had a fantastic tour guide (whose name meant “Princess”). She called us “her people” and told us lots of funny stories about her culture and her husband. We weren’t originally sure if Matt would be able to make the treck in Ancient Ephesus since (like the Acropolis) it was very rocky and uneven, but we managed just fine. There was a lot that had not been excavated yet, but we saw the Odeum (small amphitheater), a statue of Nike, the Fountain of Trajan, Temple of Hadrian, etc. The two –story Library of Celsus was really neat- lots of ornate carvings, and it was the 3rd largest library in the ancient world with over 12,000 manuscripts. There was a road called the Arcadian Way where Mark Antony and Cleopatra used to ride by in their chariots – it linked the Grand Theater and the former harbor. But by far the coolest way the Grand Theater, where St. Paul preached. It held 25,000 people at the time, the largest in antiquity (people were a lot smaller back then). It was incredible to think of him standing in that spot preaching the gospel 2,000 years ago. Also impressive (but not in a good way) were the men’s ancient latrines – can you imagine 30-40 men sitting next to each other in the open like that? Imagine the smell! Women apparently didn’t have public toilets then, they had to use the ones in their homes.
I am SO glad I brought my white hat to shield myself from the strong sun, it was really HOT in Turkey, at least in the mid-90’s.
We didn’t get a chance to see it, but not too far away is the House of the Virgin Mary, where she supposedly lived out her last days. Also nearby is a single column still standing of one of seven wonders of the ancient world, the Temple of Artemis that was built in 550 BC & reconstructed several times (it was destroyed by arson and plundering). Except for that single column it doesn’t exist today, in fact, none of the 7 wonders of the ancient world still exist today except the Great Pyramid of Giza.
On our bus ride back to the pier, “Princess” told us a lot about the culture in Turkey (pronounced “Turkey-ay”, she emphasized to us). For one, it is unique in that it is a democracy, even though 90% of the people are Muslim (good thing for tourists!) They seem pretty forgiving of ours western ways (even women wearing skirts and shorts, probably because we didn’t go inside any mosques). One thing that surprised me is how different the eastern and western parts of Turkey are – the western part (where we were) seems a little more modern, but the eastern part is still very much dominated with practices that would be considered antiquated by our standards, such as arranged marriages at young ages, a woman’s worth/ability to marry being based on her dowry (in this case, the number of carpets in her dowry), and even the lack of official documentation (a lot of people don’t even have marriage licenses, the ceremony is just performed and that’s it). Oh, and women cannot ask for divorce, only men can. All they have to do is say the word “divorce” three times, and it’s legal.
Once we got back to the pier it was way past lunchtime, but we had one more stop – a carpet demonstration. Turkey is very proud of its carpets (similar in quality to Persian rugs). They are worth thousands of dollars depending on style and number of knots. Very beautiful, but very expensive. It was interesting to see how they were made, though, and even more interesting that they only increase in value over time the more they are walked on. People there invest in rugs like we invest in real estate. They definitely know how to do a hard sell there – they rolled out at least a few dozen carpets in front of us as they offered us snacks and typical Turkish drinks like apple tea, a licorice-flavored alcohol called Raki, and coffee, and after the demonstration where you were shut up in this room they had a salesman for each person and tried to get you to touch the carpets, tell them what kind you liked, etc. They wouldn’t let you leave easily, that’s for sure! But if you are firm enough with them, they get the point. We experienced more of that hard sell as we wandered through the touristy shops at the pier, while searching for lunch. I was looking for something I could make into a Christmas ornament, since I wanted one from every country. Matt was hungry and in no mood for their tactics, so we broke free as soon as possible and decided to play it safe and have lunch on the ship instead (a lot of things in Turkey aren’t safe to eat, particularly fresh foods and tap water). Though I did buy about a gagillion boxes of Turkish Delight (lokum).
Day 10: Santorini
We had gorgeous weather in Santorini (one of the Greek islands that is famous for all the volcanic cliffs dotted with white buildings and blue domed churches and the unbelievably blue Aegean Sea). We took a tender (small ferry) to the shore and a coach bus took us 800 feet up the winding caldera cliffs as we gazed out at the sea that really is a blue as the postcards. Santorini has a really neat history – it used to be an active volcano (the biggest eruption in recorded history, believed by some to have caused the disappearance of the city of Atlantis). The C-shaped crater (“caldera”) is all that remains (along with an active volcano and hot springs seen across Santorini Bay).
We went first to a winery to taste the local vintage, accompanied by John & Monique. The wine came complete with Greek snacks of cheese, tomatoes, olives and some kind of bread that was hard as a rock - seriously!. The volcanic soil on the island used to grow the grapes is so rich that they don’t even have to water it.
We then drove to our favorite spot of the day, a little town on the north side of the island called Oia (“eee-yah”). It was such a charming town – lots of winding cobblestone streets (you could easily get lost, but you probably wouldn’t care), cute shops, domed churches, panoramic views of the craggy cliffs and a lookout point where we could see everything. I would love to live there, it was breathtaking. I can see why all the houses are white (or at least are supposed to be painted white) – it’s a great way to deflect the hot sunshine. It’s too bad we had to get back on the ship before sunset, because Santorini is famous for its sunsets that seem to set straight into the deep blue ocean. I’m thinking we should get a winter home there with a pool overlooking the bay to watch those sunsets. ;) You could tell Oia must be a favorite of the rich & famous, because everything was very clean and very pricey. I can’t imagine what it would cost to buy property there!
Apparently there are so many domed churches because the people of Santorini are deeply religious due to fear of another volcanic eruption. But each church is often only used once a year, on the day of the saint each one happens to be dedicated to. Celebrating the saint day you’re named after is also a bigger deal than birthdays there.
From there our bus took us to Fira, the capital in the center of the island, which also had a very large white cathedral and plenty of shops. Our ship looked so small next to the tall cliffs… We decided we couldn’t leave without eating some local food, so we found a restaurant balcony with a gorgeous view of the cliffs and bay. Matt got moussaka (similar to a meat & eggplant lasagna with béchamel sauce) and I got lamb & beef kebabs. Both were fantastic! We made our way through the winding streets to the cable car station, which we took back down to the ship. Some people ride donkeys down the cliffs, but I was glad our tour included the cable car instead of a smelly animal. Matt, being afraid of heights, wasn’t a huge fan of the 45 degree angle and rocket-like speed of the cars. I thought it was fun, but then again, I like roller coasters.
Day 12: Naples (Amalfi Coast and Pompeii)
After another day at sea and a midnight mini-golf session, we reached the western coast of Italy again, the town of Naples. Naples is the birthplace of pizza, and fresh mozzarella cheese. While our tour didn’t actually go into Naples itself, we explored the surrounding areas: a boat cruise of the infamous Amalfi Coast followed by walking through the ruins of Pompeii, where Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and covered the entire city in ash & pumice.
The Amalfi Coast is gorgeous – grand mountains covered in lush green “umbrella” (pine) trees, with little cities nestled between the cliffs, including the town of Amalfi which we got to explore. It was a major shipping port in the Middle Ages, complete with a cute little cobblestone square, a 12th century cathedral & bell tower, cafes, shops, fish market and of course, gelato! (You didn’t think we’d miss another gelato opportunity, did you?) The area is famous for chili peppers (some were hanging on the walls of shops with a sign that read “natural Viagra”), and for the large lemons that are used to produce limoncello (a very strong lemon and sugar-infused alcohol).
Our group stopped down the road from the Pompeii ruins for lunch, which in typical Italian style included wine, a pasta course, a meat course, a yummy alcohol-soaked sponge cake and coffee. I was surprised we didn’t get espresso, but they probably figured Americans wouldn’t be able to handle it. [Though actually our ship only had a small percentage of people from the U.S. – there were a lot of people from the UK, Spain, Poland, Japan, Canada, South Africa, etc. Probably the reason why half the movies they showed in the cinema on board the ship were not in English….]
Before visiting Pompeii we had a visit to a cameo factory (delicate images hand-carved onto conch shells) – they are still carved with the same tools used during the Renaissance.
Only about 2/3 of Pompeii has been excavated, and the ruins themselves are massive. We only saw a tiny portion of it, including the houses & stores, an amphitheater, the area where gladiators practiced, the men’s baths, the brothel, and the marketplace/forum. The guide was really impressed with Matt’s ability to navigate the ruins. Back in the day it the area was home to 20,000 people and it was a major marketplace and vacation spot for the Romans. The erotic frescos and prevalence of brothels gives me the impression that this was an ancient version of MTV Spring Break in Cancun, with a phallic and fertility obsession. They showed us the phallic symbol carved into the street to point the way to the brothel so nobody would have to ask where it was, and how the prostitutes were nicknamed “she-wolves” from the calls they made to let customers know they were available. The customer simply needed to point to the pictures on the walls to show what service he wanted. One thing I found interesting was that everyone had a good standard of living and ate well, even the slaves, who were treated much better than slaves in the Americas.
I put myself in the shoes of those poor scared people whose lives ended so abruptly that many of them could not escape or else could not afford to leave their successful market stalls behind for fear of plundering – the people didn’t even know the mountain was an active volcano until the day it erupted! Though they have evidence there were some severe earthquakes before that, which you think would have been a warning to them…but instead they stayed to rebuild. It was also interested that most people died from the heat bursting from the volcano, not from ash suffocation. But despite how scary the experience must have been for them, it’s fascinating to see an ancient town so perfectly preserved because it was abandoned and forgotten for 1,700 years before they started excavating it. They have plaster molds of the bodies that scientists were able to create by pouring plaster into the spaces between the ash, where the bodies decomposed.
Day 13: “Stop the rocking!”
After our last excursion day, we bade farewell to Italy and set in for one last day at sea. By that point I was ready to go home. I had had a blast, but I was missing my own bed, regular food, my own bathroom, technology (we were without radio/phone/internet/news for two weeks), and not having to be on a strict schedule (getting up at 6am for those all-day tours takes a lot out of you). It probably didn’t help that I was feel woozy all day – we’d have some rough waves at sea, but they hadn’t been that bad (probably 10 feet at the most) and I had been prepared for the rocking from my last cruise. This day was the worst I’d ever seen – 12-18 foot swells! Once in awhile the water splashed all the way up to the 11th floor. I tried everything – Dramamine, laying down, looking at the horizon, but nothing worked at that point, I just had to deal with it. I think half the ship was sick that night, though luckily I wasn’t one of them. Matt were totally fine, the rocking didn’t bother him at all. I was impressed, especially since he had never been on a big ship before. I debated skipping dinner, but it was the last group meal and I wouldn’t get another chance to say farewell to our new friends, so I went anyway. The waiters all sang for us, and it was a lovely time. Once we got back to our interior room though, the rocking got worse again – not just back and forth, but up and down. We kept thinking it was going to get better any time, since the captain had said it would calm down in the evening, but by 1am it was still pretty bad. We skipped the last shows that evening trying to get all our bags packed since we had to leave at 6:30am.
Day 14: “Home at last…”
After being up for over 30 hours of traveling (we had a long layover), we finally made it home with no major problems (though it would take several days for my body to readjust to dry land, which I find comical). Air Canada redeemed themselves a little by giving us a free upgrade to Comfort Class on the long leg of the flight back to Toronto. I was really excited for that, since I had never flown first class internationally before. Ahhh, spacious leg room and all the free alcoholic drinks we wanted! I slept like a baby pretty much the entire flight. Whenever I travel abroad I always come home saying “I love America!” There’s no place in the world like home. But I'm sure it won't be long before I start planning our next travel adventure!
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