Got home today from a week cruise (22/7/10 - 29/7/10) on the Mediterranean, with my mum, Myles and Jamie. I want to stay longer!! Sun + Sea = Happy Dannie. So how it works is that the ship stays in the different place everyday and sails mainly at night. This is what I've done this week:
DAY 1 PALMA - MAJORCA
The first day we just explored the ship. It was 12 decks but wasn't as big as I thought it'd be. Me and Mammy sunbathed on the top deck. I'm not usually keen on getting tanned, but I thought I might as well make the most of it (as long as my face isn't tanned), and I was sleepy anyway. In the evening, we watched the 'welcome show' and then did a TV theme quiz. We got 6/10~ I was actually really surprised that I recognized the theme tunes to 'Duck Tales' and 'The Crystal Maze' {oO} lol
DAY 2 AT SEA
In the morning we had an emergency alarm drill where we had to wear our lifejackets and wait by the lifeboats and be lectured. Then I went to get my teeth whitened lol Really random and spontaneous I know. I wasn't even completely sure I was going to do it, but the consultation was free and I ended up doing it. It cost £110, which is decent. No sensitivity at all either! Afterwards, the dentist told me to only eat white food for the rest of the day. For lunch I had lettuce, fish and an apple {==}"
There are 1500 passengers aboard and because the ship was sailing all day, everyone was sunbathing. We eventually found some space and sunbathed more. Then me and Mammy had a 'Ladies' Night' spa treatment. It was £50 and lasted an hour, but included a hot stone back massage, scalp massage, oxyjet facial and a foot soak. I liked the back massage the best, but just as I got really relaxed, it'd finished!! Then we went to a pilates class for the sake of it lol I know I'm not keen on yoga, so I wasn't sure if I'd like pilates, but it was actually OK.
We generally had all our meals at 'The Beachcomber' because the meals there were inclusive so it was as if we had a free buffet. But this night, we had dinner at 'The Oasis', which is a classier restaurant. Yummy~
DAY 3 PALERMO - SICILY
This day, we went on an excursion called 'Mysterious Palermo'. I chose it because it said we get to see mummies, and I've never seen them before. First we went to this cathedral, where we I tried to appreciate the architecture lol
Then we went to this royal palace, which was just a stone building. Nothing too special, but again I tried to appreciate its history. The highlight of the day was the catacombs. I don't have photos because we weren't allow to take any, but I'll try and describe it. We walked down to a large cellar but there was artificial light so you could see all the walls were lined with corpses! Not just one row, but several rows and down several corridors! They were all clothed, and some of them were skeletons, but some of them had been preserved and so still had their skin so you could see their expressions! It was just a really eerie atmosphere! Its a place where monks used to be mummified, but then it became a normal practice or something. There was even a corridor of children! {oO}
On a more cheerful note, afterwards, we stopped for ice cream (I had bacio). Then me and Mammy sunbathed more. The ship started sail early than usual, so we got to see the ship leave the port whilst sunbathing. It was really nice {^^} ~
In the evening, we played bingo lol Then Jamie felt seasick because it was really rocky that evening (but I still slept like a baby that night) so him and Mammy went back to the cabin. Me and Myles did a T/F quiz that evening. We got 8/16 lol (We would have got 10 if I listened to Myles for 2 of the questions). But now I know that men can breastfeed, and you can't cry in space, and that Prince William and Prince Harry never get a plane together in case it crashes. Afterwards we watched a live band called 'Soundwaves', which was quite fun.
DAY 4 NAPLES - ITALY
This was my favourite day of the whole week. My latin teacher would be so proud lol. We went to Pompeii first. Its so weird! It feels really strange walking through an ancient city. I just kept thinking that everything looks like my latin textbook and that where I was walking, a Roman had walked before {oO}
There was a display of ash people (and even an ash dog), where the ash of Vesuvius when it erupted had covered and preserved the city of Pompeii and some of its contents.
Afterwards, we walked up Vesuvius itself. Its actually not a domant volcano! (but apparently the last eruption wasn't as disruptive as the one that wiped out Pompeii so people actually live on it!) The coach took us 1000m above sea level, and we had to walk the last 200m which was tiring! But worth it~! Although, its a lot smaller than I had imagined.. but then again, I don't have anything to compare it to.
Photo of Vesuvius taken from the view from our cabin window
Back on the boat, me, Myles and Jamie watched the sunset on the horizon which was pretty (I'm going to have a separate blog on sunrises/sunsets soon).
Then we did a quiz (Mammy was tired, so she had an early night), we got 2 and a half out of 15~! lol Our general knowledge really isn't up to scratch {==} But now I know that Mother Theresa won the Noble Peace Prize in 1979, that France gave America the Statue of Liberty to celebrate 100 years of independent; and that glossitis affects the tongue. Afterwards, we watched the ship's version of 'Family Fortunes' which was really amusing. The fact that 'toys.. of any kind' came up on something that needs batteries; and 'a doll' came up on something that is inflated {><} lol
DAY 5 AJACCIO - CORSICA
I woke up at 6am by myself and watched the sunrise on the horizon. It was stunning and so surreal~! Anyway, Corsica is the hometown of Napoleon and has the only tortoise protection centre in Europe. We went in the afternoon and the most impressive one was this one called something like elephant tortoise. It was huge.. I wanted to take it home.
It looked bigger in real life {==}"
Then we went for a walk near the port and I ate a yummy Nutella and banana crepe. In the evening, we watched a show called 'There's no business like show business', which was performed by the entertainment crew and was like a medley of song from musical theatre. There's a gay couple among the performers (I know because they were with our tour group in Naples) and they're so cute! After watching the show, I want to watch Miss Saigon even more!! But they're not playing at Broadway anymore at the moment. Later on we went to the deck party, well we just went up there because of the view and its so windy, you could get blown off {oO}
DAY 6 TOULON - FRANCE
I saw the sunrise again today, but with Mammy this time. It looked completely different! We went to Cassis. Nothing too amazing - Shops. Stoney Beach. Sights. We just looked around then chilled out on a bench eating strawberry tarts.
We were supposed to go and see the highest sea cliffs in Europe, but it was too windy and so it was forbidden! I was so disappointed!
Back on the ship, more sunbathing, then in the evening, me, Mammy and Myles watched a comedy by Phil Doyle. I thought it was quite funny (not amazing) but Mammy just found everything offensive lol
DAY 7 BARCELONA - SPAIN
Jamie is keen on fish and marine stuff, so we went to an aquarium {==}" Personally, I didn't think it was anything special, but I never get bored of watching Nemos and Dorys {^^}
Afterwards we went to Park Guell, which is a park full of the artworks and architecture of Gaudi. I was just really tired..
Back on the ship, last minute sunbathing! Then we watched the 'Variety Farewell Show' performed by the entertainment team again - love it.
DAY 8 PALMA - MAJORCA
We left in the morning. I want to be back there!
No comments:
Post a Comment