| We sailed from Marseille on a Mediterranean cruise | | | | and for free as well. It was raining when we |
| with Celebrity, on the Millennium. A business | | | | came out, a reason to stay in the museum |
| meeting in Dublin caused us to miss the first day | | | | café and have an overpriced (though |
| of the cruise from Barcelona, but since that was | | | | typical for Rome) lunch before making our way to |
| also where the cruise ended, we knew we would | | | | St. Peter's. We had both visited previously, so |
| see it anyway. Marseille - taxi from airport 40 | | | | ours was just a quick visit to oogle some of the |
| euros. Arrived in the rain, so tired that we decided | | | | things we had missed on other occasions. |
| to sleep the day away rather than visit Marseilles | | | | Afterwards, a taxi to the train station had us |
| or nearby Provence. | | | | arrive, panting, just in time for our train back to |
| Dinner companions included a couple from | | | | the port. A misunderstanding meant that we did |
| Northern Ireland, a couple from Holland Park in | | | | not have tickets, and were fined for not having a |
| London and another from Miami. Traveling with | | | | ticket when boarding, but the whole trip was |
| my best friend was an asset as we moved | | | | worth the expense. |
| around the table nightly to talk to the others at | | | | Mykonos We docked at 1PM, and took the shuttle |
| the table. | | | | to the town for $10 each. We walked around the |
| Food. The first night, I was disappointed by the | | | | harbor, mainly browsing the shops, but also seeing |
| food. Celebrity has such a fine reputation for food | | | | the local church and the Catholic church, the |
| that I was expecting more. My cruising experience | | | | windmills, Little Venice, and walking the winding |
| is not vast to this point, but I was expecting it to | | | | alleyways with the whitewashed houses, agean |
| be better than Holland America, and it was not. | | | | blue doors and purple bouganvilla. Back on board, |
| On our first formal night there were only 6 of us | | | | the Greek dancers brought on board made the |
| rather than 8, and the food was excellent. After a | | | | atmosphere more special. We took a shore |
| LONG day in Rome, we opted for the buffet | | | | excursion. |
| dinner, which was fine and filling, but not | | | | Ephesus - the highlight of the trip. An unusually |
| memorable by any stretch of the imagination. | | | | early departure 715Am for a full day tour that |
| Lunches on board were the usual salads, hot | | | | included Mary's House, Ephesus, a museum, and |
| meals, hamburgers and pizza, which the very | | | | St John's Church. Marys houses was the most |
| popular ice cream bar. | | | | solemn and serene place of the day. In the cool |
| Spa: The first day on board, we signed up for | | | | air of morning scented by what I believe were |
| everything for our day at sea - classes, lectures, | | | | laurel trees, it was wonderful. The trek through |
| and a pedicure. It was excellent. However, being a | | | | Ephesus, by contrast was out in the blazing sun |
| day at sea, the only spa appointment to be had | | | | (even in May), but was the highlight of our cruise. |
| was at 8AM, and that early start required that I | | | | It was most impressive - from the men's latrine, |
| take a nap (oh the luxury of cruises) late morning | | | | the library, to the amphitheatre, and more. The |
| to recoup. Our day at sea was event filled, from | | | | museum had many mosaics and statues from the |
| pedicures to a shopping lecture to an art auction, | | | | area. St. John's church was interesting as well. I did |
| ribbon rose making, lunch, spa lectures, history | | | | not care for the rug store we were shown at the |
| lectures and more. We had so many things on our | | | | end. The vendors in all shops were TOO |
| agenda that we missed our Cruise Critic meeting | | | | aggressive. |
| and a few other things as well. Simply too much | | | | A lazy day at sea followed, with lectures, art |
| to do. | | | | auction, theater, films and more. Palermo. My |
| Our ports: Villefranche, the port for Nice was | | | | choice was to give it a miss, and none of the |
| alluring, with its typical Cote d Azur landscape of | | | | shore excursions sounded interesting. We did |
| seafront restaurants with their awnings blowing in | | | | explore on pour own, during siesta, when the |
| the breeze, ochre and saffron colored houses | | | | shops were closed. It was a mistake - I have |
| stretching up the hillside, citadel and gardens. The | | | | never seen a dirtier, less friendly city. We walked |
| charming small town of Villefranche easily occupied | | | | to the cathedral and the opera house. I should |
| us for an afternoon, but fellow travelers marveled | | | | have stayed on board. |
| at the beautiful hilltop village of Eze, and the ease | | | | Barcelona: Our cruise ended in Barcelona. We |
| of taking the train to Monaco or to Nice and | | | | chose a late departure from the ship, and took a |
| Cannes. In half an hour and only for a few euros, | | | | taxi to the train station. We were able to store |
| you are in the center of Cannes or Monaco. | | | | our luggage in lockers, and then take a hop on |
| For Rome, our port was Civitavecchia, well worth | | | | hop off tour of the city right outside the station. |
| a miss on a Sunday. The train to Rome is about | | | | The train to the airport was simple and |
| an hour and a half from there, but the infrequent | | | | inexpensive, and easy walk to the terminals. The |
| train schedule on a Sunday (check Trentitalia | | | | RENFE train service runs approximately every 30 |
| before you leave), caused us to wait an hour for | | | | mins to and from Barcelona airport to the city |
| the train, and arrive in Rome too late for our | | | | centre. Travel time approximately 25 minutes. |
| appointment at the Villa Borghese, which has | | | | You can catch the train from Estacio de Franca, |
| Rome's premier collection of masterpieces, | | | | Passeig de Gracia, or Barcelona Sants (otherwise |
| including works by Titian, Caravaggio and Raphael.. | | | | known as Sants Estacion) The name of the stop |
| In any event, by friend was able to talk our way | | | | you want for the airport is Aeropuerto. |
| into the fabulous art collection at that late hour, | | | | |