Summing it Up

It is hard to describe something that is too good to be true.  This trip was really exciting for me because I love sharing travel with my grandchildren.  It was exciting for them in so many other ways. 

This was their first Transatlantic flight and although they enjoyed it, they were much happier when they saw the flight monitor showing the airplane over land again.  They were excited to be in Europe and experience different cultures and languages.  Last, they were cruising again which they love.

With all of the good and fun things it was even hard to remember the silly things that happened.  It is the best family vacation we have ever had.  The kids met others on the ship in the teen lounge from all over the world that they still keep in touch with daily through Snapchat.  They had fun on the ship and off and loved every minute of it.  No arguing, no fighting and they were amazingly nice to each other.

Obviously as we look back, the tour guides will either make or break you day trips.  Ours were awesome...both Fabrizio and Sasha will be remembered for a long time.  It will be hard to top this vacation and I'm not going to try....I'll just enjoy the memories.

These are the formal photos from the ship that we bought....

Barcelona 5 AM 10-1-17

We have the alarm set for 5:30 AM.  None of us slept well as our steward didn’t put Paige’s bed down last night so we all slept in the same bed.  They had only been in bed a couple hours too which didn’t help.  I went outside but couldn’t really see anything but there were lots of blue lights around the port.

We dress and head to the room we are to meet in.  They had coffee and pastries there but none of us were quite interest yet.  We will eat when we get settled at the airport.  We were only there a couple minutes when they started moving us down to the gangway and off the ship.  It looks like it is raining but the kids say they have hoses below us so I don’t think anything of it until we are almost in the building when the sky opens…it definitely was raining!  If it had to happen, I guess today is the best day but we had all packed our raingear and had nothing.   We find our luggage and head out to the buses.  I told the guy directing us that the tickets for the shuttle were in the front pocket of my luggage which was not on the bus and he ways just to go and get on.  By this time we are all dripping wet.  The girl checking tickets inside the bus didn’t like us not having tickets even though she had the list of names and cabin numbers…duh.  Two more times she would come through counting and asking us for the tickets.  We finally leave the terminal and they explain there will be two stops and Delta would be at the first stop.  What they didn’t say was that instead of dropping everyone in the middle of the terminal, they drop us at the end.  Delta is at the other end…so off we go dragging the luggage.  The Delta counter wasn’t even open yet but the employees were there and getting set up.  We wait in line and the kids are tired and irritable…me too.  After we get it all checked in and counted we have to go through Customs/Immigration and then security.

Interesting that all the shopping and restaurants are on the bottom level of this building.  We take the escalator down and find a place selling sandwiches, pastries and coffee/drinks.  We get a bunch of different things and it was all quite good.  Feeling more human now we head to the gate where we still have an hour before we board.  The flight was full with several toddlers seated around us….hmmm.  Maybe the emotional comfort dog was better than the toddlers.  The answer is yes.  You have to feel sorry for the kids as this is a horrible flight for adults.  Over nine hours in a tube is a long time.  We had some short periods of turbulence which had Lindsay holding my hand scared to death.  She said it scared her because we were in the middle of the ocean…I get it.  Again, you nod off for short periods but you just can’t rest.  We watch movies, they feed you and give you snacks to try to pass the time.

When we land in Atlanta we are sent to E concourse.  I have not come in here since the new International Terminal was built (F concourse).  Well, I hope I don’t again since they now make you walk all the way to concourse F which if making a guess is about a mile walk down endless hallways to get to the Customs/Immigration area.  When we get there, the room was packed with people and we were hustled to a corner and put in lines waiting to get into the lines in the big room.  Yikes.  Luckily, we moved through all of that in less than an hour, got our luggage and went to wait for the shuttle.

We stopped on the way home and got dinner and the Kendrick’s headed home to unpack.  For the first time ever…I didn’t unpack but the kids were going back to school tomorrow so they needed their things and wanted the souvenirs they had purchased.  It was good to be home but hard to believe it was over.  I will post some final thoughts and photos (or hope to) tomorrow  to summarize the best family vacation we have ever had..

Palma de Mallorca, Spain 9-30-17

 

This is the one port that we have not made a plan.  We knew it would be a hectic week and the tours here were mostly sightseeing.  Teresa has booked a bike tour through the ship and the rest of us need to get a plan.  We meet for breakfast and it was determined that the kids are not interested in getting off.  I think they have been on cultural and information overload for the last week.  They want to spend this last day with their new friends.  The landscape is beautiful as we come into port and get docked.  There is a beautiful huge cathedral in Old Town which is closest to the port.  There are castles and forts as well.  We don’t arrive here until noon and will leave at 6 PM so not a long time to check it out.

 

I have to start packing and Keith and I decide to not get off.  The shuttle into town is 15 euros which is a lot.  The kids were with their friends all day.  Teresa left for her bike tour and I got the luggage out and started the process.  Trying to get the kids to tell you what they want to wear home tomorrow is a major ordeal.  As teens, they only care about what they are doing NOW.

I was craving a burger so I went and get one and an ice cream cone.  By then Teresa had come back and was telling Keith and I about her ride.  She loved it.  They went to a convent with sequestered nuns who make cookies to make money.  This was very interesting since they had a screened window/opening where you placed your order but could not see them.  They would tell you how much it was and there was (in my mind without seeing it) what sounded like a medieval version of the drive in window.  You put the money in and then they put your cookies in and send it back out!  Very cool and the cookies were delish!  She really enjoyed her ride although she said the trek to get to the bike shop from the ship was a real hike.  If she thought it was far, I would never have made it.  Teresa is the exercise fanatic and is really in shape.  She hikes several days a week and rides bikes and does spin classes as well.  I was glad she enjoyed it and the convent was worth it alone.

 

While cruising you are kind of in a bubble not really knowing what is happening in the outside world.  Today in the elevator I hear someone mention that all the tours in Barcelona tomorrow are cancelled because they have been having riots there.  We did see signs when we arrived last week saying vote yes or vote no but we really didn’t know what the issue was.  Our guide Joe in Barcelona had told us the first day that all the regions of Spain want to be their own countries.  Barcelona is in the Catalonia region and wanting to succeed from Spain.  The government does not want this to happen so they have tried to prevent people from voting. Yikes!  I hope we are able to get to the airport in the morning.  We have paid for the ship shuttle to make it easier so we will see.

We caught up with the kids and they want to have dinner with their friends so Teresa, Keith and I went to the Manhatten Room for dinner.  It was very nice as this room has live dinner music while you eat.  We weighed luggage and put it out as we are the first ones off the ship tomorrow.  Teresa and Keith had another night to themselves and I went to bed.  The girls came in late as usual and were crying after saying goodbye to their friends.

Day 7 of the cruise is done…how did that happen?

Cannes 9-29-17

Everyone was slow getting up this morning but me more than the rest.  I said they should go on and I would meet them at breakfast.  Before I even left the cabin, they were calling for those who had signed up for tender number one which was us.  I went upstairs and found them and we headed to the rear of the ship to meet until they would take us down to the tender.  This was an unusual setup in usually when you tender, the ship tours go first and everyone else gets a ticket that lets you know what number tender you are on.  We actually signed up the first day we were on the ship because Lindsay found the option on the ship app.  No one ever confirmed and they didn’t tell you what time they would  call tender number one but obviously it was earlier than we thought it would be.  We don’t meet our guide/driver until 9 AM and it is not 7:30 yet.  Really by the time everyone went to the restroom and were ready, we were heading to the tender and shortly after were on the dock in Cannes, France! 

There were lots of tours and people with signs but we didn’t see one with my name but we were about a half hour early.  Almost right at 9 we saw Sasha and talked with him about what we wanted to do.  He gave us some options about dining and we all decided the picnic sounded like fun.  Paige wanted to see the Yellow Submarine which is in Monaco and Sasha said we would try but they were having a huge yacht show and they have had restricted access to Monaco all week for security reasons.  We pile in the van and head off as he explains the buildings to us and how the film festival came to be held there.  He said it was basically a summer only vacation place for the rich Arabs and Russians until the American movie stars and writers came.  If something can be commercialized, leave it to us to find a way.  It still is a place for the wealthy.

 

 

 

We drove along the shoreline to several gorgeous seaside towns.  One was perched high above the water and there was an ancient church there and a beautiful overlook where we took some photos.  Sasha is also a photographer so he also took photos for and of us.

 

Juan-Les_Pins was one that had a beach with beautiful sand where we walked and got  cappuccinos and the kids got drinks and we soaked in the scenery.  As with most European beaches, there were some women topless on the beach which we didn’t think about warning the kids until we were all staring at it.  It was quite amusing.  We drove through Antibes and Mougins on onto St Laurant-Du-Var all with breathtaking views of the Cote’d’Azur. 

 

We moved onto Nice and drove along the beautiful ocean plaza where the Bastille celebration is held and sadly where the terroist attack took place.  It is unbelievable that there could have been such evil to take place is this beautiful and peaceful place.  Sasha explains that he and his wife live just two blocks from where the truck began.  The plaza is filled with people and bikers enjoying the beautiful weather.  He takes us to a bakery where we buy sandwiches and pastries for our picnic.  It all looks so good we have a hard time deciding what we want.  When we get it all and get back to the van, we head on to another store to get some wine and then start up the mountain.  Elton John has a home at the top of this mountain.  We sang “Rocket Man” as we passed his house.   At the top of this mountain is a fort with an amazing view and drop off.  Sasha explains that there were two forts and this upper one would signal the lower one when they saw ships approaching…and you could see forever from up here!

Every bit of this was gone...all delish!

The pig was chocolate

 

Entrance to Elton's house

 

We drove through these winding mountain top roads until we came to another overlook and a small park with picnic tables where we stopped for lunch.  We all enjoyed this food and there was nothing left!  The kids are getting used to this having wine with their meal European thing…well the girls were but Chris not so much.  Paige is convinced she is meant to live here…she loves the area and everything about it.  

 

We head on to Villefranche.  This city is good size and as all of the French Riviera is inhabited by the rich and famous.  The yachts in the harbor here are amazing.  Sasha again tells us that there are a lot of Russian wealthy here.  We are next viewing the gorgeous St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat where the richest of the rich live….no commercial property here at all…just homes that are not seen from the road…purposely.  We pass a couple mountain top houses for sale and Paige says she wants to buy one of those.  I said I would live there with her and do her laundry and cooking.

Where Paige and I will be living...

 

Our next stop is the ancient village of Eze which is perched on a mountain top.  We did not have time (or for me the stamina) to climb to the top to see the actual village as we were heading onto Monaco for Paige to see the Yellow Submarine.

When we get to Monaco, the police are blocking the entrance.  Sasha has a conversation with them and we are advised we cannot go there because of the yacht show and security today.  Nothing we can do about it but I felt bad for Paige.  We drive on to Monte Carlo.

 

We drive the route of the Grand Prix…the actual start and finish line is painted in the road!  We park and head to the casino square.  The cars parked around the casino and Paris Hotel were amazing.  We take photos and walk around the square and go into a shop to look around.  Chris and Keith got a commemorative coin and the rest of us just looked.  Sasha was telling us about the Starbucks and McDonalds there…you don’t see them because they are underground.  The rich and famous don’t want to be seen at either of these establishments so they were built underground so they could drive in without being seen.  Wow.  There really isn’t much to do here other than look at how the other half lives and plays.  We can’t afford to play here so we move on.  When Debbie and I were here we went into the casino.  It cost 10 Euros 11 years ago just to go inside!  Now the price is 17 Euros…yikes!

By now it is time to start heading back to Cannes and the ship.  We take the inland expressway back as it is the faster route.  The kids wanted to do some souvenir shopping so Sasha took us there first.  As you can imagine, there are not many souvenir shops in Cannes.  We did find a little place and the kids bought some gifts for their friends.

Our next stop was the theater where the film festival is held.  There are some interesting things here as some stars have done their handprints on a path that heads to the sea entrance.  We are not able to walk the stairs as they are setting up for an event.  Teresa and Keith went in a different direction looking for a restroom that they found on the beach not far away.  Teresa said it was unisex which they found out with a guy using the urinal when they walked in  There was also a carousel there that was playing Michael Jackson.  We are all worn out by now so Sasha takes us back to the tender area and we say our goodbyes.  I am amused as they have now changed where we must get the tender which it at the very end of the pier.  Now we must walk not only the length of the pier but out to where the lighthouse is to get on.  It would be so much kinder to make people walk this way in the morning rather than when they are tired….what’s another quarter mile huh?

 

The kids take off as soon as we are back to go find their friends.  We have reservations at the tappanyaki  tonight .  We all meet outside the restaurant and really enjoy our dinner.  We were all really hungry by now.  As soon as dinner is done, the kids head back to the teen room and I went to bed.  Obviously the rigorous schedule this week has done me in.  I always hear the girls when they come in as they want to tell me how much fun they had but I had no idea it was 2 AM! 

I have to say that I like a bit of motion in the ocean to gently rock you to sleep…the Mediterranean Sea has been like a sheet of glass since we boarded last Sunday.  If you weren’t watching us pull away from the dock, you wouldn’t know we were moving.  Good thing I was exhausted every night because I slept well without the motion this trip!

 

Day 6 of the cruise is done!