Update # 5: Mediterranean Cruise


The cruise has ended. I said my goodbyes to Paul & Paula. They're starting the 2nd half of their vaction in Sardinia and I headed back to Rome.

THE CRUISE: The verdict is in and I officially love cruise life!! As soon as I get home I am going to start searching the internet to get my next cruise planned. It may not be my next vacation but I am anxious to see what other parts of the world I can explore by boat. We traveled 2,162 nautical miles in 8 days and had 1,697 passengers and 600 crew members on board. I am absolutely amazed at what Costa Cruises can accomplish with so many passengers on board. They make it look easy but I'm sure it is not. Everything was so well planned and organized. It really allowed me to relax knowing that all the details were taken care of. My cruise experience was not only enriched by Paul & Paula but also by our dinner mates - Scott, Helen and Virginia. We all enjoyed each other's company, had some lively conversations and also attended some of the cruise performances as a group. I feel very lucky to have met them as I was able to learn about their native countries (England & Canada) and customs, their careers and also their personalities. I also have to mention that the reason Paul & Paula were headed to Sardinia is because Paula took the top honor in her company as the Top Salesperson in North America in 2007 and was rewarded with that trip. After working with Paula for 3+ years at Ernst & Young, I am not surprised. I love to surround myself with happy, successful and positive people and this cruise allowed me to do just that with the people in which I spent the most time.
P.S. I never found Julie McCoy but did see a lady that had her hair.


AT SEA: Our last day on the ship was another full day at sea. I had previously posted that I wanted to go, do and see as much as possible so I didn't think I was fond of days at sea. After a full week of being on the go (and sometimes having to wake up early), I have to say it was very nice to have a completely relaxing day of lounging on the outside deck reading, eating gelato and napping.

ROME (again): I hit the ground running today after disembarkation. I checked into my hotel (I love early check in) then took the hotel's shuttle into Rome and spent the full day touring. I hopped on an open-air tour bus that made stops at all the top tourist attractions. I won't get in to all the details of what I saw because I saw A LOT and I'll post pics later but I will say that Rome ranks up near the top of the places I have visited. The city provides a great mix of the old and the new. The history is so rich and it is absolutely everywhere but it's a modern day city in that you see all the current things a large city has to offer. I thought the city was pretty clean too considering its age and the number of people who pass through on a daily basis. As I rode on the top level of the bus and passed by attractions such as the Colesium and The Vatican, I noticed that the locals in the surrounding cars didn't notice the historical sites. They were carrying on their daily lives - most of whom were trying to get to work, to lunch, or home from work. I guess it is almost like people in my building at work (myself included) not really noticing or caring that the Dallas Cowboys headquarters is right next door. It might have been exciting for about a day, but that's it. I mentioned in a previous post the The Vatican seemed smaller than what I expected. I assumed I was the only one who had that thought. Apparently not. During the bus tour today, the guide mentioned that because of the massive architectural elements, most people believe it is smaller than it actually is. I also must mention the Trevi Fountain. I spent more time there today than any other place (except the bus). I could have never predicted the number of people that would be there. It was almost too much but after a while I got used to it and really enjoyed the area. Do you realize how famous Sarah Jessica Parker is? Her picture is plastered all over the city advertising the May 30 release of the "Sex and the City" movie. I guess I never truly realized how wide the audience is for such big movies; thus, making the stars famous worldwide. Do you have your ticket for opening night? I do and I can't wait! I hate to disappoint you but there wasn't any "drama" today while touring. Well, at least not with me. A guy from our hotel lost his wife at The Vatican. Without cell phones and in a foreign country, there was panic all over his face. I think I'll ask the front desk personnel later if they ever found each other. Another travel tip: ALWAYS plan a meeting place in case someone in your group gets lost. My hotel - I am staying in the Rome Marriott Park Hotel which is very nice. The furniture in the rooms is of top quality and it has 2 bathrooms (partial baths) which is great if you have multiple people staying in 1 room. The bed looks extremely comfortable and I know I need a good night's sleep. I would highly recommend this hotel but must tell you that it is not in downtown. If you want to step right out your front door and be in the middle of everything, this is not the place for you. I primarily chose it because I like to stick to Marriott so I can continue to accumulate points and because it is about midway between the airport (FCO) and downtown.

VACTIONING: One of the things I look for in a vacation is the ability to get away from EVERYTHING! I cannot tell you how nice it has been to not have a cell phone, a newspaper, a radio, a TV (we had one on the boat but it was mostly the cruise channels showing you the location of the boat) or rush hour traffic. I have had no idea what day or time it is. I have no idea what's happening in the news. The other half of the world could have come to an end and I'd never know it. It's so nice not to have your life dominated by a cell phone, TV, e-mail or a computer. (although I do miss American Idol, Regis & The Young and the Restless)

Thanks again for tuning in. KV