June 28, 2004: Paris

We got up pretty early today as we had a full day tour of Paris plus we had alot of other things that we wanted to see.    We took the subway from Bercy Village and got off at the Louvre stop.   We got one day passes and that made it so much easier.  We didn't have a problem with the subway system.   It is the best subway system I have been on.  It is so smooth and not loud, like the ones in Chicago or New York.   We walked to Paris Vision Tours on Rue de Rivoli.   Our tour left from there and we walked to the Louvre which was right across the street.  Boy, that place is huge.   I have never been in a museum that large in my life.   There are restaurants and shops inside there, in addition to the many rooms.
We went to the 4 main rooms.  Got to see some Leonardo di Vince paintings and saw the Mona Lisa.  The Mona Lisa painting is in this protected glass case.  We were able to take pictures of it, though.  It was actually a small painting.   I guess the glass protects it from camera flashes and such.   People were nuts taking pictures of it.   I had to push my way out of the crowd.   They don't speak English, either.
After the Louvre, our tour took us on a river bus over to the Eiffel Tower where we had lunch on the first floor of the tower.   The meal was wonderful and very upscale.  We overlooked the city.   My mom and I were going to go back later to the very top of the Eiffel Tower as the waits can be up to 3 hours for that part.  Then, we took the river bus down the Seine River to Notre Dame and the tour guide told us about that.   I guess the original Paris was on that island where Notre Dame is and then it grew from there.    Our tour concluded there at 4 p.m. so my mom and I went inside Notre Dame and looked around.
Then, we walked over to this department store called Semaritaine and browsed around there. I wanted to get an outfit but they either were too expensive or the ones I could afford didn't have good quality fabric.  I did get some scarves, though, that I can wear with my blouses.
We went up to the 5th floor as they had a pet store.   They had the cutest things in there. I wanted to get Maggie a rhinestone collar but they wanted $100 for them, so of course, I didn't. I did get her this little shirt that had some french written on it.  It is quite cute. Then, I got her a dog toy, too.  There were some French women in there with their dogs.  One of them had a small dog in her purse. It was so cute.   It also had the cutest outfit on it.   You can bring in your pets to just about anywhere in Paris...many restaurants, airports, and department stores.
Then, we walked from that store to the subway and took it over to Champs Elysees and walked down that road. It is famous for its shops and cafes.   By then, my feet were getting pretty tired.   We walked down to the Arch de Triumphe and walked up the 245 steps to the top.  What a gorgeous view!  You could see down all of the streets that branch off from the circular road down below. I took some pictures so hopefully they turn out.
After the arch, we took the subway back near the Louvre as we wanted hot cocoa at Angelinas, but it was closed by then. It was around 8:30 by now.  We ran into Beulah and Caramia down at the Vision Paris office. They were going on a night tour of Paris.  
My mom and I were so tired so we stopped at  McDonalds for a coke.   The bathrooms there were disgusting, but we didn't care by then, as we had to go.
We walked from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower which took about 45 minutes.  The Eiffel Tower lights up around 10 p.m.  At 10 and at the hour of every hour, the lights blink on the tower for 10 minutes and then it changes to just being lit up.   We got in line around 10:15 to go up to the very top.    There were tons of people there. We had to stand in line on the 2nd floor of the tour for over an hour to take the elevator up to the very top.   When we got to the top, it was great.   I got to see all over the city at night.   Now, I can say I have been to the very top of the Eiffel Tower.
Today was one of my best days of my life.  Paris is so much fun to explore and it has been a dream of mine to go to the sites I went to today.  
We got back to the hotel around 12:30 am and were exhausted.  We had been on the go non stop since 8 a.m. that morning (16 hours).   We ordered some hot cocoa from room service and then went to bed. 

June 27, 2004: Genoa to Paris

We left the ship around 8:30 a.m.  I was quite impressed with how easy it was to get off the ship.  It was actually organized. Wow.    Our bus to the Genoa Airport had no AC so it was pretty hot in there. It had just gone out at the port.  Luckily, it was only a 45 minute ride there.  We flew Air France from Genoa, Italy to Paris. It was about a 1 1/2 hour flight.

We got to Paris around 3:30 p.m. and of course, there was no rep from Costa there to take us on the bus from the airport to the hotel, so my aunt called the hotel and they had someone come with a van to pick 7 of us up.   So, we waited 2 hours at the airport for our ride to the hotel.  We finally got to the Hotel Sofitel near Bercy Village in Paris.   Then, the driver gave us the bill.  We were shocked. They wanted $170 Euros for the ride which is over $200 in American money. 

My grandpa's girlfriend charged it and then we got a copy of the bill to give to Costa Cruise line as we intend to get reimbursed as they never showed up once again for our transportation.

It was 7 p.m. by now so my mom and I went to the concierge and signed up for tours. Grandpa, Beulah, my mom and I walked across the street to Bercy Village which was a hang out place for the young people.  We dined at an outdoor cafe and watched the people walk by.   It was an interesting experience seeing how they dress and carry themselves.    Grandpa, Beulah, my mom and I went to the 11 p.m. Moulin Rouge show. It was fantastic.    The dancers were wonderful as well as their costumes. It is something to see if you go to Paris.   We got to bed around 1:30 a.m. and had to get up early the next day for our adventure of Paris.

June 26, 2004: Marseilles, France

We went to Marseilles, France after Barcelona, Spain.   Then, we took a bus ride up to the city, Avignon, which is about halfway between Paris and Marseilles.   It is a beautiful town.    There is this huge palace in Avignon where another Pope used to reside hundreds of years ago. I didn't know there were two popes way back then.   There was a struggle with that in both France and Italy at that time.  It was due to alot of politics.   We went on a guided tour of this magnificent palace.   Then, we had lunch at one of the outdoor cafes in the town.   It was a charming little town.    There was also a double deck carousel in the town which I have never seen before.
We did a little shopping here and then took the bus back to Marseilles and toured the city.  We went to a cathedral at the top of this mountain that overlooked the city.   There were quite a few steps to the top. I was worn out walking up there.
I started coming down with a sore throat on this day so I was starting to not feel so good, so after the tour, I went back to my room and rested most of the evening.   I had to pack my bags, too, as we were getting off the boat the next day.  
My aunt came down with a cold, too, that same day.   My cousin had been sick in the beginning of the cruise and so was another person that was with us, so that is probably how I got it.   Plus, being on the go so much, I probably lost the resistance to fight off the cold.
Sunday,  we got off the ship and flew from Genoa to Paris.

June 24, 2004: Palma de Mallorca/Marseilles/Barcelona

Yesterday, my mom and I went on our own in Palma De Mallorca. We took a bus along with a bunch of other tourists and got off where everyone else did, which was the wrong Plaza. There are plazas all over in these cities. We walked around and found some gelato ice cream which is wonderful. I love Italian ice cream. Then, we asked an Italian man to show us how to get to this cathedral and he showed us the best he could, since he didn't speak English and we don't speak Italian.

Palma de Mallorca is a beautiful city. It is very upscale. We saw the store Escada which is an expensive brand of clothing. Plus, we saw more shops and cafes. We were there in the afternoon which is when their siesta time is.  They usually go home for a large lunch and rest for 2 or 3 hours in the afternoon and then their stores stay open until 7 or 8 in the evening.


We saw this gorgeous cathedral that overlooked these gardens. Then, we walked along the water where there were hundreds of boats and large yachts. This is surely a rich man's town. I guess Michael Douglas has a home here, so we can see why.


Then, yesterday evening, my Grandpa, his girlfriend, my mom and I took a tour which was a dinner and show. The food was delicious and the show was fantastic. It is called Son Mar. It was in an old Spanish home. The dancers were professionals and wonderful. They did Irish dancing, Spanish dancing, etc. I have never seen anything so professional like that in my life. The Drifters which are from the 60s or 70s sang for about 45 minutes. They were fantastic. I heard a bunch of good comments from everyone who went. Of course, my Grandpa complained and he did fall asleep during part of the show.
We had to nudge him as he was sitting in the front and that doesn't look too good.  He has trouble hearing so I think that is a big reason why he complains. But, the rest of us loved it.


Today, we were in Barcelona, Spain. There are about 4 million people who live in the city and about 4 million who live in the suburbs. They primarily speak Spanish here. We went up to Montserrat which is a monastery. About 80 monks live there and choose to live their entire lives in silence and prayer. I don't think I could live in silence.
We were hoping to see the boys choir there in the cathedral but they had just done their 4 years up at the monestary and were about to go home to their families.


Tomorrow, we are in Marseilles and will take a tour of the city as well as Avignon. Then, Sunday, we get off the ship and fly up to Paris to spend a couple of days. I am looking forward to that, as I want to do some shopping there and see some things that I didn't see last time.


We haven't been real thrilled with this cruise ship, as I have mentioned before. I wouldn't suggest going with Costa. Our steward didn't do a great job with cleaning our room. One day, she didn't do it until 4 p.m. We have been on 7 other cruises and had excellent service and food, but this one is mediocre, so I will be listing my comments on the comment card at the end of this cruise.
All of our other cruises have been excellent. I will say that our excursions have been quite good on this cruise. The only exception is the organization of the tour in Capri which was a mess.


I will be glad when I don't have to listen to another Italian. I swear they never shut up. On the bus today, there were two in the back who kept talking when the translator was telling the English people things. Plus, they are quite rude people and push their way into lines and cut in line. One Italian yelled at another for doing that yesterday. It was funny. Of course, I don't let them in front of me. I hope I didn't offend anyone who might be Italian, but that is just what my whole family sees about them. We love the sound of English now.

June 23, 2004: Tunisia, South Africa

We took a tour of Tunisia which is the northern part of Africa. The buildings are all white with blue shutters. It is supposed to be 95 degrees today. That is why our tours were early in the morning. I didn't notice a lot of women dressed in Arab gear. This country is more liberal. 55% of the women go to college so that is pretty high for here. They used to have a law where women students could not wear their Arab gear to school, but that has since been changed in the past few years.


I don't think I would want to be stuck here, though. It is real humid and hot, and there isn't much air conditioning. People here are quite poor and constantly beg you to buy their goods. But, it wasn't as bad as it was in Mexico at the Pyramids, when my mom and I went several years ago.


My aunt and her friend did get their luggage Monday night.  So, they were happy about that. It was found in Nice.


Everytime I see a dog, I think of my Maggie. I sure do miss her. She always brightens my day.


Tonight is our formal night so we will all get dressed up.


Like I said before, we haven't been too pleased with this cruise line. They are so unorganized, not really service oriented like the other cruises we have been on, and they don't put chocolates on your pillow at night. This is a first since we have always got a piece of chocolate on our bed. That must not be a tradition for Europeans.
There are quite a few Italians on the ship. They are all thin and good looking people, but boy, they are chatter boxes. They never shut up. We were at this house in Capri and behind a bunch of Italians and they were so loud. I think that would drive me crazy.


My grandpa is happy that I am going to type up his diaries of when he was in World War II. We were talking about it since he was in Italy, Sicily and northern Africa when he taught. It will be a big project, but I think it will be worth it in the end.


I am going to take a snooze before dinner. Tonight was our formal night. Tomorrow, we will be in Pallma de Mallorca. I heard that Michael Douglas has a big fancy home there.

June 22, 2004: Pallermo, Sicily

Today, I am in Pallermo, which is on the northern part of Sicily. It is around 4 p.m. right now (6 hours ahead of you). We took a tour today of the city and got to see the catacombs. It was an eerie place to go. Hundreds of years ago, the wealthy people in Europe used to have their bodies kept in crypts so that their families could come and visit. There are about 6,000 corpses in this place. Some still have the skin on them and there are clothes over them. They had the women in one room, the men in another, and the little ones in another. To me, it is pretty disgusting to preserve a body that long for people to come to see. But, they didn't have burials like we did back then, so this is how it was done. I wasn't supposed to take pictures, but I snuck and took some. Then, I noticed on my way out, that there was a security camera.


We also saw some beautiful churches. We stopped at the big Opera House which is beautiful. Then, we stopped at a local outdoor market and saw them slicing tuna. It kind of makes you not want to eat it.  I am not a seafood lover, anyway.


Their zuchinis are long and skinny and their raspberries are smaller than ours. I got a picture of a cotton tree with cotton on it which was interesting.


Last night for our entertainment, there was a man and a woman who did impressions of famous people using their hands in front of light. They did an excellent job. I don't know how the guy was able to do this, but it was pretty amazing. It might sound cheezy, but it is a talent, if I might say.


This afternoon, my mom and I went on the curly slide on the ship. My mom was scared to go, but she went and loved it. She went down twice and I went down 3 times, since I am a kid at heart.


Tonight is casual night and tomorrow night is our first formal. Tomorrow, we will be in Tunisia which is the northern part of Africa.

June 21, 2004: Naples, Italy

Well, my aunt and her friend, Marnie still don't have their luggage. Costa thinks it is still in New York, so they have been borrowing clothes from the rest of us. No one has even told them they are getting money to buy new clothes.

I am having a good time on the trip, but I suggest that no one take Costa Cruise line. This particular trip with Costa caters to the Europeans. There are only 75 people out of 3,000 that are Americans on the ship. You waste time waiting for people to tell us stuff in several different languages.

Today, we went to the island of Capri which isn't far from Naples. It is a cute little island. Of course, we didn't learn a whole lot because of all of the languages. We have never had this problem with other cruise lines because they always spoke English and I think they catered to us.

One thing I will say is that Costa is not very organized with some things. It's very strange. We have been on 8 cruises now and this one is the worst for organization.

But, the food on the boat has been really good. I don't know what they do with their scrambled eggs, but they are sure good.

We had already gone to Pompeii on a prior cruise, so that is why we wanted to see Capri. Oh, the boat over to Capri was rocky and some people barfed. They gave everyone barf bags, if you can believe that. I felt queasy on the way over, but it was better on the way back. I don't get sick on these big boats, but sometimes, I do on the smaller ones. When we go on the ferry to Milwaukee in July, I am going to take some medicine, as I heard it is a bit rocky and 2 1/2 hours would be long feeling queasy.

We got some good Italian chocolates in the store on the boat. They don't put chocolates on your pillow at night like on the other cruises, so we had to treat ourselves.  The chocolates were actually quite mellow and tasty.