Barcelona, Spain

Lisbon, Portugal

In the spirit of sharing where I've been the last week, I thought I'd do a couple of retroactive visual updates.    Our first stop was in Lisbon, Portugal.

Transition

Hello from Rome.     Hard to believe another week has gone by.   In contrast to the first week on the ship, the second was a whirlwind and over before I could even think about it.     It was beyond difficult leaving today.     I do believe I have made friends here that I will have for a lifetime.     I feel extremely blessed to have found such wonderful people to share my days and nights with.    For anyone still on board who may be reading this, I’ll miss joining you for happy hour tonight and just a tad jealous that you are staying on for another ten days.  

Exhausting and very emotional day moving from the ship to my new home for the next month.      I am tired, can barely keep my eyes open.     

I really need to catch everyone up on what I’ve been doing.   I suspect you might be wondering if I am even still alive.    Things have been moving so fast and the internet access so slow that I gave up on updating.   Will recap what I’ve been doing after I get some rest.   

For now, just a quick update that I made it to Rome.   Dad also made it here despite the volcano.   I am temporarily being housed in another apartment on via Babuino right off the Spanish Steps.      Will be moved tomorrow to my new home just a couple of streets away.      Looking forward to settling in and finding my routine again.

It has been pouring all afternoon.   Huge bursts of thunder and now hail.   Prior to now the weather has been perfect.     I am actually secretly thrilled that it is crappy out so I have an excuse to stay in and be lazy.     

It is good to be back in Rome.   I feel at home here and looking forward to the next part of my adventure.    Ciao. 

A Gift

Couple of days since I wrote last.   Time has sort of all blended together.    The past several days have really been a blur.   Today is our last sea day.   I am quite sad for this part to be over.     There is a lot of thinking you can do when you have nothing to do but just be.

The weather the past two days has been grey.    Water much rougher.   I kind of like that.   Nice feeling at night.  It really is amazing to me to look out and see nothing but water in every direction.   Just us out here with no one else around.   It is one of those experiences in life that you can’t adequately describe with picture or words.  

Today the sun is back out.  I am sitting on the deck now wrapped up in towels and shivering.  I think I’ve given up on War and Peace again.   It is too much work for my brain at the moment.     

The Captain’s Table dinner was wonderful.   I was very nervous.   I am not sure how it all happened, but I feel very honored to have had the opportunity.    The dinner was a lot of fun and the ability to meet new people and share in their lives and experiences was and continues to be very eye opening.   When you have time to sit and talk without distraction there is a lot of wisdom to be shared.     The captain was actually quite charming.   Not exactly the old grumpy looking guy like you imagine.   I was lucky enough to sit next to him at dinner.    An experience I will definitely remember.  

I think this trip has been a gift for me.   

I slept in this morning.   Missed the Walk for the Cure completely.   Oops.  Walked later.    It is getting quieter on deck.   Eight miles today.   Tonight I am meeting my friends (who shall all remain nameless) for happy hour.   Then a group of us are getting together for dinner at Tamarind.    I need this to be an early night.   Actually have to get up on time tomorrow.   May need to set the alarm.

Tomorrow is our first port.   Lisbon.  I also seriously need to figure out how to do laundry. 

The above was written April 11.   It is now 7:40am April 12.   We are in Lisbon.  I couldn’t sleep last night.    The last time I remember was 3:29 and then something woke me up at 4:51.   I went to sit on the balcony at 5:30.   It was still very dark, quiet and peaceful.   Chilly.  Coming down the river with glow of lights around.     Going under the bridge reminded me of the Golden Gate.   Special to me for the time I spent with Dad there.

As the lights were coming up, doors starting banging and my obnoxious neighbors from NY came out.       I just wanted to sit in quiet and think in peace but instead it was a bunch of hacking along with “Honey…. Isn’t that the castle?   All lit up like that?  Oh look at that statue over there with all of those people carved into it.  This looks just like the US”.   Totally ruined my moment.  I need more patience but it is completely unnecessary to be that loud and rude so early in the morning.    Very upsetting to me.   I want to slip a little note under their door but I suppose that is also inappropriate.  Maybe the lack of sleep is getting to me. 

I’ll be meeting my friends here at 9:45.    They have a plan ready for the day.   There will be 6 of us starting out.   I have mixed feelings about traveling with a group but since this is my first time here, I will try.     If we end up back early, I might go back out on my own to explore.   We need to be back by 5 or will get left behind.

Dinner last night was wonderful.    Met a new couple from Australia along with my friends from CA/Scotland and Chicago.   I continue to be impressed by everyone’s backgrounds and life stories.    We talked for awhile about wedding planning, how everyone met, what makes a marriage work.    One of the couples was celebrating their 25^th wedding anniversary.    I love seeing all of these people who have been together for so many years and are still so much in love.   It gives me hope.   Ended with a launch into politics that got everyone fired up.   A nice night.

The sun is out now.   I have two hours until we go, so I’ll keep drinking coffee and then get ready.  Looking forward to seeing the city.   And just got a call from one of my friends, we are now down to 5.   

Seriously, A Conflict?

Thursday.    An overcast cool morning.   Woke up early. 

Last night was quiet.    Watched some of Lost in Translation and then decided to go to dinner before it was too late.   Ate by myself in the Lido.    Last time I will do that.    I usually like to dress for dinner, but after the massage and ensuing laziness, I just couldn’t do it.   It was room service or the Lido and I was feeling pathetic enough that staying in was really not an option.   

Secured a table in the corner with the added advantage of decent people watching.   Dinner was steak, green beans and a beet salad.   I love beets.   It was okay.   Something about the cafeteria atmosphere for dinner is sad to me though.     The waiter came by and told me I looked tired.     The older couple sitting next to me spent dinner talking loudly about their sex life.     I was trying not to listen, but it was impossible.   Maybe it is just me, but there’s something nice about having a conversation like that at a slighter lower decimal.   Maybe they wanted me to hear.   Truly just a sad night all around.    A mini bowl of banana ice cream, a few minutes with my feet in the hot tub, and back to bed.

Highlight of my day (post massage) was finding a little note in my mailbox from my new friends confirming our dinner date on Friday at 7 in the Pinnacle.  

Don’t feel bad for me.  Today is a better day.

On an odd note, I woke up in the middle of the night and had a chocolate covered strawberry.   Who does that?   Logging in this morning, I accidently turned on my video cam and caught an early morning picture of myself.

All of this leads me to digging out my pilates dvd, rearranging my stateroom furniture, de-assembling my lobster folded towel and finding a couple of two liter bottles of water.    50 minutes later, feeling a little better.     8:30 and I’m out on the deck.   Apparently everyone is sleeping in this morning (yay!) and so I get a few good miles in before the strollers start coming out.    Perfect walking weather.     Finished 8 miles, 24 laps.   3 laps = 1 mile.  

Wrapped up my healthy morning with three glasses of water with my favorite waiter Ed in the lobby.    Chatted for a bit about his bartending career.    Signed up for the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure being held on Sunday morning.   Picked up a new t-shirt (Double yay!  A clean shirt!)

Back up to my room to grab my stuff and hit the Crows Nest for a couple of hours of reading and writing.     An invitation in my mailbox to join the Captain’s Table for dinner and cocktails… Friday night at 7:30.

I’m on here for over two weeks by myself.   Seriously, how can I have a conflict?   I’m guessing I can’t blow off the captain’s dinner.   

The announcement just came on and if anyone is interested in the ship stats, here’s a little tidbit.    We have traveled 2123 nautical miles.    1469 remaining until Lisbon.     We are currently 450 miles west of the azores.    Both the air temperature and the ocean temperature are 63 degrees.   It is definitely greyer today.   I think today and tomorrow will be inside days.     Pedicure tomorrow.  

Back to War and Peace.    Still on page 58.  

Spa Day and a Little Challenge

Just writing to say that the spa here is lovely.     My massage was wonderful.  I have lots of knots in my shoulders.    They are still there but I am feeling better and very very relaxed.    I almost booked another one on the way out but decided to let some of my bliss go before I committed to another purchase.

I have accomplished nothing today.   Nothing.

I did get a walk in this morning for five miles.    But after that, nothing.  I haven’t even had the energy for lunch.   It is 5:30 here now.    Lost another hour this afternoon.  I can’t figure out what that is doing for the light.   Does that mean its staying lighter later?   I’ll have to do some observation.

I just got a call from someone I met the other night to see if I wanted to join them for dinner.  I feel terrible but I truly am feeling just super relaxed and not really in the mood for socializing .   I feel guilty about that, but I have to remember that I am doing this for two months and do not want to burn out too early.   

I spent some time yesterday reading books about Paris in the library.     That part of the trip seems so far from now, but I do not want to neglect it and want to be ready.  

They say that by day 4 on a cruise like this, people start to get very anxious and that’s when things start getting really interesting.  I will definitely be on the look out for that.    I do hear lots more commotion around my room and less people are out today.   Louder tvs and the people above me keep dropping weights or something on the ceiling.     I quite enjoy just being on the ship and watching the water, but I can tell that it will be good to start stopping places.   Lisbon is our first port but not until next Monday.  

I ran into my new friends from Houston last night.   Ironically, we discovered that our rooms are right near each other.   I have given them a secret knock so I can distinguish them from my stalker friend. 

The weather is getting a little cooler.    We are somewhere south of Newfoundland I think.    I didn’t realize this but when you go across the ocean, you do not go straight across.   You take the circle route.   Because the earth is curved.   I also learned that Ernest Hemingway collected teredactial cats.  I know that is not the right word.   But basically they are cats with more than the normal number of toes.   They are supposed to bring sailors good luck because the extra toes mean extra stability.     I had no idea this trip would be so educational.

The ocean is getting darker blue and now there are little white caps.    I do not feel seasick at all.    

Waving hi to everyone from the middle of the ocean!     Thanks for all the positive wishes and thoughts.   It helps to know that I am not completely alone.  

My shrimp cocktail has arrived… so farewell for now.   If someone can figure out the right word for teredactial cats, maybe there will be a special prize for you when I get back!    Yup, that’s a challenge…

New Routines and a Mini Rant

Day 3?  Day 4?   Losing track of time already.   Funny how the ship will do that to you.     Clearly too much relaxing. 

I have settled into my routine.    With a little variation, the general formula is coffee and fruit in the morning on my balcony.   Long walks around the deck.   Nap.   Lunch.   Read.   Short walk.   Write in my journal or blog and sit on balcony before getting ready for dinner.    Then dinner and drinks or some combination of that.   Meet people and then go listen to music and converse.    Back to bed and do it all over again the next day.

Just a note about the walking.   Walking on the deck in the fresh sea air is one of my favorite things to do.   Ever.   I seriously dream about this.   (Big nerd).  There is not much else to do during the day anyway.  I catch the recaps of the history and port lecture series in the morning on my tv.   I don’t play bingo.   I’m trying to stay out of the sun.  

But here’s the thing with the walking.     Someone seriously needs to re-teach these people walking etiquette.    How hard is it to stay to the right if you are going to walk really really slow.   I mean really incredibly slow.   I feel like some kind of walking freak.    And there is no need to take up the entire deck for one person.   I am learning patience for sure.   There are many wonderful qualities I am observing, but the breakdown in walking etiquette is not one of them.      There are a couple of fast walkers on the ship.   We try and stay in a line and blow past all the old folks all in one bunch.      

End rant.    I needed to get that off my chest.     I will be a better person again from here on out.

I’m on the balcony now.   Sea is calm.   Air is fresh.    Sky is a pale blue.   Every once in awhile I see a fish jump out of the water.    Or something fish-like.    

Every day we lose an hour in the afternoon.   There is no 2-3pm on this ship.     I suppose if you are going to skip an hour, that’s a good one to miss.   

I am meeting lots of really nice people.   Expanding my horizons.   I was telling John in an earlier email that I am actually quite charming.   I guess traveling solo forces you to be somewhat interesting or you risk being… well, solo.  

I have two upcoming dinner dates planned and have acquired a bit of a ship stalker.    Not thrilled about the latter.  

Tomorrow is spa day #1.   Have my massage planned for 3:00.    Will have to figure out how to squeeze that in.

On page 58, War and Peace.   Something about being here requires me to read a page 3 or 4 times before it sinks in.     Or maybe its just the book, anyway, enough people know I am reading it now that I need to at least attempt to make a dent.

I’d really love to live on this ship.  I will pray extra hard that John decides to be a cruise doctor when he grows up.   I would be really good at assisting.   Can totally see myself affixing those little round stickers behind people’s ears during office hours.

A girl can dream…

Bon Voyage and Happy Easter!

Bon Voyage.   This is a recap of yesterday.   Took me until today to figure out how to log in.   Without my knowledge, apparently my last name on this ship has been changed to "Cler".   Of course.

Way underestimated how much fun this trip is going to be.

Today was ship boarding day.    I am sailing on the Holland America Eurodam.   Relatively new ship making it’s spring transatlantic voyage to Europe.    More about the ship later.

Uneventful morning.   Woke up early, got my bags ready, grabbed a banana from the breakfast area and then stood in line for my shuttle to the port at 11.   Met some nice couples in line from New Jersey.    Interesting story.    One of the couples was celebrating their 10^th anniversary.   The two couples had taken their first cruise together ten years ago to celebrate their wedding.    Nice way to celebrate an anniversary.   

Dropped off at port.   Checked bag and started the process.   I was literally on the ship five minutes later.    Around 11:30am.   Hardly anyone there and everything was very quick and easy.  

I couldn’t check into the room until 1:30 so I plopped down on a comfy cushioned chair by the pool and went through my materials.    I was one of the first there, but shortly joined by a number of other couples.   At one point, I looked around and about half of the men were sleeping around me.    It is definitely a different demographic.   Kind of like traveling with all of your favorite grandparents.   Fun and interesting in a non-Carnival ship way.    A little Seinfeld-esque at times.

Found the spa and ship library.    As one of my goals for this sabbatical period is to read War and Peace in its entirety, and since the book was too heavy to pack, I was thrilled to see a copy in the library and checked it out along with a truly chick book.   A nice juxtaposition I think.    I am on page 29.     Roughly 1300 to go. 

The ship is gorgeous.   Not flashy.   Classic.  If I could live here, I would.   But since that is not going to happen, I will just enjoy my 16 days.

Checked into my room a little early.  Several surprises for me!   John left me little gifts of chocolate covered strawberries and a new robe.   I can’t tell you how happy I was to see that robe.   John clearly knows that I will live in this as I sit on my balcony each mornings drinking coffee and eating my little banana slices.    Sigh.

Lunch in the Lido.   Sushi and salad. 

Boat drill.   No jackets anymore.   I am definitely the youngest person here with the exception of the two small children on board.      It is kind of fun being the ship’s unique commodity.   Definitely making lots of friends.  

Spent the rest of the afternoon back up in my comfy chair with a glass of wine, listening to music and chatting with people.   Last minute phone calls with John and Dad before we lost connection.     Strange being so disconnected now.    John informed me that he also booked me a massage.      Double sigh.     Checked with the spa and I can book for whenever I am ready this week.    How fun!

Met a wonderful couple from Houston and spent quite some time with them in the afternoon.     Hoping to run into them again on this cruise.   They were a lot of fun and great conversation.

Ordered room service.  Cheese and crackers and shrimp cocktail.   Glass of wine on the balcony as the sun set.      I had some time before dinner and it was nice to just sit in quiet and enjoy.

Walked around the ship again before dinner.  Caught the last very exciting minutes of the Butler Michigan game.  

Dinner in the main dining room.  I had booked a reservation for dinner at Tamarind tonight  but last night wanted to see the main room.   Spent most of dinner chatting with the two guys at the table next to me from Canada.   Dinner was a scallop seviche with coconut cream sauce, a spinach and mushroom salad, and poached salmon with artichokes.    I wasn’t going to have desert but was having so much fun and ended with a recommended coconut and pineapple trifle.   Yum.    The staff here are really great…. Got to know several of them over dinner.   It is nice to talk to some people closer to my age.     A nice story from one of the waiters whose wife just had a baby one month ago… his first.    Hasn’t even met him yet, just seen him in pictures.

And then I crashed.   And slept solidly until this morning when the knock arrived at my door and coffee was delivered.   Could definitely get used to this.

I am still kind of half asleep as I write this.    Probably a little dry… but wanted to write as I have time.     Sitting on the couch watching the blue sea roll by out the window.   Nothing more relaxing than a gentle rocking of a ship.    Hopefully things will stay this smooth for the rest of our crossing. 

Today I need to rejuvenate and get a little healthy.     Then, whatever!     I suppose from here on out, I will probably not be writing every day, and definitely will begin to eliminate some of the minutia.      As I am writing about yesterday now retroactively, Happy Easter!

PS - Pictures are taking a ridiculously long time to load.  I will add them after the fact!