Home sweet home

Sorry it has taken me so long to update the blog. On October 21st we
arrived in Fort Lauderdale and Deborah's friend Gina picked us up at the
cruise terminal. She dropped me off at the Miami airport and took
Deborah to West Palm Beach. Deborah, of course, had a busy day the next
day at work. I had developed some kind of head cold/sinus infection and
did not do a whole lot of calling on my return. Both of us have finally
managed to post all of our pictures (We actually made albums during our
sea days...was that ever fun when the boat was rocking and rolling!).
To see pictures of the trips, you can access Picasa Web Albums for each
of us. The links are:
http://picasaweb.google.com/langford.patty/2007OctMedCruise
http://picasaweb.google.com/spoongirldeb/RomeAndMediterraneanCruiseOct2007Part1
http://picasaweb.google.com/spoongirldeb/RomeAndMediterraneanCruisePart2
Have fun viewing!

Atlantic Crossing

Quick update...we're on board ship and paying $0.75/min to access internet!
But we needed to check email, and there is a $3.95 activation fee so we wanted
our money's worth! We have been having some ROUGH weather. Average of 10-15
foot waves but I think at one point they were 20-25 feet (Mom just reminded me,
that's when they put out barf bags all over the ship!!!). Lots of movement. I
was starting to feel a little sick the first day of it, but spent time on deck
and got better immediately. Now I think we're used to it. It does rock you to
sleep at night, as long as it doesn't get too rough and wake you up when things
start moving all over the cabin!!!

We lost a lot of time with the 24 hours of really really bad weather, so we're
not entirely sure we will make the Bahamas. Probably no more update until we
get home.

Deb and Patty

AZORES

This is the last day that we will have access to email until we get home! We found a really cool shopping center in ponta del gado in the azores. now we have 5 days of sea and then a bahama day at their private island. so far, we are both really enjoying our trip. service is excellent on the ship. we had a bit of high waves yesterday, but that is ok because at night it just kind of rocks you to sleep which is really cool! Thanks all for the comments on our blog. When we get back Sunday night we will be checking them all and responding. Tomorrow we start putting our albums together. Have fun all.....we are!
patty and deborah

Almeria and Valencia Spain

Yesterday we were in Valencia and could not find an internet place! Well, maybe we were just too busy visiting ceramic museums and a palace (seeing how the other half lives) and walking down the beautiful spanish streets that have center islands up and down the avenues with tons of flower shops. I like Spain and definitely want to come back here someday.
Nicole, you had asked about our dinner mates and I keep forgetting to tell you about them. I have a good keyboard today, so will do! One couple has only dined with us twice...they are a riot, from New Zealand and 67 and 75 years old....they are staying in a suite, so don´t always come down to dinner with us. The other couple are from Florida, though originally mid westerners and also late 60s-early 70s I would guess. Very, very nice couple. Our waiter´s name is Rocky and is probably Indonesian. Also very nice young man. Food is a bit salty for my taste (but some that you would expect to be salty isn´t) but some of it is very good. Of course, I love having so much fish! as in every day. Deb said that the desserts are good....but they never resemble the descriptions!!
We got some spanish wine to try today and just had to buy á 3 pack of ´¨juice boxes¨of wine.....it is so interesting that you can buy tiny lunch boxes of wine for less than coke or juice! Today, Almeria is a much smaller town but is interesting because it was a moorish stronghold and represents moorish spain. Even though the moorish buildings were mostly converted to catholic churches, there is still a strong presense here and signs are in spanish and arabic. Well, I have been at this for 15 minutes, so going to let Deborah check her email. We will be stopping in the Azores the day after tomorrow and we will update again if we find an internet cafe. Adios!

Gaudi...WOW!!!

OK, we have been all over Barcelona and now I am in love with Gaudi. Absolutely amazing architecture. Thanks everyone who has been leaving comments and for all of the birthday wishes. Since it is Deb´s bday today, I am going to have her do the blog. Adios from Patty!

Deb now...Mom really wants me to type because some keys are sticking and she says my fingers are stronger!!!! It took 15 min yesterday to type the 2 sentences we wrote on the bizarre keyboard, today we can put a bit more. We left off the blog before after we got to the ship, I believe. The first port of call was Livorno, where we updated and then walked around a bit. We wound up going back to the ship early, although we had to wait for 1 hour for the shuttle bus! They were supposed to go every 20 minutes, but one had pulled up and the driver went on lunch break for a very very long time. There were a million Westerdam passengers waiting! So we spent the afternoon on the ship, enjoying the jacuzzi.

Monaco day after Livorno....our private tour was wonderful. We went up some very steep mountain roads, Mom of course was leaning to the side and clutching on for dear life!!! We were in a tiny village in Italy around lunch time...everything was closed....our guide found a bar that didn´t usually serve food but the owner agreed to make us sandwiches. Absolutely the best lunch ever....fresh bread wth olive oil, fresh tomatoes, and cheese (for everyone but mom). Then an apricot pie for dessert that the owner brought for us ¨because today we were family¨. And red wine that they made themselves. Truly a great experience.

Yesterday was Marseilles, we took the little tourist train up to the Notre Dame de la Gard. Also steep hills, our driver made us feel like we were on a roller coaster. Beautiful church which was also a military fortress. Then we walked around, and waited again for a shuttle bus!

Today is Barcelona, an absolutely beautiful city. We splurged and signed up at the last minute for a morning tour, which was absolutely wonderful. Our guide was great and we saw some wonderful architecture. We may go to the aquarium now, then back to the ship for dinner.

Enough for now, more when we can update again!

Deb and Mom

France

Keyboard here different, so very brief. had a great day yesterday in monaco and several hill towns beyond. Marseilles today. Excellent dinner last night. first formal night. Oh; must mention wine. Our cheap find in rome of good white wine for 1.4 euros is the house white on the ship for 20 dollars! keyboard too hard, later. deb and patty

Grazie per il vino!

Hey all,
Wonderful cabin, great ship.....and what a surprise to have the birthday wine on board waiting for us. Molto buono, Tim and Nic!!!! It was an extravagant gesture, but Deb and I took it to the restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed it throughout the meal.....but we drank the whole bottle! Deborahs first 24 hour experience of the ship has been very favorable....she won 40 bucks in the casino last night! Yesterday we sadly said good bye to the colliseum and the Roman Forum and walked, uphill for 1.5 miles with all of our luggage to the train station, and then I swear it was another half mile to where the train took off! See, I am back to being a cheap skate. It only cost 9 euro total for the 2 of us to get up to the port, versus 110 euro for the van service to the port. First impressions of the ship, compared to Celebrity are that the room is much nicer (but we have a balcony room, so not sure we can really compare), the bed is definitely more comfortable, but the food was better on celebrity. One exception with the food is that we can actually have an espresso after dinner in the restaurant, which is nice. We have been trudging around Livorno and are headed back to the ship now. Monaco tomorrow. Update later. Wish you were ALL here!
Deborah and Patty

Bellissimo Assisi!

Well, we ate out in Rome the night before last and all of the places that were recommended were closed on Wednesday evening. So, we tried something else....big mistake. It was SOOOO bad! Yesterday, we left at a little after 5 in the morning and caught the 6 am train to Assisi. Assisi is GREAT. We used the guide book that Susy gave us and visited absolutely everything except for the Hermitage. I am not quite sure how anyone can do Assisi in 2 to 3 hours. We had lunch at a wonderful little place and that made us feel a lot better about the bad meal the night before. Got back to Rome about 8 thirty and decided to have gelato for dinner....well, Deb had gelato and I had something more like a sorbet. We are all packed up and ready to head up to the port. Still having a good time, though Deb is starting to feel under the weather. See, everyone expected me to get sick, but fine so far. Well, fine if you discount the fact that on our first night in Florence, debs bags fell on my shoulder and the shoulder has been pretty painful. Life on the road!
Patty and Deb

Rome again!

Hey, still in Rome and it is beautiful weather, though very hot. Yesterday we ended up walking 12 miles. This morning we walked 7, so we figure we are earning any extra calories that we might be consuming. Yesterday afternoon we went to the Villa borghese and walked all though the most beautiful parks and grounds, and then went to the museum. I discovered that I really like Bernini. This morning we attempted St. Peters but it turns out that you can no longer just walk in to St Peters. You must go through security so there are crowds....and on Wednesday morning (there is a papal audience) the lines are hours long and you need a ticket to sit ...no problem...we could stand...but nothing is open until after the audience. So, we opted to walk down to the trevi fountain and pantheon and past the imperial forums. Oh, for all those who remember the infamous "Well, she is not stupid" quote from our guide Jackie in Roslyn, we have a new one. "Wuh, Wuh, Wuh" which means www for world wide web..........well, guess you would have had to have been here to appreciate it. We discovered that some sites close for 3 hours at lunch, so this basilica that we intended to go to has to wait for another hour........siesta time in Italy, I guess. That is all for now!
Patty and Deborah

Walked 8 miles already today!

Well, it was wonderful last night having our little meal on the balcony and drinking some quite good, and very inexpensive white wine....all whilst viewing the colosseum! Got up this morning and headed over to the Roman Forum. Got there before the crowds and it was great. Then on to the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill and a great museum. Stopped after all of this and got some fresh mozarella and went back to the apartment for sandwiches and now are checking internet to see which museum next. There is WAY too much to do in Rome. One could spend a long, long time here. But if nothing else, we have seen ancient Rome and we have the feel of rome in the very place we are sleeping. So, we are happy. no happy faces cause i can not figure out how to do certain keystrokes here! what a dummy I can be. Well, off for more walking and looking and general tourist things. Bye!
DEB AND PATTY

Rome!!

Well, it is Monday 1 October and we are now in Rome. It took us 24 hours to make it to Florence and we were both way too tired to attempt a blog entry. Cleared Gatwick airport with no problems at all then headed to Pisa...our luggage was fine and well within the weight limits. Got to Pisa and planned on taking a train to Florence....TRAIN STRIKE! So, we took the bus, and due to super, super heavy traffic, didn't make it into Florence until well after 7. Since it was dark, and we were tired, we opted for a cab....traffic was so bad it took 30 minutes and cost 20 euro to go 1 mile....ah well, this is Italy. The hotel was nice, but the shower pretty much flooded the bathroom, which made for lots of squeals and laughter. Found a restaurant and had some really good pasta and seafood then got to bed well after 10, so we were already on the right schedule. Great breakfast! Good coffee. Then we walked into Florence and all around....everything was very walkable. Got back, checked out and took a shuttle to the train station. OK, we are traveling with way too much luggage for trains and subways! So, when we got to Rome, we splurged and spent another 20 euro for a cab. We are all settled in now and getting groceries. The internet in the apartment is via television and is way, way too time consuming so we are at an internet cafe. If anyone needs to call our phone number isç 39 06 70450720
Arrividerci!
Patty and Deb

Only 3 1/2 days to go!

Well, Saturday is fast approaching and it still seems a bit unreal. The
first part of the upcoming trip I do not look forward to--flying to
Atlanta and then to London and then to Pisa and then to Florence. It
will be a LONG 24 hours.
Yet I know that the minute Deborah and I check into that hotel in
Florence and know we are really there,
the magic of Italy will take over.