California Sunshine

During the summer, we visited at Grandma Dot's and enjoyed some fun in the sun.
Now that Brian's working in Indiana and away this Thanksgiving weekend,
it's good to look back and remember some recent family activities.

Happy Birthday #5, Olivia

Florence and Pisa

You may think you are looking at a hillside scene of Santa Paula, but it's  Italy.

The art and architecture were amazing,  and it seemed incongruous for people to try and go about the daily business of living while surrounded by such intricate beauty. Like any good tourist, I often just stood in the street, gaping.

Rome in a Day

Bernini's baldacchino over the papal altar in St. Peter's Basilica

Kept behind glass, the only signed sculpture by Michelangelo, Pieta.

Guards in Vatican City

At St.Peter's Square early in the morning  with a tour group from the cruise, our entrance into the basilica was expedited and we got to skip the long lines other tourists endured

Triumphal Arch

It had a full ceiling that could be drawn into place on riggings like ship's sails.

I was surprised that the arched walkways inside the Colosseum were so vast.

The floor could be flooded above the heads of the the gladiators, lions, prisoners, etc.,  in basement quarters. 

Dad threw three coins into Trevi fountain...Hmm.

A location thick with pickpockets, people slowly jostled their way down the steps for their turn to get close enough to the fountain water to toss in a coin, or two, or three and make a wish. 

The Pantheon, 1800 years old, commissioned by Marcus Agrippa, was a temple to all the Gods of Ancient Rome

Messina, Sicily

Mediterranean Cruise

Carnival Magic Cruise

This  cruise was the reason we were in Spain, it departed from Barcelona. The Carnival Magic is a new ship,  her maiden voyage was in May, and after this Mediterranean cruise her home port will be in the USA. Everything was so shiny and inviting. 

Miniature golf on two levels

Giant chess game

Sports complex had a basketball court and this obstacle course in the sky. The kids wore harnesses that clipped to a guide wire above their heads. This looked like tons of fun. No, I stayed down with two feet planted on the deck.

Water park with slides and other crazy water stuff, and a pool.

The giant outdoor screen was effective even in daylight.

Two windows, seriously? We were completely amazed by all the space in our stateroom. The steward asked us what we did to get this special room because he had no other like it in his area.  We didn't do anything, it was just luck, I guess.

Dining rooms were lovely, delicious, and had fast service. For dinner there was assigned seating in the dining rooms so each night we had conversation with the same people, and swapped stories about the things we saw and did that day.

From our windows the ocean was still  far below. We were on Deck 2 and loved it!

A ton of lounge chairs circled the decks, and I counted about 8 hot tubs as we walked around the ship.

This was "Cruise Elegant" Night, so we dressed up for dinner. Another treat for me was the chance to wear the Mallorca pearl necklace we had bought while staying at the island for the week before the cruise.

The ship was huge and pretty much dominated any port. This photo was taken in Monte Carlo.

Center of the ship was visible from many decks.

Banks of elevators at ship's center ascended from Deck 3 to 10. Deck 3 is considered the main deck and it is where we first entered the ship. Our stateroom was one deck lower, but still far above water level. Huge ship.

Ports of Call: 

Messina, Sicily Highlight: Astronomical Clock Tower in Cathedral Square

Naples: Amalfi Coast and Pompeii

Civitavecchia: Rome

Livorno: Florence and Pisa

Monaco:

The Island of Mallorca

July 12 - 17,  2011

     We flew from Barcelona an hour eastward to Palma, Mallorca for six days at a Marriott Vacation Club Resort nearby at Son Antem, which was an absolute delight.

     We also loved exploring the island in the tiny Smart car we rented: visiting beaches sandy or rocky and swimming in a warm Mediterranean Sea, ascending to mountain-top monasteries, exploring a cathedral in Palma, walking out to a lighthouse at the southern tip of the island at Cap de ses Salines.

     We had a blast walking the street market at Llucmajor, making purchases at the Mallorca pearl factory and a Gordiola glass factory, exploring Cuevas del Drach (Dragon's cave),  and finding specialty restaurants in interesting locations.

     And most memorable of all, a 2 km winding switchback "road" down the side of a cliff to a tiny sea port of Valdemossa below. Don't let that white line down the middle deceive you, each "lane" was about 4 feet wide.