Our last day in Barcelona was our easiest yet. We checked out at 11am and had our bags with us so weren’t trying to hit one last Gaudi house or tourist attraction. We stopped in at a restaurant at the marina for a coffee, killing time in outrageous fashion, then moved on down to the beach for some people watching. We almost looked homeless sitting on a bench with all of our belongings and some free iced tea we’d been handed.

When it got too hot in the sun, we wandered off to find shade and I decided we might as well head over to the boat so we got into a taxi and 4 euro later, we were there. It was 1:30pm and half an hour before we could board but others were checking in their luggage and being seen to by staff so we followed the crowd and were soon walking up the gangway to our ship, the Azamara Pursuit!

Our stateroom was ready for us so we went straight there to check out our digs for the next 13 days. We’d all been pondering just how small the room would be when it was really meant for two people and not three. We were pleasantly surprised! The two single beds had been made up and my sofa was comfy as a chair and so we presumed would be comfy as a bed. Our balcony was big enough and the bathroom more luxurious than what you’d find in an RV, we were all very happy!

With lunch being served, we sat at the rear of deck 9 and tucked into the first of many buffets. The Mums didn’t waste any time getting into the grog having their drink of choice. Amazingly, basic drinks were included with our tickets!

Barely able to contain our excitement, we spent the next hour exploring the ship before going on an official tour with one of the crew which was essential to get ourselves orientated. We didn’t really need to attend the spa giveaway at the end but we let ourselves get caught up in the excitement.

With everyone on board, the mandatory muster drill was next and we knew exactly where we needed to be thanks to our tour. No lifejackets required, we just sat and listened to the crew as they put on the lifejacket show.

With that done, it was time to set sail! We went up top, armed ourselves with champagne and watched as Barcelona floated away from us, courtesy of a pilot.

This was Deb’s first time on a cruise and she was tickled pink. This was my second and Mum’s fourth and we were no different. After such a hectic week in Barcelona, it almost felt like this was going to be our chance to rest!

We stayed up on deck a long while then had a late dinner after returning to our room to freshen up and unpack a little. Our room attendant, Andy, had already been in and made up my bed. What service!

We capped off our first night on the boat with the Captain’s Welcome Show where we got to meet the senior crew and most of the entertainers. Nicholas, a big tall man, was the easy standout with his tenor voice belting out Nessun Dorma.

Bastille Day

With my bed overlooking the ocean, I was up with the sun and enjoyed sunrise over the French coast from our private balcony. Ooh la la.

The Mums were up shortly after me and we were out on deck having breakfast as the ship moved into position at the dock in Marseille. I’d snagged a Marseille tourist map and info page from a couple at last night’s show and perused that over breakfast, discovering that today was Bastille Day.

When our captain came over the loudspeaker after docking, he informed us that this meant many things across town would be closed for the French national holiday.

We were off the boat before 9am, very aware that we had a deadline to return – it was something we’d have to get used to. We enjoyed a nice walk along the marina where preparations for a Bastille Day parade were well underway. It was exciting to be in a city on the verge of celebration, but we soon discovered the challenges that came with it.

Around the other side of the marina, we posted up at a bus stop only to find the bus ETA change from 5 minutes to 55 minutes and complete abandonment by other people that had been waiting. The tour guide (me) wasn’t off to a very good start!

When I ordered an Uber, the driver appeared almost immediately and called to say he was in position but he spoke no English, was in a different car and his name as not Justin… Oh well? We got in and thankfully he took us to the top of the hill where the Basilique Notre-Drame de la Grade stood above the coastal city.

The views were stunning and there was nobody here! It was nice after the crowds of Barcelona to feel like we’d found a quiet corner of Europe to enjoy.

Deb stopped in at the service being held in the crypt below the church while Mum and I snuck into the main atrium just before the main service started.

Of course the views of the city were nice, but this church’s architecture were just as lovely.

We wandered all around the building and Mum was pointing her finger indignantly when she saw a Mini climbing the hill. Beautiful little thing it was and our first sighting of our favorite car in Europe.

After a quick coffee in the cafe, we made our way out and the charm of the place had gone. The tour buses had now shown up and so there were selfie-stick wielding tourists everywhere. Great time to leave.

We wandered down the hill a little ways, through a gorgeous stepped alley and then down some stairs with my new favorite plant growing on them – a Morning Glory vine. Shame about the graffiti on the walls but we were learning that this was just a part of the decor in European cities.

Our bus was on time and I tapped my credit card three times to pay for our tickets. This would take us on a circuitous route to our next destination so I was quite pleased with myself for having this part of the day go right.

Three stops later, I was confused when the driver stopped and got out of his booth to talk to me. He explained that he was going no further due to the road closures across town but he helpfully explained that we could catch the Metro to our next stop. Ha ha!

And so we descended into the tunnels of Marseille where we could do no sight seeing as we moved towards Palais Longchamp, but no matter, it was impressive when we got there. Mum doubted my sense of direction as we walked because many signs pointed to the Palais but I wanted to approach it from the front and I was right in doing so.

I’m not really sure who or what the palace was built for, but they were definitely trying to make a statement with the entrance. The water and accompanying fountains seemed grand enough to have a show every hour like the Bellagio in Vegas and the colonnade framed the whole thing perfectly.

We wandered all around the great facade, stopping to admire the features from all angles. The stone work was amazing, especially on a the columns framing the statue of the man on his chariot.

The great entrance was flanked by an art museum on one side and history museum on the other. We weren’t interested in either and the gardens behind the columns were closed (more Bastille Day shenanigans) so we moved on down the street.

The steep spires of the St. Vincent de Paul church made it easy to navigate to though its balsa-wood color blended in with the buildings around it. We took the tram two stops to keep walking at a minimum and arrived nearly at the door of the church.

Of course, it had lovely stonework inside and out with lovely stained glass and endless symmetrical ceiling vaults.

The excitement meant we needed a pee-break and that meant a cafe just outside the church with a glass of wine and a coffee. It was a nice break from being on our feet and we got to enjoy a thorough ringing of the church bells at the end of a service.

Back on the metro again, the orange interior of the carriages brought us back to life as we rode back towards the port. We got off at a different stop and after a slow climb up a big set of stairs, we wandered “home” through old town. We’d found the tourists again but it was a nice wander and the narrow alleys meant that we were in the shade the whole time.

Down by the water again, we still had a large cathedral to explore, but we wanted lunch on ship so we crossed the busy square back to the Pursuit. Parade preparations were now in full swing with barriers mostly up and people staging in the port carpark.

We didn’t linger at lunch, fearing a closure of the barriers that would mean we’d be trapped in the city, we ventured out again to see the Cathedral de la Major.

The name was fitting because this building was huge and of course it had all the fixings of a beautiful church. We were getting used to this, we would enter a grand atrium and go our separate ways to enjoy the grandeur at our own pace. When we were finished, we’d find a pew and come back together again.

When I sat with Deb up front, I asked her about a beautiful statue to her right (she knows much more about religion than I do) and though she didn’t know who it represented, she used her trusty Google Translate app to go over and find out for me. We only realized later that it was an exact copy of a statue we’d admired at the top of the hill that morning.

Getting back to the ship was a challenge thanks to the parade barriers. I’d feared this would happen and we were only about five minutes too late. With a police man now stationed at the only path across, we started trekking away from the ship to get over. Deb and I lost patience and dislodged a barrier creating a pathway across. We climbed over at the other side of the street, but many people from the crowd were following our lead so we dislodged that barrier too to make it easier for everyone. Mum followed the rules and walked an extra quarter mile so we waited for her.

Our consolation was that we got to see a preview of the parade when a bunch of military vehicles rumbled past us.

With that, we were happy to be back on ship with a great view from our balcony of the goings on down below. We’d taken every form of public transport available in Marseille and felt as if we’d seen a lot.

We went up on deck for dinner with a view as the ship left port, fascinated as ever with trying to guess how the ship would maneuver out of its slot (and most times getting it wrong).

After dinner, we sat up front in the Cabaret Lounge for the night’s show of singing and dancing with time to race out onto Deck 5 for sunset after it finished.

On Top in Monaco

I’d been to Monaco, Mum had been to Monaco but Deb had never been to Monaco. We were all equally excited. We hadn’t really made a plan for today but I just knew I wanted to walk all over the place. Since the marina is the only part of Monaco that’s flat, walking wasn’t a suitable option for the Mums so they set out on the hop-on/hop-off bus while I ventured into the city.

We walked off the boat together and I made sure they got on the bus successfully, waiting for Mum to buy their tickets and find their way to their seats before I walked towards the hills. They were on their own!

I had a vague plan to get to the Exotic Gardens that overlooked the city, but didn’t really follow a set route. I was excited to find that the Tour de France would be ending here in just over a week and I was a little bummed I’d be missing it. The pit area was so bare it looked weird. When it’s not in use for F1 there’s always something else being set up or taken down there but I guess Tour de France doesn’t need many accessories.

Once I hit the race track I couldn’t stop smiling. It didn’t matter that I’d walked the loop before, it was still exciting to be on the ground where racing had so recently happened and seeing the corner names on restaurants (La Rascasse), churches (Sainte Devote) and shop stands (Tabac).

It was Sainte Devote that started me on my journey skywards. I peeked into the tiny chapel then noticed the walkway behind it that led uphill. Following my nose, I took the path that led to some stairs, then found myself at the train station where I could take an elevator fourteen stories skywards. There are many of these public lifts throughout town to make it easy for the locals to get around and for me it was an adventure to find out just where I would pop out.

As I got higher walking through steep neighborhood streets, I checked my phone for directions to the gardens and found that they were closed. When I looked up, I saw a trailhead sign across the intersection I was standing at. It was 10:30am and after a check of my maps, I found that I could make a loop that would take me to the tip of the mountain ridge behind the principality. Off I went!

We’d made a vague plan to meet at the Prince’s palace for the changing of the guard at noon so I let the Mums know I wouldn’t be making it and started trekking upwards. The path wasn’t that nice to begin with and I nearly turned around but just when I thought to do so, another couple was coming down and I didn’t want to seem like a bailer so I kept on a bit. I’m so glad I did. They were the last people I saw until I reached the top.

The higher I went, the better the views became and I loved the rocky trail. I was having to work hard!

The trail was easy to follow but it was also marked with the Monegasque flag of red and white stripes. This eventually changed to yellow which I assume represents Nice because at some point I crossed into France.

The ever-changing view gave me good reason to stop frequently on the way up and it made me contemplate just how many F1 drivers were in the vicinity at that moment. Nearly all of them live in Monaco and with no race on this weekend, they might all be home!

At the top, there were some people milling about that had driven up and I made my way around an old fort and abandoned weather station to see over the ridge and down into Nice.

At a viewpoint, I spent twenty minutes with my binoculars looking down over the colorful city, the port, sections of the race track and into the Palace square where I couldn’t see any guards changing hands, but I could see hundreds of tourists. I was glad to be just where I was.

When I started my hike down on the Nice side of the mountain, I got to appreciate the cliffs up close and I was stoked to find plenty of bolted routes leading up them. I’ll come to the Monaco grand prix one year, camp by the cliffs and watch the race from my viewpoint through binoculars with some race radio going. What an amazing spot!

My shoe laces were tied tight for the descent because it was steep and rocky but I enjoyed every minute. Now the view was right in front of me so I didn’t have to remember to turn around and look. It was amazing how bland Nice looked next to Monaco.

When I came to the end of the trail, there was only one way to go and that was down a winding neighborhood street that had some beautiful homes along it and some very, very nice cars parked out the front of them.

At the end of the winding road, I was surprised to find I was back where I’d started with the trailhead sign post! I hadn’t expected that but was happy to see the sign that made me start this journey. I followed my feet in a downward direction towards the Prince’s Palace.

I took many a public-elevator and found some stairs that took me through Princesse Antionette park. It was there that I found a shaded bench to sit and have a late lunch. Of course I’d stolen some food from the boat and wrapped it in a napkin for just this purpose.

When I came close Monaco’s old town, all I had to do was follow the crowd up to the Palace. I didn’t stay long. Yes it was a nice looking mansion, but nothing special compared to Barcelona’s architecture and after the serenity of the hike, I wasn’t interested in sharing my space with hundreds of other people. It was nice to see the peak that I’d come from.

I wandered down the least crowded alley towards the ocean where I found a great little souvenir shop selling F1-themed rip-off hats for 15 euros each so now Dad and I had matching hats for Spa in a couple of weeks.

The architecture in old town was lovely but what I really enjoyed was the collection of old photographs they’d posted along a fence to celebrate the Tour de France coming back to Monaco. I stopped at each one learning about the race’s history in Monaco.

It had been just as popular back then and the cyclists even more stupid/brave than today’s with such simple equipment and no sense of safety. The only thing they thought to carry was a spare tube across their backs and I’m sure they didn’t have team cars following them through the 200+ kilometer stages.

As I came down my last set of stairs to the boat, which was conveniently parked so close to town, I saw people on the ocean-side of the marina swimming and pined to be in the blue water. They were jumping in from a large concrete stepped platform with ladders to climb out again and I thought for sure it was a part of the hotel thanks to the tables and umbrellas up one end. But no, this was a public space!

I walked briskly back to the boat where I met Deb and Mum relaxing on Deck 5. They’d enjoyed their bus tour but it was another hot day and they were loving the sun lounges in the shade with drinks in hand. I told them about the swimming spot but they were just too comfortable so I’d be going it alone again. It was 3:30pm and the hop-on/hop-off bus ran until 5pm so I swiped Mum’s ticket, packed my swimmers and got off the boat again.

I’d wanted to walk the track, but my legs were toast after the hiking so I was happy to enjoy the corners from the top deck of a bus. I only waited ten minutes for it to arrive and though it was pretty full, I found a single seat up top after a few stops.

There was the familiar red and white curbing, the darkness of the tunnel and the steepness of the hairpin. Yes, the bus actually drove around the hairpin!

At casino square, many people alighted and boarded the bus while I watched the chaos from on high. The fancy cars were out and the casino attendees looked trim in their uniforms making the tourists look trashy as they held up their phones for selfies.

The ride only took an hour, so I was soon in old town again and got the opportunity to watch a palace guard display his marching skills (probably to keep himself awake) before retreating back into his little hut to keep watch.

I hopped off the bus near the steps down to my swimming spot by the aquarium and got changed in a public bathroom. You know you’re in Monaco when even the outside of the bathrooms look beautiful.

I checked in with the Mums again, sending them the location of this amazing “beach” but they were too comfortable. There was not a big crowd so I picked a spot and put my things in the shade on the oversized concrete steps then dove straight into the clear blue water, diving over the fish that were snacking on the barnacles attached to the concrete wall.

It was heavenly. There was no telling how deep it was but it didn’t matter, I dove down, swam out and let my legs become weightless in the water. I love Monaco. I love that people come here to spend big and live big, but I could come here and have a good time with my own two feet without spending a dime.

Back on the boat, we had an early dinner thanks to my hunger which meant we were at the buffet right when it opened. It was a pleasure to see the food laid out in such perfection before the plebs, including us, came in and poked at it.

The rest of the evening we whiled away easily on our balcony. We were glad to be on the starboard side because it meant we had a glorious view of the harbor. Many a yacht came and went and none of them were dinghies.

Though we were tempted to go to a comedy show at 9pm, that was sunset time and we figured the live entertainment of watching the lights come on in Monaco would be a better show. After the night’s in-room Tour de France entertainment, we enjoyed said show and I think we made the right choice. We were all mesmerized.

We stayed up well past our 10pm debark time, watching the twinkling lights of Monaco fade behind us.

Tourist City

After Monaco, the port town of Livorno did not look impressive. Sunrise was nice (again), but the closer we got to land, the more concrete things became. We watched the docking process and perused the day’s tourist information over breakfast.

Livorno was a gateway to Florence and Pisa and not much else. They were generous with their public transport information and that’s the route we would take.

We disembarked and made our way past a few inlets to a bus stop on the main road. A few other cruisers were with us and after tapping my credit card a few times to no avail, we were waved on by the impatient driver. Mum got chatting to an Aussie couple as we drove and that meant they tagged along when we got to the train station. A train in four minutes or an hour! We hustled, I found the right platform and I sent the Mums onto the train while I tried to figure out how to buy tickets. Both machines on the platform were dead and using my phone required all the usual annoying information about myself. Once I got through all that, it would only let me buy tickets for the next train. I asked a conductor then and she said not to worry about it but to make sure we bought tickets next time. Yes, Ma’am!

The next hour was spent listening to a loud family sitting nearby and contemplating the countryside. We still weren’t seeing any houses, only apartments.

As soon as we were off the train, I knew we were in for a tough day. It was sweltering hot and there were thousands of people moving about, a lot of them with luggage. It wasn’t much better outside the train station. We’d been prepared for the heat, but not these crowds. When we saw the hop-on/hop-off bus stop with a huge line of people standing in the sun, we figured we would walk to the next someone. I spoke with one of the attendants before we moved off, got a map and found out the red line wasn’t running.

We trotted off down the street towards the Duomo and I stopped when I saw cannoli in the window of a bakery. It was pistachio flavored and absolutely delicious, I was happy to be in Italy!

At the Duomo, we saw thousands of people and a lot of sunshine. It was a beautiful building in it’s green and white stripes but hard to appreciate the bronze domes topping the structure from ground level.

The Mums had both been here before and they reminisced about their past visits, having been inside and not had to arm wrestle anyone for the privilege. There was no way we were getting anywhere near a door. There were QR codes and timed-entry tickets involved. No thanks.

As we moved to the back of the Duomo, I was stoked to find a Tour de France display! Despite watching every stage, I’d forgotten that the tour had started right there in Florence barely two weeks before. We’d come so close to the finish in Monaco and now we were at the start line!

Moving slowly closer towards a bus stop, we walked through a busy open square where a film crew were packing up, then meandered through alleyways to find our stop. The bloody stop was closed so that meant more walking but at least the narrow streets meant shade.

When we walked past tables on the street with good looking pizzas on them, I figured it was much time so we sat ourselves down for lunch. We shared pasta and pizza as we felt obliged to do and enjoyed our drinks of choice. The highlight of the meal for me was the parmesan cheese. It was so rich and fluffy I couldn’t get enough of it. Our table offered great people-watching and the Mums saw a couple hop-on/hop-off buses go by so we were on the right track!

When we left the restaurant, we turned a corner and found the bus stop right there with a bus! I ran to catch it and they only just let us on. Phew! No more walking for now and we were grateful for the shade over the top level of the bus.

Headphones plugged in, we sat back and enjoyed the ride with commentary and some nice Italian music. Even if we’d been interested in getting off somewhere, the crowds dissuaded us. Michelangelo Square had a great view of the city below, complete with a replica of the David statue, but it was hot, it was crowded and we could see pretty well from the top of the bus. 

Our loop took us past many ancient buildings, fortresses and neighbourhoods and tiny little cars! Every other car was a Fiat which made me happy. Both new and old versions sit in perfectly on the cobble-stoned streets.

Wanting to make sure we took it all in, we ended up doing a second loop around to get back to the train station which suited everyone and meant Mum and I got to ride up front for the last half.

Back at the busy train station, we had a few issues with ticketing having to feed cash into the machine and I was disappointed no one wanted to look at them when we got onto the train after all the effort I went to.

Need an opportuni-pee, we were willing to pay 1 Euro for the privilege and what a shitshow it turned out to be. I used my card to get through, then as the Mums were fishing out coins, the attendant took my card to use it and let them in. Well, she let some random girl in using my card, then I started yelling at her, then Mum gave her a 2 euro coin and she got in, then my card got tapped a third time and Deb got in but she’d also given up a coin. What a scam this lady was running, she knew exactly what she was doing.

Happy to be on the train, we made ourselves comfortable and were grateful for the quiet after the noise of the ride in. We craned our necks as we passed by the Pisa stop but no, we couldn’t see the leaning tower.

We were staying overnight in the port of Livorno, giving us another day to explore Pisa but no one was interested. The Mums had seen it before and having already seen 10,000 people today, I didn’t want to see them all again tomorrow. We decided we’d have a rest day.

The bus back to the port was packed and I didn’t even bother with trying to pay this time, especially when I noticed it was the same driver! It had been a long day for him and multiple cruisers repeating “dock?”, “port?” and “ship?” didn’t help things.

There were a few cruise boats in the harbor and all of them were bigger than ours. Deb was so happy to see our Pursuit that when a busload of excursionists were dropped off just ahead of us, she picked up the pace to make sure we embarked before them. I was so proud of her, she knows how to read the room.

It was late, nearly 8pm and within five minutes, we had cocktails in hand and our feet in the pool. It was disappointingly warm but our feet still appreciated the relief.

After dinner Deb and I rounded out the evening with le Tour while Mum sat on the balcony listening to her book.

In-Port Rest

We all woke up happy with the knowledge that we weren’t going anywhere today. Yesterday had been such a shock to the system, we needed some down time and the Livorno port was a great place to do it. There was so much happening with ferries being loaded and unloaded, cruise ships coming and going and of course the small boats buzzing around we were never wanting for entertainment.

After breakfast, I ventured down to the guest relations desk to book our first tour for Rome the next day. The prices of Azamara’s shore excursions, like all cruises, were outrageous but we had $400 onboard credit to spend and we decided this was the best way to use the money since Rome was far from the port of Civitavecchia and hard to get to with public transport.

When I asked about the tour, the man said there were three spots left. Perfect! In the time it took him to enter our room number, that had become two spots but not to worry, he made a phone call and made things happen. Good timing! I left feeling pretty chuffed with that, it would be one less “transfer” I would have to organize. At $169 each, we were now $17 in the hole.

It was too hot to hang out on our favorite deck 5 so we made ourselves comfortable in the Living Room on deck 10 where I had a travel agent call with Dad to put the final pieces together for his journey to Belgium. Not long after doing that homework, we’d moved far enough from land to lose cell service so I caught up on my blog while the Mums read/napped/watched ferry goings-on. After a light lunch, we posted up on the Deck 5 lounge chairs watching more ships do their thing. 

By 4pm, I was restless and contemplated the gym but decided a walk around Livorno would be better use of my time. I changed and left eat ship carrying only my phone. It was nice to travel so light as if I was a local.

I wandered along the marina, then back into town when I came to a dead end. There were a couple of forts and canals that Livorno advertised as “the new Venice” but they were dreaming. They were dirty and the boats didn’t have the character that I imagine the Venice gondolas to have. After a “cool-down” in the gym on a cycle bike, I met the Mums and they were happy to hear me report that they weren’t missing anything in Livorno.

When The Pursuit started moving off from the port, we hung out on our balcony, then went up for dinner and a show. No Tour de France because we were out service. Just like camping!

Rome in a Day

With an Azamara shore excursion booked, we had to be somewhere at a particular time! My Hugh Jackman alarm got us out of bed, then up to breakfast and into the Cabaret Lounge to be given a sticker and told what to do. We were on our half-full bus at 8:15am and I was dismayed that it wasn’t packed. If we’d nearly missed out I could only imagine how many people would have liked to be here but couldn’t be because the tour was “sold-out”.

We chose a good day to go on a tour because our guide informed us that there was a public transport strike happening so we’d have completely missed Rome if we weren’t on this bus. She gave us a few other good tips and was very thorough in laying out the meeting point and time for returning to the ship.

Off the bus, we stayed well ahead of the group, navigating ourselves to the souvenir shop that served as our meeting point and free bathroom spot. It was a good move and meant we had the bathroom to ourselves before heading out into St. Peter’s square. Our shore excursion was called “Rome on your own”, so the bus ride was technically it and we were now on our own.

We took in the Vatican from afar, saving a detailed look for our return at the end of the day. There were only a few hundred people milling about and I was prepared for that number to be much bigger when we returned in the afternoon.

And so our nonstop walking blitz from the Vatican to the Colosseum began. We walked for miles and miles on cobblestone streets, narrow walkways and along the river.

We stayed in the shade wherever we could and poked our heads into any churches that had their doors open.

When Deb spotted a Bulgari sign, we risked our lives crossing the road to get to the doors, only to be told, “Ma’am, this is not a store.” Turns out it was their headquarters. I don’t think we were dressed appropriately to have walked through those doors.

We found some beautiful tree-lined streets, artistry and of course the predictable souvenir stands and hawking vendors, but we enjoyed it. If Florence had been the home of the Fiat, Rome was the home of the smart car with many of them parked nose-to-curb as their design intended.

Our morning coffee stop was at a library cafe where you could read books or take books. For us, it was a place in the shade with a light breeze to have a rest.

At Camp Marzio, another open square, Deb caved and bought a fan from a street vendor. She managed to talk him down in price and the Mums walked away with two for 5 euro. They’d be a small reprieve from the heat.

We had some steps to climb then, which we did and saw some nice views of the city. The Vatican was easy to spot from this height thanks to its dominant dome.

Our next set of steps were the Spanish Steps. 137 marble platforms leading up from a fountain to a cathedral. I didn’t think they were all that special, but I suppose they were nicely made.

The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona was too fresh in our minds so we were a little snobbish when it came to appreciating architecture.

Wandering towards the Trevi Fountain, we stopped whenever we saw something that piqued our interest and for me, that was another square with a tower that must have had over 5,000 carvings of humans on it.

When we got to the Trevi Fountain, we were gobsmacked at the people, Deb especially since she’d been here about ten years earlier and hadn’t had to raise her elbows once. Now, you couldn’t see the ground.

I wasn’t interested in photos, but I had to get close to the water so I found my way through. During our bus ride, our guide had told us about the magic of the Trevi Fountain. Throw one coin into the water and you will return to Rome, two coins and you will stay with your current partner for the rest of your life, three coins meant divorce and four coins a baby. I plucked two coins out of my little purse and threw them right into the middle of the fountain.

Ready for lunch, we sat inside a restaurant for pizza and pasta and were disappointed in the air-conditioning and the Tiramisu we had for dessert. I’d had such high expectations for my favorite dessert in its home country but this place wasn’t up to scratch. At least that meant the heat wasn’t a shock when we ventured back outside.

I was watching the clock a little now, concerned that we still had the Pantheon, the Forum and the Colosseum see before taxi’ing back to the meeting point. We managed to swing by them all and of course found crowds at all of them.

Our best stops were the ones not on a map. One was a pit of ruins that wasn’t monetized very well. The ticket man was bored and the place empty because you could see it all from street level!

Inside a church we found the most beautiful ceiling we’d seen yet. Not only did it have beautiful color and detail, but three-dimensional tricks that made angel’s legs seem like they were hanging down. We managed about five minutes there to do some admiring but declined to stand in the queue to get a photo in the mirror looking upwards.

Outside again, we crossed some busy roads to climb steps up to a grand-looking building with statues I really liked.

A few fit naked men with rock-solid abs laying down with some grapes and I’m happy.

Behind that, we came across the Roman Forum. When I rounded the corner and saw the ruins, I raised my hand to my mouth and shouted out in shock. We were in the middle of a bustling city and now this?!

I was transported right back to whatever era I was looking at. Columns stood stall, buildings were carved into the hillside and the valley looked like it could come to life in a minute, despite the few remnants of construction strewn across the dry grass.

We tried to get down to the floor of the valley, but alas a ticket was required so we admired from on-high as we walked down a busy street and then the Colosseum was before us!

Another great structure that would have been great to visit in detail, we could only skirt its perimeter and admire what we could see from a distance.

I peered through the windows when I could but the architecture of the outside walls gave enough away. It made me want to come back in the dead of winter when it might be possible to experience the history with less people.

Taxi time! We didn’t have any trouble finding a lift back to the Vatican. We drove past a lot of the streets we’d walked and we were happy to have some proper air conditioning for the first time that day.

Our driver tried to turn down the street leading to St. Peter’s Square, but I told him not to bother, paid him 20 euros and we walked to our meeting point. We were twenty minutes early and could see some familiar faces so knew we were in the right place.

The Mums were done but I took those few minutes to get a little closer to the Vatican, finding some gaps in the barriers to head towards the stairs.

It was another place that needed more than a few minutes to appreciate but I used my imagination to picture the square full of worshippers for an event. I only felt sorry for them seeing the quality of the chairs set out.

I found the Mums in the shade by the souvenir shop and they’d received their free bottles of water as promised by our tour guide. Right on 3:45pm the whole group had been ticked off the list and we were escorted to our bus. We were playing a game now trying to keep ahead of everyone else and through tunnels and a few escalators it worked well. I had to laugh when Deb egged on an older lady that made her run to get to the bus first.

We all stayed awake for the drive home and we’d never been happier to return to our air-conditioned room, have some much-needed cold showers then head up to dinner. Civitavecchia was a busy port so we had plenty to watch from the rear deck over dinner as we sailed away.

Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods)

Over dinner the night before, I’d been reading the brief for Sorrento and hadn’t got past the third paragraph which described the Path of the Gods, a unique hike that took you high above the coastline. That was my day planned out!

I was up at 6am to do some research with near-shore internet and by 7am I had the details nailed down for the 3 mile hike. It was going to be over 30*C but I had to take the chances I got. After the heat of Rome yesterday, the Mums were keen for an easy day so they planned to spend the morning on the boat then wander into the town of Sorrento at their leisure.

After brekkie, I said goodbye to the Mums and descended to deck 3. Sorrento is a small port with no room for a cruise ship so we’d be tendering to shore for the first time. I was excited but I think I was the only one. I got to deck 4 at 8:30am and found a stressed crowd. People were swearing at the Azamara staff saying they had tours booked and what a shitshow it all was.

They seemed disappointed that those with Azamara shore excursions were getting on tenders first. I laughed at it all, got in the queue and was on the next tender out. I was glad I’d got on near-last because it was a rocky experience but once we got going things smoothed out.

After the short ride, I alighted from the lifeboat and turned right along the marina. Everyone else turned left but I was following the instructions I’d read about how to get to the public elevator. I found it after walking past the numerous private beaches that were already getting crowded.

Up at town level, it was nice to walk through the cobble-stoned streets the wound through the colorful town towards the bus station. I knew there would be hundreds of people crowding the space I was walking through in only a few hours.

I loved the vines creeping over buildings and the numerous flower baskets that hung from balconies but I didn’t have too much time to admire them. As I neared the bus station, I rushed into a store, bought a return ticket for a few euros then got onto the Amalfi bus that was quickly filling up. I hadn’t had time to look at the front of the bus so wasn’t entirely sure I was going to the right place but the crowd and the bus’ direction soon had me convinced.

It was a beautiful drive along the coastline but it was entirely inappropriate for a large car, let-alone a bus. The further from Sorrento we drove, the narrower and windier the road became and it seemed people were allowed to park their Fiat Pintos and Vespas along the roadside wherever they pleased only making the bus driver’s job harder.

The bus was mostly full when I alighted at Furore. I was the only one that had requested this stop but when I saw stairs I knew I was in the right place.

I regretted not bringing the Mums with me because the beach here was simply beautiful. Not only was the water a pretty green and blue, but the pebbled beach looked smooth and the whole cove was completely shaded. I’d done this all wrong, I should have been finishing my hike here!

I was nervous about hiking during the peak heat of the day so I didn’t delay and started out climbing, having to make way for a huge school group of teenagers who were coming down, finishing their hike at 10am instead of starting like me.

It took me 1.5 hours to climb thousands of steps up to the village of Bomerano. I sweated a lot and made sure to stop in shady spots often and drink a lot of the water I was carrying.

My surroundings changed constantly going from full exposure on a steep grassy hillside, then Into the shade of a forest, then into neighborhoods with doors leading into homes and backyards right from the stairs.

The only people I saw were a few locals moving about the steps to get to and from their homes and it scared me a little knowing that no one else was stupid enough to climb so steeply in heat this fierce.

The view behind me gave me good reason to stop. It kept getting better and better and the boats dotting the water only grew as the morning wore on.

If Sorrento had been a bustling metropolitan area, my climb took me into small country villages. Where once there’d been houses, there were vineyards cut into the hillside and in the ones I could see up close, the grapes were looking healthy!

As I neared the top of the stairs, I had to turn around after getting into some weeds on an overgrown track and I ended up submitting along the roads.

I didn’t mind since walking along the hairpin turns gave my calves a nice break.

I started seeing signs for Sentiero Degli Dei and followed them through the beautiful little village of Bomerano.

Like a good little hiker, I read all the signage at the entrance to the hike and like a bad little hiker, I ignored that advice that the hike shouldn’t be attempted between noon and 4pm during summer. I looked at my watch – 12:10pm.

The hard work was done, now I got to meander along this trail that stayed high in the hills and right as I left the trailhead, I was happy to see a local on his horse meandering slowly along the trail. It looked like a regular commute for him and his steed, but wasn’t something I’d be game for.

I sang out loud as I walked, “When the moon hits the sky like a big piece of pie, that’s Amore”. I was hiking in Italy! When I wasn’t singing, I was listening to the sounds of the hills which included the gentle ring of a mountain goats bell as he wandered through his field of green.

I met an Austrian lady at my lunch stop and we sat down together after I’d taken a few photos for her. She was at least twenty years my senior and out doing the hike on her own. It was nice to chat, but when she started talking American politics, I was turned off and would rather have been on my own enjoying the view.

During that stop a couple of guided tourist groups went past, going the opposite direction and that made me feel better about being out there in the heat. Most of them hadn’t been carrying water, relying on the fountains along the way and they were doing the trail in the uphill direction.

The breeze that I picked up as I walked was blissful and a family even showed me a spot by a tree that had cold wind whipping up from its exposed roots. Good thing they told me to be careful because the tree’s base was right over a big cliff!

I saw remnants of old cottages, vineyards and hugs cairn stacks, all of which I added three rocks to. One for me, one for Dan and one for Cleo. It was peaceful.

As I started to descend, I was grateful for some shade and a slight change in the view. The cliffs that had kept my right side company were replaced with trees and that path became a little less rocky.

The Gods’ path had taken me a little over an hour and I hadn’t been rushing. It was a nice walk but the heat had almost ruined it. I was working hard but when I came across a construction crew napping on sacks of dry concrete, I knew they were going it much tougher than me.

I didn’t hesitate at the end of the path, but started my descent back down to ocean level. Again I was stepping through the back alleys of homes and looking into some beautiful backyards with breathtaking views. I’m sure a lot of these villas were rented as AirBnBs and good on them for sharing the beauty.

As I came close to the water, I could see just how busy the various coves were. There must have been a thousand boats buzzing around the blue water! All I wanted was to be in that water so I descended fast. I took me just over an hour to get down to the road and bus stop I needed and another ten minutes or so to get down to the water.

I so badly wanted to cool my body off but of course that meant another few hundred stairs. I nearly bailed after fifty or so, but that would have been a waste of energy so I persisted.

Arienzo beach had a resort pumping out loud music and serving drinks so I went to the opposite side of the cove, did a quick change, ditched my shoes and plunged into the water. It was invitingly clear but unfortunately it wasn’t the ice cold relief I’d been hoping for. Weirdly, the top foot of the water was cold but when I dove down things only got warmer. No matter, it was good enough to cool me down.

I checked the bus timetable then and found there was one in 15 minutes then another 1.5 hours later. Shit! I didn’t want to hang around on the sunny beach with hot black pebbles for sand that long! One last big push. I donned my shoes and half-ran up the stairs in my bikini. It only took my five minutes but I was sucking air at the top.

I asked a guy standing at the top of the stairs about the bus and he was waiting too so I was confident. I dried myself and dressed then we were on the bus ten minutes later after having to enthusiastically waving him down to stop him.

Exhausted, I sat in my window seat, ate the rest of my snacks and enjoyed the ride home. Of course the view was beautiful but the highlight was seeing a Berta lookalike perched on the outside of a hairpin corner. Great camp!

The Mums were ashore and I found them easily in a garden sitting atop the cliffs. They’d done some wandering but were trying their best to keep out of the heat. We caught up on each other’s days then after I’d checked out the view of the now-crowded beaches below, we meandered through town hunting for a specific Bulgari perfume for Deb.

When we saw a happy hour sign, we sat down for a round of Limoncellos though I didn’t really need the alcohol after all the sweating I’d done, it was a lovely refreshing drink.

On our way back to our tender, we peeked in on a wedding in progress and of course didn’t understand a thing but it was in a beautiful courtyard complete with a string quartet. Only in Italy and of course their wedding car was a Fiat.

Back on boat after another successful tender ride, we cleaned up, dressed in white and went straight to the bar for a round of Pina Coladas. The much-famed Azarama White Night was a way better party than we’d expected with a fully-outdoor dining experience with a family barbecue feel with live music to match.

The band played music as the sun set over Sorrento and we all felt pretty happy to be where we were.

I had expected to crash early but after the Mums retired to our room I stayed up on the sun deck awhile looking down over the party and listening to some great music. I was buoyed when Nicholas sung one of my favorites, “Does Your Mother Know” by Abba. Such energy this crew could create!

At Sea

Finally a complete rest day! We all needed it after enduring such heat the last few days but Mum and I still had an early morning start. Our captain Antonio had warned us of a few landmarks so my alarm woke us up at 6am to see the Stromboli volcano on our port side. There were only a few people out on Deck 5 and I was glad we’d got ourselves out of bed. It was a simple looking peak but the sun rising behind it made for a nice view.

I’d brought my binoculars and I was shocked to find that the white dots we could see with the naked eye were bloody houses! People choose some very strange places to live.

Mum retreated back to bed but I stayed up and set myself up on Deck 5 starboard side and watched F1 practice. Next up on the day’s entertainment was sailing through a channel between Sicily and mainland Italy. Deb joined us for this bit and we continued to enjoy the scenery from the breakfast deck.

As long as we could see land, we stayed on the upper decks to soak it all in. When it got too hot we moved into the Living Room where Mum and I had a travel agent call with Dad to make sure everything was in place for his journey to Europe. Deb and I then managed to get into some Tour de France after I set up a bit of a technical center. Shortly after that, we lost cell service and so enjoyed the rest of the day completely unplugged.

I worked on my blog, Deb read on her Kindle and napped and Mum listened to her audiobook as she watched the sea go by.

We moved all over the ship and spent the afternoon in our rooms, me on the balcony enjoying the pristine blue color of the water and our table that served as my desk.

We were all getting restless towards drink time so just after 6pm we went into the Den to have our favorite cocktails and listen to Alexa play piano. It was weird to see so many people on the boat. Nowhere else to be obviously!

Sunset was a pretty affair and we did a lot of boat-spotting both with the binoculars and without. It was a hell of a time for a day at sea and we topped it off with a colorful show in the Cabaret Lounge.

Quick Stop in Kotor

With another scenic sail to look forward to, we were all up at 7am for an 8am start. To get into Kotor, Montenegro, we turned left into a fjord (not actually a fjord according to a Lonely Planet Guide we found) then turned right into a small cove. It was gorgeous piece of sailing, we were surrounded by mountains.

Mum had perused the shore excursions yesterday and among them was a man-made island with a church called Our Lady of the Rock. As we sailed into Kotor, we went right by it and sure it was a pretty little church but we felt bad for the people that had paid $200 each for the excursion to it. Here we were, no more than a few hundred feet away getting a good view and those plebs would be on the cruise ship another hour, then take a 20 minute tender boat to port, then get on another boat ride to go back out to the Lady. Not a good use of time if you ask me!

If Sorrento’s tender shenanigans were bad, today was worse. Instead of queuing, now they were giving out tickets! We’d gone down to the Den after breakfast just to see what was going on and I ended up getting in line for a ticket. In typical Sarah fashion, we got some of the last tickets and quickly exited the chaos.

When we returned to the Den around 11am, chaos was still ensuing and there were many angry people crowding the crew. The captain was trying to get approval to move closer to the port since the tender rides were taking so long and everyone was going to miss their booked tours.

We switched between the chaos inside and checking things out from Deck 5 and I laughed when Mum told me groups 9, 10, 1 and 2 had been called. Ha ha, we were group 11! We descended the stairs and I could have handed the crew member a business card for the attention he paid our tickets and we were soon on a lifeboat chugging into Kotor. I don’t care what everyone else’s problem was, we were having a great time!

We hit land about noon and I moved towards a taxi rank looking for a ride out to the cable car Mum had found and I was accosted by a tour provider that informed me we would have to use the official channels. Ok mate, I moved on and found a cab driver to talk to. Pushy tourist guy had soon returned and quoted us 150 euro for a 5 minute return drive. I laughed at him and told him to leave. Back with my cab driver, he quoted us 60 euro to do the same thing and that he’d wait an hour for us at the base of the cable car. I was still being ripped off but that would do.

Our driver spoke English so he chatted a little as we drove through a tunnel to get to the other side of the mountain. We didn’t find any crowds at the base of the new-looking cable car so I bought our tickets (23 euro return) and we had our own private car after the ticket officer miraculously guessed not only the countries we were from but also the cities.

The ride took about ten minutes and we enjoyed some of the most stunning views of the trip. The port of Kotor was nestled so perfectly at the base of green mountains and the Azamara Pursuit was the focal point of it all.

We were ooh’ing and aah’ing constantly and pointing out different pieces of beauty to each other as we slowly climbed.

The air coming in through the windows soon felt like air conditioning and we couldn’t wait to get out into the clouds and experience some relief from the extreme heat.

When we alighted from the car we weren’t disappointed with the temperature. It was blissfully cool up here and the clouds were toying with us, threatening to cloak us in white.

With our driver, we didn’t have a whole lot of time, but we didn’t need much, the best views had been from the cable car. After wandering around a little, we knew for sure that this whole complex was new. Everything was so fresh from the tarmac, the newly planted flowers, the freshly built cafe and restaurant and the trails were still being under construction.

A great business venture, the only thing they were missing was a shuttle service to the port!

As we walked back to the cable car, the clouds fully cloaked us and we enjoyed the cool bliss. The ride down was just as good as the way up and this time we hardly looked out of the left side, we just wanted to see our boat nestled in the day’s harbor. Our driver was faithfully waiting for us at the base and after the quick drive, we were back in the heart of Kotor and overdue for lunch.

We’d packed at breakfast so all we needed was a shady spot. We found one on a bench on the side of old town after wandering a little through the walled-off village at the base of the mountains.

We were joined at lunch by a stray cat and we soon found out he wasn’t the only one. Kotor was a city of cats, which is apparently a thing and we soon saw kitties in every little corner and alcove of Old Town.

Over the next hour we wound our way through old town and it was nice to experience such narrow alleyways without looking over our shoulders for cars or scooters. Two- and four-leggers only within these walls.

Again, it was extremely hot and I couldn’t quite walk straight thanks to my sore stair-climbing calves so I had to skip the climb up to the town’s old church and fort. I did go up a few dozen stairs just to get a look at the start of the trail but that was my limit.

When we came to the Sea Gate at the opposite side of town, I was ready for a swim and the Mums were ready to get out of the sun. We split up so I could walk along the town wall and we could sea each other as we head in the same direction towards the public beach.

I ended up having to do a bit loop inside old town to get out again so we lost sight of each other but no one could miss the ginormous MSC cruise ship that was pulling right into the marina. This thing made the Pursuit look like a small fishing boat. Especially parking up in such a small marina, it was a behemoth.

I could see from a distance that the beach was a circus so I thought I’d find the Mums in the shaded marina park but when I didn’t find them, I moved towards the beach crowds and found them posted up in some shade sitting on a wall at the back of the beach. What a meat market. There was barely a patch of sand to be found.

We were there now so I had to jump in. Another sneaky change, I tip-toed my way through people and jumped in. A little warm on top but the water was freezing down low! When I ducked down, I could hardly stop from letting out a breath of shock at the cold. This is what I’d needed after the Path of the Gods!

After jumping off the concrete pier, I was out and we were off to our lovely little boat to relax. Good timing too, as we walked into port for our tender, the MSC lot had been let off. It was hard to imagine that this small town of Kotor could handle 3,000 thousand people. It didn’t seem right and we were happy to leave them to it.

The Pursuit pulled up anchor at 6pm and we spent the evening in air conditioning of the Living Room, sipping our drinks and enjoying the sail back through the not-fjord, complete with another close-up view of Our Lady of the Rock!

That night was the best entertainment of the whole cruise with Nicholas taking the stage for his own show showcasing his beautiful tenor voice. He narrated between his chosen songs, telling us a bit about his life and the things that inspire his music. They were all magnificent, but my favorite was still his rendition of Nessun Dorma from the first night.

Crowds of Krka

I was getting pretty used to seeing sunrise every day, our balcony always seemed to be pointing to the right side of the earth and on this morning, I didn’t even have to get out of bed. Pretty good way to start the day.

We had another channel sail-in today but this one was shorter and narrower than yesterday. At the midpoint, there must have been less than a Pursuit’s width either side of us. It was my kind of area with campers enjoying bush camps along both coasts.

Once we got into the port of Sibenik, the views were the worst we’d had from a dock. We were in an industrial area, complete with a large jackhammer ready to make some noise in some concrete. Not in a rush to get anywhere, we had a lazy morning, enjoying brekkie up on the deck before taking the gangway to ground level.

Our morning’s briefing had told us that Krka National Park was the big point of interest here and so that was our main goal. Of course the shore excursion was too expensive so we were going it alone. I did my market research by asking a guy in a taxi parked up at the port how much for a round trip and he said 60 euro each way. No thanks, Croatia had ride share so I got us an Uber-equivalent “Bolt” for the low price of 19 Euro. We had a wonderful driver who told us about his home town on our drive and also advised which entrance to Krka we should go to. He kept repeating that we shouldn’t do any walking, we should take the boat into the park. We had to be on celebrity watch too apparently. According to him, many a celebrity had visited the park and named it the most beautiful place on earth.

Our arrival to the town of Skradin was perfectly timed for the next boat shuttle into the national park. We had enough time to buy our entry tickets and get in line for the next boat which left fifteen minutes later. It was barely 11am but it was already stupid hot. That meant the Mums opted for shade on the top deck but I braved full sun to sit up front.

As we started chugging upriver away from the ocean, I was stoked to see a beautiful beach complete with shady trees and we enjoyed a lovely sail under a bridge then on into the national park.

While the waterfalls of this park are what draw so much attention, the crowds were so big that they’d become one of the big points of interest for us. This was just ridiculous! Once we disembarked, we moved with the crowd towards the main falls, Skradinski buk, and then we were among thousands.

Mum grabbed herself an iced coffee and we got our first glimpse of the falls, then we started out on the loop walk, getting stuck in a queue over the bridge caused by people taking photo upon photo. Funnily enough, we saw the official Azamara tour group right behind us. You could tell they were on a schedule and I was glad we weren’t part of it.

When we could get in front of all the heads and iPhones, the falls were beautiful and had so much width you could sit for hours and find different things to look at.

There was an old hydro power station on the opposite side of the river which would have been nicer to have a closer look at but it was off limits so we slowly started our meander through the humid bush and around the waterfalls. It was the best thing we could be doing on another hot day and whenever the breeze picked up we stopped to enjoy it.

Every viewpoint was crazy busy but we were still able to enjoy the blue green water turning to white over multiple small cliffs and rocks.

Having done half the loop, we had the option to get a bus out of the park but having done all the climbing, we opted to continue the walk back to where we’d started. It was a great choice because walking along the raised wooden platforms was the best and least crowded part of the park.

From our raised pathway, we spent a lot of time looking down into the still water watching all the fishies doing their thing and envying them for their ability to swim in this forbidden water. Towards the end of the walk we saw a few beautiful looking pools and it was torturous that swimming was not allowed here.

The crowds returned at the last viewpoint which we walked right on past then we were ready to head out. We got a look at the bridge we’d crossed as we walked out and it looked like a twenty minute wait now to get on the bloody thing. How stupid.

We nailed our timing again waiting only ten minutes for a boat that came every hour and were all happy to sit inside for the ride back to town.

We took our taxi driver’s advice and took a walk around the old town of Skradin and it was lovely. These were by far the quietest cobblestoned streets and alleys we’d wandered because it wasn’t near a port!

Of course there was a fort on the hill and again I declined to hike up to it, my calves were still angry to see stairs.

We were grateful for the cloud cover which meant it wasn’t stupid hot, but after a loop around town, we were all walked out.

My strong, beautiful Mums persisted as we made our way to the glorious beach we’d seen from the boat. It was more crowded than we’d seen in the morning, but nothing compared to yesterday’s experience.

There was a bench with our names on it in the shade so we posted up, ate our packed lunch and I scheduled our pick-up ride with our taxi driver. I was the only one that opted for a swim and I enjoyed the cool off. As informed by our driver, the mix of fresh water from the falls and the ocean inlet meant it was barely salty which was a nice change.

I swam out to the floaties that marked the swimming barrier treading water and enjoying the cool when I saw movement at the bridge. People were jumping off the thing!

Ten minutes later, I was dried off and we were back in our taxi. Our driver was just as chatty on the drive home and started talking about old town in Sibenik and the parts of it that were used in the filming of Game of Thrones. That was a tidbit we didn’t know!

Despite the tired legs of the Mums, we watched as our taxi drove past the Pursuit and into Sibenik. Our driver dropped us off at the steps leading into old town and we had a quick wander through. I managed a glance inside the cathedral used in Game of Thrones and it looked like the throne itself but I wasn’t willing to pay the 5 euro and deal with the crowd to find out.

The alleyways were beautiful and the stonework a nice sandstone color. So much so that as soon as we left old town to walk back to the boat, the modern buildings looked ugly and dirty.

We hadn’t planned on a big day but by the time we got back to the boat we were utterly spent. The heat was really wearing on us and with a new country to see every day we were finding it hard to find time to just relax! It was the little things that kept us going, like seeing a water fountain that was home to a bunch of turtles – one of which jumped off his tower into the Koi-infested waters!

We all went our separate ways to do just that – Mum on deck 5, Deb in our rooms and me in a comfy chair behind the pool trying desperately to catch up on F1. We all enjoyed the sail out through the channel from our various vantage points, noticing things we hadn’t on the way in and waving to the groups of beachgoers enjoying the last hours of their weekend.

When we’d returned to our rooms that night there was a letter for us suggesting that we spend the $261 of the onboard credit we had left. Huh? We’d spent $417 of our $400 credit on the Rome tour! After a discreet check at Guest Service to make sure we weren’t going to cop a bill, we indeed have $261 to spend! There weren’t any more shore excursions that tickled our fancy so our only option was to spend big at the store. Spend big we did, being those annoying customers persistently asking how much money we had left. Deb picked up a hat, me a pair of $100 earrings and the rest we spent on Azamara branded swag which wasn’t worth any real money. The girls had a shopping spree!

Azamazing?

This morning’s port gave us plenty of action when we parallel parked in port between a cargo ship and a cruise ship that looked identical to ours. It was the Azamara Journey and she’d got there an hour before us. We’d learnt that Azamara’s fleet of four ships were all exactly the same – even down to the restaurant names – and now we got to see living proof!

At breakfast, it was clear we all had finish-line syndrome. We were having an amazing holiday, but the heat and activities in new countries every day was hard work! With all tickets to the Skocjan caves sold out and more 30*C+ heat, we were almost happy to resign ourselves to the boat for most of the day and watch the goings on with the nearby container ships. That said, we still had to go check out Koper, Slovenia.

We descended from the gangway mid-morning with no plan but to wander a little. We didn’t get far. There were tour providers posted up at the port and one of them advertised a tour to the Skocjan caves for 69 euro a person. It was steep but Deb had been enthusiastic about the cave system having the largest underground canyon in the world. The tour left at noon and would get us back at 4pm with cave tickets included so we were sold.

After taking the elevator up to town-level, we wandered around for an hour to enjoy yet another old walled city. Yes it was gorgeous, but things were all starting to look the same.

In one church, we found the best looking organ of the trip. It was set back into the rear wall in such grandeur and perfect symmetry, I’d have loved to hear it in action.

We saw a lot of cyclists in town looking like they were doing a tour which got me all excited and Deb found the scooter of her dreams in a beautiful blue.

The good thing about narrow alleys is that you can always find shade and we were now getting very good at it.

And of course, there were cats.

With plenty of time still to spare before our 12 o’clock departure, we did a quick run back to the boat to pack a light lunch of pastries from the ship’s cafe and grab our jackets since the caves would be cold, then we were off to our meeting point.

Once seated in a nice Sprinter van, we met a young couple from the Azamara Journey. They were on their honeymoon and were full of tips for Venice and we shared our Azamara experiences. Like us, they were having their “Azamazing” Evening tonight – a special outing organized by the cruise line at no cost to the attendees. We were getting a horsie show accompanied by a philharmonic orchestra while they were heading into town to see a traditional music show. We were feeling pretty smug thinking we got the better deal.

An Asian family joined us on the bus then we were off. We had an excellent guide who spoke about Slovenia and the Skojcan caves during the 45 minute drive. The first thing she had to point out were the thousands of cars wrapped and parked as we left the port. This was a massive import hub for high-end cars like BMWs and Mercedes with room for over 40,000 cars. She also told us that Slovenia is the greenest country in Europe and ranked sixth in the world. It was easy to believe with all the green rolling hills we were seeing and lack of cars on the highway.

We arrived at the caves and I was feeling pretty smug to have gotten us on our little tour when there were “sold out” signs posted all over the ticket booths. Within minutes, our guide had tickets in our hands for the 1:15pm tour. We read the signs in the mean time and snacked on our pastries in the shade.

When the time came, we followed a guide along a road with about 200 other people, then trotted downhill on a shady trail. I was talking to the Azamara Journey couple the whole way so we arrived at the entrance in no time. 

We herded in near the cave entrance like sheep, then listened to instructions like school children. No photos allowed, stay with the group and no touching was about the sum of it. We’d been advised on the drive out to try and be at the front of a group so we could hear our guide but we ended up at the rear of our group of 40. We were initially concerned but it turned out to be a huge win because we could lag behind and our guide always waited for us to catch up before giving us her schpeel.

The cool of the caves was welcome as we descended through a straight tunnel. Once we were through that, the wonders began. The pathway was dimly light but the concrete was grippy so we could easily look up and around while walking.

Our guide stopped us a handful of times to bring the group together and point out different formations and features and she did well to make herself heard in the din of the cave. We stopped right by a giant stalagmite that was the size of a small building and in one room we saw a variety of colors from the different minerals that were carried in the dripping water.

We continued our descent seeing many more formations but the highlight came when the descent became steep and we could hear the raging river below us. As we walked, our guide used her torch to point out the old tourist route cut into the walls. The stairs were perfectly built but with no handrails to be seen. These had been used in the 1930s and took people right down to the river’s level.

And then we saw the bridge. It was at least 70 meters above the river and the cavity stretched just as far above it. We were underground and there was a massive bridge crossing over this huge canyon! I couldn’t quite picture the flood event that had put the bridge underwater when the water rose 90 meters in only two days.

We just couldn’t stop ooh’ing and aah’ing at things. It’s amazing we didn’t fall over our own feet. It was also fun to watch Mum roast a couple that were hanging back and taking illegal photos. “What part of no photos didn’t you get?” she asked them. It didn’t change their attitude one bit. My guess was that they disallowed photos because you would never be able to move the group through the cave otherwise.

As we moved along above the river, we heard the sound of tools on rock and could see a small construction crew at work below restoring the tourist path by the river. The plan was to bring people close to it again but for us, admiring the cloud of mist rise up towards the roof was spectacular in itself. What a construction team to be on with no hot sun beating down on you!

The climb started then and the group slowed significantly. There was still so much cave to see so we kept hanging back and looking around. The worst part about the tour was the end when we came out into the heat again. None of us had donned our jumpers, our bodies had relished in the natural cool.

There were three options to get back to the start and though the toughest one was estimated to take 1.5 hours, that’s the path I took while the Mums took the easy route using an elevator to get back to village level.

I had 45 minutes so I hoofed it, stopping to appreciate another small cave and a waterfall but running whenever the opportunity presented.

Seeing the river upstream was a different story to what had been below. There it was calm, moving slowly through wide open caverns, unlike the dark and fast-flowing character inside the main cave.

I passed a few people as I climbed and was grateful for the shade when I had it. When I started to see signs saying the village was five minutes away, I knew I’d made it. I found the Mums sitting at the cafe enjoying a cold drink and with fifteen minutes until our departure, I decided I had time to chug a Slovenian beer. It was delicious, though not quite cold enough for my liking.

Our driving guide found us and we were soon off to our air-conditioned van. We chatted with the Azamara couple a little, then happily listened to our guide as she told us more about Slovenia and then got into the details of the horses we’d be seeing later that evening. Anticipation was building!

Back at our boat, we were happy to get onboard for showers, a drink in the Den listening to Alexa play piano, then an early dinner. Sitting out on the rear deck, we could see Azamara Journeyers doing the same thing on their rear deck. We listened attentively to the announcement regarding the Azamazing evening and only twenty minutes later, heard a similar announcement from the other boat!

When our deck was called, we walked down the gangway, received a sticker for our bus and were driven off, along with fourteen other buses to our special show.

The countryside was much of what we’d seen before and when we arrived a the horse property, it was beautiful. Green grass spread out for miles with trees dotted through the paddocks and everything was lined by a white picket fence. We followed the crowd down a tree-lined footpath, past the hotel and casino and then into a beautiful wooded clearing where they were serving drinks and, surprise, surprise, more food!

We stopped to see the horses outside their barn, then just waited around for the show to start.

After doors opened, they were letting people in by bus number. Being number 10, we’d have been seated at the back so I ditched my sticker and walked in when number 5 was called. I thought the Mums were right behind me but no, so I found us a great spot behind the VIPs at the end of a row and kept my eye out for them. It was a good move and they appreciated my work because the place filled up fast.

The show was very underwhelming. The orchestra played beautifully, but they were so far off to the side it was hard to appreciate them and the poor dancers had little room to move and repeated the same routine over and over. It wasn’t the sort of dancing that made you go wow, it just felt awkwardly drawn out.

The horses looked magnificent, but skittish and not all that enthusiastic for the show. A couple of singers came out sitting in a carriage and even that was weird because they sang sitting down to no one in particular. The man could have been Kevin he looked so much like him and that might have been the best part of the show.

With the horsie jumping and kicking over, the place emptied out, again by bus number which seemed ridiculous to us so we just moved off when it suited us and meandered back towards the buses.

Back at the boat, we were welcomed by the band who were out on the port playing in earnest and of course, more drinks! We hung out on deck 5 drinking, listening to the music and watching the display of humanity return to the ship. An hour later, we were sailing out to sea with the Journey ahead of us somewhere on the horizon.

Veniza

We were staying overnight in “Venice”, which was actually the port of Chioggia since Venice doesn’t allow cruise ships anymore. They had even trialled a 5 euro pay-to-enter system in the weeks preceding our visit to try and limit the number of visitors. We were here just in time to see the place before it became properly locked down. Anyway, it meant we didn’t have a deadline to be back so we had a productive morning packing our bags before leaving the ship. It was our last night on the Pursuit and we’d be sad to leave it.

Aiming for the 11:15am public bus, we walked along Chioggia road, finding that the port town wasn’t the prettiest place in the world but was a big hub for fishing apparently. We were already sweating by the time we got to the bus stop which was occupied by mostly locals. Ten minutes later, the cruisers were the majority but we were all let on. It was the first time we’d had to pay cash for tickets since cards weren’t accepted.

It was the nicest bus we’d traveled on so far with two decks and ample air conditioning. Once we were done driving by the sea, we were in beautiful green countryside where for the first time we saw actual houses instead of apartment buildings!

As we approached Venice, we noticed hundreds of scooters parked up at the entrance to the island. No roads so no wheeled vehicles! We were dropped off into a throng of people and a lot of them were dragging suitcases. It would be a theme of the day, seeing people wheel cases in the extreme heat up and down stairs and over cobblestones. We were glad our hotel was safely parked at the ocean and nowhere near here.

Needing a pee before getting started, we ducked into the train station where payment was required so I put in my money then got the Mums in through the exit. That made me feel better about getting scammed back in Sorrento.

Once over our first bridge, we were in Veniza! It is such a beautiful and unique city, as long as you look through the people. There were gondolas everywhere and my were the men operating them fit! They all had brilliant tans, quaint uniforms and most of them were smartly wearing a stiff brimmed hat. The going rate for a half hour ride was 90 euro. Good thing we weren’t interested.

The alleys were narrow – to shoulder width in some places – and the canals confusing but we were happy to get lost.

We’d been walking at least an hour when it was time to have a rest so we stopped at a canal-side restaurant for a drink. I saw Bellini on the menu and decided that sounded refreshing and wow was it a great choice. Our timing was impeccable because Dad had recently landed in Brussels and needed technical support to get his travel SIM card working. We sorted that out eventually and the Mums got talking to an Aussie couple next to us when they looked over wandering why an IT support ticket was being opened across from them.

With Dad sorted and us girls refreshed, we continued on, moving through the streets following the signs for St. Marks square, of which there were many. Sometimes we’d be in near-deserted areas and others we’d pop out of a dark alley and into the light where the street was lined with high-end shops.

We barely lingered in St. Marks square due to the crowds. We’d had our fill of it so didn’t even bother to get close.

I whipped out my binoculars to see some of the finer details, then we wandered the courtyard where mini-orchestra bands were playing for restaurant goers.

It was a nice atmosphere and we had to mind our feet because water was coming up through the ground in various places. The city was sinking.

We snagged a couple of cannolis to share then walked over to the Grand Canal where we marveled at the highway of boats traffic and the comings and goings of many a boat, happy to be going at our own pace on land.

We ducked into the royal garden where many people were taking a break from the sun, then we were all ready to make our way back.

It was mid-afternoon and we hadn’t lunched yet so that was our next priority. After some searching, we picked up some pizza slices and found a stoop to sit on. Now we just had to get back to where we’d started. I’d imagined we’d be able to take a boat taxi but that was all too hard, so we just promised our legs a rest was coming soon and pushed on.

Needing to make sure Dad got to his hotel ok, we had a sit-down on a bench in a rare large open square while I called him. His train experience wasn’t a good one, but he was safely at his hotel.

Our first Bellini was so good we wanted another. I lit up when I heard “That’s Amore” being played on an accordion and followed the sounds to a busker playing outside a restaurant with outdoor seating. Perfect. Three Bellini’s please! Unfortunately an old Italian woman yelled at the busker and he shut up shop soon after, but at least he’d got us sitting down and drinking.

I only turned us around twice on the way back to the bus station and each time we saw something interesting so I wasn’t sorry. It was just such a beautiful place to get lost. The age of Venice was definitely showing, with some sidewalks and building landings submerged in water, but it was part of the charm.

The low point which marked an end to our Summer cruising around Europe was a pick-pocket attempt on me. As I had been all day, I had my hand resting on my shoulder bag when I felt movement. The guy retracted his hand from my bag quickly and when I yelled at him, he calmly moved his hands to his bum bag to get his pack of cigarettes. His two accomplices moved away from him a little as I kept my eyes on him while fishing through my bag to make sure nothing was missing. “What did you take?” I yelled at him, and he kept moving. No one stopped walking the whole time, including me as I walked backwards. It was obvious he’d done it before but he obviously wasn’t very good. The Mums caught up with me and we all watched as him and his buddies walked briskly from the scene. Another lady approached me then speaking French and I backed away from her. I think she was a tourist or guide but I wanted nothing to to do with her. Suddenly everyone was the enemy.

We moved on and one more bridge crossing got us to the bus station. I found the wrong #88 across the way and then asked a lady standing in a nondescript spot where we’d been dropped off and she said she was going to Chioggia. Ten minutes later, a beautiful double-decker air conditioned bus arrived. We got conversation seats once again so we could chat all the way “home”.

The mile-long walk back through Chioggia was a long one. We were straight to the bar once back on ship having a round of Bellinis, our new favorite drink. After some small bites at dinner it was show time and it was Opera tonight. Mum wasn’t interested so it was just the American team. The local singers were brilliant and they’d obviously been working together a long time. It was a well constructed show with some famous opera songs accompanied by footage of them performing on stage in past shows. The woman was an amazing actor, making me understand what was going on by her facial expressions and not the Italian words in the song. The man was a true entertainer, working the crowd up until the last note.

We found Mum awake reading in bed when we got back and for the first time of our trip, we set an alarm for the next morning.

Hi Dad!

We were all up with the alarm and happy to have packed the night before, it meant light work and only breakfast to get through before saying goodbye to our lovely room. We’d decided to schlep our bags down to ground level ourselves and as we walked through the port of entry building we were happy to have done so. It would have been a pain to find our bags amongst the rows. We walked straight through and found a man with a clipboard at the door of our bus. Our bags were loaded and we made ourselves comfortable.

The bus didn’t linger, we were soon on our way towards Venice along the same route we’d taken yesterday. Farewell Azamara!

We were at Venice airport by 9am and with our flight leaving at noon, we had time to kill. It was a busy place and we soon found out we couldn’t check in until 10am and so we camped out. I was glad I asked someone where to be because right at 10am, we were in front of the blank check-in counter that turned into Brussels Airlines at the top of the hour. We ditched our bags and by the time we turned around, there was a line a hundred people long.

Security was packed but we made it through and then managed to find a camp upstairs. Deb was off to buy a bottle of Limoncello that she and Mum shared and we waited for our gate to be announced – that wouldn’t come until 11am! So much to keep you guessing at this airport!

Once we found our gate, I masked up and marveled at the number of people that were apparently going to get on this flight in the next hour. No way would we be leaving on time!

We crammed onto a bus, drove out to the plane, then settled down in our row for a quick hop to Belgium. We were only half an hour late into Brussels and Dad was already in position at Brussels central train station. After picking up our bags, I lead the girls into the train station, bought us some tickets and was happy to see that all screens were functional unlike Dad’s experience yesterday. What took him over two hours took us only twenty minutes.

At Brussels Central Station, it was a bit of a scramble to get ourselves and our bags off in time but we managed. After looking around a little bit, I saw a tall man in shorts a ways down the platform. It was Dad!

I got to him first and gave him a big hug, quickly followed by Mum and Deb. The family was together in Belgium! So began the next adventure…

13 – 25 July, 2024