Our Cruise Critic Roll Call Group Picture.

Links to websites we used for planning.

General:
Cruise Critic: http://www.cruisecritic.com/
TripAdvisor; http://www.tripadvisor.com/
Travel Insurance; http://www.accessamerica.com/
Cell phone; http://www.mobalrental.com/

Venice:
Hotel Foscari Palace; http://www.hotelfoscaripalace.com/eng/prenota/step1.asp
Vaporetto pass; http://www.venicecard.com/index_eng.jsp

Torcello:
Locanda Cipriani; http://www.locandacipriani.com/english/ristoeng.htm

Athens:
Driver; http://www.athenstaxi.org/

Kusadasi, Turkey:
Guide; http://www.leventsolmaz.com/

Naples:
Driver/guide; Salvatore Lucibell, info@driveamalfi.com

Rome:
Train information; http://www.romaturismo.com/v2/romatiaccoglie/en/treno.html
Nicolas Inn; http://www.nicolasinn.com/index.asp
Angel Tours; http://www.angeltoursrome.com/en/index.html

Florence:
Driver, Pierguido Sarzani; http://www.tuscanyinmypocket.com/index.htm

Villefranche:
Guide, Alain; http://www.dream-tours.com/

Barcelona:
Hotel Continental; http://www.hotelcontinental.com/

Post #33: The end.

Flight at 9:10am
Ordered a cab for 7:15am
Set alarm for 6:00am
Were up before 6:00am
Bags in lobby by 7:00am
Eating breakfast when cab arrived at 7:06am
Driver smiled and said to continue.
Negotiated the narrow corridor and small elevator
To get bags down to the cab (the driver did help)
Got to airport and it was very confusing
We didn’t know if we were in terminal 1 or 2
I asked 3 people, and got three different answers.
At least we had lots of time.
Finally talked to someone who had the right answer
Got checked in all the way through…including boarding passes
Priority tags put on bags.
All four checked bags weighed at same time.
No interest in overall dimension (largest bag stretches limit)
No discussion about weight (or count) of carry-on
Perhaps it helped to be in Bus Class.
Split my electronics between 3 carry-on,
so did not take out the individual bags of stuff
when going through security (as I usually do)
(I have stuff divided in smaller mesh bags.
Easier for security to see what is there that way)
No issues (at any of the 3 airports)
Had about an hour to kill so used Swiss Air Bus Class lounge
Complete open bar available…self serve
Champagne, wine, booze, pastries, juices, water
Soccer match on TV
We were ONLY ones there.
We had pastries and water…too early for anything else
Free use of desk-top computer with internet access.
I was able to clear up my accumulation of over 2,000 spam emails
Downloaded pictures from day before on laptop (multi-tasking)
Headed out to boarding.
1hr 10 min flight to Geneva
We only had 45 minutes until next flight after landing
Small airport, so flight attendant suggested it would be no problem
We arrived in GVA at A terminal and had to go C.
Small is relative. We had to walk a long way.
And we did have to go thru another security check.
Had to take off watch and belt (have not had to do that before)
We were a little nervous about time,
but didn’t get to the ‘stressed out’ level
Got there just after they started boarding.
No Bus Class line. No big deal.
1hr 45min scheduled layover in Frankfurt…not bad.
Plane delayed 20 minutes after boarding…uh oh.
Now we are starting to get nervous again.
Frankfurt was VERY busy and confusing coming over
We were in row 3 so we would be able to head out fast.
When we landed they had to bus us into the terminal
So much for beating the crowd.
We found our gate # from the departure board
Followed the confusing signs toward our gate
Had to go through security again.
This time I had to take off watch, belt AND empty pockets
They only had a wand…very slow.
Got to the United gate after boarding started.
But being it was a 747 there was a Bus Class boarding line.
Phew…got in quick.
Once that first glass of champagne was in hand we felt a LOT better.
10hrs 51 min of flight time later we landed in SFO
Great flight…a little bumpy at times though
Very comfortable multi-positional seats
And I’m not sure I ever totally figured out all the levers.
Never used the entertainment options.
Had blogs to do and pix to sort on the laptop (until the batteries wore out)
And had own music and a game on the Wolverine…and I even read a little
Very little…like 10 pages (tough to start a new book…for me anyway)
Very good food and service…what a way to travel!
Got our bags, and converted Euro back to greenbacks,
Then went out and caught a cab home.
Home…it felt good to be there.
It is always nice to walk in and see everything still there!
Very hard to believe that 3 weeks has just come and gone.
All the planning, and it is OVER.
But it was great…and the planning really paid off.
Now back to the real world.
Yuck!

And no, I didn't take a single picture all day....

Post #32: Barcelona, Day 3

Below (and above) are just some of the sights one can see on the HoHo bus.

(Yes, they do seem to be everywhere!)

This is what it is like on the bottom of the bus...as in who wants to ride down there?!
Heading back out for more adventures.
The market place.

And then on to find lunch...through plazas...
and alleys....
until we found THE right place.
Great tapas and wine at a fun table at a fun restaurant. Cool.
And then on to do a little shopping.

Back to the hotel.
Views from the balcony (is that a movie?)

Toasting a great vacation!

Heading out to the 4Gats.
Walking through the front dining area.
Then past the bar.

And into the main dining room.
Pretty cool.

The menu.
Chosing FROM the menu.

French onion soup (times four). Good stuff.

The salmon's not bad either.
And then onto the dessert and after dinner drink menu.


Toasting a great dinner at a fun restaurant.

The Blog:

Up at 7:51
Had slept quite well
Went downstairs for the same coffees as yesterday
Good stuff…could get hooked
Ran into the maid
No English
Fun trying to tell her no service needed.
“No service hoy, por favor.”
Whatever…it worked.
Read emails and checked favorite websites (Go Bears!)
I like having wifi in my room!!!!
Met Rich and Lynn, discussed dinner plans.
Front desk made dinner reservations for 4 Cats (Les quatro Gatos)
Founded in 1897…one of Picasso’s hangouts.
Walked to the HoHo, B route
Great ride!
Barcelona is amazing
So many things to see
Did not get off.
Little over two hours full circle.
Back to hotel to get more water and use the WC
Off to Las Ramblas (or La Rambla…I’ve seen it both ways)
Went to a great/famous market…similar to one in Venice
What a place. All kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts, candies,
Meat, fish, restaurants, bars…very fun!
Roamed the streets/alleys off Las Ramblas in search of lunch
Wanted; Outside, on square, good tapas and house wine.
Bingo…found a fun place (Taller de Tapas)
Good food and wine and fun waiters
Bought some souvenirs on way back to hotel
Back to room to nap and pack….and posted a blog.
Ordered taxi to arrive at 6:15am
Rich and Lynn came by at 7:30pm
Had a couple of ice-less drinks,
Shared a bottle of Prosecco we bought in Venice
Headed out to the 4 Cats…what a fun city to walk in (like Venice)
People waiting out front of restaurant.
We were welcomed with open arms this time.
Ushered through the front area (boring) and the bar (cute)
into THE dining room.
Wow! What a sensory pleasure.
Colors, live music, people, fun…
Violin and piano…great entertainment.
Very professional staff.
Menu quite diversified.
And the wine (as in most places) was reasonable.
We spent a wonderful two plus hours
A dinner that a vacation like this deserved to be closed with.
(Hey, I’m an Ag Sci major, NOT English! )
French onion soup, wine, entrees, desserts, and after dinner liqueurs
Music, people watching, history, art…
talking about all we had done in the past almost 3 weeks…what a night!
Leisurely stroll back
Set the alarms then tried to sleep
Emphasis on tried.
We had it easy
R/L were having to leave at the time we set alarms,
And they were to arrive home about 6 hours after us…YUCK.