Post #19: Dubrovnik, Croatia

The ship from above

Dubrovik and the walled city from above
Janna, Lynn, our taxi driver, and Rich

On the Stradun

Roofs of housed within the walled city.

One of the many spectacular views from the wall.

And another...and others

Reading menu before deciding on lunch restaurant

At lunch

Looking up a 'side street' in the walled city

Lynn filling her bottle from the perpetual well.
What a handsome couple

Red and black can be fun

A martini sampler before dinner
The after dinner show.
Up at about 7:30…approaching Croatia
Got coffee in the aqua spa, walked around, checked out breakfast locations…
Brought JB a decaf mocha
Were to meet Rich and Lynn at 9:30, running late
Moved it to 9:45...had omelets for breakfast…both overcooked…oh well (pun intended)
For those that know Millennium, found the sewer smell now and then…but not by us
Thought we were anchoring near Walled City and tendering…not.
Docked by the new bridge and ship port instead…bus tix can be purchased on ship
We opted to take a taxi and do a panoramic tour…they are queued up at dock.
50 Euro for an hour. Great driver. Was 12 during 1991 war. What an experience.
He shared a lot about history, politics, education…very interesting.
Made it much more personal to then see Dubrovnik
Went up to the cross above the city and looked down…AMAZING
The steep narrow winding road made me long for my bicycle!
There had been a forest fire this summer, so lots of blackened trees
Saw remains of structures built by Napoleon…yes, THE Napoleon
The hills are terraced with many hand-placed rock walls
Several centuries ago they were used for grapes and olives
too much work today…tourism is now THE industry of Croatia
We walked the length of Stradun, and then walked the Fortified Wall
7.50Euro each…Kuno is the Croation currency but everywhere takes Euro
Every few steps was a Kodak Moment…simply amazing
I filled up one chip (over 500 pictures) and started another
MANY steps to climb, some ‘elderly’ folks struggling…not us ‘kids’!
Had lunch in a restaurant on a side street of the Stradum
3 salads for the others, but grilled squid for me…when in Rome!
Beer and wine of course…very relaxing (only 40 Euro)
Bought a pin for hat and some beautiful material for a table runner.
Also bought two bottles of Croatian wine (one blanco, one red-o)
As with Venice, one needs to be reminded this is a community
It has rich history, but you see kids, laundry, and people just ‘living’
Sort of like how Mickey and Minnie really live in Disneyland…or not.
No problem getting the wine back on-board (for those wondering)
Got back in time for a nap before sailing at 5:00pm
Sat on the deck during ‘sail away’, typing blog and drinking prosecco…
Formal night…oh goodie…we were both in red and black
That drew several nice comments from complete strangers
My new red tie and cummerbund were perfect!
Met Gerry/Marcia and Rich/Lynn for drinks before dinner.
More great music and people dancing.
Our new table mates are great. Lots of lively conversations.
Mixed up the seating so to talk with different people.
Filet Mignon night…oh darn. (very nice)
Captains reception after dinner to meet the head staff
Then medley of Broadway show songs: Les Mis, Phantom, Chorus Line, West Side Story
Excellent singers, great lighting effects, very nice presentation (I’d go again!!!)
Too late and too tired to post blog…tomorrow…we’ll be at sea all day
What else will I have to do???!!!??? Bingo, shopping lectures, bridge…NOT!

Post #18: Sail away from Venice

Pictures:
Room service
Walking from ship
On Vaporetto going to Venice
Approaching the St. Marks Square Vaportto stop
More shopping

Where we entered for tour
Our tour guide
Things we saw on tour (could not take pictures inside)
Lynn playing with the pigeons
The crowd along the walkway as we headed back to the Vaporetto stop

Sailing away; approaching St. Marks Square and just past it
At dinner and the sunset

Woke up in the middle of the night
Laid awake a long time
We both did, but at different times
Fell back to sleep, woke up at 7:30…phew!
Room service ordered between 8:00 & 8:30 (arrived 8:10)
Meeting Rich and Lynn to go ‘ashore’ at 9:00
Pretty good room service breakfast,
Overlooking construction site not the most romantic
The four of us left the ship for our long walk ‘to town’
Could have spent money on the ship’s shuttle
but we already had our Vaporetto passes
What we saved bought wine at dinner (like that mattered)
Had a LONG walk (30 minutes of Coach Carolyn walking!)
Caught a bus (much cooler…a WATER bus)
Arrived in San Marco square with an hour to spare…
An hour before our Doges’ Palace Secret Itinerary tour.
By-passed the long general admission line to get our tix
Purchased on line tix…VIP treatment…you’re in a line, and I’m not!
Strolled around and did shopping (my how our group can shop!!!)
Got some cool things though (Merry Xmas girls! I know what you’re getting!!!)
Lynn fed the pigeons and we got MANY pictures of that…what a sport!!!
Used the WC toilette…free with our Vaporetto Blue ticket
Went back for our tour…AWESOME. Basically a history of Venetian aristocracy
through the residence and offices of the ruling class.
Very organized society back then…cut throat yes, but organized.
Tour of the prison, with Casanova one the most well known ‘residents’.
Got to go through the Bridge of Sighs…sweet!
(Look it up on the internet, I’m paying for this time!!!)
Shopped briefly, JB got her plate, had a gelato (well R/L did),
Caught the Vaporetto back (I think our 7 day pass was worth it!!!)
Repeated the 30 minute Coach C speed walk from V stop to ship
Had to go thru 3 security checks before getting back on ship.
Were in time for the ever fun life preserver drill…then Sail Away
Now THAT was cool.
Many pictures and video footage!
Looking down at San Marco square and Bridge of Sighs…
Evokes sighs…
Venice and surrounding islands are beyond words.
To a person we would all come back…but for MUCH longer.
Great people, great food, great feeling…just GREAT.
After happy hour went back up to spa
Then to the On Line room to sign up for internet
It is VERY slow at peak usage times (before dinner, right after, etc.)
Set up account, and will try logging on later
Watched amazing sun set before getting dressed.
Bumped into Marcia and Gerry (again!) and had a drink with them
Great big band music!
Wore new ‘grand-kids tie’…BIG HIT!
Originally were assigned a table for four…we like each other
but not THAT much (I mean really, 14 straights days…and nights?)
We got reassigned to a table of 10…FUN PEOPLE.
Wildwood, Brisbane, Danville, Sarasota (Fl) and Rhode Island…
This should be a fun cruise…and our waiter seems fun as well.
Oh, and the food was pretty good. Most had salmon
Those with veal chop said it was tough…oh well.
At midnight went to one of the WiFi hotspot.
We are too far away to access in cabin (major bummer)
No problem getting connected
And no problem updating blog. Pix a little slow, but not too bad.
Now back in cabin typing this…JB turned out light…
Must be bed time.
Good night!

Post #17: Boarding day

After our first dinner on Millennium

The pictures are in reverse order, but with expensive and (slow internet) I'm not going to worry about it.

Self portrai

The indoor spa area (no kids!) Not that we don't love kids (of course) ;-)

Our deck...oops, I mean balcony

And to be consistent, our room...oops, I mean 'cabin'.

Making out the baggage tags on the dock.

On the ship at last!

The water taxi dropping us off at the dock (Millennium in the back left)


Actually slept until 6:25am…could have gone longer…but that was enough
Sorted pictures and wrote blog while JB slept…
She had been up reading in the middle of the night...bummer for her
Finally couldn’t wait any longer and got up and made coffee,
Logged into the internet to read about the Cal game.
Thanks Susie for the emails…45-27 and a mad coach…great combination
Ordered water taxi to pick up us and then to Antiche Figure
Picked up Rich, Lynn, Gerry and Marcia
It was great standing in back of taxi going down Canal Gran
Driver got upset because we had so much luggage…
No big deal, we just paid him more money (I think he is a good actor)
Arrived at that dock in front of the ship and filled out baggage tags
Had to go to an ‘out building’ to check in.
After some confusion and question-asking found the right place.
Got checked in, went through security, got on a bus
The bus went around the corner and dropped us off…funny.
Had to fill out a form saying we had not been sick…
Hand wipe dispenser right as we got off bus.
NOROVIRIUS…Stay Away!!!
Boarded and got ‘small’ glass of champagne…thank you Celebrity
Had to wait approx. one hour before cabins ready
Hung out at pool area, took pictures, then had lunch
We must have had 6 guys come by to see if we needed wine.
I asked if they were on commission…no, just wanted to give good service!
I guess they don’t assign stations…oh well, just say no, and no, and no….
Announced cabins ready…off we went.
Just as the Dr. ordered…then had to wait for luggage…not too long.
Unpacked while drinking bottle of champagne, took nap, and went to spa
Steve did, Janna stayed in room…oops, CABIN.
Great salt water heated pool with built-in Jacuzzi jet therapy benches…
Plus two hot salt water ‘hot tubs’…all in a large atrium-type glass room
Worked on getting flexibility back in neck
It is feeling great (neck), but range of motion is quite reduced…just for now!
Showered with fresh water then took a sauna…NOW maybe I can relax
Oh, so you don’t think so either? Not in my vocabulary!!!
Talked with R/L several times
They have already walked the entire ship, floor to floor
And have gone ‘on line’ (on the TV) to check out the wine list
At least 4 ships sailed by us heading to sea…very impressive
Our turn tomorrow…sad (to leave Venice) but fun to get to see other great places.
Our deck over-looks Venice, fun to watch all the vaporettos, water taxis,
and changes in light/colors as the sun is setting.
Major construction project on our side of ship…lots of extra things to look at
We are also over the baggage loading/unloading area so VERY noisy…oh well.
We had ‘do not disturb’ sign out so had to go ask for canapés (a concierge cabin treat)
Binocular case (a bonus of our cabin type) empty, had to ask for a ‘refill’.
Empty used wine glass ‘hidden’ behind the fresh flowers…how was THAT missed.
I do hear the loud squeal outside our room. Forgot others complained about that.
Hopefully will get used to it (it must from the spa equip. just right above us)
The window washer platform is also in front of cabin next to ours.
About 15 feet away, but only visible from our deck, not from cabin.
Minor blemishes on carpet, and slightly corroded lamp stand…very small
Small signs of age. Generally the initial thought is that the ship looks GREAT.
After happy hour walked around for while
Met Rich and Lynn for dinner at 8:30
Just the four of us for dinner…3 prime rib and one fish (Lynn)
Walked around a little then back to cabin and bed.

Approacing the Millennium

Rich and Marcia enjoying the water taxi ride.

Standing up in the back of the water taxi (a 'speed boat' like the one in the left of this picture) on the way to pick up Rich, Lynn, Gerry and Marcia.

We are still having a great time, with NO SIGNS of a let-down!!!!