Not Just Another Mediterranean Cruise

This cruise started with a surprise.  We normally have our first show on the first full day of the cruise.  For some amazing reason, it was postponed until the second full day so we got to actually spend a day in France! Matthew, Hannah and I went to Nice, France.  We had a wonderful day chatting, eating, drinking wine and enjoying one another company.  We found this crazy gelato stand that had unheard of flavors.  Hannah had “Bailey’s”, I had Chocolate Ginger and Matthew had Avocado! It was a wonderful day with wonderful people.

 

(Hannah, Matthew and Jessica)

 

In Civitavecchia I was able to go on an olive oil tasting tour.  I didn’t know what to expect, but it turned out to be delicious.  We first spent time walking around a beautiful Italian village and then went to the olive vineyard.  The villa used to be owned by Napoléon Bonaparte’s brother.  It is now owned by another family and is used to make olive oil.  We were given a buffet of delicious olive oil and other snacks.  My favorites were the green olive paste and the bruschetta. 

 

Napoli is probably one of my favorite ports that we go to, and this time did not disappoint. As my cruising time comes to a close, I finally made it to the Blue Grotto on Capri.  I have tried to go before, but the tide made it impossible to anyone to enter the grotto.  This visit we were lucky!  We took the ferry to Capri, a motorboat to the entrance to the Blue Grotto and a row boat into the Blur Grotto.  It was not a cheap day, but the view inside was stunning and it allowed me to cross off another thing on my TO DO list. 

 

(Matthew, Jessica and Maarten)

 

Back in Venice, I was not only able to see Shannon, but I got another surprise! Simone was a foreign exchange student from Italy at Gorham High School my senior year.  When I knew that I was coming to Italy on the Solstice, I contracted him on facebook to see if he lived in any of the ports we were going to and then kind of forgot about it.  It just so happens that Simone did not forget about it and he contacted Shannon (who he had seen in Venice before) to see when I would be there next.  So we all were able to catch up and talk about life.  He looks and acts exactly like I remember him from 5+ years ago, except that his English is amazing! It was such a treat!

(Shannon, Simone and Jessica)

(Maarten, Jessica, Nic and Shannon)

 

Our last stop of the cruise was Dubrovnik.  I had such a wonderful time sea kayaking last cruise that I recruited more friends and went again!  I good time was had by all…minus the sore arms.

(Dejan, Sanci, Brook, Matthew, Tim, Vanessa, Jessica and Maarten)

 

As we get closer and closer to the end I find myself craving American and Maine-specific foods a lot more than past months.  I really want Pad Thai from Lucky Thai, Amato’s pickles and a pazzo bread, homemade nachos right out of the oven made with Hint of Lime chips, my dad’s meatloaf, Cool Ranch Dorito’s (although I do have a bag of those hidden in the back of my closet from when we were in Florida), Simply Lemonade, and almost anything from Jan Mee II (but especially the crab rangoons).  Honestly, most of all, I miss eating anything in the breakfast nook with my mom, dad and Andrew.  I have the most amazing family (aunts, uncles, grandfather and cousins, included) that a girl could ask for and I can’t wait to be back in the same country as them! Homeward stretch continues...

P.S.  You may be wondering about the extremely attractive, tall, sandy haired man who has begun to appear in my pictures recently.  His name is Maarten.  He is from Belgium.  He works as International Cruise Director Staff here on the ship.  And I am very pleased to get to call him my boyfriend.