PINK SATURDAY NUMBER 13

Continuing the theme of pink around the Mediterranean here are other pink things which caught my eye

This stunning plant was outside a very expensive restaurant in Florence. What is it?

Thanks to Char from someplace in thyme it is a BROMELIAD.

On the other side of the entrance was this beauty – a type of gladioli I think.

One of the many paintings decorating the ship.( Plus someone’s shoulder!!).

Some very pretty girlie dresses with wonderful smocking in a shop in Florence.

Close up on the smocking

A perfect Hibiscus, one of many in a pretty park in Sardinia

And last, but not least, an hibiscus which I have never seen before – superb

Just a small selection of PRETTY PINK spotted on our cruise.

Have a great Pink Saturday and click on Beverley's pink button to visit others.

THE LAST FEW DAYS OF OUR CRUISE

Day 12 –

Just coming in to port at Gibraltar as I type. Mike gone up on Deck and time for me to shower.

Will report on today later…………………………..

What a disappointment, the prices were much as they are at home and definitely dearer than the boat for spirits, jewellery, watches etc.

I did fall in love with this Gibraltar crystal but left it on the shelves as it was very expensive.

Dragged our weary feet back to the boat after about 3 hours completely forgetting the famous rock and Mike’s cousins who inhabit it! Hey ho, another time perhaps.

We have just set sail running parallel with the southern coasts of Spain & Portugal & then on into the Atlantic to turn North into the wind & rain. Just hope it isn’t too rough. Just 1200 + miles to Southampton.A bat in our cabin tonight!

Day 13

Homeward bound and the seas are calm but the temperature is dropping. Some hardy folks stripped off and braved the wind but we found a comfy sofa, looking out to sea and marvelled how vast the oceans are and wonder what lies beneath.

I did manage to take some photos of the wonderful artwork around the boat – here is selection

My favourite was this - "After Magritte"  by Devorah Sperber utilizes 20,800 spools of thread to make a mosaic inspired by the Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte

Larry Kirkland's "Kylix" dominates the Main Centrum and is based on the design of an ancient Greek drinking cup.

A glass mosaic "Tigers in the Jungle" recalls the work of post-impressionist Henri Rousseau.

And this amazing glass bridge was SOOOOOO pretty -

The last formal dinner tonight so I wore my new long orange and brown dress with my brown silk shirt as a jacket. I also fought my way into an M&S “corset” guaranteed to lose inches but it just pushed them up and out!I did look a bit slimmer but that was more probably the high heeled shoes. O how I love the feeling of high heels, nothing quite so elegant and attractive and I never expected to wear them again. This time I wore (very unglamorous) pop socks so the shoes were more comfortable and I managed to keep them on.

OK, just one photo, the only one of me which somehow got on to my camera – Mike looks great in his DJ.

After Airbrushing! Just for fun.

Another lovely dinner and tonight all the chefs paraded for us – they certainly work very hard and are extremely talented.

Here are just a few who we were able to applaud.

 

Here is the smoked salmon starter arranged as a rose.

Did not fancy the after dinner show tonight so a drink in our favourite bar and bye byes.

Day 14.

More than a little excitement on board today. At breakfast the captain (aptly named Captain Remo!) announced that there was a medical emergency and a helicopter had been sent for to take the patient to France. Of course, everyone went to the bow to watch it land on the helipad and a coastguard plane circled over head. Needless to say, the crew had to move most people back to a place of safety so visibility was not good.

The helicopter eventually arrived but it was too big to land so it lowered the stretcher and then flew around the ship for ages. Eventually, it returned and the patient and medics etc were hoisted aboard and it was lucky that the sea was very calm unusual to say the least for the notorious Bay of Biscay. We actually watched it from the gym and had a brilliant view so after, I did a couple of laps on the treadmill which I really enjoyed and left determined to do it some more when we get home. Lynne, please note!

Unfortunately, no camera on me when all this excitement happened so no pics.

We are now packed as the cases will be collected this evening so all that remains is our final dinner tonight and the final show.

Here is the captain giving his farewell speech and Mike looking bored!

Would we do it again – definitely yes but on a smaller ship. This really is too big and has too many passengers.

Over all an experience not to be missed and very enjoyable.

JJ

DAY 10 & 11 OF OUR CRUISE

Cannes. Lovely place just oozing money and sophistication. Such as this metallic coloured cruiser.

Not sure if this was a wedding or just some very fancy dress people. Costumes were perfect.

This Traditional stone statue caught my eye of Mum & baby lion

And this metal one of a drowning horse??

 

Very busy on the seafront with some large conference, loads of fab restaurants to dine in on the beach if you were hungry and if you can afford it.

Would definitely like to go back some day.

Hotel Splendid = very famous.

Another afternoon reading, swimming and lazing in the the huge hot tub suspended 120’ above the waves.

Day 11

At sea. Cloudless sky and smooth sea for our 700 mile trip to Gibraltar.

Lazy day by the pool thinking we should DO something – but didn’t. The activities on here are too numerous to mention but they cater for every taste. The gym is the biggest I have ever seen with umpteen treadmills, cross trainers etc etc. B & L would love it.

After lunch we sort out a quiet bar overlooking the front of the ship and read for a bit.

 

Then down to the Royal parade to check out the bargains. Lovely Guess bags at very reasonable prices but nothing caught my eye.

 

After dinner the theatre show was a hypnotist; was OK and most of the audience thought it hilarious so it was just us who were the miseries. The theatre holds 1500 people – it is impossible to comprehend the statistics of this ship -  honestly.

DAY 9 OF OUR CRUISE

Today up early at 6, off to breakfast at 6.30 and then on to a coach at 7.45. We are in Livorno and enormous port the second largest in Italy and just a bit bigger than Brixham.

On the way to Florence we stopped at a leather outlet which we expected to be cheap; nothing cheap in Italy I can tell you. They were mainly designer names and if I tell you belts were 100 Euros plus!

A replica of Michelangelo’s David in the Piazza Della Signoria which overlooks the town of Florence.

The most stylish sidecar I have ever seen Just oozes Italian design doesn’t it?

Florence was beautiful but far too crowded I expect because it was a Sunday.

Cheaper bags in the market but not much. Silly prices.

We only had 90 minutes to walk around which gave us a taster of the town, Lots more statues and very old buildings.

Perseus holding Medusa's severed head- gruesome!

We walked over the Ponte vecchia where I took photos of the corridor running from one side of the river to the other offering privacy to the Medici’s in years past.

Pretty gardens down by the river

Back to the boat for a late lunch, Mike has taken his book on deck & I am here, in bed, typing up the diary.

Lazy afternoon by the pool, cocktails before dinner, then, after the theatre a walk on deck to see the midnight buffet being laid out. Amazing. Carved fruit and veg in intricate patterns and ice sculptures of swans etc.

More food than you can think of, but not for us. We toddled off to bed.

DAY 8 OF OUR CRUISE

Rome. An organised excursion which was very good although we could not walk far as it was very hot.

Our first stop was a church of Peter in chains and the chains are depicted in the iron work of the entrance and the original chains are now holy relics displayed inside the church.

The chains are the ones which fettered St Peter in prisons in Jerusalem and Rome.

Very ornate ceilings

 

Gilded marble columns

Stunning statues.

 

 

We saw the coliseum

Still guarded by noble roman soldiers

A couple of beautiful modern sculptures in the grounds

The smoothness of the stone contrasting with the ornate statues elsewhere.

 

the Vatican square was very busy with tourists and pilgrims so we not make it into St.. Peter’s basilica as the queue was enormous. We were told that the queue was over 4 miles long. We would still be there!!

The Vatican city protected by many statues of saints all around the walls -

The Pope’s office  - middle row, second from right. Apparently.

We pottered around, had lunch in a bar and then walked down to the river trying to keep in the shade. Traffic was manic – terrifying at times and I would hate to drive in it.

We got back to the ship about 5 and I had a hot Jacuzzi followed by a swim; washed my hair and arrived early for dinner so had pre dinner cocktails whilst Mike watched Man U v ?????. 

Back to our cabin for tea and an early night as off to Florence tomorrow. We shared our bed with a bunny.