ITALY AND FRANCE

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Before arriving in Civitavecchia, we had another special event. This one was the Cruise Specialists world cruiser farewell dinner. Several of our “rounders” were leaving in Rome, so we wanted one last get together for all of us who had journeyed around the globe. We joined Captain Scala at his table for the last supper.

About five hundred passengers left the ship and another 550 new cruisers boarded in Civitavecchia. We had a very short turnaround time so we decided not to go into Rome but rather just to spend time in the port city. Civitavecchia was the first beach town in Italy. A rail line was built to take Romans out of the sweltering city to the cooling waters of the Mediterranean. The port and surrounding areas were heavily bombed in WWII prior to the Allied invasion. Forte Michelangelo escaped destruction and now this magnificent fortress is used for exhibitions and cultural events. We walked into town to the original Ghetto and then went to the lively market in Piazza Regina Margherita. We were one of eight ships in port so the city was quite filled with cruisers. After a stroll along the beach promenade we returned to the ship to greet our new passengers.

Porto Venere is a new stop for cruise ships and it is the gateway to the fabled Cinque Terra. It is a UNESCO heritage site because of its well preserved churches, castles and maritime villages. Porto Venere seemed like a quainter version of the glitzy Portofino. The hike up to the Andrea Doria Castle was worth it just for the views of the Gulf of LaSpezia and the marble mountains of Carrara. The Gulf is also calledl the Gulf of Poets because so many famous wordsmiths like Bryon, Shelly and Petrarch found inspiration in this beautiful area. Our friends, John and Jean, lived in this area for a number of years and we visited them several times. On one of those visits we hiked the Via Dell’Amore from one seaside village to the next of the Cinque Terra (The Five Lands). The narrow village passageways of Porto Venere is lined shops selling olive oil, wine, pesto, homemade pasta and fresh bread all filling the air with the aroma of their products. This quiet little village was the perfect stop, especially for urban wearied travelers.

On the other hand Marseille is a dynamic and bustling city and has one of the largest ports in Europe. Since it was founded by the Phoenicians 2,600 years ago it has been an integral part of international shipping and a vital staging ground for the Crusades. It took us almost half an hour just to get out of the port. We wandered around the Port Vieux area admiring all the sail and power boats. The marina is so large that it has a ferry to take people from one side to the other. Much of the old quarter was destroyed by Hitler's troops but it is still interesting to explore the back streets and neighborhoods.

As we were sailing away from Marseille we passed by Ile d’If, the island prison where the Count of Monte Christo was held according to the novel. We were having dinner in Signatures with some of our new guests, so we all went outside to get a glimpse of the Count's unhappy home.

Since we reached Italy we have been having the most spectacular weather--crystal clear, sparkling, balmy days with calm seas. The sun doesn't set until well past 9pm. Every night after dinner we stroll out to the fantail, pull our chairs up to the railing and watch the world go by. Cruising in the Mediterranean is grand!

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