A Quarter of a Century in France!

A Quarter of a Century in France, and Start sending my mail to Italy...

So, I turned the big 25 in Nice, France of all places. I woke up on the morning on May 19th to find a castle constructed outside of my cabin door...how's THAT for a birthday surprise! I also found out last night that since we have another charter onboard (some computer software company), they have decided to bring on some of their own entertainment. Okay. So just WHO is coming onboard the Voyager to perform this week? None other than Joss Stone! JIGGA WHUH!? I love her, how exciting! So anyway, I head out for the day in Nice, France, clad in pink, of course ready to do some shopping and eat some carb-free baguettes. (Riiiiiiiight.) The weather was blah and a little chilly, but we had plans to go to Aez, which is supposed to be this quaint and charming little village on a hilltop overlooking the whole city. I had lunch plans to eat at this chateau-type hotel, called The Golden Goat. WELL, to make a long story LONGER, there were no cabs willing to drive up to Aez that we found, and then we tried to hop on a bus, but it turned out there wasn't a bus that would take us back in time, and to avoid missing the boat, we decided to have a fab day in and around the city of Nice. I'm really just happy anywhere I can get a nutella crepe. SO...lots of walking later, you find the adorable and oh-so-European narrow streetways of Nice's downtown marketplace, with gelato shops, stores, artwork, and there was even an antique festival going on. It turned out to be a really nice day and I suppose I will have to save Aez for another time.

While I did enjoy France (we were in Marseille the day before Nice), I was looking forward to Italy much more. I found France to be a little dirtier than I remembered it from my trip in 2004. Especially Marseille!

We arrive in Civitevecchia, which is about an hour train ride from Rome, and it couldn't have been a nastier day outside. Not only was it cold, but it was wet. Pouring rain. FUN! I was not going to pass up the chance to go to Rome, even though I have been before. So, a few of us take the train to Rome. We get there, and it is STILL pouring rain. When in Rome....take an umbrella. We bought some umbrellas and headed to San Pietro, AKA St. Peter's Basillica/ Vatican City. It was literally one of those "get the t-shirt, take the picture, let's go home" kind of days. It was really uncomfortable outside. But whatever, I'm glad I went--it's not everyday you have the chance to take an hour train ride and be in Rome.

So, the next day, we arrive in Sorrento, Italy (near Naples) and I discover we can take the hydrofoil boat to Capri in just 20 minutes. FAB! I have been wanting to go to Capri ever since my parents showed me photos from their trip maybe 10 years ago, and I am SO glad I got the opportunity to go! We only had a few hours, and the weather AGAIN was THE PITS!!! Nonetheless, Capri was gorgeous. We walked all the way uphill (about a 25 minute hike that I don't wish to re-live), and the first store I saw in the "Centro" was Prada. Oh, phew. WE MADE IT! Not only was it a breathtaking view of the water and the town, but the stores and hotels that line Capri are right out of Rodeo Drive. Every restaurant is situated on a cliff with views that are unreal. Capri and Sorrento are also famous for their lemons, and I had a delicious lemon slush! I really wanted to do one of the grotto tours, which is famous in Capri for seeing the blue, blue water...but unfortunately, there wasn't enough time since we had to catch a hydrofoil back to Sorrento, and then a tender boat back to the ship. A beautiful, beautiful place that is definite honeymoon material one day!!!

Just when I thought it couldn't get any prettier than Sorrento and Capri, we sail into Sicily today and I had the most perfect day!! The port we arrived at was Naxos, which is just outside the city of Taormina in Sicily. I rode the shuttle up to Taormina, and what a beautiful spot it is. The town is all the way up in the hills, and there is a castle when you reach the top. It was exactly what you would picture a little Italian town to look like--the streets had little alleyways that were lined with flowers and cafes, it was the most charming city in Europe I have been to so far and reminded me a little of Palma de Mallorca, but with much more Italian warmth. I was craving some Sicilian pizza, and had a great meal at a little outdoor garden restaurant called Carpe Diem. The pizza was to die for, and when we sat down, they brought all different kinds of appetizers for us to sample...they were all delicious! There were a lot of high-end boutiques with clothes and shoes, which was another perk! We also went into the Greek Theatre, which is said to have the best acoustics of any theatre...you can hear a whisper onstage from the very back row. The views from the theatre looking all the way down the hill were beautiful, all around you were hills a la The Godfather, and Mt. Etna, an active volcano, was also in view from up there. I am definitely adding Taormina and Sicily to my list of places I want to come back to! I would love to spend a couple weeks in Italy and do Rome, Florence, Sicily, and Sorrento/Capri...my future husband has a lot of honeymoon planning to do.

So, all in all, Italy is the bomb. It has it all. The most amazing food, best views, best culture, great hotels, great shopping, and lots of charm. I saw auditions for RENT in Sicily and decided, "Yup, that's my future!" I know I will be back soon!

Only 9 more days left of my contract out here! I am really, really excited to have ALL of my freedom back by being off this ship. I know I have seen so much of the world and I am so grateful, but there's no place like home! I miss my fam, friends, my car, Disney, Publix subs, and people understanding ENGLISH!! I fly home from Venice on June 1st and will be down in South Florida for a few days, then going up to Orlando for a bit as well. Can't wait to see you all soon!!

xoxoxoxoxo,
ashley

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