WOW, another great night sleep. I just love these hard beds at the Hilton. Kirsten is still asleep and I’m tiptoeing around and taking a shower and getting dressed. Being my normal stealthy self, I hear Kirsten yell from under her pillow “it’s not working I hear you”. I shrug and continue. Kirsten meets me for breakfast, I’m sitting in the corner picking out all the folks I think will be on the cruise and giving them names. Kirsten asks… So have you picked them all out? Na, I’m just catching up on all the news I missed. Anything interesting? Na After breakfast, we make our way over to the Viking meeting area. Claudia our cruise director is there and welcomes us. She immediately picks out Kirsten and makes all over her. She acknowledges me as ... read more

What a great night sleep. The bed was hard as a rock. You would think I would like camping out. I might if they had porcelain available in the woods. I don’t need privacy; I just need good old porcelain. We ate so much last night at the Sophia Keller we weren’t hungry this morning. Kirsten was up and already showered and is looking at me like she expecting a project update. What, I don’t know. Oh yeah, Happy Birthday!!!!! That’s right today is Kirsten’s birthday!!!!!!! I roll out of bed and crawl into the shower. Now were staying in the IBIS Budget so the room is small and the shower is in the corner with glass walls. Talk about a peep show. Kirsten has everything packed and ready as I finish getting dressed. She’s ready ... read more

Yes we got on the flight We’re in 5b & 5c, no body in front of us nor behind us Our flight attendant asks would you like some Champagne ma’am? Kirsten smiles and says….. oh Yes please. We get our menu and Kirsten selected the beef tenderloin and I selected the Mediterranean chicken dinner. Kirsten loved hers and mine was fantastic. Oh yeah, the Rioja wine was good as well. I watched the movie Hail Caesar; it was ok but glad I didn’t pay to go and see it. About half way through the movie our attendant offered me some port wine. I couldn’t be rude and refuse so I had a few glasses. As the movie is finishing and I finish the last of my port, my eyes are getting heavy and I’m thinking I ... read more

Day 15 & 16 Above the Tree Line What’s that noise? I hear people talking, laughing I walk to the front window. I’m standing there in my tighty whites; Beautiful vision is it? Hundreds of folks old and young are walking, speed walking and running through the village. It’s a foot race, and they’re all coming past the front door. Holly told us about this but I was thinking they would be running up the mountain road. Well they might have run up the road but now were running through the village. Yea, I like to see some Florida joggers run up this mountain. Kirsten joins me and says I’m glad they’re running…. I can now sleep another hour. After a few more zzzz, we fix a great breakfast and start the ritual of packing. Yep, ... read more

Day 12 & 13 Da Vinci No sleeping in this morning, Kirsten was up made breakfast gathering everything and telling me to move or get swept up with the rest of the crumbs. Breakfast was over before it even started where’s my soft-boiled egg? Not today bubba were packing up and leaving… well I am if you want to come you might be packed and in the car when I pull out. I guess my birthday in over? YEA! After cleaning and straightening everything back to where it was when we arrived we said good by to our Air B&B. It was fun and we’ll do it again. I walked over the butcher shop and said goodbye to Lorenzo and invited him to Orlando. As we pulled out of Gaiole all the old folks sitting around ... read more