Florence, Pompeii & Rome

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31st October 2010
Early start today, alarm for 6am with breakfast in our stateroom booked for 7 am. Florence is about 1-2 hrs from Livorno. Valentina was our guide and a great job SHE did. Weather was poor to say the least. We were dropped off close to the centre of Florence and proceeded at pace through the city. By the time we got to Santa Croce square we had seen most of the sights but the weather had closed in. Because of the rain we found a nice restaurant during our free time. The weather was atrocious. Some beautiful buildings and architecture. The pictures when we post them at least should do the place justice.

1st November 2010
Very rock and roll in the night and we finally docked in Naples a little bit late. Our trip to Pompeii was booked for 9.45 am and we finally made it at about 10.30 am. The trip when we arrived was about 2hours walking at quite a pace. Difficult to take everything in and again pictures will show the magnitude and scale of the project to uncover the city of Pompeii. This was only a half day trip which was good because when we arrive in Civitevecchia tomorrow for Rome we have to be on the coach for 7.15 am ( Its a 2 hour journey to the city)

2nd November 2010
Got a bacon sandwich at 6.30 from the on board cafe for both of us and then onto coach for Rome. The most hectic day so far( I thought this was meant to be a holiday). Dropped off at the Colliseum for first part of trip, until you see the size and imposing nature of buildings like this you cannot appreciate the history behind them. Walking inside and looking down on the arena you can feel the tension of what happened when gladiators fought for their lives. It was a mad dash to the Trevi fountain before lunch, we managed to grab a coffee here as there doesn’t appear to be many loos around. After lunch we walked to the Pantheon and to a Piazza where we would meet after some free time. After we met back up we had a drive past St Peters Square and the Vatican. A snapshot was all this trip was and after a two hour trip back to the ship we were both exhausted mentally and physically.

3rd November 2010
Day at sea heading towards Cartagena, Spain. Leisurely wake up and late breakfast.
Went to listen to Lord Michael Howards lecture. He talked on the 5 days in May 1941 about Winston Churchills role in a defining moment of WW11.
Rough seas in the morning, easing later on.
Black tie dinner.

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