Palma,
Maaorca
The
first leg of our intrepid traveler's journey was by air,
arriving in Palma, the capital city of Maaorca. Maaorca
is the largest of the Balearic Islands, in the Western Mediterranean.
The island's gentle rolling hills are not only scenic, they
provide some great hiking amid farmlands known for their
rich production of cereal grains, olives and grapes. The
view of the harbor and surrounding mountains is said to
be one of the most beautiful of the region.
Bizerte
The
city of Bizerte on the Northeast coast of Tunisia was the
next stop on the itinerary. Upon arrival, passengers were
offered drinks and an opportunity to relax and on the beach
before the barbeque brunch was served. The casino on the
ship was also open for those who just wanted something to
do during the stopover.
Civitavecchia,
Italy (Near Rome)
From
there, the group traveled to Civitavecchia (the eternal
city) in Spain, a city that blends the old and new cultures.
Only a short 1.5 hour drive away is Rome, their choice of
several guided tours of this famous and ancient city's sites,
such as the Vatican and St. Peters Basilica. Next it was
onto the Vatican museums to view priceless artifacts of
a religious nature. All visitors are expected to dress well
to gain entry to the religious buildings. The museum consists
of several small museums such as the Egyptian museum or
collections of artwork on different themes such as the vase
exhibit.
The
tour of Rome also included visits to the Colosseum ruins,
the Roman forum, Venice Square and Trevi Fountain and it
involved a lot of walking. There is no shortage of beautiful
sculptures in marble, marvels of the effort and craftsmanship
of the designers and builders of the times. The excursion
was only 10 hours so they hurried back to Civitavecchia
and began the journey to Livorno, Italy.
Livorno,
Italy
Next
to visit was the beautiful city of Florence, Italy. The
tour begins up high from the Piazza Michelangelo with a
magnificent view of the Tuscan countryside. The tour included
a visit to the cathedral at Piazza Duomo and yes, there
is a dress code in effect at these religious buildings too.
The
medieval style town of Monte Carlo de Lucca and the Roman
Amphitheatre were in this region. Being a wine growing region,
the visitors sampled wines while overlooking the beautiful
valleys.
The
Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa Italy
The
famous leaning Tower of Pisa, is there inside the Piazza
dei Miracoli in the town of Pisa. This piazza has a combination
of brilliant architecture and sculpture. Unfortunately because
of the corrective construction being done on the tower tourists
are not permitted in the tower. It is quite an engineering
feat the engineers are conducting to bring the tower back
up to a safe angle. Travelers could relax at cafes at the
side of the park overlooking the Piazza or Cathedral Square.
The
French Riviera - VilleFranche Sur Mer, Nice and Monte Carlo
Villefranche
Sur Mer
The
next port of call was the seaside paradise called Villefranche.
Villefranche sur mer is a deep water port on the French
Riviera Côte
d'Azur (blue coast), the southeast coast of France sandwiched
between Nice and Monte Carlo. Port de la Darse Royal Harbour
is a protected cove that offers sporting activities such
sailing and scuba diving. This cove was a favorite spot
for princes and pirates of days gone by. The Citadel rises
high enough for a great view of the harbor and the town's
rich history.
Nice,
France
The
city of Cannes is just a short distance away. Our traveler
also visited old Nice, the ancient part of the city of Nice
whose narrow streets provide an interesting walk or drive.
The Promenade des Anglais is a seaside road stretching along
the shorline. It is filled with shops, hotels, produce markets
and even museums.
The
tropical climate and picturesque terrain provided inspiration
for centuries of great painters. Being a playground for
the rich, there are plenty of fine restaurants, hotels and
of course museums.
Monte
Carlo, Monaco
Howard
really liked Monaco. From "rich people's boats"
to the palace and casino, this place stood as something
grand for him. There is the oceanographic museum of Monaco
where you'll find many exhibits by and about Jacques Cousteau
the
famous undersea adventurer.
Not
to be outdone, is the Monte Carlo Grand Casino. The famous
casino was built in 1861 and it houses the Monte Carlo Opera.
It is an elegant building offering the finest in gaming.
At the time of our visitor's arrival, the casino was under
repairs.
Click
here to find out more about Monte
Carlo.
Barcelona,
Spain
Howard
was most impressed with Barcelona, its beautiful countryside
and modern city atmosphere.
The
next day he arrived at Barcelona for a shore excursion highlighted
with a tour of Spain's most exciting city including with
the Olympic Stadium, home of the 1992 Olympic games. The
Spanish village offered some eccentric and unusual sites.
In what is known as the Gothic quarter stands the Sagrada
Familia, a cathedral reaching up over 500 feet high. It
was built by the well known Italian architect, Antonio Gaudi
in 1884 and a marvelous achievement at the time.
Continuing
through the narrow, cobble stone streets of the Spanish
Village, our traveler experienced more of what life must
have been like in centuries gone by.
Ocean
Cruises May be Just the Ticket
Howard
had a great time on this cruise and said it was very relaxing.
Although he didn't have pictures of the collisseum in Rome,
it was one of the most interesting sites on his journey.
Howard gives his Mediterannean Ocean Cruise two thumbs up.
©
2001 Galaxine Online Gambling Magazine.
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