Cannes, France

    There is nothing like sleeping to the sound of waves on a really comfortable bed.  I slept like a log.  We stop on the French Riviera at Cannes today.  Amanda’s aunt Barb suggested that we order breakfast in our room to save time when we were getting ready for a day of touring.  Our choice was pretty complete and breakfast came right on time.  I ate while Rick showered.  It is raining today so there isn't much to see as we dock at the port.
    Barb also suggested that since we are a big group we could hire a guide and a car just for ourselves rather than taking the ship tours.  She has a suggestion for a company in Rome.  I booked tours in Italy with them and they gave me information on a company to use in France.  As we left the ship to get to our tour it is just pouring.  Our tour guide was able to bring the car right close to the ship and has a couple big umbrellas for us.  I am so happy that we made this arrangement, especially on such a crummy day.
   Our guide took us on a winding drive along the cliffs of the Riviera.  We stopped at some great overlooks and then got to Monte Carlo where we walked around the casinos and saw a lot of expensive cars and luxury jewelry.  We walked the road where the famous race takes place – I don’t know how anyone can drive the narrow and winding streets.
    Our next stop was the Principality of Monaco high on the hill above Monte Carlo.  We ate at an outdoor café with an amazing view of the Mediterranean and ordered Salad Niçoise.  I have not had one since Jo and I were here in 1969.  Carter again had a little tummy trouble and Marlene and Amanda had to clean him up in a bathroom smaller than one on a plane.  Many adventures on this trip!  After lunch three nuns came by and saw Carter.  They were so taken with his happy smiles and played with him for quite a while.  They told us that they blessed him.  He just loved the attention.  He is doing really well adapting to this trip.
    After lunch we drove to the ancient town of Eze.  It is located on a high cliff 1,401 feet above sea level on the French Mediterranean.  The area grows flowers for perfumes and has dozens of varieties growing everywhere.  There were some beautiful shops including perfumeries.  Great views and photo opportunities.  Our ride back was sunny so we had even more spectacular views.  We didn't stop much so that we were sure to get back to the boat before it left port.  Carter and Rick napped all the way back.
    We had another wonderful family dinner in the formal dining room.  Our waiter remembered to get a high chair for Carter and had already ordered him green beans and pasta so he didn't have to wait.  Since he was not so tired and could eat right away he had a fine time at dinner.
     We went to be early – very tired from the busy day.  However, I found the ship library and got a couple books so I had a little time for ready before I dropped off to the sound of the waves.  The seas are very calm.  We feel no rocking at all which is good for Matt.  He has had no seasickness issues and is having lots of fun.

Boarding the Brilliance of the Seas

     We got up earlier today and once again Arik, Rick and I went out for some breakfast in an outdoor cafe.  Arik used his Spanish and right away got some Café con Leche.  Barcelona has a lot of pollution – much more than Madrid which has been working hard for the last ten years to be a “green” city.  I am getting pretty wheezy but soon we will be out on the fresh ocean air.  Today is another warm and sunny day.
    We are packing up for the ride to the ship.  Carter and Matt feel good again and no one else has gotten sick.  Thank goodness.  When we all got down to the lobby we had quite a pile of luggage.  We had requested “big” taxis but they don’t seem to exist.  When the first driver arrived and saw our pile of luggage which included a stroller and two bags per person, he called for help and several more taxis arrived.  When we got to the ship we found hundreds of taxis and buses delivering folks to the boat.  However the process was very smooth and orderly.  We had to leave our large luggage to be delivered to our rooms and took our carry-on luggage with us.

     While we waited for our luggage to arrive we went to the luncheon buffet.  There was lots of fresh fruit, sandwich fixings, soups, and plenty of hot foods too.  We found where to go to get a high chair for Carter and he was thrilled with fresh grapes and yogurt.  We took some extra cartons of milk to put in the little fridge in our room.  This is a very handy thing to have with a child along.  He can have fresh milk and snacks any time he is hungry.
    Our cabin is great and actually pretty spacious with good storage.  We have been on some “small” ship cruises where there was almost no room to turn around in.  Here we have a huge bed, a nice sofa and desk, a big closet, and a reasonably big bathroom.  Not bad for a ten day cruise.  We got unpacked and got the door opened between our cabin and Matt’s.  Carter thought it was great to run back and forth.  He loves it but was crabby and tired.  We went out to the balcony and found Arik peering at us over the divider.  We just need to be sure that Carter isn’t on the balcony alone and that we keep the chairs away from the edge.  Fortunately the balcony has a solid glass front so Carter can’t stick himself between the railings.
   We had our required emergency drill and then we went to dinner together and the food was wonderful.  However, Carter was tired and really hungry so we wasn't in a mood to sit very long.  The waiters were very nice to us and clearly have had lots of kids on cruises before.  They were very accommodating in finding something that Carter likes to eat.  He had a meal of green beans and red jello and was happy.
    When we got back to our rooms we slid open our big doors to the balcony and relaxed in the warm, ocean air.  It was a beautiful sunset – the end to a wonderful day with my family.  The big bed with its wonderful linens and piles of pillows is calling my name.  Good night.

Touring Barcelona, Spain

     I slept well last night in a much more comfortable bed.  The room was pretty chilly so we will ask for more blankets tonight.  It is warm and sunny today – on the way to 75.  So I opened the windows in the room and let the heat and warmth rush in.  We checked in with the rest of the group.  Marlene and Amanda are going to look for a place to wash clothes.  Carter has already gone through half his wardrobe with his diarrhea.   Matt doesn't feel well now so he is going to stay in bed.  They have a room that is a “family” room with some bunks as well as a crib.  We are off to a slow start.  Rick couldn't wake up  and Jenn and Arik are still jet-lagged.  I am hungry.  Rick, Arik and I finally got going to a coffee shop where I introduced Arik to Café con Leche.  He loved it too.
    We are in a nice area which is close to everything including some little grocery stores.  We stopped and bought some plain donuts and juice for Jennifer.  We picked her up and went to the square to buy tour bus tickets fall all day.  Our first stop was the Sagrada Familia – a cathedral that was designed by Anton Gaudi and is still in the process of being built.  Everywhere the architecture reflects natural elements of trees.  Anywhere you stand you can see interesting features in the pillars and spires of the church.  I had not known of this architect before, but Arik did a bunch of reading on his style.  After we talked about it I could see that many buildings in the old part of Barcelona were designed by Gaudi.  Jenn and Arik were really happy to be able to see so much of the town in such a short time.  They really enjoyed the tour bus.  We found a place with a bunch of soccer Jersey’s for Jennifer as Barcelona has one of the most famous soccer teams in the world.  Lunch was at a European McDonald's which was also very interesting and relatively cheap.
    We got back to the hotel and found that Matthew and Carter were mostly recovered, thank goodness.  Marlene and Amanda had found a place to do wash as well as some disposable diapers in a small grocery.  We all had to carry diapers in our luggage so that they would have enough on the cruise.  The cruise ship does not have diapers for sale.  Amanda and Marlene had taken Carter on the tour bus with them for the afternoon so they got in some sightseeing too.
    For dinner we went to a Tapa’s bar.  Each of us chose a couple small plates of various little appetizer type foods: Olives, little burgers, cheese croquets, fancy potatoes, and veggies.  We all shared.  It was so good and pretty cheap.  Dinner, including wine and beer, was only 52E for all of us.  The experience of sharing a meal in a sidewalk café on the streets of Barcelona was just priceless.
    We took some night pictures of the wonderful Barcelona architecture and then stopped at a “gelato” bar.  Oh my goodness, it is so good compared to ice cream.  I am glad that I had a pretty light breakfast and lunch so that I had plenty room for this treat.  We were back to the hotel by 9 and in bed by 10.  Tomorrow will be a busy day.

Fast Train to Barcelona, Spain

 We got up to catch the AVE train to Barcelona.  We did not anticipate any problems after scoping it out on Saturday and, indeed, everything went perfectly in catching a taxi and getting to the Renfe train station which was only about 15 minutes from our hotel.  After checking our suitcases, we were able to just hop on and go to our seats without any problems.

     The train is just great!  The ride is very smooth and sooo fast.  We could see our speed, outside temperature and location on a digital display at the front of each car.  So we watched the screen as we traveled and were awed by the speed.  At times we were going over 200 MPH.   The cars are ultra modern and clean.  There was a movie and music at each seat just like the airlines.  The track was laid just for this train so it was new and so well built that it seemed like we were just floating along.    It takes about 2 ¾ hours to get from Madrid to Barcelona.  When you factor in the time to get to the airports and the time it takes to go through security, the fast train is almost quicker.
     The country outside our windows looked a lot like Wyoming – mostly bare of trees, brown and dry.  We were on the high plains.  The temperatures were about 10 C. and windy.  We saw some herds of sheep, some very old stone towns, and lots of stunted little olive trees.  It was interested, but not beautiful to this Minnesota lakes and trees girl.
     Barcelona industry goes out a long way from the port so we knew we were getting close to the town for a long time as we started to see big commercial buildings.  We had no problem finding our luggage in the train station and found a taxi quickly too.  Our new hotel is called the Petit Palace Barcelona.  It is very high tech.  We were put into a conference room which has pull down screens, a movie projector, and a computer as well as two beds.  It is odd, but quite big and perfectly workable.  It has tall windows which open unto a courtyard.  Across the yard is a school with lots of kids on the playground.  Sort of noisy now, but it should be quiet at night.
     We went out walking for a bit down the main avenue and Arik and Jennifer found us.  They had gotten to the hotel at 11 am and slept all day.  They said that they hadn't been able to find Matt and family in the hotel.  We went out to eat at a sidewalk café and then returned to the hotel where we found Matt and Amanda.  They were listed as Nesbitt Matthew so they did not have anyone else whose LAST name was Nesbitt.  Ah well, at least we found them and we are all in place to start the cruise together.  I was worried with all of us arriving at different times that someone might not make it.
     Carter has an upset stomach – sick on the plane and now here.  We are hoping that he will be better tomorrow.  I stayed with him while they went out for some dinner.  Carter was not interested in eating anything, but seemed to be very happy to see Grandma.

Toledo, Spain

     Today we are off on a tour of Toledo, Spain.  The whole town was declared a  "World Heritage Site" by  UNESCO in 1986. The old stone walls and gates still surround the town. The tour took us on walks over very uneven and narrow cobblestone streets and up and down many stairs.  The old city is located on a mountaintop, surrounded on three sides by a bend in the Tagus River.  The town is known for its metal working and has a tradition of making fine swords and knives that goes back to Roman times when the city was a center during the Roman occupation.
    We walked through the town to Church of Santo Tomé to view El Greco’s painting: The Burial of the Count of Orgaz."  We also visited a synagogue and a monastery.   In its earliest days, Toledo was known for its religious tolerance and had Christians, Muslims and Jews all living together.  The detail in these buildings is amazing with endless carved details and stonework.
    As we walked the streets we noticed that there were markers on walls of the buildings on each side which indicated the width of the street.  We saw lots of big trucks and tour buses going down them despite almost zero clearance.  We had to keep our eyes open as we walked.  No real sidewalks so you just had to duck into a doorway when a wide vehicle came by.
   Our tour was a “half day” trip so we were back to Madrid by 3.  We had a sandwich at Starbucks and then went back to the hotel for another afternoon rest.  Our legs were really tired from all the ups and downs and walking on uneven surfaces.  At dinner time we went back out and walked back to the “Opera” square.  There was a long “shopping” street that had no car traffic – just shoppers on foot who were strolling along window shopping.  It was warm and sunny with lots of folks enjoying the perfect evening and sitting at sidewalk cafes having a drink.  It was just exactly what I think of when I think of European cities.  We had dinner at an Italian restaurant which was in a beautiful old building and full of charm.  However, it was also full of smokers.  The ban on smoking indoors has not made it to Spain.  I am still coughing.
     We packed up for our travel tomorrow and finished my Nevada Barr E-book.  I am so happy to be able to bring plenty of reading along without filling up my suitcase.

More touring of Madrid, Spain

     It was a BAD night.  We both had a “nap” until about 12:30 pm and then tossed and turned on the hard bed until about 4 am.  I then slept until about 9 and got up feeling really groggy.  Putting my earplugs in and listening to music on ITunes finally helped me settle down and sleep.  Yuck.
    We went to Starbucks for a light breakfast and then walked to catch the Madrid tour bus.  We have a three day unlimited off/on ticket so we can use the bus as much as we want to.  We got a little lost and found ourselves in “Opera” Square which was beautiful and full of locals walking on a sunny Sunday morning.  We eventually go to the tour bus which took us to the Prada Museum to see Velasquez, Goya and Rembrandt paintings.  These beautiful creations from the “Old Masters” were pretty dark and very religious.  Not really a favorite for either of us, but we had to see them since we were in Madrid.  We had a cheap, but very tasty lunch at the museum – I had a delicious jambon (ham) and queso (cheese) sandwich.  I am finding that a lot of the Spanish that I picked up during my three months of student teaching in Mexico City is coming back to me.
     After lunch we took the “Modern” loop of the tour bus.  The weather has become cool and rainy, but we saw a lot of the city.  Once again we went back to our hotel for a rest.  Then out to dinner – this time to VIPS which is sort of a nicer version of Denny’s.  A good, family restaurant.   Each time we go out I am trying a new beer – Dutch, German, and Spanish so far.
   We left the restaurant and took another evening stroll and spied on the many enthusiastic lovers in the park.  The sun is out again along with all the families and dog walkers.  We bought some ice cream at an outside stand and sat in the park for more people watching.  A perfect evening.
    My internal clock is doing better.  I actually got less tired as the day progressed – probably the café con leche.  I just love, love, love that coffee.  I didn't drink coffee when I was in Europe the last time.  Wow, did I miss out on something good.

Madrid, Spain

     Well we managed to get eleven hours of sleep and seem to be on Madrid time.  The bed is not very comfortable and I woke up numerous times, but the sheer volume of time in bed has helped me to feel somewhat rested.  
     We ate breakfast in the buffet at the hotel.  I love the Cafe con Leche.  It is really strong with half cream and sugar.  It helped to get my engine going.  The buffet was expensive - actually everything is expensive due to the exchange between the Euro and the dollar.  I guess I am still thinking of traveling thirty years ago when the dollar was strong.
     After breakfast we headed out to the busy city to find the Madrid Vision bus that tours around the city.  The desk clerk told us the wrong place for the stop, but we followed one of the buses and got to the right stop.  Since it was first thing in the morning, the buses were full so we walked about six blocks to the Palace Real for some sightseeing.  The building was very well preserved and still used for formal occasions.  There are no lack of tourists in the city and the Palace was a busy place.
    We took the tour and then caught the tour bus which took us to the train station.  My plan is for us to take a high speed train from Madrid to Barcelona.  The train stations are right in the middle of the city which cuts down on Taxi fares and we can see more of the countryside from the train windows.  When I bought the tickets the website was in Spanish and then sort of translated into English.  At the point where I was supposed to get an electronic file that I could print to use as a ticket the website froze.  After numerous attempts to get through to English speaking customer service, I found that I could just print the tickets at the train station in Spain.  We wanted to be sure that this advice was accurate so we went to the train station ahead of time.

     We were able to print the tickets without a problem and also found out where to get on the train.  We only need to be there fifteen minutes before the train leaves - much easier than plane travel.  The station is huge and very nice - so many people travel by train in Europe!
     We got back on the tour bus and traveled around Madrid some more while listening to the sightseeing tour information translated into English through earphones.  Madrid is a beautiful city and very green.  We got tired and headed back to the hotel for a nap.
     We went out to dinner at a nearby pizza place.  The waiter handed us a menu in English before we even asked.  Ha ha.  It was cheap by European standards - eight Euros.  After dinner we walked around the neighborhood along with hundreds of other folks.  They were out on this beautiful evening walking their dogs, letting their kids play in the park, and sitting on park benches kissing.  We felt very Continental as we strolled with the crowd.  There was a lighted fountain in the park - Plaza  de Espada.  As we walked back we stopped at a travel agency and booked a side trip to Toledo - one of the oldest cities in Spain.  We stayed up until ten tonight.

On our way to Spain

     We had a full plane on our flight to Amsterdam.  I was hoping for a few empty seats so that I could stretch out, but it actually wasn't that bad.  Amanda booked us a set of seats near the front of the plane which were only two-up next to the bulkhead.  It was not so bad just to be sharing the space with Rick and there was actually some knee room.
    Rick actually managed to get some sleep with his head against the side of the plane.  As usual, I only dozed for a while.  I did watch a couple of movies including Juno which I missed when it was in the theaters.  It was pretty good and did help to pass the time.  We also got some decent food and some small bottles of wine which again, helped time pass.  Our connection in the Amsterdam Schiphol airport was fine.  We noticed that everyone travels in jeans and athletic shoes which makes it harder to tell the Europeans from the Americans.  We went directly from our flight to the security gate to pass through into European customs.  I didn't want some problem with passports of something to cause us to miss our plane.  It was a long line but moved quickly.

     After another 2 1/2 hours we were in Madrid.  All of our luggage made it, thankfully, so we found a taxi and headed to our hotel.  I was so tired, but the city was exciting.  It was only thirty minutes to our hotel in the older part of Madrid.  Hotel El Coloso.  The room is nice and the huge bathroom is all marble!  The floors are beautiful wood, but the window looks into an airway and the bed is only a double and VERY firm.  We went out for a meal at 7 after a short rest and had a "plate" dinner and a beer in a Cervesaria (a bar) on the Grand Via.  The food was good and the beer will hopefully help us get to sleep tonight.  Our hotel is only two blocks from a main street and busy square with lots of shops and restaurants.  There is a police station just two doors down from our hotel, so it feels very safe to be walking around the neighborhood.  Our room has wireless internet and a flat screen TV which is very convenient to tired travelers.  We went to bed at nine.  We have had a very long two days

Grandpa's Dream

     My father always liked to travel.  We took a lot of trips in my childhood and except for the one when I was 14 I remember them very fondly.  Last summer when my father, Max, knew he was dying we talked about traveling.   In his later years Max had planned several trips, but was not able to take any of them.  He wanted to go to Germany and see if he could find out more about his father's family in Dresden.  He also wanted to take a cruise through the Panama Canal.  My mother's failing health and then the unfortunate issue that both Edna and Lorraine had Alzheimer's disease and found travel very stressful, kept Max at home.  I told him that I wanted to take the whole family on a cruise with some of my inheritance.  He was so happy about that and we talked about where we might go.  I talked with Rick and the rest of the family too and we decided on a Mediterranean cruise.  It was fun to look
into all the possibilities.  The kids would all need to take time off from work so we didn't want it too long, but since it is such a wonderful chance to see the world, they wanted it to be "long enough."
    We talked with Matt and Amanda's friend, Gary, the travel agent and have booked a 10 day cruise on a Royal Caribbean ship leaving from Barcelona, Spain.
    Jennifer's health is, of course, a concern.  She has been doing very well since her transplant, but is up and down occasionally with the amount of meds she is taking.  Hopefully things will go well since medical care on the ship is pretty basic and it would cast a lot to fly her home.
     Amanda's mom, Marlene, is also joining us.  She will be staying in the same cabin with Matt, Amanda and Carter.  It will have an adjoining door to our cabin so we can help out with the baby.  They are all real troopers to be so crowded in such a small space, but Amanda wants her mom to have some great experiences after beating cancer.  Only a few more days and we will be in Spain.  I better finish packing.