Disney’s Magic in the Mediterranean: Part 7 – A Day in Rome

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Lisa

Links to the other parts of this trip report are at the bottom of this post.

Wednesday, August 15th: Civitavecchia, Italy. This cruise port is just a train ride away from the city of Rome! Another all-day adventure in store, we again left the ship as early as possible. We got a tiny bit confused for a minute walking to the train station, but a handy, friendly policeman assured us we were heading in the right direction. I’d booked our tour for the day with Can’t be Missed Tours – again another Rick Steves recommendation. Peter, the company’s owner, was very easy to work with and the tour, plus tickets for all necessary transportation and touring the Colosseum, were all taken care of with one very reasonable price. We were able to pay in advance, too, which eliminated the need to carry more cash than necessary.

Peter was easy to spot outside the train station, holding a “Can’t be Missed Tours” sign. The very best part of this tour was that we would be traveling all over Rome, on public transportation like the locals do, but we’d have a guide the entire time – no chance of getting lost, missing a stop, or having to know a lot of Italian. One of the tour guides (in our case, Peter himself) would ride the train to Rome with our group (made up of about 20 people from at least two different cruise ships) before handing us off to our guide for the day. At the end of the day, the process would reverse – guaranteed to get us back to the ship on time.

The train ride to Rome lasted a little more than an hour. I didn’t get the chance to see a lot out the window and the train was very crowded with locals on their way to work. Sadly, we were visiting on a day when the Vatican would be closed, but we would still be able to visit St. Peter’s Square and Basilica. Raymond and I got to sit next to each other on the train and I remember how excited we were – Even though it would only be a single day, we were going to Rome and would get to see so much!

At the train station in Rome, Peter introduced the group to Stephano (who proudly told me later that he is also an Adventures by Disney guide) and we were each given a listening device on a lanyard with ear-buds so we could easily hear Stephano throughout the day – he was also easy spot in his bright pink shirt. Then we were off! First site for the day? The Colosseum. Because we would not be touring the Vatican Museum, the Colosseum stop would include an extended tour of the inside and we were really stoked! Across the street from the Colosseum, Stephano stopped in a small shop with snacks and a restroom – the Colosseum would be hot and extremely crowded and we’d need to be careful to stay together for the duration. Note: The steps inside the Colosseum are VERY steep and footing is often uneven. Elevators were available for those who needed them in some places, but overall there was a lot of walking on this tour.

The Colosseum was amazing, but due to some very particular rules about tour groups, we weren’t allowed to use our listening devices until we had all passed through the super-crowded entrance. Then Stephano began to explain the incredible events that took place in the huge amphitheater. The sculptures and artifacts that survived gave us a good idea about how majestic the Colosseum was in its prime – before gigantic sections of it and almost ALL the marble which once covered every surface were carted off to build other Roman structures. The entire lower section of the Colosseum would have been invisible to spectators (beneath a wooden floor). Elevators and complex pipework communication-systems would be used to coordinate the action – to raise and lower things onto/off of the “stage” from below. Animals (lions, bears, even rhinos, elephants and giraffes) were raised and lowered on cue – as were props like fake trees used to hide some of the carnage. So many exotic animals were slaughtered at the Colosseum for entertainment, many species were brought to extinction (and others very close). We had no idea the impact the Romans and their popular forms of entertainment had on the ancient world.

As we left the Colosseum to catch a bus, we were able to see the stunning Arch of Constantine which is adjacent to the Colosseum. We also saw some Gladiators – who would be willing to pose for pictures (for a price) – Megan snuck in a picture from far away for free. They weren’t the only street performers we saw that day. Later we saw some very interesting characters – one Indian man seeming to hold another man in the air on a small wooden pole (pic below). Next we moved on by bus to some of Rome’s most ancient and famous places. Along the way, Stephano pointed out ancient water fountains – ornate figures like lion’s heads (set in the walls of ancient buildings) that continuously ran with drinking water. He encouraged those that needed to refill water bottles to take advantage of these fountains. I thought to myself, uhm, NO! – and was thankful we were carrying several full water bottles with us. We passed the Roman Forum on our way to the Pantheon. All over Rome, we saw Egyptian obelisks – stolen by Roman emperors as trophies and then used as decorations in Rome (and the Vatican).

The Pantheon was amazing. Stephano was a font of information – his passion for his job clearly evident. We had a lovely walking tour along some of Rome’s back streets. One of the best parts of the day. Stephano explained how the buildings (that take up entire blocks around central courtyards) were once the single family homes of Rome’s wealthy citizens. As time passed and fortunes changed, the families (many of which still own the buildings and live on the top floors) were forced to make much of the space into apartments – walking along, we looked up into open windows and could see breathtaking decorative painting, original to the buildings – on the apartments’ ceilings!

Colosseum? Check. Pantheon? Check. Now we were off to the Trevi Fountain where a wonderful, funny and friendly brother and sister from Great Britain in our tour group (from another cruise ship) took our group picture. Of course, as custom dictates, we threw coins into the fountain to ensure a return visit to Rome! Then we visited the Spanish Steps. Both of these places were magnificent. Much, MUCH better than we imagined – much “more” than we’d seen in movies and on TV. The fact that we were actually there was incredible. Surreal. Every single thing we’d dreamed about, but much better! We rode the train, the city bus, the Roman metro (subway), and walked a good bit – a fantastic experience that allowed us to see Rome both as tourists and as the locals do.

When it was time for lunch, Stephano directed us to a lovely, quiet café with a fantastic food selection and great outdoor seating. We actually had time to relax and enjoy our food (and beer) before we moved on to the rest of our tour. As the six of us sat outdoors on a gorgeous summer day in Italy, we talked about all the unbelievable things we’d seen so far. It was one of those perfect moments – you know what I mean…surrounded by the people you love most in the world, on an amazing adventure – one perfect day to hold close in the years to come. Yes, I sound sappy, but that’s just how it was. After lunch? We were on our way to the Vatican City to see St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica.

Once we arrived at the Vatican, we saw the pre-vacation research pay off. There were members of our tour group wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts/tank tops that would not be allowed inside St. Peter’s Basilica. Some had extra clothes with them and a couple benefitted from scarves (loaned by others in the group) they could use to cover up. Some people in our group, though, did not get to see St. Peter’s Basilica at all and waited outside in the hot courtyard while the rest of us went in.

We saw a few members of the Swiss Guard stationed in their colorful uniforms near the Vatican walls. What a good looking bunch (who will smile and nod their heads at you if you wave at them, btw)! These lucky chosen few must meet very specific criteria in order to serve as the elite guards of Vatican City. Stephano explained that the Swiss Guards must be Catholic single males between 19 and 30 years old, meet certain height requirements, and must have completed their education before applying for the job.

The line to enter St. Peter’s Basilica was quite long, but we didn’t mind. The square held so much – from the saints’ statues along the rooftops to the tiles underfoot – there was so much to take in! Stephano kept us informed as we made our way towards the entrance and once inside we were immediately struck by the abundance of beauty and artistry. St. Peter’s tomb is said to be below the ornate altar, there are tombs of many popes, artwork, sculptures – overwhelming! To the right of the entrance, behind glass was Michelangelo’s Pieta which is glorious, just breathtaking. As we made our way around – we were struck by the incredible wonder of it all, but also, oddly enough, by something really funny! In St. Peter’s Basilica, you’ll find employees we referred to as the professional “Shushers”. Yes! These folks went around saying “Shhhhh!!!” to tourists (and their wayward children) who had the audacity to make NOISE inside this sacred Vatican building.

There was too much to see for the relatively short period of time we were allowed. We all split up to see what we could – it allowed us to spend time viewing what was most important to each of us. I was raised Catholic, Raymond Methodist – our children a combination of the two. When I came across an area, partitioned off, that was reserved for people looking for a quiet place to pray (no photos allowed), I went in. Yes, I was curious (and cannot stress enough the beauty of that sanctuary), but I had the opportunity to kneel for a few minutes and pray with other visitors from all over the world – lapsed Catholic I may be, but the beauty and peace of that moment will remain with me for the rest of my life.

Back into the main area of the Basilica, I found Megan taking pictures as fast as she could! Irreverently (because of all the Shush-ing going on) I posed outside an unoccupied confessional with a finger to my lips – Shhhhhhh!

Time was up and we headed back outside to meet the rest of our group. We’d be making our way back to the train station. Our one day in Rome was coming to an end. Earlier in this post you can tell that we started the day as tourists – yes, much research and care went into our preparation for this single day in Rome, but becoming part of Roman customs and traditions was not really on the agenda. We were prepared to use public transportation and soak up all the sites and famous attractions. In then end, though, a strange and wonderful change took place. We, each of us, became, well, part of Rome. Embracing new experiences and events in a way we had not anticipated. Remember the ancient drinking fountains coming out of the walls Stephano had pointed out earlier in the day? Well, by the end of our tour, we were hot, thirsty, and out of water. Suddenly, those handy fountains didn’t look so foreign after all. I guess it’s true what they say….When in Rome….

Back at the train station where the whole fantastic day began – true to their promise, the Can’t be Missed Tour folks sent a sweet American girl (studying in Rome) to accompany us on the train ride back to Civitavecchia. So tired on the train – the day finally catching up with me – and so crowded we all had to split up to find a seat. I sat on my own, away from everyone else, next to a very kind woman who spoke not a word of English but worried about my finding the right stop anyway. Across the aisle were some young men who tried to shock me with their use of American obscenities…too funny since I could certainly have taught them a thing or two! We arrived back at Civitavecchia and exited the train to walk back to the port. What a day it had been! I recommend Rome, Can’t be Missed Tours, and every single site we visited! If the trip had ended there, I’d have been more than satisfied, but we weren’t finished yet. Our final stop would take us to Sorrento and Pompeii. Please come back to find out about the rest of our adventures.

Links to all the other parts:

Our Disney Mediterranean Cruise Part 6 – Palo and Evening Shows

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Lisa

Welcome to Part 6 of our Disney Magic in the Mediterranean trip report. Links to the other pages of this trip report can be found at the very end of this post.

So, when we last parted, our group had just returned to the Magic after our first day in Italy (Tuesday, August 13th). We had an unbelievably amazing time in Pisa and Florence, but the day was not over yet! For that evening, we had dinner reservations at Palo.

If you’ve not cruised with Disney before, Palo is an adults-only Italian restaurant that offers quiet dining, exceptional service, and beautiful views from the top of the ship. There is currently a $25 per person up-charge for this dining experience – we’ve always felt the price was reasonable. Raymond and I had been to Palo several times before (sans offspring) – but part of the reason we waited until late in the summer to sail was so Joseph would be 18 and could finally enjoy Palo with us. Megan could have eaten with us in Palo on our Alaskan cruise in 2011, but we decided it wouldn’t be fair to only take one child, so Raymond and I managed to tough it out on our own. Twice.

When we arrived back on the ship, our original plan was to get ready for dinner (Palo has a dress code, so we wore cocktail/semi-formal attire) and see the early show before our 8 o’clock reservation. We were too late returning to catch the show – “Walt Disney The Dream Goes On”. This was a little disappointing because we love the Disney shows and try not to miss a single one – however, it was worth missing it – we would not have sacrificed a single second of our time in Pisa and Florence for anything!

All gussied up, our little group of six made our way to Deck 10 and into Palo. We were greeted by our server, Sylvester (from India). Sly escorted us to our table by the window and brought the sommelier over to help us select our wine. Raymond and I have grown accustomed to the really great service in Palo, but on that night, once Sly realized that Megan, Grant, Joseph and Jason were visiting Palo for the first time – he pulled out all the stops! In addition, I’ve got to add that the sunset that night as we sailed off the Italian Coast was stunning.

Plates quickly began arriving – appetizers we ordered and also surprises Sylvester brought for us to try. Having eaten hours and hours earlier (and only pizza and gelato, you may recall) – we tried not to fall upon the feast like a pack of ravenous dogs! The calamari was the best I’d ever had.

The time came to order our entrées. I know Joseph ordered two (one of which was the rack of lamb)! There was a huge variety of orders around the table. When it came to my turn, I wasn’t starving anymore, so I had Sly surprise me and he selected the Osso Bucco which is very tasty, but comes in a really generous portion. So large, in fact, that Sylvester thought I didn’t like it because it looked like I’d hardly touched it when I was finished. No one at the table ordered the special of the day which was lasagna – so of course, a couple of orders of lasagna appeared magically in the center of the table so we wouldn’t miss out on it. We ate. And ate. Very little conversation took place – mostly just small exclamations of delight were all that could be heard around the table.

At this point, we were feeling pretty sated – but Palo’s famous chocolate soufflé was calling to us! It is prepared to order, so we knew there would be about a 20 minute wait. We ordered coffees and, of course, Sly brought big bowls of ice cream which he set down in the middle of the table – just to tide us over. I was shocked at how fast that ice cream disappeared! The soufflés are served very warm, straight from the oven, with a pitcher of vanilla sauce on the side. The sauce is poured into the dessert’s center as soon as it’s placed in front of you. It’s super-rich, gooey chocolaty heaven!

We walked in at 8:00 pm and waddled out exactly THREE hours later. We told Sylvester that we’d be back on Friday for brunch and if it could be arranged, would love to have him again as our server. Oh, so full and exhausted, we made our way to our cabins. Tomorrow we would arrive in Civitavecchia and spend the day in Rome. There was nothing – not one thing about our trip so far that could possibly have been any better.

A bit about the shows on Disney Cruise Line. The Disney stage shows are absolutely excellent, Broadway-quality entertainment – perfect for all ages. The theater itself is wonderful and refreshments are available (even adult beverages) at the theater’s entrance. There were five different Disney shows on our cruise and two shows by other entertainers. We had main seating for dinner, so I’ll post our assigned restaurant on the rotational dining schedule in parentheses before the name of each evening’s show. Here’s the recap:

8/10 (Animator’s Palate) All Aboard! Let the Magic Begin! – We’ve seen this on all the Disney cruises we’ve taken. It’s a great way to get excited about all the magic and excitement Disney has in store for you on your high seas adventure.

8/11 (Anamator’s Palate) Twice Charmed – An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story – This is a cute story and as the title implies, it’s based on a favorite tale, but with a twist. Songs, costumes, effects are all top shelf!

8/12 (Parrot Cay) Junk (Comedy and Percussion / Not Disney) – For non-Disney entertainment, these guys were great – hilarious, clever, and highly entertaining. A little bit Blue Man Group-ish and a whole lot of FUN!

8/13 (Lumiere’s) Walt Disney The Dream Goes On – I’m sorry we missed this one since we’ve never seen it before. I know absolutely nothing about it.

8/14 (Animator’s Palate) Villains Tonight! – This was the first time for us to see Villains and I’ve got to say it shot straight up the list to my most favorite Disney Cruise Line show EVER! Disney does a great job of adding jokes to their shows specifically for adults – not inappropriate humor in any way, just clever references, puns, and bits only the more mature members of the audience will “get”. Villains seemed to do a better job with this than other shows. Plus – I’m a big fan of the villains in general and am very happy they get their own big stage production.

8/15 (Parrot Cay) Scott Pepper (Magic and Illusion / Not Disney) – I’m sorry, guys. This show started out alright, but it was 8:30 pm after an entire day in Rome (next post on the trip report!) and I’d had some wine with dinner. I’d love to give you details about Mr. Pepper’s magic show, but I fell sound asleep.

8/16 (Lumiere’s) Disney Dreams – This is a show we’ve seen on every Disney cruise and we never get tired of it. Honestly, it’s spectacular. ALL our favorite Disney characters make an appearance in this show – they sing, they dance, the special effects are spectacular – what’s not to love?

Up Next – the port of Civitavecchia and an unbelievable day in Rome!

Here are the links to the other parts of our Magic in the Mediterranean trip report:

Cruising Disney’s Magic in the Med – Pisa and Florence

Posted on February 18, 2014 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

This is Part 5 of the trip report for our 2013 Cruise aboard the Disney Magic in the Mediterranean. See the end of this post for links to the report’s other parts.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013. We have arrived in Italy and this day would be a BIG deal! Courtesy of Rick Steves’ advice, I’d contacted Florence Tours and arranged for guide Paola Migliorini to meet us at the cruise port in La Spezia to take us to both Pisa and Florence. Paola would show and teach us as much as possible, then have us back to the Magic on time. Kind of a challenging plan. Rather than the closer and more popular port of Livorno, Disney has chosen La Spezia – a two hour drive from Florence! Again, having only one day meant we had to prioritize, so we were basically just planning to make a very short stop at Pisa’s famous tower before jumping right back into the van to spend as much time in Florence as possible.

The first obstacle – getting off the ship! Once again we were up, dressed and ready to go – only to find ourselves in a holding pattern with all the other non-Disney excursion families waiting to take a tender to shore. Finally, we were able to leave the ship and, once we reached the port on the tender, we dashed along the waterfront to find Paola holding our name sign and looking a bit worried about how much of the day had been wasted. She’d been able to park very close so we jumped in the van – I rode shotgun – and hit the road. I kind of felt sorry for Paola at this point – she put on her microphone so she could make a presentation about everything we were seeing in the Tuscan countryside and Raymond and I were the only one’s awake and listening. I could tell she was not angry really, but puzzled about Megan, Grant, Joseph, and Jason falling asleep so quickly! I did my best to explain how much we’d packed into our trip so far and hoped that made her feel better.

First stop: Pisa’s Leaning Tower. Looked just like we expected it to and we quickly started snapping pictures. Walking around we noticed “keep off the grass” signs all around a grassy area – filled with tourists! Finally a lone policeman with a loud whistle came around and shooed everyone off the lawn – it was hilarious watching people try to quickly pose for pictures before the angry whistle-blowing cop got to them. Back in the van, Paola took us for a quick tour around Pisa – pointing out the gorgeous architecture and beautiful bridges over the river Arno. We learned that the shutters on all the buildings must be painted with only certain colors (green, brown, tan) in keeping with the town’s history. Had there only been more time, we would have loved to see and do more here.

A bit about packing for day tours in Italy. I studied quite a lot (shocking, I know) about how to dress appropriately, how best to blend in and not to stand out too much as a tourist (pick my pocket, please), and, most importantly, how to dress properly for entering cathedrals in Europe. I ended up asking everyone in our group to avoid shorts, jeans, graphic tees, and tennis shoes/sneakers. Important: Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter cathedrals and there are “fashion police” at church entrances checking for this! Improperly dressed visitors are either not permitted to enter (what a shame to come all that way and not get to see everything!) or are required to wear a cover-up of sorts – I referred to as the “blue poncho of shame”. I’m guessing these must be available for purchase somewhere near each cathedral – we sure saw a bunch of them. While it was August and pretty warm, we were all happy to be nicely and properly attired for our sightseeing adventures.

On the way to Florence, Paola once again pointed out places of interest from hilltop castles to leather processing centers. Much of the Tuscan countryside was beautiful. There were also, just like in the U.S., some abandoned and rundown homes and buildings. Everything we saw and learned was interesting as Paola tried to make the most of an unfortunately long drive.

Raymond and I had both made a point of reading Dan Brown’s Inferno earlier in the summer. Most of that book (it’s great, we highly recommend it!) takes place in Florence as the main character, Robert Langdon, visits all of the city’s most famous sites as he tries to solve a mystery. We had visions of these places from the story and couldn’t wait to see how the book compared with reality. We had no idea that Florence actually restricts vehicle access in the city’s center – unless you live in the heart of Florence, you are not allowed to drive your car anywhere near the museums and cathedrals. This was why having Paola as our guide was so fantastic – she does live in Florence and skillfully navigated the narrow, crowded streets – getting us right to each attraction on our schedule – in air-conditioned comfort!

First item on the agenda? The Academia to see David! Seriously, until you are standing next to this 17-foot-tall masterpiece, you can’t really imagine how spectacular he is. First Paola guided us through a few of the rooms full of incredible works of art from various eras. We only had time to see a very few things before we entered the room full of Michelangelo’s sculptures. The fact that we couldn’t see it all was the only disappointment of the day. David stood at the far end of the room – which was absolutely packed with tourists! As we made our way closer to David, Paola taught us about the other Michelangelo works in the room. Finally – there we were – gazing up at the most amazing, incredible, enormous, beautiful statue in the world. Paola was very patient and encouraged us to walk all the way around and view David from every angle. She pointed out how realistic Michelangelo had tried to be with David’s musculature, but how the statue’s head and hands are disproportionately large – possibly because David may have originally been intended to adorn a building’s rooftop.

A few minutes later and we were off again. I’d requested only two things from Paola that day and otherwise left the touring plans up to her. One was that we not waste time in a sit-down restaurant for lunch – I asked for a quick grab-and-go meal so we could keep touring. The second request I made was to squeeze in a visit to a local wine store sometime during the day so we could continue what we’d started in Barcelona – buying a local wine to enjoy back on the ship. Paola was very accommodating. For lunch we bought pizza by the slice in the tiniest pizzeria I’d ever seen! Delicious! Paola guided us to a gelato stand for dessert and gave us a lesson on how to tell if the gelato is made on site (or manufactured in a factory and shipped in). Pizza and gelato in Florence, Italy. We were in heaven!

Before we moved on to the Duomo, the Santa Croce convent, the Palazzo Vecchio, and the Ponte Vecchio – Paolo took us for a gorgeous drive to an overlook above the city so we could see the beauty of Florence from a distance and take pictures. The rest of the day was wonderful and absolutely flew by. Paola demonstrated some keen driving skills as she directed the van down a narrow street completely packed with tourists and gypsies performing with drums. We were also treated to an amazing demonstration of the modern artists studying in Florence – they displayed their talents with chalk paintings on the street.

Our last site to visit would be the Ponte Vecchio (bridge over the Arno) lined with shops. We walked along the bridge window shopping the many different shops until a jewelry store with reproduction silver coins that could be worn on a necklace caught our eye. Megan, Joseph and I chose the coin we all liked best and bought three just alike – for which I asked the merchant if we would get a discount for buying “bulk” and he said, “of course”!

Very close to the bridge was a wine store Paola recommended and when we arrived we were delighted to discover that she had called ahead and arranged a wine tasting for our group with the shop’s owner, Tony. This was a completely unexpected treat – Tony actually turned away some patrons that came in after us and asked them to return in 30 minutes because we had an appointment! The wine was delicious, Tony was a gracious and charming host, and we could think of no better way to end an absolutely perfect day.

I felt sorry for Paola on the long drive back to La Spezia. I could tell she was really tired so I tried to keep a conversation going to keep her from getting too sleepy – like everyone in the back of the van. Back at the port we exchanged European double-cheek-kisses and bid farewell to Paola, who was luckily spending the night nearby with a girlfriend. Paola’s husband is also a licensed guide in Florence and specializes in walking tours of the city. We would love to return to Florence and see all the things we missed this time around.

Of course, we wished we’d had more time to explore Pisa and Florence, but instead of focusing on all that we hadn’t seen that day, I thought about every incredible, fantastic, wonderful moment. As we rode the tender back to the Magic, we marveled over the fact that we were in Italy and we’d walked the streets of Florence where the Medici family had ruled and the world’s most famous artists had lived and worked. There is absolutely nothing I would change about this perfect day.

Up next: Dinner at Palo and more adventures in Italy!

To read more about this trip, please follow these links:

Disney Mediterranean Cruise Part 4 – Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

Posted on February 11, 2014 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

Note: This is part 4 of a trip report on our Mediterranean cruise aboard the Disney Magic in August, 2013. Links to all other parts of the trip report can be found at the bottom of this page.

On Monday, August 12, we woke up in France! We were up and ready to go early. Waiting for the all-clear to leave the ship, we wanted to catch a tender to shore at the first available opportunity. Fortified with a hearty breakfast from the Topsiders’ buffet, we walked off the ship and into the beautiful port of Villefranche – a perfect example of small-town living – on the French Riviera!

Having studied the French language, country, and culture for 7 years growing up – I’d developed a lot of pre-conceived notions about what to expect. One day was all we would get and we planned to make the most of it. Let me just say – this was one of the most fantastic days of any vacation EVER. The town, the sights, the people, the food – everything was all I’d hoped for and more.

The plan was to walk from the port to the bus station in the heart of Villefranche. Excursions offered by the Disney Cruise Line included visiting Monaco, Monte Carlo, Cannes, Nice, Eze and much more. Rick Steves had gotten to me again, though – I wanted us to visit the town of Eze – but I didn’t want to do it on a tour bus with a large tour group! There are actually two towns named Eze. We wanted to see Eze-le-Village, as opposed to Eze-Bord-de-Mer (by the sea) and, from what Rick had so say – this sounded like the perfect adventure for all of us. Something about a medieval village perched high above the sea in the Maritime Alps seemed like something amazing, historic, and, well, French. Plus, it would only take a few hours – getting us back to Villefranche in time for lunch and more exploring. – I had a plan for that, too, but first things first.

The weather was once again perfect. Not too hot, clear and sunny. We paused once off the ship to take a few pictures before getting in line for a tender to shore. The Cote d’Azur scenery was breathtaking! The trip to shore was brief and pleasant. Once in Villefranche, everything was exactly as Rick Steves had described it – steep uphill walk into town, bus station easy to find. The town was picturesque and quaint and, lucky for me, the bus station had an attendant who, once I asked politely in French for assistance finding the correct bus to Eze, was more than happy to help – in perfect English! We would take bus #100 to a stop called “Eze Gare” at a train station along the coast and there change to bus #83 for the trip up to Eze. When bus #100 arrived, the nice bus-station man even told the bus driver to make sure we got off at the right stop. So far, so good. We reached our transfer stop without problem, but, as it turned out, we had just missed the Eze-bound bus and would have to wait for its return. It was QUITE a wait. Like 45 minutes. We were just beginning to think bus #83 was a myth when it finally pulled up. Then began the upward trip – and I do mean UP! At times the road was very steep and narrow with sharp hair-pin turns that hid what was ahead. To distract myself, I watched the landscape, the beautiful hillside homes with their incredible gardens – it seemed like everything in France was blooming! At times I could see the Mediterranean – an incredible view! Finally, the bus arrived at the base of our destination.

Eze-le-Village may be many centuries old, but today it has been taken over completely by tourism in the form of artistic, trendy shops and restaurants. Every detail – doors, lanterns, signs, plants, and walkways – was absolutely magnificent. For the price of bus fare (a couple of euros per person each way), we spent an enjoyable morning exploring Eze-le-Village and soaking up the sights and sounds of a different side of the French Riviera – in a fairly un-crowded, relaxed atmosphere. Best part – we did it all on our own!

We climbed all the way through Eze’s narrow, curving alleyways at a leisurely pace. Stepped into a few of the shops – Megan and I loved the clothing, jewelry, and perfume! Since we had arrived early in the day, the village was remarkably empty! We felt like we were at the very top of the world – pictures just don’t explain how gorgeous everything was – especially the view from the top. Once we had seen enough sights to satisfy everyone in the group, we made our way back down to the bus stop. Luckily, our wait for the bus this time was a short one – we were glad we’d arrived early as the crowds of tourists were increasing rapidly!

Back on the bus – we felt like we were seeing France – the real France. As far as we could tell, all of the other people on the bus were French – we were the only American tourists, at least. Sure, we could have gone with a big tour group to see the casinos and race tracks in Monte Carlo, the palace and riches of Monaco, or the shopping and glamor of Cannes – but we were totally satisfied with our adventure and, unknown to us, as we rode through the pretty little towns on our way back to Villefranche – the best part of our day was yet to come!

I my mind, I’d imagined little towns in France filled with lots of French people on bikes and scooters – or walking and shopping – and carrying baguettes (Like in Beauty and the Beast – “Marie! The baguettes!”). I’d been taught that buying fresh food and baked goods daily was the norm and people could often be seen carrying their purchases – especially those long, seemingly indestructible loaves of French bread. I was just delighted to find that real-life France – on a summer Monday, in a small town – was just exactly as I’d pictured it. Once I’d pointed out the baguettes, everyone was spotting them – tucked under arms, in bicycle baskets, sticking out of bags, everywhere.

It was time to share the plans I had for lunch and sightseeing with the rest of the group. I’d read (remember – two years of research went into this trip) that there was another, smaller port in Villefranche called Port de la Darse that we could reach easily by foot. This port would have some choices for lunch in a quiet, much less crowded area – not frequented by tourists. The day had been wonderful so far and everyone quickly agreed to give Port de la Darse a try. We had no trouble finding it – on the other side of the walled Citadel from the main port. We passed up two restaurants – one closed, one counter-service-looking with limited seating before we came upon a gem of a place called Le Cockpit – right beside the water. Covered outdoor seating allowed for perfect people watching, I asked in French for a table for six and the proprietor sat us in a prime location – next to a table of salty old French sailors enjoying a leisurely meal. We were delighted when the owner’s college-age daughter was out waitress – her English, learned in Canada, was perfect.

We all ordered the fish of the day which came with fries and salad served family style. We enjoyed some great white wine and soaked up the incredible atmosphere – so relaxing! Our server was pretty disappointed that we didn’t have time to stay for after-lunch drinks and dessert, but we wanted to take some time walking back to explore more of Villefranche. On our way out, I complimented the owner on the food and service and he was very curious to know how we came to be at his restaurant. He was surprised we found him since the area is known to few tourists. I told him that the very reason we were there was to get away from other tourists to experience France as it really is – to make the most of the one and only day we would have…that he and his establishment had been perfect!

We walked back to the main port along the Mediterranean – following the curved wall of the Citadel at the water’s edge. Once back amid the bustle of all the shops, restaurants, and open-air markets, we took the time to buy a couple of small souvenirs and pick up some wine before catching a tender to the Magic in late afternoon. Joseph was cracking us up with his “surly French bus driver” impersonations and all of us were thrilled with how well the day turned out – unexpectedly surprised by how much we enjoyed finding Le Cockpit! Everything exceeded our expectations and of course, we left wanting more.

We ended up back aboard the Magic with plenty of time to get ready for dinner and host happy hour in our cabin – featuring French wine and an “All Hands on Deck” cheese platter from room service. Our dinner that night was in Parrot Cay (now Carioca’s) and the show that night featured “Junk” – a comedy and percussion group that was clever and hilarious – very entertaining! After the show, Raymond and I headed for our cabin for a last glass of wine and a piece of chocolate on our balcony. What a day! So far, everything was going extremely well – all my plans working out perfectly. It was hard to get my mind around how great the trip had been so far while there was still so much ahead. Tomorrow, we would arrive in Italy!