This is turning into a strange week, for one we weren't meant to be here and I had tidied vigarously before we went away last week only to find myself doing it all over again.
I've not been able to get on line anywhere near as much as I'd like to. Hubby has been looking into our new itinery, he put such a lot of work into the other one. He's had to buy two more guide books
It's been open house here, the children's friends have been in to play, it's so nice to have them all entertained but gosh they can make a mess. However three girls are nothing on a two year old boy. As I was organising the girls in a game, my little boy dug up a ten year old Yucca plant with a spoon in the time it took for hubby to use the bathroom. At least I didn't have to re pot it
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
I'm back from holiday, I'll do it justice tomorrow. 7 stops in 8 days with two small children in tow. It has been good. There was a programme on British TV a couple of years ago when two very different families would change holidays. People who liked camping would be sent on all inclusive drink sodden holidays and vice versa.
This was a little like this for us. It wasn't a holiday we would have chosen. The average age was about sixty. It was though a family friendly holiday, no one was uncouth and we didn't feel that the children were out of place.
I hadn't realised how relaxing sailing could be. The first day we spent at sea was very peaceful. I would go again but once the children are grown up when I can truly take advantage of the relaxing calm.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
My mind is clearer today, I thought I'd let you guys know what we got up to.
First we flew to Palma in Majorca had a look around the old town, very nice and a glance at the cathedral (one of the most impressive I've ever seen) then we set sail.
We cruised for a day and a half to get to Messina in Sicily. The crusing was so relaxing and wasn't something I thought I'd take to. I people watched too. There was a eat whenever and however much you want buffet, I just couldn't believe how much some people could shovel down their necks, it's quite amazing and in some cases almost abuse of one's body.
Messina has been pretty much destroyed first by an earthquake and then by the allies during the war. We joined a tour bus and headed up Mt Etna and walked around the edge of a crater. 2000m up, people live around the foot of the mountain and the volcano erupts quite often but the lava is slw flowing and only threatens the houses and not the lives of the people. It is rare though for it to threaten the Sicilian way of life.
From Mount Etna we travelled to Toarmina a beautiful town lying 200m above sea level on the edge of a cliff. The views are stunning and it has a beautiful Greco/Roman theatre. i snapped some gorgeous pictures there.
Next day we stopped in Naples. We were advised to leave all valuables aboard ship in their safe. We got a taxi to Pompei where the taxi driver waited for us. He told us of the hardship of life in Naples, it is poor and there is much unemployment. I started chatting to him about Italian film and he was thrilled that I knew the name of Italian directors, actors and films. He was even more delighted that I had watched many of them. Whilst I chatted my husband wished I'd shut up and not disturb the driver as traffic is dangerous, choatic and a law unto itself in Naples.
Pompei, words can't describe it, we were their for a morning which is our limit with the kids, we only saw a corner of it. It is magnificent. On a far bigger scale than I'd ever imagined. It had been destroyed by an earthquake 10 years before it was covered by the ash.
I spent my birthday in Tuscany in a port called Livorno we just spent the day wandering and shopping. We had a lovely dinner in an Italian restuarant, gorgeous pizzas.
My daughter told the waiter on the ship it was my birthday and they arranged an impromptu birthday cake and sang happy birthday to me. I usually don't like a fuss but seeing as she was so excited I enjoyed it too.
Our next stop was Toulon in France for the French Riviera. We hired a car and instead of driving to the Riviera we headed for Provence and stopped at two beautiful towns. We drove around for most of the day getting a feel for the place and eating French bread and pastries.
Then we went on to Barcelona, we got on the city tour bus and travelled around the city on the top of a double decker bus taking pictures of the sites. Barcelona is a beautiful city with some stunning architecture.
Last day was spent in Valencia again gorgeous architecture, it didn't feel like a city, it was a friendly place to be. The one disconcerting thing to me was the massive bullring in the centre of town. I love Spain but can't understand their love of bullfighting.
Then we came back to Palma and flew home. It was an extremely excting few days. I would cruise again but when I'm older, the demographic was for the maturer person who hasn't got younger children. Children were catered for but my youngest was too young to join in with the entertainment and they were both too young for the shows at night.
I'm glad we chose it as our alternative. Of course I now want to go back to all these places and spend time there. A cruise is a great way of seeing lots of different places but you are whisked thorugh them so quickly you don't get time to soak them up.
I'm glad to be back.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
I'm going on vacation to Utah for my son's wedding very soon! There are some beautiful mountain ranges there, and I'm taking a friend along, so we'll have time to do some exploring while my son and his wife are on their honeymoon. There's also a FamilySearch Center in Temple Square that I may visit to do some family research.
"Humor is nothing less than a sense of the fitness of things." Carole Lombard
I'm excited for you Where are they going on honeymoon?
In the town I live there is a Mormon temple and they have a family research centre that gets full of people tracing their family history, I did a lot of mine, it was the best place to do it. Tracing the family is so important to Mormons but it's a service to the rest of us that they let us use their resources.
Hope you dig up some log lost wealthy relatives Brenda
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
Hee hee. Yes, you can always hope for something like that. I'm sure it'll be a great wedding. Good luck with your research!
I'm glad we chose it as our alternative. Of course I now want to go back to all these places and spend time there. A cruise is a great way of seeing lots of different places but you are whisked thorugh them so quickly you don't get time to soak them up.
I hope you will get the opportunity to go back to those intriguing places when your kids are a bit older. In my family we started travelling a lot when my younger brother was about nine. Then we were all old enough to handle it.
It sounds like you have had a wonderful experience, and seen a lot of amazing places!
Thanks, but I'm sure I won't dig up any wealthy relatives! To Alison, I think Josh and his wife are just going camping for their honeymoon. But my friend Barbara and I will be left to our own devices while they're away, and we get to stay in their new home. By the way, I'm not able to pull up your vacation pictures as I'm not a member of the site you directed me to. Love, love to see them! Maybe there's another way? You can PM me or email me directly.
Thank you both for your good wishes! I'm really getting excited now!
"Humor is nothing less than a sense of the fitness of things." Carole Lombard
Where are they going on honeymoon?
Thanks, but I'm sure I won't dig up any wealthy relatives! To Alison, I think Josh and his wife are just going camping for their honeymoon. But my friend Barbara and I will be left to our own devices while they're away, and we get to stay in their new home. 
You can PM me or email me directly.
