Yikes…early morning. Well, late night combined with a standard morning. We probably got back to the ship around 1:00-1:30am after doing the show and eating with the cast. My camera was full of images and video and so was Deanna’s so we were up later downloading all of that data. I think I went to bed a little after 3:00am with my alarm set for 8:30.
The plan for today was to do our own thing and then meet Koray and Zeynep by Ayasophia (St. Sophia…once a church, now a mosque) at 11:00. Deanna and I didn’t do much before then. We went to the Blue Mosque and that was nice. Our favorite part, after walking everywhere yesterday and the day before, was that we had to take our shoes off and we walked inside on the nice carpet. So soft and comfy.
That gave us just enough time to be at the meeting spot. From there they took us to a cool and shady place next to an old university that served tea, coffee, and water pipes…hookahs. I had some tea and my first apple tobacco hookah. It was actually quite smooth.
Unfortunately we had to be back on the ship at 4:00pm and everyone was itchin’ to make it to the Grand Bazaar before leaving, so Koray took us there and that is where we spent the last of our minutes in Istanbul.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
6/29/09: Day 246: Istanbul, Turkey
More groupy stuff this time around. We hadn’t really planned anything on our own because Mary had been in contact with a former student who has started his own improv group in Istanbul (Istanbul Impro). They offered to show us around the city…non-tourist style. It was very relaxing. His name is Koray and his wife Zeynep was there too.
We didn’t get into the port until around 1pm so we spent the afternoon chatting over tea and coffee (I had tea this time) then walking to a nice place to eat. They arranged for us to have a nice sampling of all traditional dishes. Lots of lamb and veggie combos…delicious!
Everyone headed back to the ship around 6:30 to freshen up for the night. Oh yeah, we got to have another overnight port! Since Mary knew Koray she had been contacting him and they randomly went from “let’s meet” to “our Turkish improv group will put on a show for you to see” to “you guys can be in the show.” So we met between 8:00 and 8:50 for a 9:00 show. They packed the place on a Monday night. It was almost all in Turkish but still very enjoyable to watch. They asked for one of us to come up to play with them and I was the first volunteer from our group. I’m glad I did. We played a game where they got a lot of suggestions a head of time and then we just did scenes based on two of those suggestions per scene. They were all in Turkish so I had them tell me what some were, but I preferred not knowing. As they were getting the suggestions I asked them to ask the audience “What do you think Americans like to do for fun?” I know we certainly have our Muslim stereotypes in the US and I was curious about the reverse. The five responses that they took translated to: Sex, Drinking, Swearing, Conspiracy Theory, and Philosophy. Towards the end I was in a scene with Swearing as one of the things and they pimped me into singing a song. I’ll try to get the video up on youtube…I didn’t swear in the whole song…theoretically.
They were such good performers and actors and I feel like this was the best way to have our contract come to it’s end. The nice thing is we’re going to see Koray and Zeynep tomorrow!
We didn’t get into the port until around 1pm so we spent the afternoon chatting over tea and coffee (I had tea this time) then walking to a nice place to eat. They arranged for us to have a nice sampling of all traditional dishes. Lots of lamb and veggie combos…delicious!
Everyone headed back to the ship around 6:30 to freshen up for the night. Oh yeah, we got to have another overnight port! Since Mary knew Koray she had been contacting him and they randomly went from “let’s meet” to “our Turkish improv group will put on a show for you to see” to “you guys can be in the show.” So we met between 8:00 and 8:50 for a 9:00 show. They packed the place on a Monday night. It was almost all in Turkish but still very enjoyable to watch. They asked for one of us to come up to play with them and I was the first volunteer from our group. I’m glad I did. We played a game where they got a lot of suggestions a head of time and then we just did scenes based on two of those suggestions per scene. They were all in Turkish so I had them tell me what some were, but I preferred not knowing. As they were getting the suggestions I asked them to ask the audience “What do you think Americans like to do for fun?” I know we certainly have our Muslim stereotypes in the US and I was curious about the reverse. The five responses that they took translated to: Sex, Drinking, Swearing, Conspiracy Theory, and Philosophy. Towards the end I was in a scene with Swearing as one of the things and they pimped me into singing a song. I’ll try to get the video up on youtube…I didn’t swear in the whole song…theoretically.
They were such good performers and actors and I feel like this was the best way to have our contract come to it’s end. The nice thing is we’re going to see Koray and Zeynep tomorrow!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
6/28/09: Day 245: Izmir, Turkey
The second country on our itinerary that we don’t know the language for. There was another crew tour offered today to go to Ephesus…one of the natural wonders of the ancient world. Unfortunately it was also more ruins and we had no inclination to go to that.
We headed to their bazaar with Ric, Kwami, and Janet with a cab driver who also walked with us as a guide. The first shop we went in offered us tea or coffee and showed us their goods. I wasn’t too interested in buying anything but waited with the group while they got their teas and I my coffee. Turkish coffee is different. I didn’t care for it. Everyone else got the apple tea and it was DELICIOUS. I should have got that.
Once we found a store that sold suits Ric was in there for awhile. Kwami and Janet had to get back to the ship and Ric was going to be a while so Deanna and I headed off. Well, without our Turkish guide and strength in numbers we were approached by EVERY vendor we walked past. We got out of the bazaar.
Luckily we saw more friends from the ship and tagged along the way to see…the walk back to the ship. Many times along the way we came across groups of children, usually boys, who would follow us saying “I love euro! I love euro!” I was doing bits with some of them and they just got more annoying. The last group we came across followed us up until a restaurant worker started walking towards them with a stern look on his face. They all ran away.
Tomorrow we’ll be in Istanbul and we’re supposed to go see a show by Istanbul Impro. I love foreign improv…especially if it isn’t in English.
We headed to their bazaar with Ric, Kwami, and Janet with a cab driver who also walked with us as a guide. The first shop we went in offered us tea or coffee and showed us their goods. I wasn’t too interested in buying anything but waited with the group while they got their teas and I my coffee. Turkish coffee is different. I didn’t care for it. Everyone else got the apple tea and it was DELICIOUS. I should have got that.
Once we found a store that sold suits Ric was in there for awhile. Kwami and Janet had to get back to the ship and Ric was going to be a while so Deanna and I headed off. Well, without our Turkish guide and strength in numbers we were approached by EVERY vendor we walked past. We got out of the bazaar.
Luckily we saw more friends from the ship and tagged along the way to see…the walk back to the ship. Many times along the way we came across groups of children, usually boys, who would follow us saying “I love euro! I love euro!” I was doing bits with some of them and they just got more annoying. The last group we came across followed us up until a restaurant worker started walking towards them with a stern look on his face. They all ran away.
Tomorrow we’ll be in Istanbul and we’re supposed to go see a show by Istanbul Impro. I love foreign improv…especially if it isn’t in English.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
6/27/09: Day 244: Athens, Greece
I signed Deanna and I up for a crew tour of Athens today. I couldn’t find Deanna and there were only two slots left on the sign up sheet so I did it without talking to her about it. It turned out she had researched Athens and planned stuff, but we went on the tour anyway.
It ended up that the tour took us to the Acropolis and that was pretty much all it was going to do. So, after seeing the sites there we found our guide and told her we were going to find our way back. Best choice ever.
We walked into a little neighborhood…the equivalent of NW Portland, but less hippies and cooler. Nice little shops, nice dining. A good rest after looking at ruins in the heat. Deanna and I are kind of ruin-ed out. We’ve seen Pompeii, Herculaneum, Acropolis, and all of the rich history that is Europe. Our guide also told us that some of the things in Acropolis were replicas and the real ones were in the museum.
From the neighborhood we took a train back to our port area of Piraeus and took the long walk back to the ship. Sweaty day, over.
It ended up that the tour took us to the Acropolis and that was pretty much all it was going to do. So, after seeing the sites there we found our guide and told her we were going to find our way back. Best choice ever.
We walked into a little neighborhood…the equivalent of NW Portland, but less hippies and cooler. Nice little shops, nice dining. A good rest after looking at ruins in the heat. Deanna and I are kind of ruin-ed out. We’ve seen Pompeii, Herculaneum, Acropolis, and all of the rich history that is Europe. Our guide also told us that some of the things in Acropolis were replicas and the real ones were in the museum.
From the neighborhood we took a train back to our port area of Piraeus and took the long walk back to the ship. Sweaty day, over.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
6/25/09: Day 242: Messina, Italy
What the hell is happening out there? More on that later.
Today was one of the new ports for us. We ported in Messina. If Italy is a boot and Sicily is a soccer ball, Messina is the spot on the soccer ball right across from the toe of the boot. Now, my ancestors supposedly come from Calabria, which is right on the tip of the boot. We pass this area a lot on our normal itinerary, so I kind of look out at the homeland every now and then. But today we had the opportunity to go there, and go there we did. When we first got there it seemed, well, a little crappy. After getting closer to the center of town it turned out to be a really nice little town. We ate and walked the boardwalk.
Along the boardwalk in the water we saw a handful of jellyfish…the kind with the long poisonous strands. Yikes!
So, I’ve set foot in my Italian homeland.
Now, what’s with everyone famous dying this week? Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett, and now Michael Jackson? What the hell?
Today was one of the new ports for us. We ported in Messina. If Italy is a boot and Sicily is a soccer ball, Messina is the spot on the soccer ball right across from the toe of the boot. Now, my ancestors supposedly come from Calabria, which is right on the tip of the boot. We pass this area a lot on our normal itinerary, so I kind of look out at the homeland every now and then. But today we had the opportunity to go there, and go there we did. When we first got there it seemed, well, a little crappy. After getting closer to the center of town it turned out to be a really nice little town. We ate and walked the boardwalk.
Along the boardwalk in the water we saw a handful of jellyfish…the kind with the long poisonous strands. Yikes!
So, I’ve set foot in my Italian homeland.
Now, what’s with everyone famous dying this week? Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett, and now Michael Jackson? What the hell?
Monday, June 22, 2009
6/22/09: Day 239: Barcelona, Spain
Well, we finally had an overnight in Barcelona. Yesterday Deanna and I were using the internet during the day, went to the ship, and then headed out to meet up with the rest of the cast around 8pm. The only plan I knew of was “meet and go somewhere for food and drinks.” I was focused on the food part.
It turned out that everyone was at the meeting spot, PLUS Tiffini from the Gary Musik company, Rene…Josh’s roommate who was on the previous cruise and knew a friend in Barcelona, AND Jeff and Mary! For this two-week cruise we are scheduled to do a LOT of workshops with adults. So, many that there are also a lot for teens and kids…Jeff and Mary are here to handle those workshops. I’m glad they were there, it was nice to meet new people after 4 months of not.
We walked around the city being lead by Matt who knew where the “good places” were. We found one little square that was packed with people…dirty hippy people. Luckily there was another square about two blocks away. We went there and found a place. I was hungry!
We got food and drinks and chatted with the new people and then headed off…for food and drinks. We were done with the second set of food and drinks around 1:00am and then ended up back with the dirty hippies. It was very “Moulin Rouge bohemian spirit”-esque, but dirtier and hippier. Lot’s of people sitting in circles on the cement drinking beer and smoking and talking. People playing guitars and singing. Dogs. After a little of this Deanna and I headed back to the ship.
If you know me you know I am not a foody and don’t like spending money on meals. The night set me back about E50. Not too bad, for one night. I don’t see how people do it every port and stay out of debt.
We have a celebrity chartering the ship. I’m not gonna say who, but the cruise has a great “look and feel” department that is coordinating everything with their graphic logo and color palate. To the point where as we walked through the port terminal…a place these passengers will only see three times (yesterday, today, and the final day) we noticed that all of the seats there…some 200-300 airport gate row type seats…had been reupholstered in a color that matched the rest of the look and feel and theme and what not. For real. I’ll get a picture. Check my flickr.com.
Today was just getting food and using internet again while we can. I was takin’ care o’ business. We have a 5 minute slot in the Welcome Aboard show…a showcase of what will be happening later in the cruise. That is what we do tonight.
It turned out that everyone was at the meeting spot, PLUS Tiffini from the Gary Musik company, Rene…Josh’s roommate who was on the previous cruise and knew a friend in Barcelona, AND Jeff and Mary! For this two-week cruise we are scheduled to do a LOT of workshops with adults. So, many that there are also a lot for teens and kids…Jeff and Mary are here to handle those workshops. I’m glad they were there, it was nice to meet new people after 4 months of not.
We walked around the city being lead by Matt who knew where the “good places” were. We found one little square that was packed with people…dirty hippy people. Luckily there was another square about two blocks away. We went there and found a place. I was hungry!
We got food and drinks and chatted with the new people and then headed off…for food and drinks. We were done with the second set of food and drinks around 1:00am and then ended up back with the dirty hippies. It was very “Moulin Rouge bohemian spirit”-esque, but dirtier and hippier. Lot’s of people sitting in circles on the cement drinking beer and smoking and talking. People playing guitars and singing. Dogs. After a little of this Deanna and I headed back to the ship.
If you know me you know I am not a foody and don’t like spending money on meals. The night set me back about E50. Not too bad, for one night. I don’t see how people do it every port and stay out of debt.
We have a celebrity chartering the ship. I’m not gonna say who, but the cruise has a great “look and feel” department that is coordinating everything with their graphic logo and color palate. To the point where as we walked through the port terminal…a place these passengers will only see three times (yesterday, today, and the final day) we noticed that all of the seats there…some 200-300 airport gate row type seats…had been reupholstered in a color that matched the rest of the look and feel and theme and what not. For real. I’ll get a picture. Check my flickr.com.
Today was just getting food and using internet again while we can. I was takin’ care o’ business. We have a 5 minute slot in the Welcome Aboard show…a showcase of what will be happening later in the cruise. That is what we do tonight.
Friday, June 19, 2009
6/19/09: Day 236: Lucca, Italy
Thanks to the three people who offered improv suggestion. I think I used one of them…no, not Larrance’s Choice.
This week has been, as I think I mentioned, a series of last-time-heres. I think we pretty much hit everything we wanted to do.
“Malta=internet.” When we first got off the ship around 10:30 and headed to the restaurant for internet we discovered the power was out…for the whole island. I don’t know what happened, but it fixed itself about an hour and a half later. I still have some photos I didn’t manage to get uploaded, but SOME of them are up on flickr.
“Naples=funicular to park.” Check. Naples was hot and humid. But, we walked to the funicular stop and headed up the hill to walk around a castle with a great view of the city, and a park filled with lovers and water-fightin’ teen-agers. At the end of it all I wanted to just get back to the ship and out of the heat.
“Rome=Sistine Chapel.” And the Vatican. I don’t know where I thought the Sistine Chapel was. I only remember people saying “you have to go through the Vatican Museum to get into it.” So, I figured…for some reason…the Vatican Museum like the bookstore that was connected to the Vatican just like every other place you go to has a bookstore at the end of it. Deanna and I viewed the Vatican, which was scientifically amazing…it was huge but designed not to feel huge. Hard to explain with words. Then Deanna, who knows where the Chapel is, leads me right back out of the Vatican and St. Peter’s. What? Isn’t the bookstore back inside? No. We go to the actual Vatican Museum which…is…HUGE. Two hours of walking around in that later I get to the Chapel. It was great and I wish I could have respected it more and enjoyed it more. I was just so sick of walking around the museum by that point that I skipped past a lot of stuff. Plus, it was hot and muggy again.
“Livorno=Lucca (rain or shine).” Every time we had been in Lucca before it had been at least cloudy with some level of rain. Deanna had come here before with her girlfriends and rode bikes around the wall. It is a walled city with a road going all along the top of the wall. We rented bikes and rode the wall! The weather was great, and we made all the shuttles and trains to get us there. After the prior two days, I wouldn’t have minded if it was raining.
The next cruise is a two-week charter and will have some different ports. We have one more shot at Barcelona, Civitavecchia and Malta, but the rest…for now…are gone. BYE-YIIIII!
This week has been, as I think I mentioned, a series of last-time-heres. I think we pretty much hit everything we wanted to do.
“Malta=internet.” When we first got off the ship around 10:30 and headed to the restaurant for internet we discovered the power was out…for the whole island. I don’t know what happened, but it fixed itself about an hour and a half later. I still have some photos I didn’t manage to get uploaded, but SOME of them are up on flickr.
“Naples=funicular to park.” Check. Naples was hot and humid. But, we walked to the funicular stop and headed up the hill to walk around a castle with a great view of the city, and a park filled with lovers and water-fightin’ teen-agers. At the end of it all I wanted to just get back to the ship and out of the heat.
“Rome=Sistine Chapel.” And the Vatican. I don’t know where I thought the Sistine Chapel was. I only remember people saying “you have to go through the Vatican Museum to get into it.” So, I figured…for some reason…the Vatican Museum like the bookstore that was connected to the Vatican just like every other place you go to has a bookstore at the end of it. Deanna and I viewed the Vatican, which was scientifically amazing…it was huge but designed not to feel huge. Hard to explain with words. Then Deanna, who knows where the Chapel is, leads me right back out of the Vatican and St. Peter’s. What? Isn’t the bookstore back inside? No. We go to the actual Vatican Museum which…is…HUGE. Two hours of walking around in that later I get to the Chapel. It was great and I wish I could have respected it more and enjoyed it more. I was just so sick of walking around the museum by that point that I skipped past a lot of stuff. Plus, it was hot and muggy again.
“Livorno=Lucca (rain or shine).” Every time we had been in Lucca before it had been at least cloudy with some level of rain. Deanna had come here before with her girlfriends and rode bikes around the wall. It is a walled city with a road going all along the top of the wall. We rented bikes and rode the wall! The weather was great, and we made all the shuttles and trains to get us there. After the prior two days, I wouldn’t have minded if it was raining.
The next cruise is a two-week charter and will have some different ports. We have one more shot at Barcelona, Civitavecchia and Malta, but the rest…for now…are gone. BYE-YIIIII!
Monday, June 15, 2009
6/15/09: Day 232: Sea Day
First off, I didn’t even realize that I left the day number off the last three posts. Second…we’re winding down.
I think ever since we hit June and I had to start thinking about getting headshots and USA stuff going I have been in “home” mindset. Even though we have just under three weeks left we technically have four more mainstage shows, four more improv shows, and a contractual possibility of leading four more workshops. Usually we only have one workshop per cruise since things are so busy, but our last cruise will be a 14 day adventure with a few more sea days…prime time for workshops. We’ll see.
This week is my week for coming up with the improv lineup. If you comment fast enough you can help me pick the running order, or perhaps you think you have what it takes to do the full lineup. I’m taking requests. 7 shot form games make up the running order. Who all reads this?
It feels like a time for reflection. I feel like Deanna and I have become much better travelers with each other. I think I’ve relaxed a little. In the beginning I was more like my dad where I wanted to make sure we saw everything and I didn’t want to waste time stopping for food or anything that could be done on the ship later. I still like to get back to the ship with a nice buffer instead of waiting until the last possible moment.
Other things. If you are Prouty, Tara, Ries, Super, Shad, or Buster Bluth…not only have your parents been in our show (“Mr. and Mrs. [lastname]”), but you have been diagnosed with D.U.M.B.
Since this is our last cruise with this itinerary (we will hit SOME of the ports on the next cruise, but not all) we know exactly what we’re doing for the week. Malta=internet; Naples=funicular to park; Rome=Sistine Chapel; Livorno=Lucca (rain or shine).
You have very little time to suggest improv lineups!
I think ever since we hit June and I had to start thinking about getting headshots and USA stuff going I have been in “home” mindset. Even though we have just under three weeks left we technically have four more mainstage shows, four more improv shows, and a contractual possibility of leading four more workshops. Usually we only have one workshop per cruise since things are so busy, but our last cruise will be a 14 day adventure with a few more sea days…prime time for workshops. We’ll see.
This week is my week for coming up with the improv lineup. If you comment fast enough you can help me pick the running order, or perhaps you think you have what it takes to do the full lineup. I’m taking requests. 7 shot form games make up the running order. Who all reads this?
It feels like a time for reflection. I feel like Deanna and I have become much better travelers with each other. I think I’ve relaxed a little. In the beginning I was more like my dad where I wanted to make sure we saw everything and I didn’t want to waste time stopping for food or anything that could be done on the ship later. I still like to get back to the ship with a nice buffer instead of waiting until the last possible moment.
Other things. If you are Prouty, Tara, Ries, Super, Shad, or Buster Bluth…not only have your parents been in our show (“Mr. and Mrs. [lastname]”), but you have been diagnosed with D.U.M.B.
Since this is our last cruise with this itinerary (we will hit SOME of the ports on the next cruise, but not all) we know exactly what we’re doing for the week. Malta=internet; Naples=funicular to park; Rome=Sistine Chapel; Livorno=Lucca (rain or shine).
You have very little time to suggest improv lineups!
Friday, June 12, 2009
6/12/09: Livorno, Italy
Looks like it is time for a recap of the week! Hmm.
In Barcelona I went and found a good internet spot. I was there by myself because Deanna was volunteering to be a spa customer. They do spa tours as the passengers arrive on the first day and like to have people actually getting massages and facials and what not so the services can be seen in action. I also just wandered around to see if I could find a new area that might be interesting for when Deanna and I stay in town for three days.
Malta was another internet day. I’m getting my headshot biz back in order and needed to mail out my newsletter and such. I found a new spot that is not only right by the port but also has fast wifi…and I’m not saying where until I leave.
Naples was going to be me going to the Archeological Museum and Deanna going up a funicular to a park. We decided to walk together to a coffee place and then we would part ways…but she had a total mapping brain fart. She is normally really good with maps and direction but got totally turned around by a plaza. It was a big plaza similar to St. Peter’s but a little less grand…just a little. So, she wanted me to go up to the park with her instead of us splitting up. We walked to where she knew the funicular stop was…but we had walked a long ways past it. To the museum! It was a good thing we went to the museum because there were two main sections of it that were closed when Deanna originally went. It had all sorts of frescos and mosaics from Pompeii and Herculaneum. A lot of great statues from those and other places as well.
The next day we were going to go to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel, but we heard that it would be closed. The one day of the year it is closed is the day we were showing up…Corpus Cristi day. So, we went to the town next to Civitavecchia, San Marinella and went to the beach. They had really nice beaches with umbrellas and chairs. I had my mind set on that…as did Deanna. I figured we could go to a restaurant and for an entrance fee we could use the beach by them. Well, kind of. It was 2E for a bathroom/changing room pass; 9E for an umbrella, and 14E for two beach chairs. All purchased one at a time as I figured out that they didn’t come together. All said and done, we sunbathed in between a mix of to guys kicking a soccer ball back and forth, rambunctious teen girls splashing water on each other, guys walking by with crappy jewelry or hats for sale every 10-15 minutes, young 20-something topless girls and older 50-60-something topless women. All in all it was a nice day with only minor burns.
Later that night in our improv show we got a 9-10 year old boy named Reynold to do our sound effects for an improv game. I was making TONS of sound effects at that age. Reynold, on the other hand, was very literal…but hilarious. There were cats (“meow”), dogs (“bark”), a combo (“meark”), but the best was when Ric said “My phone is vibrating! Let me switch it so you can hear the ring.” Reynold, “I like ice cream. I like ice cream.” Brilliant.
Today we were going to go to Lucca. Due to normal Livorno hang-ups we got to the train station in time to watch our train leave. For some reason there is a train to Lucca at 10:20 and the next one isn’t until 12:20. So, we decided to go to Florence instead. We wanted to go back to both of them and would only be here two times including today. We’ll get you next time, Lucca!
In Barcelona I went and found a good internet spot. I was there by myself because Deanna was volunteering to be a spa customer. They do spa tours as the passengers arrive on the first day and like to have people actually getting massages and facials and what not so the services can be seen in action. I also just wandered around to see if I could find a new area that might be interesting for when Deanna and I stay in town for three days.
Malta was another internet day. I’m getting my headshot biz back in order and needed to mail out my newsletter and such. I found a new spot that is not only right by the port but also has fast wifi…and I’m not saying where until I leave.
Naples was going to be me going to the Archeological Museum and Deanna going up a funicular to a park. We decided to walk together to a coffee place and then we would part ways…but she had a total mapping brain fart. She is normally really good with maps and direction but got totally turned around by a plaza. It was a big plaza similar to St. Peter’s but a little less grand…just a little. So, she wanted me to go up to the park with her instead of us splitting up. We walked to where she knew the funicular stop was…but we had walked a long ways past it. To the museum! It was a good thing we went to the museum because there were two main sections of it that were closed when Deanna originally went. It had all sorts of frescos and mosaics from Pompeii and Herculaneum. A lot of great statues from those and other places as well.
The next day we were going to go to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel, but we heard that it would be closed. The one day of the year it is closed is the day we were showing up…Corpus Cristi day. So, we went to the town next to Civitavecchia, San Marinella and went to the beach. They had really nice beaches with umbrellas and chairs. I had my mind set on that…as did Deanna. I figured we could go to a restaurant and for an entrance fee we could use the beach by them. Well, kind of. It was 2E for a bathroom/changing room pass; 9E for an umbrella, and 14E for two beach chairs. All purchased one at a time as I figured out that they didn’t come together. All said and done, we sunbathed in between a mix of to guys kicking a soccer ball back and forth, rambunctious teen girls splashing water on each other, guys walking by with crappy jewelry or hats for sale every 10-15 minutes, young 20-something topless girls and older 50-60-something topless women. All in all it was a nice day with only minor burns.
Later that night in our improv show we got a 9-10 year old boy named Reynold to do our sound effects for an improv game. I was making TONS of sound effects at that age. Reynold, on the other hand, was very literal…but hilarious. There were cats (“meow”), dogs (“bark”), a combo (“meark”), but the best was when Ric said “My phone is vibrating! Let me switch it so you can hear the ring.” Reynold, “I like ice cream. I like ice cream.” Brilliant.
Today we were going to go to Lucca. Due to normal Livorno hang-ups we got to the train station in time to watch our train leave. For some reason there is a train to Lucca at 10:20 and the next one isn’t until 12:20. So, we decided to go to Florence instead. We wanted to go back to both of them and would only be here two times including today. We’ll get you next time, Lucca!
Saturday, June 06, 2009
6/6/09: Cannes, France
Here is a run down of what I remember from the last week.
In Naples I went to Herculaneum with Josh and Matt. It was pretty cool. It is smaller than Pompeii because it was incased in lava instead of ash so it takes longer to dig up. It also had some cooler artifacts and mosaics sitting around. AND we saw the whole thing since it wasn’t as big. Very manageable.
Other than that Deanna and I have spent our week relaxing and NOT seeing things. We didn’t even get off the ship in Civitavecchia. We just went and hung out in Livorno…we had planned on going to Lucca, but the weather wasn’t that good.
Today we’re in Cannes taking advantage of the Wifi in McDonalds. And it is crazy in here with people on their lunch break. I’m outta here!
In Naples I went to Herculaneum with Josh and Matt. It was pretty cool. It is smaller than Pompeii because it was incased in lava instead of ash so it takes longer to dig up. It also had some cooler artifacts and mosaics sitting around. AND we saw the whole thing since it wasn’t as big. Very manageable.
Other than that Deanna and I have spent our week relaxing and NOT seeing things. We didn’t even get off the ship in Civitavecchia. We just went and hung out in Livorno…we had planned on going to Lucca, but the weather wasn’t that good.
Today we’re in Cannes taking advantage of the Wifi in McDonalds. And it is crazy in here with people on their lunch break. I’m outta here!
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