And so the last part of our European Exravaganza begins. It's been our ideal for such a long time to end a big holiday with a chance to completely relax. What better way to do just that than with an all inclusive cruise!
We left our comfy apartment in Rome and took the train to Civitavecchia, the port of Rome. After clearing security (TWICE) we were able to make our way straight up to our cabin on the 12th deck and settle in.
The journey across the Tyrrhenian Sea (nope, it's not all Mediterranean after all...who knew) was less than the millpond we'd hoped it would be. Sleep was difficult to maintain as our bodies tried to get used to the motion of our vessel. As a result we were pretty tired on arrival in Palermo, Sicily, and decided that spending the day on board was our best option. From our cabin balcony Palermo looked to be very much another busy Italian city so we were happy with our choice to explore our home for the next week a little more fully. We walked front to back on more than one of the 18 decks, checked out the bars and restaurants, pools and spas, and booked and enjoyed our included massage in the afternoon.
After a much calmer night and a much more relaxed sleep, we arrived in Malta. And, happy with our energy levels, hopped off the ship to find the best way to see this little country. The hop on/off bus was waiting on shore for us to spend our dollars with them. Seemed like a good idea so off we went. Once on the bus, with the big crowds all wanting to see as much of Malta in the shortest time, staying on the bus seemed, for us, the best option. From the top (fortunately in the sunshine most of the way) we had a great view of the main sights of Valletta, Mdina and Mosta, as we travelled through. Malta was a British colony for many years and the architecture reflects this occupancy, as well as some influence from, I imagine, northern African countries. AND they drive on the correct side of the road!
Our departure from Malta was just on sunset and very beautiful. As our captain navigated away from port we settled in for 36 hours at sea, across the Mediterranean and Balearic Seas to Barcelona. I've discovered that I'm pretty much a fair weather sailor, and after a late morning yoga class and a bite to eat I spent the rest of the day horizontal. Now I love rock and roll, but not so much when it's my transport rocking and rolling. It was pretty rough And I was very happy to feel the seas settle in the early morning as we approached our next port.
