September 21, 2008 - Leaving [Pictures]
September 22, 2008 - Rome, Italy [Pictures]
September 23, 2008 - First Day of Cruise [Pictures]
September 24, 2008 - Naples, Capri, Sorrento, and Pompei, Italy [Pictures]
September 25, 2008 - First Day at Sea [Pictures]
September 26, 2008 - Dubrovnik and Cavtat, Croatia [Pictures]
September 27, 2008 - First Day in Venice, Italy [Pictures]
September 28, 2008 - Second Day in Venice, Italy [Pictures]
September 29, 2008 - Second Day at Sea [Pictures]
September 30, 2008 - Messina and Taormina, Sicily [Pictures]
October 1, 2008 - Third Day at Sea [Pictures]
October 2, 2008 - Barcelona, Spain [Pictures]
October 3, 2008 - Unexpected Fourth Day at Sea [Pictures]
October 4, 2008 - Livorno and Pisa, Italy [Pictures]
October 5, 2008 - Going Home [Pictures]
September 21, 2008 - Leaving [Pictures]
- dropped car off at kim's house
- flew from dulles to london
- flew from london to rome
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September 22, 2008 - Rome, Italy [Pictures]
- arrived at airport
- took cab to visconti palace hotel
- walked around to see:
- piazza cavour
- ex palazzo di giustizia
- castel saint'angelo
- piazza navona
- pantheon
- fontana de trevi
- piazza de spagna (spanish steps)
- took cab to see:
- colosseo (colusseum)
- arco di constantino
- foro romano
- palaino
- searched Rome for a corkscrew and the cheapest bottles of wine possible to bring on boat for embarkation (succeeded on both tasks with 1.60E wine)
- went to dinner at piazza navona
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September 23, 2008 - First Day of Cruise [Pictures]
- walked to hard rock cafe in rome
- had breakfast at small cafe
- went back, checked out, and dealt with luggage mishap
- got on bus for civitavecchia
- arrived at port
- breezed through checkin
- succeeded in bringing on 4 bottles of wine (2 more than allowed)
- went to cabin (no luggage yet)
- explored boat
- ate lots of pizza and ice cream
- went to orientation meeting
- went back to cabin (luggage)
- unpacked
- went to hot tub
- went to dinner
- lost money at blackjack
- checked out lame karaoke and disco
- ended up at grand piano (met johnny from barbados and rachel from trinidad)
- drank, sang, and were merry
- started and ended disco dance party
- ate more pizza
- went to bed at 2:30
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September 24, 2008 - Naples, Capri, Sorrento, and Pompei, Italy [Pictures]
- woke up in naples harbor
- disembarked for tour
- took boat to capri
- took funicular (cable car) to top of capri
- looked at expensive stuff
- ate gelato
- chelsea bought shoes
- took funicular back down
- got back on boat, headed for sorrento
- saw cats
- went to lunch
- drew got drunk
- saw lame woodworking
- chelsea bought a belt
- got on bus for pompei
- saw ruins of pompei:
- outside wall
- one of the seven gates
- baths
- main temple
- saw dead bodies
- got lemonchello from factory
- tried authentic pompei/naples pizza
- bought turtle for 2 euros instead of 5
- took bus to cameo factory
- took bus back to cruise ship
- succeeded in getting 4 bottles of lemonchello on ship, although it was not permitted
- went out to eat pizza
- watched cher on the big screen
- checked temperature of outdoor hot tub
- went to dinner
- went to first show (dick and anita little)
- went to piano bar (met buckeyes-OHIO)
- got pizza
- slept
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September 25, 2008 - First Day at Sea [Pictures]
- got up around 11
- went to talk about croatia, venice, and sicily excursions
- got breakfast/lunch (mongolian bbq)
- changed sicily excursion
- read/listened to music/relaxed by pool (brian setzer orchestra)
- got ready for first formal night
- went to captain's cocktail gala
- drank lots of free wine (it's always better when provided by the ship)
- went to dinner (lobster/pasta)
- invited jef and lauren to room for drinks
- went to show (the beat) with jef and lauren
- abandoned jef and lauren when show deemed too cheesy (country)
- went to piano bar (OHIO sucks at jokes)
- more people recognized us from the video
- watched us on the video
- slept
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September 26, 2008 - Dubrovnik, Croatia [Pictures]
- someone woke us up at 7:30
- room service woke us up at 8:30
- took pictures of dubrovnik from the balcony
- got in ridiculous line for excursion at 9
- got on bus around 9:30
- left port for drive to countryside
- stopped at panoramic view of dubrovnik for pictures
- saw konavle, where original airport was
- had lunch at countryside restaurant
- walked to see old shack in woods
- drove to cavtat
- drew tried to get lost (almost succeeded)
- entered old city of dubrovnik on foot
- watched European skinny dipping (Drew chickened out of jumping into the water)
- explored town with new friends
- had pizza
- walked the ramparts (city walls) with jack, wendy, scott, and jade
- came home
- went in hot tub with jack, wendy, scott, and jade
- went to dinner (waiters danced)
- went to piano bar
- checked out lame karaoke
- went back to piano bar
- chelsea sang at piano bar
- slept
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September 27, 2008 - First Day in Venice, Italy [Pictures]
- woke up
- went upstairs to see arrival in venice
- had breakfast
- played some cards
- went on st. mark's experience tour:
- took boat to venice
- toured doge's palace
- had some gelato
- toured glass blowing factory
- walked around and looked at some shops
- went to mcdonald's
- bought some cheap wine-in-a-box (0.80E x2, 1.50E, 1.90) and successfully got it back on the ship--AGAIN
- found venice jumbo slice
- bought some necklaces
- got some pizza
- got left by tour boat
- was forced to take vaporetto back
- wandered around trying to find cruise ship (finally found it)
- checked out Greg-less piano bar
- got some late dinner
- went to bed early
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September 28, 2008 - Second Day in Venice, Italy [Pictures]
- complained about boat leaving us to an unsympathetic staff
- got breakfast and ate on balcony
- lounged in bed, watching john's morning show, etc.
- drew walked around piazza del roma and beyond
- chelsea took a nap and then went to the gym
- drew came back and took pictures all over the ship
- chelsea read on the lido deck
- went on waterslide three times, interspersed by dips in the hot tub
- showered and watched Enchanted in the room
- went to venice mask party without masks
- mini golf with lauren and jef as we sailed out of venice
- chelsea and lauren went to spa pool
- drew and jef:
- drank lemonchelllo and wine
- went to sports bar
- complained about lack of sports in sports bar
- participated in olympic sports trivia (drew got 8/20, jef got 6/20, but winner got 12/20)
- tried to get football scores from african bartender
- drew met chelsea for dinner
- drew was excited to hear of maryland victory over clemson
- invited rachel and johnny for dinner since we were alone
- got more drunk off their wine afterwards
- went to piano bar (chelsea sang again)
- drew couldn't find african bartender for football scores
- drew passed out
- chelsea chatted with piano player (Greg) and Elite band people over pizza
- went to bed very late
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September 29, 2008 - Second Day at Sea [Pictures]
- slept in late
- went to messina, barcelona, cannes presentation
- went to cooking demonstration
- went to marriage show
- had lunch with Greg
- went to dinner
- went to piano bar
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September 30, 2008 - Messina and Taormina, Sicily [Pictures]
- got up and ate continental breakfast
- got on bus and drove through downtown messina on way to taormina
- walked all around taormina
- went to an internet cafe:
- found out redskins beat dallas
- emailed family
- found more cheap boxes of wine (but these had pour spouts 1.5E x2)
- saw a taormina school bus
- went to botanical gardens
- found roberto's, best (and cheapest) cannolis in taormina
- drove back through messina on the way back to the ship
- succeeded in bringing on cheap wine
- gave jef and lauren their cannolis
- tried to observe stage two volcano
- started drinking in room after nothing was happening
- ended up missing the volcano shooting fire into the air
- went to dinner
- went to piano bar for a bit
- went to talent show
- chelsea walked out, drew watched (and fell asleep to) rest of show
- went to piano bar (iullia's return after being left in Venice)
- gave Greg his cannoli
- drew slept, chelsea hung out with Greg and the girls from Rockville (Shannon and Katina)
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October 1, 2008 - Third Day at Sea [Pictures]
- got up late and skipped john's livorno talk
- ate rest of cannolis (quality minimially degraded overnight)
- bought spa package for the day
- spent most of the day in the spa (hot tub and/or rooms with warm chairs), reading and relaxing
- got ready for formal night
- chelsea went to piano bar
- drew drank wine with jef and chris, then went to show
- everyone joined chelsea at piano bar
- disco and pizza with rachel and johnny
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October 2, 2008 - Barcelona, Spain [Pictures]
- got up and ate continental breakfast
- boarded bus for barcelona tour
- saw many sites, including gaudi's unfinished church (Segrada Familia)
- went to las ramblas
- saw crazy painted people
- bought gifts
- had lunch at hard rock cafe
- saw olympic stadium
- got back on ship
- drew went on waterslide, chelsea relaxed
- sailed out of barcelona
- chelsea took nap, drew read on lido deck and balcony
- was informed we won't be going to france due to inability to tender in high winds
- went to dinner
- drew got fired up at piano bar (best night ever)
- checked out lame 70's and 80's disco night
- got pizza with Greg, Shannon and Katina (plotted how to get Greg better mattress)
- drew was beautiful disaster--as usual--injured himself while naked on balcony
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October 3, 2008 - Unexpected Fourth Day at Sea [Pictures]
- epic fail (no cannes docking due to high winds)
- slept in
- went to lunch at gold pearl with lauren, jef, and Greg (food and service terrible)
- smuggled tons of free champagne out of art auction (lauren was main instigator)
- girls snuck greg into the spa, drew and jef went to casino
- drew snuck into spa
- lazed around till late
- went to dinner with greg, lauren, and jef
- piano bar
- disco with spa girls and greg
- talked to australian dude over pizza
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October 4, 2008 - Livorno and Pisa, Italy [Pictures]
- got up early to catch tour bus to pisa
- saw not-so-beautiful livorno
- drove past military base
- toured pisa baptistry and cathedral
- saw leaning tower of pisa (bell tower)
- had lunch (tuscan pizza) and used odd bathroom (hole in the ground)
- got gelato
- boarded bus for tour of winery
- delicious Tuscan lunch and wine tasting (bruschetta with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, ham, cheese, bread)
- drew slowly became more and more of a disaster (Free wine is dangerous)
- bought some wine (to bring to DC)
- drew consolidated the leftover dessert wine from lunch (after emptying every white in the room and a good bit of the red too) and smuggled it onto the bus
- went back to ship (Chelsea drank good bit of wine on bus to prevent Drew from drinking full bottle--and he would have too!)
- intended to go on waterslide but passed out instead
- got up for fancy dinner at pinnacle (drew still drunk) with lauren, jef, and Greg (chris and amanda bailed)
- drew tried to sneak own wine in, pinnacle wouldn't have it
- continued to drink at dinner, where drew realized he was half hung over or still drunk--he wasn't sure
- drew had huge 24 ounce steak, chelsea had surf & turf (lobster tail and filet mignon)
- brought greg his dessert at piano bar
- got robes for disco bathrobe party (only us and rockville girls partook)
- continued drinking wine (last one left we bought in Rome, also most expensive bought. @ 3.50E) and champagne (courtesy johnny and rachel)
- after great night at bar, went to disco
- pizza with shannon, katina, and greg
- found out 1983 rose bowl was between ucla and michigan (drew 2 for 2, still owed a drink)
- attempted sleep
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October 5, 2008 - Going Home [Pictures]
- after little sleep, got up to pack at 6
- left for bus at 6:45 or so
- took bus to airport (mad house)
- sprint failed us, but pay phone worked to cancel hotel reservation
- vat tax refund failed
- bought delicious italian treats
- flew from rome to london
- flew from london to dulles
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