Greetings!
As I sit here listening to Tamela Mann " This Place" and "Take Me to the King" on a Sunday afternoon, I paused from trying to regain some sense of normalcy after eye surgery and get back to work grading papers (y'all know I got a gazillion jobs) I'm pausing to write a quick update.
This won't be a spa review but a review of what's ultimately behind the Spa Blog in the first place. I'm not frivolous (although catch me on a good moment and I can be) but truth is, the blog is really to manage mental wellness and for me and the stress level I maintain, "spa-ing" works. ( Let's not forget health and wellness includes exercise, and diet too..)
But I'd be remiss if I didn't believe all is possible without FAITH and a belief that there is someone more important than me..GOD. I'm not advocating faith here - but this time of year we get busy spending, spending, spending and forget the meaning of Christmas and what it truly means.
Take the time out to remember why we celebrate the holiday. If you don't celebrate, then still be grateful that you can READ this message. It means you have some device and can view it. Never ever take for granted what you have even when it seems not enough.
There are many that are hurting this time of year, (and all year) and they need to know that they MATTER. We all need to know WE MATTER.
I've written about this before but depression is real this time of year.
It's normal to feel the blues from time to time and the holidays generally offer a time of year when there are some who may develop symptoms associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD generally comes the same time of year and lasts for a period of time. Often it's the winter sapping your energy and making you moody.
No - everyone who is depressed doesn't have SAD. Even if you are feeling depressed around the holidays for whatever the reason - remember YOU matter.
I think I spent a fair amount of time depressed this year (for variety of reasons) and in the process learned something about myself. I tend to withdraw when I'm depressed. If this is you - try your best to maintain contact with people. The last thing you need to do is remove yourself from people when depressed - but that's typically the first thing many do.
I always knew I'm stronger than I think..but for some... if you get nothing from this message - let that be it. YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK.
Something else I learned this year after feeling depressed, asking for help. I'm not good at this AT ALL. And I suspect someone else out there isn't either. Learn to take the hand that assists - and reach out if you need to.
I appreciate my family, besties, Sorority sisters and all my Social Media pals who checked up on me.
Check up on someone this season. Pay it Forward. Bless someone else and you will see it come back to you tenfold.
Mental health is a huge part of the reason I spa, but spiritual health is at the center of it all.
Don't forget that.
Happy Holidays!
Ciao!
Some Resources ...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195
National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Steals and Deals !
Greetings!
I've been a away for a minute - and missed Spa Week..here's to hoping some of you made it and enjoyed $50 spa services! The reason I missed spa week this year was simple - I had purchased 2 spa gift certificates from Groupon to my favorite spa and I found myself having to use them 2 days in a row the week before the spa week ended !
So this post is dedicated to those things I never do (or never did)...use websites like Groupon, Living Social and Gilt. I had long ago downloaded these apps to my IPhone saved and forgotten and changed passwords , but never entered my credit card number to purchase anything. On some level I guess I didn't trust the products offered? Maybe.
Anyway - I did make it a habit of checking out the items after setting the alerts and to my surprise discovered a Groupon being offered to my favorite spa!
http://www.edenspanyc.com
I know I should be reviewing different spas - and now that I've discovered deals through these services I will..but why mess with a good thing? :) Here are some pics of my favorite spa…it's so serene and calming. The key however is I always feel pampered when I leave.
It was the week before my birthday in July…I called my bestie and we booked two services and instantly had plans for my birthday. Once at the spa , I was able to purchase two more gift certificates that expired in September that were the same price that they were being offered on Groupon.
I was leaving for Europe shortly after my birthday for several weeks and knew I would need to use them upon returning - using one is September and one in October.
Before I knew it - it was September precisely one week before they would expire. It was busy at work and I could only make an appointment for 2 days in a row on the weekend. Sigh .
The special was great - it was $109.00 for 3 services and there were 5 choices to choose from . I choose the 60 minute Swedish massage, 60 minute reflexology and the 45 minute back facial one day and the same services and the second day interchanging the back facial for a traditional facial and the Swedish Massage for a Deep Tissue Massage.
The gift certificates included sales tax. Yay! Essentially all I had to pay was the tip! I would not recommend massages two days in a row unless you are feeling especially adventurous or you are extremely in need. I was sore for a few days after - it was definitely overkill but I refused to loose the gift certificate.
Some facts about gift certificates purchased from these sites:
1. Read the fine print. They often have an expiration date and come with a variety of stipulations (especially the number of gift certificates you may purchase).
2. Don't be afraid to ask if there are offers available at the spa of your choice once you redeem the gift certificate at the spa (or simply call to see if there are any specials). Eden Day Spa doesn't participate in Spa Week anymore but now they run their own specials.
3. Check the websites often! While I was always suspect of purchasing here, several of my friends have redeemed great deals (great restaurant deals) and now I have too!
4. Check to see if taxes are included. The first time I brought the certificate for my birthday, it included lunch and taxes. The second time - the services were the same but it didn't include lunch or taxes.
5. Determine HOW you want to tip. I suppose you could tip on the gift certificate value - however I choose to tip on the full value of the individual services. My service was exceptional so and I got a $350 value for $109 so I didn't have a problem with tipping the customary 20%.
6. You can ask - however often the services that are advertised are the only ones to choose from. I wanted a Hot Stone Massage, however I couldn't combine it or upgrade to this service.
7. If going to a spa you've never been to before, seek references or use Yelp to see if the spa has been reviewed. Not all "spas" are created equal.
Check out the sites when you get a chance! Don't forget you'll need to create a profile and remember more passwords for these ! And hmmm those darn card card numbers… :)
www.groupon.com
www.livingsocial.com
www.gilt.com
If you want to check reviews of any places you are not familiar with , you can check my blog or check yelp.
www.yelp.com
Have you attended a spa lately? If so let me know! I'd love to feature it!
Until next time - Ciao!
I've been a away for a minute - and missed Spa Week..here's to hoping some of you made it and enjoyed $50 spa services! The reason I missed spa week this year was simple - I had purchased 2 spa gift certificates from Groupon to my favorite spa and I found myself having to use them 2 days in a row the week before the spa week ended !
So this post is dedicated to those things I never do (or never did)...use websites like Groupon, Living Social and Gilt. I had long ago downloaded these apps to my IPhone saved and forgotten and changed passwords , but never entered my credit card number to purchase anything. On some level I guess I didn't trust the products offered? Maybe.
Anyway - I did make it a habit of checking out the items after setting the alerts and to my surprise discovered a Groupon being offered to my favorite spa!
http://www.edenspanyc.com
I know I should be reviewing different spas - and now that I've discovered deals through these services I will..but why mess with a good thing? :) Here are some pics of my favorite spa…it's so serene and calming. The key however is I always feel pampered when I leave.
It was the week before my birthday in July…I called my bestie and we booked two services and instantly had plans for my birthday. Once at the spa , I was able to purchase two more gift certificates that expired in September that were the same price that they were being offered on Groupon.
I was leaving for Europe shortly after my birthday for several weeks and knew I would need to use them upon returning - using one is September and one in October.
Before I knew it - it was September precisely one week before they would expire. It was busy at work and I could only make an appointment for 2 days in a row on the weekend. Sigh .
The special was great - it was $109.00 for 3 services and there were 5 choices to choose from . I choose the 60 minute Swedish massage, 60 minute reflexology and the 45 minute back facial one day and the same services and the second day interchanging the back facial for a traditional facial and the Swedish Massage for a Deep Tissue Massage.
The gift certificates included sales tax. Yay! Essentially all I had to pay was the tip! I would not recommend massages two days in a row unless you are feeling especially adventurous or you are extremely in need. I was sore for a few days after - it was definitely overkill but I refused to loose the gift certificate.
Some facts about gift certificates purchased from these sites:
1. Read the fine print. They often have an expiration date and come with a variety of stipulations (especially the number of gift certificates you may purchase).
2. Don't be afraid to ask if there are offers available at the spa of your choice once you redeem the gift certificate at the spa (or simply call to see if there are any specials). Eden Day Spa doesn't participate in Spa Week anymore but now they run their own specials.
3. Check the websites often! While I was always suspect of purchasing here, several of my friends have redeemed great deals (great restaurant deals) and now I have too!
4. Check to see if taxes are included. The first time I brought the certificate for my birthday, it included lunch and taxes. The second time - the services were the same but it didn't include lunch or taxes.
5. Determine HOW you want to tip. I suppose you could tip on the gift certificate value - however I choose to tip on the full value of the individual services. My service was exceptional so and I got a $350 value for $109 so I didn't have a problem with tipping the customary 20%.
6. You can ask - however often the services that are advertised are the only ones to choose from. I wanted a Hot Stone Massage, however I couldn't combine it or upgrade to this service.
7. If going to a spa you've never been to before, seek references or use Yelp to see if the spa has been reviewed. Not all "spas" are created equal.
Check out the sites when you get a chance! Don't forget you'll need to create a profile and remember more passwords for these ! And hmmm those darn card card numbers… :)
www.groupon.com
www.livingsocial.com
www.gilt.com
If you want to check reviews of any places you are not familiar with , you can check my blog or check yelp.
www.yelp.com
Have you attended a spa lately? If so let me know! I'd love to feature it!
Until next time - Ciao!
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Spa Week is Coming!
Greetings !
My last entries were my wonderful bucket list adventures and I never did blog about my last day and travel back home .. I suspect that was sheer exhaustion . Nothing to tell except the airline system was down at the airport and the wait was hours long . Uneventful flight and now we here!
It's SPA week ! Woo-hoo! For all those who don't want to spend mega bucks .. Treatments start at $50!! SPA Week is all across the country so check out the website and book early!
www.spaweek.com
Ciao!
My last entries were my wonderful bucket list adventures and I never did blog about my last day and travel back home .. I suspect that was sheer exhaustion . Nothing to tell except the airline system was down at the airport and the wait was hours long . Uneventful flight and now we here!
It's SPA week ! Woo-hoo! For all those who don't want to spend mega bucks .. Treatments start at $50!! SPA Week is all across the country so check out the website and book early!
www.spaweek.com
Ciao!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Vacation Paradise -Day 12 Barcelona!
Hola!
Welp the dream trip is winding down... After
Not feeling great last night we got a
Slow start today .
Up in time for breakfast in the hotel
Then back to the room to hang out pack
And post pics vid free wee-fee!
We finally make our way out around 3pm back
To Las Ramblas and stroll the whole length
This time . We went back for Tapas
And went I'm search of more gifts.
My sis spent more euros .. I'm sooo done.
No Segrada Familia which was the plan.. We
Are simply tired .
I had a great time .. But I'm ready to come
Home. I should be sleep since our
Flight is early .. But perhaps since I
Had no alcohol today I'm wide awake ...
I'll sleep on the plane .
Here's to hoping you enjoyed and I have one more
Post the weeks on review ... Hopefully tomorrow !
I'm slowly adding the pics too!
Welp the dream trip is winding down... After
Not feeling great last night we got a
Slow start today .
Up in time for breakfast in the hotel
Then back to the room to hang out pack
And post pics vid free wee-fee!
We finally make our way out around 3pm back
To Las Ramblas and stroll the whole length
This time . We went back for Tapas
And went I'm search of more gifts.
My sis spent more euros .. I'm sooo done.
No Segrada Familia which was the plan.. We
Are simply tired .
I had a great time .. But I'm ready to come
Home. I should be sleep since our
Flight is early .. But perhaps since I
Had no alcohol today I'm wide awake ...
I'll sleep on the plane .
Here's to hoping you enjoyed and I have one more
Post the weeks on review ... Hopefully tomorrow !
I'm slowly adding the pics too!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Vacation Paradise - Day 11 return to Barcelona!
Hola!
Well it's 7am and I'm up early again . We are scheduled to be at our designated spot to leave the ship at 8:45am. We've called the car company I used.. And it was wonderful having a driver meet us at the airport holding my name with a sign on it!
We are off the ship in 20 minutes no going through customs.
We arrive back at the hotel and are checked into a smoking room., when I did ask for non-smoking ... They changed our room with no problem and were in the bed by 10:00am.
So we are in a non-smoking room to which Bestie is knocked out already and my sis is enjoying the free wifi.. I been catching up on the blogging as I been writing it daily but now to post it ....
Probably dinner later but now sleep...
I thought I would take a quick nap ..slept the day away. Now poolside having a cocktail and feel sick.
We are finally going to dinner now after chatting up a storm But we met some cool folks ..from upstate NY and California...
Here we are ....
So we have one more day and we will probably be at Las Ramblas again...
Tired.com
Ciao!
Sent from my iPhone
Well it's 7am and I'm up early again . We are scheduled to be at our designated spot to leave the ship at 8:45am. We've called the car company I used.. And it was wonderful having a driver meet us at the airport holding my name with a sign on it!
We are off the ship in 20 minutes no going through customs.
We arrive back at the hotel and are checked into a smoking room., when I did ask for non-smoking ... They changed our room with no problem and were in the bed by 10:00am.
So we are in a non-smoking room to which Bestie is knocked out already and my sis is enjoying the free wifi.. I been catching up on the blogging as I been writing it daily but now to post it ....
Probably dinner later but now sleep...
I thought I would take a quick nap ..slept the day away. Now poolside having a cocktail and feel sick.
We are finally going to dinner now after chatting up a storm But we met some cool folks ..from upstate NY and California...
Here we are ....
So we have one more day and we will probably be at Las Ramblas again...
Tired.com
Ciao!
Sent from my iPhone
Vacation Paradise -Out to Sea - Day 10
Hola!
No commentary today except my behind is tired. Slept late , went poolside and just relaxed .
I'm exhausted . And broke . We wanted to do a wine tasting and missed it.. Whatever .
And didn't wind up spending too much time poolside .. I suppose about 2 hours ..maybe...sun is really getting to me now.
Spent the afternoon on the ship packing and making sure bills were correct and forms filled out .
Our usual afternoon snack and laid down for a few ...
Headed down before dinner at 9:30pm a little earlier to pick up my pictures then straight to dinner . I swear this 9:30pm dinner ..
You'll be surprised to know at this point I was exhausted ..my leg was bothered me ..so off to bed I went . My sis was in the casino almost every night .. Me.. In the bed passed out..
Next stop .. Back to Barcelona ...
Ciao!
Sent from my iPhone
No commentary today except my behind is tired. Slept late , went poolside and just relaxed .
I'm exhausted . And broke . We wanted to do a wine tasting and missed it.. Whatever .
And didn't wind up spending too much time poolside .. I suppose about 2 hours ..maybe...sun is really getting to me now.
Spent the afternoon on the ship packing and making sure bills were correct and forms filled out .
Our usual afternoon snack and laid down for a few ...
Headed down before dinner at 9:30pm a little earlier to pick up my pictures then straight to dinner . I swear this 9:30pm dinner ..
You'll be surprised to know at this point I was exhausted ..my leg was bothered me ..so off to bed I went . My sis was in the casino almost every night .. Me.. In the bed passed out..
Next stop .. Back to Barcelona ...
Ciao!
Sent from my iPhone
Vacation Paradise Day 9 - Sorrento and Amalfie Coast..
Hola!
We are beat today. I know my last post mentioned Pompeii .. But the running joke when booking these
Excursions was how long can we do the strenuous stuff before passing out? Welp today is the day. Final tour day and we changed our itinerary from Sorrento and Pompeii to Sorrento and the Amalfi coast . Why? Cause it's hot as hades and we are tired of walking .
On the drive to Sorrento we pass Mt.Vesuvius which is still active. The last eruption was in 1947. We also see lots of oranges and lemons. This is the land of lemoncello ... ;)
If you recall, I fell months ago and the walking is helping to heal but I'm seeing some swelling where I was
Bruised . So.. I'm looking forward to getting off my feet today and driving around all day.
Fitst stop Naples which I already love and the ports are designed for tourists ...
Then we head to Sorrento an hour outside of Naples. We find our meeting spot and head for expresso ..and croissants and brioche ....decidedly French .. Even in Italy ..yet they were much better in France ..as they should be! And free wi-fi! Wee-fee...
We chat with some of our tour group folks and it's interesting how the Americans find each other . The 3 little brown ducks we are and folks are calling us the " New York Girls" lol
...And we leave behind 2 people after waiting 15 minutes ..hope they make it back to the ship ...can't understand why folks don't pay attention ..
Next stop Amalfi coast ..I am in awe and want to come back here ...the scenic drive up the side of a mountain cliff if breathtaking . Not for the faint of heart ...the twists and curves on this sometime single road was insane...and often we had to back up for other buses to pass .
Lunch was included in this tour ..after we switched tours from Pompeii... And the restaurant was on the cliff in the mountain side . Another sight to behold . You could walk down the steps to the restaurant ...or an elevator that is in a gift shop which can take you there ..we opted for the elevator .. Of course taking the steps meant breath taking views ... I was already feeling queasy ...and really didn't want to see the mountain side...
Lunch was tasty and we had a few minutes to shop .. So I picked up more stuff ... Sigh...then it's the long trip down . You don't go down the mountain side the same way you come up but it's still a winding Scenic view on the way down.
After we got the down to the bottom of the mountain we stopped for gelato although the tour guide wanted us to have the lemon cake made with lemoncello ... I want to come back here with the love of my life ...who ever he is.. This is such a romantic place ...
We saw Sofia Lauren's villa .. Not that I could really see it .. I was on the wrong side of the bus ...lol
Our final stop was a cameo shop to which we learned how the pieces are actually made . Some exquisite expensive
Pieces..the kind of stuff your grandmother would wear..
I was snoring so loud on the bus .. And only got up for the bathroom break . Didn't take any pictures
As I was too darn tired and half sleep.
Once back on the ship headed for the cabin and then to customary Snack bar ..
My second massage this week .. Much needed after all the excursions this week .
This 9:30pm dinner is killing me.. My head is generally falling in my plate by 10:00pm.
I think we went to the White party up on the pool deck .., although I had no white and can't seem to remember it .. Lol
Was back in the room by midnight even though no need to get up early tomorrow .. Although I will because I want to get a good seat poolside.
Next stop out to sea.. Pool day!
Sent from my iPhone
Vacation Paradise Day 8 Rome and Vatican City
Hola!
The port we arrive in is actually Citeavecchia and of course Rome is a drive as is with most of these tours ....
We seem to always get up late and are running to meet up with our tour bus group .. And where these numbers so folks know what tour you are with. I know understand why.. There are sooooo many tour groups here .
It's the day that I expect to be the best ..but in writing this after the fact .. It was the hottest day of the year here ..
We board our bus ...to an express train .. The Roma Express which Takes about 35 min to get to Rome versus another bus ride.. The train was something out of the 1950's with seats that looked comfortable ..alas they were not.
After arriving at St. Peter's train stop ..we then have to walk to the square .
First stop St. Peter's Square. I am simply in awe of all the sculptures and simplicity of it all. I love the Roman period in history and this was great ! The issue here is you really need more than one day to see all the sights .
We stopped , took lots of pics and got instructions from our tour guide on what tours to take and we took both .
The first is the tour of the Vatican Museum and the second is the hop-on hop-off bus and we are gonna try and make it to the Coliseum.
I felt rushed and hurried and like a heard of cattle trying to get to the Sistine Chapel. For all those who don't know , the chapel itself is in the Vatican Museum and my tour allowed us entry to the museum only .. Lots of walking and lots of steps. So many people and so many museum rooms to pass through before you even make your way to the Sistine Chapel. I took loads of pics shame I can't upload them yet ..there is no picture taking allowed in the chapel. It's much smaller than I imagined but a sight to see nonetheless. Imagine just standing in the middle of the floor looking all around you ..including up and some of the greatest art work of all time ... As I'm cussing up a storm since its so darn crowded...
Here are some of the pics I finally figured out how to add them from google pics! Yay!
Ok so it's about 40 seconds we stand there and now i'm hot and bothered and they are squeezing more folks in the middle of the floor. A pick pockets' dream. I'm ready to go.
It takes another 15 minutes at least to exit the museum ... It's designed for you to spend money like any other attraction. .. All exits lead through the gift shop. Surprise!
Folks feet are on fire ( not mine but my leg is like. sit yo behind down now.) is to find a taxi and get to the hop-on bus stop which is quite a ways away.
We are instructed to look for the yellow bus .. Which we buy and then we are on the bus ..we have to be back at the train by 4:30pm...
We set our sites only on the Coliseum since its about 12:30pm and it seems quite a distance. It really isn't but it seems the ho-ho buses here just stop at any point for a mini-break of 15 minutes ..WTH? And they turn the bus off!!
The best way to see the city icon top but I notice the buses are canopied topped probably cause its so darn hot. I will say this wasn't has hot as the 100+ heatwave for 7 days I left behind in NYC but still I spent money on water ...lots of it.
We finally get off the stop for the Coliseum , and missed the stop for the Trivoli Fountain but saw it.. I did want to toss my coin...
The Coliseum was awesome ..took great pics! The stop was very crowded and we didn't want to chance coming back late so that's all we did..
Got back to the square in time to have lunch..pizza and pasta! I'm sooo ready to go home and drink green juice. No pasta and pizza for a minute.
Did I mention there must be a premiums on ice in Europe? One thing I learned ..you must ask for ice if you want it.. Another stop with few public bathrooms.. But there's always restaurants if you buy something. Haven't seen any self cleaning toilettes like in France .. There's the new and old city of Rome. Trying to do both the new city ..as the Vatican is a separate city ..and then trying to do Ancient Rome in the same day is cray. Rome isn't as clean as France .. Visually.. At least the parts we visited today....
Next stop Sorrento and Pompeii!
Ciao!
Sent from my iPhone
Vacation Paradise -Pisa and wine tasting in Tuscany Day 7 July 31 2013
Hola!
I'm exhausted ..but having the time of my life .. I will say unless you can handle all the walking , lack of sleep and hot as hades weather ... The number of tours I've completed is a tough and I can't wait to sleep poolside Saturday ..the only day of to sea .
Anyway.. This particular tour is walking 1.5 miles as the bus drop is not close to wear the leaning Tower is .
What struck me most was the condos that are right across the street from the Leaning Tower of Pisa and not at all what I thought it would look like. As bestie says old and new ...
On the ride to Pisa we learn that marble and alabaster is made and sold all over the world here..we see a gazillion sunflowers and learn sunflower oil and EVOO ( extra virgin olive oil) are produced in abundance here.
The field of miracles as its called has several other structures ..the leaning Tower of Pisa is really a Bell Tower and the church is also beautiful . It was hella hot .. No humidity just dry and hot. Did I mention everything is in Celsius? America is one of the only countries using Farenheit I think .. Who the hell knows how to convert degrees ?? I swear it's the thing I forgot to look up as I was more concerned with currency conversion rates ... We think it was in the 90's we think ...
No I didn't take a pic trying to look like I'm holding up the tower (Pisa) ..it was just too many darn folk trying to do the same thing . Did you know Pisa is also a city ? Well it is ....
After taking lots of pics .. We had a bathroom stop .. What's Interesting is the lack of public Toilettes so our tour guide has us use the restaurant and we proceeded to shop, eat and have free wi-fi! So there we sat ..
Our next stop was to a wine vineyard .. And what an afternoon ! The local wine is produced and used to be drank by priests . It's called Vino Santo. Our tour took us inside a wine cellar ..and I suppose where I got bit by something .. Grrrr...
But the tasting was excellent ! While there was 4 tastes.. Folks were drinking as much as they could ! Italian Cappacolla and cheese was fab!
At the end of the tour we were exhausted but headed for food as the pizza , bruschetta and expresso has long worn off!
Tonight is our speciality restaurant night and we have picked up a table mate named Surrey from Norway who is traveling by herself .
She is nice and turns out her bday is the same as my sister . So she then became our dinner companion.
My poor legs are exhausted so to the hot tub I go even though it's midnight and have to get up at 6?? This vacation is making me tired .
Yay! I figured out how to add the pics!
Next stop Roma!
Ciao!
Sent from my iPhone
Vacation Paradise- Monaco and Monte Carlo -Day 6 July 30 2013
Hola !
What a beautiful day it was yesterday and today continued with only one afternoon tour planned .
After yesterday my intent was to get up at the crack of dawn and lay poolside till breakfast and head to the tour. I was so tired we were scrambling to make breakfast and catch out tour group which started at 12:30pm. Oh well. Sleep is at a premium on this trip . This is the only day that I have a morning free and I haven't made it to the gym either . Oh well with that too .
Our tour begins in the early afternoon and out first stop is Monaco. We are parked at the Citadel which hosts the buses but was the fort that protected the city .
For those that don't know I love Grace Kelly - yes I'm showing my age but whatever .. And was thrilled at the chance to see where she moved and later lived and died. Grace Kelly became Princess Grace after marrying Prince Albert Renier of Monaco in the late 1950's and NO I wasn't born yet ..lol I simply love history...and old movies!
So my headset breaks almost immediately after input it on and I miss most of the guided tour points provided by the guide .. Another oh well moment .
Grace Kelly was in "To Catch a Thief" one of my favorite movies ..anywho one my the stops was a beautiful museum/Church that houses both Prince Albert and Princess Grace's burial grounds ..we also visited the Palace we they lived and where Prince Albert still lives and barely had time to shop but at least I started. The views are breathtaking!
Apparently a Prince Albert got several women pregnant and all these illegitimate children who an became heir to the throne .. Seems he's now gotten a married and trying to have a male child ..otherwise France can appointment an heir. Monaco is a separate state it uses all thinks from France .. Like electricity ...just a bit of history for ya ....
Not really interested in spending much because the value of the dollar is crap here.
Well hats what I say and then We so some shopping and then discover we lost our tour group.. quite easy to do as there are sooo many tour groups at the same time . Good thing we have the sense enough to go back to the bus ..and we were the last ones..and late by 10 minutes.
It's interesting that in order to get to the museum , aquarium , there are escalators and elevators as almost everything seems to sit in a mountaintop .
We had a scenic walk through the gardens and my pics are a fab -again hoping to her them up on my blog .
Stop number 2..is another part of the French Rivera better known as Monte Carlo.
OMG!! Can you day Bling!!?? This tour was the day I was waiting for and was sad when the whole day was sold .. And was very happy we could purchase 1/2 tour on board the ship... This had to be the best stop yet! So we all know the Frech Rivera is the playground of the Rich and famous ... When I tell you there are more foreign expensive cars in the lot... But first ..
There's the god awful climb to get to the top of the casino ..or the Grand casino . Like everything else in Monaco it's on Hilltop..
As you all may not be aware last November I took a serious spill and had a contusion on my left knee ... I've been healing but not as fast as I liked.. And some of the tours well.. I know walking is good but the test today was the inclines and uneven streets .. I managed ok.. But there's still 3 more tours ...
Lots of walking stairs and uneven surfaces but we make it to the casino ... And we are allowed in only 1 Room of the casino and no pics are allowed ..you must check your cameras .
Allow me to describe it .. The most ornate and grand casino I've ever seen! The ceilings are marble, there are marble pillars ..grand carpeted red staircase that goes who knows where ...
The carpet on the floor is amazing ...the bar ..yes there was a bar .. Was blinged out on the bottom it probably sworski crystals.. The room has only slots and no I didn't win .. Only euros accepted . I spent 7 Euros ...
I'm sure there was a star or two in the midst of all the people ..but there is a VIP entrance and the casino is not free!!
More shopping and then poof! Just like that the day is done...
We arrive back tired but hungry so we had to our favorite spot on the ship with mini ham and cheese croissant sandwiches ...
We booked a massage at 7:45pm and I was in heaven. Had a Swedish massage and wound up snoring on the table ! For what it's worth dinner at 9:30pm is just so late. Yes it accommodates tours but I felt like I was falling asleep in my chair at dinner ! After dinner , late night dip in the cantilever pool!
The hot tube sits off the side of the ship .. Was new and innovative in 2007 and it still fab. It was a great way to relax after all the walking from the day. Only stayed a few minutes .. Yes again we are up early ..
What I learned today ..how rude others are in the world besides us "wasteful" Americans. Many of the structures of France and Italy that are still standing today were built as defensive measures so he walls are there and constructed high in the mountain tops to know when your enemy was coming.
From France.. To.. Next stop Italy! Roma!
Ciao
Sent from my iPhone
Vacation Paradise -Day 5 Monday July 29. 2013
Taste of Toulon!
Hola!
Breakfast in my room today .. In all the years cruising this I've never done . It's free ..but I wasn't happy at all. It did come at the designated time though..
That's the price to pay for early all day tours.
Our day began at 8:30am and we sailed into port it was rainy and cold .. With extreme thunder and lightening. Grateful it stopped by time we boarded our bus since the one thing I didn't pack was a jacket. Which I normally do ..oh well.
Today is a tour bus day ..and I'm glad since I didn't sleep well last night . Tired and glad not to walk to much today.
Our tour takes us to the beautiful city of Marseilles and I take plenty of pictures of the famed seaside town. The city is known as the center of cultural activity .. With all it's recent museums .
The one down side is many shops are closed on Monday .. Who knew?
We found a lovely spot (which has a sigh for el bano.. Ok now it's France..So it's Toilettes) but it was for patrons only .. So we sat..
We had coffee that was so rich no milk or creama needed...along with the chocolate croissant ..the perfect mid morning snack.
Hopefully I can post these pics to the blog at some point as the mountains of Marseilles are simply breathtaking !
More scenery up the hilltop to the top of the higher point of Marseilles which sits a gold statue to take more picture of the scenery and the Mediterranean . :)
Loads of stairs to walk for 1/2 hour visit so I took a pass . Like for real? Seriously?
Then it's more scenic driving to the city of Cassis another sea side town. To which we boarded what they called a train ..but what looked like a trolley .. think Disney World.
Then we did lunch on our own ..
Again we are looking for those spots with Toilettes ..LOL
We find a hotel and eat outside .. I hate eating outdoors but as they say ..."when in Rome.." So we sat outside and I had the best Moule (Mussels ) y Frits ( fries) and chocolate mousse for dessert.
We ordered the local Rosé ..which they are known for and it's not a blend of red and white that creates the Rosé ..it's the length of time the grapes grow .
So we see a sign for the Toleittes.. And the first experience of a public toilet .. One that is self cleaning and auto locks behind you ..from the inside . You must press the button to eject . It was cool .. Except the floors and everything is completely wet .. Make sure you are cautious if you ever find yourself in one s it. Can be slippery.
On the outside when it's cleaning the button is yellow , green when you can go in , and red when occupied .
I've loved my first stop and enjoyed both Marseilles and Caesis.
Time has flown by today and didn't have time for much shopping bur the dollar has got me not wanting to purchase anything anyway.
We are heading back on the train now to board the bus back to the ship .
It's all aboard at 5pm..
Tonight is the Captains gala where it u care you can take pics with the captain. It was exciting the first time .
Now.. Not so much . I'm skipping it . It is the first formal dress night..
There's an event for the loyalty reward program members which is always Interesting then dinner (which is formal tonight ..) at 9:30..
It turns out the day was beautiful and the weather excellent! 80 maybe ? Breezy and dry
Will continue later ...
Things I learned today .. Barcelona and France drive on the same side of the road as we do.
Nice, Monaco and Cannes and one other town make up the French Rivera .. Does any of my readers know the name of the other town?
This is the land of small cars..
Next stop Monacco and Monte Carlo!
Ciao!
Sent from my iPhone
Vacation Paradise -Barcelona Day 4 July 28,2013
Salt, salt and more salt!
Hola !
So today is the day we head to part Deux of this trip ..cruising the Mediterranean . After breakfast in the hotel we had a free transfer to the cruise Terminal offered by the Hotel and heading to the ship by 12:30.
After tipping and going through security, we were in the ship by 1:00pm.
Since I love to cruise, I've been on this ship Liberty of the Seas three times, but this is the first time we are cruising out of the Mediterranean.
Our first stop is tomorrow in Toulon France. I'm sooo excited!
Unless you are a first time cruiser. there's a list of things you should check upon getting on the ship.(First time cruisers often don't know these things but hopefully after reading my blog you'll want to go and now you know!)
Note..they are not called boats .They are cruise ships docked in cruise terminals.
The first is unless you've picked some version of anytime dining, check your assigned dinner seat if you've picked the traditional seating on a cruise. Assigned dining on cruises usually means indicating whether you want to eat at 6:30pm and 8:30pm but on European cruises the times can be later. We picked late seating which is 9:30pm on this cruise because we are out on tours everyday and don't want to rush for first seating dinner. As a result I generally was snacking when we came back from outer tours around 6:00pm.
Of course you can choose the anytime dining option but you must make reservations each time you want to dine . Too much work for me.
Next head to the spa - or to book whatever you didn't think to book in advance . The great thing with technology is now you can book all spa services, entertainment options and excursions online.
I'll tell you most of the time I book no excursions . They are hella expensive . However , on this trip to Europe we booked excursions every day because we see no need to waste time trying to translate and be on our own ! My sis speaks French and the guided tours allow for free time.
I also have no desire to be on a tour not sponsored by the cruise ship and know if something happens we will get left!
Depending on the time you board the ship at 4:30pm is generally the time of the (muster) life boat drill . In the past you needed to wear the life jackets ..now you don't but you must participate and know where your muster station is (exit) in case you need to evacuate . It lasts about 1/2 hour and everyone's sea pass card is scanned ..efficiency at its best. In case you don't know the sea pass as its called on Royal Caribbean is all things to you.. Room key , identification , and if you choose to use a credit card for your charges it's that too. Your purchases will be added to the card as you use it . If you choose to use cash you must go to the guest services to add money to the card. No ash is taken anywhere else on the ship. So I'm back using dollars on the ship .. Everything is dollars and in port everything will be in euros.. Ames a minute to remember the conversations and the currency .
Then once you've taken care of the particulars, done the life boat drill .. find a spot to watch the sail away!
Most like to go to the lido deck where there's usually calypso music and dranks!
We like this little pub that is port side so you can see the goings on when leaving the pier. In Barcelona there wasn't much to see . Bummer...
We had ordered drinks and chilled since this is the closest spot after the life boat drill and everyone else is foolish enough to run for the elevators !
After a few drinks we went to the promenade and had sandwiches -these little ham and cheese sandwiches on croissants. Free and sooo darn good!
It's way too easy on a cruise to spend excess money .. But there's many places to find fee food other than the dinning room.
Dinner is 9:30pm and after a snack we went to unpack as our luggage finally came. Spent the rest if the evening unpacking .
Dinner was uneventful ..at a table of 10 to which we are not happy..and hope to switch . Side note ...we attempted to change earlier but the table numbers were not on the table ..bummer .
Bestie and sis went to the casino and I went to bed. Tired I was and my tummy was hurting .
This cruise I won't see much of the ship .. Everyday is an excursion bright and early ...
Things I've noticed today.. On a European cruise ..even though an American based ship .. The chefs are heavy on the salt ! My goodness ..even the bread was salty ! And Garlicky! Be prepared for different palates abroad ! One other note .. There is butter , ketchup and bananas on board!
I knew there would be but such a difference from Barcelona..
Next stop Toulon, France!
Sent from my iPhone
Hola !
So today is the day we head to part Deux of this trip ..cruising the Mediterranean . After breakfast in the hotel we had a free transfer to the cruise Terminal offered by the Hotel and heading to the ship by 12:30.
After tipping and going through security, we were in the ship by 1:00pm.
Since I love to cruise, I've been on this ship Liberty of the Seas three times, but this is the first time we are cruising out of the Mediterranean.
Our first stop is tomorrow in Toulon France. I'm sooo excited!
Unless you are a first time cruiser. there's a list of things you should check upon getting on the ship.(First time cruisers often don't know these things but hopefully after reading my blog you'll want to go and now you know!)
Note..they are not called boats .They are cruise ships docked in cruise terminals.
The first is unless you've picked some version of anytime dining, check your assigned dinner seat if you've picked the traditional seating on a cruise. Assigned dining on cruises usually means indicating whether you want to eat at 6:30pm and 8:30pm but on European cruises the times can be later. We picked late seating which is 9:30pm on this cruise because we are out on tours everyday and don't want to rush for first seating dinner. As a result I generally was snacking when we came back from outer tours around 6:00pm.
Of course you can choose the anytime dining option but you must make reservations each time you want to dine . Too much work for me.
Next head to the spa - or to book whatever you didn't think to book in advance . The great thing with technology is now you can book all spa services, entertainment options and excursions online.
I'll tell you most of the time I book no excursions . They are hella expensive . However , on this trip to Europe we booked excursions every day because we see no need to waste time trying to translate and be on our own ! My sis speaks French and the guided tours allow for free time.
I also have no desire to be on a tour not sponsored by the cruise ship and know if something happens we will get left!
Depending on the time you board the ship at 4:30pm is generally the time of the (muster) life boat drill . In the past you needed to wear the life jackets ..now you don't but you must participate and know where your muster station is (exit) in case you need to evacuate . It lasts about 1/2 hour and everyone's sea pass card is scanned ..efficiency at its best. In case you don't know the sea pass as its called on Royal Caribbean is all things to you.. Room key , identification , and if you choose to use a credit card for your charges it's that too. Your purchases will be added to the card as you use it . If you choose to use cash you must go to the guest services to add money to the card. No ash is taken anywhere else on the ship. So I'm back using dollars on the ship .. Everything is dollars and in port everything will be in euros.. Ames a minute to remember the conversations and the currency .
Then once you've taken care of the particulars, done the life boat drill .. find a spot to watch the sail away!
Most like to go to the lido deck where there's usually calypso music and dranks!
We like this little pub that is port side so you can see the goings on when leaving the pier. In Barcelona there wasn't much to see . Bummer...
We had ordered drinks and chilled since this is the closest spot after the life boat drill and everyone else is foolish enough to run for the elevators !
After a few drinks we went to the promenade and had sandwiches -these little ham and cheese sandwiches on croissants. Free and sooo darn good!
It's way too easy on a cruise to spend excess money .. But there's many places to find fee food other than the dinning room.
Dinner is 9:30pm and after a snack we went to unpack as our luggage finally came. Spent the rest if the evening unpacking .
Dinner was uneventful ..at a table of 10 to which we are not happy..and hope to switch . Side note ...we attempted to change earlier but the table numbers were not on the table ..bummer .
Bestie and sis went to the casino and I went to bed. Tired I was and my tummy was hurting .
This cruise I won't see much of the ship .. Everyday is an excursion bright and early ...
Things I've noticed today.. On a European cruise ..even though an American based ship .. The chefs are heavy on the salt ! My goodness ..even the bread was salty ! And Garlicky! Be prepared for different palates abroad ! One other note .. There is butter , ketchup and bananas on board!
I knew there would be but such a difference from Barcelona..
Next stop Toulon, France!
Sent from my iPhone
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Vacation Paradise - Barcelona Day 3
Hola!
Barcelona Day 3 July 27, 2013
It's the end of Day 3 and I'm tired. I stayed up late last night working on both blog posts and went to sleep around 4am and was awake by 7am..then fell back to sleep. Breakfast at the hotel this morning very late (after we all woke up late).. Right before the buffet ended at 11am.
We went back to the room to change.. Only for me to fall asleep... Till 3pm..and it's not like they do siestas here..we finally got it together and took our scheduled bus hop on/off tour around the northern and western parts of Barcelona.
I'm so annoyed I can't get my pics up so ill be reporting again later with pics added.. In the meantime enjoy my narrative ..
The tour was fantastic! I took so many great pics that i'll load to my FB and IG pages for now ..hopefully I can get them in the blog soon. If you've never taken a double decker tour and sat up top - I suggest you do. It's a great way to see a city and hop on and off wherever you want. The cost was 24 euros ... There are several lines red , blue , orange and they all run through various parts of the city. I was never of fan of them at home and they seem so corny while you sit and everyone else in the street waives .. Or in the case of them passing in Brooklyn folks just ignore them. Lol But now I can appreciate the tour bus and its function.
Barcelona has both old and new cities and the architecture is simply amazing. I am in love with this city! We saw the Olympic Stadium, the Olympic village there is a World Trade Center here as well, the seafront, various villages such as Gracia, Sants-Montjuic,and the highlight for me was Segrada Familia . For those that don't know, I'm a history buff and this Basilica sits unfinished by Antoni Gaudi. It is the oldest it Spain. It's amazing to see that after a century the work is still being completed and donations are actually how the work progresses on this masterpiece!
We hopped on the red line and switched to blue and the churches, beaches, homes, were simply breathtaking. After ending our tour in Las Ramblas we decided to eat there and found a nice restaurant where I made friends with the local waiter.. Seems Roberto was smitten.. LOL
I finally had my gelato and it was pure heaven. The food in Barcelona is fantastic!
Some things I learned today.."cerrado" doesn't mean close in Catalan. As the story goes, Barcelona is the capital city of Catalunya or Catalonia , and has its own language, customs, culture and history. Hence at some point bestie, my sis and I have said a word or phrase that they look at us and go "huh" ? LOL You live and learn .
Did I mention that water isn't free here? We spent a pretty penny and you would think the water here is like in Mexico in that you can't drink it. Not so - some of the best filtration systems in the world are here in Barcelona yet there is no tap water brought out in restaurants.
Can be talk about the number of ice cubes you get in a drink? The standard number must be 2 'cause that's all we ever get. What's amazing is it takes forever to melt.. Who knows why ....of course it could simply be to lesson the water down effect of your drinks.. Which are oh so strong.. :)
And then there are the napkins, paper towels..We don't see them much. Perhaps it's our hotel..I think then are extremely green here .
I've eaten more great seafood here than ever. A word of caution some of to seafood looks different probably because the waters of the Mediterranean have different species. But I've have clams , mussels, lobster , shrimp, calamari, sardines, and anchovies all in some type of prepared food.
Oh I forgot to mention in search of "el bano" which in one lace was simply "aseos toilettes" we wound up in the department store "El Corte Ingles" which is our version on Macy's. It has many designer brands and was definitely the place for shopping . Too bad the value of the dollar isn't making me want to send money.
To end the night we found a great gelato spot and enjoyed Las Ramblas in the evening before heading back to our hotel.
Tomorrow Day 4 begins the second part of my dream vacation boarding Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas. Not sure about wi-if connectivity on the ship and it's typically not free and service is often spotty. Will try and keep up .. First stop in 2 days is Toulon France where we will embark on the Best of Toulon excursion!
I will miss Barcelona but it's on to new things and I'll be back here in a week!
Here's to hoping you are enjoying my story as much as I am ! Till the next port!
Ciao !
Barcelona Day 3 July 27, 2013
It's the end of Day 3 and I'm tired. I stayed up late last night working on both blog posts and went to sleep around 4am and was awake by 7am..then fell back to sleep. Breakfast at the hotel this morning very late (after we all woke up late).. Right before the buffet ended at 11am.
We went back to the room to change.. Only for me to fall asleep... Till 3pm..and it's not like they do siestas here..we finally got it together and took our scheduled bus hop on/off tour around the northern and western parts of Barcelona.
I'm so annoyed I can't get my pics up so ill be reporting again later with pics added.. In the meantime enjoy my narrative ..
The tour was fantastic! I took so many great pics that i'll load to my FB and IG pages for now ..hopefully I can get them in the blog soon. If you've never taken a double decker tour and sat up top - I suggest you do. It's a great way to see a city and hop on and off wherever you want. The cost was 24 euros ... There are several lines red , blue , orange and they all run through various parts of the city. I was never of fan of them at home and they seem so corny while you sit and everyone else in the street waives .. Or in the case of them passing in Brooklyn folks just ignore them. Lol But now I can appreciate the tour bus and its function.
Barcelona has both old and new cities and the architecture is simply amazing. I am in love with this city! We saw the Olympic Stadium, the Olympic village there is a World Trade Center here as well, the seafront, various villages such as Gracia, Sants-Montjuic,and the highlight for me was Segrada Familia . For those that don't know, I'm a history buff and this Basilica sits unfinished by Antoni Gaudi. It is the oldest it Spain. It's amazing to see that after a century the work is still being completed and donations are actually how the work progresses on this masterpiece!
We hopped on the red line and switched to blue and the churches, beaches, homes, were simply breathtaking. After ending our tour in Las Ramblas we decided to eat there and found a nice restaurant where I made friends with the local waiter.. Seems Roberto was smitten.. LOL
I finally had my gelato and it was pure heaven. The food in Barcelona is fantastic!
Some things I learned today.."cerrado" doesn't mean close in Catalan. As the story goes, Barcelona is the capital city of Catalunya or Catalonia , and has its own language, customs, culture and history. Hence at some point bestie, my sis and I have said a word or phrase that they look at us and go "huh" ? LOL You live and learn .
Did I mention that water isn't free here? We spent a pretty penny and you would think the water here is like in Mexico in that you can't drink it. Not so - some of the best filtration systems in the world are here in Barcelona yet there is no tap water brought out in restaurants.
Can be talk about the number of ice cubes you get in a drink? The standard number must be 2 'cause that's all we ever get. What's amazing is it takes forever to melt.. Who knows why ....of course it could simply be to lesson the water down effect of your drinks.. Which are oh so strong.. :)
And then there are the napkins, paper towels..We don't see them much. Perhaps it's our hotel..I think then are extremely green here .
I've eaten more great seafood here than ever. A word of caution some of to seafood looks different probably because the waters of the Mediterranean have different species. But I've have clams , mussels, lobster , shrimp, calamari, sardines, and anchovies all in some type of prepared food.
Oh I forgot to mention in search of "el bano" which in one lace was simply "aseos toilettes" we wound up in the department store "El Corte Ingles" which is our version on Macy's. It has many designer brands and was definitely the place for shopping . Too bad the value of the dollar isn't making me want to send money.
To end the night we found a great gelato spot and enjoyed Las Ramblas in the evening before heading back to our hotel.
Tomorrow Day 4 begins the second part of my dream vacation boarding Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas. Not sure about wi-if connectivity on the ship and it's typically not free and service is often spotty. Will try and keep up .. First stop in 2 days is Toulon France where we will embark on the Best of Toulon excursion!
I will miss Barcelona but it's on to new things and I'll be back here in a week!
Here's to hoping you are enjoying my story as much as I am ! Till the next port!
Ciao !
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