Genoa. I Think!
Well, yesterday was a very strange vacation day. I went in to have a little lunch. The soup was some strange concoction with shrimp and tofu, so I passed on that item. Instead I had a slice of pork loin and some mashed potatoes. I decided to skip the pasta and the salads.
After lunch, I decided to lay by the pool for a while. I stayed out there for about a half hour. I really wanted to go change into my bathing suit and sit in the Jacuzzi; but the idea of going down to my cabin, changing clothes, and then coming back up on deck sounded like too much work. So, I grabbed some cranberry juice and returned to my cabin. I fell asleep for about two hours and when I woke up, I knew that I was done for the day. So I closed the drapes, put the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door and climbed into bed. I had strange dreams that were very complicated and exhausting.
I finally got out of bed this morning at 9:00 a.m. I feel a little shaky, but better than I did yesterday. So, I had some breakfast, and I am now off to hopefully explore Chris Columbus’ home town.
Well, I returned after a two hour climb through the streets of Genoa. It is a lovely city, but as so many of these Italian cities are, it is built on the side of a hill. Not really sure where I was going, I decided to walk. After several hours of hiking, I made it out of the Terminal. Seriously they tell you it is a nice relaxing twenty minute walk to the business district, but they fail to mention that you first have to hike down all the docks, into the terminal, out into the square out front, and then finally to the street before you can begin your twenty minute walk. So, I walked and walked and still never seemed to get anywhere important. I did find a fast-food Chinese take out, several small grocery stores, and lots of souvenir shops.
Apparently, the anti-smoking campaign has not reached the City of Genoa. It seemed like every single shop that I thought of entering had a proprietor standing in the open doorway puffing on a cigarette. So I kept walking and walking. There were a great many little alleys that wandered off up into the hills. I tried going up several of them, but I didn’t seem to find anything incredible. I saw lots of churches, lot of police officers, and a lot of military people on the street. Finally I found myself back at the Terminal again, and since I was still feeling queasy, I decided to stop for the day.
Once I had settled in for the afternoon, I ran into some good friends that I had met (either John and Carol, or Connie and Jim; I can’t remember which). They told me all about this incredible tram that ran to the top of the city for a breathtaking view of everything. (Why don’t I ever ask questions before I leave the ship???) I considered going back out, but it is already heading towards four o’clock and my good friends (J and C or C and J) could not really remember how to get to this tram. I went back down to the main shore excursion desk, but the lady had already departed with her stack of maps of the city. I checked with the young lady at the Reception Desk, who hadn’t the slightest idea what I was talking about. Damn, damn, damn.
Tonight I believe I will be retiring early to avoid the drunks. They are having a La Dolce Vita party on Deck 5 beginning at 9:30 that is complete with a champagne tasting bar, a single malt tasting bar, and an assorted martini tasting bar. I hope none of these people decide to try all three tasting rooms.
Sadly, I realized while typing this postcard, that this is my last stop in Italy. Tomorrow we dock for two days in Monaco and then head to France and then Spain. Wow, these first five days at sea have really flown by – especially when I slept through one of them.
