Our Magical Mediterranean Adventure 8-18th June 2011 *Completed*

[designertravels]

Originally Posted by janey2000

We flew out of Luton with EasyJet mainly due to the low cost of the flights. It was only a 2 hour journey and Georgia loved the bad patch of turbulence (Mummy was sweating!) . We arrived in Barcelona at about 1700 local time and decided that we would hop on the Aerobus instead of taking a taxi. It was easy to find and cost 10.40 Euros. We got off at the second stop and stepped into the map to find our hotel… and then the rain started! Our hotel was a short walk and an absolute bargain! I still don’t know how I managed to find such a good deal. We paid £42 for a triple room with kitchenette and breakfast! The kitchenette meant I could cook a quick and cheap pasta meal as Georgia was ready for dinner when we arrived.

Drenched Georgia

Hi, Please share the name of the hotel. I still need to book one for our post stay in July. Was the Aerobus ok to take with all your luggage? I enjoyed reading your blog too. Thanks, Jill

[pxlbarrel]

Originally Posted by janey2000

Wow thank you! I was actually right ther beside them holding a wine glass and 2 cocktails in my hands (I was on holiday... and they were free cocktails) but i'd love the video, I did take a short one myself also but this may be better from above. Will it work on an email attachment maybe? I can private message you my email address.

Thanks again, that was a lovely thought x

I suspect it might be too large to email. But I might have another idea ... let me look into it and I shall get back to you. What kind of movie files can you watch? Currently, it's saved as a .mov file.

[amyren]

You're off to a great start with your report Jane! I love that you have included info on the meals. I actually made one of Natalie's recipes tonight for dinner! I meant to include more food in my blog an totally forgot after like 2 days. At least I have my towel animals. I can't wait to see and read more. Take care

[janey2000]

Originally Posted by designertravels

Hi, Please share the name of the hotel. I still need to book one for our post stay in July. Was the Aerobus ok to take with all your luggage? I enjoyed reading your blog too. Thanks, Jill

The hotel was called Atenea Calabria Apartments. I booked it through Travel Republic's website. Still not sure how I got that good a deal as checked again shortly after and it was over 100 Euros?

The Aerobus was great. There were only 2 other people on it! It has plenty of luggage rack space. My only suggestion would be that we were one of the last to collect our luggage in the airport and as we walked outside the bus had just gone. This one looked full so if you aren't in a hurry it might be better to hold back. They leave every 5 minutes or so.

[janey2000]

Today was the only day I had booked a Disney excursion due to the great reviews I had read about the day on the farm. We got up about 0730 and I had ordered room service breakfast (much to jack’s disappointment) so we weren’t too full up for the huge lunch I knew we would be served today. The breakfast wasn’t anything exciting and again, Georgia barely ate anything.

Palermo



We met with our tour group in the Rockin’ Bar D and went off to the coach. The journey was about a hour and a half but was interesting going through Palermo and finding out some of the history and sights. We arrived at Ville Dafne and had a demonstration of cheese pressing and bread making where the kids could get involved.



We found a little cat

Making cheese

Making bread



The finished product



It was then free time to swim but the water was ice cold, so I refused to get in! Georgia and Jack had about 20 mins in the shallow pool before we were called for lunch.



Freezing water.....

Freezing Georgia!


Lunch consisted of olives, chesses, bread and some other local delicacies. The next course they brought out pizza. It didn’t have cheese on but tasted wonderful, the tomatoes were really flavoursome. Georgia ate a ton of cheese (I’d be really worried if she refused cheese!), some pizza and then some of the pasta they brought out as the 3rd course! Finally lamb and potatoes came out as our main course but I was too full up to eat anymore. Georgia was served a huge piece of breaded veal which she also was too full to eat. For dessert they brought out huge canoli’s and a fruit bowl of peaches and apples. Jack got a coffee which turned out to be a double expresso!


The canoli


We then left and stopped at the cow shed to watch milking but the farmer said it was not time for them to be milked yet. I later complained as the excursion promised a 3 hr guided tour where we would see sheep, pigs and cow milking. This was an enjoyable day at a villa but not a farm day and pricey for what it actually was.



By the time we got back on the boat it was gone 4 and as our tablemates were skipping dinner this evening we decided to swim straight away (in the lovely heated pool!) and then have a casual dinner at topsiders. Topsiders is still a sit down dinner but they show you the courses on offer so you can choose. I had duck with cherry sauce which was divine!


A mashed up Mickey bar!

My dessert


It was Villains night but we chose not to watch the show as thought it may frighten Georgia. This was the only day she refused to nap also so she needed an early night. She was asleep by 8.30 and so we flicked onto the show on the stateroom TV and then decided to watch ‘Little Fockers’ which started at 9.

[janey2000]

We had to be off ship early today to make a 9am ferry so I had Mickey call to wake us for 7am but Georgia beat him to it! We had a huge breakfast at topsiders and took a few snacks to last us the day.

Guess who we ran into in Italy!


The hydrofoil terminal was just next to the cruise port and I managed to find the ticket office for the 9am trip to Sorrento. I had read the horror stories about Naples and so had put the money for the tickets into my bra, the cashier seemed very impressed with this!!! The hydrofoil was quick and easy but due to a bit of a misty start to the day and the fact that we sat downstairs as we had the pushchair, we didn’t get any stunning views of the Almalfi coastline.






On arrival in Sorrento we were faced with an uphill walk of hundreds of steps. Georgia and I walked up hand in hand whilst Jack carried the pushchair, it was exhausting.






The little town was pretty and we wandered around to find a lemon grove I had read about. It was a beautiful little place and a lady had a stall set up in the middle allowing us to taste the Limoncello and other varieties of alcohol they had for sale. We purchased some lemon marmalade and got some photos of the sizes of the lemons.






We the walked to find a coffee shop for our first real Italian coffee experience. We found the nicest looking place that had a gold sofa inside that Georgia set up camp on with her bus, make up and chocolate milk. The coffee was disappointing. Jack asked for a latte and got an espresso with a glass of soda water! I got the cappuccino I asked for but it must have had 10 sugars in it and was far too sweet. I was missing Costa and Starbucks by this point!

Chocolate milk

The gold sofa

My Cappuccino
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/...1/DSCF0849.jpg
A latte?


Jack alone with the camera for 5 minutes when I went to the toilet, we have the Italians idea of safe transport for children and an inappropriate shop sign!



We then took the train to Pompeii which was about a 50 minute ride.






Now nowhere in all my research did I read not to take a pushchair to Pompeii. It was the most exhausting 3 hour experience of trying to push a sleeping toddler over cobble streets in a swivel wheel pushchair! When she awoke it was much easier as she got out and walked but I didn’t get to see much as just sent Jack off with the camera.

[janey2000]

This is a dog





Georgia decided she wanted to find a stone to take home for Granddad... I really hope there aren't any archeologists looking for this one!

The brothel was interesting but the beds seemed far too small to accommodate some of the positions in the paintings?!!!

[janey2000]

We took the hour long train journey back to Naples and decided to walk back to the cruise ship. I think Jack envisaged a romantic stroll along the promenade but the reality was litter filled streets, tramps sleeping amounts the rubbish and not even a view of the sea until we reached the ship! The walk must have taken an hour and Naples really is an awful place but I was pleased with the calories burnt today so I could really enjoy dinner after only having a few light snacks during the day. And walking back to the ship, look who came to greet us!




Tonight was our show dinner in Lumiers. This was my favourite restaurant, the deco was beautiful and it always seemed to have the nicest food. Belle and the beast did a little dance round the restaurant for us! It was hard to get a decent photo though as they were moving.



Enchanted rose light fittings


I tried seabass for the first time, it was wonderful

And escargot... it was in a garlic butter, very rich but I loved it!

3 puddings in 1 ... well didn't I already say, I was on holiday!



There was no show tonight, instead they had the new Pirates movie showing at the Walt Disney theatre. We couldn’t go due to Georgia so instead went to watch the Princess and the Frog movie in the empty Buena Vista theatre. We hadn’t seen this before but Georgia managed to keep her concentration on it for a good hour. Then by the end she started to say her head hurt which panicked me into thinking we could have another sickness episode so we left Jack to watch the end and went in search of Daisy. I was so upset I had left the camera with Jack as this was the first time she met Daisy.

Italian Goofy

Italian Mickey

Georgia and Maisie with Pluto

Sailing away from Naples

[pxlbarrel]

Wow, now I wish we had done Pompeii on our own.

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

How long would you say you needed at Pompeii to get a glimpse of it? We plan to go (first thing in the morning) to Capri, have lunch on Capri then head to Sorrento to take the train to Pompeii then obviously back to Naples from there. I don't care if we only have a couple of hours at Pompeii but do you think that will be enough time to get nice feel for it?

My plan is to always be back on the ship for our early dinner seating time...roughly Thanks!

[janey2000]

When you get the map for Pompeii they give a suggestion of routes, one is for 2 hours and the other is for a full day. We roughly did the 2 hour one and for me it was plenty. To me, one old house is the same as another and with your little ones it will definatly be enough for them. And remember... Don't take a pushchair!

There is no way you will get to Capri, Sorrento and Pompeii in a day. We took the very first hydrofoil of the day and got back on ship at 5.30 (early seating also). We only got the 2 hours at Pompeii and 2 hours in Sorrento. My suggestion would be to drop one of them, either do Sorrento and Pompeii or Capri and Sorrento. I was chatting the following day to a guy in the pool who had 2 little ones. They said they did Capri and have decided they will definatly return to spend more time there.

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Originally Posted by janey2000

When you get the map for Pompeii they give a suggestion of routes, one is for 2 hours and the other is for a full day. We roughly did the 2 hour one and for me it was plenty. To me, one old house is the same as another and with your little ones it will definatly be enough for them. And remember... Don't take a pushchair!

There is no way you will get to Capri, Sorrento and Pompeii in a day. We took the very first hydrofoil of the day and got back on ship at 5.30 (early seating also). We only got the 2 hours at Pompeii and 2 hours in Sorrento. My suggestion would be to drop one of them, either do Sorrento and Pompeii or Capri and Sorrento. I was chatting the following day to a guy in the pool who had 2 little ones. They said they did Capri and have decided they will definatly return to spend more time there.

Thanks for the info. We aren't planning to spend any time in Sorrento, it's just closer to Capri so looking at a map it seemed to make sense to go there to grab the train instead of back to Naples...it looked like it could save us up to a half hour or so. My husband and I have been to Capri before and really wanted to show the kids (we spent a good part of our honeymoon there) but none of us have been to Pompeii and want to at least see the highlights.

I read not to bring a stroller there and don't plan to bring it that day even though I know my girls will be dragging by time we are done.

So if we are just doing Capri and Pompeii, do you think we'll be fine? Thanks again.

[mamaboogie]

I've really enjoyed reading your report. Your photos are wonderful!

[janey2000]

Originally Posted by bibbidibobbidibecky

Thanks for the info. We aren't planning to spend any time in Sorrento, it's just closer to Capri so looking at a map it seemed to make sense to go there to grab the train instead of back to Naples...it looked like it could save us up to a half hour or so. My husband and I have been to Capri before and really wanted to show the kids (we spent a good part of our honeymoon there) but none of us have been to Pompeii and want to at least see the highlights.

I read not to bring a stroller there and don't plan to bring it that day even though I know my girls will be dragging by time we are done.

So if we are just doing Capri and Pompeii, do you think we'll be fine? Thanks again.

Oh I see. I'm not sure how long it takes to get to Capri etc but expect you'll have enough time. When you get off the ferry in Sorrento there is a lot of steps to climb (as per the photo!) and then a short walk of about 5 minutes to the station. There may be a bus or something that would take you up the hill though.

I think 2 hours at Pompeii is fine to see the major things. We managed it and spent half the time trying to push the pushchair over the cobbled stones! Also if you wanted to they have tour guides at the entrance who do an hour tour for something like 10 Euro a person. This would save time having to figure out the route or what you are looking at.

Have fun!

[janey2000]

Today was one of my favourite days! We didn’t go into Rome for 2 reasons. Mainly because we did a 3 day visit about 5 years ago and saw everything and secondly because it would be a really long day with Georgia. My only worry was that we would need to throw another coin into the Trevi fountain, I wasn’t sure if Civitavecchia counted as a return to Rome?!

I'm posting a few photos of rome just to re-live the memories...
The Coliseum


Trevi fountain


Crowded Spanish steps

The Vatican


And who should be there to greet us...

...Yes it was the Pope!




So everyone got off the ship early and we had it all to ourselves! We decided to have a fancy breakfast and went to Lumiers to order off a menu. Again Jack felt he was missing out as he couldn’t have the pastries pilled high with cream! I think my breakfast was called the beast’s tower which consisted of stacked French toast (I couldn’t get enough of the stuff!) with some grilled pineapple layered between it and strawberry compote on the side. It was divine! Georgia had rice crispies and then Mickey pancakes washed down with chocolate milk! We also found the English breakfast tea in the restaurants to be much nicer than Topsiders. It was a really nice breakfast with peaceful surroundings and we got the chance to chat to some of the waiting staff as we were one of only about 3 tables in there. It was pretty amazing to hear that they never get a day off and work an average 90 hour week. But more amazing to me was the amount of staff I spoke to who had young children of Georgia’s age at home living with grandparents etc whilst they were working away for most months of the year. I worked out that with the amount of tips they receive alone it is more than I earn but still it pulled my heart strings at the thought of having to miss out on my little girl growing up.

Like butter wouldn't melt at breakfast!