Trip Report Our 19-Day Mediterranean Adventure – Greece, Turkey and the Search for Free Wifi

Finally, right? It seems like I’ve been waiting forever to start this, but really we’ve only been back three weeks! And in that time I’ve lived in a hotel for two weeks and driven across the country from Washington DC to our new home in...wait for it...Las Vegas! For some reason I have chosen now, surrounded by boxes that need to be unpacked, as the time to start my trip report. Stalling maybe? :D So here it goes!

What: A massive 19 day (13 days on the cruise with 6 more including travel time and extra days in Europe) trip extravaganza. A 12 night Mediterranean cruise with a day in London beforehand and a few days in London and Barcelona afterwards. So yes. This is going to be a long stinking trip report. Oh, and I took 5239 pictures. On my camera! That doesn’t even count the Instagram/iphone photos you’ll see scattered throughout the report.

Great day in the morning.

Why: Because cruises are awesome mostly. But also because I was able to do a last-minute 11 night Med cruise back in April of 2010 with my daughter and some other family and friends, so this was a makeup cruise for my son and husband. It worked nicely as a graduation trip/present. :)

When: June 13-July 1, 2013

I booked this cruise the day it came out, back in January of 2012.

As time got closer we realized it was going to get crazy. My daughter was going to have to miss the last day of school, my son was graduating from high school the Saturday before the trip, we had a house full of family that whole weekend and a big graduation party on Sunday, he then left and was coming home one day early from his senior trip to make it on time, and we were moving across the country to Las Vegas so our household goods were all moved the day before we left. Then the kids were traveling with their youth group to Scotland 3 days after the cruise ended, so it really didn’t make sense for us to come all the way back home and we needed to stay in Europe for three more days before we dropped them off in London Heathrow. Got all that? Yes. Like I said, a little crazy.

Totally worth it though. :)

Who: Us! Here we are a few days before we left! This picture is a celebration of the whole Whiting family – but mostly Chase. The high school graduate. Also appearing in this photo are myself-Tammy, hubby-Stephen, and daughter – Ally.



My parents! My parents were on our last Med cruise, and have been in several of my trip reports. They had quite the trip in store for them. Here they are in Monaco:



My in-laws! My in-laws were also on my last Med cruise, as well as a few other cruises with us, so they may look familiar if you've ever read one of my reports. Here they are in Palo:



My brother-in-law! Scott has appeared in a few trip cruise trip reports as well. He’s the oldest of three boys with my hubby falling in the middle. Here he is in Mykonos:

 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Save me a room!!!! No, just a pillow will do! No, just a space on the floor!!! Monaco. Le. Sigh.

I'm sure we can spare a couch! :)

This is the best.

I love that picture! I need to photoshop out the pole or something and print it.


Thank you! :)

Pizza in Rome :p
Gorgeous pictures!!! Can't wait to see more :)

Thanks, lbrad!

I am so glad there are no more food pictures for now. I'm starving. Next time I catch up on a full tummy :)

Good plan!
 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Made it!









Brother-in-law:



After throwing in our coins, we went looking for Gelato! There were several options right next door. I didn’t take a picture because it was melting so fast! It was delicious though. :)

After the gelato, we started walking to the Spanish Steps:





 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The Spanish Steps never look quite as big in person as they do in the movies:





Our tickets for the Vatican were for 2:00 so we needed to go there next. I also wanted to find the awesome McDonald’s next to the steps that we found last time, but we missed it somehow. So we got on the metro and went to the Vatican.
 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The Sistine Chapel has lots of No Photography signs. I was good and followed the rules. Stephen, however, was “That Guy” who didn’t see the signs and walked right in and took a no flash picture. He was promptly yelled at by the security guards and he put his phone away.

Oops.:cool:

I had done my homework on the Vatican this time and found out if we went through the group exit of the chapel it would deposit us in St. Peter’s Basilica without waiting in the ginormous line out front.

It worked like a charm! Score! In the Basilica:



I took a bazillion pictures in St. Peters. It’s gorgeous. This is when I wish I had a tripod and my wide angle lens.











 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Our glorious day in Rome was done! We walked to the nearest train stop and stopped in a store for cold Cokes.



Looking back down the street towards the Vatican:



At the train station:



It was a long tiring day, but totally amazing. Most of us slept on the way back at some point. There were several crew members near us too. We obviously weren’t sleeping here:



Yep. I posted that picture. Don't tell Ally.

We walked back to the ship and boarded right at 5:30. We were only in port until 6:30, so we timed that just about right. I like to give ourselves an hour of wiggle room.

 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We took super quick showers and were ready for dinner at Lumiere’s. Which some members of my family, no matter how often I correct them, call Lumineires.

I can’t…

Dinner tonight included one of my favorites – French Onion Soup!



And the exact opposite of one of my favorites – escargot.





Ally was in love with the French bread tonight and asked for more. Mesa brought her a whole bowl of just French bread:



Our little corner of the restaurant was super dark tonight. So these pictures are dark!

Mesa also had a ton of brain teasers for us using the crayons:



Stephen solved a particularly hard one and Plamen insisted on making him a prize:

 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ally had a lobster pasta dish for dinner:



I had steak of course!



I don’t know what this one was:



Dessert!







There was a character-palooza happening in the lobby.



Pinocchio in the wild!!







Does Mickey look awesome or what?



He knows it too.



We stopped by the room and then went to see the show which was a ventriloquist. He was hilarious! A tiny tiny bit off color? Which made me wonder what the adult show would be like!

After the show Stephen, Chase, Ally and I hit up the hot tub. We played trivia on the Funnel Vision while we soaked.

Then it was back to the room for bed!

Well not Chase and Ally. They went to watch Avengers before bed. I’m not sure what time they came in. Excellent parenting again.

Tomorrow was a relaxing sea day! Thanks for reading!
 

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
I'm with @fractal , I was thinking: Wow! Pizza in an Irish pub in Rome that has a menu section for American food. Interesting.

Your notes truly impress me. Do you read up on this info then make your notes from there? Where are you finding such finite details??? Is it like trip reports / travel blogs? I mean, who would know to pass up the train ticket window and go to a newsstand?! That's so obscure...and frickin' awesome that YOU knew that!

Looking at your pics in Rome of the Colosseum and all, I had this little geeky moment when I thought, "Holy crap. Tammy saw that. She saw that with her eyes. Not just a picture. She saw it and touched it. Wow!" I know it's dumb but there's just some things you only ever see in pictures but then if you see them with your own eyeballs it's this whole other level of existance. That's impressive!

Stephen's pose, I thought it was very Forest Gump. No?

Really??? You're gonna try to finish this before the girls cruise??? I'm already behind on all the stuff I should be doing!!!! Oh nooooooooo!!!!!!!
 

CinderMama

Active Member
Yay! I got caught up while you posting Rome! Beautiful pictures. Made me realize that it was almost 1/2 my life time ago that I studied abroad while in college. Someday I'll get back. For now I'll just pretend I was with you. Oh, and morning Diet Coke drinker her, so no judging from me!

Thanks for sharing another of your family's adventures. I hope Mom is able to join you soon!
 

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
Oooohhh...The Vatican! So, I'm looking at the pictures and I'm thinking of what I think of when I see/hear anything about The Vatican. A couple or maybe several (?) years ago while visiting my grandmother she totally went on this rant about The Vatican. You know, as folks get older they get kinda set in their opinions and stuff. My grandmother grew up Catholic and is Catholic thru & thru. Not sure what exactly had her tail feathers ruffled about the Pope and the Vatican at the time but she sure had some pretty unkind stuff to say several times during the visit. Kinda funny to hear your sweet, dear ol' grandmother ranting about some things. So I'm looking at your pictures appreciating the beauty and wondering if I'd get dirty looks or another rant from Gramma if I went there then brought back pics. LOL! And theeeeeeen, I got to the picture of Ally on the train ride back and I was like, "Yeah! That'd be just what Gramma's expression might be!" LOL! Great picture! I love it!

French Onion Soup! Holla! I don't have the fixation but my guys would all duke it out quick enough to get a bowl. They love that stuff! I'll just sit over there with Ally and eat the French bread. LOL!

Love the character shots! Love those costumes! Oh yeah, Mickey knows he's da MAN!

Love love lovin' it, Tammy!
 

mrerk

Well-Known Member
I thought these guard’s outfits (although my Air Force husband tells me that uniforms are never to be called “outfits”) were amazing:





I'm going to have to agree with the General on this one. "Outfit" just doesn't sound right.

The Coliseum looks amazing. I can't imagine how spectacular it must have been in its heyday.

Great job as usual, Tammy. Keep it coming.
 

Tidbit

Active Member
Ok Tammy, I have some questions for ya! First, where's the picture that Stephen took IN The Sistine Chapel ? I'm all about "trying" to follow the rules, and I hate to say it I would be "that girl" even though I "saw" the no pic sign......I know bad girl!! LOL......but I'll be good! :D:devilish:

Second question.....did they let you bring your "stuff" inside the Sistine Chapel? I read that you had to leave your bags and camera with security.....is this true? I'm trying to plan out what I should take with me on that day. We are booked for an all day Rome excursion, and the Chapel is the only place I'm worried about! I know about covering your knees and shoulders already, but the no bag policy has me concerned! I am NOT gonna be happy if I have to leave my $$$$$$ camera!

Loving this trip report, and I really do hope you get it finished before the "Girls Cruise" since that's the same weekend I leave for Italy!! YAY!!!

Sucks your mom got sick.........I'm very worried about this on every vacation.
Thanks,
Leigh
 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm with @fractal , I was thinking: Wow! Pizza in an Irish pub in Rome that has a menu section for American food. Interesting.

Your notes truly impress me. Do you read up on this info then make your notes from there? Where are you finding such finite details??? Is it like trip reports / travel blogs? I mean, who would know to pass up the train ticket window and go to a newsstand?! That's so obscure...and frickin' awesome that YOU knew that!

Looking at your pics in Rome of the Colosseum and all, I had this little geeky moment when I thought, "Holy crap. Tammy saw that. She saw that with her eyes. Not just a picture. She saw it and touched it. Wow!" I know it's dumb but there's just some things you only ever see in pictures but then if you see them with your own eyeballs it's this whole other level of existance. That's impressive!

Stephen's pose, I thought it was very Forest Gump. No?

Really??? You're gonna try to finish this before the girls cruise??? I'm already behind on all the stuff I should be doing!!!! Oh nooooooooo!!!!!!!

On new trips I tend to read different websites whenever I have time. Whenever I see a good tip or directions that I think apply, I cut and paste them into a word doc about that trip. Then when the trip gets close, I go read the doc, delete whatever I don't think will apply, and create my own plan off of things that I think do. Then I print it! Which I forgot to do this time. :)

I knew about the newsstand because of last time! That was my own tip! :)

I totally know what you mean about things like the Colosseum. It is totally something you have to stop and take in. You have to stop going going going and say - I am here.

It is a little Forest Gumpy!

I am so trying! If I don't finish I'll come back and have two to do! I can't even stand that!

Yay! I got caught up while you posting Rome! Beautiful pictures. Made me realize that it was almost 1/2 my life time ago that I studied abroad while in college. Someday I'll get back. For now I'll just pretend I was with you. Oh, and morning Diet Coke drinker her, so no judging from me!

Thanks for sharing another of your family's adventures. I hope Mom is able to join you soon!

Thank you, CinderMama! Chase is hoping to study abroad next year. I'm sure it was amazing.

Morning coke drinkers unite!

Mom makes an appearance a couple of times in the next few days. But then she goes off the grid again.

Oooohhh...The Vatican! So, I'm looking at the pictures and I'm thinking of what I think of when I see/hear anything about The Vatican. A couple or maybe several (?) years ago while visiting my grandmother she totally went on this rant about The Vatican. You know, as folks get older they get kinda set in their opinions and stuff. My grandmother grew up Catholic and is Catholic thru & thru. Not sure what exactly had her tail feathers ruffled about the Pope and the Vatican at the time but she sure had some pretty unkind stuff to say several times during the visit. Kinda funny to hear your sweet, dear ol' grandmother ranting about some things. So I'm looking at your pictures appreciating the beauty and wondering if I'd get dirty looks or another rant from Gramma if I went there then brought back pics. LOL! And theeeeeeen, I got to the picture of Ally on the train ride back and I was like, "Yeah! That'd be just what Gramma's expression might be!" LOL! Great picture! I love it!

French Onion Soup! Holla! I don't have the fixation but my guys would all duke it out quick enough to get a bowl. They love that stuff! I'll just sit over there with Ally and eat the French bread. LOL!

Love the character shots! Love those costumes! Oh yeah, Mickey knows he's da MAN!

Love love lovin' it, Tammy!

That is so funny about your Gramma! Don't worry, she'll never know you looked! If she did, she would look like Ally! Lol

I thought about your boys and the French Onion soup! I remember you saying how much they loved it!
 

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