PICS:A BEAUTIFUL PIC OF VENETIAN WATERS WITH GONDOLAS AND A CHURCH IN THE DISTANCE.
THE BLONDE THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT DRESSED TO COMPETE WITH NICOLE RITCHIE, RIGHT?
LAST PIC IS THE ONE I CALL "NEED A BIRD?"....THIS TOURIST IS IN PIAZZA SAN MARCO AND THOUGHT THIS WAS A FUN PIC. THE PIGEONS ARE OH SO HAPPY.
LARGER PIC IS OF A VENETIAN (PROFESSIONAL?) PHOTOGRAPHER SHOOTING HIS SUBJECT IN PIAZZA SAN MARCO...WHILE THERE IS A VERY LONG LINE IN THE BACKGROUND OF PEOPLE WANTING TO GET INTO THE CHURCH.
Saturday, October 14, 2006 711AM
Good Morning Everyone!! I just woke up about 5 minutes ago, and heard that my neighbor cabin also woke up. Heard clinking of glasses out in the hallways like the bussboys are preparing something out there like they usually are, surely with their large carts that they always have out when I leave and approach my stateroom at various times of the day. I’m not near the kitchen (as far as I know), just near the elevators, so not sure why. I think they always have a cart out there because it’s part of preparation for my room attendant and this block of rooms near mine but who knows?
I had a dream last night that one of my friends, Frances, had invited another friend to live with her and her husband (and son?) for an indefinite time period. I think it was my friend, Stef, or someone like her....I was in shock once I realized that they all shared 3 bedrooms and one bathroom. The bedroom thing didn’t really get to me or anything, since they all had their own bedroom, it was sharing of one bathroom and imagining having to do that with someone other than a spouse or partner to me was a bit out there. At least for me it was. I just was in shock.
Another thing that I awoke with was starting a Tuscan group to meet once to three times a year....maybe advertise through "Craigs List" and have it at a restaurant to start with then maybe move the group to someone’s home (the following meeting) if that’s comfortable for someone in the group. The group would be to keep and practice your Italian (if you speak it?), establish friendships with other Italians and also to network.....what do you think? I probably will shelve this idea once I get back home....there are too many variables and I’m way to busy to take this on....it was an idea I had though and ideas are always good to look at and see if they’re practical. This probably would not be. I realize that there’s already "Sons of Italy" groups and I know that there’s a group that meets fairly frequently and even eats at least weekly at a location that they call their own....I believe it’s on Sierra Ave. in Fontana....I’m sure Papa remembers where, etc. I remember meeting him there once and dinner was already over, so I ate quickly and left....met a few people.....that he had met, shared an hour or two with....it’s kind of like there are these groups that meet for their nationalities....I’m sure that you’ve heard of them....anyway, what else?
Oh, I just looked at the schedule and we depart Venice today around
3pm then head to Dubrovnik, Croatia (which is just across the water to the north of Italy when looking at a map) on Sunday......I am really looking forward to Croatia, and don’t have a tour booked there as of yet. Don’t think that I will be booking one either....I believe that the Croatian people are very good-looking and I think that they will be very welcoming, hospitable,etc. That is just my thought though, we’ll see how it goes. I remember when booking this trip, I believe it was Carnival on their website had a few pics of Croatia and the water pic was my favorite of all the destinations!!! Then there was another pic, I believe, that had a building or something with interesting looking architecture....that was another thing that caught my eye.
The main reasons that I chose this cruise over others and ventured out into trying another cruise line besides, Royal Caribbean (RC), was because of the locations that this particular, Carnival Liberty boat visited. Also, under the website that I was looking at, it had 4.5 stars, of which I would give it 5 or more stars. I’ve been on 5 star boats with RC and this boat, probably because it’s only one year old, is the nicest and has the most amenities of all the boats I’ve been on.
Also, I might add that the service has really been impeccable. I know every boat and/or line probably has it own signatures....this one’s so far are the service, amenities and calmness to it.....there is a certain calmness that I was searching to enjoy my vacation on/around, and luckily I found it with this boat.
When I get home there will be a few days where I have my "land legs" I’m sure (I keep hearing someone’s nearby telephone ringing, kind of wish it were mine and someone who loves me was calling! wink, wink ~ most people back home don’t even know I’m here though, not even friends that I’ve had since 1993!) for a few days and then I will again be back on regular American time (have to remember Italy is ahead of us by 9 hours), and living on land again.
My left hand is going to sleep either from typing so fast or maybe it’s still tired? LOL My friend, Bill Ruh, who’s the Government Affairs Director for Citrus Valley Association of Realtors invited me to attend, actually model, at a fashion show that his Association is having...I’m excited to do it, and hope that it will fun....end of November...have to remember to ask him about it when I get back.
Yesterday, in Venice, I strolled the streets and tiny passageways, maneuvering my way to get from the Rialto Bridge (the most famous of all bridges there) to Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square)..which is a very large Piazza where there’s a famous church ~ one that now I remember the horses that were up there when looking up at the front facade, back in 1979 when I was here with my family. It was a nice little venture, stopped at a few shops...bought a few gifts to bring back home. I’m looking to buy some real silver while here for a necklace and am kind of having a difficult time of it....not sure that I will find anything that really works for me? And that’s ok. I want it to hold my "key of life" that I wear daily.....I got a knot in my chain that I have it on and my fingers, if you can believe this (?), aren’t small enough to unlock the tiny chain’s knot that it has. Luckily, the lock is in the back of it, so it’s not really very visible, unless I’m wearing a tshirt.
Yesterday, before exiting the ship, I did work out doing cardio. Was being VERY GOOD with my eating coming up to Venice, then late last night, around 2AM, I faltered and fell back into a little routine that I more then not do at home...having a midnight snack...the cinnamon cake that I had snagged from the main dining room, Emile’s, when I had din din last night....didn’t steal it or anything, so no worries, there’s more food on this ship that as guests we are welcome to, that could more than choke 10 horses! Probably even 100 of them!
Anyway, I was kind of excited that I felt I was working out regularly, getting good workouts in, eating right and my body was "leaning up" a bit, I could tell. No doubt, after last night’s "snack" (we’ll call it, instead of BINGE!!@) I will not be as happy with my body image today.
I am planning to do some laying out in the sun today between 11am and 2pm....I think? As long as the sun allows me to....well, anotherwords, providing that it’s out....
OK, back to VENICE, SO MY THOUGHTS ON VENICE OR VENEZIA/VENETO as the Italians call it, were these: People were very passionate in a fairly classy/athletic way....I felt very comfy here, not like some areas where I feel the people are just tacky etc. There were a few very hot looking people....in particular, the one that I did get a pic or two of was a woman who had blonde hair. I was sitting across (very close!) to her when taking the ferry over towards "the rialto"...AND she had blond hair, beautiful large rimmed sunglasses, was dressed in all
black, like a lycra material or something that was form fitting (her top/blouse) then had black fitted pants on with a belt....there was something about her ~ I think it WAS MOSTLY HER "ATTITUDE" ~ that was extremely striking!!! I seem to be attracted in a way to that, as long as I don’t have to deal with them....there was another woman who I thought looked strong and stuff on the tram headed back to the boat in Napoli, that turned out to be a b****, and had more than one person pretty much talking back to her and cussing/slanging about her as and once she was off the tram. Anyway, this woman, I hope from Venice, that I’m able to share her pic with you on my blog.....She was much better looking that Nicole Ritchie, and at the same time more healthy looking, and there was something very "Nicole" about her......perhaps the style....although I’ve never been or seen Nicole up close.
There were also a few good-looking guys who reminded me of the typical American stereotype of a good-looking Italian guy would be....kinda dangerous, wearing jeans, athletic wear and sporting a five o’clock shadow, and wearing his Ray Bans Aviator-style sunglasses. I saw a few mostly while traveling through the canals on the ferries, so I hope to include those pics in her too
OK, just made notes to self, to try to remember the exact photos so I can share of these people that I saw...It’s getting close to 8am and I feel like I WANT to go back to sleep, although the chance of me doing that, is very slim.
I am wondering how my family and loved ones are doing back home. I do miss them alot (as you can imagine) and also being in the mediterranean without anyone that I know or love, is quite different for me. A huge part of my REALLY LOVES THE FREEDOM AND not having to "accommodate" anyone or listen to them talk, or talk back....about being here by myself....another large part of me would enjoy sharing this trip with someone else that knows me really well, like a family member or loved one, so I wouldn’t be off " on my own " all the time.....
Either way, the good thing about this trip, is that it’s only 12 days, then I’ll have one more notte (night) in Rome, which is filled with 6 million inhabitants ~ talking about people here lol ~ then I’ll be headed back home and should be back that Monday.
I get home in the afternoon Monday, the 23rd, assuming all goes as planned, fly into LAX out of London direct, Rome to London upon leaving here early that Monday AM, but arrive during a major afternoon traffic time. I didn’t want anyone I love to get stuck in this traffic for me, so am planning to somehow book a shuttle (maybe online?) TO Pick me up around 430-445pm (peak traffic times from lax I know!) and drop me off back home around 8pm, I would imagine, by the time I get home.
Then I’m back to work on the 25th, hopefully quickly recovering from JET LAG AND THE TIME CHANGE......Sleeping during the times that I’m by now accustomed to being active at, and vice versa.
Well, I am craving some coffee so am going to excuse myself....THIS WAS MY FIRST REALLY FUN ENTRY ~ FILLED WITH REAL, GENUINE SHARING DURING THIS TRIP, OR FUN SHARING, THAT’S FOR SURE!! HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT AS MUCH AS I DID. (BIG SMILE)
