Finally, the day we had all been waiting for, Christmas Eve, December 24, the day we boarded the Serenade of the Seas to begin our much anticipated eleven day Mediterranean cruse! Checking into the cruise was easy peazy. We found our rooms, unpacked, and started the exploration of the ship. It was cool.
It's all a bit of a blur to me now but I believe we had dinner at around 7 pm and then made plans to reconvene in the Master room (mine and John's stateroom) later that evening to continue our Christmas tradition of opening one present at midnight. While the kids were unpacking and exploring the ship, John and I and Bruce started trying to "Christmas up" our room. We had no tree. No ornaments. My intentions to bring festive Christmasy items on this trip never happened. But we did bring our Santa hats, wrapping paper, and Christmas tags....hmmmm could that be enough to Christmasfy a cruise cabin? You betcha! See the little Christmas tags all along the window? Bruce put up a whole package of them all by himself! It looked so great when he was done. And do you see the garland with Christmas ornaments over the window? Heehee I asked John to prove his love to me by swiping that from our corridor. Uh uh uh, stop judging....we merely "borrowed" it for 24 hours....Add presents and stockings and family and wala! A Christmas miracle:) J
It's all a bit of a blur to me now but I believe we had dinner at around 7 pm and then made plans to reconvene in the Master room (mine and John's stateroom) later that evening to continue our Christmas tradition of opening one present at midnight. While the kids were unpacking and exploring the ship, John and I and Bruce started trying to "Christmas up" our room. We had no tree. No ornaments. My intentions to bring festive Christmasy items on this trip never happened. But we did bring our Santa hats, wrapping paper, and Christmas tags....hmmmm could that be enough to Christmasfy a cruise cabin? You betcha! See the little Christmas tags all along the window? Bruce put up a whole package of them all by himself! It looked so great when he was done. And do you see the garland with Christmas ornaments over the window? Heehee I asked John to prove his love to me by swiping that from our corridor. Uh uh uh, stop judging....we merely "borrowed" it for 24 hours....Add presents and stockings and family and wala! A Christmas miracle:) J
You wouldn't think it but Christmas morning in that small stateroom was wonderful. Crowded and tight yes, but the "Christmas feeling" was definitely with us. And of course Santa found us and Bruce received almost everything on his Christmas list. It was a very Merry Christmas indeed!
Jump to the next day (I think) and our first port stop Livorno (Florence) Italy! That's right leaning Tower of Pisa!
I have to admit, though I was excited about being in Italy, I can't say that seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa was ever on my "must see" list. It should have been, it was really impressive. It was a bit of a walk from the tour bus to the Piazza dei Miracoli, a little overcast and chilly too but when we turned came thru the arches that led to the Miracle Square and the Tower of Pisa came into view, you heard a collective gasp and then everyone saying in many different languages their version of "WOW" at the same time. Definitely a wow moment in my book. And there were so many more wow moments to come. Here are some pics:)
Looking back at these pics I am sorely reminded that I suck at taking pictures. I don't believe one of these pictures that I took captured the "lean" of the tower and how it looked in person. I mean it really does lean! Big time. OH well, hoping that when Ryan and Tori share their pics they will have done a better job than I.
Next stop Rome. Truly, truly, fascinating city. Two days was no where near enough time. Also to come, Victoria, Ryan and Vincent agreed to be guess bloggers and share with me their thoughts on our trip. I will add those soon.
Good night for now.
Next stop Rome. Truly, truly, fascinating city. Two days was no where near enough time. Also to come, Victoria, Ryan and Vincent agreed to be guess bloggers and share with me their thoughts on our trip. I will add those soon.
Good night for now.
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