Life in General

This is me on our last day at sea on the Emerald Princess – as six weeks of vacation draws to a close – endlessly grateful for so many things.

The luxury of time to break away from the routines of everyday life.

The resources and good health that make it possible to travel the world.

My dear husband, a loving and congenial touring companion.

New places and old haunts that offer joy and beauty at every turn.

The hospitality and skill of those who have served our needs along the way.

Adventures and delights in abundance.

Challenges and disappointments in very small measure.

Fresh images to paint, and new stories to share.

Interesting and engaging work to head back to.

Family and community to anticipate our arrival back home.

Safe passage and safe return.

Life has been and continues to be very, very good to me.

This mosaic is inlaid into the floor at the entrance to the dining room in Villa San Michele atop the island of Capri – a beautiful island across the bay from Naples.

The Villa San Michele was salvaged and restored through the efforts and philanthropy of a Swedish physician, Axel Munthe.

The mosaic features a skeleton holding a wine carafe in one hand and a water jug in the other.

The meaning is that one should enjoy life while one can, as death lurks just around the corner. A sobering thought given that the mosaic is a copy of an image from the ruins of Pompei.

Italy is the home to the slow food movement – a concept that encourages leisurely dining on foods raised and cultivated close to where they are prepared and served.

Apparently some businesses recognize a marketing angle when they see one.

This fast food restaurant on the island of Capri prominently displayed its support for the slow food movement right on its promo sign touting the quick and easy ‘Take Away’. (more…)

Over the years, Dave and I have made a practice of connecting with waiters, desk clerks, and other service folks by creating opportunities to share a chuckle and a smile. We love it when others choose to play – and especially when they start the game themselves!

This trip’s hands down winner of the Lighthearted Playful Award is our Emerald Princess room steward, Vitor from Portugal.

We had an inkling that our exchanges were going to be fun on the very first day of the cruise, when I asked Vitor for a new stick pen. The plastic case on ours was cracked, and the nib and refill kept sliding out when I tried to write with it.

Vitor’s response to my request was an expression of mock horror as he proclaimed, “Madam, we have not yet set sail and already you have damaged precious Princess property!”

On handing me three replacement pens, he added sternly, “Don’t come running to me if they don’t work. That’s all I’ve got.” (more…)

So, here we were, wandering our way through the Alfama section of Lisbon, Portugal, when we stumbled upon a soccer stadium. There was neither a grandstand, nor a blade of grass nor a net to be seen.

Nope, this soccer pitch was carved out of the middle of nowhere in a place where a maze of narrow up and downhill streets opened to a small plaza. (more…)

The Cinque Terre is the name given to 5 villages north of Livorno, that are literally nestled in the coves of the Ligurian Sea and climb straight up the mountainsides from the water. The hillsides surrounding these villages have been terraced with backbreaking labour and are home to olive trees, lemons, and grape vines.

It is possible to walk the sea wall between the first and second towns, on the Via Della L’Amore which links Riomaggiore to Manarola.

On this Lover’s Lane you will find padlock after padlock attached to the railing.

Apparently lovers express their commitment to each other by attaching a lock to the rail and tossing their keys into the surf below, as a pledge of their undying love.

On the day we walked the Via Della L’Amore, someone had taken the symbolism one step further, and romantically trimmed this patch of pigweed in the shape of a heart.

Love is alive and well in the Cinque Terre.

You might think it would be impossible to find a moment’s solitude on a cruise ship carrying nearly 3000 passengers. However, at 6:30 in the morning, there’s a section of the Promenade Deck at the prow of the ship that is all yours – simply for the rising.

You’ll find the mist, the odd bird passing by, and the occasional lighthouse winking ‘hola’ from the Spanish coast.

It’s unbelievably peaceful – that visit between you, the morning and the rhythm of the sea.

We visited the famous Guggenheim Gallery while in Venice. After viewing half of the exhibition, we parked ourselves on the outdoor terrace that fronts onto the Grand Canal for a bit of a rest.

I pulled out my sketchbook and my paints and put together this little vignette of the scene across the water.

Since the paint was stilll damp, I carried my open sketchbook in hand while we toured the remainder of the gallery. Do you suppose that qualifies as my first international art exhibition?

Nah, I didn’t think so!

1. Just how bad is the traffic in Rome? You know it’s got to be rough when you see 3 nuns and a priest hop into a vehicle, buckle their seat belts and all make the sign of the cross before the driver starts the engine.

2. Here in Canada, I’m accustomed to seeing calendars featuring brawny, good looking firefighters of the month.

On the streets of Venice, you can pick up similar calendars featuring young, handsome gondoliers. I get that!

What surprised me, though, were the 12 month calendars featuring similarly young and handsome priests. Who, exactly, is the market?

You’re probably familiar with photos of athletic gondoliers plying their trade piloting tourists through the canals of Venice.

But what do gondoliers do in their down time between clients?

Well, as you can see here, chatting on the cell phone is a popular past-time.

Rocking back on a chair dockside and letting loose with an Italian song or two is another option.

When this fellow ran out of tunes, he started playing fetch with his dog. I hoped the dog could swim.