La Spezia, Italy

Map of La Spezia, Italy - Late 19th Century

Today our stop is the port town of La Spezia, Italy where cruisers often scurry to the inner bowels of Florence for shopping and to that famous leaning tower of Pisa. If there are two things that cruisers love to do, it is shop and eat. Oh, and to hold up towers that are tipping.

I had promised myself that I would venture in to town on this second go around, but I have found the solace of the ship and catching up on my reading just too pleasurable. Even with the cool air this morning which caused a bit of bundling up, afforded a delightful outdoor breakfast with a quiet view of this city.  

For me the views out trump shopping and eating any day. This week I have pretty much done what I would do if I were home without the view of a parking lot. In fact the bench seat in my cabin window over-looking Central Park is the most comfortable reading spot in the world. I had to do some fast talking to my cabin attendant and his housekeeping supervisor that I really was quite happy not leaving my room. Even telling them to think of it as 'my suite", heh heh, for 'suite people' have their own secluded areas where they dwell.

Marseille, France

Marseille in 1575

This city is not the gateway to the west, but the Gateway to Provence. Marseille is the oldest city of France and the country’s second largest city. The expansive shipping port is usually the first view that cruisers get.

Marseille Today Just Beyond the Docks

But if you squint your eyes and use your imagination you might be able to conjure up an older view of the city. And if you click your heels together and spin around you just may hear the words floating off the pages Alexandre Dumas’s “Le Comte de Monte-Cristo” and blowing past your ears straight from Château d’If.

Château d'If

“We’ll go where the air is pure, where all sounds are soothing, where, no matter how proud one may be, one feels humble and finds oneself small- in short, we’ll go to the sea. I love the sea as one loves a mistress and I long for her when I haven’t seen her for some time”. ~ Alexandre Dumas, "Le Comte de Monte-Cristo"

And that is our cruise reflection for today.

Ready for a little Trivia?

Most afternoons you can find a few people tucked away in a corner bar area playing a game of organized Trivia. My friend Joanne from the MS Rotterdam cruise would play almost every day and then bring the questions and quiz us at the dinner table.

I thought maybe while we sat at the dock in Barcelona we could play a little game and see how much you have been paying attention these past few weeks.

Question #1: Where was the Nougat candy factory located where I bought delicious treats, city and country?

Question #2: What country was Artichoke Annie in when she earned her “Crossed the Artic Circle” certificate?

Question #3: What is the name of the city in Spain, located just 90 miles south of France?  HINT:  (For Americans) It is not Havana.

Question #4: What was the port city that in the 1800’s Napoleon first planned to develop into a major naval base?

Question #5: If you were walking west on Via delle Conciliazione whose house would you end up at?

Question #6: OK, here’s a easy one. What is the oldest city in all of France? HINT: It dates back to 600 BC.

Question #7: The Sami’s are an early native people of what country?

Question #8: What is the largest of the Balearic Islands?

Question #9: Do you remember the name of my favorite bartender from the MS Rotterdam’s Ocean Bar?

Question #10: How long is a nautical mile?

Tie Breaker: Where did I get my bangs trimmed on the spur of the moment?

Answers: