Foodtopia Moments

This afternoon we ate at the Anima e' Sapori (Soul and Taste) restaurant in Rome, just outside of Piazza Navona. For lunch, we had some Bruschetta, a mixed salad, spaghetti carbonara, and a pizza with buffalo mozzarella, zucchini, and anchovies.

When in Rome...

We left the condo in Campomarino this morning around 6:30, and arrived in Rome around 10:30. There was no traffic this morning, which is a change from what I normally encounter near Rome. Aggie and I checked into the hotel and wasted little time before heading out to see some things that we had yet to see in Rome.

We visited the Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth) made famous in the movie Roman Holiday. Then we ventured to the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica to see the new placement on Pope John Paul II’s tomb. He was recently moved from the catacombs underneath the basilica into the main church. We also ventured past the Coliseum, which we have both seen before just never together. We finished up our sightseeing at Piazza Navona where we ate lunch and had some gelato.

Tonight we are at the Hilton Rome Airport hotel. It is about a 4 star American hotel in a land of 2 star hotels. It is also connected right to the airport. Flight home is 10:10 tomorrow morning.

All Good Things…

All good things must come to an end. As such, my time in Europe this year is also coming to an end. It has been fun, and exhausting both physically and emotionally. Today I feel drained, but also anxious to get back to the States (first to see family and friends, and second I have Phillies tickets for August 18). Aggie and I are all packed except for a few electronics (like the laptop I am using). We need to shut off the water and power, unplug the fridge, and bring in the patio furniture and bike. The car is already up on blocks and that it the toughest part. This year we managed to do it without injury. However, thanks to the mechanic who worked on the breaks, I cannot remove the tire this year. It was a security measure, but our car gate is more secure this year, so we do not need to take the tire off.

Today is the big Italian holiday of Ferragosto. Everyone in the condos around me is eating outside like us. We had pasta, chicken, eggplant, and beets. It was delicious. It is customary to eat chicken this holiday. We made it to the beach this morning as I took one last dip in the Adriatic for this year.

Last night, Aggie and I were too tired to head into Termoli, so we stayed in Campomarino and went to see the latest circus that is visiting (the fifth this summer). Circus Arbell was pretty interesting. For seven Euros it was worth every penny. They had a bunch of acts including a jungle cat exhibition. As they were setting up the protective cage for the lions and tigers, the circus opened up their traveling zoo for only one Euro. We were able to go behind the scenes of a traveling circus to see the animals from the show.

Tomorrow morning around 6 a.m. we are leaving the beach for the hustle and bustle of Rome. Normally I am put off by all of the activity, but I think the cruise prepared me for a tourist trap city. Rome is nice, until you leave it and see nicer.

Foodtopia Moments

Our dinner tonight is sausage baked with veggies. I added zucchini, eggplant, red and yellow peppers, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and garlic. Tossed with a little olive oil and salt, the stuff is amazing.

Have Car, Will Travel

For only the second time this summer I woke up in possession of a car that I could use. We wasted little time heading out to Torremaggiore, Italy, before 9 a.m. Our destination: the cemetery. We went to see the graves of family members who have passed on, as well as to see the memorial that I began working on before I returned to New Jersey last year. The ceramic photo on the memorial is now up, and the memorial is complete. The florist near the cemetery in Torremaggiore, however, was closed today.

Getting to Torremaggiore took me through some of the richest farmland in the world. The country roads that wind through the farm towns were pretty busy, especially for a Sunday. However, for a holiday weekend I expected more traffic. Tomorrow is the big Italian summer holiday of Ferragosto. As with everything here, there is a religious meaning to it. Around here, people just take a day off from work, head to the beach, and eat roasted chicken.

The car I have is the “soon to be in America” version of the Fiat 500. The Cinque Cento is a world famous classic car model that Fiat has been churning out for ages. They redesign it here and there, but recently went back to a classic look.

We have already begun the preparations for our departure. Since we returned to Campomarino yesterday evening, we have done about six loads of laundry (at more than two hours in the wash for each load), gardening (vines that keep growing back), sweeping, and we covered the couch. We still need to strip the bed, put the car on blocks, and bring in all of the patio furniture and bike. We can do all of that tomorrow.

Foodtopia Moments - Padna

In Padna, Slovenia, we tasted some of the local delicacies including fried anchovy with tomato, but the best to me was very simple: fresh picked figs for only one Euro. We also saw a loaf of bread shaped like a pig made by one of the villagers.

Foodtopia Moments - Murano

While visiting the Island of Murano near Venice, Aggie and I stopped for lunch. My appetizer was a dish of fresh sardines (as opposed to canned sardines) that were lightly fried, then marinated with olive oil and vinegar. They were then topped with a mixture of cooked onions, raisons, and pine nuts. It was delicious going down, but I had indigestion afterwards. We each had spaghetti carbonara and fried calamari for our dinner.

Foodtopia Moments - Dubrovnik

In Dubrovnik, Croatia, we wanted to sample some local cuisine. They have a similar taste as the Italians living in port cities, so we needed to look around. We started with a plate of tagliatelle egg noodles with goat cheese, zucchini, and tomatoes in a light olive oil. It was wonderful. For an entrée, Aggie had chicken in a Dijon and grappa cream sauce. I had roasted veal stuffed with a pesto made of smoked pancetta and almonds.

Venice

The last day of the cruise has sadly arrived. We have enjoyed each day and port (well most of them), and will miss the Voyager of the Seas. Today, we woke up at 6:30 a.m. to head to the 12th floor deck to watch as we headed to our port by riding through the Grande Canal here in Venice. It was a beautiful sight as we passed Piazza di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale. We headed out on the town today, taking advantage of the water bus system. We saw and shopped on the Rialto Bridge, went to the glass blowing island of Murano, toured the Palazzo Ducale, and witnessed the splendor of the Basilica of San Marco. Tonight was also our last night in the dining room. Our waiters have be wonderful and brutally honest at times. Our table was pretty young with Aggie and I as the oldest people at the table of six. We sat with a couple of guys from Liverpool, England, and a young couple from Nuremberg, Germany. Overall, I totally recommend sailing with Royal Caribbean.

Day at Sea

Yesterday, we spent the day at sea. It was a good time to catch up on relaxation, and enjoy some of what the ship had to offer. We have a room overlooking the Royal Promenade, a four-floor high lobby spanning from forward to aft. It is home to shops, bars, and a café. Our room has a window looking out from the top of the lobby so we can watch what is happening on the main floor of the ship. It was the perfect viewpoint for the parade. Our room attendant, Junior, even made us some pets for the room.

Dubrovnik

On Wednesday, we woke up in Dubrovnik, Croatia. We had no excursions booked, so we took a shuttle to the Old City. It was a beautiful town, arguably the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to. The water was clear and blue, the air was clean, the town was polished, and the people were very nice and proud of their heritage. We took a cable car to a lookout point in the mountains next to the city. The panoramic view was spectacular. We then went back down to the town, and we walked the city walls. Dubrovnik is a walled city that has the wall intact and open for tourists to walk. Croatia is not part of the EU, so our Euros were only slightly more useful that dollars, however the exchange rate was fantastic. Something that was 230 Kuni was only 31 Euros. Dubrovnik was a beautiful city, and one that I will look to revisit someday soon.

We spent the entire day there, returning to the ship only about 45 minutes before the all aboard. Then we watched the ship sail out to sea. After dinner, we watched the ice skating show, then we saw The Beatle Maniacs, a Beatles tribute band. They played for about 2 hours and knew the catalog well. After the concert, we headed back to our room to watch the Royal Promenade Parade from our in room window.

Bari - Alberobello

When I last posted online I was sitting in a lounge 14 floors above the sea while docked in Ravenna, Italy. It was a beach town, and after five weeks in a prettier Italian beach town, Ravenna was not a big time port for us.

On Tuesday, we woke up in Bari, Italy. We were under the impression that the main part of the Old City would be right by the port, but it was about a 30-minute walk because of the winding way the port was situated and the placement of our ship. We were in port from 11 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. We had an excursion booked from 12:15 until 5:45 p.m. Aside from the excursion to Alberobello, Aggie wanted to visit the church of San Nicola. We managed to get off the boat at 11:05, hire a cab who took us to the church steps, visit the cathedral and the tomb of San Nicola, buy souvenirs, and return to the ship by noon. The trip to Alberobello was a hot one. The bus air conditioning worked, but they did not keep it on too high, and we were sweating by the time we disembarked. We arrived in Alberobello, home of the Trulli style houses, at about 2, and it had to have been about 95 degrees out. We walked about two miles that day. Alberobello is a beautiful town with a UNESCO World Heritage Sight designation. It is an absolutely beautiful, sun washed town that has never lost its past splendor. There is no town like it in the world.

When we returned to the dock, we decided to stay on the ship instead of heading into Bari one last time. Most businesses were closed for the August holiday period, and we had already seen the San Nicola church. Bari has some coastal beaches too, but at 5:45, it was too late to head there. So we showered and hit the Royal Promenade aboard the ship. We shopped, dined, and played in the casino. To end the night, one of the six official Elton John impersonators was performing in the main lounge. He was good, but Elton John’s popular playlist is a little slow for 10 p.m.

Venice to Koper to Ravenna

It’s hard to believe that it is already day three of our Adriatic cruise. The Voyager of the Seas has been a great ship, and Royal Caribbean truly is a class above the competition. We left Venice just as we were beginning to sit for dinner. The views of Saint Marc’s Square as we headed down the Grande Canal on our way out to sea were breathtaking. That night, after dinner, we were bushed after not sleeping the entire night before so we went to bed early.

When we awoke to breakfast in bed (room service at 7:15 a.m.) on day two, we were in Koper, Slovenia. We met a family while in Venice who told us that there was nothing to see in Slovenia, and we would be better off staying on the ship. I am so glad that we did not listen to her. We booked a tour called Panoramic Koper, and it took us through the town of Izola to the town of Piran. It was a perfect, post-card worthy fishing village on the Adriatic. No hustle and bustle, just the enjoyment of life. Then we headed through the gorgeous beach resort town of Portoroz on our way to Padna. When we arrived in Padna, the villagers had created culinary delights for us to taste. The town itself looks like time has stood still for the past 200 years. It was like we stepped back in time. After Padna, we headed back to the port in Koper, all along the way listening to the guide give us the history of the region. We walked around the town of Koper, which was mostly closed due to it being a Sunday, and then headed back aboard the ship.

Last night, we saw the Broadway Show on the main stage then gambled until it was time for the Captain’s Meet and Greet. That event was packed, probably because they were giving out free glasses champagne. We mixed a few rum and Cokes with the Cuban rum we snuck on board, and just relaxed most of the night. The ship has two movie channels with some hit movies that I have never seen, so whenever I am in the room, I throw one on. I’ve been one month without American television, and the TV I do have in Campomarino has no volume because the satellite dish needs adjusting. So essentially the TV is a picture box.

Today we woke up in Ravenna, Italy (add yawn here). After one month in Italy spending my afternoons in a nicer beach town area, this industrial port town is not wowing me. We got off the ship, walked along the water’s edge, decided not to pay the $50 transport fee into the town (a town that lacks historical importance), and got back on the boat. We tanned by the pool and hit up the hot tub. For lunch, we didn’t want to head to the buffet, and 35 days of Italian food have left me wanting something different. We found that something in Johnny Rockets. There’s one on the ship. I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t eaten anything remotely close to a hamburger in more than a month, probably closer to two, or what, but it was absolutely delicious. All we had to pay was a $4.95 cover fee to get in, and we could eat as much as we wanted. I had a double cheeseburger with bacon and a fried egg added to it. The food was delicious, and Johnny Rockets gets my stamp of approval for a burger. This was my first time ever eating at one.

Tomorrow we will be in Bari and Alberobello, then on Wednesday we will head to Dubrovnik, Croatia. I will try to post at least some photos tomorrow of Bari and Alberobello, otherwise I likely won’t have access until I’m back in Venice on Friday.

Finally Arrived in Venice

After a train ride right out of Satan’s imagination, we finally arrived in Venice. It has been a while getting here, and we haven’t slept in about 37 hours, but we are aboard Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas. The train, which was scheduled to depart at 11:52 p.m. didn’t leave until nearly 1 a.m. We had a room with 4 other strangers and had no room for our luggage, meaning we had to leave it on a rack in the hallway and watch it. The room was hot (no air conditioning), and our water was stolen by some gypsy. All things considered, stealing a 30 cent bottle of water was the least that the person could’ve taken.

We arrived in Venice this morning tired, groggy, and depleted of energy. However, after a round of espressos, we were ready to hit the cruise terminal, drop off our luggage, and head into the heart of Venice…Piazza di San Marco. We saw the Bridge of Sighs, passed the Doge’s Palace, and San Marc’s Basilica. We also roamed around the town visiting churches and other bridges, watching the gondolas, and we had a butcher make us a fresh lunchmeat sandwich. The prepared sandwiches that sit out are for tourists who know no better.

Now we have checked in and boarded the ship we are about to head to the room for the first time. We will probably collapse from exhaustion there.

Foodtopia Moments

Last night’s dinner in Termoli was a bit much. Aggie had a mixed plate of fish as an appetizer, and ravioli with some sort of shellfish for dinner. I had a bowl of mussels (not pictured) for the third night in a row, followed by a mixed plate of fried fish. The heads and remains of which are also pictured.