This is a long one, but it's a good story!
So after our amazing day in Monaco and Monte Carlo, we went back with our group to the dock. Realizing that this was the last day we were going to be in France, we decided to ditch the group and find a bakery, then head back to the ship later. (How often do you get to eat French bread in France!?!) The tender boats were going all day long, so we weren't worried about getting back any time soon. (I learned a lot on this trip--one item being that to "tender" in to a port means that it's too small for the cruise ship, so we get on little boats off the ship which take us into the port.)
We convinced another couple to come with us, and found a little bakery right on the corner. We bought a bunch of stuff (again Janet, I could have really used you there!!!) mostly annoying the French gal who kept rolling her eyes at these stupid Americans who couldn't make up their mind let alone pronounce anything correctly. Then we wandered over to a park where it looked like a soccer game was commencing. We hung out and ate our delicacies, then gave up on the soccer game ever starting and headed back to the dock.
Back on the ship, we ate dinner at the buffet since we were too late for our seating in the main restaurant. We hung out in one of the lounges with the same couple, and thought it was odd that the ship hadn't moved yet. (Cue ominous background music) Heading back to our room, I decided to take a shower that night because we were supposed to be meeting our tour at 8:00 AM the next morning, which meant we had to be getting off the boat at 7:30-ish, and my hair was in desperate need of a wash. While I was thus showering, a long announcement came over the loudspeakers that I couldn't understand. When I got out, I asked Dave what the deal was that required such a long announcement. He told me the ship was broken, the cruise was cancelled, and we were not going to be in Florence in the morning. Very funny, I told him. What's REALLY going on? Now, if you know Dave, you know that I was pretty justified in this response. However, he was telling the truth.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???
No lie, the ship was indeed broken (rudder problem), the cruise was not going to happen, and the Powers That Be had no idea what to tell us. We'll work on it tonight, they said, and let you know more in the morning. Sure, as if any of us could sleep after that! Visions of "Titanic" were flashing through my mind, and as this was our first time on a BOAT, I had no idea what to expect. "This never happens!" everyone kept saying, but here it was our first cruise and it was happening, so what next?
The Powers told us that we would stay there for the night, and the tender boats would be available for our use the next day from 7:00 AM to 10:30 PM. They also had tours available for Nice and Monaco, should we desire to give them more money. Ha! They hoped to be able to give us more information the next night. So we went to bed, with no idea what to do the next day except explore some more, seeing as how there weren't really any other options besides staying on the boat, and hey, we were still in France!
The next day we went to Nice with the same couple we had hung out with the night before. We decided to just wander and find what we could find. We went to their Flower Market, which was SO fun--I love seeing the wares and markets of other cultures! What a fun way to shop for groceries! We got some more bread (YUM) and some pastries. Wandered some more and found a gelato shop next to the City Office building, where a protest was going on involving a bunch of college-age kids. I asked one boy why they were protesting, and he said it was because the government had just raised the retirement age from 60 to 62. Odd that they would worry about that, but it was interesting to watch! We ate some gelato and watched them march away, only to find them later next to a park by the beach. They had flares and some funky music and seemed to be having a great time!
We wandered through the park, taking some fun pictures and admiring the architecture and sculptures around it. Crossed the street after the protest parade and went to the beach. "Beach" being a loose term here--it was the weirdest beach I'd ever seen! No sand, except for a few squares inserted in the rocks. The "beach" was all rocks--various sizes, but all rocks. They looked like river rocks, smooth and round, the little ones getting tossed by the tide. (Found a few to commemorate the day) We found a bunch of "sea glass" for our cruise director too (small pieces of glass made smooth and round by the tide). She collects them, but was unable to come with us as she was spending the day on the ship trying to arrange travel for the group. (No small feat as the phone lines were jammed and the internet service laughable. With 2,000 people trying to make their own arrangements, it was pretty crazy.) We then wandered around a medieval castle, took some pictures of the amazing view from the top, and eventually headed back to the boat.
At dinner that night we discovered that everyone in our group of 34 was planning on going home. The cruise was offering busses back to Barcelona, and one night in a hotel there. Then, we were supposed to find a flight home on our own. The soonest they were able to fly home was the following Wednesday or Thursday. Dave and I decided that since we had already been to Barcelona, the kids were taken care of and work was not expecting him back any time soon, we were going to stay and make the most of what time we had left. We packed fast and furious that night, and were on one of the first boats off the ship the next morning.
Now, the "REAL" adventure begins--stay tuned for the next great escapade in the thrill of uncertainty!
So after our amazing day in Monaco and Monte Carlo, we went back with our group to the dock. Realizing that this was the last day we were going to be in France, we decided to ditch the group and find a bakery, then head back to the ship later. (How often do you get to eat French bread in France!?!) The tender boats were going all day long, so we weren't worried about getting back any time soon. (I learned a lot on this trip--one item being that to "tender" in to a port means that it's too small for the cruise ship, so we get on little boats off the ship which take us into the port.)
We convinced another couple to come with us, and found a little bakery right on the corner. We bought a bunch of stuff (again Janet, I could have really used you there!!!) mostly annoying the French gal who kept rolling her eyes at these stupid Americans who couldn't make up their mind let alone pronounce anything correctly. Then we wandered over to a park where it looked like a soccer game was commencing. We hung out and ate our delicacies, then gave up on the soccer game ever starting and headed back to the dock.
Back on the ship, we ate dinner at the buffet since we were too late for our seating in the main restaurant. We hung out in one of the lounges with the same couple, and thought it was odd that the ship hadn't moved yet. (Cue ominous background music) Heading back to our room, I decided to take a shower that night because we were supposed to be meeting our tour at 8:00 AM the next morning, which meant we had to be getting off the boat at 7:30-ish, and my hair was in desperate need of a wash. While I was thus showering, a long announcement came over the loudspeakers that I couldn't understand. When I got out, I asked Dave what the deal was that required such a long announcement. He told me the ship was broken, the cruise was cancelled, and we were not going to be in Florence in the morning. Very funny, I told him. What's REALLY going on? Now, if you know Dave, you know that I was pretty justified in this response. However, he was telling the truth.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???
No lie, the ship was indeed broken (rudder problem), the cruise was not going to happen, and the Powers That Be had no idea what to tell us. We'll work on it tonight, they said, and let you know more in the morning. Sure, as if any of us could sleep after that! Visions of "Titanic" were flashing through my mind, and as this was our first time on a BOAT, I had no idea what to expect. "This never happens!" everyone kept saying, but here it was our first cruise and it was happening, so what next?
The Powers told us that we would stay there for the night, and the tender boats would be available for our use the next day from 7:00 AM to 10:30 PM. They also had tours available for Nice and Monaco, should we desire to give them more money. Ha! They hoped to be able to give us more information the next night. So we went to bed, with no idea what to do the next day except explore some more, seeing as how there weren't really any other options besides staying on the boat, and hey, we were still in France!
The next day we went to Nice with the same couple we had hung out with the night before. We decided to just wander and find what we could find. We went to their Flower Market, which was SO fun--I love seeing the wares and markets of other cultures! What a fun way to shop for groceries! We got some more bread (YUM) and some pastries. Wandered some more and found a gelato shop next to the City Office building, where a protest was going on involving a bunch of college-age kids. I asked one boy why they were protesting, and he said it was because the government had just raised the retirement age from 60 to 62. Odd that they would worry about that, but it was interesting to watch! We ate some gelato and watched them march away, only to find them later next to a park by the beach. They had flares and some funky music and seemed to be having a great time!
We wandered through the park, taking some fun pictures and admiring the architecture and sculptures around it. Crossed the street after the protest parade and went to the beach. "Beach" being a loose term here--it was the weirdest beach I'd ever seen! No sand, except for a few squares inserted in the rocks. The "beach" was all rocks--various sizes, but all rocks. They looked like river rocks, smooth and round, the little ones getting tossed by the tide. (Found a few to commemorate the day) We found a bunch of "sea glass" for our cruise director too (small pieces of glass made smooth and round by the tide). She collects them, but was unable to come with us as she was spending the day on the ship trying to arrange travel for the group. (No small feat as the phone lines were jammed and the internet service laughable. With 2,000 people trying to make their own arrangements, it was pretty crazy.) We then wandered around a medieval castle, took some pictures of the amazing view from the top, and eventually headed back to the boat.
At dinner that night we discovered that everyone in our group of 34 was planning on going home. The cruise was offering busses back to Barcelona, and one night in a hotel there. Then, we were supposed to find a flight home on our own. The soonest they were able to fly home was the following Wednesday or Thursday. Dave and I decided that since we had already been to Barcelona, the kids were taken care of and work was not expecting him back any time soon, we were going to stay and make the most of what time we had left. We packed fast and furious that night, and were on one of the first boats off the ship the next morning.
Now, the "REAL" adventure begins--stay tuned for the next great escapade in the thrill of uncertainty!
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