There’s Always Time For Dog Cuddles

There I am in the middle of La Coruña, Spain, when I come across a chubby but loveable dachshund. He was just waiting for me to hug him. For real. Tail wagging enthusiastically and everything. So I did. And the owners loved it. Even a language barrier (though I do speak some Spanish) couldn’t stop these owners from appreciating someone who loved their fur baby almost as much as they did.

After my quick pit stop to hug the dog (who will be forever known by me as “fat dachshund” since I’ve forgotten his name), we continued onto Torres de Hércules. It’s supposed to be the oldest lighthouse in the world that is still in use. The Romans built it in the 2nd century, so yeah, it’s OLD. literally ancient. Lynda and I were the brave souls amongst the four of us who wanted to climb the tower in order to check out the views at the top. It was 230 steps… not bad, I think. I only managed thirty minutes on the bicycle at the gym this morning, so why not get in another aerobic workout and take in some beautiful scenery at the same time? And beautiful it was. WOW. The water in La Coruña is something to behold… a gorgeous aquamarine, turquoise color. So enticing you wished you could just dive into it if it weren’t for the fact that the waves would knock you flat on your you-know-what, and the frigid temperature would probably put most into cardiac arrest!

Still, it was nice to take in the views of the water from the top of the tower. Totally worth the climb. Check out this amazing vista:

 After we descended, we headed back into town and I kept talking about “fat dachshund”. Was he still at the café where we had spotted him, lazing away the afternoon while his owners enjoyed their beers? So of course I wanted to breeze by and see for myself. Besides, Andrew likes his afternoon coffee and cake so what better place to do that where I could also enjoy the company of the cutest dachshund I had ever seen?

Suffice it to say, “fat dachshund” WAS there, and the owners were only too happy to snap that pic of me hugging their enthusiastic tail wagger. Meanwhile, the four of us relaxed for a bit, and I had the most delicious tiramisu I’ve ever tasted (FYI it was more expensive than the glass of Spanish rioja I also enjoyed). You gotta love a country where alcohol is cheaper than food. Yay Spain! As we sail out of the harbor, leaving our final port behind, I wish “fat dachshund” a fond farewell and hope he continues to make other passersby as happy as he made me. Adios mi perro!!!

Sea Day or Sick Day?

You know it’s a rough day at sea when the barf bags are hanging from the ships’ stairwells. So far, I have yet to witness anyone using them, but let’s see what happens later this evening, after everyone’s had a few cocktails. As for me, I don’t get seasick or any kind of motion sickness thankfully. But I guess there’s always a first time and let’s hope it’s not aboard the Independence of the Seas!

Truth be told, I’ve kind of enjoyed the ship rocking back and forth. I found it comforting when I was trying to sleep last night. Perhaps it brought back memories of my mom rocking me to sleep as a child? Nah. I doubt I even had a crib that “rocked”. But I do like being on the water and the movement of it makes me feel peaceful.

Fast forward to this morning, when we arrived a bit later than usual to the upstairs dining room (known on all Royal Caribbean related ships as “The Windjammer Café”) and discovered they were already putting breakfast away a half hour ahead of schedule. Let’s just say Mother Laura and I were not pleased about this, and our cabin number was taken by one of the captains of the waitstaff. On the other hand, I get it. No one wants to stay late when no one is coming in to eat. But the dining room was PACKED and people were still enjoying their breakfasts. Do you really think breaking down the buffet thirty minutes ahead of schedule was the appropriate thing to do? Especially since we are “at sea” and literally have nowhere to go? I think not. Okay, I admit I am on a soapbox here, but working in the industry makes me more sensitive to these types of behaviors… or misbehaviors.

What does our breakfast debacle have to do with the barf bags? Dunno. Hopefully nothing, unless  unless the kitchen is planning something dastardly in retaliation for this morning. Here’s to hoping for a pleasant dinner experience!

Slip Slidin’ Away!

Thankfully we were mainly doing the latter on our wonderful toboggan, courtesy of our pair of drivers.  Welcome to Madeira, an island of Portugal, where toboggans were used back in the day to transport people up and down the steep hills. Now, it’s a tourist attraction and what fun it is (and totally worth the wait)! But to do this, we had to first take a cable car ride to the top of the mountain to Monte. Check out this view along the way:

Once at the top, we lined up for our toboggan rides. I watched from a distance as other people set off down the winding streets aboard their toboggans and I was so excited for my turn! I was reminded of the alpine slides they used to have at a placed called Action Park in Vernon Valley, NJ. Some of my Jersey pals will remember it. You rode a sled down a cement track with questionable brakes and limited steering capabilities. Yeah, cause that sounds safe for teenagers! (Probably why it closed in the mid 90s.) Go to 3:40 to learn all about the skin ripping, sled malfunctioning terror of the alpine slide at Action Park: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x158v48

Annnnnyyyywaaaay, I digress. Luckily we had no mishaps on our sled, thanks to our very skillful drivers. The joyful photo of me and my mom on our wooden toboggan was actually captured by a professional photographer. No, even my selfie stick isn’t long enough to capture that kind of image! They have various photographers planted all along the route to make sure they get a “picture perfect” photo of you and your loved one. And then, of course, they are there as you exit your toboggan with your photo ALREADY printed AND in a beautiful folder to boot for your purchasing pleasure… and purchase it I did. (And so did everyone else in my tour group!)  And for 10 euro, who could blame us? 10 euro for a phenomenal photographic memory of your toboggan thrill ride? Now that’s what I call brilliant marketing.

If only the embroidery shop we stopped at next used the same marketing strategy. I gotta say, they didn’t do anything to inspire us to purchase their wares. That said, does anyone really want an embroidered tablecloth for $6,000? I sure don’t. Half the bus skipped the stop and hightailed it to the ice cream shop down the street. I was super jealous of their savvy. I’ve been craving a scoop of coffee ice cream the whole trip!

At least the Madeira wine shop gave us free wine samples. If you want me to buy alcohol, best way to do that is give me a complimentary taste. The best way to describe Madeira wine is to say that it reminds me of a sweet dessert wine. I don’t think I’ll be purchasing a bottle for personal consumption anytime soon, but I sure didn’t mind the giveaway. Cheers, everyone!

Three Coins In The Fountain

Or in this case, make it one. Thanks, mom, for the coin toss. As an artist, I’m all about wishes. Wishing for roles, wishing for the right words in my writing, wishing that the right feelings come out at the exact moment I need them for a scene. I probably make a wish on something at LEAST once a day. And I’m okay with that. Wishes to me are tied to hope. And personally, I don’t want to live without either. You just have to make sure both are channeled into the right place or else you end up in Fantasy Land (which is great for a day, but not a place I want to spend my life)!

So today was about bigger wishes than usual. It doesn’t really matter what they were about. Just that they were important. I came across that fountain on our way back to the ship. It was so random and unexpected that I offhandedly asked my mom to make a wish. I mean, why not? What could it hurt? But then everything turned around right after that coin was tossed in such a way that I have to wonder, was it really random? People always tease me about my steadfast belief in things happening for a reason, and today’s coin toss shows me I’m not so silly as they think.

So… as I sit on my balcony, feeling the warmth of the late afternoon sun on my face and the peaceful sound of the waves, I want to say thank you, and be grateful for this moment.

It’s A Dog’s Life

I know… who doesn’t love a dog in a basket? Okay, there are those of you who are indifferent to an animal’s charm. I get it. Well actually I don’t, but I at least try to TOLERATE it. However, even those of you animal naysayers out there can’t help but love a dog wearing goggle sunglasses. Seriously. It’s real. His name is Pancho and he lives in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (one of the Canary Islands). And for those of you who are wondering, Poncho’s smile is real too. Pomeranians (which is the breed Poncho is) have what is known as “resting smile face”. I walk a dog named Azi and his smile is as big and bright as Poncho’s. And heck, it beats looking at resting you-know-what face any day. No one needs that negativity!

So, given that Pancho’s smiling face is what greeted me as I left my cruise ship, I just knew it was going to be a great day. And it was. It wasn’t the whirlwind albeit amazing dual excursion of yesterday. No catamarans or a jeep ride around the island. No, today was just about relaxing on the beach. And relax we did. We went to Las Canteras beach and enjoyed sun, and later on, sangria. And no day would be complete without floating in the water on our inflatable Doodles.

Only Andrew, Lynda and I ended up in the water. We couldn’t get my mom to come in. It was nice nevertheless and we ended up talking to some guy who told us he had lived in Virginia and NYC before coming back to the island. He emphatically told me how much he disliked NYC, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him that’s where I lived. Different strokes for different folks, right? It was hard to drag ourselves out of the water and make our way back to the ship.

By the way, Lynda and I tried to venture up to the waterslide again but it was closed! Talk about sad!!! We will have to save that for another day. I’m just grateful to be here and making memories with good friends. And so off to dinner I go and then onto an ice skating performance. Gotta love a ship that has an ice skating rink.

Time to sit back and watch the sunset from my balcony:

Not bad, huh? Hope you get to enjoy your own sunsets… wherever you might be!

Who Says You Can’t Be In Two Places At Once?

It’s always been my dream come true… I mean, how much more productive would I be if I could split myself in two? Can’t decide what party to attend? No problem… go to both! Want to make money at work, but still want to get more sleep? Easy. Let one half of  you go make some moolah while the other half stays home in bed. Oh, if only that were possible! Well… imagine my surprise when I discovered it WAS possible. At least on camera anyway. The wonders of technology!

After spending the morning on a catamaran where we drank delightful sangria and floated on our Noodles (actually called Doodles when they’re inflatable apparently), we were whisked away by a professional photographer for a tour of the island. Her name is Antonina and her company, Photo Safari Lanzarote, is AMAZING! The four of us were lucky to have this lovely, knowledgable guide all to ourselves and she took us for a personalized tour of the island. Lanzarote is an island of over 130 volcanoes (all inactive thankfully), and the landscapes and views we were privy to were just breathtaking. It was like being on the moon, but with blue skies! There is no way we could’ve seen and done what we did without the wonderful Toni. And that she gave us photography lessons along the way was an unexpected added bonus we were all truly grateful for.

We kept saying it, but it truly was the best day. I got to sail out on a catamaran in the morning and zip around the island in the afternoon and I didn’t even have to divide myself in two!

Come With Me and Escape

Remember that Rupert Holmes song? The same guy who wrote “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”? (True story.) Isn’t ringing any bells? It’s okay, it’s a 70s thing… all about drinking piña coladas and getting caught in the rain. What does that have to do with me? Not much. I haven’t even had a pina colada on this vacation. The escape part? Well, that IS definitely relevant. Vacations are a form of escape, but so far, I’ve been struggling with the escape part. Real life always looms on the horizon.

So it was wonderful to have a literal escape on our second day at sea, in the form of an escape room. I’ve never done one before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m happy to report they are super fun! It’s a mind bending, puzzle solving experience. Our fabulous foursome joined forces with three other people in an attempt to escape an observatory. But I think the point was to bring the observatory back online. What does that mean? I dunno. I just wanted to win.

We had 50 minutes to escape the room. Again, what do they mean by “escape”? I still have no idea. We did pretty well for the first half, but then it all fell apart. I can’t give away too much about the room, for future escapees. I have to say, it was REALLY hard. I still wasn’t sure what we were escaping from and where we were going when we got out. At the end of the day, we lost. The person running the room claimed only 30% of the people actually get out, but I wasn’t sure if I believed him.

At the end of the day, it was nice to take a break from reality and real life obligations to just have fun. And nothing more. And now… it’s time for bed. Good night, all!

Next Stop Where?

Welcome to Tram #28, supposedly the Mac Daddy tram that takes you all over Lisbon. Both tourists and locals alike use it to get around the city. And trust me, you don’t want to get around by foot. The hills are so steep, it makes a stairmaster look tame in comparison. The tram makes all those silly lists of “Things You Must Do In Lisbon”. The problem was finding it. We hopped on a different tram that was supposed to take us to Tram #28, and a french guy told us we had to get off at his stop. He’s chatting away with us the whole ride and everything seems fine. But as the french guy’s stop approaches, we ask him how to get to Tram #28 and he responds “Oh, I don’t know what that is.” (Imagine the french accent – it makes it all the more comical.) Ummmm… what? Did I misunderstand his English or his accent when he told us we had to get off at his stop? Dunno, but we were lost again.

A local started pointing in too many different directions for me to keep track of, so we finally decided to take a taxi to the tram. I know, I know. We totally took a taxi so we could then take public transportation. Go figure. Remember the not-to-be-missed lists I mentioned earlier!

We finally found the tram, and I must say, it was nice to ride a piece of history and take in all the sights of the city. We caught a glimpse of our ship from the tram (the gigantic water slide is hard to miss) and we figured it was a sign our ride was over. Just in time too. Those trams certainly shake, rattle and roll! We wandered downhill, through the streets of Lisbon and even hit a stand where we could try Ginha, a cherry liqueur that is local to the area. (It was delicious!)

Today was one of those days where you just had to “go with the flow” as Andrew said because from one moment to the next, I wasn’t sure where we were going to end up. But I guess as long as we made it back to the ship before it sailed out, that’s all that matters. And check out this view as we headed back out to sea:

Young At Heart

Oh lord it’s the second day in a row that I’m referencing a Frank song. But hey, it was one of my dad’s favorite artists and it’s fitting of my sentiment at the moment.

Diving into the frigid waters of Samir beach today in Vigo Spain was something I’d do as a kid... “just because”.  The water was freezing and the outside air temperature wasn’t exactly conducive to taking a dip in frigid waters. But when you’re a kid, that doesn’t matter. You want to do those kind of things... just because.

After getting back from the beach, I dragged our crew up to the top deck of the ship to the water slide. It’s pretty massive, especially for a cruise ship. But I wanted to go on it... just because. Andrew and I ventured up first. I have to be honest,  the higher we climbed, the faster my heart began to race (and it wasn’t because of my stair workout). No, I was thinking “What the hell did I get myself into?” I looked out over the railing and said to Andrew “Wow... this is far up.’ And he kind of nervously laughed and said “Yeah, we’re pretty high up aren’t we.” But just like the resolve I felt in the cold water that morning, there was no way I was turning back now. My pride wouldn’t allow it! As we got to the top and the guy told us what to do so we didn’t hurt ourselves, I started thinking, “Oh my god what am I doing?? Maybe I’m too old for this!”  Right before I climbed into my tube, I turned to Andrew and said, “You scared?” He said “Yea, a little” and I said “Me too.” And we high fived and went for it. And I laughed the entire way down like a silly little girl. When I got to the bottom, I convinced Lynda she had to do it with me, she was unsure. But I got her to “give it a go” as the Brits like to say, and up  we went.

And when we got to the bottom, like me, she was laughing like a kid, and then it was Lynda who begged me to do it one more time.

So sometimes you just have days where you need to let your inner child come out and do things... just because.

(I Did It) My Way

At least that’s what the Jack Pack told me when they sang the famous Frank Sinatra song at their performance tonight. In case you don’t know, the Jack Pack was a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent a few year’s back. Imagine Michael Buble x 4… yeah, totally pleasing on the eyes and ears. Look ‘em up… super adorable.

What I liked about them was that they really DID seem to be doing it their way, and they were having fun DOING it. And that was the theme of my day, albeit not as fun I suspect. I did some exercising, played some Bingo (and lost) and recorded two-self tape auditions in my cabin. Not bad for a day at sea, huh?

A part of me would have preferred parking myself on a deck chair and just reading a book all day, but life continues to happen – even when you’re on vacation - and sometimes  work has to get done. But I guess if I get to end my day with some good entertainment and good conversation with friends, it’s not so bad.

Food for thought to the Jack Pack... apparently they lost in the finals of Britain’s Got Talent, getting only 10% of the audience vote. The song they picked? None other “My Way”. My British friends told me that same song is played at a lot of funerals in England. Hmmmm.... perhaps the boys should’ve picked a song that isn’t associated with death in their homeland? Maybe they would’ve garnered more votes if they had sung something happier like “You Make Me Feel So Young” or “Nice ’N Easy”? Just sayin’.

Good night, all!

Off We Go, Into the Wild Blue Yonder!

I know the “wild blue yonder” normally refers to the skies, but it feels appropriate as I look out into the ocean from my balcony. Of course, it’s not the enormous veranda from last year. Suffice it to say, we won’t be hosting any soirées here! No, this is a balcony, and it’s small, but it certainly does the trick. And it’s absolutely delightful to  sit out here at the end of the day and reflect on everything that’s happened.

And what a day it has been! I already spilled a glass of water in my purse before I ever had my first drink, but we need not go into my clumsiness. The best part of today was reuniting with our friends Lynda and Andrew, who we met on last year’s cruise. That’s all of us in the photo, standing on what they call the “promenade”. Royal Caribbean is the only cruise line that has them as far as I know. They are pretty magnificent and you forget you’re on a ship. Think of it as a mini mall, full of bars, restaurants and stores. And yes, automobiles. I haven’t seen the car on this ship yet, but Royal Caribbean ships have an antique car on the promenade. I’m not quite sure why. Perhaps they auction it off to the highest bidder. I couldn’t care less. I only care about the sense of nostalgia I feel when I cross the promenade. It takes me back to my teen years in New Jersey, because one thing Jersey is full of is malls.  And anyone that grew up in Bergen County, NJ spent their fair share of time at Garden State Plaza in Paramus.  (You know you did. It’s okay, I did too).

After we visited the promenade, we wanted to watch the boat sail out of the harbor. We asked a bartender if he knew what time the ship was sailing out. And two drunk people at the bar started shouting “Who knows when the ship is sailing out?” This was followed by hysterical laughter from the pair of them. Yes, I imagine you DON’T know what time the ship is sailing out, Mr. and Mrs. Drunky McDrunkerson. You probably don’t know where you are, let alone what time it is.  Never mind the fact that I was asking the bartender, not them for the information. Sigh, sometimes working in hospitality gets the better of me, but I am on vacation, after all. Might as well laugh, and get myself a cocktail and join in on the festivities.

And on that note, it’s time to do EXACTLY that. Bon voyage, all!

Every Hour Is Happy Hour In England!

Well, that’s not TOTALLY true, but it kind of feels like that… in the best possible way. It’s so good to be back in merry old England, especially on the first day of our trip. I’ve never been to Southampton before, but I love how everyone here is so welcoming and kind. For starters, the bartender/manager/concierge of the Inn where we’re staying (The Grapes Inn) lugged our bags up two flights of stairs, and as he was gasping for air, he asked us if WE wanted a drink. And I don’t think he meant water either. (In reality, I think he was the one that needed the drink after his workout.) People here actually want to take a moment and say hi. I saw faces looking OUT, instead of DOWN at their phones.

Southampton is a port town, where cruise ships depart for destinations in Europe and beyond. It is a town that is proud of their naval history. While walking around, we saw the remnants of a bombed out church and the original medieval walls of the city. It’s a city that is also modernizing itself, and they have a big shopping center near the water. It mixes old with the new, but it seems to work.

When we got back to our “inn”, mom was too tired to climb the two flights of stairs to our room right away, so why not have a drink while she worked up the energy? So we sat down and while we sipped our drinks, people talked to us and wanted to know who we were. We loved it. It wasn’t even 5:00 0’clock and the weekend was already starting for many of the locals. It was nice feeling a part of this lovely place. Our Inn is on a cobblestone pedestrian-only area, which makes it feel more cozy.

And if you feel like having a snack with your beverage of choice, feel free to munch on The Grapes’ pub snack... and I’m not talking about peanuts. I mean CRICKETS:

Wait... what? “Delicious insect snacks”... is that a thing? Apparently in Southampton, it IS. They were just sitting in a bowl, waiting for me to sample them and verify their delectability. Sorry... that’s a no. So as we toast with our glass of Prosecco and wine in the photo below, all we have left to say is, “Cheers!”

One More Sangria (Or Gelato) For The Road!

Seriously, the sangria has been absolutely divine EVERYWHERE. I wish I could sneak some onto the plane in my coffee thermos tomorrow and sip it all the way back to America! Sigh… if only. So here we are… sitting on our rooftop on our last day in Barcelona (as well as our vacation). It’s so hard when a trip comes to an end, but we can honestly say it’s been our best one so far. We’ve met so many fabulous people along the way who made our trip so very special, and they need to be named. Cindy & Steve, Helen & Jerry, Linda & Andrew, Lucy & Rick, Angela & Frank, Patrick & Renee… thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You are all such beautiful and kind people and we are grateful you spent time with us on our third annual mother/daughter extravaganza!

Speaking of extravaganzas… we decided on the next adventure, we need to incorporate some downtime at the end to simply sit down and do NOTHING. Meaning, no sightseeing or rushing to squeeze every ounce of culture into our bodies. And if it means we need to do an even LONGER vacation next year to make that happen, then all the better! And hey all the aforementioned people, if you feel like joining us on our travels, you are absolutely welcome!

So where should we go? Iceland/Denmark is on the table but as more people tell us that it rains, like A LOT, I’m thinking “Meh.” If I want grey weather, I can just go to London (which I adore for the record). Australia/New Zealand perhaps? Hmmm… it’s something like a 24 hour plane flight so they might have to hook up an I.V. That delivers bloody mary’s directly into my veins to get me through that long of a ride. (And my mom might need two Xanax instead of her normal one.) Then there’s always Alaska, which I have been told is absolutely lovely to behold. And my mom’s family might even join us which would make it extra fun. Or maybe it’s back to Europe again to absorb even more of its history because, truth be told, I can never get enough of Europe. There’s just so much to do and see and we’re both keen to see Croatia even though neither of us watch “Game of Thrones”. Wherever we go, I just have to make sure that there’s a beautiful beach in Greece at the tail end of the trip. Mykonos anyone? Or Crete perhaps? (If my mother has her way, we’ll end up in Santorini.)

As for today, we still managed to walk four miles despite our best efforts to slow down. We successfully navigated our way out of a labyrinth made up of 750 meters of cypress trees. It was super fun, though my mom came very close to crawling through a hole in one of the hedges and cheating her way out of the maze! (Of course I wouldn’t allow someone who was once an elementary school teacher to behave in such an underhanded manner.) We also saw a hospital designed by the same fellow who designed the Palau de la Música Catalana I spoke of yesterday. Remember him? Okay I’ll remind you—Lluís Domènech i Montaner—the name just rolls right off the tongue. Or not. Maybe that’s why Gaudí is more well known. His name is just easier to say! ANYwhooo… the hospital was yet another spectacular accomplishment by Montaner. Don’t worry, Gaudí, we still love you best. There’s room in our hearts to admire both of your geniuses. Check out my photos and you’ll see that if you’re ever sick, this is the place to do it in. Too bad it closed in 2009 and is now a museum whose primary purpose is to gauge money off silly tourists like us with their exorbitant admission fees.  (And we’d gladly pay it again.)

On a final note, we DID  have paella last night. Sadly, it was still a bit underwhelming. I think tonight we’ll just try to find some tapas we can somehow agree on and let it go at that. We love you, Barcelona. Perhaps we can find the ultimate paella on our next journey here.

And back to journeys, feel free to weigh in on where you think we should go next! Inquiring minds want to know. See you all back in the states!

Put A Fork In Us, We’re Done!

Not really, but we have decided the next couple of days are about doing what we want to do at our own pace. We no longer have to worry about our ship setting sail without us, so why not sit back and enjoy the last little bit of our metaphorical “vacation ride”?

We started the day off at a café near our hotel that had carrot cake pancakes… yes, I said carrot cake pancakes. Ummm, they were AMAZING. Instead of syrup, there was cream cheese filling in between the layers. My mom and I are huge fans of carrot cake and I am an even huger fan of pancakes,  so the merging of the two was like a marriage made in food heaven. I couldn’t even finish them, which truly broke my breakfast loving heart.

Since I was practically in a self-induced food coma after our meal, we immediately got ourselves on the move and took a tour of the Palau de la Musica Catalana. As Gaudi groupies, we couldn’t wait to see yet another masterpiece of this great artist, but alas, it was designed by  Lluís Domènech i Montaner (Try saying his name ten times in a row—I can’t even say it once.) Sorry Gaudi, we still love you best, but we have to admit the concert hall is a glorious structure, the centerpiece of which is a stained glass skylight that resembles a woman’s breast. Am I the only one that thinks that? It’s certainly prettier than the ceiling boob lamps we all have in our apartments in NYC. Anyone that has one of these knows what I’m talking about, but I digress (as I often do.) The building was designed so efficiently that it’s the only auditorium in Europe that is completely  illuminated during the day by natural light. Pretty cool, huh? (Apologies again, Gaudi. You still rock.)

There’s an outdoor terrace on the same floor you enter the auditorium that has picture-perfect columns surrounding you. And I do mean picture perfect. My friend took a photo out there earlier this summer and she looked like a super model. There she was, strolling across the terrace in her flowing, white dress, looking like something out of a magazine. Any moment I expected the photo to come to life and for her to say, “Light Blue… by Dolce Gabbana” (insert your favorite perfume). Hell, I would’ve bought whatever she was selling! And then there’s me… posing on that same terrace for a photograph, but only managing to look like a vagabond surrounded by other camera happy tourists like myself. No one’s buying anything from me. Not today, anyway.

We spent the rest of the day wandering around the Gothic Quarter which is the oldest section of the city apparently. It dates back to Medieval times (yes, once again I am a lover of everything Medieval thanks to all the fantasy novels I’ve read throughout my lifetime), though I discovered that much of it was demolished to make way for the 1929 World’s Fair. Sigh, commercialism always seems to trump preserving history. Despite that, it was still fun to wander through all the alleys and not worry about where we were headed. It reminded me a lot of Rome and made me miss my Italian city! While there, we managed to find ourselves in the Jewish section of the Gothic Quarter. It was very serendipitous, since we had no idea it was even there. Visiting a historic temple was the pinnacle of a very relaxing day, and we met a bunch of people who felt just as lucky as us to discover this hidden gem of Barcelona. Shout out to Carrie and Troy, our very special honeymooners.

Tonight, we are trying for Paella for the third time and you know what they say about the third time… Let’s hope it’s our lucky night!

When Being A Local Is Just Not An Option

Ladies and gentlemen, I am struggling. I feel a bit deflated today. It’s hard to assimilate into a culture that is not yours. I pride myself on being someone who can find my way around no matter where I am. I’ll download maps to my smartphone, figure out transportation options to determine which ones make the best use of my time. But today… I just felt like a fish out of water. It was just, hard. And it’s not a language barrier issue. As much as I want to be a local, i.e. know the best and fastest way to get somewhere, I am NOT in fact, a local.

The hop on/hop off bus is great… ‘til it isn’t. There are just some destinations that are too off the beaten path to be accessed by a fixed route. My mom and I saw La Sagrada Familia today, designed by the amazing Gaudi. It’s still not finished and won’t be until 2026 (one hundred years after Gaudi’s death). Poor Gaudi, never seeing the full fruits of his efforts. It reminds me of our church in NYC,  St. John the Divine (or as some people call it “St. John the Unfinished”.) Construction on both churches were started a mere 10 years apart, in the late 1800s. And neither church is completed. However, they are both still marvelous to look at, and today, my mom and I had the pleasure of gazing at Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece. In case you’re interested, “La Sagrada Familia” means “holy family”. Thank you to one of the guides inside the church for telling us. I said to my mom, “Why is it called La Sagrada Familia?” And my mom said, “Maybe that’s the family who sponsored the church.” Ummmm… NO.

The next stop was Park Guell. That’s where the off-the-beaten-path part comes in. The bus stopped at what they called “Park Guell” but in reality, we had to climb a large hill involving a bunch of stairs, which was not easy for my dear mom. Although the park was ALL Gaudi, you apparently need to buy a ticket in advance to have access to EVERYTHING Gaudi. My mom and I were clearly in the “cheap seats”, and thus, excluded from what they referred to as the “Monumental Zone” of the park. Wow, did I feel like a loser. For all the research we did in advance of our trip, we still failed to understand all the intricacies involved with seeing the sights in Barcelona, what the costs were and how to insure we selected the appropriate options. I think about NYC and how I have the subway map embedded in my brain, and when I want to go somewhere, I can decide in a matter of seconds the best way to get there. Here, I feel like a lost sheep in need of a shepherd. That’s not to say I can’t figure things out, but it’s not second nature to me the way it is at home.

Still, we had a great day traveling around, even if our travels took a bit longer. And we veered off the hop on/hop off bus to take a cab because it was just… FASTER. I tried to find that darn bus stop, but the sun was beating down on me and my perspiration got the better of me and I caved. That said, at the end of my taxi ride I got to see the Cathedral of Barcelona (another Gaudi creation), which was incredible. I feel a bit guilty admitting it, but I kinda like it more than La Sagrada Familia. I guess I’m just a fan of Gothic looking churches.

And now I’ve realized I need to decompress from all this culture I’ve been soaking in for the past two weeks. As my third annual Mother/Daughter vacation starts to wind down, I need to take some downtime so i don’t come home needing a vacation from my vacation! And for that, there’s always sangria. Here’s to all of you and to the hopes I can find some good paella this evening. Cheers to both!

Just Act Like You’re A New Yorker, And Everything Will Be Okay

That was the advice given to us by our cab driver this morning, in Spanish of course. He told me Barcelona is no more dangerous than NYC, so if I keep the same level of alertness as I do at home I’ll be fine. The trouble is, my level of alertness at home is, well, pretty piss poor. I am so busy taking photos of cute dogs or texting on my phone that I often don’t see what’s going on around me. Terrible, I know, but true nevertheless. So if I act like I’m in NYC while I’m abroad, I’m seriously screwed.

That said, I’ve been trying to be more aware of myself and my valuables. So far, so good. But with four days left, I have to keep my attention span set to DEFCON 1. For those not in the know, that’s the Defense Readiness Condition to designate a level of alertness which is used by the U.S. Armed Forces. I actually learned about it while watching the movie “War Games” with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy as a kid. (Great, nostalgic film FYI.) Oh, those Brat Packers! In any case, I have to keep an eye not only on myself but my mom, who has been wandering aimlessly into the street whether the “green man” for “go” is displayed or not. I’ve had to pull her back onto the sidewalk on several occasions over the last day. If mom wants to go, apparently she just GOES. And in her defense, the bike lane is kind of confusing. It looks like a pedestrian lane, and then out of nowhere, someone on a bicycle nearly mows you down! The bottom line is acting like we’re in New York just ain’t gonna cut it for either of us. In fact, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Despite all that, we had a wonderful day touring around Barcelona on our hop on/hop off bus. I always laugh at those busses when I see them in NYC, but when the shoe is on the other foot it just seems like a practical way to get around. So feel free to judge me. (I’m kind of judging myself too.) The bus allowed us to cover a lot of ground and see some really beautiful places. The architecture is so incredible. Check out my video and take a look at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Cataluyna which is breathtaking. Who needs to go inside when you can see their cool light show set to music 5 nights a week? Barcelona has multiple outdoor markets that put New York City’s to shame. Fruit smoothies for 2 Euro? Yes please. The highlight of our day was meeting two of our friends from the cruise, Cindy and Steve, for lunch. Like us, they are staying in Barcelona for a few days. They’re from Canada and oh how I love every time they say, “Ey.” (As in “day”.)

Best part of lunch besides spending time with Cindy and Steve? The BOWL of sangria they brought me for 3 euro. Yes, I mean a bowl. They call it a “copa” for cup, but unless Andre the Giant is consuming the sangria they brought me, there is NO WAY you can call the vessel that held my delicious drink a cup. Steve, for the record, has been trying to get my mom drunk, but so far, no dice. (Good luck, Steve. I’ve been trying to achieve that for years.) Cindy and Steve told us they are cruising—yes, that’s not a term solely reserved for motorcyclists—100 days in 2019. They will be spending almost a third of the year at sea. Hmmmm.. maybe if “at sea” meant aboard my yacht with a live-in personal chef and masseuse, then perhaps I could be down with that. As much as I love the water, I think I also like my feet to be on solid ground too.

Speaking of which, I have transitioned from my big a** balcony at sea to my big a** rooftop in Barcelona quite nicely. Okay, the outdoor pool they advertised online is more the size of a fish tank, but if I can cool off in it, then it will suit me just fine. So on that note… “Last one in is a rotten egg!”

Spanish For Dummies, But Who Was The Dummy?

Disembarking from a cruise ship is always an experience. Your luggage has to be left outside your cabin the night before and is returned to you the next day at the cruise port. Happily, we got our luggage this morning in a timely manner and got on line for a taxi. The line was way longer than I expected, but I’m not sure what I was thinking. With 2,000 passengers on board, what else could the line be? My mom and I had nowhere we needed to be, but standing in the rain made me antsy, and when you’re dragging the suitcase-from-hell whose wheels only occasionally work, well you can imagine my frustration. When the taxi dispatcher finally got to us, we had been standing on line for over half an hour. “Is that ALL your luggage?” as he looked up and down at our bags with disdain. “Yes, that’s ALL ours,” I replied.  All he said was, “It will be one hour for a taxi.” Okayyyyyyyy…. Do they have Uber in Barcelona?

Turns out, they DO have Uber in Barcelona! I was so excited because the wait time was WAY less than an hour. I easily ordered my car and was patting myself on the back for beating all the other people in line for a ride into the city. Just to make sure everything was okay, I called the Uber driver to let her know how much luggage we had. Our friends were on line with us and we figured all four of us could go together. Now, I would never call myself fluent in Spanish, but I can at least speak in the present tense with some semblance of passable grammar. When the Uber driver, Susana, picked up her phone, I asked her in Spanish if her car was “grande” or “pequeño”. This isn’t rocket science Spanish. I was able to easily tell the driver that we had “quatro bolsas grandes” (four large bags) and she said that was okay. Of course, Susana pulls up in something like a Honda Civic and I’m thinking there is no way all our massive amounts of luggage are going to fit in her trunk. When I remind her that I said FOUR people with FOUR big bags, she keeps telling me Uber doesn’t have a larger car. Ummm… that should have been mentioned BEFORE we got off the taxi line to wait for an Uber. Were Susana and I speaking the same language?

My mom and I split off from our two friends and my driver clearly felt bad. She spoke to me in Spanish the entire way to the hotel and surprisingly, I understood a lot of what she said! Even more shocking was my ability to respond to the driver and subsequently explain to my mom what we were saying. I have been pleasantly surprised by how much I am able to understand. I guess when speaking another language is your only option to communicate, you take the leap and hope you don’t sound like a total moron in the process.

Later that evening we met some of our friends from the cruise for dinner by the beach. Like us, they were also staying in Barcelona for a few days post-cruise. We were all so excited for eating REAL paella by the sea. My mom and I figured what better place to have taste-bud-blowing-paella than Spain? Hmmmm... How do you say “Yuck” in Español? Oh yeah... “YUCK.” If what we ate was really paella, then I don’t know what I’ve been eating all these years at “La Paella” in NYC. And why was the rice BROWN? Isn’t the rice in paella supposed to be saffron, which is YELLOW? I’ve had way better paella at Cafe Española in the West Village. Also, doesn’t paella have an abundance of seafood in it? This dish was a pile of rice with a few pieces of fish thrown in as garnish. And for the record, I don’t like when my shrimp still has eyeballs. No need for my fish to look me in the eye as I eat it, thank you very much. Thank God for eating dessert. Twice. The gelato is amazing here. That’s something, I guess.

Here’s to hoping I dream in Spanish tonight. Lord knows “necesito dormir mucho”. Hasta luego!

Nothing Like A Noodle To Make New Friends

I am not ashamed to admit I brought inflatable noodles on my vacation. Don’t worry, it’s nothing kinky! They’re floaties for grownups... and I love them! I had seen the styrofoam ones that kids use, but when I found out they make inflatable versions, I went right on Amazon and bought a set for me and my mom to use at the beach. Technically, mine are called “Doodles” but the concept is the same. I’m actually a really good swimmer and don’t need a flotation device, but hey, I have no desire to tread water. Swimming is meant to be relaxing, in my opinion. When I see someone swimming laps in the ocean, I’m always puzzled. Why would you want to waste time exercising when you can simply enjoy the scenery? Personally, I save my workouts for the gym! Thus, there was no exercising on my mind when we set off on our catamaran in Palma De Mallorca this morning.

I couldn’t tell you where we went, but it was gorgeous. The waters were crystal clear and everyone was as excited as me to spend some time in the sea. Our friends Linda and Andrew joined us, and when they saw me take the Doodles out of my backpack, they were like “You thought to pack those?” (Clearly they don’t know about my Excel spreadsheet packing list. I never forget to pack ANYTHING.) My mom didn’t want to swim today, so I offered a Doodle to Linda and she was thrilled. I went to inflate mine and Linda looked at me and said, “What are you doing?” I replied, “I’m blowing up my Doodle.” (Truth be told, very little air was going into the Doodle, but I didn’t think anything of it.) She said, “You know you have to squeeze on the valve to get it to open so air can go in it.” (No I didn’t know that.) The catamaran would’ve been headed back to the ship and I probably still would’ve been sitting there with a limp noodle, and no one wants THAT, am I right? (I sure don’t.) Thank you, Linda! I may be a great packer, but I am clearly an imbecile when it comes to anything mechanical… even if it’s something as simple as inflating a Doodle. Let me tell you, those Doodles were the best $10 I ever spent! You could sit on it like a chair and float the day away, while simultaneously sipping on a sangria. For my last day at sea, I couldn’t think of anything better.

Now I’m back on board, and as I sit on my big a** balcony with a glass of wine at my side, I watched the ship sail out of the harbor for the very last time. I have to admit, I’m sad to say goodbye to this ship and all the new friends we’ve made. From trivia to silent disco to bingo, it’s been so much fun and the only thing not making me totally depressed is the 5 days we have to look forward to in Barcelona. Still, I feel a bit melancholy. I guess that just means it’s been a great vacation!

I Am My Mother’s Daughter

We’ve all had moments where we cringe when someone says “You’re so much like your mother!” After all, as a grownup, you want to be your OWN person. I adore my mom, but we are different people in many respects. Today, however, I saw a side of my mom that reminded me of someone else I know… me. And I couldn’t be prouder.

We arrived in Ibiza this morning, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Ibiza is known for beaches and parties… non-stop parties, hence our 2 a.m. departure time tonight. After last night’s Motown dance session, perhaps my mom and I should “trip the light fantastic” in one of the island's many clubs and listen to a world famous DJ spin some tracks. I guess most of the DJ’s are gone by now, as the height of the summer has long since past. So what should we do?

Well, to DO something we first needed to get into town. We discovered that the shuttle bus provided by our cruise line wasn’t FREE. I was incensed. I asked why we had to pay. The cruise official told me, “Well, we pay the shuttle operator to take you into town, so we have to get our money from somewhere.” I responded, “You DID get my money. You got it when I booked this cruise!!!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Fortunately, we had just booked an excursion so our transportation was included. No shuttle bus for us. And no beach/clubs either.  We were headed to an underground cave!

The Can Marca Caves are located in the Port of San Miguel and are over 100,000 years old. That’s OLD. The caves were used at one time for smugglers to store contraband. Maybe I’d find some leftover gold coins if I was lucky. We didn’t know what to expect, but what the hell? This whole trip is about exploring new things, and an underground cave was certainly new for both of us. The caves were AWESOME. They were located inside this gorgeous cove and to gain access, you had to walk down all these winding stairs on the side of the cliff. People kept saying, “I can’t believe you dragged your mom here.” Dragged? She was having the time of her life! The stalagmites (I think that’s what they’re called) were so cool and at the end of the tour, there was a multi-colored light show with running water set to music.

We did eventually make it to a beach with two other friends we met on the ship. Our friends were equally incensed about the aforementioned shuttle bus and we were able to get a cab instead. I love the water, and it was nice to chill on the beach, drink sangria and chat with our friends. Later, as we walked back to the ship, we saw the guy selling tickets to the shuttle bus. He was talking to an older couple and we all were shaking our heads in disbelief. Something in my mom was triggered by this scene, and she immediately turned around, stormed over to the table and told the couple NOT to buy tickets for the shuttle. She said it was “Highway robbery” and they should just get a taxi at the stand outside the cruise port. The rest of us were hysterical. The ticket guy was giving her the stink eye and trying to convince the couple my mother was wrong. We’re not sure what they decided to do, but all three of us loved my mom’s sass. I was ironically beaming like a proud parent.

My  mom’s spunk and sense of adventure on this trip has been an inspiration to me. After everything we did today, my mom was still game to check out the “silent” disco under the stars. What the heck is that? Well, you get a headphone and you can select what kind of music you want to listen to and then you just boogie the night away. It’s so fun looking around and seeing everyone dancing but you have no idea to what music. Of course my mom and I chose the music of the sixties, and it was a blast. Some of our friends were there and we couldn’t stop laughing. The joy on my mom’s face when she dances once again reminds me of someone I know. You guessed it, it’s yours truly. Dancing lights up my soul and it clearly lights up my mom’s too. Who needs a club in Ibiza when you can dance under the stars of your own ship? What a great way to end my day. Time to boogie off to bed. Buenas noches, all!

It's PARTY Time!

Today was another day at sea. To some that might seem boring, but for me, it was a chance to stay in one place and just BE for a moment. In other words, it was a GREAT day.

I don’t really have a whole lot to say about today except that it was wonderful. I played bingo with my mom and we didn’t even come close to that $40,000 jackpot. But neither did anyone else. Then, I played trivia which was T.V. theme shows and I totally tanked. I clearly don’t watch enough television. That said, I couldn’t even get the theme song to “Who’s The Boss” right. I guessed “Growing Pains” instead. Ironically, I knew the theme song to “Scrubs”, a show I never really watched. Oh well.

What better thing to do on a day at sea than host a happy hour party on your big a** balcony… even if it’s drizzling. Luckily, half of my balcony is covered. I was pleasantly surprised at how many people showed up. Pretty much everyone was impressed with the size of our outdoor area. It seriously is massive. I guess size DOES matter when it comes to outdoor space. We drank wine and exchanged stories and it was wonderful relaxing with people from different backgrounds and geographic locations. By the time dinner rolled around, I had drunk way too much wine and just wanted to go to bed. I pushed through, however, and my mom and I met a cute couple from Mexico who wanted to speak to me in Spanish during dinner. Time to get ready for my arrival in Spain tomorrow, right? My Spanish was passable but it was clear that I needed to “practica”!

After dinner, I went to a Motown-themed night where I met my friend Halston, who had worked at Royal Caribbean in Miami at the same time as me. She’s a dancer on the ship and it was awesome to see her in action. Boy can she move! My mom and I hit the dance floor too, and we did something she said was the “lindy hop”. It’s not what I would imagine doing to Motown music, but people around us seemed impressed. Or perhaps they just thought my mom was super cute. It seems to happen a lot on this trip. We had such a blast together, and I have to say, my mom is pretty good at leading me around the dance floor. Go, mom!

Now we’re headed to Ibiza, Spain, and we don’t have a plan for the day. Maybe that’s good for a change. We’ll see what mood strikes us when we wake up tomorrow.

Buenas noches, mis amigos!