Cruising with Parents

My parents have been cruising around the Mediterranean with me this time, and to my surprise the weather here in the Med has become decidedly more autumnal now that they’ve come. It actually rains around here, imagine that. And the weather has cooled down to 75-80 and some of the leaves are even changing (not on a palm trees of course). Jealous yet?

We started in a rainy Monte Carlo, but we had a good time anyway. That city is so clean and RICH, it’s just amazing. Nobody on the beach of course, but maybe it’ll be sunny again next time I’m there. We took a little tourist train in the rain and saw all the sights of Monte Carlo. Mom and Dad were excited to be here.

They next day was a big trip to Florence, Italy. We were docked in Livorno on the sea (duh) and took a 1 1/2 train ride to Florence. The cathedral was awesome, the pizza was ok, and the coffee was the best. The train ride through the Tuscan countryside was perhaps the best part (remember that sometimes I’m not much of a city boy).

We also went to Malta. I wanted to show them the beach on the other side of the island, so we got on the bus to go there. Last time I was in Malta I got on a very new, smooth bus- but this time is was a bus straight out of 1946. An antique without any shocks and a questionable exhaust system that seems to send the deisel exhaust straight through the open windows. I was sure that Mom and Dad would get horribly sick and take me out of the will altogether, but they were troopers (and I think I’m still in the will).

Sicily. I just stayed on the ship. I haven’t found anything in Palermo yet that I though was interesting. Mom and Dad went out and took some photos.

Marseille, France was a paradise, and I hadn’t been there before either. We took the tourist trains though town, enjoyed the cathedral,had lunch and walked around the streets.

Having Mom and Dad here is great, but I’m the kind of guy that prefers to have worlds collide (less to keep track of). It’s like having the feeling of Elgin here on the ship, which is nice. Sometimes living here can be a little impersonal and a bit lonely at times, so I’m glad they are here. I can’t believe that they leave in just a few days.