Day 64 - Titanic

So, this may sound like a stupid question, but, why on earth would you show the movie “Titanic” on a cruise ship in the process of crossing the Atlantic? I mean, really? Why?

It’s like watching “Night of the Living Dead” in a cemetery, or “Misery” in a hospital. It just seems in such poor taste.

Actually, it was an entire Titanic themed day. We had an emergency drill with life vests and all, which, by the way, our lifeboats and system are identical to Titanic’s, except we have enough for everyone, which was followed up with a Titanic formal dinner.

I guess it should be said that I am much not much brighter than the idiots who planned the day because I stayed up and watched the stupid movie until one in the morning. For reference, Leo’s character, Jack, had a room on E deck, and that’s also where most of the action takes place. While my room is on the 3rd floor or “Concerto Deck,” it is the equivalent of the E deck since we count fro the bottom up, not from the top down. In fact, the similarities are striking. I have no doubt that in a real life “ice berg” situation, I would be in serious trouble if I were anywhere near my room. In addition to being on E deck, but one of the walls in my room is lined by the ocean, and while there is a porthole in my room, if I forced it open, my room would be in submerged in water so quickly, as I am usually under water. Furthermore, I am on the wrong side of the water tight doors…I would be absolutely trapped.

Let’s hope the summer hold up until Yokohama and our horizon is forever free of icebergs.

Day 63 - Plastic

Today, like most days, I went to Yacht Club for lunch. We were having BBQ chicken, which sounded better than the mystery croquette in Topaz, so I happily loaded my plate with chicken wings and headed outside to sit in the sunshine.

The first thing that struck me was how calm the sea was, like we were drifting in the water as opposed to using the engine. Also, the air had a stillness that seemed so unusual and impossible outdoors. It was then that I looked up to see the most startling water of the trip.

Not too long ago I was remarking to a friend my surprise at how smooth water isn’t. You could look out into infinity an not find a single patch of silky sea. On the contrary, I have found water to be unexpectedly coarse.

Today, however, was completely different. It was as though the ocean was a CGI, or covered in saran wrap. I have never seen water so translucent or serene, it absolutely did not look real, it was so breath taking. It was a phenomenal shade of aquamarine, the kind of color you don’t believe possible to find in nature, only in animated cartoons, or in kids candy. And the texture was like oil, glossy and accommodating. The ship barley broke the surf as it cut through the glass surface. Incredible…

Day 58 - The End of Europe

The Atlantic is really big, and leaving Las Palms marks the start of our journey to North America. Las Palmas was all that you could ask for on a tropical island…ocean as far as the eye can see, tasty wine and cheese on the beach, sunshine, amazing desserts, and a sunset to break your heart. We will gain six hours over the next nine days and while this is a good thing in general, I will also get to teach 24 classes and will need every one of those six hours to plan lessons.

Europe was amazing. More than being culturally interesting, visually stimulating, and a learning experience in all ways, I could really see myself living there. Okay, maybe not Morocco (not technically Europe, I know), but I was surprised at how comfortable I felt there. Who knows? Maybe its another continent I’ll need to conquer in my lifetime.

This blog in particular has been hard to write. Not only am I writing it first in pen and paper, owing to the death of my computer, but too, I am having difficulty quantifying the last three weeks. Each port, each country, each day was significant in its own remarkable way. People have already begun to ask me the inevitable, “How was/is it?” to which there is no answer. I mean, how do you summarize nine countries in 20 days, or even still, 23 countries in 101 days? You just can’t.

You just can’t…

Day 55 - Casablanca

I am embarrassed to say that I have never seen the movie Casablanca, and even more humiliated to say that I know nothing about Morocco. In fact, when we got there, I was shocked to learn that both my Spanish and English were useless there. Maybe its because I have spent the last three weeks and six ports in Europe, but I had the most difficult time getting around in the city.
Luckily, however, I ran into a friend who was kind enough to show me the ropes. She suggested that we go to Haman, and not knowing what that was, and having no ideas of my own, I decided it sounded like a good plan. Little did I know what I was in for. I can now officially say that I have been unintentionally naked on every major continent.
So, for those of you who don’t know what Hamman is, basically you go into this very large, communal bathroom, strip down to your skivvies and bathe. Then, at least in my case, a very large woman will lay you out on a very slippery marble table, give you an atomic weggie, in order to scrub your entire body with what could only be described as a scour pad in the most vigorous fashion possible. In the end, I ended up taking off my underwear in order to save myself from never being able to dislodge it again.
The scrubbing itself hurt…a lot, and my skin was a raw pink color. I was also covered in gross brown little rolled up balls of my skin. It was like I was a snake and had shed an entire layer of skin or two. Now my skin was lying in little flecks all over the place. But the day ended well enough. After the torture was over I was rewarded with a full body massage, and at least by then I had gotten over the fact that I was butt-naked in front of several women who had their own zip code.
The only other eventful thing that happened in Morocco was the death of my computer. It seems that the Mediterranean did not agree with Jelly Bean (that was my computer’s name). I knew she was on her last legs, but I was hoping she would make it the entire voyage…sigh….I miss her so much!

Day 51 - Barcelona

With a temperature of 101 degrees and the strength of cooked spaghetti, I was not at my best in Spain. At best you could say I was alive, but the flu I contracted in Italy had progressed to full on death plague. At the same time, with only 15 hours in Spain, I couldn’t possibly stay on the boat. So, I grabbed a humongous bottle of water, my wallet and headed out for the day.

By the time I reached the port exit I was completely out of breath and (as an added bonus) drenched in sweat. It was then that I realized that I was not going to make it walking around the city to see the sites, so I decided to pay the 20 Euros for an all day pass on a sightseeing bus.

It was surprisingly fantastic. I do not recommend it if you are and able-bodied person, but for me, a narcoleptic tourist it was ideal. The bus was slower than snails, but it stopped at all the major attractions and ran pretty frequently. We would rive for a half hour, I would hop off, take a picture, then hop back on. Admittedly, they are some of the worst pictures I have ever taken, but all the same, I saw far more of Barcelona than I could have hoped for.

I wish I could remember more about the trip. I remember being surprised at how well they incorporated all of the Olympic facilities into the city. They flowed so naturally, and didn’t seem obtrusive or jam packed at all. Also, Spain, with all of its beautiful architecture and old-world cathedrals, really managed to bring modern elements in with classic features. I just wish I could have enjoyed them more.

Day 49 - When in Rome...

Rome was not built in a day and indeed you need more than a day to really see it. Guidebooks recommend at least two weeks, three days at a bare minimum without the Vatican, but I did both in less than 24 hours.

To say I had a real "Roman Holiday" would be a bit of a misnomer, but the highlights include flirtations at the Colessium, getting lost on the way to Plaza de Novana and running into several other main attractions on the way, diunner at a pizzeria, drinks at a gay bar, laughter at the Trevi Fountain at night, sharing a four-person hostel room with seven people, catching a flu, and that was all on the first day.

The second day, despite my complete body ache, three hours of sleep, and the inability to speak I head straight for the Vatican City. While incredibly spectacular in its own right I was startled be how not holy the Holy City felt. I realize that this will be considered sacrilege by most, but with the crowds, the lines, and the metal detectors it all just seemed like a really well themed part of Disneyland...I don't know, maybe it was just the flu medicine I was on.

St. Peters, however was incredible. I wish I had been able to attend the popes daily address, but unfortunately it required my planning and preparation than I was capable of. Besides, by early afternoon I was completely wiped out of energy. I could barely move let alone listen attentively. I likely would have started snoring midway through and caused a real fiasco.

Much after that is a blur. I am not entirely sure how I even made it back to the port in Citavecchia. I certainly know I didn't pay for the train ride...so I am glad that worked out. By the time I found my way back on the boat I was entirely unable to function. I fell on my bed and woke up almost 24 hours later.

I am glad I had the first day in Rome. Getting to see the monuments there was a reall highlight of this trip. I hope someday I get to go back to Rome and really see it all.

Day 46 - Croatia

I admitedly do not know much about Croatia, or that whole slavic region of Europe, but my image is one of war torn nations, still recovering from recent hostilities. Dubrovnik, however, is a gem of the Mediteranean. It rang out with charm and magic.

Too, one on the strangest things was the re-immersion into Western society, tourism, and all the things that go along with it. It was actually very peculiar to be in a land full of white people and latin languages again.

We happened to have arrived on the last weekend of the tourist season and the place was jam-packed with sight-seers. There were three cruise liners, our boat, and a couple other bus loads of people roaming about, and while it was a bit overwhelming at first, having spent the last 40-some-odd-days in what could only be descrived as a small, floating sub-section of Japan, by the end of the trip I was beginning to realize how much my life has changed, and how much I missed Western life.

Anyway, we ended up having the most delightful day. We stopped at the store to pick up supplies, cheese, wine, brea, olives, and fruit, and headed straight for the beach. A infatuating little cove with a diving rock and naked people...yep...that's right...mny first European beach adventure. Now, I had to buy a swimsuit in Turkey, and while I love it, it is moderately conservative. However, now having gone to a real European beach, I wish I had known that I could get away with ANYTHING...REALLY. Body type does not matter at all...you can dress as modestly or scantily as you want on European beaches and it is fine! I wish I had known...ah well, lessons to live by.

After a perfect asfteroon, evening, and sunset swimming, eating, drinking, and all in all being merry, we headed to this amazing cliffside bar on the oyutside of the city walls. The moonlight glowed down on us as we listed to a live lute and drum band play. The sea glittered green, teal, and inviting. After a couple glasses, we couldn't help but be drawn to the water like children, and we swam well into the morning hours.

It was such a perfect day.

The second day in Croatia I put on my tourist hat and headed up to the top of the city walls. I spent the morning with a gelato in my hand walking the perimeter of the city 50 feet above it all. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and I drank in the sunshine as I watched the city wake from sleep, as it began its day anew. Absolute bliss...