Our ship was Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas. Although older than most ships in the fleet, it offered everything we wanted.
First of all, I liked that there were only about 2,000 passengers on board. Every once in a while we started recognizing people just walking around. In addition to the gym with treadmills, machines and weights, an outdoor track wrapped around the upper deck above the pool area.
Staying with our theme of one-day trips, we visited Lake Como on the way from Genoa to Venice. I’m so glad we did! With the Alps as a backdrop, the villages along the lake offered relaxing views of Italy’s third largest lake.
We started our exploration of the area at the town of Varenna since we watched a Rick Steves show touting the small town. The 800-resident village (or commune) sits on the eastern side of the lake about mid-section from the uppermost ends. (more…)
Seeing the French Riviera in one day is impossible. However, we had one full day so we decided to see as much as possible. The day trip was really just a scratching of the surface – if even that – but it was worth it.
After walking around Genoa in the early morning, we set out for our day trip to Monaco and the French Riviera. The 2-hour drive was fairly easy until we got to the hubbub of traffic in Monte Carlo. We drove to the casino but searching for non-existent parking frazzled us too much.
Car horns beeped, motorcycles sped by us – everyone seemed to be in a hurry. I was surprised by how many skyscrapers loomed. Even though the population is only 48,000 (smaller than several US universities), it is crammed into a tiny space less than 1 square mile. We decided to leave without stopping – a decision I don’t regret. (more…)
We decided to make Genoa our home base for three nights so we could explore the Cinque-Terre, the French Riviera and Lake Como. Besides offering a place to put our heads down at night, Genoa surprised us with its beauty and charm. I was expecting a large, gritty port city. Instead, the area boasts museums, palaces (42 of which are part of the Palazzi dei Rolli UNESCO site), churches and even an aquarium. (more…)