Mediterranean Cruise 2012 |
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Links to Port Pages
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Palermo, Sicily, ITALY Wednesday, 21 March Today is Randy's birthday and our wedding annviersary! We decided to make this a relaxed day and not schedule a big tour. Randy enjoyed a massage in the morning while Carey lounged around the room. We had a leisurely breakfast on the back deck of the ship in La Terraza. It was a beautiful morning and perfect for an outdoor meal. Temperatures were in the mid 60's F. We met up with Amy and TJ in th early afternoon and went ashore to explore a bit. The main attraction we wanted to see is the Cathedral. Built in the late 1100's it is quite a spectacular church. As we got cleaned up for dinner, the sun began to set. Tonight's sunset was magnificent and rich. In the evening we had reservations for Le Champagne, the specialty restaurant, for our combined anniversaries. Ours was today and Amy and TJ's in a few days, so we decided to celebrate in one big extravagant dinner. Wow, was it fantastic. The food is paired with wines that we probably would never have tried, as most were quite expensive. The only thing I still don't like is pate! I did try it, but it's still not to my taste. After a very special meal we went to the casino and some dancing in the bar before we headed back to our rooms. We opened the door to our cabin and the lights were low. Another cake for Randy's birthday was on the table and "Happy Anniversary" balloons on the ceiling! Then on the bed - the only towel animals of the trip :-) A pair of Swans surrounded by a heart of rose petals. A very special touch from Kreshun, our butler!
Perfect and special anniversary and birthday! We head to Valletta, Malta and should arrive at noon.
Postings before the Trip:
We are scheduled to arrive in Palermo, Italy Wednesday morning, 21 March 2012 at 8:00 am.
Today is Randy's birthday and our wedding anniversary! What a place to celebrate... From Wikipedia - "Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its rich history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old. Palermo is located in the northwest of the island of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The city was founded by the Phoenicians, but named by the Ancient Greeks as Panormus meaning “always fit for landing in.” Palermo became part of the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire and eventually part of the Byzantine Empire, for over a thousand years. From 827 to 1071 it was under Arab rule during the Emirate of Sicily when it first became a capital. Following the Norman reconquest, Palermo became capital of a new kingdom (from 1130 to 1816), the Kingdom of Sicily. Eventually it would be united with the Kingdom of Naples to form the Two Sicilies until the Italian unification of 1860. The population of the Palermo urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 855,285, while its metropolitan area is the fifth most populated in Italy with around 1.2 million people. In the central area, the city has a population of around 650,000 people. The inhabitants are known as Palermitans or poetically panormiti. The languages spoken by its inhabitants are the Italian language and the Sicilian language. Palermo is Sicily's cultural, economic and touristic capital. It is a city rich in history, culture, art, music and food. Numerous tourists are attracted to the city for its good Mediterranean weather, its renowned gastronomy and restaurants, its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque churches, palaces and buildings, and its nightlife and music." Update 22 January 2012: This is Randy's birthday and our wedding anniversary! We did not see any exciting excursions and we will dock in the town port. So we will the town and celebrate!
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