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  • Laura Folk

transAtlantic and Italy

58-dniowa przygoda według Laura Czytaj więcej
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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    First Full Day in Florence

    3 maja, Włochy ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    The morning started out with a mess as the little espresso maker exploded all over the kitchen. I had visions of fixing my coffee and having a nice leisurely breakfast in our little apartment, which eventually happened. But first... Turns out there was a piece missing from the Moka Express. After cleaning some of the walls and floor, I made some Nescafe, poured oj for W, and enjoyed some of the pastries we got at yesterday's market. Interesting fact: it takes no fewer than 10 paper towels to mop up exploded coffee and grounds.

    We discussed what to do today. After yesterday's crowds, I'm not anxious to reenter the fray. I'm hoping it was just being Saturday of a holiday weekend. Also- there are sore muscles from schlepping luggage and walking up and down hills, so the Tylenol has to kick in.

    Wayne wants to visit Fort Belvedere. We headed up the road behind the old City wall- it was VERY steep. We sort of tuckered out and turned around, heading toward Ponte Vecchio. The walk along the Arno River is beautiful - we saw the Library, Galileo Museum, Uffizi, the Tower of Palazzo Vecchio, the top of Santa Croce, The dome of the Duomo, and of course, Ponte Vecchio.

    We made another attempt at approaching Ft Belvedere from another angle- just as steep. Later in the evening I discovered that we can catch a bus from Piazzalle Michaelangelo, so we'll give that a try.

    We stopped for gelato at Strega Nocciolo (I just realized it's probably a play on Strega Nona.) Cafe for me, Nocciolo for him. A few steps further was the supermercato that Cinzia told us about. We picked up some more goods, facing the fact that we can't eat all our meals out. On a positive note, we can't overbuy because the fridge is tiny, and there's no microwave, so leftovers have to be warmed the old fashioned way.

    Back to our place for some planning. We'll plan for Ho-Ho tomorrow, although rain is predicted. Alternatively, we might just hang out.

    One of the TV treats was what looked like a Renaissance band competition with drums and flags and fancy outfits.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    May 2, 2026- Milan to Florence

    2 maja, Włochy ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We returned to our little breakfast place where the Chinese server introduced me to her dog- furry little critter with a curly tail.

    Packed up, checked out, and the lady at the he desk ordered a taxi for us to the Centrale station. We had Fast Track which allowed us to skip the gates- good thing because our car was at the very front of the train. We were still getting settled as the train pulled out. This is Italotreno- comfy high-speed train that gets us from Milan to Florence in about 2 hours.

    We tried to sign in to the wifi, but it sent an SMS text for verification code - didn't receive it 🤷‍♀️ so on with the hotspot.

    At Santa Maria Novella we caught a taxi to our digs for the month. We were met by Cinzia, Francesca's assistant, who showed us around the apartment. It's compact, but roomy enough and perfect the two of us. We entered a little gate, and went up just a few stairs. We have a living room which goes to the bedroom on one side, and up a couple of steps to the kitchen on the other side. The bathroom is at the end of the bedroom, and there's a little closet room for our stuff.

    Francesca left a bottle of wine and a package of cookies for us.

    We decided to head out for a walk, to get our bearings and pick up some grocery essentials. We first walked around the San Niccolo neighborhood - omg. I hope this is not what our whole time will be like... thousands of tourists. It was so jammed with people that at times we couldn't move. Checked Google and saw there was a small grocery just past Santa Croce. We crossed the Ponte alla Grazia and headed to Santa Croce, where we saw a market. It was all French products - we picked up some cookies, and W took a seat as I powered on. I saw a pastry booth, and picked up some croissants for tomorrow's breakfast. The grocery had just what I had in mind- some oj, condensed milk for coffee, prosciutto and cheese, butter, and a small baguette. And of course, some Coke Zeros for Himself.

    By this time we were getting hungry, and went to the restaurant behind the apartment. (We can see the kitchen from our bathroom). Apparently one needed a reservation, but they gave us a table with the warning that they needed it in an hour. Our table was downstairs and was fascinating - arched brick and stucco ceiling,... I'd love to know the stories of the buildings in this area. When the waiter got to us (he was apparently not in a rush) we ordered some ham (not prosciutto -but can't remember what) served with bread and a soft cheese, followed by penne with tomato and pappardelle with wild boar sauce for me. It was great. We took our leftovers and cleared the place with moments to spare.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    Walking Around Milan

    1 maja, Włochy ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    We had a lazy morning as I fought with my hotspot, trying to get the SIM card to work. The first problem was that I was trying to use the card from last year's trip to Spain. When I found the right card, it wouldn't use Wifi. Eventually through the day and many queries on Google, I tweaked the settings on the GLocalMe and got the little sucker to work.

    We headed to a little cafe/tobacconist on the corner from the hotel for a little breakfast. Wayne had some fresh-squeezed oj and a pistachio pastry, while I enjoyed a cappuccino and cornetto. We then set out to see the Duomo and Castello Sforzesco. It was a worthy walk. Along the way I saw. Flying Tiger- so of course had to stop in, and got a cute little "Memory Journal" that guides a short writing of memories from any time in life.

    We stopped in at a Vegetarian Indian restaurant for juice, Coke Zero, and bathroom break - not in that order. Then onward to the Duomo. This is one impressive Duomo. I tried to get tickets last night- and they appeared to be available - but as soon as I hit the pay button, the basket emptied. So we saw it from the outside.

    On to the Castello Sforzesco. On the way I noticed lots of advertisements for "The Devil Wears Prada 2" which opened last week during Fashion Week in Milan.

    The Castello is also impressive- huge, brick building with a tower in the middle of the forward part of the castle, and turrets on either side. From the courtyard we saw the walkway around the top of the building. After having had our fill of sun and walking, we sought out a taxi stand (another worthy walk) for our well- earned cab ride back to the hotel. After we were dropped off, Wayne suggested that we have some gelato. Who am I to argue?

    We decided to return to the pizzaria. After we ordered, a large group arrived. When we were finished eating, I asked if they were having a party. It was the 53rd anniversary of the senior couple in the group. I wished them "auguri," and they appeared to not only understand me, but appreciate our well wishes.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    April 30- Travel Day

    30 kwietnia, Hiszpania ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We took a taxi to the airport, and after security et al, located one of several lounges. We spent a restful couple of hours there, and proceeded to the gate, arriving at boarding time. On the way, I saw a branch of the candy store that Pat and I visited in Milan last year... Not bad- not bad at all. Forty minutes after arriving at the gate, we boarded the plane for an uneventful flight to Milan.

    I did a lot of planning for this trip, but forgot about getting from the airport to the city. The train was cheap, but takes much longer - and we would still need to get to the hotel. We were tired and didn't want to deal with it. Taxis and Ubers are both pricey, but we decided on Uber, and had a great driver.

    After checking in to Hotel Palladino, we decided to go to Pizzaria Marina, across the street. Prosciutto and mozzarella di bufala, and quattro stagione pizza, with a jug of their red house wine. Fantastic.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    Aix en Provence and Cassis

    28 kwietnia, Francja ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We had a fantastic day visiting Aix en Provence and Cassis. Lots of walking and taking in the local culture.

    Our first stop in Aix en Provence gave the opportunity to have a bev in a little cafe after walking through several markets and stores. Such beautiful vegetables. Artichokes and asparagus, and tomatoes of all colors. I picked up some goods at a stand with lavender products, and some nougats at a shop where the owners were so friendly, and gave us samples from huge slabs of nougat. After our drinks, we walked through the garment market - so tempting, but I already brought too many clothes, despite many attempts to cull down the packing. We met at the Hotel Saint Christophe, whose managers were kind to let us visit the facilities.

    Driving through the countryside, we stopped for some pictures, and we're treated to France's version of the Blue Angels practicing, including red, white, and blue smoke.

    We then went to Cassis where we had lunch. Wayne had moules & frites, while I had mozzarella and tomato buckwheat crepe. I also had a glass of their local wine which was quite tasty.

    On the way back to the ship, we drove around Marseille, stopping at Notre Dame de les Gardes. Outside is a Pieta that was even more moving to me than Michaelangelo's.

    Back at the ship we had dinner at Los Lobos. Nick appeared, having tracked us down. He scolded me for not calling him to say goodbye - he showed me a picture of his knitting- quite impressive. I felt like a proud mama. I described how he could make a cowl out of the piece, and told him I'd send some instructional downloads.

    And then... Packing.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    Tarragona, Spain

    27 kwietnia, Hiszpania ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Tarragona is another very old city that was inhabited by the Romans- with many buildings using older materials - in some places many iterations of reuse. City walls, excavations, and evidence of millenia of construction.

    We returned to find a lovely gift- a bottle of wine from KitKat, the Guest Services Director. We had a "Last Supper" with Judy and Glenn, as they plan to join the others tomorrow, and we plan to return to Las Lobos.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    Ibiza

    26 kwietnia, Hiszpania ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We had another worship service led by Glenn and Jeff. I read a section from Ephesians.

    After arriving in Ibiza, we took the shuttle to town, and walked around, stopping at a restaurant for sangria and tapas. We had calamari and baby squid. Then a walkabout as far as the ramp to the fort, and back to the shuttle.

    While Ibiza was very nice, it was all touristy and ready for party time- not our demographic. We've been there- and one day was plenty.

    Back to the ship where I got an affogatto and settled in for a nap.

    As we were preparing for dinner in Commodore, there was a knock on the door. Room Service was there with a lovely sweets tray from Nick. Such a nice gesture.

    After dinner we went to the Observation for sail away, and saw the town lights as we departed.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    Motril- El Torcal & Antequera

    25 kwietnia, Hiszpania ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Met Judy & Glenn in the theatre for our excursion. I verified that the theatre speaker is directly under our stateroom. Our guide Maria, driver Manuel/Diego/Francisco.

    Very green- lots of rain this year.. wildflowers, poppies along the road . Olive trees- olive production largest farm industry.
    Our first stop was ElTorcal- a National Park formed from tetonic compression of limestone which formed sedimentary peaks and formations as the stone was pressed upward. Glenn designated one formation as "pancakes" with the attendent puns. The fog has been with us, and rolled in thicker as we left the park.

    On our way to Antequera we saw the sun come out.

    There was a walk through part of the city, and Maria explained the Roman realization that even in those days, Antquera was appreciated as being VERY old. We saw the church of St Mary of Jesus - beautiful inside. I spotted a bronze shell on the pavement, indicating that this was a stop on the Camino de Santiago. This brought back memories of the trip I took with Pat to Santiago de Compastella, where we met many pilgrims. We had lunch with Judy & Glenn (pizza- REALLY good) at a restaurant in the center of town.

    And a nice trip back to the ship.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    April 23- Last Sea Day

    24 kwietnia, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    It was very thumpy last night, (Glow Party in the Viva Theater) . We would not have booked this room, but we had an Ocean View, and my modest upgrade bid was accepted, so no choice. But in any case, we should not be experiencing 80 db in bed, and significant vibration when standing on the floor. We called Guest Services, and the sound did reduce somewhat.

    We went up to the Observation Lounge for breakfast. I called Nick, the Executive Chef who said he wanted to learn to knit. I had put the sweater on a cable so my needles would be free, and we spent time with knitting and purling. I must say that he shows great promise. The bar server came around and asked if we wanted anything. Nick said "Bloody Mary". I thought it a bit weird, but thought perhaps they had adjusted working rules. The server brought the drink, and Nick laughed and said "I was kidding! I'm working!". I handed the bev to Wayne and said, "Compliments of the Chef "

    He took his Bloody with him to a light lunch in the buffet, and after eating, I joined Judy, Glenn, Kathy, & Jeff in Food Republic.

    I hung out in the room and took a short nap, and thought about knitting, but fell asleep instead.

    We had dinner in Indulge. I like the small plates, and the variety. The brisket was really good. A real treat was the grilled pineapple - yum!

    Wayne wanted to check out some cruises at Cruise Next, but saw the JGK&J crew near Starbucks so we sat to chat for a bit. We saw KitKat, the Guest Services Manager, and knew that we had seen her previously. She came over and we figured out that it was from the Spirit Pacific cruise. I put in a pitch for those of us on Deck 9 Forward, to reduce the bass volume during the parties in the Viva Theater. She took room numbers and said she'd follow up.

    We had an early -and blessedly quieter night.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    Sevilla Friday, April 24 2026

    24 kwietnia, Hiszpania ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    I woke up really early and went to the Observation Lounge to see our approach to Cadiz.
    We took a tour to Seville- about an hour and a half drive. Seville sponsored the Iberia -America exposition. A large, beautiful complex, the Spanish building is currently a government bldg including immigration etc.

    We went to the Alcazar, occupied as a summer home by the Kings of Spain, and by Franco during the dictatorship. I learned that Franco was pro-monarchy, and wanted King Alfonso XIII to return to the throne, but according to our guide, the king asked that Franco remain in power and have Juan Carlos succeed him.

    The Festival of April was in full swing, with people dressed up in Flamenco dancing and riding gear, and people on horseback as well as families in carriages going to the fair, followed by a bullfight.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    And Some More Sea Days...

    20 kwietnia, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    Today (Sunday) began with a worship service with Glenn and Jeff. I had breakfast with Glenn and Judy, then touched base with Wayne in the Observation Lounge. I returned to meet Glenn & Judy for some Rummikub and a quick card game of 4 corners. During that time the Captain came on the speaker for the daily update. He informed us that due to bad upcoming weather we will not be able to visit Ponta Delgada. So another sea day. And a few more after that. Our first port will be Cadiz on Friday.

    I returned to the Observation Lounge, where Wayne and I chatted with a couple from Tennessee and had a light lunch. We had dinner at Onda, with a Caprese starter, and a HUGE veal scallopine.

    Monday, April 20 was more of the same. I noticed that I was tall enough to use the water slides. Just because I can, doesn't mean I should. We had dinner at the Commodore Room, which is the second MDR. It was nice, but very loud.

    Speaking of loud, our stateroom is over the theater. When there aren't parties there, the bands are practicing - thumping during many hours of the day, and late into the night

    Tuesday 's highlight was dinner at La Bistro. Very nice- escargot, beef tenderloin, and Marquis de chocolat. I've been able to do some knitting, and making a bit of progress on the sweater..     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    Day 5- Another Lovely Day at Sea

    18 kwietnia, Sargasso Sea ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Started out with breakfast in the Observation Lounge - egg bites and coffee, and the whole ocean outside the windows.

    The Military Reception was similar to the Latitudes one- short, and not easy to get a bev. No pictures. To be fair, there were a lot of people, and they had to keep it manageable.

    Lunch was at Hudson's - Monte Cristos, followed by afternoon naps .

    We had Dinner with the Officers in Hudson's - we were with the Staff Officer (similar to the XO), Santiago Filevich, and Kate who is the Theatre Manager. I say next to Santiago who was a wealth of info on NCL. He's been on more than half the ships. He gave us interesting insights into the goings-on during Covid shutdown. The Belvidere Lounge, where we met up, was nice- and not crazy noisy.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik
    Dinner in Palomar
    Sunset from the Observation Lounge

    A couple of Sea Days

    16 kwietnia, Sargasso Sea ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    It's a lazy day, here in Viva... We lost an hour last night, and will do the same tonight.

    Yesterday I met up with the Sit&Stitch group. We had the Latitudes Reception which was weird- held in the theatre- hard to get a drink, since we were sitting in theatre seats-- very different from our usual experiences. We had dinner at Palomar- seafood restaurant. Really good. We started with a seafood salad. I had sea bass, and Wayne had scallops.

    Today was mostly hanging out, breakfast in Observation Lounge - egg bites for me, croissants for him. I skipped Sit & Stitch- didn't want to rush my morning having lost an hour. Spent some time with Judy & Glenn in the OL, did a little knitting here and there, and enjoyed naps and time on our balcony. Seas are calm, and it's warm out. I had a mid-afternoon chocolate affogatto. We went to Indulge Food Hall for dinner, and had an assortment of little plates. Wayne had a crepe in the buffet.

    I thought I'd bought him the soda package- couldn't find it in our docs,- but he finally looked at his card today, and discovered he's set for Diet Cokes. Win!

    We headed up to the Observation Lounge for sunset- beautiful.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    First Sea Day-Meet & Greet

    15 kwietnia, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We lost an hour, so I slugged a bit. I wanted to get a bite to eat, so went to Observation Lounge where they had light breakfast- cereal, pastries, and egg bites, as well as the requisite bevs.

    The M&G went well, and we had a good turnout. About half have previously been in this ship, and they had some good recommendations.

    We went to Indulge Food Hall for lunch - chili for me, and noodle soup for him. I saw a lot of dishes that could make me happy - W not so much.

    Dinner was at Los Lobos. Love it! Guacamole and queso, followed by Mole chicken enchiladas, and sorbet for me, and carne asada with plantains, beans and refritos, and churros for W. We headed up to the buffet for cocoa and decaf.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    Underway Day

    14 kwietnia, Stany Zjednoczone ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    First of all, may I say, Citizen M (by Marriott) for a big win. It's smart, sleek, efficient, (and we stayed free with a Marriott bonus night). I noticed that all the rooms are ADA accessible. It doesn't cost more to do it from the start, and considering the location near the port, the demographic tends slightly toward the older population. Negative - no free coffee (although the "pay for" espresso drinks are good, and breakfast is "pay for" @$23. Knowing we could get lunch upon boarding, we went to the Starbucks behind the hotel so W could get a croissant. I got a protein latte.

    Our Lyft ride was easy - and I didn't leave anything in the car. (Left a sweater yesterday - with my Pixel Pro earbuds in the pocket!) Check-in was quick, and our staterooms was ready. I Mane is our Steward.

    We had dinner at Hudson's with Judy, Glenn, and their friends Kathy and Jeff Orcutt who served with them in Bolivia.

    Bags arrived, and I unpacked. So glad to have no baggage until the end of April.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Laura FolktransAtlantic and ItalyPodróżnik

    Getting Ready

    13 kwietnia, Stany Zjednoczone ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Last night was a late one- returned home from our Bermuda trip with the kids, so laundry, repacking and getting ready to leave the house for a couple of months. Then up early for the uneventful flight to Miami. I do believe the coach seat knee space is shrinking. I was very grateful for my 5'4" self, as I saw Wayne and our similarly tall row-mate trying to figure out where to put their knees.
    We caught a taxi to the Citizen M Hotel near the Port. This is one interesting hotel - check yourself in, the room is controlled by iPad, and it's just sort of quirky and fun. We had empanadas for lunch and a pizza later on... And early to bed.     Czytaj więcej

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    13 kwietnia 2026
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