Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

Hotel we stayed at- Palazzo Niccolini al Doumo had very nice breakfast.  Got to get my protein before heading out for exploring.

 

 

 

 

 

Loading up on my protein 

 

 

This was my favorite item.  An amazing almond lemon custard thingy.  So good.

Beautiful spread.    That lemon custard thingy looks heavenly😄

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

8 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Beautiful pics, Helen, and nice weather too 😘 We had one of the best meals ever at the Market, fresh products and every thing. Bought some excellent parmesan, for a fraction of the price we pay here...

 

Thanks for sharing. More, please 🌷

Dani, got cheese?

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

16 minutes ago, TravelGirlinDallas said:

Italy is so magical. When I was younger, my friends and I climbed the million stairs to the top of the Duomo's dome there in Florence. I don't think I could do it now!

This is looking up at the dome.  There are two sections where people walk way up there.  We could actually see people up there.  They look so tiny.  We saw a group of them that just finished and exiting.  One guy said it’s a long set of staircase, something like over 400+ steps.  If I didn’t have my back and leg pain problem,  I’d probably do it but it will have to wait until I’m more healthy.  

[Luckynana]

3 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

I can confirm that it is not fun.  I hope it is back someday...

I hope you feel better soon!🌹

1 hour ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

Hotel we stayed at- Palazzo Niccolini al Doumo had very nice breakfast.  Got to get my protein before heading out for exploring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loading up on my protein 

 

 

This was my favorite item.  An amazing almond lemon custard thingy.  So good.

 

Great way to start your busy day.  Everything looks marvelous!!!!

47 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Excellent.    Sounds like you both had the perfect get-away with some beautiful weather.    😄

 

Back in the day when I had to go to mortgage banker conventions in AC or just go to AC I would stop in the Irish Pub - always a fun place with decent food and drink at great prices.    I haven't been there in years but it probably hasn't changed. .     

I can't remember the last time we've been to AC, but when in AC, we'd go to the Irish Pub for lunch.

[bobmacliberty]

6 hours ago, helen haywood said:

Just about to leave Amelia for home.

 

 

 

Any luck finding a place?  Not sure how it is now, but there wasn't much available when we were looking 2 years ago.  We got very lucky.

[bobmacliberty]

38 minutes ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

This is looking up at the dome.  There are two sections where people walk way up there.  We could actually see people up there.  They look so tiny.  We saw a group of them that just finished and exiting.  One guy said it’s a long set of staircase, something like over 400+ steps.  If I didn’t have my back and leg pain problem,  I’d probably do it but it will have to wait until I’m more healthy.  

 

I'm loving your pictures, but they are also making me jealous.  We had a dream 30 day Italy/Greek Isles trip planned for Sept 2020, with a few days in Florence.  Of course...Covid.

[reallyitsmema]

15 minutes ago, Luckynana said:

I hope you feel better soon!🌹

 

Thanks.  Actually just got back from the doctor's, three new prescriptions.  Did a PCR test for covid and influenza, since the ship only did an antigen test and I have been testing for covid with home tests.  All tests have come back negative for covid up until now, so will be interesting to see if PCR finds something.  Lots on my FB rollcall have covid, some have flu and one is hospitalized with noro.

 

How is your husband doing?  Hopefully, he rests and allows himself to heal.

[grapau27]

We went out for dinner tonight.

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

Sunday morning.  There’s an exercise dance class outside the Basilica di San Croce di Frenzi.  We went around to the other side to go into the cathedral for Mass.  This was something we learned from our walking tour guide.  She said instead of waiting in the long lines to get in to tour the cathedral, you avoid the lines by just going to mass because you can just go right in, take a look around, sit down for a little bit and then leave.  So we found out what time mass was and did just that except we actually sat through the whole 45 minutes of it.  It was all in Italian.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Piazzale degli Uffizi- the Uffizi Gallery is inside this U- shaped building 

[Ocean Boy]

3 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Would that be Lato Cieco ?

Could be.

[George C]

2 hours ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

Saturday we did a free walking tour.  We walked through a lot of piazzas and saw a lot of cathedrals. 

 

Piazza del Duomo and the Giotto’s Bell Tower

 

 

 

 

 

 

A replica of David

 

After the tour, we walked to the Central Market and then ate at where the locals eat.

 

 

 

Seeing the real David and Florence was definitely one of the highlights of my last European cruise. We had 5 stops in Italy 😁

[A&L_Ont]

Sunrise this morning was beautiful, but the day was full or rain and melty snow.
 

Pool closing was swapped to tomorrow morning but the generator was serviced today.
 

Here’s to a better tomorrow for football day. 
 

[Keksie]

Had a fun day in Asheville today.  This is where we are staying.

[lenquixote66]

33 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Could be.

As I previously posted I worked 25 years for a company in which 95 % of the employees were Italian and born in Italia.One would think that I might just speak some Italian.😀

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

I was pretty tired by the time we visited the Uffizi Gallery.  I saw a few rooms of paintings and was hurting quite a bit and really couldn’t walk much anymore.  So I found myself a nice chair next to a gallery staff and DH went on his own to see everything that he wanted to see. I was very content where I was.  I love people watch.  I sat in between the 2 rooms with these two paintings.  The Birth of Venus & Spring.

 

She’s got it.  Yeah, baby, she’s got it

 

Spring

 

 

View of the Arno River from inside the gallery 

 

Let’s get some gelato and call it a day 

 

[Arzeena]

 

I am really loving these pictures of Italy!

They also deserve their very special thread, but I am happy to see them where ever they are.

 

[Luckynana]

2 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Thanks.  Actually just got back from the doctor's, three new prescriptions.  Did a PCR test for covid and influenza, since the ship only did an antigen test and I have been testing for covid with home tests.  All tests have come back negative for covid up until now, so will be interesting to see if PCR finds something.  Lots on my FB rollcall have covid, some have flu and one is hospitalized with noro.

 

How is your husband doing?  Hopefully, he rests and allows himself to heal.

Wow.  So sorry to hear that.  I sure hope your meds work so that you start to feel better quickly.🌻

Several people on my cruise came down with covid.  You were on Oasis, right?  I didn't realize noro could make you so sick...I guess a person could get pretty badly dehydrated...how awful.

Thank you.  Jim is doing the right thing by napping a lot.😊

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

Monday.  Sunrise behind the dome.  We wanted to visit the cathedral so we’ll go to mass at 8:30.

 

 

 

Service was all in Italian but only 30 minutes though 

 

 

Looking up at the dome

 

Gotta push harder

 

[Ocean Boy]

39 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

As I previously posted I worked 25 years for a company in which 95 % of the employees were Italian and born in Italia.One would think that I might just speak some Italian.😀

🙂

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

A must-do is a visit to the Central Market.  So many different things with all the vibrant colors.  It is a feast for the eyes.

 

Lots of carb

 

 

Funghi

Where’s the beef?

 

I would love me some stir-fry

 

 

Not sure what this is. Chestnuts?  Those prickly things are really hard and sharp

 

 

 

[helen haywood]

2 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Any luck finding a place?  Not sure how it is now, but there wasn't much available when we were looking 2 years ago.  We got very lucky.

Places do go fast.  Two went under contract before we could look.  But we found one I’m happy with…close in a month.  Now all I have to do is line up movers, list this house, arrange an estate sale and tranquilize the cats.  I remember you had a bad experience with your furniture in your move.  Did you buy a separate policy for the move or rely on the moving company?  And what was the company again so I’ll know to avoid them!

[helen haywood]

6 hours ago, HBE4 said:

Must've tripped over him a half-a-dozen times as he was always at my feet.

I learned with our current cats that they pay absolutely no attention to where you are walking.  Total confidence that YOU will accommodate them.  I’ve learned to walk around my house always looking at my feet…. Anyone watching me from outside would think I have a serious neck injury…

[dani negreanu]

17 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

But we found one I’m happy with…close in a month.

 

Yay, "Helen", so glad for you 🌷  Good luck with selling your beautiful, beautiful "old" house.

[MJSailors]

@FromSea2ShiningSea Thankyou for the lovely photos of Florence. I was fortunate to visit there during my college years with two friends one Summer. I always wanted to return there ,but it never happened. We toured the cathedral,saw David, shopped in the open air markets went to the Boboli (?) gardens and ate gelato. While we also visited Rome, I thought Florence was a more captivating city.

We stayed in a guest house near the train station -as I recall. Our room had French doors that opened onto a small garden. A continental breakfast was served in a heavily decorated dining room. We loved it !

That trip was fifty years ago ! Your photos brought back some very pleasant memories.

I have dealt with sciatica over the years. It can be very painful and unsettling. I am pleased for you that you could go on this vacation and you seem to be making it a good experience despite the discomfort.

Please continue to post photos !  Molto bene! Grazie!

MJ🙋🏻

 

[MJSailors]

I have a question about booking cabins on RCCL and,since this is a friendly thread with many veteran cruisers, I thought I could ask the question here.

I am curious to read that some couples book two cabins ,usually a balcony and an inside cabin.

I do understand about snoring issues, the luxury of two bathrooms and more overall space when having two cabins. My DH and I have taken cruise vacations since 1987. Two separate cabins was never a consideration for us.

But, I am thinking that there might be a financial benefit or points benefit in doing such.Are those the reasons to book two cabins?

On other cruise lines, if a person books a cabin for one person,they are required to pay a single supplement. I think that supplement could be as much as 100% of the cruise fare. Does RCCL require such a supplement ?

Just something that caught my attention. Looking forward to reading any responses from the good folks here.

MJ🙋🏻