Carnival Venezia maiden voyage live

[kwokpot]

Question for you. What's your luggage situation? How has it been getting around from city to city, train to hotel, with your baggage? I assume you're going to be needing a laundromat at some point? 

[IntrepidFromDC]

6 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Question for you. What's your luggage situation? How has it been getting around from city to city, train to hotel, with your baggage? I assume you're going to be needing a laundromat at some point? 

I bring a carryon and a backpack.  I won't need laundry til Carnival and although I read Venezia doesn't have the self laundry they still do the free laundry for plat/dia. I need warm weather at sailaway because all my trousers will be worn a couple times but I have 5 pairs of nice shorts I won't break out until the cruise.  Getting around is a breeze because it's just carryon and backpack,  made easier by doing a dry run from hotel to train station with the little yellow guy on Google maps and memorizing it.  I almost always book a hotel walking distance to train station in Europe because the train stations are always in town.

Edited May 19, 2023 by IntrepidFromDC

[IntrepidFromDC]

This guy has jazz skills but seemed to lack the jazz soul of the duo in Paris.

[IntrepidFromDC]

Dinner was sublime. Although sometimes sneaking birdbread (I  made up a word  Yay) for Tweet Tweet and Monty Python's flying rats can be tricky.  Look at the mysterious missing bread from the breadbasket at the table? 

Edited May 19, 2023 by IntrepidFromDC

[IntrepidFromDC]

Just heard my first French siren since Paris.

[IntrepidFromDC]

Get pretty dead on Friday night by 10pm. One bar was open and it had a dog!

[IntrepidFromDC]

I added a pic of the places I ate lunch and dinner here. Look at that paella! And the Van Gogh "Cafe et nuit", really at night this time. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

2 hours ago, LATTELOVE said:

Pictures and reviews are insane.

 So much detail and very beautiful. Thank you!

 

Just 10 days til the 15-day TA cruise starts!  I'm so excited to see the branding differentiation. I really have a feeling the "fun" is going to be dialed back a bit. Instead of Hairy Chest Contest it'll be Baci Ball.

[Essiesmom]

Maybe I missed it in my enjoyment of your travels…but are you fluent in French?  EM

[ninjacat123]

1 hour ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

This guy has jazz skills but seemed to lack the jazz soul of the duo in Paris.

That number felt more honkytonk than jazz.  Still fun just different.

[ninjacat123]

1 hour ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Dinner was sublime. Although sometimes sneaking birdbread (I  made up a word  Yay) for Tweet Tweet and Monty Python's flying rats can be tricky.  Look at the mysterious missing bread from the breadbasket at the table? 

Good job pilfering the bread.  Tweet Tweet would be so proud!😉

[Saint Greg]

7 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Just 10 days til the 15-day TA cruise starts!  I'm so excited to see the branding differentiation. I really have a feeling the "fun" is going to be dialed back a bit. Instead of Hairy Chest Contest it'll be Baci Ball.

Hairy chest contest is defunct. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

10 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

Maybe I missed it in my enjoyment of your travels…but are you fluent in French?  EM

I can't speak French.  I know about 30 words that are important for tourists and use them like a caveman would use grunts. For example if I need a restroom I shrug and grunt "Toilettes?". Not really.  Everywhere I go people speak English.  Even the tourists from other countries like Germany and Netherlands.  My hit rate on "Do you speak any English?", just roaming around,  is about 60% I estimate. And all restaurant and hotel personnel speak fluent English. Same as Italy - language barrier is a non-issue and often winds up a fun conversation starter.

Edited May 20, 2023 by IntrepidFromDC

[IntrepidFromDC]

2 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

Hairy chest contest is defunct. 

I know but it's due for a retro comeback!  Actually I've never attended but it just is a fun thing  to think about. 

[aml3679]

Loving and following 

[IntrepidFromDC]

I made visited three Roman sites today,  the inside of the Colosseum,  the Theater and the Cryptoportiques...

[lazydayz]

3 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

I made visited three Roman sites today,  the inside of the Colosseum,  the Theater and the Cryptoportiques...

Looking forward to the photos. Enjoy

[IntrepidFromDC]

Colosseum from the inside and atop the tallest tower.

[IntrepidFromDC]

Theater - plays and storytelling for Citizens 

[Saint Greg]

5 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

I know but it's due for a retro comeback!  Actually I've never attended but it just is a fun thing  to think about. 

If they do bring it back you should stop by once. It’s not a straight up hairy chest contest. It’s about entertaining the crowd. I’ve seen a dude out there looking like a seal win it. 

[Saint Greg]

9 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Colosseum from the inside and atop the tallest tower.

Are you going to make it to the death match?

[IntrepidFromDC]

Cryptoportiques where of all places they had the nerve not to accept cryptocurrency for admission. "Crypto" means "hidden", kind of like your cryptocurrency where it's hidden or maybe not there at all.  Some experts think this was a foundation for The Forum, others think a warehouse. Anyway,  it goes down about three stories underground,  two levels and just plain cool.

[IntrepidFromDC]

4 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

If they do bring it back you should stop by once. It’s not a straight up hairy chest contest. It’s about entertaining the crowd. I’ve seen a dude out there looking like a seal win it. 

It's high on my list of must-dos when the cutbacks are restored- right up there with eating in the MDR when they add tablecloths back (like MSC).

[IntrepidFromDC]

8 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Are you going to make it to the death match?

No, seeing bulls put in a no-win situation and tortured while bleeding out is not my idea of sport or fun. But once in a while I enjoy foie gras so I'm a conflicted hypocrite. It just tastes so amazing. 

 

There was one last night and it was a hit with the locals in the sports bars.

Edited May 20, 2023 by IntrepidFromDC

[IntrepidFromDC]

Here's a French market that is more like the French market back home.  Not as farm-fresh,  more packaged goods.