Review: A 12-day Barcelona/NCL Gem Adventure

[Illsticktocrusing]

Celebrat, this is a great review. I just had to show my DH the pictures of the pretzels and he was ready to go.

[Addictedtwo]

I don't think that I would worry about that picture. Looks like he is in shorts or a bathing suit.:)

 

I know but it's just that there are so many perverts on the internet. They can take these pic's an manipulate them to their likings then pass them on.

I was hesitant at first to post my comment.

[eakmom]

Can't wait to read the next installment of your trip. Yours is the best I have read, as others have noted. We are on the Gem out of Barcelona in November. Although our itinerary isn't exactly the same, your insights are invaluable.

[Whippets]

We are sailing the Gem Nov. 9th with the same ports as you. Cannot wait to read more of your review. It is excellent. Thanks so much for sharing.

[auntibe49]

What a wonderful review! Your pictures are great! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

[mush71]

I really like this review. The pictures are a very nice touch. You're kids are adorable. I felt so bad for your daughter when she was sick you can see it in the picture.

[JCD62]

Awesome review. We (DH, Sister, DS 11 and DS 9) sail on the Gem on Aug 17 and will also be spending time in Barcelona. Can't wait to read about Rome and how the kids did. We have also booked a private tour for Naples/Pompei and are now deciding between two tour companies in Rome. Did you use Romeinlimo for Rome also?

 

By the way, you are hysterical! Love your sense of humor.

 

JCD

[insag]

Love the review, thank you so much for taking the time in today's busy schedule for this,,we leave Sept 7th and taking lots of notes.....

But with no kids:D well we are taking my DH parents that invited themselves so

I guess I am taking the kids.... the roles have turned:confused:

[CeleBrat]

Hello! It's been a long day of work, but I am finally home, and have managed to distract DH AWAY from the computer that I need. So...here goes...

 

Presenting ROME!!

[CeleBrat]

We cautiously arise out of our bed this morning, and shake DD awake. Is she feeling better…has her fever broken…can we go to Rome….? YES!

 

Our day began bright and early again, since we were booked on another private tour. This time, with the GREAT Stefano of Rome Cabs. Stefano is highly recommended on the Europe boards on this forum, and it didn’t take him long to establish his greatness.

 

As soon as we got off the ship, it was ridiculously bright outside. So much so, that the kids actually requested their sunglasses. They usually NEVER wear them. I rummaged in my oversized bag and gave DD hers, but couldn’t find DS’s glasses. Oh well, must have left them in the cabin.

 

No sooner had I told DS his glasses were not in my bag, than Stefano THE GREAT steps forward and says “Ah, for you I have a gift,” and promptly hand DS his sunglasses. What the ….????? How did he get DS’s glasses? We were in NAPLES yesterday, for goodness sakes.

 

We were all floored, and amazed by the fact that somehow my DS’s cheap dime store sunglasses had been saved, magically.

 

 

Later in the day, we saw Chris, our Neapolitan tour guide from yesterday, at the Vatican. AHA…so that’s the secret. Chris was in town anyway for another tour, he remembered we had said we were touring with Rome Cabs, so he made sure that DS’s glasses, which had been left behind in Chris’ van were given to our Roman tour guide. That’s some great service. Even more amazing is that it was two different companies working together.

 

Sunglass miracles aside, we anxiously approach Stefano’s Mercedes van, and are relieved to see it is “normal” with all the seats facing forward. Yahoo!

 

We all pile in, and take off towards Rome. The drive lasts a little over an hour, and Stefano regales us with tales of the history of Rome. Fascinating stuff. As we are driving through the countryside, I notice large fields of dried-out sunflowers. Sadly, I realize we have missed sunflower season. Sunflowers are a large crop for Italy (oil, seeds), and if you time it just right, you will see millions and millions of gloriously blooming sunflowers in the country.

 

[CeleBrat]

First stop in Rome: the Coliseum, of course! Stefano expertly parked the van on the side of the road, took us to a nearby museum/ruins site, where we all had a bathroom break and he worked out the details for the Coliseum tickets. Although we were not at the actual Coliseum just yet, he was able to “secretly” purchase the tickets at the this site. Not sure if the general public can also do this, or if it’s just a tour guide perk.

 

We then walked a short block over to the Coliseum. Stefano was able to tell us about the nearby Arch.

 

 

Did you know that the Roman were avid recyclers, and much of their marble art is taken from OTHER pieces around the city? The frescoes on the Arch don’t really tell a story. Rather, they are just various things that are pieced together to make the fresco pretty. At least that’s what Stefano says, and he is GREAT.

 

 

At the Coliseum, Stefano walks over to some nearby costumed Gladiators, hand them a tip, and they pose with the kids. Nice!

 

 

We quickly walk into the Coliseum, and much to the chagrin of the other guests, we bypass the ridiculously long line to buy tickets. I almost felt like a pseudo celebrity, the way that everyone was just staring at us. Gotta love these private tours and their perks!

 

Once inside the Coliseum, Stefano takes a few moments to tell us some history. Things like the Gladiator season was 100 days in a row, since it took so much work to get the animals to the Coliseum. Also, the holes that are seen in the stone of the Coliseum were put there by the ancient Romans, who burrowed into the Coliseum in an attempt to find metal for their swords.

 

[CeleBrat]

Stefano leaves us with free time to explore the Coliseum, and we make good use of the time, doing a lap on both the upper and lower sections of the Coliseum.

 

 

 

 

DH is most excited about the possibility of seeing the “Dancing Mickey Mouses”, which we had seen last time at the Coliseum. The Mickeys are little paper dolls with really long legs that magically dance when placed on the ground. It’s actually a scam involving a fishing line attached to a nearby radio/cassette player. But, they look really cool. Sadly, the scam-artist-Dancing-Mickey vendors were nowhere to be found at the Coliseum and only reputable vendors were around.

[Pool girl1]

Dear Celebrat: After a long hard day at work you still come home take care of your family and find time to post this awesome review. Your are great!

 

I nominate you cruise critic member of the week!

Thank-you to you DH for letting you get on the computer.

 

Thank-you again for posting. This is making me want to go to europe. Unfortunately my DH is in a wheelchair so I don't think it would be a good idea taking him there. But one day maybe I can go with my DD.

[CeleBrat]

Back in the van, we drive to our next stop: Circus Maximus. Although it is really nothing more than a grassy area. It is hard to imagine the chariot races that once occurred there. To help the kids understand things better, I purchased a before/after book from one of the nearby vendors. The book features current pictures of the major ruin sites, with clear plastic overlay pages that show how that same site used to look “back in the day”. The kids really enjoy looking at the before and after.

 

 

Next stop: Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. Lots of ruins to see from afar, as we didn’t have time to actually walk around in the forum area. Sigh, if we only had more time…

 

 

 

We quickly loaded back into the van, which DS pointed out was parked partially on the sidewalk, and sped off towards the Pantheon. LOVE the Pantheon, with the mystical hole in its domed ceiling. It seemed as if the light of God was coming through as we visited.

 

 

 

DD got a little bored, and opted to sit quietly and eat her fruit snacks. Hey, at least it wasn’t French fries, right?

[CeleBrat]

Next stop on our whirlwind tour: Trevi Fountain, where OF COURSE we threw coins in to solidify our promise/hope/wish of a return trip.

 

 

My mom lamented the fact that there were so many tourists at Trevi Fountain, that the “magical” moment was spoiled for her. I ask her, “So you would be….NOT a tourist, exactly?”

 

 

Adjacent to the Pantheon are a few small shops. We could not believe it when we spied our all-time most favorite print shop ever, “Casali,” still there, since our last visit 12+ years ago. It was as if time had stood still, and that little shop was waiting for us. We all dutifully went in and purchased beautiful prints for quite a hefty Euro. However, these are masterfully created prints from etchings, not the usual corner-side local artist fare.

 

Following that, we continued to drive through the city to the Spanish steps. My brother, his wife, DS and I were adventurous and climbed all the way to the top. We were rewarded with the discovery of a local artist market, and of course, had to buy something from them.

 

 

Mom comments that the Spanish Steps are also over-run with "all these tourists" (not us, of course), and were much prettier back in the day when there used to be large pots of geraniums along the length of the stairs. I think she is getting a little loopy from the heat...

 

Stefano GREATNESS extends to his driving skills as well, and he expertly maneuvers the van through the narrow and somewhat crazy-busy streets of Rome. The traffic is everywhere, and it’s amazing that there aren’t more accidents! Notice how many lanes of traffic there are in the pic below.

 

 

Stefano takes a moment to casually mention that traffic signs and signal are considered suggestions, not rules.

[CeleBrat]

For lunch, we stopped at La Insalata Rustica, which was a restaurant in the shadow of the Vatican.

 

 

We asked Stefano if he could arrange for the Pope to join us for lunch, but sadly, the Pope had just flown in from Australia and was a little busy, or jet lagged, or frankly couldn't be bothered to hang with us non-tourists.

 

Great, great meal though. Best pizza we had all week, even my picky eaters agree. We also enjoyed a few carafes of wine, which made the lunchtime feast even more festive.

 

 

The kids were even adventurous and actually ate pizza, instead of French fries for once!

 

 

Following lunch, we had 30 minutes to shop. So, we darted off down the street, making sure to stop at a nearby café for gelato. Good stuff, that gelato! Just be careful that you eat it quickly enough before it melts and drips all over your shirt…or pants…or skirt. Not that any one of us did that….

 

 

My brother and I end up in a t-shirt shop, where he attempts to ask for a small size t-shirt for his wife. “Piccolo!” I tell him, “Say piccolo!” The lady at the counter misunderstands, and think I am my brother’s wife. We look at each other, shake our heads, and saw “Ewwww…NO!” Needless to say, he was not successful in procuring that small sized t-shirt.

[CeleBrat]

With not a moment to spare, our whirlwind tour continued onto the Vatican. We had opted to NOT visit the Sistine Chapel or Vatican museum, knowing that the kids wouldn’t enjoy it, and would have a really hard time staying quiet in the Sistine Chapel area, which requires total silence. And, as previously established, my Mom is a bit of a loud troublemaker at times too..

 

So, instead we spent about an hour visiting the Basilica. No tour guide. We just walked around in awe. The Vatican is so beautiful.

 

Before entering the Basilica, you must pass through security, and the clothing police area, which screens everyone to make sure they are dressed appropriately. And yes, they were turning away those with the wrong clothing on. We knew the dress code, so were properly dressed in pants, skirts, and shirts with sleeves.

 

 

Our visit to the Vatican was extra holy, since standing behind us in line were 3 nuns. It was interesting to see that they would have to wait in line to be screened too. You’d think they’d get a special exception. After all, they are dressed appropriately…

 

 

I couldn’t help but laugh at this sign…apparently if your leg or arm is not firmly attached to your torso, you may also not enter the Vatican.

 

[CeleBrat]

Once inside the Vatican, we just walked around with our mouths open in awe.

 

 

My parents, DH, and I had been before, but it is always an awe-inspiring site to behold. So beautiful, and BIG. If you look closely on the main floor in the center of the basilica, you will see markings that denote other “major” churches around the world. Those markings show where those churches would end if they were placed inside the Vatican. The Vatican trumps all!

 

 

I LOVE the Vatican, and believe it to be the most beautiful building in the world. I can’t help but stare at everything. The size of the building is just indescribable. And, once again, the light of God seems to be shining through the windows.

 

[CeleBrat]

I take so many pictures that my family jokes that I could print them all out, and reassemble the Vatican in our living room.

 

 

 

Another interesting thing, some of the marble of the Coliseum was used in the construction of the Vatican.

 

 

After exiting the Vatican, we walked to the center of the courtyard so we could stand in the “magic spot” and see the optical illusion involving the columns around the courtyard. Thos columns, in rows of 4, look like one single row of columns when you stand in the magic spot.

 

 

Think about how long ago the Vatican was built, and how amazing that architectural feat is. For the optical illusion to work, you must stand on one of the specially marked circles.

 

 

Our day quickly came to a close as we all piled back into the van for a return trip to the port. We had spent almost 9 hours touring with Stefano, and had a great day. Our heads are spinning just a little, after having seen so many things in one day. And, we hadn’t even touched “the tip of the iceberg” of Rome, as they say. We marvel at the sheer number of things that we saw, expertly guided by Stefano THE GREAT, and wonder how anyone else manages to see this much in one day without a private guide…?

 

Back onboard the GEM, we ate dinner and had a Bowl-A-Thon at Bliss. The kids, of course, spent time their evening at the Kids Club.

 

And so another day ends on our fabulous vacation.

[CeleBrat]

Dear Celebrat: After a long hard day at work you still come home take care of your family and find time to post this awesome review. Your are great!

 

I nominate you cruise critic member of the week!

Thank-you to you DH for letting you get on the computer.

 

Thank-you again for posting. This is making me want to go to europe. Unfortunately my DH is in a wheelchair so I don't think it would be a good idea taking him there. But one day maybe I can go with my DD.

 

Heheheeeee. My family would probably disagree that I've taken care of them this evening. I've distracted the kids and sent them off to play Wii with DH.

 

And--don't completely discount your ability to visit Europe with DH. Although there are not a lot of people in wheechairs, we did see a few. It seems that with proper planning, and a private guide going at a slow pace, you should be able to do it. The Vatican is wheelchair-friendly, as are many of the churhces. Sites with ruins (Pompeii, Catacombs) would probably be the only things you would have to miss.

 

As Walt Disney says, "If you can dream it, you can do it!"

 

CeleBrat

[CeleBrat]

OK--a few more photos of the Vatican because I **HEART** the Vatican (and I'm not even Catholic!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cafe rose]

Celebrat, what is the exact dress code for the Vatican? My DD is 13, DS is 16. What exactly can everyone where? Also have DS 22 plus DH and me of course. Thanks

[Pool girl1]

Heheheeeee. My family would probably disagree that I've taken care of them this evening. I've distracted the kids and sent them off to play Wii with DH.

 

And--don't completely discount your ability to visit Europe with DH. Although there are not a lot of people in wheechairs, we did see a few. It seems that with proper planning, and a private guide going at a slow pace, you should be able to do it. The Vatican is wheelchair-friendly, as are many of the churhces. Sites with ruins (Pompeii, Catacombs) would probably be the only things you would have to miss.

 

As Walt Disney says, "If you can dream it, you can do it!"

 

CeleBrat

Thank-you celebrat. Now I have to get him to read this review and try and convince him it would work. You have put a lot of beautiful pictures in this so that might get him to look at it.

 

Thanks again. I really want to visit Europe. Hopefully he will agree.

[CeleBrat]

Celebrat, what is the exact dress code for the Vatican? My DD is 13, DS is 16. What exactly can everyone where? Also have DS 22 plus DH and me of course. Thanks

 

At it's most basic level, youmust have your knees and shoulders covered. But, since the Vatican is one of the greatest churches in the world, we really wanted to be properly respectful. So, all the females in our party wore skirts, while the men wore pants. Although, there is nothing at all wrong with females wearing pants.

 

A lot of females wear halter tops, then bring along a sweater to wear over it when entering a church. We have also seen people with the zip-leg pants so they can wear the "shorts" version of the pants most of the day, then zip the legs on when entering the church.

 

Although we were a little more formally dressed, we were not too overly hot throughout our entire day's adventure in Rome.

 

Hope that helps!

 

CeleBrat

[cafe rose]

Yes, thanks. Only other question. I bought DD a skirt the just reaches her knees. Is that long enough?