In the Mediterranean!

UPDATE…we are OFFICIALLY sailing the seas of the Mediterranean!! (I’m a little behind… we have been now for about 2 days) They have been extremely calm thus far, (which is good, because = no rocking), and the weather has been HOT! We were still in the Atlantic when we were docked in Cadiz. We did not pass through the Straight of Gibraltar, which connects the two bodies of water, until the morning after Spain. While there, we also stopped for about six hours to re-fuel for the first time since we departed Halifax. Where we were while that occurred, we had AMAZING views! Our ship rested right in between Spain and Morocco! I had no idea the countries were that close together that one could see the other from the other! So, here we were, eating lunch with a view of Morocco on one side and Spain on the other. And we were close to both countries! They each had little coastal towns built up on them, with mountain ranges in the background. The views, the many other ships refueling around us, and the beaming rays of the sun made for quite the gas station! My favorite one thus far!

Besides for refueling, this three-day stretch back on the ship after Spain has been a little difficult. For starters, no one wanted to leave Spain! And these three days have been quite long, as we are all impatient for the next port after we had a taste of what it was like! In addition, they were jam packed with papers, quizzes, and exams. But with two major exams and papers finally out of the way… I can enjoy my time stress-free, hang out with friends, and anticipate our arrival! Which is: TOMORROW MORNING! AHH!! So in about 15 hours we will be in ITALY!! I am so excited that I get to spend 5 days in this beautiful country! Our first port is Citeveccia, the gateway to Rome, followed by Naples.

Our plan is to disembark the ship as early as possible, probably around 9:30 a.m., and then get the first available train into Rome. I have my little travel guide and pocket phrase book with me, so we should be good to explore! Yesterday, nine of us booked a hostel for the first night in Rome. Well, we booked a four-person room. We are hoping that our hostel will be as nice as the one we had in Sevilla, Spain, and that we will be able to sneak the remaining five people in. It cuts our prices in half, and worst comes to worse, we figure we can just buy another room in the same hostel or somewhere near by. Heck, it’s an adventure! But yes, I don’t think I got a chance to describe our hostel in Sevilla. It is a small chain in Spain, and if they had it in Italy, we would definitely be staying there! We really didn’t have one complaint. We got a free welcome drink, free Internet, a free flamenco show, and maps, advise, etc. The staff was super friendly, and always willing to help. The best part by far though was the room! Kate, Rachael, Anthony and I had our own four-person room, with a kitchen, washer, and super nice bathroom! There was even a bidet. Besides for there being bunk beds, it resembled a hotel, but for only 20 euros. In addition, we had three windows…and these were no ordinary windows. They had green shudders that closed, locked, and went down to the floor. They were a little shorter than my height. When open, there was a little extension of the floor and a small black railing, so that we could stick most of our bodies and heads out of and watch the people in the streets! Our room was located on the third floor, and there were shops below us. I felt just like a local Spaniard, and loved the sun shining through the open shudders. I hope that description did the hostel justice and everyone reading can kind of imagine what I am talking about. Anyways, I hope that we luck out with a similar one in Rome…

After the first night in Rome, we plan on winging it. Maybe a train to Florence, then down to Naples to meet the boat? You have to love that type of traveling… it’s the best. And, of course, my diet will consist of Pizza, Pizza, Gelato, Pizza, Pizza… and maybe some pasta. CANNOT WAIT!!

And I also forgot to mention that a bird pooped on my while walking around Cadiz on the last day. And did I notice? Nope. Not until way later anyways, and it was all down the back of my white shirt and on my leg. Gross. But I guess it’s a sign of good luck… so I’ll take it!

Until next time,
xoxo
Erika