Haljo1935

Happy Thanksgiving🦃 from Rome!! Very long day today, but amazing! We went to the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peters Basilica. I was not able to take pictures during all our stops as my phone died. So, that should give you a good idea of how camera happy I was.🙄 Here's a little something to get you started until I post the rest. Knowing we were going on a cruise, the guide pointed this out specifically for us. This is from the geographical map section; shows Civitavecchia Port.

Thank you! Whatever it is, you'll likely see it here🤭

Yes - smallest elevator ever!! And sooooo slow.

I'll start where I usually end - prayers and positive thoughts for all. Busy day - landed in Rome and got settled into the hotel then found food. And also worked. Have not been to today's port. Instead, here's sunset last night over DFW Airport as seen from my seat. Coastline this morning coming into Rome as as seen from my seat.

Yes absolutely! Safe travels and Happy Thanksgiving!!

CONGRATS on the upgrade - I think that's $$ well spent. Easy for me to say when it's your $$, but I would have done it, too.🫣 I'm late to the party cuz we just landed today and had to get checked into the hotel and grab a bite, then I updated my LIVE and now I'm finally here. YAY - Thanksgiving cruises!! Does it get any better?!🙃 I'm excited to follow your next adventure - safe travels and Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

Look forward to seeing the rest of this one and ready to dig in to the next one. I am excited to see your pis & thoughts on the Azores as we go there in 2 weeks.

Thanks so much - Thanksgiving in Italy - woo hoo!! Of course, since they don't do American Thanksgiving, the woo hoo is really for being in Italy and not preparing or cleaning up a big dinner 🤭

Dinner was pretty light and convenient - went to a restaurant next door to the hotel. We're at Hilton Garden; M Parioli Pe' Davera restaurant is in basement next door. Odds are not in your favor if you want something they do not consider authentic. 🫣 After a very long, full day yesterday (work started early and continued through the flight), we were tired and didn't want to go far. Originally, we thought we'd do the nighttime tour of Rome, but decided to do it another night. Here's what we had before dinner, purchased at a store near the hotel. From NE Italy, it's my friend's first Italian wine. She wasn't entirely sure why she picked that one, and although we finished it, says she won't by it again. We had house red at dinner; do not know what is was and no pictures🫣 Bruschetta, mozzarella and pesto fettuccine, no room for dessert. We shared everything - I kept forgetting to snap a pic before cutting and splitting, sorry, I promise to try to do better.😔 It was all very good. Princess sign in lobby for 2 different ships. We're doing breakfast at the hotel since it's included, then head out for our Vatican tour. Hoping pizza finds its way to us for lunch. Ciao for now.

Thanks so much - I'm excited!

Thanks so much!

Thank you and thanks for coming along.

Very nice - enjoy! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Thank you! Happy to have you along.

Thank you - glad you're here. It should be fun.

Thanks for joining again - glad to have you.

We will know in just a couple days. 😊

Thank you- Welcome back! I promise I will eventually get the other pictures posted...

We will do our part to leave her in good condition.

I'm here - I'm in Rome!! ⛲Good pilot landed about 30 minutes early 🛬- woo hoo! Almost zero lines to clear passport control - woo hoo! Blue, slightly cloudy skies, light breeze, no rain - woo hoo! 🧳 arrived quickly - woo hoo! Off to a great start - woo hoo! Shuttle🚌 to Termini left early - no woo hooing 😪 (RIP MP.) Next bus left early, too, but I'm on it so next stop is Termini for metro transfer to hotel🏢. I’m in Rome - what's not to love?! Approaching Rome as seen from my seat. Touchdown! Taxiing in as seen from my seat. No matter what I do, I cannot get this picture right-side up, so feel free to stand on your head.🫣 FCO waiting for next shuttle to Termini. Ciao for now.

They're lining up; we're thinking about getting in line. We don't leave til 6, so this is a long boarding window. Found a Christmas 🎄 when buying chocolate. Well, that didn't post and now I'm on, but here we all are. Figured out the fancy screen and phone is charging. That side is not moving - at all. I think that guy may have taken a little nap, lol. The one standing in the red jacket🫣 We leave at 6; 5:30 announcement made we're boarded and they're closing the door. So, do we sit here for 30 min or do we get to leave early? Sun starting to set at DFW Airport as seen from my seat. Ciao for now.

Here we go!! Well, almost - here we sit at the airport waiting to board to go. Then it's Here We Go - Rome Here We Come!⛲ We sail Sun Nov 26, so we'll play tourist for a couple days in Rome before we board the fresh out of dry dock Nieuw Statendam. We have a few days planned and one flex day with a rented Vespa to do whatever we feel like we missed or just to go tooling about. Luggage was loaded very quickly after checking in, so I feel good about my chances of being reunited at the correct time. Going to get some chocolate for the flight...Ciao for now.

I was preparing to post early this morning, but hot sidetracked by work, here I am now at the airport waiting for my flight...how does the day go so quickly? Temp this morning was 54° headed to 75°; don't know what it is now. Full work day and still at it, but from my phone as I'm at the airport waiting for my flight. Will surely test the internet during our cruise as I will be working a lot on the TA portion. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone (saying that now in case I miss the next few days) and safe travels to those hitting the roads and/or skies and/or seas. Prayers and positive thoughts for all.

Then you would recognize the other mark in the stone if I posted it, lol

I remember seeing dogs laying around Olympia and and was told some people do feed them. They just plopped down wherever and napped or "people watched." I didn't see a single dog in Pompeii this visit, but of course, it's so big I just may not have seen any.