Carnival Pride 10-day cruise to (Pompeii), (Mt. Etna), Mykonos, Santorini, Athens, Olympia, Turkey, plus train around Italy

[Roscoe13]

20 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Very smooth flight so far, no turbulence at all. I hope it stays this smooth after we liftoff.

The only thing smoother would be if you got an unexpected upgrade to first class and seated next to a blonde super model...oops, wrong channel that's a different posters life.

[IntrepidFromDC]

The hotel exterior and lobbies...

[IntrepidFromDC]

I just went to double check I wasn't mixing up the misplacement of toilet (aka, porcelain altar or throne, depending on your posture,  conditions and needs) and barbaric bidet, yup no bueno...

[cruisingguy007]

1 minute ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

I just went to double check I wasn't mixing up the misplacement of toilet (aka, porcelain altar or throne, depending on your posture,  conditions and needs) and barbaric bidet, yup no bueno...

 

Fancy! 😃

[IntrepidFromDC]

Tonight around 1230am I bought my ticket to the cruise port using one of the kiosks. It was super easy and in English... oh and cheap,  less than $5.

Edited September 10, 2022 by IntrepidFromDC

[IntrepidFromDC]

6 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

I just went to double check I wasn't mixing up the misplacement of toilet (aka, porcelain altar or throne, depending on your posture,  conditions and needs) and barbaric bidet, yup no bueno...

On the bright side I can shave and poop at the same time now.

[IntrepidFromDC]

Subway in Rome. If you zoom in on the second pic, you can see the tracks on the next level down. 

Edited September 10, 2022 by IntrepidFromDC

[lennythenose]

You may have mentioned in a prior pist and I overlooked it, but is this a solo trip for you?  I’m used to seeing pictures of your beautiful daughter on your trips. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

Things I love about Italy... THE FOOD!  Tonight I ate at the #1 restaurant in Rome on TripAdvisor.  I had a first course and second course, 2 glasses of excellent red wine and a large bottle of Italian spring water for just under 40 euros, which is under 40 bucks these wonderful currency exchange rate days!  The strazzicana ameritricana was one of the best pasta dishes in my life, exciting and sublime at the same time.  I had never had strazzicana pasta before,  it was "al dente perfecto" and the bacon was exceptional.  The secondi was also wonderful,  veal cheeks in black truffle summer sauce. highly recommend and agree with TripAdvisor on this ristorante. 

Edited September 10, 2022 by IntrepidFromDC

[IntrepidFromDC]

9 hours ago, lennythenose said:

You may have mentioned in a prior pist and I overlooked it, but is this a solo trip for you?  I’m used to seeing pictures of your beautiful daughter on your trips. 

This is the first and I hope last "daughter ditched dad" trips. Faith recently met a Carnival casino pit boss and is now with him in Romania. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

Roman Colosseum where gladiator fights and other sports took place. But not the chariot races, they were held at the much larger though less impressive and older Circus Maximus

[IntrepidFromDC]

Circus Maximus is hundreds of years older than the Colosseum and held 150,000 people for events both historic (battles to the death between men and beasts) and mythological (rape of the Sabine women). It sits just south of Palatine Hill,  the highest of the 7 Rome hills.  The last image is a depiction of what it is thought to have looked like in the days of use.

[IntrepidFromDC]

Piazza Navonna is one of my favorite spots in Rome. As I entered the piazza a rock band was finishing up a version of USA National Anthem. A husky yet twangy voice yelled above the crowd "Now that's what I'm talkin about! THAT'S a national anthem!"  I inferred from the smattering of boos afterward they were playing other national anthems before I got there, and Earl was being called out for showing off.

[IntrepidFromDC]

We can use the same wells and fountains for fresh, clean water as Romans have used for hundreds of years. The top pic is me, filling up.  Bottom pic a woman is drinking directly from the fountain.

[IntrepidFromDC]

I'm not sure if my post of Circus Maximus is showing,  it's in red and says "hidden".

[IntrepidFromDC]

Rome is mostly a busy, noisy city but there are always quiet parks, piazzas, calles and small ristorante and cafes just a few blocks away. 

[jimbri]

Great review and photos

[lennythenose]

5 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

I'm not sure if my post of Circus Maximus is showing,  it's in red and says "hidden".

I’m not seeing your Circus Maximus post. 

[maluhia87]

16 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Tonight around 1230am I bought my ticket to the cruise port using one of the kiosks. It was super easy and in English... oh and cheap,  less than $5.

I orders ours on online but opted for the extra piece taking bus to the rest of the way to the port.  The combo ticket was 7.60€

[IntrepidFromDC]

Circus Maximus is hundreds of years older than the Colosseum and held 150,000 people for events both historic (battles to the death between men and beasts) and mythological (rape of the Sabine women). It sits just south of Palatine Hill,  the highest of the 7 Rome hills.  The last image is a depiction of what it is thought to have looked like in the days of use.

[IntrepidFromDC]

Palatine Hill,  I didn't get any great pics of it as we drove by on the HOHO bus, but it was the most prestigious neighborhood and the highest of Romes seven hills. Senators and nobility would have homes built there during the Roman Republic.  It is also believed to be the home of Romulus and Remus who founded Rome.

[IntrepidFromDC]

Piazza di Spagna leads down to very high end shopping where Gucci and Prada are overshadowed by ultra-high end stores. That's said the green gucci purse in "Jackie 1961" style was mesmerizing in the Gucci window.  I hope the photo does it justice...

[IntrepidFromDC]

Circus Maximus is hundreds of years older than the Colosseum and held 150,000 people for events both historic (battles to the death between men and beasts) and mythological (Sabine women). It sits just south of Palatine Hill,  the highest of the 7 Rome hills.  The last image is a depiction of what it is thought to have looked like in the days of use.

[IntrepidFromDC]

Pantheon, I believe it's famous because modern engineers say the weight of the dome cannot be supported by the walls, and/or it was the largest freestanding cupola or dome for over a thousand years.  Something like that and I'm tired of checking sources because I am now on Carnival Pride as I type this and still have to catch up with Rome stuff...

[IntrepidFromDC]

Just now, IntrepidFromDC said:

Pantheon, I believe it's famous because modern engineers say the weight of the dome cannot be supported by the walls, and/or it was the largest freestanding cupola or dome for over a thousand years.  Something like that and I'm tired of checking sources because I am now on Carnival Pride as I type this and still have to catch up with Rome stuff...

Forget to attach pic