With the new Fall TV season now 5 weeks old, the November sweeps are about to begin. The sweeps are the critical months (4 per year) when AC Nielson-- the company that rates TV viewership influencing advertising rates. Time to take stock of the season so far. CBS is the big winner so far (leading in most rated categories--- see below) and boasting of the most highly rated shows season to date. ABC is CBS`s biggest competitor so far but has seen big drop-offs in its sophomore shows (Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, Dirty Sexy Money, Samantha Who and Eli Stone. Meanwhile, CBS is also the home of the biggest rookie series-- The Mentalist.
2008-09 SEASON-TO-DATE AVERAGES
Average rating, share and audience in each category (with change for prior year for “Big 4”)
HOUSEHOLDS
Rtg/Sh Chg
CBS 7.4 /2 -5%
ABC 6.7/11 -13%
FOX 5.1/8 -18%
NBC 4.8/8 -16%
UNI 1.3/3
CW 0.9/2
TEL 0.4/1
TOTAL VIEWERS
(000) Chg
CBS 11,647 -5%
ABC 10,387 -11%
FOX 8,302 -17%
NBC 7,590 -16%
UNI 3,900
CW 2,500
TEL 1,100
Each rating point equals 2.90 million viewers
Adults 18-49
Rtg/Sh Viewers Chg from pr season
CBS 3.3/9 4.3 million -6%
ABC 3.2/9 4.3 million -18%
FOX 3.0/8 4.0 million -17%
NBC 2.9/8 3.8 million -17%
UNI 1.5/4, 2.0 million
CW 1.1/3 1.5 million
TEL 0.5/1 0.6 million
Each rating point equals 1.32 million viewers
Top rated series
01 THRU 60 (OUT OF 114 PROGRAMS)
DAYPART: PRIMETIME MON-SUN
FROM 09/22/08 THROUGH 10/26/08
REGULAR PROGRAMS
LIST RANKED BY: VIEWR 2+ (000)
----- ------ ------
1 CSI CBS 21390 7.4
2 DANCING WITH THE STARS ABC 19580 6.8
3 NCIS CBS 18160 6.3
4 GREY'S ANATOMY ABC 17730 6.1
5 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC 17040 5.9
6 CRIMINAL MINDS CBS 16730 5.8
7 MENTALIST, THE CBS 15950 5.5
8 CSI: NY CBS 15720 5.4
9 DANCING W/STARS RESULTS ABC 15680 5.4
10 CSI: MIAMI CBS 15340 5.3
11 TWO AND A HALF MEN CBS 15010 5.2
12 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NBC 13840 4.8
13 SURVIVOR: GABON CBS 13680 4.7
14 60 MINUTES CBS 13520 4.7
15 OT, THE FOX 13090 4.5
16 HOUSE FOX 12530 4.3
17 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-WED NBC 12190 4.2
WITHOUT A TRACE CBS 12190 4.2
19 ELEVENTH HOUR CBS 11980 4.1
20 EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P ABC 11810 4.1
21 COLD CASE CBS 11690 4.0
22 BONES FOX 11250 3.9
23 BROTHERS & SISTERS ABC 10970 3.8
24 SAMANTHA WHO? ABC 10540 3.6
25 HEROES NBC 10410 3.6
26 LAW AND ORDER:SVU NBC 10350 3.6
AMAZING RACE 13 CBS 10350 3.6
28 FRINGE FOX 10300 3.6
29 GHOST WHISPERER CBS 10030 3.5
30 WORST WEEK CBS 9970 3.4
31 OFFICE NBC 9710 3.3
32 UNIT, THE CBS 9680 3.3
33 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER CBS 9600 3.3
34 LIFE ON MARS ABC 9570 3.3
35 BIG BANG THEORY, THE CBS 9560 3.3
36 SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK NBC 9530 3.3
37 E.R. NBC 9410 3.2
38 FAMILY GUY FOX 9230 3.2
39 UGLY BETTY ABC 9220 3.2
40 BOSTON LEGAL ABC 9110 3.1
41 NUMB3RS CBS 9100 3.1
42 SIMPSONS FOX 8640 3.0
43 PRIVATE PRACTICE ABC 8580 3.0
44 ELI STONE ABC 8200 2.8
45 AMER FUNN HOME VIDEOS ABC 7920 2.7
46 KNIGHT RIDER NBC 7760 2.7
47 BIGGEST LOSER 6 NBC 7690 2.7
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3 NBC 7690 2.7
49 DEAL OR NO DEAL-WED NBC 7610 2.6
50 OLD CHRISTINE CBS 7460 2.6
51 GARY UNMARRIED CBS 7390 2.5
52 EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-7P ABC 7350 2.5
53 KING OF THE HILL FOX 7170 2.5
54 20/20-FRI ABC 7160 2.5
55 MY NAME IS EARL NBC 7130 2.5
56 AMERICAN DAD FOX 7000 2.4
57 CRUSOE NBC 6950 2.4
58 SAT NIGHT FOOTBALL ABC 6930 2.4
59 CHUCK NBC 6840 2.4
60 DIRTY SEXY MONEY ABC 6780 2.3
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Weekend Update
What a busy weekend:
Saturday morning—at Queens Park:
On Saturday morning I attended a presentation ceremony at the Ontario legislative building at Queens Park. My son Ryan was one of the less than 60 recipients of the Queen’s Venturer’s Award at the 22nd annual awards presentation. The award certificate was signed by Governor General Michaelle Jean and presented by Ontario Lieutenant Governor David Onley (ex of City TV). The awards were presented on a stage set up on the grand staircase just inside the front foyer.
Following the formal presentation ceremony we adjourned to the conference room and Lieutenant Governor’s chamber upstairs for a reception (where we were served complimentary beverages and h’ord d’ouevres)
Saturday PM—“Jersey Boys at the Toronto Centre for the Arts”:
Gary & I attended a performance of “Jersey Boys” at the Toronto Centre for the Arts (just South of Mel Lastman Square at the North York Civic Centre station on the Yonge subway line). The original Broadway production of this musical won a Tony Award for best musical play a few years back. It tells the story of the real-life pop group Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (using the four seasons (Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall) as a framing device to chronicle the rise and fall of the band’s fortunes. The staging effectively mixes archival footage of the actual group (performing on the Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand) with live performances by the principal cast members.
The show begins by chronicling the rise of the group: how it was assembled (songwriter Bob Gaudio and lead vocalist Frankie Valli (the key pieces) were the last two members recruited); how the group got its name (after a Jersey bowling alley); how they pitched their material at the Brill building; how they were signed by Bob Crewe and after a year of singing back-up on other artists records finally got a break, releasing a run of #1 hits including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Walk Like a Man. It then nicely chronicles the group’s fall, as two of the founding members succumb to addictions to alcohol and gambling and Valli’s daughter dies of an OD at age 22. Finally the play concludes with the band’s triumphant reunion for their induction in the hockey hall of fame.
Throughout the production, the stage-play tosses off enough tidbits to satisfy even the most jaded pop music trivia buff (like yours truly). For example, we learn that “Big Girls Don’t Cry” was inspired by a line from an old Hollywood melodrama that Gaudio caught on late-night TV; that actor Joe Pesci was responsible for recruiting Gaudio into the band and that Valli’s biggest selling hit “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” original met strong resistance from the label and radio programmers.
Both the acting and singing by the cast members for the Toronto production were impressive and the company received a standing ovation by the Saturday night crowd at the end of the play. The modern theatre is comfortable and it is nice to see it being used by Dancap productions again after so many dark nights following the demise of Livent.
I would highly recommend this play (although the rough (Jersey authentic language) can be highly coarse at times, which may make it unsuitable for young children. Also, it might be considered offensively racist and homophobia by some, in its depictions of the band-mates’ Jersey mob ties and it its depiction of Crewe’s sexuality.
Sunday mid-day: High School Musical 3 at the Cineplex Scotiabank cinema:
I attended the 12:20 PM screening of Disney’s High School Musical 3 at the Cineplex Scotiabank theatre. I went with my daughter Claire (who is a big fan of this movie series). Claire had tried to get in to see the movie with a friend on opening (Friday) night without success (as it sold out). The movie ended up being the number 1 movie at the North American box-office in its debut weekend while simultaneously breaking the opening gross record for a movie musical (besting the record set by Mamma Mia earlier this year).
The first two episodes in the movie sequel were a huge success airing on the Disney channel (in the US) and Family Channel (in Canada). They made a star of teen heartthrob Zac Ephron (who went on to win a role in the movie version of Hairspray) and sold countless CDs of the soundtrack and DVDs. So the decision was made to theatrically release the third (and likely final) installment. Since the movie was only budgeted at $13 million, the theatrical release decision appears to have paid off quite handsomely.
HSM3 is subtitled “Senior Year” and that title explains the plot. The narrative centres on the cast members struggling with what colleges to enroll in, pursuing entrance scholarships, winning a back-to-back championship for the basketball team (the wildcats), securing dates for the senior prom and (inevitably) staging an original musical play. The resolutions of the conflicts are typical Disney-esque happy ending cop-outs but believability and realism hardly seems to matter to the series’ ‘tween and ‘teen fans. The original songs are mainly forgettable, although some of they choreography and editing / visual effects in the productions numbers occasionally transcend the pedestrian. The plot tugs on all the right emotional strings and manages to introduce two new characters to the well-known (Troy, Gabrielle, Sharpay and Ryan) principals.
Saturday morning—at Queens Park:
On Saturday morning I attended a presentation ceremony at the Ontario legislative building at Queens Park. My son Ryan was one of the less than 60 recipients of the Queen’s Venturer’s Award at the 22nd annual awards presentation. The award certificate was signed by Governor General Michaelle Jean and presented by Ontario Lieutenant Governor David Onley (ex of City TV). The awards were presented on a stage set up on the grand staircase just inside the front foyer.
Following the formal presentation ceremony we adjourned to the conference room and Lieutenant Governor’s chamber upstairs for a reception (where we were served complimentary beverages and h’ord d’ouevres)
Saturday PM—“Jersey Boys at the Toronto Centre for the Arts”:
Gary & I attended a performance of “Jersey Boys” at the Toronto Centre for the Arts (just South of Mel Lastman Square at the North York Civic Centre station on the Yonge subway line). The original Broadway production of this musical won a Tony Award for best musical play a few years back. It tells the story of the real-life pop group Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (using the four seasons (Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall) as a framing device to chronicle the rise and fall of the band’s fortunes. The staging effectively mixes archival footage of the actual group (performing on the Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand) with live performances by the principal cast members.
The show begins by chronicling the rise of the group: how it was assembled (songwriter Bob Gaudio and lead vocalist Frankie Valli (the key pieces) were the last two members recruited); how the group got its name (after a Jersey bowling alley); how they pitched their material at the Brill building; how they were signed by Bob Crewe and after a year of singing back-up on other artists records finally got a break, releasing a run of #1 hits including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Walk Like a Man. It then nicely chronicles the group’s fall, as two of the founding members succumb to addictions to alcohol and gambling and Valli’s daughter dies of an OD at age 22. Finally the play concludes with the band’s triumphant reunion for their induction in the hockey hall of fame.
Throughout the production, the stage-play tosses off enough tidbits to satisfy even the most jaded pop music trivia buff (like yours truly). For example, we learn that “Big Girls Don’t Cry” was inspired by a line from an old Hollywood melodrama that Gaudio caught on late-night TV; that actor Joe Pesci was responsible for recruiting Gaudio into the band and that Valli’s biggest selling hit “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” original met strong resistance from the label and radio programmers.
Both the acting and singing by the cast members for the Toronto production were impressive and the company received a standing ovation by the Saturday night crowd at the end of the play. The modern theatre is comfortable and it is nice to see it being used by Dancap productions again after so many dark nights following the demise of Livent.
I would highly recommend this play (although the rough (Jersey authentic language) can be highly coarse at times, which may make it unsuitable for young children. Also, it might be considered offensively racist and homophobia by some, in its depictions of the band-mates’ Jersey mob ties and it its depiction of Crewe’s sexuality.
Sunday mid-day: High School Musical 3 at the Cineplex Scotiabank cinema:
I attended the 12:20 PM screening of Disney’s High School Musical 3 at the Cineplex Scotiabank theatre. I went with my daughter Claire (who is a big fan of this movie series). Claire had tried to get in to see the movie with a friend on opening (Friday) night without success (as it sold out). The movie ended up being the number 1 movie at the North American box-office in its debut weekend while simultaneously breaking the opening gross record for a movie musical (besting the record set by Mamma Mia earlier this year).
The first two episodes in the movie sequel were a huge success airing on the Disney channel (in the US) and Family Channel (in Canada). They made a star of teen heartthrob Zac Ephron (who went on to win a role in the movie version of Hairspray) and sold countless CDs of the soundtrack and DVDs. So the decision was made to theatrically release the third (and likely final) installment. Since the movie was only budgeted at $13 million, the theatrical release decision appears to have paid off quite handsomely.
HSM3 is subtitled “Senior Year” and that title explains the plot. The narrative centres on the cast members struggling with what colleges to enroll in, pursuing entrance scholarships, winning a back-to-back championship for the basketball team (the wildcats), securing dates for the senior prom and (inevitably) staging an original musical play. The resolutions of the conflicts are typical Disney-esque happy ending cop-outs but believability and realism hardly seems to matter to the series’ ‘tween and ‘teen fans. The original songs are mainly forgettable, although some of they choreography and editing / visual effects in the productions numbers occasionally transcend the pedestrian. The plot tugs on all the right emotional strings and manages to introduce two new characters to the well-known (Troy, Gabrielle, Sharpay and Ryan) principals.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Condo reno (5th in a series)
It has been awhile since I posted an update on our condo renos. Work got underway while we were away on our eastern Med cruise in late September and are continuing. We are into week 4 now and work is unlikely to be substantially completed for at least another 3 weeks.
So far our contractor has completed the tear down, constructed the new drop ceiling in the kitchen (removing the bulkhead), completed the drywalling of our living room / dining room ceiling (to eliminate the stipple / stucco look), completed most of the new electrical wiring (including for 18 pot lights) and started creating the new shower stall in the en suite bathroom. The buyer of our old kitchen cabinetry (who will be re-installing our old cabinets in a basement kitchen up in King City) also showed up last week to haul away what he purchased (on kajiji).
Our new Oceania bath-tub and Aquabrass shower system were delivered last week and the plumber is expected to install them this week. Our bathroom (slate) and kitchen (limestone) tiles are expected o be delivered from Olympia on Monday. And our new Vanico en suite bathroom vanity is expected o be delivered Tuesday afternoon. We are still awaiting some pot light trim kits to arrive at Eurolite and haven't placed our final order for our track lights with them yet (although we have selected some from their catalogs... we want to comparison shop at Royal).
We checked in with Boris at Dekla (who has relocated from their Liberty Village location to their Yonge-Summerhill location) to update on over Scavolini kitchen on Saturday. He advises that it should leave Italy next week and could arrive as soon as November 20th. We also placed our order for our white maple engineered hardwood with Susan at Yorkdale flooring (with has a new "urban floorscapes" location on the Danforth (at Greenwood). Finally I confirmed the delivery dates (for the middle of next month) with Shawn at Sears for our Jenn Air wine fridge and our Samsung washer and dryer.
We still have to shop for paint, a new kitchen sink, a kitchen facucet/tap fixture, a new ensuite toilet, marbe for the ensuite tub surround / backsplash, the Caesarstone counter-top and the glass tile kitchen backsplash.
Check out some pics of the reno work in progress here
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Toronto ranks high in global cities index
A new Global Cities Index compiled by global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and published in FOREIGN POLICY magazine has ranked Toronto 10th overall in its list of Top Global cities comprehensive index and 4th in the cultural experience category.
The other dimensions ranked included business activity, human capital, information exchange, as well as two additional dimensions of what makes cities global: cultural experience and political engagement
The 20 Most Global Cities
1. New York
2. London
3. Paris
4. Tokyo
5. Hong Kong
6. Los Angeles
7. Singapore
8. Chicago
9. Seoul
10. Toronto
11. Washington
12. Beijing
13. Brussels
14. Madrid
15. San Francisco
16. Sydney
17. Berlin
18. Vienna
19. Moscow
20. Shanghai
Check out this link for further details
The other dimensions ranked included business activity, human capital, information exchange, as well as two additional dimensions of what makes cities global: cultural experience and political engagement
The 20 Most Global Cities
1. New York
2. London
3. Paris
4. Tokyo
5. Hong Kong
6. Los Angeles
7. Singapore
8. Chicago
9. Seoul
10. Toronto
11. Washington
12. Beijing
13. Brussels
14. Madrid
15. San Francisco
16. Sydney
17. Berlin
18. Vienna
19. Moscow
20. Shanghai
Check out this link for further details
Monday, October 20, 2008
Mortgage payments going down!
Are you a homeowner? If so, do you have a fixed or floating rate mortgage? When we bought our condo apartment a few years back we went with a floating rate loan. The mortgage is from Maple Trust (a sub of BNS) and varies with Scotiabank prime. The bank's prime rates vary with the Bank of Canada rate. The "gamble" has paid off big time (especially recently).
The Bank of Canada has recently been reducing rates to ease the credit crisis and to ward off recession. The BoC's benchmark rate currently sits at 2.5% and Scotiabank's prime rate was re-set to 4.25% last week. Our mortgage bears interest at prime minus 50 basis points. So the current interest rate on our mortgage stands a paltry 3.45%!
There are suggestions that the Bank of Canada may lower its rate by another 80 basis points this week. If the chartered banks flow that whole decrease through their primes, our mortgage rate would drop under 3%. Amazing! I never thought I would see the day when you could borrow on a home mortgage for less than 3%!
The Bank of Canada has recently been reducing rates to ease the credit crisis and to ward off recession. The BoC's benchmark rate currently sits at 2.5% and Scotiabank's prime rate was re-set to 4.25% last week. Our mortgage bears interest at prime minus 50 basis points. So the current interest rate on our mortgage stands a paltry 3.45%!
There are suggestions that the Bank of Canada may lower its rate by another 80 basis points this week. If the chartered banks flow that whole decrease through their primes, our mortgage rate would drop under 3%. Amazing! I never thought I would see the day when you could borrow on a home mortgage for less than 3%!
Vacation reflections
It has been a full week now since we returned from our Mediterranean cruise vacation aboard the Celebrity Century.
The memories grow sweeter with the passage of time.
It truly was the vacation of my lifetime to date.
Spanning 3 continents, setting foot in 10 countries, calling on 9 ports-- all in 15 days!
Among the memories and images that are most indelibly engraved in my memory:
To review these and other memories check out the images from our trip in the picture galleries at the following links:
Gallery Day Date Port Country
Link
The memories grow sweeter with the passage of time.
It truly was the vacation of my lifetime to date.
Spanning 3 continents, setting foot in 10 countries, calling on 9 ports-- all in 15 days!
Among the memories and images that are most indelibly engraved in my memory:
- Finding the REAL Swiss Chalet at Zurich airport!
- The impeccable table manners of our dinner table-mates from Manchestern England-- John, Marlene, Ann and Pat-- and the great service provided by our table-waiters Sukirama (from Indonesa) and Nixon (from Honduras)... not to forget cocktail waitress Tippy!
- The Celebrity Century's Martini Bar with its ice bar and chnaging coloured light patterns
- Gaudi and Barcelona's Mordenisme architecture
- Tha Barbary apes, caves and tunnels on the Rock of Gibraltar
- The souk merchants' wares in the Medina at Marrakech, Morocco
- The luxury cars parked outside the Monte Carlo casino in Monaco
- Sampling the beekeeper and his wife's honey samples at their farm in the hills outside Ajaccio, Corsica
- Sampling late nigh tappas at a street cafe in Barcelona
- The accordion player serenading us at Eze at lunch in Provence
- Enyjoing cous cous at lunch in Marrakech
- The starkness of the Sahara desert landscape heading south from Casablanca to Mrrakech
- Purchasing wine, olive oil, balsamic vinegarand a chandelier in the shops of Florence
- The Tuscan salad plate served dockside in Marseille
To review these and other memories check out the images from our trip in the picture galleries at the following links:
Gallery Day Date Port Country
Link
Pre Cruise 1 Sept 27/28 Barcelona Spain
http://tinyurl.com/barelonabound
On Board: 2-11 Sept 29 At Sea Various
Provence 3 Sept 30 Marseilles France
Cote d’Azur: 4 Oct 1 Villefranche France
Monaco: 4 Oct 1 Villefranche Monaco
http://tinyurl.com/monacomontecarlo
Tuscany/Florence: 5 Oct 2 Livorno Italy
Rome: 6 Oct 3 Cevitavecchia Vatican CityItaly
http://tinyurl.com/gloryofrome
Corsica: 7 Oct 4 Ajaccio France
Gibraltar: 9 Oct 6 Gibraltar UK
Gibraltar caves: 9 Oct 6 Gibralatar UK
http://tinyurl.com/gibraltarcaves
Gibraltar apes: 9 Oct 6 Gibraltar UK
http://tinyurl.com/gibraltarapes
Casablanca/Sahara10 Oct 7 Casabalanca Morroco
Marrakech: 10 Oct 7 Casablanca Morocco
http://tinyurl.com/marrakechport
Tangier 11 Oct 8 Tangier Morocco
Hotel Palacette: 12/13 Oct 6 Barcelona Spain
http://tinyurl.com/barcelonahotelpost
Barcelona post: 12/13 Oct 6/7 Barcelona Spain
http://tinyurl.com/barcelonapost
Sagrada Familia: 12 Oct 6 Barcelona Spain
http://tinyurl.com/barcelonaSagradaFamilia
Modernisme: 12/13 Oct 7 Barcelona Spain
http://tinyurl.com/barcelonamodernismr
Magic Fountain: 13 Oct 7 Barcelona Spain
http://tinyurl.com/barcelonafountain
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Med Cruise Vacation III: Barcelona Redux
Barcelona Redux
We stayed Friday and Saturday nights post cruise at the Hotel Barcelona Palacete on The Rambla de Catallunya, which is located north of the first hotel (the Regina) we lodged at pre-cruise. Our room was located on the first floor just down from the reception desk, kitchen servery and guest lounge. It was extremely roomy (large seating area with a fireplace) and grand (15 feet high with gold gilded ceilings, a huge and a giant chandelier in the centre) but the bed was wedged into a small adjoining room and the bathroom was rather awkwardly configured in a corner. Our room had a porch that faces out the front onto the main street.and a fireplace with a huge mirror hanging above the mantle and a second mirror on the opposing wall.
We purchased two day guest passes on the Barcelona “hop on, hop off” bus touristic early on Friday morning. The fare for the two consecutive day adult pass cost 26 Euros. Initially we rode the whole red line (southern route) circuit (there are three lines in operation during peak season (red, blue and green, but the green line closes after September) around to get a sense of the city (and its famous modernisme architecture) and then continued on a second circuit to hop off at the sites that intrigued us most. We noticed after completing our first circuit that the queues to board the bus had grown significantly longer.
On our 2nd loop around the route, our first hop off stop was the (still under construction) Temple de la Sagria Famillia church. Admission was 8 Euros. We waited an hour in line to catch the lift to the top (an extra 2.5 Euros) and walked down down the spiral staircase. This is a “must do” experience as there are several balconies and opening off the staircase that permit excellent vistas of the city and more “up close” views of façade details. Construction on this Gaudi masterpiece got underway at the turn of the century and parts of the church (one facade) date to that period.
Next we hopped off at Parc Guille (a failed housing development that was a commission of Gaudi by his patron Guille that was gifted to the city and became a public park. You can see many characteristic Gaudi installations here and the landscaping of the park is quite beautiful. We enjoyed some local beer on an outdoor terrace café in a park garden.
Our final “hop off” of the day was at the Royal Palace, which now houses two museums of ceramic and decorative art .
After returning to our hotel for a rest we ventured out and had Tapas at around 11 PM at an eatery (recommended by our hotel concierge) called Cutat Comtal. We had to wait about 20 minutes for an outdoor table but it was well worth the wait. Among the items we enjoyed were a pitcher of sangria, ham and cheese croquettes, Spanish omelet, mushrooms, some potatoes with sauce and mayonnaise
On Saturday we set out to explore on the blue (southern line) Touriste bus route. This route initially headed north duplicating the red line route until it veered south off Av Diagonal passed the train and soccer stadiums before reaching the Place d’Espanya, Fira de Barcelona, MNAC museum and the Olympic Stadium, Parc de Montjeic and Miramar Jardins. Finally we emerged down at the port front passing by the Columbus monument, the old port and the Olympic village before heading back up north thru the Gothic Quarter to Place de Catalunya. We had lunch in that area and returned briefly to our hotel to rest before heading out for our afternoon excursion.
In the afternoon, rather than ride the loop around a second time, we decided to venture out on our own (via the Metro Subway) system back to Parc de Montjuic. This involved a rather short ride (three stops on the green underground train) to the Para-lel stop before transferring to the fincular to reach the station where the Telefiric cable car departs. The subway is clean, quiet and well signed. The one way fare is 1.3 Euros. We rode the cable car to the top of the hill to explore the old fort and grounds at the summit before taking it back down and walking along to the Miramar hotel with the intention of catching the second cable car system that descends from that point down to the old port. Fortunately it was not running due to high winds. We were able to enjoy a local ale on an outdoor patio atop the station tho.
In the evening we ventured out (again by subway) to Fira grounds at Placa Espana to watch the “magic” dancing water fountains. I consider this a must see / don’t miss attraction. The fountain water ballet is co-ordinated with recorded music and floodlit with multi-coloured lights. It’s a true spectacle to behold! After leaving the fountain we made our way back to Place du Catalunya and had more taps for dinner at an eatery named (appropriately) Tapas Tapas. It was good but was not as tasty or as inexpensive as the meal we enjoyed the prior evening. After that we retired for the evening.
We arose early the following morning to fly out of Barcelona back to Toronto (by way of Munich). We flew Lufthansa to Munich and Air Canada the rest of the way. We made our tight connection (despite a 20 minute delay, due to fog in Munich in leaving Barcelona). The flights were uneventful, although the seatback VOD system on Air Canada failed (not a first, in my experience) midflight and baggage was slow in arriving on the carousel after landing at Pearson.
We stayed Friday and Saturday nights post cruise at the Hotel Barcelona Palacete on The Rambla de Catallunya, which is located north of the first hotel (the Regina) we lodged at pre-cruise. Our room was located on the first floor just down from the reception desk, kitchen servery and guest lounge. It was extremely roomy (large seating area with a fireplace) and grand (15 feet high with gold gilded ceilings, a huge and a giant chandelier in the centre) but the bed was wedged into a small adjoining room and the bathroom was rather awkwardly configured in a corner. Our room had a porch that faces out the front onto the main street.and a fireplace with a huge mirror hanging above the mantle and a second mirror on the opposing wall.
We purchased two day guest passes on the Barcelona “hop on, hop off” bus touristic early on Friday morning. The fare for the two consecutive day adult pass cost 26 Euros. Initially we rode the whole red line (southern route) circuit (there are three lines in operation during peak season (red, blue and green, but the green line closes after September) around to get a sense of the city (and its famous modernisme architecture) and then continued on a second circuit to hop off at the sites that intrigued us most. We noticed after completing our first circuit that the queues to board the bus had grown significantly longer.
On our 2nd loop around the route, our first hop off stop was the (still under construction) Temple de la Sagria Famillia church. Admission was 8 Euros. We waited an hour in line to catch the lift to the top (an extra 2.5 Euros) and walked down down the spiral staircase. This is a “must do” experience as there are several balconies and opening off the staircase that permit excellent vistas of the city and more “up close” views of façade details. Construction on this Gaudi masterpiece got underway at the turn of the century and parts of the church (one facade) date to that period.
Next we hopped off at Parc Guille (a failed housing development that was a commission of Gaudi by his patron Guille that was gifted to the city and became a public park. You can see many characteristic Gaudi installations here and the landscaping of the park is quite beautiful. We enjoyed some local beer on an outdoor terrace café in a park garden.
Our final “hop off” of the day was at the Royal Palace, which now houses two museums of ceramic and decorative art .
After returning to our hotel for a rest we ventured out and had Tapas at around 11 PM at an eatery (recommended by our hotel concierge) called Cutat Comtal. We had to wait about 20 minutes for an outdoor table but it was well worth the wait. Among the items we enjoyed were a pitcher of sangria, ham and cheese croquettes, Spanish omelet, mushrooms, some potatoes with sauce and mayonnaise
On Saturday we set out to explore on the blue (southern line) Touriste bus route. This route initially headed north duplicating the red line route until it veered south off Av Diagonal passed the train and soccer stadiums before reaching the Place d’Espanya, Fira de Barcelona, MNAC museum and the Olympic Stadium, Parc de Montjeic and Miramar Jardins. Finally we emerged down at the port front passing by the Columbus monument, the old port and the Olympic village before heading back up north thru the Gothic Quarter to Place de Catalunya. We had lunch in that area and returned briefly to our hotel to rest before heading out for our afternoon excursion.
In the afternoon, rather than ride the loop around a second time, we decided to venture out on our own (via the Metro Subway) system back to Parc de Montjuic. This involved a rather short ride (three stops on the green underground train) to the Para-lel stop before transferring to the fincular to reach the station where the Telefiric cable car departs. The subway is clean, quiet and well signed. The one way fare is 1.3 Euros. We rode the cable car to the top of the hill to explore the old fort and grounds at the summit before taking it back down and walking along to the Miramar hotel with the intention of catching the second cable car system that descends from that point down to the old port. Fortunately it was not running due to high winds. We were able to enjoy a local ale on an outdoor patio atop the station tho.
In the evening we ventured out (again by subway) to Fira grounds at Placa Espana to watch the “magic” dancing water fountains. I consider this a must see / don’t miss attraction. The fountain water ballet is co-ordinated with recorded music and floodlit with multi-coloured lights. It’s a true spectacle to behold! After leaving the fountain we made our way back to Place du Catalunya and had more taps for dinner at an eatery named (appropriately) Tapas Tapas. It was good but was not as tasty or as inexpensive as the meal we enjoyed the prior evening. After that we retired for the evening.
We arose early the following morning to fly out of Barcelona back to Toronto (by way of Munich). We flew Lufthansa to Munich and Air Canada the rest of the way. We made our tight connection (despite a 20 minute delay, due to fog in Munich in leaving Barcelona). The flights were uneventful, although the seatback VOD system on Air Canada failed (not a first, in my experience) midflight and baggage was slow in arriving on the carousel after landing at Pearson.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Fearless Canadian federal election prediction
Based on a review of recent polls, I am predicting that Canadians will re-elect a minority Harper government based the following forecast party seat total results following tomorrow's vote count. The Liberals stand to lose the most seats. It appears Harper's crime and culture policies will reinforce the BQ's Quebec coalition to prevent Harper a majority by building on the Quebec beach-head the CPC established last election. Harper should however improve his seat total in Ontario (outside the 416) tho, thanks to the NDP siphoning off traditional Grit support. Look for the NDP popular vote level to be closer to the Grits' level than the Grits tally is to the CPC total.
my prediction
CPC 135
LIB 83
NDP 36
BQ 53
OTHER 1
my prediction
CPC 135
LIB 83
NDP 36
BQ 53
OTHER 1
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Med Cruise Vacation II
Gibraltar
The rock of Gibraltar came into view sometime after 11 AM. The rock is in fact not an island but is attached to the Iberian coast through a narrow isthmus on which the airport runway is set (with a roadway across). We had booked a half day excursion in Gibraltar and met our guide Vincent (a retired school teacher born during WWIII) on the pier for our coach tour. The first stop on the tour was the funicular (cable car) but we passed the Moorish Castle and Alameda Gardens en route. The lineup was rather long at the cable car and the car was packed to capacity. We were greeted by families of playful Barbary apes on the railings as we disembarked at the observatory at the top. From this lookout we enjoyed panoramic views of the coast of Africa, the strait of Gibraltar and the border with Spain. From the observatory we walked down to the entrance to St. Michael’s Caves (actually two caves… one which is set up as a theatre (and has attracted many prominent musicians on account of the excellent acoustics). After a brief break at a café and gift shop, we proceeded on by coach to the Great siege tunnels… a military installation constructed between 1793 and 1783 used to mount cannons on the cliff-top to defend the island, given its military significance. (the tunnel system was later enlarged by the Allied forces during WWII but we did not tour that section of the tunnels).
Following our tour of Gibraltar and prior to dinner we returned to our ship for the sailaway through the straight of Gibraltar with Africa on our port side and Spain on the starboard.
Casablanca and Marrakesh Morocco
We ported in Casablanca which is the largest city in Morocco and the commercial capital of the kingdom. We had booked a fully day (13 hour) tour to Marrakesh on this day. We met our tour director Saed on the pier and then embarked on a 3 & 1/2 hour trip by coach through the desert to Marrakesh. The highway heading South from Casablanca through Marrakesh passes through dessert and mountainous regions. It is a modern toll freeway with two lanes in either direction and speed limit of 120 KPH with signposts in both Arabic script and French. There are clean modern services stations with stores, cafes and washroom facilities enroute. We entered Marrakesh through the palm grove which is an upscale tourist area on the outskirts of the medina (old city). Once in the medina, traffic chaos ensues as tour coaches meet with cars, donkeys, camels, motor-scooters and pedestrians all traversing narrow winding streets the the souks (markets) with merchants selling various wares (leather, straw, jewellery and metal good shops mingle e with spice, fruit and vegatable and meat shop vendors). Our coach driver (a Berber, the main native ethnic group of non-Arab origin) did as excellent job negotiating the narrow streets after the long highway journey.
Following a visit to one of the few mosques (Medersa Ben Youseff) that allow non Islam visitors, we stopped at a local banquet centre for a traditional Moroccan lunch featuring cous-cous. There were native musicians and a woman dancing around the tables with lit candles on a tray balanced on her head. Unfortunately because the local authorities were late clearing our ship upon arrival and slow service at the restaurant, we were running extremely behind schedule by the time lunch was complete.
In the afternoon, we headed back to our coach for a tour of a Bahia Palace, then back into the souk for a trip to a carpet merchants. Finally we emerged in the Djeema El Fnaa, (where we encountered snake charmers and many more merchants) and then boarded our bus for the long return trip to the ship.. We arrived back at the ship at 8:45 (in time for a 9:30 sail-away), missing our late dinner seating in the Grand restaurant so we headed to the Oasis Buffet in time to sample the pasta bar from the aft service counter. We were exhausted.
Tangier, Morocco
Our final Port of Call was Tangier Morocco which is located on the northern coast of Morocco at the western end of the Strait of Gibraltar about 30 miles from Spain.. The port is much more picturesque than Casablanca and the city is much less densely populated (half a million vs 3 million). We had booked a half day coach and walking tour in Tangier. After meeting our guide Abdul Malik, we proceeded to our first stop on the tour-- a circus tent-- to attend a “fantasia” cultural event (a performance by local performers, including a fire-breather, belly dancer, glass walker, child acrobats and Arabian horse-riders). There we also sampled traditional refreshments (mint tea and biscuits). Camel rides were also available for an extra fee. Next we visited the caves of Hercules (with an opening that peaks through to the ocean and the two coasts of Africa and Europe, separated by Hercules according to Greek mythology). Following that, we drove along the coastal beaches to Cap Spartel where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea intersect. Then we drove up into the hills and down into the city, passing by the upscale residential neighbourhoods where all of Michael Schumacher, Malcolm Forbes, Barbara Hutton, and both of the Moroccan and Saudi royal families keep (or have kept) homes. Thereafter, we visited the Kabash Museum and walked around the twisted streets of the medina, with its souk market vendors. (The Tangier medina and souk are much calmer (traffic wise) than in Marrakesh, but the strolling merchants are even more persistent in soliciting sales)
We returned to the ship mid-afternoon and grazed at the Oasis restaurant salad bar for a light lunch. We had reservations in the evening (@ 6:30) for the Murano specialty restaurant. The restaurant offers two different menus—the first allows you to sample a 7 course meal (each course with two options) paired with various glasses of wines designed to compliment the meal (for an extra $100) and another where you order al la carte. We went with the second option and enjoyed a delicious meal (featuring such entrees as veal, Chilean sea bass and a special new york centre cut steak with truffles). The plate presentation was impressive and the service impeccable.
After dinner we attended two shows in the Celebrity theatre—the first featuring the Celebrity singers and dancers in a 50s/60s themed tribute to rock and roll (the best received of their three shows) and the second “Starring You” which opened with another performance by the Russian adage pair, followed by performances by and award presentations to passengers who excelled at trivia, karaoke and dance.
Still to come…
We are now enroute (over rough seas) to Barcelona for disembarkation tomorrow morning. I will publish too more summaries of our trip after this-- one focused on our final two days in Barcelona and the other focused on the overall Celebrity Century cruiseship experience.
The rock of Gibraltar came into view sometime after 11 AM. The rock is in fact not an island but is attached to the Iberian coast through a narrow isthmus on which the airport runway is set (with a roadway across). We had booked a half day excursion in Gibraltar and met our guide Vincent (a retired school teacher born during WWIII) on the pier for our coach tour. The first stop on the tour was the funicular (cable car) but we passed the Moorish Castle and Alameda Gardens en route. The lineup was rather long at the cable car and the car was packed to capacity. We were greeted by families of playful Barbary apes on the railings as we disembarked at the observatory at the top. From this lookout we enjoyed panoramic views of the coast of Africa, the strait of Gibraltar and the border with Spain. From the observatory we walked down to the entrance to St. Michael’s Caves (actually two caves… one which is set up as a theatre (and has attracted many prominent musicians on account of the excellent acoustics). After a brief break at a café and gift shop, we proceeded on by coach to the Great siege tunnels… a military installation constructed between 1793 and 1783 used to mount cannons on the cliff-top to defend the island, given its military significance. (the tunnel system was later enlarged by the Allied forces during WWII but we did not tour that section of the tunnels).
Following our tour of Gibraltar and prior to dinner we returned to our ship for the sailaway through the straight of Gibraltar with Africa on our port side and Spain on the starboard.
Casablanca and Marrakesh Morocco
We ported in Casablanca which is the largest city in Morocco and the commercial capital of the kingdom. We had booked a fully day (13 hour) tour to Marrakesh on this day. We met our tour director Saed on the pier and then embarked on a 3 & 1/2 hour trip by coach through the desert to Marrakesh. The highway heading South from Casablanca through Marrakesh passes through dessert and mountainous regions. It is a modern toll freeway with two lanes in either direction and speed limit of 120 KPH with signposts in both Arabic script and French. There are clean modern services stations with stores, cafes and washroom facilities enroute. We entered Marrakesh through the palm grove which is an upscale tourist area on the outskirts of the medina (old city). Once in the medina, traffic chaos ensues as tour coaches meet with cars, donkeys, camels, motor-scooters and pedestrians all traversing narrow winding streets the the souks (markets) with merchants selling various wares (leather, straw, jewellery and metal good shops mingle e with spice, fruit and vegatable and meat shop vendors). Our coach driver (a Berber, the main native ethnic group of non-Arab origin) did as excellent job negotiating the narrow streets after the long highway journey.
Following a visit to one of the few mosques (Medersa Ben Youseff) that allow non Islam visitors, we stopped at a local banquet centre for a traditional Moroccan lunch featuring cous-cous. There were native musicians and a woman dancing around the tables with lit candles on a tray balanced on her head. Unfortunately because the local authorities were late clearing our ship upon arrival and slow service at the restaurant, we were running extremely behind schedule by the time lunch was complete.
In the afternoon, we headed back to our coach for a tour of a Bahia Palace, then back into the souk for a trip to a carpet merchants. Finally we emerged in the Djeema El Fnaa, (where we encountered snake charmers and many more merchants) and then boarded our bus for the long return trip to the ship.. We arrived back at the ship at 8:45 (in time for a 9:30 sail-away), missing our late dinner seating in the Grand restaurant so we headed to the Oasis Buffet in time to sample the pasta bar from the aft service counter. We were exhausted.
Tangier, Morocco
Our final Port of Call was Tangier Morocco which is located on the northern coast of Morocco at the western end of the Strait of Gibraltar about 30 miles from Spain.. The port is much more picturesque than Casablanca and the city is much less densely populated (half a million vs 3 million). We had booked a half day coach and walking tour in Tangier. After meeting our guide Abdul Malik, we proceeded to our first stop on the tour-- a circus tent-- to attend a “fantasia” cultural event (a performance by local performers, including a fire-breather, belly dancer, glass walker, child acrobats and Arabian horse-riders). There we also sampled traditional refreshments (mint tea and biscuits). Camel rides were also available for an extra fee. Next we visited the caves of Hercules (with an opening that peaks through to the ocean and the two coasts of Africa and Europe, separated by Hercules according to Greek mythology). Following that, we drove along the coastal beaches to Cap Spartel where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea intersect. Then we drove up into the hills and down into the city, passing by the upscale residential neighbourhoods where all of Michael Schumacher, Malcolm Forbes, Barbara Hutton, and both of the Moroccan and Saudi royal families keep (or have kept) homes. Thereafter, we visited the Kabash Museum and walked around the twisted streets of the medina, with its souk market vendors. (The Tangier medina and souk are much calmer (traffic wise) than in Marrakesh, but the strolling merchants are even more persistent in soliciting sales)
We returned to the ship mid-afternoon and grazed at the Oasis restaurant salad bar for a light lunch. We had reservations in the evening (@ 6:30) for the Murano specialty restaurant. The restaurant offers two different menus—the first allows you to sample a 7 course meal (each course with two options) paired with various glasses of wines designed to compliment the meal (for an extra $100) and another where you order al la carte. We went with the second option and enjoyed a delicious meal (featuring such entrees as veal, Chilean sea bass and a special new york centre cut steak with truffles). The plate presentation was impressive and the service impeccable.
After dinner we attended two shows in the Celebrity theatre—the first featuring the Celebrity singers and dancers in a 50s/60s themed tribute to rock and roll (the best received of their three shows) and the second “Starring You” which opened with another performance by the Russian adage pair, followed by performances by and award presentations to passengers who excelled at trivia, karaoke and dance.
Still to come…
We are now enroute (over rough seas) to Barcelona for disembarkation tomorrow morning. I will publish too more summaries of our trip after this-- one focused on our final two days in Barcelona and the other focused on the overall Celebrity Century cruiseship experience.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Med Cruise vacation
I am vacating currently, traveling aboard the Celebrity Century cruise liner on the Meditteranean Sea. So far we have spent seven nights on board and called on six ports (Barcelona, Spain; Provence (Marseille) France; Villefranche (Nice, Cannes and Monaco / Monte Carlo) France; Tuscany (Liverno (gateway to Florence) Italy; Civitavecchia (gateway to Rome) Italy and Ajaccio, Corsica
Enroute to Barcelona:
Our Culliton limousine driver picked us up around 6 PM Saturday September 27 and we arrived in Barcelona 20 hours (including a 6 hour timeshift) later on Sunday September 28 (we had a 4 hour stopover at the airport in Zurich where we transferred from Air Canada to Swiss Air). We checked into the Regina hotel in Barcelona for a single night on Sunday (although we will return for another two nights in Barcelona at the end of our tour). We were able to do some touring before dinner. We were assigned a large room that adjoined a terrace on the 1st floor (which is actually a floor up from the ground or lobby floor). Following a refreshing nap, we took a late afternoon walk down from Place Catalunva via Las Ramblas (which is the main pedestrian only thoroughfare down to the sea from the city centre) to the Mirador de Colom and then along the seaport promenade. . We walked back to our hotel via Laitana via the Gothic Quarter pausing to sample some sangria on the patio of the Hotel Colon across from the cathedral. We ended our first evening in the city by dining at the Attic restaurant (located directly on Las Rambas). The cuisine was fine (if unremarkable) but the service was somewhat slow and unattentive. On Sunday morning (after having coffee at the Starbucks behind our hotel) we walked up in the other direction into the Passeig de Gracia shopping district. Vendors sell books streetside from under awnings along this thoroughfare. Following our walk, we headed back to our hotel in time for the noon checkout time and then caught a taxi to the seaport to board the Century Celebrity. Arriving at the seaport, we noticed that RCI’s Navigator of the Seas was also in port preparing for departure.
The boarding process took less than an hour from the time our tax dropped us off at the pier. We had filled out the forms on line for express pass boarding but the line to reach attendants at the counter wicket positions designated express were almost as crowded as the general registration windows.
The celebrity Century made an excellent first impression for a ship its age. The decor is tasteful and restrained. Our stateroom was located on deck 5 which is the same level as the first level of the three story grand atrium (which is the level guests embark and disembark on at the terminal (although other port disembarkation is from a gangway two levels below)). Our section of the deck featured extra wide corridors and the stateroom ranks as one of the most spacious interior side staterooms we have ever been assigned at sea. After enjoying a delicious buffet lunch in the Island Café on the pool deck (level 11) and unpacking and began to explore the vessel. We then reported for our muster drill (conducted mainly in the Celebrity theatre, although we were escorted to our lifeboat station on the promenade deck at the conclusion of the safety instructions / demonstration). Immediately following the muster drill we went up to deck 11 for the sailaway, finding seating at a bistro table (that was well sheltered from the breeze) and ordering some sangria from a poolside attendant.
Following sailaway we had a brief nap before arising to shower and dress for dinner (the dress code on board for most evenings including our first is “smart casual”, which means no jeans or shorts). We were escorted to a table for eight. In addition to our party of three we were seated with a party of four from Manchester in the UK (John, his wife Marlene and their friends Anne and Pat) John was a retired banker who spent the better part of his career working as a commercial mortgage lender for an institution that is now part of the Citizens Bank group. Following dinner we adjourned to the Martini bar and then retired to or staterooms.
Marseilles, Provence
We awoke Tuesday morning at the port of Marseilles in the Gulf of Lions. Marseilles is the second largest city in France, the largest port in the Med and the fifth busiest port in Europe. We had booked a half day city tour coach excursion with a morning departure. In addition to a panoramic tour through the city centre and old port (featuring a fish market), the tour featured stops at the city’s water tower and Notre Dame de la Garde basilica which towers over the city from atop of La Garde hill. Our local guide’s name was Christielle. Following the formal tour we were left in the city centre, where we explored the fort, fortifications, had lunch on a patio (sandwiches and a carafe of local white wine) and when shopping for bath oils / salts in a department store in the Centre Bourse mall. At the end of the day we caught a bus shuttle back to the port and had a nap before our 5 PM departure time and o prepare for our formal night on board. After dinner, we attended an 11 PM show in the Celebrity Theatre entitled “A Touch of Broadway” featuring the Celebrity singers (4) and dancers (8) and a Russian adage duo. At this show we met our cruise director Damian who is Canadian. The show featured production numbers from such shows as The Producers, Hairspray, Cabaret and The Lion king. It was typical of cruseship entertainment.
Cote d’Azure (Nice and Monaco (Monte Carlo))
The Century anchored just off shore in the port of Villefranche on the Cap Ferrat peninsula for our visit to the French Riveria. We had book a full day coach excursion with a morning departure. We had to take a tender boat in to the coaches located at the Citadel, a 16th Century fortress, where our local guide Dominique met us. The port is charming and picturesque featuring colourful trompe l’oeil style houses set on rolling hills.
Our first tour stop was in Nice which is three miles away from the port. There we strolled through the market in the sidewalk café lined Old Town, the Place Messena garden square. and several winding city streets. We also drove past the Acropolis, several museums and three luxury hotels(the West End, Negresco along the palm tree lined Promenade des Anglais and Regina (on the hill above)).
Following our visit to Nice, we proceeded on to the village of Eze which is perched on a rock high up on a hilltop on the ruins of a 14th century castle. The village featured steep windy cobble stoned streets featuring terraced restaurants, shops and hotels. We paused for a group lunch here at a restaurant where we were served a tuna salad, a chicken entree and a bottle of wine.
Then it was on to the principality of Monaco. The tiny principality (it covers less than 2 square kilometers) within France has been under the rule of the Grimaldi family since 1297 and is a tax free sovereign state. It is renown for its famous Monte Carlo casino and it annual May Formula 1 Grand Prix motor-race. In Monte Carlo we entered the Grand Casino and up to the Prince’s Palace past the stately residences of princesses Caroline and Stephanie. Along the way we went into the cathedral (most famous for the marriage of King Ranier to Grace Kelly and where they are entombed) and past the Jacques Cousteau oceanographic museum.
Following our tour of Monaco, we returned to the port of Villefranche, caught tenders back to our ship and sailed away toward our next port (Livorno) at 8 PM.
Tuscany and Florence
We arrived at the port of Livorno just before sunrise. Here we had booked a half day tour (following by some free exploration time) into the city of Florence, which is the 6th largest city in Italy and has a population of 500,000. Livorno is a highly industrialized port 62 miles away from Florence. On tour in Florence we first ventured to the Piazza del Duomo which features three buildings – the Cathedral of Santa Naria del Fiore (the second largest in the world and featuring a cupola larger than St Peters or the Pantheon) , Giotto’s 14th century Bell Tower and the baptistry featuring the gilded bronze “Gates of Paradise” doors created by the artist Ghiberti. Next on our itinerary was the Piazza della Signoria which features the Neptune fountain an outdoor sculpture garden which includes a copy of Michelangelo’s David, Cellin’s Perseus and Giambologna’s “The Rape of the Sabine”. It also features the Neptune fountain. Then we walked on to the Church of Sante Croce (where Michelangelo,Galilleo and Machiavelli are buried0 and finally to the Piazza San Lorenzo (featuring the Medici family church), where our final guided tour ended.
Our tour-bus guide Jonathan , an Australian, was kind enough to guide us to a chandelier store on a lane just off this piazza where we were able to purchase a gorgeous light fixture (that we plan to hang over our bath-tub) for later shipping back to Canada. We also shopped at a lovely wine shop across from here and purchased some local wines, olive oils and a 21 year old sweet balsamic vinegar.
Following shopping, we ventured off on our own, wondering to the Ponte Vecchio over the River Orno, where we had patinas and pizza for lunch.and finally to Pitti Palace.
We were exhausted and took power naps on the long bus ride back to the port. Post dinner, our evening’s entertainment included catching the final set of a concert by the
a-capella group and the start of a poorly attended White Party in the Crystal Room.
Rome
Our port for Rome was Civitavecchia, which lies on the Tyrrhenian Sea. For our excursion we had booked another half day city coach tour (with free time to explore independently thereafter). Our local guide in Rome was Hugo and our coach guide was Sabina. Hugo escorted us first to the Church of St. Peter in Chains, home of Michelango’s sculpture of Moses. From there we proceeded down to the Colosseum on the edge of the Forum and then reboarded our bus to go to St Peters Basicalla in Vatican City. Hugo took us inside the basilica to admire the Pieta sculpture, the frescoed dome and altar. The formal tour then terminated in Pizaza San Pedro. From there we made our way independently down to Piazza Navona (where we had a pizza lunch) crossing the Tiber at Castelo Sant’Angelo.
The evening’s entertainment on board the ship included a newlywed style comic gameshow in which four couples competed for a couples massage pass to the ship’s AquaSpa.
Corsica:
The port at Ajaccio on the Island of Corsica is picture postcard picturesque. Corsica is located near Sicily and Sardinia. Although it is under French control, its families’ ethnic roots are mainly Italian. We had a half day afternoon tour booked so spent the morning exploring the city and port independently on foot. We walked toward the portion of the old walled fortress and then up to the palm tree lined Place du Foch and beyond into the Place du Gaulle Square where the equestrian statue of the island’s most famous son Napoleon Bonaparte is erected. The tour got underway around noon. Our first stop was a tour train station part way up the mountain where we transferred to a train to travel to a scenic point overlooking the man made lake (created for water supply) below. Thereafter, we continued a trek through two small quaint mountain villages and into Prunelli Gorge. The hair-pin curves on the narrow two way winding roads with cliff-face on one side and a sheer drop on the other challenged our coachmen’s driving skills. On the descent down we stopped at a beekeepers’ honey farm to sample five honeys and purchase jars of our favourites from the family store. Overall this was my favourite port to date.
Check out my facebook vacation photos
Enroute to Barcelona:
Our Culliton limousine driver picked us up around 6 PM Saturday September 27 and we arrived in Barcelona 20 hours (including a 6 hour timeshift) later on Sunday September 28 (we had a 4 hour stopover at the airport in Zurich where we transferred from Air Canada to Swiss Air). We checked into the Regina hotel in Barcelona for a single night on Sunday (although we will return for another two nights in Barcelona at the end of our tour). We were able to do some touring before dinner. We were assigned a large room that adjoined a terrace on the 1st floor (which is actually a floor up from the ground or lobby floor). Following a refreshing nap, we took a late afternoon walk down from Place Catalunva via Las Ramblas (which is the main pedestrian only thoroughfare down to the sea from the city centre) to the Mirador de Colom and then along the seaport promenade. . We walked back to our hotel via Laitana via the Gothic Quarter pausing to sample some sangria on the patio of the Hotel Colon across from the cathedral. We ended our first evening in the city by dining at the Attic restaurant (located directly on Las Rambas). The cuisine was fine (if unremarkable) but the service was somewhat slow and unattentive. On Sunday morning (after having coffee at the Starbucks behind our hotel) we walked up in the other direction into the Passeig de Gracia shopping district. Vendors sell books streetside from under awnings along this thoroughfare. Following our walk, we headed back to our hotel in time for the noon checkout time and then caught a taxi to the seaport to board the Century Celebrity. Arriving at the seaport, we noticed that RCI’s Navigator of the Seas was also in port preparing for departure.
The boarding process took less than an hour from the time our tax dropped us off at the pier. We had filled out the forms on line for express pass boarding but the line to reach attendants at the counter wicket positions designated express were almost as crowded as the general registration windows.
The celebrity Century made an excellent first impression for a ship its age. The decor is tasteful and restrained. Our stateroom was located on deck 5 which is the same level as the first level of the three story grand atrium (which is the level guests embark and disembark on at the terminal (although other port disembarkation is from a gangway two levels below)). Our section of the deck featured extra wide corridors and the stateroom ranks as one of the most spacious interior side staterooms we have ever been assigned at sea. After enjoying a delicious buffet lunch in the Island Café on the pool deck (level 11) and unpacking and began to explore the vessel. We then reported for our muster drill (conducted mainly in the Celebrity theatre, although we were escorted to our lifeboat station on the promenade deck at the conclusion of the safety instructions / demonstration). Immediately following the muster drill we went up to deck 11 for the sailaway, finding seating at a bistro table (that was well sheltered from the breeze) and ordering some sangria from a poolside attendant.
Following sailaway we had a brief nap before arising to shower and dress for dinner (the dress code on board for most evenings including our first is “smart casual”, which means no jeans or shorts). We were escorted to a table for eight. In addition to our party of three we were seated with a party of four from Manchester in the UK (John, his wife Marlene and their friends Anne and Pat) John was a retired banker who spent the better part of his career working as a commercial mortgage lender for an institution that is now part of the Citizens Bank group. Following dinner we adjourned to the Martini bar and then retired to or staterooms.
Marseilles, Provence
We awoke Tuesday morning at the port of Marseilles in the Gulf of Lions. Marseilles is the second largest city in France, the largest port in the Med and the fifth busiest port in Europe. We had booked a half day city tour coach excursion with a morning departure. In addition to a panoramic tour through the city centre and old port (featuring a fish market), the tour featured stops at the city’s water tower and Notre Dame de la Garde basilica which towers over the city from atop of La Garde hill. Our local guide’s name was Christielle. Following the formal tour we were left in the city centre, where we explored the fort, fortifications, had lunch on a patio (sandwiches and a carafe of local white wine) and when shopping for bath oils / salts in a department store in the Centre Bourse mall. At the end of the day we caught a bus shuttle back to the port and had a nap before our 5 PM departure time and o prepare for our formal night on board. After dinner, we attended an 11 PM show in the Celebrity Theatre entitled “A Touch of Broadway” featuring the Celebrity singers (4) and dancers (8) and a Russian adage duo. At this show we met our cruise director Damian who is Canadian. The show featured production numbers from such shows as The Producers, Hairspray, Cabaret and The Lion king. It was typical of cruseship entertainment.
Cote d’Azure (Nice and Monaco (Monte Carlo))
The Century anchored just off shore in the port of Villefranche on the Cap Ferrat peninsula for our visit to the French Riveria. We had book a full day coach excursion with a morning departure. We had to take a tender boat in to the coaches located at the Citadel, a 16th Century fortress, where our local guide Dominique met us. The port is charming and picturesque featuring colourful trompe l’oeil style houses set on rolling hills.
Our first tour stop was in Nice which is three miles away from the port. There we strolled through the market in the sidewalk café lined Old Town, the Place Messena garden square. and several winding city streets. We also drove past the Acropolis, several museums and three luxury hotels(the West End, Negresco along the palm tree lined Promenade des Anglais and Regina (on the hill above)).
Following our visit to Nice, we proceeded on to the village of Eze which is perched on a rock high up on a hilltop on the ruins of a 14th century castle. The village featured steep windy cobble stoned streets featuring terraced restaurants, shops and hotels. We paused for a group lunch here at a restaurant where we were served a tuna salad, a chicken entree and a bottle of wine.
Then it was on to the principality of Monaco. The tiny principality (it covers less than 2 square kilometers) within France has been under the rule of the Grimaldi family since 1297 and is a tax free sovereign state. It is renown for its famous Monte Carlo casino and it annual May Formula 1 Grand Prix motor-race. In Monte Carlo we entered the Grand Casino and up to the Prince’s Palace past the stately residences of princesses Caroline and Stephanie. Along the way we went into the cathedral (most famous for the marriage of King Ranier to Grace Kelly and where they are entombed) and past the Jacques Cousteau oceanographic museum.
Following our tour of Monaco, we returned to the port of Villefranche, caught tenders back to our ship and sailed away toward our next port (Livorno) at 8 PM.
Tuscany and Florence
We arrived at the port of Livorno just before sunrise. Here we had booked a half day tour (following by some free exploration time) into the city of Florence, which is the 6th largest city in Italy and has a population of 500,000. Livorno is a highly industrialized port 62 miles away from Florence. On tour in Florence we first ventured to the Piazza del Duomo which features three buildings – the Cathedral of Santa Naria del Fiore (the second largest in the world and featuring a cupola larger than St Peters or the Pantheon) , Giotto’s 14th century Bell Tower and the baptistry featuring the gilded bronze “Gates of Paradise” doors created by the artist Ghiberti. Next on our itinerary was the Piazza della Signoria which features the Neptune fountain an outdoor sculpture garden which includes a copy of Michelangelo’s David, Cellin’s Perseus and Giambologna’s “The Rape of the Sabine”. It also features the Neptune fountain. Then we walked on to the Church of Sante Croce (where Michelangelo,Galilleo and Machiavelli are buried0 and finally to the Piazza San Lorenzo (featuring the Medici family church), where our final guided tour ended.
Our tour-bus guide Jonathan , an Australian, was kind enough to guide us to a chandelier store on a lane just off this piazza where we were able to purchase a gorgeous light fixture (that we plan to hang over our bath-tub) for later shipping back to Canada. We also shopped at a lovely wine shop across from here and purchased some local wines, olive oils and a 21 year old sweet balsamic vinegar.
Following shopping, we ventured off on our own, wondering to the Ponte Vecchio over the River Orno, where we had patinas and pizza for lunch.and finally to Pitti Palace.
We were exhausted and took power naps on the long bus ride back to the port. Post dinner, our evening’s entertainment included catching the final set of a concert by the
a-capella group and the start of a poorly attended White Party in the Crystal Room.
Rome
Our port for Rome was Civitavecchia, which lies on the Tyrrhenian Sea. For our excursion we had booked another half day city coach tour (with free time to explore independently thereafter). Our local guide in Rome was Hugo and our coach guide was Sabina. Hugo escorted us first to the Church of St. Peter in Chains, home of Michelango’s sculpture of Moses. From there we proceeded down to the Colosseum on the edge of the Forum and then reboarded our bus to go to St Peters Basicalla in Vatican City. Hugo took us inside the basilica to admire the Pieta sculpture, the frescoed dome and altar. The formal tour then terminated in Pizaza San Pedro. From there we made our way independently down to Piazza Navona (where we had a pizza lunch) crossing the Tiber at Castelo Sant’Angelo.
The evening’s entertainment on board the ship included a newlywed style comic gameshow in which four couples competed for a couples massage pass to the ship’s AquaSpa.
Corsica:
The port at Ajaccio on the Island of Corsica is picture postcard picturesque. Corsica is located near Sicily and Sardinia. Although it is under French control, its families’ ethnic roots are mainly Italian. We had a half day afternoon tour booked so spent the morning exploring the city and port independently on foot. We walked toward the portion of the old walled fortress and then up to the palm tree lined Place du Foch and beyond into the Place du Gaulle Square where the equestrian statue of the island’s most famous son Napoleon Bonaparte is erected. The tour got underway around noon. Our first stop was a tour train station part way up the mountain where we transferred to a train to travel to a scenic point overlooking the man made lake (created for water supply) below. Thereafter, we continued a trek through two small quaint mountain villages and into Prunelli Gorge. The hair-pin curves on the narrow two way winding roads with cliff-face on one side and a sheer drop on the other challenged our coachmen’s driving skills. On the descent down we stopped at a beekeepers’ honey farm to sample five honeys and purchase jars of our favourites from the family store. Overall this was my favourite port to date.
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