Guy Ballard

From the ship’s anchoring position, we head ashore by local motor launch to a designated pier for shore excursions, located in Nice. We began with a  panoramic drive  along the  Riviera  coastal road en route to Monaco before heading up on the Moyenne Corniche. Below is a marvelous panorama of the Italian coast, Cap Ferrat, and the principality of Monaco.  Stop in the square at the foot of  Eze  village. Above you, this strangely isolated settlement clings to a rocky spike.  Casino   From a viewpoint on the Middle Corniche you will see from the tip of Cap d'Ail to the Estérel, Beaulieu, Nice,Villefranche-sur-Mer, and Cap d'Antibes.  Passing through the city of Nice, you will drive by Beaulieu then arrive back to lovely Nice, where you will transfer back to the ship by local motor launch.

We traveled by motorcoach approximately 1½ hours through the countryside of western Tuscany to  Florence . In the city, we set out on a half-day  walking tour  that includes Brunelleschi's masterpiece  cathedral  in pink, green and white marble, and its adjacent bell-tower and baptistery. See the copy of Michelangelo's David  among other sites before l unch  at a local Florentine restaurant. Then we drove 60-minutes to Pisa. In  Pisa , you we had about 30 minutes of  free time  at the Piazza dei Miracoli -- site of the Leaning tower, the cathedral and the baptistery. and of course

Yesterday, we went through the straits between Sicily and Italy. Then for a sunset we went by the Stromboli volcano. It had a small eruption that I tried to capture here.   Today we arrived in Naples along with 2 other cruise ships. We docked next to Royal Caribbean's, Wonder of the Sea, it makes us look small.  We signed up for a tour called, "Leisurely Sorrento" as we had already been to Pompeii, where most everyone was going.  We traveled along the Bay of Naples and stopped at a cameo factory. We drove on to  Sorrento   We walked along the boulevard and stopped for lunch at cafe that Napoleon style pizzas.

Today, We stayed on board and had a relaxing day by the pool. I got a massage and a haircut and that works about the expense of the day. The Vikings cruise ship was parked next to us.  Tomorrow is a sea day can I expect you the same thing I did today.

We tendered into Sarande, Albania for our tour of some of the older sites. My first impression is that this is a pretty poor country as this is the first time we ran into people begging for money in the streets. It may be because it was a communist country up until 1991.  We took a leisurely walk along the promenade facing the sea before we re-boarded the bus and headed out for  Lekuresi Castle . The castle, built in 1537 by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, is located on a strategic hill overlooking the town of Saranda. Great views of Corfu and Ksamil islands dominate the landscape. We stopped at the Mesopotamian Monastery, currently under restoration but nonetheless a fascinating attraction. A good example of a fortified Byzantine 12th-century monastery. We stopped to have a  snack  at Foenike restaurant, along with a demonstration of traditional  Albanian folklore .

A Today we arrived in Dubrovnik and got on a motor coach to take a drive along the Riviera of Croatia. The drive took us through the picturesque villages of the green and fertile  Konavle Valley . Then we headed to the famous  Konavoski Dvori restaurant , perfectly situated in an old mill next to the cascading waters of the Ljuta River. Our host offered us a light  snack  consisting of local specialties such as smoked ham, cheese, homemade bread and a glass of local wine.  Further south, the seaside resort town of  Cavtat -- the ancient Roman city of Epidaurus -- set in a sheltered bay. Over the years, Cavtat has been a favorite destination for sailors and yacht enthusiasts. In fact, former-King Edward and American divorcée Wallace Simpson came here for their honeymoon.   Returning to  Dubrovnik , we headed to Pile Square at the western entrance of the Old Town. The site of Game of Thrones fame.  We ex...

This is what it's like before you get on an excursion. During today's excursion we will drive through vineyards and thick cypress glades. Our coach will climb Mount Ainos and pass the city of Sami, where  Captain Corelli's Mandolin  was filmed. We arrived at  Melissani Lake  -- an underground lake fed by subterranean channels running all the way to the opposite side of the island.  A small  boat ,   rowed by an oarsman, will take you over the water and into the cave. The boat passes through a channel whose walls sprout unusual stalactites. The ceiling, more than 300 feet above you, combined with the light coming in from the entrance creates a spectacular and eerie effect of dancing color. Your next stop is at  Myrtos Beach . Sheer white cliffs, carpeted in green  maquis  vegetation, frame a stunning crescent beach. The strand makes a pretty picture with tiny white pebbles and pa...

  Today we arrive around 2:00 p.m. and we will spend the night here. So, I will tell you about two different excursions. The first is a "Panoramic Slovenian Coast & Farmers' Market." The drive  takes us along the very short coastline that is Slovenia's toehold on the Adriatic. Our guide introduced us to the history and political significance of the region. We went to the town of  Piran.   Piran is almost a living museum, as it reflects its Venetian past in its appealing intact architecture. Further south, we pass the seaside resort of Portorž -- the Port of Roses. Turning inland, we go to a traditional village, called Padna, take advantage of some free time at the local farmers' market to browse among the stalls and sample local delicacies. This village boasts an amazing panoramic view over the Slovenian coast. Day 2 : Venice Travel from Trieste to Tronchetto, Venice. Here, you will board a privately-charter...