Lunch in Naples

Today we are in Naples, home of the worlds best pizza.

The pizzas are baked in wood fired ovens, and follow strict guidelines that have them made that same way as over 150 years ago. There are only 2 types of pizza available. Pizza margarita; tomato, olive oil,basil, and mozzarella and pizza marinara; tomato, olive oil, basil.

Large pizza for 4.50 Euros.

We didn't go to the oldest pizzeria in Naples, but it was definitely close, opened in 1870. The inside is basic red and white tile, and just a few tables.

We each ordered a large pizza for ourselves, and within minutes they all had arrived.

I ordered a double mozzarella margarita pizza.

The margarita pizza was invented in 1889, in honour of a visit to Naples by the Queen of Italy, Queen Margarita. It is made to resemble the flag if Italy, red white and green.

Very good lunch, I will have to compare the other top rated pizzerias in Naples next time.

Day In Santorini

Today our ship was in the post of Santorini.

Santorini is a island that has a volcano at its center.3,600 years ago it erupted and destroyed the cities that occupied the island. Now many towns are built right into the cliff side.

A group of us took a taxi to a beach on the outer side of the island. There is a bar with a nice swimming pool that it seems a lot of the staff know about as there were many of us there. The ocean is not too cold but as the summer goes on I'm sure it will get a lot warmer.

For lunch I had Gyros, done the way you can only get in Europe, with the french fries wrapped together with the pita. Very tasty and very cheap, just 2 euros.

I didn't have time to take the standard pictures you always see in Santorini of the white roofs of the buildings on the cliff side, looking down into the center lagoon, but I will have many more times to get them.

here is a sock image for now.

One week in Europe

Sorry for the lack of posts during the first week. I'm settled in and back in the swing of cruising life.

Things are similar to my last ship; the ITV system is basically the same and for the most part is running well. I have had lots of training the last week. Same old stuff that I did last contract, but they want everyone to hear it all again.

So far I have only had time to go into port in Venice. Our ship runs shuttle boats from where we dock and drops us off in St. Marc's Square, right in the best part of Venice. As we got there the front of the Cathedral had a crowd around it and in a few minutes a procession of priests and other associated entourage paraded out and around the square.

We went for dinner in a restaurant nearby, that other crew had been to and recommended. I ordered a pizza, and I wish the cooks at the pizza station on the ship could learn to make them like that. So good, and I love the thin crust.

Our sail away from Venice was amazing, we sailed from the cruise port, and then along the bottom of the city. Right past St. Marc's Square, and all the gondoliers. It was a really cool way to see the lagoon, and parts of the city I have never seen before.

Many people from my last ship are on this one, so I already knew people when I got here.

Today we are at sea sailing to Santorini, Greece. And tomorrow I hope to get some beach time.

This Yacht that was in port as we left Venice called the Maltese Falcon is one if the biggest privetly owned yachts in the world and also one of the most technologically advanced. Using atomated sails and computer aided piloting contols. And its for sale for only $150,000,000. Or you can rent it for only $300,000 per week.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maltese_Falcon_(yacht)

Check back often for more update, and tell everyone else that im back.

Pittsburg wins game 7

Just watched game seven of the Stanley cup finals.

Hurray for Pittsburgh for winning 2-1.

And hurray for Fox Sports for showing the game in Europe for me.

Season 2: Euro Trip

Hello everyone,

Thank you for joining me for my second contract, and my adventures around the Mediterranean.

I arrived in Athens the other day, and am now aboard the Summit.
This ship is basically the same layout as my old ship the Millennium. But the Summit is a few years newer and it definitely looks it.

We are at sea today and will be in Croatia tomorrow then Venice for 2 nights the day after.

Well I guess that it for now. Check back often for more updates. And tell anyone who is interested that im back and posting again.

Here we go again.

I am just a few days away from starting my second contract working on a cruise ship.

I will be flying to Athens Greece and then joining my ship there the next morning.

This contract will take my through the Mediterranean to some of my favorite places i have been before and some new places I have always wanted to go to.

Check in often and I will take you on a tour around Europe.

Waiting at the airport

There is a direct flight to Vancouver leaving in 1 hour.

But lucky me I get to stay in Sydney for another 4 hours beacuse my flight booking is on the much later non-direct flight.

Nothing like a unnessisarily long travel day.  Just another 30 hours and i will be home. 

1st contract has come to an end

Well, all good things must come to an end.

After almost 6 months at sea, my first contract working on ships is nearly over. Tomorrow I go to the airport and start my 26 hour trip back to Vancouver.

I will leave 2:30pm March 29 and arrive at 4:00pm March 29. Thanks to the international date line I will only be a few hours date wise after i leave. Unfortunately I did not get the direct flight to Vancouver I was hoping for, so i have a few hours layover in Los Angeles.

I'm not sure how much I will be posting during my vacation, but I will be back at sea in 9 short weeks. This time in the old world, of Mediterranean Europe.

Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to read my posts and leave comments for me. I enjoyed being able to stay in touch and share my experiences with everyone.

Scuba Diving on the Great Barrier Reef

I have now done 4 scuba dives on the Great Barrier Reef.

I have been to 5 different reef sites 4 outer reef sites and one inner island.

Got some great pictures of different fish and corals.

Will post later with more pictures and details.

Meeting Famous People

Our ship is docked in an area of town that we don't usually go, its still near downtown but its not an area we would normally be if we weren't in dry dock. So its even more of a random chance that, walking back to the ship today after a wandering the town, who should we see walking down the street; Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk.

Pictured below with required "Stephen Colbert pose" me and Tony Hawk.

Credit goes to my friend Brian who noticed him and called his name.

Also credit to Tony Hawk for being really cool, and taking a minute to take pictures and shake hands.

Vacation Starts Now

Even though my sign off day isnt for another 2 weeks, technically my vacation has already started.

Due to some needed repairs for the ship, the current cruise has been cancelled, and we are sailing from Auckland to Sydney without guests.

That makes the entertainment staff effectivly the guests for this cruise.

We get to sydney in a few days and we will enter drydock for the repairs that day.

I hope to take a trip up to the great barrier reef, but nothing is set in stone at the moment.

Nothing like a 2 weeks vacation before you start your real vacation.

Last Day In New Zealand

Tomorrow is my last day in New Zealand.

So I am finally doing something I have been wanting to do since I got here. That is go Zorbing.

Here is a stock photo for those who don't know what zorbing is.

Also because of the rave reviews we brought back after our white water rafting adventure we will be doing that again as well.

Zorbing first then rafting in the afternoon.

Should be a fun day.

Golfing in New Zealand

I went golfing today with a group of casino guys and the shops manager.

There were 7 of us in total all of a varying level of skill.

When we got there it was sunny and nice out, but we were warned that the clouds would move in soon.

I was playing very well considering that I was using rented clubs of questionable quality.

The course is set along the coast, but the first few holes are inland, but as we played a few holes we could hear the waves crashing onto the beach, and by the sounds of it the wind was on it way.

As I was teeing off on the 6th hole, the wind hit me full on in the face, and after that we had to account for the wind a lot.

A little while later we got a little shower of rain, but it soon passed.

As we reached the crest of a hill of the 8th hole, we saw the beach, and I wish someone had a camera, because the view from the 8th green was amazing.

Here is a stock photo of the view, imagine that only with bigger waves and less sun, and that was today.

At the end of the 9th hole, the rain returned and the wind was pushing it almost horizontal. Each time we stopped our carts we were parking then into the wind so the windshield would stop some of the rain and wind.

We got a small break in the rain and we played the 10th hole, where i chipped to within 2 feet, and got my only par of the day.

After that the rain got really bad, and there was no way we were playing any more after that.

In the end I had the second best score of the day with a 50. The best being a 48.

A very good score considering the gusting wind and rain we had to contend with.

Going Golfing

Im going golfing today.



This will be the first time I have played in a while, and the first time playing

1 Month to go

I havent been posting much lately.

I guess im getting used to all the stuff we do in a normal cruise.

It is just under 1 month until I come home. And im starting to look foreward to my vacation.

We are leaving Sydney today, and when we get back it will be time for me to go home.

Here is a picture from the last time we were in Milford Sound.

White Water Rafting, this time not for the faint hearted.

A group of the staff did a trip to Rotarua to go white water rafting. Rotarua is a inland area of New Zealand between Auckland, and Tauranga, and there is a lot of extreme sports here. I did a rafting tour a few weeks ago as a tour escort, but that had some smallish rapids, and was more scenic then exciting.

This time was some serious rapids. Class 4 and 5 Rapids. And a few waterfalls. We arrived and got geared up for the river. The advised us that we wouldnt need a wetsuit as the water was really warm. I wasnt so sure but i decided to believe them.

Once we got to the river they gave us the standard instructions about paddeling, and how to sit. Then we got into the raft, and then they gave us the more important instructions about how to sit, and hopefully stay in the raft for when we go over the waterfalls. And what to do if you fall out.After a bit of practice, we were very adept at paddeling and then quickly getting into the "Hold On" position.

After a few sets of rapids we came to the first test of our training. A 3 meter waterfall then a 1 meter waterfall in quick succession. We were able to survive these drops without incident and it was quite exciting.

Then a little while later we came to the real reason we were here:

The worlds largest comercially rafted waterfall. A 7.5 Meter drop.

After we watched the first raft go over the edge, and then a few seconds later appear safely in the pool below.

Then it was our turn. The Raft before us did not paddle in the few meters before the drop, and our guide said we were not going to do it the easy way. So we paddled a good 3 times, then dropped into the raft and held on.

Here is the result.

Yep we flipped.

They told us if we flip to surface underneath the raft, in the air pockets. Its safer because you wont get squished between the raft and a rock or something.

It was actully very fun flipping, and nobody got hurt. And the pictures are really cool.

And they were right, the water was very warm.

The big waterfall was the last one, but there were still lots of big rapids, and we did a lot of fun things at each one, like spinning the raft entering the rapid, and what is called surfing the rapid, which has the raft coasting at the end of the rapid and water spashes over the raft, but you stay in the same place.

Another great day in New Zealand.

Whats better then doing a Pub tour in Wellington.

Doing a pub tour as the tour escort. i.e. Getting all your drinks paid for.

The Wellington Pub Tour goes to 4 different pubs around to city. Each with a different variety of local beers, and wines.
We had a good group of 26 people going on the tour, and a local guide that gave some insight into the pubs we went to as well as his favorite beers at each one.
The first 3 pubs were in a area of the city that i had never been to, and the pubs were interesting.
The first place we went to a guy that I was talking to finnished 3 beers in 30 min, so you knew he was taking his drinking seriously. He was actually a very interesting guy, very technology, and gadget minded like me. So we had a lot to talk about.
The last pub we went to was across the street from the parliment buildings, and was called The Backbencher.
It was full of political satire cartoons, and large puppets of various people on the walls. It was a really cool pub, and was probably the best one of the tour.
At the end of the tour the couple I was talking with invited me to have dinner with them at the main dinning room. Knowing that it was the last formal night, and what they served for that dinner (lobster), I was more then happy to do so.
So i finally got my lobster, the one item we cant order off the menu downstairs. It was very tasty.

It was a great day, and it was a really good way to spend another rainy day in Wellington.

The Fires of Melbourne

Anyone who is watching the news these days will have seen the fires in Melbourne.

We were there a few days ago, apparently a day or 2 before they started.

A few tours we run go into the areas affected, so I dont think they will be offered next cruise.

Its being said that they might not be out for weeks.

Also the heat wave continues.

Nothing is going well for Melbourne right now.

...

Nothing much happening.

Just thought I would update everyone about that.

Nadal Wins

I have posted pictures from the Australian Open, as well as some for the Hobbiton, and White water rafting posts.

We watched the Tennis finals yesterday, it looked doubtful at times that Nadal, after playing a 5 housr and 15 minute match to make the finals would have enough energy left to play the full 5 sets against Federer.

But in a amazing match the worlds #1 vs #2 went the distance with Nadal winning in a very impressive match.

Below are some extra pictures I haven't posted from the other day.