Catching up……

Well, to be honest, I have no excuse. Charlie’s computer was repaired in Nice last week. We enjoyed the last week of the cruise, and we bid a sad farewell to the Royal Clipper on Saturday morning. We are currently in Florence with two functioning laptops, three cameras, and awesome wireless. So why haven’t I posted in days? Pure laziness. We have been on what Charlie refers to as a “forced march” since our arrival Saturday afternoon. We have enjoyed every minute, but by the time we return to our hotel, I’m too exhausted to speak, much less write, in complete sentences.  I thought I would take this opportunity to give the Cliff’s Notes version of the last week. Let’s begin with Tuesday, June 19th……

We docked in Nice around noon. By 1pm we walked the gangway pulling my rolling carry on bag bearing two laptops, two iPads, two external hard drives, and all the necessary power cords. With our friends Garry and JoAnn along for moral support, we hailed a cab and headed for the Apple Store. There we met our new best friend Boris, who after taking a quick look at Charlie’s computer, determined that we had a bad RAM memory chip. Once replaced, the computer, and Charlie, were good as new. Meet Boris…..we love him.

Ladies, if you’re ever in Nice with a man who is going through “cyberwithdrawal,” Boris is your man! Boris was kind enough to let us update all our software and edit a few photos to make sure all was well. By the time we managed to hail another cab (not as easy as you’d think) we hit evening rush hour in Nice. We also had the most manic cab driver imaginable. Garry, riding shotgun, “feigned sleep” in order to avoid conversation with the driver who was shouting at other drivers in French and gesturing wildly…..Admittedly, it was upsetting to see that tour bus blow a red light, but our driver was literally trying to chase down the bus with a subcompact. Mercifully, we made it back to the port alive, and, in time to board the ship before we sailed for Portofino, Italy.

Wednesday, June 20 ….. Portofino….My favorite port in the world. We were there for just a few hours during our Royal Clipper cruise in 2009, but we loved every minute and we excited to learn that Portofino was on this year’s itinerary. Portofino is a tiny hamlet that caters to the rich and “wanabe rich.”  The little harbor is lined with fabulous yachts, and the cobble stone streets are lined with designer shops and outdoor cafes. During our first visit in 2009, Charlie spotted a gorgeous dress as we window shopped. “Go in and try it on, Honey.” Then we looked at the price tag (discretely placed on the floor beneath the dress)….1, 800 Euros.  The dress stayed in Portofino, but we did manage to find a lovely jewelry store……and that’s another story. When we stepped off the tender last week, we were relieved to find that little has changed in Portofino. I think that same dress is still in the window, and the jewelry store was right across the street. Charlie indulged my urge to shop for a couple of hours before we found a table in the shade. According to plan, we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with lunch, people-watching, and ogling the yachts that moved in and out of the harbor.  It was the day we had hoped for…..and yes, Charlie, I want to go back:-)

Portofino as you enter the harbor.

Poncho Villa takes on Portofino. Actually, we discovered a beautiful little garden filled with contemporary sculpture. We had missed this one on our last visit.

Merecats now keep watch over the harbor. This was about the only change we noticed since 2009. Not sure why they were chosen to watch over the harbor, but you have to smile when you step off the boat and see them above.

I’m going to close with Portofino; however, I hope to follow up later today with our last two visits,  Cinque Terre and Corsica.  Right now, it’s time for breakfast. I wouldn’t want to break my current streak of four meals a day……….