Lucca was the highlight of the cruise

for me. We docked in La Spezia, a port between Genoa and Pisa and soon after I boarded a tour bus for Lucca and Pisa.

The temperature hitting 40 every single day I knew this cruise was not for taking bus tours. But I have always wanted to visit Lucca

and thought will take the chance  just this once. And had the bus been comfortable and air-conditioned, it may have paid off, but the vehicle was utter disgrace, shame on you, Italians.

But  by the end of Lucca visit - I would love to go again and taste the best walnut and fig ice-cream in the world- I had lost the will to live and there was still a 30 minute drive to Pisa and then a mile long walk from the bus to the Leaning Tower. In the heat of 40 and the average age of 70, how we all made it I really do not know.We made it but I stopped listening to the very nice and knowledgeable guide in Lucca.

The Tower was leaning, we all were wilting.

Back in the bus some men  literally collapsed on the seats and fell asleep.

We women are made of hardier stuff.

Gibraltar was the last port of call

and my fourth visit.

Had we stayed longer, I would have gone to say hello to the Barbary apes, the only wild population in Europe. They are mischievous, playful but harmless.But time was not on my side, so I sat down, had freshly pressed orange juice,bought a Lola Casademunt dress ( love her), sat down, had coffee and pastries, bought shoes, sat down, had more orange juice in the same coffee shop, bought a Lola Casademunt large travel bag.Quite a productive morning.And then walked back, stopped in the port duty free for perfume and face cream and was the last but one back on the ship. This was the second time in the 12 years I have been cruising that I cut it so fine and I should not do it again.

So we are sailing back to Southampton, 2 whole sea days ahead, quite wonderful.

Gibraltar is a British outpost worked by the Spaniards and protected from the Spaniards by The Royal Navy,The Roya Air Force and The British Army.😊The Rock of Gibraltar is a 2.6 square mile,  426 M - high limestone ridge( 1,400 feet).First settled by The Moors in The Middle Ages and later ruled by Spain, the territory was ceded to the British in 1713.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono got married in Gibraltar.

With the temperature hitting 40 fahrenheit every single dsy

I decided not to go on any tour and explore locally instead But I could not resist the over 7 h tour trip to Pisa and Lucca , Lucca being the attraction. 

The uncomfortable tour bus with hardly any air conditioning was a disgrace.

The guide was knowledgeable and full of energy, but even she could not make our suffering any more palatable. And I can safely speak for all of us, no-one was happy.

We all were wilting and on the way back to the ship the youngest men literally collapsed on the seats and fell asleep!

Lucca deserves another much longer visit under much more favourable conditions if only to sample the local delicacies and explore the little boutiques. I did have time to buy an oversize striped shirt I was in love with at first glance and a duster coat to die for.And the fig and walnut ice cream! Wow!

Civitavecchia is a gateway to Rome.

I was in Civitavecchia on my first honeymoon

( one husband,several honeymoons.)I dropped a very expensive bottle of whisky at the airport, my husband laughed it off, I knew then I married the right man),

 so when on a cruise several years ago we docked in C, I did not feel like  going on a tour to Rome,  almost 2 hours drive each way , and stayed to explore C.Ugly, dirty little town that has nothing nice to say for itself, where I couldn't even get a decent cup of coffee. Concequently I refused to go on  a cruise that included this port. Until this cruise.

The town seemed even uglier and dirtier. But I got a wi-fi in my phone!    No, not free access,that is very rare in Italy, but I got it and finally was able to sit down on a bench in the shade under a tree and communicate with family and friends. 

Internet on Celebrity Silhouette is abominable.Even a 20 US DOLLAR upgrade a day does not make the slightest difference.

 In Naples I walked into a  Samsung store and asked if I could transfer data from one Samsung  to another Samsung.  I could not. How utterly disgraceful.  

So in the twopenny-halfpenny little town  I could use my phones comfortably. 

Thank you, Civitavecchia.

From Cagliari, Sardinia,

it was just a handful of nautical miles to Naples.

Naples is a gateway to Pompeii, The Amalfi Coast and the islands of Capri and Ischia.

The very first slice ever created of pizza was in Naples in the 18th or early 19th century.

No Hop on Hop off bus I was hoping to take.

Just an ugly concrete jungle outside the port terminal.

Unbearably hot and disgustingly dirty is going to be my memory of

Naples.

Naples is wasted on the Italians.

The second city we docked in was Cagliari,Sardinia.

The ship offered several tours I liked and one in particular- visit to Unesco Site of Barunimi.But it was going to be unbearably hot - 40 and I decided to stay in town.

There was a little train just outside the port terminal boarding and I hopped on for an hour of a lovely getting to know Cagliari ride.It was the best decision.

The town is absolutely wonderful, steeped in history and deserves a second  and much longer visit.

Celebrity Silhouette 30th July-13thAugust

The first port of call - Cadiz.

This was my third visit to Cadiz that I remember and cannot wait for the next only to have  excellent fresh orange juice, the best croissants in the world with the nicest marmalade in the loveliest coffee shop I have set the foot in - El Cafe De Ana.