Our Memories in the Mediterranean!

Maddy and I are home! We had a wonderful trip on a Mediterranean cruise with my parents. Maddy truly enjoyed every moment of the trip and my parents enjoyed having Maddy's company. Maddy had us laughing throughout the two weeks. She was not only the center of attention for the three of us....but I would say the majority of the cruisers not only knew Maddy but fell in love with her. She was miss personality. We met so many people because of her outgoing personality. I am so thankful we had the opportunity to go and Maddy grew through this experience.
The trip made me understand the difficulty of Parkinson's disease. Unlike many disease/illnesses medicine can't be taken at regular intervals. It is a constant guessing game on how much medicine is needed and how often. If he doesn't take the medicine in time, my dad got stiff. If he takes too much medicine, he is very "loose" (described as dyskinesia). So, it is a constant guessing game to get the right amount of medicine. On top of that anxiety/stress and food plays a role in how he does. So, it was unpredictable how he would do. Overall, he did really well on the trip: he walked a lot and was able to enjoy most of the ports. I know Maddy was a great motivator. She was always trying to take care of "halabeogi" (Grandpa in Korean) and wanted him close by. Well, I am going to make my blog into a book/scrapbook...so I wrote out a short entry for each day for Maddy and I to remember our trip. I know this is a long entry....so you can skim it!:) There is a video an a slidesow at the end. Enjoy!

Day 1, May 19 – I left Indy with lots of tears and mixed emotions about the trip. With the uncertainty of how our travels would turn out….I was very nervous. Maddy, on the other hand, was VERY excited about riding an airplane and the “big, big boat”. So, I didn’t have much time to focus on myself and how sad I was to leave both Austin and Andrew. She kept the energy up all day! Luckily our long flight to Europe was overnight and Maddy slept most of the flight. So, the flight went by very quickly. We landed in Barcelona, Spain and went straight to the Brilliance of the Seas. Since this was my first cruise experience, I was in awe of all the amenities inside the boat (12 floors, casino, theaters, multiple bars, multiple pools and restaurants, etc). We headed out to the sea during our first dinner. I have always heard that it is common to gain 10 lbs on a week cruise…so I am afraid of what a 2 week cruise will do. Hopefully I won’t gain 20 lbs!:) But now being here, I completely understand how it could happen. The food is endless! It has been a treat to try all different types of food! Each night the cruise has several evening activities. One of the main events is an evening show. Tonight we went to the opening show, which Maddy enjoyed the dancing and singing.

Day 2, May 20 – Our first stop was at the heart of the French Riviera, Villefranche. Today we rode the train to Cannes. The Cannes Film Festival was taking place, so we were there during the hustle and bustle of Boulevard de la Croisette. There were photographers everywhere but no celebrity sightings. We enjoyed walking along the Boulevard and ate at a cute French bakery for lunch. We then took the train to Nice. In Nice, we enjoyed window shopping along the high end boutique stores and walked our way to the Promenade des Anglais. Per Maddy’s request, we stopped at the beach, where Maddy enjoyed playing in the water. It was a great day of enjoying the beautiful building and scenery along the coast of the Cote d’Azur.
**Nathan's fiancee, Kate, was going to be watching Andrew during the two weeks while Austin was at work. But today I found out that Kate's only brother got in a severe car accident. I was so sad to hear the news. And will be praying for him and Kate's family (Note: Henry is still in a coma. On June 21, Henry has come home for Kate, Nate and Kate's parents to take care of him. It is going to be a challenging time for their family. Please continue to pray for Henry to come out of his coma. They have a website where they send daily updates...just let me know if you want the website)

Day 3, May 21 – Our second stop was in Livorno, Italy. We chose to do a bus tour called Florence and Pisa On Your Own. The bus dropped us off at Florence and we had 4 hours to explore. I fell in love with Italy during our trip to Florence. It is all that I envisioned….beautiful everywhere we looked. Some of the highlights were walking along the Arno River, the famous Duomo (which took 173 years to make!), Baptistry of St. John which have gilded bronze doorways by Ghiberti, shopping at San Lorenzo, church of Santa Croce, shopping along Ponte Vecchio, and eating pizza and gelato! After our visit to Florence we quickly stopped at the Field of Miracles in Pisa to take a quick photo of the Leaning Tower. Apparently the person who wrote Pinocchio is from Italy, so there were Pinocchio dolls everywhere. My parents bought Maddy a Pinocchio doll and it kept her busy the rest of the day. It was a busy, but fun day in Florence and Pisa. We have done a lot of walking over the first 2 days and both Maddy and my dad have done very well.

Day 4, May 22 – Today we had a private tour in Rome, Italy. We got to see a lot in one day (which was really nice), but we could hardly understand our driver (which was not so nice). Here are the stops we made in the day:
- Colosseum & the Arch of Constantine - The colosseum held 50,000 people in 80 AD.
- Forum - Once the political, commercial and social center of Rome...but is now a mass of ruins.
- Pantheon - It is very well preserved and holds the tomb of painter, Raphael.
- Vatican City - Home to the Pope, the world's largest church, St Peter's Bascilica, and Sistine Chapel.
- Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps - According to legend, one must throw a coin into the water to ensure a return trip to Rome. Maddy and I threw a couple coins in hopes that we would return a few times!:)
- La Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth) - I wanted to stop here because I remember this from Audrey Hepburn's Roman Holiday. Maddy refused to put her hand in the mouth. I made the mistake of sharing the legend that if a liar puts their hand inside its mouth, they will lose it. Well, of course she was scared it was going to eat her hand, so she didn't dare go near it. A few days later, I asked her if she wanted to eat a Ritz cracker and she told me "No, it might eat me like the day you wanted me to take a picture next to it." It took me a while to realize she was talking about the Mouth of Truth...but as I looked back, it kind of looks like a Ritz cracker!:)
Well, it was a busy but wonderful day to see such historic sites. My only regret was having a tour guide that we could understand!

Day 5, May 23 – Finally, a day of rest. It was needed! The first 4 days were a constant “on-the-go” rush. So, we took the day to explore the ship. We discovered wall climbing, putt-putting, but most important….a kids pool with a huge slide! We spent most of the day in the kids pool and got to meet some new friends that were Maddy’s age. In the evening we had our first formal night. We all got dressed up...but not as dressed up as half of the ship! Majority of men had tuxedos on and there was glittery dresses everywhere. Maddy enjoyed being around all the sophistication!! I experienced my first escargot!:) It tasted pretty good drowned in butter. All the food has been excellent. Tonight, the formal night really made me miss Austin. I just wanted to be there and experience the elegance with Austin. But in due time, I am hoping to do another cruise with Austin!: (hint, hint!:) One thing, I have to note is that if there was an award ceremony at the end of the cruise…she would definitely be “Most Popular”!:) She is the center of attention most of the day! “Everywhere she goes, everybody knows her name” and adores her. With that comes a lot of spoiling. She has received enough compliments to build up a HUGE self esteem and she has received enough sweets to cover a couple years of her life. I told my parents that we are going to have to take the philosophy of Vegas (What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas)…..except in this situation “What happens on the cruise ship stays on the cruise ship”…meaning all the ice cream, sweets, late nights, always being the center of attention will ONLY happen on this trip…..no bad habits back in Indy! So hopefully Maddy will obey!:)

Day 6, May 24 – We came to Mykonos, Greece a little earlier than planned. So, we were able to go explore the beautiful white washed buildings and winding roads (these mazes were made to confuse pirates when pillaging the city). There was shops everywhere! We went to the famous windmills on the island and then went to Platis Gialos beach…..the only non-nude beach on Mykonos!:) Maddy had fun playing in the sand, although I had to ban her from going in the sea due to the massive amounts of jelly fish in the area. Several people got stung! We had a wonderful Gyro at a restaurant called Nikos. It was delicious! Mykonos is known for the late night parties in Paradise Beach…which we did not partake in!:)

Day 7, May 25 – Our ship was docked in Mykonos until the afternoon. So, Maddy and I explored Mykonos. We went into cute shops but our true mission was to find a way to call Austin, since my calling card didn’t work. We finally got an international calling card and was able to wake up Austin at 4 in the morning. It was so great to hear his voice! Maddy was so excited to tell dad that she was still on her trip and she rambled for about 5 minutes! Then when she was done with the conversation, she said “Okay, bye, daddy”. I don’t think Austin even got a word in. But it was really cute to hear the excitement in her voice to share her experience with Austin. Talking to Austin made me really homesick….but I was just so happy I was finally able to find a way to connect with Austin. On our way back to the ship we were lucky to see the famous pink pelicans, which we learned were the town’s mascot.

Day 8, May 26 – Today we stopped in Kusadasi, Turkey. We paid to have a private tour guide. We were fortunate to get a wonderful guide named Octile. He first took us to the House of the Virgin Mary, where she is believed to have spent her last years. Apparently, on August 18th, 1961, Pope John XXII proclaimed the House of Virgin Mary at Ephesus to be sacred. There was a short line to get in the house. Maddy repeatedly asked “Where’s Mary? (pause) Where’s Mary?” And I would respond “Well, she died, so she is not going to be in this home. We are going in a house that might have been her home”. Well, I stopped counting how many times she asked me “Where’s Mary?” after my response, but I was starting to get agitated after the twentieth time. I was relieved we were almost in the home. We walked into the house and Maddy saw a nun (currently nuns upkeep the house and surrounding area) and she said, “There’s Mary!” with a sigh. I’m feeling a little guilty because I didn’t correct her. I just let her think it was Mary. Ever since she saw the nun, she was quiet….which made me happy. But on the way out, she started to ask “Where’s Jesus? Is he going to go to Mary’s House?” The questions never end with a two year old!:) We continued our tour into Ancient Ephesus. The ruins included Library of Celsus, Terrace House, Temple of Hadrian, and The Grand Theater (which seated 25,000 people). It was amazing to get slight glimpses of what life would have been like almost 2000 years ago! It truly is amazing to see all the intricate details in the buildings. We then went to Basilica of St John, where John came with the Virgin Mary to write his Gospel ad where his tomb is locatd. We then stopped at one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. I was excited to visit one of the seven wonders, but was a little disappointed when I saw the Temple of Artemis. Because what used to be 127 marble columns supporting a roof 60 feet high, now remains only ONE pillar (with a stork on nest on top). Regardless, I have to say that today has been the highlight of my trip. I loved the ancient ruins and the homes of the ancient world. It was beautiful. To end the trip, we stopped and got 2 Turkish treats, apple tea and Turkish Delights. I truly enjoyed the trip. One thing I have to note, is that Maddy was like a movie star. In Ephesus, she had her picture taken a few times by different strangers. It was a bit odd, but everyone adored her. Maddy didn’t mind the attention!:)

Day 9, May 27 – Today we went to Athens, Greece. We first visited the Acropolis. Inside we saw the Dionysos and Odeon Theaters, Temple of Athena Nike, Parthenon, Erechtheion and Propylaea. We then made a stop at the Athens Stadium which was used for the first modern Olympiad. It was constructed in 1896. We passed by the President’s House to see the Presidential Guards. We also stopped at the Sanctuary of the Olympian Zeus and the Hadrian Arch. It was a very hot and humid day. We ended the day with a stroll through Plaka District where we shopped and ate the best Gyros!! It was a lot of fun. But I have to say the most disappointing part of my day was finding out that I changed my settings on my camera yesterday night. And all of my pictures were overexposed. I have a few pictures that turned out okay and my mom had a few pictures, but most of them I will not be able to save:(

Day 10, May 28 – Today we went to Santorini, Greece. We had 3 options to get to Fira, the cliff-top village: 1) Riding a donkey up a winding road 2) Walking up the winding road with the donkey (and whatever the donkey left behind on the road!) or 3) Riding a cable car up. We chose option 3 for the fear that our clothes or our shoes would smell like donkey all day long!:) We immediately took a bus to a village called Oia. The bus went down a windy road (similar to the road to Hana in Hawaii). I felt like I was in the movie Speed or in the Indy 500. There were no guard rails and I could see rocks from the tires of the bus, falling off the cliff. It was an experience, I could have done without!! Anyways, once we arrived in Oia, I felt thankful that I was still alive!! The town, Oia, is known for its picturesque architecture. This is the town that most people think of when they think of Greece, due to movies like Lara Croft Tomb Raider and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. It was absolutely beautiful! We then rode back to Fira and slowly made our way back to the cable car. I had to have my last chicken Gyro and some baklava!!

Day 11, May 29 – Today we were at sea and enjoyed relaxing and hanging out with our new friends. I must note that at dinner, we have a head waiter named Ersin. He has always been very kind to Maddy and Maddy has developed a crush on Ersin. I have never seen a 2 year old flirt...but there was no denying Madddy's feelings for Ersin. She was batting her eyes, shrugging her shoulder and would have a permanent smile when he was around. Here is a short video with Ersin:


Day 12, May 30 – Today we didn’t have any plans while we were in Messina, Italy. So, we decided our goal today was to blend in with the Italians (well, as much as we could since we didn’t quite look Italian!) We walked around the town, when we saw a busy coffee shop, we stopped in and got a cappuccino. We sat down and drank our coffee, but I noticed the typical Italian way would be to stand at the coffee bar to have a drink of espresso. Then we shopped around at all the stores and stopped at a busy pizzeria. At around 1 or 2 many of the store had a siesta and closed for a few hours. Maddy was in need of one as well....so we went back to the ship and stayed there the rest of the night.

Day 13, May 31 – Today we went to Naples. My parents have been to Pompeii, so I booked an excursion to Pompeii in the morning for myself and Maddy. Pompeii is not handicap accessible so I assumed it would not be stroller accessible. So, I went to the excursion without a stroller and hoped that Maddy would be able to walk the whole tour. She enjoyed walking around Pompeii and exploring among the cobblestones and rocks. I was amazed that 1,900 years ago, you can vaguely picture what life was like in this city, until the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. After our tour, Maddy and I walked around Naples and happened to run into my parents. It was bittersweet to know this was our last stop.

Day 14, June 1 – Today we are on the sea heading towards Barcelona. It was a windy day, so we stayed inside most of the day. I can’t believe our trip has come to an end. Today, we asked Maddy if she wanted to stay on the boat or go back home to Indiana. And she said she would like to stay on the boat. She loved the endless activities and the endless amount of attention. It was a wonderful trip and she enjoyed every moment. Myself, on the other hand was reminded that I truly enjoy traveling, BUT I missed Austin and Andrew too much to leave them again for 2 weeks. I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with my parents and Maddy. I als enjoyed the experience of exploring Europe. It is going to be a an experience I will never forget.
I have to say that it is going to be a hard adjustment going back since I have been spoiled. For the past 2 weeks:
- I have had a made to order omelet every morning and a buffet breakfast and lunch.
- I have had my room cleaned for me and the bed made.
- I haven't done any laundry.
- I have had a 3 course dinner every night.
- I have had a chocolate and a towel sculpture laid on my bed every night.
- I have had access to a full gym and swimming pool.
If life was always like that!:) As nice as all those things were...I am still so glad to be coming home. It was a wonderful trip! Here is a link with the photos, if the slideshow doesn't work!