Spring Break

First night at the cruise show
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The first day we boarded the Gran Mistral at the Barcelona port. The entire day we were on the water traveling to Italy. There were storms and the boat was rocking a lot. I got a little seasick, but the rest of the trip was smooth. Our first stop was in Florence. We visited the Duomo first. It is in the center of the city and it is the 3rd largest basilica in the world. We went to a famous plaza next where there are greek statues. We saw the David there by Leonardo DaVinci. We headed to the river next and window shopped along the bridge. We stopped for Italian Pizza and Gelato of course.

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The next stop was Rome, Italy. We stopped at the Trevi Fountain first and we all threw our pennies in and made a wish. We window shopped a little and headed to the spanish steps. After that, we went to the Vatican. Rome was very crowded because it was semana santa/holy week. We waited in line to enter Saint Peter´s Basilica at the Vatican. It was absolutely beautiful and it is the largest basilica in the world. We didn´t get to see the Pope, but we saw all the urns of past popes who have died. We visited the Colosseum and roman ruins too!

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Next stop was Naples, Italy. There wasn´t much to see in Naples so we took a ferry to the island of Capri. The mountains, cliffs and ocean was breathtaking. We met an older man named Gerry who offered to take us on his motor boat around the island. We took a private 2 hour tour with him. He took us to the most amazing lagoons and grados. We were able to see the floor of the ocean the entire time because the water was so crystal clear blue. The rocks were covered with a bright pink coral that was very pretty. After our tour around the island, we took the funicular to the top of Capri and admired the views.

Malta
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Next stop was Malta, which is an island off the Italian coast. The capital of Malta is Valleta and it is the only completely fortified city in the world. We boarded Captain Morgan ferry tours and it was a great time. The easiest way to sightsee in the places we went is by ferry or boat tours. The walls and forts were beautiful and well preserved. We walked along the coast after the tour, which is called the golden miled. We stopped at Saint Julian´s beaches to lay out for a little bit.

Our last stop was in Tunisia, Africa. We found a taxi for the day who drove us to all the major tourist spots. The towns were a little junky, but it was great to see the culture there because it is so different. We shopped in the African markets at Medina where you can buy anything from shoes to camels to plates. You can also bargain so easily if you put your mind to it. We went to the town of Bussaug next, also know as the blue and white town. Every building was white stuco with blue doors and shutters.

Beautiful lighthouse in Capri
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The cruise was such a great experience. We went to the shows every night on the ship and we ate like queens! The weather was great. Also, we were the only 5 americans on the entire cruise ship so that made things more interesting!!