Today was Lisbon, Portugal. Nicco, Robert, Maude and I caught the train right off the pier to head into the center of the city. Our plan was to exchange money, and then see as much as possible. I wanted to explore a castle that sat on top of one of the many hills, and Robert wanted a picture of a statue we had seen pulling into Lisbon.
We met a nice man with his wife at the station, and once we were all onboard the busy train, we witnessed how fast pick-pocketers successfully took the money from his pocket. We hadn’t even left yet! These old men just come on, bump past people snatching what’s available, and then get off. It was crazy! Luckily, they only got 20 euro and not his wallet, but the poor man was shaking. :(
When we reached the center, we walked through the streets lined with shops and asked a policeman where we could exchange our money. The rate was the best we will probably get for the rest of Europe, and no charge for exchanging so we had definitively gotten lucky.
We journeyed on down the street and hopped on another tour bus, in order to see the most we could in the time we had, and learn the history of it all. The bus took us all over, through the hustle and bustle of the main city to the outskirts of the pier.
My favorite building within the main city was the theater, a gorgeous structure that sat in the lush gardens and overlooked a spouting fountain.
Robert’s statue was also one of the stops. It touched into the water, a tilted wall with people crawling to reach the end. It was built across from a gorgeous mansion, where the current President resides. After the tour was finished, we made our way back into the square and ate at a tiny local restaurant, warming our cold hands with hot chocolate.
The bitter wind that we felt on the first bus swept away when the sun came out. We hopped on another bus that would take us to the top of the hill, where the castle was. We ran around the fortress, taking tons of pictures and listening to the music of the guitarist that sat in the middle of the garden. After grabbing a few souvenirs, we headed down to the city to catch our final bus back to the city.
We got a little nervous when our bus stopped with still a ways back to the ship, and we were cutting it close on time. Apparently, a lady had parked her van over the line, and we could get around her because she was on our track. Thankfully, she was just in one of the surrounding stores and quickly ran out to move it when she saw she was obstructing our path.
It was another amazing day in Europe. I saw a lot of the city; rich in historical significance and beauty, ate some great food, and gained unforgettable memories with good friends. Tomorrow we are back in Spain, so stay tuned for more updates! :)
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Thank You, Loyal Subjects.
Today we were in Cadiz, Spain. It’s a small city that sits on a sliver of land. It was rainy and cold when we ventured off and every time we felt the sun, it was quickly covered by the dark storm clouds.
After our tech run, Nicco, Robert, Maude, and I purchased double-decker bus tickets to get a tour of the city. It was my first time being on one of these buses! I had always wanted to ever since I saw them in movies that take place in London, (like in What A Girl Wants, Mel;)
We fought with the rain, moving from top to bottom constantly and trying to get the best pictures possible. They provide headphones to plug into their radio system so you could listen to the historical information. And with the way the bus system works, we could get off and walk around at any of the stops, and then catch the next bus since they run every 15 minutes.
Finally, we got some sun and hopped off the bus to walk around in the main square. Some fellow crewmembers were eating lunch in a local pub and we stopped in a souvenir store right next door. We took pictures of the gorgeous cathedral that towered in the center of the city. When we got back on the bus, I pretended to be the queen and I waved down to my adoring subjects. One policeman shouted up at me, and I thought he was asking what I was doing but he just wanted me to take his picture. Crazy man….LOL.
Our day was short because we are sailing away at three. :( It must be an expensive port for us to stay at. There are rumors that we will have an overnight tomorrow in Lisbon to sort out of the issues with the European flights. One girl who works in the bar is supposed to fly home to Romania but now has to pay for a three-day bus ride to another airport.
We are also not sure how many guests we will have yet. Lots of Americans cancelled their cruises and Europeans are stuck throughout the airports, it’s a big mess. I know a lot of people aren’t happy with Royal because we aren’t going to cover their change of arrangements (i.e. hotel, new flights) but technically; we aren’t involved in the issue. And I know after all the money we lost from the Brazilian season, the company is not going to want to reimburse people unless we actually were the cause of the problem.
Hopefully, people will make it home ok tomorrow. I know once I’m ready to go, there better be nothing trying to stop me cause I will be READY TO GO. I’m looking forward to another day in Europe! Love to all that are back home!!!! <3
After our tech run, Nicco, Robert, Maude, and I purchased double-decker bus tickets to get a tour of the city. It was my first time being on one of these buses! I had always wanted to ever since I saw them in movies that take place in London, (like in What A Girl Wants, Mel;)
We fought with the rain, moving from top to bottom constantly and trying to get the best pictures possible. They provide headphones to plug into their radio system so you could listen to the historical information. And with the way the bus system works, we could get off and walk around at any of the stops, and then catch the next bus since they run every 15 minutes.
Finally, we got some sun and hopped off the bus to walk around in the main square. Some fellow crewmembers were eating lunch in a local pub and we stopped in a souvenir store right next door. We took pictures of the gorgeous cathedral that towered in the center of the city. When we got back on the bus, I pretended to be the queen and I waved down to my adoring subjects. One policeman shouted up at me, and I thought he was asking what I was doing but he just wanted me to take his picture. Crazy man….LOL.
Our day was short because we are sailing away at three. :( It must be an expensive port for us to stay at. There are rumors that we will have an overnight tomorrow in Lisbon to sort out of the issues with the European flights. One girl who works in the bar is supposed to fly home to Romania but now has to pay for a three-day bus ride to another airport.
We are also not sure how many guests we will have yet. Lots of Americans cancelled their cruises and Europeans are stuck throughout the airports, it’s a big mess. I know a lot of people aren’t happy with Royal because we aren’t going to cover their change of arrangements (i.e. hotel, new flights) but technically; we aren’t involved in the issue. And I know after all the money we lost from the Brazilian season, the company is not going to want to reimburse people unless we actually were the cause of the problem.
Hopefully, people will make it home ok tomorrow. I know once I’m ready to go, there better be nothing trying to stop me cause I will be READY TO GO. I’m looking forward to another day in Europe! Love to all that are back home!!!! <3
Friday, April 16, 2010
UH OH, I Don’t Understand What You’re Saying!!!!!
Today we were in Madeira, Portugal. I have to say, it was a comfort hearing Portuguese again BUT I was assigned to the tour that was completely in Portuguese.
Luckily, my lady was nice enough to let me know times and meeting places so I could go off and explore on my own. Stephany wasn’t as lucky with her guide, who made her stay by her side the entire time so she missed a lot. I guess I missed all the historical facts because I didn’t understand the language but I still had an awesome tour of the city.
Madeira is a gorgeous port. There are thousands of little houses that cover the mountains and my tour began with a drive up to the top. One of the highlights they offer tourists is a basket ride down the streets to the bottom, but since I had done that the first time we were here, I signed up for another tour.
We climbed higher and higher and Vision started to shrink away in the distance. At the top, we stopped in a little square to buy souvenirs and look around. Then we walked up the hill to the church that was decorated with gorgeous chandeliers and paintings. From there, we continued down the road to the cable car system.
Here, we boarded a car and rode over the city, peering down into the lush forest and waterfalls. At the bottom, we exited the cable car area and went to the Botanical Gardens. This was probably my favorite part of the tour. There were so many gorgeous flowers and interesting plants. I definitely went picture crazy. It was nice being the tour guide because I was able to walk in the back and since one of the guests was as hungry for pictures as I was, we were always together bringing up the rear.
After the gardens, we drove a short ways into the town where we were able to go into a gorgeous embroidery shop and taste wine in the basement. We had an hour at this stop so I was also able to walk across the street and tour the food market. I returned to the shop to wait for my bus and the guests. I felt very important when a German couple (so adorable with their Madeira pocket guide book) asked where they could find the market. That’s right, I DO speak English!!!! YES!!! I could help somebody! LOL.
From the shop, the guests were either allowed to ride back to the ship or walk to another church where a large flower festival was taking place. My guide told me they lay out a carpet of flowers along the streets. That would have been awesome to see, but since I still had no euros, I didn’t know how I would be able to get back to the ship. Besides, I had already seen so many beautiful flowers that I felt I had soaked it all up.
We were supposed to have Boogie tonight, but there was something wrong with the hydro’s on the stage. (I’m not really sure how that effects us since the hydro’s are under the set and we don’t use them in this show but hey, another night off!) My suspicion is they either cancelled because there are predicted monster waves for tonight and the next nights following, maybe even to the end of my contract.
Or it could be that the guest entertainers that were supposed to perform tomorrow didn’t make it on because of the flight cancellations from the volcano smoke. Whatever the reason, we are scheduled to perform Boogie on the last day of the cruise.
Tomorrow is another sea day as we make our way to Seville, Spain and than Lisbon as our last port. Nicco and I signed up for more exciting tours so I will hopefully be able to do them all! More to come in the days that follow, LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!
Luckily, my lady was nice enough to let me know times and meeting places so I could go off and explore on my own. Stephany wasn’t as lucky with her guide, who made her stay by her side the entire time so she missed a lot. I guess I missed all the historical facts because I didn’t understand the language but I still had an awesome tour of the city.
Madeira is a gorgeous port. There are thousands of little houses that cover the mountains and my tour began with a drive up to the top. One of the highlights they offer tourists is a basket ride down the streets to the bottom, but since I had done that the first time we were here, I signed up for another tour.
We climbed higher and higher and Vision started to shrink away in the distance. At the top, we stopped in a little square to buy souvenirs and look around. Then we walked up the hill to the church that was decorated with gorgeous chandeliers and paintings. From there, we continued down the road to the cable car system.
Here, we boarded a car and rode over the city, peering down into the lush forest and waterfalls. At the bottom, we exited the cable car area and went to the Botanical Gardens. This was probably my favorite part of the tour. There were so many gorgeous flowers and interesting plants. I definitely went picture crazy. It was nice being the tour guide because I was able to walk in the back and since one of the guests was as hungry for pictures as I was, we were always together bringing up the rear.
After the gardens, we drove a short ways into the town where we were able to go into a gorgeous embroidery shop and taste wine in the basement. We had an hour at this stop so I was also able to walk across the street and tour the food market. I returned to the shop to wait for my bus and the guests. I felt very important when a German couple (so adorable with their Madeira pocket guide book) asked where they could find the market. That’s right, I DO speak English!!!! YES!!! I could help somebody! LOL.
From the shop, the guests were either allowed to ride back to the ship or walk to another church where a large flower festival was taking place. My guide told me they lay out a carpet of flowers along the streets. That would have been awesome to see, but since I still had no euros, I didn’t know how I would be able to get back to the ship. Besides, I had already seen so many beautiful flowers that I felt I had soaked it all up.
We were supposed to have Boogie tonight, but there was something wrong with the hydro’s on the stage. (I’m not really sure how that effects us since the hydro’s are under the set and we don’t use them in this show but hey, another night off!) My suspicion is they either cancelled because there are predicted monster waves for tonight and the next nights following, maybe even to the end of my contract.
Or it could be that the guest entertainers that were supposed to perform tomorrow didn’t make it on because of the flight cancellations from the volcano smoke. Whatever the reason, we are scheduled to perform Boogie on the last day of the cruise.
Tomorrow is another sea day as we make our way to Seville, Spain and than Lisbon as our last port. Nicco and I signed up for more exciting tours so I will hopefully be able to do them all! More to come in the days that follow, LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!
For a volcano, it’s not very hot….
Yesterday, we docked in Tenerife, Spain. FINALLY!!!! After six long sea days, LAND! After boat drill, everyone rushed to get off the ship. It was a beautiful day, a little chilly with the wind and it probably felt a lot colder than it really was because we had four months of hot, hot Brazilian sun.
Tenerife is one of the seven islands that make up the Canary Islands. It is home to Teide, a volcano that erupted 600 years ago and caused the split of the land. The volcano is the highest peak in the Atlantic Ocean, towering at 7,500 m above the ocean floor. Teide means “father” in the Canary island language and the other islands are the “sons”.
Once we got into the town, we ran into a few issues. Seems nobody would exchange our U.S. bills for Euros without our passports. The ship takes our passports when we sign on board so that we can’t “jump ship”. Luckily, Brett had brought his visa and drew out enough money to cover our expenses for the day and we would pay him back accordingly. I understand the fear of fraud but they wouldn’t even take my driver’s license. It was very frustrating after we spent an hour standing in line at two different banks before giving up.
We stopped into a little bakery to grab some sandwiches for the car ride up to the volcano. After purchasing my food I said “Obrigada” (thank you in Portuguese) than realized my mistake and quickly said “I mean, Gracias”. I was so embarrassed! DUH Shannon, we aren’t in Brazil anymore!
We had a very nice taxi driver who was waiting to take us up to a volcano. It was great too because Stephany, whose from Chile, was able to communicate with him in Spanish and than translate into English for us. We saw a protest in the streets and there was a bit of traffic because the government was in town and the people were fighting for more money for their schools. I guess they are having similar issues to the states, all over the world.
We also passed the Opera house that greatly resembled the one in Sydney, Australia. The trip up to the volcano took an hour total, but we made plenty of picturesque stops along the way. Unfortunately, our poor taxi driver started to worry because you can only stop at certain points off the road and police drive looking for those that stop illegally. I mean, everyone of course stopped frequently, despite the police but he didn’t want to be the one to get caught. :/ There was a time when the police passed us and Brett and I literally ran and jumped into the car and we drove around the bind, but hey; life is short!
We drove up a mountain and it felt so much like home. We rolled the windows down to soak in the fresh air and the distinct smell of pine. Further up, we were surrounded by mist and there was a drizzle from the altitude.
Once we drove out above the clouds, the sun reappeared and we drove on towards the volcano. The closer we got, the darker the rocks got. They had been burnt from the lava and we even saw red rocks that were the ash. Brett, from South Africa, saw his first snow atop the peak. I love people’s reactions when they have never seen snow; it’s like a kid on Christmas Day.
At the base of the volcano, there was a museum that we explored. There was supposed to be a video that showed the explosion of the volcano and the formation of the seven islands, but it wasn’t playing. Our taxi driver commented, “I wonder how they filmed the eruption since it happened 600 years ago!?!” He was such a cute, little old man!
Above the museum were hiking trails and we set out on them to get a better view of the volcano. I took pictures of everyone cautiously walking down the slippery, dirt floor and laughed even harder when I was the one who fell. OF COURSE. I asked the driver when the volcano was expected to erupt next to which he said, “The scientists have declared it dead.” But, I was researching it all later that night and there were reports of seismic activity and volcanic unrest from 2005. I hope they hire new scientists…..
We headed back to the taxi, joking how we were all so short that we fit right in with the high school field trip that was there too. There was a man laying on a wall and a crowd gathered around him. Soon, an ambulance came to get him and we learned he had passed out. Our driver said a lot of people get sick or even die from altitude sickness when they come up here. YIKES!
After driving as close as we could get to the volcano, we started our trek back down the mountain. We passed the airport famous for the deadliest accident in aviation history. I’m not sure if that was before 9/11 or if that doesn’t count as an accident.
I took a nap after I got back on the ship and then went to see one of our singers, Jade Warshaw, perform her show, “The Definition of Soul”. Because it was such long cruise, a lot of guest entertainers were brought on. Some were amazing, and some not so great. The first act was a magician/ illusionist. In a way, the performance was good for me because the guy was so bad, you could see how the trick worked. I had always wondered how they keep a spinning plate balanced on a stick and now I know the secret ;)
The next night was gaucho dancers from Argentina. Their act was really interesting. They included the typical gaucho dancing with a lot of drums and other rhythm-makers. I filmed a lot of it, especially when they danced the tango. I love Latin dancing and I hope to learn how to do all of them in the future!!!! I think it will come in handy if I get a Latin boyfriend :D
There was also Allen, who called himself a “mindgician”. He was alright, however he did most of his act in Portuguese and forgot to translate into English so that was a little confusing. I couldn’t figure out all of his tricks so I guess, in my mind at least, his show was a success.
And finally, a performance from….CELINE DION. Well, not the REAL Celine Dion. Tracy is an impersonator
And the best guest entertainer on ships. I had seen her show on the first crossing and I was so excited to have her back! This time I filmed her show so I can show my mommy :) I felt bad for her though because it was really, really rocky and I heard from the theater staff that she was feeling seasick. I could see a difference in her performance as compared to last time but she was still unbelievable. I’m just glad we didn’t have our show that night.
Tenerife is one of the seven islands that make up the Canary Islands. It is home to Teide, a volcano that erupted 600 years ago and caused the split of the land. The volcano is the highest peak in the Atlantic Ocean, towering at 7,500 m above the ocean floor. Teide means “father” in the Canary island language and the other islands are the “sons”.
Once we got into the town, we ran into a few issues. Seems nobody would exchange our U.S. bills for Euros without our passports. The ship takes our passports when we sign on board so that we can’t “jump ship”. Luckily, Brett had brought his visa and drew out enough money to cover our expenses for the day and we would pay him back accordingly. I understand the fear of fraud but they wouldn’t even take my driver’s license. It was very frustrating after we spent an hour standing in line at two different banks before giving up.
We stopped into a little bakery to grab some sandwiches for the car ride up to the volcano. After purchasing my food I said “Obrigada” (thank you in Portuguese) than realized my mistake and quickly said “I mean, Gracias”. I was so embarrassed! DUH Shannon, we aren’t in Brazil anymore!
We had a very nice taxi driver who was waiting to take us up to a volcano. It was great too because Stephany, whose from Chile, was able to communicate with him in Spanish and than translate into English for us. We saw a protest in the streets and there was a bit of traffic because the government was in town and the people were fighting for more money for their schools. I guess they are having similar issues to the states, all over the world.
We also passed the Opera house that greatly resembled the one in Sydney, Australia. The trip up to the volcano took an hour total, but we made plenty of picturesque stops along the way. Unfortunately, our poor taxi driver started to worry because you can only stop at certain points off the road and police drive looking for those that stop illegally. I mean, everyone of course stopped frequently, despite the police but he didn’t want to be the one to get caught. :/ There was a time when the police passed us and Brett and I literally ran and jumped into the car and we drove around the bind, but hey; life is short!
We drove up a mountain and it felt so much like home. We rolled the windows down to soak in the fresh air and the distinct smell of pine. Further up, we were surrounded by mist and there was a drizzle from the altitude.
Once we drove out above the clouds, the sun reappeared and we drove on towards the volcano. The closer we got, the darker the rocks got. They had been burnt from the lava and we even saw red rocks that were the ash. Brett, from South Africa, saw his first snow atop the peak. I love people’s reactions when they have never seen snow; it’s like a kid on Christmas Day.
At the base of the volcano, there was a museum that we explored. There was supposed to be a video that showed the explosion of the volcano and the formation of the seven islands, but it wasn’t playing. Our taxi driver commented, “I wonder how they filmed the eruption since it happened 600 years ago!?!” He was such a cute, little old man!
Above the museum were hiking trails and we set out on them to get a better view of the volcano. I took pictures of everyone cautiously walking down the slippery, dirt floor and laughed even harder when I was the one who fell. OF COURSE. I asked the driver when the volcano was expected to erupt next to which he said, “The scientists have declared it dead.” But, I was researching it all later that night and there were reports of seismic activity and volcanic unrest from 2005. I hope they hire new scientists…..
We headed back to the taxi, joking how we were all so short that we fit right in with the high school field trip that was there too. There was a man laying on a wall and a crowd gathered around him. Soon, an ambulance came to get him and we learned he had passed out. Our driver said a lot of people get sick or even die from altitude sickness when they come up here. YIKES!
After driving as close as we could get to the volcano, we started our trek back down the mountain. We passed the airport famous for the deadliest accident in aviation history. I’m not sure if that was before 9/11 or if that doesn’t count as an accident.
I took a nap after I got back on the ship and then went to see one of our singers, Jade Warshaw, perform her show, “The Definition of Soul”. Because it was such long cruise, a lot of guest entertainers were brought on. Some were amazing, and some not so great. The first act was a magician/ illusionist. In a way, the performance was good for me because the guy was so bad, you could see how the trick worked. I had always wondered how they keep a spinning plate balanced on a stick and now I know the secret ;)
The next night was gaucho dancers from Argentina. Their act was really interesting. They included the typical gaucho dancing with a lot of drums and other rhythm-makers. I filmed a lot of it, especially when they danced the tango. I love Latin dancing and I hope to learn how to do all of them in the future!!!! I think it will come in handy if I get a Latin boyfriend :D
There was also Allen, who called himself a “mindgician”. He was alright, however he did most of his act in Portuguese and forgot to translate into English so that was a little confusing. I couldn’t figure out all of his tricks so I guess, in my mind at least, his show was a success.
And finally, a performance from….CELINE DION. Well, not the REAL Celine Dion. Tracy is an impersonator
And the best guest entertainer on ships. I had seen her show on the first crossing and I was so excited to have her back! This time I filmed her show so I can show my mommy :) I felt bad for her though because it was really, really rocky and I heard from the theater staff that she was feeling seasick. I could see a difference in her performance as compared to last time but she was still unbelievable. I’m just glad we didn’t have our show that night.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Europa, Here We Come....a
So we crossed the equator two days ago which means we are ALMOST to Europe!!! WOO HOO!!!!! I am very excited to see all the new ports, especially since I have signed up to be a tour escort, FREE TOURS!!!!!!!! AWESOME!!!!! There is even a rumor going around that there will be a chocolate tour when we go to Belgium. OH I AM SO THERE!!!!! :D
It was very hard to say goodbye to the Brazilian cast. On each of their last shows and our last shows for them, everyone was crying and hugging after the performance. We had become a family, after spending four months living together.
I will miss Brazil a lot too. I really enjoyed diving into their culture and I am looking forward to experiencing others!!!!! I think I was a little spoiled with all the time we got to spend there, and I might, MIGHT want to move out of the states to live in other countries. (MOM IGNORE THIS SECTION.) This has always been a dream of mine, to live in beautiful places like London or Greece, but it was more of a fantasy til now. But after this experience, I feel like it could be a real possibility if I desired it. But for now, this job is perfect. I don't need to think about a home of my own for awhile. :D
Speaking of home, it was so amazing that my parents were able to come cruise!!!! I really enjoyed showing them the life that I have lived for the past few months in Brazil, show them certain key places and tell them stories of my adventures. I hope they were impressed with my Portuguese. I challenged myself to order food and ask for things with my knowledge of the language and I got around pretty decently. From now on, if I am in a Portuguese or Spanish speaking place, I will do my best to speak their language! I shall be a multi-lingual, soon to be-twenty year old!!!!!!
Twenty, wow, really? ALREADY? Wasn't it just yesterday that I was 16 and driving in my new car. Or a few hours ago that I was 18 and at my graduation. Time has really flown by but I am so excited for what the future has to offer me. I can't wait to tell my kids about all the extrodinary places I have been and the various people I have befriended. I want a life that is different from most, and I suppose living in Los Angeles for a year straight out of high school is a good start. Then traveling the world and living in Brazil, not bad, not bad at all. LOL. Who knows what's next.....
It was very hard to say goodbye to the Brazilian cast. On each of their last shows and our last shows for them, everyone was crying and hugging after the performance. We had become a family, after spending four months living together.
I will miss Brazil a lot too. I really enjoyed diving into their culture and I am looking forward to experiencing others!!!!! I think I was a little spoiled with all the time we got to spend there, and I might, MIGHT want to move out of the states to live in other countries. (MOM IGNORE THIS SECTION.) This has always been a dream of mine, to live in beautiful places like London or Greece, but it was more of a fantasy til now. But after this experience, I feel like it could be a real possibility if I desired it. But for now, this job is perfect. I don't need to think about a home of my own for awhile. :D
Speaking of home, it was so amazing that my parents were able to come cruise!!!! I really enjoyed showing them the life that I have lived for the past few months in Brazil, show them certain key places and tell them stories of my adventures. I hope they were impressed with my Portuguese. I challenged myself to order food and ask for things with my knowledge of the language and I got around pretty decently. From now on, if I am in a Portuguese or Spanish speaking place, I will do my best to speak their language! I shall be a multi-lingual, soon to be-twenty year old!!!!!!
Twenty, wow, really? ALREADY? Wasn't it just yesterday that I was 16 and driving in my new car. Or a few hours ago that I was 18 and at my graduation. Time has really flown by but I am so excited for what the future has to offer me. I can't wait to tell my kids about all the extrodinary places I have been and the various people I have befriended. I want a life that is different from most, and I suppose living in Los Angeles for a year straight out of high school is a good start. Then traveling the world and living in Brazil, not bad, not bad at all. LOL. Who knows what's next.....
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
B-e-a-utiful Buzios
It was another perfect day in Brazil :D I ventured off the ship and walked along Buzios in search of a private beach. I climbed over countless rocks and hopped crevices the size of small rivers! I was chased by crabs and little sand beetles (YUCK). Finally, I made it to the beach. The view was amazing; a cove surrounded by rolling hills and caves. Out in the ocean rested Vision and another smaller ship that was anchored for this port. To the right was Buzios' tourist and fashion shops and various restaurants; but here I was, secluded in perfect paradise. Not bothered by shoppers, not bothered by beggars or the pushy sales people, just me and God's perfect land.
I walked along the shoreline, feeling the soft sand squish between my toes, and watched the waves crash. I need this moment to realize how incredibly blessed I am. Most people save their whole lives for an opportunity such as this. To come to Brazil, or really any exotic vacation spot, and enjoy it with the people you love. I can't wait to discover more of what Brazil has to offer with my parents. I'm pretty sure the ENTIRE SHIP knows they are coming because that's all I have been able to talk about for the past two months! Now, it's only two days away and I am soooo excited!!!!!
Tonight is the crew talent show and it should make for an interesting evening. I didn't prepare anything for the show because I figured if the professional dancers and singers from the casts compete it might discourage the people who want to display a talent that is NOT their job. I am actually really excited to be a part of the audience, to watch the security gaurd sing his song and our stage staff dance his routine. Like I said, it should make for a very interesting night. ;)
I walked along the shoreline, feeling the soft sand squish between my toes, and watched the waves crash. I need this moment to realize how incredibly blessed I am. Most people save their whole lives for an opportunity such as this. To come to Brazil, or really any exotic vacation spot, and enjoy it with the people you love. I can't wait to discover more of what Brazil has to offer with my parents. I'm pretty sure the ENTIRE SHIP knows they are coming because that's all I have been able to talk about for the past two months! Now, it's only two days away and I am soooo excited!!!!!
Tonight is the crew talent show and it should make for an interesting evening. I didn't prepare anything for the show because I figured if the professional dancers and singers from the casts compete it might discourage the people who want to display a talent that is NOT their job. I am actually really excited to be a part of the audience, to watch the security gaurd sing his song and our stage staff dance his routine. Like I said, it should make for a very interesting night. ;)
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Ahhhh!!!!!!!!
I am SOOOO excited!!!!!! In six days, my mommy and daddy are coming to visit me!!!!! I can’t wait, I need big bear hugs!!!! Also, I am stoked because in two weeks we are heading back to Europe, a bitter sweet time. We have been here for about 4 months, so the new ports in Europe and Russia will bring some much-anticipated adventures. But, it also means the Brazilian cast signs off. They are all excited to go home, as I am looking forward to in June, but we have all become so close and it will be hard to say goodbye. I have to say the only downfall to meeting amazing people who live all over the world, is that they are amazing people who live all over the world. I am grateful for technology, so we can keep in touch over the Internet. Thank God I wasn’t born in the olden days where the only form of transportation to other countries was months spent on a boat (ironic???) but also you could only write letters and by the time your recipient received your news, it was OLD NEWS!!!!! Ugh, I would be such a different person because I wouldn’t be living in Brazil right now, experiencing what I am. But anyways, back to reality!
Unfortunately, Patrick (the casting director in Miami) has been out of the office so we haven’t had any news back on a future contract. It makes me anxious with all this waiting but all the ports of call are awesome places to visit, so I figure whatever I am offered would be pretty great! Maybe I could work on a ship that docks back in the states, so more of my family and even friends could come to sail! BUT, ya’ll remember I have so much more of Europe to see, as well as Australia and Asia so COME WITH ME!!!!!! :D Well, I’m off to research things my mom and dad would enjoy in our ports of call so they have the perfect trip!!!! (I already have several surprises lined up for them;) Looking forward to the months ahead, but also very excited to be coming home in two-ish months!!!!! Can’t wait to hug each and everyone of you!!!!!
Unfortunately, Patrick (the casting director in Miami) has been out of the office so we haven’t had any news back on a future contract. It makes me anxious with all this waiting but all the ports of call are awesome places to visit, so I figure whatever I am offered would be pretty great! Maybe I could work on a ship that docks back in the states, so more of my family and even friends could come to sail! BUT, ya’ll remember I have so much more of Europe to see, as well as Australia and Asia so COME WITH ME!!!!!! :D Well, I’m off to research things my mom and dad would enjoy in our ports of call so they have the perfect trip!!!! (I already have several surprises lined up for them;) Looking forward to the months ahead, but also very excited to be coming home in two-ish months!!!!! Can’t wait to hug each and everyone of you!!!!!
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