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Note: The photos in the posts below are mine. Every day when I get back from touring, I'm choosing the best ones to share. Having my laptop on this trip is a wonderful thing!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Hello from Barcelona!

While standing in line in Atlanta waiting to board my flight to Rome, I heard someone say "Gina Wilcox, please come to the desk". Imagine my joy when a very nice Delta lady who had noticed I was traveling alone, decided to be my Fairy 'Travel' Godmother and bump me up to Elite Business class! I knew at that moment the trip was off to a good start… I cannot begin to explain the difference it makes when you're on a 9.5 hour transatlantic flight to be able to fully stretch out, have a down pillow and duvet and noise-muffling headphones - just to name a few of the amenities. Not worth the thousands of dollars a business class ticket would cost you to buy, but when you get it handed to you for free, it’s certainly enough to make you feel like you've won the lottery!

After a 3-hour layover in Rome and a 90 minute connecting flight, I landed in Barcelona. The first order of business once I landed in Spain was finding a payphone (thank God they still have those in Europe) and calling my nieces, who turned 12 today. Don't even get me started about Verizon… Luckily my cell phone deficiency didn’t prevent me from accomplishing my mission and 'crazy Aunt Gina' was able to catch the girls right before they left for school this morning and wish them a Happy Birthday from Spain.

Happy Birthday Stasia & Brianna!!!!

So I've been onboard about 5 hours so far. And haven't unpacked yet. But I do have my priorities in check – I've been to the Spa to confirm my massages for the Sea Days, been to the buffet (for research purposes of course), bought my unlimited soda package (which has already paid for itself for the day) and attended the dreaded life boat drill (i.e. I mustered).

The ship sets sail in a few hours and tomorrow we’ll be in France, docked in Marseille. This is the one port on this cruise itinerary that I have NOT been too yet! While I will spend a little time there, I plan on spending most of the day out in Provence split equally between Aix-en-Provence and Lourmarin. If you watch Samantha Brown on the Travel Channel, she did a segment on Aix-en-Provence once (check your TiVo – you might have it) – it looks really cool. But I'm most excited about Lourmarin – a small town that sits at the foot of the Luberon Mountains and is often referred to as being 'the most beautiful village' in France! I'll let you know tomorrow if it lives up to its reputation. Adios!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow, what a story! you got bumped up to biz class?!?! SOMEONE is looking out for you on this journey!

Anonymous said...

so what did you do while in Barcelona?

Chris said...

Woody Allen's new movie was filmed in Barcelona and it looks beautiful there! I must see it for myself someday