Cruising the Med with Mickey and the Crew **Updated 11/25** COMPLETE About This Page:

[Big Baloo]

Just getting caught up on your TR, Terri, and I have to say that the history of the cities you are visiting is absolutely fascinating. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and for all the hard work that you put into your reports!

[JaimeandChad]

Terri, you are an excellent teacher. I can tell, because in reading your TR, I have learned alot. Thank you

[dsnytina]

Thank you for sharing the history and pictures of Pompeii!

It looks like such an amazing experience!

Can't wait to read more!

Tina

[Disney_Scarlett]

Terri - I've spent the last couple of days catching up on this TR. It's so great! I'm so sorry about all the trouble with the luggage That really stinks! But other than that, sounds like a fantastic trip. I have to say, I was quite jealous of that picture of Jolene and the Italian waiters in one of your first updates. Lucky girl!

Your excursions so far have been amazing, and I can't wait to hear more! I'm so living vicariously through you!

[mseang]

Originally Posted by DrDolphin

Danielle - it is already being planned....

Great TR! I am finally caught up, what with trying to post my own TR.

Also, about your future trip to Italy. I have traveled in Italy quite a bit the last three years, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask. You will have a great time!

[Cheriemek]

Another great update !!! More!!!!

[DrDolphin]

After our exciting day in Naples – I came back to the ship and found my dad returning from the laundry room with the family’s clean laundry. Disney did my laundry (as limited as it was…)- they even pressed my jammies and hung them on hangers!!

Dinner tonight was at Animator’s Palate – a feast for the nose (smell of the meal), the tongue (taste of the meal) and the eyes – the restaurant itself!! Mom and Jolene’s excursion was due back late – so dad and I left them a note at the room and went to dinner. We went ahead and ordered an appetizer and a soup course to eat before they returned and after finding our note – they came and joined us.

Mural on the floor entering Animator's Palate


Entrance to AP

Tonight was the Animator’s Palate “show” menu. I love this show!! I wish I had written down the name of what I ate – but I did remember to take photos.

We started with our regular cheese and fruit plate…. Then I had a mushroom appetizer in a puffed pastry. For my main course I opted for the filet mignon (as did mom) with the feta cheese, shrimp and steamed broccoli. Jolene wanted to take photo of her Mickey pasta (I can’t tell it’s Mickey pasta – but I know it was). I can not for the life of me remember what I had for dessert…. And I didn’t seem to take photos of it.

Mushroom pastry

Filet Mignon with Shrimp

Jolene's Mickey ravioli

Jolene also too a photo of the daily cheese and fruit decoration in the dining room. And of course – there was the show.



I videoed the last 6 minutes of it – but it is too large to post on YouTube…. So I can’t share - but I really love this show. Still photos just can not do it justice : - it must be seen with the eye! On my previous cruises I have only been in AP one time – so this was the only way I’ve seen this place – but this time we ate here 4 times (??) so the diversity was a bit different.




After dinner – Jolene and I reviewed the navigator and she decided she wanted to go to the Walt Disney Theatre and play “On the Nose”. I had heard that of all the evening shows – this was the one that you could skip… I was sort of EH about going – but we had a good time. We played on the Sneezy team – and ended up winning 2nd place! I helped the team get an answer correct – did you know that there are approximately 5.2 million gallons of water in the Living Seas tank? Well now you do!!
Playing "On The Nose "

After winning our mini-spinning Mickey globe – we headed back to our cabin to tuck in for the night – since we had another busy day planned tomorrow as we pulled into Sardina!


Next - whatever you do - don't wiggle....

[Minnie Lor]

Great update! I've benn looking forward to you posting a new one. Funny thing is that while I'm reading your TR, I'm watching Disney Cruise Line on the Travel Channel. I really tempted to go on a cruise.

[Colexis Mom]

Great dinner Terri, and a great night! Glad you enjoyed AP

[jpod523]

congrats on placing 2nd!! too bad about the large video. i'd like to see it because i doubt i ever get to go on a disney cruise! when my videos are too big, i condense them in windows movie maker.

[DrDolphin]

SARDINA –
Today we were in Olbia, Sardina. We pulled into port – while passing extensive aquaculture of mussels and fin fish. A co-worker of mine studied aquaculture in graduate school and he had told me to keep my eyes open for it while in the Med – so as we pulled into port – I took a few photos for him. It was windy and cool this morning – but I must admit Sardina is a beautiful island!






Views of Olbia and Sardina and the aquaculture in the harbor

This morning’s excursions were both half day. Mom, Dad and Jolene were taking a train ride to Gallura. Disney said that they would “Rove Sardina’s charming countryside on a picturesque tour before embarking on a delightful jaunt through the historic city of Tempio Pausania”.

I would “uncover the exquisite beauty of Sardina as you kayak on Lago del Liscia against an unspoiled backdrop of green vegetation and gentle rolling hills”.

I had breakfast outside at Topsiders as we pulled into port and saw a couple of the Moby Ferries – including the “Moby Wonder” – another Wonder next to the Magic! After breakfast I headed to Diversions for my excursion. I had decided not to wear my swimsuit…. Thinking I would not get really wet- but I walked in the door of Diversions, there was a pile of towels… and they were telling the kayakers to take one… ummm should I rethink the whole swimsuit thing?



Breakfast and the Moby Ferries
After we all gathered our stuff together, we loaded into bus #1 – the mini-bus and met our guide Renata from Poland and headed up into the “mountains” above Gallura to Lago del Liscia – a manmade lake that is the drinking water source for Olbia.


Renata - our guide
We had a very small group – right about 20 people. After about an hour – we arrived at a Funtana Abbas – a local hotel and unloaded. We took a biological break and walked down a dusty country lane to the waters edge.


Line of buses for all the excursions; and the Sardinian countryside

Funatta Abbas
We met our kayak guides – an Italian and a Brit. We put our life vests on and selected our kayaks. I lucked into a solo kayak and after putting my camera in the new floating waterproof case I purchased for the trip – I donned the life vest, loaded myself into the kayak and pushed away from shore…

Renata with our guides (Italian and Brit) and our kayaks

My kayak
As I started to paddle – I realized that this kayak was NOTHING like the ocean kayaks I have been in before – you know – the kind that have RUDDERS that help stabilize you!!! All I could think was – “whatever you do – don’t wiggle!” And while you are not wiggling anything from the waist down – rhythmically you’re moving your upper body in a push pull motion to paddle this thing. There were three young men from England – near Manchester (Karen – isn’t that near you?) named Sam, Max and Eddie (and dad too, but he did not kayak) – all of whom go kayaking at school and proceeded to give me “lessons”. Max – the eldest – told me that as long as I didn’t tip over in the first 10 minutes – then I probably wouldn’t for the whole morning. I must say that my genetically issued Irish/English/German-childbearing hips (doesn’t matter if I ever use them for that purpose – I have them…) were nicely squeezed into the kayak – and I thought if I went over there was NO way I was coming out of that thing….and that I would drown…

View from my kayak (the one photo I took while trying to balance....)

Me in my kayak - taken by Max - Sam's big brother.

OK – so I paddled, and followed the Italian guide (I never saw the British gentleman – I learned later that he was dealing with a couple of boys who flipped within 30 seconds of pushing off from the beach).

The morning was very relaxing – once I got over my flipping over fear. After about 20 minutes I could feel my arms and chest and back start to feel a little sore and tight. I was getting a major upper body workout. We ended up in 2 groups – the “semi-not-too bad” and the “not too sure what they were doing” group. I actually ended up in the first group and I was proud of myself. The 3 UK boys, the Italian guide, a mother/son pair in a tandem kayak and I ended up rounding the island in the middle of the lake.

While we were rounding the island, I heard a song…. “Timewarp” from “Rocky Horror picture show” lofting across the lake… it seems as though one of the UK boys – Sam – is an amateur actor and loves 1970s and 1980s music. After “timewarp” Sam serenaded us with Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. I commented that he was not old enough to know those songs…. I later learned from Dad that Sam is considered “a human iPod”…

Lago del Liscia - with the island I circled and the bridge in the original photo

About two hours after we started, we paddled back to the beach and my wobbly legs and tight and sore chest, abs, back (heck all of me) – and then climbed up the HILL that seemed like a casual stroll down a bit more than two hours ago. We headed up to the main complex of the hotel and entered the restaurant. After cleaning up in the restroom – we headed out onto a covered patio that overlooked the lake.

Cork oak - the bark is harvested every 7 years - can you see the line on the tree where the bark at the bottom has been stripped, harvested and since grown back?

View from the restaurant where we had our snack

We had a snack of pecorino cheese (which I learned is made from sheep’s milk – there are 5 sheep for every person on Sardina), a salty ham that reminded me of parma ham and a very nice salami – but it was not hard like salami we get here in the US. It was all wonderful. We also had a wonderful red wine and a liqueur made from the myrtle bush called Mirto… (MEER – TOE). It reminds me of Jagermeister… or Vicks 44 cough medicine.



During lunch I ate with the British family and learned they are DVC members and veteran Disney cruisers. They told me all about the relocation cruise through the Panama Canal and what to expect on that upcoming trip.

After our snack, we loaded back on the bus for the drive back to the ship. We drove through some beautiful countryside… and I must tell you – this is a place that I would definitely love to return to.


View from Gallura approaching Olbia, the Magic at dock in the distance

[lauren-roxy]

Great updates Terri. I don't think I would have had the stamina to paddle my kayak, you did wonderful! Great photos!!

[lauriep]

Wow, hiking up Vesuvius one day, kayaking around Sardinia another! Great reports.

[Colexis Mom]

What beautiful pictures Terri I'm glad you didn't overturn the kayak How scary it must have been in the beginning Sounds like a great lunch/snack as well! More please

[DyanKJ130]

Great updates, Terri!! You were busy last night!! Animator's Palate sounds wonderful & congratulations on your second place finish with Jolene in "On the Nose." The kayaking adventure sounds fun! Can't wait to hear more