A year and a half ago, while cruising New Zealand with friends, Bruce and Gail, and a group from the Vintage Club, Tom and Melody suggested another cruise on a new Regent Ship, The Seven Seas Explorer, traveling from Lisbon to Barcelona in the summer of 2016. Well most of you know my mantra, "I'm in!" So I booked a nice suite on the ship and I can't believe it's already summer 2016.
A lot has happened since the time I booked this trip in January of 2015. Most of you know the details because you were by my side living this nightmare with me. Thank you! But for those of you who don't know, I'll just hit the highlights ... or some could refer to them as LOW-lights. I lost my daddy, my boyfriend, my boobs, my dog and various other miscellaneous crap was thrown my way to throw me off course. Now some folks would let these things get them down, give up, throw in the towel and quit. But with incredible support from my family and dear friends, I've come out on the other side stronger, incredibly happy and soooo grateful. Oh! And I've contacted Kenny Chesney to write a country western song about Julie's 2016.
Enough about the beginning of the year! Don't cry for me! You certainly wouldn't if you could get a load of the suite we're in on this brand new Regent ship. Called the "Master Suite," it's a quite comfortable 2100 square foot, 2 bedroom corner suite on the very back of the ship surrounded by a 1200 square foot private wrap around deck.
Talk about a water front view!! This is spectacular. I've been to a few goat ropings and have been blessed enough to stay in some nice places, but this suite is right up there in the top 10. We have our own butler, who unpacked our bags and is doing a great job of keeping us well supplied with food, booze and plenty of hot water for my tea.
I guess I should back up and bit and let you know who the players are. I booked this trip in the winter of 2015. As I mentioned earlier, there have been a few changes in my life. Friends have come and gone. But one of the best blessing has been reconnecting with a dear family friend, Haynes. I don't know what I did to deserve such a friend, but Haynes put his life on hold while I was struggling and helped me through some really dark and difficult times. That you Haynes. And thank you for coming along on this trip.
Not exactly the easiest flight, we left Aspen around 1:45 Wednesday afternoon, with a tight connection in Denver on to Dulles, where we had another very tight connection on to Lisbon.
But all went off without a hitch and we arrived in Lisbon
Thursday morning and set off to find our ship, the Regent Seven Seas Explorer, which was not difficult to find in the port. After a lengthy check in process, we stopped in the room to say hello to our Butler, Fernando, and then, while waiting for our bags to arrive and get unpacked by Fernando, we ventured upstairs to the pool area for lunch. It was great fun to see familiar faces from the New Zealand Cruise, Karen and Monte from Virginia and then Bruce and Gail. But a huge surprise was running into friends from Tampa, Don and Nora, Dede and Sandy, Doreen and Jack and Francine and Park. Small world.
After the all night flight to Lisbon, I could barely hold my eyes open after the delicious lunch. A nap would have to wait until after the compulsory safety briefing to learn how to evacuate the ship in case there is a Titanic event. It's always fun to cut up with the life jackets and laugh with good friends.
Immediately following the safety briefing, we found our way back to the suite and I crashed! I slept so soundly, that I missed two phone calls from Tom about cocktails and dinner with he and Melody, Bruce and Gail and Karen and Monte. Since we missed the phone calls AND cocktails and dinner, we were forced to call the Butler requesting lobster and salads for the room. Dreadful!
I believe I finally caught up on my sleep last night. This morning, the ship anchored at our first stop in Portimao, Portugal. Portimao is known for it's sandy beaches, warm calm waters, and incredible cliffs that fall off the land into the sea. While we were gathering our gear, preparing to disembark for an exciting 4x4 jeep tour of the area, the captain came on the intercom and apologized as the normally calm water was too rough for passengers to load into the waiting tenders to be transported to shore. So we had an unscheduled day at sea. Naturally, Haynes and I set off to the gym to burn off some of those cocktail calories so we can start over again later today.
I believe I've become a "gym rat." I hopped on a treadmill for 50 minutes, followed by about 20 minutes of yoga stretches and then finished off with an arm workout that my friend Barbara taught me. Now I'm not pumping 245 pounds of steel - like Haynes, but I've worked all the way up to a whopping 10 pounds. Woop! Woop! Our time in the gym justified a tasty lunch poolside with Bruce and Gail.
Later, we toured the ship. The art work and chandeliers on this ship are worth the price of admission. Stunning. Especially the grande entrance where a crystal chandelier rivals the one in the movie, Titanic.
Every hall, bar and restaurant is decorated with unique art pieces and colorful crystal lights.
We were invited by the Chief Purser, Heidi and her assistant Purser, Levi to join them for dinner tonight in the Compass Rose restaurant. Another couple from New York joined us, Richard and Christine. Interesting folks.
We had a lovely evening laughing and sharing stories. Christine asked what the ship does if someone dies while on board. We learned that it DOES happen and that the ship is equipped with a functional morgue. That's one tour I definitely DON'T want to take.
After dinner, we went bar hopping to find the perfect cosmo. Guess what ... ALL the bars make the perfect cosmo. Somewhere along the way, I managed to loose my room key, which is also identification to get on and off the ship. That is just not like me. Not the part about finding the perfect cosmo ... the part about loosing a key. But the ship made me a new i.d. card/key and all is well.
A lot has happened since the time I booked this trip in January of 2015. Most of you know the details because you were by my side living this nightmare with me. Thank you! But for those of you who don't know, I'll just hit the highlights ... or some could refer to them as LOW-lights. I lost my daddy, my boyfriend, my boobs, my dog and various other miscellaneous crap was thrown my way to throw me off course. Now some folks would let these things get them down, give up, throw in the towel and quit. But with incredible support from my family and dear friends, I've come out on the other side stronger, incredibly happy and soooo grateful. Oh! And I've contacted Kenny Chesney to write a country western song about Julie's 2016.
Enough about the beginning of the year! Don't cry for me! You certainly wouldn't if you could get a load of the suite we're in on this brand new Regent ship. Called the "Master Suite," it's a quite comfortable 2100 square foot, 2 bedroom corner suite on the very back of the ship surrounded by a 1200 square foot private wrap around deck.
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| If the kids on Brown Street could see me now!! |
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| Forgot to mention the baby grande player piano. |
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| The deck wraps around this pretty sweet suite. |
I guess I should back up and bit and let you know who the players are. I booked this trip in the winter of 2015. As I mentioned earlier, there have been a few changes in my life. Friends have come and gone. But one of the best blessing has been reconnecting with a dear family friend, Haynes. I don't know what I did to deserve such a friend, but Haynes put his life on hold while I was struggling and helped me through some really dark and difficult times. That you Haynes. And thank you for coming along on this trip.
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| Cheers and Cheerio! |
Not exactly the easiest flight, we left Aspen around 1:45 Wednesday afternoon, with a tight connection in Denver on to Dulles, where we had another very tight connection on to Lisbon.
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| Made the next flight and cocktails are kicking in. |
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| United sleeper socks rock!! |
After the all night flight to Lisbon, I could barely hold my eyes open after the delicious lunch. A nap would have to wait until after the compulsory safety briefing to learn how to evacuate the ship in case there is a Titanic event. It's always fun to cut up with the life jackets and laugh with good friends.
 |
| Gail and Julie ask, "Where's the life boat???!!!" |
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| All is well and Julie and Dede are good to go. |
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| Lobster dinner in the suite. Best spot on the ship! |
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I believe I've become a "gym rat." I hopped on a treadmill for 50 minutes, followed by about 20 minutes of yoga stretches and then finished off with an arm workout that my friend Barbara taught me. Now I'm not pumping 245 pounds of steel - like Haynes, but I've worked all the way up to a whopping 10 pounds. Woop! Woop! Our time in the gym justified a tasty lunch poolside with Bruce and Gail.
Later, we toured the ship. The art work and chandeliers on this ship are worth the price of admission. Stunning. Especially the grande entrance where a crystal chandelier rivals the one in the movie, Titanic.
 |
| The Grande Staircase is truly spectacular! |
We were invited by the Chief Purser, Heidi and her assistant Purser, Levi to join them for dinner tonight in the Compass Rose restaurant. Another couple from New York joined us, Richard and Christine. Interesting folks.
 |
| Richard, Christine, Levi, Heidi, Julie and Haynes at the Purser's table for dinner. |
After dinner, we went bar hopping to find the perfect cosmo. Guess what ... ALL the bars make the perfect cosmo. Somewhere along the way, I managed to loose my room key, which is also identification to get on and off the ship. That is just not like me. Not the part about finding the perfect cosmo ... the part about loosing a key. But the ship made me a new i.d. card/key and all is well.
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| Thank you Monica for the Wooley DayCare Cups. We are the envy of the ship!! |
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