Bye bye Summer

10/10/10




The summer has passed by so quickly. Thank you to all of your Birthday messages, I had a wonderful day in Southampton with my friends and then I had a lovely meal on board Artemis. The Cruise Director also ask the audience to sing Happy Birthday to me after our show (which was slightly embarrassing but lovely. So what have I been up to. Well I finished my time in the Baltic (just as it was starting to turn cold). One of my favourite visits in the last cruise was to Brugge in Belgium. I am determined to go back there, such a beautiful place. In Germany I went on a moli steam train and visited one of the best hotels in the world, where I took tea and lots of cake.

During the last 6 weeks we have come down to the Med, and out came the Bikini. In Sicily I took a tour to Taomina, saw Mt Etna in the background. In a little shop I was surprised to see a deck of my mums tarot cards. I bought an oil painting at an amazing price from an artist in the main square. This town has redeemed Sicily for me after my first disastrous visit to Messina. Croatia I had high hopes for, as I have learnt a little of the language, and I wasn't disappointed, Dubrovnik and Split were both stunning and the locals seemed to really appreciate my efforts with their language. Also went to Montenegro, Greece and Turkey. Istanbul, well there was an experience. I sampled my first Waterpipe, fell in love with apple tea, made friends with some local teenagers and danced in the street. Learnt how to say hello 'Meh ha bah' (that's not how to spell it just how it sounds). Also learnt that its not wise to accept an invitation to drink tea with a strange man in his shop no matter how persuasive and feminine he seems, cos he may just lock you in and try to kiss you. I did lots of bartering for goods and bought a number of pretty things in the grand baazar. In the last few days we crossed the Black sea and visited the Ukraine, saw were little Anastasia Romanov spent her summers in the Livadia Place in Yalta.

On the ship, I am running lots, trying run the distance of a marathon a week. We lost a dancer for this cruise – She has been sent home for some physio on her hip, but is back now. Tonight I am having a cheese and wine night in my cabin.

Hope everyone at home is well and happy xxx