Portovecchio Corsica

To hear the Italians describe the weather in France, the skies opened up like a pig slit from ear to groin and as the rain came crashing down so too were our hopes for a tour of the French Island's wineries'. Like any vacation abroad (or anywhere in fact) adapting to the circumstances and overcoming the obstacles is essential to a successful day.

It has been my great pleasure to have traveled to so many of the most beautiful cities in the world with my soul mate, to have experienced a soggy morning on a day that (for no other reason but that it was her 30th Birthday), should otherwise have been filled horizon to horizon with only the most vibrant and softest golden sunshine.

You can look out your port or starboard, see a gray sky and be depressed that a tour was canceled or you can view it as an opportunity. Anyone can experience a canned tourist speech about how beautiful the countryside is or how marvelous and historic the Port town of Corsica has been for centuries.

I punch these keys and scream about perspective so much that the idea of it all, I fear is more tired than a cruise ship butler (at least coming from me AGAIN, like I know so much more than everyone else). If I would have gone on a French Winery tour, than I could have easily been typing about how incredible my experience was but that wasn’t in the cards today.

On this unexpected rainy morning, I took my birthday bride for a tour into the city of Corsica France. We walked by the Police station and the tourism bureau. We talked with shop owners and enjoyed the memories that resurface as a direct cause of being back in Europe for our third time.

As we journeyed deeper in to the city, we came upon a beautifully manicured French Cemetery. The head stones and mausoleums were well maintained, there was one that dated back to 1906 that had fresh flowers on it. I was moved by the depth of both the detail and vulnerability that were clearly evident.

After taking advantage of authentic Primo sandwiches at a local market of which we enjoyed as we walked up, down, around and thorough the tiny yet maneuverable streets of the tiny port town, we stopped long enough to take part in the commerce aspect of visiting a foreign city.

 

As the tender navigated the short choppy waves back to the Silver Sprit, we reconnected with some friends that we met as we boarded our vessel. Experiences were exchanged and goodbyes executed back and forth.

Ashleigh experienced firsthand, the hospitality that exists amongst the upper levels of TFS. Her birthday did not go unmentioned as all 37 dealers applauded the occasion prior to our formal dinner. Diane and her daughter from DC and Armando and Louise from West Palm were exceptional dinner company.

As the evening drew to a close and that familiar feeling of being efficiently exhausted began to set in, we bid our farewells for the evening and retired to our quarters, only to find that the crew and Captain had not forgotten Ash's milestone. Balloons taped to the ceiling, cake at the ready, bath drawn with rose petals strewn about and candles lit, it all screamed "SURPRISE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"