Lost in translation

My poor little brain is having issues with languages. Spanish on Friday, French on Saturday, Italian today. Add in the weird mix of English and Tok Pisin that Riin and I are speaking to each other and the words are all getting jumbled. When a German couple asked me a question yesterday I answered "ingles tasol". Because everyone understands a bit of a Spanish/Tok Pisin mashup, right?

So what have we been up to (besides the bastardisation of a few languages)? 

Well the first full day of the cruise started with what I can only describe as the single worst eggs benedict I have ever eaten. Everything about it was wrong. The toast was rock hard, the eggs cold, the sauce tasteless and sparse. This is a crime against eggs bennies everywhere. It belongs on a wanted poster.

Yesterday's port of call was Marseille, France.

We started the day with some wandering around. The most impressive structure in town is the church, which has one of the largest unsupported domes in Europe.

One of the things that struck us though was all the awesome street art. Every alley you walked down there was another piece of art. 

There was also the drunken fish mural (complete with a rather surprised octopus).

Marseille was for us defined by an epic search for a public toilet. Who would have thought in the city center of  a town swarmed by tourists on a daily basis that it would be so damn hard to find a loo?!?! It took roughly half an hour, but relief was finally achieved.

We were only interested in one delicacy for lunch. The crepe. I am not sure we could ever face one from Duffys again for quite sometime after this tasty treat. Smoked salmon for me, ham for Riin. Because we hadn't had nearly enough ham in Barcelona.

So after a day of sightseeing it was back to the ship for the all important safety briefing we missed the evening before. Not sure I could call it a full safety briefing, it was more a how to guide to putting on a life jacket. Unfortunately, should the ship encounter trouble, Riin will need to find an alternate method to attract attention after the discovery of a missing whistle from the life jacket in her cabin. When she complained she was told by crew she "wouldn't need it" and now she won't stop muttering about "that's what they told people on the Titanic"...

The evening entertainment included a Michael Jackon tribute concert in the theater and a game of bingo (because when in Rome and all that...).

I also hit up the chocolate shop on board where I discovered this confusing little gem.

Today, we headed for Genova, Italy. 

This is a strange town. The whole place has a vibe of being run down and forgotten. There are lovely UNESCO sites that look like they would be better looked after if they were a McDonalds. There is also an overwhelming number of North Africans hawking fake handbags and sunglasses - which serves to remind you of the vast numbers of people who cross the Mediterranean in search of a better life each week. 

This street name kinda summed the place up...

Riin was determined to do the harbor cruise (I am currently being berated that "determined" is too strong a word - but she did go back three times seeking a ticket - I call that determined). I just asked Riin to review her harbor cruise and she has described the experience as "uninspiring". We had a short trip only as far as our own cruise ships wharf (hardly worth the effort) complete with a screaming toddler sitting behind us. Riin offered me both lunch and dinner at her expense if I was willing to throw said small child overboard. I didn't (just to be clear, because I suspect some of you think I'd take that deal). 

On return to dry land, we hit up Eataly for lunch. I had pizza.

After the toilet debacle of the day before we hit up the loo before leaving. I was standing out in the store when I heard alarms ring and staff run from everywhere to the bathrooms. A few minutes later, out walks Riin. I inquired if she happened by chance to be the customer who pulled the red cord in the bathroom. Turns out the answer to that question was yes. In reviewing the incident this evening Riin informed me that "I have a curious mind, there was a cord, I had to pull it". When I pointed out you never push red buttons or pull red cords she argued that "red means it needs my attention, so I gave it my attention". I'd say she is a lost cause but she is insisting on reading and clearing this before I post it so I guess I should cease comment on this incident...

We decided to go and check out the Orto Botanico gardens after lunch. They were up a hill. A big hill. So we started walking upstairs.

Then turned a corner to see...more stairs.

Then another corner to see...even more stairs.

Another corner, another staircase.

At this point I am hoping to see the greatest gardens ever tendered for the effort to get up there. Just one problem. We never found them. We walked and walked. We checked the paper map. Google maps. We asked an Italian man in the street. No gardens. Had this been an Amazing Race pit stop Phil would still be waiting for us to check in.

Genova also had some interesting statues depicting both the male form

And the female 

Eventually we gave up and retired back to the ship for a nap (Riin) and a few rounds of Settlers of Catan on the iPad (me).

Naples tomorrow!