Cruisin’ the Med

I’m baaack! Wow, what an incredible adventure (I won’t call it a “vacation” because we were so busy, it was exhilarating, not restful!). I’ve just returned from Close To My Heart’s incentive cruise to the Mediterranean.

This cruise was like no other: We had 142 cruise earners and a total of 314 participants, including friends and family. Congratulations to each of you who made the extraordinary effort to earn this once-in-a-lifetime journey; you really are superstars! The experience being with cruisers, their spouses, families, and my terrific executive team was like a grand family reunion, set in one of the most breathtaking locales on earth—the pristine Mediterranean!

Here are some highlights:

October 5 - Barcelona, Spain
We kicked off the adventure with a city tour, even before we boarded the beautiful Norwegian Gem. Barcelona is a gorgeous and historic city, with compelling architecture heavily influenced by the designer Gaudi. Our 10 tour buses stopped at the Sagrada Familia cathedral, still under construction after more than 100 years!

After boarding the Gem that afternoon, we kicked off the cruise with a welcome reception that included plenty of food, hugs, and welcomes to our first-time cruisers and seasoned veterans alike.

October 6 - At Sea
The next day was an “at sea” day, but we added some sass to the sailing with our group photo and a wacky cruise version of “Family Feud.” Three lucky Consultants and their guests scored $100 each in product prizes!

October 7 - Valletta, Malta
This extraordinary island is unique for two reasons—it is literally the “connection” between Europe and Africa (at points, you can almost see Tunisia on one side and Sicily on the other!). Its location has made it a strategic point for wars from WWII back to the crusades, and the architecture reflects that—the main city of Valletta is essentially a huge fortress! Secondly, the entire island is made of limestone, beautiful and gleaming white in the morning sun. I’ll tell you, as the sun rises over Malta’s limestone fortress walls, it’s an impressive sight. Its streets are lined with quaint cafes and shops and the highlight for me was walking through St. John’s Co-Cathedral, with it ornate Maltese crosses and original Caravaggio paintings.

October 8 - Naples, Italy
Oh my goodness! This area is beautifully rich in culture and history, including Naples (the birthplace of pizza!), Sorrento, and the island of Capri. We visited them all in one whirlwind day of buses, walking, and hydrofoil boats.

A highlight was spending the morning walking the ruins of Pompeii. It’s more intact, ornate, and massive than I could have dreamed, and wandering its streets gave me a real sense of what the original, bustling metropolis must have been like. With Mt. Vesuvius sleeping in the background, we toured the city’s theaters, shops, and homes—many still featuring the delicate wall paintings and detailed floor mosaics that made the city so great in its time.

October 9 - Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
What more could I add to all the romantic words you have heard about Rome? I love Rome and can hardly wait to go back (I threw coins over my left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain, so tradition says I WILL go back!)

Caesar’s Forum, the majestic coliseum, and of course, Vatican City could have been a day’s visit each. I couldn’t help but laugh (and be astonished) by Rome’s narrow, twisting streets, miniscule vehicles, and the driving ability of Italian bus drivers. Talk about some close calls!

October 10 - Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy
The Tuscan countryside certainly lives up to its promise, full of rolling vineyards and rich olive tree orchards. We spent a morning in Florence, the leather capital of the world. Many Consultants (and me, too!) had fun shopping the straw market and bartering for rainbows of Pashmina scarves, silk ties, and leather bags, shoes, and jackets sewn by hand. After lunch, we walked to the gallery that houses several of Michelangelo’s notable works, including the four “Prisoners” statues and of course, “David.” This statue took my breath away—17 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and with no detail overlooked, right down to the flexed tendons of David’s calves. It truly is a masterpiece.

In the afternoon, we took a bus ride through the countryside to the quaint town of Pisa, where the leaning tower draws thousands of visitors each day. We only had a few minutes at the site, but everyone made sure to snap photos of their friends “holding up the tower”!

October 11 - Nice, France
Finally, a chance to rest! We docked in the lovely French Riviera town of Villefranche and I opted to take a relaxing walk through the village while many other cruisers visited the neighboring country of Monaco. David and I walked the sleepy streets of this resort town in its “off season” (still more glorious and vibrant than I ever could have imagined!)

We returned to the Gem in time for a quick clothes change, then off to our farewell reception. This event is always bittersweet, because although I love to see all the cruisers together, happily swapping stories about their cruise week, I’m already nostalgic about the cruise ending. This year’s reception was particularly touching for me as a group of cruisers performed a beautiful vocal number for me (led by Phil Wilhelm and Pam Jarrett, special thanks to both of you!).

October 12 - Barcelona, Spain
Tired but happy, everyone departed the Gem and journeyed to the Barcelona airport for additional days of adventure or the journey home. David and I chose to explore Venice for a few days (not quite ready to say farewell to Italy!), and I highly recommend Italy’s city on the water. We relaxed in our hotel, enjoyed a cup of chocolate at a sidewalk café in the afternoon sun, and I hooted with laughter at St. Mark's piazza as the pigeons descended everywhere on David’s arms, shoulders, and head. What a sight that made! (Okay, so I WAS throwing bird food at him, and that probably had something to do with it.)

When we returned home to Utah, I could hardly believe we had done it! What a magical, incredible trip this was, to places I’ve only dreamed about. To the 314 wonderful friends who accompanied me on this cruise, you have my deepest thanks and respect for your accomplishments. Thank you for making the Close To My Heart cruise to the Mediterranean a memory that will fill many, many scrapbook layouts.