Well, I'm back, after a marathon flight from Venice, Italy!  And, needless to say, I'm exhausted!  But I had an incredible time!  The Queen Victoria is simply stunning in her elegance, just as the Queen Mary 2 is grand (yup, Patti, I did spend a month onboard her!).  I and my friend shared a small, inside stateroom (one of the few ones on the ship) but so what?  We flew to Rome via Amsterdam, stayed overnight in a brand new hotel suite at a ridiculously low price (what expedia can do, let me tell you) in the port town of Civitavecchia and boarded the ship the next day.  From there, we sailed to Naples, Italy, and then onto the Greek Isles and cities of Santorini, Samos, Athens, and Zakynthos.  We continued to Izmir, Turkey followed by Istanbul where a 50-knot gale prevented us from docking for most of the first day there (an incredible experience which kept the entire passenger and crew load glued to the panoramic windows of the public rooms - the outside decks were temporarily closed and people were asked to stay off their stateroom balconies - but the stabilizers prevented the ship from rolling as waves crashed against the hull).  There was a stop in Dubrovnik, Croatia and finally we docked in Venice where we stayed aboard overnight followed by four nights in a Venetian hotel with a blessed low price, again courtesy of expedia, that was featured on Passport to Europe with Samantha Brown on the TravelChannel.  Thank goodness for that low price because Venice is expensive!  Our cheapest meal was at McDonalds (my friend and I make it a tradition to stop once at the golden arches every time we go to Europe):  two cheeseburgers, two large fries, and two sodas cost thirty dollars!  (Save up your money, Annie, if you're going to Venice!)  Along with walking, we utilized the fairly inexpensive water bus public transportation system to get around.

Now I need to pick up the mail, tend to sorely mandatory laundry, sort through hundreds of e-mails and try to catch up on our beloved board.  It's so good to be back with all of you!

Gerard

But not for long!  I'm going on my first vacation in over four years......on a Mediterranean cruise on the brand new Queen Victoria!  I'm leaving this Sunday and will be gone for almost three weeks.  We sail out of Rome and go to Naples, Capri, Istanbul, Athens, several Greek Isles, Dubrovnik and end up in Venice.  My friend and I will be staying for a few more days in Venice!  I'll try to get everyone a T-shirt, and if I can't, I'll save up the small bottles of shampoo from our cabin bathroom!

Gerard

I love the model of the Titanic on the table!  I'm also a big ocean-liner and, hence, Titanic buff, along with DS, so my two favorite passions are combined into one in your pics!

Gerard

I also figured he would be back, that it was just a part of the plot-line, so it really was no big whoop to me.  Even my DS-watching friends knew he would return.  I have to admit, though, that I did miss him when he was gone for that month and happy to see him when he came back.

Gerard

The graveyard keeper!  They always seemed to need him whenever someone was walking around who shouldn't be.

Gerard

Wouldn't it be neat if Mark did publish the script, the way Stephen King published the script for Storm of the Century?  That would be a keeper!

Gerard

Congrats, Gothick!

Gerard