So after thoroughly enjoying our Thomson cruise the year before, Annie and I decided to try another one of there's. This time sailing the Western Med.

We began our trip by flying from Bournemouth to Majorca in the early hours, leaving a wet and dreary Britain behind- no real surprise there, despite it being June!

Luckily when we landed a few short hours later, we were greeted by a sunny summers day. So after transferring to Thomson Destiny we decided to make the most of the early start and the weather to go exploring. Conveniently there was a hop on/off bus just outside where we were docked so we set off to get a good overview of Palma.

The first time we decided to hop off the bus was at the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma. Its quite the mouthful but then it's quite the sight too! The whole area surrounding it, is full of artists. Ranging from street mimes, to live statues to artists sketching actual pictures, so Annie and I were in our element.

After briefly hopping back on the bus Annie and I again got off, this time to get a closer look at some of Majorca's Historical Windmills. We then made our way down to the Hard Rock Cafe for a drink. I think it's the quietest of the chain that I've ever seen! Still it meant we actually got a good look at the memorabilia lining the walls which isn't always possible.

Back on Destiny we enjoyed watching the MSC Splendida (which was docked across from us) as darkness fell. Thomson ships are small compared to most cruise lines but compared to the gigantic Splendida it was almost comically tiny! To give you some idea, Splendida holds over 3,000 guests. That's 3 times that of Destiny. So we watched with interest as we saw the multicolored lights strung from one end of the ship to the other, light up and the different clubs/bars come to life.

We awoke the next morning knowing we didn't have to rush anywhere as we had a day at sea. So we took our time in the main restaurant attacking the breakfast. Annie and I have drastically different ways of doing this. I Love the breakfasts while on cruises but I have to watch I don't over do it. So I'll get a little of whatever I fancy, usually a piece of toast, a sausage and a bit bacon or scrambled eggs- all things I don't often have at home. But Annie will have some of everything! And I mean Everything. It begins with a bowl of fruit covered in yogurt, then a bowl of cereal and Then she moves on to the hot food! I'll be the first to admit she never finishes any of it but I am always so jealous as there's no way my body would allow me to even attempt eating all of that at the beginning of the day! Let alone the fact that Annie is absolutely tiny to boot!!!

Anyhow.... at 10am we had the mandatory lifeboat drill. Both Annie and I agree that this is one thing about Thomson that we like, despite it being tedious as hell after so many cruises. Rather than having meetings about emergency procedure as many liners do, Thomson actually make you practice a drill. So even if you've cruised before with them you still have to go to your room, find your life jacket, use the stairs to find your own lifeboat station, put said life jacket on and tie/strap it correctly (this is a BIG thing on their cruises) and wait for a roll call and inspection. As I say this can get annoying at times but as Annie and I remind each other, theory doesn't work so well in a real emergency so in the end despite our grumbles we're more than happy with the practical approach just in case.

And to continue the fun, after the drill I then had an interesting experience getting stuck in the lift! Luckily it was only a matter of minutes before the situation was remedied but as myself and the other passengers joked, I had a bottle of water to hand and a gentleman even had a handheld fan so we were good, for awhile at least.

Once freed, I enjoyed watching one of the shows put on by the entertainment team before meeting up with Annie for lunch. We had already heard that the area we were sailing was known to be rather aggressive but we got lucky and the day was fairly calm despite a strong wind, meaning that 'the lions were sleeping' according to the crew. So while the going was good, Annie and I quickly grabbed a couple of sun loungers that were somewhat sheltered and enjoyed the sunshine.

We arrived in VilleFranche the next morning as the sun was still rising and it was a breathtaking sight! We ate breakfast early as we were both going on tours ( my tour was of Nice and Eze, while Annie choose to visit Monte Carlo) and then I wandered around the deck to enjoy the views some more.

I thoroughly enjoyed my day on the Cote d'Azure, first getting to explore a little of the city of Nice including the morning market before heading towards Eze. Along the way our guide reiterated for about the dozenth time that Nice had never been part of Italy. It had been put to a vote many years ago and the people had chosen France by a landslide. She also pointed out Elton Johns house but the views of the different bays as we drove higher were definitely the thing I remember best. Absolutely stunning!

Eze itself is a beautiful medieval village perched atop a hill overlooking the Med. Though the word 'medieval' could be deceiving as while it has much character and many picture perfect views, Eze is most definitely a tourist destination these days... admittedly an expensive one, if you choose to stay at one of the two boutique hotels in the heart of the village....... ( And yes, doing so is on my wish list if I ever win big on the lottery )

During my time in Eze, I learnt that there are only 15 permanent year round residents in the village. This is not really a surprise as navigating the steep cobble streets is far from practical! Years ago the two donkeys -who are still bought back to visit on weekends- were the ones to lug all the heavy items up the twisting streets to the hotels but now there are many porters doing what to me seems an impossible job. How they make that trip again and again while weighed down by guests luggage is totally beyond me. Not to mention these residents who have a heck of climb if they so much as forget their phone!

But never the less, Eze is a very special place to visit on the French Riveria. So go on, do it...You know you wanna.

Now our next port was Florence, somewhere that Annie and I were both really looking forward too. Unfortunately Thomson messed our trip up. Or more precisely Annie's. We were meant to do a Florence and Pisa tour together but we found out just beforehand that they hadn't confirmed Annie's spot, and the tour was then full- meaning she had to miss out. Needless to say Annie and I were both pretty upset by this but at that point there wasn't much we could do nut try to make the best of it.

Now I'm the first to admit that I am by no means a city girl. Far from it. But Florence and Rome were the ports that had me agreeing to this cruise. After all, they are both cities that you grow up hearing about and I had always been intrigued by them... So could Florence live up to the hype?

Well, we began our walking tour at the train station and made our way to Piazza Chiesa Santa Maria Novella. This square has two pillars as monuments of the chariot races that used to take place here. The racers would go around them 3 times and the first one to finish would win.

Next up was the fourth largest domed church in the world. Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, said to have been Michelangelo inspiration for St Peters Basilica....if you can believe my guide anyway

We carried on through the city until we reached a small market where we then hunted for the Boar fountain of Florence. Once we found it we followed the normal ritual of dropping a coin through the boars gaping jaw- for good luck- and rubbed its snout in the hope of a return visit to Florence.

A sobering moment was as we moved through the streets and we passed The Olive Tree of Peace that was planted to memorialize the 5 people killed after a car bomb exploded in 1993. These included a police inspector, his wife and their two young children. The attack was later found to be planned by members of an organised crime syndicate who were sentenced to life imprisonment 10 years after the attack.

We then entered Piazza della Signoria through a walkway filled with mimes who blended very well between the real statues, while sketch artists were set up through the middle. Once we reached the square we learnt how it had been and continued to be the political hub in Florence and how even the statues surrounding us had double meanings depending who had commissioned them and who was in power at the time.

The last part of our walking tour lead us to Santa Croce the burial place of Michelangelo. Despite his dying in Rome his brother made sure to return his body to his beloved Florence as was his last request. At his burial site there is a monument depicting 3 women crying. Each women represents a different facade of art- Sculpture, Painting and Architecture- in testament to Michelangelo achievements.

We then had a couple of hours free time so I made my way to 'The Old Bridge', the only one in Florence to have survived the second world war in tact. I enjoyed the view of Florence from this area and spent some time wandering the river and admiring the hundreds of padlocks adorning the chains in front of the bridge. It's an interesting idea to inscribe the padlock with the initials of two loves, be it your partner or a friend and lock said padlock to the chains, then throw the key in the river... that way no matter what happens with the relationship, the lock will always be there as a reminder of the relevance that person once had in your life.

I then made my way back to Santa Maria del Fiore where I ate Gelato- I was in Italy after all- in place of having lunch. And I spent the 20 mins it took to make it through that(!) staring in awe at the huge buildings surrounding me, before rejoining the group.

So in answer to my earlier question, Did Florence live up to the hype? Well personally I didn't fall in love with the city itself but some of the piazzas and 'the old bridge' area were the works of art the name of the city conjures up in the mind! Definitely worth visiting to decide for yourself.

From Florence we then made our way to Pisa. We parked the coaches a ways away and walked through to the square. Unfortunately the area isn't the best and someone in another group got mugged! But I have to say despite the persistent pestering from the peddlers or the threat of being robbed, Pisa was well worth the effort.

Whereas Ephesus was my 'Wow' point of my last cruise, this was the one for the western med!

We walked under an arch and around a corner and then....well whatever you see in pictures of Pisa I can tell you that they don't even come close...... I came to a complete standstill as I entered Piazza dei Miracoli aka Miracle Square. Despite the tourists it was a really peaceful place with it famous complex of startling white buildings in a sea of green lawns. I fully admit it left me speechless.

When I met up with Annie again back on the ship, I was glad to hear she had at least managed to get on a tour to Pisa. She seemed to have enjoyed it, it was just unfortunate about Florence. So we spent a few hours catching up before getting some dinner and calling it a night- the sea was getting rough and we had already learnt from previous cruises to get to sleep before it gets to the point of queasiness!

The next day was Rome which as I've already mentioned was a huge reason for choosing this cruise and I'll tell you straight up, that unlike Florence, I Did fall in love with this city!

Before the cruise I had looked into exploring Rome on my own but once on the ship I decided to do a Rome in one day tour, to make the most of my first visit to Rome- and yes within an hour of arriving I knew I would be back someday soon. Meanwhile Annie decided to spoil herself and do the same tour but via the Rome express, a luxury train service!

After arriving in Rome ( Civitavecchia is the port you actually dock in) we made straight for the Ancient part of the city, which in my opinion is the best part. We spent perhaps an hour walking between the Colosseum and the Roman Forum before stopping at the Arch of Constantine. Finally meeting the coach by Palatine hill. What I love about this area is the sense of history and no matter where you turn your only minutes away from the next ancient site.

Back on the coach we passed Circus Maximus which was once a huge stadium for chariot racing and as we drove alongside it we could look across to Palatine hill and see the ruins of Palaces which had at one time housed only the most affluent of Romans families; including several emperors. We also saw the Vittorio Emmanuel II monument which is better known as the controversial 'wedding cake' which can be seen from most places in the city. Don't tell any Italians but I actually really like it!

We next left the coach to walk through some small and crowded streets to reach Trevi Fountain...and wow, not only is it beautiful but it is huge! Despite numerous tries I couldn't get the whole fountain in frame but its a sight that will always stay with you so a partial picture will have to do. We were given some free time here and given directions to the Spanish steps in case we wanted to find them... I tried and failed epically! Instead I stumbled across the Pallazzo Montecitorio, the Piazza Colonna and the Pantheon. Not bad finds but not at all what I was looking for! But as it turned out I was not the only person who got lost on the guides directions. In fact I think there was about a dozen people in all who went looking and I don't think anyone found them!

After another lunch consisting of Gelato we walked to the Pantheon and unlike my brief visit earlier, we ventured inside this impressive structure. It is truly an amazing place with a honeycomb type dome, featuring an opening at the top exposing it to the elements whilst providing the only source of natural light while inside. It was built as a temple dedicated to all the gods, but even today it is unknown how people worshiped here as it is so unlike other Roman structures. We also briefly visited the Piazza Novona which is beautiful in itself but made even more so with the cafes circling the square with various artists in the middle selling there wares.

Unfortunately we were running late so we didn't get to stop as we continued on to the coach to make our way to Vatican City.

And what an odd feeling it is to casually cross a road and be considered in a different country....

Anyway we made straight for St Peters Square and the Basilica where luckily the queues were relatively short and we quickly made it to the security check point. First of all you have metal detectors like in airports (and yes this being me, not only did I set the alarm off with my watch but I then proceeded to get so flustered that I tried walking off without my bag!) .... and then you have a second check to make sure your dressed appropriately....

.....I have to admit here that I got more than a little annoyed with some of the people in our group. As far as I'm concerned if you know your visiting a religious place it doesn't matter that its a hot summers day or that you may not even practice that particular faith. You show them some respect and dress accordingly. After all you are Choosing to go there. But of course as usual there were a lot of ignorant people who were surprised that in visiting one of the Holiest sites in the World, you have to cover up. No shorts, bare shoulders or skimpy skirts...Queue rolling of my eyes....Come on people, really?!?....

.....Anyhow back to St Peters.... First impressions were actually a bit of a let down. Don't get me wrong it's a beautiful place but when you see the square on tv with all the crowds its hard to imagine that the quiet peaceful and SMALL place your currently standing in, is in fact the same place.

However once you step inside the Basilica, that all changes. There's so much detail even on the 'basic' walls and the ceiling is, simply put, a masterpiece. While the colors are all rather predictable- brown, yellow, black and white- there are many different shades of these colors used in such a way that the place almost feels alive! A good place to finish up my first visit to Rome.

Now for me the non start stop of the holiday was Propriano, Corsica. I knew I would get off the ship as I just cant understand why people pay good money to sail all these place but never set foot on shore (and yes people really do, do this, I've met them ) but I wasn't particularly bothered about what to do. So not long before arriving I booked to join a tour to Sartene..

Sartene is commonly referred to as the 'most Corsican of Corsica's towns' and is very pretty. But even today it still hasn't shaken its image as being hostile, what with it towering above sea level at 300m, its high walls, steep steps and many confusing passage ways- many of which date back to medieval times when the town was attacked by pirates.

Once back in Propriano I was reluctant to return to the ship as the Island is stunning. Instead I wandered the town before wandering into the clear blue water to relax a while, watching the fish. As I paddled along the shore a little later I actually bumped into Annie who had the same thought as me on returning from her tour! This port of call turned out to be a very pleasant surprise.

Now our last port was Palamos, Spain which we used as a gateway to Barcelona. It was a good few hours journey each way but given that a couple of my friends name Barcelona as their favorite city, I was really excited to find out for myself what it's like.

Both Annie and I were doing the same tour, which would give us an overview of the city as well as some time to explore on our own. We began by visiting the Olympic stadium on Montjuc, a hill overlooking the harbor. It is also home to the beautiful National Palace and its gardens which at night light up the whole area. A good view during the day I can only imagine what its like after dark.

Back in the city Annie and I passed the the bull fighting ring which had just been made surplus as bull fighting was banned in Catalonia a year earlier. Once we reached La Rambla, Annie and I again split up as I wanted to enjoy this famous street while Annie- who had visited the city before- wanted to go somewhere new.

On reflection Barcelona is a vibrant city with lots going on so I can well understand how it is often named in top 10 city polls but its not a city that spoke to me personally. Still it was a fantastic way to round off our trip visiting some of the most well known cities in the western world!

''Travelling- it leaves you Speechless, then it turns you into a Storyteller'', Ibn Battuta

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