We began our day with participation in the celebration of Mass at Church of the Nativity of Our Lord in the Pleasant Ridge neighborhood of Cincinnati. Steve was baptized there and we were married there. Joining us in the celebration was Carol and her husband, Joe, and her parents, Steve’s Uncle Neil and Aunt Vi. Carol was our Maid of Honor and then six weeks later Karen was Matron of Honor for Carol and Joe. After Mass and a visit with Fr. Paul we brunched at the National Exemplar. Then we two explored Mariemont’s back streets until it was time to check in to our luxurious room at the Gaslight Bed and Breakfast. From there we explored Ludlow Avenue and the nearby park. We dined at Tink’s and walked back to tuck in for the night. A wonderful way to celebrate 35 wonderful years.
It was an incredible experience to actually walk the streets of Pompeii, once a bustling resort town in the Roman Empire until 79 AD when an apocalyptic explosion buried it under 20 feet of volcanic ash. Archeological excavations since the 19th Century continue to reveal evidence of a thriving community.
Once the largest cruise ship in the world, Allure of the Seas will be our home for the next seven nights as we cruise the Western Mediterranean and explore the eighteen decks of this behemoth.
Our recent travel misadventures seriously curtailed our time in Rome pre-cruise but we did get to visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel before making the trip to Civitavecchi for an overnight in the port city of Rome preparatory to departing on Allure of the Seas tomorrow.
What a beautiful church… and so wonderful that you were able to meet up with old friends!