Friday, November 26, 2010

BOATING ON A GONDOLA AND CRUISE SHIP


























Having taped the interviews of La Traviata Restaurant, Barbara and I were off to visit the Queen Mary, now a hotel. It's a fabulous idea for people who want to experience sleeping on a cruise ship and not worrying about becoming sea sick or getting stuck in the ocean for four days.

We went to the check in desk on the lobby level and got what would be considered a family suite. There was a bedroom with a king bed, television and work area with port holes facing the land for a view of downtown Long Beach. The other room had two twin beds, a sink and the bathroom.

The one main activity on the Queen Mary is Ghost Tours. The ship has restaurants, shops, evening entertainment, and lots of the ship's history to explore. We later taped an interview with one of the shop managers as you can purchase some historic items such as dishes and napkin holders.

Gondolas in Long Beach? Yes, there is an area known as Naples Island where a company called Gondola Getaway has set up a romantic walkway (ala Italian style) to several gondolas. These gondolas, imported from Italy, can be made for dining or just relaxing while the gondolier takes you on a tour.

Kyle, our gondolier, told us about the houses along the waterways. There was the most expensive, the oldest and one that was "green" with large windows that drew in the sunlight to use as energy. Dean Martin music was playing in the background and voices echoed as we passed under bridges.

There were several boats as it looked as if each homeowner had some sort of sea vehicle such as one run by battery looking more like a golf cart just made from cruising the waterways.

Then there were those that created their own "gondola" by standing on what looked like a large surfboard.



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