Here, there and everywhere – October – Symphony Part IV

Today was all about Halloween!

The day started out dark, cold and gloomy creating just the perfect atmosphere to  to celebrate a ‘Spooktacular Halloween’.

We rose early to meet our friends for coffee and breakfast then off to explore the preparations for a festive Halloween day on the ship.

We started our walk around the ship outside the Windjammer Marketplace enjoying a very interesting and fun display of carved pumpkins.  We had taken the elevator to the Windjammer deck but decided to take the stairs down to the next deck and was surprised to see this amazing staircase painted to resemble a piano just waiting for us to take the first step.

 

 

“How fun”, I exclaimed as I started my decent and heard the lilting sounds of a piano.  I looked down at Randy and said excitedly, “Oh my word, I feel just like Tom Hanks in Big” and began jumping down to each new step smiling as I went.

 

We walked outside exploring deck 15 and what did I see?  I found yet another Deep Diver.  So far, I have found two.  There are two more to discover.  Surely, I will be able to find the other two over the rest of the voyage.

We continued our walk down to the Royal Promenade, and like all people who are young at heart, smiled at the colorful, fun and spooky decorations that were on display on the deck and draped over many of the venues. Dracula’s coffin was surprising and fun.  Whenever someone  walked by the coffin lid would open to the eerie sounds of Dracula laughing.  Very cool indeed and fun to watch as the startled people would jump when it opened!

We looked up to see orange and black balloons securely harnessed in netting just waiting to be released later in the evening.

Drier-Wig by dEmo, Spain

We then walked onto the Boardwalk because Randy wanted to explore a curiosity that he had seen on the first day.  What he saw was a sculptured purple wig.  There was a sign on the wall that read: “Experience.Art – This site specific Sound Wonder is activated when one tries on the wig.  The melodies that come alive will make you smile while the wig transforms your look.  Stop in and make it happen”.  And so, he did!

The weather had not improved during the day so we spent the afternoon relaxing in the cabin.  We were excited when a plate of delicious chocolate drizzled strawberries was delivered to our cabin. Before long it was time to prepare for an evening of fun enjoying cocktails and dinner with friends and then making our way to the Promenade for the ‘Spooktacular Halloween’ party and parade.

Once dinner was over, we hurried to secure a place along the Halloween parade route to enjoy the evening’s festivities.  What a crush of people.  It was not easy but we finally found a small space with a fairly decent view. 

The Halloween festivities started with a fun performance by guests and members of the production cast to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”.  The costuming, makeup were great as were the dance moves.  It was fun to to watch.

 

Then the parade began.  So many people, so many costumes!  Each contestant or group of contestants carried a number so everyone could take note and vote for the best at the end of the parade.

 

 

 

During the evening, I managed to see our friends Dick and Charmaine dressed as a priest and nun.  And, Sue managed to snap a photo of our friend Anna dressed wonderfully as a stylishly fashionable witch.

 

 

The Spooktacular Halloween festivities lasted well after 11:00pm.  Finally, the balloons drifted down onto the partygoers signaling the end of a very fun and festive evening.  I managed to catch an orange balloon and brought it back to the cabin. It was truly a fun evening!

Tomorrow we will enjoy another day at sea.

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – October – Symphony Part III

Today was a day filled with rain, discovery and wonderment.

Today we stopped at our one and only port-of-call this cruise, Malaga, Spain.  We were here several years ago and enjoyed a lovely visit to the Alhambra Palace in Granada with its absolutely beautiful Moorish architecture, gardens and fountains.

This visit we will be taking a walking tour of the mountain village of Mijas known for its white architecture, cobbled streets and colorful flowerpots that adorn walls and balconies throughout the village.  Mijas is located on the southeastern coast of Spain and belongs to the region of Costa del Sol.

Our day started with a chill in the air and rain that persisted throughout our visit.  Our first stop in the village was the Chapel of the Virgin of the Rock. The chapel was excavated in the rock about 1548.

Inside the chapel is the image of the Virgin of the Rock, Patron Saint of Mijas. According to legend, she was discovered in 1586 by two children who were guided to the place by a dove.

 

We continued our walk at a recreation of an old flour mill with is original machinery, constructed in the traditional way, the Mijas Museum of Miniatures containing a collection of miniatures by hypnotist and magician Juan Elegido Millán from over 50 different countries, and the remains of a tower and walls of a fortress that was built in the Middle Ages.

 

 

Immaculate Conception Church

San Sebastian Church

We walked passed the Immaculate Conception Church .  The church was built in the second half of the 16^th century and finished in 1631.  Over time, additions were made including another Baroque chapel with its crypt and a bell tower.  During a renovation between 1991-1992, 8 apostle paintings dating back to 1632 were discovered on the columns of the church.

As we walked around this beautiful village we came across yet another small but pretty church.  San Sebastian Church was built in the 17th century.

We continued our walk up and down these quiet streets admiring the white-washed buildings and the lovely and colorful flowerpots adoring so many of the buildings.

We eventually made our way to a terrace that overlooked this picturesque village and had it not been for the rain I am sure we would have been treated to a beautiful view of the mountains, village and Mediterranean Sea below.  Even with the rain and the fog hovering over the mountains, it was still a beautiful sight.

By now we were all chilled by the rain so our wonderful guide took us to a small coffee shop where we enjoyed hot, steaming cups of café lattes.  And, what would a trip be without at one sighting of a cat?  Sitting outside on the windowsill of the café was a multi-colored cat.  Well, of course, we could not leave until Doug had a chance to spend a few moments petting the cat.  Too funny!

Once back on board the ship, and some time to warm up, we started our preparations for the evening.  We were very excited because tonight we would be going to Wonderland for dinner.

I was doubly excited as I had a surprise waiting for me.  The day we boarded I was greeted by an old friend.  Raymond was a bartender that we met in 2014 while cruising on the Oasis of the seas.  We clicked immediately and every time he saw us enter the lounge Raymond would have our drinks waiting for us on the bar.  I never knew what I was getting as he always said he would ‘surprise’ me.  And indeed, they were always a surprise and always delicious!

Pictured-top row Kyle the Mad Hatter, Joanne, Jim and Doug–Seated-Randy, Mary and Sue

Clockwise from top left-The Bird’s Nest-Citrus Seas Shhh-Liquid Lobster-Mad Hatter’s Purple Potted Shrimp

And, then there was the chocolate melting ball filled with a delicious surprise hidden inside. YUMMY!

Where do I even begin to explain what a feast for the eyes and palate our dinner was in Wonderland.  The atmosphere was magical, Kyle was in his element as the Mad Hatter, and the presentation of the food was incredibly inviting and delicious.

Aside from what is pictured, we also enjoyed Baby Vegetable Salad, Tomato Water, Crispy Crab Cones, The Rib T Luscious Short Rib, Halibut Cooked in Clear Paper, Branzino in Crispy Bread and a variety of desserts.  The entire meal was delicious!

 

Appetites sated, we proceeded to Studio B for an ice show called “1977”.  The storyline of the show is about a time traveler enlisted to help recover the stolen crown jewels in London in time for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

 

The opening of the ice show was a complete surprise as the darkened room was suddenly filled with the sound of buzzing bees and a mass of tiny red, blue and white lights shining above the ice floor.  It took a few moments to realize that what I was seeing were tiny drones racing around just above the ice.

 

As always, the ice show was fantastic.  I have always been amazed at the ability of the skaters to navigate the limited area as they perform so many wonderfully artistic moves.  And the costuming is always a treat for the eyes.  I loved every minute of the show.

It had been a long day filled with wonderful activity but it was time to return to our cabin and relax a bit before calling it a day.

Tomorrow we start our journey across the Atlantic in earnest.

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – October – Symphony Part II

I woke up early this morning to cloudy skies, rough seas and a definite chill in the air.

Like so many first days at sea, people like to sleep in.  Well, not me.  I like to get up early so I can walk around and see what I can see.  I have been on two other Oasis class ships, the Oasis and the Allure.  One thing I have learned is that, while similar in so many ways, the ships are also very different in style and feel.

There are seven neighborhoods on the Oasis class ships and today we took the opportunity to stroll the Royal Promenade, Central Park and the Boardwalk and a quick crossing of the pool deck.

But first, we decided to start our walk at the restaurant Wonderland.  We had heard many wonderful comments about this restaurant that Doug, Sue, Jim, Joanne, Randy and I decided to make reservations for dinner for the next night.

From the moment we came upon the entrance to the restaurant, I was enchanted.  We walked through the spiral tunnel and through the door and were amazed at what we saw.  The first thing Randy saw was this very interesting chair that he just had to sit in.  Very funny!

 

We walked passed the bar and peeked over the railing and everything we saw was whimsical, colorful and enchanting.  I loved the rabbit ear chairs, the beautiful pink spiral chandelier, a diminutive statue of Alice perched atop the window and the view of the Boardwalk. We looked over the menu and were filled with great anticipation of our forthcoming dinner.

 

We continued our walk down to the Promenade deck.  From the first time I was on the Freedom of the seas I have loved the promenade.  I love the feeling of walking down a pedestrian street lined with little shops and eateries and finding a place to just sit and watch as people flutter around from here to there.  I have always found people watching to be very entertaining.

There were only a few people out and about enjoying an early morning coffee and a few standing in line at the guest services desk.

We decided to make our way up to deck 8 and take a look around Central Park.  We used the forward elevator bank and, once again, I was focused on a beautiful artwork dangling down the elevator shaft.

This beautiful and eye captivating piece of artwork is called Imagine by Austrian artist Norbert Brunner.  Imagine inflatable bubbles, with acrylic glass, Swarovski crystals, video, LED and mixed media.

The accompanying placard read: “In Imagine, the artist highlights Earth’s microscopic beauty, the fabric of our world which is normally ignored or forgotten.  This 10-deck high installation is comprised of 19 bubbles in total, 10 bubbles containing 120 images and 9 bubbles containing test words that are meticulously spelled with 20,000 Swarovski crystals, all glued by hand.  The last bubble contains an LED panel that runs video footage, filmed with a light microscope.  These bubbles remind the viewer of the wonders that surround us every day and created our life journey”.  I was absolutely fascinated and looked forward to seeing as many as I could over our sea journey.

Central Park is without a doubt one of my very favorite places to just sit, enjoy eating lunch at the Park Café or dinner at one of the specialty restaurants.  Among the restaurants in Central Park is Chop’s Grille, Jamie’s Italian, 150 Central Park or stop at Vintages for a glass of wine and tapas.

There are many places to just sit and enjoy the day among the beautiful trees and flowers or browse high-end shops like Cartier, Hublot and Bvlgari for that special something or enjoy an evening cocktail at the Trellis Bar.  Any time of day is a good one in Central Park!

 

Our next stop was the Boardwalk.  There were some noticeable changes from the Oasis and Allure.  The Mexican restaurant had been replaced by the Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, The Boardwalk Dog House, and where there used to be a bar in the center of the boardwalk now was the Ultimate Abyss slide.

We were happy to see that a keen favorite of ours, Johnny Rockets, was still on the Boardwalk.

 

We walked over to the amphitheater and followed the two purple tubes that reach 10 decks above and wondered what it would be like to come down this very large slide.  We looked at each other and, in unison said, “We’ll see”.

 

 

We made a quick run up to the pool deck and spotted a curious sculpture of a diver. We learned later that there are actually four of these diver sculptures around the ship but in spaces no one would expect them to be.  I will be hunting for the other three.

We spent the rest of our day with our friends enjoying a leisurely day at sea.  Tonight was formal night so we gathered after dinner in the Royal Promenade to hear Captain Rob Hempstead welcome everyone aboard, introduce several of his senior staff and offer everyone a toast to a wonderful voyage.

We retired back to our cabin for a good night’s rest.  Tomorrow we dock in Malaga, Spain.

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – October – Symphony of the seas

Picture taken by Sue.

I am very excited today.  Why you ask?  Today we board Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the seas for its inaugural transatlantic sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Miami, Florida.  The Symphony made its maiden voyage on April 7th, 2018.  The Symphony is an Oasis class cruise ship that can accommodate 5,518 passengers at double occupancy up to a maximum capacity of 6,680 passengers and 2,200 crew members.

We just completed two of three cruises visiting ports-of-call in the Mediterranean and Greeks Isles on the Rhapsody of the seas.   Our last day on the Rhapsody was a welcome day of relaxation.

We spent time with our friends, enjoyed a lovely lunch with an officer event sponsored by the Crown and Anchor Society, said our goodbyes to our wonderful cabin attendant and dining room servers and packed our suitcases for the next day’s arrival in Venice, Italy.

Burgers and fries at the Garden Terrace restaurant. Always tasty!

Once in port, we boarded a water taxi to the airport where we caught a flight to Barcelona.  We spent the night at the Barcelona Airport Hotel.  We stayed in this hotel in the past enjoying its lovely, comfortable rooms and tasty dinners at the Garden Terrace Restaurant.

The next morning we rose early to get a quick cup of coffee before hailing a taxi to transport us to the pier.  It was raining and we had a bit of a wait to get a taxi but eventually we were successful.  The port seemed chaotic when we arrived but we managed to get through.

We had hopes of all of us arriving at the pier at the same time so we could get a ‘welcome aboard’ photo with all eight of us.  But, alas that did not happen.  The group was put into two taxis and was delivered to two different entry points.  Oh well!

 

 

Once on board, we had a bit of a wait before we could make our way to the cabin so took a short walk along the promenade.  At one end of the promenade was this very interesting sculpture of Volkswagen Beetle parts by Indonesian artist Ichwan Noor.

 

 

At the other end of the promenade was a massive sculpture by New Zealand artist Gregor Kregar called Paradox Void created with stainless steel and RGB LED lighting.

The accompanying placard read: “Kregar aims to create an interactive, engaging piece of art that influences the perception and experience of space.  the work is created from reflective geometric components that transform the usual perspective into a kaleidoscopic maze of surprising views and colors.  The reflections on the surface of the work create a fantastical multidimensional space where the usual understanding of space is twisted and turned upside down”.  

After seeing these two samples of artwork on board, I knew it was going to be fascinating discovering what other artistic treats there are ahead as we slowly cruise across the Atlantic.

Eventually, an announcement was made that the cabins were reading for occupancy.  We got on the elevator and my attention was instantly drawn to the artwork hanging down the elevator shaft. There is always interesting artwork hanging in this space on the big ships.  This one was called “Kites”.  The artwork by Brazilian artist, Marcelo Jacomé is fire retardant printed fabric with carbon fiber structure and stainless steel wire.

The accompanying placard read: “Marcelo Jacomé works on the idea of sculpture perceived as expanded painting.  Kites alters the notion of space-time through the phenomenology of color.  This sculptural installation, spanning seventeen decks, is Jacomé’s largest sculptural painting created to date”.

I was so excited when we entered the cabin.  The cabin look so spacious!  I loved the soft blue and grey colors. I found them to be very soothing.  Rather than a large closet there was a closet on either side of the couch making them much more accessible. Although I understood that the size of the cabin was the same as cabins on the other large ships, however, it was arranged in a way that made it seem much more spacious.  I loved it!

Before leaving for the mandatory safety drill, we spent a few moments in quiet reflection on the balcony just looking out at the port and lighthouse across the bay.

As soon as the drill was over, we made our way to the Attic on deck 4.  The Attic was one of the entertainment areas set aside during cocktail time for the exclusive use by the diamond and diamond plus members of the Crown and Anchor Society.   We entered the room to what can only be described as a chaotic scene.  Doug and Sue joined us and we had a good time relaxing with a cocktail before heading to the dining room.

We joined our friends and fellow diners Jim, Joanne, Sal, Anna, Derrick and Patsy and had a great dinner and getting to know Derrick and Patsy.

Randy and I were very tired. We decided to retire to our cabin for an evening of unpacking and a little relaxation before turning in for a good night’s rest.

Tomorrow is a day at sea.

Nice arrangements of pictures above the couch.

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – October – Argostoli, Greece

I woke up this morning, stepped out onto the balcony to a bright sun fill sky, strong winds and a sea filled with heavy swells.

Today we will be visiting the island of Kefalonia or Cephalonia, Greece.  We will start our day at Kefalonia’s largest and capital city of Argostoli. The island of Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands and has a population of 45,000.

Our tour today, “Cephalonian Natural Wonders” will be taking us on a tour of two beautiful caves and a stop at a lookout over picturesque Myrtos Beach.

Our tour did not begin until noon so we took our time enjoying our breakfast before returning to the cabin and preparing for our day.

Beautiful landscape as we made our way along the road to the cave.

As we rolled along through the town of Argostoli and the surrounding countryside, our guide shared the history of the island and the two caves we would be seeing today.  Randy and I have spent time exploring various caves in the states and found them to be interesting.  However, I must admit that I was most eager to see the Melissani Cave.

Our first stop was the Drogarati Cave.  This cave was discovered some 300 years ago after an earthquake revealed its opening.   We were encouraged to hold onto the guardrails as we descended 300’ down into the cave as the steps are often damp and slippery.  I must tell you, that I generally do not handle inclines very well and stood at the opening for a few moments before making the decision to go down because after all, I had to come back up.  I finally did and was glad for the decision.

Once you reached the bottom, the cave opened up to a large cavern with stalactites and stalagmites about 150 million years old.  The cave extends 196’ deep and has a constant temperature of 64°

The cave actually consists of two parts.  The Royal Balcony, a natural platform of stalactites.  The second part is called, the Chamber of Exaltation that, according to our guide, has wonderful acoustics and has hosted a number of concerts and cultural events.  This chamber can hold up to 500 guests.

Royal Balcony

Chamber of Exaltation

 

We made our way down to the first part and marveled at the orange and yellow colors of the walls and limestone formations.  Randy decided that he wanted to continue on down to the next level.  Already, tired from the walk down and the humidity, I decided to wait for his return and make our way up to the top.

Our next stop was the Melissani Cave. The ceiling of the cave had fallen after an earthquake a few thousand years ago and revealed a beautiful underwater lake.  When we arrived at the Melissani Cave Lake site, it was already crowded with visitors.  We stood in a cue to descend a dark and steep stairway to the reach the shore of the underground lake where small row boats would take us on a tour of the lake and cave chambers.

Our boat guide was wonderful and full of information about the chambers of the cave, the beautiful, crystal clear waters of the lake and offered to take our pictures as we waited for our turn to begin.

As we started our journey to the cave chamber you could see where the ceiling had collapsed.

View of the ceiling as we came out of the cave chamber

 

The underground lake was discovered in 1951 by speleologist Anna Petrochilou and her husband Yiannis and opened to tourist in 1963.  We learned that the lake was a place of worship dedicated to the Greek god Pan and is named after the nymph Melissani.

The lake was so blue and crystal clear.  The sun shone in and touched the water at one end of the lake and turned the water a beautiful clear turquoise.  It was truly beautiful!  We traveled into the cave chamber and saw the stalactites and stalagmites adorning the cave. I was so fascinated that I hardly remembered to use my camera.

Our third and last stop of the tour was a lookout over Myrtos Beach.  The beach and the colors of the water were truly beautiful.  Our tour guide shared that Kefalonia is well known for its beautiful landscape, beaches and natural wonders.  After visiting Kefalonia, I could understand why.

We made our way back to the ship just in time to prepare for an evening with our friends for cocktails and dinner.

Later that evening, Randy and I sat on the balcony admiring the moon and the shadow is cast on the dark seas below as we started our journey back to Venice.

Tomorrow is a day at sea.

Coming up from Drogarati Cave. Had to stop for a rest.

Enjoy,

Mary

 

 

 

 

Here, there and everywhere – October – Mykonos, Greece

Over the years, I listened as many of our friends talked about visiting the Greek Isles with great emphasis on visiting the island of Mykonos.  So, today rather than take a tour, we decided we would enjoy a relaxed, carefree day of walking around the island’s capital city Chora also known as Mykonos Town.

Mykonos is part of group of islands called the Cyclades in the beautiful azure blue Aegean Sea. This small island has a population of 15,000 and is known for its whitewashed architecture with colorful doors, windows and balconies, blue and red domed churches, iconic windmills, beautiful beaches and a lively nightlife.

There was a bit of a chill in the air this morning but the sun was shining promising a lovely day.  We met our friends for coffee and breakfast and then hurried down to catch a tender to take us to shore.

The port area was very interesting with its small shops, vegetable vendors and the many cats and ducks that were walking around like they did not have a care in the world and definitely did not seem to mind all the attention they were getting from the passing tourists.

Prominent at the port was a small, blue-domed church called, Agios Nikolakis.  This small church was built in the 4^th century in honor of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of fisherman, sailors, and all maritime professionals. The church was originally built on an inlet at the port but eventually was connected to the quay.

 

We started our walk and stopped at the Manto Mavrogenous Square. The centerpiece of this small square is a marble bust of  Magadalene ‘Manto’ Mavrogenous heroine of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire from 1821-1830. The square is filled with shops, cafes, restaurants.

 

 

Our walk took us through a labyrinth of narrow alleyways lined with shops, cafes, churches and homes draped in beautiful bougainvillea in a variety of colors.

The Metropolitan Church

We also passed several churches as we walked the cobbled paved streets. Just a short distance from the Metropolitan Church is the only Catholic Church on the island, Our Lady of the Rosary.  This beautiful church was dedicated in 1668.

We stepped inside for just a few moments and learned a little of its history. The picture of the altar depicts the Virgin Mary and child between St. Dominic (apostle of the Rosary) and St. Catherine of Siena.  The picture was brought to the church from Venice in 1715.

Unfortunately, the church had a fiery history with fire breaking out in 1991 destroying almost everything.  By 1997 the church was restored and reopened to the public.  I found the interior of the church to be quite lovely.

As we were walking along we became focused on a group of windmills high atop a hill overlooking the town.  The white, round windmills with thatched wooden roofs are the Kato Myli grain windmills that date back to the 16^th century.

We arrived and looked at the steep climb before us, took a few deep breaths and made our way up.  Once we arrived at the top I could understand why the nickname for Mykonos is “The Island of the Winds”.  It was so windy you had to make sure you had a firm footing as not to be blown away.

The view from the hill was wonderful.  From here we could see a section of Mykonos known as Little Venice, the hills above the city, the lovely azure blue waters of the Aegean Sea and our lovely ship in the harbor. It was quite a sight!

We were getting hungry so we decided to find a place to eat. We found a lovely open-air seaside restaurant in Little Venice just below the windmills called Nice n Easy and took a seat.  Little Venice if filled with 18^th century homes that jut out over the water with many converted into shops, cafes, restaurants and bars.

 

The menu offered a nice variety of Mediterranean dishes, vegetarian and gluten-free choices.  The first thing that caught my eye was the placemats and free roaming cats walking around and underneath the tables.  The placemats on each table had the images of iconic American film stars which I found very funny!

After looking over the menu, I decided to order from the breakfast menu.  The French toast brioche bread with cacao – tahini, bananas and fluffy cream was delicious.  I had never eaten French toast with cacao – tahini but it was delicious and beyond rich and yummy!

We decided to walk back toward the port along the sea side of Little Venice.  The walkway is right at the water’s edge.  Once in a while the waves would lap over and cover the walkway.

After walking down several more narrow streets we came upon a whitewashed building that was not 1 but 5 churches built between the 15^th and 17 centuries.  Four of these churches comprise the base with the church of Panagia (Virgin Mary) Paraportinani sitting on top like a dome.

Captain Juan Caranti welcoming and thanking everyone for being loyal to the Royal Caribbean Cruise lines.

We finally made our way back to the port and tendered back to the ship.  We rested a bit then prepared for our evening activities.  We met our friends for cocktails and dinner then made our way to the Shall We Dance Lounge for the Top Tier event sponsored by the Crown & Anchor Society.

We left the event and went to our cabin to enjoy a quiet night before turning out the lights.  It truly had been a lovely, lovely day.

Tomorrow we arrive in Argostoli, Greece.

A nice treat was waiting for us when we returned to the ship.

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – October – Athens, Greece

Acropolis Museum scale model of the Parthenon west side

Woke up this morning, stepped out onto the balcony and could not see any further than the railing.  It was raining and I was immediately surrounded by a chilled wind.  “It is going to be a cold, wet day,” I thought to myself as I prepared for the day.

Temple of the Athena Nike

Today we visit the city of Athens, Greece.  Athens is the capital of Greece and has a population of 3,153,000.  Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities with a history that spans over 3,400 years and is considered the birthplace of democracy.  The Goddess Athena is the patron of Athens.

Walking up to the gate

The ancient site of the Acropolis sits high atop a limestone hill in the center of Athens. The Acropolis was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 citing, “The Acropolis of Athens and its monuments are universal symbols of the classical spirit and civilization and form the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world”.

View of Parthenon as you come through the gate.

 

On our visit to the city today we will have a guided tour through the city, visit the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum and finish the day with a stop in the neighborhood of Plaka for a snack and free time.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus (Roman theater)

Our first stop was the Acropolis.  There were so many tours that we had to wait in a small area below the hill before making our way up the slick marble stairs.  Standing at the bottom of the hill, I was so excited.  For me this was a bucket list destination.  I was excited that I would be exploring a place that the ancients lived, loved and created a system of democracy that still flourishes today.

Erechtheion

Porch of the Caryatids at the Erechtheio

 

The first ruin that came into view as we made our way up the very deep, slick stairs was the Temple of the Athena Nike.  The temple built in 420 BC is the smallest temple at the Acropolis.

 

 

Pandroseion

It was a bit of a steep climb before entering the Propylaeum or monumental gateway to this ancient city.  Once inside, our guide gathered us together and gave us a brief history of the area and set us open our own.

According what I read, “It was Pericles in the fifth century BC who coordinated the construction of the site’s most important present remains including the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike”.

Temple of Hephaestus as seen from atop the Acropolis

We walked to each ruin, reading every placard and were amazed at how much history had actually survived over the centuries and the lengths that Acropolis Restoration Service is making to preserve the history of this beautiful place.

Our next stop was the Acropolis Museum. I loved this museum.  On either side of the walkway towards the entrance to the museum are the excavated ruins of an ancient Athenian neighborhood.

Reconstruction of the west pediment of the Parthenon

This wonderful site gives the museum visitor a window into life in ancient Athens from the 4^th millennium BC until the 12^th century AD.  Residences, baths, workshops and tombs are part of this amazing excavated exhibit.

 

The floral akroterion crowning the ridge of the Parthenon pediment (reconstruction)

The inside of the museum was beautiful with its high walls, ceiling to floor windows, large open spaces.  I found the museum very inviting and comfortable to navigate especially as there were so many visitors to the museum the day we were there.

Our tour guide walked with us through several exhibition halls explaining as we went along the significance of the artifacts on display.  I loved it all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we were off again to visit the neighborhood of Plaka.  On the way, we passed Hadian’s Arch, several beautiful churches as well as other ancient ruins that are scattered throughout the city.

We set about walking through the narrow streets of this very busy neighborhood.  The streets were the scene of continuous activity as tourist walked along window shopping and walking into the myriad of small, eclectic shops on both sides of the walkway.

We eventually arrived at a lovely outdoor café and enjoyed a very tasty Greek beer and a gyro.  The little lights that were wrapped around the trees were just a perfect backdrop as dusk started to fall over the city. Our little space was just perfect for an evening of food, drink and good conversation with Doug and Sue about our day.

We eventually made our way back to the bus and returned to the port.  On the way we spotted the ruins of Hadrian’s Library.  I loved our tour today and knew that I would carry home many beautiful memories.

Tomorrow we arrive at Mykonos, Greece.

Sacred Olive Tree – West porch of the Erectheion

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – October – Corfu, Greece

It was very dark this morning.  I stepped out onto the balcony at 6:30am to a sky as dark as midnight.  The only light came from the twinkling of the stars high above in the heavens.

View of Corfu as we came slowly cruised into port.

Today we will be visiting Corfu, Greece.  Corfu is an island off Greece’s northwest coast in the Ionian Sea.  The cultural heritage of Corfu was formed after years of rule under the Venetians, French and British before it was united with Greece in 1864.  Old Town Corfu was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

We dressed and made our way up to the concierge lounge for a quick coffee and breakfast before meeting our tour group in the theater.

Our tour today, “Paleokastritsa, Lakones and Wine” promises to be a lovely bus tour with stops at the Bay of Paleokastritsa, a stroll on a pebbled beach, a visit to the mountaintop village of Lakones and a stop at a local restaurant for mezes and wine while enjoying picturesque views of the Ionian Sea.  Sounded lovely; and it was!

The ride up the mountain was indeed a delight for the eye.  The color of the water in the bay was just beautiful.

 

Our first stop was for a photo opportunity at the Bay of Paleokastritsa.  We walked down to the beach to see lush vegetation covered cliffs reaching down into waters that were a deep blue beyond the cliffs to a clear turquoise as the waves reached the shore.  Beautiful, just beautiful!

 

Our next stop was at the Golden Fox restaurant for a bite to eat and yet more beautiful views of the Ionian Sea from the restaurants wonderful terrace.  The Golden Fox is actually a complex that includes the restaurant, snack bar, swimming pool, souvenir shop and apartments for rent.

The foods that were on display were just irresistible.  We watched as they were cutting wedges of Baklava and could not resist.  We ordered café lattes and slices of rich, sweet Baklava.  As we watched the server cut the wedges, we were fascinated at the amount of bees that were hovering around.

The views from the terrace were indeed beautiful!

 

After that lovely and tasty stop, we moved on to visit the monastery of the Virgin Mary in Paleokastritsa.

 

Our lovely tour guide gave a very nice and informative presentation about the history of the monastery.  The monastery was built in 1228 and sits on a promontory high above the beach of Paleokastritsa.

The interior of the church was quite beautiful with its icon lined walls and ceiling.  I loved the deep red benches that lined the side walls of the church.  Of course, Doug found a cat resting on a chair in the courtyard.  Very funny!

Then we were off to our last destination on this lovely trip.  We stopped to enjoy mezes and wine on the open-air terrace of Taverna Colombus.  It was so nice to sit outside under a grape arbor and enjoy a lovely plate of  homemade bread, slices of tomato, meat, cheese, a few olives, rice wrapped in grape leaves, a small pastry and a glass of red wine.  Everything was very tasty.

After eating, we took a few moments to look around the interior of the restaurant and the olive press, traditional clothing and other things on display.  According to the sign posted, the olive press on display was first in production in 1857 in the village of Sinies where it was used as a family oil press.  From 1914 it was then taken to Kavadades to be used by the village, where they kept it in use until 1950.  Since then, it has not been used.  In 1999 it was brought to Makrades.

Before we returned to the bus, we all walked across the street to look over the various souvenirs on sale.  As always, I was looking for a magnet for my daughter Kristine and found one.  As we walked towards the bus we spotted a small orange cat under the front bumper.

It was time to make our back to the port.  During the day I had noticed little shrines along the roads.  These little shrines brought to mind the crosses we see along the roads and highways marking a place where someone had lost their life in a vehicle accident.

I learned that these roadside shrines are known as kandylakia and are usually made of wood, stone, metal or concrete and are made to represent lives lost and saved along the mountainous roads.  I thought they were just lovely.  Unfortunately, the bus was moving along at a clip creating pictures that are a little blurry.

One of the two fortresses on Corfu.

After resting a bit when we got back on board the ship, we prepared for a busy evening of fellowship, good food and entertainment.

As the afternoon and evening wore on, the skies darkened, the seas became rough portending a rough evening at sea.

From left: Randy and Mary, Doug and Sue, Joanne and Jim, Sal and Anna. Lovely group!

Everyone in our group decided to enjoy a meal at Chop’s Grille this evening.  I love Chop’s.  I ordered the wedge salad, 6oz. petite filet, Yukon gold mashed potatoes and ice cream for dessert.  It was all wonderfully delicious.

The evening’s entertainment was Master Magician Brett Sherwood.  I decided to return to the cabin after dinner while Randy joined the group and made his way to the theater to see the show.

Today was relaxed, informative, and tasty and filled with beautiful views.  A very nice day indeed!

Tomorrow we visit Athens, Greece.

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – October – Kotor, Monenegro

I was up early and as I stepped out onto the balcony and was greeted by a windy, chilly morning.  The sun had already risen and was just visible beyond the bow of the ship.

Today we are once again visiting the city of Kotor, Montenegro.

After dressing, we made our way up to the concierge lounge for a lite breakfast and spend a bit of time with our friends Doug, Sue, Jim and Joanne before returning to the cabin and preparing for our day in the walled town of Kotor.

The ship anchored further away from the port today so it took us longer to get reach the pier.  A Holland American ship was also in port today so we knew it would be somewhat crowded but to our surprise many people participated in tours so the old city was not so crowded.

We were here just last week and participated in a very scary bus ride up the steep Lovcén mountains with 25 turns and switchbacks that created many interesting outcries from the passengers on board; including me.

By the time we tendered into the port it was already 1pm so we decided to spend our precious little time exploring the old walled city.

As you approach the Sea Gate you can see some of the impressive fortifications built by the Venetians.

The town of Kotor is over 2,000 years old and has been under the control of many empires and countries over the centuries.  This lovely walled city is surrounded by fortifications built by the Venetians during the 15^th century.  Kotor was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list as part of Venetian Works of Defence between 15^th and 17^th centuries in 1979.

We passed through the original gate or Sea Gate to find a nice café to have lunch and visit some of the historic buildings within its walls.  We walked around for a while looking at menus trying to make a decision about where to stop.

Spotted a kitty sitting outside the Cats Museum

The decision was made a bit harder as we had to stop here and there to see the many of cats that roam freely around the town’s streets.  And, of course, Randy and Doug had to stop and pat the cats while Sue and I took pictures.  It was all too funny!

We finally found a restaurant that looked inviting called the Pescaria Dekederon featuring a Mediterranean cuisine.  The menu was limited which was good for us as we were eating late and did not want to fill up too much and spoil our dinner on the ship.  We decided to try the pizza and, of course, a good, cold local beer.

While we enjoyed our lunch, several cats walked around under the tables and a few jumped up onto the benches.  They were very friendly.

After lunch we continued our walk around the town admiring its narrow streets and alleys, small cafes, several beautiful churches and even more cats.

Spotted this sign and thought it was very funny!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are 10 churches in Kotor.  During our brief visit to the town, we were able stop at St. Tryphon’s Cathedral, St. Nicholas’ Church, St. Luke’s Church and St. Claire’s Chuch.

The Cathedral of St. Tryphon was consecrated in 1166 and is one of two Catholic cathedrals in Montenegro.  St. Tryphon is the protector of Kotor.  The cathedral suffered damage after several earthquakes.  The gilded-silver bas-relief alter screen is considered Kotor’s most valuable treasure.

 

St. Nicholas is the youngest of the churches within the walled city.  It was built from 1902 to 1909.  The church is Serbian Orthodox.

 

 

St. Luke’s Church was built in 1195 and was Catholic.  In 1657 until 1812 Catholic and Orthodox altars stood side by side, with each faith taking turns to hold services there.  It was then gifted to the Orthodox Church.

 

 

We came across a small church called St. Claire’s church.  St. Claire’s dates to the 18th century and is adjoined to the Franciscan monastery.  The alter is made of white and red marble.  Beautiful!

Randy Waiting outside the souvenir shop

Kitten asleep on top of a basket of souvenirs.

 

We stopped at a souvenir shop so Doug and Joanne could purchase a cat tee before leaving the town.  Just as we started our journey back to the port, it started to sprinkle just a bit.  We were anxious to get on the tender for the ride back to the ship before the heavens opened.

 

We returned to the ship just in time to run up to the concierge lounge for cocktail time and had a great time with our friends sharing stories about our visit ashore.   We eventually made our way to the dining room where we joined Sal and Ann and enjoyed yet another evening of good food and conversation.

Tomorrow we are in Corfu, Greece.

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – October – Venice, Italy

Today is turnaround day and the second leg of our cruise to the Mediterranean on the Rhapsody of the seas. This leg of our journey will take us to Kotor, Montenegro, Corfu, Athens, Mykonos and Argostoli, Greece.  Also on this journey, we will be joined by friends Jim and Joanne for this leg and the transatlantic portion of our cruise.

Turnaround day is usually a relaxed day of going through immigration, enjoying a lovely lunch and spending time on our balcony waiting for the safety drill.

But, not today; today we decided to enjoy a quick visit to Old Town Venice.  We were up early and made our preparations to leave the ship as soon as we were able. The air had a bit of a chill so we donned our jackets and made our way to meet Doug and Sue.

St. Mark’s Basilica

After a bit of discussion, Randy, Doug, Sue and I decided to take a water taxi to St. Mark’s Square. As soon as we stepped onto the water taxi I thought, “this is going to be a wonderful day’.  For one thing, visiting Venice was one of Randy’s bucket list destinations.

The Doge’s Palace

Torre dell’Orologio (clock tower)

 

 

From what I have learned, Venice is the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region and is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea that are linked by 400 bridges.  Venice had no roads, just canals.

St. Mark’s Campanile (bell tower)

We arrived and I was immediately struck by the beauty of the buildings before me.  The architecture was spectacularly beautiful!

 

The square was crowded with tourist and vendors.  We took a leisurely walk through the square admiring St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, the Companaile (bell tower) and the Torre dell’Orologio (clock tower).

 

Then we turned our attention to walking through the city and found ourselves walking through many narrow streets paved with lightly-textured paving stones, crossing several bridges and finally stopping for a bite to eat at a small café.  The paved streets were a little slick but much easier to walk on than the cobblestones we have encountered in our travels.

 

 

We would stop here and there watching the gondolas slowly slice through the waters and under the bridges of the canals.  I was fascinated at just how ornate some of the gondolas were; really quite beautiful.  There was not enough time today but perhaps the next time we come.

 

The narrow streets are lined with many little shops, cafes and restaurants.  We looked into the window of one and decided to stop for a while.  There was a counter to the left of the entrance a couple of tables to the right but we glanced towards the back and saw a lovely mural on the wall and decided to sit there.

Randy and I ordered café lattes and chocolate croissants.  Doug and Sue decided to have a little larger breakfast.  The lattes and croissants were delicious.  Hunger satisfied, we continued on our walk and stopped at a little shop where Sue and I had seen a tee shirt that was just perfect.  The proprietor was very nice and allowed us to try them on before purchasing.  We each got one.

We eventually made our way back to the square. I needed to purchase a magnet for my daughter Kristine and after stopping at several vendors wagons found just the perfect one.

Santa Maria della Salute

Then it was time to return to the ship.  It was only a little walk back to the water taxi terminal and a short ride back to the port.

Once on board, we freshened up and made our way to the dining room for the Consecutive Cruisers luncheon.  I enjoyed a tasty Grilled New York Steak with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables and peppercorn sauce.  For dessert I had a very decadent Cherry Chocolate Cake with vanilla ice cream.  I fear it will be a very light dinner for me.

After lunch, we returned to our cabin for a little rest before the safety drill, cocktails and dinner, Jim and Joanne met us in the concierge lounge and had a great time catching up and talking about our upcoming ports-of-call.

Beautiful sunset

Tomorrow we will be visiting Kotor, Montenegro.

Enjoy,

Mary