The rain in significant quantities had started last night and continued in Barcelona. It didn't matter a heck of a lot and was a good preparation for our return to the UK where Spring is not yet established.
The Hotel Arts was very luxurious and welcoming. The taxi driver tried to rip us off. I had our greeter straighten him out and unsurprisingly he didn't get a tip. He must have thought I had just got off the boat (lol).
Our plans for some final meandering in Catalonia were undermined by the weather but high speed internet was more than compensation.
We had a lunch of surprisingly large tapas and were brave enough to sit outdoors.
Eventually it was time to go to the airport and things became less than relaxing. The check-in system was down and had to be transferred to the Iberia system. It was not very well organised although we did eventually leave on time. The problem before that was that the Iberia (One World) lounge is in M2 and a considerable walk from the gate area (for our flight) M5. We got suckered into passing through passport control and had to argue our way back.
I am very happy to be back in the UK and grateful for a great holiday. With that this blog ends. Visit me at http://thejohnoramOnBooks.blogspot.com and look out for future blogs.
Sunday, 29 March 2009
A View From The Bridge
A potentially boring last day at sea was lightened considerably when we hooked up with our new friend Jim and his on board friend Pat from Texas to make a four for bridge. We played two rubbers of a game I have not played in probably twenty years. We played competently but lost and it didn't matter. It was a great diversion.
It got better in the evening when we joined Jim and Russell in the lounge as has become routine and later headed for the Italian restaurant where we all made the most of a farewell dinner.
It got better in the evening when we joined Jim and Russell in the lounge as has become routine and later headed for the Italian restaurant where we all made the most of a farewell dinner.
Friday, 27 March 2009
Notes From Malaga
At Malaga we were greeted by a simple but new and attractive cruise terminal. I imagine the adjacent infrastructure is also to be upgraded but for now it is a rough walk away from the quay especially with a roller laden with two laptops.
We got our internet business done and very much enjoyed the aromatic centre of Malaga which is very walkable. The temperature was perfect. We were under no pressure to see everything as we will be back on June 2nd.
Lunch was excellent if rather expensive at €11.80 for a cheese plate and we recommend d’Gustar in Plaza de las Flores. Actually we would recommend any of the pavement places for ambience – you’ll probably want to stay for ever.
Even the traveller (the non-tourist) requires some concessions and my unease with Spain, a beautiful country with cultured people, is the hours they keep. The insane eating hours for dinner in particular are a complete mismatch for my lifestyle and similarly it is not at all convenient when shops close at 1300-1330 to return at perhaps 1700.
Still, I’m not likely to go and live there but I’ll certainly be back in June and many other times.
We got our internet business done and very much enjoyed the aromatic centre of Malaga which is very walkable. The temperature was perfect. We were under no pressure to see everything as we will be back on June 2nd.
Lunch was excellent if rather expensive at €11.80 for a cheese plate and we recommend d’Gustar in Plaza de las Flores. Actually we would recommend any of the pavement places for ambience – you’ll probably want to stay for ever.
Even the traveller (the non-tourist) requires some concessions and my unease with Spain, a beautiful country with cultured people, is the hours they keep. The insane eating hours for dinner in particular are a complete mismatch for my lifestyle and similarly it is not at all convenient when shops close at 1300-1330 to return at perhaps 1700.
Still, I’m not likely to go and live there but I’ll certainly be back in June and many other times.
The Sea, The Sea
26 March 2009. We scarred the sea and behind us it healed itself. In places it shone in others it sparkled and from mile to mile it changed its shape. A living thing which in a single unforgiving moment can take life. Ceaslessly fascinating, infinitely relaxing, a friend and an enemy. I like being at sea but doubt that I would want to do it for 91-106 days, the typical length of a round the world cruise. Nevertheless we have some long itineraries planned for when I retire.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
A Sketch From The Eastern Atlantic
We passed the uninhabited Madeira islands on our starboard and cautiously approached Funchal eventually to reverse into our parking space. The southern shores of Madeira looked from a distance like an alpine valley transplanted to the Atlantic with lush vegetation, a high tree line and pretty houses.
Funchal has won an award for cleanest city in Portugal. It should. It was warm, clean and attractive. The drivers, the taxi drivers at least, were Italian. They must have been; talk about point and shoot. Our excursion today was late so we went off the ship on foot first for the briefest of shopping trips. It probably will be easier to leave the port in the future as they are busy constructing improved facilities. At the moment it’s a bit basic but the island makes up for that.
I am a city boy at heart or at least a civilisation boy. My exposure to the less well provided for parts of the world has ideally to be under very carefully controlled circumstances. I have friends who have hiked Grand Canyon and plan to do so again. I have a friend who has climbed in Pakistan. I don’t plan to go anywhere I can’t wash for three days or where I have to crap in a bush.
So, I am pretty comfortable in Europe and I was comfortable today. The cable car ride was great and the botanical gardens deserved more time. I was not happy though with conditions for the aviary birds in the same gardens. They had company but no toys in a spartan environment. Parrots need entertainment. We saw the toboggans but did not go on them today. I am certainly tempted for the future.
Madeira is definitely a worthwhile holiday destination and I think we would take the day trip to the enticing Porto Santo.
Funchal has won an award for cleanest city in Portugal. It should. It was warm, clean and attractive. The drivers, the taxi drivers at least, were Italian. They must have been; talk about point and shoot. Our excursion today was late so we went off the ship on foot first for the briefest of shopping trips. It probably will be easier to leave the port in the future as they are busy constructing improved facilities. At the moment it’s a bit basic but the island makes up for that.
I am a city boy at heart or at least a civilisation boy. My exposure to the less well provided for parts of the world has ideally to be under very carefully controlled circumstances. I have friends who have hiked Grand Canyon and plan to do so again. I have a friend who has climbed in Pakistan. I don’t plan to go anywhere I can’t wash for three days or where I have to crap in a bush.
So, I am pretty comfortable in Europe and I was comfortable today. The cable car ride was great and the botanical gardens deserved more time. I was not happy though with conditions for the aviary birds in the same gardens. They had company but no toys in a spartan environment. Parrots need entertainment. We saw the toboggans but did not go on them today. I am certainly tempted for the future.
Madeira is definitely a worthwhile holiday destination and I think we would take the day trip to the enticing Porto Santo.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Photo Credits
Most of the pictures in this blog were taken by Greg sometimes with my direction. A few such as El Muelle in the previous post were taken by me. All photographs copyright.
God's Country Indeed
In Las Palmas, we found an island within an island. We left the ship in bright warm sunshine and took what turned out to be a needless taxi ride to the new town. We could have walked. At first our walk seemed fruitless. We could not find a WiFi hotspot although we saw a couple of internet cafes with fixed workstations.
We went back down to the port – easily walked – to El Muelle and struck gold. The food court looked unprepossessing with the inevitable MacDonalds and Burger King but between then was a gem. Pais Divino is a Chinese buffet restaurant with all you can eat for €6.50; unbelievably cheap and the food was good. If that were not enough the adjacent restaurant had a hotspot and its internet was easily connected, cheap and really high speed. I was doubly satisfied.
We went back down to the port – easily walked – to El Muelle and struck gold. The food court looked unprepossessing with the inevitable MacDonalds and Burger King but between then was a gem. Pais Divino is a Chinese buffet restaurant with all you can eat for €6.50; unbelievably cheap and the food was good. If that were not enough the adjacent restaurant had a hotspot and its internet was easily connected, cheap and really high speed. I was doubly satisfied.
Monday, 23 March 2009
Day 2 in Morocco - Agadir
Today we were in Agadir. It does not pretend to be representative of Morocco as a whole. It is a modern city built after much of the original was destroyed in an earthquake of 1960. Nevertheless it was worth a visit and somewhere to compare to Casablanca.
At first our “Best of” tour looked like shaping up disturbingly similarly to yesterday’s further north. The first stop was the Casbah and offered panoramic views through haze which was reluctant to clear but gave way in due course to a perfect Spring day. I felt I preferred not to be there in August’s temperatures of 44-46o. The second stop was inevitably a mosque.
It was interesting though to drive around Agadir and its suburbs. There is prosperity in places. There are wide avenues facilitated no doubt by the unfortunate demolitions of 50 years ago and for the same reason, still a lot of empty spaces. Traffic seemed orderly but I could not help but look at the Zetrap buses and wonder whether at least some of them should read “Ze Death Trap”. Delightful flowers such as hibiscus and jacaranda were abundant.
Morocco is a liberal and stable country but the proud discourses on the still limited emancipation of women since 1947 do grate a little on ears from countries where womens rights have been familiar for rather longer. What passes for progressive in the wider region of North Africa and the Middle East just seems a little patronising to me and will until women across the world are universally and irrevocably equal in every possible facet of life and work.
Today’s souk was rather spectacular; many times larger than the Casablanca food market we visited yesterday. I don’t think any product or skill was unavailable under a vast roof. It made WalMart look like a place with a limited range. The produce again looked very fresh and there were enticing smells in the air but I have to say that in part of the market at least the flies were in the air thick enough to inhale.
We finished with a visit of well over an hour to what might be characterised as a Berber variety show. It was rather loosely put together but nonetheless entertaining. We sipped mint tea. The adventurous rode camels. The less adventurous (me) settled for a photograph. We saw tumblers who were very good, Berber horsemen, a snake charmer, assorted musicians and a belly dancer. I have no way of knowing whether the amply proportioned belly dancer was good or bad but I could not help wondering how her scantily clad appearance was consistent with the much vaunted requirement for “decency” amongst women.
I am glad I have been to Agadir. It passed the Earthquake Test. I am glad we came to Morocco again.
At first our “Best of” tour looked like shaping up disturbingly similarly to yesterday’s further north. The first stop was the Casbah and offered panoramic views through haze which was reluctant to clear but gave way in due course to a perfect Spring day. I felt I preferred not to be there in August’s temperatures of 44-46o. The second stop was inevitably a mosque.
It was interesting though to drive around Agadir and its suburbs. There is prosperity in places. There are wide avenues facilitated no doubt by the unfortunate demolitions of 50 years ago and for the same reason, still a lot of empty spaces. Traffic seemed orderly but I could not help but look at the Zetrap buses and wonder whether at least some of them should read “Ze Death Trap”. Delightful flowers such as hibiscus and jacaranda were abundant.
Morocco is a liberal and stable country but the proud discourses on the still limited emancipation of women since 1947 do grate a little on ears from countries where womens rights have been familiar for rather longer. What passes for progressive in the wider region of North Africa and the Middle East just seems a little patronising to me and will until women across the world are universally and irrevocably equal in every possible facet of life and work.
Today’s souk was rather spectacular; many times larger than the Casablanca food market we visited yesterday. I don’t think any product or skill was unavailable under a vast roof. It made WalMart look like a place with a limited range. The produce again looked very fresh and there were enticing smells in the air but I have to say that in part of the market at least the flies were in the air thick enough to inhale.
We finished with a visit of well over an hour to what might be characterised as a Berber variety show. It was rather loosely put together but nonetheless entertaining. We sipped mint tea. The adventurous rode camels. The less adventurous (me) settled for a photograph. We saw tumblers who were very good, Berber horsemen, a snake charmer, assorted musicians and a belly dancer. I have no way of knowing whether the amply proportioned belly dancer was good or bad but I could not help wondering how her scantily clad appearance was consistent with the much vaunted requirement for “decency” amongst women.
I am glad I have been to Agadir. It passed the Earthquake Test. I am glad we came to Morocco again.
The Earthquake Test
We have been to a number of places around the world which have suffered notable earthquakes in the past. These include Nicaragua, Athens, Izmir and Agadir. It has occurred to me that the extent to which a place or its people capture ones heart can be measured by what I call The Earthquake Test. Having seen these countries and cities if you then saw the terrible aftermath of an earthquake on the news would you be moved enough to want to go to help or at least donate?
Of course, this quirky musing could be open to misinterpretation. It is not to suggest that I would be unmoved by tragedy in some place I had not been or that I would necessarily be less moved by the plight of one group than another but it is meant to convey just how much an otherwise transient vacation spot can stay in your heart.
Of course, this quirky musing could be open to misinterpretation. It is not to suggest that I would be unmoved by tragedy in some place I had not been or that I would necessarily be less moved by the plight of one group than another but it is meant to convey just how much an otherwise transient vacation spot can stay in your heart.
Tourists and Travellers
There are tourists and there are travellers. Not an original thought of mine but the independent musings of two separate Americans I met on this holiday and with which I wholeheartedly agree. My new friends fortunately are travellers. Unfortunately all too many on the ship of all nationalities are tourists and this manifests in a consistent incompetence to perform the simplest tasks effectively even when those tasks are repeated throughout the cruise.
Towards the end of our first itinerary there were people who could not find their way off the ship after ten days and indeed there were those who could not find their way out of the Stardust Theatre the daily meeting point for shore excursions.
These of course are the people you first encounter at the airport who, when boarding, imagine for some reason that the seat rows might not be arranged in numerical order so that row 23 might conceivably and contrary to their presumably forgotten previous experiences, be at the front of the plane.
The thing is they do have previous experiences albeit en route only to places which serve English breakfast or whatever their national equivalent requirement might be. But they do not learn; so they have not observed that the seat letters too are also in the same order across the world.
No matter how many times they are instructed, cajoled to have certain documentation in hand they still have to fumble at the last moment in the depths of bags or even in some cases return to their cabins. These are the people who STILL don’t empty their pockets at security; the people who leave their cellphones on in theatres. They are the reason an airplane briefing actually tells you how to fasten and unfasten a seatbelt FFS!
When you find yourself behind these people in a queue for breakfast or anything else you wish you could be somewhere else or better still that they could be somewhere else. You hope they won’t be on your tour bus, start an unwanted conversation or even utter something which you only overhear but to which you might just be tempted unwisely to retort.
Should they really be let out of their countries?
This rant probably says more about me than it does about the tourist grockles but there, I needed to get it off my chest.
Towards the end of our first itinerary there were people who could not find their way off the ship after ten days and indeed there were those who could not find their way out of the Stardust Theatre the daily meeting point for shore excursions.
These of course are the people you first encounter at the airport who, when boarding, imagine for some reason that the seat rows might not be arranged in numerical order so that row 23 might conceivably and contrary to their presumably forgotten previous experiences, be at the front of the plane.
The thing is they do have previous experiences albeit en route only to places which serve English breakfast or whatever their national equivalent requirement might be. But they do not learn; so they have not observed that the seat letters too are also in the same order across the world.
No matter how many times they are instructed, cajoled to have certain documentation in hand they still have to fumble at the last moment in the depths of bags or even in some cases return to their cabins. These are the people who STILL don’t empty their pockets at security; the people who leave their cellphones on in theatres. They are the reason an airplane briefing actually tells you how to fasten and unfasten a seatbelt FFS!
When you find yourself behind these people in a queue for breakfast or anything else you wish you could be somewhere else or better still that they could be somewhere else. You hope they won’t be on your tour bus, start an unwanted conversation or even utter something which you only overhear but to which you might just be tempted unwisely to retort.
Should they really be let out of their countries?
This rant probably says more about me than it does about the tourist grockles but there, I needed to get it off my chest.
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Day 1 in Morocco - Casablanca
We slid into Casablanca on Mothers Day, a misty Sunday morning. It was warm and the haze gradually yielded without ever completely doing so. Our first of two days back in Morocco would take us beyond a strange day trip many years ago from Gibraltar to Tangier. Ports around the world are remarkably similar and only when you leave the harbour area can you begin to see the individual characteristics of a new place. My first impression from our balcony had already been that it looked a bit more salubrious than Cairo or even Alexandria. And indeed it was with even the poorest accommodation apparently sporting a satellite dish. We did not see the carelessly disposed trash which was prevalent in Egypt.
A highlights tour chosen as much for its relative brevity as anything can be a bit mundane and thus it was except that taken as a whole, it painted a picture of a quite interesting and not unattractive city. This is a country whose official language is Arabic but is not Arab – 70% Berber in fact – and our guide, a man with an extraordinary accent, was at pains to point out that Morocco’s inhabitants are not like those of Middle Eastern countries. In truth the European influence was there to behold. For all that Arabic might be the official language, French was prominently displayed everywhere and lent a certain comfort to our perambulations.
Socially, it was rather strange. Although a predominantly Moslem country, Morocco observes the weekend on Saturday and Sunday so many aspects today were fairly quiet. It is not clear how the Friday prayers of the faithful are accommodated.
We had been told in Egypt that the numerals I recognise as Arabic and are used for example on Egyptian licence plates are in fact “Indian” and that Arabic numerals are the very ones we use in our daily lives. This was underlined by the Moroccan licence plates which have a mix of “European” numerals (true Arabic) and a single Arabic letter. I elicited an explanation of the local licence plate system as a matter of interest to me.
We saw the facade of Rick’s Cafe but having never seen “Casablanca” I was neither enlightened nor especially impressed. The guide was not impressed with the accuracy of the movie which was shot largely if not entirely in Hollywood. The King Hassan II mosque is the third largest in the world. I do enjoy mosques for their architecture and the workmanship in cedar and marble is to be admired. The decoration is pleasing to the eye without any religious context at all.
There is a great deal of construction going on in Casablanca so a city already rather more attractive than some we have been to even on this trip is taking pains to be even better. Projects start soon for tramway and metro and are slated for completion in 2013. A royal palace was of some interest but, in the manner of the region, is one of only 14 available to King Muhammed VI. The monarchy in this country is revered and long established and adds to the stability of a peaceful and reasonably democratic nation.
I avoided a multi-purpose bazaar until my return to the coach when I bought a belt for a remarkable €6. I chose instead to go for a short but illuminating walk. Our tour proper ended with a visit to food market. I must say, flies notwithstanding, it was a very nice market where freshness was very much in evidence. This was most obvious at the fish stalls which frankly smelt a lot more pleasant than would their equivalent in England.
A highlights tour chosen as much for its relative brevity as anything can be a bit mundane and thus it was except that taken as a whole, it painted a picture of a quite interesting and not unattractive city. This is a country whose official language is Arabic but is not Arab – 70% Berber in fact – and our guide, a man with an extraordinary accent, was at pains to point out that Morocco’s inhabitants are not like those of Middle Eastern countries. In truth the European influence was there to behold. For all that Arabic might be the official language, French was prominently displayed everywhere and lent a certain comfort to our perambulations.
Socially, it was rather strange. Although a predominantly Moslem country, Morocco observes the weekend on Saturday and Sunday so many aspects today were fairly quiet. It is not clear how the Friday prayers of the faithful are accommodated.
We had been told in Egypt that the numerals I recognise as Arabic and are used for example on Egyptian licence plates are in fact “Indian” and that Arabic numerals are the very ones we use in our daily lives. This was underlined by the Moroccan licence plates which have a mix of “European” numerals (true Arabic) and a single Arabic letter. I elicited an explanation of the local licence plate system as a matter of interest to me.
We saw the facade of Rick’s Cafe but having never seen “Casablanca” I was neither enlightened nor especially impressed. The guide was not impressed with the accuracy of the movie which was shot largely if not entirely in Hollywood. The King Hassan II mosque is the third largest in the world. I do enjoy mosques for their architecture and the workmanship in cedar and marble is to be admired. The decoration is pleasing to the eye without any religious context at all.
There is a great deal of construction going on in Casablanca so a city already rather more attractive than some we have been to even on this trip is taking pains to be even better. Projects start soon for tramway and metro and are slated for completion in 2013. A royal palace was of some interest but, in the manner of the region, is one of only 14 available to King Muhammed VI. The monarchy in this country is revered and long established and adds to the stability of a peaceful and reasonably democratic nation.
I avoided a multi-purpose bazaar until my return to the coach when I bought a belt for a remarkable €6. I chose instead to go for a short but illuminating walk. Our tour proper ended with a visit to food market. I must say, flies notwithstanding, it was a very nice market where freshness was very much in evidence. This was most obvious at the fish stalls which frankly smelt a lot more pleasant than would their equivalent in England.
We understand that Casablanca, fourth largest city in Africa, is not the most interesting place in Morocco for the tourist – we shall see in Agadir tomorrow. Nevertheless, I am glad I visited and would like to see it again with its enhanced transport infrastructure.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Barcelona - Mixed Fortunes
It was an absolutely beautiful day when we arrived in Barcelona, the best we have had for a while. Las Ramblas are a place to watch life go by. It was very pleasant with a cup of tea and a second breakfast of churros.
It seems however, that no day can pass without tension. We went to an internet cafe we had been told about. It opened 15 mins late. Connection was not easy. I did not trust it enough to do any banking. I had trouble with my AOL and friends on my tcheathrow account might find me out of touch for a few days. Two attempts to publish this blog entry failed. Greg solved some of the problems by getting us to MacDonalds (of all places) and some free WiFi with a better connection. Thank you Greg. Off to Morocco in a few hours.
It seems however, that no day can pass without tension. We went to an internet cafe we had been told about. It opened 15 mins late. Connection was not easy. I did not trust it enough to do any banking. I had trouble with my AOL and friends on my tcheathrow account might find me out of touch for a few days. Two attempts to publish this blog entry failed. Greg solved some of the problems by getting us to MacDonalds (of all places) and some free WiFi with a better connection. Thank you Greg. Off to Morocco in a few hours.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
At Sea
We sped on across a glassy sea towards Barcelona. We would need quite a high sustained speed to reach it on time but as that time was 0500 I am not quite sure why the rush. Since tides, I believe, are not a big deal in the Mediterranean, perhaps is to with having sufficient port time for resupply.
Anyway, I was looking forward to our day in that beautiful Spanish city as an opportunity to do several things more easily done on land than at sea where I am at the mercy of unreliable mobile communications and expensive internet connection.
Sea state notwithstanding, it was for while a bit of a rollercoaster ride today. At first it seemed that the CDC still had their grip on our catering arrangements. There was news of a good (better than £10) lottery win. We thought an e-mail purporting to be from AOL was probably phishing and narrowly escaped giving Greg’s credit card number to some online criminal, a shock. Then, at lunchtime normal service had been resumed in the Garden Cafe.
However necessary, the health restrictions they had impinged on our enjoyment of the cruise bringing a significantly less liberal regime to the ship. This ship also will be in Europe for many months and there are no plans for it to reposition. However, it sticks with the $US as the on board currency without even the facility to change Euros (large bills to smaller bills). On our back to back cruises alone our ports include Barcelona (3 times), Civitavecchia, Piraeus, Valletta, Las Palmas, Funchal and Malaga; go figure.
I learned that I was by no means the only dissatisfied passenger on this cruise. Others had found that a large part of the crew were not very engaged and this makes a big difference (compared to previous cruise experiences with NCL or other companies). Maybe it is because a lot of them are coming towards the end of ten month contracts and that is a long time to work without a break.
We are looking forward to meeting new friends when the cruise changes in Barcelona tomorrow. Having caught up on my reading, I am going to start a new blog when I am back in England to review books. I also plan blogs for restaurant and travel reviews.
Anyway, I was looking forward to our day in that beautiful Spanish city as an opportunity to do several things more easily done on land than at sea where I am at the mercy of unreliable mobile communications and expensive internet connection.
Sea state notwithstanding, it was for while a bit of a rollercoaster ride today. At first it seemed that the CDC still had their grip on our catering arrangements. There was news of a good (better than £10) lottery win. We thought an e-mail purporting to be from AOL was probably phishing and narrowly escaped giving Greg’s credit card number to some online criminal, a shock. Then, at lunchtime normal service had been resumed in the Garden Cafe.
However necessary, the health restrictions they had impinged on our enjoyment of the cruise bringing a significantly less liberal regime to the ship. This ship also will be in Europe for many months and there are no plans for it to reposition. However, it sticks with the $US as the on board currency without even the facility to change Euros (large bills to smaller bills). On our back to back cruises alone our ports include Barcelona (3 times), Civitavecchia, Piraeus, Valletta, Las Palmas, Funchal and Malaga; go figure.
I learned that I was by no means the only dissatisfied passenger on this cruise. Others had found that a large part of the crew were not very engaged and this makes a big difference (compared to previous cruise experiences with NCL or other companies). Maybe it is because a lot of them are coming towards the end of ten month contracts and that is a long time to work without a break.
We are looking forward to meeting new friends when the cruise changes in Barcelona tomorrow. Having caught up on my reading, I am going to start a new blog when I am back in England to review books. I also plan blogs for restaurant and travel reviews.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Malta
This was our second visit to Malta. Both have been by cruise ship. It is easy to imagine a holiday here of perhaps three or four days. It is a very beautiful island with friendly people. It is one of those places where it is lovely just to walk around. And today the sunshine was just perfect. The harbour in its own way is, I think, one of the most beautiful in the world.
Malta has some of the outward Mediterranean shabbiness we have seen in many places but somehow it carries it off and all its other facets charm.
I asked a taxi driver to take us to the airport just to look as the aviation person in me was feeling a bit suppressed after several days at sea. He was very helpful seeking out a couple of vantage points. He then returned us to the Triton fountain where we began our short city walk.
I bought two books, one on the almost forgotten Malta Railway - it closed in 1931 – and another on its buses. There is particular poignancy there as I have heard that Malta’s older buses, a great tourist attraction and attractive in their own right, are doomed. They are to be replaced by politically correct vehicles with low floors and suchlike.
It is said that perhaps one or two routes will be allowed to run the old vehicles much as the perfectly practical Routemaster was saved in London. Another suggestion, far from certain, is a museum. To be worthwhile it would need to be something like Crich with running vehicles.
It was a very nice day marred only by the continuing shadow of the CDC hanging over the buffet restaurant. I hope that sanity is restored when we leave for our sea day en-route to Barcelona.
Malta has some of the outward Mediterranean shabbiness we have seen in many places but somehow it carries it off and all its other facets charm.
I asked a taxi driver to take us to the airport just to look as the aviation person in me was feeling a bit suppressed after several days at sea. He was very helpful seeking out a couple of vantage points. He then returned us to the Triton fountain where we began our short city walk.
I bought two books, one on the almost forgotten Malta Railway - it closed in 1931 – and another on its buses. There is particular poignancy there as I have heard that Malta’s older buses, a great tourist attraction and attractive in their own right, are doomed. They are to be replaced by politically correct vehicles with low floors and suchlike.
It is said that perhaps one or two routes will be allowed to run the old vehicles much as the perfectly practical Routemaster was saved in London. Another suggestion, far from certain, is a museum. To be worthwhile it would need to be something like Crich with running vehicles.
It was a very nice day marred only by the continuing shadow of the CDC hanging over the buffet restaurant. I hope that sanity is restored when we leave for our sea day en-route to Barcelona.
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Always Complain
This was a day of catharsis. I had a number of complaints and had already registered some of them. Today was a day for answers. I spoke with the Restaurant Manager and a Customer Services Supervisor. All the issues were dealt with very well and I felt something would be done about some of them.
Unfortunately a lot of what happens on board is a result of the implementation of corporate policy and that policy is driven by profit if not downright greed. This is by no means unique to NCL. The phrase “nominal fee” is much over used on board and appears to mean “overpriced”. One of my issues has been with the transparency of their pricing structure. On a scale of such things it’s somewhere next to Ryanair; headline prices, plenty of hidden but often unavoidable charges. I expect a lot of people get a big shock when they see their account at the end of the voyage. True, you have access to your account at any time but how many people avail themselves of that? The way things mount up can easily double the original cost of the cruise.
My main issue was and continued to be today, the health related restrictions imposed during our Egypt stay. They make the operation of the ostensibly self-service buffet very clumsy. I discovered that this arises from CDC (Centre for Disease Control) oversight. I really only needed to know that a US federal agency was involved to understand the depth of interference and over reaction.
However, as I said the Turkish restaurant manager and Armenian Customer Services Supervisor were charm personified and very good indeed with handling my concerns. I felt a lot better and we have not yet struck NCL from our future cruise plans.
Unfortunately a lot of what happens on board is a result of the implementation of corporate policy and that policy is driven by profit if not downright greed. This is by no means unique to NCL. The phrase “nominal fee” is much over used on board and appears to mean “overpriced”. One of my issues has been with the transparency of their pricing structure. On a scale of such things it’s somewhere next to Ryanair; headline prices, plenty of hidden but often unavoidable charges. I expect a lot of people get a big shock when they see their account at the end of the voyage. True, you have access to your account at any time but how many people avail themselves of that? The way things mount up can easily double the original cost of the cruise.
My main issue was and continued to be today, the health related restrictions imposed during our Egypt stay. They make the operation of the ostensibly self-service buffet very clumsy. I discovered that this arises from CDC (Centre for Disease Control) oversight. I really only needed to know that a US federal agency was involved to understand the depth of interference and over reaction.
However, as I said the Turkish restaurant manager and Armenian Customer Services Supervisor were charm personified and very good indeed with handling my concerns. I felt a lot better and we have not yet struck NCL from our future cruise plans.
Monday, 16 March 2009
Alexandria - Home Of The Saddest Trams
The sun shone over Alexandria early and promised a day brighter and less tiring than the last. Still we had booked a long excursion.
Alexandria is, within the constraints of being in Egypt, a little more orderly and tidier than Cairo. It has traffic lights. It has no Metro but does have a limited tramway system. On it I saw some of the oldest, saddest, dustiest trams I have seen anywhere in the world. I was surprised that the worst of these actually worked at all.
We went first to the National Museum which is very good. It deserved more time but our guide did offer about the right balance today. Everywhere was very crowded and we have now visited several places where entrance and exit are coincident which seems particularly and avoidably awkward. Nowhere was this more awkward than at the Shawgafa catacombs which are extremely interesting. You should expect mild claustrophobia there heightened by the hordes streaming in and out but it is definitely worth a visit.
Lunch in the curiously named Santa Lucia restaurant was very good if a little rushed towards the end. I was feeling as much the effects of yesterday’s schedule as today’s and needed some sleep.
After the meal we went to my main reason for being on the tour – the New Library of Alexandria. I savoured the architecture though I should warn the photographers amongst you that this is a typical tourist site in that, once there, you cannot really imagine where all the pictures you have seen were taken from. The Library is directly opposite the main campus buildings of the University of Alexandria and thus the area is over busy with students.
The drive along the Corniche is attractive enough to the Mediterranean side but inland lie seemingly endless blocks of apartments in the now familiar Egyptian unfinished style. This was a good time for the nap I needed. I don’t know about “render unto Caesar...”; as far as I can see the Egyptians have never rendered anything. Actually there are exceptions.
The end of the drive brought us to Montaza Gardens and the former palace (one of 25 apparently) of King Farouk. It is a splendid edifice and could be viewed as a highly desirable Mediterranean residence but since it has long been unoccupied it is difficult to say what it might be like inside.
We visited Qait Bey where the fortress stands on the supposed former site of the Pharo of Alexandria and a large mosque but our guide seemed to be running out of steam and left us to our own devices so that these were no more than photo stops. I like mosques as I like cathedrals – for their architectural merits – as they are often very attractive buildings. The hawkers persisted but I was able to make them happy not by buying anything but by performing the simple service of changing their Euro coins into notes. This is something which is requested in many countries and is a friendly act to perform.
For all the chaos they appear to live in Egyptians are as far as I can see and as averred by our guide yesterday, fairly calm and non-confrontational. Perhaps it is the only way to cope.
Alexandria is, within the constraints of being in Egypt, a little more orderly and tidier than Cairo. It has traffic lights. It has no Metro but does have a limited tramway system. On it I saw some of the oldest, saddest, dustiest trams I have seen anywhere in the world. I was surprised that the worst of these actually worked at all.
We went first to the National Museum which is very good. It deserved more time but our guide did offer about the right balance today. Everywhere was very crowded and we have now visited several places where entrance and exit are coincident which seems particularly and avoidably awkward. Nowhere was this more awkward than at the Shawgafa catacombs which are extremely interesting. You should expect mild claustrophobia there heightened by the hordes streaming in and out but it is definitely worth a visit.
Lunch in the curiously named Santa Lucia restaurant was very good if a little rushed towards the end. I was feeling as much the effects of yesterday’s schedule as today’s and needed some sleep.
After the meal we went to my main reason for being on the tour – the New Library of Alexandria. I savoured the architecture though I should warn the photographers amongst you that this is a typical tourist site in that, once there, you cannot really imagine where all the pictures you have seen were taken from. The Library is directly opposite the main campus buildings of the University of Alexandria and thus the area is over busy with students.
The drive along the Corniche is attractive enough to the Mediterranean side but inland lie seemingly endless blocks of apartments in the now familiar Egyptian unfinished style. This was a good time for the nap I needed. I don’t know about “render unto Caesar...”; as far as I can see the Egyptians have never rendered anything. Actually there are exceptions.
The end of the drive brought us to Montaza Gardens and the former palace (one of 25 apparently) of King Farouk. It is a splendid edifice and could be viewed as a highly desirable Mediterranean residence but since it has long been unoccupied it is difficult to say what it might be like inside.We visited Qait Bey where the fortress stands on the supposed former site of the Pharo of Alexandria and a large mosque but our guide seemed to be running out of steam and left us to our own devices so that these were no more than photo stops. I like mosques as I like cathedrals – for their architectural merits – as they are often very attractive buildings. The hawkers persisted but I was able to make them happy not by buying anything but by performing the simple service of changing their Euro coins into notes. This is something which is requested in many countries and is a friendly act to perform.
For all the chaos they appear to live in Egyptians are as far as I can see and as averred by our guide yesterday, fairly calm and non-confrontational. Perhaps it is the only way to cope.
Cairo - Report From An Incomplete City
There are more barren stretches on the I-15 from Barstow to Las Vegas than I saw today on the Desert Highway between Alexandria and Cairo.
We had arrived in the Egyptian port early and left late for our excursion because of the large number of people ahead of us who, after a week, have not yet grasped the excursion procedures. Some still cannot even find their way off the ship yet.
There was just a little frisson of excitement when it was announced that each coach had its own security guard but were it not for the bulge under his jacket – not where I normally look for a bulge – I would not have given the matter a second thought for the rest of the day.
Two things struck me on our journey south. One is that you cannot really tell whether a building is incomplete or in fact derelict. Most seem to fall into one of those categories. Secondly, the most eye-catching structures – some of them are really quite pleasing – are the dovecotes. There are hundreds. Apparently pigeon or dove is a delicacy in Egypt. Furthermore, the more you eat the more children you will have. Should I say something about pests at this point.........................no.
To visit the Giza pyramids and Sphinx is anticlimactic. By the time one reaches the site the Egyptian propensity for discarding trash casually is well established so it is less of surprise that the underfoot is a curious mix of sand, camel shit and plastic bags. The site is horribly busy but also infested with hustlers (UK meaning) including many who clearly should have been at school. Whilst they will in fact take no for an answer it is deeply irritating to have to utter the word in English and Arabic quite so many times. The whole thing is pretty underwhelming. The one thing you do get out of it is seeing for yourself the actual size of the often misrepresented Sphinx.
It was clear to me at various times during the trip that a few sensible precautions in respect of both hygiene and personal security avert virtually all mishaps. The bottled water we were offered was fully and properly sealed. Our lunch at the Mena House Oberoi was excellent. At no time did we feel unsafe or threatened.
The Memphis site was extremely crowded and poorly curated. I was feeling by now that there is so much more Egypt could do to present itself but I gather from our guide that Egyptian people themselves have little interest in their history. Tourism in fact accounts very variably for only 6-11% of national income in a nation which has oil and gas revenues but appears to me not to spend them very effectively.
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I enjoyed the Sakkara site where hustlers were less prominent even if there were as many visitors as elsewhere. We visited a tomb where it is frankly very hard to absorb that the wall carvings and their colours are quite so old (about 4000 years).
In a country of 80m people, 95% live near the Nile as a similar percentage of the country is desert. A quarter of the population live in Cairo and we should perhaps be grateful that they have between them a modest 4m vehicles as these are more than enough to make the rush period fairly horrible. It was noticeable that the parts of Cairo through which we drove after an unwanted shopping stop appeared to have no traffic lights at all. I could only wonder if the junction discipline – basically non-existent – would have been the same with lights.
When we rejoined the ship last night it was to discover that some rather draconian so-call preventative measures were in place to forestall the onset of any outbreak of Gastro Enteritis. What this means is that food has to be served to you in the self-service restaurant – go figure. This procedure requires extra staff which they do not always provide. The result is queues which are unfair on the passengers and on the crew who are put under pressure.
Friday, 13 March 2009
Impressions of Izmir
We arrived in Izmir on another dull morning and it was cold. Today’s battle of sun v cloud went eventually the other way. The cloud would not submit but the sun won on points. With Ephesus a fond memory from a previous cruise we decided to spend our fifth visit to Turkey getting some “Real Turkey”.
We walked about 7km from the ship to Konak Square with detours. The coat that was needed at the beginning of the day was becoming a hindrance later especially when I was carrying 9 litres of water for the last 500m back to our cabin thanks to a strategically place branch of Migros at the port.
Turkey is a lovely country although Izmir itself is not the most obvious place for a holiday. Any self respecting builder or civil engineer would probably have nightmares after seeing how anything from pavements (sidewalks) to apartment blocks are constructed. Cafes are lovely places to sit and watch life but remember that smoking is still a legal requirement for the over 10s in Turkey and for those of us used to clean air acts that can be a bit of a shock.
We visited Alsancak station which was interesting for me. A beautiful station but sadly devoid of trains. The levels of cleanliness at the station were reflected everywhere. I was impressed by the extreme cleanliness of the toilets we used. The pavements although poorly constructed were litter free to an extent that would shame London or New York and dog fouling was virtually non-existent.
The very long walk to Konak Square was rewarded by views of a charming clock tower, a small mosque and a curious statue to a rebellious journalist who would these days, I strongly suspect, be described as a terrorist.
Turkey is a country which in so many ways hovers between West and East, between second world and first. It is an EU wannabe and staunch NATO member. A secular state where most people are Moslems. Perhaps this ambiguity was best illustrated at a marked disabled (handicapped) path across a small street. The pavement had been dropped on one side and on that side a bollard divided the pathway; on the other side of the street the pavement had not been dropped. Turkey whither goest thou?
We walked about 7km from the ship to Konak Square with detours. The coat that was needed at the beginning of the day was becoming a hindrance later especially when I was carrying 9 litres of water for the last 500m back to our cabin thanks to a strategically place branch of Migros at the port.
Turkey is a lovely country although Izmir itself is not the most obvious place for a holiday. Any self respecting builder or civil engineer would probably have nightmares after seeing how anything from pavements (sidewalks) to apartment blocks are constructed. Cafes are lovely places to sit and watch life but remember that smoking is still a legal requirement for the over 10s in Turkey and for those of us used to clean air acts that can be a bit of a shock.
We visited Alsancak station which was interesting for me. A beautiful station but sadly devoid of trains. The levels of cleanliness at the station were reflected everywhere. I was impressed by the extreme cleanliness of the toilets we used. The pavements although poorly constructed were litter free to an extent that would shame London or New York and dog fouling was virtually non-existent.
The very long walk to Konak Square was rewarded by views of a charming clock tower, a small mosque and a curious statue to a rebellious journalist who would these days, I strongly suspect, be described as a terrorist.
Turkey is a country which in so many ways hovers between West and East, between second world and first. It is an EU wannabe and staunch NATO member. A secular state where most people are Moslems. Perhaps this ambiguity was best illustrated at a marked disabled (handicapped) path across a small street. The pavement had been dropped on one side and on that side a bollard divided the pathway; on the other side of the street the pavement had not been dropped. Turkey whither goest thou?
The Great Cruise Ship Money Making Machine
It is possible I suppose to pay for ones cruise and spend no more. Forces however are arrayed against you and constantly apply pressure to dip into purse or credit card. The comments which follow do not apply more to our current hosts NCL than any of their main rivals. Unless you go fully inclusive where the headline prices are high and, frankly, most attractive to drinkers, you will encounter pretty much the same everywhere.
The good thing about a cruise is it guarantees your accommodation and a source of safe food and water. This can be important for even the adventurous amongst us when in a country where stomach upsets are amongst the more usual souvenirs.
There is no doubt that the excursions can be very worthwhile. You invariably have only a short time in port and that can be some way from key attractions. An excursion is a great way of getting a taste of a city or country and orienting oneself for possible future visits. The guides can be and usually are excellent. Good quality transportation is used and the drivers are very safe. The downside is that for what you get other than convenience excursions are undeniably expensive and that’s just the beginning.
On boarding and at every conceivable other opportunity, key tourist attractions, special meals etc, the ships photographers are there to take pictures which are enormously overpriced. My advice – take your own.
The onboard casinos of course are about as likely to lose as any in Vegas, Macau or Atlantic City. Bingo attracts those who don’t see themselves as gamblers but the jackpots are elusive.
The spa has its advantages but membership and treatments are expensive. My boyfriend has been asked to have some acupuncture and we thought he might start here but found that a session which probably would be $50-70 ashore is $150 on board. I like to have a manicure but on this trip a basic one would be $39-45. My advice, consider membership for the sauna and relaxation – skip the treatments.
Think carefully too about the restaurants which charge premiums. On this trip 8 of 11 venues do this. They might be worth considering on 2 for 1 nights but where these extra charges go as high as $25 a person vote with your feet. I think they want you to forget that you have already paid for your food. My advice; a small premium for particularly good food and service is worth considering especially for a special occasion but $25 is a scam.
Few people would want to do laundry on vacation but for a trip of 2-3 weeks it’s going to need doing. NCL proudly announce service at a “nominal fee”. I don’t call $5.95 for a shirt without pressing, nominal. My advice, look out for their special offers.
Watch out for the exact structure of service charges as this varies between companies. We had prepaid $10 pppd and that still does not exempt you from 15% on all drinks checks. Now, I do not at all resent tipping for good service but prefer to target individuals who have been particularly pleasant. The company will tell you that the tip pool is divided equally between the crew. You could ask them, as you well might in a restaurant on land, why they don’t pay a decent wage in the first place.
Perhaps the biggest outrage – albeit one which does not affect us as non-drinkers – is the check point at which it says alcohol purchased on shore will be taken “for your safety” and returned at the end of the cruise. This is the cruise during which they are unsurprisingly prepared to sell you any amount of alcohol. The cocktail prices have to be seen to be believed and don’t forget the 15% service charge.
When we received our final invoice pre-cruise I was pleased to see they had removed a substantial fuel surcharge. After a careful look at all the charges on board and the associated margins it is clear to me that they do not need a fuel surcharge and never will.
The good thing about a cruise is it guarantees your accommodation and a source of safe food and water. This can be important for even the adventurous amongst us when in a country where stomach upsets are amongst the more usual souvenirs.
There is no doubt that the excursions can be very worthwhile. You invariably have only a short time in port and that can be some way from key attractions. An excursion is a great way of getting a taste of a city or country and orienting oneself for possible future visits. The guides can be and usually are excellent. Good quality transportation is used and the drivers are very safe. The downside is that for what you get other than convenience excursions are undeniably expensive and that’s just the beginning.
On boarding and at every conceivable other opportunity, key tourist attractions, special meals etc, the ships photographers are there to take pictures which are enormously overpriced. My advice – take your own.
The onboard casinos of course are about as likely to lose as any in Vegas, Macau or Atlantic City. Bingo attracts those who don’t see themselves as gamblers but the jackpots are elusive.
The spa has its advantages but membership and treatments are expensive. My boyfriend has been asked to have some acupuncture and we thought he might start here but found that a session which probably would be $50-70 ashore is $150 on board. I like to have a manicure but on this trip a basic one would be $39-45. My advice, consider membership for the sauna and relaxation – skip the treatments.
Think carefully too about the restaurants which charge premiums. On this trip 8 of 11 venues do this. They might be worth considering on 2 for 1 nights but where these extra charges go as high as $25 a person vote with your feet. I think they want you to forget that you have already paid for your food. My advice; a small premium for particularly good food and service is worth considering especially for a special occasion but $25 is a scam.
Few people would want to do laundry on vacation but for a trip of 2-3 weeks it’s going to need doing. NCL proudly announce service at a “nominal fee”. I don’t call $5.95 for a shirt without pressing, nominal. My advice, look out for their special offers.
Watch out for the exact structure of service charges as this varies between companies. We had prepaid $10 pppd and that still does not exempt you from 15% on all drinks checks. Now, I do not at all resent tipping for good service but prefer to target individuals who have been particularly pleasant. The company will tell you that the tip pool is divided equally between the crew. You could ask them, as you well might in a restaurant on land, why they don’t pay a decent wage in the first place.
Perhaps the biggest outrage – albeit one which does not affect us as non-drinkers – is the check point at which it says alcohol purchased on shore will be taken “for your safety” and returned at the end of the cruise. This is the cruise during which they are unsurprisingly prepared to sell you any amount of alcohol. The cocktail prices have to be seen to be believed and don’t forget the 15% service charge.
When we received our final invoice pre-cruise I was pleased to see they had removed a substantial fuel surcharge. After a careful look at all the charges on board and the associated margins it is clear to me that they do not need a fuel surcharge and never will.
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Athens
With the sea state still slight we glided comfortably through an uncertain dawn and towards Piraeus. There was an early morning stand-off between sun and cloud and we would see later which would win. I felt that too much sun would be unwelcome for the exertions of climbing the Acropolis.
To approach Piraeus and thus Athens from the south was very much like approaching Los Angeles from the air. Ahead lay a grey yellow layer of unknown consistency which, in a while, one would be breathing.
The cloud won and it rained, heavily at times. It did not much impinge on our enjoyment of a wonderful city although the rain felt surprisingly cold on a day that was reasonably warm.
The 1896 Olympic stadium today the finishing point of all Athens marathons was impressive and from there could easily be seen the Acropolis, our next objective. Our meandering drive to reach it was interesting. I love the mix of old and new buildings; some actually old and others in various historic styles all lending pleasing variety to the city. I was more offended even than normal by the graffiti on the walls of the Academy – how could they?
Athens’ traffic is fairly horrible, double parking absolutely the norm and the trams of great interest to me. It is clear that it would be worth spending more time there.
This is more than confirmed by the views from the Acropolis which we saw on a dull wet day. How beautiful it must be in the sunlight. The climb to the base of the iconic Parthenon is surprisingly gentle albeit on consistently uneven surfaces. The general lack of handrails and edging suggests that Health & Safety gurus have not made it across the Aegean. There is so much on the way up and at the summit of the Acropolis that it deserves a lot of time which we did not have today. However, the continuation of a restoration project which began in 1983 meaning that it has been going on for very much longer than the nine years construction of the original also means that much of the summit resembles a building site, albeit one with stone masons.
Some way below the Acropolis lies the soon to be opened new Museum and in these days when most of us can easily travel, I felt I supported the return to Greece of the Elgin marbles to house there.
Our polyglot guide proudly informed us that life expectancy in Greece is high (81m, 83f) but for him this did not seem consistent with an evident 40 a day habit. I felt it was going to take a bit more than extra virgin olive oil to see him into his ninth decade. He was, however, in common with many guides worldwide, very good as was the coach driver.
To approach Piraeus and thus Athens from the south was very much like approaching Los Angeles from the air. Ahead lay a grey yellow layer of unknown consistency which, in a while, one would be breathing.
The cloud won and it rained, heavily at times. It did not much impinge on our enjoyment of a wonderful city although the rain felt surprisingly cold on a day that was reasonably warm.
The 1896 Olympic stadium today the finishing point of all Athens marathons was impressive and from there could easily be seen the Acropolis, our next objective. Our meandering drive to reach it was interesting. I love the mix of old and new buildings; some actually old and others in various historic styles all lending pleasing variety to the city. I was more offended even than normal by the graffiti on the walls of the Academy – how could they?
Athens’ traffic is fairly horrible, double parking absolutely the norm and the trams of great interest to me. It is clear that it would be worth spending more time there.
This is more than confirmed by the views from the Acropolis which we saw on a dull wet day. How beautiful it must be in the sunlight. The climb to the base of the iconic Parthenon is surprisingly gentle albeit on consistently uneven surfaces. The general lack of handrails and edging suggests that Health & Safety gurus have not made it across the Aegean. There is so much on the way up and at the summit of the Acropolis that it deserves a lot of time which we did not have today. However, the continuation of a restoration project which began in 1983 meaning that it has been going on for very much longer than the nine years construction of the original also means that much of the summit resembles a building site, albeit one with stone masons.
Some way below the Acropolis lies the soon to be opened new Museum and in these days when most of us can easily travel, I felt I supported the return to Greece of the Elgin marbles to house there.
Our polyglot guide proudly informed us that life expectancy in Greece is high (81m, 83f) but for him this did not seem consistent with an evident 40 a day habit. I felt it was going to take a bit more than extra virgin olive oil to see him into his ninth decade. He was, however, in common with many guides worldwide, very good as was the coach driver.
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
At Sea
To pass through the Straits of Messina today was to pass from one world to another.
We had woken to a rather severe mostly grey morning accentuated by the silhouettes of Lipari and its volcanic companions. We passed over green-grey still seas and a too brisk wind blew across the deck. Soon enough a heavily snow capped Etna dominated the Sicilian skyline ahead and we slowed for the Straits.
Even as we approached, the sea began to glisten and as our transit continued past Messina on the right then Reggio to the left, sunshine dominated a still level sea and followed as we began our long lazy swing to port and towards Greece.
We had woken to a rather severe mostly grey morning accentuated by the silhouettes of Lipari and its volcanic companions. We passed over green-grey still seas and a too brisk wind blew across the deck. Soon enough a heavily snow capped Etna dominated the Sicilian skyline ahead and we slowed for the Straits.
Even as we approached, the sea began to glisten and as our transit continued past Messina on the right then Reggio to the left, sunshine dominated a still level sea and followed as we began our long lazy swing to port and towards Greece.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Civitavecchia and Tarquinia
We have been to Rome before and whilst there is much more to see and do we thought we’d be a little clever this time and pursue Etruscan history. The thinking behind this was that most other people would be on the headline excursions. Furthermore when we came back to the ship from a relatively short excursion, large numbers of people would still be ashore on the longer trips to Rome. Some might even have been eaten by lions in the Colosseum. Others would not have survived crossing the road in Italian traffic.
We arrived in port early, our second visit. Breakfast is a scrum on port days. Unfortunately the food is quite good and there is lots of choice. Give most people a decision to make and they stand around with their mouths open, getting in the way and, well, I suppose, eventually making a decision.
English is supposedly the onboard language but given the mix of nationalities working on board it can be very difficult to get a satisfactory answer to more complex questions. It seems that most people don’t even know that the clocks change twice a year in most of the world. Putting such frustrations behind me, it was good to set out on a beautiful day. Surprisingly the Etruscans had attracted TWO coachloads many of those from a place where Delaware is regarded as old.
The Etruscans occupied twelve city states across parts of modern day Italy between the 8th and 1st centuries BC. Their necropolis at Tarquinia was extremely interesting. We saw four different tombs of the many there and some Villanovan remains which pre-date even the Etruscans. The grounds of the tomb site had beautiful wild flowers.
In Tarquina itself the museum had excellent exhibits well curated but explained only in Italian. The Etruscans had false teeth and umbrellas. Tarquina even for the briefest visit in our post-museum spare time was everything you want a small Italian town to be.
In the first square we visited it even had its own alcoholics. We moved to a more salubrious cafe where the price of tea and coffee put almost anywhere in England to shame and this for coffee that directly enters your bloodstream.
We stopped at a farmhouse factory on the way back to the port. We were only there for snacks but what snacks. I particularly recommend the sun-dried tomatoes but I would happily suggest you buy anything from their website. www.valledelmarta.com
How happy I was simply to sit in the car park and await the return of our coach driver whilst reflecting upon the simple quality of the olives and tomatoes I had just consumed.
This kind of learning tourism is pretty heavy duty though and I was glad that we have arranged several sea days and some ports without excursions. Tonight we sail for Piraeus and by the time our coach arrives in Athens I believe I shall be ready for the Acropolis.
We arrived in port early, our second visit. Breakfast is a scrum on port days. Unfortunately the food is quite good and there is lots of choice. Give most people a decision to make and they stand around with their mouths open, getting in the way and, well, I suppose, eventually making a decision.
English is supposedly the onboard language but given the mix of nationalities working on board it can be very difficult to get a satisfactory answer to more complex questions. It seems that most people don’t even know that the clocks change twice a year in most of the world. Putting such frustrations behind me, it was good to set out on a beautiful day. Surprisingly the Etruscans had attracted TWO coachloads many of those from a place where Delaware is regarded as old.
The Etruscans occupied twelve city states across parts of modern day Italy between the 8th and 1st centuries BC. Their necropolis at Tarquinia was extremely interesting. We saw four different tombs of the many there and some Villanovan remains which pre-date even the Etruscans. The grounds of the tomb site had beautiful wild flowers.
In Tarquina itself the museum had excellent exhibits well curated but explained only in Italian. The Etruscans had false teeth and umbrellas. Tarquina even for the briefest visit in our post-museum spare time was everything you want a small Italian town to be.
In the first square we visited it even had its own alcoholics. We moved to a more salubrious cafe where the price of tea and coffee put almost anywhere in England to shame and this for coffee that directly enters your bloodstream.
We stopped at a farmhouse factory on the way back to the port. We were only there for snacks but what snacks. I particularly recommend the sun-dried tomatoes but I would happily suggest you buy anything from their website. www.valledelmarta.com
How happy I was simply to sit in the car park and await the return of our coach driver whilst reflecting upon the simple quality of the olives and tomatoes I had just consumed.
This kind of learning tourism is pretty heavy duty though and I was glad that we have arranged several sea days and some ports without excursions. Tonight we sail for Piraeus and by the time our coach arrives in Athens I believe I shall be ready for the Acropolis.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Mediterranean Reflections
The Mediterranean is like the sky. As an air traffic controller, sometime pilot and frequent passenger, I know how difficult it can be to spot another aeroplane in piece of sky I know to be busy.
Similarly at sea where plenty of vessels merchant and private operate it still surprises me that one can sail for miles and see no other ship.
Today, out of the wind, it was a beautiful day. Heading pretty much east we passed the island of Asinara and were headed tantalisingly for the straits of Bonifacio where you pass between Corsica and Sardinia. I have visited neither island and wanted to see both in daylight.
Waiting for exactly such landfall you can easily put yourself in the minds of the ancients so beautifully captured in his Troy trilogy by David Gemmell before his premature departure from this fragile life. Here we were today on Gemmell’s “Great Green”. With his prose in mind it was easy to capture the awe of those who sailed thousands of years before us. For all its known proportions today, the Mediterranean is sufficiently vast and sufficiently unpredictable to have seemed to the ancient mind to be a world itself. We know the whole world today if we have not yet tamed it and yet, within the almost enclosed Middle Sea lie such great distances between its alluring islands that those who set out in the most modest of vessels must indeed have been brave or driven.
Similarly at sea where plenty of vessels merchant and private operate it still surprises me that one can sail for miles and see no other ship.
Today, out of the wind, it was a beautiful day. Heading pretty much east we passed the island of Asinara and were headed tantalisingly for the straits of Bonifacio where you pass between Corsica and Sardinia. I have visited neither island and wanted to see both in daylight.
Waiting for exactly such landfall you can easily put yourself in the minds of the ancients so beautifully captured in his Troy trilogy by David Gemmell before his premature departure from this fragile life. Here we were today on Gemmell’s “Great Green”. With his prose in mind it was easy to capture the awe of those who sailed thousands of years before us. For all its known proportions today, the Mediterranean is sufficiently vast and sufficiently unpredictable to have seemed to the ancient mind to be a world itself. We know the whole world today if we have not yet tamed it and yet, within the almost enclosed Middle Sea lie such great distances between its alluring islands that those who set out in the most modest of vessels must indeed have been brave or driven.
Less Than A Grand
The fussy service in the Grand Pacific is somewhat of a disguise for rigid portion control. Nothing was at the table. Milk is poured into your tea for you; the hot water is brought too early to be truly useful for tea making when they have to search for a regular teabag whilst the tea box is full of Raspberry & Grapefruit or somesuch.
Salt and pepper are dispensed for you over your breakfast and, never imagining that you might want to eat your rather limp wheat toast with your eggs they advance to dispense a predetermined amount of marmalade onto your side plate and have to be fought off.
The corned beef hash, a potential favourite of mine, was less than hearty and a disappointment.
Tomorrow, we’ll be heading for the self-service and certainty of portion size.
Salt and pepper are dispensed for you over your breakfast and, never imagining that you might want to eat your rather limp wheat toast with your eggs they advance to dispense a predetermined amount of marmalade onto your side plate and have to be fought off.
The corned beef hash, a potential favourite of mine, was less than hearty and a disappointment.
Tomorrow, we’ll be heading for the self-service and certainty of portion size.
Sunday, 8 March 2009
On Board
This was my least relaxing cruise boarding to date. We quickly discovered there is no guest laundry so we will be paying full cost for that. Internet service is expensive slow and not even guaranteed. Although wireless in parts of the ship, it requires an ethernet cable in the cabin or as cruise lines delightfully call it, stateroom.
A cruise like many holidays brings you into contact with many people you would cross the street to avoid including a fair representation of the hard of understanding as well as the hard of moving. The first thing you hope is they’re not on your excursions. Then you thank God you have a balcony so you can keep away from them all. At least at FoD in the evening we’d have a chance of meeting like minded people.
I hope I can relax soon but that is going to be after lifeboat drill. Thank goodness for a day at sea tomorrow.
A cruise like many holidays brings you into contact with many people you would cross the street to avoid including a fair representation of the hard of understanding as well as the hard of moving. The first thing you hope is they’re not on your excursions. Then you thank God you have a balcony so you can keep away from them all. At least at FoD in the evening we’d have a chance of meeting like minded people.
I hope I can relax soon but that is going to be after lifeboat drill. Thank goodness for a day at sea tomorrow.
Arrival In Barcelona
I was very pleased when we parked on an air gate but very soon wished we had not. Leaving the Club cabin and following the signs for non-Schengen arrivals we were through immigration in one minute but in Terminal A. We quickly discovered that our baggage was to be delivered to Terminal B. We had to walk a long way and enter via full blown security to traipse through back to arrivals and finally collect our baggage.
We discovered too that this is a common error – and we were not the only ones on our flight. This is caused by poor signage and lack of guidance from BA.
Barcelona was very beautiful and sunny but a cloud gathered on my brow when they took away our passports at cruise check-in with the intention of returning them the day before we arrive in Egypt. I never like surrendering my passport.
We discovered too that this is a common error – and we were not the only ones on our flight. This is caused by poor signage and lack of guidance from BA.
Barcelona was very beautiful and sunny but a cloud gathered on my brow when they took away our passports at cruise check-in with the intention of returning them the day before we arrive in Egypt. I never like surrendering my passport.
Saturday, 7 March 2009
The Nightmare That Is Gatwick
For all that it was nearly deserted last evening Gatwick certainly was not this morning. BA treated us kindly and were visibly pleased to handle an uncomplicated check-in and one without skis.
Much though I try to be calm - I do really - it took about 2 minutes for the BAA to wind me up. They really do squeeze every last drop of aggravation out of security procedures. We live in a deliberately promoted and frequently refreshed climate of fear and BAA love to play their part.
They were using the Fast Track channel(s) as ordinary channels. They did appear to be opening every possible lane but movement of passengers was limited by the extraordinary lethargy of their staff and the futile processes with which they are burdened. Several months after LHR sensibly dropped the need to remove laptops from bags - this turns out to be a trial - Gatwick are still doing it. They can not bear to let you pass through an airport without removing your shoes whatever your age or degree of mobility. You think you have got through security only to find the now separate shoe check still ahead of you.
I have learned that in spite of promising newspaper articles some months ago, there are no plans to relax the equally stupid liquid restrictions.
All passengers should complain on every occasion to their airline, to the BAA and to the DfT. Like us they should reduce their number of flights and, when at an airport, ignore the cynically placed and overpriced shops until all the agencies involved in the oppression of passengers and universally raised stress levels are forced to change their ways.
Much though I try to be calm - I do really - it took about 2 minutes for the BAA to wind me up. They really do squeeze every last drop of aggravation out of security procedures. We live in a deliberately promoted and frequently refreshed climate of fear and BAA love to play their part.
They were using the Fast Track channel(s) as ordinary channels. They did appear to be opening every possible lane but movement of passengers was limited by the extraordinary lethargy of their staff and the futile processes with which they are burdened. Several months after LHR sensibly dropped the need to remove laptops from bags - this turns out to be a trial - Gatwick are still doing it. They can not bear to let you pass through an airport without removing your shoes whatever your age or degree of mobility. You think you have got through security only to find the now separate shoe check still ahead of you.
I have learned that in spite of promising newspaper articles some months ago, there are no plans to relax the equally stupid liquid restrictions.
All passengers should complain on every occasion to their airline, to the BAA and to the DfT. Like us they should reduce their number of flights and, when at an airport, ignore the cynically placed and overpriced shops until all the agencies involved in the oppression of passengers and universally raised stress levels are forced to change their ways.
Goodbye To The Car and An (Almost) Free Dinner
The drive to Gatwick is a potentially tedious cross country affair but it didn't seem to matter today even as the March version of sunshine gave way to a more familiar greyness.
Summer Special is, in spite of its name, year round long term parking at Gatwick and curiously described as "close to North Terminal". It is, in the way that the moon is close to the earth. You leave your car in a lane similar to those at Alamo rental return and hand in the keys at reception and then a little later it is parked by an APCOA attendant in whose native country Apcoa probably is a word.
You know what? As I looked back at my car from the shuttle I didn't care. I had a receipt. If they lose it they can get me another.
There was a surprise at the Sofitel - the latest in a long line of identities for Gatwick's North Terminal hotel. We were presented with a dinner voucher which I absolutely was not expecting. There was another surprise later on. The food was not at all bad. I had a salad with grilled haloumi. The kitchen had a chef who evidently though that garlic bread with cheese can also be described as bruschetta.
We had come back through North Terminal after leaving the car. Its population density was similar to that of Montana with fewer survivalists. The yellow shirted elves who are (still) there to remind you that 500ml of mineral water could well be construed as WMD looked quite sad.
It is maybe because the downturn in business at Gatwick is quite so evident that Sofitel are giving away their nevertheless very acceptable food.
Summer Special is, in spite of its name, year round long term parking at Gatwick and curiously described as "close to North Terminal". It is, in the way that the moon is close to the earth. You leave your car in a lane similar to those at Alamo rental return and hand in the keys at reception and then a little later it is parked by an APCOA attendant in whose native country Apcoa probably is a word.
You know what? As I looked back at my car from the shuttle I didn't care. I had a receipt. If they lose it they can get me another.
There was a surprise at the Sofitel - the latest in a long line of identities for Gatwick's North Terminal hotel. We were presented with a dinner voucher which I absolutely was not expecting. There was another surprise later on. The food was not at all bad. I had a salad with grilled haloumi. The kitchen had a chef who evidently though that garlic bread with cheese can also be described as bruschetta.
We had come back through North Terminal after leaving the car. Its population density was similar to that of Montana with fewer survivalists. The yellow shirted elves who are (still) there to remind you that 500ml of mineral water could well be construed as WMD looked quite sad.
It is maybe because the downturn in business at Gatwick is quite so evident that Sofitel are giving away their nevertheless very acceptable food.
Nothing Is Ever Easy
The final few hours before the drive to Gatwick. We are experienced packers. Greg does most of the work and does it well. Online check-in is a part of life now. We were pretty relaxed as we already had checked our seat assignments and saw no need to be online at 0910 precisely. Still at 0918.......................I grew tense and irritable as the problems with check-in seemed intractable. Spain (our first port of call), like America requires APIS. We have provided this information time and time again to BA but, for some reason, it does not seem to stick.
Only two weeks ago when details of our booking were changed - because of BA themselves - we provided my passport number and other details for the nth time.
Today, for check-in it wanted them AGAIN but there was a catch of the 22 variety. I put in everything I could and tried to submit it. It wouldn't accept on the basis that it still required my given names BUT that field also said "information already entered" and consequently had no space in which to enter the information demanded.
My friends know me as a calm almost imperturbable type not easily angered by anything. So, when I got through to BA Silver I was a model of calm and courtesy but still managed somehow to convey that I was extremely ticked off. I think it was when I said " I am very ticked off".
Well, BA Customer service was very good and while they were off trying to sort out the problem I resolved the immediate issue by changing log-ons. They have not got to the root of the basic problem and are going to let me know. By e-mail I hope as I am certainly not going to be answering the phone for three weeks.
Well, if you didn't like this entry, you won't want to read on for the next 20 odd days but for those who do - comments welcome.
Only two weeks ago when details of our booking were changed - because of BA themselves - we provided my passport number and other details for the nth time.
Today, for check-in it wanted them AGAIN but there was a catch of the 22 variety. I put in everything I could and tried to submit it. It wouldn't accept on the basis that it still required my given names BUT that field also said "information already entered" and consequently had no space in which to enter the information demanded.
My friends know me as a calm almost imperturbable type not easily angered by anything. So, when I got through to BA Silver I was a model of calm and courtesy but still managed somehow to convey that I was extremely ticked off. I think it was when I said " I am very ticked off".
Well, BA Customer service was very good and while they were off trying to sort out the problem I resolved the immediate issue by changing log-ons. They have not got to the root of the basic problem and are going to let me know. By e-mail I hope as I am certainly not going to be answering the phone for three weeks.
Well, if you didn't like this entry, you won't want to read on for the next 20 odd days but for those who do - comments welcome.
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Friday, 27 February 2009
Wonderful Ephesus
On this occasion we are going to relax in Izmir - we have not yet seen anywhere in Turkey we did not like. It is a wonderful holiday destination. So we are not going to Ephesus this time but on a previous cruise, it was an absolute highlight. I know this is going to sound contradictory. We enjoyed ourselves enormously and will return; just not this time when we have carefully scheduled rest into a busy three weeks.
The point of this post is to give some tips to our friends. Ephesus is magnificent. The classical tourbus approach takes you to the highest point so that in walking through the extensive site, you gradually descend to be met at a lower exit point. There is a great deal to absorb and you feel that one visit however fastidiously conducted is not really enough. Our guide was excellent. Without one you would certainly need an audioguide.
The point of this post is to give some tips to our friends. Ephesus is magnificent. The classical tourbus approach takes you to the highest point so that in walking through the extensive site, you gradually descend to be met at a lower exit point. There is a great deal to absorb and you feel that one visit however fastidiously conducted is not really enough. Our guide was excellent. Without one you would certainly need an audioguide.
It is a physically demanding site which does not easily accommodate the disabled. It is certainly not unsafe but you should wear sturdy footwear and watch your step throughout as the surfaces are consistently uneven. It is also, for all its size, a crowded site because of its popularity.
You can, if you pause, allow your mind to drift back to the heyday of remarkable Ephesus. A good place to do this is about half way through the descent and facing the sea. Today the site is many kilometres inland; in its day Ephesus was a port! This really brings home to you the passage of time. For those interested in genuinely ancient history, Ephesus is a must. For those interested in a beautiful country with wonderful and western-friendly people, Turkey is an excellent destination.
All Part Of The Fun
We are already looking forward to meeting one couple on board - they join for the second part of our cruise; we hope to meet others on board. By meeting people who have had other cruises you can pick up invaluable tips on countries, ports and excursions. This helps you make decisons about future cruises. Also a social hour or a meal with like minded people all helps make the cruise even more pleasant. Mediterranean sunshine, new friends; what more do we need?
Monday, 23 February 2009
The Itinerary
In the following itinerary (E) indicates a port where we have an excursion
Sunday 8 March LGW-BCN
Monday 9 March At Sea
Tuesday 10 March Civitavecchia (E)
Wednesday 11 March At Sea
Thursday 12 March Piraeus [Athens] (E)
Friday 13 March Izmir
Saturday 14 March At Sea
Sunday 15 March Alexandria [Cairo] (E)
Monday 16 March Alexandria (E)
Tuesday 17 March At Sea for Greg's 50th birthday
Wednesday 18 March Valetta
Thursday 19 March At Sea
Friday 20 March Barcelona
Saturday 21 March At Sea
Sunday 22 March Casablanca (E)
Monday 23 March Agadir (E)
Tuesday 24 March Las Palmas [Gran Canaria]
Wednesday 25 March Funchal (E)
Thursday 26 March At Sea
Friday 27 March Malaga
Saturday 28 March At Sea
Sunday 29 March Barcelona, BCN-LGW
Sunday 8 March LGW-BCN
Monday 9 March At Sea
Tuesday 10 March Civitavecchia (E)
Wednesday 11 March At Sea
Thursday 12 March Piraeus [Athens] (E)
Friday 13 March Izmir
Saturday 14 March At Sea
Sunday 15 March Alexandria [Cairo] (E)
Monday 16 March Alexandria (E)
Tuesday 17 March At Sea for Greg's 50th birthday
Wednesday 18 March Valetta
Thursday 19 March At Sea
Friday 20 March Barcelona
Saturday 21 March At Sea
Sunday 22 March Casablanca (E)
Monday 23 March Agadir (E)
Tuesday 24 March Las Palmas [Gran Canaria]
Wednesday 25 March Funchal (E)
Thursday 26 March At Sea
Friday 27 March Malaga
Saturday 28 March At Sea
Sunday 29 March Barcelona, BCN-LGW
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Getting Ready
As experienced travellers getting ready is usually fairly straightforward. I bought our currency a long time ago at the painful rate of 1.01 Euro to the £. We always have residual stocks of key currencies as there is absolutely no point in exchanging them.
I usually revise a few words of foreign language but am lazy in this respect and am never as proficient as I would like to be even with plenty of time to read and listen to language CDs. I am looking forward to trying a little Arabic in Egypt and, to a lesser extent, in Morocco.
Greg has huge piles of washing and ironing to do over two weeks. There are two reasons for this. One is to make sure our holiday clothes are ready and two, to make sure all our other clothes are ready for our eventual return to reality. I do take different clothes on holiday but I can reveal that I shall be taking three suits as well.
The fun thing that happens this week is having our haircuts. I shall have #2 all over and it will have grown back a little by the time we get our daily exposure to Mediterranean sunshine. It's only to keep me cool really as I shall be under the factor 50 AND a big hat as soon as I step off the ship.
Documentation including the itinerary gets checked several times before departure. I don't believe we could ever leave our passports at home but we did once leave and get a considerable way into our journey to the airport without our dollars!
The most exciting time is exactly 24hrs before our scheduled flight in this case to Barcelona. We open the BA website and hover and wait for the first possible minute of online check-in. With seats assigned and boarding passes printed we feel truly ready.
I usually revise a few words of foreign language but am lazy in this respect and am never as proficient as I would like to be even with plenty of time to read and listen to language CDs. I am looking forward to trying a little Arabic in Egypt and, to a lesser extent, in Morocco.
Greg has huge piles of washing and ironing to do over two weeks. There are two reasons for this. One is to make sure our holiday clothes are ready and two, to make sure all our other clothes are ready for our eventual return to reality. I do take different clothes on holiday but I can reveal that I shall be taking three suits as well.
The fun thing that happens this week is having our haircuts. I shall have #2 all over and it will have grown back a little by the time we get our daily exposure to Mediterranean sunshine. It's only to keep me cool really as I shall be under the factor 50 AND a big hat as soon as I step off the ship.
Documentation including the itinerary gets checked several times before departure. I don't believe we could ever leave our passports at home but we did once leave and get a considerable way into our journey to the airport without our dollars!
The most exciting time is exactly 24hrs before our scheduled flight in this case to Barcelona. We open the BA website and hover and wait for the first possible minute of online check-in. With seats assigned and boarding passes printed we feel truly ready.
Friday, 20 February 2009
Easily Found
John is happy because he found a very nice website with all the necessary details of the Barcelona cruise terminal. http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/transport/barcelona-cruise-port.html We know Barcelona a little from a previous visit by train and it is a very beautiful city especially by the revitalised waterfront. We want to spend a relaxing day there between cruises so we're glad to find that the port is within easy reach of the centre. Furthermore it is not a long taxi ride from the airport so Day 1 should be very relaxing. Cruise line check-in is, in our experiences so far in Hawaii, Civitavecchia, Limassol, Venice and Fort Lauderdale, very much easier and pleasant than airline check-in. Heck, I'm already beginning to relax. Shame I have to get rid of chesty cold before we travel.
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Preview
John & Greg are excited about their forthcoming sixth cruise. It will be counted as one but in fact, on this occasion, it is two back to back.
On the first part of the itinerary 8-20 March, we will be in the eastern Mediterranean with the highlight being an overnight stay in Egypt and excursions in Cairo and Alexandria.
When we leave Barcelona for the second time, we will leave the Mediterranean for the Canaries, Madeira and Morocco.
I will be blogging throughout and try to make it interesting although this is my first real blog - bear with me.
On the first part of the itinerary 8-20 March, we will be in the eastern Mediterranean with the highlight being an overnight stay in Egypt and excursions in Cairo and Alexandria.
When we leave Barcelona for the second time, we will leave the Mediterranean for the Canaries, Madeira and Morocco.
I will be blogging throughout and try to make it interesting although this is my first real blog - bear with me.
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