| Flag: | Date: | Port: | Comment: |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
16th Aug. 2021 |
BoMoH --> Hounslow |
Joy riding on the new Elizabeth line |
 |
17th Aug. 2022 |
LHR --> Venice |
On board at two! |
 |
18th Aug. 2022 |
Hvar Croatia |
am At sea pm Hvar |
|
19th Aug. 2022 |
Split Croatia |
Krka National Park |
|
20th Aug. 2022 |
Dubrovnik Croatia |
Game of Thrones Tour |
 |
21st Aug. 2022 |
Kotor Montenegro |
Pearls of the Adriatic Coast |
 |
22nd Aug. 2022 |
Corfu Greece |
Corfu Town & Paleokastritsa Caves |
|
23rd Aug. 2022 |
Argostoli Kefalonia Greece |
Cephalonia & Taste of Greek Wine |
|
24th Aug. 2022 |
Santorini Greece |
Villages of Santorini |
|
25th Aug. 2022 |
Heraklion Crete Greece |
Phaistos & Gortyna |
|
26th Aug. 2022 |
Piraeus ATH->LHR BoMoH |
Home by 7 p.m. |
| Flag: | Date: | Port: | Comment: |
I awoke early and finished packing. At 9:30 I had my 39 pound fit to fly RALF test in town, before heading off. The road works on the southern end of the M3 were slow going, but kept moving. I stopped off at the Winchester services and Tesco's in Ashford, where I ate my packed lunch and then slept for an hour.
I got to the Skylark motel at two o'clock, but was unable to pay for nine days of car parking until later in the evening. Having settled in, at 2:30 I walked to Hounslow West tube station to catch the Piccadilly line train to Earl's Court. At Paddington I transferred on to the posh new Elizabeth line underground service to Canary Wharf. Here there was a long walk from the new station to the old Jubliee line station, where I caught the tube to Green Park. Back on the Piccadilly line, I returned to Hounslow West at five o'clock to have the rest of my packed lunch at six.
I spent most of the evening working on my Vesuvius lecture. At nine o'clock I paid 9 x 4 = 36 pounds in cash for car parking, much cheaper than LHR itself! I went to sleep at 9:30, having done over eight and a half thousand steps, equal to over three miles of walking during the day.
My alarms woke me at 4:30 and I abluted quickly. I had a mug of milk in the dining room, but the continental break fasts hadn't yet been set out. I caught the first train at 5:01 from Hounslow West to LHR T5. I got my boarding pass printed immediately, but had to wait until 5:50 to check my suit case in.
I got through security in ten minutes and found a charging station with a great view of the planes landing, but it had no power. Before eight o'clock, we were told to make our way to terminal 5B. I took the long under ground moving walkway in preference to the transit carriages, I won't be doing that again! We boarded at 8:30 and pulled back right on time at 8:50.
During the flight ($362.77 one way) we were given a bottle of water to drink and a fruit bar to eat. We arrived in Venice after an hour and a half, five minutes early. We only had to use our passports at the slow electronic gates and then have them stamped manually. I was through the terminal in half an hour with my chauffer waiting with his Mercedes people carrier to speed me to the old cruise terminal in Venice. I gave him a ten euro tip. Here I was quickly processed through half a dozen desks, having to show my RALF test result twice and my vax certificates once.
A coach then took us back to the main land and through the enormous industrial estate to the ferry port at Fusina. I was back on the lovely Silver Spirit just after two o'clock. I was then the first person to order a small puttanesca pizza in the Spaccanapoli pizzeria with the fabulous view across the Venetian lagoon! Raymond, one of the waiters, remembered my name and my favourite drink (soda water with ice and lemon)!
We had to wait until four o'clock for the suites to be released, when I found I had a large double vista suite on deck four. It had a large bathroom with both shower and full sized bath. It also had a walk in closet, which I don't even have back at home! I had to update my Hvar talk ready for later in the evening, so I didn't have time for the jacuzzis (the pool was empty). At 5:30 we had the safety drill and at 6:30 the cruise director's introduction.
At 7:15 I hosted the solo travellers with Susanne from Zurich, Jane from Florida, Linda and Julia. Jane was the only one without a dinner reservation, so I took her to the Atlantide main restaurant. She began with a double portion of caviar, whilst I had my favourite lobster bisque. We both had the lasagna for our main course. I had just one glass of Valpolicella red wine. At that point I had to slip away to set up for my first port talk, whilst jet lagged Jane needed to sleep!
Richard set me up, but it was still the old VGA connector. CD Russ came and introduced me for my 40 minute lecture on Hvar, the Queen of the Dalmatian Islands. I was the sole form of entertainment in the theatre on the first night of the cruise!
Afterwards, I hadn't quite reached my step quota, so I had to do one lap of the pool deck, but it was rather wet under foot owing to a heavy shower. I went to bed at 10:30 (CET) / 9:30 (BST) after a long day travelling, having done ten and a half thousand steps, equal to more than four miles of walking during the day.
I awoke at 6:15 to the sun rise across the Dalmatian coast. At 7:15 I broke my fast with the full English and a glass of tomato juice. I then did eight laps, equal to one mile, of the top deck, before it got too hot in the Adriatic.
During the morning I worked on my up coming presentations. At nine o'clock I touched base with the tours desk, ready for my next talk that afternoon. When Pande came to service the suite at 9:20, I did another eight laps, equal to another mile, of the top deck. At eleven o'clock I had an early lunch of a ham & cheese baguette in the Arts Cafe. I then slept for an hour and three quarters.
I caught the first independents tender in to Hvar at 1:45. I went in the tourist information office, before walking the 1.8 miles to the main public beach. It was awfully hot, so I caught the 3:30 tender back to the ship.
Here I watched my Hvar port talk on the TV, in the cool of my air conditioned suite. At 4:30 I went to the theatre for Richard to set me up. Unfortunately PowerPoint crashed on me, so I had to do a restart. At 5:15 I gave my 40 minute talk on Split, but during it PP crashed again. I was able to relaunch my presentation relatively quickly and continue, but later some people complained that I was rushing through it!
Afterwards, I did six lengths of the warm pool and spent ten minutes in one of the jacuzzis with US Navy aviator Jim from Virginia Beach. At seven o'clock I hosted the solos in the corner of the Captain's cock tail party. I was joined by Jane again, plus Katrine from Hannover and her friend Eddie from Newcastle-under-Lyme. Katrine had been with me on the second voyage of the Silver Moon last year, whilst Eddie had been a physics lecturer and then senior tutor at Keele University.
At eight o'clock I dined with Jane in La Terrazza Italian restaurant. I had the lentil soup, the inslata Caprese, the fillet mignon and the cassata Siciliana. Jim and his wife Jane came in to the restaurant, so I introduced them to the other Jane I was dining with.
At 9:45 I went to the excellent Swing show by the six Voices of Silversea on board. I went to sleep at 10:45 having done over seventeen thousand steps, equal to seven miles of walking during the day.
With my curtains left open, I awoke to the dawn just before six o'clock. At 6:30 I had a smoked salmon panini and a raspberry smoothie for my break fast sat outside the Arts Cafe. Back in my cabin, I up dated this web log.
At eight o'clock I was on duty on the quay side with guide Lea and driver Meo for my first choice tour. We departed with 30 guests at 8:35 for the hour and a half drive to the famous Krka National Park. We went in a couple of period buildings including an operating black smith's forge. We headed down the steps along side a series of water falls with lots of large trout. We then jumped on a boat for a half hour cruise through the lime stone gorge to the little town of Skradin. The ride back to the ship was slowed by traffic jams at the motor way toll booth and the city centre, getting back at 13:35, just five minutes late.
I immediately headed for the pool side grill for my first cheese burger and fries (no bun) of this cruise. I then slept for 70 minutes, before watching my Split talk on the TV. At 5:15 I gave my 40 minute lecture on Dubrovnik using their lap top with out any serious issues this time.
At 6:15 I did six lengths of the cool pool followed by 3 x 3 = 9 minutes in one of the hot tubs. At 6:45 I adjourned to La Dolce Vita to host the solo travellers cock tail party as usual. I was joined by Jane plus Diane from Sydney, Australia.
At 7:45 we moved up to the hot rocks grill by the pool. I had the New York blue cheese salad to start, followed by the fillet mignon which I cooked myself on the hot rock. I had one small jacket potato with sour cream and bacon bits, together with one vegetable skewer. Diane had them cook the veal for her and Jane asked for a rare fillet mignon, which I helped finish off!
At 9:30 I danced with Jane to the Trio in the Panorama lounge. We did a social foxtrot, cha cha, rumba & quickstep. When they finished playing I went to bed, going to sleep at 10:30, having done eight and a half thousand steps, equal to over three miles of walking, during the day!
I got up to the dawn at six o'clock, abluted and updated this blog. At seven o'clock I had the full English break fast sat with Alie from the Netherlands.
At 8:30 I was on dispatch duty in the Venetian lounge ready to lead my first choice Game of Thrones walking tour group down to the tender. We then gathered on the quay side with our Croatian guide Jadranka. We visited the sites where the Game of Thrones was filmed including St Lawrence's Fort on the west side of the city.
|
Back on the east side again, we entered the famous and expensive wall walk (250 HRK, 35 USD). We climbed up to the castle and the highest point, before descending to the western side again. Here the tour ended, but we could continue around the southern side of the ramparts walk at our discretion, which I did.
I caught the 1:45 tender back to the ship, where I had my second puttanseca pizza of the cruise. I then slept for 75 minutes, before up dating this web log whilst watching my Dubrovnik talk on the TV. Unfortunately the Opera rehearsal over ran and the ship's network was having problems, so I only got started five minutes late.
I then gave my 30 minute talk on Kotor, finishing early to allow them to set up for the early show time at 6:15. This was the Voce dell'Opera recital with two of the Voices of Silversea, which I listened to. At seven o'clock I moved along to La Dolce Vita where I sat with Jane & Diane again. We dined in La Terrazza at eight o'clock, with me having the tomato soup, the Medici salad and the Osso Bucco veal shank.
At 9:30 I danced with Jane to the trio in the Panorama lounge, but they finished early at 9:50 ready for the Karaoke session. I picked up my next tour escort details and retired to up date this blog. I went to sleep at 10:30 having done over thirteen thousand steps, equal to over five miles of walking during the day!
I awoke at six o'clock as we entered the Gulf of Kotor. At 6:30 I had a warm smoked salmon panini with a small cheese plate al fresco outside the Arts Cafe, with fabulous views of the ria, a drowned river valley, NOT a fjord!
At eight o'clock I was one of the first off the ship ready to escort my first choice Pearls of the Adriatic Coast tour. I was eventually allocated to bus number four with guide Ivana and driver Rade. Our first stop was the view point above St. Stephen's island.
We left the bus in Budva for a walk through the old town to the archaeological museum. We then had forty minutes of free time, but it began with a short shower of rain. I rushed around the narrow streets, but declined to pay two euros for the wall walk which I later regretted.
At the Porto restaurant by the marina, we had two large open sandwiches of delicious ham and cheese. I opted for the beer, but most pax had the local wine. On the way back to the ship we encountered a heavy thunder storm.
Back at the port, I walked in to town to photograph the market, but the thunder was getting louder, so I high tailed it back to the ship, not having time to record my usual piece to camera. Yorkshire Catherine sheltered under my brolly, whilst we negotiated the quay side.
Back on the ship, I had a cheese burger and fries with no bun under cover by the pool as the rain poured down. I then slept for an hour and a half. The cruise plan had me lecturing at 4 o'clock, with the future cruise manager on at 5:15, but the Chronicles programme had us both on at 5:15, so I gave my 35 minute talk on Corfu, skipping over the video, and he didn't get to speak! At 6:15 I did six lengths of the empty pool and spent 3 x 3 = 9 minutes in one of the empty jacuzzis.
At seven o'clock I hosted Jane and Diane at the singles get together. At 7:30 we moved down to the Atlantide main restaurant, where I had the large king crab starter, the crab bisque soup and the rib eye steak. I had gone all the way to North Norway on my previous cruise and not had any king crab and here I was in the Adriatic tucking in to it! I had two small glasses of red wine with my meal.
We didn't have time for desserts, as we went dancing from 9:30 until ten o'clock, including our first waltz to the trio. I went to bed at 10:30 having done over eleven thousand steps, equal to over four miles of walking, during the day.
I got up at five o'clock, but it was now six o'clock on Greek time. At 6:30 I had a warm smoked salmon panini, a small cheese plate, a raspberry parfait and a decaff capuchino in the Arts Cafe as the dawn broke. Back in my cabin I updated this web log.
At nine o'clock I escorted my second choice Corfu Town & Paleokastritsa Caves tour. This was guided by Angela and driven by Risos.
We drove across the island to the west coast to take a boat ride to see three small caves in the limestone cliffs. The water was clear with lots of fish. The captain of our little boat was very funny and spoke good English. During our free time, I walked up the steep hill to the famous Paleokastritsa monastery, which I have visited previously. Here I recorded my piece to camera.
We then drove back across the island to Corfu town. Here we had a short guided walk, before been given more free time. I walked around the outside of the Palace of St Michael & St George (remember Commander of the Order of St Michael & St George [CMG] Call Me God?) I went in St Spyridon's church and then caught the bus back with just two guests left, the rest making their own way back to the ship.
Here at 2:30 I had my third puttanesca pizza of the cruise, before getting ready for my next port talk. At four o'clock I gave my thirty minute talk on Argostoli: the capital of Kefalonia. Back in my suite, I slept for three quarters of an hour, before up dating this blog.
At 6:15 I sat with Dutch Alie at the Blues Brothers, Soul Sisters show time, which I have seen several times before on various cruise lines. At seven o'clock I hosted the solo travellers as usual. At 7:30 I led Jane & Diane up to the Hot Rocks Grill by the pool. Here I had the New York salad, the fillet mignon cooked by me and the cinnamon ice cream, all washed down with two glasses of red wine. I helped Diane finish off her fillet mignon too!
At 9:30 I danced with Jane to the trio for twenty minutes until the Name that Tune game show started in the Panorama lounge. I went to bed at 10:30 having done twelve and a half thousand steps, equal to five miles of walking, during the day!
My alarm woke me at six o'clock, but I took some time to get ready to go. At seven o'clock I broke my fast with the full English sat with Dutch Alie. At eight o'clock I was on the quay side ready to escort my third choice Wine tour.
Our first stop was at the neo-classical light house at the north end of the Argostoli peninsula. Here we decanted 13 guests to the bus behind to even up the numbers. Our second stop was in a hill side village which didn't have much to offer bar a cafe with toilets. The third stop was at the fabulous monastery of St Andrew which had an impressive museum with both old and new orthodox churches along side.
Our final stop was at the Robola co-operative winery, which I have visited before. We sampled four local wines: two white, one rose and one sweet red like Port which I favoured. We had cheese, spam (!), pasties and salad to eat.
Back at the ship, I recorded my piece to camera in front of the ship. I lunched on tilapia fish and chips by the pool, before sleeping for an hour and a half. I was awoken by our early departure from Argostoli. I spent the next hour and a quarter up dating my forth coming presentations.
At 5:15 I gave my 40 minute talk on Santorini in the Venetian theatre. At the end a US Navy Chaplain gave me a lovely coloured metallic medallion. I then did six lengths of the warm but busy pool and spent 3x3=9 minutes in the empty hot tubs. At seven o'clock I hosted Jane & Diane, but the latter had a dinner reservation with some new friends.
At 7:30 I led Jane down to the Atlantide main restaurant, but at that moment they were pouring out of the Venetian (loyalty) Society cock tail party, so we had to stand in line, until a table could be assigned to us. I had the king crab, the Greek salad, three lamb chops and the chocolate opera cake dessert. I drank just two glasses of the red wine of the day. We were sat bewteen a German couple and a couple from Manchester.
At 9:30 I danced with Jane to the Trio for half an hour, joined towards the end by the Manchester couple. We sat chatting for another fifteen minutes, after the Trio had finished. I went to bed at 10:30 having done eight thousand steps, equal to over three miles of walking during the day.
My alarm woke me at six o'clock with flashes of lightning over the horizon, as it had been doing during the night, but no thunder to be heard in the suite. I then up dated this blog. At seven o'clock I broke my fast with TWO eggs Benedict and a glass of tomato juice.
Back in my cabin, I watched my Santorini talk on the TV. At 8:30 I went to the Venetian lounge to escort my second choice tour to the Villages of Santorini. At 9:15 we arrived at our coach at the Athinios ferry port with guide Thea and driver Pascali. Our first stop was at the highest point on the island, but it was still overcast, after the night's storm had gone through. The next stop was at Pyrgos village where the sun came out. We climbed up to the ruins of the Venetian castle.
Our third stop was at Megalochori village, where we again climbed up to the top of the village. Here I went in an ancient cave house cut into the soft volcanic pumice stone. The final stop was in Fira for the spectacular view point across the famous caldera next to the white Metropolitan cathedral. The majority of the guests stayed in town. Back at Athinios, the rest of us had to wait fifteen minutes for the Greek boat to ferry us back to the ship. Out on the top deck of the ferry in the hot sun, I chatted to a couple from Derbyshire.
Back at the ship, I ordered a small puttanesca pizza, but a large one arrived, so I was forced to eat it! I then dozed for one hour, before giving my 40 minute talk on Heraklion: the Capital of Crete. Afterwards, I did eight lengths of the empty pool and spent 3x3=9 minutes in one of the hot tubs. At seven o'clock I hosted just Jane, as Diane had exhausted herself on her abortive beach break.
At 7:30 we adjourned to the Spaccanapoli pizzeria, where we both had Caesar salad, small puttanesca pizzas and ice cream. I also had two glasses of the Italian red wine. Back in the cabin, I up dated this web log.
At 9:30 I danced with Jane to the trio, including our first East Coast swing (ECS), which we would call a ballroom jive. At 9:45 the four Voices of Silversea started singing, so I had to vacate my front row seat. I had some chocolates out on the verandah chatting to a couple from Washington DC. I went to bed at 10:30 having done over ten and a half thousand steps, equal to over four miles of walking during the day!
I got up at six o'clock and up dated this web log. At seven o'clock I broke my fast with a cheese omelette & crispy bacon for the first time this cruise sat with Dutch Alie. At eight o'clock I was on duty in the coach park ready to escort my first choice tour to Phaistos & Gortyna (not Cortina!) archaeological sites. We had a long drive south across the mountains almost to the south coast of Crete. I had been to Phaistos before and it was deserted unlike Knossos which would have been heaving. I had not been to Gortyna before so that was interesting, but the large North theatre was outside the site fences and the one inside is only the small Odeon theatre.
Back at the ship, I had my final cheese burger and fries with out a bun in the Grill by the pool. Back in my suite, I up dated this blog and started packing. At four o'clock I gave my 35 minute talk on Piraeus: the Port for Athens. I then slept for three quarters of an hour, before up loading my pictures from my last few ports of call. I gave Pande a tip of 20 euros.
At 6:30 I went to the Broadway & Beyond show time with solos and duets from the Voices of Silversea and others sat with Jane. After the crew parade, we adjourned to La Dolce Vita lounge, where we were joined by Diane. At 7:30 we descended to the Atlantide main restaurant, where I had the chicken soup, the crab meat Caesar salad, the Chateuabriand beef and the sugar free Fantasia dessert.
At 9:30 I did two dances with Diane and several with Jane to the Trio in the Panorama lounge. At 10:10 I said good bye to the Trio and to the two ladies and then went to finish my packing. I went to sleep at eleven o'clock, having done nine thousand steps, equal to nearly four miles of walking during the day.
My alarm woke me at six o'clock, so that I was able to break my fast with the full English sat with Dutch Alie at 6:30. Back in my cabin, I up dated this blog and packed my carry on case. I left the suite at eight o'clock and moved up to the observation library.
At 8:45 I collected my passport from reception and awaited the call to disembark, expected at nine, but actually coming at 9:15. The coaches to the airport left at 9:30, taking an hour to get there. At the check-in machine, I printed off my bag label, but not my boarding card and then dropped off the bag at the desk. Here they printed my boarding card and another bag label, which they immediately threw away! They didn't charge me 60 euros for my case as they had done last time ($450.83 one way)!
I was through check-in quickly, but then had to queue for fifteen minutes at passport control, the electronic gates only available for EU citizens! Security only took five minutes, so I was able to relax in the departure lounge. Since the check-in machine had requested my email address, I was notified of the gate number ages before others, so I was able to get a front row seat at gate A7.
Boarding was a bit chaotic, but I got on board and loaded my carry-on case up in to the over head locker. The plane was not quite full, so I had an empty seat next to me. We took off over half an hour late, but made up some time en route, as they usually do. I got out my lap top and started up dating this blog. We were all given a chicken & cheese ciabatta roll with two Oreo biscuits. I had a cup of Coca Cola to drink. I dozed for a bit before landing.
I was quickly through the electronic passport gate, but had to wait fifteen minutes at the baggage carousel. I managed to catch the waiting tube train to Hounslow West, where I collected my car. I had an easy run as far as Winchester, where the M3 road works were backed up, so I diverted through the city, Hursley and Romsey. I had a bit of a wait at the Ringwood road works, getting home at 7 o'clock in the evening.
One lady later wrote: "Many thanks to you for your company dining and dancing on the Spirit."
Another lady later wrote: "Great meeting you and many thanks for your good company."
A gentleman later wrote: "Your superb lectures were a great highlight of the cruise!"
It had been yet another super cruise!
12 Silversea cruises 11 Cruise companies 10 Old ports 9 Port talks 8 La Terrazza meals 7 Tours escorted 6 Silversea ships (Whisper, Wind, Muse, Moon, Dawn & Spirit) 6 La Terrazza break fasts 5 Islands (Hvar, Corfu, Kefalonia, Santorini & Crete) 4 Grill lunches 4 Spaccanapoli pizza lunches 4 Atlantide dinners 3 Arts Cafe break fasts 3 New towns (Skradin, Budva & Pyrgos) 3 In suite telephones 3 Tender ports (Hvar, Dubrovnik & Santorini) 2 Solos hosted at dinner 2 Hot Rocks Grill dinners 2 La Terrazza dinners 1 Spaccanapoli pizza dinner 1 Arts Cafe lunch 1 New cruise terminal (Heraklion) 0 Silver Note dinners (booked up) 0 Indochinie dinners (closed)
Silver Wind Silver Muse Silver Moon Silver Dawn Silver Spirit Silver Whisper Celebrity Silhouette Celebrity Solstice Celebrity Eclipse Celebrity Edge Celebrity Apex Black Prince Black Watch Balmoral Boudicca Braemar Saga Rose Saga Ruby Saga Sapphire Saga Pearl II Quest for Adventure Spirit of Adventure (Old SofA) Spirit of Adventure (New SofA) Spirit of Discovery Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) Queen Elizabeth (QE) Queen Victoria (QV) Queen Mary 2 (QM2) Crystal Symphony Crystal Serenity Seabourn Odyssey Seabourn Sojourn P&O Oriana P&O Iona Ambassador Ambience Sapphire Princess VoD Discovery