Dec.
2024
vecchia
Italy
around
day
Dec.
2024
Italy
Herculaneum
Dec.
2024
Crete
Greece
and
Chania
Dec.
2024
Turkey
of the
Ancient World
Dec.
2024
Greece
Epidaurus &
Mycenae
Dec.
2024
Greece
by midnight
| Flag: | Date: | Port: | Comment: |
|---|---|---|---|
|
23rd Dec. 2024 |
Civita- vecchia Italy |
Turn around day |
|
24th Dec. 2024 |
Naples Italy |
Ancient Herculaneum |
|
27th Dec. 2024 |
Souda Bay Crete Greece |
Aptera and Chania |
|
28th Dec. 2024 |
Kusadasi Turkey |
Wonders of the Ancient World |
|
29th Dec. 2024 |
Piraeus Greece |
All day tour to Epidaurus & Mycenae |
|
30th Dec. 2024 |
Piraeus Greece |
Home by midnight |
| Flag: | Date: | Port: | Comment: |
I awoke to my alarm at 6:30 ready for my usual cooked breakfast without eggs. I had one glass of orange juice and one glass of sparkling water to drink as the dawn broke over Civitavecchia. Back in my state room, I worked on my laptop.
I caught the 9:05 shuttle bus into Civitavecchia and walked to the railway station. There were FOUR trains going south to Rome, but none going north, so I abandoned the idea of going to Tarquinia. Instead I spent the morning wandering around Civitavecchia taking photographs. The large market, spilling out over several streets, was in full swing after the weekend. I used the free loo in McDonalds as usual. I walked back to the shuttle bus drop off point, but just missed the one going back to the Viking Saturn, so I walked back past the ferry terminals.
At the gangway, my key card had expired and the replacement one they produced wouldn't work either. Eventually the security officer over-rode the system and I was back on board. In my state room, Tom the Viking Resident Historian (VRH) had left a voice message asking me to swap tours in Ephesus, so he could accompany his wife. I have been to the Roman town houses before, so I crossed my name out on the form and wrote his in. Instead I put my name down for an Ancient Wonders tour, visiting the site of the famous Temple of Artemis / Diana.
I then lunched in the double height conservatory at the end of the World Cafe buffet. I had the minestrone soup with extra Frankfurter chunks to begin. I had the chicken cordon bleu and a pork sticky rib with chips and carrots to follow. I had a glass of pear cider and a glass of sparkling water to drink.
I then slept for two hours, recovering from my fifteen miles walked the day before and the five miles walked that morning. At 4:25 I spent just five minutes in the spa pool with five other guests. At five o'clock VRH Tom and myself met the new Cruise Director Damien from Reading.
At 5:45 Eko set me up ready for me to give my thirty five minute talk on the Eruptions of Vesuvius at 6:15 to a nearly full house. I was told to slip out the side door and run around to the bar at the back of the theatre to answer the guests' questions. I then dined in the MDR with guest singer Charlotte (Charley Blue) and her mother from Kent. I had the lentil soup, the Romana lamb chops and the no sugar added Bavarois dessert to eat. I had just one glass of the French red wine and two glasses of sparkling water to drink.
At nine o'clock Damien sang Mack the Knife, before introducing VRH Tom and myself, as we gave a short spiel on the stage. This was followed by the Beatles tribute production show with the three musicians and the four singers, including Martim from Lisbon and Zane from Skeggy. At 10:30 I started watching my Vesuvius lecture. I went to sleep just after eleven o'clock having done over sixteen thousand steps, equal to over six miles of walking during the day.
I got up at six o'clock, half an hour before my alarm. I had my usual cooked breakfast without eggs just after 6:30 in the World Cafe buffet as the dawn broke over the Bay of Naples. Back in my state room, I worked on my laptop as usual.
At eight o'clock I met guide Vincenzo and driver Antonio in the coach park. We had twenty guests to take to the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum. We had an easy run out, but a slow run back, with the heavy Christmas Eve traffic. Vincenzo gave us the usual tour, with just twenty five minutes of free time at the end. I flew back around the site to get to the famous skeletons on the old harbour side.
Back at the ship at just after noon, I had the corn chowder soup and the roast beef for lunch. I then slept for just half an hour, before heading out again. I walked south along the promenade past the 'New' Castle (Castel Nuovo) to the 'Egg' Castle (Castel dell'Ovo).
Here I turned on my tracker and started back along the prom. I cut up beside the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) in Referendum Place (Piazza del Plebiscito), before entering the Victorian shopping mall (Galleria Umberto I). I walked up the main shopping street (Via Toledo) which was heaving with Christmas Eve shoppers. I then doubled back to the huge cruise terminal.
Back in my state room, I worked on my laptop, completing my blog for the previous cruise and starting this one. At six o'clock I went to VRH Tom's interesting lecture on the Roman Empire. At the end Tom's wife Carol, invited me to join them for dinner. I had the Norwegian fish soup, the Tornedos Rossini and the no sugar added dessert as usual. I had two glasses of Spanish Rioja red wine to drink.
At nine o'clock I went to Charlotte's excellent first show time (Charley's Blue). She began with "Roll over Beethoven" and continued with the Drifters' "Stand by me", she finished with the Beatles' "Hey Jude". She played and sang Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" using his loop technique, but it didn't have a samba rhythm. I went to sleep at 10:30 having done nearly eighteen thousand steps, equal to over seven miles of walking during the day.
I awoke at 6:40 and got up at seven o'clock as we passed Stromboli, but it wasn't erupting, although apparently it had been at six o'clock that morning. At 7:30 I had one egg Benedict AND one egg Royale for breakfast. I also had the Christmas fairy cake, that we had been given the night before, in a bowl with skimmed milk.
Back in my state room, I worked on my laptop. When stewardess Kichi came at 8:35 to service the cabin, I went up to the Explorers Lounge as we sailed towards the Straits of Messina in the bright sunshine. At 9:30 I went to the twenty minute Christmas Service with ACD Sasha playing the piano and the four vocalists leading the hymn singing.
Afterwards I did six laps of the promenade deck in the bright sunshine, equal to one and a half miles of walking. I watched the pilot come aboard for the transit of the Straits of Messina. I chatted to guests from Denver, Colorado and Miami, Florida on the deck above the bridge wing looking out for Mount Etna.
At noon I had the vegetable soup followed by the gammon and the duck with chips, roasted beetroot and corn on the cob. I had one glass of the berry cider and one of sparkling water to drink. I then slept for eighty minutes, before working on my laptop.
At three o'clock Lucy taught a beginner line dance in the Torshavn nightclub. The chairs and tables had been piled up on the sides, but it was still packed with punters. Then CD Damien taught Country Walkin' with syncopated turkey arms, Honky Tonk Stomp and Stroll Along Cha Cha as a one wall dance. I wore my Christmas Elf outfit.
At 4:30 I went to VRH Tom's interesting lecture on the Ancient Greeks. At 5:25 I spent just five minutes in the spa's hot tub, as the pool was roped off due to the ship's motion crossing the Ionian Sea. At 5:45 Mark and Eko set me up and I left my animated Med GIFs running. At 6:15 I gave my forty minute talk on the Story of the Mediterranean Sea to only a medium sized audience. The ship was rocking and Christmas dinner was being served, so I didn't stand a chance.
Afterwards I dined on the langoustine bisque, the roast turkey and the Christmas charm dessert. I had just one glass of red wine to drink, chatting to a couple from LA in California. They had had to fly from LAX to LHR to Munich to Rome to get to the ship. They were spending some days in Paris, before flying back to LAX via LHR.
At nine o'clock I went to the Viking Holiday Wishes production show time. All the entertainment staff performed, singing mainly Christmas songs. CD Damien and the female vocalist from the nightclub sang Andrea & Celine's "The Prayer". Back in my state room I watched both my Mediterranean AND Vesuvius lectures on the TV. I went to sleep at 11:20, having done just under ten thousand steps, nearly equal to four miles of walking during the day.
I awoke at seven o'clock, but it was now eight o'clock on Greek time. At 7:35 I had my usual cooked breakfast minus any eggs. I had one glass of orange juice and one glass of sparkling water to drink.
At 9:30 I went to VRH Tom's interesting forty minute talk on the Ottoman Empire. Back in my state room, I worked on my laptop as usual. At eleven o'clock I did four circuits of the promenade deck in the warm sunshine on one side, but the cool wind on the other.
At 11:30 I had my first (and only) blue cheese burger with chips of the cruise in the Pool Grill. I had just one glass of sparkling water to drink. Back in my state room, I slept for just half an hour, before having a can of diet coke and a Norwegian chocolate bar from the fridge.
At 1:30 I went to the Stage Door musical theatre production matinee starring the four vocalists and Perry the Filipino pianist. They began with "Somewhere" and ended with a "Les Mis" medley. The usual cockney musicals were present: Mary Poppins, Oliver, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and My Fair Lady, but not Half a Sixpence. American musicals included "Somewhere over the Rainbow" from the Wizard of Oz and the usual numbers from the musicals Rent and Singin' in the Rain.
At 4:30 I went to the Souda Bay port talk. CD Damien began with a ten minute introduction, followed by Shorex Man Leon's ten minutes on the tours. The session finished with a ten minute conclusion by CD Damien. Afterwards I spent ten minutes in the spa pool, before drying off on one of the warm stone beds.
At 5:45 Samir set me up and I left my Souda Bay & Chania pictures running. At 6:15 I gave my forty minute talk on the Story of Architecture including the amusing video at the end. Afterwards one gent from Chicago wanted me to talk about Adrian Smith who had designed the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai.
In the MDR, I dined on the white bean soup, the steak & chips and the no sugar added dessert. I had two glasses of red wine to drink, sat with a couple from South Dakota and a couple from Houston. The latter gent was an athletics coach at Rice University.
At nine o'clock I went to Charlotte's excellent second show time. She sang two Dolly Parton numbers, Van Morrison's Moondance and Elvis Presley's Jailhouse Rock, amongst other. Back in my state room, I watched my Architecture talk on the TV. I went to sleep at 10:50 having done only six thousand steps, equal to over two miles of walking during the day.
I awoke to my alarm at six o'clock, ready for my usual cooked breakfast without eggs. Just after eight o'clock I had to brave the heavy rain to run to the waiting coach. Here I met guide Poppy and driver Alexander. We had just sixteen guests to take to the Aptera ruins, which I hadn't seen before.
We began at the Ottaman castle overlooking Souda Bay where the rain had stopped. Next we visited the out-of-use Orthodox monastery in the centre of the site. From here, I wandered off to see the famous Roman cisterns. Our last place was the lovely little Ancient Greek theatre.
Back at the coach, we were joined by another couple who had been put off by the initial rain at the ship, but had caught up with us by taxi. We then drove into Chania, but it started to rain again, so we all headed for various cafes. I spent €7.50 buying Poppy a coffee and me a hot chocolate in the Ababa bar. This turned out to be a gay bar in the evenings, with homoerotic paintings on the walls and in the loo! We walked back to the drop off point, but had to wait a while for the coach to return as the rain had slowed up the traffic.
Fifteen minutes late back at the ship, I had the bell pepper soup and the mixed grill, before sleeping for eighty minutes. At 4:30 I went to the Kusadasi port talk which had the usual 10-15-10 minute structure. I picked up a couple of points to put into my forty minute Ephesus talk at 6:15, having been set up by Samir. I left my latest Ephesus photographs running as the guests arrived, greeting them at the door wearing my black Turkish cap.
At 7:15 I dined on the tomato soup, the Mediterranean mixed grill and two pieces of baklava. I had just one glass of sparkling water to drink. At 8:30 the Dancing under the Stars had been moved down from the pool deck to the Torshavn nightclub. Here I joined in the YMCA as usual and did a smooch with Carol from South Carolina. I was sat with a family of six from Florida. The three piece band played for over an hour and a half without stopping, supporting CD Damien and the two resident vocalists.
At ten o'clock I retired to my state room to update this blog. My Ephesus presentation hadn't yet been uploaded, so I couldn't watch it. I went to sleep at 10:30 having done ten thousand steps, equal to four miles of walking, during the day.
My alarm woke me at six o'clock, but it was now seven on Turkish time. I had my usual cooked breakfast, this time with back bacon, rather than crispy streaky bacon. I had one glass of orange juice and one of sparkling water to drink.
Back in my state room, I worked on my laptop. At 8:45 I moved out to the coach park to meet guide Fatih and driver Ozcan. I also said hello the guide Bryan, who I had worked with previously.
We had thirty one guests to look after on the Wonders of the Ancient World tour. Two guests had trouble walking along the quayside, so we were late getting away. We had a half hour run out to Ephesus which we saw at a distance from the main road and then from the main gate.
Our first stop was at the Virgin Mary statue. We then drove to the Basilica of St John, which I hadn't seen before. This was once the third largest church in Christendom. The ruins were impressive and I was able to take lots of photographs.
During the free time, I walked up to the Selcuk Castle above it, but didn't have time to go in. We then drove the short distance to the modern Ephesus museum in the centre of Selcuk. Here I took some more pictures of the well-lit marble statues. Our final stop was at the site of the Temple of Artemis, which has just one column left standing.
Back at Kusadasi, I gave the carpet demonstration a miss and hurried back to the ship for a late lunch. I had the pumpkin soup and the chicken schnitzel to eat and just two glasses of sparkling water to drink. I then dozed for three quarters of an hour.
At 4:30 we had the usual 10/15/10 minute double act from CD Damien and Shorex Man Leon on Piraeus & Athens. At 5:10 I spent ten minutes in the spa pool, the hot tub being cordoned off. I dried off on one of the warm stone beds as usual.
At 5:45 Eko set me up and I left my Athens photographs running. At 6:15 I gave my forty five minute talk on Athens to a surprisingly large audience, given that the Surf 'n' Turf buffet had already started.
I dined in the MDR on red lentil soup, salad Caprese, lobster thermidor and no sugar added praline perfection. I had just one glass of French red wine to drink. I was sat with a retired US Army Colonel and his Vietnamese wife from Virginia.
At nine o'clock I sat with VRH Tom and his wife Carol at the Captain's Farewell, where I had one glass of champagne. This was followed by the excellent Southern Sounds country music production show time, which I have heard before. Unfortunately Molli was indisposed, but Lucy covered for her magnificently.
Back in my state room, I started watching my Ephesus lecture on the telly. I went to sleep at 10:50, having done only three and a half thousand steps, equal to one and a half miles of walking during the day.
I awoke at 6:40, but it was now only 5:40 back on Greek time again. At six o'clock I abluted and at 6:30 I had my usual cooked breakfast with back bacon minus any eggs. The left hand side of the World Cafe buffet hadn't yet opened, so I couldn't have gouda cheese slices on my toasted muffin. I had one glass of orange juice and one of sparkling water to drink.
Back in my state room, I worked on my laptop, but it was still dark outside. At eight o'clock I left for the coach park, chatting to CD Damien at the gangway. He said that he hadn't had any complaints about my lecturing, but thought that he recognised me from the Silver Spirit where he was a vocalist. When I got to my coach to meet guide Katarina and driver Dinos, it transpired that they were all waiting for me, as my dispatch sheet had the wrong time on it!
We had a long drive along the Saronic Gulf to the Corinth Canal for a half hour photo and comfort break. After another half hour we reached Epidaurus (not Epidural!) with its huge Ancient Greek theatre. After Katarina had done the group synchronised clapping in the middle of the pit, we were let loose. I rushed around the top and middle of the auditorium before going to the little museum. I continued around the other, fragmentary ruins, before rejoining her at the other gate.
We then had another half hour run to Mycenae. We climbed up to the famous Gate of Lions and were then given free time to explore the impressive citadel in the bright sunshine, but cold north wind. We had a five minute ride to Agamemnon's impressive tomb, where I climbed up to the summit as I had done sixteen years previously. The inside, with the beehive boulders, was as stunning as before.
In the village, we had a lovely lunch consisting of cheese & spinach starter followed by roast lamb with potatoes and tsatsiki salad. Luckily I got given my favourite crispy skin portion. We finished with a sweet carrot cake. I had two glasses of red wine, one of water and a cup of coffee to drink. The latter prevented me sleeping on the way back to the ship.
At 5:20 I spent ten minutes in the crowded spa pool, with the hot tub cordoned off again. Back in my state room, I got into my going home outfit and packed my suitcase. At 6:15 I went to the MDR where I was sat with Betty & her husband from Pennsylvania and Margaret & her husband from Connecticut. The two ladies were sisters. I had the parsnip soup, the sirloin steak with chips and the no sugar added coconut surprise dessert. I had two glasses of French red wine to drink. The dinner ran on so I missed the eight o'clock Greek folklore show, but I had seen it on a previous cruise.
Back in my state room, I updated this blog and finished packing. I went to sleep at ten o'clock having done over twelve and a half thousand steps, equal to five miles of walking during the day.
I awoke to my alarm at six o'clock after a disturbed night. At 6:30 I had my final cooked breakfast of the cruise, without eggs. I had one mug of decaff coffee, one glass of orange juice and one of sparkling water to drink.
Back in my state room, I backupped my photographs to my portable hard disk drive. At eight o'clock I moved up to the second floor of the atrium, where I set up my laptop on the Scrabble table. Here I reviewed all the photographs I had taken on the cruise. At ten o'clock I did five circuits of the top deck, equal to one mile of walking, in the warm sunshine.
Just after eleven o'clock fellow speaker John Chapman arrived as a guest under the Viking friends & family scheme. He had had a bad time flying out from foggy Gatwick. I had first worked with him back on a Marella cruise. I thanked him for recommending me to Viking!
At 11:45 eleven of us were called forward and collected our bags in the cruise terminal. These were then taken to the coach, unfortunately we had to wait a time for another couple to turn up. The run to the airport was slow along the motorway by the nearly dry river.
There were NO queues at the BA check in deck, but they wanted me to deposit my carry on bag as well as my main suitcase. There were only short lines at passport control and security. In the departure lounge, I found a bench with lots of power outlets, so I was able to charge up my laptop and one phone. I spent some time reviewing my two new blogs ready for uploading when I got home.
Our plane was late arriving, but they turned it around quickly. Not having to stow my carry on bag, I waited until the last minute to board. I was pleased to get an exit seat with huge legroom.
We were an hour late taking off. We were again given three small gingerbread men with out bottle of water and later I asked for another bottle too. I then slept for over an hour, before whiling away the time playing FreeCell and Hearts.
We caught up half an hour of time, but parked away from the terminal five, so we had the bus ride around the houses. Passport control had no queue and by the time I had ordered my coach ticket my bags had already arrived. I took the Piccadilly line to the central bus station as it is a nicer place in which to wait.
I then caught the nine o'clock National Express to BoMoH via SoToN. I got home just before midnight and was asleep by 12:30 having done nearly ten thousand steps, equal to four miles of walking, during the day.
1) "Eruptions of Vesuvius" Dig into the story of the buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. 2) "The Story of the Mediterranean Sea" Dive into the natural history and human history of this great sea. 3) "The Story of Western Architecture" Hear the story from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome to Post-Modern Architecture. 4) "Ephesus: The Greatest Ancient Greek City?" Explore the fabulous ruins of this great city. 5) "Welcome to Athens: Capital of Greece" Discover the history & highligts of this great city.
6) "Shakespeare & the Mediterranean" Come and hear why Shakespeare set so many of his plays in the Mediterranean. 7) "Mamma Mia: the Greek Musical" Take a chance on the wonderful songs of ABBA set on a Greek island.
198 Cruises 51 Cruise ships (see below) 15 Cruise lines (see below) 7 Night cruise 6 Cooked breakfasts 5 Restaurants (MDR, CT, WC, PG, Manfredi's) 5 Lectures given 4 Tours escorted 4 Singers (Martim, Zane, Lucy & Molli) 3 Enrichment lectures given (Vesuvius, Med & Architecture) 3 Band members (Keys, Guitar & Drums) 3 Production shows (Beatles, Xmas & S Sounds) 3 Steak dinners 3 Storey atrium 3 Hot tubs 2 Destination lectures gives (Ephesus & Athens) 2 New places (Aptera & Selcuk) 2 Chicken lunches 2 Nightclub singers 2 Panoramic elevators 2 Cinemas 1 New museum (Ephesus in Selcuk) 1 Double state room with picture window 1 Theatre (Star) 1 Nightclub (Torshavn) 1 Viking heritage museum 1 Classical guitarist 1 Classical duo 1 Cocktail pianist (the blond Viking!) 1 Double egg breakfast
Captain Arild Jernaes Cruise Director Damien Sollesse Ass. Cruise Director Sasha Shorex Manager Leon Stage Managers Eko, Samir, Mark and Sanjeev Resident Historian Tom Mazour Cultural Lecturer Martin P. Lee
* Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines * Saga Shipping Company * Voyages of Discovery * Seabourn (Carnival) * Princess (Carnival) * Cunard (Carnival) * P&O (Carnival) * Celebrity (RCCL) * Silversea (RCCL) * Regent SS (NCL) * Oceania (NCL) * Marella (TUI) * Ambassador * Crystal * Viking
Black Prince Black Watch Borealis Boudicca Balmoral Braemar Bolette Silver Whisper Silver Spirit Silver Wind Silver Muse Silver Moon Silver Dawn Celebrity Silhouette Celebrity Solstice Celebrity Eclipse Celebrity Edge Celebrity Apex 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) P&O Arcadia P&O Aurora P&O Oriana P&O Iona Oceania Sirena Oceania Marina Oceania Riviera Viking Sky Viking Saturn Crystal Symphony Crystal Serenity Seabourn Odyssey Seabourn Sojourn Ambassador Ambience Ambassador Ambition Regent Seven Seas Mariner Regent Seven Seas Splendor Sapphire Princess Caribbean Princess Marella Explorer VoD Discovery