entry 2 3 Dubrovnik, Croatia 

 

Well, the end of the cruise is fast approaching.  Today is the last day for duty free, sales and shopping on board.  I will also want to use my Internet minutes later today.  I have been invited to a wine tasting this afternoon at 230 pm (we had a time change last night and thankfully an extra hour of sleep).  Also tonight is a formal evening with invitation to the Commodore Club with the ships officials.  Music and dancing after that as we prepare to say good bye to our new friends.

 

Dubrovnik – made of stone and light.  Beautiful. Dalmatian coastline of Adriatic sea.  Southern most point in Croatia.

Only port city to rival Venice in the ancient times.  Old city small, unesco world heritage site.  Damaged in 1990 following breakup of Yugoslavia.  Lots of history.  

 

Beautiful red tile roofs and stone buildings line the coast as we pull in to the center of town.  Palm trees, greenery contrasts in such a visually pleasing way.  We entered under a huge bridge, more like a river cruise docking.  

 

Croatia is about same size of province of nova scotia , pop 4 and 3/4 million, about the same as Scotland.  Old city is about 2 miles from Cunard pier.  Dubrovnik is the extreme south of Croatia.  There is a walled city with marbled streets and palaces.  

 

We are getting ready to head out now, brushing teeth, and gathering our belongings for the day.  It is much cooler and there is even a light cloud in the sky ….. We have not seen anything but blue skies and hot sun since Istanbul!  In fact in Corfu one of the shop ladies said that this is usually a rainy season for them so very exceptional that we had such hot and clear skies.  It was definitely humid though!

 

More later tonight or tomorrow, stay tuned to more on the grand adventure.  Much love to my family and friends following this blog, photos to follow when I get home and can figure out how to add them to the blog entries.  I could use some technical assistance!  

 

Love the iPad, love the cruise, and I have had many moments that took my breath away.  So many laughs and beautiful pictures in my head to remember.  I am so incredibly grateful. 

 

Love and wishing you were here, Pam.

 

Corfu resembled a large city in Europe, much like Venice I am told, with high buildings and narrow lanes, cobblestone streets, and an old center, fortress, greenery around the city and of course shopping for tourists!  We walked and walked, looked up, photographed doors and stairways.  We ended up in behind and off the beaten track.  Delighted by the sights, staring with smiles, using our iPads we kept moving.

 

We stopped in a corner cafe in the heat of the day to access the Internet, post blogs and pictures, check email, and use the facilities.  It was enchanting.  While not at all my favorite place, it was busy with 3 Silversea cruise ships in port and the Ocean Princess.  Shopping was delightful with so many choices and even some upscale shops.  Kumquats are a fruit grown here and liquors are sold, as well as limoncello, in many of the local shops.  Jewellery, clothes, products with olive oil and aloe contents are also on display for competitive comparison.  

 

We bought a few gifts and returned to the ship mid afternoon.  I went up to enjoy a refreshing dip in the ships pool.  Penny packed a large suitcase of items she won’t see again until she gets home.  We are starting to plan for our disembarkation in Venice as there is early morning to consider and our luggage.  We will do a practice run tomorrow so we know what to do.

 

Last evening we enjoyed the wine we purchased in Katakolon, and spent the evening chatting and dancing with our new table mate friends.  It was lovely and enjoyable and I hope we all stay in touch.  The wine seems to pack a punch so this morning we have a later start …  (smile).

 

It was our last day in Greece and not really as “Greece -like” as many of the other ports of call.  I very much am enamored with the traditional white wash, blue domes, cobblestone streets and pedestrian walkways winding through lovely areas.  I have loved Greece and look forward to Athens next week with Steve, Sarah, Sergei, Marilyn, her daughter, Sian and her mother.  Wow another chance to see Greece!  And back to Turkey as well.  Two new ports of Sicily and Crete will be new to me as well as a fantastic day touring around Rome again.  

 

It feels like I have been gone for so long, two weeks already.  Wow!  Long vacations and cruises are such a getaway.  It has been amazing reconnecting with Penny and seeing all these exciting ports of call.  I have enjoyed so many highlights that perhaps I can write about on my train ride across Italy on my way to Rome to meet up for the next cruise.

 

Ta ta for now, ciao and a hug, 

Wish you were here.

 

Love Pam 

 

Ps. The sewer covers in Corfu had the name Pam on them ….  Hmmmmm what does that mean?  I took some pictures and smiled.  

 

Enjoying early dining at a table for 10, we never know who the mysterious two others are, who never join us for a meal.  Their loss.  Pater and Mary, Stan and Cat, Julianne and Stewart, all join us each night to swap stories of the day and to learn a bit more about each other.  As we carefully select our sustenance and delights to consume, we share a bit of our story.  As the tales of the day unfold in stories, we enjoy a laugh or two and learn even more rich layers about each other and about the lands we are visiting.  

 

Each day, each evening, the closeness deepens and the friendship grow.  I see Beauty in the faces and enjoy the richness of the details of their pasts.  I think they must feel the same closeness as us, as we find ourselves spending the evenings together now by choice.  Even up to midnight a few nights of this cruise, dancing in the Yacht Club, sharing smiles and enjoying our surroundings as we travel on this luxury liner to our next port of call.

 

Penny and I have made it to a few of the evening events, a few shows and some dancing with our group.  It is fun and then followed by tired mornings as we rise to the excitement of the new port experiences.  Looking forward to finding new treasures, happy moments, and experiences that take our breath away.  We record each day by collage of any purchases, daily write ups for the port descriptions.

 

Partly because of the late night dancing and wine drinking, the blogging and recording of our days has been waiting.  Today we head to Corfu, in fact we have been in port for a few hours already and we have yet to leave our stateroom!

 

Our room steward was just here, we should head up for breakfast and get on with the day in Corfu, our last Greek destination on this cruise.

 

Time for some pictures and tales ….  Wish you were here, 

 

Love Pam 

Xo

 

 

Wow!  Pronounced with the emphasis on the “tak”‘ this is another magical place.  The people from Greece in ancient times must have thought so as well, home of the first Olympics on this island.  I have read this and chatted with people who went to the site on excursion, and my day was filled with other sights.  

 

Starting the day leisurely we had breakfast, omelet, and other treats, and dressed for the heat.  Two other large cruise ships in port today, one had to use tenders.  We could see the small beach to the left of the pier where we were docked, so we decided to do a walk around first, then head for the beach .. So we wore bathing suits.  In the afternoon the plan is to be on excursion selected on the first day of the cruise.

 

The 300 population town was a bustle with vendors, small boutique stores and souvenirs as far as the eye could see.  One long strip of the road, both sides was colorful and busy with pedestrian traffic.  Clearly tourism is valued in this place.  A few higher end ladies shops were busy and well presented with window dressings.  

 

We walked and explored one end to the other.  The heat and humidity was high.  This port reminded us of home.  Lush vegetation, greenery, trees everywhere.  Probably we are lucky the sky is pure blue, no clouds or hint of precipitation.  It is hot hot hot.  Selecting a few silk scarves made in Greece for souvenirs and gifts, we also noted a few places we wanted to go back to….  We never made it.  

 

We strolled over to the small crowded rocky area identified by the public beach signage.  Hmmmmmmm, As crowded as Waikiki however much much smaller, a mixture of young local looking men bronzed and drinking local beer in clusters, and middle to late age out of shape round cruisers dotted the small beach area. This was not going to be a leisurely swim, but rather a quick dip alternating to stay close to our purses and iPhones.  The water was clear and refreshing, only a tiny bit colder than the ship’s pool.  Well worth the time and effort.  When we came back to the ship obviously wet from swimming, another couple asked if we had seen jellyfish in the water, apparently they had.  

 

A quick shower to shed the salt water remaining, changed and grabbed a small bite to eat at the buffet.  We met our Mercedes coach out beside the gangway from our ship to take us to the Vintage Olives and Wine tour on this island.  A 20 minute drive well narrated by a lovely woman, with a great command of English language, great sense of humor and a very strong Greek accent.  She was delightful, informative and entertaining.  What a treat!  

 

St. Nicholas is the honored on all Greek islands and port cities, as the patron saint for sailers and those on the sea.  At least one such shrine in every coastal town, she advises.  She talked about some of the gods from ancient times and myths.  Athena being the goddess of wisdom and intelligence.  She gave details of the vineyard we are going to see and of the island vegetation on the way.  Olives are harvested from mid november to mid February depending on many factors.  Also grown on this island in the rich lushness, oranges, lemons, melons, all kinds of veggies and of course, grapes for the wine famous in Greece.  Olive oil is processed from this island and sent to Italy where the make some refinement and sell it as “made in Italy”. We are determined to look for extra virgin olive oil from Greece when we get back home.

 

Red curved tile roofs over white or yellowish gold gold colored brick and whitewashed homes are along the road, much greenery between them.  Large tall hairy barked and odd looking palm trees tower over the shorter fruit variety.  This island is enchanting and I am so glad for this opportunity to see the real countryside.

 

We arrived at the home and working family farm and vineyard, winery.  It was all that and more.  Greeted with fresh juice, or bottled water, even Greek coffee was available as we arrived and mingled.  A walking narrated tour by the owner operator of this fine estate.  He talked of his family and how due to economic reasons, they had made the choice to produce only top quality wine, olive oil (in the past) and also the necessity to have other forms of income to afford for the cost of living expenses.  This man’s grandfather had worked on contract with Cunard cruise line so many years ago by assisting people in the area to make their dreams come true of moving to the new lands and traveling via the great transatlantic crossings, which then took over a month each way.  Pictures of families and men who had taken the journey and left their homeland in Greece dotted the walls, and also the very early original posters and advertisements for Cunard.  Obviously this family still keeps contracts with Cunard, for the same purpose.  The family home needed some work, he explained, but the money all goes into creating the very best quality wine for sale.  We saw old equipment and he explained some day it would be good to have labels like in a museum of all the artifacts that lie herein.  Maybe someday ….  But for now the business is in the wine making.

 

We tour the rooms and rooms of barrels, thick in the scent of rich new red wine aging.  Fragrant and ancient, how the wine takes on the qualities of this place and another time.  Over an hour of listening and snapping pictures, rich imaginations and musings.  What an enchanting afternoon.  In this moment I think ….. This is my favorite place.  But wait ….. We step out doors to the back yard, spacious and beautifully prepared in the shade of those lovely willow and other large leaf bearing trees.  There in the center of a grove of trees, in a breeze is set several round tables, covered with matching Santorini blue and white plaid linen table cloths, wine goblets and crystal water glasses, two bottles of wine at each table and bread basket, and large tray of brightly colored and beautifully and generously presented cheeses, tomatoes, cucumbers, salami meats and more.  A single bottle of local olive oil is also standing waiting to be enjoyed.  Every small detail is taken care of and offered to us on this perfect of Greek days.  This is indeed one of the finest gifts of generosity and local love I have ever witnessed.  This is Greece’s finest hour.  This moment is to be shared by everyone who has dreamed of this land and wondered what lays in store in the magic of time.  Breathtaking.  Speechless.  Timeless and almost beyond description.  Only the photos can come close to the picture.  Words just seem inadequate.

 

We eat, we talk and most of all we enjoy the bottles of the very gentle yet tasty and potent wines offered to us.  A bottle of red and a bottle of white for each table.  We are only 5 at our table, enjoying the day with our dinner mates Mary and Peter.  We are as old friends now, and we get to share this memory today as well.  We buy a bottle of each wine on the way back to the bus and then back to the ship with the intoxicating glow from this enchanting afternoon.

 

This is my favorite spot.  A bucket list destination come true.  Stunning.  Breathtaking.  Santorini in the hot sun.  If you ever wondered about this place, then take the leap of faith and make it happen.  I feel like I have filled a chapter in my travel book, just today alone!

 

We have heard about the white wine of Santorini and have picked up a few bottles for our room and leisurely consumption.  This has been my favorite stop.  Total luxury. 

 

We met a few women spending a week here shopping and laying by the pool.  Perhaps this is a women’s place?  

 

Paradise, plus, and beyond.  Peaceful waters, views for miles, mountainous rocky cliffs all around as far as we can see, jutting out from the teal blue waters.  The buildings and roads are old, whitewashed and adorn the cliff tops. Little shops and b and b’s, cafe’s and homes all checkered on the path that climbs ever higher.  Toward that hot Santorini sun.  It must be scorching hot in the summer months!  Today is near end of September.  One woman told us it was Gypsy Summer.  We are seeing the best of the best.  If I never pass this way again, I will be happy that I was here on this day.

 

When we began the ascent down the cliff on the cable car to sea level, a beautiful young woman sitting next to me started to sing ” some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this”. Turns out she works on the ship!  Lucky us!  She also said when she looks up at the doors in Santorini she wants to sing ” knocking on heavens door.”. She obviously loves this place.

 

The wine is lovely, dressed semi formal in turquoise and ready for early dining followed by an invitation to the Commodore reception at 7:45 pm.  

 

I am so in love with Greece and all the memories and experiences I am having in this place.  I thought I knew the beauty and now it has become part of me and will stay with me for the rest of my lifetime.

 

I so wish you were all here with me.  Much love from Santorini, 

 

Pamela

Xo

 

 

Everything I  have heard about Santorini is true, and beyond my expectations.  I anticipated this view and yet have never experienced anything like it.  I could stay here for a while.  Today we have no tour.  Walking about this magical place at our own pace.

 

The center of what used to be a volcano top.  As far as I can see, white buildings high atop cliffs, steep rocky mountain sides to the water.  We tendered in and then took a cable car to the top to see the city.  We have walked higher and higher and taking many photos of the quaint little hotels, bed and breakfast and cafe’s.  All built for tourism and spotlessly clean.  We walked climbing higher and higher …  Looking down on blue roofs and white painted buildings.  We are now in a coffee shop looking over the water, using facilities and enjoying the breathtaking view.  

 

What an amazing place.  Local artisans in their yards, painting, making jewellery … It is so hot.  

 

This coffee shop is part of an old windmill, round in shape, all glass with a view everywhere we look.  

 

We started our day with a tour we selected at the last minute, to include Rhodes and Lindor on the island of Rhodes.  We met up with our group, green 7, and loaded in to a tour bus, with 37 others from our ship.  We began driving by the fortress in old ancient Rhodes I what used to be the moat!  We headed north on the island for 55 kms to the sw tip if the island to see the ancient acropolis.  Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese Islands of Greece.  Population of Rhodes is 45,000.

 

We drove past a huge Greek cemetery that was stunningly beautiful with very closely placed white crosses and statues.  It looked very well kept and full.  There was a lot of talk about Collosus, a statue that used to be in the harbor, standing over 10 stories high!  Many imitations were seen along the way, in the ceramics, in front of Greek restaurants and other businesses.  Lovely views of beaches and the very blue sea.  Many luxurious hotels are dotted along the coastline as well.  There is not much water on the island, even the golf course is brown.  Festivals and celebrations were once had for the gods including Zeus and Apollo.  Dowrys for women included ceramics and land.

 

We walked and took pictures in Lindor and climbed higher and higher, some 356 steps, they say.  I did not count but we made it to the top.  Donkeys were available to assist with the climb.  Penny and I decided we would enjoy the donkey ride back to town.  We did a little looking around and realized we were now late for the tour bus.  We stopped to assist one elderly woman from our tour and the three of us were the last to get on the bus.  Oh well.

 

Then the drive back to Rhodes, a quick lunch and change in to our swimsuits.  Penny and I walked to a public beach close by and took a cool refreshing swim.  Then we walked through the old city behind the walls of the fortress.  Back to the ship, showers, laundry and very soon for our dinner.  Elegant casual again tonight for dress code.

 

The ship is preparing to Pull away from the pier and it is 545 pm local time.  This was a favorite spot so far.  The island was such a mix of all that Greece offers.  It is so lovely, relaxed and warm.  I am enjoying the ports of call very much.  All I expected and more.

 

Wish you were here, 

Love  Pam 

Xo

 

Back to Greece!  Today our great Greek adventure is on Rhodes.  We have done some reading and decided a tour to take us to Lindos and some ruins (acropolis) and the ancient towns.  Greece is rich in tradition and seems to be the pace I love …  Quiet small old towns with cobblestones, whitewashed buildings and blue domes.  Shopping is small quaint shops featuring local artisans and bright colors.  

 

The wine from Turkey, Villa Doluca, was rich and dry.  Flavorful and smooth.  A great recommendation from the shop owner in Izmir.  

 

The sunrise this morning is breathtaking.  Oranges, peach, yellow over the grey blue sea in the birth of day light.  Time for another photo on my iPad.  The crispness and full color of the iPad is remarkable.

 

Taking our bathing suits today in case we stumble upon beach.  Maybe umbrella too?  We have not booked our excursion yet so we are going to show up and see if there is room for us.  So looking forward to this day.  

 

Trying to stay present in the moment is always a practice, otherwise all days become one and non are memorable.  How much do I want out of this experience is decided by how strong my will to breathe in and out the present.  Take the time and focus on this day, this moment in time, this breath.

 

Pilot boat is here and it is time to grab some breakfast and head on out to the day on shore in the dreamland of Greece.  

 

 

We love the new additions to our stateroom….. Two beautiful carpets purchased in Izmir.  I admire Penny and her courage and adventurous spirit.  A man met us on the street and encouraged us to enter his souvenir shop.  I was reluctant and Penny was stepping into the fun.  I tagged along, holding back a bit.  Further invited upstairs to see leather goods, handbags, clothing and more.  I was not going up there!  I waited by the door trying to assess an escape route.

 

The same guy invites us to visit his uncles carpet store.  Down a few alleys … Argh… Alarm bells going off in my head and for no reason but fear.  Inside we go, up up stairs to a musty room completely filled with carpets floor to ceiling as if a warehouse.  Www.the carpet museum.  Once there and more people also shopping there I was able to relax and get into the process.  Penny was delightful to watch.  

 

Once the purchasing decision was complete, we had to get to a bank machine.  The salesman accompanied us with the two carpets rolled and wrapped in brown paper.  He even gave Penny a functional black bag to carry the carpets, complimentary.  We saw some very lovely silk carpets as well…such a selection.

 

We found a delightful lunch spot with free wifi and Penny had lunch as I worked on posting blogs and writing emails.  We had been at an Internet cafe much earlier in the day but could not get in to most of our sites.  No rush as we sat enjoying the weather and the sights.  We even sat at a table and who walked up to us, from a neighboring table?  You guessed it, the uncle and several of his male buddies.

 

I don’t quite get it, but noticed the over representation of males traveling together on the streets of Izmir.  Men groups of 4 to 6 seems the norm.  Traveling in age cohorts, finely dressed and quite handsome.  We were being watched from many angles.  

 

We found next door a store that sold Turkey made wine, and beer.  We selected a few and started a leisurely walk to the ship.  I pulled out my phone and noticed it was almost 10 minutes after 3. We have to be boarded on the ship by 4!  We know we are miles from the ship as we had walked the distance earlier in the day.  I kicked my walking speed in to high gear, as did Penny.  By some miracle of time and space bending we arrived at the ship at 5 minutes to 4!!!  

 

Thirsty and happy we are back in our room ready to leave Turkey.  What a fun day and one we won’t soon forget.  We made our collage of purchased items, business cards, two flags (when we tried to buy one flag, the store owner gave us each one for no purchase.  We were thrilled.  I think mine will go to my grandsons.  In fact it will be fun to find flags from all my journeys for them!

 

My feet are a bit sore, and feeling a bit tired from the quick walk back, however the sun was shining high in the very blue cloudless sky with a strong breeze along the water.  We had seen local Starbucks and the clock tower, thousands of pigeons in a city square being fed by locals.  This is a very busy harbor town even on a Sunday.

 

I am glad we had this day.  Tonight dining is elegant casual dress.  We will try to stay up late dancing in to the night with our table mates.  3 couples who all enjoy dancing.  Some the age of my parents even!