Day 1 & 2 (4/18/17-4/19/17)
Debra from D & D Limo services arrived promptly to pick us up and we headed to the Los Angeles Airport, for our flight to NYC.
We arrived to La Guardia Airport in the next morning, and found our ride that we prearranged with Carmel Limo Services. We arrived to the Marrakesh Hotel at around 12 and asked the receptionist to be able to have a room on the first floor, as the hotel has no elevator service. We were pleased to hear that such a room is available and will be ready in an hour. We left our luggage with the hotel concierge, went to a local café for brunch and then walked around the neighborhood in the Upper West Side.
The hotel was in a perfect spot. The subway was one block away, a Starbucks Café was around the corner and West Broadway had many restaurants. Columbia University and Grand Central Park were a 15 minutes walk.
The weather however, was not cooperating and I was shivering, as I did not bring any warm clothes with me (Tova did!). We walked on Columbia Avenue and found a great store where I bought a nice hooded sweat shirt. We walked to Grand Central Park and sat on a bench for awhile breathing in the beauty of nature.
We were back in the hotel at 3 and our room was ready with the luggage already inside. We relaxed for a couple of hours and then walked down on Broadway hunting for dinner. We found a nice small Chinese Restaurant where the food was pretty good.
Day 3 (4/20/17)
New York City
We woke up at 8 and headed to a local deli for breakfast. The cheese omelet inside a toasted bagel was very satisfying. We then took the subway to the Lower East Side and met our Culinary Tour guide for a wonderful walk tour.
We started at Jonah’s Knishes and continued to the other delis and restaurants in this neighborhood: Katz Deli, The Pickle Guys, a bagel shop, a dumpling joint and finally at a donuts bakery. Each place had its own story and the guide described each one them. There were 20 of us in the group and as we found out later that 14 of them were tourists from Israel. The tour was certainly an attraction for Israelis!
We hopped on the subway and found our way to Jamaica, Queens and then used the local bus and walked to The Ohel where Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was laid to rest, in 1994.
Rabbi Schneerson, who is known by his title “The Rebbe”, was an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi, born in 1902 in the USSR and was the leader of the Chabad-Lubavitz Movement. He is considered one of the most influential Jewish leaders of the 20th century. “The Ohel” (meaning “The Tent, in Hebrew) is situated at the northern edge of the cemetery, near the corner of Francis Lewis Blvd. and 121st Avenue, in a section designated for prominent Lubavitcher men and their wives. It is an open-air structure containing the side-by-side graves of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson (1880–1950) and the Rebbe. At his grave site we wrote letters to him and then laid them in a pool-like area, at the middle of the grave where tens of thousands have put their letters and requests before us.
Once we arrived back to West Broadway, we had dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant, named Jerusalem. The food was average.
We were back in our hotel at 10. Overall we walked today for 8 miles!
Day 4 (4/21/17)
New York City
We woke up at 7 and after breakfast in the same deli we visited yesterday, we took the subway to Lower Manhattan and to Ground Zero. We pre-purchased tickets to the observatory of the Freedom Tower (now called One World Observatory). The clouds were thick and gloomy and the tours for today were cancelled. They did give us a phone number so we could call and re-schedule.
We walked around the mesmerizing grounds and then found our way to Chinatown, where Tova found her favorite hair salon, while I just was wandering around. An hour later we walked to a Chinese Restaurant, that I found on Yelp and that had great comments. The name is Lam Zhou and is located on East Broadway. In this tiny place we had one of the best Chinese meals ever. The menu is on the wall and is not big. But, everything that we ordered was superb.
We took the subway back to the hotel and arrived around 3. We took a nap and in the early evening we were back inside a subway. This time we headed to Time Square and walked to the Shubert Theater, where Donna & Russ were already in line to Hello Dolly! with the mega star Bette Midler. The show was excellent and Ms. Midler was at her best. The show’s premier was only a night earlier and we were in Heaven.
We were back in the hotel at around 11.
Day 5 (4/22/17)
New York City / Puerto Rico
We woke at 04:45 and had breakfast at a 24/7 McDonald, a block away from the hotel. Carmel Limo showed up right on time at 6:00 and we headed to Newark Airport to catch our United Airlines flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The flight lasted three and a half hours and we were at the Marriott hotel at 1:00 pm. The room was not ready, so we checked in our luggage and found a local restaurant, named La Pradera, where we had a nice Puerto Rican lunch, which included chicken mofongo, rice, beans and of course a local beer. The mofongo is a Puerto Rican dish with fried plantains (a green fruit, resemble a banana) as its main ingredient.
Tova & I decided that after such a big meal we should walk around and so we did. We walked around the old town and beyond, for about an hour.
We returned to our hotel and the room was now ready. We took a long nap and met with Donna & Russ, who arrived at 4:30 and then we hopped into a cab and arrived to the Marriott Resort, about a 10 minutes drive. There we met with our friends Rhonda and Steve, who arrived to the island 4 days earlier. After the big excitement of seeing each other we went to the dining room for “All you can eat seafood buffet”. It featured crab legs, all kind of shellfish, oysters, and tender baby ribs. This dinner was great!
We returned back to our hotel and packed for tomorrow’s journey.
Day 6 (4/23/17)
Puerto Rico / At Sea
We woke up at 8 and found a lovely café in the old town for a delightful and light breakfast.
We met Donna & Russ at around 12 and together took a taxi/van to the port. I got so excited when we saw the awaiting Jewel of the Seas docked at the port of the island. Checking-in was really easy and pleasant and we found ourselves in our cabin (1068), where will spend our next couple of weeks. We met our cabin steward by the name of Francisco.
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We met the gang and had a light lunch at the Windjammer Cafe. While looking at everyone’s cabin keys we found out that RCCL screwed up our sitting arrangement. They had 4 of us sitting together and one couple sit in a different table. I took matter into my hands and went down to the Tides Dining Room to look for the maitre d’hôtel. I found Susana, who was a head waitress for one of the sections of the dining room. She fetched Patrick, the Floor Manager, who assured me that after tonight’s dinner he will fix it, so we will have our own table and that it will be in a great location. “For tonight”, he added, “You will sit with another couple.”
We found out that the Captain of the ship is the same one we sailed with three times before on Vision of the Seas: She was no other than Captain Lis Lauritzen. After the mandatory “lifeboat drill” we said goodbye to Puerto Rico and started crossing the Atlantic Ocean on our way to Europe.
Puerto Rico was even prettier from the ocean. The wall, around the old city, was magnificent as we actually so it panoramically.
We decided to tour the ship, even though we once sailed in it (to the Western Caribbean’s) and then, after cleaning up and getting dressed properly, we met the gang at the Diamond Club for drinks and hors d’oeuvres. We then headed to the dining room and found our temporarily table.
After dinner we went to the theater for the Welcome Aboard Show, featuring the comedy of Ed Regine. He was very funny. We also got to meet the Cruise Director, a funny and smart looking woman, by the name of Susan Adams. Her nickname, we learned was Cruisan’ Susan. Next on the agenda was shopping in the ship’s Duty Free mall and then we headed back to our cabin.
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We moved our clocks one hour ahead before falling asleep.
Day 7 thru Day 11 (4/24/17 – 4/28/17)
At Sea
In the first 4 days we were moving the clocks one hour forward each day and it took its toll as we were getting tired earlier every day.
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As my back felt so much stronger and pain free, I walked almost every morning around the ship, for about an hour a day and felt great about it.
We met with Donna, Russ, Rhonda and Steve on a daily basis for drinks, at the Diamond Club, before dinner and sometimes spent having lunch with them. In the rest of the time we rested (a lot!)
Regarding dinner: Patrick came through with his promise and we found our table (#422) right next to the Captain Table. A great location with the most efficient and friendly staff, our waiter (Michael), his assistant (?forgot his name?), the headwaiter (Avinash) and the rest of the staff that was around us, like Patrick and even the chef, who came few times to check on the quality of the food. I was a happy camper!
At the Next Cruise Desk we met Lucas Bagett from Columbia, who we found out spoke Hebrew. He came to Israel and stayed there for a couple of years, after finding out that he was Jewish and that his grandmother had to hide her religion, in fear of prosecution. His service was spectacular!
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In the Shabbat Services we met other Jewish passengers. One of them was Sylvia, from Washington DC, who knew the Canary Islands and volunteered to show us a special part of La Palmas de Gran Canaria once we get there.
Susan had a daily TV Show, and one of the segments was asking the passengers a new riddle every day and the answered plus winners were read the next day. Tova devoted herself to answer the riddles, on a daily basis, and became like a star on the ship as everyone knew her as “Tova from the 10th deck”.
Day 12 (4/29/17)
La, Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
We woke up at 8:30 to a sunny and a beautiful day. We had breakfast at the Windjammer and at 11:30 the 5 of us (Russ opted to stay aboard) went to explore this charming island.
The island is also known as San Miguel de La Palma, is the most north-westerly island of the Canary Islands, Spain. The Capital is Santa Cruz de La Palma, and this is where we decided to spend the day. As the itinerary was too tight to try and explore the attractions outside the city.
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After walking for awhile in the main cobblestone street we went to see the Balcones de la Avenida Maritima. After visiting the street we understood why it is the most visited in the city. There are lots of pretty balconies throughout the city, but along Avenida Maritima, at the seafront, there is a particularly picturesque group of seven balconies adjacent to each other. They are very colorful, brightly painted and decorated with flowers. Originally the balconies were designed to ventilate the houses with the sea breeze.
We walked back to the main Piazza and then decided to visit a famous cathedral. As we started our climb, through the narrow streets, the weather changed at once and dark clouds with plenty of rain were above the city. We found a shelter at a nearby covered café, sitting outside and enjoying a delicious Latte. We waited for a break and as soon as the rain stopped we ran down the stairs towards the ship, as the rain showed up again. We arrived to the ship with many other passengers at 3:30. We were soaking wet!
After our customary drinks at the Diamond Club and dinner we went to the theater to watch our favorite show, The Love & Marriage Show, which was very funny, highlighted with Susan’s talent as a great host.
Day 13 (4/30/17)
Santa Cruz Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
We woke up at 7:30 and after breakfast we were walking on the dock of Santa Cruz, Tenerife port.
Our first stop with the bus was at the botanical garden, Parque Garcia Sanabria. The public park was inaugurated in 1926. It is a large garden area, combined with fountains and architectural groups. The park it is listed as a Site of cultural interest by the Government of the Canary Islands. Its name derives from the Mayor Garcia Sanabria, who approved its construction. It is the largest urban park in the Canary Islands.
We admired the Flowers’ Clock that was manufactured in Switzerland and was a gift from the Consul of Denmark to the island of Tenerife in 1958. We were charmed by the beautiful fountains, decorated with statues spread out the entire park.
We spent a couple of hours there and the hopped on the Red Bus, which took us to Schwartz Square, which looked like a ghost town, as it was Sunday and also a National Holiday, called Fiesta del Trabajo (Labor Day). We managed to find a local café and sipped a delicious cappuccino.
We waited again for the Red Bus and this time hopped off at the Central Bus Station where we found the bus that goes to San Cristóbal de La Laguna, which is the former capital of Tenerife and one of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the island. The bus was full of youngsters, all dressed in customary cloths, celebrating the Holiday.
We walked towards the market, which was rich with stalls and stores and hundreds of shoppers. We bought our lunch in the market: Baguette with 2 different kinds of cheeses all melted in a Panini toaster. Yummy!
We walked in the narrow cobblestone streets and arrived to Iglesias de la Concepcion and its famous tower, in the nice Concepcion Plaza, where we had a coconut gelato ice cream (Delicious), and then walked back to the bus station and headed back to Santa Cruz.
We hopped on the red Bus again and arrived to the Markadera (Public Market), which was closed. We then walked towards the ship and stopped in Plaza de Espanola, which was crowded with the many guests from the ship and other tourists, walking the narrow streets and enjoying local food and drinks.
We returned to the ship and according to my phone we walked today 14 miles (!).
Later on, we met our friends in the Diamond Club and told each other about the beautiful day we spent in the city.
Day 14 (5/1/17)
La Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
We woke up at 7:00 and met Rhonda & Steve at the Windjammer for breakfast. Later on we met Sylvia, Toby & her husband (who we originally met in during Shabbat Services), Russ & Donna and together we left the ship as a group to explore some of the highlight of this island. Sylvia told us earlier that her husband had some roots here and that his ancestors’ home was right next to the Cathedral. He had to hide his Jewish religion because of prosecutions (15th – 16th century) and that his home became a gathering place of all those that were in the same situation. His home had a tunnel underneath and those who wanted to worship God would sneak into his house on Shabbat and High Holidays. Also, she mentioned that his home was adjacent to Christopher Columbus’s home.
We found a local public bus (#12) and started our journey. Our first stop was at a very old Cemetery by the name of Cementerio Municipal that according to Sylvia had some Jewish graves there, but we could not find any. We walked to the Old City and found the Columbus House and right next to it the same place, where Sylvia’s husband relatives used to live some 550 years ago.
It was now a very popular restaurant named Casa Montesdeoca, and it was closed. Sylvia had tears in her eyes as she told us that Lorenzo Montesdecoa was her late husband’s great, great, great, great (etc.) father approximately 500 years ago. Sylvia did not give up to the locked doors and knocked on the door repeatedly until a lady popped her head out a little window and told us that they will be opened later. Sylvia (who speaks Spanish fluently) explained why we were there and also told her about the connection between this house and her husband. The lady, who turned out to be the manager of the place, let us go in and we walked into a large open courtyard, which was full with tables and chairs. “What a romantic place to have dinner”, I thought to myself.
The restaurant’s manager told us a brief history of this site: It used to be a merchant palace and it stands on the site of the trading post of Las Tres Palmas. The original three trees that we saw earlier, used to be planted in the yard and have been placed outside the house, which adjoins the 16th-century chapel, which houses a plaque commemorating Christopher Columbus and is called Hermita de San Antonio Abad, also built by the Jewish merchant Montesdeoca, to provide his family a sanctuary from the mob. The horizontal beams of the doors, provided escape routes to the chapel remain. Originally it was built as a mix of a house and a fortress, reflecting the fact that Jews were far from secure in Medieval Spain. Montesdeoca and his family lived upstairs with their servants and horses in the courtyard and downstairs area (where we stood).
We toured the place and saw the original well, the beams of the escape passages between the house and the chapel next door (where the original Montesdeoca is buried). There are even legends that there is a hidden access door to the city's underground and secret cemetery, somewhere underneath the restaurant, we were told.
We hopped on the same bus that brought us earlier and ended up in Santa Catalina Park, in the center of the city, where we found few cafés and restaurants. We found a table outside one of the cafe's, and sipped cold beer when all of the sudden we heard many loud voices as a huge demonstration crowd was approaching the park. Today is the First of May and is the official Holiday of the working people, mainly celebrated in Europe. The crowd was colorful and carried many slogans to express their loud opinion on the work’s condition here in Las Palmas.
We were back on the ship at 2 and after a quick lunch we went to the cabin for a couple of hours of rest. At 4:00 we met everyone in the Diamond Club and then after dinner we went to the theater to enjoy the talent of a very good singer: Paul Hughes.
Before going to sleep we set our clocks one hour ahead.
Day 15 (5/2/17)
At Sea
We woke up at 9, catching up on our sleep. After breakfast we joined other passengers for a session called “Ask the Staff” where passengers get to ask selected crew members anything related to their lives on a cruise ship. We then stayed in the theater for a back-to-back passengers’ orientation, where we were told what to expect once we reach our destination in Rome and stay on the ship for the second leg.
We met our “Next Cruise” friend Lucas and booked with him a future cruise (2018).
After the cocktails and dinner we went to the theater to watch a magician by the name of Andy James.
Day 16 (5/3/17)
Gibraltar, UK
We woke up at 7:30 and had breakfast at the Windjammer. We then met with Donna, Russ and Steve on the 5th deck, ready to start our day (Rhonda did not feel good and stayed on the ship).
We were cleared to leave the ship at 10:30 and as we got out we started looking for our pre-arranged tour guide by the name of Eran Shy. I already received a text message from him, stating that since he was not allowed to park at the port, his wife Ayelet will meet us at the gate. There was a bit of confusion, which gate she is waiting for us, but it was resolved.
Ayelet led the way and we followed her to the gates of city and then rushed through the main cobblestone street, to find the van with Eran and start our tour. We walked for almost an hour and she was still leading us. I approached her and asked where Eran was and she insisted of keeping going until we find him ("few more minutes"). After 15 additional minutes, rushing in the promenade, I decided that this was enough and told her that Eran either will come to where we are or we will find another guide. Ayelet called Eran and fifteen minutes later he showed up with 2 vans that were filled with other tourists. This is when I understood that Eran double booked his day with 2 different groups and started the day earlier with the first group, hoping to meet us when the first tour will be over with. There were 5 available seats in both vans (if Rhonda would have joined us, one of us will not have a seat. Both Eran & Ayelet stood up for the entire tour!). I was teaming with anger but Eran calmed me and told me that we are now going to 2 attractions and once we are done to see the attractions on the rock, we will start the Private Jewish Heritage Tour, the original plan that was arranged. And so it was.
Our first stop was at the Europa Point. We walked to the southernmost end of Spain and Eran described to us where we are: The Rock of Gibraltar is a 200 million year old limestone rock, which became the Peninsula known as the Rock of Gibraltar. It was a clear day, and North Africa could be seen across the Strait of Gibraltar including Ceuta and the Rif Mountains of Morocco, as well as the Bay of Gibraltar and the Spanish towns along its shores.
There was a mosque, probably the most photographed in the world and a gorgeous lighthouse. We found out that the Mosque was a gift from Saudi Arabia.
We continued our day and arrived to the St. Michael's Cave but before we entered we posed to take pictures with the many monkeys around the attractions. They are called Barbary Macaques, and are very playful. I could swear that one of them was posing for pictures on purpose so he might get a treat from the tourists.
Eran warned us ahead of time that although the monkeys are habituated to humans it is a common misconception that they are tame. Whilst at times they might come across as cute and cuddly, one should never attempt to stroke them or indeed invade the animal’s individual space, as they are very aggressive and also known to grab people glasses, hats and jewelry.
We entered the cave and were given a brief introduction: The cave was created by rainwater slowly seeping through the limestone rock, turning into a weak carbonic acid which gradually dissolved the rock. Through this process, tiny cracks in The Rock's geological fault grew into long passages and large caverns over thousands of years. The numerous stalactites and stalagmites in the cave are formed by an accumulation of traces of dissolved rock deposited by water dripping from the ground above. During World War II the entire cave was prepared for use as an emergency military hospital. It was never used as such. The cave was illuminated with different colors and it was quite awesome.
We returned to the main promenade and Russ asked to get back to the ship, as his knees gave up. Eran arranged for him to be driven to the port and we continued without the first group, who already took the next leg of the tour earlier with Eran.
The name of the tour was Jewish Gibraltar and Eran briefed us on the history of the Jews in Gibraltar: There has been a Jewish presence in Gibraltar for more than 650 years. There have been periods of persecution, but for the most part the Jews of Gibraltar have prospered and been one of the largest religious minorities in the city, where they have made contributions to the culture, defense, and Government of Gibraltar. Despite the period of anti-Semitism during the Spanish Inquisition, it's considered the most integrated community outside of Israel.
We walked in a narrow street and were able to see a Jewish grocery store, a Jewish butcher, kosher restaurants and other Jewish owned stores.
We visited the four active synagogues, also known as the Great Synagogue (Sha’ar Ha-Shamayim), the Little Synagogue, the Flemish Synagogue, and the Abudarham Synagogue. The first synagogue established after the 1717 expulsion of Jews from Gibraltar, and was built on what is now known as Engineer Lane, and remains Gibraltar's principal synagogue. The Little Synagogue, founded in 1759 in Irish Town, was the result of the desire of Moroccan Jews for a less formal service. The lavish Flemish Synagogue was built at the turn of the nineteenth century on Line Wall Road, due to the request of some congregants for a return to more formal, Dutch customs. The last synagogue, the Abudarham Synagogue, was established in what is now the British overseas territory of Gibraltar and was founded in 1820 on Parliament Lane by recent Moroccan immigrants.
We walked back to the main street, passing Joshua Hassan House, named after the first Mayor of the city, who was a Sephardic Jew and was born in Morocco.
Once we reached the main street we paid Eran, we continued on our own and went bargain hunting in the vast variety of the Duty Free Shops.
Day 17 (5/4/17)
Alicante, Spain
Wake up was at 8 and after breakfast at the Windjammer we met with Rhonda (who felt much better) and Steve. We were cleared to leave at 11:30 and hopped on the Red Bus, which we picked up next to the Melia Alicante Hotel, exploring this Mediterranean jewel of a city that is proven to exist 7,000 years ago!
Santa Barbara Castle has everything you would expect to find in a historical castle: cannons, a palace, dungeons, a moat, the ruins of a small church and of course a lookout tower. From all around the walls we got the most fantastic views: a definite photo opportunity for my loyal camera.
At some point we “lost” Steve & Rhonda but when we returned to the pickup point, there they were.
We stopped at the Public Market in the city, but it was siesta time and it was closed. Tova & I sat in a cute café in the main boulevard, and then hopped on the next bus to return to the ship, stopping to view the Old Spanish Ship, Santisima Trinidad, that was launched at 1769 in Havana, Cuba. It was the biggest ship of the 18th century and served in the Spanish Navy for 35 years.
The show tonight was the best of the entire cruise: we enjoyed so much listening and singing along with a group called: Soul satisfaction, performing the American Four Tops Motown Show.
Day 18 (5/5/17)
At Sea
Another lazy day at sea: woke up at 8:30, breakfast, chat with Susan, the Cruise Director, later enjoyed watching & listening to the flags parade in the Centrum area, BBQ at lunch and then came the most hateful thing you could in a cruise: packing! only that since we are B2B passengers it was partial packing, as our room steward made arrangements that our belongings will be transfereed to our new cabin.
All dressed in formal attire we showed up for tonight’s Shabbat Services where we had a full house with many new Jewish guests.
We had our customary 5:00 o’clock cocktails, then dinner, and then back to the cabin.
Day 19 (5/6/17)
Civitavecchia (Rome)
We woke up at 6:00 and had an early breakfast at the Windjammer. We then were walking on the grounds of Italy. We stopped at a beauty salon for Tova, and then proceeded to visit Fort Michelangelo.
Some history: After the various looting, fire and massacres to which the city was subjected towards the end of the 1400's, under the continuous threat of pirates that infested our seas, Pope Rovere was particularly aware of the need to provide an efficient means by which to defend the port of Civitavecchia, and in 1503 decided to arm the city with a fortress. The fortress was completed in 1535 under the pontifical reign of another great Pope, Paul III of Farnese, and the great benefactor of the arts. The upper part of the central tower still had to be completed and the task was assigned to the great Michelangelo, hence the name of the fortress.
From there we went to explore the old Jewish Ghetto but except some old homes there is no evidence to the ghetto.
We stopped for a pizza and beer and then walked back to the ship and checked into our new cabin (9258), all the way back of the ship and with a huge veranda. Our new room attendant, Kisna, already brought our luggage from our old cabin and we started unpacking and getting ready for our next voyage.
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After the mandatory Lifeboat Drill we had cocktails at the Diamond Lounge with our friends, and went for dinner and to our delight, (and with the help of Patrick and Avinash) we received the same table (#442) and the same waiter (Michael). Our new Assistant waiter was Pablo.
We attended the Welcome Aboard Show, featuring a Shadow Illusionist and then returned to our new cabin.
Day 20 (5/7/17)
Messina, Sicily
This was a common site in Italy’s ports: The Africans were caught trying to enter the country via the sea but were caught and now needed to be processed and checked for diseases. Those that were found to carry any kind of illness or diseases were loaded to the truck and the rest were free to go. The very sick were rushed to the ambulance.
We had breakfast with Rhonda & Steve and then proceeded to the exits. We found our pre-arranged tour guide, Michele from Sicily4You at the port, and hopped to his luxurious Mercedes van.
Michele told us that Messina is the third-largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th-largest city in Italy, with a population of about a quarter of a million citizens with main resources from its seaports (commercial and military shipyards), cruise tourism, commerce, and agriculture (wine production and cultivating lemons, oranges, mandarin oranges, and olives).
The bell tower of the Cathedral contains the biggest and most complex mechanical and astronomical clock in the world and was inaugurated in 1933.
When we arrived we found the Cathedral in the center of a beautiful square with a gorgeous fountain, many merchants, and lots of spectators (mainly from the ship).
Right at noon it started. The complex system of counterweights, leverages and gears, determines the movement of the gilded bronze statues located in the façade, and the movements were in harmony and accuracy.
Michele told us later that the statues were related to the civil and religious traditions of the city. The sight was so beautiful. We visited the Cathedral as well and the interior was rich and exquisite.
We decided to have lunch in the city, before our journey to the mountains. Michele took us to his favorite pizzeria and after a couple of minutes of drive we were seated in a nice and cozy typical Sicilian pizzeria. We ordered 3 different pizzas and they were all delicious.
We started to head up to the mountains, and through stunning views we arrived to the village of Savoca. We found a quiet and crumbling hill village perched high above the sea, this is what I define as a really authentic city, not yet spoiled by tourism. Narrow roads, few restaurants, a church and a small museum were just about it. But the main reason tourists (like us) want to visit this village is because it was chosen by Francis Ford Coppola to be the location for a large part of the famous saga “The Godfather”. Scenes for the movie were shot at Bar Vitelli, on the village's little square. The church, just outside the village, and the streets.
We visited the bar and found outdoor tables under a leafy a framework of light wooden bars, used as a support for orange trees and some beautiful climbing plants., stray cats that beg for food and a simple interior with a room lined with still pictures from the movie.
The views from the top of the mountains were outstanding and the sight of Mount Etna in the distance was stunning. We spent about an hour there, breathing the clear and crispy air and then drove a short distance to Maria S. Annunziata Cathedral, where the actual wedding between Michael Corleone and Appolonia Vitelli took place. This cathedral had four beautiful colorful altars, each special in their own unique way. We also saw some stunning statues, my favorites being Our Lady kneeling in prayer and a statue of Saint Joseph.
We walked in the (very) narrow streets and then stood at a vista point breathing in the wonderful views.
Our next stop was Taormina, where we saw load of buses, all from the ship, crowding the main cobblestoned promenade.
After a short break, in a local café, we used one of the little alleys and went down the stairs to a charming botanical garden called Garden of Villa Comunale, where we viewed landscaped gardens with picturesque views of the sea & city below and of course Mt. Etna in the horizons, the active volcano on the east coast of Sicily.
We returned to the van and started our way back to Messina. When we arrived to the city, we stopped at a marvelous lookout, right next to an old church, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and displaying our ship in all its glory.
We returned to the ship at 6:00 and went straight to the dining room.Before going to bed, we moved our clocks an hour ahead.
Day 21 (5/8/17)
At Sea
We woke up at 8 to another lazy day at sea. After breakfast we walked around talking to new and old friends and then headed back to the dining room for lunch. We rested a bit and then went to the poolside to watch the “Sexiest man alive” competition. It was fun.
I was invited to the Bridge Tour and it was very interesting. When I asked Captain Lis to take a picture with me, she responded: “Okay, there is one condition though, you must wear my hat”.
After cocktails and dinner we went to the theater to see the Soul Satisfaction Group, which we already have seen on the first leg of the cruise, just few days ago. It was still very entertaining.
Day 22 (5/9/17)
Mikonos, Greece
We woke up at 6:30 and went to the Windjammer for breakfast. Just before we left, Rhonda called and told us that Steve has high fever and they decided to spend the day resting on the ship. At 8 we met with Donna at midship and she told us that Russ will stay onboard the ship as well.
We stood in line and waited for the Greek authorities to “clear” the ship and then boarded a tender that took us to the dreamy island in the Aegean Sea: Mykonos -- a dreamy destination for aspiring Greek gods and goddesses in the past and an inspiration destination in the present.
After reading about this island and seeing the many pictures, I had an idea about what to expect, but I was still overwhelmed the minute my feet stepped on the island.
We wandered the white marble streets (we were one of the first passengers to get off the ship) and I was in awe. My camera had a field day and I took many pictures of every street, corner, home, flowered balconies, smiling locals, homey taverns and hidden churches all set against a brilliant blue backdrop
We found our way to the windmills, the iconic feature of this beautiful island and the sight was a memorable one. Those windmills, which operated on the island, from the 16th until late 19th century, made the most of the gusty winds blowing in the area, in their effort to harness the enormous power of the wind, to grind local agricultural yields, mostly wheat and barley, and it is the symbol of Mykonos rich past.
We kept walking the streets and admired the architecture, the many churches, the taverns, and the small café’s, the white homes with the blue roofs, the unique shops and the cleanness of the village.
We found a nice tavern, on the seafront, right next to a beautiful church and had Greek coffee accompanied with the Greek pastry Baklava.
At this point we separated from Donna and decided to climb the tall hill to get a perfect view of the village and the bay. We walked through cobblestoned and narrow streets for about 30 minutes and arrived, huffing and puffing to the summit. The view was amazing and we decided to sit down and breathe in this wonderful view.
Half an hour later we started to walk down the hill and returned to the center. At this time, the area was busy with passengers and other tourists. We gave up the idea of eating in a local restaurant and instead returned to the ship.
After lunch we participated in a mini party for the back-to-back passengers and hung around with a charming couple that I had met a couple of days ago at the Bridge Tour: Beatrice & Kirk. We then returned to our cabin napping for 3 (!) hours. After cocktails and dinner we went to the theater to watch the magic of Magic Martin which was average.
Day 23 (5/10/17)
Rhodes
Once again we woke up at 6 and after breakfast met our friends (including Russ and (the now healthy Steve) at midship. We exited at 8:30 and found our awaiting tour guide and driver, Mariana and Victor from Manos Going Tours. We hopped onto the Mercedes mini bus and started our trip in the island of Rhodes.
We first stopped at the city’s walls, next to the Post Office, and Mariana gave us a brief lecture: The city is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of land area and also the island group's historical capital. History tells us that the city already existed in the 5th century BC but became part of Greece only at 1948, after being occupied by many nations, including the Turks and Italians.
Along the way we stopped in a couple of vista points, looking at the wonderful scenery.
We drove for about 45 minutes and arrived to the city of Lindos. We parked outside the old city walls and walked a bit to get to the gate of the town. The traditional town nestles at the foot of a steep rock and beautifully surrounded by the sea. On the top of the rock stands a centuries-old Acropolis, an evidence of Lindos’ glorious past and a major naval power of ancient times.
Mariana gave us an hour and a half to explore the town on our own and emphasized that we should pay attention to the mosaic tiling, also called pebbled, found in many homes, shops, churches and taverns, floors and roofs. She mentioned one in particular: The Captain Tavern. We separated from the others and walked around the old town. We found the tavern and sipped a great Greek coffee. The mosaic floor was amazing!
We arrived to the Church of Panagia (Our Lady) and entered this unique church, surrounded by high walls and a small courtyard (facing the street) having a tall tower in the one of its corners. It was originally built in 1300!
We then stopped at a local “take-out” kiosk and bough pita bread filled with lamb called souvlaki. We walked back to the car and while waiting for the rest to arrive, we ate our delicious lunch.
Our next stop on the agenda was Church of Our Lady of Filerimos. We drove through little villages and farms and then the car climbed a tall mountain (700 feet) to get to the summit and an adorable church. It is most famous for the huge cross, its local peacocks (who found their home there), and the marvelous views of the valley, starting at the base of the mountain.
We took pictures of the many posing peacocks and then walked in an orchard where at the end we found the gigantic Cross of Filerimos, which was built in the 14th century. The views from this vista point were to die for.
We returned to the car and rode back to the old city of Rhodes. We asked Mariana to make it on time so we’ll be able to visit the only synagogue in the old city, before closing time.
Once we arrived we zoomed through the old streets (we would see them later in details) and arrived first to a small square, which commemorates the Jews that were taken from here to be butchered by the Nazis. It was called The Jewish Martyrs Square. Mariana told us a brief history of the Jews in Rhodes during WWII:
When the Nazis came to the island, there were 1,800 Jews living and worshipping in four different synagogues and were speaking in the traditional Ladino language. (There were 4,000 Jews in the 1930’s). In mid-July 1944 the German Command ordered the Jews to reside solely within the confines of the city of Rhodes or in 3 other villages. A few days later, a German officer turned up at the house of the president of the Jewish Community and told him that, according to the orders of the German Commander, all Jewish adults over 16 had to appear the following morning in the old headquarters of the Italian Air Force. They had to bring with them their identity cards and their work permits. This trick made everyone believe that they would be gathered in order to be assigned work and they obeyed without resistant. It turned out that the Air base would become a transition camp for almost the entire Jews on the island (1,600 of them) and they were evacuated off the island in the following days, and placed in concentrations camps. Only 150 of them survived the Holocaust!
We headed towards the Kahal Shalom Synagogue, which included a remarkable museum, telling the history of the Jews in Rhodes. The synagogue was the oldest one on the island (built in the 16th century) and the only one that survived the air attacks on the island. The interior of the synagogue follows the traditional Sephardic style of having the reading table in the middle of the sanctuary facing southeast towards Jerusalem. The floor was decorated with graceful black and white mosaic stone patterns, which is a distinctive design motif throughout the Old City of Rhodes.
Mariana gave us again some free time to explore the rest of the medieval city. We walked on the main road by the name of Street of Knights, a very well-preserved street that starts from the Archaeological Museum and ends at the Palace of the Grand Master, considered one of the most important monuments. We saw medieval furniture, mirrors, paintings etc. It also houses the Byzantine Museum, which we did not have time to visit. We paused for some pictures at the Panagia tou Kastrou (Lady of the Castle Cathedral) that was built-in the 11th century and used to be the Knights Cathedral. During the Ottoman occupation by Turkey it was turned into a mosque.
It was time to return to the ship and reluctantly we said goodbye to this memorable city.
After a short rest we joined our friends in the Diamond Club for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and then dinner, followed by another segment of the Love and Marriage Game in the theater. (I love that show).
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Day 24 (5/11/17)
Santorini, Greece
We woke up at 6:00 and after breakfast boarded a tender that took us to the small boats port in Fira. We had two choices once we arrived to the small port: the first was to climb the mountain with either donkeys or by feet and the second one was to visit Oia first, by taking a boat service. We chose the latter, as the ticket included a bus service from Oia’s port to the old city of Oia plus another bus service from Oia to Fira.
Once we arrived, a bus was waiting and took us to the old city of Oia. The time of arrival was 8:30 am and the whole day was still ahead of us.
Before describing our activities in these two jewels of villages, let me describe Santorini: The island, also known by its official name Thira, is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic eruption (probably the biggest in our history as we know it) that destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single island, and created the current geological gigantic crater. A huge rectangular lagoon, which measures about 7.5 by 4.3 miles, is surrounded by almost 1,000 feet high, steep cliffs on three sides. Many think that the eruption caused the city of Atlantis to disappear. The main island slopes downward to the Aegean Sea. The bright blue sea is perhaps the most photographed of all of the Greek islands.
When we first saw the whitewashed cliff-top villages against the blue water, I got the feeling that I was already there before and that is thanks to so many pictures (Thanks Ursula for the calendar), post cards and scenes from many movies that I have seen of this island (For Your Eyes Only, Mama Mia, The Bourne Identity and more).
We walked in Oia for 2.5 hours and my camera has taken already about 250 pictures of the hidden paths, the churches and their beautiful bells and painted domes, the whitewashed homes (with doors painted with either white, red or blue), the taverns with seats right above the cliffs, the little cute café’s on the side of the narrow streets and then of course the perfect blue sea underneath us with our cruise ship anchored in the middle of it all.
Next, we took the bus to Fira and found ourselves seeing the same all over again but on a larger scale. We spent another couple of hours there and I took an additional 250 pictures (!)
Tova "had to" eat a local pastry "but only" in a local bakery. Well, we asked around and finally got some good directions to walk to the place where “the locals are”. We walked for about 30 minutes and found Bakery Svoronos, where we ordered one pastry dough filled with sautéed mushrooms plus onions and the other filled with feta cheese. We then found a table nearby and bit into these delights along with great coffee.
We walked back to the touristy side and stood in line to take the cable cars down the cliff and then tendered back to the ship.
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When we arrived to our cabin we had a pleasant surprise: an invitation was on our bed to have dinner tonight at the Captain Table with Alexander the Hotel Director of the ship (Captain Lis was not available), along with 4 other couples.
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After a very relaxing rest we went to the Schooner Lounge and found the other invited couples already sitting around a large table. A cocktail waiter showed up and we ordered some drinks. At 5:45 a headwaiter showed up and escorted us to the dining room. We came downstairs from the 5th deck to the 4th, and many eyes looked at us. The first thing we did, after getting acquainted with Alexander, the Hotel Director and with George, the IT Director of the ship, was taking a group picture and then we were seated with the personal attention of one of the waiters (There were 3 of them!). Our names were next to our assigned seats and our names were also embedded on the personal menus, which was rich with choices and with different entree's. This was an event to remember!
After the delicious and memorable dinner we went to the theater to watch a nice show by the name of Forever, performed by a Spanish vocal group. We were blown away with their presence and harmony!
Day 25 (5/12/17)
Athens
We woke up at 6 and the whole group met for breakfast at the Windjammer. By 8 we were out, walking in the Piraeus port and then met with our tour guide Dorina and her driver Mano. The van was a crappy one, and we tried our best to make the most of it, to make our day comfortable.
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The drive to Athens took about 45 minutes, due to heavy traffic and Dorina used the time to give us a “lecture” about the history of Greece:
Athens, the capital of Greece, is one of the world's oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning over 3000 years, and its earliest human presence starting somewhere between the 11th and 7th century BC, which was determined after finding human remains at Cave of Schist.
Athens began its history in the Neolithic Period, as a hill-fort on top of the Acropolis ("high city"), some 3000 years ago. The Acropolis has been a natural defensive position which commands the surrounding plains.
During the next centuries Athens became the center of many events that until today the world is influenced by them. The major event was the birth of Democracy in 594 BC.
Athens went through many nations that conquered the city and ruled it. The Romans, Turks, Spanish, Byzantine, Catalan and Florentine are only a partials list.
We finally arrived to the historic city and stopped at the ancient Olympic Stadium, the Panathenaic Stadium, the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble. By 144 AD it had a capacity of 50,000 seats. And after the rise of Christianity in the 4th century it was largely abandoned. The stadium was excavated in 1869 and after being refurbished, it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896.
We stopped, for only 5 minutes, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during war.
The next attraction was the highlight of the day (and maybe of the entire trip!), The Acropolis. For me it was a dream comes true and on top of my bucket list. I have been in more than half of the world but never here. After today I could proudly state that I visited Athens and the Acropolis.
