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.
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We walked in a rather large promenade, with many souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants and busy with many tourists. After a few minutes, walking in the wide street, we were standing at the gate in front of the historical site. Dorina purchased the tickets in advance and we skipped the long lines to enter the site. First we heard another short lecture from Dorina:
The Acropolis and its monuments are universal symbols of the classical spirit and civilization which form the greatest architectural and artistic complex left by Greek Antiquity as a gift to the world. In the second half of the fifth century BC, Athens, following the establishment of democracy, took a leading position amongst the other city-states of the ancient world. In the age that followed, an exceptional group of artists put into effect the ambitious plans of Athenian statesman Pericles and, under the inspired guidance of the sculptor Pheidias, transformed the rocky hill into a unique monument of arts.
The most important monuments were built during that time: the Parthenon, the Erechtheon, and the Propylaea.
We climbed up the hill to visit all of the above attractions and more. The climb wasn’t easy on this hot and humid day, but to my surprise Russ and Rhonda were not having much difficulties and climbed like champs!
On our way we visited the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a stone theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the hill. “The building was erected in 161 AD, built to commemorate Atticus’s wife”, Dorina told us and added that “during the modern times, many artists has used the structure for performances, including the famous Maria Callas, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, the Bolshoi Ballets, Diana Ross, and Liza Minnelli.”
We reached the summit and as expected the place was crowded with hundreds of tourists. As it was a sunny and clear day, the views of the city were amazing. A 360 degrees of beautiful Athens and its’ historical sites, was laid underneath us. It was AMAZING!
We started to tour the most famous historical site in the world and Dorina was great, giving us historical and other facts as we visited the sites:
The entrance or the Propylaea was completed in 432. To our left was the Pinacotheca and a Hellenistic pedestal and on the right the tiny temple to Nike Athena or the Athena of Victory which commemorates the Athenians victory over the Persians. This small temple stands on a platform that overlooks the islands of Saronic Gulf and used to house a statue of Athena. “The precious status was dismantled by the Turks in 1686 so they could use the platform for large cannon”, Dorina added with so much pain in her voice, “The Greek people have never forgiven the Turks”.
The Parthenon and other main buildings on the Acropolis were built by Pericles in the fifth century BC as a monument to the cultural and political achievements of the people of Athens. The term “acropolis” means upper city and many of the city states of ancient Greece are built around an acropolis where the residents can go to, as a place of refuge in times of invasions. It's for this reason that the most sacred buildings are usually on the Acropolis.
When we arrived to the next attraction on the hill, Dorina told us a story out of Greek Mythology: “The Erecthion sits on the most sacred site of the Acropolis where Poseidon and Athena had their contest over who would be the Patron of the city. Poseidon thrust his trident into the rock and a spring burst forth, while Athena touched the ground with a spear and an olive tree grew. Athena was declared the victor and the great city of Athens was named for her, while Poseidon was given a small village in Syros.”
The building itself contains the porch of the maidens or Caryatids which are now replicas, four of which have been placed in the Acropolis museum (we will see them later), hopefully to be reunited with a fifth taken from the Acropolis by Lord Elgin and put in the British Museum more than a century ago. Actually it is the Erecthion that is the real religious temple on the Acropolis. It sits in what was the northeast corner of what was the original temple that was burned and destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC.
We spent about 3 hours on the hill and then it was time to say goodbye and continue to the Acropolis Museum. We went down the hill and then headed to the nearby museum, which is one museum we did not want to miss. The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on the surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece, spanned over a period of 2,500 years. It also lies over the ruins of a part of Roman and early Byzantine Athens.
The museum was opened to the public in the summer of 2009, with nearly 4,000 objects on display. The collections are spread out through 3 levels and an excavation was going on underneath the building’s foundations. We spent an hour there and the exhibits were beautiful and interesting.
We were back on the promenade and were given “Free Time” to explore the Plaka District and grab lunch. We decided to split, as the rest of the group was too tired to continue and explore. Tova & I strolled in the main street until we arrived to a residential area, outside the district. I always carry the slogan: “eat where the locals eat” and it has proven once again to work just fine. We found a small corner’s restaurant and had a great lunch that included a vegetarian dish called Chaniotiko Boureki (oven baked slices of potatoes with zucchini, cheese and mint) and Souvlaki inside a fresh pita bread.
We met with the rest of the and the van took us back to Piraeus and to our ship. This time the ride took only 25 minutes.
We napped until 5 and went to the Diamond Club to meet with everyone for cocktails and then attended Shabbat Services with the entire group.
At dinner we were informed that tonight’s show was cancelled as the soloist of the Headliner Show, fell sick. We returned to our cabin and moved our clocks one hour behind before falling asleep.
Day 26 (5/13/17)
At Sea
We woke up at 9 and after breakfast started packing for the next leg of our vacation.
After lunch we rested and after cocktails and dinner, retired to our cabin.
Day 27 (5/14/17)
Naples, Italy
We woke up at 5:45 and met Steve & Rhonda for breakfast at the Windjammer. Donna & Russ opted to stay on the ship and visit the city later on. We stepped off the ship at 7:30 and met our pre arranged guide for the day. His name was Rafael.
We started our day driving along the Mediterranean Coast and arrived to Sorrento. The views were unbelievable and we made a couple of stops for photo taking of the breathtaking views. We continued our journey driving along the Amalfi Coast. The weather was perfect with sunny blue skies and the views of the Mediterranean Sea, the rocks, the sandy beaches, the lemon trees, and the beautiful resorts filled us all up with awes and wows.
We stopped at Positano, the famous village on the coast, rising up on the steep slopes of the rocks. We looked up at the homes on the rock and felt like we are part of a perfect picture. It was just a gorgeous view.
Rafael parked his car and we walked down the road and towards the sea. Around us were some tourist traps places – selling souvenirs, many boutiques, cafes, and other shops that sold anything from wine, olive oil, limoncello (Lemon Liquor), candles, etc.
It was time to return to the car. A smiley policewoman was greeting us in Italian on our way. We made a couple of more stops on the coast, on our way to the next destination: The city of Amalfi. We looked at our watches and decided not to stop there as we were crunched on time. There was still a full day ahead of us. Instead, we decided to drive up the mountains to a village called Valle Delle Ferriere, where according to Rafael, we will find the best Pizza on the coast, in a restaurant called Giovanni.
The restaurant was located on top of the mountain and we were seated on the terrace and as it was still early (11:00), we were the only patrons there. The pizza was as good as they come. We ordered 3 different pizzas and consumed the entire order. The views on the valley and the sea, once again, were the main event and the smell of lemon and other citrus fruits, filled up our nostrils.
After lunch we drove down the hill to Ravello and after a short stroll returned to the car, as once again being conscious about the time.
We were driving through the back roads through the narrow highway, alongside the towering mountains with amazing views all around and small villages. Rafael pointed out to the tall mountain in the horizons: “It is Mount Vesuvius", he said: “Look up to the crater's edge and see the steam coming out: It is a reminder that while Vesuvius is quiet today, it's just taking a nap. The last eruption was in 1944, and it's only a matter of when, not if, it will erupt again”
We arrived to the ruins of Pompeii, an hour later, and a new guide was waiting for us next to the entrance of the ruins. His name was Zeno and as we entered the site, he stopped and told us some background fact about the volcanic eruption of the mighty Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD:
On that decisive day, an earthquake was felt in the region in the morning. The residents of Pompeii looked up at the mountain and saw a huge dark mushroom cloud covering the sky 12 miles high. Many of the 20,000 residents fled the scene but about 2,000 stayed, thinking that the volcanic mountain is quite in a distance and they thought that it would not affect them. By the evening, a red-hot avalanche of rock and ash raced down the mountainside at nearly 100 miles per hour. Pompeii and the 2,000 unlucky souls, who had stayed behind, were buried leaving their bodies encased in volcanic debris.
Evidence for the destruction originally came from a surviving letter by an individual, who saw the eruption from a distance and described the death of his uncle, who tried to rescue citizens. The site was lost for about 1,500 years until its initial rediscovery in 1599 and broader rediscovery almost 150 years later by a Spanish engineer. The objects that lay beneath the city have been preserved for more than a millennium because of the long lack of air and moisture. These artifacts provide an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city during that era. During the excavation, plaster was used to fill in the voids in the ash layers that once held human bodies. This allowed archaeologists to see the exact position the person was in when he or she died.
We entered the site and visited the most important exhibits:
The Amphitheatre: the earliest surviving permanent amphitheatre in Italy and one of the best preserved anywhere. It was used for gladiator battles, other sports and spectacles involving wild animals.
The Great Palaestra (Gymnasium): the central area was used for sporting activities and there was a pool in the middle.
House of the Vettii: This is believed to have been the home of two brothers who were freed slaves and became very affluent. It contained many frescoes.
House of the Faun: This is named after a statue of a dancing faun found on the site. It is considered to be an excellent example of the fusion of Italian and Greek architectural styles, and occupies an entire block.
Forum: This was the center of public life. surrounded by many of the important government, religious and business buildings.
Temple of Apollo: it has the oldest remains discovered.
Theatre: built in the hollow of a hill for acoustic advantage; it seated 5,000.
Via dei Sepolcri (street of tombs): A long street with worn ruts from carts.
Lupanar :An ancient brothel with pornographic frescoes over the entrance to each room, presumably indicating the services they offered.
House of the Ancient Hunt: Attractive, open-style house with many frescoes of hunting scenes.
Basilica Pompeii: it was the most important public building of the city where justice was administered and trade was carried on.
Forum Granary Artifacts: like amphorae (storage jars) and plaster casts of people who did not escape the eruption are stored in this building, which was designed to be the public market but may not have been finished before the eruption.
Stabian Baths: they are well-preserved and roofed which have some interesting decorations and give a good idea of how baths used to function in Roman times.
House of the Tragic Poet: This small atrium house with a beautiful mosaic at the entrance depicting a chained dog, with the words Cave Canem or "Beware of the Dog".
At one point, on our way back, I tripped and fell down, bruised my big toe (right foot) and also scratched my knee and hip, but nothing serious.
We returned to Rafael and drove to Naples. It was a dr
iving tour as our time came to the last 30 minutes of the day. We saw few important structures, churches, cathedrals and made a promise that we must return here to explore the city more in depth.
We were back on the ship at 5 and went straight to the dining room for our last dinner on this voyage. The crew, serving us for the last 23 days, became close friends and saying goodbyes was tearful and sometime emotional. We also went to find Lucas, from the Travel Desk and other familiar faces that we became acquainted with.
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We returned to our cabin at 10:00.
Day 28 (5/15/17)
Civitavecchia / Airport / Edinburgh
We woke up at 5:45, and after our last breakfast on the ship, we disembarked, along with Russ & Donna. Our driver was waiting for us and after an hour and a half we arrived to Ciampino Airport and boarded RyanAir with final destination at Edinburgh, Scotland.
Craig, our new tour guide for the next 8 days was waiting for us at the terminal and led us to his beautiful and comfortable van.
We asked Craig to stop at Tesco to buy some items that were needed and then we entered the city of Edinburgh. I just could not believe my eyes. The streets were so beautiful with old homes, churches, statuses, monuments, pubs, boutiques, and other small stores. Above all there was the famous Edinburgh Castle, which gave the impression that we are now visiting the medieval era of Scotland.
We checked into the Marriott hotel, in a great location, in the middle of the city, and then Craig drove us a short distance to a seafood restaurant by the name of Fishers. We had a great dinner and then walked back to the hotel.
Night started to fall on the city at around 10:40!!
Day 29 (5/16/17)
Edinburgh
We woke up at 6 and headed to dining room in the hotel, we were hungry and the Scottish breakfast was delicious. We met with Craig a couple of hours later and started our day.
We drove to our first destination, The Royal Yacht Britannia, home to Her Majesty the Queen (Queen Elizabeth II) and the Royal Family for over 40 years, sailing over 1,000,000 nautical miles around the world.
We toured throughout the ship (5 decks), following the footsteps of Royalty and explored this floating Royal residence with an audio tour. The Royal Yacht Britannia played host to some of the world’s most famous people, but above all was home for the British Royal Family for over 40 years.
The entrance to the ship is through a beautiful mall called Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, and after the tour we all met at the mall, had coffee and something to bite. I also found a beautiful jacket, as my older one got ruined and the weather outside suggested winder (for us, Southern Californians).
Our next stop was to Abbey Strand & Sanctuary at the feet of The Royal Mile. The 16th century buildings formed part of a residence for aristocratic debtors up until 1880 when imprisonment for unpaid debt was abolished. The occupants were known as ‘Abbey Lairds’ and were able to live under effective house arrest within the confines of a designated sanctuary area. The occupants were safe from arrest provided they stayed within the designated sanctuary area. However, they were at liberty to walk outside the designated sanctuary area on Sundays only. The western section of the buildings has been renovated to accommodate palace and court officials. The term ‘Strand’ is derived from a small stream which once crossed the street at this site. On the right we saw the Queen’s Gallery that exhibits some of the Royal collection.
We drove for a short distance, of about a mile, and arrived to Holyrood Park, where we saw a beautiful lake at the feet of Arthur’s Seat, the peak of a group of hills and also the highest point of Edinburgh (823 feet). The hills were partially covered with yellow flowers and the sight was stunning. We also noticed ruins and were told, by Craig, that these are the ruins of the 15th century St. Anthony’s Chapel. The lake had many beautiful swans and other birds.
We strolled around the lake and then drove up the hill to the summit. The views of the city were astonishing as the weather cooperated to be sunny and clear as Edinburgh Castle was towering over the city. I asked Craig why the place is called “Arthur’s Seat” and he said that a legend tells that it was the site for the legendary Camelot, the home of King Arthur and his Noble Knights.
We drove back to the Royal Mile and Craig dropped us not far from the huge Edinburgh Castle. Russ stayed in the van with Craig as Donna joined us to stroll down the beautiful street towards Abbey Strand. We noticed many “Close” or alleys that lead from the main street to many parts of town. The views, from any of the “close”, were marvelous.
At one point the weather changed and it happened in few seconds: Dark clouds covered the skies as a rainstorm had passed the city, very slowly, I should add. We were drenched and found cover at an entrance of one of those “close” waiting for the rain to pause. At one point we just chanced it and ran along the street down Royal Mile to meet Craig and as Murphy law dictates: the minute we found Craig and the van, the rain had stopped and once again the skies were bright and sunny.
We drove back towards the hotel, passing interesting points such as The Elephant House that established itself as one of the best tea and coffee houses in Edinburgh, and was made famous as the place of inspiration to writers such as J.K. Rowling, who sat writing much of her early novels in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle. Another interesting place was The Conan Doyle Pub, next to Picardy Place and not far from the birthplace of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous author, who created the fiction character Sherlock Holmes. The famous detective’s statue was erected across the street. We asked Craig to drop us there (It was only 10 minutes walk from the hotel) and we entered the pub to have dinner.
There were few dishes we had to try as we were in Scotland and were told that while in Scotland we must try Haggis, a dish consisting of a sheep's or calf's internal organs mixed with hard fat, oatmeal, and seasoning and boiled in a bag, traditionally one made from the animal's stomach. Donna & Russ didn’t want to chance eating it, but Tova & I loved every bite of it. It was delicious! We (the four of us) also ordered and shared other dishes: Fish & Chips, amber ale & mushroom pie and macaroni & cheese. Tova & I also shared a Guinness Draft beer.
On our way to the hotel we entered the Omni Center and had a delicious ice cream.
We were back in our room at 8:30 PM.
Day 30 (5/17/17)
Edinburgh
We walk up at 6:30 and after breakfast, at the hotel, we met with Craig and started the day. Sunny skies welcomed us as we drove to Edinburgh Castle. Craig dropped us at the gates and we waited for them to open up, as lines started to form outside. The castle looked astonishing from the outside and the views were unbelievable. The castle and Castle Rock dominated the skies above the city.
The gates opened at 9:30 sharp and we started to tour this ravishing icon.
We were given, along with our tickets, a phone-guide and a brochure that included some facts: Archaeologists have established human occupation of the rock since at least the Iron Age (2nd century AD), although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. There has been a royal castle on the rock since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century, and the site continued to be a royal residence until 1633. From the 15th century the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century it was principally used as military barracks with a large garrison. Throughout history, the castle witnessed many battles and many conquerors and also served as a prison.
We followed the map of the site, handed to us at the box office, and visited most of the attractions mentioned and learned many facts and interest things about the site: It was recently voted top UK Heritage Attraction in the British Travel Awards and is Scotland’s number one paid-for tourist attraction. This most famous of Scottish castles has a complex building history. The oldest part, St Margaret's Chapel, dates from the 12th century; the Great Hall was erected by James IV around 1510; the Half Moon Battery by the Regent Morton in the late 16th century; and the Scottish National War Memorial after the First World War. The castle houses the Honors (Crown Jewels) of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, the famous 15th century gun Mons Meg, the One O' Clock Gun, and the National War Museum of Scotland.
We exited the gates at around 12:00 and walked on The Royal Mile, stopping for coffee and then entered St Giles’ Cathedral, also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, the prominent feature of the city skyline. The church has been one of Edinburgh's religious focal points for approximately 900 years. The present church dates from the late 14th century, though it was extensively restored in the 19th century.
We found Craig, who parked right next to the Cathedral, and drove to a nearby village, just outside of the city, (but actually belongs to the city limits) by the name of Duddingston. We stopped and parked next to Sheep Heid Inn, and Craig told us that the village was established in the early 14th century and the inn is said to be the oldest pub in Scotland dating from 1360 and taking its name from a ram's head reputedly presented by King James VI to the landlord in 1580.
We walked a short distance to a nearby parish church on Old Church Lane, by the name of Duddingston Kirk, located adjacent to Holyrood Park, which we visited yesterday. The church was built in or around 1124 and the graveyard is the main attraction, with ancient graves, including those of pirates and crooks.
We walked in the park and Craig pointed out a beautiful grove of garlic plants, grow wildly in the park. We picked one of the flowers and after rubbing it our nostrils were filled of the aroma of the fresh garlic.
We then returned to the van and drove to our next destination: Rosslyn Chapel, a 15th-century chapel located at the village of Roslin (different spelling), and is still owned by its original family. It was built as a place of worship and services (which continue to be held there weekly).
The Chapel has also been a popular destination for visitors for generations. By the late 18th-century, it was starting to appear on itineraries and its profile greatly increased after the publication of Dan Brown’s novel, The Da Vinci Code, in 2003, and the subsequent film, that was on the big screens in 2006. Most of the interior scenes of the chapel were filmed here, and the main actors Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou, were on site for a few days. Craig took us to the spot where Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou characters sat next to the ruins of a castle.
The fort was destroyed by the famous Oliver Cromwell, an English military and political leader and later Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. We will hear that name throughout our trip in Scotland and is referred to by Craig as the Castles Destroyer.
The next stop was at Castle Law, in the Pentland Hills, where we watched Scottish troops, next to an open shooting gallery and also many sheep and lambs strolling on the hillside. The views from the hill were fantastic.
We headed back to the city and made a nice stop at Dean Village, a former village immediately northwest of the city center. Craig told us that it was known as the "Water of Leith Village" and was the center of a successful grain milling area for more than 800 years. At one time there were no fewer than eleven working mills there, driven by the strong currents of the Water of Leith. We found a very peaceful place and could not believe that only a couple of hundred yards away, there was the center of the city with its hustling & bustling daily life.
On our way to the hotel, Craig told us about the Windows Tax Laws here in Scotland and around the United Kingdom, from 1696 to 1851:
The window tax was a property tax based on the number of windows in a house. It was a significant social, cultural, and architectural force in England, Ireland and Scotland during the 17th and 19th centuries. To avoid the tax some houses from the period can be seen to have bricked-up window-spaces. When the Act was passed in 1696 it was a tax for the occupiers of the house, not the owner. Only if the property was empty would the owner be liable to pay. There were 2 parts to the levy. First, a flat-rate house tax of 2 shillings and the second payment was determined by the number of windows.
It is widely thought that the phrase “daylight robbery” originates from opposition to this levy (it was certainly viewed to be a tax on “light and air”).
Craig brought us back to the hotel and we immediately started hunting for a pub with a decent menu. We ended up eating again at Conan Doyle; this time trying and enjoying different plates from the menu.
We return to the hotel and packed for tomorrow. We left the large luggage in the hotel and were left with only a medium size bag for our upcoming journey.
Day 31 (5/18/17)
Edinburgh / St. Andrews
We woke up at 6:30 to a sunny and beautiful day. At 9:15 we met with Craig and started our journey.
Our first stop was at Fettes College, a private coeducational independent boarding and day school in the city, with over two-thirds of its pupils in residence on campus. The school was originally a boarding school for boys only and became co-ed in 1983.
When we stood in front of the gate and looked at the structure and its’ surrounding, it was easy to understand why the site was so familiar: this 400 years old school inspired JK Rowling to create a magical school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in her Harry Potter series.
I already mentioned earlier that Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book while staying warm in the Elephant Cafe in Edinburgh, and has lived in the city for years. She had a rich and beautiful city from which she pulled so many great details for the story. Principal among them was Hogwarts itself.
We drove around 10 miles away from the city and arrived to a magnificent place called Three Bridges or more correctly The Three Forth Bridges, one of Scotland’s major landmarks, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This magnificent railway bridge was built the late 19th century and has been voted Scotland's greatest man-made wonder in 2016.
I’ve seen in my lifetime many beautiful bridges all over the world and I had to admit to myself that this bridge was the most stunning, attractive and impressive of them all! We stopped for about 30 minutes and took many photos.
We drove for awhile and arrived to a beautiful farmer market called Blacketside, where we stopped for a yummy lunch, picking up cheese, bread, meat, vegetables, soup and coffee.
We continued our day and arrived to East Neuk of Fife, located on the coast of File. Craig told us that "Neuk" is the Scots word for “corner” and that East Neuk is generally a group of few villages of the most northerly part of the Firth of Forth.
We entered the village called Lower Largo, to find the Statue of Robinson Crusoe on one of the houses where Alexander Selkirk was born. “Selkirk was the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe book”, Craig explained.
Though the statue was the main attraction there we were impressed more by the sculptures spread out the village’s main street, including an astonishing totem statue and the picturesque gates and walls of some homes.
We drove not far from there and found a beautiful parish: St. Monans. The 14th-century church sits on the rocks above the water on the western side, about half a mile away from the village, and the site is full of history and beautiful views. Craig mentioned that it is often said that St Monans is “the church nearest the sea in the whole of Scotland”, and this may well be the case, being only around 60 feet from the edge.
We walked around the village along the shore and found it to be very attractive and peaceful with many photo opportunities.
We continue our journey passing Ellie and Earlsferry, driving in the countryside and passing hills all “painted” with yellow flowers from the rape & barley bushes, which blossom at this time of the year.
We arrived to the city of St. Andrews, on the east cost of Fife. We drove around town for a bit, just to get an appetite for our excursion there and headed to the St. Andres Golf Course, also known worldwide as the "home of golf" because of the famous links (it has one of the oldest courses in the world, where the game has been played since the 15th century).
The golf course is the most frequent venue for The Open Championship, the oldest of golf's four major championships. Many visitors travel to St Andrews, in great numbers, for several courses ranked amongst the finest in the world, as well as for the sandy beaches. (In a matter of fact President Obama had visited and played in St. Andrews just few days after our visit there).
We entered the famous clubhouse, looked around and bought a couple of souvenirs. We then drove around the course to get a better look at some other attractions there, like the small Swilken Bridge (only 30 feet long, eight feet wide and six feet tall), where many players and visitors pose to take pictures.
We drove to the coast and looked at St. Andrews Castle, a picturesque ruin, which sits on a rock, over the North Sea.
We then continued to the ruins of the Roman Catholic St. Andrews Cathedral, Scotland’s largest and most magnificent medieval church. It was built in the 12th century and became the center of the Medieval Catholic Church in Scotland as the seat of Archdioceses, Bishops and Archbishops of St Andrews. It was ruined after Catholic mass was outlawed during the 16th-century Scottish Reformation.
Craig mentioned to us that thousands of medieval pilgrims travelled here on foot throughout history, starting in the late 12th century. I was trying to imagine the glory of the Cathedral before it was destroyed and I am sure that those pilgrims must have seen it as the most significant symbol of their religion.
Next stop was at the University of St Andrews, the oldest one in Scotland (1413) and the third oldest university in the English-speaking world and the oldest in Scotland. According to some rankings, it is ranked as the third best university in the United Kingdom. The University is an integral part of the town and during term time students make up approximately one third of the town's residents.
We visited one of the chapels in the university, by the name of St. Salvator. It was founded in 1450, and built in the Late Gothic architectural style. Students and members of the public regularly attend its numerous services, including morning prayers, and Sunday services. The Sunday services are followed by the famous pier walk, in which students walk to the pier and back in academic procession. Other services are held occasionally to mark graduations and other such occasions, and the chapel also hosts wedding ceremonies for a large number of the university's alumni. The Chapel has its own choir, which sings at most services.
Outside the university we saw a mark to commemorate Patrick Hamilton, a member of the university that was burned at the stake on that spot in 1528. He was a 24 years old student that upon his return from a trip to Europe, he was influenced by Martin Luther and started to teach Lutheran Doctrines. He was condemned to death, thus becoming the first martyr of the Scottish Reformation.
Craig parked his car and gave us some free time to wander around the center of town. We spotted Fisher & Donaldson, a well known bakery of the region. We bought coffee and cakes and they were divine! The bakery had been recognized by Her Majesty the Queen!
We said goodbyes to this wonderful city and headed to Dundee and to our hotel there. Craig took us first to the City Quay to see a small but charming lighthouse. It was getting late and we were tired and hungry. We asked Craig to skip the rest of the tour and take us straight to the hotel. Right after checking in we walked for a while in a nice shopping mall and found a beauty salon for Tova, while I was looking for food. We ended up eating at The Market Bar, where the food was fantastic and was served in huge portions.
We returned to the hotel at 10:00
Day 32 (5/19/17)
Dundee / Inverness
We woke up at 6:30 and after breakfast we walked to the city center. The main attraction was the huge St. Paul Cathedral, built on the site of the medieval castle. We wandered around the structure’s grounds and looked around. A nice statue of Queen Victoria was quite impressing.
Looking around the city’s center we saw some awkward statues. Craig explained later that they are called Lemmings Statues, created by the artist, Alison Conway, who created the sculptures, and stated that she wanted it to seem like the statues had just wandered out of their birthplace and made their way to where they are now.
We met Craig at 9 and started today’s journey. We first entered a beautiful and magical forest grounds, the oldest tourist attraction in Scotland. It is called The Hermitage. We walked between the majestic trees and arrived to the main attraction there: the gorgeous waterfall. We heard the sounding water in the background and Craig urged us to ignore the waterfall for now and led us to a mysterious hall, inside a small building, sitting on a rocky outcrop.
As we entered it, a hallway led us to a balcony and to our wonderful surprise, the waterfall was just beneath us. It was like sitting in the best seat in a concert hall. The name of the hall is Ossian, and Craig added that it was built sometimes in the 18th century. we were overlooking the turbulent and majestic Black Linn Fall.
We entered the castle’s ground, driving through Diana’s Grove, with tall trees serving as its’ walls. The castle was simply a jewel. The white buildings and the scenery around has made it the most photographic and visited castle in Scotland.
We entered the building and toured the inside for an hour. The house was filled with fabulous period furniture and fine art, with collections of arms and armor, lace, Jacobite relics (Jacobite were a series of uprisings, rebellions, which I will write in details later on) , Masonic items, and fine porcelain seeming to fill every room.
Other highlights included the Georgian staircase, hung with family portraits, and the Derby Suite, named for Lady Amelia Stanley, daughter of the 7th Earl of Derby, who married the 1st Marquis of Atholl. Queen Victoria stayed in the Derby Suite when she visited Blair Castle. The queen was guarded during her stay by 100 specially selected Atholl Highlanders. She must have been pleased at the service they rendered, as she granted them regimental colors, including the right to bear arms. But perhaps more spectacular was the Tapestry Room, hung with Mortlake Tapestries once owned by Charles I.
As we exited the building a Scottish Bagpipe man, all dressed in authentic costume, was marching around the entrance, blowing his pipes and creating wonderful music.
We started to tour the garden grounds, crossed a river by the name of Banvie Burn and toured the breathtaking Hercules Garden, a walled Georgian design garden, named after the life-sized statue of Hercules which overlooks the garden. It incorporates landscaped ponds, a very unusual building that was built in the garden for decorating it, a Chinese bridge, statues and an authentic orchard of more than 100 fruit trees.
We spent about 2 hours in the castle and its ground and it was a great experience!
We continued and entered The Highlands of Scotland. The landscapes had changed and we were now in a very sparsely populated area, with many mountain ranges dominating the region.
We arrived to Clava Cairns, a well-preserved Bronze Age cemetery complex of passage & mysterious graves; piles of stones, some of them standing in a beautiful setting. Craig told us that Clava Cairns is a fantastic example of the distant history of Highland Scotland, dating back about 4,000 years. Donna got very excited to be there, as she had followed The Outlander series on TV, and this place was filmed in one or more episodes.
We arrived to Inverness in the early evening and settled in a B&B named Scott’s. Our room was extra tiny and very uncomfortable but clean. The owner, Scott, and his daughter were charming.
Donna & Russ decided to go grab sandwiches for dinner but Tova & I walked to the river and found The Waterfront Pub, recommended by Scott. The food and service were fabulous! It also featured a unique Scottish band that played some "blue grass", Scottish music. We then walked around the river and returned to our room to escape the rain, which started without any warnings!
Day 33 (5/20/17)
Inverness / Isle of Skye
We woke up at 7:00 and went to the dining room where Scott already prepared our table for a great Scottish breakfast. As Craig showed up at 9:00, light rain has started.
We made our way out of Inverness and while driving along a river we saw a guide teaching a lady how to “Fly Fishing”. We stopped to take few pictures and then made our way to Loch Ness, about 25 miles southwest of Inverness. We stopped at the Visitors Center and learned the following about the lake and the famous legend:
Loch Ness (Loch is a “lake” in Scottish Gaelic) is a large lake and very deep (2nd deepest in Europe), containing freshwater. The lake is best known for alleged sightings of the cryptozoological Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as "Nessie", an enormous creature, which is believed to live in the water. The first recorded sighting of the monster was in 565 AD, when it was said to have snatched up and eaten a local farmer.
During the years more stories were told to generations of listeners. To this day, there is no conclusive proof to suggest that the monster is a reality. However, many respectable and responsible observers have been utterly convinced they have seen a huge creature in the water.
A tourist attraction on the site is a touristy man made “monster”.
Not far from the Visitor Center we found a nice castle by the name of Urquhart , which sits beside Loch Ness . We did not go in there but walked to the top of a hill to take photos with the lake nested under the beautiful structure. Craig briefed us that the 13th century castle played a role in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. It was subsequently held as a royal castle, and was raided on several occasions.
We drove a short distance, parked the car in a little car park and walked to our next stop: The River Moriston Waterfalls, which were lovely, and I am sure that after a storm it could be quite spectacular. The nearby Invermoriston Bridge, built in 1933 was impressive as well.
We drove for awhile on A8 and stopped at a historical site: The Battle of Glen Shiel, in the West Highlands. Craig seems to be excited when he told us, as rain was pouring down, this part of history: About 300 years ago a great battle occurred between British Government troops (mostly Scots) and an alliance of Jacobites and Spanish, resulting in a victory for the government forces. It was the last close engagement of British and foreign troops in Great Britain. The Battle of Glen Shiel is sometimes considered an extension of the Jacobite rising of 1715, but is more correctly a separate rebellion and was the only rising to be extinguished by a single military action. It is sometimes known as the Nineteen. This battlefield has been included in the Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland.
We drove few more miles and arrived to a vista point of Loch Duich and then saw the beautiful 13th century Eilean Donan Castle, in the Kyle of Lochalsh. When the glory of this castle came into view we understood why Craig stated that it is one of the most photographed castles in Scotland and one of his favorite. It appeared in many movies, TV shows and calendars.
Strategically located on its own little island, overlooking the Isle of Skye, at the point where three great sea-lochs meet (Duich, Long and Alsh), and surrounded by the majestic splendor of forested mountains. The castle setting was truly breathtaking.
The rain was coming down hard and we found shelter in the café nearby. Donna and Russ braved the weather and went inside the castle, while Craig and we waited for them, sipping hot chocolate.
Our next stop was a memorable one: The village of Plockton with a population of about 400 people. Plockton is a settlement on the shores of Loch Carron. It faces east, away from the prevailing winds, which together with the North Atlantic Drift gives it a mild climate allowing exotic tree , beautiful bushes, colorful flowers and vegetation to prosper.
Most of the houses date from the 19th and 20th centuries. It was planned as a fishing community. The village is a tourist resort and appeared in many television series.
A party was going on, outside a small boutique hotel, and a crowd of young men & women were sipping wine and eating burgers and other dishes. We walked the main street of the town with awes and wows, when we looked at the scenery.
This was the last stop of the day and we drove to the Isle of Skye and to our beautiful Bed & Breakfast, called The Hebridean in the city of Broadford, and we were very pleased with our rooms and the dinner, which we decided to have there.
However, we noticed that the couple, running the hotel, was racist to say the least. We saw an incident where a Chinese couple was refused to be seated by the manager, claiming that there are no tables available and when another couple offered to help and invited the Chinese couple to their own table, the manager asked them to mind their business: "I know what I am doing!", she announced and asked the Chinese couple to leave the premises and go (it was raining outside!) elsewhere.
We later on found out that the Chinese couple was part of a larger group that stayed at the inn and that the B&B is managed by a husband & wife team. We could not believe what we would witness the next morning…
Day 34 (5/21/17)
Isle of Skye / Fort Williams
We woke up at 7:00 and went to the dining room of the hotel. We were seated and ordered our breakfast. The Chinese couple, that we met yesterday, came into the dining room and was seated at a table next to us. We ordered our breakfast from the manager (the husband this time) and then he went to the next table, where the Chinese couple was seating. The Chinese man was not familiar with some of the Scottish dishes offered and asked the manager to let him know what they are. The manager made fun of him, mimicking his accent and made some ugly remarks.
After breakfast we walked around the main road of the town, exploring beautiful landscapings.
We met Craig at 9:00 as rain was pouring down. We then took the country roads and drove to the north end of the island, passing through many picturesque villages. After a short stop in Portree, where King Williams landed with his ship in 1902, we continued climbing the mountains and along the way saw many sheep and lambs. They were adorable.
We continued to head north, passing through herds of sheep and entered a narrow road that led us to an amazing site: Cuith-Raing, a rocky area, located on the Northern part of Skye. The entire ridge was created by a series of landslides over time, when the slope changes from a stable to an unstable condition. Craig told us that it continues to move today, requiring yearly road repairs at the base.
Some of the highlights we saw there were "The Needle", "The Table", and "The Prison". Many movies and TV series were filmed there and the reason is simple: the geographical and breathtaking scenery of the entire area.
We continue our journey driving in the Inner Isle of Skye and arrived to a beautiful viewpoint, just when the rain had stopped. We found two spectacular sights, both visible from the same observation point on the Trotternish Peninsula:
One of these was the magnificent 300 feet Kilt Rock, which looked strikingly similar to a pleated kilt, made up of columns resting on sandstone base. The other point of interest was the Mealt Waterfall, which is fed from the nearby Mealt Loch, plummeting from the top of the cliffs to the rock-laden coast below.
We continued our journey and arrived to Port Righ where our van stood in line to take The MV Lord of the Isles ferry across the lake, a sailing of about an hour.
We arrived to the small fishing village of Mallaig and then drove a short distance to a beautiful location: Camusdarach Beach with white glistening sand and clear water, which was so similar to one could find in the Caribbean’s. The weather changed as well, from a cold and rainy day and into a nice, warm and sunny day.
Our next stop was at The Church of St Mary and St. Finnan, in the town of Glenfinnan, which lies at the head of Loch Shiel. The church is situated in one of the most picturesque areas in the Highlands; standing at the head of the lake and with a significant historical event: “This is where Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard before the gathered clans”, Craig told us.
We drove a short distance away an arrived to Glenfinnan Monument & Viewpoint, at the head of the lake. We entered the Visitors Center and found out that the beautiful 60 feet monument was erected in 1815, in tribute to the Jacobite Clansmen, who fought and died for the cause of Prince Charles Edward Stuart.
We decided to climb the hill and get better views from its top. The climb was pretty easy and the reward was huge: the beautiful lake, the monument itself and the surrounding were just breathtaking. Another attraction that we saw a beautiful train railroad passing on a bridge, also featured in the Harry Potter movies.
Our next stop was at a small fishing village at the bank of Loch Linnhe. The views were unbelievable and there were also locks for boat crossing (a miniature Panama Canal). We spent about an hour there and then arrived to Fort Williams, the largest town in the Highlands.
Over this picturesque town is Ben Bevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles, and standing at 4,411 ft. Our knowledgeable tour guide told us also, that the mountain is a popular destination, attracting an estimated 100,000 climbers a year, and around three-quarters of which use the Pony Track from Glen Nevis. The 2,300 ft cliffs of the north face are among the highest in Scotland, providing classic scrambles and rock climbs of all difficulties for climbers and mountaineers. They are also the principal locations in Scotland for ice climbing.
The B&B where we stayed there, was by far the best one we ever been at. It was called Myrtle Bank Guest House. The scenery around the establishment was breathtaking with beautiful flowers and trees. The B&B is situated alongside the lake and the views, from our beautiful suite were unforgettable. The suite itself had a huge bedroom and even a bigger bathroom plus a sitting area and the most comfortable mattresses.
After settling down we strolled down the street, alongside the lake to arrive to a promenade where many stores and pubs were located. We decided to have dinner at Ben Nevis Pub, we found a great atmosphere and good food.
Day 35 (5/22/17)
Fort Williams / Edinburgh
We woke up at 7:00 and had a great breakfast in our B&B. Craig showed up at 9:00 and he had a surprise for us: A visit to the famous Jacobite Train Station.
The train operates under the name of "The Jacobite" (after the historic Jacobite political movement which has many local connections). During our journey in Scotland, Craig had told us about the movement. In short, Jacobitism was a political movement in Great Britain and Ireland that aimed to restore the Roman Catholic Stuart King James VII of Scotland.
The train looks quite similar to the infamous Hogwarts Express. It is, in fact, the same train which featured in the Harry Potter films (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) and the nearby Glencoe (which we would visit next), was used in the Harry Potter sequence for the set of Hagrid’s Hut and is the home of the bridge leading to Hogwarts’ entrance.
At 10:15 the train approached the station. It was quite a sight, as many tourists jumped ahead on the terminal to take the best angle picture. The train itself was gorgeous. We entered the first class car, and just sat in one of the seats, enjoying the moment.
It was time to move on. We drove south-east, passing 2 beautiful lochs and arrived to our next destination: Glencoe. It is considered to be Scotland’s most famous and most scenic valley. Glencoe is also arguably Scotland’s most historic glen, and it was recently voted as Scotland’s most romantic glen. The area is not only a holiday center for hill-walking and mountaineering; it is also an ideal base from which to explore the Highlands of Scotland.
The inn, dating back to the 16th century, has a sign on its door saying "No Hawkers or Campbells", a reference to the Massacre of Glencoe that took place hereabouts. Craig gave us a brief history lesson: Early on the morning of 13 February 1692, in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution and the Jacobite Uprising of 1689, a massacre took place here, in the Highlands of Scotland. This incident is referred to as the Massacre of Glencoe. The massacre began simultaneously in three settlements along the valley as fleeing MacDonald’s were pursued. Thirty-eight men from the Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were killed by the soldiers that were welcomed as guests in the villages earlier, and who had accepted their hospitality and then betrayed them.
We kept driving through beautiful roads and amazing scenery, stopping from time to time to breath in the fresh air and swallowing the unbelievable views of the mountains and valleys, spotting wild life and plenty of sheep.
We made a stop at Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park. The lake contains freshwater and crosses the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest inland stretch of water in Great Britain by surface area and contains many islands.
A short distance away we stopped for lunch at Trossachs Woolen Mill, where the owner of that restaurant put on display a couple of bulls that were gorgeous.
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We continued our journey and arrived to a beautiful castle by the name of Doune Castle, a medieval stronghold near the village of Doune. Craig once again showed us his skills of Scottish history and informed us that recent research has shown that the Castle was originally built in the thirteenth century, and then probably damaged in the Scottish Wars of Independence, before being rebuilt in its present form in the late 14th century.
After a short stay we drove and arrived to an amazing site: The National Wallace Monument, a tower standing on the summit of Abbey Craig, a hilltop overlooking Stirling. It commemorates Sir William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish hero who led the Scots in the First War of Scottish Independence against King Edward I of England.
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The views, from the top of the hill, where incredible and breathtaking. In the distance we could see Stirling Castle and it would be our next stop. The castle is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, a steep and rugged rock, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, giving it a strong defensive position. Before the union with England, Stirling Castle was also one of the most used of the many Scottish royal residences, very much a palace as well as a fortress. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1542, and others were born or died there.
It was time to return to Edinburgh. We arrived there in the evening and after checking into the Marriott Hotel we went to dinner at the nearby Theatre Royale Pub.
I had a strange feeling that the city felt like coming back home.
Day 36 (5/23/17)
Edinburgh
We woke up at 7 and turned on CNN. There were bad news from Manchester, UK: At least 22 people were killed during a performance in that city. A suicide bomber exploded and murdered spectators (including children).
We had breakfast in the hotel and met with Craig a 9:00. The first stop of the day was at Portobello Beach, , just a few miles from Edinburgh city centre. We found a charming seaside suburb, with two miles of golden sand making it perfect for swimming and sunbathing. Craig told us that beach draws large crowds in good weather (which was not the case today!) and, along with the promenade, hosts a number of popular events.
We drove about 15 miles and arrived to East Lothian and to our next stop: Glenkinchie Malt Distillery. The distillery is set in farmland. A tour was offered by the establishment and the tour guide was a nice guy and very informative: The name of the distillery derived from Glen (a narrow valley) and 'Kinchie', which is a corruption of 'De Quincy', the original owners of the land. Its origins date back to around 1825. We entered the red brick factory and toured some of the buildings as our guide explained each step of making the whisky.
At the end of the tour, samples were offered to us. I had about 4 of them and was tipsy for the rest of the day!
We drove to our next destination: St Mary Cathedral. The external of the cathedral was beautiful, but the the cathedral was closed. The main attraction was the many swans floating in the adjacent river and the beautiful bridge, which connect the cathedral to the nearby town.
We drove to the nearby National Museum of Flight where we split into 2 groups: Donna & Ross opted to visit the museum, as Russ was really into wartime aviation. The site has a well preserved World War II airfield and original WW II buildings. Tova & I decided to continue exploring the countryside.
We first stopped nearby a large yellow flowers field all covered with Rape bushes. I entered the middle of the field and took some good pictures. We drove through other beautiful fields with all kind of cattle (black & white sheep, goats, cooling off under a bridge and also some beautiful bulls).
We then continued to one of Craig’s favorite castle. We entered a very narrow road, where a sign warned us that the road is not fitted to long & wide vehicles. Tour buses are not allowed to visit here and no wonder Craig liked this peaceful place and its hidden fort. The name of the castle was Hailes Castle, which has quite a bit of history: the ruin is dating back to the 1200s, associated with the Wars of Independence and Mary Queen of Scots.
The castle is hidden away in the pretty valley of the River Tyne and is one of Scotland’s oldest stone castles; it dates from the early 1200s.
Craig explained why he thought this place is so important in the Scottish history: It is associated with Mary Queen of Scots’ third husband James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, who may well have been born in the castle. He fled into exile after Mary’s capture in 1567. The castle’s days as a stronghold ended with Cromwell’s invasion in 1650. (Craig nicknamed Cromwell as the Castles Destroyer).
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The views from the top of the fort were amazing. We also saw the prison, which suggested the awful torture its occupants went through.
We returned to the country roads and found our way to East Linton. After looking at a small waterfall and cascades we stopped in town and admired the beautiful fountain in front of a small but gorgeous church. We then decided to have a break at the only hotel in town, the Linton Hotel. I entered the pub inside the hotel, which was really busy with many locals, who came here to meet their friends and drink together. All I could hear were talks about the bombing in Manchester. I ordered 2 lattes and a coke, which we enjoyed, while sitting outside the hotel (the latte was the best one I had had in Scotland!).
Next, we arrived to Preston Mill, which looked out of place in its Scottish landscape. The mill has a very unusual and distinctive Dutch style conical roof. The site has had a mill on the land since the 16th century, Craig explained, but the present mill only dates back to the 18th century. Preston Mill was used to grind and make oatmeal and was used commercially up until 1959.
The windmill became famous internationally after being featured in the TV Series The Highlanders.
We stopped at a nice and historical 12th century church, called Dirleton Parish Church. The church had a beautiful setting and surroundings. The churchyard is home to the occasional early gravestone, though not perhaps as many as I expected for a church dating back to the early 1600s.
We drove back to the National Museum of Flight to fetch the Clarks and decided to use their tickets to see one of the main attractions of the museum: The Concorde, in the main hangar
We drove through some beautiful golf courses, in the Golf Coast, famous to host The Masters and decided to stop and have a Slush Ice Cream, which we learned contained a flavoring (say, lemon-berry - my favorite!) plus ice, plus a bit of ice cream blended in. So it's "lighter" than a shake made with ice cream and milk would be. It was delicious!!
It was time to end the day and to return from our last day in this beautiful country. We arrived to the hotel in the evening and then decided to walk to a well known pub named Tiles Pub and I am so happy we did. The food and the service were the BEST!
We returned to our room and started packing for tomorrow’s departure.
I went to sleep so satisfied with the places we had visited. Craig gave us a map and highlighted the routes.
Day 37 (5/24/17)
Edinburgh / Los Angeles
Craig showed up twice in the hotel today. Donna & Russ had an earlier flight and then we had a later one. We thanked and said goodbyes to a wonderful guide and more important a special man.
We had a layover in London and then a direct flight to LAX.
Recommendations:
1. D&D Limo Service: Serving Southern California. Always reliable and with reasonable prices.
Tel: +1-714-313-1913. Email: DNDlimo4u@gmail.com
2. Sicily4You: Michele was a great tour guide, flexible and reasonable.
Tel: +39-345-608-2478 Email: Sicily4You@gmail.com
3. Raffaele Aversa: Private tour guide in Naples and surrounding.
Tel: +39-333-609-8279 Email: Rafaelle.Averas@libero.it
4. Manos Going: Mariana is an expert in Rhodes, Greece attractions.
Tel: +30-224-103-4091 Email: info@ManosGoing.com
5. Dorina Katsadoraki: A fantastic guide for Athens, Greece. She works for Olympic Tours.
Tel: +30-697-242-6085
6. Mini Tours Scotland (Craig McCall Flynn: Probably the perfect guide one could ask for.
Tel: +44-774-508-4416 Email: Craig@Mini-Tours.com
7. Myrtle Bank Guest House: Prepare yourself for a fantastic B&B in Fort Williams, Scotland.
Tel: +44-0139-770-2034 Email: Enquiries@MyrtleBankGuesthouse.co.uk
Please leave your feedback and comments. If you are a Google+ member, you may leave your comments by clicking 'comments', or Email me at Aviram.Oren@gmail.com
Very interesting, some of the places bring many memories ( 1 week in Mykonis with a ..friend) Twice in Santorini – once with Haim, Rhodes 1 week with Haim , Athens many times etc.
ReplyDeleteSimona
Great to hear from you. You latest blog is fantastic with lots of great pics, commentary and info. Makes us jealous.
ReplyDeleteMichael & Ellie Fronstin
You are so great at your travel longs and even more so with your always mentioning us as an integrate part. I interpret it as meaning if we hadn't gotten you to LAX, you wouldn't have been off to a good start. Thank you and keep trucking/traveling.
ReplyDeleteD
This is fantastic! I sat with my boys and went through the whole journal - they loved it also. Great memories and a great presentation!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this.
All the best.
Craig.