Greenwich, England

Thursday, April 28

We were disappointed we docked in Tilbury rather than Greenwich.  However, we still took the Royal Greenwich walking tour.  Greenwich is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   A bus took us to the Greenwich Observatory.  Here we straddled the Prime Meridian placing us in 2 hemispheres at the same time.  Of course, we took photos to satisfy the requirements of a virtual cache.  We learned how the instruments were created by the Astronomers Royal to keep track of time accurately;  saw the equatorial telescope whose 27 inch lens took 8 years to polish;  and saw the camera obscura (originally used to observe the sun safely) which is now focused on the Queen's house.  Pretty cool stuff.  Then we walked to the National Maritime Museum with its naval memorabilia dating several centuries.  

We visited the famous clipper ship Cutter Sark used in the tea trade.  Impressive!  Finally,we walked to Dickens' Trafalgar Tavern to take photos inside and outside.   While waiting for the bus, we visited the flea market and  Bob found a cache.  It was a bit of a whirlwind tour, but very interesting just the same.  It is a must for everyone interested in astronomy and geocaching, especially Bob.  

We were lucky with the weather.  It was cool yet partly sunny.  Any day without rain for our visits is wonderful!  We must return to visit London properly.  Greenwich is a mere tip of the iceberg.  Tomorrow is the last sea day for this leg.  See you in Bergen.

 

Le Havre, France

Wednesday April 27

The Atlantic was quite turbulent yesterday.  Things calmed down considerably once we reached the English Channel.  We are docked in Le Havre next to RCIs brand new quantum class ship Ovation of the Seas.  It is HUGE!  .  At the top there is a ball attached to an arm which rises 300 feet above see level to give 360 degree views of the ports of call.   The Ovation officially begins its 50 day inaugural sail on May 3 from Southhampton to China.  

We decided not to go to Paris today.  3 3/4 hours on the bus each way did not excite us too much.  Besides, what can you visit in Paris in 3 1/2 hours.  We visited Le Havre, a UNESCO site,  instead.  It was completely decimated by WWII bombings in 1944 and has since been completely rebuilt.  We visited some of the many gardens and the waterfront.  Le Havre is known as France's greenest city because of its many gardens.  

The shuttle bus dropped us off at City Hall and it's gorgeous garden.  Surprisingly the flowers were blooming and the fountains were working.  Then we walked/zigzagged all the way up to the fort and its hanging gardens.  Such a beautiful spot.  It will be amazing when the flowers are in full bloom.  Unfortunately the greenhouses, raising plants from around the world, were closed.  Afterwards we wound our way back to town where we visited St Joseph church.  We were interested in its 107 meter tall tower which can be seen all over town.  
.  

Bordeaux, France - Part 2

Monday, April 25

It's a free day to walk around Bordeaux.  We've come to call it "little Paris" because of a few similarities.  It was a mostly beautiful sunny day.  Cool, yes, but the sun made it very comfortable.  We walked to Cathedrale St Andre, the beautiful Bordeaux gardens, a number of gates and monuments, and rue Ste Catherine.  This is a very wide and several blocks long  pedestrian only shopping street.  It was most enjoyable.  As usual, geocaching took us to a number of places we would not have otherwise seen.

We went for another walkabout after lunch.  We returned to the antique market across the street.  Then we looked for more geocaches and took one last walk along the waterfront.

Because we were delayed in Bordeaux for 24 hours, the rest of the leg will continue as planned, only 24 hours later.   Tomorrow is a sea day, so we will see you again in LeHavre.  

Bordeaux, France - Part 1

Sunday April 24

We left the Atlantic and floated down the highly turbid Garonne River. We were taken aback because we are used to the crystal azure waters of the Mediterranean.

We arrived in Bordeaux last night at 9:00 pm at high tide.  After passing 2 bridges, (Pont Chaban-Delmas and Pont d'Aquitaine) we turned at the widest spot of the river.  Then we drove over 1 km backwards to our docking area where we got off the ship.  We walked along the waterfront for about an hour.  It was cool, but lovely with everything lit up.  We needed this after 2 days at sea.  

Downtown Bordeaux is a UNESCO site.  In addition to the numerous protected buildings, there are many exotic fountains and statues.  Place de la Comédie is a pedestrian-friendly square that is home to the magnificent Grand Theatre de Bordeaux.  Beautiful Place de la Bourse, where the world’s largest reflecting pool spreads out like glass amid stately buildings, is located very near our ship.  Fun place for children of all ages.  Bordeaux rarely sees a mid size ship so there are lots of gawkers.  

There are many shops and restaurants along the waterfront.  You can walk forever!   Bordeaux is a beautiful place to visit thanks to their wonderful forward thinking Mayor Alain Juppé.  He is the force behind the clean up of the downtown and waterfront area.  It is now very attractive for residents and tourists alike.

Lisbon, Portugal

Thursday April 21

We knew when we reached the Atlantic Ocean, we would be getting rougher waters.  The ocean was so rough overnight that our arrival in Lisbon was delayed by 1 1/2 hour.  So, we decided to skip the included tour and chose to walk around Lisbon on our own.  The shuttle took us to a downtown square where we began to walk around the quaint streets and eventually hiked all the way up to the S Jorge Castle.  It was fun walking around up there with hundreds of others.  The views of Lisbon were wonderful.  We also saw the Santa Justa elevator which takes people up to a cafe and a view of the city.   It was built by Raoul de Mesnier du Ponsard, an apprentice of Gustave Eiffel. 

On the banks of the Tagus River, at the entrance to the harbour, we sailed past the Monument to the Discoveries dedicated to all the Portuguese explorers (Magellan, deGama, Cortez, etc...); Belem Tower, a UNESCO site;  25th of April bridge; and the statue of Christ the King.  
http://www.golisbon.com/sight-seeing/discoveries.html
http://www.golisbon.com/sight-seeing/belem-tower.html
http://www.golisbon.com/sight-seeing/christ.html

2 days at sea coming up.  We will see you in Bordeaux.

Gibraltar, UK

Wednesday April 20

Our first rainy day since Istanbul.  So disappointing.  We were looking forward to hiking up the Rock's Famous Mediterranean Steps, the ultimate Gibraltar challenge;  visiting the Upper Rock Nature Reserve;  getting a glimpse of Morocco;  and seeing the macaques (apes who like to steal cameras).  Instead we walked around town.  We ducked into a cafe for coffee and hot chocolate when it decided to come down in buckets!   We also walked to the marina where we saw Spain across the runway.  In order to get to Spain, you need to cross the runway!  There is a gate that closes when planes land or take off. 

Would you believe......the weather cleared at noon!  Too late to go up the Rock.  

After lunch we sat in lounge chairs by the pool listening to music provided by a group of young Hispanics.  We went through the Strait of Gibraltar with Morocco starboard and Spain port side.  This is a very busy strait with dozens of ships sailing through.  We are seeing quite a bit of Africa's mountainous north shore as we head to the Atlantic.

Afternoon tea with scones, finger sandwiches and tartlets.  Entertainment was provided by the Viking Trio.  Lovely!

Excellent  Cabaret:  Les artistes de Paris with Viking singers Lisa, Hanna Jo, and Heather.
Lots of great talent on this ship.  

  





 

Barcelona, Spain - Part 3

Monday April 18

Gaudi Architectural Tour...Wow!  We started at Park Guell which covers almost 50 acres.  In 1984 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   Hansel and Gretel was filmed here in 2 fairytale style houses.  It is very difficult to describe his work.  You will find some photos here.  You can google to find more.
     http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/gaudi/park-guell.htm

The interior of La Sagrada Família Basilica left us beyond speechless.  It is more beautiful than you would expect judging from the gaudy exterior.  The ceiling is absolutely beautiful.  It is very difficult to describe and photos do not do it justice.  There are numerous pillars representing trees in a forest.  Each pillar is decorated with something similar to cameos.  They are just gorgeous.  The stained glass windows add brightness to the majestic space.

Driving along the Gràcia passage we saw Casa Batlló and Casa Milà, two impressive Gaudí buildings featuring his characteristic curved façade and “scooped out” windows.
We then drove up Montjuic Hill, past Olympic Village,  where we had a panoramic view of Barcelona with La Sagrada Familia being prominent in the distance.  When done, the Basilica will be 1 metre shorter than Montjuic as per Gaudi's plan.  It was a very worthwhile day. Tomorrow is At Sea Day.  It is our last day on the beautiful crystalline waters of the Mediterranean.  Nothing exciting is on the agenda, so we will go to a movie and I am taking a day off from blogging.  See you in 2 days from the "rock"!

Barcelona, Spain - Part 2

Sunday April 17

Today we enjoyed Barcelona entirely on our own.  We hopped on the City Tour Bus which consists of a green line and an orange line.  We hopped off whenever we wanted and hopped back on when we were done seeing the sights.  We saw many of Barcelona's sights, none as famous as La Sagrada Familia.  This basilica is beyond description.  It has been under construction since 1882.  It is hoped it will be finished by the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death in 2026.  We will be returning tomorrow to view the interior during our Gaudi Architectural tour. 
     http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/gaudi/sagrada-familia.html
This is where Bob helped a French family find a geocache.  

We walked along the main promenade again and along the beautiful beaches.  There are several cruise ships in the harbour, making the area very busy.

Dinner tonight:  jumbo tiger prawns, beef tenderloin, pasta and mussels, and a light dessert.

Barcelona, Spain - Part 1

Saturday, April 16

This marks the end of our second leg, and the beginning of our third leg.  Our planned panoramic tour was not so panoramic.  There was a lot of wasted time.  The best part was the Barcelona neo-gothic cathedral with it's gold adorned altars, detailed woodwork and carvings.  

We returned to the ship for lunch and a break before going out on our own.  We walked to the Cristobal Colon square, the mile long pedestrian walkway with its artists and buskers, along the dock to the ocean front mall. and perused the gorgeous yachts.  

The Rumba Catalan Show consists of a troupe of 6 people from Barcelona who came on board to entertain us tonight.  This was a very interactive, toe tapping, hand clapping and olé-ing show. Catalan Rumba is a native born musical style created in Barcelona in the 20th century by Catalan gypsies.  It is a combination of Flamenco, Cuban music and Rock and Roll;  contagious guitar and bongo beats make it difficult to stay still.  The "ventilador", the Rumba's most distinctive characteristic requires a unique way of playing the Spanish guitar.  The guitarist claps his hand against the box of the guitar while playing the chords at the same time.  It was a great night of entertainment.

Supper tonight:  salad, gazpacho, Cornish hens and chocolate volcano.

Toulon, France

Friday April 15

We left Toulon this morning traveling through the  lovely Provence countryside to a fishing village called Cassis.  While most of you were sleeping, we were tasting wine....at 10:30 am.  We have decided we quite like wine in the morning.  We did purchase a very nice dry rosée.  After the tasting, we had 30 minutes on our own to visit the village.  Here was another wonderful market selling all different types of food...meat, baked goods, candies, and more.  We noticed that the bakers were selling bread by the slice.  For instance, if you wanted a slice 4 inches thick, that is what they would cut from a loaf of bread.  That is so unique.  Next we embarked on a small tour boat which took us on a bumpy ride to visit Calanques National Park.  Calanques are magnificent canyon-like inlets, geological marvels of southern France.  Beneath the towering rock formations lie caves once inhabited by Neolithic man.  These caves are now only accessible to divers. This is a wonderful area for hikers, climbers and boaters.  After enjoying our ride back through the countryside, we walked around Toulon for a while.  We found a huge mall which seemed quite unobtrusive from the outside.  We walked around the dock area with its many shops and restaurants where, lo and behold, we found a geocache!

When we returned to the ship, we had a tour of the ship's galley.  Interesting to say the least.  All food is prepared fresh daily.  Everything comes out of the same galley for all restaurants.

Lobster Thermidore was on the menu tonight and grand mariner soufflé for dessert.

Nice, France and Monte Carlo, Monaco

Thursday April 14

Today we anchored in Monaco.  Tenders took us to our bus for our 45 minute ride to Nice. Our guide gave us a history of the area and noted the homes of Bono and Sean Connery.  We were dropped off at the Promenade des Anglais on the Baie des Anges.  We explored Nice on our own for just over 2 hours!  Wonderful!  The Mediterranean is absolutely gorgeous.  On a perfect day, the sky and sea are the same colour.  This is why this area is known as the Côte d'Azure.  Our walk took us to La Promenade du Paillon with Its dancing waters, and la Cours Saleya, the Riviera's largest flower market featured  in Matisse's Festival of Flowers.  Such a lovely market.  Flowers of all kinds as well as fruits and vegetables.  In the afternoon, we walked around Monte Carlo, the palace, gardens and old town. So many lovely views along the way.  Like most other European old towns, the streets are narrow and picturesque.

When we returned to the ship, we attended a backstage tour of the Theatre, met the performers, stood on stage with them, toured their dressing room and wardrobe closet.  We also saw the stage pass behind the giant LED screen.  Of course Bob had to scrutinise the panel installations and controllers.  He was suitably impressed.

We were entertained by Sally Jones performing a tribute to Edith Piaf.  For her bio, see her website at http://www.sally-jones.com/sally_jones_home.html.  

Monaco sent us off with an amazing pyrotechnics display.  Fantastic!

Naples and Pompeii, Italy

Monday April 11

We visited another UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Pompeii is defined as a Picture of Ancient Life Frozen in time.  This is so true.  In 79 AD when Mt. Vesuvius erupted, Pompeii was buried under 20 feet of ash. Excavation has revealed with astounding precision exactly what life was like on that day.  Our guide gave us a detailed account of one of the homes of the wealthy, as well as the homes of the working class and the many shops which would be similar to today's outdoor mall.  We took time to explore on our own and found a geocache and an earth cache.  Vesuvius is a very well studied volcano because 400,000 people live at its base.  It can go at anytime.

We returned to the ship for a light lunch, then went out to explore Naples.  We found a really neat cache at the Galleria Umberto.  That was a hoot!  It was a bit of a puzzle and really had us thinking.  Bob's giving it a favourite.  The Galleria is similar to the Eaton Centre in Toronto in that the buildings are now covered creating an indoor shopping area.  Every city seems to have its own castle.  Naples is no exception.  We walked around there for a while.  Then took our lives in our hands crossing the streets!  Very scary!  Finally we found streets for pedestrians only.  Those are really nice.  Mind you that doesn't stop motorcycles, the preferred mode of transportation in Naples.  It's unbelievable how many there are.   

Suppertime entertainment in the TorsHavn lounge was  Rat Pack Revisited with the Viking Singers and Band.  Later, Sally Jones (from UK) sang a number of Andrew Lloyd Webber songs accompanied by the Viking Band.  Excellent entertainment.  

Pisa, Italy

Wednesday April 13

We joined our guide for a scenic drive through Tuscany to Pisa. Piazza dei Miracoli, or the Square of Miracles, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We missed visiting the interior of the marble-clad Romanesque Pisa Cathedral whose interior is adorned with Byzantine-influenced mosaics because Bob HAD to find a geocache!!!  Also in the square, we saw the grand circular Baptistery, the famous Leaning Tower, and the walled Camposanto Monumentale, said to be the most beautiful cemetery in the world.  At 11:30,  In the Baptistery, someone sang 3 notes 4 times in succession followed by one last note.  Haunting!  The acoustics are amazing.  Bob was very astute and recorded it.

In the afternoon we visited Livorno, the port city.  The shuttle bus dropped us off at a nice square near shops.  There is really nothing to report regarding this city.  However, we did find a cache at the fortress.

Dinner was spectacular this evening.  I am so impressed with Bob.  He is being adventurous in his food choices.  We both had Bergen Fish Soup which is made with 14 different types of fish.  It was somewhat like a chowder, except much better.  Then the waiter surprised us with Shrimp ravioli.  It was so delicate and flavourful.  For the main course, I had a perfect beef filet and Bob had lovely roasted cod.  It was quite weird because normally I go for the fish and he goes for the filet.  Dessert was Vienese apple strudel for Bob, and Sweden Choux with chocolate praline filling for me.  All we can say is WOW!  Our waiters Bosko and Nicola were amazing.  They both love to cook.  Bosko seems to have lots of experience with wine pairings, and his recommendations were excellent.

Rome and Vatican City, Italy

Tuesday April 12

We had a very full day touring Rome and Vatican City  (10 1/2 hours).  We started with a  panoramic drive past Rome's important ancient sites:  the Aurelian Walls, the Pyramid of Cestius, Circus Maximus and the very impressive Capitoline Hill.  We also drove past remarkable Roman baths which put all others we have seen so far to shame.  We thoroughly enjoyed our photo stop outside the massive Colosseum where we met our Italian guide, Maria.  With her, we visited the Spanish steps, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon.   The Trevi Fountain is huge and very impressive.  The inside of the Pantheon was breathtaking.  The concrete dome was fascinating.  She also showed us where to find the expensive designer shops.   At the Piazza Navona we enjoyed free time.

During our free time at Vatican City we stood in line to get through security to visit St Peter's Basilica and again to get into the Basilica.  The place is massive with lots of art, carvings, gorgeous marble floors, decorated ceilings and domes. It's very difficult to describe.  This too was very breathtaking.  Unfortunately, there was no time to visit the Cistine chapel.  

Almost everyone on the ship was out on a full day tour.  The staff must have missed us because when we returned, they were out on the pier greeting us with music, champagne, cheering and clapping.  What fun that was!  They did it for each of the returning buses. 
Tonight, an operatic troupe from Rome entertained us....Accademia Nazionale de Santa Cecilia.  Such powerful voices they have!  They made it fun and even had us singing along a bit.

At Sea Day #2. Sailing the Seas

We sailed the Adriatic, Mediteranean and Ionean Seas to Messina Strait, through the narrowest point (<400 metres) and on to the active Stromboli Volcano.  Unfortunately, we didn't see any volcanic activity.

This morning we went to a lecture about Pompeii and Herculanium.  Quite timely since we are visiting Pompeii tomorrow.

We received a personal invitation to join the captain for a tour of the bridge.  It was a very impressive tour.  He even took us into the navigation room.  We had a wonderful visit.

We dined at the Chef's Table restaurant for the first time.  It is one of only 2 restaurants requiring a reservation.  There were 5 courses presented to us.  We simply eat what is served.  No need to order.  We started with cucumber and romaine, with goat cheese mousse;  oxtail consommé with julienned vegetables; granita made with vodka, mint and mixed berries;  super tender lamb filet;  chocolate nut brownie, chocolate mirror glaze and pistachio ice cream for dessert.  Each course had a different wine.  We did not overindulge this time.  We just had a couple of sips of each.  


We finished the day with the very talented Viking Singers and Dancers.  Somehow, we managed to climb 27 flights of stairs...on a sea day....impressive!

Corfu, Greece

Saturday, April 9

Another beautiful day.  Corfu is the birthplace of Prince Philip.  

Today's tour took us to Kanoni (Canon) a wonderful vantage point to view tiny Mouse Island and its Monastery.  This is a ridiculously popular spot for tour buses.  Upon leaving, we saw Paleopolis, an  archaeological site of Roman baths.  When we reached the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Corfu Town, we left our tour and went off on our own.  Sometimes it's just too much to listen to a guide drone on about Greek mythology.  

We spent over an hour walking around the Old Corfu Fortress.  We climbed all the way up to the lighthouse.  Lovely view of the city and the Star docked in the harbour.  We walked around Durrell Gardens, l'Esplanade, and Liston promenade.  Here we had gyros at one of the many cafes lining the street.  From here we could see the palace of St Michael and St George, former residence of the British High Commissioner.  Then we continued our walk around Old Town.  More narrow streets lined with lovely shops as well as tacky souvenir shops.  We just kept on walking until we reached the street along the shore and kept going until we reached the ship.  Another beautiful, enjoyable day.  

It was Greek night in the World cafe tonight....moussaka, spanakopita, gyros, kebabs, stuffed mushrooms, roast lamb, Greek wine, baklava, and more.   

Of course, we found more geocaches!

Dubrovnik, Croatia Part 2

Friday, April 8. 

We have returned to Dubrovnik on the second leg of our journey.

Today, our coach took us through the charming countryside and villages of the Konavle Valley.  

Near the village of Komaji, we stopped at the Crvik family winery which has produced wine since the 16th century.  One of the sons who is taking over the business shared some of Croatia's wine history.   We sat at long tables, conversed with our fellow travellers while tasting 3 wines along with cheese and bread.

We also stopped at the Novakovic family winery which also has produced their own wine and olive oil for generations.  They had an interesting little museum.  Our guide explained how the ancient tools of the trade were used.  Again we sat at tables, visited with our fellow travellers while sampling wines, potent liqueurs, prosciutto and cheese.  They also gave us apple strudel for dessert.  Our gracious hosts performed traditional Croatian music, as well as a medley of American songs and an Australian song for our Aussie friends.  They knew their audience.  It was quite fun.  We sang along with them.  

Split, Croatia

Thursday, April 7

Split is in the Dalmation Region of Croatia.  This is where Dalmation dogs originate.  

We journeyed through Croatia's beautiful countryside to Krka National Park where we visited the astonishing Travertine Skradinski Buk cascading waterfalls.  Breathtaking!  These 17 cataracts are considered to be among the most beautiful calcium carbonate waterfalls in Europe, tumbling a total of 150 feet along a 1,312 foot stretch of the river.  At their widest point, they span 328 feet across.  We enjoyed spectacular views of the foamy cascades and their crystal clear aquamarine pools all along our one hour walk in the park.  We also visited a small ethnological exhibit and a restored water mill.  We had ample free time to take many photos.  

We then hopped on a boat, rode down the Krka River to the town of Skradin (skra-deen) for a four course lunch.  We didn't need supper.   Later, we hopped on the bus and returned to the ship.  On our own, we quickly visited Split, Croatia's second largest city.  Zagreb is by far the largest.  

Regarding geocaching, Bob is meeting his goal of of at least one cache per country.

It's really difficult to resist the gelato in the World Cafe.  Each night there are 10 different flavours.  The only one that's there each night is strawberry, Bob's favourite.  Wow!

Venice, Italy. Part 1

Tuesday, April 5

Today was the last day of the first leg.  Some people disembarked, others embarked.  The ship is full this time around.

Now we begin the second leg of our journey.  We had a wonderful day visiting Venice on our own.  We took the Viking shuttle to near St Marc's square.  We walked over 4 bridges to get there.  One bridge gave us a view of the Bridge of Sighs. We walked for hours looking at a multitude of shops, restaurants, churches and museums.   

Geocaching brought us to the Scalla Contarini del Bovolo.  It is a famous hidden jewel of Venice.  We climbed the stairs to the top where we had a view of Venice's churches.  This spiral staircase is what is known as the "snail".   More than likely, we would not have found it without geocaching.  

We ate at a local restaurant with WiFi hoping to send photos.  It did not work.  We keep trying!

Venice Italy. Part 2

Wednesday April 6

No sun today, but still a beautiful day to visit Murano Island, home of the famous Murano Glass.  We hopped on the People Mover (monorail) to the Water Bus which took us to the island.  It took about an hour to get there, so we made sure to allow enough time to return to the ship.  The moment you are on the island, you see shop after shop of beautiful glass art.  It is unbelievable.  We had no idea there were so many glass artists on this island.  We saw jewellery made with tiny millefiori.  We found a shop that sells mosaic pieces as well as various sizes of millefiori.  Of course Bob had to purchase some.  He is motivated!  Each shop was loaded with inspiration.  Unfortunately, it was not permitted to photograph the art.  It's all stored in our memory banks.  We thoroughly enjoyed our day on our own.

At 4 pm we left Venice peacefully sailing the Venetian Lagoon past the famous St Mark's Square and the Doge's palace.  Lovely setting.  Such a wonderful farewell to a wonderful city.

Dinner at The Restaurant consisted of caviar, lobster and creme brûlée for me, and crab cake, lobster and chocolate soufflé with baileys coffee sauce for Bob.  Exquisite!

Pula, Croatia

Monday April 4

Pula enjoys a lovely setting on a sheltered bay of the Adriatic.   With its location on the southern end of Croatia's Istrian Peninsula, it proved a strategic place for ancient Rome to build an outpost.  There is evidence of Roman influence everywhere in Pula.  

Here we dropped anchor and were tendered to town.  This time we used Viking tenders.  Our tour took us to the amphitheater.  This was most interesting.  This is one of few you can visit underneath.  Today, musicians, such as Sir Elton John, provide concerts.  Once done here, we left the tour and went on our own.  We walked the quaint, narrow streets and worked our way up to the castle.  Pula is a very interesting city.  Ruins are everywhere.  The main industry here is ship building.  Our guide told us the 20th century was pretty strange.  Her personal story is that 4 generations were born in a different country, yet all were born in the same city!  Cool story!  Your challenge is to figure out how this is possible. 

Tonight, the Viking Singers performed their favourite ABBA songs.  Another job very well done!  They are a very talented group of young singers.

Dubrovnik, Croatia. Part 1

Sunday April 3

Dubrovnik is one of the world's most beautifully preserved medieval cities in a gorgeous Adriatic Setting....  George Bernard Shaw's "Paradise on earth".

It's a foggy Sunday in Dubrovnik.  We weren't feeling very well this morning, probably due to too many rich foods and the various wines last night.   We decided to visit on our own, rather than take a tour.  The old fort-like structures are most impressive.  This is where 2 seasons of The Game of Thrones were filmed.  The shops like to play on that.  Bob went to the top of one structure and had a great view of the city.  The quaint cobbled sidewalks are very narrow, yet each one seems to have a number of restaurants.  Just put out an awning and a few chairs, and you have a restaurant.  So fun!

Tonight our surprise was dinner with the Captain!  We had a great visit with Captain Rune Lockling, and 6 other 50 dayers from Texas and Australia.  Looks like Captain will be meeting with all 50 dayers.   We had prime rib and chicken, others had lobster Thermidor.  Sorbet was our dessert of choice.  Another lovely evening with new friends.

We return to Dubrovnik in a few days.

Kotor, Montenegro

Saturday April 2

What a fun day!  We arose early enough for our arrival into very picturesque Kotor at sunrise.  It is located in a fjord.  This medieval city is a secluded seaside resort and UNESCO site.

Much to our surprise and excitement, We were invited to dinner at the Kitchen Table with Executive Chef Frederic.   In the morning, we walked to the local market with Chef, to purchase fresh fish and produce.  Afterwards, we visited at a nearby cafe.  

We missed our included tour, but we did not care.  We went to Old Town on our own.  It is such a quaint area with its cobbled streets, narrow winding walkways, squares, shops, restaurants and cafes.  We climbed the steep steps to the little chapel half way up the mountain.  We did not go all the way up to the fortress.  The footing was too treacherous.  We returned to old town to walk around some more.  

The Kitchen Table is a private dining area which takes a maximum of 12 guests.  Chef Frederic and his Sous Chef Marco, prepare dinner in front of their guests.  The menu consisted of tapas:  a selection of cold cuts, cheese, nuts, dates, figs, olives.  We were each given a platter which could easily have served 4 people.  This was followed by shrimps and scallops, perfectly cooked.  The main course was seared Sea Bream.  A very nice tender fish served atop veggies, and wild morel mushrooms.  Dessert was flambéed poached pears and lemon mint sorbet.  Each course was accompanied by a very nice wine presented by Edgar the Sommeilier.  It was a lovely evening with new friends.

OMG!!!  Another surprise for tomorrow!  

At Sea Day #1

Friday April 1

This is the first time we spend the entire day at sea.   There are a few events to keep us busy.

The most fun part of the day was the Great Viking Cook Off.  This was a competition amongst all the division managers led by the Executive Chef.  What a riot!  The captain was constantly cheating.  Bob videoed quite a bit of it.  This is the first time they do this.  It was hilarious.

We had lunch at The Restaurant this time.  Wonderful gazpacho soup, salade niçoise, lemon tart.  Very quiet.  They only open at lunch on sea days.  It is lighter fare.  We will do this again.  We dined at Manfredi's tonight.  Bob had antipasto, bistek fiorentina, a taste of lasagna.  RM had mussels, sea bass and veggies.  Dessert was a type of dark chocolate torte.  Statistics indicate that the average cruiser gains between .5 pound and 1 pound per day.  Those of us traveling for 50 days are in real trouble!   Need to keep an eye on things.

Entertainment tonight was Willie Aames,  our Cruise Director, singing and sharing tales from his Hollywood days.  You may remember him from 8 is Enough, The Walton's and other shows.  See his bio here...  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Aames.

We received a surprise tonight.  Tomorrow will be super special!

Santorini, Greece

Thursday March 31

Such a lovely sunrise this morning.  The seas are calm, the sky is clear.  A perfect setting for a momentous occasion.  We met our little sister, The Viking Sea, in the Santorini Caldera.  She begins her inaugural voyage April 3.  A helicopter flew overhead taking photos and video of the occasion.  It was pretty cool seeing a mirror image of ourselves.  We will meet her again in St Petersburg in May.  By 2020 there will be 6 sisters.  Once the Sea circled the Star and the 2 ships played duelling horns, the Sea followed us to Santorini where we dropped anchor.  From here we were tendered to the dock where we found our coach.

Santorini's official name is Thira (Theerah).  We went for a scenic drive up Mt Profitis Ilias, the island's highest peak, for a spectacular view of the Agean Sea.  Then we continued in the country past villages, vineyards and churches to Oia (eeyah).  Here we spent over an hour, on our own, walking up and down the sidewalks, viewing the castle, whitewashed homes, azure blue church domes, shops, restaurants.  Unbelievably, all the photos we see of the blue roofed churches and the sea are REAL!  The colour of the sparkling Aegean sea is spectacular!  It is a very quaint city with very narrow streets.  We returned to our coach for a return ride through the countryside.  Our guide gave us an interesting lecture on the local agriculture.  Fava beans, olives and wine are the main staples.  We were dropped off in Fira, the capital, to spend time on our own.  We walked around the shopping area and had lunch at a restaurant with a view of the Viking "sisters".  A Greek salad for two,  2 rolls and a beer came to 20 Euros.  Pricey lunch!   We walked some more before returning to the tender via cable car.