OneSixtyToOne

We just flew LAX to Athens with a 90 minute layover in Munich and arrive at 5:50 PM. Munich is one of the easiest airports to navigate through. Passport control took less than 3 minutes. Paris is nightmare.

We just returned from our cruise where we had a DV1 aft cabin on Deck 4. We really enjoyed the sail away views. You can find pictures and video in this post.

Day 14 - Arrivederci Roma - In search of Pasta We docked in Civitavecchia before dawn. We had our last breakfast in the World Cafe before the mandatory 8:00 AM checkout. Our Tuscany post cruise extension left at 9:00 AM, which left us an hour to relax in the Atrium before boarding our bus. One last picture from our aft veranda. We boarded our bus and met our tour director, Roberta. She was very entertaining and no nonsense when it came to time. So called us her little chickens and operated on what I call “Lombardi Time.” Legendary coach Vince Lombardi emphasized you should always be early for a meeting and if you were on time you were late. Lombardi’s standard was 15 minutes early. Luckily for us, Roberta’s time frame was only one minute early. After a few minutes of drilling this into our heads, she said something like “We meet at 12:30. What time do we meet?” to which most of us replied “12:29” eliciting a positive response. By the 2nd day, everyone was on board with “Roberta Time.” We drove for about 2 hours to coastal Tuscany where we stopped at an agriturismo organic farm La Parrina for a short tour and lunch. We toured the fields, vineyards, produce stand, and wine cellars. We sampled their cheese and wine then sat down for our delicious lunch, prepared with ingredients from the farm. BTW the cheese was indescribably delicious. All over Italy you’ll see pecorino as a prefix on the name of the cheese. It simply means it’s made from sheep’s milk. After our rustic Tuscan lunch (no pasta) we headed to our accommodations at the lovely Villa Il Poggiale. We arrived just before sunset and were assigned our rooms, no two of which are alike. By the luck of the draw we had a fantastic room which opened out onto the 17th Century courtyard. At 7:00 PM everyone gathered in the dining room for another delicious meal that inexplicably contained no pasta. This became a running joke with a group of us. Where are they hiding the pasta? On the bus, Roberta was checking with people that had dietary restrictions. When the topic of shellfish came up she flat out declared you won’t find shellfish or seafood in Tuscany. Since I don’t eat either I’m all in on Tuscan cuisine, I love Parma ham!!! She also stated you won’t find too many potatoes. This became the other running joke because we have two Tuscan meals and both served potatoes instead of pasta. Go figure. After a very long day it was off to sleep in our canopied bed. Tomorrow we visit the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence.

Day 13 - Continued After the morning Pompei excursion we returned to the ship for a quick lunch. This was the only day we were able to schedule a morning optional excursion with an included afternoon excursion. After a hasty bite to eat in the World Cafe we headed to the bus for the included Naples tour. Typical of included tours, there was a bus ride with the photo stop and a short walking tour of the shopping district. Our next cruise will also stop at Naples and we will use the time to go to the Archeological Museum, where most of the original frescoes from Pompei are housed. We did have a few Kodak moments on the tour. I took a unique shot of our docked ship. During the walking tour we stopped at the pastry shop that is next to the Bourbon Palace and was supplier to the court. We can see why. On return we took a picture of the aft of the ship and our DV1 4122 It’s time to cast off and head to Rome for disembarking. The sail away views from the aft cabins are amazing. IMG_0310.MOV IMG_0315.MOV

Day 13 - Cold Rain & Snow Today we arrived in a very cold, rainy, and snowy Naples. We have been dodging major rain for over a week but on the 13th day our luck ran out. Mt. Vesuvius only has snowfall one or times a year so I’ll look on the bright side and consider this a rare chance to snap some iconic photos. View from the Explorers Lounge We took the excursion to Pompei and once again had a great tour guide. Vesuvius was twice as high as its current twin peak, and much like Mt St Helen’s, is an explosive volcano. Half of the mountain exploded in the 79 AD eruption, landing directly on Pompei, crushing the city and inhabitants in 20+ ft of ash and rock. Herculean met a different fate as that side of the mountain sustained the pyroclastic flow, covering it in mud and other debris. The result was that no skeletons were found in Pompei. Instead hollow pockets were discovered that later were filled with plaster to find the outlines of human bodies and animals. Unlike the wealthy Herculean, there were no sewers, instead raw sewage would run down the streets necessitating stepping stones to cross. Notice the chariot tracks in the road. Pompei is a vast area and we only saw a small part. There were ancient “fast food” shops on every street. It’s a truly remarkable site to explore. I’ll have to stop here, as we are ready to board our flight back to the states. I’ll finish up our day in Naples as well as the Tuscany post cruise extension when we are finally home.

I’m currently on the post cruise extension in Tuscany and a couple days behind with my postings, but after tonight’s wine tasting, it might have to wait until we return home. Cheers. 🍷

I’m currently on the Sky and prices have gone up as per my previous posts.

Tips are included on all drinks, but people have been know to tip there favorite server near the end of the cruise.

Day 12 - Leave the ship, take the cannoli Today we arrive in Sicily. A steady drizzle greeted us as we arrive in Sicily. The upside is it’s Sunday and there are no crowds which is great for photography. Lots of charming buildings in Taormina, along with cannolis and Sicilian pizza! I’m Sicilian on both sides so it reminded me of the food my mom would make. Enjoy the photos.

The Glens say hi.

The tour bus was literally at the gangway. Knossos tour took us all day and we departed as soon as we returned. Never went into town.

Also live on the Sky

Day 11 - Looks like rain, feels like rain, here comes the rain. Today is a sea day so we slept in to get some needed rest. Clocks changed overnight so we got an extra hour in our favor. We woke up to rough seas and rain. Looks like bad weather finally caught up to us. Exterior decks as are all closed. IMG_0006.MOV After brunch we played a round of trivia in the Explorers lounge, went to the port talk on Messina, Sicily, and played a game of scrabble. The afternoon movie in the theater was Top Gun Maverick. Unfortunately we watched it on the plane ride to Europe. Tonight we have reservations at the Chef’s Table where they are serving the Xiang menu. Later tonight it’s a football party with the AFC playoff game on the big screen above the pool. I’ll pass on the 2:15 AM NFC game. Tomorrow we visit Taormina, Sicily. Interesting side note, this is where the current season of HBO’s White Lotus was filmed. The latest weather report is rain but skies clearing later in the day and hopefully we’ll have sun by the time we reach Naples. If it only rains on a sea day, I’ll take that every time. For now I’m resting up for food and football. I’ll be home before daylight. Just might get some sleep tonight.

Gin and vodka

Day 10 - Brokedown Palace Today we return to Greece and visit the island of Crete. It was raining when we docked in the morning, but just like our day in Delphi the weather cleared while we drove to the “Palace” of Knossos and it was a beautiful day. Crete is very mountainous with two peaks over 7,000 feet. They are made of limestone and there are thousands of caves, one being the mythological birthplace of Zeus. The snowpack trickles through the limestone and forms an aquifer. There are places at the beach where you can dig a small hole and drink from freshwater springs. The drive was long but scenery is worth it. We had another excellent guide that was a wealth of information. She told us that at this time of year Viking is the only ship in port and when we tour Knossos, people from our ship will be the only ones there. Typically there are long lines to view the Throne Room but we were the first group and had the run of the place. The “Palace” was a misnomer when discovered and today is thought to be and administrative and religious site containing vast storerooms of olive oil and food. Since its discovery other similar sites of the Minoans have been found. The original columns were made from the single trunk of a large cypress tree and painted bright colors. The site is truly amazing. It was covered with crystallized gypsum, which gleams in the sun. The elaborate system of rooms and staircases were thought to be the origin of the labyrinth and Minotaur myth. Bull jumpers Storage jars and chard walls of storage room caused by a fire. Throne Room Bull relief at one entrance We bid farewell to Knosos. Tomorrow is a sea day as well as a time change. We get an extra hour of well needed sleep. I leave you with a lyric from Robert Hunter’s Brokedown Palace, “In a bed, in bed, by the water’s side I will lay my head.”

Currently on the Sky. Here is a partial list.

Day 9 - Magic Carpet Ride Today we docked in Kusadasi, Turkey to visit Ephesus. Upon disembarking we were told to head towards the music and dancing. IMG_9764.MOV Today’s excursion was a tour of the Roman houses of Ephesus. It’s an additional cost from the other optional tour but well worth it. It’s hard to describe how spectacular this site is. The city was a port town in ancient times but the river silted up the coast and became a marsh land. This led to mosquitoes and malaria. That decimated this city of over 300,000 and the final blow came in the form of earthquakes and the city was abandoned. Because people left willingly, they took all their valuables, leaving only what they could not carry or did not want. The Roman houses have incredible mosaics, plumbing, and baths. The first picture shows how everything was discover, buried and knocked over. Everything you see raised up was painstakingly restored to the upright position. This was once the bus parking lot and columns were discovered underneath. Here is the library today. The Roman houses The theater After leaving the site we were taken to a showroom for carpets that sponsored by the Turkish government. Turkey has a program to keep the art of handmade rugs alive. We were greeted with a fascinating demonstration of silk making We then saw a demonstration of how s rung is hand weaved using a double knot technique. we were then brought into the showroom and offered traditional Turkey refreshments and a snack whole carpets, each with a unique pattern was shown to us. It was quite a demonstration. Everyone at the shop is employed by the government so no one is pressured to buy anything since there is no commission. I learned more about hand made carpets and their materials than I thought possible. IMG_9874.MOV We had an awesome sail-away view as we left Turkey, bound for Crete.

Day 8 - The Answer is Blowin’ in the Wind It’s our final day in Athens (Piraeus). We originally had booked an Acropolis tour, not realizing it was the same one we did on the Classic Greek Extension. Upon boarding we changed it to the Cape Sounion excursion. When we went to our bus we discovered our tour guide was Maria, the same person who had led our three other tours on the extension. She was an excellent guide and we were pleased to see her again. The word of the day was wind, not just any wind but a high wind advisory was in effect and gale force winds were expected overnight. The drive along the coast to Cape Sounion and Neptune’s Temple was very picturesque and the wind driven waves made it even more dramatic Neptune’s temple is perched high on one cape, making it a strategic place to observe enemy warships. As we climbed the path to the top the situation became like Jim Cantor covering a hurricane on the Weather Channel. We were push around by some of the strongest winds We ever felt. More on the wind later.. IMG_9739.MOV The temple was built around the same time as those of the Acropolis. The view from the top is magnificent. After we returned to the ship we had our first High Tea in the Wintergarden. Two men (not pictured) decided to show up in robes, which I discuss in another thread. We then returned to our DV1 aft cabin to enjoy the sail away. At the point we hit open water the strength of the wind became apparent and the ship began rock from port to starboard. This continued all night causing me forgo any idea of having wine with dinner. Exterior doors on the promenade deck was closed and warning signs were in place. We attended the lecture on the Ottoman Empire by the resident historian during which loud bangs were heard, possibly from the sea anchors being battered? We were told that corporate has now dictated the times of the Port Talk (4:30) and Enrichment Leture(6:45) to try and lessen the demand for tea and dinner at those times. It might be working as we found no line after the lecture and service there greatly improved from out last cruise. I had the Beef Wellington and DW the ricotta ravioli in a lemon sauce. I tried one of the ravioli and it was delicious. The lemon paired with the ricotta resulted in a taste that reminded me of a rich Italian dessert. It you see this on the menu, order it! After dinner we were not so gently rocked to sleep. Tomorrow, our first visit to Turkey.

No, they stayed a few minutes, sat down, and then left. Their significant others were dress up looking like they were heading to a nightclub but wearing goofy hats, sort of mocking high tea and the English. I got the feeling the men were being passive aggressive. BTW I heard them talk. There were Americans.

We are currently in the Wintergarden enjoying the first high tea of our cruise when not one but two “dudes” entered in their bathrobes. 🤢

Day 7 - All Aboard We’re finally here! Great to see the Viking Daily again. This will be our first time in an aft DV1 stateroom so I’m excited to see the views when we sail away from various ports. As I posted earlier, we entered our cabin to find cake and champagne for our anniversary. Ironically the whole Manfredi’s issue was a non-issue but when we went to dinner there was no record of our reservation even though it was on MVJ before we left a week ago. There were plenty of tables available. As others have stated, the steak is thinner but still tasty. This doesn’t upset me because I can never finish a 1 inch thick cut. DW had the Osso Buco, which she enjoyed. The ricotta cheesecake was divine. When in doubt try both the white and red. After dinner we took a nighttime stroll around the promenade deck. Time to turn in after a long day.

Day 6 - Acropolis Now After leaving the hotel for the final time we headed to the Acropolis just in time to meet the rush hour traffic. We arrived at the Acropolis on a beautiful day for exploring, mid 60, sunshine, and a stiff cool wind blowing. We climbed the 80+ steps to the top and entered antiquity. The view from the top is spectacular. The whole site is in the midst of massive restoration project which aims at removing the damage cause by prior restorations, for example replacing rusted iron bars with titanium and concrete with marble. There is even a rail line to move the heavy materials. After about an hour we bid farewell to the Acropolis and headed to the museum. The museum is everything we’ve heard about it and more. The top floor is oriented to be parallel with Athena’s temple and contains pillars replicating the temple with friezes placed in the appropriate positions. They have cleverly reproduced all the pieces that are at the British Museum in white plaster so when you look at the work in total you are amazed at how much was taken. The darker pieces are the original. Besides the friezes, there is a sculpture garden that contains fantastic pieces that were destroyed my marauding Persians. The remnants of these statues were later collected by the returning Athenians and buried, only being found in 19th Century. Unfortunately no pictures are allowed in the area containing this marvelous collection. A multi media presentation recreates the color that these works of art once contained. Here are some photos of other exhibits. Next up, we finally arrive at the Viking Sky.

I’m interrupting this thread to give a big thanks to Viking. If you have read some of my posts about the adventure I had trying and failing to book pre-cruise reservations at Manfredi’s for our anniversary, here is an update. After a couple weeks reservations opened and we booked dinner. We just arrived in our cabin to find an anniversary cake and champagne. Nicely done! I was also able to book the Chef’s Table once on board.

Bags out in hall at 7:45, bag check by 8:45, bus left at 9:00 AM

Day 6 - You can checkout anytime but you can never leave Woke up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head… After breakfast we placed our bags outside of our room, checked out, went to the lobby to identify our luggage, and are currently waiting for the bus to take us to the Acropolis. Big day ahead and we are anticipating boarding the ship. We have an anniversary dinner scheduled tonight at Manfredi’s.