Bit of a blog - Spirit of Adventure - Treasures of the Adriatic - Oct 2023

NorbertsNiece · October 23, 2023

Sale delle Quattro Porte

The room with four doors. Important visitors such as foreign leaders and ambassadors waited in this room before entering the more formal chambers of the palace.

In the center of the ceiling, an octagonal painting depicts Doge Priuli kneeling before two allegorical figures: Justice with her sword and scales and Peace with her olive branch. The allegories of Justice and Peace were two virtues with which the Venetian Republic especially venerated.

JMMKUK · October 23, 2023

15 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

@JMMKUK lovely to meet you finally!

It was lovely to meet you too. Sorry for the late reply but I couldn’t get the boards to load.

NorbertsNiece · October 23, 2023

Today I made a necklace, there was an Asian stir-fry for lunch at the Lido, we spent time in the hydrotherapy pool and I'm just back from choir practice.

lincslady · October 23, 2023

I hesitate to ask, but is that a huge container of mushy peas in your last photo?

NorbertsNiece · October 23, 2023

1 minute ago, lincslady said:

I hesitate to ask, but is that a huge container of mushy peas in your last photo?

Roflmao. I honestly have no idea. I just took pics. Was in the dessert cabinet...... I ate in the Grill and Geoff, who had the stir fry, didn't know when I asked him! He didn't partake.

NorbertsNiece · October 23, 2023

Back in the Doge's Palace.... we walk through the Council Chamber (apologies for the blurred description),

and the Senate Chamber.

Edited October 23, 2023 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · October 23, 2023

The Chamber of the Council of Tens

There is a hidden door in the panelling

Through this door the accused would be led to the Bridge of Sighs.

Citizens could post condemnation of fellow citizens through slots in the wall around the Palace. If, following investigation, they were proved correct they may be rewarded; if disproved they would receive the worst punishment imaginable. This pic of the one in the chamber

The slot into which accusations could be posted.

NorbertsNiece · October 23, 2023

The Armoury was located next to the Hall of the Great Council, so that in case of any "troubles" the members of the council could arm themselves in an instant and join the ranks of the defenders of the palace. Theft, looting and requisition of the following years significantly diminished the property of the Armory, but so far it has more than two thousand different types of weapons and armor.

Edited October 23, 2023 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · October 23, 2023

Expletive deleted. My phone time has changed and I've lost an hour. 30 minutes to change for formal night 🤬

NorbertsNiece · October 23, 2023

Formal night was wonderful. We'd had another special invitation to dine with another couple and an officer, this time with Massimo, the Cruise Director and Roderic one of his Entertainment Staff.

Edited October 23, 2023 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · October 24, 2023

Day 16 sea day

Start of our last week on board.....

Good morning and thanks for following 🛳

We saw wildlife from the bridge cam..... in the sea type.... dolphins? Just breaking water. Swimming toward us on the starboard bow.. . We're portside but still rushed out and saw nothing!

Up really early ( for me ) to watch the sail through the Straits of Messina ( the bit between the mainland and Sicily )

Quick tour around the breakfast stations whilst it's quiet. Most are doubled up.

More Doge's Palace later!

Edited October 24, 2023 by NorbertsNiece

lincslady · October 24, 2023

That is as good a breakfast as you will see on the 'luxury' lines, like Silversea and Seabourn. I love plain yogurt with berries in; they often run out of berries during cruses on some lines.

(Of course I realise Saga is in or near the price range of the luxury lines, just less inclined to puff itself up thus).

JoJo1947 · October 24, 2023

17 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Expletive deleted. My phone time has changed and I've lost an hour. 30 minutes to change for formal night 🤬

I turn my phone to manuel time update 😀

Brummijam · October 24, 2023

51 minutes ago, JoJo1947 said:

I turn my phone to manuel time update 😀

Is that Spanish time?😂

NorbertsNiece · October 24, 2023

2 hours ago, JoJo1947 said:

I turn my phone to manuel time update 😀

I have now lol!!

NorbertsNiece · October 24, 2023

I'd just like to thank everyone who has followed/ commented here. CC have given me a 2nd rare badge which has really blown me away.

So thank YOU and thanks CC ❤️

NorbertsNiece · October 24, 2023

For those on board :

Just want to put it out there that Supercraft Cruises are NOT permanently on board as rumours suggest. For their itinerary please refer to their website here.

NorbertsNiece · October 24, 2023

A few pics from our sail through the straits

Pianist practising

Edited October 24, 2023 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · October 24, 2023

Today on board.

Had a GF bagel today. Will have to try it toasted....

We've been to the hydrotherapy pool again.

Edited October 24, 2023 by NorbertsNiece

Whiteduck1 · October 24, 2023

48 minutes ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Today on board.

Had a GF bagel today. Will have to try it toasted....

We've been to the hydrotherapy pool again.

Can you please tell me if they do any sort of afternoon tea in the buffet or is it just the dining room.. Thanks.... and congratulations on your 2nd badge, it's well deserved. It's a great blog.

NorbertsNiece · October 24, 2023

1 hour ago, Whiteduck1 said:

Can you please tell me if they do any sort of afternoon tea in the buffet or is it just the dining room.. Thanks.... and congratulations on your 2nd badge, it's well deserved. It's a great blog.

Hi. It's just in the dining room. There's always something savoury and sweet in the Living Room throughout the day.

Thank you!! 😀

Whiteduck1 · October 24, 2023

Just now, NorbertsNiece said:

Hi. It's just in the dining room. There's always something savoury and sweet in the Living Room throughout the day.

Thank you!! 😀

Thanks for the quick response

NorbertsNiece · October 24, 2023

Venice/Doge's Palace contd

We enter the Sala del Maggior Consiglio which is the place where all the Venetian nobles gathered when they had to make important decisions, such as the election of a new Doge, or the start of a war campaign against the Turks.

Foreign guests were brought to this place , which is why the walls of this large room are covered with paintings relating to the great battles and great victories of Venice, engaged in the conquest and maintenance of the territories that gave the city splendor and magnificence.

52.70 meters long, 24.66 meters wide and 11.50 meters high, the Sala del Maggior Consiglio is the largest in the Palazzo Ducale, with its floor covering over 1250 square meters.

This is the painting of Doge Marino Falier, appointed in 1354 and who attempted a conspiracy together with other Venetian nobles to subvert the republic. The conspiracy was discovered and the Doge and his companions were arrested and sentenced to death for high treason.

The Council decided that the portrait of the Doge had to be covered by a black cloth on which was written in Latin “this was the place of Marino Falier beheaded for treason”.

Now looking through one of the windows we could see when we first entered the courtyard

Edited October 24, 2023 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · October 24, 2023

Portrait of a lady and her daughter by Titian c1550. A complicated history but simply put had been painted over and only discovered in the 2nd half of the 20th Century.