Diane’s Trips

Sadly, we disembarked today, left our floating luxury hotel, and made our way by shuttle to the Hilton Airport Hotel. After dropping our luggage we left for the city centre, via the Trenitalia direct, and made our way first to the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum and then we walked to the Aventine Hill.

I wanted to see the Knights of Malta keyhole. The keyhole frames a telescopic view of St. Peter’s Basilica. From this vantage point you are looking across three countries: the autonomous property of the Knights of Malta (the Gran Priorato di Roma dell’Ordine di Malta) through a patch of Italy and then to the Vatican. 

I had not factored in the extreme heat (36C) but we continued our walk (with some grumbling in stereo) and passed the Circus Maximus on the way.

After an exhausting morning we stopped for lunch in a quaint air conditioned restaurant near Circus Maximus. I had a Caprese salad, 2 lemon Sodas, and 2 glasses of ice water.

We then made our way to our skip-the-line (after a 30 min. wait) audioguided walking tour of The Colosseum. It was really worth the effort to see this ancient structure again.

The trip grand finale was Jessi treating me to my first dinner at a Michelin star restaurant called Acquolina. It specializes in a mostly seafood menu. What an unbelievable, unforgettable and utterly perfect experience this was!!!👏👏👏👏

“The Romance of food never fades.”

Holy cow, time to call a cab it is 🕛 am!

Thanks for joining me on my singing /family holiday. I’ll be back in cool, wet BC tomorrow and ready to start rehearsal for Verdi’s Requiem.

Arrivederci Roma!

Today we left Salerno by cruiser and travelled along the spectacularly beautiful Amalfi Coast to the world-renowned town of Amalfi. It is one of the oldest of the maritime republics in Italy (839-1135).

Every town dotting the coast offers medieval fortresses and towers perched high on the steep cliffs. The notorious pirate Ariadeno Barbarossa attacked Amalfi and Salerno.

The pastel coloured and sparkling white houses seem as though they have been painted into the scenery. There are terraced lemon groves etched into the rugged mountainside.

Each picturesque town along the way has a small port and an even smaller beachfront area harpooned with 500 umbrellas per square meter.

We visited the Cathedral of St. Andrew (Arab-Norman) which has a stripped Byzantine facade (9-11thC). The first church of Amalfi, which forms one Nave of the Cathedral, dates to the 6thC AD.

The Cloister has at its centre a small Mediterranean garden and was the cemetery of the nobility of Amalfi in the 13thC.

The Crypt which contains the relics of the body of St. Andrew-the first disciple of Jesus. The vault frescoes are truly outstanding and framed by rich, elegant, stucco-works depicting the Passions of Christ.

Solerno is an important ferry departure point and a major shipping container port (our veranda over looks them) in the Tyrrhenian Sea. I will remember Solerno because it has the best gluten-free pizza 🍕 I’ve ever eaten!! #Margheri Restaurant Rome has just been bumped to 2nd place.

I really enjoyed this city because it has an authentic feel of every day life in Italy. I had a difficult time finding a single tourist souvenir shop!! The lovely cobblestone streets and decorated narrow passageways added to the ambiance and overall charm of this city.

Today is Sunday and most of the shops are closed and many of the attractions are only open from 9-1pm. We decided to explore the city using the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus but ended up walking over 9 km anyway rather than wait 1/2 for the bus.

Our first stop was to visit the catacombs of the Capuchin Friars, where several thousand mummified bodies of monks, noblemen, men, women and children are in their original 15th-19thC clothes. A 2yr old child is so well preserved you think she is just sleeping but she is 101 yrs old. #justsocurious

Next stop was a tour of the Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele, the largest Opera House in Italy and the third largest in Europe after Paris and Venice. It was dedicated to King Victor Emanuel II. The Pompeian hall was a special circular-shaped room (“Echo room”) with perfect acoustics. The louder and clearer your voice becomes the closer to the centre of the room you are. It was originally a smoking room for nobles only.

We decided that our foodie E & E had to be Palermo’s famous Sicilian Street Food. We were not disappointed as we ordered a selection of Arancina-deep fried rice balls but ours were also stuffed with cheese, potato and ham; we also had zucchini wrapped shrimp tails, and bruschetta for Jessi. Arancina is the only food with its own patron saint, Santa Lucia. Jessi made the mistake of asking our server for a tomato sauce (like Carne) to put over the balls. The woman acted very disgusted and pointed to the tubes of Ketchup sitting on the table then walked away. 😂

We didn’t walk more than 1/2 block before stopping to get a gelato and a small cannoli to complete our meal.

I was very intrigued to see the fountain of shame which had an assortment of nudes displayed all around it. This fountain use to reside at a convent but the nuns thought it obscene and so it was moved and placed near the police station.

We just missed the bus and so decided we’d walk off some of our lunch and make our way back to the ship along the shoreline. We happened on a few lost passengers who were grateful we helped them get back to the ship. #gpsforever

Sadly, Palermo is a city with a serious garbage problem and it really detracted from our walking tour as you saw piles of dog poo everywhere, discarded clothing, furniture, food and even the remains of a dead cat beside the sidewalk. We were shocked how aggressively and impatiently the drivers acted toward pedestrians. It certainly made sense why they stopped drivers from entering the 2 major intersecting streets in the city. It was the first city on our entire trip that we worried crossing the street and so we waited for a local to cross with us!!!

Located in the centre of the Mediterranean, the Maltese Islands are the passageway between Africa (North Libya 288 km) and Europe (south Sicily 93km). Three islands are inhabited: Malta, Gozo and Comino. Comino has a full time population of 3 and 2 police officers who keep law and order on the island. 👮🏻‍♂️🏖😎

Our first port of call was Valletta a strategic allied harbour during WWII . The British influence in the region is still evident-drive on the wrong side of the road, use the red telephone booths and post boxes.

Our tour took us to Mosta where we visited the 4th-largest unsupported dome in the world which survived a dud bomb during WWII. A replica of the 💣 is on display inside the church.

Next we visited Malta’s old capital, Mdina, a medieval city rich with history. We meandered through the narrow streets then made our way to the bastions to view the surrounding countryside. The Knights of St. John made their home here in 1530 and stayed 268 years.

We visited the Mdina glass factory for a demonstration where we were blown away by the beautiful glassware on display. 😉

We returned to Valletta and walked around the harbour then took the elevator to the Upper Barrakka Gardens to enjoy the gorgeous panoramic view of the harbour below.

From here we made our way to St. John’s Co-Cathedral which was built by the Knight’s of St. John in 1577. Many of the Knights and Grand Masters (400) found their resting place here under the inlaid marble floor tablets. This incredibly ornate baroque church, designed by Gerolamo Caspar, features two outstanding paintings by Caravaggio: The Beheading of St. John The Baptist (1607) and St. Jerome Writing. #masterpieces✅

As we wandered through the streets of this beautiful city we were struck by how pristine it was. The country boasts that they have <3% unemployment rate and a booming tourist trade.

On the island of Gozo we boarded a small boat for Comino where we swam in the blue and crystal lagoons with 1,000’s of other swimmers. The blue lagoon lived up to its reputation however, the crystal was dark, choppy and much colder. We thoroughly enjoyed 2 refreshing dips in the Med. We sailed around Comino to look at the fortifications erected by the Knights of St. John to combat the pirates in the area.

On our return sail to Gozo we cruised, toward the south end of the island, passed the 500 ft cliffs (Ta’ Cenc) and sea caves.

Malta’s Knights of St. John (named after the patron saint) are famous for repelling the invasion by the Ottoman Turks but the origin of the Knights’ was to spread Christianity, protect pilgrims journeying to the Holy Land, keep the peace and care for the sick. The 8 points of the Maltese Cross represent the 8 languages of countries (langues) the Knights were from. The Knights were usually born into nobility and wealth and this enabled them to finance the building of stunning baroque buildings, churches, fortification and watchtowers around the Maltese Islands. The legacy of Knights can be seen all over Malta including naming buildings after themselves.

The islands of Malta are shaped by over 7,000 years of culture. The islands are small but incredibly active with year-round religious and cultural celebrations and international music festivals.

As we are cruising the Mediterranean Sea all day today, on our way to Malta, I thought I’d share my full day at sea. The temperature is a cool 26C with calm seas and blue skies (not even a wisp of cloud can be seen).

My day begins with a double shot cappuccino ☕️in order to jump start my navigation system (brain) to dock my expanding vessel at the breakfast buffet. #smokesalmon🌟

Finding your way to your cabin can be a challenge 🍸 (port or starboard?) but if you have a great travel agent, like Cindy at travelbestbets, she will purchase balloons to be placed outside your door. Surprisingly your fellow passengers will use your 🎈as a beacon too!! “Dear, its this side I see the balloons!”

The daily port lectures given by Tom are 40 mins long and jam backed with information, pictures, anecdotes and great tips to maximize your site visits. As well as being a wonderful resource he is highly entertaining too!

Lunch time is usually shore/tour time (food E & E: experiment & experience) but today Captain Zola has invited us (plus 280 strangers) to join him for a private Mariner’s luncheon. Jessi has decided to skip lunch as she would rather work on her tan. 👩🏻‍🦰👩🏾‍🦰 #seafaringclass

Today’s ship tour included a flower arranging demonstration, courtesy of Eric, the lone florist. He made a stunning arrangement entitled, “flock of flowers going nowhere” using bird of paradise, sunflowers, orchids, and braided palm branches.

Bingo @ 4pm has a life of its own (time waster) while you are dabbing and chanting “B4 not after, G55 snakes alive, etc.” What a let down when you need just one number and someone else yells BINGO first! 😣 #jessi❤️thisgame

Every night the showroom presents two live productions with excellent singers, dancers, instrumentalists, and comedians. I wonder if our Capilano Choir could get a gig on a sea worthy vessel? 🛳 or 🛶

At bedtime you never know what towel art (beady eyed animal) your cabin stewards, Yaya and Teddy, will leave on your bed. A piece of dark chocolate will ensure you have sweet dreams!😴

May you always have smooth sailing and free laundry and internet services when you cruise💸

Our tour started at 7:30 am and the temperature in the shade was already 31C! 😅

As our bus left the port at Kusadasi (pop. 50,000) we were greeted by multi-coloured terraced houses on the hillside. The city boasts that it gets sunshine 311 days/year. 🌞

Ephesus is a very impressive ancient city because of how well excavated and preserved the ruins are. At one time, it was estimated that 250,000 people lived in Ephesus. Cleopatra and Antonius honeymooned here in 188. The city was rebuilt 4 times but totally abandoned only once because of malaria.

We walked thru the ruins of the Great Theatre, Celsius Library (which had a secret tunnel to the brothels), Hadrian’s Temple, the Market, Gymnasium, the Baths, Public Toilets, and the Terraced Houses. The Romans decorated all their buildings in garish colours such as bright red, turquoise, yellow and orange. Stepping into the inner rooms, of these houses for the rich, you can see how exquisitely they were decorated with frescoes, mosaics, marble columns, dome shaped living rooms (Basilica), and sculptures. The tour through these houses was a fascinating unveiling of the lifestyle of the rich but not so famous.

The Main Street was covered in marble, had anti-slip markings (scoured lines or holes), and the sewage system from the houses and shops ran under the street. All the roads transected each other at right angles. They had torches that illuminated the streets at night.

Woman could not use the public toilets and men had to pay to use the latrina. In cold weather servants were sent to warm up their master’s toilet seat. The drainage system was under the toilet and above the toilets were the baths. Water from the bath house was used to flush out the toilets. The waste was then deposited in big pits outside the city, dried and reused as fertilizer! #ancientgogreen

Our tour ended with a trip to a carpet manufacturer where we watched skilled artisans weaving the silk carpets. Sadly, this hand woven art form is being replaced by factory produced replicas. It is a Turkish custom to be served traditional Turkish coffee or apple tea, a sweet roll and a liquor to soften the potential buyer.

Walking along the harbour we found the perfect restaurant called Ali Baba. While we sampled a few local appetizers we were being entertained by 20 seagulls dive bombing the jellyfish. Lastly, we went to a popular sweet and nut shop, at the far end of town, to purchase freshly made Turkish delight (Lokum)!!

Serefe or Cheers!

The first stop was the Suda Bay War Cemetery which is the final resting place for 1500 Commonwealth Soldiers, (mostly Australians, New Zealanders and British)-half of the graves are unidentified; who fought in the Campaign in Crete in May 1941. It is very sad to see rows of graves of so many young men in their 20’s. The cemetery is beautifully maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The next visit to the Monastery of Agia Triads (Holy Trinity) was very interesting. It is the largest monastery in Crete and the richest in Greece. They produce their own fine wines, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and other food items which are sold throughout Europe. The Church was built in the 1700’s and is extremely well preserved because they can afford the upkeep.

Our visit to the Monastery ended in the sampling room to taste their fine wines and purchase some delicious olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

We travelled to a nearby lookout and we were treated to a gorgeous view of the old Venetian Harbour of Chania. Built by the Venetians in the 14th century and later invaded and occupied by the Turks, the buildings are architectural gems.

After taking a walking tour of the city we headed to the Market to find white leather sandals. #👍👍

To celebrate our last day in Greece Jessi purchased a vegetable pie and moussaka with tzatziki which was homemade by Grandma who had a cooking kiosk in the market.😋 #thebestGreekfoodever

We shall return one day to explore more of these beautiful islands!

From this during the day…

to play, win (not yet) & shout Bingo! at night with her blue dabber. Missed her chance to collect $1,000 by 2 dabs in a blackout game.😆

The first Olympic Games were held in Olympia 2,000 yrs. ago. It was a 45 min bus ride to the site which consisted of ancient ruins and an amazing Archaeological Museum. We had a guided tour with an archaeologist who specializes in the Greek Classics.

The site was a sanctuary and park to worship the God Zeus and his wife, Hera, who both were honoured with temples. The Olympics were hosted every four years and attracted some 40-50,000 spectators. The athletes were all chosen by judges to compete and entered the great stadium naked through an arched tunnel.

All spectators stood on mounds but the judges and dignitaries were seated in a box. Standing on the marble starting blocks one can only imagine the pride the competitors must have felt representing their city. As only the winner was recognized with honours like not paying taxes, getting a statue erected in one’s honour, economic perks, etc. the competition would have been intense. How did they deal with cheaters? They publicly shamed them and made them pay for a statue with their name, city they were from and a description of their infraction for all to see at the entrance to the Stadium.

The museum has on exhibit of a 4th-century marble statue of Hermes of Praxiteles, a masterpiece of classical sculpture from the Temple of Hera.

There were so many wonderful sculptures, tools, pottery and other artifacts in the museum I wish I could have stayed longer and learned more.

We had lunch in the small fishing village of Katakalon and walked along the one and only street chatting with the friendly merchants. We sampled some incredible honey produced in this region.

Please note the last post pertains to my final concert which would have me travelling back in time. 🤪I have struggled with poor internet service which has resulted in this technical clutch.👎 Sorry!

Our clocks moved ahead one hour at 2am. Today was overcast and a few degrees cooler (29C) on our boat ride to see the 3 sea caves of Nafsika, Saint Nikolas and the Blue Eyes near the resort village of Paleokastritsa. The geological formations combined with ground minerals and sunlight give the water the brilliant blue color. The water is so clear, warm and teaming with fish. There is a patron saint of the island known as Our Lady of the Cave.

We took a scary bus tour up a small, winding road to the top of the Bella Vista viewpoint where we had a bird’s eye view of the bay and this lush island. Next stop was a Greek Orthodox Monastery which is now inhabited by three nuns.

Corfu is the 2nd largest Greek Island in the Ionian Sea. Corfu’s old town is a mix of medieval and modern in a maze of colourful narrow cobblestone streets with picturesque promenades housing quaint shops, bars and restaurants.

We enjoyed a delicious multi-course traditional Greek meal, in one of the side streets, and then did some shopping for baklava and nougat before taking a taxi back to our ship, the Veedam (Holland America Line). Tonight I am looking forward to seeing Planet Earth II which is BBC Earth footage accompanied by live music from the ship’s orchestra.

Tonight’s concert was an inspired one as we were singing in the church where Claudio Monteverdi was laid to rest. I think this experience has given his Gloria a 7 voci new meaning for me.

The organ was new (maybe 5 yrs) and totally portable, pipes and all. Margaret said the keys were stiff compared to the loose ones on the 500 yr old gem she played at Vivaldi’s Church. She meets every challenge with ease, humour and grace. This was her last concert playing for our choir as she has retired after 50 years of accompanying singers. We wish her a very happy retirement and celebrate all the wonderful years of music making we have had together!!

We have 3 talented young conductors, who also sing and play instruments, who showcased their talents and gave Lars a break! Thanks and Kudos to Laura, Alex and Christian!

We had a second team of technicians; Kilian and Andrew, who also deserve recognition and our thanks for a great team effort!

The final social, after our concert, was a great way to unwind, toast the city of Venice and thank all the management staff for a great tour!

Lars has a paper hat, that he bought on our Spain Tour 2017, which he had on this tour and so I thought it fitting that his hat had the final word.