A Taste of the Balkans

KOTOR - Montenegro

The Winter seas are on, according to our butler Dennis and we are really "rockin 'n rollin" now ......and we have been all night. Apparently you can get free boxes of Quells from the information desk on Deck Two....how thoughtful!

 It's not very cold but there are rain squalls about and plenty of "white caps" as we look out from our balcony. We have been looking forward to our visit to picturesque Kotor located in a long fjord on the coast of Montengro, but given the weather, it was always going to be, well, "atmospheric."

Even with the rain Kotor was a revelation. We had never heard of it before, but, like our visit to Cesky Krumlove in the Czek Republic last year, it tuned out to be a memorable favourite. Tucked away at the end of the fjord, this ancient walled town consists of a jumble of houses and shops jammed between the mountain and the water. It's windy, crooked lanes punctuated with public squares, churches and little shops are towered over by the ancient fort of St John dating from Roman times.

                     A panorama of this beautiful fjord even in inclement conditions.

                       On the way down from the fort in fast fading light.

While the others explored the town ( famous for its cats) I took the challenge of climbing the 1350 rocky steps up to the fort overlooking the village. The fort is at the very top of the cliff and forms part of the ancient walls surrounding it. There are gun emplacements, ammunition stores and a labyrinth of tunnels and battlements that,with pouring rain and fading light I just didn't have time to really explore but did manage to get a couple of shots despite the conditions.

It was certainly worth the effort just for the view and even with the very low sky, rain squalls and terrible light, what greeted those of us who ventured to the top was quite a sight indeed.

                                    Quite a view from the ancient fort of St John.

No one considering visiting this part of the world would be disappointed with a visit to this preserved but modern piece of Montenegro.

SPLIT - Croatia

Well, Dennis the butler was right....the Winter seas are "on" and so much so the ship is not stopping at Split, but heading straight back to Venice early. Apparently the conditions are worsening between Split and Venice with gale strength winds and very rough seas so they have, after careful consideration, decided it would be better to be in port than out at sea in a serious "weather event." It's a shame to miss Split which we were looking forward to visiting .....BUT.....we would really prefer not to take them up on their kind offer of "free Quells" so it's back to Venice for us and the beginning of the next section of our tour.....the Dolomites.

Adriatic Argonauts

It's a mighty ship the Costa Luminosa and mighty comfortable in suite 5202. As tall as a small block of flats with facilities that far exceed "Panthers World of Entertainment" it really is something to behold. With three auditorium theatres,  a number of pool/ spas, loads of restaurants, a pokies area, a gym and spa treatment facility, cafeterias, and bars aplenty (...and a putting green what's more) this is no exhaustive list of the facilities of this floating resort.

And for those of you wondering, well yes, it probably just "shades" the old Bulolo!

We left our very nice hotel in Venice after lunch .....and after a last minute spin around the shops, and with bags and gear in tow we struggled to the St Marks Square wharf and caught the public (read bobbing, crowded, stuffy, overheated)  water shuttle to Venice Port where we were customs and security "processed" along with thousands of others. As "cruising" novices this is where we began to appreciate the scale of these cruise operations where there seemed to be thousands of passengers in this huge waterfront warehouse.

Not to fear though as Michael had organised priority boarding and before long we entered our suite to be greeted by Champaigne, fruit and canapés......nice! 

The  pictures probably say it all but we are feeling a bit spoilt....especially after the silver service dinner and live show just to top off our first day of cruising.

BARI

After a choppy first night (but everyone was well) we docked in Bari ( East coast near the heel of Italy) and headed into the old city which dates back over a thousand years. 

Narrow, windy lanes with cobbles worn to a polished finish over millenia and all the washing hanging out, dangling off the verandahs and covered in plastic against the rain. It appears to be quite a poor area and a bit shabby but the churches, cathedrals and the fort were what we had come to see. The crypts under the churches were Byzantine and there seemed to be relics in all of them, particularly the one dedicated Saint Nicholas.....seemed appropriate given the time of year.

           The church dedicated to St Nicholas - his relics are supposedly buried here.

                                                   The ceiling of the church.

We had a day at sea after Bari and Wendy and I both started to feel a bit "queezy" so it was a quiet restful day....although it didn't stop us attending our favourite restaurant for another magnificent meal!

ATHENS

An early morning start after breakfast in our rooms took us on a bus ride through the port of Piraeus (where we were docked) through Athens to the Acropolis in the centre of the city.

Athens from half way up the Acropolis. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus in the forground and still in use today for such big stars as Nana Maskouri, Maria Callas and Pavarotti.

Impressions of Athens are that is is a city "down at heal" with graffiti and decaying buildings all along the route we were travelling. It appeared to me that most buildings were in need of a lick of paint and there wasn't much evidence of public facilities maintenance. There are 11 million people in Greece and 5 million live in Athens (about the same as Sydney) but it is tight between mountains and sea and from the top of the Acropolis you can see it all.

 We saw a couple of public buildings and and ancient monuments including Hadrian's Arch before we arrived at the the base of the Acropolis which is located on a high rocky outcrop (close to the gods) in the centre of town. We are starting to encounter some serious antiquity now with our guide, Voula,  telling us in great detail and at great length about the history of the Persian wars, the rebuilding by the Greeks and the invasions of the Ottomans. 

                                The Parthenon - a restoration in progress!

The things we were looking at were constructed 2500 years ago and as a proud Greek person she provided so much information about the cradle of democracy, philosophy and science and modern languages that we were unable to absorb an appropriate amount ...just smatterings and points. Lucky there as no test!

         The temple to Athena. They removed her wings so she would have to stay in Athens.

OLYMPUS

Well, we visited the "Cradle of Democracy" so it I only proper that we visit the "Cradle of the Olympics" in Olympia, an overnight cruise up the Adriatic coast from Athens. It is about a forty minute bus ride from the port of Katakolon (which is very pretty) but well worth the effort.

                                  The Costa Luminosa t anchor in Katakolon

It is hard to believe that this township in 776BC had streets with individual houses, gymnasiums, hot baths, swimming pools, a huge temple to Zeus and the first Olympic stadium......and, what's more, they haven't pulled theirs down yet!!

Even with bus loads of tourists ( including us) it had a peacefulness and tranquility about it which made exploring this world renowned archeological site an informative and contemplative experience. 

The sophistication of their society, their art, engineering and building prowess was something to behold and we agreed that next time we see the lighting of the Olympic flame our thoughts will certainly return to archeological site of Olympus, the cradle of the ancient and modern games.

Gondolas, Gargoyles and Gelato

There was no ambiguity about where we were as our Emirates chauffeurs piled our luggage (and us) into the water taxi for the last part of the journey from the airport to the Concordia Hotel in the centre of Venice just off St Mark's Square.

On the Water Taxi

We wended our way through small, narrow canals and under low bridges dodging gondolas and barges along the way moving ever closer to the Grand Canal which is just like the main road through a city...except it's an aqua road. The "captain" kept reminding us not to all sit on the one side as we shifted about the taxi "rubber necking" at all the sights and sites and destabilising the taxi!

The Grand Canal

Travel over so many time zones so quickly messes with your circadian rhythms so I was up quite early the next morning and "sent" out to gets some early morning shots. It made for a long day but provided another perspective of Venetian life only early birds experience......watching all the produce deliveries, the hotel linen being hoisted up from boats and barges parked up little canals, and the cleaners sweeping the cobbles in preparation for the hordes of visitors just hours away.

Winter Dawn over Venice

The view across the Grand Canal with blurry gondolas bobbing in the foreground and the light trails from ferries and delivery boats worming across the shot.

Saint Mark's Basilica - 5.30am

We have been known to travel "off the beaten" track but we are not too proud to do the tourist thing when it is part of exploring special places in the world .......which are usually touristy exactly because they are special. We visited the Doges Palace in St Mark's Square (very opulent) and St Marco Basilica, the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge.

The Bridge of Sighs from the outside. Inside is quite depressing.

The Rialto Bridge in the background over the Grand Canal. It was the first bridge connecting both sides of Venice allowing pedestrian traffic.

The Icons were worth visiting but really, immersing ourselves in the hustle, the bustle and the vibrance of Venice was what makes it special. The lanes and crowds (not as busy as summer though), getting lost and finding gelato in a lane .....and the shops and the restaurants......it was a bit of a culture hit, intense and overwhelming to  the senses........which all goes to make the memories we take away with us.

We found that Venice is touristy, even in the low season of winter, but it is also quite unique and that is what we really enjoyed. There are many other cities based on canals...but not like this. In the heart of Venice it is pedestrians and boats only....no cars, bikes, pushbikes, skateboards ....just throngs of people and boats which has implications for everything about the  dynamics of the city. It is also very old, and its buildings are out of square, un-perpendicular and un-level (even undulating in places) with constant rising damp which keeps the locals living in the upper stories of their homes. And it has history which is preserved within its modern context ....and that is part of the reason it is worth the effort to see.

Only people born in Venice can be gondoliers.

It is a pedestrian city where you can become lost within minutes of leaving your hotel and we quite enjoyed the challenge and process of finding our way home and discovering small treasures along the way.....and the two Wendys seemed to find lots of treasures.....sparkly and otherwise.
The Italians are smartly dressed....they have style and well developed design sense which  is reflected in their shop window dressings. Even the restaurants take pride in displaying their wares.

Window dressing promoting Carnivale masks - striking

Guess what kind of restaurant is here.

As well as a lot of walking (Wendy A tells us that we have done over 12K steps daily?) we made use of the Vaporetto (the aqua buses of Venice) to get around what is a far bigger place than we had imagined......and on our last full day we did the touristy thing and hired a couple of gondolas for a tour around the the back canals, under very low bridges, peeking into homes, offices and hotels being observers of Venetian life....and it was interesting and entertaining .......and over too soon.

Wendy & Mike in front in a tight turn.

A fitting finale to a wonderful stay in this very old, fascinating city.

Venice is one of the great visitor destinations in the world and .....we feel very fortunate to have experienced it, even briefly.

"Turning Left"

So, what is all this fuss about flying Business Class.....otherwise known as "Turning Left" as you board the plane?

We were really interested to see if our experience measured up to the hype.....if the experience really is a world away from that of "self-loading-freight" class where it can be quite an endurance test on long haul flights.

 From the outset, everything was plush...so plush that we sort of looked at each other sheepishly as if to say...should we be here? The Business Class facilities at the airport kept us fed and entertained (watching activities on the tarmac) while we waited to board. From the lounge to the loo (with showers and cloth hand towels) it was all as "flash as a rat with a gold tooth!"
A range and varieties of food and nibbles, a well appointed bar, a business centre and leather lounges to, well, "lounge" in. Certainly a different experience to waiting at the gate.

We had priority boarding and then we were directed to our seats and .....oh man...this is what greeted us. A little personal cocoon (we had the love-seat style) two screens each, mini bar, elbow room, electric flat bed seat, personal attention and unlimited supplies of food and drink in the dedicated bar at the back of the Business Class section.....oh baby!!

Can you imagine Mike and I in the middle of the night (well 8.00am Sydney time) on that couch to the left sipping double Baileys on ice?

We all had a really comfortable flight (as you can gather form this) and we all agreed that entertainment system was fantastic, the meals terrific, nibbles, drinks, noise cancelling headphones and well appointed pamper packs made the experience even more special. 

But the very best thing, the piece de resistance was being able to lie flat with a special mattress and sleep.....oh joy....because, on aeroplanes, sleep is hard to come by .......and, at best, is an uncomfortable trial that comes in "fits-and-starts" in "cattle class."
So for me it is 13/10 for the seating alone because we all got pretty good sleep ......some of us  a bit more than others.

Little things like proper cutlery and linen and  delicate plates of hot nuts with your drink. No food trolley...instead you make an order which is brought to you on a tray......and it was mighty fine. Delicious food, any number of fancy scotches and nice wine to choose from.....better than the clean skins at home!

And guess what?.....the on board loo had cloth hand towels as well which is impressive......and a window to look out of!

So, is "Turning Left" all that it is cracked up to be? ......hell yes!......and more.

It is horrendously expensive for ordinary people but it actually takes the drudgery and pain out of air travel. Your holiday begins when you board the aircraft, not when you arrive at your destination after suffering the experience of getting there.

In the end you are still in a highly unnatural environment, cooped up in a narrow,  highly pressurised aluminium tube at 40,000 ft travelling at mach .86 for hours and hours.... but if that is what you have to do, then Business Class certainly ensures you do it in comfort and style. 

In short, as an ex-teacher and ex-nurse we would never have been able to afford it ourselves and having had the experience, it is now going to be very, very ....very difficult to "Turn Right" when boarding  plane in the future!

The Winter Wonderland Tour

I make no apologies, but I do tend to plan holidays and trips abroad a fair way out. For me it's  part of the joy of travel......the anticipation, the organising, the research, the planning and attention to detail....some may say too much detail.
But sometimes, I'm told, you just need to "loosen up a bit" and go with the flow....which is just what we are doing this time.

A couple of months ago we had, what my sister Kath called, a "lottery win .......with a use-by date!"

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of Mike and Wendy (brother and sister in-law of Battlefields Tour fame) we are travelling again......yes, just over twelve months since our big trip in 2016 and a few weeks since returning from Tasmania.....but what can you do?

In short, the conversation went something like this:-

Mike - " we are off Europe again and we've got two spare Business Class tickets .......interested?"

Tony -  " maybe......when are you planning to go?"

Mike - " November / December"

Tony - " 2018?"

Mike - " no, no....the tickets expire at the end of this year"

Tony -

To be fair Mike had it all organised and, as they usually do, had planned for Winter travel....a novelty for us but, as my Wendy quickly realised, it would involve lots and lots and lots of Christmas markets.........perfect!

So this is the plan.....and it "ain't too shabby"

• Emirates business class to Venice staying just off St Mark's Square.
• One week Mediterranean cruise (in a suite) from Venice to Bari (Italy), Athens, Olympia (Greece), Kotor (Montenegro) and Split (Croatia) & return
• A few days in a ski chalet in the Dolomites - Italian Alps
• Train to Florence for a few days of Renaissance immersion and  then to Amsterdam ....for more culture. Well there is the Van Gough Museum...apart from other things!
• A week in Iceland ( I know Ice - Land) exploring the unique landscape from our cabin in the countryside (out of the regional town of Selfoss) and then some tours in Super Jeeps to see the sights of the Golden Circle, hopefully experience the Aurora Borealis, go snowmobiling on a glacier....and go swimming in the hot springs at the Blue Lagoon.
• Then on to Oslo for a couple of nights and then Emirates Business Class home.

Although we have travelled a bit, Wendy and I have never been to these places, so we are quite looking forward to this itinerary......and the very flash modes of transport!

In our travels to date we have never been on a cruise, as such, so that part of the trip will also be a new experience....... although I did spend some time in the early 1960s travelling on the MV Bulolo which used to ply between Australia and New Guinea carrying cargo & mail....and a few passengers.

It was an old coastal steamer that had seen a fair bit of war service (including the D-Day landings)  but it did have a small salt water pool and a table tennis table which we thought was super flash .........so I hope that the Costa Luminosa "measures up!"

Costa Luminosa

Anyway, only a few days to go now before our next adventure begins.....bring it on I say!