In the parlance of travel advisors, we divide our clients into 3 categories:
1. Those who need to eat in starred restaurants
2. Those who need to stay in 5-star hotels
3. Those who need to travel first or business class on airplanes
I can give up #1 and although I would always prefer to stay in 5-star hotel properties, I can drop down a peg or two. HOWEVER, I cannot give up number 3 ( unless it is a very short flight). When you arrive at the airport, you go into a special check-in line for business and first.
Then you are allowed two checked bags per person, which they usually do not weigh.
Then there is a separate line for TSA cleared passengers, and you then head to the executive lounge to wait for your flight
However, with Covid, everything is different. Lufthansa wanted to see our vaccination cards, but they just asked if we had a Covid test and really didn’t want to see the paperwork. And they asked if we filled out the PLF form for Greece (which we did but never got back a Q number). No matter….we were in!
Got thru security quickly, only to find out that the Lufthansa lounge was still closed due to Covid. We wandered around trying to find a restaurant that was open, and finally settled on a packaged salad.. Read our Kindle til they called our flight. Off to Athens in an old 747 upstairs, and it was cool…temperature-wise, I mean. No orchid growing on this flight! Hooray!!!
After one and a half years in isolation due to this Pandemic…what a relief it is to be able to travel again….and to be in the Aegean….it was heavenly. Just what the Doctor ordered to put everything back into balance.
Greece and the Greek islands conjure up many magical thoughts. And for us, memories of two prior trips when we were young and beautiful and capable of climbing the incredible hills to see the amazing ruins and views.
So many beaches, such historical sites to explore, and the food..oh my, the food.Exquisite. And let’s not forget the gorgeous Greek jewelry, reflecting in its 22Carat patina the sun on days that reach 95degrees. All in all, Greece has everything a person could want on vacation…topped with people who love American tourists and who were so glad to try and return to normal..whatever that means. Yes, people were wearing masks, and some businesses were closed, but enough were open and staffed, so that you didn’t feel as it it was a terrible time for the world. Greece was ready to welcome us with open arms…and we responded in kind.
We were met at the airport by the hotel car, and whisked off to the Grande Bretagne,.the grande dame hotel in Athens. She is a historical hotel, and every King, Queen, President who visits Athens stays here. It was a shame that the gorgeous room off the hotel lobby was closed due to Covid, but it is what it is. And the gorgeous bar that reminded us of the King Cole Bar in the St. Regis in NY is also closed. They hope to reopen by August 15 The hotel was crazy busy due to all the people taking cruises staying there…and the cacophony in the lobby was deafening. Good noises, tho. Business as usual.
We took a taxi to the Lyccabettus area of Athens to have dinner. I could have passed, but Dick wanted something before we collapsed. So we had our first Greek salad and some calamari and octopus …and we knew we were in Greece. The next two days, we wandered around town…some old sites and some new ones, like the Contemporary Museum which has a lovely collection. It was really hot in Athens, so we began to learn how to get up early, explore, avoid the noon day sun, and then explore again after 3.
The second night we went to a restaurant out near the Four Seasons, about a 40-minute drive from the city center. It was a nice ride and we got a taste of what Athens is all about other than downtown. The Ithaniki is just gorgeous. She sits right on a bay overlooking a gorgeous inlet filled with MAJOR yachts. What a view. Dinner was Asian fusion and just amazing. The sushi was incredible and I had octopus again..only this time is was tender and not chewy. Had an amazing sauce as well. We both slept on the taxi ride home. We are getting old, I fear.
We really enjoy Athens, and any trip must include at least 3 days here before heading into the islands. On our last night, we ate at the rooftop restaurant of the hotel. Dick got the premier table with the unobstructed view of the Acropolis and the Parthenon. What a way to say “goodbye” to Athens and begin our sojourn into the islands. Tomorrow we set sail. HB Ken!!!!!
DAY ONE….BOARD IN ATHENS
The Seabourn Ovation was to be our home away from home for the next 14 days. The cruise was divided into 7-day itineraries….as some people only chose to sail for 7 days. We took the back-to-back, which was 14 days. The Ovation normally holds around 600 passengers, but as this was the second sailing, there were only 340 passengers. On the second leg, there were only 296. Some people were still afraid of the virus, and with the new Delta strain making an appearance, being on a floating petrie dish didn’t seem like a good idea to many. To us, tho, we thought the ship would never be clearner, and the protocols would never be as mandated, so we uploaded our PLF file, got a Covid test 72 hours ahead of time and headed to the port. And guess what? They did another Covid test before they let us board the ship!!! My nose is getting used to this.
The verandah cabins on the Ovation are mostly all alike. Just the position on the ship makes the differences. Our cabin was way forward and everything on the ship was AFT, so I got my steps in just walking to a meal. She is a gorgeous ship and the beauty is in the service as well as the decor. Everyone knew us by name within two days…..quite amazing.
There is nothing you can ask for that isn’t delivered…including caviar and top drawer liquor.
The champagne flows freely….and smiles are always on everyone’s faces. It is just joyous.
We had dinner in the dining room that night..which was really nice. But we like eating outdoors if possible, so we most likely wouldn’t be coming down there again.
Ready for Patmos tomorrow.
DAY TWO….PATMOS
Patmos is lovely but is where the end of the world began. We tendered into this wonderful stop only to find a souvenir booth manned by a priest. This is the place where St.John wrote the Book of Revelations which forms the closing pages of the New Testament. He wrote of terrible things that would not auger well for mankind. Some passengers took the winding road up to the cave in which he was supposed to have seen visions about the final judgment. Had we walked that road, I would have seen visions!!! Trust me, no winding road to a dark cave for me or Dick….ever.
Anyway it was a fun stop and we are now back in our little bit of heaven. BTW, shopkeepers wore masks and asked that we do the same. A few even asked if we were vaccinated. It was a fun day.
We haddinner with the singer Amber that evening. Would have passed, but it was too early to be rude. Might meet some nice people.
DAY THREE…..SEA DAY. Today is a sea day and just glorious. Seeing everyone in casual clothes and bathing suits is a hoot. At the pool they pass cool towels, drinks and sun screens. Eyeglass cleaners, too.
Dick went up to the RETREAT near the spa and booked a private cabana for us the next sea day. It was heavenly. Very private and you could even get a massage in your cabana. Maybe a foot massage would be in order.
It was REALLY HOT….OMG, like a microwave inside a convection oven. BUT, we were cruising the Greek Isles, and the colors of the sea were translucent so I was not going to complain. In fact, we were not even able to sit outside in the Colonnade restaurant because of the heat. Not even a breeze. Maybe tomorrow.
DAY FOUR…..PAPHOS, CYPRUS
We landed in Paphos, Cyprus early this morning. We were warned that we could be singled out for a Covid test upon arrival and we needed to each fill out a formal declaration that we were healthy. Upon landing, no one looked at us, so we headed ashore. It was a long walk to get a taxi and it was really hot already.
Paphos was the center of the cult of Aphrodite, or Venus, as some people called her. Her legendary birthplace was on this island, and her temple was erected here in the 12th c BC.
According to Homer (and he should know), she was the epitome of beauty and love and she inspired poets, writers and artists to extoll her virtues. And she wasn’t even real!!!
About 40 minutes drive up a craggy mountainous road, you come to a plateau of visible ruins. The remains of villas, palace, theater, fortresses and tombs mean that this site is of exceptional importance and historic value..hence a UNESCO treasure. The mosaics are still mainly intact and they depict scenes and faces from Greek mythology. Really amazing. They are so preserved, they could have been done yesterday.
In fact they are so special, they are protected by the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict( good luck with that protection) Just don’t want these treasures destroyed like in Syria. Morocco protects the ones in Vassubelous.
Whether Aphrodite was born here on not and whether she is fantasy or not…the town loves their lovely lady. And in the Old Town, there are souvenir stands with her likeness, as well as stores selling linens, dresses, jewelry, and everything imaginable.This was a lovely stop.
DAY FIVE…..RHODES
Rhodes, the largest of the Dodecanese Islands (spelling?) is not just a holiday resort. It is a cosmopolitan place with an international reputation. We were in the Old Town, which is amazing in its history, and charming in its contents. Tourists like us walk the narrow streets to visit the churches, museums and fortress walls. And if you listen carefully, you can hear the footsteps of the medieval knights (I am trying not to get too “Out there”). But the Knights of St. John were here during the crusades 2400 years ago, and that conjures up many books and movies of the Crusaders.
The ancient history mixes with the modern life and that is really fascination. The Palace of the Grand Masters is now a historical museum. First it was captures by the Ottomans, and then half by the Romans and finally it is a museum . What a transition.
We ate lunch near an old hamman (a spa with baths) and near that was the inns of the “tongues”. They are national guards who make up the Order of the Knights. They put on a show, but we missed it, and the later one was too late. They are dressed in the traditional uniform…the white tunic and tasseled shoes. It must be something to see. Next time.
People who went to see the Colossus of Rhodes were really disappointed, as there was nothing to see. I remember from the last time. We went to the sea, and there were two columns bridging a waterway where they say it stood. In reality, historians have no clue what it looked like.or for that matter, where it really stood. They just take you to this spot and say “It might have been here but has been destroyed”.
The Old Town is very touristy, and few locals live there….but it is a marvelous place and the beaches are glorious.
Let me just address the Rhodes scholars for a minute. If you are between the ages of 18-24 and you have an undergrad degree with a GPA of 3.7 or higher, you can apply. You need to be nominated by your university and approved. 32 candidates come from the US, DC and territories. If you really want this scholarship, you should go to Harvard, as they have produced 359 scholars, including Bill Clinton. It covers all expenses for 2 or 3 years of graduate study, plus a stipend of $70,000 per year. It is one of the most selective scholarships in existence.
OK…let’s get back to the history of Rhodes. The acropolis of Rhodes dates from the Classical Greek period, and it is only 3k from the center of the town. The partially reconstructed part of the site consists of the Temple of Apollo…below which is a stadium and a small amphitheater. It is hard to concentrate cause it is so hot. But Rhodes is amazing.
Well, back to the ship and set sail. BTW..Happy Bastille Day. It is July 14.I think….We are losing all sense of time and days. Just know that it is going too quickly.
DAY SIX—SANTORINI (THIRA)
Our good friend Kostas Antoniou met us at the top of the cable car with his adorable dog Penelope. We have not seen each other for at least 8 years, and it seems like yesterday. I wore the necklace he sold us 30 years ago and he recognized it immediately. I think he was very touched that I still had it, and that I still wore it.
We went to his charming cafe and his adorable wife Antonia made us a fantastic fruit smoothie. We visited for about an hour and then Kostas ordered a car to take us to Oia for a couple of hours while he prepared lunch.
Oia is a small coastal town carved out of the cliffs, about 45 minutes from Fira. The main attractions are the vistas and the sunsets…and the shopping. And the blue domes on top of the whitewashed buildings, And the Caldera..which is a cauldron-like volcanic depression. Santorini is considered an active volcano, but it is dormant. That is why there are black sand beaches and red sand beaches. Santorini’s 1/2 moon shaped bay is the center of the caldera which collapsed during the Minoan civilization leading to its’ decline…just like Pompei. The depth is 400 m…so big ships can anchor in the bay. The town of Fira clings to the top of the cliff and looks down on the lagoon. Fira is more casual than Oia.
OK…history time….or fractured history time. Whatever you choose to believe.
Santorini is supposed to be the birth place of Apollo and Artemis. Legend has it that Zeus came down from Mt. Olympus to have a tryst with Leto and when she became pregnant with the twins, Zeus’s wife Hera was really enraged. She banished Leto from all the lands of the earth….HARSH…. But the sea-god Poseiden took pity and anchored this floating island as a safe place for her to birth the twins.
Now, Santorini is connected with the lost city of Atlantis. No.…this is for real. Scholars studying the excavations at Akrotiri concluded that the lost Atlantis was Santorini…why? Because the Minoan site of Akrotiri was covered in Volcanic ash by the eruption of Thira. The gods sent a battalion of fire and earthquakes so intense the the Utopian kingdom sank deep into the ocean, never to be found again (unless you go the the Bahamas). Proof exists in the red, black and white pebbles from the beach. So there you have it…Proof indeed.
Our driver took us back to Kostas” cafe around 3:30, where we were feted with the most amazing homemade pasta upon which sat the biggest langoustines I have ever seen.
And a Greek salad with the most fantastic tomatoes grown in volcanic soil…and cucumbers…oh my. And a bowl of beets that were as sweet as sugar. Everything was just delicious, and everything came from Santorini. I have never in my life tasted anything as wonderful.
It was truly a magical day…filled with memories from years gone by. Very bittersweet…mainly because of the Covid. Tonia wore a mask, but Kostas did not. He said we didn’t have to, so we took ours off.
His cafe only serves outside now, and his jewelry store is closed. So sad. Hopefully things will get better soon. We left hoping that when their son Kostantinos gets married in two years, Dick and I will be able to be in Santorini to celebrate with them. And Kostas will be healthy and be able to dance with his son..Sigh
DAY SEVEN…SPETSES
I had made prior plans to go see the Aman hotel…Amanzoe..when we got to the island of Spetses. We tendered to the Poseiden Dock, then hired a private water taxi to the town of Kosta, where we got a taxi to the hotel. It wasn’t easy, but so worth it.
We met with Tina…the head of sales. She took us on a wonderful site inspection of this glorious property which is almost sold-out. People want to travel, and the Amans are where they want to be. This one sits high up on a hill commanding a magnificent view of the Beach Club below and a wonderful beach.
Tina showed us a 9 bedroom villa on the property which is mind blowing. Wish I had clients who could take this accommodation!!!. If someone wants elegance and privacy and seclusion, this is the place to be.It is a WOW!!!
After a wonderful lunch at the beach club, we reversed our travels and got back to the dock by 3. We had two hours to shop and wander and because Spetses is quite an affluent island, the stores were lovely. I could have spent a lot of money here.and as it was, I did OK with the short time allotted me. Speed shopping at its finest.
The locals here are mainly engaged in shipping and fishing. It was in Spetese that the revolution flag was raised in 1821. Another factoid…the Venetians used to call this island Isola do Spezzie, which means the island of aromas. I didn’t smell too many spices in the main town, but who knows.
We got back to the ship and it left exactly at 5. Guess no one was missing. We had dinner at Thomas Keller’s Grill. We like Ad Hoc better…but it was a lot of fun anyway. It is a lovely venue and the service is just exemplary
DAY EIGHT……DOCKED IN ATHENS
In Athens today where the “poor buggers had to get off”…as Jackie and Barry always said. Thank goodness we have another week. We went to the pool and just watched the passing parade. Lots of new faces, but we were told that there are fewer people on this leg than on the prior one. Lucky for us….more service if that is even possible.
DAY NINE…..AGIOS NIKOLAOS, CRETE
Crete is one of the most popular Mediterranean destinations in existence . This island is the largest in Greece and combines everything a traveler might want…historical sites, great food, many bars and great nightlife and pristine beaches. The Minoans, from the Bronze Age, flourished here the the remains of their palaces are still visible…like the Palace of Knossos. And of course, each culture and each conqueror passed thru here leaving important traces on the island. The food here is very healthy.…lots of veggies and smoothies..and they offer samples on the street. We tried a green one, and for someone who HATES green jello..I have to admit that it was good. Who would have thought?
Agios Nikolaos is best known as a tourist town that serves as a hub for 20 or so small villages that make up this province. Altho is is primarily a resort town with tree-lined streets and modern architecture. …the locals adhere to a stronger sense of history.
Some of the people from the ship took a ferry to the tiny island of Spinalonga, which has an old Venetian fortress. It was turned into an ex-leper colony at the beginning of the 20th century. We opted to eat a lovely lunch and shop. Gorgeous afternoon
DAY 10…..SEA DAY
As if all of this decadence on the Ovation wasn’t enough, we added a day at the Retreat into the mix.
On Deck 11, right in front of the spa, Seabourn has outfitted 15 cabanas complete with a flatscreen tv, a refrigerator, a stocked bar with juices and booze. Each cabana has a curtain to close it off for privacy if you want to sleep or get a spa treatment. There is a large jacuzzi, plus outdoor showers and lovely bathrooms. Lunch was by room service and they served top drawer wines…like Chalk Hill and Rombauer Chard. The Retreat is open from 9-6 for all day people, and 9-2 for 1/2 day. It is nothing short of amazing….and well worth the extra money.
But only if you like passed cold towels, sun screen, glass cleaner, frozen fruit, smoothies….and of course, the ubiquitous champagne .I could live up here forever.
DAY 11…..LIMASSOL, CYPRUS
Limassol is a center of Cypriot culture, including wine-making, business and schooling.
The Byzantines and the British added to a lot of the architecture . Graves have been uncovered from 2000BC. History factoid: Apollo Hylates was the big guru here and there are lots of magnificent building from his reign. A Greek Roman theater was built in his time, as well as a basilica from the 5th century AD. Unfortunately, there is lots of grafitti on all the buildings, which marred the beauty of the town it once was. This was not a favorite stop of mine.
So, we headed back to the ship…our little bubble for another 4 days…had a lovely lunch and rested at the pool.
DAY 12 ……BACK TO RHODES
One disadvantage of taking a Back-to-back cruise, is that you might have to experience one or two places twice. For us, it was Rhodes. But this time we had a different agenda.
We went into town early and walked around, trying for our 10,000 steps….or at least getting a jump on them.
Then at 12:30 , we boarded a tour bus bound for Lindos to see the second most famous acropolis in Greece. We were spaced well…and kept our masks on, Lindos is about one hour from the Old Town and our guide gave us a running commentary along the route
Soon we were able to see where some were going..870 steps to the top. No switchbacks…straight up. Which means, to those of you with bad knees..straight down!!! Tough.
Our guide said that we could hire a taxi to take us to almost the top, but the taxi stops at 210 steps short of the top, and that was too much for me. People who did it (after they could talk) told us that the ruins were fabulous and the view, of course, was amazing. I will have to take their word for it….as I did in Cambodia at the Angkor Wat. That temple was 900 years old and I made it to the second level, but not to the third. One of life’s mysteries, I guess. But I did climb the pyramid in Mexico City…and you know what….a view is a view……what can I say?
Taking a ship’s tour is good because the guides impart lots of information that you wouldn’t
get otherwise, But I would still rather take a private car and punt. And besides, with a private car, you don’t have to stop at the ceramic factory on the way back to “see how pottery is made, and maybe buy something”. Dick loves this more than life itself. Let’s see, we have been to carpet factories, weaving factories, ceramic factories, jewelry factories. I know this is how they make a living, but it is a bit off-putting. I bought some bowls for nuts and olives.
DAY 13….MYKONOS
Mykonos is the St. Barths of Greece, and everyone loves it….for good reason. It is one of the most beautiful places ever, and looks just like the postcards: little white houses with blue windows, and doors and roofs with bougainvillea wrapping around everything. There are hand painted streets, windmills and wonderful restaurants and cafes. And did I mention the beaches? Just amazing. Getting lost in Mykonos is like getting lost in Venice…..so much fun and so much to see.
According to mythology Mykonos was the place where Heracles killed the giants. And the rocks all around the island are supposed to be the corpses. Isn’t that fantastic..OK, another history factoid: Zeus was married to Hera, but fooled around a lot (go back to Santorini).
Anyway, he had an affair with mortal woman names Alcmene,, and Hera sought to destroy this baby. BUT Zeus gave him powers beyond, and everything Hera threw at him, he was able to turn around. Even killed a snake in his crib..
He was the most popular figure from ancient Greece. He was a half-god of superhuman strength and passions, and he was the epitome of bravery. Everyone (except Hera) loved Hercules.
OK, back to modern times. The island was invaded by every conquering nation, and was held by the Venetians from 1207 until the Turks invaded in the latter part of the 16th century. The War of Independence broke out in 1821, and the Turks were trying to invade at that time. But they lost. Mykonos held them off, and it remains in Greek hands to this day..
Mykonos is clean and affluent and lovely.. I watched a young man painting scuff marks off his wall at the door…just like they do on the ship. When you want the quintessential Greek idea of what an island should look like…look no further. Mykonos is it.
DAY 14…NAFPLION
From whitewashed homes with blue doors, we travel to a place back in time, with Venetian mansions, narrow streets, monuments and statues. This is Nafplion. It is a 2-hour drive from Athens, and is among the most beautiful towns in mainland Greece,
It is in eastern Peloponnese, and was the first capital of the newly born Greek state between 1823-1834, Nafplion has an intense Medieval atmosphere and when you walk around the paved streets in the Old Town, you can hear and feel the footsteps of those who have gone before. Historians say that the the history of Nafplion traces back to the prehistoric era. We are talking Trojan War and the Argonautic expedition.
The town flourished during the Byzantine era, and when you walk thru the town, you can see where other conquerors left their mark. It is a polyglot of architecture, ancient walls, medieval castles and lots of statues. I said that before, but it is worth repeating. It is truly a beautiful town and some say, one of the most romantic cities in the world.
To me, they all all romantic…How can you look at the colors of the sea, and the colors of the beaches, and watch a glorious sunset while eating an amazing meal and not feel romantic. Add to that, a gentle breeze blowing after a blistering day of sunshine…it is heavenly.
Day 15…. ATHENS
Well, Dick and I are now the “POOR BUGGERS WHO HAVE TO GET OFF” and we are really sad to leave. This magical ship, our own private bubble, has kept us safe, while whisking us away to amazing islands, and filling us with Greek mythology that intrigues our minds.
We are filled with wonderful memories of a truly sensational ship staffed with truly amazing people, taking us to truly incredible places that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.
I know there are lots of places in the world, but I hope we can return to Greece.
Monday, August 2, 2021
Greek islands on the Seabourn Ovation
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Paris
Leaving Warsaw,Dick and I got up at 4 am and boarded a 7:30 flight to Paris. LOT airlines does our domestic airlines one better....they serve water but charge for coffee!!It was a two hour easy flight and we decided to wait for our latte on arrival.
Our first two nights were spent at the San Regis Hotel located in the 8th arrondissement. It is a charming 42-room hotel that was originally a home and reconverted. The staff was most welcoming and the room was just lovely. This is like staying in a private home with all the amenities of a luxury hotel. Our host, Sarah Georges, is part of the family that owns the hotel and she was just wonderful. This hotel is just what you want for a personal French experience.
We dropped our bags and went for a walk to reacquaint ourselves with the area. We were directed to Chez Andre for lunch and it was GREAT. How bad can onion soup and oysters for me and bouillabaisse for Dick be in Paris??? So nice to be here again.
The next morning we had a delicious breakfast and headed out at 10AM...taking the Rue de Rivoli all the way down to the Opera Bastille in the Marais. This is about a 10 mile walk...and it took us 3 1/2 hours. No trouble getting our 10,000 steps today!! We were going to a matinee performance of Lucia di Lammermoor..so we had to be there by 2.
We passed by the Grand Palace, where there was the opening of the great Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo show, and the Petit Palace which was hosting the major art show...FIOS. Sadly, it was the closing day of the FIOS show so we had to forgo seeing it because of the opera. It was like the Biennele in Venice with lots of outbuildings housing art from all over. Sorry we didn't have another day.
The walk was amazing, but close to the end my feet were really feeling it. So glad we fell into the Cafe Paris across the street from the opera house and had a light lunch.
The opera was really fun and the staging was very original. The soprano, Penny Yende from South Africa, has a glorious voice and looks as well. What a wonderful afternoon.
When we got out, it was POURING. And we learned a good lesson....always take an umbrella in Paris in October.
We raced back to our lunch spot to wait out the rain with a glass of wine...but it never let up. Our darling waiter recognized our plight, and called a "hire taxi" for us, or we would have sat there all night. And it rained all night.....
The next day we checked out of the San Regis and checked into the Plaza Athenee . They were waiting for us, and we had a lovely welcome "home". This hotel is nothing short of amazing. It is "Grand" in the grand sense of the word. The lobby is gorgeous, and the first room that you see is the dining room where breakfast is served, and at dinner, it is the Michelin award-winning Alain Ducasse restaurant. It is truly magnificent. The chandeliers cascade down onto silver pods, making the entire room twinkle like fairy land. What a gorgeous sight.
Our room was a junior suite facing the courtyard. It was the "quiet" view and just wonderful. The bellman asked if we needed help unpacking and said they would gather our unpacked bags and store them so that we didn't have to look at them in the room. That is truly a Class Act.
We only partially unpacked and headed to the Centre Pompidou for the Magritte retrospective art exhibit. The concierge got us advance tickets. Even with those, we waited in line about an hour before we got in. It was AMAZING....we spent about 3 hours there, and saw many paintings we had never seen before. The "Pipe is not a Pipe" is still one of my favorites.
After the show, we wandered a bit in the Marais, and grabbed a taxi back to the hotel. 16,000 steps today.
For our last day in Paris, we walked down the Rue St. Honore. We covered 7 1/2 miles, and my feet were so sore I didn't know if they would ever recover. We crossed onto the Left Bank and wandered the St. Germain-des-Pres area (two miles long). We had a coffee at Les Deux Margots (where Hemingway hung out) across from Brasserie Lipp (where Sartre and his buddies all hung out).
We forget how wonderful, exiting and gorgeous this city is. Everywhere you look, there is a treat for your eyes.
Our last dinner in Paris was in a typical French restaurant in the theater district called the Grand Colbert. A wonderful dinner and a perfect ending to a glorious time spent revisiting this city.
Each time since our honeymoon 32 years ago that we are lucky enough to come back to Paris, we love it more and more. And we see different things each time. I only hope that you, too, will experience the joy of a wonderful hotel...large or small....a neighborhood no matter where you stay, filled with things to experience...restaurants that are nothing short of amazing....and a city itself that is a feast for the eyes.
Paris is truly a gift to the world. How lucky we are to have her.
Monday, November 14, 2016
Poland
KRAKOW
Krakow was our first destination in Poland since we had heard so much about this city from our kids who spent some major time there putting the hospital system on computer about 24 years ago. Krakow was never bombed in the war because the German Major General lived here and he would never have allowed it to happen. So the city has remained intact...and is just lovely.
We stayed in the Old Town which is the only place to stay. Our home for 3 days, the Boronowski Palace, sits right on the main square and the position affords it an amazing view of everything that is going on. I never got tired of looking out our windows. It was like live TV...so much happening in the square. There were throngs of people, restaurants lining the perimeter, horse carriages giving people rides, golf cart tour cars taking people around, flower stalls, and gift stalls.
We had a huge suite with lots of room to spread out...and we did. And athe views were fantastic.
At 4:30 it was beginning to get dark, so we unpacked and walked to a local restaurant called Pod Nosem, which was "yuppy and delicious". My concept of Poland is quickly changing since I thought it would be more Third World. This city is not that way at all. Yes, it is old but sophisticated.
Even the fashion seemed to be upscale. Not at all what I thought.
The next day we got an early start and enjoyed a lovely breakfast. Then we hired one of the ubiquitous golf carts to take us for a tour of the city. Our driver/guide was Greek, and really nice. The tour is all recorded so that you get all the history, and when we got to a stop and got off for a bit, the driver stopped the tape and restarted it when we got back in. The tour included the Old Town, the Kazmeriez area(which was the Jewish/Christian part of town), the Ghetto and Schindler's factory. Schindler's List took 78 days to film in Krakow..and lots of people were chosen as extras. The people are very proud of Oscar Schindler and what he did to help save the Jews of Krakow. We had to pass the Wawel Castle, cause we just ran out of time....next time.
The restaurant that night, Pod Baranem, was very traditional. Dick is loving the herring and vodka!!! I think mostly the vodka, but who knows. And at the end of the meal, they served a digestif made of Grain Alcohol...100% proof.....fruit infused with herbs and kept for 10 years!!! It was really tough..but better than the stuff in Italy. Interestingly, I had no heartburn that night, so maybe it really does work.
The next day was going to be really long. There were two things we wanted to see while we were in Krakow, and that would have meant giving up the city tour, which we also wanted to have. So we pleaded with the tour company to combine the tour of the world-famous Salt Mines with a tour of Auschwitz..and they did.
Our driver picked us up at 10 and we went to the Salt Mines. We climbed down 380 steps to the 1st level. We later climbed down two more levels (and we took the elevator up). The mine began working in the 12th Century and became really important under Kazmeriez in the 14th C. He was a good ruler, and there are many carvings of him in various rooms. Actually, there have 23 different salt carved scenes down in the mines, including a huge hall where they can perform weddings.
They housed people down there, as well as horses. It was easier to keep them down and not bring them up every day...so there are stables and dormitories. There are still salt veins running thru the walls and floors, but they are not mined any more. Now, it is just for tourists who need to experience what this must have been like for so many people
We didn't get claustrophobic, but the lingering thought after climbing down two more levels was "How are we going to get up?". The elevator took almost 4 minutes!!! We were really far down.
After the tour of the Salt Mines, we had a quick lunch and took off for the infamous World War II concentration camps Birkenau/Auschwitz. Because we were early, we did Birkenau first.
This extermination camp was built there because Auschwitz wasn't big enough to hold all the people to be killed, and it is just 2 miles down the road. It was originally planned in 1941 as a camp for Soviet POWs, but it ultimately became the largest center for the extermination of Jews. The first two gas chambers began functioning near the camp from the first half of 1942, as part of the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question". They could kill 5,000 people in a 24 hour period and dispose of the ashes.
Four more crematoria were added the following year. There is nothing left of the place except for an amazing sculpture built over the crematorium with plaques from every country
that had people killed here. Expansion plans were discovered to even do more damage. In the summer of 1944, the Germans deported about 13,000 Poles here from Warsaw, where the uprising was underway. They used the rail system almost exclusively, as it was faster than trucks, and could pull from all over Europe.
Now we were ready for our tour of Auschwitz. Altho we have been to Yad Vashem in Israel, and the Holocaust Museums in New York and Los Angeles, nothing prepares you for the sign hanging over the entrance to Auschwitz which says" Work Will Set You Free."
The sign had been stolen a couple of years ago, but it was found before it got shipped out of Poland and put back up at the entrance to the camp. As a result of that, security is really tight. No one is allowed without a ticket, and ours was checked at three different places.
The Germans originally built concentration camps from 1933 when Hitler took power. People regarded as "Undesirables" were imprisoned there...Jews, opponents of Nazism, German homosexuals, common criminals and others. And at the start of the war, Germany began opening camps in the countries it occupied. Auschwitz was originally a concentration camp, and then it became the largest center for the mass extermination of Jews in the world.
As opposed to Birkenau, Auschwitz was kept intact. It originally was a Polish Army barracks, and over time the 20 buildings became 28, with several being designated as a camp hospital and a jail. During its existence, (June 1940-Jan 1945), the Germans deported at least 1.3 million people there, 1.1 of them Jews. About 900,000 Jews were murdered in the gas chambers immediately after arriving in the camp. Because it originally was to be a concentration camp some were chosen to work and others were opted for medical experiments. And then those remaining were exterminated.... 130,000 pregnant women, elderly women and mothers were killed immediately, because they were of no use to the Nazi work force. And of the 700 babies born in Auschwitz, 60 survived. The rest were put to death, or died of starvation or illness.
Room upon room of hair, glasses, clothing, teeth...man's inhumanity towards man. Auschwitz has been kept intact to prove to the non believers that it really did happen, and to show the believers that it will never happen again.
Each block, each building, held a different horror. The gallows in the middle of the compound where people were hung and left there as an example...what a sight. And the area where they conducted roll call twice a day sometimes lasted for hours. And if you didn't make it thru roll call, you were sent to the crematorium.
I cannot begin to tell you how grateful we were that it was becoming dark, because the sounds of anguish were filling the air, and the sense of outrage was overwhelming. Everyone in the world needs to experience this place to understand what was done to the world and the world's history for generations to come by a horrific man who no one could/would stand up to. Generations of shame. And shame to those who choose to deny that this holocaust was a fiction.
Never have I been so grateful to my grandfather for getting his family out of Poland before the War.
WARSAW
Today we left for Warsaw and took the speed train. It was really lovely, and they served a beautiful breakfast at our seat.
We were very impressed. Unfortunately, we got off at the wrong station which lead to a series of misadventures leading up to us finally arriving at our glorious hotel..Ma Maison La Regina. This is an old building that has been modernized and our suite is overlooking a courtyard, and exquisite.
Tim and the boys got to the hotel and we walked into the Old Town looking for a Pirogi restaurant they had been to before and enjoyed. We finally found it, had our dinner and walked home.
The following day we went to a beer garden restaurant and had brats and beer!!! What fun. After lunch we went to the Uprising Museum.
In 1945 Germans killed all the Jews in the Ghetto, where they had been herded into a few years before. The Poles uprose in anger, and they,too, were also killed. To add insult to injury, the Germans burned down all of the Ghetto...obliterating most of Warsaw. Then the Russians came in and took over Poland, or what was left of it, until 1989 when Poland became independent.
From the museum, we went to a reception at the public library that Alice organized. The American Embassy has put an American Center into the library, where people can go and get American movies, and magazines, and experience all things American. We met the Ambassador and visited with him for a bit. It was a lovely event.
Did I mention the rain? It had been raining here for 3 days and I was really not having a good time. So far it wasn't too bad...BUT tomorrow we were going to Sokolov (where my father was born) and it is a 3 hour drive in each direction, so I wanted it to stop!!!
Well, we didn't get to Sokolov. Our hotel told us that the roads would be bad, and since there really isn't a city left there it, would be a drive to somewhere, and then a drive back...all in the rain. I know my father would have understood, but it was hard to be this close and not be able to do it.
Instead, we took a driver and toured Warsaw, seeing the Ghetto wall, the museums and all the other major places. We only got out of the car at the Ghetto wall and what was left of the synagogue. Afterwards, we met Tim and got a tour of the American Embassy. I have never been in an embassy before. It was very exciting, but the embassy itself was housed in a very 1960's building of ugly Russian architecture.
We had our last traditional Polish meal at Frita in Old Town (which was near our hotel, so we got umbrellas and walked).
As I said earlier, my thoughts of Poland differed than the reality. I was really impressed. The country has a lot to offer, and had the weather cooperated a bit more, it would have been a lot more fun. Next time!!!
Friday, November 11, 2016
river cruising in France
Since the ship sailed out of Avignon....we decided to get there a few days early. We flew from LA to Paris non stop...and then in the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, we caught the speed train to Avignon.
It is a very easy thing to do...albeit better had we had less luggage. But it was an easy walk from our gate to gather our bags, and then an easy walk to the train station, which is right in the basement of Terminal 2.
We had lovely first class seats and they served breakfast. And in 3 hours, we were in Avignon!! We were met at the train and whisked off to the La Mirande Hotel...which is nothing short of amazing. The hotel runs a very famous cooking school, and we would have taken advantage of a class had we had the time. As it was, we needed all the time in Avignon itself. An extra day would have lent itself well, so next time.
Avignon is located on the left bank of the Rhone River, and was once the Papal residence. Our room had a spectacular view of the Palace of the Popes, and Virtuoso gave us entry tickets, so off we went for a 3 hour tour.
In the history of the Roman Catholic Church, the Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309-1377, during which 7 popes, all French, resided in Avignon. Great strife occurred between warring factions in the Church and each Pope who lived there enlarged the ediface for protection.
Eventually, in 1417, things were resolved and the town remained in the hands of the Popes until they were reunited with France after the French revolution. They then moved to Rome, forever.
Clement VI was the most famous of all the Popes, and he built the "new palace". There are paintings in the original colors in many of the interior rooms. Remarkable when you think how old this Palace is.
After the tour, we wandered thru the town itself, exploring the jaggedy streets and walkways. What fun. We wandered into Les Halles, which had the most gorgeous food stalls I have ever seen. All the vegetables looked polished and almost fake. The candy was amazing...and the oysters were beyond.
So we opted to have lunch right there at the oyster bar. The French eat their oysters with vineger...no red sauce..no horsh radish..so I wasn't enjoying them as much as I wanted to..but they were still wonderful and so very fresh.
After lunch, we walked around some more, bought some fabulous candy, and headed back to the wonderful La Mirande to chill before dinner.
The next day we continued our wandering in the old town. Another two days, and we would be locals. And at 2PM, we went to board the ship.
What a difference in the process of embarkation. Our taxi pulled along side the SS Catherine where porters came to collect our luggage and escort us onto the ship. They never even asked for our tickets....just took our picture, gave us some champagne, and took us to our verandah cabin!!! Our luggage followed us, and we began to unpack before we started to explore our home for the next week.
The cabins are small....but after getting over the shock of the size, we realized that everything fit. The sitting area is our balcony..and the windows slide down to make the it open air. The decor was lovely....befitting a French ship in Provence.
We needed to attend the "life boat" drill in the main lounge, where the captain spoke to us. The word is: Just jump off if there is a problem and swim to the shore. OR run to the top deck and wait it out. Whatever you do, however, when going thru the locks, DO NOT put your hands outside the ship, as you can touch the locks, that's how close you are when you go thru.
After our drill, we went back to our cabin, unpacked, and had a lovely dinner in the dining room. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, but dinner is served white glove. Dress tonight was casual...tomorrow is the GALA (which means a jacket, but not necessarily a tie).
ARLES
Our first stop was Arles, where we just got off the ship and started walking into town. What a difference between river cruising and ocean cruising. No buses...no long transfers...at least not here. We opted for the walking tour..so we put on our voiceboxes and earphones, and were able to follow the guide all around.
Arles is associated with Van Gogh, who lived here from
1888 -1890. When he de-eared himself, he was taken to a hospital here, which is now a museum. The town was originally a Greek settlement, and became a Roman colony in 46BC. Because of her strategic point on the river, Arles was the administrative center for the entire country. The town boasts an arena which held as many as 20,000 spectators who came to watch the gladiators wrestle each other or animals.
The structure was later filled in with as many as 200 houses and two chapels. Quite a large space!
After our tour, we wandered into the city itself and had a fun lunch in the town square. We even bought berets and pretended to be French!
After lunch, we had a private tour of an olive farm. This was an extra charge (the morning tour was free). There were about 20 of us who went, and we saw the process from tree to bottle.
Tours on river cruises are easy to sign up for...you just go to the main desk that morning and say "Is there still room?". And there most always is. Like the cruising....very easy.
The gala dinner event was that evening and was very low key. The sommelier, Laurencia, saw that Dick enjoyed the Chauteauneuf de Pape wine which was served one evening..so she made sure it was available to him for dinner the rest of the trip.
AVIGNON RE-DUX
Back in Avignon. The tours are taking everyone to everywhere we had been, so we decided just to walk around like the locals..which we are really now becoming. We were going to have lunch again at Les Halles (bringing our own red sauce), but the chef said we had to come back to the ship for a "Surprise lunch". We did, and they had oysters!!! It was lovely, because we now had red sauce and we ate ourselves silly(or at least, I did).
That afternoon we went on the Chateauneuf de Pape tour (which made Dick very happy). The region is known primarily for their red wines, but we had an opportunity to sample a white CNP...which I never knew they made. Very little comes to the US. It was not great...but good.
On the way back we went by the Pont d'Avignon which was partly washed away by a flood in 1668. Only 4 of the 22 arches remain, but it is fantastic looking. All the school children sing the nursery rhyme "Sur le Pont d"Avignon......
We sail tonight to Viviers
VIVIERS
This is a very quiet city. At the top of a very high hill sits a cathedral with a huge organ. They were playing the organ today just for us. We opted just to walk around the base of the hill. We found the local cemetery and said prayers for the people we have lost. Too many.
We headed back to the ship, had another lovely lunch and took a nap. That's the nice thing about river cruising....each place doesn't require a major outing. A small one is just perfect. And if you don't get off, sometimes you aren't missing much.
TOURNON-TAIN
These two towns sit facing each other on the Rhone with records dating back to the Middle Ages. Both are renowned for their world famous wines. AND truffles, which we cannot take home BUT, chocolate abounds. The Vairhona chocolate factory in Tain is a renowned supplier to the most famous chefs and pastry chefs in the world. We bought lots of chocolate!!! Everyone did. Everyone will be in major sugar shock tonight.
We went to a Rhone wine tasting in the afternoon, and it was not great. We are really spoiled. BUT the land and landscapes are nothing short of spectacular.
We had dinner in the Leopard Lounge tonight, which was a set menu and very wonderful. Nice to be eating in another location...and the wines were fun.
LYON
Well, eventually some rain must fall....and it is in Lyon.
We docked next to the Viking, and we had to walk up to our top deck and then down and across the Viking to get off.
Buses met us and took us into the Old Town of Lyon. We headed to the indoor market, which was more formal than Les Halles in Avignon. We decided to wander thru the Old Town of Lyon ourselves instead of taking the tour, and it was lots of fun. We had lunch in a typical Lyonnaise restaurant and it was delicious. We then found our bus and headed back to the ship.
At night we boarded open air buses and took a tour of the city which was all lit up. Not quite as wonderful as Prague..but what a different feeling seeing everything from a different perspective. We went to the top where the Cathedral was, and had a 180 view that was unreal. And the rain stopped!!!
MACON
We docked in Macon and left immediately for Beaune and the Burgundy area. There was a flea market going on in town, and it was so fun. Forgot what that was like. Cheese, veggies, wine, of course, nougat, and clothes. Dick went to find Le Cep, where we stayed on our honeymoon, and Jill and I shopped til we couldn't anymore. We had to find an extra suitcase for Jill and all her CANDY...but we finally did, and that will make her return trip a bit easier.
This was our last night on our glorious river trip. Wending your way up/down a river is really a lot of fun, and very relaxing. It is special in that there is no stress..and that is the best part.
I cannot speak too highly of Uniworld, our ship and our crew. The service was impeccable, as was the food . Everything was First Class and everyone we spoke to felt the same way. There were people onboard who were taking their 5th Uniworld trip. That speaks for itself.
I hope we can do this again soon...and if the Rhone River is the one to which all are measured, the others will have a hard time. Hopefully I will be able to compare.
Kudos to Sebastien, Sharon, Tihomir, Frederic, Hajni, Martin
and of course, Laurencia. They made everything exceptional.
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Riding the rails to Sante Fe
Our grandson, Jacob, graduated high school this year and wanted a train trip for his present. He is fascinated by trains, metro trains, subways... you get the picture. So he flew to LA, spent a few days here “riding the rails” on our fairly new system, and then Jacob, Dick and I set off on our adventure.AMTRAK
We reserved two connecting sleepers on the Southwest Chief from Los Angeles to Lamy, New Mexico. We boarded on a Sunday night at 6:10PM. There is a lovely waiting room in Union Station for people in the sleeper cars. We even got to board early. Each of us had a living room that converted into a sleeping car with a private bath/shower combination. Jacob got the best of the deal because there was only one of him. Dick and I had a bet who would get the top bunk of the bed in our sleeper.
The steward came around at 6:30 and asked us what time we wanted dinner. We chose 7 pm. At the appointed time we headed to the dining car and were seated at a table for four. A lovely single woman joined us She was taking the train to Chicago and transferring to St. Louis. It was fun talking to someone who traveled by train a lot. For dinner we all had a choice of either fish, chicken or steak. They offered wine and beer and a nice desert. Was it the best meal I have ever had? No, but it was the only one around, so we all ate it.
After dinner we walked to the club car It was was filled with young kids who didn’t have a sleeper, so we went back to our staterooms, played cards and read.
Soon, another steward came in and made up our beds. The couch converted into a lower bed, and something came out of the ceiling for an upper berth for Dick and me.. We took our showers, climbed into bed and laughed a lot!! Then Dick came down into my bunk…and we fell asleep.
I slept really well, as the rocking of the train was hypnotic for me. Dick was cramped and hated the rocking, so the experience was lacking for him.
In the morning the steward came by and asked what time we wanted breakfast. We had time to shower and get dressed, and headed to the dining car. Had omelettes and croissants…cereal and yogurt. Nice breakfast.
We studied the scenery until lunch (they kept us eating so that we didn’t concentrate on the hours spent.) Lunch was lunch….and then we arrived in Lamy (about one half hour from Santa Fe.
Part of the train ticket included a transfer by van to our hotel in Santa Fe…which for us was the Inn and Spa at Loretto.
SANTA FE
The Inn has been redone and is just lovely. The position, right behind the Church at Loretto, was wonderful, as you are about one block off the main square. Our rooms were spacious and each had a balcony with great views and a fireplace.
We walked around town to reacquaint ourselves with the city, since we hadn’t been there in a couple of years. Not too much had changed, however, for which we were very happy.
We ate at two old standbys…the Coyote Cafe and the Santa Cafe…and one “newbie”... Sazon. All were fantastic and true southwestern food at its finest.
We toured Jacob all over the city, from the Palace of the Governors to the park to the galleries on Canyon Road to the Indian jewelers selling their wares all around the park. Santa Fe is a wonderful city to just wander…and we all enjoyed what it had to offer.
On Monday night, we took Jacob out for a real treat.
Sante Fe hosts a renowned opera company that features open air operas in the summer. That evening we saw a stellar performance of Don Giovanni. It was a perfect night and the outdoor venue is remarkable. At the end of this opera, the protagonist is claimed by the devil and descends into Hell. At the precise moment of his descent and as if by cue, the skies opened and there was a huge thunderclap followed by a lightening bolt! What a dramatic bit of theater, carried out by Mother Nature herself. Then the rains came. We made a mad dash to our waiting car, got back to the hotel and collapsed.
The next morning we rented a car and drove to Los Alamos to tour the museum where the atom bomb was made. The museum was incredibly complete. Interestingly enough, the local people had no idea what was going on there while all the scientists were madly racing the clock. Neither did the people working in the plant. The entire project was so very secret that the workers only knew their specific tasks…not what the ultimate project was. Now that is a real SECRET.
It was a great excursion, but like all such things our time was up and we drove back to Santa Fe for our last night before flying home to LA.
Jacob had a wonderful time as did we.…but one night on the train was enough for us!!!!
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