Cruise Critique

Well, I have now been home a couple of weeks and have had time to reflect on my Voyages to Antiquity (VTA) cruise experience - and catch up with sleep, chores, and friends!  There is no question that I had a wonderful time, met some fabulous people and saw some amazing sights; however . . . . .

From my first evening in Athens, it was clear that Voyages to Eternity is well organized.  Because I had one of the upper priced cabins, the ground accommodations in all three places (Athens, Seville and Madrid) was exceptional.  The Hotel Grand Bretagne in Athens is, for those familiar with it) like the Empress Hotel in Victoria on steroids!  It was fabulous - except for theWiFi.  So, having dinner that first night outside on the terrace of its rooftop restaurant could not have started my adventure off better.  I know I posted this photo before but this was the start of it.

So, here are some of my thoughts about the rest of it.

The Positives:

• VTA is well organized.  The land accommodation, the hotel transfers, the excursions, the information we received, etc. all went well.  Everything left on time, the coaches (buses) everywhere were comfortable (well as comfortable as you can get in a bus!) and the guides were knowledgeable with good English.
• The Aegean Odyssey is a small ship (350 passengers) with many of the cabins for single occupancy.  Being a smaller ship, it is able to get into ports where some ship might have to use tenders.  In fact, of all the ports we visited, tenders were used only in Santorini.
• The staff on board, from the cabin steward to the restaurant staff and throughout the rest of the ship were wonderful - friendly, helpful, courteous and fun.
• The itinerary, while chockablock full, suited my needs as we visited places I had never seen before.  The excursions were interesting and certainly made it a lot easier to visit some of the more popular places like the Alhambra Palace.
• The passengers on the ship were a great mix of Aussies, Brits, Canadians and some Americans.  The ones I interacted with were well-traveled and very worldly.  The average passenger's age was probably in  mid-70s.
• I thought the food on the ship was good with lots of variety.  Daphne said the ship had a new chef and the food wasn't quite as good as on the last cruise she took with VTA.  I could't complain.
• The majority of excursions were included in the cruise price.  I think there were only two excursions for which there was an additional charge and it was reasonable (about $35 USD if I recall correctly).
• Far and away, the most positive thing about the cruise was the people I forged a friendship with.  There was Daphne (the gal from Aus who became my travel buddy); Phil and Lek from New Zealand and Thailand who were just tons of fun and who hosted several before dinner parties in their cabin; Pat and Martyn from near London with whom I shared their 40th wedding anniversary and their birthdays with; Jane and Mick from Derbyshire who were loads of fun; and, finally, the Very Reverend and the organist (still think that sounds like the start of a joke) who were simply delightful to chat with and learn from.  I know a couple of these photos were posted before but here are the folks who made it all so special.  

Jane, Mitch and Daphne

Martyn and me with Jane, Mitch and Daphne

Pat and Martyn celebrating their birthdays - his on Oct. 29th and hers on the 30th

The infamous Very Reverend, the organist (David Davies) and me

Daphne, Phil and Lek

The Downsides:  

• The main one for me (but probably not that important for most people) was the crap WiFi.  I went through my $85 USD package in the first three days.  It wasn't that much solace to know that on my next cruise with VTA that the Internet would be included because just because it is free doesn't mean it is going to work any better.  I was unable to do anything more than check emails and see Facebook.  No way it was robust enough to post blogs or upload photos.
• While the cruise visited lots of interesting places, there was insufficient time in each port to take the excursion and also explore the port.  It seemed you needed to choose one or the other.  I approached this trip as exploratory to see if there were places I would like to return to on my own.  I felt we rushed through many of the visits.  For example, in Cartagena (which seems lovely) after we visited the Roman theatre and forum, we had only 20 minutes to explore on our own before we had to be back at the ship. 
• There was a wide range of passengers with varying degrees of mobility.  We were organized into groups by, I think, our cabins (for example, those with more expensive cabins were grouped together).  It would have made more sense to group people by their degrees of mobility.  Many times we had to walk very, very slowly (or just stand around) so that everyone could keep up. 
• One big complaint I have about VTA is that, because the company is represented by different companies in different countries, the same cruise itineraries vary according to country.  For example, Daphne, Phil and Lek (coming from the southern hemisphere) had the option of a slightly longer cruise than I did and they got to spend an additional 4 or 5 days on the ship visiting Morocco.  That option was only open to me if I had signed on for the next two week leg of the cruise which ended up in the Canaries.  Similarly, many of the Brits had the options of a shorter cruise (e.g. Jane and Mick left us in Cartagena).  I spoke to the cruise director about this and he said that the offerings are different as they try to give longer cruises to people who are travelling from further away.  I pointed out to him it ought to be up to the client to decide how long they want their cruise to be as some people might be making the cruise just part of a much larger holiday in Europe.  He suggested working directly with the VTA office in Oxford rather than using the company in Canada (although that might be tricky to do).

And finally for me personally, I learned a few things about myself (some came as no surprise!):

• While traveling in an organized group clearly shifts the responsibility for all the logistics onto someone else, it made me feel way too passive.  I didn't feel very involved or connected with any of the places I visited.  In fact, there were some days when I was sure where we were or what day it was!  When we took shore excursions, the meals were organized for us and we really didn't get to truly "roll up our sleeves" and experience the port.  Of course, those who chose to eschew the excursions would have probably not felt like that.  Also, I know there are people who prefer to have someone figure it all out.  It is just that I am not that person.  I want to be more involved with the travel experience.  I have often said it makes the difference between being a true traveller or just a tourist.  (I also appreciate there are some destinations - China, other parts of Asia, South America, Africa, for example - where it makes perfect sense to take organized tours.)
• It was wonderful to find out that I can set out for two weeks on my own and end up with what are like to be long term friends.  What a blessing and a confidence builder!

So, that is it for this trip.  I am now wracking my brain as to where to go next.  I am pretty sure I am headed to Portugal and Spain next fall but, heavens, that is nearly 12 months away so there will have to be travel plans in my future long before then!

Lastly, below I am having my final glass of Cava in Madrid before I made my way home via Frankfurt.  Oh yes I confess that there was a Riesling involved at the hotel in Frankfurt but sadly there is no photo of it!

On to Madrid

November 2nd we left Seville on the 12:45 express train to Madrid and arrived in Madrid about 2 1/2 hours later.  The day was frustrating as we really could have left the hotel a lot earlier and had more free time in Madrid after we arrived.  Until now, this trip in terms of the service has gone pretty smoothly and there hasn't been much to criticize.  That is until we arrived in Madrid.  Most of the group going to Madrid had way too much luggage and their mobility, health and age issues didn't help!  They expected the VTA staff to load their bags onto the train.  There was also a lot of whinging when people found out their seat was facing “the wrong way” or their window wasn’t big enough.  Really?  It is only a 2 ½ hour train ride – get over it!  Then, they complained about the complimentary lunch and why wasn't there a vegetarian or gluten-free option.  Argh!  I think I have had enough of the "group thing".  I keep thinking about that phrase I've seen on posters and t-shirts:  I have one nerve left and you are getting on it!

It was interesting to see how the landscape changed as we went along.  My overall impression of Spain, at least in the part I’ve seen, is dry (arid) and fairly flat – like a large plateau.  On the way to Madrid, we did see some rolling hills and, at times, the olive trees gave way to pine forests and other trees.  I've posted a couple of photos I took from the train but the quality of them is terrible, mainly because I don't think the windows had been washed this year!  However, they give some idea of the countryside. 

Our arrival in Madrid did not go smoothly.  I think everyone, including me, expected to be met on the train platform so they could get help with their luggage.  However, despite what we were told in Seville, that didn’t happen.  There wasn’t anyone to meet us after we left the platform area either.  Apparently, the security area is beyond that so we had to go further out the exit.  Then, it was just a woman who met us and a lot of people struggled to get their bags to the bus.  I helped one couple and the VTA rep did nothing!  Not very good customer service!  We were bused to our hotel (Melia Madrid Princesa).  Like its sister hotel in Seville, the décor was very interesting.  The Spanish seem to go in for red and black a lot – guess it is that flamenco influence!  The two hotels have also been ultra-modern with some very interesting lighting.  In my room here, the top of bedside tables are glass and using a dimmer switch you can change the colour of them to any colour in the rainbow spectrum.  I chose "off"!  In the photo below of the bedroom, you can see it is set to blue.

Once again, I found myself sitting once again all alone in a hotel room with no plans to go anywhere until the tour in the morning.  There were a couple of people who might have been interesting to have dinner with but when people travel in couples they don’t seem to interact too much with other people.  Oh well, just two more days and I head home. I am really missing my cruise buddies who are now having a great time in Morocco. 

I ended up going to the bar and having a glass of Cave there then I ordered a beef tenderloin sandwich served on focaccia.  It was pretty good.  I chatted with the bartender whose name, oddly enough, was James Taylor.  He was born in England but moved to Spain when he was 3.  I asked him about having a sherry like the one I’d tasted in Jerez.  He didn’t have that one but poured me one that was pretty close and then didn’t charge me for it. Over the years when I've been traveling, I have often been given a complimentary drink or dessert and this trip is the same. 

Friday, I was down in the lobby ready for our 9:30 tour by 9:10.  There were only 6 of us who had decided to go on it.  The tour started as a bus tour and covered a lot of Madrid.  It looks like a very interesting city but I was quite disoriented.  We were all impressed by the number of parks and green spaces.  I was also surprised that there wasn’t any really old area – okay there was lots dating from the 17^thC but nothing medieval.  It is truly a city – and parts of it remind me of Paris but without quite the same charm.  I think I would like to explore the city more but doing it on my own and given that I am pretty tired, it might have to wait for another time.  

Our tour included a visit to the Royal Palace and it was very impressive.  I keep losing track of the royal Spanish families and can't keep all the Charles, Ferdinands, Isabellas, etc. straight but I do know Charles II had a long nose.  The rooms in the palace were very opulent – gold, tapestries, chandeliers, and portrait paintings everywhere.  The palace was turned over to the government in 1931 apparently.  It is still used for state dinners and will be hosting the Israeli Prime Minister next week.  A number of the rooms were way more decorative than any at Versailles.  The guide also talked about the abdication of King Juan Carlos three years ago and in one of the room we saw the document that effected that.  Unfortunately, photography was not allowed in the royal rooms and only in the open areas so without pulling photos from the Internet, it is difficult to show the impressive bits.

We did get a chance to see some of the skyline from the plaza in front of the palace. Unfortunately, because the rest of the city tour was in a van, I didn't take any more photos.  It was my intent to get out later and take some but that didn't happen.  Another time, perhaps!

When we got back, I was hungry and thirsty and ended up going to VIPS, a chain fast food place for lunch with a gal from the UK and one from NZ.  We all ordered croquetas which seem to be on every menu.  They are croquettes filled with a cheese sauce and a little rich for me.  I had ice tea with it.  Neither of the other two had ever heard of ice tea.  Egad!  Where have they been living?  They wanted to go to the Prado Museum but I wasn’t interested and was tired as I hadn’t slept much last night.  I started getting ready for my trip home.  It’s hard to believe I am going to have to get back into shoes and long pants (trousers, as the Brits would correct me).  That is not going to be fun!  Then, I heard that the Pacific Northwest had had snow!  Wonder if it is too late for me to change my return flight plans.

I had intended to go out and explore but, to be honest, I am done.  I am tired of being herded around and, while I would love to explore Madrid more, it would be nicer and more fun to have someone to wander around with.  So, I actually spent the afternoon napping.  Later, I met up with one of the gals and we went to the bar for a drink.  She ordered a snack there and we chatted for a couple of hours.  My intent was to go out for dinner but, as the evening wore on, I decided my dinner would be the two glasses of Cava and the bar snacks (candies and potato chips).  Besides, it isn't exactly like I need to have dinner!  It seems all I have been doing is eating - but at least most days involve lots of walking.  Again, the bartender gave me one of the glasses for free!  That was a lovely gesture.

Tomorrow I start my journey home.  I have an afternoon flight to Frankfurt airport where I will spend the night before flying home on Sunday.  I need to gather my thoughts and do one last blog reflecting on this entire experience.  While I am not sure cruising is for me, it was wonderful to see new places, visit some new countries and, most importantly, connect with some very interesting and fun people with whom I have forged a permanent connection.  That was the best part of it all by far!

A Day in Cordoba

Yesterday (Nov. 1st), our destination was Cordoba, about a 2 hour drive from Seville.  As we left the city, the landscape changed.  Initially, it was very arid with a few olive groves but, as we approached the mountains in the distance, the terrain became rolling hills which were the foothills for them.  There was a lot of agriculture – probably grains but hard to tell because the crops had been harvested.  Of course, there were still lots of olive trees.  Oh yes, and orange trees with the bitter oranges that Seville marmalade (made in the UK) is made from.  The photos below aren't great as I took them from the bus but they give some idea of the topography.

Once we were at Cordoba, we walked across the old Roman bridge and into the old town centre which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We walked through the Jewish quarter – interesting that both here and Seville there is one – and, once our brief walking tour was finished, we went as a group to the Bandeleros Restaurant for a set lunch.  I can’t say that I am a fan of the Andalusian soup they served – sort of a creamy gazpacho loaded with garlic – but the chicken was quite good.  Again, like my dinner last evening, the side vegetables were almost cold.  Yuck!

 

 

 

 

 

After our lunch was finished, we toured the mosque/cathedral.  It is one of the few mixed religion buildings in the world.  The following is from the UNESCO WHS site about Cordoba:

Founded by the Romans in the 2nd century BC near the pre-existing Tartesic Corduba, capital of Baetica, Cordoba acquired great importance during the period of Augustus.  It became the capital of the emirate depending on Damascus in the 8th century.  In 929, Abderraman III established it as the headquarters of the independent Caliphate.  Cordoba’s period of greatest glory began in the 8th century after the Moorish conquest, when some 300 mosques and innumerable palaces and public buildings were built to rival the splendors of Constantinople, Damascus and Baghdad.  In the 13th century, under Ferdinand III, Cordoba’s Great Mosque was turned into a cathedral and new defensive structures, particularly the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos and the Torre Foraleza de la Calahorra, were erected.

 

The Historic Centre of Cordoba now comprises the streets surrounding the Great Mosque and all the parcels of land opening on to these, together with all the blocks of houses around the mosque-cathedral.  This area extends to the other bank of the River GuadaIquivir (to include the Roman bridge and the Calahorra) in the south, to the Calle San Fernando in the east, to the boundary of the commercial centre in the north, and  incorporating the AIcázar de los Reyes Cristianos and the San Basilio quarter in the west.

 

The city, by virtue of its extent and plan, its historical significance as a living expression of the different cultures that have existed there, and its relationship with the river, is a historical ensemble of extraordinary value.  It represented an obligatory passage between the south and the “meseta”, and was an important port, from which mining and agricultural products from the mountains and countryside were exported.  

Cordoba creates the perfect urban and landscape setting for the Mosque.  It reflects thousands of years of occupation by different cultural groups – Roman, Visigoth, Islam, Judaism and Christian-, that all left a mark.  This area reflects the urban and architectural complexity reached during the Roman era and the splendour of the great Islamic city, which, between the 8th and the 10th centuries, represented the main urban and cultural focus in the western world. Its monumental richness and the unique residential architecture stand out.  There are still many ancestral homes and traditional houses.  The communal houses built around interior courtyards (casa-patio) are the best example of Cordoban houses.  They are of Roman origin with an Andalusian touch, and they heighten the presence of water and plants in daily life. 

The Great Mosque of Cordoba represents a unique artistic achievement due to its size and the sheer boldness of the height of its ceilings. It is an irreplaceable testimony of the Caliphate of Cordoba and it is the most emblematic monument of Islamic religious architecture.  It was the second biggest in surface area, after the Holy Mosque in Mecca, previously only reached by the Blue Mosque (Istanbul, 1588), and was a very unusual type of mosque that bears witness to the presence of Islam in the West.  The Great Mosque of Cordoba was also very influential on Western Islamic art since the 8th century just as in the neo-Moorish style in the 19th century.  
Concerning architecture, it has represented a testing ground for building techniques, which have influenced both the Arabic and Christian cultures alike since the 8th century.  It is an architectural hybrid that joins together many of the artistic values of East and West and includes elements hitherto unheard-of in Islamic religious architecture, including the use of double arches to support the roof.  The direct forerunners to this can be found in the Los Milagros (Miracles) Aqueduct in Merida.  Its building techniques - the use of stone with brick - were a novelty reusing and integrating Roman/Visigoth techniques.  Also it included the “honeycomb” capital, which differs from the Corinthian capital, characteristic of caliph art.  Subsequently, this was to greatly influence all Spanish architecture. Likewise the combination of the ribbed vault, with a system of intertwined poli ovulate arches gives stability and solidity to the ensemble, and it represents a first class architectural milestone a hundred years before the ribbed vault appeared in France.

For obvious reasons, I haven't put captions on the photos I took inside the church.  Also, I haven't included all of them as I took 50 or 60.  However, these will give you an idea of the multiple arches originating from the mosque and some of the Christian influences in the building as well.

 

After our tour of the mosque, we reboarded our bus for the return trip to Cordoba.  It was non-eventful and we were back in Seville by about 6:15.  I think a lot of us were tired from the long day and bus ride.  I really liked Córdoba and would go back to there in a heartbeat.

Seville

Disembarking from the ship on the 31st would have been challenging enough but, added to it, was the fact I was tired and a bit the "worse for wear" from my partying with the organist and the vicar (that sort of sounds like the start of a joke, doesn't it?).  We left the ship just after 9 and were then taken on a city tour, much of which was on foot.  I am not sure everyone on the bus knew that was going to happen as there was lots of moaning and groaning going on as the morning progressed.

Our first stop was the Plaza de España ("Spain Square").  It is located in the Parque de María Luisa (Maria Luisa Park) and was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition in 1929.  It is a landmark example of the Regionalism Architecture, mixing elements of the Renaissance Revival and Moorish Revival styles of Spanish architecture.

After that, we got back on the bus to see more of the city – including the bull ring (ugh!) – before getting off the bus and touring the Real Alcazar (Royal Palace) and some of the rest of the city on foot.  The buildings were very interesting but I am about done with Moorish buildings and history at this point!  The gardens were fabulous.  What was also interesting was walking down all the little narrow alleys after we left the palace and gardens including a walk through the Jewish quarter.  We finally got back on the bus about 3 ½ hours later – I was tired but at least we were given time to stop for a drink.

The other side of the Guadalquiver River - the neighbourhood of Triano

Below is the entrance to Real Alcazar and photos I took while I was in the palace and gardens.

 

After the tour finished, about 1:30 our bus deposited us around the corner from the hotel (the Gran Melia Colon) where I will be staying for the next two nights.  The only problem was that none of the rooms were ready and we were going to have to wait until at least 3 pm.  I walked along a nearby pedestrian street with another couple from the ship and we managed to find a tapas bar where we had a light lunch.  The two dishes that I ordered both had cheese in them and were tasty – one was topped with caramelized onions and, the other, with honey and chopped almonds.  Next door there was a lovely store selling Spanish food products including lovely hams, olive oils, wine and cheeses.

 

 

By the time I got back at 2:30, I was lucky as my room was ready.  Some people had to wait until after 3:30 and I think most were pretty unimpressed with having to wait around for so long!  The rooms are very modern (square toilet and bidet, colourful lights).  The doors are very different as they are made to look like framed paintings.  Quite an intriguing look!  However, the best part was the WiFi!  It was very high speed and I could finally post some blogs.  I did that for about four hours and got 7 or 8 finished.  I had already drafted some while I was on the ship so that made it fairly easy as pretty much all I had to do was add photos. 

The curtain on the other side of the bathtub actually covers
The glass wall between the bedroom and the bathroom.  Hmmm!
The toilet and bidet are in a separate WC and there are phones everywhere!

The sign beside the door to my room telling me about the painting on the door (below).

 

Doors to other rooms (above and below)

 

 

For dinner, I just ate by myself in the hotel's restaurant sitting on the terrace (sidewalk).  What was really annoying - and somewhere surprising - is that both when I had lunch and dinner people approaching you while you are eating begging for money.  It doesn't exactly make one feel comfortable!!  One thing that is clear to me is that I need to learn some Spanish if I am going to come back to this country!