The Last Excursion

Patti LaPone entertains aboard the Celebrity Solstice



At the port in Naples



The spectacular Amalfi Coast



We came to Sorrento!

After a day at sea, the ‘Solstice’ arrived in Naples. We had not visited the third largest city in Italy for twenty-five years. At the harbor the ship was close to the Castello Nuovo (or New Castle,) an old Medieval fortress which is one of the landmarks of Napoli. But we did not re-visit any sights in Naples, instead having opted for a tour along the costiera Amalfitana or Amalfi Coast. On a long drive, our bus took us first to Positano, a jet-set town on the sea. It was crowded and full of shops, but set in a beautiful series of cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean. The bus then headed to Sorrento, in an equally beautiful natural setting, and even more crowded with tourists hunting the innumerable shops. Our tour guide Margot insisted that although the French had the Cote d’Azur, the Amalfi Coast is more spectacular. It is on higher cliffs, but both seem equally beautiful to me.

The highlight of Sorrento was a leisurely lunch in the most famed hotel in the town, the Hotel Grand Excelsior Vittoria. In 1921 Enrico Caruso died in this hotel, and it was fascinating to see its Victorian grandeur. We dined in a separate dining room with amazing views of the Bay of Naples. First we ate a salad with fresh shaved Parmesan cheese, then pasta with zucchini and white sauce, followed by a sea bream in a light tomato sauce, accompanied with roasted potato nuggets, all washed down with Prosecco, white and red local wines from Campagna, and mineral water. These courses were followed by a plate of fresh fruit alongside a slice of mocha cake drenched in amaretto. As one might imagine, many fell asleep on the bus after such a repast. But I struggled to keep my eyes open; after all, how many times will I visit that gorgeous coast?

By mid-afternoon the bus reached Pompeii. Jim and I had visited the ancient city 25 years ago. But it seemed larger than ever, and there are reports that excavations continue. Though unable to visit some of the finest villas, due to time constraints, we did see the training ground of the gladiators, the forum, the brothel, and a market place surrounded by paintings. It was amazing to see the remains of such a vibrant civilization that existed and thrived over two thousand years ago. Dust swirled up from the ground, but the wind made the ruins seem less hot than some spots we had visited when in Rome. Saddest of all were the plaster casts of those who perished in the explosion of Vesuvius all those centuries ago. They included a slave with a belt bearing his owner’s name still around his waist, and a contorted dog: these were vestiges of ancient Roman life. Those who did not escape Pompeii in time were suffocated by the poisonous fumes from the volcano.

Currently Vesuvius is considered to be one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and the geologists expect it to explode again. Yet many farmers living nearby will not move, despite offers of cash from the government. Our guide told us they consider Vesuvius to be their ‘big brother.’ Some brother!

After a last dinner on board the ship, we rose extremely early the next morning and took our bus transfer from Civitavecchia to Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Soon we will fly back to Philadelphia and resume our normal lives. But we will remember our Mediterranean trip and the new friends we met aboard the ship. Thanks to Jim’s photos we’ll also have fond memories of this extraordinary trip.

Dan

Of Donkeys, Cable Cars, and a Volcano

For our last day in Greece, we arrived in the morning at Santorini. This is the island built on the rim of a volcano. The white houses and colorful churches extend for many kilometers and look down on the sea and a dormant volcano. There are three ways to get from a small landing area to the town of Fira—by donkey, foot or a cable car. Some of our fellow passengers took the donkey, which sped to the top. If you walk, you have to avoid the donkey dung, but no one can avoid the smell of the hoofed beasts. We chose the cable car, and then meandered through the narrow, cobblestone streets of Fira. The shops featured everything you can imagine, including stuffed, plush donkey marionettes who dance when their strings are pulled!

The last time we were in Santorini, we visited the archaeological dig at Akrotiri, but it is currently closed to tourists, because a wooden roof covering the excavation collapsed.
I’m not sure how many people live in the town, but suspect there are more than at Chora on Mykonos. Though Mykonos has around 5,000 year round residents, the island greets 900,000 guests every year. One suspects the figures are similar for Santorini. The view of the ship from the top of the island was incredible. Though Santorini’s setting is spectacular, I still find Mykonos more beautiful. Santorini was our last stop in wonderful Greece, and today we are the way back to Italy.

Dan

Return To Mykonos

The beautiful Elia beach



Paraportianis church



Though we’d been there together a couple of times previously, it was a delight to return to Mykonos. The island is one of the most beautiful anywhere, with its white houses perched on low and sere mountains that jut right out into the sea.

We had signed up for a transfer from the ship to the beach at Elia. On the way, we passed through the picturesque town of Ano Mera, said to be largely unspoiled by tourism. Yet despite the fact that there are more shops in Chora, the capitol of Mykonos, we still found the town a delight.

The beach at Elia boasted, like the other beaches on Mykonos we’ve been to, a setting of rocks and sand right on the edge of the incredibly blue sea. We were early enough to find chairs and a thatched umbrella, to project me from the intense sun. I heard German, British English, French and most of all, Italian, all spoken by the bathers on the Elia Beach. We spoke to fellows who lived in Hoboken, NJ, and also a man who lived near London, but who was not on the Solstice. After an hour or so, we headed to a smart restaurant right on the beach. We toasted each other with Retsina, and enjoyed typical Greek food: an onion pie, spanakopita (if not as crispy as our friend Carole’s), a moussaka, and a grilled seafood platter. Both of us swam in the sea, and Jim spent more time in the water than on the land. But, I’ve always known he is half sea creature.

In the afternoon our transfer bus picked up the group from the ship, and we took a tender from Chora –or Mykonos Town—back to the ship to shower, rest and dress. We returned to Mykonos for drinks at the Kastro Bar, which is in ‘Little Venice,’ right on the water. During drinks there, we talked to a group of seven fellows who travel together, and were also on the Atlantis cruise. Then we walked out, past the marvelous Paraportiani church, to our favorite restaurant, Niko’s. We devoured more treasures from the sea, including lobster, crayfish and –unique for us—spiny sea urchins. After wandering around the harbor shops, we returned to the ship. Today we continue to sail through the sea to our next Greek island.

Dan

A Visit To Rhodos

The Walled City Of Rhodes



Street Of The Knights



Palace Of The Grand Master

Kali Mera from Greece! Yesterday we returned to Rhodes. Though we had been to the big island in the Dodecanese before, it was always on cruise ships that docked there at night. So this time we had signed up for a walking tour, to see some of the historic buildings. Yes, they are there if you search beyond all the souvenir shops. Our tour guide Irenie showed us the Archaeology Museum, which was formerly the hospital of the Knights of St. John who controlled Rhodes for a few centuries. The Knights were not a good thing for the island, but like many others who came to power—the Romans, Byzantine Empire and Ottoman Turks—realized the economic potential.

Walking up the street of the Knights we reached the Palace of the Grand Master, which also features some ancient treasures (such as Roman mosaics) and is a huge fortress that dominates the town.

This morning we are sailing to our next island, and the seas are clear here, so we can see many islands in the chain known as the Cyclades. The beauty of Greece, with its crystalline sky, always amazes one, and we are very happy to return.

Dan

A Day In Egypt

The Sphinx







The Egyptian Museum in Cairo

10:03 AM Athens Time August 2, 2009
Celebrity Solstice En Route To Rhodes Somewhere in the Mediterranean

Yesterday the ship “Solstice” arrived very early in Egypt. By 7:35 different groups of passengers were disembarking and going through customs in Alexandria. Our tour bus left around 8:00 AM and wound through the city on its way to the major highways. This was our first visit back to Africa since an extensive bus tour of Morocco many years earlier. It was interesting to see the huge numbers of dusty buildings in the cities, and the throngs of people walking the streets, even though it was Ramadan. Numerous mosques were decorated with strings of bright colored lights, like Christmas trees. Everyone fasts from sun up until sun down, and then the citizens both pray and eat and party until fasting starts all over again at 4 AM the next day. Or so we were told by our guide Reem, a woman who filled us in on ancient and modern Egypt.

After two and one half hours we reached Giza, on the edge of Cairo. We were there to see the great pyramids, including the largest of all, that of Chefren. Jim said that he thought the pyramids were larger than he expected, and they seemed larger to me than what my memory recalled from my last visit to them 30 years ago. With our San Francisco buddies Bill and Wes we walked around the pyramid of Cheops, all the while being urged to ride one of ‘ships of the desert,’ the weird-looking and strange-sounding camels. Jim took innumerable photos before our tour bus drove to the nearby Sphinx. Though carved from a single block of now-damaged stone, the Sphinx still watches all and has the inscrutable features of the Pharoah Cheops, who built it.

For lunch we dined at the elegant Mena House Oberoi, a huge hotel/conference center which is located near the pyramids. Its carved wooden interiors are still beautiful and the tour groups enjoyed the buffet repast.

Then our bus driver had the difficult task of driving into downtown-Cairo to reach the large Egyptian Museum. Though still dusty and with poorly labeled display cases, the museum contains certain unique treasures, such as the golden ones from the tomb of the famed King Tut-ank-amun-ra. Our guide explained several major works. Then for a few shipmates I gave a brief explanation of the ‘Palette of Narmer’ the oldest major relief, which established the style. Probably because the statue is so small is the reason why it’s never dwelled on by guides. The Narmer stele is a document too, as it recounts pictorially the unification of upper and Lower Egypt in the first dynasty.

After the Museum, there was a long drive back to Giza to persuade the tourists to buy souvenirs at a Papyrus shop. We had ordered t-shirts and Jim also bought a silver chain with a ‘cartouche,’ or his name in hieroglyphics. Then we took the long drive back to Alexandria and the port, which lasted for almost three hours. Though a long excursion, this was ‘bottled Egypt’ in a brief tour, and all our fellow shipmates agreed that the trips were well worthwhile.

After dinner and the Bruce Villanch comedy show, we crashed around 12:30, which is extremely late for us, as our friends know(!) Today the Solstice will dock at Rhodes, our first Greek island.

--Dan

From The Celbrity Solstice

The outdoor pool area.



The latest in fashions for the gay male...a designer jockstrap...was featured in yesterday's episode of "Project Runway"



The "Dog Tag Tea Dance" is a very popular event on every Atlantis cruise.

We’re now sailing somewhere in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea en route to Alexandria, Egypt. We arrive there tomorrow morning then travel by motor coach to Cairo to visit the Pyramids and the Egyptian museum. We’re enjoying the Celebrity Solstice very much. We’ve made some new friends and cocktails and dinner are a lot of fun with our group. The ship is beautiful. It’s only about a year old. Here are some photos I took yesterday.

At Sea!

We're on the Celebrity Solstice just now off the coast of Sicily. The ship is beautiful. Hope to have pics later.

Jim

Almost At Sea

We're off to board the Celebrity Solstice this morning. It sails at 6 PM. We'll be two days at sea before we reach Alexandria, Egypt. This is one of the great Caravaggio paintings inside the Church of St. Maria del Popolo. St. Peter asked to be crucified upside down out of respect for Christ, as the story goes.

Our Last Day In Rome

Galleria Borghese



Adrian, Jim, Harvey, and Dan at the Piazza Popolo in Rome

The main highlight of the last full day in Rome was our visit to the Galleria Borghese, set in a large and lovely park generally called the ‘Villa Borghese.’ Cardinal Scipione Borghese started this magnificent collection in the 17th century with some ancient Roman sculpture. He expanded it further with great Baroque masterpieces by Bernini and Caravaggio, and such Renaissance gems as Raphael’s “Deposition” and “The Lady with the Unicorn”, or Titian’s luxurious ‘Sacred and Profane Love.” Our shipmates Harvey and Adrian, and Wayne and Steve joined us for this tour. The last time we had been in Rome the museum was closed, so it was a thrill to again see the 6 Caravaggio paintings and the amazing statues of Bernini, including his “Daphne and Apollo.”

We walked through the park after the museum visit, and marveled over two large Caravaggio altarpieces in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo. These works were “The Conversion of St. Paul” and the “Crucifixion of St. Peter.” With their amazing diagonal compositions and dramatic lighting, they clearly showed the best of the artist who created the unique Baroque style of painting.

We showed Harvey and Adrian the Pantheon and the church of St. Agnese by Borromini, and seeing them a second time one noticed new details of those great buildings. After a jolly lunch near the Piazza Navona, we toured the gigantic Palazzo Doria Pamphili with the fellows from New York, before taking a taxi back to the hotel. Tonight we’ll search for another restaurant near the Piazza Navona, for our last dinner in Rome. Tomorrow we take a transfer bus to the port at Civitavecchia to board the ship “The Solstice” for our cruise on the Mediterranean.

–Dan

Rome: Day Three

Dan prepares to enjoy the famous chocolate tartufo at the restaurant Tre Scalini located at the Piazza Navona



View of the Roman Forum from the Capitoline heights



The main altar in St. Peter's basilica...St. Peter is believed to have been buried below.



St. Peter's Basilica

Thursday morning we slept in—a well deserved rest—and then headed out to the largest Christian church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica. Though originally designed by Bramante in the 16th century, the Pope’s main church was later modified by many others, including della Porta, Vignola and Michelangelo, who crowned the great edifice with his magnificent dome. The spectacular interior includes such impressive sights as the Baldacchino of Bernini, over the high altar, and Michelangelo’s famed “Pieta,” one of his earliest sculptural masterpieces. Unfortunately, due to the maniacs who have tried to damage the marble statue, it is now located far from spectators behind plastic screens.

After leaving San Pietro, we took a cab to the Capitoline, or Capitol Hill where the 16th century Palace that houses the mayor is located. This building, and two others, were designed by Michelangelo at the request of one of the Renaissance popes. The unity of the three buildings is beautifully matched by the pavement stones and gigantic stairs, also planned by the great Renaissance master. Inside of the Capitoline Museum are such treasures as Caravaggio’s sensual “St. John the Baptist”, a Titian “Baptism of Christ” and many ancient Roman statues. They include the gigantic equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in bronze, the small bronze of the Spinario (a boy removing a thorn from his foot), the bronze she-wolf nurturing Romulus and Remus (the legendary founders of the city) and the gigantic head of the first Christian Emperor, Constantine.

Before lunch we visited the French church in Rome, San Luigi dei Francesi (St. Louis of the French.) It features a lavish Baroque interior, but its crowning glory are the three paintings that made Caravaggio a famous artist in Rome. The great inventor of the Baroque style of dramatic painting created three masterpieces on the life of St. Matthew for the Contarelli Chapel. Most famous is “The Calling of St. Matthew” which quotes a pose of Michelangelo, and combines realistic and mystical spaces and figures within the same masterpiece. Being the eternal innovator, Caravaggio made his St. Matthew a believable tax-collector, as he was before he became an Apostle. And in the painting, he is surrounded by young men and other tax collectors dressed in clothing from the time of Caravaggio’s 1601 Rome. Opposite these figures are Christ and St. Peter, dressed in ancient Roman togas. They seem on one level, to appear from another world, and Christ stretches his hand to call Matthew into his next life. A strong use of light and dark, or chiaroscuro, highlights all the figures and an extremely dramatic diagonal thrust of light from an unseen window. It’s an unforgettable masterpiece, a painting to rival those of Michelangelo and Raphael. The other two paintings in the series show other scenes from the life of St. Matthew. In one he is seen writing his gospels, inspired by a curvilinear angel. In the third painting Caravaggio depicts the martyrdom of the saint, when all the prisoners surrounding the apostle are astonished by an angel bearing his reward, a palm frond symbolizing martyrdom.

As a reward for traipsing through the hot streets of Rome, we treated ourselves to a lavish lunch at the Tre Scalini Restaurant in the Piazza Navona. We had just visited Borromini’s elegant church of St. Agnes, and we dined on crustaceans, various pastas, grilled fish, a white Sicilian wine and the restaurant’s signature offering, the tartufo. The tartufo is a rich chocolate ice-cream concoction filled with chunks of dark chocolate and cherries, topped by fresh whipped cream. You might wonder why we weren’t counting the calories, but after all our walking for the past three days, didn’t we need to replenish our tummies and tired feet? Ah well, such is the life of tourists in Roma.

- Dan