Sardinia, Italy, August 30, 2018

We last visited Sardinia approximately 30  years ago. This morning we docked in Cagliari on the Southern coast of the island. Dan is taking a tour of the town while Jim opted for a few hours at the beach and swimming. Later today the final aftetnoon tea dance party will take place. The theme will be music from the disco period in the 70s, so it should be a lot of fun. We'll be dining with our friends Alan and Geoffrey from England once again. We met them on a cruise and we've sailed with them a couple of times before. For the final event of this cruise this evening we'll see Airotics, a talented couple that performs acrobatics. Tomorrow (Friday) morning early we begin our trek back to Philadelphia. We enjoyed the cruise very much and we'll be coming home with many fond memories.

Palermo, Sicily, August 29, 2018

Our excursion included a brief tour of the city with sights such as the Norman-Romanesque Cathedral, the Teatro Massimo, parks and villas. But since we've visited Palermo a couple of other times, we signed up for a "Secrets of Sicilian Cuisine" tour. A chef at the di Salvo villa, owned by a Baron, showed our group how to prepare tomato sauce, eggplant Parmesan, veal rollatini, panelle (chickpea flour squares,) and almond cakes. The demonstration was followed by a lavish luncheon which included assorted antipasto (with a savory caponata,) pasta, veal dishes, wines, and a rich, thick ice cream covered with a delicious heavy chocolate sauce. - Dan

Valetta, Malta, August 28, 2018

Dan's excursion in the beautiful limestone city of Valetta started with a ride on a lift to the Barraka Gardens, with their spectacular view of the harbor and cities opposite. A walk through the broad streets to the co-cathedral of St. John pleasantly reminds one of the past grandeur of this fortress city built by the Knights of St. John and the islands other rulers from the Turks to the French and English. The cathedral is a simple, dignified Renaissance building on the outside but with the most ornate Baroque decoration inside. It also contains one of Caravaggio's masterpieces, "The Beheading of St. John," his largest painting and the only one he ever signed, painted especially for the Knights. A visit to the lavish Piccola Rocca Palace concluded Dan's tour before he returned to the ship. Jim spent the day on board a privately chartered boat that visited Malta's beautiful Blue Grotto area, where swimming and an on board picnic ensued. - Dan

At Sea, From Greece To Malta, August 27, 2018

Monday the Celebrity Reflection was at sea headed for Malta, our next port of call, where we will arrive at 9 AM Tuesday morning. Daytime activities are plentiful on board, with a nice walking and jogging track and a well-equipped gym available for exercise. Dan spent time at the solarium pool while Jim enjoyed the outdoor pool area, the site of several "pool games" during the day, entertainments that included a water volleyball game between members of the crew and guests. At 3 pm there was a wedding held in the main court of the ship presided over by our Atlantis cruise director, who is also ordained. The big party of the day was the always fun "Soaked" tea dance poolside at 5 pm. Water cannons were in abundance and everyone had a wet but enjoyable time. We enjoyed dinner at a large table for eight and met new people from California and Australia. It was a special night in the restaurant with lobster and Baked Alaska on the menu.

Santorini, August 26, 2018

For our last day in Greece on this cruise, we spent a delightful day at Perivolous Beach on Santorini.  After we tendered ashore we boarded a coach for the ride across the island to the village of Perivolous. A search for a good seafood restaurant led us along the beachfront road to a colorful restaurant, Psarotaverna o Perivolous, where we enjoyed grilled swordfish and fried crayfish, called shrimp on the menu. A wonderful surprise came when the chocolate souffle dessert turned out to be what the French call "Fondant au Chocolate," the scrumptious cake with the liquid molten chocolate center, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Lunch was followed by a swim in the Agean sea, off the incredibly hot black sand beach. After a walk through the picturesque and photogenic cliff top town of Fira and a cable car ride back down to the sea, we returned to the ship for a rest. Later we enjoyed dinner on board with two English friends, Geoffrey and Alan, whom we've sailed with on two previous occasions. - Dan