Triple Threat Day

On Wednesday our exhausting but totally rewarding tour took us to three major sites near Naples, the port the ship Equinox docked at in the early morning. Our tour lasted 10 hours and 45 minutes (!) and first we went by hydrofoil boat from Naples to Capri, the famed island beloved by such ancient Roman Emperors as Tiberius. Today it’s still a jet set spot, but its natural beauties and lush vegetation make it a popular tourist attraction. We saw the Giardini Augusto, a garden with wonderful views of the rocky island and spectacular flowers. Jim bought a new shirt there and then we took another boat to Sorrento. There we had a pleasant lunch with several of our fellow Atlantis cruise passengers, before heading off to Pompeii. In that ancient Roman city, we broke away from the tour group to re-visit the fabled Villa of the Mysteries, which has the finest of all ancient Roman frescoes. We had last seen them 30 years ago. The hike to that villa, which lies outside the city’s walls, is long and arduous, over cobblestone streets and twisting stairs. But Jim is an excellent map reader, who navigated us to the villa in the light summer rain. The expressions on the faces in the villa, of people assembled for ancient rituals, still un-deciphered by modern archaeologists, are remarkable. They are the most realistic depictions of human emotions until the Italian Renaissance. The backgrounds behind the figures is a startling vermilion. One time many years ago I painted a portrait with a figure from the villa, as a background. So it was delightful to see these great masterpieces again, probably the highlight of the day. After we returned to Naples and the ship, we had a fun dinner with fellow passengers who hailed from Florida, Seattle, and Manchester England; they were delightful company. There’s a great sense of camaraderie aboard our cruise. -Dan

Adventures in Catania

Catania is one city we’d never been to before in Sicily. It’s the largest city on the island with half a million people in population. Our tour bus visited the nearby town of Acireale, where there’s a Norman castle and the rocks where Polyphemus the Cyclops threw stones at a departing Ulysees, according to Homer. Back in Catania itself we visited the Duomo, or Cathedral, an 18th century structure where the most famous native son, the great composer Vincenzo Bellini, is buried. We also walked to the nearby church of Sant’Agata, a Baroque gem, and the Teatro Bellini, an ornate opera house that was built in 1890. Catania is mostly an 18th century (and later) city since the nearby volcano Mt.Etna destroyed the city so many times.-Dan

Scuba Diving In Malta

Enjoyed two interesting underwater adventures in Malta on Monday including a visit to a famous shipwreck, the HMS Maori, which helped to sink the Bismarck during WWII.

Back in Malta

It’s always fascinating to return to Valletta, the capital of Malta. After the Equinox docked here, Jim took a diving tour and recorded the underwater world, including octopi, on two sides of the island. Dan walked up many steps to the old city, where he saw the Baraka Gardens, the ancient walled streets, and the great co-cathedral of St. John’s. The cathedral was actually the oratory of the Knights of St. John’s who ran the island for centuries. There were mobs inside the church, but I was happy to see it again, particularly the two great masterpieces that Caravaggio painted for the order. And unlike some of the tours we’ve been on in past years, I was able to see the museum. Tour groups skip that part of the building; inside there are Flemish tapestries based on designs by Rubens, a collection of ancient choral manuscripts and more. After the Cathedral, I walked to the Palace of the Grand Masters. The state rooms are magnificent and there is also an armory full of arms and knight’s suits of armor. I walked back to the ship, happy to be able to play some Chopin on one of the great Yamaha grand pianos on board. –Dan

Life On Board Celebrity Equinox

Yesterday was our only full day at sea on this cruise, so we got a chance to relax and enjoy the sunny Mediterranean. Jim likes the outdoor pool while Dan prefers the covered solarium. We had lunch at the large Oceanview Cafe on one of the top decks, where we can enjoy our meal outside on the stern of the ship. We both like to watch the hot glass show - a demonstration of hand made decorative glass blowing sponsored by the Corning Museum. Even though there is little in the way of a dress code on board, we looked nice at dinner and took the opportunity to have a photo taken.

Adios to Barcelona

During our last morning in Barcelona we enjoyed a few more adventures. We took a taxi to Montjuic Park to see the National Collection of Art in Catalunya, the province where Barcelona is located. The museum is in the huge Palau Nacional, which has two fantastic cupolas (see Jim’s pics.) Though part of the art museum was closed, we did see the huge Romanesque wing, with impressive Medieval murals from many churches, and also Renaissance through 18th century paintings, including highlights by El Greco, Rubens, Fragonard, Goya, Tiepolo and many others. Jim took a snapshot of a mysterious Renaissance painting by the wonderful Lorenzo Lotto, a master who deserves to be better know. From the museum we returned to our hotel, and then walked to La Rambla to visit the shop at the Teatre Liceu, the famed opera house. It was closed, but we did take a tour of the opera house, a gem from the early 19th century. We’d last seen a performance there on our last trip to Barcelona. After that tour we took our last cab to the ship, the beautiful Celebrity Equinox. Today is our first full day on board, and it’s a day at sea. We are making our longest Mediterranean crossing on the cruise, from Barcelona all the way to Malta.-Dan

Return to King of the Crayfish

In the Barcelonetta, a small seaside peninsula part of city, there is a very old restaurant called ‘El Rey de las Gambas.´ Dan was here 40 years ago, and Jim first ate at the same haunt about 30 years ago, also the first time he visited this amazing Mediterranean city. The restaurant specializes in seafood, as its name indicates. We started out with a bottle of vino tinto or red wine, and then launched into a prawn and avocado salad, accompanied by a plate of berberozos, or cockleshell clams. These have a unique taste, and like some of the other shellfish in Spain, are seldom encountered in other parts of the world. They are simply prepared with butter, parsley and a touch of garlic. They are plumper and juicier than long-neck steamed clams or mussels, but not as tough as ordinary clams. After those starters, I had a seafood paella, rich with crayfish, mussels, clams and a calamari-infused rice. Jim enjoyed monk fish, served on a huge platter straight from the oven, with mussels and crayfish, all swimming in a rich marinara sauce. The meal was a return to a past experience, which was a very philosophical adventure for Jim, who has long been influenced and intrigued by the connections between the past and the future.-Dan

Return to Barcelona

Photos: cathedral, at the Picasso Museum, lunch hand made desert truffles, St. Maria del Mar.

After our plane landed at the airport, we took a taxi to the Gothic Quarter (‘Bario Gotic’) one of the old parts of the city. We are again staying at the Hotel Colon, which we were at the very first time we visited the city. It has wonderful views, since it is located Gothic Cathedral. Yet the hotel is sloppy, as the safe won’t lock (the bellboy said it needed a new battery.) And despite the noise on the first floor (where one hears people from the ground floor’s outdoor restaurant) the management refused to exchange our room. But we are trying to make the best of the situation,and did have a great lunch at the restaurant today, with fresh fish, sangria or wine and home-made chocolate truffles. Our adventures this afternoon included visits to the cathedral, with its peculiar cloister that has a collection of large, white geese; a trip to the Picasso Museum, which is located in a series of ancient buildings in the Gothic Quarter, and a tour of another wonderful Gothic church, Santa Maria del Mar. Tonight we plan to return to an old favorite restaurant for dinner, El Ray de las Gambas, down on the Barcelonetta.-Dan

Starbucks Fix

At Starbucks in Barcelona.

A Room With A View

We're at the beautiful Hotel Colon in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona where our room features a great view across the plaza of the cathedral. We had a similar room during our first visit to Barcelona which was probably 25 years ago.