The itinerary has been an extremely busy one with just the single sea day. A combination of early starts and constant post-midnight bedtimes has at times taken its toll, although we have tempered the early starts with lie ins and breakfasts at leisure in the Lido once the main crowd has dissipated. The days have been busy with excursions or exploring on our own, but we have also tried to incorporate within them some much needed relaxation.
The surprise "hit" of the voyage was Mykonos. It really is a charming little port and island, although I am aware that it is one of the most popular in summer and very crowded. Rhodes and Corfu are both known as tourist islands and are geared up to cater for large numbers of visitors - and both have quaint main towns, ideal for exploring on foot or just for sitting at a taverna and watching the world go by.
Unfortunately Mytilene is not a good advertisement for the remainder of Lesbos, it is by far the most run down of the main towns that we have visited but having stayed on the island twice in previous years we know that the small coastal villages are much more welcoming.
Ephesus was interesting for its place in history and archaeology, even though rambling about ancient sites is not high on my list of "must do's". Istanbul however was busy and vibrant and it was fabulous to witness the mixture of cultures. Venice has been all that we had expected it to be, and more.
We have witnessed a number of contrasting, yet very beautiful and vistas ranging from the stunning Santorini to the Istanbul skyline, to the the unspoiled tranquility of Cavtat to the classical Venice architecture and canals. Memories of all these will last for a long, long time and are enhanced as we have had the good fortune of cloudless skies and warm zehyrs for the entire twelve days.
Although it is not obvious, I strongly suspect that all is not well below decks. Many of the staff to whom we have spoken have complained about the cost cutting and for a number of them, this is their last trip and they cannot wait to leave the ship. It is a sad state of affairs but entirely of Cunards making. Having said that, our stateroom has been kept immaculately clean, all the staff from the lowest deckhand to the senior officers are more than happy to stop and say hello and pass the time of day with a brief conversation. The food, whilst not exceptional, has been perfectly prepared and too the service, (with the exception of the Lido Alternative!).
We have not been to many of the shows, as most we have seen beforre, so it would not really be fair to pass comment on the quality or diversity of the entertainment on board .
I am glad to report that we have not witnessed any rudeness from fellow guests, either to ourselves or to the ship's staff. The dress code appears to have been reasonably well adhered to, although I have noticed that many of the American guests do tend to change into something a little more comfortable after dinner.
Last, but by no means least, our dining companions have been fabulous company. Despite a big divide in our socio-economic groups and the cultural differences of our ex-colonial cousins, Christina, Frances, Steve and Elaine have helped turn a good holiday into a great one. I extend my grateful thanks to them all.
Thus another voyage comes to a close. We are, of course, thankful that it has been completed safely and we appreciate that we are indeed very fortunate to be able to enjoy such wonderful journeys and explore such diverse parts of the world.
Until next time, whenever and wherever that may be, I hope you enjoyed reading these little musings as much as I enjoyed writing them.
No comments:
Post a Comment