The whole experience so far has been wonderful. Venice breathtaking, crowded, but fabulous. Next time we go there (ha ha ) it will be in winter.
The ship is magnificent ( superlatives rule OK ) We are being very spoilt. Highly recommended.
Yesterday Dubrovnik Very different with clean square buildings and lots of steps Again lots of people but much easier to move around. Walked the wall, browsed the streets,went up a cable car. had a little nano nap.
Sending love to family , especially the kids. Looking forward to telling you all about it. Bob is promising a slide night! Be warned!
After breakfast in The Colonnade, an open area on the back deck, we head to the Observation Bar at the front of the ship. Anne and Bob join us. There are only 2 or 3 other couples up here to watch our arrival at Corfu. There are only about 400 people on the ship but there are so many options for eating and relaxing that nowhere is ever crowded and you don't have to wait for anything. The service is amazing.
Arriving in Corfu
There's already a big cruise ship at the wharf and hundreds of people are spilling off. Our tour of Corfu doesn't start till 12.3opm so maybe they will be back on board by then.
We move to Seabourn Square which is the admin onboard area, library, cafe, computer area. Again there is plenty of room we can relax in a reclining chair and read and write.
After early lunch we board one of the 3 buses for the Exploring Corfu Tour. There's a bit of confusion about the itinerary because the Monastery we are to visit closes between 1 and 3 pm.
We are soon underway slowly - traffic is very heavy and roads narrow. The bus has to back up a couple of times to let other vehicles pass. We arrive at Kaneni from where we can view Mouse Island and the Byzantine Church. The view is lovely but there is no public space from which to view it - the headland is covered in cafes. Our tour guide speaks to the owner and we access the view from one of the cafes.
Lucky find - a Corfu T-shirt for Greg!
Mouse Island
Back on the bus and return to town. The roadsides look neglected - need mowing and there are lots of garbage skips along the road that look as though they have been there for a while. There are lots of unfinished houses but we later find out this is not because of the financial situation in Greece but because of a change in the law. Buildings started before the new environmental laws were brought in don't have to comply with the new restrictions. So lots of people started their building with no intention of finishing it in the short term just so it came under the older easier rules.
Next a short walk with the guide along the beautiful wide colonnade towards the Palace of St Michael and St George built when Corfu was a British Colony. Lots of cafes line this walkway in front of the cricket ground. Greg and I recreate a couple of photos originally taken when we were here in 1975. The cricket ground was in much better condition back then.
Back on the bus again and driving towards Paleokastritsa and the monastery. Our tour guide talks non-stop. Most of it is interesting but it is hard to concentrate sitting in the afternoon sun in the bus! The scenery for the first 15 minutes isn't particularly interesting but then we cross over the hills and the blue bays on the Adriatic Ocean side of the island are shimmering and spectacular. I want to get off the bus and dive in.
The church at the monastery is beautiful and very ornate. There are lots of other tourists there too. Lots of skinny cats and kittens too.
The tour was originally scheduled to go to the monastery first and finish in the town. Anne and I were going to stay there and shop. But the changed itinerary meant that didn't work out and we went straight back to the ship instead.
A Greek Cultural Show was planned for the pool area in the afternoon but it no sooner got underway than it started to rain. It was then moved to the Grand Salon. It mainly involved Greek dancing and of course including audience participation. I joined a line of about a dozen other ladies to learn a dance - great fun. Unfortunately no one had a camera with them to capture my performance.
The four of us decided to dine at the Colonnade restaurant instead of the more formal Restaurant. Sitting on the back deck we first enjoyed a lightening show in the distance then a stunning sunset. But it got a bit breezy out there so the crew provided us with orange blankets so we could enjoy the outdoor setting without the chill. We got chatting to a couple from Norway who were sitting at the next table. Once again, foreigners with excellent English and yet we are struggling to remember how to say hello and thank you in Greek!
