Oriana

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Penny's Reort on the cruise

ORIANA

We started from Southampton. It could hardly have been more convenient if the ship had berthed outside our door. A short drive, unload our baggage onto a conveyer belt and we were there.

First impressions: The ship is vast and it took us a long while to find our way around. There is a theatre, cinema, cabaret lounge, and a recital room. About five bars, two enormous restaurants, a cafeteria, and a cafe, three swimming pools, a kids area, a gym, beauty salon, two shops, a library, a casino and an amusement arcade. Our cabin was spacious and very comfortable, with a sitting area and balcony.

The food was delicious and we could have spent the entire day eating! Of course we didn’t, and even managed to come back almost the same weight as when we had started (almost in my case – literally in Sandy’s). We sat at a table for eight and were lucky with our dining companions. All were delightful, and we became especially friendly with Eileen and Graham from Scotland. On our first evening Sandy found himself sitting next to a man who had known Sandy’s uncle when he was a boy!

I had been rather apprehensive about the trip. I thought I might be bored. But there was plenty to do, and I wish now I had found more time to go to the talks and other activities. I joined a ‘Pilates’ exercise class, and went to this most mornings. We saw a couple of films and some great shows in the evenings.

If there was one snag to going cruising in November/December it was the weather. We had a Storm Force 12 going down the coast of Spain, and ran into several gales both in the Mediterranean and on our way home. Oriana is well stabilised, but there is an odd juddering feeling and occasional loud bangs (is it an iceberg?!). We survived the swell, mainly thanks to a bottle of Brandy, but others fared less well. Needless to say our balcony was not used all that much, while we were at sea.

Our first stop was in Spain, at Malaga. We were only here for half a day, and opted to go on a trip to the caves at Nerja, which were amazing, with the largest stalagmites and stalactites in the world. Sandy was very taken with the town, and wants to go back one day. We then had several days at sea en route for Egypt. We could see the North coast of Africa (surprisingly mountainous) and had a distant view of Malta (surprisingly flat). Dad lived on Malta in the late 1920’s with his parents, when my Grandfather was posted there by the Admiralty. It would have been good to have seen more.

Port Said, at the north end of the Suez Canal, was our next port of call. Nearly all the passengers took the chance to visit Cairo, though this meant we had to travel in a convoy of eighteen busses with police escort. It takes about two and a half hours, and fairly dull, apart from the ornamental pigeon towers attached to most of the little farms. We had a general impression of an impoverished country, very arid and flat. Cairo is enormous, full of high-rise concrete apartments and enveloped in a cloud of smog. More memories of Dad – he was here for about 4 years during the war – and I felt sorry for him, though it may have been better then.

We went to a spectacular Mosque on a hill and to Saladin’s citadel; then for a pleasant short cruise down the Nile, with belly-dancers and a good lunch. Then to the Pyramids and the Sphinx. They are amazing, but perhaps somewhat diminished by having been seen so many times before on the television! There was all the hassle with people trying to sell us souvenirs. I found it rather trying, but Sandy is more accepting of such things. When you see how poor most of the people are it is to be expected. We only had a little time there before having to embark on our long trip back to the ship.

The next day we stopped at Cyprus. We have visited the island before, some years ago, and we opted for a trip to a Crusader castle and an old Roman site. I think there was an amphitheatre every place we disembarked. Then to Rhodes, which we liked very much. We went to the pretty little town of Lindos, where we saw more ruins (well, the cruise was billed as ‘Ancient Wonders’). Bought some ceramics, presents for friends and family, and wondered around Rhodes Town, with its Crusader buildings and walls, a thousand years old.

Next to Turkey, where we visited the remains of the Greco-Roman town of Ephesus. Once a thriving city and port, the harbour silted up and the place was abandoned until it was excavated in the 20th century. It was not built over, which was the fate of so many other cities from those times. It must have been a beautiful city, with civic fountains, a beautiful library, and a vast amphitheatre. There is a sign to the local brothel! This is a fascinating place. We had lunch in the port of Kusadasi, and were amused to see a shop offering ‘Genuine Fake Watches’!

Athens was our next stop. We have visited the Parthenon before, so we opted instead to go to the Temple of Poseidon, about an hour’s drive away. The temple is high up on Cape Sounion, a dramatic and tranquil location.

Two days at sea, skirting the south of Sicily brought us to Sardinia and its capital Cagliari. An attractive city with lovely old buildings, surrounded by ancient salt-pans complete with flamingos. We visited the Museum, and were intrigued by the tiny bronze statues made by the ‘Nuragic’ people who lived here in ancient times: people, animals and ornamental boats. Our fellow travellers were less amused by the hole-in-the floor toilet. Our final visit was to the historic port of Cadiz, on the south coast of Spain, but just in the Atlantic. From here many ships voyaged to the New World. I went on a trip to Seville, a vibrant City, while Sandy opted for the less energetic sherry-tasting visit to Jerez.

Although the weather at sea was rough, every stop we made was blessed by warm dry weather – though I think we were lucky there. The gardens were full of Bougainvillea and Hibiscus in flower and it was hard to come back to grey old England. Cruising is certainly a lazy way to travel – everything is taken organised for you. Would we go again – yes, without a doubt. Maybe the Caribbean in 2007?

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