WORLD CRUISE 2018 - Getting to Hong Kong 27.3.18

27 March 2018

Really, really early start today.  Up at 03h00 for a 03h30 taxi to Heathrow.  Woke Mum up as well so that I could hug her before we left.  I know that we will miss her but adventure awaits.  David is on vacation so Sean collected us bang on 03h30.  It was raining when we left and cold but Sean's car was nice and warm and cosy.  Surprising amount of traffic on the road as well for that time of the morning.  Edward nodded off in the passenger seat and I watched the traffic go by.  Once we got onto the M25 the east bound side of the road was just endless numbers of very large trucks all whizzing down the highway.  I read somewhere once that the M25 is the busiest highway in the world with something ridiculous like 10 000 cars on it at any one time.  Seeing all the trucks I can believe it.  We got to LHR at about 05h40, so a little earlier than expected.  It was still raining a lot when we got there but luckily I had my nice new raincoat with me.  I pulled up the hood and didn't get at all wet.  

Once inside Terminal 3  we went in search of the FINNAIR desk which we found tucked behind in a corner.  Self check in only with a bag drop.  Luckily Edward is good at this so he did it and I stood in the bag drop queue.  The very nice Polish ground crew attendant told us that the flight was full and she could check our little hand luggage bag in for free. This was great as it meant that Edward and I only had our backpacks with us.  I had even stuffed my handbag and my NEW NIKON D3400 camera into my backpack.  It was a bit heavy but manageable.

So there we were at the airport with just over an hour before boarding.  I wanted a coffee and Edward wanted breakfast so we went to the Pret-a-Manger.  WE got some muesli and a croissant with out coffee.  AS it happened this was a good thing.  On FINNAIR they don't serve breakfast, you have to buy it!  Apparently this is because they think of this as a domestic flight - EU is domestic.  :-) When we boarded we had to agree with the Ground Attendant - the flight was full!  Not a spare seat at all.  I bagged 14A by the window leaving Edward in the middle.  He fell asleep and I stared out the window or played on my handy.  For most of the flight we were above heavy cloud cover.  Once we got to Sweden though the cloud cleared allowing me a good view of the snow and ice covered ground and the many islands in the archipelago.  I kept an eye on the in-flight map - something I really like doing - and could identify a Finnish town called Tuuk.  The ground was covered in snow and most the the rivers were still frozen but the trees were a bright green and looked full of energy.  

     

 

We arrived in Helsinki on time at 12h00 and had a 4 hour layover there.  We decided not to go through immigration and into the city as we thought we wouldn't have enough time (or money).  Instead we had some lunch and did some walking around the airport building.  Not a large terminal but nice and modern with free phone charging areas and some loungers where you could put your feet up.  They are in the process of building a second terminal and I'm sure that it will be just and nice.  Whilst wandering about we had a chat with a Finnish Attendant and she assured us that the next part of the flight would have food service so we didn't have to stock for the 9.30 hours leg of the journey.  I was pleased about that as after a very short time any padkos starts to go soft and mushy.......  Finally it was time to board.  Ground staff was challenged with an out of service computer and had to check us all through by hand.  Then we boarded a bus for a very long drive out to the Airbus A380 that we were flying on.  Once again the flight was completely full!!  We only worked it out once we got to Hong Kong - EASTER WEEK-END TRAFFIC!! The flight attendants were all Asian - Chinese, Filipino and Japanese - and all of them live in Hong Kong.  I found the temperature of the flight very warm and at one point  I thought I might melt.  Edward accompanied my to the back where I took my shirt off and stood in my Cami under an air vent drinking cold water.  The flying time is 9 hours and 35 minutes and as it is an overnight flight they served supper and breakfast.  Due to all the computer problems we left Helsinki about an hour late.  The flight crew managed to make up lots of time and we landed just 15 minutes late.  

Absolutely no trouble getting through immigration in Hong Kong.  They don't actually stamp your passport though, just give you a computer generated slip and tell you to keep it in your passport.

HELLO HONG KONG!!

Grand Cayman's unintentional wildlife encounter

The fabulous DISNEY MAGIC in GrandCayman

When you sail about a cruise ship all the time you tend to get a bit blasae about the ports where you call all the time.  In order to try and combat this I have taken to making an effort to get out of the tourist trap areas and see more of the places and island that we stop at.  On one such expedition I met up with this amazing lizard - 'fairy dragon - and was enchanted.  I am pretty sure that for others he might have been dinner, but for me it was a chance encounter with a wonder of our world.






WHAT AN AMAZING TREE........... big and beautiful and old so must have survived several hurricanes in its time.

Lets get in a bit closer.....  hang on a minute - what is that behind my head????

Isn't he just beautiful!!   We stayed and eyed each other for a long while and 'communed' then I left and he went up the tree into the greenery

Barbados sun break

Well I was a lucky nurse and got asked to fly to Barbados, have a day in the sun and then work my passage back to Southampton on the fabulous P&O AURORA. 

 Had a wonderful flight from Gatwick which is just a short drive from my home, to Barbados on a Virgin Flight.  Must say the team on board were as good as we have come to expect from Virgin service so I arrived refreshed and itching to get into the water.  Unfortunately it took quite a while to get all the airport and port agent formalities done so by the time I arrived at the Barbados Beach Club Hotel it was dark and I was beginning to wane.  So off to a supper of fabulous fresh fish and then to quite time.  

Barbados Beach Club

I awoke in the wrong time zone and went down to the beach for a meditate and had the whole of the sunrise to myself - glorious.  Swimming in the warm Caribbean sea was great and soul reviving but I wasn't going to miss out on anything on my 1 free day in Barbados so I went off to the swimming pool as well and swam and lounged and drank pina colada as one does....... 

Wednesday morning not only brought the Aurora into port, it also brought some rain.  Stood at the gangway for a while trying not to get soaked but at last signed on, met the team, did the safety briefing and got myself organised.  Lovely ship, with a great crew and very laid back passengers.  



We sailed across the Atlantic 'pond' in windless sunshine until we finally got to the San Miguel in the Azores where once again it decided to rain as we docked.  Perhaps the Aurora should hire herself out as a rain bringer???  Anyway after clinic we were away into the little town to drink coffee and eat fabulous Portuguese Pastel de Nate pies..........  if you have not eaten one of these then you should get yourself to Portugal as soon as possible as you are definitely missing out!!  

Another 2 dark and stormy nights across the Bay of Biscay and we were back in Southampton in a December winter.  Not bad but definitely could have done with a month on a Barbados beach!!  :-)

Aboard QM2 in the Fjords

After a short time ashore I find myself back as sea doing a short locum contract aboard the impressive Ocean Liner QUEEN MARY 2 (QM2)

The Medical Centre onboard this ship is by far the largest I have worked in whilst being at sea so the work seems a bit easier as we have more places to put people.  

Our first voyage included a stop in Zeebrugge on the Belguim coast and then onto Hamburg where we spent a day delighting in this lovely river city.  So much has been done to the harbour since my last call there many years ago that I hardly knew where I was.  The old sandbank has been converted into a fabulous HARBOUR CITY area and the old warehouses have been converted into modern apartments and businesses.  There is even a new Opera house being built with fabulous windows that appear as little blobs on the glass but can even turn out to be balconies - very interesting.  



Sail away from Hamburg harbour can take quite a while as the trip down the river Elbe is a long one.  I was delighted to pass HOTEL LOUIS JACOB where they fired 3 'canon' and then played Rule Britannia very loudly as they waved white sheets out the windows - bizzare but delightful!!  :-) Everyone onboard waved back furiously as well.  

Then we were off to the fjords.  First stop was ALESUND which was intersting as I haven't been there before and then to Bergen, 2nd largest city in Norway and it used to be the capital.  Lovely place but it was a public holiday so nothing was open.  A walk down to the old harbour revealed a market which was lovely to wander around seeking out the trolls.....

Last stop on this Norwegian journey was Stavanger.  We stopped there on a Sunday - same day as a big cycle race - TOUR DES FJORDS 2014.  Very exciting to see all the speedy cyclists, but I don't think I will be pedaling that one anytime soon.....  

  

BRUNETTI’S VENICE

Today I allowed myself the rare pleasure of wandering around a beautiful city in the steps of a well loved fictional character – Commissario Guido Brunetti.  This affable though efficient detective is a figment of the imagination of an Italian author – Donna Leon.  She writes so convincingly of him and his family that after just a couple of books you feel as though you know him well enough to share him with someone of a like mind – or invite him and Paolo over for dinner!   

 So it was that two friends and I decided that on our next stop in Venice we would take ourselves to the Questura where Guido frequently looks out of the window of his office and we would see his view. 

We started in St Marks Square and after a brief fight against the tide of tourists, we left the square behind and headed for CHIESA DELLA PIETA.  The tall white columns of the Church of the Pieta is no longer used for religious worship, but rather for worship of another kind  - mostly fabulous concerts of Antonio Vivaldi’s enchanting melodies.  This church is often referred to by the locals as Vivaldi’s church in honour of the fame he brought to the city through the music he wrote for the orphaned girls whose musical education he oversaw. 

 Over the bridge and we turned left down the small Calle del Dose and truly started to feel like we were walking in Brunetti’s footsteps.  The small street, Calle, reminds one of an English “twittern” as it is just that, a tiny gap between the houses which allows one to pass deeper into the labyrinth that is Venice. 


As we had started out early there weren’t many people down this end of Venice yet and the streets were quiet and we had plenty of opportunity for taking nice photographs.   




 The after a short walk the Calle opened into the CAMPO BANDIERA e MORO.  This small square is a hidden gem.  Dominated by the restored 15^th century building of deep brown brick with fabulous window boxes filled with flowers.  

The opposite side is the Church of Giovanni in Bragora with a beautiful scalloped white facade and pale bricks.  It was not open when we were there but I would have loved to have gone in and had a look about.    From the plaque on the wall it is proclaimed as another haunt of Vivaldi’s. 

 

Exiting the palazzo to the right of the hotel and we found ourselves in the suburban street of SALIZZADA SANT ANTONIO.  It actually felt quite odd to be walking down a street in Venice with supermarkets and hardware stores and school supplies.  

In fact it was so normal looking that we decided to stop for coffee at one of the typical side walk cafes – and we were served by its Indian owner.   The world it truly turning into and international village!  Coffee was great and so was the cake!  

Moving on towards the Ponto Greci we grew more enamoured with the area at every turn. 

We ambled along the Sant Antonio street, through  the Calle della Madonna and then out into the open and the  Ponto Greci – Bridge of Greci where there was a bar that Brunnetti like to frequent called "Ai Greci" but now goes but the unusual title of Greci Moka Efti Crazy Bar.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                         Here we made a slight mistake and took a left turn past the bar and down a very interesting street with a fabulous mask shop.                                                                            Feeling like we were going the wrong way I stopped and asked directions to San Lorenzo  and the Italian man I asked said “back to the Ponto Greci and turn left to find the Questuro”!  I think lots more Brunetti fans have than we had imagined have trodden these worn paving stones!!  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             So back to the bridge we went and took the correct turn.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          A short walk down the FONDEMENTA DI SAN LORENZO we passed a small newspaper stand where I gave into the urge to buy an “Il Gazzettino” which is the daily rag that Brunnetti likes to read.

Well pleased with my purchase we walked on a little further along the canal side and there was the QUESTURA where Bruntetti has an office and spends a fair amount of time gazing at the view from his office window.  This encompasses the gardens of an old peoples and an early Gothic Palazzo Zorzi-Liassidi (now an hotel) and yet another church.  

 (Right = a very happy Brunetti fan outside the Questura.  Whilst we were there making loads of noise and taking pictures, the voice box behind me came on and someone whilsteled!!  We got sucha fright that we moved on post haste.  )

From here we wandered the twists and turns of the small Calles that lead into fabulous squares, past numerous churches, along enchanting canals and we were completely captivated by Venice.  Forget the tourist Square, the Gondola rides and the glass shops.  This is the Venice to visit!!  

 

 

Cinque Terre - by boat

On the 4th of June I took a real nice boat tour of  the famous Italian CINQUE TERRE.  It was wonderful.  Calm sea and no breeze added to the enjoyment of seeing these amazing little villages from the ocean.  All 5 of the small medi-evil villages are built on almost impossibly high steep mountain sides.  As you come by boat from the east you are only able to see a few small houses of each village perch precariously on top of rocks.  This was apparently a form of defense against enemy attack when the area was under Genoese control back in 1600's.  Good ploy because you have to be almost inside the village before you notice how large it is - this must have won them many a battle back then.  

We left La Spezia and started out journey passing a huge mussel farm way out int he bay, but still within the harbour walls.  Quite interesting to watch the 'farmers' at work but I don't think that I would like to be involved in that.  

The first town that you pass is Porto Venere - stunning place that has its own whole posting, but I can just add that this is the home of Basil Pesto and the smell in the town is just too wonderful!!

Below is the first little mountain village that you pass.  Not necessarily a medi-evil village, but it gives you the idea that the small villages are built on steep sloes, without roads that access each individual home.  Rather there is a road at the top of the hill and you have to walk to each house - carry all that you require for daily living or new furniture etc.  Makes you think about what you purchase at the store when you have to lug it so far and so steep!!

 To the right is RIOMAGGIORE village and you truly can't see much of it unless you are up close.  The main street runs from the shore line / harbour straight up next to the river that gave the village fresh water.  On the right hand side is the church which was - and still is - the centre of village life.  

To the left is CORNIGLIA and the only village that is not accessible from the sea when you do the boat tour.  The little village has a small boat harbour so that the fishermen can go out and get a days catch, but you can't tie your ferry up there.  You can walk in easily from the hiking trail though.  


Below are 2 pictures of the 4th village VERNAZZA.  Very nice place but you get the idea that these people live in a stairwell. Everything is up or down.  No wonder they lived to a ripe old age, they were truly fit!!  This village also suffered an almost catastrophic flood in 2011 when the river flooded higher up the mountain and send tons of water gushing through the narrow streets washing just about everything away.   

 The last of the 5 villages is Monterroso and it is definitely the largest of the villages.  You can end your ferry tour here if you like and take a train back to La Spezia or like me, you can just take the boat back to the beginning and enjoy the view and the lone fisherman that you pass along the way.  

Milateus + Marcus Aurelius Bath house

This was my first visit to Milateus - think I have the spelling correct but it changes according to which language you are reading it in.  

This is a farily unvisited site about 75 minutes drive from Ephasus.  Very worth the visit though.  In summer you must watch out for scorpions and snakes , so ensure that you wear the correct shoes.  
This beautiful, well preserved and enormous amphiteatre was found after the little village siting on top of it was destroyed during an earthquake - late19th Centurary I think the guide said.  This led to the moving of the village and excavation work taking place.  During summer there is not much archealogy going on as the whole area is exceptionally hot. 

 Above shows the view from the middle of the centre ailse.
On the right is a view of the whole amphiteatre.

Below is a record of the second known workers stike - complete with names and demands.  Apparenlty the workers did not want to work in the heat of the day, asked for better food and more water!

The amphiteatre is very well divided with sections for wealthy patrons who supported the amphitheatre financially, then for individuals who bought their seats, a section for families with children - at the back so the kids didn't annoy anyone - and even a section for people who came from out of town for the games.  Very cool.  You can see letter carved n the marble indicating how all this is divided.  
Walking around the back of the amphitheatre you see the remnants of the town / city with a nice sqaure complete with fountain and lion and a temple and off to the left a magnificent Bath houser reputed to have been built by Marcus Aurelies for his wife.  According to our guide it boasts the first real example of private cubicles for massage that are seperate from the main hot and cold baths.  Very lovely to walk about and you can even see some of the original painting on the marble walls - awesome!!  Also loads of large lisards that live in the brick work and pop out now and again to try and scare you!!  
I think that I will have to look up and see if Marcus Aurelius was actually in this area although I have no reason to disbeieve the guide who is an acrcheologist himself.  
The other thing about this little place that I liked is a little "motel" that has been here since 1410 or so and still functions as a motel for travelors!!  Amazing.  Completely refurbished and now equiped with all mode cons, it does still hold to the original style and building matierials.  

section of the Motel wall showing the 'recycling' of building materials!