Athens – The Beginning

Dining/Kitchen of the Apartment

The Living Room area of the apartment

We arrived in Athens late on Friday October 9 after three flights and over 24 hours of elapsed time - Los Angeles to Washington D.C. (Dulles) to Geneva to Athens.  The long day started with a wake up time of 4:30am at the hotel near the airport - to get to LAX for check-in. 

Before I get into the “fun stuff” about Athens, I need to do my usual rant about flying. Our flights were “ok” but flying is such a pain. “Airline food” is an oxymoron.  The boarding process is crazy.  Planes seem to be either freezing or hot.  I keep telling myself that the agony is part of the process of getting to the destination for the “fun stuff.” 

The last leg was on Swiss Air from Geneva – and I have to give them credit.  They are the only example in recent memory of an airline that actually checked the size of carry-ons before boarding.  A year ago we bought new carry-ons to comply with the new restrictions but other airlines just ignore their own rules. People bring on “suitcases” and cram them into the over-head bins slowing the boarding process. On Swiss Air, boarding went very quickly because they checked in the boarding area and had passengers check their bags that did not comply.  Of course, the airlines “nickel and diming” is the cause of the problem.  If a second bag wasn’t so expensive people wouldn’t do this.  End of rant!

The Athens airport is very efficient – contrary to the stereotype of Greece.  The walk to baggage was very short – and no passport control because this was done in Geneva.  The bags were there in just a few minutes after we arrived.  Once out the door we found our name on a sign held by the co-owner of our apartment.  We had arranged with him to meet us – so nice not to have to find a taxi – and he gave us a running commentary on Athens on the drive. He helped get our bags up to the fourth floor apartment in the tiny one-person elevator.  Our arrival was at 5pm (17:00). After showing us the very modern apartment designed by his architect-wife, we collapsed!  

But…we did not want to sleep too early so an exploration of the neighborhood was in order.  We wandered in the wrong direction looking for a market – but found an excellent bakery where we bought dinner and breakfast.  Dinner was a “Greek pie” of flaky pastry and feta cheese with herbs – excellent.  (Are you jealous Philip?)  We made it up to 9pm (21:00).  Weather was warm and humid with rain threatening but not materializing. 

Morning came early for us – not unlike many days after a long flight and jet lag.  We decided to make this first day a “day of rest.”   Lunch was our main meal at a restaurant just a block from the apartment recommended by Rick Steves. His description of it being a “hole in the wall” was apt.  As usual, his recommendation was great! 

To Kati Allo Restaurant near Acropolis Museum and our apartment 

The restaurant, across from the Acropolis Museum, is To Kati Allo.  It is small, no menus, and no atmosphere – just great food.  The owner speaks some English and shows you what they have cooked that morning behind a glass enclosure – or brings out the pot to show you the contents!  Marie-Elisabeth found a dish she remembered from school lunches in Beirut as a student in Fifth grade.  In the pot we saw courgette (zucchini) stuffed with rice, ground lamb and spices in a lemon sauce.  I had a bite of it - delicious.  I opted for the Moussaka – best I have had!  We are going back.  We understand that the dinner menu includes great grilled meats and other Greek specialties.  The prices were inexpensive.

After a trip to a local grocery store, we returned to the apartment – just before the rain started.  For us, it was a treat – actual water falling from the sky!  Wish we could send it to San Diego!   Efi Skarlatou, the co-owner of the apartment, came by to check on a light that was out and to talk to us about Athens and her recommendations.  She is a talented architect – modern in her approach.  We’ve seen examples of her work in a brochure in the apartment.  She studied in Greece but also spent 6 months in Paris – so speaks French.  Efi also studied in New York and worked for an architecture firm in Manhattan before returning to Greece – so her English is also excellent.  She is a delightful and friendly host.

The rest of our day has been resting, reading, and enjoying the rain.  More adventures await! 

The Adventure Begins

Athens to Florida on the Zuiderdam

Leaving for LAX in a few minutes to spend the night before a very early flight to Dulles - Geneva - Athens.  We are staying in an apartment in Athens for five nights before starting the cruise on October 14.  Looking forward to our adventure! Will try to update the blog when I can and will also post some pictures on Facebook.  

Fiji, American Samoa…and Beyond

Our "greeter" at the Fijian Village

I was SO busy for the 5 sea days from American Samoa to Hawaii that I got nothing done on the blog – so now that we are a day out of Honolulu, it is time to catch up!

We were in Suva, Fiji, the capital, on a Sunday when most everything is closed.  Instead of seeing the city on our own as planned, we joined a tour organized by one of our fellow Cruise Critic members when there was a last minute opening.  Glad we did!

The tour took us by bus about an hour outside the capital to a tribal village to learn about local life, customs, and culture.  Seeing the countryside on the way was beautiful – lush tropical vegetation – small villages – Indian settlements with Hindu Temples and churches on every corner.  Fiji is a multi-cultural society and a deeply religious one.  As the guide said – 'Everyone goes to church on Sunday.”  Along the way we noticed every denomination represented from Assembly of God to Mormon to Baptist to Catholic.   

In the small village we visited there was a Methodist and a Roman Catholic Church.   Our time in the village was scheduled to be between the Methodist and Catholic services.  In the church – as in the homes – there were no seats.  Everyone sits on woven mats.  Now this was going to be interesting for a “bunch of Older American, Canadian, and European tourists!” 

   

We assembled in their “meeting area” – a room that was open to the elements on the sides.  We were led to the area by young men in typical dress carrying large wooden warrior implements – they were the guardians of the village.  Children put a garland of flowers around our necks – something like a lei.  Suddenly the villagers appeared with an assortment of chairs and stools that were “vintage” to say the least…a welcome sight!  All ages of the village were there.  The welcoming ceremony started with a prayer – with everyone making the “sign of the cross” at the end before starting the Kava Ceremony.

Preparing the roasting of Taro

What is kava?  I need to research more when I get home – but - It is a traditional drink in the Pacific that looks less than appetizing, to be frank. Watching them make it is interesting but the outcome looks like dirty water from a ditch.  There is a tradition about how to accept it and how to drink it.  A few representatives from our group agreed to “do the honors.”   Your teeth and tongue go numb and after too many drinks you are very happy we were told!

Kava Ceremony

The children sang for us and then the entire assembled village sang with the unique South Pacific harmonies – what did they sing?  The tune was the old hymn “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, I’ll Be There!”  Some of us who knew it sang along in English.  (English is spoken in Fiji but there are so many local languages and dialects that a common form of communication is Pidgin English.) 

We then were given a tour of the village to see how they live.  There were demonstrations of various things – scraping coconut meat into a fine powder; wrapping taro roots in banana leaves to put in a pit with warm stones; making baskets: how they open coconuts for drinking; making firecrackers; etc. 

What friendly and open people!  They were very eager to talk to us and to show us their way of life. I ended up in a long conversation with one of the elders of the village who told me about his brother who now lives in Melbourne and was married to a Maori he met while working in New Zealand.  He was so eager to answer all of my questions and he wanted to know about California and San Diego!!!

Their homes were simple with sparse furnishings and amenities but the village was clean and ordered.  I suppose they would be considered poor in terms of income but they are rich in many other ways - the land provides, family ties appear to be strong, etc.  After the tour, they had prepared a meal and refreshments for us of fresh fruits, juices, fish, taro, and various foods mixed with coconut.   

We later learned that we were only the second group to come to the village and that they had been preparing for us for two days.   It was a fascinating day.

We had a sea day between Fiji and American Samoa – in fact we repeated Sunday April 26 - adding back the day we lost crossing the International Date Line going to New Zealand.  American Samoa is a beautiful island but our tour there was limited.  Tourist infrastructure seems sparse and there are fewer places to visit.  It does not appear to be a major tourist destination. 

American Samoa

The next 5 days were “sea” days to Kauai and then Honolulu.  We have just finished our first complete sea day out of 5 on the way to Vancouver.  This trip has been interesting – we have seen a lot of new places and now have a long list of places to return!  The “bucket list” never seems to get shorter!  

Vanuatu

Even with the devastation of Cyclone Pam Vanuatu was still smiling

Category 5 Cyclone Pam hit the island nation of Vanuatu in March.  For a long time, we did not think we would stop because the port and capital of Port Vila took the brunt of the storm – pictures after the Cyclone showed considerable damage.  Some cruise ships stopped at the island right after the storm but only to deliver supplies – no passengers were allowed off the ship.  Shortly after we boarded the Oosterdam in Auckland we were told we would be stopping.  The woman from Cruise Critics who organized our tour checked with the tour operator and everything was confirmed.   Even before the storm, we had arranged to visit a school and to take school supplies.  They were even more needed now!

Our day in Vanuatu was amazing.  When we got off the ship, there was a sign that said Welcome to Vanuatu – with the hashtag #vanuatutillsmiling.  The country has been designated the happiest on earth in two recent surveys.  The people are amazing – always smiling, happy, and obviously very resilient.  Our guide and driver – Manu and James were good examples. 

One of our first stops was at a native village down a long and bumpy road.  The tribe showed us how they survived the Cyclone in the traditional way.  There were huge Banyan Trees with natural shelters inside the tendrils that come down from the limbs to the ground.  With three of these trees, the 30₊ people in the village rode out the storm. They explained that for the first few weeks they survived on fruits that had been blown down in the storm.  They also demonstrated the traditional way they prepare and store bananas for drying.  This staple can last for years.   We were welcomed to the village with the traditional ceremony – they also presented dances and fire walking.

Next on our tour was the school where we were taking the supplies.  This took us to a part of the island that was hit more severely by Cyclone Pam.  The road still had sand in places were the ocean surge had crossed the highway.  Many trees were on the ground and many houses had makeshift repairs, including tarps covering the roofs.  The school had survived but sustained some damage.  When we arrived, it was lunch break and all the children came out to greet us.  We presented the supplies to the teacher and were treated to a song by the kids.  Every kid got in a line and walked past us shaking everyone’s hand. Quite an experience!

From here we went to a small hotel for lunch and then on to see a waterfall.  This took us through property of the Catholic Church where they have a school and a Seminary.  This is where we saw the most destruction – huge Banyan Trees had been blown over with their massive root balls on their sides as testimony to the power of the storm.  Our guide explained that these trees were on rocky soil and did not have the stability of the one we had seen in the village. 

The road was diverted in places to avoid the downed trees.   The school showed signs of damage to the buildings but the Seminary was the worst with buildings collapsed.  One was the library with books still strewn about the area.   Students were in the fields tending the crops for the school and others were helping with the clean-up. 

Our ship brought relief supplies to Vanuatu at no cost to the country and Holland America Line has contributed a large sum to the relief efforts.  Passengers were given the opportunity to make contributions to Save the Children (Australian Branch) that is coordinating relief efforts or to the Holland America Foundation.  

Vanuatu is a wonderful country and we pray it will recover quickly. 

New Caledonia –Grande Terre Island (Noumea) and the Island of Lifou

After two days at sea after Sydney, we arrived in Noumea, New Caledonia – an Overseas Department of France.  From reports of various friends, we were expecting hot, humid, and uncomfortable weather.  Pleasantly surprised by nice weather in mid-80s.  We had not planned anything specific. No one from our Cruise Critics group had planned any tours. 

We got tickets for a hop-on-hop-off shuttle in the Cruise Terminal.  Melbourne cruising friends mentioned a good Aquarium with local sea life.  Very glad we stopped to go through the Aquarium – it opened just as we got there so we were among the first visitors of the day.  Tanks were well marked in French and English.  The Aquarium concentrated on local sea life. We saw Nautilus for the first time – not just their empty shells.  An outdoor tank held local sea turtles.  This was a small but well laid out Aquarium.  Spent much more time here than we anticipated. 

From here we walked along the beach and found a small café with great baguette sandwiches – very French! Back on the shuttle to ride around the loop again – stopping at a shopping center where we found a very good bakery/patisserie where we just “had to have” an opera cake.  Back on the bus for a ride back to the downtown where we walked in the main square and found a café with Diabolo Menthe – a favorite drink from France that is great in warm weather – mint syrup with lemon/lime soda.  May sound strange but it is excellent!  This was really Paris in the Pacific! 

The ship left Noumea late for our short sail to the island of Lifou.  This stop was mainly for beach-time and for those who wanted to snorkel.   The small village near the tender stop had many locals selling crafts, food, and clothing under open-air structures and canopies.  Several were selling short shuttle trips on the island.  We took one to the local church, to a traditional hut, and to a viewpoint.  The driver only spoke French – besides his local dialect - so having my translator with me was very handy – and much appreciated by the other people in the van!  After M.E. took a short dip in the ocean, we headed back to the ship – weather was nice.

On to Vanuatu!  

Sydney

I am behind with my stories!  Left Sydney almost a week ago and have not written yet about our time in this beautiful city.  The Oosterdam’s schedule was changed shortly after we booked the cruise, shortening the stay in Sydney by several hours – only 7am to 4pm.  Plus - we needed to be back early, by no later than 3:30, for the second safety drill since new passengers were boarding.  We found out later that the issue was tides.  The new White Bay Passenger Terminal requires ships to go under the Harbor Bridge.  The location is a matter of controversy since there is no real public transportation to White Bay – it is an inconvenient place for a cruise terminal.  Locals find the location absurd! Large ships that cannot get under the bridge continue to dock at Circular Quay – right in the center of old Sydney – The Rocks.

Since our time was short and we were in Sydney on a Sunday, we decided to book a private tour.  Normally in a big city we would explore on our own and possibly take the hop-on-hop-off bus but with the short stay we wanted to see as much as possible without having to figure out things on our own.  The day was great – the predicted rain did not happen! 

Our private guide used a 4 Wheel drive SUV which we shared with another couple from our Cruise Critics Group.  It was worth it.  Although we did not stop many places, we saw all of the main sites and neighborhoods. Our driver John was interesting – with a life story like many in Australia from what we've learned.  He came to Australia as an infant when his parents emigrated from the Netherlands after WWII.  Australia was looking for skilled workers and his parents fit that category – a nurse and a machinist.  Europe was devastated by the war and Australia presented an opportunity for a better life.

John was a civil engineer and worked for the City of Sydney with an office in an historic building in the Rocks area with an amazing view of the Opera House.  He speaks Dutch and English – retired early and started his business of taking tourists to see Sydney, the Blue Mountains, and on long treks to the Outback.  He gave us an interesting running commentary on Sydney/Australia – his experience of working for the City was great for me – some things are the same everywhere. 

The Harbor Bridge and Opera House are such icons for Sydney – we stopped at several places for views and pictures.  When we were standing next to the bridge on Circular Quay also viewing the Opera House, I was surprised how small they both seemed.  Every New Year’s Eve, one of the first things you see on television is fireworks from the bridge and panoramas of the Opera House.  They seem so much bigger on television. 

I probably have this wrong but I recall John telling us that the largest auditorium in the Opera House is for 1,800 people. The story of the construction of the Opera House and all of the technical problems is legendary – arguments with the architect that resulted in him saying he would never come to Sydney or Australia again.  He never saw it completed.  As we left Sydney, we stayed on our balcony and watched the Oosterdam barely make it under the bridge and we both took what seemed like hundreds of photos of the Opera House from every angle. 

The rest of our tour was of the various neighborhoods, bays, beaches of the city.  The Sydney Harbor and surroundings are one of the most beautiful we have seen – on a par with Rio, Hong Kong, and San Francisco – we also love the approach to Stockholm which also reminds us a little of Sydney.  Ferries crisscross the harbor which would be a great way to commute to work!  The famous Bondi Beach is more of a backpacker hangout these days – a little cheap and rundown – not a favorite place for our guide.  After crossing the Harbor Bridge we toured Manly – a place we would like to stay if we return someday with its easy access to Circular Quay by ferry. 

Our stay in Sydney – (New Zealand and Australia) was too short – a land trip is in order…but this “taste” was a great way to decide where to go back. 

Melbourne – A Very Livable City

Our two days in Melbourne were fabulous!  We are so glad we got to stay overnight to see more of this wonderful City.  Fortunately we have cruising friends who live here and another friend from Church in San Diego who lives here part of the year….but no one was in Melbourne at the time of our stop.   However, they left excellent instructions and ideas for our stay.

On Day One – we took the Express Bus to the City Center from the Port.  This was part of the incredible transportation system in Melbourne.  They use a smart card similar to the Navigo in Paris – it works on all forms of transportation – bus, tram, and metro.  We walked a few blocks from the drop off of the bus to the Metro/Rail Station for the suburbs.  From here, it was an hour to the city of Belgrave and a short walk to the station of Puffing Billy – a steam train ride through beautiful hills to Lakeside.  Like New Zealand, the forests are a mixed variety of flora – pines, eucalyptus, tree ferns, semi-tropical plants, and deciduous trees.  The latter were turning various shades of red, gold, green, and yellow since it is the beginning of autumn “Down Under.” 

Puffing Billy spewed soot into the air and onto our skin – we felt pretty gritty by the end!  Most of the cars are open-sided and many passengers sit on the side railing with their legs hanging outside. The train chugs through the countryside near houses and fields.  It crosses small roads with clanging railroad warning bells. Several wooden trestles are used to cross gullies.  There were several stops at small stations.  

The day started out cloudy but soon we had sun, blue sky, and white clouds – a beautiful day in the hills outside Melbourne.  The trip was one hour each way.  When we returned to Belgrave, we had an Aussie “pie” for lunch – one chicken and the other ground beef, bacon, and cheese.  Not bad! 

After our return to the City, we toured St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral – yes another one!  It is a beautiful church.  This time we took the tram back to the port – a slow and crowded journey since we were returning at rush-hour. 

The next morning we started our regular tour of the City using instructions from our friends.  We started in Federation Square with its modern buildings on the banks of the Yarra River.  The Ian Potter Center was the first stop, a museum of Australian and Aboriginal art.  We only made it to two floors before deciding we needed to move on if we were going to see anything else!  Excellent museum – free – well-displayed art. 

Transportation in the city center is free – they also have a circular tram especially for tourists with stops near the most important sites.  American cities could learn something from the Melbourne example.  If you want people out of their cars, this is a good way to start.  

Our next stop was the Queen Victoria Markets.  What an experience!  We love markets and seek them out in many cities we visit – it gives you a good sense of the lives of the residents.  This market is huge – with everything from meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, cheese, olives, Italian Deli items, clothing, and suitcases…to boomerangs!  It is also one of the cleanest markets we have ever visited.  We had lunch here also. 

Next was a trip to the Block Center on Collins Street – one of the main shopping streets.  The Center was built to be a smaller version of the Arcade Shopping Center in Milan.  Beautiful place.  By now, it had started to rain so we made our way back to the Port bus.  Melbourne deserves more time and we hope to come back.

Today was a “sea day” with many of the passengers disembarking in Sydney in the morning.