Day 109 & 110 ~ A Sea Day & Barcelona, Spain!

April 28-29, 2022

70's. It started off around 55 degrees for our day in Barcelona so I dressed a little warmer than I should've. By the time we returned from our excursion, I had to change completely, from warmer knit pants and sweater to linen and cotton slacks and top!

4/28/2022 Oh, how delicious a sea day can be! We were free to do as little as possible. The only obligation we had was choir practice, then we headed down to the thermal suite which we had practically to ourselves. The warm waters of the thelassotherapy pool were heaven to my aching legs and feet. After a string of high step count days, we needed the respite. 

4/29/2022

The Star was berthed right across from the working port of Barcelona. I was captivated by how colorful the cargo ships were in the early morning sun. I've been having fun looking for reflections to photograph and following the "rule of thirds" but I fear there's something wrong with my phone's camera. I have a little cluster of dead pixels I've been noticing since Montenegro. You can see them in the water in the foreground. I supposed I can pretend it's a sea bird floating on the rippling water, but when it shows up in the center of someone's smile, it's harder to ignore! 

We tried to get on the excursion that would take us inside the La Sagrada Familia Cathedral, but we were waitlisted and never got a place. Fortunately, we saw it in 2018, so it wasn't a cause for deep despair, but we enjoyed it so much last time and wanted to see if any progress had been made in the building of this sacred space that has already been under construction for more than a century. So instead, we opted for the included tour of Barcelona. There were supposed to be 31 on our bus, but only 9 of us showed up. That made it nice for us, but I felt bad for our guide and driver. These folks live on tips and they have had very little work over the last two years. 

Barcelona loves its public art. This installation is a Lichtenstein, an American pop artist. 

Because we were such a small group, our guide Pedro had the driver stop so we could take pictures of one of the many harbors around the city. Barcelona has impounded four yachts belonging to Russian oligarchs, trying to bring pressure on Putin so he'll back off Ukraine. Dubai has confiscated 14. I hope some of this soft pressure will help, but Putin only seems to understand force. 

Barcelona is a beautiful city filled with charming balconies and tree-lined streets. This photo below is of one of the two Gaudi buildings we saw. It was not appreciated at first and called a "rock quarry" by its detractors, but its sinuous lines and bold ironwork now has plenty of fans.

If we couldn't see the interior of La Sagrada Familia, we were at least treated to a walk all the way around it. The tower to the right is the Virgin Mary tower which I don't remember from 4 years ago. At that time there were four towers for the four gospel writers and the Jesus tower is still rising from the center. It will eventually be over 500 ft. tall.

Pedro told us that Gaudi, though he was a celebrated genius, fell on hard times toward the end of his life. His patron died. Funds dried up. He was sleeping inside the still-under-construction cathedral. In 1926, when he was in his seventies, he was struck by a trolley, suffering a head wound and multiple fractures. Because of his injuries and the disreputable state of his clothing, no one recognized him as Barcelona's favorite son. He was taken to the hospital for the indigent and died before he could be recognized and moved to better care. 

But his legacy lives on and work continues. Now that the pandemic is over and tourists have returned, there is a stead stream of income to put toward the construction. Plans to starts on the "Glory" facade are in the works, but it's not without controversy. Gaudi detailed a long stairway from an upper story to go outside the cathedral to a park that would symbolize heaven across the street. It was an open field when the work began. Now it has several apartment buildings on it.

Then Pedro took us on a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter.

Ruins of a Roman temple dedicated to Caesar Augustus. The property owner was not allowed to pull down the remaining Corinthian columns so they built around them!

 

In 1493, Christopher Columbus was received by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella on these steps upon his return from the New World. He brought 7 children from Hispaniola, all about 11 or 12, who were the first Americans to be promptly baptized and within a year had all succumbed to European diseases for which they had no immunity.  

The streets in this area are so narrow, they are supposed to be pedestrian only, but we had to be mindful of taxis slipping up behind us, or scooters or bicyclists who wanted to claim the lion's share of the road. 

A small group of demonstrators demanding a 35 hour work week.

Our evening entertainment in the Star Theater was La Rumba Catalana, a local group of singers and dancers who put on a stirring performance! A wonderful end to a lovely day... 

Day 108 ~ Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

 April 27, 2022

70-ish and mostly sunny. What a nice change from 2018 when we were cloaked in our rain ponchos while we explored "The Rock!" 

Yacht do you want?
Nauti buoy.
Monaco floats my boat.
~ Seen on Monaco T-shirts

Monte Carlo is a tender port for us. The Oceania Riviera snugged herself into the only berth big enough for a cruise ship in the harbor that will be choked with private yachts when it's time for the Grand Prix in a few weeks. 

Last time we were here, we toured the Rothschild Villa, dined in Monte Carlo, and visited the church where Princess Grace was both married and buried. After our long day of driving from Livorno to Florence and back yesterday, we decided to do the included walking tour today. Sometimes it's nice not to have haul ourselves on and off a bus multiple times. So we hopped on a tender and began our exploration of old Monaco the locals call "The Rock."

The principality of Monaco is completely surrounded by France on three sides, the Med on the fourth. In fact, all the high rises you see are in Monaco. The small single family homes higher on the hill are in France! A 2 bedroom apartment in Monte Carlo rents for about $4000 a month, unless you are a Monegasque (a citizen of Monaco) in which case the government subsidizes your rent. 

 39,000 people live in a 2 square kilometer area. It's one of the densest populations on earth, yet on the Rock, there is a lovely park and sculpture garden  for the enjoyment of the citizens. . It's near the mansion where Princess Stephanie lives, a pale pink structure we were warned not to photograph. In case we wondered if they were serious about that, there were a couple of Monegasque policemen stationed out front. 

The park was built partially to provide employment during a down time. The Grimaldi's, the ruling family, are highly esteemed because they look after their citizens, and since they opened the casino in 1856, Monegasques pay no income taxes. They are also not allowed to enter the gaming rooms. It seems the Grimaldi's are only interested in fleecing those with foreign passports! There is also a dress code to enter the casino. According to our shore excursion director Rob, "you can look as if you've just stepped from a yacht, but not the beach!" 

We saw a short version of the changing of the guard outside the royal palace and looked down on the twisting course of the Grand Prix, but then Herkimer's battery ran out. We changed it out to another, but I had packed my small one that only provides an hour's charge, so we told our guide we'd leave the tour and walk back to the ship on our own since I didn't have enough battery life to stay longer. The DH scolded me for packing the small battery, but I was trying to spare his back. He's always so good to carry for me.   

When we met up with Kristy and Dave later they'd had a bit of excitement about an hour after we left to return to the ship. Prince Albert (Princess Grace's son) made an appearance at the palace to drive and show off a brand new electric...garbage truck. There were TV reporters recording the event, a band played (which our friends said wasn't as good as their high school band at home!) and they managed to snap a picture of the prince inside the cab of the truck. This was part of the roll out of the new E-Prix--a race of all electric cars that will precede the regular Grand Prix this year. 

The Church of St. Nicholas behind me and the Hall of Justice to the left. Our tour guide told us there is hardly any crime in Monaco because every place is highly surveilled. Big Brother is definitely watching. She said a couple of tourists shoplifted a postcard once. They were followed to their tour bus and the entire group was escorted by police to the border of the principality and told never to return!  

We enjoyed our leisurely stroll back to the ship and had time to take a few more pictures, which is sometimes hard when you're trying to keep up with a group. Accidents happen when you're walking and snapping pictures on uneven cobblestones.

A mural of St. George and the Dragon inside St. Nicholas' Church, where Princess Grace was wed and is buried.  

Only the princes and princesses who ruled Monaco can be buried in this church. When we last visited, Grace Kelly's grave was covered with flowers, obviously cast by many adoring visitors, but her husband's slab was noticeably bare. Prince Rainier was a terrible womanizer by all accounts, but even 40 years after her tragic death, people still love Grace. 

This time both graves were adorned with the same urn and flower arrangement. Do the dead need to be spared embarrassment? Someone felt the need to do away with this disparity. 

But the people of Monaco still love Grace more. This statue of her is new since we visited in 2018. She's shown seated with her hands gracefully open on her lap, as if offering herself to her people, returning the affection with which they continue to shower her.

We were very glad we returned early to the ship because the water had kicked up since we tendered in. The swells gave a 4 ft swing once the tender was snugged next to the Star. By the time Dave and Kristy came back, it was worse. There were four crewmen stationed at the tender egress, hands on the passengers arms, telling them when to step and making sure they make the transit from tender to ship without accident. 

I feel for the crew in this position. It's a dangerous job, making the tender fast and helping people who often aren't very steady on the feet at the best of times across the gap. But everyone disembarked and embarked without incident. The crew of the Star is so diligent and capable! We've always felt safe.

Sea day tomorrow! 

Day 107 ~ Yet Another Happy Change in Itinerary!

 April 26, 2022

60-something degrees. We're having a string of lovely weather even though rain has often been forecast!

"To see the sun sink down, drowned on his pink and purple and golden floods, and overwhelm Florence with tides of color that make all the sharp lines dim and faint and turn the solid city to a city of dreams, is a sight to stir the coldest nature." - Mark Twain

Beautiful Tuscany

We were supposed to call at Messina, Sicily on April 24th, but for some reason it was cancelled and the other Italian ports adjusted accordingly. In its place, Livorno was added. And from Livorno, we were able to travel to Florence! Or Firenze, as the Italians name it. 

A study of Giambologna's Rape of the Sabine Women in plaster cast instead of the marble the artist would eventually carve it in. It was the first thing we saw in the Academia Gallery. We actually have a photo on canvas of this work at home! 

Florence has been a bucket list destination for me for some time, so I was thrilled by the change in our itinerary! This city is home to so many renaissance geniuses--artists Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarotti, and Giambologna, the composer Rossini, scientists Galileo, Fermi and Marconi...the list goes on! And our first stop was the Academia Gallery, where young artists are still being trained by copying old masters to hone their craft. 

Here's the full statue, which has also been called Abduction of the Sabine Women, not rape. It's a mythological event from the 8th century BC when a group of men from Rome, led by Romulus himself, attacked villages in the countryside and made off with their women. Miserable story. Miserable title for the piece. Incredible artwork.

The sculpture a master work of balance and composition. The expressions on the faces are compelling and unsettling. Fear, desire, hopelessness, and brute force all captured in a horrific moment. The original in marble is displayed outside in the Loggia dei Lanzi, on the Piazza della Signoria, while this more fragile study is kept in the climate controlled museum.  

Giambologna came to Florence to study with Michelangelo in 1553. Once the Medici family, who ruled Florence, discovered his incredible artistry he was never again allowed to leave the city.  Yes, that's what the Medici family did to people they liked! Imagine how they treated their enemies!

Michelangelo's David, the crown jewel of this collection! The statue is 17 ft. tall and was carved from a single block of marble that was tried and rejected by two other artists before Michelangelo "saw" David trapped in its depths.   

I had always heard that the David was not the biblical hero, that his oversized hands and feet were Michelangelo's paean to humanism and man's ability to lift himself up to new heights on his own strength. The statue is rather obviously not circumcised, so that argues against it being the David who became the king of Israel. 

But our guide explained that Michelangelo broke a number of precedents with this statue. David is usually depicted as much younger, often pre-pubescent, with an oversized sword in his hands and the giant Goliath's severed head under one of his feet. 

This David is a young man whose musculature shows the artist's mastery of anatomy, proportion and realism. Up close, you can see the raised veins on his right forearm. And you can also see that he is holding smooth stones in that hand. His left hand is grasping a sling that is draped over his shoulder and down his back. He's clearly carrying the weapons the biblical David used. Then I looked at his face. He's looking off in the distance, sizing up a son of Anak, Goliath of Gath. This is not David in triumph. This is David in the moments before he took on a giant in armor with nothing but a sling and a stone. His brow is furrowed. He offered some brave words to King Saul. Now it's crunch time and he has to deliver.

The skylight and alcove was built specifically to house David.

Our guide explained that the statue was originally supposed to be placed on a high parapet, so Michelangelo enlarged the hands the feet so it would appear proportionally correct from that vantage point. However, once the patron who commission the work saw it, he knew it couldn't be hidden away. It was meant to be viewed from all angles. I'm convinced. Michelangelo's David is the biblical one. 

Completed in 1423, the exquisite cathedral is entirely faced with white, red or green marble. The colors do not come from the Italian flag. Instead they symbolize Faith, Hope and Charity. 

The gilt door to St. John's baptistry. It was damaged heavily in a flood in 1966 that killed over 100 people and damaged many buildings and destroyed countless books and art works. Parts of this door were found blocks away. 

We stopped by a local restaurant for a four course lunch--brochetta, pasta, pork and potatoes, and a parfait with espresso! 

We visited the 800 year old Santa Croce church where so many of Florence's favorite sons are interred.

Behind us, spanning the Arno River, is the medieval Ponte Vecchio Bridge, famously mentioned in the aria "O, mio babino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schichi. 

We had a wonderful day in this beautiful city! I'll think about the things we saw and experienced for a long, long time!

Day 106 ~ Rome...or Not

 April 25, 2022

65 degrees, slight breeze. Still, not a day to forsake the sunscreen!

This is the difference between us Romans and the Etruscans: We believe that lightning is caused by clouds colliding, whereas they believe that clouds collide in order to create lightning. Since they attribute everything to gods, they are led to believe not that events have a meaning because they have happened, but that they happen in order to express a meaning. — Seneca The Younger

The Etruscan city was perched on the tree covered hill.

Today we docked in Civitavecchia, literally "the Old City," which serves as the port for Rome. The only problem is that Rome is two hours away by coach on a good day and we've been warned that it's a national holiday and delays may be expected. 

So...since none of the ship's excursions would admit us to the Vatican, we decided to do something completely different. We're visiting an Etruscan necropolis--a graveyard from a civilization that pre-dates Rome.

Sprouting like mushrooms, these round vaults hold the cremated remains of Etruscans from as early as the 8th century BC. Even then, the people had a sense that something in them was destined to live on. These vaults are shaped like their round hut-like houses, a place for their spirits to live in the next world.

 

Later tombs graduated to highly decorated underground chambers, not just a small stone vault. A mound like an English barrow arches over the grave. Archaeologists have built enclosed stairs leading down to the chamber. We were not allowed inside, but had only a few seconds to view the space through a glass door before trooping back up to the world of light and air. 

The Etruscans celebrated death as a natural part of life, one leading to the next open door. Scenes of banqueting, running, playing, making music and even taking care of bodily functions were displayed on the walls. Servants (read: slaves) were always depicted nude. 

The countryside was so lovely and green. But something was blooming that set off the DH's allergies big time! Spring is such a double-edge sword.

Then we climbed back on the bus and headed for the town of Tarquinia, where there is a museum dedicated to the Etruscan civilization. 

When the Etruscans made the change from urns to chambers, they stopped cremating their dead and laid them out on slabs as if they were sleeping. Some wealthy families had multiple chambers to accommodate several generations. This tomb above was for a couple and parts of the man's skeleton can be seen on the left. The grave goods are arranged as they were initially discovered. 

The Etruscans were a sybaritic society. Their favorite god was Dionysus, god of wine and revelry. Once they became acquainted with the Romans, they sobered considerably and their grave customs reflect that.  

Stone sarcophagi instead of an underground playhouse. However, the figures on the vaults are reclined as if dining at a banquet so they are still clearly expecting an afterlife. 

Archaeologists are still pulling amazing Etruscan finds from the area. The most recent is a statue of Mithras, who became known as "the soldiers' god." He's always depicted slaying a white bull. Actually, when we were in Spain, I wondered if bull fighting was a throwback to Mithras worship.

Notice that Mithras has help. His dog, undoubtedly a terrier of some sort, is harrying the bull while Mithras pulls its head back for the kill.

The only question I have about this work and its provenance is that Mithras was supposed to have originated in Iran as a pre-Zoroastrian cult. What this statue was doing in Etruscan land in the 3rd century BC is a wonderment...

Day 105 ~ Herculaneum via Naples

 April 24, 2022

68 degrees, sunny. A day to make you want to sing for the joy of being alive!

“The smallest evil if neglected, will reach the greatest proportions.” ― Pliny the Younger, Graffiti and other Sources on Pompeii and Herculaneum

Vesuvius as it is today. In 79 AD, there was only one peak that reached twice as high toward heaven, 8000 ft, roughly double its current elevation. In your imagination, continue the slopes upward on either side and you'll have an idea of how massive the volcano was and how much of it was blown to pieces in an eruption that lasted several days.  

The eruption of Vesuvius in April of 79 AD was, if not evil, at least disaster of greatest proportions. There was no help for it except not to have settled at the foot of the massive volcano. In 2018, we visited Pompeii, which was destroyed in minutes by hot ash, poisonous gasses and pumice stones that rained down on the panicked populace. Today, we visited Herculaneum, a smaller town of about 5000 souls, that was covered, not with ash, but with volcanic mud and lava.

Before the eruption, the sea lapped against these walls. It was first believed that the people escaped Herculaneum's destruction since it was slower than Pompeii's, but 300 skeletons were discovered in these ancient boat houses.

This picture gives you an idea of how deeply the site was buried.

The walls were highly decorated with intricate paintings and patterns, but our guide doesn't believe the walls were red. He says they were a mellow ochre, but that there was a mineral in the pigment that turned red under the extreme heat.

Herculaneum was the Monte Carlo of its day, a playground for the rich and famous. Wealthy Romans had summer villas here by the sea. 

This imposing fellow was Marcus Onius Balbus. His name is unfamiliar to me, but he was a politician of some sort, governor of Crete for a time. He made sure Herculaneum had all the comforts of much larger cities--public baths, running water (sadly, in lead pipes. If they hadn't died in the eruption, lead was slowly poisoning the populace), central heating (Hypocausts spreading warm air under the floors) and an underground sewer system instead of using the sloping streets to carry away its filth like Pompeii did.

This is not a public latrine, which was my first guess. It's the earliest version of fast food, a sort of first century McDonalds. Soups and stews were kept bubbling in those pots and hungry patrons would stand in front of the shop to eat a bowlful. Take a look at the many colors of marble that form the counter. Beautiful!

An ornate mosaic graces an ancient dining room. You can also see both the yellow and red colors on the wall, indicating that some parts of the room must have reached different temperatures when it was covered with the pyroclastic material. 

Sometimes I worry that we are touring scenes of disaster and ruin at each stop, but in some respects, that is the story of our species. We are capable of achieving great things, of creating beauty, but we are not all powerful. Many things are out of our control, destructive forces that even today cannot be foreseen. 

The ruins of Herculaneum in the foreground and the ruins of Vesuvius in the background. The modern day town is built over the old one. Archaeologist estimate 2/3rds of the ancient city is still waiting to be unearthed. 

Today the mountain is rigged with sensors and monitored 24/7. That's because millions of people still live in what's called the "red zone" if there should be another eruption. And scientists have discovered that Vesuvius is connected underground to a super caldera that now forms Naples' harbor.  

Vesuvius' last eruption was in 1944, during which the opening at the top was plugged up with pumice, ash and lava. Kind of puts me in the mind of a pressure cooker...

Will Vesuvius erupt again? I'm betting it will...

Day 104 ~ A Sea Day Barbeque

April 23, 2022

Temperature? Don't know, don't care. It's a sea day!

"Time is a game played beautifully by children." ~ Heraclitus

Just a quick post because today we've studiously done nothing and had a lovely time. In that regard, we've emulated Heraclitus' children! The main event was the BBQ at the pool grill in the evening while Damian, our multi-talented assistant cruise director, performed an energetic set of 50's & 60's songs. 

Whenever there's a culinary event event on the pool deck it's always worth changing our dinner plans, but because of the way the main course is served, on large platters intended to be shared by two, we can't share a table with Kristy and Dave. The best we can do is pull two together in one of the alcoves.

Besides, once the entertainment starts, the sound bounces around all the hard surfaces of the pool deck and makes it impossible to carry on a conversation at a normal level of speech. But we are so thankful for our running buddies, our tribe, our little family on this cruise, Kristy and Dave. It's been wonderful to spend time with them and get to know them better. 

We will miss them when we head home in a couple of weeks. 

Day 103 ~ Corinth and a Canal

 April 22, 2022

64 degrees, sunny and lovely!

Athens built the Acropolis. Corinth was a commercial city, interested in purely materialistic things. Today we admire Athens, visit it, preserve the old temples, yet we hardly ever set foot in Corinth. - Harold Urey, Nobel Prizing winning chemist

Today is Good Friday on the Greek Orthodox Church calendar. It is a holiday on which most people head for the country to celebrate with family and to visit the graves of loved ones. The Greek Church is the state religion according to their constitution, and the clergy is paid by the state! This is also the beginning of a 2 week school break. It's only 54 miles from Athens to Corinth, but it took us all of two hours to get there because of the traffic! 

Not to call Mr. Urey a liar, but I have to wonder if he's ever been to Corinth. In the first century, it was a center for industry, it's true, but they also had 20,000 Jews in their population of over 100,000. There was a synagogue as well as a number of pagan temples. And the Apostle Paul spent 18 months there, teaching and preaching and building up a community of neophyte Christians. To say the people weren't interested in their souls as well as their wallets is to demean them unjustly. Their city is as exquisite as the Athenian ruins, but not quite as well preserved. 

Before we reached Corinth, we stopped to see a rather modern wonder that was first proposed in ancient times--the Corinth Canal. Nero actually started the project, physically breaking ground and removing the first bucket of earth himself, but the canal died when he did. Finally, it was completed in 1893 after 11 years work by the same company that began and failed to finish the Suez Canal! 

The canal is 4 miles long and connects the Aegean Sea and Ionian Sea and separates the Peleponnese peninsula from the rest of mainland Greece. Ships can't exceed 15,000 tons, 58 ft beams and can only have a draft of 24 feet. 

If the canal had been dug in ancient times, it would have spelled the end of Corinth as a major entry port for Greece. But now, it's far too small to accommodate most vessels. Usually only tourist vessels (not cruise ships!) navigate the canal and avoid the 700 miles needed to go around Peleponnese.

The ruins of an ancient spring associated with the myth of Medea, who murdered her children, 7 sons and 7 daughters, after her husband Jason divorced her to marry another. She also gave Wife #2 a wedding present of a poison dress that burst into flames that could not be quenched. Medea is a complicated character in mythological terms. She's an action heroine at first and a villainess who crossed a terrible line at the end.  

   

The site at Corinth is being studied and unearthed by the American School of Classical Studies. While we weren't allowed to enter the on-site museum, which was very small and couldn't accommodate all the groups visiting the site, we were still able to see some remarkable remnants of the ancient city just lined up around the museum building.

All that remained of the statue at left was the feet, but just look at the detail! The toenails, the second toe slightly longer than the big toe (a condition shared by only 3-15% of the world's population!), the details of the sandals, and the drape of his clothing indicate that the statue came from Greek's Golden age--the 5th century BC.   

The agora, or marketplace. Merchants would have lived above their shops in a second story.

The remains of the temple of Apollo, from circa 560 BC, one of the earliest examples of Doric columns known. On the summit in the background is a fortress to which the citizens of Corinth could flee in times of distress or attack.  

A cross adorns the top of what used to be the Bema or Rostrum of the Roman-style forum in Corinth. This raised, flat area is believed that this is where Paul was judged by Proconsul Gallio, who dismissed the charged brought against the apostle as a squabble between opposing Jewish sects. In the Byzantine era, the site was transformed into a church. 

Ancient Peirene fountain not far from the city gates that led out to the Aegean Sea. Legend has it that it was one of Pegasus' favorite watering holes! 

Our time there flew by quickly and our trip back into Piraeus/Athens was much quicker than our drive out to Corinth. All the traffic had been fleeing the city not flooding into it. 

I was touched by this site and my imagination ran wild trying to visualize what it all might have been like so many centuries ago.

Also, poppies were everywhere! I need to plant some when we get home. And every time I look at them, I'll think of Corinth.