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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Dec 09, 2021 10:00 PM Salalah in Oman
Happily we passed the Suez Canal and Bab el Mandeb.
Today we dock in the first port after 7 days at sea. I am happy in Salalah in Oman, where the day temperatures exceed 30 deg Celsius, palm, flowers and nice people. Greetings from Arabia Felix!
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Dec 02, 2021 10:00 PM In the shade of Acropolis
How many times I have been in Athens? Four, five? But it is always nice to refresh the memories... Espcially because the presence of covid the number of tourists visiting Athens so little. I took a electric train to Omonia Square to enjoy the fountain and the Christmas tree. Then I walked the busy streets to Syntagma (Parliament) square where the funny guards in the historic uniforms stay near the unknow soldier tomb... Then I continued walking to the temple of Zeus (imposing colums are still under restoration) Then I crossed the Plaka district of narrow streets, cafes and restaurants... It still has its atmosphere! Finally I climbed to the entrance of Acropilis. Regular ticket cost 20 euro, if you want to see also side archeological sites thehy will charge you 30 eu. Thank you! I took some pictures listening to the tunes of buzuki music. The place not to be missed is little rock on the western side of the hill which opens the view of the Acropolis, but also a wide, panoramic view of Athens - see picture... I went down to Monastiriki station to get back to Piraeus.
We are leaving Piraeus in the afternoon expecting to reach the Suez Canal tomorrow evening. No wifi till the Salalah in Oman. Be patient, dear friends! :)
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Dec 01, 2021 10:00 PM The children of Piraeus
The sky was clear an blue when we docked at 9.30 am in Piraeus port. I was here many times - this is important hub fo ferries going to the Greek islands... Do you remember the lovely song of Dalida "Les enfants de Piree"? I was singing it in 1974 - embarking here the junk ferry heading to the Cyclades...
They were begging, and some of them were barefoot.
You cannot see such a scenes now...
Good new arrived after breakfast: they will allow us to go to the port individually! There is hop-on, hop-off bus going to Athens, but it costs 16 euro! I decided to use the old method: to walk along the coasral street (some 40 min) to the station of electric train and go to the centre of Athens for just 2,30 euro one-way.
Piraeus has few churches - the biggest is probably Holy Trinity. Around it in Dec 2nd you can see the ripe orange fruits! There is swon already in my Gdansk...
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Nov 30, 2021 10:00 PM Bad message...
Day at sea. We are sailing east. All passengers passed through the covid antigen test... There are few bands aboard our ship so I have the chance to listen to the good music, and every evening we attnnd new show in the theatre.
I have new friends: Emanuelle - young and pretty lady-traveller from France and the couple from Vilnius - Lithuania: Natalie & Jurij. Interesting and very friendly people!
Bad news arrived before the dinner: the authorities of Cyprus do not want us to land on their territory. So the captain decided to sail to Pireus in Greece instead. We will see!
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Nov 29, 2021 10:00 PM We are in Palermo!
Yes, the night was stormy, but in the morning the sun appeared and we saw Sicilia on the horizon. In the middle of the day we docked in the little, picturesque port of Palermo. I was here last time 3 years ago, but it is still nice to refresh memories and to see the capital city of Sicilia from the different perspective - from the 11th deck of our ship -great view!
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Nov 28, 2021 10:00 PM Sailing south!
Day at sea. My last-expensive cabin has no window, but it has a modern, big TV so I can see what is going outside. Only 1/3 cabins are occupied. The interior of the ship is nicely decorated and they offer a lot of attractions, shows, live music and of course unlimited meals.
In the middle of the day we passed Corsica with its snowy peaks and later in the afternoon - the small islands surrounding Sardinia.
Only 200 passengers are English- speakers, Italians form the majority. I have first friends - we have 3 weeks of sailing ahead of us.
The message arrived: Morocco is closing the airports because the omicron. I was lucky to escape just before!
The captain announced stormy weather for the night...
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Nov 27, 2021 10:00 PM Whare is my ship? Italian bordello!
They asked me to be at 11 in the port of Savona. I came to Savona by train and after cossing the city I reported at 10.30. in the port. No ship! The guards asked me to go to the city and to return at 1 pm. What a nice treatment! No rest area, no refreshments just go out! Shame on you Costa! I climbed the hill overlooking the little Savona port, but I see nothing on the horizon is... Let's wait with the hope - this is traveller's life!
Later in the evening: the ship arrived at 2 pm. After security control, documents control (PCR test result, vaccination, insurance) everybody passed the genetic PCR test and we embarked brand-new "Costa Firenze"
We are sailing!
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Nov 26, 2021 10:00 PM Last day in Marrakech
At 9 am when I was walking the narro streets of the medina they were still almost empty. It was nice to see well known, but restored for tourists places, mosques, city walls and gates. They charge now 7 euro for the entrance to the main tourist attractions. At 11.30 I was back in the guesthouse to pack my backpack and go to the airport. They required PCR test - the covid situation is changing the rules every day! They suspended flights to France at all. Fortunately i was flying to Italy. The 3-hours flight to Torino was full. Arab kids wer shouting and crying and I was happy to leave them after landing. Here on arrival they checked only the passenger locator forms!!
I boardeb the bus to the Torino railway station paying hefty 7 euro in the machine. The driver charges 1 euro more. It took us almost one hour to reach the station due to the traffic jams. Here I wanted to buy ticket to the port of Genova. I put the exact money to the machine. But I did not receive any ticket. Attendent opened the machine - no ticket inside! What should I do? -You should buy new ticket, your train departs in 10 minutes! But where is my money?. -You can write the protocol, if you can miss your train, but we cannot give you the money back.
Welcome to Italy!
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Nov 25, 2021 10:00 PM Highest fall of North Africa
170 kms from Marrakech lies Uzud waterfall. It is 110 m high and locals say it is the highest waterfall in the North Africa. How I - the waterfalls lover can miss it?
The minubus from the agency needs 3,5 hours to reach the place (they charge 20 euro for round trip). It is secondary road and they drive crazy so take care about your backbone. On the site they park some 100 m from the mouth of the waterfall on the little canyon rim. Wow! The maintenance is poor , limited barriers only, so be careful! But the view down is exciting. Then you will pass with the group guide (he charge 20 dirhams per person but no entry fee) the olive grove and poor, steep path will lead you down to the canyon for the reall great views - usually from the terraces of primitive restaurants. Wear strong shoes for this descent!
The path will lead to the little lake at the bottom of the fall, where rafts are waiting for the tourists (20 dirham short sail). Another great views from the lakeside! You will cross the stream and climb the solid steps up with funny monkeys on the next view points. Full loop took me almost 2 hours with many photo stops - but ir was absolutely worth the effort. This fall is nicer then I expected!
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Nov 24, 2021 10:00 PM On the other side of High Atlas
The full day tour from Marrakech cost me 25 euro and I this is good price regarding the distance: some 200 kms each way, comfy minibus and some guiding. We started around 8 am driving east to the mountains and climbing dozens of turns and road switchbacks to the level 2260 m above the sea. There is nicely located view point just below the Tizi n'Tichka Pass. Weather was excellent so we enjoyed panoramas of High Atlas with the snows on the summits. Then going down we saw many red hills with old fortified villages. The most famous - Ait Ben Haddou is so picturesque that many movies like Gladiator, Lawrence of Sahara, Jewel of Nile were pictured there. We visited this kazba - now only the tourist place.
In the afternoon we were driving 33 kms onward to the picturesque town of Ouarzazate. There is alsu ruined kazba and many stylish, red buildings. I returned at 8.30 pm - tired but happy.
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