PITCAIRN ISLAND

The Pitcairn Islands, officially named Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands, are a group of four islands, in the southern Pacific Ocean that are the last remaining British overseas territory in the Pacific.
The original settlers of the Pitcairn and Henderson for several centuries were Polynesians. However, although archaeologists believe that Polynesians were living on Pitcairn as late as the 15th Century, the islands were uninhabited when they were discovered on July 3, 1767 by the crew of the British sloop HMS Swallow. Pitcairn was named after Midshipman Robert Pitcairn, a 15 year old crewmember who was the first to sight it. In 1790 the mutineers of HMAV Bounty and their Tahitian companions, some of whom may have been kidnapped from Tahiti, settled on Pitcairn Island and set fire to the Bounty. Although

the survivors were able to survive by farming and fishing the initial period of settlement was marked by serious tensions among the settlers.  Now Pitcairn is inhabited with less than 50 people. The largest population was in 1937 with 233 people. Presently the islanders have no harbor for ships so they come to the ship in their long boat and be board for three hours to sell their wares. Most of their last names are Christian. The ship played the movie "The Bounty" for us.

EASTER ISLAND

Eastern Island (Rapa Nui, Spanish: Isla de Pascua) is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. A special territory of Chile annexed in 1888, Eastern Island is widely famous for its 887 monumental statues, called Moai, created by the early Rapanui people. Easter Island is one of the most isolated inhabited islands.  Its closest inhabited neighbor is Pitcairn Island 1,289 miles away. The island is 15 miles long by 7.6 miles at its widest point. There are three freshwater crater lakes but no permanent streams or rivers.

The name "Easter Island" was given by the island's first recorded  European visitor, the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen who encountered it on Easter Sunday 1722.

The large stone statues, or Moai, for which Easter Island is world famous, were carved from 1100-1680 AD.

Tom and I did not get off the ship to take a tour as we had been here in 2014. The ship could not get close to the island and the people had to go by tender (small boats from the ship) to the landing dock. The seas were very rough and only those that had tours, and were brave went on the tenders. As it was three people fell but no one was badly hurt.

SALAVERRY, PERU

On tour during a drive through the countryside we stopped at the home of a typical Moche family. They warmly welcomed us and proudly showed us their crops - corn, caigua, chili peppers, fruit and others.  We heard about the techniques used to grow these products and how they irrigated their crops. They are close to the Moche river and they piped it and dripped it over their rows just as they have done for centuries.

We went to the Temple of the Moon which was built as a Pyramid just like in Egypt. The Moche people were in power from 250 - 800 AD.  This ancient city was the site of pilgrimages made by the people of the coast and of the northern mountains, sacred space of communication with the gods.  Its impressive architecture is decorated in polychrome murals, many of them one of a kind, that transports us to the world of the Moche, of their deities, of the battles, of their sacrifices.

The end of this civilization came when a rain spell came, one we would call an El Niño. It rained so long it ruined the crops and the people thought their gods were angry with them.  They decided to move away.  Before they did they covered up the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun with mud bricks and cover it all even the ancient city.  It was not discovered until 1991 and it is slowly being uncovered. They have not even started to uncover the Pyramid of the Sun.

The Moche people moved to the coast and dissolved as group of people as they integrated with others.

                                                       Farmer's House

                                                   Moche children

                                                         Wall Art - Picture of their god

                                            Sandy and Tom against back wall of Temple 

   

Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is a 48 mile ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic and Pacific and is a key  conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, annual traffic has risen from about

Closing the locks behind our ship 

1,000 ships in the early days to 15,000 vessels in 2010.

A ship sailing from New York to San Francisco travels 5,900 miles, well under half the 14,000 route around Cape Horn.  An enlargement was needed and approved by the Government of Panama. This will allow for a greater number of transits and the ability to handle larger ships. It officially opened June 26, 2016 at the estimated cost of US$6.20 million. The project has doubled the canal's capacity and allows more traffic and the traffic of longer and wider ships.

ON THE MOVE AGAIN! Santa Marta, Colombia

This is the third day at sea and we had our first tour today. Up until now we have been rocking and rolling. The seas have had huge waves and the Captain said in his noon update that we have been in a gale.  What has been causing the waves is we have had 44 mph winds. No one has been sea sick that I have heard of but it has been so hard to walk across the room or to walk down the halls.  We just laugh when we fall in a person's arms coming down the hall from the opposite direction and we haven't met them yet.

Today on tour we were taken to see the highlights of Santa Marta.  It is situated on the picturesque Colombian coast looking out across the Caribbean Sea.  We saw the city's original cathedral, which holds the ashes of the town's founder, Rodrigo de Bastidas. We then went to the Bank of the Republic to visit the Gold Museum - home to an exhibit that details the customs of the pre-Colombian community as well as a small but priceless collection of Tayrona gold and pottery pieces. Next we went outside the city to visit San Pedro de Alejandrino Villa.  Built in the 17th century, this iconic estate is now a National Monument with the interior of the house completely restored.

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

We started our day with a drive through the countryside before reaching the city limits. Then we covered the main sights of the city. We crossed the medieval Old Town and we passed the Royal Palace overlooking Stockholm’s inner harbor.  On the nearby island of Riddarholmen, we passed the impressive church with its cast iron steeple, known as a place for Royal burials.  The Old Wrangel Palace, once known as the King’s House, today houses the Court of Appeals.  From the waterfront there is a wonderful view of the impressive City Hall site of the annual Nobel Prize Banquet.

Next, we visited the Vasa Museum, housing the Swedish warship Vasa – once among the world’s largest and most prestigious warship. The museum is literally built around the 17^th century warship, which sank in Stockholm’s inner harbor on her maiden voyage in 1628. Salvaged in 1961 and today restored to much of her former glory. 

Stockholm is built on 14 islands and there are 37 bridges. 

This was the last port on our cruise.  We are now heading to Rotterdam where we will disembark, spend the night, and then fly home from Amsterdam. It has been a wonderful cruise, a great history lesson, and we’ve met some great new friends. See you soon.

HELSINKI, FINLAND

Finland is a small country, a little bigger than Italy, on the Baltic Sea. The country lies just below the Arctic Circle. The Sea is frozen nine months out of the year.  All the boats must be taken out of the water during that time.

For the last 600 years Finland was under the rule of Sweden but when the 1917 Revolution came along Finland declared their independence.

We saw the monument of approximately 600 steel pipes honoring the great Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

The 1952 Winter Olympics were here in Finland. In the winter they have only five hours of sunshine.

We visited the famous Rock Church. It is a Lutheran Church built in 1969. It was entirely built into bedrock and quarried stone.

The day we visited the sun was shinning and the temperature was in the 50’s. Everyone was outdoors enjoying the sun at side walk cafes or sitting on grassy spots.

ST PETERSBERG, RUSSIA

There are eight hundred and twelve thousand people living in Saint Petersburg and five million living in Moscow. St Petersburg was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great.  He found the land and decided to build a city to rival any in the world. He wanted canals like Amsterdam, so he had them built. He traveled the world and brought back ideas and all kinds of things from other lands.

We visited the Hermitage Museum which Czarina Catherine the Great created in 1764. Her original purchase of 225 canvasses by Dutch and Flemish masters provided the nucleus of today’s collection, which consists of almost three million exhibits and represents many cultures. The museum boasts 353 rooms, filled with masterpieces by Raphael, Titian, Giorgione, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and others.

Located within the Winter Palace on the banks of the Neva River, the Hermitage Museum is a work of art in itself.  As we marveled at the wonderful paintings and tapestries that adorn the walls, we also marveled at the spectacular staircases, marble structures, malachite columns and highly decorated floors and ceilings, in this former residence of the mighty Russian Czars.

We visited the magnificent Catherine’s Palace in a brief drive to the countryside in a town of Pushkin. It is named after Catherine the Great and restored over the past 40 years to its original splendor. It was almost destroyed during World War II. Inside the palace, we marveled at the magnificent Grand Hall (or Throne Room) – a gilded wonder with a spectacular painted ceiling and mirrored walls that are breathtakingly beautiful.  We also saw Alexander I’s State Study with its splendid marble fireplace.

At the main staircase we looked up at the palace ceilings decorated with paintings by Italian artists of the 17^th and 18^th centuries.  Decorative plates and vases of Japanese and Chinese porcelain are placed throughout.  The Picture Gallery contains more than 130 paintings by Dutch, Flemish, French and Italian masters of the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Above all, we saw the outrageously beautiful Amber Room, a brilliant and painstaking re-creation built in semi-precious stone by Russian craftsmen, after the original amber panels were stolen by Nazis during World War II. They have never been found and what happened to them remains one of the great mysteries of the 20^th Century.

We visited the Church on the Chilled Blood which was built in 1907 on the spot where the Russian Czar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881.  Part of the area, about 23, 000 square feet, is covered by mosaics, believed to be the largest indoor mosaic in the world. The best painters, masters of mosaic stone carving, ceramic and enamel of the 19^th and 20^th centuries, took part in the decoration of the church.

The two days we were in Russia it was sunny and about 50 degrees. The Russian people were surprised with the warm weather and they were glad Spring was finally here. I was surprised to see there were almost no bicycles on the streets. The guide said the people had only recently received cars and their driver’s licenses and it was too dangerous to ride a bicycle on the streets.

TALLINN, ESTONIA

Tallinn, the capital of the Republic of Estonia, a small, but unusually beautiful medieval city on the Eastern shore of the Baltic Sea.

Throughout its stormy history, despite the changing foreign rulers, wars, fires and reconstruction, the city has nevertheless retained its beauty and integrity untouched, maintaining its medieval environment and atmosphere. In fact, one of the main values of Tallinn is that a large share of the old buildings has been preserved almost undamaged, which turns it into one of the best-preserved medieval trading towns in the whole of Europe.

The present Tallinn area was first inhabited approximately in the end of the 10^th century, when the Estonian tribes built a stronghold on the Toompea hill, in the immediate vicinity of the port, thanks to its advantageous location near to the sea and the position at the East-West trading route.

Crusaders led by King Valdemar II of Denmark conquered the Tallinn stronghold in 1219, built their own fortress there and began the seven-hundred-year period, during which the town was ruled by foreigners. The official name of the town until the beginning of the 20^th century was Reval.

Tallinn was 50% flatten during the World War II. It has been reconstructed preserving its medieval history. There are 1.3 million residents living in Estonia and 440 thousand residents in Tallinn. Estonia received their independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. They have a Parliament that elects a President. Presently they have a female President. Estonia is on the same latitude as southern Alaska, so they have the same weather.  Today it was a beautiful sun shinning day in the 50’s. People were in the large market square at side walk cafes enjoying themselves.

Estonia is a member of the EU and NATO. They have six State Universities and a literacy rate of 99.9%.

BERLIN, GERMANY

We docked in Warnemunde and then took a motor coach drive for three hours on the Autobahn to Berlin. We toured Berlin all day.  I had been to Berlin as a young Army wife in 1964 when the wall was still up. We went through Checkpoint Charlie and visited East Berlin under the watchful eyes of soldiers with guns.  Tom had not been to Berlin before.  

Germany has opened its doors to refergees. They are not allowed to work the first year and the State feeds them. There was no word on what happens then, but they are a problem it was stated.  Now there are 2.3 million people living in West Berlin and 1.3 people live in East Berlin.  

There are five Universities in Berlin and they are free for Germans with good grades to attend. A student just must find and pay for housing.

There is an odd shaped building that was a gift from the USA. Our guide said it looks a pregnant oyster or Jimmy Carter’s smile.

The Brandenburg Gate, the only remaining city gate, was originally built in 1791.  It was damaged some in the war but has been repaired to its former beauty. 

In July 1961 the Wall between East and West Berlin was put up over a weekend. The wires were ordered from the UK without their knowledge what they were going to do with it. The wall was 12 feet high. Between 1961 and 1963 about 150 people were shot trying to scale the wall.  In all about 700 died trying to escape to the West. 

Checkpoint Charlie was still in the same location as it was when I was there with some men dressed in uniforms to reenact how it might have looked.  East Berlin has rebuilt and is thriving just like the West side.

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

Copenhagen is one of the most fascinating cities in the Baltic region, and during our panoramic introduction to the Danish Capital we saw close to 850 years of recorded history. Most people own two bicycles – one to use to go to work Monday through Friday and a good one to use on the weekend for long distance use. Needless to say, the Danes are slender and in good shape.

From the City Hall we saw the mile-long Stroeget pedestrian street, brimming with shops, boutiques and cafes, which connects City Hall Square with the King’s New Square.

We saw the world-famous Tivoli Gardens, founded back in 1843, offering a wealth of flowers, restaurants and entertainment.

We saw the Glytotek Art Museum with the modern architecture and Christiansborg Palace – home of the Danish Parliament and the Queen’s reception rooms.  We saw the old Stock Exchange building in Dutch Renaissance style, with its spire of entwined dragon tails. We drove through the colorful canal area of Nyhavn – once a grubby sailors’ quarter with bars offering entertainment of questionable taste, but now the most charming part of Copenhagen, with brightly colored houses stretching along the canal.

We visited Almalienborg – the winter residence with its four identical Rococo palaces and octagonal palace square. There are four palaces around the large center. One houses the Queen, the next one houses the crown Prince and his Australian wife and the other two are for visiting dignitaries. While we were there the Queen arrived in her car and was driven inside her palace. The press was there trying to get a glimpse of her and a drone was flying overhead, too. Next behind her the Prime Minister followed her in his car and was driven into the palace. They were to have a meeting we were to learn.

We also saw the famous Little Mermaid sculpture modeled on the fairytale creation of Hans Christian Andersen.

Copenhagen is one of the cleanest cities in the world. It was in the 50’s today and the sun was out all day. It was a beautiful day to sight see.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

We docked at Zeebrugge and then on tour we drove an hour and forty-five minutes to the capital of Belgium, Brussels. Upon arrival we took a panoramic drive around Brussels. As usual it was raining so it was hard to take pictures from the bus.  The city has many beautiful buildings that were not destroyed in the war. They were of the Baroque style. We were let out of the bus at a covered shopping mall that was constructed for the wealthy centuries ago. We were in the old town area and around the Grand Palace with its Baroque guild houses and ornate Town Hall. We walked a few more blocks to view the Manneken Pis Statue. It is a famous statue of a small boy high up on the side of a building who is urinating.

We ate lunch in a restaurant on the town square that was 300 years old.  There were 39 of us on the tour and we were seated on the third floor. The stairs were winding and very narrow, but the ceilings were wonderfully decorated. The lunch was wonderful from salad to dessert.

CHERBOURG, FRANCE

A lovely port town, Cherbourg has a long history as a naval base, a concentration of power against British invasions. These days, there’s a British invasion of a different kind happening daily: Cherbourg is one of the main landing places for ferries coming from England and Ireland.

It was also famously one of the last stops for the Titanic on its fateful maiden voyage. The city played an important role in the liberation of France during World War II, with the Battle of Cherbourg taking place here soon after D-Day in 1944. During that it sustained much damage but now can claim pride as the first city to be liberated. Cherbourg is an active port and gateway to the many attractions in Normandy.

Not far from Cherbourg, visitors can immerse themselves in history, with small towns dating back to medieval times and beautiful chateaus.  The Normandy beaches and battle sites stand testament to the sacrifices made by Allied forces during the liberation of France, and the American Cemetery, with its over 9,000 marble crosses, is a moving monument to those who gave their lives. 

We did get to see Omaha Beach and the remains of the artificial port built there. It was one of the most extraordinary industrial and maritime achievements of the whole war and enabled Allied forces to land in France and begin the counter-invasion.

It was another cold, rainy day. We are told this is regular weather for Spring in Europe. No one can complain about one day of weather in Panama City , Fl. I look forward to it. 

BREST, FRANCE

Known for its naval history, Brest was once France’s first line of defense against attacks by sea and has long been home to the French Naval Academy.  Its beautiful natural harbor proved important for fishing and shipbuilding and the ruling Richelieu family built a fortress here in the seventeenth century, part of which houses the city’s naval museum today. Brest was heavily bombarded by the Allies during the liberation of France, and most of it was destroyed, leaving only a few of its medieval buildings and fortifications intact.  The town rebuilt, erecting what became Europe’s tallest drawbridge in 1953 and growing to a population of over 300,000 in its metropolitan area.   

 

We took a lovely panoramic drive to Plouguerneau, where the tallest stone lighthouse in Europe is located.  This impressive structure guards the Abers Coast.  Since the 5^th century, this Leon country has upheld the history of Welsh and Irish immigrants who landed here on there mission to bring Christianity to Brittany. A few miles on we saw the ruins of Saint Mathieu Abbey. It was constructed in the 4^th Century.

The whether was dismal with on and off rain, temperatures in the 40’s and winds that got up to 50 miles an hour.  Not a very nice day for sightseeing.

I am going to send a blog from each port but without pictures. The software I was using to downsize the pixels of the pictures I had taken so I could put them in the blog now says: OK you have used this for free now you have to pay for it. I am using my new tablet and I will not use my credit card to order anything on it. So, if you are interested I will show the pictures when we get home.   

Bermuda

A maritime calamity began modern Bermudian history.  In 1609, the British vessel Sea Venture, caring English colonists to Jamestown, Virginia settlement, grounded near Bermuda. The survivors were stranded, but with some ingenuity the unwilling new residents established the first permanent settlement. It took a year to build new ships and by the time they were ready to sail, some of them decided to remain.  Three years later, Bermuda colonization began in earnest, and by the end of the century, the island was a Crown Colony.  Bermuda, Britain’s Atlantic Star, is one of the world’s best known resorts – so well known many visitors are surprised to learn that the total land area is only about 20 square miles!

The archipelago is 600 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Hatteras, North Carolina in the direct path of the warming Gulf Stream current.  A protective undersea coral wall rings the chain. The climate is semi-tropical, so the islands are richly blessed with colorful marine life and magnificent flowering plants.  Bermuda is famous for its beautiful scenery, and its proud residents are determined to keep it that way. There are no high rises, no parking meters, no neon signs, no smoke stacks or pollution, and no income tax. Bermuda is a holiday destination, but it is also a major financial center. Visitors are welcomed as guests and while Bermudians see themselves as self-reliant.  Politeness and courtesy are treasured here.

The weather was about 75 degrees with the sun shining brightly.  We took a glass bottom boat ride to see the sights.  We saw a sunken ship that was being carried out to deeper water but it broke in two and there it stayed. But it was good for fishing around.  We fed bread over the side to the fish and they came swarming. This island is really a wonderful island to visit.

                                    

There is a bridge far out there 

AZORES

We traveled to the archipelago of Azores and arrived at the city of Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel.  What was established as a fishing village in the mid-15^th century was later elevated to city status in 1545 after the island’s original capital was devastated by an earthquake.  Architecture enthusiasts will want to make sure to visit the city’s three major churches: Matriz de Sao Sebastio (St Sebastian’s), Sao Pedro (St Peter’s) and Sao Jose (St Joseph), all dating from the 17^th and 18^th centuries. 

We saw the Sete Cidades “Seven Cities” region. It is dominated by an impressive five-mile wide caldera from a volcano.  Within the crater lie two volcanic lakes, one green and the other blue. There has not been a volcanic eruption since the early 1800’s. There is a settlement of about 800 people that live around the lake. They primarily are farmers. They do not own the land because the original people who owned it pass it down and never sell it. This Region is on the western end of the island and it is at the island’s highest elevation. This settlement is very isolated.

KEY WEST

Travel almost 130 miles southwest of Miami to the island of Key West. Known for its popularity with cruisers, the area is also an important naval station and vacation destination for thousands of visitors every year.  The island’s tropical savannah climate offers pleasant conditions, with year-round temperatures hovering in the 80s with frequent thunderstorms.  Ernest Hemingway called Key West his home in the early 20^th Century. Today visitors can look at where the famous writer kicked up his shoes with a trip to 1301 Whitehead Street.  Another famous writer, Tennessee Williams, made Key West his home around the same time.  

                                       Famous Pub we looked up

                                       Tom and Sandy

                              House in Truman Annex Neighborhood

On the Move Again!

Here we go on our next big adventure. We leave on April 15, 2018 (yes, we have done our Income Tax) on our favorite cruise line, Holland America, leaving from Tampa to go to Europe for 27 days. We hope the weather will be warmer in Key West and Bermuda and during the five day crossing over to the Azores than it has been in the Pan Handle so far. We look forward to France, Germany, St Petersburg, Russia and then the Baltic countries. I will be blogging about how I survive the cold, I'm sure. I hope you enjoy the journey with us.

NAPLES, ITALY

NAPLES, ITALY

   Famous for its history, architecture, and pizza, Naples has continually allured visitors for years with lots to see, eat, and experience. With evidence of habitation as early as 9^th century BC, Naples is one of oldest cities in the world.  In 1861 Italy went under unification and only had one king. It was in June 2, 1946 that they became a republic.

   On tour we went out of town for about a half an hour drive and we spent the day in the ruins of Pompeii.  Mt Vesuvius is a volcano of about four thousand feet high. It suddenly erupted on the 24^th August of 79 AD to bury Pompeii under ash and rock. Pompeii was rediscovered in the 16^th century, but exploration did not begin until 1748 under the King of Naples Charles III of Bourbon, and continued systematically into the nineteenth century, until the most recent works of excavation, restoration and enhancement of the ancient city and its extraordinary wealth of architecture, sculptures, paintings, and mosaics. 

   Well, this is the next to our last port-of-call.  In the morning we will dock in Rome, Italy and we will disembark and go straight to the airport to fly to the States. This has been a wonderful cruise.  We have learned so much about ancient history and we have now seen the rise and fall of civilizations and it gives us a different perspective on life. We’ve made some great new friends that we hope to meet again. We hope you have enjoyed coming along on this journey with us.

City gate to Pompeii

Mt Vesuvius as seen from Pompeii

Man caught in the ash of Mt Vesuvius

A bakery where wheat was ground and bread was baked for sale

 

 

 

TAORMINA, SICILY, ITALY

TAORMINA, SICILY, ITALY

Located on the east coast of the island of Sicily, midway between Messina and Catania, Taormina is spectacularly situated on a natural terrace in the shadow of rocky terrace in the shadow of rocky Mont Tauro. Historic relics confirm the site has been inhabited for at least three millennia; its first documented settlement was the Greek colony of Tauromenion, founded in 403 BC by refugees from the nearby Greek city of Naxox. Desired for its strategic position overlooking the sea and valley, it was seized by the Romans, and later fell into Byzantine hands, becoming the capital of Byzantine Sicily in the 9^th Century.  The Arabs, on their arrival in the 10^th century, enriched the surrounding countryside, building an efficient irrigation system for crops, ensuring Taormina’s desirability. An enchanting town, reminiscent of Capri or an Amalfi Coast resort, Taormina has been a popular tourist destination since the 19^th century, seducing writers and artists, aristocrats and royalty alike. With its extraordinary eyrie-like setting on the side of a mountain, the town offers stunning views of the coast and Mount Etna volcano.  Throughout the hill-town, there are remnants of the Greeks and Romans, a charming medieval quarter and castle ruins.

                                               Another Formal Night on board the ship

Tom in front of Mount Etna

Restaurant Menu

Taormina taken from above