Port of Call – Monte Carlo, Monaco

April 7, 2023 by

Mediterranean & Adriatic Sojourn
Barcelona to Rome to Venice to Athens April 3-24, 2023

Monaco. Didn’t bother with the included walking tour or one of the optional excursions. Monte Carlo has easy on, easy off cruise port access, so it is easy to walk the streets of Monaco. we gawked at the opulent Casino but decided to forego an inside tour for walks through a few of Monte Carlo’s many gardens. It was 70 degrees F and sunny, a perfect walking day.

We explored the Japanese Gardens, a 1.7-acre garden that featured walks among bamboo hedges, waterfalls, and lily ponds. The Casino Gardens feature nearly 100 sculptures such as the 12-foot Adam and Eve by Fernando Botero. In addition to sculptures in the gardens, many sculptures are located in the Fontvieille quarter where they line a pedestrian walk. Saint Martens Gardens offer great views of the Mediterranean plus a chance to walk through a cactus garden.

Lots and lots of hills and steps, though there are escalators at a few locations. (Worth looking for if you’re not a fan of stair climbing.)

We stopped for a local beer at Monaco Brewery. (Okay beer)

Monte Carlo was a lowkey port of call for us, so I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. It is a beautiful city in a beautiful setting!

Filed Under: Photography, Travel

Port of Call MARSIELLE, FRANCE (TOULON)

April 6, 2023 by

VIKING STAR Mediterranean & Adriatic Sojourn
Barcelona to Athens April 3-24, 2023

Description from the Viking website of In the Footsteps of Van Gogh:

Contemplate van Gogh’s artistry in the fields, monasteries, chapels and villages depicted in his paintings. After wandering through the town of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, you will be driven to the St. Paul de Mausole Monastery, a masterpiece of Provençal Romanesque art. From the top of the beautiful two-story square steeple, topped by a pyramidal roof, you can see the wheat field that Vincent van Gogh painted during his year of confinement.

You will enjoy a delicious lunch in the amazing eagle’s-nest village of Les Baux-de-Provence. Built on a rocky spur in the Alpilles mountain range and offering great views of the countryside and vineyards, the village is full of Gothic and Renaissance houses. Your guide will take you on a stroll past the 12th-century Church of St. Vincent and the 17th-century Chapel of the White Penitents and along the narrow and winding streets lined with local craftsmen.

Unable to dock in Marseilles due to the ongoing French dockworkers’ strike, we docked in Toulon. Excursion buses picked up passengers a short walk from the ships. One bus with about 50 passengers went on the optional excursion In the footsteps of Vincent Van Gogh. ($159 per person, eight-hour tour with included lunch.)

About a two-hour bus ride from the port to Saint-Remy-de-Provence with a not-very-brief restroom stop midway. It was an early spring day in Provence, trees just beginning to leaf, and flowers were in bloom (iris). Four or five-block walk to the convent where Van Gogh spent months towards the end of his life.

Painting reproductions were set up at sites showing where the artist would have set up his easel. Olive groves and mountains, for example. Then toured the interior of the monastery. A flight of steps led to his bedroom.

After the monastery tour, there was free time in Remy for strolling and shopping — ceramics, textiles, perfumes, housewares, clothing.

Twenty-minute drive to a mountain-high restaurant, Le Mas d’Aigret. Salad, sauteed chicken, veggies, dessert. Your choice of red, rose, or white wine. The restaurant was built into a cave. Food was 3.5/5. Lovely setting, and an intimate dining space.

Then to Les Baux-de-Provence, and toured the village. Hour of free time for shopping — artisanal foods, crafts, souvenirs, textiles. The bus drive back was about 90 minutes.

This excursion was well worth the time and cost. Not easily replicable as a do-it-yourself and I didn’t see anything comparable offered by independent guides. This is one time when booking with Viking was fortuitous because we unexpectedly docked in a different port.

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

MONTPELLIER (SETE), FRANCE on VIKING STAR

April 5, 2023 by

Mediterranean & Adriatic Sojourn
Barcelona to Athens April 3-24, 2023

We took the included tour, Scenic Sete by Foot, which we enjoyed. Here’s the Viking website description:

Explore the port city of Sète, the “Venice of the Languedoc.” Located on a thin strip of land, Sète received its name from the many canals that crisscross it, linking the Mediterranean to the enclosed saltwater lagoon of Ethang de Thau.

Meet your guide and walk along Sète’s main canal. Learn why Sète is a destination for seafood-loving gourmets as you watch the largest fishing fleet on France’s Mediterranean coast troll the fish-abundant waters. Get a sense of the strong cultural identity of this major port city and of its inhabitants as you stroll the streets of the Old Port, viewing the churches, art galleries, and other historic public buildings that line the quay. Then, experience at your leisure the shopping opportunities and unpretentious atmosphere of this city, different from other resorts in southern France, before heading back to your ship.

The ship docked in an industrial port and all passengers were required to take a 5-minute shuttle from the ship to the meeting point for tours. At the shuttle stop there were town greeters with smiles and maps and an overhead shelter with a couple of benches. Our tour guide met us there.

I think we had the most unusual tour guide ever. A septuagenarian in costume with a metal fife, he skipped, danced, sang, and played his way through the streets of Sete. He’s a member of some of the musician groups in the region and played a repertoire of traditional songs. He was quite the entertainer.

It’s an easy 20 to 30-minute walk from the shuttle stop to the central part of town, although one must negotiate several steep stairs (with handrails). We crossed a couple of bridges and got close-up views of all kinds of boats of all sizes.

We wandered the streets and canals and took advantage of lots of photo ops. Canals, colorful boats strung in a row, reflections on the water. The morning market is a local hang-out and shop where locals hang out and buy their produce and fish for the day. This market is not to be missed but keep in mind it closes at noon.

We examined bins of olives, oysters, shrimp, mussels, clams, winkles, cheeses, and sausages. You can find food stalls where monkfish, cuttlefish, bream, squid, and octopus are featured in authentic local recipes, like stuffed squid or “tielles” (octopus pies).

We were on the main street in Sete on a Wednesday when the outdoor farmer’s market is also open. A treat to see the displays of fresh produce, embroidered pouches of lavender, bakery goods, cheeses, and more.

After the market stop, we left the tour and went off on our own. I sampled fresh-from-the-sea oysters while Bob enjoyed a local wine — “nice, a red blend, modestly dry.”

We had our first adventure at the convenient and friendly staffed pharmacy where none of the staff spoke English. Bob needed a special cleanser for his hard contacts and we were both surprised and pleased by how well one can manage complex conversations using the Google Translate app.

Other cruisers ventured to the top of St. Clair — a hard uphill hike or a bus ride — for the view of the canals and seaport and to admire the painted walls of the Chapel of Notre Dame and the Cimetiere Marin (cemetery).

The included tour was fine and we enjoyed exploring this small French village. Other cruisers spoke positively about their tours to Montpellier and the Thau Lagoon. If we had a do-over, I think we would try to do a half-day optional tour elsewhere, and then explore Sete on our own. Since the ship doesn’t leave port until 2100 there is plenty of time to comfortably do both.

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: , , ,

Mediterranean & Adriatic Sojourn on Viking Star

April 4, 2023 by

Barcelona to Athens April 3-24, 2023

In Barcelona

From the Viking website, this is the included tour:

Discover Barcelona’s most iconic landmarks on a relaxing drive and a leisurely walk around this impressive city. You will pass the Columbus Monument and Port Vell, the seaside cultural and shopping complex. Admire the Arc de Triomf, a stately remnant from the 1888 World’s Fair. Take in the breathtaking Parc de la Ciutadella, once home to the garrison that protected the city. Next, you will alight from your motor coach and walk into the historic center, stopping to view the stunning neo-Gothic Barcelona Cathedral. The facade of this 14th-century marvel is adorned with many sculptures, including a wide range of animals and mythical gargoyles on its roof. After enjoying free time and an opportunity to take a short walk through the Gothic Quarter, you will return to the ship.

Our included tour was scheduled from 0830 to 1230. We revisited much of the route we took on the Pre-Extension Included Tour, drove past a few of the Gaudi houses, then stopped at Sagrada Familia for a tour of the exterior only. One could look at this church a hundred times and still see something new, so we welcomed the opportunity to visit again.

After looking at Sagrada, we were ushered across the street into a “gift shop that has free restrooms.” The gift shop stocked the typical tourist souvenirs though we did find a few trinkets for our younger grandkids and a nice assortment of postcards.

The allotted time for Sagrada plus gift shop stop was about an hour with a disproportionate amount of time given to the gift shop/restroom stop. We notified the tour guide we would be momentarily leaving the group and he told us the departure time and location. With that info, we headed to a small cafe and enjoyed a cappuccino. I should not be surprised at the length of time it takes for 50 or so adults to use the facilities, nor the frequency that is deemed necessary for doing so; give me another 10-15 years and likely I’ll be looking for the loo, too!

If you’re curious we stopped at Trabucaire for our treat. Just a few doors from the already noted, and nameless, gift store. Sit down, terrace service. 6€ for two cappuccinos and biscuits.

Once we were on our own, we wandered the crooked, narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter and stopped whenever a shop caught our fancy. We checked out stores that carried walls of espadrilles, a one-aisle grocery/liquor store, and a stationary shop. Plus the obligatory stop at a bakery for nibbles. We remembered to look up when we passed under the arches — always saw a few carvings, to our delight.

We eventually ended up at the Barcelona Cathedral. Wow! Interesting in that there was reconstruction taking place high in the spires and steeples, and a huge advertisement billboard for a cell company was plastered on the work area. One way to pay for maintenance! The exterior of the church was spectacular; the square in front of the church was a convenient place to sit and have a bite to eat. We did enter the cathedral, but we took no photos inside the cathedral as we arrived during a liturgy — a super High Mass, the blessing of Chrism (the holy oil that will be used in the sacraments for the coming liturgical year).

The Mass was concelebrated by the Cardinal of Barcelona and attended by all of the Diocesan priests. Quite astonishing to attend this Mass amidst such grandeur. Mass in Italian was also an interesting experience. We knew what was going on, but we still felt a little confused without the familiar English.

Our last stop in the Gothic Quarter was the Picasso Museum. Ooh, la la! What a city! Miro, Gaudi, and Picasso. Part of the fun was getting incredibly turned around in the narrow passageways that crisscross the old quarters. (Also nerve-wracking. Be sure you have maps if you’re here; we lost GPS often amidst the tall stone buildings.) We took the long way from the Barcelona Cathedral to the Museum and were doubly glad we had purchased online tickets. The ticket line wound into the street, but we walked right in at our appointed time.

Our tickets for 2 seniors without audioguide were 15€. If we had added the audio it would have been 25€ for both of us. Tickets are timed; you enter during your 15-minute window. (It always pays to compare. Viator offered a skip-the-line ticket with audio for 44€ for two; more costly and no advantage.)

The Picasso Museum is housed in a set of architectural wonders. From the museum’s website:
The Picasso Museum occupies five large townhouses or palaces on the street Carrer de Montcada. The original palaces date from the 13th-15th centuries, undergoing major refurbishments over time, the most important in the 18th century. The palaces are a good example of Catalan civic gothic style. They have a common structure surrounding a courtyard with access to the main floor via an outdoor open stairway.

The first floor of the museum, accessible without a ticket, offers a few benches for resting, an extensive gift shop featuring high-quality art and other art-related goodies, large accessible restrooms, and pay lockers. No backpacks, even tiny ones, are allowed in the museum so allow time for the bag check if you have a timed ticket. I do recommend this art museum, especially if you have an interest in art or architecture.

My favorites? His series of pigeon paintings. He painted them in a couple of days, looking out from his window in Barcelona, whiling away time as he awaited inspiration to complete a larger piece. My 2-year-old granddaughter would love these as they are similar to chickens and she loves chickens. The palaces are a perfect setting for an art museum. Just look at the exquisite detailing in the room featuring his ceramic work!

By the time we toured the museum and spent a few € in the gift store, we’d walked 5 miles and were a bit weary. Plus hungry, as we’d grabbed a pastry instead of lunch. (May or may not have been a mistake!) We lucked out and caught a taxi near the entrance. The driver spoke minimal English but easily understood we wanted to return to the “cruise port.” 8€. I had my photo of the port’s location just in case…

We were back on board close to 1700 and the Viking Star pulled up anchor and sailed a bit after 1800. Just before we left, we watched the Viking Jupiter pull out of the harbor ahead of us.

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: , , , , ,

Boarding the Viking Star

April 3, 2023 by

Mediterranean & Adriatic Sojourn
Barcelona to Athens April 3-24, 2023

Here is the description of today’s itinerary from Viking:

On your final day, embark on a panoramic drive past the Olympic Port and Forum Park before enjoying free time to explore scenic Ciutadella Park. Board your motor coach and continue your drive past the Arc de Triomf en route to the viewpoint on Montjuïc Mirador, where you will admire sweeping views of the city and sea. Afterward, you will transfer to your awaiting ship.

In the hotel lobby at 0830 to begin our transfer to the Viking Star and we ended up standing in the longest line we would encounter on our entire 28-day trip. After an hour, we finally boarded the bus and eventually left for the included panoramic tour and drop-off at the ship. Here’s a timeline, because I was going through photos and used the time stamps to check the times!

  • Left the hotel at 0940.
  • Passed Miro’s Woman and Bird sculpture at 0943.
  • A brief stop to see the skyline of Barcelona from in front of the National Art Museum (Montjuïc Mirador) from 1000-1020. (Museum entrance not included. Folks asked and were disappointed. Nothing is ever included on tours unless it specifically says it is.)
  • A bus window view of Calatrava’s Flame from the 1982 Olympics at 1023.
  • Placa de Catalunya at 1042.

A second stop, this time to walk around Parc de la Ciutadella (restroom stop for some) and to see the Arc de Triomf, constructed for the 1888 World’s Fair (1105-1140).

  • A quick drive past the Columbus Monument and Port Vell around 1150.
  • Finally arrived at the port at 1155, docked at Adossat Pier. (85% of cruise ships dock here.)
  • In the security line at 1200. 30 minutes to go through security.
  • Showed our boarding passes and passports to staff (1235) and answered Covid questions. We had done the pre-boarding passes as recommended on MVJ, the travel portal for Viking cruisers, so no need for photos.
  • Safety drill upon boarding followed by buffet lunch (1245-1320)

Drinks at Pool Bar at 1330. In our room (PV1) at 1405. Our luggage was inside our room when we arrived.

All in all, it was a seamless transition from hotel to ship. 2.5 hours on a pleasant bus tour — obviously the buses have staggered arrivals so as to avoid bottlenecks at the cruise port. A two-hour transition from cruise port drop-off to us relaxing in our stateroom. And while we were waiting for our room, we enjoyed our lunch and drinks.

Shuttles go every 30 minutes from the ship to Barcelona’s World Trade Center. From there it’s a 10-minute walk to the beginning of La Ramblas. We walked La Ramblas for about 20 minutes. Enough to say we’d been there. Probably not our thing — touristy, overpriced and mediocre food, overpriced drinks, tourist gimmicks and souvenirs. Still, it’s a bucket list sort of thing when visiting Barcelona!

Back on the ship and we dressed up for dinner at the Restaurant. Hubby likes his sports coat and I like flowy and silky, so we enjoy delicious food even more when we dress for the occasion. And a monthlong trip to the Mediterranean is occasion enough for us! Your mileage may vary.

Sitting at a window table, we watched the sun drop below the horizon, and then twinkling lights lit up the hills. A rising full moon finished the evening in grand style.

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: , , , ,
Next Page »