Cruise Diva's CRUISE
DIARY
~ Istanbul to Genoa ~
Cruise the
Adriatic & Spend Days Ashore at Dubrovnik & Korçula, Croatia
Cruising—June 9,
2002
Another sea day on Silver Whisper
meant a day of relaxation or activities. It's everyone's personal choice. The pool
deck drew sun worshipers, but, after the Basic Ballroom Dance Class
with our Gentlemen Hosts®, I preferred to melt away my cares in the
spa. The Silver Whisper's compact steam room and sauna are two of the finest such facilities
I've used at sea. The steam room is pure nirvana.
After
my share of steam and sauna, I
continued an afternoon of pure pleasure. Passing on a spirited game
of Water Volleyball in the pool, I headed for the lounge chair on my
teak balcony. Armed with a best-seller from the library and flute of
champagne from my stocked refrigerator, I whiled away the afternoon
with frequent glances at the calm Adriatic. A long soak in my
Jacuzzi tub made the afternoon complete. I ended my watery pursuits when it was time for tea
and trivia. The trivia questions were difficult;
however, we won with the assistance of a larger team. If we accumulate enough points,
prizes are awarded at the end of the cruise and competition is fierce.
As a special treat for opera fans,
the Florida Grand Opera presented a series of operatic concerts and
lectures. As it was Sunday, an interdenominational service was
scheduled as well. A post-dinner performance by one of Europe's top
male vocalists ended the day's roster of activities. Of course, there
was dinner—I couldn't possibly
forget the Gratinated Burgundy Escargots in Garlic Herb Butter.
Superb!
All-in-all, a most relaxing day of
doing as we wished—with the
option of doing nothing at all but rest up for the ports of call to
come.
Dubrovnik—"Jewel
of the Adriatic"—June
10, 2002
Arrival
in Dubrovnik was somewhat soggy and as I breakfasted in my dining room
(perfect eggs over easy, fresh squeezed juice, and coffee), I noticed
a strange funnel cloud forming off in the distance. Before I could
wonder what to do if it headed toward Silver Whisper, I grabbed my
camera. Fortunately, it departed before my coffee was cold.
The golf-size umbrellas provided in
our suites certainly came in handy as we headed ashore to the shuttle
bus (provided by Silversea to transport us to the Old Town).
Surrounded by medieval ramparts, Dubrovnik's ancient streets, stone
houses, and historic buildings are rich in cultural heritage. Damaged
heavily by Serbian shelling in 1991-92, the medieval structures have
been lovingly restored and it is once again a favored port stop on
Adriatic itineraries. Walking through the Placa (known also as the
Stradum) and exploring the Old Town’s ancient streets is a step back
in time.
Presented on board, an
extraordinary delight was the "Dubrovnik Folkloric Show,"
featuring traditional Dalmatian dances and songs by the Cilipi
Folklore & Vocal Group. The weather forecast called for more rain
and our poolside BBQ dinner was moved indoors to the Terrace Café
where juicy ribs, chicken, and steaks with all the trimmings were
served.
We bid farewell to Dubrovnik at 11pm
and set sail for...
Korçula,
Birthplace of Marco Polo—June
11, 2002
Sunshine
greeted Silver Whisper as she anchored off Korçula, Croatia. A short
tender ride deposited us at the pier where the guide for my walking
tour awaited. Korçula is the largest of Croatia's islands and it's
main city is one of the best preserved medieval towns on the
Mediterranean coast. Only a mile from the mainland, it seemed
light-years removed.
Numerous attractions awaited
inspection — including the
Bishop's Treasury, Cathedral, City Museum (once the private home of
nobility), and, of course, the birthplace of the famous explorer Marco
Polo. All that's left of his home is a tower, which affords a
spectacular view of the surrounding harbor and countryside.
Easily explored on foot, my walking
tour was an intriguing look at the history of this gem of a city. Art
galleries and shops are tucked into the narrow lanes off the Main
Square.
Back on board Silver Whisper, it was
time for tea and to prepare for another glittering formal evening. In honor of our impending arrival in
Venice (birthplace of Silver Whisper and her fleet mates), the
evening's production show was Sussurro—Italian
for "I Whisper." The Venetian-style costumes were as
magnificent as the performance. The dance company really outdid
themselves executing numbers that included intricately timed gymnastic
moves on floor-to-ceiling ropes. Fantastico!
It was well worth changing from my
cozy Silversea robe into my formal outfit to venture out for dinner
and the show, but I made it an early night. I wanted to be up early the
next day for Silver Whisper's arrival in Venice.
Next -> Two Days
in Magical Venice, Italy
Back to the Istanbul
to Genoa Cruise Diary Index
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The most useful guidebook I've found for multiple European ports of call
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