Cruise Diva's CRUISE
DIARY
~ Istanbul to Genoa ~
Shore Adventures in Split, Croatia &
Bari, Italy
June 14, 2002
 |
|
Old
and new harmoniously co-mingle in Split, Croatia |
Surrounded by high coastal mountains
and the bright turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea, the ancient city
of Split, Croatia is a series of watercolor illustrations. Everywhere
I turned, I faced an image waiting to be captured.
Relatively commonplace city walls
enclose a wealth of Roman monuments, including the retirement palace
constructed by the Emperor Diocletian from 295 to 305 AD. We tread in
Diocletian's footsteps through the cool excavated basement halls and
rested in an umbrella's shade in the colonnaded Peristyle before
passing through the Cathedral, said to be Europe's oldest Catholic
Church. After ducking through a passageway in the outer wall, we found
ourselves amid a teeming street market where everything from designer
knock-offs to local handicrafts and jewelry were offered by vendors.
From the bustle of the market, we
walked the short distance to Silver Whisper's berth, passing bus
stations and ferries, attesting to Split's importance as a
transportation hub. The cool interior of our ship was welcoming.
An assortment of chilled appetizers,
soup, and Chef's Salad drew me to luncheon in the main dining room. A
nice touch is having the next day's lunch and dinner menu delivered to
our suites every night in the Silversea Chronicles—it
takes the guesswork out of choosing where to dine and also makes it a
simple matter to order off the menu from Room Service.
After
an afternoon of relaxation, I joined friends for the "Around the
Mediterranean Sea" dinner in the Terrace Café. Every night the
buffet restaurant is transformed into an intimate alternate dining
venue, featuring candlelight, crisp linens, and a unique menu.
Guests with
reservations meet in Le Champagne for cocktails and canapés while the
chef introduces the menu. Once seated for dinner, we had a leisurely culinary experience highlighted by specialty dishes from
Greece, Spain, Italy, France, and Morocco and wines chosen by the
sommelier to complement them.
Afterward, the
evening's entertainment was provided by our cruise director, a master puppeteer
who has performed at the London Palladium—quite
an extraordinary showman!
June 15, 2002
In
Bari, Italy, I set out on the shuttle to the old town to find Basilica
di San Nicola—the final resting place of St. Nicholas (Santa
Claus). As I wandered through the tiny very non-touristy alleyways, I
was treated to a slice of everyday life—a
man getting a shave in a tiny barbershop and women calling to one
another while hanging wash on lines strung between balconies.
Back in the new, more
commercial area of Bari, I browsed through shops and an open air
market where the scent of fresh flowers filled the air. For once, I
realized I made a mistake by not taking a tour... back on board Silver
Whisper my friends described their excursion into the countryside and
the "land of the Trulli"—quirky,
igloo-shaped habitations. Next time!
I returned to Silver
Whisper with a purpose—my
appointment in the Mandara Spa. For my massage, I chose a treatment
that was entirely new to me. The Lomi Lomi is described as the
"hula of massage"—a technique used
by Kahunas for Hawaiian kings and queens. Rather than simply massaging
with the hands alone, my therapist also used her entire lower arm to
roll over and apply pressure to my back. She really put her all into
it and it was a melting sensation. I loved it.
How could I possibly
feel more pampered? Well, how about a quiet dinner in the Restaurant
and a little "Night Fever"—a
face-paced production show in the Viennese Lounge? There will be
plenty of time to rest tomorrow during a day at sea.
Next -> Cruise the
Strait of Messina & Explore Rome, Italy
Back to the Istanbul
to Genoa Cruise Diary Index
Find out more about the Med in Mediterranean
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Eyewitness Travel Cruise Guide to Europe & the Mediterranean
Cruise Diva's comments:
The most useful guidebook I've found for multiple European ports of call
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