Kotor, Montenegro April 5th/2023

Kotor is a fortified town on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast, in a bay near the limestone cliffs of Mt. Lovćen. Characterized by winding streets and squares, its medieval old town has several Romanesque churches, including Kotor Cathedral. It's also home to the Maritime Museum, which explores local seafaring history. A unique feature is the Cat Museum.

We sailed in to a gray cold day. The scenery is striking but it is so cold, only 7 degrees, I didn't bring a toque or mittens.

WE headed to the tenders and were on our way to land. The trip was only 5 minutes,

There is an escalator installed so people do not have to cross traffic to get to the walls of the old city.

We walked the narrow streets and peeked in some of the shops. They had everything from 2 Euro magnets to thousand euro leather goods and Turkish rugs.

Here is the tree ornament I selected from the many available choices.

We visited the Monastery and church of St. Claire and I was so impressed. What do you think?

We also went to visit the Orthodox St. Nicholas church. This is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Cats are considered very special Kotor, they even have a Cat Museum. The reason for this is the fact that cats are considered responsible for saving Kotor from the plague. Rats carried the disease and the cats ate the rats. Because of that cats are cared for by the citizens of Kotor. Feral cats are fed and always protected.

By now we were very cold so we decided to head back to the ship. Again we caught one of the special water taxis.

The rest of the day went as usual, we had lunch, had a nap, and then decided to not go to the restaurant for dinner. Sail away from here is very special so we decided to stay in our cabin and enjoy it. The weather was still very cold so we went in and out catching a look at the scenery.

Then we went to Horizon Court for our evening meal.

I worked on the blog and then called it a day.

Tomorrow is a sea day and it is a formal night. Dressing up is always special because we do it so seldom when we are on land.

Split, Croatia- April 4th 2023 ........This is a missed port!!

Split

Split is the second-largest city of Croatia, the largest city in Dalmatia and the largest city on the Croatian coast. It lies on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea and is spread over a central peninsula and its surroundings.

Split is a quintessential Mediterranean city, with a small-town vibe, noisy streets, and easy-going locals. From a stopover place for tourists catching a ferry to nearby islands, or a bus to another, more exciting tourist destination, Split has become one of the most popular places to visit in Croatia.

I checked all available excursions and this is the one I chose. It is rated easy, it is in the morning and it is interesting.

 Here is what Princess has to say about our choice.

EAST SPLIT:

Settle into a comfortable motorcoach and see the sights of beautiful and bustling Split on this delightful, half-day excursion. Relax as your knowledgeable guide imparts the history of this medieval Croatian port of call, which faces a series of islands of the Split archipelago. As you travel , admire the Dalmatian Coast along the way. Top attractions are the Croatian National Theatre, a showcase of artistic talent: Diocletian's Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; and Marjan Hill, which boosts panoramic views of the city, neighbouring islands and mountain ranges. After your drive, embark on foot on a discovery of Split's 1,700 years of history. The Old Town of Split is built around the spectacular 4th century Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian. You'll admire the famous local landmarks and gain insight into the colorful past of the city.

This excursion begins at 9:45 and ends at 12:45

Koper(Slovenia) We are not going here!!!

Koper is a port city in Slovenia, on the country's Adriatic coastline. Its medieval old town centers around Titov Trg, a square with Venetian-influenced landmarks such as the Praetorian Palace and a Gothic-style loggia, while nearby Da Ponte Fountain is a replica of Venice's famed Rialto Bridge. Rebuilt many times, the circa-12th-century Cathedral of the Assumption features a tall campanile with sweeping bay views. ―

Koper's lively main square is also home to the Praetorian Palace, Koper's Cathedral, and the nearby 177-foot high City Bell Tower, which currently houses Slovenia's oldest functioning bell, the bell of St.

Not having been here before we have chosen this excursion:

Koper Walking Tour:

Discover the ancient Mediterranean town of Koper situated on the northern coast of the Istrian peninsula. Your 2 hour walking tour makes the most of the town's Venetian-era architecture and traditions, showcased in the well-preserved old town and its squares. Led by a knowledgable local guide, your walking tour begins when you climb a long staircase to the upper level of town. Your stroll takes you to the picturesque town center Titov Try (square), where you will see the 15th century Praetorian Palace and the cathedral of St. Mary's Assumption, the largest cathedral in Slovenia.Continue down the cobbled Cevljarska ulica towards Muda gate and down Kidriceva to the taverna, the old salt warehouse. Pause to refresh at a local cafe for a glass of local Slovenian wine and light snacks. Conclude at the Koper Regional Museum featuring Slovenian local history. Head to the ship with the group or stay in town to explore on your own.

This tour runs from 9:30 to 11:30 am

Change of plans!!!

 The captain spoke on the PA and explained what has been worrying the staff for the past 2 days.

This is what he sent in writing.

We will be on the run again!

We may have enjoyed our last beautiful sunset for awhile.

Ravenna

Ravenna is an extraordinary little city. Though this city may not be big or famous as Naples, Rome, Venice, or even Florence but it is still one of the tourist most preferred destination in Europe. Apart from its beauty and hospitality, it boasts of 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites as well as other important cultural monuments.

Moreover, there are ancient cultures and histories which have been traced to Ravenna; after all, this amazing little city was the capital for three times of three different empires: the kingdom of Theodoric, the Western Roman Empire, the king of the Goth, and of the Byzantine Empire in Europe.

Additionally, Ravenna is a city of canals and has seaports that are connected to the sea by a canal. You will be left breathless by the old architectures along the old canals as well as in the old city center. There are hundreds of places you can explore in Ravenna such as the winding narrow streets and alleys that are dotted with cafes, and shops and great old architectures.

Our first glimpse of the port was through a beautiful sunrise. There is a breakwater and a special spot for mooring sailing boats. There were hundreds of them. We also saw a gathering of  wind surfers, also hundreds of them. The sun was shining and it was getting warmer already.

We found Ravenna to be all they said it would be. We took our time getting off of the ship because we did not have an excursion and we could go whenever we were ready. We thought we had waited until the crowd had cleared but we had not. This port is HUGE and the city supplies a shuttle to take you into the center of town. We arrived at the pick up point and waited in a long line. WE spent 20 minutes and got on bus three.

The drive through the port from the cruise terminal into town center was almost 25 minutes long. There were so many twists and turns that I don't believe you could have found your way even if you knew North South East and West which Ken reminds me that I don't know. The area was very industrialized with many refineries and the like.

WE arrived at a square with a large statue honoring the fallen. The area was bright and open and we with the help of the bus driver and fellow passengers and a very basic map that the actual town square was just a couple of blocks straight ahead.

The city is beautiful and clean . Buds are beginning to swell on the trees. People are out enjoying the spring air but dressed in a few layers. It is cool, not cold but definitely jacket weather.

We easily find the square and soon found a small souvenir shop where I could purchase a decoration for the tree with my newly acquired Euros. This represents the amazing mosaics that were created in this part of the world.

 This is market day so there are dozens of vendors selling mainly food stuffs, cheeses and meats for the most part. One vendor had licorice candy and I made certain to look the other way. One of the candies I find impossible to resist is Licorice Allsorts. My cruise free of weight gain may have come to a screaming halt otherwise. This is basically a pedestrian mall so we were not dodging traffic. We could enjoy the people with no fear of being run over by a car but fear of bicycles was another matter.

We walked further looking for the Basilica Di San Vitale . We walked and followed signs on the side of buildings and made our way to the Basilica. Because we were not on an excursion it was necessary to get into a line to purchase a ticket to enter the grounds and the church. We opted not to spend our precious time in a line up. We were able to get pictures from the outside which will give you an idea of how grand it was.

When outside at the rear of the church we saw another church and we went inside. It was beautiful and I was struck by the solemnity of it. The feeling there was what I expected there to be at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

We needed to find a WC by now and again signs on the sides of buildings lead the way. There are few public washrooms and the one we did find had a charge of half a Euro to use it. We both used it at the same time because we had only one half Euro coin. It was roomy and clean

We made our way back to the square and we had a real Italian Pizza. I must say that I prefer the pizza from Ocean Park in Abbotsford. But sitting in an open air cafe and enjoying the people watching was an experience I never ever thought I would have. We shared a pizza, I had a coke and Ken had a Heineken.

Next we began our return trip to the pick up point . Along the way we saw what looked like a medieval church and we were so correct. The door was open and we stepped inside and were amazed by the beauty of this gem. Sorry but I did not get the name of this beauty.

 We enjoyed 2 of these beautiful structures. I am sure this will be 2 of many before this cruise is over.

The wait for a bus was not long and so we boarded the second bus for the return to the port.  We were surprised that a lot of the scenery was different because many of the streets in the area are one way so we got new views. By the time we got back to the ship it was almost four o'clock. Our dinner time is at five o'clock so we decided to skip dinner. We had eaten pizza not that long ago, we were not hungry and we were TIRED. A nap was the choice.  This is the last day of segment 3 of this cruise so the list of excursions for segment 4 were available. I picked them up. By now it is seven o'clock so we made our way to the theatre for the Folkloric show. Tonight featured a trio of young men who were very talented musicians and singers.

Back in the cabin I checked over our booked excursions with the idea of making certain that we had booked wisely. I concluded that our eight excursions were doable and that the days we had not booked should remain unscheduled. We can go off on our own if we want to but if we are tired we need not go. There are 17 days on this cruise before we begin to cross the Atlantic, only 3 are sea days  so there will be times when we need to take it easy. So we have not booked for places we have already visited.

Ken caught up on his e-mail and soon it was ten o'clock and having walked 8000 steps today we were ready to call it a night. 

Tomorrow we are still in Ravenna but it is day one of segment 4. I can't believe we have been at sea for more than 70 days  and we will be home in 39 days.