Jon’s 60th Birthday Cruise Greece, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia and Montenegro

We just returned from an epic 60th birthday cruise. This one was eleven days long and only had one sea day. The sea day happened to be on Jon’s birthday, but there was plenty to do and celebrate. It started with a gift from me…..a very special reminder of his new decade and photos of the friends and family that love him.

And to round out the celebration of that day the Cruise staff hung balloons on our stateroom door, sent a cake and 2 bottles of our favorite wine. So, back to the cruise. We spent the first night in the port of Pireaus (Athens) and the first stop was the island of Kefelonia. The city was Argostoli.

The sail away is one of our favorite events of any cruise. The colors of Greece did not dissappoint.

Argostoli, Kefalonia

Argostoli is a town on the Ionian island of Kefalonia. There are a couple of things it is well known for. It had a devastating earthquake in 1953 that virtually razed the island to the ground with the exception of the Fiscardo area to the north. It is also known for the filming of the movie “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin”, staring Nicolas Cage. We did not have a shore excursion planned for this day so we decided to take the hop on hop off train. It was not so much a hop off but a stay on and see nothing until you get off train! Oh well, our spirits were not dampened, still a lot of sightseeing and shopping to be had. Here are a few pictures to enjoy from Argostoli.

Kerkira, Corfu

This was our second time on this beautiful island. I think we could keep going back and explore many many times and still be in awe. Arriving into Corfu you see the Old Fortress and the beautiful port. We went all through the Fort on our first trip here. This time we booked an excursion to an Olive Mill.

We were invited into the tasting room and learned how to properly taste olive oil. You actually are supposed to take a “shot” of olive oil first thing in the morning and rub some olive oil under your eyes. Below is the oldest living descendant of the Governors Mill now. He is 93 and looks fabulous.

We then took a drive out to the olive orchards to see the trees that they use to produce their olive oil. This is where you see “The Mother Tree” We took a picture of it……Finally a picture of me with something that is Older! The tree is over 1,000 years old.

After the Olive Grove we went to the ruins of a castle not far from there. I really don’t know much about it but it definitely was something in its day.

When we returned to Old Town Corfu we walked around looking for the taverna we went to last time……but alas, no luck. However we found the dish I was looking for. Grilled Octopus.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

We were in Dubrovnik 2 years ago so I did some research into what possibly lies near there. I ran across a town called Cavtat. It is on the Adriatic Coast of Croatia, southeast of Dubronik. It is known for its beaches and the many ancient necropolises dotted around the area. Near the tree-lined Cavtat harbor is the Rector’s Palace, a Renaissance mansion that displays the manuscript collection of 19th century scientist Baltazar Bogisic. Near the harbor, the baroque St. Nicholas Church displays some notable artwork. For us, we wanted a place to relax and see the water and perhaps bring a book. In my research we were told to bring a book and rent a beach chair in the little inlet by the harbor. We did. It was perfect. We took a local bus there all of 3 Euros and the Water Taxi back to Dubrovnik.

Cavtat, Croatia

Baltazar Bogisic was born in Cavtat and is to be considered a pioneer in the sociology of law and sociological jurisprudence.

We wandered around town and did some shopping and then stopped for lunch. Jon had the Keftedes (Greek Meatballs) and I had an Octopus salad (surprise, surprise)!

We then walked off our lunch and headed to the other side of the inlet where I took my now favorite picture of Jon. We settled in for an hour or so and did some reading.

We decided to take the Ferry back to Dubrovnik which took about 30 minutes and the cost was more than the bus, but it was still inexpensive and the views were incredible. Enjoy.

We drove past an area of what used to be beautiful properties but looked to be abandoned. When we got home I looked it up and this is what I found:

Kupari was a village in Croatia, located southeast of Dubrovnik. It is 448 acres in size and has an elevation of 33 feet. It’s a once beautiful place that was essentially bombed out of existence by the wars with Russia and other conflicts. After World War II, the spa was taken over by the Yugoslav army and turned into a recovery center. They added other buildings, including a separate villa for Josip Broz Tito. In the end, nine more hotels were prepared for vacationers, and the total accommodation capacity in the bay rose to 4,500 guests. However, the site was severely damaged during the Croatian War of Independence and has been abandoned ever since.

As we get closer to Dubrovnik you can begin to see the walled city. This is where a good portion of Games of Thrones was filmed. We tried to watch it once but just couldn’t get into it…..(no judgement please…)

Zadar, Croatia

Zadar, a city on Croatia’s Dalmation coast, is known for the Roman and Venetian ruins of its peninsular Old Town. There are several Venetian gates in the city walls. Surrounding the Roman-era Forum is 11th century St. Mary’s Convent with religious art dating to the 8th century. There’s also the grand, 12-century St. Anastasia’s Cathedral and the round 9th-century pre-Romanesque Church of St. Donatus. The “Monument to the Sun” on the edge of the Zadar waterfront, is a 22 metre disc, that represents the sun and soaks up solar rays to dazzle people with color patterns as night falls. Alfred Hitchcock, the famous director, once said “Zadar has the most beautiful sunset in the world.” In the same area the “Sea Organ” with its underwater pipes, sounds out musical notes when filled with water. Adjacent is a bench that looks like keys on a piano.

This is our guide Mary who gave us the perfect explanation about the preparation of fish.

“In Croatia, the fish has to swim three times. Once in the Sea, once in the oil and once in the wine!” – Mary

Today’s Blog Presentation of Zadar is brought to you by the Number 8.

Italy, Lake Bled and Ljubjana-Slovenia

We had a port stop in Trieste, Italy and that is the port that typically services Venice. We had been to Venice a number of years ago and we decided to take a shore excursion to Slovenia. Slovenia is a brand new country, culture and experience for us. We were not disappointed.

Lake Bled is a lake in the Julian Alps of the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled.

The area’s culinary specialty is a cream pastry “Cremeschnitte” and was designated a protected dish of designated origin in 2016 by the Slovene government. Slovene cream pastries date back to the Habsburg era. The current recipe was created in 1953 and there is an annual festival dedicated to the pastry. It is estimated that 12 million cream pastries have been prepared at the Hotel Park’s patisserie over the last 60 years. Note: Ours was delivered by a Robot!

On the other side of the lake is Straza Hill where there is a sledding track. Looked like fun but there were time restraints. Cost: 8 to 15 Euros.

Ljubljana is Slovenia’s capital and largest city. Its known for its university population and green spaces, including expansive Tivoli Park. The curving Ljubljanica River, lined in outdoor cafes, divides the city’s old town from its commercial hub. Ljubijana has many museums, including the National Museum of Slovenia, displaying historic exhibitions, and the Museum of Modern Art, home to 20th-century Slovene paintings and sculptures. The Ljubljiana dragon is part of the City of Ljubljana’s coat of arms. It symbolises Strength,Courage and Might. It is depicted on the Dragon Bridge and on top of the castle tower on Ljubljiana’s coat of arms. The Ljubljana dragon may have its origins in the legend of Jason and the Argonauts.

Italy – Eatly

Eatly is an Italian Market Place, Restaurant, Shopping mecca and a sensory experience.

It is located at Antico Magazzino Vino in front of the sea. We docked about 5 minutes walk from there. Bakers work kneading and baking their bread and they sell fine chocolate, Italian wines, fresh pasta, local products and so much more.

Rijeka, Croatia

The small, quiet world on top of the hill offers the perfect views of the city in the valley, of the sea stretching out to infinity and the islands lying in the sun. A walk around the charming streets will quickly lead you to the Trsat Castle, one of the oldest fortifications in the Croatian Littoral region, which has been watching over Rijeka since ancient Roman times. In the shadow of the tower, you’ll notice a building that resembles a Roman temple, with the inscription Mir Junaka (“Heroes’ Peace”). This is the mausoleum of the Nugent family, the owners of the castle built a few hundred years ago whose entrance is guarded by two winged creatures.

Back in the Old Town area there are many churches and Rieka’s own version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

I can’t wait to try to replicate this at home…….Heavenly!

Split, Croatia

The last time we were in Split was 2009. We were there with our son, Joey and his then girlfriend Anne and our friends Robyn and Shaun. We toured the Diocletian Palace and then happened upon a restaurant called Sperun. So this time we knew what we wanted to do. We got up and went to the Greenhouse Spa and had a massage and took a leisurely morning and then headed into town to find the restaurant again. Success! We rented a guy on a bicycle and he delivered us to the front door of Sperun.

We then roamed around the Promenade and Diocletian’s Palace again. We do love Split. Always such a peaceful experience.

Kotor, Montenegro

One of the most beautiful sights we’d ever seen is the Bay of Kotor arriving by ship. We were there once before and decided this time we were going to set an alarm so we could see all of the grandeur of this Bay. Absolutely gorgeous. Because we’d been here before, I again did my research to see what was nearby. Holland America had an excursion that we were most interested in. This was the town of Budva and the typical farm life of a family in the mountains there.

Budva, Montenegro

Budva is a town in Montenegro on the Adriatic Sea. It is known for its beaches and nightlife. Stone walls built by the Venetians surround the narrow streets of the medieval old town (Stari Grad). This historic district is home to a seaside citadel and religious sites such as the Church of Santa Maria in Punta, established in the 9th century.

Sveti Stefan is a town in the Budva Municipality, on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro, approximately 6 kilometres southeast of Budva. The town is known for the Aman Sveti Stefan resort, a 5 star franchise of the international group of Aman Resorts. (The resort is not in use as you can see from the boarded up windows. Once the city and the owner can compromise on a decision it will open again.)

The Farm

We left Budva and traveled into the mountains towards Kotor. What a beautiful drive. Our bus driver was a bit of a maniac, or a skilled crazy man, I’m not sure, but he had to back the bus up a 3 block incline so he could leave the Farm later as there was no room to turn around. We all cheered when we were safely parked.

We were then invited to lunch. Everything we had was made on the farm. Salad with vegetables, bread, prosciutto, cheese, Cherry Juice, Cherry Brandy and Wine. I enjoyed the Cherry Juice but I thought the wine tasted like it had gasoline in it. Jon liked it !

What a great day that was. We boarded the bus and got back to the ship. Tomorrow was going to be the big day. Jon’s 60th birthday.

May 30, 2024 – Sea Day and Jon’s 60th Birthday

Naflion, Greece

Nafplio was our last port on this amazing trip. It is an island in Greece. We took tenders into the port and now that we are 4 star mariners we get some really nice perks. One being is that we get VIP treatment and first on to the tenders. (The other great perk is free laundry service.) On the ride into the port we spotted an island with a castle on it. It is the water castle of Bourtzi, a Venetian castle located in the middle of the harbor of Nafplio. Nafplio was the captital of Greece before Athens.

Palamidi is a fortress in Nafplio in the Peloponnese region of Southern Greece. Nestled on the crest of a 216 metre – 709 ft. high hill, the fortress was built by the Venetians during their second occupation of the area. (1686-1715)

We roamed around a bit and shopped because we had a Foodie Tasting excursion later in the day. Here are some of our “finds” in and around the alleys of Nafplio.

The Foodie Tour also included a walk around the city, which we had just done and touring the Churches, the Cheese Shop, Wine tasting and finally a Gyro restaurant.

So many beautiful memories and sadly it had to come to an end……But wait, just when you thought you were done, we had one last day and night in Athens. Its up next. !

Athens, Greece

We arrived back in Athens and got a taxi to our hotel, put our luggage in storage and walked to the Metro. Their subway system is very nice and clean. All over Athens they discover ruins every day, even in the subway.

We took the Metro to the Monastiraki stop which drops you right in front of the Athens Flea Market, which is where we wanted to go.

We did some shopping and went to lunch at a Family Restaurant in the antique/flea market section. What a great day to end our vacation. Here are some of the highlights.

We stumbled upon a Disney-esque Fairy tale land in Athens. Little Kook is a cafe and a wonderland. Kinda crazy. It is housed in a two story Neo-classical building on Karaiskaki Street and Pittaki St.

So that’s it. I know Jon enjoyed his 60th birthday trip and so did I. Now, where in the world shall we adventure to next? We both find our bliss on a ship in the middle of the ocean or sea knowing that our destination is out there.

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

Andre Gide

Peace.