Lost in Venice with a taste of Turkish Delight and Souvlaki

[TomVexille]

Awesome photos. Keep em coming

 

[Pushka]

We are being a little naughty with the food. Our evening consists of a pre pre dinner drink on the aft deck as we sail away. It's warm. Sunny and we are cruising away from Corfu with Albania on our left.

We grab an entree plate for the buffet which is basically open all day but with different offerings according to the time. At 5.30pm it's Sushi time which Mr P tells me it's restaurant quality. I don't eat it. I grab a small plate of excellent curry.



With 2 glasses of excellent NZ Sauv Blanc we sit and watch the world go by.



Last night was formal night and while not donning the tux MrP looked quite dashing.

Then off to pre dinner drinks.

We've said hello to our Canadian friends twice this evening.

Dinner was nice with a Sav Blanc for Mr P and a Pouilly Fume for me. Yum.

After dinner we attend the forward bar which is lovely and two Baileys on ice. Yep, drinking our way through Greece as you do.

We watched a performance by our rocket bar tender which I'll put on YouTube when near wifi later this week.

 

[Pushka]

This morning it's Tuesday so must be Olympia. Already berthed at 7.30am. It's alarming opening the curtains to see you are already at port. Thankfully no high rise ports.

Lookie Dame the Older! Cunard QE is here too.





Most of our ship is sticking out of the port. It's a tiny port.



Our red carpet awaits - for the Suite guests . But we aren't venturing out for a couple of hours.

 

[love_the_life]

Wah! I want to be there too. Three degrees and wet here. I told you I would have fitted in one of your suitcases! :mrgreen:
Seriously, fantastic TR and amazing pics. Sounds like you are having a great time. Enjoy!

 

[Pushka]

The site of the Ancient Olympics is about imagination. Mainly because of the earthquakes over hundreds of years that destroyed the site, plus a sign at the entrance stating that most of the technical signs had been removed and 'Thankyou for understanding.' Wrong assumption that.

We try latching on to a guided tour to get our bearings from the map we brought. But I am a little more than spatially challenged. My map is upside down and MrP's isn't.

I'm seriously impressed by this effort.

 

[Pushka]

I've read about the Temple of Zeus. It is a Wonder of the Ancient World.

(PS this report is very live as we are seated in the shade of the Olympic Arena - right here)







Athlete Entrance to the stadium



Officials Village

 

[blackcat20]

I'm well behind but enjoying your report. I wish I'd had more time in Venice, one day was not enough.

My mission in Italy was one pizza and one pasta a day

 

[love_the_life]

Mr P impressed with the athlete and official facilities at Olympia?
You never were very good with a map if I recall (OK I admit that I made that up )
Keep them pics rolling!

 

[Pushka]

This is where the Olympic Torch is lit each four years. At least we think so. There's no sign.



The site is a current archeological dig. The Germans discovered the Gymnasiums.



We then went to the Museum which was interesting.

 

[Pushka]

MrP got stuck between 2 tour groups. I think he got a great view of the statue.



Interesting things we saw at the stadium.

One guy with his phone on a phone running the length of the field (100 metres) filming a selfie. The result would be nauseating.

The lady in Kimono and traditional shoes lining up in the start position on the line.

Multiple people running the length of the field getting hot and sweaty.

People crossing the start line as though they'd won the race.

We were waiting for someone to do a hammy.

The set up at the Ancient Olympic site was rather disappointing. There is so much that could be done to make this site an excellent tourist experience.

Because so much of the site has been excavated it is impossible to truly visualise what it looked like. They should have models of each building or detailed drawings next to each site. But as mentioned previously most of it wasn't signposted.

As it is now if someone asked if it was worth visiting I'd say no as would MrP whose been involved with four Olympics. Unlike other tours, everyone on the bus just seemed flat. Or talked about Santorini tomorrow.

We estimate with the number of buses around 6,000 people visited today. Not Olympic standards.

Hmmm. Currently sitting in a bus waiting for 2 late people. It's why I don't like group tours.

 

[Pushka]

I'm well behind but enjoying your report. I wish I'd had more time in Venice, one day was not enough.

My mission in Italy was one pizza and one pasta a day

We are managing a pizza a day too. It's possible. . Even in Greece as the ship has excellent ones.

 

[drron]

Our visit to Olympia was some 20 years ago and my memory is of signs giving you a description of the place.We were driving and no great crowds as we arrived very early in the morning.
However a little further south we had a memorable visit to the Palace of Nestor.We were the only 2 there and the caretaker took a liking to mrsdrron.Got shown everything on a personal tour of the ruins.As we left he cut a red rose giving it to mrsdrron.And it is this sort of thing which makes us also dislike bus tours.
Keep those pics coming.

 

[blackcat20]

We are managing a pizza a day too. It's possible. . Even in Greece as the ship has excellent ones.

I really miss Italian pizza.

 

[Pushka]

Speaking of pizza..



Returned to port to find a large MSC ship and QE had been bumped to tender.





The local women's group had put on a nice Greek Farewell. More tasty snacks.

 

[Pushka]

drron, these are the current signs at Olympia.



They push the audio/tour guide option.

 

[Pushka]

Those 2 late people. It's funny when someone says something and you just know they've missed the really important bit.

We were told we'd have 3 hours at Olympia and with a drop off at 10.45 that meant pick up at 1.45pm. And that we shouldn't worry about the bus number but just be promptly at the drop off point. This lady piped up the timing meant we'd only have 2 hours. Her partner kind of sushed her as she couldn't count. So of course, these 2 were the missing ones. We eventually left without them and driving back passed another batch of tour buses in a different parking spot and there was a bus 19 (same as ours). And there they were. They just got on like we'd all got it wrong. All 43 of us and the driver.

 

[Pushka]

Found some more pics of Olympia.



The start line.



It isn't the finish line.



One of those Toyota leaps. The guy in the middle landed on the ground.

 

[Pushka]

The length of the arena. I'm guessing 100 metres.



This is the plan of overall Olympia. It's in the Museum which is located away from the Olympia site and costs extra. This is what we needed at the archeology site to make sense.



The flame is lit just up from that rotunda at the top.

 

[Pushka]

QE was tendered a long way out to Port. She's headed away now as are we. South and into the Aegean Sea.



This one, MSC Fantasia has a very large aft



There she goes.



Hmmm. Something's up.

 

[love_the_life]

OK Petal this is not like you….8 hours and not a single update. We've got withdrawal symptoms here