Saturday, Cyprus
We arrived at Cyprus at noon. From a distance, the port city of Limassol was a beautiful vista of white buildings with a pleasant waterfront. An oil drilling platform in the harbor added interest, and a strange little local cruise ship, called "Rio of Rio Cruises", was our only company. With the planned 7 pm departure, we figured that taking the ship's provided shuttle bus to the "Old City" would be ample orientation. The description of the sidewalk cafes, ancient Greek archeological sites, and pretty hillsides belied my previous impression of Limassol being the port of convenience for rusted out cargo ships and very tired looking ferries.
We took the short bus ride through the port area and spent the whole of the hour until the next shuttle wandering amid the construction site of the invented "Old Town" which will be "new" in a year or two. The archeological site was a reconstruction of an old oil press found on the OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND, with fresh cement still drying. A very tired and kitsch gift shop was the only more or less clean and quiet place to wait for the return shuttle. This was the most unpleasant port stop and the worst impression I've gotten of my 132 countries visited (but who's counting), in itself a remarkable memory I suppose. I'd rather remember Cyprus from the old film, "Exodus", as the place with Sal Mineo was a Jewish freedom fighter.
The evening looked up so to speak when I went to my favorite corner of the top deck over the Bridge Wing to observe the Captain pull out the ship out. Rather than just nod at me, the Captain asked if I'd like to observe from the Navigation Bridge. I was escorted through secret doors and passageways to the Bridge and instantly grilled by the Captain, Staff Captain, and Chief Navigator as to how I came to ask about the ship's GPS track during the unpublished charter cruise last week from Istanbul to Athens. After promising to provide the URL of the ship tracking website I used, http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/, I was given unlimited bridge visitation privileges and an offer for Barbara and I to come to the bridge at 5:30 am next week for the mist enshrouded arrival into Venice, one of cruise's greatest experiences. We then had a delightful steak dinner by the pool with the Cruise Director, Jimmy, and Cruise Consultant, Crina. So, maybe the port visit to Cyprus wasn't so bad.
Sunday, Haifa Israel
I ran up to the top deck at 6:30 this morning to find despite the dog leg course Silver Wind was obliged to take to avoid Lebanon we were already docked at Haifa. A portly Englishman took a look at me and announced, "You Americans just keep this country alive for no reason." I explained my alternative view of the geopolitics of the mid-East all the while thinking where is Sal Mineo when you need him.
Haifa is a modern port city with a large military presence visible out our cabin window. We took the ship's shuttle bus to the top of almost 2000 foot high Mt. Carmel (yes, that one) to observe the view. The Golan Heights are right out of town, and the hills around the Sea of Galilee were also clearly visible through the morning haze. Of course this lake isn't visible as it is over 700 feet below sea level (and hard to walk across I'm told).
We did walk around the shopping district at the top of the Mt. Carmel and then after lunch took another extensive walk around the downtown area to the oddly named, "German Colony*" to view (but not climb) the 500 meter high sloping gardens of the main Baha'i temple, a Muslim sect based in Haifa.
After a dip in the ship's pool and the daily tea time, we are now preparing for dinner in the ship's Italian restaurant where a veal scallopini awaits. My request for Chicken Adobo will accompany the veal as an appetizer. This promises to be a remarkable Italian/Filipino meal. Maybe an Argentinian wine will round out this United Nations of cuisine.
*The German Colony was established in the 1860s as a "The Templars" to resettle the Holy Land by "real Christians". Unfortunately the descendants of the original well thought of group had pro-Nazi sentiments in the 1930s and were exiled to Australia (you can't make this up) by the then growing Jewish population in the Haifa area. This was a lot better treatment that the Jews got in Germany during the same time. Ever tolerant Haifa where Christian and Muslim Arabs along with the Jewish population get along remarkably well, still enjoys the beer halls, restaurants, and distinctly German style architecture of the German Colony neighborhood at the foot of the Baha'i complex.
" … my 132nd country (but who's counting?)"
ReplyDeleteWell, Señor Mike, since this is the second time in two blogs that you've mentioned that Cyprus is your 132nd country, somebody is certainly counting!
Keep up the great work.
Philip