Stormy Seas

Cagliari in Sardinia was the next scheduled port of call for Oriana.  Now this I was really looking forward to.  It was during breakfast that we made our approach to the port but the weather was fast deteriorating with torrential rain and very poor visibility.  The Sky Weather report had shown a large blue storm cloud covering the whole of Sardinia with a forecast of thunderstorms.  Never mind, I had my wet weather gear with me and I could always shelter in the shops.  But then the Captain's voice came through the speakers with an announcement - rarely a good sign at that time of the morning.  The port had two tugs standing by to guide and nudge us into position on our berth but the winds were increasing by the minute and both the pilot and the Captain decided it was far too dangerous for us to consider docking - our call at Sardinia was cancelled and we were to head back out to the relative "safety" of the sea.

The weather continued to deteriorate and by mid morning the ship was being tossed about all over the place.  For the first time ever I had to leave my cabin and find a more stable point at mid-ships on one of the upper decks.  Here the motion was a little bit less - in my cabin the waves were hammering against the porthole and that damn anchor chain was heaving back & forth in its hold on the deck below.

The dreadful stormy conditions lasted throughout the day and it wasn't until early evening that the seas began to subside.  For some reason there were very few people at dinner that night - but I was there!

Messina - revisited

May 1st. is a public holiday in Messina meaning much of the city would be closed and quiet.  Not that I minded because once again I was heading off to the old British cemetery tucked away on the outskirts of town.  On my last visit I had quite an adventure finding it but this time it was an uneventful (if rather long) walk.

As it happened the Cimitero Monumentale was the only area where life could be found!  Flower stalls loaded with colourful blooms and floral displays.  What better way for the locals to start their public holiday than by visiting departed loved ones.  

Just beyond the flower stalls can be found the street traders - African lads with their array of flea market type items spread out on sheets on the pavement.  One seemed to specialise in old, second hand IT chargers.  On I went up a narrow alleyway, past the market and seedy looking residences. A lad of African descent looked at me strangely - what was a tourist doing in this area?  His legs were dreadfully deformed like 90 degree angle brackets but he appeared to get around OK.  I smiled and said Bon Journo (or however it is spelled) and his face broke into a wide grin. 

Opposite the next lot of flower stalls can be found the side entrance to the Cimitero Monumentale - and just inside the gate can be found Cimitero Inglese.  A plaque proudly announces that King George V and Queen Mary had visited in 1925.   

What most visitors would not know is that it was not actually THIS cemetery that the royal couple had visited because prior to WWII the old English and French cemeteries were located on the spur of land opposite to where Oriana is berthed.  At one time this spur was also home to the Citadella, Naval barracks, Officers quarters and Salvatore Fort.  For 20 + years from WWI the Sicilians tried to reclaim the land where the cemeteries were located.  They wanted to expand their port but naturally the British Government would not hear of British graves being moved.  Come WWII and the Sicilians seized their chance.  In the midst of war they exhumed all the graves and moved surviving headstones and monuments to a quiet corner of Cimitero Monumentale.  By the time the British Government became aware of this after the war it was far too late - fate accompli.  

On my last visit in December 2011 it had been dismal and wet making the ground quite dangerous underfoot.  However I managed to take a few photos and vowed to return should I ever visit Messina again.  As I stepped inside on 1st. May 2018 I was saddened at the sight that greeted me - completely overgrown and even more inaccessible. 

Stepping carefully I again did what I could but after 30 minutes the mosquitoes realised that fresh blood was around and my right hand became the target.  I hadn't even considered that mossies would be a problem in May and had no repellant or soothing lavender oil.  I retreated back to town - again marvelling at the picturesque buildings and oranges growing in the street.

On the way back to the ship I noticed some of the larger shops were beginning to open.  I desperately needed to spend a penny and popped into a department store named "Coin".  Having searched all around the ground floor and all around the first floor I came to the conclusion that loos were not provided.  But wait a moment there is a floor guide and "Toilet" is shown as being on the ground floor.  Having circuited the floor another three times I eventually found the toilet hidden away behind a changing room.  By this time it was a life saver!

The rest of the walk took me past the main square which was abuzz with tourists waiting for the Noon hour when the Cathedral's bell tower (built after the 1908 earthquake) would spring into action with a series of figures dancing around its many floors.  

But I had seen this back in 2011 so headed straight for the ship - with a very quick visit into a tiny little jewellers which I had discovered on the first trip.  The owner, who makes all his own jewellery, is very proud of his heritage displaying photos of his grandfather and father who made jewellery before him.  Last time I purchased a necklace made of lava from Mount Etna but this time there was nothing which appealed.

At tea time I stood on the top deck and marvelled at the view as Oriana glided past the Madonna Monument and out through the Straits of Messina. Such magical moments.

The Swell in Sorrento

 

Sorrento was another tender port and as there were many excursions due to be tendered ashore before the independent passengers I expected at least a one hour wait after collecting my tender ticket.  As it happened the wait turned into three and a half hours - the reason was the height of the swell in Sorrento Bay.  Three tenders managed the trip from ship to shore but as the minutes ticked by it proved more and more dangerous for passengers to make that "leap of faith" from ships pontoon to bobbing tender.  The Captain announced that tender operations would cease until such time as conditions improved.  Every 20 minutes a tender manned by 3 crew would draw alongside down at Deck 3 to test conditions but after a few minutes it always retreated back to a safe distance in the bay. 

At noon, just as I had loaded my plate with noodles and Sea Bass it was announced that conditions had improved and tendering was about to begin.  Three mouthfulls of sea bass and I was off.  Of course, the majority of excursions had been cancelled and those passengers now all rushed to obtain independent tender tickets - it would be another 2 hours before they would be lucky enough to disembark.  Fortunately I was on the third tender out.  

Even though conditions had improved it still took 4 crew members to assist each passenger in the "leap of faith" and once aboard the little lifeboat we were like a cork in a huge ocean.  I thought to myself that if I could cope with these conditions without being seasick then I deserved a medal - but nothing ventured, nothing gained.   I tried to remember what I had read - focus on the horizon - easier said than done as the boat gallantly tried to cope with the swell.  First the horizon was way up high, then it was way down low - I hung on tight and prayed.  Needless to say the voyage was completed quite safely and I awarded myself a medal for not even feeling queezy (although I was quite scared!).

The city of Sorrento sits atop a high, high cliff overlooking the harbour.  P&O provided a shuttle bus for the climb up the hill (£4 single journey for Saver Fare customers) but if I ever go again I must use the lift/elevator which has been installed in the past few years (1 euro single fare).

Sorrento proved to be an interesting, bustling city with a main pedestrianised shopping area and many narrow side lanes leading off to the Old Quarter - full of delightful boutiques and souvenir shops.  

I only had time for a quick whiz around but it was enough to capture the colour and flavour:

I ended up in A. Gargiulo & Jannuzzi a large shop specialising in marquetry, linen, ceramics and Antica Murrina jewellery from Venice.  This just happens to be my favourite jewellery so I had a wonderful 30 mintues marvelling at the array available.  The young lady serving at this particular counter turned out to be a British expatriate and we had a long chat about her life in Italy with her Italian boyfriend and about my life as an expatriate in Hong Kong.  I purchased a delightful peach and light blue Murano glass bead necklace which I shall treasure just as much as the other pieces which I have acquired in the past. 

Not being prepared to shell out another £4 for the bus ride down the hill I walked.  A very easy descent - apart from the mad Italian drivers who career at speed along the narrow roads.

At the landing stage P&O had provided iced tea and cold water, and handed out cooling face cloths for those of us queing for the return tender.   How I would have loved to have had 2-3 days to explore this lovely city - never mind, at least I had managed 2-3 hours which was a lot better than nothing.