Magical Mystery Cruise - Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus

During all those years when I was holidaying in Cyprus never once did I visit the place that I most wanted to go to – Kyrenia.   In those days it was not possible to cross the border in Nicosia and travel from Greek Cyprus into Turkish Cyprus.  Now the wall has opened up and at last I was able to make the trip.

I had hoped to bring news of a wonderful hour and half spent wandering the streets of this interesting town and of finding the old British cemetery which is marked on maps as “Ingliz Mezarligi”.  The cemetery is a fifteen minute walk from the central square so an hour at leisure would have been heaps for me to visit.  Alas, on this occasion, my plans were not achievable due mainly to the complete and utter disorganisation of the tour.  As we drove into Kyrenia after leaving the ruins of Bela Pais (which had included a 25 minute queue to use the one ladies loo !) I spotted the cemetery on the outskirts of town.  My excitement mounted and I was ready to jump off and speed away as soon as the coach came to a halt in the square.  However, as the guide showed us our meeting point I was greeted with the news that we had only 30 minutes at leisure !!!!  This was absolutely ridiculous and I was more than disappointed as I knew that there was no way for me to get to the cemetery.

Everything about the day was a disaster.  The female Greek Cypriot guide was abrupt and unhelpful in the extreme.  Time was wasted at both Bela Pais and at the restaurant.  Lunch itself was a complete shambles.  No proper arrangements were made for comfort stops during 9 hour day.  In fact so many complaints were made about the excursion that P & O had to resort to refunding us 33% of the cost – but the refund in no way made up for the fact that I had been able to see so very little of the town I had gone to see !!

Lets pass over this and move on to Israel.

The Magical Mystery Cruise - Kusadasi (Bird Island), Turkey

This was the second of our replacement ports of call and not having been able to do any research I had very little idea of what to expect.  I had three options 1) stay on board the ship all day – 2) take a very expensive organised excursion – 3) wander around the local area and try to find something of interest.  Option 1 was not a contender as I could never visit a port and not get off to see something of the area.  As there were some short tours on offer I decided to combine both the remaining options i.e. a tour in the morning and a short wander around town in the afternoon.

The tour I opted for was called The Glory of Ephesus.  What or where is Ephesus??  The city of Ephesus dates back to pre-Ionian times when the Carians and Lelegians lived in a wide plain near the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World.  St. John is said to have written his Gospel here and it is also meant to have been the last home of the Virgin Mary.  The ruins of this very ancient city are only ten miles away which is why Kusadasi has become known as The Gateway to Ephesus.

Our first stop was at the Basilica of St. John where I was greeted with the sight of tall pillars rising into the sky.  Huge chunks of highly carved marble dotted the ground lying where they had fallen from pillars centuries ago.  Here and there were large round earthenware water pots whose deep orange hue contrasted vividly with the white of the marble.  The guide spent 45 minutes explaining the history of the site and then allowed 10 minutes for photo taking.  Having been on a number of excursions in the past I know how frustrating this can be so right from the outset I set off on my own snapping picture after picture so that I have my own memories of the place.  From the ruined walls I looked down to see one single pillar rising from the plain below.  Apparently this is all that survives from the once impressive Temple of Artemis.

Then it was onto Ephesus proper and what sights were in store for me there.  The Temple of Hadrian; The Library of Celsus; The Marble Street.  The tour took us through the main thoroughfare from the high hillside entrance down to the plain.  If I had strayed too far from the guide there was every chance of getting lost here but whenever possible I struck out on my own for a few minutes.  It was during one of these “stolen” moments that I came across an American photographer.  She had two cameras strung around her neck the most impressive of which would not have looked out of place in a museum.  I asked her about it and she told me that it had belonged to her grandfather and that it still worked as good today as it had 55 years ago when he had purchased it.  In fact it took much better pictures than todays digital varieties.  She told me that she was a freelance photographer from a little town called York – New York (!!).  Apparently she was as frustrated as I was with having to stay with a guide but she had the flexibility of being able to return the next day when she hoped to visit much earlier in the morning when the light would be better for her photographs.  I bumped into her again on a couple of other occasions during the morning when both of us were again “stealing” time from the guides. At one point we both discovered one of the city’s cats who was posing unashamedly on a ruined pillar. It was lovely to see a livng animal amongst all the ruins but I bet her photograph will make mine look amateurish.  Who knows, perhaps one day I may come across the one she took in National Geographic and be able to compare them!

Well, the excursion may have been expensive but it certainly gave me the chance to take some wonderful photos – and I loved meeting the lady from the little town called York.

After lunch I took myself off into the local town of Kusadasi and walked around the harbour and out to the fortified island which was reached by a causeway.  This again proved a good vantage point for taking photos and yet again I came across cats who were desperate to get into my pictures.  I think I may have to rename this blog The Cruise for Cats. 

I have no regrets at visiting Kusadasi instead of Port Said.  It was wonderful to have the opportunity of seeing the ruins of Ephesus but I don’t think there is anything in Kusadasi itself which would ever draw me back.

The Magical Mystery Cruise - Medieval Malta

When I heard that we were to call at Malta I knew that there was just one place that I had to try to visit – the grave of Detective Sergeant Harry Battley who was killed in an air crash off Lampedusa in 1945.  I have been researching Harry for years so to come to Malta and not find him would be so sad.  The small cemetery was at Mtarfa but where was Mtarfa and would it be possible for me to find my way there and back to the ship in the few hours that we were to be in port at Valletta?  The easy option would be to hire a taxi for the day but that always proves highly expensive – and why take the easy option when there are probably more adventurous means !!

As always I was one of the first down the gangplank and headed off for the 20 minute UPhill climb into town.  I noticed the buildings were ancient and beautiful.  Pinkish, yellowish blocks towered up four or five stories above my head and all were dotted with balconies of various design and colour.  The streets were narrow and almost deserted as the city had not yet awoken.  I spotted a small grating at street level out of which poked the cheeky the faces of several kittens who had taken up residence in the vaults of the church.

After several false turns I managed to find the Tourist Information Office and enquired about the cemetery at Mtarfa.  Oh yes, there was a British Cemetery there but none of the tourist maps showed where exactly it was and none of the staff were able to point out its location on the map.  I was told that I could catch the No. 51 bus to Mtarfa and that the driver would be able to point out the cemetery when I got there.  For someone who always plans her journeys to the nth. degree this was not very reassuring!!  So there I was in a strange country heading for the bus station to get on a bus that would take me to a small village miles from the coast.  I must have been mad but when a grave calls there is nothing for it but to go !  I found that I needed to buy a one day travel pass for the princely sum of 2.60 Euros from the ticket office.  Then there was a 25 minute wait for the No 51 which I noticed went to Mtarfa via the ancient cities of Mdina and Rabat.  When the bus arrived I was almost carried on amidst the hustling, bustling locals.  The ladies were in fine voice and shouted and laughed about everything around them.  Off we set in the rush hour traffic heading out of town in a westerly direction.  I followed our course as best I could on a very basic tourist map and after 40 minutes found we were entering Rabat.  The next village - the last on the route - was Mtarfa.  I enquired of the bus driver the way to the British cemetery but he had no idea !  Great – now here I was in the interior of the country with no idea which direction to make for. 

The Magical Mystery Cruise - Cadiz , The Cup of Silver

I was up on deck at 6.45am to watch our arrival into Cadiz.  It was quite chilly but I nestled snugly inside my padded waistcoat with hood up to protect my ears from the strong winds.  The Cathedral and several churches were illuminated and stood out brilliantly against the bluish purple blackdrop which was the dawn sky.  As the sun rose over the horizon so my anticipation mounted.  The city looked every bit as I had imagined it – a jumble of low square white washed houses interspersed with tall watch towers of varying designs.  I could sense the Moorish feel even at a distance.

As soon as we berthed I was off down the gangplank to explore. I hoped to find the Tavira Tower which I understood was one of the few watchtowers that was open to the public and which apparently offered outstanding views of the city.  I knew roughly which direction to head in but I don’t think a map has been produced which can really show all the twisty turny narrow alleyways which are the main thoroughfares of Cadiz.  I marvelled at how cars and taxis could negotiate these tiny cobbled streets without knocking down the pedestrians but “shank’s pony” and motors all seemed to live in harmony.

There was an endless array of sights to tantalise and my camera was constantly busy snapping pictures here, there and everywhere.  The balconies were particulary fascinating for the bottom area curved out in intricate design.  I was told that in the 18^th. Century it was the fashion for ladies to wear skirts which had large rigid hoops at the hem and the railings had been designed to accommodate these.  On normal balconies the hoop would have hit the railing and risen into the air revealing a little too much of the lady’s underwear !!!!!

Miracously I found the Tavira Tower and had a ten minute wait before it opened at 10am.  In 1778 this tower had been appointed the official watchtower for the town because at that time it was the highest lookout point in the area. In general the towers were used by traders to watch for their ships returning loaded down with goods from the East and West Indies.  The door was opened punctually at 10am and I was the first customer of the day.  After paying the 5 Euro entrance fee I started the climb to the top.  Up and up and up I went with the stairs getting narrower the higher I climbed.  Eventually I reached the top parapet and ventured out to be greeted with the spectacular sight of the city’s rooftops spread out like a patchwork quilt before my eyes.  WOW.  My camera worked overtime but I cursed myself for not putting the telephoto lens in my bag before I left the cabin.  Never mind, there was more than enough to excite my imagination.  A little while later I heard some puffing and groaning and all of a sudden a man appeared through the doorway.  He told me there were two ladies following him but that they would take some time to get to the top.  Apparently these three were from the other cruise ship in port that day – The Independence of the Seas.  Cadiz was their last port of call before they headed back across the Bay of Biscay to Southampton.  Eventually with much huffing and puffing the two ladies made it to the top.  That was my cue to head down to the Camera Obscura which was one floor below.  The first show of the day was due to start in just a few minutes.  The Camera Obscura projects a movng image of the surrounding town onto a bowl shaped screen which sits in the centre of a darkened room.  The other three joined me in the room and the projectionist started the show.  It was fascinating but the part I enjoyed most of all was when the projectionist put a piece of cardboard down onto the screen and then “lifted” people up from the streets.  Of course, they would have no knowledge that they were being played with in this way.  It was rather an eerie thought to think that later in the day I might be walking the streets of Cadiz and that I might be one of the subjects being “lifted” off the screen for others amusement !!  The show came to an end and then it was off down the stairs and out into that maze of alleyways again.

I made my way back to the ship to get my telephoto lens – better late than never !!  Then on my second trip out I made for the Cathedral.  I had learned that one of the bell towers is also open to the public and that this is even higher than the Tavira Tower.  It was now mid-day and many of my co-passengers on the Oceana were now also out and about.  As I passed through the main square of town I noticed that some had found seats and had their noses firmly rooted in books.  They were all of five minutes walk from the ship and as ever I was amazed at the lack of interest that some people show in their surroundings.  Why on earth come on a cruise, visiting wonderful locations, if you are not going to show any interest in where you are?  How can they not want to explore?  Beats me !!

Soon I stood in front of the Cathedral with its two imposing bell towers.  At the base of one was a small wooden door which stood ajar.  I entered and in the dark interior found a small pay booth where I purchased my ticket for a fee of 4 Euros.  Then I started the climb but I was surprised to find that there were no steps.  The pathway up was a steep slope which went round and round and round and round.  This climb certainly got to me and it was not long before I was really huffing and puffing.  I told myself that if I could get to the top of Big Ben then I could make this.  I did – but only just !

Again at the top I was greeted with the spectacular sight of the city spread out before me.  But this time I was surrounded by the cathedral’s bells which suddenly started to chime.  As I now had my telephoto lens I was able to zoom in on some of the more interesting buildings – and to my delight I had a wonderful view of the Tavira Tower where I had been just a few hours earlier.  The climb may have puffed me but it was certainly worth the effort.

The rest of the afternoon was spent meandering through the narrow streets and soaking up the atmosphere of this Moorish town.  I noticed a street vendor selling salted nuts but he didn’t seem to be getting much custom as everyone was making for tavernas and coffee shops.  I went up and bought 1 Euro’s worth of nuts.  He was delighted and filled the paper cone to overflowing for me.  I am not certain what sort of nuts they were but they were delicious.

I was absolutely exhausted by the time I returned to Oceana in the afternoon.  I found just enough energy to go to dinner and then went to listen to the classical recital before collapsing into bed at 8.30pm.  I slept like a log.

The Magical Mystery Cruise - Oceana

Why have I called this the Magical Mystery Cruise?  Quite simply because at the time of embarkation I was not at all certain of where we were going to end up.  Months ago the second port of call, Tripoli in Libya, had been replaced by Alexandria in Egypt.  This was due to the troubles that were being experienced in Libya at that time.  Two weeks before departure I was informed that the ship was no longer going to be able to call at Ashdod in Israel – this time due to the troubled situation in Syria.  Then, three days before departure, I turned on the news to be greeted with the sight of riots in Alexandria and Cairo.  I tried to tell myself that this was just going to be a “storm in a teacup” but as the hours wore on it was apparent that the situation was getting worse and worse.  I tried to imagine myself viewing those magical pyramids with the sound of tear gas being fired in the background.  I tried to imagine myself wandering through the streets of Alexandria in search of the Chatby Cemeteries whilst rioters sped past me.  Neither were very happy nor very practical thoughts.  P & O were obviously going to have to replace the stops at both Alexandria and Port Said with other ports of call – but where ?  As I embarked I – and all the other passengers – had no idea at all what the final itinerary was going to be !

This is my first time on Oceana and she is certainly a lovely ship – about the same size as Arcadia but with a beautiful atrium rising up in the centre from Deck 5 to Deck 8.  The buffet style restaurant is The Plaza on Deck 14 and this is situated at the bow with the most incredible views out across the sea.  As always my very favourite part of the ship is The Prom Deck.  It is here, early in the morning and late at night, that I am able to get my exercise.  3.2 laps of the prom equate to one mile and on sea days I like to do two miles morning and evening.  When it is deserted it is the one place on board that evokes the feel of the old P & O liners which “back in the day” plied the route from UK to Hong Kong. If I squint my eyes up I can imagine those passengers from the early 1900s boarding with their leather suitcases and trunks adorned with hotel labels from exotic lands.  The ladies in their wonderful hats and fur wraps, the gentlemen in their tweeds.  Their feet would have stood on deck boards just the same as this.  They would have looked out at the vast ocean from the Prom Deck just as I do.  Here are the markings for Deck Quoits & Shuffleboard – just as they have always appeared. 

In 1909 Ellen Mary Hayes Peck wrote in her travel diary:   

Two hundred and fifty more passengers were added to the steamer list at Marseilles and henceforth the vessel was to be taxed to her utmost capacity.  Most of the passengers ere en route for a five weeks voyage to Australia, many of them were friends, and a general spirit of jollity prevailed, the decks presenting the appearance of a seaside veranda, with their tables, lounging-chairs, work baskets, and toys.  A sports committee was at once formed and games of all kinds were played (always for prizes) while a concert, dances and bridge enlivened the evening hours.

After a rather boring few hours traversing the Suez Canal she continued:

But if Nature was dull and lifeless, there was no lack of jollity on board the steamer; for the passengers were mostly English, and there were constant games or other devices for “killing time”, in which the English as a nation are so proficient.

It is just the same on board in the 21^st. century.  During the day deck games abound, lecturers expound on a variety of subjects, art, craft & dancing classes are held and the mysteries of digital cameras are explained.  Of course many just want to do nothing and that is also very exceptable.  In the evening there are classical concerts, pop concerts and musical shows – and of course there is still a Bridge Room for those who wish to play. 

During our first night at sea we hit rough weather as we approached the Bay of Biscay and half the passengers were confined to their cabins for that first full day.  I donned my wrist bands designed to prevent sea sickness and was able to explore the ship at leisure.

It was on our second day at sea that the Captain made the announcement that we had all been expecting – on the advice of the Foreign Office our calls to both Alexandria and Port Said had been cancelled.  I waited in anticipation to hear what the replacement ports would be.  I was not disappointed to hear that we would instead be visiting Valletta in Malta and Kusadasi in Turkey.  But before these intriguing places comes Cadiz, the oldest continuously inhabited town in the Western World with a history dating back 3000 years.  Watch this space !

Borneo Adventures Pt 2 – Brunei

I have wanted to visit the Sultanate of Brunei since 1977 when I was planning my first trip back to the UK from Hong Kong. At that time the Sultanate was still a British Colony but for some reason I never did get around to including it in my itinerary. So here we are some 34 years later and this time I was definitely going to visit - in fact it is one of the reasons that I booked this particular cruise. It is P & Os very first visit to the Sultanate so a little bit of an adventure for us all – even the ships crew.

The title of today’s excursion was “The Tempurong Experience” and it was to be a full eight hour day. It started off leisurely enough with a 30 minute coach ride into the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. I am not certain that any of us were actually prepared for the next segment of our journey which turned out to be a 50 minute speed boat ride way into the depths of Brunei. Each water taxi carried 20 persons and because of the speed of the vessels we all had to be inside – in actual fact we were all hanging on in sheer terror as the boat careered along tipping up on its side as we went round every bend in the river.

I managed to capture something of the journey on a little camcorder which considering that I am terrified of being in small boats very near to the water line is a miracle in itself. The extent of the tilt was far more obvious as we looked out and saw our fellow companions in their taxis careering along either in front, behind or to the side of us. Goodness - whatever possessed me to book this tour !!!!!

We reached our destination safely enough but as we clambered out of the speedboat my legs were shaking like jelly.

After a short coach ride we arrived at an Iban Longhouse where, after taking off our shoes, we were allowed inside to watch a display of traditional dancing. One of the village cats decided to join us and stretched out lazily in the middle of the floor enjoying all the attention. We were then treated to tea & coffee with local delicasies – spicy sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves or bright green jelly like coconut sweets. The rice was OK but the bright green sweets were so delicious that I went back for seconds ! I then went for a little wander around the back rooms of the Longhouse and found a lady preparing beans for lunch. The kitchen shelves were crammed full of jars, implements and pots making my own kitchen back home look empty in comparison. I asked if I could take her photo and she kindly agreed.

When it was time to leave the whole village came out onto the verandah to wave us off. I noticed that one of our tour guides was busy taking photos of us with a whole variety of cameras and I think that these were the villagers cameras. It felt strange being on the other end of the lens but I smiled to think that we were just as much an attraction to them as they were to us.

After another short coach ride we reached a jetty where longboats were berthed. This time we were instructed that donning lifejackets was ABSOLUTELY essential as these boats are renown for tipping over and throwing their passengers into the murky waters!!!!!!!! What was that I had heard about possibly seeing crocodiles today ?!! Each longboat carried 5 – 6 people and getting in was an art in itself. This had to be done very carefully and very slowly to avoid tipping the craft on its side and spewing out those already seated inside. Once in and seated it was then a matter of finding the centre spot to keep the craft level. I was the fifth person to board our particular boat and Jane – a lovely lady with cerebal palsy – was then guided into the front seat. It took about 15 minutes for our whole party to embark in their boats and then we were off. This was no more a gentle ride than in our speedboat taxi for once under way we sped off down the river through the mangrove swamps. This was all well and good but I was even nearer the water in this craft than I had been in the taxi. I tried my best to get my little camcorder to work but my hand was quite literally shaking with terror. I had no idea whether I was capturing anything or not. But this was nothing in comparison to what was to come. As we sped further into the jungle we noticed an ominous movement in the water ahead of us. Oh my God – we were approaching rapids!! Before we could even scream out in fear we were careering over and through them with the boat bumping about all over the place. I might add that by this time there was also a couple of inches of water lapping around my feet. The longboat cruise lasted about 45 minutes and during that time we crossed many sections of rapids and learned that the only way to deal with them was to cling onto the sides of the boat for grim death – and pray !!! I might add that at the end of this segment there were quite a lot of rather green faces. Somehow or another I had survived one of my worst fears and felt exhilarated at the achievement. My inspiration actually came from a very elderly lady named Joyce whose legs are very shaky and not as strong as they once were. She told me she would crawl into the boat if there were no-one around willing to give her a helping hand – how could she miss such an experience as this. No way at all. One evening I had sat and listened to her story about when she had met the Guerillas in the Congo many years ago and how she had sat with her back against a sturdy tree so that she would not flinch so much when the silverback charged – as it was bound to do. What a lady – what a life.

Lunch by the side of the river under the shade of the jungle trees was very welcome. Local curry dishes followed by fresh water melon and papaya – all washed down with chilled soya milk. DELICIOUS.

We also had the 50 minute journey back from Tempurong to BSB in the speedboat water taxis but this was easy peasy after our experiences of the day. What an incredible adventure this cruise is turning out to be – and there is still Bali, Makassar, Borobadur and Singapore to come.

Borneo Adventures Pt 1 – Kota Kinabalu

I was again up at dawn in order to see the sun rise up behind the mountains of Borneo and after breakfast made my way into Kota Kinabalu. Life in this part of the world does not start until 10am so the local people were still at breakfast as I wandered happily around the streets. The aroma of spices filled the air as stalls and shops began to open their shutters . Quite by chance I found myself in the City Park and rested for a few moments in the shade of the lush green trees. This is the tropics and it was excessively hot even at this early hour. When I set off again I chanced upon China Town and took some interesting photos depicting the end of Lunar New Year with piles upon piles of red lanterns stacked up in a temple. Next it was down to the harbour where I was offered trips in boats to see the water villages – I declined and headed for the local market instead. The smell of raw meat and poultery in a sultry hot climate is not to be recommended so I quickly hurried on to the fruit and veg section. Here I found punnet upon punnet of green and red chillies, roots of ginger and spices galore. Mangoes were piled high in pyramid shapes, whilst bunches of green bananas were art forms in their own right. The last section was full of clothes and jewellery and tourist items and was the most tightly packed of all. The alleyways between the stalls were narrow and the atmosphere was claustrophobic, however, I did manage to find some individual pearls which I need to repair a very old bracelet. It was then back to the ship for a rest before the afternoon’s organised excursion.

“Colours of Borneo” was the name of the tour and it did not disappoint. First stop was a pottery factory where most of my fellow cruisers stopped to watch a demonstration. Not ever being one to follow the crowd I headed off into the back shacks and was able to take wonderful photos of pottery in the various stages of manufacture. The natural colours of the clay with the contrasting sunlight and dark shade made for some incredible pictures. A young couple were busy filling moulds and were delighted to give me my own personal demonstration of how plates and mugs are produced from moulds. I asked if I could take their photo and they were overjoyed that I should want to and insisted on seeing the photo once taken. What lovely gentle friendly people the Malays are.

Next stop was a batik factory where we all had to try our hand at batik painting – mine was an absolute disaster !! High tea was provided here consisting of flat bread with curry sauce – absolutely delicious. I took a cup of tea but was none too certain what it would taste like. It was a deep brown colour and had a rather thick consistency. I tentatively took a sip ready to gulp it down in disgust – but hang on a minute. What was that sweet taste? Could it be chocolate? Somehow or another I found I was drinking chocolate tea - again absolutely delicious.

After a short rest I wandered off around the area and found a perfectly heavenly scene of a translucent silver sea lapping gently onto a white beach. At one end near the coconut thatched sun shades drift wood had collected which again made for some beautiful photos.

The journey back to the coach was by flat bottomed longboat. What an experience gliding through the mangroves in Magical Borneo.