Total Eclipse : A pictorial review of the Tradewinds Transatlantic crossing 2015

Yes, Rosie has had some issues as well which always make you think and be grateful for what you have.

 

The cruise was great, albeit just a very short one. The harbour party, which was the main reason for doing this cruise was awesome with all five P&O Australia Ships there at once. The Aria only has the MDR and three specialty restaurants (Asian, Italian and a fancy upmarket one called Salt Grill - Luke Mangen who is a celebrity chef https://www.lukemangan.com/) as well as the Pantry (Buffet but always served to the passengers)http://www.heraldsun.com.au/travel/holiday-ideas/cruises/first-look-pampos-new-ships-pacific-aria-and-pacific-eden-spell-the-end-of-the-traditional-cruise-ship-buffet/news-story/cd7cd22d7efaccdd90553212a554b974.

Being the inaugural cruise there were some teething problems, due to new staff etc., but overall it was fantastic to get away and do a short cruise.:D

Welcome back Mic and Rosie , the harbour party looks and sounds like great fun , with the headliner on your ship ! :cool:

http://www.traveller.com.au/po-five-ship-spectacular-giant-cruise-liners-host-party-in-sydney-gl8bmk

One question , how did the Pantry differ from a traditional buffet ?

Mic, your Aria cruise sounds like it was a lot of fun! I would have loved to see the 5 P&O ships all together. A getaway cruise is always a good idea in my book!

 

Pat, hang in there with your rehab. It WILL get better. From what I've been reading here, it sounds like you have come a long way already!

 

I will probably be disappearing for a bit this week because I will be getting both knees replaced on Wednesday. After a whole lot of years of just getting by on them, I am relieved to be finally getting them done, but the process is still a bit scary. Hopefully, the surgery will go well and I will be home and starting on rehab soon after. I will be looking forward to seeing more of Russia when I get back.

Yikes Nancy , a double knee replacement ? :eek: That does sound scary , but it should be worth it in the long run . ;) You and your husband will certainly be in our thoughts and prayers this week , and Russia ( and London ) will be waiting . Get well soon ! :) :)

Adjoining Raphael's Loggia are the skylight rooms . I wonder why they are called the skylight rooms ?

Room # 237 is the Small Italian Skylight Room . At the far end you can see the Raphael Loggia .

The room is filled with beautiful furniture

Vases

and paintings from the Italian masters .

Welcome back Mic and Rosie , the harbour party looks and sounds like great fun , with the headliner on your ship ! :cool:

 

http://www.traveller.com.au/po-five-ship-spectacular-giant-cruise-liners-host-party-in-sydney-gl8bmk

 

 

One question , how did the Pantry differ from a traditional buffet ?

 

 

 

 

 

Yikes Nancy , a double knee replacement ? :eek: That does sound scary , but it should be worth it in the long run . ;) You and your husband will certainly be in our thoughts and prayers this week , and Russia ( and London ) will be waiting . Get well soon ! :) :)

Cheers, yes, ewe had the big star and were in pole position for location of the party. :D

The Pantry is basically food stations like on most ships but the food is served to you rather than helping yourself. This is supposed to help with health /contamination issues as well as portion control, you can ask for more or go back for seconds if you wish.

wishing Nancy a speedy recovery as well.

Cheers, yes, ewe had the big star and were in pole position for location of the party. :D

The Pantry is basically food stations like on most ships but the food is served to you rather than helping yourself. This is supposed to help with health /contamination issues as well as portion control, you can ask for more or go back for seconds if you wish.

 

wishing Nancy a speedy recovery as well.

Holland America cruises do a similar thing with their buffet on the first 3 days of the cruise to prevent illness . They serve the buffet , and carry the plates to your table of choice . And after 3 days it functions normally . But we still prefer the buffet of the Eclipse , with it's shorter lines and many food stations . :) :D

Some of our favorite paintings from the skylight rooms .

The martyrdom of St. Peter

https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/01.+Paintings/31467?lng=en

The painting depicts the martyrdom of St. Peter by crucifixion — Peter asked that his cross be inverted so as not to imitate his God, Jesus Christ, hence he is depicted upside - down. The large canvas shows Ancient Romans, their faces shielded, struggling to erect the cross of the elderly but muscular apostle. Peter is heavier than his aged body would suggest, and his lifting requires the efforts of three men, as if the crime they perpetrate already weighs on them. Quote from wikipedia

Another painting by Caravaggio , the Lute Player .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lute_Player_(Caravaggio)

And two from the Venetian style of painting .

The reception of the French Ambassador in Venice .

View of the Pirna from the right bank of the Elba

And the last is The Triumph of a General .

The Triumph of a General is found in room # 238 , The Large Italian Skylight Room .

Along with some massive vases

in the massive room

is a dramatic sculpture , The Death of Adonis , toward the end of the room .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Mazzuoli_(1644%E2%80%931725)

Holland America cruises do a similar thing with their buffet on the first 3 days of the cruise to prevent illness . They serve the buffet , and carry the plates to your table of choice . And after 3 days it functions normally . But we still prefer the buffet of the Eclipse , with it's shorter lines and many food stations . :) :D

Some of the other cruise lines do that also if there is a noro outbreak or risk. The way the Pantry is set up is that you could never serve yourself, you would always need someone on the other side to serve you.:D

I prefer no to use the buffet but I do like the X way of setting it up.:D

Great pictures again, love the really ornate sculptures, and of course the architecture.:D

This have been truly an 101 Russian History lesson. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge and your outstanding pictures selection of Russian History, churches and art.

Some of the other cruise lines do that also if there is a noro outbreak or risk. The way the Pantry is set up is that you could never serve yourself, you would always need someone on the other side to serve you.:D

I prefer no to use the buffet but I do like the X way of setting it up.:D

Thanks Mic , we prefer to relax and enjoy our meals normally , but if we're in a hurry or looking for a change - it's nice to have the buffet . And with it's many serving stations at the Ocean View cafe , we always found a tasty bite to eat quickly . :) :D

Great pictures again, love the really ornate sculptures, and of course the architecture.:D

Thanks again Mic , and we're now coming into the sculpture zone .

This have been truly an 101 Russian History lesson. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge and your outstanding pictures selection of Russian History, churches and art.

You're welcome cruise47 . The photos show some of the reasons of why we enjoy visiting there . In an interesting sidebar to the story of Hermitage museum , is the evacuation of the museum's art to the Ural Mountains to protect it from the bombing and possible occupation and or theft by the German Army during the war . A brief synopsis , for those interested in it is contained here :

http://kingmadonnasofleningrad.weebly.com/the-hermitage.html

Thanks Mic , we prefer to relax and enjoy our meals normally , but if we're in a hurry or looking for a change - it's nice to have the buffet . And with it's many serving stations at the Ocean View cafe , we always found a tasty bite to eat quickly . :) :D

 

 

Thanks again Mic , and we're now coming into the sculpture zone .

I tend to go to the grill for a burger or such when I want quick eats.:D

looking forward to the sculptures.:D

To the left in this photo is an entrance to room # 241 , The Gallery of the History of Ancient Painting .

This gallery, conceived by Leo von Klenze as a prelude to the picture gallery of the Imperial Museum, is intended to remind visitors of the history of ancient art. The walls are decorated with 80 paintings on subjects from Ancient Greek myths and literary sources. The German artist Georg Hiltensperger created them imitating the ancient encaustic technique - with wax-based paints on brass plates. The vaults carry bas-relief portraits of famous European artists, including the designer of the New Hermitage - Leo von Klenze. The gallery is used to display works by the outstanding Neo-Classical sculptor Antonio Canova (1757-1822) and his followers. Quote : Hermitage museum .

It's another long hall which bears a slight resemblance to the Rapheal Loggia , except it has original paintings and sculptures .

The bust on the far left is Helen of Troy by Canova .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Canova

Cupid and Psyche

Canova made 2 versions of this sculpture . The first was made in 1787 and is in the Louvre . This version was made in 1796 for the Yusupov family .

Just wonderful.:D

I tend to go to the grill for a burger or such when I want quick eats.:D

 

looking forward to the sculptures.:D

Some more sculptures coming up !

The Three Graces rear view .

Canova, Antonio. 1757-1822

The Three Graces

Italy, Between 1813 and 1816

A late work by Canova, The Three Graces was produced at a time when the artist was so famous that the public eagerly awaited each new work. Faithful to the Neoclassical ideal, Canova embodied his perceptions of beauty in the form of the ancient goddesses who were said to personify feminine charm. Contemporaries praised the work for its new approach to the subject. Unlike compositions which derived from Classical Antiquity - where the outer figures turn out towards the viewer and the central figure embraces her friends with her back to us - Canova's figures stand side by side, all facing each other. The three slender female figures become one in their embrace, united not simply by their joined hands, but also by the scarf which drops from the hand of one of them. Canova's composition is compact and balanced. The girls stand around a sacrificial altar on which there are three wreaths of flowers and a garland symbolizing their tender ties. Contemporaries thought that Canova had so far captured the ideal of beauty that they said of the statue "It is more beautiful than beauty itself". Quote from the Hermitage .

front view

Pygmalion & Galatea

Ceiling photo

Repentant Mary Magdalene

Italy, 1808-1809

Canova, an outstanding sculptor of the late 18th - early 19th century, the head of the school of Neoclassicism in Rome, did not often make use of biblical subjects in his work, but this figure of the repentant Magdalene is an excellent piece from his late period. According to legend, the sinner Mary Magdalene repented after meeting Christ and spent many years in the desert, where she lamented her past sins. In keeping with tradition, Canova shows the Magdalene as a young beautiful woman dressed as a hermit. The skull at her feet signifies the brevity of earthly existence. Mary once held a cross, symbol of the Crucifixion. In the grief-stricken figure and the gesture of the helpless, drooping hands, we see not a Classical ideal of beauty but an emotional image which reflects the observation of nature. Born into a family of stonemasons, the sculptor had a perfect mastery of the art of working with marble. The polished marble of the Magdalene's body and the shining surface of the skull contrast with the roughly worked rock of the base. Quote from the Hermitage .

Dancer

Italy, 1811-1812

Dance was one of Canova's favourite themes. He was fascinated by the sculptural effects of a figure in movement and many of his works, including reliefs and even paintings, deal with the subject of dance. He created three statues of dancers in various poses, the most successful of them that now in the Hermitage. The statue has had various names, and Canova himself called it "Erato, Muse of the Dance of Love" in one of his letters (he originally intended to add a figure of a faun playing a flute). Holding the edge of her long dress, the young woman moves slowly into her dance. The sense of rhythmic movement is so well expressed in the light turn of the torso, in the steps, the placing of the hands and the turn of the head, that the viewer immediately recognizes her as a dancer. Yet the strict, light line of the silhouette creates a sense of Classical balance which is evidence of the sculptor's unwavering loyalty to the ideal of Classical Antiquity. With great skill he conveys the fine transparency of the dancer's robe and the playful locks of hair crowned with a garland of flowers. Contemporaries were much taken with the innovative nature of the sculpture. Some scholars have even suggested that Canova's figures of dancers influenced 19th-century choreography. Quote from the Hermitage .

This is my favorite statue from Canova , it looks like a real person , up on her toes !

Excellent. He was a master sculptor.:D

I'm back! Surgery is done and everything went well. I have been up and walking, albeit very slowly! I may be able to go home as soon as Sunday, but I have a lot more recovery to do if that is going to happen. I will wait until I am sure I am OK before I go. It has been very difficult doing both knees at once, but I'm done now so I will not have to come back here and have to face another surgery.

The art and sculpture are awesome!

I'm back! Surgery is done and everything went well. I have been up and walking, albeit very slowly! I may be able to go home as soon as Sunday, but I have a lot more recovery to do if that is going to happen. I will wait until I am sure I am OK before I go. It has been very difficult doing both knees at once, but I'm done now so I will not have to come back here and have to face another surgery.

 

The art and sculpture are awesome!

Thank goodness it all went well, wishing you a speedy recovery now.:D

I'm back! Surgery is done and everything went well. I have been up and walking, albeit very slowly! I may be able to go home as soon as Sunday, but I have a lot more recovery to do if that is going to happen. I will wait until I am sure I am OK before I go. It has been very difficult doing both knees at once, but I'm done now so I will not have to come back here and have to face another surgery.

 

The art and sculpture are awesome!

Wow that's fantastic news , get well and come home soon ! The recovery takes time , but it will be well worth it to get your sea legs back . Keep up the great work and welcome back to the thread ! :) :D

Excellent. He was a master sculptor.:D

Yes he was and he was one of those rare artists who received fame and fortune before his death . In addition to the Yusupov's commission in Russia , Canova had several commissions of the rich and famous throughout Europe including Napoleon and his wife Josephine . Here's the story from wikipedia :

By 1800, Canova was the most celebrated artist in Europe.[3] He systematically promoted his reputation by publishing engravings of his works and having marble versions of plaster casts made in his workshop.[15] He became so successful that he had acquired patrons from across Europe including France, England, Russia, Poland, Austria and Holland, as well as several members from different royal lineages, and prominent individuals.[2] Among his patrons, Napoleon and his family was provided by Canova with much work, producing several depictations between 1803 and 1809.[1] The most notable representations were that of Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker, and Venus Victrix which was portrayal of Pauline Bonaparte.

Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker had its inception after Canova was hired to make a bust of Napoleon in 1802. The statue was begun in 1803, with Napoleon requesting to be shown in a French General's uniform, Canova rejected this, insisting on an allusion to Mars, the Roman god of War.[16] It was completed in 1806.[17] In 1811, the statue arrived in Paris, but not installed; neither was its bronze copy in the Foro Napoleonico in Milan.[16] In 1815, the original went to the Duke of Wellington, after his victory at Waterloo against Napoleon.[17] End of quote .

In a ironic twist to the story - Napoleon's statue , dressed as the Roman god of War , ends up in England after his loss to the Duke of Wellington !

Just popping in to say hi. I am still reading and enjoying the pictures and art....I just have still been so busy so I haven't commented much. Loving it all though!!! :D

I'm back! Surgery is done and everything went well. I have been up and walking, albeit very slowly! I may be able to go home as soon as Sunday, but I have a lot more recovery to do if that is going to happen. I will wait until I am sure I am OK before I go. It has been very difficult doing both knees at once, but I'm done now so I will not have to come back here and have to face another surgery.

 

The art and sculpture are awesome!

Welcome back, take it ease so you can travel the ocean seas.

Thank goodness it all went well, wishing you a speedy recovery now.:D

Thanks, Mic. As Joe said, I know the recovery will take some time, but as far as I am concerned the worst is over now. I will have to do a whole lot of fairly painful rehab, but no more surgeries!

Wow that's fantastic news , get well and come home soon ! The recovery takes time , but it will be well worth it to get your sea legs back . Keep up the great work and welcome back to the thread ! :) :D

Joe, I like the idea of getting my sea legs back! I'm going to add that to my list of motivational tools that I rely on when rehab gets tough. I'm also very glad to be back here and able to enjoy reading this thread. :D

Cruise 47, thank you very much for your well wishes. While I'm not quite ready to take on the seven seas on my own yet, I am certainly able to enjoy this virtual cruise with Pat and Joe. :cool:

Just popping in to say hi. I am still reading and enjoying the pictures and art....I just have still been so busy so I haven't commented much. Loving it all though!!! :D

Welcome back Jen , it's good to hear from you . We know what you mean about busy ;) It must be getting really cold up there , about time for a Disney cruise . :) :D