Almost Live - Viking Sky - Journey to Antiquities - Jan 2023

[sugarside]

We opted for the Herculaneum tour when we were on Sky in December.

Admittedly this was because we had visited Pompeii some years ago.

I can understand anyone who chooses to visit Pompeii if only going to be in the area once in a lifetime but we preferred the intimacy of Herculaneum.It is advertised as demanding on tour description and having seen two falls on our tour and people having to drop out I would concur.

Some of us got by with a helping hands of fellow Vikings.Lots of deep curbs and some steep slopes.

Also beware of deceptively slippery marble steps.

[OneSixtyToOne]

6 hours ago, KTRaveller said:

 Did you talk to anyone who opted to go to Herculaneum instead of Pompeii and compare experiences?

 

I failed to mention we has a great guest lecturer onboard, Peter LaSorsa. One of his presentations went into detail about the differences between the two. Our next cruise (Mediterranean Odyssey) also stops at Naples and we have booked the Herculaneum tour. I'll be liveblogging that also.

 

Peter LaSorsa is a masterful storyteller, always entertaining, and cuts to the chase. The three lectures we attended were amazing. He pointed out certain things he felt important that in case the tour guide failed to mention, you would be informed of. For example the picture I took of the stepping stones in Pompeii was a result of him pointing out the fact that they had no sewers, unlike the more prosperous Herculaneum. He also showed a picture of the streets of Herculaneum that contain reflective white stones. to help guide you in the moonlight.

 

Other contrasts, Pompeii is massive. The area that has been excavated is the size of the actual city. You could spend a week there. Herculaneum had illegal housing built all around it so much of the city has not been uncovered, hence the site is much smaller. People's houses still overlook the ruins.

 

Herculaneum was where the wealthy Romans built their villas and the ruins reflect this wealth. Pompeii was a blue collar working class city.

 

Half of the mountain exploded and landed directly on Pompeii, crushing it. Herculaneum was not covered in ash, instead the pyroclastic flow from the side of the mountain covered everything. The result was there are no skeletons in Pompeii, only the voids left from decaying bodies. Herculaneum has lots of skeletons found near the docks. The rich Romans had abandoned their summer villas and left the slaves behind to tend to the properties. Those who remained headed to the water to try and escape. Also, there is no furniture in Pompeii, it all rotted away. In Herculaneum, it was preserved by the mud.

 

Peter also pointed out that a lot of the frescos and artifacts at both sites are reproductions and the most important pieces are in the Archeological Museum, which we plan to visit on our next trip. He also mentioned that all the erotic frescos are kept in a special gallery that doesn't keep regular hours. They keep changing it so you should check that out first to see when it is open. There was a real controversy about displaying the material so they placed it all in a special room that can be shut down in case a dignitary or the Pope shows up. The random hours thing was an attempt to keep perverts away. Like I said, Peter was entertaining and inciteful. If your happen to end up on a cruise with him. his lectures are a must see.

Edited January 31, 2023 by OneSixtyToOne

[OneSixtyToOne]

17 hours ago, aungrl said:

Picture of the new purse, please!  (Loving all of the rest of them.  You take wonderful pics.)

 

16 hours ago, Sleep7 said:

Yes! New purse pictures please.😊

DW wanted a small travel purse with LOTS of compartments. 140€ out the door. 

Edited January 31, 2023 by OneSixtyToOne

[Sleep7]

Lovely! And perfect for travel.🤗

[LindaS272]

3 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

 

DW wanted a small travel purse with LOTS of compartments. 140€ out the door. 

I think I have that purse! LOL. 🎒👜

[OneSixtyToOne]

4 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

I think I have that purse! LOL. 🎒👜

It’s a Gianni Conti 

[LindaS272]

Just now, OneSixtyToOne said:

It’s a Gianni Conti 

I probably don’t have that particular designer, but I’ve had several over the years with that style. 😄

[OneSixtyToOne]

Day 16 - A Tale of Two Cities

With a long drive ahead of us, today's tour left the villa at 8:00 AM.

 

On the way, Roberta updated us with some good news about the weather. The cold wind we experienced yesterday was gone, skies were sunny, and temperatures near 60. Ideal conditions for what lie ahead. She told us to forget all about Florence, which is flat land located in a river valley. Today we were heading for the hill towns of Sienna and San Gimignano where we will be going up and down steep hills all day. She took some time to instruct us on the pronunciation of San Gimignano. The best I can recommend is "San Jimmy-Ya-No." Say it fast and you're in the ballpark.

The titular two cites I'm referring to are Florence and Sienna. To say the least, they don't like each other. This is more than second city syndrome, it goes back centuries. Cosimo I de' Medici unified Tuscany. He defeated the Sienese at the Battle of Marciano in 1554 and laid siege to their city. Despite the inhabitants' desperate resistance, the city fell in 1555 after a 15-month siege, its population diminished from forty thousand to eight thousand. His goal was to never let Sienna have a position of power in Tuscany again. Roberta left out these grim details and gave us a more jovial version akin to sibling rivalry. It really runs much deeper. Our tour guide for the day was Isabella, a friend of Roberta. As a practical joke we were asked to comment how much better Florence was than Sienna. As fate would have it, this joke wrote itself. The bus was required to stop outside the city to obtained a timed parking permit, here we would have a restroom break. When we arrived the restrooms we undergoing renovations and were closed. When we finally met Isabella, the first thing we needed was to find restrooms. We then told Isabella "You know, all the restrooms are open in Florence." That got a big laugh from Isabella, but later in the day it proved prophetic because every public restroom we were directed to was closed. People ended up buying a coffee or gelato just to use the restroom.

Isabella had a marvelous dry sense of humor and was the best tour guide of our entire trip. She hammered home the theme of the Sienese / Florentine rivalry many times. She masterly weaved many tales, from the stolen head of St. Catherine of Sienna (it's in the altar), to the quest to find a water supply. Isabella was a fountainhead of information, all told with wit and style. Unfortunately no pictures were allowed within the Basilica Cateriniana. Inside are flags from all the districts in Sienna, each having it's own heraldry. Here are some exterior shots.

Did I mention hills?

The districts, or neighborhoods, of Sienna have a longstanding political and social significance. Like something out of Romeo and Juliet, you are not allowed to marry someone outside your district. You'll see tiles on the houses indicating which district you are in. This district rivalry cumulates every year in the Palio Horse Race. Twice each summer, jockeys hired by the districts ride bareback on horses chosen by lot. It's two minutes of sheer bedlam as they race around the central square, the Piazza del Campo. Tens of thousands of people pack into the center of the square and according to Isabella, "see absolutely nothing." If the rider falls off, it doesn't matter. The horse crossing the finish line is all that counts. The winning district gets bragging rights and nothing more. Just a hunch, but I suspect there is a lot of backroom gambling going on. The Campo itself is shaped like a scallop shell with herringbone stone sections representing the districts.

Sienna is built on clay hills in the middle of nowhere. Isabella asked us "Why? Why would someone want to settle here." The answer was pilgrims. Sienna and San Gimignano are on the pilgrim's trail to Rome. Each stop along the way was trying to build a bigger and more elaborate cathedral. Think of it as a medieval theme park. I failed to mention a moment we had while standing in front of the baptistry in Florence. A siren rang out and an ambulance drove by. The city hospital is right next door. That seems odd to us but it dates back to the times of the cathedral construction. Pilgrims would show up in need of food, water as well as being sick and tired. Hospitality houses were built to tend to them. So like in Florence, a hospitality house is next to the Cathedral in Sienna. The cathedral in Sienna has the most ornate exterior of any one in the world. Even the Medici acknowledged this.

 

To build this cathedral they brought in the person who designed the infamous Leaning Tower of Pisa. By this time he had learned a little more about building on clay. Instead of a separate tower, the bell tower is incorporated into the church itself. Notice the increase in the number of columns as it get higher. This significantly lowers the weight of each successive level.

An attempt to build a cathedral bigger than the one Florence collapsed. All that is left is an arch in front of a parking lot. Notice how the column is leaning.

Next up, lunch and the towers of San Gimignano.

Edited January 31, 2023 by OneSixtyToOne

[CCWineLover]

Simply Amazing!!

[aungrl]

8 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

 

DW wanted a small travel purse with LOTS of compartments. 140€ out the door. 

Really nice!  Thanks for sharing with us.  You can see how nice and soft the leather is even in pictures.  

[KTRaveller]

17 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

 

I failed to mention we has a great guest lecturer onboard, Peter LaSorsa. One of his presentations went into detail about the differences between the two. Our next cruise (Mediterranean Odyssey) also stops at Naples and we have booked the Herculaneum tour. I'll be liveblogging that also.

 

Peter LaSorsa is a masterful storyteller, always entertaining, and cuts to the chase. The three lectures we attended were amazing. He pointed out certain things he felt important that in case the tour guide failed to mention, you would be informed of. For example the picture I took of the stepping stones in Pompeii was a result of him pointing out the fact that they had no sewers, unlike the more prosperous Herculaneum. He also showed a picture of the streets of Herculaneum that contain reflective white stones. to help guide you in the moonlight.

 

Other contrasts, Pompeii is massive. The area that has been excavated is the size of the actual city. You could spend a week there. Herculaneum had illegal housing built all around it so much of the city has not been uncovered, hence the site is much smaller. People's houses still overlook the ruins.

 

Herculaneum was where the wealthy Romans built their villas and the ruins reflect this wealth. Pompeii was a blue collar working class city.

 

Half of the mountain exploded and landed directly on Pompeii, crushing it. Herculaneum was not covered in ash, instead the pyroclastic flow from the side of the mountain covered everything. The result was there are no skeletons in Pompeii, only the voids left from decaying bodies. Herculaneum has lots of skeletons found near the docks. The rich Romans had abandoned their summer villas and left the slaves behind to tend to the properties. Those who remained headed to the water to try and escape. Also, there is no furniture in Pompeii, it all rotted away. In Herculaneum, it was preserved by the mud.

 

Peter also pointed out that a lot of the frescos and artifacts at both sites are reproductions and the most important pieces are in the Archeological Museum, which we plan to visit on our next trip. He also mentioned that all the erotic frescos are kept in a special gallery that doesn't keep regular hours. They keep changing it so you should check that out first to see when it is open. There was a real controversy about displaying the material so they placed it all in a special room that can be shut down in case a dignitary or the Pope shows up. The random hours thing was an attempt to keep perverts away. Like I said, Peter was entertaining and inciteful. If your happen to end up on a cruise with him. his lectures are a must see.

Thanks very much for the detail.  I hope we will get to hear from Peter LaSorsa or another great guest lecturer.  I'll have to decide between Pompeii and Herculaneum in about August, I guess, so perhaps you'll already have gotten to visit the second one.  Your pictures are wonderful -- especially Sienna.  That was just about my favorite visit back on a 3 week trip through Italy in 1985.  Also loved Assisi and Perugia  -- especially the visit to the Etruscan town underground.  Gubbio was fun, too.  There are almost no places in Italy I wouldn't enjoy visiting again - what a marvelous country to tour.

[OneSixtyToOne]

Day 16 - Lunch and the Towers of San Gimignano

 

We departed Siena for lunch at a rustic farm, Fattoria San Donato, located outside of San Gimignano. This is the heart of Chianti country but the San Gimignano area is known for production of the white Vernaccia grape and saffron. Chianti must be at least 80% Sangiovese grapes and on this trip it ranged from 85%-95%. We passed through scenic hills with short glimpses of the towers from the town occasionally visible.

 

We arrived at the rustic farmhouse for another delicious traditional Tuscan lunch and of course plenty of wine.

 

On the way back to the bus we met the family dog. This is the first flat-coated retriever I've ever seen in person. I have always admired them when watching dog shows on TV. They look like a small Irish Setter but have a solid black or liver coat and a playful personality. Our group was so engrossed with this magnificent dog that we lost track of time and our way back to the bus. Roberta was not happy. At least she didn't make us do push-ups.

 

San Gimignano is known as the Town of Fine Towers. Like Florence and Siena it is on Via Francigena, the "road that comes from France" which medieval pilgrims followed to Rome. At one time there were over 70 towers in San Gimignano, but now only 14 remain. Some have been shortened and converted into modern living spaces but the largest ones are empty. Because it was a walled city on a hill, the only way to build was up. This created a competition to build the tallest tower to show your wealth and power. The competition got to the point where someone decided to build a twin tower, so if you add the two together, they are taller than the tallest tower.

 

After our tour we had some free time. We went into a small shop that was sampling balsamic vinegar. Here I tasted white balsamic for the first time. Made from the Vernaccia grape, it has the sweetness of sherry. I can't wait to try it on a homemade Caprese salad.

We also took some time to view the countryside below the town.

 

We headed back to our villa at sunset. Upon returning, we were treated to our farewell dinner.

 

After saying our goodbyes, we headed to our room. Tomorrow, it's a 5:30 AM shuttle to the airport

Edited February 1, 2023 by OneSixtyToOne

[Delhi Ocean Cruiser]

On 1/12/2023 at 8:08 AM, OneSixtyToOne said:

Day 1 - Departure:

We are doing our final prep before heading to the airport in a few hours but I wanted to start this thread while I still had access to a real keyboard.

 

We have a loooong day/night ahead of us flying from Southern California to Athens for the 4 day pre-cruise Classic Greece extension. It will be our first time in Greece and we are really excited to get the journey under way.

 

The weather is cooperating here today. The rainfall stopped yesterday and is not expected to resume until this weekend. For those unaware, a series of major storms caused by an atmospheric river has hit the West Coast and massive flooding has resulted. We live in the southern portion of the state and have been spared the worst of it. We also lucked out and missed the ground halt that happened to all US air traffic yesterday. Hopefully our trip to Athens will be uneventful.

 

I will update this thread periodically when the opportunities arise.

Hello, OneSixtyToOne. I don’t know if you will read this since it is now Feb 2. Thank you for the extensive posting of narration and photos about the pre extension! We fly today for the extension and then the Greek Odyssey cruise. Loved your postings. Thank you!!

[OneSixtyToOne]

30 minutes ago, Delhi Ocean Cruiser said:

Hello, OneSixtyToOne. I don’t know if you will read this since it is now Feb 2. Thank you for the extensive posting of narration and photos about the pre extension! We fly today for the extension and then the Greek Odyssey cruise. Loved your postings. Thank you!!

Please let me know if the free day of your Classic Greece extension has shifted to Monday.

[OneSixtyToOne]

Day 17 - “I woke up high over Albuquerque on a Jet to the Promised Land” - Chuck Berry

 

We departed the villa for the last time at 5:30 AM to make our 8:00 flight. Florence airport is small but you are forced to walk a serpentine gauntlet of shops to get to your gate. From the gate you are bussed to the tarmac to board. It was a short one hour flight over the Alps to Munich by a regional carrier.

 

Munich is a great airport. It’s new, clean, spacious, and not crowded. Passport control took less than a minute. We then had a bite to eat before boarding our plane. No chance to use our extra Euros BTW. It’s all plastic. If you have the opportunity to transfer in Munich, go for it. 

 

The flight home was easy. Flight was not full and no one sat in the 3rd seat. Guy behind us was coughing, no mask, and not covering his mouth so of course I’ve come down with something. Took a COVID test and it’s negative, so just a run of the mill cold. Feeling much better today 

Here are a few odds and ends as well as random thoughts to wrap up this thread.

 

After we returned, DW found the menu for our lunch at La Parrina.

 

At one of our lunches in Tuscany, we had a marvelous Caprese salad with luscious ripe tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella drizzled in extra virgin olive oil and herbs. I mention this because one of the biggest disappointments of the trip was the one I had at Manfredi’s. It was three large portions of mozzarella with two cherry tomatoes cut into thirds, basically cheese and no salad. There was actually more tomato in the focaccia bread than the caprese, a fact I pointed out to the waiter and asked to pass along to the chef. Caprese without large slices of tomato is an abomination!

During one of Peter LaSorsa’s don’t miss lectures, he mention one of his favorite restaurants in Naples that uses artisanal pasta from a 15th century recipe. All the top restaurant in the world use it. DW ordered some and it just arrived. Looks like I’m cooking my family’s special sauce this weekend.

 

Overall I give this trip an A. Off season in the Mediterranean seems to be a great time of year to go. The weather is always unpredictable but we had only 2 days where rain was a factor. The seas were a little rough but that can happens on any cruise. The best part were the lack of crowds, especially in places like Crete where Viking was the only ship in port. The Classic Greece extension was great for us first timers to Greece. The Tuscany extension was also great but be aware that time in Florence is very limited. We previously spent four days there and it still wasn’t enough time to see everything. It did give us a chance to visit  the outlying areas and the opportunity to sample all the great good and wine Tuscany has to offer. It makes me want to return, which BTW, we will be doing in April when we take the Mediterranean Odyssey cruise. 

Edited February 2, 2023 by OneSixtyToOne

[Camden lady]

Thank you so much for your narrative and the outstanding photos.  I have so thoroughly enjoyed them all.   It made me feel as if I was traveling along with you on a fantastic voyage.   Again...Thank You!!

I sincerely hope you have many more great adventures.

 

[OneSixtyToOne]

One additional post script, the Viking Sky was selected to pilot a project to provide a select number of “Leisurely” included tours, similar to the “gentle walker” tours offered by Viking River cruises. 

[traveljkkk]

Thanks for your commentary.  Looking forward to the post extension.  Your comments about the Florence airport also help with timing expectations villa to airport for the flight back to the US.

[OneSixtyToOne]

I just came across a video about a new board game that deals with 13th century Tuscan politics and warfare. Even if you have no interest in board games, the historical background provided gives a great perspective for anyone planning on visiting Tuscany. 
 

Description of the game Inferno:

You thirsted for blood, now drink your fill. -Dante

 

 Tuscany, 1259. As wealth from crafts and foreign trade elevated northern Italy's urban families above the landed lords, rivalries within and among their cities hardened into conflict between two great parties. Ghibellines aligned with the Hohenstaufen imperial dynasty that ostensibly ruled Italy, while Guelphs backed rival imperial claimants and the greatest challenger to each Emperor's authority, the Pope. Should any faction gain advantage, others coalesced to resist.

 

The comuni (republics) of Firenze (Florence) and Siena dominated inland Tuscany at the head of these competing alliances. As Guelphs sealed their control of the populous Firenze, Ghibelline Siena turned to Hohenstaufen King Manfredi of Sicily for reinforcement. Local rebellions and reprisals escalated on each side, as political exiles stirred the pot. After Manfredi dispatched German knights to protect his loyal Tuscans, Firenze mustered its people and allies to march on Siena, which responded with its own great army. Pisa and Lucca, Lombardia and Orvieto joined in. Guelph and Ghibelline in September 1260 at last faced off en masse in the center of Tuscany, at Montaperti—the result,  a bloody Florentine defeat. But when Ghibelline exiles returned as masters of Firenze, its Guelphs rallied to Lucca and Arezzo, portending an eternal conflagration.

Edited February 3, 2023 by OneSixtyToOne

[miami mama]

Absolutely loved all your postings and pictures. This last section brought back a lot of memories of the Italian trip my husband and I took just about 20 years. Since then I have always had difficulty with smoothly, correctly pronouncing San Gimignano. Finally have a way to remember how to say it. 

[Hazel52]

Our free day during the pre extension has been moved to Monday, as you suggested. We gave a head’s up to our independent tour operator so we’re good but hoping Viking will now change this for future guests. One further switch - we’ll be going to Delphi today instead of tomorrow due to snow predicted tonight.  Vassilis was also great, per your suggestion. Thanks again for your helpful postings!!

[Bruinboy]

Just wondered about your aft cabin experience. I know you enjoyed the sail aways. Was the balcony any larger? Thanks for taking us along on your trip. We have a DV1 aft cabin booked for our South Pacific trip and wondered if we should keep it or upgrade to another class of cabin?

[OneSixtyToOne]

1 hour ago, Bruinboy said:

Just wondered about your aft cabin experience. I know you enjoyed the sail aways. Was the balcony any larger? Thanks for taking us along on your trip. We have a DV1 aft cabin booked for our South Pacific trip and wondered if we should keep it or upgrade to another class of cabin?

All DV balconies are listed as the same size but the aft ones have the glass angled away so you have more leg room when seated. In essence the deck is larger. We have another aft DV1 booked on our next cruise. I find the wake mesmerizing to watch. We had drinks outside on the weather permitting sail away days. In the South Pacific I can picture room service and a leisurely brunch on the veranda during sea days. You’ll love it.

[Bruinboy]

Thanks for such a prompt reply. A leisure brunch on the veranda sounds terrific. BTW ... San Diego is one of our favorite vacation spots. We have fallen in love with Oceanside. Easy to walk that area and some terrific food. I hope you are settling in back home.  

[Delhi Ocean Cruiser]

On 2/2/2023 at 6:29 PM, OneSixtyToOne said:

Please let me know if the free day of your Classic Greece extension has shifted to Monday.

Sorry I didn’t get to this until today, Feb 7. Yes the free day shifted to Monday. And when we arrived Delphi had moved to Saturday because of weather. It’s been cold a snowy in Athens. I’m glad Delphi moved—it was a beautiful day, though cool to cold. I know shifting is bothersome. But I appreciate the company looking to give the best experience for guests. On board the Sky now. Will miss our terrific host, Andreas, and guide Paris. A super team. Looking forward to the cruise portion.