More Travels with the Reads II

The F A Cup final weekend

What is this, you may ask if you are not a football fan or think football is an American game.

Let me tell you this, football is the original game invented in the UK and the F A Cup final is the most prestigious event of the season and (nearly) always the last game of that season.

Whether it was premonition or just good luck but we had planned a visit to Flic & Gary around that time being the first we both were available after our lengthy cruise earlier in the year.

20170717_100943 — Anyone want to buy a house?

As it happens they were still living in Early as their long and protracted house move had not been finalised so more nights in our favourite hotel in the area, Crowne Plaza, Reading.

We also visited our house in Clearwell which we have decided to put on the market for sale so had appointments with Estate Agents.

The night before the F A Cup final, we managed a night’s entertainment at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre listening to Lipstick on Your Collar, a 50s/60s show group ( http://www.lipstickonyourcollar.co.uk/ ) who performed at Flic & Gary’s wedding.

They are well worth seeing if you can – fabulous entertainment.

I was lucky enough to get a ticket to the F A Cup final although had little hope of seeing my team, Watford, win against probably the best team in the Country at the moment, Manchester City, but off I went, catching the train from nearby High Wycombe to Wembley Stadium on the Chiltern Line.

Polite banter on the train and no trouble with a short walk to the stadium itself which I hadn’t been to since it was rebuilt a few years back.

A coffee was my liquid of choice pre match whilst I viewed the other supporters milling around both in the bar / café area and the concourse outside.

Taking seats, the atmosphere was building in the colourful stadium with Watford’s Red and Yellow contrasting with Manchester City’s light blue and white and soon we were into the traditional song – Abide with me – and the match itself.

I don’t think I should dwell on the football itself, as a 0-6 drubbing was not really the score I wanted but the atmosphere was just something else with flag waving by, predominantly the Watford, fans in the latter stages of the match somewhat distracted from the football.

Oh well, better luck next year and at least we got to the final.

The UK visit also took in Cody’s birthday joint with a friend of the same age at the Reading Rugby Club where he appears to be starting with girlfriends early!

Now we have to get back home before the ferries get clogged up with bikes for the Annual Motorcycling that is the World famous TT.

On the way home

Cruise brochure Sunday 14 April

It is Sarah’s 40th today but we can’t get through to her on the emails or internet. It is foggy all day so we can’t see a thing outside and even any phone reception is poor.

One of the few ships seen on our way to Southampton.

Our immigration into the UK is dealt with on board which in many respects speeds up the process and must be a nice job for the immigration staff who have had to fly out to Cadiz to travel back on the cruise for 3 days. However, there are long queues to go through immigration.

A talk with Captain (Luke Vojvodina from Dubrovnik) from entertainment manager, Emma and evening entertainment from Jon Culshaw whose show was the first time he had been on a P &O ship.

Sal told not to go out and to totally rest tonight so no dressing up in dress suits for our last but one night.

Monday 15 April

Not foggy today but rougher and wetter with a very few vessels seen on our passage to Southampton.

Another two doctor’s visits but do get out to Breakfast, lunch with Brenda & Mick and I managed to get to see the Arcadia vocalists who performed on the main stage.

Pack all our things as we are off tomorrow, so suitcases outside by 6pm tonight, just hand luggage for the last night.

I shan’t be sorry to say goodbye to our cabin attendant, he was a little miserable and not particularly friendly.

Tuesday 16 April

The Medical staff have been brilliant and even managed to find us a wheelchair to get off the ship. Flic meets us and we head off to Gatwick for our flight home after lunch at a garden centre – Wyevale, Chichester.

It is so nice to see them and of course Cody is delighted to see us. Off to Gatwick, somewhat early for our flight but Flic and Cody stay with us for some time, Cody enjoying the ride on the Gatwick shuttle.

Bye-bye cabin

Our plane is on time, or would have been had a bird not struck it on the way in causing many £thousand’s of damage but a new plane was found by Easyjet very quickly.

The cruise wasn’t the best of experiences bearing in mind our various ailments but I think we made the most of the destinations / ports of call some of which it would be nice to return to (Australia, Singapore, Oman) but others equally as fascinating but not necessarily worth a return visit (Mumbai, Dubai).

I don’t think we will be doing another long cruise again though, just shorter ones in the future.

What’s next? Well, you will just have to wait and see.

Cadiz

Whilst we arrive early we have another doctor’s visit but after that, Sal comes with me so that she can say she has set foot on Spanish soil.

Internet not bad at the port but we are not able to speak with Sarah as she is doing lifesaving assessments, Flic is in an interview with a client and Mel who is in transit between home and Jersey. So we assume all is as well as can be expected then.

We do manage to download all outstanding emails and whilst Sal returns to the ship for a rest, I set out again to explore Cadiz.

Unfortunately, I only manage a couple of hours walk with a stop for a coffee and a visit to a supermarket for some essentials as we have an early departure from Cadiz.

The city has many narrow streets with low rise buildings, 3 floors max, with the thin old fashioned shops extending back some way mixed in with modern fashionable clothes shops – at least that is where some of the younger female members of the crew seemed to be heading.

From a distance many of the paths look wet but up close you can see that it is just the stone that has been the subject of many feet tramping on them that has made them shiny.

The square was fascinating as was the church which had many preparations for Easter week in full flow including masses of red flowers.

Manage to take a few pictures and videos to show Sal back at the ship to give her a flavour of the place – we must come back in healthier times but let us hope that the queues to get back onto the ship are not as long post Brexit – if that ever happens!

Now for the sail across the Bay of Biscay to our final destination, Southampton, UK.

Across the Med.

Tuesday 9 April

A very quiet day, starting with Breakfast in our room. The temperature is a cool 17C with a strong wind so no sunbathers out today.

Tonight we were entertained by Duo Esencias, a Spanish flamingo dancer and a violinist.

Both were very good although one guy said his sister in law could do better – so rude. We thought they were very good.

Wednesday 10 April

Not a good day, Sal’s cold has turned into a virus and she is confined to our cabin for rest for most of the day only venturing up to the cafe.

My coughing has resulted in back ache but at least I can move around the ship.

We both miss the Captain’s cocktail party and another showing of the Headliners with their circus show.

Thursday 11 April – would have been my Mum’s 100th.

We pass Sicily on our Starboard side just after dawn and with breakfast in our room again, we are possibly set for another lazy day.

The temperature is now down to 14C and Brexit is now scheduled for 31 October.

We had thought that by the time we got back from the cruise, all the Brexit talk would be over and we wouldn’t have to listen to rubbish claims and talks by politicians and journalists alike but, no, we have another 6 months of it!

Sal still not well, spends all day on or in bed with cabin steward threatening to report the fact he can’t get in to clean the room all day ( + last night ).

Have to postpone dinner with Dave and Sandra to Saturday night.

Go to see Headliners and Ken Joy’s talk on comedians as well as John Courtney, comedian / piano player.

Friday 12 April

Today is Arcadia’s 14th birthday with a special cake being made by the chef to celebrate.

More celebrations of a kind as the passengers who have joined in the art classes during the voyage display what they have been working on during the cruise and I must say there is an excellent standard.

On every floor, outside of each mid ships lift shat there are statues in little alcoves which I suppose are an aide to ensure you turn the right way out of the lift – at least that worked for me, most times.

We visit the on board Doctor again who confirms Sal has a virus and prescribes a dose of staying in the cabin, plenty of water and rest.

Another talk by Ken Joy but today mainly confined to our cabin except for food and drink.

Spain is sighted at about 5pm and we follow it for the rest of the evening with dusk at about 10:15pm ship’s time. Clocks back tonight to European time.

Dinner with Brenda & Mick but not for Sal who still has the virus – let’s hope she is OK for Cadiz tomorrow.

Sea of Galilee

Monday 8 April

Our itinerary had originally allowed for a stop in Limassol, Cyprus but even before the ship had set sail earlier in the year, this was replaced by a 2nd day in Israel and it was a very worthwhile extra.

Another early start, not quite as early as yesterday though, and we are off North East in great weather towards the Sea of Galilee which, we are told, is 212 metres below Sea Level.

Not, however, before we see some activity from the Israeli Navy.

Again, as with many tourist destinations in Egypt it is all about remembering the name from your religious education in School and putting a physical destination to the names.

We are now both suffering with the effects of my cold but this is a little walking tour so we will benefit from lack of exertion.

The drive out of Haifa is in a more built up part of the suburbs of Haifa which itself is a fascinating place which appears to be well served by public transport and has a very steep garden to explore – if only we had time.

One of the frequent trains that stopped at Haifa port

Our guide (not as good as yesterday’s guide, sadly, gives us a potted history of the Sea of Galilee area which is just under the Golan Heights which was the subject of an Israeli annexation from Syria in the 1967 conflict but is now a peaceful border, perhaps because Syria has other things on it’s mind!

Our tour is to see some of the religious sights around the Sea of Galilee and our first stop is at the Church of the Beatitudes a Catholic Church near near Tabgha and Capernaum and near the location of the Sermon on the Mount.

Inside, there are mosaic symbols on the pavement representing Justice, Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance, Faith, Hope, and Charity.

The church also houses a stone where apparently, Jesus broke bread.

Next stop was the St Peter’s Church Capernaum, a Modern building built on the site of an earlier church but suspended above the old ruins.

Sadly we were not able to enter the church as a service was taking place but we were able to get to see underneath the Church and visit the Statue of St Peter nearby.

Nearby were the Greek Orthodox Church and Old Synagogue which we were able to walk around but by now it was getting very hot so not a long time was able to be spent as the old Synagogue are ruins and open air.

Walking around these old remains does put things into perspective when you realise how old they are and how long they have been there.

Slimy eel like creatures at the Sea of Galilee

We did get to the water’s edge with it’s strange fish in the Sea.

IMG_8430a — Golan Heights remnants of the 1967 war.

We are now off around the East shores of the Sea of Galilee past the Golan Heights which still retains some elements of the conflict and one of the remaining kibbutz (Maagan).

Having crossed the River Jordan at the top of the Sea of Galilee, we are now taken to Yardenit, a Jewish centre on the river just after it leaves the Sea of Galilee at the Southern end where baptisms still take place and where, it is said, that Jesus was Baptized.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I will say that I thought the centre was a bit commercialised with nothing really to suggest there were at any time old buildings albeit that there were some parables set in wonderfully presented tiles in so many different languages and of course there is the ability to get your feet wet in the River Jordan.

Whilst on our journey back to the ship, we pass a number of both Israeli and Arab settlements, the Arab ones being distinctive not only because of the minarets pointing high into the sky but also because predominantly, they have flat rooves, the Jewish ones having A-frame rooves.

By the time we get back to the ship, we are just in time for the it to move berth for a few hours to let another cruise ship in before we set sail on our 4 days crossing of the Mediterranean Sea without stopping before we get to our final port of call on this cruise, Cadiz.

As with our visit to Jerusalem, this was a wonderful experience, again bringing to life the stories written in the Bible all those years ago.

Jerusalem

Sunday 7 April

We are in Israel, our ninth “new” country of this cruise and an early start for a 10+ hour trip from Haifa by coach to Jerusalem.

Whilst there is limited walking on this tour it does mean there are a few of the less able walkers on the coaches of which there are at least 4.

Unfortunately, some of the less able are accompanied by some people with less brain cells.

The 2 and a half hour drive to Jerusalem is firstly over very green undulating ground some of which is used for banana trees, grape vines, olives and oranges to name but a few.

We pass into the hilly terrain around Jerusalem with a comfort stop near a Military museum and Monastery for Silent Monks, the Latrun Trappist monastery, before passing the Israel Museum and stopping outside the Israel Parliament, (Knesset )

There we have explained to us the seven branch Menorah which is situated outside of the Knesset and was made by the German sculptor, Benno Elkan who died in 1960.

The Menorah portrays 29 formative events and concepts from the Old Testament and the History of the Jewish people and arrived in Israel in 1956.

Garden & chapel at Gethsemane

We then move on to the Garden of Gethsemane next to the Sanctuary of Gethsemane, a wonderfully preserved place of worship and opposite the Golden Gate of the old walled city.

As you would expect, despite the crowds, the area is peaceful.

Unfortunately, we have limited time in the gardens but there is time to see the ridiculously old trees before we are taken into the adjacent Sanctuary which contain wonderful paintings on the walls and ceilings.

All around the Sanctuary and Gardens and even over the road to the Walled city of Old Jerusalem and it’s Golden Gate there are tombs of famous (and not so famous) people mentioned in the Bible

Inside the Sanctuary of Gethsemane

Inside the Sanctuary of Gethsemane

It is here that somewhat amazingly that we can hark back to our religious education at schools and all the places mentioned in the Bible only to now find ourselves in the midst of these place names for real.

Now off to another great lunch, cooked Kosher of course, at the Leonardo Hotel in Saint George Street. It was a buffet with wine, and very welcome.

Our final stop on the tour is at the Western (wailing) wall inside the walled city.

As you can imagine, the place was crowded and of course, men and women are separated when visiting the wall.

Even the security at the entrance to the square was gender separated which did manage to confuse one elderly tourist although I think she might have had a pacemaker as she was channelled through a separate security area to her husband.

There are more women than men but the men’s area is bigger and with less chairs to sit on. I must admit I did feel a little uncomfortable taking photos of those at prayer although no one appeared to mind but there were other photographic opportunities though.

We had been given a slip of paper to write a little prayer/message and put it in the cracks in the wall which tradition says are taken up to heaven.

Men have to wear a head covering but these are supplied by a charity free of charge or for a donation. Not having any Shekels with me, I hoped a $ would suffice.

Apart from the Western Wall I am not sure what else there is to do inside the walls as we did not have time for anything other than the wall and an uphill walk to the bus.

Our tour guide today has been excellent, a young woman who whilst being very proud of her country and its traditions is very modern in her outlook.

I must say, a refreshing change from many of the tour guides we have experienced as her ability to part knowledge to us and her enthusiasm was wonderful.

Drive back to Haifa is again 2 and a half hours although had there been no traffic hold ups, it might have been under 2 hours. I did notice though that the trams sped past fairly full with not just Israelis but also Arabs who at least on the places we visited, live side by side in peace.

A very enlightening and worthwhile tour albeit that it is probably a place that I would not necessarily return to.

Pirates and the Suez Canal

Monday 1 April

No April fool jokes from the Captain, unlike another cruise we were on, and after our port talk on Haifa we relax for the rest of the day following the 24 or so birds that fly with us for virtually the whole day – they must be exhausted.

Another dressing up day – 3 more to go after today – and entertainment by Wayne Denton with his tribute to John Denver. I am sure we have seen him before but another viewing was well worth it.

Tuesday 2 April

Our 2nd of 6 consecutive sea days although one of these will be going through the Suez Canal. Dolphin watch revealed one dolphin to me but others saw more.

Headliners was a tribute to Queen.

Wednesday 3 April

Early morning we enter the Red Sea at the point where Djibouti and Eritrea in Africa are opposite Yemen in the Arabian peninsula and possibly the closest to land we get in the pirate danger area.

We are probably under 3 miles from land on the Yemini side and 8 miles from land on the African side.

We had previously been given “training” to ensure we knew what to do in the event of pirates boarding our ship and many of the passengers were out with their cabin’s binoculars looking for small boats but us, we watch a film, The Green Book, about a black pianist in the early 1960s Deep South of the United States of America, the prejudice he suffered and his friendship with his white driver.

IMG_8270 (Djubiti) — The coast of Djibouti

Based on a true story, I think, and well worth watching.

An absolutely fascinating talk by Lieutenant Commander Ted Bath a Royal Navy Liaison Officer on the security systems in place as we progressed through the High Risk area of the Yemeni coast.

He had the audience in stitches some of the time with his tales from earlier trips but it was too much for one passenger who somewhat disgustedly asked why, if cruise ships were so low priority on the pirate’s radar (because of the numbers of people on them) why did we have to have the lights dimmed at night, because as a result he couldn’t drink his G & T on the balcony as his want. The trouble was, I think he was being very serious in his questioning!

Entertainment tonight is from Duo Free Action, an Acrobatic Duo with some stunning circus acts. Very flexible people.

Thursday 4 April

Another calm sea with little wind as we chug up the Red Sea, Africa on our Port side and Asia on our Starboard side.

An afternoon show for a change, Wayne Denton again with his tribute to Neil Diamond and evening entertainment from a trio of female Scottish singers, The SwingCats with their 50s and 40s music.

Friday 5 April

A bit cooler on the balcony this morning and sea a bit rougher as we approach the upper reaches of the Red Sea which is so named due to the Red Algae present at a certain time of the year.

I have a head cold getting to me, hope I have stopped sneezing and using so many tissues by Sunday.

Comedian tonight is Mike Doyle with even more comic take on life on Arcadia – very funny.

Saturday 6 April

Entering the Suez Canal at about 5:30 am, it seems there is no fanfare, no signage to start with and no locks.

Egypt is now all around us with the Gulf of Aqaba having left us on the Starboard side a day ago.

The transit is in a convoy northbound at about 8.5kts and we have one cruise ship and at least two big freighters behind us whilst little boats criss cross behind us with anything from cars, people, goods and livestock on them.

What was noticeable however were the guards who all seemed to have weapons deployed on the Eastern side, with some of their barracks nicely camouflaged and looking inland as we pass.

Egyptian barracks on the East Bank of the Suez

Some were quite friendly, waving to us as we pass slowly on our way northwards, others not so with trained eyes spying on us through their probably very powerful binoculars.

There is a distinct “brown” feel to all the buildings and soldier’s uniforms, not surprising as we are in the desert.

The Western side is far more populated than the Eastern Side although the Egyptians are building a concrete jungle near the Bridge on the Eastern Side for about 1 million people; an Egyptian Milton Keynes!

Ismailia, on the Western bank seems to be largish settlement although judging by the wall, the residents have difficulty in freely accessing the canal.

The ferry across the canal is still in use despite the construction of a bridge a few years back which strangely is not shown on Google maps.

IMG_8308a — Monument to the builders of the canal

We pass a monument built to commemorate the workers who built the canal which is somewhat huge.

My photo doesn’t do justice to the size as there was nothing around it for comparison.

Strategically placed buildings are in evidence all along the East Bank, presumably the soldier’s quarters and set back are one or two settlements with a few ferry crossings in evidence.

By about 2:30pm, the pilot disembarks and we are out in the Mediterranean Sea after our 12 hour transit and on our way to Haifa in Israel having probably used a whole box of tissues for a very bad head cold.