Easy days

In Bordeaux, TSH and Diva ignored all the offered excursions and walked unaccompanied along the riverside and back through the city. Local people held a small protest outside the ship – objecting to the carbon footprint of the Silver Moon.

The next day was a sea day. At lunch time, as wells as the buffet, there are always a couple of dishes cooked to order – usually a pasta and a stir-fry. One of them was labelled ‘crazy water’, which was a new concept to TSH and Diva. They think it must have been something like this: Fish in Crazy Water Recipe - Marcella Hazan | Food & Wine (foodandwine.com)

A guest from the US is spending 2 weeks in London at the end of the cruise. He wants suggestions about what to do and he has chosen TSH and Diva (Northerners who hardly ever visit London now) for his source of wisdom.

The Sainsburys order has been placed. So food will arrive at their house 16:00 – 17:00 on the day of return

Covid update: 3 guests testing positive. All ‘more or less’ well.

Crazy water, Bordeaux, silver moon, sainsburys, covid

A very smart lunch

The first thing to say is that with very very few exceptions the food on this holiday has been excellent and TSH and Diva have enjoyed it very much. But on the last day of the Grand Voyage (TSH and Diva are staying on board for another 12 days), they were invited to the final special lunch for those who have been on the Silver Moon since Athens. Normally there is a wide choice of food but this was a fixed menu with at most 2 options for each course.

If there was to be a least suitable menu for them, this was it. ‘Carpaccio’ and ‘Tartare’ are not good words for appetisers, as they basically mean raw meat and fish, which they do not eat. Having explained this to the waiter, no alternative was offered – ‘just go straight to the next course’. The beetroot risotto, when it arrived, was topped with what looked like cream, which Diva had already explained she does not eat. (Later she discovered it was actually ‘goat cheese espuma’ but the waiter also though it was cream).  A fresh portion was cooked for her – it arrived well after TSH had eaten his. There were walnuts scattered on top – good job she does not have a nut allergy.

And then her wagyu steak arrived – she had asked for it well done, as the kitchen was obviously being run by somebody who doesn’t like cooking. She had a vague idea that this was one of the most highly prized steaks in the world. It was only afterwards that Google explained that the meat should not be cooked much beyond rare and that it was meant to be fatty. So that wasn’t great either. TSH’s ‘Red snapper fillet with breadcrumbs coat, passion fruit and eggplant quenelle’ was mediocre and a woman at the next table complained that hers was dry.

No substitute other than ice cream was offered for the cream drenched dessert. They never discovered what was being offered to vegetarians, vegans, dairy intolerant, gluten free people etc.

The service was slow. Partly because the top chef (in his hat, which has to be taller than the hats of all the other chefs) was personally carving the iberico ham for the anti pasta, followed by the waiters adding the olives, tomatoes etc. For around 100 people!!

La Terrazza is booked for tonight. Real food.

Only 1 crew member testing positive for Covid now. All transit passengers have been tested again.

Best ship entertainment ever

On formal night in Atlantide (restaurant), TSH and Diva were given a window table and the waiter obligingly opened the blind so that they could see the sea. Surprisingly, it was Diva who first spotted what was happening. First one dark shape and then another appeared fleetingly above the surface of the very calm sea. Soon it was apparent that there was a large number of dolphins accompanying the Silver Moon. Many jumped clear out of the water – sometimes more than one at one time. Brilliant show appreciated by all. There has long been a guest rumour that a tank of dolphins is kept in the bowels of the ship to be let out by the Captain at appropriate times. When better than formal night?

In Valencia, TSH and Dive took the almost empty shuttle bus into the city centre and walked around the main squares. They had been warned that it was Sunday of a Bank Holiday weekend and everything would be closed but in fact many cafes and some tourist shops were open and there were large numbers of people around. When they boarded the shuttle bus for the return journey, it was clear that many guests were using the shuttle as a drive-by excursion, were not getting off and were quite happy to return immediately to the Silver Moon.

TSH is taking many pics but is struggling with his camera steaming up whilst he is wearing a mask.

Only 1 guest is now testing positive for Covid.

Spain

Palamos is one of the original resorts on the Costa Brava and is an attractive small port. TSH and Diva took the excursion to Girona (used in filming ‘Game of Thrones’). It is an historic city with many streets, squares and alleys little changed since medieval times. The visit included the Arab baths, the Jewish museum and a ‘Pastry Pause’ to sample a local speciality – deep fried and filled with confectioners custard. The guide moved so fast compared with the speed of the average guest that at one stage she lost the whole group, who wandered round in circles with some shouting ‘We are here!!’

Food for dinner included lamb rogan josh (as a main course, not a bread flavouring) – always a favourite.

In Barcelona, whilst the Silver Moon said farewell to some guests and welcomed others on board, TSH and Diva visited La Sagrada Familia Gaudi masterpiece. It is still under development and the greatest enhancement since their last visit is the stunning stained glass. The taxi transfer from the port was convenient and their prebooked tickets got them in without much waiting.

Breakfast in La Terrazza in Barcelona was extremely chaotic. TSH and Diva did not manage to get any hot drinks, as there were so few waiters, so they just had fruit from the buffet. When they left the restaurant, it was just after 8:00, which is the time when suites have to be made available for anti-Covid sanitising. Many guests left it until the last minute and the queue to enter the restaurant was the longest TSH and Diva have ever seen on Silversea.

Covid update: The Silver Moon guests and crew were all tested again before arrival in Barcelona. On 27/4, there were 6 guests and 0 crew testing positive. On 28/4, there were 5 guests and 0 crew testing positive.  No-one is more than mildly ill.

The sea is still smooth and the weather is a bit warmer.

 

The waiter has never heard of it before

After a very scenic sail-in to Marseille with a beautiful sunrise, TSH and Diva took the excursion to Aix-en-Provence. The journey was enlivened by the man sitting behind them mansplaining everything to his wife, including paraphrasing the guide. He said that everything would be difficult, as all signage was likely to be in French but that this would be easier than in the forthcoming call to Lisbon, where he had no idea what language would be used. He then went on to explain at length that when the guide mentioned ‘dry dock’, she meant somewhere where a vessel was taken out of the water, which had to be done very carefully so as not to crush it.

Aix itself was an interesting and attractive town, so this turned out to be a very enjoyable morning. Before returning to the Silver Moon, the bus drove around part of the old port, which is TSH and Diva’s favourite part of Marseille. The cathedral near the harbour is very splendid and much photographed – and that is just by TSH.

The bread offering at dinner quite often includes flavoured bread – cheese, onion, olive etc. But the waiter announced that one of the breads was ‘lamb ragout’. Diva thought she had misheard and questioned him closely. He said that this idea was also novel to him and he joined in the hilarity. The flavour was actually so subtle that they would have had no idea what it was if they had not been warned.

Marseille is special for Silversea, as it is where 5 of their ships spent their Covid lockdown time.

Diva, the Prince and a cut finger

Monte Carlo is in preparation for Formula E racing (Diva has no idea what this is). So, walking into the centre of town and viewing the Casino was impossible. Grandstands are being built and racetracks laid out. There are no pavements and every local driver appears to be indulging a fantasy of being in a Grand Prix.

So, in the interests of health and safety, TSH and Diva took the extremely steep path up to the Royal Palace area instead. Where they saw Prince Albert II leave his Palace for a while. With many motorcycle outriders and a lot of blue flashing lights. When he returned, there was a trumpet fanfare to greet him.

When putting a used towel into the bin in one of the toilets onboard the Silver Moon, the hinged cover sprang back viciously and cut Diva’s finger. She thought that reporting it to the ship authorities would involve much form-filling and a visit to the doctor, so she reported only to TSH, who supplied a plaster. There was a lot of blood at the time but it now appears to have stopped bleeding.

TSH has had his hair cut on the ship. The hairdresser – male – had a very ornate hairdo and TSH wanted very much that he would not leave with something similar. The colour of his hair – natural dark brown with some distinguished grey – was admired.

On arrival in Monte Carlo, the Cruise Director insisted that no-one should leave the ship without photo id (passport or driving licence), as otherwise they would not be allowed back. TSH and Diva carried their driving licences but were not asked to show them at the port or anywhere else.

Covid update: There are now 8 guests and 2 crew who have tested positive for Covid. All are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and the captain of the Silver Moon has assured the guests that all is under control.

Leaving the volcano

The scenery around Naples and Sorrento includes many dramatic mountains but it is all dominated by looming Vesuvius, making for a dramatic sail-away.  The sea was moderately rough that night but seasoned sailors TSH and Diva did not need to take any medication. On arrival in Civitavecchia, the weather was sufficiently gloomy that TSH and Diva, along with many other in-transit guests, spent the morning in the assigned Panorama lounge whilst the rest of the ship was sanitised ready for the embarking guests and the next leg of their Grand Voyage.

Not many birds have been seen during this voyage, but there were hordes of Gulls around the ship in Naples.

The most recent ship-wide testing session revealed an additional guest who tested positive for Covid. The current total is 6 guests and 4 crew (all asymptomatic or with only mild symptoms) in isolation – 1.2% of the onboard population. TSH and Diva were told by a guest who had tested positive earlier in the voyage that the procedure is to stay in your suite pending a follow-up PCR test. If that is also positive, you are required to pack a bag and then you are put into a wheelchair and the crew run you into isolation. Surprisingly, the food arrangements appear to be less than satisfactory.

 

Landed in Palermo

The sail-away from Taormina was dramatic – with rows of jagged mountains dwarfed by Etna in the background. This was followed by the night-time passage through the Messina straits, where the lights of Sicily and mainland Italy were visible. Fortunately, TSH and Diva were eating in La Terrazza on deck 7, so they had a good view of all of it.

They decided to cancel their excursion in Palermo – the city seemed to be comfortably close to the port. They had a pleasant morning, viewing the theatre and the opera house (from outside) and the main streets and squares. This was after they had walked past many insistent sellers of tours by car, mini-train and horse-drawn cart.

TSH and Diva have so far passed the temperature test every morning. They will be taking another lateral flow test in two days time. The Captain of the Silver Moon has announced that one further guest has tested positive but that the total number of cases on board is still < 1% of the on-board population. Occasionally, guests meet a crew member in a hazmat suit with a tank strapped to their back, spraying around the public spaces.

 

Happy Easter

Easter Sunday was spent in Valletta, Malta, where TSH and Diva walked around on their own. They avoided excursions, taxis and the city lift, and instead walked all the way up the hill (and, later, down again) to reach City Gate and the main streets. Periodically, they heard canon fire, which they assume is connected to the Easter festivities. They were given Easter eggs in their suite and there are magnificent Easter egg displays around the ship.

The Captain has announced that in the 4 days since Venice, 2 guests and 4 crew have tested positive for Covid, < 1% of the people on the Silver Moon. There is no word of the rumoured 20 or 30 people who may have tested positive before that. Some of the positive guests are in isolation on Deck 6.

TSH has now eaten his first filet mignon and drunk his first fruit punch of this cruise. Excellent as ever.

On some of the nights on board, the skies have been clear enough to take advantage of the Dark Skies and have a good view of many stars. No planets at the moment and hardly any other cruise ships.

The bag is here!!

 TSH’s bag has arrived at the ship – in Venice. So he thinks it is Christmas, having forgotten what he packed 4 weeks ago. Diva is preparing to give up half the walk-in wardrobe.  

The Captain of the Silver Moon has announced that several guests have tested positive for Covid and are in quarantine, either on or off the ship. None are seriously ill. He suggests that guests should wear masks when not eating or drinking (not much of the time, then). TSH and Diva are already being cautious, as usual.

Zadar

 The captain of the Silver Moon warned of moderate to rough seas but TSH and Diva did not feel anything very much, in spite of not taking any seasickness pills. However, the more lively sea meant that the sea organ (a series of pipes set into the quayside and making sounds due to the wind and the waves) in Zadar was noisier than on any other previous visit.

TSH and Diva walked around the town and harbourside. This is one of the most scenic ports – views from the blue sea up to the snow-covered mountains. It also has a long history from prehistoric times and remnants of many civilisations can be seen easily.

The suite cleaner is leaving the Silver Moon tomorrow to return to his home. TSH and Diva are preparing to train someone new to meet their exacting needs.

Silver Moon guests have daily temperature checks and the crew still wear masks at all times, although they are now allowed ashore in some ports. Mask wearing is very patchy, although TSH and Diva are still wearing them when not eating or drinking. There is a hand washing station at the entrance to the buffet (food is served by crew) and it use is enforced. On this 12-day leg of the voyage, everyone will have been tested 3 times, including the test just before embarkation, Everything feels very safe.

The itinerary is just a wish list

 TSH and Diva have seen a communication from Silversea suggesting that their visits to Northern Europe and the Channel Isles have been cancelled. Instead, they are to circumnavigate the British Isles twice. Same ports twice. How the mighty are fallen. The original plan for January 2021 was to circumnavigate South America. Once.

This change was half-expected because of the Covid status of France in particular. As a precaution, this is OK with TSH and Diva. But they will need clothes for cooler climes such as Scotland in late September. And Diva has wasted money on Day 2 tests that will not now be needed. 

They look forward to a confirmation of where exactly they are going. And information about the dress codes. And luggage tags. But the Silversea website has been down for days with no real explanation. 

Silver Spirit is in the Bay of Biscay, still heading for Southampton.