Scott and I went on a 10 day itinerary on Viking, starting Oct. 20, 2019. The itinerary is 5 countries: Venice in Italy; Koper in Slovenia; Zadar and Dubrovnik in Croatia, Kotor in Montenegro and Corfu, Katakolon, Santorini, and Athens in Greece. The tour was called the Empires of the Mediterranean cruise. The following map show our cruise and ports.
Our cruise ship was the Viking Star. The Star was launched in 2015 as Viking's first ocean-going vessel, the 930-passenger Viking Star is a small-ship, Scandinavian-designed cruise liner focusing on destination-rich itineraries in the Mediterranean and Europe. Below is a 2016 photo lifted from the Internet.
 |
| Above photo taken from the Internet, not mine. |
Also, a 16-minute YouTube video titled "Viking Ocean Cruise: Viking Star Full Cruise Ship Tour" can be found at the following URL, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDOxeiAef8k&t=307s.
Note, this report includes only the 13 photos I emailed to my mother during this cruise. I have other photos but haven't organized them yet to put in this trip journal. Maybe later. 🙂
Venice, Italy: October 20, 2019 (Sunday)
We arrived in Venice on a water taxi, there was a big regatta going on, it was beautiful. It was the 17th edition of the Veleziana ("Venetian Sailing Race" in English), a classic regatta organized by the Compagnia della Vela ("Company of Sailing" in English.), it runs along a route that starts from the sea in front of the Lido di Venezia (or "Venice Beach" in English) and ends in the lagoon in front of Piazza San Marco, the principal public square of Venice. Below is a photo of the event.
My favorite stop so far. History going back millenniums and the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990’s. The people were very nice. We leave through a series of bays surrounded by high mountains. Truly beautiful. The following photo shows a scenic view of Kotor, a coastal town located on the Adriatic Sea. Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 and is nestled at the base of dramatic, steep limestone cliffs. We had a tour that took us half way up the surrounding mountain.
October 27, 2019 (Sunday): Corfu in Greece
I've always been curious about Corfu, it is an island off Greece’s northwest coast in the Ionian Sea. The following photo is one the two main landmarks of the island. This photo shows the iconic viewpoint of the Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island (Pontikonisi) in Corfu, taken from the Kanoni area.
In the above photo Mouse Island is the larger islet on the far left and is named for its shape (loosely looks like a mouse from a distance and above). The 17th-century Vlacherna Monastery is located on the smaller islet that is connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway.
The next photo shows the other of the two main landmarks of the island, the Old Fortress (Palaio Frourio) located in Corfu Town.
Its history dates back to the 6th century, with significant fortifications added by the Venetians between the 1400s and 1700s to defend against the Ottoman Empire.
October 28, 2019 (Monday): Katakolon in Greece
Karakolon is the gateway to Olympia the Greek town that gave rise to the modern Olympics in 1776 BC. Olympia is a a UNESCO World Heritage site, since 1989.
The following photo shows the only reconstructed column for the Temple to Zeus, the Chief God.
The Temple to Zeus was the largest and most important building at Olympia and a prime example of the fully developed classical Greek temple of the Doric order. The temple once housed a massive ivory and gold statue of Zeus, which was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The next photo shows the ruins of the Nymphaion, a monumental water fountain located in Olympia, it was built in the 2nd century AD and served as the primary water supply for the sanctuary area.
October ??, 2019: Katakolon, in Greece
October 29, 2019 (Tuesday): Santorini Island, Greece
The following photo shows Oia, Greece, a Village on Santorini Island, Greece, note all the white house’s on black lava, very pretty. We were told they were painted white limestone to keep bugs away and for insulation from the summer sun. The town is pronounced E O.
Oia is situated on the northern tip of Santorini, built high on volcanic cliffs overlooking a sea-filled caldera. Windmills, historically used for grinding grain, are prominent features of the Oia skyline.
October 30, 2019 (Wednesday): Athens, Greece
The following photo is a view of the Acropolis of Athens taken from the Athens Gate Hôtel. Cheers to the Acropolis.
The Acropolis was originally built as a fortified citadel and royal residence by the Mycenaeans, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, since 1987.
The next photo is another view from the Temple to Zeus. While originally featuring over 100 columns, only 16 remain standing today. The site is located in the center of Athens, near the Acropolis.
October 31, 2019 (Thursday): Athens, Greece
The following photo shows the Acropolis at night, taken from our hotel room. Went to the Museum of the Acropolis today. Then it rained all day.
November 1, 2019 (Friday): Athens, Greece
The next photo shows the Parthenon, one of the most recognized buildings in the world and an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece. And that is yours truly in the front.
The Parthenon was a marble temple located on the Acropolis in Athens, dedicated to the goddess Athena. It was built between 447 and 432 B.C.
November 3, 2019 (Sunday): Athens, Greece
The following photos shows a section of the ancient Athenian Aqueduct of Peisistratos, these terracotta clay pipes were used to supply water to the city. The pipe segments date from the late 6th century BC (approximately 540–530 BC). The internal diameter of these pipes were around 8 inches.
The aqueduct brought water from the foothills of the Ymittos Mountain, to the center of the city near the Acropolis, covering a total distance of over 4.5 miles. This particular display was at the Evangelismos Metro Station (subway).
On a side note. the autofocus on my Panasonic LUMIX ZS50 stopped working, so I'll need to get it repaired when I return home, or replaced if it's too expensive to repair. All of my above photos were taken with my Apple iPhone 8 Plus.
All the photos can also be found at my Google Photos Album at https://photos.google.com/u/1/album/AF1QipOGTTS4CLj9Oa7F6y-ZHqHMDVm90fhaw6u8ZzOb
