on the Ionian Sea
Jun. 9th, 2008 02:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellenkushnerMonday morning
Who knew I would like being on a Cruise? Sure, it's a giant floating hotel, but I like hotels. Kinda reminds me of being at Wiscon, but the only other guest is Delia, and panels are all about ports in the Mediterranean. (And there's hot- and cold-running food pretty much 24/7. Yeah, it's hotel food - not bad, but not irresistible - which after Rome is a pretty good thing. It's seductive 'cause it's all paid for in the package, leading to the illusion based on "free food has no calories" - I must remind myself strictly that this is not, in fact, true, and plan to walk the entire circumference of the city walls tomorrow in Dubrovnik.) But best of all, always the sound and view of water. Delia is probably blogging about the colors of it right now. Damned if it doesn't look just like the rather pricey ultramarine blue French ink that comes in those little bottles . . . .
Woke up crazyearly this morning so as not to miss the volcano - well, wouldn't you? I have always wanted to see one. Stromboli, an island that is active. They said we'd be cruising past it around 7, and my eyes popped open a bit before that. (Please do not comment that 6:40 is not early. For me, it is. I don't seem to be able to fall asleep before midnight, if then, here.) Got up, looked out, and there it was, a small grey peak on the horizon, wreathed with clouds.
. . . An hour later, we were nearly upon it.
It's not like I haven't read Patrck O'Brian. I know things happen very slowly at sea. But I didn't really understand it. I'm used to trains and planes, to being 3 minutes late and missing things entirely. Do I regret my 2 hours' watch? No. It was amazing slowly seeing it become discrete and then huge, watching the clouds over it and the sun on the water. Hey - are those white things on the slopes boulders? No - no - they're houses! Photos to come.*
Delighted to say that the melon at breakfast was ripe, so possibly local. As we were eating we looked up, and Lo! we were in the Straits of Messina - again, for some time (and I'd been afraid I'd oversleep and miss it . . . ).
Today is our Day at Sea. I had naively believed this meant that we would be out in the middle of nowhere, nothing but blue . . . but in fact we've seldom been out of sight of land. We seem to be going down the Italian coast. Shoulda brought binoculars.
Lessee, what else? The captain of the Noordam is Dutch, and makes frequent announcements in my favorite accent. The gigantor service staff seem to be primarily Indonesian, and are frighteningly sweet. (Just don't try to freakin' charm me at breakfast, all right? What the f*%#k does it matter where I'm from, anyway?) My parents are on another floor (deck? - who are we kidding?) and seem to be enjoying themselves. My mom's knees are pretty well shot, but she will drag her own luggage on and off the train. Have I mentioned I come of psychotic stock? Well, make that indefatigable - Delia is much more like her than I am (whinge, whinge), which is probably why they get along so well.
(Later) I saw dolphins. Just a few. Just briefly. I was reading on our verandah, looked up, and followed the faraway splash. But I saw dolphins.
*Internet connection is $$$$ on board, so I won't be commenting or answering e-mail, though I should be able to read it.
Who knew I would like being on a Cruise? Sure, it's a giant floating hotel, but I like hotels. Kinda reminds me of being at Wiscon, but the only other guest is Delia, and panels are all about ports in the Mediterranean. (And there's hot- and cold-running food pretty much 24/7. Yeah, it's hotel food - not bad, but not irresistible - which after Rome is a pretty good thing. It's seductive 'cause it's all paid for in the package, leading to the illusion based on "free food has no calories" - I must remind myself strictly that this is not, in fact, true, and plan to walk the entire circumference of the city walls tomorrow in Dubrovnik.) But best of all, always the sound and view of water. Delia is probably blogging about the colors of it right now. Damned if it doesn't look just like the rather pricey ultramarine blue French ink that comes in those little bottles . . . .
Woke up crazyearly this morning so as not to miss the volcano - well, wouldn't you? I have always wanted to see one. Stromboli, an island that is active. They said we'd be cruising past it around 7, and my eyes popped open a bit before that. (Please do not comment that 6:40 is not early. For me, it is. I don't seem to be able to fall asleep before midnight, if then, here.) Got up, looked out, and there it was, a small grey peak on the horizon, wreathed with clouds.
. . . An hour later, we were nearly upon it.
It's not like I haven't read Patrck O'Brian. I know things happen very slowly at sea. But I didn't really understand it. I'm used to trains and planes, to being 3 minutes late and missing things entirely. Do I regret my 2 hours' watch? No. It was amazing slowly seeing it become discrete and then huge, watching the clouds over it and the sun on the water. Hey - are those white things on the slopes boulders? No - no - they're houses! Photos to come.*
Delighted to say that the melon at breakfast was ripe, so possibly local. As we were eating we looked up, and Lo! we were in the Straits of Messina - again, for some time (and I'd been afraid I'd oversleep and miss it . . . ).
Today is our Day at Sea. I had naively believed this meant that we would be out in the middle of nowhere, nothing but blue . . . but in fact we've seldom been out of sight of land. We seem to be going down the Italian coast. Shoulda brought binoculars.
Lessee, what else? The captain of the Noordam is Dutch, and makes frequent announcements in my favorite accent. The gigantor service staff seem to be primarily Indonesian, and are frighteningly sweet. (Just don't try to freakin' charm me at breakfast, all right? What the f*%#k does it matter where I'm from, anyway?) My parents are on another floor (deck? - who are we kidding?) and seem to be enjoying themselves. My mom's knees are pretty well shot, but she will drag her own luggage on and off the train. Have I mentioned I come of psychotic stock? Well, make that indefatigable - Delia is much more like her than I am (whinge, whinge), which is probably why they get along so well.
(Later) I saw dolphins. Just a few. Just briefly. I was reading on our verandah, looked up, and followed the faraway splash. But I saw dolphins.
*Internet connection is $$$$ on board, so I won't be commenting or answering e-mail, though I should be able to read it.
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