Zesty Energy
The Zesty Boomers continue their recreationally employed vision of curiosity, zest, gratitude, and hope by adventuring off on the Silver Spirit cruise from Venice to Athens.
Venice gondola ride on the main canal. Interesting history. Very strange to travel by boat. We took a water taxi from Marco Polo airport to our hotel on the canal. I think the Charles River water is cleaner than the water in these canals.
Carol and Mark strolling Piazza San Marco in Venice, climbing many bridge stairs that traverse the canals. Off in the distance you can see bell tower over looking the canal.
Gondola parked outside a restaurant waiting for guests.
The Zesty's after 35 years of marriage have made it to a Gondola ride on the canals of Venice.
The oldest continuously operating Coffee house in the world. Established in Venice in 1720. Located in historic Piazza San Marco.
Scenic canal In Venice. All transport, including garbage collection, police, and ambulance services, are done by various types of boats like vaporettos ( bus ), water taxis, and gondolas. The buildings lining the canals are built on foundations of large numbers of wooden piles, made from tree trunks driven into the soft mud. Over centuries, these wooden piles have petrified in the saltwater, becoming almost as hard and durable as stone. This technique has preserved the cities unique infrastructure.
Our ship Silver Spirit in the port of Trieste. Only has 599 passengers max. The staff and crew provided incredible service. Truly top notch from door to door.
We went on an excursion that included a stop at Caffe San Marco. Trieste is known as Italy's coffee capital due to its history as the main coffee port for Central Europe and its strong coffee culture. In the 18th century authorities declared its port tax free, making it a central hub for coffee importation. Caffe San Marco is a historic literary cafe, known for intellectual history, Art Nouveau interiors, and integrated bookstore.
Dubrovniks daunting fortress is Croatia's crowning glory. It rises vertically from the tranquil waters of the Adriatic Sea. The fortress is a backdrop of many films and shows such as Star Wars, Robin Hood, and Game of Thrones. The walls are 36 feet thick. They protect Dubrovnik during its maritime history. Even as late as 1991 when Serbian forces attached during the breakup of Yugoslavia. Dubrovnik's architecture is awe inspiring. Influenced by Roman, Byzantium, and Venetian cultures. The city walls have never been breached.
As the Zesty Boomers strolled the ancient city and walls of Dubrovnik, they came upon an intriguing sight. Between the massive walls in the distance in the bay were two ships, one modern and one ancient. The furthest out is our ship the Silversea Spirit. In the foreground is the old tall ship the Dubrovnik. Getting this photo was a stroke of luck and a once in a lifetime shot.
On the way to Bari, Italy. We got up about 6 A.M. opened up the curtains and slider and walked onto our veranda. We were greeted with this sunrise. As a photographer rolling out of bed to get this kind of sunrise shot is a grateful gift. My new nickname is the Lazy Photographer.
Part of our stop in Bari was an excursion to the town of Polignano a Mare to see the famous white cliffs. This dramatic landscape features buildings perched on cliffs above the Adriatic Sea. The town is built on limestone spur, the white buildings seemingly appear poised to fall into the sea. Lama Monachile, also known as " Divers Cliff", is a famous beach nestled between the cliffs. The cliffs are the venue for the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. The famous song Volare is part of the lore of the cliffs. It means to fly. Dominic Modugno was born in Polignano a Mare. The white cliffs inspired him to write his song "Volare".......Volare ooh ooh ooh.
Corfu is an island of the Ionian Sea. It has 3000 years of history influenced by Venetian, French, and British occupiers. Greek mythology and legend stories are part of the vibe here. Currently the economy is not great here and it reflects it in some of the neighborhoods. Our excursion took us to the Mon Repos Palace. On the way back we stopped at a Kumquat distillery called Lazarus. They made Uzo, olive oil, and kumquats. We had samples.
Here we have the famous Club Foot who competes at the Summer Olympics in kickball. At this spot every Olympics the flame that you see lit during the games is first lit here and is carried across the globe before being brought into the arena at opening night. We landed at a small port named Katakolon on the Ionian Sea. The Olympia is a short ride away. The original games were held in honor of the Greek god Zeus. As many as 45,000 spectators filled the mud seats to witness the first contests in athleticism.
The Greek island of Monemvasia boasts a glorious natural setting perched on a colossal rock island that rises spectacularly from the sea. It's a fortress town with a unique castle built into the rock. Monemvasia means single entrance. It refers to the narrow causeway that serves as the only land based way to access the town. Today the villagers that live in the dwellings must park their cars outside the entrance and walk long distances to their homes.
Monemvasia appears uninhabited from the sea with its steep rock cliffs, but on the other side is romantic beauty. The rock is said to have blessed couples married here with a long marriage.
Souda Bay, Crete from our veranda as the sun rises. Crete is Greece's largest and most storied island. It has maritime history, museums, and is a picturesque Venetian fishing town. It's home to a major NATO base and Souda Bay war cemetery, which honors allied soldiers of World War ll. Since 2020, the USS Hershel "Woody" Williams, is deployed to the Crete Naval Base. Our excursion was the Treasures of the Cretan Culture. We did wine, and olive oil tasting with appetizers. Very tasty and fun as we socialized with our cruise mates. After we went to a soap making shop. The soaps were infused with olive oil. The island is filled with olive tree groves and wine vineyards.
We visited this small town Chania ( pronounced Hania ). Enchanting old town section by the sea. It's one of the most underrated destinations in Europe. There's something magical about the old town, Venetian Harbor, and the beauty of the area.
Pyrogos village is in the heart of Santorini, offering panoramic island views from its hilltop location.
This picture taken from our ship while having Pizza at Spaccoloni's restaurant in the Aegean Sea. It's the town of Thira which is the capital of Santorini. Perched on a cliff 1300 feet high, it offers dramatic views of the calera ( volcanic crater ). of Palaia Kameni volcanic Island. The volcanic activity formed the island of Santorini as the result of a massive eruption around 1600 BCE, known as the Minoan eruption. The volcano is still active having a minor eruption in 1950 that produced a lava dome and flows on New Kameni. There was a smaller magma movement in 2012. The massive explosion in 1600 BCE formed a caldera ( cauldron like depression ) that has filled with water.
As the island's former capital, Pyrogos has medieval streets, Venetian style homes and traditional architecture.
Santorini is famous for its beautiful white and blue domes. Breathlessly romantic and incredible scenic, the azure domes and whitewashed buildings cascading down Santorini's slopes are of timeless beauty.
Coffee Shop in the village of Megalochori. This village is one of the oldest and most traditional villages. It's located in the southwestern part of Santorini. It's away from the busier tourists centers and offers a peaceful escape.
Quite square in the village of Megalochori