Eastern Med Cruise report
Feb 17th, 2004, 01:27 PM
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Eastern Med Cruise report
It is always the challenge-filled trip that makes for interesting memories.
Click on the link below to read about my Voyage on the M/V Condemned (I mean, M/V Azur).
http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberre...m?EntryID=2808
Click on the link below to read about my Voyage on the M/V Condemned (I mean, M/V Azur).
http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberre...m?EntryID=2808
Feb 17th, 2004, 02:01 PM
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Call it: M/V The Condemned (instead)
Pros: The ship did not sink
Cons: The ship still sails
The Bottom Line: Avoid this freighter masquerading as a cruise ship
I purchased an 11-day Eastern Mediterranean cruise on M/V Azur, owned by Festival/First European cruise line.
I chose the cruise for the itinerary - I wanted to see the Pyramids/Sphinx, but was not willing to do a land vacation to Egypt at this time.
Itinerary was quite appealing (included 3 countries I had not visited before).
-Venice, Italy
-Dubrovnik, Croatia
-Olympia (Katakolon), Greece
-At Sea
-Cairo (Alexandria), Egypt
-Limassol, Cyprus
-Antalya, Turkey
-Rhodes, Greece
-Athens (Piraeus), Greece Corinth Canal
-At Sea
-Venice, Italy
I knew this was primarily a European-targeted line, that it was an old ship, etc. I did as much research as can be done using the web. As such, I had set my expectations appropriately, which is to say, I set them extremely LOW. Little did I know how much lower the "ship" experience would scrape the bottom.
THE GOOD:
1) Price: Cheap 2-for-1 special; I booked one of the 13 "suites" on the ship.
2) Transfer from Venice Airport to Ship: Agents with signs were placed right outside customs to herd the cruise passengers.
3) Embarkation: Process was managed quite well.
4) Excursions: I signed up for only 1 shore excursion (Cairo -Pyramids/Sphinx/Museum). Bus, tour guide and overall experience met my expectations.
5) Crew: Steward, Waiter, Busboy, Animation Team, Reception folks were friendly, capable, helpful.
THE BAD:
1) Ship: Like an aging woman who badly needs (and wants) major cosmetic surgery but somehow cannot pull the funds together; instead settles for the affordable, occasional Botox shots which do nothing to hide the ravages of time...
Very small ship, low ceilings, old faded carpets, dated furniture, peeling faint, rusting everywhere. Narrow stairs. Elevators are practically death traps, so tiny the claustrophobic would die a quick death.
Seemed like no stabilizers were installed on this ship - you felt every wave! Passengers held on to railings and had to tread carefully in case doors slammed on their foot or hands.
You could hear every rattle and creak, and feel every roll on this ship. You could definitely hear the neighbors in the next suites, and anyone walking or talking in the hallway.
In 5-6 languages, continuous loudspeaker announcements starting at 9AM everyday ("Bingo! Bingo! Bingo! starts right now at the Pacific Lounge" or "We are today offering 10% off hair products at the salon"
.
There was a very obtrusive and unwanted photographer. Everything was for sale and the staff left no stone unturned to enhance passengers' awareness of this fact. Definite tone of nickel-and-diming the passengers at every turn.
And this ship was small, much smaller than I had expected.
2) Passengers: About 99% European. I heard from an officer there were only 3 Americans onboard. Majority were German, French, and Italian with Swedish, Spanish and British thrown in. Usual suspects of loud, inconsiderate and rude folks. Met some wonderful people, of course, and enjoyed my time with them.
3) Food: About 50-50% hit rate. Soups were good, but everything else was okay. I remember only 2 good dishes from the whole trip: spaghetti bolognese and beef brisket. The others were either very forgettable or very bad.
Extremely limited options for dining (seating in formal Riviera Dining Room, and buffet at the informal Tahiti Lounge. Continental breakfast offered in your room, but after one breakfast, you're willing to fast (seemed like leftovers from the previous day). No room service was offered.
On some days, they offered tea at mid-afternoon; cookies and finger sandwiches weren't great, but at least you got fed.
4) Room: My "suite" at first sight was okay - picture windows, mid-sized bed, tiny TV, 2 chairs with a table bolted to the floor, fridge with overpriced drinks and snacks, ample storage, bath/shower.
Upon closer inspection, you could see peeling paint, rusting, faded carpet, and there was a tear in the bed sheets (thankfully, I always travel with my own lightweight sheets and towels).
The bath towels were thin and looked more grey than white, and the bathroom fixtures were antiquated. To flush the toilet, you had to close the lid and reach behind the bowl. Another odd European contraption, for sure, but it was very annoying (think about it: at night, you had to turn the light ON to make sure you hit bulls eye when flushing).
5) Activities: I give the entertainment team (dancers, magician, etc) a "B" for effort, but a "C-" for results. Their shows would probably be off-off-off strip at Las Vegas. A funny note: at the Azur Lounge, the ceiling is so low that the dancers' costume hats hit the ceiling, sometimes threatening to fall off!
There were these pathetic vegetable carvings in the afternoon using maybe 1 watermelon or some carrots. It was either funny or sad, depending on your outlook.
6) Lifeboat Drill: Not taken very seriously; I shudder to think what would have happened if there was a real catastrophe. The passengers just jabbered in their own languages, and ignored the loudspeaker instructions (quite an interesting tableau to watch).
7) Officers: Not as friendly or as ready with a smile as the Crew. Not a big deal, but these people could all take a hospitality course.
THE UGLY
1) Ship: Good Lord, the smoking was so prevalent if you didn't have lung cancer or emphysema yet, you sure felt like a carrier after walking past the Azur Lounge. The ONLY smoke-free areas were the Riviera Dining Room and the library (which was situated on the topmost deck, where if the waves did not get you, the boredom did).
2) Lies, Lies, Lies: Weather turned nasty at Cyprus. We had to stay another night at port -the worst rocking and rolling I've ever experienced in my life (turned out the Mediterranean had the worst storm in 20 years). The next day, the skies cleared and the seas calmed, but the Captain announced we won't sail to Antalya. Then a rumor spread -we won't sail to Rhodes. Then another rumor -we won't sail to Athens and the Corinth Canal.
Some of the passengers received text messages from family and friends that 3 of Festival's cruise ships have been impounded by authorities for financial reasons. No Officer or Crew could tell us anything (most probably did not know what was going on). The mutinous passengers were beside themselves, notably an agitated German lady trying to foment a coup.
Net-net: We sailed aimlessly, finally stopping at Heraklion, Crete for 4 hours and then sailing off again. Rumor was the ship was trying to avoid the same fate as her impounded sisters!
Finally, the Captain announced we would indeed miss Athens and sail directly home to Venice due to bad weather and a technical problem on the ship's rudders or something (to which a few passengers -whose sole purpose on this cruise was to sail through the Corinth Canal- just lost it. Agonized cries in 5 languages drowned out any additional announcements. So this is Hell I thought, it is the Tower of Babel, on a condemned ship.
3) Debarkation: Last 4 days were spent at sea (running from the creditors?). People read, slept, spent time with newly met friends, but mostly people drank a lot -to the advantage of the ship's coffers.
The final night, we went through the whole rigmarole of leaving our luggage outside our rooms before 1AM, waking up by 6AM, breakfast by 7AM, because we were supposed to arrive in Venice by 7AM and disembark by 8AM.
Well at 7AM, we were nowhere near land! We were still in the middle of water, with no land in sight! Then the engine was turned off, and we were literally just floating in the Mediterranean Sea, like a rubber ducky in an immense bathtub.
After hours of rumors and confusion, the Captain announced that instead of Venice, we would make land in Ravenna in 2 hours. And oh -lunch will be served, and oh yes, wine and beer will be free!!
During lunch, the engines were turned back on, with horrendous noise, and the dining room ceiling shook so badly we thought it would fall on us as we were eating our last meal and imbibing the fizzy wine and beer.
But at least we were sailing!
Ravenna turned out to be an industrial, backwater and utterly desolate port (rumor was that the port authorities here were more "amenable" .
Buses waited for us, each labeled with final destinations (Airport, Train Station, San Marco, etc).
Our bags, hundreds of them, were disgorged from the rear of the ship, amidst mass confusion and shouting and the inevitable lost luggage and torn labels.
I boarded a bus for the 3-hour ride to Venice. Turned out I was in a bus with only Italians, none of whom spoke English.
Over the din (the Italians were VERY agitated and gesticulated wildly, I wasn't quite sure if they were happy to be back on terra firma or mad that it was 150 miles from the correct destination), I shouted: "San Marco ? San Basilio vaporetto? Nessuno problemo?" Seeing nods, I could only hope for the best.
The bus driver drove us back to Venice, and attempted to unload us by the parking lot at the other side of the port.
At this, all the Italians shouted and pounded their fists.
I could catch: "San Basilio blah blah blah", which meant that the Italian passengers insisted on this final drop-off point (I hoped).
Otherwise, it would be a tortuous 2-mile trek (over the parking lot, the highway and more streets, to the vaporetto stop) in the rain and cold, whilst dragging heavy suitcases.
A debate ensued, getting louder and louder, until the driver backed down and drove us to the right place.
Note:
We saw hapless fellow cruisers lugging their suitcases in the highway, apparently they didn't fight with their bus driver!
All I can say is: That is the first and last time I will sail on this cruise line.
Sure makes for funny stories though.
Pros: The ship did not sink
Cons: The ship still sails
The Bottom Line: Avoid this freighter masquerading as a cruise ship
I purchased an 11-day Eastern Mediterranean cruise on M/V Azur, owned by Festival/First European cruise line.
I chose the cruise for the itinerary - I wanted to see the Pyramids/Sphinx, but was not willing to do a land vacation to Egypt at this time.
Itinerary was quite appealing (included 3 countries I had not visited before).
-Venice, Italy
-Dubrovnik, Croatia
-Olympia (Katakolon), Greece
-At Sea
-Cairo (Alexandria), Egypt
-Limassol, Cyprus
-Antalya, Turkey
-Rhodes, Greece
-Athens (Piraeus), Greece Corinth Canal
-At Sea
-Venice, Italy
I knew this was primarily a European-targeted line, that it was an old ship, etc. I did as much research as can be done using the web. As such, I had set my expectations appropriately, which is to say, I set them extremely LOW. Little did I know how much lower the "ship" experience would scrape the bottom.
THE GOOD:
1) Price: Cheap 2-for-1 special; I booked one of the 13 "suites" on the ship.
2) Transfer from Venice Airport to Ship: Agents with signs were placed right outside customs to herd the cruise passengers.
3) Embarkation: Process was managed quite well.
4) Excursions: I signed up for only 1 shore excursion (Cairo -Pyramids/Sphinx/Museum). Bus, tour guide and overall experience met my expectations.
5) Crew: Steward, Waiter, Busboy, Animation Team, Reception folks were friendly, capable, helpful.
THE BAD:
1) Ship: Like an aging woman who badly needs (and wants) major cosmetic surgery but somehow cannot pull the funds together; instead settles for the affordable, occasional Botox shots which do nothing to hide the ravages of time...
Very small ship, low ceilings, old faded carpets, dated furniture, peeling faint, rusting everywhere. Narrow stairs. Elevators are practically death traps, so tiny the claustrophobic would die a quick death.
Seemed like no stabilizers were installed on this ship - you felt every wave! Passengers held on to railings and had to tread carefully in case doors slammed on their foot or hands.
You could hear every rattle and creak, and feel every roll on this ship. You could definitely hear the neighbors in the next suites, and anyone walking or talking in the hallway.
In 5-6 languages, continuous loudspeaker announcements starting at 9AM everyday ("Bingo! Bingo! Bingo! starts right now at the Pacific Lounge" or "We are today offering 10% off hair products at the salon"
. There was a very obtrusive and unwanted photographer. Everything was for sale and the staff left no stone unturned to enhance passengers' awareness of this fact. Definite tone of nickel-and-diming the passengers at every turn.
And this ship was small, much smaller than I had expected.
2) Passengers: About 99% European. I heard from an officer there were only 3 Americans onboard. Majority were German, French, and Italian with Swedish, Spanish and British thrown in. Usual suspects of loud, inconsiderate and rude folks. Met some wonderful people, of course, and enjoyed my time with them.
3) Food: About 50-50% hit rate. Soups were good, but everything else was okay. I remember only 2 good dishes from the whole trip: spaghetti bolognese and beef brisket. The others were either very forgettable or very bad.
Extremely limited options for dining (seating in formal Riviera Dining Room, and buffet at the informal Tahiti Lounge. Continental breakfast offered in your room, but after one breakfast, you're willing to fast (seemed like leftovers from the previous day). No room service was offered.
On some days, they offered tea at mid-afternoon; cookies and finger sandwiches weren't great, but at least you got fed.
4) Room: My "suite" at first sight was okay - picture windows, mid-sized bed, tiny TV, 2 chairs with a table bolted to the floor, fridge with overpriced drinks and snacks, ample storage, bath/shower.
Upon closer inspection, you could see peeling paint, rusting, faded carpet, and there was a tear in the bed sheets (thankfully, I always travel with my own lightweight sheets and towels).
The bath towels were thin and looked more grey than white, and the bathroom fixtures were antiquated. To flush the toilet, you had to close the lid and reach behind the bowl. Another odd European contraption, for sure, but it was very annoying (think about it: at night, you had to turn the light ON to make sure you hit bulls eye when flushing).
5) Activities: I give the entertainment team (dancers, magician, etc) a "B" for effort, but a "C-" for results. Their shows would probably be off-off-off strip at Las Vegas. A funny note: at the Azur Lounge, the ceiling is so low that the dancers' costume hats hit the ceiling, sometimes threatening to fall off!
There were these pathetic vegetable carvings in the afternoon using maybe 1 watermelon or some carrots. It was either funny or sad, depending on your outlook.
6) Lifeboat Drill: Not taken very seriously; I shudder to think what would have happened if there was a real catastrophe. The passengers just jabbered in their own languages, and ignored the loudspeaker instructions (quite an interesting tableau to watch).
7) Officers: Not as friendly or as ready with a smile as the Crew. Not a big deal, but these people could all take a hospitality course.
THE UGLY
1) Ship: Good Lord, the smoking was so prevalent if you didn't have lung cancer or emphysema yet, you sure felt like a carrier after walking past the Azur Lounge. The ONLY smoke-free areas were the Riviera Dining Room and the library (which was situated on the topmost deck, where if the waves did not get you, the boredom did).
2) Lies, Lies, Lies: Weather turned nasty at Cyprus. We had to stay another night at port -the worst rocking and rolling I've ever experienced in my life (turned out the Mediterranean had the worst storm in 20 years). The next day, the skies cleared and the seas calmed, but the Captain announced we won't sail to Antalya. Then a rumor spread -we won't sail to Rhodes. Then another rumor -we won't sail to Athens and the Corinth Canal.
Some of the passengers received text messages from family and friends that 3 of Festival's cruise ships have been impounded by authorities for financial reasons. No Officer or Crew could tell us anything (most probably did not know what was going on). The mutinous passengers were beside themselves, notably an agitated German lady trying to foment a coup.
Net-net: We sailed aimlessly, finally stopping at Heraklion, Crete for 4 hours and then sailing off again. Rumor was the ship was trying to avoid the same fate as her impounded sisters!
Finally, the Captain announced we would indeed miss Athens and sail directly home to Venice due to bad weather and a technical problem on the ship's rudders or something (to which a few passengers -whose sole purpose on this cruise was to sail through the Corinth Canal- just lost it. Agonized cries in 5 languages drowned out any additional announcements. So this is Hell I thought, it is the Tower of Babel, on a condemned ship.
3) Debarkation: Last 4 days were spent at sea (running from the creditors?). People read, slept, spent time with newly met friends, but mostly people drank a lot -to the advantage of the ship's coffers.
The final night, we went through the whole rigmarole of leaving our luggage outside our rooms before 1AM, waking up by 6AM, breakfast by 7AM, because we were supposed to arrive in Venice by 7AM and disembark by 8AM.
Well at 7AM, we were nowhere near land! We were still in the middle of water, with no land in sight! Then the engine was turned off, and we were literally just floating in the Mediterranean Sea, like a rubber ducky in an immense bathtub.
After hours of rumors and confusion, the Captain announced that instead of Venice, we would make land in Ravenna in 2 hours. And oh -lunch will be served, and oh yes, wine and beer will be free!!
During lunch, the engines were turned back on, with horrendous noise, and the dining room ceiling shook so badly we thought it would fall on us as we were eating our last meal and imbibing the fizzy wine and beer.
But at least we were sailing!
Ravenna turned out to be an industrial, backwater and utterly desolate port (rumor was that the port authorities here were more "amenable"
. Buses waited for us, each labeled with final destinations (Airport, Train Station, San Marco, etc).
Our bags, hundreds of them, were disgorged from the rear of the ship, amidst mass confusion and shouting and the inevitable lost luggage and torn labels.
I boarded a bus for the 3-hour ride to Venice. Turned out I was in a bus with only Italians, none of whom spoke English.
Over the din (the Italians were VERY agitated and gesticulated wildly, I wasn't quite sure if they were happy to be back on terra firma or mad that it was 150 miles from the correct destination), I shouted: "San Marco ? San Basilio vaporetto? Nessuno problemo?" Seeing nods, I could only hope for the best.
The bus driver drove us back to Venice, and attempted to unload us by the parking lot at the other side of the port.
At this, all the Italians shouted and pounded their fists.
I could catch: "San Basilio blah blah blah", which meant that the Italian passengers insisted on this final drop-off point (I hoped).
Otherwise, it would be a tortuous 2-mile trek (over the parking lot, the highway and more streets, to the vaporetto stop) in the rain and cold, whilst dragging heavy suitcases.
A debate ensued, getting louder and louder, until the driver backed down and drove us to the right place.
Note:
We saw hapless fellow cruisers lugging their suitcases in the highway, apparently they didn't fight with their bus driver!
All I can say is: That is the first and last time I will sail on this cruise line.
Sure makes for funny stories though.
Feb 17th, 2004, 02:11 PM
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Thanks for the post - I felt like I was agonizing with you!
Definitly, on my 'not to do' list.
But on a , hopefully, better note-How was Egypt? I really want to go there. If you are American-any problems?
Definitly, on my 'not to do' list.
But on a , hopefully, better note-How was Egypt? I really want to go there. If you are American-any problems?
Feb 17th, 2004, 03:04 PM
#4
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I enjoyed Egypt, with reservations.
Net-net:
-Safe for Americans and Europeans, friendly people and the Treasures will not disappoint.
-Expect Third World poverty, filth, heat, overcrowding and aggressive vendors.
My raison d?etre for this trip was to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx.
Ship berthed in Alexandria -land of the Cleopatra, the burned Great Library and Pharos of antiquity.
At 7AM, I disembarked and looked for the private driver/tour guide I had hired on the web. He was nowhere in sight. Worried, I enlisted the help of the Egyptian official, and in no time he had dispatched me to an air-conditioned, English-speaking tour bus. Egyptians take tourism VERY seriously (2nd source of income after the Suez Canal).
It is a 3-hour drive from Alexandria to Cairo. Police cars and motorcycles accompanied our 7-bus convoy, and police lights flashed all the way.
We passed villages of poverty and filth. Dead dogs lay on the side of the highway. Trash littered streets. Battered trucks were overfilled with children, standing like sardines (our guide stated these kids were cotton pickers). EVERYONE in the other vehicles waved at us ?they were so excited to see tourists.
When we arrived in Cairo, I was amazed at the mass of humanity (18 million people reside in Cairo, including the cemeteries!). It was overcrowded, chaotic and dirty. Unfinished, unpainted buildings ?seemingly about topple over ?housed residents, their laundry and cartons visible from holes in the walls.
Saw a variety of dress (traditional galabiya and headdresses, as well as modern garb) on the men and women.
We drove past the Nile River ?omigosh, the fabled Nile! It looked filthy, and detritus floated by.
Our bus exited the highway and I was shocked, the road was right NEXT to the Pyramids!
It was immense, and as you got closer, it got bigger. These blocks were bigger than a man!
Egyptian police in BLACK uniforms guard the perimeter, marked by yellow rope that tourists weren?t allowed to cross. No climbing signs were posted.
I however, got the okay from a policeman to cross the yellow rope and SIT on the stone blocks of the Pyramids, touch them and see them up close ? these are 5000-year old artifacts!
I thought it was my smile but it was just the tip the he expected after he took my picture
Warning: VERY aggressive vendors inhabit the Giza plateau.
Thank goodness I befriended a Greek guy (young, cute and appropriately enough, named Apollo -just my luck, huh) who never left my side - he really protected me from relentless touts who were literally in my face and grabbed my arm.
The heat became intense, and this was January ?their winter! According to the guide, it could reach 110? in the summer, with humidity to match.
It was off the to Sphinx, and again, I was floored at this amazing feat of architecture.
As I balanced myself on the cliff next to the Sphinx for a photo-op, a little Egyptian kid selling postcards grabbed my leg and almost sent both of us hurtling below. If not for my Greek bodyguard?!
Yes, there is indeed, across from the Sphinx, a KFC and Taco Bell. Sad, but a fact of globalization.
Also saw several Mc Donald?s along the Alexandria-Cairo highway.
Cairo Museum was a jaw-dropping wealth of riches. Sure, the British Museum had good stuff too, but for specialized Egyptian artifacts, this was unbeatable. King Tut?s treasures were in the upper floor ? simply amazing (what the Egyptian government allows outside of the country for display is peanuts).
Warning: Crowds and heat can be unbearable inside the museum.
Not to be missed was the Royal Mummy Room. Here we viewed remains of Egypt?s pharaohs, especially Ramses the Great, believed to be the Pharoah of biblical times who banished the Israelites from Egypt -he ruled for 67 years! It was strange to stare to at these mummified kings and queens, their hair, teeth and nails still intact.
I asked the guide about the Egyptian items other museums (British museum?s Rosetta stone, mummies, piece of the Sphinx?s beard and Berlin Museum?s bust of Queen Nefertiti, which a German archeologist smuggled out of Egypt). He said, yes of course we want them back!
Mena House Oberoi, the famous hotel right next to the Pyramids (formerly a royal lodge for the King of Egypt), was an Orientalist fantasy ? arabesque arches, mashrabia screens and glass chandeliers abounded, with some English touches (open balconies).
A band played as we walked up the steps, as an Egyptian lady showered us with rose petals (like a scene from Passage to India!). At lunch, white-gloved waiters served us while we enjoyed traditional Egyptian dishes like grilled chicken, kofta and babaganoush.
Tried the stuffed pigeon, as this was supposed to be an Egyptian delicacy. Our guide said pigeon is considered an aphrodisiac, so it is rare to see pigeons in public places in Egypt.
Egyptians are shocked that in other parts of the world, hundreds of pigeons roam free in parks and churches! Don?t the men need any help?
Also visited the Papyrus Institute, where we were showed how the ancients created paper out of the papyrus reed. Very fascinating. I bought a sterling silver bracelet that spelled out my name in hieroglyphics.
Stopped by Khan al-Khalili bazaar in central Cairo (vendors and glitzy storefronts galore, with backdrop of grand Islamic architecture). It is one of the oldest markets in the world. Per the guide, this market was so successful many believe it was responsible for Columbus' search for an alternate route to India. Reminded me of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, sans pistachio ice cream.
The Naguib Mahfouz café (named for the Egyptian Nobel prize winning writer) was a calm oasis for sandwiches and tea; it?s supposedly the ONLY place to eat at the bazaar.
Not sure now if I'll ever visit Egypt on a land vacation someday. I had my fill of Egypt, for now...
Net-net:
-Safe for Americans and Europeans, friendly people and the Treasures will not disappoint.
-Expect Third World poverty, filth, heat, overcrowding and aggressive vendors.
My raison d?etre for this trip was to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx.
Ship berthed in Alexandria -land of the Cleopatra, the burned Great Library and Pharos of antiquity.
At 7AM, I disembarked and looked for the private driver/tour guide I had hired on the web. He was nowhere in sight. Worried, I enlisted the help of the Egyptian official, and in no time he had dispatched me to an air-conditioned, English-speaking tour bus. Egyptians take tourism VERY seriously (2nd source of income after the Suez Canal).
It is a 3-hour drive from Alexandria to Cairo. Police cars and motorcycles accompanied our 7-bus convoy, and police lights flashed all the way.
We passed villages of poverty and filth. Dead dogs lay on the side of the highway. Trash littered streets. Battered trucks were overfilled with children, standing like sardines (our guide stated these kids were cotton pickers). EVERYONE in the other vehicles waved at us ?they were so excited to see tourists.
When we arrived in Cairo, I was amazed at the mass of humanity (18 million people reside in Cairo, including the cemeteries!). It was overcrowded, chaotic and dirty. Unfinished, unpainted buildings ?seemingly about topple over ?housed residents, their laundry and cartons visible from holes in the walls.
Saw a variety of dress (traditional galabiya and headdresses, as well as modern garb) on the men and women.
We drove past the Nile River ?omigosh, the fabled Nile! It looked filthy, and detritus floated by.
Our bus exited the highway and I was shocked, the road was right NEXT to the Pyramids!
It was immense, and as you got closer, it got bigger. These blocks were bigger than a man!
Egyptian police in BLACK uniforms guard the perimeter, marked by yellow rope that tourists weren?t allowed to cross. No climbing signs were posted.
I however, got the okay from a policeman to cross the yellow rope and SIT on the stone blocks of the Pyramids, touch them and see them up close ? these are 5000-year old artifacts!
I thought it was my smile but it was just the tip the he expected after he took my picture
Warning: VERY aggressive vendors inhabit the Giza plateau.
Thank goodness I befriended a Greek guy (young, cute and appropriately enough, named Apollo -just my luck, huh) who never left my side - he really protected me from relentless touts who were literally in my face and grabbed my arm.
The heat became intense, and this was January ?their winter! According to the guide, it could reach 110? in the summer, with humidity to match.
It was off the to Sphinx, and again, I was floored at this amazing feat of architecture.
As I balanced myself on the cliff next to the Sphinx for a photo-op, a little Egyptian kid selling postcards grabbed my leg and almost sent both of us hurtling below. If not for my Greek bodyguard?!
Yes, there is indeed, across from the Sphinx, a KFC and Taco Bell. Sad, but a fact of globalization.
Also saw several Mc Donald?s along the Alexandria-Cairo highway.
Cairo Museum was a jaw-dropping wealth of riches. Sure, the British Museum had good stuff too, but for specialized Egyptian artifacts, this was unbeatable. King Tut?s treasures were in the upper floor ? simply amazing (what the Egyptian government allows outside of the country for display is peanuts).
Warning: Crowds and heat can be unbearable inside the museum.
Not to be missed was the Royal Mummy Room. Here we viewed remains of Egypt?s pharaohs, especially Ramses the Great, believed to be the Pharoah of biblical times who banished the Israelites from Egypt -he ruled for 67 years! It was strange to stare to at these mummified kings and queens, their hair, teeth and nails still intact.
I asked the guide about the Egyptian items other museums (British museum?s Rosetta stone, mummies, piece of the Sphinx?s beard and Berlin Museum?s bust of Queen Nefertiti, which a German archeologist smuggled out of Egypt). He said, yes of course we want them back!
Mena House Oberoi, the famous hotel right next to the Pyramids (formerly a royal lodge for the King of Egypt), was an Orientalist fantasy ? arabesque arches, mashrabia screens and glass chandeliers abounded, with some English touches (open balconies).
A band played as we walked up the steps, as an Egyptian lady showered us with rose petals (like a scene from Passage to India!). At lunch, white-gloved waiters served us while we enjoyed traditional Egyptian dishes like grilled chicken, kofta and babaganoush.
Tried the stuffed pigeon, as this was supposed to be an Egyptian delicacy. Our guide said pigeon is considered an aphrodisiac, so it is rare to see pigeons in public places in Egypt.
Egyptians are shocked that in other parts of the world, hundreds of pigeons roam free in parks and churches! Don?t the men need any help?
Also visited the Papyrus Institute, where we were showed how the ancients created paper out of the papyrus reed. Very fascinating. I bought a sterling silver bracelet that spelled out my name in hieroglyphics.
Stopped by Khan al-Khalili bazaar in central Cairo (vendors and glitzy storefronts galore, with backdrop of grand Islamic architecture). It is one of the oldest markets in the world. Per the guide, this market was so successful many believe it was responsible for Columbus' search for an alternate route to India. Reminded me of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, sans pistachio ice cream.
The Naguib Mahfouz café (named for the Egyptian Nobel prize winning writer) was a calm oasis for sandwiches and tea; it?s supposedly the ONLY place to eat at the bazaar.
Not sure now if I'll ever visit Egypt on a land vacation someday. I had my fill of Egypt, for now...
Feb 17th, 2004, 10:55 PM
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I really am glad you posted this honest review. This is a cruiseline I'm not at all familar with and will stay clear of. Personally, I HATE all the announcements made on ships (Bingo in 5 minutes etc.) this sounds like a really shotzy line that I'll stay away from. Thanks so much for the heads up!
Feb 18th, 2004, 04:28 PM
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Mistik321:
Thanks so much for the entertaining posting. It brought back many memories of my land trip to Egypt. Similar events as yours except I went in July/August. The highest temp one day down to Abu Simbul was 122!! Atleast there is very low humidity in the Sahara!
My first Med. Island cruise was on a rust bucket very similar to yours. You have probably never heard of it because it caught fire and sunk--it was memorable because the captain and crew disembarked FIRST-- guests were left to fend for themselves. (The old Epirotiki Lines---so beware of that name also!!)I was on the cruise 2 months before its fateful demise !!
At least my next 2 Med. cruises were much better. I have raised my standards for cruising and love Princess, Holland, and especially Celebrity now.
Once again--thanks. Keep cruising!! A great way to travel IF you have the right ship!!
Thanks so much for the entertaining posting. It brought back many memories of my land trip to Egypt. Similar events as yours except I went in July/August. The highest temp one day down to Abu Simbul was 122!! Atleast there is very low humidity in the Sahara!
My first Med. Island cruise was on a rust bucket very similar to yours. You have probably never heard of it because it caught fire and sunk--it was memorable because the captain and crew disembarked FIRST-- guests were left to fend for themselves. (The old Epirotiki Lines---so beware of that name also!!)I was on the cruise 2 months before its fateful demise !!
At least my next 2 Med. cruises were much better. I have raised my standards for cruising and love Princess, Holland, and especially Celebrity now.
Once again--thanks. Keep cruising!! A great way to travel IF you have the right ship!!
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