San Francisco

‘If you’re going to San Francisco be sure to wear some flowers in your hair....’ ScottMc Kenzie's iconic song about the city. Readers of a certain generation will remember this song? 

We arrived late last night. This morning we set  out for the port. 

Here the Saturday market was in full swing. There were some interesting offerings and we regretted breakfasting at the hotel. Weather wise, it was a beautiful, warm, sunny morning - on previous visits, it had been rather chilly. 

From there we walked to Pier 39, where people thronged the shops and restaurants. The star attraction at the pier were the seals. 

I have never seen so many seals in one place! They arrived after an earthquake in 1989 and the Pier authorities were encouraged to allow them to stay. 

In the distance, was Alcatraz, a prison from where it is alleged,  no one has ever escaped from.!  My apologies dear reader as I’ve been there before, I didn’t visit on this occasion! 

We decided to take a trolley. San Francisco has  been buying all the trolleys they can acquire from all over the world. In each trolley, they acknowledge its date and place of origin. 

They travel up and down the 

Embarcadero: 

which adjoins the harbour. 

On enquiring of the driver about the fare, he told us to take a seat as there were only two stops to the Terminus. There he presented us with complementary tickets for a 2 hour ride in the trolleys. From there we walked to Fisherman’s Wharf, again thronged with people. 

and looked across at the Golden Gate Bridge, not golden, to my disappointment at my first viewing almost 50 years, but orange!! 

We continued, intending to take a ride on the famous San Francisco cable cars but unfortunately they are not in operation until Monday!  

They’re in for service - they haven’t been serviced we were reliably informed in 30 years!! We’ll have to depart SF tomorrow but we’ve been on them before so it’s not a huge disappointment!   

We returned via trolley to San Francisco Port and made our way back to our hotel. From 17.00 - 18.00, there is a wine reception in the foyer. With a GLASS  of wine including service costing €20, it was worth attending the complimentary wine reception. The wine was excellent. 

We met a optometrist and his teacher girlfriend, from San  Francisco, who were in the city to celebrate a friend’s birthday. A charming couple with whom we had a very interesting conversation 

We’re now off to dinner in nearby Chinatown 

More tomorrow....

 

At Sea 1

I awoke at dawn. 

Later there was a pleasant sunrise 

The sea was calm. Last week’s voyage was the most successful the Ship’s Captain had ever experienced in his 6 years sailing this route. Weather is all important if the ship is to successfully land at its various locations. Nothing is guaranteed on this voyage - it all depends on the weather! 

Breakfast was followed by a lecture on Charles Darwin at 9. It was interesting in that I learned a little more of Darwin. 

Lunch followed and then another presentation entitled ‘An Antarctic Preview’ by the very entertaining and informative MickyLive. If he is correct the voyage will be spectacular - beyond my wildest expectations.!!

A little retail therapy followed. There is too much emphasis on sales on board. We met a very nice assistant from Gorey, Wexford. She has been employed by Celebrity for the last five years. At 28, she volunteered, she  has travelled the world with the exception of Africa. One of the officers, she advised  is from Cork and his parents are also on board but as yet I haven’t heard the Cork accent. 

In the shop too was a lawyer from Texas, who collects legal memorabilia and had a museum attached to his law office and among the exhibits is a Queen’s Counsel’s wig!! 

Lunch at 13.00 in the Main Dining Room. It is also available at the Ocean Cafe - where food is available 24/7!! I like to share a table at lunch to meet my fellow passengers but at breakfast we prefer a table for 2! At lunch we were joined by two very pleasant couples  from South Carolina, who had recently visited Ireland. Prior to lunch, one gentleman asked if we’d mind thanking the Lord for his gifts? He then proceedsed to say Grace. They did not drink and it reminded us of our trip on Route 66. Travelling through the Southern Baptist States, many restaurants were ‘family restaurants’ ie no alcohol served.!!  After a day driving, one had to search out a glass of wine!  We discussed Brexit and Trump. They hadn’t voted for Trump but did acknowledge that he had turned the country away from its recent leftist leanings!!

At 14.30, we were back in the theatre for the last lecture of the day ‘Cape Horn and Famous Passages’. The lecture was interesting but the presentation left a little to be desired... I noticed some attendees nodding off!! 

 

Tonight is the Officers’ Soirée followed by dinner and then......

To Buenos Aires - Buenos Aires - Celebrity Cruise

Chaos !! 

Chaos was the only word to describe the bus station at Mar Del Plata. 

The bus station was huge and the digital display didn’t reflect the reality of what was happening on the ground! There was no reference to our bus which was due to depart at 14.30. 14.30 passed and no mention of Flecha bus - we asked various people, who were very obliging but were as wise as we were! Finally, we were told that the bus was delayed - no mention on the screen!  It arrived at 15.10 and quickly departed for BA. I had thought we’d be hiring a car as we had to be in BA the next day to board ship!  

The bus was very comfortable. The seats were described as demi cama (semi bed) - a seat with support under one’s feet - one was almost perpendicular! We travelled through the countryside with estancias as far as the eye could see!  

Cattle and to a lesser extent sheep and horses abounded.

Above the  rail track to BA!!! For the most part, the road followed the track ! 

It was very arid as we quitted Mar Del Plata, but as we approached  BA it became less arid and the vegetation became lush. 

Five and a quarter hrs later, we arrived at the BA bus terminal, close to the port. It was a very scenic approach along the Rio del Plato

                   An extensive and busy port 

but as we approached the bus station, there was a favela - the living conditions of its inhabitants were unbelievable - a makeshift of unplanned dwellings. 

We taxied to Tango de Mayo hotel c15mins away. 

The receptionist was charm itself. She informed us that the Irish were her favourite guests (we are so laidback and polite, it appears!)  It is a boutique hotel, originally the Singer (of sewing machine fame) offices,  later a university and laterly a hotel with intermittent periods of abandonment. Luckily, all its features were in tact and it has been sensitively restored. We were upgraded us to a fabulous room. 

As we hadn’t eaten since breakfast, on enquiry, our receptionist suggested we dine at Chiquilin on Sarmiento, a 10 minute walk from the hotel. It was a local Parilla, buzzing with atmosphere on that Saturday evening. Interestingly, it was mentioned in the 2004 Guide Book we are using and it obviously hadn’t changed , just as the Guide described! 

Margaret River

Margaret River - what a great trip!

Margaret River town is about 3.1/2 hours drive from Perth. To do it in a day, we opted for a tour. I’m not a fan of tours but Aviator / Adams Pinnacle scored very highly on Trip  Advisor, we booked. 

We were collected at the hotel at 07.20 and taken to a meeting point. I now know why I hate tours, we waited until 08.10. I later learned that the pick up bus had to return to one hotel on three occasions because the passengers were not in the foyer at the spppointed time!! 

We set out for Busselton, the gateway to Margaret River. Driving through farmland  with grazing cattle, we arrived at Busselton Jetty - the longest timber jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. 

           Jetty - it stretches far into the distance!

Our next stop was Bootleg  Brewery, where we stopped for lunch and beer and cider tastings!! 

After lunch we continued through the forest to Sandalford Winery, where we tasted their produce 

From there we continued to Manmoth Cave for a guided tour of the limestone caves. They were very spectacular cathredal like caverns dripping (forgive the pun) with limestone stalagmites, stalactites , curtains and columns. 

We continued to Boranup Forest with its enormous Karri trees. (In the Aboriginal language ‘up’ means a watering place). 

On to Augusta, where we visited the Cape Leeuwin 

Lighthouse 

and where the Southern Ocean and the Indian Ocean meet. 

Finally we arrive at the town of Margaret  River, 

passing numerous wineries en route. Wine production commenced here in the 1960s. Prior to its commencement, soil surveys, and general weather patterns were completed  to ascertain the area’s suitability for vine growing.  It quickly established very sophisticated marketing techniques and became better known in the wine world at the expense of longer established wineries such as Swan valley. The town itself was of no consequence and here is no proper river as our guide showed us the puddle that is Margaret River!!!

We then adjourned to a resort for dinner and set off on the return journey to Perth. We arrived back at the hotel at 22.00 - a long but most enjoyable day that gave us s great flavour of the Margaret river area situated south of Perth. 

Corinth via Athens to Thessaloniki

The bus ride to Kito was picture postcard as we hugged the coast for much of the time. 

Contrary to my earlier claims, it appears that a standard gauge railway is under construction and on completion, it will be a very picturesque coastal journey, but will serve, only Athens to Partas - the remainder of the line,  which circled the upper part of the peninsula, will have to contend with the busses which serve every nook and cranny and as a result travelling is slow and laborious. 

 

 

All along the coast were small resorts dotting the shores of the Gulf. 

At Kito we boarded the train for Corinth and arrived at Corinth c.10 minutes later. Eventually, when construction is complete,  the train will run from Patra to Athens. 

We took a taxi to the Ephira hotel - Trip Advisor hadn't given it great reviews but for a 3 star, we found it excellent. We probably would not have booked it, based on Trip Advisor's reviews, were it not for its convenience to the train station and tomorrow's early departure for the Thessaloniki train. 

As we were in Corinth, we decided that we had to see that major feat of engineering, the Corinth canal. 

 

It is not in Corinth but in Corinth - Isthmia some 7 km from Corinth, where the KYEL bus station is. 

It was most impressive though narrower than I had expected. No large ship was going through but we did see a small yacht. Our taxi driver told us that it cost small boats €30 per metre to sail through!! 

 

A view out to sea with the new railway            bridge and motorway in view 

 

 

A view inland - the old disused railway                bridge in the foreground 

Prior to our visit, I thought we might get a trip on the canal but that is only possible if one takes an evening cruise, which required advance booking. 

Later the taxi took us to Loutraki, a playground for the Athenians. It was a typical seaside resort though very quiet for a Saturday night- even if it was off season. Again there were the closed up shops and hotels to be seen. 

 

The sun was setting over the Gulf of Corinth as the taxi plied its way back to Corinth, with a brief interruption for the lifting of the suspension bridge to allow a ship pass through the canal. 

 

 

This morning, we had to quit the hotel at 08.15 to catch two connecting trains to reach Athens, where we will board the train to Thessaloniki at 10.18 hrs. The transfers were seemless even though the first connection had only a two minute interval. 

The journey took us over the Corinth canal once again:

 

leaving the Gulf of Corinth for the Aegean Sea, which the train travelled by.

 

Oil rigs dotted the Aegean Sea. 

 

It was a beautiful morning - at 0830 hrs, it was already 22 degrees. The weather has been glorious since Tuesday, the day we visited Olympia. 

We arrived at Athens station. Its location is unusual in that it is in the centre of the city,  with apartments blocks acting as sentries on both sides of the track. 

 

The train left on time at 10.18 hrs and our ETA in Thessaloniki is 15.41 hours (€34 one-way with assigned seats). Our journey takes us from south to north of the mainland via Thiva, Larissa and Katerini from where it it takes a coastal  route for part of its journey to Thessaloniki, otherwise we take valley routes through the mountains. 

Having travelled for 2 1/2 hrs, the mountains were rising in stature as we travelled:

 

we tunnelled through mountains, crossed steep gorges. 

 

 

 

and proceeded on an elevated track above the manicured landscape below:

 

 

We passed many towns nestled on the southern slopes of the mountains: 

 

At 1300 hrs, we decided, for research purposes only, dear reader, to lunch on board. 

The menu: 

 

           

                   How is your Greek? 

Yes €7.00 for 3 courses. The chef translated the menu in a fashion!! Pot luck it was: 

Starter: 

 

Roasted peppers or a salad of perhaps celery , 

Followed by : 

 Moussaka and Chicken and potatoes (other choice spaghetti) 

Followed by: 

 

  A honey drizzle cake and a ground nut cake. 

The bottles of wine, which I'm sure didn't escape your notice were €1.00 each!!!!  Total bill €16.00 !!! ( Iranrod Eireann match that !!)

The train arrived at Larissa and changed from a diesel to an electric engine. We were already behind schedule.  Somewhere between Larissa and Katerini, the engine broke down. Thankfully it started up again after 15 minutes or so, at present, were are 1 1/4 hours late!   

The skies are darkening and we had a short rain shower!! By the time we reached Thessaloniki, it was raining constantly and the ground was interspersed with pools of water. It must have been raining for a time or else they really are paddy fields!! Do they grow rice in Thessaloniki? 

We adjourned to a railway cafe to book a hotel  we had seen in our guide book. We booked it, took a taxi to the historic house- once the Ukranian Embassy and now a hotel. We arrived by taxi before the booking came through!!  It is called Colours and indeed its name is very 

 

appropriate! 

Til tomorrow then ....... we're off to enjoy the nightlife Thessaloniki has to offer .....