Gold leaf and windmills.....

We have just arrived back from an amazing trip, one,  that until two weeks ago today, I didn't know we would be taking.  We managed, with two days notice, to join the Seabourn Sojourn for a Baltic cruise. I will not be showing you all the 1500 photographs I took but for my own sake I will be putting some of them here for a reminder.

Thank you to everyone who left comments on my last post, I will try and answer them all when I've done the washing!

Ravenna and Venice.....

Well the snow is back so this seems like a good time to take a final look at my holiday. The last visiting stop was Ravenna in Italy. The port is quite a long bus ride from the city but when we started our wander there was no doubt we were in Italy.

The old town of Ravenna has cobbled streets and the bicycle is the preffered mode of transport.

I would hate to be caught in the rush hour, I wonder if they have blue lights!

We had only a few hours to take in the sights which of course in Ravenna means the mosaics.In the three churches we visited they were on the floors, the walls and theceilings.  We gazed in wonder at the colours, the detail and the overwhelming richness of millions of tiny pieces of stone.

Here are just a few.

 

I loved this little window.

I am not sure of the significance of this golden bale but I loved it anyway.

Back on the Odyssey I discovered that my daughter had arranged a massage for me.  This is the ante room to one whole hour of heaven.

This was the sad sight that greeted us as we returned to our cabin on the last night.

and this was the sad sight that greeted me when I woke of the next morning.

 The only disappointment of the trip. I had missed our arrival in Venice which I had been pleasurably anticipating. The only time on the whole trip that I didn't watch our arrival. I shot out to my favourite deck and there in the distance you could just make out the Campanile and the dome of St Marks. 

Fortunately I have been to Venice a couple of times but I would have loved that view from the yacht.

(This photograph is from the Seabourn site, no breach of copyright intended) 

It was a wonderful holiday, so many sights and impressions of so many fascinating places. If I did something like it again (if I win the lottery) I would tack on an extra day at each end.  That way we wouldn't have had the stress of any possible travel delays and we would have been able to

spend a little time in Istanbul and Venice.

One more image from Ravenna.

Triluke Bay......

Where?... a tranquil bay off the coast of Croatia and as it is -3 here this morning it is good to remember the warmth.  I had never heard of Triluke Bay but I was looking forward to it because it was my birthday.   This is early morning as we glided among the many islands in the bay.

When we left the Odyssey the marina was already out behind for the enerjetic people but we took the tender to the island.

There was a road leading away from the harbour so intrepid explorers that we are we took this past the little church

and the house with the bird curtains

until we caught a glimpse of the other side.

A path lead down to the waters edge and then we followed it all the way back to the harbour. It was one of the loveliest stolls I have ever taken. Past glorious tangles of rocks

rock gardens

rocks with eyes

and rocks with lips

lovely views

and sparkling clear water

we strolled on

and in the bay the Odyssey waited

the tender ran back and forth

You can't live near the sea without rust, we found this little tractor

and I think this was a hydrant but it could have been some king of alien!

  Eeventually our walk returned us to the harbour and to this tiny memorial chapel to a son lost at sea.

The tender waited and returned us to the ship where very important decisions had to be made as to what flavour of ice cream today?

This was the sunset on my birthday

and here is my dessert and my birthday cake,

but it wasn't fininished yet, in our cabin this gentleman waited with a bottle of wine and a birthday card.

Thank you Diana.

Dubrovnik....

This was the day the sun deserted us.  Not anything unusual for our holidays but it was quite a shock on this one. Apart from Venice, I don't think I have ever seen so many tourists in one place.

War torn only a few years ago it was easy to see the new roofs among the old.

but very little other evidence of the damage remains.

and good use is made of every space. I think you would call this a multi-purpose court.

The walls still stand as a defence against the sea.

and this gives a whole new meaning to sea side cafe! Click to get a closer view.

Every narrow street seemed to be lined with cafes

and there were some interesting windows

This iron wooden ship sailed passed us. I lovel the building behind.

This one was getting underway with the washing already done.

and as we left I couldn't resist a swoosh