Cagliari, Italy

Although I am sorry we missed Sicily I am very happy we did not miss this beautiful island. It is predominantly agricultural and even has Cork Oak like I recently learned about in Portugal.  Every Mediterranean civilization has at some time dominated the land and the people.  It might be called the Crossroads of the Sea.  Our tour did include a stop at the mandatory Roman Amphitheater – every city seems to have one.  Some more well preserved than others.  We visited a beautiful Cathedral – every city has one.  Our tour started at the top of a high hill for an overview – every city has one. 

Cagliari is a beautiful capital with gleaming buildings of whitewashed limestone.  D.H. Lawrence called it the “white Jerusalem.”  Salt ponds edge the island and although they are not particularly used in modern times the Flamingoes love them for the brine shrimp that thrive there.  These little creatures are what give these striking birds their deep pink color.  Here they settle on the water and keep their heads down, literally, and only come up for air but eat continually.  Then the flock, on some unknown and unheard signal, rise as one into the air.  There is such a flapping of wings that they can be heard and the breeze they create can be felt.

The town is very pretty and somewhat modern but it was hard to get a feel of real life since Italy still is on Christmas vacation.  Not many were out and about, and I didn’t see any children playing.  Since our tour started at 7:30 a.m. perhaps they were still recuperating from the holiday festivities.  We had talked about going to the Ancient Shores of Nora but there was a tour conflict so decided not to since we will be going to a cave site later in the trip.

We drove in the early morning dark to the hilltop overview just in time for sunrise over the salt flats.

Cagliari was, as most old quarters we visit in Italy made up of narrow cobbled streets, uneven rough stone steps and few if any handrails.  I have adopted the custom of a waking stick on tours.  One bad fall last spring and lesson learned!

I left my ear buds in even after we left the church.  Oops.  Carol in blue and Elva in red are much more coordinated than I!

Also like everywhere we go are beautiful old cathedrals.  Once a cruise director on a river ship called our trip the ABC tour!  It starts out as "Another Beautiful Cathedral' and ends up as "Another Bloody Church!"  Bloody used as the British euphemism!  Calgliari was no different.  But the unassuming building belies the magnificent interior.

The relief work is stunning against the blue background.

Shadows again.  They always catch my eye.

One of many ceiling medalions.

All aboard was very early, at one o’clock.  The afternoon passed, as they do.  Snacks, drinks, lectures.  Viking ships have a Resident Historian for their itineraries.  Dr. Caroline Malloy is traveling with us.  She is a very good speaker and ties all her talks together with a common thread connecting to the ports of call we are visiting.  Today was on the importance of UNESCO in preserving history through and the values we gain by traveling to these sites.  The Guest Speaker is Justin Reay, an art historian.  He gives picture filled talks about elements of art, women in art and various topics.  Today Picasso.

The 9:15 show was Journey Through the American Songbook.  An excellent set of music from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.  I think they dipped back to the 30’s for some of the Sinatra. The singers are good and Mike does an excellent Frankie Valli.  I asked if he had auditioned for Jersey Boys and it turns out he has at home in Aberdeen and is waiting to hear back! 

After hours there is music in several venues.  Speedy and Christine perform so well together so ballads, love songs, and upbeat Latin hits.  Although the Torshavn is small couples fill it dancing to these singers until late into the night.  The band works had.  Two stage shows and long dance hours.  There are some separate soloists or duets that only play in the bars and lounges.  We often enjoy the music of Edward the Guitarist in the Explorers Lounge at the front of the ship or the mid-ship WInterGarden or in the Atrium.  At cocktail hour Atrium music is provided on the baby grand by Alexandra to accompany the Munch Moments.  Viking has the rights to the works of Edvard Munch, a Norwegian painter whose pictures you may recognize ever if the name doesn’t ring a bell.  There is quite a nice collection on board but at this time of day the one story high digital screen shows them matched to the classical piano pieces being played.  Quite nice, a way to chat about something in a peaceful but artistic atmosphere.

You may be able to tell from my descriptions that Viking Ocean seems elegant to me, subdued much like their river ships but without the excitement of the passing scenery of river banks.  The Mediterranean Sea seems like an ocean view when you are not approaching shore.  It is small enough that you see many of the same people over and over but large enough that unless you are coming or going the view is blue water.  Mediterranean Blue which is greener than the Michigan Mint blue of the Caribbean Sea!