A touch of Venice...

Geoff and the ladies in his life.

 There were times in the last four of five months when Sandra and I never thought we would get back to Greece and certainly not on the boat. Now here we are back in the marina after a very good trip through Europe by our usual means.  If anyone would like details of the route we use then get in touch or look at some of my older blogs, some of  the September ones will have the details.

Waiting to board P&O in Hull.

The night before leaving Blighty we went out for a meal to the Jolly Sailor pub at Newport with Geoff and his concubine, well sort of, Aunty Pauline and his good friend Sonia so that they could all wish us bon voyage.  We had a lovely evening and I think they were all a little sorry to see the back of us, at least that is what they would have us believe.  I think secretly they are running up the flags and celebrating our departure so they can all get back to partying they way these octogenarian plus folks do.

Our "camping" accomodation at Fusina near Venice.

On the water Taxi into Venice.

 Wednesday afternoon it was into Hull and all aboard the Pride of Brugge for the overnight sail to Zeebrugge.  In the past we have always said that the food on P&O ferries was excellent especially the al-la-carte restaurant.  I'm sorry to say that this time it let us down a little.  Sandra has sea Bream with veg and rosti potatoes, to say was disappointed is an understatement.  The veg and spud were limps and flaccid whilst the fish had a soggy skin which should be crisp and delicious.  The whole concoction was tepid at best   She sent it back with a complaint via the Polynesian waiter for it to be returned slightly warmer having been subjected to Gamma rays in a microwave.  Needless to say she left it.  Mine was better but still only like average pub grub which it should not be as you really do pay premium prices on board.  We where not even offered something in the line of emolument offered as an apology an as such there is going to be a strongly worded complaint about it after this blog is complete.

Sights along the way

Cruise liners.

A light evening meal on the canal side.

 This year the ferry times for our Anek ferry from Venice have altered and it departs at lunch time.  In previous years we have travelled the seven hundred or so kilometres from Germany to Venice with a couple of hours spare for catching the ferry at about five o'clock.  This is now impractical as for a twelve sailing you need to aim at being there for about ten o'clock to give time for check in and in case of problems en-route.  This meant we would have to get there the night before and find some suitable accommodation and then a leisurely check in in the morning.  We had planned to stay in some cabins at Fusina, adjacent to the ferry terminal, last year with Allan and Jean.  This had to be aborted because of various problems including my stroke but we decided to give it a try now.  It's fifty Euros a night for a two berth cabin with aircon and en-suite.  They are clean and adequate and also there is a water taxi goes every hour from just outside the site across to the centre of Venice at thirteen Euros fifty each return.  We have been through Venice on many occasions but never in it, so we decided that this would make a nice use of our extra time there so it was off into the ancient streets of Venice for our evening meal.

An intriguing bridge and gondola. 

You obviously can't see anything much of the place in one evening but it has reinforced our desire to go there for a few days at some point and explore further.  A word of warning though to anyone who has not been, it's not the cheapest place in the world by an stretch of the imagination so make sure you have a pocket full of money.

 The next morning we had a leisurely breakfast before going into the terminal for our last leg on the ferry ti Igumenitsa in Greece.  Whilst waiting to get our tickets Sandra saw a strange man in the queue looking all alone and forlorn.  It was Ian from Vafkeri on Lefkada who had done some carpentry work for me a couple of years ago.  This meant that we had someone else to talk to on the crossing to Greece.

Loading up on Anek waiting to leave Fusina.

By contrast with P&O ferries which had a good  reputation for food, Anek have a mediocre one but again a change of fate with them too.  We had the best meal we have ever had on Anek and much more reasonably priced when you consider they have a captive audience and Greece is almost bankrupt!

Last sight of the terminal now en-route.

The crossing normally takes about twenty five or six hours but we made good time this journey and were docked in Igumenitsa in twenty four and a half hours a record for us.  The advantage of setting off at mid day meant that we landing in the early afternoon and thus we could drive back to Lefkada in the daylight and 32 degrees of heat.  An hour and a half later we are back on the marina to see Lesanda again, how I missed her!

Oh how great to be finally eating out al-fresco.

 Of course she still had her winter cover on and was all closed up so she was something of a sweat box when we got on but soon improved as we got her opened up.

We have since given her a good wash down and removed the winter cover and it's steel work which we have replaced with the bimini.  We were going to get a new bimini cover before I had my stroke but we cancelled it before returning to the UK, we may now wait until next year before replacing it.

Winter cover down already - it's only September.

We have had many, many people stopping by to ask how we are going on and wanting to know about how we spent our summer?, how Sandra's dad is?, how's the grand children? etc. so we are feeling very much at home and loved by all.  Thank you all both here and at home for you kindness and thoughts.

More soon, Les and Sandra.