Saturday 23rd April 2011
We have another morning at sea, but it is wet and cold outside, so we go exploring again on the ship. Some places look quite different in daylight, to what they do at night, and we amused ourselves by going Up Pompeii, to quote an old British film title – well, we walked up the slope past the Pompei Spa.
We had an early lunch and watched arrival in Cagliari, on the southern end of the Italian island of Sardinia.
Scorpio
Tivelon, we think
Eurocargo Salerno
Clodia with all those extra cabins on topThrough the rain we could see various ferries so we took the local bus into the town, and started walking around the ancient parts of the city, enjoying seeing the many Roman buildings and remains. The rain became intermittent so we could look down into the harbour and see our ship over the rooftops.
ships, rain and graffiti
Cagliari rooftops
more rooftops
and even more rooftops
arch, scaffolding and graffitiThe path wound down again through little streets, and the sight of a home-made ice-cream shop tucked into the hillside was a happy sight, especially as it had a water fountain and bench outside. Italian ice-cream was the order of the day, with hands washed under the water pump proving a very exciting activity for some of us that afternoon – I got quite wet. The other two just laughed and stood well away. Then it was back to the ship for tea-time,
stern view of Costa Victoria
quayside reflections
goodbye to Cagliariand preparations for dinner this evening in the Il Magnifico Club Restaurant, which is the extra-tariff speciality one which had been booked and paid for in advance. The food was served at our circular table, and it was very enjoyable, although we were rather surprised to realise that there was no kitchen nearby so the food had to be brought from some distance. I found the large stern-facing room rather cold but it was good to see some more of Captain Stephen Card’s paintings on one wall. It was rather disconcerting to finish the meal and each of us immediately be presented with a questionnaire about the menu contents, choice offered and the service. I could understand them wanting immediate er, feed-back, but it was a strange end to a special meal. Anyway, we filled them in and handed them back and could then go and look at the evening’s entertainment.
In the Concorde Plaza we found the crowds gathering for an Italian ‘Mr Pizza’ Election. This was to be a male-equivalent Beauty Competition it seemed, and as reluctant men of all ages were being picked out of the audience, we scurried up the stairs to the top tier of the seating and my male companions said they felt far more comfortable!
Music was played, the Cruise Staff got very excited and persuaded the men on the stage to take part in various dressing up and dressing down elimination games, and then to make pizza dough on the table. The flour started to fly, a lady in a beautiful red dress sitting very near the stage became covered in it, the nearby audience started to cough, everybody else started to laugh, and then the Cruise Staff got the remaining rather elderly participants to take off shirts and tops and put on a dress to do a sexy dance. We and many others thought it was becoming a bit demeaning and sad by then – it really wasn’t funny any more – so we left Mr Pizza to be chosen by the remaining audience and the rather mocking Cruise Staff.
Back in my cabin I found a large chocolate Easter Egg, beautifully wrapped in foil and cellophane, with an Easter Card from Costa Cruises wishing me a happy Easter Day tomorrow. There are 2,300 of us passengers on board, from 26 nationalities, so that’s a very kind thought.
Happy Easter from Costa Cruises and Costa VictoriaShips seen: Lazio, Clodia, Eurocargo Salerno, Eurocargo Alexandria, Scorpio, the sunken wreck of Tivelon, Grupo Grendi Conro ‘Esprit’ registered in Cagliari.
