MSC BELLISSIMA 14th March 2019 Part 3

Wednesday 13th March 2019
I slept well in my delightful bedroom and enjoyed breakfast down in the Restaurant. I had time to myself this morning, as my travelling companion was arriving by train at lunchtime. I had decided to walk to the ferry terminal (Traghetti Terminale) for exercise and pleasure to see what I could see. Not a lot, was the general answer. The pavements were uneven and I had to watch my step, but once inside the public part of the building at least I could see the Arrivals and Departures boards.

Arrivals board

Departures board


These showed arrivals as ATHARA from Porto Torres, BITHIA from Olbia and LA SUPREMA from Palermo. The departures were to be GNV FANTASTIC to Tunisia, Tirrenia's ATHARA back to Porto Torres, Tirrenia's BITHIA back to Olbia and GNV'S LA SUPREMA back to Palermo. Ah, memories, memories.

I could only look out at the ships from the main passenger terminal, and that view was through glass, and above concrete balcony edges outside the glass, but I managed a few photos. I liked seeing the list of things of things Forbidden to be taken on board: Tortoises, parrots, monkeys, chameleons etc.

Bithia

Bithia's other side

Forbidden things

Athara and Bithia

Majestic and Fantastic


Then it was time to walk back to the hotel to meet my friend and wish him a happy birthday for today before we set off to see some sights. His train was on time, his check in was easy, and we were soon ready to set off for the delights of the funicular as he requested, followed by a taxi ride east along the coast to the little village of Boccadasse. This visit had been suggested by the Bar Royale Steward during a chat the previous evening. A friendly local taxi driver took us to the end of the promenade near the village, and we could then descend numerous cobbled steps down to the beach and find somewhere for a late lunch.

Boccadasse

Confetti on the steps

Steps up behind us


The views were beautiful around us and of the sea and the far mountains around the coastline; we could hear the sound of the sea crashing onto the rocks and beach below us before we arrived at the bottom of the steps. I saw confetti blown onto the steps outside several homes on the way down.

Sparkling sea and the lunch terrace

The sea again

It looked rough

A shell wall


At the bottom we decided to walk around the little beach and then up part of the other hillside, before coming back for a very late lunch at one of the beachside restaurants. We enjoyed all of that in the sunshine, but a brisk wind later sent us back up to the street-side promenade where we could call the taxi to come back for us. Out in the sea we noticed EUROCARGO SAVONA was at anchor, and then a Grimaldi vessel was sailing towards the port of Genoa.

Eurocargo Savona

A Grimaldi vessel


The day ended back at the hotel with drinks and dinner and chat about the day's events.

Tomorrow is the day MSC BELLISSIMA is due to arrive in Genoa, for us to check in and sail away for 3 nights on board.

Ships seen: Bithia, Majestic, Fantastic, Athara, Eurocargo Savona, a Grimaldi vessel

To be continued...

Costa Victoria 20th April 2011 Part 1

18th April 2011
Today I’m flying from Gatwick airport to Genoa in Italy, prior to joining the COSTA VICTORIA in a couple of day’s time. Lucky me. I haven’t landed there before so it was disconcerting to look out of the port side aircraft window and see blue sea right up until the moment we landed and the brakes were put on, as we hurtled down the runway. It was only as the aircraft turned at the end of the runway that I could see that it stopped not far ahead of us and there was water on three sides.

Only last week I’d met a retired seaman who had docked in Genoa in 1959 and immediately been asked to join a Mission to Seafarers team who were about to play a quick game of football on the land that was still being reclaimed to build an airport! He asked me to think of him when I landed at Genoa! Because he played for a Mission to Seafarers side, and I’m on my local Mission Committee, I put this in my diary.

The Airport bus took me into the centre of the city, and a local bus took me to my hotel near the ferry terminal. I checked in and asked if it was possible please to have a room looking out over the harbour and the ships and was allocated one on the 6th floor. Gosh, it was good – my hands were unpacking but my eyes were taking in all the ships I could see from the window: MSC LIRICA, THOMSON DREAM, MOBY OTTA, MARRAKECH,


AURELIA, JANAS, FANTASTIC, LA SUPREMA and MAJESTIC were all in a curved line in front of me.




I could take quick pictures as first MARRAKECH (with a tug)




and then MAJESTIC left. Over on the far side of the harbour I could see the funnel of a Moby ship and yellow hulls of what could be Sardinia/Corsican ferries so I was looking forward to a harbour trip tomorrow.

Across the road at the Ferry Terminal I found out the arrivals and departures for the day





then walked along the roadway to look at the cruise ships before they left for the night.




The air was warm and comfortable under a blue sky and I watched ZEUS PALACE berth where MAJESTIC had been. How strange to see her in GNV colours now, but she still looks good.


The sun was getting low as I returned to the hotel for dinner and another look at my ship photographs of the day.

Ships seen: MSC Lirica, Thomson Dream, Moby Otta, Marrakech, Aurelia, Janas, Fantastic, La Suprema, Majestic, Zeus Palace