LOUIS AURA (ex-ORIENT QUEEN) Part 5

Wednesday 18th September 2013
We were on the Bridge early this morning ready for arrival in Rhodes.

Here we are in Rhodes

Just ahead of us

It was another hot day and there was time for deck breakfast before we set off for the Port Gate for 8.30 a.m. We are booked on a Land Rover Safari Tour for the day, which sounded good fun. Their website promised an exciting itinerary and that is what it proved to be. Our driver collected 4 more people locally and we headed south to Cape Prasonisi first, where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean. It was amazing to see the landscape and the windsurfers enjoying their sport – a lovely place for a coffee break and walk.

The Aegean meets the Mediterranean

Save Prasonisi

Drying Octopus

Next it was back in the Land Rover to head up the south western coastline, which included many miles of off-road driving – an uncomfortable ride at such a speed, but the end result was Margaritaville. This was a unique castaway style of bar set amongst 26 miles of deserted beach. We could relax, beach-comb, write the date in the sand and enjoy a wonderful beach picnic under the shade of the beach hut.

Margaritaville

The sea

Bottle tree

Shoe Tree

Then it was on to the village of Siana, to sample the locally made honey. We could also try the local ‘firewater’ called Suma, which proved memorable!

Village church

The interior was unexpected

After another dirt-track and road journey we were glad to arrive in the Embona wine region, to visit a distillery, which again proved fascinating. The samples were generous and ensured many sales in the family-owned winery.

The route up to Embona

Grapes for Suma

Fermentation

Some of the workings

Then it was down to sea level and around the Rhodes island coastline back to our port, after the exciting day that had been promised.

Blue Horizon was just leaving

On the walk back to the ship from the port gate I could see a familiar sight: ORIENT QUEEN II. She was previously the VISTAMAR, which I sailed on in 2011 from Bergen south to Cuxhaven, and really enjoyed, so I walked across the quayside for another look. I was able to go to Reception and have a chat with someone there, who had previously worked on LOUIS AURA ex-ORIENT QUEEN, but I was not allowed to go and visit the Music Salon again for security reasons of course. I was given a couple of brochures for Abou Merhi Cruises, as Mr Merhi now owns this second ORIENT QUEEN; he had chartered and then sold our ORIENT QUEEN to Louis Cruises, but apparently liked the name and used it again on the VISTAMAR after he acquired that.

Orient Queen II

Marmaris Express about to leave, with the Pilot disembarking after just 2 minutes!

Back on board we could watch LOUIS OLYMPIA sail, and then go and prepare for Gala Night on board our LOUIS AURA.

Louis Olympia leaving Rhodes port

Orient Queen II

Panagia Skiadeni

Gala Night preparations up on Venus Decks 1 and 2

Wearing our Gala Night attire on the Bridge seemed a bit unusual but the Captain was doing the same, ready for his Captain’s Cocktail party. We left Rhodes and enjoyed the departure, then went below to prepare for the evening ahead.

We queued with many other passengers for the ‘Meet the Captain for a photo’ and then continued into the Stars Show Lounge for the Captain’s official Introduction to his senior Officers and Department Heads.

Louis Aura Gala Night

This was followed by another wonderful dinner in the Mermaid Restaurant with numerous courses of delicious Greek food.

Ships seen: Blue Horizon, Orient Queen II, Marmaris Express (with the 2-minute Pilot), Panagia Skiadeni of Dodekanisos Seaways


To be continued....

GEMS OF THE AEGEAN SEPTEMBER 2009 Part 8

GEMS OF THE AEGEAN SEPTEMBER 2009
Part 8

Wednesday 16th September 2009
We arrived at the island of Rhodes at 7. a.m. under wide blue skies, in ever-increasing heat. Most of us remember that its great landmark was one of the Seven Wonders of the World: the Colossus of Rhodes, which collapsed after an earthquake about 225 B.C. After breakfast, we were treated to the sight of our esteemed Ocean Liner Society Chairman standing on the quayside outside our several port side cabins – he was kindly taking photographs of several of us at our individual portholes, using our individual cameras, so he was rather festooned with them.

Then it was off to the Old City, enjoying the sight of the other cruise ships and local vessels as we walked around the harbour path.







In one view we could see CRISTAL, AQUAMARINE, GRAND MISTRAL and AIDA DIVA, and in the next we could see AIDA DIVA, EASYCRUISE LIFE, MARMARIS EXPRESS and AQUAMARINE.

We could also see our little gem (AEGEAN PEARL) berthed between a BLUE STAR vessel and GEMINI.

The route wended its way under the shade of trees and amongst brilliantly coloured flowers, and led us to the Tourist Information Bureau. Outside this and unexpectedly set into the path were seven attractive stone mosaic pictures, all of particular sports.







They were of weightlifting, running, handball, rowing, swimming, wrestling and basketball.

The coffee stop was in the harbour on board a floating restaurant ‘Kontiki’, with far-reaching views from the top deck.







A small Ice Lounge vessel turned nearby, allowing us to see that it was a glass-bottomed boat offering half hour cruises. She turned in front of Symi II.







A Salamis Lines vessel could be seen far away between Rhodes and the distant Turkish mountains, and a grey hulled naval vessel suddenly rushed past the harbour with a flurry of foam and testosterone.


A streamlined private yacht sailed out of the harbour accompanied by yearning noises from several watchers; we noticed ‘Aquaholic’ moored nearby, and a Love Boat - no, not the famous one, but No. 36. We approached AIDA DIVA and I was persuaded to purse my lips so that the obligatory photo could be taken of me appearing to kiss the red lips on her bow.

Back on board AGEAN PEARL, we all enjoyed lunch and then settled on our favourite aft deck to watch the harbour events. BLUE STAR 1 came in and soon left with her new passengers;
a small freighter GEPA at a nearby quay appeared to be loading bags of fertiliser; AQUAMARINE had us reeling back from her black smoke as she started engines and prepared to leave; Anek Line’s IERAPETRA L came in and soon left; meanwhile our tug appeared to be losing the battle to get us off the quay because of the strength of the prevailing wind, so other cruise ships left instead, whilst we had to wait.

With more space for manoeuvres we were finally underway and able to leave Rhodes harbour, and watch SYMI 2 sail past.










The light was still beautiful so we enjoyed the sea views until it was time to prepare our Elegant Attire for the Captain’s Cocktail Party in the Clipper Lounge before dinner.

We paid our respects to Captain Stathis Goumas with the usual handshakes and thanks and enjoyed another happy meal in the Restaurant before an evening on the aft deck. This time we were sailing 171 nautical miles to our next port: Heraklion, in Crete.

Ships seen: Marmaris Express, Blue Star 1, Ierapetra L, Gemini, Flying Dolphin 1 and 2, Aida Diva, Cristal, Aquamarine, Grand Mistral, easyCruise Life, Ice House, Simi 2, Love Boat No. 36, Gepa

To be concluded...

GEMS OF THE AEGEAN SEPTEMBER 2009 Part 4

GEMS OF THE AEGEAN SEPTEMBER 2009
Part 4 - AQUAMARINE

Saturday 12th September 2009

The English version of the Louis Daily News reminded us that today we were to visit Rhodes, the most famous of the Dodecanese islands, so that meant lots of ships to see after 8.30 a.m. arrival, as well as the fascinating Old City.



There had been lightning visible during the previous evening, and localised storms had obviously sent a lot of rain onto Rhodes, judging by some huge puddles near the quay but the heat soon dried them up. On the way out on the quayside I took a photograph of my aquamarine-coloured scarf hanging in the porthole of my cabin. Why? Because I had hung it up there, and wanted to see just how low my cabin was, and I’ve never had the chance to do this before.

I visited the Archaeological Museum and particularly admired the sculptures from 420-410 BC showing women in flowing robes, with the ‘fabrics’ carved in such beautiful and lifelike ways as they fell to the feet. That must be so difficult to do.



Coffee called from one of the many street-side cafes; scented olive-oil soaps had to be bought; beautiful jewellery from dozens of shops had to be admired; walking amongst crowds of other tourists had to be negotiated; the cool shade and hot sun of the old city streets had to be contrasted; and at one of the numerous T-shirt/hat shops we had to look at the cotton sun hats with synthetic hair attached – either blonde or black flowing locks; there were lots of ships to see out in the harbour.



The blue sky overhead, the heat and the flowers around the Old City made for a happy morning, before returning to AQUAMARINE.


Lunch time and tea time on the ship passed happily, and then it was time to dress for late dinner at 9.15 p.m. and Greek Night on board the ship.


Posh frocks and high heels (for me anyway), pre-dinner drinks at the Sunshine Bar and excellent food in the Restaurant followed, and then one of our number impressed the rest of us tremendously in the karaoke competition in one of the bars.

















Ships seen: Gemini (Quail Cruises), Ierapetra L (Anek), Blue Star 2, Nautica, Symi, Marmaris Express, Sapphire

To be continued...