Cruising From Malta, Part Three

Day 7 Wednesday – At sea

The best night’s sleep so far and they have all been good! It’s surprising how tiring sitting in the fresh air can be. After dinner last night I popped into the Epicurean restaurant to amend Thursday’s booking to two as Hanna appears to have gone missing. Then up a deck to the Planet Bar for my usual vodka and lemonade. The ships never used to have lemonade and I used to have to make do with Seven Up, but recently they have started stocking R Whites, which in my humble opinion is much better. Only the one drink last night as I was tired after my excursion, and retired to my cabin and was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

On waking I glanced at my travel alarm to see it said 06:52, so time to get moving. It’s another fabulous morning out there with a clear blue sky and calm sea, not a white horse to be seen and the TV tells me it is a miserable 24°C, with a force 5 wind across the open decks. I thought I’d check my email first, but just like the last day at sea the ship’s internet is down, so no sh*t posting for me today. As it’s a sea day, and folks don’t get up so early, breakfast in the Main Dining Room doesn’t start until 08:00. If I start getting dressed now instead of lying in bed typing this, I should be ready in time.

I arrived for breakfast just as the doors opened and, as usual, asked for a sharing table and, as normal, the receptionist said it might be a long wait, but I didn’t mind as I have nothing special to do today as it’s a sea day. The girl said, “Ok, table 34,” and a guide led me off. As I sit on table 33 at night I knew exactly where I was going but to my surprise, I was put on 33 which was labelled 34! The waiter for the section was straight over and I asked if the tables had been deliberately re-numbered or was it a mistake, explaining I sat on this table at dinner, and it was 33. He rushed off and got a table plan and sorted things out, three tables had been misnumbered. So, I moved to the real 34 which was a table for eight while 33 is only a four. good job we got it sorted, as seven others turned up!

For once I had remembered to take my pills with me, so I asked for a glass of water to take them with, much better than with hot coffee. So, I ordered my usual Rice Krispies, and today was a P&O breakfast, fried egg, bacon, cumberland sausage, hash browns and tomato, all accompanied by square toast and coffee. Except when the waiter came to refill my cup he poured tea instead of coffee. He apologised profusely, but I decided a cup of tea would make a nice change, as it appeared to be quite strong. I can’t be doing with weak tea; you have to be able to taste it.

As I walked back past the swimming pools, I noticed they were setting up for a lunchtime barbecue, I might just go later and see what is on offer. As the grill outlet where you get hot dogs and burgers isn’t open until 2 pm, I suspect they will be there as a minimum. I sat in the shade by the pool reading as it was pretty warm in the sun. Mid-morning I had a bottle of Doom Bar and as lunchtime arrived I thought I would try the ‘Deck Barbecue’. The queue was quite long but moving well. There was a decent selection of nice fresh salad stuff, slices of cheese and ham, potato salad and all that cold stuff but I was really looking at the hot thing’s further down the line.

There were burger steaks, hot dog sausages, minute steaks, ribs and chicken (legs and breasts), chips and jacket spuds and a heap of sautéed onions. I had salad, chicken, steak, onions and chips and scoffed the lot. Then over to the dessert where a chef was slicing up fresh melon, watermelon and pineapple as fast as he could go. That fresh fruit went down a treat. Oh, I must not forget I have developed a taste for the Doom Bar. I think I might go back to my book in a bit, or maybe a short siesta is called for.

As it’s a sea day, here’s a photo of Santorini showing the various volcanic deposit levels.

It’s a formal night so I must don the dress suit again. I strolled through the packed buffet to get to the lift down to the MDR which was surprisingly quiet. Today I had pate to start, followed by beef consommé. For the main course I had prawns in a savoury tomato sauce and orzo pasta. This is often served on P&O cruises and is a particular favourite of mine. I finish with mixed ice cream.

Day 8 – 2nd Thursday – Malta

Today we are back in Malta and it’s a changeover day. This ship operates what is basically a series of seven-day cruises out of Malta. One week to the Greek Island, the next week to the Adriatic and the third week, the other Tyrrhenian Sea and ports around it. Then it repeats the itinerary but swaps around some of the ports of call. This means that passengers can do one, two, three or even four weeks without repeating to many islands. On top of that, it’s my birthday and I intend to have a lazy day watching all the people who are hanging around waiting for their coach to the airport.

The MDR opened at 07:00 for breakfast but that was too early for me, so I didn’t go down to it until around eight. It was surprisingly not very busy, but I was placed on an eight where a couple who entered the MDR immediately before me had been placed. The table rapidly filled, and the waiter was soon over to take the orders, Rice Krispies and a fry-up, fried egg, bacon, sausage, and hash browns set me up nicely.

I decided on a walk into the city. It is out of the dock, five minutes along the sea front and then up the cliff railway (€1 return) to the town. But my, was it hot, there was no breeze at all. After a short time wandering the streets of a baking hot Valletta, I found a bar to enjoy a cold local beer, can’t remember the name, but it was cold and wet. After that it was back to the ship, it was too hot for me in town. Lunch consisted of a hot dog and chips which I had nearly finished before my bottle of Doom Bar arrived

After lunch I retreated to my balcony to read. It is in the shade this afternoon but is even hotter as there is no breeze. As I mentioned, I had arranged to meet Gary in the Planet Bar on Deck 18 for a pre-dinner drink (vodka and lemonade) before going down one deck to the Epicurean. The Planet Bar is very pleasant, it is rather like the Crow’s Nest but at the stern of the ship. I am impressed every time I go to an Epicurean on a P&O ship, the food and service are terrific. We ordered our starters and mains, and no sooner had the waiter left us than the wine waiter arrived, and we decided to share a bottle of Piñot Grigio. The first food to arrive was an amuse bouche, it’s not on the menu but is always served. It was a tiny glass of mixed berries and drinking yogurt and was delicious.

Then came the starters, Gary had seared scallops and I had the most delicious celeriac soup. For mains I chose giant Indonesian tiger prawns, they are the size of crayfish and are butterflied and grilled. They are served with Japanese savoury noodles, Asian stir-fried vegetables and a small jug of liquid garlic butter. I also had five very large double-fried chips. Absolutely fabulous. Gary had the rack of lamb, and it did look good.

Then came a palette cleanser, a tiny blackcurrant ice lolly coated in chocolate. For dessert we both chose crape Suzette which is prepared at the table and very theatrically flambéed. Finally, coffee and petit fours. A thoroughly enjoyable meal. Back to the Planet Bar for another vodka and lemonade before I collapsed into bed.

Day 9 – 2nd Friday – At sea

I woke fairly early, around 06:50 and realising it was a sea day and breakfast in the MDR wasn’t started until eight this morning. I did a bit of sh*t posting on GP. When I dragged myself out of bed, I saw the sea was like a mirror and it was a little hazy, but lovely and warm out on the balcony. According to the map on the TV, we are doing 18 knots, we are just off the boot of Italy, it’s 26° and we are heading for Split.

A simple breakfast this morning as I am still a little full after last night’s super meal. So, it’s Rice Krispies, an onion omelette, square toast and coffee this morning before making for my half-sunny balcony. It’s far nicer reading on the balcony than being on a crowded deck fighting for a lounger.

Time for lunch and I’m still not very hungry! I made for the Grill thinking I could manage a hot dog but decided to forego chips. Looking around by the pool area in front of the Grill it was packed with not a seat to be had anywhere, so I abandoned the idea of a hot dog and headed for the buffet. The new plan was to construct myself a small salad, which I did with ham, cherry tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and cucumber, which was pretty good. I avoid the hot stuff which included, lamb korma, chicken breasts, pork loins, to me that’s for dinner not for lunch. I nearly picked up the golden syrup sponge and custard, which I adore, but instead I had a couple of homemade coconut cookies for my dessert. All the more space for tonight’s formal evening.

As we are at sea, the shops are all open, so I took a wander round to look for a present for the LGND. She is still into cuddly toys, and I often see her climbing in the back of the family car with her current favourite. So, I have found a cuddly rabbit glove puppet which I hope she will like. I have also got her some of her favourite chocolate, in the form of a giant bag of Peanut M&Ms.

Because we are at sea with plenty of time for people to get ready, it’s another formal night on board. Unlike the last one, the Main Dining Room was packed and just about everyone had dressed up for the occasion. I started with the amuse bouche, don’t ask me what it was made from, but it was very flavoursome. For a starter, I had what was described on the menu as a ‘beef bonbon’. It was a small ball, about the size of a golf ball of pulled beef in a slightly curry-flavoured sauce, most enjoyable. The soup course came next, delicious French onion but I passed on the cheese crouton. I have had it on P&O before and it is like a 3” diameter piece of ‘cheese on toast’ floating on the soup. Very nice, but I try to avoid cheese as it gives me migraine. The main course I chose was beef wellington and it was absolutely delicious. I wanted a light dessert, so it was just ice cream, vanilla, cookie dough and coconut.

Day 10 – 2nd Saturday – Split

I was awake as we came into port and although warm it was a bit hazy, but the sun was pouring into the cabin. My excursion today is a morning tour on what is termed a ‘cabrio bus.’ My guess is an open-top double-decker with a folding roof. The trip goes at 08:15, so if I want breakfast it’s the dreaded buffet this morning. I was amazed there was hardly anyone there, so I grabbed my individual box of Rice Krispies, added milk and found a much sought after table by the window! I got a glass of water for my pills and a glass of orange juice, and everything was going well.

A table clearer whizzed away my empty bowl and spoon, and I asked him not to clear away anything else as I was going for a hot breakfast. They have an omelette station in the buffet, and I asked for a mushroom one which the girl did as I was watching. As it was cooking, I wondered what else I fancied, maybe some bacon. But no, there was a tray of sliced fried potatoes, so I put a decent serving on my plate together with the omelette and headed back to my window seat just in time to stop a couple trying to grab it. I must say those potatoes were good, what a pity they aren’t available in the MDR.

I was half right about the cabrio bus, it was open top with a folding canvas roof, but it was only a single-decker. Off we went to our first stop, an ancient castle in the nearby village of Klis. Apparently, much of Game of Thrones was filmed there. I always thought most of it was shot in Northern Ireland. By now it was getting very warm and we had to walk up a very steep hill to a viewing platform from which you could see back down to the harbour and Azura.

The second stop was a park with scenic views over Split. I found a nice bench in the shade and drunk some of the water I had brought with me. The bus then proceeded into the town of Split. Not only was it Sunday but it was ‘Liberation from the Nazis’ day so it was madly busy in the city. If you wanted to get off the bus there you could, or you could stay on the bus and be driven back to the ship. Not wanting a 20-minute walk in the midday sun, I stayed on the bus. Of course, the ship was tied near the ferry port, and it was swarming with people, every single one seemed to have either a case on wheels or a backpack, some even had both.

I was back on board in time for lunch. A hamburger and fries today for a change and a large Pepsi Max, no ice. I made it back to the cabin and found the balcony in the shade. So, I sat down and read. I have nearly finished the book I am reading and waiting for the twist in the tale will be inevitable.

Today is just an ordinary casual dress evening, so it’s only a normal three-course meal this evening. I wasn’t quite sure whether to play it safe and stick with the tomato and basil soup or to be adventurous and try the Vietnamese pho soup. In the end I tried the pho soup, and it was pretty good, a little spicy but not too much. As a lover of lemon sole when I saw it on the menu I had to order it. It came in a large bowl in a mixed seafood sauce of mussels, prawns, crab and pasta that had a rich tomato base. It was really good if you like seafood. I was pretty full after all that seafood, so I stuck to ice cream for dessert, vanilla and coffee this evening. I particularly like coffee ice cream, and this was extremely good.

Day 11 – 2nd Sunday – Dubrovnik

We were a little later into port today, I don’t know why as it’s only about 240 Km between them. I must say it looks very pretty on the way into port. My ‘panoramic’ trip this morning isn’t until 09:45 and only lasts 90 minutes, so I have plenty of time for breakfast in the restaurant this morning. As always, I started with Rice Krispies but today I had two poached eggs on fried bread. The waiter read the order back to me and said, “Two poached eggs on toast”. I said, “No, on fried bread.” I was quite prepared to send them back if they turned up on toast. But I got them on fried bread and jolly good they were to, firm whites and runny yolks. The lady sitting next to me got what I would call a ‘snotty’ egg with an uncooked white. I would have sent it back, but she ate it and complained to the rest of the table.

The coach trip departed bang on time and we made our way to a viewing point just over the bridge that dominates the harbour, with views over the cruise ship. Only a short photo stop, thank goodness, as it is very hot with forecast temperatures getting up to 40°C this afternoon. We then went back across the bridge and carried on down the road past the old town for another photo stop on a high point looking back at the old town. There being nowhere to turn the coach, we proceeded further down the road until we could turn off into a village at the side where there was a roundabout which allowed the driver to go around it and head back to the old town.

Eventually, we turned off the main road and dropped down into the old town, passing several of the old forts that were built to protect the city in medieval times. We passed both the gates into the centre of the old town without stopping and headed back to the ship where I was happy to have a cold drink before lunch. Today, lunch was back to a hot dog and chips but only just having had a beer, I was very good and only got a drink of water. Plenty of time for another beer later but a little snooze calls.

I enjoyed my lazy afternoon on the balcony reading a Lincoln Lawyer/Harry Bosch story between naps. Eventually, it was time to get a shower and a shave to wash off the sweat of the day before dinner. I wasn’t sure what to have for a starter, but eventually settled on a caesar salad. The menu always has a choice of about eight choices on one page and a chef’s selection of starter, main and dessert on the second page. I normally look to see what the chef recommends and today the recommended main was steak and kidney suet pudding. Well, I can’t remember the last time I saw that on a menu, so I had to have it and it was fantastic. The individual puddings were packed with tasty tender meat and the veg was mashed potato, cabbage and carrots, just what it would have been when my old Mum cooked it.

The next decision was what did I fancy for dessert. For a change, I had fresh fruit salad and the waiter asked if I wanted cream, ice cream or both. I said both, so the bowl of fresh fruit salad and pouring cream came with two scoops of vanilla ice cream on the top. The waiter knows us too well now and the coffee cups are produced without us asking and he has realised that neither of us have sugar in coffee, so the sugar bowl has ceased to be brought out with the coffee. A most enjoyable meal, now it’s up to the Planet Bar for a nightcap, I think a vodka and lemonade is next on the agenda.

All Photos were taken by WorthingGooner and are his copyright.

In Part 4 – Corfu, Italy and home
 

© text & images WorthingGooner 2024