As usual I have been so busy that I have fallen way behind in blogging--in fact, I may not catch up until we are home in Arizona.  This morning--it's not quite 6am--we are heading to the port in Limassol, Cyprus, the first entirely "new" place for me. Since my last entry we have spent two days at sea and two days in Israel. But, as promised in the previous entry, here are some pictures from Messina:

Messina Cathedral (Duomo) and Bell Tower
(rebuilt in early 20th century)

Catholic Church in Hills Overlooking Messina

Bronze Figures on Cathedral Bell Tower
(performance daily at noon)

Wooden Ceiling in Cathedral

Cathedral Bell Tower

Cathedral Central Doorway

Cathedral Astronomical Clock

Apartment Building with Dragon Doorway Decoration

Wooden Ceiling in Cathedral



Church of SS Annunciata and Catalani
(closed for restoration)

Sailing Messina to Haifa, Day 1
Friday, 10 November 2017
  

We have two glorious restful days at sea to prepare for the arduous days of touring in Israel.  We will dock in Haifa, but spend our two days touring in Jerusalem and south central Israel, including the Negev Desert, Masada, and the Dead Sea.  When Will and I spent a week in Israel in 1993, we concentrated on Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and the north of Israel, including the Lebanese border, the Golan Heights, and the Sea of Galilee.
This morning Israeli immigration and passport officers check every passenger's documents and issue landing cards; this process will expedite our debarking in Haifa.  The process is very quick and efficient—no questions asked.
 

On board ship this first sea day the major activity is a morning lecture about the Holy City, presented by the excellent ship lecturer, Jeana Rogers.  The remainder of the day is devoted to enjoying the bright sunshine, smooth waters, and warming temperatures. The Captain's Cocktail Party, with free unlimited bar drinks, starts at 5:45pm.  We enjoy martinis until 6:30, when it's time to meet Anita in the Polo Grill for dinner: a selection that begins with shrimp cocktails, oysters, and lobster bisque, and continues with whole lobster, filet mignon, and tapenade-crusted rack of lamb (that is for three people).

 

Sailing Messina to Haifa, Day 2
Saturday, 11 November 2017

Another beautiful and smooth day at sea, with a presentation on Cyprus by Jeana Rogers.  The highlight of the day is dinner in Jacques', a French bistro designed by Jacque Pepin.  The day passes quickly as we continue to enjoy very smooth sailing.  In the next two blogs I shall describe our two days in Israel.