Greetings to everyone from the Straits Of Messina! The Rotterdam has just left the phenomenal port of Messina, Sicily.
Now, we are sailing between the boot of Italy and Sicily making our way northwest towards Rome.
We were just informed that we will not be stopping in Naples, Italy as previously planned and scheduled.
A large storm is brewing in the Mediterranean, and the ship’s Captain and crew have made the decision to bypass this port in order to get us to safety. They have been in touch with those “powers that be” who are monitoring weather for the area, and it was deemed necessary to head for Rome sooner than later.
Of course, this is disappointing but “better safe than sorry”! Our trip has been very calm other than a few bigger waves on one night as we passed through the Aegean Sea. That was a bit stomach turning, but manageable. I imagine though, that being caught in a storm in the middle of a turbulent sea would be a completely different story!
An extra day at sea is quite welcome to get rested up for a couple of days in Rome before heading home!
All waters lead to Rome...we’ll just be led there sooner!
A couple of days ago, we sailed into the port of Heraklion, Crete for the day. It is also known as Iraklion. This is the largest city in Crete and it is the fourth largest city in Greece.
Disembarking from the ship, we needed to go through the port terminal for passport control. Each port has been different in regards to our passports. At the beginning of the trip, each passenger provided their passports to the ship’s authorities and for most of the ports, these authorities have acted on our behalf to ensure our entry to the country we currently visit. In some countries though, we have to show up personally in front of an immigration official. This was one of those!
Leaving the terminal, immediately I looked out into the distance. On the horizon beyond the city, Mount Juktas rose up, silhouetted by the sun. This mountain is also called “Sleeping Zeus” as it is said that it resembles the face of Zeus at rest.
In ancient times, Mount Juktas was the site of religious activity for the Minoan civilization, and during this civilization through the Bronze Age (3000 - 1450 B.C.), there was a sanctuary on top of this revered peak.
Even in this day and age, people still flock to this area for religious celebrations. There is a Greek Orthodox Church not far from the base of this mountain.
I decided to do a walking tour of Heraklion and it was quite simple to find my way. The streets of Heraklion have arrows or colour coded symbols with maps, so one can find one’s way around.
I headed towards the harbour. On this windy day, I could hear the boats before I saw them. The waves splashing against the sides as they rocked back and forth, the clanging of bells, the shouts of sailors preparing their boats or unloading these of their catches from their morning’s work.
Adjacent to the harbour was a sight to behold. An ancient fortress stood firm. Even now it was protecting the harbour, though only from the winds that blew fiercely off of the sea.
This fortress, as I learned, was a Venetian fortress called Koules. It is also known as Castello a Mare. It was built by the Republic of Venice between 1523 and 1540.
A really interesting fact I found about this fortress is that it is built on a foundation of old ships that were filled with rubble and stone. These were then sunk to increase and strengthen the platform surface area before building the fortress on top. So cool!
This fortress is two stories tall, has a church, a mill, a bakery, a lighthouse, its own water supply, a prison, and rooms since it was formerly a barracks. Now, it is sometimes used as a concert venue, and is a museum open to visitors year round.
I continued following the yellow dotted line - on the sidewalk, not the road! - passed the harbour. The colour of the sea was stunning with its varied shades of turquoise and blues. I eventually crossed the road to wander into the old town!
The old town was a maze of pedestrian walkways passing by shops, churches, fountains, war monuments, museums, and local bands busking on the streets in the middle of crowds clapping along or walking past.
Viewing the war monuments and memorials here in Heraklion, which were specific to Crete, reminded me how each country, just like people, have their own history that shapes and molds their course through this life. Battles that I had only ever heard or read about were commemorated and touched numerous lives here.
Heading back to the port in the late afternoon, the ferries came and went, some with “Minoan Lines” written on their side. The Minoan civilization still continues to influence this area even thousands of years later. They are known for their palaces which were often four stories high and had complex plumbing systems long before more modern age facilities existed. The best known palace is here near Heraklion, in what is considered the oldest and first city in Europe called Knossos. At this late date in history, it is now in ruins but its frescos are still vibrant, from what I have been told by passengers who saw it that day.
Leaving Crete was bittersweet, as all departures have been. So grateful to have seen even just a small part of this great country, which I have heard so much about and wondered about since I was little. And yet, I was curious to see what our next stop would hold.
A day at sea and then the following morning (today), as I was waking, the engines slowed and there seemed to be a gradual and deliberate drift into the port at Messina. The port seemed to stretch on for miles, guarded by a towering pillar with a golden statue of Mary, the Mother of God, on top. She is considered the Protectorate of Messina, and Her Image in statues, photos, paintings and murals is seen throughout the island.
My tour today consisted of a trip to Murgo Winery, for a wine tour and tasting. After this there was also a brief stop at the foot of Mount Etna. A perfect excursion for a rainy day in Sicily!
Murgo Winery is situated near the small village of Santa Venerina on the eastern slopes of Mount Etna. This winery is known for its exceptional wines, but it is much more than this. Not only does it have vineyards for the grapes they need, but there is also a large garden for vegetables they grow, fruit trees and olive groves.
Besides the wine they produce, they also have chutneys, jams, syrups, marinated olives, and a diverse selection of other products to be sold with their wines, or in their restaurant where we had our tasting.
Of course, the wines were superb, especially paired with their olives, cheese and fresh breads. After the wine tasting, we headed to the winery and caught a “behind the scenes” look of this innovative and diverse business. And of course, no one left empty handed without either a couple of bottles of their wines, or other delectable goods.
We all walked back to our bus through the mist as the rain picked up. Our bus then took us further up the mountain to the foot of Mount Etna and a fairly recent lava flow which by now had solidified.
Through the mist it was difficult to clearly see the top of this active volcano. Was it mist? Was it steam? This too was hard to tell.
As our tour guide mentioned, if she (Mount Etna) wasn’t steaming then it is cause for concern! It was great to be there, but with Mount Etna being a fairly active volcano, I was grateful to leave too!
This day went by far too fast and after what seemed like a quick trip back to the ship, it was soon time to depart.
And so here we are heading north. We will be at sea for the next day but will get into the port at Civitavecchia the following day. We will have a day to spend on the ship saying our “good-byes” before disembarking for good the next morning.
At that time, Denise and I will catch a train from Civitavecchia to Rome, which is about an hour’s journey! So excited to see Rome, even for a couple of days!
Thanks for taking the time to share my cruise with me. I hope you enjoyed the trip as much as I did. I will write to you again soon!
Love, Jae
P.S. As a side note, I would like to give a big thank you to www.britannia.com, www.history.ca, and Wikipedia for their historical and invaluable information, which helped me to answer many questions on these areas I have visited!
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