Food Tour

Some pictures from our Shanghai Food Tour. Had a brilliant night, there were ten of us, Jasmine our guide who was an Australian who has lived in Shanghai for 10 years and is an Architect during her day job, a Spanish and an Australian couple and 3 Virgin Atlantic pilots (English) who were a lot of fun. 

One of the pilots playing with some of our dinner. 

Soup dumplings 

Crawfish 

Some night pictures of Shanghai from our Hotel Room on 33rd floor

Click on them and they should get bigger as uploaded on super fast Chinese Marriot internet not on ipad 4G or crappy European Hotel internet.

Final Blog Wednesday 12^th October

From Dubronick it was back to Venice and packing for our return trip to London. I was so impressed with how 2000 people exited the ship and were transferred to their travel destinations. We had a British Airways flight to London City. Flight was great but they need to take an Air NZ customer service course ASAP. Food and personnel not great. If I had thrown the bun they served you for lunch and it had hit someone I am sure it would have rendered them unconscious.

 Friday Saturday Sunday 7^th  8^th  9^th October London.

We had a lovely weekend with Adam his lovely girlfriend and Matt. Russell did find time to visit Emirates Stadium (Arsenal) and bought himself a little trivia. It was very hard saying goodbye to AJ but my saving grace is he will be home in early December for 6 weeks to await his visa renewal.

Monday 10 October London – Shanghai

What a journey. We left our hotel room at 7am took the Euro star to Paris – which was an hour late transfered to another train to Charles De Gaulle Airport and got through with literary 10 minutes to spare – we were doing a slight panic. We flew Emirates to Dubai – Cattle class 7hrs. It was great service and the food amazing. We were seated in a row of 4 but only 3 of us with a spare seat beside me so plenty of room. Stayed awake the whole flight as I wanted to sleep on the second leg Dubai to Shanghai. Well that didn’t happen for either of us so when we finally reached our Hotel 24hrs later we were shattered. Shower and bed was all we needed. Our Hotel is divine I will get Russell to post a couple of pictures especially the night ones.  Slept like a baby.

Wednesday  12^th October – Shanghai

Went shopping - first purchase another suitcase then children’s clothes I am sure you can guess who for. The afternoon was spent in the French Quarter and had a drink where Russell & I had sat and had a drink in 2013, very nostalgic.

Thursday 13^th October – Shanghai

A day out and about and at 7pm we are doing a food tour in the old city really looking forward to that.

Friday 14^th October – Shanghai – Napier

We leave our hotel Friday morning out to the airport and Air NZ home. I cannot believe how 5 weeks have gone by so quickly. We have had a great holiday but are both now ready for home see you all next week.

Laur

London

Sorry blog quiet now as we flew back to London from Cruise Friday, into London City Airport for a couple of days with Adam & Matthew. London City Airport was great. Only small plane and only ten people in the non EU passport line. Very quick. 

Writing this on Eurostar Monday morning on way to Paris CDG Airport to catch Emirates flight to Dubai then on to Shanghai. Might be a couple of updates from Shanghai. Leave Shanghai Friday arrive NZ Saturday morning. 

Russell

Dubrovnik

On Wednesday we stopped at another Bucket List spot Dubrovnik or Kings Landing for all you Game of Thrones fans. Took a €50 panoramic taxi tour from ship to Old Town first and it was well worth it. Took us to top of hill above old city where the cable car up the hill finished. Considering the cable car is €20 per person the Taxi tour was excellent value, especially when it is €13 just for a taxi from the Cruise Port to town. 

Cruise Port 

Old Town from the hill

Close up of "Kings Landing"

Looking back from the old town harbour 

Streets of marble

Squid for lunch "again"

Side street

Rectors Place

Main Avenue

Ship arriving from Westeros

Kusadasi

Sign seen outside a number of shops in Kusadasi Grand Bazaar 

Honestly is the best policy!

Old Town

Inside the old town is packed with shops and cafes. 

Crowds of tourists 

Our lunch spot under the tree. 

Might have had trouble get these through the X-ray back on the ship. 

Rhodes

Another big ticket on bucket list today. Rhodes old town, home of the Knights of St John From 1309 to  1522. Also the setting of the movie Guns of Naverone a big favourite. Post might seem to come in bursts then a drought but it depends where we have good 4G. The ships wifi is ok for mail and browsing but struggles to upload photos. 

City main gate. 

View of Grand Masters Palace from main gate

Entrance to Grand Masters Palace 

Inside Grand Masters Palace 

Street of the Knights 

Home sweet home. 

Not a bad view to read your book. 

Kusadasi

As we had already done an extensive tour of Ephesus and surrounding areas last time we were in Turkey we stuck to town this time. The town relies heavily on the Cruise Ships and we were told that last year in October they had 90 Cruise ships but the October, as a result of all their troubles they are only expecting 30. Imagine Napier with 30 a month, let alone 90 !

So Laureen decided to try and kick start their economy for them. 😱💸

Photos from the bazaar 

Laureen update

Thursday 29^th September  - Crete Greece

Russell has posted the pictures of  German War Cemetery  and the Holy Monastery of Gonia. The mosaics at the Monastery were amazing and so beautiful. Built in1618 by Monks. Out Taxi driver then took us the scenic route back to the old markets which was great. We made our way back to the boat around 3.30pm to sit on our deck and have a cool drink before going to dinner. We dine in The Edelweiss Restaurant and get waited on hand & foot – just heaven. We bought a bottle of Kim Crawford Sauv cost us $56 US dollars. You know me ¼ of a glass at most well they just put your bottle aside and bring it out the next night - great service. After dinner we went to a show Lindsay Hamilton West End singer. It was great she sang everything from Evita to Skyfall.

Friday 30 September – Athens Greece

Russell had arranged for us to have a private guided tour so it was up very early as we had to meet the guide at 8am.  Michael was his name and we driven in a six seater Mercedes mini van – very comfortable. First stop the Acropolis. I made it to the top and was so proud of myself as it was pretty hard going walking on uneven surfaces and marble which is like walking on glass. We covered all the tourist sites and certainly ticked all the boxes. Michael took us to a small family run Greek restaurant for lunch and we were presented with 7 different authentic Greek dishes. OMG we struggled and then we were given desert all for 20 Euro. All I wanted to do was have a Nana nap. We were delivered back to the ship about 4pm and were shattered. We got room service that night and sat on our balcony as we sailed for Thessaloniki.

Saturday 01 October - Thessaloniki.

 We left the boat and walked to the far end of the township along the waterfront. Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece after Athens and its port one of the busiest in the country. It was again a beautiful day temperature around 28 degrees. We have been looking at the HB weather and it seems we choose the best time to be away. We loved our day here and I sent several of you photos of us as we left the port for Turkey.

Sunday 02 October – Kusadasi - Turkey   Happy Birthday Zoe

Both Russell & I have been here before and to the magnificent ruins of Ephesus. We did not dock till 10am so it was a leisurely morning before setting out for the township and the Grand Bazaar. We had a great day and I bought myself a very beautiful ring which I am hoping my daughter will not like and borrow. The tourist industry has certainly taken a dive given the terrorist circumstances in Istanbul.  Kusadasi in October usually sees 90 cruise ships. Only 30 are scheduled for this October so the peoples are really feeling the pinch so there are bargains galore. Russell had his hair cut well that was an experience especially when they bought out the flame thrower to burn the hairs from his ears. They oiled & massaged all for 20 Euro. Tonight it is fine dining and off to another show. This time it is a singer from Britain’s got talent will let you know how it was. We sail at 8pm for Rhodes.

Thessaloniki

We had a quiet day at Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city,as I was not feeling great with the chest infection after the excursions of Athens and none of the attractions on offer really grabbed us anyway. 

Along the esplanade at Thessaloniki 

View from our cabin

Lunch, first time I have had to cut my own calamari rings. Was delicious. 

Along the esplanade. 

Parked in town.