Travel journal: east Med Princess cruise 2010 (Day 4)



Harbor and town, from the Star Princess

View of Old Town, from the New Fortress

View the New Port and the Star Princess, from New Fortress



Day 4, 11/13/2010: Corfu

Corfu is a quieter port boasting fewer attractions than many of the other Eastern Mediterranean cities the Star Princess was scheduled to call on, and we found it particularly quiet now, in the off-season.

As with yesterday, we hailed a cab driver who for 10 Euros dropped us off at the gate that lead into Old Town. He advised that the New Fortress was a short walk away and afforded excellent views of the town.

In both respects, he was right. From the summit, we could see everything, including the Old Fortress, an array of churches, buildings and houses, and even the cruise ship terminal where the Star Princess was docked. Inside, there were a couple of exhibit rooms of ruins and artifacts excavated through the area. It was not only the destination (the summit) of the fortress that mattered, however; the journey through this impressive archeological maze was just as exciting and recalled to me fond memories of many a past hiking excursion.

While roaming around the rest of Corfu, we encountered St. Spyridon Church, the most important church on this island as it houses the body of its patron Saint. As to be expected, everything about the church – the bell tower, interior, exterior – was quite impressive.

Other than that, we mainly held to Corfu’s streets and explored its many shops. Local goods were olive wood products, handmade soaps, leather, various arts, crafts, and jewelry. Liquors and white candied grapes were sampled streetside. Generally, we found shopkeepers here awesomely hospitable. Mom bought a 2-ounce bottle of Ouzo, a clear, potent signature liquor of the Greeks. Sitting on a curb near a string of trendy cafés, and using the plastic cups the vendors had given us for sampling purposes, we drank, toasting to our cruise and our presence in Greece.

We had considered venturing to the Achilleion Palace, a neoclassical palace built for Empress Elisabeth of Austria and famous for its picturesque gardens, but by the time we were through strolling Corfu’s quaint streets and alleyways it was too late in the day to make the excursion.

Near the Espinalda (a lower-key place near a large open park, popular for ordering ice cream or coffee), we hailed a cab to take us back to the cruise ship terminal.

In the mood for a casual dinner, we ventured up to the Horizon Court. Afterwards, we went to the Princess Theater to see Kyle Esplin, a pianist/vocalist after the style of Jerry Lee Lewis – and yes, he did an excellent job performing “Great Balls of Fire.” Next, we sat through a round and a half of music trivia, which Sammy Goldstein was hosting in the Promenade Lounge. Mom, being very knowledgeable about much of the classic music that the questions related to, won a bottle of champagne for our team.

Tomorrow is our first shore excursion, during which we venture from Katakolon to the archeological site of Olympia.

1^st timers’ cruise tip: know before you go

Cruise lines typically offer two methods of dining. The first is traditional, which consists of two set seating times (first, usually around 6 pm and second, closer to 8 pm). The second is anytime dining, which allows the passengers to decide when they want to eat each night. Princess Cruise Line offers seated dining to passengers with anytime dining. Passengers select first seating, second seating, or anytime dining when they make the cruise booking.