AMAPrima Black Sea Voyage Live Blog/Review Sept 2014

Belgrade

We worked our way back to the bus and returned to the ship for lunch. We saw this street car on our way back.

Guided Bike Tour of Belgrade

After lunch there was another optional bike tour. Here is my review for this one...

I think it's misnamed, I would call it a "recreational bike tour", because we did not bike in the main part of the city. We followed the Sava river side walks to Ada Ciganlija, a large recreational area with a huge man made lake called the "Belgrade's Sea". We rode all the way around the lake on an excellent, level, dedicated bike path. I would call this one easy intermediate because it's fairly flat, but with a couple of spots that require pedaling up a short steep incline to navigate up and down bridges. These little inclines created a problem for the inexperienced riders in our group when one lady stopped to walk and others had to hop off and walk creating a log jam that made others have to stop their bikes and caused one lady to fall (fortunately with no harm). It's also the longest of our rides, more than 10 miles, although we had a rest stop midway.

These photos give an idea of the bike path withing the lake area.

The scenery on the Sava River on way to the recreational area was not particularly appealing, there were lovely long views of bridges, but up close, one could see that recycling and environmental protection efforts are not well developed. We saw this "boat junk yard" and a collection of hundreds of pounds of garbage and plastic in the Sava.

Modern bridges on the Sava

Boat junk yards

Guided Bike Tour of Belgrade

Here is the lake rode around...the recreational area was very quiet the day we rode, because it was cool day and starting to sprinkle (eventually it rained much harder, and there was some thunder, but luckily not till we returned to the ship!) But it was clear that this fun recreational area would be quite crowded on a hot summer weekend! It was a beautiful area and it was enjoyable to see a place where the local people would go to relax.

There are several little sand beaches around the lake

There is this neat machine that pulls along wake boarders; we stayed and cheered for the young man boarding a few rounds and he was show boating for us!

Once we got to the shore of the lake, we had a stop at a cafe, where AMA arranged for us to have a complimentary drink (wine, local beer or soda) and we could use the restrooms, and sit under umbrellas during a small shower!

Our bike crew at the cafe with our guides

Serbian beer

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Belgrade Dinner and Serbian Dancers

Serbian Dancers; these dancers and the musicians that accompanied them were incredible! We found the local entertainment on the cruise to be very well done and very authentic.

As we sailed back to the Danube, we enjoyed a view of the Kalemegdan Fort, beautifully lit at night.

I'm sorry, I messed up your narrative! I'm trying desperately to delete and correct, but for some reason it won't let me. All I wanted to say was that we had the same guide in Belgrade. And we made the same decision about Tito's Palace as you did, and for the same reason! The Fortress was beautiful and so peaceful the day we were there, such a contrast to all the bombed out buildings we saw.....and the statue in the University Square was really something, wasn't it?

I'm sorry, I messed up your narrative! I'm trying desperately to delete and correct, but for some reason it won't let me. All I wanted to say was that we had the same guide in Belgrade. And we made the same decision about Tito's Palace as you did, and for the same reason! The Fortress was beautiful and so peaceful the day we were there, such a contrast to all the bombed out buildings we saw.....and the statue in the University Square was really something, wasn't it?

I did see your original post in my email notification, and let's say I don't disagree with you and heard similar and we made our decision for the same reason too ;)...no problem with the thought, but I understand if you want it deleted, looks like you are in the clear now!:D

Thanks for following along and all you comments!!

I'm going to try to get 2 days up tomorrow, because I won't be able to work on it this weekend

Cruising Iron Gates

It was explained that the Iron Gates name comes from the high walled, narrow gorge that exists on this part of the Danube, but people also call the more recent;y installed locks the "Iron Gates" also. At the briefing the night beofre, our TM gave us some details about what times we expected to be seeing the major sights while cruising the next day, based on the captain's estimates. The first major sight, which was on the starboard side on this southbound itinerary was the Golub fortress, and we expected to pass it about 7:30 in the morning. This worked out well for us because we could wake up and see it from our balcony before dressing or breakfast. It was a very foggy morning and the whole effect made the scenery really interesting.

Golub fortress

We dressed, had breakfast and went on deck for 10 ish iron gates gorge, and our TM had scheduled to start his narration of this section of the Danube. The morning was very cool, and most of us were very bundled up with parkas, hats and scarfs.

Iron Gates

We passed a few little homes of migrant people living right on the river banks

We made our way to the locks with more beautiful foggy scenery.

Iron Gates

Road on Romanian side

Gorge

Iron Gates Cruising

People on deck

Who is sightseeing whom?

Signal tower in the narrowest parts; before there was radio communication, these towers would signal with lights if another ship was moving through the narrowest part of the gorge from the other direction.

Iron Gates Cruising

Decebalus Stone Head from the Roman era on the left bank

Tabula Trajana from Roman era on the right bank; this commemorates Trajan's road along the Danube in the 2nd century.

Balkan delights buffet; snacks were provided on deck, because of the locks, lunch would be put off a bit, and well, they couldn't have us going hungry!

Iron Gates Locks

At about 11:45 AM we arrived to our first lock. There are only 2 locks, that were built recently when a hydro power plant was built for Romania and Bulgaria to share the power. The resulting rising of the water level up river of the dam allowed more ships to safely navigate what was a dangerously rough part of the Danube but it also wiped out many villages and sights that had to be relocated.

People on deck

We noticed the crew replaced the flag to that of the country that was operating the locks before arriving at the locks

The pilot house is lowered to negotiate the locks

Dam! We passed the Hydro power plant after clearing the locks.

Remote station for the captain to operate the ship when the pilot house is lowered.

Iron Gates Cruising

A worker at the locks

Industrial areas

Wow, stunning photos of transiting the Iron Gates!

We had spectacular weather going through the gates. I got a couple of really good shots of the monastery and the "stone face" if you want to see them, let me know and I'll e-mail them to you. Next up Bucharest!!! I really liked Bucharest and in retrospect, would have preferred if Vantage ended the trip with 2 nights in Bucharest instead of going on to Constanta, although transiting the Danube Canal was interesting too.

Wow, stunning photos of transiting the Iron Gates!

Thanks, Hubby had fun shooting photos on deck all day!

We had spectacular weather going through the gates. I got a couple of really good shots of the monastery and the "stone face" if you want to see them, let me know and I'll e-mail them to you. Next up Bucharest!!! I really liked Bucharest and in retrospect, would have preferred if Vantage ended the trip with 2 nights in Bucharest instead of going on to Constanta, although transiting the Danube Canal was interesting too.

Go ahead and post them here if you like! I'm sure everyone would like to see them! Several folks on our trip really liked Bucharest and said they'd be happy to go back.

You know what is one thing I didn't get that jazzed about...locks! It was kind of neat to see the engineering of them, an interesting to see how the captain negotiates them, but overall, I didn't find the idea of locks all that interesting. Now I've got a cruise booked for Oct 2015...LA to Fort Lauderdale transiting the Panama canal, and honestly thinking of canceling (in addition to the fact that our daughter is applying to a college that has parent weekend at that same time and if she gets accepted we will definately cancel) because both Jeff and I just didn't find it all that thrilling.

Have any of you done Panama, is it different? I get that for some itineraries you have to do locks to make it work, but I'm not seeing why I'd choose one just for the locks? Maybe we haven't see the right locks;):D

Iron Gates

Once we transited the first locks, we went to the dining room for lunch and then had a tour of the wheel house. You signed up at the front desk for the wheel house tours, and they had one every 1/2 hour for a few hours so there was room for anyone who was interested. I decided to take the "N" tour, (nap) after touring the wheel house, because we were on schedule to encounter the next set of locks at about 4 PM.

I woke up to barking. Barking? Yes, this little fellow was chasing our ship into the locks...

I went out onto the balcony to see what was up, and this little dog decided I might have some food for him (I didn't!) and that he should leap onto our balcony! He was very happy and waggy and I love dogs, and this one even looks a lot like my own! But I knew we were headed into the locks and if he landed on my balcony before we transited...

...he would end up down here AFTER we transited, and we or he would have no way to get him back up to the sidewalk level!

So of course Jeff had to use his big dog voice to tell him "No!", so he wouldn't jump onto our balcony. That's why he looks a little "cowed" in the photo Jeff took of him!:(

Iron Gates: Scenes from Bulgaria

After transiting the second set of locks, we cruised a section of the Danube that was much more scenic. There were miles and miles of trees in Romania, and some little villages and even a duty free shop on the Bulgarian side.

Captain's Gala Dinner and Bulgarian Dancers

Bulgarian dancers; Once we arrived in Vindin and were cleared at dinner time, a local student dance troupe joined our ship and danced for us after dinner.

For the last dance, the dancers encouraged the passengers to get involved!

Locks:

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Dam:

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You know what is one thing I didn't get that jazzed about...locks!...

 

Have any of you done Panama, is it different? I get that for some itineraries you have to do locks to make it work, but I'm not seeing why I'd choose one just for the locks? Maybe we haven't see the right locks;):D

Yes, Panama is completely different. The locks are much bigger, but most importantly the ships are much, MUCH bigger. Looking down from your balcony and seeing about 18 inches of clearance on a Panamax ship is much more impressive than the river boat going through a river lock. The scale of the operation is what makes it so impressive.

If you can do it this year, I would. Once the new Panama Canal opens with its larger locks, the scale will change and I'm afraid the awe-factor will be lost.

Yes, Panama is completely different. The locks are much bigger, but most importantly the ships are much, MUCH bigger. Looking down from your balcony and seeing about 18 inches of clearance on a Panamax ship is much more impressive than the river boat going through a river lock. The scale of the operation is what makes it so impressive.

 

If you can do it this year, I would. Once the new Panama Canal opens with its larger locks, the scale will change and I'm afraid the awe-factor will be lost.

Good to know...and yes, that was why we booked it! But it still may not work for us based on the schedule, but it's fully refundable so I'm hanging onto it till I know for sure!

Vindin Bulgaria

We were docked turned around with Romanian coast on our right side and the port dock on the left side.

The "welcome square" is quaint, and we learned that many of the little ports we docked in can apply for funds from the EU for "beautification", this square looks like it was a beneficiary of that type of program! You could see the lighting, the facades, and the paving all seemed to be recently upgraded.

We saw plenty of pups at this port

Heading up the block into the main square in the town, you see older buildings and a less developed square with less lighting, more concrete, not as many decorative bulidings.

Vindin, Bulgaria

After breakfast we explored the little port area of Vindin.

There was a neat shop nearby called ART; I went over before the bus rolled (while Jeff was taking all the above photos!) and did some power souvenir shopping. I found some wonderful locally made crafts; leather coin purses that looked like little animals, an Eastern Orthodox icon for my BIL (the theology professor- he collects them) and a little Bulgarian pottery dish. After I got on the bus, I did a little show and tell (they asked!) and then everyone went to the shop when the bus returned at lunch time...I thought I should have asked the proprietor for a referral fee! Lots of grandmas bought those little purses for their grandchildren, they were only 3 dollars each!

Belgradochik Excursion and Baba Vida Fortress

We decided to take this tour rather than the bike tour because the bike tour did not get to the rock formations, but stayed in Vindidn. Our friends who did take it said it was wonderful, went at a faster pace because there were fewer people and they did get to see the Baba Vida Fortress.

We joined the red tour with our dinner gang and Julia as our tour guide.

We saw this monument nearby; for the Victims of Communism.

On the ride to Belgradochik, we saw some of the farms nearby. One of the interesting thing we noticed about all the farms in this area, including Serbia, Croatia, and Romania is that almost none of them are small farms. We learned this is because all of the farms were collective, taken form landowners and run by the government during Communism, then when they sold off the farms after the fall of Communism, individuals had no wealth to buy small farms, so all the farms were sold to foreign investors or former party officials who had amassed money through corruption.

Paprika drying on porches of homes nearby was the only small farming we saw.

We arrived in the town of Belgradochik, about 45 minutes later. The main square of the town was quite busy with locals sitting in cafes and there is a large new hotel which has recently been renovated and making a push for tourism to see the unique rock formations.

Hotel and square in Belgradochik

Yes, Panama is completely different. The locks are much bigger, but most importantly the ships are much, MUCH bigger. Looking down from your balcony and seeing about 18 inches of clearance on a Panamax ship is much more impressive than the river boat going through a river lock. The scale of the operation is what makes it so impressive.

 

If you can do it this year, I would. Once the new Panama Canal opens with its larger locks, the scale will change and I'm afraid the awe-factor will be lost.

I agree. We did full transit last year and it was wonderful. FYI, if you leave and return to the same port, you are NOT doing a full transit! We left from San Diego and returned to Ft Lauderdale since that way we would readjust to time zones while on the ship. It's amazing and not at all boring like the river locks can get after 20+ of them! We went on Celebrity Infinity and it was fantastic.

Jazz, do you really think the new locks will be ready? We went in April, 2013 and they were saying they would be ready "next year" but they were little more than holes in the ground and I can't see them being operational for another year or more.

I agree. We did full transit last year and it was wonderful. FYI, if you leave and return to the same port, you are NOT doing a full transit! We left from San Diego and returned to Ft Lauderdale since that way we would readjust to time zones while on the ship. It's amazing and not at all boring like the river locks can get after 20+ of them! We went on Celebrity Infinity and it was fantastic.

 

Jazz, do you really think the new locks will be ready? We went in April, 2013 and they were saying they would be ready "next year" but they were little more than holes in the ground and I can't see them being operational for another year or more.

Asking me if I think a government project will be successful is getting into political territory! But Princess has already moved Island to the Med, so they must think so.

In response to your other point: we left from and returned to Ft. Lauderdale but we did do a complete transit. Coral Princess went through the Atlantic locks, we got off and took the ferry boat through to the Pacific, and then returned by bus to Colon to which Coral Princess had returned. We did do the entire Panama Canal in one day. We did have breakfast in the Atlantic and dinner in the Pacific (well, not dinner but we did sail on it) on the same day. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! ;)