Live from Greece and Croatia

[uktog]

It’s $35. The three tour is $85 and chef’s table is $95

[uktog]

[oddjob16]

Thanks for the great review and happy belated anniversary. One tip regarding OBC if you have not used it all by the last evening: Get the most expensive wine you fancy and savour the last dinner with some excellent juice.😁

[uktog]

Today has been another eating excursion from Zadar. We headed out on a drive to Pag Island where the famous Pag cheese comes from. It was a very interesting drive again seeing rural Croatia

before a tour of an award winning cheese factory

complete with tasting. 
 

Them further on into the remote centre of the island for lunch at the Hotel Boskinac

which was the second restaurant in Croatia to be awarded a Michelin star.

 

The three course lunch all with paired wines was delicious based on local shrimp and cheese risotto

local tuna with veg grown in the hotel garden

and a delicious dessert.

DH nut allergy was nicely catered for he said his pomegranate tart was very refreshing indeed. 

 

We returned to the ship and went to the top cruiser event which was held on the Sunset Verandah- a much nicer more relaxed event than when it’s in the Cabaret lounge, much less formality and very pleasant. 

As we were not leaving until 8 and were docked so close to town we went out to look at the beautiful sun installation we dock beside, see the sea organ which was a haunting sound even on such a calm day and walk in a little of the old town.

This is a port where you tie up right on a Main Street so self exploration is so easy 

 

[Grandma Cruising]

11 hours ago, uktog said:

It’s $35. The three tour is $85 and chef’s table is $95

Thanks - I’ll amend the ‘Tips’ spreadsheet.

[LuAnn]

uktog...I"ve never heard of Pag cheese? Does it taste similar to any other I might recognize? Thanks!!

[uktog]

7 hours ago, LuAnn said:

uktog...I"ve never heard of Pag cheese? Does it taste similar to any other I might recognize? Thanks!!

It’s a hard cheese made from sheep milk. They have smoked varieties some made with olives and one with truffles. They mature it for a year. It’s not blue 

[uktog]

We had time to go out pre dinner and enjoy the illuminated world and also photo it from Deck 11

 

 

Edited October 11, 2022 by uktog

[uktog]

Hvar is a beautiful town - for us after the exertions of the last two days it has been a quiet walk around we have been here before so knew the harbour walks we could do. 
 

 

The tender stops right at the end of the pier and you can walk either straight ahead and into the town

or head round to the right which is a gentle seaside path to an old church. 

if you do want to venture further afield there are lots of little taxis selling water trips to neighbouring islands like this one. 

we did not do it this time but know it is enjoyable 

 

We loved our gentle walk around the square

and waterfront 

 

[wjfan417]

I’m enjoying reading about your ports and seeing your pictures. Enjoyed the Greece ones so much that I went through all the Greece itineraries trying to find a similar one, but the only one I could find that was close was in mid-July and I don’t think I want to visit Greece then!

 

Diana

[excitedofharpenden]

22 hours ago, uktog said:

We had time to go out pre dinner and enjoy the illuminated world and also photo it from Deck 11

 

 

We saw that on Quest when we left on Sunday. So cool. There was a big crowd seeing us off. 

 

There was a full moon that day. It was beautiful as we departed. 

 

Phil 

[travelberlin]

Very nice photos UKtog 👏👏👏 thanks for your review 👍

Ivi

[uktog]

Dubrovnik was a shock to the system having been in so many quiet places we hit it at the wrong time in our quest for a walk around town. In addition to journey (tendering) and quest  (docking with the shuttle) there was a big Marella ship in town plus several very large coach tours and all of them were being walked round by guides at the same time. 
If we come here again and I’m doing it on our own we would delay going off the ship until 11 or 1130 the mistake we made was trying to go off at 10 -where were also delayed because they had to take one of the tenders out of service

 

Many people went to climb the walls and be energetic we admire them for that. Currently you can only pay in Croatian currency however this is the last few weeks that Croatia will be using their own currency they join the euro on the 1st January 2023 so if you are coming next year you only need to have euros to be able to purchase local tickets. 

Nevertheless despite the crowds we did our usual and found some side alleys where I was reminded how beautiful the lamps are that advertise every restaurant.

So much restoration has been done since we were last year when at that time you could still see a lot of bombed out buildings now it is very hard to imagine how destroyed this beautiful town was only 20 years ago. 

 

Tonight we have the destination celebration evening disappointingly despite it being a lovely evening weatherwise the pattern on Journey unlike Quest  is for the entertainer to operate indoors the same entertainer Ana Rucner does her show outdoors on the other ships. I’m not sure the reason why but having seen her before outdoors I’m not sure how well this is going to translate indoors but time will tell. It also does not feel like a whole ship celebration when it is split into two groups at 6:30 and 8.30. 

[Mrs Miggins]

We saw her onboard in Dubrovnik pre covid.  This was due to pouring rain.  Still impressive but nowhere near as good as the outdoor setting apparently.

[uktog]

She was outstanding and the backdrop video was stunning. Sadly at the first show less than 100, I do hope the second house is far fuller otherwise it doesn’t feel like a “celebration” 

 

 

 

[Desert Cruisers]

Enjoying your travelogue. Currently on the QM2 crossing to Southampton. Getting on the Journey next Tuesday.   Please post your Piraeus docking location when known. 

[uktog]

1 hour ago, Desert Cruisers said:

Enjoying your travelogue. Currently on the QM2 crossing to Southampton. Getting on the Journey next Tuesday.   Please post your Piraeus docking location when known. 

Will do

[uktog]

This mornings very beautiful sail in to Kotor.

The destination lecturer is doing a very good commentary and as we do not arrive until 0930 many have been on the open decks enjoying it 

 

 

 

Today we swap in that Journey docks and Quest tenders. 
 

Good morning Quest

[Baynanno1]

7 minutes ago, uktog said:

This mornings very beautiful sail in to Kotor.

The destination lecturer is doing a very good commentary and as we do not arrive until 0930 many have been on the open decks enjoying it 

 

 

 

Today we swap in that Journey docks and Quest tenders. 
 

Good morning Quest

 

Belated Anniversary wishes. Thanks for a great review, via which I am reliving many visits on the various Azamara ships.

Who is your guest lecturer?

[travelberlin]

21 hours ago, uktog said:

She was outstanding and the backdrop video was stunning. Sadly at the first show less than 100, I do hope the second house is far fuller otherwise it doesn’t feel like a “celebration” 

 

 

 

I have also seen her performing previous COVID. Very nice performance.

Ivi

[uktog]

8 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

Belated Anniversary wishes. Thanks for a great review, via which I am reliving many visits on the various Azamara ships.

Who is your guest lecturer?

Jannie Mackay

[uktog]

Kotor- our chefs tour

 

Unfortunately I have to issue an advisory on this one!  I’m sure though after feedback they will look at it but i would not buy it in its current form. 

It was billed as a four hour tour but actually lasted six hours so we were so late back those who wished to explore the town in more detail were very disappointed. 
 

We started shopping with Chef Danni and as always he knew exactly what he did and did not want to buy!  It’s fascinating how he quietly stands and looks at two stalls and then decides where he will shop and what he will buy. 

We were given brief free time in Kotor

then the shock. Our leisurely cruise in the write up turned out to be an hour each way on a speedboat with no life jackets on. 
 

OK we saw the submarine pens

and the church in the bay close up

but for those of us prone to seasickness or back issues a nightmare!  
 

However our visit to Savena Winery was good. Lovely wines

and an even more lovely view. 

We also stopped in Herceg Novi

before a 20 minute hike down a steep slope to return to our speedboat. 
 

So moderate this trip was not, leisurely sail you have to be kidding but I’m sure Chef Danni will spoil us tonight and great wines have been bought!  
 

Just be aware if booking this trip- it’s not as advertised! 

[Kimbasmum]

Oh dear that sounds an ordeal for you - but good in parts!  Hope you recover quickly and that you enjoy the ‘fruits’ of your labour.  I have been enjoying your postings and photos, hope you continue with a wonderful cruise to celebrate your anniversary in style.

[uktog]

Our Chefs table last night based on the food that we had purchased ashore during the day was an absolute feast. 
 

we had appetisers involving olives we had brought from a ladies stall and some cold meats

a calimari taster

there was a beautiful white asparagus soup

there was a Seabass fish course

a grapefruit sorbet

steaks wrapped in the prosciutto ham we bought with lobster tail- posh surf and turf 

 

a cheese plate that we had had fun buying the contents for

and the naughtiest dessert ever

We all agreed probably the star of the show in terms of taste was the tomatoes that we had thought they were so sweet and rich and absolutely delicious. What a feast but not one to finish every plate of every course!!!  
 

(and I forgot to photograph the beautiful basket of Greek breads) 

 

 

The only problem was that firstly several of us were not in the best shape following the exertions of the day and also it had been decided to have the meal on the port side. patio. That is a lovely venue if it is a warm night however it was torrential rain and with no heating quite chilly added to that in addition to the flooding coming from the rain they had decided to empty the pool so men with hazmat suits were tramping around beside our meal. So not quite the ambience I think chef Dhanis meal had deserved but a superb cooking experience nevertheless. 

The wines that Sirus had bought were spot-on and brought back nice memories of the beautiful vineyard that afternoon. 
 

So having done two shopping with the chef experiences over the two cruises I would say that whilst they are expensive if they get the excursion right they are a lovely way to see the talents of the chefs team in a local context. 
 

Today we have pulled into Corfu which we also visited last cruise - it is pretty wet and not likely to get any better so our white night is postponed. For me trying to recover my back a little bit more it’s definitely a duvet day and I’m delighted to see that one of the free movies on the ships television is Downton Abbey to something I’ve never managed to catch up with back home so my afternoon is sorted! 

Edited October 14, 2022 by uktog

[Kimbasmum]

You went through a lot to get that meal, and the food looks splendid.  What a pity the ambience conspired against you too!  Sounds like one of those occasions/meals you will remember forever for all the wrong reasons - I think most of us can relate to that at some time!  Enjoy your downtime with Downton and the duvet.