Looking out from our balcony we are amazed by the view of Monemvasia towering in from of us. This once tiny island is now tied by a tombolo back to the mainland, this is a shale spit which naturally bridges the space between island and mainland and was probably created over several millennia.
We tender into the port area on the mainland and then walk the mile across the tombolo and then along the island’s only road to the entrance to the town.
The lower town is a crazy labyrinthine rabbit-warren of narrow streets, where arches, tunnels and every twist and turn brings a new vista. Shops line the main street and off here are houses and hostels and the odd church. Allegedly continuously occupied since the sixth century, the twin is in fact much older and dates back to Roman times at least.
Walking out beyond the lower town we find a lighthouse, but our planned walk fails here – Mr Google had lead us to believe we could continue round, but the trecherous rocks said no, so we back-track into town and find the alternative path we had expected to use for our return, and start heading upwards. The cobbles are worn smooth, making this path very tricky but it’s worth it to ascend to the upper town, a completely disused area of mostly ruined buildings.
The church of Hagia Sophia is here, built in 1149, with some interesting wall paintings surviving from it’s hey-day 100 years later.
We can’t stop here though, having made all the effort so far, we continue climbing until we reach the castle or citadel, actually called Acropolis of Monemvasia, which is mostly in ruin. We pass the powder store, the only complete building here, which housed munitions. There is a battery of cisterns designed to keep the town hydrated by storing rainwater.
As we return the views over the lower town are spectacular. We find a domed mausoleum still quite intact, and a staircase to nowhere showing how much more was here at some time. There’s been so many civilisations here, in between the Greeks, the Romans, the Venicians, and the Ottomans also ruled.
We walk back to the ship in time to be early in the queue for marina time – all the Seabourn ships, like most small ones can lower a deck from which watersports are available. In these litigious times most port authorities will not allow play, but here we can!
The ship‘s officers try their best to throw their customers From the banana and couches into the sea – I manage admirably but still get dumped twice!
Mark remains on deck five aft to take photos of the humiliation. We head up to nine for lunch, and then back down to five for the afternoon. Sadly I’m no further forward with the CrowdStrike problem but hope to fix it tomorrow.
Strawberry daiquiris in the little pool while away some time until we decide to return to the big pool and get Joyce to fix us a new daiquiri which is better than earlier. Soon it’s time to return to shower and dress for dinner – formal tonight.
For the first time ever on a cruise, we swerve Captain’s Welcome, as it seems a strange affair, we think possibly because there’s no venue large enough for all customers to assemble together.
This evening we enjoy a formal night in MDR – it is wonderful to see so many fabulous ladies in flowing gowns, and men dressed properly too. Indeed there is a supply of jackets for those who “forgot” so the whole dining room looks a million dollars.
Dinner itself is pretty good, albeit not perfect – the Boursin soufflé is a bit underwhelming and the gelatinous chocolate belonged in Play School, but otherwise oysters, corn chowder, lobster and cheesecake are exceptional. We overhear that the Wellington is rather good too!
We finish, literally, with the last ever showing of Tim Rice’s Circle of Life on Encore. Having been at the first ever, when Sir Tim set the show and sat on stage to narrate it in January 2018 on Quest, we have seen many versions.
The ship’s singers, dancers and musicians give their all, and it is a splendid fairwell to this iconic production.
