Having provided some detailed information on the 2008 Food & Wine Cruise I thought I would go back in time and provide my observations, previously posted on Cruise Critic (and therefore in shorter form) regarding last year's Food & Wine Cruise. It was fun looking pack and comparing the two.
I thought I would give a brief post on how things are going so far. It is amazing how Seabourn continues to outdo itself and come up with ways to make you say, “WOW”.
At the meeting with Wilhelm, the Hotel Manager, and Willy, the Executive Chef, to discuss just how the wine and food events were to happen, Chef Willy advised he had found some extraordinary cheeses in the market in Barcelona for our wine tasting/food paring event. Extraordinary was an understatement.
Then Chef Willy decided that on the morning of the wine tasting/food paring event that best thing to do was for him to take myself, the James Beard awarding winning restaurateur and his chef into Palamos to do some last minute shopping. We came away with some exceptional Spanish hams to supplement some special Spanish sausages Seabourn made available to us…along with some homemade(by the Chef) marinated anchovies!
We also picked up a really wonderful Torres red wine (Mas La Plana) while on the Torres winery tour in Tarragona and some more local sherry and wines for the tasting…asking which were what the locals drank.
But now it was the Sommelier’s (Ingo’s) chance to show off, taking our “modest” tasting to literally world class levels working with our expert to come up with surprising and, frankly, awe-inspiring parings with some very creative wines supplementing our selections. Listening to Ingo and our expert discussing the wines and paring was truly a privilege.
In the end we had a private tasting with 5 samplings of caviar (3 different ways!), six hams/sausages, four cheeses and anchovies pared with fourteen different wine tastings plus vodka in a frozen block of ice served in frozen glasses. And it was all presented in the perfect crystal for each wine with the food presented elegantly by four waiters on perfectly dressed tables…complete with grapes draping down from the windows in our ‘tasting room”.
Every one of us (I think including Wilhelm, Chef Willy and Ingo) left that “small, little” tasting knowing that we had just experienced a truly world-class event that James Beard himself would have been proud to have been a part of.
While, obviously, it would not have been possible without Seabourn’s assistance, it was Seabourn’s incredible talented staff, inability to say, “no” and remarkable intuitive service that created a memory of a lifetime…and some very fortunate and still smiling guests.
P.S. Reading this post it seems like it is a publicity release. The amazing things are (a) it isn’t; and, (b) it isn’t embellished. It really was better than I have explained!
Next relevant post:
We had a phenomenal time! Each day Seabourn outdid itself complimenting our events...and even creating its own event for us.
Shopping with Chef Willy in Marseille was fantastic; walking the quay finding new fisherman arriving with their catch as others finished selling off theirs. Seabourn purchased some beautiful fish as did our chef for our private menu as well as for the ship's guests and crew.
The next day...we did it again! In Le Lavandou Seabourn arranged a little surprise: a private guide to explain all of the local items in the market. Even after it was over the guide said she wanted to stay with us because we all were having so much fun. Chef Willy arranged for our chef and myself a tasting of sea cucumber; a truly once in a lifetime experience...because you taste it once and never in your lifetime will you want to try it again!
That evening our chef had a cooking demonstration blending local fish (Marseille) and shellfish (Le Lavandou) with chorizo (Palamos, Spain) to make a dish that seemed so simple, but was another WOW. Seabourn taped it and broadcast it on the ship's TV for others to see. Ingo, the sommelier, did not stand by, however. He brought out a wonderful white and red wine - with the finest crystal, of course - to compliment the event.
But then Chef Willy and Ingo surprised us by announcing we would be having a Farewell Dinner. The menu was incredible, paired of course with wonderful wines:
- Pallimades tartar in a potato "sandwich" (a fish obtained on the quay in Marseille)
- Baby Potato with Crème Fresh and Caviar
- Foie Gras with Caramelized Apple
- Duck Consommé with Puff Pastry Shell (my personal favorite!)
- Veal Osso Bucco
- Our chef's "Soup & Sandwich" (a special brioche with a secret filling all dipped into a chocolate soup).
By the way, did I mention we had a great time enjoying everything else about Seabourn, the ports and the wonderful guests we met on our cruise. Little extras like in St. Tropez there was a sailing regatta with over 100 classic sailboats, the real sailing "yachts" and some superyachts just seemed like icing on the cake. Heck, we didn't even have a single rainy day or any seas worthy of mention.
I cannot imagine how this cruise could have been better. But with next year's [2008] Food & Wine cruise already being booked, I better figure out how pretty fast!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
A Rose By Any Other Name: Cheerleading (Yuk!) - Calling It Like It Is Would Be Nice! UPDATED
On the last night of my Seabourn Spirit cruise, after enjoying much interplay with the waitstaff, it was time for dessert. The menus were passed out, the orders taken and then it was my turn. I asked for strawberry shortcake. The waiter was stunned as there was none on the menu. He offered this, he suggested that, asked if I saw it during tea in the Horizon Lounge, etc., but playing with him, I rejected them all. He just looked at me. I then let him off the hook. I said, "You can't say 'No', can you?" He then gave a big smile, knowing I "got him". But then our desserts seemed to be a just a bit delayed and everyone at the table started to blame me, claiming Seabourn must be trying somehow to make strawberry shortcake appear out of thin air. So I let the waiter know not to try such a thing.
On my cruise I never had a meal that disappointed, but more than a couple that amazed. I never had a lapse in service...except one morning a poached egg was briefly forgotten. My room stewardess was sweet and efficient. The word "No" was never heard. And even with my lost luggage I had a tailored suit and a tuxedo almost instantly.
On the Cruise Critic board there is a discussion of a present cruise on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager (which, ironically, arrived in Istanbul the same day I disembarked the Seabourn Spirit). The particular poster - who spent much time attacking me when I posted there - claimed she would call it like it is. To be fair, in part she has. You can find it here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=16573296 .
She has complained about the lesser food quality in Signatures, that many do not like Latitudes, that various service lapses occurred in the Veranda at lunch, etc. She also commented about how two years ago the ship was in need of a face lift as worn interiors and linens were present, but now things are much better. She also expressed concern about how Regent was changing the itinerary, but did not tell the passengers where they were going; later claiming Regent was extraordinary because the newly chosen ports were wonderful (apparently ignoring the some folks actually choose cruises because of the ports!). She even claimed Regent was wonderful because she was forced to overnight in Athens because Regent couldn't arrange flights so the put her up in a nice hotel. Huh? And she noted that the word "No" was heard more than once.
Then she claims, "The Voyager is just as amazing as it was two years ago. Regent['s]...food (IMO) is wonderful. The suites are incredible... The service is almost always perfect..." Then the finale, from someone who has never been on Seabourn, "If you want a crew member to remember your name, perhaps Seabourn is the right ship for you."
UPDATE: There is another Cruise Critic thread discussing the Regent Voyager cruise the week prior (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?s=626f200d7f9d7be0c83e968631fad7f1&t=855098) and you would think they swapped out ships. Notably inconsistent service in the main dining room, speciality restaurant and causal dining venue; poor tours (with refunds given); dirty carpets, etc...and one poster claiming it was now time to try Seabourn and another declaring a preference for Silversea. It makes me wonder if Regent has improved, but more importantly, if it is so inconsistent that I should be willing to risk my money not knowing what product is going to turn up.
I am a strange sort, I guess. If a waiter forgets my poached egg once, it doesn't bother me. When the waiters are standing around ignoring me, it would most definitely get my attention. If the food, no less in the specialty restaurants, is not good, it is not a wonderful thing. If ports are changed without notice because of poor planning on the line's part (rather than weather, for example), I would tend to be a bit miffed. If the tours have not been thoroughly check out BEFORE they are offered to the guests and are not as advertised (and this has happend to me on Regent), I would be furious. If the interiors and linens on my prior cruise were worn, I would not claim the "improved" version this year is "just as good". If I was forced to overnight from a major city like Athens I would be angry. And if I heard "No" I would know I wasn't on Seabourn.
So when I was roundly criticized on Cruise Critic by some posters that I was too hard on Regent and that I was somehow trying to gain Seabourn business, I was puzzled and frustrated. Now I read that the service on Regent is improved - but still has serious lapses, the interiors are better cared for, the food in is inconsistent and the advertised ports and tour descriptions are not honored. Every person has there own standards as to what makes their cruise great, but a person's ability to have a good time in spite of a cruise line's failures does not warrant rave reviews of the line.
Now more than ever, I am pleased that I can provide my readers with accurate information and not have to deal with that sort of misrepresentative cheerleading.
Regent is now working to correct many of the errors and poor decisions of the past few years. There is a lot of work to be done. This, I am sure, is made harder by the present financial condition of the world and the manner in which Regent was acquired. But to me, it sounds like Regent is better than it was two years ago...but it has a long way to go before it can worry about the little things like remembering a guest's name.
On my cruise I never had a meal that disappointed, but more than a couple that amazed. I never had a lapse in service...except one morning a poached egg was briefly forgotten. My room stewardess was sweet and efficient. The word "No" was never heard. And even with my lost luggage I had a tailored suit and a tuxedo almost instantly.
On the Cruise Critic board there is a discussion of a present cruise on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager (which, ironically, arrived in Istanbul the same day I disembarked the Seabourn Spirit). The particular poster - who spent much time attacking me when I posted there - claimed she would call it like it is. To be fair, in part she has. You can find it here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=16573296 .
She has complained about the lesser food quality in Signatures, that many do not like Latitudes, that various service lapses occurred in the Veranda at lunch, etc. She also commented about how two years ago the ship was in need of a face lift as worn interiors and linens were present, but now things are much better. She also expressed concern about how Regent was changing the itinerary, but did not tell the passengers where they were going; later claiming Regent was extraordinary because the newly chosen ports were wonderful (apparently ignoring the some folks actually choose cruises because of the ports!). She even claimed Regent was wonderful because she was forced to overnight in Athens because Regent couldn't arrange flights so the put her up in a nice hotel. Huh? And she noted that the word "No" was heard more than once.
Then she claims, "The Voyager is just as amazing as it was two years ago. Regent['s]...food (IMO) is wonderful. The suites are incredible... The service is almost always perfect..." Then the finale, from someone who has never been on Seabourn, "If you want a crew member to remember your name, perhaps Seabourn is the right ship for you."
UPDATE: There is another Cruise Critic thread discussing the Regent Voyager cruise the week prior (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?s=626f200d7f9d7be0c83e968631fad7f1&t=855098) and you would think they swapped out ships. Notably inconsistent service in the main dining room, speciality restaurant and causal dining venue; poor tours (with refunds given); dirty carpets, etc...and one poster claiming it was now time to try Seabourn and another declaring a preference for Silversea. It makes me wonder if Regent has improved, but more importantly, if it is so inconsistent that I should be willing to risk my money not knowing what product is going to turn up.
I am a strange sort, I guess. If a waiter forgets my poached egg once, it doesn't bother me. When the waiters are standing around ignoring me, it would most definitely get my attention. If the food, no less in the specialty restaurants, is not good, it is not a wonderful thing. If ports are changed without notice because of poor planning on the line's part (rather than weather, for example), I would tend to be a bit miffed. If the tours have not been thoroughly check out BEFORE they are offered to the guests and are not as advertised (and this has happend to me on Regent), I would be furious. If the interiors and linens on my prior cruise were worn, I would not claim the "improved" version this year is "just as good". If I was forced to overnight from a major city like Athens I would be angry. And if I heard "No" I would know I wasn't on Seabourn.
So when I was roundly criticized on Cruise Critic by some posters that I was too hard on Regent and that I was somehow trying to gain Seabourn business, I was puzzled and frustrated. Now I read that the service on Regent is improved - but still has serious lapses, the interiors are better cared for, the food in is inconsistent and the advertised ports and tour descriptions are not honored. Every person has there own standards as to what makes their cruise great, but a person's ability to have a good time in spite of a cruise line's failures does not warrant rave reviews of the line.
Now more than ever, I am pleased that I can provide my readers with accurate information and not have to deal with that sort of misrepresentative cheerleading.
Regent is now working to correct many of the errors and poor decisions of the past few years. There is a lot of work to be done. This, I am sure, is made harder by the present financial condition of the world and the manner in which Regent was acquired. But to me, it sounds like Regent is better than it was two years ago...but it has a long way to go before it can worry about the little things like remembering a guest's name.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Goldring Travel - 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit Photos
Here are a few photos from the 2008 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit. If you have kept up with the blog they will not need any explanation! I hope you enjoy them.
Also, the Seabourn Spirit's very own Captain Geir-Arne - my good friend - has his own website where he posts great photos of all of his cruises. He is not finished uploading all of the photos from our cruise, but keep checking back to see more here: http://www.captain-ga.com/thumbnails.php?album=82 .
Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit: Travelogue Part IV
Up early we disembarked the Seabourn Spirit for a few days in Istanbul.
We stayed at the Ceylon Intercontinental rather than our normal hotel, The Ciragan Palace. With the relative strength of the new Turkish Lira to the falling Pound and Euro, coupled with extraordinary hotel demand in Istanbul, The Ciragan Palace became just too expensive. We made the right decision. For the same price as a Bosporus view room at Ciragan we were able to book a large suite at the Ceylon. Combining that rate with our membership in Intercontinental Ambassador's program which provides for a complimentary upgrade...and then using the annual, one weekend night free, coupon...we were upgraded to the Galata Suite (a two room suite complete with a whirlpool tub with a glass walled view of Istanbul from Topkapi Palace to Ortakoy and the bridge to Asia.)
We took a lovely, if not long, walk from Taksim Square to the Galata Bridge, over to the Spice Bazaar and then to the Grand Bazaar, then walking back to the Golden Horn...where we decided it was time to grab a taxi. After a power nap it was off to a wonderful dinner at Bice with our "family" in Istanbul.
The next day started out absolutely beautiful, so we decided to skip the hamam (Turkish baths) and take the ferry over to Buyukada, the largest of the Princess Islands. It was a short walk to the ferry and for about $1.50 we were off on a 1 1/2 hour ferry ride to the Asian side of Istanbul and to 4 of the Princess Islands. Sounds great, right? Well about 30 minutes in the wind and rain started and then the seas got rough.
We eventually arrived in Buyukada in the rain. We found a lovely local place for a truly delicious lunch of grilled fish, Iskender kebab, cicik, ekmek and salads and then decided discretion was the better part of valor and we headed back to take an earlier ferry home since the weather wasn't cooperating. But this is where it got interesting for me.
The highlight of my day was watching all of the different cultures on the ferry. How the rudest people were a small group comprised of two Arab men and four women in burkhas. How the tough older Turkish men would not give up their seats for anyone...until two elderly Caucasian women came by and they quickly did so. How everyone was so tolerant of the Turkish children...who were always treated like treasures. How I noticed more woman with Muslim head-coverings than I had in my previous visits.
However, my ultimate ferry ride highlight, was the salesman. A large, bald, loud, voice-strained, man in a crooked tie who was selling sets of kitchen knives - flashing them about like an angry sultan! He was good...very good. And all the while I am thinking of those that improperly consider Istanbul such a dangerous place and here was a man literally supplying huge knives to the entire ferry as if it was nothing. (Imagine that on the Staten Island Ferry going to New York City!). I did not understand a word of what he was saying, but I kept thinking "Damn, he's good!" And when the knives were sold out, he sold those little lemon juicer gizmos and then pens. It was a great day...and an example of ya' never know.
That evening we were guests at one of the hottest restaurants in Istanbul: 360. Very trendy. If you didn't know where it was, you would never know it was there. The views are worth finding the place...which late in the night becomes a "see and be seen" club. It is nice to have family in Istanbul!
One last walk around Istanbul in the morning before heading to the airport. And what a memorable ride that was. There was horrible traffic on the expressway, so our taxi driver used the shoulder, entrance ramps...even construction zones...to weave his way to the airport. You had to be there to appreciate the terror!
But we made it...and so ended our absolutely fantastic Seabourn Food & Wine Cruise 2008.
We stayed at the Ceylon Intercontinental rather than our normal hotel, The Ciragan Palace. With the relative strength of the new Turkish Lira to the falling Pound and Euro, coupled with extraordinary hotel demand in Istanbul, The Ciragan Palace became just too expensive. We made the right decision. For the same price as a Bosporus view room at Ciragan we were able to book a large suite at the Ceylon. Combining that rate with our membership in Intercontinental Ambassador's program which provides for a complimentary upgrade...and then using the annual, one weekend night free, coupon...we were upgraded to the Galata Suite (a two room suite complete with a whirlpool tub with a glass walled view of Istanbul from Topkapi Palace to Ortakoy and the bridge to Asia.)
We took a lovely, if not long, walk from Taksim Square to the Galata Bridge, over to the Spice Bazaar and then to the Grand Bazaar, then walking back to the Golden Horn...where we decided it was time to grab a taxi. After a power nap it was off to a wonderful dinner at Bice with our "family" in Istanbul.
The next day started out absolutely beautiful, so we decided to skip the hamam (Turkish baths) and take the ferry over to Buyukada, the largest of the Princess Islands. It was a short walk to the ferry and for about $1.50 we were off on a 1 1/2 hour ferry ride to the Asian side of Istanbul and to 4 of the Princess Islands. Sounds great, right? Well about 30 minutes in the wind and rain started and then the seas got rough.
We eventually arrived in Buyukada in the rain. We found a lovely local place for a truly delicious lunch of grilled fish, Iskender kebab, cicik, ekmek and salads and then decided discretion was the better part of valor and we headed back to take an earlier ferry home since the weather wasn't cooperating. But this is where it got interesting for me.
The highlight of my day was watching all of the different cultures on the ferry. How the rudest people were a small group comprised of two Arab men and four women in burkhas. How the tough older Turkish men would not give up their seats for anyone...until two elderly Caucasian women came by and they quickly did so. How everyone was so tolerant of the Turkish children...who were always treated like treasures. How I noticed more woman with Muslim head-coverings than I had in my previous visits.
However, my ultimate ferry ride highlight, was the salesman. A large, bald, loud, voice-strained, man in a crooked tie who was selling sets of kitchen knives - flashing them about like an angry sultan! He was good...very good. And all the while I am thinking of those that improperly consider Istanbul such a dangerous place and here was a man literally supplying huge knives to the entire ferry as if it was nothing. (Imagine that on the Staten Island Ferry going to New York City!). I did not understand a word of what he was saying, but I kept thinking "Damn, he's good!" And when the knives were sold out, he sold those little lemon juicer gizmos and then pens. It was a great day...and an example of ya' never know.
That evening we were guests at one of the hottest restaurants in Istanbul: 360. Very trendy. If you didn't know where it was, you would never know it was there. The views are worth finding the place...which late in the night becomes a "see and be seen" club. It is nice to have family in Istanbul!
One last walk around Istanbul in the morning before heading to the airport. And what a memorable ride that was. There was horrible traffic on the expressway, so our taxi driver used the shoulder, entrance ramps...even construction zones...to weave his way to the airport. You had to be there to appreciate the terror!
But we made it...and so ended our absolutely fantastic Seabourn Food & Wine Cruise 2008.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit: Travelogue Part III (The Food & Wine Tasting!)
Oh, the last day. How I hate...and love...the last day.
After a bit of a sleep-in it was up to the Veranda for a quick breakfast, a stop by the Purser's Desk to make sure things were organized for the Food & Wine Tasting and then off to the lounge to watch Jochem make his White Plum Tomato Soup and a dessert at 11:00 a.m. He is a wonderful chef, very friendly and has a sparkle in his eye whenever someone shows interest by asking him a question. He was, in a way, a "Guest Chef" as he was on the Seabourn Spirit only shortly and is heading to Miami to assist with ordering the various galley equipment needed on the Seabourn Odyssey.
After a quick break it was time for the Galley Market Lunch. For those who are not familiar, the entire galley staff puts together a huge buffet of everything ranging from fondue to sushi, soft shell crabs to pasta, fried chicken to fish 'n chips with mushy peas, to...well you get the idea. All of it is set out in the galley so you have the chance to explore the galley while you enjoy the wonderful foods. That is followed by a beautiful dessert display laid out in the dining room.
Then it was off to the forward hot tub to relax for a few minutes before making the final preparations for the Food & Wine Tasting.
There were many on the Seabourn Spirit who were fascinated by my little private tasting as it is something that is exclusively a Goldring Travel event. As there is much more to this event than just placing down some food and sharing some wine, it is something that I am very proud to be able to offer my clients. For me the fun is tasting the wines, comparing them and then matching and mismatching them with the foods.
While Chef Jochem did not provide as many personally created dishes as did Chef Willy on last year's cruise, he did a great job of finding very traditional Greek and Turkish items in the local shops...and if we had 50 people present we would have had leftovers! Thank you so much! (BTW, the sort of nutty and chewy sweet which some of us loved and thought we had tasted in our youth was, as I later found out, pressed fig and dates with pistachios.)
We started out with a tasting of 16 different olive oils from the area as well as Croatia and some funky blends from California. It was a lot of fun getting our group to get their noses working and to see their surprise that the flavors were so different from one oil to the next.
Now, for the wines. We tasted a total of 9 wines; 8 I picked up along the way and 1 supplied by Seabourn. Without boring you or turning this into a wine tasting class, we found that the "brand name" Turkish white was quite hot, too high in alcohol and, basically terrible. We tasted two different 2007 Santorini whites finding one to be a truly wonderful, full wine while the other was just OK. Our fourth white was a funky apple wine that, when pared with fruit was surprisingly good!
Ironically, since the Turkish white was so bad, we were quite suprised to find the biggest and richest nose to be found in a local wine from Sirince, Turkey...and that strangely it had almost no taste when sampled. As if playing with us, a truly local wine from Sirince (absent any labels or foil...a house wine, if you will) had almost no nose, but was voted the best of all the wines for taste. (As a fun experiment we nosed the first one and drank the second one...and many in our group then learned about the expertise needed to blend wines: It worked!) We also sampled a 1999 red from Katakalon, Greece which was a bit musty and a bit past its prime, but I thought it was quite good paired with the feta and goat cheeses.
Then it was dessert wines. We sampled two that could not be any more different...and they both were from Santorini; one from 2004 and one from 2003. The former had a light, fruity, aspect with lots of sugar while the latter drank like a tawny port. We agreed the 2003 was wonderful on its own, but the 2004 only came to life when drunk with some of the dessert items.
After two hours, it was time to...I hate to say it...pack. Then it was off to yet another wonderful dinner. All through the tasting everyone said they just couldn't eat anything more, that they would hardly eat any dinner, that maybe skipping dinner would be the thing to do. Alas, I am sure you know that everyone could not resist any part of their final (for this cruise) Seabourn dinner.
Then, the biggest compliment of all, when I returned to my suite after dinner to put out my bags there was an envelop. It contained confirmations for every single one of my guests confirmed for the 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit on September 26, 2009!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit: Travelogue Part II
Still being blessed with wonderful weather we arrived in Fethiye, Turkey; a small yachting and tourist town near some very interesting historical and beach sites. Having traveled in the area fairly extensively in the past (including chartering a gulet - a Turkish wooded sailing yacht- for a private Blue Water Cruise a few years ago...but that is another topic) we used the day to relax, stroll around the town, permit my wife to start getting back into speaking Turkish, and later to meet up with my brother-in-law and his family who coincidentally were visiting Fethiye on holidays from Scotland. After picking up some local wines (sort of a challenge in Turkey) we enjoyed a very good typical Turkish lunch of various kebabs and yogurt with some local wines at a local restaurant. This was, of course, followed by a well deserved restful soak in the "secret" forward hot tub.
The captain, Geir-Arne, my good friend, invited my group to the bridge for the sail away from Fethiye and, with my good "supervision" of course, he did a great job missing the dock and setting us out to the open ocean; charming everyone as always "aboard yourrrrrrr Seeeeaboooorrrn Spirit"! It was then off to get ready for a wonderful dinner at the Captain's Table for dinner. With the Captain charming everyone I sat back and enjoyed the always wonderful tasting menu. I must say that the quality and small touches that come out of Chef Jochem's galley are worthy of special note.
It was then on to Kusadasi, Turkey yesterday. It was, without question, one of the nicest days I have have ever spent while on holidays. We awoke to a cool, but very sunny, morning for our tour of Ephesus and our cooking class. We arrived at Ephesus with some crowds, but nothing like those seen in the summer months. More importantly, without the heat you were actually able to stroll in comfort rather than feel sort of stressed by the heat to complete your journey back in time down the Roman streets. Our guide was charming and, having been there twice before, I sort of allowed my mind to wonder; knowing my guests were being well cared for. It was then off to the small village of Sirince (pronounced Sur-in-gee) which was filled with wonderful old streets lined with traditional shops and, fortunate for us, many wine shops as grapes are grown in the village. (I picked up a "local" bottle of wine - no label - and hopefully it will be the same wine I tasted in the shop!). Other than the wine shops it was a wonderful step back in time. (It reminded me a bit of Sintra, Portugal).
The highlight, however, was our next stop: our cooking class. A wonderful older woman, with a bright smile, and most definitely "cooking with love" had us gather in her small restaurant's kitchen (and with Seabourn limiting this tour to 16 people it was perfect) where she prepared six different dishes with remarkable speed and then added them to a fantastic buffet which we all enjoyed in her garden; my lunch accompanied by the traditional raki drink. A treat...hopefully...was my Turkish coffee where my grounds were read and I was told of the riches and joy which are soon to come to me as the fruit of my previous hard labor. With Seabourn providing each of us with a Turkish cookbook, we may not be able to repeat the the atmosphere when we get home, but we can sure give making some of the dishes a try.
After the obligatory carpet shop ending to our tour, we then headed into the bazaar and met up with a jeweler we had purchased some things from in one of our past visits. Having dodged that bullet and being able to leave with no new purchases, it was time for a quick rest and then off to the Exclusively Seabourn Experience in Ephesus. We arrived by bus to a beautifully lit Roman city with candle lit tables with small tastings and local wines being poured. Out of pure luck we sat at the table which was right in front of the Library directly viewing the chamber musicians who played a lovely variety of classical pieces in this truly romantic and inspiring at the same time setting. Then it was back to the ship for a wonderful Seabourn Welcome Home greeting. Then it was a fantastic Seabourn Grill buffet and the Rock the Boat show out on deck.
Tomorrow is our last day...but it is the Galley Market Lunch and then our Food and Wine Tasting!
The captain, Geir-Arne, my good friend, invited my group to the bridge for the sail away from Fethiye and, with my good "supervision" of course, he did a great job missing the dock and setting us out to the open ocean; charming everyone as always "aboard yourrrrrrr Seeeeaboooorrrn Spirit"! It was then off to get ready for a wonderful dinner at the Captain's Table for dinner. With the Captain charming everyone I sat back and enjoyed the always wonderful tasting menu. I must say that the quality and small touches that come out of Chef Jochem's galley are worthy of special note.
It was then on to Kusadasi, Turkey yesterday. It was, without question, one of the nicest days I have have ever spent while on holidays. We awoke to a cool, but very sunny, morning for our tour of Ephesus and our cooking class. We arrived at Ephesus with some crowds, but nothing like those seen in the summer months. More importantly, without the heat you were actually able to stroll in comfort rather than feel sort of stressed by the heat to complete your journey back in time down the Roman streets. Our guide was charming and, having been there twice before, I sort of allowed my mind to wonder; knowing my guests were being well cared for. It was then off to the small village of Sirince (pronounced Sur-in-gee) which was filled with wonderful old streets lined with traditional shops and, fortunate for us, many wine shops as grapes are grown in the village. (I picked up a "local" bottle of wine - no label - and hopefully it will be the same wine I tasted in the shop!). Other than the wine shops it was a wonderful step back in time. (It reminded me a bit of Sintra, Portugal).
The highlight, however, was our next stop: our cooking class. A wonderful older woman, with a bright smile, and most definitely "cooking with love" had us gather in her small restaurant's kitchen (and with Seabourn limiting this tour to 16 people it was perfect) where she prepared six different dishes with remarkable speed and then added them to a fantastic buffet which we all enjoyed in her garden; my lunch accompanied by the traditional raki drink. A treat...hopefully...was my Turkish coffee where my grounds were read and I was told of the riches and joy which are soon to come to me as the fruit of my previous hard labor. With Seabourn providing each of us with a Turkish cookbook, we may not be able to repeat the the atmosphere when we get home, but we can sure give making some of the dishes a try.
After the obligatory carpet shop ending to our tour, we then headed into the bazaar and met up with a jeweler we had purchased some things from in one of our past visits. Having dodged that bullet and being able to leave with no new purchases, it was time for a quick rest and then off to the Exclusively Seabourn Experience in Ephesus. We arrived by bus to a beautifully lit Roman city with candle lit tables with small tastings and local wines being poured. Out of pure luck we sat at the table which was right in front of the Library directly viewing the chamber musicians who played a lovely variety of classical pieces in this truly romantic and inspiring at the same time setting. Then it was back to the ship for a wonderful Seabourn Welcome Home greeting. Then it was a fantastic Seabourn Grill buffet and the Rock the Boat show out on deck.
Tomorrow is our last day...but it is the Galley Market Lunch and then our Food and Wine Tasting!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit: Travelogue Part I
Our trip on the Seabourn Spirit started uneventfully with an on time flight, a quick pickup by our driver and a traffic free trip from the airport.
We checked into the St. George Lycabettus Hotel, located in the Kolonaki section (Athens's "Beverly Hills area"). The staff at the hotel were friendly and very accommodating...even allowing us to rest in one room while our Deluxe Acropolis View room was still being prepared. This standard room was clean, well laid-out, but very small and with no view. After only a few moments our room was ready and what a difference! While not the most spacious room, it was clean, had a comfortable bed and nice amenities. But that is not what makes the St. George Lycabettus the best hotel in Athens for me. It is the view. We sat out on our balcony sipping our complimentary champagne with a fantastic, unobstructed, view of the Acropolis with the port of Piraeus in the distance. It is, alas, a true $1,000,000 view.
The hotel recommended a truly local restaurant for lunch just a short stroll down the hill. After a very nice lunch of a Greek salad, some hummus and fried anchovies...and a carafe of local white wine, we strolled back to the hotel for a nap. As we lay in bed there was that view...the Acropolis. Very cool. After our nap, we sat out on our balcony, listening to the local sounds of children playing on a Friday evening rather than the cars and trucks of downtown Athens...and we watched a beautiful sunset unfold. It was then off to another local restaurant with some friends, sitting outside under a canopy enjoying the evening. Then, lying in bed looking out at the Acropolis lit up and looking, frankly, spectacular, it was time for a good night's sleep.
After a wonderful breakfast buffet at the rooftop restaurant's balcony...with that view...it was time for our group to gather and our tour of Athens before heading to the ship. Paul, a driver-guide I have used for years, not only for myself but my clients, did a great job. However, the highlight was when we were returning from our walk up to the top of Mt. Lycabettus we, well, ummm, sort of...got a bit lost. In the end it was a good laugh.
We arrived at the port at 2:30 pm and were quickly on the ship. A quick muster and a wonderful champagne sail away. Then it was time to get ready for dinner. One problem, though: The bag with most of my clothes and all of my wife's dresses was missing. The short version is it was gone. Seabourn tracked back to the hotel, the guide and even every one of the 12 ships in port that day and...nothing.
As always we had a wonderful sail away with the champagne flowing, though I did notice an absence of the usually ubiquitous caviar. The staff was a good as ever making our first evening as if we had never left...and this was my first evening ever on the Seabourn Spirit (though I have sailed on the Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Legend previously). After a dinner that included the best veal chop I have ever eaten, and even though it was a bit chilly (and we wound up looking like a bunch of homeless people huddled under blankets, we had a wonderful time at the Sky Bar and really enjoyed the new layout and upgrades.
The next day brought us to Mykonos (which is not one of my favorite islands) along with some intermittent rain, a cold breeze, and a need to do some serious shopping as there was no good news for our luggage. First, though, was a meeting with Oliver (the bar manager) and Jochem (the chef de cuisine) to begin arranging my group's Food and Wine tasting on the last day of the cruise. In typical Seabourn fashion, they took my relatively straight-forward event and immediately put it over-the-top adding, for example, a tasting of 20 different olive oils and insisting they do a bit of wine and food shopping for me! I immediately went from the organizer to the guest. (The same occurred when I tried to organize the Ensemble Travel complimentary cocktail party!)
Meanwhile, though Seabourn quickly provided me with a blue suit and shirt (and later in the cruise a tuxedo) my wife needed dresses...and fast. Luckily, after working through all the expensive shops with their (yeah I believe THAT one) end of seasons sales we stumbled upon a small shop with great clothes at truly reasonable prices...on Mykonos! With the mission accomplished my friend and I took up position at one of the local tavernas overlooking the water and watched the world go by. A short nap...OK not so short a nap...and it was time to eat again. Another great dinner and the waiters figured out we like a good laugh and are having great fun with our little group. Matt Brown, the cruise director, put on a truly enjoyable show in the Club...and I am usually not a big fan of such things. One of my guests, though, really stole the show for some good fun. Then a nightcap at the Sky Bar fortunately sans blankets.
In typical Seabourn fashion our arrival in Santorini - to beautiful blue skies - was delayed until 10 AM...so that we would not have to wait in long lines for the cable car or donkeys since there were a few other ships arriving earlier...and then we stayed later after the other ships had departed. This provided us with a far less rushed and crowded time; making Santorini more enjoyable. Deciding that we "needed" to take the donkeys for a good laugh, four of us headed off...only to have one donkey act up, knocking my friend over and sending his wife - like a rocket - walking up the 586 (?) stairs. Oh, we still took the donkeys and we did have a laugh. Having been to Santorini twice before we opted to hang out in Fira and just enjoy looking in the shops (picking up some interesting local wines for our tasting, of course!) and then a nice, simple, lunch in a local taverna with a bottle of local wine and that awesome view. It is one of my favorite things in the world to do. This was followed by a very enjoyable soak in the whirlpool on the bow of the ship where, as advertised, a bar waiter appeared announcing, "You look like you need a bottle of champagne and three glasses". We then realized we did.
Today was a visit to Patmos. There really is not much in Patmos other than visiting the monastery where St. John the Devine was said to have written the Book of Revelations. Our local guide for the Ensemble Experience (complimentary for all guests who utilize a member travel agency) was quite interesting and was able to blend the local history and architecture into an interesting semi-walking tour. After visiting a local house owned by an elderly woman...the 8th generation of the family owning same, we were taken to a local restaurant for some meze (small tastings) and ouzo with a small show. I did spot a local wine shop and make a couple of purchases for our tasting. It was a nice day, though I am not sure that I will return to Patmos anytime soon. Then it was another wonderful gourmet dinner followed by Dancing Under the Stars
Next: We wake up in Turkey.
We checked into the St. George Lycabettus Hotel, located in the Kolonaki section (Athens's "Beverly Hills area"). The staff at the hotel were friendly and very accommodating...even allowing us to rest in one room while our Deluxe Acropolis View room was still being prepared. This standard room was clean, well laid-out, but very small and with no view. After only a few moments our room was ready and what a difference! While not the most spacious room, it was clean, had a comfortable bed and nice amenities. But that is not what makes the St. George Lycabettus the best hotel in Athens for me. It is the view. We sat out on our balcony sipping our complimentary champagne with a fantastic, unobstructed, view of the Acropolis with the port of Piraeus in the distance. It is, alas, a true $1,000,000 view.
The hotel recommended a truly local restaurant for lunch just a short stroll down the hill. After a very nice lunch of a Greek salad, some hummus and fried anchovies...and a carafe of local white wine, we strolled back to the hotel for a nap. As we lay in bed there was that view...the Acropolis. Very cool. After our nap, we sat out on our balcony, listening to the local sounds of children playing on a Friday evening rather than the cars and trucks of downtown Athens...and we watched a beautiful sunset unfold. It was then off to another local restaurant with some friends, sitting outside under a canopy enjoying the evening. Then, lying in bed looking out at the Acropolis lit up and looking, frankly, spectacular, it was time for a good night's sleep.
After a wonderful breakfast buffet at the rooftop restaurant's balcony...with that view...it was time for our group to gather and our tour of Athens before heading to the ship. Paul, a driver-guide I have used for years, not only for myself but my clients, did a great job. However, the highlight was when we were returning from our walk up to the top of Mt. Lycabettus we, well, ummm, sort of...got a bit lost. In the end it was a good laugh.
We arrived at the port at 2:30 pm and were quickly on the ship. A quick muster and a wonderful champagne sail away. Then it was time to get ready for dinner. One problem, though: The bag with most of my clothes and all of my wife's dresses was missing. The short version is it was gone. Seabourn tracked back to the hotel, the guide and even every one of the 12 ships in port that day and...nothing.
As always we had a wonderful sail away with the champagne flowing, though I did notice an absence of the usually ubiquitous caviar. The staff was a good as ever making our first evening as if we had never left...and this was my first evening ever on the Seabourn Spirit (though I have sailed on the Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Legend previously). After a dinner that included the best veal chop I have ever eaten, and even though it was a bit chilly (and we wound up looking like a bunch of homeless people huddled under blankets, we had a wonderful time at the Sky Bar and really enjoyed the new layout and upgrades.
The next day brought us to Mykonos (which is not one of my favorite islands) along with some intermittent rain, a cold breeze, and a need to do some serious shopping as there was no good news for our luggage. First, though, was a meeting with Oliver (the bar manager) and Jochem (the chef de cuisine) to begin arranging my group's Food and Wine tasting on the last day of the cruise. In typical Seabourn fashion, they took my relatively straight-forward event and immediately put it over-the-top adding, for example, a tasting of 20 different olive oils and insisting they do a bit of wine and food shopping for me! I immediately went from the organizer to the guest. (The same occurred when I tried to organize the Ensemble Travel complimentary cocktail party!)
Meanwhile, though Seabourn quickly provided me with a blue suit and shirt (and later in the cruise a tuxedo) my wife needed dresses...and fast. Luckily, after working through all the expensive shops with their (yeah I believe THAT one) end of seasons sales we stumbled upon a small shop with great clothes at truly reasonable prices...on Mykonos! With the mission accomplished my friend and I took up position at one of the local tavernas overlooking the water and watched the world go by. A short nap...OK not so short a nap...and it was time to eat again. Another great dinner and the waiters figured out we like a good laugh and are having great fun with our little group. Matt Brown, the cruise director, put on a truly enjoyable show in the Club...and I am usually not a big fan of such things. One of my guests, though, really stole the show for some good fun. Then a nightcap at the Sky Bar fortunately sans blankets.
In typical Seabourn fashion our arrival in Santorini - to beautiful blue skies - was delayed until 10 AM...so that we would not have to wait in long lines for the cable car or donkeys since there were a few other ships arriving earlier...and then we stayed later after the other ships had departed. This provided us with a far less rushed and crowded time; making Santorini more enjoyable. Deciding that we "needed" to take the donkeys for a good laugh, four of us headed off...only to have one donkey act up, knocking my friend over and sending his wife - like a rocket - walking up the 586 (?) stairs. Oh, we still took the donkeys and we did have a laugh. Having been to Santorini twice before we opted to hang out in Fira and just enjoy looking in the shops (picking up some interesting local wines for our tasting, of course!) and then a nice, simple, lunch in a local taverna with a bottle of local wine and that awesome view. It is one of my favorite things in the world to do. This was followed by a very enjoyable soak in the whirlpool on the bow of the ship where, as advertised, a bar waiter appeared announcing, "You look like you need a bottle of champagne and three glasses". We then realized we did.
Today was a visit to Patmos. There really is not much in Patmos other than visiting the monastery where St. John the Devine was said to have written the Book of Revelations. Our local guide for the Ensemble Experience (complimentary for all guests who utilize a member travel agency) was quite interesting and was able to blend the local history and architecture into an interesting semi-walking tour. After visiting a local house owned by an elderly woman...the 8th generation of the family owning same, we were taken to a local restaurant for some meze (small tastings) and ouzo with a small show. I did spot a local wine shop and make a couple of purchases for our tasting. It was a nice day, though I am not sure that I will return to Patmos anytime soon. Then it was another wonderful gourmet dinner followed by Dancing Under the Stars
Next: We wake up in Turkey.
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