Another Chapter Closed
After 7 months working as an English Social Hostess on MSC Fantasia I am finally heading home and on to the next adventure, after some well deserved RnR, especially after another bought of bronchitis and what turned out to be a fractured ankle that I continued to work on for the last 2 months.
Misconceptions…
When people ask what I do and I reply “I work on a cruise ship”, they always assume this means that I sit around the pool with a cocktail, especially when I was working in the Caribbean. However, it is nothing like that, sure my job as a Social Hostess or Language Ambassador as I prefer to be called, is a lot less strenuous compared to the bar staff or the housekeepers or the laundry, but it is still on duty 7 days a week for 7 months or more. It always surprises guests when they ask me, “what are your off days?” and I say, “the day after I get home.”
It’s Been a Great 7 months
Once again I loved working in the Mediterranean, so many different cultures, so much history and the most amazing food! I had the option to work in the French Caribbean, which I would have loved if there was a guarantee to get some scuba diving in… since that was highly unlikely, I opted for history and food instead.
Our ports of Call included:
ITALY
Venice – I have now been there over 15 times and only ever seen the cruise port, I hear it is quite beautiful!
Bari – Not much to see in Bari itself except a cool fort and shopping.
Fort of Bari
However, just outside there is a beautiful cave system that is definitely worth a visit.
Caves of Castellana
Civitevecchia (Port of Rome) – my favorite part of this port was my pizza place, Baffoni’s!! Cafe Latte, wifi, followed by a pizza and cola.
My favorite Vesuvio pizza, spice salami and zucchini
My second favorite Buffalo mozzarella and small tomatoes
Genoa – Turn around port always crazy busy, but just sometimes I got to slip away to a tiny local place down a narrow alley with the best ravioli bolognese ever!
CROATIA
Dubrovnik – One of my all time favorite cities, absolutely beautiful. I hope to return and explore all of the Dalmation coast someday.
View from the city Walls
GREECE
Piraeus (Port of Athens) – the port is really far from town, but on most visits, at least before I injured my foot, we would walk 20 minutes to a little street cafe for the best gyro in town.
Katakolon – A teeny tiny community that is the gateway to the ancient ruins of Olympia. I loved this tiny 2 street town, with amazing food and fantastically friendly people from my guy at the restaurant where I ordered chicken souvlaki, to the coffee guy with the amazing desserts to the shop guy who insisted on always throwing a bag of chips or a drink into all the crew members shopping bags.
mmm Greek Food!
Dessert and coffee
Heraklion (Island of Crete) – Home of the myth of the Minotaur and another favorite stop, unfortunately the town was a fair distance from the port. My favorite memory was eating an amazing strawberry spinach salad with a good friend!
Mmmm Spinach Strawberry salad!!!
Great Friends!!!
Rhodes – In my top 3! History, friendly folks and great food, also lots and lots of cats!!!
my favorite Tomcat
Street of Knights
Corfu – Another stop where the town was a fair distance from port, but beautiful all the same.
Santorini – Built on the edges of a volcanic caldera in the middle of the med, this is the picture postcard stop of Greece!
Santorini is famous for it’s white buildings and blue domes
MALTA
Valletta – Top 3!! Original home of the Knights Hospitaller and Templar and a port I could wander around in endlessly, just be sure to take the 1€ elevator vs walking up crucifix hill.
THE ELEVATOR!!!
Inside St. John’s Church
TURKEY
Marmaris – Part of my top 5! Loved this port from my first contract and only got one stop this time! However, my favorite food place was still there along with my favorite jewelry store.
Mixed plate
Izmir – The area near the port was mainly shopping, although I did find amazing coconut macaroons at a hole in the wall bakery. An hour away you will find the house of the Virgin Mary in a stunningly peaceful valley and the Ruins of Ephesus, some of the most incredible ruins I have ever seen… did I mention there are lots of cats!
Mary’s House
Leave a prayer for the Virgin Mary
Kitty of Ephesus
Library of Ephesus
SPAIN
Malaga – Churro and Chocolate is all I have to say…
No Words!!!!
Barcelona – Gaudi and the inside of the Sagrada Familia!! Absolutely incredible.
Beauty!
Tenerife – Loro Parque, the worlds largest parrot park with numerous other animals and even an Orca show! (I am not a fan of keeping these creatures in captivity, the only, slightly, saving grace is that the park focuses on research and education and some of the orcas were not wild born).
Rainbow Lorikeet
Orca Show
MOROCCO
Casablanca – The whole reason I opted for this route vs the French Caribbean and, even though I had no idea what to expect, it was unfortunately the biggest disappointment. The port was at least a 20 minute walk from the city through a disgusting agricultural and industrial port, with only… fairly intense taxi drivers as a transport option. Luckily, the city itself, although dirty, had friendly people, great coffee and amazing food. However, other than the mosque and the old market there wasn’t much to see and safety was a concern.
Coffee opposite the old market
Carpets and Paintings in the Old Market
The Mosque from the Cornish Road
Tajines cooking
Delicious!
If you go to Morocco and the port of Casablanca I recommend the tour to Marrakesh, this is the Morocco we all imagine.
PORTUGAL
Funchal – Top 3!!! Absolutely loved this port, despite the long walk from the port, and would love to visit it again, from the vegetation to the climate to the food everything was great… except maybe that they speak Portuguese (a language that confuses me endlessly as it sounds similar to Spanish and yet I understand nothing).
Eira Do Serrado reminded me of the Drakensburg Mountains of South Africa
Always had coffee and a pastel de nata at my fav coffee shop… love the lady in the background – she is obviously on diet!
Great artwork on the Sea wall as you walk to town
Not bad for 7 months if you ask me!
Friendships!!
Of course the true reward from these last 7 months were the friends I made from all over the globe!!
Olessia from the Ukraine – my favorite bartender
Chiara from Italy, Tour escort and awesome gelato buddy
Saneliswe and Sandile, my “paisano” bar staff from South Africa
Angela from Germany, German Hostess and international cuisine tasting buddy
Tamsin and Hayley from UK, Dancer and singer, my video and pizza buds!
Ivana from Macedonia, Photographer and my crazy happy friend
Dayan from Spain and Jessica from Italy, GRM and Concierge, we made a great team
Gleison from Brazil and Martina from Italy, Portuguese Host and Events coordinator, we were the Funchal Ship Visit trio
Carmen from South Africa, Tour Escort and another amazing Paisano
Celine and Loes from the Netherlands, tour escorts and my favorite Dutchies
And so many more I would be here forever uploading pics. Thanks to all my amazing friends and I hope to see you again soon on new adventures!!!
New Adventures
Now I am off to do something completely different and, logically thinking, completely off the wall. I am moving to Koh Phangan, Thailand to pursue my passion of scuba diving!!! Yup at 37.75 years of age, I am doing something most people would think is completely insane… but I am sure going to have fun doing it!!!
