As we sat down to breakfast the Sea Cloud dropped anchor in the ‘gin-clear’ waters beneath the ramparts of the Byzantine walled city of Monemvasia on the southeastern coast of the Peloponnese. This was our bonus stop—and WOW—how to end a cruise on a high note!
The climb up to the main square through the huge double iron-clad doors of the main town gate and along the uneven cobbled street was a bit challenging for some, but each step of the ascent was another step into the past. Not the Bronze Age or Classical period of Ancient Greece, but the medieval era of the Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire. Located midway along the sea lanes between Venice and Constantinople from the 13th to the mid-16th century, the local merchants grew rich exporting olive oil, sweet Malmsey wine and fine locally produced silk. At its height in the early 16th century 30,000 people crowded into the upper and lower towns, which cling precariously to the steep slopes of Monemvasia Island. Every tiny square in the lower town seemed to have an Orthodox chapel and we visited the largest chapel on the main square. Winding down stairs, through arched passageways under houses, and in and out of flower bedecked courtyards we reached the open square at the bottom of the town which afforded us a magnificent view of the whole village stacked up against the cliff face. Everyone fanned out with cameras in hand to take photos of bright, flower-filled urns, bougainvillea-bedecked terraces, and the magnificent vistas of the deep blue Aegean and the cliff faces that soared above the town. It was hard to tear ourselves away and return to the ship.
As the Sea Cloud weighed anchor and headed out for our final sail of the expedition, the lunch bell rang and to say the chefs had outdone themselves would have been an understatement—the famous “Pasta Wheel” had appeared! A 150-kilo wheel of Parmesan cheese that the chef uses to make pasta to order. Thank goodness there are no scales aboard!
A perfect breeze came up about 2:00 PM and the captain ordered the crew aloft to set all the sails—even the mains! There is nothing more glorious than an afternoon under sail, warm Aegean sun, a comfortable deck chair and one last opportunity to marvel at the magnificence of the legendary Sea Cloud!
