This morning, we continued out of the storm and into the Gulf of Siracusa. Photo instructor Anna Mazurek presented “Tips for Night Photography” in preparation for her guided night photography walk in the evening. Chef de Cuisine, Rajko Kosanovic, offered a special Pasta Puttanesca Cooking Class during lunch that filled the Lido Deck with fragrances and our bellies with delight. Sea Cloud docked inside the bay at the ‘river dock’ that separates the island of Ortygia from the rest of the city, and we disembarked for a guided walk through the Old Town. The highlight of the afternoon was the Cathedral of St. Lucia, or Il Duomo. The entire history of Sicily can be told in the fascinating historical stratification of this cathedral, which has been repurposed many times. It is currently dedicated to St. Lucia but incorporates columns dating back to the Ancient Greek Temple of Athena.
10/3/2024
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Sea Cloud
Amalfi and Napoli, Italy
Anticipating rough weather, we woke early today to attempt a morning visit to the city of Amalfi. Unfortunately, the seas were already too rough to safely disembark, and we were compelled to make other plans. We instead spent a quiet morning at sea, including a presentation by National Geographic-Lindblad Historian Rebecca on shipwreck archaeology, a fitting topic for a ship prudently avoiding rough weather. Today’s lunch on the lido deck featured the famous Sea Cloud pasta wheel, a large wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano in which a delectable pasta is prepared. We managed to dock in Napoli around midday, and interested guests accompanied Expedition Leader John on a walk around some of Napoli’s historic neighborhoods. Our leisurely walk took us past the medieval Castel Nuovo, through the soaring Galleria of Umberto I, and alongside the expansive Royal Palace of Napoli. Back aboard Sea Cloud this evening, we enjoyed the guest slide show during cocktail hour followed by one final, sumptuous dinner in the ship’s elegant dining room.