Mediterranean Cruise on Norwegian Spirit

28.09.2017 - 12.10.2017 25 °C

This cruise from Rome to Rome included stops in Livorno, Italy; Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy; Iraklion, Crete, Greece; Piraeus(Athens)Greece; Santorini Island, Greece; Olympia (Katakolon)Greece; Valletta, Malta and then returned to Italy stopping in Messina,Sicily and Naples before returning to Civitavecchi(Rome). Since all the stops were of historic importance we visited Archeological museums everywhere trying to understand the Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations which covered the period from 2600BC to 1100BC. The Minoans came first and are considered to be the first people to have an organized society.....towns, rulers, rules of behaviour etcetera. But it's important to remember that people in Asia, Africa and both North and South America were also developing societies at the same time. Anyway, Greece and Rome are considered the cradles of western civilization and my friend Susan Beckman and I saw and learned a lot.

Before the cruise started we arranged to visit the Etruscan tombs in Tarquinia which is near the cruise ship terminal. Susan had sent me a copy of D. H. Lawrence's now out of print book "Sketches of Etruscan Places" written in 1927. When he visited the tombs, before tourists had any interest he was taken by a young man using candles. The Etruscans are interesting since their flourishing civilization and language disappeared after they were conquered by the Romans and became completely assimilated.

Visiting Rome including the Vatican Gardens. The street leading to the Coliseum is closed to traffic Saturdays with lots of people enjoying it.
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