Corfu and the last day....aboard..

We used tender boats to go on shore These are smaller vessels used to transport people from a big ship to the port if the ship cannot dock for some reason. -- Corfu is a large island and looked very much like San Diego as we were bused to the beach. I had been scheduled to go on a tour of the island, but there was a strike of the guides so no tours were operating. The young woman who waited on Kathy when we first arrived and she couldn't get the beach tour for Matt called and there was a cancellation so we were able to go on the beach excursion.

I was able to swim in the Mediterranean. The water was incredibly clear. I could see all the way to the bottom and the many fish swimming around . The were the color of the sand with a large black circle (mimicking an eye) on their tails. The largest ones were about 12-15 inches long. Some of them would swim up to the top with their backs above the water --- I suppose they were sunning themselves. Had never seen fish do that before.

The beach was very pebbly -- I was wishing I had a pair of flip-flops--but it was worth the pain to get to the beautiful water, and once in the water there was a sandy bottom.

This 5 star resort had lounge chairs and umbrellas waiting for us. All we had to supply was a towel. After swimming I went in and dried off a bit in the shade. Next we went to the Taverna where we had Greek salad and dolmas....Matt, of course, had spaghetti. After lunch I went swimming in the resorts pool which was absolutely pristinely beautiful. There were little individual houses on the grounds. A grounds keeper took Kathy in a golf-cart to the spot -- and then back again when we caught the bus back to the ship.

Once back aboard the ship we got underway heading for our final stop in Naples at Civitevechhia the port. There we will board the train back to Rome. It will be an early morning and a long day - depending on train changes and potential problems with trains or the steps if we have to change trains--- or then there is the possibility that the train could break down as it did on the way to the port from Rome a week and a half ago.

Kathy woke this morning with traveller's distress. She remained in the cabin most of the day while I got most of my things packed this morning. We had to set all our bags out between 7-11:00 p.m. the last night. I tried to get pictures of all the various parts of the ship that we have frequented. Needless to say --- that did not include the casino....or the bars.

We went down to the ship's doctor in the afternoon at about 4:30 to see if he could give Kathy anything for her problem. This would not be a pleasant problem to have on the trains in Italy -- since they are really dirty... He gave her medication --- and dietary advice. (neither of which she followed immediately, and asked us to stay in for the rest of the night.) He didn't seem overly concered -- since we were apparently not the only ones who chose to eat fresh fruit and vegetables on the island!