Brilliant MSC Splendida or Casablanca Cruise (End)
6. Valencia and Marseille.
We arrive in Valencia at 12 noon on March 1st. Again, questions about what to see in Valencia before departure from the port at 18-00, and on the ship we should be at 17-00 with a reserve in time. Excursions from the ship - City tour (4 hours) - 41 euros, Oceanographic Museum - (4 hours) - 57 euros per person.
But we decided differently. There is a free shuttle from the ship to the seaport (the city is worried), then for those who travel on cruises and have limited time to explore the city, VLC Cruise Cards are offered. They cost 10 euros per person and offer discounts on travel services, as well as museums, shops, restaurants. A shuttle bus is also provided, which delivers free of charge to the city center. Travel time is 15 minutes with three stops - the Oceanarium, the City of Arts and Sciences and the central street Navarro Reverter, within walking distance of which are all the attractions.
A small queue for Cruise Cards, the bus stops on the square in front of the sea terminal and after 15 minutes we are in the Historic Center of Valencia on Navarro. From here we went to explore Valencia.
Interesting architecture, very attractive squares, lots of greenery. We go along the route we have developed, the Cathedral and Plaza del Mercado, a Gothic church, we are heading towards the railway. station to see its mosaics. I cannot understand why there are more and more people, the police have appeared, people are gathering in crowds with flags of various colors, with balloons. You have to squeeze through, and soon it becomes impossible to go any further. The thought appeared in my mind that this was some kind of unrest and we had to get out of here, because it was not known how it would end. Next to the alley, we had to impudently, pushing people aside, break through there, and there were ambulances, police cars, we passed these cordons and decided to return to the bus.
The street has become empty, only young people come and go towards us. Oriented on the map, where we are, and moved to the bus stop. Where we were, some explosions are heard, smoke has gone. I understand that the police dispersed the demonstrators. As a result, it turned out that these were unrest of students, and in Barcelona they even seized the University.
These events discouraged being in the city center, and we went to the Oceanarium, where modern architecture is crazy in beauty, to take pictures, since there is no time to walk inside. On the territory of about 110 thousand. sq. meters is contained in aquariums and in reservoirs of 45 thousand animals of 500 different species, among which there are sharks, penguins, dolphins, fur seals. All this, as well as the Bio-Park of Valencia, in which all the animals live in natural conditions, unfortunately, remain for inspection the next time, if possible. We leave for the port.
Tomorrow is the last day on the cruise and Marseille is waiting for us.
Morning, March 2. The brilliant Splendida enters the port of Marseille, which is immersed in thick fog. So we got off the ship about an hour later than expected. The port of Marseille is a vast territory of piers, cranes, and everything related to the port. It’s a bit far from the city center even by taxi (it seemed to me), but the line of taxis is organized in a normal, without crowding, landing. We sit in a taxi (we bargained for 16 euros, remembered Casablanca! ) and we arrive at the Old Port. There are many yachts, a sightseeing train with a steam locomotive (very original! ) takes us through the streets of Marseille, climbing the hill to the Notre Dame de la Garde Cathedral. It is best to start your acquaintance with Marseille from the Old Port (Vieux Port) with the forts of St. Jean and St. Nicholas (1660) and the old quarters of Panier (Le Panier) and Saint Victor (St Victor) adjacent to the port. You can wander through their small narrow streets, climb steep stairs.
The Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde is the main attraction of the city, which is the symbol of Marseille. She dominates the city. The basilica was built in the 19th century on the highest point in Marseille, south of the old port. The construction of the cathedral began in 1853 on the site of the chapel, which was built in 1214 and for centuries blessed sailors on long voyages. The modern cathedral, consecrated in 1864, is a Romano-Byzantine basilica with a gilded statue of the Blessed Virgin 10 meters high and a bronze bell weighing more than 8 tons. In the interior of the cathedral - an abundance of mosaics on the Byzantine model. Basilica Notre-Dame de la Garde is located on a hill, at the highest point of the city (154 m), from where a panorama of the city and the Gulf of Marseille opens. But there was fog, and therefore the photos with panoramas turned out to be fuzzy, but romantic.
An interesting photo of the cathedral turned out with a shadow on the fog from the statue of the Blessed Virgin. You can also get to the cathedral by city bus number 60, the ticket price is 2 euros. The cost of our tour is 7 euros per person. Down the steep streets, some are breathtaking and we are back in the Old Port. On the way, not far from Notre Dame de la Garde, we looked at the ancient abbey of St. Victor (Abbaye Saint-Victor) XII century. It is the oldest religious building in Marseille. The building was built in the 5th century as a monastery on the burial place of Christian martyrs. In the course of history, the church was systematically completed and expanded, and today it is a majestic building, more like a fortress.
The fog clears and we decide to just walk around the city, look at its modern avenues, apparently we are already fed up with the sights. There are places in Marseille that somehow reminded me of Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg.
A very modern, comfortable and beautiful tram on the streets of Marseille. Marseille is the second largest city in France. Traffic jams on the streets according to the size of the city.
We walked to the Gothic cathedral on one of the streets, beautiful both inside and out. They took a photo from the outside, they didn’t give inside. There is a lot of time, the cruise company did not spare him on Marseille. There are sales announcements in stores, all of Europe is doing this, all the cities where we have been. Cafe with ice cream and soft drinks, but it's time to get ready for the transfer on the way back. But there are no our partners, we are confused who is where. We stand at the taxi rank, people come up to us who also need fellow travelers. The guys from Hungary agreed, five people, rented a minibus for 20 euros for 7 people, it's very cheap and rolled into the parking lot of the liner. For those who will go along this route - a tip.
The Hungarians dragged huge bags of French cognac and champagne straight onto the ship, without hesitation. Since this is the last day on the cruise and it would be necessary, taking their luggage from them, to immediately take the alcohol to their cabins after a while, no one took anything from them. Bring your own bags, please. Well, I didn't think of that, which is a pity.
Here is the last evening on this brilliant beauty "Splendida". We collect a suitcase, a bag. We received a schedule for sending tourists from the ship. Our group turned out to be the last one to leave the ship, this does not suit us, since we have a train to Milan. Let's go to the reception to sort it out, especially since you still need to pick up your passports, the issuance of which is indicated at 10-00. On the issue of issuing passports to citizens of countries outside the European Union, this is not a whim of the ship, but the conditions of the immigration service, for the rest, we decide not to show luggage, but to take it with us to the exit, and be among the first to receive passports.
After dinner, we gathered in the cafeteria at the stern, nearby the company also celebrates the last day of the cruise, the last photos, we walked along the decks of the ship, regretting that this is the last day.
7. Way back
In the morning, Genoa greets us with a cold wind, low clouds, it was felt that it was still the north of Italy and it was only March 3rd. At 7-00 I went, paid off the ship, though everything happens clearly and quickly, the luggage is in our cabin, we went to the cafeteria for breakfast. That's where I saw how many people on Splendid. Approximately everyone came to eat at the same time, many vacated their cabins and are sitting with things, well, a huge station, and nothing more! Someone is gathering food for their journey, someone is drinking coffee - tea, waiting to leave the ship. We went to the cabin to pick up things, the steward met, whom we “thanked” separately. He worked very diligently and professionally, it was not visible, but everything was always cleaned, put in order, and always ready to help.
By ten o'clock - for passports, although there was a queue, but quickly, then the team worked perfectly. The movement to the exit began. Leaving the ship, we head towards the seaport. Next to the Splendida at the pier is her sister, the twin MSC Fantasia, who is about to sail to the Canary Islands, where we wanted to go. Seeing us with suitcases, they invite us to the "Fantasy", but, unfortunately, we are in the other direction, to the escalator and to the Embankment. We cross it. We go up to the station and we still have a lot of time before the train. For your information, the station is being renovated, the waiting rooms are closed, the platform is cool and the wind is strong, but the train to Milan is coming, which is no more than an hour away. This train is regional, there are six seats inside the compartment, the compartments are fenced off from the corridor by a transparent door. Not very convenient if with large suitcases. There are shelves for bags, you can’t stick a suitcase there.
In Milan, transfer to the train to Venice, the already familiar express, and three hours later - Mestre. A familiar path to the Ambasciatori 4 * hotel, which is very close to the Delfino hotel, where we stayed upon arrival. So these hotels can be recommended for a stay in Venice, modern hotels with all the necessary amenities.
In the morning we reached the Mestre bus station (next to the train station). Bus tickets were taken to Treviso, to the airport. The standard check-in and baggage check-in procedure, then the general queue from all aircraft for customs control. There we were surprised that in addition to taking off jackets and coats, you need to take off your shoes and check your shoes. For the first time, this is especially “comfortable” for women in high boots. Then we looked at the Dyutiki, didn’t see anything supernatural and cheap, the Italian Dyutiki neither in Marco Polo nor in Treviso were seduced by anything. Passport control passed and in the sump they heard that the flight from Kyiv was delayed by 1.
5 hours due to weather conditions in Kyiv (a strong snowstorm in Kyiv, they do not have time to clear the strip). And then outside the window is a bright sunny, warm day. Spring is in full swing! But the plane arrived with a delay of 1.5 hours, loaded up and now we are in Kyiv. In Kyiv at the airport "Zhulyany" there is also news - after receiving the luggage, it is on the conveyor and on the TV to the customs officers. Previously, I did not encounter this at the airports of Ukraine. It's cold outside, a small blizzard. I am no longer looking for minibuses, I call a taxi to the Central Station - 40 UAH. At the station, there is still time to go to a cafe and eat a plate of our good Ukrainian borscht, somehow two weeks later I already wanted to. A train ride in Ukraine is no longer in Europe, it causes completely different feelings, there is no desire to describe. It's been two amazing weeks.
