western mediterranean

WESTERN MEDITERRANEANABOARD THE SEACLOUD

TAORMINA, SIRACUSA, CATANIA, ITALY

VALETTA, MALTA; CARTHAGE, TUNIS, TUNISA

PALMA DE MALLORCA, VALENCIA, MOTRIL,

GRANADA, THE ALHAMBRA, SPAIN

TM

W E S T E R N M E DABOARD SEA CLOUD

“Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catchthe trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

—Mark Twain

WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN

“Make voyages! Attempt them . . . there’s nothing else.”—Tennessee Williams

WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN

CONTENTS

6 Rome, Italy — Airport

7 Taromina, Italy

17 Siracusa and Catania, Italy

27 Aboard Sea Cloud — At Sea

29 Valetta, Malta

39 Sea Cloud — What Makes Her Run

43 Carthage and Tunis, Tunisia

54 Sea Cloud — A Ship Tour

61 Palma De Mallorca, Spain

69 Valencia, Spain

77 Motril to Granada, Spain

84 The Alhambra, Spain

6 WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN

Rome Airport

We’ve landed in Italy: the first thing I notice is an entire store sellingladies’ gloves! You don’t see anything like that back in Kansas.There’s also a store specializing in stockings. Plus the inevitableBody Shop and Nike stores.

7TAORMINA, ITALY

What a lovely spot. Our small butcheerful room offers a spaciousbalcony and a view to the beach. Thegrounds are layered with gardens,winding pathways, and sitting areas;birds chirp in the trees, gravel crunchesunder foot, leaves drip dew. Choice ofoutdoor or glass-enclosed sunroomdining for breakfast, all with a view ofthe curved beachfront and a few hardysouls taking their morning swim.

Taormina, Italy

GPS reading: N 37° 51’ E 015° 18’

8 TAORMINA, ITALY

Our local guide, Giaccomo, starts thetrip off right. Only an Italian coulddress like this and actually look good:blue shirt, tan slacks, brown shoes,navy jacket, brown tie. Top it off with a hat printed with a map of the world. I know it’s a seriously expensive hat,because I saw some handbags in thesame designer pattern at the airport inRome. On anyone else it would lookridiculous, but Giaccomo pulls it off.

9TAORMINA, ITALY

The trip brochure was right: enticingboutiques and inviting cafes line themain promenade. Giaccomo walks usthrough the lush public gardens andnarrow cobblestone streets of Taormina,points out plants and lunch spots, and educates us with historical andetymological tidbits:

• Recorded Sicilian history begins with the Greeks in about 756 BC (thepeople here before them—the Sicani and Siculi—were assimilated).

• Next came the Byzantines with theirfabulous mosaics; then the Muslims,who built waterwheels. Taormina’s mainstreet, Corso Umberto, is 2,200 yearsold and layered with history: A mosquebecame the Church of St. Catherine ofAlexandria, which although desanctifiedin the 1980s because of a lack ofhistorical evidence, is still used today.

• Seeds of the carob tree, called karats,are so consistent in size they became thestandard for measuring amounts of goldand copper in jewelry. Hence, forexample, “24-karat gold.”

10 TAORMINA, ITALY

• We’re at 6,000 feet in Taormina; 11,000-foot-high Mt. Etna smoldersnearby. Nearly 85% of Sicily is coveredwith mountains.

• The oldest known description of icecream comes from Taormina. It wasmade with snow brought down from the mountains, mixed with honey and ricotta.

• Sicilian cuisine includes many dishesusing breadcrumbs instead of cheese.Specialties are pasta with eggplant,zucchini, and seafood.

• A local specialty, marzipan, originatedas bread made in the shape of fruit anddrizzled with honey as an offering to thegoddess of fertility.

• Although Sicily was once famous forlemon groves, 70% of her citrus fieldsare now abandoned. It’s less expensive to import fruit from Spain or Africa thanto pay labor, water, and taxes.

• The Sicilian language (comprised ofwords from Arabic and Greek, as well asItalian) has two ways to refer to the past,one present tense, and no way to speakabout the future.

• Salt (sal) was sold in Sicily in 4,000 BC. Romans used to pay soldiers witha salt “salary,” hence the aphorism “Not worth his salt.”

11TAORMINA, ITALY

12 TAORMINA, ITALY

13TAORMINA, ITALY

14 TAORMINA, ITALY

16 TAORMINA, ITALY

17SIRACUSA & CATANIA, ITALY

Siracusa and Catania, Italy

GPS Reading: N 37° 07’ E 015° 22’

19SIRACUSA, ITALY

Some slaves worked as gladiatorsand made enough money to buytheir own freedom. Some non-slaveseven chose to be gladiators; the jobwasn’t as horrific as it sounds to ustoday. Only about 10% of the showsinvolved death for the gladiators.(Hmm…would one know ahead oftime whether he was going to be part of the unlucky ten percent?)Gladiators were provided with food,housing, and time to train. And theevening before a show, they enjoyeda sumptuous dinner with theirsponsor and his friends, anddemonstrated their strength and prowess.

The Greek construction styleinvolved huge blocks stackedwithout concrete. Greek theaterswere built in the shape of asemicircle, and were used forviewing plays. Later Romantechniques employed brick “shells”filled with rock and cement.Theaters were oval, for viewinggames. The lowest spectator seatsfrom Greek theaters becamecorridors in the Roman versions.The Roman Empire boasted morethan 200 amphitheaters, of whichthe Roman coliseum was the largest.The amphitheater at Syracuse wasbuilt in 475 BC.

Tito once had five thousandanimals killed in three gladiatorialshows. The ground was coveredwith sand to absorb all the blood.More etymological trivia: the wordarena derives from the Latin wordfor sand.

20 SIRACUSA, ITALY

The Ear of Dionysius is a cave 80 feet high and 200 feet long, with impressive acoustics. Theinfamous tyrant Dionysius I ofSyracuse is said to have confinedslaves suspected of plotting against him to this cave, andlistened in on their conversationsfrom a small opening at the top.The cave amplifies soundconsiderably, and does so withoutcreating a recurring echo.

21SIRACUSA, ITALY

Siracusa, once a great rival ofAthens, is one of Sicily’s mosthistoric cities. Founded by theGreeks in the 8th century BCE andsubsequently occupied by Romans,Byzantines, Saracens, and Normans,Siracusa has a rich cultural heritage.The city was once surrounded by 27km of walls, for which five millioncubic meters of limestone werequarried. Since the best stone wasdeep rather than at the surface,slaves tunneled underground to getit, leaving giant columns to supportthe earth above. Only one columnremains standing.

22 CATANIA, ITALY

An example of the area’s richly layeredhistory: Ortigia’s Duomo has evolved from a pagan temple to a Christian church to aMuslim mosque, and, finally, to a uniqueexample of Sicilian Baroque religiousarchitecture. The Duomo houses a shrine to St. Lucia, the patron saint of Siracusa.Lucia was killed in 1039—her body wasshipped to Istanbul, and then relocated toVenice in 1204.

“There are just too many coincidences,”Giaccomo explains. “St. Lucia’s name refersto light, and she was martyred in Siracusa,known as the City of Light. St. Lucia’s eyeswere stabbed out, so she could not see. Herbirthday was on December 30, the shortestday of the year on the old calendar, so therewas the least light.” Venice eventuallyreturned a part of St. Lucia’s arm to itsrightful home at Siracusa—it rests here inthe chapel, along with other relics.

23CATANIA, ITALY

24 CATANIA, ITALYRO

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Mt. Etna’s four main craters areactive; more than 500 minor onesare dormant. Despite the fact that Mt.Etna’s lava destroyed the town ofMascali in 1928 (it was subsequentlyrebuilt nearer to the sea), the localsdon’t fret about volcanic activity.“When it comes, we talk about it,”they explain. It came; we weretreated to a wonderful nighttimeview of a glowing stream of lavaflowing halfway down Mt. Etna aswe cast off from Catania.

25CATANIA, ITALY

26 CATANIA, ITALY

“From what Destiny doth write,there is neither refuge nor flight.”

— Sinbad the Seaman, 1001 Nights

27SEA CLOUD

The Sea CloudMonday at Sea

Oh boy; this is even better than I had expected! She’s an elegant 360-foot, four-masted barque, with a snow-white hull, endless mahogany brightwork, and polished bronze fittings. The brochure in ourcabin says it all: “Sea Cloud’s unique charm andcharisma remain true to the romantic spirit in whichshe was conceived more than 70 years ago. To sailaboard her is not only to occupy a museum-qualityheirloom, but to relive the splendor and graciouslifestyle of cruising in the grand tradition.”

Built at a time when the greatest attention was paid to detail and fine craftsmanship, Sea Cloud isdecorated with original oil paintings, antiquefurniture, rich wood paneling, and gold, brass andbronze fixtures. Original staterooms are beautifullyappointed in their own style, each with a privatemarble bath with either a tub or a shower. The latesttechnical equipment includes radar, satellitenavigational aids, and satellite communications. A journey aboard Sea Cloud, which carries only 64passengers, is an intimate experience on one of themost elegant and luxurious vessels afloat..

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29VALETTA, MALTA

Situated 56 miles south of Sicily is the island nation of Malta.The capital, Valetta, was founded by the Knights of St. John,who arrived in 1530 and built a fortified city to defend againstanticipated attacks by the Ottoman Turks. Malta melds ancientand contemporary: The islan d is an unparalleled archaeologicaltreasure trove, yet a billboard for iPods was among the firstthings we saw.

The Maltese Islands are strategically positioned in the channelbetween the eastern and western basins of the Mediterranean.Or, between southern Europe and North Africa. Or, betweenwestern Europe and the MiddleEast. No matter; however you look at it, they’re strategic.

“Merhba!” Welcome! Our guide,Fabrizia, is well educated andadmirably objective: “I’m not goingto impose these ideas on you; youcan believe them or not,” sheobserves, walking us through theprehistoric Tarxien (“Big Stone”)temple complex, a UNESCO WorldHeritage site. The remains of fourdistinct temples—the oldest built 5,600 years ago—lie here.Sacrificial altars, oracular chambers, and other structures inthis megalithic complex are adorned with symmetricalspirals and domestic animals carved in relief.

“Archaeologists theorize that Malta’s first inhabitantsarrived more than 7,000 years ago from Sicily. They lived incaves for 2,000 years, then began to build temples out ofhuge stone slabs, averaging 20 tons in weight.” Constructionmethods include rolling the slabs on stone spheres, as wellas building earth ramps next to vertical stone slabs in orderto position horizontal cross-pieces on top of them. Woodenlevers, props, and possibly ropes were also used. These arethe same techniques believed to have been employed to constructthe pyramids in Egypt—more than 1,000 years later. Malta’senigmatic “cart ruts”—probably used for transportation ofconstruction blocks from quarries to temple sites—are another possible explanation for these prehistoric feats of engineering. The ruts are found throughout Malta.

Valetta, Malta

Harbor entrance: N 35° 53’ E 014° 30’

30 VALETTA, MALTA

31VALETTA, MALTA

Malta’s archaeological museum is housed inthe Auberge de Provence, one of the firstbuildings to be erected in Valletta after theGreat Siege, and once a residence of theknights. Inside are excellent displays oftemple site models, pottery, tools, carvings,altar blocks, and a reconstructed tomb.Implements made of flint, obsidian, andanimal bone were found in several sites, yetMalta has no local obsidian or flint. Also, thetemples were embellished with ochre, butochre is not found on the island. Researchsuggests the obsidian, flint, and ochre were all brought from Sicily.

My favorite piece in the museum is theexquisite 5,000-year-old “Sleeping Lady,” a four-and-a-half-inch long representation of a voluptuous female figure lying on her side on a couch. The artful proportions, as well as the detail of the figure’s delicatefingers and pleated skirt, suggest that a talented sculptor took great care with this figurine.

Malta is now a nation of about 400,000people, living within 122 square miles. That’smore than 3,000 people per square mile,compared with 50 people per square mile inthe U.S., and makes Malta one of the mostdensely populated countries in the world. Thepeople are “very Catholic; there is no divorcein Malta,” well educated, and have a highliteracy rate. Education through universitylevel is free, as is health-care.

Falcons are still used to hunt rabbits. “We eatten kilos of rabbit per person per year here inMalta,” Fabrizia announces. Fish, escargot,and sweets made from dates and figs are alsopopular. “You see all the flat roofs? They areused to dry our clothes, and for barbecues.”

Shops are open from 9 to 1, closed for lunch,then open again from 4 to 7 p.m. Malta is bestknown for production of door knockers,which are hardly an economic mainstay.Wages are low; the average salary is 900

VALETTA, MALTA32

Euros/month (about US $14,000/year). ButMalta loses industry to northern Africa,where salaries are even lower. Aside fromtourism, Malta doesn’t have much of aneconomic base. There is one factory—jointly owned by French, Italian, andAmerican concerns—which produces onemillion silicon chips/day, and accounts for53% of Malta’s exports. Fabrizia enthused,“Dubai is planning to develop an ‘IT City,’which will employ five thousand people.”

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Maltese is the nation’s official language,but English is widely spoken. Fabriziapointed out that Maltese is the onlyextant language that includes wordsfrom ancient Phoenician, and that itcontains many similarities to Italian,Spanish, and French: Thank you isgrazzi (similar to Italian); Good morningis bon jour, as in French; and goodevening is similar to Spanish. Vegetableis haxix (pronounced “hashish”).

Malta’s National Museum of Archaeologyprovided this timeline of monumental

construction projects:

3600 BC Ggantija Temples, Malta 2530 BC Great Pyramid, Egypt 2200 BC Stonehenge, Great Britain 1700 BC Palace of Knossos, Crete 600 BC Acropolis of Athens, Greece 214 BC Great Wall, China 70 AD Coliseum of Rome, Italy 563 AD Hagia Sofia, Turkey 725 AD City of Copan, Honduras 1100 AD Ahu and statues, Easter Island 1163 AD Notre Dame Cathedral, France 1300 AD Great Zimbabwe 1506 AD Basilica of St. Peter, Vatican 1632 AD Taj Mahal, India

34 VALETTA, MALTA

Another link with Sicily: According to Fabrizia, “The Maltesedrive like Sicilians. ”A popular aphorismis, He likes to drive where there is shade.In other words, the Maltese peopledrive wherever the heck they feel likedriving, without regard to lanes orsignage or traffic f low. Fortunately, ourbus driver was very capable! Thesefamous Maltese buses are from the 50s,and the bodies do not show signs ofany serious collisions.

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• 218 BC: Malta became part of the Roman Empireduring the 2nd Punic (or “Hannibalic”) War.

• 60 AD: shipwreck of St. John the Apostle.

• 9th - 12th century: Arabic period.

• Subsequently ruled by French, Germans,Castilians (1283), and Aragonese (1410).

• 1530: Knights of St. John (from Rhodes) weregiven Malta in hopes they would protect it from Turks, who were expected to invade.

• 1565: the Maltese won the Great Siege, in which they were attacked by 40,000 Turks, by poisoning the Turks’ water supply.

• 1798: Napoleon wanted Malta very badly so he could control the Mediterranean. His armies attacked and expelled the Knights of St. John.

• The French began to steal from the MalteseChurch, so the Maltese revolted.

• 1800: Nelson took Malta from Napoleon. The Brits wanted to return Malta to the Knights, but the Maltese preferred to becomeBritish subjects.

• 1919: Self-government granted.

• 1964: Malta gained its independence after 164 years of British rule.

Malta’s History

VALETTA, MALTA

36 VALETTA, MALTA

The Knights of St. John builtSt. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valetta in the 16th century. Its interior is floridlydecorated with gilded limestone, colorfulfrescoed ceilings, and a monumentalpainting of St. John the Baptist byCaravaggio. The floor of the main roomcovers the tombs of 430 knights—eachcommemorated with a mosaic-likepattern of inlaid Italian marble and lapislazuli from Afghanistan—about four bysix feet in size, and decorated withdetailed images of trees and cherubs;laughing skeletons and skulls; crowns,scepters, shields, and cannons;elephants, lions, and griffons; flowersand flames. It is arguably the mostbeautiful pavement in the world; one of the most ornate tombs is marked by a mosaic patterned with 640 pieces of stone.

37VALETTA, MALTA

The Knights of St. John, based in Malta,were a wealthy, aristocratic, Catholicmilitary order with a history dating to the first Crusade early in the 12th century.These men came from eight European“countries”— Aragon and Castile (in what is now Spain); Auvergne, Provenceand “France;” Bavaria; England; and Italy.They donated their fortunes to the order(bought their way in) and took vows ofchastity, poverty, and obedience. ButFabrizia explained that they also hadmany children and suffered from venerealdiseases, so there is some question aboutthe sanctity of their vows. When theKnights were granted sovereignty over the island of Malta in 1530, the only costwas a single coin—a Maltese falcon—thatwas to be paid annually to the King ofSpain, as a representative of the HolyRoman Emperor. (Dashiell Hammett’sbook, The Maltese Falcon, is based onthis historical fact.)

38 VALETTA, MALTA

39SEA CLOUD

At Sea Wednesday

1030 hrs: N 36° 42’ E12° 44’

Engine room tour today: We descend into the depths of awarren of immaculate, interconnected chambers. There areconsoles and canisters, hoses and pipes, ladders, wires,polished brass fittings, and big metal boxes with labels likeReintjes and Geprüft. I counted sixcontrol panels and 45 dials in the firstcompartment alone. Very impressive,until the chief engineer confides, in avoice barely audible over the roar ofthe engines, “Very little of this works.The computer has taken over.”

We learn that the original electricengines were chosen because theywere quiet enough not to disturbpassengers, but today the ship runs ontwo 8-cylinder, 1,000 horsepowerdiesel engines. The ship uses 3.5 tonsof fuel a day, and has a capacity of 380tons of fuel. When she’s under sail all the way, Sea Cloud cancross the Atlantic in 14 -16 days.

Sea Cloud runs a reverse osmosis filter to convert sea water tofresh water; eight tons of seawater are required to make one tonof drinking water. The ship’s total water capacity is 600 tons.There’s also an onboard sewage treatment facility, which worksjust like the ones on land.

40 SEA CLOUD

Sea Cloud is “80 percent timber,”which more than stretches maritimeregulations for passenger ships.Regulations are becoming stricter, andsome will effectively ground Sea Cloud.After that, who knows what will becomeof her? Perhaps a private consortiumwill purchase and maintain the vessel. Any takers?

Sea CloudRegistry: MaltaGross tonnage: 2,532Length: 360 feetBeam: 50 feetDraft: 17 feet

41SEA CLOUD

CHARLES DARRELL

CHARLES DARRELL

43CARTHAGE & TUNIS, TUNISIA

Carthage and Tunis, Tunisia

In port: N 36° 48’ E 10° 18’

The Phoenician Princess Dido, who fled to North Africa after herbrother Pygmalion murdered her husband, founded Carthage inthe 9th century BCE. Although unlucky in love, Dido was quiteclever. When a local nomadic chief promised her “as much land as she could cover with a bull’s hide,” shecut the hide into one thin, continuous stripand encircled a lovely seaside hill at Byrsa.

Carthage grew to become a wealthysuperpower, ruling hundreds of other cities in the Mediterranean and rivaling theRoman Empire for dominance in the 5thcentury BCE. Rome was understandablyenvious, and waged a series of three Punic Wars, in which they gained controlof the city. One hundred years later,Augustus Caesar rebuilt Carthage; iteventually became the third largest city of the Roman Empire.

Carthage passed into Byzantine hands in533, was Christian until the late 6thcentury, and was destroyed again in 692,never to be rebuilt. Nearby, the city ofTunis evolved slowly but steadily, growinginto the most important center of Arabiclearning and culture in North Africa. Withthe expansion of the Ottoman Empire,Tunis came under the indirect rule of theTurkish sultans, who were pressured outby the Spaniards after the siege of Malta inthe16th century.

In 1881the French took over, controlling most of northern Africa for the next 70 years. Tunisia gained independence in 1956, andhas had a stormy time of it, flirting with collectivization in the 60s,suffering weak fiscal leadership in the 70s, and surviving asputtering economy in the 80s. The situation changed again due to the infamous “Arab Spring.”

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45CARTHAGE & TUNIS, TUNISIARO

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The circle, horizontal bar, and triangle figurerepresents the goddess Tanit, and adorns

many of the stelae at the Tophet.


Our guide, Tarek, observed that Carthage contained “activity”monuments, such as the hippodrome (for horse racing), anamphitheater for gladiatorial fights (with a capacity of 40,000), anda theater for comic and tragic shows (capacity 12,000). Apparentlythen, as now, theater was not as popular as the fights. Betterpreserved are the “hygiene” monuments: the baths, a huge publiclatrine, and a brothel.

The ruins of an open-air sacrificial area referred to as the Tophetor Sanctuaire Punique, lie near the old Punic port in Carthage.Phoenicians are believed to have practiced human sacrifice in anattempt to pacify the gods during times of instability and turmoil.The Carthaginians were no exception, and sacrificed children tothe sun god Baal Hammon and the moon goddess Tanit for manycenturies. At Tophet, we saw stelae—stone monuments—associated with children’s graves, which were decorated withincised geometric figures, amphorae, and depictions of Tanit,goddess of the fertility and fecundity. Excavation is far fromcomplete, and archaeologists believe there are as many as 20,000urns here containing the charred bones of sacrificial children. Thefive-level site is flanked by modern homes; I can hardly imaginewhat it must be like living amidst so much history.

Nearby is another amazing archaeological site, theAntonine Baths. Once the third largest complex of

baths in the entire Roman Empire, the crumblingruins are now surrounded by lush palm groves.The main pool here was as large as a modern-day Olympic pool, and there were also a

multiple caldaria, frigidaria, and tepidaria—temperature-controlled pools and rooms “toprevent any thermic shock,” as Tarek put it. AllCarthaginian citizens (except slaves) used thebaths, and it was not unusual to spend as much

as half a day here, relaxing and philosophizingwith friends.

Not much remains of the upper level, but we roamamong the extensive ruins of the lower level,including thick support walls, aqueducts, tallwhite marble columns, ornate Corinthiancapitals, and arched doorways. The keystonetechnique for building arches is said to haveoriginated here. Also, stone floors of the upper


level were apparently heated, although I didn’tquite understand the methodology. The wholecomplex was fed by a 122-kilometer-longaqueduct, which brought water down from anatural spring at a .29° incline. Because ofvarying topography, the aqueduct was sevenmeters high in some places, and buried beneaththe ground in others—quite a feat of engineering.

Tarek explained to us that most Tunisians areSunni Muslims, and, although there are noTunisian Christians, “French and ItalianChristians are living among us.” Less than onepercent of Tunisians are Jewish. The north coastof Africa receives more than 1200 mm of rainfalleach year, compared with less than 200 mm peryear in the southern part of the country, whichconsists of sand dunes, a few oases, and too manycamels to count. As for politics, “We havepresidential elections, but we know in advancethe outcome. It is very similar to your system.”

School is compulsory for children between the ages of six and fifteen. After that, they maychoose to attend high school (ages 15 to19), take a national exam, and attend university. All levelsof school are free for all students. The nationallanguage in Tunisia is Arabic. At age nine,students begin to study French (which was oncethe official second language), and at twelve theybegin studying English. German, Spanish, Italian,Japanese, Russian, and Chinese are all electives.“We learn other languages because we needthem.” Tunisia has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa.

There is a constant influx of people from Moroccoand the sub-Saharan countries looking for work.Tunisians tend to emmigrate to the rich GulfStates to find work. More than one millionLibyans—one third of the population—visitTunisia each year. Most come for healthcare, butsome come for tourism as well.On to Sidi BouSaid, a quaint, well-maintained village withwhitewashed buildings, blue doors and balconieswith “jealousy windows” (which allow a woman


to see outside without revealing herpresence) and scarlet bougainvillea. We climb the steep Rue Habib Thameur,pausing at tourist stalls to view a wildmélange of ceramics, jewelry, mirrors,delicate tea sets and hefty hookahs,leather sandals, luggage, plush stuffedcamel toys, filigree bird cages, inlaidboxes, framed snakes and spiders,puppets, caftans, horses and camelscarved from olivewood, drums, masks,bright scarves, and copper plates. Alongthe way, street vendors ply us with tastesof local sweets made from dates, andtight, elegant bouquets wafting the headyscent of jasmine. One man offers Betsy,“Five euro for one postcard. OK, oneeuro. OK, five cards for one euro. I willtrade you for your hat.”

At the top of the hill we settle in for sweetmint tea and a well deserved rest as amerchant shows our group his wovensilk carpets with traditional designs incream, red, yellow, green, and brown. “InTunisia we don’t use needle, and we don’tuse children,” he asserts, explaining thehigh quality of his offerings. “Kilims are


used under the tent, to keep heat of thesand from coming through.” Our host is apersistent communicator: “Your wife, sheis so cute, sir,” he says. “She spoils you athome, yes? Is she a good cook?”

When mint tea is inadvertently spilled onthe carpet, he is graciously unconcerned:“It’s no problem. The camels slobber on itall the time.” Well, that isn’t an exactquote, but it’s close.

A few minutes later, he is still selling:“This one is larger. It is for your daughter,sir. You pay only $5,500 instead of $6,000;you get a bigger discount than thisAmerican man sitting here. Would youlike the big one or the small one?” Andagain: “In Tunisia, the women decide, andthe men pay. You can have this for only


$3,000 if you send my son a pair of501 jeans, because Americans arevery kind. You decide, ma’am. He isthree years old. Remember, 501.”

The weather is unseasonably warm,but the restaurant we had lunch atis wonderfully cool, expansive, andelegant. After a beautiful plate ofcomposed salads, we thought wewere finished, but the service hadonly just begun. Out came a plate of golden couscous, topped with a large, tender, juicy lamb shank.Dessert was an ice cream-likeconfection made from figs, honey,and mascarpone.


The Palace of the Beys (kings), built in the13th century, was expanded and renovated inthe 19th, and now houses the Bardo Museum,with the finest collection of Roman mosaics inthe world. Hundreds of intricate designs adornthe walls and floors. Priceless art on the floors?Well, yes; they ran out of room on the walls.Since the mosaics are all made of naturalstone—no painted on colors or laminates wereused—and many were originally designed asfloors, it works out fine.

These pieces, some as much as thirty feet long,attest to the wealth and grandeur of Tunisia’sRoman era. We see Neptune, King of the Sea;Diana, the proud huntress; and Ulysses resistingthe call of the Sirens. There are wild beasts andfanciful sea creatures, bountiful harvests andbathing beauties. The mosaics were commissionedby prosperous Tunisians to cover their floors,like carpets. Dining rooms were the mostbeautiful—and the most decorated—rooms inRoman-style villas, opening onto gardens withfountains and plants.

54 SEA CLOUD

At Sea

0900 hrs: N 30° 33’ W 000° 33’

55SEA CLOUD

56 SEA CLOUD

Sea Cloud at Sea

The immense sea shows her whitecaps today.Our crew has hoisted the sails, and all around areblue and white, sea and sail and sky. The officerslook crisp in their uniforms, and—although the Mediterranean swells are relentless—thepassengers look very relaxed. Temperatures arein the 70s, and there’s a cool breeze. We arereading, sunning, and writing postcards; in thebackground are the gentle murmur of voices, the clink of china, and the restless sea.

Anjelika provides historical information aboutthe creative force behind Sea Cloud, MarjorieMerriweather Post. Married to financier EFHutton, and sole heir to her father CW Post’sfortune, Marjorie was not one to cut corners. She spent two years collecting the elegantfurnishings for Sea Cloud, laying them out inchalked-in areas of a Brooklyn warehousedesigned to represent each stateroom. The shipwas employed worldwide for entertainingcelebrities and dignitaries, as well as for showingoff Post products. After Post acquired BirdseyeFoods, Marjorie installed a large freezer, loadedtwo tons of product on board, and proudlyintroduced restaurateurs in many countries tothe wonders of frozen food. Because of her highprofile, and with the 1932 Lindberg kidnappingfresh in her mind, Marjorie happily andsuccessfully ran Post from onboard Sea Cloud,with daughter Dina close at her side.

This evening we enjoy a tour of the originalstaterooms, which are larger and more luxuriousthan the ones that were later added above deck.These spacious, elegant interiors includefireplaces (no longer working), wood paneling,marble bathrooms with gold fixtures, andoriginal oil paintings. Even the hallway isimpressive, with a spiral stairway, sitting area,display of china, and small bureaus.

57SEA CLOUD

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61PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN

Palma de Mallorca, Spain

1000 hrs, near Palma de Mallorca: N 39° 6’E 03° 17’

62 PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN

The Carthaginians controlled the BalearicIslands, of which Mallorca is the largest, asearly as 700 BC. Subsequently, the Greeks,Romans, Vandals, Moors, and Turkish piratesgained control. After the discovery of Americain 1492, the Atlantic coast of Spain grew inimportance as a trade route, and theimportance of the Balearics diminished. The Spanish attempted several times to gaincontrol of the islands, and finally succeeded in the 18th century.

Palma looks a bit like Miami Beach as we pull into the port, but there are immediatedistinctions: Massive and ancient Moorishwalls ring the harbor, a huge, multi-spiredgolden cathedral crowns the hill, and a nearby castle resembles a mini-Alhambra. I am absolutely charmed!

Over the years, Mallorca has been home to the rich and famous—and infamous. It isconsidered to be the probable home of the foul tempered, one-eyed giant, Cyclops.Frederic Chopin and George Sand stayed inValldemossa during the winter of 1838-39. And our guide said Michael Douglas maintainsa home in Palma. I’m keeping my eyes peeled.

The vibrant and cosmopolitan streets of Palmaare lined with palms and pine trees, floweringhibiscus and oleander, and punctuated withpublic art—including sculptures by Calder andMiró. Gothic architecture contrastswith more modern plaster-facedbuildings in pink and peach, amberand pale gold, sporting tiny balconiesand green shuttered windows.

Although Spanish and Castilian are the official languages, English iswidely spoken. “English is like abridge for other cultures,” our guideremarks. “We communicate with the


Jonica by Josep Maria Subirachs

Japanese in English. Yes, it is veryuseful. I have to remind you that here in Mallorca we are in a matriarchalcountry. The women have a lot ofpower. The president is a woman.”

La Lonja has hardly changed since it was built in 1426. The cool Gothicinterior is supported by palm-likecolumns that twist up to a vaultedceiling, opening like a fan of leaves.

La Almudaina, the “Royal Palace,” was constructed over the remains of the Muslim Alcazar, residence of the early kings. Most of the palace is neo-Gothic, but the façade was rebuilt in Renaissance style.


I didn’t quite understand the concept of“patrimony,” in Mallorca, but I think itreferred to something like “nationaltreasures.” On our “patrimonial tour,” our guide Manuel explained that thegovernment contributed funds for therenovation of private patios, with thestipulation that the patios must beprotected with open, ironwork gatesrather than solid doors, so the publiccould enjoy their beauty. “We live fromthe tourists, so we make it beautiful forthem. The patios open. You marry yourneighbor to be able to expand yourhouse. The ground floor room is forservants; the first floor, with more light,is for the landlord. Sometimes the smallstudio is for an 18-year-old boy, whoneeds it for intimacy.” Manuel alsoprovided a long explanation of theexistential meaning of the colors blue,red, yellow, and white.


Recycling centers were a common site.


“How beautiful it is to do nothing,and then rest afterwards.”

—Spanish proverb

67WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN

69VALENCIA

Valencia

Towards Valencia, 0930 hrs: N 39° 19’ E 000° 09’

The Romans founded Valencia more than 21 centuries ago, in 138BCE. It was situated a few miles in from the sea to protect againstinvasions. The city was conquered in 711 by the Arabs, who stayedfor more than 500 years and whose influence is still felt today.

In 1238, the King of Aragon captured the cityfor the Christians, and it grew to become hometo more than 300,000 people in the 15thcentury. (London and Paris, at that time, eachhad populations of fewer than 100,000.)Following three hundred years of prosperity,Valencia’s fortunes failed after America wasdiscovered, and Atlantic-facing Seville grew inimportance. The expulsion of Moors in theearly 17th century dealt the city another blow.In the 18th century, the silk industry revivedthe city, and it prospered despite the fact thatValencians managed to align themselves withthe losing side in a long string of wars.

Today, Valencia’s population is about 800,000.“It is a small city; you cannot get lost,” Violettaexplains. Like many American cities, Valenciaattracts many illegal aliens. Most come from Africa or EasternEurope—without passports, so it is difficult to deport them.

The streets were fairly quiet the afternoon we were there, and oursearch for a slice of pizza met with questionable success. Joseexplained that at 3:00 on a Sunday, most people were at home,eating with their families. “To eat you have to sit down … relax … andenjoy.” As for the slice of pizza, “We do not have too much takeaway.”

Aside from being home to the largest covered market in Europe, andrice, oranges and clementines (which are shipped worldwide), thischarming city did not have much to distinguish itself to the rest ofthe world until the City of Arts and Sciences was constructed (theplanetarium and science center opened in 2000). It now draws many visitors, and Valencia is prospering with the increasedtourism. Valencia was the first European city to host the 32ndAmerica’s Cup event in more than 150 years, and the governmentspent hundreds of millions of dollars to give the city, especially thewaterfront, a facelift.

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Valencia was plagued by flooding of the Turia River, which ran through it, until theriver was rerouted. The old riverbed, whichbisects the city, is now a 14-kilometer, people-friendly park, the Turia Gardens, providinggrassy picnic areas, formal gardens,playgrounds, and soccer fields.

The Silk Exchange (la Lonja de la Seda), an elegant 15th century secular Gothicstructure, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was erected as a commodities exchangecenter for silk, wool, spices, and gold, andhas an inscription running around the top of the walls of the main hall remindingviewers of the critical importance of honestyin all their dealings. The graceful “palm-tree”columns remind me of the ones in Palma deMallorca’s la Lonja. Money from theExchange was used by Queen Isabella tofinance Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the New World.

La Catedral de Valencia, the city’smagnificent 13th century cathedral, wasoriginally a Roman temple, then the city’smain mosque; it was rebuilt as a Christianchurch. The facade—now quite baroque—was redesigned in the 18th century. Theinterior is an odd combination of gildedrococo (the side chapels) and restored Gothic(the central area). The cathedral houses twooriginal Goyas—including the nightmare-inducing exorcism masterpiece—and severalfascinating shrines.

Behind the main altar sits a glass-enclosedshrine containing the actual severed leftforearm arm of the city’s patron saint, St.Vincent. Famous for his evangelism, St.Vincent ended his days tied between twowindmills—and stretched to death. Themummified relic rests on a silver brocadepillow, and still has rings on its (his?) fingers.

RON KURTZ

71VALENCIA

The Chapel of the Holy Grail contains … yes, that Holy Grail. The Grail is a simplebrown agate cup resting on an elaboratejeweled-encrusted golden stand. The Grailhas been dated, appropriately enough, tothe 1st century BCE, but the bejeweledstand is from the 15th century. There is a long and complicated history behind thelocation of the Grail, which was in the careof multiple monks and kings until it wasbrought to Valencia in 1437.

In the 9th century, the Arabs constructed a series of eight canals to distribute waterthroughout the community. Eleven hundredyears later (now), Europe’s oldest tribunaloccurs every Thursday at noon outside thecathedral’s Door of the Apostles. The eight-man Tribunal de las Aguas (Water Court)convenes to resolve any conflicts arisingabout the misuse of water, although theyare presented with an issue only five or sixtimes a year. They conduct oral trials,without any documents, and with noprovision for right of appeal.

Valencia is also famous for Las Fallas, the world’s second largest festival (afterBrazil’s Carnival), held each year on St.Joseph’s Day (March 19). The festivalfeatures hundreds of gigantic papier-mâchésculptures, many with a social message.The festival culminates when all thesculptures are burned at midnight, amidstnoisy and spectacular revelry. “We inValencia are a bit mad about gunpowder!”

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73VALENCIA

Valencia-born architect Santiago Calatrava designed themagnificent City of Arts and Sciences, exceptional even in this cityknown for grand architecture (including “the most beautiful post

office in all of Spain”). Calatrava, who lives inZurich with his wife and children, but maintains a studio in Valencia, studied art, architecture, andengineering. He is well known as the architect who designed the 2001 addition to the MilwaukeeArt Museum (his first United States work) and whowon the contract to design the New York WorldTrade Center site’s new transit hub.

Welcome to Venus! one member of our groupremarked as we arrived at the 87-acre City of Artsand Sciences complex, and indeed, its parabolicarches, sweeping curves, and organically inspiredforms do seem otherworldly. Reminds me of theJetsons.

The largest building, a hands-on science museum, is reminiscentof the skeleton of a dinosaur, or perhaps of a dragon (which wasthe symbol of Valencia until the 18th century, when it wasswitched to a bat). The planetarium looks like a giant eyeball, and can open and close like a real eyelid. The opera house isgraced with a “structurally impossible floating feather” above themain structure. There’s also a dramatic aquarium, the largest inEurope, which houses exhibits of every oceanic habitat. And theunderground parking garage, with a capacity for 800 cars and 40buses, is topped by a lushly planted promenade.

74 VALENCIA

75VALENCIA

76 GRANADA

77GRANADA

Motril to Granada, Spain

Motril 0830 hrs: N 36° 43’ W 003° 31’

This area has a milder climate than the rest of the Mediterraneanbecause of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and is a prosperousagricultural area. They are known especially for cherimoya (alsocalled custard apple) and avocado. The area was once covered withpine, oak, and holly, with terraced farming initiated by the Moors.But use of wood for fuel—for hundreds of years—and theabandonment of terracing have left the hills almostentirely deforested. There are still mulberry trees: the silkindustry flourished here in the Middle Ages. From ourguide: “Sugar beets and tobacco are now our mostimportant crops. Tourism has become more importantthan agriculture. The ski resorts have been big since1996. There has also been a lot of investment in realestate recently.”

The prehistoric settlement at Granada was known as Ilbyr. Romanslater colonized, and renamed the city Illibris. Arabs, arriving in the8th century, provided its current name (probably derived from theirword for pomegranate). Granada was the last Muslim city to fall tothe Christians, in 1492.

Mudéjars were Muslims who wereallowed to remain in Christiancountries. Part of the reason themosques were destroyed was toprevent these remaining Muslims from returning to their religion. TheChristians needed a workforce to buildcathedrals, and many of the Mudéjarswere skilled craftsmen who neededwork, therefore they were allowed toramain. There were also Mudéjars inMexico and Bolivia.

78 GRANADA

Our guide explained a little aboutMoriscos and their forced conversionfrom Muslim to Christianity, but I didn’tcatch it all, so picked this up fromWikipedia: “From the late 1400s to theearly 1600s Moors (Iberian Muslims)were given the choice to either convertfrom Islam to Catholicism or leaveIberia. The Moriscos were expelled bythe decree of 1610 from Spain to NorthAfrica after being persecuted by theSpanish Inquisition. Prior to theirforced conversions, the Moriscos wereknown as Mudéjars, and were allowedto practice Islam among Christians withcertain restrictions.”

79GRANADA

Granada’s oldest city walls date fromIberian times; the most recent are from theearly 1300s! The city’s narrow streetsreflect its history. Some are so tight that “iftwo donkeys meet, they cannot getthrough.” People started to get cars inSpain in the 50s, and many now drivesmall Smart Cars, in order to navigate thenarrow streets. There were also plenty of“streets that go nowhere”—dead ends.

We were surprised by the number of motorscooters speeding up steep streets andaround tight corners. Several times as wewere walking I heard the engine of anapproaching vehicle, but, because of thecircuitous configuration of the streets, Iwasn’t sure which direction I should belooking to avoid an unfortunately closeencounter. Nicolas said there are manyaccidents here because of the way youngpeople drive, but we all emergedunscathed.

The entrances to homes were often markedwith a sign saying “Cármen” this or“Cármen” that. Who was Carmen? Anddid she really live in all these houses?Nicolas explained that cármen refers to the

80 GRANADA

The Ruta del Veleta in Granada where Ienjoyed the meal so much I asked our waiterfor a couple of recipes. Here they are:

Tomato AppetizerParboil a whole tomato. Cool, remove skin,cut off the top. Remove seeds and fill withcooked tuna. Carefully place the tuna-filledtomato upside-down in a pool of salmorejo.Garnish with a skewer of hard-boiled quail’segg, cheese cubes, etc.

SalmorejoMake this just like gazpacho, but don’t useany vegetables except tomato: combinetomato, a bit of garlic, vinegar, oil, a littlewater, and bread.

Note: you can easily find more specificrecipes for salmorejo on the Web, where Ilearned: 1. The bread should be dry,crustless, and cubed. 2. Let the bread soakfor at least twenty minutes with the otheringredients, then blend (in a blender) untilsmooth. 3. Chill overnight. 4. Adjustthickness, if needed, by adding ice water.

Dessert First, make egg custard in a tray (I think hemeant in a shallow pan). Let it settle (cool).Cut into squares, dredge in flour, andquickly fry each square in hot oil. Put onserving plate and pour on a sauce made ofGrand Marnier or Courvoisier (I think it wasreduced about half). Garnish with thin stripsof orange peel.

81GRANADA

Arab word for grapes or vineyards; grape vines were often used to provideshade. On the hill across from theAlhambra is the Albaicin area, afascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed houses with secludedcármenes (inner gardens).

Spanish poet, painter, and composerFederico Garcia Lorca lived in thecountryside outside the Alhambra; hisresidence has since been engulfed by thecity. He was murdered at the age of 38 byFranco’s forces at the beginning of theSpanish Civil War. From Wikipedia:Garcia Lorca “distilled his theories onartistic creation and performance in afamous lecture entitled ‘Play and Theoryof the Duende’ … in which he argued thatgreat art depends upon a vivid awarenessof death, connection with a nation’s soil,and an acknowledgment of the limitationsof reason.”

Several of our group walked from theAlhambra Palace Hotel over to theAlhambra grounds this evening. Thegrounds were artistically lighted, andstrolling from light to darker areas was a dramatic way to experience the majesticarchitecture. This evening excursion was a trip highlight for me.

We also enjoyed an exhibit of ancientAlhambra vases, of which only a dozenremain. These giant ceramic jars—somemore than four feet tall—had domestic,funerary, and architectural functions.Decorated with geometric and animaldesigns, Islamic text, rich glazes, andmetallic gilding, they were once gifts ofthe Nasrid sultans. Some later becameChristian relics, associated with the storyof the Wedding at Canaan, in which Jesusturned water into wine.

82 GRANADA

From the Alhambra, we saw theentrances to caves on Sacromonte Hill inthe distance. For centuries, as many as15% of Andalusians have lived in cavesdug into the earth, which is soft enoughto be easily excavated, but strong enoughto support multi-roomed dwellings. Thisisn’t as strange as it sounds. In fact, ourguide Nicolas admitted (somewhathesitantly) to being a cave dweller. He says the advantages far outweigh thedisadvantages. In fact, there are very fewdisadvantages, aside from low socialstatus. Caves are ecologically-soundhousing, and now incorporate electricity,plumbing, Internet connections, andother modern conveniences. And, sincethey maintain a fairly constanttemperature of around 20° (68°F),they’re a great way to stay cool insouthern Spain, where summertimetemperatures sometimes reach 40°(104°F). In addition to houses, there arecave restaurants, cave hotels, and even a cave disco.

84 THE ALHAMBRA

The Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

The Alhambra, a compound of palaces and gardens standing on a hill in Granada, is the finest example of a medieval Arab palace in the world, and receives more than two million visitors each year. It is surrounded by two kilometers of walls, dating from the 13th century, and the richlywooded Generalife Gardens. Mariana’s observation, that the Alhambra must be experienced, apart fromphotographs and notes, is well taken; nevertheless, here are a few observations:

The name Alhambra derives from an Arabic root thatmeans “crimson castle,” perhaps due to the golden color of the towers and walls. A more poetic etymology is suggested by Moslem scholars, who describe theconstruction of the Alhambra “by the light of torches,” the reflections of which gave the walls a reddish color. Originally built for military purposes, the Alhambra was analcazaba (fortress), an alcázar (palace), and a small medina(fortified city) all in one.

We strolled among elm and horse chestnut trees, sycamore andcypress, in the pleasant Generalife Gardens. Mexican Cypressthat were planted in the 1500s grow here—they’re the oldest NewWorld trees in Europe. “The grounds used to be even shadier.People came here for a Sunday walk and picnic, and to drink the

good water of the Alhambra.”Water is brought from themountains via an efficientsystem of aqueducts built inthe 1200s, and still functioningtoday. The pathways are some30 feet wide, edged bypicturesque three- to four-foot-high walls of stacked stone.

There’s still a productivekitchen garden, which wasmaintained for many years bycaretakers who sold theproduce to augment theirincomes. Since 1931, thegardens have been tended byemployees, who have not donesuch a good job of maintainingthe gardens’ original character.

Azulejos are multi-colored ceramic tiles.Nicolas explained that the intricate, fractal-like geometric designs ofpatterns within patternsrepresent a search for perfection.

85THE ALHAMBRA

86 THE ALHAMBRA

The Alhambra’s gardens remind me of ones inour Mediterranean climate at home in California:orange trees, magnolia, crepe myrtle andbamboo, acanthus, agapanthus, viburnum, pinkand yellow roses, draping wisteria, scarletbougainvillea, indigo morning glory. It’s earlyNovember, but leaves are just beginning to turn:ginkgo to gold and pomegranate to rosy orange.Jasmine grows everywhere, and I catch whiffs ofits sweet scent as we wander. Nicolas explainsthat the scent is an integral part of the gardens,and that jasmine pollen has been found in soilsamples dating back to the 1300s. Paths weavebetween formal hedges, beneath oleandertunnels, or between hundred-foot-high cypress;stone-patterned walkways echo the geometricdesigns on ceramic tiles inside the Alhambra.

An aura of grace and abundance extend even tothe Alhambra’s restrooms. They are spotless,with gleaming marble walls and floors, whatmust be the most abundant, rushing flush in allof Europe, blast-furnace-like blow dryers for ourhands, and a light orange scent throughout.

Lush gardens, intricate pattern, birdsong,fragrance, breeze, running water from ever-present aqueducts and fountains, gentle ripples

87THE ALHAMBRA

on reflecting pools … all combine to create anexpansive, placid atmosphere. Even the exitsigns are elegantly carved into white marble.No wonder Granada has been a magnet forartists for many years, especially for the 19thcentury Romantics.

Hans Christian Anderson and Queen IsabellaII visited in 1862. Federico Garcia Lorca spentmuch of his life here, and Washington Irvingwrote Tales of the Alhambra from a roominside. How was he able to score theaccommodations? Almost unbelievably, theAlhambra was abandoned and fell intodisrepair in the 1800s, occupied by thievesand beggars, “defiled by bats,” used asbarracks and later partially destroyed byNapoleon’s troops. In 1870 it was declared anational monument, and restoration began.

Because the much of the decoration is richlyornate inscribed Islamic poetry, Nicolasreferred to the Alhambra as “speaking

88 THE ALHAMBRA

architecture.” The poetry, written in firstperson, refers directly to what we are seeingand experiencing, as well as incorporatingeloquent metaphoric language. For example,the sultan is referred to as a source of light orenlightenment, blessed by god, representedby the sun or the full moon. The lettersthemselves, which were once gilded goldagainst a dark blue background, seemed to be lighted. The brilliantly polished whitemarble floors (I wanted to skate across themin my socks in the worst way!) reflect lightupward to illuminate the ornate underside of arches.

The palaces also had a secular function, ashome for the king, father of a family and of a nation, who follows the rule of god ingoverning both. The king’s government waslegitimized only by the fact that he followedthe will of god; he was not free to ruleaccording to his own whims.

Nicolas suggested the 1995 Tunisian film Halfaouine:Boy of the Terraces, directed by Ferid Boughedir, for agood depiction of the way baths were used socially.

89THE ALHAMBRA

90 THE ALHAMBRA

91THE ALHAMBRA

92 THE ALHAMBRA

93THE ALHAMBRA


Happy Traveling to You!

We learned much of the information in this journal from local tour guides, the ship’s crew, signage atmuseums, and various books and brochures we came across. We have not confirmed accuracy.

All photographs are by Jim Shubin and Laurie McAndish King,except where other credits are indicated.

[email protected]

Laurie McAndish King—Award-winning travel writer and photographer—has beenpublished in Smithsonian magazine, National Geographic affiliate iExplore.com, the San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, Travelers’ Tales’ The Best Women’s Travel Writing, and many other venues. www.LaurieMcAndishKing.com

James Shubin—Publisher, Award winning Book Designer, & Photographer—has beendesigning and producing custom travel books since 2005. He has also taught college-level design and photography, and is the owner and principal of a San Franciscoadvertising/design studio and book publishing company.www.ShubinDesign.com/books

Destination Insights—This book is available at www.DestinationInsights.com

© 2013 Laurie McAndish King and Jim ShubinAll rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by anymeans, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage andretrieval systems, without prior written permission from the authors or the publisher, Destination Insights.

Laurie McAndish King and Jim Shubin, t he authors and photographers.

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