The Aegean Sea Cruise: More from Cairo, Egypt

We’re at sea today, sailing north back to Rome. Last night it was a perfect night, I left the balcony doors open to enjoy the sound of the ocean lulling me to sleep. Today it is warm and sunny, a perfect day to relax on deck by the pool and relax. I still have many photos to share from our two days in wonderful Egypt, so here goes. First, a few photos from the dinner cruise we took along the River Nile:

above: a blurry photo of "Scarabee", the dinner cruise boat

above: I've had a lot of fine wines in my time, but never heard of this one: "Omar Khaggam Vin Rouge Gianclis"

above: there was an Egyptian wedding on the boat that night

and a exciting belly dancer...


above: who I danced with!

These days in Egypt have been enlightening, educational and enjoyable. Once again I feel enriched from learning more about the modern and ancient Egyptian cultures. Not all of it is perfect, but that again, what nation is? And how is perfection defined anyway? Depending on your point of view, the world looks very different when you travel. Aside from all the wonderful sights and experiences, if you have an open mind, it also provides unique perspectives on the similarities and differences we have from each other. More from the Pyramids:







above: look over my shoulder at the stone serpents carved at the top


above: a wild dog at the step pyramids


these columns are over 5,000 years old!

These days in Egypt have been enlightening, educational and enjoyable. Once again I feel enriched from learning more about the modern and ancient Egyptian cultures. Not all of it is perfect, but that again, what nation is? And how is perfection defined anyway? Depending on your point of view, the world looks very different when you travel. Aside from all the wonderful sights and experiences, if you have an open mind, it also provides unique perspectives on the similarities and differences we have from each other. Thanks for stopping by today, I appreciate it.
-Rick Rockhill

The Aegean Sea Cruise: Cairo, Egypt

We reached perhaps the pinnacle of this entire cruise, Egypt. It was the first time I’ve set foot on the African continent, so it was exciting for me in many ways. Our ship arrived in Port Said, Egypt after a full day at sea. We drive from port Said to Cairo as part of a secure caravan with police protection, and soldiers armed with guns. The nearly three hour drive was mostly open desert sand, with occasional developments here and there along the way. We elected to take a private tour, and not with a large group, so once we reached Cairo proper, we broke from the caravan and made our way through the busy streets. With over 20 million residents, Cairo is a huge, densely populated city. It is filled with contrasts of new and old Cairo. And by old I mean ancient, really ancient…like 5,000 years old ancient. The streets are chaotic and outright crazy. Cars whizzing around with no regard for lanes-or even the direction of traffic. Donkeys and horses, sometimes even sheep are walking in between cars. Horns honk to warn other drivers, and no one uses their turn signals, they just weave back and forth lanes which are painted merely as a suggestion. People cross streets casually virtually everywhere. It is not for the nervous driver. But it is exciting and has an energy level that rivals many cities. We started our day at the Sakkura step pyramids, which date back 5,000 years. This early pyramid design was the precursor to the Great Pyramids located in Giza, which we visited next. Pyramids of course are the final resting place for the Pharaohs, or kings of Egypt. Some pyramids took 20-40 years to build. The Great Pyramid was built with over 3 million stones, all moved by hand. They are a monument to their life and provide passage to the next life by building a place for their mummified body and things they will need in the after life. The ancient Egyptians perfected the mummification process and were geniuses in their time. In the interest of time, I’m going to post a few photos from the fist day in Egypt. I have hundreds of photos to organize and name. I’ll plan to post the Egypt photos over several days, so please be patient. For now, here are a few photos from the mysterious and magnificent Pyramids of Egypt:

above: this is a great shot because you can see the three Pyramids in a row. The one on the far left is actually the largest and most well known "Great Pyramid" (its an optical illusion from the position I was taking the photo). Egypt has 97 pyramids in total still standing. It is very likely there are more pyramids still below the sand, undiscovered as yet...

above: we attended the "Light and Sound Show" at the Pyramids. It was really cool and well worth it. My camera did not take great photos, but you get the idea.

above: Camel riders are everywhere at the Pyramids, seeking to lure money from tourists for photos or a ride.
We leave Alexandria, Egypt late tonight and then we’ll be at sea for the next two full days. I love being at sea, it will be a great way to relax and absorb the many things I saw and experienced while in Egypt. That's all for today's quick post. More tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by today, I truly appreciate it. “Assalamu alaikum” which is Arabic for “peace be upon you.
-Rick Rockhill

The Aegean Sea Cruise: Chef’s Table Dining Experience

Part of the cruising experience of course is enjoying life on the ship. Being “foodies” one aspect of ship life is the variety of food and dining options on board. For example, we tend to prefer the dining rooms for our meals instead of the buffets, In addition to the dining room options, most ships typically offer a few specialized restaurants as well. The Grand Princess ship offers Sabbatini’s (Italian), and The Painted Desert (Steakhouse). You can also have private dining on your balcony, order a full champagne breakfast in your cabin, and of course 24 hour room service. All this in addition to the pizza joint, burger bar and the buffet if you really want it.

One of the best kept secrets however is something called “Chef’s Table”. It is very limited- in fact out of the entire ship of nearly 3,000 passengers, they only offer three seatings of 12 people each, for a maximum of 36 people who will experience it per cruise. It is a private dining experience with a menu personally created and prepared by the Executive Chef himself. The Executive Chef is the head food honcho and is of gourmet chef quality. I thought I’d share photos of our magnificent and memorable dining experience:
The evening started off with a tour of the kitchens and galley. We learned about how the kitchens operate and feed 3,000 passengers and nearly 2,000 crew everyday. For example- the use 10,000 eggs EVERY DAY. Anyway, after the kitchen tour, we enjoyed champagne with a round of hors doers that were a meal in and of itself:

above: it was fun to see how the regular kitchens prepare and serve dinner for so many people each night. these are Cesar salads ready to go to the dining room.

above: the kitchens were immaculate, all stainless steel and clean as a whistle.

above: while on the pre-tour, we saw kitchen staff busy preparing food

above: this ice sculpture was waiting for us as we entered the kitchen
above: in the kitchen, the tour started with champagne. They had these wonderful fruit and vegetable carvings to greet us.

above: The Executive Chef begins the tour for us

above: here was one of the waiters serving the next appetizer...

above: Ahi Tuna Tartar with wasabi, pickled ginger served in Belgian endive

above: Bistro mini cheese tarts with truffle mushrooms and truffle oil, and cherry tomato

above: Tartlets of Bliss red potatoes with sour cream and sevruga caviar

above: Blue Crab margarita with avocado and mango. Since I am allergic to shellfish, they made a special one for me.

above: I forgot to put these below. They were served in between courses
above: it was a Lemon Sorbet, made from fresh lemons picked up on the Amalfi coast in Italy, served with Mango slaw and a chocolate garnish.
We then moved to the dining room, where a table was set beautifully. In the interests of my Internet time, I’ll just share the balance of the photos for you to enjoy:

above: the table was beautifully set

above: a close up of the table setting


above: the waiters were very attentive

above: the wines were carefully decanted and served by the wine steward

above: Risotto of mushrooms and asparagus tips with fresh cheese

above: Roasted Veal shank, carved tableside with cepes & jus and chateu potatoes
above: Veal tenderloin, roasted and then sauteed with a wonderful sauce tableside

above: Both were served with fresh vegetables. It was exquisite.
Onto the Grand Finale Course:

above: Passion fruit dome cake, whiskey soaked raspberry soft center and a mango glace

above: Potted stilton cheese, drizzled with port wine, and served with walnut bread
above: Home made biscotti and amaretti cookies. This was truly a memorable dining experience. After dinner we were presented with signed copies of the chef's cookbook and photos of our experience. I would highly recommend this to anyone!
Today and tomorrow we’re in Egypt! My next post should be from Cairo, so stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by.
-Rick Rockhill