Day 15 At sea to Sydney

(Condensed)

We woke to sunshine and calm, velvety seas and spent the morning relaxing on a secluded spot on Deck 11 aft, complete with a jacuzzi that Philip happily enjoyed. Around midday we changed and shared pizza and drinks at Spaccanopoli before the captain announced our approach into Sydney Harbour. Watching the ship glide in under the Harbour Bridge on such a sparkling day reminded us why we think Sydney Harbour is the most beautiful in the world.

That evening we met our friends Cheryl and David for dinner at The Fenwick in Balmain, a stunning waterfront Italian restaurant. Dinner was superb – grilled prawns to start, followed by Moreton Bay bugs with fresh pasta and a divine tomato herb sauce, and an affogato to finish. As we dined, we watched a Viking ship pass by the harbour. The only downside was the strict two-hour dining limit, but with a queue waiting outside, it was easy to understand why.

(Full Version)

The morning greeted us with sunshine and seas like velvet.  We skipped breakfast and went up to Deck 11 Aft where there is a very secluded spot for lying in the sun.  As a bonus there is also a jacuzzi!  Philips back has been a bit out of kelter so he took full advantage of the warm water.

Around midday we headed back to our suite to change out of our bathers and headed upstairs to Spaccanopoli to share another delicious pizza washed down with a glass of Rosé for Philip and bubbles for me. 

Our captain came across the speaker to announce that we would be rounding the "heads" and heading into the Sydney Harbour within the next twenty minutes.  He asked that everyone go to one of the top decks as he had organised a photographer to be on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to photograph the ship as she sailed under. We have been to many ports around the world but we hands down think that Sydney Harbour is the most beautiful of them all and on this sunny day with the water glinting like crystal we were very proud Australians to claim this is our own.

Tonight we had organised a dinner date with our Sydney/Palm Cove friends, Cheryl and David, at the very popular restaurant, The Fenwick.  This lovely sandstone building is in the suburb of Balmain that is a very trendy area to live in.  Its' proximity to the water makes it a very desirable location and The Fenwick is right on the waterfront.  Our friends also live on the waterfront and caught the ferry to The Fenwick.  How wonderful is that!

Dinner was a real treat.  It is an Italian Restaurant and as we all know the best feed you can have is Italian if it is done right and this certainly was.  I started with the grilled prawns that were swimming in a delicious garlic butter/parsley dressing that was very decadent.  For mains three of us chose the Moreton Bay Bags with a homemade pasta and herb tomato sauce.  I just wanted to lick the plate clean.  The sauce was divine.  Our friends decided not to order desert but Philip and I shared the Affogato.  You can't go wrong with this dish and particularly with Frangelico liquor.

As we gazed out onto the view of Sydney Harbour from our table we watched a Viking Ship sail past us.  If I had any complaints at all it would be that because The Fenwick is a very popular restaurant, the staff firmly stand by the two hour dinner slots.  Right when our time was up the waiter started hovering to clear our plates.  But when we made our way outside there was a line-up of people waiting for a table so I guess for the owners it is all about the money.

We were back in our suite and in bed by 10pm after a night cap in S.A.L.T.  Bar and I think I was asleep by 10.01pm.

Day 14 at Sea

 It was a calm, sunny day at sea with a relaxed vibe. After breakfast in Atlantide, we attended a cooking demo featuring Australian native ingredients, including kangaroo fillet with a macadamia-mango salad. Afterwards we watched a showcase of luxurious Hermès Birkin bags, including one priced at about US $22,500. 

Lunch in the Dolce Vita lounge had an Aussie theme with meat pies, fish and chips, prawn salad, and Aussie desserts like pavlova and lamingtons.

Later, we spotted another Silversea ship, Silver Nova, and enjoyed the ships sounding horns and passengers waving.

Dinner was at the Japanese restaurant Kaseiki — starting with sashimi and corn fritters, followed by lobster and steak mains, and passionfruit and chocolate desserts. The meal was well-balanced and enjoyable. 

We finished the day with a specialty rum and lychee cocktail at the S.A.L.T. Bar and looked forward to sailing toward Sydney the next day. 

The sun is shining the waters are calm, the temperature is mild and we had a lovely relaxing day at sea. We started with breakfast in Atlantide - bagels and salmon for me, followed by a cooking demonstration  by one of the many chefs on board.  The theme was Australian Native ingredients and chef cooked for us a kangaroo fillet with a macadamia and mango salad.  There was a delicious sauce on the kangaroo that he didn't go into too much detail about, but it was a cherry sauce.

After the demonstration we were just in time for a showing of the Hermeś Berkin Bags.  I LOVE these bags so much but they are so exclusive that you have to have an invitation to purchase one.  Starting price is around $100,000 for one of these bags.  The showing consisted of pre-loved bags that for all intent and purposes looked brand new.  If you purchase one of these bags you are guaranteed a 10% appreciation - each year, and when you tire of the bag you sell it back to the seller.  I just love the colour of the bag in this photo, and now I can boast that I have  at least touched one of these gorgeous bags.  Purchase price for this particular bag is US$22,500. 

It was now time for lunch, and in Dolce Vita lounge the chefs had prepared dishes with an Aussie theme.  This consisted of Meat Pies, Fish and Chips, Prawn & Mango Salad and a couple more forgettable dishes, and for dessert Pavlova, Lamingtons, cheesecake and various others. I know these are iconic Aussie dishes but I think we have come a lot further in our cuisine than the rest of the world gives us credit for.

Back in our suite we heard our ship blasting its horn and we wandered out to the balcony to see what all the commotion was about and we found that we passed right by another of the Silversea Ships - The Silver Nova.  The horn communication went on for some time and I think it was the captains SOS messaging to each other.  Everyone on both ships were waving and cheering at each other so it was quite the treat.

Now it was time for a rest in preparation for our dinner tonight in Kaseiki - the Japanese restaurant.  We had heard both good and bad reviews of this restaurant, but as we both really enjoy Japanese cuisine this was a winner restaurant for us.  I started with a Sashimi Platter and Philip had the corn fritters and we both chose the lobster and steak dish for main.  I chose the passionfruit dessert and Philip the chocolate, that we shared. It was a beautifully balanced meal, and like all Japanese cuisine, you don't leave the table feeling like a bloated whale!  

After dinner we walked the short distance to S.A.L.T Bar for an after dinner digestive.  This was a special cocktail that the bartender had designed.  It was based on rum (oh how I love rum) with a lychee syrup to add sweetness.  I think there was also a touch of scotch in the cocktail but all in all it was perfect.

It was another lovely day on board Silver Moon and tomorrow we look forward to calm seas en-route to Sydney.

            

Day 13 Hobart, Tasmania

Condensed Version of today's blog post.

It was a cool but sunny day in Hobart for our easy walking tour of the harbour precinct. We met our guide, Andy, at the cruise terminal and enjoyed his relaxed, informative style without unnecessary detail.

We started at Constitution Dock, the finish line of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, where preparations were underway and the “Taste of Summer” festival added to the buzz. From there we crossed to heritage-listed St David’s Park, once a burial ground, now a peaceful space lined with English oaks.

Our walk continued to Salamanca, a lovely area known for its famous Saturday markets. We enjoyed the quieter Salamanca Square, with its cafés and unique shops, before finishing at historic Kelly’s Steps, built in 1839 and linking Salamanca Place with Battery Point.

The walk was only about two kilometres and very manageable — even for my knee. We were back on board in time for pizza at Spacanopoli on Deck 11, watching people enjoy the sunshine by the pool.

Although we missed seeing the first yacht cross the line before departure, we were treated to an incredible sight as Master Lock Comanche sailed past our starboard side, followed by Law Connect and SHK Scallywag. A spectacular finish to our Hobart visit.

Full Version

It is still quite cool in Hobart but the sun is shining brightly for our walking tour around Hobarts harbour precinct.  We meet our tour guide, Andy, inside the cruise ship terminal and begin the slow easy walk.  Andy is an interesting tour guide that doesn't get bogged down in a whole lot of useless information as we have had on many other walking tours.

We begin our walk where the Sydney to Hobart yacht race ends at Constitution Dock where there are some interesting sculptures around the waters edge.  Constitution Dock is abuzz with activity as they prepare for the leader of the race to arrive later that afternoon.  There "Taste of Summer" festival is being held in conjunction with the yacht race and there are lots of eateries set up around Constitution Dock.  There is also a big screen where people can watch the leader cross the line, that incidentally is right where our ship is docked.

Andy now leads us across the road to St Davids Park.  The pathway is lined with some beautiful English Oak trees and we are told that this park is heritage listed.  It was formerly a burial ground. Remains have been moved to another site and the burial plaques are now installed in a memorial wall for all to read.

Next we head to Salamanca.  This is a beautiful area that comes alive each Saturday for the historical Salamanca Markets.  Andy takes us into Salamanca Square that is a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle.  Many coffee shops line the square as well as shops selling quite unusual products.

We end our walk at Kelly's Steps, named after early Australian explorer and whaler, James Kelly. The steps, built in 1839, are of historical significance that take you from Salamanca Place to the suburb of Battery Point.

The walk is only around two kilometres but it is a nice easy walk that my knee appreciated.  We are back on board the ship in time for a pizza at Spacanopoli Restaurant that is on Deck 11 where we look down at everyone enjoying the sun around the pool.

All day we have been waiting for the first yacht to cross the line for the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.  First we heard midday, then 4pm. Our ship is in the absolute box seat for watching the finish but, alas, our ship has to set sail at 5.00p.m.  We were only about 15minutes into our departure from Hobart when the captain announced the leading yacht, Master Lock Commanche was coming up on our starboard side.  What a site!  These maxi yachts are really something to behold, particularly when they are under full sail. The  yacht had a flotilla with hundreds of small boats surrounding it.  We also passed Law Connect that came in second followed by SHK Scallywag.  

Master Lock Commanche

Law Connect

SKH Scallywag

You might just be able to pick out the two yellow buoys that is the finish line

What a great way to end our stop in Hobart.

Day 12 Hobart, Tasmania

It was a very welcome sight to see Hobart this morning and finally to be able to set foot once again on Terra Firma.  Hobart doesn't let us down though, with windy and cold weather that is quite normal for this time of the year.  

The tour we decided on for Hobart today is "MONA in Style".  MONA is the Museum of Old and New Art that we didn't get around to visiting when we were touring Tassie a couple of years ago. To do this tour "in style" meant boarding the MONA big cat, painted in camouflage colours, and taking our seats in the "Posh Pit".  This is a private area where we are served Mimosas with a selection of savoury bites.  The boat ride takes around 20 minutes along the Derwent River to reach our destination.

MONA, built into the sandstone cliffs, is impressive to say the least and I believe it cost many hundreds of millions to turn the old museum into this wonderful modern state of art.  As we depart the catamaran we are faced with 99 steps to the entrance OR an easier path through the "tunnel".  We have not walked much at all these past couple of days so we chose the steps.  

We are then ushered through the doors at MONA and it is suggested to us that we start at the bottom on B3 and work our way back to B2, B1 and finally back to the ground floor.  It is a real maze down here and I am grateful that there is a free app, "The O" to download to help is find our way around.

It's hard to describe the art at MONA. It is bold, provocative and often confronting.  There are no prescribed paths or lengthy wall labels, instead you are encouraged to explore at your own pace and interpret the art in your own way.  It has had its controversy with the closing of the "Ladies Lounge" earlier this year, that was said to be discriminatory against a man. MONA is more than just a museum, MONA is an experience and is certainly one of Tasmania's most unforgettable cultural highlights. Here is a selection of just a small selection of the art.

You are encouraged to sit/lay on the wavy cushions and enjoy the ceiling display

These words are written in water tumbling from the ceiling.

In the outside area there are many more artistic pieces of work. This one is titled "bum hole"

And the next photo is how Philip and I would like to see ourselves…...

And this photograph has nothing at all to do with MONA.  It's just an interesting hairdo…….

We were allocated just under three hours to explore and that is enough for us but we would not have seen a third of what is inside.  You need days not hours.  We once again board the MONA boat for our quick trip back to the city harbour.  This time, in the Posh Pit, we are offered sweet treats and more champagne before we disembark and join the bus back to the ship.

It has been an interesting day.