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 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.

Day 11 Boxing Day at Sea

This is now our fourth day in a row at sea and I think everyone is a bit over it.  The sea is still very rough with 5-6 metre swells and it is squally so we can't even go outside and walk around the deck.  We have to content ourselves with watching movies. Mealtimes are a welcome distraction!

Both Lunch and dinner today were in Atlantide - one of three main dining restaurants.  The meals are nicely portion controlled so we don't feel so bad if we indulge ourselves with three courses.  These were my lunch choices

Puttanesca

Apple Strudel

And dinner choices were,

Whipped Goats Cheese

Pan Fried Mediterranean Sea Bream

Prior to dinner we met our friends in Dolce Vita lounge for drinks to celebrate our friend Vic's 73rd birthday.  It was a surprise for him but I'm sure that he loved having the eight of us there to help him celebrate.

We seem to randomly get little gifts waiting for us when we get back to our suite after dinner and tonight it was Gingerbread Men.  We skipped dessert for dinner so this was a really delicious after dinner treat.

Day 10 Christmas Day at Sea

Short Version

Our Christmas Day — the 50th we’ve shared — was probably the most relaxing ever. We skipped gifts and treated ourselves to a two-hour Zagara Spa experience. Philip’s first spa visit was a success, starting with a salt scrub, body wrap and a blissful 70-minute massage, followed by time in the steam room.

Back in our suite, we ordered room-service brunch of champagne, caviar and club sandwiches — perfect. We then settled in to watch our favourite Christmas movie, Love Actually, before a quick nap and getting ready for a formal-night dinner at Silver Note. Highlights included lobster and beef medallion, “Tuna in a Can” to start, and the Black Swan dessert.

We finished the day with a Christmas show in the Venetian Lounge, complete with carols and audience participation. Truly one of our best Christmases — relaxed, indulgent and wonderfully pampered.

Our Christmas Day - the 50th we have spent together - was probably the most relaxing we have ever had. We had decided early in the piece to not buy any gifts for each other as we pretty much have what we ned so instead we booked ourselves into Zagara Spa for a two hour treatment.  This was Philips first ever trip to a spa, and I know he only went along with it to please me, but between you and me I think he enjoyed it.  The first thing we enjoyed was a salt exfoliating scrub and then a full body wrap in essential oils.  This was followed by a 70 minute massage.  My love of massage runs strong so this was bliss for me.  Afterwards, while still oily, we sat in the steam room to really get that oil working on our parched skin.

When we were back in our suite we decided to order in room service brunch consisting of Champagne and Caviar followed by simple club sandwiches.  It was actually pretty perfect.

Next on our agenda was to sit down in front of the TV and watch our all time Christmas movie, Love Actually.  I never tire of it and look forward to it each and every year.

We had time for a quick nap before showering and readying ourselves for a special dinner at Silver Note restaurant.  This is one of three specialty restaurants aboard the ship and by the end of the cruise we will have tried them all.

It was also formal night and I love seeing all the ladies (and men) looking so glamorous. Our waiter suggested the main should be Lobster and Beef Medallion and I chose the "Tuna in a Can" for starter.  Dessert was "Black Swan" that was the perfect end to our meal.

The Silversea production company were having a  Christmas themed show in Venetian Lounge at 9.30 so we managed to stay awake long enough to head there after dinner.  Lots of Christmas Carols were sung and the audience was encouraged to participate.

All in all I think this was one of the best christmases I have enjoyed.  Neither of us had to lift a finger and just sat back and allowed ourselves to be pampered.  And as if our day could not become any better, when we arrived back to our suite we found a miniature pannetone waiting for us.