This morning, we woke up in Albania! We explored new scenery, foods, and culture as we immersed ourselves in the cobblestone streets of Krujë. Intricately patterned, handmade items like rugs, slippers, and pashminas lined the storefronts on the street. We walked up and into the Skanderbeg Castle and the museum, where we learned about Albania’s hero, George Kastrioti a.k.a. Skanderbeg. After a fascinating journey through the history of Krujë, we scurried to lunch during the beginning of what would be a very wet rest of our afternoon. Determined to learn and explore, we quickly adapted with umbrellas and “leapfrogged” under awnings. Lunch at the Bardhi Restaurant was delightful. We enjoyed traditional foods paired with traditional Albanian music and dancing. The bus ride home to Sea Cloud was quiet with bellies full, but a few troopers amongst us took to exploring some of Durrës to close out a successful first day in Albania.
9/15/2024
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Sea Cloud
At Sea
As we wiped the sleep from our eyes and looked to the sky above, dreamy clouds splayed out, luffing in 18-plus knots of wind. These clouds, the sails of the magnificent Sea Cloud , were set not for viewing pleasure but for making way, tacking onward through the Aegean Sea off the coast of the Peloponnese Peninsula. With Captain Starostin on the bridge guiding his seaworthy crew through the sail plan, Chief Officer Alex took charge on the spanker deck walking the guests through a play-by-play of the mechanics of sailing the Sea Cloud. While winds gusted heavily, some rain clouds appeared, but this did not deter guests from the exhilarating demonstration happening above them. Between the weather and the waves, it was the perfect storm for Sea Cloud and her crew to show off what this ship was truly built for—sailing. Guests enjoyed being out on the decks in the action with the crew as they handled various lines working the sails above. We continued onward as Sea Cloud made way for our next destination in Katakolon, Greece.