Lifestyle

Visiting Santorini by cruise ship – Fira and Oia

April 11, 2019

Visiting Santorini by cruise ship

Visiting Santorini by cruise ship was one of the highlights of our trip around Greece on P&O Oceana in September 2018. This was our second port day and you can read about our sea days here and stop at Pireaus in Greece here.

It’s fair to say it was the destination I was most looking forward to visiting. I am a traveller who tends to research and plan for hours before travelling but this was the one time that I could have enjoyed a better stop if I’d paid more attention.

I hope by reading this I can help you enjoy a day when visiting Santorini by cruise ship.

Santorini

Holidays in Santorini is the dream of a lifetime for many people. As this is the top tourist destination in Greece, the island is famous for the impressive caldera, the volcano and the romantic sunset. In fact, it is frequently included among the best destinations in the world. Over the last years, tourist season has extended in Santorini, from early April until early November due to the many cruise ships that dock there. Source: www.greeka.com

When you arrive by sea, there is no confusing the island of Santorini. Dazzling white houses cling to the edge of vertical, rocky cliffs against azure blue waters. The most southern of the Cyclades islands, it is surrounded by Thirasia and Aspronisi, which were once part of a large volcanic island. Considered by many to be the site of the “Lost City of Atlantis”, this magical little island glimmers from the fading sun as many watch its decent from the numerous bars and cafés at the water’s edge.

Arriving on Santorini from a cruise ship

Our cruise ship P&O Oceana docked in the sea offshore from the old port of Fira and we were transferred to the Island by tender. As we had a balcony cabin we could see the tenders being loaded and passengers being ferried across. We found this beneficial as we could see when the initial hustle and bustle had ended and we could enjoy a less crowded boat and a relaxed trip across. This short boat trip itself was a real treat.

When you arrive at the Old Port of Fira there are 3 ways to get up to the cliff tops so that you can explore the town and travel further afield on the Island.

Landing port visiting Santorini by crusie ship

Landing at Port of Fira

The 3 choices to get into Fira town are Cable car, walk up the 600 steps into the town or ride a donkey to take you up the steps.

At this point I would state that I do not in anyway endorse anyone riding the donkeys. There is mounting objections, quite rightly too to these poor creatures being used for tourists. Heavy overweight tourists are being carried and causing injury. There are even gathering campaigns for cruise ships to boycott Santorini until the donkey transfer is discontinued. Therefore I will not discuss this option

If you choose to walk I would suggest that you would have to be super fit to manage this climb! I only climbed a few whilst at the top and they nearly killed me. Also by walking you will have to look at the poor donkeys of Santorini and walk through piles of donkey droppings!

Santorini Cable Car

Having said what I have done so far you can guess that we used the cable car. During my pre cruise research I had read of there being long queues to actually get on the car. It was a blisteringly hot day in the high 30 degrees and thankfully we didn’t have to wait too long. I also have to give a big shout out to P&O who provide shade and cold water, either plain or infused with fruits to provide refreshments in the heat. The cable car looks modern and in great working order. The fee was around 6 Euro’s each if I remember correctly. Now at this stage I have to confess that one of my fears and phobias is heights. We shared our carriage with 2 older ladies who teased me all the way up after I sat there with my eyes closed gripping my husbands knee! I have been on other cable cars that I have tolerated better. It’s quite jerky as it passes over the upright towers. If you wish to see what it is like there are several videos on Youtube showing the journey.

Fira

As you may have read in my other posts about this cruise, we chose not to participate in any of the bookable excursions. Mr Fitz and I like to just stroll and explore ourselves, we viewed each Port as a taster of the destination. We had no desire to be off the ship for long periods, especially as it was so hot. Once we arrived at Fira we initially found ourselves on the main street. It was a typical small town with cafe’s, restaurants and gift shops, added to this the roadway was busy with cars and kamikaze scooters! We just ambled about and initially found ourselves ambling around and found ourselves following more dusty roads dodging psycho scooter riders! We don’t tend to use maps we like to just drift and see what we see. After a change of direction we found ourselves heading back towards the cliffs. I have to confess here that my research and homework fell short and I had missed something vital which I will expand on later in this post!

Again I cannot reiterate for a fair skinned celtic skinned woman like myself the heat was becoming unbearable! Even my sun loving husband was finding it hard going. Once we were back near the cliffs we found a network of small pathways between houses and hotels. I’ve taken a little bit of video footage to provide a taste of how lovely it is.

We found a little hotel with a cafe which seemed to provide art classes to tourists. There were several people sat around the edge of the terrace drawing and painting. This lovely quaint hotel was painted in the colours of blue and white, that are synonymous with the Island. It provided much needed refreshment and shade. I tried a traditional Greek coffee which was very strong and enjoyable.

Cooling off on Santorini

We then decided to make our way back to the cable car and return to the beautiful Oceana. We continued in the warren of small alleyways and found ourselves on the steps that climb up to the top. Boy they are challenging in the heat! It wasn’t just me that was struggling, even though it was September the temperatures were higher than the seasonal norm. We saw a few people struggling and overcome. We had carried water in our rucksack and I think that is an absolute must when on a Port Day. I packed 2 budget lightweight plastic water bottles and filled them up each day. You cannot always rely on having water to hand if you feel a little light headed in the heat.

There are some fabulous gift shops selling jewellery and gifts. I treated myself to a small necklace as a souvenir, another confession here – another of my addictions is to jewellery and accessories! Besides the normal tourist souvenirs, Santorini is full of one-of-a-kind boutiques and galleries and interesting shops that sell local arts and crafts and things that you wont find in Athens. There are over 40 jewelry stores, most of them on the main street in Fira which is how it got the name ‘Gold Street’ – Ypapantis Street is it’s real name. This street is considered to be one the biggest Gold markets in Greece.

Following the descent by cable car P&O staff were there again with shade and cool courtesy refreshments whilst we waited to board a tender back to the ship. Again I am going to say that the trip across by the tender is really relaxing and part of the whole experience of visiting Santorini by cruise ship.

Do your research

If you are planning to visit Santorini by cruise ship then do your research and don’t make the mistake that we did. Whilst we were walking around Fira we were looking for the viewpoint that is symbolic with Santorini – the white buildings with blue domed roofs on the cliff edge. We found similar but not that one! It wasn’t helped that in Fira we couldn’t find many signs to help guide our way.

After returning back to our cruise ship I decided to read a little more about the destination – that was when I had my light bulb moment, (my menopausal brain fog provides many of these, when I remember what I’d read or learned previously!) The iconic view is not in Fira but Oia. On reflection if we had taken an alternate route we could have improved our experience. This is the information I am offering to you to hopefully help you.

A fun way is after arrival by tender is to book a 20 minute boat transfer from the old port to Ammoudi Port in Oia for around 8 Euro’s. This includes a bus trip to Oia Town where you can spend a few hours, then take a half hour bus trip back to Fira. There is no return boat transfer from Ammoudi to Fira by boat.

An example of a boat ferry from Fira port to other towns

By doing this you can maximise your visit to Santorini in the time you have available ashore.

Of course you can always participate in one of your Ferry companies planned excursions when visiting Santorini by cruise ship if you like to be looked after and are nervous doing your own thing. That’s the beauty of a cruise holiday – it caters for all tastes!

If you’ve visited Santorini or taken a cruise holiday I’d love to hear your highlights.

Thank you for reading today, if you like my blog please subscribe to see more of my ramblings

Port of Piraeus and Athens via P&O Oceana

March 21, 2019

Piraeus for Athens was the first port day on our first ever cruise holiday in September 2018. We sailed aboard P&O Oceana – you can read about Day 1 – Embarkation at Malta here and my review of our sea days too.

Port of Piraeus

The Port of Piraeus has a big modern cruise terminal. We awoke on Day 3 to find we were docked right next to the Terminal building. Chatting to some of the crew we discovered that this is one of their favourite stops. The terminal includes telephones, a bar and cafeteria, an air-conditioned lounge and free WiFi. The crew all try and hop off and take advantage of these.

Also after a short walk through the terminal you can find regular Hop on Hop off buses that take you into Athens for the Parthenon and The Acropolis.

Mr Fitz and I did not book any of the organised shore excursions. We were happy just to find our own way around and experience a taster of the ports we were visiting.

I mentioned the daily cruise bulletin Horizon. In here it informed us that tickets for the buses could be bought in The Atrium of Oceana on the day of the visit. This is what we did and used this method of travel to take us around.

Tickets for Piraeus Hop on Hop Off buses could be bought in the Atrium

The bus ride into Athens is quite scenic. We were given new sealed headphones to listen to a guided tour of the route. The dialogue pointed out many interesting landmarks which we would not have spotted or recognised. For a football fan like myself it passed the home Stadium of Olympiakos, one of Greece’s largest teams. I love a good football stadium!

Olympiakos football stadium on bus tour from Piraeus Port

Drive from Piraeus passes Olympiakos Football Stadium

The Acropolis and Parthenon

When the bus arrived at the Acropolis is was around 11 AM, however it was already busy and extremely hot. The Parthenon stands proudly atop the Acropolis with a steady stream of visitors snaking their way up. As it was very high and extremely hot – well over 30 degrees even at that time of the day we decided not to climb up. Mr Fitz could manage it easily but I’m not sure I could anyway! We enjoyed a nice stroll round the perimeter of the base and admired the views down in to the City of Athens. One highlight was enjoying a pleasant sit in the shade listening to a gentleman in Greek attire singing and playing an accordion.

Athens landscape after bus tour from Piraeus

The view from the base of the Acropolis down into Athens

After a short stay of around an hour we hopped back on the bus and returned to the port of Piraeus and our wonderful cruise ship. The image of her as you approach never failed to impress us.

There were quite a few other passengers doing the same.

On our return we enjoyed more time on deck with a lunchtime snack from the Horizon Grill. It really is wall to wall food and all great quality.

Then I was able to watch my football team Manchester City play their game screened live on the TV in the sports bar – Winners Bar. This was an unexpected surprise for us.

Select Dining

In the evening we discovered that there was a Tropical themed evening. All other passengers seemed to know this before boarding. We didn’t however, really unsure why. Luckily though we did have suitable clothing. Mr Fitz had a linen shirt with a subtle flamingo print that I had purchased for him and I had a dress with a large floral tropical print.

Tropical themed evening

For our evening meal we had made a booking at The Beach House which has a slight cover charge. The food again was lovely. From the menu Ichose Coconut Crumb Tiger Prawns followed by a Tex Mex Ribs platter. Mr Fitz had a crispy bacon caesar salad and a hanging kebab. It was all delicious.

Our choices for dinner at The Beach House P&O Oceana

After dinner we enjoyed a balmy evening on deck with entertainment and music. The Entertainment team had a dance off, making the passengers sat on Port and Starboard compete against each other. All quite cheesy but surprisingly entertaining. The sight of passengers who work in Executive roles by day marching around to Tony Christie’s Amarillo, would bring a smile to anyone’s face.

A thoroughly enjoyable day. Our destination for Day 4 was Santorini. Please come back to read my review of our visit in a future blog post. I would love you to subscribe to my blog do that you don’t miss it.

Thanks for dropping in to read today – I really appreciate it.

My Top 5 Vintage Hollywood Movies

March 18, 2019

Vintage Hollywood Movies are my absolute favourite genre of movies. If you have read my post outlining 10 random facts about me – you will see this is high on the list. I’m sure the fact that I’m 58 has got something to do with it. However the main driving force behind this is the many happy hours spent alongside my late mother watching these films. I did not have the best relationship with my mum at all but watching her favourite films with her brought some of our happiest times. It has also provided me with this passion for Vintage Hollywood movies. My mother was quite starstruck and had a stack of photographs of Hollywood stars from her era. Publicity photographs were what the studio’s gave out to fans. Well before the poster era of my generation. This was the ‘thing’ in her younger days. I remember she had beautiful images of classic stars such as Janette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, George Raft, Robert Taylor and James Cagney. They were all sepia and the stars looked so glamorous. Obviously they weren’t vintage to her but of her era. She was born in 1926.

We used to spend many afternoons watching old classics, drama’s and showstopping Busby Berkeley musicals with huge dance ensembles.

I will watch Vintage Hollywood Movies over and over again, and will always choose a Black and White Classic over a new release, however that does not mean I don’t watch new releases.

In recent years there has been a resurgence in this type of genre in a modern day form, Films like La La Land. The Greatest Showman and A Star is Born, which incidentally was first made in 1937. These have proved to be very popular, suggesting to me that there are many modern day film-goers out there who would appreciate an original classic.

With this in mind I thought I would share with you 5 of my absolute favourites. There is sex, violence and intrigue in them all without the need to be explicit and graphic. I think they are all fabulous stories and tissues are needed for all of them.

Here they are then- my top 5 vintage Hollywood movies

Now Voyager

This stars my favourite actress of all times – the late, great Bette Davies. The storyline in it’s simplest is “A frumpy spinster blossoms under therapy and becomes an elegant, independent woman” It is way more than that. The synopsis according to IMDb reads:

Overweight Boston spinster Charlotte is a repressed, self-esteemless woman completely dominated by her wealthy mother, Mrs. Henry Vale. When her sister-in-law Lisa Vale brings her friend Dr. Jaquith, a renowned psychiatrist, to visit Charlotte, he invites her to spend some time in his sanitarium. Soon Charlotte transforms into a sophisticated, confident woman and takes a cruise to South America. She meets married architect Jerry Durrance and they have a love affair in Rio de Janeiro. Six months later she returns home and confronts her mother with her independence. One day they have an argument and her mother has a heart attack and dies. Charlotte inherits the Vale fortune but feels guilty for her mother’s death. She decides to return to Dr. Jaquith’s sanitarium, where she befriends Jerry’s 12-year-old daughter Tina, who has been rejected by her mother. Charlotte takes Tina home to Boston with her and one day Jerry brings Dr. Jaquith to visit them there.

It is a fabulous story of one woman’s battle to overcome mental health issues and dominance to become a happier person. She does not get the complete outcome she would like but is happy to settle for a compromise helping another similar girl with similar fragile nerves and low esteem in Tina.

My favourite line in any film is from this when she shares a cigarette with Henreid, Oh Jerry don’t lets ask for the moon, we have the stars!

(Note – You have to remember this was made in the days when cigarette smoking was deemed to be very glamorous! Before the dangers to health were discovered)

Waterloo Bridge

This heart wrenching film stars 2 of Hollywood’s most beautiful stars, Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh. Leigh is world famous for portraying Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind.

The film is set in London and the famous Waterloo Bridge is featured prominently, hence the title. They speak in the fabulous clipped English accents that have been lost over the years.

The outline of the plot is that During World War I, believing her fiance to be dead, a young ballerina loses her job and is forced to turn to prostitution. From there, things only get worse for her in this tragic, heart-wrenching, love story.

Random Harvest

This fabulous film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards and starred Essex born Greer Garson, a major star at MGM. Her co- star and love is Ronald Coleman another English born actor who went on to conquer Hollywood.

An amnesiac World War I veteran falls in love with a music hall star, only to suffer an accident which restores his original memories but erases his post-war life.

This has the most fabulous melodramatic storyline set in London and Liverpool and the ending is just sublime. In my opinion Random Harvest is a must see weepy.

Thanks to the beauty that is YouTube I can share a trailer with you.

Imitation of Life

This is a 1959 romantic drama dealing with the subjects of race, class and gender. Lana Turner is the female lead in this movie – to me she is one of the most beautiful actresses to grace the Hollywood screens.

Storyline: Aspiring actress Lora Meredith meets Annie Johnson, a homeless black woman at Coney Island and soon they share a tiny apartment. Each woman has an intolerable daughter, though, Annie’s little girl Sarah Jane, is by far the worse. Neurotic and obnoxious, Sarah Jane doesn’t like being black; since she’s light-skinned (her father was practically white), she spends the rest of the film passing as white, much to her mother’s heartache and shame. Lora, meanwhile, virtually ignores her own daughter in a single-minded quest for stardom.

This has a compelling plot involving the 2 mothers and their daughters, leading to a most dramatic ending. As I stated earlier just because a film is vintage does not mean it does not tackle issues that are still relevant today. You would have to be made of stone not to be moved by the ending. Can I tempt you with a clip of the official trailer?

Angels with Dirty Faces

This film is different from the other 4 vintage hollywood movies I have discussed. This is a crime drama with the fabulous James Cagney and Pat O’Brien in the lead roles.

Rocky Sullivan (James Cagney) and Jerry Connolly (Pat O’Brien) were brought up in one of New York’s toughest neighborhoods, Hell’s Kitchen. While his buddy Rocky gets caught up in racketeering in reform school, Jerry decides to become a priest. Years later, Rocky is released from prison and returns to Hell’s Kitchen, where Jerry works with at-risk children. Rocky wants a temporary safe haven with his old friend before resuming his life of crime, but Jerry hesitates, testing their relationship.

The movie follows the relationship between these 2 men, seemingly poles apart but with a life long bond. James Cagney is famous for many roles in Gangster films as well as being a sublime song and dance man. I could recommend a couple more of his films but I’ve chosen this as my favourite. Again courtesy of youtube I can introduce you to this movie via the trailer.

So I hope you find at least one of these vintage hollywood movies to your taste and I can tempt you to watch. They are all available on various platforms such as Youtube, Google Play and are available to buy from Amazon.

If you have a favourite old classic let me know I’m sure there are many more I have yet to watch in my retirement!

Product Review – Serious Readers Alex Light is it worth it?

March 14, 2019

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post and we received this lamp for free to review. This does not prejudice or affect my review. All opinions are honest and our own.

I was approached by Serious Readers to trial one of their products. You may have read some of my earlier posts including ways to keep healthy over 50 and that I am always looking at ways to combat changes in normal function as my body increase in years and find ways to minimise the impact.

One change that I have noticed is in my eyesight. I have always worn contact lenses for astigmatism but in recent years I have noticed changes in my ability to see in poor quality light. This has caused me to be unable to wear them in low light and have been wearing varifocal glasses, which provide a much sharper image. However, I still note there is a difference in subdued lighting, and I love to have table lamps on in the evening instead of the full room light. I love the cosy ambiance these provide.

When reading or trying to complete a crossword I already struggle and either have to put the large room ceiling light on (The big light as Peter Kay calls it!) or use supplementary light from the torch on my mobile phone.

People don’t always realise that as they age, less and less light gets through to
the retina making it harder to see detail and read in comfort. This is why the people at Serious Readers, created a range of high performance reading lights using bespoke Daylight Wavelength Technology™ to allow people to see with amazing clarity and true
colour. They claim “We bring the natural light close to the daylight our eyes are built to use”

In my career as a neonatal nurse I have used similar lights to enable me to perform intricate procedures, such as venous cannulation on neonates, and I found them to be invaluable.

When I was approached by Serious Readers to trial one of their Alex lights I was more than happy to do so.

About Serious Readers

The company’s literature states that recent research shows that poor quality light not only causes eyestrain but can also damage eyes and interfere with your sleep. Too much short wave-length blue light poses a risk to the highly sensitive retina.

The absence of a harmful blue light spike in their technology eradicates the risk of damage to the retina and minimises disturbance to our body clocks. The Serious design, with a stay put flexible arm and rotating swivel joints mean the light can be set up just in the right position for you, so it takes the strain not you. Our sight dominates our sensory perception and we can’t help ourselves but subconsciously adjust our posture and strain to try and see clearly.

The Alex light is suitable for:

Reading books
Reading larger publications, (magazines, newspapers)
Hobbies involving colour (artwork, needlework)

Our opinion on the Serious Reader Alex Light

I say ‘our’ opinion because although the product was sent to me to review, my husband uses it the most and absolutely loves it! He’s hogging it daily for reading his newspaper, he has been constantly complaining that news print is getting smaller!

The Serious Reader Alex Light comes as either a floor lamp or a table lamp, their is also a choice of colours. We chose a floor standing model in white. It looks neat and sleek, taking up little floor space.

The lamp arrived in a very large cardboard box, almost as tall as me! Once the box was opened I was delighted to find that it did not require any assembly – always a huge bonus.

Serious Readers Floor Lamp arrived ready assembled and well packaged

A feature I liked was a cord holder – a rubber case where excess flex can be wrapped round and secured to reduce any trip hazard and unsightly wires.

The head of the lamp is very small but hugely powerful. Our living room has 2 sofa’s and myself and Mr Fitz sit on one each most of the time. The lamp is so powerful that we can change the angle to suit whichever one of us wishes to use it without moving the lamp.

I have been able to complete crosswords easily without resorting to the torch from my mobile and Mr Fitz has been able to read comfortably without squinting and bringing the newspaper up to his face. I was going to relocate the lamp after this trial up to my home office but it is staying put in the living room as John is such a fan of it too.

Evaluation

At around £299 the floor lamp appears expensive but if like us you are suffering with reduced vision in poor quality lighting, it is worth the price in our opinion. There was nothing we didn’t like about it. If you have an elderly relative who has given up hobbies due to the inability to see what they are doing, this would make an ideal gift, it could restore their enjoyment in leisure activities they once loved. In fact any family or friend over 60 who complains of “newsprint shrinking” or “lightbulbs not being what they were” please tell them about this fabulous product.

If you wish to see the light in action please check out my video review on YouTube

Travel Review – What we did on sea days aboard Oceana

March 9, 2019

P&O Cruses was our choice of Cruise line for our first ever cruise holiday. You can read about Day 1 here if you haven’t already. Sea Days on board Oceana are as much a part of a cruise holiday as Port days visiting new destinations. These days are still packed with things to do.

As I have many fabulous aspects of the holiday to review I decided to break down the whole review into days of the cruise and Ports visited.

Day 2 – sea day

Waking up on Day 2 we were refreshed after our early start and travel the day before. As we had a balcony cabin I was able to open the curtains and look straight out at the view of the sea. I also enjoyed my morning cups of tea on our own personal piece of deck. I say cups of tea as I am a huge tea drinker and need about 3 cups in the morning before I can face the world. A big shout out to P&O for providing proper sized mugs in cabins for a decent drink!

Praise Be to P&O for a full size mug for my morning brew

Having the balcony door open and feeling the warm sea breeze around the cabin whilst we got ready was lovely. Once ready we went for breakfast in the Ligurian restaurant which was designated for our flexible dining options. There is no dress code during the daytime, and we enjoyed a full English Breakfast with silver service in our shorts. The food and service was impeccable. Staff are friendly and attentive without being cloying and formal.

For the rest of the morning and afternoon we strolled around the ship discovering more of the fabulous activities and facilities to enjoy during Sea Days aboard Oceana. There is an exercise deck which fellow guests can walk around at a brisk pace. A marker on the wall telling you that 3.2 times around the deck equals 1 mile.

Mr Fitz and I enjoyed the walk daily and loved stopping at the stern to watch the wake flowing behind us. There is also a gym on board and we both used that regularly to counteract the excess calories consumed. I discussed this in an earlier post about how to avoid piling on excess pounds whilst cruising. Of course we took time to sunbathe on deck with another cocktail of course! The weather was stunning. Dare I say it was actually too hot at times for me – there are plenty of areas in the shade to sit and stay comfortable on deck during Sea Days aboard Oceana

Cocktail in glass being held sat on cruise ship deck

It would be rude not to!

The evening of the sea days (Day 2 and 6) is Black Tie dress code. Day 2 is The Captains dinner. Prior to cruising Mr Fitz was initially reluctant to participate in this. I think it’s a grumpy old man thing as it’s something he has done in the past. To ease us into this type of holiday we bought dinner suit trousers and our friend loaned him the use of his Dinner Jacket, luckily they are the same size. Mr Fitz didn’t want to commit to the full expense of the whole suit in case he didn’t enjoy this first P&O cruise holiday and wasn’t something he wanted to do again. For more on this please come back for our final evaluation to come in a future post. I on the other hand had plenty of suitable clothes in my wardrobe!

Mr Fitz scrubbed up very well and looked very handsome – well in my opinion anyway! I chose a knee length royal blue dress with silver accessories. Many ladies wear cocktail dresses, it is not obligatory to wear a long gown.

Mr Fitz looking dapper

Woman in blue dress taking selfie in mirror

Full length obligatory selfie in the ladies

Cocktail dresses are OK for Black Tie Captains Dinner – Ball gowns not necessary

Prior to dining everyone participating in the Black Tie dinner gathered in the Atrium for complimentary fizz and the opportunity to have a photograph taken by a member of the ships Photography team. These are available to purchase during your cruise if you like them.

Our official Captains Dinner Photo proudly on display at home

The Captain arrives to applause and addresses the gathered diners, there is then an opportunity to have a photograph taken with him too.

On the flexible dining option we had hoped to have a table for 2 for dinner but again we were given a shared table. Again an enjoyable experience. As the cruise progressed we realised that you could request a table for 2 but there could be a delay until one was available.

Again food and service was delicious. Reviews always extol the virtues of the food on cruise ships. P&O proudly advertise this. You may have read in earlier posts that we are both foodies and the food promised was a big feature of choosing a cruise holiday with P&O. We were not disappointed at all.

After dinner we had seen that there was a comedian performing in The Starlight Theatre that night so still in our finery that was our next stop.

We both spent a really enjoyable evening. The interior of this theatre is very like a cabaret club. Comfortable seating with tables for your drinks. There is water service throughout the show. To top it off the Comedian Jeff Stevenson was fabulous – a good old traditional comic.

A big thumbs up from us. We were really enjoying our first P&O Cruise aboard Oceana.

Sea Days aboard Oceana

I cannot review not just the sea days but all of this cruise without mentioning the fabulous timetable of activities. There is a vast array of sessions from learning to dance, yoga, talks about Gemstones from the on-board jewellers, to literary sessions. There are many fun things too. Each night when you return to your cabin a copy of The Horizon the onboard newspaper is laid on your bed as part of the turn down service. This lists all the activities for the next day, details about going ashore and food options. It is a fabulous thing to receive and invaluable.

Day 3 was our first Port Day and we were sailing to Piraeus in Greece ideal for a trip to Athens, The Parthenon and the Acropolis. If you liked this post and my review of Day 1 please come back to read my review of Day 3 in a future post. All follows and comments are always welcome I love to hear from you. Tell me if you’ve ever had a cruise holiday, what did you like or dislike, are you planning one?

Review of Day 1 on board P&O Oceana

February 25, 2019

Oceana was the ship we chose for our first cruise in September 2018 to celebrate Mr Fitz’s 60th birthday. I had wanted to take a cruise holiday for a few years but Mr Fitz needed some persuading.

He’s not one for material gifts therefore I offered to pay for a holiday for his milestone 60th Birthday. He finally opted for a Cruise having heard nothing but positive reviews from friends. The recent TV show Jane McDonald Cruising also helped!

As we were celebrating a special occasion we opted for a balcony cabin, it added probably around £700 to the cost of our trip but we wanted that luxury. I know many friends who are happy to have an inside cabin – their viewpoint being that your cabin was just somewhere to sleep.

When booking we received £170 in onboard credit. P&O are not an all inclusive line and drinks consumed on board need to be paid for. Prior to sailing I did plenty of research watching Youtube – there are many vloggers who cover this topic, providing valuable hints and tips to help me prepare. One of my favourites are the lovely couple Elyssia and Jason over at EECC Travel. They are American and sail on Cruise lines that depart from their but I love their fun videos and great packing tips.

Oceana 13th – 20th September 2018

Day 1

We flew from Manchester Airport to Valletta in Malta. The check in and flight was very slick. Everyone on the plane is a passenger on the cruise. On arrival in Malta there were plenty of P&O Representatives to greet you and guide you to your awaiting coaches for transfer. It was very warm and there was a slight delay on the coaches, apparently the reps and drivers have to wait for permission from the Quayside that they can arrive.

A view from P&O Oceana in Valleta harbour

Valletta Quayside

On first arrival at the Quayside there appeared to be a long queue inside the arrivals tent. At this stage you have not yet see Oceana. However check in was really swift. Again there are plenty of staff on arrival to guide passengers and keep things running smoothly. Check in was swift. You confirm your identity, provide a credit or debit card for onboard purchases. Your photograph is taken and you are then issued with your on board cruise card. This does everything! Opens your cabin, pays for drinks and extra’s and confirms your identity whilst disembarking and re embarking on shore days.

Once through check in you get your first view of Oceana – and what a magnificent site as you walk towards her. She looked big and majestic in the hot sunshine with the P&O Livery on the bow. Sent a tingle down both our spines.

Our first sight of the magnificent P&O Oceana

We were on B Deck Cabin 619. Our luggage had already arrived, sometimes there is a delay in arrival. We were fortunate to be able to unpack immediately. We could also admire the view from our balcony, again compact but adequate, equipped with a small table and 2 comfortable chairs.

View from inside Oceana Cabin to balcony

View of the Balcony from the bed

There is adequate storage space, drawers and wardrobe. A few more hangers were supplied on request. The bathroom although compact was again adequate with enough storage space. We had a suitcase each and they both fit easily under the bed. Our cabin Steward introduced herself and said she was there to assist and help us get the most out of our holiday.

Our next step was to go and explore the ship. There is adequate time on Embarkation day to get off again and explore Valletta, however as we had visited and holidayed there before we decided to stay on board.

The ship was vast and I have to admit we lost our cabin on a couple of occasions on the first day. We were helped by a little tip we got from you tube videos. I will reveal this on my next #TravelTipThursday Post.

We were really thrilled by our first tour of the ship. I enjoyed my 1st cocktail – a Pina Colada the perfect holiday drink on the Pool Deck in the sunshine.

Pina Colada cocktail in deck bar of cruise ship

First Pina Colada on deck

On each deck by the lifts there is a guide to each level to help you find your way around.

On the first evening it is Mandatory to attend The Muster – a relatively new term to us. This is your lifeboat drill. You cannot avoid this as you have to scan your card, therefore they can track attendance. If you fail to attend you are traceable and have to have an individual session, that is my understanding anyway.

On this occasion Muster was not until 8.15pm, from other more experienced passengers we understood this to be later than usual. You have to attend your Muster Point, our was the Starlights Theatre, with your life jacket. During the Muster The Captain addresses everyone from the Bridge with instructions for the event of an emergency. You also try on your life jacket to ensure you know how to fit it.

2 people wearing life jackets on P&O cruise ship

The Muster P&O Oceana

Because Muster was later, the seating for Dinner was a little rushed. We were on Flexible dining, however this night everyone was just ushered to tables for speed. We prefer a table for two but were seated with 4 other couples. This was however a new enjoyable experience. Food was delicious with ample choice. During dinner we could sea out the windows that the ship was sailing away from port. We were off on our first cruise adventure.

Following Dinner we enjoyed a few drinks on board. There are several places to eat and drink on board. Each has it’s own unique vibe.

When we finally retired to bed we found the bed to be extremely comfortable and the gentle, barely felt movement of the ship, provided us with the best nights sleep we’d both experienced in ages.

Day 2 was spent at sea and I will describe that in my next post about our experience on board Oceana.

Thank you for popping by. I appreciate you following and all comments are always appreciated

Walking for Health – Self Care is painful at times

February 19, 2019

Walking for Health is recognised as being very beneficial. It has been described as the perfect exercise. It benefits our bodies and our minds. It helps reduce diabetes and heart disease and the benefits for the mind are well documented

Walking improves self-perception, self-esteem, mood and sleep quality. It also reduces stress, anxiety and fatigue. Physically active people have up to a 30% reduced risk of becoming depressed, and staying active helps those who are depressed recover.

In older people, staying active can improve cognitive function, memory, attention and processing speed, and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

Walking for Health

If you have read any of my earlier posts you will have read that I suffer from joint pain and osteoarthritis. After a nursing career spanning 38 years a lot of this is due to wear and tear after being on my feet for most of that time.

After an injury last year I had need to undergo an MRI and consult with an orthopaedic surgeon. He advised me that I was not to perform any exercise involving impact e.g. running on the treadmill or Zumba (which I loved). He recommended as much walking for health as possible, this echoes earlier advice I had received after being diagnosed with a chronic back condition, facet joint syndrome.

I try to walk as much as possible and since retiring I use public transport more and walk to destinations. This though is not as frequent as I would like in the winter months. Mr Fitz and I used to walk as a hobby but its an activity that we got out of the habit of doing.

Weekend Walk

A sunny Sunday afternoon along the canal

Mr Fitz striding ahead

Last Sunday Mr Fitz decided we should try a walk that was accessible for our hose and had been recommended to him. We didn’t use a map or any prior research just followed the verbal directions given to him by his colleague.

As the weather has been really pleasant we thought we would enjoy the February sunshine. I do have a pedometer but on this occasion I used the Map My Walk app on my phone to monitor progress and distance. Walking for Health was one of my New Year goals and I was happy to get out.

The walk ended up as being over 8 km in distance, with a stop for refreshments. The app can be paused when you take a stop and restarted. I however forgot to restart for the final part of the journey so I did not manage to track the full total. I am aware that I ma so out of condition compared to my younger days and that Mr Fitz is far fitter than I. But I am made of strong stuff and even though I am ‘out of puff’ on inclines I will not be beaten. The sights and smell of fresh air are so exhilarating, not least the fabulous dogs to be seen and patted on route. We passed along the banks of the nearby canal and the sun was dappling the water, boats moored there were colourful and the geese were noisy!

Colourful boats

Fabulous sights and sounds to lift the mood and bring a smile. We have vowed to take this route and others more regularly.

Fresh air and walking is perfect exercise

The afternoon sun dappling the water and Canada geese

Post walk pain

As the walk progressed I could feel my joints creaking and I developed a blister under my foot, I underestimated the length of the walk chose the wrong footwear! We rewarded ourselves with a beer on the way home, I chose a half pint of Guinness with blackcurrant. Heaven and well deserved. I slept better than I had for a long time, I’m usually woken several times a night due to menopausal hot flushes. The next morning I had stiffness and pain in joints and muscles and was hobbling and struggling to straighten up! I know others give in to these symptoms and stop exercising due to this. I really would encourage anyone else who does feel like this to continue, after a soak in the bath with muscle relaxing bath product and some analgesia and anti inflammatory’s I was much improved.

To me the other after effects such as the increased endorphins, improved sleep and the chance to spend quality time with Mr Fitz outside in the fresh air far outweighs the pain. I suffer pain and discomfort anyway, even after a day spent sat at my computer. I strongly encourage everyone to get outdoors and walk.

Do you have a love of walking, maybe a favourite walking routine you’d like to share with me. I love hearing from you and reading your comments.

Busy and Bright The Ivy Manchester

February 16, 2019

Busy and Bright are the words I would definitely say were the first impressions I got for my first visit to The Ivy Manchester. Read my review for further thoughts. If it’s your first visit to my blog – Welcome! I use the same template for all my reviews to provide consistency. You may want to read what my criteria is.

Name of Restaurant

The Ivy Spinningfields Manchester

The Entrance The Ivy Spinningfields

Time of Visit

7pm on a Thursday evening – we were walk ins and were lucky enough to get in without a booking on this occasion. But we wouldn’t recommend doing it again.

Reason for Visit

As we are big foodies my lovely niece and her husband gave us a £50 voucher for the restaurant at Christmas. Our visit was to take up this lovely treat.

First Impression

Busy and Bright!

Busy and Bright! What a busy vibrant place! Wowee! The decor is Art Deco with a modern twist in bold bright colours with lots of gold and brass look trimmings. There were few empty tables, if any, we may have been fortunate enough to have got the only free one. The volume of conversation was loud, but that to us was a negative thing. It added to the fabulous vibe. Even though I have described it as busy and bright that is more an observation of the decor. There was secluded lighting and the tables were far enough a part to maintain privacy if you are having an intimate date.

The interior of The Ivy has a bold art deco theme

The Lifts are bold and bright art deco style

The Ladies Toilets

The reception area of The Ivy

The Manchester Bee symbol is incorporated into the decor at The Ivy Spinningfield

An art deco styled Manchester bee print adorns the wall

Time To Get Served/Attention

We were taken to our table swiftly and efficiently. The drinks and food orders were also taken swiftly but not hurriedly.

Food

Mr Fitz and I chose from the A La Carte Menu. There is an extensive choice. For starters I chose Zucchini Fritters and Mr Fitz went for the roasted scallops. My fritters were unusual – I expected 2 fritters on a plate but instead I got a dish of battered shreds of zucchini accompanied with a spicy mayonnaise dip. It was lovely but too much for one person. I would suggest this is adequate for 2-3 people to share. Mr Fitz said his Scallops were delicious – and I can agree as he gave me a taste! They were cooked to perfection in a fabulous oil.

Our main dish choices were Crab Linguine Pasta and courgette linguine with Devon crab, chilli,
smoked garlic, lemon and rocket for Mr Fitz – this is one of his favourite choices in any restaurant. He said that this one at the Ivy was probably the tastiest he has ever had! High praise indeed from him! I decided to try the Blackened cod fillet Baked in a banana leaf with a soy and sesame marinade, citrus-pickled fennel, grilled broccoli, chilli and yuzu mayonnaise . I rarely cook fish at home and like to choose a fish dish when dining out. Again this was delicious – so many flavours onna plate without being overpowering.

Our food choices complimentary bread, Zuccini Fritters, Scallops Crab Linguine and Baked Blackened cod

Service

Our server was excellent, attentive and helpful without being cloying. He was obviously watching discreetly as he leaned over and whispered in my ear that I didn’t have to eat all the Zucchini, not many people finished it! I appreciated that reassurance as I was struggling but didn’t want to leave a large amount of the dish and give the impression that I didn’t enjoy it!

Drinks service was swift and advice given about our choices.

Evaluation

Busy and bright , buzzing atmosphere. We absolutely loved it. There is a mix of ages in the clientele. There was retro background music, it was from our disco era and we found this so enjoyable, an example was Backstabbers by The O’Jays. A very varied menu with delicious choices.

The Interior of the Ivy

The decor is so different from the sparce Industrial Urban look that is popular today. I totally approve of the Ivy decor and vibe. You really felt you were somewhere special. Our final bill was around £97 – with a 12.5% service charge included. The food was probably covered by our voucher, the extra was probably for drinks, Mr Fitz had 3 small bottles of beer, I had a glass of house red and a Baileys in place of a dessert.

Would I Visit Again

Oh Yes! It will be our go to restaurant for special occasions. You may have read my review of Hawksmoor Manchester, that is fabulous too but a different type of restaurant experience.

As I write this I have in fact made a further booking for lunch with one of my oldest friends. We’re both retired nurses and think we deserve a nice treat now and again!

If you’ve enjoyed reading this please subscribe and read more. Do you have any restaurant recommendations for me. I love to try new places.

I also have a sister blog EarlyRetirementRocks about loving life after taking Retirement from the NHS at the age of 55. You may wish to pop over and have a nosey to see what a 58 year old gets up to!

Packing cubes My top 3 Benefits – Travel Tip Thursday #1

February 7, 2019

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Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are becoming increasingly more popular for travelling. I have been using them for around 3 years now. In fact I have 2 sets pink and blue – 1 set for me and 1 set for Mr Fitz for the rare occasion we use 2 suitcases, like on our recent cruise holiday. Alternatively if we use one shared suitcase the different colours quickly identify who’s clothing they contain.

Packing cubes in 2 colours

These little zipped cubes will give you back some of your sanity while you travel! They help you to stay organized, keep your belongings compact, and find what you need in record time from your luggage.

What are Packing Cubes?

Packing cubes are relatively small soft containers made of fabric, often in a rectangular shape, used for packing clothing. They fit neatly into your luggage, separating items inside.

The usually come in packs containing several cubes and often extra zipped bags for dirty laundry, shoes and toiletries. Amazon is a great place to start – there is plenty of choice to suit your needs.

Now that I consider myself an experienced Packing Cube user I thought I would provide you with my top 3 benefits for using them in my experience.

Organisation

These fabulous packing cubes keep your luggage organised, no longer does all the contents flop about within your case or you have to frantically search through to find that item that you want. Each cube can be used for particular groups of clothing – I often separate my clothes into tops, shorts, beachwear and lingerie. I can then find items more easily.

Packing cubes and pouches fit snuggly – photo taken after I’d started to unpack!

Utilises space

The packing cubes enable you to roll your clothing, which I feel uses less space within each cube and reduces creasing. They also fit snuggly into your luggage maximising capacity. Other items such as straighteners and jewellery rolls slip in the spaces between cubes.

Saves Time/Space in Destination

The cubes assist you a lot when unpacking at your destination. You can simply lift the cubes out of your luggage and place them as they are with their contents still inside into drawers in your accommodation. This helps you save space when it is limited and time and can get you to the pool, beach or back more quickly after your arrival. An example of this was on our first cruise holiday in September. Space is limited inside a cruise cabin, I was able to lift out the cubes containing swimwear and lingerie straight into wire baskets on a carousel inside the wardrobe of our cabin. As well as keeping the storage spaces neat and tidy I also knew where to locate these. Again on our recent holiday to Corralejo even though there was adequate storage drawers I chose to lift the cubes straight from our suitcase into them. Even my tops and Johns shorts remained in cubes. Many of our beach holiday clothes are made from fabrics that don’t crease. We arrived at our apartment in late afternoon so we were itching to get out into the winter sunshine and anything to save time helped!

The faster you can unpack the faster you can be by the pool

Packing cubes can be lifted out and transferred straight into drawers at your destination

This is my first post in which I hope can become a series of Travel Tip Thursday – I cannot promise that they will be weekly – I am just going to start today and see how this series develops.

Thanks for being here today

Have you used packing cubes? If so do you have any other uses for them? Let me know – I’m always ready to learn more

My love of football – women love football too!

February 3, 2019

Love of Football

My love of football gradually evolved over my life. My mum used to work on a Saturday and my dad would take myself, my older brother and sometimes my older male cousin to games. I think I must have been taken from a very young age – maybe under 8.

My dad didn’t take me to the watch the same team, we moved around different local teams each week, depending on who was at home. We’re from Manchester and had quite a few local teams, such as Oldham Athletic, Bury, Rochdale and Bolton, and of course that’s without the big 2.

My brother and cousin went on to follow Manchester City. I used to love staying up on a Saturday night and watching Match of the Day with my brother. It was a ritual, get comfy with a snack, turn the lights out and watch like it was the cinema. The theme tune still sends chills down my spine – I associate it with happy times.

My love for football grew more when I went to High School and I became friends with another girl who was also football crazy. As soon as I left school at 16, we got jobs and started to attend games, funding it from our wages. That was in 1976. In 1977 I then purchased my first season ticket for Manchester City. We would also travel to away games. This was no mean feat for 2 young girls during the dark days of the era of terrible football violence in the late 70’s and early 80’s. It was certainly character building.

My love of football continues – I even managed to fit a busy nursing career around my attendance at games. There was a period of 12 seasons from 1985 when I didn’t attend regularly whilst I established my self in my career. I was fortunate enough to work with fabulous colleagues, who accepted my love of football and would swap shifts with me, often at short notice to help me get to games.

Great times at The Etihad watching Manchester City

Nowhere better than being inside a football Stadium

How it makes me feel

How it makes me feel is probably the one thing that keeps the love alive. I am a fanatical Manchester City fan. Anyone young now and just starting out watching the sport will see my team as a team who are successful and have won the Premiershp, breaking many records last season. However, it hasn’t always been like that 20 years ago, in 1999, we probably faced our lowest point in the club’s history. Down in the 3rd tier of football, at Wembley fighting for promotion. We were losing 2-0 with 5 minutes to go. Had we not won, there was the potential for us to fall even lower and face obscurity. We equalised in extra time, won in full time and the rest is history. Wow, the emotions we went through on that day were draining, from excitement, anticipation, dejection, sadness to the final feeling of elation! Supporting a football team totally puts you through the wringer at times.

Football shirts on women are not always flattering but I do wear one occasionally

Enjoying a game

I know many friends and colleagues, mostly female, cannot understand what I see in the sport. All they see is something that turns their male partners into neanderthals, obsessed with a shirt colour and makes them spend a lot of time away from them and their family. It is very hard to explain to a ‘non believer’ the fun and pleasure you get from the fabulous sport.

My love of football isn’t only for my team – I love all the game. I will watch any game in any league and from any country in the world! When many women hate the start of autumn and winter to me it doesn’t hold any fear as to me it is the time when football is played to the max. I love it when there is a football game on TV – some weeks that can be 5 nights out of 7! Total bliss for me.

Many layers are needed to beat the cold at football matches

All wrapped up in winter at football

My love of football can dictate my whole mood. Including periods of anxiety, low mood and of course make me the happiest person alive. I’m writing this waiting to go and watch my team play at The Etihad this afternoon. we are now approaching the phase that is known as ‘the business end’ of the season, a time where titles and cups are won and lost by the teams performance and a club to be relegated or promoted. As a Manchester City fan we are fortunate now to be chasing 4 cups. This is the best position to be in, but it also brings about stress and anxiety. Your whole week can deteriorate on a loss. Constant need to look at the table and rivals fixtures to see where points can be won or lost. Not to mention alcohol consumption to dull the pain. As an example Manchester City played mid week in a game that we should have been expected to win, but we lost. It was an away game and I was watching from home. I started off perky and chatty and as the game and performance deteriorated I sunk lower and lower into my sofa using words I’m not proud of. A bottle of wine needed to be opened and drunk! I was gutted at the loss fearing hopes of winning the title again were gone. Waking up the next morning I felt even worse. However as the day progresses I start to feel better as you tell yourself there are much worse things in life. Later on fate steps in and your nearest rivals draw a game they were expected to win and suddenly life is not so black anymore! A whole range of emotions in one 24 hour period. Today we play a big game against Arsenal, but I leave full of hope and optimism. How I’ll feel on my return is another matter!

Sense of purpose and identity

I attend games with my family- my brother, sister in law, nephew, niece and great nephew – our ages range from 8 – 70! It’s a real family affair. This is a plus side to point out to those detractors who cannot understand the love of football. It is an activity that draws us all together. It also provides a purpose in life. Following the team keeps your mind and body occupied, it gives us opportunity to travel. I have been to Barcelona and Paris St Germain to watch the team play.

A trip to Barcelona and the Nou Camp with Manchester City

A competition prize to watch a Champions league game

Myself and Mr Fitz at PSG to watch Manchester City

All because of my love for Manchester City

Our first visit to Paris

I dream of seeing them lift The Champions League trophy in Europe one season. It is also a great leveller and conversation starter. When we’re away wherever we are in the world football is always a topic that starts conversations in bars, hotels restaurants etc. People always ask where we are from. The reply of Manchester always leads to the next question of who we support – City or United? Conversation between fans can be civil and friendly. It’s not all tribalism! Football chat breaks the ice and makes friends.

Having said all this it can be a great sport to introduce the withdrawn or lonely child too. It can give them something to follow and spark enthusiasm and purpose. Inside a stadium we are all friends together and chat away.

In a final note I have to give a big shout out to my lovely Mr Fitz! He does not follow my team nor goes to games. When we met in 1980 I was already a big City fan. He has happily lived with my obsession, often referring to City being the third person in our marriage. Our social life between August and June is dictated to by fixtures, having to decline many an invitation as it clashes with a game. I do miss some games, particularly in January, when we have our winter sun holiday. We do however, watch the team on TV in our destination. It has also contributed to some great memories for us -watching City in the New York branch of the City Supporters club, a great afternoon. Also he came with me to Paris to watch City in a Champions League game. This was a competition prize with hospitality. A great prize and a lovely first trip to Paris.

Anyway I must go and get wrapped up in thermals, thick coat and club scarf to watch my beloved team. Thanks for popping by and reading. I’d love to hear your comments are you football friend or foe, a fellow female fan or a football widow?

Lifestyle

Visiting Santorini by cruise ship

Santorini

Arriving on Santorini from a cruise ship

Santorini Cable Car

Fira

Do your research

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Port of Piraeus

The Acropolis and Parthenon

Select Dining

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Here they are then- my top 5 vintage Hollywood movies

Now Voyager

Waterloo Bridge

Random Harvest

Imitation of Life

Angels with Dirty Faces

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About Serious Readers

Our opinion on the Serious Reader Alex Light

Evaluation

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Day 2 – sea day

Sea Days aboard Oceana

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Oceana 13th – 20th September 2018

Day 1

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Walking for Health

Weekend Walk

Post walk pain

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Name of Restaurant

Time of Visit

Reason for Visit

First Impression

Busy and Bright!

Time To Get Served/Attention

Food

Service

Evaluation

Would I Visit Again

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Packing Cubes

What are Packing Cubes?

Organisation

Utilises space

Saves Time/Space in Destination

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Love of Football

How it makes me feel

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