Day 2 - Taormina, Sicily
Mount Etna sending up some smoke this morning
My first morning on Silver Muse has me searching for the best place for early morning coffee and a comfortable place to work. I settle on Arts Cafe on Deck 8 aft. It is conveniently located on the same deck as our suite and they have "early riser's" coffee. As the sun is rising, I can see Mount Etna in the distance and it is clear enough this morning to see the smoke billowing from the volcano.
We did have an excursion pre-booked (through the My.Silversea website) for today, but it was cancelled due to failure to meet the required minimum number of guests. We considered booking another excursion here, but nothing really caught our eye. We did consider taking the ship's complimentary shuttle service into Taormina to do a little exploring on our own, but we were here just a couple of years ago so we decide to stay on board Muse and do our exploring on the ship.
Schedule for complimentary shuttle bus from pier to Taormina
I start by heading up to the pool deck (10) where I find a very large swimming pool surrounded by padded lounge chairs.
The Pool Deck with Taormina in the background
For lunch today, Rickee and I decide to try Spaccanapoli pizzeria on Deck 11. You pretty much have to know where Spaccanapoli is because there are no signs to identify the restaurant. Basically, it is on Deck 11 overlooking the pool. Spaccanapoli serves one thing and one thing only: pizza. There are no salads on the menu, no sandwiches, no pasta. There are several varieties of pizza offered with a choice of toppings. Each pizza is made to order by a chef who looks like he knows what he is doing. When the pizzas arrive hot and fresh, it is evident that he does.
Rickee is wondering how she is going to eat all that pizza!
We will go in to more detail about the pizza when we review Spaccanapoli in our Cruise Ship Dining Blog. We both left full, and smiling.
This afternoon, we decide to give Team Trivia a try. When we arrive at Dolce Vita lounge, we are immediately recruited by "The Kiwis", a group of New Zealanders who have formed a struggling four-person trivia team. Twenty questions later, our team comes in First Place!
After trivia, we have just enough time to walk down the hall to the Venetian Lounge for an excellent lecture on Why Could Europe Become Eurabia by Dr. Mark Elovitz.
Dr. Mark Elovitz
This was a great lecture on a very timely topic facing Europe. We really enjoyed it and will be at Dr. Elvowitz's next lecture on the topic of North Korea.
After the lecture, it is time to get into our "after 6 on Silversea" attire and head to Panorama Lounge to enjoy a well-deserved cocktail. The Silver Muse Contemporary Trio is providing musical entertainment as we order our drinks.
Rickee is now in Lemondrop mode and I am enjoying a Crown Royal. A waiter offers a tray of tempting hors d'oeuvres.
We spent most of the evening enjoying the music in Panorama Lounge, with a brief stop at the small Casino to make our "donation".
Tomorrow, Silver Muse will be in Amalfi, Italy.
