We were here before in 2021, going south and going north
Monday, June 30. Iona
A rough night but it had calmed down by 9 am after breakfast. There was a weird lecture by Sasha on Tartan and Plaids, just 20 minutes of it. This was followed by a briefing by Werner on the tours available in Belfast on the morrow. Then at 11 am a very interesting presentation by Csaba, the hotel director, on his in use of photography around the world.
A quick lunch and then ashore by zodiac in the rain at Iona by 1 pm. Here we had a guided tour by Anna to the Abbey And I found this very good. We left the Abbey by about 3 pm and headed off by ourselves in the opposite direction to the hikers to explore the side of the island that we had not covered two years previously. But it was very wet and we did not proceed as far as we had intended but still nonetheless we found it interesting
Click on any thumbnail below to get a larger photo
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Then back on board and our last afternoon tea of the voyage complete with overcooked scone
At 5 pm, there was an overview of the voyage given by Werner and then the auction of. a voyage chart done by one of the waiters: I did not think this was up to the normal standard of their charts. David started the auction at $500 just to get it going and for several minutes I thought we would be landed with this chart but eventually someone else, from Utah, offered $550 And became the owner of the chart.
Then at 6:30 pm there was the captains final presentation of all the crew which the boys and I really enjoyed, applauding enthusiastically.
The dining room was very full at 8 pm and we had to return after 8:30 pm for a table but then a pleasant enough meal and back to the cabin as Verana was occupying the Panorama Lounge yet again with a late evening session of trivia.
Then a final sending off to the laundry of all the rest of our washing so that we returned home with practically everything squeaky clean.