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TRAVEL GOLDEN ODYSSEY

D Magazine cruise sets sail in June
By Katherine Dinsdale |

ADMITTING a weakness for romance (we hear the sun sets in the Mediterranean as it sets nowhere else in the world) and a penchant for history (the Mediterranean is literally and historically the center of the earth), we’d like to explore and enjoy civilization. We invite you to join us, beginning June 4, on a D Magazine-sponsored, two-week cruise featuring nine Mediterranean ports of call.

One of the hosts aboard the vessel will be Dallas’ own gourmet restaurateur, Guy Calluaud. Guests who select the special gourmet cruise package will have Calluaud as their dinner companion at some of the Mediterranean’s finest restaurants including Harry’s Bar in Florence, Canaris in Athens’ Microlimo Harbor and La Col-ombe D’Or in the French Riviera. The Greek crew of our elegant vessel, the Royal Cruise Line’s Golden Odyssey, holds an eight-year record of plush, well-organized voyages. The Odyssey is the Mediterranean’s only cruise ship to cater exclusively to Americans.

Portugal. The tour begins on the Atlantic Coast at Lisbon, the capital of Portugal and one of the largest ports in all of Europe. The ship will dock here one day and night, providing plenty of time to tour the surrounding region as well as the lovely city. Just a short ride from the ship is Rossio, the city’s main square, which dates back to the days of treasure-laden shops; on the hill above is the picturesque old quarter of the Alfama and the Castelo Sao Jorge.

During the day, visitors may tour the Jeronimos Monastery, with its 16th-century Manueline architecture; the monument of Prince Henry the Navigator or the watery fortress Tower of Belem. Scattered throughout the city are tributes to the discoverers Cabral, Magellan and Vasco da Gama, who together helped make Lisbon a maritime power and “princess of the world.”

For passengers who have not had the opportunity to visit two of Lisbon’s spectacular museums, there will be an excursion to the Ajuda Palace and the Gulben-kian Museum, and time also for shopping at the end of the tour. The Ajuda Palace was the last royal residence of Portugal and is filled with period furniture and the queen’s private art collection. The modern Gulbenkian Museum, which houses the Calouste Gulbenkian collection, is an architectural antithesis to the palace.

Traveling southward along the coast past jet-set resort towns such as Costa do Sol, we’ll have opportunities to stop and browse in fishing villages such as Cascais, a popular retreat for Europe’s royalty.

Gibraltar, home of the famous Rock, is the next morning’s port of call. Gibraltar is actually a limestone peninsula connected to the southern tip of Spain by a flat, narrow isthmus. The bow-shaped rock rises to 1,398 feet and was probably one of the two Pillars of Hercules mentioned in Greek mythology.

Since Gibraltar is a duty-free port, shopping is not to be missed. The streets are full of merchants who deal in imports from China and Hong Kong, British wools and cashmeres, and German and Japanese cameras and transistor radios.

Spain. Then it’s into the Mediterranean itself as we toss anchor in the port of Malaga on Spain’s Costa del Sol. We’ll take a drive through the rugged Malaga Mountains to Granada, the capital of the province and the home of many monuments of Christian and Arab monarchs. Tours of the Royal Chapel in Granada (which houses the tombs of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella) will also be available. On a high hill above Granada is the Alhambra, an awesome complex of palaces that is the crown jewel of all Moorish art and architecture, dating from the 14th century. Among the sights here are the Alcazar, with its Hall of the Ambassadors and Court of the Lions; the Palace of Charles V; and the 1001 Nights Garden of the Generalife.

Palma de Mallorca. The ship’s next stop will be in the sun-kissed Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain. Mallorca, the largest of the Balearics, has become a favorite Mediterranean resort. It has historic significance as well, with landmarks from the 13th century. During the winter of 1838, the old village of Valldemosa was home for Polish musician and composer Frederic Chopin and French authoress George Sand.

But the highlight of the visit to Palma de Mallorca will be the medieval dinner planned at the old country estate of the Counts of Mal. The estate includes ancient farm buildings and a huge covered arena for medieval games and feats of equestrian dexterity. A country-style medieval dinner of roast suckling pig and Mallorcan sweets and wines will be served at long banquet tables.

France. Next it’s on to the French Riviera, where the cruiser will dock for a day and a half at either Nice or Villefran-che. Those who wish to see Monte Carlo may travel the Riviera and the Corniches. On the way, in the former villa of the Baroness Ephrussi de Rothschilde, visitors can view a private collection of Chinese and European art. And a stop will be made in Monaco outside the Royal Palace. In Monte Carlo, tours of the world-famous casino will be available. Cannes and the village of St. Paul are also scheduled stops.

Italy. A morning arrival at Livorno, Italy, located on the Ligurian Sea, will be the next itinerary highlight. From here, passengers may visit Pisa and Florence, famous for the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the vineyard-covered hills of Alpi Apuane. In Florence, the queen city of the Renaissance, see the cathedral that is the home of Michelangelo’s Pieta, and at the Acade-mia, see the original Michelangelo David.

Next it’s Naples, with scheduled tours of the Piazza Vittoria, the Via Partenope, the Castel dell’Ovo on the fisherman’s harbor of Santa Lucia, the Piazza del Plebiscito and the San Carlo Opera House. And the Roman city of Pompeii is just south of Naples in the countryside. Mount Vesuvius still stands after the eruption approximately 1,900 years ago that buried Pompeii under 10 feet of volcanic ash.

After Odyssey leaves Naples, we’ll spend a full day at sea. The ship is equipped with a restaurant, five bars, three lounges, a boutique, a beauty salon, a barbershop and a casino. Swim in the deck pool; participate in deck sports, bridge, backgammon or bingo; or you might want to try out the exercise room and sauna in the gymnasium.

The next morning, passengers will awaken in the port of Mykonos, in the middle of the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece. Mykonos is a tiny village filled with white villas, windmills, waterfront cafes and Athenian jewelry. That visit will be a good opportunity to sample country-style Greek cuisine and shop for handknit sweaters.

Greece. Finally, the cruise ship will dock at its home port of Piraeus, where a full day will be left for exploring Athens and the surrounding countryside. The Greek capital offers both historic sites and modern buildings, a charming mix of the world’s oldest and newest.

Athens is the richest of the Old World’s cities in the treasures of ancient life, and Odyssey travelers will have a chance to see her 5th-century B.C. glories – the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Hill of Philop-papou, the Temple of Hephaisteion, the Agora, the Portico of the Giants, the fountain of the Council House and the Odeon. Should you tire of Athens, a motorcoach tour along the Saronic Gulf to Corinth and Mycenae will be available.

In the morning, guests will depart for home.

Tour package includes the internationalflight from Dallas or Houston, transfersbetween the airport and the ship, anddelivery of luggage to shipboard staterooms. Contact Mustang Travel (3417Rosedale, 373-6560) for more informationor reservations. Space is limited. Packageprices begin at $3,168 per person.

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