Jenny Rosenbaum Reviews

2011-04-02T21:42:00.000-07:00

Odysseys to the Epicenters of Antiquity

by Jenny Lenore Rosenbaum

“The grand object of traveling is to see the shores of the Mediterranean.”

-- Dr. Samuel Johnson (poet, essayist, literary critic), 1731

Voyages to Antiquity is no ordinary Mediterranean cruise line. In a host of ways, its journeys into the heart of the ancient world constitute an extraordinary new addition to the current cruise options. The deluxe line specializes in the iconic epicenters of culture that formed the cradle of Western civilization.

Over 24 unique and dazzling itineraries trace the awe-inspiring odysseys of the ancient mariners – through the Mediterranean world and the lands surrounding the Aegean, Adriatic and Black Seas. For those wanting to know and understand the past, Voyages to Antiquity offers cruises through the fabled Greek Islands, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, Turkey, and Malta, with departures from Istanbul, Athens, Rome, and Venice.

Each itinerary has been meticulously designed to enrapture voyagers. They illuminate the riches of antiquity: the cultural /artistic outpouring, the revered seminal philosophies, epic works of literature, inspiring mythologies, and thrilling voyages of discovery -- emanating from spirit, mind and body -- that have reverberated across the eons. Each day offers new ports of entry into this treasury.

For modern American and European travelers, the Mediterranean world has offered the irresistible pleasures of haunting classical ruins, sun-saturated landscapes, turquoise seas, exotic ancient cultures, Homeric reverberations, and escape from the burdens of urban life. Indeed, since the Renaissance, voyagers have returned to these lands to imbibe cultural Edens. But such journeys can also take on other heightened dimensions.

This is the vision that led to the genesis of Voyages to Antiquity – journeys that combine feasts for the senses with endless nourishment for the mind. Guiding passengers’ immersion are a host of distinguished scholars, impassioned expatriates, native guides, and eminent professors -- ancient art historians, archaeologists cultural historians and more. Indeed, it would be hard to find journeys of greater historical profundity and sheer beauty.

The force behind these voyages is scholar and Renaissance man, John Julius Norwich. He describes the itineraries as revealing the Mediterranean’s “inexhaustible wealth.” It is a region, he writes, that has “nurtured the most dazzling civilizations of antiquity, and saw the birth or blossoming of three of our greatest religions. Thus, the lands surrounding it are richer in painting, sculpture and historic monuments than any comparable area on earth.” He conceived of Voyages to Antiquity as the most powerful way to bring it all to life – to come as close as possible to the very marrow of Western civilization.

The ship, the Aegean Odyssey, offers the amenities, comforts, lovely cabins and delicious cuisine of any premier cruise vessel. But, Norwich notes: “We are not interested in mere cruises in the sun; our ship has no casinos, no discos, no black tie.” Instead of Las Vegas-style glitz, what takes center stage on these journeys is the bounty of antiquity. Passengers thrill in the noble archaeological sites and wondrous architecture that adorn the coastlines, cities, villages, and rugged countryside. Nature and art seem to harmoniously interact in ways no Greek god or Renaissance artist could conceive.

So profound is travelers’ immersion in the tapestry of antiquity that it can feel interwoven with the mythological and historic personages who inhabited and shaped each era: the architectural geniuses, the anonymous masters of mosaic and sculpture, poets, visionaries, kings, pharaohs, conquerors, silk traders, crusaders, pirates, warriors, gods, goddesses, and philosophers.

Travelers revel in the contrasting cultural heritage of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians, Minoans, Byzantines, Venetians, Mongols and Ottoman Turks. The imprimatur of each civilization reverberates at the moment of first encounter, and then again in the joys of recollection.

Those who shaped each civilization spring to life: the architects of the glorious Venetian empire, the heroes of the Trojan War, Homer, Cleopatra, Alexander the Great, Sophocles, Euripides, King Cyrus of Persia, Poseidon, Greek god of the sea, and so many more. While sailing to the Greek isles of Patmos, Delos, Crete, and Sámos, the pantheon of Greek mythology becomes palpable.

Their narratives flash out: how they infused their temples and hidden haunts with the full range of human-like jealousies, quirks, rages, revengeful acts and lusty raptures. While gazing upon the wine-dark sea from the deck of the Aegean Odyssey, these mythical and historic personages become companions, welcoming and guiding passengers’ voyages to the homelands they inhabited over the ages.

To deepen and sustain their immersion in antiquity, passengers can elect to combine two fortnight cruises into month long “Grand Voyages.” There are nine fabulous grand odysseys from which to choose. To cite just one, the Venice to Athens voyage traverses the magic of the Greek Isles, the intricate inlets of the Adriatic coast, and the sublime coastlines of Dalmatia and Turkey.

It takes you to the magnificence of classical Athens, to the cubistic spectacle that is Dubrovnik, the exotic and lush elegance of Corfu resonant with its 16^th-century Venetian past, and into the labyrinthine ruins of Aphrodisias and Knossos. Amidst the olive groves of Delphi one can walk on the mystery-saturated soil, the site where the Greek god Apollo spoke to supplicants through his Oracle.

On this same Grand Voyage, the forest-clad isle of Korcula, ennobled with Venetian fortifications, forms an exhilarating contrast with sun-soaked Delphi. The lush environs is believed to be the birthplace of Marco Polo. The gift of another day is to gaze upon Epidaurus, the best preserved of all the Greek theaters. This adventure also takes in the modern engineering marvel of the Corinth Canal. And these are only some of the highlights -- “an embarrassment of riches,” to be sure.

Seven of the voyages either begin or end in Istanbul, the mystical city straddling Europe and Asia, on the shores of the Bosporus. Called Constantinople when it was the center of the Byzantium Empire, the city that hosted many of antiquity’s civilizations was later renamed Istanbul. On the pre-cruise tour of the august city, passengers tour Hagia Sophia, the largest cathedral in the world for nearly 1,000 years. It later became a magnificent mosque, and is now a museum. Designed by an ancient Greek physicist and a mathematician, it was dedicated in 360 A.D.

The great poem of William Butler Yeats, “Sailing to Byzantium,” evokes the timeless monuments of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, more than any other literary work of the modern age. The poet’s impassioned desire is to escape the pangs of mortality, be granted a body immune to death and become transmuted into the eternal realm of art. He implores the ancient sources of wisdom:

O sages standing in God’s holy fire

be the singing-masters of my soul. . .

gather me into the artifice of eternity.

Once out of nature I shall never take

my bodily form from any natural thing,

but such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make

of hammered gold and gold enamelling

to keep a drowsy Emperor awake;

Or set upon a golden bough to sing

to lords and ladies of Byzantium

of what is past, or passing, or to come.

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Voyages to Antiquity represents the very best in “boutique-style” cruising. More expensive to operate than larger vessels, this more intimate cruise experience offers travelers diverse advantages: avoidance of crowds, the chance to wander through enticing villages off the tourist grid, and explore ancient sites inaccessible to large cruise ships.

A mid-size ship, the Aegean Odyssey has an intimate ambiance, classical elegance, the full range of amenities, and an ever pampering staff. Perfectly adapted to island and coastal cruising, its smaller eship allows for visits to intimate harbors, radiant small ports, remote inlets, and off-the-beaten-path bays not accessible to giant cruise ships. It can navigate around the superb Adriatic islands, pass through the Canal of Corinth, anchor at Patmos, where St. John wrote the Book of Revelations, and cruise close to the soaring cliffs of Mt. Athos peninsula.

Now a World Heritage Site where monks have lived since the 4^th century A.D., many of the 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries of Mt. Athos cling (in seemingly miraculous ways) to the craggy 7,000-feet promontories. Aboard the Aegean Odyssey, passengers get a rare chance to gaze upon a mountain saturated in sacred, mystical nectar, unlike any place on earth. It is where, as legend has it, the Virgin Mary, so enthralled by its beauty, asked her Son to make it her holy garden.

Many of the voyages feature several days of pre- and/or post-cruise tours of Rome, Athens, or Istanbul, with stays at premier properties. Among these luminary hotels are: the Athenaeum InterContinental and the Grand Bretagne, with its floodlit panoramas of the Acropolis (Athens); the Ceylan Inter Continental and Ritz Carlton exuding an Ottoman-era grandeur (Istanbul); the opulent Visconti Palazzo, the Flora, and the Dei Mellini (Rome); and the renowned Bauer Venezia (Venice).

Rather than being whirlwind tastes of famed cities, these leisurely tours, by seasoned native guides and scholars, give travelers an in-depth knowledge of why these places reverberate so powerfully through world civilization.

Voyages to Antiquity prides itself on featuring what can justifiably be considered the unsurpassed culinary traditions and world class wines of the Mediterranean world. Dinners in the stunning Marco Polo Restaurant include appetizers, four main courses and luscious deserts. The ship’s Terrace Café – with its opulent buffet -- features a choice of indoor or outdoor seating, not often found on cruise ships. Its Mediterranean décor and trattoria-like charm is an ideal setting to swap tales and impressions with fellow passengers about the wondrous places explored that day. Another culinary venue onboard, Tapas on the Terrace, gives passengers the late afternoon gastronomic delights and a full wine list.

Among the many other distinguishing facets of these voyages are a private visit to the Baroque Palazzo Gangi in Palermo, a visit to the Greek island of Patmos (where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation), free and low-cost air fares from gateway cities in the U.S., overnight excursions to Egypt’s Luxor, and nighttime stays in ports.

Allowing for independent explorations into the magical evenings of cities and towns, such nighttime stays are an unusual feature, as most cruise lines travel at night.

Yet another special feature of Voyages to Antiquity is the choice of generously large suites and staterooms, all with balconies. An elevated level of accommodation, “Concierge Class,” gives the option of special amenities and indulgences, beyond those that characterize all classes of travel.

The vessel’s richly appointed library encompasses volumes on classical civilization, philosophy, archaeology, literature and art history. The outstanding collection, unusual on Mediterranean cruise ships, was assembled by Oxford-based specialists in classical and ancient civilizations.

The ship’s Internet Center makes it possible for guests to straddle antiquity and modernity -- keeping in close touch with friends, family and colleagues, check the markets, and keep abreast of breaking world news. Beautiful lounges, a fully-equipped gym and spa, massage facilities, and beauty treatment specialists contribute to the balance of the sybaritic and the intellectual on these rare voyages.

The destinations of Voyages to Antiquity encompass some of the Mediterranean world’s “best kept secrets” along with the not-to-be-missed, iconic sites. The collective impact of these experiences will secrete a nectar that continuously nourishes one’s life.

Magic Marinates the Longest Running Film Festival in the Americas

2010-05-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco International Film Festival wrapped up its 15-day feast, on May 6, of 176 films from 46 countries, with around 100 filmmakers in attendance, and over 100 industry guests (screenwriters, producers, actors, and cinematographers) from 23 nations. Ninety-two screenings were sold-out at its venues -- the Sundance Kabuki, the Castro, the Clay, and the Pacific Film Archive -- a testament to the irresistible lure of this longest running film festival in the Americas, now in its 53rd year.

Stats aside, the Festival is a cornucopia of works that represent some of the most intriguing and masterful films being created in every corner of the world – from Italy and France to Israel, Argentina, Sri Lanka, Romania, Colombia, Egypt, Brazil, Yemen, Iran, Zimbabwe, the United Arab Emirates, and many more. Once again, the Festival lent credence to the potency of film to exert a transformative impact on spirit, mind, and emotions.

Greatness in filmmaking, abundantly exhibited at this year’s Festival, can release not “simply” exhilaration – but states of mind akin to a catharsis, an epiphany, an awakening to timeless rituals/realities, an unfurling of insight, a bedazzlement, the familiar made fresh and wondrous, and a bonding with peoples of vastly contrasting backgrounds. It offers the gift of access to otherwise inaccessible worlds -- the exotic that our workaday life eclipses.

We might be amazed that films of the first order can impact our lives as powerfully as peak moments actually experienced, in real time, or the crème de la crème of our nighttime dreams. They do not “simply” dazzle, stimulate, edify, or entertain, in passing ways. After experiencing the best, we might awaken the next morning with the stirring sensation that our life has been changed, in enduring ways.

And so, we want more. For two intense weeks every spring, San Francisco filmgoers can surrender to a luscious addiction. As May evokes nature’s budding and flowering outbursts, it feels appropriate that this Festival should be held in May -- giving budding filmmakers sensitive audiences and, for mature, long blossoming filmmakers, yet more opportunities to commune with devoted, often ravenous audiences.

Graham Leggat, Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Society (SFFS) that sponsors the Festival, speaks of this irrepressible impulse for more of everything that defines film culture: “more engagement, more invention, more excitement, more exploration, more transformation.” He proudly declares that every year the SFFS offers more – more youth education events, more classes, workshops, networking sessions, grant making, roundtables, residencies, filmmaker development assistance, special series, and more.

As the crown jewel of all this, the Festival is a treasure trove of narrative features, shorts, documentaries, live action shorts, and computer animation work. It exhilarated the over 80,000 hopelessly insatiable film lovers and aficionados in attendance this year. (While many of the films would be hard to see outside of festival settings, at least 45 documentaries and feature films have secured U.S. distribution or expect to shortly. The creative teams of many other films are navigating the routes to hoped-for theatrical release.)

This cinema phantasmagoria deserves the highest kudos as a Festival that has inspired the inception of other great film extravaganzas throughout America and, indeed, the world.

It also serves as a potent catalyst to the professional development of many new and emerging filmmakers who have a thrilling chance to screen their works before one of the most sophisticated and multi-cultural audiences anywhere in the world.

Winner of the annual New Directors Prize this year was a poetic reverie on fatherhood, Alamar (slated for theatrical release), by the Mexican director, Pedro González-Rubio. Elemental in its texture -- with sea spray, sun’s radiance upon water, seagulls’ grazing the sky, and tidal rhythms assuming a stature nearly equal to the three main characters -- the film is disarmingly simple in theme. Yet, its impact is mesmerizing.

A documentary feel opens the film, as González-Rubio succinctly lays out the premise: an eight-year-old boy, born of an Italian mother and Mexican father, spends an idyllic sojourn with his father in a sea-ravaged fishing boat along the Banco Chinchorro in the Mexican Caribbean (site of the world’s second-largest coral reef) and in ragtag Mayan fishing communities. Their ever-deepening bonding unfolds within a kind of sacred father-son space, in tranquil yet intense fashion, before the child has to be returned to his mother in Rome.

“I was inspired by the simplicity of happiness,” the director says, targeting the essence of his film.

(At the Q & A following the screening, González-Rubio confessed that the film emerged from his own childhood memories growing up with divorced parents, punctuated by too-frequent, poignant farewells to his father. With candor, he spoke of the deeply personal, cathartic impact of making the film.)

The young father tenderly initiates his son into the gritty and languorous allures of a seaman’s and diver’s life: teaching him to deftly clean the catch, plunging together into the reef’s mysterious canyons, sliding into the boat’s hammock beds, and watching the escapades of turtles and scurrying crabs on the wind-torn beaches. The viewer is cunningly seduced by the father’s vigilance vis-a-vis the boy and the gentle ways he inducts his son into the ways of the sea. The onboard presence of the boy’s Hemingway-esque grandfather infuses a spice of unspoken wisdom.

The charismatic visage of the father (played by Jorge Machado) and his sleek El Greco-like torso exude a subtext of sexuality never explored but teasingly present.

(González-Rubio comments that Machado chose, after completing this film, not to pursue the tantalizing limelight of acting, but instead is devoted to a career as an eco-tourism guide along the Yucatán’s charismatic coastline. One can imagine how his style as a guide likely assumes a meticulous quality similar to the manner that informs his caretaking of the boy.)

If the Mexican Caribbean plays an understated but riveting protagonist-like role in Alamar, in another Festival gem, Cairo Time, (scheduled for theatrical release), place itself again assumes an all-consuming, haunting stature.

Director Ruba Nadda (of Syrian and Palestinian lineage) relates that her visit to Cairo, as a teenager, exerted a reverberating force that etched itself into her psyche. A craving to celebrate the city’s pulsing exoticism propelled her, inexorably, into the film’s creation.

Patricia Clarkson delivers a quiveringly delicate performance as Juliette, a U.N. diplomat’s wife who arrives, wide-eyed, in Cairo for a rendezvous with her husband. The time together is envisioned as a respite from his peacekeeping mission in Gaza. But he becomes an increasingly elusive glimmer during Juliette’s sojourn, as his arrival is repeatedly delayed, depriving her of sharing with him her initial enthrallment by Cairo.

His unfortunate timing thrusts her into unanticipated sexual tension with his former Egyptian assistant Tariq (elegantly played by Alexander Siding), who embraces his role as her ever-solicitous guide -- escorting her through Cairo’s labyrinthine alleyways, into its ancient splendors, its glitterati haunts, and splendid promenades along the Nile.

Clarkson’s nuanced performance, in which she thrills at the gentlemanly attentions of a man far younger than she, infuses her life with a sense of endless possibilities, cut short by the inopportune arrival of her husband. Trembling on the brink of a transformative romance, her destiny is to surrender it all in an instant. (In this regard, it strikingly evokes

Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona, in which a similar, seemingly solid marriage is de-stabilized by an unexpected encounter with an exotic male.)

The melancholy engendered by the ruptured affair fuses with a sense that Tariq comes to represent all that is wondrous and paradoxical about Cairo: its inscrutability and hauteur, like the sphinx itself, its chaos relentlessly slicing into the luster. And more: its ubiquitous pyramids no longer lost amidst sculptured sands, but pressed against elite hotel towers and the crouching hovels of modernity. All this is the turf of his Egyptian soul.

If Tariq’s gentle exoticism has destabilized her marriage, the viewer is nevertheless left with a sense that, etched now into her life will be an ever-lingering magic, a sweet yet nurturing sorrow.