Feline Frolics from Around the World
Beccy Miller
It was recently International Cat Day, so to celebrate, we looked at our feline friends' connections to popular cruising destinations.
Lucky Cats
It’s no exaggeration to say the Japanese love their feline friends, which are thought to have been introduced into the country some 1500 years ago, about the same time as Buddhism. Hop on a cruise there, and you’ll see clowders of cats hanging around temples. Tokyo’s Gotokuji Temple is a must-visit. Legend has it that a cat gave shelter to a feudal lord during a thunderstorm by beckoning him out of the rain. Cue the birth of Maneki neko fortune cats, which come in various sizes but all sit up with one beckoning paw raised. Naturally you can’t come home without one or two as souvenirs.
Ye Gods!
Oh to be a cat in ancient Egypt. They protected crops from mice, pharaohs against scary things (such as snakes & scorpions) and were so revered that gods such as Mafdet and Bastet took on cat-like facial features. Plenty of mummified cats have been found, many buried with small pots which Egyptologists reckon contained milk. One script uncovered suggested that between 60 and 56BC a Roman was even lynched for killing a cat. Happily that’s not allowed (or required!) in Egypt these days but while cruising the Nile we’d advise giving cats a wide berth, just to be on the safe side!
Going Greek
As the ancient Egyptian civilization was dying, the ancient Greeks were getting set to take over the known world. And how better to reassure the peoples you're invading than by having similar gods? The Greek goddess Artemis took on all Egyptian god Bastet’s associations with cats, and the rest, as they say, is history. Cats, mostly strays fed scraps by locals and tourists, are everywhere in Greece, on the mainland, on the islands, and on T-shirts.
Feline Festivities
Every three years, the city of Ypres in Belgium has a cat parade to honour the city’s moggies. You’ve missed the 2024 one but worry not; now’s the time to make a date for the 2027 parade on May 9. Seats cost extra, but you can stand and watch for free. And don’t forget to hang around for the evening finale, when toy cats are tossed from the city’s belfry. Who says the Belgians don’t have a sense of humour? It’s a bit early for 2027 cruises to be on sale, but you can visit Ypres from Ghent on this Riviera cruise and suss out the best spot to be on the big day.
Safari So Good
International Cat Day was set up to honour our feline friends, but it would be very size-ist of us not to put in a word for their big cousins. After all, who wouldn’t want to go on safari in Africa to see lions, tigers and other big game. Azamara’s South Africa Intensive cruises are just the ticket.
