Trip in Review: Sarah's Take

Well, it looks like John took the easy road on this one! I certainly can't duplicate, so I've taken a different spin on the lists. This was a fun trip full of surprises and lessons learned.

Things I Learned on Vacation (either because of it, or in spite of it)

• The best places to shop are the markets and bakeries.
• Sleep is not overrated.
• On the weekend, be sure to make dinner reservations.
• Take full advantage of sea days to recharge your batteries.
• Live a little...it's okay to return to the ship at the last minute. (As long as you do indeed return.)
• Don't be cheap--try out the specialty restaurants.
• Make the most of your time in port. Check out the must see sites and the roads less traveled.
• Always, always, always have snacks on hand.
• Download and use the free Rick Steves audio tours (and preview them).
• Do your homework ahead of time--have at least a little background knowledge before visiting a new city or site.
• It's okay to "waste" a day in port. Relax and take cues from the locals. Get caught up in what they do, not what the tourists do.
• Embrace the people you meet during your trip (locals and tourists). Make new friends!
• Participate in activities on the ship (other than happy hours and spa treatments). Go to trivia and other contests.
• If you plan to stimulate the economy, share the wealth. Don't save souvenir shopping until the last minute (and last city).
• Must-haves include: Rick Steves books, journal or notebook, MP3 player, clothing for layering.
• Take full advantage of Cruise Critic for--organizing tours, transportation, and learning more about the ship and ports of call.
• Regardless of your planning, truly take to the heart the suggestions of those who know best (owner of the B&B you're staying in, etc.).
• Invest in the appropriate RS phrase books. They're worth their weight in gold, especially when ordering from Italian only menus!

Top 5 Gelato Flavors

1. Salted Caramel

2. Limoncello

3. Biscotti

4. Melon

5. Nutella

Travel Tips

• Venice, Italy: Get lost...literally.
• Florence, Italy: Enjoy the gelato, it's the best. Seriously, find out if you'll be there during the gelato festival and check it out if you can. (We missed it by a week.)
• Rome, Italy: Check out local listings before visiting. Find out what the locals are doing and try to participate or observe.
• Santorini, Greece: Do not use the donkey stairs.
• Istanbul, Turkey: Use the public transportation system. It's easy and will make your life significantly easier.
• Kusadasi, Turkey: When on a tour, don't allow yourself to get roped into going to a carpet shop (or leather shop, or any other type of shop) with the promise (yeah right) that there is no pressure to buy anything.
• Athens, Greece: Get to the Acropolis first, like as soon as they open. You'll notice a huge difference in the crowds between the time you arrive and the time you leave.
• Mykonos, Greece: Take the time to people watch. If you don't go to the beach, be sure to at least dip your feet in. You can't travel to the Med and not put your feet in it!
• Amalfi Coast, Italy: Take your time exploring the towns along the coast. Don't pack your day so full so that you're rushed out of them before you've had your fill.

Photo Superlatives

Best Reminder of Home (Venice, Italy)

Italy's version of the Nittany Lion.

Best Reason to Visit Italy (Florence, Italy)

Nothing beats a cone of gelato while people watching.

Best Reason for Chiropractor Visit upon Return Home (Rome, Italy)

The best pieces to check out are always on the ceiling.

Best Reason to Miss the Ship (Santorini, Greece)

Really, the only reason to miss the ship is the view here.

Best Combination of Art and Worship (Istanbul, Turkey)

Intricately painted tiles show off the handiwork of Turkish artists while the sliver in the dome indicates the direction to Mecca for worshiping.

Most Serene Moment (Hills above Ephesus, Turkey)

Mass in Latin, solemn walk through the House of the Virgin Mary, drink of healing water, and finally a simple, powerful prayer.

Most Accurate Depiction of Our Thoughts on Ruins (Athens, Greece)

Yes, even when you think they've ended, the ruins continue, even through that small opening. Not just this time, but every time!

Best Place to be a Pirate (Mykonos, Greece)

Nameless, identical streets are only part of the maze which deterred pirates from invading and looting in this cozy, beautiful town.

Saddest (Pompeii, Italy)

Not only the end of the road for our trip, but quite literally shows the devastating end of a flourishing civilization (look carefully for the area where wheel ruts begin and end, where road reconstruction stopped when Vesuvius erupted).

Best Representation of Driving in Italy (Amalfi Coast, Italy)

Narrow, windy roads with tunnels and cliffside impeding the ability to detect oncoming traffic...I'm glad we let Mario do the driving!

I'm so very happy we chose to write this blog together. Now we'll always have something to remind us of our trip! We had a great time, no regrets, and I'm ready for another vacation already!

Trip In Review: John's Take

Sitting back at home relaxing with our dog sleeping nearby, I've been pondering the experience that we just had.  To start off, it was, without a doubt, the best vacation of my life and one of the best overall experiences I have ever had.  We learned a stunning amount about the history of the world and saw sights which I have had pictured in my head since I was a young child.  We made new friends, relaxed (just a little bit), and enjoyed wonderful cuisine both on land and on the cruise ship.  I found Italy to be a most amazing country and hope we get to return there many times over the course of our lives.  The cruise itself was also wonderful, both the ship and the staff.


I am not as capable at writing these posts as Sarah is (as you may have noticed), and have decided to sum up my experience with two lists.  The first one is a list of my rankings of each place we visited in terms of how much I enjoyed each.  The second is in terms of how much I would like to go back to each place.  There is actually quite a bit of difference between these two lists.


So, here we go.  First, the rankings for enjoyment of each place we went:

1. Istanbul, Turkey - The history of this city was fascinating with an almost unending supply of top notch museums/buildings.  The only let downs were the Grand Bazaar, and to a lesser extent, the Bosphorus cruise.  The overnight stay really let Istanbul shine.
2. Venice, Italy - A charming city.  Even the touristy areas were not overwhelmingly busy when we were there, and once we got off the beaten path, Venice was even more amazing.
3. Naples, Italy (Amalfi Coast and Pompeii) - The Amalfi Coast was stunning.  The scenery was unbelievable, and the towns, particularly Ravello, were beautiful.  Pompeii was a worthwhile stop, even with our fatigue of ruins at that point.
4. Athens, Greece - This proud country shined when depicted through the history of Athens.  The Acropolis was a sight to behold.
5. Florence, Italy - Our two days in Florence were delightful.  The town was so easy to walk around in, and we were never at a loss for good food.
6. Rome, Italy - Of course the Vatican and the Colosseum lived up to their billing.  But Rome was so much more hectic and busier than Venice and Florence, and after four days of the freedom of walking almost everywhere, having to rely on the metro was a bit of a let down.
7. Kusadasi, Turkey (Ephesus) - Ephesus was probably the best of the many ruins of the trip.  The House of the Virgin Mary was very spiritual. Kusadasi itself was forgettable.
8. Santorini, Greece - This ranking is deceiving.  Santorini is beautiful (almost as much so as the Amalfi Coast), but we were rushed due to the short time in port and the time consuming process of getting back to the cruise ship.
9. Mykonos, Greece - It was a nice place to relax and stroll, but nothing about Mykonos really popped.  I think this is just on cruise ship itineraries because it is a popular resort destination and it is easy to get to for ships.

Now, the rankings for which places I would most like to return to:

1. Venice, Italy - I could wander around Venice for a week without getting tired of it.  It would probably be even better since we could almost totally stay out of the major tourist areas (Rialto, Saint Mark's).
2. Naples, Italy - While I wouldn't go back to Pompeii, I could similarly spend a week in the Amalfi Coast without getting tired of it.  There are also many other points reachable from Naples which I would like to see (Capri, Herculaneum, Mount Vesuvius, Naples itself).
3. Rome, Italy - Our two days in Rome were severely constrained by the large number of must-see sites which limited our ability to just explore, in addition to the lackluster weather on Sunday.  I think Rome could really make an impact on a return visit.
4. Santorini, Greece - I would like to return to Santorini for either a longer stay in port or, ideally, for a few nights in a hotel.  I could just sit in Oia for hours and hours and stare at the caldera and then the sunset.  I'd also like to explore the island.
5. Florence, Italy - There are quite a few more things in Florence I would like to see and do, but of our three overnight stays in Italy this one was the one which felt the most comprehensive and complete.
6. Athens, Greece - We had a busy day which covered most of the major sites.  Athens would be a good return visit as a jumping off point for other locations in Greece and to pick up anything we missed.
7. Istanbul, Turkey - Our whirlwind trip to Istanbul saw us visit almost every site I have interest in there.  The notable exception is the Mosque of Suleman the Magnificent.  The pushy nature of the shopkeepers there (not just in the Grand Bazaar) also really limits my interest in returning.
8. Mykonos, Greece - I enjoyed it, but the only reason I would want to go back to Mykonos is to try out their famous beaches, but there are many other places that also have famous beaches.
9. Kusadasi, Turkey - I got everything I needed to out of Ephesus and the other ruins.

Some of these rankings above have a very fine line between them, particularly in the first list.  Every port was excellent.  It was the trip of a lifetime.  Hopefully one of many.  I am glad we decided to chronicle our journey in this blog for everyone to read and for our personal record.  I hope you enjoyed reading it.  Until our next trip, arrivederci!

Mykonos is for relaxing

Mykonos represented our one port destination where we did not have some kind of pre-planned activity or schedule to adhere to. The island doesn't have many important sites, save the nearby island of Delos, which is an uninhabited island of very important ruins. Given that we have been just about "ruin"-ed out, we decided to skip this one. That leaves us with relaxing, as Mykonos town is a very quaint town with lots of cafes and shops, and the island is also known for its famed beaches. We decided to just go into town and explore, and see where the day would take us.

We had a relatively late night the evening before, so we got off the ship with Nick and Fontaine around 08:30. Our ship was docked at the new port, which required taking a shuttle bus. Of course, since the town doesn't have real streets, the bus still dropped us off a good fifteen minute walk away from the action. We strolled around, got lost, and checked out the sites of the town. One of the first things we stumbled upon was a pelican just hanging out in a restaurant on the waterfront. A number of years ago, a fisherman rescued an injured pelican and nursed it back to health. Ever since then, the pelicans have been the mascot of the island. They inhabit the town and are unafraid of humans.

The picturesque town includes very small pedestrian streets throughout almost the whole area, with only a main U-shaped street being a bit wider and able to accommodate small vehicles for deliveries. We wandered around town, and through the course of our journey found a few of the "big" sites. First was Little Venice, a beautiful set of buildings which hang over the waterfront in a similar fashion to the canals of Venice. There's not much to it, but it is very pretty. We went to sit down for a drink at one of the restaurants on Little Venice, but the eight euro coffees were a bit too salty for our taste, so we headed elsewhere. The other famed site of Mykonos is its windmills on the hill. There isn't much to them (and you can't go inside of them), but they make for a very nice photo opportunity.

Eventually we settled in at a harbor front cafe for drinks. Nick and I then proceeded to stay and people watch while Sarah and Fontaine went shopping. An hour or two later they made their way back to us. We made our way a few streets over to the both Rick Steves and shopkeeper recommended Niko's Taverna for lunch. Fontaine, who is of strong Greek descent and is very proficient in the language, ordered a smorgasbord of Greek appetizers, including on that wasn't even on the menu. We devoured the absolutely delicious food and took our time to soak in the town. Even with the glut of passengers from the cruise ship, the town still has a charming, slow-down feel to it.

After lunch we decided that we weren't interested in going to the beach, and tried to figure out what to do next. With both the beach and Delos off the table, we concluded that we had seen all we needed to see of Mykonos. For the first time, we returned to the ship with more than an hour to spare before departure. On the way back, I realized that even though we've been in the Mediterranean for over two weeks, I have yet to touch the ocean. I dipped my feet in the Aegean Sea for a few moments and then we hopped on the shuttle bus. (Sarah had put her feet in the water when we first got off the shuttle bus in the morning.) We played a bit of trivia (and won), relaxed, then went to dinner with Nick, Fontaine, Lee, and Karon. Overall, Mykonos is a very nice town to just slow down; if we ever make it back, we will be sure to enjoy the beaches. It was nice to have a port day that didn't inclue nonstop sightseeing. Next up is a day of relaxation at sea on our way back to Italy and our last port, Naples.

Still more ruins!

When we planned this vacation, we billed it as a "learning vacation". Our visit to Athens was no exception to the rule. As interesting as it's been, I'm pretty sure we're close to having our fill of touring ruins! John did a great job planning our tours, and this one proved to be just as good as the others. We met Danny and Athena bright and early to meet our driver, Dimitris, who narrated our tour through the city. With his knowledge of the city streets, he got us to the Acropolis before the masses engulfed the place. For that we were more than grateful!

The Acropolis, which means "high city", was a sight to behold. Ancient Greeks rebuilt the Acropolis in the 400s B.C., after it had been destroyed by the Persian invasion. This amazing example of Greek architecture was a four building temple in honor of Athena, the protector of Athens. While the other structures (Erechtheion, Propylaea, and the Temple of Athena Nike) were beautiful, the main event here was the Parthenon. The structure is enormous, but the architectural tricks used in these ancient times is the real show stopper. Slight bends and curves were built into the marble steps and columns so that it would appear to be level, while also being functional, draining rain water. Without these tricks, the Parthenon would appear to sag, but instead it is unwavering and perfectly balanced (or so it appears to the naked eye). Not only was this a place of worship (housing gigantic statues, including one of Athena), but it also served as the city's naturally, well-protected treasury. Restoration on all of the temples is ongoing, and we were lucky enough to finally see people working on some ruins!

After the neck breaking walk around the Parthenon we ventured to the other temples. None were nearly as overwhelming, but were interesting in their own rite. The Erechtheion holds its own stories and character. One of the porch's columns are actually carved into ladies, or Caryatids. Beside the porch is an olive tree. Although a replacement, it represents the tree Athena planted here during her battle with Poseidon. The Temple of Athena Nike was tiny compared to the others, but the history behind it is better than the rest (in my opinion). This was the first structure atop the Acropolis to use intricately carved Ionic columns. The temple was mostly used for worshiping Athena (hence the name). Athenians believed the protector of their city ensured their victory (nike) and the temple housed a grand statue of the goddess. At one point, Athenians broke the wings off the statue so that Athena couldn't leave Athens, and so would have no choice but to stay and protect their city. This changed the name of the temple to the Temple of Wingless Athena.

Although these sights were impressive, I truly believe the beauty of the Acropolis lies in the platform with the Greek flag proudly hoisted. The stripes in the flag represent the nine syllables in the phrase "Freedom or Death" in Greek. This was certainly taken seriously during WW II. During the Nazi invasion in 1941, an evzone (elite Greek soldier) was ordered to remove the flag. Without hesitation he took it down and proceeded to wrap himself in it. In a final act of Greek pride (and Nazi defiance) he jumped to his death. This flag can been viewed from almost anywhere in Athens. Due to modern building codes, one must apply for a special permit to build a tall building. The building code's sole purpose for existence is so that everyone in the city can view the Acropolis. The flag is a lot of things, but perhaps this one is most importantly a reminder of Greek sacrifice for indepencence.

We had a little time left before we met up with Demitrius, so we took the time to climb Areopagus (also known as Mars Hill). Paul is known to have preached to the Athenians here. Of course there were plenty of tourists getting photos of themselves preaching to whomever pretended to listen. Aside from the tourists, it was quite the view and moving to think that I was standing on the same hill from which Paul preached. You can see tourists behind John playing Paul. We made the short decent down the hill and met up with the rest of our group. As impressive as the Acropolis is, it's almost unbelievalbe that it only takes up seven acres.


From the Acropolis, Dimitris took us to the top of Lykavittos Hill for a quick photo op. We got some pictures and hopped back in the car in search of the Roman Agora. We got there, spent about 20 mintues, and were on our way to another Agora. There isn't a whole lot to say about the Roman Agora. It was a small marketplace and there's a pretty tower which depicts the eight winds. Now, to the Ancient Agora.

The Ancient Agora began as an open marketplace, but evolved through time under the rule of various emperors. Our first visit was to the Stoa of Attalos, which was a shopping mall in its hayday. It is a reconstruction and houses a museum. The museum displays a collection of artifacts from the Agora going all the way back to the 3200s B.C. Some of the artifacts prove this truly is where democracy was born. There is a voting machine which chose the city council (lottery style, similar to our jury duty system). Also included in this section are many ostrakan, votes cast on shards of pottery to ostricize tyrrants and corrupt leaders. There were some fairly famous names on some of those precious pieces of pottery: Themistocles and Aristides. As we stolled through time we even saw something to reminded us of the FTG family: ancient BBQ pits and grills.

The next notable ruin was the Temple of Hephaistos. It was built during the golden age of architecture and is one of the best preserved temples in Greece. The temple was named for the Blacksmith God, and two bronze statues were placed in the center of it: one of Hephaistos and one of the infamous Athena. Through time the temple served as a place of pagan worship, Christian worship, and recently, a Greek icon. Departure from the temple took us to the Statue of Hadrian. Now headless, this statue is of the Roman emperor, Hadrian (who ruled in 120). This picture is of his breast plate and depicts Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf who raised them. Of course, above them is Athena. Although Hadrian was not an Athenian, he marveled at their culture and was grateful for all he learned from them. He poured plenty of money into the city, and so many things were named after him, including an entire neighborhood.

Finally, time for lunch! Dimitris promised us authentic Greek food and he did not disappoint. When we arrived at the restaurant we were happy (but not necessarily surprised) to see other tour groups from our ship. After a short lesson with Fontaine, I felt pretty confident in what to order. Nick and Fontaine ordered plenty, and shared what they had. The meatballs were good, but the artichokes were out of this world! After a quick stop at the bakery beside the restaurant we were on the road again, this time to the National Archaeological Museum. It's a top notch museum and took us chronologically through time. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to get through the entire thing. One thing of particular interest was the special exhibit: The Antikythera Shipwreck. The famous shipwreck (thought to have wrecked between 60-50 B.C.) was recovered in 1900, 1901, and 1976. Considering the wreckage was submerged underwater for almost two millenia, the artifacts (sculptures, a piece of the hull, pottery, and much more) are unbelievably well preserved. Most interesting is this sculpture of a boy. As you can see, half of his body was preserved burried in the sand, while the other half deteriorated in the sea.

Next on the agenda was watching the Changing of the Guard. How very cool! The changing we watched took place in front of the Parliament building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. These young soldiers change every hour and their cadence and intricacy of the change is remarkable. The evzone guards sport a skirt with 400 pleats (representing the 400 years they were under Turkish rule) and a red cap (representing bloodshed) with a long black tassel (representing the tears shed for those lost). Much like the Vatican guards, these stonefaced men stand guard through all hours of the day, and remain focused even when photocrazed tourists stand tight up against them to have their pictures taken. We topped off the excursion with what else? Shopping! A quick trip to the Plaka secured my much coveted postcard and a bronze statue of Athena the goddess for Athena the Aussie.


Although exhausted from the day of touring, there was still plenty of fun to be had on the ship! After a quick dinner we met Danny, Athena, Nick, and Fontaine for Happy Hour and Guess that Tune (Motown). We did fairly well, but didn't come close to the perfect score of the table next to us. More drinks at the Molecular Bar (talk about some well thought out recipes) promised an interesting evening for all. We soon found ourselves poolside with Nick and Fontaine, along with our favorite Cruise Director staff member, Dustin. Greek dancing ensued, which soon turned into a mix of oldies and contemporary. Needless to say, after the long day, we slept well.

Santorini or bust! (Or be a hitch hiker.)

What began as a low-key, relaxing day turned out to be quite an adventurous one! Once we grabbed a quick breakfast, we headed to the Solarium (adult only pool area), books and iPad in hand. We were lucky enough to snag one of the ginormous basketlike chairs, which could hold a family of four. As we read, we watched the tranqualizing Aegean waves ripple across the sea toward small islands. What a calming way to begin another beautiful day!

Our arrival in Santorini was uneventful, but we did opt for the Celebrity sponsored excursion. This enabled us to tender to the island before any of the other passengers (along with some friends we made through Cruise Critic: Fontaine & Nick and Lee & Karon). A short tender ride landed us in Athinios. There we waited until our bus drove us up the long, steep, and winding road to a local winery. There were picturesque views of the caldera and masterfully engineered vineyards. The bus dropped our group at the winery and we tasted the wine while exploring and taking in the beautiful scenery. It was a quick stop, then we were back on the bus for the main event: Oia.

Once we got off the bus, we totally ditched the tour group and headed off with our small group. Here in Oia, the views were simply stunning. The blue domed roofs and white washed walls atop the cliffs stood out brilliantly against the sea far below. We popped into a nearby church and I must admit, I was in awe. We've seen some beautiful churches since our adventure began, but nothing like this before! This tiny church was unassuming from the outside, blending with the shops and homes around it. But inside was a totally different story! Ornate and gorgeous, no...there are no verbs in the English language which do this church justice.

We began exploring this tiny town (always on the look out for The Red Bicycle, a restaurant recommendation from Jamie) and soaked in the beautiful views it had to offer. While the ladies shopped the men explored, sometimes where they shouldn't. We snatched up some great finds, including more books! Finally, we got directions to The Red Bicycle, but it was closed. Lee was kind enough to ask a local shopkeeper if it were possible to get in, and he gladly obliged. The manager opened early for us to share a bottle of wine, and we had the whole place to ourselves! The view from the restaurant was probably the best we had all day, and was well worth the prolonged search.

As you may (or may not) know, Oia is quite possibly the most beautiful setting at sunset. Unfortunately, due to our departure time, we are unable to tell you if this is true. We made our way back down the main street to the bus stop. Since we ditched our tour group (which only spent an hour in Oia), we needed to take the local bus instead. We took the short ride to Fira, the capital of Thira (the main island of Santorini), and explored some more. But first, we needed a potty break...and then we didn't. Some ladies found out (the hard way) that it was probably best to wait until we could find something that was more than just a hole in the ground with some cement around it. Of course the men found this hilarious, and were skeptical as to whether this could possibly be true. At that point, John was using the facilities, and the others wanted proof. Only at this point did the ladies realize (to our muted horror) there was a window and any person taller than 5'0" could see into the stall! I knew we would happen upon this type of toilet eventually, but was totally hoping the moment would never come. Later, Fontaine so wisely noted, "How is it they [the Greeks] invented the alphabet but they can't figure out plumbing?" Anyway, back to the adventure at hand!


Exploration of Fira was limited and was geared toward finding the cable cars (and something to eat). The path to the cable cars was clearly labeled, so we found a place to eat. Everyone was satisfied with their food and John enjoyed a Yellow Donkey, a beer brewed in Santorini. By the time we were finished with our snack it was about 20:00, just an hour and fifteen minutes before the last tender. Generally that wouldn't be a big deal. But, when there are only two ways down the cliff side (one the ladies vetoed: the 500+ "donkey steps"), the line for the cable cars is rather long.


As we waited a joke came to mind the tour guide told earlier in the day. What's the difference between a tourist and a hitch hiker? Anyone know? Five minutes. I didn't think it was a good time to bring that sort of levity to our semi anxious group at the time, so I abstained. And anyway...I'm not sure what we would've called ourselves. Just six Americans without their passports in a politically unstable Greece who missed their ship? Too long. A prize to anyone who can come up with anything better!

The wait atop the unusually cold and windy cliff seemed to last forever, but we finally made it to the ticket counter! From there, anxiety over whether we would make it decreased. And then we got our first close up of the cable cars. Holy smokes! Those suckers fit six to a car (enclosed, phew!) and only take three minutes to get from Fira to the port. The windy ride down was interesting, but quick. We hoped our adventure for the day would end here, but we were sorely mistaken. Our feet firmly on the ground, we scoped out the tendering situation. Final tender time was 9:15, and we made it just in time! There were three tenders waiting for passengers on our ship (a good thing considering there were at least 75 people behind us), the waves tossing them as though they were a child's toys. The ride back to the boat was manageable, although slightly unsettling. We finished the evening with dinner at the creperie (too late to make our dinner reservation) and what is definitely the worst show I've ever seen. (No, we did not stay for the whole thing; it would have been maddening.) As our ship pulled away, John was able to capture the beauty of Santorini at night...just gorgeous!

It was a wonderful day in Santorini, and I can see why it's such a popular destination. The calming effects of the blue and white landscape against the pumice stone and volcanic rock, with pops of color from a few daring Greeks make this island the most beautiful scene I've laid eyes on. Maybe we'll retire to Santorini one day. After all, who wouldn't enjoy walking out their front door to this view every morning?