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!

Home sweet home

One final early morning wake up call on the Celebrity Equinox marked the beginning of the end. Ok, I won't be so dramatic. How about just the beginning of the last day of the best vacation we've had. Better? I hope so, because it only goes downhill from here, kids!


A quick look at the iPhone (before 6am) and I knew we were in for a long day. One US Airways plane goes from Philly to Rome, then back again, daily. That's it, no more than that. The outbound flight from Philadelphia was delayed (for maintenance), which in turn delayed our return flight by more than three hours. I can think of about a million other things I'd rather do than spend an extra three hours in the Rome airport (like wandering through the city), but I certainly didn't have a choice. On the bright side, we had the opportunity to catch up on posts and email. Not a complete loss, but it definitely brought us back to reality more quickly than we would've liked.


Side note: disembarkation from the ship was the best I've ever seen. We were dismissed as we arrived at our waiting area, luggage was ready to go, and we were happily surprised to see our driver waiting for us 40 minutes early.


Once we boarded the plane everything went fairly smoothly. In an attempt to quickly adjust back to East Coast time, we tried to stay awake during the flight. Surprisingly, I was the successful one. Movies certainly helped with that. Customs was a breeze, but the the whole process of gathering checked luggage and going through security again is not my idea of fun. It's especially tiresome when you're running on essentially no sleep and you have to meander through the mazes of construction in one of the world's worst airports. Ok, I'm being dramatic again. It wasn't that bad, but I just wanted to sleep! We had plenty of time between flights. This was mostly due to John's thoughtful planning and partially due to our flight to State College being delayed (weather).


After a long day of traveling, it was so nice to see Mary Ann's familiar and smiling face. Special thanks to her for picking us up very late in the crappy weather. Of course after seeing my friend I got my second wind. Not an ideal time for it, I know. So, I took full advantage of it and unpacked. Once the luggage was empty, laundry sorted, and washer set to begin in the morning, it was finally time for bed. I'm looking forward to a Waffle Shop breakfast and my dad bringing Glorydog back in the morning. Looks like it's back to the real world for us!

The Grand Finale

Today was a bittersweet day. We've had so much fun on our trip, but we're also ready to be back in the comfort of our own home. We've made wonderful new friends we won't see every day anymore, and we'll resume the craziness of life at home. With all this in mind, we began with another early day. After meeting Carol, Denise, Nick, and Fontaine at the bar, we made our way to the gangway and found our handsome Italian driver, Mario. After a few minutes in the van, I was again reminded that no one could pay me enough to drive in these cities!

The plan was to take in the Amalfi Coast via a van ride (with Johnny's Tour Service), while stopping a few times to explore and take pictures. I'll be honest. When we got in the van and began to drive I was disappointed. The weather forecast included fog through the day, and it certainly didn't help our tour! However, the fog slowly began to burn away which made viewing (and picture taking) much more enjoyable. The scenery along the way was like nothing I've ever seen before. After a relatively short drive through Sorrento and a few stops for photos along the Coast, we ended up in Positano. Of course the town was gorgeous, but also had a quaint sophistication about itself. We wandered and stumbled upon an old ornate chruch, which is still used today. A few of us ventured down to the beach. I think it was the most stunning view we saw all day. This shot from the beach, up the cliff is just amazing! It almost looks like the buildings are just stacked on one another. Positano had some super cute shops, but I was more impressed with the bakery. I got a meringe cookie the size of my hand for €1.50! It was almost like being in Venice again, but without the canals and with a very steep hill to climb.

From Positano we traveled to Amalfi Town. We had the most time to explore here, and I'm glad! After some window shopping, John whippped out his handy dandy Rick Steves book and found that the oldest paper mill (now museum) in Europe, Museo della Carta, was just a short distance away (uphill, of course). We made it up the hill just in time to join in with a tour that had recently begun. To watch the paper making process was interesting, and the old presses and tools were ancient! Well, maybe not literally, but does that even matter? Once we finished the tour, we rejoined the touristy area of the town, stimulated the economy, indulged in some pizza and much needed gelato (I couldn't help it. After being spoiled with it for an entire week, I was jonesin' for it!), and met up with our group in time to board the van for our next stop. As you may or may not know, this particular area of Italy is known for many things: ceramics, beautiful coastline, citrus fruits, and of course...limoncello! In true Nick fashion, a decent sized bottle was purchased, and it was gone (with everyone's help) by the time we arrived in Pompeii. But I digress...back to the tour!

The final town we visited was the highest we traveled, Ravello. To this point, most of the scenery looked similar. But, as we climbed the cliffside, we were awestruck. Terrace upon terrace layered the landscape with farms of many types: vinyards, olive trees, citrus trees, and even some shepherds with their herds of sheep. This town was much less crowded (and less touristy). We attempted to make the most of our time there, but we had less than an hour. We found a few treasures (both to bring home and to visit), and look forward to exploring more at some point in the future. The end of our tour here began our decent down the cliffside.

We arrived in Pompeii and allotted two hours for the tour (even though RS says three hours). There's only so much you can accomplish during the time you're in port. However, we had all seen so many ruins throughout the trip that we weren't exactly jumping with joy to trip over more, and some were already dragging from exploring three other towns prior. Not to mention that some more than others were feeling mighty fine after polishing off that bottle of limoncello! John played tour guide with his RS book and led us to the major sites throughout Pompeii. He did a good job; we all returned to the ship in one piece having learned something new. We saw the theatre, fast food joints, the largest home in Pompeii, and the most visited attraction: the brothel. As we exited, we finally captured a phenomenal picture of Mt. Vesuvius, the reason this site is so famous. One last look at the distant volcano and so came the finale of our land tours. It was a short trip back to the ship, and we all dreaded the imminent threat of real life as the ship came into view: packing. Mario took very good care of us all day, ensuring a safe trip and a timely arrival at the cruise port. To be honest, I don't quite know how he managed with all of us being loud and obnoxious all while driving up and down a cliffside of crazy sharp turns and scooters weaving in and out of traffic. But, he did and bid us farewell with bottles of more limoncello.

Our final embarkation was just another reminder that it was time to pack, and so we did. Well, we tried. First we packed. Then got frustrated and went to dinner. Then we packed again...and still we weren't finished. So, we met Nick and Fontaine for drinks. Then, you guessed it, we packed again! This time we finished and were glad to be done with it! We left the luggage outside the door and headed to the bar for one final get together with part of our group.

We enjoyed spending time with our Aussie and American friends, but the day's trip was taxing, and some of us were fading a little faster than others. Then, the life of the party showed up, Dustin! We all made sure to leave rave reviews about him on our comment cards, and we're hoping the next time we see him, he'll be our Cruise Director. A heartfelt and misty-eyed goodbye to our new friends left us feeling a little blue as we headed to our room. Although it was a long day, it was difficult to fall asleep with the excitement of returning to our own (much more comfortable) bed, along with the amenities we've evidently been taking for granted all our lifes (washer, dryer, iron, normal sized refrigerator). So now, it must be time to get some sleep, or it's going to be a long day of traveling back tomorrow!

One last day at sea

For one final day, we got to soak in the ambiance of the ship and relax before the last real day of our vacation tomorrow. I planned to sleep in, but Sarah had other designs. She booked a seaweed wrap and hot stone massage for 08:00. Not the time I would have chosen, but she came back relaxed and refreshed, and I was up and showered by the time she did. The day consisted of a number of smaller events:

• The ship held its one and only "fancy" brunch, which seemed to consist entirely of transplanting the foods served in the buffet for breakfast and lunch to nicer serving stations (think fruit carvings, etc.) in the main dining room.
• We competed in a number of different trivia sessions, none of which we won. Dustin did, however, give Sarah a medal which he had promised on Monday night in order to get her to dance, as well as free t-shirts, presumably so we would stop badgering him. I'll let you in on something...it didn't work.
• Gazing into the ocean from our balcony, we noticed that the water was quite likely the calmest ocean we have ever seen.
• A long session occured where we scribbled on brochures with future cruise itineraries trying to decide whether we were interested in booking another cruise, as they provide substantial incentives for booking your next cruise while onboard.

After the various activities of the day, we headed back to the room and got dressed for the ship's second and final formal night. Carol and Denise (who we are set to do our Naples excursion with) invited us, along with Nick, Fontaine, Danny, and Athena, to their balcony for a bottle of champagne before dinner. This was our opportunity to see "how the other side lives" on the cruise ship, as they were booked into a Celebrity Suite (the 3rd largest stateroom on the ship). The stateroom is as large as two regular staterooms with a separate bedroom and living room, large bathroom, and a balcony about five times the size of a regular balcony. Quite an impressive room, but not one I think I would ever book, even if I could afford it. We chatted for a bit, then left for dinner.

When we first got on board, we booked dinner for this night in Murano, the most highly regarded of the three specialty restaurants on the ship. We found out the next day that Nick and Fontaine had booked Murano for the same night, so the four of us had dinner together. The French cuisine was unique and inspired. The goat cheese soufflé in particular (which I had eaten on a previous cruise) was outstanding. I also had a very good lamb entree and Sarah had a steak entree. Sarah had some type of crepe dessert which was impressively prepared tableside. While the food was very good, both of us agreed that it was our least favorite of the three speciality restaurants.


I know that this was a short post, but the day really didn't consist of a large amount of events, just fun and relaxation. Tomorrow, for one final time, will be an action packed post from Sarah describing our trip to Naples and nearby areas.

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.

History and the Ephesians

Today marked our last day in Turkey. At about 9:30 the ship pulled into the port of Kusadasi, on Turkey's western coast. Kusadasi is a resort town, very popular with foreign tourists and Turkish vacationers. We were not here to relax, however. Kusadasi is also the access point to the ruins of Ephesus, an ancient Greek/Roman town. After getting off the ship, we had about an hour to kill in Kusadasi. Everything within walking distance of the dock was tourist shops, so we just meandered until 11:00 when we met our vehicle and tour guide, Emre, from the company Ephesus Shuttle. We shared the tour with Nick and Fontaine, Dwight and Maria, and Peter and Margot.

After about a half hour drive, we arrived at our first stop of the day, The House of the Virgin Mary. This house is in a secluded location on a mountain above Ephesus. It is believed that St. John brought Mary here for protection a few years after Jesus's death, and that she lived the last years of her life in the house. A number of popes, including John Paul II and Benedict XVI, have visited the site. It is a very serene location and a mass occurring outside the house made our visit even more spiritual. After visiting the house we lit candles, drank water from the spring near the house that is said to be some of the purest water in the world, and left wishes on a wall to be burned by a priest. I greatly enjoyed this visit and found it to be a very meaningful experience.

After descending down the mountain, we entered the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. Recall how I said we had a half hour drive from the port. Ephesus used to be a port town which was situated on the coast. Over time, the nearby river silted up the area and pushed the ocean further away. These ruins are actually the third incarnation of the city, as it had been moved twice due to this silting. The issue is still occurring to this day. The ruins of Ephesus (which are only 18% excavated) are a sight to behold, a sprawling town of marketplaces, temples, houses, and more. The site makes the Roman Forum look like a bunch of pebbles comparatively. There were three places in the ruins that were highlights. First was the Terrace Houses, the houses which the rich of the city lived in, still under excavation. The second was the Library of Celsus, a reconstructed facade of the library of the city, which was, at its time, the third largest library in the world. The third was the Great Theater, where Christianity was preached by St. Paul; he was beaten for it. The picture to the left shows a lion mosaic on a floor of a child's room in the Terrace Houses. The pictures below show us in front of the Library of Celsus, and also the Great Theater.

After leaving the ruins of Ephesus, we got some takeout Turkish food from the shop outside the site and ate it on the bus as we headed to our next site. It would have been nice if we had been given time to eat at a non-touristy Turkish restaurant instead, and this was one of only two disappointments with the tour. Our next visit was to the Basilica of St. John. This set of ruins is the site where a church was built to honor St. John. This church was ordered by Justinian during the decline of Ephesus, and so it was built with reused materials and was devastated quickly by the passing of time. We saw the baptistetry, the area where the altar was, and also the tomb of St. John. Of course, the bones of St. John were removed from the tomb and are now in Italy. We then made a quick stop at the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, which is now nothing more than two pillars. The picture to the left shows one of the pillars (complete with stork's nest on the top), with the Basilica of St. John in the background.


On our way back to the ship, we encountered the second disappointment of the tour. We were suddenly taken to a carpet shop, a stop on the itinerary which was not discussed at any point prior to about 5 minutes before arrival. For a little bit of credit, the shop we were taken to is the one shop that Rick Steves recommendes in his guidebook for buying carpets in the Ephesus/Kusadasi area. We were treated to a nice demonstration on the making of rugs, Turkish drinks, and a very non-pushy salespitch. We endured the ritual and then headed back to the port. We had an early dinner, checked out the hot glass show on the ship, then retired. It was overall a very enjoyable day, and I cannot imagine a more impressive archaeological site than Ephesus. tomorrow brings Athens, and what is sure to be an interesting look at the history of the world.

Istanbul, take two

Today was only a half day in port, so we did our best to make the most of our short day in Istanbul. We thought it best to go with a Celebrity sponsored excursion so we wouldn't miss the ship. The excursion was comprised of three parts: an hour and a half cruise down the Bosphorus Strait, a stop at a jewelry store (that sneaky cruise line!), and some time at the Spice Bazaar. We boarded the bus and our guide gave us an overview of the day. No one seemed thrilled about the jewelry store, but all were excited to stimulate the Turkish economy (again) at the Bazaar.

After a very short bus ride across the Galata Bridge, we boarded a smaller boat with other Celebrity passengers and prepared for our narrated sail along the Bosphorus. The cruise took us past our ship and we were finally able to get a good look at our flag! The cruise was uneventful and the narrator difficult to understand. Seriously, it was like listening to the teacher from Charlie Brown for the majority of the trip.


The strait was littered with fishermen eager to sell their catch to the restaurants below the bridge-talk about using fresh and local products! We have tons of pictures from the cruise, but of course can't remember what 90% actually are (or we never knew in the first place). A well known Turkish tale goes something like this:

A king (or sultan...not sure) was warned by a witch that on her eighteenth birthday, his daughter would be bitten by a snake and die. In order to ensure her safety, he had a tower built in the middle of the Strait so that it would be impossible for a snake to bite her. When she turned eighteen, the king was thrilled that the prophecy hadn't come true. So happy that he went to visit his daughter, celebratory basket of fruit in hand. The basket also happened to house a snake. It bit her and she died.

Sound familiar? I thought so! Well, believe it or not, this is the tower which coincides with the tale. Pretty crazy, huh? Unfortunately, neither of us can remember the name of the tower; sorry!


So, we're cruising along and I finally whisper in John's ear, "I don't want to go to the jewelry store." I know, music to every man's ears! His happy response was expected and he jumped at the opportunity. After talking with the guide, we determined it would be easy to separate fom the group after the cruise and meet at the Spice Bazaar. At one point John declared, "Under no circumstance will I go to that jewelry store!" This ended up being the quote of the day and we all used the starter, "Under no circumstance..." for the remainder of the day.

So, we made the short walk to the Bazaar with Denise, Fontaine, and Nick and had extra time to shop there. This certainly ended up being a fantastic idea, as it gave us time to stroll leisurely. (Envision an indoor farmer's market.) We even had time to explore a neighboring market less visited by tourists. The scene of the market enveloped us as we entered. Vendors beckoned us to visit their shops, while others played to our sense of smell and let their products speak for themselves. Mounds of fresh spices and teas packed crammed vendor stalls, and yet others were plastered with brightly colored ceramics. The scent of fresh baklava married nicely with frequent and kind offers of green apple tea. Samples of Turkish Delight every few steps made it seem as though we never set foot off the ship! We browsed in a few shops, and after about half an hour we made our way through the entire marketplace. This gave us the chance to compare prices and deide what we really wanted to purchase. But, it also gave us time to do something else.

Just outside the Spice Bazaar is another, much smaller market--the pet and plant market. We thought it would be interesting to check it out, to delve deeper into Turkish culture. Well, we did, and it was interesting to say the least! The first thing we laid eyes on was a group of large plastic jars filled about halfway with water...and eels...and leeches. As we meandered our way through the narrow walkways we came across fruit trees wrapped in burlap, ready for transport and roses in just about any color imaginable. The plants in the market were simply stunning! Unfortunately a large potion of the market was pets (or supplies for them). Many types of fish swam in aquariums, and we heard cats meowing and dogs barking from somewhere upstairs. Cages lined storefronts from cobblestone to ceiling with birds: ducks, peacocks, guinea hens... You name it, they had it! Still other outdoor cages housed bunnies, hamsters, puppies, and kittens. Totally made us miss Glory and we left soon thereafter. I know one thing...PETA would have a field day with that place and its' small, overcrowded cages. There was one good thing about this market. All of the vendors knew we were tourists, and so no one badgered us to buy their product. I guess customs isn't always bad! Anyway, back to the Spice Bazaar for the real shopping! Some purchases of note: tea, various spices, and of course, a big box of Turkish Delight. Thus ended our fun in Istanbul.

We hung out with Nick and Fontaine for the rest of the night. After a game of trivia (lost in sudden death) and a quick listen in on the a capella group onboard, we headed to dinner. The men were more than happy since cheese stuffed meatballs and filet mignon were on the menu. Yes, they each ordered both. We heard the a capella group again, then settled into the movie theatre for Bridesmaids. Absolutely hilarious! I guess that one can be removed fom the Netflix queue now. After a busy day, our heads hit our pillows hard. tomorrow will be another busy day. Thank you, Constantinople for the beautiful sights in your city. Here's hoping we'll be well rested and fully charged for our last day in Turkey!