Karnen

Disembarkation was sad but went smoothly, except for the fact that our driver was to meet us at Terminal A and we pulled in at Terminal C. The small mix-up was solved and after a short wait our driver found us. The port is actually in Pireus, a “suburb” of Athens. So we had a 30 minute drive along the coast to get to our hotel. Sharon booked us a room in the Electra Palace, Athens. It is in the old part of the city, “Plaka” at the foothills of the Acropolis. I have to say, the daytime view is amazing but the evening view is breathtaking. We had to wait for our room to be readied so we left our usage with the bellman and headed out to explore. Every street is lined with stores ... read more

Today was a “down day”, sleeping in and various other low energy activities. I spent it catching up on blog posts, exchanging photos with Sharon and taking a nap. The weather is lovely and I normally would love to be outdoors, but I declined to be in the wind since I have a lingering cold.... read more

We had low expectations for Bodrum, especially after our fabulous evening the night before. However, Bodrum has an ancient castle, started in 1402 by the Knights of St. John. We took a cab ride around the harbor to see what the old castle might have to offer. What an interesting place! The church in the center was the first item erected and everything else around it was built in stages over many decades. It boasts four towers, but we counted five, each built by a different nationality. The Italians, Germans, French, Spanish and English all contributed their different architecture to structure which makes is architecturally unique and special. There are marble plaques over doors in all the sections within the castle, each displaying the coat of arms of that section’s benefactor and patrons. It truly is ... read more

After my 12 hour coma I awoke in front of a picturesque new island and ready for a fresh start. Mykonos is unofficially known as the island for the jet-setters. While they cater to the thousands of tourists that visit everyday, they are more well known for their night life and ability to party. Since that is not really my scene, I was happy to oblige their economy with a stroll through the most amazing streets. It doesn’t really matter where you start, all paths lead back to the oceanfront. That is by ancient design, not modern ingenuity. The winding paths lead two many forks and even today are unlabeled with street names. In ancient times, this was a defense strategy. Invaders would get lost and frustratingly end up back in the same place. Only those ... read more

As I write this post, I am looking out the window of our beautiful cruise ship, at the setting sun over the Marmara Sea. The Star Legend is a small, 200 passenger vessel in the Windstar Cruise Line. It provides all the amenities of the larger cruise lines, minus the crowds. We sailed out of the harbor at precisely 5pm, waving goodbye to the Istanbul coastline with its striking minarets and ancient coastal history. The sea is calm and skies are clear which should make for a peaceful night of sailing. Before we boarded though, we had one last highlight of ancient Istanbul to explore, the Galata Tower. As I previously mentioned, it was the highest point of the Genoese walled city. Built in 1453, the Genoese could watch the strait for uninvited ships. Sounding an ... read more