Just arrived in Minneapolis. Made it through customs with no issues. At the gate now for our 5 hour wait.
We were up at 2:30 am Athens time for a 3:15 bus. Arrived at the Athens airport an hour later. Again Delta / Air France couldn't handle a group checkin so it took a little longer. Jennie Rivera caught her fight to Rome and New York and the rest of us flew to Paris with a rushed plane change to Minnesota. Scheduled to be in Omaha at 6:45 pm. See you there.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
Monday - Back in Athens. Today we danced and got bitten by fish.
We started the day with disembarking from the ship and check in at the Arion hotel in downtown Athens.
A quick tour of Zeus's temple.
Off to Greek dancing.
First you wash your feet. (Don't want to kill the fish)
Then you put your feet in the tank.
And your feet come out soft and clean.
Leaving tomorrow at 3 am. Ugg :(
We started the day with disembarking from the ship and check in at the Arion hotel in downtown Athens.
The roof view from our hotel
A quick tour of Zeus's temple.
Off to Greek dancing.
A quick suflaki lunch and off to the pedifish spa.
First you wash your feet. (Don't want to kill the fish)
Then you put your feet in the tank.
Leaving tomorrow at 3 am. Ugg :(
Sunday - Heraklion and Santorini
Heraklion - Morning excursion to the Palace of Knosus, a Neolithic age ruin - 17,000 years old. Many parts were found intact. Amazing!
One afternoon Santorini excursion was to picturesque Oia village (pronounced Ee Ah), perched on the volcano's rim. In face the entire island is on the rim of a volcano. More tendering. Travel from the port was up a steep winding road.
Another cruised Santorini's inner islands and let you go walk to the edge of the volcano and swim in the heated (barely) sulfur waters.
Travel back down was by cable car or donkey. We chose cable car :)
Back on board by 8 pm and disembark to Athens in the morning. Last night to party.
Heraklion - Morning excursion to the Palace of Knosus, a Neolithic age ruin - 17,000 years old. Many parts were found intact. Amazing!
One afternoon Santorini excursion was to picturesque Oia village (pronounced Ee Ah), perched on the volcano's rim. In face the entire island is on the rim of a volcano. More tendering. Travel from the port was up a steep winding road.
Another cruised Santorini's inner islands and let you go walk to the edge of the volcano and swim in the heated (barely) sulfur waters.
Travel back down was by cable car or donkey. We chose cable car :)
Back on board by 8 pm and disembark to Athens in the morning. Last night to party.
Saturday - Kusadasi and Patmos.
Arrived in the resort town of Kusadasi, Turkey. Some went on an excursion to the house of St Mary, mother of Jesus, where she lived her final years. They have a church there now built on the ruined home's foundation, a holy water spring and a prayer request wall. They say healing miracles happen there all the time.
Holy spring water
Others were off to Ephesus, the ancient first capital of Turkey. Started 2400+ years ago it was home to over a million residents, had running water thru aqueducts and pipes, bath houses and a 50 seat public bathroom. They have uncovered 15% of the ruins and it is a 1 mile walk. The library of Celsus was the third largest of its time - 12,000 scrolls.
Parliament and playhouse
Ruins
And then to a carpet factory to see how hand made rugs are created and how you produce silk thread. Another chance to purchase a local product. (Ask Maria about hers :))
How silk is made
Others stayed on board and relaxed after a late night at the disco. All aboard at 1 pm and off to the island of Patmos.
Second half of the day - Patmos is where St John the Apostle spent 9 months when he was 90 and dictated the book of revelations. He had visions while many meditating / living in a small cave. He also was inspired to write and preach the idea of the trinity after the cave cracked and formed an image. They have a monastery dedicated to St John.
St John cave entrance
Frescos in the monastery
Tenders took us back forth to the ship. All aboard at 9:30 for our departure to Heraklion. Greek night! Opa! Dancing until the wee hours again.
Arrived in the resort town of Kusadasi, Turkey. Some went on an excursion to the house of St Mary, mother of Jesus, where she lived her final years. They have a church there now built on the ruined home's foundation, a holy water spring and a prayer request wall. They say healing miracles happen there all the time.
House / Church of St Mary
Picture of altar inside church (no photos)
Holy spring water
Prayer request wall
Others were off to Ephesus, the ancient first capital of Turkey. Started 2400+ years ago it was home to over a million residents, had running water thru aqueducts and pipes, bath houses and a 50 seat public bathroom. They have uncovered 15% of the ruins and it is a 1 mile walk. The library of Celsus was the third largest of its time - 12,000 scrolls.
Ruins with piping remains
Parliament and playhouse
Ruins
Ruins
Library of Celsus
And then to a carpet factory to see how hand made rugs are created and how you produce silk thread. Another chance to purchase a local product. (Ask Maria about hers :))
Learning how to weave
How silk is made
Learning how to buy
Others stayed on board and relaxed after a late night at the disco. All aboard at 1 pm and off to the island of Patmos.
Second half of the day - Patmos is where St John the Apostle spent 9 months when he was 90 and dictated the book of revelations. He had visions while many meditating / living in a small cave. He also was inspired to write and preach the idea of the trinity after the cave cracked and formed an image. They have a monastery dedicated to St John.
Needed tenders to reach shore
St John cave entrance
View of Patmos from the monastery
Frescos in the monasteryTenders took us back forth to the ship. All aboard at 9:30 for our departure to Heraklion. Greek night! Opa! Dancing until the wee hours again.
Friday - left the Achilles hotel in Athens for the port.
Arriving at the Port of Piraeus
Our ship
Our lifeboat
Boarded the cruise ship Celestyal Olympia at 9 am for the 11 am departure. First stop is lunch then Myconos - the most cosmopolitan of the Greek islands - at 4 pm. Pretty white buildings, shopping area with narrow streets and windmills. Some of the girls even got in a swim despite the winds and cooler temperatures.
Port of Mykonos
Signature Greek windmills
Greek fishing boat (those are Octopus hanging up there)
Back on the ship at 10:30 pm and off to Turkey.
Breakfast at Achilles Hotel
Arriving at the Port of Piraeus
Checking in
Our ship
On board
Our lifeboat
Lifeboat drill
Boarded the cruise ship Celestyal Olympia at 9 am for the 11 am departure. First stop is lunch then Myconos - the most cosmopolitan of the Greek islands - at 4 pm. Pretty white buildings, shopping area with narrow streets and windmills. Some of the girls even got in a swim despite the winds and cooler temperatures.
Port of Mykonos
Little Venice
Signature Greek windmills
Shopping
Greek fishing boat (those are Octopus hanging up there)Back on the ship at 10:30 pm and off to Turkey.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Opa! (Heard that a lot last night.)
Today was a tour of some Athens highlights the Parliament building and the tomb of the unknown, the Olympic stadium and the Acropolis. Truly amazing.
tomb of the unknown
Parthenon
Parthenon
We also visited a jewelry shop, had lunch in the town and visited the Athens museum which houses many of the Acropolis pieces found on site and around the world. Living in a city that has been conquered by the Romans, Byzantines and Persians is hard on your ancient artifacts. The British, French and Germans helped sponsor the digs and took pieces home as well. (We saw some in the British museum two years ago.) getting them back has been problematic.
Parthenon head stone
Dinner and shopping rounded out the day. Going cruising tomorrow.
News Flash: We were told there is no free WiFi on the cruise boat. 12 Euro a day! Probably no blog updates until we get back to Athens on Monday :( Might be able to update with text if we can find a phone signal or WiFi in port.
Today was a tour of some Athens highlights the Parliament building and the tomb of the unknown, the Olympic stadium and the Acropolis. Truly amazing.
former King's palace, now Parliament
tomb of the unknown
Olympic Stadium
Parthenon
Erecthion
ParthenonWe also visited a jewelry shop, had lunch in the town and visited the Athens museum which houses many of the Acropolis pieces found on site and around the world. Living in a city that has been conquered by the Romans, Byzantines and Persians is hard on your ancient artifacts. The British, French and Germans helped sponsor the digs and took pieces home as well. (We saw some in the British museum two years ago.) getting them back has been problematic.
Model of Acropolis
Parthenon head stone
model of Parthenon at museum
Dinner and shopping rounded out the day. Going cruising tomorrow.
News Flash: We were told there is no free WiFi on the cruise boat. 12 Euro a day! Probably no blog updates until we get back to Athens on Monday :( Might be able to update with text if we can find a phone signal or WiFi in port.
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